The Merionite
Ardmore, PA, 19003
April 15, 2016
The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 86, Issue 5 LM students and faculty showed their support for the OLWEUS program by crafting signs advocating against bullying. Students also signed cards pledging statements such as, “I will work to make others feel safe and included by treating them with respect and compassion.”
LM takes a stand against bullying Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 News Editor On March 7, LM launched its first official anti-bullying program, OLWEUS, with a week of introductory activities. Designed for all students and aimed to be a preventative measure, OLWEUS is focused on changing the culture of bullying at the school. The week kicked off with many programs focusing on students working together to promote a healthy and safe environment at LM. Counselors and volunteer members of Best Buddies, a club in which student volunteers pair up with students on the special needs spectrum, organized a pledge-signing during Lunch and Learn. Students were asked to sign an anti-bullying statement that resonates with them. To reward students for their kind efforts, each teacher was given the opportunity to distribute kindness cards and lollipops to students found committing acts of kindness. These cards are currently displayed in the hallway outside the student services office. The importance of peer involvement was emphasized throughout the week. Physical education and health teacher Shari Roeder said one of the main goals of the program is to “introduce the importance of bystander intervention and empower students to stand up for their classmates, regardless of how well they know them.” In addition to student and faculty involvement, the Please see BULLYING on page 4
NEWS Suburban Square Catherine McFarland ’18 describes the coming changes to Suburban Square. Page 4
OPINIONS LM Lawsuit Simone Burde ’17 disputes a lawsuit filed against LM. Page 7
Photos by Staff
Taking a pass on the PSSA’s Dora Nathans ’18 Copy Editor
“Opt out of PSSA Tests! Refuse the test Grades 3-8 Our kids & schools are more than a score” Signs with this phrase are springing up around LMSD, and they are only small indicators of a much larger trend. Over the past few years, the movement to opt one’s child out of standardized tests has spread across the country. Many people from across the country, for a variety of reasons, are fed up with standardized tests and lack of local control. To
fight this system, they refuse their children’s participation in the exams. Over the past few years, parents across the nation started to fight similar battles against the Common Core and the testing that comes with it. They eventually realized that, rather than fight in isolation, it would be more effective to combine voices and collaborate to find a solution. Thus Parents Across America was formed. PAA is a “nonpartisan, non-profit, grassroots organization that connects parents from all backgrounds across the US to share ideas and work together to strengthen and support [the] nation’s public schools.” The organization focuses on numerous issues including the detrimental effects of high stakes testing. As the organization explains, “Since the top-down forces that are imposing their will on our schools have become national in scope, we need to be as well.” Please see PSSA’s on page 3
FEATURES
A&E
SPORTS
LGBTQ+ Athletes
Aces of the arts
The reality of life in athletics for LGBTQ+ students at LM. Page 11
A&E highlights some of LM’s talented artists. Page 16
Lady Baba goes for gold Dan Wilson ’16 reports on the LM girls’ ultimate team, Babaganouj, who is looking to sustain success after their third place finish at states last year . Page 20
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News
April 15, 2016
The Merionite
PA scales back on Keystone requirements
Gender neutral bathroom controversy Sophia Salganicoff ’16 Arts and Entertainment Editor
Simone Burde ’17 News Editor Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recently signed into law Senate Bill 880, which eliminates the Keystone Exams as a statewide graduation requirement for the classes of 2017 and 2018. According to a memorandum sent by PA Senator Lloyd Smuker, requiring students to pass the Keystone Exams in order to graduate has resulted in “unanticipated consquences that are impacting options for students and parents.” As a result, starting with the class of 2019, the Keystone Exams will once again be a state mandated graduation requirement. The Keystone Exams are PA tests given to students after they complete the Algebra I, Biology, and English 2 courses. LM, however, will still require students to take the tests. Keystone Exams are used to gauge a student’s performance, a teacher’s performance, and a school’s overall performance. Before Senate Bill 880 was passed, in order to graduate high school, students in the classes of 2017 and 2018 had to pass the Keystone Exams in Biology, Algebra I, and Literature. If students did not receive a score of proficient or advanced, they were placed in a Keystone Lab in order to help them pass the exams the next time it was offered, or were assigned an alternative project-based assessment. Despite the new law, Assistant Principal Karen deFranco says that, “current sophomores and juniors will still have to take all three Keystone exams—if they have not already done so. Even though proficiency on the exams is no longer a graduation require-
ment, our district will encourage all students to continue with appropriate supports until individual proficiency is achieved.” This means that current sophomores are still obligated to take the Literature Keystones this coming spring. Though some of the pressure is reduced for the current sophomores and juniors who still have to take the Keystones, the bill does not erase the fact that teachers have had to tailor their courses to align with the timing and information of the Keystones. Biology teacher Taryn Stevens noted that while the material for the course remains the same even with the addition of the Keystone Exams, the biology department has had to, “cut out some of the extension activities that we used to do,” adding that if the Keystone Exams were not a graduation requirement, “I would be able to spend more time on topics and explore them more deeply. Some of the fun definitely has been lost due to the pace that we have to cover the material.” While Senate Bill 880 does not seem likely to affect LM, some teachers feel that it is a step in the right direction. English 2 teacher Brian Mays adds that with the new legislation, “I feel cautiously optimistic in the sense that I am hoping that the government realizes the ineffectiveness of using the standardized test to gauge a student’s overall literacy skills.” Regardless of the signs for the future that one can perceive from Senate Bill 880, until further legislation, the administration of the Keystone Exams will not change.
Graphic by Sam Gamberg/Staff Recently, controversy has arisen over the bathrooms in LM’s main office, which were designated as gender-neutral during the 2013-14 school year. According to the Unitarian Universalist Association, gender-neutral bathrooms can be used for “people who are uncomfortable in men’s or women’s rooms for many reasons; for example, people who do not identify as male or female, parents/caregivers whose children are a different gender from them, and people with caregivers or personal attendants who are a different gender from them.” According to Jennie Simonson ’15, a key facilitator in the original implementation of the gender-neutral bathrooms, administrators had agreed upon “two, unlocked gender neutral washrooms with signs explicitly stating that they were gender neutral.”
Despite this agreement, there is one gender-neutral bathroom, which remains consistently unlocked at LM, but without explicit denotation of its gender-neutral status. The second bathroom has been both unlocked and locked at times. Recently it has also been reserved for “female staff/ visitors only,” before that sign was removed on April 7. As a result of this alleged breach in agreement, students such as Livia Davis-McCabe ’16, who is the president of LM’s Gay Straight Alliance, have begun circulating a petition on social media, calling for the reinstatement of the gender-neutral bathrooms. However, as of Thursday April 7, it was confirmed to The Merionite that these are gender-neutral bathrooms. This fact was confirmed by LM principal Sean Hughes at the faculty meeting held the same day.
Robot anarchy: Dawgma battles at districts Nisha Arya ’18 On March 18-20, 23 members of Dawgma Robotics, LM’s Robotics Club, competed in the district event at the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. The event ran for three days and was hosted by the Vulcan Robotics team from the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Teams from all over the Mid-Atlantic region gathered to fight to the robotic death in this exciting competition. The members of Dawgma Robotics who attended the competition were seniors Jasmine Howard and Ben Model, juniors Caroline Baker, Evan Block, Journey Byland, Katie Dai, Anila Ghosh, Miriam Glickman, Luke Miani, Gabriel Krotkov, Joshua Ren, Finn Roberts, Max Roling, Cecily Rosenbaum, Dan Shapiro, Hannah Si, and Nathan
Robot 1712, Dawgma’s Robot, is named Sleipnir after Odin’s horse in the Norse mythology. In the mythology, Sleipnir has eight legs, similar to 1712 which has eight wheels and an arm that looks like a horse when raised. Sinai, sophomores Hunter DeWaal [homeschooled], Maya Levitan, and Narin Park, and freshmen Nathaniel Chin, Ethan Frank, and Henry Wolfson. Dawgma’s main job varies from match to match. Oftentimes Sleipnir scores balls in a goal, crosses obstacles, or plays defense. At most competitions it is a combination those activites.
On the first day of the competition, a few students traveled after school to set up the “pit,” where the robot stays between matches. During this time, the students are allowed to fix the mechanics of the robot. The members of Dawgma have not been able to alter the robot since the six week building season, when they first discovered what the function of the robot should be. On the second day, there were 64 qualification matches. Each team’s robot competed in 12 matches. During qualifications, robots were matched up randomly with two other robots from two other schools, making an alliance. The alliance competed against another alliance of three randomly paired robots. Alliances competed against each other in a castle and tower setting. At the end of the round each robot got a ranking based on how many times they had won a match and a few other aspects of the game. On the third day, the top eight ranked robots picked two other robots to be on their alliance for the elimination rounds, which had the same guidelines as before. In the elimination rounds, the alliances competed against one another in a “best out of three” bracket format. The competition started with the quarterfinals, and alliances were eliminated as they went through the semi-finals and finals. At the district competition, Dawgma kicked it off with a rough start. Dawgma’s robot had some connection and software issues as well as electrical and mechanical difficulties at the beginning of the second day. Levitan remarks that, “We had some difficulties before lunch, but then we really picked it up.” Dawgma ended up ranking 22nd after qualifications. The team was the second pick for the seventh alliance and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. In the Mid-Atlantic Region, teams collect points based off of ranking at each of the two district-level competitions. Teams with the highest cumulative number of points at the end of both competitions qualify for the next set of competitions. At the end of the events, awards were presented. Dawgma received the Team Spirit award, which is given to “the team [that] celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership and teamwork furthering the objectives of FIRST, the overlying organization of the robotics club.”
“Springside Chestnut Hill was an exciting event where teams had the opportunity to test out their mechanisms in a real game environment for the first time” said DeWall. “We struggled with mechanical issues at first, but managed to flip the tables and get picked by a top alliance!” LM’s Robotics club at the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy event was truly an underdog tale. Although there were malfunctions, the team buckled down and fixed the problems efficiently and effectively. Dawgma was able to employ these ideas especially for the following competition on April 1 – 3 at the Westtown School. At this competition, Dawgma was picked for the fifth alliance and won their quarterfinal matches. Moving on to the
The Dawgma team poses for a picture after a succesful weekend of robotic competitioin. The team’s goal is to qualify for the Mid-Atlantic Robotics Championships and then the FRC World Champtionships in St. Louis. semifinal round, Dawgma was able to secure one out of the three wins. At the end of both competitions, Dawgma was successful not only with their robot but also with their spirit. If you are interested in Dawgma, email frc1712@gmail.com or speak to any member of the club. Photos courtesy of Dawgma
PSSAs Cont. from PASS ON THE PSSAs, page 1 The movement sprouted in LMSD when a group of concerned parents inquired as to why time devoted to “specials” (PE, Foreign Language, Music, and Art) was being threatened. They soon found out: the Common Core requirements and the district’s desire for improved Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test scores were restricting class time. Inspired by a very successful movement in Long Island, New York where tens of thousands of students have refused to take Common Core tests, residents of LMSD decided to establish their own branch. The reasons for opting out are numerous and varied. One pressing concern of many parents is that too much time is spent “teaching to the test,” which leaves insufficient time for anything else, including specials. Another reason is that, to many parents, the tests rigidly represent a single type of learning and a single way of measuring success. These tests, according to some, fail to account for learning differences among students. As Western Civilization teacher Mark Levy, who opted his son out of the PSSAs, explains, “[The tests] take far too long, sometimes unnecessarily stress out kids and teachers, and produce what I think are statistically dubious results. I withdrew my son because I believe that the time spent on the test would be much better spent teaching him instead.” An additional concern expressed is that the tests are racially biased. Critics feel that the tests, perhaps unintentionally, include questions that are not about school-learned material but instead require cultural experiences more common among white, middleto-upper-class children. Further discontent with the tests comes from some teachers, who worry that they will be judged unfairly based on the test results of their students. Another popularly expressed complaint of the tests is that they cost too much money. As states across the country struggle to balance their budgets, many parents question why so much taxpayer money is going towards these tests. As Cheryl Masterman, one of the parents spearheading LMSD’s opt-out movement, notes, “The costs include purchasing tests every year, administering the tests, shipping the tests to the state, and managing the data, not to mention all the Common Core curriculum
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April 15, 2016
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materials that are purchased to align to the tests. And when students don’t pass these tests, the school districts have to pay to provide remediation and retesting.” While costs may not be an immediate concern for LMSD, for other districts such as the nearby Philadelphia public schools, having to annually shell out so much money for testing only adds to the already considerable financial burdens. Furthermore, when it comes to test results, the stakes are
is a religious reason. The legitimacy of the religious reason cannot, however, be questioned by the district, therefore making it easy for parents to make this claim. Students who opt out then spend the testing days engaged in some alternate educational activity, which varies by school. The movement is spreading rapidly within LMSD. Julia Rudy ’19 chose to opt out last year, explaining, “I feel that the PSSA’s do not demonstrate the true potential
Photo courtesy of philly.com Photo courtesy of philly.com Neighborhood interest in abstaining from the exams has increased tenfold as signs encouraging parents to opt their children out of the PSSA’s crop up around the community. The rise correlates with the growing numbers of students opting out, from around 15 in the 2013-2014 schoolyear to over 250 the following year. high. Scores help determine the amount of funding a district receives from the federal and state governments. Regarding the logistics of how to opt one’s child out of the test, the process is relatively simple. The parent or guardian first needs to request to view the test. He or she must then sign a confidentiality agreement. Finally, the parent needs to send a letter to the school principal and to the district superintendent stating that he or she wants to opt his or her child out of the test. The only acceptable basis for opting out
of a student. My family and I agreed to opt out of them for many reasons, but mainly because it puts an enormous amount of pressure on the students and faculty, often leading to a stressful ‘teaching to the test’ environment which neglects more intriguing parts of learning.” In addition, parents in neighboring districts including Haverford, Radnor, and Tredyffrin/Easttown are considering joining the movement and adding to the momentum. The movement’s broader goal is to increase local control of public schools.
