Tower Issue #7 2012-2013

Tower The Masters School

May 31, 2013

Volume 69, Number 7

The Masters School, 49 Clinton Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Bonds to build: School sells bonds in order to finance new CAAC

by Noah Buyon

Web Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

It is no secret to students and faculty alike that Masters is in a state of flux. The most obvious sign of impending change is the tentatively named Community Athletics and Arts Center, a three-story annex that is set to transform the Masters campus and its curriculum.

Construction of the $25 million complex is scheduled to begin immediately following graduation, even though only half that amount has been raised as of now.

To help bridge that gap, Masters is turning to a process that, while most commonly associated with the likes of Citibank and the U.S. Government, is standard practice for private high schools: selling bonds.

A bond is a line of credit; buying a bond means lending money to the institution that offered the bond in the first place with the promise of being paid back with interest. The sorts of bonds that nonprofit schools like Masters can issue are not only tax-exempt but also sanctioned by the government.

In 2002, Masters sold 17.5 million dollars in bonds through Westchester’s Industry Development Agency (IDA) and Allied Irish Bank as part of “The Masters Advantage” campaign. Those bonds help fund the construction of the Middle School, Morris Hall and faculty housing on the hilltop.

They also went towards covering the costs of renovating the school’s classrooms and more dated facilities. Even as of 2012, Masters owes around $14.5 million from that bond issuance (according to public 501(c)(3) IRS data).

Masters is considering a new approach to bonds this time around. Head of School Maureen Fonseca said, “Today the economics of [selling bonds] are complicated what with the recession. We had to do a comprehensive review of the school’s credit, and upon looking at the budget, we began to look at using the rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P).”

S&P’s role is to evaluate the school’s ability to pay back borrowed money (or credit worthiness)

Image courtesy of Tim Kane

THE SCHOOL WILL ISSUE tax-exempt bonds in order to finance the Community Athletics and Arts Center (CAAC), which is a $25 million project. The building will feature a swimming pool, a fencing room, multiple basketball courts, an experimental theater and a digital media lab.

by giving it a rating from “AAA” to “C”. A high rating would make any bonds offered by Masters much more attractive to prospective buyers.

The school has not yet received a letter rating.

Fonseca described the S&P’s evaluation process as being remarkably encompassing. The company took a panoramic snapshot of Masters, evaluating diverse aspects of the

school such as admission and enrollment trends, academic offerings, faculty recruitment and retention rates, community history, college acceptances and crossovers with comparable private schools in the area in addition to the obvious financial data.

Fonseca reported, “We [the administrators and I] presented our own review to S&P in a four or five hour interview, in which we

had to field questions from them. They also toured campus to see our facilities.”

Though Masters has not yet received a letter rating, the school expects to issue approximately $32 million in tax-exempt muni bonds through the Dobbs Ferry Local Development Corporation which will be sold to a bank.

She continued, “There are two parts to the vision for the community going

forward. The first is brick and mortar: to complete the Community Athletics and Arts Center in order to round out our facilities.

The second is to grow our endowment. We expect to be in a much stronger position in terms of both in the years to come.”

The question of how much of a role the sale of bonds will play in achieving that vision remains unanswered.

Writer and comedian Andy Borowitz chosen as graduation speaker

by Abigail Costigan Sports Editor

Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down and I’d like to take a minute just sit right there. I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air. Andy Borowitz, the creative force behind this iconic sitcom, will be speaking at commencement for the Class of 2013.

The father of senior Max Borowitz ‘13 and Lexi Borowitz ‘07, Andy has an extensive list of credentials

as a comedian and author.

Most notably, he created the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with Max’s mother, Susan Borowitz.

In addition, he has written numerous books and currently runs “The Borowitz Report,” a satirical news column, for The New Yorker.

Additionally, Andy has had a fair share of experiences with public speaking, including stand up comedy.

Max nominated his father after classmates suggested the idea.

Soon after, the senior class selected him to speak.

Andy didn’t know that he

had been nominated by his son until senior Sean Coffey mentioned it to him.

“Evidently, he’s got a really good sense of humor and a good

Photo courtesy of Max Borowitz

Comedian Andy Borowitz WILL SPEAK at the 2013 commencement. He is the father of senior Max Borowitz and Lexi Borowitz ‘07.

personality,” Max said. “I trust that he’ll bring that to the table and be a success.”

Andy added, “I am very well-informed as a result of all the time I have spent on Yahoo Answers.”

When asked what he plans on saying in his speech, Andy said, “I’d be able to answer that better if I’d already written it. I plan on pulling an allnighter the night before graduation, so call me at 3 a.m. and I’ll probably have a much better idea.”

However, he did hint that the speech will include a dubstep dance

Opinion

Features

Sports

Why can’t we clean up after ourselves?

Class of 2013 departs for college

Spring track ends season strong

Page 5

Photo by Declan Considine

Pages 6 & 7

Photo by Nicolas Graziano

Page 12

solo and freestyle rap Due to Andy’s busy lifestyle and personal commitments, however, Max said, “This will probably be one of his last speeches. He’s a busy dude. My three year old sister and his other work takes up most of his time.”

It’s safe to assume that this year’s commencement speech will leave no one short-changed.

Andy said, “I think Winston Churchill said it best when he said, ‘My only regret is that I never spoke at Masters graduation and spoke at Rye Country Day instead.’”

Photo by Bob Cornigans

2

newsbrief SEGOVIA Chosen as Chair of the ENGLISH DEPARTMENT English teacher Miguel Segovia has been chosen to replace Darren Wood as Head of the English Department. The department chair alternates every three years.

Members of the English Department decided to select Miguel Segovia for his clear passion for English and his ability to recognize the diverse learning styles of students.

Sharon Linsker, English teacher and colleague, describes her reasons for endorsing Segovia.

“He’s warm and caring,” she said. “He brings a great deal of energy into the role and has ideas of expanding the scope of the curriculum.”

Darren Wood added, “He has a philosophical emphasis on a diversity of literary voices in the curriculum and on students’ morals.”

- Sang Bae

TWO JUNIORS ACCEPTED INTO COLLEGE Juniors Jack Shaida and Tim Gooden will not be returning to high school for their senior year. Instead, they will be heading off to the College of the Atlantic, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, respectively.

A high school diploma is an expectation of most colleges; however, it’s not always a requirement, as Shaida will head to college without one. After studying at Masters for six years, Shaida plans to pursue environmental studies and math.

For Gooden, this year will be his first and last at Masters. As an international student from Dubai, who studied under the British school system, he came to this school with a high school diploma already under his belt. To prepare for college, Gooden spent the year at Masters in order to assimilate into American culture.

Admin considers adding academic theme

by Sofia Linden News Editor

The task of the Global Initiatives Committee is to incorporate awareness of widespread international issues into the curriculum.

The committee is strongly considering the possibility of adding an over arching theme relating to global issues for each year.

Adriana Botero, Associate Head of School for Faculty Affairs and Development, suggested the theme for next year should be water. If the idea passes, teachers will be invited to integrate the theme into their curriculum only if they feel it is viable.

“If we continue to use water the way we are right now, we will eventually run out of fresh water,” Botero said. “Whenever a resource is limited, the potential for conflict is huge.” She also mentioned 2013 has been declared The Year of Water by the United Nations.

The Global Initiatives Committee started a few years ago, and considered the idea of adding a yearlong theme a while back, but has recently begun reconsidering the proposal.

All members voted on the theme after Botero suggested water to make the decision more democratic, and the majority of members were in favor of the idea. A few weeks ago, the committee announced the initiative at a faculty meeting. If the proposal is approved, it

will be considered a trial run for the concept of having one school-wide global initiatives theme.

“It’s not definite, but I think there’s a good chance,” Academic Dean Chris Goulian said. “It seemed like there was pretty broad support for it, but we wanted to give the teachers a chance to be able to talk about it.”

The middle school already approved the proposal, and only a few

“If we continue to use water the way we are right now, we will eventually run out of fresh water.” upper school departments have not yet weighed in.

Goulian mentioned that incorporating water into each class’s curriculum would be contingent on the approval and enthusiasm of each teacher. As a result, some classes will be more focused on the theme than others. However, if passed, every upper school student will be required to read at least part of a collection of essays about water called, The Last Call at the Oasis, by Karl Weber.

Richard Simon, Head of the Modern and Classical Language Department

by Sang Bae Ad Designer

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) passed the House of Representatives last month.

