May 2015

The Merionite

The

offi

cial

student

newspaper

of

Lower

Merion

High

School

since

1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 85, Issue 6

Ardmore, PA, 19003

May 20, 2015

Ardmore, PA 19003

THE SEARCH IS

OVER LMSD welcomes Robert Copeland as Superintendent of Schools

BY

Z A Y

S M O L A R - Editor In Chief The

Playwickian, decided to omit this word from its pages, writing, “It is not a term of honor, but a term of hate,” in its October 23, 2013 editorial. The school district’s Board of Directors issued a policy stating that the student editors were not only required to publish this word, but were not permitted to edit other students’ opinion columns.

After printing an issue without prior approval from her Principal, coEditor-in-Chief Gillian McGoldrick was suspended from her position for a month. The Playwickian’s advisor, Tara Copeland served as Superintendent Huber was suspended for two days of Schools in Piscataway Township, without pay. In a statement read at a NeNew Jersey, as well as Superintendent shaminy School District board meeting, of Schools in the Neshaminy School Copeland said that he, “continued to be District. In Piscataway, Copeland imple- impressed with the student editors’ pasmented a strategic plan aimed at closing sion and maturity.” He also noted that achievement gaps and improving student while, “[the board] applaud[s] students performance. In Neshaminy, he worked who stand up for something, [they] also to introduce full-day kindergarten and expect a respect for school district aucontinued

his

record

of

“strong

fi

scal

thority and the rules that govern.” leadership,” in the words of Dr. Vann Most recently, the Pennsylvania HuLynch. man Rights Commission ordered the During Copeland’s tenure, the Neshaminy School District attracted national attention for a controversy surrounding the high school’s mascot—the Please

see

Superintendent

on

page

5 Redskin. The high school’s newspaper,

On Tuesday, May 12, Robin Vann Lynch, the President of the Lower Merion School District Board of Directors, informed the LM community that the board would appoint Robert Copeland as superintendent on May 18, 2015. The decision comes after a 15-month long search that began when Dr. Christopher McGinley stepped down.

In November, the district hired a national

search

fi

r m,

BWP

&

Associates, which found 38 applicants for the job.

This

fi

r m,

in

conjunction

with

the

board, surveyed the community and developed

a

leadership

profi

le.

The

fi

r m

identifi

ed

the

top

four

descriptors

of

an ideal superintendent as a “visionary educator,” “instructional leader,” “effective communicator,” and “collaborative manager.”

After one round of interviews, the list was narrowed down to three candidates: Copeland, Dr. Wagner Marseilles, and one other candidate whose identity will

remain

confi

dential,

according

to

the board.

NEWS Lunch and Learn

A proposal considered by administration will remove AR from the daily schedule and implement a new hour-long lunch. page 2

FEATURES Secret menu of the Main Line

OPINIONS Liberty and justice for all?

What to order at McDonalds, Chipotle, and Wawa that you won’t

fi

nd

on

the

menu. page 18

Allie Rauch writes that LM elections aren’t democratic because they allow students to run unopposed. page 8

Science Olympiad on the rise Olivia Johnston ’16 News Editor You might have seen LM Science Olympiad, lovingly referred to by members as LMSciOly, working on projects throughout the school during the past couple months. Maybe you

noticed

the

tape

on

the

fl

oors

of

the

second

fl

oor

for

the

Scrambler vehicle. Or maybe you saw Junior Allie Rauch carrying large boxes of building supplies for her planes. Perhaps you remarked about the bungee cords for the bungee drop hanging in the stairwell.

This

fl

urry

of

activity

was

in

preparation

for

the

Pennsylvania Science Olympiad state competition. On April 25, 15 members of LM Science Olympiad (LMSO) traveled to Juniata College for the competition. The team competed in a variety

of

events

and

fi

nished

6th

in

the

state

overall,

a

drastic

improvement from last year’s placement of 11th.

For Science Olympiad, the overall team placement is a combination of the team’s performance in each of the 23 individual events. This means that even a team that does not place

in

the

top

fi

ve

ranking

for

each

event

often

can

do

well

overall if it has a consistently Please

see

Science

Olympiad

on

page

5

They came, they saw, they Trekked Simone Burde ’17 From March 21 to March 29, a team of 18 students from LM, Harriton, and Haverford High Schools, along with three staff members from LM, Harriton, and Bala Cynwyd Middle School, traveled to the rural village of Las Brisas in Nicaragua to build a school through Trek, a program run by buildOn. Although buildOn is a nation-wide organization, LM has a chapter sponsored by social studies teacher Thomas Reed. Members of buildOn can apply to go on Trek and, if chosen, dedicate themselves to raising thousands (this year about $4,000 apiece, 75,000 in total) for the construction cost of a school in a developing nation. After organizing countless fundraisers, the Trekkies then travel to a particular community and join locals in building a school.

