Inklings Back to School 2025 Issue by inklingsnewsonline

more about us about the cover

Cover design by Camille Blundell ʼ27 and Bianca Mastocciolo ʼ26

Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration and 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.

05 04 Love? Island Superfans Phone ban

08

Learn about the new phone policy set to begin for quarter two.

Get to know the 25-26 Superfans captains

staff

Editors-In-Chief

Andi Jacobs, Sophie Smith

Managing Editors

William Enquist, Jack Robinson, Zara Saliba

Associate Managing Editor

Anna Petrosino, Avni Krishna

Creative Directors

Camille Blundell, Bianca Mastocciolo

Business Manager

Olivia Saw

Advisors

Joseph DelGobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

Lily Ashford critiques “Love Island’s” label as “reality” TV

Recruited

Committed athletes reflect on the sports recruitment process

Editors

Camilla Garfield

Zoya Gill

Chloe Mitchell

Livia Perry

Piper Salik

Ella Turner

Photos contributed by Justin Halky ’26, Mina Leon ’26, Natalie Chudowsky, Stafford Thomas, @staplesdance, 06880

Dear Wreckers,

Stafford W. Thomas Jr. Principal

Welcome back! I hope you had an awesome summer—whether you traveled, chilled at the beach, worked, or just took time to relax. I definitely made the most of mine. A personal highlight? Surviving the Toquet Hall Spicy Twos Challenge (yes, it was as intense as it sounds!)! I also got to enjoy some beach time with my family, and my two boys even tagged along with me to work a few days— it was a blast.

I’m so excited to kick off this school year with you. This will be my seventh year as principal of Staples, and each year I look forward to building something even better than the year before. We’ve got some amazing events in store, and I truly believe this year can be your best yet.

What’s Coming Up

We’re starting the year strong with some big events:

Freshman Morning – Our Class of 2029 gets a special welcome before the full school arrives. You’ll get time with your Connections groups and hear advice straight from last year’s seniors.

Involvement Fair – Coming in September! A chance to find clubs, causes, teams, and groups that speak to you.

Pep Rally & Homecoming Game – Mark your calendar: October 10th

Homecoming Senior Dance – Following up on October 11th

Try Something New

This year we’re introducing exciting new classes,which many of you signed up for, and continuing international travel opportunities to places like the Galápagos, Greece and France. Whether you’re performing with Players, singing with one of our music ensembles, or taking the field for your team—I can’t wait to cheer you on.

If I can give one piece of advice: get involved in something outside the classroom. Join a club. Try a new sport. Volunteer for a cause. The more you put into your time here, the more you’ll get out of it.

We’re In This Together

Even though Staples is a large school, we’re always working to make it feel a little smaller—a place where everyone feels like they belong. From my first year which overlapped with the pandemic to today, I’ve seen how much you continue to support one another and make our school a strong, caring community. That’s what Wrecker Pride is all about.

Let’s make this an unforgettable year. We’re here for you, we believe in you, and we can’t wait to see what you do.

Go Wreckers

FAMILY TIME Princpial Stafford W. Thomas Jr. spent quality time with his sons, Stafford III, and Matthias over this summer.

Photos contributed by Stafford W. Thomas Jr.

Phones on lockdown Staples moves toward full-day phone ban

Sophie Smith ʼ26 Editor-in-Chief

After years of debate, proposals and discussions about how phones affect the classroom, Staples is now one step closer to a final verdict on the school’s phone policy for this year. If approved by the Board of Education in October, a full bell-tobell ban will take effect on the first day of the second quarter. Under the policy, students will be required to place personal devices—including smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds and wireless headphones—in their school-issued

lockers. Laptops may still be used in the classroom for academic purposes and with explicit permission from teachers.

In addition to this policy, a new schedule will roll out on the first day of school. The schedule includes a five-minute passing period at the end of the day, intended to give students time to retrieve their devices from their lockers once the phone ban is in effect.

If a student is caught with a personal device one time, the device will be confiscated and held in the AP’s office until the end of the school day when the student can retrieve it. The

student will meet with the assistant principal and a parent or guardian will be notified. The student will be assigned one after school detention. If the student is caught twice, the device must be retrieved in the AP’s office by a parent or guardian. The student will meet with the assistant principal and will be assigned two after school detentions. If innaprioate behavior continues, the phone will be surrendered to the AP’s office each morning and picked up at dismissal for one week. The student will be assigned an additional one day in-school suspension.