Masterman explains that she would like to “see the state re-evaluate what it takes to provide quality curricula with the expert educators who understand the science of education.” In addition to questioning the Common Core’s effectiveness, she feels that “School districts should be included in the process of curriculum development as well as how to effectively measure successful learning.” The many concerns about standardized testing seem to funnel into one primary desire—to decrease the influence of the Common Core and increase local control. The movement is not without critics. Some people feel that opting out is not the solution to the problem. Some believe that while opting out may have very few negative repercussions for wealthy districts (which already receive little federal funding), the movement could have detrimental effects on poorer communities. Federal law mandates that 95 percent of eligible students must take the assessments, and that districts that do not meet this requirement may face penalties, including a loss of federal aid. For districts that are already struggling financially, opting out of testing may increase rather than decrease problems. Others point out that these tests are administered only a few days out of hundreds, and that they prepare students for the realities of the tests they will face later in their education (namely the ACT and SAT). Another key argument in favor of Common Core and high stake testing is that they force teachers and schools to be held accountable for the education they provide. Regardless of viewpoint, the opt-out movement is undeniably complex, going well beyond a few frustrated parents who want to save their children from a few days of testing. It represents larger ideas about what it means to receive a quality education, and how success should be measured fairly and accurately. The opt-out movement forces us to ask how much the government should be involved in public schools, and at what point tests should be considered too time-consuming and too costly. As state and federal legislatures work toward some type of decision, LM township residents should expect to keep seeing many signs along the roads as the movement continues to gain visibility and momentum.
Senior Spotlight Alexandra Hummel ’17 Features Editor
Graduation gowns change to all maroon Lately, LM has made progress in being more sensitive to the needs of non cis-gender (those whose gender identities do not align with what they were assigned at birth) students. At this year’s graduation, there will be another, lesser-known change to be more sensitive to the members of the student body who do not conform to gender norms: uniform colored graduation gowns for everyone. In past years, the colors of graduating seniors’ gowns were determined by gender; girls wore white gowns while their male counterparts wore maroon. The possibility of a student who did not identify as purely male or female was not considered. Now, however, the school has eliminated this obstacle of expression. At this coming graduation ceremony, all graduating seniors will be wearing maroon gowns, regardless of gender. Although it is not widely known
throughout the school, the color change has generally been seen in a positive light by those who know about it. Senior Todd Gillman says, “I don’t really think changing the gowns will upset anyone. There’s really no downside.” In fact, senior Allie Rauch thinks that “it’s a good thing, and it will make people more comfortable.” However, some students liked the look of the two colors and suggest that seniors should have been consulted first or should have had the opportunity to vote. Senior Ellie Steinman was looking forward to wearing white, and thinks that “gender aside, students should be able to decide what color they want to wear.” LM is joining a small number of high schools who are choosing to eliminate this gender distinction, and hopes for the backing of its students, faculty, staff, and community in this progressive change.
LM senior commended for work in race relations
The Princeton Prize in Racial Relations is rewarded to students nationwide who improve race relations in their schools and communities. According to the Princeton University website, the prize “was created to identify and commend young people who are working to increase understanding and mutual respect among all races.” One of those admirable young people is LM’s own Blessing Osazuwa ’16, who was awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment by the Princeton Prize in Racial Relations. Osazuwa is extensively involved in addressing and discussing issues about both race and gender. While at the Girls Leadership Conference (GLC), Osazuwa became concerned with how little attention was being paid to the “important intersection of race and gender.” Osazuwa realized that “different people experience inequality differently and marginalized groups should receive attention in these mainstream movements.” To address this absence of dialogue, Osazuwa worked on introducing a new GLC workshop that would focus specifi-
cally on the issues faced by girls of color. In “Conversations with Girls of Color,” another workshop Blessing started, girls in the Becton Scholars program discuss topics like race and gender intersections, the “race climate” in the LM school district, and possible solutions or improvements that can be made. Osazuwa is involved in the district’s Committee to Address Race in Education. She also has a blog called “Silent Voices,” where she writes about race and gender issues. Blessing described how receiving the Certificate of Accomplishment “felt like a win for the issues of women of color and marginalized groups.” The Princeton Prize in Race Relations was created, after all, to encourage and show appreciation for young people, like Osazuwa, who work on these complex social questions. For a long time, Osazuwa did not speak out because of fear. But, she says, “You do not have to wait for administration or whomever; you can get these conversations started yourself and no matter how long it takes, your message will get through.”
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April 15, 2016
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The Merionite
Anti-bullying
Changes to Suburban Square Catherine McFarland ’18
Cont. from OLWEUS, page 1 school promoted awareness for the program with posters highlighting positive messages located around the school. Further decorations around the school include the schoolwide advisory door decorating competition organized by the counselors. On their designated grade-level decorating day, each advisory adorned its door with colorful anti-bullying messages with supplies that had been delivered to their classrooms. The doors will remain colorfully adorned with posters and images until one winner is chosen from each grade level. The prize for the winner will be a pizza party. Additional promotion for OLWEUS include student-made videos from Ben Walsh’s film and photography class played on LMHS TV each morning and in advisory during the week of March 7. Students were also able to go in during Lunch and Learn for a forum with the counseling department in the Black Box theater to discuss the various perspectives offered in the clips. The decision to implement OLWEUS began under the previous superintendent Chris McGinley during the 2013-14 school year. The district wanted to continue an anti-bullying program from the middle school to the high school level, but it ultimately decided to incorporate one that was more suitable for high school students. Physical education and health teacher Katie Pisoni says that the school surveyed students in their social studies classes in the fall “to make sure students are able to have a fresh and relevant take on the bullying program.” At that point, the program had already been implemented in both middle schools. After the organization made several advancements in its high school programming and published new materials, the district decided it was appropriate for a high school environment as well. The implementation of the program began when the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a grant inviting school districts from across the state to send representatives to receive anti-bullying training. The district chose to send central administration members Richard Marta, Supervisor of Counseling, Testing, and Holistic Supports, and Joanna Wexler, the Coordinator of Clinical Services, to the training seminar. Afterwards, central administration organized a two-day training program for school counselors, social workers, and physical education teachers. This allowed them to learn about the program, national bullying reports, and the climate of behavior at the school, as well as to gain the expertise necessary to train the rest of the staff at the school. School wide staff training occurred during an in-service day in November. Part of the presentation was put together by the OLWEUS organization and it informed teachers on how the program is best implemented. Staff members also met in
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... OLWEUS
will allow LM to be a place where ‘everyone feels safe and no one has to worry about being teased for who they are.’
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smaller groups to discuss specific lessons pertinent to each grade level. This information was gathered from an online survey given to students in the fall regarding their thoughts on bullying at LM. There were 826 total responses, which included data regarding where students are most likely to face bullying and student likelihood of reporting bullying incidents to a trusted family member or friend. The school will continue to track and measure students’ perspectives on bullying to ensure the program grows along with the students. The program is overseen and coordinated by central administration. The responsibility of implementing OLWEUS at LM lies with Assistant Principal Jon Fadely and Interim Assistant Principal Karen DeFranco. Under the program, all staff members are required to know and post the school’s anti-bullying pledge. Administratively, the school has become better equipped to deal with bullying incidents. Prior to OLWEUS, the school did not have a uniform set of guidelines for dealing with bullying. With the program, however, both high schools will be using the same language and procedures for dealing with any incidents of bullying, including cyber bullying Along with the school’s annual No Place for Hate designation by the Anti-Defamation League, DeFranco hopes that OLWEUS will allow LM to be a place where “everyone feels safe and no one has to worry about being teased for who they are.” OLWEUS is just one measure the district is taking to adapt to its students’ needs, an approach that firmly asserts the school’s strict intolerance for bullying.
Our favorite place to pick up a Frappuccino, find the latest trends, or grab a quick bite after school is undergoing major changes. Ardmore’s Suburban Square is to undergo a large renovation over the next few months. As of January, Lower Merion Township Planning Commission has passed preliminary plans for the changes. The expansion plan is comprised of three main elements. The first is a new parking garage in the parking lot across from Urban Outfitters on Coulter Avenue. This four-level garage will contain 571 parking spaces along with new retail space. The plan also includes constructing a new two-story building on Coulter Ave in the current train station commuter lot across from Lululemon Athletica. This building is expected to have retail space on the first floor and office space on the second. The final element of the renovation consists of a 3,445 square feet addition to Trader Joe’s. While the addition to Trader Joe’s may not impact the community as significantly, the other two new structures will cause major changes within
will not be required. While there will be some repercussions, the positives appear to outweigh the negatives. Charles Howland, chair of the planning commission, says, “The planning commission believes that these redevelopment plans by Kimco [the realty corporation that manages the properties] do a good job of advancing all the stakeholders’ interests for the property, adding to and improving the mix of stores and restaurants that Suburban Square offers and providing better parking facilities.” Another factor affecting Suburban Square is that many significant tenants have been moving out of the shopping center only to be quickly replaced by new stores. For example, Suburban Square’s largest store, Macy’s, left this spring due to corporate downsizing. Other prominent stores such as City Sports, Corner Bakery Café, and Williams-Sonoma have also left over the last year. New tenants have already replaced two of these stores; Sephora recently opened a store in the previous Williams-Sonoma location, and SoulCycle
Photo by Rebecca Tauber/Staff Signs at the former site of Macy’s and other empty buildings advertise stores to bring their businesses to the new and improved Suburban Square. the township. These two new buildings will take about 10 months to complete, and many community members have expressed concern for traffic and parking problems at Suburban Square during the building period. Molly Gonzales ’17 says, “It’s hard enough to find parking during the holidays. I can’t imagine what it would be like without another 250 spots.” The construction will also significantly add to the traffic in and around Suburban Square. Once the construction is complete, however, the design is expected to improve traffic flow and create additional parking for customers with minimal impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Another important benefit of the renovation is that it will reduce storm water runoff. Since Suburban Square was built before storm water controls, its current system is inadequate. All of the water from the shopping center runs directly into Mill Creek. With the new design such measures
is set to fill the old Corner Bakery location in the spring. Many other vacant spots are being filled with “pop-up” shops, like Vineyard Vines, for the holiday season. These “pop-up” shops offer companies the chance to sign a short lease and if they see positive results, the option to become a permanent resident. With many retailers leaving and new space being created, there will be multiple new stores arriving in the near future. Many students are excited about the possibility that some of their favorite shops may become future tenants, such as Emily Barson ’18, who is “excited to see which new stores come to Suburban Square” and hopes “Brandy Melville is one of them.” Although some members of the community have expressed concern, it looks as though the renovations are something that students should be excited about. The new changes will bring new possibilities to Suburban Square.
Gladwyne lawyer challenges district budget Ryan Fisher ’18 The controversy surrounding a lawsuit brought against LMSD is palpable, as the school is accused of unnecessarily increasing the budget and creating a large, untapped surplus. The instigating factor that propelled Gladwyne lawyer and resident Arthur Wolk to bring this case to the court’s attention was the proposed property tax raise aimed at funding this growing budget. Wolk argues that further increasing the tax is unnecessary and only serves to deepen the strain placed on less affluent individuals in the area. While the increased tax may be harmful to some, the district contends that the funding is essential in order to support the anticipated enrollment growth over the coming years. With these goals in mind, Wolk proposes that LMSD compensate for the discrepancy in funding by pulling from the $55 million the district holds in the bank, a sum that he believes
should be fully utilized prior to raising any taxes. Moreover, he alleges that the aforementioned surplus was accumulated through dishonesty regarding the school district’s finances and through overcharging taxpayers, asserting that the money “never should have been collected.” The district dismisses these claims as “baseless” and “offensive.” Doug Young, PR Manager for LMSD, points out that the alleged surplus is composed primarily of pledged funds, those marked for pensions, retirement benefits, and capital projects. He states that minimal wiggle room exists within the district’s budget and that additional taxing is necessary in order to uphold and to defend the high level of education that all LMSD students receive. Both sides have been unable to reach a compromise thus far, but the possibility of creating an agreeable deal has not yet been ruled out.
Opinions
April 15, 2016
5
The Merionite
A solution to #LMProblems
The Merionite The official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors-in-Chief
cerns, and never has there been an alternatively accessible option for students to voice their concerns. The student is left with one option: walk, head down, back to
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lar issue, they could address the problem directly and let the administration know instead of ignoring it altogether. Implementing a system like
How will the growth of this school continue if students passively accept the school for how it is?
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It’s not uncommon to hear complaints while walking in the halls from class to class—from broken printers to soapless bathrooms, it sometimes seems as if LM students specialize in picking apart problems within the school. In and of themselves, however, complaints are not the problem; especially when there are few to no outlets for students to speak about issues within the school. The fact that hallway gripes are the only path for these complaints is the problem. When students seek to voice their concerns productively, rarely is there an available administrator who will actively listen to students’ con-
the classroom, problem unsolved. To solve this problem of problems, LM should set up a system for students to alert administration about logistical problems within the school. For example, an email account could be set up to accept emails about issues that students see, or a box could be left near guidance for students to place their complaints in. Throughout the school day, students could use the email and/or box to voice their concerns in a productive way. As someone notices a paperless printer or simi-
this will benefit both students and administrators. Both will benefit from the increased communication; students will be given a productive outlet for their concerns, and the administration will be given a direct line into the students’ daily lives. There are thousands of schools with bigger issues than these, and plenty right in Philadelphia. While we are pampered with stimulating classes, a beautiful building, and good lunches, schools just 20 minutes away are struggling to maintain their art and music programs,
fill their libraries with books, and hire substitute teachers when necessary. It’s reasonable to argue that the imperfect minutiae of our school lives should be accepted graciously, but how will the growth of this school continue if students passively accept the school for how it is? Though these problems students are complaining about are small, if the school can fix the problems with ease, why shouldn’t it? This isn’t being ungrateful, but seeking to improve the great school we have. This system would not be an idea solution for major problems faced throughout the school day, but it will be an effective way to solve smaller scale inconveniences that negatively affect our school experiences. Gone will be the days of bathrooms without paper towels, soapless soap dispensers, clogged toilets, and broken printers—because students will have productive outlet for their valid concerns.
Dena Behar ’16 Olivia Johnston ’16
Unsigned editorials reflect the general opinion of the staff and not the opinion of any single editor.
News Editors Simone Burde ’17 Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 Rebecca Tauber ’16
Opinions Editors Adrian N. Corbey ’16 Todd S. Gilman ’16 Nina McKay ’17
Features Editors Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Leslie Gladstone ’16 Alexandra Hummel ’17
Arts and Entertainment Editors Jon Adams ’16 Sophia Salganicoff ’16 Margo Urheim ’16
Sports Editors Kelly Harrigan ’17 William Rieke ’16 Daniel Wilson ’16
Copy Editors Dora Nathans ’18 Grant Wei ’16
Graphics Editors Samuel Gamberg ’17
Web Editor Noah Rubin ’17
Business Manager Justin A. Guo ’16
Advisor Charles Henneberry
Business Advisor Sean P. Flynn, Esq.
The editors believe that all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. 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. All unattributed images are courtesy of WikiCommons. N.B.: Unsigned editorials reflect the general opinion of the staff on the whole and the not the opinion of individual editors.
