Inklings Graduation 2020 Issue

Join the (virtual) discussion.

Spirit Week

Superfans crowd

Homecoming football game

Pep Rally

Principal Thomas

Players’ Mamma Mia

Pep Rally

First day of school

Red & Whites

Decision Day: socially distanced

Graphics by Molly Gold ’21 and Poppy Livingstone ’21 Photos contributed by Dylan Goodman ’21, Jackie Zinn ’20, Stapleite Yearbook, Lifetouch Photography, Lily Kane ’20 & Chris Greer

inklingsnews STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER www.inklingsnews.com inklingsnews@westportps.org (203)-341-1499 or (203)-341-5192

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Editors-in-Chief Poppy Livingstone & Claire Redmer

Managing Editors

Lys Goldman & Remy Teltser

Web Managing Editors Lucy Arrow & Rachel Suggs

Business Managers

Brooke Dembin, Margot Stack, & Theresa Vandis

Creative Director Molly Gold

Associate Managing Editors Carly Kaplowitz & Chelsea Strober

Photography Director Eliza Barr

Social Media Directors

Grace Livecchi & Charlotte Smith

Assistant Creative Directors Rachel Greenberg & Claire Hanley Simon Sandrew & Lily Weisz

Broadcast Directors

Jack Dennison & Ella Stoler

Assistant Business Managers Shira Zeiberg & Lucy Zuckerman

Breaking News Editor Andreas Lolis

Outreach Manager Rebecca Kanfer

News Editors

Natalie Bandura & Tierney Kugel Finnegan Courtney & Katie Simons

Opinions Editors

Madeleine Casey & Prasaus Yeager Maya Hruskar & Chloe Murray

Features Editors

Abbie Goldstein & Betti Kobak Samantha Felner & Karina Murray

Arts Editors

Lucy Dockter & Tallula Stvan Aidan Rogers & Emma Smith

Sports Editors

Mishael Gill & Jared Leonard Lily Caplan & Charley Guthartz

Web News Editors

Giselle Oldani & Anastasia Thumser

Web Opinions Editors

Allison Gillman & Maria Krug

Web Features Editors

Teachers shaped my high school experience Though you are graduating during this unprecedented, newsworthy time, we would like to remind you of all of the remarkable stories you’ve lived through. The following poem is made of headlines published in Inklings over the course of your four years at Staples.

Audrey Bernstein ’20 Editor-in-Chief

Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god Your senior year can be whatever you want it to bee Trump and Clinton Face off Spotify wrapped recaps an entire decade of music and more Positivity shaped my high school experience.

High school is about the people, Top songs of 2019 leave long-lasting impact Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god Thomas strengthens community in first 100 days Science Olympiad determined to continue despite postponed competition School closures. highlight economic inequality across Connecticut Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god New adventures found at semester schools The evolution of school dances Spirit week encourages student autonomy, fosters inclusivity Trump and Clinton Face off Homecoming. dance would strengthen school community Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god Presence of student government cultivates student voices. generates change Young people impact elections, without voting Staples alumni embrace being active global citizens Staples and Wilbur Cross Student-led candy shop fosters leadership, relationships New teachers join Staples High School community Staples and Wilbur Cross Standardized tests teach lessons beyond. score If you’re a Superfan, don’t miss out on these noteworthy home games.

Forgette on staying positive: you can’t forget it D’Amico and Palmer, tackle first year in administrative roles Coleytown combines with Bedford for 2019-20, BOE makes plans for reopening in August CMS students, staff relocated indefinitely due to persistent mold, Founders Day, is officially brought back TV Production students produce GMS Staples and Wilbur Cross The Tales of Swipe-Right. Superhero*

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ear teachers of Staples High School,

As I write from home, where I have spent my final few months as a high school student in self-isolation, my deepest regret is not the loss of a t radit iona l commencement, the internship opportunity I’m missing out on or the senior prom that was not to be.

What pains me most about this quarantine is that I will not have the opportunity to be your student again and express my gratitude in person.

Web Arts Editors

Web Sports Editors

Lexie Moskovit & Maya Reiner

Web Photostory Editor Amanda Rowan

Advisers

Joseph DelGobbo & Mary Elizabeth Fulco

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Editorials and letters to the editor All opinions in this paper are those of Staples High School students. The editorial board determines editorial opinions that are authored by the editors-in-chief. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@ westportps.org. Submissions will not be edited prior to publication.

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

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

Distribution Distribution Inklings News, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored.

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Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration and does not allow for prior review. Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions.

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.

Counties is not the time for twinning Staples’ “lost” might never be “found” Staples and Wilbur Cross “Stranger Things” was the show of the summer Future of spring sports season remains uncertain, Billie Eilish engages listeners with compelling, diverse vocals in debut album Winter sports teams look towards upcoming season Your senior year can be whatever you want it to be Class of 2019 embarks on next chapter. abroad Music traditions forge bonds within sports teams Your senior year can be whatever you want it to bee Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god Shifting your perspective on college essays is important Future. of spring sports season remains uncertain Ski team gears up for the slopes More student feedback on teaching effectiveness required Seniors to lead winter teams to success, Both Democrats and Republicans score wins, in local elections Reflections Art contest paints endless opportunities, to showcase creativity English teacher prompts resilience and creativity. from Bronx to Westport The unknown is waiting.

depart with newfound c onv i c t i on .

I now know that I hope to be a “student” forever: curious, engaged and passionate. But I also hope that, as I embark on this new chapter, I can learn to embody the qualities of a teacher – channeling the commitment, adaptability and encouragement you have all shown me.

I’ll take family for $600, Alex Allie D’Angelo ’20 Editor-in-Chief

Ella Alpert & Lyah Muktavaram Lauren Hassell & Lea Rivel

High school isn’t easy. But, as I prepare to move onto a new chapter, I can wholeheartedly declare that I made it through all hurdles thanks to the teachers who form Staples’ backbone.

When I entered my freshman year, I lacked self-confidence. I never envisioned myself speaking in front of classmates, writing an opinion piece or leading a student newspaper.

But I was comforted by a social studies teacher who assured me that my essay was worthy, an English teacher who inspired me to pursue journalism and a math teacher whose personal anecdotes always made me laugh.

