Inklings Graduation Issue 2025 by inklingsnewsonline

Tableof Contents 5senior opinions

by Bianca Mastocciolo ’26

PARTING WORDS

PUT YOUR CRAYONS TO USE In addition to the maze, turn to page 19 to color in Wrecker Bob!

Check out what Seniors are doing after graduation

The Crayon Maze

Inklings seniors, including Danisha Nasution (left) and Ava Coyle (right) bid farewell to Staples.

Photo

Why crayons?

Photo by Camille Blundell ’27

The children's book "The Day the Crayons Quit" is widely beloved by young people everywhere. We drew creative inspiration from the book to capture the motif of childhood, and send a playful reminder that we should never forget the past as we look to the future.

senior praises

Le er from Principal Thomas

Dear Class of 2025,

Family and friends offer best wishes to their grads!

Photo by Malena Tortorella ’27

Congratulations on reaching this momentous milestone—the eve of your nal day of classes at Staples High School. is is a time to celebrate your journey, your growth, and all that you’ve accomplished. It has truly been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as your principal.

Go Wreckers!

While these past four years have undoubtedly been the most challenging stretch of your lives so far, I know they have also been some of the most formative. rough obstacles, you’ve grown stronger. rough uncertainty, you’ve found your voice. And through it all, you’ve led with integrity, spirit, and resilience.

You haven’t just grown—you’ve helped Staples grow. Since your arrival in the 2021–2022 school year, your leadership and contributions have made a lasting impact. Today, we o er more opportunities to more students than ever before, and that is a direct result of your e orts. You've left Staples in a better place than when you arrived, and your legacy will be felt for years to come.

Take pride in what you’ve achieved. e foundation you’ve built here will serve you well in whatever path you pursue. As you step into this next chapter, carry with you the lessons, friendships, and memories that have shaped who you are. On behalf of the entire Staples community, thank you—and congratulations, Class of 2025.

Grad Issue Staff

Editors-in-chief

Andi Jacobs & Sophie Smith

Managing Editor

Jack Robinson

Associate Managing Editors

Catherine Campagnino & Avni Krishna

Creative Directors

Editors

Sutton Bulkeley

Camilla Garfield

Nate Gerber

Serena Goldfarb

Chloe Mitchell

More About Us

Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration, and does not allow for prior review.

Camille Blundell & Bianca Mastocciolo

Advisors

Malena Tortorella

Joseph DelGobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

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.

Im sorry:

Finding power in not over-apologizing

Lily Hultgren '25 Editor-In-Chief

In the past six years, I have said “sorry” over 667 times in my emails. To get that number, I spent a whole afternoon clicking through every single email I’ve ever sent, counting every single time I apologized for anything, and as the number kept growing, my heart felt heavier.

I was “incredibly sorry” if I missed school because I was sick; I was “sorry for any inconvenience” if I had to ask a teacher a clarifying question; and I was “so sorry for bothering” anyone if I wanted to schedule a meeting to go over a test or review material (even if I was encour aged or told to do so).

I genuinely meant it, too. After all, why would anyone care about what I have to say?

This attitude was why I slumped through the school, letting my backpack weigh me to the ground. Why I sunk into my chair in my ninth grade bi ology class, my arms held tight around my body, forcing down my burning ideas as I listened to my classmates debate sustain able initiatives. It was better this way; it was better if no one saw me.

a right to take up space.

As I read through my old emails, tears began to well up in my eyes when I saw how I once apologized four times for being sick. I realized that all of my sorrys were rarely used to apologize for an accident or genuine mistake; I was apologizing for letting myself be known.

I spent the rest of the day with a single thought reverberating throughout my head: what if I didn’t say “sorry?”

The next time I had to send an email, my eyes were glued to the three “sorrys” I had typed on impulse. Before I could sec ond-guess myself, my mouse flew across screen and deleted them. When I re-read this new email, my heart

But one day, one of my teachers took me aside during class. I was terrified. What did I do? Did I make a mistake? Am I not good enough? My brain flicked through a million different scenarios, but none of them came close to what she said to me.

She took out her laptop, and to my surprise multiple emails I had recently sent her were displayed across the screen. She asked me to read out the beginning of each email.

I'm sorry.

Then, she told me that I had nothing to be sorry for. That as a young woman, I have

email was someone who wasn’t

I am no longer the girl I was. The person I am now and the young woman I will become knows she has a right to take up space and a voice that deserves to be heard. I will never apologize for that again.

Wherever my path may take me, I know I will spend every day embracing my power. I will enter any room with my head up and my shoulders back because l know I have a right to be there. I will never be afraid

try to share my voice as much as I can and proj ect it out into the world. I’m not afraid to stand tall as I address my journalism class each day as the Edi tor-in-Chief, a position I had spent so long think ing I wasn’t good enough for. I still feel the familiar urge to be small, but now, instead of shrinking in on myself, I push forward with words of encourage ment beating in my mind like a drum.

Don't give up your passions for a resume

Nina Bowens ’25 Editor-in-Chief

Last April, I faced one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my high school career. I found myself not getting enough sleep because I was up late weighing my options, talking for hours with my friends and parents about what the right choice was and thinking about what the best choice for my future would be. All of that sounds quite intense, especially being only 17 and a junior in high school. e decision? Picking between a sport I’ve played all my life, or aiming for a top position within Inklings.

through the decision (and even just being around me) last April was not a job for the weak. I made pro and cons lists, talked to seniors and my peers and drafted a schedule to see all the con icting dates. I thought about following my eldest sister’s path, who quit lacrosse to pursue swimming. Ultimately, I decided it wasn’t worth it to give up my senior season. I would apply for Chief and stay on the eld, knowing that I could manage it.

growth period of my life, I learned valuable lessons from sports and also from journalism that have opened my eyes and taught me crucial skills.

I nd it odd that at Staples, my experience is generally unique. Becoming a junior or senior often means giving up on certain passions, especially in Westport, where everything is intensi ed and college applications trump exploring new or maintaining old hobbies. Students spend themselves by giving upwards of 20 hours after school, giving up their other hobbies and interests or even prioritizing that extracurricular over school work and their mental health.

Journalism is what I hope to pursue with my life, and I never planned to play lacrosse in college. To most, the answer seemed apparent. However, the girls on my lacrosse team are some of my closest friends; we grew up together on Ginny Parker Field. But, like most high positions in extracurriculars, the Editor-in-Chief of Inklings has rarely ever also played a varsity sport. Per Staples culture, it’s typically not possible. Ask either of my parents: guiding me

Come April break, I was given the opportunity to prove that I could manage both. By the end of last year, I was honored with both Chief and also Captain. Stepping into these roles has meant more to me than just keeping the individual organizations running. As someone who has had to quit clubs, Players and free time for other hobbies, being given this opportunity meant managing my time meticulously in order to show others that they can also do both.

I quickly realized that the lessons I learned on Ginny easily translated to the newsroom. Being a leader of both Inklings and the defensive unit required communication, collaboration and determination. I would not have been as e ective a leader in either without my experiences in both, which is something I think Staples culture doesn’t understand.

More importantly, the di erent experiences I had with Inklings and Lacrosse both contributed to my development in di erent ways. I could not possibly imagine what my high school years would be like without one or the other. During the most

Staples is consistently praised for being the best: academically, athletically and in the arts. We have championship winning teams (GLAX will get there one day, I swear), state-of-the-art facilities, an award-winning news-magazine and an incredible arts reputation. But regardless, it is still only a high school. Students shouldn’t have to give up everything to get the best role or to become captain, president or editor.

High school is one of the last times that students are given the opportunity to “dip their toe” in new sports and activities, and be bad at them. It should be a time for kids to have fun with the communities they have built and been a part of, and even if you don’t plan to pursue one of your hobbies at the collegiate or post-high school level, you shouldn’t have to give a part of your identity up for another. Afterall, high school should be about growing into your full self, not narrowing it down.

PhotoscontributedbyNinaBowens’25

The blur between strain and clarity

How I heal from my lifelong perfectionism

Angelina Matra '25 Managing Editor

Igot my rst pair of glasses in fourth grade: boxy, turquoise, Nike, hideous. It's ironic, considering the large role these glasses would play in my life, that my vision has never actually been that poor. I wasn’t 20/20, but I was pretty close. A step away from perfect.

I had an astigmatism. e ophthalmologist explained that my eyes, on some subliminal level, knew they weren’t perfect. To compensate, they strained, trying to see everything, trying to be 20/20. But instead of perfection, all I got were piercing, pounding headaches.

cially my homework—I would wake up the next morning early, and use the several glo-

My boxy blue glasses (which years later became translucent pink, then contact lenses) corrected my astigmatism, averting eye strain and preventing headaches. So for the next eight years, I entered a grudging compromise with my eyes. I wore glasses or contacts; my eyes didn’t strain. It was a precarious compromise—I couldn’t even go minutes in the morning without donning my glasses—but it worked. at is, until the rst day of senior year. I woke up, put in my contact lenses, went about my day… and ended it with a piercing headache. I had held up my end of the bargain. My eyes, however, had forgotten theirs.

e next day was the same. And the next. And the next. I started seriously struggling. I would leave class and head for the bathroom, head in my hands as my skull pounded with pain. I left school early to close my eyes and lay in my darkened bedroom.

me it was the damn phone, and I felt like I was staring down the barrel of an entire future consumed by constant, unavoidable pain.

one could gure out the cause. I got reading glasses in three di erent prescriptions, started taking daily and fast-acting magnesium supplements, got an ice mask and ice roller, started doing tension-relieving yoga. e xes gave me a bit of relief, but none seemed to address the underlying problem. Doctors told me I was “too young” for chronic daily headaches, my parents told haven’t completely been able to stop my headaches. All I can do is eliminate the ultimatum and try to improve myself one day at a time.

I think it's very important to address that senior year was probably the most stressful time of my entire life. I was taking ve AP classes, producing a 54-page paper for Inklings, and applying to an embarrassingly high number of colleges, all while under extreme levels of stress. I was in too much pain to function most days, but I still felt pressured to perform to the exceptionally high Staples standard. I honestly don’t know how I did it. Back in fourth grade, my ophthalmologist explained that my headaches were caused by eye strain. And, on some level, that’s what I went through this year. I wasn’t perfect; I was far from it. I worked and stressed and often spent more time stressing than working,

exceptionally high Staples standard.

Photos contributed by Angelina Matra ’25

Graphic by Camille Blundell ’27

Like Barbie, I can be anything

Katherine Phelps ’25 Managing Editor

Like many other little girls, my favorite toy growing up was a Barbie doll. Yes, I liked her out ts, her makeup and, of course, her dreamhouse, but I was not inspired by her looks. Instead, I was inspired by what she did.

On the last day of Kindergarten, my teacher asked my class what we wanted to be when we grew up. All the other kids around me chose the profession that their parents did: lawyers, doctors and business people.

At 6, I had no clue what my parents did. But, I did remember one of Barbie’s careers that I was actually interested in: a fashion designer. So, that’s what I told people I wanted to be when I grew up.

However, when I reached middle school, my career interests matured and shifted in an entirely di erent direction. I realized I wanted to become a pediatrician. I love helping people and taking care of others. And sel shly, I know they make a decent amount of money. However, after getting my blood drawn in eighth grade, I realized I most certainly was not able to be a pediatrician after fainting when I saw the needle in my arm. Turns out, I am not exactly cut out for the medical eld.

My freshman year, I decided to change career paths again. I was inspired by my mom, who worked for the NHL, NFL and Sports Illustrated, where she was oftentimes singled out based on her gender. I admired her bravery and persistence, and I came to the realization that I wanted to carry on her legacy. However, after completing a sports journalism program at the School of the New York Times, I realized I did not know nearly enough about sports, and that I was certainly a small sh in a very big pond.

So, now, I think I sort of, kind of know what I want to do with my life. Now I’m thinking of pursuing marketing, where I can combine my childhood interests of fashion and entertainment with the skills I learned in high school through Inklings.

At the same time, I also realized that maybe it’s okay to step out of my comfort zone and discover my own path. After my junior year, I realized that I am interested in politics and law, two areas I never expected to be interested in. erefore, I will also be minoring in pre-law in college where I will be able to pursue a new interest that I have little to no experience with.

