Merionite February 2019

The Merionite

Thestudent official student newspaper LowerHigh Merion Highsince School since The official newspaper of LowerofMerion School 1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 90, Issue 4

Ardmore, PA, 19003

February 20, 2019

Government shuts down, community steps up Caryl Shepard ’22 Imagine having to work without pay for weeks, uncertain when you will receive your next paycheck. For hundreds of thousands of government workers, this nightmare became a reality last month. Though President Donald Trump recently announced the end of the government shutdown, many are still recovering from its effects. The government shutdown on December 22, 2018 when Democrats and Republicans could not agree on a spending bill to fund about 25% of the Federal Government.The shutdown affected countless federal employees who did not receive pay for their work during the shutdown. 800,000 government employees were either furloughed or working without pay for the duration of the shutdown. Unfortunately, a large number of government employees and families experienced economic difficulty. Though the government shutdown affected many workers nationwide including those in the Philadelphia region, it allowed for LM to come together in order to aid government employees within the community.

In total, around 45,000 workers in the Philadelphia region were affected by the shutdown.

One LM parent, a federal employee who was furloughed and not permitted to work, and wishes to remain nameless due to sensitivities surrounding her position, weighed in on the endeavor. “Fortunately, the shutdown did not affect us financially in the short term as we were compensated for the lost work time. However, the experience was very unsettling due to the struggles faced by other federal government workers, contractors, and many others.”

While some of the affected workers reside within the LM community, the effects of the government shutdown did not drastically affect the township government operations. LM relies on funding from the government, but it can sustain itself without such funding for a considerable amount of time. As LM Chief Financial Officer Dean Dortone explained to Patch during the 2011 shutdown, “We do obviously get federal funding, but it’s not critical that that we get [it] daily.” The Valley Forge National Historical Park, which is part of the National Parks system, had a shortage of federal staff during the shutdown. Its employees were not patrolling or offering tours during the shutdown, but the park itself was still open. However, visitors were urged to be cautious while entering the park due to the lack of staff surveying the area. Finally, the shutdown affected the ongoing investigation into the explosion of a Gladwyne multi-million dollar mansion. In early November, a house on Dodd’s Lane in Gladwyne suddenly exploded due to a suspected gas leak, in an explosion that could be heard from up to half a mile away.

Investigators with the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agency sought to send items from the destruction to a lab in Maryland for testing, but the government shutdown may impede their plans.

However, even though the shutdown may have been trying for government families, there was hope. Many establishments and people in LM’s community joined together to help out those affected by the shutdown. For example, the Ardmore Food Pantry provided free food to any government employee, and then expanded their services to those affected by Please see GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN on page 3

Course catalogue refresh Samantha Anderer ’20 News Editor With the second semester underway, students must consider what courses they will take in the upcoming school year. During the course request period, which lasted from February 1 to February 8, students may have noticed a few changes in the offerings for the 2019-2020 term. Among the changes was the addition of Global Citizenship to the current social studies electives. Another change affected the two AP English courses at LM: while AP Language and Composition used to be reserved for juniors and AP Literature and Composition for seniors, both courses will now be available to both grades.

After a discussion on the overall freedom of choice within the English department, a shift was made in the availability of the AP courses. Wanting to provide students with more opportunities, teachers began investigating areas to do so. “Once we got into these discussions, we were looking at the AP curriculum and came to the conclusion that there’s nothing in there from College Board that stipulates it should be for a particular grade level,” said English Department Chair Brian Mays. As students near the end of their high school education, the gap between reading levels across grades narrows. Consequently, the department put effort into exploring English classes with a mix of juniors and seniors. In the future, this could theoretically apply to the honors and college prep courses as well, meaning all juniors and seniors would gain more options by selecting from a combined range of courses. For now, it is being tested only at the AP level as the logistics are worked out.

The Social Studies department also has a brand new addition: Global Citizenship. This semester-long elective will be available to ninth, tenth, and eleveth graders at both the honors and college prep levels. The course is founded on a student-centered approach that melds Please see COURSE REFRESH on page 2

NEWS

Goodbye, Mr. Lower Merion The tenth anniversary of a beloved LM event ushers in a few changes. page 3

OPINIONS Rewarding hard work

Middle schoolers in the Disarmament and International Security Committe (DISEC) discussed how their respective countries should work together to deal with issues relating to cybersecurity and piracy.

Photo by Daniel Gurevitch ’20

Inaugural LM MUN Daniel Gurevitch ’20 On January 12, LM’s Model United Nations (MUN) team hosted their first full day conference at LM where topics such as cybersecurity, illegal arms trafficking, piracy, and World War I were discussed. The main goal of the conference, which attracted over ninety different members from LM, Harriton, and Bala Cynwyd Middle School (BCMS), was to provide an opportunity to teach new students about MUN with the hope of increasing MUN membership in all three schools.

In fact, most of the students who participated in the conference had never done MUN before. “I was excited that there were so many first timers at the event who all had a great time,” said history teacher and sponsor Michael Kelly.

In order to help prepare new members, cheat sheets about how to speak in MUN were distributed at the conference and meetings explaining how MUN works were distributed and held ahead of time. This work seemed to have paid off as Amelia Schwartz ’20, a leader of the LM MUN team, said, “It was great to watch people who had never done MUN before learn about it and have fun.” Dr. Mark Pellico, the interim principal of BCMS, also said, “All delegates, many in their first conference ever, did excellent work.”

In MUN, students must take on the role of ambassadors from various countries and then debate current world issues.

For topics such as illegal arms trafficking and cyber security, students were tasked with arguing about those topics from the perspective of their own countries. “This conference was a really unique and interesting experience for new and experienced members,” said Oron Barash ’20, a first time MUN participant who took on the role of Saudi Arabia.

Not only were there a large amount of first time debaters, but it Please see LM MUN on page 2

A&E

Editors Pick: Oscars

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

FEATURES Students to teachers Teachers who graduated from LM recount and compare their experiences at the school. page 7

Jonathan Xu ’22 challenges the promises of socialism, while endorsing capitalism. page 5

SPORTS Seniors commit

Graphic by Nora Christman

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff

The A&E editors reveal their picks for the 2019 Academy Awards. page 15

Find out where your favorite senior athletes are going to be competing next fall! page 8

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News

February 20, 2019

The Merionite

Continued from COURSE CATALOGUE REFRESH, page 1

Continued from INAUGURAL LM MUN, page 1 was also the first time that the people who ran the debate, chairs, had actually run a debate before. “This was my first time chairing but I’ve learned a lot and feel confident that we can put on an even better conference next year,” said Nina Aagaard ’22.

Other than the illegal arms trafficking and cyber security topic, a World War I simulation was also held. In this simulation, delegates were tasked with representing a specific person, such as the General of the British Army, with the goal of winning the war.

Not surprisingly for MUN, the simulation ended up nothing like the real World War I, as students were encouraged to think as creatively as possible when solving real world problems. France was turned into a disease ridden land, due to the spread of a deadly disease that started in Africa. To solve this problem, the delegates voted to burn France to the ground in order to prevent the further spread of the disease.

Moreover, a member of the British cabinet was killed by allies and the Ottoman Empire managed to survive the war.

At the end of the conference, awards were given out to the best performing students. Winners included Brandon Kedson ’19, Trent Gaylord ’20, Luke Howey ’20, Sam Aronson ’22, Leo Solga ’22, Marisa Alter ’20, Max Fishman ’22, Jonah Messinger ’22, and Will Johnson ’22. Of the twenty students who won awards, twelve were first-time members.

The LM MUN team plans to host another conference next year and hopes to invite even more schools to participate.

Students at the LM Model United Nations Conference debate resolutions and discuss solutions.

At the end of the day outstanding delegates received awards for their contributions.

Bottom right and left photo by Daniel Gurevitch ’20. Top two photos by Mary Pat McFarland.

traditional academic learning with service opportunities. Specifically, the content will be centered around five key topics related to social justice and globalization: poverty, gender equity, human and civil rights, income inequality, and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, the course aims to help students tune in to their global significance and figure out realistic ways to implement improvements in the world. As put by social studies teacher Tom Reed, who developed and will be teaching the elective, students involved “are going to prepare themselves to go out in the field and fight the injustices there related to these social justice issues.” A final new addition to the catalogue is “Baking and Confections” a cooking class focused solely on delicious sweet treats.

With fresh options being added to the roster every year, LM students are constantly being given new opportunities to expand their knowledge.

Junior Christopher de Santis ’20 reevaluates his course selection as he prepares to converse with his counselor.

Photo by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff

Middle School 3.0 Sophie Yang ’20 News Editor From swelling enrollment to Stoneleigh, LMSD’s new middle school caused a stir in the community that is only now beginning to settle. During the January 2019 School Board meeting, architects from Spiezle Architectural Group and Fielding Nair International presented their initial design concepts for LMSD’s new middle school. The new school will serve fifth to eighth graders coming from Penn Wynne and Gladwyne elementary schools. This presentation outlined the educational vision intended for the middle school. While the Design Team is still sorting out the specifics, they explained “at this level, we are beginning to establish relationships between spaces and beginning to give some form to the building, but there is a great deal of detail that hasn’t been worked out yet.”

In this initial research phase, the planning process detailed by the two firms included workshops with LMSD faculty, visits to middle schools, meetings with students, and discussions with community members. The two-day workshop in November was a key part of the process. As the Design team explained, “We always start design by clearly setting what the vision and goal for learning is.” Principle trends cited included “interdisciplinary learning,” “collaboration amongst teachers and students,” “self-directed learning,” and “project based learning.” With student focus groups, the Design Team learned about learning preferences. The results revealed that students enjoy spending time outdoors, and spaces conducive to collaboration, flexibility, and inclusion.