These familiar faces have remained my guidepost throughout the past four years, making Staples feel like home. As I have grown, they continue to remind me of the student I aspire to be – the person I aspire to be.

As I neared the end of my high school career, the coronavirus sent us into isolation. We have been forced to adapt to unforeseeable circumstances and navigate virtual learning for the first time, all while caring for our own health and wellbeing.

Despite despairing times, your dedication continues to serve as Staples’ heartbeat.

Through hosting Google Meets and checking-in with students, modifying class assignments based on student interest and feedback and, above all, remaining a source of positivity, you have kept our school community alive. You have made for a wonderful, albeit unconventional, final semester as a high school student.

Although I am leaving Staples, I

Whenever I tell someone I need to be home by 7 p.m. to watch “Jeopardy”, I always get the same response: “What are you, 50?” Well, probably.

I’ve been watching “Jeopardy” with my family since the third grade. I grew up staring at my dad in awe as he seemed to know every answer.

Meanwhile, I struggled to pronounce “potpourri” while sitting at the other end of the couch.

In the fourth grade, one of the most monumental moments of my life transpired. For the first time, ever, I knew the right answer. “What is ‘The Blind Side’?”

I told my dad my guess was correct but was too afraid to be wrong, so I didn’t say anything. In his response, he

told me: “You should have spoken up..

Who cares if you’re wrong?” That was the first lesson the show ever taught me.

Ever since, it’s been a family tradition to watch “Jeopardy” every night.

As I grew up, I started to compete with my parents to see who knew the most answers.

It was always a competition between me and my dad, as my mom would then dominate “Wheel of Fortune” that aired next.

Throughout my time at Staples, I’ve made it a priority to be home by 7 p.m. to watch a new episode with my family. I would put aside my homework, phone and all other distractions so I could simply spend family time watching Alex Trebek challenge a new set of contestants. Through all these years, the show has made me think through a new perspective and comprehend questions in a different light. That was the second lesson the show taught me.

During my senior year, becoming Editor-in-Chief meant staying at school with the staff until 7 p.m. and often later to

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

finish the next paper. As deadlines approached, our dedication to send the paper out to the printer motivated us to keep working.

At around 6:30 p.m. on every late night, my dad would send the same text: “Will you be home in time for ‘Jeopardy’?” It felt wrong to tell him I wouldn’t make it. It felt like missing out on the one time of day when my family could spend time together.

Yet, I also felt like I was with another family: my Inklings family. They would also challenge me in ways that “Jeopardy” had never before, except these questions were real life decisions that we had to make together.

Sometimes the answers are unconventional and they’re not what you expect. That was the third lesson the show taught me.

I will forever value what “Jeopardy” has taught me throughout the years. I learned to speak my mind, even if I may be wrong. I understood the importance of perspective and how thinking outside the box brings you success. Yet most importantly, I learned that family has many definitions, and I am grateful that Inklings became one of them for me.

Although I still may not know many of the answers on the show, or even life, I hope that when I ACTUALLY turn 50, my love for “Jeopardy” and appreciation for its invaluable lessons will continue to resonate with me.

Never fear failure

‘The Giving Tree’ instils importance of paying it forward Kaela Dockray ’20 Managing Editor

O

Sophie Casey ’20

Web Managing Editor

we have nothing left to give, we must become the giving tree.

As former President Barack Obama asserted in his virtual commencement speech, the coronavirus has “torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing.” The response to this pandemic has made it abundantly clear that we can no longer rely on our current leadership. We must take matters into our own hands and demand a seat at the table. Our generation will unquestionably play a vital role in what happens next.

If you have the time, I ask you to reread “The Giving Tree.” Take a moment to appreciate its message. Say thank you to the people who have impacted you most. And, as easy as it is to feel overwhelmed and powerless by the uncertainty of our society, remember that sometimes the questions are more important than the answers. Ask yourself what you can do to make this world a little bit better, or how you can give back to the tree that has undoubtedly shaped who you are today.

I

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

How I found a lasting community in Inklings Dana Perelberg ’20 Managing Editor

On my first day at Staples, I strode into the blackbox for my Theatre 1 class feeling confident I would fit in. I was loud, energetic and l i k e d dressing up, so I assumed theatre would be a good fit.

As it turns out, I was missing one quality –– talent. As my many middle school Garageband recordings demonstrate, I do not have the singing voice of an angel or even of a mediocre human. The stage was not where I belonged.

The community I hoped to find there had not panned out, but throughout my high school experience, I was

able to find communities in other places.

I found community in my We The People team junior year, where I got to know some of my best friends on bus rides around Washington, D.C. and in my AP Literature class junior year where we had discussions about what was going on around us. But most of all I found my community at Inklings.

When I tell people about the hours I spend in the Inklings room after school, they’re usually shocked. They don’t understand why I would choose to spend hours critiquing the size of images and circling spelling errors. But I wouldn’t trade those after school hours for anything –– even a long nap. The Inklings community has been an important part of my high school experience.

COVID-19 highlighted just how essential Inklings had been to my daily life.

I was upset about the traditions I would miss and the people I would no longer be able to see. But Inklings proved that it would stick with me.

I receive texts or late night FaceTime calls from my Inklings friends and get excited about each notification from the Inklings group chats which are filled with articles and jokes. It has given me a sense of belonging in Sta-

ples even when I am not physically at school.

It is because of this that, as I move on to the next phase of my life, I am confident that Inklings and the other communities that I’ve built at Staples will remain with me. My place may not be in the blackbox, but it will always be in the Inklings room.

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

failed my first test in my 11th grade chemistry class. The exact score does not matter much in hindsight; I just remember the F. To this day, I harbor little fondness for gas laws or the triumvirate of diabolical masterminds who discovere d them and still occasionally feature in my nightmares: B o y l e , Charles and Gay-Lussac.

But I owe those foregone tormentors one of the greatest debts of adolescence: the realization that failure is the affirmation that you can emerge remarkably improved from natural setbacks.

My chemistry teacher, in a rather casual voice, suggested that I simply come see him to prepare for the next test. My own mortification suddenly made the thought of hiding under a lab table incredibly appealing. Did he really expect me to find some value in this?

