Merionite March 2021

The Merionite Ardmore, PA, 19003

March 16, 2021

The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 Volume 92, Issue 4 www.themerionite.org

In memory of Michael Stettner Victoria Bermudez ’22 News Editor On February 13, one of LM’s own, Michael Stettner, suddenly passed away. Stettner was loved by his students throughout his 26 years of teaching at LM. He taught a variety of classes, including earth sciences, environmental science, geology, meteorology, diately found himself immersed in the community. He coached the Science Olympiad team and was able to lead them to two state titles as well as a National competition. Alumni Molly Cut-

An indispensable asset to the Lower Merion Education Association (LMEA), Stettner held a variety of positions to aid his Rights and Responsibilities. For over thirty years, he supported tract compliance for those in education with his role as liaison students daily in constant academic reinforcement, LM teachers remember him as an extremely valuable part of the community.

Many of his colleagues remember him as a passionate teacher, with physics teacher Nora Christman commemorating, “I had the opportunity to share a classroom with him a couple years

“I was newer to Science Olympiad than a lot of the rest of the team, but he welcomed me in immediately, and I never for a second doubted that he valued me as a person and a team member just as much as anyone else. I can honestly say I would not still be studying STEM and running science olympiad tournaments today had Mr. Stettner not shown me that science can be for ev-

listen in as he taught Environmental Science; his passion for the subject was inspiring to me and to his students. The countless hours and love he dedicated to LM’s Science Olympiad Team fostered scores of young scientists. My heart goes out to his vironmental science alongside him, Taryn Stevens, reminisced,

joy. He gave so much time, energy, and care for the team and constantly went above and beyond for his students.” Additionally, one of the current Science Olympiad members, Amy Huang ’23, expressed, “Mr. Stettner was undoubtedly one of the most hours to accompany us to Science Olympiad competitions, to welcoming us into his room every day during lunch and after school, his commitment and love for our team was undeniable.

your praise of others, 2) go out of your way for friends, 3) don’t preciate the beauty of the world around you, and 5) treasure -

to be better students in the classroom, but also better people.” ing with the students that he taught. Jamie Eldrige ’21 added, “I would say that no matter the unit or topic we were on, he always had passion for what he was teaching us. He also nev-

Rissa Howard ’22

whose heart you touched and, for that, we are eternally grateful.” Michael Stettner will never be forgotten by those at LM;

“He woke up at ridiculous hours to get us to tournaments, checked on us when we were having bad days, let us horse around in his classroom all day and sometimes joined in on the jokes, and really, fully believed in each student individually and our ability to succeed. He was always proud of the team when we did succeed, and even when we didn’t. I will miss him immensely, as I’m sure so many who knew him will.”

Molly Cutler ’19 “These pictures were taken at Emerald Isle, NC, his very favorite beach vacation town. Mike loved teaching at LMHS. He was proud of his SO team students!

He was always impressed by their work ethic, enthusiasm, and team spirit. Really, LMHS was a second family to him.”

Kathy Stettner

Kathy Stettner

“Mike Stettner was one of the most generous, playful, patient, knowledgeable, grounded, and empathetic people I’ve ever known. I can’t count the number of times he went out of his way to help me without a second thought, or the number of times he greeted me in the Science DPC on a Tuesday morning with a relieved ‘Well at least it’s Friday!’”

Kathy Stettner

“Every time I think of Mr. Stettner, the my head – ‘people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn.’ Seems and devoted teacher. Your legacy of kindness lives on in each of us whose heart you touched and, for that, we are eternally grateful.”

Taryn Stevens

Nora Christman “He was a man of many hats. He was the weather guy, rock man, Oceanographer, SciOlympian, tree hugger and just out of this world person (reference to astronomy). On our trips to science Olympiad events we would always discuss our families and he was very proud of his kids. He will be greatly missed.”

“Coach doesn’t even seem like the right word for it because he was so much more of time and energy for us. He constantly went above and beyond for our team and he was the most dedicated, kindhearted, hard working person in the school.”

Patrick Cronin

NEWS

Back in business

OPINIONS

SPECIAL FEATURE

AP prep pandemonium -

in schedules and distancing on campus. page 2

Kathy Wei ’19

LM Science Olympiad

opinion on the new testing experience. page 6

A&E

1 year of COVID-19

Meet the graphics team

did to pass the time during quarentine. pages 10 and 11

who cultivate the Merionite’s distincpage 16

FEATURES Springtivities

SPORTS

A manageable balance

Spring is just around the corner, read free time this season. page 13

other activities) and school, and general page 19

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News

March 16, 2021

The Merionite

Back in business Luke Shepard ’24 The pandemic still rages throughout the region but case numbers in Pennsylvania continue to decrease causing more restrictions to be lifted as positivity rates remain low. These restrictions could even allow for a full return to in-person instruction following spring break. On February 9, Superintendent Robert Copeland revealed a potential reopening plan that would allow for a full return to in-person instruction. Currently, cases in Montgomery County are on the decline and more of the population becomes immune as vaccines are rolled out. Many students cherish the prospect of returning to school full-time as it would mean a greater sense of normalcy; however, a more crowded building may lead many students to switch to the LMSD@Home program. Regardless of students’ opinions, many hurdles must be overcome in order for the possibility of a full return to the building.

Lower Merion township ranks among the top areas in Montgomery County for low COVID-19 rates.

Lower case rates in the district and surrounding areas make reopening safer. Currently, Montgomery County has the second most fully vaccinated residents in the state, second only to Allegheny County.

These factors, coupled with LMSD having their own testing program makes a return to a full in-person model is much more realistic. Copeland details in his statement that if the ACE-IT testing program continues its success and expands along with low positivity rates and teacher vaccinations, a return for the whole student body becomes feasible. However, even in the best case scenario, many logistics still lie in the way. If a full in-person return does occur, maintaining six-foot distancing throughout model did so with the understanding that six-foot distancing would be maintained.” Currently, some classes could have twenty or more students with the number of students in hybrid making it impossible to safely distance within the classroom. While one may think that this would lead to a surge of students opting to do LMSD@Home, it would then create a burden for the school district in ensuring that enough teachers are available for elementary students. In the hybrid model, elementary students go to school for half of each day and an extra teacher is required to help students that are doing LMSD@Home.

It seems that either too many students are in the building and proper distancing cannot be mainresources to support these students. The school district is exploring other options to accommodate the possibility of more in-person students, including, “items such as tents, usable outside spaces, plexiglass shields/dividers, and additional [replacement furniture].” Regardless of logistical considerations, the district did take further steps to return fully by posting an update regarding a return to school on March 22. This post simply detailed a rough return timeline while addressing some FAQs and procedures for students to switch learning models. Copeland revealed that returning to school the week prior to spring break should allow for the proper adjustments to be made in case problems arise Photo by Caryl Shepard ’22/Staff cluding the possibility of seven minutes between classes and four lunch breaks rather than three. The Desks have been adjusted from distances of six feet to three so-distant normal school life will be approaching as many are excited to go back to school.

Please see BACK IN BUSINESS on page 4 March 22.

Wise words from Fiona Hill

Calling all AP students!

Jonathan Xu ’22 Opinions Editor

Katie Fang ’23 Website Editor

On October 14, 2019, a new face greeted the hawkish, stern visages of Washington D.C. lawmakers as they conducted closed-door depositions for the first impeachment inquiry of former president Donald Trump. One of the few women present in the room, Dr. Fiona Hill stood tall, wearing a calm, placid expression as she divulged her testimony regarding her knowledge and insight into Trump’s communication with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Dr. Hill had been known throughout the inner circles of Washington D.C. as one of the National Security Council’s foremost experts on Russia, having not only studied Russian at her alma mater Harvard University but proceeded to spend the next three decades studying Russian geopolitics, including as a national intelligence analyst for three consecutive administrations.

At LM, many students choose to challenge themselves by participating in Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which are demanding courses offered in a variety of subjects ranging from chemistry to psychology.

Each May, the College Board administers standardized exams to assess students on their understanding of the AP curriculum, called AP Exams.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has undoubtedly disrupted our education with unprecedented impacts on mental health and daily schedules. Last spring, the College Board seemed to take these impacts into account given their suddenness; a 45-minute, online exam containing less content was administered in place of the typical three hour, in-person exam. This year, the College Board has announced three testing options, and regardless of which option is chosen, the tests will be full-length as usual, somewhat establishing a sense of normalcy.

The aura of uncertainty surrounding this year has prompted some teachers to alter their curriculums, such as Lawrence McAfoos, an AP Chemistry teacher. For the past four or five years, the most mathematically difficult parts of the curriculum were taught first, allowing for more time to revisit the material throughout the year. Although this technique was effective, they unfortunately were not able to predict the pandemic and its impact on the 2020 exams. “Last year, the College Board cut out much of that material from the test,” he shares. “So our students were playing ‘catch-up’ on the material that would be tested and didn’t need the material that they had mastered.” Unsure about what the College Board would plan for this year, he restructured his curriculum to be more “normal,” although the same issues he had tried to counter from the beginning would reappear. He also has not tested his students this year. “With so many students at home, I have not found a way to fairly assess student knowledge when some students sit in front of me and some are at home with access to the world of information at their fingertips,” he explains. “So, will my students do as well as normal? I don’t know. I am confident that the students who have actively engaged in class have learned a lot, but I’m also confident that I have a few students who are putting on a good show without actively engaging.”

Jeffrey Cahill, an AP Psychology teacher, has also changed his curriculum. “Most of my teaching [before] was with paper and pencil and through discussion. We seldom used computers in my classroom,” he notes. “I have adapted all my material to electronic forms and have had to eliminate some of the classroom ‘experiments’ I normally conduct for psychology.” He also mentions that generating class conversations virtually has been difficult, and is unsure if students will perform as well as they normally do. “If the environment created by COVID-19 negatively impacts many students, then learning and understanding is hindered which will affect AP Exam results.

The hardest part is simulating the AP testing environment,” he continues.

“I think students are doing well overall, but what I don’t know is how well they are learning the material. Tests and essays are open note, but the AP Exam isn’t. Students must make an effort to complete tests within time constraints and without notes to truly understand how well they know material.”

Please see WISE WORDS FROM FIONA HILL on page 3

Please see CALLING ALL AP STUDENTS! on page 4

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Xu ’22/Staff

Dr. Fiona Hill, one of our nation’s foremost foreign policy experts and a witness in the first impeachment hearings, comes to share her thoughts and experience with LM students.