To the Editor,
Letter to the Editor
In the April issue of The Merionite, Leslie Gladstone ’16 shared her opinion on the student makeup of a hallmark event at our school: Mr. LM. Gladstone should be applauded for expressing her beliefs on this significant subject, as positive social change is best achieved through dialogue. She concluded that the event should only feature male contestants and that the inclusion of women, as seen in the past two years, has resulted in it “losing its punch.” Gladstone begins by trying to define the tradition of Mr. LM. She herself says that it was “proposed by the Class of 2010 as a senior class fundraiser,” but then goes on to say that one of the main purposes of the event is to satirize beauty pageants as a way of combatting the objectification of women. Although these themes may be evident in the night of festivities, one cannot deem the event a social statement when, in reality, it is a fundraiser for the senior class and an opportunity to raise money for charities. Even if the root tradition of Mr. LM was to satirize pageants, excluding women from participating actually hurts Gladstone’s proposed message. Women certainly are objectified in beauty pageants, but to say that “once females take to the stage, they diminish the sardonic comedy” and take away from the “tradition” of Mr. LM is contradictory. Are women not allowed to reclaim their objectification? Is it automatically deemed the job of men to “save” these women from their own objectification? If Mr. LM were truly about commenting on the objectification of women, then wouldn’t featuring women in roles where they are actually being judged for their character and talent combat this objectification? If Mr. LM really wants to comment on this issue, then should it not both feature and amplify the voices of those objectified? How is it deemed okay for a man to walk on stage and sing a song, but it is deemed objectification if a woman does the same thing? Was Devon Scharf ’15 objectified when she reenacted a comedy scene from Bridesmaids? Was Dana Handleman ’16 objectified when she performed a number from the cult-classic Rocky Horror Picture Show? Was
Emily Harnett ’17 objectified when she sang and peformed an original comedy sketch? Did Harnett only win Mr. LM 2016 because people were staring at her body? No. Harnett won because of the character and talent she put on full display on that record-breaking night. She won because she wooed the crowd and the judges with her talent, respectfully beating her fellow contestants. If anything, Harnett broke down barriers for women, showing that they can succeed in a male dominated event and reclaim their objectification at the same time. Thus it is incorrect to say that “without female participation, Mr. LM will continue to promote female equality.” How can you promote female equality without the voices of the female community? Not only is Gladstone’s argument exclusionary to women, she completely disregards the trans community by taking a binary approach to gender in her argument. What happens when non-binary or gender fluid students want to participate in Mr. LM? Should we deny them the ability to compete because they are “not male?” By allowing them to compete, we would be increasing the visibility of trans students. Would that be deemed “objectification?” What is Gladstone’s, definition of “all male?” Do contestants need to have a penis to participate? There are men with vaginas, and women with penises, and trans, non-binary, and gender fluid people with them too. Gender identity does not depend on one’s genitalia or biological sex, and by completely disregarding the possibility of a trans student participating in the annual event, Gladstone is not only silencing the voices of female students, but also the voices of trans and gender nonconforming students. In 2016, it’s important that we continue to take steps forward to be conscious of one another’s differences and to provide equal opportunities to students, regardless of gender. We should not be employing sexist, heteronormative arguments to justify the exclusion of groups of people from an event that should be enjoyed and open to all students. Sam Gamberg ’17
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Opinions
April 15, 2016
The Merionite
Regressive reproductive healthcare meets Zika Virus
Nina McKay ’17 Opinions Editor In 2009, a swine flu pandemic infected scores of individuals all over the world. In 2014, an Ebola epidemic, concentrated in West Africa, generated massive and widespread panic. Now, in 2016, a Zika Virus outbreak in Latin America has become the most recent source of global health hysteria. The first Latin American case of this mosquito-borne and possibly sexually transmitted virus was detected in Brazil in May of 2015. Since then, over 1.5 million people in Brazil have been diagnosed with the virus. And it hasn’t remained localized; rather, it has quickly become a major regional health issue, spreading to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the 2016 Olympic Games set to take place in Rio de Janeiro this summer, there is the potential for the virus to spread far outside of Latin America, as athletes and spectators alike may become infected and bring Zika back to their native countries upon their return. The chief concern with the Zika Virus is that it has been proven to have a frighteningly catastrophic effect on fetal development when contracted by pregnant women. It is mainly known to cause microcephaly, a condition in which a baby is born with an abnormally small head and a deformed brain. There is also significant evidence that microcephaly is not the only effect on babies whose mothers contracted Zika while pregnant. While the World Health Organization, or WHO, has
not been researching this virus long enough to be sure of all its possible effects on fetuses, the results that do exist indicate quite clearly that Zika can result in serious birth defects. This in itself is a tragedy, but in heavily Catholic and conservative Latin American countries, it is a tragedy that has the potential to beget many more tragedies. In our area, if a woman contracted Zika Virus early in her pregnancy and decided, as a result, to have an abortion, she could do so safely and legally. However, in countries like El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua, in which abortion is completely illegal under all circumstances,
As has been clearly shown in the history of our own nation before Roe v. Wade, rendering abortion illegal is not the same as actually preventing it. When safe and legal abortion is absent, many women have and will resort to dangerous methods, such as mail-ordered pills, self-harm, and back-alley abortions. In this case of abortion demand due to the virus, there is an added variable: economic disparity. Wealthier women who want an abortion have the resources to pay for an illegal but safe one. Women of lesser means do not have this same opportunities, and the aforementioned other options they
The anti-choice legislation restricting abortion in Brazil has incited many protests.
that option does not exist. Beyond the absence of opportunities for a safe and legal abortion, in many Latin American and Caribbean countries preventative birth control is also unavailable. Despite this, El Salvador has asked women not to get pregnant until 2018 because of the threat that Zika poses. This request is unrealistic at best, and completely fails to acknowledge the desperate situation faced by many women who have already contracted the virus while pregnant.
may resort to pose a serious threat to their own lives. Let it not be forgotten that many of these poorer women have multiple children already and do not have access to the help or resources they would need to care for a child with severe birth defects. If such a woman were to die in a back-alley abortion, rather than be given access to a safe and legal one, her other children would suffer tremendously. And, depending on how you look at it, a life would be lost that never needed to have been lost, or two lives would be lost instead
of one. Regardless of one’s stance on abortion, it is never a simple issue, and in this case, it is especially complicated. But one thing can be quite certain: prohibiting all forms of birth control in Latin America at this time will not stop all or even most pregnant women diagnosed with the Zika Virus from seeking abortions. Granted, there has been some progress. Its potential utility, though, is quite minimal. Some governments in Latin America already have or currently are debating relaxing their abortion laws to allow women whose fetuses have tested positive for microcephaly to have abortions. While the spirit of this change is a step in the right direction, in terms of practicality, it actually doesn’t help. Microcephaly can only be detected rather late in a pregnancy, at which point abortion is dangerous for the mother and considered by many—most importantly by a large number of the women in Latin America requesting to terminate their pregnancies—to be unethical. They have asked that their governments allow any pregnant woman diagnosed with Zika Virus to obtain a safe and legal abortion, and that is a request that should certainly be honored. In the face of an epidemic, a government must treat its people with dignity and respect, and understand that everyone has to make difficult and complicated decisions in the face of adversity. This issue is no exception. If Zika Virus is to be responsible for the least amount of suffering possible, governments must immediately grant diagnosed women the right to make the choice to end their pregnancies. After all, the abortion will likely happen regardless of what the laws dictate, and the horrific fatal accidents and health complications inevitable with cheap and illegal abortions are absolutely avoidable. Governments must do their part to prevent them and protect their people.
Another broken promise for productivity in Harrisburg
Michael Cheng ’18 In November of 2014, Democrat Tom Wolf was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in a wave of backlash against then-incumbent, Republican Tom Corbett. Governor Corbett had taken a series of unpopular actions, such as privatizing the state lottery and obstructing education funding. Wolf was elected on a mandate to revolutionize the way state govern-
ment worked; he promised to be a “different kind of governor.” However, he has brought us more of the same. It began with a budget. Twelve months ago, Wolf sent his ambitious 2015-16 budget to the Pennsylvania House. At 30 billion dollars, it included nearly one billion dollars in education funding, an increased the minimum wage of ten dollars and ten cents, a new five percent severance tax on natural gas production, a 20 percent increase in the state income tax, and a 10 percent increase in the sales tax. Upon its arrival, Republicans (who control both the State House and Senate) opposed the budget. State Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican, called it “the most massive tax-and-spend plan in recent history.” Still, months of nego-
tiations remained ahead for the Governor and the GOP State Legislature. Many thought that, with compromise and some clever deals, Governor Wolf could have gotten some parts of his progressive budget passed. Fast forward to today. After a nine-month-long series of bold declarations, policy speeches, and backdoor negotiations, Wolf backed down and accepted the GOP budget without any qualms. After slowly running out of options, Wolf swiftly abandoned his goals of restoring education funding and bolstering environmental protections. While the blame for the budget does not lie solely with Wolf, his reluctance to compromise is concerning. Wolf’s pattern of demanding bold action, starting battles with the Republicans, and then quietly backing down has led to a dearth of real
change under his administration. While he could have compromised to advance progressive priorities, Wolf has instead silently acquiesced to Republican demands. As a result, the budget that passed failed to either address Pennsylvania’s long-term fiscal issues or bolster education. While Governor Wolf has certainly tried his best thus far, almost all of his major accomplishments (such as Medicaid expansions and new methane emission regulations) have come through executive action. Wolf’s inability to work with Republicans in the State House and Senate has seriously impaired the prospectus of any real change in Pennsylvania. While Governor Wolf promised to be a different kind of governor for Pennsylvania, the reality has been more of the same.
Opinions
April 15, 2016
7
The Merionite
LawSUIT yourself
Simone Burde ’17 News Editor The recent lawsuit brought against LMSD by Gladwyne resident and attorney Arthur Wolk this past February is a prime example of a lawsuit based on weak reasoning and incorrect assumptions. In short, Wolk is wrong on the facts and weak in his arguments. Wolk’s central argument is that LMSD failed to provide complete and transparent budget information. His main contention is that LMSD provides excessive opportunities for its students. With just a bit of research, it becomes clear that Wolk’s assertion is absolutely incorrect. According to a Philly.com article, “Wolk criticized the school district for giving laptops to students who could afford their own.” First, the district does not “give” its students laptops. Students rent the laptops with a non-refundable $70 insurance payment at the start of each school year. Stu-
dents return the laptops at the end of each school year. Furthermore, students use the laptops for all four years and are responsible for any damages or repairs to the computer. Upon graduation, each student returns his or her laptop before receiving his or her diploma. Additionally, while it is true that some LMSD students do have the resources to purchase their own laptops, other LMSD students cannot afford such a privilege; nearly 700 LMSD students qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Putting aside Wolk’s fallacies, his argument simply does not fit in the 21st century. We live in the age of technology. LMSD is not in the minority by providing laptops. In fact, according to Futuresource Consulting Ltd, in 2016, 54 percent of students and teachers in districts across the U.S. will receive, “a school-issued personal computing device.” Is Wolk suggesting that LMSD, a nationally recognized school district, be in the minority by not providing technology? He makes a strong argument to equip students to compete in the 1950s, not 2016. Moving away from the ever controversial laptop issue, Wolk made a statement about public education that is just, to put it bluntly, wrong. According to a Main Line Media News article, Wolk argues that “public education is not courses, programs, activities….” Well, if public education is not “courses, programs, [and] activities,” then what is it? The pure definition of school is the process of giving or receiving education. How can a school district successfully do so without “courses, programs, and activities?” Without these entities, schools would not
do the job of educating pupils. The opportunities that LMSD gives its students are certainly above average; however, I disagree with Wolk’s characterization of those opportunities being “neither required, nor offered, nor appropriate for public education paid for by the taxpayers.” Courses are required both by the state and national governments. When one moves to Lower Merion, he or she knows that there are required school district tax payments. In fact, taxes are a mandatory disclosure in real estate transactions. Finally, Wolk suggested that LMSD neither welcomes nor allows the opinions of residents when planning its annual budget. According to the LMSD Local Board Procedures and Goals, all school board meetings “shall be public” with time reserved in the meeting for “audience recognition.” Furthermore, if a township resident is unable to attend a meeting, the agendas for the upcoming board meetings are posted on the LMSD website, where all past board meetings, as well as the current budget, can be viewed. Therefore, Wolk’s statement that “the district restricts the flow of information the taxpayers need to make a decision to oppose or support district action” is misinformed. The democratic process was there for Wolk to partake in. Naturally, the court should dismiss Wolk’s spurious lawsuit. But in the meantime, the residents of Lower Merion should recognize the fallacies within his arguments, and understand that their taxes, which go to the district’s budget, benefit a school district that provides outstanding-but not excessive-opportunities for both its students and the surrounding community.
Mr. LM: more than just a show
Alexandra Stern ’16 Director, Mr. LM 2016 When the Mr. LM candidate selection committee—comprised of Geena Shaw ’16, Technology Integration teacher Beth Hampton, Social Studies teacher Eric Lynn, two observing senior class officers, and myself—sat down to build this year’s competition, we didn’t set a goal of choosing female competitors. Instead, we set out to choose the strongest cast possible. We chose our cast based on the strength of their interviews, their personalities, and their ability to make an animal sound for us on the spot (I’m only slightly kidding). When we chose Dana Handleman ’16 and Emily Harnett ’17 as candidates, we did not choose them because they were girls, but rather because they had two of the highest scores out of everyone we saw. This year, we raised nearly $8,000 for both the senior class and the contestants’ ten charities. We sold out the auditorium for the second year in a row—so quickly, in fact, that we had to add a row of folding chairs just to seat everyone. I mention that the show sold out two years in a row not just to demonstrate the student body’s excitement and support, but also to emphasize the fact that, even though people knew there would be girls competing, it wasn’t a problem (for the second year in a row). The fact of the matter is that Mr. LM is a fundraiser targeted at students—we put your friends on stage and let them goof around to their heart’s content, and you come to support them. It is a long adopted practice within Mr. LM to represent as many social groups within the school as possible with the candidates, because a diverse group of candidates brings in a diverse group of supporters and better represents LM as a whole. Rather than reducing the show’s philanthropic revenue, having girls onstage increases the audience size and the number of do-
Photo by Sam Gamberg ’17/Staff The February 2016 coronation of Harnett, LM’s first female winner of Mr. LM. nations brought in. From a logistical perspective, a diverse cast is a smart cast. Perhaps you may have noticed that this year, the show was perhaps not quite as “satirical” as it has been in years past (although I maintain that the amount of clothing removed and the number of raunchy jokes are up there in the annals of Mr. LM history). And, contrary to the opinions of many, I believe that the show was intended reinvent and celebrate beauty pageants, not to mock them. Mr. LM gives us an opportunity to watch our friends dance around on a stage and try to make us laugh; it gives them the opportunity to develop the “character” version of themselves, and to make that character as big as possible. It takes the most vital element of any personality competition, whether it’s Miss America or “American Idol”—the urge to root for someone—and puts it on a high school stage. Perhaps one way to make people laugh and identify with a candidate is to have them mock a Barbie-esque catwalk, but it is equally valid to have
them instead perform slam poetry in honor of a dead pet rock, noodle on the guitar, or catch food in their mouth. We root for these candidates just as much as we root for the candidates who take off their shirts, because they have just as much personality. In the end, I firmly believe that Mr. LM doesn’t have to be about satirization or objectification to be entertaining and successful. It certainly can be, but that is entirely up to those in charge of the show each year. In conclusion, if you want to see a show centered on satire, fine. Talk to Mrs. Christman, get involved, and see what you can do for the show next year. Maybe even try your hand at directing. Like all traditions, Mr. LM belongs to the current students of LM. It should be what you want to see. Just don’t say that having girls participate will dissuade the student body from attending or donating, because, as the financial records from this year demonstrate, that simply is not true.
