Matriculation 2014

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June 11, 2014

The Merionite

Perils of popularity

Robbie Warshaw Editor-in-Chief

Every child has a dream in elementary school. Some want to be firemen, others astronauts, but I just wanted to be popular. In a social structure dominated by physical acuity, my only athletic ability, swimming, did not save me from drowning. I was often picked last for football at recess, and my luck wasn’t much better with wall-ball, basketball, or knockout.

My physical prowess wasn’t there, and not surprisingly, neither were any cool friends.

I had one best friend—we would talk, play, and laugh for hours, but he wasn’t popular. I was climbing the social ladder, pivoting off of him while I desperately reached for the next rung. I clung to the side of the cool kids’ lunch table, trying not to fall off the end seat while laughing and nodding about the previous night’s episode of The Simpsons or Family Guy, TV shows I wasn’t even allowed to watch. I began to religiously read the sports section of the daily newspaper, clinging to any fact or statistic that I could contribute to that day’s lunch conversation. I begged my parents to buy me cooler shoes, as everyone made fun of my white New Balances, and cooler clothes, like the sports jerseys all the cool kids owned. One day, I proudly wore my brand new Donovan McNabb jersey, my first jersey ever, to lunch and showed it off to the table. My temporary façade of popularity crumbled to the ground when one of the kids pointed out that it was a Reebok unauthentic jersey—I angrily ripped it off when I got home, and threw the crumpled jersey on the floor. I should’ve been happy—I had a wonderful home life, a great best friend, and was doing well in school, but I couldn’t appreciate that. All I wanted to be was popular.

Middle school wasn’t much better. A new group leader emerged, and I would’ve done anything to please him. When he banned mayonnaise at the lunch table, I stopped eating mayonnaise. When he told me I couldn’t help decorate girls’ lockers for their birthdays, I stopped. And when he later turned the rest of the group on me I stopped…having friends.

One day, as I sat down at the end of the cool

kids’ table with my mayonnaise-less hoagie, everyone started laughing. The leader whispered something, and soon the whole table moved to a different lunch table. I quickly grabbed my lunch tray and moved with them, not realizing that they were moving away from me, at least not until they got up and switched tables for a second time. I was devastated. Their table shot furtive glances at me from across the lunchroom before laughing into their lunch trays. I kept my hands firmly planted on my hoagie, ensuring that I wouldn’t wipe my eyes to relieve the mounting pressure behind them.

In high school, our entire grade’s popularity tanked as we entered our freshman year.

Popularity no longer feasible, I focused more on finding out who I really was, allowing my desire for popularity to take a backseat. I pushed myself to reach out to others by joining a thousand clubs and activities, and it was through spending time with so many different and amazing people at LM that I began to figure out the type of person I am and want to be. I formed more friendships than I ever had before, simply by putting the real me out there and not being afraid of the consequences.

I often tell freshmen to “get involved” not because it looks good on a college transcript, but because every person you meet at LM holds a light that can make your path even brighter.

We should not be afraid of our lights being extinguished, because we know that the wick of a candle, however charred it may be, can always be relit—all it takes is another candle.

Today, I’m best friends with that boy who made fun of my imitation jersey. Today, I’m best friends with some of the boys who callously followed the leader as he switched tables.

They have changed, and so have I. I no longer pretend to be a sports expert, or for that matter, even remotely good at sports. On their part, they accept my extremely inappropriate humor, snarky comments, and compulsive studying.

I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends. But it was only through introspection, kindled by the other friendships I made at LM, that I was able to uncover my candle’s flame and allow it to be lit by those same friends who once extinguished it. At LM I finally achieved the type of popularity I’d always wanted, and it was then I realized that I no longer cared.

Independent isolation

Ilana Nathans Editor-in-Chief

If you had described my senior-year self to my freshman-year self, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I’m not referring to physical appearance (I always knew I wouldn’t grow much taller than five feet), but to my experience and identity as a high school student. I entered LM in September 2010 with an idealized perception of high school - one produced by pictures of smiling students and stories of pep rallies and weekend fun. I knew it would be stressful and that I would bemoan waking up at 6:30 am five days a week, but I somehow imagined high school as a magical era. However the four years spent here were certainly not “the best times of my life.” My high school experience did not replicate those in the photographs. Especially not by junior year, when my hours studying far exceeded those spent socializing.

I won’t tell you to “make the most of your time here” and “branch out before senior year.” I certainly didn’t. I don’t even feel that I should be giving advice on how to go through LM. I worked too hard, worried too much, and didn’t skip enough school. My life revolved around my work, and

although I did very well, I isolated myself.

I do have fond memories from high school: laughing in Spanish class, cheering with the Dawg Pound, working for hours in the Merionite room with my fellow editors, walking out of school at midnight with Robbie and Andy after finishing an issue. LM does have a special spirit. The sense of community here is unmatched and I found it electrifying to be part of it.

While my high school experience wasn’t the most fun, it was academically rewarding and I continue to cherish my relationships with teachers, classmates, and friends and my work at The Merionite.

The end of senior year hasn’t been the euphoric experience I had anticipated four years ago. There wasn’t a moment of enlightenment when I realized I loved everyone in my grade and decided to hang out with them as much as possible before graduation. I don’t feel nostalgic or that the time flew by. In fact I feel relieved that I can break out of my high school routine and begin the next part of my life.

My independence in high school taught me certain things about myself that I will take with me as I go off to college. Your experience doesn’t have to fit a mold or an image captured in photographs. Carve your own path. If it doesn’t end up aligning with your initial notions, maybe it wasn’t supposed to.

SENIORS 2014

Merionite management at Colombia University while attending a scholastic journalism conference earlier this year.

Multitalented LMers Andrew Scolnic

In the 2012 Disney m e g a - h i t “ Wr e c k - I t Ralph,” villain turned Managing Editor sympathy-begging hero Wreck-It Ralph is tired of being the “bad-guy” who always has to destroy a videogame city.

He goes to a counseling session where a fellow villain, Zangief from “Street Fighter,” explains to Ralph that, “You are bad-guy, but this does not mean you are a bad guy.” Despite the fact that most of us aren’t 8-bit 80s videogame villains, there is a seriously meaningful message here for every high-schooler: don’t allow yourself to be labeled as and forced into being anything less than you want to be.

The moments from LM I’ll miss most are those I spent arguing with underclassmen on the debate team about world issues, attempting (dismally) to lift weights with the crew team, and, among others, listing for my classmates all the reasons why the Freshman Fun Day “Superfresh” t-shirts “really worked!” But don’t worry, I’m not here to push getting involved to boost your transcript like every other adult in your life has. I’m here to push variety and involvement because it—and the interactions with your fellow classmates outside the classroom—truly makes you a better person all around.

When I think back to all of those good memories from my time at LM, I realize they’re less centered on the things I was doing than they are on the people I was doing those things with. When I was debating, I was teaching kids in younger grades things that older students had already taught me. When I was rowing crew, it was hearing our goofy old Polish coach joke with precocious sophomores trying to build muscle on their barely five-and-a-half foot frames. Even when I was begrudgingly practicing the French horn in orchestra, I was in a good mood—who wouldn’t be when you get to sit in between Larry AND Jordan Robinson? Being a part of all these different groups exposed me to what the different people in them had to say, and hearing those viewpoints made me into a better person.

One club stands out in my brain, responsible for some of my favorite memories by bringing all types (and grades) of kids together…The Merionite! As an editor of The Merionite, I had the pleasure of working closely with kids of nearly every political persuasion, athletic ability, social status, etc. The Merionite, and the priceless chance to write something to be read by one’s peers, attracts a diverse group of kids who are eager to share ideas, and opinions with those around it. I’ll forever treasure the moments I had, sitting behind the big desk in the stuffy room, at 11 PM on a school night with my genius co-managers Robbie Warshaw, Ilana Nathans (who I will miss the most of all), and a stressed Mr. Henneberry. Because in those moments I wasn’t just a nerd, a jock, or a band-geek—I was a multitalented and enlightened student.

