Merionite December 2017

The Merionite

Ardmore, PA, 19003

December 18, 2017

official student newspaper of Lower Merion School TheThe official student newspaper of Lower Merion HighHigh School sincesince 1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 89, Issue 3

Clockwise from left: Sixers coach Brett Brown speaks at Maroon Madness; LM cheerleaders perform during halftime; Doug Young introduces the LM basketball teams; Lucy Belle’s Rainbow collects art supplies for children with cancer.

Maroon Madness energizes LM Samantha Gaier ’20 The thirteenth annual Maroon Madness fundraising event at LM took place this December 1. This event is the yearly kick-off for the winter sports season. The proceeds went to Coaches vs.

Cancer and, for the first time, Lucy Belle’s Rainbow.

Coaches vs. Cancer, one of the charities that Maroon Madness supports, is a nationwide collaboration between the the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the American Cancer Society. The program started because cancer had touched the lives of many basketball coaches in the NABC, and they decided it was time to make a difference. The organization advocates for healthy life choices such as exercising and supports cancer awareness and research.

The other organization Maroon Madness supported is Lucy Belle’s Rainbow, which is a local organization dedicated to bringing art therapy to kids receiving cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Lucy Belle Perkins was a Bala Cynwyd Middle School student who passed away from an aggressive brain tumor, and during her treatment, she benefited from art therapy. So far, the organization has filled over 1,000 bags of art supplies to bring to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Doug Young, Director of School and Community Relations, steps down Alexander Welsh ’19 Doug Young has served LMSD as the Director of School and Community Relations for fourteen years, but he has decided to step down from his position and pursue another career opportunity.

“For the past fourteen years I have come to work every day loving what I do,” said Young.

“I’ve had the honor of working in an amazing community, supporting the schools I attended that shaped who I am as a person.”

Young has spent most of his life in LMSD. He attended Merion Elementary and LM. His love of basketball began at LM, where he joined the team and was named captain, playing alongside future hall-of-famer Kobe Bryant.

After graduating from LM in 1994, Young attended Dartmouth College. Following his passion for the sport of basketball, he began working for the NBA as part of their marketing team. When Young joined LMSD, he also became the assistant coach for the LM boys’ basketball team. In addition to coaching, he has led other key initiatives, including TEDxLMSD and the annual Girls’ Leadership Conference.

Please see MAROON MADNESS on page 3

NEWS Target in the works for Ardmore

FEATURES On the college application process

Julia Rudy ’19 covers the ongoing debate over whether a Target should be contrstructed in Ardmore. page 2

See an in-depth spread about the college process. pages 10-11

OPINIONS Midterm debate A discussion about the scheduling of midterm exams, by Catherine McFarland ’18 and Melissa Dash ’19. page 6

As the primary spokesperson for LMSD, Young has handled several major issues during his tenure, including the webcam controversy, redistricting, and the current issue of enrollment growth and school construction.

“I have known Mr. Young for over fourteen years as a colleague, coach, and friend,” said LM principal Sean Hughes. “I will miss working with him in so many different events. He is one of the most creative individuals and he cares deeplyabout every event that took place in LMSD.” When asked what lies ahead, Young explained that he is embarking on a “new professional challenge as principal of [his] own consulting firm, managing communications and branding initiatives for clients across a variety of fields—with a particular focus on athletes.”

Through this move, Young is furthermore incorporating basketball and sports into his life. He recognizes that the LMSD community has helped prepare him for this new challenge, and he is eternally grateful.

Please see DOUG YOUNG RESIGNS on page 3

A&E Holiday Picks The best movies for the holiday season, as curated by the Arts & Entertainment editors. page 9

SPORTS Diving into the season Sophie Meyer ’20 outlines the exciting season in store for the swim team. page 18

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December 18, 2017

News The Merionite

Controversy looms over new Ardmore Target Julia Rudy ’19 Recently, there has been a proposal to build a Target very close to LMHS. The store length. Developers and residents expressed several points in favor of building a Target. would be stationed across at the intersection of Lancaster and Ardmore avenues, across One argument in support is that it would be economically beneficial. In addition, Chris from McDonalds, and next door to IHOP. The store would reside in a huge build- Leswing, director of Building and Planning for Lower Merion, argued against the coning—32,000 square feet and five stories high—and would incerns about traffic by saying that since so many Lower Merion clude an underground parking garage for Target and four residents already drive to other Targets, such as the one on City other stores on the ground floor and up to 35 apartments Line Avenue, adding one in Ardmore will ultimately decrease on the upper levels. While many people are excited about traffic by evenly distributing where people will go. this possible addition to the Ardmore area, there are others As of now, there is an empty space where the Target could who view having a Target in Lower Merion as detrimental. be built. Current developer Joe Hopkins has had a lot of experiDuring the month of November, the Lower Merion ence with prospective specific property. Hopkins purchased it in Board of Commissioners held multiple meetings to discuss 2003, and planned on turning it into a Rite Aid. When this plan whether or not the Target should be built. The biggest condidn’t work due to difficulties with the Rite Aid corporation, the cern and hold-up is increased traffic in an already dense inidea for a Target arose. Hopkins defends the idea to build the tersection. With the addition of a Target, residents believe Target, as documented by Main Line Media News. “That buildthis area would become even more congested, leading to ing is important to us,” Hopkins said. “It’s important to this possible safety hazards. Another downside to a Target could community.

I no longer want to see a vacant lot sitting there. It’s Photo by Kathy Yao ’18/Staff be the light and noise pollution. Target stays open until very Current parking lot at Lancaster and Ardmore an eyesore on this township at a corner that is the most promlate, keeping bright lights on at hours that might be prob- Ave. intersection where Target would be built. inent corner in Lower Merion Township if not in Montgomery lematic for the surrounding neighborhood. According to County.”

Main Line Media News, resident Tanya Gardner expressed her concern by saying that “if Debate rages on. So whether you are excited about a closer Target, and having another this store is going to be open from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. Target is well-lit and it’s well-lit for place to go to after eating lunch in Suburban Square on half days, or are worried because a purpose and just thinking about how the landscape will change with Target’s lights on you already try and avoid that intersection at all costs, stay tuned. Sooner or later, the from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., it’s not a good fit.”

Target of this controversy will be resolved.

During the week of November 12, there were two township board meetings during which members voted on the proposition, each featuring discussions over four hours in

Fifth annual Winterfest brings in donations Ziwen Zhou ’19 Copy Editor The holiday season is around the corner and with it comes one of LM’s many opportunities to impact the community in a positive way. This time of the year is often known as a time of generosity and charity, and one way for all students to contribute is through Winterfest.

Winterfest is an old LM tradition. Dormant for several years, it was revived four years ago due to the efforts of math teacher Brian Feeney and gym teacher Tom Kline. According to Kline, Winterfest “stresses the importance of giving back to the community during the winter season.” This drive typically has two focuses: the first is to accumulate canned and nonperishable foods for a local food shelter and the second is a monetary collection which goes to an organization that is dear to the heart of members of the LM community and often varies from year to year.

Winterfest this year began on November 27 and will end on December 21, culminating in a celebration the next day on December 22 to announce the totals of the collection and to honor those who have contributed to the collection. As in preceding years, all canned food collected will go to the All Saints Baptist Church of Bryn Mawr.

In the past, monetary donations have gone towards organizations such as the American Cancer Society; this year, all contributions will go toward the Calliope Joy Foundation, which supports research toward curing leukodystrophy, a rare metabolic and genetic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. This foundation is named in honor of the sister of LM student Camille Carr ’18.

Many students are excited for the holiday spirit that comes alongside the charitable efforts of this event, including Nick Rhodes ’19 who is “quite eager to participate in Winterfest.” Winterfest is an excellent way for students to aid their community during the holiday season.

Graphic courtesy of Brian Feeney

Dawgma dominates at Ramp Riot competition Sophie Yang ’20 While most students were scrambling to get having first-time drivers become more comready for the last stretch of the first quarter, LM’s rofortable, Dawgma succeeded through the quarter botics team, Dawgma, was busy with the culmination finals and semifinals, beating several formidable of weeks of preparation. After hours of matches, they teams with impressive résumés. After the first kicked off the year with a victorious performance at finals round didn’t go their way, LM went on to the annual Ramp Riot competition with their hard win the others go on to win Ramp Riot. work leading to high achievements.

This year, Dawgma brought 27 members, with Ramp Riot, hosted by Wissahickon High School’s some of them scouting other teams, some in the robotics team, is an off-season event where teams pit (where repairs and adjustments are made), compete in the previous year’s FIRST Robotics Comand others driving the robot. “Ramp Riot’s been a petition (FRC) design challenge. This year, it took team tradition. We’ve been going every year since place on Saturday, November 4, and the task was to our team has been a team,” recalls captain Maya design and build a robot that would shoot fuel into a Levitan ’18. This twelfth year of attendance for simulated boiler, transport gears to spin a simulated LM (Dawgma was founded in 2005) is a memoairship, and lift itself with ropes up to the airship. rable achievement, as it is the first time Dawgma Ramp Riot began as an eight-team scrimmage has placed first overall at an FRC event. back in 2000. Now in its eighteenth year, this event “It was a very great competition—there was draws 36 teams (representing up to eight states, definitely a lot more team spirit than usual,” Leviwith some teams needing to be waitlisted) and over tan says. Ramp Riot’s purpose is to introduce rookPhoto courtesy of Paul Leeds ’19 2,500 spectators annually. ie members to the atmosphere of a FIRST compeDawgma ultimately came in first in the extremely Sponsored by organizations including tition and get the teams ready for the season, and competitive tournament at Wissahickon High School.

Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Johnson & Johnthe team unity cultivated is an integral part of the son, Comcast, and more, Ramp Riot is––in addition to the competition and competition. Freshman Nick Lage ’21 reflects, “It was extremely exciting. I didn’t expect helpful informative sessions hosted by teams––a community event. As Ramp there to be such a large amount of people. It was really huge.” Freshman Josh Steinfeld Riot’s website reports, “Community members find plenty of fun between matches with was scouting with Lage and describes it as, “Long and grueling, but it was worth it. After, face painting, live local radio stations (with prizes!), robot driving zones, and even the we got to go watch matches, and it was, overall, really fun.”

Philly Phanatic!”

Dawgma is hard at work now, training new members and practicing with the robots Matches consisted of two alliances competing against each other—each alliance made for the FRC build season kickoff in January. With this team spirit excitement, competiup of three attending teams—to score the most points. After shaking off the rust and tive success, and preparation, the team is ramping up for their upcoming season!

News

December 18, 2017

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The Merionite

News in Brief Belmont Hills library turns a new page Sam Pitonyak ’18 Two million dollars have been allocated and are being used for the renovation of the Belmont Hills Library, located in Bala Cynwyd, adjacent to the Belmont Hills Pool.

According to the Lower Merion Township website, the project will include the renovation of the existing 105 square feet along with the addition of 1,800 square feet, a redesigned front entrance with improved accessibility, a meeting room, storage room, staff areas, and a brick patio for reading.

There will also be an expansion in the tech department, with the addition of 32 Chromebook laptops and a fund created for coding classes for kids between the ages of twelve to sixteen. Anna Barnett ’19 says, “I think... the library system [will] improve and make up for the closing with even better future years.”

The library was founded in 1935, with the current building constructed in 1969. Belmont Hills is the last library of the Lower Merion Library System to be renovated.

The library officially closed on November 5 with a “Goodbye (for now) Party” that had numerous activities for people of all ages, including viewings of the new library plans.

The renovations are expected to take at least ten months. There are limited activities during the renovation and these have been moved to different locations such as Miss Gwen’s Story Time, which has been moved to the Belmont Hills Community Center.

In addition to raising more money for the renovations, the library was taking 100-dollar donations to sponsor a brick on the new patio.

It is expected that this renovation will be a great benefit, with the head of libraries for the township, David Belanger, stating the township wants to focus on “making the library a more intriguing part of the community.”

LM volunteers assist with yearly blood drive Eliza Keefe ’20 On Tuesday, November 14, LM students proved that even high schoolers can save lives.

The LM Blood Drive Club hosted its 34th annual drive through the American Red Cross.

Club President Isaac Rand ’18, Vice President Sophie Shaffer ’18, board members Harrison Axelrod ’18, Maddie Kitnick ’18, Lily Elman ’19, Lydon Pelletier ’19, and Mollie Katzen ’19, and around eighty other students volunteered to organize and run the drive.

Sophomore volunteer Elizabeth Graham explained,“We talked to the donors to distract them while they donated blood. We also walked people over to their seats after they completed their donation and gave them food and water.” Some of the volunteers who help to calm down donors refer to themselves as “professional hand holders.”

The volunteers’ hard work paid off. This year, approximately 110 students and twenty community members registered to donate blood, giving a total of 116 pints to benefit citizens in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area.

This is an incredible achievement because “each pint saves three lives, and some people donated ‘Double Red,’ meaning that they donated twice the red blood cells as a normal donation. [So, in total] donations will save about 350 lives!” said sophomore Helena Blobel, another volunteer.

Sandra Hoopes, the sponsor of the Blood Drive Club, was “very proud of the club’s accomplishments,” and hopes club members will continue to either donate blood or help organize drives even after they leave LM.

Doug Young resigns Cont. from DOUG YOUNG, page 1 eternally grateful.

Young is pursuing what he loves and will be greatly missed by the LMSD community. Though he is moving on to another chapter in his professional career, he will not be gone from the LM community. He will continue to volunteer for the Education Foundation of Lower Merion, as well as continue to be involved with other events.