News

March 16, 2021

3

The Merionite

Keeping up with the college changes Shaine Davison ’23

As this school year gradually winds down, the upcoming fall is right around the corner. While colleges are navigating their regulations in order to safely open up campuses for the next academic year, the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic transition to college all over the US. Most colleges anticipate quarantining their students and proceeding with online learning in the fall, whether at home or in a dorm, while still asking for full tuition. Students will have to comply with mask mandates, practice and maintain social distancing, and refrain from any large gatherings. This includes parties and crowds—a key social aspect of the college experience. With the US surpassing 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, as reported by The New York Times, the chance that colleges will change these orders and proceed with a relatively normal year grows more unlikely every day. A considerable number of students continue with their college plans despite the disheartening changes. However, this new college lifestyle is not appealing to all seniors planning their future, leading to college deferrals and gap years all over the US during the 2021-2022 school year.

Two freshmen in college have discussed their experiences and views on their year so far. When Rachel Lappen ’20, a freshman at Barnard College and an LM alumna, was asked about her experience so far, she commented, “My school is providing weekly testing which has been useful, but other than that I think they have handled the pandemic poorly. Despite classes being 100% virtual, registration for the classes sors weren’t prepared to teach via Zoom. I wish

been altered from a traditional freshman year, Whellan has no regrets concerning her attendance these past two semesters. Whellan doesn’t mind these new adjustments, but other students have changed their decision-making due to the pandemic.

While the majority of LM seniors commit to nior Noah Lipsitz ’21 has decided to take a gap year and defer from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Lipsitz had decided that he would be taking a gap year a while ago, and explained, wanted to take a gap year because of the travel a gap year seems even more interesting to me because of all the ways I could apply it to travel.

I also want to meet new people and network for my business.” He had already decided prior to the pandemic that a gap year was the right track for him, and the pandemic was all the more reason to. With colleges forming more restrictions due to the pandemic, next year seems like the perfect time to travel and have a unique experience.

Another LM senior had grappled with the idea of taking a gap year, but ultimately decided to attend college this fall, stating, “I don’t want to delay my college experience.” Even seniors at LM must grapple with the new reality of experiencing a compromised college experience during the pandemic.

taking an alternate approach. Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy senior Robert Ufberg has chosen to defer his acceptance from Lehigh University until the 2022-2023 school year. Rather than jumping right into college, he has decided to spend part of next year in Israel. He shared that he “decided to take a gap year a couple months ago” and “wasn’t college on zoom isn’t the best way to begin college.” Furthermore, Jane Whellan, a Washington ic.” Ufberg put a lot of thought into his decision, University freshman, describes the precautions as his parents and guidance counselor helped him her school needed to take: “My school handles navigate his direction for next fall. Even though COVID-19 by conducting bi-weekly surveillance he had toured colleges during his junior year and tests, putting all students in a single person applied early decision to Lehigh, Ufberg decided dorm room, implementing a daily COVID-19 that taking a gap year was the best option for him. screening that we need to complete before goFrom LM to all over the country, high ing into any of the dining facilities, mandating school seniors are choosing their future, while Photo by Aiko Palaypayon ’23/Staff masks and social distancing, and putting most college freshmen pioneer the new campus Haverford College presents safety protocols throughout the (but not all) classes online.” Whellan further scene. Their accounts are previews for camcampus. explained that “even though this year is very pus life next year. Students attending college will face new challenges as the US gradually recovers from the damstill making some really good friends and enjoying my classes, and doing a lot of age of the pandemic. There are various journeys for different students, but things I wouldn’t get to if I stayed home.” Even though her college experience has not all include college attendance immediately after high school graduation.

Wise words from Fiona Hill Continued from WISE WORDS FROM FIONA HILL on page 2 Nonetheless, even Dr. Hill, herself, could never have imagined that the spotlight of Washington politics would now be cast upon her as she imparted stunning new details of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

On Friday, February 26, 2021, Dr. Hill once again took center stage before a host of interviewers, albeit this time members of LM and Harriton Model UN, as she answered LM students’ questions about her experiences as a key official within the national intelligence community. Questioned about her background, having grown up from modest roots in northern England, Dr. Hill revealed that she found language as a means by which she could aspire for and attain opportunities abroad, including the Frank Knox fellowship to study Russian at Harvard.

Despite facing discrimination for her “working-class” accent in her early years, Hill noted that moving to the United States enabled her to gain a fresh start and have the chance to pursue her education, occupation, and make a family—a fact that has reinforced her conviction that the “American Dream” is still relevant today. Cognizant of the myriad barriers impeding women in the workforce, Dr. Hill observed that she was only one of few women involved in national intelligence during the early years of her career at the Brookings Institution, and even the most senior woman at times, despite being quite young. Such experiences have shaped Dr. Hill’s belief that diversity is critical to the success of national security; despite the prevalence of women having become far greater over the course of a generation, Dr. Hill opined that the fight to overcome barriers against those of low-income and racial backgrounds still remains unfinished.

On a broader note about public service, Dr. Hill acknowledged that there was a misconception of the federal government being untrustworthy and unrepresentative of average citizens, with only fifteen percent of individuals having faith in the government, and posited that the entry of new voices and fresh perspectives into the public domain could have the potential to change its reputation for the better.

On the subject that Dr. Hill perhaps knows best, Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 election, the former intelligence official was keen on underscoring the intents of the Russian government to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election, but she also offered her perspective that domestic political division has far exacerbated the debacle.

Regarding Russian attempts to intrude into electoral security, Dr. Hill remarked, “Initially, what Russia tried to do is … exploit the divisions that were already existing, but it also managed to inflame them, help to make them worse, in many respects.” Russian security threats in the past two elections, Dr. Hill contended, have paled in comparison to the “political infighting in the United

States” that has threatened to jeopardize elections from the inside, with “our own divisions, our own partisan fighting, our own inability to focus on governing the country rather than fighting with each other, actually enables Russia … to exploit [us].” Notwithstanding, Dr. Hill remains optimistic about the future of the American electoral process, noting that increasing voter turnout, among other changing factors, are a sign of progress in the right direction.

Questioned about how she has remained politically unbiased as a foreign policy expert, Dr. Hill asserted that the dilemma of national security rests on “whether it’s a threat to your country or it’s not … and if it’s a threat to your country, it’s a threat to all of us.” Citing the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, Dr. Hill remarked that the pandemic “doesn’t discriminate … doesn’t care if you’re a Republican or Democrat, or where you live,” and reasoned that the same holds true for foreign adversaries, in that “they only care about our divisions inasmuch as they can exploit them.” Such being the case, Dr. Hill asserted that it has always been her view that foreign policy should remain outside the sphere of partisan conflict, commenting that it is possible for one to be politically active and “really engaged in the issues” without taking a partisan stance as a government official.

Returning to subjects closer to a student’s experience, Dr. Hill also touched upon the importance of history as a means to guide policy and decisions for the future. With history having been such an integral component of her career, Dr. Hill shared her belief that the former can be critical to “inform[ing] you where you got to,” and, perhaps more importantly, “where you might be heading.”

On a more personal note, when asked about how students can find their own voices in the modern age, Dr. Hill remained adamant that one should not be concerned about what they sound like for fear of being seen as less than what they are. “Make sure you are your authentic self when you speak,” she advanced, “And … speak out when [you] think something is wrong.” Facilitating communication, building enduring friendships, and engaging in open conversations with those that have different experiences than you do, Dr. Hill counseled, is the best way to “find your own voice and your own story as well.”

As a principal foreign policy expert under three administrations, Dr. Hill never fell short of maintaining the integrity of American foreign policy in the face of daunting challenges both domestic and abroad. As a woman involved at the highest tiers of national security over the course of decades, Dr. Hill broke innumerable glass ceilings and paved the way for countless more to follow in her path. And swpeaking before LM students, Dr. Hill has inspired the next generation of American youth with the confidence to become the leaders of tomorrow.

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News

March 16, 2021

The Merionite

Back in business

Permit predicament

Continued from BACK IN BUSINESS on page 2

Michelle Kelly ’23 Copy Editor

Nina Aagaard ’22

Calling all AP students!

Continued from CALLING ALL AP STUDENTS! on page 2

Anika Xi’23

Driving schools like Driven2Drive have adopted cautionary measures including washing every car, recommending people wear gloves, and requiring masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Opinions

March 16, 2021

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 Elliot Ginzburg ’21 Dhaval Sharma ’21 Sydney Zelinger ’21 News Editors Victoria Bermudez ’22 Phillip Gao ’22 Spencer Rosenbaum ’22 Caryl Shepard ’22 Opinions Editors Ike Mittman ’22 Jackie Munis ’21 Emily Shang ’21 Jonathan Xu ’22 Features Editors Maya Christianson ’21 Angela Ge ’23 Ella Johnson ’22 Eric Yang ’22 Arts and Entertainment Editors Noa Cutler ’22

Editorial: A case for free Fridays The recent threats to our asynchronous Friday have caused an uproar among students and teachers alike—urging all of us to spam Mr. Hughes’ inbox with emails explaining why asynchronous Fridays are may include anecdotal evidence that Fridays are spent strategically, with a particular academic purpose in mind. And while these individual circumstances should be taken into consideration as compelling evidence to keep our current schedule, we at The Merionite came up with generalized reasons why devoting time on Fridays for student relaxation is not necessarily a bad thing.

Despite less LM students attending school physically, the LM administration has not rested. Since the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, students are demanding the administration take a hard look at the implicit biases that threaten BIPOC at school.

Work in equity advocacy is a long battle— one that cannot and should not be rushed.

The student leaders at LM, namely those in

Graphics Editors Emma Liu ’22 Emmi Wu ’23 Senior Web Editor Teresa Lu-Romeo ’21 Web Editor Katie Fang ’23 Business Manager Madison Li ’21

history that thus far have been erased, do we

Joy Donovan ’23 The school board elections are coming up, and the excitement and buzz is certainly rivaling that of my student body president election in eighth grade: that is, relatively non-existent. Through some mild research, and scrolling to the ends of the LMSD Facebook page, I’ve found a pattern with the LMSD School Board. The Board loves to make committees and tell parents they’re making serious progress, to show they’re putting the issues students face at the forefront of their agenda—yet nearly a year into the ad hoc Racial Equity meetings and it feels as though very little has changed. We may have a Voices in Literature and Black Excellence history class now, and it’s important to recognize the smaller wins, but it begs the question: through these separate classes

Photographers Aiko Palaypayon ’23 Anika Xi ’23 Advisor Charles Henneberry

The Merionite The Merionite reserves the right to edit letters to the editor for length or clarity. All unattributed images are courtesy of WikiCommons.

scramble to proclaim they are productive on Fridays to appease the school board, which goes without saying, we need to consider the truth at hand: Fridays are necessary for both the mental health and academic productivity of students across the board.