So, while I still am not entirely sure what I want to do with my life, I have come to the realization that being uncertain and open to change is okay. Afterall, Barbie has over 250 di erent careers. She does not limit herself to just one dream. And neither will I.

Photo by Camille Blundell 27

Graphic by Annabelle Katz 26

Dear Mia: a letter to my 14-year-old self

Mia Bomback '25 Managing Editor

Dear 14-year-old Mia,

If, by some rip in the space-time continuum, you, my freshman self, are reading this letter right now, try not to have an aneurysm when I tell you that, at least according to the four-year plan you set for us, nearly everything went wrong with our high school career. Your best friends turn out to be people you haven’t met yet; you’re headed o to college in the middle of nowhere (and you applied early decision!), and, this one’s gonna hurt, you aren’t Editor-in-Chief of Inklings. And yet—somehow—we’re just as happy as you imagined we would be.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room. I know you are screaming, “What happened to Columbia?!” e city, the prestige, the fantasy of living a life straight out of “Gossip Girl,” and one just like our parents had 40 years earlier. You’re probably sitting there thinking that the last school on Earth you’d ever want to end up at was somewhere rural and woodsy, with a side of Greek life. In other words: Dartmouth.

very beginning, you had one goal in mind: Editor-in-Chief or bust: Editor-in-Chief or bust. Even before o cially entering high school, you had your heart set on the position. But you didn’t just want to be Editor-in-Chief. You knew it was your destiny. So, for three years, we gave our heart-andsoul to Inklings (with no regrets, mind you), taking on extra articles, volunteering for photoshoots despite my subpar photography skills, even skipping out on doctor’s appointments to go to layout, all while believing that this was just the natural path to Chief.

And then, positions came out, and we didn’t get it. Instead, we were o ered the position of Managing Editor. And though we didn’t know it at the time, it would be one of the best things to ever happen to us. ough it wasn’t the position we wanted, it was truly the one we needed. Being Managing Editor gave us the space to be creative, to inspire editors, to bring our visions to life. We had been blinded by the title of Chief and the expectations we set for ourselves to see that what we truly loved about Inklings wasn’t the role of a Chief at all: Managing Editor was where we were happiest.

best friend is practically nowhere to be found on my Instagram feed. She lives ve hours away, and is someone we spent just four days with nearly a year and a half ago (none of which yielded any Insta-worthy photos). Still, those four days were enough to know she was our person (and if anyone reading this is wondering how to keep a long-distance friendship alive, Maia and I have it down to a science!)

For the rst time in our lives, we are beginning a new chapter without a concrete, color-coded four-year plan. We are o to college without a clear idea of what we want to major in, and no idea whatsoever of what we want to do with our life after we graduate (we don’t wanna be the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, anymore, by the way). And as we take this next step, there is a part of us that is de nitely scared shitless. But another part of us knows that it’ll all work out. Because, in the wise words of an Inklings alum that has always stuck with me, sometimes, “the right path isn’t the one you set for yourself, but the one that nds you along the way.” Keep making future us proud. You got this!

But then war in Israel and Gaza changed the culture on college campuses across the US. Now, a whole new set of factors had to be considered in our college search. In addition to size, location and student life, we had to think about where we’d feel the safest as a Jewish student. So, we extended our search to places we couldn’t have pointed to on a map.

To be honest, we didn’t want to tour Dartmouth—our parents had to practically drag us there. But once we got there, something shifted. For the rst time in our college process, we weren’t trying to recreate Columbia or nd the next best thing; instead, it became about nding a place that felt like ours. We hadn’t expected to fall for Dartmouth, but we left knowing that if we ended up there, we wouldn’t just be safe. We’d belong.

Which brings me to Inklings. From the

I’m also sorry to say that on “Mia’s Perfect High School Bucket List,” the box next to the picture-perfect group of girlfriends remains unchecked. By now, you’ve convinced yourself that the secret to true friendship was to nd your friend group early and stick with ‘em. e problem with that was we’d been de ning “true” as the kind of friendship that looks good on an Instagram feed. It wasn’t until we let go of this notion that we truly understood what friendship meant.

XOXO,

18-year-old

Mia you’ve with what than

Fast forward four years, and our closest friends today are nothing like what we originally pictured. Some are people we used to avoid in the hallways. Others, we swore we had nothing in common with. And still, others are people that you, freshman-year me, swear you hate (mostly for no reason other than jealousy). And somehow, they’ve become our people. Our

Photo

Graphic

A Maze to the Stage

Try to nd all the crayons from the starting point, then make your way through the maze to get to graduation!

A tail of transition

Rachel Olefson 25 Web Managing Editor

Afew months ago, one faithful and sunny day late in March, the Olefsons gained a new family member. As I watched my sister carry him inside, his body tiny and frail, fear in his eyes, I knew my household would be forever changed.

To be clear, I’m talking about our new puppy, Bode Miller, an 18-pound blondehaired, green-eyed Australian Labradoodle that came all the way from Kentucky.

Physically, he was nothing more than small and u y. But the unspoken truth that we were all afraid to admit was that Bode’s arrival represented my departure for college. I was being replaced.

As Bode began to take my place, cozying into my favorite spot on the couch and becoming my little sister’s best friend, I was starting to worry: was my existence in my own house disposable? And if it was, would my family even miss me when I was gone? e fact that this little dog could pose such a huge knock to my ego was less than ideal, and even a bit embarrassing.

I paced through my backyard having an existential crisis, pretending I was the main character in a coming-of-age Netix show, carrying Bode (Bobo, as I shortly began calling him) like a baby. I walked over to my mom, who was sitting on our back patio.

“You know, Rachel,” she said, “it just won’t be the same here without you next year.”

And suddenly, it hit me: my mom hates dogs. In fact, if you had asked her what the last thing she wanted to deal with while packing two kids for college was, she probably would’ve said, 'a puppy.' And yet here was Bobo, sitting in the sun with us, enjoying the UV of the

I’ve since come to realize that Bode wasn’t my replacement, rather my placeholder. He is yet another reason my family will have to FaceTime me, someone for my

sister to hang out with when I’m gone and a reminder to all of us that change doesn't necessarily have to be bad. If he could assimilate to a brand new place, so can I. So even though he’ll be keeping my spot warm for me, I’ll be able to take it back when I come home.

BODE'S BOW WOW Bode "Bobo" Miller, the Australian Labradoodle poses in cute photos for his new family the Olefsons (Photos Contributed by Rachel Olefson 25).

Graphic by Camille Blundell 27 suburbs.

Surviving sleepless

nights; Do Not take my word for it

Samantha Sandrew ’25 Web Managing Editor

When I was just a naive little freshman, I went to bed at 10:30 p.m. sharp and jumped out of bed at 6:30 a.m to eat breakfast and even watch “Gilmore Girls” before I boarded the bus. en, AP US history and a packed class load of challenging courses my sophomore year ruined me. I never slept. I would go to bed at 2 a.m every single night, burdened by the never ending homework. While sophomore year was de nitely my most sleepless time of high school, I also had some pretty late nights as an upperclassman as well. So, here are my tips to successfully pull an all-nighter. DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend all nighters. Sophomore year was complete and utter hell. Nobody ever feels good on three hours of sleep; (I don’t care what those tness in uencers say). But, I know as much as anybody that sometimes a bedtime is just not a possibility . erefore, I will not be held liable for any harm caused if you foolishly decide to follow my tips. at said, if you’re going to evade the lull of sleep, at least do it right.

Any sleep is valuable sleep: If you can go to bed at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. and sleep for an hour, it’s worth it. I’ve had some wild dreams while sleeping for two hours, so de nitely enjoy the

trip. Some sleep is better than none.

2.

If it’s past 3 a.m, you can’t get comfortable: You nish your work and the clock reads 3:27 a.m. You climb into bed under the covers, snuggle up, overjoyed with emotion to nally, nally go to sleep. You’ve completed the late night, you’re successful right? WRONG. e most critical and sometimes di cult part of an all-nighter is waking up at your alarm. If you do not wake up for your alarm, you have not pulled a successful all-nighter-- you’re just a bum that stayed up late gooning. So, if it’s past 3 a.m, you have to sleep on top of the covers and rest your head on a lumpy decorative pillow so you don’t fall too hard into REM sleep and can wake up when the alarm goes o .

from room to room can also help give you a new setting that can help

you stay alert.

Eat, eat, eat: When you’re staying up late at night, you need energy to keep going. Most people use energy drinks, but these can lead to a deadly crash that leaves you snoozing on your math homework. Instead, try eating a midnight snack ( Now, this is de nitely not healthy, but neither is not sleeping) My go-to snack is warm naan. It is lling and satisfying, but it won’t lead to a crash.

Dating daydreams and the celebrity crushes that got me through high school

Alex Gaines ’25 Creative Director

It’s a Tuesday night, and my left brain and right brain are having a chat, as they often do.

e left brain: logical, grounded, objective.

“It’s the end of our four years of high school, and Alex still has yet to date anyone,” she sighs. “Our existence is hopeless; prepare for a life of constant longing and loneliness.”

“ at’s not true!” Right Brainimaginative, creative and boundlessly hopeful - interrupts. “We have Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his breakout role as Cameron James in the hit 1999 romantic comedy ‘10 ings I Hate About You!’ We can’t be alone if he’s in our lives, our Prince Charming!”

“Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 44 years old,” Left Brain sternly replies. at seems to be the end of the conversation - for now.

Right Brain, simmering with rage, takes complete control of my body. She rapidly opens up Pinterest, nds a jaw-droppingly attractive photo of one of my many celebrity crushes, and sends it to the group chat of my closest friends with the caption “Oh wow.”

is sequence of events is bound to happen at least thrice a week, maybe four times if I see a “happy 7 months!” anniversary post on Instagram between that kid in my math class and his girlfriend I’ve just now found out exists. It’s become part of my nightly routine over the last couple of years—get home, take a shower, watch an interview with Josh O’Connor, eat dinner, nish my homework, rewatch every scene of “ e O.C.” that includes Adam Brody, sleep—and I’ve come to realize it’s eating me alive.

My desperation for an unattainable celebrity man at least 20 years my senior can be traced back to eighth grade Alex’s eager soul and mesmerized eyes watching her fth episode of a teen romance show that week. Season 1, episode 21 of “ e

O.C.”: Seth Cohen stands atop the school’s Kissing Booth table, declares his love for Summer Roberts, and kisses her in front of the whole school. My 13-year-old brain very logically sorted that into the “things that will de nitely happen to me at Staples High School” category of aspirations. And boom, it’s sophomore, junior, senior year - and no dice.* (“Dice” is, in fact, a song that plays in season 1, episode 14 of “ e O.C.” when high school sophomores Ryan Atwood and Marissa Cooper have an incredibly romantic New Year’s Eve kiss).

Even so, the possibility of nding someone to date in high school is actually fairly high. I’ve watched from the sidelines as many of my friends have gone through several relationships throughout the past four years. It’s not that I can’t nd a boyfriend; it’s that, subconsciously, I don’t want to.

me, su er from parasocial maladaptive daydreaming. e best advice I can give you: just don’t. Stay in the moment. Read a book or something, I don’t know. I spent my high school years focused on everything except the present moment; I beg you, let your best adolescent memories be real ones and not scenes from a rom-com.

at said, Robert Pattinson, if you’re reading this, please ignore the previous statements. I’m free this ursday night if you are!

I spend my time in class daydreaming about ctional characters and unattainable men because I quite honestly nd the high school social experience to be far too lackluster for my idealistic brain to bear. A paralyzing fear of rejection blended with a timid lack of trust in some of my closest friends means even the sudden reality of a date to the school dance is mind-numbingly overwhelming. e solution, then, is the daydream and focusing on the dinner date I’m going on with Dylan O’Brien in my mind palace.

e one bene t of these unrealistic daydreams is how they mentally drag you down from a hilltop wedding to the muddy grounds of Staples High School and - unfortunately, according to my infamously awful taste in men - even muddier waters of boys to choose from. So, I’d like to reach my hand out towards those who, like

Photo by Camille Blundell 27

How nostalgia taught me to be present

Olivia Signorile ’25 Creative Director

Growing up, my mom would always tell me I was an old soul. I never fully understood what this meant but I took this as a compliment like I was somehow ahead of my time.