What an absolutely inconceivable notion.

I did go see him, in the end. And then I passed. I passed the kinetics test. I passed the equilibrium test (barely, but it sufficed). I passed the buffers test. To be quite frank, I don’t remember much about the aforementioned. I anticipate very little information about conjugate bases will be retained, but I do remember what the test prior taught me: failure should not inspire fear.

My eventual success with the theory of kinetics notwithstanding, I’d already

made some spectacular missteps with the laws of motion in 10th grade. Having fractured my right foot while heroically traversing a curb, I made the imprudent decision to vault down a short flight of school stairs on crutches, breaking my left ankle in the process. My subsequent relationship with an orthopedic boot brought plenty of opportunities for self-reflection and growth. Failure taught me flexibility and forgiveness. I spent a week berating myself for my stupidity and lack of foresight, but I spent the rest of my recovery remembering people are not mountain goats.

We can all be more compassionate to others who made foolish choices. And while standing on your own two feet reflects admirable self-reliance, I learned remaining vertical on a single foot develops patience, creativity and novel strategies to thwart turbulence. I would not recommend the broken-bone-method— consider my failure enough of a lesson for you—but the best things are painfully won.

Failure led me to Inklings. If you have never heard me play viola, consider

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

n March 11th, our time as high school seniors came to an abrupt end. The two weeks we expected to spend in the confines of our homes soon became months as the reality sunk in that our last moments of walking the halls of Staples as students were behind us.

Now, as we attempt to celebrate the end of our high school journey in new and u n c o nv e n tional ways, I find myself questioning what I would have done differently if I had known that my senior year would be cut short.

Perhaps the answer to this question can be found in the copy of Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” I recently came across in the many spare hours I have had to catch up on spring cleaning. As I flipped through the very pages I found so enchanting as a child, I could not help but feel disheartened.

The story is about a tree’s unwavering devotion to a young boy. They spend everyday together until the boy grows up and the tree selflessly gives him her apples to make a living and her branches and trunk to build a home and boat. She is nothing but a stump by the end, but the tree is content in the now old man’s company.

My time at Staples has been far from perfect. There have been times where I felt

that this place brought out the worst in me, that it stunted my creativity and even compromised a part of who I am. But these past few months have made me realize how critical my education has been to my growth as both a student and as a person. After rereading “The Giving Tree,” I wondered if I was the boy, constantly taking from our school without expressing my appreciation.

For much of my high school career, I let myself believe that a bad grade equated to the end of the world; I spent countless hours in tears trying to understand a difficult math problem, and I thought life was unfair when it felt that my efforts went unrecognized.

But with time comes perspective. I soon will forget about the days spent lamenting over a poor grade on a test or the loss of a proper high school graduation. Instead, the small moments that have come to define my high school experience will stay with me.

From waiting in the sandwich line for what felt like an eternity to receiving a funny text message in one of my class’ group chats, it is the little things that I will remember most.

We must also look at the bigger picture and acknowledge the impact of our time at Staples in preparing us for the future. Like the tree, our school has provided the resources, skills and knowledge that will enable us to succeed going forward. Most significantly, we cannot overlook the contributions of our teachers. Our faculty form the foundation of our school; they are the trunk of our tree. The commitment our teachers have demonstrated in inspiring us to consider viable solutions for the very real issues facing society today makes me confident that our generation will be at the forefront of social change.

However, our gratitude can best be expressed in something far larger than ourselves. We now have the responsibility to pay it forward. Even if it feels as though

yourself blessed beyond measure. Freshman Orchestra, though a valiant endeavor, was ill-fated. My desire to avoid the debacle of another year of my own cacophony encouraged me to explore alternate outlets for my “genius,” so I took journalism.

Picture this: a girl, trying to reconcile with the notion that she was arguably artistically inept, joins a journalism class. She’s terrified of interviewing. She’s anxious about deadlines. She’s petrified of group work. She has no fondness for writing. But I loved Inklings.

Had it not been for my own musical deficiency (coupled with a need for arts credit, but that’s immaterial), I certainly would not have considered joining the organization that has largely defined my high school experience. Failure was a lucky chance at a new opportunity.

While at Staples—aside from my fantastic teachers, of course—failure has been my most helpful mentor. And yet, if you are anything like me, you entered Staples with apprehension painted on your face like an instinctual reaction. I don’t scorn you for seeking success, but let me say it plainly: have the courage to court failure too. It’s impossible to live without failing at something unless your ambitions are so modest they defy such definition. And don’t wait too long—the beauty of having failed is that it removes the pressure of having to be perfect.

Acknowledge your human frailty, embrace your newfound liberation and move on. None of us knows what we are capable of unless we are willing to risk, and learn from, failure.

So if there is anything that I wish for you, it is that you fail. It sounds odd—callous, even—but truly, I want nothing more. I am convinced that there is no greater gift than failure, that inevitable circumstance of a high school student. I have succeeded, but I have failed frequently and my defeats, disappointments and setbacks are gifts I wield unabashedly. When things feel as though they’re falling apart, they’re more often falling into place.

Why I pour my milk before my cereal Lia Chen ’20

Associate Managing Editor

Typically, senior opinions are used to reflect on a student’s time at Staples, whether by highlighting some favorite memories or important lessons they have learned; but, as somebody with the memory of a goldfish and cannot even remember what they had for dinner two days ago, I have graciously opted to leave the sentimental reminiscing to others who are more qualified to do so. Instead, as the final addition to my iconic Staples legacy, I would like to make a confession: I am one of those irredeemable swine who pour their milk before their cereal.

I know it may be hard for some to wrap their mind around the fact that the student who resided at the back of the classroom, or the friend who sat with them at lunch would be capable of committing such an atrocious act.

However, for a long time, that was the only way

I knew how to prepare my cereal and milk.

My kitchen is arranged in a way so that the most efficient way to go about making a bowl of cereal is to riffle through the cupboards for a bowl, open the fridge for the milk, and, finally, grab the cereal from the counter.

As someone who could eat cereal for four out of three meals a day if my parents would allow it, I quickly perfected this routine to a T.