The act pends approval from only the Senate and the

President, two steps away from becoming the most controversial cyber security law in United States history.

CISPA allows the government to know your entire internet history.

Whether you download a thousand songs illegally or

TWO FRESHMEN EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL

- Lily Herzan

and a member of the global initiatives committee, believes that water is a topic his department could easily include in its courses.

“Water is so essential to life and there’s so much written about it that I think in all four of our major languages there would be no trouble finding material,” he said.

Science teacher Leslie Reed, who is another member of the Global Initiatives Committee, explained that field trips, projects and interdisciplinary subjects would all be beneficial methods by which to teach the theme of water. “Ideally the students are invested in it. It’s very hard to force things on students,” she said.

Goulian said the concept behind this proposal would be to bring all the faculty and students together with something that is common for all of us: water.

One possibility is that there will be a day dedicated to water in which classes are cancelled, or a committee of students and faculty work on utilizing and giving feedback on the theme.

“I think it’s a brilliant way to have our thinking and our energy cross disciplines,” Simon said.

Students may have the opportunity to make proposals for executive committee for themes for future years if the proposal works out.

Goulian said, “If we do approve it and it’s successful, then we would like to do it again.”

3.4 MILLION PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR FROM WATER-REALTED DISEASES “I think it’s a brilliant way to have our thinking and our energy cross disciplines.”

-Richard Simon

UNITED NATIONS DECLARED 2013 “THE YEAR OF WATER”

Graphic by Teerin Julsawad

Cyber Intelligence bill poses privacy threats

- Casey Chon

Two members of the Class of 2016 were expelled in early May. While the two expulsions occurred around the same time, they occurred for two different reasons. The first student was dismissed for repeated incidents of harassment. The second student violated the Zero Tolerance policy on stealing. This year, four students in total were expelled, the other two for possession of weapons on campus.

TOWER/May 31, 2013

NEWS

Public Domain Image

SENATOR JAY ROCKEFELLER STRONGLY OPPOSES the CISPA bill that was passed by the House of Representatives last month.

Rockefeller said that the Senate would not pass the bill.

type a blasphemous comment on Facebook, online privacy becomes non-existent. The bill’s terminology can spin any act on the internet as a “cyber threat.”

The bill resolves “to provide for the sharing of certain cyber threat intelligence and cyber threat information between the intelligence community and cyber security entities, and for other purposes.” In other words, any technology-oriented company (including Facebook and Google) can hand over large amounts of data to the U.S government without legal consequences. Those who support the bill hope a more efficient method of information sharing can curtail cyber terrorist attacks and other internet-related threats.

“I think that if a private company is privy to information that could save lives, they should immediately share it with the appropriate authorities,” senior Raphael Norwitz said. “I would not be bothered by a bill which would make it their legal responsibility to do so.”

However, overwhelming

opposition prevents such a bill from easily passing US government. As of April 30, 117,576 e-signatures filled a petition to stop CISPA, passing the 100,000 signature requirement for a formal White House response.

In an official press release, Todd Park, US Chief Technology Officer, and Michael Daniel, a cybersecurity coordinator, said the White House will not support the bill until significant amendments could be made. They both wrote that “The Obama Administration will vocally advocate for cyber security legislation that protects privacy.”

To the majority of the opposition, the issue with CISPA threatens Fourth Amendment rights. The inherent vagueness of a “cyber threat” in the realm of the internet allows for liberal interpretation, allowing the US government to read your e-mail transcripts, text messages, mp3 files and personal information.

Whether it’s the beginning of a safe internet or an act of tyranny, CISPA undoubtedly holds problems

on both sides. The bill currently stands still under Congress, who either reject bill or wish to make specifications. A staffer from Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.)’s committee said to Huffington Post that Rockefeller "believes that information sharing is a key component of cyber security legislation, but the Senate will not take up CISPA.” Junior Anthony Cao said, “Most of the rage is not from what [the United States government] is trying to do, but the terminology.

People are automatically going to assume the worst.

If the bill was more detailed, then people wouldn’t be so upset. The vaguer you are, the worse the implications.

The battle for legislation certainly isn’t over yet. Despite the best efforts of the hacker group Anonymous, CISPA still continues to exist within United State government. Likewise, companies like Reddit urge popular websites to support opposition towards the controversial bill. Whether CISPA can make a dent in history will elucidate with time.

TOWER/May 31, 2013

NEWS

3

Class of 2013 creates a lasting legacy with a scholarship newsbrief

by Kiera Wilson

Web Content Manager

As graduation day approaches and seniors prepare to leave for college, the graduating class typically leaves their legacy through a donation of some sort.

The Class of 2012 went a different route with their gift by donating a garden for their senior gift. The current senior class, however, will be following tradition and donating money to a 2013 scholarship.

“We decided on a scholarship based on both class feedback and lack of flexibility in the current standards of giving gifts,” Liam McAuliff, senior class co-president, said.

The Class of 2013 was interested in donating a bench or some sort of patio furniture, but these ideas were unable to come through.

Director of the Annual Fund Mary Ryan ‘00 explained that the school is “unable to take a physical gift, because of our gift acceptance policy.”

Photo by Lily Herzan

ALTHOUGH THE CLASS OF 2013 is not officially leaving behind a physical gift, the bench now known as “Emma’s Bench,” dedicated to the late Emma Thomas, is one of many things left behind by the senior class. “Emma’s Bench” was fashioned out of wood from the 130-year-old Copper Beach tree, and was constructed by the father of Jonah Duch ‘12 with the help of many seniors and faculty.

“Anything donated has to be in the school’s plan,” Ryan said.

Although the class of 2013 wanted to donate a physical item, they took the news and ran with it.

The senior class presidents, McAuliff and Johanna Costigan, along with Head of School Maureen Fonseca and senior class dean Jane Rechtman have worked with Ryan to finalize the specifics

of the 2013 scholarship.

“I love getting to work with a class so they can start the tradition of giving back,” Ryan said.

Typically, senior gifts don’t begin to be discussed

until the second semester.

This is when Ryan begins to find interested donors who are willing to match donations made by the senior class.

“The more seniors that donate, the more meaningful it is. We’re more likely to inspire more people to give if we have a high participation rate,” Ryan said.

“If 17 and 18-year-olds can donate to their school, why can’t everyone?”

Many students choose to donate to their scholarship fund in honor of a faculty member, and will find this reported in the annual report. This trend, started by the Class of 2010, has been a great motivator for students.

As the year comes to a close, the current senior class works to finalize their qualifications for a 2013 scholarship recipient.

In part, the senior class is looking for “a student who demonstrates genuine academic curiosity and investment, who values the process of learning over personal acclamation, recognition or success.”

Twelve faculty members bid farewell to the community

by Casey Chon and Jackie Liu

Managing Editor and Features Editor

As the year ends, the community must bid farewell to not only the graduating class, but also 12 faculty members –some for sabbaticals, but others that are moving on. Coming from nearly every department, integral parts of our Masters community will be heading out to places like Harlem, Central America, and even Jupiter. Well, Jupiter, Florida.

History and Religion Department Teachers Cathy Warren and Courtney DeStefano will not be returning. Colleen Roche and David Dunbar are taking a one-year sabbatical.

Additionally, Matthew Ives will serve as the Head of the Upper School next year, and will only be teaching one class, Masters Thesis.

Roche, who has been teaching for 17 years, is taking a sabbatical to work on a book that will be published

by Syracuse University Press. The book will be an

introduction to a volume of a series about the 20th Century.

After working at the school for seven years, Warren is moving to Jupiter, Florida. Her husband is planning on taking a job there while she will take a year off from teaching and stay at home with her newborn son, Sebastian.

She said, “Masters has a community here, as much as we joke about it. It has been my home for a long time. I’m not only leaving my job, but also my home.”

DeStefano, a two-year faculty member, said, “Here, I learned about the importance of having an open and loving community, and how to transition that into the classroom environment.”

Next year, she will be working at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut where she will continue teaching history and coaching lacrosse and field hockey.

Language Department Molly Lori, a first-year Spanish teacher, is the only member leaving Modern and Classical Languages

Department. She plans on teaching in Spain.

students and all the friends that she has made here.

College Counseling

Science Department

The College Counseling Office is losing one of its four members to a gap year. Art McCann will be leaving after seven years to do some self-exploration.

McCann said that Masters taught him the “affirmation of all the people” and he will take that affirmation with him wherever he goes.