After gathering this information, the Design Team finalized eight guiding principles to design learning spaces, including encouraging challenge, promoting collaboration, and fostering local and global citizenship. Following these, final building design focused on utilizing outdoor access, spaces called “learning communities,” and a central “heart” of the school to encompass these ideals. For outdoor access, the current designs include a spacious courtyard, which can be quickly crossed by a bridge. Additionally, since the site purchased for the new middle school has a slope, different floor levels of the school will have ground access to the outdoors. A “learning community” is a group of classrooms clustered in a pod with common areas–there would be twelve distributed throughout the school to flexibly accommodate around a hundred students each.

The school is expected to open in September of 2022 to fifth and sixth graders. These grades will later become the first ones to fill seventh and eighth grade. While plans are preliminary and details in topics such as sustainability have not been finalized, LMSD looks forward to a new chapter.

For more information, see page 3

Photo courtesy of Lower Merion School District

The preliminary site layout includes a drive looping around the school, a cluster of athletic fields, and centralized parking in order to efficiently serve both school and athletic needs as well as keep parking activity away from the surrounding residences.

News

February 20, 2019

The Merionite

3

Goodbye, Mr. Lower Merion Danielle Snyder ’19 As February drags on and whispers of dance rehearsals and rented suits spread through the halls, you may find yourself wondering, is it time for Mr. LM again?

The answer to that question is yes—but no. That’s because as of this year, the tenth anniversary production is going by an updated name, “The Amazing Ace.” Mr. LM was designed to put a satirical spin on traditional beauty pageants, such as Miss America, not only in name, but also by turning a beauty-centered concept into a light-hearted, talent-focused show with the intention of raising money for charity. This event allows juniors and seniors of any gender to showcase their personalities, and as Mr. LM has evolved over ten years, many students feel the name no longer represents its inclusive environment. To address this issue, the LMSD Gender & Sexuality Inclusivity & Belonging Committee (GSIB) met to discuss the name, deciding on “The Amazing Ace,” which they believe captures the essence of Mr. LM without reference to gender. This decision is in accordance with LM’s policy 259, which is aimed at providing equal opportunity and access to transgender and gender nonconforming students. Longtime event coordinator and physics teacher Nora Christman admits, “change is hard,” but says they would never want a student to hear the name and feel, “I am not represented here.” Whether or not all students feel the change was necessary, sidekick Maya Krouse '19 points out, “at the end of the day, it is just a name and not the event itself.” With the stakes raised for the anniversary, this year’s pageant is sure to keep the audience laughing and guessing.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary, the directors have selected a “crowd-pleaser,” 20s inspired murder mystery theme revolving around the question, “Who made Ace disappear?” Each contestant, posing as characters such as a maid, a butler, and a wealthy socialite, is a suspect. Do not let their charm fool you, one of them is guilty. Throughout the night, they’ll perform a series of dances, answer questions, and show off their catwalk and other talents. Aided by their lovely sidekicks, each contestant aims to raise money for their chosen charity. At the end of the night, one winner will be crowned, or in this case, proven guilty by a panel of judges and student voters. Co-director Anna Barnett '19 promises that this event will be a “night filled with mystery, intrigue, and sequins.”

To get ready for the event, contestants, sidekicks, and production staff alike put in hours of practice during lunch and learn and free time to make the show the best it can be. While contestants and sidekicks practice their talents, a production crew works behind the scenes to provide lighting, sound, sets, props, costumes, and choreography for the show. This year, a group of LM students will also be putting on a 20s-themed tap dance beforehand. If you want to support their hard work, raise money for charity, or simply experience a night of glitz, glam, and mystery, come out on Wednesday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m. for the tenth annual Amazing Ace. Last year, contestants raised almost $14,000 for their charities, and they hope to beat that number this year.

Graphic by Nora Christman

Former Ace Excels in Lacrosse Benjamin Schmid '19 Sports Editor LM alumnus, Evan Wolf ’15, is now a senior at Amherst College. In January, he was named the Warrior/US Lacrosse Division III Preseason Player of the Year. Wolf is continuing to play at the same extreme levels he reached last season. Among many other awards, he was named the NESCAC Player of the Year in 2018 for his outstanding season with 53 goals and 31 assists. The attackman grew up in Wynnewood and has led Amherst Lacrosse to be ranked third in Division III Boys’ Lacrosse. Wolf’s exceptional accomplishments continue to make the LM community proud.

Continued from GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN, page 1 the shutdown who reside outside of the community. Meanwhile, restaurants such as Jules Pizza and Tiffin Indian Cuisine offered free lunches and meals to government employees and their families. The Haverford YMCA is not charging members who are government employees a monthly fee for the month of February.

Additionally, Main Line Health deferred copayments and deductible billing until the government reopened. According to Main Line Health CEO Jack Lynch, “We [Main Line Health] understand the financial impact that the government shutdown is having on families across the country, including those in our community who rely on Main Line Health for their care.

In keeping with our mission and values, we are committed to ensuring that federal workers in our community and their families continue to receive the care they need.”

LMSD Update Merionite News Editors

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff

On February 8, 2019, Director of School and Community Relations Amy Buckman informed members of the community about the acquisition of the property for the new middle school. The district had an agreement to pay $9.95 million for the property and allow a lease permitting Dr. Bennett and Ms. Di Rocco to “stay on the property through May 2023,” but the sellers’ lawyers, gave the district an ultimatum to either purchase the property for $12.9 million or they would see the property to Villanova University.

Buckman asserts in the letter that the “Board will not spend nearly $3 million more than is has approved for the sake of expediency. The Board reserves all rights and remedies in connection with any further litigation to the extent pursued by Dr. Bennett and Ms. Di Rocco.” This situation is still developing.

Opinions

February 20, 2019

4

The Merionite

The Merionite Official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors-in-Chief Julian Ginzburg ’19 Caleb Shack ’19 Managing Editor Molly Cutler ’19 News Editors Sammy Anderer ’20 Julia Rudy ’19 Sophie Yang ’20 Opinions Editors Melissa Bell ’20 Andres Bermudez ’19 David Sommer ’19 Features Editors Emma Becker ’20 Kathy Wei ’19 Ziwen Zhou ’19 Arts & Entertainment Editors Izzy Bruckman ’20 Davon Collins ’19 Grace Wei ’19

Editorial: Failed Experiment As students of LM, every member of the editorial staff of The Merionite can say that they have been supported in their educational journey by excellent teachers. More recently though, as upperclassmen, many members of the staff have noticed a pattern which we believe undermines the support system we have received so far. In the transition from sophomores to juniors and especially from juniors to seniors, many Merionite staff members have seen an increase in teachers opting for the ‘flipped classroom’ teaching style. However, we disagree with this decision.

The ‘flipped classroom’, in theory, is an education system in which students spend class time discussing and gaining a more in-depth understanding, while spending their time at home actually learning the information. Occasionally this method works well, usually when teachers painstakingly record lectures and fill every minute of class time with meaningful and engaging instruction that consolidates the content students learn out of class.

In most cases, however, flipped classrooms frustrate students as it makes poor use of class time and forces students to learn the information at home, which is rarely as effective.

Picture two scenarios. In the first, a student comes home late from their extracurricular activity. They open up their laptop and check

Web Editor Alek Lexa ’19 Business Manager Eric Bing ’20 Staff and Business Advisor Charles Henneberry The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. All articles have gone through an intensive, independent fact-checking process to minimize factual errors.

The paper acknowledges that mistakes are possible and welcomes questions as to accuracy. Inquiries regarding accuracy should be directed to the editors of the paper. Editors can be contacted via e-mail at merionite@gmail.com or in Room 200A. To represent all viewpoints in the school community, The Merionite welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters can be sent via e-mail or dropped off outside the Merionite office. The Merionite reserves the right to edit letters to the editor for length or clarity.

Unsigned editorials reflect the general opinion of the staff and not the opinion of any single editor.

A is for accuracy

Copy Editors Elliot Ginzburg ’21 Lydon Pelletier ’19 Sydney Zellinger ’21

Source Confirmation Editor Sophie Meyer ’20

capable of handling the rigorous lesson the teacher has planned. They perform at their maximum potential in all of their activities, and they continue on the path of a healthy, sustainable life.

Unfortunately, the former is often the reality and result of flipped classrooms. More often than not for busy high school students, the flipped classroom results in more work, more stress, and less sleep. The implementation of flipped classrooms usually requires massive amounts of outside learning and, as students are not as effective at teaching as a teacher, the information will be learned less efficiently. Unfortunately, rather than utilize class time well, flipped classes become study halls, often with only the tiniest hint of discussion and very little classroom participation from the drowsy students.

As students, no one on the The Merionite staff would pretend to know more about educational strategies than the staff members.

This is why, regrettably, we cannot offer alternatives or solutions. Instead, since as students we are the ones who feel the results of teachers’ experiments, we feel we can share the message: this isn’t working.

Articles and letters featured in the Opinions section reflect the viewpoints of individual contributors and not necessarily those of The Merionite editorial staff.

