Merionite March 2023

The offcial student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929

March 14, 2023

The Merionite

Volume 94, Issue 5

Survey mayhem at LM

Mia Hail ’23 News Editor

On an unassuming Friday morning, havoc struck the inboxes of LM students. On the surface, the email seemed like the typical AP Statistics student trying to randomly select students to respond to their survey. However, the sender of the infamous “survey” made one critical mistake: they didn’t use BCC. While the “reply all” button may seem self explanatory, it’s clear many LM students did not grasp the meaning. Initially, the responses consisted of students asking to be taken of the email chain to which others tried to mediate the confict (still using the reply all feature). Then, things took a drastic turn. Students realized that they could reply to every LM student at the click of a button, which some took as an opportunity to send birthday wishes and embarrassing pictures of their friends.

By the time Lunch and Learn started, all students could talk about was the email chain, yet most teachers and administrators were blissfully unaware of the chaos all the students were experiencing. Senior Jacob Ross found himself being distracted by the constant infux of emails. Ross seized the opportunity and decided to send an email himself, “Gus thinks you all should learn how to hit reply instead of reply all. Anyway, it’s his birthday, and everyone should hit reply all and wish him a happy birthday.” The responses fooded in quickly, a mix of birthday wishes and unrelated gifs. However, later that day, as Ross was trying to access his email, he was hit by a slew of error messages. He realize, “I knew immediately that I was blocked for responding to this. My

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suspicions were confrmed when I saw the @LMAfrmations Instagram post talking about how it happened to everyone who responded to it.” The administration’s response was to treat the email chain as spam and consequently block access for any student who chose to respond. Later, students and staf received an email from Principal Michael. Johnson instructed everyone to delete the email chain and not respond.

For many students, the email brought a much needed reprieve in an otherwise monotonous week, and for AP Statistics students, they were especially grateful that it brought about the cancellation of their project. In particular, senior and AP Statistics student Eva DelMonte shares her relief, “I was pretty annoyed by the spamming emails in the inbox all day, but very relieved to find out that we didn’t have to finish our project.”

Unfortunately, the “Survey” has lasting impacts on the future of AP Statistics classes. AP Statistics teacher, Timothy Presser expresses his concern, “It means we have to go back and rethink the stipulations we put on students so that a hundred kids can run the same project and collect data efciently without risking it looking like spam.” However, Presser also found the bright side of the situation, “I think it was a good real world lesson as to why no one does a census.” It should be noted that Presser took the time to show his statistics classes how to correctly CC and BCC people on emails, highlighting that there are extremely few occasions when using “reply all” is necessary.

Bye-bye Blackboard, hello Schoology

Lela Miller ’24

In 2018, LMSD assembled a group of teachers from the four secondary schools to research, select, and present a new Learning Management System (LMS) that would replace Blackboard and integrate new features to enhance the district’s learning and teaching. Their search was narrowed down to Canvas and Schoology, both very popular LMSs. Ultimately, the district decided on Schoology and is now training teachers and administrators on how to use the new software. By the end of June, LMSD will no longer be using Blackboard, and teachers will have completely transferred their material onto Schoology.

The district favored Schoology based on its connectivity and integration of the many online resources used by teachers and students. Unlike Blackboard, Schoology provides a platform that connects Powerschool, Google apps, class management items, collaboration tools, assignment trackers, assignments, and assessments all in one place. Assistant Principal Scott Kilpatrick noted, “We are the only district in Montgomery County using Blackboard. [Schoology is] so much more student and teacher friendly.”

Schoology may condense the number of platforms being used, but it opens up the opportunities for what teachers can do with their online presence in the classroom. Spanish teacher Tara Pellegrino explains that the aesthetics and workability of Blackboard leave much to be desired: “Blackboard is very cumbersome, especially on the backend. You can’t beautify things the way you can with Schoology…It seems like a stupid thing, but students need

NEWS

Women of Idenlea

Read about the importance behind a new historical marker in Bala Cynwyd page 2

A&E

Celebrating women who tell our stories

Look into infuential women in flm and literature to celebrate Women’s History

Month page 9

OPINIONS

Club overload

LM has obtained a large number of clubs in recent year. Learn the issues associated with this growth page 6

Due to unexpected obstacles related to sending surveys out to the student body, AP Statistics classes shifted their plans to find alternate ways to learn about data collection.

that. [It helps them] to see exactly where they need to click.” She is also excited about the calendar feature of Schoology that allows her to “see what kids have due and when.” With this new feature she explains that she will be able to “plan [her] tests based on when other teachers are having theirs.”

Pellegrino states that for her, the new software is “pretty intuitive…and really easy to use.” She concedes that this change may not be welcomed by all teachers, as “it really depends on the teacher” and their technological abilities. Kilpatrick also admits that “there are going to be some hiccups, like with anything.” However, he explains that along with the training being held this year, there are technology teachers from the district corresponding with “the training staf at Schoology and they have been supporting our teachers.”

Adapting to the new software may be an adjustment for teachers and students alike, but many seem excited and ready to try something new. When asked about her opinions on Blackboard, Emmie Luo ’24 said that “I don’t like that there isn’t one format. Some teachers don’t use the weekly plan, some do.” With the new, more integrated platform, she hopes that the use of the features of the platform will be consistent across classes, so that their purpose is efective.

The district’s vision is that the use of this new platform will simplify and enhance the online learning and teaching process for teachers and students across their schools. Kilpatrick states, “This is a one-stop-shop. You’re not having to log into this program then log out of that program then log into this program.”

SPECIAL FEATURE

Celebrating Inclusion at LM for National Disability Awareness Month

SPORTS

Hands up for Hoopes

Interview with Coach Hoopes on how girls sports at LM have evolved page 19

FEATURES

Learn about the LM special education program and various other events pages 10-11

March bracketology at LM

Explore how Latin, French, and History classes are creating their own uniquely themed brackets this March page 14

Graphic by Tillie Szwartz ’25/Staf

Copy Editor

/Staf

Photos by Anika Xi ’23/Staf

Women of Idenlea Sam Donagi ’25

When Erin Betley, the Vice President of the Lower Merion Historical Society, frst began looking into the history of her Bala Cywyd home, she expected to fnd deeds from the previous owners and a fun story to tell her children. What she never expected to fnd was the tip of a buried tale of local history that would take her months to fully uncover. sult of her exploration, a new historical marker honoring the women of Idenlea is set to be placed along the intersection of North Highland Ave and Heather Road in September or October of 2023. The marker brings attention to the story of early women physicians, suf fragists, abolitionists, and activists in Bala Cynwyd that had been previously lost to history. Betley’s research and the new marker bring recognition to a family of Quaker ac tivists in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Dr. Hannah E. Longshore, the frst woman physician in Pennsylvania, Dr. Jane V. Myers, fellow early woman physi cian, and Lucretia Blankeburg, renowned sufragist and women’s rights activist. Longshore gained esteem through groundbreaking public lectures on women’s health and anatomy. She later went on to have a forty year long career in medicine, purportedly earning her a “small fortune,” and spearheading the way for women in medicine in the United States. She was known for driving her own feet of horses around the city and rac ing to her appointments, and was the frst woman to teach at a U.S. medical school. After developing one of the largest practices in all of Philadelphia, Longshore and her sister, Dr. Myers, both retired from their extensive medical practices to Idenlea, a parcel of land in Bala Cynwyd, where they spent years advocating for various social causes. Longshore’s daughter, Lucretia Blankenburg, grew hugely infuential in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century for her work in women’s rights and sufrage, as well as civic reform.

The family was deeply infuential in activist movements across America. They partici pated in the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, Underground Railroad, the Pennsylva nia Woman’s Sufrage Association, as well as several guilds and clubs of women’s rights activists. The women also spoke in front of Congress to advocate for sufrage and civic reform and co-founded the frst degree granting women’s medical school in the world. They befriended famous activists for abolition and women’s rights, like Sojourner Truth, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Despite all of this, the contributions of these women have been largely forgot ten. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission uses their icon ic blue markers to “capture the stories of people, places, events, and innova tions that have afected the lives of Pennsylvanians over the centuries,” and this new marker aims to shine light on a history that has been largely un told, and nearly lost. When asked to describe what has drawn her to keep researching this project, Betley says, “These women shaped the world we now live in—fghting for decades for women to be able to pursue professions like medicine, fghting for basic rights and to protect women and their chil dren, and pushing for the right to vote.” Despite this, their story isn’t taught in most curriculums, and Betley can guess most residents have never heard of their contributions. This may be changing, as history teachers like LM’s John Grace incorporate local history into their curriculums. Grace explains, “Each time we discover there is a real example of some bigger history hap pening or that happened within the boundaries of LM, that local history ex ample serves as maybe the best chance for us to really understand the larger history we tell ourselves we should know.” These discoveries serve to con

nect students and teachers to their past, and inform our understanding of the present.

As Betley sees it, “We are in a moment when many are awakening to the work done

Breaking the bank

On November 12, 2021, Judge Renée Cohn Jubelirer ruled on behalf of the Com monwealth Court of Pennsylvania in a decision that will have massive implications on education of students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The fnal ruling spanned over 700 pages and ended a nine year dispute over whether the state of Pennsylvania has pro tected students’ right to equal opportunities in education regardless of fnancial status or social class. The landmark case began when the Public Education Law Center, Edu cation Law Center, and O’Melveny & Myers LLP fled a lawsuit on behalf of six school districts and seven parents, alleging that policymakers had not flled their contractual duty to “provide a thorough and efcient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth” as defned by the Pennsylvania constitution. The case reached the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, gaining support from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People against state legislative leaders and the governor of Pennsylvania. Supporters asserted that the state had not invested enough resources into schools with predominantly disadvantaged student populations. On the other hand, the defendants argued that the amount of the budget allocated towards school fund ing in certain areas was a political question not answered by the constitution, and thus not under the jurisdiction of the court. Throughout the trial, over 1,700 pieces of evi dence were submitted, ranging from expert testimonials to test scores and fnancial data.

Following extensive debate, the landmark decision ruled in favor of the plaintifs, stating that the state of Pennsylvania has not fulflled its constitutional obligation to provide every student with “a meaningful opportunity to succeed academically, social ly, and civically, which requires that all students have access to a comprehensive, effective, and contemporary system of public education.” The court found that the state had violated students’ right to an equal education protected under the constitution. To conclude her ruling, Judge Jubelirer wrote, “All witnesses agree that every child can learn. It is now the obligation of the Legislature, Executive Branch, and educators, to

Although this signifcant decision was celebrated by the plaintifs as a victory for all children, the path forward for lawmakers to rectify the inequalities in the Pennsyl vania education system remains an ominous challenge. Jubilerer’s ruling does not outline any framework for lawmakers to build into to create policy and allo cate funding to underprivileged schools: an obstacle that has all but halted simi lar initiatives in other states. In addition to the ambiguity of the ruling regarding future reparations, the sheer scale of creating and implementing a plan across the entire state of Pennsylvania will be a cumbersome process. In fact, the court’s ruling identi fes over 400 schools which make up 86 percent of Pennsylvania’s student population as not on “a level playing feld with higher-wealth districts.” According to 2018 esti mates, these schools “have shortfalls totalling over $4.6 billion.” A sum of this mag nitude would account for over half of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s budget for the 2022-23 school year. The necessary restructuring of the budget would likely mean rippling efects throughout Pennsylvania’s school systems. As of now, LMSD’s future is uncertain without a clear view of how the Pennsylvania Depart ment of Education will choose to implement a plan to fulfll their constitutional duties.

Graphic by Tillie Szwartz ’25/Staf

Harry White ’24

Graphic by Eliza Liebo ’25/Staf

Graphic by Julia Zorc ’24/Staf

Central Bucks fghts Policy 321

Noah Barkan ’24 Opinions Editor

Nation-wide arguments over curriculum and local office holders have become a hot topic throughout the past year. These debates became local to LM when the nearby Central Bucks School District (CBSD) passed the highly controversial “Policy 321” this past January. The new policy gained community, and later state-wide, attention with strong arguments on both sides from students, teachers, and parents.

“Policy 321,” claiming to be a neutrality policy, restricts employees from displaying certain materials in classrooms. The policy specifically states that anything that falls in accordance with one’s “partisan, political, or social policy matters,” rather than the specific school curricula, should not be displayed by employees. Many took issue with the policy in the months leading up to its ratification claiming the rhetoric serves to discriminate against marginalized communities, specifically, LGBTQ+ students. Groups of parents and students came to speak at the public input session hosted by Central Bucks’ school board. One such student claims, “since I’ve begun my high school career, Central Bucks has only become a more dangerous place for LGBTQ students.” The student isn’t alone in this belief. Keith Willard, a teacher and Gay/Straight Alliance club advisor at Holicong Middle School, told a journalist from Patch News, “How are we supposed to follow a policy that denies the humanity of our students? It’s unethical.” Willard is one of the organizers of demonstrations around the district protesting the new policy following its implementation. Advocacy on both sides has been strong, however. During a public commentary session on the night of voting for the policy, another student advocated for the policy’s implementation stating, “neutrality seems to be the best approach.”

More recently, a letter was sent by the district superintendent and CBSD President to Central Bucks parents and surrounding community in an attempt to address concerns about the policy. The lengthy, 1,500 word document outlines the policy’s purpose and limitations, outlining that their resolution stipulates the goals but not the course of implementation specifically. Overall, the letter explains how the policy upholds a series of past policies, including

their anti-bullying and dress code policies, stating “Policy 321” neither overturns nor undermines anything already in effect. It finishes with a call upon the community to condemn “bullying” of faculty and staff, referencing some examples of threats of violence carried out against school board members following the passing of the policy. The letter and the policy mostly avoid directly referring to the LGBTQ+ community, with the exception of a single bullet in the letter specifying that employees in same-sex marriages are still able to display family photos.

This aspect of the policy has not been stagnant. The original drafted policy was forced to be amended following legal review and no longer contains direct wording such as “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” with regards to prohibited materials. This follows a lawsuit filed on behalf of some students in coordination with the American Civil Liberties Union. Many students and teachers say this change still isn’t enough and the policy itself still hasn’t changed despite these amendments.

According to one LMSD teacher and Central Bucks parent, the concern for LGBTQ+ inclusion has been exacerbated by the book reviews carried out this past winter. The board pulled four books for review which featured LGBTQ+ protagonists. The board took sixty additional books for review due to explicit sexual content. For many, this new policy is merely an extension of this. But conflation of the different local issues as well as comparisons drawn to national-level trends have been refuted by the superintendent and district president in their letters.