This year, the eighteen members of the Trek team include,

Issac

Bookbinder

’16

(LM),

Alexandra

Branscom

’17

(Harriton),

Atiyah

Brinkley

’16

(LM),

Rebecca

Calaman

’16

(LM),

James

Cato

’16

(LM),

Mariana

Dougherty

’15 (LM), Jacqueline Fiore ’17 (LM), Kirsten Jones ’17 (LM), Catherine Liu ’17 (Harriton), Eva Nates ’18 (LM), Brett Rapkin-Citrenbaum ’15 (LM), Cassandra Reed ’17 (Haverford), Joseph Salzer ’17 (LM), Khayla Saunders ’17

(LM),

Spencer

Segal

’16

(LM),

Ela

Somers

’17

(LM),

Emma Spaeth ’18 (LM), and Leah Vedder ’15 (Harriton).

Reed (LM), Leslie Bullitt (BC), and Todd Curyto (Harriton) accompanied the Trekkies.

Please

see

Trek

on

page

3

SPECIAL FEATURE The (real) cost of living in LM pages 13, 14, 15, 17

A&E Seniors’ creativity shines

A journey into the minds behind artistic senior projects of 2015 (like Hana Holquist’s, seen above). page 23

SPORTS Paying to play With athletic competition at such a high level, high school students and their familes are paying a high price to gain a leg up. page 28

2

NEWS

May 20, 2015

Pushing LIMT to

The Merionite

A Farewell to AR

i i+

the

Julia Bell ‘15 News Editor

Margo Urheim ‘16

As

LM

students

r un

around

frantically

with

thoughts

of

finals

and

AP

tests

consuming

their minds, a younger group of students are being consumed by complex algebraic and geometric math concepts in preparation for an ultimate showdown of mathematics: the

Lower

Merion

Invitational

Math

Tournament

(LIMT).

Taking

place

on

May

27,

LIMT

will

host

a

number

of

math

teams

from

several

middle

schools

including

Welsh

Valley,

Bala

Cynwyd,

Radnor,

Strath

Haven,

Wissahickon,

Haverford,

and

several

others

from

the

Greater

Philadelphia

area,

to

compete

in

a

nail

biting,

competitive,

yet

purely

amiable

math

tournament.

The competition has been around for four years, and will be organized this year

by

math

teacher

William

Hawkins

along

with

high

school

administrators,

staff,

and

students.

This

year,

Tommy

Guo

’15,

the

President

of

math

club,

will

be

taking

on

LIMT

as

his

senior

project.

In

explaining

his

role,

Guo

said

that

his

responsibilities

will

include

“organizing

the

event,

writing

the

math

competition,

designing

t-shirts,

getting

sponsors,”

and

more.

This

year,

Guo

expects

eight

teams

with

around

ten

people

each

to

arrive

at

the

competition.

hnsto n/Sta f livia

J o Photo

by

O

On

the

day

of

the

event,

competitors

will

arrive

early

in

the

morning

ready

for

action and prepared to compete in two rounds of math problems – three if the team scores,

high

enough

to

make

it

to

the

finals,

a

round

reserved

exclusively

for

the

top

three teams.

The

first

round,

the

individual

round,

is

comprised

of

approximately

30

multiplechoice questions that are to be answered in 45 minutes. Each attendee of the competition is required to participate in this round. After the allotted time is up, the youngsters will

reconvene

with

their

teammates

to

begin

the

team

round,

where

they

will

do

their

best

to

tackle

a

tricky

problem

set

in

just

60

minutes.

Shortly

after

that,

all

the

teams

refuel

with

lunch

while

the

judges

(teachers),

tally

up

both

the

individual

and

team

scores,

both

of

which

determine

who

proceeds

to

the third round, the “Lightning Round.”

In

this

final

face-off

between

the

top

three

teams,

students

have

to

complete

only

eight

questions,

in

addition

to

two

tiebreakers.

Each

problem

is

read

aloud

to

all

the

teams.

Contestants

then

have

a

mere

30

seconds

to

calculate

an

answer

and

buzz

in,

and

then

just

three

more

seconds

to

relay

that

answer

to

a

judge.