I knew the best bowl to eat from, the exact location of the milk on the fridge shelves, and the perfect amount of cereal to pour in order to maximize the cereal-to-milk ratio without overflowing the bowl. I am confident that my bowls of cereal were just as good as any bowl of cereal with the milk poured second.

It was not until around middle school when I learned that this was apparently the “wrong” way to eat cereal. Instantly, I was dubbed an outcast for simply not conforming to the socially acceptable way of doing things. The cereal-before-milk people were not the slightest bit interested in considering how for me, personally, pouring my milk first offered heightened efficiency, a better cereal-to-milk ratio, and the perk of keeping the cereal crunchy for longer. Instead of shaming me for the quality of

cereal my methods produced, they shamed me solely for my methods themselves.

Shackled to tradition, the vast majority of cereal-before-milk people have lost sight of the reason why they pour the cereal first. Sure, maybe initially, at the very inception of this age-old debate, the cereal-before-milk people were righteous in their cause, and genuinely believed that doing so resulted in the best-tasting cereal; however, that is no longer the case.

Nowadays, people are more concerned about maintaining the status quo rather than looking at the situation objectively. Their unconditional dedication to the conventional has blinded them to possible improvements to their ways, which I, a person fortunate enough to have grown up in a Chinese household devoid of these conventions, have embraced.

Yet those cereal-before-milk people are not the ones to blame. They are simply products of a society that conditions people to believe that pouring their cereal first is correct, without telling them why.

How should they know any better, when they see their parents, their friends, their role models, all pouring their cereal first?

But all of us have the power to dismantle this society. By educating ourselves, and subsequently making our own decisions based on the knowledge we have acquired, not based on society’s pressures, we can create a world where people can make their cereal in whichever way they would like, free of judgment.

Enjoy it while it lasts, because it doesn’t last for long Siri Kanter ’20

Associate Managing Editor

For the past two years on Inklings, I have read every word of all the senior opinions that were submitted, soaking up all of the information that the seniors wrote. Neither of those times, though, did I imagine myself writing one.

It always seemed too far off, almost surreal.

But now here we are. I’m typically not a very sentimental person, especially when it comes to school. In fact, I think the day Mr. Thomas went on the loud-speaker and announced that school would be indefinitely cancelled was one of the happiest I’ve felt.

Looking back now, I wish I tried harder to enjoy my in-school days. I went through each one constantly checking the clock, counting down the minutes until 2:15. I don’t know why, and I most definitely don’t think it was Staples’ fault. I’ve always known how lucky I am to go to Staples.

As the days in quarantine dragged on to weeks, and then months, I found myself longing to hear the bell one more time.

Not hearing it signified that senior year truly is over for me, and for everyone else.

My class will never get to tell our future kids about senior prom, or walking across the stage to graduate, or show them photos of us on May 1 and the last day of school. Everything is just gone, and I don’t know how to feel.

I kind of get annoyed when people say “I never imagined this is how senior year would end,” because, like, obviously nobody predicted that schools would have to close due to a global pandemic. It’s depressingly funny to me that this is how it’s ending.

I’ve never been scared of change.

I’ve been more than excited to go to college.

Now that I’m going to one on the opposite of the country and know almost nobody else going, however, I find myself getting more and more worked up. I want to go back to the comfort and safety and constant reassurance that faculty and friends offered me at Staples.

I want to go back to the God-sent strawberry shortcakes in the cafeteria. I want to go back to counting down the minutes until 2:15.

If I could give the upcoming seniors any advice, the only thing would be to enjoy it. I know how cliche it sounds, but in one year, whether you’ve thought about it or not, you will be in a completely different place. You will have to become more independent, more of your own person. Enjoy the comfort of Staples. I regret that I didn’t.

Graphic by Molly Gold ’21

“Girl on Fire”

Why three bad months don’t define four great years Lily Kane ’20

Broadcast Director

H

igh school was supposed to go: work hard for three and a half years, get into my dream school, have the best last few months of my life with my best friends. But instead, it went: work hard for three and a half years, get into my dream school, get sent home and put under lockdown because of a global pandemic and miss the end of my senior year. I expected to be spending my last semester of high school out and about with my friends, without a care in the world. But instead we’ve been stuck in our houses finishing off our classes on Zoom’s and Google Hangouts. These platforms are not exactly ideal for saying, “goodbye.”

The last few months of my entire high school career have been a strange mix of emotions, including anger, nostalgia, sadness and fear. I expected to be sad to be ending high school, but instead this sadness comes from the lack of closure I’m getting as high school comes to an end.

There will be no last day walking through the halls going to class, no hugging my favorite teachers goodbye, no walking across the stage and shaking the principal’s hand on graduation. And while all of that sucks, and it’s been very difficult to mourn

what I had ‘expected’ the end of high school to look like, I continue to tell myself to keep it all in perspective.

These past four years were the best I could have asked for. I found an amazing group of friends, who I will forever be thankful for. My high school friends have taught me to unapologetically be myself, to laugh and cry and savor the good times and to always surround myself with those who care about me and want to see me succeed. Even though right now, when we are supposed to be as close as ever, we are forced to be distant, there is nobody else in the world that I would want to share both the good and the bad with.

Being a student at Staples has

Conquer the mountain of indecisiveness: Serena Ye ’20

Broadcast Director

For the longest time, I viewed my tendency to overthink as a disadvantage. As my swim coach always liked to lecture us on in order to justify sets of frankly unnecessary workouts, I felt like King Sisyphus rolling a huge boulder up the mountain of indecisiveness. Each time I was confident that I had made a sound decision, I would inevitably hesitate and fall back to square one.

I can’t help but skip the songs on my morning playlist until I hit my six skips per hour because no, I don’t have Spotify Premium. A familiar feeling of agony creeps over my shoulder everytime I would have to decide between a bag of Rold Gold pretzels or a Nature Valley granola bar at the cafe. Yes, I was craving something salty just a few minutes ago but as the lunch ladies glanced at me in apprehension, I began to distrust even my own taste buds.

