Inklings May 2023 Issue

CONT ENTS

Staples High School, 70 North Avenue, Westport, CT 06880

News

4 Dangerous school drop offs

Staples initiates new procedures to protect pedestrians.

5 AI raises concern among teachers

Learn about AI detection tools adopted by Staples.

Opinions

6 Embracing identity

Lily Hultgren ’25 discusses what it’s like to grow up biracial.

7 Connections pro/con

Audrey Curtis ’25 and Caitlin Jacob ’24 reflect on connections.

Features

8-9 3D printing club

Members of Staples’ e-NABLE club create prosthetic limbs for people in need.

10 Summer jobs

Addison Moore ’24 and Gianna Amatuzzi ’24 describe their summer jobs.

Inklings Staff

Editors-In-Chief

Genevieve Frucht, Paige Tighe

Paper Managing Editors

Ruby Kantor, Talia Varsano

Web Managing Editors

Jolie Gefen, Talia Moskowitz

Associate Managing Editors

Ava Cordella, Paige Miller

Creative Directors

Alex Gaines, Shivali Kanthan

Assistant Creative Directors

Avery Michalowski

Business Manager

Mia Kirkorsky

Assistant Business Managers

Charlotte Berner, Rylie Cordella, Caroline Zajac

Communications Coordinator

Caitlin Jacob

Social Media Manager

Ava Coyle, Poppy Harrington

Broadcast Directors

Zoe Alpert, Zoe Boxenbaum

Exececutive TV Show Producers

Nina Bowens, Ben Buchalter

News Editors

Henry Watson, Tatum Tighe, Sophia Reeves

More About Us

Opinions Editors

Angelina Matra, Katherine Phelps, Lily Rimm, Demi Sasson Features Editors

Mia Bomback, Zara Saliba, Lily Hultgren, Anna Kercher Arts Editors

Addison Coughlin, Andi Jacobs, Ava Chun, Siena Petrosinelli

Sports Editors

Sophie Smith, Matthew Stashower, Sage Cohen, Madison Mayr Web News Editors

Ella Harrington, Rachel Olefson Web Opinions Editors

Liora Perkins, Jack Robinson

Web Features Editors

Cassidy Gutman, Ayaan Olasewere

Web Arts Editors

Olivia Signorile Web Sports Editors

Tristan Gonzales, William Murray

Web Photostory Editors

Audrey Curtis Advisors

Joseph DelGobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

11 A&E

Learn about May’s greatest hits ranging from the Met Gala to “Guardians of the Galaxy” No. 3.

12 Junior prom

Arts Sports

Take a look at junior prom captured in pictures.

13 After school pickleball

On Wednesdays, teachers play lighthearted games of pickleball.

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

Opinions

The Editorial Board determines editorial opinions that are authored by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@westportps.org. Submissions will not be edited prior to publication.

Advertisements

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.

@inklingsnews

Front & back cover photos by Preston Siroka ’25 Front & back cover designs by Alex Gaines ’25

Safety issues call for identification card system

The Staples handbook states that before a student leaves school, the Assistant Principal’s (AP’s) O ce must receive a written request or phone call from the student’s parents, or the parent can physically request a dismissal in the AP’s o ce. Additionally, students must sign out at the front desk before leaving and sign back in as well as bring a note upon returning.

But, let’s be honest... those rules are broken more often than they are followed.

Instead of instituting a policy that entices students to break the rules and sneak in and out of the building, the Editorial Board proposes implementing an identi cation card system as a better method of tracking students’ whereabouts. Doing so will improve school security and hold students accountable for breaking rules regarding o -campus policy.

Honesty and security:

When sitting at lunch students see a group of their peers, Starbucks in hand searching for a door to enter the building.

Because all the doors to the school are locked for safety purposes, students who are sneaking back in resort to banging on the doors in the hopes that another student will open the door for them, which is also not allowed. e pressure for students to let their peers in creates an unsafe environment as students could potentially let people in who are a threat to the school.

e adoption of an identi cation card system would

provide a viable remedy to both the issue sneaking out and of students opening the doors for their peers. Because identi cation cards would track where students are in the building and when they enter, students would be less apt to sneak out because they would be held accountable for their actions. In addition, students would be able to scan themselves into the building, eliminating their need to bang on the door and the risk of letting unsafe people into the building.