This

round

is

all

about

speed

and

accuracy,

with

each

correct

answer

bringing

the

team

closer

to

victory.

To

get

a

better

picture

of

what

this

part

of

the

competition

looks

like,

try

picturing

the

scene in Mean Girls (2004)

when

main

character

Cady

Heron

answers

her

final

round

question with, “The limit does not exist!”

Guo

is

pumped

for

this

year’s

LIMT

competition

and

hopes

that

he

will

be

able

to

spread

his

love

of

math

to

middle

school

students.

Having

been

a

former

participant

of

LIMT

himself

when

he

attended

BCMS,

he

is

excited

to

give

back

to

his

community

and

help

organize

an

event

that

he

once

enjoyed

while

he

was

in

middle

school.

The

event,

along

with

giving

students

a

chance

to

show

off

their

math

prowess,

also

gives

them

a

chance

to

spend

time

with

other

math

enthusiasts.

LIMT,

an

event

organized

by

math

lovers

for

math

lovers,

offers

a

haven

where

loving

math

is

not

thought of as weird, but as the norm, something to be encouraged.

Although

this

competition

is

not

quite

as

big

as

math

challenges

like

ABACUS

International

Math

Challenge,

which

inspires

thousands

of

kids

with

its

monthly

publication

of

eight

stupefying

problems,

it

is

just

as

important;

it

promotes

a

love

of

math,

recognizes

the

subject,

and

shines

a

spotlight

on

kids

who

do

well

in

the

field.

f

“LIMT, an event organized by math lovers for math lovers, offers a haven where loving math is not thought of as weird, but as the norm, something to be encouraged.”

The

30

minutes

at

the

end

of

the

day

known

as

Academic

Recovery,

which

is

reserved

for

students

to

get

help

from

teachers

(or

drive

out

of

the

bus

circle

at

dangerous

speeds)

will

not be a part of the LM schedule starting in the

2015-2016

school

year.

The

free

time

for

students

will

instead

be

tacked

onto

the

standard

35-minute

lunch

period,

called Lunch and Learn, and will take

place

between

10:30-11:30,

with one in four days dedicated to

advisory.

These schedule changes were presented by LM administration and

approved

by

the

school

board

on Monday May 11. The emphasis of the new program is student’s choice.

Unlike

AR,

which

tracks

students through a computerized sign-up system, there is no accountability for students during the hour-long lunch. “So if you want to see three teachers during that half-hour, you should be able to do that,” said

Marcy

Hockfield,

one

of

the

administrators

who

developed

the

schedule

overhaul.

“If

you want to close your eyes because you’re exhausted, you should be able to do that.”

The

administration

is

taking

steps

to

accommodate the student body during their free time by putting furniture in the “dead spaces” at

the

end

of

hallways,

renovating

the

library,

allowing food outside the cafeteria, and possibly opening Arnold Field during the day.

The

majority

of

students

will

have

a

free

choice of how to spend their time, but students in

academic

danger

(with

D’s

and

F’s)

will

be

either

“monitored”

or

the

stricter

“supervised,”

and

evaluated

on

a

monthly

cycle.

As

Hockfield

put

it:

“Giving

everyone

what

they

need

for

an

hour a day, including teachers.”

One of the concerns of the school board was

students

leaving

school

grounds

during

Lunch

and

Learn,

but

Hockfield

emphasized

that LM still has a closed campus and maybe “because

there

are

so

many

choices,

kids

won’t

feel

that

need

to

leave.”

In the board presentation, one of the listed challenges of Lunch and Learn is “accepting ‘managed

chaos.’”

Hockfield

admitted,

“It’s

a

little

chaotic

and

that’s

what

some

people

have

been saying. And the schools who do it say it is but

so

what?

People

survive

it.”

Margo

Urheim,

junior,

agreed

that

the

district

should

meet

the

challange, saying, “It’s good that the school is being more lenient with the students. They’re finally

showing

that

they

trust

the

students

to

manage

their

own

time

and

leave

the

cafeteria

whenever

they

want.”

Lunch

and

Learn,

while

untested

at

LM,

will

give

students

a

measure

of

freedom and utilize schooltime in the coming school year.

LM hosts Best Buddies Ball Emily Manin ‘15 News Editor

On Saturday, April 18, 550 members of Best Buddies chapters throughout the Delaware Valley strode into LM in dresses

and

suits.

From

five

to

eight

p.m,

students

from

Haverford, Contestoga, Owen J. Roberts, Methacton, Radnor, Plymouth

Whitemarsh,

Archbishop

Carol,

and

Unionville

high schools danced, ate, and mingled during the annual Best Buddies Ball.