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June 11, 2014

SENIORS 2014

The Merionite

Farewell address

Bring it on

How do you summarize older sister who graduated four years of experiences, in 2012 or her experience. emotions, and memories in My response is that its irrelone reflection? The answer evant—it is more important is similar to the approach I that we all carve our own took towards high school: paths. A LM experience is I am not sure, but I will unique to each of us. Though try my best. When I first I’ll remember the hard work, came into high school I I will remember the memowas prepared to soldier ries even more. I may sound through what I believed like the typical sentimental would be four brutal years senior, but becoming more of stress and pressure. I reflective is bound to happen had convinced myself from as graduation approaches. day one that everything For me personally, all I will counted, and that I would have left of my time at LM be playing a high-risk will be the memories. My game to succeed. I didn’t parents will move back to know what I was getting New Orleans after I head off myself into, but I knew no to college, cutting my physimatter what the task was cal ties to LM and leaving I would work tirelessly to Student Body President only the emotional connecaccomplish it. Almost four tion. I will remember not years later, I’ve gained some experience and just memories from big events such as getting learned a few lessons from my time at LM. into college, prom, the lip dub, basketball Having the hunger to succeed is very pow- season, and the Disney trip sophomore year. erful, and I am grateful that it’s carried me I will also cherish the small memories. The to where I am today. I realized that drive and friends I’d hang out with during my frees, perseverance are some of the most important the peers I’d banter with during class from qualities in order to power through the dif- African/Asian Studies freshman year to AP ficult times and specific challenges we face Economics senior year, making the Rube as we progress through high school. Whether Goldberg machine video for physics class, it was adjusting to high school in freshman or simply seeing someone I know in the year, starting the journey to make something halls and saying hello. Hold onto all of the of myself in the void of sophomore year, memories and never pass up an opportunity, enduring the massive academic workload big or small. of junior year, or the even more massive LM has been my home from the day workload senior year, combined with being I started in September 2010. I immersed a leader of the school, having a strong drive myself in my school immediately, took kept me on track. The importance of drive is advantage of the resources I was provided, pretty self-explanatory, and, though it may and made friendships with some incredible seem that we may encounter extreme stress, people. Ultimately LM will be what you fighting through it with determination will make of it, and if you give yourself to your not only help us to stay focused, but also to school, it will give back. For the class of develop our character.

2015 and beyond, make the most of the time When talking about drive, a question you have left. Class of 2014: it has been an I’m often asked is whether or not I compare honor. my high school experience or myself to my

Arman Hassan Valedictorian

We all face challenges—especially in high school. For the first time, we get a taste of independence, and the inevitably of failure. We forget our homework the one day the teacher checks, spill water all down our fronts at lunch, stay up too late the night before the big test, commit to two activities that are happening at EXACTLY the same time, and even unintentionally hurt our friends. With so much uncertainty and imperfection in our high school careers we must all learn to embrace our mistakes and rise to our trials.

No one will remember the time that the automatic water fountain hit you in the face, the one math test you forgot to study for and subsequently failed, or even the exact words of the mean thing you said. Instead they will remember your ability to laugh at yourself as you wipe water from your chin, your diligent studying, or your truly heartfelt apology. If we choose to grow from our high school errors and shortcomings not only will we remedy our blunders, but we will also become better, stronger human beings.

When I entered high school, I suffered from terrible anxiety. I struggled to stay calm in the face of any pressure. I worked myself into a frenzy about homework assignments, big tests, and small arguments. At first I tried to bury my feelings, hoping that if I pretended not to be anxious it would disappear. I stayed up until 2:00 every night in a state of panic.

I drove myself and my parents crazy. During the middle of junior year, I began trying to control my anxiety, not fight it. I threw myself into my extra-curricular activates, like Ultimate Frisbee, allowing myself an outlet for my worries. I learned to calm myself down, and to work through my feelings of uncontrollable panic. Although I did not realize it at the time, this turned out to be an invaluable skill as a senior in the overwhelming college application process and in my everyday life. I can now proudly say that stress no longer controls my life—I do.

High school isn’t easy for anyone. But it can be an incredibly rich time for growth and discovery. And if we carry our mistakes and challenges with us, we can become people who are worth looking up to. Years after we have forgotten F = ma and the religious motifs in “Song of Solomon,” we will remember the lessons we learned about our characters and ourselves. So take chances, try new things, and challenge yourself to always be better. High school is the time to make mistakes and face the tough parts of life head on.

Lily Eisner Salutatorian

Up, up, and away

I was never the biggest fan of high school. The mornings sucked; people were catty; the work was hard. I couldn’t leave my cement confines, and I could never sit on those benches outside the library.

Three months prior to now, whenever I was asked that oh-so-repetitive question, “Are you so sad to graduate high school?” I would immediately reply with the predetermined answer, “Oh no, I’m ready.”

Recently, however, I’ve changed my answer. I realize that there was very little truth in it. Sure, I’m done with the mornings, the work (for now), I’ve escaped the confines, and who needs benches? But the real explanation is that I’ve come to understand that LM is perfect, even with its many imperfections.

I’ve learned that I’m scared to move on, and I’m genuinely going to miss it.

Senior Class President LM has set me up to continue to be the person I know I’m meant to be. The education is one thing, but the leadership opportunities it has provided are another. I took advantage of everything high school threw at me (including a 1600-person lip dub). In my head, I’ve worn out almost everything LM has to offer, and I hope that many students will be able to say the same thing. My main advice would be to take advantage of your education, but really take advantage of everything else. Forget about the tests and think about the people, the place, and the opportunities. In the end, these things supersede any grade.

I’m nervous to move on, scared to see what’s out there and uneasy with the lack of structure. But I will always carry the experiences that LM thankfully provided and know that I’m ready for anything. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to fulfill the words of John Mayer and run through

the halls of my high school because “I just found out there’s no such a thing as a real world, just a lie you’ve got to rise above.” For now, I’ll just stick with trying to make it through college. So, best of luck LM. Think less about grades and get a head start on being the person you’re meant to be. These four years fly by, so hold on tight.

Anna Goldenberg

Graphic by Dylan Siegelman/Staff

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June 11, 2014

SENIORS 2014

The Merionite

Waving your freak flag

It was towards the end of my sophomore year that I made a life changing decision. None of my friends were in the library which forced me to sit down at a table alone—something I was sure would make me look like a loser— and all of the sudden I just thought to myself, “But...who cares?”

And the answer to that changed the way I look at myself and others.

My image thus far had been extremely calculated. I had made my way to LM from Welsh Valley, and therefore knew very few people as I walked through those barren white halls. So, to hopefully make up for my lack of social status, I tried to appear as the best person I could possibly be. I wore my hair down and made sure to have on makeup every single day. My outfits were planned out and coordinated, and my words were thought through before I said them. I figured that if I appeared as the best possible version of myself to others, I was sure to make tons of new friends. And I’m not saying that didn’t work—I did make new friends and acclimated to my environment, but it was very exhausting.

This ‘perfect’ version of myself I had envisioned was in reality unattainable, and recognizing this was one of the best things to happen to me. It allowed me to take a step back and realize that I needed to give up an impossible quest and just be myself.

I stopped trying so hard to be something I wasn’t and came to understand that I never needed to exert so much effort in the first place.

My quest was as pointless as LM is not really a stereotypical high school: we pride ourselves on basketball over football, the

arts are embraced rather than defunded, and the student body is warm and accepting as opposed to the cliquey environment I hear of so often plaguing the halls of Harriton. When I gave up my mission of perfection, I found that people didn’t look at me much differently if I sat at an empty table or I didn’t look particularly put together, and ended up making better and more friends than before. Believe it or not—most people were too preoccupied with their own lives to pay much attention to the small details about mine, and if this statement does not hold true in your case you may possibly have a stalker situation on your hands.

High school is a time of growth and discovery. For those who can’t stand it: it will be over soon enough. But for those of you who want to really make something of your time here: don’t let the fear of what other people think control you. Be who you are and let your freak flag fly high and proud. Who cares that you wear sweatpants to school pretty often? Or that you’re really a computer geek at heart? Or that you had a rolling backpack and wore nighttime headgear until the eighth grade?

