Merionite Matriculation 2016

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Matriculation

June 14, 2016

The Merionite

My ultimate choices

Finding my place

Dena Behar Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Johnston Editor-in-Chief

In eighth grade, I hated choices.

The LM versus Harriton decision was all I could think about during the first half of that year.

Even though I chose LM with confidence, it was still a tough transition. I cried at the last eighth grade graduation party because I didn’t think anyone could compare to my Welsh Valley friends, and I spent every weekend with them at the beginning of freshman year, acting like nothing had changed.

And when I was at LM, I initiated my safety net of a plan. I made sure to hang out with certain girls when I got there so that I would always have friends. I devoted myself to academics and clubs and ran for sophomore class vice president after only knowing the people in my grade for one year.

I had a vision for myself: straight A’s, president of everything, most popular girl in school.

But fortunately, none of that happened. I got a few B’s, dropped out of a couple clubs, and became known as a feminazi and the girl who gets pissed off a lot. I became friends with people who I didn’t even know existed in middle school, and my best friend turned out to be someone I had known since second grade but never really noticed (love you). High school was not the smooth sailing I thought it would be. I figured out I was bad at things (physics), and I found myself in tough situations that I had no idea how to get out of. But there was one thing that I did have control over: my choices.

I chose to take classes I enjoyed (every single history class offered), stick with clubs I thrived in, and play sports I had never heard of.

I learned about the Hindu culture in Moeller’s class, the importance of bad ideas in Levy’s, that overfishing is the worst thing that is happening to America since 9/11 in Henneberry’s, and that I’m not

as “liberal” as I thought in Flynn’s.

And while I gained a wealth of knowledge from my classes, my extracurriculars taught me some things as well. The Merionite allowed me to develop my skills as a writer and a critical thinker, and gave me the priceless opportunity of sitting in on a high-profile court case as a mature reporter. Debate Club gave me confidence and the ability to think on my feet, which should never be underestimated.

But I think the best choice I made when I came to LM was to play the most random sport ever.

I hadn’t played a sport on a field since second grade soccer, but I’ve never looked back since. Ultimate has developed my athleticism, taught me how to balance my competitiveness with spirit, and gave me the tools I needed to be a leader even when I could feel the butterflies in my stomach.

Ultimate has given me some of my best friends throughout all of high school, and it seems like playing in college is the only thing that makes leaving my Lady Baba a little easier.

LM gave me some great choices and looking back now, I think I made the right ones.

I’ve written a fair bit for The Merionite over the past four years, but no piece has been harder to start than this.

Looking back on my LM experience, there is no way to sum it up in 400-500 words, no single piece of advice I would give myself if I were to do it all again.

My LM experience is, as yours was (or still is for all you underclassmen reading this), unique.

When I think of the past four years, I don’t think of my classes (although my academic experience was fantastic), but of the activities I did and the people I did them with. I think of TSA and The Merionite, the squash team (which totally exists) and my friends. Essentially, I think of the time I chose how to spend rather than the time I spent by obligation.

Choices define your experience, whatever those choices may be. Whether you choose to prioritize school or social life, sleep ten hours a day or two, put your time into sports or plays, each choice you make throughout your four years at LM makes your experience unique—one that nobody else can truly step into.

Needless to say, looking back on my time at LM, I don’t necessarily agree with all my decisions. I at times fell into the classic college-centric trap, needlessly stressing myself out for a line on my resume or another ticked box in the college application process. I spent time worry-

Behar (left) and Johnston (right)

ing about what others thought about me, trying to fit in socially, and making my life look cool on Instagram as I sat alone on my couch binging One Tree Hill.

I do wish that I had stressed less and relaxed more, stopped caring what others thought earlier on, and acted independently (my social life improved astronomically once I stopped trying to be cool). But that’s all advice you’ve heard before and will without a doubt hear again. If you’re like I was reading this paper the past few years, the advice will be welcomed, but not internalized.

You may agree with me, but you won’t necessarily walk-the-walk. My counteradvice is as follows: Understand why you do what you do.

Having a solid reasoning behind your approach to LM will make it so that when you’re sitting at the finish line, like I am, you won’t be looking back wishing you had done differently. Don’t blindly follow your friends or your siblings, but think individually, considering your own values and goals, what you think would constitute a successful high school career.

Before I end this piece, I would like to give thanks to those within LM who have made my experience as amazing as it was. To all the Merionite and TSA kids, Mr. Henneberry, Mr. P, Mr. McCloskey—thanks for providing outlets for me to explore a pretty diverse set of interests. Thanks to Betty Crocker’s for having fantastic pancake mix. Shoutout to Jon Adams for being all around solid.

There are so many more who deserve mention here, friends and teachers alike, but thanking everyone adequately would take another article in and of itself.

We all formed our own course through the halls of LM, each going to different classes, different clubs, different sports, and different hallway hangout spots. Yet each of us was, and is, united in our ability to form this course for ourselves. Not just accepting—but facilitating—these different paths is what at the end of the day makes LM such a special place. Class of 2016, thank you for an incredible four years. I can’t wait to see where our paths lead next.

What I’ll remember

Brian Mays English

Dear Class of 2016, Without fail, one of the questions that I get asked every year is “are we your favorite class?” It usually starts as a joke when a student is trying his best to irritate me. And I suppose that I deserve it considering all of the “sass”

that I dish out—I’ve been told that I do that on occasion. But then it begins to build, and soon students genuinely want to know.

For those of you who didn’t have the pleasure of sitting through my sophomore English class, I have a knack for dodging questions I don’t want to answer. In my all-too-evasive way, I respond with “I don’t have favorite classes.”

But that’s not entirely true. Every teacher knows that a class is a living, breathing dynamic—a compilation of all its individual personalities, much more than the sum of its parts. Each class is different, and, for me at least, each class is my “favorite” in its own way. There’s the class who fell in love with all things Othello, the class who somehow got fixated on D-quality movies (uh, does Transformers ring a bell?), the class whose personal opinions were so split that it was hard to have a debate without it devolving into Lord of the Flies.

Now, I’m not going to look back on

the class of 2016 with rose-colored glasses and say that you didn’t have your challenges. Believe me, you did.

The thing is, though, that I don’t remember what you’d think I would. I don’t remember how many times you came in talking about a grade or your scores on the PSATs. I don’t remember whether you loved or hated 1984. What I remember is what Mr. Hughes said when you first walked in here. At the time, it may not have meant much because you didn’t yet have the benefit of retrospection. But character does count.

Instead of remembering how you “did” on class assignments, I remember the times you co-led discussion or helped out a friend who was nervous presenting or displayed professionalism when working with a peer you didn’t get along with. I will continue to remember these moments, even long after you forget.

That is why I love being a teacher.

One of the best parts of my job is living vicariously. Graduation is a time of promise, of swapping the practiced

impermanence of a sketchbook for the brilliant masterpiece of the canvas. This moment is one that only comes once (some of you may recall my diatribes on “YOLO”) but for me, I get to live it every year. I get to see how you’ve grown without having to endure the eroding effects of senioritis. I get to feel the mixture of excitement and trepidation that annually fills the St. Joe’s auditorium. And, I get to see the adolescents-turned-adults who are going out into the world.

There’s much more I’d like to say, but I’m already way over The Merionite’s word count. Perhaps my closure is symbolic of the abruptness of change and how quickly life spins you in another direction. Then again, perhaps it’s just an English teacher looking for metaphors to help articulate how he feels about you all. I guess some things can’t be captured in words.

Congratulations, Class of 2016!

Brian Mays

Matriculation

June 14, 2016

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The Merionite

Remember the little things The Merionite Official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors in Chief Simone Burde ’17 Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 Managing Editor Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 News Editors Nisha Arya ’18 Catherine McFarland ’18 Dora Nathans ’18 Op-Ed Editors Michael Cheng ’18 Nina McKay ’17 Sophie Roling ’18

Emma Ungar Senior Class President Panting lightly after ascending three flights of stairs, I peered into what was to be my seventh set for the next ten months: freshman biology. My heart sank. Scanning the room I saw a few of my friends, but everyone else was just a face I had seen on Facebook. By the end of the year, however, biology had become my favorite class not because of the material, but because of the people.