Candice DioGuardi and Leslie Reed will be continuing their academic explorations in places beyond Masters.

DioGuardi, the lab technician and chemistry teacher who has been working here for the last two years, is planning on moving to Albany to pursue a Masters degree in Public Health and Medical Studies.

Reed, who teaches biology, forensics and contemporary issues, plans on pursuing an extended sailing trip next year. Following that, she plans on teaching in Honduras where she hopes to continue the teaching philosophies she developed at Masters. Reed says, “It is important to take time to help students appreciate even the smallest things. Live in the moment.”

Music Department For the first time in many people’s memories, the Music Department will be missing one of the most active and well-known teachers on campus. After 23 years of teaching, Nancy Theeman, the Chair of the Music Department, is leaving to start the music program at Harlem Village Academy. “I always thought I’d teach public school,” she said. “It’s my last hurrah, something I needed to do.” Theeman admits she will undoubtedly miss the department, the colleagues,

English Department Lynne Kassabian and Darren Wood are both

temporarily departing from their current teaching posts for a year. Kassabian is taking a leave of absence to write and to travel. She will be returning to a manuscript of short stories previously started.

Wood is stepping down from his renowned post as an American Studies teacher to teach English at CITYterm. He will still be teaching one English class at Masters and will continue to live in Thompson.

As a result of this shift, Miguel Segovia will replace Wood as Chair of the English Department.

Math Department Math teacher Jonathan Fermo, who substituted for Marianne van Brummelen’s sabbatical, will also be leaving the school.

In addition, as Tower reported in previous issues, the school will also be losing 4 administrators–Head of Upper School Chris Frost, Dean of Students Priscilla Hindley, Director of Admissions Chris Downs and CFO Christine Schwegel.

Christine Schwegel

Chris Downs

Chris Frost

Candice DioGuardi

Courtney DeStefano

Cathy Warren

Priscilla Hindley

Nancy Theeman

Molly Lori

Art McCann

Jonathan Fermo

Leslie Reed Photos courtesy of HighPoint Pictures

NEW CLASS DEANS SELECTED Next year the school will undergo a shift in faculty leadership as three new faculty members will take over the responsibilities of class deans.

The Class of 2014, a grade currently lead by Matt Ives, will finish their academic career under the guidance of current junior advisor and science teacher John Comforto, as Ives moves to his new position, head of the Upper School.

Lisa Berrol, history teacher head of Disciplinary Committee, will be taking over for Ronica Bhattacharyia next year for the Class of 2016. Art teacher Stephanie Mestyan will be the dean of next year’s freshman class.

Lee Dieck, the current dean of the sophomore class, will maintain her position as class dean.

- Kiera Wilson

JOHN MCAULIFF ‘10 WINS JOURNALISM AWARD In early May, John McAuliff ’10, a former Tower staff, was awarded the top national collegiate journalism award by the Society of Professional Journalists, an organization that is “dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.”

McAuliff’s winning article, titled “Real Impact: How a dangerous fake ID website was shut down by an article,” which was published in USA Today, explained the problems that the American government faces regarding fake IDs that are produced in China.

McAuliff will continue pursuing journalism this summer, as an intern at the White House Communications office in the broadcast division.

- Lily Herzan

NEW CFO CHOSEN The new Director of Business and Finance will be Robert F. Rooney, Jr. As the current Chief Financial Officer of The Woodland School, Rooney has years of experience working with independent and boarding schools.

Prior to his job at Woodland, Rooney worked at Concord Academy and Dwight Englewood School.

Rooney will be replacing Christine Schwegel, current Director of Business and Finance, starting on July 1, 2013.

“Bob is known as an effective and engaging manager, who takes the time to listen and work with individuals in all areas of the school community,” Head of School Maureen Fonseca said.

Rooney will live in Estherwood and will also serve as Administrator-on-Duty.

- Kiera Wilson

4

Editorial: Don’t abandon our principles during times of change Bob Cornigans, who has been part of Strong Dorm for nine years, will be stepping down as Dorm Director and moving into a smaller, more “reasonable” apartment.

The school plans to hand over his four-room apartment to a new faculty member and his wife and child.

As a well-known and universally respected dorm parent and director, Cornigans serves as a father figure for many boarders at the school.

The news of his departure came as a shock to the boarding community, particularly those who often associate him with the boys’ dorm. The departure from his official post as dorm parent and presence in the dorm will not only be a drastic shift in dorm life, but also a devastating loss for a large number of boarders.

In order to provide housing

for newly hired employees, at least two current teachers have been asked to move out of their current on-campus apartments into different ones.

The admissions office admitted more students than the current faculty is capable of teaching. As a result, the school is scrambling to compensate by hiring new faculty members (in addition to replacing the teachers who are leaving the school) due to the high yield.

While the shifting of faculty members who live on campus occurs periodically, and is by no means rare, the radical alterations that the students and faculty alike will have to adjust to next year are unsettling at the very least, as this is only a small part of the school’s modulation process.

With a larger student body, boarders in both boys’ and

girls’ dorms may experience overcrowding. And with the construction of the CAAC and a brand new Head of the Upper School and Dean of Students, just two of many other new positions, our community is unquestionably experiencing a big transitional phase that is rousing yet scary.

Change is necessary and change is natural. However, there is a very important distinction between change and abandonment of principle.

The school is subjecting itself to change at such a fast pace that we can’t keep up with ourselves, let alone the growing expectations of competitive independent schools.

Although change has the potential to offer a “fresh start” for the school, whether or not it will derail us from our fundamental values remains a question.

People, not programs, truly define our school

by Tyler Pager

Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

The balance between athletics and arts has dominated campus discussion. The institution of the Athletic Credit Requirement (ACR) and the construction of the Greene Family Field and the Community Athletics and Arts Center (CAAC) have made many members of this community question the direction in which the school is headed.

While some fear that the increased attention given to athletics will result in a weaker arts department, others laud these efforts as a way to balance out the two programs. My fear is that the divide between arts and athletics will only be

a detriment to both programs, as they compete for attention and emphasis. My hope is that as the school continues to develop, the focus is not on building these programs as separate entities, but rather cultivating a cohesive and encouraging environment, in which, students are involved in and support both areas of interest.

With that being said, however, neither of these programs should be the defining characteristic of the school. The students and faculty make Masters what it is: a caring and supportive community with a passionate and intellectually curious student body.

These are the intangible qualities that distinguish this school from its peer institutions.

TOWER/May 31, 2013

Op-Ed

Therefore, while it is essential to improve programmatic features and physical structures, it should be of paramount interest to all members of the community that the ethos of the school is maintained. My hope is that when I return for my 20th reunion I will see the same passion and creativity in the students that I see now, in the students 20 years from now.

As I get ready to leave this school, I deeply appreciate the experiences that I have had and the knowledge I have gained. I cannot be more thankful for the people I have met and have had the opportunity to learn from. I want these kinds of people to continue to educate and nurture the future students of this school.

Letter to the Editor: There’s no place like home Dear Editor, Hello. My name is Cathy Warren, and this is my senior speech… sort of. I know I am not a senior, but I hope that this brief piece can serve a similar purpose—to offer some perspective on what Masters has meant to me and, perhaps, to give other members of the community some food for thought in the process.

Masters has been my home for the past seven years.

Arguably, this school is more of a home to its residential faculty than it is to anyone else.

We do not get on a bus at the end of the day and our families do not pick us up to go home over vacations.

This is it! This campus is our home…and no home is perfect. Like any household, Masters has its flaws.

During my time here, I have often heard talk about things that people want to change about this school.

Whether in the form of informal chatter around the lunch table or formal proposals to Executive Committee, people spend a lot of time focused on what they wish were different about the place that many of us call home. While these things can certainly help the school be its best self, I want to encourage each of you to take a minute to think not about what’s wrong with Masters, but rather what’s right.

For a moment, relish what already makes it great. Take stock of how fortunate each of us is and be grateful that we are surrounded by a group of passionate, interesting, and diverse people. It is these individuals that I will miss most once I am gone. After all, more than anything else, it is the people that have made Masters my home and a home for so many others.

So, wherever you find yourself next year, while I hope that you will always strive to improve your community, I hope you will also take the time to cherish what each offers just as it is. After all, there’s no place like home.

