Inklings Back to School Issue 2024

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2024

TABLE OF

Cover by Alex Gaines ʼ25, Back Cover by Olivia Signorile ʼ25

Contents

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Managing Editors Mia Bomback, Angelina Matra & Katherine Phelps

Explore the potential ban on cell phone usage for all Westport Public Schools.

Associate Managing Editors Anna Kercher, Siena Petrosinelli, Lily Rimm & Demi Sasson

Spirit Squad

The Perfect Pen

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Creative Directors Alex Gaines & Olivia Signorile Editors Catie Campagnino Elsa D'Elia Camilla Garfield Jack Robinson Zara Saliba Advisers Joseph DelGobbo & Mary Elizabeth Fulco

Alex Gaines ′25 humorously shares her picks for this year's greatest school supplies.

Wave Maker

Staples' next Olympian, Annam Olasewere ′25, shares her experience in the Olympic Swimming Trials.

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More About Us

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.

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Photo by Chris Poss

Photos by Alex Gaines ʼ25

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Editors-in-Chief Nina Bowens & Lily Hultgren

Screen Shutdown

Get to know Staples' most spirited students: this year's Staples Superfans Captains.

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Back To School Staff

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

Membership

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

The decisions of Inklings News and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex,religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.

Photos contributed by Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr.

FAMILY Over the summer, Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. had quality family time with his oldest son, Stafford III, and youngest, Matthias.

Dear Wreckers, Stafford W. Thomas Jr. Principal

I

hope you made the most of the longest summer break we have seen in some time. I certainly did, especially the portion of the summer where I was the chaperon for three wreckers who attended The Student Leadership Summit at the Hwa Chong Institute in Singapore. What an incredible experience as we teamed up with 26 other schools from nine countries during this amazing week. I also had some wonderful beach time with the family and my two boys came with dad to work this summer. Back in the States after meeting with our administrators, faculty and staff, I can sincerely say that we look forward to welcoming you back for an incredible year ahead. This marks my sixth year leading Staples and the goal is to try and create an environment for you which promotes great experiences from the prior year with some new events, and alterations to some old ones!

This year we will have our Homecoming Game and Homecoming Senior Dance as well as our Involvement Fair all take place in September. What a way to kick off the year! Don't forget Spirit Week and the first Pep Rally (fingers crossed) since 2022.

We will also start the year with our second annual Freshman Morning, where we will welcome the freshman to Staples with their very own morning before the rest of the students arrive after lunch. Freshmen will be able to experience a morning on their own and in their Connections' groups they will hear from or see a video from last year's seniors as they reflect on what they wish they knew as freshmen.

As for some of those new opportunities, we have added a number of new course offerings which proved to be very popular as well as a continuation of our recently added overseas trips and experiences (Italy, Japan, Singapore and France). For example we will be hosting 20 students from Hwa Chong Institute this December (be on the lookout for that!)!. I cannot wait to witness your amazing fall performances on the athletic fields or in our auditorium for those of

you who will join Players and our various music ensembles. As you enter this new year, may I suggest that one of your resolutions be to participate in at least one club, cause, troupe or team this year to truly get the full experience that Staples has to offer.

I can honestly say that each year since I've been principal of the best high school in Connecticut, we have focused more and more on reducing the "sheer size" of the school as we focus on student belonging. Through the COVID years I have seen first hand how Wreckers have taken care of one another and contributed to making the larger community of Westport a better place in which to thrive. That is what Wrecker Pride is all about. I hope this year is the best one in your academic career as that is what my goal is as principal and our goal is as your faculty and staff. Welcome back, happy new year and of course....

Go Wreckers!

page design by Nina Bowens ʼ25

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Goodbye Gadgets?

Potential cell phone ban frustrates students, proposes benefits to well-being Zara Saliba '26 Editor

S

uperintendent Thomas Scarice introduced the idea of a complete cell phone ban for all Westport public schools at the Westport Board of Education (BoE) meeting on June 6, 2024.

While there will be no immediate changes for the start of the 2024-2025 school year, Scarice took note of other districts that have done a permanent cell phone ban to reinforce his proposal.

“If there was a collective will that a ‘phone free’ school environment was the ideal, and a well-being necessity,” Scarice wrote in an email addressed to the BoE, “I am confident that the school community would solve each and every one of these [social roadblocks], and identify new tools and methods to replace our reliance on current technologies.”

Scarice and the BoE have yet to come to a complete consensus, as they are waiting to see how the public responds to the issue.

“I will make an unequivocal recommendation, […] but I will withhold any precise implementation plan until I determine there is sound consensus (not necessarily unanimity) across the community supporting the recommendation,” Scarice said.

According to an American Psychological Association article, in recent years mental health, attention spans and social skills/interactions have been on the decline, which brings more attention to cell phones

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and the detrimental impact they place on students at Staples.

“The presence of smartphones encourages multitasking, which is detrimental to focus, deep learning and information retention,” Scarice wrote.

Some students, however, feel that their cell phones are needed to actually keep them social and aware of their surroundings.