A&E Editors Molly Cutler ’19 Bethany Eldridge ’18 Molly Gonzalez ’17 Sports Editors Matt D’Aquila ’17 Kelly Harrigan ’17 Zack Slogoff ’18

Graphics Editors Sam Gamberg ’17 Vanessa Roser ’17 Web Editor Noah Rubin ’17 Business Manager Bradley Kaplan ’17 Advisor Charles Henneberry Business Advisor Sean P. Flynn, Esq. The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. The paper acknowledges that mistakes are possible and welcomes questions as to accuracy.

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

to Hershey, gladly losing our voices in order to help our basketball team clinch the state championships. Radnor Week after Radnor Week we learned how to perfect our booty shaking technique. Through charitable events, we made fools of ourselves, whether we were strutting across the Mr. LM stage in hardly any clothing, or pretending we knew how to dance during Maroon Madness.

After spending twelve years in the district, I feel a strong sense of belonging within our grade. We have helped each other succeed, made unlikely friendships, and shared countless moments of laughter. In just a few months, now familiar phrases like the dawg pound, “needs that are social in nature,” and Reno will seamlessly dissipate, replaced by dining halls, student unions, and RA’s. As we move on with our lives, we will likely forget the specifics of our time in high school. Nevertheless, the emotions attached to our memories become inscribed within our lives, even when their details fade. I hope I remember the little things, like how many points my team scored in tape ball, or the lyrics to Sev’s reggaeton songs.

If I do forget, however, I know I will always remember how LM brought me happiness.

The meaning of LM

Features Editors Bethany Eldridge ’18 Alexandra Hummel ’17 Julia Rosen ’18

Copy Editors Julian Ginzburg ’19 Kelsey Stanton ’18

LM is known for having elite academics based on test scores and college acceptances, but what makes it so exceptional is its student body. Each of us possesses a unique personality which has morphed and developed over the past four years as a result of our experiences within the high school community.

Our teachers pushed us to think further and work harder, sometimes harder than we would have liked, as we grappled with a new curriculum. Wide-eyed and unsure of ourselves, we discovered the power of language when we delved into the magical world of Haroun and his Sea of Stories freshman year. With the newfound confidence only a sophomore could boast, we reenacted the trench warfare of World War I. Paper ammunition soared through the air, while we ducked behind our desks as if our lives depended on it.

As sleep deprived juniors, we experienced the euphoria of well-earned success after spending hours on one Webassign question, awaiting a green check. Finally, as seniors, we balanced college applications with schoolwork, eagerly anticipating the promise of second semester.

Although we sought academic achievement, we loved letting go of our stress and seeing how great it was to be in Aces Nation. Together, we trekked from the KBG

Todd Gilman Valedictorian/Opinions Editor While lounging in the silence of the Merionite room in the morning or drifting off aimlessly during my afternoon classes, when the post-lunch food coma sets in, I, bored out of my mind, often asked myself the question: why am I here? After consulting the blank walls and lifeless computer screens, I always drew a blank because I could not find the point of high school.

Truth be told, high school has no point.

Sure, a board of education may state in prosaic monotone: the value of a secondary school education is to prepare students for the workforce or further education followed by the workforce. Any attempt

to justify the existence of high school may likely sound as ridiculous as the above example. So, if high school has no point, what am I to make of my days spent roaming the halls of LM? And by roaming the halls, I mean taking laps around the floor when I can no longer focus.

Well, for starters, think of your friends, those peers with whom you spend hours each day enduring together the same tedium. What binds you to them? Answer: the shared experience of surviving high school. Your friends, like you, have put up with #LMProblemz that few, if any, outsiders could understand or sympathize with, such as when the network goes down for all school-issued laptops, or when you cannot find a place to sit during Lunch and Learn, or when you can no longer bring yourself to do WebAssigns, because, well, it’s second semester. While adults or students from other schools or anyone from outside our LM bubble may ridicule our gripes (and not unjustifiably so), your peers get it. Their ability to understand and sympathize with your unique (largely first-world) problems makes it possible for you to trust them and rely upon them like no others.

Who else makes high school’s pointlessness bearable? Answer: your teachers, those adults who somehow, after serving a four-year sentence themselves, decided to return to an institution like this one to make it better for you. Of course, in the middle of a forty page reading assignment, or a problem set, or an essay, or a test, it may not feel like your teachers care

about making life better for you. However, they, surprisingly, do care about you and your education. That is why they devote their lives to trying to teach high school students—that alone is a commendable task. They put up with more bureaucratic red tape than you could imagine so that you may sharpen your reading and critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Hell, even your administrators have a level of faith in you. It’s surprisingly high when compared to those in other school districts. In fact, in other high schools, administrators have set armed guards to patrol the halls, while at LM, your principals and counselors take the time to talk with students during lunch in order to learn and ask you what you think about your school. Imagine what other principals must have thought of Mr. Hughes when he proposed Lunch and Learn, i.e. “giving 1500 teenagers a free period.” And yet, he had faith in you. And for all its faults, I do believe Lunch and Learn has worked.

So why was I here? I don’t have a good answer about here, LM specifically, but I can say this about here, anywhere on Earth generally: most of life is mundane ,interspersed with rare moments of excitement, but that’s okay, because you have the people around who endure the same struggles as you, who care about you, who have faith in you. That’s the meaning of LM; maybe, that’s even the meaning of life.

Glass half-empty and half-full

Margo Urheim Salutatorian Like many of my peers, I felt like finishing classes this year could not have come soon enough. While I loved senior year and all of its perks, the idea of being done with high school forever was tantalizing. However, now that it is over– or almost over–I find myself somewhat

uncomfortable with that thought. I keep vacillating between being really happy and excited, and feeling nostalgic and nervous for what’s to come. Recognizing my feelings about the end of high school has made me see the importance of viewing these four years of our lives in both a glass half-empty and a glass half-full kind of way.

In one light, seeing the glass half empty, LM seems too huge and influential for us to abruptly leave it and its Kobe-loving students, somewhat hospital-looking hallways, and cookie-filled lunches (please, bring the good cookies back). For more than 700 days over the past four years we have spent seven hours in this building, and now we’re done with it forever? Reflecting on my time spent at LM, I think back to the interesting people I’ve met, the CVC dodgeball tournaments, the Powder Puff games I’ve fought in, the seven State Championships I’ve witnessed between basketball, tennis, and ultimate frisbee, and the many classes that I have relished. I can’t help but feel grateful for all of the amazing experiences I’ve had at LM, and I’m incredulous that my time in

high school has already expired.

But, in the glass half-full light, LM seems like just a starting point for the lives that we will soon pursue. Four years, put in perspective of an entire lifetime, is a relatively short period. In the decades to come, we will make many more friends, panic through our first job interviews, vote for leaders of our country, and stumble upon great opportunities unfathomable to us now. Thinking about high school through this lens rids me of any premature nostalgia and makes me excited to plunge ahead into the future.

During these past few weeks of Senior Project, I’ve struggled with the feeling that I have to choose one side over the other: I should either be sad to leave or excited to go. But now, I’m realizing the flaw in my logic. Not only in viewing high school, but also in any other area of our lives, I think it is important to always see and weigh both sides of a situation.

And so my advice to underclassmen would be to maintain this perspective: don’t lose sight of the future, but don’t forget the meaningful experiences of high school.

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June 14, 2016

Matriculation The Merionite

Burst your bubble

Sophia Salganacoff Arts and Entertainment Editor I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but I think you should burst your bubble, a bubble of insulated privilege.

During my four years at Lower Merion High School, I often found myself complaining about the slow speed of the internet, the predictably unpredictable printers, or the ever-diminishing amount of high fructose corn syrup in the cafeteria (thanks, Michelle Obama!). But then, I would realize that I, with a shiny laptop in my hands, was sitting in a one hundred million dollar building that had thousands of books stocked in the library, a support system of highly qualified

teachers and guidance counselors who actually wanted me to succeed, and most importantly, the constant drone of Donald Trump’s voice broadcasted

by CNN on the fancy flat screen TVs in the library (I will not miss that particular privilege). I know that I was not the only one complaining about these amenities, because I heard you all complaining right along with me.

Lower Merion High School has its problems; trust me, I know. The majority of students, similar to those at any high-achieving school, are under an immense amount of stress and pressure to meet unreachable standards of perfection. I was not singing LM’s praises while taking seemingly endless Psychology notes at 2:00 a.m. during my junior year. I was definitely not chanting “IT’S GREAT TO BE IN ACES NATION” while meticulously removing “to be” verbs (something I once wrongly believed to be an integral part of the English language) from an AP Literature essay 10 minutes before it was due. But, here’s the thing. When I was taking those notes, I was using a textbook provided by the school, and I was being taught by a teacher with the certification and skills needed to teach that AP Psychology in the first place.