- Cathy Warren

TOWER

Senior Staff 2012-2013

Tower 2012-2013

Editors-In-Chief Emeritus: Johanna M. Costigan and Tyler Pager Web Editor-In-Chief Emeritus: Noah Buyon Editor-In-Chief: Teerin Julsawad News Editors: Lily Herzan and Sofia Linden Opinion Editor: Alex Minton Features and Arts Editor: Jackie Liu Sports Editors: Abigail Costigan and Wen-Xuan Ni Managing Editor: Casey Chon Photo Editor: Declan Considine Web Content Manager: Kiera Wilson Advertising Designer: Sang Bae Staff Photographers: Bob Cornigans, Sam Miller, Ken Verral and Eve Wetlaufer Staff Artist: Annie Mesa Contributing Writer: Rachel Saunders Contributing Photographer: Nicolas Graziano Faculty Adviser: Ellen Cowhey

The Masters School 49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 Volume 69, Issue 7

Distribution Process Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 500 copies are printed, and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers.

Scholastic Press Affiliations and Letter Policy Tower is an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA) and Quill and Scroll.

E-mail TowerEditors@Mastersny.org to send Letters to the Editor. See the subsequent page for information regarding letters to the editor. Published approximately eight times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.

T

here are twentyfour hours in a day, and if I had a year for every one of those hours, it would represent how much experience will walk out of the Tower lab this June when our Tower seniors graduate.

Four seniors have been on staff for four years, two for three years, and two more for just two years—so, in total, they represent 24 years of service. And yet, these students embody so much more than years of service.

These late-night pizza eaters support each other in class and out. These are the kids who ask the tough questions of our community and

Photos by Ellen Cowhey and Teerin Julsawad

demand answers. They are listening to the individual and collective experience of their peers, their teachers and their school’s administrators. They are skeptical, they are hopeful and they are analytic. They joke in Chinese and send more pictures back and forth to each other than anyone can keep track of. They also care about reporting with integrity and oxford commas. They’ve all spent way too many hours in the Tower lab, and probably eaten too much pizza.

It has been a privilege as well as a challenge to watch them grow, change and test the boundaries of their world.

And now they’ve pushed

past the confines of these hallowed stone and stained glass hallways and are ready to explore new environs that will offer new challenges, new issues to uncover and new friends to make.

This year’s editors-in-chief were particularly amazing.

Noah launched us into the cyber age with an online presence. Tyler and Johanna led the Tower staff in producing eight print issues of excellence.

I just want to say thank you to each of our Tower seniors, each of whom has contributed mightily in his or her own unique way.

They will be dearly missed.

-Ellen Cowhey

TOWER/May 31, 2013

Op-Ed

5

Taking out the trash Keeping our campus clean is common sense

by Declan Considine Photo Editor

I found a bowl of melted chocolate ice cream in a bathroom stall. The Masters campus, especially when springtime rolls around, is literally littered with garbage and dinnerware from the cafeteria.

If you walk out on the quad right after lunch, there are dirty plates and cups. If you look in the SAC, there are dirty plates and cups. In the Pittsburgh Library, there are dirty plates and cups. I hope you can see the pattern. This place is a mess.

Our school is a special place - just watch any Morning Meeting and you can find something that most high school students would consider outrageous.

We have a wonderful community focused on creativ-

ity, sharing and respect.

For the most part, Masters achieves these goals.

It’s easy for students to respect one another.

However, it’s apparently not so easy for us to respect the place many of us call home, not to mention the hard working and nice people who help keep it running smoothly.

Our student body is comprised of brilliant minds. Counted among us are fantastic writers, musicians, artists and athletes.

Yet we are the same student body that continuously leaves garbage around campus, damages the SAC until it is closed, and even forgets to flush the toilet.

We often demand that the school treats us like adults rather then children, yet we continue to act like fiveyear-olds who need their mothers to clean up after us.

I understand the temptation to leave plates on the quad after eating outside.

I truly do. All your friends are walking back to Masters Hall and you feel like you don’t have enough time to bring your stuff back. But just remember that every dish that you leave somewhere is going to have to be cleaned up by someone else. And when there are 50 students not cleaning up their place, it creates a serious problem for the staff.

And I know some of you are reading this and thinking, “We get it.

Stop littering and stuff.

Mr. Frost already gave a speech about this.” Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bore you with the suggestion that you show some human decency. Maybe if people didn’t leave such disgusting messes around and listened, you wouldn’t

Photo by Alex Minton

students leave an array of dishes, cups and napkins strewn on most dining hall tables every day.

Despite the school’s recycling program, students often fail to place trash in the proper receptacles.

have to be told more than once to stop demonstrating swine-like tendencies.

I like to think that nobody actively tries to ruin the dining hall staffs’ day by leaving stacks of plates and cups everywhere, but it’s quite a stretch to say that they just forgot about cleaning their place when there are consistently piles of garbage and dirty silverware to be

found all around campus.

Unlike most issues addressed here at school and beyond, this is a really easy one for all of us to solve. Clean up after yourself. It is not that hard. If you see a plate lying on the grass, pick it up. If you find bringing plates back to the dining hall to be too much of an ordeal for your infantile mind, then just finish your food before you

go outside. It’s that simple.

This isn’t for me. I’m graduating Masters and won’t have to see dirty plates and garbage everywhere anymore. I would like to think that this place would remain special after I leave, but I am legitimately concerned that the student body will perish in a mass of their own filth if I don’t say something. Save yourselves!

‘No gazebo’ for Senior Class, donations instead

Photo by Ellen Cowhey

SOPHOMORES PARTICIPATE IN this year’s Model United Nations Conference. This year’s simulation seemed particularly hurried as students rushed to prepare themselves in a short and stressful span of time.

Sophomores stress over MUN

by Wen-Xuan Ni Sports Editor

Business attire, resolutions, caucus, delegates and simulations… these words summarize the sophomore Model United Nations project.

The MUN project truly encourages sophomores to position themselves as world leaders and to look at the world from a particular perspective. However, students need more preparation time to meet this expectation.

In April, sophomores started the MUN project along with a unit on World War I, which is a lot of work in a small time span. I understand that the notion of countries coming together to form a summit started during that time period, however, combining the MUN project and the WWI unit create too much work for students.

Trying to cover all of the topics embedded within WWI-- from European imperialism to Russian revolutions-- in one month, is too intense. The MUN project, as a result,

creates even more pressure.

Only a small portion of sophomores had previous MUN club experience.

The rest had to learn from scratch, learning the basics of what a resolution is, and then drafting at least one.

The short time frame left some teachers no time to teach these basic skills. One of the Secretaries General, sophomore Brandon Schneider, said, “I think that the simulations went very well.

However, you could have asked almost any sophomore that morning if they felt prepared and the answer would have been ‘no’.”

Additionally, the resolution paper was due only a week after the guidelines were handed out. In one week, sophomores had to learn how to write a resolution, research and find partners, and manage other classwork. We had no experience, and no time to gain any. According to head of History and Religion department Skeffington Young, MUN projects used to be bigger.

“Everyone was in the same room with two committees,”

he said. “This year we were divided into three groups.”

“Leading up to the simulation, many students were unable to get straight answers from teachers, and when they did it would often differ from what they had heard from another teacher,” Schneider said.

Again, I believe that the MUN project serves a great purpose because we are given the chance to look at international relations from a new perspective. Some seniors still remember the country they represented and the resolutions they discussed. But squeezing a massive amount of work into five or six weeks is not efficient.

Since the United Nations is well-known, it is not necessarily important to set MUN in the context of World War I. The MUN project can definitely be placed in the first semester, when workloads are not as heavy.

The MUN project should definitely be continued, but more time and instruction must be given to the interested yet inexperienced sophomore class.