This plan was created by a comittee composed of eleven members representing school faculty, administration and district administration. The team met four times throughout the month of July.

The phone policy’s main goal, as written by the committee in the phone free implementation plan, is to increase human-to-human connection, facilitate an engaged, positive learning environment and enhance the culture and climate of the school so that all members can benefit from a prosocial educational experience.

A B C D

If a student is caught on a personal device...

ONCE:

- The device will be confiscated and held in the AP’s office

- The device must be retrieved by the student at the end of the school day

- The student will meet with the assistant principal and will be assigned one after school detention.

TWICE:

- The device will be confiscated and held in the AP’s office

- The device must be retrieved by a parent or guardian during school hours

- The student will meet with the assistant principal and will be assigned two after school detentions.

MANY TIMES:

- The device will be confiscated and held in the AP’s office and must be retrieved by a parent or guardian during school hours

- The student will meet with the assistant principal

- The phone will be surrendered to the AP’s office each morning and picked up at dismissal for one week

- The student will be assigned an additional one day in-school suspension.

love, sold separately

How “Love Island” is ruining romance

men are just guys named Josh

Lily Ashford ’27 Paper Editor

I might add. I watched in awe and realized I wanted a Ken, too. So I did what any sane toddler would do: I marched into preschool the next day on a mission. I roamed the playground, and finally locked onto my target, only to discover (thanks to the finger up his nose) that he was no Ken. He stuck his tongue out at me and ran away, leaving me with two things, and unfortunately, neither was candy.

Instead, I was left with my first heartbreak and my first introduction to the fact that the media’s version of romance doesn’t match reality. I realized that Barbie and Ken are plastic. And while we as a species inch closer to that every day due to nose jobs, fillers and whatever “Brotox” is, we’re not quite there yet. For now, most

But even as I outgrew Barbie dream houses, I didn’t outgrow the fantasy; I just traded it for the adult version. My dream of true love became rebranded, filtered and uploaded to the TV screen.

Love Island has dominated social media for the past two years. There has not been a single day of this summer when I have not been updated (against my will) about how life is going in the villa. This show has strategically convinced its viewers that watching unnaturally attractive people flirt in neon swimwear is the pinnacle of romance.

The producers call it reality, but nothing about it is real. From the carefully scripted outbursts to deliberately placing characters in love triangles just to stir up jealousy, every moment is curated to keep you hooked, subtly changing your perception of love without you even noticing.

As viewers mindlessly binge each episode, they have constant exposure to impossi

bly attractive strangers with unrealistic relationship ideals. After a while, it’s hard not to think that that’s what love has to look like. And if your part ner doesn’t have perfect abs, or engage in exciting interactions with you constantly, it feels inadequate. So we compare, consume and remain unsatisfied, and the never-ending cycle continues.

Because the industry isn’t just responding to loneliness, they’re creating it. They profit

Reality TV trains us to see people as disposable. One wrong move and you're voted off the villa and publicly hated. With everyone walking on eggshells, intimacy ultimately becomes a performance, and connection becomes content. And the worst part? We eat it up, because we’re sold the lie that proximity to “ideal love” will somehow fix the ache we feel when we’re alone.

Because here’s the truth

actually selling love or connec tion. They’re selling the illusion

They thrive not when you’re

Graphics made by Camille Blundell ’27, Zoya Gill ’28 and Chloe Mitchell ’28

Sharpen your pencils and lower your expectations

Bianca Mastocciolo Creative Director

There’s many things you can do to reconnect with nature and prev outside will separate yourself from your stress and help you return to your work with a more open mind. On a nicer day, go for a bike ride in your neighborhood or go for a nice long beach walk. Surround yourself with fresh air and you can bring your headphones to listen to your favorite songs.

Finding a way to escape the idea of school is crucial for mental health. Instead of continuing to obsess over work and grades, carve out some time in your schedule for a hobby you love, whether that’s meditation, a high intensity sport or drawing. Taking time to shift your brain from thinking about school to a different activity lets you forget about your worries for a while. Dance has been my escape from school for basically my whole life. Being able to be active and not think about the calc homework waiting for me at

If none of my organizational or structural tips help, we are going to need to take a step further. For a long time I didn’t believe essential oils worked, but lavender oil has never steered me wrong. It holds many relaxation properties, and it is known to help soothe and destress. You can also practice breathing exercises to calm yourself. When you find yourself getting overwhelmed, try taking long deep breaths. The next time you find yourself overwhelmed, try box breathing: take a deep breath in for four seconds,

Next time you find yourself piled with work and overwhelmed, try a few of these tips. Don’t forget to give

Looking on the bright side: how to overcome the junior jitters

Phoebe Rosenberg

’27

Web Editor

Standardized testing, college prep, AP classes, GPA, Counties, prom— all packed into the infamous junior year, where, as I’m told, piles of homework and late night crying sessions fill Friday nights. This summer, whenever I revealed I was an upcoming junior, eyes of pity and faces of concern followed.