How they work:

A possible concern with providing students swipe cards might be that students could access the school when it is not properly supervised. However, there are ways around this issue. In order to make sure that students are not able to enter the building outside of school hours, the scanning devices would be shut o at the end of the day and on weekends.

As a bonus, the scanning system could function as a means to quickly tally students in emergency situations. For example, if there is a lockdown, the identi cation cards could be used to keep track of the students who are pulled into classrooms from the hallway.

Another concern might be that scan cards could be lost and fall into the wrong hands. But, once again, there is

a simple solution. If an identi cation card is lost, the student can report the missing card and it can be deactivated.

Examples:

Other school districts around the state have already implemented the use of identi cation cards. Middletown Public Schools implemented ScholarChip kiosks at the main o ce, bus loop and student-parent drop o entrances around the buildings of their high school and middle school, according to FOX61. e students carry their student IDs with them all day and their attendance is managed via the ScholarChip kiosks. Middletown Public Schools established this system as a means of improving the attendance and safety of the students.

Conclusion:

Under the current sign-in/ sign-out system, Staples students have akey attendance, write fake passes and sneak in and out of school hiding from Dana’s security car patrolling

the perimeter of the building. e board proposes that Staples implements an identi cation card system for students as a means of improving the safety and attentiveness of the Staples community.

e Editoral Board voted 12-2 in favor of this opinion.

Scan

Rise in dangerous drop offs lead to increased security measures

Matthew Stashower ’25 Sports Editor

School drop o s have become hazardous recently, as teachers have reported a substantial rise in the number of parents speeding past stop signs in order to drop o their children at school before 8:00 a.m.

English teacher Daneille Spies recalled a recent incident at the three-way stop near where the buses drive in and school faculty park. According to Spies, three cars were forced to stop as a student attempted to use a crosswalk.

“ e student was set to go,” Spies said. “ e car in front of me decided to make the left turn and almost hit the student and we were all shocked.”

After Spies reported the

incident, she was informed by the administration that there would be an increase in the number of security guards during the morning dropo in order to prevent incidents.

“We [now] have our security guard out there most mornings by that three way stop sign,” Principal Stafford W. omas Jr. said. With the introduction of security guards during morning dropoffs, drivers have become more respectful of school tra c rules.

“I try to get out there as often as I can [...] we’re out there 3-4 times a week, whenever the weather allows,” school security guard Ralph Morzello said. “It’s hard to physically stop them from [recklessly speeding], but to have a presence out there...it seems to help.”

Local Briefs

June 3

Grammy-nominated Jazz singer at Levitt Pavilion

Grammy award winning jazz singer Samara Joy will perform at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts on Saturday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. Joy was named Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards, where she also won Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Mia Bomback ‘25 Features Editor

However, the presence of security guards at morning dropo s hasn’t always prevented close calls between students and fast drivers.

“One day I was walking to school and all of the sudden a car came bombing into the main entrance,” Max Levy ’25 said. “I had to dodge to get out of the car’s way.”

e school had previously installed speed bumps to prevent people from driving too fast on campus but removed them for the winter to make it easier for

snowplows to go through. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, speed can reduce vehicle speeds by approximately 10 miles per hour.

“We will return [the speed bumps] for the fall,” omas said.

Although drop o s have gotten better since the addition of security guards, Spies still thinks the school can improve its tra c for walkers.

“We can mark more crosswalks,” Spies suggested. “[ e Staples parking lot is] not friendly for students who are walkers.”

June 3-4

Dance performance at Bedford Middle School

Westport Academy of Dance will perform their end-of-year recital at Bedford Middle School. e performances are broken up by age group, with the youngest dancers performing at 10 a.m. on June 3 and the oldest dancers performing at 1 p.m. on June 4.

June 4

Jam creation workshop at Wakeman Town Farms

Master jam preserver Pam Lillis will lead a workshop at Wakeman Town Farms on Sunday, June 4, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants will learn how to make berry and stone fruit jam, as well as how to incorporate jam into a myriad of recipes.