8
Opinions
April 15, 2016
The Merionite
Gain from Griffin Kao ’16 Over four years, she was raped 43,200 times, serving as doormat to men of different classes and perversions—they came, wiped their grime on her innocence, and left, each time taking a small part of her humanity Karla Jacinto of Mexico City has since been rescued, but continues to deal with psychological horrors far beyond those of the average 23-yearold and struggles to find meaning in a world devoid of true justice. She’s become the face of an issue that affects 20.9 million victims globally, many of them children, and wreaks havoc on our idealized image of a post-civil war, slavery-free American society. Of course, the human trafficking industry has grown far more rampant in developing nations, such as Bangladesh, Brazil, Haiti, and Uganda, and we tend to marginalize that which is geographically distant, but many of us are unaware or choose to ignore the fact that people are being sold and kept in bondage less than half an hour away from LM. This is an issue that has reached its gruesome, tentacle-like appendages into every region of the planet, no matter how developed, no matter how affluent, no matter how morally conscious. To catalogue each and every way in which human trafficking has permeated our society would take a lifetime, but there are two major types of trafficking: labor and sex. According to the Polaris Project, an organization devoted to eradicating modern slavery, labor traffickers use “violence, threats, lies, debt bondage, or other forms of coercion to force people to work against their will in many different industries.” Labor trafficking encompasses the 38,000 unauthorized Spanish-speak-
pain
Art courtesy of Wint Thu ’16
ing victims put to work in factories in San Diego County, California, the hundreds of thousands of kids toiling in dimly-lit sweatshops in South Asia, and the countless unpaid domestic workers compelled to clean, cook, and care for employers. The line between institutionalized slavery in America’s past and this contemporary form of slavery is razor thin, something with which we are way too comfortable. The Polaris Project categorizes sex trafficking victims as those that have been forced to “engage in commercial sex acts against their will.” Many are coerced or manipulated into prostitution by someone with whom they were romantically involved. Some are forced to sell sex by parents, guardians, or family members, the people who are supposed to have their best interests at heart. Yet others are enticed with deceptive promises of jobs or money. The
sex trafficking industry has garnered a lot more coverage, thanks to disturbing stories like Karla Jacinto’s, but still continues on unimpeded in many parts of the world, devastating the lives of innumerable women and children. The governments of many countries are resistant to the minimum standards set out in U.S. law, indulging traffickers and depravity in its sickest form. Beyond labor and sex trafficking, there’s the bondage of child soldiers. The UN estimates that there are around 300,000 child soldiers worldwide involved in conflicts in volatile countries as Sudan, Uganda, Chad, Burma, Somalia, and Yemen. Many are kidnapped, brainwashed, and forced to commit atrocities such as the murder of their own families. Others are used to satisfy the sexual inclinations of soldiers and armed groups. And still others are destined to be sacrificed as suicide bombers or human shields.
Most of these children are younger than us but have already become lost to the concept of humanity, having been treated as property and having seen so many cruelties. How can we stand idly by while these human beings, mere kids, suffer such evil? At this stage in the resolution of the problem, the key is awareness. The issue of human trafficking must become visible to the general populace. It must be present in casual discourse, in our thoughts, and in our actions. Only when we’ve reached adequate awareness can we organize the proper political and social initiatives to probe the issue. Naturally, the question each of us is presented with is: “What can I do to contribute to the awareness of the issue of human trafficking?” Beyond just personally being educated on the horrors being committed around the world, one can support organizations, local and international, that combat human trafficking. These include the Polaris Project, Urban Light, Prajwala, and the Empower Foundation, globally, and the Covenant House in Philadelphia. One can also participate in the CNN Freedom Project, a social media campaign to raise awareness in which people make paper airplanes, write pledges on the planes (something to do to help fight modern slavery), post on social media using the hashtag #FlyToFreedom, and nominate two friends to do the same. These already existing initiatives, while commendable, do not represent the limit to our potential to beat human trafficking. We can, and must, continue to think of new and better ways to tackle the issue. That the tackling of modern slavery is a moral imperative is indisputable. To have the power to act against such inequity but refuse to do so is no better than to enslave the innocent oneself. We have monetary resources at our disposal. We have an underrated aggregation of intellectual capital at this school. And most importantly, we have the political and social influence and the will to enact drastic change. It’s up to us to capitalize on what we’ve been given to make a difference in this world.
Homework in plain (web)site
Sophie Roling ’18 The age of technology has proved to be both a blessing and a curse for educational purposes. We can now log on to any teacher’s eBoard, Moodle, Blackboard, etc. at any time in order to see what homework is expected These amazing resources, however,
come with drawbacks; these websites can be edited at any time. Often times, homework is not posted to the website until late in the evening, resulting in students having to stay up later to finish it. It is even sometimes added over the weekend, which poses difficulties for students who were unaware of the changes, as well as for those who have to alter their weekends and spend time doing the extra work. LMSD has some specific rules regarding these homework issues. According to district homework policy, “Homework assignments should not be posted electronically unless students have been informed in advance during class that the homework will be posted.” For the most part, students are informed that homework will be posted
later. However, there is often confusion about exactly what time it will be added, and in some cases how much work will be added. High school is a time when we learn to balance different activities, including large amounts of work and studying. According to a study by USA Today, over a quarter of the country’s population of high school students claim that they have experienced extreme stress in their high school careers. The National Sleep Foundation discovered that over 87 percent of teenagers get less than the recommended 10 hours of sleep per night, which can result in drowsiness that can affect health and overall academic success. When homework is not posted until late in the evening, students end up staying awake much later to finish it, resulting in more stress and
less sleep. A generation ago, it was not possible to go online and have access to all the resources regarding daily homework. If you didn’t get the assignment in class, you wouldn’t be able to do it at home. Now, however, we always have the ability to access the homework online, the convenience comes with the constant possibility of these websites to being updated at inconvenient times. One possible collaborative solution to increase the effectiveness of our Internet resources could be to mandate that teachers not update homework past a certain time, such as 4 p.m., on school days. This way, we can continue to feel assured that we know all of the class expectations, and that our amazing resources can continue to be used effectively.
Features
April 15, 2016
9
The Merionite
How to tame your stress Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 and Alexandra Hummel ’17 Features Editors We’re taught that stress is something to be avoided, yet spend almost all four years of high school drowning in it. For years, psychologists have warned about the catastrophic effects of stress: early death, lower functioning immune systems, and depression. That being said, a lot of these professionals, like Stanford health psychologist Dr. Kelly McGonigal, have changed their minds recently. She details in her new book, The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You and How to Get Good At It, the new strategies and mindsets that come with recent breakthrough studies on the topic. Instead of framing stress as an ever-present enemy, psychologists want to educate the public on how to make it our friend.
Harvard University, the answer is yes. Your perception of stress directly affects your physical reaction to it. Just believing that stress is not harmful makes that belief a reality.
“
Premature deaths that had previously been blamed on stress were actually caused by the belief that stress has the ability to kill.
”
A study conducted in 2012 looked at the habits and beliefs of 30,000 Americans over a period of eight years. While the scientists conducting the programs expected a correlation between stress levels and mortality, they surprisingly found the opposite to be true. The first thing they noticed, which was expected based on past research, was that people who had experienced a lot of stress in the past had a 43 percent higher chance of dying—but don’t quit school yet. It turned out that all of the people who had died reported believing that stress is bad for you. What surprised the researchers was that the group who had experienced extreme stress, but didn’t think that it was harmful, had the lowest chance of dying out of any group. Their mortality rates were even less than those who felt low stress levels. So, they reasonably concluded that the 182,000 premature deaths that had been previously blamed on stress were actually caused by the belief that stress has the ability to kill. In other words, stress is not the killer; the very belief that stress is the killer is what’s harmful. That number—182,000 deaths—is actually higher than the individual annual mortality rates for skin cancer, HIV/AIDS, and homicide. This research practically begs for further investigation: can changing how you perceive stress improve your health? According to
“
...over a lifetime, this changed response ‘could be the difference between a stress-induced heart attack at fifty and living well into your nineties.’
”
there’s a way to make sure you release more of it. Oxytocin makes you seek help, sharing the brunt of your problems with other people. It is the reason why you want to help others who are distressed, and why you want to be around others when you yourself are distressed. By doing Graphic courtesy of Vanessa Roser ’17 so, you increase the release of oxytocin. If you Harvard designed an experiment called the social surround yourself with friends and family when you stress test. First, the subject enters a room and gives a are stressed, or if you help others, you actually recover five minute unprepared speech about his or her flaws more quickly. to a supervisor. All the while, the supervisor gives negBy being aware of the nature of stress, you can ative signals, both verbally and non-verbally. Then, control it. If you view stress as helpful, you render it Dr. McGonigal explains, “after you’ve been sufficiently harmless. And if you help others and surround yourdemoralized,” you have to take a math test. All this, of self with loved ones in times of need, you can recover course, is designed to render the subject stressed. from stress faster. If you know how stress works, you There were two groups of subjects: one group who can make it your friend. was told to view stress as helpful and energizing and
85% According to Psychology Today, the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s. We are getting more anxious every decade.
another group who was not told anything. The first group was “less stressed out, less anxious, more confident.” Not only did their postitive perspectives affect their emotions, but they also had an actual physical impact upon the subjects. Typically, a stress response consists of an elevated heart rate and constricted blood vessels. Because of these effects, chronic stress is not healthy, since it can lead to cardiovascular disease. However, the first group did not experience the usual physical responses to stress. Their blood vessels did not constrict, leading to a physical profile that more closely resembled joy than stress. And over a lifetime, this changed response “could be the difference between a stress-induced heart attack at fifty and living well into your nineties.” Essentially, it all comes down to your perspective. To really understand this, you have to know about oxytocin (a.k.a. the cuddle hormone). Among other things, oxytocin is a stress hormone. It is a natural inflammatory, preventing your blood vessels from dilating, and it actually heals and strengthens your heart. Essentially, it eases the intensity of the stress response. And
of students reported feeling stressed at least sometimes, according to a survey conducted by the Associated Press and MTV.
45%
of students who reported frequent stress were female, compared to 32% of male students, according to the same study.
Let’s talk about stress... With chronic stress, your body suppresses functions that are not vital to survival. Your immunity is lowered and your digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems stop working normally.
Oxytocin
10
Features
April 15, 2016
The Merionite
Thank God It’s Spring Julia Rosen ’18
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Spring has finally reached the sunless void where LM seems to reside. Rising temperatures coupled with the beautiful greenery popping up everywhere make it increasingly difficult to focus in class. Inevitably, the new school day reality seems to be staring out the window, longing to be outside. There’s something about the sun shining that just makes you want to spend all of your time outdoors. With this positive change in scenery comes new trends and the return of old traditions. The popularity of wall ball is typically unique to recess at elementary schools. However, it has somehow become a huge part of the outdoor activities here at LM. It goes without saying that, when outside in the courtyard, it is necessary to stay on your guard for any stray balls that could fly your way. They’re unavoidable, as there always seems to be one endless game going on. Sometimes, variations are introduced involving tennis racquets or soccer balls, but for the most part you can count on an intense game of basic wall ball ready for your viewing privilege anytime you glance out into the courtyard. rm
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“I went to say goodbye to my 8-year-old brother Junior, and found him hiding his face in his hands... I saw his shoulders shaking and realized he was crying. I hugged him tightly, which he wasn’t thrilled about, but seeing my sweet, normally giggly brother in tears was too much–I started tearing up...Half of us trekkies were in tears as we drove off down the bumpy dirt road... trying not to think about the finality of our departure.”
Another semi-sport/activity that’s becoming increasingly popular at LM is skateboarding. Skateboards are everywhere: in the courtyard, outside the cafeteria at lunch, and even in the hallway. In fact, the novice skateboarders in the courtyard are arguably more dangerous to spectators than even the stray wall-balls. All jokes aside, it’s pretty cool to see all the different tricks people can do. It’s like a free amateur X games right outside your classroom window. Along with spring comes one of the most stressful days of the entire year: the famed first day of shorts season. While its date varies from student to student, the anxiety and importance that it brings are universal. Night-before traditions include texting everyone in your contacts to see what they’re wearing the next day, checking the forecast over and over, debating whether or not your dr winter skin is ready for the harsh, abrasive sunlight. While eating lunch at the tables outside the cafeteria is sadly the closest we’ll ever come to feeling like we attend PCA (remember Zoey 101?) it’s still a really enjoyable tradition (even though we don’t get to ride off to our next classes on our Jet X’s afterwards). The pluses of eating outside include the ability to multitask by simultaneously tanning (or sunburning) and doing your homework…or not. And don’t forget those cute criss-cross lines you get on the back of your legs from the benches if you are wearing shorts! For an added bonus, the automatically locking doors allow you to see if your friends and peers will casually avoid eye contact or prove themselves to be good samaritans by opening the door. But, the best part of spring isn’t the pseudo-sports, eating outside, or wardrobe changes at all. It’s how the warm weather just undeniably makes everything better. We all suffer from S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) at least a little during the wintertime, so you can’t help but just feel good when it begins to get this gorgeous outside. Spring has sprung, and if that’s not enough to put a smile on your face, I don’t know what is.