Best Buddies is an international organization that facilitates one-to-one friendships, employment opportunities, and development

of

leadership

skills

for

those

with

intellectual

and

developmental

disabilities.

At

LM,

Best

Buddies

is

a

very

popular

club,

with

over

120

members.

At

the

beginning

of

each

school

year,

the

Best

Buddies

officers

pair

special

education

students

with

applicants

who

submit

surveys

about

their personalities, interests, and schedules. The pairs are together

for

the

duration

of

the

year,

or

even

for

multiple

years if they are, in the words of Zay Smolar ’15, a “good match.”

Every

year

Best

Buddies

chapters

in

the

area

host

a

ball,

but

this

is

the

first

year

that

LM

hosted

it.

According

to

Mariana Dougherty ’15, Treasurer,“It was a really big deal [and it] took

a

lot

of

planning

and

fundraising.”

Smolar,

for

instance,

has been brainstorming fundraising ideas since last July. Ms. Van

Horn,

the

Best

Buddies

sponsor;

Smolar,

President;

Maddie

Johnson

’15;

Paige

Johnson

’15;

Adina

Harris

’15;

Mariana

Dougherty

’15;

Marielena

Caporaletti

’17;

and

Lily

Taffet ’15 put countless hours of effort into fundraising and

organizing

the

entire

event.

Their

efforts

paid

off.

Dougherty’s

“favorite

part

of

the

ball was dancing with [her] buddy, Julia Brown! She amazed [Mariana]

with

her

amazing

dance

moves.

Another

highlight

was

when

DJ

Anderson

Brown

took

over

the

party

and

played Justin Beiber.”

Zay Smolar ’15, President, asserts that, although he is definitely “partial” to LM’s ball, “it was a lot better than [those in]

previous

years.

There

were

a

lot

more

people

than

in

previous

years.

It

was

just

more

energetic.”

His

“favorite

part

was

when

[he]

walked

into

the

g ym

from

the

cafeteria.

There

were

so

many

people

in

there

dancing

and

loving

the

music.

It

was

nice

to

see

so

many

people

having

a

great

time

after

the

amount

of

work

that

went

into

it.”

NEWS

May 20, 2015

3

The Merionite

BuildOn Trek Cont. from TREK, page 1 important not to waste any food. So, everyone was expected The

Trek

team

flew

into

Managua,

Nicaragua

and

then

to eat everything that was served to them.” continued their journey to the rural, mountainous village of The Trekkies agreed that Trek was a challenging yet Las Brisas. During the two weeks of Trek, the Trekkies com- amazingly rewarding experience. Vedder explains, “Mr. Reed pleted the foundation of the school. By the publication of always said, ‘Nothing is easy on Trek,’ and he is absolutely this

article,

the

entire

school

is

expected

to

be

finished.

right. Things that you think are easy in everyday life become In addition to building the school, the Trekkies lived with a

difficult

task

that

you

have

to

overcome

and

conquer.

Some

host families and participated in cultural events. Such cul- parts of the trek were scary, as everyone was getting sick and tural events included visiting a coffee farmer and learning one of the trekkies had to go to the hospital. At one point, how to grow and sell there were more Trekkies coffee beans, visitsick than healthy. I felt sick ing a hydroelectric the entire time. But besides plant built by a nonthat, Trek was an amazing governmental orgaexperience, and I will never nization (NGO) that forget those I have met on provides the commuTrek.” nity with electricity, Saunders, Vedder, and and watching a womRapkin-Citrenbaum all say an making buñuelos that one of their favorite (mini doughnuts) and parts of Trek was the strong sampling them. The sense of community. SaunTrek team also spent ders says, “My favorite part a cultural day in the about Trek was being able city of Esteli, where to live with my host family they walked around and playing with my little the city, shopped for sisters every night. Despite souvenirs, made postthe language barrier, my cards out of dyed close friend and Trek roomcorn husks, learned mate Kirsten and I taught about a local mural, them how to play jenga, and took pictures at a roast marshmallows, blow local church. bubbles, and color inside Rapkin-Citrenthe lines. I also liked being baum described a typiwith the other Trekkies and cal day during Trek: getting to know them even “[We woke] up around more. We have a bond that 4:30-5:00 a.m. to get no one else will understand ready for the day. My and so many funny stories host mom would start to tell.” Vedder, who agrees cooking breakfast that meeting her host famPhoto courtesy of Mariana Dougherty around then, so sleepily was one of the most Junior Spencer Segal mixes coement for the construction of the school. ing wasn’t really an oprewarding parts of Trek, adds, tion. Then, we’d clean “I miss my host family a lot. My up our area, play with the kids, and eat breakfast. After that, host parents were so welcoming and nice.” we would walk 15 minutes to the worksite. The Trek team Reed’s favorite part of Trek was “watching the Trekkies was split into two teams. One team would go to the cultural bond, overcome their hardships, and the lessons they learned workshop while the other worked along side the community from overcoming those hardships. This was an incredible members on the worksite. Then, we would all have lunch Trek team that remained positive in every situation and had together and switch. After the day was done we would go each others backs.” home, play with the family, eat dinner, play some more, and The team continues to bond during weekly meetings for then go to sleep around 10:00 p.m.” post-Trek activities. One of those activities includes visitWhile the Trek was certainly an amazing experience, there ing schools to educate students throughout the district about were also some hardships. Reed explained, “The hardest their experience. Reed is already making plans for conductpart of this Trek compared to the others was the food. Rice, ing a Trek in Malawi, Africa for next year. If you are interbeans, and tortillas were served daily for breakfast, lunch, and ested in participating in BuildOn and having the chance to dinner. The host families served a lot of food, and it is very apply for Trek, stop by Reed’s room and join BuildOn!