Young’s resignation went into effect on December 1. LMSD Superintendent Robert Copeland and School Board Secretary Denise LaPera are in search of someone who is a “seasoned professional in the field of communications who can respond to public and press inquiries.”

Maroon Madness Cont. from MAROON MADNESS, page 1 Maroon Madness began with a tailgate outside the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium with food and music. Following the tailgate, the community made their way inside the gym for the pep rally. During this time, there were scrimmages between the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, a Dance Team performance, and cheerleading performances, as well as dances from some of the sports teams and clubs. In addition, raffles were held for prizes of apparel, food, and fan contests; the money raised from this also went to the aforementioned causes. This year, LM welcomed the Sixers Dunk Squad, which

is a team that performs tricks throughout the breaks of the game.

In 2016, LM invited a popular musical alum, Wes Walker, to perform at Maroon Madness in addition to an LM alum, Darryl Reynolds, who is a current member of the Villanova Wildcats basketball team. The event in 2016 raised over $75,000 and was a great success. Nationally, LM is one of over 126 schools to support Coaches vs. Cancer as of last year, and Coaches vs. Cancer has helped to raise 100 million dollars. With the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society, Coaches vs. Cancer plans not only to cure cancer, but to crush it.

State Senator Dinniman addresses LMSD about standardized testing Molly Cutler ’19 News Editor As the value of standardized testing is being more these students may face when taking standardized tests. critically considered in Pennsylvania and nationwide, The Keystones are based on Common Core stanState Senator Andy Dinniman spoke about the current dards, which are extremely controversial, and Dinstate of the standardized testing policy in PA. Dinniman niman pointed out that there are “no studies to show is a Democrat who represents the Nineteenth District of [whether] Common Core is good or bad.” Another flaw Pennsylvania, which includes parts of Chester County, he sees with the system is that Keystone results are not and he is the first Democrat to hold this seat since the available until the fall after students take them, so any 1920s. He also serves as the Minority Chair of the Edu- necessary remediation cannot be done the same year the cation Committee. student takes the subject. This is largely due to the fact On December 7, Dinniman spoke to a group of com- that open-ended responses take a longer time to score. munity members in LMSD’s administration building, In investigating this process, Dinniman contacted a and told them that he does not see the effectiveness in center in King of Prussia that had advertised a need for state exams such as the PSSAs and the Keystone Exams. scorers. He discovered that scorers did not need to be Dinniman went on to state that “[the] notion that you certified in the subject area they would be grading, or can use standardized tests because every child is lock- have a degree in education. In addition, he found that step is absolutely abthey received a total of surd.” He described two days of training. state tests as a costly Learning this contributbut ineffective expened to his conviction that diture, and he claimed standardized tests are that “It’s nice to talk not an accurate measureabout test scores and ment of student ability. standards, but educaDinniman discussed tion is supposed to be how he and others have [...] about the human been pushing to reform spirit and being able the system for severto explore and apply al years, but have not knowledge.” found substantial imStarting with the provement—though in Class of 2019, passing the past they did succeed the Keystones will be in decreasing the amount a graduation requireof days schools spend on ment. Dinniman said state tests. “It’s almost as he believes this was if there’s a conspiracy of pushed back from the silence,” he said. “[They] Class of 2018 because refuse to talk about it.”

2018 is an election For example, all four year, and the politichairs of the PennsylvaPhoto courtesy of Adam Cirucci nia Congressional Educians involved in the decision want to be Senator Andy Dinniman speaking at a budget cation Committee subreelected. Thus, they hearing in the Pennsylvania Senate. mitted a criticism of the don’t want to deal Keystone Exams and rewith potential repercussions of the graduation require- ceived only a formal letter in response. Dinniman bement. However, there are substitute graduation require- lieves that Governor Tom Wolf “would probably veto ments (either currently available or being considered as any bill” on the matter. bills), meaning that failing the Keystones may not actuCurrently, many parents choose to opt their children ally prevent a student from graduating. Dinniman says out of standardized testing using a religious exemption, that because of this, the large amount of money spent on as The Merionite reported in its April 2016 issue. Howmaking the Keystones available—$1.3 billion over eight ever, this path receives pushback from the state, which years—is not worth it. “Why are we spending this much maintains that the tests are needed to hold districts acmoney [on the exams] when, if you take that money and countable for providing sufficient education. Districts spend it in the classroom, I bet you could bring those are also required to submit plans of action if they have a [children’s test scores] up five percent?” he asked. test participation rate less than 95 percent, according to Dinniman also takes issue with the usage of standard- Dinniman. Dinniman told the attendees of the meeting ized tests for elementary school students and raised the that the best course of action for those who, like himself, point that the tests may not be well suited to accurately oppose state testing is to contact the governor and other measure the abilities of students with certain learning state officials. “It’s not a very pleasant system, to be hondisabilities. He described how he himself “reads num- est with you,” he explained, “but you can change it, and bers backwards,” and so he understands the difficulty you will change it.”

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December 18, 2017

News The Merionite

Former MELC employee charged with unlawful contact with a minor Kathy Yao ’18 News Editor In November, former Montgomery Early Learning Center staff member Darrien Glover was charged with connection with inappropriate interactions with a student at Cynwyd Elementary School.

This is not the first charge that Glover has faced. In July, he was arrested and charges were brought during a preliminary hearing in September. Once MELC and LMSD were aware of what had happened, they reported the incident to Child Protective Services and suspended Glover and barred him from the school during the investigation. Since then, Glover never returned to the school and was formally terminated at the end of the investigation. Three months later, a second child accused Glover of additional allegations. In the most recent charges, Glover is accused of exposing himself to a child on two occasions. His charges are as follows: unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, and indecent assault of a person less than thirteen years of age. Glover is currently in Montgomery County Prison on a $99,000 bail.

As stated on the official MELC website, the program’s mission is “to help families thrive by providing safe, convenient, and highest quality learning opportunities and care for children in Greater Philadelphia.” Programs include the infant program, preschool/ pre-k, summer camps, and before and after school programs for grade school age students. The school age program provides students with hands-on learning opportunities outside of their classrooms while focusing on their hobbies and interests. LMSD leases the Cynwyd school, as well as other elementary schools, to MELC. A letter was sent out to students immediately after the news was released.

The CEO of MELC, Ann O’Brien, informed families that MELC has conducted an investigation after initial reports of inappropriate behavior, and the employee in question has been terminated. In the letter, O’Brien states “We understand that criminal charges have been lodged and the former employee has been arrested. We are writing to advise you of these allegations because it appears that

In the most recent charges, ‘‘Glover is accused of exposing himself to a child on two occasions.

”

the initial incident may not have been an isolated event.”

The letter continues with O’Brien ensuring that LMSD and MELC have taken initiative and are dealing with the issue. They will contact all families who may have come into contact with the former employee at the Cynwyd program. The district is offering aid and support to families that may have been impacted by these actions through their counselors, psychologists, and other professional staff.

Jewish cemetery in Gladwyne restored Yuliya Abakumova ’19

The Har Hasetim cemetary, pictured above, has been rediscovered.

Friends and volunteers begin the process of restoration.

With no burials since 1945, a small cemetery, Har Hasetim, located along Conshohocken State Road in Gladwyne, has been in shambles with overgrown brush engulfing the area for several decades. Graduate students from the Villanova University Department of History discovered that of the estimated 2,500 people buried there, most were children and immigrants.

Over the past several years, a group called Friends of the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery has been working with volunteers and community partners to restore and maintain the gravestones and natural features.

They want to ensure the dignity of those interred at Har Hasetim and their families, while honoring the historical, cultural, and natural significance of the site.

Only recently did the Friends and volunteers begin the restoration pro-

Photos courtesy of Gabby Van- Hollander ’18

cess of the 1,000 grave markers. To complete this restoration properly, Neil Sukonik, the president of the Friends of the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery, has enlisted the help of Joe Ferranini, a professional in the restoration of headstones. Over the past few weeks, Ferranini has been scavenging the area for lost grave pieces and restoring several markers. Additional help has been provided by Dennis Montagna, a Narberth resident who has prior expertise in the restoration of monuments. To quicken the process, Sukonik plans to hire skilled workers. Due to the fact that the restorations of the many gravestones could quickly become costly, the Friends of the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery are currently accepting donations at their website gladwynejewishcemetery.org.

Opinions

December 18, 2017

5

The Merionite

The Merionite Official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors-in-Chief Dora Nathans ’18 Sophie Roling ’18 Managing Editor Nisha Arya ’18 News Editors Molly Cutler ’19 Julia Rappaport ’18 Kathy Yao ’18 Opinions Editors Andres Bermudez ’19 Caleb Shack ’19 Kelsey Stanton ’18 Features Editors Molly Kaiser ’18 Catherine McFarland ’18 Julia Rosen ’18 Arts & Entertainment Editors Minori Cohan ’18 Claire Ochroch ’18 Grace Wei ’19

Editorial: we need to talk

How many times have you woken up to your Twitter feed abuzz with the latest tragedy? How did you focus during school with the thoughts of a crumbling world gnawing at your brain? Sadly, like most students, you probably found your own way to cope with the stress of the current events of our society. In the era of the 24-hour news cycle and social media, traumatic and stress-inducing news seeps into every second of a high school student’s life. It is not our hope that students be shielded from these events—it is knowledge of their world that induces character growth in young adults.

Instead, The Merionite hopes to encourage teachers to spark discussion and provide support to help students cope with these events.

While struggling under the stresses of school, the last thing an LM student needs is to have to battle with the anxiety of living in an unstable world. However, this is unavoidable: we live in an era where we are bombarded by tragedies, either domestic or international, at all hours of the day. Be it through social media or cable news, it is almost impossible for a student not to hear of the newest calamity.

Authentic or artificial, they still cause constant stress, and young adults need an outlet for relief: an environment where they can ask ques-

Business Manager Eric Bell ’18 Advisor Charles Henneberry Business Advisor Sean P. Flynn, Esq.

The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. All articles have gone through an intensive, independent fact-checking process to minimize factual errors.

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

Graphic by Christopher de Santis ’20/Staff Unsigned editorials reflect the general opinion of the staff and not the opinion of any single editor.

Stop Sexualizing Swimsuits

Copy Editors Benjamin Schmid ’19 Caroline Spencer ’18 Ziwen Zhou ’19

Web Editor Jake Gurevitch ’18

their students; they are examples of what The Merionite hopes can be implemented in more classrooms in the future. Rather than turn to social media for unheard expression, students should be given at least ten minutes in class every so often to share their opinions with their classmates and their teachers. These short conversations would give students a voice and help them survive in an era of shock and catastrophe.

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

Sports Editors Julian Ginzburg ’19 Zach Simons ’18 Zack Slogoff ’18

Graphics Editors Christopher de Santis ’20 Sihan Wu ’19

tions, share their opinions, and feel heard by their peers and by adults.

There are several forward-thinking teachers who consistently set aside class time to foster these discussions. Despite class time constraints, some teachers even found time to let their students vent about extremely stressful events like the sexual harassment scandals. We applaud all of these teachers and their efforts that truly benefit the wellbeing of

Claire Ochroch ’18 Arts & Entertainment Editor I walked into the lower atrium feeling giddy. It was my last Maroon Madness, and as a swimmer, the dance is a big deal. It’s a tradition that we love and look forward to; it involves weeks of preparation and coordination from the captains and team members as a whole. As I stood around, one of my teammates ran by me and yelled “We’re not allowed to wear swimsuits anymore!” I was flabbergasted by the radical last-minute change. I found my friends and asked if the news was true; it was. In the moment, I was shocked, but in reality, I should have expected the restriction.

For the past couple of years, the swim team’s Maroon Madness attire has been

progressively restricted. In my freshman and sophomore years, there was no issue.

Last year, policies changed and we were told no shirts off, and when the boys momentarily lifted their shirts and showed their stomachs, the captains got in trouble.

This year, I was told that if anyone went shirtless, my fellow captains and I would be suspended: an overzealous punishment for something as commonplace as a shirtless man.

For years, we wore swimsuits (our school-issued uniforms) and sweatpants to the event, without protest from attendees or administration. I still don’t think wearing swimsuits poses any cause for concern.

Cheerleaders and basketball players wear their uniforms to the Maroon Madness as well. But, swimmers were not allowed to wear theirs because according to a fellow swimmer, “Two women had seen someone walking around in their swimsuit and [told] Don Walsh that our dance should be cut. He said that he would not cut it, but make us put shirts on.” Boxes of Coaches vs. Cancer shirts were distributed and then later reclaimed. Due to further miscommunication and overall confusion, we went out looking unmatched and unorganized.

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff Please see SWIMSUITS on page 6

Letter to the editor: abstinence-only education To the Editor: I value freedom of speech and respect David Sommer’s first amendment right to share his opinions regarding premarital sex and the teaching of abstinence.

However, I would like to provide some insight that I feel calls into question the argument he presents in the article entitled, “Put a ring on it,” in the November issue of The Merionite. In Sommer’s article, he makes several sweeping generalizations. For example, he states, “Premarital sex binds you to your partner and causes you to feel something for them long after you have broken up, which could make marriage to someone else considerably harder.” Sommer suggests that schools should teach a more abstinence-based health curriculum, however, places where abstinence is taught in school curriculums have exponentially higher teen pregnancy rates than those

that teach safe sex techniques. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, in 2014, teen pregnancies were highest among the states that teach abstinence in their schools. For example, in Arkansas, for every 1,000 women, ages fifteen to nineteen, there were an average of 39.5 teen pregnancies. New Hampshire however, which integrates more safe sex education into its curriculum, has an average of eleven teen pregnancies per 1,000.