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

BIPOC history in mandatory classes? Does a half-year elective make up for the years of miseducation this district continues to allow for in its classrooms? To be blunt, it doesn’t. I’m glad our high schools are trying harder; but can we honestly say the same for all of our schools, if my sister will still be taught next year that the civil war was a tale of economic oppression? If the kid I babysit next door will still have to hear the Odyssean epics of the heroic Christopher Columbus?

This isn’t all at the fault of the School Board; but they are the ones we elect to represent us and make these serious decisions regarding our education. I personally prefer a student representative on the board, because after years of attending meetings, it still seems that what students actually want and need is constantly deemed an afterthought. One clear example of this was the petition that circulated around winter break for LM not to return to hybrid. It suggested that the virtual current one we use. Despite receiving thousands of signatures, this petition was dismissed with a courteous email and a pat on the back for using our big kid voices. In this email, sent by Superintendent Robert Cope-

land on December 7, the district acknowledged the myriad communications that they had received, then proceeded to tell students that they’d continue doing the opposite. The issue here wasn’t that the Board did not do exactly what their constituents wanted; rather that students were directly sharing that an all-virtual schedule was better for their mental and physical health, academic success, and overall well-being, and the Board could not give any valid considerations back.

I’m sure they had some, given it has been school schedule, but if they truly valued student voices, they could have responded differently. They could have presented all this expensive research they boast about at every opportunity. But they didn’t. In the LMSD Student Handbook, students are assured that they “have an opportunity to be heard by the Board and to participate as other citizens in an atmosphere of mutual respect to a degree that is appropriate in its deliberations,” along with the right to petition. But honestly, what good are these rights we’re supposed to be entitled to if they only exist on paper?

If our voices aren’t seriously considered? If these things bother you, if you care about your school, or even if you want to be heard— tell your parents to do their research for the upcoming 2021 LM School Board elections.

Let the clubs out

Assistant Business Manager Mona Vakil ’22

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

a room with a Google Doc of quiz questions can be a huge burden—whereas in a classroom setting, after just giggling with friends in a study hall, these quizzes might have been more manageable. With the negatives of online school in mind, a Friday to refresh our numbed brains and take a break from screens is likely more productive in the long run—for both academics and student health.

Students should be treated as humans

Calls for change on deaf ears

Sports Editors Alex Frankel ’22 Ellie Ward ’21 Ben Wolf ’22

Senior Design Editor Cate Roser ’21

social interactions, nature, and interperson-

contributers and not neccesarily those of The Merionite

Davis Giangiulio ’21 Jonathan Sommer ’21

Copy Editors Mia Hail ’23 Michelle Kelly ’23 Ezra Thau ’22

CREI, have devoted countless hours and energy into garnering proper recognition for racism at LM and pushing for action. Whilst simultaneously carrying the burden of being full-time students, student advocates need a well-deserved break on Fridays—whether for completing their assigned work for the day or catching their breath.

LM students who don’t have their hands full with student activism work are likely busy with schoolwork, activities that have moved to Zoom, or athletics that feel more exhausting now due to the necessary COVID precautions. The virtual setting has turned once-fun activities more tedious, more draining, and more of a strain on the eyes. What was once a social extracurricular turns into a solely work-based after school club that piles on to the mountains of work students already receive. While the reports on how much work LM teachers give virtually vary, it is clear that not all LM teachers assign and test with students’ mental health states in mind. As students become increasingly distant from

Olivia Lee ’23 COVID-19 has changed our lives, day in and day out, for almost a year. Classes are half online and half in-person, homework is turned in half online and half in-person, and clubs are... well, what are we doing about clubs? As of right now, clubs have stopped changing the world and bettering individuals. As students, we cannot control the unrelenting passing of time, but we can control what we do with our time.

Academic clubs should be allowed to meet in-person with the right COVID-19 precautions, because people need to understand their interests and create new connections.

After almost a year of COVID-19 restrictions, students are still not allowed to meet in-person for clubs. High school is a complicated time in our lives—we are young adults who are going to be put out into the real world to follow our dreams. One of the main reasons to join a club is to see if it sparks any interest in an individual. Without being able to meet in-person, certain academic clubs are at a halt, waiting for the green light.

With clubs not meeting in-person, students do not get to dive deeper into the activities and experience the club fully, which ultimately allows students to decide if they want to dedicate four years to a related career.

Clubs being hosted on Zoom makes it harder for people to have side conversations and to connect with each other. The same awkwardness felt in classes with dozens of just ten individuals. If clubs were allowed to be in-person, students could understand their peers on a greater level and feel more comfortable. Connections are important for our mental health, as friends are there to celebrate our good times, provide comfort during the bad times, and, most importantly,

help us stay grounded, which is vital during these trying times. School is often associated with academics but being able to talk to others is something education subconsciously teaches us. A student may be the smartest one in the class, but if they cannot talk to people and share their ideas, they will never be heard. The world is a small place, and by creating connections, it could lead to a lifetime of new and better experiences. By attending in-person meetings, relationships can be made in a simpler and more authentic way.

COVID-19 has taken the freshman year experience, sophomores’ time to explore, of being a senior. We do not need to add onto this list by stopping academic clubs from meeting. If people are uncomfortable with meeting in-person, by all means make it a choice to attend online or in-person. With that option, it is in our own hands if we want to go in-person or not, like how school is being handled. Clubs are just as important as our classes, so they should be treated like them. It is a time for us to discover our goals, achieve them, and meet people on the way there, but this is achieved greater in-person.

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Opinions

March 15, 2021

The Merionite

AP prep pandemonium

Victoria Bermudez ’22 News Editor Dreadful are the weeks leading up to the Advanced Placement tests. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors alike traverse their AP classes, tediously reviewing material covered from two semesters’ worth of curriculum in anxious preparation for a four-hour exam. Typically, students across the United States would expect May; that is, however, following a somewhat conventional school year. Administering the 2020 AP exams was a demanding task for both school districts as well as the College Board. LMSD guided their students to the best of their ability, attempting to navigate BlackBoard Collaborate Ultra or Zoom in order to cram a few more study sessions for students before test day. The College Board also attempted to maintain the integrity of the AP exams by proctoring them virtually, but were forced to trim the test itself to only 45 minutes each. All exams were also open note, lacked multiple units of curriculum, and were primarily made up of a couple free-response questions, without covering much of the content that students had expected from their fall and spring semesters. This year, because of the circumstances surrounding the mixture of both physical and online classes, students are expected to take AP exams in-person on paper, but in a shortened format.

In previous years, excluding the 2020 AP exams, LM students would gradually enter the Downs Gym, across from the main campus in the Administration building. They would sit anxiously, each placed at their own desks, waiting to undergo three to four hours of a labor-intensive exam that tested their knowledge of an entire school year’s worth of curriculum. In 2021, the

erally learn more while physically in front of their teachers and material, expecting them to absorb each aspect of the curriculum as if it were a standard school year is not viable, especially recognizing that most LM students are taking advantage of LMSD@Home and do not have

separate occasions. They claim that adding these test

in order to accommodate the school year, all AP exams should have been condensed by a few units or a section to alleviate the stress caused by the lack of normalcy.

exams will help students globally in their assessment period and future college applications. The College Board determined each testing window, but each respective school selected their testing dates and the according test in “Administration 2,” which extends from May 18 to 28 both digitally and on paper. Although including an helpful for teachers and students alike, preparing for the same test that would have been proctored in past years is simply unrealistic. For the 2020-2021 school year, students have been exposed to a diverse array of class models. From a four-class virtual schedule beginning at 9 a.m. with leisurely thirty minute breaks, back to the rigorous six-class schedule with one half hour lunch break, students have been forced to acclimate to each school day as it is given to them. There also arises a variety of issues involving seniors. Despite having a substantial amount of sophomores taking AP exams, one

Even though more challenging classes such as AP Phys-

with a strictly digital 45 minute format and the 2021 AP exams that are meant to emulate an ordinary test. Additionally, most classes are reducing the amount of regular assessments throughout the year, and without midterms to cumulatively test the knowledge of students, it has ing environment that will be present in May. Although AP tests are a proper evaluation of meticulous comprehension of material, students should be progressively reintroduced to the full-length exams as the vaccines continue to be distributed and the pandemic subsides.

projects. Having seniors prolong their school year and will most certainly take away from their senior projects.

While these exam changes have been intense for those in the LM community, this type of variability, alongside the pandemic, should be taken into account with the -

Graphic by Emma Liu ’22

Save our snow days

Kali Hachadoorian ’23 Virtual learning, a result of the coronavirus pandemic, seems to have been a long time coming. In our day and age, where electronic devices control most of our schools, jobs, extracurriculars, hobbies, and communication, it’s a bit surprising that it took a pandemic for online schooling to become an option at many in-person institutions.

Regardless, here we are now. And virtual learning has had many unforeseen consequences. One such consequence that we have found this year is that snow, or any extreme weather, no longer has to result in school cancellations, not when students can attend their classes from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

Snow days have long been debated over. Administrators have always agreed on the inconvenience that they bring, and how hard they are to plan for. Among other reasons, one concern is the potential for makeup days. Since a certain number of school days are required in a year, too many snow days can result in precious break time to be shortened, or taken away.

A few years ago, I remember LMSD making the call

that, after too many snow days that winter, students would have to attend school on Monday and Tuesday the week of spring break, with vacation not starting until that Wednesday. This was a decision, of course, that nobody was happy about. And one that virtual snow days would actively prevent in the future.

So it seems as if having virtual schooling on days that may have previously seen schools being cancelled is a convenient solution for all the parties involved.

Only, it may not be. Personally, I hate the idea of snowy days becoming a thing of the past. And I know a fair number of my fellow students who share that opinion.

I can think of a number of reasons this might be the case. First and foremost are my qualms with the school system. I consider myself a curious person, someone who going to school. Even though there are classes I enjoy, I am still perpetually looking forward to the moment The reason I believe this happens is that the curricular structure that LM follows, along with most other schools in the United States, alienates many teenagers.

Worksheets, standardized testing, grades, and piles upon piles of homework are all more than enough to turn seem like a chore, when that’s far from what it should be.

Students should love school. There are so many things I’d love to learn more about, and imperialism in the 1900s is not one of them. That isn’t to say that no one is interested in history, only that it’s a subject I personally do not have a passion for, yet am still forced to learn about. Conversely, I know many people who hate writing literary analyses in English classes when that is something I’ve always enjoyed.

My point being, American institutions force teenagers to take classes in subjects that

they have little or no interest in. And because of this, almost every student I know jumps at the opportunity for a snow day, as it means not having to go to school and take classes that we don’t particularly care about.