All of these are truths about myself. When I let them free, I found that I wasn’t shunned as a loser pariah like I expected, but rather was met with other people’s truths and passions and brought into a world of true friendships and connections I hadn’t experienced before. So take a page from my man T Geisel and let me summarize my advice to you youngsters: you do you, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

As I asked around about what the topic of my senior reflection should be, I got the obvious answer back each time: basketball. This is not surpris-

instead, it’s the impact the Dawg Pound has on the environment and the game that makes it different. When the Aces build momentum through a good play, it gives energy to the Dawg Pound and when this energy level rises, so do the Aces’s intensity. The greatest example of this was watching JaQuan in the game against Roman this year.

The energy from the crowd invigorated his game and the more plays he made the more energy the crowd gave back. It was an unbelievable interaction that resembled a conversation between JaQuan and the Dawg Pound.

These energy transactions create an emotional union between the Dawg Pound and the team. This ever-growing relationship has created memories and moments shared among us. These include the Dawg Pound reaching it’s boiling point in the 2012 season, when BJ Johnson (‘13) stole the ball from Souderton and went in for the go-ahead slam to send us to Temple for the next round of the playoffs. There have been too many memories to reflect upon in just one brief piece. From victorious court storms, to painful tears of defeat, you went through it all with us. Walking in as a freshman I didn’t understand what being apart of Aces Nation meant. Four years, 100 plus wins, three central league titles, and a state championship later, I’ll never forget it.

Joanna Odorisio

A bond like no other

Justin McFadden ing as most people at LM associate me with basketball more than anything else. I used to resent this automatic association thinking I’m much more than just a player. But through my four years at LM I’ve realized that this connection with basketball in the minds of my peers and teachers is an extraordinary thing. The emotional connection LM Basketball has with the student body is unique. This bond is what invokes the excitement around basketball more than any other sport. It’s not the wins, or the state titles, or even Kobe;

The beauty in “senioritis”

Kelly Dai

It’s 2:46 on a Sunday night, and I’m sitting here writing this article.

Exactly one year ago, I was tucked away in my bed, most likely since 9:30PM, preparing for another week of school. As I slept, my mind was busy ruminating on the various tasks on my to-do list: homework assignments, upcoming exams, SATs, summer programs, and everything else likely plaguing the poor sophomores and juniors reading this Merionite issue.

But as I sit here, listening to the gentle lull of my grandpa’s snoring in the next room, a warm mug of milk next to me, and Netflix open on another window, I’ve come to accept senioritis in its metastasized form.

Unfortunately, the word “senioritis” seems to carry a negative connotation, bringing to mind images of the brain-dead, flippantly, nonchalant senior who sleeps through classes and draws profane images on final exams. I recognize that this is a fairly accurate caricature of many of my peers

(and admittedly myself). But the reason I say this is “unfortunate” is because these blatant acts of disrespect and laziness are only side effects of a special process of maturing. No longer slaves to PowerSchool and piles of AP review books, my peers and I finally have the chance to burgeon and grow as people, rather than just students.

When the words “I don’t have to care about school anymore” escape from my lips, I still have yet to brush off the feeling of guilt and unappreciative childishness that remains. It is a result from years of parents and teachers inculcating in me a strong work ethic and gratitude for education. But the feeling is slowly beginning to disappear, replaced by a humbling realization that there’s a whole world out there that could not care less about my SAT scores, my GPA, or what extra-curricular activities I listed on the Common App. But perhaps the most eye-opening transformation that has occurred during my last year here is realizing that my teachers are people.

They’re not cold-hearted, unforgiving authority figures, out to deliver the oh-so-dreaded B. They’re friends, they’re mentors, and they’re pillars of support who have helped me become the person I am today. And I’m forever grateful to each and every one of them.

I have never felt both more liberated and intimidated than these moments right now—the quiet transition period between the end of senior year and my first year in college. Though I’m sad to leave behind the friends and classmates who have accompanied me these years, some since before kindergarten, I know all my experiences and mistakes have prepared me well for all the success, and mistakes, that I’ll be making in the future.

A lesson in perspective High school is confusing. Or, at least I have been confused. I don’t think I need to remind anyone how bizarre being a teenager is.

These are the best of times; these are the worst of times; and every nostalgic or bitter adult is constantly reminding you of either side of the dichotomy.

The best thing for me to do in the madness was keep perspective.

Admittedly, I often lost my Zen outlook. Completely.

But I think balance and perspective are important and relatively easy to attain, if not maintain. At the end of the tunnel of high school, I can see which factors kept me mostly focused throughout.

The first lesson I learned was not to magnify my problems. There is a difference between venting and complaining. LM has an obsession with a culture I have coined as “dark glamour.” I don’t know when it became cool to be stressed and depressed but teenage mental health issues are mysteriously and drastically increasing across the country. At LM, we have the means to publicly and expensively deal with them. There is a sick but seductive underbelly of our student body in which people feed off each other’s insecurities and angst. It’s like students expect and want to be emotionally unstable and purposely compete against themselves academically and socially to achieve it. It’s tempting to indulge in this world but in the long run, it is also deeply unhealthy and mentally draining. Keep perspective by not unnecessarily exacerbating your struggles.

Everyone does struggle, and I think it’s

healthy to discuss things openly with positive people who will guide you to emotional stability. The second lesson I learned was to always open myself up to meeting a variety of such people. In my extracurricular activities, I met LM students of all ages and interests. I had my cross-country and indoor track friends, my Science Olympiad friends, my Merionite friends, my Ultimate Frisbee friends, and my Mock Trial friends. Those were the vastly different worlds I travelled between and the sheer mileage gave me perspective. Meeting people I could connect with was by far the best part of high school. I feel lucky I could make so many different connections in various ways. Though there are a variety of good reasons to open yourself up to new experiences, I think meeting amazing people is the strongest. High school is confusing, and there are dark forces at work.

It’s important to lean on other people and it’s vital that you can lean on positive wonderful friends. Of course, leading others to emotional stability is even better and is the surest sign of inner peace. Though it is a decidedly unglamorous role, the dependable emotional “rock” friend should get more credit – especially because it is an endangered species. We should all strive to be rocks!

Perspective is more of a goal than a reality, and I’m still constantly keeping myself in check. However, I think it’s the most relevant goal to have when growing up in LM and I encourage every underclassman to pursue it, however haphazardly, until the confusion clears.

Maddy McFarland

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June 11, 2014

SENIORS 2014

The Merionite

Find yourself Many people have quite a tough time during high school. It’s understandable.

Here we all are, having lived in each other’s presence for twelve years, forced to go to school every day and take classes that we may not want to take. We don’t have as much freedom as we’d often like. We get mad at the “system” and call the school a “prison” (shout out to you bathroom graffitists and your depressing stall-door messages that greet me during my morning pee). We reek of teenage angst and simmer in our general misfit-and-misunderstood feelings. The difficulties of adolescence are no secret, but the mistake we often make occurs when we live every moment of high school for the next life step, be it to get to our “dream college,” a chance to road trip out of the Main Line, take a gap year and leave the country, find general freedom and independence, find something better, find ourselves.

I’m no voice of authority- eighteen years on the planet hardly screams experience, but from what I’ve gathered, a person who lives this way isn’t likely to find that “something better.” We only look ahead when we don’t find life in its current form ideal. But no phase of life will bring with it a utopia in which we can linger. We can’t escape challenges, unpleasant situations, feelings of being trapped, or heartbreak.

What we can do is fall in love with our routines. Look for small joys everywhere in normal, non-exciting, daily life—they are there to be found. Find beauty within the places you feel trapped. It’s there, and it’s always there in abundance. High school can feel suffocating and monotonous, as can much of life. Don’t view it as such. Instead, look for beauty in every per-

son, every relationship, every task, wanted or unwanted. Look for it every day. Think of and define your environment not by its restricting or unpleasant qualities, but by the opportunities, however small, that it presents. Do not walk through the LM halls thinking “this is a prison,” instead notice the community, the shared strings of humanity that connect everyone within the walls. Get excited about something you learned in Chemistry or English, and let that inspire you. Appreciate the smiles of your friends, the faculty and staff who show up each day for you, and the plants in the courtyard—even if the doors remain locked.