How to last until Memorial Day Do homework outside in order to enjoy the beautiful, warm weather while finishing up a chemistry lab or a math review packet. After a whole day inside at school it will feel great to get some fresh air. Head to Rita’s for an afterschool snack. Refreshing and delicious, water ice is the perfect way to unwind! Go for a walk or easy run around the neighborhood to release some endorphins and get started on a tan for the upcoming MDW. Connect projects in school to summer related themes. This way you can get excited about your great summer plans while finishing an English paper. Bring out your cute summer outfits! Now that the weather is beginning to get warmer you can wear your new summer-y dress or pull out those khaki shorts. Find new ways to procrastinate by cloud watching, searching for four leaf clovers, and doing yoga under trees. – Shuli Weinstein ’18
The Trekkie Diaries Reflections from members of the 2016 Trek to Malawi “The women started singing a traditional song and we all started dancing with them... It’s so amazing that two groups of people with completely different cultures can know each other for 2 hours and come together like one big family. Malawi, I love you already” – Gina Golden ’18
– Joanna Gerber ’18
Photos courtesy of Tom Reed
McConnell bonds with young villagers in Samuel Lukwa.
The 2016 team (some pitcured below and above) spent March 11 through March 22 in Malawi, a country in Southeastern Africa. Trekkies Jana Brcek ’16, Blessing Osazuwa ’16, Katelyn Dang ’17, Leah Owen-Oliner ’17, Joey Calaman ’18, Carly Dessain ’18, Joanna Gerber ’18, Gina Golden ’18, Allyson Greenberg ’18, Maddie Kitnick ’18, Olivia Malloy ’18, Sarah McConnell ’18, Barbara Peck ’18, Hadi Rizvi ’18, Robbie Zorc ’18 Lizzie Diacik ’19, Audrey Knoll ’19, and Sofia Lake ’19, helped locals construct a school and participated in cultural workshops led by community leaders.
Owen-Oliner hugs her host little sister, 4-year-old Befa.
April 15, 2016
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The reality of being an LGBTQ+ athlete Jon Adams ’16 Arts and Entertainment Editor LGBTQ+—an acronym that, at first glance, many may find intimidating. It stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and more. To break it down is to explore the breadth within which a growing number of high school students identify themselves. LM is a liberal institution, and such students are generally welcomed with open arms in their classes. That being said, school, for many students, is about more than just academics. Many students consider athletics to be just as fulfilling a part of their high school experience. LGBTQ+ students, unsurprisingly, are often involved in athletics, too. Their experiences, however, don’t always parallel those of their straight or cisgendered (those whose gender identities align with the ones they were assigned at birth) peers. Sports are often places that help students define themselves, and when orientation and sexuality are thrown into the mix, the whole process can become a tad more difficult to navigate. By playing a sport, an athlete becomes a member of a larger community. From grueling practices to buzzer beater games, an athlete and his or her teammates experience a lot together. Many LGBTQ+ athletes wish that their orientation had no effect on their relationships with their teammates or their experiences in sports in general, but sadly, this is often not the case. To put it bluntly, sports in America are often difficult for LGBTQ+ athletes. Not the physical sports themselves, but the interactions that come along with them. “One’s athletic skills are not affected because of one’s sexuality,” says Grace Nie ’16. “It’s the interactions with teammates, with a coach, with people of the same gender in the locker room where a possible, hostile environment could arise.” And hostile environments do arise both for athletes at LM and in high schools throughout the country. While the locker room culture is an integral part of the sports experience, many LGBTQ+ athletes feel uncomfortable attempting to breach it. “Being gay, you always have some uncomfortableness in general,” says Bethany Eldridge ’18, a cross country runner, basketball player, and ultimate frisbee player who identifies as a lesbian. “You want to connect with your team in any way possible, but you kind of feel like an outsider.” The experience differs for athletes who are “out of the closet” versus those who are not, and both have their own set of ensuing difficulties. Many athletes who hide their sexuality live in constant fear of being “outed,” a sentiment shared by many LM LGBTQ+ athletes. The stress of competing is compacted with the stress of their sexuality, taking away from the joy of competing and creating a mental obstacle in their ability to connect with teammates. As a result, many LGBTQ+ athletes feel uncomfortable in sports not because of physical or verbal bullying, but because of their own nervousness concerning their sexuality. Meanwhile, athletes who are upfront about their orientation find themselves bombarded with accusations. “Are you attracted to me?” is a common misguided
question, says Nie. Simply because someone is a lesbian doesn’t mean they’re attracted to all girls, just as a straight girl is not attracted to all boys. Yet this mild sense of paranoia, or a fear of its existence on the part of LGBTQ+ athletes, can be omnipresent. “I have had negative experiences, with people who find out asking me ‘do you like me?’” says Camille Carr ’18, echoing Nie’s comments. Carr, a cross country runner who identifies as bisexual, feels that LGBTQ+ athletes walk a thin line between trying to be their truest selves and not upsetting their teammates in the process. “Some people aren’t comfortable around LGBTQ+ people, and I’m trying to respect that. When you have had negative experiences in the past, it makes you wary. Because as much as people tell you to be proud, you can’t really do that, as much as it is an open environment.” This wariness traps many LGBTQ+ athletes: they wish to come out and ease the tension within their own mind, but fear that doing so will only create new difficulties. Involvement in sports starts at an early age for many kids, and this unfortunate fear can develop early. Carr shared a personal experience: “Once when I was ten I hit a girl’s butt in line in gym, completely by accident. Girls called me lesbo and he-she for weeks, even writing it in
Graphic by Sam Gamberg/Staff my yearbook. I’d never even thought about my sexuality at the point. I was being put into a box, even though I hadn’t figured out myself yet.” This fear stops many athletes from being open about their sexuality. Sports are used as a means for people to express who they are and to claim an identity. Many LGBTQ+ athletes fear that by coming out, their athletic persona will be stripped away as one of their defining features, replaced by their supposedly all-encompassing orientation. Eager to remain “that runner/swimmer/wrestler/ etc.,” these athletes don’t disclose their sexuality so that it doesn’t overshadow what they feel truly defines who they are. “I want people to think of me as more than just ‘she’s gay,’ because sometimes I feel like there’s a period at the end of that sentence” says Eldridge. “I’m fine being seen as gay, but I don’t want that to be my whole thing.” Davon Collins ’19, a track and field thrower who identifies as gay, states, “It’s easy to tell the culture of a team from its behavior in the locker room.” Collins quit the LM football team due to an excessive use of derogatory terms and homophobic comments, citing an inability to remain in “that type of environment.” While explaining that no comments were ever directed at him, it was
Hear from LM’s athletes: “The biggest obstacle for LGBTQ+ athletes
the pervasive mockery of orientation that made Collins leave. “I couldn’t surround myself with people who say stuff like that, so in the end I left.” A common suggestion to LGBTQ+ athletes is that if they don’t like the attitudes of their teammates, they should quit. This “solution,” however, both ignores the blatant intolerance that the athletes are forced to endure, and fails to correct it. They’re made to choose between their sport and being comfortable with their sexuality, a decision never forced upon their straight peers. Indeed, locker room behavior has caught the national spotlight after recent alleged hazing incidents at Conestoga High School were exposed. LM responded to the news through informal advisory discussions, a disappointing response to many LGBTQ+ athletes. “I think [Administration] could have handled that better,” says Nie. She continues, “They only viewed it solely as bullying...though the situation is uncomfortable to talk about, everyone in LM is mature enough to talk about it. [Administration] never directly addressed the homophobia that was integral to the entire incident.” Carr also believes that administration missed a serious opportunity to address homophobia in sports. “I’ve never heard it mentioned. They warn against hazing, but [administration] never says don’t use slurs. I don’t think they’re making an active effort. Thankfully we don’t have ‘no gay Thursdays,’ but I don’t think we’ve given LM a chance to prove [itself] hostile. I’ve heard boys use fag and girls use dyke casually.” Members of the LGBTQ+ community at LM aren’t the only ones who find the pervasive use of such derogatory terms concerning. “It’s totally unintentional, it just sort of flows out of your mouth. It’s such a common thing that you’re hearing, which is frightening,” says Emily DeSouza ’16, a member of the crew team who identifies as straight. This casual attitude towards homophobic slurs underscores a growing mindset of our generation, in which “gay” still has a negative connotation. “That’s so gay” is still heard around the halls of LM, and LGBTQ+ members of the track and field team have reported frequently overhearing the term “dick-eater” to negatively describe opponents and even fellow teammates. The foul language isn’t just an issue for athletes; it’s not uncommon for members of the Dawg Pound at basketball games to hurl the term “fag” at players of the opposing team. However, the first step towards addressing an issue is recognizing it, and cutting down on the use of offensive language creates a safer environment for all who compete within it, regardless of their orientation. Teams are built on a foundation of trust and mutual reliance, and when they celebrate each other’s differences instead of singling them out for ridicule, something beautiful happens: a community comes together, and the true spirit of competition can be celebrated in all its glory. LGBTQ+ athletes certainly have a long way to go before they can compete without any reservations or issues, but the current attitudes of many student athletes at LM, regardless of orientation, show promise for a better tomorrow.
“Many LGBTQ+ athletes feel societal pressure to conform to the stereotype of an ‘athlete’ or a ‘jock.’ ” “I feel as if it would be harder for guys playing sports than girls. Girls seem to generally be more open to the LGBTQ+ community than guys are.”
“I have had teammates who have identified as LGBTQ+ but I don’t think it hindered their ability to play or excel at their sport.”
Anyonymous responses from straight and LGBTQ+ athletes at LM
is when you come out to your closest friends on the team and they all think you are checking them out in the locker room or making advances on them. “
Somewhat 25
No, not to my knowledge. 19
No 15
Yes 7
Yes, in the past. 10
Yes, currently. 12
Other 5
Do you believe that sports teams, especially high school sports, are a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ athletes?
During your time at LM, have you played with a teammate who identifies at LGBTQ+?
Yes, my teammates are aware of my sexuality. 3
Yes, but only certain teammates are aware of my sexuality. 8
No, they are not aware of my sexuality. 4
Are you “out of the closet” in terms of your sexuality to your teammates?
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April 15, 2016
Arts and Entertainment The Merionite
LM Garden Club stops to smell the roses, picking up a medal along the way Roxanna Pasquier ’17
While the last cold days of winter were still raging on outside, inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center lay a temperate conservatory of tropical and native plants. Started in 1829, two years after the founding of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), the Flower Show has become an iconic part of the city’s history and will continue to hold its significance into the future. The excitement begins each year when the PHS chooses a theme to direct the dozens of accepted competitors for the early March competition. This year’s theme, “Explore America,” challenged competitors to design an exhibit in honor of the centennial of the American Parks System. With the announcement of the theme, contestants in both the Horticulture and Orchid classes began work on their beautiful designs incorporating the theme in creative ways. To ensure a beautiful and diverse exhibition, PHS has developed a system to ensure only the most talented horticulturalists are offered the opportunity to compete. An application process is required that requests specific information such as the plants to be used and asks various questions. PHS does offer some online resources to assist competitors, such as Growing Tips, Arrangement Packets, and an Exhibitor’s Guide. A Botanical Database is offered as well with the names of over 20,000 plants that are used any given year. To completely ensure success, PHS even offers workshops throughout January and February to teach competitors about competition concerns such as an explanation of scoring and a workshop on underwater designs. While this preparation may seem excessive to those unassociated with the world of horticulture and design, this training guarantees an amazing show for all spectators. One competition team that has acquired acceptance is the LM Garden Club. Under the direction of Lynn Freeland, four or five LM students develop an exhibit to compete against other schools and elderly care homes. This year’s team consisted of club president Jon Adams ’16, Roxanna Pasquier ’17, Zoe Kleeman ’18, and Claire Ochroch ’18. The team chose Independence Mall as inspiration for their balcony and bay window exhibit. Members featured an American flag motif in the display as well as twinkling lights and a victory garden. Ochroch explains, “Despite years of attendance as a visitor, this was my first year actually competing in the show. It was amazing to see the work that went into the show. The flowers and decorations fit exactly with the theme and it looked like it could be a real terrace.” The design was executed exquisitely, so there was little surprise when the LM design won First Prize in its division, competing against the likes of an elderly care facility, Downingtown High School Garden Club, Gloucester High School Garden Club, and more. The Flower Show also called upon some creative collaboration with the art department. LM students were asked to create necklaces to show in the exhibition. Juniors Emily Murphy and Jillian Rothstein created a necklace inspired by this year’s theme of National Parks. Using pressed and dried flowers the girls created a mosaic-like design. The necklace came together to “create a piece based on water flowing from parks from Maine to Arizona,” according to Murphy. The collaboration between the garden club and art department is a wonderful tradition that bridges two creative outlets together. The fun isn’t just reserved for the competitors, however. Each year around 260,000 visitors come to enjoy the beauty of nature and culture after a long white winter. For a charge of $34, visitors can enjoy a visit to the show to explore and enjoy the exhibits, as well as view local artists’ work and buy plant supplies. With Reading Terminal directly across the street from the Convention Center, the Philadelphia Flower Show has become an annual tradition and exciting event for thousands of people, including LM students. Vendors share their new gardening tools as visitors enjoy the vibrant colors and crisp air. PHS works hard to make sure visitors of all ages can enjoy the show. Programs such as “Junior Rangers” and the “Railway Garden,” supported by AMTRAK, delight viewers of all ages. Additionally, on Sunday of the Flower Show Weekend, children can participate in Teddy Bear Tea. Separate tickets are required, but attendees enjoy a delicious tea of pastries, petite sandwiches, fruit, and other treats. Finally, PHS offers a Butterflies Live! exhibit that offers visitors the opportunity to view live rare and exotic butterflies inspired by the indigenous environments of the national parks. All proceeds of said events go to PHS to ensure a green future throughout Pennsylvania’s urban areas. The charm of the annual Flower Show attracts visitors of all walks of life creating a diverse community. Because of its universal themes of beauty, nature, and creativity, there is no doubt that the Flower Show will continue to delight viewers for many years to come.