Sports Editors Melissa Dash ’19 Julia Kreuzer ’19 Benjamin Schmid ’19

Graphics Editors Christopher de Santis ’20 Sihan Wu ’19

their homework. For every subject they see the following: “Read Chapter X, watch videos, do practice problems.” The student must then choose the following: either stay up until 3 A.M. doing homework and learning, or instantly begin to fall behind in class. The student chooses the first. They stay up late, do every assignment and then get little to no sleep. The next day, exhausted, they drag themselves to school to patiently sit through six sets of teachers repeating (or not repeating) what they learned that night. They spend the whole day unengaged due to exhaustion, and their performance in tests, sports, and activities, and their health, suffers.

In the second scenario, the same student gets home late from the same activity. They open their laptop and see “do practice problems.” They recall the lesson they learned in class that day. They have two entirely different choices: do the homework because the teacher explained the information to them well, and solidify their understanding—or lose a bit of credit but still have a solid understanding of the information and only a marginal increase in sleep time. The student chooses the former and spends a few hours compacting their understanding of the day’s lesson. They fall asleep early, awake well-rested and attend school eagerly. In class they are engaged and attentive, and thus perfectly

Emily Shang ’21 With the start of the 2018-2019 school year came the rise of a widely used grading system: quarterless grading. Though some teachers began to implement quarterless grading in 2017, this year is the first time the method has been so widespread. The promptitude in which this system became popular can be attributed to its many benefits. Under the old grading system, the year’s grade was an average of four quarter grades, with each quarter being weighted equally regardless of the amount of points per quarter, along with midterms and finals. The old quarter system was founded on the basis that students and parents would only be able to check their grades four times each year. However, because students now have the ability to check their grades whenever they please, due to PowerSchool, the quarter system has become unnecessary, inefficient, and ultimately outdated. Furthermore, quarterless grading offers benefits in that teachers can be less preoccupied with cramming

certain assignments into certain quarters so that the weight of such assignments can equate those in other quarters, and therefore they can spend more time and energy on actually teaching students.

Since each yearly grade is now a cumulative score based on the points of every assignment in the four quarters along with the midterm and final grade, students, as well as teachers, are less stressed. Overall, the quarterless grading system offers more mathematical fairness to the student and is a more accurate reflection of the grades students deserve. Quarterless grading is a better system than the previous compartmentalized system because it emphasizes focus on learning rather than grades.

As students can now check their grade whenever they want, there is no proper reason for grades to be split into sections.

With the quarterless system, the yearlong grade is changed gradually instead of abruptly as is the case with the quarter system. The ability to get an update on grades makes report cards unnecessary, and instead of being panicked about a few mistakes, students are able to see their grades quickly and develop a plan for their learning in a timely manner. The quarterless system thus offers students a better opportunity to change and better their grade, as there isn’t an impending deadline for grade changes.

The students at LM, facing an extremely competitive environment, endure immense amounts of stress in school. As students worry and place enormous emphasis on their grades, it is only just if those grades are accurate and indicative

of a student effort. Mathematically, the quarterless system offers the most legitimate end grade. Unless teachers are somehow able to make each quarter total the same amount of points, scores in certain quarters would inevitably contribute unevenly into the final grade. The final grade will be more accurate as a cumulation of all assignments and point values throughout the year, without the segmentation and separation that the quarter system provides. Since the segments are irrelevant and unfitting, it makes the most sense for the year grade to be a sum of the points received by the student divided by the most points able to be earned, with any teacher weighting factored in.

It is clear quarterless grading, providing the most optimal situation for LM students and teachers, is here to stay.

The era of students anxiously awaiting their report card four times a year is long behind us. Because students are able to check their grades freely, the logic behind the structure of the quarter system is void. Teachers are also able to focus more on teaching material and less on giving grades. Furthermore, the assignments of one quarter should not hold more value simply because there happened to be less work assigned at that time. With the old quarter system, it was almost impossible to perfectly balance the weight across all four quarters. With the new quarterless grading system, this is no longer a concern. A cumulative year long score, a combination of the point values from all of the assignments, as well as midterms and finals, is the best way to determine student grades.

Give homework a break

Sonia Laby ’22 When I look back at winter break, I feel so thankful for the district policy preventing teachers from assigning homework over break. Especially at a competitive school like LM, winter break is a well deserved time out

from school. It effectively alleviates stress, helps students perform better during the rest of the year, allows for those who are intending to travel the opportunity to do so, gives students more of a chance to catch up on their sleep, and allows for more time with family and friends.

The school district should maintain its policy in which teachers cannot assign homework over vacation because LM students simply need a break from the constant and sometimes overwhelming amount of schoolwork in their lives. LM is undoubtedly highly competitive, which leads many students to be extremely stressed. Mental health is a serious issue for all, and, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, teens are especially susceptible to mental health disorders including anxiety and depression— two things stress especially causes. Giving

Correction for the December 19, 2018 issue:

students a break from stress is essential for students to maintain good mental health.

High school in general is a trying time for almost everone. Most students exert a great deal of effort towards their educational career. However, when students aren’t given a proper break, they tend to lose motivation and tire themselves out, thus resulting in their performance decreasing. In order for LM to continue to enjoy the many benefits that come with being a highly ranked school, it needs to continue to meet and exceed the standards, and the only way to that is to continue to give students a break, not just from school, but from all schoolwork as well.

Please see HOMEWORK on page 5

For the Special Feature’s 2nd graphic, which asks “Have You Ever Been In The Same Room As Someone Who Was Using An E-Cigarette?” the percentage of responses for ‘yes’ and ‘no’ should be switched.

Opinions

February 20, 2019

5

The Merionite

Rewarding hard work

Jonathan Xu ’22 Socialism has been gaining quite a lot of support over the years. According to a recent Gallup poll, a majority of Americans age eighteen to twentynine prefer socialism over capitalism, a marked shift from only two years ago, when capitalism was far more popular.

This rapid political shift reveals not only the younger generations’ disillusionment with the status quo system, but also their desire for change— change that perhaps socialism has to offer. However, the actual principles the term “socialism” applies to are often elusive and misconceived. The true concept behind the façade of socialism is not only an endangerment to the profusion of wealth that our nation already possesses, but also threatens to dismantle the principles of freedom and liberty that make us who we are.

Socialism is a leftist political ideology in which the government controls the production and distribution of goods and services within an economy.

Socialism, unlike capitalism, does not retain an individual profit motive and therefore lacks an incentive to innovate, produce, and improve. Capitalism, however, does not have this issue.

Capitalism forces people to work; not for society, not for the betterment of others, but for the benefit of oneself.

The system dictates that your quality of life is determined by you, and therefore individuals have a strong incentive to work hard. The result? A well-balanced economy in which individuals are more productive and efficient, and thus create greater supply, while at the same time generating demand from the profits of unimpeded production. Socialism, in great contrast to capitalism, forces everyone to work for the abstract incarnation of “society” which creates little incentive for individual success.

The second issue regarding socialism is that it places too much power in the hands of government. Socialism’s prerequisites for central planning, production control, and state ownership of an economy, necessitates a powerful government to be in place performing these functions. Power is concentrated in the hands of a few, and those few are entrusted to run the government in the most unbiased and righteous manner.

However, as with the case of concentrated power, this becomes nothing more than a recipe for disaster. As John Dalberg-Acton famously stated,

Homework

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Socialism hands absolute power to those who determine how production is set and how demand is quenched. Since the inception of socialism, there has been no shortage of socialist authoritarian regimes, all led by power-hungry despots, including Stalin’s USSR, Mao’s China, Castro’s Cuba, Maduro’s Venezuela, and Kim’s North Korea.

When taking this same notion into consideration for capitalism, one observes the opposite. Instead of a staterun economic model, the markets are controlled by the people. Capitalism ascertains only a few basic rights to the people: the right to own the profits of one’s labor and the right to enjoy free trade with others. These two fundamental freedoms provide the incentive that is necessary to create a productive and successful commercial environment. Capitalism is the inimitable system by which human creativ-

ity is unleashed because it allows for individuals to shape their future for themselves, not on behalf of others.

In fact, Adam Smith, who is colloquially known as the founder of modern economics, promulgated capitalism not because he thought people aren’t greedy, but because he knew that greed in a free market system inadvertently provided an end benefit to the whole of society. This benefit was the gift of human ingenuity.

Socialism may sound like a brilliant principle in theory, but it is nothing more than a system of economic control that extirpates the ability for individuals to make decisions for themselves. At the end of the day, it is simply a nonsensical theory that doesn’t add up to itself. All of this goes to show how dangerous America’s lean towards socialism, especially among younger individuals, can have on the future of this great nation. If we allow ourselves to be subjugated to the egregious effects of socialism, there will be consequences for everyone. It is thus in the best interests of humanity as a whole to always choose capitalism over socialism.

Cont. from HOMEWORK OVER BREAK on page 4 Winter break is a time for some families to travel.

Many students take car rides and travel places not optimal for school work. Oftentimes, students are celebrating holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, leaving students with little time to study and complete homework. This leaves students at a severe disadvantage as compared to students who are not celebrating. It would ultimately cause them to fall behind and become even more stressed. Students should not feel pressure to do homework and study if they are in a situation over break where they simply don’t have the time or place to do so.

Another reason why this policy is necessary concerns the amount of sleep students are getting. Many students spend hours completing homework most nights, in addition to participating in time consuming extracurriculars. With the fact that school starts at 7:30, it’s no surprise that most students don’t get

Stick to the script

Isaac Mittman ’22 What is the basis of the American legal system? Any person would name the Constitution. However, there is very much debate about the interpretation and relevancy of this document. Since Alexander Hamilton used the “elastic clause” of the Constitution to argue for the first federal bank, the nation has debated whether the Constitution can be interpreted without regarding the founders’ intent. Fleeing from the founders’ intent is one of the most perilous directions America can pursue, as the Constitution has been an extremely

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/ Staff

potent defender of human rights. This document has some revolutionary ideas ingrained within, such as the fundamental right to vote, right to a fair trial, seperations of power, freedom of speech, the right to defend oneself, and the democratic republic. Judicial interpretation without taking into account the founders’ intent is not a form of increasing the understanding of a document but instead a way of contorting its meaning.