The policy left a lot of things up in the air including current safe space programs offered by the schools. The Rainbow Room by Planned Parenthood is one such program which currently offers resources to LGBTQ+ students in the district. Though much is left to be revealed with the impacts and implementation of the policy, it is clear it will have great impact on the district whether it be for the better or worse. Photos courtesy of WHYY.org

Inevitable curriculum changes

Julia Dubnof ’23 Editor-in-Chief

LMSD, if anything, is always shifting. New classes are added, old classes are dropped. A new middle school is built, and all middle schools begin to host fifth graders. Library policies are disputed, start times pushed back, and syllabi adjusted. Behind the scenes of these changes are administrators, school board members, and state politicians. One notable figure among all of this change is Assistant Superintendent Alexis McGloin, a former chemistry teacher who now has an important role in all sorts of curricular changes throughout the district.

Already this year, McGloin and the administration had their hands full with the major changes in the middle schools. When moving fifth graders up, they wanted to create a program that would provide an effective transition from elementary school, so fifth and sixth graders have been taking their classes from a two teacher team model. One of the two teachers is in charge of STEM classes and the other leads humanities. McGloin was personally involved in the decision making process to move all language learning programs at the elementary school level up to the middle school, replacing that time period with a STEM block. Finally, leadership classes have been instituted at the middle schools, teaching communication, studying, and other soft skills.

So what changes are in the works now? In terms of high school courses, many adjustments are in progress. For one, the school is ofcially removing Spanish and French 5 (CP and Honors), as well as the Spanish 6 that LMSD has been trialing for the past two years. However, that’s not to say that non-AP language classes will be unavailable after level four. Rather, LMSD is introducing three electives for Spanish and French to be offered at the honors level: Advanced Literature and the Arts, Advanced Global Competence, and Advanced Conversation and Culture. McGloin hopes that due to daily language classes now starting in fifth grade, students will then begin high school

at a higher level and therefore be able to enroll in more of these classes. Beyond language, the high schools are in the process of expanding their music technology programs. Music Technology 2 will be available next year, and Music Technology 3 the following year; “to give more opportunity for students that really like that type of a course load,” says McGloin, though it’s still unclear what that will entail then and further down the road. “So maybe it’s like creating podcasts, maybe it’s having a studio belt...I don’t know exactly what it’ll end up looking like. But, it really is to open that door for students as well, because it’s a great, different type of activity.” Finally, just as the district has spent the past few years reworking tenth grade English into a course featuring more diverse voices and stories, they are now beginning to do the same with ninth grade. Tenth grade English teacher Megan McDermott has taught the class all throughout the process of diversifying, and she looks forward to the same changes being applied to the younger grade, elaborating “It’s been my experience that students find the most success when they see themselves reflected in the literature we study together, literature we’ve told them is important and matters.” When choosing specific texts, she recommends careful attention paid to the level of difficulty to read. She describes, “This more diverse range of texts works best if it meets the appropriate level of challenge for students. Our job is to validate our students, teach them about other perspectives, and encourage meaningful growth as readers, writers, and thinkers.” Curricular and GPA changes may be slightly less controversial than lights on Arnold Field or the status of Lunch & Learn, but they still affect students. Some may be exactly as students wish, some may be irritating. Regardless, some changes are inevitable—and the LMSD community can only hope to be pleased by them all.

March Madness: college edition

Zoe Hassett ’23 News Editor

The last few months of senior year is an exciting time for many high school students. Senior projects, skip days, prom, and the onset of “senioritis” are just a few of the quintessential activities typically enjoyed by twelfth graders. But, there is another major event looming over the heads of many LM seniors: college decisions and commitments.

From the time LM students enter freshman year, they are quickly introduced to postsecondary planning. For a good portion of the student body, this means taking steps towards preparing for higher education. Between standardized testing, researching on Naviance, visiting universities, participating in interviews, completing applications, and flling out fnancial aid forms, the college process can be tedious and stressful for most students. The rush of meeting deadlines isn’t the only major aspect of the college process, however. Once the applications are submitted and colleges and universities begin reviewing prospective-student profles, patience becomes key for those awaiting decisions from their desired schools. For students who applied to college on the early-decision or early-action track, the wait before receiving a college decision update usually lasts only one to two months. On the other hand, regular decision applicants typically have a much larger gap between their application deadline and decision release date. The anticipation of receiving an acceptance, rejection, or deferral notifcation from a college can bring about mixed emotions and concerns for students. Some LM seniors agree that the uncertainty involved with waiting for college decisions can be nerve racking. However, others feel that a pause in the college rush is somewhat of a relief. For instance, when comparing waiting for college decisions to the application process, Kaelin

Edge ’23 describes, “I would say it is a little less stressful. The application process involves rushing to get essays in and transcripts, etcetera. Now it’s just a waiting game.”

As decision letters roll in for LM college applicants within the next two months, there is still one more step in the college process students must complete: making a commitment. Just by taking a glance at the LM 2023 commits page on Instagram, it is clear that many seniors have already settled down with a college of their choosing. Nonetheless, students still awaiting status updates from admission ofces and those still weighing their options have a bit more time. Up until National Decision Day on May 1, students can consult family, friends, and counselors, research, visit campuses, and attend admitted students days at diferent schools before making a fnal commitment. If students are accepted into more than one college, choosing one over another can sometimes be difcult and require careful consideration. When speaking on the elements he believes are most essential to contemplate before committing to a college, Alexander Lytle ’23 explains, “The main factors I’ll be considering will probably be location, specifc majors ofered, since some of the colleges I applied to don’t ofer a major in my frst choice, and class requirements, as I would prefer to be able to focus on what I want to study and less in subject areas I don’t enjoy as much.” Some other important considerations mentioned by LM students include fnancial assistance, overall size of the school, and campus life. Coincidentally, the fnal countdown before commitment day coincides with the last handful of weeks before the end of senior year, making the time all the more bittersweet for many LM students seeking a higher education.

Graphic by Julia Zorc ’24/Staf

Ofcial newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org

Columbia Scholastic Press

Assocation Silver Crown 2013

Editors-in-Chief

Julia Dubnof ’23

Angela Ge ’23

Emmi Wu ’23

News Editors

Vivian Collins ’24

Mia Hail ’23

Zoe Hassett ’23

Michelle Kelly ’23

Luke Shepard ’24

Opinions Editors

Sam Abella ’24

Noah Barkan ’24

Joy Donovan ’23

Madeleine Fiks ’23

Features Editors

Ava Cohen ’23

Crosby Johnson ’24

James Korin ’24

Olivia Lee ’23

Lila Schwartzberg ’24

Arts & Entertainment

Editors

Dia Ahmad ’23

Sebastian Havira ’23

Siobhan Minerva ’24

Gabby Tepper-Waterman ’23

Sports Editors

Shaine Davison ’23

Sarah France ’24

Nathan Grunfeld ’24

Gideon Wolf ’24

Copy Editors

Ben Cromer ’24

Jessica Dubin ’23

Dani Itkin-Ofer ’24

Lela Miller ’24

Senior Design Editor

Ilana Zahavy ’24

Graphics Editors

Eliza Liebo ’25

Matilda Szwartz ’25

Annie Zhao ’24

Julia Zorc ’24

Senior Web Editor

Katie Fang ’23

Web Editors

Sasha Murray ’24

Claire Wang ’23

Business Managers

Cam Gordon ’23

Eli Gordon ’23

Assistant Business Manager

Anna Costantino ’24

Photographers

Dylan Elgart ’23

Anika Xi ’23

Social Media Managers

Julia Russel ’23

Nolan Shanley ’23

Podcast Editor Amelia Candeub ’26

Advisor Charles Henneberry

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 lettersto the editor. Letters can be sent via e-mail or dropped of outsideThe Merionite ofce. The Merionite reserves the right to edit letters to the editor for length or clarity. All unattributed images are courtesy of WikiCommons.

Editorial: Fraternizing with the enemy

As seniors wrap up their high school careers this spring, many begin to think about their futures within the programs that colleges and universities have to offer. Alongside extracurriculars, employment opportunities, and recreational sports teams, one activity that sticks out is, of course, Greek life. The popular social organizations attract nearly nine million college students each year and, in many schools, are a staple of the student body culture. Despite national chapters reporting consistently high participation, pledging has brought implications that extend beyond a student’s time in college. So the question remains: should students graduating this spring go on to rush for Greek life this coming fall?

First, we intend to narrow our line of sight. In our minds, the fundamental harm of Greek life stems from fraternities. The propagation of an undeniable culture of sexual violence, discrimination against marginalized people, and elitism situated within the microcosm of the universally feared “Frat Row,” sets out solely to benefit the wealthy and the predominantly white. These are not baseless claims nor exaggerated caricatures, for nat= ional fraternity membership stands as 73% white and 70% wealthy. Rather, these are grave concerns that remain seemingly inherent to Greek life—yes, even in 2023.

When presented with any such argument, however, the general response from members seems to default to the integrity of some fraternities and sororities over others. Many insist that, while they acknowledge the damage done by the Greek system both historically and today, not all fraternities function that way. They instead opted to join the “good” ones. Many even claim the groups that end up in the news for sexual assault and severe hazing are few and far between; that generalizing their actions to the overall system reflects bias in and of itself. While it is true that not every Greek organization should be held accountable for those that have committed or enabled such

heinous individual acts, we firmly reject the premise that there exist “good” fraternities.

The question at the heart of debate surrounding Greek life organizations is whether or not gender segregation is harmful. The basic structure of these organizations is the reinforcement of the gender binary, something that to most is not an innately negative function. To most, it is a necessary system to prime young men and women for success in adult life. As such, even fraternities and sororities that claim to promote morally upstanding behavior and condemn actions by members that attest otherwise do so within the rigid bounds of gender. For fraternities, many purport to teach hard work and compassion to young men through community service, student leadership opportunities, and peer-to-peer relationship building. That’s great and all, but it seems these ideals are only ever used to shield membership from scrutiny. If you ask a brother why fraternity members are three times more likely to commit rape than their unaffiliated male peers, the most common retort, if not pleading the fifth or threatening legal action, is often the strategically prepared one-liner: “Pike raised, like, a lot of money for charity last year.” However, upon examination of this carefully structured facade, one can see it rests upon decades, if not centuries, of supremacist exclusion and the laurels of the so-called “refined gentleman” once produced en masse by the post-secondary fraternity This gentleman is 85% of Fortune 500 executives, the entire Apollo 11 crew, and every President and Vice President since 1825, save four. The accomplishments of these individuals, however, are a byproduct of the faulty ideals of the system. The concept of an upstanding Frater is nothing more than a masculine standard in lesser terms. For Sigma Chi, brothers are “men of character, caring husbands, [and] compassionate fathers.” For Sigma Epsilon, they’re “Balanced Men™.” For Pike, pledges seek to become “better men,

friends, husbands, [and] fathers.” Regardless of how a given chapter chooses to define itself, all uphold certain standards for young men that hold uncanny similarities to the ones present in American society. The issue with statements like these are not that they’re rooted in repressive gender roles and a limiting concept of masculinity, for that could be forgiven by most; rather, that they don’t seem to stick when it comes to their membership. How can a fraternity brother be a model of academic integrity when they’re twice as likely as their peers to perform poorly on exams and projects? How can fraternities be the spaces of the progress and tolerance they aspire to in mission statements when they exist as safe havens for uninhibited sexual violence, dangerous binge drinking, prolific drug use, and perpetual elitism? The hypocrisy is clear.

It’s important to note that fraternities come in a variety of capacities. For example, Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) are broadly different from those that were previously or historically white fraternities. Additionally, a majority of our consideration on the subject is related to fraternities that are defined by gender, though we acknowledge the rising Greek life that aims to be gender-inclusive. This criticism does, however, include GDIs or “God Damn Independent” fraternities and sororities that aren’t affiliated with the Greek letter system.

It is all too easy to find anecdotes that refute the reality of rape culture and elitism prevalent in Greek life–though there is an argument to be made that this is also innate in Greek culture. What is harder is addressing the core issues present in these exclusivitydriven organizations, and why toxicity seems to poison their cultures…or lack thereof.

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

Articles and letters featured in the Opinions section refect the viewpoints of individual contributers and not neccesarily those of The Merionite editorial staf.

Letter to the editor: In defense of Challenge

Intelligence is all too real. Yes, it is one of the most enigmatic qualities of a person, and thus is hard to measure, but it nonetheless exists. Students who receive an IQ (Intelligence Quotient) score of 130 or more on an LMSD administered test, which places them in the top 2.5 percentile, have the option of being put into LMSD’s Gifted program. If they choose to enter, they receive a GIEP (Gifted Individualized Education Plan), which legally entitles them to the school district’s Gifted program. Students may also enter the program if they show other exceptionally high intellectual abilities, such as being multiple years ahead in math or English.

The aim of the Gifted program in LMSD, and of Gifted programs in general, is to provide additional support to students who require supplementary material in addition to regular classroom instruction. A common manifestation of this would be a student being bored in elementary school because they already know the material that is being taught, so they are placed in the Gifted program to work on enrichment projects. This is how many students used to be placed in the program. They would be bored at school and tell their parents, who would then contact the elementary school to administer the test. However, this raised equity issues since students from lower-income were less likely to be selected to take the test, or even know about the program to begin with. Because of this, LMSD switched to an automatic screening program in second grade, where all students are now given the test regardless of any factors, to promote equity within the school district.

It is worth noting that Challenge, the elementary and middle school program, and Academic Seminar, the high school program, serve different functions. Challenge mainly serves as an additional

academic class, used to teach students new information, or allow them to conduct research. Academic Seminar is primarily used for independent projects, allowing students to explore an area of interest that they either do not learn enough about in their regular classes, or an entirely new area that they have never covered in school. This is the Academic Seminar formula from freshman through junior year, and senior year is dedicated to the I-Search (post-secondary explorations) and senior project extensions.

The experiences and enrichment provided by the Gifted program are invaluable, and it should not be tampered with or disbanded. Great minds promote each other, and by having these minds together more often, we are building a community of future successful intellects. Yes, equity issues are important, but the district has already made moves to remedy this lack of equity by implementing universal screening. While IQ tests are not a perfect measure of intelligence, they are far more accurate than many people portray them as, and they are the best metric to measure intelligence that has ever existed (other than good old-fashioned observation). To address the argument that a family’s resources affect a student’s IQ score, this is true, however only minimally, as the younger a person takes the test, the less of an influence this has. This is why the tests are conducted in second grade, when students are seven or eight years old.