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One of the many exhibits highlighting America’s national parks. Overview of the entryway into and “lobby” of the Flower Show exhibition. Necklace made by Zoe Kleeman, created entirely of natural, earthly products. Kleeman, one of the three students who helped assemble LM’s exhibit, posing with the judges sheet and LM’s first place honor for the balcony category. 5. One of the Flower Show’s most stunning pieces—Philadelphia’s historical Liberty Bell reimagined out of red, white, and blue carnation flowers. 6. LM’s Flower Show Club’s first place winning exhibition. The design strove to create an asthetically pleasing but practical and bountiful balcony garden; each potted plant grew either an edible herb or vegetable, such as lemongrass, tomatoes, potatoes, mint, peppers, and more. Photos 1, 2, 5 courtesy of Jon Adams ’16/Staff Photos 3, 4, 6 courtesy of Zoe Kleeman ’18
Arts and Entertainment
April 15, 2016
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Kesha drops the “$,” but not the record label Molly Cutler ’19 Many of us tune out generic celebrity gossip—who’s divorcing whom, who got a new haircut, who named their baby after an inanimate object, or who totaled their gold-plated Lamborghini. However, there has been one piece of recent news in the entertainment world that can’t just be written off as inconsequential fluff: Kesha’s lawsuit against her producer, Dr. Luke. At first glance, this lawsuit appears to be no more than a simple contract negotiation. However, further investigation reveals that the lawsuit is based on evidence raised by Kesha and her lawyers that accuses Dr. Luke of assaulting and verbally abusing Kesha, which would warrant a lot more than a termination of a contract on Dr. Luke’s part. The legal story began when the popular singer/songwriter Kesha (whose real name is Kesha Rose Sebert) filed a civil suit against her producer Dr. Luke (whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald). The suit alleged that Dr. Luke had drugged, raped, and continually abused Kesha during their time working together, and that he was limiting her growth as an artist by restricting the types of music she could release. The goal of the lawsuit was to get an injunction forcing Dr. Luke’s label Kemosabe Records, and consequently its parent company Sony, to terminate it contract with Kesha, allowing her to continue making music without her alleged abuser. However, Dr. Luke’s legal team has held that Kesha is making up her allegations and that all she really wants is a more profitable contract. Dr. Luke continues to insist that the allegations of sexual assault, battery, and emotional abuse are untrue. He has brought forth a countersuit against Kesha, accusing her of defaming him and extorting him with the threat of her allegations. Many activists, as well as a number of Kesha’s fans and supporters, have recognized the sorts of claims made by Dr. Luke as a typical trope for people accused of rape. All too often, women are not believed when they bring allegations of sexual assault. Rape culture is fueled on victim blaming, sexism, and the passive acceptance of these sorts of malicious and demeaning actions. When even a popular, famous music star is not believed when she tells her story, is accused of lying and manipulation, is belittled and humiliated and is given the message that she doesn’t matter, what hope can we have for the rest of the rape victims in the world? If Kesha is told that her body and her consent are irrelevant because of a preexisting contract, how can we expect regular women (and people of all genders) to feel safe in today’s society? And if Dr. Luke wins this case, how can women specifically in the music industry be expected to endure similar abuses? The injustices in this situation are great and many, but its impact on
the world outside of Kesha’s experience will also be significant. Legal precedents—a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is persuasive for a court when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts—are often important, so those involved would do well to consider what the decision will end up meaning for future victims tied to contracts. What it comes down to, essentially, is if Kesha’s bodily autonomy and rights will be upheld, or if a piece of paper will trump her liberty and well-being.
Kesha, left, and Dr. Luke, right. Dr. Luke has also worked with Avril Lavigne, Rihanna, and Miley Cyrus.
Kesha has stated that she did not initially report Dr. Luke’s assault to the police because of his extreme power in the music industry, fearing that this could greatly jeopardize her career. According to the suit, Dr. Luke allegedly drugged Kesha with GHB, commonly known as “roofies,” and raped her while she was unconscious. In 2014, Kesha checked herself into a rehabilitation center for an eating disorder. Her mother has publically stated that she believes the disorder was brought on by Dr. Luke’s continuous derogatory comments about Kesha’s appearance, including his telling her that she looked like a refrigerator in reference to her figure. On another occasion, she stated that Dr. Luke had threatened to put down her dog. Before signing on with Kemosabe Records, Kesha was in her high school’s IB program, had earned a nearly perfect SAT score, and was awarded a full scholarship to Barnard College. But she turned it all down to pursue her true love: music. Kesha alleges that not only would being forced to continue working with Dr. Luke be emotionally and potentially physically harmful, but it would also ruin her career, a career she has clearly given up much for. Her lawyer, Mark Geragos, said, “Her brand value has fallen. And unless the court issues this injunction, Kesha will suffer irreparable harm, plummeting her career past the point of no return.” Kesha’s argument is that she is being put in an
impossible position: she cannot make new music unless she works with her alleged abuser, but if she refuses, her name will fall out of the public consciousness and she will be unable to continue having a successful career. This February, Judge Shirley Kornreich denied Kesha’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed her to make music outside of her contract with Dr. Luke (and by extension, Sony). “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry,” Judge Kornreich said to Geragos and a weeping Kesha. Evidently, the court viewed the lawsuit as a basic contract negotiation, and did not see enough evidence to determine that the continuation of the contract would be harmful to Kesha’s wellbeing or career. Judge Kornreich cited Dr. Luke’s statement that he had apparently allowed Kesha “to record without his involvement” as a deciding point. The latest development to this case came in March, when Kesha appealed the decision. She and her lawyers asked a higher-level court to revisit and reverse Judge Kornreich’s decision, but to no avail. Kesha has lost the battle against Dr. Luke, and she has already appealed to the highest court possible for her specific case. Supporters rallied around Kesha, with other pop stars including Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, and Lady Gaga pledging either their voice or monetary donations to her cause. #FreeKesha has also trended on various social media sites over the course of the lawsuit. Though Kesha lost the case, the publicity of her story will likely encourage others to vocalize similar situations.
What Kesha Wants: The Creative Freedom Movement was a series of unreleased demos Kesha created without Dr. Luke. Neither Kesha nor Dr. Luke commented on them.
Every party has a sick DJ to keep the beats pumpin, but what are you going to do to keep the mood on the way there, or set the mood on the way home? Don’t worry–Sam Gamberg ’17 has got you covered. These playlists encompass a wide range of songs for every emotion you could possibly imagine: excitement, nervousness, fear, regret, jubilation, nonchalance, confidence, and, of course, chill. So check out our “driving to the party” playlist to get you pumped on the way to the party, and don’t forget to listen to our “driving home from the party” playlist while relaxing on the way back to your crib. Graphics by Sam Gamberg/Staff
“Feeling myself” - Nicki minaj feat. Beyoncé
“The less I know the better” - Tame Impala
“All I want for christmas is you” Mariah Carey
“Famous” - Kanye West “Machu Picchu” - The Strokes
“Magnets” - Disclosure feat. Lorde “My type” - Saint Motel “Best friend” - Foster the People “Venus” - Lady Gaga
“Gimme all your love” - Alabama Shakes “Q.U.E.E.N.” - Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu
“Jungle” - Drake
“Warm foothills” - Alt-J
“Close to you” - Rihanna
“These days” -Nico
“Sober” - Childish Gambino
“Song for you” - Alexi Murdoch
“Gravity don’t pull me” - Rostam
“Across the universe” - The Beatles
“Super rich kids” - Frank Ocean “Ode to viceroy” - Mac Demarco “The moon song” - Karen O
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April 15, 2016
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Arts & Entertainment
April 15, 2016
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The Merionite
A colorful cast of super-powered characters
Commander in Sleaze Isabella Dumistrescu ’17 Features Editor
Claire Ochroch ’18 Although it seems that every week a new superhero movie or TV show pops up on primetime, the creators of these shows are nobody new: DC and Marvel. These two bigwigs have seamlessly transitioned the world of superheroes from pages to screens, only expanding the world of comics. However, while the movies garner a lot of hype, the TV shows deserve an equal amount of praise, if not more. The format of TV provides for a deeper storyline and better character development, which allow fans to spend more time with their favorite superheroes and immerse themselves more deeply in the plot each week, instead of for just a mere two hours. DC has enjoyed immense success with their shows airing on the CW netowrk. Crossovers between shows such as Arrow, The Flash, and the new Legends of Tomorrow have become fan favorites. The current DC universe on TV was born in 2012 with Arrow, the CW’s highest-rated new series in five years. A spin-off series set in the same universe, The Flash, premiered in October 2014. An animated spin-off, titled Vixen, was released next August, while a second
tend to be much more dark and gritty. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the first TV show to be a part of the Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division), a fictional peacekeeping and spy agency in a world of superheroes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiered on ABC in 2012 and was soon followed by Agent Carter, which was inspired by the film series Captain America. The show features Peggy Carter as she balances the life of a secret agent with that of a single woman in 1940s America. There are two current Marvel shows on Netflix: Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Daredevil, whose second season just premiered, features Matt Murdock/Daredevil, a blind lawyer by day and a crime fighting superhero by night. Jessica Jones follows the exploits of its title character, a superhero who opens a detective agency after ending her superhero career. If you’ve binge watched through both, have no fear, because two other projects, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, are in development. Luke Cage first appeared on Jessica Jones, but will now have his own show where he, a former
Graphic by Vanessa Rosser ’17 live-action spin-off, Legends of Tomorrow, premiered in January, featuring numerous characters from both Arrow and The Flash. Other networks have also taken advantage of the amazing DC Universe. CBS released Supergirl which is produced by Greg Berlanti, the same producer of all of the DC universe shows on the CW. Another superhero show, though set in a different universe, is Gotham. The series is a straightforward telling of future Gotham police chief James Gordon’s early days on the force. Gotham also explores the origin stories of several of Batman’s villains. The CW shows are for people who want a more airy look into the lives of superheroes, while Gotham is for those who want a grittier crime story, but both will amaze. Marvel, when compared to DC, has taken an entirely different approach to developing their TV presence. The shows are all interconnected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has seen tremendous success on its own. Such an approach appears much more thought out than that of the DC shows, and
convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, will fight crime. Iron Fist will be about Danny Rand returning to New York City after disappearing for years to fight corruption with kung-fu and the power of the “Iron Fist.” These shows will culminate in a miniseries called The Defenders, in which all the Marvel superheroes will team-up in New York City for a battle of epic proportions. These TV and online streaming programs based on comics have been so successful that they’ve expanded beyond just superheroes. The show iZombie is based on a DC comic about a zombie who has visions through the people whose brains she’s eaten. All of these shows are amazing, so if you like superhero movies I would highly recommend them. There is something for everyone, from the person who likes the more light-hearted humorous facet of comic books, to one who loves the nitty-gritty side of superheroes. These shows deserve as much recognition as the movies, so definitely try them out.
House of Cards is a much beloved se- paigning is so gimmicky that the “old” ries, though its premise can be hard to Francis would call it in an instant, which explain to non-fans. Yes, it’s a political may bother seasoned viewers. Every time drama, but, by season four, it’s become he pulls out his homegrown, biscuit-andless about the policy and more about the grits persona, you’ll probably find yourwriters’ flair for the dramatic. self horrifyingly missing the cold-blooded Season four pleased fans who were President F.U. disappointed by the anti-climactic season This isn’t to say that we don’t get to see three. Given that the show airs on Netflix, much of him. Despite forces desperately it is followed by a cult of binge-watchers, trying to keep him off screen, we get to see encouraging most reviewers to wait only a lot of a new side of Frank, one that’s been a weekend before releasing comments hinted at throughout the entire series. And chock full of spoilers. if you were worried that you would run out The Atlantic noted that, while the of opportunities to ponder Chief of Staff show’s cinematography, acting, and writ- Doug Stamper’s (Michael Kelly) nature, ing have been consistently strong, “unlike there are plenty of new plots to bring back with the past few seasons, there were very the battle of good and evil within Dougie. few stretches of these new episodes that In terms of minor character developcould be classified as ‘boring.’” Time adds ment, reviewers and fans were pleasantly that “‘Power is fun to have and to acquire’ surprised by the attempts at moral reisn’t meant to be an idea to explore—it’s demption made by two of the show’s most just a jumping-off-point for narrative, and likable characters. Many faces you’d forthe show’s writers gotten will return, take full advanbut you’ll lose some tage.” favorites as well. One accolade I With the on-gogrant the show is its ing 2016 presidengraceful introductial race, it’s hard to tion of traumatic avoid comparisons events in plausibetween the show ble ways, usually and reality. Given paired with more the murder, wideemotionally relatspread corruption, able events. Unlike and crazy back-room other shows (hint: (or hidden stairwell) Grey’s Anatomy), deals, you’d think drastic events are that the fictional poused cautiously, litical landscape and making them all climate are too far the more shocking removed from reality when sprinkled for an actual comPhoto courtesy of Netflix parison throughout the seasons. This season had its own traumas, of But Spacey has found otherwise, as course, which tastefully allowed for deeper he told The Hill. “They’re both a little bit character development. unpredictable in that audiences have no Season four also saw the strengthen- idea where we’re gonna go and what we’re ing of Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), gonna do, and I think that’s part of the enwho may finally have strength equivalent joyment that an audience has—they don’t to that of her husband—something that’s really know.” He went on to comment on been much awaited since Wright’s Em- the media’s trends towards making entermy-winning season one performance. She tainment rather than news, particularly has shone as a supporting character, but with this race. her time in the spotlight proves to be just After the restlessness of season two and as great as that of her supporting role. the stagnancy of three, House of Cards Oddly enough, Frank Underwood fans can at last rejoice with the release of (Kevin Spacey), around whom the show a never-boring and well-developed fourth has revolved for the past three seasons, season. We were left with plenty of cliffgets less attention this time around. He’s hangers that will make great story lines lost some of his steely and fear-inducing of the next release. However, critically-acpresence; his ring knocking is a bit less claimed head writer Beau Williams will menacing and absolute, and his direct- not be returning for the next season—so ed monologues have less oomph. He’s only time will tell if his predecessor will balancing the campaign trail with taxing continue his legacy. One question, regardPresidential duties as the incumbent—and less of the future plot lines, remains on his battle is even harder given that he was everyone’s mind: When will the house of never actually elected. Much of his cam- cards come crashing down?