LM shines at writing contest Dora Nathans ’18 This past month, eight students (Michael Stahler ’15, Bailey Votto ’15, Allie McGowan ’16, Jonathon Adams ’16, Madeline Ragsdale ’17, Joseph Magee-Billson ’17, Maya Sherwood ’18, and, myself, Dora Nathans ’18) attended the Central League Writing Contest, a 12 school creative writing competition. This competition has been going on for over 20 years, and, this year, LM did exceptionally well, with two students

receiving

first

place.

Of the 12 schools that participated, each school was permitted to bring eight students (two per grade level) to showcase their talents in creative writing. The LM students were chosen based on an earlier preliminary round, which consisted of one hour to respond to a creative prompt.

On

April

17,

the

eight

LM

students

traveled

to

Strath

Haven

High

School

for

the

competition.

All

contestants

were

given one hour to respond to a creative writing prompt, which consisted of a picture and a mandatory sentence. After the writing portion, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, a local author of multiple books, spoke about her career in narrative

fiction.

Murdock

talked

about

her

journey

to

becoming

a published author, speaking about how she created an entire novel from just one of her dreams. She also offered advice to prospective writers on creating non-cliché narratives, such as choosing an unexpected time period for a plot and ensuring that the readers are able to relate to the characters.

Meanwhile, teachers from all the schools graded the anonymous narrative stories. While judging the pieces, the graders looked for a variety of criteria: originality, plot, use of language, sophistication of vocabulary, and use of literary elements. The pieces were then ranked by their strength in these categories.

Within

each

grade

level,

first,

second,

and

third

place

awards were given. Sophomore Madeline Ragsdale, a student in English teacher Jean Mastriano’s Creative Writing course, and junior Allie McGowan, a student in English Department Chair Jean McWilliams’s AP English Language and

Composition

class,

both

received

first

place

for

their

respective grades.

McWilliams

explained

the

significance

of

the

LM

victory, describing how at LM, “there isn’t as much time to practice creative writing because of the focus on academic writing emphasized in the common core.” McWilliams also noted that we often celebrate our competitive achievements in athletics, but this contest allows students whose gifts are in the creative arts to shine. Therefore, having two students win

first

place

in

their

respective

grade

levels

was

a

major

accomplishment.

The English department hopes to increase creative writing opportunities in the future and to give students more experience with this genre. The next Central League Writing Contest will be held in the spring of 2016, and, hopefully, LM students will have another chance to compete.

Testing the test Rebecca Tauber ’16 Every year, LM students get multiple letters in the mail about the next round of standardized testing. You know the drill: get a full night of sleep, eat a good breakfast, bring sharpened number two pencils, open your booklet to page one, stop at the little stop sign….

In 2001, this regimen became routine with the passing of the Bush Administration’s “No Child Left Behind Act,” which increased “accountability” of schools across the nation. This “accountability” took the form of standardized testing, which in Pennsylvania meant PSSAs and Keystones.

Since its enactment, “No Child Left Behind” has been a large source of controversy. Many claim that the assessments force teachers to “teach to the test,” taking away time that could be spent on material that is potentially more meaningful.