We cannot always be actively happy. There will be weeks, months, even years for many of us, in which the feeling of immediate happiness isn’t a realistic possibility. But in my experience, despite these roadblocks, the practice of noticing the beauty and opportunity an average day on this earth offers leads to longterm, if not always immediate, happiness. Noticing the world may not make difficult situations magically disappear, but it certainly provides light in the wake of those difficulties.

This ability, although challenging to maintain, will provide the strength to make it through every fall, every undeserved predicament, and every punch to the gut. It will remind you that no part of your future is more deserving of your focus and energy than the present. Don’t let chunks of life slip by because they don’t seem ideal.

Find your inner poet—find meaning, joy, and beauty, wherever you go, and you’ll be able to find fulfillment no matter where in life you find yourself.

Maddi McKay

Take a shot “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” I’m sure most of us have heard this famous Wayne Gretzky quote at

Andrew Kerber some point in time, but do we all accept its meaning? My first two years of high school were, simply put, “pretty good.”

I had a stable group of friends, amicable relationships with my teachers, and an established role as a member of the baseball and basketball teams. However, each day of school seemed to repeat, and by the end of the year, I decided I needed a new challenge, a new opportunity to help me step out of my comfort zone.

My freshman experience at LM occurred in 11th grade. I still remember my first day entering Monsieur Contassot’s French class, which was full of students I had never seen before. Being the new kid is never a good feeling, especially when you come in late to class and have to report to an intimidating French man. Still, I knew that LM offered me the best opportunity to expand my horizons, so I continued on. The day seemed to drag on. With so many new faces and names, I struggled to remember my own. When the 2:40 bell finally rang, I knew I had made the right choice.

It took me a while to truly become accustomed to every tradition and habit a LM

student follows, but I was still immediately welcomed into the community. Being a member of the football team definitely sped-up my integration into the school as well. My best friends today are still the guys who welcomed me in with open arms during the hot summer “two-a-days.” We shared the pain on the field, and fought to make each other better. As ironic as it sounds, football provided me comfort. I had always been the quiet kid in school, but I had to embrace an entirely new persona to lead the team as the quarterback on the field. In the process, I discovered a new identity. I am convinced that I would be nowhere near the person I am today if it hadn’t been for football. I learned skills that can’t be taught in the classroom: leadership, camaraderie, teamwork, perseverance, and discipline. Some will ask how all of these qualities could be gained, even after the team hadn’t won a game in the last two years. To them I would say, “One learns more from failure than any possible amount of success.” It’s true that we didn’t win a varsity football game in my time as the starting quarterback, and that’s something I will never forget. But I know that the players who put in the work and sacrifice to step on the field every week never “failed to take a shot.” I wish that people could see the sacrifice that each player makes, instead of just looking at the end result of each game. I hope to bring success back to the football team, not to end ignorant comments made throughout the school, but because the players that put in the work to be a part of that brotherhood deserve a reward. The football team saved my life and I hope to return the favor.

To everyone that welcomed me to LM, I truly thank you. I only wish my time here was longer, but I am happy with all of the opportunities I was able to take advantage of. My only suggestion for all students would be to take a chance at LM, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Art by Madelyn Schaeffer/Staff

Coming out of senior year

Larry Robinson

On my first day of high school, I remember my mind racing so fast that I didn’t even hear Mr. Hughes’s annual, “…and remember, character counts!” speech on the loudspeaker. As one of very few freshmen coming from Welsh Valley I had to start high school behind the social curve; not to mention, I was already afraid of the huge new school, the unfamiliar teachers, and the towering upperclassmen. It was the most uncomfortable feeling of my life.

But somehow, I learned to experience LM with an open mind, found my way through to this point and managed to enjoy every second of it. It seems that LM has a special way of welcoming in kids like me. We are not the cliquey school that sits idly while someone sits alone at lunch or someone else needs encouragement to get involved in an activity. The truth is, LM is a high school community that cannot be found anywhere else. No outsiders walk among us. We make room so that all students can find their comfortable niche and thrive. We come together for rich causes that remarkably build our culture: basketball games, music and arts performances galore, the Radnor rivalry and even a lip dub. Most importantly, LM ties us all together to care about one another. Even though there are 1300 of us, and we do not all know each other, we still have each other’s backs because we are all Aces at heart.

It’s nice to know that there’s a community like LM to always come

back to for unconditional love and care. In this way, we’re truly a family.

Of course you want to make your personal high school experience the best that it can be through getting involved, being yourself, and getting kicked out of the library at some point for something ridiculous. But being a part of the LM community—something bigger than yourself—will highlight your time at LM and mean the most to you in the future. During the past four years the school has become even more closely-knit than we found it. There’s no reason why the school can’t ride the current momentum to take the LM community to new heights. Classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017, it’s in your hands. As famed Into the Wild character Chris McCandless concluded, “Happiness is only real when shared.”

As my fellow classmates and I are graduating, nothing feels real.

From that first day, being a frozen antisocial freshman, I never thought I’d make it. Honestly though, we’re all moving on in our lives, but we’re never really graduating. We’ll always remember and cherish being a part of the Aces Nation family. We’ll always come back and relive key school events. We’ll always retain and enhance the connections we have made. We bleed maroon and white forever.

LM Matriculation 2014: Go Forth To Serve...

Michael Abbonizio Eleanor Abbott Noah Ackerman Jacob Adler Daniel Allie Natalie Alonzo Arielle Anderer Kabira Arnold Danielle Asbel Christian Ash Kate Atlass Maria AuBuchon Sam Badkerhanian Danielle Baer David Baer Ilana Barzel Yusuf Baxter Richard Beckman Emily Beller-Grossman Jeni Bennett Sydney Berkowitz Rotem Blat Allante Blocker Noah Blodget David Bloom Sophia Bloom Elisa Blow Sarah Blum Charles Bode Eva Bonta Bryn Bookstaver Ron Borisovsky Joel Briggs Jared Brush Kyle Buatista Samantha Morgan Buck Daniel Buckman William Buckman Christiana Cade Lauren Caplan Croix Caramanica Jacquianna Carter Rex Chambers William Chen Alex Choi Haley Christman Michael Chukinas Rebecca Clark Elyssa Clauson Eli Cohen Grandford Collins Brianna Conner Kathryn Constantine Sage Copeland Trevor Copeland Taylor Cruz Lila Currie Caroline Curtis Samuel Czarkowski Dylan Dagenais Kelly Dai Edward Dame Olivia Daouphars Carly Dash Noah Daub-Evans Melana Dayanim Stefon De Souza Keisha Deeds Nicholas DeLuca Kevin Deng Ian Diamond Ma’ayan Doron Kristian Dougherty Madeleine Dressler Yoni Dulitzki Benjamin Dunaief Anthony Durante Jordyn Ehrich Ethan Eisenhard Seth Eisenstein Lillian Eisner Alison Epstein

Pennsylvania State University Bennington College Pennsylvania State University Shippensburg University Unavailable Pennsylvania State University Cornell University Purchase College Boston University Army National Guard Universtiy of Pittsburgh American University Drexel University Bucknell University Gettysburg College Working and Community College of Philadelphia Temple University Drexel University Tulane University Oberlin College University of Colorado at Boulder New York University Unavailable Drexel University University of Pennsylvania Working Temple University Oberlin College Auburn University Pennsylvania State University University of Arizona Unavailable Indiana University of Pennsylvania Franklin and Marshall College University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Bowdoin College University of Pittsburgh University of Wisconsin Northern Arizona University Working Drexel University University of Vermont University of Pennsylvania St. Norbert College Community College of Philadelphia Pennsylvania State University Unavailable The George Washington University University of Pennsylvania Temple University Delaware State University Muhlenberg College University of Arizona Johnson and Wales University Pennsylvania State University Princeton University West Chester University Temple University Emerson College Columbia University Gettysburg College University of South Carolina Vanderbilt University Temple University University of Pittsburgh New York University Neumann University Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades Northeastern University Worcester Polytechnic Institute University of Pittsburgh Ursinus College Temple University Concordia University Gap Year in Israel, Emerson College Class of 2019 Shippensburg University Indiana University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State University Atlantic Cape Community College Dartmouth College Tufts University