Even considering students who love school, I think it’s fair to say that snow days are universally adored and hoped for. This can probably best be explained by the fact that everybody needs a break now and again, even from something that one enjoys. Maybe even especially from something that one enjoys, lest it start to become tedious and unexciting after so long.

Finally, snow days have become somewhat of a tradition for young children. I remember throughout my entire childhood the rush I’d get when snow would start falling one night and introduce the possibility of a snow day the next day. When talking to others, both from my own generation and generations before, they described having similar experiences.

So, I argue for snow days to stay, for the sanity and overall happiness of the student body. I can’t speak to their feelings, but I know that many adults, my mom included, love snow days, even while loving their jobs.

So, despite the fact that virtual learning on days when weather would normally cause an all-out cancellation makes sense at surface level, when one takes a deeper look into the issue, snow days hold a great deal of importance and should remain a part of students’ lives.

Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

Opinions

March 15, 2021

7

The Merionite

Don’t test me

Liam Shack ’22 No test required, hooray! The pandemic has caused many colleges to drop their SAT/ACT requirement for 2021-2022 applications, and many are considering a move to become permanently testoptional. As someone who dreads standardized tests, this news could not be better! I am clearly not alone, as applications for top-tier schools have gone up sig-

many of them tend to do well academically but panic when faced with a grueling three-hour standardized test. In addition, the students that tend to do well on the SAT or ACT are students who have practiced them for several months to years beforehand. In fact, many students who succeed on the SAT or ACT start studying for them in middle school or even earlier, while others may never have the opportunity to practice them at all right up until the test date. For these reasons, the SAT and ACT both tend to fail to accurately represent the intelligence of students and therefore do not measure a student’s potential collegiate success.

A test-optional policy would also make the college application process much less stressful. Nobody looks forward to spending their weekends practicing the SAT or ACT for months before the test. Taking a long exam at an unfamiliar school with unrecognizable students can also cause great anxiety.

Implementing a permanent test-optional policy at

many worthy students might not have even considered applying to those schools if they had required test scores. The SAT and ACT may have once been an accurate indicator of a student’s abilities, but they ligence of a student complicated by an entire industry devoted to test preparation for those able to pay.

should adopt a test-optional policy is because the SAT and ACT create an undesired ethnic divide in applicant pools. More often than not, due to standardized testing, white students per capita tend to get accepted into college more than African American and Hispanic students. Also, wealthy students tend to earn higher SAT and ACT scores than lowincome students because they are able to hire tutors nent test-optional policy at every college, applicant pools would be guaranteed to be more diverse. are crucial for measuring the intelligence and potential collegiate success of students, that is clearly not the case. Rather than measuring intelligence, the SAT and ACT measure how well students do on standardIn addition, the SAT and ACT add an unreasonable amount of stress to preparing a college application and they provide an unnecessary divide between ethnic

colleges this year, all institutions of higher learning should keep a permanent test-optional policy.

One of the largest issues with the SAT and ACT is a student’s intellectual abilities and readiness for college, the reality is that these exams actually measure how well a student can take a standardized test. This negatively impacts students across the board, as too

every college would dramatically reduce the stress of forming a college application. In addition, students who have high GPAs and academic standing would not need to worry about these standardized tickets to higher education and therefore do not need to have concerns over being falsely represented. On the other hand, if a student has a lower GPA than they would like, that student has the option to take the SAT or ACT in order to increase his or her chances of getting into college of their choice.

Graphic by Cate Roser ’21

permanent test-optional policy at every college, applicant pools would be much more diverse, and the college application process would reduce a substantial amount of pressure on students as they prepare to apply to college.

After all, we are more than just a number!

Privilege despite proximity

Caryl Shepard ’22 News Editor Like most high schools, certain events at LM have become a rite of passage for all students, such as basketball games, after-school trips to Suburban Square, and running to catch a class in the Administration Building. Among these inalienable LM traditions is arguably the act of joining buildOn. Build On, a service organization whose ultimate goal is to raise money for a trek to a developing nation to build a school, attracts students throughout their high school journey who aim to make a positive contribution to both their community and the world. Students may join buildOn with positive intentions but soon notice how the club’s structure is inherently community service club that seeks to further its service by building schools in third-world countries, to truly serve its purpose of improving the community, LM buildOn members should ensure that their local community service ventures extend to Philadelphia.

Before delving into the actual criticism of the operates. Since only a handful of the many buildOn members can actually embark on a trek every year, each potential “trekkie” must undergo an extensive application process. Important to this application process is the number of hours of community service each applicant has put in. Therefore, buildOn members dedicate upwards of one hundred hours each to attain a better chance of being

picked for trek. Members who put in more hours are more likely to be selected to participate in the trek, and those who obtain over a hundred hours are rewarded with plaques of their faces decorating the hallway outside of the LGI. rency may seem functional, it is vital to consider what constitutes “community service.” The buildOn website claims that 75 percent of buildOn service should be direct service, which consists of “serving meals in soup kitchens, tutoring elementary school students, and spending quality time with senior citizens, [to] connect students directly to their community members who are most in need.” LM buildOn members regularly engage in activities such as cleaning up the Cynwyd Trail, showing parents around for Main Line School Night, or helping out with the Family Fun Fest. However, how much community service does LM really need? Is LM really aiding “community members who are most in issues present within the LM Township, an important fact must be considered: LM is only a ten-minute drive from some of the poorest parts of Philadelphia.

The socioeconomic divide is starkly apparent between Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia area. Although the outskirts of Philadelphia are a short drive from LM, it is as though much more than a stretch of City Avenue separates the two communities. Philadelphia is the poorest of the nation’s ten biggest cities, with 26 percent of its population living below the poverty line. Philadelphia reports a poverty rate of 23.3 percent, the only major city in the U.S. to surpass a poverty rate of twenty percent.

funded schools, and a plethora of opportunities, LM students are at a blatant advantage when compared with children from Philadelphia public schools.

Given these statistics, why do buildOn members have to travel halfway across the world to perform community service when there is a great need right at our doorstep? By limiting community service to the LM area, buildOn blinds LM students to the true nature of poverty. If buildOn truly wants to make an impact, the LM chapter should embark on more community service ventures inside the city of Philadelphia. Of the ample service opportunities that exist in Philadelphia, LM students could volunteer at the food bank Philabundance, tutor struggling elementary and middle schoolers through the Philly Reading Coaches program, or help build homes for families in need through Habitat for ing food and clothing drives for the LM community is important, it is evidently just as important, if not more so, to aid our neighbors in Philadelphia.

Additionally, continuing community service in the LM Township will also harm LM students’ perspecbut LM cannot expose us to the greater truths of the

measures the ability to adequately cover all costs associated with living) found that 43 percent of Philadelphia families were unable to meet this criteria, and Philadelphia reports a median household income of $45,927. This is a level of poverty unimaginable to most LM students. In sharp contrast, LM Township

travesty to LM students, that struggle remains incomparable to not knowing where your next meal will come from. Furthermore, while cleaning up the Cynwyd Trail may seem like a valuable use of time, those same hours could be put to use tutoring kids in Philadelphia schools or volunteering at a food bank. By instilling the idea that an already privileged area needs more community service, students may never recognize the real face of poverty. If students equate their struggles in class to those faced by thousands, if not tens of thousands, in the nearby Philadelphia region daily, it will damage their perspective for the rest of their lives.

Educating kids in third-world countries is undoubt-

household income of $136,288, over double the national average of $66,843. LM Township also hous-

need for help in the impoverished areas of Philadelphia rather than the mansions lining the lanes of LM.

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Opinions

March 16, 2021

The Merionite

Fugazi in the market ing homes dramatically increased.

The Governor insists that this was -

Jonathan Miller ’22 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has found himself in hot water after reports of covering up nursing home deaths have surfaced. A top aide to the Governor revealed to state lawmakers that the Cuomo administration intentionally withheld and manipulated statistics to downplay the severity of COVID-19 deaths within nursing homes. While disturbing, I must admit that I did not initially see the controversy in all of this. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many experts have warned that nursing homes are one of the most deadly environments for the virus. Those who keep their loved ones in nursing homes typically do not have the means to move them somewhere else, so even if accurate data had been reported, the Graphic by number of nursing home patients, and consequent COVID-19 deaths, likely would have remained the same. While this may be true, it still does not explain why Cuomo would hide the data. Let’s think. What is controversial enough to make the Governor cover up thousands of nursing home deaths? Maybe the fact that his reckless decisions are the reason the death toll is so high.

In March of last year, Cuomo ordered nursing homes to take in patients who tested positive for COVID-19. During that period, infection rates within the state’s nurs-

and although it is impossible to know the exact causes, it is far from an unlikely conclusion that COVID patients within nursing homes may have contributed to this increase in cases. This order was obviously detrimental to the overall well-being of nursing homes (and was thankfully revoked in early May), but this was at the beginning of the pandemic. Top health experts expressed little concern and discouraged the usage of masks, and possibly increase transmission.

Looking back now, we (rightfully) criticize these decisions, but we should also keep in mind that we had very limited information.

Our decisions were understanding of the virus, and we should forgive these mistakes that were made under ill-informed circumstances. While Cuomo’s March mandate can be excused as one of these ill-informed decisions, his consistent disregard of science cannot be.

Despite garnering national attention for his criticisms of Trump “not listening to the experts,” Cuomo fails to apply those same standards to himself. From throwing out established vaccine distribution plans, to sporadically opening and closing the state, Cuomo has continued to put his own agenda before the advice of scientists and, by extension, the well-being of the state.

How does he justify this? By undermining the experts, questioning their credibility, and promulgating the idea that he knows best. We did not tolerate this hubris in the likes of Trump, and we shouldn’t now.

purchase more shares, which caused the price to go down, the recent event is a textbook example of a “pump-and-dump” scheme. A “pump-and-dump” is when a horde of investors collectively boost the price of a stock through purchasing tons of shares, which causes the price to cial reasoning to support this. Once the stock reaches a high price point, these investors then sell their positions for a

Sarem Khan ’24 The Reddit group, WallStreetBets, took over the stock market this past month and wreaked havoc across the people to buy shares of certain companies so that the price of each share would go up, and their hopes came true. The companies GameStop, Nokia, Blackberry and a few others saw a tremendous increase in the price of their stock.

GameStop went up over 1000 percent within just a couple of days, which allowed a cascade of Robinhood invescant incomes while an unlucky few bought at the peak ing in their bank accounts. When the frenzy commenced, GameStop was sitting at around only a meager forty dollars. Hedge funds such as Melvin Capital had shorted the stock, believing Graphic by that its price would plunge, and consequently lost huge sums of money when it skyrocketed to a high of 450 dollars.