Our nation’s freedoms simply will not survive if we continue to disregard the original meaning of the Constitution.

The Second Amendment’s introductory clause (“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state”) created ambiguity in the amendment’s meaning. This ambiguity made it to the Supreme Court which, in DC v. Heller, using the framers’ arguments and discussions, decided that the founders’ intended the right to exist not just for those in the militia but for civilians.

The Supreme Court could have easily disregarded intent and reinterpreted the clause to mean that only members of militias had the right to bear arms, but they chose to stick by the founders’ intent.

Judicial abandonment of the framers’

anywhere as near as much sleep as they should be getting. By giving students a break—with no academic obligations—they are giv- en more time to sleep and can, to some degree, catch up on the hours and hours of sleep they’ve missed. If teachers start assigning homework over break, students will start losing sleep again to finish their homework in time before school starts again.

A break from all of the stress of school gives students a chance to step back and see that there is a life outside of grades and tests. There’s so much more to life that’s meaningful, such as developing strong relationships with friends and accepting yourself. A time without homework or stress gives students a chance to truly reflect on the person they’ve been so far during the year, and the ways they can improve in the remaining months of the school year.

Spending time with family is a necessary part of break. Developing strong relationships with parents,

intent does not just affect society but also the judicial system. The American courtroom is a fundamental part of the government, but manipulation undermines the system, replacing stability with uncertainty. If the Constitution can be freely interpreted, any judge can decide what the Constitution means, and can thus completely disregard proper order. Within this chaos, judges usurp Congress’s position as the legislative branch and become the supreme legislator. No one branch of the American government should have significantly more power than the rest, and judges reinterpreting the Constitution at their whim permits them to strike down any bill they disagree with. Ultimately, following the founders’ intent creates a strong and stable system which prevents the uncertainty of an erratic free-for-all.

Even more concerning, when judges have the power to interpret the Constitution as they wish, there is a potential for interpretation to be used to violate an individual’s rights. Many rights guaranteed under the Constitution, such as the right to bear arms, right to a fair trial, and the right to free speech, can be stripped away if a judge disregards the meaning of the Constitution in favor of their own interpretation. When the founders’ intent is disregarded, the Constitution is no longer guaranteed protection for individual liberties. To best secure the freedom of the American people, the Constitution must be interpreted the way it was intended by the founders.

Stability is extremely important in any nation. Precedent creates stability.

When individual rights are no longer upheld and courts don’t follow set rules, the government will ultimately be in disarray. Competing interpretations of the Bill of Rights will diversify an already split nation. The system of courts will be adversely affected without an absolute understanding of the purpose of the judicial system. Chaos might erupt on Capitol Hill over how the government should correctly operate on specific situations. Dismissal of the Constitution’s original meaning can ultimately end up with an unstable society.

Now, one may say that the Constitution is irrelevant to changing times, but that is precisely the reason why the amendment process exists. The Constitution states in Article Five that, “Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution.” This means that if there is an actual need for change, the representatives of the populace, with a bipartisan supermajority vote, will do so. The amendment process breaches the gap between creating a stable system and adapting to change.

It is important to be wary of the danger of reckless judicial reinterpretation.

Reading the Constitution as intended is the best way to preserve the freedoms of Americans.

siblings, cousins, and grandparents is an important part of growing up, and the holidays are a perfect time to do that. Without the stress in the back of a student’s mind of homework and studying, a student can be truly present during family events. Personally, when I have a test or project due date coming up, I feel as if it’s weighing down on me. The absence of that helps me be my best self. Especially since the holidays are one of the only times which large extended families come together, it is important to maximize that time.

If each person is present and acting as their best self, families can maximize that time in every way possible.

Break is a vital time in the school year. It gives students a chance to catch up on sleep, spend quality time with family, and reflect on themselves. Assigning homework over break would only weaken those activities, and that is why LM’S policy of not assigning homework over break is essential.

6

Opinions

February 20, 2019

The Merionite

Too many options ’21 says that “being a peer leader is enjoyable because you have the ability to connect with freshmen and help guide them through their freshman year.

However, the tours are unnecessary because students do not seem to care and often times have already made their decision. In addition, I missed two days of work that took a while to make up.” An immense amount of arguably wasted time is spent guiding middle school students around LM and Harriton which impedes with the education of all involved.

The main reason as to why this time spent can be considered so wasteful is because the schools

Elli0t Ginzburg ’21 Copy Editor It’s no secret that the LMSD has been facing numerous obstacles regarding its large and growing population of students for some time now. When addressing such problems, deciding who’s going to which high school is a very important part of the process. Therefore, an examination of the current system for allocating middle school students to high schools is crucial. Currently, the Bala Cynwyd students are granted the decision between LM and Harriton High School, while most Welsh Valley students are required to attend Harriton High School. However, it would be greatly beneficial for all if students were simply assigned high schools based solely on their proximity to the schools, as well as other key factors.

Every year, guided by an LM student, hundreds of middle school students from Bala Cynwyd and Welsh Valley tour LM. Both the middle schoolers and high schoolers invest hours upon hours on such tours, and seeing that this is in the middle of the school day, one must ask if that’s the best use of both of their time. For middle schoolers, several days are spent touring and listening to the programs that LM and Harriton have to offer. On the other hand, the guides (LM students) miss two days of class to conduct such tours during crucial parts of the year. Peer leader Ella Braunfeld

LM has more students than Harriton, which allows students at Bala Cynwyd to choose either high school, while Welsh Valley students are limited to Harriton unless they live in the choice zone. The number of students at LM continues to increase because students at Bala Cynywd tend to choose LM. When both high schools are essentially the same, a student’s location of residence can be one of the biggest factors in deciding which high school to attend. Phillip Gao ’22 recalls his decision to attend LM was based on “LM’s vast variety of engaging extracurriculars and proximity to the community.” Gao’s decision is similar to that of many LM students who have previously attended Bala Cynwyd because of LM’s appealing location. Students at LM are choosing to shy away from smaller class sizes at Harriton in order to be closer to their homes. Since students are choosing high schools not based on class size, and since most residents of Lower Merion Township reside closer to LM, overpopulation is inevitably going to occur.

A system in which the high school you attend is based on your home location would be better suited for the LMSD. Zones would be created to which high school you attend. Certain Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19 /Staff exceptions will have to be are extremely similar. Both schools reside under made in certain cases: for example, students who are the same budget, so both schools have most of the supposed to go to LM will be permitted to go to Harrisame extracurriculars. There are some differences ton if they wish to participate in the IB program. Stubetween the schools, such as LM having a pool and dents who live close to either LM or Harriton would Harriton having the International Baccalaureate still have the opportunity to walk to school, while (IB) program; however they are on a rather smaller those students who live in a zone equally far from scale. The fact that LM and Harriton are essentially both schools would more likely be assigned to Harthe same, excluding a few important things, further riton due to the greater amount of students at LM. demonstrates that much time is wasted by exam- Other than that, the district would simply be divided ining all aspects of both schools. Overall, only stu- so that an equal amount of students will attend each dents who intend to participate in the unique aspects school. This system would balance out the number of of LM or Harriton should be permitted to make a students attending each school and eliminate time choice because the other differences are miniscule. wasted and stress caused by the meaningless decision.

Foreign prospects

Jonathan and Noah Sommer ’22 Since its reunification of West and East Germany, Germany has become an economic powerhouse, dominating the export market and maintaining the strongest economy in Europe. Even before the unification, German speakers have succeeded in fields from science to art. Due to this incredible success, learning German provides a myriad of opportunities. Although having the reputation as being a tough language to learn, German is relatively easy for an English speaker to learn as English and German are extremely closely related to each other and are even in the same language family. In fact English and German have around sixty percent lexical similarity. Due to its ease and wide range of uses, around four hundred thousand American students take German within their public high schools, making it the third most commonly taken foreign language in the United States. LM should allow its students to join this tremendous number and reap the benefits of knowing German.

Being the third largest exporter, Germany has a plethora of large companies that perform business with the United States. Three of the top five most profitable pharmaceutical companies do business in German and two of the five most profitable car companies are German. German companies are seeking German speakers and knowing this language would greatly improve your opportunities. Due to the myriad of successful German companies, knowing Ger-

man creates a significant economic boost. According ing people have fueled a large amount of our world’s to The Economist, if three students of equal abil- innovations. German speakers have won over 100 ity each studied either German, French, o r Nobel Prizes. German is the second most spoken Spanish, in twenty years the one that language in academia which is huge, only second took German would be making $25,000 to English. Due to this incredible more than the one that took Spanish and fact, being able to read Ger$15,000 more than the one that took man would greatly increase French. Overall, knowing Geryour knowledge base. In man can increase both your op2014, Germany had more portunities and future salary. than a quarter million With 82 million people foreigners enrolled in living in Germany, 8 million German schools, makin Switzerland, and 8 miling them the fourth lion in Austria, German is largest destination for the most common mother study abroad. Gerlanguage in Europe. Not man universities are only do Germans have incredibly attraclarge numbers in the tive due to their real world, but .de is inexpensive tuition the fifth most comand top-of-the-line mon website domain education. Learnand 5.8 percent of ing German would websites are in Gerincrease an inman, the third most tellectual’s capabilities common website and opportunities, making it language. Also Geran important language to know. many sends over two LM should teach German bemillion tourists to the cause of its wide array of usages, United States every the increase in opportunities, year. These incredible the monetary benefit, and numbers mean that the the knowledge gain. Gerprobability you will meet a man is not just a beautiGerman and need to converse with ful language but it’s also him is incredible strong, increasthe language of fantastic ing the value of the language. tourist destinations with German is the language of tasty and iconic food and inventors, innovators, and amazing sights like the Branwriters. One tenth of all the denburg Gate. LM should books are in German, the third ensure that its students Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19 /Staff most after Chinese and English. From Alhave the ability to reap bert Einstein to Sigmund Freud, German speakthese benefits by offering German language classes.