It’s hard to physically stop them from doing it, but to have a presence out there...it seems to help.”

- Ralph Morzello, Security Guard

WATCH OUT Max Levy ’25 was walking across the road that leads to the Staples main entrance when a car came rushing toward him, forcing him to dodge out of the way.

Photo dramatization by Shivali Kanthan ’24

Teachers utilize new technology to catch AI-written student essays

Nina Bowens ’25 Executive TV Producer

Turnitin, a plagiarism detection site, recently released a new update to detect AI-written essays, and teachers have already utilized it to crack down on the in ux of AI-usage in students’ work.

ousands of kids across America have turned to new AI tools such as ChatGPT to aid them with completing homework assignments or more extensive projects. According to an article published by USA Today, “22% of students use the chatbot to help them with coursework or in extracurricular activities on a weekly basis.”

is trend is seen at Staples, as students’ screens icker between assignments and the AI tab, and more teachers are questioning the authenticity of submissions.

“ e new AI kind of freaks me out, and I’ve de nitely seen a lot of kids using it at Staples and in my di erent classes,” Molly Whittle ’25 said. “I’ve used it mostly to summarize articles. I feel like it is kinda a

way to have the thinking of assignments done for you, and it is de nitely convenient if you are in a time crunch. But, on the other hand, I am not sure if using ChatGPT is worth it because of Turnitin.com.”

e website, alongside other detection services, recently unveiled its AI Innovation Lab on April 4. e new tool detects percentages of pieces written by technology and relays that information to teachers.

“AI writing tools are developing at a rapid pace and so is Turnitin’s technology to detect these emerging forms of misconduct,” Turnitin wrote in a statement. “Our model has been trained speci cally on academic writing sourced from a comprehensive database. As a result, Turnitin is more tuned to nding instances of potential dishonesty in student assignments.”

More and more teachers at Staples, including Mary Katherine Hocking, have caught their students with Turnitin. However, prior to that additional screening, teachers had already noticed signs of AI writing in their students’ work.

“I have [been suspicious] sometimes if a student’s submission reads drastically differently than the pieces they’ve turned in previously,” Hocking said. “Students tend to have a particular voice or manner of writing, and the AI’s robotic or formulaic voice some times comes across di erently.” e temptation of using AI and quickly relieving oneself of a long assignment lures many students into a habit that can damage their free thought and learning development.

Some assignments are meant to be struggled through, and AI takes away a valuable lesson.

“As a former high school procrastinator, I can de nitely see the temptation to use AI to turn out a piece of writing right away,” Hocking said. “However, I think more is lost. We’re handing over our critical reasoning and communication skills to a technology that we don’t know we can fully trust. I think turning over the power of creation and academic thought to a machine is a step in the wrong direction.”

As educators, the shared initial reaction with ChatGPT’s debut was one of fear in regards to student’s misuse and for the future of what it means to be an educator.

“An article came out that said it was the end of the English department,” English teacher Kim Herzog said. “A lot of teachers were scared that if students start relying on this program, they are not going to think for themselves and actually learn really critical skills that apply beyond the English classroom.”

I think turning over the power of creation and academic thought to a machine is a step in the wrong direction.”

- Mary Katherine Hocking, English Teacher

17% of 5,000 Stanford students admitted to using ChatGPT to assist on assignments and nal exams. (Stanford Daily)

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

92% of students and 77% of parents are interested in how AI might help them learn. (Education Week)

51% of undergraduate and graduate students believe using AI so ware to complete exams is cheating. (Forbes)

Lily Hultgren ’25 Features Editor

“What is your ethnicity?” a new friend asks me.

My reply: “I’m half white and half Asian.”

Right after I utter that sentence my throat goes dry, as if there is a weight pressing down on my tongue. Nothing I said was incorrect, and yet, it feels like I just told a lie.