What retail and hedge fund investors alike did not expect was that the stock would plunge yet again, back to a current level of around $100. Other companies such as Nokia and Blackberry saw an increase of share price of over 200 percent! To stop the continuously rising prices, Robinhood posed restrictions, which only allowed people to buy a certain amount of stock.

Now while some people are advocating that what Robinhood and others did was wrong by not allowing to

ny itself is making no money from these volatile exchanges. Many of its own stores shut down over the past several months during the pandemic, hinting that the corporation is on the verge of bankruptinvestors inundated the market with ed the stock price, which caused those on the bullish side of the market to

with a bearish and more realistic outlook to lose, including the hedge fund investors mentioned previously.

Many people refer to this occasion as a “Short Squeeze.” A short squeeze occurs when a stock or other asset jumps sharply in price, forcing traders who had bet that its price would fall to buy it to forestall even greater losses. Their attempt to buy only adds to the upward pressure on the stock’s While some argued that the wealthy have been committing these questionregard to GameStop is that these investors have no solid rationale behind their actions, while in the past other examples of this “Short Squeeze” phenomenon did.

This case has even been put forward in a congressional hearing. A saying that has been circling around sites like Reddit, Discord, and even social media sites like TikTok: “GameStop to the Moon.”

There is no love Where people allow their hatred and anger to release Nobody will let their love in, ultimately failing to uphold inner peace As instead they would rather argue over something trivial like whether a person is a whore Or the price of a shirt in a store There is no love

Sam Auerbach ’22

Old pasts are brought anew Social injustices are re-exposed to me and you Making it common knowledge that everyone should know

How does one give a heart they do not possess?

There is no love

a dress

Politics have taken over As there is no independent thought anymore Instead, behind the person is just a color For if I am blue, I cannot have a red brother This division fuels the hatred that sparks a war Forcing us to take a tour

And building a connection That equates to satisfaction and an easy rest There is no love I am growing up in a time where society is on the brink of civil war

There is no love

How does one comprehend such an uncivilized reality?

Many will choose drugs and other fatalities Just to fathom this society’s normalities I personally prefer to express myself through music Though, I am beginning to feel like a lunatic For as the world falls apart, I feel that I am looking for a dove Urging my brothers to give one another a hug But I am building the understanding that I am searching for love in a society that does not wish to give Where there is such division between black and white Or who is wrong, and who is right There is no love So, to put it simply In a society fueled by rage and fury There is a separator of those who are bad, and those who But sadly these creatures of disparity seem to be in no rush And so, I am left with nothing to say But that there is no love

Features

March 16, 2021

9

The Merionite

COVID Contemplations Julia Russel ’23

school was honestly the best thing to happen. No school, more free time, no homework, countless other good things. Is it still the best thing to happen? Leaving school then made it feel like such a good day, but now it’s one of the saddest in recent memory. COVID-19, at this time last year, was something that people looked forward to, due to the break from school. Just tended break. Except the extension has VID-19 last year at this time versus now have extremely changed. Every viewpoint

for a short period of time, I was excited to have my stress eased from my challenging junior year. I had more time to study for the big exams and more opportunities to think about the future. After seeing the majority of my junior year gone, I was expecting an amazing senior year as it is the last year with my class.

Here we are now with the majority of my senior year gone which is so upsetting to think of how much Already losing junior year was a lot, so seeing is sad.” It is truly devastating to hear from students that they are so upset on missing these important years of their life.

love the peace, while some despise it.

the pandemic. Chemistry teacher David Moyer said, “I would have never predicted to be in this situation and

in the beginning of the pandemic as it was a good reset and break to get my

half the kids would come a day and we don’t have school on Friday is crazy.

on way too long. When the weeks went on and on, with no clear end in sight, I started to realize how much I actually enjoyed the school environment and the social interactions. Although we never went back to full capacity school from the day we got sent home, everyone would always say, “Don’t worry about it, we will just be here next year.” Here we are in the next year. Six of the ten months have already gone without being at full capacity in school. Hearing this reality last year would be unbelievable and extremely shocking to all. Rona Di-

fully who still are learning remarkably which is a major surprise. Many kids that I would be teaching kids in the classroom and online is remarkable. Especially in platform, and it took time for all to adjust. While good and bad things have come out of the pandemic, it is safe to say that it has been a challenging year for everyone, and nobody would have thought when we

as a senior: “When I left school last year thinking it would be Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

Fitness during COVID-19 Crosby Johnson ’24 With the disruption caused by COVID-19, people in the community have resorted to activities they would

Although numbers have increased, the more consider-

time. Many found that this was a good time to improve stress during trying times, but people also could get of free time during quarantine became time to exercise.

For starters, the prevalence of workouts has increased across the country. A New York Times study reports that before COVID-19, about twenty percent of Americans worked out. After only seven months into COVID-19, that number rose to around forty percent.

Freshman Ben Cromer communicates his increase in working out; “Since COVID, my workout ethic has increased greatly, and I have been able to take advantage of my escalated free time.” Local gyms around the community have recently reopened, and numbers have been substantially greater than expected, while jected to increase as restrictions get lifted due to more ideal weather and advancements made for COVID-19.

and companies have been moving classes online due to gym and workout class restrictions and safety protocols. Before COVID-19, it was rare for this option to be available. Peloton was one of a limited selection that had adapted and successfully got their business running with an online format. Now, Pelotons are used by millions of people across the country, and are considered “the new normal.” The Washington Post recorded that only seven percent of Americans used online or live streamed workouts before the pandemic; now, are likely to be continued even after COVID-19 has died down, as countless gyms have enjoyed spreadand evolve. LM has incorporated this virtual workout system into its own gym classes. Every Friday, there are thirty-minute live-streamed workouts that students can attend. Not only does LM provide this

Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

these choices include cardio and strength training.

LM and the local community’s steps to help people many students happy and healthy as everyone waits for their favorite gym to resume fully in-person operations.

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March 16, 2021

March 16, 2021

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Graphics by Emma Liu ’22/

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March 15 2020

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Coloring in Women in History Ishana Baboo ’21

Graphic by Emma Liu

March is Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the vital role of women in American history. Since female contributions are often overlooked, the Congress-proclaimed observance allows us to appreciate the achievements women have made from the time the United States was founded. While women have made significant contributions in all fields, including science, history, and the arts, today we will be focusing on the latter. Within the arts realm, we will focus on a few of the greatest: namely Whitney Houston, Frida Kahlo, and Audrey Hepburn.

Whitney Houston is a household name. The African American singer’s first few albums amassed millions of sales around the world, beginning with her debut album Whitney.

From an early age, it seemed that Houton was destined to become a singer. Her mother and cousin were prominent figures in gospel, pop, and soul music, and singing at her church introduced her to the world of music.

Later in life, Houston told Diane Sawyer that she “knew then that [her] singing ability was an infection thing that God had given [her].”

At just fifteen years old, Houston performed often and began seeking a record deal of her own.

She soon became a sought-after teen model and became one of the first African American women to appear on the cover of Seventeen magazine. However, she knew she wanted to pursue a music career, and she was later discovered in a nightclub at nineteen years old.

She went on to release a number of incredibly successful albums that sold nearly ninety million copies worldwide. For these albums she won an Emmy and six Grammys, and received recognition from the Guinness World Records and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She continued to appeal to millions of fans around the world.

Painter Frida Kahlo is well-known in the visual arts world for the plethora of works she created after she was severely injured in a bus accident. After contracting polio as a child, Kahlo played soccer,swam, and wrestled outside of school in order to aid her recovery. Meanwhile, she associated with intelligent students like herself and became politically active from a

young age. This would aid her later in life, as after pursuing art Kahlo became politically involved. Kahlo’s bus accident resulted in her being bedridden for weeks and experiencing chronic pain for the rest of her life. As an adult, she reconnected with muralist and childhood acquaintance Diego Rivera, who encouraged her to pursue her art further. Though she humbly never regarded herself as surrealist, Kahlo went on to hold major exhibitions in New York, Paris, and Mexico that resulted in her selling many paintings and receiving comissions as well. Famous works include “Frieda and Diego Rivera,” “Henry Ford Hospital,” and “The Two Fridas.” After her death, the feminist movement of the 1970s led Kahlo to be revered as a symbol and icon of female creativity.

Fashion icon, philanthropist, actress, picture of femininity: all of these described Audrey Hepburn. One of Hollywood’s greatest style icons and performers, she was one of the most influential women of her time and amazes audiences to this day. Born in Belgium, Hepburn pursued dance as a child, studying ballet in Amsterdam and later London. She made her stage debut as a chorus girl, and continued doing small (and often uncredited) roles in shows and movies. Hepburn made her official acting debut at the age of 22. She began on Broadway in a production of Gigi, then went on to be in Roman Holiday and, famously, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In the latter, she starred as Holly Golightly, who set new fashion standards for women of the 1960s. Hepburn remains one of few actresses to win an Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, and a Grammy in her career. Later in life, Hepburn worked sporadically, and eventually put acting on the back burner. She began working on behalf of underprivileged children, and became a UNICEF ambassador in the late 1980s. She traveled to Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America to raise awareness for impoverished children, and even won an Academy Award for her humanitarian work. Hepburn remains an inspiration to young girls everywhere, as she is an example of someone who used her influence to do good for the world and those in it.

Scholastically inclined Arts & Entertainment Editor Since its inception in 1923, the Scholastic Awards have annually recognized the creative work of adolescents across the nation, making it the longest running competition of its kind.

The victors have long decorated American pop culture, creating a permanent impact in the world of art and literature, and sometimes even politics. Notable award recipients include pop artist Andy Warhol (1945), esteemed poet Sylvia Plath (1947), filmmaker Ken Burns in (1971), literature staple Stephen King (1965), Hollywood actress Lena Dunham (1999), and as recently as five years ago, the now nationallyacclaimed poet Amanda Gorman (2015, 2016).

Graphic designer Wu utilized self-portrature to compose her Gold Key winning comic strip.

Photo Courtesy of Emmi Wu

Students may enter a piece of writing, art, or both. Regionally, all entries are placed under consideration for various awards: the Gold Key, Silver Key, Honorable Mention, American Visions Nominee, and American Voices Nominee. As written on the official website for this competition, entries are judged along the following criteria: “originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal voice or vision.” As of early March, regional awards have been distributed. Some talented LM students’ that have been honored are Emmi Wu ’23, Sean li ’22, Jessica Zhong ’22, Lila Anafi ’24, and Sophia Schur ’23. (Other students may have won awards but have not chosen to be listed.)