These people also claim that testing takes away valuable classroom time for the testing itself. Additionally, some believe that the tests are actually detrimental to “failing schools,” since they could lose funding for bad scores or be forced to funnel money into test prep.

For students, the tests can be very stressful and draining. Furthermore, many students who excel in less objectively measured subjects, like the arts, are labeled “below basic” and, due to this narrow definition

of

success,

struggle

to

thrive.

Recently, because of the rising opposition to standardized testing, there has been a growing movement of parents choosing to “opt out” of the tests in protest. While opting out is not possible in all states, parents are allowed to opt their children

out

of

testing

in

Pennsylvania,

specifically

for religious or philosophical beliefs.

In order to opt out, parents must write the school principal or superintendent at least two weeks before the test to set up a meeting to preview

the

test.

Parents

must

then

sign

a

confidentiality agreement after viewing the test, agreeing not to disclose the questions. Next, if they still want to opt out, they must write a second letter to administration, which schools cannot deny, detailing

how

the

test

conflicts

with

their

religious

or

moral beliefs. While this applies to both the PSSAs and Keystones, any student who opts out of Keystones must do a “Project Based Assessment” in the form of online modules, since passing the Keystones has recently become a graduation requirement for every student graduating during or after 2017.

Despite these hoops to jump through, more and more parents are choosing to opt their children out of testing. While in 2012 only 260 parents in Pennsylvania opted their children out of the PSSAs, that number jumped above 1,000 in 2014.

In

the

LMSD

specifically,

the

number

of

parents opting out rose from seven in the 20122013 school year to 23 last year.

For schools, one potential concern about this growing trend of opting out of testing is that it will

reflect

badly

on

the

school

or

student.

However, Director of Guidance Rich Marta assures that “the district is only responsible for the students that test” and that “there is no connection between colleges…and state mandated testing.” This means that a student who does not sit for a test will not be counted in the average scores for the school and will not impact the district’s ranking.

Standardized testing may not be on its way out any time soon. For at least the next few years, teachers will be forced to teach along certain guidelines and students will still sit through assessments.

However,

there

is

a

way

out.

This

growing

optout movement certainly shows that not everyone is

satisfied

with

the

abundance

of

testing,

and

that

many people want to do something about it.

4

May 20, 2015

NEWS The Merionite

Stand up at Speak Up! Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 At seven p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, LM hosted its second annual Speak Up! cussed healthy ways to cope with stress, such as releasing your stress before rubbing Conference. Over 170 students, parents, and teachers from the community joined it off onto the friends, family, and teachers around you. together to explore and discuss key topics affecting the student body.

The group discussions also provided attendees an opportunity to acquire knowlSpeak Up! is an organization dedicated to providing youth, educators, and parents edge from each other and gain new perspectives. Vanessa Baker ’16, who particithe opportunities and support to discuss critical issues facing the community. Its pated in the discussion group on insecurities, learned that “no matter what you may mission is to foster healthy communication and enable youth to make positive life think you have figured out about a person, you only know what they project.” This choices. At LM, the planning of the student-run event began when Ann Bernicker, forum reminded her “how special each person I go to school with is, and how much a Speak Up! program associate and outreach coordinator, met with and training a everyone deserves to find personal fulfillment and confidence.” The discussions leadership team of around 40 students from all grade levels. This committee was were enlightening, and, though some people were shy at the beginning, many gained responsible for choosing the breakout topics that needed to be discussed. confidence and opened up to the rest of the group by the end of the night. OverThe night kicked off with an opening speech on the event’s all, the conversations flowed as everyone chimed in with their main topic: Stress. The event’s emcees, Vanessa Baker ’16 and opinions and offered advice.

David Mei ’17, introduced the guest speaker, Dr. Stephen R. At the end of the discussions, attendees were encouraged Treat, former Director and CEO of Council for Relationto write a letter to themselves. The volunteers then collected ships, the nation’s oldest and largest family counseling agency. these letters so they could be mailed back to the writers three He addressed the different ways that stress manifests itself in months later. The purpose of this exercise was for people to the everyday lives of youth and how they have changed over write down their immediate thoughts and record goals that time. Following his speech, the audience members broke into they set for themselves during their discussion. Later, they discussion groups for topics that they were interested in and would be able to reflect upon how they had felt and be rehad previously registered for online. These topics included minded of any changes that they had wanted to implement in stress, insecurities, communication, sexuality, and gender. their daily lives. This way, the discussion would continue to Each breakout room consisted of a diverse mix of stube rewarding even months after the event. dents, parents, and teachers. Family members were placed in Some participants found that the event, besides introducseparate rooms to ensure an open and comfortable environing them to new ideas, allowed them to help other students ment where people felt free to speak honestly. Similar to Veand community members. David Mei ’17 felt that the most gas, what happened in the Speak Up! conversations stayed in rewarding moment from the event occurred not during but Graphic by Kyra Kwak/Staff the Speak Up! conversations. Although attendees promised to two weeks after the event, when a parent from the discussion keep each other’s thoughts and opinions confidential, they were allowed to discuss group found him in Starbucks and told him that she had reiterated a point that he what was said as long as names were left out and anonymity was maintained. had brought up during the discussion with her family.