On a world scale, these findings are consistent. As reported by The Center for Disease Control and Advocates for Youth in 2009, the Netherlands had a teen pregnancy rate of 5.3 per 1,000 women and Switzerland with 4.3 per 1,000 women, compared to the United States which had 39.1 teen pregnancies per 1,000 women on average. Spain, France and Germany all rank similarly with the Netherlands and Switzerland.

What is responsible for their considerably lower amount of teen pregnancies compared to the US? These countries all have comprehensive sex education programs and easier access to contraceptives. It is evident that there is a strong correlation between comprehensive sex education programs and fewer pregnancies among teenagers. Curriculums in school that are primarily abstinence-based leave students uninformed when it comes to safely having sex, so when they become sexually active, students are more likely to do so unsafely.

The real danger is not sex itself or premarital sex for that matter, but being uninformed on the subject. So perhaps social conservatism is not the right approach in the US in regards to sexual education. And for that matter, perhaps not in LM’s health curriculum either.

–Emma Spaeth ’18

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Opinions

December 18, 2017

The Merionite

Discussion: LM’s midterm schedule Subjects are superior

Catherine McFarland ’18 Features Editor Have you ever had “one of those days”—when you have a math test, a history test, a science lab, an English vocab quiz, and a Spanish project ALL due on the same day? Imagine two of these days counting for twenty percent of your final grade in each of those courses: this is the scenario for the students of LM. LM should bring back the old midterm schedule by subjects from 2015 and eliminate the new schedule by sets. The old schedule went something like this: Monday: Social Studies; Tuesday: Science; Wednesday: Math; Thursday: English; Friday: World Language/Electives with a second set available each day for makeups or additional classes. This schedule was significantly more manageable for students than the new schedule that follows class sets.

Last year, as a junior, my midterm schedule included a day with both AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP English Language and Composition, and another with both AP Calculus AB and AP US History. Needless to say, those were two of the most stressful days of my life. While this did allow me a day off and a day with only one midterm, I would have preferred to spread out my difficult classes across four days. With the new system, some students get really lucky and their schedule is perfectly distributed, but more often they have two impossible days and two unnecessarily easy days.

Though studying in advance is important, I think many LM students will admit that a majority of their studying occurs during midterm week itself—from the end of one exam to the start of the next. The old schedule perfectly accommodated this, giving students a full day to refresh, focus, and cram for a single subject. Now, students must divide their time equally among two major subjects, impeding their studying and most likely decreasing their

scores.

Another major and equally troubling problem with this system is cheating. As most teachers know, there seems to be a pattern of increased success for those afternoon sets. Very often, higher test averages are prominent in sets that are not the first to take the test. I would not doubt that this pattern applies to midterms as well. Having a gap of days between two classes of the same subject and teacher seems like a gift to dishonest students. The cheating culture at our school is rampant as it is, and this schedule just gives kids more opportunities. Later classes have the significant advantage of not only knowing test material in advance, but also have the ability to

condense their studying by simply phoning a friend to ask, “Is this topic on the midterm?”

Reinstating the subject schedule would remediate these concerns.

This schedule spreads out exams in the core subjects, increasing study time while reducing test anxiety and stress. In addition, scheduling all students to take the same exam at the same time makes it fair for all, honoring each individual’s hard work and accurately representing each individual’s subject knowledge.

With all of this in mind, LM needs to restore the subject based midterm schedule.

Sets make sense

Melissa Dash ’19 Last year, when midterms were scheduled based on subjects, I vividly recall feeling overwhelmed as I prepared to take my Chemistry midterm in a room that had no relevance to the ninety-minute exam. Since all science midterms were administered on the same day, the science class-

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff rooms could not accomodate all of the science classes, so most students were stuck taking exams in an unfamiliar environment. I surveyed the room around me to see that the walls were not filled with chemistry-related images, but instead posters full of mathematical equations. I was in my freshman year Algebra teacher’s room. And to make matters worse, the moment he placed the test in front of me, I needed clarification on a question, but there was no teacher present who was able to address my concerns. Flustered, I was forced to

skip the question, therefore disrupting any confidence I previously had.

How could this environment be conducive to my success on this midterm? The fact of the matter is that it was not. Throughout midterm week, this became a recurring issue. By organizing the midterm system by set rather than subject, students are given a better chance to succeed in these heavily weighted assessments.

I was stationed in rooms with teachers who, while very knowledgeable in their own subjects, were not versed in the exam topic. Midterm week is a stressful time for many students. These tests are commonly associated with long nights full of studying and excess amounts of coffee. The last thing on our minds should be whether or not our teachers will be present in our exam rooms. Obviously, teachers try their best to cycle through their classes and answer questions, but it is impossible for them to be everywhere at once. With the midterm schedule blocked by set, this is not a concern students must face.

This is not the only downfall of a midterm schedule determined by subject. Midterm week can feel extremely long, and any possible break from testing is greatly appreciated by students. When the schedule is organized by set, a student can receive these breaks during exam days for sets in which they do not have to take a midterm. A schedule by subject does not take break periods into account and therefore leads to a week consisting almost entirely of testing and stress. On the contrary, with a schedule structured by set, there could be days where students don’t even have to attend school. This would give students time to relax and prepare between their busy testing days.

A day free of waking up to an early alarm could give students the necessary revival to flourish during midterm week and allow them to feel well rested and more confident for their remaining exams. It would also create more study time because many of us to tend to cram our studying in throughout the week of midterms.

Apparent not only from the drawbacks of testing by subject but also the positives of testing by set, scheduling midterms by set is the most favorable method. It is the most helpful scenario for students in reducing stress and creating an environment best suitable for test taking.

Swimsuits

Cont. from Stop sexualizing swimsuits on page 5

Additionally, people are seemingly unaware that their comments on the bodies of others have an effect. When you sexualize or say that a swimmer’s back is inappropriate, it makes them ashamed. It implies that we must hide for the sake of others.

Remember, when you limit what others wear because you think it is too sexual, you are the one sexualizing them. You do not have the right to impose your perspective on others. Moreover, swimsuits are our uniform; there is no reason to be offended by them. Any community member can come to an LM swim meet, where we can be seen wearing them.

For the sake of argument, I am going to compare the attire of female swimmers to what other performers wore that night. As a preface, I am totally fine with what everyone was wearing, the comparison is simply meant to highlight the hypocrisy. The female swimmers were supposed to wear

one piece swimsuits with sweatpants. This outfit exposed part of the back and the arms, and it was by no means inappropriate. What some members of PLAYERS wore (jean shorts and tank tops) exposed more skin, yet was allowed. The cheerleaders wear tight long sleeve t-shirts and miniskirts as a uniform, but never have any trouble. It is clear that the swimmers were specifically singled out.

What happened at Maroon Madness was uncalled for and unfair. I don’t believe guidelines should be imposed on Maroon Madness attire, especially ones that are not enforced equally for all. Groups should be able to wear uniforms, or whatever they are comfortable in. I have always thought Maroon Madness was a great way to get the community excited for winter sports, but it has been ruined for me because of these unequal and unfair restrictions.

Graphic by Caleb Shack ’19/Staff

Opinions

December 18, 2017

7

The Merionite

LGBTQ&A

Bethany Eldridge ’18 I have a lot of things to do daily. I have a family to talk to. I have clubs to attend. I play multiple sports. I care about my education. I try to lead a good healthy life. I really like the different paths I explore in my life, since they give me opportunities to discover my passions before I depart from the confines of LM. Although I am actively exploring, there are some parts of my identity of which I am firmly comfortable.

It is pretty clear that I am gay. I post about it on social media, loudly joke about being “heterophobic” at lunch, and have probably the biggest collection of Ellen gear out of anybody in the school. From the outside, it may seem that everything is going well. Yet recently, I have felt that my sexual identity has become a token for students and teachers to misuse on their own whims.

I love being a leader, and I like to inform people about my community, my identity, and my background. But the questions I hear from those around me often do not inquire about my experience, but rather the experiences of a group with diverse backgrounds, interests, and identities. Receiving questions like “Bethany, how does the gay community feel about this?” or “Where do gay people go in their free time?” are questions that I simply cannot answer. I mean, I spend

a lot of free time at the Haverford YMCA and in Ishan and Ariana Bhatia’s basement playing pool, but I am a spokesperson for myself, not a token representing the greater LGBTQ+ community.

I love that people are starting to care and learn more about the LGBTQ+ community in ways that I did not see when I entered this school in 2014. However, these good intentions do not always come across well; sometimes such efforts require more comprehensive thought prior to being carried out. How am I, just one gay girl, supposed to answer a question speaking on the opinions, mannerisms, and experiences of an entire population of people?

Based on some encounters I’ve had, it seems almost as if I am perceived as an embodiment of eight percent of the population. I mean, I am tall, but I do not think my body capacity could fit the amount of feelings, personalities, perceptions, and variations of experiences that many people have. I am no deity, although if that is the reason you are asking these generalized questions, I appreciate the sentiment but reject the label.

My experience is not a unique event; it’s similar to and occurs just as frequently as the tokenization of others in LM. I have witnessed first-hand these types of questions being posed to people of different races, religions, and ethnicities; generalizations run rampant through LM. Students and teachers are getting tired of being put in the stressful and uncomfortable position of answering such questions.

If you want to learn about people who are different from you, I commend your efforts to try. The best way to do this is to expand the amount people to whom you are talking. If you really want to know where queer kids spend their time during the weekends to find safe space, or learn about a community, then ask me what I am doing this weekend, but in a personal way. Then, you can ask others in my community

for their answers as well. I think you will find that members of the LGBTQ+ community have varied interests and ways to spend time.—except perhaps sharing an interest in being heard and respected. One of the major problems that lead to this issue is that people assume I am the only gay person they can talk to. This is not a good way to gain solid and representative information.

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff Another way to help answer your questions is to do research on your own. The internet has so many wonderful functions that are not utilized enough. Put down Instagram, Facebook, and Stranger Things and delve into the historical and current predicaments of various communities. Try to gain an understanding of their experiences at LM. You may find that your question may not be as valid as you believed.

Most importantly, it is crucial to remember that no matter the amount of times or type of story you hear, it may not be applicable to a diverse group.

Christmas: secular, not sinful

David Sommer ’19 The First Amendment makes it rather clear that our government can’t favor one religion over others. This has prevented our government from teaching religion in public schools, prevented unified school prayer, and prevented states from teaching creationism. Based on this logic, one might think public schools should not celebrate Christmas in any capacity. However, Christmas isn’t just a religious holiday, but a secular one as well. As Christmas is a prominent part of American secular culture, it would not be a violation of the separation of church and state to celebrate this joyous holiday in school.

Our majority Christian nation was founded by Christians on the Judeo-Christian tradition. In the Supreme Court case, Holy Trinity v. United States (1892), the court declared that the United States is culturally, not religiously, “a Christian nation.” We were founded by Christians and Judeo-Christian ideas like the separations of power which came from the Bible: “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king” (Isaiah 33:22), and having numerous witnesses, which comes from Deuteronomy

17:6. Christianity has founded our nation and has shaped of church and state. Why should Christmas be different? our culture more so than any other religion or system of beChristmas has cemented itself into American culture lief. and life so much that it has become an atheistic holiday in Although America has developed into a more secular the eyes of many. Of course, there are religious aspects of nation over the years, Judeo-Christian cultural traditions, Christmas, but as long as public schools don’t sing praises if not the religion itself, prevail in our society. Christmas is to Jesus, there is no problem with celebrating Christmas in the best example of this phenomenon. This holiday used to school. Carolling isn’t a violation of separation of church and be a celebration of the birth of Jesus, but as time went state because the majority of the popular Christon it transformed into a holiday about family, gifts, mas songs are about presents or other secular conand camaraderie. Christmas is so culturally importcepts as opposed to the nativity. Regardless, the ant around the globe that even the athe-ist Soviet school could simply omit the religious lyrics and Union didn’t remove it and instead celebrated the still sing the songs. exact same holiday (minus Jesus) on New Year’s There is another holiday commonly celeDay. The Russian New Year’s Holiday resembles brated in the winter: Hanukkah. As an Orthodox how most secular people in America celebrate Jew, I partake in this joyous celebration every Christmas today. year, but most of America does not. Hanukkah For both Christians and non-Christians, our hasn’t become a part of our culture the same shopping sea-son, days off, and general lifestyle way that Christmas has and, therefore, cannot are affected so much by Christmas that it would be celebrated in our public school. be ludicrous to conclude that it is solely a reliAt the end of the day, Christmas has difgious holiday. According to Pew Research, 81 fused into our culture so much that its current percent of non-Christians in the US celebrate commercialized form is more a tribute to famChristmas. Christmas has been adopted into ily, joy, and presents as opposed to a tribute our culture, not as a religious holiday, but as to Jesus’s birth. The current Christmas celeGraphic by Amy Xi ’19 a secular holiday. bration was so strongly influenced by Charles Christmas is similar to another very popular American Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and Thomas Nast’s cartoons holiday, Halloween, which used to be called All Hallows Eve that our celebration would be almost unrecognizable to the and was a night of feasting the day before All Saints Day. We earlier Christians. Christmas used to be reserved for Christook this religious holiday and assimilated into our Ameri- tians, but with time, it has become a secular American holican culture. We, the religious and secular, celebrate Hallow- day: one that should be celebrated in public school. een in school without any complaints about the separation

Suicide prevention

Gerald Berman ’19 The phrase “I want to kill myself” is continuously and ignorantly used in a sarcastic and joking manner. However, the classic “sticks and stones” argument has been disproven; recent suicide rates are shown to be as high as fourteen deaths in every 100,000 American teens. A large increase from last year that keeps pace with the consistent upticks of the last several years. It does not help one who is struggling to constantly hear the words “I want to kill myself.” Furthermore, having the phrase usually followed with a chuckle from the one who says it numbs people to

the idea of someone ending their life. This is indirectly affecting the lives of a multitude of teens in America and around the world who suffer from anxiety and depression. To put it bluntly, this is not a matter to joke about, and greater attention must be made by the community to curb this tide of self-destruction. This is why our shared community, LMSD, should implement programs to help students at risk for suicide.