Rayna Epstein Amanda Farah Facundo Fernandez-Duque Logan Fernbach Alexander Fink Marisa Finkelstein Peter Finta Barbara Fitzpatrick Darnel Flaverney Jacob Fleisher Soraya Force Michael Forster Duranya Freeman Robert Friggle Jacob Fusco Leo Galbraith-Paul Paul Gallagher Leo Gallagher-Kowit Cade Ganley Ayanna Gardner Jack Garton Elizabeth Gee Emily Genzer Matthew Glanzberg Anna Goldenberg Rachel Golland Ralph Goniea Nathan Goodwin Jared Grabell Georgia Grimes Rivka Gross TongDa Gu Julia Haines Dania Hallak Mahmoud Hallak Juinxuan Hao Bohdan Harik Shana-Kay Hart Arman Hassan Joan He Jake Heller Oliver Henry Elliott Herbert David Herman Emily Hershorin Julia Heyman Ilana Hirsch Meghan Hirsch Andrew Hirsh Brian Hirsh Steven Hoffman Adam Holtz Brittany Howard Jenna Jackson Madeleine Jacobs Jasmine James Yujin Jang Oliver Jersild Raymond Jiang JaQuan Johnson Tache Johnson Eric Jovinelly Rachel Kalner Alexander Kane Jacob Kane Julia Kaplan Dylan Karivalis Brett Katz Jeremy Katz Robert Katz Maxwell Keller Patrick Kelly Andrew Kerber Sarah Kerman Ji Soo Kim Anna Kirschner Natalie Koch Moriah Kofsky Jerome Kohn Alexander Kopp Robecca Kremens Matthieu Kuszyk

Hobart and William Smith Colleges University of Pennsylvania Cornell University Undecided College of Charleston Bard College Widener University Bloomsburg University Undecided Elon University University of Delaware Pennsylvania State University Colorado College Temple University Drexel University Northwestern University Unavailable American University Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania United States Marine Corps Washington University in St. Louis Pratt Institute Elon University University of Pennsylvania University of Michigan Elon University Bard College University of Arizona Tulane University Georgetown University Did not participate University of Pennsylvania Temple University University of Pennsylvania Drexel University Vanderbilt University West Chester University Pennsylvania State University Harvard University University of Pennsylvania Temple University University of Michigan Drexel University Franklin and Marshall College Binghamton University Cornell University Gap Year Community College of Philadelphia Wesleyan University University of Pennsylvania Brandeis University Gap Year, Elon University Class of 2019 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Lycoming College University of Pennsylvania Drexel University University of the Sciences Pennylvania State University Temple University Alvernia University College of North Carolina A&T Muhlenberg College Hampshire College University of Richmond Lafayette College Gap Year Millersville University of Pennsylvania Vanderbilt University Pennsylvania State University Rice University Continuing studies at LM Pennsylvania State University Univeristy of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Undecided Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Gap Year The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College Temple University Connecticut College University of Pittsburgh

Maya Labbad Gabriel Lane Sakia Leach Rebecca Lebow Alexander Lee Mira Leese Elizabeth Legesse Andrew Legg Hayley Lemisch Antonio Lemme Grace Leonard Kyra Lesser Jamie Leventhal Andrew Levin William Levin Jacob Levitan Adrian Levitt Matthew Lichtenstein Benjamin Litt Sebastian Lopez Katie Lu Sean Luong Hunter MacFarlane Clare Magalaner Maya Mahmud Matthew Mantell Alex Marks Issac Marlowe Max Marrone Joshua Martin Sara Martone Amy McCarthy Sean McConnell Tristan McConnell Justin McFadden Madeline McFarland Joseph McGowan Madeline McKay Rory McKee Galen McMullen Tyler Metz Flynn Meyers Adam Micco Maxwell Miler-Golub John Millar Timothy Model Zoe Moore Sydney Morgan Lila Murphy Jonathan Naiberg Ilana Nathans Victoria Nguyen Anne Nowell Leah Ochroch Olumayowa Olujohungbe Joanna Ordorisio Joshua Ostrow Cindy Paul Kathleen Peng Gabriel Perez-Lopez Quenten Petit Aidan Phillips Lissa Piatetsky Luke Piersol Benjamin Pitock Cameron Pollack Benjamin Pollock Elizabeth Potter Lindsay Prizer Cayden Quain Eleanor Rand Nafis Rashid-Woods Spencer Ratfield Isabella Reginato Susan Reimer Julia Resnik Elyse Roat Asim Robinson Lawrence Robinson Tyler Robinson Pheobe Rodbell Julia Rosedale

Temple University University of California San Diego Undecided Tufts University Drexel University Macalester College Chestnut Hill College University of South Carolina Tulane University Shippensburg University McGill University Bard College Northwestern University Pennsylvania State University University of Michigan Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis Temple University Arcadia University Montgomery County Community College Abington University Temple University Community College of Philadelphia Grinnell College New York University University of Maryland University of Miami Lehigh University New York University Indiana University of Pennsylvania Drexel University Temple University Did not participate Trinity College Binghamton University Williams College McGill University Bates College Millersville University Gap Year Tulane University Alfred University University of Pittsburgh American University University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Temple University Arizona State University Gap Year, New York University Class of 2019 Carleton College University of Pennsylvania Montgomery County Community College University of Arizona University of Chicago University of Miami Northeastern University University of Massachusetts Amherst Temple University University of Michigan Drexel University Temple University Pennsylvania State University Did not participate Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Temple University Cornell University University of Pittsburgh Gap Year University of Connecticut University of Tampa University of Pennsylvania Jersey Coast Academy University of Alabama Drexel University Pennsylvania State University The George Washington University Temple University Did not participate Cornell University Avon Old Farms Preparatory School Indiana University of Pennsylvania Stanford University

Ellis Rosenberg Jessica Rothman Samuel Sabiiti Breanna Sadler Rosa Saleh Davendra Sasenarine Sarah Schelling William Schick Sarah Schieffelin Jordann Schnarr Madeline Schonberger Hannah Schwartz Aliza Schweitzer Jacob Schwell Andrew Scolnic Benjamin Seligsohn Nishika Sen Noah Shandelman Carlyn Shapiro Cliel Shdaimah Talia Siegler Alexander Simpson Mimi Simpson Sarah Sitkoff Jacob Smolover Nicole Snyder Zachary Spector Timothy St. Hill Tobias Storli Haorui Sun Marin Sweeney Alex Sy Tyler Tallos William Tassano Mina Tatar Matthew Tesoro Newland Thai Daniel Thames Ethan Timm Jake Tischler James Tobias Jennifer Tsai Marcus Vaughn Samantha Wakeley Wei Tsu Wang Robert Warshaw Jack Weinrieb Margot Weitz Monica Weitz Connor Whitby Miranda White Drew Wilby Ari Wilen Zoe Winigrad Wenyan Wu Ariel Wyner Ian Yenal Dylan Yudis Maya Zauberman Rebecca Zimmerman

Salem Community College University of Maryland Montgomery County Community College Unavailable University of Pittsburgh Binghamton University University of Pittsburgh Unavailable Syracuse Univeristy Vassar College Pennsylvania State University Emory University Alfred University SUNY Binghamton New York University Lehigh University Rutgers University Pennsylvania State University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Gap Year North Carolina School of the Arts Ursinus College Temple University University of Tampa Gap Year Lehigh University Brown University University of Pittsburgh Gap Year Pennsylvania State University Temple University Temple University Pennsylvania State University at Altoona West Virginia University Temple University Undecided Community College of Philadelphia University of Pittsburgh Haverford College Columbia University The Juilliard School Oberlin College Shippensburg University Indiana University of Pennsylvania Did not participate University of Pennsylvania University of San Francisco Pennsylvania State University University of Delaware West Chester University Temple University Gap Year Gap Year Colorado State University Princeton University Northwestern University University of Massachusetts Amherst The George Washington University Susquehanna University Claremont McKenna College

The above matriculation plans for the Class of 2014 are information volunteered to the Merionite by the members of the graduating class.