When I was removing “to be” verbs, I was pressing the delete button on a keyboard complimentary of LMSD,

Eat lots of ice cream!

Jonathan Adams Arts and Entertainment Editor It’s interesting to look back and see the effects high school has on those of us who pass through. It’s impossible to ignore the ways in which I’ve matured and grown since freshman year, and it’s quite embarrassing to look back on all the words spoken or actions taken that I would never even contemplate doing today. Sure, I’ve made my share of blunders throughout high school: I’ve lost friends, made enemies (@ whoever is running the fake JL Twitter), failed tests, lost races I should’ve won, and made some poor choices. I wasn’t perfect during my time at LM. However, imperfection offers countless and invaluable life lessons.

As I have come to realize from my time at LM, you can learn quite a lot from failure. My difficulties with math during my sophomore year taught me better strategies for approaching my teachers when I need help. Tripping and falling during my most crucial meet in my junior year taught me the importance of being focused while racing (I know it sounds crazy, but you genuinely can get distracted, even

when sprinting over hurdles).

I used to roll my eyes when people would say that you learn the most important lessons outside of the classroom. Even now, I find myself buying into that maxim. Proverbs, besides being repeated by grandparents at seemingly random times, have guided my years at LM. A few that I consider notable include: “two wrongs don’t make a right”, “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”, and “liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.”

Yet the proverb I adhere to most strongly is one accredited to Alexander von Humboldt, whose statue you may have seen towering over Kelly Drive along the Schuylkill. He once stated, “I am more and more convinced that our happiness or unhappiness depends more on the way we meet the events of life than on the nature of those events themselves.” The attitude reflected in Von Humboldt’s quotation is essential to turning imperfections and mistakes into learning experiences. People are not shaped by the events of their lives, but rather, they are defined by their reactions and responses to them. Optimism is the best gift that people can ever give to themselves.

Do I sound naïve? Quite possibly.

Undoubtedly, LM’s resident cynicists will shake their heads while reading this reflection. But for me, considering all the ways I’ve changed, my newfound happy-go-lucky attitude is the one for which I’m most thankful. Life is meant to be lived with a smile. Go out and enjoy life! Laugh! Stay up late!

Eat lots of ice cream! Roll down hills!

If you are never happy, you’ll never be able to discover the happiness of other people. And other people, as LM has taught us, have quite a lot to share.

and I was being taught by an African American woman with a doctorate (like many other teachers I had throughout high school) and decades of experience, which enhanced my own educational experience. When I was frantically finishing my artwork before the Senior Art Show, I was using art supplies provided by the school and utilizing skills that I gained from my four years participating in our wellfunded and fantastic art program.

Textbooks, laptops, doctorates, art programs, and certifications don’t come cheap. Frankly, when most of us are up to our ears in schoolwork, jobs, sports, extracurriculars and saving the world, we don’t feel so inclined to think about our privilege as students of this school. But, less than three miles away across City Avenue, students who are just like us, but happen to live in Philadelphia, may not have a single book in their library, or even a teacher in their classroom, let alone AP classes, laptops, printers, beautifully appointed athletic facilities, seemingly endless art supplies, musical instruments, or even (gasp) Sushi Thursdays!

I don’t want to sound preachy. I am just as guilty of taking these benefits for granted as the next person. But I want all of us to be aware that LMSD will spend more than $27,495 on you alone, while Philadelphia School District will

spend only $17,426 on your counterpart (2012 estimate). I know you are all skilled in math, but just to make it clear: you have ten thousand more dollars at your disposal than the average Philadelphia student. Be aware that you have the option of debating which AP courses you take, while many high school students in Philadelphia do not even have the option to take AP courses at all. Be aware that every time you walk into class, there is an extremely high likelihood that a well-qualified teacher is waiting for you behind that door In Philadelphia School District, teaching vacancies have reached an all time high, with only 31% of those vacancies being filled by substitute teachers.

I don’t want the students of LM to feel guilty about their privilege, but I do want them to be aware of it. At least, I wish I had been more cognizant of the advantages provided to me while I was student at LM. I wish I had checked my privilege more, and frankly, taken advantage of it at every possible opportunity, not only to help myself, but also to help those who are not so lucky. Make the most of these four years, because even if you have to sell your soul to get an A on that History final, you still have more than $27,495 invested in your future.

Think about it.

Let’s live

Justin Guo Business Manager

Grant Wei Copy Editor

Beyond the bone, flesh, and skin of our bodies, there exists identity. It lives within the minds of everyone you’ve met, and stretches across space, into the letters you’ve written and messages you’ve typed. Even when our bodies die, it lives. It’s you.

It’s surprising to imagine that we pay so little attention to something so important—our personal identity. Often, we are so caught up in the complexities of our lives that we forget to sit down for just a moment to take a look at ourselves. Who exactly are we? Who exactly were we? Now is the perfect time to start thinking of these questions, especially as we move out of our parents’ loving hold and into independence. A couple hundred years from now, when all of our bodies are gone, what will survive? The answer is not the money people say you should make, nor is it the college your mom wants you apply to—it’s what you stood for, and how

you’ll be remembered.

So why is this relevant to you? After all, you still have the rest of your life to sculpt your identity. In truth, the majority of your identity has already been formed within the confines of this very school. The identity you create is forged from the sum of your choices and values—most of which you have made during your adolescent years. By the time you graduate from LM, you will come to understand what type of person you represent. No matter what form that person takes, the only individual you should become is the one that you want to become. It’s okay if you care about what college you get into, what your crush is saying about you, and what your friends plans are for the weekend—as long as you want those things to define your character.

We are human. Let’s capitalize on that. Let’s make mistakes, fall in love, and care for friends; let’s live.

Matriculation

June 14, 2016

5

The Merionite

Pondering the future Thanks to the editors of The Merionite for the chance to share my reflections with the class of 2016—a class of scholars, athletes, musicians, humanitarians, a class with more than its share of warm, funny, and wonderful human beings who have made our school better for their presence. In the view of many of your teachers and administrators, you are memorable indeed. You represent all that is extraordinary and fine about LM and you will be missed.

Milestones like commencement are cause for celebration, yet they also prompt reflection. So, I invite you to think about your education up to this moment. Consider how it has shaped you, for better or for worse.

Jean McWilliams And before you take the next step into your English Department Chair future, ponder who you are now and WHO, more importantly than WHERE, you want to be 20 years from now. I promised myself that I would avoid the platitudinous advice that elders are accustomed to giving at times like this, yet when I sat down to write this, I found myself thinking in terms of maxims. I offer them humbly, not because I believe that I am wise or right. I’ve just had more experience than you have with being wrong. For what it’s worth, my dear friends, I urge you to: Always take the high road. Taking short cuts in college (and in life), rationalizing that the end justifies the means, may get you to your destination, but you may lose your soul and your character by the time you arrive.

Seek to understand as well as to be understood. Your generation rightfully prides itself on its openness and tolerance. In the college classroom, in the work-

place, in the community, consider all perspectives, not just the ones that confirm your thinking. Listen to others, even those who disagree with you.

Read all the books that you can. Reading makes you smarter, more imaginative. It builds your vocabulary, improves your focus, and broadens your knowledge of the world. Read books and I guarantee… you’ll get more interesting.

Be willing to fail. We, your teachers and parents, have programmed you to succeed. However, the pressure to succeed sometimes leads us to sacrifice natural curiosity and passion for learning at the altar of achievement. Be willing to take risks and to be wrong.

Believe in your own agency. You have the capacity to make individual, free choices. While all of us have to operate at times within the constraints of society, we are empowered when we believe in ourselves, and when we take responsibility for the choices we’ve made.

As you think about all that has been and all of life that is to come, I leave you with the last lines of one of my favorite poems, “A Summer Day,” by American poet, Mary Oliver:

“

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

- Mary Oliver

”

May each of you answer this question in your own unrepeatable way.

Advice from the heart ¿Quien sabía? Who knew?

Jeremy Horn

When I first began working on this article, it was centered on basketball.

Although the sport was the most defining piece of my high school experience, I know that everyone is sick of me talking about it, and that the topic is not very relevant for most of the school. Instead, I am going to give you some advice, in the hopes that you will take it to heart, unlike what I have done with the great advice I have received over my four years at LM. That being said, here are four things that I have learned throughout my high school experience that I hope will be helpful to the underclassmen reading this article.