Overall, the Gifted program does an accurate job of selecting students who would best benefit from its resources and opportunities. It must be held sacred, for to overlook intelligence is to stumble upon a pot of fool’s gold.

- Adam Fox, ’23

Photo courtesy of Flickr

What to expect when you’re expecting

470 kids in the senior class, 76 reported commitments. It’s nearly April, and the majority of the class of ’23 are left in the tumultuous limbo that is college acceptances. Unsurprising to anyone who had to submit a Common App or fill out a Self-Reported Academic Record earlier this school year, college applications are, to say the absolute least, emotionally intensive. Even for athletes that committed in years prior, colleges still taunt them with acceptance like a carrot over their heads. Sure, it’s unlikely that a school will rescind their offer–but hey, if you get below a B- on that midterm, you might want to cross your fingers. Though many kids will opt for gap years, technical schools, enlistment, and the workforce, for the rest, getting into college feels like the final stretch of the race that is getting through high school. College acceptance is always a daunting feat, especially when you’re caught up in the mythology that you have to compete with your peers for a spot. This year, however, seems to be particularly cutthroat. Along with numerous accommodations made for the class of ’22, many schools overaccepted freshman and transfer applicants last year. This can be attributed to the record-low enrollment in Fall 2021, which spooked schools into a desperate frenzy to find applicants who could commit to four years of tuition in a time of historic economic insecurity and unemployment. So, many schools changed their rigid standards in order to increase enrollment. Yes, fee waivers made a significant impact on the amount of low-income students able to apply, but they also dramatically increased the size of the applicant pool. This made colleges look more selective, despite accepting a larger number of applicants than they had in years. When a school appears more selective, it attracts more applicants, and pushes more students to apply through Early Decision, a binding agreement not known for its fairness to those coming from an economic disadvantage. Colleges also moved towards test-blindness, and were consequently able to paint themselves as detaching from organizations like College Board, which faced public scrutiny in 2020 for the SAT’s eugenicist origins.

When colleges opted for test-optional on 2022 applications, a staggering 30% fewer students took the SAT than they did the year prior. However, this dip occurred only briefly, and the number is on track to return to pre-pandemic levels within the next year or two. The COVID-era college admission standards were like most half-measures taken by universities and academic organizations in 2020–band-aid solutions to appease exhausted HR departments with very little foresight into the potential implications. It is phenomenal that with fee waivers, test blindness, and recognition of extraneous factors that affected students in 2020, low-income students enrolled in college in 2021 in record numbers. However, adequate space was not made for them in these institutions. Affordable housing was insufficient at schools with some of the highest endowments, student workers and TAs unionized and participated in strikes more than they had in decades, and the uncertain future of federal student debt relief measures were a constant threat to students who couldn’t aford the ever-increasing cost of education. With so many changes, college was supposed to be more accessible than ever, but the ricochet efects have come to bite this year’s applicants.

So we fnd ourselves in 2023, with more college applicants and a higher mean number of applications per student, and yet, enrollment losses are still occurring and each morning at LM seems to come with news of deferrals, waitlists, postponed announcements, and rejections. It was always meant to be this hard, right? A more cynical me might’ve called this some sort of reckoning bound to hit the entitlement of some of my peers sooner rather than later. But as the months pass and the stakes grow higher, the tension is palpable within the class of ’23. Teachers point to the myriad of poorly timed skip days as a sign of withdrawal, failing to acknowledge the uncommitted students they lecture to who still fll their classrooms on such days. At this point in the year, being committed is a privilege, and for everyone who hasn’t yet sent in their baby picture for their moment in the sun on @lmcommits2023, checking out simply isn’t an option. Hopefully March marks the end of a hellish year for LM’s seniors, but until then, all you can do is count the days. To the seniors trapped in the purgatory of 7 pm portal updates: try not to waste your last weeks with the people you’ve known for your entire life thinking about the rest of it. For the underclassmen, forget Sisyphus–imagine your Seniors happy.

Close the gAP

Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies is one of the newest AP courses introduced by the official College Board. According to College Board, the new AP course “reaches into a variety of fields—literature, the arts and humanities, political science, geography, and science—to explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans.” During the 2022–2023 academic year, the course was piloted in sixty select high schools throughout the country. It will be made available to all students in the spring of 2025, but with the course comes many controversies.

The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has been in the news recently for his rejection of the new AP African American Studies. DeSantis accuses the course of imposing political indoctrination, stating that, “We believe in teaching kids facts and

race, and/or class experiences and expectations.” Black Excellence is a social studies elective that investigates the history of African American politics, economics, and culture. Both classes show similarities with other courses designed by the College Board. Besides offering courses designed to teach about African American literature, LM has made extensive efforts in increasing racial diversity in our school, starting from the creation of the CARE committee which was formed back in 1997. Some main objectives behind this committee are, “to support the needs of AfricanAmerican students and help them achieve to their fullest potential” and “to uncover and address issues that pertains to race in education.” Additionally, LM offers clubs such as Black Student Union (BSU), which was created with the intent to unify the Black community at LM, to address the well-being of the community, to

Joy Donovan ’23

Ivan Liu ’26

Opinions Editor

Most of us have heard about LMSD’s new initiative to push back school start times. If you haven’t, the basic idea is to shuffle around school start times for all schools. This means middle school will start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 2:50 p.m.; high school will go from 8:40 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and elementary school from 9:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.. This plan, known as the “secondary swap,” is the result of multiple plans discussed by the different committees, and is a cumulative approach. The proposal, as per usual, has not passed without pushback. This change has been in motion since 2019 and there have been endless school board meetings and discussions regarding whether school start times should even be changed, and how we should approach the change. Ultimately, it was decided that the secondary swap was the ideal plan of action. This new change is a result of many discussions and countless recommendations from medical professionals. Many studies have shown that the most effective period to learn is between ten in the morning. and two in the afternoon, while the least effectuve time to learn is between four a.m.-eight a.m., which is the current first period for high schoolers in the district. When talking to LM students, I found that, on average, they get six to seven hours of sleep on a “good day.” Although this seems like a normal amount of sleep, The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends eight to

ten hours of sleep for teens. In a study done by Stanford Medicine, it was found that “Sleep deprivation increases the likelihood teens will sufer negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate, poor grades, drowsydriving incidents, anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide and even suicide attempts. It is a problem with no economic boundaries.” Teens are being held back by the school schedules. These long overdue changes are fnally starting to transpire. Will changing the start times really help? Personally, I have mixed opinions on this question. For many people, it will greatly help. Although it may cause students to go to bed slightly later, the actual act of waking up later is proven to be beneficial in itself. Due to teens’ circadian rhythms, they are unable to fall asleep at an early time. Because of this, waking up later is something that can add time onto our sleep schedules. However, with its benefits come its downsides. With school ending later, some sports practices will be pushed back. This, of course, raises the hotly debated “lights on Arnold Field problem,” but also may cause some sports practices and games to end very late. I already have sports practices ending at around 9:30 p.m. due to the availability of LM sports facilities, and I worry that with the school time change it may cause my practices and other sports practices to end at an even more unreasonable hour. Despite my doubts, I look forward to the new start time. The amount of effort it takes to drag myself out of bed at such an ungodly hour of the morning is, in my opinion, unnecessarily difficult at the moment. Because of this, am glad that the overall health of students in LMSD is not being ignored, and is even being put as a priority. I hope to see benefits in the school’s overall academic performance, behavior, and mental health. With nearby schools already taking this leap, I think it is about time that LM follows suit.

Katie Potts-Drew’26

Book bans bode bad news

At LM, students are exposed to clubs and support systems to help those in the LGBTQ+ community. Students are encouraged to explore their identities, have conversations about sexuality and gender, and most teachers have made proper accommodations to help everyone feel comfortable. But what about the schools who don’t do any of this?

For the students of Central Bucks School District (CBSD), this is the sad reality that impacts all students. Books are tools for students to gain information about the world around them, however in CBSD, there has been a major controversy due to the “book ban” supported by many parents in the community. This district policy allows parents and board members to remove books from library shelves if they are deemed inappropriate or if they contain sexual or objectionable content. So far, five books have been banned by the administrative board including Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, both of which tackle serious issues surrounding coming out and being transgender in the twenty-first century. According to Jonathan Demalta, a Central Bucks district parent, he is in support of these book bans because “We’re here to teach them about math, science, social studies… not about transgender,” which seems to be the common opinion for those in support of the bans. These parents agree that school should be a place for non-controversial intellectual

Avery Pelletier ’26

New start time, new LM Club overload

studies, but if students aren’t exposed to new information, how are they expected to thrive when living in the real world? The American school system is based on an idea that students must be exposed to and taught a number of subjects. Pulling these books from public school shelves limits students’ knowledge and creates a hostile environment that teaches children not to discuss controversial subjects. And for those attending these schools who are in the LGBTQ+ community, it sends a message that the people in their school district are not in support of their existence. For school age children, having an understanding of one another, no matter one’s personal views, is important for social interaction and creating a proper school environment where everyone feels as though they are accepted. Letting students read about gender identity and sexuality will only benefit them socially and if a parent doesn’t agree with this, then they should have a conversation at home. If all books that had controversial content were banned, then schools are sending a message to children that readers affected by these topics aren’t as important as who wrote the Declaration of Independence. It also sends the message that any non-heteronormative literature isn’t deemed appropriate and that the mere existence of the LGBTQ+ community is deemed unfit for the classroom. If children don’t learn about each other’s identities in proper school environments, whether parents like it or not, they will find another way that could lead to misinformation and judgment. What message are parents and administrators sending to their children if they are ripping away the first source of academic information students are exposed to?

high school and something that students should become involved in, however, it is not necessary for there to be an International Action Club, the LM Kindness Project, the Ronald McDonald House Club, and the Starfsh Club, when they all fall under the umbrella of what BuildOn accomplishes. If these clubs were to combine and all function under the same organization, the club would have more members, more resources, and more opportunities. For example, last year, CHOPPED Aces Nation absorbed the Culinary Arts Club because it conveniently provided the club leaders with a sponsor and eliminated an inactive club. Clubs that struggle to fll their rosters because they’re competing with virtually identical organizations should simply expand, possibly rebrand, and merge in order to be more successful.

Vivian Collins ’ 24

News Editor

LM is a high school known for its academic excellence, talented sports teams, and variety of clubs and activities available to students. While the increasingly signifcant amount of options for students is certainly something that our school should be proud of, there is a fne line between clubs dedicated to bettering the student body, and clubs that were founded solely to bolster a college application. There are clubs that have been at LM for over ninety years and some that were started recently that have the potential to become successful in the future. StartUpLM is a prime example of a brand new club that is set up to be very helpful and impactful for students moving forward. On the other side of the spectrum, there are clubs that have seemingly forgotten that they exist. There are “clubs” that were advertising at the activities fair back in September and haven’t sent out an email since. In addition, some clubs have not had a single meeting, printed out a single fier, or made any move to contribute to the LM community. For these reasons, LM needs to rethink the criteria necessary to start a club. When completing the application to start a new club, founders should have to design a rough outline of their plans for the year that provides goals for each month. Along with a plan, clubs should have to give their sponsors and Activities Director Jason Stroup bi-monthly updates on what they’re working on. This way, clubs will make progress that is easily trackable. If students struggle to meet this criteria, they should seek assistance from the club sponsor or Stroup. Community service is undoubtedly an important part of

Aside from the structural issues with clubs at LM, the lack of legitimate dedication is one that must be addressed. It is no secret that students often join clubs because it will look good on their college applications. While it could be argued that that’s a valuable way for club leaders to increase membership, students should join clubs because they want to participate, not because they need a resume boost. Four extremely dedicated club members are way more valuable than twenty members who don’t attend meetings or assist in any way. If a student is truly passionate about something and wants to share it with the rest of the student body, then there could be merit for them to start a club. An organization designed to appeal to colleges should put more energy towards bettering their club, rather than bolstering their resume. This is not to say that students should not attempt to join or start new clubs at all. It is, however, important that the clubs and organizations at LM are efective, efcient, and goal-oriented. Modifed criteria for starting clubs will weed out the students that are not as committed to starting an organization as others and provide club leaders with a plan of action for the school

year. Consolidating LM clubs is also an efective way to better the club system by increasing membership and resources. This strategy additionally eliminates the inactive clubs at LM, maximizing the opportunities for active clubs. The notion of starting a club just to better one’s chances of getting into college is fundamentally lazy. LM doesn’t only have too many clubs; it has too many clubs that founders have forgotten to care about.

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

Popping politicians’ infated resumes

“Graduated from Baruch College and earned an MBA from NYU,” George Santos’ extensive resume included both of these entirely factually incorrect statements. But what are the consequences of lying to the general public and fabricating a false resume? For Santos, it’s being elected to one of the highest esteemed Congressional bodies in the world. This past November, Santos was elected to the 118th US House of Representatives to serve New York’s third district as a representative. In his campaign for ofce, Santos made claims to the public on the basis of his education, heritage, and experience in the feld. Upon further examination, however, many began to note many inconsistencies within the Congressman’s claims. Confronted, Santos acknowledged his lies but claimed it was on the basis of “pressure” from the Republican Party. But these “inconsistencies” were just the tip of the iceberg. In a representative democracy, we must be able to trust who we are voting for to represent us. How can we do this when they don’t even represent themselves truthfully. This level of deception is unacceptable.

Throughout his campaign, Santos continuously mentioned personal anecdotes regarding his family and their experiences. He claimed in multiple accounts that his grandmother was a Holocaust survivor. He later claimed that his mother Fatima was killed on 9/11. But as discovered by genealogist Megan Smolenyak, it was next to impossible that his grandmother was killed in the holocaust. Reports show that on 9/11, Fatima was in Brazil and didn’t apply to enter the US again until 2003. Santos continued lying about his past with a scary consistency. He made claims that he knew people in the Pulse shooting of 2016, and that he saved “thousands of animals in his self-made charity, Friends of Pets United”. Both were proven to be false once again. Many have claimed these fabrications, while clearly destructive, harmful, and arguably an attack on our very democracy, are protected under the First Amendment.

To make matters worse, this isn’t Santos’ frst recorded instance of blatant lies. Recent video coverage of a hearing conducted in 2017 reveals Santos testifying on record, under oath, that he “work[s] for Goldman Sachs,” an investment banking frm. The judge asked again to clarify, to which Santos replied “Yup.” There has been no record of Santos ever being employed by Goldman Sachs.