“We now live in a society where everyone relies on their device for a multitude of everyday tasks,” Julian Garfield ’26 said.

“The convenience of keeping it on your person allows students to continue their work while also staying connected with family and friends.”

Communication is a major concern for those opposing the ban, whether that is to keep in touch with friends or in the case of an emergency. “If [your parents] need to tell you that you have an event [after school] on short notice, then cell phones are the best way to find out,” Olivia Beckwith ’28 said.

Scarice plans to discuss plans to address the lack of communication in a final draft of this cell-phone proposal.

The details of the cell-phone ban can be overridden by the BoE at any time along the way. BoE policies are intended to guide the action of administration and therefore can influence the formation of regulations within the parameters of their policy. They have already limited wearable technology at the elementary level, and smartphones outside of lockers and backpacks at the middle school level.

"Learning that [Staples' policy] will be

more strict [than before] is frustrating," Beckwith said, "given that there are already so many changes to adapt to.”

To ban or not to ban?

75%

of K-12 public schools have a full or partial ban on cell phone use in schools

States with a full or partial ban on school cell phone usage

3 in 5 parents agree that schools should ban phones on campus Information from Jones Graduate School of Business and USA Today

page design by Elsa D'Elia ʼ25

Words from the wise and worn out: advice for the class of 2028

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hen I first entered Staples as a freshman, I would have loved to be warned about all the AWFUL things that would come my way. Don’t worry, I’m just kidding. Breathe, freshmen. Before I started high school, I was scared, too. I was unsure about the workload, getting lost, not having friends in my classes, you name it. But I quickly realized I had nothing to stress about. So, here is my advice for having a great freshman year.

Let’s first start off with a crazy concept: balance!

Many students feel the need to take on an insane course load their first year. While that may work for some, balancing school work, extracurriculars and a social life can be taxing for a lot of people. It is crucial to enjoying your experience that you are able to succeed with minimal stress. It’s supposed to be fun! You should not be feeling like you are drowning in work within the first weeks of school.

My next piece of advice is something you have definitely heard before, but get involved. Becoming a part of a club or sport is an incredible way to make friends and immerse yourself in this new environment.

A great opportunity to find clubs in the fall is the involvement fair, which allows students to sign up for new and unique clubs. Being involved with sports and clubs has made me realize there is so much more to Staples than just schoolwork. Beyond just clubs and extracurriculars, go to school events! Football games can create a close-knit energy and high school spirit after a busy school week.

Now, referring back to the actual school work, please do not be afraid to ask for help. High school is not easy, and course work can be overwhelming and confusing. Always reach out to your teachers or go to the learning centers if you need help. Your teachers want to see that you care about your work. They are there to guide us when we’re stuck. It’s their job! Don’t feel like you’re a burden just because you need help. I used to feel that because I needed help with a specific subject, I was not smart enough. Looking back, that is so inaccurate! Nobody is perfect, and it is completely normal to feel stuck at times.

page design by Jack Robinson ʼ26

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Finally, you will not be using your locker at Staples. Like ever. I have seen two people in the last three years open a locker. If that’s how you roll, then let that be your thing. Personally, the constant back pain and not having to rush to class is more my vibe.

On a real note, you have nothing to be scared of. High school is supposed to be a time to learn about yourself and grow as an individual. I have no doubt you will succeed and find complete success at Staples. Good luck, class of 2028!

Photo dramatization by Alex Gaines ʼ25

FRESHMEN ADVICE 5¢

Graphic by Olivia Signorile ʼ25

Katherine Phelps '25 Managing Editor

the doctor . . is in

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opinions

As an offensive lineman for the Staples varsity football team, Williams spends a lot of his time on the field.

A & E Highlights of the summer

Jack Robinson '26 Editor his summer was a busy time for music and entertainment because every current notable artist seemed to drop an album. From Monday to Sunday, there was new music to listen to, a new movie to watch and new trends circulating. Let's recap some of the biggest drops of the summer.

T

Graphic by Chloe Mitchell ʼ28

monopolize the silver screen

Everyone’s favorite movie series returned this summer, with Gru tackling the most heinous villain so far: suburbia. “Despicable Me 4” was yet another fun installment about Gru and his minions trying (and often failing) to fight the forces of evil, this time in the form of Maxime Le Mal, played by Will Ferrell.

This movie is delightfully silly and refreshingly unserious, and the highlight was definitely a minion getting stuck in a vending machine and staying there the whole movie. Now that's comedy.

Everything is brat

Neon green has never looked this good. “BRAT,” Charli xcx’s latest album, took the world by storm and brought her to new heights of popularity.

The album's pared down branding combined with its witty lyricism and upbeat songs made it a hit.

The aesthetic and songs made the "Brat-summer" a cultural phenomenon, described in xcx’s own words as “a little bit volatile [and does dumb things.] But it’s BRAT.” BRAT was the state of mind of the summer, celebrating messiness and chicness, and became the forefront of pop culture.