Features

February 20, 2019

7

The Merionite

Fix your feed Ziphron Russel ’20 Imagine if social media was a sport. You could be on the freshman, junior varsity, or varsity team. Which team would you be on? Well, before you say varsity, it’s not that easy to get there. In this article, you will find that there are many different ways to get to that varsity position and succeed in the social media world that is ahead of us.

I am no “varsity player” when it comes to running the perfect account, but I know a thing or two about how to improve your online presence. In order to have a great post, choose a topic worth double-tapping. When it comes to a good picture, there are some general guidelines I like to follow. The picture should be straight, not blurry, and I know I personally like photos that send some sort of a message, one that may be nothing more than a simple emotion of happiness, seriousness, or excitement. I like it when a caption is hilarious because when a post makes me laugh, I know it deserves my like and sometimes a comment. If the post has something that most of your followers can relate to, that’s better. When it comes to making yourself a strong platform, you have some decisions to make. For example, do you want your page to have strong political views, do you want it to just share good times you’ve had, or do you want to spread awareness about something? By having an overall goal for your account, you can post content accordingly and create a systematic and effective platform.

When finding the perfect picture to post, it shouldn’t be too heavily edited because it loses its authenticity and personality. A nice way to increase your account’s appeal may be to create an overall theme. This may be done by using a similar or identical filter on each photo, such as using black and white or another color tint, to maintain consistency.

Along with having a good picture, a great caption is more than necessary. There are definitely different ways you can go about captions. You could highlight something in the photo, something that hap-

pened at the event the picture took place in or something more basic and simplistic. For example, let’s say you post a picture of yourself and there’s a person in the background looking very scared. You might say, “the man’s face in the back represents how I feel about my midterms” for a funny and relatable joke. This way, your audience takes a closer look at your photo and is more interested in what you have to say. I personally find captions along the lines of, “couldn’t think of a caption” to not be the best option: people may call you out in the comments for the cop-out or simply scroll by and not like your post. Another reason your post could get ignored is if your caption highlights an inside joke. If your goal is for all your followers to appreciate your post fully, you may want to avoid this.

The last component to running a smooth social media account is posting your photos at the right time. I find that most teenagers are on their phone around the time they go to bed. Around eight or ten o’clock at night is a prime time for a post to reach the maximum amount of likes since more people Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff are online, and your post comes up first on their feeds. Another key time may be right after an event you attended and that a lot of of people were at because there’s a high chance they are scrolling down their feeds at that time.

Think about it. When are you on social media the most? It’s going to be after you finish doing something tiring after school, sports, work, a sports game, etc. Putting your place in the shoes of your audience is an easy way to know how to reach them best. It’s important to also know that having a perfect account isn’t what you have to focus on as your goal. Other people’s opinions don’t matter as long as you love what you post and you post about what you love. However, if you are dedicated to having a “pretty” account, one that people stalk and dream of having, following these ideas can get you there.

An easy way to save a dog’s life Nuala O’Neill ’20

Who’s a good girl? Daisy Mae is!

About 56% of the dogs that enter shelters are unfortunately euthanized, and that is why LM Physical Education and Health teacher Tom Kline has been temporarily fostering puppies coming from Alabama, West Virginia, and Georgia for approximately four months. The most recent foster puppy, Squeaky, was only fifteen months old. She was found abandoned with three other puppies in poor condition on the side of the road. Now, she has found a loving home with LM special education teacher Lisa Achuff and has been renamed Daisy Mae. Daisy Mae is just one of the four lives Kline has saved so far. Each dog with a tragic backstory is given the opportunity for a wonderful happy ending—living with a caring and kind family.

Although it is difficult to welcome a dog into the family only to later watch them go, saving the lives of dogs is something Kline has always been involved in and passionate about. “I’ve been honestly doing things with animal shelters since I can remember: donating items, collecting stuff, helping out at SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals], and personally adopting dogs.” Shelters like the two Kline works with, Lucky Dawg and Hindes Dog Shelter, are often overcrowded and too underfunded to adequately care for all of the dogs brought to them, so they are forced to euthanize over half. This is why foster families like Kline’s are so important. Without them, dogs like Daisy Mae would be euthanized, but by fostering a dog, you not only save the life of one dog, you also open a spot in the shelter for another, saving two lives. The dogs that Kline fosters may have had a rough past, but they make wonderful pets.

Kline says that LM families interested in serving as temporary foster homes “should fill out applications from the [shelter] site. They need to get approved and go through a meet and greet. The shelters have to verify that your family is fit to foster dogs.” Although it is easy to get attached to the foster dogs, “they only stay with us until they’re able to be adopted; no dogs have stayed with us longer than two to three weeks.” This cuddly puppy is In the end, you should feel pleased and proud that you were able to save a dog’s life and serve as a transition ready to find a loving to a wonderful home. If you are interested in fostering a dog, email Kline or contact the shelters listed above home. to get more information. Kline is also open to giving updates about the wonderful dogs that he brings in.

Photos by Thomas Kline

President word search

8

Spo

February 20, 2019

The Me

Seniors C

Where ten of LM’s superstar athlet

Sports Short Sports Editors

The boys’ basketball team has been cruising to new heights and dominating their competition this season. Both Jack Forrest ’19 and Steve Payne ’19 have earned their spots in the 1000-point club. Payne entered with an impressive three-point shot on December 8 against McDowell in Erie, PA. Forrest joined him on January 25 during the Hope Classic versus Haverford in LM’s own gymnasium. These seniors have shown their dedication to the sport for four years, and their recognitions are well deserved.

orts

February 20, 2019

9

erionite

Commit

tes are continuing their journeys...

Jalen Goodman Football Villanova University Was there a highlight of your recruitment process?

“On my visit the head coach drove my mom, my sister, and I around the school in a golf cart.”

What excites you most about this school?

“Being able to play at a high level, while also receiving a great education.”

What are your wishes for your athletic collegiate career?

“To be the best at my position in the league.”

Sports Short Sports Editors

Senior Anna Kalandadze has broken numerous school swim records over her four years, and now she has done it yet again. This year, she broke the LM record in the 200 yard individual medley to add to her lists of achievements. Her outstanding performances have made her one of the greatest swimmers in LM history. She will look to continue her athletic success in college at the University of California, Berkeley.

All photos are courtesy of the respective athlete.

Graphics by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff.

This list is comprised of both committed and verbally committed college athletes. Responses were voluntary, therefore, this list may not be representative of all committed LM athletes and are subject to change.

10

Features

February 20, 2019

From students to teachers

The Merionite

Ella Johnson ’22

After four years of waking up early to make the bus and going enduring seven hour school days at LM, would you want to continue doing that? You might say no, but several of your current teachers actually graduated from LM and came back to teach, and they thoroughly enjoy it.

Most of them had similar reactions when asked about why they came back to LM after graduating.

School board member Laurie Actman ’88 summed it up perfectly, saying, “I moved back to Lower Merion to send my kids to school here, and I joined the school board because I wanted to give the students here the opportunity for the same great experience I had as a girl growing up here.” Actman’s positive view of her experience at LM is similar to that of many alumni. While the LM that Actman and other teachers are talking about shares fundamental similarities, there are changes that have occured.

Over the past couple of decades, LM has changed significantly in all aspects. The population of the school is growing as more people move into the area in search of the great resources and education offered at LM. Many alumni teachers such as Michael Bomze ’01 were especially amazed with the way that the social setting at LM has changed from when they were students. Bomze says that students and their friendships at LM have changed: “In terms of social life, things are so very different.” At LM in 2001, “Cliques were dominant…students were a lot less accepting back then–many were downright mean.”

However, Bomze describes the current LM in a much better light: “I see how different groups of kids interact today, and it’s plain awesome. It’s not just the jocks who are the cool kids.

Programs like Best Buddies and BuildOn really help bring diverse groups of students together and it’s freakin’ awesome to see.” The contrast between these different social climates after only eighteen years is remarkable. Teachers who formerly went to LM are delighted in coming back to see just how much the school has improved since they graduated. The welcoming aspects of LM make teachers want to come back and work here

and continue to inspire students to change the school for the better.

While LM’s inclusivity definitely improved, all of the teachers interviewed say that classes are harder, stress is inevitable, and pressure is higher than they ever experienced.

Linda Hecht, a former LM student and current teacher at Welsh Valley says, “I do have empathy and understanding, but mostly because I feel like students today have bigger shoes to fill than we ever did!” She continues, “I feel pretty fortunate that I didn’t have to deal with that level of stress!” When describing her student experience at LM, Hecht notes that “I don’t [she doesn’t] remember it being extremely stressful or time-consuming,” and mentions how sports these days take up a lot of time and commitment. I’m sure everyone at LM would agree with her that almost everyone is constantly stressed about a hefty workload, many tests, and trying to master topics in class.