According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the third leading cause of deaths among teens ages twelve to eighteen. Many students are heavily affected by the pressures of high school: grades, peers, fitting in well, college acceptance, etc. These pressures are some of the main causes of high stress, lack of sleep, and, in many cases, depression. Nowadays, student expectations are higher than where the bar should reasonably be. For some in LM, attaining an A or B defines success, and if students fall short of that, they can feel as if they are looked down upon and their chances of college admission are lessened.

Factors of suicide branch out of school expectations and into social settings in general. Some people tend not to meet societal standards and feel as though they do

not fit in with what is considered “cool” or “normal.” For example, you may not want to dress in the stereotypical Uggs, leggings, and sweatshirts that are seen ninety percent of the time at LM. For this, you can feel like in an outcast in your own school. Other examples include who you are friends with, what your values are, and how you personally view the world. Adolescents falsely and often foolishly pretend to be someone they are not in order to meet these standards, adding another variable to be worried about.

A student’s cry for help can easily go unnoticed or ignored because he or she does not know how to reach out or is simply too uncomfortable to trust someone. I call on the LMSD School Board to fix this problem, create a program for helping teens suffering with thoughts of suicide or depression, and have informational assemblies that promote the rejection of insensitive phrases and a more accepting culture for students who struggle with these issues. I hope that with the new generation of students there will be an increase in unity amongst peers. These additions to our school could create a vastly different culture surrounding suicide at LM.

8

Opinions

December 18, 2017

The Merionite

No change in power

Ryan Fisher ’18 Last month, I sat before the eight School Board candidates as a member of the moderation team for the School Board election forum. The moderation team played a large part in selecting and delivering questions to the candidates, giving us a firsthand view of their aspirations. So when the results came back, with the four Democrats decimating all Republican competition, I was somewhat confused at the overwhelming decisiveness of the voting public.

It was not who won that surprised me; it was the margin. The top vote-earning Democrat, Melissa Gilbert, got 12,268 tallies to her name. The lowest scoring Democrat, Benjamin Driscoll, pulled in 11,857 ballots for himself. If the top four candidates held a range of just over 400 votes, then this election must have been neck-and-neck, right?

Wrong.

Fifth place, the first place belonging to a Republican, was A.J. Kait, who only received 5,337 votes. From there, the votes decreased even further on the Republican side.

These results conflicted greatly with my subjective evaluation of the forum, from which I concluded that the four best candidates were split evenly amongst the two parties. I thought each side brought something positive to the table.

On one hand, the Republicans repeatedly called for fiscal responsibility, increased transparency, and a stricter execution of the law. Democrats, meanwhile, thought that performance gaps, tolerance, and curriculum were more pressing issues. And though these priorities are not mutually exclusive, each party effectively ignored the concerns of the other, instead hoping that their endorsements of one

another would be enough to carry all four members of one party to victory.

Unfortunately, that strategy was successful, once again leaving eight Democrats and zero Republicans in charge of LMSD. One set of voices will continue to speak for all with a supermajority, while the other will be silenced. In any case, the district’s parents have overwhelmingly spoken in favor of four particular candidates—so where does this leave us?

Though many right-wing students may liken the result to taking three steps backward in a board game, the election results are more akin to losing a turn. Since the School Board consisted of a similarly homogenous group of eight Democrats prior to the election, we can expect more of the status quo: lots of talk about changing school start times and about addressing rising student populations. Viable lawsuits over responsibility will continue to flare up, forcing us to make cuts in student programs in order to pay to defend administrative ones.

Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff The election results were great for those already satisfied with the district, yet with LM containing so many Obama voters in 2008 and 2012, one would think hope and change

would be considered imperative.

However, we again have a united School Board without representation from the opposition, a situation which presents problems whether those in power are Democrats or Republicans. Historically, governments run by individual parties have not done as well as those run by multiple. The Cato Institute, for instance, reports that the two administrations with the largest increases in annual spending came at a time of unified government, between the Eisenhower and Clinton administrations. Spending money on education is great, and each side agrees with this.

A disagreement spawns from how these funds should be distributed. For this reason, a divided government helps keep spending well-checked. At the same time, bipartisan issues are more likely to be addressed because a diverse government keeps one-sided policies from gaining traction. This means any subsequent solutions would last longer and have greater stability. Transparency, too, would be increased, as each side would check the other and prevent any one side from moving forward without the support or knowledge of the people. Despite these benefits, LMSD parents continue to vote for uniformity, stripping students and taxpayers from the inherent benefits of divided leadership.

This past election has many disgruntled parents wondering if hope has departed altogether. After all, according to the number of people who voted entirely Republican, the interests of a striking forty percent or more of voters are not represented at all by the School Board. As mentioned before, this theme saw just 411 votes separate the first and last place Democrats, a very small overall percentage. On the Republican front, only 152 voters differentiated the first and last finishers within the party. Swing voters, thus, had only a marginal impact on the outcome. This suggests that the partisan supermajority will continue to dictate the result of all subsequent elections, leaving students subject to whichever candidates are wearing a blue badge, rather than those most qualified to direct a school system. Without a drastic shift in local voting, it is this pattern that will continue to dominate elections, condemning future students to the same nonoptimal reality.

Arts & Entertainment

December 18, 2017

9

The Merionite

Kathy Wei ’19 Boom! Crackle! Pop! Fireworks explode in vibrant colors and loud crashes, mixing Each orchestra is led by a highly experienced collegiate music instructor who acts as with the twinkling stars of the humid Floridian night sky. The sparks fall like wishing mentor and conductor. The orchestra operates like a professional orchestra, giving stars streaking across the sky, a celestial rain shower disappearing into the inky night. It these students the opportunity to experience the life of a professional musician, a cacrowns the iconic Cinderella Castle on Main Street, USA, which now glows a shimmer- reer many of them are considering. ing, ethereal blue. To most people, Disney World is a place of magic and wonder, the Two Harriton seniors, Isabella Egawa ’18 (violin) and Anthony Zhu ’18 (viola) parhome of Mickey Mouse. This November, three LMSD students had the opportunity of ticipated in the national festival and joining them from LM was our own concertmistaking part in the festivities of the All-National Honor Symphony and bringing smiles tress of the LM Symphony Honors Orchestra, violinist Grace Wei ’19. The three musito the patrons of Walt Disney World with their incredible musical talent. cians all play for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), one of the most prestigious November 26 commenced the three day All-National Honor Ensembles’ (ANHE) youth orchestras in the state. They perform in five concerts a year with PYO in the Symphony Orchestra festival held Verizon Hall of the Kimmel Cenat Coronado Springs Resort in Orter, home of the internationally lando, Florida. The ANHE is the renowned Philadelphia Orchesfinal festival of the National Astra. Egawa, a highly accomplished sociation for Music Education’s violinist, had the honor of being (NAfME) series, including district, concertmistress (a role she also regional, and state levels. It is a holds in PYO) for the national orhighly mechanical process that has chestra, cementing her title as one been criticised for being too explicof the best youth violinists in the it to truly test a musician’s ability, country. She has participated in but there is no doubt that those the national festival in the past, who are accepted into the orchesas well as the international Vertras are truly exceptional musibier Festival held in Switzerland cians. Making districts alone is an and has toured in places such as impressive musical feat, requiring Mexico and Ecuador with Carnemonths of tireless preparation for gie Hall’s National Youth Orchesa blind audition with a set solo tra of the US this past summer. piece, a sight reading passage, and Not to be outdone, Zhu and Wei scales. Students are given a scoreboth have received several of their based on several combined aspects own prestigious awards, including of their audition, and that number scholarships and honors from the determines a ranking from which Tri-County Concerts Association. a certain number of musicians are All three students have been Photo courtesy of Grace Wei ’19/Staff playing their respective instruaccepted into the orchestra. The top-ranking half of musicians in Anthony Zhu ’18 (H), Isabella Egawa ’18 (H), Grace Wei ’19 (LM) participated in the ments for nine to twelve years and each of the twelve district ensem- renowned 2017 All-National Honor Symphony at Disney’s express their love for the LMSD bles in Pennsylvania are combined Coronado Springs in Orlando, Florida. music education programs. Egawith one other neighboring district wa, Wei, and Zhu all currently into six regional orchestras. From each regional orchestra, the best six to ten scorers participate in their schools’ chamber orchestras and have also having dabbled in othmove on to the state orchestra, re-auditioning at every level. From the state orchestras, er media such as piano, clarinet, ukulele, and vocals. Music teachers from elementary students can submit a video audition to the NAfME board; only four or five are chosen school to high school are praised for being encouraging, entertaining, and helpful, and from each state. they receive praise for the vast variety of musical ensembles and productions offered After making the national orchestra, students are still obligated to work incredibly at the respective schools. At the high school level, these ensembles include chamber hard. The symphony orchestra has three days to receive, practice, and perfect extreme- orchestras, symphony orchestras, concert bands, jazz bands, and so much more. Wei ly difficult repertoire with musicians they have never even met before. For each day, remarks that “many may not be cognizant of the importance of music, but [she thinks] there are two four-hour rehearsals as well as various workshops to better their skills. it’s great LMSD is making an effort to make it available across so many schools.”

Leo Steinriede ’21

Cianna Huang ’19 What do you do at LM related to the arts?

I play the guitar in the LM jazz band.

What is the best thing about participating in your art form(s)?

Jazz is a lot of fun because of the nature of the music and how open it is to interpretation.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Tough question... probably John Coltrane, Grant Green, Freddie Hubbard.

How have the arts impacted your life outside of the classroom?

I lead and arrange music for a jazz band of my own (Leo Steinriede Quartet) with Organ, Drums, and Saxophone. We rehearse on Saturdays at the Clef Club of Jazz in the city. I have received scholarship money from two organizations that look for young musicians to keep jazz alive.

What is the best thing about participating in your art form(s)?

I draw and take Art 1 Honors. The best thing about being in an art class is being able to express myself creatively and finding my own style. I’ve learned to focus more on the process of creating art rather than just the outcome.

By being in a creative setting with my peers, I can draw inspiration and get feedback from them which has been crucial to my growth as an artist.

How have the arts impacted your life outside of the classroom?

Learning and building my skills has given me a greater appreciation for all of the different genres there are—from abstract to still life—and has inspired me to explore different artists and their techniques.

What is your favorite holiday song?

“White Christmas” by Irving Berlin (1942)

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

Probably when I went to Paris and there were all these artists lined up down the street. Each of them had an aisle and were drawing a portrait of the person sitting in front of them. I was amazed by the speed and precision they drew with, it looked effortless.

What is on the top of your holiday wishlist this year?

Grant Green’s debut album Green Street in vinyl

What is your favorite holiday song?

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

10

Featu

December 18, 2017

GAP YEARS Danielle Snyder ’19

Gap year programs offer students a chance to travel, volunteer, work, or do a little bit of each before going off to college. Though more popular in Europe, the trend of taking a year off after high school is continually rising in the United States. Recently, Malia Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama, chose to take a gap year before attending Harvard University in the fall of 2017. To arrange for a gap year, students may choose to apply regularly in their senior year and then request a deferral, or simply wait until the next school year before submitting applications. Some schools have started encouraging their students to partake in this opportunity due to the positive effects that a gap year has shown to have on college success.

LM alumnus Lenny Miller ’17 is currently embarked on the KIVUNIM gap year program. He answered a few questions for The Merionite about his experiences.

What made you decide to take a gap year?

How are you planning to spend your gap year?

The biggest reason is that this is my best and longest chance to go and travel the world without worrying about being completely financially accountable. I’m still young and physically at (or near) my peak, so why not take advantage of that? After college, life for most people follows a path that’s pretty hard to break out of: the start of a career, graduate school, that kind of thing. A gap year serves as a chance to separate yourself from the normal routine and gain some amazing new life experiences.

I am currently on a program based in Israel called KIVUNIM. We travel all over the world (fourteen countries!) and learn about national cultures and Jewish life in the places we visit. Some notable destinations include India, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Albania, Germany, and so on. KIVUNIM is a Jerusalem-based gap year program which includes academic courses, service projects, and travel to countries in Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa.

What is one of favorite gap year experiences so far?

Why do you think gap year is not so popular in the US and what are your One experience that pops into my mind is thoughts on these reasons? visiting a Cold War era jail located in AlbaMy biggest worry before embarking on my nia. During the ’70s, Albania was in complete own program was that I felt like I would be isolation from the rest of the world, similar isolated from everybody else my age who was to North Korea today. The curious remnants off at college, in the sense that I would be one on the walls and the stench of death present of the oldest when I got to college and all my in the jail made me sick to my stomach, but I friends would be a year ahead of me. A lot have never felt more connected to a piece of of my fellow seniors at LM would argue this history than I did in that moment. point to me when they found out I was taking Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff a gap year. The thing is, the developmental difference between eighteen and ninteen year olds is pretty small for the most part, and you make new friends in college anyways! Ameri- What made you decide to take a gap year? Would you recommend it to other students at LM? cans are also extremely big on rushing through life (getting good grades, a degree, I would definitely recommend a gap year to LM students. I have never heard anyone a job, and settling down with a career). What’s the problem with slowing down and say that they regretted taking a gap year no matter what they did with their time. taking in the scenery a little bit? Students who have taken gap years say taking a year off from school sparks your motivation to learn and live life a little bit deeper.