Only got $20 in your pocket? Get thrify with Molly Gonzales ’17 I love the rush I get from walking into Free People with a thrifted shirt from their store. The checkout gal thinks I’m a loyal paying customer, but I am quite the opposite—$68 for a distressed Rolling Stones t-shirt is the reason I hate capitalism. I would rather move to communist Russia than pay $178 for “vintage” jeans. I know what you’re thinking: “But Molly, I always see you wearing Free People, what’s your secret to such a diverse and colorful wardrobe for a fraction of the price?” The key is thrifting! Believe it or not, there are many great local thrift stores. If you’re going for a quirkier vibe, Hampers on Montgomery Avenue and Pennywise on Lancaster Avenue are your move. Both
stores are full of interesting and out there nick-knacks and garments. If you’re looking for name or luxury brands, head to designer consignment shops. A few years ago, before I could really appreciate a designer label, I got a Burberry wallet for $25 at Revivals in Narberth. They carry primarily second hand designer clothes and accessories. Even more so, our location along the Main Line blesses us with easy access to the Meccas of trendy thrift shops: Manayunk, Center City and South Philadelphia. Philly AIDS thrift, Sophisticated Seconds, and Retrospect are just a few of the amazing, yet super chic, second-hand stores on South Street. Two blocks away from Rittenhouse Square lies Buffalo Exchange, my absolute
favorite thrifting destination. Be warned, however—it is a bit pricey compared to Salvation Army and the one room, dollar bin thrift shops on Main Street in Manayunk. Buffalo Exchange is where anyone can find second-hand Free People, Antrhopologie, and Urban Outfitters clothing. They also offer great deals for trading or selling clothes, although they are extremely particular regarding the clothes they accept in order to keep a well-maintained inventory. Walking into a thrift store can be a bit overwhelming, especially at places like the Salvation Army. Usually clothes are organized by type and size, so pants on one rack, and then in order: small, medium, large. My advice is to walk in with an open
mind. If you go in only looking for a certain brand or style, you may be disappointed or distracted, ultimately missing the good steals! Digging through the bins and scavenging through the racks can be tiring, but it makes all the difference when you find the perfect distressed jeans for only $5. I also recommend NOT eye-balling for sizes; try things on. Even if you’re absolutely certain you are a size 26, some mystery brands found in second hand stores don’t own rulers, so the sizing could be completely off. Good luck and happy thrifting! Make sure to always brag about how cheap you scored your new denim jacket for to all your friends who paid full price!
16
Arts & Entertainment
April 15, 2016
ACES OF THE ARTS
The Merionite
MIN O C G
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Stage acting is fun because of the the thrill of a live audience. Watching other people react to what you put out on stage is similar Karl Meyer ’18 to having a cheering crowd at a sports game, because it fills the actor/athlete with energy and makes them feel appreciated. And when the audience is really enjoying the show, it compels the actors on stage to make it better. To prepare for an upcoming show, I run my lines constantly, and make sure to keep my voice and body in good health. Even if there is no singing in a show, the voice is still important, and nothing is worse than losing one’s voice or getting sick right before opening night.
How do you intend to incorporate acting into the rest of your time at LM? Acting is a uniquely useful talent because people use it all the time. Even people who don’t act on stage still use it in their everyday lives. Whether it’s convincing a teacher to push back a deadline or pretending that I know what the current drama is, I am always acting.
Who is your favorite actor or actress and why?
My favorite actor is Alan Rickman (R.I.P.). Besides his fantastic portrayal of Snape in the Harry Potter series, he has also played other memorable characters, like Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. He has a mastery of small facial movements that, on film, translate into subtle but powerful emotions.
Meyer dancing with fellow cast member Alex Stern ’16 during an intimate scene in Arcadia.
How are you involved with the arts at LM?
I have been taking art classes here at LM since freshman year. Outside of that, I have been an active member of PLAYERS for the last eight shows.
What do you draw from for inspiration for your pieces? Katherine Villarin ’17
When I paint and draw, I like to use what I see outside and in nature.
How do you intend to incorporate art into your life senior year, in college, and beyond?
Next year, I plan to take AP art, and in college I hope to take studio courses as well.
What is your favorite renowned piece of art and why?
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Why do you enjoy acting, and how do you prepare for an upcoming show?
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Liana Giangiulio ’17/Sam Gamberg ’17 This spring, PLAYERS is back at it again with its third production, Red Herring, a comedy written by Villanova professor Michael Hollinger. This hilarious farce takes place in America during the Cold War, and it stylistically resembles the noir genre of that era. The plot follows headstrong detectives working to uncover a case involving murder, espionage, and the red scare—all while dealing with explosive love lives of their own. Maggy and Frank are both a couple and partner detectives working on the murder of Mr. Kravtiz. This duo interacts with Andre, a Soviet Union spy involved with the victim’s wife, who is trying to keep a low profile until the case blows over. But Lynn and James, newly engaged American sweethearts, just so happen to hold the blueprints for the fusion bomb and cause mayhem within the lives of all the characters. However, the play is a whole different story. One of the most unique parts of the show is its constant change in location. Director Emily Harnett ’17 explained, “This aspect of the show sets it apart from others; it allows the audience to delve deeper into the lives of the characters and meaning of the story.” While this creates insight for the audience, it also poses as a challenge for PLAYERS’ production design staff. “In order for each setting to be an accurate representation of a scene, PLAYERS is using periactoids,” Harnett said, “which are big cubes that rotate and each side can set up a new location.” These will make transitions easier; rather than creating new set pieces for every location, one set piece can be used to identify multiple. There are more details than usual that need to be addressed to make sure that the set is functional and safe. “Communication is key,” Production Manager Mira Franzel ’16 states, “The timing of costumes, set changes, and lighting must be precise in order for
the transitions to be effective.” This is not a problem for Harnett because the pressure motivates her to work harder throughout the process. Although Harnett along with the rest of the Production Design Staff are clearly artistically equipped to produce Red Herring, this time PLAYERS had the chance to meet with Hollinger, the playwirght of the show, to learn about his motivation for writing the farce. After showing Hollinger some scenes to give him a taste of their production, the entire company gathered in the Blackbox for a question and answer session. Designers had the opportuninty to ask Hollinger about his original scenic vision while actors inquired about his interpretations of the roles they are going to portray. Over 100 LM students have worked to create this production, including Harnett. She stated, “I am so passionate about theater... it is so amazing to see all these students come in after school and completely transform…. It’s because they are able to be themselves freely and the fact that I have the opportunity to witness that is amazing.” This is Harnett’s ninth show in PLAYERS, and she not only represents the organization through incredible roles such as Logainne in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, but she also serves as Treasurer on the PLAYERS Board. This season is special for PLAYERS because instead of stopping at three shows this year, PLAYERS is taking on two student-written plays as a fourth production. Although students will be working without direct guidance of coaches, it will be a chance to see what students are capable of entirely alone. Red Herring will be showing April 28, 29, and 30 at 7 p.m. in the LM Auditorium and tickets can be found at lmplayers. com/tickets or at the door. Prices are $8 for students/seniors and $12 for adults. Please email publicity@lmplayers.com for more information.
My favorite collection of pieces is Monet’s Water Lilies, because I enjoy his varied use of color.
Photo courtesy of Sam Gamberg ’17/STAFF A charcoal curtain still life
An acrylic still life painted on Villarin’s arm
The cast and crew of LM PLAYERS’ spring production, Red Herring, jump for a photo in the courtyard. Preparation for the show began at the end of February and almost 100 students are working to perfect this farce.
Sports
April 15, 2016
17
The Merionite
A youthful team strides for excellence Teddy Neckowicz ’17
tion of Greater Philadelphia. To qualify for the meet, athletes and relays had to break certain qualifying standards and/or place in the top two of an event at an association meet. Taking a closer look at the team, one cannot help but notice that the senior class makes up a minute portion of the team composed of nearly 50 percent freshmen. Yet, that is not to say the few upperclassmen lack leadership. On the sprinting side, Vincent Barnett ’16 and Ahmad Hall ’17 demonstrate how training hard along with a good work ethic will constantly lead any runner towards improvement. Hall and Barnett were essential members of the team’s 4x200m relay this past winter, and each qualified individually for Meet of Champions. Both sprinters barely missed qualifying for the state Photo courtesy of the Enchridion
championships. Jon Adams ’16 returns for his fourth season of spring track, teaching the new class the proper hurdling techniques that he has learned throughout the years. For the jumps, Henry Dyer ’17 poses a major threat to the competition. Last spring, Dyer jumped a monster 41 feet 9.5 inches in the triple jump, winning the LM Invitational while being inches away from a district qualifying mark. He also jumped 19 feet, five inches in the long jump—again, very close to the district standard. Undoubtedly, Dyer has Barnett races the 100 meter dash at his sights set on district Harriton High School. Barnett placed first qualifying for both events. and ran a Harriton track record with a time Along with him, James of 10.7 seconds. Barnett is one of the best Burton ’17, standing at six sprinters in Lower Merion history. feet four inches, jumped five feet, 10 inches in the Ethan Boyer, Evan Hassman, and Matt high jump this past winter, an impres- D’Aquila. The distance freshman class sive mark sure to intimidate Central cannot be undermined either. Charlie League competitors. Herrmann, Diarmid Rae, Nick Rhodes, Last but certainly not least comes and Jasper Lim-Goyette, all broke the distance crew. Sam Coursen ’16, one freshman class records set since 2003. of the team distance captains claims, “It is nice knowing that the team has a “Even though our team has lost a good strong basis for the future,” says D’Aqnumber of upperclassmen, we have uila. some great juniors and a solid freshExpectations are higher than ever man class.” This group of 40 runners this season, and the boys’ spring track (roughly 75 percent underclassmen) and field team certainly will not disapis led by Coursen ’16, Jacob Montene- point. “We’re bringing the heat, ”says gro ’16, and a group of juniors ready Evan Hassman ’17. “Every team better for the occasion. This list includes be keeping an eye on us.” Photo courtesy of the Enchridion
After another indoor season met its end in February, the boys’ track and field team could not be more excited to escape the bitter cold workouts and enter a much faster season of spring track. Without a doubt, boys’ cross country and indoor track have left behind an unforgettable legacy the past year. In the fall, boys’ cross country won the Central League Championship for the first time since 2008 (when Ben Furcht ’09 and Neal Berman ’09 set a course record of 15:27) to share the team crown with an undefeated Harriton. During the winter, boys’ indoor track had a total of three relay teams and five individuals qualify for the 51st Annual Meet of Champions hosted by the Track and Field Coaches Associa-
Captains Burton and Adams competing in the 110 meter high hurdles at the opening meet of the 2016 season at Harriton. Burton and Adams went on to win first and second place, respectively.
Ultimate is a sport— and the team’s success may just spin out of control Dan Wilson ’16 Sports Editor If ultimate isn’t a sport, our society needs to come up with a word for compeMargo Urheim ’16 added her thoughts about the distinct aspects that tition that is tiring and where score is kept. It’s not necessarily traditional; see- make ultimate the cool, non-traditional sport that it is. “Most people ing as it is self refereed, integrity and “spirit of the game” are components that don’t know that ultimate is a self-refereed sport; the players on the field are considered relatively unique when compared to other sports. Ultimate may call fouls, out of bounds, travels and any other violation,” Urheim said. not sell out stadiums or be shown This year’s ultimate squad is during primetime on ESPN, but at expected to continue the winLM, it’s one of the most success-drivning tradition that teams been sports our school has to offer. fore them have created. The The girl’s ultimate team, commonly team went 3-1 en route to a secreferred to as the Lady Baba, has done ond place finish in the opening nothing but carry on the tradition tournament of the year played of success in recent years, finishing at Radnor High School on a third in the state tournament last year day with below freezing temfollowing back-to-back state titles in peratures and 30+ mph winds 2013 and 2014. As recent as last year, (not ideal ultimate conditions). the team was ranked #17 in the nation. As for the expectations and Ultimate is a sport that most of goals for the remainder of the us, including the girls who currentseason, the sky is the limit. Lead ly play on the team, don’t spend by seniors Urheim, Dalia Weinany time playing or watching until stein, Behar and Sophie Bennett freshman year. “Our success is esin addition to Sarah Lipson ’17, pecially impressive considering that Mariko Kishimoto ’17 and Bethmost girls don’t know how to play any Eldridge ’18, this year’s when they join freshman year,” Dena team is one that could very reBehar ’16 said. “We have to teach alistically win the state title. them the basic skills and rules of “Obviously, it would be awethe game, which can take a while.” some to win states this year, In a sense, ultimate carries a culture but we are just trying to make Photo courtesy of Enchiridion about it that is pretty special. “Comit as far as we can.” HarrigWeinstein looks to “flick” the disc downfield in the first tournament of the pared to other sports I’ve been a part an said. “This team is unique season at Radnor, where the Lady Baba finished in second place overall with a 3-1 record. of, the ultimate team is relatively rein that everyone on it is dedilaxed during practices, yet people still give it their all and are determined to cated and wants each other to succeed, and success often comes from that.” succeed,” Kelly Harrigan ’17 said. “I also think that part of what makes ultimate This team’s unified bond and modesty will only help their cause to seriously awesome is how nice the players are. Regardless of your skill or experience lev- contend for a state championship. In the meantime, there is a lot of ultimate to el, everyone on the team will cheer for you if you complete a throw or catch, as be played between now and then and if prior seasons are any indication, great well as give you advice if you’re struggling with a certain aspect of the game.” things lie ahead for this group.
18
Sports
April 15, 2016
Sliding into a new season
The Merionite
Matthew D’Aquila ’17
experience on its side, and captain Brandon Jones ’16 is optimistic about the veteran team. “We have 11 seniors on Varsity who have grown together over the years, creating a strong cohesive unit,” says Jones. Additionally, Jones talks about how there’s “a new sense of confidence within the squad.” He explains, “We’re looking to make a name for ourselves.” Last year, Jones batted a .365 average and led the team in most offensive categories. As for pitching, the team won’t have to look far. The Varsity rotation consists of seniors Jeremy Hillsberg, Danny Roth, Jesse Siebert, Quinn Vagnoni, junior Alex Hurowitz, and sophomore Jake Stoller. But quality pitching, especially relief pitching, can be found on the JV squad too. On JV, there are several pitchers who could be eligible to pitch for Varsity every now and again. Josh Hetzelson ’17 and Ryan McCormack ’17 prepared their arms all winter for the season. These JV pitchers may eventually have their shot to play in Varsity games later in the schedule. This younger crop of players will also help bolster the Varsity roster in future years. Vying for a Central League playoff spot, the LM boys’ baseball team will do anything to achieve their goal.
Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion
After months of training and weeks of tryouts, the boys’ baseball team started the season strong with a 2-1 win against Upper Merion High School during spring break. Jesse Siebert ’16 started the game on the mound, pitching 4.1 innings to get the win. While the team accumulated only four hits altogether, Siebert led the offense, batting two for three. Now in the thick of the season, the Aces play exclusively against tough Central League teams. In their first game of the season, the squad’s offensive weakness could not be masked by Siebert, as the team lost 9-2 to Conestoga High School at home. Despite the loss, the team stayed optimistic. Math teacher and boys’ baseball coach, Jeff Nyce acknowledges the team’s offensive struggles, but notes that the team’s defense is exceptionally strong this season. He also says that the team is “looking to make the Central League tournament,” a feat that less than half the league achieves. “Generally only four or five have a good enough record to go to the tournament,” explains Nyce. “The tournament is also dependent on how the other teams do in District 1.” If the boys’ baseball team makes the Central League tournament, it will be the first time in almost a decade. This year, the LM baseball team has
Jesse Siebert ’16 runs the bases against powerhouse Stoga. The Aces lost 9-2 as Conestoga’s ace pitcher held the team to only four hits.