The pressure to do well is constant at LM, where standards are set high and only increase as time goes by.

There are many other teachers who graduated from LM, such as Glenn Brooks, Allison Mellet, Mattew Schwartz, Marsha Rosen, and Sean Capkin. In the June 2018 Merionite issue, Capkin ‘02 stated, “Spanish was the class that I asked to puedoir-al-baño in so I could stroll every single day...The lesson here, from one spanish teacher who ducked out of Spanish class, is you never know where each path is going to take you.”

So what is the advice teachers have for you after living through it themselves? Bomze wants you to ask your teachers for help when you need it. “Don’t go at it alone. Teachers care about you and are here to help you.” Hecht says that tests, while important, are not everything. “I wish I knew it’s not all about ‘smarts’ in the intellectual sense–there are so many other qualities that contribute to a person’s future success.”

Would you want to return to be a teacher at LM? No matter what your answer may be, we are certainly thankful for the alumni who did return and continue to share their wisdom with all of us.

Ella kim ‘19

Photo courtesy of Ella Kim ’19

The spirit carries on Noah Spergel ’2o

LM is home to many traditions that students look forward to every year including Radnor Week, Winterfest, and the many different activities for seniors. It is an important part of our school’s culture for faculty and students to feel a part of a family, and honoring traditions brings the LM community together across generations. Whether it’s the senior prank or the spirit leaders screaming, “shake your booty!” at the pep rally, everyone has something they remember fondly.

Every year, students look forward to Radnor Week. The seven days full of fun activities caps off with a football game continuing our centurylong rivalry with Radnor High School.

Students dress up throughout the week for various “Theme Days” like Pajama Day, Wacky Wednesday, or a Black-Out on game day. Stylish black “Beat Radnor” shirts sell out quickly on Friday morning as students eagerly demonstrate their support.

The week ends with a schoolwide pep rally in the Kobe Bryant Gym, where many different clubs including the drill and dance teams perform in front of their peers. The fan-favorite Faculty Dance Team, led by physics teacher Nora Christman, also entertains the crowd with the latest dance trends and popular songs. Immediately after the pep rally, students walk over to the Powder Puff games where they can watch their female peers compete to see which grade has the best flag football players.

If you’re a senior, you’ve probably been impatiently waiting three years to experience some of the best traditions LM has to offer. Although not officially sanctioned, the infamous senior skip days and senior prank are some of the students’ favorites. Seniors decide together to skip school on certain days of the year, allowing them to sleep in and have a rest day in the middle of juggling college applications and difficult classes. LM’s class clowns always look forward to the senior prank to see what crazy antics the seniors will get up to. Two years ago, the class of 2017 brought in watermelons and placed them in various locations around the school, from the top of the Kobe Shrine to hidden corners of hallways. But don’t

worry about the cleanup, though—the fruit was donated to a local food bank afterwards. One of the official senior traditions that everyone must go through is the Senior Project. Seniors devote the end of their school year to working on a project of their choice which they present to a faculty member and their peers prior to graduation. As a graduation requirement, students are given mostly free reign to pursue a topic of their own choice outside of school for three weeks. Past projects have ranged from living with the Amish to learning acoustic guitar to doing geologic research in a lab.

Another huge tradition at LM is Winterfest. In the schoolwide food drive, classes compete against each other to see who can collect the most cans of food for donation. Some teachers even offer rewards and classroom incentives to encourage more donations. This year, my English class won the ability to revise and resubmit any past assignment of our choice.

Students can also buy raffle tickets to enter drawings in an effort to win tickets to popular sporting events and other prize packages. LM faculty members work very hard on this event to collect food supplies and spread the holiday cheer to less fortunate families during this event. At the end of Winterfest, students gather in the cafeteria and gymnasium on the last day before winter break for a time to chat with friends and enjoy some hot chocolate and pretzels.

Some of the other beloved traditions at LM are the Dawg Pound shirts for spirit wear at sporting events, Mr. LM (now called Amazing Ace), the Maroon Madness pep rally for the winter sports teams, and the well-anticipated senior parking passes. When students leave LM, they tell people stories of music being played over the loudspeakers between sets on Fridays, the annual physics classes’ field trip to Six Flags, tickets racked up in two hour parking, and tossing a crumpled up piece of paper into a trash can while shouting “Kobe”—because who else can say that Kobe Bryant went to their high school? All of these special traditions are part of what makes LM a great place that alumni fondly remember and students love to attend.

Admirable Activity:

Kim’s last couple summers:

Senior Ella Kim has been practicing martial arts for fourteen years, and is now a second-degree black belt. With a Korean father, her parents wanted her to start performing martial arts as early as four-years-old in order to have a strong connection with the culture. Since then, Kim has received some amazing opportunities; She has traveled across the country to places such as California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Atlanta by competing in the NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) circuit. After many trips and competitions, Kim ended up in the top-ten of her division. Kim is also currently an instructor at her karate school, and the creative director and head coach of the school’s performance team.

Kim has spent her last summers at college programs studying the biological sciences as well as going on vacation to the beach.

Favorite Quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss

Features The summer sitch

February 20, 2019

11

The Merionite

Maya Christianson ’21

Summer may seem faraway, but deadlines to apply to programs are quickly approaching. There are many opportunities offered in the area that grant interesting new experiences for making friends and finding or continuing passions that may one day become careers. With that in mind, here are a few interesting options to consider.

One of the most academically focused options is the Summer Discovery High School Pre-College program. The program offers varying lengths of stay (from two weeks to six weeks) at universities around the world, one of which is the University of Pennsylvania—in University City. While there are also specific subject-focused programs at UPenn for topics like biomedical research and experimental physics, the pre-college program offers a look into the entire college experience. You live on campus, go to classes, and participate in activities.

The priority registration deadline was February 15, but the final date to apply is May 1, with an application fee of $75. While admissions for this program are rolling, spots fill up quickly, so apply sooner rather than later. Tuition ranges from around $3,000 to $16,000—depending on the length of your stay, whether or not you are receiving college credit, and the subject matter of the classes.

Another option for students interested in collegiate life is The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC). This program takes place on college campuses around the United States from Yale to UCLA. It offers guest speakers in various fields of interest as well as a hands-on learning experience in the specific subject. The overarching goal of all of the programs aims to teach leadership skills across disciplines to students. With over 28 areas to explore including Sports Management, International Diplomacy, Nursing, and Architecture, the NSLC has something for everyone. The length of the program is six to eighteen days and it costs $2,595 to $5,395. It is important to note that the NSLC operates on a rolling admissions basis and will continue to evaluate applications until a program is full, but it is recommended to apply before late March.

For those who want to experience the world outside the classroom, The New York Times Student Journeys may have the right opportunity for you. This program involves traveling with experts and gaining journalistic experience. There are many domestic sessions, such as “D.C. to Detroit: Politics and Divisions, National and Local” and “American Southwest: The Battle for America’s Public Lands,” but there are also international expeditions including “Iceland: Energy and Climate Change at the Arctic Circle” and “Peru: Public Health and Development in the Andes.” Application deadlines differ for each journey and there are many offered year-round. Each of the programs average around two weeks in length. The Putney Open Door Fund considers scholarships for students applying

to the New York Times programs, so the high price of travel and tuition is lessened.

Similarly, National Geographic offers their own Student Expedition program with many unique and exciting expeditions for you to explore. For example, there’s a photography and conservation expedition to the Galapagos islands and the Ecuadorian Amazon and also an expedition to Greece and Italy which is focused on anthropology, creative writing, and photography. The trips are between ten and 21 days in length, and since they are travel-focused, the cost can be between $5,000 to $8,000. Applications are accepted as long as there’s space on the trip, and each session also has scholarships available for students.

A great opportunity that is more specific to your personal interests may be an internship or job in the field of your preference. Colleges love seeing students taking on jobs they are passionate about in high school, so why not gain the experience? Learning more about a job you are interested in can help you get more involved, and one step closer to your ultimate career goal. Many large companies allow you to inquire or even apply online. The more experience, the better! If you’re applying to a local or small business, however, you may need to apply in person.

Summer is a wonderful time to explore your options for after high school or just to have some fun. Take a break from school, travel, experience new things, but most of all, be proactive and choose something you know you will love!

Ardmore’s Best Burgers, Fries & Shakes!

Stop in after school or after the game!

Word search answers

12

February 20, 2019

Advertisement The Merionite

Arts & Enterntainment

February 20, 2019

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The Merionite

First Friday Xuan Feldman ’20 Arts and Entertainment Editors Sophie Fiks is a current Junior at LM who recently released her soft-pop single, “When We Said Goodbye,” on all music platforms.

The Merionite recently reached out to the singer-songwriter for an exclusive interview on her career debut, future plans, and musical process.

The Merionite (TM): How long have you been writing music and singing, even if it’s just for fun?

Sophie Fiks (SF): I have been writing music for about four years, however, I have been singing my entire life. I started piano lessons in second grade, formal voice lessons in sixth grade, and I have been taking guitar lessons for a little over a year.

TM: When did you officially begin to produce music? How did that process begin?

Photo Courtesy of Sophie Fiks ’20 SF: In middle school, I was gifted recording equipment to produce informal recordings at home. I have wanted to record my songs professionally for a long time and this past winter break was my first time recording music in a studio. My current vocal coach is fantastic and has guided me through the complex recording process (he is also a singer-songwriter).

TM: Are you working with a certain production company?

SF: The name of the production company I use is Studio 1311. It's a small, low-key studio with excellent acoustics and a great piano.