Whether they win or not, putting one’s art up for critique is a challenge in itself. Art can hold a difference in value for any viewer, yes, but it’s natural to feel nerves when someone is reviewing a piece you committed time and effort to creating. One student, who wished for their name to be left out, chimed in: “I don’t think submitting a piece is particularly nerve-wracking. However, it’s a bit fazing to have your pieces critiqued by others just through a sole placing, especially when art is so subjective.”

Gold Key winner Sophia Schur ’23 does not mind entering her work for evaluation. On getting judged, she described her thought process by saying, “I feel weirdly comfortable letting strangers see and evaluate my work.” She compared her stance to a John Mulaney quote: “I never talked to my dad about that but I figured I’d tell all of you.” Of course, it might help that she is not a novice. Her first time entering the Scholastic program was in eighth grade, where she was encouraged by

Graphic by Emmi Wu

the teacher of the gifted program to participate.

This year, she won two gold keys for her writing.

Now, Gold Key winning students await the results of the final round, which will be determined and revealed by the end of the month. Nationally, submissions are reviewed for Gold Medal, Silver Medal with Distinction, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards. If they win, their work could get published in the annual art and writing book, and there’s even potential financial benefits for the best of the best: national medalists qualify for scholarships of up to $10,000. Though the chances of national recognition are slim, LM students will continue to give artists and writers across the United States a run for their money.

Features

March 16, 2021

13

The Merionite

National Red Cross Month Zoe Hasset ’23 “Enter to learn, go forth to serve” is the iconic expression used to capture the spirit of LM students and staff. March is National Red Cross Month and it is the perfect opportunity for the LM community to abide by its famous slogan and honor this important humanitarian organization. For more than 75 years, starting in 1943 with Franklin D. Roosevelt, each US President proclaimed March as National Red Cross Month. It is a time to recognize the sigand its heroic volunteers who make up ninety percent of the organization’s workforce. National Red Cross Month also includes Red Cross Giving Day on March 25, where everyone is encouraged to Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23/Staff donate money, become a Red Cross volunteer, give blood, and learn other skills.

The Red Cross provides several different services such as disaster relief, military family support, lifesaving blood, health and wellness assistance, and international services. More than ever, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Red Cross services are not only crucial for those in the United States, but for those across the globe. The Red Cross works extremely diligently throughout the world to provide isolation facilities with relief items and ensure that people receive care while in quarantine. For these reasons and more, this March is an exceptional time to contribute and support the Red Cross. Students and staff at LM also agree that the Red Cross is an incredible organization, so it is important to honor volunteers and serve during National Red Cross ican Red Cross is an amazing organization. I used to run the blood drive at my previLM has organized its very own Red Cross Blood Drive where students and teachers were able to donate blood to those in need. Principal Sean Hughes states, “In all my years here at LM, I have been a huge supporter of our Blood Drive and our connecparticipate in our blood drive each year – it speaks to LMHS’s focus on service and Blood Drive will likely not occur this year, however, there are still many other ways the LM community can celebrate National Red Cross Month. Eva DelMonte ’23 exIt was really great for job applications and also really great to just know that worst case scenario I could help somebody if they needed it.” She also notes, “I think the Red Cross is important and important to celebrate because it’s such a valuable organization that helps so many people all over in need.” Overall, National Red Cross and maybe make some contributions yourself. While this year may look different, the Red Cross can still motivate LM to continue both global and community service.

Springtivities Gabby Tepper-Waterman ’23

Looking for fun spring activities to do by yourself, with friends, or with faming snow, it is time to shake off the winter blues and embrace the new season.

These creative activities will help you get back outside and enjoy the fresh air.

What says “springtime” more than a picnic? Pack a basket of your favorite foods and visit your local park with some friends or family. Sprawl out on a blanket and enjoy the warm weather with the sun on your face. There are a wide variety of parks Park, Flat Rock Park, Narberth Park, and many more. These parks have large open sight, the Belmont Plateau looks over the beautiful city of Philadelphia, and has an amazing view of the sunset. Picnics are also a perfect time to show off your new Spring is also the perfect time to get active. Gather a few friends and play some outdoor sports like basketball, soccer, tennis, or lacrosse. You can visit one of the take a bike ride or go for a run around your neighborhood. If you are more adventurous, grab your hiking shoes and go for a nature hike. There are many hiking trails around the community, from the Haverford College Nature trail to Rollwell maintained and good for kids and adults alike. Hiking is wonderful if you are interested in nature, animals, or if you are just hoping to get your heart rate up! the perfect family adventure for springtime, especially in the pandemic when opfun! While camping, you can roast marshmallows, tell spooky stories, explore the close to home, setting up a tent in your backyard instead is a great alternative.

Spring is also a great time to get your hands dirty! Head to the local nursery and perennials begin to grow back, awakening from their winter slumber. Cleaning up trash at your local park is another productive way to spend your free time this spring.

There are many groups you can join to volunteer around the LM community, including BuildOn, whose members frequently clean and pick up trash at the Cynwyd Trail, and many other out-of-school organizations like the LM Township Parks and Recreation Department which also helps to clean up the community.

It has been a long winter, and between quarantine and all the snow storms, everyone is looking forward to the new season. With warmer temperatures and sunny days around the corner, these springtime activities have you covered so that you’re ready to enjoy all the beautiful weather that is on its way!

Cro!w"d Puzzle Down: 1. Opposite of the moon 2. Give us oxygen and shade 3. The coming season 4. Starts as a caterpillar 6. Useful when it rains 7. There’s a pot of gold on the other side 9. Something green that grows when it’s warm

Acro!: 5. The color in between yellow and blue

13. The beginning of a plant 15. The holiday involving leprechauns 16, Third month of the year

Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23/Staff

14

March 16, 2021

Features The Merionite

World Compliment Day — 1st

Pi Day — 14th

Olivia Lee ’23 March 1 was World Compliment Day, so here is a list of compliments that everyone would love to hear and appreciate: Your laugh is infectious.

My world would be so boring without you.

You inspire me to be better.

I like who I am when I am with you.

You are the kindest person I know.

I would love to keep in contact with you after high school.

No one else can make me laugh like you can.

How did I get so lucky?

Thank you.

The highlight of my day is seeing you.

I want to grow up to be like you.

You are truly unforgettable.

How does it feel being the smartest person?

I am so proud of you.

You always know exactly what to say.

I wish we could hang out all day.

You make the little things feel big.

I admire how hard-working you are.

You have a great sense of humor.

You bring out the best in people.

Jokes are funnier when you tell them.

I can’t imagine living without you.

You’re a great example to others.

That is your color.

I appreciate you.

Nowadays everyone is so busy and rushing around, but

National Women’s History Day — 8th

make someone’s day. How often do you get a random compliment from someone? Probably not as often as you’d think. Think of that smile you make when someone says something nice to you. You can do the same for others. Give your mom, dad, brother, sister, aunts, uncles and friends a call because they will love to hear these sweet compliments!

National Read Across America Day — 2nd Mia Hail ’23 Copy Editor

Historical Fiction: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab This captivating novel begins in seventeenth century France when 23-year-old Addie LaRue makes a deal with the devil in exchange for immortality. Longing to escape her life, Addie hastily accepts the devil’s bargain, but soon after realizes the catch: no one will ever remember her. Spanning over 400 years, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Young Adult: I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick Seventeen-year-old Anna Cicconi confesses that she killed Zoe Spanos, but she doesn’t remember how or why. Told through parallel narratives, before and after Anna confesses, the reader follows Anna piecing together what happened that fateful night. I Killed Zoe Spanos is a psychological thriller entwined in a mystery that is sure to grab any reader’s attention.

Young Adult: The Lucky Ones by Liz Lawson May is lost after surviving the school shooting that took her twin brother. Zach is being targeted by his peers when his mother decides to defend the school shooter. As the new school year begins, May meets Zach and they begin leaning on each other to overcome the event that will forever Mythology: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller An imaginative new retelling of the great greek warrior, Achilles, it is a fast paced, action-packed novel that transports you into a time of gods, kings, and heroes. A mythology, The Song of Achilles Fantasy: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to get lost in, Shadow and Bone her newly discovered powers that could save the country. Shadow and Bone Young Adult: Little Universes by Heather Demetrios When a tsunami hits the island where Mae and Hannah’s parents are vacationing, they must deal with the tragic aftermath and all the uncertainty it brings. After being forced to move in with relatives across the country, Hannah copes by crawling back into her opioid addiction and Mae feels an unwavering sense of responsibility for her sister, which fractures her own certainties. Little Universes is an emotional novel that dives deep into the tumultuous bond between sisters and shows how one single event can change everything.

National Read Across America Day is a great incentive for anyone to pick up a new book and hopefully one of these books catches your attention.

Graphics by Emmi Wu ’23

Features

March 16, 2021

15

The Merionite

St. Patrick’s Day — 17th Jessica Dubin ’23 On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. It’s a day to commemorate Irish culture and remember one of Ireland’s patron Saints, Patrick. There are many St. Patrick’s Day traditions and ways to celebrate.

One way people celebrate worldwide is by wearing the color green, because it is supposed to make you invisible to leprechauns, who are a large part of Irish tales and are said to go around pinching peocials turn the Chicago River green to honor the Irish immigrants who helped settle the city and to celebrate the holiday. Spectators line the bridges and walk along the river in order to see the green water.

Food is an additional way people celebrate this holiday. Many people add green food coloring to their meals on St. Patrick’s Day to add a festive twist, and the traditional Irish-American meal of corned beef and cabbage is a popular one on the holiday. Corned beef was eaten by Irish immiebrates Saint Patrick’s Day with their shamrock shakes, a tradition LM students love to partake in.

Emma Burke ’23 said, “Almost every year, my friends and I get shamrock shakes from McDonald’s.”

Shamrock shakes are festive milkshakes dyed green and are only available for a limited time in March.

In our community, there are also many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to participate in. In a normal year, Narberth has their annual St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt. This has been a tradition since 2008. Kids would go to Narberth and get a game card with clues, then search throughout the town and use their clues

National Pencil Day — 30th

Russel ’23 said, “Growing up I loved Narberth’s St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt. It was such a fun event and brought the community together to have a fun day.” Another Philly tradition that is not happening this year due to COVID-19 is the St. Patrick’s Day parade. During this parade, a band marches down Market Street from City Hall to Penn’s Landing. There is not only a parade in Philly, but all over the world, which include live music, Irish dancers, vendors and fun activities. St. Patrick’s Day is a festive holiday with many traditions and ways to celebrate; just remember to always wear green to keep the leprechauns away!