Being born and raised in the U.S., I have often felt more connected to the white half of my racial identity than to my ai heritage. I know very little ai language and am not well versed in ai culture. Because of this, I have struggled throughout my life with my biracial identity, never feeling connected to both cultures equally. However, having conversations

about my race has allowed me to come to terms with it while cultivating genuine interest in aspects of ai culture. ere have been times I felt embarrassed of my ai side, worrying it made me stand out. I used to feel self-conscious about friends coming over, thinking it was weird that my grandparents spoke a different language and that my family referred to certain foods by their ai names.

At the same time, when I am with my ai relatives, I feel like an imposter. I sit and nod awkwardly whenever they try to speak ai to me, feeling embarrassed that

I have no clue what they’re

saying. If I can’t speak the language, do I even have a right to say I am ai American? is “racial imposter syndrome” is anything but a unique experience. Many multiracial people struggle with imposter syndrome related to their ethnic identity. My struggle to embrace my full identity is not new, and, in some respects, my mother had a similar experience; she was born in the United States, but her parents were immigrants from ailand.

She would be embarrassed by signs of “ ai-ness” in her home. At the same time, she didn’t nd full acceptance in ailand either. She never learned the ai language u-

ently so, when she visited ailand, no one there assumed she was ai; they called her “farang” which means foreigner.

I recently spoke to my mother about these struggles. She helped me recognize that even though I feel like a stranger to ai culture and only speak a few ai words, it is still present in my everyday life. Whenever I take my shoes o when I enter the house or make sure to never put my feet by someone’s head, I am observing ai practices.

Nothing changes the fact that I am half ai. ere’s no single way to be “ ai” or “Asian.” It is di erent for everyone. And while I still occasionally feel like an imposter, I can take a step back and work on embracing all parts of my heritage.

It may take a while for me to fully accept my biracial identity, but thanks to conversations with my mother and internal revelations, I can con dently say I am on the right track.

HEART: Lily Hultgren ’25 has been able to find joy in embracing her biracial identity.

I can take a step back and work on embracing all parts of my heritage.

Graphics by Genevieve Frucht ’24 & Alex Gaines ’25

AIPhoto by Caitlin Jacob ’24

“Remember, it’s a ‘Connections’ day,” your second-period teacher announces, mockingly using air quotes, her message met with groans and disgusted faces from almost all students—except me. Despite common criticism, this biweekly “connecting time≈is far more in uential on students’ daily lives than one may think. Implemented in 2019, Connections formed a way for students to have an adult gure as a resource. While navigating busy lives and crowded schedules, the bene ts of having another friendly face at Staples are endless. From mold to

Covid-19, my middle school years faced a variety of obstacles. Hardly experiencing a traditional homeroom while there, I found one under a new name at Staples: Connections. For overwhelmed freshmen facing the pressures of high school, it’s a relief tonally be given the time to take a break. While tasks assigned for this time receive frequent complaints, students aggravated by playing Kahoot or discussing weekend plans should re ect on the priorities and disposition of individuals instead of the activities’ quality.

Not everyone will be your best friend in Connections. Yet, if you’re lucky, you’ll have dedicated teachers and generous students who allocate time to provide an assortment of desserts enjoyed by all. Every Tuesday and ursday, I look forward to sugary treats, whether cookies, mu ns or brownies. It’s a valued aspect of my Connections culture, which all classes should try to emulate. Although everyone cracks jokes at its expense, Connections is here to stay. So, if you don’t enjoy your “connecting” time, at the very least just consider that a Connections day means only 45-minute classes. at is something we can all bond over. rela-

Sincemy rst day of high school, I have been told that Connections was the ultimate time to bond with my classmates and gain a teacher mentor. eoretically, Connections is the perfect solution to the competitive nature of Staples—it should be a period for students to unplug and study without serious academic pressure. e administration, however, fell short and consequently failed to provide a productive mental- and physical-healthoriented period. Due to the structure of often meaningless and mandatory activities, Connections fails to achieve its alleged purpose: a time to destress.

Activities proposed for Connections often fail to elicit enthusiasm from the student body. I recently walked into Connections in the middle of AP nals week, hoping for a break, when I was told we would spend the period reecting on a series of videos. is activity only added to the stress that many students already felt. We have also been asked to analyze unhealthy relationships. ough import-

ant to learn about, it felt like a repeat of junior health.