Crash course: plans for admissions Molly Kaiser ’18 Features Editor

Standardized tests, essays, deadlines, and college tours–the college process is a confusing game of numbers and plans. You may be unsure of how and when you want to apply. Each college offers its own set of application options. Early Decision, Early Action, Rolling Admissions, and Regular Decision are the most common admissions plans that each have their own benefits and disadvantages.

Early Decision One of the the most popular options for admission at elite universities, and perhaps the most stress inducing, is the Early Decision plan for admission. The ED route legally binds students to attend the school, which can pose an economic issue for some families. Without knowledge of the amount of financial and merit aid being awarded to the applicant, families who aren’t sure if they can afford the school assume a lot of financial risk, and the applicant essentially agrees to accept all debt for years to come. This disproportionately favors students with financial security. With most universities costing upwards of $40,000 annually, this dilemma has become increasingly common. Additionally, the ED option eliminates the possibility of attending other schools if the applicant is accepted. Conclusion: apply ED if you’re sure the school is a great fit academically, financially and socially.

Early Action Early Action is similar to Early Decision in that it allows for an admissions decision in December or January. However, EA doesn’t require that you go to the college if you are accepted, and you have until May 1 to fully commit to that school. Typically more students are accepted EA than Regular Decision, but there are fewer schools that offer Early Action. Only around 300 colleges in the U.S. offer Early Action.

Conclusion: apply EA if you like a school, but you aren’t sure if it’s your #1.

Open letter to seniors: Many of you have already begun to receive notifications of your admissions status from colleges and universities. For many, the past couple weeks have been full of triumphant moments, but for some, these notifications may have caused some disappointment. In an environment such as LM, where the obsession with college is seemingly omnipresent, it’s often hard to distinguish college acceptances from self worth. As a class, we should try our best to not make the college process any harder on ourselves and each other than it already is. When you’re engaging in a discussion about college, consider the content of the conversation and whether it’s

Rolling Admissions Rolling admissions do not require that you attend the college if you are accepted. Rolling admissions is the most flexible of the four options and offers a lengthy window for application, usually between August and February. With RA, you can apply anytime between these two dates, and will be able to receive your admission about a month later. It’s important to keep in mind that the earlier you apply rolling, the better. Rolling admissions is offered by most state schools but not by many private universities. Conclusion: apply rolling if you want to get applications out of the way or need a more flexible timeline with your busy schedule.

Regular Decision The final option with the latest deadlines is the Regular Decision plan. Regular decision is an option at nearly every college, and is non-binding. Most regular decision applications are due in early to mid January, with a decision in March. The regular decision plan introduces some risk because it shows less commitment to a given school and it’s the last opportunity to apply. Conclusion: apply RD if you’re not 100 percent sure if the school is a great fit and the school doesn’t offer early action or if you want more time to write application essays.

the right time or place for such a conversation. Remember, some people’s “safety” is another person’s “reach”. Also, it’s important to remember that being accepted somewhere doesn’t suddenly make you better than everyone else. On the flip side, if a friend or acquaintance is accepted to a college, and you aren’t, try your best not to hold a grudge. Although a denial may feel personal, there are often many factors going into an admissions decision that are out of the applicant’s control. Remember, it’s not where you go, but who you are, that will make you successful. Good luck to everyone!

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December 18, 2017

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Cigus Vanni Neighborhood College Fairy Vanni is a former Swarthmore College admissions officer, and now coaches students in the admissions process

Becky Bowlby LM/HHS College Access Counselor What is your daily agenda like?

“I split my time between LM and Harriton. Every day is a little bit different which I like.

Some days I could be meeting with admission representatives which I love since I was in college admission for thirty years prior to coming to Lower Merion six years ago; then meeting with a student about his or her essay or meeting with parents and a student about college choices. The counselors and I work very cooperatively together so we share many meetings, questions, etc.”

What is the most rewarding part of college counseling?

“It is getting to know the students and parents and what they are seeking out of their college experience: just like every college essay should reflect the student’s own story, each student’s search for the college fit is their own journey. I love when that happens and when students are happy with their choices.”

What do you find the most heartbreaking?

“Probably the most heartbreaking is when a student has his or her heart set on a particular college and that may not work out in terms of admission. I do believe however, that students will go to the place where they are meant to be, and while that may be hard to hear in the beginning after disappointing news, I have found it to be true in the long run.”

What do you think of the college application culture in LMSD? “As an LM alum, I know that the environment is competitive. That is why the other counselors and I have worked hard to have as many educational programs, Lunch and Learn offerings, and meetings with students about the process in an effort to try to reduce the stress involved. By getting the information out there to students and parents, we try to debunk myths and rumors and offer factual information that can help students. I also believe that it is important to remember that there is not just one perfect college for each student, but many matches. It has been great to see that students are applying to and attending many more colleges across the US and internationally than ever before.

What changes have you seen in the college application process over your career?

“I started in college admission back in the days of paper applications and college catalogues and letters of acceptance coming in the mail, so in that regard there have been many technological changes. Everything is online, students get their decisions through a portal, and college tour guides walk backwards on campus tours. The marketing has changed drastically and now things are personalized to students. Plus, there is a greater demand for the same student at many colleges as the college bound population in the US is shrinking. So, that marketing will continue to rise.”

What advice do you have for seniors as they conclude the college process?

“Enjoy having a bit of extra time. Know that you have done the best you can do with your applications and trust that the people reading your applications want you to be a part of the college. Know that the decisions they make are not personal. Be happy for the acceptances you receive and know that the next part of your journey in life is just starting.

Share that joy with your family and friends.”

What is your daily agenda like?

As College Fairy: rise at 5:30, make coffee, watch Sesame Street from 6-6:30, hit the computer to review apps, read essays and do research until approximately 10; visit college campus or attend meeting with other consultants about college; thrift store early afternoon; begin meeting with students and parents when school lets out. I also work most weekends to assist students and parents. Routine occasionally disrupted for college visits and various conferences.”

What did you find to be most rewarding about working in college admissions?

“That my students become real to me and that I can share in their growth and development.”

What do you find the most heartbreaking?

“That so many seats in selective colleges are “reserved” through preferential date admissions and institutional needs so that my students’ hearts are too often broken; when a student of mine feels as if the college admissions process is a referendum on her/his self-worth when in most instances that individual is already an extraordinary person and needs no ‘endorsement’ from any college.”

What do you think of the college application culture in LMSD? “Not particularly different from that in other competitive high schools—too much emphasis on “name” schools and the same couple dozen colleges which culturally have been deemed the only ones worth attending; no time for students to be reflective in school and think over their values and sensibilities so they can make better matches with colleges (not alone to LM); the scrambling and positioning to take advantage of preferential date admissions (EA and ED) when the student is truly not certain where s/he wants to attend.”

What changes have you seen in the college application process over your career?

“When I first became a counselor in the 1980s, no one started apps in the summer— heck, most of the apps didn’t even become available until the fall. Now, one can apply using Common App or Coalition App as soon as s/he can operate an electronic device—these apps remain open and roll over from year to year. There is no down cycle anymore in college admissions. Colleges have increasingly adopted business models rather than service models. The costs of college are prohibitive for all but perhaps two percent of families, causing an increasingly wider divide between haves and have nots. My first year as a student at Swarthmore College (1968-69) cost me $2310 for everything.”

What advice do you have for seniors as they conclude the college process?

“You are a fabulous individual with a sparkling future who may or may not be admitted to your first-choice school. In the long run when the hurt dissipates you will realize that this doesn’t matter. You are still Jimmy Johnson (champion NASCAR driver) and no matter what car you get, YOU ARE STILL JIMMY JOHNSON and you’re only gonna get more amazing because YOU are the driver. Thank all the people who helped you reach this point in your life. The village that nurtured and supported you will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Regardless of the school you attend, it’s still up to you to make your mark in life. Be sure to inform the schools to which you applied that you are not attending of your decision—don’t leave them hanging. Make time for yourself to enjoy the end of high school and insist on having a spectacular summer. If there are issues—personal, social, academic—that worry you, address them before you go to college. They’re not going to disappear just because you change environments. You know what these are—maybe you’re too scared by change, maybe you don’t trust your instincts, whatever; assert yourself and take back control.”

“How often do you talk about college with your friends?”

Graphics by Sihan Wu ’20and Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

*These statistics represent a sample of the student body through optional surveying with 147 responses.

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Features

December 18, 2017

For the Eagles Fan:

The Merionite

With the Philadelphia Eagles on the rise, you may have some new Eagles fans in your family wishing for gear.

Head over to NFLShop.com to score your favorite fan a portable Eagles Tailgate Chair And Table Set with two logo adjustable canvas chairs and one logo table with mesh cup holders for $69.99, or a smaller Tailgating Pack that includes an Eagles apron, bottle opener, beer cozies, and pot holders for $29.99.

Now that the temperatures are starting to drop, the Youth Under Armour Eagles Fleece Performance Gloves are perfect for younger fans like my little brother. They are $34.99 at philadelphiaeagles. com. If he doesn’t annoy me too much, I may even consider getting him the matching New Era Eagles Sideline Official Sport Knit Hat ($25.99).

And if your uncle is like mine and already has just about every Eagles tailgating item they make, switch things up with a 100% silk Philadelphia Eagles tie from Vineyard Vines ($85).

For the Techie: Know someone who likes to belt out every song on their playlist in the shower? Then the iFox Bluetooth Shower Speaker is a must-have. There’s a suction cup on the bottom so you can stick it right on your shower wall, where it can stream music for up to ten hours before needing a recharge. You can get it on Amazon for $29.97.

Emma Becker ’20 Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it’s time to focus on the holidays. I’ve always loved shopping for gifts, scouring the stores to score the perfect presents. There’s something so satisfying about finding just the right thing for each person in your life. However, it’s common to be unsure of where to shop and what to purchase.

Take a look at these suggestions to find the best gifts for the techie, makeup lover, Eagles fan or bookworm in your life!

Sending a text with gloves on is always a challenge, but one solution is the Cashmere Texting Gloves from Vineyard Vines ($58). They have a variety of cool colors, but there are also less expensive options on Amazon.

Phone pockets for stashing money and credit cards are also a necessity for us students these days. CaseMate sells unique leather, metallic, and iridescent styles on their website for just $7–a great stocking stuffer.

For the Bookworm: Coffee table books make great gifts, especially ones that features a collection of photographs taken by the one and only Brooklyn Beckham. Called What I See, the book offers a behind the scenes look at Brooklyn’s travels, and his life at home with his famous parents. You can find it at Urban Outfitters for $22.50.

For the Makeup Lover: My mom is obsessed with mud masks, so she would love the Glam Glow Volcasmic Gift Set. It includes travel-sized tubes of Volcasmic Matte Glow Moisturizer, Dream Duo Overnight Transforming Treatment, and Gravity Mud Firming Treatment. You can find it for $39 on Glamglow.com.

Another cool option is the Retro Jordan Adult Coloring Book, which has illustrations of Air Jordans 1 through 23, along with the history behind each sneaker and its design. Get it for your favorite sneakerhead for $8.99 on Amazon, where you can also find many different themed adult coloring books.

If you’re opting for makeup, Kat Von D just came out with her Metal Crush Extreme Highlighter Palette, and it’s perfect for any of your friends who like their highlighter to pop. The limited edition palette has three metallic shades that are extremely pigmented, and the packaging is pretty cool too. Score one at Sephora for $36.

And finally, for the art lover in your life, The Artist Project from The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a gorgeous coffee table book that features interviews with 120 of the world’s most influential contemporary artists. You can find it on The Met’s website for $48.96.

iPhone 8 Review Izzy Bruckman ’20

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak , the co-founders of Apple, have always been known for their avant-garde thinking, but even they could have never predicted the immense technological leaps that Apple has taken in the decade since they created the original iPhone. However, the release of the iPhone 8 and 8+ in early September seem to counter Apple’s bold and ambitious reputation. According to Wired Online, the iPhone 8 is “Apple’s best and most boring iPhone,” said to function exceptionally, but lacks true ingenuity. They cite the iPhone X, which was released just this November, as the true pioneering piece of technology.

Although the iPhone 8 may appear obsolete in comparison to its shinier, more complex, and more expensive competitor, it still harnesses some unique upgrades distinguishing it from its predecessor, the iPhone 7.

First and foremost, the iPhone 8’s most remarkable feature is its camera. It’s faster, more efficient, and more versatile. The camera on the phone’s posterior now offers a variety of different settings, such as Portrait Mode, allowing one to adjust photo lighting in any given space. Additionally, Portrait Mode allows a photo’s background to have that desirable unfocused quality of a more professional camera.

Furthermore, the iPhone 8’s ability to be charged wirelessly is an unde-

niable perk. Apple has not yet released their own wireless charger, but the phone is said to charge with any standard Qi charging pad. This gives the device a more modern feel, and furthers it from the iPhone 7’s Tamagotchilike need to constantly be “fed.”

The iPhone 8 design is where change is most lacking. The most major difference is the new glassback: an homage to the iPhone 4. This enables wireless charging and gives off a sleeker appearance; however, it also makes the phone more susceptible to cracks.