The Merionite or LMHS is not responsible for the accuracy of the reportings. Students listed as “Did not participate” opted not to share plans with the Merionite. Those students listed as “Unavailable” opted not to respond or were otherwise unable to be reached.

The Merionite wishes our graduating seniors the best of luck in their future endeavors.

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June 11, 2014

SENIORS 2014

The Merionite

Yes, I will be at the reunion

I have never been to a game. I didn’t go to most of the pep rallies. I only participated in spirit days when it gave me an excuse to look classy. The only two pieces of LM attire I own are the free shirts they gave out at the start of my freshman year. I wasn’t added to the Aces Nation Facebook group until halfway through this year. I never requested to be in the Class of 2014 group. Going by these facts, it makes sense that I was voted “least likely to attend reunion” (incidentally, a photo I did not show up for). Apparently I fit the bill: un-spirited, unenthused, and unimpressed. But the superlative surprised me—first because I was not expecting to be voted anything, second because I really do love LM. Putting it like that (“I love LM!”) sounds contrived, especially based on my aforementioned track record. Let me rephrase: I have immensely enjoyed my experience at LM. No, my experience has not been the ideal one of intense school spirit, bonding over spots, a sea of maroon and white. No, I have not been an active member in the community at large— but I’ve been an active member of my corner of the community, and in that community I found a valuable experience that represents at large my time at LM.

Jordy Schnarr

A major problem

To the Class of 2014, When I was your age, there were three questions that everyone kept asking: “Where are you going to school? What are you going to study? What do you want to do when you graduate?”

Like me, I’m sure you have grown sick of these. So let me crunch some numbers for you.

There are more than 4,000 colleges in the United States alone. The average school offers over 200 different majors. And when you graduate, the Department of Labor says you can choose from over 8,000 different occupations. According to the Fundamental Counting Principle…kid, you got options.

When I was your age people kept saying, “Hey, you are good at math and science, you should major in engineering!”

I knew that engineers made good money and it was obvious that engineering majors became engineers. I was comforted by the transparency in that. What did Mathematics majors become?

Or Philosophy majors? And so my field of study was chosen. Then the coursework began

and I found myself stuck in a lab trying to create a piece of plastic that could conduct electricity with a tensile strength of one hundred kilo-pounds per square inch. Needless to say, it wasn’t as I had imagined. I came to the realization that it is much easier to fail at something that you don’t want to do.

When you finally make up your mind about what you want to do, then what?

As a graduate of LM, your biggest obstacle will be your assumption of success. Don’t carry with you an expectation that your z-score will always be positive. If life were a two column proof, success would not be a given.

It would be the result of using up all the givens, considering all the congruent angles, and drawing half a dozen auxiliary lines.

It’s best to realize now that hard work can lead to failure just as easily as it can lead to success. Life is an iterative process; so go and do something you love, work hard at it, and the questions will answer themselves.

William Hawkins

Math

In middle school, I didn’t do anything. I went home directly after school, wallowed in angst, and was generally a very lame human being. Coming to high school was a huge shift in the pattern of my life. I joined both Players and Dolphin, the literary magazine.

The shift took some time; I only sort-of worked on scenery for the production “Urinetown,” and I remember being hesitant for no reason other than residual lameness about attending Dolphin meetings. Once I became involved, however, it was like my life took on a completely different shape. I never went home on the normal bus. I never had any free time (and still don’t!). I was spending every day of my life doing things. And I loved it.

I remember coming to Players on Saturdays as a freshman and smelling LM’s distinctive shoe-store smell and thinking, “Wow, this feels like home.” It’s cheesy (I was a freshman!), but appropriate. I’m pretty sure at this point I’ve spent more time at school than at my house. And isn’t my experience a certified LM experience? I was not attending games or pep rallies, but I’ve been involved in thirteen Players shows. I’ve put together three editions of Dolphin; I’ve had work in all four. I may not be in the Dawg Pound, but I’m in Players and Dolphin—and aren’t Players and Dolphin part of the LM community?

For those who are involved in school spirit, games and pep rallies and events are what they do; this is what I do. And I will certainly attend at least a few reunions, because my time in my portion of the LM community has left me with astounding friendships and sparkling self-confidence, has dragged me out of my pathetic adolescent hidey-hole and given me something to do, has made me an overall cooler person, and certainly, certainly has meant the world to me.

Reflection from the dome

It is hard to gather all the thoughts and memories of the Class of 2014. I have known many of you since middle school, and have been a part of perhaps too many things, both good and bad. What reflects off my large dome when thinking back is a timeless collage of individual glimpses held together with smiles, laughter, tears, frustrations, angers, failures and ultimately successes.

These glimpses are not just of classrooms, but are blurred with images from playing fields, fieldtrips, backstage, the hallways, and almost every school setting imaginable.

As the deadline for this reflection fast approaches, I am racking my enormous dome for a common theme that threads through this mnemonic collage that is the Class of 2014. But something now occurs to me. It is not a glimpse at all. It is not something that can be directly seen. What it is… is a faint and distant idea uttered in a sound, coming from down the hallway, from across the courtyard, from the other side of the

Michael Isajiw Instructional Aide

An AP imagination

In 2005, I was asked about teaching a new AP Language class.

Our district was a latecomer to the program, and people felt that we needed to offer this course, a standard of academic rigor and depth.

I told the district administrator that if the class was all about scoring a 4 or 5 on the exam, I’d prefer not to teach it. She told me not to worry: the community felt the same way. Parents and students had also asked, “Will there be any room for our imaginations?”

That encouraged me and reminded me for whom I work: a community with an appreciation not only for academic excellence, but also for the imagination, the life of the mind.

It also pointed to an interesting tension in this district. On the one hand, the pressures for achievement, grades, test scores and, the Holy Grail, college acceptance, can lead students into riskaverse strategizing and calculating what will produce the best package. You know what I’m talking about, “How many APs and honors can I fit in? I’d really like to take that class but… how will it look on my transcript? What do I have to do to boost my grade by 1.7 percentage points?”

On the other hand, students and our community value much more than that: creativity, the arts, athletic excellence, social action, and a love of learning. Even though our academic schedule leaves little time for more than meat and potatoes (sorry, just had to say it once more), I hope that you appreciate, or come to appreciate, that LM is not defined by test scores and rankings.

We share a spirit of intellectual aspiration that persists in spite of many pressures and public displays to the contrary.

I see it every year, and nowhere more than in seniors, their transcripts essentially complete, college acceptances in hand, students who still show up to class

cafeteria that epitomizes your identity. It is an everlasting echo that encompasses the edginess of your Knight’s sword, the smoldering of your Dragon’s roar, the bite of your LM bark, and the bold swagger now gained from attaining the long awaited Ace up your sleeve. An Ace dealt by the tireless efforts and murmurings of countless teachers, coaches, counselors, principles, and support staff. Earned through hard work, patience and resilience, this Ace is now handed to you, to carry always. There are no clichés poignant enough to adequately describe the ‘echoes’ manifested in this Ace. Words like character, integrity, or persistence do not suffice. All that is left is a remembrance, an utterance that is yours forever.

So, with one last gesture and salute to the graduating Class of 2014, I raise my hand with a slightly angled palm, fingers rolling forward, and extend congratulations to each and every one of you with one last and final…Shwaaaan!

raring for a good debate, surprising me with their questions and insights. This year, one student did his own film study exploring artistic renderings of the death penalty; several students branched out to read a controversial new book about Israel’s history; eight students chose Malcolm X’s autobiography, which, in three and a half weeks, is like choosing to sprint a marathon. These second semester seniors, some already into colleges, some openly confessing to senioritis, distracted by a blizzard of snow days, kept pushing themselves to learn and grow.

