Inklings December 2023 Issue

December 2023 Join the discussion

The library’s new weekly MakerSpace event

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CONT ENTS

Opinions

Arts

7 Resisting Antisemitism

11 New Animation Courses

Rachel Olefson ’25 explores the new meaning behind her Hebrew necklace after the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Advanced Animation class, new to Staples this year, features many aspects of the Comic Book and Animation Club.

News

Features

Sports

4 Lights on Ginny Parker

8-9 Maker Space

12 Leadership Council

The Planning and Zoning Committee takes steps towards new lights at Ginny Parker.

Librarians plan to start “Make it Monday,” an extension of the Maker Space.

Athletic Director VJ Sarullo creates a leadership council for all captains of Staples sports teams.

Front and back cover photos 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 Caitlin Jacob, 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 Sage Cohen, Madison Mayr, Sophie Smith, Matthew Stashower 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.

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Watch On the Wreckord!

EDITORIAL

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Stop the Bleed training prompts need for more medical procedure certifications, materials

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arlier this school year, one half of Staples teachers underwent Stop the Bleed training, a program intended to educate people on how to recognize and respond to life-threatening injuries in which a person is bleeding out. The rest of the staff will be trained Monday, Jan. 29.

Training lasted for one hour and consisted of a presentation followed by hands-on practice of applying pressure, packing a wound and using a tourniquet to stop bleeding.

The Editorial Board believes the Stop the Bleed training was a great start in the process of training teachers to help keep students alive before medical professionals arrive in life-threatening situations.

That being said, there are some flaws that could be fixed and enhancements that could be made to make teachers better-equipped to help students.

The Board members spoke with various teachers that were present at the meeting and collected the following information.

During the Stop the Bleed rials they used during the traintraining, teachers were taught ing. This would ensure that they how to use tourniquets and are all able to successfully help gauze to pack a wound. EMT a person who is bleeding out. instructors stressed the need Additionally, the Board also to use sterbelieves ile supplies teachers and avoid [Teachers] should be should be using patrained per towels prepared to act in more in other or kleenex. common emergency life-savBut meding acts, ical sup- situations. like CPR, plies are Heimlich expensive. maneuver Currently, on the Stop the and using a defibrillator. The Bleed website, the full kits Board acknowledges that teachrange from $390 to $660. ers are not nurses or medical Staples does not plan to professionals, but they should provide the medical equip- be prepared to act in more ment to teachers. Therefore, common emergency situations. if a teacher wants a kit for their classroom, they will have to purchase it themselves.

The Board questions the point of the training if the teachers were never going to receive the proper equipment to perform the tasks asked of them. The Board believes that Staples should allocate money for medical equipment and provide teachers with the mate-

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Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

The probability of a student choking or having an issue with their heart is much higher than the probability of them bleeding out, so if a teacher is to be trained for the rarest of medical scenarios, then shouldn’t they also be trained for more probable emergency situations as well?

The Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this opinion.

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NEWS Plan to install lights at Ginny Parker field moves forward Angelina Matra ‘25 Opinions Editor

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Westport Planning and Zoning subcommittee met to discuss a proposal for adding lights to Ginny Parker field. Committee chair Danielle Dobin presented the idea in response to the expiration of a legal settlement that had previously limited the installation of lights at Staples’ athletic facilities.

Currently, following the terms of a 2009 agreement with a group of homeowners near

Staples, lighting is only per- mise is the use of LED lights, mitted at the football stadium which emit very little splashfor a limited number of days back and would therefore each year. As a result, all oth- only be visible from the field. er athletic facilities, includ“It would have no impact ing Ginny, remain lightless. on the neighbors,” Sarullo said, Most, if “and all of not all, of the our teams other FCIMost, if not all, of the would be AC schools to other FCIAC schools able have more benefit.” have more fields with fields with T h e lights than lights than we have” P l a n n i n g we have,” and Zoning - Athletic Director VJ Sarullo C o m m i t Athletic Director VJ tee thinks Sarullo said. the lack of Before lights can be installed, lights may be in conflict with Tihowever, P&Z must reach a re- tle IX of the Education Amendvised agreement with wneigh- ments of 1972, which prohibboring homeowners, which its sex-based discrimination at is set to be drafted in Janu- federally funded institutions. ary. One potential comproAccording to CT Insider,

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Graphic by Avery Michalowski ’26 Photos by Storey Ahl ’25 & Samantha Sandrew ’25

“Dobin has said [the current regulations have] unintentionally caused a lack of lighting for fields that are generally used for girls sports.”