I would always dream about the future, which was made easier because I saw my older sister get to experience things way before I did. I would always put on my mom’s most sophisticated and tall high heels and pretend I was in my 20s living in New

York at the ripe age of 7. I always wanted to eat the sophisticated food my parents were eating. I even enjoyed having co ee at a young age because it made me feel like an adult. I always watched movies about high school, and dreamed of the day that I would become that old. I always thought time was moving slowly and I couldn't wait to grow up.

When I was younger, I remember adults telling me countless times: “ ose were the days,” or “Enjoy it while it lasts.” Back then, it just sounded like another reminder that time would eventually move on, and the warnings never deterred me from dreaming of what I would experience next.

As I am moving onto a new chapter, I can't help but reminisce on being a child, when life was so simple. It's hard to grasp the fact that I won't be learning how to ride a bike for the rst time again, or living with my siblings full time ever again. While I am so lucky to have these memories, I understand now that my anticipation of the future robbed me of the present.

Now that I am at the age I always wished for, I nd myself wishing I could go back, and I need to ght that urge, because, like anticipation of the future, nostalgia can just as easily steal the joy of the now. Wishing for what lies ahead, and clinging to what has already passed, steals the present.

Every song I loved at twelve years old romanticized being 18 or living through high school. Being 18 felt so far away and only something I could dream about.

And then, I nally turned 18, and suddenly I got it. For the rst time, I felt the nostalgia that those songs and phrases referred to. I understand the ache and the beauty behind those words. I understand how important it was to truly embrace every single moment and to live in the present. Now that I have arrived at the age I always longed for, I see now how many of my days were spent wishing for my future rather than embracing the here and now. of

I used to think being an old soul meant rushing ahead, reaching for wisdom before my time. But now I see that wisdom also means learning to slow down and sit with the present. I still want to embrace my goals and aspirations for the future, but I don't want that to hold me back from enjoying the moments in the present.

Olivia in elementary school

Olivia in senior year

Photos contributed by Olivia Signorile ’25

PhotobyCamille Blundell’27

Anna Kercher 25 Associate Managing Editor

Lingering eyes over the glass counter signal avor indecisiveness— a feeling I can relate to. I limit eye contact to ease the pressure and wait prepped with avor suggestions for their next move. Every interaction ends the same: “Have a good day,” I say with the warmest smile I can muster. Even at the end of a long shift, I hold out hope that maybe a sweet tone can sweeten someone’s

At the ice cream counter, the avors menu was our shared text. Within service literacy, the customer is always right and therefore holds the authority. But friendly conversation is my tool to connect, to guide and maybe to encourage a generous 20% tip.

and (yes,

I took money from customers (yes, $5.50 for a small cup of ice cream could be considered robbery), but I day.

The literacy of everyday life: lessons through interactions

also collected stories. Families after games, workers on break, even a triathlete fresh from the nish line crossed my path, and put me through all walks of life just by observing and interacting with them. Just by getting one glimpse into people’s lives, they left me with a bit more perspective when they walked out holding their ice cream.

Working with kids as a camp counselor required a whole di erent discourse and more trial and error to become uent. I had to balance authority with approachability. “No” often didn’t work. My rhetoric had to ex, soften and become creative. Over time, I learned to adapt not only to be understood, but to build trust. eir energy and imagination colored my own communication, reminding me to lead adaptably with both strength and playfulness.

However, the majority of my life’s discourse is shaped by the people closest to me. eir words bounce o valuable traits and language for me to internalize, morphing me with each interaction. My sister’s con dence sharpens my tone; my mom’s passion fuels my words; my friend’s empathy softens my delivery.

cation is life’s greatest navigation skill. It can constantly be re ned, and every connection is both a learning experience and contribution to the world around me.

My goal is to collect these short expressions, glances, questions and laughter, and add the best of them to my discourse dictionary, ling them away in a mental library so I can understand the world, and hopefully leave each person better than before we crossed paths.

Every word exchanged is a potential shift: a moment of learning, giving, taking and being changed. Communi-

Graphics by Ella Turner

Farewell “Cici”

Siena Petrosinelli ’25 Associate Managing Editor

For as long as I can remember my name has always been Cici. It began when my older brother, Domenic, was a young toddler and couldn’t pronounce my name, Siena. My parents tried to simplify it for him by calling me “C,” something he could easily say.

A few months later my family decided to take a trip to Florida to visit my grandparents. While driving around, we passed a restaurant called “Cici’s Pizza.” My mom saw the bright neon sign and decided that would be a cute name for me. From then on, Cici was my name.

I loved Cici. It’s a fantastic name even though it was taken from a pizza chain I actually hate. It was the name everyone called me in school, in sports and at home. It’s the name written across all my birthday cards and even in my Instagram. Cici holds all my childhood memories.

However, now as I graduate and receive a diploma with my real name, Siena, printed across it, I feel di erently about my name. I’m not saying I am going to abandon Cici entirely—it will always be a part of my identity—but, in more professional settings, I will be accepting a more sophisticated identity.

While embracing Siena, I hope to embody a more mature identity. With this in mind, I wish to start my life by trying to prepare for my future and gure out what I would like to do in life. Although it is quite sentimental to let Cici go, Siena brings a fresh start and gives me the ability to recreate a new and special identity I hope to embody. Cici will always remind me of my childhood and funny memories I will always cherish. Yet, as I go into this new part of my life, I hope to embrace the name given at birth that has been patiently waiting for me: Siena.

Photos contributed by

Siena Petrosinelli 25

Pink hair, don't care

Demi Sasson '25 Associate Managing Editor

Tactually having to say it. I want to be seen but I don’t want to be the center of attention. I just want to stick out just enough for the people around me to remember that I’m not just another nameless face.

he summer before my sophomore year, one of my best friends dyed a strip of the underlayer of her hair a deep purple. At rst, I didn’t understand why; she has the most beautiful auburn hair. I grew up with the warnings about dyes: they are not healthy for hair, it's permanent and so on. I mean, I grew up in Westport, where no one sports any color neon in their hair or has a di erent style than the person next to them. Uniqueness was such a foreign idea to me. However, the energy that my friend radiated was electric, and it touched everyone around her. Obviously her energy came from within, but I thought that dyeing my own hair would help me get there.

So then I, myself, dyed the same strip of my hair pink later that year. Although it was adventurous of me to dye it in-yourface pink, I knew I still wasn’t ready for the bold move of dyeing a more visible part; I also didn’t want to look like a unicorn when it came to important photos. I came back from December break to shocked classmates and teachers, questioning why I, seemingly impulsively, dyed part of my hair a ery hot pink.

I found my means of expression through my hair. I know many other people who express themselves through their clothing choices, statement pieces of jewelry, and the handful that have gotten a tattoo. To be honest, I’m not even sure why I chose my hair out of everything to be my slate. It seemed like a little bit of a copout; it was cheap, not 100% permanent, e cient and I wanted to follow clothing trends. Where I was making a bold choice with my hair, I was still falling into other standards everywhere else.

However, after I decided to dye even more of my hair–the whole base of my neck –the process of dyeing had become more symbolic to my ability to express myself as I get older. Still, the procedure remains the same. e tattered, disgustingly old (and disgustingly named) bottle of Splat “Pink Fetish” hair dye sits underneath my bathroom counter, waiting for yet another run through my hair.

To those who don’t know me too well, I’m usually a very quiet person. I keep to myself and don’t do or say too much to draw attention to myself. Contrary to what I just said, I still devoured the attention I got from my peers and teachers after I would come to school with a fresh fuschia hair-do. My pink streak was a way for me to say ‘look at me! Look at me!,’ without

tough four years. ere's competition, love, hate and indi erence towards yourself and everyone around you. You make impulsive decisions yet work intensely to plan for college and what seems to be the rest of your life. It’s often forgotten that during these merciless years, you deserve to discover things about yourself and unearth your passions, beliefs and the type of people you like to surround yourself with and the clothes you like to wear. Doing so in a performative way, as in doing it to portray a false version of yourself, is as good as not doing it at all. I truly encourage every student to nd some way to express themself, visible to everyone or not.

I could recognize the bottle by scent alone, or curling my lashes. High school is a

its smell just as vibrant as its color. Dyeing my hair was as normal to me as painting my nails

Photo by Camille Blundell ’27

A tradition worth repeating

Lily Rimm ’25 Associate Managing Editor

It was a warm August night. My friends gathered in my driveway as we blasted throwback songs, while decorating our cars with pastel chalk. We laughed, took pictures and celebrated embarking on our senior year.

e air buzzed with excitement and anxiety. It was our turn to be the oldest in the building. As we drove to school as a group, cars honked at the silly drawings on the backs of our cars and the streets were lled with electricity.

I had spent three years watching from the sidelines as seniors dove into traditions, eagerly anticipating it being my turn. Later came the selection of a neon cat backpack that entirely lacked practicality, but was

stones have helped me slow down time in order to notice it passing right in front of me.

lled with the signi cance of following the path of the seniors before me who had also purchased a nostalgic childhood backpack. It could barely hold more than a few pencils and a folder, but I still wore it proudly. e idea was to regress a bit as we progressed. Maybe the lesson was to slow down. Either way, I enjoyed every minute of this tradition.

Traditions have reminded me where I have been before, and perhaps more importantly, where I am headed. In my family, I treasure helping my mother cook for Friday night dinners, birthday card hunts and our Chanukah parties. It’s no secret that many of these activities involve chaos and absurdity, but I’ve learned that tradition does not have to be rooted in perfection, but rather connectivity and meaning. Most important is breathing in the traditions, not rushing them, and experiencing them for all that

roughout my life, I have always valued traditions. ey bring comfort, predictability and are grounding. ey are consistently fun, and make life colorful.

But traditions aren’t just about celebrating something. It wasn’t until re-

cently that I realized the abil-

ity of traditions to act like a bookmark, and at Staples, traditions have made a big school feel personal. From something so seemingly simple as getting my parking sticker to buying my water gun for our senior assassin game, these mile-

For the past few months, I’ve found myself pausing to let both the laughter and the mess slowly guide me through my experiences. I rmly believe that these rituals are connected to moments in time that will help contribute toward my building of a

meaningful life.

In just a few months when I leave for college, my memories of the traditions at Staples will remind me of my own personal development and friendships I’ve made in this amazing community. As this chapter comes to a close, I am increasingly grateful for traditions, being part of history and looking ahead to new opportunities to connect to traditions. I understand now that even the smallest of traditions can leave

the greatest impact.

PhotoscontributedbyLilyRimm’25

Color By Number

From Pencils to People

Zoe Boxenbaum 25 TV Show Producer

Afew days before my freshman year, I made my pilgrimage to Staples (the paper supply store, not our high school) to purchase my school supplies for the year. I chose notebooks in every color of the rainbow, plastic folders by the dozen, post-its and a 50 pack of pastel-colored mechanical pencils.

York City, I struggled to transition. I couldn’t focus in class and fell short on many tests and assignments. My goal each day was to make it to the next. I hadn’t found my niche at Staples, but I scraped by with my cheap mechanical pencils and dwindling motivation.

e pencils were an obvious “must have.”

they

e cycle of lackluster school supplies shopping and lack of interest followed me into my sophomore year, until the spring came. My academics hadn’t made much improvement, but my world outside of the classroom had changed. I started to feel more secure in my friendships, I realized I didn’t need to play a sport to nd my place, and the moment I had been eagerly waiting for had arrived: I earned my driver’s license.

there was one constant: my friends. ough they're not objects like my pencils or a car, they still de ned my senior year because they were like two extremes too. One moment, we felt the sadness of our nal days of high school slipping away, and the next we were joking and having fun. And now at the very end of my senior year, I realized that it was the people by my side that de ned all four years at Staples.

I needed that many because I assumed I would lose roughly one pencil per week (which turned out to be closer to two or three). ey were convenient because they never had to be resharpened. ey were durable because they wouldn’t break like wood. And they de ned my underclassman years because, like me at school, they did their job, but never excelled.

Like many students who come to Staples High School from New

Now that my responsibilities extended beyond schoolwork, I could no longer be mediocre like my pencils, I had to take charge and focus.