Junior year is not going to be easy. It is one of the most feared years of high school for a reason. But, I believe it ultimately comes down to mindset, and so in an attempt to be positive and productive, I am choosing to view junior year in a slightly different light.

As incoming upperclassmen, our time at Staples is only going to last so much longer. So, to all my fellow juniors, let us look at the year glass half-full.

One great part about junior year is having more freedom when picking my classes.

Instead of choosing between three levels of Chemistry,

we can now choose between different AP courses with just as much and probably more work! Additionally, we have only one more semester of physical education left. This means half as many chances to leave school with a scraped knee from longboarding or twisted ankle from climbing the traverse wall.

Instead of PE, I will enjoy another iconic part of the Staples junior year experience: Wakeman walks. I cannot wait to get up extra early so that I can drive myself to school and then walk for a mile. At least I can run to Starbucks in the morning. To my future teachers, I pinky swear that Starbucks will never be

the reason why I’m late to first period.

On a more serious note, I look forward to meeting some new people. Over the course of sophomore year, I became closer friends with people who I did not know I would click with until I had class with them. There are so many people I might grow closer to and make mem-

ories with this year. I love that Staples is so big that I will be meeting new people here until the day I graduate.

The thing I look forward to the most is how I am going to change. Over the course of my freshman and sophomore years, I was able to find my passions and what I am interested in pursuing in the future. So much can happen in a year, and the person I will grow into by the end of this year will be different from who I am now. I will be older, wiser and more prepared to eventually take on the next chapter of my life in college as my senior year gets closer and closer. I can only hope to become more mature from my experiences this year so I can become the best possible version of myself.

Caffeine:

Energy drinks, coffee or tea are the only reason your eyelids aren’t going to be glued shut during your 2 a.m. cram sessions.

Internet:

Laptop charger:

I can’t risk my laptop dying mid-period, and knowing many of you all, it is practically a tradition to forget it and need one to borrow.

Cold medicine:

Knowing my record with the nurses' office and terrible attendance, I do not think I can afford to miss any more school due to colds when I have so much work. So yes, I’m surviving school on coughdrops and sheer willpower.

Youtube explanations and excessively cheerful step by step guides are the real midnight lifeline. If Heimler’s history helped me survive AP U.S. History last year, he can drag me through AP Gov this year.

Graphics by Bianca Mastocciolo ’26

Roll the tape!

A recap of summer’s hottest hits

Chloe Mitchell ʼ28 Paper Editor

Once the last school bell rings and summer break officially starts, thoughts of homework and exams are long forgotten. But what’s not so forgettable? The anthems and films that fill our time. Let’s look at the top hits from this summer!

The international, highspeed sport has finally made it from the track to the theaters, speeding straight up the charts.

“F1” follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a former Formula One driver returning to racing 30 years after a devastating accident. He joins a struggling team, APXGP, where he is partnered with Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris). With its thrill and intensiy, Formula One kept the audience on the edge of their seats, while also highlighting the

an iconic line dancing trend that took over everyone’s social media feed. But there’s even more of her clever and addictive music to enjoy because her newest album, “Man’s Best Friend,” is dropping on Aug. 29.

Conrad comes into the picture, still with feelings for the bride-to-be. This summer in Cousins may be the

Chart and number two on the Billboard 200 Chart. What truly took the album to the top was the emotional depth, self-discovery and vulnerability she brought to the music.

Game On, Dance On Staples kicks off new dance team

Andi Jacobs ʼ26 Editor-in-Chief

5, 6, 7, 8! Pas de bourrée, pirouette, grande jeté!

The exciting world of dance has finally made its way to Staples High School. For the first time, Staples will have a dance team. Experienced dancers have the chance to audition for the competitive jazz and hip hop teams, or they can join the Game Day team without auditioning. The competitive teams will compete in January and February throughout Connecticut while the Game Day team will dance at varsity basketball games.

“Westport has such amazing dancers, and I’m excited to set the tone and traditions for a team that I know will grow into an outstanding program and community,” jazz team captain Chloe Jordan ’26 said.