Cartoon by Sang Bae

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6

TOWER/May 31, 2013

FEATURES

FEATURES

7

Class of 2013 Heads to College Jack Bynum - Whitman College Tim Hou - University of Washington

Rachel Nierenberg - McGill University (Montreal, Canada)

(Schulich School of Music)

Julia Yankelowitz - Bates College

Allegra Carter - Oberlin College Josephine Demme - Oberlin College Alex Minton - Kenyon College Maya Berrol-Young - Grinnell College Santino Stropoli - Oberlin College Jessica Hella - University and Conservatory Charlie Daley - University of Jackie Liu - University of Chicago of Vermont Wisconsin-Madison Tyler Pager - Northwestern University Morgan Lily O’Connor (Medill School of Journalism) Bennington College Annie Chen - University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Batu Guven Bryant University Ryan Rosenberg Brown University Dylan Etzel Johns Hopkins University

Hannah Nash Dartmouth College

Declan Considine - College of the Holy Cross Graydon Cook - Wheaton College Kaan Donmez - Northeastern University Lily Herzan - Tufts University Laura Hughes - Clark University Hunter LaMar - Berklee College of Music Carly Miller - Emerson College Joe Romeo - Northeastern University Jana Saulschi - Boston University (School of Management)

Raleigh Capozzalo Yale University Lianna Culp Wesleyan University Jane Levy Wesleyan University

Ally Taggart - Bentley University Hallie Voulgaris - Massachusetts Institute of Technology Julia Warren - Hampshire College Erica Wolencheck - University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Commonwealth Honors College)

Kiera Wilson - Emerson College Farrah Assad - Siena College John Chen - New York University (Tisch School of the Arts)

Emily Ullman - University of Delaware Margot Abrahams - Dickinson College Andres Arroyave - Muhlenberg College Ted Christensen - Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Daniel Corotti Kanya - Bucknell University Micah Jo Davoren - Haverford College Ryan Goethals - Villanova University Nicolas Graziano - Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Ashley Lutjen-Sandonato - Bucknell University Jenna Hathaway - Muhlenberg College Alec Martin - Ursinus College Jason Mask - La Salle University Will Song - Carnegie Mellon University Charlie Versen - York College (Graham School of Business)

Remy Aronson - American University Noah Buyon - Georgetown University Max Borowitz - Georgetown University (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service)

Milya Burian - Santa Monica College Barbara Levin - California Polytechnic State University Emma Shepardson - University of Southern California

Min Woong Choi - Georgetown University (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service)

Hannah Weber - Georgetown University

(School of Health Studies)

(Annenberg School for Communcation and Journalism)

Kim Sistek - Whittier College Tiffany Smith-Cofield - University of Southern California Albert Xu - Claremont McKenna College Gap Year: Ana Garlock Andreas Kohl Undecided: Bashayer Al Mullah Inken Hamlescher Barbra Namitala

Tess Greenwald - University of Denver Nick Fleder - Rice University Sabrina Hilfer - Washington University in St. Louis (Sam Fox School of Art and Design)

MOST POPULAR MAJORS

UNDECIDED 45% BUSINESS 21%

Cathy Sellier Tulane University Jessica Bernstein Vanderbilt University

(Peabody College of Education and Human Development)

Zanny Dow - Nate Barasch Wake Forest Emory University University Phil Golodetz Emory University Ken Lim - Indiana University Bloomington Gott Phusit - Purdue University

Mickey Williams - George Washington University (Elliott School of International Affairs)

Grace Xiong - George Washington University Tao Chen - College of William and Mary Sean Coffey - College of William and Mary

Johanna Costigan - Bard College Helena de Oliveira - Cornell University (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences)

Polly Duddy - Hobart and William Smith Colleges Matt Fasman - Rochester Institute of Technology (Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences)

Chris George - Ithaca College

(Roy H. Park School of Communcations)

Dana Greene - Cornell University (School of Hotel Adminstration)

Jhon Guarin - SUNY Brockport MinJi Kim - New York University Archie King - Fordham University (Gabelli School of Business)

Sibo Kwakwa - Skidmore College Brandon Lamberty - Manhattan College Elizabeth Lansbury - Skidmore College Phil Lewis - Westchester Community College Angie Liao - New York University (Gallatin School of Individualized Study)

Dazian Lizardo - Adelphi University Emmi Marolda - Fordham University-Lincoln Center Liam McAuliff - Hamilton College Annie Mesa - Columbia University Raphael Norowitz - Columbia University Abbey Ogden - Syracuse University Darrien Pulos - Union College Matt Rametta - Union College Julia Schmidt - Vassar College Julia Tedesco - Cornell University (College of Human Ecology)

Justin Voelp - New York University Eve Wetlaufer - New York University (Gallatin School of Individualized Study)

Evan Zhang - New York University (Stern School of Business)

Jacqueline Hueneke - EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University Graphic by Tyler Pager

MOST APPLIED-TO COLLEGES

GRADE IN WHICH EACH STUDENT BEGAN MASTERS

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES 10%

Biology 8% ART 8% Media 5%

Graphics by Teerin Juulsawad and Jackie Liu

6

TOWER/May 31, 2013

FEATURES

FEATURES

7

Class of 2013 Heads to College Jack Bynum - Whitman College Tim Hou - University of Washington

Rachel Nierenberg - McGill University (Montreal, Canada)

(Schulich School of Music)

Julia Yankelowitz - Bates College

Allegra Carter - Oberlin College Josephine Demme - Oberlin College Alex Minton - Kenyon College Maya Berrol-Young - Grinnell College Santino Stropoli - Oberlin College Jessica Hella - University and Conservatory Charlie Daley - University of Jackie Liu - University of Chicago of Vermont Wisconsin-Madison Tyler Pager - Northwestern University Morgan Lily O’Connor (Medill School of Journalism) Bennington College Annie Chen - University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Batu Guven Bryant University Ryan Rosenberg Brown University Dylan Etzel Johns Hopkins University

Hannah Nash Dartmouth College

Declan Considine - College of the Holy Cross Graydon Cook - Wheaton College Kaan Donmez - Northeastern University Lily Herzan - Tufts University Laura Hughes - Clark University Hunter LaMar - Berklee College of Music Carly Miller - Emerson College Joe Romeo - Northeastern University Jana Saulschi - Boston University (School of Management)

Raleigh Capozzalo Yale University Lianna Culp Wesleyan University Jane Levy Wesleyan University

Ally Taggart - Bentley University Hallie Voulgaris - Massachusetts Institute of Technology Julia Warren - Hampshire College Erica Wolencheck - University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Commonwealth Honors College)

Kiera Wilson - Emerson College Farrah Assad - Siena College John Chen - New York University (Tisch School of the Arts)

Emily Ullman - University of Delaware Margot Abrahams - Dickinson College Andres Arroyave - Muhlenberg College Ted Christensen - Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Daniel Corotti Kanya - Bucknell University Micah Jo Davoren - Haverford College Ryan Goethals - Villanova University Nicolas Graziano - Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Ashley Lutjen-Sandonato - Bucknell University Jenna Hathaway - Muhlenberg College Alec Martin - Ursinus College Jason Mask - La Salle University Will Song - Carnegie Mellon University Charlie Versen - York College (Graham School of Business)

Remy Aronson - American University Noah Buyon - Georgetown University Max Borowitz - Georgetown University (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service)

Milya Burian - Santa Monica College Barbara Levin - California Polytechnic State University Emma Shepardson - University of Southern California

Min Woong Choi - Georgetown University (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service)

Hannah Weber - Georgetown University

(School of Health Studies)

(Annenberg School for Communcation and Journalism)

Kim Sistek - Whittier College Tiffany Smith-Cofield - University of Southern California Albert Xu - Claremont McKenna College Gap Year: Ana Garlock Andreas Kohl Undecided: Bashayer Al Mullah Inken Hamlescher Barbra Namitala

Tess Greenwald - University of Denver Nick Fleder - Rice University Sabrina Hilfer - Washington University in St. Louis (Sam Fox School of Art and Design)

MOST POPULAR MAJORS

UNDECIDED 45% BUSINESS 21%

Cathy Sellier Tulane University Jessica Bernstein Vanderbilt University

(Peabody College of Education and Human Development)

Zanny Dow - Nate Barasch Wake Forest Emory University University Phil Golodetz Emory University Ken Lim - Indiana University Bloomington Gott Phusit - Purdue University

Mickey Williams - George Washington University (Elliott School of International Affairs)

Grace Xiong - George Washington University Tao Chen - College of William and Mary Sean Coffey - College of William and Mary

Johanna Costigan - Bard College Helena de Oliveira - Cornell University (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences)

Polly Duddy - Hobart and William Smith Colleges Matt Fasman - Rochester Institute of Technology (Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences)

Chris George - Ithaca College

(Roy H. Park School of Communcations)

Dana Greene - Cornell University (School of Hotel Adminstration)

Jhon Guarin - SUNY Brockport MinJi Kim - New York University Archie King - Fordham University (Gabelli School of Business)

Sibo Kwakwa - Skidmore College Brandon Lamberty - Manhattan College Elizabeth Lansbury - Skidmore College Phil Lewis - Westchester Community College Angie Liao - New York University (Gallatin School of Individualized Study)

Dazian Lizardo - Adelphi University Emmi Marolda - Fordham University-Lincoln Center Liam McAuliff - Hamilton College Annie Mesa - Columbia University Raphael Norowitz - Columbia University Abbey Ogden - Syracuse University Darrien Pulos - Union College Matt Rametta - Union College Julia Schmidt - Vassar College Julia Tedesco - Cornell University (College of Human Ecology)

Justin Voelp - New York University Eve Wetlaufer - New York University (Gallatin School of Individualized Study)

Evan Zhang - New York University (Stern School of Business)

Jacqueline Hueneke - EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University Graphic by Tyler Pager

MOST APPLIED-TO COLLEGES

GRADE IN WHICH EACH STUDENT BEGAN MASTERS

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES 10%

Biology 8% ART 8% Media 5%

Graphics by Teerin Juulsawad and Jackie Liu

8

TOWER/MAY 31, 2013

Features

Behind the nameplate: Exploring the role of the Board

by Tyler Pager

Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

On a day-to-day basis, Head of School Maureen Fonseca governs and manages all aspects of the school. However, the direction of the school is set by the school’s governing body, the Board of Trustees.