National puppy day — 23rd Lila Schwartzberg ’24 When the pandemic hit, dog sales skyrocketed. According to USA Today, “[dog] sales have increased to $24 million for the 24 weeks ending August 15, up 202 percent from the same period last year.” Many people have chosen to become dog owners during COVID-19 in order to have a furry friend when they are lonely and isolated, to boost their overall mood.

Taylor Axelrod ’24 says that her dog Charli, “has been a really big help during this pandemic when it comes to helping [her] and [her] family cope. She is always willing to be picked up, pet, and cuddled with.” Charlotte Gordon ’21 explains that her dog encourages her to “leave the house and move around to walk him because it’s really easy to never leave the house and [to] be lazy when you have nowhere to go.” Gordon also explained that her dog, Nixon, was on the verge of being put down until Gordon and her family rescued him from delphia. Shelters all over the country have reported a spike in those wishing to adopt and foster during COVID-19. The New ries as in the previous four weeks, and anyone who tried to foster a dog in the spring or summer knows how competitive it was.”

Prior to COVID-19, many dog owners would hire people to walk their dogs while they were at work. Now that the majority of people are work-

Melanie Altman ’21 says that, “I decided to get a puppy during the pandemic because I felt like it was the perfect time since me and my sisters were home all the time so we could help take care of him.” While puppies are a popular new way to stay happy the teething, but she explains that, “[her] puppy has made [her] happier and been like a light during COVID-19.” Pennington describes the issue many dogs bought during the pandemic are having when theymeet strangers. She says that since

virtual training sessions for new puppies, although many trainers have started to go back to in-person training. Charli, Axelrod’s dog, has been attending doggie day school. This is great for training the new pup as the Axelrod family and many alike may be busy at home. This gives the dog a chance to have fun rather than sit at home while the rest of the family is doing online school or work.

Some prefer having their dog at home during the day. While sitting in front of a screen all day long, dogs like Altman’s will sleep or He’ll also come snuggle with Gordon during her class. Nixon and many other dogs and puppies help relieve some of the stress and anxiety of their owners. A dog can truly be a “man’s best friend” especially if it’s during the challenging times of COVID-19.

Photos courtesy of Anika Xi ’23 Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

16

March 16, 2021

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Behind the scenes: The Merionite’s graphics team Davis Giangiulio ’21 Arts & Entertainment Editor With each new issue of The Merionite, readers are presented with the latest news, opinions, and stories by our students about the community we live in.

Incorporated alongside those words are graphic designs illustrating the topic of each article. No, they’re not simply downloaded from online and plastered onto a page. They’re developed by the graphics team.

The graphics team is a small but mighty group of three: senior design editor Cate Roser ’21, Emma Liu ’22 and graphic editors Emmi Wu ’23. Unlike editors who get time to plan out each article, edit them once, and then slowly format them the way you see it in print, the graphics team only works for a fraction of that time. Only after articles are completed can they start work. In that condensed time-frame, they have to make at least one graphic, potentially more, for almost every single article that is published in the newspaper.

I sat down to talk to the graphics team about their passion for design, how they got involved, and the highs and lows of being a part of the team. Some of their answers are condensed for length and clarity.

DG: How did you get into drawing and graphic design in the first place?

EL: I started attending art classes around the age of six but never really thought of it as something I enjoyed until high school. Since, I have started to try out more creative and conceptual pieces. I had actually never had experience with making graphics until the end of my sophomore year. I had always wanted to try a more digital art, but it wasn’t until my parents got me an iPad and an Apple Pencil that I actually had the opportunity to practice more by myself.

EW: I got into drawing when I was really small, so it’s always been a huge part of my life. I guess I just had a natural ability when I was a child so it was easy for me to pick it up. As for graphic design, I mostly got into it because I wanted to learn how to animate.

DG: How did you find out about the graphics team?

What motivated you to get involved?

CR: My whole family is interested in art and design, and both my older sister and cousin were Merionite graph-

ic editors before I came to LM. Once I did start high virtually impacted your work at all? school, I was impressed by The Merionite as a whole, CR: It was easier to connect with the section editors and I also wanted to contribute to it however I could. [in-person]. Being virtual has definitely made it a bit EL: I found out about the graphics team after picking harder to experience that feeling of community, but in up an issue of The Merionite and reading it. the end, we’re still making a great effort and coming My mom is a big fan of The Merionite and she together online to produce a really cool final product. thought that I would really enjoy creating art for it.

EW: It hasn’t impacted the creative process at DG: What have you found to be the most challenging all. If anything, I just get a headache from starpart of being on the graphics team? ing at my computer all day and during layout.

CR: The most difficult, but also most interesting part, DG: What advice would you give to someone hoping is that most of the editors for the other sections have to join the graphics team? never done any graphics, so the differences in expeEL: Don’t be afraid to join! I started out riences sometimes makes communication a little hard. really bad at creating graphics, but I would look EW: Probably trying to finish so many graphics in at this as an opportunity to improve your skills such a short time-frame. Last issue we got around forand to be challenged with different prompts. With ty graphics and many of them were very last minute. art, I think you can only grow through practice.

DG: What do you enjoy most about designing for EW: Even if you have little drawing experience, The Merionite? there are always different things you can do for CR: I enjoy the process of developing a graphic for an graphics. I’m sure we could help you develop article, and it’s a great feeling when a graphic works your drawing style and creative process! out in the end. I rework and rethink a graphic several times, but that only makes me more proud of the final product when I see how it enhances the article issue as a whole.

EL: I really enjoy the creative freedom we get. With creating so many graphics, I have really been able to play around with different art styles and color palettes, which has undoubtedly diversified and improved my art skills.

DG: Has working Wu and the other editors design graphics on software like Procreate.

Photo courtesy of Emmi Wu’23/Staff

Arts & Entertainment

March 16, 2021

17

The Merionite

#FreeBritney Nolan Shanley ’23

Britney Spears is an international pop superstar. She earns her millions of devoted, loving fans around the world by using her voice to make everyone feel loved and accepted. Although she may seem very hyper and joyful on her famous Instagram and TikTok pages, that may just be a superficial shine. And that shine is starting to wear off.

The New York Times recently released a brand new documentary through Hulu called The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears, which explained how the 2000s impacted Spears’ career and mental health, which led to longterm consequences when it comes to her everyday life. The documentary mentions how the media portrayed her. It highlights how paparazzi constantly abused her and invaded her privacy, and how her past boyfriends used their male privilege in the media and tabloids to paint her as an evil person who did wrong, clearing their own names while doing so.

After her very public struggles in 2007 and 2008 because of constant sexualization and bullying the media and public put her through, a conservatorship with her father, James “Jamie” Spears, was put into place.

A conservatorship is a legal agreement in the United States. It’s when “a guardian or a protector is appointed by a judge to manage the financial affairs of another’s daily life due to physical or mental prob-

lems, or old age,” according to Wikipedia. Spears has been under this court-ordered conservatorship for almost thirteen years, meaning her life choices are being controlled by

interviews she will do, or even simple enough acts of leaving her house.

Ever since the conservatorship was enforced, Spears has worked on herself, trying to become better for her

Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

her conservator, Jamie Spears. He is in control and has a say in everything she does. This can mean anything from what performances and

family, friends, fans, and especially her kids. In addition, in those thirteen years, she has released four chart-topping albums, went on a world tour, and

performed a four-year concert residency in Las Vegas. Clearly, she is now mentally stable enough to take care of herself and her family, along with making her own decisions.

Fans have realized that Spears now needs freedom as she cannot live like this forever. Therefore, they formed the “Free Britney” movement, with protestors in the streets of Los Angeles outside her court hearings, along with making the “#FreeBritney” trend throughout all social media platforms. They are making this toxic situation known, and creating an internationally recognized movement.

“Free Britney” is not a new movement; in fact it will turn two years old this year. However, the release o f th e d o c u me nta r y f r o m o ne o f the most respected news outlets in the world has brought more attention to it than there has ever been before. It has gone from a discussion just amongst Spears’ most loyal fans to mainstream media outlets covering it as an important headline.

As of right now, Spears’ conservatorship case continues to make its way through court. Shortly after the release of the documentary, she had a win when a judge ruled her father could no longer be the sole conservato run many major aspects of her everyday life, and there are not any predictions or signals on whether or not Spears will be able to gain back her freedom from her father.

Music that meets the moment Jackie Munis ’21 Opinions Editor were all suggested to placate my cabin fever. Dua Lipa reminded us that moonlight and starlight existed after days inside; Olivia Rodrigo made millions scream “red lights and stop signs,” which refreshed my driving skills after weeks without going anywhere. In the fall, I took the underwhelming risk of listening to Shawn Mendes’s “Wonder,” which accosted me with lines such as “I wonder, wouldn’t it be nice/To live inside a world that isn’t black and white?” Perhaps this was Mendes’s attempt at topical commentary, but falls exceedingly short, like most of his following album, of depth. I could go on but alas, I refuse to torture myself with recalling the many examples of four-chord detritus that were released in the past year.

Soon, I found myself returning to old favorites. The chaos and angst of “Helter Skelter” matched my restlessness throughout the long summer. Mixed with the

Graphic by Emmi Wu ’23

I have been spending my time in this interim. Time, or should I say progress, seems to have stopped. In this in-between, this interlude in our lives, I have spent the overwhelming majority of my free time listening to music. Like every good audiophile, this was partially for me to process the new world we face and to block out that nagging sense of doom this moment presents.

Back in March, when I naïvely believed everything would all be swiftly over by June, I found myself trying to keep my stamina up for spring of junior year by pumping light-hearted, upbeat, escapist music. This pandemic was a hiccup, a minor deterrent from normal life. That ruse soon fell apart.

By April, I began sliding down a particularly dismal corner of my music library. My asynchronous instruction time was filled with the haunting orchestration of Tamino’s “Amir” and the cheekless earnestness of Damien Jurado’s “The Shape of a Storm,” these perhaps represent the more obscure parts of music listened to by teenagers, but they nonetheless met the moment. With 30,000 new COVID-19 cases every day, this was not going away, and the anger, hopelessness, and fear that these albums confront made me feel seen in a way that was necessary when I could not be around others.

Like most pandemic hobbies, I got bored of listening to the same five albums and two playlists over and over again. Guided by my Spotify algorithm, I was led to a surprising destination: newly released pop music. Over the months, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and Justin Bieber

softened the pang of the death counts rising, the news of sick friends, and passed relatives. I spent hours totaling days listening to Joni Mitchell’s “Blue;” I thought about the album so much that I ended up writing multiple college essays on it.

The steadfastness of songs known, sung, and enjoyed before when one’s milieu wasn’t Zoom squares provided the hope needed to continue. I return to these on the days when I wake up in disbelief with the situation we find ourselves in.