This new team started last year, when three dancers—Katie Brill ’28, Sutton Bulkeley ’28 and Caitlin Hand ’28— wanted to bring their passion to Staples.

“There are doz ens of Staples students who have been committed to Dance since as early as age three,” Brill said. “While they dance at studios in Westport and surrounding towns, they are not able to dance for Staples.”

Last April, the three girls reached out to Assistant Principal Christine Cincotta who is in charge of clubs. Cincotta met with athletic director VJ Sarullo, who informed her

that the team would have to technically be a club for three years before it falls under Athletics at Staples. Health teacher Jennifer Telford agreed to be the club’s advisor because she used to teach a dance elective course. Once their application to become a club was approved, they worked with the parents of interested dancers to find Coach Mikela Pirri and craft a practice schedule.

“I decided to coach Staples’ dance team because when the opportunity was presented to me, I knew that it would be a special team,” Pirri said. “We have been diligently working from the ground up to build

this group into an amazing squad.”

Pirri is a Connecticut local who started dancing when she was three years old at Locust Performing Arts Center in Stamford, CT. She trained in numerous styles, including contemporary, jazz, hip hop and ballet. Then, she was a part of the Sacred Heart University Dance company, where she took advantage of student choreography opportunities. She returned to Locust Performing Arts Center as a teacher before taking the job at Staples.

“Dancing and competing for your school is such a special concept, and not to mention so much fun,” Pirri said. “I can’t wait to help build this team even more as the school year progresses!”

Photos contirbuted

by Chloe Jordan ʼ 26 and Mikela Pirri

Graphic by Ella Turner

Road to recruitment

What is next for Staples athletes?

Catie Campagnino ʼ26

Associate Managing Editor

College applications are a stressful and uncertain time. For a dedicated group of students, however, decisions have already been made. Recruited athletes have put in countless hours of work to play at the collegiate level. Here are a few recruited athletes in the Class of 2026.

QWhat sport and position do you play?

“ Brendan Allen ’26 Univeristy of Scranton

To an athelete that wants to be recruited, the biggest thing I would say to do is to be proactive.”

I play soccer and I have a couple different positions: left back, right wing, and center attacking midfield.

QWhat was the recruitment process like for you

For me, the recruitment process was very long and required a lot of hard work. There were plenty of times where I didn’t want to send an email to a coach or visit a college or attend another [identification camp] clinic, but I forced myself to do it anyway. It required a lot of hard work and time, but [it turned] out to be worth it.

The correct fit for you might be one you didn’t initially expect.” “

Natalie Chudowsky ’26

Duke University

Don’t get too focused on one option because there are a ton of schools out there.”

Justin Halkey ’26

Williams College

It’s important to hold out if you don’t feel 100% on the school.”

Mary Stevens ’26

Georgetown University

“

Explore every single possible option!

Scarlett Sunjka ’26

Trinity College

I play soccer and I am a midfielder and defender.

I play lacrosse and I play midfield.

The recruitment process was both overwhelming and exciting! [...] While it sometimes felt overwhelming, it was rewarding as well. I got the opportunity to officially visit my top choices of schools, and decided that Duke was the perfect fit for me.

It was a very long and tedious process with a lot of stress and a lot of unknowns, but I’m really happy with where I ended up.

[I play] field hockey and I [am a] forward/mid.

I play lacrosse and my position is defense.

The recruitment process was all over the place for me. [...] I ended up committing very late to Georgetown because I wanted to be able to go to every tournament I could to get exposure and Georgetown ended up contacting me at the last showcase tournament I was going to go to.

Since I chose to focus on D3, the recruitment process and timing is different than D1[...] I had to also make sure I maintained good grades for the schools that I was interested in. The recruiting process felt like a marathon but I’m so glad to have made it through!

Photo contributed by Scarlett Sunjka ʼ26

Photo contributed by Brendan Allen ʼ26

QWhat would you say like to an athlete that would like to be recruited?

No matter where you are playing or how you are playing, it is important to reach out and notify coaches about who you are and when they can see you play. [...]Additionally, use resources such as coaches or other players to help you during the recruitment process.

For any athlete that would like to be recruited, I would recommend that they keep an open mind. You may start with a dream list of schools, but don’t close yourself off from other options right away.

Don’t get too focused on one option because there are a ton of schools out there and if you keep your mind open everything will work out.

QWhat will you miss about your Staples

[What] I will miss most about the Staples soccer team is 100% how close everyone is to one another. The memories I have on and off the field with my teammates are memories that I will never forget. I have never been a part of a team so close to one another as Staples is.