Some smaller and possibly unknown updates of the iPhone 8: • It is able to transfer data from a separate device with more speed and precision • You can edit portrait shots after they are taken • You can control video resolution • It can make looping live videos • It has “True Tone” brightness ability that adjusts phone brightness based on environment • You can explore with augmented reality apps

Ultimately, the iPhone 8 offers some exciting new features, but when it Portrait mode is a favorite comes to purchasing a new phone, I’d splurge. Invest in the iPhone X and new feature, allowing you Animoji yourself! to take very focused, high quality photos by ajusting the lighting.

Lilly McClendon ‘19

Photo courtersy of Lilly McClendon

Admirable Activity:

At LM:

Junior Lilly McClendon’s admirable activity is her volunteer work both inside and outside of school. Outside of LM, McClendon is involved with numerous volunteer organizations.

One of her main activities is the Narberth Food Bank. At the food bank, she sorts food shipments and creates a menu for recipients. She’s been working with the food bank about once a week for a year. She also does volunteer work with homeless shelters in Philadelphia, running outreach programs that aid people in filling out job applications and organizing activities for foster kids to give them a sense of normalcy. She’s been working with the Philly organizations for five years, about once a month. McClendon says she’s amazed by how much gratitude and kindness the recipients at the shelters display.

Her favorite part of volunteering is meeting new people and getting to hear their stories.

At LM, McClendon is a member of the softball team, an officer of BuildOn, a writing fellow, a member of Spanish Club and a member of the Principal’s Advisory committee.

Favorite Quote: Lilly’s favorite quote pertains to her service work: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”-Ghandi

FeaturesTHE DAWG POUND December 18, 2017

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The Merionite

Julia Rudy ’19

Mr. Chris Vaccaro, a fifth grade teacher at Penn Valley Elementary School, was teaching his students about exponents. He taught a wonderful lesson filled with examples, counterexamples, and the occasional well-timed joke. When his lesson concluded, he gave the students a worksheet with problems like: 1. Evaluate: 2. Evaluate: Most students quickly found the correct answers (32 and 125 in case you were wondering). However, one student (let’s call him Johnny) was not paying much attention to the lesson and thought these were just regular ol’ multiplication problems!

Johnny gave answers of 10 and 15 to those problems. Mr. Vaccaro circulated the room to check to see if students understood and he stopped in front of Johnny’s desk. Looking at Johnny’s paper, Mr. Vaccaro saw four problems with the “correct”answer and he moved along. Turns out, the problems weren’t correct! He was just reading the answers upside down! What were the problems?!

Ace the bulldog Elliot Ginzburg ’21

Ace the Bulldog, the LM mascot, is recognized as a large part of LM’s spirit. The mascot is a current sophomore who’s on a mission to change the low attendance and the minimal hype at almost all games. He decided it was time for the return of the school spirit we lack at some of those sports games. When asked about the perks of being the LM mascot, he replied that anonymity allows for a large role in bringing up energy levels in the upcoming basketball season.

The position of Ace the Bulldog entails going to all of the basketball gnd hyping up the crowd. Ace gives to give out high fives Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff and hugs to the kids. The position of mascot gives Ace an opportunity to be energetic and fun in an effort to energize the crowd.

Ace the Bulldog is eager to bring up the spirit in the upcoming basketball season.

The job of being the mascot of the school has its difficulties, however. The secret of Ace the Bulldog’s identity got out among many LM students, but this sophomore hopes that after the release of this article, that all changes. Among all of the perks of having the position of school mascot, the costume that must be worn can be very hot, sweaty and heavy. During the comprehensive interview with Ace the Bulldog, this individual said, “The outfit includes being ridiculously sweaty while indoors. It’s going to be a fun basketball season!” Be on the lookout for Ace the Bulldog this season!

Best Jobs For many students, hard work does not cease once they leave the classroom. Students with after school jobs are rather prevalent at LM. If you’re lucky, you can find yourself a great job, but sometimes it’s hard to find a job that is possible to balance with your school work, has sufficient compensation for the labor received, and is overall enjoyable. When speaking to several different students about their jobs, I was surprised to find that many students here at LM have truly incredible jobs.

For instance, Sammi Gaier ’20 is currently a page at the Penn Wynne Library. She works a few three hour shifts a week and two Saturdays a month. Receiving eleven dollars an hour, she diligently puts books away, checks customer’s books in and out, and mans the desk. Gaier says that working at the library “does not interfere with [her] school work.”

Hours are flexible, so it is possible to move shifts around on an evening when she feels she has an excessive workload. When asked about working at the library, she describes it as “rather quiet and not very busy,” but that it is “definitely enjoyable.”

Grace Fenlin ’20 also has an intersting job: she’s a cashier at Hymie’s. She is kept busy by this fast-paced job with her many tasks which include: taking care of people’s checks, take-out orders, organizing cookie displays, taking care of phone orders, and much more. Her hours fluctuate a lot and can be anywhere from ten to eighteen hours a week, most of which are completed Monday through Friday. Since she tends to work long hours, Fenlin says that her job can “occasionally interfere with [her] school work” to some extent. However, she generally is able to compensate for the lost time by staying up a bit later to do homework and getting it done during the

Hey Aces! Maybe you noticed a few countdowns on your classroom whiteboards, maybe you saw some elaborately choreographed dances at Maroon Madness, or maybe you heard about special appearances from the Sixers flight squad, Sixers Head Coach Brett Brown, and University of Pennsylvania’s (UPenn) Men’s Basketball Coach Steve Donahue.

That’s right, winter sports are upon us. While athletes suit up to compete, there is another group that will be joining them: the Dawg Pound.

And what is the Dawg Pound? For those of you who live under a rock or just transferred here last week, the Dawg Pound is LM’s super hype student section. Many of you might be picturing your typical high school sporting event: fans sitting down, dressed in the team’s colors, sporadically yelling out “Defense!” or a Philly fan favorite: “Ref, you suck!” However, this couldn’t be further from the Dawg Pound. If you show up to an LM game expecting to sit, you are not in the right place. The Dawg Pound is also unique in its attire. It is crucial that before games you check the Aces Nation Facebook group for the spirit wear (most of the time it’s our trademark Dawg Pound shirts, but sometimes it’s USA-themed, blackout, or even pajamas). As for cheers, the Dawg Pound is as united as it gets. Senior spirit heads begin various cheers and the entire section joins in (not participating is not a thing). There are also distinctive details of the Dawg Pound like joining in to sing the last line of the National Anthem and holding up “Aces” during free throws at bawsketball games. The Dawg Pound has been recognized by news sources such as USA Today as a standout for immense school spirit.

There’s a chance you may be thinking: what’s the point of all the cheering? A team wins if they’re better than their opponent, so how can cheering people on yield better results? According to basketball coach Gregg Downer, “Having a huge crowd of fans out to support us, even when it’s a game on a Tuesday night and far away, makes a big difference, and definitely impacts our results.” For many, being in the Dawg Pound during sporting events is a highlight of their LM career.

Senior Sophie Shaffer, a spirit head and Dawg Pound enthusiast, feels this way: “There’s just something special about a really intense game.

If you think about the Harriton game or Conestoga game, the whole section is filled up with people screaming at the top of their lungs […] it doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior, if you play sports or if you don’t; you’re all coming together with an energy that everyone feeds off of that’s just so surreal.” Shaffer also made the point that the Dawg Pound is for everyone. She explains, “I think there has been a decline with how many people come to games because sometimes people perceive the Dawg Pound to be for only certain types of people, and I really want to change that idea. We are doing this to support other people, not just boys’ basketball but all of the teams.”

I asked Shaffer what she would like everyone to be aware of for the upcoming winter sports season. She responded, “I would like everyone to know that we are working to support both the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams, hockey and all of the sports. We want every team to get the recognition they work so hard for and deserve.” Also, in regard to improving the Dawg Pound this year, she explained, “Planning to improve the Dawg Pound means making it more inclusive to people who don’t always go, like underclassmen [...] we want to make people excited to support each other at a younger age and carry it through to the spring season and other years.” The spirit heads will hope to inspire the underclassmen to attend events, and to show them what school spirit looks like. So keep up with your Facebook, get your spirit wear ready, and come be apart of the Dawg Pound! Hopefully you’ll see how, as cheered frequently at games, “it’s great to be in Aces Nation!”

for Students Melissa Bell ’20

school day. Even though it’s a big commitment, Fenlin still says that she enjoys her job, since it’s a good experience, keeps her busy, and is a good source of income. In fact, she plans on working at Hymie’s until the end of high school.

Emma Becker ’20 has a job that’s rather unique for a high school student: working at a clothing store. Rowen is a boutique for women from ages fourteen and fifteen to adults. She works three to six hours a week, and makes ten dollars per hour. In her few hours a week, she is given a lot of responsibility and has more important tasks that most high school employees would have: folding up and hanging the clothing, helping customers find the clothes they want, and even picking out some of the new clothes for the store to sell. She says that work doesn’t interfere with her school work since she “doesn’t have very demanding hours” and she is able to move her hours around. Emma says that she loves working at Rowen and could see herself working there for “several more years.”

Penn Wynne Library, Hymie’s, and Rowen are all incredible jobs with unique benefits, however there are several other ones out there. In fact, finding a job that hires teens around you is rather easy! There are several websites that are easily accessible and can efficiently tell you about jobs for your age group. These websites can include snagajob.com, indeed.com, hireteen.com, thebalance. com, etc. Usually, the most readily available jobs are at fast food restaraunts that will offer minimum wage, or a bit above. These can be great sources of employment, but if you search hard enough it is possible to find jobs that pay over minimum wage and perhaps one that in-

volves something you are passionate about or enjoy!

Graphic by Catherine McFarland ’18/Staff

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December 18, 2017

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The Merionite

Live from New York, it’s political satire Julia Rappaport ’18 News Editor

The screen is black for a few seconds before the our political world. However, much has changed Clinton goes on to ask each person he talks to if camera cuts to the Oval Office where Richard Nixsince the Nixon years. In the past, stories would he could have some of their meal. The President’s on, performed by Dan Aykroyd, hobbles in forming not just be handed to those who worked on SNL. eating habits were apparently the biggest news at peace signs with his hands as the audience goes Writers had to go searching for stories, such as Bill the time, until he met Monica Lewinsky, of course. wild. Nixon takes a seat and begins to introduce Clinton’s alleged addiction to junk food. In one skit Today, however, the SNL writers do not have to himself, expressing how the exhaust trivial news to make nation hates him after the it entertaining; Trump proWatergate scandal. At the vides everything a writer same time, he wonders why, could possibly desire. For four years after resigning, no example, Alec Baldwin, who one wants to buy his memplays Donald Trump, has oir. He compares his strugacted in skits relating to gle of trying to sell his book incidents such as Trump’s to his failed attempt to beresponse to Puerto Rico’s come Governor of California natural disaster, his “Rockafter strenuous campaignet Man” nickname, and his ing. He explains how he told statements on certain ethnicpeople, “You won’t have Dick ities, fake news, and other alNixon to kick around anylegations made against him. more,” a phrase that caught SNL and other shows like on. Now, instead, they can it are based on the notion kick around his book—if they that, the American people would just buy it. He pleads need a reason to laugh at the with the public to purchase news even if, in reality, the a copy, or multiple, even if information is not funny. they don’t intend to read it.

What sets 2017 apart from Nixon even shows the audi1975, however, is that tradience how they can kick the tional norms for presidential book around by holding it by behavior are being defied. its spine and punting it like Because of this, some people a football. The scene ends need a designated channel to by zooming in on Nixon’s turn to in order to draw the face as he whips his head focus away from the negative Graphic by Sihan Wu ’19/Staff around, purses his lips, aspects of political reality.

SNL puts politics front and center in a circus-like atmosphere, often featuring and recites, “Live from New Even though much of York, it’s Saturday Night!” Richard Nixon (L) and Donald Trump (R) what SNL reports on is Nixon still remained in the nation’s conscience for years after he had resigned in 1974, while today, it seems as though Saturday Night Live (SNL) offers a new skit on presidential activity on a weekly basis.

SNL has always been a place where people can find comic relief from the harsh realities of life and

in 1992, Phil Hartman, the actor playing Clinton at the time, goes to McDonald’s even though Hillary told him not to eat fast food. There, he meets with citizens and converses with them although he is clearly uninterested in their problems; the only thing he seems remotely interested in is their food.

based on reality, it turns the news and the President into more of a satirical caricature, so people can view news in a different perspective. Since 1975, the weekly ninety-minute show continues to be what America needs to relax from a busy, (at times) stressful week of Washington activity.

Cards Against Humanity challenges Trump Teresa Cato ’20 Cards Against Humanity is a popular comedy party game known for its crude humor, daring political satire, and general enjoyability. Much like Apples to Apples, the game involves piecing two unrelated phrases together. Each player has a few cards with random phrases, and a “judge” has a single card that either has a statement with a blank or a subject. The goal for the players is to submit the most appropriate phrase to the statement. Because of the modern, humorous nature of the cards, the game is a blast and is most popular among high school and college students. Now, it plans to “save the country” with a holiday promotion.

The idea behind this promotion is that the consumer pays fifteen dollars to Cards Against Humanity and receives a six-part package of “incredible stunts and surprises.” Four items are undisclosed, and two have been announced. Each item represents a different part of the company’s political initiative. The company artfully states, “It’s 2017, and the government is being run by a toilet. We have no choice: Cards Against Humanity is going to save America,” and adds, “if you voted for Trump, you might want to sit this one out.” It’s not the first time Cards Against Humanity has run a campaign like this one. Previously, they have released cards “For Her,” which were identical to the regular version apart from a pink box and a five dollar price increase. In this campaign, they attempted to make a statement on the discrepancies in the gender pay gap.