This reasoning is based on the fact that the football stadium is typically used for boys’ sports, namely football and boys’ lacrosse, whereas Ginny has long housed girls’ sports such as field hockey and girls’ lacrosse. Without lights, the teams that practice at Ginny are often forced to cut short or even cancel practices and games.

“It affects JV a lot, because their games are usually right after varsity and at a later time of day,” field hockey player Emma Larit ’25. said.

“It gets hard to find times to play because of the darkness.”

SPORTS The varsity field hockey team plays their games on Ginny Parker field, and Junior Varsity plays after. The games have to start early because the field has no lights.

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Counseling department emphasizes importance of mattering Caitlin Jacob ’24 Communications Coordinator

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he school counseling department plans to partner with author Jennifer Wallace on the importance of “mattering” following a conversation that took place with counselor Deborah Slocum at the Westport Public Library on Nov. 15.

Parents of high school students attended the event where they listened to the conversation and asked questions about the importance of prioritizing self-care over superficial achievement. More recent conversations with Wallace included a talk with high school and middle school parents on Nov. 29, along with an elementary school conversation on Dec. 6.

“As counselors, for years, we have witnessed the negative impact of the achievement culture on Staples students’ mental and physical well-being,” Slocum said. “Jennifer offered

us [an explanation] of why and to load their schedules with Adhow achievement has become vanced Placement courses and so toxic in well-resourced com- prestigious clubs rather than munities such as Westport.” participating in activities for soThe conversations follow cial purposes. With regards to Wallace’s recently published the school, the counseling debook “Never Enough,” where partment has attempted to deshe interviewed hundreds of velop new approaches to poststudents and high school parents around planning the country and course Kids don’t always about their selection. feel that love is mindsets on “ T h e what it takes counseling unconditional” for a child to departsucceed. These ad- Author Jennifer Wallace ment conversations vocates for also reaffirmed the postcommon misconceptions about high school planning process academic expectations that exist to be an individual endeavor in prestigious towns. Wallace for each student,” Slocum said. noticed discrepancies within “Our priority goes beyond a families regarding the respons- student gaining acceptance es of students versus parents. to the most selective college “Every parent I’ve met ful- possible; instead, we encourly, unconditionally loves their age students to focus on ‘fit.’” child,” Wallace said. “It’s just It isn’t just parents and that kids don’t always feel professionals who want to see that love is unconditional.” a shift in culture at Staples.

Wallace has concluded that Many students have noted the these assumptions are based on hypercompetitive environment a culture that expects students at prestigious high schools,

DISCUSS Counsler Deborah Slocum (left) and Jennifer Wallace (right) discuss Wallace’s newest book “Never Enough” and the achievement culture at Staples.

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and are looking for a change.

“I think what really needs to change is how competitive the environment here is,” Grace Power ’24 said. “Every student is different and competing with others in our academics and extracurriculars can become toxic.”

In addition, Tess Boosin ’24 is initiating plans to start a “Mattering Club” at Staples. Named after Wallace’s catchphrase, the club hopes to combat a toxic achievement culture in the student body here at Staples. This is one of the many opportunities to incorporate Wallace’s lessons into the Staples community.

“As a follow-up to last week’s event, over the next month, the SHS counseling department and Westport Together will host small group discussions for parents on the book’s themes,” Slocum said. “[Wallace] also referenced her newly established Mattering Movement and an upcoming series of questions and activities that could be incorporated into Connections lessons.”

Photo contributed

by Kevin Godburn Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

OPINIONS

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Ho-Ho-Horror of Secret Santa Caroline Zajac ‘25

Assistant Business Manager

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is’ the season to be jolly, but let’s not sugarcoat it. Secret Santa, a seemingly fun, innocent tradition of gift giving, has a not so festive side to it. Beneath the wrapping paper and decorative bows lies an intricate entanglement of stress and tension. It’s time we shed light on why Secret Santa might be the worst holiday tradition.