Building relationships with my Connections class has been awkward to say the least. ough initially conceived to provide a time for support and advice, the inconsistency of interaction through the period has seldom allowed me to build substantial connections—ironic, I know.

Instead of Connections, the school could opt for a 30 minute study hall, which would be bene cial in allowing students to recharge. With such an intensive, pressure-riddled high school environment, what students simply need is a time to destress.

Audrey Curtis ’25 Web Photostories Editor

Caitlin Jacob ’24 Communications Co.

Graphics by Mia Bomback ’25 & Shivali Kanthan ’24

Photos by Angelina Matra ’25

Graphic by Avery Michalowski ’26

Somewhere on the rst oor, deep in the corner of the school, something revolutionary is blossoming. First, only a nger. en two. e ngers lift from the cold metal they were born on. It’s moving. It’s alive!!

Well, not exactly. ese prosthetic hands are not alive, but they have the power to change someone’s life.

Presidents of the e-NABLE club – Hugo Jacques ’25 and Sebastian Rodriguez ’25 – and constructor Preston Siroka ’25 3-D print prosthetic hands with the goal of becoming an o cial chapter of e-NABLE, a national organization that donates 3-D printed prosthetics to people in need.

“We work really hard throughout the whole process,” Siroka said, “but it’s [for] a really good cause: people who are low income and can’t really a ord or have public access to healthcare.”

In order to become an ofcial chapter of e-NABLE, the club must print hands and send them to review-

FEATURES

ers at the organization.

In order to become a certied chapter of e-NABLE, the club must print hands and send them to reviewers at the organization. Once the reviewers verify their prototype’s quality, the club gets a badge for that speci c design and are then eligible to apply to the organization so they can make prosthetics for clients. e club’s goal is to acquire as many badges so they can help more people.

“I suspect we’ll get that certification next year and then we’ll be part of a network,” science teacher and advisor Dr. Humphrey Wong said. “ en we’ll nd a client, someone we can t the hand to, and we’ll learn how to do that and be a better chapter and hopefully get maybe two or three client requests through the year.”

e idea to become a chap-

ter was rst introduced by Wong’s in his CreAtive Technological Solutions class. In class, students were tasked with researching how one might be able to create an e-NABLE chapter, and from there, they continued to develop the idea.

“We bit o (...) more than we could chew for a semester course,” Jacques said.

e club has printed four hands thus far.

ree are Phoenix v2s which are a version of the basic 3-D printed hand, Phoenix.

e only kinetic

prototype was made by Siroka with his personal printer. A kinetic hand is powered by one’s body and is designed to be used by amputees. It has a fully functioning wrist and ngers that open and close. ese hands take Siroka 55 hours to print, one hour to assemble and only $6 to make. eir low cost increases the accessibil-

ity of e-NABLE prosthetics.

e rst step in creating a prosthetic hand is nding the design les for the desired type of hand. e prototype’s design SDF les are downloaded from the e-NABLE website and then sent to the 3-D printer. It is crucial that the correct hand is selected when printing because two similar looking hands can have drastically di erent characteristics.

Club members then assemble the printed pieces of a kinetic hand in the following process: each nger is connected to a distal part. en the wrist to the hand joint. Fishing line is tied through the distal and nger parts. Finally, the knots are adjusted to set the hand parallel to the wrist, allowing the hand to bend with high strength using minimal momentum. While this hand has been fully assembled, this kinetic prosthetic will never be used for a real person because of its fast manufacture. When a hand is made for a speci c client, the club must adjust the prosthetic towards their preferences.

“ e tension is to be adjusted in order for them to uniformly bend to a desired position,” Siroka said.

e-Nable chapter prints prosthetics, lends a helping hand

Samantha Sandrew ’25 Associate Web Managing Editor

Once we submit [our models] for approval, we can get badges which certify us to print a certain type of hand.”

-

Hugo Jacques

’253

Infographic by Caitlin Jacob ’24

When customizing the prosthetic to serve a certain person, di erent types of Polyatomic Acid (PLA) are needed. Each part of the hand corresponds to speci c plastic ber such as PLA, Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or ermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU).