In 2014, they sold literal bull feces to 30,000 willing people for a media spectacle on Black Friday. Last year, the company marked Black Friday by taking donations from fans in order to dig an enormous hole until the donations ceased. They raised $100,000 entirely for the purpose of digging a hole.

The point of the “Holiday Hole” continues to elude

the world, but that seems to have been the intention.

Needless to say, fans of Cards Against Humanity seem to support the card game’s frivolous antics. A few hours after the launch of Cards Against Humanity Saves America, their supply had sold out completely, with 150,00 sales. Though Cards Against Humanity has yet to release the other four surprises of the sixpart bundle, the two that have been released are cer-

wall to get built.” They go on to back up immigrants, dispute the economic efficiency of the wall, and ridicule its archaic simplicity. Additionally, they built a medieval-style trebuchet to demonstrate that “walls have been obsolete since the advent of gunpowder” and paid for it in gold to “increase its attack damage.”

On a less serious note, Cards Against Humanity released “The Good News Podcast.” The podcast is exactly what it seems: a discussion about light, happy parts of our society. “We believe that most people are good, and good things are still happening, and that’s what this show is. We’re here to shine a spotlight on good stories because those stories get a lot less attention,” says Neil, a co-host of the podcast. With the funding from the Cards Against Humanity Saves America subscribers, the podcast is set to run for a year ad-free. The first and only episode released, titled “These Are Interesting Times,” shares a heartwarming story of a Florida animal shelter and its idea to get more pets adopted by sorting them into Harry Potter houses. The houses are Hufflefluff, Slobberin, Ravenpaw, Griffindog. The story is sure to captivate Harry Potter fans on both sides of the political spectrum.

The company does not seem to have any regard for the backlash they received. To those questioning the polarizing politicality of the initiative, Cards Against Humanity replied with crass, not particularily caring who they offended. Despite the scattered displeasure from consumers who either disagree with the political stance the company takes or the election of the company to get political, the move will most likely benefit them. If nothing else, the company’s stunts draw attention; news Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff sites such as CNN, the Washington Post, Time, and Bustle all published articles on the latest tainly something to talk about. For the first one, the one. Previous tomfoolery also received similar incompany explains: “Donald Trump is a preposterous terest from the media. In most cases, actions like golem who is afraid of Mexicans…So we’ve purchased these help companies grow. With the incredibly wita plot of vacant land on the border and retained a ty, funny, and lighthearted nature of the company, law firm specializing in eminent domain to make it many people discovering Cards Against Humanity as time consuming and expensive as possible for the for the first time will subscribe to its carefree ideals.

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December 18, 2017

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Gabby Barrett ’19 It is 1977 and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the first Star Wars movie, has reprising his role as the legendary Luke Skywalker. Skywalker started off as the underdog, just been released. The now world-famous director, George Lucas, was a newcomer to but eventually found that he was destined for great things. This character was who viewers Hollywood after the release of American Graffiti. But what is alarming to think about is related to because of his search for his identity and the future troubles he has yet to face. that Star Wars was so unique and unheard of that even Fox Entertainment Group did not Keeping with the Star Wars tradition, the franchise catapulted us back in time to behave faith in its success. Lucas proved them wrong; Star Wars was a turning point in cinfore A New Hope and after Revenge of the Sith. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story lead up ematic history. The space universe, space battles, hero’s journey plot line, and the groundto the iconic beginning of the fourth episode, and it was a perfect way to provide viewbreaking effects caused the box office ers with a little more background to explode, and the rest is history. of the Star Wars universe. It surely The new sci-fi movie that everyone covered up some plot holes but also was talking about was influenced left us with more questions. Just like by both Flash Gordon and Akira Star Wars: The Force Awakens, fans Kurosawa, a Japanese film director were pleased, and the film scored whose films had the similar hero’s an 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. journey. Star Wars was packed with In the last scene, we see Rey handadventure, battles, romance, aliens, ing Skywalker’s lost lightsaber to the and extraordinary visual effects that older-looking Skywalker with his cyseemed unreal at the time. From the bernetic hand grabbing it, which reprelease of A New Hope to the present, resented the start of a new journey that Star Wars has been an iconic franwe would have to wait for two years to chise that has not lost its touch for see. After those two agonizing years, forty years. Everywhere you look— the teaser for Star Wars: The Last TV, stores, books, toys—Star Wars Jedi was released in April 2017. The has influenced it in some way. After short trailer showed clips of all of our some amazing sequels and some favorite heroes and villains: Rey, Finn, controversial prequels, the Star and Kylo Ren. With more and more Wars fandom became renowned. trailers coming out, we Star Wars fans In 2015, Star Wars fans were could not get any more excited. It is blessed with a reboot of the frantrue that the trailers have shown the chise. Those teenagers from the ’70s characters, but overall the major who experienced it first were eager plot and key components of the film to see if J.J. Abrams could live up have been kept quiet. New characters to the role of Lucas and provide a have been created and old ones have worthy film; the teenagers of this era returned, a combination that I mywere eager to see just what would be self am eager to see. In an interview brought to the table and if they would with the director of episode VII, J.J. be entertained by it. Star Wars: The Abrams, he stated, “You can protect Force Awakens turned out to be a the audience from spoilers or certain Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff huge success, earning two billion dol- Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, and Rey will have prominent roles in the upcoming films. moments that, in a way, obviate lars at the box office. It gained a 93 perthe movie experience.” Neverthecent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and less, the script is written, the scenes have been shot, and post-production has already pleased fans of all ages. The fans were glad to see Star Wars reimagined and returning wrapped. Now we cannot wait for December 15. “But these new characters, which Force characters such as Harrison Ford as Han Solo and the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. is very much about, find themselves in new situations—so even if you don’t know anything New characters such as Rey, Finn, and Poe became the new gang for millennials. The film about Star Wars, you’re right there with them,” Abrams remarks about the episode VIII. was packed with the similar exhilarating adventure plus a new favorite villain: Kylo Ren. Star Wars has always been prevalent in my family. From my parents New problems arose, secrets were revealed, and in the end, a major cliffhanger hung in the bragging about seeing the original one in theaters, to movie marathons in faces of the fans as their eyes were glued to the screen. We were left with actor Mark Hamill my uncle’s house, the film will always be a classic cinematic masterpiece.

Samantha Dilsheimer ’18 Get ready to see the names Katya Zamolodchikova (Brian McCook) and Trixie UNHhhh’s popularity has paved the way for the duo’s new television show, The Mattel (Brian Firkus) everywhere, because they’re about to blow up. The two met on Trixie and Katya Show, on Viceland. The show is produced by World of Wonthe set of Season Seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a popular reality show where drag der Productions, with the executive producer being RuPaul Charles, who is not queens perform various challenges involving sewing, acting, and singing. The two only host of RuPaul’s Drag Race but also an accomplished singer, actor, modalums came in fifth and sixth place respectively, but they have both been climbing el, and pop culture icon. The Trixie and Katya Show functions very similarly to the ladder of success ever since. Post-drag race, Katya has competed on RuPaul’s UNHhhh, with Trixie and Katya talking about a single topic but with some addiDrag Race: All Stars Season Two, coming in second place, and Trixie will be comtions. For example, there are “Asking for a Friend” segments, in which they anpeting on the upcoming RuPaul’s Drag Race: swer questions from social media platforms, All Stars Season Three. Using Drag Race as and “Man on the Street” segments in which their starting point, they’re getting ready to the two hit the streets of Hollywood Boulebreak away from the realm of gay culture and vard out of drag, asking regular people quesinto mainstream pop culture. As Trixie puts it, tions, such as, “Is this disease real?” There “We’re the Spice Girls, and the gay universe is is also “Male Bag,” a segment in which the our UK. And now, we’re coming to America.” two react to mean internet comments—a In 2016, they were offered a YouTube series play on the popular “Celebrities Read Mean on the channel WOWPresents, under World of Tweets” segment from Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Wonder Productions, a company most known TV and YouTube aren’t all that the queens for producing the Drag Race franchise. Their are up to. Trixie Mattel has released a counseries, UNHhhh, consists of the two queens try/folk album, titled Two Birds, that was talking about topics such as childhood, datin the top five iTunes albums on the day of ing, and death, along with comedic visual edrelease. The album’s popularity was due in iting to accompany their dry sense of humor. part to Trixie’s drag fan base, but also beThe two were fan favorites on Drag Race, so cause it’s a well-written, well-performed althe series was already expected to do well, bum that doesn’t have anything to do with but it went far beyond anyone’s expectations. drag, except for the fact that it was made You don’t need to enjoy drag to enjoy by a drag queen. While Trixie has tried her this show. These are not your stereotypical hand in the music world, Katya has made girls lip synching Britney Spears. As Trixher way into the movie industry. Drag-perie said, “I’m a drag queen, and I don’t even sona Katya had a major role in the 2017 like drag,” referring to this outdated stereoCanadian film Sebastian, and out-of-drag Graphic by Catherine Roser ’21 type. Whether you love drag or hate it, these McCook has a role in the upcoming short queens are funny. The show isn’t the typ- Trixie Mattel (L) and Katya Zamolodchikova (R) are starring in film, The Quiet Room, which finished shootical “gay” or “drag” humor that had been their new TV show on Viceland, The Trizie and Katya Show. ing in spring 2017 but has yet to release. circulating gay culture for decades. Drag In or out of drag, these two performers Race’s popularity is due to its appeal to many audiences. The series ended up have proved their comedic chops. With a die-hard fan base and RuPaul’s guidamassing over fifteen million views during its April 2016 to November 2017 run. ance, these queens are ready to take over the world. So, are you ready for them?

Arts & Entertainment

December 18, 2017

The Merionite

Claire Ochroch ’18 Film: Die Hard (1988) If you want an action movie that has an amazing plot and romance, this is the film for you.

On Christmas eve, a New York cop named John McClain saves everyone from a heist led by Hans Gruber. It stars Bruce Willis (with hair) and the late great Alan Rickman, and if you have not seen it, this classic cop movie is worth a watch.

Music: Christmas Wrapping, The Waitresses When I think of Christmas music, this is the song that immediately pops into my head. I don’t think it would be holiday time in my house if this upbeat tune was not on repeat. It takes a different approach to the traditional holiday song, with the perspective from a woman who does not deal with the stress of Christmas and resolves that she’ll “miss this one this year.”

Mr. Henneberry Film: About a Boy (2002) In this charming British rom-com, Hugh Grant stars as trust-fund slacker Will, whose purpose in life is to avoid messy commitments to a job or a partner. That is, until he encounters Marcus, a misfit 12 year-old bullied at school and miserable at home. Add in some sugary holiday sentimentality and you have a recipe to warm even the most jaded history teacher’s heart.

Minori Cohan ’18 Film: Love Actually (2003) This heartwarming holiday movie features an allstar cast with Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, and Liam Neeson, and intertwines nine different stories that connect in unique ways. Also, this romcom is quite timely with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) My holiday would not be complete without watching this Jim Carrey classic. Now you can stream it as many times as you’d like! Netflix just recently added this title as a part of its December releases.

Music: A Motown Christmas (1973) If you want Christmas with a beat, look no further.

This album deviates from the conventional oldtimey Crosby or Pressley tunes you may be used to. My personal favorites from this album are The Jackson 5’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Stevie Wonder’s What Christmas Means to Me, and Smokey Robinson’s Deck the Halls.

Grace Wei ’19 Film: Elf (2003) You can find Will Ferrell at his prime in Elf. It’s funny, it’s charming, and it’s certainly a Christmas staple. This film features a heartwarming story about an elf from the North Pole who travels to New York to find his real father. He spreads Christmas spirit throughout the city and brings laughter and delight to his father and his family.

Music: A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix Their Christmas album has been widely popular among fans, selling more than one million units worldwide. This album features Christmas music in an a capella style that will appeal to every music taste.

Pentatonix performs passionately in Austin, Texas.

The Jackson 5 performs on a 1973 TV special.

Merry Christmas, Mariah Carey This song instills a sense of joy and anticipation for the holiday season. Carey’s high pitched vocals are truly priceless in this album, which features upbeat original songs.

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December 18, 2017

Sports The Merionite

Swimming looks to dive into the new season Sophie Meyer ’20 As the weather becomes colder, the days shorter, and the leaves fall from the trees, there is one thing certain: the swimming and diving season has arrived.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are coming off of winning seasons and are again looking to be a force to reckon within the Central League. The teams also received an influx of talent as this year’s team is larger than lasts with a total of 76 male and female swimmers and divers. Girls’ coach Jeremy Byrne attributes this to fact that students throughout LM hear such great things about the swim and dive team and want to become a part of this great culture.

Contrary to what many believe, diving is crucial to a swim meet as it carries the worth of a swimming event. Boys’ divers include Jack Stickney ’18, Cole Sanchez ’19, and Roee Zarom ’20. Girls’ divers include Priscilla Slater ’19, Roni

Itkin-Ofer ’19, Amari Brown-Swint ’21, and Rotem Shermister ’20. The divers train with the Harriton divers since both Harriton and LM share the same coach, and training hard to give the swim teams some much needed points.

As a result of sharing a pool with Harriton, the boys and girls train together every day after school until 4:45 p.m. and usually have Saturday morning practices to intensify their training. After winter break, the team plans to have practices before school so swimmers to swim twice a day. A new addition for the team’s practice schedule is the weight room. Weight room practices are twice a week after the regular swim practice and are a replacement for standard dryland practices. Specifics concerning both the boys’ and girls’ teams can be found below.