Or the faint yet constant back and forth ping pong game my mind likes to play when my paint brush hovers over a tremendously blank, white canvas. By the time I have created puddles of color, a part of me anguishes over not having chosen colored pencils. And how could I forget the adrenaline of regret once I pressed the “submit” button for my college deposit form? Did all of those spreadsheets comparing tuition, academic programs, and location just go to waste? In a whirlwind of unnecessary panic, I began to craft back up plans to transfer or leave before I even stepped foot onto the campus.

Through journalism, I have learned to en-

joy the unpredictable ride of spontaneity.

Whether it be staticy phone calls with town government members or approaching students I have never met in order to prevent the greatest evil -biased reporting. I now look forward to taking on interviews that could go in any direction. I embraced the multifaceted tones of journalism writing: from the timeliness and straight-forward nature of a breaking news article, to the more detailed description and flowery language of a feature.

Journalism taught me that decisions are not permanent and that change is constant. Stepping outside of my comfort zone, journalism allowed me to grow in other creative outlets I wouldn’t have even considered in the past. I came to love the aspects of combining different sensory details of audio and visual to make a podcast or video.

Snapping photos in between the crowds of a basketball game or the annual MakerFaire that captures that exact moment in time gave a rush of excitement rather than worry.

Even though I have spent countless hours dwelling on the choices I have made in the past, I will say without a doubt that joining Inklings was the best decision I have ever made. It’s taught me that the time I spent exploring my passions has not gone to waste, but has shaped me into the person I am today.

Over time, that stormy fog of doubt has cleared up a bit to reveal an endless sky of opportunities. Carrying the lessons that Inklings has taught me, I can’t wait to leap into the lifetime of choices to make in the future. I now know that I’m ready to make them. Wait, hold on. Am I 100% sure about that? I think so.

brought ups and down, but in the end, looking back at the time I spent walking the halls, challenging myself in classes, and getting to know my peers and teachers, I know that it was the perfect place for me. I’ve had my fair share of challenges, as any high schooler has, but the people that surrounded me were always there for anything I needed.

It is through the competitive, yet supportive, climate at this school that I’ve found what I love doing, immersed myself in material and learned more than I ever expected to in grade school.

Being a part of Inklings was by far the best decision of my high school career.

I had known I liked journalism, but entering the class as a

sophomore I had no idea I’d be leaving three years later with a passion that I could not be more excited to continue exploring in college.

The small community within the larger school is entirely unique, and the camaraderie and motivation packed into this one room in the english department is completely unmatched to anything else I’ve ever experienced. I’ll be forever thankful to Inklings for introducing me to the field of journalism, and for shaping the way I approach news for the rest of my life.

While academically I’ve always felt my best in the Inklings room, the other community that shaped high school for me was the cheerleading team. Trying out as a timid eighth grader, I truly never expected to meet some of my best friends on that team and spend every single football game these past four years out on the field, cheering in front of the whole school. Despite an injury cutting my time on the competitive team short, I found a love for school spirit, teamwork and the exhilaration of a screaming crowd. It motivated me in my college decision, and was the force behind some of my best memories of high school.

I guess what I’m trying to say, in thinking back to what made my four years (or 3.7) so memorable, is that despite what is happening now, I will always be grateful for the lessons I’ve learned, the people I’ve met and the experiences I couldn’t have had anywhere else.

Staples is an amazing place, and there’s no way I’m letting a few unfortunate months influence how I look back on the time I spent here.

Learn to be alone: Caroline Donohue ’20 Business Director

“Me stuck at home for two weeks? You’re going to have to put me in a mental hospital,” I said to my mom the first day we began quarantining.

Prior to COVID-19 I could not spend one minute alone with myself. I couldn’t remember the last time I spent a Friday night at home with my parents or when I chose my house over a social event. By those sentences you’re probably thinking I’m a vapid social butterfly, but the reason why I never spent a night at home alone wasn’t because of that.

It’s because I was scared.

Scared to be alone.

Every time I was by myself for more than an hour or two, I felt a sadness take over my body. It was like a virus infected me (bad pun I know) and would leave me paralyzed with sadness. I physically could not be alone by myself, until COVID.

When we began quarantining I realized I could do two things: hate my life and wallow in my sadness, or get my life together and make the most out of a terrible situation. I chose the second option.

COVID took the lives of my loved ones, shut down every state in America, and practically ruined millions of lives: but there is a beauty behind the quarantining for me. Amidst all the negativity and darkness there is a light, and that light for me was learning how to love being alone.

These past three months have been difficult, but I have learned more about myself than I ever would have. I started working out, running, listening to more podcasts,

making checklists, doing my work and most importantly: focused on myself. Instead of spending time thinking about boys, school drama or my latest test grade, I focused on the nutrition I was putting into my body, the time I had taken to reflect on my day, and making choices to better myself. And as silly as it sounds, I’m my own best friend again.

I love hanging out just by myself now, or watching a movie with my parents, and I feel okay spending days alone. Without quarantine I would’ve never had the push to spend time alone and feel comfortable in my own skin, and COVID allowed me to do that. It did really terrible, terrible things, too, but somewhere in that darkness it allowed me to seek the positive and love myself.

Reilly Caldwell ’20 Features Editor

J

ane Austen once said “without music, life would be a blank to me.” Before my four years at Staples High School, I wouldn’t have understood Austen’s point.

Now, music transports me to homecoming games, the class trip to China, or summer days spent at the beach with friends.

Throughout high school, I developed a passion for music that helped me grow into a more confident, well-rounded person.

Without trying something different, I never would have grown into the person I am today.

I had a major identity crisis as I entered my freshman year. The previous summer, my high school plans were altered when concussions forced me to quit contact sports. As an athletic kid, this was a devastating blow. I lost my passion.

In an effort to get me involved in the Staples community, my older brother urged me to join the radio station, WWPT. At first, I found myself dragging my feet to my weekly radio shows. I had trouble finding my niche and felt like broadcasting was my brother’s passion instead of mine. But I changed my tune as I began listening to other radio stations.

I realized there was a jarring difference a s t o

how female and male musicians were perceived. I hated how I rarely heard women on rock stations and society’s tendencies to generalize female artists as “pop divas.”

I was inspired to make a difference and represent female musicians as one of the only girl members of WWPT. My weekly radio shows transformed into “Women Who Rock,” a show that celebrates women in the music industry.