This is not to say that the pandemic did not create an immense library of beautiful, poignant music that expressed what now feels like. Bahamas’ “Sad Hunk” encapsulates what it means to be forced into a virtual existence without alternatives; although mostly produced before the pandemic, the clairvoyant “Fetch The Boltcutters” by Fiona Apple provides the ample prompting for the ubiquitous reflection all this time has given us; Moses Sumney’s “græ” is unapologetically eccentric, a necessary form of novelty that can be enjoyed indoors. This independent music evades music label interests and the pursuit of attracting a growing fanbase, leaving room for interpretation and space for each listener to personally connect.

Pop music simply cannot meet this moment in the way we need it to.

The sanguine, everything’s-coming-up-roses mentality that most pop music encourages is not fit for a pandemic and isolation. Likewise, a feckless, Swiftian attempt at an indie album dashed with unsophisticated, acoustic melodies and undercurrents of bedroom pop – a pop album in disguise, really – is not an apt reflection of this novel experience and the fear that novelty creates. Swift brings nothing new to the table; she simply introduces her audience to This music of a time before, a time far removed from our current reality, promotes unhealthy escapism, a response that is perhaps reflective of the doubt and flippancy of the United States’ early COVID-19 response or a sign of potential for a reckless future as precautions are eased with widespread vaccinations. We need truth and reality to get through this crisis, and what we listen to matters in our efforts to push ourselves forward.

18

Sports

March 16, 2021

The Merionite

Eyes on the prize the team in contention for opportunities years to come. cancellation is not the only reason that the baseball team wants to make a comeback. Other sources of motivation

Risk vs. reward: head injuries in sports Arts & Entertainment Editor In many aspects of life, risk is unavoidable. One of the risks that studentathletes have to come to terms with is serious head injuries which can take them

hospitalizations and deaths annually. Athletes physical ailments, she developed double vision, a know when it is necessary to accept help for a brain injury. Better safe than sorry, after all.

sensitivity, and an inability to focus or retain

lot of school, which, combined with the memory a few days of school and up to three weeks

symptoms from an earlier concussion have

Graphic by

recovered from the majority of concussion

Concussions are a risk of playing contact sports, but many are eager to still continue participating despite the risks.

ways, both mentally and physically, but simultaneously athletes must be aware

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Sports

March 16, 2021

19

The Merionite

David Litvin ’22 Gannon ’23. The team will look to get six or seven runners under the infamous 4:30 mark in the mile, an achievement that would put LM’s distance group as one of the country’s tops. This year’s distance program has the potential to be one of LM’s best.

Although the Aces have quite the talent on the long-distance side of things, they will need their sprinters and jumpers to score as well. Sam Auerbach ’22 has been working all winter to have a breakout spring season. With a personal record of ten feet in the pole vault, he will look to qualify for districts this spring. D’Shawn Jemison ’21 will try to lead the sprinters to another successful season, as he hopes to be the next great sprinter and role model for the young sprinting group. The team will need the sprinters and jumpers if they want any success this spring.

Despite the issues facing the Aces this spring, they will make the most of whatever season they are given. With practices going back to five times a week, they should be well in form by the first meet. The seniors look to close their high school running career on a high note with a potential Central League Championship title, and there is no question that the team has the talent and the work ethic to do so. The virus may limit their season, but the group knows they must make the most of every opportunity presented. Look out for the Aces this spring with big things on the way.

Photo by

The boys have been cherishing their season so far considering last year’s circumstances.

As we embark on another spring track season, the LM boys’ track team is looking forward to showcasing their speed, coming off of a record-setting cross country season where the team scored 27 points in the League Championship, landing them their first title in over four years. The fall season was shorter than the runners had hoped, but they were happy to walk away with the title.

As they flipped the page on cross country, they turned their attention to winter track, training long and hard through the winter as the competition was put on hold,developing their speed while maintaining their aerobic fitness from the fall. With no racing, the team focused on critical workouts and long runs every Saturday.

This spring season, they will continue the work from the winter and showcase their staunch training. Captains Trey Gannon ’21, Rob Daquila ’21, Henry Folk ’21, and Justin Badt ’21 look to lead an army of young talent. The team’s younger members have been training with the veterans, and Gannon has taken notice: “The underclassmen on the team often try to pass me in workouts, providing me with an additional source of motivation. Safe to say the future of the team is in good hands.” Gannon looks to improve his incredible winter season last year, where he posted a 4:31 mile personal record. He is determined to lead several distance runners with high hopes this spring. These runners include Photo courtesy of David Litvin ’22 Alex Bullard ’22, Simon Schmieder ’22, and David Litvin ’22, who are looking to compete with Gannon in the mile, along with his younger brother, Drew The team looks to build upon a strong fall cross country season.

A manageable balance Kate Jackson ’22 As winter comes to an end and the spring sports season begins, many students may be juggling a new sport with school and possibly other commitments. This means that it is very important for students to learn how to manage their time. Similar to many other athletes at LM, I have been in time-crunching scenarios where I forgot a homework assignment or got stressed over a busy schedule due to sports. However, there are certain things that can aid students when it comes to balancing their athletic and academic life. One of the most prominent of these is being able to stay organized. A great way to do this is to write down all assignments for each class or activity somewhere such as a homework planner. Keeping a planner for your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule can help organize each individual day. This way makes it easy to remember times for school, games, practice, travel, and any other commitments.

That being said, student athletes should plan their week ahead so that they can prepare for each upcoming homework assignment, project, or test based on the free time that they have organized.

Additionally, for students who have daily, or even twice daily practices, taking advantage of the weekends are crucial. When you know you have a busy week, it can be stress relieving to accomplish some school work ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about it later. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.

If you have a long commute to practice, games, or any other activity you can also use that time to review notes, read chapters, or study. Unless you’re the one driving, which then of course you can listen to audiobooks or podcasts instead while you gear up for the activity ahead. Lastly, if you take less than a full schedule of classes, frees are always a great time to be efficient and get work done. It can be tempting to spend your free time on your phone or be generally unproductive, especially with virtual schedules at home, but utilizing your time during the school day minimizes conflicts that arise later between athletic activities and homework.

Another thing that took me a while to learn is that procrastination helps no one. Waiting until the last minute never ends well and can often lead to missed practices or games. That is why it is essential to stay on top of school work— once you fall behind, it becomes an even larger load for student athletes who then have to play catch up with grades. If needed, LM also has great tutoring programs for high schoolers who need extra help, like the National Honor So-

Graphic by Emmi Wu ‘23/

Finding a perfect balance between atheltics and academics can put a lot of stress on a student. ciety. This way you won’t fall behind and you can get the extra help you need.

Guidance counselors are also always available to assist student athletes dealing with stress and anxiety, or just those in need of time management resources.

It can definitely feel all-consuming to play sports with an already demanding course-load, so it is important to manage your time wisely and remember that there are many ways to develop those skills. Whether it be other students, tutors, coaches, counselors, or teachers, you always have people you can go to for guidance and support. Using any extra time to get ahead instead of procrastinating work is one of the most crucial skills for student athletes to learn and practice in high school—one that will continue to be an asset throughout the rest of your life.

20

March 16, 2021

Sports The Merionite

No more stalling: Aces ultimate begins Charlie Hurwitz ’22 In the winter of early 2020, the LM ultimate frisbee team prepared with fewer tournaments. Both the state and city championships have already themselves both physically and mentally for their spring season, which been canceled, but the Aces’ minds are still fixated on winning at any chance was set to be a busy one to say the least. After finishing third in states they get. Once again, the large majority of the team will be graduating in the the previous year, hopes could not have been higher. With tournaments spring, so the time is now for the Aces. Lipsitz says, “This year, States would on the agenda almost every weekend from the end of March to the be- mean even more because we have been waiting for so long.” He further expressed ginning of July, in places from Massachusetts to Virginia, the team was his gratitude just to be on the field with his teammates for one more season. excited to play hard and let their work pay off. Unfortunately, this could not While the two biggest tournaments have already been ruled out, the team is happen, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 shutting down all games a week before still supposed to play a good amount of games. They are set to play their typthe season officially started. ical Central League That spring, thirteen of the 21 opponents—Strath Havarsity members graduated, ven, Haverford, Radleaving the remaining juniors nor, Conestoga—and and sophomores disappointpotentially even the ed and curious about the funewly formed Harriton ture of the team. Three-year team. Competition is varsity player Noah Lipsitz ’21 always fierce between described his feelings about these teams, and while the lost season as “super distensions can get high, appointing” due to the potengames remain friendly. tial he saw in the 2020 team.

Outside of these matchThe remaining members ups, the Aces hope to be of the team were still deterable to play in at least mined to succeed in the next a few tournaments, season, however, and despite which can be held anynot being able to have actual where from Oaks to practices, they were able to central New Jersey and get some socially-distanced feature teams from all sprint workouts and endurover the tri-state area. ance training going. Although Like everything gothe pandemic has been hard, ing on now, practices in a way it has brought the will likely look pretteam together. FaceTime ty different due to the calls, masked workouts, and coronavirus.

Masks game-planning for this year will be mandatory and have kept morale and confiindoor workouts will dence high after all this time. move outside. RegardThis coming season, the less of the restrictions ultimate team looks to comPhoto courtesy of Charlie Hurwitz ’22 in place, the players pete in a condensed version are thrilled to have The Aces will have success if they can regain the chemistry they had prior to the shutdown. of the normal spring schedule any form of a season.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Riggio ’24

Freshman Rachel Riggio

What sport(s) do you play?

Lacrosse What is your favorite part of spring?

The weather.

What is your fondest memory related to your sport?

Growing up playing the same sports as many of my friends.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Potatoes, you can cook them in so many forms.

Photo courtesy of Sadie Cohen ’23

Sophomore Sadie Cohen

What sport(s) do you play?

Soccer What is your favorite part of spring?

Celebrating my birthday with family in Hilton Head, SC over break.

What is your fondest memory related to your sport?

Garnet Valley.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’d never get tired of grilled cheese.

Photo courtesy of Jake Krimsky ’22

Junior Jake Krimsky

What sport(s) do you play?

Baseball What is your favorite part of spring?

Playing sports, hanging with friends outside, and my birthday.

What is your fondest memory related to your sport?

Pitching a no-hitter in a travel baseball game.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Photo courtesy of Paul DeSouza ’21

Senior Paul DeSouza

What sport(s) do you play?

Crew What is your pre-game ritual?

Pre race dap-up and big man quad slap.

What is your fondest memory related to your sport?

Breaking seven minutes for my 2k with my teammates.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza. So versatile.