Into my junior year, my car was my life. Yes, it was my mode of transportation primarily, but it was also my sanctuary, my personal karaoke lounge and my place to decompress. And then I crashed it. I questioned my own character and maturity, and how much I really deserved my own car, which spiraled into how much I deserved anything at all. is plus juggling the stress of my junior year took a toll on me, but as soon as I was back in my car, it was like a fresh start. I could breathe and begin to trust myself again. And chau eur my sister around against my will.

My senior year approached and life felt like it was at two extremes. On one hand I was trying to soak up every moment of my nal year at Staples, and on the other, I was being dealt college rejection after college rejection. When my future felt uncertain and moments eeting,

How my classroom chatter built lifelong bonds

Zoe Alpert 25 Broadcast Director

Ihave grown and undergone immense change throughout my past 18 years.

Di erent sports, changing schools, new friends and beyond. However, the one thing that has undeniably remained the same has been my tendency to “talk too much” - a character trait that I have yet to let go of, and don't plan on getting rid of any time soon.

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I love to talk and tend to do so too much. To say it's never happened while in a classroom, during a lesson or when my teachers are trying to quiet down the class would be a lie.

While high school has had its extreme ups and downs, experiencing discomfort, embracing change and looking forward to new experiences, my loudest character trait has never wavered. Looking back now, this is something my emotional, nostalgic, senior-self is actually quite happy about.

My parents joke that once I learned to talk at a year old, I practically never stopped. It all started in elementary school when parent teacher conferences routinely echoed the same message: “Zoe is a joy to have in class. She's a great kid but she talks too much.” Some comments were phrased a bit nicer: “Zoe can be a little too social,” but they were all making the same point.

As a result, I would lose my iPod Touch

and receive the same talk from my parents urging me to control myself and respect my teacher; and while I tried, I could just never hold myself back from engaging with classmates, asking them about their weekends or simply trying to make them laugh. Was the most appropriate and respectful time to do so during a class discussion? No. I realize it probably would’ve been better to wait to do those things at lunch or after school, but my talkative tendencies have been something I simply can’t kick.

High school hasn’t been the easiest time for me, but being able to let loose and connect with friends has been the highlight of my high school years. ose moments have made Staples more than just a school to me, but given me some of my best friends and greatest childhood memories. Heading to college across the country and leaving my best friends, I can con dently say that my habit of “talking too much” has given me irreplaceable memories that will bring me great comfort when I nd myself missing my friends in the fall.

Yes, I have gotten my fair share of stern talks from teachers, emails home and discussions with my parents about my incessant talking- and in the moment it always felt like a habit I would let go of one day. Looking back now, I am so thankful I didn’t stop talking. Had I, I wouldn’t have formed the bonds I have now and made some of my closest friends. I am so thankful for my freshman year English class where I

reconnected with a childhood friend while we were supposed to be reading the Odyssey. Or my junior year journalism class (if anyone was in this class, you know- sorry Fulco) where my best friend and I managed to talk the entire class and have some of our funniest moments.

at said, I truly value my teachers and take my school work seriously, so I’ve never meant any harm by cracking jokes in the middle of class, laughing out loud or catching up with friends during teachers lessons.

ere is not a single piece of my high school journey I would change and I am beyond grateful for my friends and teachers for putting up with me. I feel con dent that my talkative nature and tendency to be “too social” will stay with me for the rest of my life.

When looking back at my high school, middle and elementary school years, my greatest memories I’ll hold tightest and cherish are the conversations of deep laughter and inside jokes I’ve cultivated with all my closest school friends. As apologetic as I am to have ever disrespected or bothered a teacher by creating these memories during their lessons, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Photos contributed by Zoe Alpert 25

thing.

TWO AVAS

First meeting

ChunCoyle

As I took my rst steps into room 3001, I was immediately met with the sound of Mrs. Wirkus’ booming voice telling me to sit in the front row. I took my seat and looked around to see who I was sitting next to. I had known everyone in that class from elementary and middle school, yet there was one girl who I didn’t recognize. She sat quietly behind me and little did I know that this girl was going to be the Ava to my Ave. When I rst heard her name was Ava, I knew I had to be her friend. Anyone with that name has gotta be da bomb diggity.

In hopes of becoming her friend, I did something that haunts me to this day: I reached out to her…. on Saturn. Yup, you read that right. I texted her on the scheduling app. I don’t know what compelled me to do that, but Ava still laughs at me to this day.

After many awkward and short interactions, we nally warmed up to being friends. We started to share everything from a name to our bio homework (sorry Wirkus). But this was the rst time I knew that Ava and I had an inseparable bond.

We always con de in each other when things get hard and don’t even get me started on our weekly biology class crash outs. Let’s just say, lots of tears were shed in that class.

Anyways! Our yap sessions became quite frequent and loud. Very loud. To the point where Mrs. Wirkus had to separate us in class. But don’t you worry! We presented Wirkus with a slideshow of all the reasons we should sit together. After many minutes of hard work and Google slide mastery, we had changed 0% of Mrs. Wirkus’ mind. And we never sat together in that class again…But thank goodness that we had classes together every year after that.

I have lived all over the world and have gone to six schools. No matter where I was, I never met anyone else with the name Ava. en I walked into my freshman biology class at Staples High School, and I came face-to-face with my new nemesis. Not only did Ava Chun have the same rst name as me, but she also had the same last initial, “C.”

Ava Coyle ’25 Executive TV Producer

Instead of resorting to the unimaginative labels Ava 1 and Ava 2 to distinguish us, science teacher Heather Wirkus took this coincidence in stride and bestowed on us our new nicknames: “Coco” for Coyle and “Chuchu” for Chun.

I loved having a nickname. Ava isn’t a “nicknamable” name and being called Coyle could apply to any of the other four family members I have. Coco made me feel special and made me feel seen.

And so, I no longer saw Ava as my nemesis and name thief. We were Coco and Chuchu and ultimately shared a lot more than just our name.

ONE AVE

Ava Chun ’25 Broadcast Director

One last class

Coyle

Chun

As the years went on and we stayed in the same journalism class together, I became excited because Ava had become someone I could trust and take risks with. is translated into “Ava’s on the Ave” where we started having to meet up after school more often to lm. at's when we realized that our friendship works outside the Staples halls as well.

So, that's why, before courses were even released senior year, I had told Ava if we weren’t in the same Advanced Journalism period, I was “demanding” a switch (with what power? I’m not sure.)

Now, I couldn’t imagine my life without Ava. She is my favorite person to tell good news to because she is my biggest cheerleader. She has been my rock and my constant for the past four years and no one makes me laugh as hard as she does. Journalism has brought me a lot of things, but my favorite is the forever friend I found in Ava Chun.

Every August before school begins, everyone is frantically checking their PowerSchool in order to view their schedule for the next year. While everyone is stressing about their free periods and their teachers, all I looked for was my period of Advanced Journalism. I rushed to call Ava Coyle to see if we were in the same journalism class. As the phone rang my heart pumped harder and harder. My shoulders tensed up as she started to tell me the news. It was almost like it was a life or death decision. As the words hit my ears, my shoulders relaxed, my lungs took a breath, and a smile began to appear upon my lips as I realized I would be spending my senior year with Ava Coyle.

PhotobyCamilleBlundell’ 27

Looking back on all the memories Ava and I have shared, I realize how lucky I have been to be friends with Ava Coyle. Now everyone knows I am quite an emotional gal but gonna be honest, I cried writing this. Today is my last class with Ava Coyle. I'm not sure how to say goodbye to someone so special. Ava and I are such huge empaths that over the years she has taught me to love myself more. Ava always texts me to make sure I am ok and never makes me feel like I am alone. She has allowed me to care for myself and start showing up for myself. Because we care for each other more than ourselves sometimes, we both make sure that the other is ok. It’s like yin and yang. We live in such a beautiful balance that I can't explain in words. I hope Ava and I grow old together and end up like those cute little old ladies laughing at every stupid joke we crack. But even if we don't, I won’t ever forget Ava Coyle and everything I’ve learned from our friendship.

MEET THE VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN

(Valedictorian)

(Salutatorian)

What is something people wouldn't know just by looking at you?

I can cook pretty well! And it's all very healthy to complement the weightlifting and all.

I've been playing piano since I was a child and I taught myself guitar. I produce music on FL Studio as well.

If you could go back and give your ninth grade self advice what would you say and why?

I actually wasn't here the first two weeks of ninth grade because I was hospitalized for a heart condition, so maybe cliche, but it really does get better if you're willing to put in the work to get there and find others to help you.

Be more relaxed, appreciate more of the little things. For a lot of high school, I took a lot of things extremely seriously all the time. Now, I've realized the importance of having down time to just do whatever comes up.

What Staples teacher was most influential to your success as a student?

Ms. Kammerman

Ms. McGoldrick or Ms. Tarek

ABE LOBSENZ

MATTIE GUADARRAMA

Listen to your body & speak up

Nash Teranʼ25 Paper Editor

When I set a goal and envision the version of myself I want to become, my passion tends to take the wheel. at's exactly what happened when I decided to join cheer. I started my freshmen year with almost no experience, but I poured myself into it completely. I pushed past the fact that I wasn't as good as everyone else, and I dedicated my time to continue practicing. By my sophomore year, I could tumble. I had worked relentlessly because I had one clear objective: to earn a place on Staples’ competitive cheerleading team. When I made the team, it felt like all of the hard work had paid o . My coaches saw the potential in me, and soon I was learning to base. It came naturally, and for the rst time, I felt like I was actually good. But getting to this point, although it had been all I wanted, only made me want more.

Competitive cheer is far di erent from sideline routines. It demands more discipline, more time, and far more from your body. But I craved that challenge. I continued practicing, striving to improve and I loved watching the results unfold. Cheer became the only thing I truly felt passionate about. So much, in fact, that nothing else mattered.

My days became a blur of school with hours of training, late nights completing homework and waking up exhausted to do it all again. It was the kind of intense schedule that many student-athletes at Staples can relate to: mentally and physically draining. But in my mind, the grind was worth it, until it wasn't.

I began to notice a subtle pain in my wrist. Just an ache at rst, easy to brush o . After all, I was ipping my body over and lifting people in the air daily. Pain felt like it was part of the job. I told myself that the discomfort was a fair price for doing something I loved. A little soreness was worth a awless performance.

But the pain didn't go away. It only worsened, spreading from one wrist to the other. Soon I couldn't lift basic things, write or type without feeling discomfort. Yet, I thought I could keep pushing. I'd visit the

trainers before practice, sugarcoating my symptoms so I wouldn't be taken o the mat. Just a few layers of tape, and I was back at it.

en came a moment that shouldn't have come as a surprise. Right before a competition, I ran through our routine like I always did. When I caught my yer after a stunt, something was di erent this time. I felt something snap. e pain was immediate and sharp.

Still, I pushed myself to compete. I told myself it wasn't bad enough to justify letting my team down. Afterward, I was in a brace for over a week, sidelined at practice, forced to watch my teammates struggle without me. It hurt- but not as much as being away from cheer. So I told everyone I was ne, and took the brace o .

Entering my junior year, I was back to my regular routine. Starting a new year, thinking I could bounce back. I didn't, the pain continued and only became more severe, radiating into my arms, shoulders and neck, a ecting even the smallest movements. Cheer became physically unbearable, and for the rst time, I started to fear that I wouldn't get back to the sport I loved.

that I let my pride and passion silence the signals my body was sending me. What started as a manageable ache became a chronic condition because I refused to acknowledge it.

At a school like Staples, where athletics are deeply embedded in the culture, the pressure to push through pain is constant. Whether it's from coaches, parents, teammates, or in my case, our own expectations. Athletes don't want to let people down, they don't want to lose their momentum. But pushing through pain doesn't make you strong, it makes you vulnerable, which is something I learned far too late. Had I spoken up earlier, had I taken the time to take care of my body instead of constantly testing its limits, I might still be doing the thing I love. But I didn't, and I can't change that . What I can do is o er this advice to others: listen to your body, even when the pain feels small. Speak up.