I’m not denying the co-existence of grade grubbing or external motivation. But I hope you recognize a countervailing drive toward creativity and service and scholarship that we need to celebrate. College is an opportunity to do this–to focus on how you can grow the most, personally, intellectually, and ethically. Try on some new hats and don’t worry about how the guy next to you did on the test. Look for the most interesting classes, service projects, guest speakers, clubs or action groups, and study abroad programs.

College isn’t a Holy Grail, nor does it guarantee an education. It’s a resource. You construct an education, through your own choices and willingness to challenge yourself. Honor your own gifts and your parents’ gifts by devoting yourselves seriously to your education. Take thoughtful risks, be wary of the path of least resistance, and try living somewhere with people whose backgrounds differ from yours. You might discover new sides of yourself. As you create your own educations, I hope you embrace the spirit of intellectual challenge, growth, creativity and service that I think are the best legacies of LM.

Michael Segal English

9

June 11, 2014

The Merionite

SENIORS 2014

10

June 11, 2014

The Merionite

SENIORS 2014

Matriculating teacher: blending cultures

I still remember my first day of teaching at LM in 2005.

I was a Japanese language instructor at universities before I took this job, so I had to learn to teach the subject for a high school level. My mentor was Ms. Nemoy, who teaches Spanish and was very concerned that I was instructing too fast. “Mariko, you have to slow down and repeat the instructions many times.” She helped me make a good transition from my previous job’s environment to a high school’s. Soon I realized that in universities if students do not learn well, it is students’ responsibilities, but in high school, it is largely the teachers’ responsibilities. Unlike college students, who sit politely and patiently despite boring classes, high school students cannot hide their frustrations and boredoms. But when they are intellectually stimulated or fully engaged in activities, their faces light up like those of small children. It is moments like those that are so rewarding. Nothing is as wonderful as watching my students have an “Aha, I got it” moment and a big smile when they have accomplished something.

Since my class is not a mainstream class, I appreciate everyone who takes my class. And for some reason, I have mostly had male students. It seems to me that Japanese warriors, spies, video games, and anime have attracted them. I have decided that if I can handle those wild students I will be able to handle pretty much

anything in my life. And thanks to them, I have many interesting and fun memories.

The most valuable thing I learned from this school was how the American Education system works; students are not afraid to be creative and expressive. I grew up in Japan where the notion of “A nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is very prevalent in society. So I was culturally shocked when I learned about a “show and tell” at my daughter’s preschool. Education in Japan is more focused on how well students can retain knowledge.

Rote memorization is the main education method. Thus, creativity in education is secondary to uniformity. That is why it is so fascinating to see how the teachers strive to help and develop a student’s capabilities. I have met many inspiring teachers and staff who make me proud of my position at LM not only as a language teacher but also as an educator.

It has been more than 45 years ago since I graduated from high school. I do not remember much about what I learned, but what I do remember well is my teachers’ demeanors and facial expressions; were they happy and nice, or grouchy and mean? It is that emotional connection I still carry. I suspect that many of my students will not remember Japanese verb conjugations after they graduate, just like I didn’t remember French verb conjugations after graduating from college. But if my students remember that my class was interesting and that I was often laughing, I will feel that I have done a good job. I want to teach my students that even though our cultures are different, we are all human beings regardless of our races. Although I am not literally carrying a Japanese flag to represent Japan, I am glad to serve as a bridge connecting American and Japanese cultures. And it brings me even greater joy that some of my previous students have continued their studies in Japan and are going to continue bridging our two cultures.

When I was in 7th grade, I took Spanish for the first time. I listened to sounds that meant nothing to me. Yet once I started to understand the meaning of those sounds, I got excited. It was like a secret code that I could decipher!

My friends disagreed. “Hey”, they would say, “why should we learn Spanish? In America we speak English. Even at the resorts in those tropical, Spanish-speaking places, everyone speaks English.”

In the 11th grade I switched to a school that didn’t offer world language, another enforcement of the message, Americans don’t really need the skill of speaking another language. Yet, at this same school, over the loudspeaker, they asked if there were any Spanish speakers that could act as tour guides to visiting educators from Spain. With my previous two years of high school Spanish, I volunteered. I was nervous but couldn’t resist. I communicated in the simplest way: “Hola. Me llamo es Myra. Mucho gusto. La escuela tienen clases en muchos edificios y no recibo grados y las clases aquí no es tradicional.” I sensed that I wasn’t doing a stellar job, yet the visitors understood everything I said. More importantly, they were grateful for my efforts. I even learned from them new information about Spain. This secret code that I was first introduced to in 7th grade empowered me! At only 16 years old I had enough skill to give and receive information in another language. To this day I remember the smiles, acknowledgements, and negotiations of meaning during this tour.

In college I was a Social Science major and because I was still interested in that secret code, I took an immersion semester on campus. Three hours daily of drill-and-kill grammar work, lectures about Latin America, and grueling homework. Our dictator director warned us that, if we were caught speaking a word of English, we would get an “F” for the semester! By week three, I was stressed. I began to cry in class. I told the director I wanted to quit; it was too much work; it was too much stress; I didn’t even understand half of what was being said. He looked at me sympathetically, offered me a drink from his side desk drawer, and then told me to go back to class.

I hung in there and learned that I could survive and even thrive outside of my comfort zone.

I ended up with an A. More importantly, I could communicate with fluidity in the Spanishspeaking world.

Seniors, as you begin your journey of self-discovry and academic excellence, remeber to hang in there, even when the going gets tough. You will grow as a person and make yourself proud.

Expand your horizons by continuing to develop your world language skills as well. A little goes a long way in the world, but a lot goes even further.

Seniors, know that you leave LM this year with a common place that you can proudly call your second home. Your teachers, your administrators, the support staff, and your classmates will always be part of your extended family. You are unique and special members of our community who will make us proud, just because you are you. You will always have and hold a place here at LM.

You’ve received from this place a strong academic foundation. The proof is your diploma, and even though the plans you’ve made after leaving LM are at the forefront of your attention, I’d like to invite you to live in the present for just a bit longer. Much, if not all, of your high school life has been about preparing for your future, or at the very least for the impending college application process, which of course is supposed to lead to bigger and brighter successes.

College is so woven into the fabric of our community that sometimes I think our school mission should be: “Enter to learn, Go forth to apply.” Admittedly, I’m just as guilty of adding to the college talk. My students will tell anyone that, as the Becton Scholars’ Advisor, I talk about applying to college from freshman to senior year so often that I should have my own tab on collegeboard.org. We well meaning adults, who have been there and done that, want the best for you and in turn want to make sure that you’re well prepared for the next level of academia that so many of you will soon enter. Hopefully, we have helped you learn a few important lessons along the way – ones that you’ll take with you and appreciate for years to come.

In the meantime, though, between now and at least the end of the summer – enjoy.

Have fun. Choose to be happy now; don’t procrastinate, because the longer you wait, the longer it will take. Forgive the clichés, but life is full of ups and downs, and, unfortunately, some of you already know that bad things sometimes happen to good people.

So if this is life, you might as well learn to find joy in all that you can. If you wait until you feel more successful or more supported or more loved or even healthier, you’ll get lost in the misery of what’s wrong instead of being filled with the joy of what’s right and what could be. Be tolerant of everyone, but know that misery truly loves company, so avoid friendships with miserable people. Instead, surround yourself with people who enjoy laughing, especially at themselves, because someone with a good sense of humor is the best person to be or be around when life throws you a curve ball.

Finding and concentrating on the joy that is in this moment, this day, and this time will provide you with the strength that you will need to look past and push through life’s hurdles of negativity. In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “Enjoy this day – to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come…the past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present – and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.”

Congratulations to you, seniors, and remember that your graduation won’t mark the end, but the beginning of the rest of your life, where each day, if appreciated, can mark a fresh start – a chance to live, laugh and love in the present.