Prosthetics materials vary based on their function. But, not every printer is suitable for all materials. e school’s printer materials were outdated. So, the club bought devices around $200-300 each, which classi es them as entry level printers.

Another di culty that comes with designing a hand for

a speci c person is sizing. e group will need precise measurements of parts of the client’s body in order to make a prosthetic that ts, Siroka explained.

“ e main di culty was making the [3-D] printer [work]” Siroka said. “ ere are a lot of errors that can go wrong, especially with cheaper printers.”

But despite the challenges that come with building these prosthetics, Staples’ e-NABLE and its members are looking to help underserved communities in any way they can. So, if you go down into the dark and hot room of 1033, you’ll see life in the making.

Flexible nger joints & grippy TPU nger pads.

Tensioner pins, located inside the gauntlet.

Flexible TPU

wrist joints. Fishing line is found in between layers.

Photo by Samantha Sandrew ’25

3-D PRINTING CLUB president Sebastian Rodriguez ’25 (left) and founding member Luca Caniato ’25 (right) prepare to design and print a Phoenix v2 prosthetic hand.

Photos by Mia Bomback ’25

Students acquire summer jobs, enhance work experience

Genevieve Frucht ’24 Editor-in-Chief

Addison Moore ’23 Cafe Barista

When it comes to summer activities, students have many options. Nonetheless, many students choose to work in order to gain experience and make some extra money. There are many places to work in the summer such as camps, restaurants and at the beach. Here are a few places some Staples students are working this summer.

Addison Moore ’23 has been working at the Westport Library Cafe for almost a year and will continue the job this summer. Moore not only serves customers, but also completes tasks to make sure the cafe stays organized.

“I make coffees, cold brews, teas and everything in between,” Moore said. “I also have to regularly restock, make drinks for later and count the cash at the end of the day.”

GIANNA AMATUZZI has a paid internship with the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, created for Catherine Hubbard, who passed away in the Sandy Hook shooting.

Gianna Amatuzzi ’24 will spend her summer working at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary. Currently, Amatuzzi is on the sanctuary’s Junior Executive Board and is looking forward to taking her involvement to a higher level. Amatuzzi will be a counselor at the sanctuary’s annual summer camp, as well as help plan other events that the sanctuary hosts yearly.

“[I will] work with the head of the sanctuary to develop upcoming events and programming,” Amatuzzi said, “[such as] help organize [the] annual ‘Catherine’s Butter y Party’ event, a birthday remembrance for Catherine and an annual celebration of the sanctuary’s accomplishments.”

Gianna Amatuzzi ‘24 Paid Intern

Photo contributed by Gianna Amatuzzi ’24

Photo by Mia Bomback ’25

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

ADDISON MOORE works at the Westport Library Cafe throughout the summer and during the school year. He earns $15 per hour.

A&E highlights of May

Caroline Zajac ‘25 Asst. Business Manager

Let’s take a look into May’s most highlighted moments in pop culture. Between the Met Gala, a blockbuster new movie and the beginning of a world tour,this May has been a marvelous month.

Met Gala controversy

year’s

is year’s Met Gala on May 1 was in remembrance of Karl Lagerfeld’s designs with Chanel, Fendi and his own couture line. His controversial reputation as a misogynist, racist, homophobe and fatphobe led to some dressing in his honor and some dressing in protest.Either way, the designs were memorable. Afterall, the Met Gala is dubbed the “Super Bowl of Fashion” for a reason.

“While I may love Karl Lagerfeld’s designs with Chanel, I’m not sure whether or not it was a good idea to honor him at the Met Gala,” Amelia Tarsy ’24 said. “ e whole world was reminded of Karl Lagerfeld’s not-so-picture-perfect reputation.” A

I am Groot!

e nal sequel to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, “Guardians of the Galaxy No. 3,” was released in theaters on May 5 to give fans an emotional, action-packed roller coaster of a movie. In the lm, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe; if they fail this mission it could lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them. Marvel fans say this is a must-watch.