Eventually, I stopped pretending. I told the athletic trainer the full truth: how long I’d been in pain, how intense it had become. I wanted help, but not the kind that meant stepping away from the mat forever. I was removed from participating in cheer, and I assumed it would be temporary. I had plans. I had dreams. e process of fully healing wasn't simple. I went to multiple doctors, physical therapy, blood draws and MRI’s: but there was no clear diagnosis, no easy x. And as time continued to pass without improvement, I had to confront a truth I never wanted to face. I might not be able to return to cheer at all.

Looking back, I now understand

Photo taken by

Graphics contributed from Canva

Coloring the FUTURE

Topattendedschools

UConn - 15

Tulane - 11

Closest school: 6 miles from Staples

UMaryland-10 UVermont - 10 Michigan-9 are miles

Boston College - 8 Northeastern - 8 UW Madison - 8

Farthest school: 11,615 miles from Staples Where Staples grads are off to next!

Indiana University - 7 Syracuse - 7 Div.intendtoplaya I,II,orIIIsport performingpursuingvisualor arts

Forge your own journey beyond the Westport Path

Matthew

Stashower '25 Inklings Ambassador

Ichose the traditional Westport path. I took as many AP classes as possible, racked up extra curricular activities and made sure I would go to a respected college. is is the same formula that Staples students have been taking for years.

But seven years ago, when people opened the graduation issue, they ipped to the center spread, where college stats were listed, and found that one student was attending the United States Air Force Academy. at one student was my brother, Scott.

He decided that instead of applying to one of the 30 colleges that students usually apply to, he would apply to a service academy.

Let me be very clear, I’m not saying everyone has to attend a service academy. I certainly didn’t choose that path because I don’t think I would survive a day in basic training. But the point is that my brother showed me there isn’t one path.

And so he did inspire me to also take nontraditional classes in high school. For an example, look no further than my time with Inklings.

After two years as a paper editor, I chose not to apply for the traditional positions such as Editor-in-chief or managing editor. I instead applied to be Inklings Ambassador, to create a stronger paper foundation at Bedford Middle School and serve as a role model to middle school students by working with them every week.

that includes AP classes, extra curriculars and a list of about 30 colleges. at’s still a great option that many people, including myself, chose; but there are many di erent paths people can take too. You can go right into the workforce, you can go to community college or you could take a gap year. ese are all great post-high school options that are available. e issue is when people believe there is only one right path. I have had many friends tell me they regret not taking elective classes such as radio or culinary. ey said they were worried about not taking enough AP classes and did that instead. at is the problem with the Westport path: people are willing to sacri ce their interests or their dreams, just to take more AP classes and beef up there college resumes.

"I think it is unfortunate that, for so many Staples students, it feels like there is only one “acceptable” path."

- Matthew Stashower '25

So I want to leave people who still have time left in high school with this piece of advice: no one else can choose the path you are going to take. Just because your parents, or a guidance counselor or an outside counselor says you have to follow a path, you don’t.

Also, my time with Staples' radio station WWPT wasn’t traditional. I didn’t call a game until my junior year, despite wanting to earlier. Someone on a traditional path may have given up on that dream of calling games, but I persevered and have had an experience of a lifetime.

Yes, there is a traditional Westport path

No one told my brother to go to the Air Force Academy. He chose to. So in anything you do, your college

curriculars, your sport or perhaps your musical instrument, choose the path that you believe is best for you because you know better than anyone else.

Wait... is that my DAD in the lunch line?

Caroline Zajac ’25 Business Manager

Imagine you are a freshman who is still unsure of your social circle. You spend the rst three periods of the day contemplating who to sit with in your lunch wave, and it brings you immense anxiety. Will there be enough room for me at the table? Will people invite me to sit with them? On top of this, you are worried about your volleyball game later that night, and your English teacher just piled on loads of homework due the next day.

But for me, I had ALL those same anxieties with the addition of the single most anxiety-inducing thing of all: avoiding my dad in the lunch line.

My dad is an English teacher at Staples and his 6’7 frame makes him impossible to miss. At the time, the idea of having my dad strike up a conversation with me in front of everyone was mortifying. So I tried to act like I didn’t notice him when I got food with my friends. But he would nevertheless spot me and call me over. I’d go over reluctantly, and then he’d do the worst thing he could possibly do: he’d give me a hug in front of everyone. Everyone else was worried about grades, invites or trends, but my biggest worry was my dad giving me a hug.

On top of that, my dad teaching kids in my grade made the anxiety worse. Other students have their fathers’ working at prestigious law rms or big businesses, however my

dad was working with high school kids... my friends! What if he gave one of my friends a “D”? Will they still want to be friends with me?

Ultimately, though, I understood I could not change my dad’s profession, but I could change the way I perceived it.

So, one day during my freshman year, on a particularly freezing morning, I was wearing a winter jacket on my walk to school, but didn’t want to lug the massive parka to class. “Wait,” I thought, “I can just put it in my dad’s o ce.” at was one of the rst moments I realized that there were bene ts to having my dad in school on top of having his o ce as a storage unit.

And once I changed my outlook, I realized the most important thing of all: my dad was the best highlight

of my high school experience - not an impediment at all.

Over these past four years, I’ve loved spending time with my dad. I got to know him as a person, instead of seeing him only as an authoritative parental gure. I started to seek him out during our free periods, or whenever I had a break in class.

ere was one speci c memory that I will always hold dear to my heart. It was earlier this year, and there were rumors of a snow storm cancelling school the next day.

My dad walked over to my friends and me, and said “Snow day tomorrow.” His tone implied he was stating a fact, not asking a question. My friends and I all started cheering, and my dad goes, “NO! I’m just hoping there's one.” My friends and I all started laughing over the misunderstanding. My friends and I reference this moment frequently, and it reminds me how joyful these past four years have been with my dad.

In fact, seeing my dad everyday is the biggest reason I feel so connected to the Staples community. My connection to him is something to embrace, not be embarrassed of. It’s a blessing, not a curse that my father has been with me these past four years, and I’m beyond grateful I got to be in high school with my dad.

FATHER DAUGHTER DUO English teacher Paul Zajac has worked at Staples for nine years. While it took some getting used to, Caroline has learned to love her dad's presence in the building.

Building bridges through inclusivity:

an ode to my time with room 1047

Colored tassels drape the shoulders of graduating students. Each strand represents di erent honors societies and achievements. But among all 410 students, only four of us are wearing a light purple cord—a simple piece of string that I am most proud to wear.

I was given this cord last month at our annual Friendship Walk for Best Buddies, an organization that pairs individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDDs) with peers to create meaningful friendships. Since this event marked the culmination of my time with Best Buddies, I re ected on such a wonderful yet bittersweet experience. roughout the past four years, every other Wednesday became the highlight of my week: our Best Buddies meetings. With my friends in room 1047 - the special education room -

we did crafts, listened to music and played games. I especially enjoyed our activities outside the school where I cheered my friends on as they got a strike in bowling or caught a piece of steak in their mouth at our hibachi dinner.

Berner 25 and Best Buddies chapters across the state celebrate friendship through inclusivity.

Berner 25 and Lily Franklin 26 work on creating beaded bracelets at a craftthemed meeting.

During my rst year in Best Buddies, I was paired with my rst buddy with an IDD. As buddies, we connected over jokes about baseball and jumping rope. e friendship went beyond our meetings, though. I always looked forward to seeing him in the halls, wearing his matching sweat-set and calling out my name, “Charlotte!”. Since then, I've formed close friendships with many other students beyond the club. I’ve especially enjoyed having two friends in my painting class this past semester and embracing our creativity together. roughout my years in Best Buddies, I have not only gotten unparalleled opportunities to connect with my peers who have IDDs and help bridge the gap of inclusivity, but I have also gotten to know so much more about myself and grow both as a leader and, most importantly, as a friend. e friendships I have made go beyond being a friendly face to say “hi” to in the halls or eat lunch with. I have watched all my friends grow and have

learned what true friendship is: one centered around moments of pure enjoyment and the celebration of our individual achievements, big and small.

I can’t believe it is all coming to an end. But, I know in my heart that every person in this group is destined to do amazing things, and I can’t wait to see what we all accomplish through the power of kindness and friendship.

So, as I walk across the Staples eld in my graduation gown, wearing my light purple cord with a Best Buddies pin, I carry not just memories but a mission. ough it’s bittersweet to be parting from this chapter of my life, I know the community of inclusivity at Staples will continue to thrive, and I look forward to nding my community in the next chapter I begin.

Graphicsby

Charlotte

Charlotte Berner 25 (left) and co-president Lucy Barney 25 (second from right) attend a Conneticut-wide friendship ball in January.

Charlotte

Choosing cold over comfort: why I decided to go to school in Canada

Audrey Curtis '25 Social Media Manager

With sunshine- lled days, salty air and endless excuses to live in tank tops, warm weather has always felt most like home to me. e beach has been a part of who I am since childhood, when I spent weeks each summer by the ocean in Cape Cod. So, I understand the confused looks I get when I say I’m going to college in Montreal, Canada, a city that is no stranger to below-freezing temperatures.

And, it comes as even more of a surprise when I tell people that the Canadian weather is actually part of why I chose it. As the end of each year at Staples approached, the sun shifted my focus from taking notes in class to checking whether the UV index was high enough to spend hours at Compo Beach. It didn’t take long for me to realize: I’m a better student when the weather’s worse.

But my decision to go to school in an international city is about more than just the climate.

e summer between freshman and sophomore year, I spent ve weeks in a French immersion program in Quebec City, three hours north of Montreal. I signed up knowing no one. When I arrived,

I realized I was one of the youngest in the group and one of the only Americans.

My daily routine was simple; it consisted of waking up in a single dorm, walking to my morning French class and then spending the rest of the day however I wanted, so long as I was never alone.

In a group with other international students, I would take the city bus to the old cobblestone streets to try a new restaurant or attend the city’s summer music festival. No two days were the same. Before returning to our dorms for our 11 p.m. curfew, I had heard new artists, tasted di erent foods and met people I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.

Being surrounded by di erent people and cultures taught me patience and helped me develop an appreciation for listening. Many of my friends were from Spanish-speaking countries, learning French as their third language. So, while I could pick up on certain Spanish words and follow the gist of conversations through body language, I also learned to wait patiently for someone to translate for me.

students from other countries, I felt most like I belonged in the presence of those with varying backgrounds and stories.

Choosing an international school in a Canadian city is, in part, my attempt to return to that sense of discovery, surrounded by lives and languages I didn’t yet understand. Living in a city, especially one outside of the United States, allows me to unlock the real world a bit quicker.

So when someone inevitably asks, “Why are you going to school in Canada? Isn’t it cold there?” I’ll nod, because I know. It'll be cold. But I don’t mind the contrast between how I spend my winters and summers.

Winter is not all bad: it brings re ection, endurance and focus. Going to school in Canada might not make sense to the side of me that counts down to summer beach days, but it makes perfect sense to the version of me who thrived at 14, getting lost on unfamiliar roads in a foreign place. I am not attending a university to be in perfect, or even good, weather. I am going for the daily unfamiliarity that makes me feel most like myself. Instead of nding beauty in the sun, I’ll nd it in the unknown.

At rst, I found this frustrating, but soon I appreciated my own silence. I learned that listening can be more rewarding than speaking at times. As I encountered more

Photoscontributed by

An ode to my other half

Poppy Harrington 25 Social Media Manager

They say one of the worst feelings is walking into a crowded room and realizing you don’t recognize a single face. e dread is rooted in the hesitation, the searching, the quiet panic of not knowing where to stand or who to talk to.

Unfortunately, this is the experience we all have on most rst days of anything: school, practice, a new job. We all have, at one time or another, been in a new place with no one familiar by your side. Everyone, that is, except me.

Every rst—every nerve-wracking, new beginning—Ella, my twin, best friend and other half, was always there with me. Her presence turned every unfamiliar room into something instantly comfortable.

Ever since we were young, we were inseparable. Our matching out ts our mom carefully picked out slowly evolved into a shared love for the same sports, a natural draw to the same kinds of people and an identical taste in music, movies and about everything else.