While Santos’ lies may be far and wide, it seems they may be catching up with him. Clear perjury faces Santos along with a slew of campaign fnance issues stemming from his spending reports, which are being proven to be fabricated. But even still, no charges have been fled against him. This begs the question of how? How was a US representative able to lie this prolifcally and still be elected? We know for a fact that Santos lied to his voters repeatedly, yet the repercussions are still not in efect. Santos will serve until 2024 unless convicted of a criminal charge—something that is highly unlikely. The scariest aspect of this is that it isn’t the frst example of a politician lying to their voters. Politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, have lied to voters for years about background information and personal experiences. We have seen examples from politicians like Donald Trump overstating his self-made business, Hillary Clinton exaggerating her claim that she dodged sniper fre on an airport tarmac during a 1996 visit to Bosnia as frst lady, Madison Cawthorn falsely claiming in his 2020 run for the House that an auto accident forced him out of attending the Naval Academy, Marco Rubio claiming that his Cuban immigrant parents fed Fidel Castro’s revolution, and Joe Biden over exaggerating his academic record in the 1980s. These lies, small and large, undermine the trust that American citizens need to have in their politicians. Without consistent accountability in place for lying to the broader public—especially as a politician—these same lies become normalized. Santos’s web of misinformation needs to serve as a wake-up call to the US government to institute repercussions for lying politicians. This wake-up call has been taken by two representatives. US Representatives Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Dan Goldman (NY-10) announced they are joining forces to introduce the “Stopping Another Non-Truthful Ofce Seeker”—or “SANTOS”—Act in the 118th Congress. The “SANTOS” Act amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and would require any candidate for Congress to fle additional information about their educational background, military service, and employment history. A candidate who knowingly and willfully provides false information would be punished with a $100,000 fne, one year in prison, or both.

It is only with strong action to prevent from spreading lies to the public at all scales that we can truly revitalize the importance of honesty and veracity. We need strides in accountability on behalf of our leaders to preserve our democracy. In my mind, this bill is crucial and further enforcement of honesty in public fgures must be continued in order to achieve a higher level of integrity in American politics.

Unwarranted and unlikely

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, analysts of the Asia-Pacific region have tried to draw parallels between the situation in Ukraine and the strained relationship between Taiwan and China. Both countries claim to be the “true China,” with the nominally communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) ruling over the mainland while the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan for convenience) rules over the island of Taiwan in the South China Sea. The “conflict” between them is a frozen one, left over from the Chinese Civil War in which the Nationalist Party lost and fled to Taiwan in 1949. In the following decades, China has postured and beat its chest, claiming that reunification is imminent and necessary, yet no serious action has come of it. President Xi Jingping has followed his predecessors in proclaiming the importance of unification while doing little to change the status quo. Consequently, despite what much of the US media would have one believe, the situation

today is hardly different from the past seventy years.

The likelihood of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is extremely low. Taiwan is armed to the teeth with advanced defense systems and huge reserves of manpower in the millions that would be mobilized in the event of an invasion. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would, without a doubt, be the single largest amphibious assault in history and one of the biggest logistical challenges ever. In order to overcome the defender’s advantage, the PRC would need to assemble an invasion force consisting of literal millions—probably over a million direct combat troops plus support for them. Supplying these troops and even just getting them to landing zones would be a logistician’s nightmare. Even if the Chinese army gained a foothold, it would take intense, brutal combat for them to gain ground. Additionally, Taiwan could count on the direct support of the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific Region (despite US claims of “strategic ambiguity”). Direct conflict between nucleararmed powers could all too easily lead to the annihilation of everything, something I doubt China is willing to risk. Even if we subtract nukes from the equation, China and thus the rest of the world would still suffer economic catastrophe as a result of sanctions and blockades. President Xi and the PRC are too savvy to believe that any good can come of an invasion of Taiwan.

Yet, even though an invasion is quite unlikely, the mainstream media and foreign policy establishment in the US has been trying to stir up anti-China hysteria. Recently, the “spy balloons” fiasco has damaged relations, even as uncertainty remains regarding what these various flying objects are and what their purpose is. General Mike Minihan of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) issued a memo in January predicting that the US would be at war with China by 2025 and telling his men to prepare for war including settling their personal affairs. The AMC is an Air Force formation that comprises almost 50,000 airmen. The Defense Department denied that Minihan’s jingoist views represented official policy, but the announcement is and should be seen as deeply concerning. If a Chinese general had made a similar statement, the news media would go insane with demands for apology and calls for retribution.

The US must stop trying to create conflict with further military escalation in the Asia-Pacific region and trying to resurrect a mostly cold conflict. Of course, the possibility of war always exists, but the US should be using its geopolitical weight to de-escalate the situation, finding solutions rather than acting in a reactionary manner. With the future so uncertain, cooperativism is the only way forward.

Mihir Steingard ’24

Nour Blankinship ’23

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

The Merionite | Arts & Entertainment

Petal power!

Hannah Cohen ’25

As the spring approaches, the talk of the city is the annual fower show, which runs in the heart of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest and longest-running horticultural event in our country dating all the way back to 1829, attracts more than 250,000 people each March. Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast, or just looking for a fun activity, it has a little bit of everything. This includes blooming bouquets, jewelry made from fowers, amateur competitions, crafts, activities, unique plants, ideas for your garden, and much more. There are also food vendors present at the event ready with Philly favorites and dishes that range from many diferent cultures. You can fnd anything from a delicious Charcuterie Bento Box to a Mediterranean Mezze Box full of favor. You can eat, dance to live music, and enjoy the beauty all at once. Plus, it is a rain or shine event, and if you don’t want to, you don’t even have to step foot outside to get to it! You can walk through to reach the convention center from Jeferson Station without a droplet of rain ever getting on you. The show is made to be accessible for all and is a proud example of the “brotherly love” that our city strives for. The planners of the event seek to teach sustainable gardening tactics, display diverse plants, and design concepts. The possibilities with horticulture (which is the art or practice of garden cultivation and management) are endless. According to Health

Talk UNC, gardening can not only build self-esteem and happiness, but reduce stress and improve heart health. It can also create tight-knit communities and serve as a great outlet. After talking to Maria Reynolds ’24, she ofered some great insight into the Flower Show Club. Reynolds

shares, “The Flower Show Club has presented a really awesome opportunity for my friends and I too get involved with something creative regarding design and learn more about horticulture in general.” This all furthers the positive message that the Philadelphia Flower Show longs to vocalize. This year, the vibrant and fun event takes place in the Pennsylvania Convention Center from March 4 to March 12, and its theme is “The Garden Electric!” It is inspired by the feeling of joy from giving or receiving fowers. That joy will be captured throughout the artistry that runs through all exhibits in the show. Previous themes have included “In Full Bloom,” “Flower Power,” and “Wonders of Water.” Each brings a new aspect to the show, and is unique to that. Another member of the Flower Show Club, Jenna Bellamy ’26, was eager to share their eforts regarding the actual show. She mentions that their exhibit is based around the element of a “family tree” and “represents a backyard/patio that a family in the Philadelphia area might use.” The most important element to this was that they had to ft it into the garden electric theme that this year brings. This played into the process of them choosing furniture, garden decorations, and most importantly, fowers. All the members of the club have been working non-stop to get ready to set up their display for the show! You can spend just a few hours or all day at the event with tickets that cost just under ffty dollars. The money for the ticket goes towards great causes that beneft communities all around. The PHS website writes, “[it] helps fund the thousands of trees PHS plants each year, the design and maintenance of our free public gardens for all, and the support of more than 170 community gardens throughout the region.” Proceeds also provide low-cost programming, supports jobs, and helps create livelihoods for people working in green jobs. You won’t want to miss this spectacular event; and if you happen to go, Reynolds and Bellamy encourage LM students to show their support

Raging over Rihanna

Rihanna hosted her comeback performance at the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and let's just say, the queen is back. She returned with a very special guest: not JAY-Z, not Eminem, not Calvin Harris, but her second baby. Confrmed by her representative fol lowing her internet-breaking performance, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are expecting their second child within upcoming months. Despite the announcement of her second preg nancy, an additional surprise was her ability to faunt twelve "RiRi classics" in a thirteen minute performance so fawlessly. The setlist included numerous hits, including: "Where Have You Been," "Umbrella," "Only Girl (In The World)," and, of course, many more. Essentially, she comfortably and chicly highlighted the key parts of her career in the last couple of decades—similar to her backup dancers, who wore pufy, chic white jackets with iconic silver sunglasses. Unlike those around her, Ri sported a bright, iconic red bodysuit with a pufer red jacket on top as well— all of which was zipped low, revealing to the world that she was pregnant once again. For choreogra phy, it was safe to say that only the best of the best were elected to participate in this performance. The choreo was tightly synchronized, smooth, and swift, which later sparked a trend on TikTok where users imitated the performance's dances. Any one of the dances or songs performed could be considered a highlight, but the show's high point came eight minutes into the perfor mance when her Stay Puft-like dancers ran down the feld to the Rihanna-fea

tured Kanye West track, "All of the Lights," which now ofcially belongs to her since her Super Bowl performance (according to me, duh). Prior to singing this track, RiRi (backed by her followers) paused to promote her cosmetics line while its trumpet-like fanfare was swirling around her. She applied some Fenty Beauty Powder on her face before grabbing the microphone. Now, that is a businesswoman and an artist for you. With over 140 million Instagram followers, 1.4 billion dollar net worth, fourteen numer one songs, an iconic makeup and skincare brand, it is safe to say that Rihanna owed us nothing, but she gave us everything.

I know you're praying she releases her ninth studio album soon, but I promise it will be worth the wait—Rihanna is the only girl in the world who can still have this much hype and success after six years of releasing no new music or per formances. Although the year’s performance recieved much positive response from the media, many people found some of Rihanna’s dancing to be suggestive and critiziced her for her preganancy reveal. The singer made head lines as she was recognized for being the frst pregnant woman to perform a halftime show at the Superbowl.

Regardless of their opinions, many people fail to realize that Rihanna breaks all barriers down for women in the future; opening doors and express ing art in various ways while making a statement after being absent for a long period of time.

Graphics by Tillie Swartz ’25/Staf

Nolan Shanley ’23

Photos by Siobhan Minerva ’24/Staf

Many fowers are displayed in mulitple ways to emphasize the beauty of various foral forms, featuring fowers of all types.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

Celebrating women who tell our stories

Throughout this year’s Women’s History Month, LM can work to remember and honor past generations of inspiring women. Women can be celebrated in a variety of ways, one of which is through flms and literature that tell their stories. Here are some movies and books that you should check out this month.

Of course, there are biopics (movies telling the story of a person or persons life) such as The Iron Lady, about Margaret Thatcher, and Frida, about artist and activist Frida Khalo. Natalie Portman plays Jackie Kennedy in Jackie, the former frst lady and widow of JFK. Margot Robbie stars in I, Tonya, about the famous fgure skater, Tonya Harding. Another famous flm is Hidden Figures, a biopic about the three Black female mathematicians who were the masterminds behind NASA. They used their intelligence to help people while facing immense prejudice.

One documentary telling the story of an amazing woman is RBG. This documentary follows the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg—a Supreme Court Justice and hero who faced tremendous sexism, but did not let that stop her from changing America. One flm that is less well known, but contains a great story, is Sacheen

The flm is about Sacheen Littlefeather, an actor and activist. Littlefeather, who comes from Apache and Yaqui ancestry, was famously booed at the Oscars in 1973 for declining the Best Actor award on behalf of Marlon Brando for the portrayal of Native Americans in Hollywood. This is a good pick if you want to learn about women who aren’t afraid to stick to their beliefs. There are also fctional movies that follow women as they grow up, often referred to as “coming of age stories.” The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants follows

friends (played by talented women like America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn and Blake Lively) on their summer adventures. The classic story of Little Women is about a young woman’s journey into womanhood during the American Civil War. This memorable story about women was directed by one too! The movie was directed by Greta Gerwig, one notable female director. Other talented and acclaimed directors worth noting are Sofa Coppola and Isabel Sandoval. Coppola has won one Academy Award, and Sandoval became the frst transgender woman of color to compete in the Venice Film Festival.

For readers, here are some book recommendations that highlight inspiring women. Joy Luck Club, written by Amy Tan, follows four Chinese women who immigrated to San Francisco in 1949. Through meetings and sharing moments from their culture, they bond over their tragedies. Another book is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This book tells the story of the woman behind the infamous HELA cells that have helped the world. Lacks died of cancer, but her cells lived on, with her family getting no credit or income. The book follows the Lacks family and the story behind the HELA cells.

It is also important to celebrate other great female authors, such as poets Amanda Gorman and Maya Angelou. I recommend trying out The Hill We Climb by Gorman and Still I Rise by Angelou. Beloved by Toni Morrison is great if you need an enriching read. Finally, you cannot go wrong with Laurie Halse Anderson’s books Fever 1793 and Chains

Use these 31 days to your advantage to explore the vast world of creativity by and about women!

Hooked on Bell Hooks

What does it mean to love? Bell Hooks, renowned feminist and writer, spent many years of her career answering this exact question. After only reading two of her books (and recently starting a third), I would consider my mind transformed. If I could add a few of Hooks’ books to LM’s required reading list, I would add the following three.

All About Love. Hooks released a trilogy on love back in 1999, a time where complaining that you felt unloved was borderline taboo. She defnes love as this combination of knowledge, trust, respect, afection, commitment and care—she makes it very clear that mistreatment and love are mutually exclusive. I read All About Love at a hard time in my life. I was struggling to accept who I was as a person and failed to make meaningful connections due to this self loathing. Hooks acknowledged my internal anger, and reminded me of the beauty of self love and community. This book helped me see forgiveness in a new light. I’m sure many of us grow up with grudges in our hearts against even the people dearest to us, but we’re taught to cling onto it as a means to “one day get revenge.” Letting go can actually be liberating; I learned that it is not associated with weakness at all. Love will always be stronger than pride. I also learned the most important thing: love is not just a feeling, it’s an action. It is something that you choose to do.

Communion: The Female Search for Love. This is the third book in Hooks’ series about love, and I’m sure I’ll hold the messages from this book

in my soul for a long time. Our current civilization stresses the individual in ways that are unhealthy. There are sayings such as “learn not to care,” “move in silence,” and “never be dependent on others,” that are actually extremely detrimental to not only our self progress, but on society as a whole. Community is what keeps us going. It connects us in knowledgable and intimate ways. I’ve always been an introvert, someone that needs hours of alone time each day, but it would be wrong for me to say that I don’t need a strong community in order to survive. Love in friendship is one of the least talked about forms of love, but ultimately one of the most important.