According to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Tracy Tang Limpe ‘80, the three major tasks of the Board of Trustees are hiring and, if they see fit, firing the Head of School, maintaining the school’s financial health and setting the long-term strategic direction of the school.

“The school is interested in creating more than an impressive college list, but rather in producing young adults who are great citizens, who are great friends, who are great employees,” she said.

Composition of the Board The Board is composed of 25 members, roughly half of whom are current parents and half of whom are alumni.

“We really value the different perspectives that alumni and parents can bring to the work of the board,” Limpe said.

“Alumni have the benefit of having the long view of the school and the values of the school whereas current parents are more plugged in to what is happening at the school today.”

New members are selected by the Board committee on trustees for a three-year term. Trustees,

however, often serve for two or more terms. Fonseca said that the committee’s selections are based on different facets of diversity including alumni versus current parents, racial identity and areas of expertise such as fundraising and marketing.

“We are pushing hard now to get more from the boarding side,” Fonseca said. “We have a lot of parents of day students, but it’s hard because boarding families usually live further away from the school.”

At the last Board meeting in April, three new trustees were elected: Suzie Paxton ’88, Frank Cooper III P’15 and Sheree Holliday P‘16,‘20.

The Board meets three weekends a year in October, January and April. The Friday afternoon of Trustee Weekend is always reserved for trustee education, which involves sessions with faculty and students on specified topics, most recently, cyber bullying.

The formal meeting begins on the Saturday of Trustee Weekend at 8 a.m. and is when the five standing committees report back to the Board.

Student Connection At present, the only formal connection between the students and trustees is on the Friday afternoon of Trustee Weekend.

“Trustees find it very interesting and rewarding to have that touch with students because the students

are the lifeblood of the school and the students are the ones who can really help keep the trustees educated on what the school is doing and what are the ways we are fulfilling the mission,” Limpe said.

Fonseca agreed with Limpe, but said she thinks both the Board and the students would benefit from more informal meetings.

“As a Harkness school, we should have more opportunities for connection however that may be,” she said.

Co-Chair of Community Government senior Helena de Oliveira is satisfied with the distance between the Board and students.

“I think at the end of the day the school is also a business, and that’s the side of the school that the trustees deal with,” she said. “They come to events and they do have contact with some students and I think that’s enough.”

Junior Henry DuBeau, incoming co-chair of Community Government, disagreed.

“Honestly, I don’t really know much about the Board,” he said. “I’ve never seen them around, nor do I know what’s on their agenda. I’ve come to see it like some invisible entity that secretly controls the direction of the school without much student input. So yes, I’d say there should be more interaction between students and the Board.”

Chip Snowden, a senior consultant with Independent School Management

Photo by Tyler Pager

TRUSTEE MARILYN DIMLING P’01, ‘07 POSES for a photo with Board Chair Tracy Tang Limpe ‘80 and Head of School Maureen Fonseca at the recent Board of Trustees meeting on April 19 where she and five other trustees, who are retiring from the Board, were recognized for their service to the school.

(ISM), works with independent day and boarding schools to improve the management of an institution. He said it is highly unusual for there to be student or faculty representatives on the Board.

“The board’s task is to plan for the school’s future and having made that plan, its task is to make sure that the school is viable in the future,” he said. “The board is not looking at the day-today operations of a school.

Students and teachers will often want to represent their group instead of the students and faculty of the future. So it’s not unusual for the Board to make it clear that they don’t have special groups being represented and when there are parents and alumni on the board, they provide overall expertise in a variety of areas not because they are representing a particular group.”

Board’s Focus for the Future The Board is currently investing the majority of its time and energy in completing the Community Athletics and Arts Center (CAAC), predominantly, fundraising.

Trustee Lynn Pilzer Sobel ’71, P ’99, ‘05 has been on the Board long enough to recall other major changes such as adding boys to the school in 1998.

“Change is a part of life and in order to be a relevant institution, we have to change with the times,” she said. “That doesn’t mean that we aren’t thoughtful and that we don’t stick with the principles that the school was founded on by the Masters sisters, but we need to be relevant to serve our students in the best way we can.”

Sobel also commented on the contentious issue of balance between arts and

athletics, specifically regarding the purpose of the CAAC. “We wanted to address the fact that we were deficient in athletic facilities, but not very long into it, and I really credit Dr. Fonseca for this, we realized that this was an opportunity to enhance what we stand for,” she said. “It was an opportunity to not only address the athletics, but to address the arts and to address community service. So I hear this fear that we are going to become a jock school, but that is not at all the intention.”

Another major focus for the Board is to strengthen the corpus of the endowment.

Currently, the school’s endowment sits between $29 and $30 million. Both Limpe and Sobel said they would like to see that figure double. Out of the 11 member schools of the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA), Masters’ endowment ranks sixth. Brunswick has the highest: $83 million.

The Great Gatsby disappoints Comforto replaces Wood in AmStud

by Declan Considine Photo Editor

The greatest problem with The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great American novel, is not the nauseainducing overacting, nor is it the bizarre cinematography, which makes the whole film feel like a melodramatic amusement ride. It’s not even the extraordinary heavyhandedness with which Luhrmann attempts to

convey Fitzgerald’s message. No, the tragic flaw in the sixth (6!) failed attempt at a Gatsby movie is that it merely gives a shallow, albeit vibrant, recount of the novel’s events. It’s almost as if Luhrmann didn’t adapt his film from the novel, but instead from the Sparknotes summary.

One glance at the film’s soundtrack will instantly reveal Luhrmann’s target audience. Contemporary artists such as the lyrically gifted Jay-Z and Andre

Public Domain Image

THE GREAT GATSBY grossed $50 million on its opening weekend of May 10. However, many fans of the novel were disappointed.

3000, as well as appearances from Jack White and Lana Del Rey grace the impressive album created for the film. The idea of the soundtrack was to draw parallels between the opulence of the 1920s and the extravagance of today’s celebrities like Jay-Z. This idea would have been very interesting if executed, but Luhrmann makes a weak use of the music at best. Often the music is faded out at its strongest parts to make way for Carraway’s incessant narration, and other times it feels out of place.

However, Luhrmann continues this trend of targeting a younger audience with heavy-handed narration and cinematography that is so over the top it almost seems satirical.

Perhaps Fitzgerald’s novel is simply not able to converted to the big screen. But this excessive, melodramatic, flashy attempt should not serve to prove this possibility.

However, the film will likely cause such disgust that the great American novel will not be attempted for quite some time again.

by Wen-Xuan Ni Sports Editor

American Studies (AmStud) is an interdisciplinary humanities course offered to eleventh grade students.

Since Darren Wood, Chair of the English Department current AmStud teacher will be leaving for one year in CITYterm creates a vacant position in the AmStud course, which will be taken by chemistry teacher John Comforto.

Wood admits that he is excited to experience a year in CITYterm in order to experience an alternative

teaching model. Although he will still teach one English class here, he said, “I can’t teach AmStud since it take two class periods.”

Replacing Wood’s position, Comforto will teach AmStud for one year. He has a background of political science in addition to his chemistry background.

“I’m fundamentally drawn to the humanities, just as I am drawn to science,” Comforto said. AmStud blurs the boundaries between topics and allows more cross-boundary thinking to occur during discussion. “The prospect of

Photo by Wen-Xuan Ni

JOHN COMFORTO quickly made a name for himself upon his arrival at the school two years ago. Additionally, Comforto serves as the Model United Nations club advisor and will be the dean for the Class of 2014 next year.

working in an interdisciplinary environment with Ms. Berrol is something that excites me,” Comforto added.