TM: What are your future plans with music; you just released a single, what's next?

SF: I am excited for the future. When I recorded, "When We Said Goodbye," in Studio 1311 over winter break, I also recorded another original song that has a different sound (stay tuned for details). Besides those two originals, I have many other songs ready for recording, and I hope to do so soon. My future plans are to slowly release singles, then an EP, and eventually (hopefully for my senior project) an album with all original songs.

TM: What was your inspiration behind "When We Said Goodbye"?

SF: "When We Said Goodbye" is based on my past summer in Israel. Yes, it is about a guy I met on the trip, but I will not mention details.

TM: Tell us a little bit about your music style. Who are your biggest influences?

SF: My style is singer-songwriter, not entirely pop or folk, but with influences from both genres. In my songs, there aren't artificial beats, just live instruments and vocals. Some of my favorite artists include Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, and Alessia Cara.

TM: Do you have any advice for anyone looking to begin writing/producing music?

SF: For anyone who is interested in songwriting/producing music, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and write about your personal experiences. Explore all genres and music forms; don't limit yourself. Also, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out; I love speaking with people who share my passion for songwriting.

Fik’s "When We Said Goodbye" is available on all music platforms: Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes, Youtube, etc. under the "artist name" Sophie Fiks. If you would like to learn more about Sophie’s music check out at @sophiefiksmusic on Instagram.

Concepts of “perfect” – Albeit devised, From the compiled idealities of the Vast population – eternally rise; Pain plunged into those unable to flee.

It’s the incapable considered pure; As not one witnesses the one-sided War: Torn between flaws and ways to endure.

Anxiety makes people divided.

Nevertheless, “perfect” feels essential.

Providing limits not seen otherwise; Proof of one’s worth, and still, one’s potential.

A form of an internal compromise.

Perfection is conflict without an end, Yet it’s perfection on which we depend.

Eve Bickel ’20

Good food. Good music. Good people. If you’re looking for any of these things, stop by the upper atrium on the first Friday of every month during both lunches. First Fridays are a great time to hang out with your friends and even make some new ones!

Here, you can find student artwork featured by Art Forum, showcasing the amazing talent hidden in the art wing. Along with student works, Art Forum runs a table with fun activities for students in the atrium and there are often delicious snacks for sale as well. Right next to Art Forum is LM’s Amnesty International club. They have teamed up with the Basic Foods classes to bring delicious baked goods to every First Friday. These snacks are sold at a low price with all the proceeds benefiting Amnesty International, an international organization dedicated to human rights. Still hungry? Food can also be found at the Spanish department’s table. Every month the Spanish teachers work together to introduce students to a new culture by way of food.

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

This is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons. The experience is completed with fantastic jazz music by our very own LM Jazz Band. You can relax with friends and listen to the smooth sounds of our gifted students. These students work hard to bring us amazing music and never fail to disappoint.

The entire First Fridays event is orchestrated by Art Instructor Daniel Hazel from Art Forum and English Teacher Jeanne Mastriano from Second Stage. Everyone involved works tremendously hard to keep this event exciting, so next time you see a student or teacher who is involved in First Friday, don’t forget to thank them for all of their hard work and dedication, and make sure to get to the upper atrium for the next event on March 1!

Pain seeping from my chest.

“Take a breath.”

Red shattering against my breast.

I laugh.

Choking down sobs of hurt.

It’s well deserved.

The world fades in and out.

I hear a scream from somewhere close.

“Pay attention to the guilt.”

I laugh.

Swallowing tears of peace.

It’s well deserved.

Years ago seem to pass, Everything will be okay.

It is the end.

I laugh.

“Forgive yourself.”

It’s well deserved.

Graphics by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff

14

February 20, 2019

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Sophie Meyer ’20 Source Confirmation Editor I’ve never been a frequent viewer of Netflix’s Black Mirror, and I didn’t think I would end up watching its new feature film, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, but boy am I glad I did. The Black Mirror anthology TV series itself is notorious for its portrayal of the effects of technology on society and is mainly based in the prospective future. For that reason, it was refreshing that Bandersnatch is set in the ’80s. What was more intriguing, though, was its “choose your own adventure aspect.”

Some might remember books such as those from the Goosebumps series that contained this concept, allowing the reader to skip to certain pages to get certain story lines. Bandersnatch does a similar take on this, letting you make decisions for the main character, Stefan, that results in a total of five different main endings.

Stefan is a British nineteen-year-old living in London with his estranged father. The viewer quickly learns Stefan is developing his own “choose your own adventure” video game called Bandersnatch based on the book under the same title. As you follow Stefan’s progress in developing his video game, you, the viewer, are also playing a game of sorts.. The viewer is completely in control of Stefan’s actions. Every three to five minutes, the viewer gets to choose Stefan’s next action. Does he sign with Tuckersoft, a video game company, or choose to work alone? Does he see his therapist or follow Colin Ritman to his apartment? Does he choose Frosted Flakes or Sugar Puffs for breakfast? It is completely up to you!

All of the choices transport you to different storylines and different footage. This thread of choices expands as you make decisions. There are some possibilities that become unattainable once you’ve made too many decisions in the opposite direction, but part of the fun is retracing your steps once you’re finished one story line. Eventually, the movie ends, and there are a few different places where this conclusion occurs. Usually, if you reach a deadend, especially early on, it is possible to go back and continue the story line

with your newfound knowledge. Some of the endings are shocking, to say the least. There are some that, like other Black Mirror episodes, make you question your reality—the part I found most enjoyable.

Now, I don’t know if this was the hidden control freak in me or the part of me that loved playing Sims, but being able to micromanage and ruin or help someone’s life other than my own was a lot of fun. Getting to control what happens to Stefan’s character was my favorite part of the movie. This was my first experience with a “choose your own adventure” film, and I really enjoyed viewing it. It is also really interesting to know that not all viewers are watching the same narrative. Some can have a completely different viewing experience than another, and that’s the beauty of it! According to David Slade, director of Bandersnatch, viewers should experience about an hour to an hour and thirty minutes of the film based on the choices they make. However, if you sift through all the possibilities, there are five hours and twelve minutes worth of watching. Even more interestingly, the footage was shot linearly. This means that every time there were different possibilities for the viewers, the actors would shoot one, and then restart the whole scene to shoot the other ending so that it would flow better for the actors. There were 250 segments shot over a total of 35 days. Also, the creator, Charlie Brooker and other creators on the show, noted that sometimes even they struggle to find the numerous different endings, making them wonder if they might one day Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff stumble upon an ending that they never shot.

I think this style of movie is really engaging to many viewers. Netflix has done some experimenting with unique viewing styles on their platform, but more so with their children’s content. In the future, I hope that Netflix produces more movies like Bandersnatch. It was refreshing to experience a different type of movie that almost felt like a video game. So if you haven’t seen Bandersnatch, what are you doing? Go watch it!

Interview with the director of Failure: A Love Story Arts and Entertainment Editors We had the opportunity to sit down with Anna Barnett ’19, the director of LM PLAYERS’ winter show, Failure: A Love Story. Barnett has participated in countless shows with PLAYERS: making costumes, assistant directing, and even stage managing. Barnett explained that Failure: A Love Story takes place in 1928 and followed the death of three sisters living in their parents’ clock shop. The show unraveled the connections between all of the girls’ eerily adjacent deaths.

When asked how students at LM could relate to the show, Barnett responded that she had wondered the same thing: “How do you make a show that is focused so heavily on death relatable to high school students?” she mused. It may have been tricky for a viewer that has never dealt with death to relate, but there were many more themes relevant to the show. Failure: A Love Story also explored the complexities of the construct of time. Funnily enough, the play was set in a clock shop. Barnet viewed this recurring theme as an opportunity to teach us how to live in the moment. She recognized that this was definitely an aspect high school students could relate to, as they are often so consumed by worries of the future that they forget to really enjoy the present. Barnett added that she has spent her year as a high school senior constantly worrying about her future and what the next four years hold.

When asked about her favorite aspect of the play, Barnett replied, “The play was really interesting. The whole story was told by the chorus, which is quite a unique feature.” Barnett explained that Failure: A Love Story was very much dependent on the director’s vision. The play could be as big or small as any director would like. Another unique aspect was that there was a lot of breaking the fourth wall, meaning the audience was directly addressed throughout the show. The narration was primarily done by the chorus and the chorus often spoke to viewers, which was a very comical feature. Barnett added that Failure: A Love Story contained a lot of references to Greek theater, of which she is a great enthusiast.

Barnett also explained that the show was really interesting because it weaved through the storyline of each character simultaneously. “It differed from traditional theater,” said Barnett.

Barnett also noted that she wanted the audience to leave with a sense of hope. “It was super easy to get consumed by all of the death Photo courtesy of Lower Merion PLAYERS Publicity in the show,” but that did not mean the audience should feel dejected about life. Barnett mentioned, “My assistant, Noa, tried to emphasize the lighter and funnier moments in the show to hopefully outshine that layer of gloominess. I want the audience to leave understanding that yes, death is a part of life, but that there are many other aspects that make life worth experiencing.”

Arts & Enterntainment

February 20, 2019

15

The Merionite

Academy Awards 2019

BEST ACTOR

This past winter, the A&E editors have spent countless hours sitting in movie theaters and viewing Oscar nominated films. If we had it our way, these would be the selections for the 2019 Academy Awards that will be premiering on Sunday, February 24th.