1. Don’t stress out too much. People think that failing a single test will prevent them from getting accepted to Yale. Although there is still a possibility that you won’t get into Yale, that possibility exists because you are not Lan Luo ’16, not because you failed one test. I know this message appears in every issue of The Merionite, but I’ll write it anyway. A reason everyone is trying to give you this advice. High school will be more enjoyable if you can tune out all the noise about grades.

2. Be proud of working hard. There is a feeling at LM, especially among the male students, that natural talent is the most important quality for a person to have. For example, people brag about getting Bs without studying. A person who worked hard for an A is viewed as a lesser individual by comparison. I know that we, as a school, idolize people who scheme or finesse their way out of everything, but the people who deserve the most credit are the people who work hard to achieve their goals.

3. Participate in an activity or sport and take pride in it. The most rewarding and memorable experiences any of us will have will come from the pride we have in our activities and the achievements we make. For example, when I think of Dean Hughart ’16, I won’t remember his academic accomplishments. However, I will remember his tremendous talent for playing the saxophone. Another example is that when I think of Eddie Scott ’16, I won’t remember sharing any classes with him, but I will remember his state championship level of dominance on the boys’ ultimate team.

4. School is not chalked. As an underclassman, I loved to complain about almost every facet of LM. However, I now realize how blessed and lucky I was to have the privilege of attending a school filled with such interesting and talented teachers and students. I am going to miss LM and I am excited to see what the classes of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 accomplish as we move forward into our adult lives.

How many of us have tried something new, liked it, but didn’t do so well and moved on to the next possibility?

Well, that’s partly what happened to this high school girl some time ago: 9th grade: Student: Me llamo es Myra. Thinks she’s saying My name is Myra.

Teacher: ¡¡¡ No, no no!!! The right way to say this is Me llamo Myra. It doesn’t mean my name is……it means, I call myself! So you don’t want to say I call myself is Myra!!

Student: Ok, gracias, Señora.

10th grade: Teacher: Favor de contestar la pregunta siguiente en Myra Rios frase completa. (Please answer the following question in a Spanish complete sentence) ¿Qué hiciste ayer? (What did you do yesterday) Student: Ayer yo hizo mi tarea de español y juge con mi perro en el patio.

Teacher: Ayer yo hizo hice mi tarea de español y juge jugué con mi perro en el patio.

Student: Thanks, sooo much to remember!!!!

11th & 12th grade: No more Spanish! ¡Adios clase de español!

College: After basic Spanish classes and an immersion course, a trip to Dominican Republic.

Student: (in a restaurant in Santo Domingo calling for the waiter to come over) Camarón, Camarón, !Por favor venga!

Student 2: Rios, you just called the waiter a shrimp! No wonder he ignored you! The word for waiter is camarero!!

As you can see, this high school girl ended up teaching Spanish as her career. Despite the challenges, embarrassments, some tears, and self-doubts, I loved learning and using the language as well as dancing merengue, so I kept going.

Class of 2016, I challenge all of you to go with your passion, regardless of the challenges. If you want it, you can do it!! Without challenge, La vida es aburrida. If you don’t know what your passion is yet, no worries! Use the next stage of your life to explore the many different colleges or vocational courses, jobs, and activities. Something will show up for you. Later in life, you can reassess if you want to make changes in your career path or continue developing what you are presently doing. What’s important is that you are doing something that embraces you and gives you a sense of purpose and satisfaction. Even if you’re not perfect at it! That’s ok (Google Edison’s light bulb attempts).

I also encourage you to be worldly in your perspectives. That means, YES. Learn at least enough of a foreign language to cross cultural bridges. People with a foreign accent speak at least two languages. So should you! Knowing another language is a powerful tool that can overcome misunderstandings and ignorance, get you hired over someone monolingual, make new friends, and even delay Alzheimer’s disease! Make yourself the conduit to affect positive change—don’t count on someone else to do this for you.

I wish you all the very best and that on your life’s journey, as you reflect back someday, you ask yourself , ¿Quíen sabía? Who knew?

LM Matriculation 20 Jonathan Adams Wejdan Alharbi Jeremy Allen Meredith Anderer Charles Anderson Isabel Apothaker Maria Arellano Vanessa Baker Ranit Barlas Nicholas Barnes-Batista Alexander Barnett Roy Baror Christopher Barth Dena Behar Itamar Ben-Porath Sophie Bennett Anna Benton Michael Berg Michael Bernicker Marcus Biddy Emma Black Eliana Blum Grecia Bonilla Henry Bonilla Shannon Bonney Isaac Bookbinder Cian Borguet Alison Bovarnick Zoe Braunstein Jana Breck Atiyah Brinkley John Brody Claire Brown Eli Brown Remy Brown Taylor Brown Brody Brush Quentin Cachon Rebecca Calaman Marielena Caporaletti Coel Caramanica Amelia Carpenter James Cato Keira Chandler Jiefei Chen Lambert Cheung Melina Chumley Lauren Clark Michael Clark Griffin Cohen Dane Copeland Adrian Corbey Sam Coursen Jennifer Crainic Jakyira Cummings Jacob Cutshall Alyssa D’Angelo Margherita D’Ottavi Morgan Davis John Della Franco Connor Demchick Megan Dennis Rebekah DeShields Emily DeSouza Hanjie Ding Nicole Dobkin Sarah Doebley Andrew Dorman Angelica Dorsaneo Kayla Douglas Bryce Dowling Mackenzie Dubrow Dominique Dunne Michael Dweck Zachary Dymek Louisa Ebby Erik Edwards William Ehrich Samuel Einhorn Tanner Eisenhard Lucinda Eisenstein Veronica Ellis Sean Emery Nadir Evans

Tufts University Undecided Cabrini College Cornell University Unavailable University of Connecticut Gap Year Wesleyan University University of Southern California Tulane University Northwestern University Israeli Defense Force Montgomery County Community College Cornell University Unavailable New York University Smith College University of Michigan Drexel University Morehouse College University of South Carolina Pennsylvania State University Unavailable Unavaliable Duke University Boston University Unavailable Unavailable Arizona State University Pennsylvania State University Trinity Washington University Unavailable Pennsylvania State University University of Tampa Oberlin College West Chester University Drexel University Union College University of Pittsburgh Job skills training Unavailable Gap Year, University of Cincinnati ‘22 Oberlin College University of Denver Unavailable West Chester University Pennsylvania State University James Madison University Delaware County Community College Pace University Unavailable Temple University University of Pittsburgh Oberlin College Unavailable Unavailable Art Institute of Philadelphia Unavailable Centenary College Temple University Saint Joseph’s University Pennsylvania State University Unavailable University of Vermont Unavailable Pace University The College of William and Mary United States Army Unavailable West Chester University Syracuse University Entering the workforce Florida State University Cornell University Pennsylvania State University Williams College Rochester Institute of Technology Pennsylvania State University Unavailable Gap Year, Pennsylvania State University ‘21 University of Delaware Pennsylvania State University Swarthmore College Pennsylvania State University

Madison Farrell Taylor Feld Alec Feldman Nicholas Fiorellini Alison First Zev Fishman Andrew Foster Maranda Fox Cory Fraiman Mira Franzel Elizabeth Friedman-Zayon Alessandra Frusone Marquis Gee Gillian George Dylan Gilbert Riley Gilbert Asher Gillman Todd Gilman Leslie Gladstone Leah Goff Marianna Gogineni Hannah Goldman-Muller Lillian Goldman-Muller Evan Goldman Jerald Goodwin Zachary Goodwin Melissa Graham Adam Granieri Grace Grenier Jessica Grimm Justin Guo Thomas Hagen Anthony Haines Alden Hallak Eoin Halpin Tierra Hammond Dana Handleman Claryse Hansberry Olivia Hansberry Samuel Haut Robert Hazard Abbey Hecht Kyle Helton Caitlin Henderson Maura Hess Jeremy Hillsberg Jillian Himmel Paul Ho Karla Holmes Jeremy Horn Quinn Hovey Jasmine Howard Dean Hughart Isaac Iglesias Nekou Ireland Olivia Johnston Brandon Jones Audrey Jongens Brandon Jordan Griffin Kao Jeffrey Katz Nathaniel Kennedy Brian Kenney Haley Kerman Jonah Kessler Annaika Khoday Junsung Kim Andrew Kineke Maria King Katerina Kitsios Jamie Klein Vivian Klotz Liam Knight Maximillian Knight-Surie Alexander Koch Julia Kothmann Lucas Kreuzer Elaine Kupets Sarah Labbad Charles Lee Seung Lee Rachel Leeds Luciano Legaspi Danielle Levin