Former AmStud student Jenna Hathaway said that Wood instilled confidence within her and let her experience a fearlessness as a writer.

She said, “AmStud students inevitably change from year to year, but what remains are the core ideals of the class. The same principle applies to a change in the teacher.”

In respect to changes of the course next year, history teacher Lisa Berrol said, “Mr. Comforto comes to this class with expertise in environmental science and chemistry experimentation that this course hasn’t used before.”

One main theme that AmStud covers is land usage. With Comforto’s input and specific knowledge, the class can go deeper in environmental topics as well as political scientific issues.

An ideal complement, Berrol has taught literature and currently teaches history, which enhances the course with more language and writing elements.

TOWER/MAY 31, 2013

FEATURES

9

Comparing the Masters brand versus the reality

by Johanna M. Costigan with reporting by Alex Minton Editor-in-Chief Emeritus and Op-Ed Editor

Any private school is a business, and like any business, a school needs to profit in order to stay afloat. Director of Marketing and Communications Bob Horne explained that his current project is centered around a holistic rebrand of the entire school.

Masters Marketing “Building a unified Masters brand is our goal,” Horne said. But he does not believe speed is more important than quality.

Horne explained that unifying our school message through a consistent logo or mascot will also help to also establish its identity.

“We are in a period of

transition,” Horne said. “Our goal is to create an authentic and truthful identity that is recognizable as Masters.”

Associate Director of Admissions Tova Meyer also addressed the belief that the school is in a state of transition. “Some people might perceive the identity of the school as changing right now. We want to keep the core the same, the warmth, the community, the hard-to define thing.”

“Prospective students and families are attracted to the school in large part because of the students,” she said.

Meyer explained that she does not believe the school’s core values are subject to change any time soon, even in the school’s arguable state of development.

“The community’s warmth is what we want to keep.

That’s something that people sense when they come

here, not in a pamphlet, and that self-perpetuates.”

“We certainly do not strive to be inaccurate,” Associate Dean of Students Gillian Crane said.

“Typical viewbooks are made to last for five years, however, and any school can change quite a bit in that span of time,” Crane said.

The most recent revision to the books was last spring, when the admissions office hired an outside designer to write the content of the viewbooks and take photographs.

Meyer explained that the designer and members of the admissions office collaborated in order to determine what they should highlight in the books. She mentioned that Harkness was the center-point of their most recent publications.

Also, students and parents from different countries and states tend to be most intrigued by Masters’ connection to New York City.

Meyer said, “When we are travelling in the U.S. or internationally, the big thing we talk about is proximity to New York because that distinguished us from other schools.”

As per the “Around the Big Apple” viewbook, the average number of academic field trips to New York City per year is 30.

While organizing and

funding field trips is always an ambitious task, there were a total of 34 field trips over the course of this year, according to Head of School Chris Frost. However, not all of them were trips to New York City.

According to freshman Dylan Chan, students may in fact not travel to New York as often as the pamphlets suggest. “I’ve only gone to the city on field trips twice this year, but I really like that they’re trying to make city-literate, city-savy students,” he said.

The Masters Experience The pamphlet called, “Arts All Around” makes mention of the fact that there are fifteen grand pianos on campus. Though this is true, there are only nine in the music building, and those are rarely all available for student use unless they are in the midst of private lessons, which cost hundreds of dollars per student per year.

According to the viewbook entitled, “Around Out Halls,” there is no notable divide between boarding and day students. “The student body is both diverse and cohesive, with no dichotomy between day and boarding students,” the book said.

However, senior Milya Burian, former boarder and

current day student, disagrees.

school has lost the friendliness and the openness that was once at the heart of this school.”

King explained that, unlike many other students, he does not blame t h e in-

S h e said, “I feel that there is a strong social distinction between boarders and day students.”

“I wouldn’t have come here” Despite the school’s commitment to academic enrichment and its recent developmental strides, senior Archie King does not condone what he perceives to be a severe shift in foundational values at the school.

“If I was in the process of applying to high school right now, I would not come here,” he said. “ When my grade came to Masters, people always seemed happy, you never got the sense that there were clear distinctions amongst the kids.”

He continued, “The

creased athletic focus for the school’s plethora of changes.

“The school is simply striving for different values,” he said. King used the implication of the zero tolerance policy as an example.

“You can make one mistake, and you’re out. We’re teenagers, we’re supposed to do stupid things; it’s how we learn. The policy is not conducive to learning or growing.”

“We’re not living up to the reputation we once had.

We’re no longer motivated by the same things we were.”

King also addressed the perception that the school cares too much about students’ college acceptances and class’ matriculation rates.

“We’re just little pieces on a chess board, and that’s not how it used to be.”

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10

TOWER/May 31, 2013

Arts

Graphic by Jackie Liu

Dance styles meld as Urban Connection and Muse share the same stage

by Jackie Liu Features Editor

Break it down. Arabesque.

Pirouette.

Take it from the top.

In a mix of hip hop moves and pirouetting ballet shoes, dancers in the student-run groups Urban Connection (UC) and Muse, held their annual concert on May 24. Muse

performed in the first half of the show; UC followed.

Within each group, there are a multitude of seniors holding high expectations for the concert.

UC has seven: Allegra Carter, MinJi Kim, Dazian Lizardo, Abbey Ogden, Alexandra Taggart, Julia Tedesco and Maya Berrol-Young; Muse has six: Kaan Donmez, Kim, Cathy

Sellier, Taggart, Emily Ullman, Berrol-Young and Julia Yankelowitz.

Each group often holds around two to four hours of practice, staggered per piece, each week. As a result, members of each club greatly anticipated the concert—the culmination of a year’s work.

Kim said, “A lot of time, energy and effort went into

preparing for these concerts.

Both groups started quite early, I would say right after the MLK day performance.”

Both shows are marked by their distinct dances that are choreographed by students, often seniors.

Muse tends to combine ballet with modern and create a serene and graceful dance. UC, on the other hand, is a predominantly

play, Miller said she drew inspiration for material from goings-on at the school. Both directors consider Much Ado About Nothing to be one of Shakespeare’s best works.

“As we were trying to think of plays to do, we thought it’d be hilarious to do the ‘original romantic comedy’ and set in a prep school not that dissimilar from our own,” Miller said.

Miller became interested in directing due to her long history with theatre at school. After years on the stage, she is now ready to take on the role of director.

“It’s amazing to see what

we have written and slaved over taking a life of its own,” she said. “To see it on stage is bizarre and disorientating, but it’s very exciting to see such talented actors take our words and bring them to life.”

Finding the balance between friend and director has been a challenge throughout the process. According to the directors, the actors— though talented—can be unfocused in rehearsal.

Getting the Girl and Other Clichés serves as many actors’ first theatrical endeavors at the school.

Senior Chris George hasn’t acted in a play at the school

since his freshman year.

“Because we have peer directors, being in the play is both fun and frustrating,” he said.

Reflecting on her experience as director, Miller said, “It has strengthened my relationship with Kiera, and it’s another opportunity for us to work together without hurting our relationship.”

Wilson explained the appeal of directing at the school.

“Ever since freshman year, I’ve worked with talented directors, and it’s weird to be in charge since I remember looking up to former student directors, and now that’s

Senior actors direct for the first time

by Abigail Costigan Sports Editor

After years of acting and answering to directors, seniors Kiera Wilson and Carly Miller are finally calling the shots.

The two are directing an original play entitled, Getting the Girl and Other Clichés, which they wrote during their Senior Independent Study in Directing.

The show is based on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and will be performed at 7 p.m. on May 31.

During the process of adapting Shakespeare’s

hip hop group that dances to popular songs, and is known for lively and interesting choreography.

This year, Muse’s theme was “the brain” while UC strove to depict “the Seven Deadly Sins.” Muse had six people, mainly seniors, choreographing select pieces. For UC, the dances revolved upon one or multiple of the seven deadly sins:

lust, gluttony, envy, wrath, sloth, pride and greed.

Following this concert, Muse and UC were officially done for the year and will begin to prepare for next year.

“I’ve been a part of Muse since my freshman year and UC since my junior year,’ Berrol-Young said. “Both have a special place in my heart and it will be sad to say goodbye to these groups.”