Davon: Viggo Mortensen, Green Book Grace: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody Izzy: Christian Bale, Vice

BEST PICTURE Davon: BlacKkKlansman Grace: Roma Izzy: Green Book

BEST ACTRESS

BEST DIRECTOR

Davon: Olivia Coleman, The Favourite Grace: Lady Gaga, A Star is Born Izzy: Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Davon: Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman Grace: Adam McKay, Vice Izzy: Adam McKay, Vice

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Davon: “All the Stars,” Black Panther Grace: “Shallow,” A Star is Born Izzy: “Shallow,” A Star is Born

Davon: Green Book, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, and Peter Farrelly Grace: Vice, Adam McKay Izzy: Vice, Adam McKay

Graphics by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

Aseda Adebamgbe ’19

Abby Wolf ’22

How long have you been making art?

Ever since elementary school, I just gravitated towards art class and because I wanted to be as good as my art teacher, I continued outside of school.

What do you do at LM related to the arts?

I play cello in chamber and symphonic strings!

What do you like about art?

My favorite part is being able to take pride in a piece you originally made and to show it off.

What is your favorite memory related to the arts/music?

Goofing around with my friends at camp by improvising random songs on our instruments.

What is your favorite part of creating art?

Creating art is relaxing, and it’s a way to zone out and create whatever comes to your mind. When you create art, you’re in your own world that you have total control over.

Do you participate in any outside of school music or arts related activities? If so, what?

I take private lessons, and we participate in studio classes every other week. I also take music theory classes and go to overnight camp for music.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspirations are the artists that originally got me into art. My three favorite artist are Kim Jung Gi, Mark Crilley, and Kihende Wiley. I am also inspired by my peers.

How has music/the arts impacted your life outside of the music classroom?

I have learned to appreciate the arts on a much deeper level. I love being able to share the joy of music with other people.

Favorite pickup line?

“Put your number in my phone before I don’t want it no more” – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Favorite pickup line?

“You had me at cello.”

Photo Courtesy of Grace Wei ’19/Staff

How long have you been playing your instrument?

I have been playing my instrument for five years.

Photo Courtesy of Abby Wolf ’22

16

Sports

February 20, 2019

The Merionite

Capturing talent through the lens Rebecca Altman ’21

The LM boys’ basketball program is widely regarded as one of the strongest in Pennsylvania state history. From the 2004-2005 Cinderella season, when they became the lowest seed ever to advance to the State Finals, to the glory days of Kobe Bryant, basketball at LM has been nothing short of impressive. The 2018-2019 season is no exception, as the Aces have a notable record of 20-2 midway through the season. They are 16-0 in Central League play, and are currently ranked fourteenth in the Pennsylvania Class AAAAAA. The boys’ varsity team is led by eleven seniors who have proven to be one of the most dominant classes in the program’s history. This year, LM has the privilege of working with Sam Limon, a professional videographer, to create a documentary highlighting the current season and the inspiring stories of coaches and players.

Limon primarily works with Drew Hanlen as the Head of Video at Pure Sweat, an NBA skills consulting company that runs camps and clinics all over the country. He got in touch with assistant coach Doug Young in May, and filming began in July. Limon decided to film the Aces because “the whole culture of [the team] really influenced me

to one day be involved somehow telling stories with the school and community.” The infectious energy from Aces Nation has drawn observers, like Limon, to figure out what makes the basketball team so special.

Another draw to the LM boys’ program was Limon’s love for Kobe Bryant and his admiration for head coach Gregg Downer. He mentioned that his videography journey has led him to the roots of his childhood sports idol, “who will undoubtedly watch the film when it’s all said and done.”

The most challenging part of the filming process thus far has been easily capturing the fast-paced games and cinematizing every moment. “There are some moments you can’t capture and some you just have to pick and choose,” discloses Limon. “Especially being a one-camera crew, it is hard [deciding] what to focus on and what not to.”

Limon plans to conclude filming once the season comes to an end in March.

The documentary is set to be released around January 2020, and is certain to be an extraordinary display of talent, whether it is in front of the camera, or behind the scenes.

Graphic by Amy Xi ’19

What lies behind victory

Shoveling to success

Austin Cooper ’19

Jacob Marsh ’20

Girls’ crew takes a day off of indoor erging to enjoy the beautiful weather. coach Joe O’Hara, the team utilizes the weight room during their winter workouts. All parts of the body are trained through a well-organized schedule that is a combination of both lifting and erging days scattered throughout the week.

They have done simple exercises such as deadlifts and bench pressing, and more intense workouts such as O’Hara’s signature “death by landmine” exercise. This includes many strenuous, small workouts that come together as a complete unit for

maximum fitness.

Lifting training ended for the team at the end of January, however, the rowers continually erg every day from anywhere from one to two hours, five days a week.

Workouts for the rowers switch between anaerobic threshold training and oxygen utilization training, with even a few lactate tolerance sessions built in. Erging also helps keep the rowers’ form in shape.

That way, they can maintain great form for the spring season. The freshmen and novice rowers will be getting their taste of the erg and will learn how to row this February and into March.

On February 3, the rowers participated in the annual Main Line Slide.

Twelve girls from LM participated in teams of four as part of the 2000m relay. The teams beat out Pegasus Rowing and each won a gold, silver, or bronze.

Senior Nate Stevens reflects on the event, saying, “I’m proud of how all my teammates did at the indoor races and I’m excited to get back on the water.” Another Erg-a-thon will also take place on February 24, with teams of rowers having fun on the erg in wacky costumes and raising money for the LM team.

In the beginning of March, the rowers will hit the water where they will practice almost every day of the week, race in multiple regattas in different states, and work very hard all the way until early June. There is no doubt that this year the team will win their most medals and have the strongest rowers they’ve had in a while.

On a nearly daily basis, the boys’ inCoach David Van Houten, more comdoor track team will bundle up to train in monly known as “DVH,” trains LM’s disnear-freezing temperatures. Nothing stops tance group made up of 1600-meter and the team from practicing, even if the track is 3000-meter runners. The distance runners covered with snow. Jasper Lim-Goyette ’19 pack in nearly fifty miles of running each explains, “We train in all conditions; [once] week to enhance their aerobic stamina. Joey we shoveled the track as a warmup.” Noth- Litvin ’20 ran a time of 9:45 in the two mile ing can stop the “indoor” team from train- at the Ocean Breeze Invitational, placing ing. him fourth in the event. Simon Schmieder The sprinting coach, Kevin London, ’22 ranked second in the state for freshmen trains his group of in the 3000-m race 60-meter and after running a time 200-meter runof 9:30. ners on the small Shot put throwers but crucial techniare coached by Joe calities of racing, O’Hara during the including startindoor track season. ing on blocks and Throwers train in knee drives. Devon the weight room and Tate ’19 ran a 6.98 the hallways of LM second 60-meter to prepare to throw a dash, which ranked The long distance team shows off twelve-pound ball. sixth, at Lehigh their muddy calves after a long The indoor track University on Jan- run at the Wissahickon Trails. postseason is comuary 13. In the 200-meter, Davon Tate ’19 prised of two meets: the Meet of Champiran a 23.33 second time. ons (MOC) at Lehigh University and the The LM middle-distance group, con- PIAA Championships at Penn State. A dissisting of 400-meter, 800-meter, and tance medley relay, a 4x800m relay, and 1600-meter event runners, is led by coach a 4x200m relay will appear at these meets Neal Berman. Berman uses a blend of short, comprising Devon Tate, Poe, Litvin, Nick fast, long, and slow workouts to strengthen Rhodes ’19, Charlie Herrmann ’19, Gabe the runners’ aerobic and anaerobic skills. Brodeur ’20, Jasper Lim-Goyette ’19, and This season, sprinter Adrian Poe ’19 ran Schmeider. the 400-meter race in 54.26 seconds at the The long hard work in wind, snow, and Ocean Breeze Invitational. Along with this freezing rain will help aide the team to a sucmiddle-distance accomplishment, four un- cessful postseason. The team will use their derclassmen broke the five minute mark in impressive performances to build momenthe mile event. tum for the fast approaching spring season.

Freshman Victoria Bermudez

Sophomore Amari Brown-Swint

What sport(s) do you play?

Tennis, squash, and track What is your greatest athletic accomplishment?

Winning a singles tournament when I was twelve.

What is the worst excuse you have used to get out of something?

Sorry, I need to go vacuum my room.

What song should every LM student know the words to?

The Pledge of Allegiance

What sport(s) do you play?

Swim and dive What is your greatest athletic accomplishment?

Making it to finals at USA nationals and being number one in my region.

What is an ability you wish you had?

I wish I could teleport so I could travel anywhere, anytime.

What song should every LM student know the words to?

Anything by Drakejhg

Photo courtesy of David Van Houten

Photo courtesy of Julia Kreuzer ’19/Staff

As the sun set and the last of the boats were put on the racks and the oars back in their places, the fall crew season for the LM rowing team came to a successful end. However, the year-long sport was nowhere close to ending.

After a one week break, the LM rowers moved swiftly to their scheduled early winter workouts. With the guidance of

Junior David Wilf

What sport(s) do you play?

Ice hockey What is your greatest athletic accomplishment?

Helping our high school varisty team make it into the Flyers Cup. Do you have a secret talent?

I don’t have a secret talent, but I’m an avid video editor.

What is your preferred method of procrastination?

The “one more YouTube video” strategy

Senior Matt O’Connor

What sport(s) do you play?

Basketball and football What is your greatest athletic accomplishment?

Three straight Central League Championships in basketball.

What song should every LM student know the words to?

“Nunya” ft. Gup in and Gup Out What are your snow day traditions?

Watching The Office