The thing I will miss most about the Staples girls’ soccer team is our bond and the strong sense of camaraderie within the team. We spend so much time together outside of practice, and the coaches really push us to be the best versions of ourselves on the field.

I’m excited to get to play another year with my Staples team before I leave, but what I miss most will be being able to play for my town that I grew up in with my friends that I have known my whole life, because it gives me a sense of purpose when I play.

QWhat are you most excited for in college?

At the University of Scranton, I am most excited to meet all my new teammates and play in high level college games. I know that the level of play will be better than high school, but I am excited to get ready for it.

I’m looking forward to playing for the women’s soccer team, and playing in the stadium. Duke also has so many unique school traditions, so I’m excited to experience them, like going to a basketball game and being part of that energy.

I’m very excited to experience college level athletics and Williams is also about an hour from Vermont so I’m excited to be able to ski.

To other athletes I would definitely say that you don’t need to commit as soon as you get an offer. [...]Also remember you’re the one going to the school not the people who are viewing your commitment post.

Explore every single possible option!!!!! Definitely see everything through even if you may not be completely interested in that school.

I will definitely miss the people and community on my Staples team the most. Everything the booster club and the coaches have done means everything to me and I will appreciate it forever. The team itself is truly a second family and it will definitely be hard and sad to leave it.

I will miss all my friends I have made by being on the team for the past 3 years and the close camaraderie we have built!

I am most excited to train and become a college athlete. I can’t wait to become friends with other sports teams at Georgetown and have the experience of playing a sport in

[I am excited to be] able to play lacrosse with such an amazing team and go to a school I love.

Photo contributed by Natalie Chudowsky ʼ26

Photo contributed by Justin Halkey ʼ26

Photo contributed by Mary Stevens ʼ26

Suns out, Wreckers out

Preseason heats up for fall competition

Piper Salik ʼ28

Paper Editor

From August to June, Staples athletes work tirelessly to win games, matches and eventually championships. While their dedication and success is often celebrated by conference and state titles, an athlete’s commitment doesn’t end when the season does. In fact, many of the crucial hours of practice are spent in the off-season. For many sports, this means training even when school is out on summer vacation. The hours spent preparing for the season may not be as recognized as their work in season, but they are just as vital to success.

Some sports like field hockey, soccer, football and rowing all have to perform through intense heat during their summer preseason.

Staples football head coach Matthew Jacowleff ’15 embraces the challenges a summer preseason poses.

“We want to be tested week in and week out,” Jacowleff said. “We want to maximize and become the best version of ourselves. You don’t know who you truly are until you are faced with a challenge.”

As the new head coach, Jacowleff wants to integrate his competitiveness into every aspect of training, including the preseason.

“We emphasize competition in everything that we do,” Jacowleff said. “It is much more difficult to put forth 100% of your energy, effort and focus on a Tuesday at 6 a.m. in August than it is on a Friday night in front of thousands of fans in September.”

The Staples girls’ field hockey team shares a similar mentality during training.

The preseason is run by the University of Connecticut in August and attempts to get all players on the same page for the season.

“Our team is made up of players from two different clubs,” girls’ field hockey head coach Ian Tapsall said. “Integration is key.”

In the summer, players have to prioritize their own skills. Staples varsity girls’ soccer winger Alexa Van Aken ’28 often does independent practice, working to become a more formidable player on the field.

“During the summer, I prioritize finishing reps on my own,” Van Aken said. “As

a forward, being able to create and finish goal scoring opportunities in the final third makes you a very dangerous player.”

Van Aken uses individual conditioning to help skills translate onto the field.

“During the summer time, the more touches you can get with the ball every day, the more you will be prepared once the season starts,” Van Aken said.

Rowing, a non-Staples affiliated sport, is also coming off of a championship. In June, Saugatuck Rowing Club (SRC) won the Sarasota Na-

tional championship showing the importance of consistent practice during the off season.

“The team practices twice a day for five days a week on the water doing mostly technique work with a little bit of higher intensity work,” SRC rower Mina Leon ’26 said.

Rowing also uses the summer to focus on the team dynamic.

“We have a lot of team bonding,” Leon said, “often going to a captain’s house and coming up with fun team activities, while also getting back into shape for the season.”

Photos contributed by Mina Leon ʼ26, Anna Petrosino ʼ26, Mary Stevens ʼ26, Alexa Van Aken ʼ28