Though LM student volunteers facilitated the discussion and had a list of posThe night’s discussions impacted not only the students but also the parents and sible discussion points, conversations differed widely from room to room, even teachers. The constructive conversation, heartfelt stories, and helpful advice exwithin the same topic. Since stress was the main topic selected for the night, there changed among the attendees provided them with information that can be used to were multiple rooms discussing that issue. Depending on the mix of people in the further communicate with the people around them. Anyone who seeks an honest, room and their own personal views, however, specific subjects varied. personal, and supportive environment to discuss their thoughts, argue their opinIn one of the rooms, Michelle Herzberg ’17 remarked that she “gained other ions, and have their voice heard is encouraged to join Speak Up! next year and attend people’s insight and views on stress within the LM community.” Other rooms dis- the event next spring.

NEWS

May 20, 2015

5

The Merionite

Science Olympiad Cont. from SCIENCE OLYMPIAD, page 1 strong performance in a wide range of events. Such is the case for LMSO; this consistency is the main reason for its overall success.

Although

the

sixth

place

finish

was

a

combination

of

the

whole

club’s

efforts, there were some standout individual performances.

Freshman Michael Cheng placed second in an event called “Green Generation,”

in

which

students

answer

questions

about

human

impact

on

the

environment.

T he

questions

also

target

possible

solutions

to

reverse

negative environmental trends and ways to sustain natural resources.

Other

top

five

finishes

included

“Bungee

Drop”

in

which

students

drop

objects

from

a

given,

random

height

and

mass

to

a

flat

surface

using

a

bungee

cord

and

“Wright

Stuff ”

in

which

students

build

a

rubber-band

powered

plane

to

stay

in

the

air

for

the

maximum

amount

of

time.

Both

events placed 5th at the competition.

The

drastic

improvement

in

the

team’s

success

this

year

compared

to

last year is due to a few factors. According to Senior Tyler Spector, President

of

the

club,

“The

team

last

year

was

really

young,”

leading

to

a

lack

of

experience.

T his

year,

the

team

was

able

to

build

on

its

past

experience

to improve their events. Spector also noted that “everyone wanted it more this year” and was willing to put in a lot more time and effort.

To

prepare

for

the

competition,

LMSO

met

frequently

both

inside

and

outside

of

school.

T hroughout

most

of

the

year,

the

club

met

only

once

or

twice

a

week

for

a

couple

hours

after

school.

During

their

pre-states

frenzy,

however,

the

hours

drastically

increased:

three

or

four

nights

a

week,

the

group would hold meetings that extended until seven or eight at night. In addition

to

these

meetings,

individuals

would

often

meet

on

the

weekends

to

work

on

events.

As

with

any

long-term

project,

Spector

noted,

“There

was

a

lot

of

cramming

on

the

bus

and

in

the

hotel

rooms.”

Junior

Jacob

Noel,

for

example,

slept

little

more

than

an

hour

the

night

of

states

because

he

was

wiring

electrical

circuits,

all

while

listening

to

what

were,

in

Spector’s

words,

“poppin’

tunes.”

This extensive preparation led to strong team chemistry that grew exponentially

in

the

weeks

leading

up

to

the

competition.

After

weeks

of

preparation, they were a cohesive team.

Unfortunately, LMSO did not qualify for the national competition; only the

top

two

in

the

state

attend.

However,

the

team’s

improvement

promises

strong

performances

in

the

future.

T his

may

be

the

end

of

their

2015

season,

but

this

is

definitely

not

the

end

of

LM

Science

Olympiad’s

upward

surge.

Superintendent Cont. from SUPERINTENDENT, page 1 district to remove its mascot name, a decision carrying the weight of law. The district is appealing the decision.

When

asked

about

Copeland’s

involvement,

D r.

Vann

L ynch

commented that, “He directly supports the freedom of speech— both

popular

and

unpopular.”

Over the past months, Acting Superintendent

Dr.