Each week, I featured artists from various genres and decades, sharing their journeys and catalogues. I discovered how much adversity and judgment most of these women dealt with and was fascinated by their stories. Soon, I was even more excited to go on air and share my findings with listeners.

Not only did I love educating my listeners, but I was so interested in what they had to say. I often got calls from listeners telling me their own stories about these famous women and their songs. For me, their stories made the music even more meaningful.

This show transformed the way I thought about music; it allowed me to appreciate the hard work and talent these musicians put into their creations. While so many songs now remind me of different stages of my life, I also think about their important messages and the great amount of effort it took to write them.

If I never gave radio a chance, I wouldn’t have discovered my love for music. I strongly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new; you never know what you can happen or what you could get from it.

Scan the QR code below to view a Spotify playlist of Caldwell’s favorite songs over her past four years at Staples.

How Inklings allowed me to grow Roxy Augeri ’20

Assistant Creative Director

Stepping into my first day of Advanced Journalism, I knew I was in the right place. Joining Inklings had been a goal I set since I found out about it in middle school. In my mind, journalism was a path I was choosing for the rest of my life, and this was the first step of my journey.

However, despite my initial ambitions, my journey was not how I initially envisioned.

I entered the class setting my hopes on being an investigative journalist; that was a job I thought I wanted to do for the rest of my life. However, after completing my first article, I was shocked to find that investigative journalism was actually really draining. People are rude, and making a life out of interviewing them about “scandalous” topics just didn’t seem cut out for me.

So I decided to pull a 180. I transitioned from being a Features Editor to an Assistant Creative Director because I wanted to explore a different aspect of journalism. It was the best decision I’ve made in my time at Staples.

Having the opportunity to create art and delegate work to other artists was the most rewarding part of my experience on Inklings.

I was able to look and work on the paper from an entirely different perspective, interacting with it on a whole new level. It opened my eyes to working on publications in a more nontraditional light, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

I learned in my time at Inklings to handle challenges with grace and embrace them to push myself to achieve different goals. Being a part of something bigger than myself allowed me to take a step back and figure out how I wanted to handle discomfort and adversity.

Now I’ve set my sights on pursuing a degree in communications, and I feel ready for that pursuit because I’ve learned so much about how to be flexible in a professional setting. Not everything has to be clear cut; there are so many unique and creative ways that you can reach a solution in the publishing world.

I am so grateful that I have all the skills I learned in Inklings to allow me to become a better storyteller in the future, which is at the core of all newspaper writing. To anyone who is afraid to try something because it is out of their comfort zone, my advice is to take the leap. You’ll come out better for it, and look back and question why you hadn’t thought of it sooner.

Teachers invigorate a student’s education Madison Andrews ’20 Sports Editor

Throughout my four years at Staples, I have met so many great people, whether that be students, teachers or other staff members. The experience that I encountered was greatly improved upon by my teachers. I have decided to write my senior opinion for Inklings in the format of a thank you letter for all of my teachers that I have had in my four year journey at Staples.

Dear Staples High School teachers,

Thank you for everything that you do for us each and every day. While it often goes unsaid, you have had a huge impact on me and for that I am forever grateful.

Thank you so much for all the great experiences I have had in your classrooms and for the wonderful memories that I will treasure. You have taught me so much more than the curriculum in life lessons that I will carry with me always.

Your high expectations have improved my confidence and allowed me to thrive. You have taught me new and interesting educational topics which allowed me to understand the path that I want to

pursue in college. You have helped me understand and absorb the material by making your office hours accessible, where you were eager and helpful in answering any questions that I raised. You would always make the time to go over any concerns that I had and supported my challenges.

By creating fun lessons each day I looked forward to coming to class, even if it meant waking up at 6:00 each weekday morning to get to class on time. Though our class had a tendency to get off topic at times, you understood this and allowed us to have real life conversations for a few minutes, then reel us back to the lesson.

Every teacher seems to have a great understanding of how their students are feeling and sympathizes. I always felt I was able to tell my teachers anything and knew that they would understand. Whether it was some difficulty with the homework or having something come up the night before which left me not quite prepared for the test that day, I knew that I could talk to my teacher.

Teachers work harder each day to make sure that their students are understanding the material, but also not feeling overwhelmed, and this has made all the difference.

While high school is a stressful environment, teachers’ support is invaluable to alleviate

stress and act as a backbone for positive student growth.

Particularly during this pandemic, teachers have needed to be more creative to keep students engaged - and they have succeeded. I have felt more supported than ever both with the classwork, as well as emotionally.

I can’t believe that my graduation day will soon be here.

Thank you for being by my side all along the way.

Thank you, Madison Andrews ’20

WWPT: A hidden gem of Staples

How I found myself in a high school art studio Adam Greenlee ’20

Alex Massoud ’20

Assistant Creative Director

Web Sports Editor

Driving in your car one day, you decide to turn on the radio. As you turn the dial, you stumble onto a talk show about the upcoming NFL draft, or the latest top music releases. You look at the radio, seeing that you have landed on 90.3 FM, the radio station of Staples High School.

I am undoubtedly biased in writing this piece, having been the executive director of WWPT 90.3 FM for two consecutive years. However, I think it is very important to share the experiences and the opportunities that WWPT gives its members, and to present a case as to why more students should consider joining.

Coming into high school, I knew more than most about the radio station, but still not that much. All I understood was that our high school had a team of broadcasters that announced a few Staples sports games over the radio. As I became more and more involved with the station over my first two years, and then became a leader in it, I came to realize how truly unique and wonderful being a part of WWPT is.

For those who are fully unfamiliar with 90.3 FM, we are a fully-licensed FM radio station that broadcasts 24/7 from our studio in Staples High School. We are the consecutive winners of the “#1 High School Radio Station in U.S.” John Drury award, and our broadcasters and show hosts have won countless individual awards.

The reason for joining WWPT isn’t because of our award winning past, though, but because of how WWPT represents a combination of everything good about Staples.

No other club in the high school is as diverse as WWPT, and I am grateful for the perspective this has given me. We are made up of thespians and varsity athletes, debaters and musicians, each contributing their own part to making our station magical.