First off, trying to set up the Secret Santa budget is a delicate dance. You aren’t quite sure what people’s financial status is, so you are left trying to choose between leaving your reputation as a cheapskate or an overachiever.

Then, once you eventually determine the budget, you are left with the anxiety of the random selection of Secret Santa. Picture this: You’re tossing the names into the Secret

Santa hat, and as you pass the Once you buy your gift for hat around to both people you your giftee, you have to keep the like and dislike, the stakes rise gift a secret. Secret Santa has with every name that’s drawn. become a covert mission. A caYou reach your hand into sual encounter with your person a hat and pick out a friend or turns into a stressful, worrisome family member’s name. You event for the risk of being exhope to god you get your fa- posed. Every year there’s always vorite cousin, parent or friend, someone who gets outed, and but are disappointed to find you you pray it’s not you this year. got the hardest, lamest person But the nightmare is still to get gifts for. not over; It’s either the Over the years, you still person who has Secret Santa must endure absolutely evthe gift exerything, or the has turned into a change. This person who has stressful guessing is the most no true interstressful part ests at all. You game — I’m about for both could always sick of it. you and the play it safe by person you gifting chocolates or holiday got a gift for. As your person treats, but who really wants picks up their gift, you search candy as a gift? You can’t de- for any subtle hint of satisfaccide which is worse looking at tion or disappointment. Will a long, expensive wish list, or you be met with genuine joy, the complete absence of one. or a polite smile that just bareOver the years, Secret Santa has ly hides annoyance? Even the turned into a stressful guessing most seasoned gift giver will game — I’m about sick of it. question every choice they

make in this year’s Secret Santa.

Finally, it is your turn to open your gift. A small feeling of excitement stretches over you, until you realize your third cousin, who’s into hunting and video games, had you this year.

You unravel the bow and open the box only to reveal an Eras Tour poster, but you aren’t even a Taylor Swift fan; in fact, you actually hate her. You can’t help but think he just assumed you were a stereotypical teenager who’s also a Swiftie. You look around to see if any other goodies are lying underneath the tissue paper: nope, just the poster.

Secret Santa is truly the gift that keeps on giving, and not in a good way. Here’s to hoping your next Secret Santa is as forgotten as the useless Eras Tour poster. May your gifts be better than the Secret Santa ones!

Poll taken of Staples students Graphic by Olivia Signorile ’25 Photo by Lily Rimm ’25

Graphics by Lily Rimm ’25

opinions | 7

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son ’25 Photo b y Demi Sas

around me. I found people Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25 asking, “What does your necklace mean?” and would quickly respond that it was my Hebrew name, which happens to be the same as my English name, that the letters have vowels underneath them instead of within the word so my normally six-letter name has three in Hebrew, and that the letters are read right to left.

However, after the recent conflict in Israel, I’ve begun to wonder; what does my necklace really mean? Other than its direct translation, I think it has become a constant reminder to quite literally hold my faith close to my heart. I still wear my necklace every day, but have noticed myself becoming mindful at times. Should I tuck it into my shirt when I take the train to New York for the day? Is it even safe to wear it at school and around my own community?

But then I remember what my dad always told me. No matter how worried I might be Infographic by Demi Sasson ’25 for the Jews in Israel or even in America, if I don’t continue to respect and stand up for what I believe, I can’t trust that anyone else will, and it all starts with telling people what the chain around my neck means.

son

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ver since I was little, my dad has instilled in me that if I don’t respect my own religion, no one will. I went to Hebrew school every Tuesday from kindergarten to seventh grade, became a b’nai mitzvah alongside my sister and cousin and contin-

ac o by R hel Olef

Web News Editor

ue to participate in BBYO, a Jewish group for teens, to this day. But until recently, I had taken for granted how easily I was able to observe Judaism.

At the start of this school year, I came home to find a little black box with my name on it sitting on my kitchen island.

I quickly and excitedly unwrapped the ribbon and shook the lid off the box as I hadn’t ordered anything in the mail and had no idea what was inside.

What I found was a thin gold chain on either side of the three characters that spell out my Hebrew name. I immediately put the necklace on and thanked my mom for the surprise, going about my day as usual.

As I am a person of debilitatingly consistent habit and had worn the same butterfly necklace every single day for two years before receiving my new prized possession, the change in my routine sparked immediate interest from those

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Rachel Olefson ‘25

BEJEWELED Rachel Olefson ’25 takes pride in her faith by wearing a necklace with her Hebrew name on it.