The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love. Do you wish that the men in your life were more loving? Do people excuse it and say, “that’s just how men are?” Hooks states in her writing that no gender is biologically more nurturing than the other, it’s all learned behavior. We fail to realize that patriarchy is a system that afects men as well as women. And the word patriarchy itself, what does it even mean? Many people feel lost when hearing this word, failing to support women’s liberation and men’s path to become more loving due to their ignorance. Hooks realizes this as she carefully defnes and sets into reality what this word means. No one is taught how to love, and men often have a hard time expressing emotions that aren’t anger because patriarchal views make it seem like it’s not okay. There are also many men that get into relationships with women, but they lack achievements in life. They end up doubting their partners love simply because they believe that love must be earned, and that they can’t be loved for themselves. But it is up to men to ultimately realize that they have the power to love and be loving.

Sasha Grollman ’26

Dia Ahmad ’23

Graphics by Julia Zorc ’24/Staf

Graphic by Eliza Liebo ’25/Staf

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Graphic by Georgia Bond ’25

Although not always recognized, The Merionite is exploring the aspects of Special Education and its presence at LM. In order to help those with disabilities achieve success, National Developmental Disability Awareness Month (NDDAM) serves to spread awareness and foster growth within the disability and greater community. The month prompts all people to be more inclusive of those with disabilities, and central to National Developmental Disability Awareness Month at LM is the Special Education Department.

Special education has changed dramatically throughout American history. Prior to the introduction of modern laws protecting and expanding special education access, access differed greatly for students with disabilities. Those with disabilities were often placed in schools or programs with a drastically worse quality of education than general education counterparts. These schools were often not even part of the state system, but rather institutions that didn’t always offer clear assessment models.

However, the direction of special education took a turn with the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The precedent for equal education with regard to race translated to special education with regard to ability. Following the ruling, a series of federal

“Inclusion at LM is shown in a mix of all the clubs, like Best Buddies, Black Student Union, Asian Culture Club, and other clubs that incorporate the student body. Also, students with disabilities are in the hallways, in tegrated in school events. LM is inclusive in all the different clubs and events that make sure everyone can be educated.” -

Eliza Castello ’24

“LM is the greatest school ever, and Best Buddies is the greatest program because it is so fun. We do different events from October to June, but my favorite thing in Best Buddies is just hanging out with my friends. Also, sports make LM more inclusive. While managing the football and swim teams, and doing Unifed Track, I feel included.” -

Kyle Glover ’23

“LM defnitely has some groups that go out of their way (for example, Players and Ultimate Frisbee) to make their programs available and acessible to students with special needs.” - Academic Seminar Teacher Christina Minecci

laws sought to expand special education. In the 1966 Amendment to Elementary and Secondary Education, the federal government began to provide funds to special needs students in public schools. In the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, the government expanded availability of federal programs to include all students with special needs. With the notorious No Child Left Behind Act, school districts began to provide more trained professionals to instruct students of varying abilities. Even with these laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stands as arguably the most signifcant law providing for expanding special education access. As of the 2020-21 school year, the IDEA ruling currently provides special education access to 7.5 million Americans. The IDEA provides grants to support both special education within educational institutions, as well as research and other programs to support the development of special education. In Pennsylvania, special education laws mostly follow the IDEA requirements, with the exception of various state specifc tests and extensions to IDEA. The Special Education Department at LM is an exemplary vision of IDEA and inclusion at school.

“Inclusion at LM is important to promote socialization, for sure. That’s a big thing with students who have disabilities. A lot of times they are isolated so they are only among students who are just like them. It is important to integrate them into the LM population so everyone can learn how to socialize.”

- Instructional Aide

Jenell Reid-Carter

“As a new employee of Special Education, I fnd the way we involve all students to respect each other as an inclusive community is remarkable. I have never seen a com

munity as inclusive and welcoming of all learners like I’ve seen here.”Special Education Teacher Adin Michelen

Coming together

Ethan Silber ’24

“I feel included at LM because I do track, I’m doing PAES lab and Best Buddies, I say hi to friends in the hallway, I do stage crew and Robotics club. My friends at LM make me feel happy and I can be casual. I’m doing Friendship Circle with my friends too! When I get older I’ll become an HVAC repairman. In PAES lab I work on skills so that I can get an internship someday.” -

I am constantly impressed with how so many of our students understand that accommodating students with all kinds of needs is important and benefts everyone. It is easy to see in Best Buddies, but it is also something that happens in classrooms when students are patient and thoughtful. It is really encouraging and exciting as a teacher to see students reach out to those who work differently than them and include them in various ways. It speaks volumes the character of our students.”

-English Teacher

James Haglund

In promoting inclusion, LM’s chapter of Best Buddies plays a large role. The worldwide organization focuses on inclusion for people of all abilities through friendships, jobs, homes, and other resources. Specifcally, at school chapters, Best Buddies becomes an inclusive community, creating new friendships and engaging participants through social events. In high school and college chapters, students have the opportunity to be matched one-on-one to create a “Buddy Pair.” This connects students with similar interests so that they can develop a relationship in a supportive environment. These Buddy Pairs spend time together during Best Buddies events that chapters put on. Some of LM’s chapter events this year included the Halloween party, a bowling outing, and a Valentine’s Day Semi-Formal. On March 15, Best Buddies will be hosting a Zumba class. A variety of activities is meant to encourage movement and exercise as a whole group.

The LM Best Buddies community has been incredibly strong for years. Led by Special Education Department Chair Heather Van Horn, the club boasts membership upwards of a hundred students each year, with around thirty matched Buddy Pairs. In the past, multiple LM Best Buddies leaders have been nominated for statewide recognition for their dedication to the organization through the Champion of the Year campaign. Best Buddies is just one example of LM promoting inclusion. Staff and students alike fnd ways each day to celebrate our differences and ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable at school. Best Buddies is just one group leading the way this month, celebrating neurodiversity.

Ilana Zahavy ’24, Michelle Kelly ’23 and Luke Shepard ’24 Senior Graphics Editor and News Editors

Speaking up!

One program that Best Buddies International offers is called Ambassadors, which includes training sessions to teach leadership, self-advocacy and speech writing. It culminates in a creation and presen tation of a speech. While this is typically organized in the corporate setting, LM Best Buddies participants pioneered a student version of the event on Febru ary 7. Club offcers and around ten other students attended, learning from Best Bud dies Staff members and other Community Partners. They engaged in discussions about how to stand up for themselves and others and fght for a world of inclusion.

Kyle Glover ’23 notes that he didn’t know anything about Ambassadors before the event, but he says, “I just learned and had a great time. Now I can go to different events and share my speech.” The goal of hosting the event at a high school was to give younger students the chance to learn self advocacy even earlier in life and give all students a voice.

In addition to NDDAM, World Down Syndrome Day is celebrat ed on March 21 each year. This date celebrates the unique genetic code for Down Syndrome, a trisomy (third copy) of the 21st chro mosome (hence the date 3/21). Typically, the day is recognized through a campaign called Rock Your Socks, encouraging people to wear crazy striped and mismatched socks since they resemble chromosomes. At LM, Best Buddies joins in celebrating by sell ing socks to fundraise for the club. Last year, students from a Global Citizenship class raised over $500 by selling socks during the school day in the lower atrium. Make sure to look out for another sock sale this year to be ready for Rock Your Socks Day! To show your support and celebrate Down Syndrome awareness on March 21, wear your craziest socks and spread the word about inclusion.

Best Buddies

Friendship Walk

Every year, Best Buddies holds a massive international event, the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. Although individually organized in different locations on different days, the entire event brings together school chapters, community members, donors, and more to unite people in a large fundraiser. It is one of two fundraisers of this size that Best Buddies Pennsylvania uses to source the majority of income for the year. Individual walkers and/or teams can raise money for Best Buddies programs in the area through a donation website, by fnding sponsorships, and by giving on the day of the event. The Friendship Walk website allows anyone to view different walk locations and details for each event, while also viewing teams of walkers and individuals themselves to read their stories and donate to their pages. The fundraising also includes a competitive element, pushing individuals and teams to raise as much money as possible and register as many walkers as possible. On the day of the walk itself, teams from different chapters all join in a celebration, where there is a short accessible walk. The day also includes performances, speeches, games and activities, lunch, and chances to meet and interact with other Best Buddies participants in the area. Exceptional chapters are recognized for their growth and success. LM Best Buddies showed out and Sydney Manko ’24 was one of the top ten individual fundraisers in Eastern Pennsylvania! This year, the walk will be outdoors at Freedom Business Center in King of Prussia. The worldwide theme for this year’s walk is Inclusion Without Limits, encouraging everyone to go beyond just the Best Buddies bubble and focus on inclusion in their everyday lives. LM Best Buddies has a walk team registered online this year. Anyone is welcome to register online to join the team at bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org.

-Instructional aide Simon Telfer

Let’s get shamrocking!

Lila Anaf ’24

Main Line works

The Main Line is known for its high-end retail shopping carpeted along Montgomery and Lancaster Avenues and throughout other commercial areas. The glamorous stores provide the locals with easy access to all they need on a daily basis. It also allows eager students to seek a job to fll an extra-curricular slot, or something that peaks their interests. Students of LM can look no further than a fve minute walk from school. Suburban Square is one of the highest-end retail blocks on the Main Line, however there are plenty of opportunities for students to fnd work. Andrew Blum ’24 works at Di Bruno Brothers in the Farmers Market and believes the hours are “great during the summer, but can be hard during the school year because the market closes at six. They are great in the summer because you can do a full shift but still have the afternoon and night to do other stuf.” The Farmers Market houses several other possible job opportunities including Stoltzfus, Tabouli, and The Ultimate Bake Shoppe. Blum commented, “The market is a good place to work because there are so many diferent types of interesting shops in it. It is very nice that it is so close to the school because overtime is ofered for a couple hours after the school day, you can just walk there in minutes.” Oath or Cava are two other great options within Suburban Square. Ardmore is a hub of job opportunities. As you just go under the bridge, a whole other world opens up. Buckman’s Ski Shop is one of several options including Chipotle, Jules Thin Crust, and others.

Outside of the pocket directly surrounding the school, Narberth is another major core of job opportunities for LM students. One of the most popular jobs among the student body is working at Narberth Pizza, either in store or as a delivery driver. Other opportunities in Narberth includes the Wawa directly across the street from Narberth Pizza. Narberth Theater is also a consistent hirer of LM students. Riley Noble ’24 has been working there for a couple of years and says, “The Narberth Movie Theater has created a really fun and social environment to work in. The managers are helpful and understanding, and there are always people to joke around with.” Narberth is a densely populated area and the numerous shops in the small two-block long strip are consistently looking for employees. Just down the street from Narberth is the Wynnewood Shopping Center. This is another hot-spot for LM students. Delancey Street Bagels used to be a huge employer of LM students, but they closed last year. However, there are still plenty of options available such as Crumbl Cookies which has flled the large burden Delancey left. Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza also looks to hire students as they need table runners. Then of course, there is ACME. The two ACMEs near LM are a great spot for students to work as they are close to the school and always seem to be needing employees.

Overall, the area around LM provides many opportunities, even more than the ones previously mentioned. Pizza places, grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants and more are always looking for employees and LM students are just the people they need. So if you ever feel stressed about getting a job or being rejected, just remember there are plenty of great options all around.

Cushy classrooms

LM is one of the biggest high schools in the Main Line and has a wide array of teachers and staf that make up the school. There are many classrooms that students learn and study in everyday that are decorated in a variety of ways. With that being said, there are some classrooms that have really stood out as being the best decorated in the school. These teachers have really brought their “A” game in decorating and have made their classrooms a fun space for students to learn and grow in. Here is a list of teachers with some of the best classrooms: Her AP Psychology classroom has caught many students’ eyes when it comes to its poster decor. Her walls are flled with Time magazine covers which is one of the coolest decorations seen in all of the classrooms at LM. These covers show global icons, pivotal historical events, as well as movements that are currently happening or have happened and are still relevant today. She also has an assortment of other psychology related posters and fairy lights in her room that make it a cozy and appealing environment. This unique decorum is what makes her room at the top of the list. one of the coolest at LM. The room is flled with many popular albums with a Latin twist. These room as well as highlight students’ work in an inviting way. Another centerpiece of her room is the have decorated their classrooms and simultaneously relate to the content of the course they teach. tice the student work that is highlighted, which is something so important and inviting to see. tered things, her room has everything bio-related. The fact that everything in her room is student ing students’ work is nice to see because it showcases the dedication and hard work of the students. Also, the fact that there is a skeleton in her room is another cool feature that promotes a playful and comfortable environment within the walls of her classroom.

4. Ms. Dyson: As sluggish students walk into Ms. Dyson’s classroom on a rainy day, they are immediately met with a classroom that is snug and pleasant. Throughout the room, string lights are hung and for the most part, the lights stay of. This always leaves stressed teenagers with a friendly place to relax and also increases productivity. Sam Serruya ’24 relays, “every time I walked into Ms. Dyson’s classroom last year, I felt I was able to focus more compared to other classroom that were frequently well lit.” Additionally, Ms. Dyson’s classroom receives plenty of natural light so the room is still welll lit for students to complete work and stay attentive.

LM is an amazing school, and the main reason for this is the teachers provide incredible oferings for their students. Many teachers have found ways to further promote a better teaching environment at LM by adjusting their classrooms to the likes of their students. As LM becomes increasingly more competitive and crowded, unique and comfortable classrooms is an extremely important aspect more teachers should implement so that students can perform at their best.

Graphic by Ilana

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

Ben Cromer ’24 Copy Editor

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

Alexa Saler ’25

Senior Project Season

Aaron Silber ’26

At LM, every senior must complete a project in order to meet the graduation requirements. Although this is just another assignment, many students take advantage of the opportunity to fulfill goals and try unique experiences.

Evan Naiburg’s senior project is to teach Kung Fu. He described the martial art, how his master trained with Bruce Lee, and the fact that he started training thirteen years ago. Without a doubt, he is someone you really don’t want to mess with. Naiburg explains, “Kung Fu is special to me because it has given me life and structure.” Naiburg hopes that he will convince people to try martial arts. He continues, “Usually, people don’t try Kung Fu because they don’t know what it’s like. I really hope to change that!” Naiburg is going to work alone for his project because there are no other seniors that have the same experience as him in Kung Fu. Martial arts is a big part of Naiburg’s life, so he is really excited to use his skills in his senior project.