More than this, being a part of the radio station improves necessary lifelong skills. Public speaking is necessary in high school presentations, job and college interviews, and pretty much everywhere in life. Through a sports broadcast or a talk show live on air, those speaking skills are honed and improved upon, all while having fun working with friends.

Finally, the biggest thing I took away from my four years with the station is how rare having a place like WWPT is in high school. There are roughly 200 high school FM stations in the United States, and Staples has one of them.

For those reading this that are incoming Staples students, or parents of those students, please strongly consider joining WWPT. Whether you want to talk about fashion, politics, or animals, if you want to scream into the mic about an FCIAC playoff buzzer beater, or even if you just want to play your favorite music for an hour, WWPT is the place to be.

I

have never been very enthusiastic about high school.

For four years, a significant portion of my life has been filled with stress, anxiety, boredom and more stress. Looking back at that time, I feel like the stress mainly stems from the fact that I did a lot of procrastinating.

I know it’s not healthy, I know it’s not good, but I have become a professional procrastinator.

But after even further examination, I think I have finally uncovered the reason for my procrastination. I believe that my procrastination stems from a lack of interest in the material discussed in the majority of my classes.

Math and science is hard and confusing. I don’t want to solve equations. History and social studies are boring and tedious. I don’t want to read and annotate.

It’s always been really hard for me to sit down and do something that I don’t want to do. It’s a part of me I am constantly working on, but it is a part of me.

There is one class however, that I never had any of these issues with. I never had any late assignments, nor

did I have any issues with completing assignments. I took that class during my junior year, and it was called AP Studio Art.

Far and away my favorite class I have taken at Staples, AP Studio Art taught me who I wanted to be, and showed me the path I want to follow for the rest of my life.

Since before I can remember, I have always been drawing. Whether it was drawing dinosaurs as a four-year-old, or drawing stormtrooper helmets on sophomore year math worksheets, I have never had trouble expressing myself with a pencil. However, I never really felt like the art classes that I took in elementary and middle school were really what I was looking for.

Once I got to Staples, that all changed. From the first day of my freshman year DRAWING 1 class, I knew that the art program at Staples was designed for people like me. Over the past four years, I have not only been given the opportunity to learn and improve my skills, but also to unleash my creativity and realize my talent. I never felt this more than I did in AP Studio Art. AP Studio Art provided me with a sanctuary of sorts. Four times a week, I was able to escape from the stress and anxiety of my daily schedule, and focus my energy on something I was passionate about. I was relaxing but engaging. It gave me serenity, while also unlocking my imagination. It was a

perfect class for me.

The experience I had in AP Studio Art during my junior year, taught me that art could be more than just a thing I did when I was bored. It taught me that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

During this class I was in the early stages of looking at colleges, and evaluating what qualities I valued in a school. My interests began to shift towards art schools, and places where I could pursue my creative passions.

In the fall I will be attending a school that will allow me to be in an art studio for 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. If you had told me at the beginning of my freshman year, that that’s what I would be doing in college, I would have been dumbfounded. As a matter of fact, I’m still dumbfounded. I cannot believe that for the next four years, my main academic pursuit is going to be drawing, painting and creating.

If I hadn’t invested as much as I have in the art program at Staples High School, I may never have gone to art school. I honestly have no idea what I would be doing at this point in my life had I not had these experiences in these classes. For this I am extremely thankful.

If I were to give any advice to anyone attending Staples High School, I would tell them to really think when they are choosing their classes. I would urge them not to think about what would look best on a report card or a college resume, but to think about how they want to spend their days. To think about your interests. To think about what their passions are. To think about what they really want to do in their life. I would urge them to take the classes that they want to take, even if that means taking a risk and trying something new. When you choose your classes, take a leap of faith. The right class at a school like Staples, can change your life.

To the class of 2020: From the teachers of Staples

Inklings sent out a survey to all Staples teachers giving them an opportunity to write short messages to the senior class.

Here are the 17 responses.

C

ongratulations Class of 2020! Wishing you all the best for the future!

I

t has been an absolute pleasure to have you in my classroom over the years! I wish you all the best in your journey!

Claire Redmer ’21 Editor-in-Chief

BEN SPECTOR VALEDICTORIAN MICHIGAN ’24 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Photo contributed by Ben Spector ’20

T

he Staples valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 2020 share three things: they’re both named Benjamin with the last initial S, they both play saxophone in the Staples jazz band and they will be the first high achieving students to speak at a Staples virtual graduation.

The valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 2020 are named Benjamin Spector ’20 and Benjamin Schussheim ’20, respectively.

Spector played squash in freshman and sophomore year and is a member of SLOBS (The Service League of Boys). However, his main activity is music.

“Some of the most memorable things for me were the concerts like Candlelight,” Spector said. “These have always been my favorite things. It’s a really fun event for both the musicians and the community.”

Academically, he has really enjoyed classes centered around math and science, such as Calculus BC and AP Chemistry.

Spector is planning to study chemical engineering at the University of Michigan in the fall. He feels that chemical engineering is the major option that combines his interests in math, chemistry and physics, with real world application. He chose Michigan for the wide opportunities and excellence in engineering.

“I thought it was a really excellent school and I would have a lot of opportunities academically, extracurricularly, and

also for job[s],” Spector said. “I thought overall it would be a very balanced experience and that really appealed to me.”

Salutatorian Schussheim is interested in computers and runs the Staples coding club. He spent his internship developing an app and plans to continue pursuing this interest by studying computer science at Duke University.

“It’s the right combination of being really academically [rigorous] and also fun,” Schussheim said.

In addition to technology, Schussheim spends time advocating for a very personal subject. He speaks openly about his stutter, educating Staples students and others across the United States.

“I presented [about] stuttering as a final project in US history in sophomore year,” Schussheim said. “This kickstarted all the work I did after that. I’ve done around 20 presentations around Westport and I was a speaker at the American Institute for Stuttering annual gala last summer. I also had an article published in NBC about stuttering.”

He has been impacted by many teachers at Staples, including Heather Wirkus, Robert Papp, David Stockwell and John Wetzel.

“The common theme is to make school fun,” Schussheim said. “For those teachers, I wasn’t studying for the purpose of a test, I was studying because I wanted to learn it.”