Mariko Lafleur Japanese

A second home

Myra Rios Spanish

The present is a gift

Saleema Smith Literary Specialist

An unforgettable class

In looking back over the four wonderful years we’ve shared with the Class of 2014, so many memories flash through our minds. From the beginning, with Freshman Fun Day and wearing our Super Fresh t-shirts (BTW: the last class to have one), to the countless bake sales, hallway wars, and late night decorating. Our success rose “UP” with Parents Night Out, and who could forget the Fall Festival and Flea Market? Remember that awkward encounter with a truckload of “hot items” and the sketchy guy who made us unload it all? We were astounded by the beautifully decorated Winter Formal and the murmurs of “going to Larry’s after this!” The Senior Prom was a night to remember, complete with stingrays, sharks, and spectacularly dressed attendees!

We have received so many compliments from other faculty members about how impressed they are with this year’s group of seniors. We couldn’t agree more. We are fortunate to have shared all of these events, activities, and moments with such an amazing senior class. We are extremely grateful that we were part of your high school experiences.

We will miss you all and we wish you the best of luck with your undoubtedly briwght futures.

As Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Alison Mellet and Brian Feeney Spanish and Mathematics

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June 11, 2014

SENIORS 2014

The Merionite

Class of 2014

Thank you to The Enchiridion for the headshots!

Painting with many colors

The worst thing you can do is excel at one thing.

Everyone always says to get involved in high school, to find your niche and put everything into going as far as you can within it. Find what it is that makes you tick. I do think that there is value in this.

To feel validated, to feel important. Doing something you love and are good at is a must. Yet I believe that putting all your energy into one particular facet of life does more harm than good. There is so much to be said for the people who come in and try theater for the first time, and stick with it even if they get cast as an extra every single show. Or the dancers who put aside pointe shoes for cleats and a lacrosse stick, just to explore something new.

If I could walk through LM’s doors in September, 2010 again, I would resolve do things that I am not innately good at. Initially, my one activity was running.

That was my thing, my identity. It was something I had done all my life and wasn’t difficult for me to fall into at all. Freshman year, that’s all I did, and all I thought about. My closest friends were on the team and nowhere else. To put it simply, I was Duranya the Runner.

Eventually, I started to reject that title. I began to appreciate the fact that I really hated being labeled. If the first thing you think of when you think of someone is “baseball player, actor, artist,” where’s the person behind it? At the core of my discomfort was the realization that I wanted to be known for who I am, not what I do. And doing one thing all the time wasn’t helping me get there.

Junior year I tried my first semester art class. It wasn’t a particularly strenuous one, but for me it was challenging, given that I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush or drawing pencil seriously since about sixth grade. The hour I had each day to explore printmaking, blind sketches, and watercolors was something I became extremely grateful for as I struggled through the hell that is junior year. It seems like a trivial thing, but hanging out with people that were so different from me was a blessing and a relief. That year I also got more involved with the Merionite, and met the hilarious and incredibly different students who are the gears behind the bylines.

I’m certainly not the next Leonardo da Vinci, just as I am probably not the next Toni Morrison, but venturing off the track and into the art rooms and Merionite room taught me the most important lesson I’ve learned in these four years: don’t let one thing define you. Push yourself to talk to a variety of people, to do a variety of things. Make friends with people from all walks of life. Keep your life complex and break out of molds as much as you can. If you’re a senior, talk to the freshmen, and let them talk to you. I know I’ve met some really wonderful people in the lower grades. Start your own club. Join the chess team. In the words of Jacques Maritain, “A man of courage flees forward, in the midst of new things.”

Duranya Freeman

Smile in the hallway

I was asked to write this a month ago.

Actually more than that, by a day. I wasn’t going to. I really thought I was just going to let this go by, and I probably would have.

That is until I mentioned to my sister that I was given the opportunity. She perked up and fumbled through the house, quickly handing me last year’s Matriculation issue. I felt it again. Something I hadn’t felt in over a year. That feeling when I look at those who walked before me. Those who swam through the maple syrup of tests and finals and SATs smiling at me through black and white fibers.

I never knew how they did it. I never knew how the four years could one day get pushed behind someone and left for the underclassmen to fret over. But I get it now. I don’t feel like an outsider. Their advice and words of wisdom are not foreign. In a weird way I’ve joined them in some sort of winners circle.

It’s comfortable here. Kind of cushy, like getting to sit on Santa’s lap after waiting in line and seeing everyone else do it. Now that I’m up here, staring the big bearded man in the face, I’m not really sure what to say.

Thank you, I guess, for all of the things I have been given these past 12 years. I feel as though I outgrew certain things, but I know anything and everything that happened was for my betterment. I appreciate that. I liked finding out who I was and where I enjoy going, what I like doing. I liked making new friends. I like school spirit. I didn’t at first, but this year I learned that we the Aces deserve to have a little pride.

I love the idea that life is about emotion and memories. I have found more than I could ask for these past four years. I remember being degraded to someone who laughs at everything and feeling sad because of it. I remember becoming Freshman Crew Captain and being happy. I remember throwing a flick well, running a 5k poorly, getting good grades, getting bad grades, hating myself, loving life, loving my friends and hating them the next week. Maybe I can blame this sine wave of emotions on teenage hormones. I remember wanting reassurance for years, wondering if it’s ok to not smoke pot ever, or if sophomore year is too late for a first kiss, or wondering if not drinking every weekend made me a loser. Today I wonder if being far too honest in the Merionite is a bad thing, but I’m trying to work on not caring.

I couldn’t have asked for a better four years. I have learned that the effort I put into anything directly translates to the results. I have learned to live life to its fullest in an attempt to not have any regrets. I have learned to seize opportunities, to not be afraid of the consequences. I appreciate the small things in life, and see the big things as miracles. For those who still have time left at LM, I hope you follow through with a senior prank. I hope each of you realized how special this time is, and I hope none of you waste it. Try not to overthink things, always do your best, and try to smile in the hallway.

Jack Weinrieb

12

June 11, 2014

The Merionite

SENIORS 2014

Highlighting the seniors on the field

Boys’ Soccer October 8, 2013

With a perfect season on the line, the boys’ soccer team faced Central League foe Garnet Valley. Defenseman David Baer anchored a back line that had yet to allow a goal all season.

While the Aces did give up two goals in their final regular season league game, they managed a 3-2 victory as they finished their Central League schedule with an undefeated 16-0 record and the number 1 overall seed in District 1 playoffs.

Boys’ Hockey March 3, 2014

During the first round of Flyers Cup playoffs, captain and center Will Levin spurred the boys’ hockey team to a 6-3 win over Archbishop Carroll, advancing the Aces to the quarterfinals. Although they were eliminated in the next round, Levin was an offensive force to be reckoned with over the course of his LM career, leading the team with 35 points this season in addition to 103 goals and 203 total points over his 4 years as an Ace.

Girls’ Track May 17, 2014

At the District 1 championship meet, Duranya Freeman ran the 800m in 2:18.46, both a personal and school record for the superstar runner. A captain on both the girls’ cross-country and track teams, Freeman always led the pack, and in her final run for the Aces, set a record that will stand in the LM record book for years to come.

Girls’ Swim March 1, 2014

In an up-and-down season, the girls’ swim team had one clear bright spot in their 4x100m freestyle relay team. Kathleen Peng and Arielle Anderer swam the second and third legs, respectively, as the team qualified for the second day of the District 1 championship meet. With a time of 3:46.69, they ended up 21st overall.

Photo by Joanna Odorisio

Boys’ Basketball March 12, 2014

In the second round of the PIAA state playoffs, JaQuan Johnson and captain Justin McFadden carried the boys’ basketball team to a 64-52 upset victory over city champion Roman Catholic. Johnson dropped 20 points while playing through a shoulder injury and, with the support of a raucous Dawg Pound, the Aces advanced to the state quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.

Girls’ Ultimate May 28, 2014

For the second consecutive year, the girls’ ultimate frisbee team captured their second straight state championship, soaring to a 12-5 victory over Haverford. Co-captain Lily Eisner directed the Lady Aces as they vanquished seven different opponents, including local rival Radnor, over the course of two days on their way to the title.

Photos courtesy of LM Enchiridion