Photo by Tyler Pager

MEMBERS OF THE CAST POSE for promotional pictures for the show, Getting the Girl and Other Cliches. Co-director Kiera Wilson said about the play, “It’s fun, light, corny and really showcases the huge range of talent this school has to offer.”

me,” she said. “Carly and I have worked our way up as actors and for me to finish

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my time here, which was so theatre-orientated, by directing is a kind of closure.”

TOWER/May 31, 2013

Sports

11

Prep work for clay tennis court delays practices Athletes of the Year about the Evan Zhang, co-captain considerable slice out of misgivings

by Noah Buyon

Web Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

An unwelcome sight greeted the boys’ and girls’ varsity tennis teams when they returned from spring break: the eight clay courts in varying degrees of disrepair.

Prep work on the courts began the day students returned from spring break.

Because the chemicals in the green clay took days to set, the courts remained unusable through the first weeks of the tennis season.

Athletic Department Chair Kevin Versen explained that an unexpected springtime blizzard delayed the opening of the courts.

Nevertheless, the early lack of courts forced some changes in the schedules of the boys’ and girls’ varsity tennis teams. Junior varsity teams were likewise affected.

Tess Greenwald, a senior on the girls’ varsity team, said, “We were forced to reschedule two home games, because the courts at Masters weren’t OK to play on. I know the boys also had to change a home match to an away one.”

Practices had to be held in the gym, though in some cases, they took place at offsite courts.

The problems with clay courts go beyond late openings.

of the girls’ varsity squad, said, “We have to maintain the courts ourselves; we have to sweep and line them, which takes ten to twenty minutes even with the whole team, which then cuts into our practice.”

Both varsity teams hold practices five times a week, for 90 minutes or even two hours. The cumulative time spent caring for the courts takes a

these practices. In the past, the courts were taken care of by a maintenance staff.

Ross Lillienfield, a junior on the boys’ varsity team, echoed these sentiments.

“The courts are clay, which means they have to be watered,” he said.

“Even though we have a sprinkler system, the courts always seem to be dusty unless it rains.”

Versen, too expressed

Photo by Bob Cornigans

JUNIOR JACINTO LEMARROY SERVES in a recent boys’ varsity tennis match. Masters is the only school in the Fairchester Athletic Association that plays its home matches on clay courts.

clay courts at the school.

“The real question here,” he said, “is why do we have clay courts and not hard courts? If we could have hard courts, we would be able to get on them throughout most of the year, and the upkeep would be kept at a minimum. Our clay courts need a lot of care that we are simply unable to give them at this point.”

The reasoning behind the existence of clay courts may lie in the Dobbs Ferry Tennis Club, a private organization that buys the right to use Masters’ courts annually. The club serves as an important part of Masters’ community outreach.

The Dobbs Ferry Tennis Club caters to a typically older demographic. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) reports that the green tennis clay upon which club members and Masters students play is much easier on the human body than any comparable hard court surface.

Repeated inquiries into the club’s position on the clay courts went unanswered.

For Lillienfield and his student cohort of tennis players, the comfort of Dobbs Ferry residents provides little by way of closure. He asked, “Should the comfort of these players come at a cost to us?”

9th Grade Male Athlete: Josh Bunch Female Athlete: Stefanie Weichart 10th Grade Male Athlete: Max Ishmael Female Athlete: Stephanie Sioufas

11th Grade Male Athlete: Ronnell Canada Female Athlete: Chelsea Strong 12th Grade Male Athlete: Batu Guven Female Athlete: Dana Greene

Spring snapshots

Photos by Bob Cornigans

IN A RECENT GAME AGAINST The Harvey School, freshman Shomari Moore carries the ball up the field after stealing it .

SENIOR CAPTAIN ALEC MARTIN pitches in a recent varsity baseball game. Martin will play baseball next year at Ursinus College.

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12

tower/MAY 31, 2013

SPORTS

SPORTS

Spring track runs through record book

by Abigail Costigan and Rachel Saunders

Sports Editor and Contributing Writer

In only its second season, the spring track team has established itself as one of the top programs in the area. Led by head coaches Tim Weir and Vincent Galgano, the boys’ program broke 16 school

records and the girls’ program broke 11 records.

Weir attributes the team’s success to the athletes’ hard work “I think that the kids on the team accepted the challenge to work hard and accepted that if you work hard you will see yourself get better,” he said.

Senior Batu Guven echoed Weir’s remarks.

Photos by Bob Cornigans

Freshman Jennifer Munnings takes the baton from sophomore Kennedy Whittington-Cooper in the 4x100 at a home meet.

“We are all really committed, have really hard workouts and have really good team spirit,” he said.

Chief among the team’s achievements were qualifying for the Penn Relays and the New England Prep School Track Association (NEPSTA) Championship, two of the most prestigious meets in the area.

The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States and is held every year at the University of Pennsylvania. At the meet, the boys’ 4x400 meter relay placed third in the Prep Independent Section and the girls’ 4x100 meter relay team finished third.

“Going to the Penn Relays was a really unique experience because no other track meet lets high school students run in the same space as Olympians,” Weir said.

Guven, a member of the 4x400 meter relay team, added, “The Penn Relays had 50,000 fans in the stadium, which makes you really nervous before the race, but once you’re on the track you know what to do.”

At the NEPSTA meet, the boys’ team finished 7th overall. Guven finished third in the 200

meter dash and 4th in the 400 meter dash. Junior Chuck Ihekwaba placed sixth place in the 300 meter hurdles. Junior Ronnell Canada placed sixth in the 1500 meter run and junior Joey Wang finished third in the long jump.

On the girls side, the 4x100 meter relay team finished 7th and the 4x400 meter relay finished 8th place. Sophomore Matilda Ahun placed 9th in the high jump.

In addition to their numerous achievements, the team believes they have become closer since the beginning of the year.

Freshman Clara Parkus said, “Getting to know the people on track was one of my favorite parts of the experience because there are people from all around the world and they all came together at the track.”

Sophomore Kennedy W h i t t i n g t o n - C o o p e r, who serves as one of the four captains of the girls’ team, added, “Our best aspect is the wide array of people who are all really supportive.”

While the team will lose many of its strongest runners, Weir is confident about the future of the program.

“Losing Batu will be hard,” he said. “He ran

JUNIOR JOEY WANG leaps into the sand pit during the long jump event. He finished third in this event at the NEPSTA Championship.

four races at the championship meet, and the sheer number of races he can score in will be a loss.”

However, he added,

“The girls team will be stronger next year because we have a lot of freshman and sophomore who look like they’ll stick with it.”

Rallying with Evan Zhang

by Tyler Pager

Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

The doubles team of seniors Evan Zhang and Lily Herzan was nearly unstoppable this season.

The captains played #1 doubles on the girls’ varsity team and they finished this season with a 11-5 record. They also advanced to the semi-finals of the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) tournament.

Zhang sat down with Tower to talk about the season and the team’s success.

Q: How would assess your season individually?

A: Lily and I did really well this year. The only matches we lost are to the toughest teams in our leagues. We communicated really well together and I’m proud of the way that we’re pushed through our tough matches and we have learned a lot from our mistakes and tough losses.

Q: What’s been the everyone comfortable. biggest challenge We also wanted to make this year thus far? everyone a lot closer and A: Because our coach commutes from two hours away, she is often late or unable to make it to practice. So we have to do a lot of the coaching ourselves. I’m really proud of the team for being there for each other when we didn’t always have a coach there.

Q: What is the team dynamic like?

A: We are really like a family. We talk to each other outside of practices and games and when we’re playing matches, we’re helping each other out and cheering on our teammates. Because tennis is more an individualized sport, it’s really important to have that support.

Q: What were your goals as a captain for this season?

A: Lily and I wanted to help the new coach make a smooth transition and make

improve

communication.

Q: How have you grown as a player over the past four years?

A: I’ve gained a lot of experience playing so many matches. I’ve learned how to handle those situations when I’m under pressure or when I’m faced with a player who is not necessarily a great sport.

Q: Tennis is a sport that does not get a lot of attention. How have you tried to change that?

A: It’s the same for a lot of sports, as we don’t get a lot of people coming to our matches, but we are really trying this year to talk more about our games and announce it more. But, at the same time, it makes the team stronger because we lean on each other for that support.

Photo by Bob Cornigans

SENIOR EVAN ZHANG PLAYS against Convent of the Sacred Heart on May 10. Zhang will be attending New York University’s Stern School of Business next year, and is considering playing tennis there.