Girls’ swim and dive

Coming off a 7-4 season and a fifth-place finish in the Central League, the boys’ team will have to train hard and stay motivated to keep their current standing. The team lost six seniors last year who were essential to the team’s success. However, the team received an influx of freshmen including backstroker Max Forster, breaststrokers Max Serota and Guanjie Cheng, and butterflier Boris Kohler who will help the team’s chances of beating crucial opponents like Ridley, Garnet Valley, and Penncrest. Additionally, the captains say that beyond impressive records, they believe that it is more important that each individual swimmer or diver meet his own goals first.

A tradition that is unique to the boys’ swim team is their team cheer: Calvin. Before every meet begins, the boys get into the pool, wrap their arms around each other, and begin saying former president Calvin Coolidge’s name. The team starts chanting “Calvin Coolidge” faster and faster until they are yelling at the top of their lungs. At that point, the swimmer standing on the edge of the pool falls in backwards into the water.

In addition to older traditions, they also hope to do some new activities together, such as laser tag or movie nights.

The boys’ swimming and diving team is extremely excited for the upcoming season and the new team has plans to make it their best. There are many new swimmers and divers this year, so it is imperative that everyone improves over the season and takes a step out of their comfort zones. Senior captain Chris Harris says, “I hope that everyone takes on all challenges that they are presented with and that they answer each question with a yes.” Records aside, the 2017-18 season should be a fulfilling one for new and old swimmers.

The girls’ finished with a 7-4 record last season, with losses coming from Conestoga, Radnore, Strath Haven, and Garnet Valley. The girls’ swim team is excited to get back in the water and finish even stronger this year. The captains this year are seniors Nisha Arya, Kerren Matthews, Claire Ochroch, Sophie Roling, and Margarita Vinogradov. When asked about the season ahead, Roling says, “We are heading into this season with a very positive outlook. We have so many talented swimmers with different specialties, making it possible for us to succeed in a variety of events and meets.”

In addition to success in the pool, the captains want everyone to branch out and try something new this year. They would also like to see teammates cheering each other on at meets and practices. They encourage all team members to step out of their comfort zones and try something new.

The girls’ and boys’ teams consider themselves a family, and often have spirit dinners on Sunday evenings. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams meet at a senior’s house and everyone brings food. Sometimes they watch movies and play games or just carbo-load for their races. They also create spirit families where senior girls (“moms”) and senior boys (“dads”) have families of underclassmen. On meet days, they exchange spirit gifts or small bags that have fun things like candy, socks, chapstick, or other treats.

Most importantly, the plan for the girls’ team is to work hard. They want to be a spirited, hardworking team so that they can have a great season and have fun while doing it. The captains would like to be named the most spirited team in the Central League, and they want the new members of the team to have fun and make new friends.

Photo Courtesy of the Enchiridion

Boys’ swim and dive

After a strenous practice, the girls take a moment to rejoice.

They are training exceptionally hard this year as their main goal is to win the Central League.

Before every meet, the boys chant “Calvin Coolidge,” one of the best-known cheers in the Central League.

Photos Courtesy of Sophie Roling ’18/Staff

College hoops: Villanova looks to rebound Nate Meline ’21 With 10:50 left in the second half versus Nicholls State, freshman Jermaine Samuels fights through a group of bodies for a hard rebound. He then slings the basketball up court to a streaking Donte DiVincenzo, who takes two dribbles and explodes into the air towards the basket. He is met at the rim by a Nicholls player, but swiftly spikes the ball through the hoop and comes down with a scratch across his nose. As the ref sounds the whistle, his teammates holler for a chance at an “And-One!” The college basketball season has just begun and, to no one’s surprise, Villanova has hit the ground running. Although the Wildcats’ 8-0 start may not seem impressive, there are many reasons to be excited about their early season success.

The Wildcats have been dominating their opponents on offense to start the year. They are averaging a tremendous 85 points per game. In their game against Nicholls, Villanova scored 113 points, which is comparable to most professional NBA teams who play almost ten more minutes a game. Besides the impressive amount of points they put up, Villanova has also been scoring with unbelievable efficiency. Four players on the team are shooting over forty percent from a threepoint range: Collin Gillespie, Jalen Brunson, Phil Booth, and Mikal Bridges, who is leading the team in this stat column with an extraordinary fifty percent. In addition, the wealth is being spread throughout the entire team. In the past ten seasons, there have been two seasons in which four different players averaged double digit points, the other one was the championship winning squad from the ’15-’16 season.

The key to winning championships is defense and, in the team’s first six games, the Wildcats have held their oppo-

nents to an average of 63 points. This includes a dominant defensive performance against Northern Iowa where Nova allowed zero, that’s right, zero free throws to northern Iowa.

Aside from that, four players on the team are averaging a steal or more per game: Brunson, Bridges, DiVincenzo, and Booth. Leading the pack is Bridges once again, who is averaging just under three takeaways per game. His offensive and defensive abilities have been one of the focal points to the hot start.

Another key piece that this Nova team was lacking last year was, redshirt freshman Omari Spellman. He is nearly averaging a double-double in rebounds and assists in just twenty minutes per game. Head Coach Jay Wright had only good things to say about his game in an interview with the Delaware Times. “He’s a really good basketball player who works at the game. He comes in every day and works on his shooting, his post moves, and all aspects of his game. He’s really a unique player.” Wright even compared him to Villanova great John Pinone. The team cannot be discussed without mentioning DiVincenzo, who is averaging major minutes and double digit points as a sophomore: he put up an effortless twenty points in the blowout against Nicholls State. We can expect to see even more of this young talent for Villanova in upcoming years when freshman prospects such as Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Jermaine Samuels, and Collin Gillespie start to see more minutes on the court.

As of now, it may seem a little early to make major predictions, but this Villanova men’s basketball team has certainly not given us any reason to be disappointed or worried. It will be extremely exciting to watch this team continue to improve as the season progresses.

Villanova Junior Jalen Brunson dribbles down the court, surveying the defensive matchups. He has become one the nation’s best guards because of his court vision, leadership, and experience.

Sports

December 18, 2017

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The Merionite

Girls’ basketball on the rise Zack Slogoff ’18 Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

A soothing “Whoosh!” followed by the eruption of a crowd in celebration–these are some of the sounds that basketball season brings here at LM. This year, the girls’ team has big hopes, with countless returning seniors and familiar faces ready to take on the Central League with determination.

The Lady Aces have hit the ground running this season, having already competed in two scrimmages. Working extremely hard during the offseason, the team has a very strong bond that has developed as a result of most of the members being together for years now.

Key senior returners Sarah Fitzpatrick, Emma Riverso, Izzy Meline, Bethany Eldridge, Ashley Roberts, and Mary-Pat Quinn all have played varsity basketball for multiple seasons, and this connection translates onto the court as the chemistry these girls have is undeniable.

Adding sophomore guards Zoe Shub and Jasmine Forrester into the mix have given the Aces a well-rounded team that can find success in multiple areas of the court. Shub and Fitzpatrick, sharpshooters from beyond the arc, have been notorious for tossing in multiple threes per game, while Eldridge, Roberts, and Meline dominate the paint.

Arms extended out, eyes on the ball, the girls are locked in on defense.

With Coach Monique Boykins taking the reins for her third season with the team, the girls demonstrated great poise and maturity in their first two scrimmages. Against the talented Imhotep Institute team, the Aces played hard, not giving up a single inch on defense,

Harrison Axelrod ’18

but eventually fell in defeat. However, in search of redemption for that preseason loss, the girls absolutely pummeled a young Girard College High School team, dominating the hardwood for the entire game. “Having strong senior leadership is going to be what contributes to our success the most,” says Riverso. “Having experienced members helps us bounce back from the tough games and get ready to go all out for the next ones.” This leadership is evident as the team does not have a single team captain, but a committee of leaders who all help motivate and guide their teammates.

A noticeable absence from this talent-filled roster is senior guard Evey Veguilla, who has been suffering from a leg injury and will miss extended time during the season. The Aces will miss Veguilla’s ball handling and slashing abilities, as she has been a vital contributor in years past. Forrester, who received increased minutes last year due to her confidence with the ball and wide skillset, will be tasked with filling this void until Veguilla’s anticipated return.

This team has their eyes set on new goals this year. In seasons past, the Aces have struggled in the regular season, damaging their playoff chances. However, with the current combination of very strong leadership, overall resilience, and talented young players, it is likely that we will be seeing the girls at the playoffs in February. This team has diverse strengths: something very unique among Central League teams that usually specialize in only one aspect of the game.

The Aces can shoot, rebound, press, and play at a very high level.

As the regular season starts, key matchups for the Aces include Conestoga on December 19, Radnor on January 17, and a huge Harriton game on January 19. Make sure to come out and support these hard working athletes this season; they feed off of the energy the Dawg Pound brings to the gym. It will be exciting to see where the combination of effort, talent, and determination bring the Lady Aces this season.

Freshman Max Forster What sport(s) do you play?

Swim and crew What’s the worst gift you have ever received?

A homemade raw pasta bracelet.

If you had to change your name, what would you want your new name to be?

Boys’ team looks to repeat

Sophomore Zoe Shub

With Christmas music flooding radio stations, temperatures beginning to drop, and senioritis starting to kick in, this can only mean the beginning of only one thing: LM Basketball is looming large. Maroon Madness was a success and now the Aces are ready to get their season underway. They are looking to continue their Central League dominance and are poised to make a deep run into the State Playoffs this season.

The team, comprised of five seniors, nine juniors, and two freshmen, has the components necessary to compete for a state title. Coach Gregg Downer, along with his coaching staff, feel that this is a year that they have standout talent and can progress far into the state tournament.

Harrison Klevan ’18 penetrates the lane and quickly weighs his options as he prepares to shoot.

guard/forward Zack Slogoff, is expecting big things from not only the team but himself as well. He says that “I need to be a leader on this team and prove to everyone that I belong and can make a meaningful impact.”

In their first matchup of the season, the Aces pummeled West Chester Bayard Rustin in an astounding 32-point victory. Payne ended the game with a whopping 29 points, while Seniors Klevan and Jared Robinson received substantial minute increases from their bench roles last year. In their second game versus storied rival Chester, the team pulled out a close 5-point win, becoming one of few teams to ever defeat the Clippers in their home gym. Junior star Jack Forrest put up 21 points and received MVP honors while Payne won the Fred Pickett Jr. Sportsmanship Award before the contest. Two league games, two wins; it has been a phenomenal start to a promising season.

Other teams that the Aces will be looking forward to playing in the Central League are Penncrest, Garnet Valley, and Conestoga, who will be some of the Aces’ most considerable challenges this year as they look to defend their Central League championship. The team will need to grow and improve as the year progresses but they seems very capable of bringing the state and Central League title back to the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium.

Second-year varsity player Harrison Klevan ’18, when asked how the team is preparing and how they can improve, says “We have a lot of good guards, as well as shooters alike. Last year, when we weren’t shooting hot, it usually didn’t end up well. This offseason we have worked to try and get out big men involved more.” This effort during the offseason will hopefully translate to the season effectively. Junior guard Steve Payne is taking a different approach to the season. He states that “we need The starting lineup disucsses the to work relentlessly, harder than every gameplan as they prepare to take other team if we want a chance at the ti- the court against rival Chester. tle.” A new addition to the team, senior Photos courtesy of Tom Weishaar Photography

Junior Jed Burde

What sport(s) do you play?

What sport(s) do you play?

Basketball and tennis Squash What’s the best gift you What is the best part about have ever received? playing a winter sport?

A charging phone case; not sure how Being indoors when it’s cold out.

If you had to change your name, what I would make it through a school day would you want your new name to be?

If I had to change my name it would probably be Zach. I without it. think the name has a good ring to it: “Zach Forster” What is the best part about First name: Big What is the craziest thing your teacher has ever done? playing a winter sport?

What is the craziest thing your One time, I had a teacher that cursed out at a kid for The bonds that are formed from being teachers has ever done? talking in class. Then a day later he gave each kid in our on the team and the holiday celebrations In ninth grade, my biology teacher’s pet period a private questionnaire on “if we felt uncomfortable that are done as a team. hamster Betty escaped. with his actions.”

Senior Katie Berg

What sport(s) do you play?

Field hockey and winter track.

What is the worse gift that you ever received?

For Hanukkah I got three pieces of chocolate.

What is the best part about playing a winter sport?

Staying in shape during the winter season.

What is the craziest thing your teachers has ever done?

Instead of learning during my physics double set, we watched the national dog agility championships.

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Sports

December 18, 2017

The Merionite

All dates are as of December 7th. Dates are subject to change.

Editors’ Picks Zach’s Pick:

Julian’s Pick:

Zack’s Picks:

LM Boys’ Basketball vs. Penncrest @ KBG January 12 @ 7 p.m.

LM Boys’ and Girls’ Swim and Dive vs. Strath Haven @ LM December 22 @ 3:45 p. m.

LM Boys’ Ice Hockey vs.

Conestoga @ Ice Line January 19 @ 9:30 p.m.

The Aces are looking to defend their Central League crown against a very good Penncrest team determined to take it from them. This should be one of the top games of the season.

The Aces are looking to defeat a powerful Strath Haven team. The girls’ need a win to mantain an advantage in the Central League.

The Aces are off to a great start in their season and are hoping to bring home a win against this very talented Conestoga team on their home ice.