Cabrini College Northwestern University Unavailable Bard College Indiana University University of Hartford Unavailable Unavailable Drexel University Philadelphia University Temple University Unavailable East Stroudsberg University University of Massachusetts Pennsylvania State University University of Alabama Unavailable Princeton University Tufts University Unavailable Elizabethtown College Cedar Crest College University of Delaware George Mason University Temple University University of Miami Towson University University of Pittsburgh American University University of Pittsburgh University of Pennsylvania Yale University Temple University University of Pennsylvania University of Hawai’i Spelman College Emerson College Tyler School of Art Temple University Ithaca College Kutztown University George Washington University Unavailable Kutztown University Philadelphia University Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Unavailable Saint Joseph’s University Claremont McKenna College Unavailable West Chester University University of Rochester West Virginia University Saint Joseph’s University Princeton University Gettysburg College The University of Miami University of Pittsburgh Brown University Brown University-RISD Unavailable Pennsylvania State University West Chester University Gap Year, Boston University ‘21 University of Pittsburgh Temple University Entering the workforce Case Western Reserve University Empire Beauty School Syracuse University Barnard College Gap Year King’s College Indiana University University of Virginia Kenyon College University of Rochester Temple University University of Pittsburgh Unavailable Goucher College Pennsylvania State University University of Pittsburgh

Kyle Levin Alexander Levy Jabari Lewis Qichengtai Li Boris Liao Edward Liriano Cuilin Liu Jacob Lord Allen Lu Miriam Ludwig Lan Luo Jacqueline Luong Zachary Magid Zachary Magill Elizabeth Malloy Olivia Mandell David Maniloff Hunter Marcucci Madeleine Markmann-Porch Oliver Martin Zachary Martin Livia McCabe Melanie McCarthy Moira McConnell Ryan McConnell Charles McCooe Yasmeen McDonald Ceara McGill Allie McGowan William McKeon Arnold Meraz Anna Meyer Harrison Meyer Kyle Michie Lily Millar Riccardo Millar Bayyaa Mills Daniel Mills Graham Mills Fernanda Miron Peter Mobo Benjamin Model George Monos Jacob Montenegro Zachary Moskow Griffin Murphy Rachel Nahamo Eli Needle Jacob Newschaffer James Nguyen Thaisen Nguyen Grace Nie Jacob Noel Oliver Nowell Dafne Nunez Vivian O’Bannon Timothy O’Brien James O’Connor Christopher O’Donnell Connor O’Hare Nicholas O’Leary Katrina Ocampo Ngozi Osazuwa Ezra Oshtry John Ouligian Hyeryeong Park Michael Park Brij Patel Annabelle Pavlak Marie Payne Russell Peck Dominique Pendleton Tobie Perkins Karman Pham Theresa Phan Nalani Phim Josephine Pitock Joshua Plummer Alexandra Podell Vanessa Poe Rachel Posener Ciaran Quain Maeghan Radice Skylar Raffensperger

016: Go Forth To Serve...

Tulane University Kenyon College West Chester University Unavailable Pennsylvania State University Georgetown University Pennsylvania State University Case Western Reserve University New York University Ithaca College Yale University Pennsylvania State University Hampshire College West Chester University University of Maryland University of Maryland Cornell University Unavailable Franklin & Marshall College Tulane University University of Alabama Ithaca College Parsons School of Design Carleton College Boston College University of Vermont Unavailable Pennsylvania State University McGill University Rider University Brigham Young University New York University University of Pennsylvania University of North Carolina Temple University Dickinson College Delaware County Community College Unavailable Pennsylvania State University Unavailable Temple University Purdue University University of Pennsylvania Cabrini College Washington University in St. Louis University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State University University of Kansas Syracuse University West Virginia University Temple University New York University University of Texas at Austin Fashion Institute of Technology MontCo/Temple University Bryn Mawr College Eckerd College Continuing Studies at LM Unavailable University of Delaware Middlebury College McGill University Spelman College Lehigh University Pennsylvania State University Unavailable Saint Joseph’s University Drexel University University of California, Santa Cruz Stanford University King’s College University of New Haven University of Florida Drexel University West Chester University Tulane University West Chester University Lehigh University Tulane University Syracuse University University of Wisconsin Eckerd College Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania State University

Leah Raizen Brian Ramsey Emma Randall Naailah Rashid-Woods Allison Rauch Benjamin Reddy Maxwell Reddy Brianna Reiferson Miranda Ribeiro-Vecino William Rieke Abby Ritterband Joey Rizal Adam Roat Joseph Rockford Lauren Roddy Moses Romnus Matthew Rose Caroline Rosen Elizabeth Rosen Julia Rosenau Eriya Rosenbaum Rayzel Rosner Daniel Roth Noah Rubin Charles Sacco Jonathan Saewitz Sophia Salganicoff Daniel Same-Guerra Kailyn Saunders Sharahya Saviour Harry Schain Andrew Schmid Benjamin Schonberger Ryan Schuster Ilan Schwell Edward Scott Lucas Scott Spencer Segal Sophie Shah Caleb Shalaby Eli Shandelman Nethra Shankar Geena Shaw Alexey Shchepetov Simon Sheintoch Jesse Siebert Sarah Silberg Stefano Singer Vincent Skipper-Barnett Noah Smith Mariah Smith-Mitchell Nathaniel Snyder Bari Spector Amanda Steigerwalt Ethan Steinberg Matthew Steinberg Eliana Steinman Alexandra Stern Jordan Stewart William Stickney Jack Straton Aaron Strongin Amira Suleman Lena Talvacchia Rebecca Tauber Corey Taylor Korshay Taylor Sharon Tehrani Angaza Thompson Wint Thu Anna Tice Thomas Tice Bryce Tischler Sophie Titlebaum Jonathan Toib Demetri Traynham Miles Trumbull Clinton Turner Emma Ungar Margaret Urheim James Vagnoni Abhishek Vyas Lindsay Wachs Eileen Wang

Columbia University Sean Wang Philadelphia University Yujing Wang Unavailable Mikaila Watts West Chester University Oscar Wegbreit Duke University Grant Wei University of São Paulo Dalia Weinstein American University of Sharjah Samantha Wellner University at Albany Ilana Welsh University of Pennsylvania Allison Whitby Gap Year Rebecca White Dartmouth College Jason Whitelock Rutgers University John Williamson New York University Daniel Wilson Unavailable Napree Wilson Unavailable Rachel Winicov Unavailable Joseph Wolfson New York University Michael Wong Emory University Effie Yi George Mason University Sophia Young Lehigh University Jipeng Yue West Virginia University Hongrui Zang Pennsylvania State University Tom Zauberman University of Maryland Lily Zekavat University of Pittsburgh Angela Zhao Cabrini College Maria Zhdankina University of Maryland Zhucheng Zhi American University Liwei Zou Princeton University Bari Zweben Shippensburg University Stevenson University Temple University Lafayette College Unavailable Unavailable University of Pittsburgh University of Massachusetts University of Delaware University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Ithaca College Drexel University University of Vermont Temple University University of Michigan Pennsylvania State University Drexel University University of Pittsburgh Unavailable Boston University Bloomsburg University Temple University Boston University Delaware County Community College Pennsylvania State University Drexel University Gap Year, Temple University ‘21 Haverford College University of Delaware Temple University University of Vermont Temple University Unavailable Culinary Institue of America Gap Year, Williams College ‘21 Entering the workforce Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable University of the Sciences University of Alabama Unavailable Columbia University Haverford College Georgetown University University of Pittsburgh Unavailable Virginia Commonwealth University Cornell University Tufts University Pennsylvania State University Purdue University University of Colorado Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University Drexel University Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Gap Year, Brandeis University ‘21 University of Wisconsin University of Central Florida Undecided Montgomery County Community College Pennsylvania State University University of Pittsburgh Temple University Wilmington University University of Pennsylvania Indiana University Unavailable Pennsylvania State University Kutztown University Emory University Purdue University University of Colorado University of Pennsylvania Saint Joseph’s University Drexel University Unavailable Unavailable University of Pittsburgh

The matriculation plans as shown for the Class of 2016 are information volunteered to the Merionite by the members of the graduating class.