Ella and I grew up playing just about every sport you can imagine: lacrosse, soccer, eld hockey, tennis, softball, basketball; you name it. Sports were something we both loved deeply. ey gave us an outlet for our competitiveness, pushed us to grow and allowed us to connect with one another without saying a word. Although our competitiveness and constant drive to win often led to arguments, playing sports with Ella gave me some of the most unforgettable memories of my childhood.

Playing alongside Ella always felt di erent than playing with any other teammates. We had an unspoken understanding—we could anticipate each other’s next move, al-

ways knowing where the other one was on the court or eld. People always ask us if twin telepathy is real. Despite there being a lack of scienti c proof of it, playing sports always felt like we had it. e connection we shared on the court and eld wasn’t just familiarity—It was a kind of chemistry that couldn’t be matched by anyone else.

Ella has been a constant presence through every stage of my life. She’s not like a childhood friend I met early on, or an older sibling who was always a step ahead and missed the little things along the way. She’s been right there beside me for everything. She’s seen me at my best and worst—from my cringey middle school phases to my burned-out moments in high school. She knows me better than I know myself.

She’s a living reminder of my childhood—a time I often look back on with nostalgia—because she was there for it all. She’s the one who remembers the niche references no one else would understand, who brings up memories I forgot

I even had and the person I can sing every lyric from “Mamma Mia,” with like no time has passed. She’s the person I can talk to about our childhood for hours—and we’d never run out of things to say.

Just like everybody, I was faced with the tormenting question of,

Where do you wanna go to college? But as a twin you also get follow-up questions of, Will you and Ella be going together? Everytime I responded, I would just say I had no idea, but deep down, even though I didn’t know what college I wanted to go to, I knew that I wanted to stay with Ella. e longest we’ve ever been apart was two days, and those 48 hours felt like lifetime.

Next year, when we’re 4,163 miles apart and separated by a seven hour time di erence, I know I will miss our hour long car rides around town, our Starbucks runs after school, bringing her to work with me and the most obvious one—sneaking into her closet every morning to steal her clothes. I will even miss the things I took for granted—the things I often complained about and the things I never realized meant so much until they were no longer part of my everyday life. It will be hard from being known as “ e Harringtons” or “the twins” to hearing people say, “I didn’t know you were a twin?!”

Ella, thank you for being the rock in my life. e one I can always count on. e person I can tell anything and everything to without a judgment. e person I can be my truest self around. ank you for being my inspiration, my best friend and the person who has shaped me as the person I am

today.

PhotobyCamilleBlundell’27

Photo contributed by Poppy Harrington

My self-discovery through elective courses

Danisha Nasution 25 Paper Editor

Choosing the levels to take for all core classes has always been the hardest to settle on. ere is a constant debate about how many honors or APs to take and predicting what classes will result in the best balance for math, English, science and social studies. So, like many, I chose my elective classes out of interest, but based on what would pair well with my core classes, making my overall workload simpler. But over time, I realized those electives were more than just a break; they became the most in uential courses because they provided spaces for discovery.

not

Ever since reading " e House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros my freshman year and “ e Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison in sophomore year, I was drawn to lyrical, emotional narratives. ose stories stayed with me long after the assignments ended, in uencing my voice and giving me the desire to write from unconcealed expe-

mersed myself in these creative spaces, the more I cared about expressing myself with clarity and the more pressure I felt to get it right.

myselfIrealizedtrustingwasthekeyinselfgrowth. " "

It started with graphic design my sophomore year. I’d sketch logos and symbols in my math notebook, brainstorming art concepts before I’d even walk into art class. at creative spark carried over into my elective English courses, like critical analysis of lm and literature, where I explored how to use indirect language to express and visualize a deeper meaning. I began to see how visual design and poetic language could merge.

My “breathable” courses, reading and writing poetry and non ction and new literacies, gave me not only an outlet but a foundation.

But with that freedom of course selection came a quiet fear, where I’d internalized the idea that every word I said or wrote had to be profound. I started ltering myself in conversations, afraid that unless my language sounded clever and articulate, it wasn’t worth saying. I started overthinking how I spoke, how I showed

a foundation. up in class, how I presented myself socially, eventually becoming hyper aware of my every action. Slowly, that pressure muted the very

e more I hid myself from mistakes, I soon found out I’d been perceived by my classmates as the opposite of how I’d been curating myself up to be. With only a few weeks left of school remaining, I knew I wanted to give myself a striking sense of self before leaving unnoticed.

It was in those uncomfortable moments, like reading a poem out loud in class or discussing unre ned ideas that I realized trusting myself was the key in self growth. I didn’t just learn how to write a better line of poetry or design a cleaner logo, I learned how to open myself up to mistakes and that the process, the un nished, is just as valuable as the nal result.

theseThemoreIimmersedmyselfin creativespaces,themore Icaredaboutexpressingmyself withclarity." "

The Daily Wrecker

Jack Robinsonʼ26 Managing Editor

The Most Eventful Updates During Graduation Issued 2025

Titan Of Teaching: Stephen Rexford Retires

When a student at Darien High School in 1996 approached a young Stephen Rexford about becoming a staff advisor for their school paper, The Neirad, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.

“These were students who were curious about things, that loved to write, that loved to make a difference in their community and at the same time wanted to be part of a team,” Rexford said. “So I immediately started to really enjoy school papers.”

After an expansive career spanning multiple decades and schools – from Westport to Tarrytown, NY, from private to public, from

high to middle, from language arts to Introduction to Journalism – the 2024-25 school year will be Rexford’s last year as a teacher before retiring. Beyond his instruction in the classroom, he has led different school publications over the years, such as advising Inklings at Staples and founding Ursus, a Columbia Crown Award winning publication, at Bedford Middle School in 2014.

“Here [journalism] was a chance to teach kids that they can make a difference in their community,” Rexford said.

Many Ursus alumni continue their pursuit of journalism in Inklings and beyond.

“Mr. Rexford was easily one of the most passionate teachers I’ve ever had. His clear, unbridled enthusiasm for journalism was the reason I do Inklings today and I feel so incredibly grateful to have had him as a teacher,” Alex Gaines ’25 said. “Ursus was my main extracurricular activity in middle school and my devotion to [journalism] can be directly attributed to what an incredible advisor he was.”

Even beyond Ursus, many students who had Rexford as a teacher remember his engaging style of teaching and passion for English.

“On the first day of school, he did an elephant toothpaste experiment, which isn’t something I would expect an English

teacher to do,” Sienna Sedlarcik ’26 said. “But it created a really fun and welcoming environment that continued for the rest of the year.”

Part of Rexford’s reason for his involvement in student journalism is his firm belief in the importance and the rights of students to freedom of the press within their schools.

“The First Amendment gives you power, but it also gives you responsibility, and to watch [students debating it right in front of you], are some fun memories,” Rexford said.

Before teaching at Staples, he attended Staples as a student, and his learning there was a large part of the reason he pursued teaching.

“[My family loved books]. My grandmother would give me books like ‘Jane Eyre,’ every Dickens book. I also had great Staples teachers,” he said.

Even though Rexford is retiring after decades of devotion to the betterment of Westport’s schools, he will continue to give back even in this new stage of his life.

“In retirement, I’m going to work with an organization in Stamford called Future 5, and it helps kids in Stamford,” Rexford said. “It provides a tutoring service. What it also does is it’s sort of a mentoring program for kids who are going off to college. I learned about them and I thought, ‘Ooh, that sounds like a really rewarding part time opportunity.”

Retirement offers an exciting new opportunity for Rexford, with more time to pursue his hobbies. But Westport schools and the thousands of students that he has positively affected are sure to miss him as a fixture of Bedford.

“I have some fishing trips planned, because I love to fish, and I wanna go to the U.S. Open, and just to have free weekends,” he said. “But I have this feeling I’m going to miss it all.”

Establishing Moments Stephen Rexford has taught in the Westport school district for years. Among his many contributions, he was an advisor of Inklings and founded Ursus.

Photos & notes contributed by Stephen Rexford

Wait a minute... you can talk?!

Navigating social norms as an antisocial

Elsa D'Elia ’25 Paper Editor

Idon’t get nervous on airplanes. I don’t have to; I feel safe. I know that the chances of anything going wrong is extremely slim, and I’ve flown a bunch of times.

I don’t feel nervous in unfamiliar places. I don’t have to; I feel safe. I enjoy the opportunity, and taking in new sights is something I feel lucky to be able to experience.

I’ve never been scared of driving, spiders, heights, clowns, the dark; but what I have often been scared of is people.

I went through all of middle school and most of high school with an almost impressive ability to never approach anyone. It’s embarrassing to say I am “scared” of talking, especially since I understand that talking and striking up a conversation is a normal and everyday occurrence. It’s a key part of being human. And yet it is the very thing that gives me the greatest anxiety. So I’d toil away, hovering around crowds of friends and strangers alike, running through all the ways I could mess up, all the negative ways I could be perceived in that moment.

And then I joined Inklings. I prefer to do things by myself most of the time, and the idea of approach ing someone for an in terview sounded like a nightmare. So the question became, “How would I suc ceed if I wasn’t comfortable with approaching peo ple?”

Inklings forced me to reevaluate.

It took a toll on me at first, but my journalism environment forced me to push myself. I spent my ju nior year as a Staff Writer, someone who writes articles but does nothing else for the

paper beyond that. I was too unsure to do anything else: too unsure of the people around me, and too unsure of my abilities with a slow, shambling computer that didn’t run half the things it was supposed to run.

"

I've never been scared of driving, spiders, heights, clowns, the dark; but what I have often been scared of is people.

"

-Elsa D'Elia '25

But I knew I couldn’t spend my entire time as a member of the paper lingering on the outside, being too insecure to contribute work that I knew could be beneficial to not only the paper but to myself.

So, throughout my first year on the newspaper, I learned to ex-

tend my reach. I got more and more comfortable approaching people for interviews and, in turn, more and more comfortable approaching people in general. But I still wasn’t comfortable.

Then, in a spur of the moment decision at the end of junior year, I agreed to be a paper editor. I agreed to long nights of layout, and working closely with peers. This was when I started to really notice what Inklings was doing for me.

Being ever the quiet one, I’d usually try to keep myself in a corner, working as alone as I possibly could. Over the course of the year, though, I started noticing that I had more of an urge to move closer, to sit next to people and talk. I very suddenly realized that I enjoyed the work, and that I enjoyed working with the people around me. It was far from easy, but laying out in room 2035 became home faster than I thought possible.

Overcoming my fears was a slow slow process that took a few years. But those were years spent in Inklings, where I felt safe to build up my confidence and strengthen my connection to the paper. I’m eternally grateful to the experience— even if my computer was busted the entire time.

page design by Nate Gerber ’27

Embracing the freedom of being different

Sage Cohen 25 Paper Editor

Every kid grows up wanting to t in.

ere is this unspoken rule that you are only “cool” or “normal” if you follow the societal standards that have been set for you. In third grade I remember it was “Justice.”

You NEEDED to wear clothes from “Justice” if you wanted to t in and be cool. I remember I would always beg my mom to take me to the Trumbull Mall so I could get another Justice tank top with a big, sequined monkey on it.

en in 6th grade it was Brandy Melville and white Air Forces. You needed to wear those little t-shirts to school everyday or else you were a loser. In seventh grade, it was Aviator Nation, eighth was lululemon.

e list goes on and on. Every year there is a new trend, a new item that you need to have in order to t in.

Up until freshman year, I fell into this trap. I wanted to t in so badly and was nervous of what other people would think of me. I needed to be “normal” and I didn’t want

Thirdgrade

anyone to think I was in any way di erent. However, I went through a very hard time in my freshman year where I had to take time o school and that made me rethink all my values.

I met some of the most incredible, strong people along the way and none of them fell into society's standard of normal. In fact, I would consider these people very di erent (lol).

istence all because I wore this tee. I ended up wearing this shirt to school and by the end of the day I felt much more con dent than I did in the morning. I realized no one cared what I wore which meant I can just wear what I want. It is the small things like that baby tee, though, that boosted my condence immensely throughout high school.