One student’s fascinating senior project set the bar very high. Mike Galloway took his passion for winemaking and created a senior project centered around it. His cousin introduced him to winemaking when he was little and now he has grown to love this hobby. He says that winemaking is not his career choice, but he still does it for fun. His cousin is his mentor in his project. Winemaking is an intriguing thing to learn about, and Galloway’s project is a great example of expanding on an interest. Some students want to use their senior project as a guide to help others. Marlon Bogle’s senior project is to teach as a middle school teacher. He hopes to use his experience to help and infuence middle school students, and teach them about the high school journey. He explains, “This [project] is really special to me because I would really like to go back to middle school to see how far I have come as a student.”

He added, “I don’t really want to become a teacher, but I think the aspect of helping students is important because there are a lot of students who are afraid to ask for help, so I wanted to show them how they could advocate for themselves.” Bogle wants to make students feel more comfortable in their environment. He is going to shadow a teacher from Bala Cynwyd Middle School for his senior project. What Bogle is doing is really going to have an impact on the middle school students because it really shows how caring a lot of people are within the district.

Andrew Sandos has a passion for sports psychology. His senior project is to work in an internship with Dr. Joel Fish, a sports psychologist who has worked with many major sports teams, such as the Flyers, the 76’ers, the Phillies, and the USA National Women’s Soccer Team. He is the only person in the country who works in more than three felds of sports. Sandos commented, “I’ve always been interested in psychology because my mom is a social worker for cancer patients, and I have a passion for sports, so I thought I would mix both of my interests together.”

Sandos also would like to gain more experience from other people in the school, and to have a deeper understanding of the performance of students. He wants to focus on how he could help them not only in sports, but also in the classroom. Sandos hopes to become a sports psychologist when he graduates college. Sandos continued, “I’ve always had a dream about being involved in sports, so when I found out about sports psychology, I was really interested in it! I always wanted to work with a team, so it’s the perfect starting point to achieve my goals after I graduate college.” Sandos would like to help others from school, and eventually, beyond into the big leagues!

Sarah Stanger is going to play a prominent role in the planning, execution, and overall creation of a mural themed towards inclusivity and diversity at LM. She stated, “What’s truly special to me is being able to embark on a project that uses my passions and my interests in order to spread a collective message to a greater audience, to voice the ideals of our student body, and to help demonstrate the role of LM in creating a community where all can thrive.” Stanger’s goal is to create a reminder of the values of our school: promoting togetherness and unity while at the same time encouraging individuality and creative freedom. She proclaimed, “I hope to include all of the voices I possibly can. I want everyone to feel heard, to feel that their voice matters!”

Stanger doesn’t know what to do in the future, but she does think that “[her] senior project aligns with [her] imagined ideals and approach for the future: [she] plans on going to college to explore [her] passions both intellectually and in application within a community.”Stanger is not working alone. She states,“In these early stages of the process, I am working with a couple of wonderful underclassmen. As the project continues, I plan to involve many more people in order to properly refect the school community. This opportunity was presented to me by a small group of people, and I’m so excited to work with them to make this idea a reality.”

Stanger’s mural will defnitely open pathways to opportunity at LM. The mural is benefcial in representing the LM community because it shows the ideas and values that LM is trying to accomplish, and that the student body can fnally have a voice. This is one of LM’s major goals within the district. Stanger’s senior project will be a step forward in making LM a safe place for everyone to learn.

Embracing Equality

Vivian Collins ’24 News Editor

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8, and the IWD organization facilitates fundraisers, campaigns, and other forms of promotion. IWD was frst recognized in the United States over a century ago on March 19, 1910 in light of women’s protests in New York City against the unfair and unsafe working conditions of the textile industry. After women’s rights movements were held across the globe in countries such as Russia, Denmark, and Switzerland, the date of IWD was changed to March 8. But it wasn’t until 1975 that IWD was recognized by the United Nations. Later, in 1977 a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace was adopted to be observed on any day of the year, in accordance with the Member of States national traditions. Each year, the organization that represents IWD chooses a theme which dictates how the day is celebrated. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. It was chosen in order to show -

case the diference between the words equity and equality, which are often used interchangeably. According to IWD’s website, “Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.” The goal of this theme is to inspire discussions around the world on why “‘equal opportunities are no longer enough’–and can in fact be exclusionary, rather than inclusive.”

The conversation is not just applicable to women’s rights, as the organization wants to stand up for any and all marginalized communities. There is a multitude of ways that people can contribute to the #EmbraceEquity cause. Simply posting pictures of yourself hugging yourself on social media, the #EmbraceEquity pose, and tagging IWD’s official accounts is a great way to spread the ideas of equity and empowerment. Another way to participate in IWD is to raise money for organizations that help women in matters of healthcare, education, equal rights,

and so much more. While bake sales and car washes may seem simple, they can be very efective and have an extremely positive impact. In addition to IWD being held in March, the entire month also celebrates women’s history. Educating oneself on the contributions women have made to society throughout history is undoubtedly an exceptional way to show your support for IWD.

Even though the day has passed, there is no expiration date for supporting women’s rights and history. IWD’s initiatives continue all year long and there is never a shortage of opportunity to take action. Resources are available on IWD’s website: social media packets, contact information for lecturers, worksheets to educate younger kids, and even ways to get in touch with leaders of IWD organizations across the globe. IWD marks an important global celebration of the many economic, cultural, social, and political achievements by women. They should be acknowledged, as the fght for women’s equality is not yet over. The time to get involved is now!

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf and Calleigh Newbert ’26

Graphic by Julia Zorc ’24/Staf

Graphic by Eliza Liebo ’25/Staf

March bracketology at LM

With spring in the air and cold winter months in the rearview mirror, the sporting world turns its eyes to college basketball’s annual 64-team bracket: the NCAA March Madness tournament. Considering LM’s strong sports cul ture, it’s no surprise that some of your favorite teachers are following suit with tournament-style brackets of their own. This March, in Latin teacher Brooke Fireman’s classes, AP US History teacher Chad Henneberry’s classes, and all of the French classes, students will vote in their own unique ly themed brackets. preview of this year’s tions, starting with the original LM March Madness tournament that will be taking place in Latin classes.

If you’re a fan of Greek mythology and Roman history, you’d love Fireman’s take on The Big Dance. Martia Dementia, literally “march madness” in Latin, is a fght to the death between 64 of the most prominent in Greek mythology history that concludes ing of a single surviving champion. Each contestant falls under one of four main categories, separated into regions within the bracket: Heroes, Creatures, “in Historia”, and “the Ladies”. After flling in their bracket predictions, stu dents vote for their favorite characters, infuencing the likelihood of their pick moving on to the next round. The stakes are high, according to Fireman, who fully embraces

the friendly competition, calling it “one of the things about the competition I love most.” She also enjoys the timely nature of the tournament, observing that “the month of March nament: La Manie Musicale. In English, La Manie Musi-

cale means “musical mania,” a perfect title for this creative adaptation of a bracket-style challenge. Each day, the French teachers post a new music video on their Blackboard, and students can vote for their favorites. The videos represent diferent countries from around the world and combine a mixture of genres to provide students with a multicultural viewing experience. Julia Schrader comments, “The students like it because March is a long month, and they get to watch some fun videos. It’s a really start class.” La Manie another example of teachers transforming a boring curriculum into an engaging learning opportunity. Whether you like Roman history or US history, rap or an assortment of genres, LM ofers a diferent version of the March Madness bracket challenge for everyone of all interests. The best way to make these compeenjoyable as possible complete participation in one of these three classes, be sure to take advantage. If you’re not in any of these classes, don’t worry, the NCAA March Madness tournament is right around the corner, beginning with the First Four games on Tuesday, March 14. Just don’t get your hopes up for a perfect bracket because, for both Martia Dementia and the NCAA tournament, your odds at perfection are only one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (nine quintillion).

Features Editors

DISCLAIMER: e advice o ered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute for professional advice. If you have speci c concerns or a situation in which you require professional, psychological, or medical help, you should consult with an appropriately trained professional, counselor or a trusted adult. Please contact merionite@gmail.com with any concerns or questions related to this post.

A: Here is a list of ways to dry your hands:

1. Wipe your hands on a friend

2. Use an old worksheet

A: It’s always a good idea to try to stick to a schedule. Making to-do lists is a helpful way to organize your work and therefore use your time effciently. Set aside time to do your work and create specifc and man ageable goals to accomplish for the week. Focus on the fnish line and don’t give up!

A: One possible solution could be to use lunch and learn to visit your teacher or check and see if they do any after-school enrichment. You could also get a National Honors Society (NHS) student tutor by going to LM’s website, clicking “Activities,” and scrolling down to NHS where there is a google form to request a tutor. Finally, try looking online at sites such as Khan Academy for possible resources that could help you. Keep your ION the prize!

A: The best approach may be to try and take some space from your friend; still hanging out but doing so less frequently. You could also try to hangout in a group, so that you aren’t able to get into any sort of argument as easily as you would one-on-one. If that doesn’t work, try voicing your issues and seeing if anything changes.

A: It’s a shame that this is a concern. First of all, communication is very important with a counselor. If you are having this problem, chances are that other students are dealing with it as well. You can voice your concern to your counselor so that they can try to change for the better. If they are not giving you the support you need, there is always the option of talking to a trusted teacher instead.

Jake Stoller ’24 Graphic

Graphic by Eliza Liebo ’25/Staf

3. Pack a rag

4. Shake your hands to air dry

5. Use the air dryer

6. Hold your hands over a bunsen burner

Oscar nominations and predictions

Sebastian Havira ’23 Arts & Entertainment Editor

The annual Academy Awards nominations have been released to the public and it will certainly be the night of the year. The prestigious award honors all cinematic involvement for crew members and actors, making it one of the most important nights of modern day pop culture. 2022 has been an overall success for cinematic arts, bringing new stories to life and showcasing new talent. Austin Butler’s portrayal of Elvis Presely in Baz Luhrman’s biopic, the bar high for other actors competing in the Best Actor category. Recently, Butler received the BAFTA (the British acting award equivalent to the Oscars) award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, which indicates that Butler is well on his way to becoming an Oscar winning actor. Though many people are curious to fnd out who wins this category, the public eye has turned their attention to the Best Actress categories, more specifcally, Best Actress in a Leading Role. Although each brilliant actress competes for those ninety seconds of glory, the real competition seems to lie between Michelle Yeoh (for her portrayal of an aging Chinese immigrant in the Everything Everywhere All At Once Blanchett (for her portrayal of the musically inclined antagonist in actresses have demonstrated a range of emotion, however, Yeoh’s role in her flm could not beat Blanchett. Blanchett masterfully executed the slow yet dangerously

seductive role of a woman in a position of power, who preys upon vulnerable musicians. Additionally, I admire the Academy for nominating actresses of diferent ethnicities, promoting inclusivity and diversity. Additionally, I applaud EEAAO for earning eleven nominations in total, some included Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Directing, and even Best Motion Picture of the Year. , nine other flms (All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, The Fabelmans, TÁR, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Women Talking) have been nominated for the biggest award of the night: Best Motion Picture of the Year. After viewing Steven Speilberg’s, The Fabelmans, I can say without a doubt that the coming-ofage flm will receive the highest award of the night, along with Best Achievement in Directing. With great casting, superb performances (especially by Michelle Williams, who is also nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role), and yet a simple storyline, Speilberg’s story of one boy’s journey into adulthood with a passion for flm making won over the hearts of all viewers. I have high hopes for the 95th annual Academy Awards ceremony, and I think you should too. I hope everyone tuned into this event, this years Oscars are not one to miss. I am sure the evening will be full of fun, excitement and laughter, with Jimmy Kimmel as your host.

Little Women earns big accolades

Julia Dubnof ’23 Editor-in-Chief

For fve shows the weekend of February 9, the LM Black Box theater transformed into Civil War-torn America. Over the course of an hour and a half (with a ffteen minute intermission) one could witness the coming of age of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth March as written in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and adapted for stage by Scott Davidson. A beloved classic story given new life by Greta Gerwig’s 2019 flm, there are high expectations for any reproduction of the story. But with just the right balance of innovation and loyalty to the source material, LM Players wonderfully succeeded in bringing it to life. As even with the most well known shows, much of the storytelling comes down to the creative liberty of the director. Senior Nick Barr Bono made all the right choices. One key example was the decision to split the lead Josephine March into two roles: the younger “Jo,” conducting in all the interpersonal action, and the older “narrator,” an adult Jo telling the story in her novel. In the original production, Jo March would stay behind in each scene to break the fourth wall and address the audience in her narration. But here, at Barr Bono’s discretion, the audience got to imagine Jo truly as the young version of the narrator that she was. And Barr Bono’s decision was only amplifed by the casting—the Knight brothers, senior Jamie and sophomore Kiri, resemble each other so nearly in both appearance and mannerisms that the transitions were efortless and easily believable. It was a risky divergence from the source, but—thanks to strategic costuming, careful blocking, and performances

by the Knights—a risk that was well-paid of. Additionally, contributions of the rest of the actors cannot be understated. Veteran players’ talent came through as always: Anusha Vyas ’23 embodied the loveable yet temperamental and childish Amy, Abigail Parks ’23 the mature and eldest Meg, and Kendall Johnson ’23 as the adoring maternal fgure Marmee. But most worth noting was the performance of acting newcomer Sarah Stanger ’23 as Beth. As a senior, Stanger had never auditioned for a Players production before. But her ability to connect with the audience and embody the much beloved Beth through her illness and passing is nothing of a novice. “Even though I was terrifed,” Stanger refected, “Players was the safest space for me to completely jump into something I had never done before and completely immerse myself into being creative and myself without reservation.” Even more commendable, Stanger learned the piano for this part. On the Saturday night performance (and, according to Barr Bono, at many others), tears could be heard across the audience as Stanger made her metaphorical departure from the stage. Audiences can only hope that she continues acting her future beyond LM. Further successes should be attributed to the Costume Crew’s lovely period-inspired pieces and to Scenery for a dynamic and interesting structure that functioned as the March house. The show was brought together as much behind the scenes as on the stage—and overall, I believe it to be one of the most seamless performances I have ever seen in my four years at LM.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Avery Ender ’24

If you’re a Marvel fan like me, you have been counting down the days until the premiere of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The newest installment in the Ant-Man franchise was released in theaters on February 17. Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang in this thrilling and visually appealing adventure into the quantum realm. If you have not made it to the theaters yet, look out, there’s spoilers ahead. Marvel does many things very well, but one thing they are known for is taking suggestions from fans. The frst Marvel movies are known for being dark and gray. This was mostly the case until Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok Ever since these premiered, it is clear that making each movie more action packed, comical and colorful than the last is a top priority, and this newest addition does not disappoint.