FEATURES

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Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Dive into creativity: Library’s Maker Space welcomes ‘Make it Monday’ Demi Sasson ’25 Opinions Editor

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fter a long, tiresome day of tests and presentations, the last thing you want to do is spend your free period in the library doing homework. But, hidden among miles of booklined shelves, in room 509, is the glorious Maker Space.

The Maker Space serves as a creative space where students can unwind and use their imagination. Inside the zone, one can find a 3D printing machine, a laser wood engraver, a t-shirt press, a sticker maker and an embroidery machine.

Most students are aware of

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the “Friday Fundays” hosted by the ability to do that,” lithe library every Friday. On brarian Jennifer Cirino said. these days, the librarians showBut what students may not case the Maker Space equip- know is they can access the ment by setting it up at the Maker Space any time they need library entrance for students to if they sign up and reserve to access the room. All during all they need to [The Maker Space do is email three lunch waves. Lithe librarihas] lots of brarians ans. While opportunity, introduce classes like innovative independently led Technology activities Education by the students, that allow come into students space - Nicole Moeller, librarian the to escape to engrave from a busy school schedule. their wooden clocks with the “Whenever kids want to Maker Space’s laser wood fabricate or be able to create engraver, and Staples Playthings, we try to give them ers will embroider their cos-

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tumes with the embroidery machine, the librarians hope to make the space used by more students more frequently.

To draw more attention to the space, the library staff is now hoping to create a ‘Make it Monday’ each Monday during lunchtime, beginning in January. Unlike ‘Friday Funday,’ this new addition is a chance for students to get into the actual Maker Space room and indulge in creativity and take a break during a stressful day. “[The Maker Space has] lots of opportunity, independently led by the students,” librarian Nicole Moeller said. “[If ] someone has an idea, we really try to help them create their idea.”

PASTE CU T Photo by

PASTE

Lily Hult

gren ’25

CREATE (left to right) Bray Quinn ’27, Emilie Russell ’27 and Neave Mulvey ’27 headed into the Maker Space to take part in the Friday Fun Day on Dec. 8. The activity was creating pom-pom gnomes, complete with tiny yarn hats and colorful beads for noses.

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PRINT PRINT PRINT PRINT The library has two 3D printer machines. To use the printer, students submit STL files via email. Visit the Staples Library website for detailed directions.

SNIP

Photos contributed by Jennifer Cirino & Nicole Moeller

“FRIDAY FUN DAYS” Last May, students participated in the Friday Fun Day, which was creating colorful Mother’s Day boquets.

SNIP

Graphics by Moss Vanamee ’25

SNIP SNIP

EMBROIDER Leila Stein ’26 embroidered costumes for the Staples Players’ production of “The Prom” using the embroidery machine.

Students can sign up to use the machine, which can embroider any fabric material, with one of the librarians.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Music department lights up Candlelight with “I Found the Light” Genevieve Frucht ‘24 Editor-in-Chief

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girl walks home on a dark winter night.

She looks up and sees a light in the sky that guides her to the comfort of home.

This story is captured in the musical piece “I Found the Light” by Staples alumni composer Jake Landau ’13 and poet Emily Garber ’13.

Landau and Garber were commissioned for this piece to be performed at the 2023 Candlelight Concert by the Staples orchestra, band and chorus.

The idea for a commissioned piece came in 2021 and throughout this past summer and school year, teachers in the music department have been working with Landau and Garber to perfect the song for the concert.

As a student, Landau learning the piece. “I Found played the mallet percussion the Light” is a challenge for for the Staples band and or- the ensembles because they are chestra. As a composer, he now usually able to listen to recordhas the opportunity to hear his ings to get the feel of the piece; own song performed on the however, because this piece has same stage never been that he once played Staples’ music played on. before, it department has “As a is a hardparticipant proven that they’re er “ [ task. in and audiWe dedicated to ence memasked the ber of Canprofessional-level students] dlelight, I to step out performance” was always of their - Jake Landau '13 c o m f o r t imagining what I’d like zone a little to be playing/hearing for this bit and just like, trust us,” Brima specific event,” Landau said. said. “Now they’re starting to “And now I got the chance, get it into their ears, but it was thanks to some brilliant, initially just a little tricky beopen-minded, highly dedicat- cause we don’t operate that way.” ed faculty members and staff.”