Scan to listen to Charli xcx's "BRAT"

A new scandal in the Ton Dear gentle readers, What is not to love about "Bridgerton?"With its elegant orchestral arrangements of hit songs to the most elaborate costuming of the Regency era of Great Britain, it’s a seamless, scandalous ride that always has viewers invested. This season, the art department pushed wig making to new heights, and gave their devoted audience a long anticipated and juicy love story between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington.

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Graphic by Chloe Mitchell

page design by Mia Bomback ʼ25 and Catie Campagnino ʼ26

The best school supplies to make it look like you have it all together

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f there’s one benefit of the back-to-school season, it’s the shopping: pretty notebooks; a cute new backpack; yay, capitalism! But, if you’re going to spend all the money you made from that summer job on a folder for every class you’re taking, at least heed my advice about the best of the best. Here are the official Alex-Gaines-approved top school supplies. If you’re going to trust me on anything (don’t), I’d say this is your best bet.

Staying Studious

Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring Binders Say goodbye to those wholly unnecessary 3 inch binders that you only fill 20 pages of -- this sleek notebook is not only the perfect size to fit in your backpack without any hassle, its rings also open up to act as a binder to rearrange pages in any order you’d like. You can easily unclip to move that Lang synthesis all the way to the back, never to be seen again.

Alex Gaines '25 Creative Director

Perfecting Penmanship Pen Pentel EnerGel RTX

As a left-handed individual, I constantly feel under-appreciated by pen brands. None could dry fast enough before they were smudged in the frantic writing of my AP Lang synthesis. Well, Lefty Nation, I’m proud to say there are bright days ahead! Not only does this pen glide across my paper more smoothly than the tears falling after receiving that synthesis grade, it dries quickly enough for a smudge-free assignment.

Illuminating Ideas

Zebra Mildliners Highlighter Gra lex

yA cs b

phi 5 s '2

ine

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page design by Katherine Phelps ʼ25

I know we’ve all had the same problem lately: How am I supposed to celebrate Brat summer with a basic yellow highlighter? Everyone thank God - and, more importantly, Charli xcx - because the Zebra Midliner highlighters have enough beautiful colors to fulfill your wildest dreams, including a light green to serve as a transition from Brat summer into Phoebe-Bridgers-sad-girl-fall. Bonus: they don’t bleed through the paper!

opinions

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EYE ON THE PRIZE Olasewere takes in the crowd after swimming at the Olympic Trials.

Olasewere placed 14th in the Womens' 50 meter Freestyle semifinals.

photo by Chris Poss

Making Waves

Swimming star Annam Olasewere competes at Olympic Trials

Lily Hultgren '25 Editor-in-Chief

O

ver 1,000 swimmers. Nine days of swimming. 28 events. The Olympic Swimming Trials: where the best swimmers in the country vye for a spot on Team USA to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics. And Staples’ own Annam Olasewere ’25 was one of them.

The trials were held in Indianapolis, Indiana from June 15-23 at the Lucas Oil Stadium. Olasewere, a member of the Chelsea Piers Athletic Club and U.S. National Junior Team, competed in the 50 and 100 freestyles preliminaries. There, she advanced to the 50 meter freestyle semifinals and placed 14th.

“Seeing your face on the screen when you walk out is really cool and also just being on T.V. as a whole is pretty awesome,” Olasewere said. “My 4 and 7-year-old cousins were able to see me on TV live and they were super excited.”

Olasewere was also able to meet many Olympic athletes at the trials.

“I had raced some of them at the Pro

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Series before,” she said, “but you can see them in-person at the highest level in the nation and it’s really awesome. They don’t really treat you like you’re a kid, they just treat you like a competitor there.”

Olasewere has been swimming since she was 2 years old and started competitively swimming at 6 years old. She is thankful for the support system she has in her teachers at Staples, her school counselor Victoria Capozzi, Chelsea Piers coach

“

They don't really treat you like you're a kid, they just treat you like a competitor

"

- Anaam Olasewere '25 Aaron Montgomery as well as teammates and close friends. She also credits her twin sister, Ayaan Olasewere ’25, who is also a swimmer, for being one of her greatest pillars of support.

“We both kind of push each other a little bit to do stuff, so that’s something

that helps me. Consistency and also having a twin,” Olasewere said. “[Ayaan] goes everywhere with me, so it’s just really helpful to have someone who’s pushing you all of the time.”

Most recently, Olasewere competed in the 2024 Junior Pan-Pacific Championships for Team USA in Canberra, Australia from August 21-24, which swimmers qualify for based off of their performances in the trials.

Olasewere will be attending Stanford University, where she will join the swim team in the fall of 2025.

“I really want to go to the Olympics and medal there,” Olasewere said. “One of my goals at Stanford [is] to also expand my range of events, because being able to be more versatile would be great for my team and it’s also fun racing more events.”

As an athlete, Olasewere believes in moving forward no matter what.

“A couple years ago I probably would not have thought that I was going to be where I am right now,” Olasewere said.

“And I don’t know what the future holds but just live in the moment. Even if you do have one bad race, one bad game, it doesn’t define your whole career.”

page design by Angelina Matra ʼ25

page design by Olivia Signorile ʼ25

interactive

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