When Janet van Dyne returns from the quantum realm after thirty years, everyone has some questions. Cassie Lang, activist and now quantum physicist, takes it upon herself to send signals to the quantum realm. Unfortunately, her machine malfunctions, and everyone gets sucked into the quantum realm. The quantum realm is fascinating, with a myriad of new creatures and beings. After the CGI disaster, She Hulk, Marvel has really stepped up their game in special efects.

As you may be able to tell, I don’t think the plot was the star of the movie (unless you count Paul Rudd as the plot). It starts out slow; there is a lot of searching and getting captured. Although, the last third of the movie is action packed and kept me on the edge of my AMC reclining lounge chair. The main villain, Kang the Conqueror, is similar to Thanos in that he is trying to “save the universe,” or in this case the multiverse. Unsurprisingly, he does more harm than good. My favorite

part of the movie was the return of Darren Cross as MODOK, Kang’s killing machine. As soon as I saw him, I was reminded of Mr. Electric from the childhood classic Sharkboy and Lavagirl. At the end of the movie, it almost seemed like the battle was going to be lost, but in classic Marvel fashion, our trusty heroes saved the day.

If you’re a true Marvel fan, you will know to stick around after the credits roll. To understand these end credit scenes, it’s helpful to have watched Loki. The frst one consists of a meeting between all the Kang variants. The main subject is a small group of said variants discussing the death of the Kang we saw in the movie. The one killed by our beloved heroes is understood to be the most powerful and feared variant. The scene sets up the future for the MCU and the rest of the multiverse saga. Die-hard fans who stayed until the second post credit scene saw the return of Loki and Mobius. They listened to a speech by a Kang variant talking about how time can be reshaped. Loki advises Mobius that Kang is a fearful villain. Marvel’s omission of certain details always creates suspense. Going into the movie as a casual fan, your mind might not be blown, but if you have a good amount about Marvel, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a must-see. We are introduced to important characters such as Cassie and Kang, who will no doubt be impactful in the future. The plot of the movie was not outstanding, but it was entertaining, with that classic Marvel humor. I think the flm relied heavily on the characters, and did a great job making you care them, except Janet. I don’t know if you were supposed to dislike Janet, but I hated her. Darren Cross made up for this contempt. All in all, defnitely check out Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania sooner rather than later.

Graphic by Eliza Liebo ’25/Staf

Photo courtesy of Wren Purcell ’25

Graphic by Annie Zhao ’24/Staf

The tech rehearsals were crucial in straightening out all the elements of the production in order to perfect the performance.

Vivienne Westwood was the frst designer to successfully bring the punk scene to high fashion. The groundbreaking designer used provocative religious imagery in order to advocate for the underprivileged, and fought for anti-consumerism. The British designer sadly passed away at the age of 81 on December 29, 2022 while being surrounded by her close family and friends.

Vivienne Westwood’s logo features a saturn-like fgure with an iron cross above it—similar to the ones British monarchs used to wear. The logo gained the nickname of “the orb” starting in 1970; the orb gained popularity because of its message of acknowledging the past but preparing for the future. And, without a doubt, Westwood lived up to this logo. She grew up in Derbyshire, England. Her mother was a seamstress and her father a shoemaker, and by watching them work she was inspired to start making clothes in her teenage years. Getting married in 1962 to Derek Westwood, she took his last name but quickly left him for Malcolm Mclaren (manager of the Sex Pistols) and pushed forward on her creative abilities. She studied tailoring techniques from Victorian era’s and combined them with an androgynous style. She displayed pieces of this sort during her frst catwalk collection in 1981. Many highlighted how the display reminded them of the golden age of England. Her obsession with royalty and class was highlighted in her self titled 1990 documentary. She was more than just a designer—she was an activist. She fought for many issues, from climate change to gender expression to free speech. Personally, the most notable instance of her using fashion for activism has to be her “I Am Not A

Terrorist, Please Don’t Arrest Me” line. Westwood had created these Tshirts with childlike handwriting in order to combat anti-terrorist laws in England. These laws allowed the government to lock people up for three months without reason. All of the profts for this line went directly to charity. Again and again, Westwood carefully ultilized her designer status as a way to put her activism for civil rights on a pedestal. She would often be seen at environmental demonstrations. Vivienne Westwood would constantly speak up against over-consumerism, one of her most famous quotes being “Buy less, choose well, make it last.” Current fans of her work defnitely need to hear that statement. Although it’s trendy and visually appealing, Westwood should not be reduced to her orb necklaces. She pushed forward in the fashion industry and is one the most reputable and timeless female designers of all time. Her children and granddaughter have plans on using The Westwood Foundation, a nonproft that will launch in 2023, in order to protect her legacy. In her memoir she wrote how “What I am doing now, it still is punk,” meaning that she wants to make people think and act out against injustice. As much as I admire her provocative designs, and the iconic use of the orb, what I love the most about her will always be her strong sense of values. I strongly believe that everyone can learn something from Westwood, whether it beginning the courage to start your own brand one day, to pursue your own dreams, or to stand up and advocate for what you believe in. Westwood’s name should be the frst in our mouths when we discuss female creatives that could really focus and make something happen.

Style highlight: Sophia Daugherty

Siobhán Minerva ’24

Arts & Entertainment Editor

The halls of LM are flled with students wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants, and pajamas. They blend into the mobs of groutfts. Still, some individuals choose to display their inner creativity on the outside, with eye-catching pieces that form innovative ensembles. These students stand out and form a positive impression on the minds of observers. One student who has always stood out for her captivating outfts is Sophia Daugherty ’24.

Daugherty’s personal style is quite fuid. When asked to describe her style, she says, “I don’t really know if there is a word that would describe my style, because I wouldn’t say I really have one.” This idea is evident in her outfts—one day she can be found pulling inspiration from the disco era, and the next day she can be found sporting a quintessential 90’s outft. She is admired for her versatility and simplicity. She comments, “I kind of just base what I’m wearing each day on how I’m feeling.”

In terms of inspiration, Daugherty pulls on many outlets, running from social media, to movies, and to celebrities. “I get a lot of my inspiration from TikTok,” Daugherty states. The space of TikTok has limitless potential to make something a trend. It was even able

When can you call something art, and where do you draw the line? Vincent van Gogh, one of the most renowned artists, created works to express the ups and downs of his turbulent life, as well as his own disturbed, personal mind. During his time, no one cared for his pieces; it was only after his death that his creations were hailed as important fgures of art. In modern times, it becomes difcult to judge what is “true art” and what is just a whimsical bombardment of random stock photos and maybe a single touch of special efects.

In fact, as AI becomes more prominent in our lives, the issue that most people have lies in the integrity and authenticity of art. Many arguments have been made that AI art is not really art and that a computer generated image is just the computer, not the user. To use AI generated works and call it art would ruin the meaning of it, for how can an abstract painting that took months to plan, create, and actually paint, be compared to a digital image created in under a minute? Other people argue the opposite. They say that art is a form of expression and that no matter how you create it, regardless of medium, it should be valued. So where does the world stand right now? To that, I say the world is hypocritical. The professional

to bring back a middle school favorite: UGGs, which Daugherty can often be found wearing. Additionally, she fnds inspiration from the fashion icon, Jane Birkin. Birkin became associated with the trends of layered necklaces, vintage denim, and peasant blouses. If you have seen the movie Almost Famous, you will be familiar with Kate Hudson’s chic fur coat. Daugherty “gets a bunch of inspiration from this movie.”

Daugherty is accustomed to the thrill of fnding a hidden treasure on the racks of a boundless thrift store. “I get most of my clothing from thrift stores and fea markets,” she comments. This fact is unmistakable given the unique and one-of-a-kind pieces she can often be found styling. Daugherty adds that she “enjoys making some of [her] clothes— which is knitwear.” In addition to the visual appeal Daugherty’s style brings, it is also something she wanted to do in her near future and college life— “I would defnitely love to work in fashion when I get older.” Sophia is a perfect example of how someone can carefully cultivate a distinct, personal, and memorable style by choosing unique that you feel comfortable in and keeping an open mind.

art world is able to make hundreds of thousands of dollars through art that, to the general public, has no visual signifcance. How is it that a banana taped to a canvas can be sold for $120,000 and the famous “Black Square” be sold for almost $85 million? The design is so incredibly simple yet it fetches for such a high price. This begs the question as to why? Why are people of wealth willing to pay such a high price for a banana or a black square? The reason is because of the idea it represents.

Ironically, the banana piece was created to mock the art world. The insanely high price helps to support its point that people are willing to pay anything for something as long as it has something “special to it.” And the “Black Square?” It was the frst painting created that served to emphasize the canvas, rather than a subject that it is portraying. Does this mean that a simple black square could be worth more than a visually appealing piece of AI art created with carefully selected color palettes and data collected from all over the internet? No. In some aspects the AI art could be worth more. If it is able to express either the anger, sadness, shame, pity, mundaneness, or happiness of the artist, who is to say which is better? All of this points to one idea. Art is an expression. Whether you call something art or not, frst ask yourself what it is that the artist is trying to express that they are unable to through words.

Noor Ahmad ’26

Grace Shang ’26

Graphic by Sasha Grollman ’26

Graphic by OpenAI

Graphic by Ilana Zahavy ’24/Staf

Striding from States to spring

From race to race, the LM boys indoor track team has been nothing but exceptional through their time spent at meets, with thousands watching and stif competition. Taking the largest team in LM history to indoor states this year, the program’s future looks bright. After racing successfully against opponents in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Lehigh, the Aces brought teams in the 4x800 meter race and the Distance Medley Relay (DMR). In addition, Andrew Gannon ’23 raced in the 1600 meter and Alex Goonewardene ’24 and Jaden Jeudy ’23 ran in the 800 meter at Penn State’s indoor track facility. The DMR highlighted the Aces’ success with a performance that gave Gannon, Goonewardene, Jeudy, and Sarem Khan ’24 medals. Such an event requires all members of the relay to have success in diferent distances. Where a traditional relay would use the four best runners in the same event, the DMR uses four diferent runners from four diferent distances; the competition is a true testament to distance programs. This entire group of runners serves to be even more impressive considering the notable absence of the many highly talented seniors that made up last year’s team, and the departure of previous coach David Van Houten (who led the team to the highest place the Aces had ever received at the cross country state championship). Despite a generally disappointing fnish in Cross Country States this year, the team morale didn’t seem to miss a beat. Bearing through workouts during the bitter winter months can often seem a daunting, if not painful, part of the sport, but this team has demonstrated that perseverance is the key to success on the oval. To add to the difculty of the season, some of the Aces have been without consistent coaching for much of the season (though other coaches have stepped up to bridge the gap). As for the sprint group, the spotlight wasn’t dim in that area either. Only fractions of a second of from a state-qualifying time, the 4x400 meter relay team proved that this is one of the most talented teams in school history.

Speaking on the team’s success and outlook towards the spring season, Khan spoke “I think [the momentum carrying over from recent accomplishments] should carry over

pretty well, especially for the sprinters as well, and defnitely all of us distance guys will have good momentum entering the spring season.” Though the weather may be transitioning from freezing to sweltering hot, such conditions fail to take away any of the excitement towards the many opportunities available on the track. Facing opponents from the Central League in competitions scheduled in-between certain larger meets, the season will most likely be highlighted by races in Coatesville, North Penn, West Chester Henderson, and Unionville. The team is also very hopeful to land runners in the Penn Relays, District, and State Championships towards the end of the season. With high expectations brewing and the desire to build on the past few years and create more Division One athletes, the runners will wear the singlets and lace their spikes with great pride and honor.

In arguably the most competitive event at States, the LM DMR, pictured above, fnished eighth in the state.

Coming in for a landing

Andrew Badt ’24

LM Basketball, as of March 8, has 21 wins and only 5 losses–another impressive season for the Aces. Head Coach Greg Downer has led the team exceptionally well, as LM has come to expect, coaching in his 33rd season and amassing over 600 total wins over the course of his illustrious career. Over the years, he has won the Central League title 17 separate times and captured the District Championship and State title times. Of course, the coach was not the only member of the program to enter their name in the record books this year. An exciting highlight of the season came when Sam Brown ’23 joined the thousand point club back in January, where his name will hang on the walls of the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium with other famous fgures in LM’s basketball history. In fact, only nineteen student athletes have ever reached this milestone. Brown signifed his importance to the program when, in his very frst game freshman year, he dominated twenty points. Since that frst game, he has been a crucial component of the Aces. Each year, his points per game and impact on the team have increased, contributing to Aces success. Last year, LM had a season flled with championship victories. LM won both the Central League Championship and District Championship. Sadly, this year, Radnor beat LM in the Central League Championship 60-46 and Plymouth Whitemarsh outscored the Aces 6448 in the PIAA Class 6A Semi-Final en route to the District Championship game. Despite these hard-fought losses, the Aces have nothing to be ashamed of. They have worked hard and managed to qualify for the Class 6A State Playofs via a second round win against Neshaminy. One reason for the team’s accomplishments this season stems from the impressive group of seniors that the team boasts. This group consists of Sam Wright ’23, Teddy

Pendergrass III ’23, Jordan Meekins ’23, Andrew Coyne ’23, Justin Poles ’23, and Brown. Wright, Pendergrass III, and Meekins all intend to take a prep-year this following year for another year of athletics in preparation for competing at the collegiate level. Coyne will continue his education at Ohio State University. Brown is attending the University of Pennsylvania and will continue to play basketball for the prestigious school. Currently, Poles is still exploring options for his academic and athletic future as he intends on playing soccer at the next level. Despite LM falling short this year in the Central League Championship and District Championship, they will attempt to win their frst State title since 2013. The team has qualifed for States thanks to impressive coaching and an array of experienced and committed players.

Serving up a three-peat

The LM Aces tennis team is back for another year, and is looking better than ever! In the conclusion of last season, the team won States for the second consecutive season in Hershey. The contest was hard fought, but ultimately the Aces prevailed, defeating Conestoga with a 3-2 match victory. The team hopes to once again win States this year.