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

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

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June 14, 2016

Matriculation The Merionite

What’s next?–Be passionate and determined, but listen and learn “My own opinion is a very simple one. The right of others to free expression is part of my own. If someone’s voice is silenced, then I am deprived of the right to hear…That freedom of expression consists of being able to tell people what they may not wish to hear, and that it must extend, above all, to those who think differently is, to me, self-evident.”

Christopher Hitchens, 2011 No one could accuse Christopher Hitchens of being wishy-washy in his opinions or careful about what he says. The late militant, atheist, bombast, liberal, pro-Iraq War literary savant used his incredible gift for rhetoric and the written word to savagely destroy the arguments of those who disagreed with him. He exMark Levy emplified the cliché that the pen is mightier than the Social Studies sword and had an impressive ability to deliver a verbal blow to his opponents, a talent that led to the creation of a new phrase “to be Hitchslapped”—stick the term into Youtube to see what I mean.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with Hitchens on any of his opinions, be like him.

Believe in things that get you excited. Fight for the causes you support. Oppose the ideas you disagree with, but do so in the spirit of learning. Many of you are going to places where, hopefully, you will meet a diverse group of people who might shock you with what they advocate.

Years of learning As Lower Merion High School seniors embrace graduation and begin the next chapter of their lives, so too am I bringing to close my time as a member of the Lower Merion Community, as I will be retiring at the end of this school year. I appreciate the invitation from The Merionite editors to write a reflection honoring seniors and perhaps add to the mix of memories and advice shared during this time of transition and celebration.

My core words to you are to honor humble beginnings; work to discover and grow your potential, and that of others; guard integrity and dignity zealously. Lastly, remember to thank those who have opened their hearts and minds to you, making possible your paths of opportunity and fulfillment.

Joyce Acton Students who have known me are aware that I indeed come from a humble background. Daughter of a dairy Gifted Support farmer and educated in a one-room schoolhouse for first grade, I was fortunate always to have teachers who offered lessons, support, and feedback that kept me motivated and taught me to value education. They also taught me to trust people and systems beyond my immediate family, often encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone to test fortitude, intellect, and opportunity well beyond my sensed limits. First teachers and professors, then friends, colleagues, and administrators have surrounded me throughout my life and career, making it possible for me to serve LM as a teacher and club sponsor for some 25 years. No note of appreciation would be complete, however, without giving thanks to my students for the lessons, support, and feedback they have offered. You, LM students, ARE the best. You have taught me that a teacher must show respect to students, exchange honest feelings, and invite, rather than demand, when difficult work is to be addressed. You have also shown me that there is little in life more gratifying than being among students celebrating a triumphant Mock Trial competition, poring through a newly released Dolphin magazine, spying LM faces on the National Geographic Magazine website from a recent Academic Seminar/Challenge field trip to Washington, D.C., or—most often—hearing the happy buzz of conversation filing out the classroom door after a particularly engaging discussion or project presentation.

Graduates, you need no advice for becoming warm, wonderful people. You entered to learn AND served while with us. Thank you, and best of luck always!

More issues than Vogue

Argue; come up with evidence to try and dissuade them, but don’t silence them. Don’t.

The worrying movement in colleges and universities right now to silence points of view that groups find objectionable is far more dangerous than anything the speech itself is likely to provoke. Attempts made by protestors at the University of Missouri to obstruct the media in a public space and the fact that Yale students can’t even seem to have a discussion surrounding appropriate Halloween costume attire should scare us all. The constant attempt to silence speakers from Israel is unacceptable, regardless of your view on the Middle East. Once upon a time, colleges were the bastions of free speech; the free flow of ideas was constant. Now, colleges are becoming the opposite—places where “dangerous” ideas are stifled and those who hold differing views are labeled in a way that silences them.

You think a speaker that a group on campus has invited is potentially racist? Ok. Stand outside with leaflets explaining your position or hold a counter meeting or demonstration to get your opinions across to interested students. Write a letter to the newspaper, or even seek out the speaker. Decide for yourself; ask a question that exposes the problem, or walk out if you are upset. As Hitchens argues, you have no right to deprive others of their right to hear.

Noam Chomsky, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, once said, “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.”

Now, I basically disagree with Chomsky on everything political, but here, he is so right.

College is for learning. Much of that comes from books and lectures, but much of it also comes from listening to new ideas—exposing yourself to ideas you once thought abhorrent might either alter your opinion or reinforce the opinion you already have.

Both of these are positive outcomes that you will never have a better opportunity to achieve. Seize that opportunity, and please fight for the rights of others to seize it too.

The spectre of ambiguity

The most stressful class I took at Lower Merion was AP Art, even though we all knew we’d be getting A’s from the get-go. So it was not the vast divide between letter grades which drove me to the frantic state of running down the art hallway carrying five art pieces in my hands, two rolls of tape on my wrists, a hammer under my arm, and a cup of tacks in my mouth. It was the ambiguity.

To be clear, the impending art show caused my literal scrambling. But the open structure of the class had me figuratively scrambling from day one. Mr. Loue gave some minor assignments, but in general, our assignment was “make things.” And nearly four years at LM had done little to prepare me for an assignment like that.

I am incredibly grateful for my education. I’ve attended seven schools in my lifetime, private and public, so I’d say Taylor Brown-Feld my love of Lower Merion comes from a broadly-experienced perspective. LM has made me a better learner, writer, and leader. It’s taught me how to give and receive critique, manage my time, embrace community, and study effectively -- not to mention how to use an impact screw-gun, make sock puppets, and waltz. (Thanks, Players.)

But even after four years of top-notch education, the very specter of ambiguity terrifies me, and I know I’m not alone. Give us an essay to write, and we’ll knock it out of the park. Give us a well-known play to produce, and we’ll soar. Give us specific math problems to solve, famous authors to analyze, a lab with explicit instructions to complete, and we’ll dazzle. Give us a school year and tell us to “make things,” and we will more closely resemble headless chickens than bright students. Truthfully, AP Art was one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences of my life.

But I’d be sugarcoating it if I didn’t mention how most of us floundered. Without the familiar motivating threat of suffering grades and lacking experience with intrinsic motivation, many of us were paralyzed.

Most of the challenges we will face beyond high school will come with no specific instructions and no threat of grades. They will not look like: If Train A leaves the station at 6 pm, and Train B leaves the station at 7 pm… They will look like: I have to organize this event by May 5th and we need a great, new idea and even What do I want to do with my life? They will look like: Make something. Sure, some of us will be mathematicians who will need algebra, and some of us will be English scholars who will need to write expository essays. But scholars and scientists and artists alike are all faced with the problem: This has never been done before. What should I try first?

And what about now? And now? These are problems for which traditional academics – LM’s signature style – do little to prepare us.

It’s not like grades are going to disappear from public education anytime soon, and I’m not necessarily advocating that they should. I’m simply asking the question – What could a Lower Merion education for a life in ambiguity look like? I’ve seen glimpses of it – in Mr. Kaczmar’s Senior Seminar class, Mrs. Flynn’s satire unit, Mr. Henneberry’s presidential video assignment, Mr. Stettner’s solar house project, extracurriculars like Players and Dolphin, and, of course, Mr. Loue’s AP Art class. These were the most stressful, most terrifying moments of my Lower Merion education, and these were the points at which I cared deepest. I ran pell-mell down that art hallway not because I was afraid of failing, but because I wanted so much to succeed, to put on a great show for my peers.

I don’t feel ready to step out into the wide, assignment-less, grade-less world. Then again, “ready” is an unattainable goal. But if future Aces get more “make something” assignments than I did, maybe they will inch closer and closer to ready. Maybe one day they will be able to confidently stride down the hallway, towards their ambiguous futures.

Blessing Osazuwa Congratulations to the Class of 2016! You have conquered a critical stage in your life. No matter what your plans are for next year, you are now more equipped than ever before to conquer more difficult stages of your life. This is only the beginning.

Be proud of what you have accomplished in these four years at LM. You deserve it.