“ is was the best Marvel movie since ‘Endgame’,” Kathryn Hannon ’25 said. “I de nitely recommend watching it. is movie truly brought tears to my eyes. I will miss the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’”

Queen Bey

Queen Beyonce kickstarted her Renaissance World Tour in Stockholm on May 10. is concert will have 56 stadium dates internationally and is projected to gross $2.4 billion in revenue. e Renaissance setlist is set to have 36 songs for a threehour show. is concert is split into seven parts with choreographed dances, bedazzled costumes and jaw-dropping sets.

“I plan to go to the Renaissance World Tour this Summer,” Grace Cauley ’23 said. “I wasn’t sure what Beyonce had in store for us fans, but I knew it would not be a let down. I can’t wait.”

K a thryn Hannon ’ 25

the latest beats

Nonsense

Sabrina Carpenter

Ain’t That Some

Morgan Wallen

GraceCauley ’ 23

Mother

Meghan Trainor

Graphic by Avery Michalowski ’26

Graphic by Avery Michalowski ’26

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

Photo contributed by Amelia Tarsy ’24

Photo contributed by Kathryn Hannon ’25

Photo contributed by Grace Cauley ’23

Graphic by Jordy Greenspan ’24

Tyler Rockwell ’24 and Kate Hetcher ’24

Lindsey Price ’24 & Defne Merih ’24

Graphic by Jordy Greenspan ’24

Junior prom was hosted at Staples on Saturday, May 20. ough the day was lled with rain, students still danced the night away. Along with dancing, there was food, a photo booth, airbrush tattoos and ip ops.

Gena Frucht ’24 Editor-in-Chief

Jessica LoCastro & Harrison Putman ’24

Charlotte Jumper ’24

“Prom was so much fun. I loved dancing with my friends and the playlist was really good. Even though it was a rainy day, that didn’t dampen our enthusiasm. It was a magical night.”

-Hadley Naples ’244

Gillian Nishi ’24 & Tishia Darmawan ’24

Photos by Gena Frucht ’24

Pickleball serves teachers new inviting community

Siena Petrosinelli ’25 Arts Editor

Tick, tock, tick, tock. As seconds sluggishly pass by, sweat trickles down the temples of teachers. Tick. As student laughter and talk blare in the teacher’s ears, they only have one singular thought captivating their mind. Tock. The minute hand strikes 2:45 p.m. as energy surges through their feet like lightning. Tick. Tock. As they peer out into the hallway, they check to see if anyone is watching. With no one in sight, teachers race like cheetahs down the stairs, pass-

pass

ing the cafeteria without even spotting the trash scattered atop the tables. Tick. They reach their final destination with relief and enter through the blue doors creating one cohesive group. Tock. Chatter erupts,

smiles emerge and the community grows.

Every Wednesday from 3-4 p.m, staff members compete in lighthearted games of pickleball. Starting in spring of 2022, Christine Wanner, health and physical education department chair, has organized pickleball games in the fieldhouse for staff members.

“I would love to see more

[staff members] come,” Wanner said. “I certainly want anyone to know whether you’re a first time player, or you’ve been playing for a

while, you’re welcome to come.”

With a variety of staff members participating in these cooperative games, it has built an inviting community.

“All staff is invited, so you get to see a lot of different staff members like teachers, nurses, guidance and paras,” Jennifer Cirino, Staples librarian, said. “It’s great to meet people from all over that you normally wouldn’t be able to see.”

ing offered to staff, but also to students in the sophomore racquet games course. Pickleball has brought smiles and joy.

“Everybody on the court is the same. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what you are,” Library Paraprofessional Christine Harris said. “It’s a lot of fun. Nobody is out there to win necessarily, it’s all about laughing and getting some exercise.”

The popularity in pickleball has increased to 4.8 million “picklers” in the United States, with it becoming America’s fastest growing sport, according to The New York Times. The Staples community has followed this trend with pickleball not only be-

pickle mil Unit commu be

““It’s great to meet people from all over that you normally wouldn’t be able to see.”

-Jennifer Cirino Staples librarian

Photo dramatization by Preston Siroka '25

PICKLE COMMUNITY Staples librarian Jennifer Cirino plays pickleball with her fellow teachers every Wednesday.

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan '24

Photo by Matthew Stashower '25

14% of americans played pickleball at least once in 2022 (YouGov)