The success of the team can be attributed to the talent and dedication of each player, as well as the leadership of the captains. Two players and captains instrumental to the team’s success last season, Justin Yi ’23 and Scotty Stuart ’22, will no longer be playing this season. In their place, four new captains have been named: Mark Lancaster ’23 (singles captain), Adam Lee ’23, Stoyan Angelov ’23, and David Liu ’23 (doubles captains). Each new captain has a role to fll, and the team is confdent that they too can lead them to victory. The roster also gained many talented freshmen, who will be flling the spots of the now graduated seniors. With the emergence of Nathan Dolgushev ’26 playing varsity singles, among many

Sam Abella ’24 Opinions Editor

other impressive freshmen, the spots left by the captains will be flled with strength for the foreseeable future. Each member of the LM tennis team is ecstatic to be back in action, and they have been training hard in the ofseason to make this season a success. But what has really set the team apart from other schools, besides talent, is the camaraderie between each player, whether varsity or junior varsity. Lan caster alludes to this, stating, “Some people ask me how you can have a tennis team when tennis is an individual sport. But for us, it really isn’t. Whether we’re running relays up the stairs, demolishing Radnor (again), or going to El Limon after Districts, we do everything as a team. Oh yeah, and I guess you could say we’re the best in the state.”

With the return of the LM tennis team, the anticipation for their success is high, and the team is ready to rise to the occasion. The season is underway, with the regular season beginning with a home match against Great Valley at LM. If the team is able to hone its potential and live up to expectations, a third consecutive State title might just be in the works.

Jackson Snyder ’25

Photos courtesy of Drew Greenland ’25

Graphic by Tillie Szwartz ’25/Staf

Pictured above is the Aces’ typical starting fve. They are (from left to right): Jordan Meekins ’23, Sam Wright ’23, Sam Brown ’23, John Mobley ’24, Justin Poles ’23.

Photo by Sam Abella ’24/Staf

Photo courtesy of Drew Greenland ’25

Photo courtesy of Alex Goonewardene ’24

Hands up for Hoopes

As March begins and the temperatures rise, LM’s previously uninhabited athletic felds fll with eager athletes training for the upcoming spring season. For some, this means the wait for their favorite sport has fnally come to a close; for others, it means reuniting and playing with old teammates. For the LM girl’s outdoor track and feld team, it means the return of Coach Hoopes.

Coach Sandy Hoopes began teaching at LM in 1971 as a health/ physical education teacher. Right from the moment she joined the staf, it was only a matter of time before she would go on to strongly impact the world of LM athletics forever. Throughout her time at LM, she has coached the girls’ feld hockey, basketball, volleyball, and track and feld teams. Not only did she provide leadership in these sports, but she is also responsible for founding the girls’ track team, and playing a large role in starting the Central Athletic League. Her time and dedication spent guiding high school girls through not only their athletic ventures, but also their overall growth is something LM has been lucky to have for the past 52 years.

Coach Hoopes coached girls’ sports during the release of Title IX. Title IX was a bill passed by the government in 1972 that required girls’ sports to receive the same funding and opportunities as their male counterparts. The passing of Title IX changed the face of girls’ sports across the country. Specifcally at LM, Hoopes reported that, “with the passing of Title IX, respect and support of the female athletes and athletic teams gradually evolved. This respect increased participation—coaches were hired, schedules were produced, uniforms and equipment were ordered etc.” With Title IX in play, girls were assured the same opportunities and resources as the boys team and LM had zero trouble adjusting to this new standard. Hoopes claimed that, “LM is excellent at treating female and male athletic teams with the same funding and respect.” Hoopes believes that to this day, Athletic Director Stroup and the administration are (in terms of the track team), “conscious of treating the girls and boys teams equally. They are excellent in making sure we have what we need—uniforms, equipment, coaches, scheduling, bussing, etc..”

When asked about the female student athletes at LM, Hoopes describes them as, “smart, challenging, hard working, and fun.” In regards to the track and field team, Hoopes explains that, “My girls always want to know why we do a certain workout. How will it beneft them? They keep me on my toes, which invigorates me.” She also describes that her and the girls can be “serious and we can be silly,” and that, “They are there for each other when they are struggling and celebrate with each other when we improve and when we win.”

According to the CDC, 52% of girls play youth sports, a signifcantly higher statistic than past years. Hoopes credits youth sports to helping girls “develop confdence, self-esteem, and a sense of unity.” She adds, “Sports helps prevent depression, and girls experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.” Girls shouldn’t feel hesitant to participate in sports and thanks to LM, they are highly encouraged by Coach Hoopes and many others to step onto the track, the court, the pool, or the feld and give it their all.

Despite the eforts of the district and administration, it is still evident that boys sports at LM receive more attention than girls. Specifcally at games and competitions, the boys receive a decently large crowd, while many girls’ games are left unattended by the student body. This is a problem that only us, the students, can solve. This spring when our girls teams take the feld, let’s make sure to show out for our Aces. They work hard and their dedication deserves to be recognized and applauded, just as much as their male counterparts.

From the CAL to the NCAA

Every year, multiple student athletes commit to continuing their athletic and academic careers in college. Annika Naveen, who graduated from LM in 2022, was one of them. She competed for four years on the swim and dive team, along with running cross country. She now attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she competes for their varsity swim team. She refects on her years spent competing for LM as “an incredible experience.” She continued to say that, “It (LM) helped me learn discipline and balance, taught me a lot about leadership, and how to be a productive and helpful teammate.”

Naveen achieved a lot of success at LM. She was awarded the prestigious US Marine Corps award for Athletic Excellence and the Senior Scholar athlete award. In addition, she earned seven varsity letters and was listed as a member of the All-Central League frst team for three consecutive years. In college, she continued her success by winning an individual event in addition to a relay all in her freshman year at MIT’s conference championships. She has qualifed and will be competing at the NCAA divison three swim and dive championships.

“Itʼs so incredibly important to support and recognize women in sports. Thereʼs always been a lot of pressure on female athletes specifically, from the most amateur high school teams to the most professional Olympic athletes̶pressure to train a certain way, or look a certain way, or feel a certain way. I think itʼs important to recognize this, and to remember that before being athletes, we are people first, and we should take time to take care of ourselves as well. Achieving success at the price of mental or physical health will only be detrimental in the long run, and itʼs nice to see that more and more resources are available to student athletes these days. More than anything, I cannot stress enough the importance of good teammates, and supporting one another however we can.”

-Annika Naveen

Photo Courtesy of Annika Naveen

*All responses courtesy of respective sports

Articles and graphics by Sarah France ʼ24 Sports Editor

Photos courtesy of Image Flow

Checking into

the championship

Nathan Grunfeld ’24 Sports Editor

This winter season, the boys’ varsity ice hockey team reached a level of success that’s completely exceeded all expectations. This year, their magi cal season included a historic run all the way to the Central League fnals, before fnally meeting their match in a climactic showdown against Penncrest. For the last few years, the team has faced numerous hardships and challenges. Three years ago, the Aces won just four games, missing the playofs. Two years ago, the team also couldn’t reach the postseason. Last year, LM dropped down to Division Two: the league below the Central League. Even against lesser competi tion, the Aces came away with just three wins. Following this string of poor sea sons, the previous head coach was fred. At that point, goalie Juliano Lucca ’23 admits, “the organization was as low as it could have gotten.” However, following these continually disappointing seasons, something truly special has happened. This season started with the hiring of new head coach Dan Harkins. He brought new policies, pushing the team hard to improve. Harkins is assisted by Mike Pomante and Stephen Tartaglia. The team as a whole worked tirelessly to improve, with certain players stepping up to help lead the Aces. Defenseman Dylan Peterson ’23 has been a leader in the locker room for the Aces, while fel low defenseman Andrew McCann ’23 has inspired the team with his work ethic on the ice. Captain Connor Dilion ’23 has been a great leader and served as an example of what hard work can accomplish. As a result of the team’s commitment to improve, the Aces fnished the regular season in fourth place with eight wins. One particularly impressive triumph came against last year’s Division Two cham pions Marple Newton in overtime. Every year, LM plays in the Battlefeld Main line Cup against Radnor. After losing last season, they decimated the Raptors by a score of 7-1. The annual Thanksgiving contest against Harriton is always highly anticipated; the Aces beat the cross-district rivals this season after losing in 2021.

The Aces started their Central League playof run with a 5-2 victory against Springfeld. In this dominant performance by the Aces, Peterson scored twice with forwards Jeremey Kagan ’24 and Sam Flood ’26, both tallying two assists. Next, the Aces crushed the top seeded Haverford 4-0. Haverford has consistently been a top dog, making the fnals for the last four years straight. Goalie Will Zeger ’25 helped lead the shutout with 28 saves. Forward Jack Rabinowitz from Jack M. Bar rack Academy had a goal with two assists and forward Noam Nisimi ’24 had a goal with one assist. This win, LM’s frst against Haverford since 2017, earned the squad a spot in the Central League Championship against Penncrest. After going down two goals early on, Toby Myers ’25 secured the Aces’ frst score late in the frst period. In the second period, Haverford scored three times compared to Nisimi’s lone goal. This meant that entering the third, the Aces were down 5-2. Despite the defcit, LM showcased their dogged dedication once again, mounting a comeback. With a Peterson goal followed by another Nisimi score, the Aces were down just one with time quickly ticking. Unfortunately, with Zeger pulled from the ice, Penncrest struck the nail in the cofn with an empty net score, and won the game 6-4. Despite not getting the outcome they wanted, the team has plenty to be proud of when looking back on the campaign. Lucca’s original goal for the season was sim ply to “come back to a team that’s respectable and competitive.” Clearly, the team has done that and more–they’ve collectively crushed all expectations. The team has worked hard and accomplished a monumental shift in success. They have also qual ifed for the prestigious Flyers Cup in the Double A division. Undoubtedly, the orga nization is in the best shape it’s been in years, with nothing but a bright future ahead.

The Aces avenged their loss against Radnor from the previous season in emphatic fashion, winning 7-1 in the Battlefeld Main Line Cup.

Road to Altoona?

Gideon Wolf ’24 Sports Editor

Each March, as the bitter frost thaws and green grass emerges, members of the LM baseball team eagerly break out their bats, balls, and gloves in preparation of the new season. This year will be no diferent of course, but the Aces will be looking to break a diferent cycle: one of repeated mediocrity. In 2022, LM regressed after a hot start to the campaign, ending with a record of 7-9, good for eighth in the Central League. In 2021, they fnished tenth at 6-10, and in the season before the pandemic, they placed sixth with a winning record of 8-7 in league play. However, there is hope within the program that this year will be notably diferent, as the Aces have talent all across the diamond. According to second year head coach Colin Quinn, “The goal for this team is to make the state playofs. We have the talent to make a deep playof run and should be in a position to play in June.” Still, Quinn knows that talent alone won’t be enough. “This team has a ton of potential, but we must work hard to reach our goals,” he said. “We are going to keep our eyes on the prize.” A baseball team can only go as far as their pitching staf will take them. Luckily enough, the Aces have a plethora of powerful arms they can turn to. As Justin Spiegler ’24 explains, “we defnitely have a deep pitching rotation with some good chemistry.” With Van Willner ’24 and Sam Wright ’23 expected to be stellar starters, and Jack Scholz ’24, Everett Whalen ’23, and Drew Hollowell ’23 closing games from out of the bullpen, expectations for the pitching staf this year are sky-high. Willner, one of the Aces’ top pitchers last year and recent Lehigh University commit, added that he’s “excited [about] some of the young arms that are emerging” to complement the experienced rotation. Similarly, the infeld is plenty talented. With recent D1 commits Matt Rinaldi ’23 (Fairfeld University) and Hollowell (College of Charleston) lining the infeld, the pitching rotation will have some outstanding support behind it. Although defensive errors plagued LM on multiple occasions last year, the program feels confdent that improvement will come in 2023. While the Aces know they have talent and experience that they can turn to the defensive side of things, where their ofensive frepower will come from is a bit more unclear. “Historically, LM Baseball has struggled with ofensive production,” Quinn admitted. This year he said, they will be looking to “increase that production with the help of a mix of sophomores and seniors.” In particular, the team will be looking for Gus Wright ’25 and Toby Myers ’25 to come through at the plate, in addition to the more experienced juniors and seniors. According to Willner, “we have guys from all grades who will step up at the dish and give us some clutch hits,” adding that “if our bats come alive, then we’re defnitely due for a good season.”

Others throughout the program are also confdent heading into the brand new year, despite the frustrating conclusion to the previous campaign. Spiegler also agreed that the Aces are a program on the rise, declaring that “a district playof appearance and central league title is defnitely the goal,” assuming everything goes to plan. Quinn added that “the goal for this team is to make the state playofs,” and that he frmly believes his squad has the talent to do so. Of course, the road to Altoona (the site of the state championships) will certainly be a long and windy one for the Aces, who will undoubtedly face their fair share of obstacles. Still, with talent aplenty at almost every position, hopes are high as the season gets underway at South Ardmore Park this March.

The

Faces of The Aces

What sport(s) do you play?

Tennis

What is your greatest accomplishment in your sport?

Winning a USTA L5 tournament only dropping one set, and getting ranked top 10 In Pennsylvania for my age.

What gets you pumped up for a big game?

Blasting music in my ears and putting on a bandana.

What is your favorite cereal?

Frosted Flakes

What sport(s) do you play?

Frisbee and Wrestling

What are you enjoy most about playing your sport?

Spending time with teammates and growing closer throughout the season.

What gets you pumped up for a big game?

Sandstorm (Radio Edit) - Darude

What is your greatest accomplishment in your sports?

My 7-0 comeback win as a freshman wrestler to advance in the district tournament.

What sport(s) do you play?

Swimming

Favorite memory from your sport?

Swimming the relay with my teammates and qualifying for states

What is your greatest accomplishment in your sport?

Committing to Duke

If you could have dinner with any famous person everwho would you choose?

Queen Elizabeth

What’s your favorite cereal?

Honey Nut Cheerios

What sport(s) do you play?

Lacrosse

What do you most enjoy about playing your sport?

Being with my best friends every day during the season.

If you could have dinner with any famous person everwho would you choose?

Heath Ledger

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?

Organized Chaos

All photos courtsey of respective athletes

Freshman Nathan Dolgushev

Junior Alexa Conner Lea Cini Senior

Photo courtesy of Lower Merion Ice Hockey Club

Graphic by Tillie Szwartz ’25/Staf and Julia Zorc ’24/Staf

baseball season started on March 6 with athletes across all grades competing in tryouts for the freshmen, JV, and varsity squads.

Photo courtesy of Etienne Idol ’23