Despite uncertain times and disappointment surrounding the lack of a typical graduation, they are both looking towards the future with positivity.

“My advice for my class would be that the best is still to come,” Spector said. “Consider all that we’ve accomplished. There’s [also] plenty to come in the future. The best is still to come.”

C

ongratulations to the entire senior class. Good luck with all of your post-Staples adventures. And a special shout out to the senior girls of SGVB! Go Wreckers!

Y

ou are not saying goodbye to high school, you are saying “look out world, here I come”. Good luck in all your pursuits.

S

ear Friends, It’s been a privilege to get to know you over the years. My favorite thing about teaching is the bonds I form with students, so it’s always hard to say goodbye to my seniors. I wish you all healthy, happy futures, whatever your plans are. I will miss you, and I hope to see you again to learn of your adventures.

hout out to my Pre-Calc.

Seniors - you are awesome and I wish you all the best!!! Thanks for a great class.

W C

ongratulations Class of 2020 and best wishes in your future endeavors!!

Photo by Allie D’Angelo ’20

BENJI SCHUSSHEIM SALUTATORIAN DUKE ’24 COMPUTER SCIENCE

W

ishing you a future full of adventure, inspiration, and joy! Stay well, seniors, and...

Let2 R0ll!

T

o my dear seniors! Oh how I wanted to say goodbye in person. I wish you happiness and success as you embark on this next chapter of your life. It may not be the college send off that you imagined, but learning to roll with the punches and accept what you can not change are amazing traits to cultivate. Take solace in knowing that you’ve been missed and that I care about each and every one of you! I look forward to cheering you on in the parade. Happy Graduation!!!

D

F

irst and foremost, I am so proud of each and every one of you for the incredible job you’ve done to overcome obstacles and successfully complete your high school career. Congratulations! You did it!

You are going to continue to accomplish amazing things and I cannot wait to see your growth and celebrate your achievements. While I have only been fortunate enough to know you all for a year, I feel very thankful to have been given the opportunity to know you even for such a short time. I want to leave you with some advice: don’t hide from mistakes, embrace them. Also, strive for progress, not perfection. I wish you all good health, great success, and fond memories! Congratulations class of 2020!

Valedictorian, salutatorian reflect on Staples, prepare for next chapter

I

n bocca al lupo, ragazzi! Vi vogliamo bene! Venite a trovarci l’anno prossimo.

ishing the class of 2020 all the best in the future. I know that this year has been difficult and challenging. If you can get through this, you can get through anything. May you all succeed, you have proven this because you have shown your resilience during this pandemic. I will miss all of you. Good luck!

B

rene Brown says “the dare is to keep feeling brave and feel your way back up”. Keep choosing love, curiosity, and empathy. You have already shown your power over uncertainty. Congratulations Class of 2020!

ongratulazioni e in bocca al lupo a tutti i nostri Seniors!!! Vi auguro un futuro brillante! Mi mancherete tantissimo- tornate presto a trovarci a Staples!

I

had some of you your sophomore year and fondly remember so many fun times with you all. Collectively you are an energetic, kind, impressive class that I will miss seeing in the halls! If any class could handle a pandemic, it’s the class of 2020!

Best wishes and know you will he missed!

Y

our story had an unexpected twist, but you get to write the next chapter. Let’s show the whole world what a Wrecker can do!

C

W

ishing you all the best in your next adventure!

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

O

A message to our seniors

n March 11, 2020 you said “goodbye” to us in person for the final time as Staples High School students. We said “See you soon,” not knowing what the next three months would bring. Since that day, you lost out on the Inklings red and blue staff parties, Inklings senior day, the trip to NYC to accept our silver (should have been gold) Crown Award, the trip to Nashville which we had been looking forward to all year, and countless shared tears and hugs with the Inklings family.You were robbed of these memories.

But what we will remember is what you accomplished.

Since the day you put out a March

newspaper, which was started in school and finished at home, you demonstrated quick-thinking, flexibility and determination to finish a job that really should never have been finished. That would have been more than enough, yet you were not satisfied.

You then followed that March paper with an April newspaper created entirely from home on a program that was not designed to create newspapers. You demonstrated dedication that might never be matched.

You went above and beyond the call of duty, and yet, even then, you were not satisfied.

You continued to operate our Best of SNO Distinguished Website and social media

accounts. You interviewed, trained and helped to transition a new staff of over 50 position holders, all by Google Meets, Zoom, Facetime and text message. You continued to reach out to businesses and subscribers to sell advertisements and raise money. While many students were sleeping in or taking an early summer vacation, you were waking up at 8:30 a.m. to attend class or signing on at 8:30 p.m. to discuss last minute changes to your final newspaper.

Inklings could have—should have—taken two steps back during quarantine. Instead, it moved forward.

We may never fully understand your love for Taylor Swift or hatred for eggplant. But

what we do understand is your passion, dedication, talent and what truly incredible leaders and people you are. We have been fortunate to have had all of you on Inklings: whether it was for four, three, two or just one year.

We know that your final three months at Staples and on Inklings were not what you envisioned, but we will remember them always. We, as your advisers, are more than satisfied: we are proud.

With love, gratitude and admiration, Joseph DelGobbo Mary Elizabeth Fulco

Seniors of Inklings Editors-in-Chief Audrey Bernstein Allie D’Angelo

Business Directors Caroline Donohue Emily Stone

Paper Managing Editors Kaela Dockray Dana Perelberg

Social Media Director Emma Van Riper

Web Managing Editors Sophie Casey Eddie Kiev Associate Managing Editors Lia Chen Siri Kanter

Broadcast Directors Lily Kane Serena Ye Assistant Creative Directors Roxy Augeri Adam Greenlee

Paper Opinions Editor Abby Fleming

Web Features Editor Marlo von der Ahe

Paper Features Editor Reilly Caldwell

Web Sports Editor Alex Massoud

Paper Arts Editor Evi Tarshis

Staff Writers Ella Bloomingdale Holden Cohen Kylie Cohen Mia Daignault Teddy Dienst Ethan Frank Grady Narang Jake Navarro Graham Wood

Paper Sports Editors Madison Andrews Jack Lev