It is like if you pretend long enough and trick your mind into not caring you will eventually just not care.

is has been one of the most liberat-

" was

One of my friends who truly changed my perspective on life decided that she no longer wanted to wear shoes. She was very in touch with nature and loved being outdoors, so she no longer wore shoes to feel more grounded to earth. She would also leave crystals outside at night, so they could recharge their energy from the moon. Although these actions are a little odd they made her happy and I loved her for that. I dabbled in the no shoes and crystals lifestyle but soon realized that was not for me. I had to gure out what makes me happy.

to my

Being surrounded by people who are true to themselves

[...] wonderful.

ing things for me possible. I have developed is

Sixthgrade

Being surrounded by people who are true to themselves is such a wonderful thing to experience. It is like all the years I was trained to think being di erent was bad just ew out the window. Now, I wanted to be di erent. I wanted to stand out and be authentic.

I want without feeling pressure from what my peers think of me.

e rest of my high school experience, I have pushed and tested out who I really am, and that was really hard. Changing even little things about myself so I could be more authentic was very scary.

Figuring out your true values and what you really care about in the world can shift your perspective in such a beautiful way.

For example, I remember at the end of freshman year, I wore this baby tee. It was green and had a little pink teddy bear on it and it showed half my stomach. at morning I remember rethinking my whole life choices and questioning my ex-

Seventhgrade Eigthgrade

Absent, not irresponsible

Ayaan Olasewere 25 Web Sports Editor

Staples High School holds the top public school ranking in Connecticut (2025). It’s a badge of honor that re ects the dedication of its administration, sta and students. However, the glowing “#1” ashing across Staples TV screens doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t capture the silent stress and pressure that many students navigate in order to uphold that reputation. Staples can be incredibly demanding, and the work and time it asks of you can make it feel nearly impossible to balance academics with extracurriculars, especially sports, which require signi cant time and energy.

Nationwide, nearly 50% of high school students participate in sports. At Staples, with 40 varsity teams and an A+ rating in athletics, extracurriculars and clubs, participation is a key part of the high school experience. However, while Staples rightly celebrates academic achievement, there is a meaningful opportunity to extend stronger support to student athletes, who often nd themselves navigating their commitments without enough institutional support. At Staples, excellence comes in many forms, on the eld, on the stage, and in the classroom. ese students dedicate countless hours to represent our school at a high level, and they deserve the same level of recognition and support that academic achievers receive. As a community, we have a responsibility to ensure that every student's dedication, whether in the classroom, on the eld, or on the stage, is acknowledged and uplifted.

an athlete, it raises an important question: shouldn’t there be a better way to support students who are balancing academics and athletics?

One of the biggest challenges student athletes face is accessing class material that they missed while away for competitions. In this rapidly evolving digital age, it should be easy to stay caught up. Whether by consistently posting notes on Schoology or recording lectures, there are countless opportunities to allow students to review and quickly come up to speed rather than having to ask students and/or teachers what was covered in a given class. We have the tools. What we need is to take advantage of them, and use them proactively, thoughtfully, and fairly to help ensure consistency of the information taught and received by all students in a given class. is lack of support leads to another major challenge: making up tests. Despite their valid absences, student-athletes are frequently penalized for taking assessments late.

Many return from days away, only to be handed a harder version of the test, sometimes with the implication that their absence was irresponsible or inconvenient. While it’s important to prevent misuse of makeup policies, what message are we sending when students are penalized because they missed school to participate in something they are passionate about?

experiences vary widely: some students are given exibility, while others are handed harder tests or unrealistic deadlines, sometimes even on the day students return. What we need is a system that provides exible assessment windows, clear expectations and tests that are equally challenging. is needs to be done not just for student athletes, but all students who are pursuing their passions outside of school.

Most importantly, we need a culture shift, one that celebrates – rather than punishes – students who challenge themselves in multiple areas. We must move away from labeling student absences as “skipping” and recognize that students can miss class for valid reasons and still be deeply committed to their education. ere is a disconnect when athletic achievements are celebrated, but the athlete’s experience is overlooked, and their well-being is unsupported. Being the best public school in the state shouldn’t just be about test scores, graduation rates or college acceptances. It should also mean leading the way in how we support the whole student: academically, personally, athletically, and emotionally. If Staples that wants to continue being the best, then we have to think about what success really looks like and how to make sure that success is accessible and sustainable for every kind of student.

As a competitive athlete, I often miss school, sometimes for days or a week at a time. is isn’t unique to me; many student-athletes face the same challenge. Whether you are a high school athlete who is missing the same three periods at the end of the school day, or you are competing for a club outside of school and miss up to a week at a time, the result is the same. Athletes return to school exhausted, confused and overwhelmed, struggling to catch up and unsure of what they’ve missed.

Most student-athletes aren’t missing school to take advantage of the system. We miss school because we are committed to something meaningful; something that builds character, discipline and resilience in a way the classroom sometimes can’t. Sports aren’t a distraction from school, they are an extension of it. ey teach perseverance, mental toughness and leadership, skills that are just as valuable as content found in a textbook. Students shouldn’t be punished for pursuing excel-

While this may be considered part of

the commitment that comes with being

e issues we face stem from a lack of consistent processes and protocols to equitably support student athletes or anyone who justi ably misses class. Our school would bene t from a schoolwide policy that fairly supports students who engage in time-intensive extracurriculars. Without clear guidelines, student

I love my hobby

Henry Watson 25 Web Opinions Editor

If derivatives are the nancial equivalent of nuclear weapons, as Warren Bu ett famously says, then I am the equivalent of Kim Jong Un. Over the past 18 months, I had prided myself on using these weapons to do extremely well in the stock market (subsequently referred to as “the casino” or “the slot machines” considering current valuation levels), only to be brought close to losing everything this April.

While the casino has largely recovered alongside my gambling account, and I’m glad to report that my favorite slot machines (Nvidia, Broadcom, Amazon) pay out once again, I was, at one point, a week away from bankruptcy, only to be saved by the tari pause. rough this ordeal, I have re ected on what I could have done di erently, and came to some poignant realizations on how life is more than one’s net worth.

For better or worse, I’ve felt a great deal of enjoyment from trading. And while the tari ordeal in April was the third time over the last 18 months I felt immense nancial pain, it was my passion and not a drive to “get rich” that kept me going. I know I would have quit trading each time it got tough if I did not simultaneously

hold a sincere interest and enjoyment for it. And as a result of my love for the activity itself, I held on and did well enough to pay o most of my college tuition.

So for the Staples students that already have an idea of what career they want to pursue, know that it really does matter whether you enjoy your career. In the long run, it’s untenable to be doing something just for the money.

I’ve also learned a more unique lesson through my trading: the bene t of su ering. While I realize that this statement is a heavy oxymoron–who enjoys su ering and pain?–I’ve personally found that the most successful traders, and the founders of the companies whose stock they trade, aren’t always the smartest people.

ey’re the people who’ve su ered. e earliest famous investor, Jesse Livermore, led for bankruptcy three separate times during the 20th century before personally making $100 million (now $1.8 billion) betting on the ‘29 market crash. Founder-CEOs like Howard Schultz of Starbucks and Jensen Huang of Nvidia all attribute their childhood challenges (poverty and bullying, respectively) for their corporate drive.

facing the abyss of nancial ruin. But I also saw that after I faced the possibility of having $0, I was able to handle relatively less dire situations (being late to a meeting, failing a test) with far less emotion since the problems seemed much tamer in comparison.

Obviously, as an eighteen year old, my advice on careers and su ering isn’t ironclad. ere are plenty of people who love their life despite not being able to work in a eld they’re passionate about. And not everyone who has gone through immense su ering should be glad they went through it. But as a general rule, su ering and passion are two tools that can be used for great success. My hope is that my experience at the nancial casino can be somewhat helpful, so that you’ll never have to go to a real casino. But if you are, chances are that I’ll be truly bankrupt by then (house always wins!) and can be found at the cheapest Blackjack table.

Su ering has built a lot more of my character and stomach (both emotional and physical) than any AP class or college application. Of course, I hated every moment when I was

Graphic by Camille Blundell 27

Graphicby CamilleBlundell27

Photo Taken by Camille Blundell 27

Spotify Unwrapped: Why music matters

Kelpin Gomez Staff Writer

Now this may seem like an obvious statement, but it needs to be said again for the people using any other platforms: Spotify is the best music streaming service. It’s not just better than Apple Music, it outdoes every other wannabe music app out there. And let’s be real: Who’s still out here using Amazon Music? iHeart? Musi? Like genuinely, how do you even get into those?

Using any other platform minimizes your experience when listening to music.

From the personalization, to the interface and the visuals, Spotify is built for people who actually love music.

You want to personalize sound to your liking? Go to Settings-Playback-Equalizer. You can even crossfade tracks, normalize volume, or connect to your smart speaker, all in one place. You’re not digging through 10 menus or a complex user interface like you are on Apple Music. And if you’re using desktop or the web, Spotify o ers a much more re ned experience by allowing further personalization of playlists and local les.

Let’s not pretend aesthetics don’t matter either. To me, one of the most important things is looks. Spotify looks better. It's modern, minimal and pleasing to the eye. But more importantly, it shows you your listening journey in ways no other app can. Every year, Spotify Wrapped hits like a cultural moment. It’s not just a recap, it becomes a ex. Wrapped has become a whole vibe such as breakdowns, minutes listened, top genres and niche scores. Apple Music tried to copy it with “Replay,” but honestly, it feels like a knocko version just to feel up to par with Spotify. Moving on from the “advertisement” part of this opinion, this really matters to me because from the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, I have an AirPod in or I’m playing music on a speaker. When I go to school, I blast music. When I’m in class, I blast music. e few free moments I get at work, I’m blasting music. At the gym, at the park, I blast music.

Let’s discuss the user experience. Spotify's interface is cleaner and more intuitive. down.”

hobbies. I’ll even spend my free time doing karaoke because I’ve memorized so many lyrics just from how much I listen. Having a diverse music taste also opens the door to so many conversations. It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with others, especially when you nd someone who’s just as passionate about certain artists or genres. I’m always on the lookout for people who like what I like, and we instantly bond over it. Karaoke in the car with the right people might sound basic, but sometimes it genuinely feels like a concert. If you go on my Spotify page, you can see that I like making many di erent collaborative playlists with di erent people. On average, I spend about 80,000 minutes a year on Spotify, and while I’m not exactly proud of that number, I honestly think it could be higher. I linked a Spotify collaborative playlist below for anyone reading this to join and add recommendations.

To some extent, I think it’s a little unhealthy how much I listen to music because it gets to the point where I unintentionally ignore people due to how loud it is. My device's sound settings are constantly sending the same noti cation: “Volume should be turned

From personal experience, when you immerse yourself in music you genuinely love, not music others say you should like, it makes the day go by so much faster. Time genuinely passes quicker when I’m listening to something I enjoy.

Maybe I’m dragging it, but listening to music is honestly one of my favorite

LISTEN WITH KELPIN: Open the Spotify app, navigate to the search bar, tap the camera icon, and then scan the code below to listen to Kelpin's playlist

Photo by Camille Blundell 27

Senior Praises

Aaron Varsov: Aaron- we are so proud of you today and always! We can't wait to cheer you on in your next adventure. Lafpabstadstoms forever! Hook 'em!

Alexander Sod: Alex, congratulations on your graduation and upcoming adventure in Chicago. Stay enthusiastic, inquisitive, and kind. Make others and yourself happy. The world is you oyster! We love you and are proud of you, Max, mom & dad

Alexandra Gaines: Alex - congratulations on surviving Staples! Jay and I will keep your room cozy and totally messy so it feels like home when you come back from Boston University. We can't wait to visit you often - good luck on the hockey team!! XOXO Mom & Jay

Angelina Matra: Congratulations Angelina! We are so incredibly proud of you. You're the one who shows up and helps out, who is kind and loyal, who brings light and laughter, conversation and fun and a whole lot of love to every space you're in. We love you! - Mom, Dad, Nick, Luke and Katie

Aviva Ross: Aviva, you’ve always walked your own path—led by courage, grounded in strong values, and fully present in each moment. Through your dedication to sports, unshakable beliefs, and quiet strength in standing for what’s right, you lead with heart and integrity. We couldn’t be prouder of you. Congratulations!