Landau has also worked The teachers in the music with the ensembles and has department, including orches- witnessed the strength of the tra teacher Jeri Brima, have been music department and the working with their students on immense effort that the stu-

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dents have put in to perform the piece as well as possible.

“I’ve attended one rehearsal already and will be at a couple more. The musicians sound fantastic,” Landau said. “Through this commission, Staples’ music department has proven that they’re dedicated to professional-level performance and providing real-world musical experiences to their students, like the premiering of a new work.

The classical music world today is all about new music, and it’s a blessing to be a part of that.”

For the students, the experience of learning and playing a piece written just for them has been rewarding, and helped enhance their skill sets as musicians.

“I have really liked working with the chorus and band on the piece,” orchestra student Caitlyn Schwartz ’24 said, “and I love getting to work on my intonation during the piece.”

Photo by Hannah Salpeter ’25

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT The Staples band, orchestra and chorus practice after school in preparation for the Candlelight performance.

Advanced Animation:

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New course offers in-depth look into art form, builds on foundations Jack Robinson ’26

Web Opinions Editor

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Photo by Moss Vanamee ’25

t’s hard to fully comprehend the hours upon hours of work that go into making any animation, whether it be a five-second clip of a dog barking or a feature-length Walt Disney film.

Drawing each individual frame and smoothly digitizing it online can be time consuming to make a cohesive product.

Staples has been offering a course in Animation for the past several years. Due to increased interest in further exploring the art form, Staples added a new course taught by art teacher Tiffany Choi: Advanced Animation.

In order to enroll in Advanced Animation, students must take Animation as a prerequisite, taught by art teacher Mark DeRosa. This class focuses on drawing characters and storyboarding, as well as animating via methods like stop motion.

In the past, when Animation ran as a single course, the art department noticed that students were struggling to draw basic characters. To combat this, they made Animation more hand-drawn focused, and developed Advanced Animation to dive deeper into drawing digitally and animating these drawings using software like ProCreate.

PENCIL IN HAND (Above) Vigo

Peixoto ’25 attends Animation Club that meets from 3-4 p.m. every Wednesday for students to create new artwork.

COMIC CREATION (Above) Gleb Syomichev ’23 drew “The Pits of Aedifix” during his time in comic book club.

SPUNKY GRAPHICUS “Splat” was drawn by Abigail Dellavalle ’23 as a cover photo for Graphicus (comic book club), Issue One.

“A strong emphasis is placed on developing each student’s drawing abilities in order for them to be more successful in Advanced Animation,” DeRosa said.

In fact, Animation aligns so closely with traditional drawing skills that technically, there is a second combination of pre-requisites a student can take that would also qualify them for Advanced Animation. “[If ] you took Drawing [...],” Stephen Zimmerman, Westport Public Schools coordinator for music and visual arts, said, “and you were also in comic book club, [...] you [could] jump into Advanced Animation.”

Zimmerman justifies this as an alternative qualification for Advanced Animation, as the drawing classes will provide the foundation of drawing skills, and the club will provide exposure to storyboarding and character design that closely aligns with the Animation curriculum.

“Each student writes and draws their own comic [in Graphicus],” DeRosa, Graphicus’ (comic book club) advisor, said.

Zimmerman has a hopeful outlook for the future of the new club and animation courses.

“We can imagine,” he said, “it’s just going to continue to get better and better.”

SPORTS

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Sarullo’s leadership council elevates the captain position Rachel Olefson ’25 Web News Editor

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eing the captain of a sports team at Staples is a highly prestigious position, but in the past, captains have lacked formal training to learn the ropes of their respective roles.

After recognizing this, Athletic Director VJ Sarullo created the Staples Leadership Council, a group of 106 sports captains and leaders who come together once a month to learn skills like AED and CPR training and hear from guest speakers about what makes a good leader.

“The goal [of the leadership council] is to try to make our school a better place, make our teams more productive and try to increase the leadership abil-

In addition, the leadership ity of everybody,” Sarullo said.