Let all guilt and disappointment about what you have yet to accomplished disappear quickly. It is much easier said than done; I know. Just think about it. Are you a different person now than you were four years ago? Are you much closer to knowing or discovering who you are? Those are the most important questions, and for me, they have been the focus of my entire high school experience. I have had an extensive amount of struggles throughout my time at LM. Most of them proved to be too difficult to separate from school itself. Every time I would walk through LM’s doors, it felt like I was being given the ultimate test of my strength. I was constantly searching for an outlet, while at the same time stressing myself out by trying to be the perfect student that I felt everyone around me wanted me to be. You may experi-

ence these same feelings in whatever activity you choose to take up after high school (if you have not already), but in the words of DJ Khaled, “major key: don’t panic!” I may not have had the strongest grades or the easiest ride, but I have discovered who I am—a beautiful, intelligent, loving, caring, talented, social justice advocate who is only at the beginning of her quest to change the world. I am happy to know that those intangible things will take me further than any transcript or any expectation from another human being. Those are even the things that got me into college! So, I had to stop being angry with myself for not being the “perfect student”; the things I have accomplished here are things I did for myself. As you prepare to go out into the world and bless it even more with your presence, keep these few points in mind: Never let anyone make you believe you are not good enough. It is okay to not have it all together. Be an advocate for yourself and for others. Lastly, do not hide your issues. Embrace them, because they are a part of you, and they will help to shape who you will become. Until we meet again, I love you all!

“Jean McWilliams is one of the most respected, intelligent, and genuine people I have ever worked [with]—she is an inspiration to her students as she shows them the true value of learning.”

“Harriet Ackerman is one of the most caring people I have ever worked with—she has taught so many students to be creative, to be passionate about their work and to think outside the box.”

“Tom Elliot is one of the most unique people I have ever worked with—as a teacher he has taught so many students to do their best, to be passionate about music and to enjoy every moment of learning.”

“We would like to thank Mrs. Liz Clark for her 42 of years of service. During her time at Lower Merion High School, Mrs. Clark has helped build programs for students with Autism.

Her dedication to support students with special needs in their neighborhood schools has been admirable and her career is one to emulate. Mrs. Clark is humble, kind and collaborative. She will truly be missed as a colleague, leader and friend.

We wish her the best of luck and happiness while spending time well deserved with her 13 grandchildren.” - Heather Van Horn

Matriculation

June 14, 2016

9

The Merionite

Goodbye to Retiring Staff Principal Hughes’s words of farewell should all be proud—you “ You have made a difference in many people’s lives—the true power of an educator. Enjoy retirement—we will miss you!

”

“Mark Hansler is one of the most sincere, intelligent, and respectful people I have ever worked [with]—he brings an appreciation of the past to his students and instills a sense of respect and value to what one learns.”

“Joyce Acton is one of the most dedicated people I have ever worked with—she consistently strives to help her students reach their highest potential.”

“Lynne Freeland is one of the most dedicated and nurturing people I have ever worked with—she has taught so many students to do their best beyond the classroom and to put service to others as their first priority.”

“JoAnn Carbone is a supportive staff member who supports all students. You will find her supporting students in all classes and during Lunch and Learn. She will be greatly missed.” -Heather Van Horn

Photo by Sam Gamberg/Staff From left: Tom Elliot, Deb Martin, Lynne Freeland, JoAnn Carbone, Jean McWilliams, Joyce Acton, Harriet Ackerman, Mark Hansler.

Not pictured: Mike Pilling, Liz Clark

“Mike Pilling is a calming and supportive staff member who supports students with special needs. His gentle demeanor is evident in all that he does. He will be greatly missed.”

-Heather Van Horn

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Matriculation

June 14, 2016

The Merionite

The secret to a successful high school career

Jasmine Howard ’16 Initially entering into high school, I believed it was going to be like the movies, you know, the bullies, the mean girls, and everything in between. But after my first week, I came to realize it was nothing like the movies. It was a different world, where you could be yourself, and people accepted you without a question. Every day, we’re exposed to different people and different things in a new perspective broadening our pallet of paint. We also are given the opportunity to discover our unique passions and the things we hate.

I discovered my passion for learning, for friends, and for the love of others. LM has also contributed to my extensive knowledge of different situations and topics.

Walking into LM was a life changing experience for me. LM is full of opportunities to help you discover your talents, hopes, and dreams.

Every year, I would look forward to the Activities Fair. Year after year, I was able

to discover new clubs that were appealing, while still staying in clubs from previous years. During my freshman year, I didn’t join any clubs, and that was one of my biggest regrets in high school. In my opinion, the best way to put yourself out there and discover your likes and dislikes is trying new things. Getting involved in clubs at LM is one of the best ways to do that. A few memorable clubs I was able to join while in high school were: Cooking Club, Film and Photo Club, Drill Team, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), Students Against Stressful Situations (SASS), and DAWGMA. Although I was a part of many clubs, and I wish I could have been a part of many more clubs. On top of clubs, LM students’ can tell you sports are a great way to build both your self-esteem and set the base for long-lasting relationships. From experience, it doesn’t matter if you’re athletically talented or not, as long as you have team spirit, you will be welcomed onto a team with open arms. I have had the privilege of being a part of our spring track and field team under the guidance of a wonderful coach, Sandy Hoopes. I was also a part of the field hockey team.

All of these experiences helped me to better find myself at LM. I feel LM has given me the confidence and skills that I will need to overcome any obstacle I may come across throughout my life. I would not be the strong, independent, African American woman I am today if it were not for the support and care of my teachers, principals, cafeteria staff, and parents.

A refresher on social skills

Ok. You’re graduating. Great. Woo hoo and all of that. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. “Feeney?!, Thank God. I’m finally done with his abrasively sarcastic, yet funny comments. What more can he tell me that I don’t already know?” Well, if you are one of those people, then something may have been lost in all the fun we’ve had. The things that I personally would like you to remember are some of the simplest: words like “please” and “thank you.”

Coincidentally, there is currently a popular song that perfectly describes the gist of my message: Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind”. Do yourself a favor and give it your ear. Warning – it’s a country song! Even if you’re not a fan, I implore you to bear down and actually listen to the lyrics. An example: “Hold the door, say please, say thank you / Don’t cheat, don’t steal and don’t lie / I know you’ve got mountains to climb / But always stay humble and kind /”. They seem simple enough but are overlooked far too often today.

I value the time that I have had with

“

Hold the door, say please, say thank you / Don’t cheat, don’t steal and don’t lie / I know you’ve got mountains to climb / But always stay humble and kind /

“

Brian Feeney Math

you. I’ve enjoyed our discussions tremendously. Most of you have a decent understanding of how to interact with those outside of your social circles. It’s one of the great things that I can say about LM students when describing you to people outside of school. That said, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you of a few things: look someone in the eye when you talk to them, give them a firm handshake, greet someone with a “Hi, how are you?” and actually listen to their reply.

Listen, I’m not reinventing the wheel here. I’m sure there are plenty of other teachers who have some ridiculously intelligent and insightful things to share with you. That’s not me. What

I’m giving you are some old school suggestions that NEVER go out of style.

You’ve worked hard for twelve years and are ready to take on what comes next. I’m hoping these suggestions make that journey a bit smoother. If you don’t want my advice, stop by my room. I have a few Feeney quotes on my bulletin board that apply to you!!

Congrats and best of luck!!

An 18-year-long roller coaster Dear1LM, Words cannot describe what these past four years, and really past eighteen years have meant to me. I was born here, and I have lived here, in the same house in Penn Wynne for nearly two decades.

This isn’t just the end of high school; it’s the biggest transition our lives have seen to date. Every September for the past thirteen years, I have started a fresh new year with most of you attending a school in LMSD. Next fall, for the first time since 2002, this will not be the case.

I still vividly remember the first day of middle school. Here, all of us lived so close together, yet we had only gone to school with about a third of the kids we now called classmates. After seven years of getting to know the non “Penn Wynners” and thirteen years of school with people who remember just how hard it was to be an albatross, it is time for all of us to flip over to the next chapter of our lives.

Looking back on just these past four years is kind of funny, in a sense. When high school began, I was fourteen years old; my cellphone was an enV3 (from way back in the day); I couldn’t drive, and I was still on the taller side at this point, standing at 5’11. I’m still the same 5’11, but the “taller side” is now relative.

Sophomore year is often forgotten.

Your feet are wet in high school but you still aren’t an upperclassmen. It’s the perfect year to stress over driving, accept more responsibility academically,

4 Dan Wilson ’16 Sports Editor and start to feel the transformation into adulthood.

I like to think of junior and senior years as one long mental and emotional roller coaster that you enjoyed, but couldn’t wait to get off and never ride again. Heftier workloads, standardized tests, job and college applications--it’s all a mess. Whose brilliant idea was it to have what you do between the ages of 16-18 have such a big impact on your road ahead?