Elsa Jay D’Elia: Elsa, we are so proud of you and how far you’ve come! We have no doubt you will make an incredible impact in this world with your remarkable intelligence and wit! We love you so much! With love and support always, Mom & Dad

Henry Watson: Congratulations on your high school graduation! Your resilience, intelligence and unique humor have grown so much over these four years. We love you so much, Mom, Bob, Jad, Ajax and Grandma

Kayla Damiano: Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. High school graduation marks an important milestone, and I am proud of your perseverance and dedication. I love you, and even though you’re a high school graduate, you’ll forever be My Little Princess. Wishing you success and joy in all that you pursue.

Lauren Taylor Clementi: Congratulations Lauren! We are so proud of you and excited for this amazing time in your life. Your dedication and hard work have led you here! Continue to let your kindness lift others and touch everyone you meet. May the faith and values that ground you continue to guide you and watch over you. Wishing you the most wonderful time, Indiana is lucky to have you. Love Mommy, Daddy and Kaitlin

praises layout by Catie Campagninoʼ26

Senior Praises

Lily Rimm: Congratulations Lily! From the 92nd Street Y to Ramaz to Staples, we are so proud of you and all of your achievements. You are driven, hard-working and committed to being your best. We are so excited for your next chapter at Vanderbilt University and know that you will be a tremendous success in all that you do. We will be on the sidelines cheering you on every step of the way, and we can't wait to watch you soar. Lily, you are truly a shining star. Words cannot express how much we love you.Love, Mom, Dad and Ben.

Logan Noorily: To our incredible daughter, Logan, your graduation marks a proud milestone! Your hard work, diligence, and infectious humor have lit up our home! We celebrate your achievements and the wonderful young woman you've become. The future is yours – go make your mark! We love you! Mom, Dad, Ryland, Mack and Leland

Lucas Baer: Congratulations, Lucas! You made it! We are so proud of you and can't wait for your next adventure. Viel Glück in Lausanne! All our love, Mama and Papa

Matthew Allen: Matthew, We are SO proud of all your hard work and everything you've accomplished in your 4 years at Staples! Your positive attitude towards life will always take you far!! We can't wait to see you shine at Michigan State! Love you so . . . Mom, Dad, Emma, Georgia + Thea

Mia Bomback: Dearest Mia, Your passion, enthusiasm, tenacity and work ethic are an example to all. We are so proud of your success, determination and dedication to journalism. You make a real difference. What an honor to watch you grow. We are so lucky to be your parents. Your future is shining bright. We love you. Mom & Dad

Noah Fisk: Noah, we are so proud of you and everything you have accomplished during your time at Staples. You are an amazing person who inspires us every day! Wishing you joy, happiness, laughter, and much success in your next chapter as a college student! We love you! Mom, Dad, Ben & Forrest

Pranav Pothukuchi: You are ambitious, self-reliant and optimistic. You have clear vision on your goals and committed towards achieving them. We are proud of your remarkable ability to handle responsibilities and make confident decisions. We really admire you for being independent and self-organized. Congratulations and best wishes in achieving your

Sanchit Arora: Congratulations Sanchit on your Senior big day June 11 2025. Wishing you all the best as you begin this exciting new journey of life to be successful in business & finance major in UC Davis to achieve your dreams. Cheers to your hard work & success. Keep rocking & continue your passion for sports radio club for calling games in college. Cherish all the good memories of school years and celebrate with your family & friends. Love you with big hug

Sophia Reeves: Congrats Fifi, from KHS to SHS it’s been a pleasure to watch you grow on your journey. Exciting times ahead, wishing you every success and happiness for what comes next. Always proud of you! Love Mom, Dad and Harrison xx

Congratulations

Spencer Gottlieb: Spencer congratulations on graduating! Your perseverance and hard work inspire us as does your ability to light up a room with your optimism and kindness. We are incredibly proud of the remarkable person you have become and can't wait to see the wonderful things you accomplish! Love Mom and Dad

Vivian Shamie: We are so proud of you Vivian. May your creative, kind, smart, compassionate, fierce, funny, music-loving self continue to blossom and shine bright. We’re so excited for your next chapter. We love you so much and will forever be cheering you on. Go Vivo!!

Zachary Gottlieb: Zachary congratulations on graduating! Your growth and achievements have filled us with immense pride. You’re an amazing balance of confidence, discipline, and inquisitiveness with a great sense of humor and passion. We are excited for all your success and know much more is still to come! Love Mom and Dad

Alex Gaines

Congratulations Alex! We are beyond proud of you and very excited to watch you grow! Well done Class of 2025! Dad, Rebecca, William, Liv & Sawyer

Annam Olasewere

Congratulations on your graduation Annam, we are proud of you! Continue bringing your chair or building your table and encouraging others to sit with you.We are grateful for you, and are rooting for you as you add more amazing experiences and pictures to your life gallery! Love, Mommy and the Ngnoumen, Morris, and Okeke families.

Audrey Curtis

Audrey -- From SES to senior year, from SEGA to XC, you have excelled, always finding beauty and purpose in everything you do. We could not be prouder. With love - Mom, Dad and Julia.

Caroline Zajac

Caroline, you did it! High school conquered, and now off to the University of Southern California! Your brains, humor, hard work, and heart never cease to impress. We couldn't be prouder. Go get 'em, Trojan -- Fight On with flair!

Ayaan Olasewere

Congratulations on your graduation Ayaan, we are proud of you! Keep believing in yourself. We are grateful for you, and are cheering you on as you continue writing your amazing life story with witty plot twists and all! Love Mommy and the Ngnoumen, Morris, and Okeke families.

Casey Bag

Let’s Go, Casey! Congrats! Keep being you, keep getting after it. We couldn't be more proud and love you so much xx Mom, Dad, Olivia, Bree …. The Boys and Lou

Cici Petrosinelli

Congratulations Cici! You gave us great memories and we are so proud of your accomplishments. Best of luck with your college future at Georgetown University. Love, Mom, Dad, Anthony, Domenic, Rocky and Mochi

Eliza Meade Walmark

Golden Smile, Golden Curls, Your radiant soul, lights the world. Daughter cherished, sister dear, Love and loyalty, crystal clear. As tassels shift, left to right, Chapter 2: Bold and bright. Beauty, brains, a natural star, Are we in awe? 100%… WE ARE! Infinite love, Mom, Dad, Ethan, and Wish Walmark

Demi Sasson

To our dear Demi, What started out as a freshman elective has blossomed into your passion. Through writing you eloquently express your inner beauty. The late night layouts show reward from hard work. Congratulations on all you have accomplished. We could not be more proud. All our love, Mom, Dad, & Elle

Jack Schwartz

Congratulations Jack on your high school graduation! We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments. Can't wait to see what you do next at Michigan and beyond! Love, Mommy, Daddy, Sienna, and Elle

Jackson Tracey

Congratulations, Jackson, on graduating high school! Your dedication, resilience, and brilliance have shone through. This milestone marks the beginning of an incredible journey. We're all immensely proud of your achievements and excited for your future. Keep soaring, and know that we're your biggest cheerleader! Love Mom, Dad, Jules and Jaden

Jake Cooper Davis

Congratulations, Jake! Your hard work and determination have paid off. Wishing you all the best as you take on new adventures beyond Staples. Your future awaits you! We love you tons, Mom, Dad, Jules, and Betty

Jacob Calandro

Jacob, we look at you and can’t believe how fast time has passed from Buzz Lightyear to going to John’s Hopkins this fall. You deserve to be very proud of everything you have accomplished. You did it alone, your intelligence, perseverance, discipline and intellectual curiosity have and will serve you well. Spread your wings, explore the world, meet different people, make thw world better then you find it and above all be generous, respectful and kind. Especially towards the less fortunate. We love you and love you and love you. Papa, Mama, Sam, Hanna and Simon.

Juliet Benner

Dear Juliet, We are so proud of you and we are excited to see how your next adventure unfolds. Always believe in yourself and enjoy the journey! We love you more than the sun, the moon and the stars. Love, Mom, Dad, Jackson, Pepper, Penny and Mimsy.

Katherine Phelps

Congratulations Katherine! We are so proud of all that you have accomplished at Staples but we are more proud of the incredible young woman you have become. We can not wait to see all that you will accomplish at Boston College. With love, Mom, Dad, Maddie, Jack, and Ryan

Matthew Stashower

Matthew, We are so proud of you and the entire Inklings team! Keep reaching high. Love, Mom, dad and Scott

Lily Hultgren

Lily- It has been so wonderful to see you step outside of your comfort zone and into this leadership role. We are so proud of your hard work and dedication, but we are most proud of how you lead with sensitivity, thoughtfulness and kindness. Love, Mom, Dad, Jasper, and Tate

Max Saperstein

Congratulations Max! We are so proud of you, your hard work and all you have accomplished. It has been amazing to be part of your journey and we are so excited for your next chapter. We love you more than words can say! Love, Mommy, Daddy, Sam, Myla and Bailey

Nathan Smith

Congratulations Nathan! We are all so proud of you and love you so much! We are so excited about your next adventure as a Trinity Bantam! Love, Mom, Dad, Caleb, Chloe, & Noah

Nina Bowens

Nina! What fun we've had watching you grow from little, mischievous, determined you into big, amazing (accomplished!), determined you! You've wowed us from Day 1 - and now you'll wow everyone else! We love you so and always have your back as you fly. xoxoxo Mom&Dad

Nick Berkey and Nashaly Teran

You did it! We are so proud of you Nick and Nash! we wish you both the best on your future endeavors. Never give up and fallow your dreams. Love: Patty, Melanie, Mason and Savannah

Olivia Signorile

We are incredibly proud of our daughter Olivia’s creativity, commitment, and leadership during her four years on the staff of Inklings, including her role as Creative Director this year. Watching her confidence and talent grow has been truly inspiring. We deeply admire her hard work!

Rachel Olefson

Congratulations Rachel! We are beyond proud of you. When you set your mind on getting something accomplished, nothing can stop you! We can't wait to see you continue your journey at IU! Love you the most... Mom, Dad, Talia, Sydney, Cooper and Bode

Samantha and Shane Sandrew

To Samantha and Shane, we couldn’t be more proud of your 4 years at Staples! We are so excited for what lies ahead. With much love, Mom Rob Simon Noah Apollo and Pandora

Sage Cohen

Congrats Sagey!! We are so proud of who you are and all you have accomplished. We are beyond excited for your next chapter. Lehigh is super lucky to have you!! Xoxo- Much Love, Mom, Dad, Holden & Finley

Staples Investment Club Seniors

Congratulations to the Staples Investment Club original members–Alex, Srish, Mack, Sam, Andrew, Will and Henry. Your second place victory at the Wharton Investment Club Competition will be forever enshrined at Staples. More than that, you've cultivated a new generation of club members that will continue your legacy! From 'Baller' Bill Hwang, Archegos Capital

Tyla Ozgen

Tyla - We are beyond excited for you to start your adventures! You have worked hard and stayed focused. New possibilities await and we cannot wait to see where they lead. Congratulations on your graduation!!! We love you to the moon and back - Teya, Baba, GMOAT & Teddy

Will Murray

Congratulations Will! We always loved reading your Inklings articles. Sports journalism when you finish in the Premier League?? Love Dad, Mum, Libby, Chloe and Karina xx

Tyler Signorile

We are so proud of our son Tyler’s determination, courage, and leadership during his two years on the swim team, including his role as captain in his senior year. Embracing a new challenge and excelling through dedication and hard work has highlighted his perseverance and commitment. We deeply admire all he has accomplished!

You ROCK! We love you so much and are so proud of you. We cannot wait to see what you do next. xoxoxo Mom, Dad, Toby, and everyone else in your life who loves you (and is watching over you)

Wren Slavin

Zoe Alpert

We love you Zoe! You worked incredibly hard and we are so proud of you. Continue to be bold and courageous and pursue your dreams. We are so excited for you and can't wait to watch you SOAR. We will be here to support and cheer you on through it all. Love, Momma, Padge, Ella & Lola

Zoe Boxenbaum

Zoe, your journey has been inspiring. We love you deeply and are incredibly proud of your achievements and your dedication to Inklings. Your hard work, kindness, and determination have brought you here. Congratulations on this milestone, and we can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll accomplish next! We love you tons!! Mommy, Daddy, Phoebe and Rosie