Boys tennis builds on their state championship Julia Kreuzer ’19
The boys tennis team came back from count, whereas in league matches, three a championship season with a resound- singles and the first four doubles count. ing victory against Downingtown East All three singles players won their matchHigh School in their first match of the es easily, so in the district and state touryear. Their 4-1 win showed that they could nament, the Aces should have no trouble withstand the departure of two top varsity beating teams like Conestoga. Since the players, Simon Vernier ’15 and Nick Legg Conestoga match, the Aces have won six ’15, through the addition of sophomore straight matches. Besides their top talent, LM Boys tenSean Atteberry. Atteberry, currently playing number nis is best known for its cohesion and three singles, is a “strong new addition to comradery, something Coach David O’Connell has stressed the varsity team,” acday in and day out. cording to co-captain Nicknames and ChipoLucas Kreuzer ’16. tle spirit dinners bring Atteberry is ranked the boys closer togeth154th in the nation er. Before each match, and third in Pennboth teams line up to sylvania. S. Vernier, introduce the lineups, last year’s number and each team has one one singles player member announce the and now Swarthmore names. star, left a singles spot While most teams’ open, and Atteberannouncers just call ry has done a great their fellow team job filling the void members by their real by winning all of his names, co-captain Simatches in blowout mon Sheintoch ’16 crefashion. Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion atively finds new and Juniors Matt Chen nickand Thibault Vernier, Number two singles, Vernier, crush- embarrassing the other two singles es a backhand against Dallastown. names for each player. players, also help The Aces trounced their competitors Matt Chen ’17 is known to make up for the at the State College invitational and as Matt “Chizzy” Chen; loss of talent. Both only lost one inividual match out of Will Rieke ’16 is referred to as “Freaky” Chen and Vernier the 21 played. Rieke; Jordan Robinare ranked in the top son ’17 is known as Little “Leslie” Robin400 nationally and rarely lose a match. After the Downingtown East match, son; Aseda Adebambge ’19 gets the nickthe Aces had a tough loss (4-3) against name “Baby Girl” Adebambge; and the long-time rival Conestoga, as all four of others cannot be printed due to school the Aces’ doubles teams fell. The loss il- standards. The tradition of ridiculous nicknames luminated the team’s flaws. Many of the doubles players are used to playing singles started with alumni Alex Fuchs ’14 and and winning a lot of matches on their own, Andrew Legg ’15, who pushed the limits of but have trouble playing in pairs and em- humor and of O’Connell’s sanity. Swift skills on the court and close ploying key doubles strategies. Even with the tough loss, there is still connections make up a strong team dyhope. In district and state matches, the namic and give hope for another State first three singles and first two doubles Championship.
Sports
April 15, 2016
19
The Merionite
New coaches, new skills, new team Kelly Harrigan ’17 Sports Editor
Practice every day, games under the scorching sun and pouring rain, workouts during the players’ spare time—like many teams at LM, the girls lacrosse team is serious about thitseir sport. Although the season is still young, the girls have been working hard and hope to “shock the other teams in the Central League and pull out underdog wins,” states captain Emma Ungar ’16. After a tough season last year, the girls are motivated to make large improvements this spring season. For the “working hard” part of the equation—although the team hasn’t played many games in the Central League yet, they did recently win a big game against Neshaminy. Additionally, they recently traveled to Maryland for a tournament where, although they lost both of their games, the LM team came back to tie one of the two with six consecutive goals after being down for the majority of the game after a lightning delay.
Photo courtesty of the Enchiridion Ebby speeds past a Rustin defender, exhibiting the same skills present in the Claw Draw tournament in Maryland, where the girls managed to score six consecutive goals. The team’s display of determination in the tournament showed its potential to become a threat this season. This same determination is shown through the girls’ commitment to the sport year round. Most of the athletes compete in club teams through the summer to polish their skills and performance. In addition to the demanding schedule of these teams, captain Amelia Carpenter ’16 says, “Every year we play fall ball and winter ball in the offseason, and this winter our coach held strength and conditioning sessions twice a
Freshman Aseda Adebamgbe What sport do you play? Tennis How long have you been playing your spring sport? I’ve been playing since 2nd grade, so about seven to eight years. Would you rather jump everywhere you go or walk everywhere on your hands? Walk on my hands If you were on a sitcom, which one would it be? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
week.” Many of the girls also participate in other LM Seligson agrees, exclaiming, “Roberts is a beast! Her sports in the fall and/or winter seasons. The girls have finesse and pure skill make her so much fun to play seemed to surrender their offseason for more practice with.” As this list consists of eight players, it might be with the sport in order to increase their team’s skill fair to assume that most of the team, especially when level. working together, is a hard working and successful This year, the athletes have had to adjust to many group of athletes. changes, as they lost nine seniors and received an Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion entirely new coaching staff. However, these changes have not proven to be much of a detriment. On the new coaching staff, many of the veteran players, such as Sophia Seligson ’17, agree that these coaches, “give off a refreshingly positive attitude but certainly let us know when they mean business. The coaches and players alike are making active strides in creating a solid program here at LM.” Ashley Roberts ’18 elaborates that this season’s “coaching staff has dramatically improved everyone’s skills, game IQ, and work ethic. They have pointed out things no one has given attention to before.” Perhaps this group of coaches was the missing key that will unlock the girls’ potential and lead them through milestones in the seasons to come. In regards to the loss of a massive senior class, the girls have viewed it as an opportunity to become a smaller, more cohesive team. This cohesion may be working, as referees have even approached the team after games and noted their improvement from the previous season. Roberts claims, “I have never seen this group of girls play so well together before.” In addition to improving from the previous season, the athletes have high expectations for this season, like Seligson, who hopes to, “create a lasting program,” and captain Louisa Ebby ’16 who sets her sights on having “a successful season with a playoff run.” AlUngar battles against an agressive defender in one of the Aces’ though ambitious goals, with a combination of motifew games thus far in the season. The girls practice skills like vation, determination, and skill—which the girls are these in their fall, winter, and spring leagues. developing early on this season—it seems as if they are feasible. While the team as a whole works diligently to imLM should definitely keep its eyes on the girls laprove, certain girls have developed into the types of crosse squad. It is nearly impossible to return to a players that other teams should keep an eye on this sport as a top team in the league after losing a large spring. In terms of seniors, Roberts reveals that cap- senior class and gaining an entirely new coaching tains Ebby, Ungar, Carpenter, and Melina Chumley staff. However, the LM girls lacrosse team has defi’16 are major threats on the field. She explains, “They nite potential. As shown in the outcome of the excitwork incredibly well together on the field and help ev- ing, stormy-weathered Maryland tournament, scores eryone else on the team get better.” Ungar elaborates do not always represent the potential or success of a on Ebby’s talent, saying she “can outrun anyone, and team. she uses her speed to drive towards the goal, ripping Rather, the characteristics of a team do, and this shots into the corners of the cage. team is comprised of a handful of athletes who are mo“Looking at the juniors and sophomores, Rob- tivated to improve and become a winning team. Conerts warns about the defensive powerhouses, Izzy sisting of motivated coaches, committed athletes, and Meline ’18 and Seligson, who, “are sure to give you ample talent, the girls lacrosse team might just end up a few bruises when trying to get past them.” Un- battling in the playoff season if this trend of determigar adds Roberts to the pack, who “can stop balls on nation continues. the defensive end of the field, and then pick up the ball and run it to the other end of the field to score.”
Sophomore Christina Holgado What sport(s) do you play? Cross country and ultimate frisbee How long have you been playing your spring sport, and what do you like most about it? I’ve been playing ultimate for about a year. My favorite part about ultimate is the spirit of the game. Would you rather jump everywhere you go or walk everywhere on your hands? I would rather jump everywhere. If you were on a sitcom, which one would it be and why? I would be on That’s So Raven because “I try to save the situation then I end up misbehaving (ohohohoh).”
Junior Alex Hurowtiz What sport do you play? Baseball How long have you been playing your spring sport, and what do you like most about it? I’ve been playing baseball for probably 13 years, and my favorite part is getting to play everyday. Would you rather jump everywhere you go or walk everywhere on your hands? Jump everywhere If you were to break a world record, what would it be and why? I would want to throw the fastest pitch in the world because it would be so cool.
Senior Melina Chumley What sport do you play?: Lacrosse How long have you been playing your spring sport, and what do you like most about it? I’ve been playing for 12 years, and my favorite part about it is being able to play on a team. Would you rather jump everywhere you go or walk everywhere on your hands? I would rather jump everywhere I go. If you were to break a world record, what would it be and why? It would be the record for the highest vertical jump so I could dunk on all the haterz.
20
Sports
April 15, 2016
The Merionite
Shuli Weinstein ’18 The new Michael Phelps or Missy Franklin may already be swimming in the LM pool. Though they may not be at the Olympic level yet, Sarah Silberg ’16, Anna Kalandadze ’19, and Max Roling ’17 are each on the path to a successful future in swimming. Most recently, Silberg, Kalandadze, and Roling headed to Bucknell University on March 16 and 17 to represent LM at the Pennsylvania State Swimming Championships.
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Kalandadze continued to shine in the 500-yard freestyle, where she placed first in the state [...] with a time of 4:51.79.
successful season, stating, “I think that our new coach, Jeremy Byrne, really helped an incredible amount to get me to States.” Clearly, this meet was a positive end to her high school swimming experience. Though Silberg ended her LM career in the Bucknell pool, our school’s swimming team is still filled with talent. The sec-
freestyle, where she placed first in the state as just a freshman. In addition, with a time of 4:51.79, Kalandadze’s time beat her own previous AAA Pennsylvania high school record. As the only male competitor representing LM in the state championship, Roling competed in the 500-yard freestyle. He finished with a time of 4:42, breaking his previous school record. With the upcoming season in mind, Roling shared, “I am looking forward to swimming at states Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion next year and hopefully bringing some more teammates with me. The team has been getting faster with each passing year and I cannot wait to see what we will accomplish.” The state championship meet was a victorious end to the school swim season, especially for Silberg, Kalandadze, and Roling. All three athletes thanked their
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Roling finished [the 500yard freestyle] with a time of 4:42, breaking his previous school record.
It is an impressive feat that these three athletes qualified for states because LM is classified as an AAA school. Though we may think of LM as a smaller school, it actually competes in the large school division. As an AAA school, the times needed to advance to the state Silberg races in the same stroke, butterfly, she competed in the championships are faster than those for AA schools, and State Championships. She finished her season with two races at therefore are harder to achieve. In other words, Silberg, coach and teammates for the motivation and support. the state level. Kalandadze, and Roling qualified and competed against With three swimmers placing well at the Pennsylvania the swimming elite. State Swimming Championship this year, it is clear At the meet, Silberg competed in the 100-yard butter- ond female swimmer who represented LM, Kalandadze, not that the LM team will be a fun one to watch next year. These fly, the final race in her illustrious high school career. She only demonstrated that LM swimming has a bright future, three swimmers, as well as the entire swim and dive team at finished with an outstanding time of 58.17 seconds. When but also that “future” success has already begun. LM, have shown what they can achieve when combining raw looking back on her final high school swimming experience, Racing in two events at states—the 200 and 500-yard talent and hard work. Silberg recounted, “When I dove in, I just knew my race was freestyle—Kalandadze represented LM astoundingly. For the going to be amazing, and I remember having just a great 200, she finished with a time of 1:52.5 seconds, placing her feeling in that moment.” She thanked her coach for such a seventh in the state. Kalandadze also shined in the 500-yard
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Lower Merion madness Zachary Slogoff ’18 vantage going into March because you know what they are capable of achieving come playoffs when its time to dance.” People who follow the entire season really enjoy when all their friends join in on the “madness.” The fact that a collegiate sport can bring in viewers from all kinds of athletic backgrounds makes the experience even more enjoyable. As the bracket games have become more and more popular over the years, so has the variety of ways to fill them out. The most common method is to pick a higher seed, as analysts believe the more skilled teams will perform better. Then there are the newbies who may have never watched an in-season game in their lives. From ranking teams by who has the best color uniforms, to whose mascot would win in fights, the strategies of bracket filling have become quite unique. Bailey Tischler ’18 claims that she fills out her picks solely on the basis of which college has the “cooler” name. For example, she had Butler, an eight seed, going all the way to her Final Four, beating the likes of Virginia and Iowa State, both of which are much higher seeds. All of this may seem humorous at first, until that person wins your bracket and takes home all the glory in the end. This tournament in particular has proved to be quite exciting, with numerous upsets in the first and second rounds. For the first time in history, a 10 seed has made the Final Four (Syracuse). If the tournament continues to prove to be fun to watch, its audience will only grow, both across the country and right here in LM. To all of those with busted brackets, my condolences. But remember, you are not alone. My one wish for everyone reading this is to continue to get family and friends in on the action that is college basketball. March truly is a month of great madness.
Graphic by Staff
As April begins, one must reflect on the main athletic event of the past month: March Madness. The fiasco, consisting of weeks purely devoted to college basketball has recently ended. The NCAA men’s basketball--tournament has become a staple in American culture. All over the nation, men, women, and even children struggle and compete to fill out the perfect bracket. This madness is what much of America has come look forward to each year. At LM, the atmosphere is no different. When one walks through the hallways of LM during the weeks of the tournament, talks of final four picks, upset alerts, and breakout performances can be heard from all over. The sports fanatics in our school welcome the craziness with open arms, organizing bracket challenges to compete in with their friends and family. However, it is the people who rarely tune into these college games during the actual season but evolve into full fledged fans by tournament time that truly give the March tournament its classification of madness. When asked about March Madness, Robbie Zorc ’18 states, “March Madness is just hype. Doing brackets gives you something to root for and makes the games more exciting.” Those who may not even know their cable package includes the SEC or Big 10 networks really seem to invest in the sport during March. Having something to talk and brag about to friends in school makes the games more fun to watch. Seeing that friend who had Michigan State winning it all in the upper atrium the day after they lost in a huge upset was described as a particularly satisfying experience by some. When asked if they had any prior knowledge of the teams they had winning in their brackets, 5 out of 10 people answered “no” in a survey conducted during Lunch and Learn the week of March 28. With this in mind, one must also remember the devoted fans who follow the sport year round. Enormous Villanova fan Harrison Klevan ’18 comments, “Following your favorite team throughout the season can be a huge ad-
Out of the 94 participants, Leah Raizen ’16 won the LM bracket pool, predicting 101 points-worth of the tournament victories out of a possible 192.