LM was a blast, and I want to savor every last memory of it. The basketball games, LMHSTV/Dan Wilson Sports Reports, The Merionite, and the conclusion of a 13-year youth baseball career: how could I ever forget about this place? LM will always have a special place in my heart.

Love you all, Buzz

The one thing that doesn’t change with the seasons Collected in the warm glow of an emerging summer haze, LM’s students continue business as usual: bustling through slightly overcrowded hallways, cramming for finals that approach perhaps a little to fast, enjoying the company of friends and beautiful weather for once. But for me and my fellow college-bound seniors, perhaps everything is different. At this moment in our life, we diverge from the beaten path in an effort to become the proper “adults,” the kind we aspired to be as children.

Yet in this time of hesitant wonder, I am quite certain of at least one thing: exactly how grateful I am for the three years I spent at LM. If I were to define myself as a function, I would most likely be a hyperbola, because my eccentricity is rather off the charts. Perhaps you know me as the guy who wore pajamas under his shorts to weight training and to prom. Perhaps as the cheeky fellow who brought a math textbook to the beach. Perhaps as “Lan the man with the hands” that dropped his partner during the tech club dance (#savage). To put it nicely, I’m a quirky character, “a real piece of work”, and if I’m to quote a personal inspiration of mine. Still, I managed to find a place of belonging at LM. You guys gave me and everyone else a safe haven, a place where expression can run rampant, unbridled, and inspired.

So, look around! You will only ever encounter amazing people with merit beyond your realization, but everyone you meet at LM is extraordinary: loving, delightful, and compassionate.

As the lingering remnants of spring complete their passage through bloom,

Lan Luo ’16 you may also hold on to certain moments like the flowering buds late to maturation in our school’s courtyard.

As you cling to the memorable emotions of a year that will soon come to an end, remember that high school is a time of definition, where passing faces leave permanent imprints. The transience of a chance encounter is eternal, remaining long after heavy snowfall dulls and covers its original brilliance.

Treasure your time here at LM, because as the seasons change, they carry with them the winds that blow the leaves of a new age. When the trees turn shades of yellow, magenta, and purple, you will change in color too, hues growing more brilliant as knowledge and experience greet you with open arms.

So, turn a new leaf, find a new friend, remember to discover yourself amidst a hectic high school experience, and love your second family, because Aces Nation is the one thing that doesn’t change as the seasons do.

Matriculation

June 14, 2016

11 Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

The Merionite

Year in review Photo courtesy of Ethan Boyer ’17

The field hockey squad had the best season of any LM field hockey team in history. With a new coach, the team looked transformed, making districts for the first time ever. The team had had different coaches for the last five years, but they seem to have found a diamond in the rough in coach Dana White. They tied with rival Harriton High School in a thrilling game, which was delayed due to bad weather. The team was led by seniors Lauren Clark, Amelia Carpenter, Megan Megan Dennis, and Emma Unger. Expect more improvement from the field hockey team to come next year.

It was a fantastic year for boys’ cross country. Led by senior captains Eli Shandelman and Sam Coursen, the team achieved a 10-1 season record and won their first Central League title since 2008. At the Central League Championship meet in October, the team went on to win the JV title and the Central League sportsmanship award as well. This year, both Shandelman and Coursen also lowered their career 5K personal records to 17:22 and 18:24, respectively. Bolstering a young and talented team in 2015 helped secure the Central League title, as well as stong performances at invitationals, like a 3rd place team finish at Belmont Plateau’s Briarwood Classic.

With the help of Main Line first team nominee, Emma Ungar ’16 (pictured) and new head coach, Dana White, the girls’ field hockey team achieved success never before seen in LM history.

Lower Merion XC’s Varisy sqaud celebrates after winning the Central League title at Central League Championships at Rose Tree Park in Media, PA (on October 17).

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

It was another successful season for the LM boys’ basketball team. They qualified for the PIAA State Playoffs for the 6th consecutive year and 27th bid overall. During the district 1 playoffs, the Aces notched many impressive wins, including a triple overtime win against Pennwood in the first round with a buzzer beater three from Terrell Jones ’17 and a massive win over rival Conestoga. The Aces played at Temple University for the District Final Four against Plymouth Whitemarsh on February 23. Senior Jeremy Horn will be continuing his basketball career at Claremont McKenna College next year.

Overall, a great season for the boys’ basketball squad.

Both the boys and girls’ swim teams had very successful seasons this year.

Three swimmers qualified for states—Max Rolling ’17, Captain Sarah Silberg ’16, and Anna-Sofia Kalandadze ’19, who won the 500yd-freestyle. The team made its first state appearance in six years and the girls’ team broke every record in the books besides the 100m breaststroke. Captains included seniors Anniaka Khoday, Jordan Stewart, Ciaran Quain, Lucinda Rose, Angela Zhao, Catrina Ocampo, Sarah Labbad, Jillian George, Jon Adams, Kyle Mitche, Riccardo Milar, Jacob Montenegro, Llan Schwell, Sean Wang, JP Yue, Caleb Shalaby, and Eli Brown. Great season Aces!

The aggressive play of senior captain Jeremy Horn and the rest of the boys’ basketball team helped the boys qualify for state playoffs for the sixth year in a row.

Qualifying for Nationals was one of the biggest accomplishments for the LM girls’ crew team. Captains Rebecca Tauber ’16 and Bari Zweben ’16 led their squad to the National Regatta in Nashport, Ohio on May 27. Seniors in the girls’ Varsity lightweight four boat who competed at nationals include Samantha Wellner, Bari Zweben, Emily DeSouza and Rebecca Tauber. They had be the third fastest girls’ Varsity lightweight in the state to qualify for Nationals. On the JV side, LM girls’ top JV lightweight four class boat not only qualified for nationals but also finished 3rd in the nation.

It was back-to-back PIAA State Championships for our boys’ tennis team this season. The Aces dominated the season, with an undefeated home record and impressive wins over Conestoga and Harriton. Matthew Chen ’17 placed 4th in state singles while Sean Attebery ’18 made an impressive debut as an Ace over the course of the season. Other standouts include the play of Thibault Vernier ’17, Jared Robinson ’18 and seniors Will Rieke, Lucas Kreuzer and Simon Sheintoch.

The team as a whole beat Fox Chapel 3-0 on May 21 to capture their second straight state title. The Aces tennis dynasty continues.

Photo courtesy of Jason Ehrich ’16

For the first time in LM history, both the boys’ and girls’ LM ultimate teams won the PA state championships. Led by senior captains Eddie Scott and Griffin Kao and a multitude of other talented senior athletes, the boys’ team won states for the first time since the start of the LM team in 2005, which was created by the girls’ own head coach, Chris Vanni. Both teams went undefeated in the two-day tournament in Allentown. Complete with the leadership of senior captains Dena Behar, Margo Urheim, and that of remaining four vital senior team members Sophie Bennett, Dalia Weinstein, Sophie Titlebaum, and Vivian O’Bannon, the girls’ team managed to outscore their opponents 93-28 and win the state title for the third time in four years. In the finals, the boys faced Pennsbury for the third time this season and pulled out a win in a very exciting game with a final score of 15-13, ending their season with only three losses, while the girls defeated Fox Chapel with a score of 15-7.

Dena Behar, one of the girls’ senior captains, throws a backhand during a high-stakes game against Amherst Regional High School, the second best school in the nation. The LM girls managed to score eight points in the game, which was the highest amount of points scored against the Amherst girls throughout the weekend-long tournament.

Senior captain Eddie Scott skies four other players for the disk, an exhibition of the competitive nature that led the boys to an incredible record of 32-3 in their spring season.

Complete with the coxing of senior captain Rebecca Tauber, the girls’ varsity lightweight four was able to qualify for the National Regatta by being one of the top three fastest boats of that category in the State.

Photo courtesy of the Jason Ehrich ’16

Senior Will Rieke returns a serve, helping lead LM’s deep squad in winning back-to-back States championships. Paired with fellow senior Lucas Kreuzer on the top doubles team, the dominating pair contibuted to the immense depth of the squad.

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

The girls’ swim team is all smiles in response to a successful season, where all three of their qualifiers for the State Championships—Anna Kalandadze ’19, Max Roling ’17, and Sarah Silberg ’16—performed well, with Kalandadze finishing first in the 500yd free.

12

June 14, 2016

Matriculation The Merionite

Thank you to The Enchiridion for the photos and Sam Gamberg ’17 and Vanessa Roser ’17 for the graphics