Every month before their council also seeks to bring atmeetings, captains and oth- tention to the needs of Stasports. er leaders are allowed to vote ples’ lesser-known “A lot of people don’t even on what skills they’d like to work on or suggest speak- know Staples has a gymnastics ers they’d like to hear from. team,” gymnastics captain Vic“I think [the] leadership toria Fidalgo Schioppa ’24 said.

“It’s realcouncil Through the ly nice to is a great some way for leadership council, get recogthe stuI’ve strengthened my n i t i o n dent body for all to have a leadership skills” our hard voice in - Rachel Olefson '25 w o r k our athand the letic department,” boys’ tennis captain hours we put into the gym.”

Sarullo hopes that the counNoah Wolff ’25 said. “By collaborating with Mr. Sarullo, I cil’s effort to create multifaceted think the athletic leadership and skilled leaders will set stucouncil can help make posi- dents up for success in the future tive changes guided by student and enrich the lives of particiand administrative needs.” pants, both on and off the field.

Photo dramatization by Ruby Kantor ’24

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“Through the leadership council, I’ve strengthened my leadership skills as it’s helped me understand the core values of commitment, communication and teamwork,” track and field captain Eva Glennon ’24 said.

“With future meetings, I hope to develop these skills further and eventually pass my knowledge on to future captains.”

Most of all, Sarullo’s goal is to ensure that students feel their voices are heard in order to make sure they get the most out of their leadership council experience.

“I can think something’s working really well or have ideas I think are good,” Sarullo said, “but the students live it every day and they know better than me what is working and what’s not working.”

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Athletic teams enjoy increase in media coverage

Caitlin Jacob ‘24

Communications Director

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ou drive home from school, upset that you can’t attend the big soccer game. You have been waiting all year for the opportunity to support the team, and now, with tests to study for, you feel that is impossible. Except it isn’t.

With the surplus of personalized media coverage now coming to Staples games, you won’t have to miss out on the action.

Prior to this year, most coverage of games was confined to external websites such as Ruden Report, which, given the volume of schools in Fairfield Country, failed to thoroughly cover every game at Staples.

When Athletic Director VJ Sarullo began his career at Staples High School, he made it one of his top priorities to increase media coverage of every team.

“Our goal is to have all 39 sports have equal coverage and

all feel that they’re a part of the attention of games, including program because they are,” Sa- the newly developed PrepZone rullo said. “I’ve always felt every podcast run by Brian Divino program is equal to every other ’25 and his father. The podcast and hopefully people see that has hosted various athletes and on our social media accounts.” coaches, including Sarullo and S a r u l l o’s Schioppa. goal of in“You no What we try to creasing melonger have do is make sure to sit through dia coverage has been suca 30 minthat all of our cessful and ute newscast programs are well apprecito find out ated, accordif your team represented” ing to athletes won or watch - Athletic Director VJ Sarullo and coaches. highlights; “It is nice and that’s why to see all the different sports PrepZone is unique,” Prepposted on the Athletic Di- Zone founder Estevao Devirector (AD) Instagram as it no said. “It’s only Wreckers, can unite the amazing athletic all the time! It’s personalized community we have at Sta- and audience focused, and ples,” field hockey captain So- that’s where I think we are fia Fidalgo Schioppa ’25 said. headed in all sports coverage”.

In addition to the coverIt’s not just coverage of age coming from the athletic games that is improving. The director, some other sources AD Instagram account has have been utilized to increase also implemented a “student of

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Photos by Paige Tighe ’24

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Ben Lorenz ’24 Boys’ Track Captain

the week,” where the goal is to mention every team. This is all in addition to the well established “Superfans” Instagram.

“What we try to do is make sure that all of our programs are represented,” Sarullo said. “So all of our programs this fall had at least two student athletes earn student athlete of the week.”

Though coverage of sports has increased, there are still improvements that could be made to enhance attendance.

There is a hope that the enhanced attendance will lead to more thorough media coverage.

“I think adding lights there would give us more flexibility in terms of scheduling and I think just, you know, winning generates interest,” English teacher and field hockey coach Mary Katherine Hocking said. “I think the more people see teams being successful, the interest will be there and I think people will come.”

Maya Brody ’24 Girls’ Basketball Captain

Luke Rosen ’24 Boys’ Wrestling Captain

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How To Make Gingerbread

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

Graphics by Alex Gaines ’25

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