Marseilles

has

been

working

with

administration, faculty, staff, and students on the strategic plan, which Copeland will work

to

implement

throughout his tenure.

The strategic plan was

a

m ajor

a spect

o f

the Superintendent search.

“The

board

was impressed with the suggestions and Photo courtesy of Main Line Times recommendations he had

regarding

implementation,”

noted

Board

President

Vann

Lynch.

“[The

board]

had

a

very clear sense of where we wanted things to go.”

Copeland

w ill

b e

c oming

t o

t he

e ducation

c ommittee

m eeting

o n

M ay

1 8

t o

b e

a ppointed.

Following

t his

o fficial

a ppointment,

h e

w ill

b e

available

t hroughout

t he

s ummer

t o

m eet

with the community.

6

OPINIONS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

Letter to the Editor To the editors, In response to the article, “Cheerleading is a sport: is dance not?, written by dance team member, Lindsey Shapiro ’15, the LM Varsity Cheerleading Team recognizes the article was not written to be in any way derogatory towards the cheerleaders; however, it was perceived by many as such. Therefore, the cheerleading team would like to state a few facts, which are contrary to her opinion: •

Clubs

are

self-governed.

They

elect

their

officers

and

as

a

group decide their goals for the upcoming year.

•

Cheerleading

is

a

Varsity

Sport.

It

is

sanctioned

by

the

PIAA and the cheerleaders are held to the same standards as every other PIAA athlete. This includes submitting all required paperwork, maintaining academic eligibility, and following set sporting schedules. Participation at scheduled events (football games, girls’ basketball games and boys’ basketball games) is not optional. The coaching staff is also required to complete mandatory training and maintain

current

CPR

certifications

to

ensure

the

safety

and

wellbeing of their athletes.

•

Fall

cheerleaders

not

only

prepare

for

the

Pep

Rally

during

their practices, they also prepare to cheer at each football game, home and away, win or lose, no matter the weather. They are required

to

attend

every

football

game

as

a

team

(Friday

nights

and

Saturday afternoons) in an attempt to keep the crowd, no matter the

size,

up-beat

during

some

very

difficult

games.

Practices

are

made up of not only dance routines, but also cheer routines as well as stunting and conditioning.

•

Winter

cheerleaders

are

required

to

attend

every

home

basketball

game,

boys

and

girls,

win

or

lose,

start

to

finish.

They

attend every playoff game as a team, whether it is boys’ or girls’ basketball,

no

matter

the

distance.

Pre-approved

performances/ events during a home boys’ or girls’ basketball game by any other club (i.e. drill team, dance team or Coaches vs. Cancer committee) are optional, not mandatory.

The LM Cheerleading Team would like to make it clear that the status of the Dance Team does not involve the cheerleaders in any way. Therefore, the article should have only stated why Lindsey Shapiro believes the Dance Team is a sport and how the team plans to pursue upgrading their status with the PIAA. Respectfully, The Lower Merion Cheerleading Program

Congratulations to our new staff !

Merionite Staff 2015-16

Editors in Chief Dena Behar ’16 Olivia Johnston ’16 News Editors Simone Burde ’17 Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 Rebecca Tauber ’16 Op-Ed Editors Adrian Corby ’16 Todd Gilman ’16 Nina McKay ’15 Features Editors Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Leslie Gladstone ’16 Alexandra Hummel ’16

A&E Editors Jon Adams ’16 Sophia Salganicoff ’16 Margo Urheim ’16 Sports Editors Kelly Harrigan ’17 William

Rieke

’16 Daniel

Wilson

’16 Copy Editors Dora Nathans ’18 Grant

Wei

’16 Web Editor Camille Carr ’18

EDITORIAL

We’re Headed in the Right Direction “Students

earning

the

right

to

choose”

was

the

header

of

one of the Powerpoint slides at the School Board meeting on Monday, May 11, where the topic of discussion was the much talked

about

“Lunch

and

Learn.”

Why

do

we

absolutely

adore

this header? Because with our current schedule, we barely have any right to choose anything. Until the second semester of our sophomore year, we are assigned to a location at all times. Since many of our ambitious classmates take advantage of our vast course options by taking seven classes, when we

are

awarded

our

“frees,”

we

only

have

one

or

two

per

week. And because we only have one or two per week, those valuable 55 minutes are spent making up a test or scrambling to complete some miscellaneous work, because academic recovery is too short to complete anything substantial. So yes, learning that we will be able to have an hour of time at our disposal

everyday

definitely

makes

us

smile,

or

at

least

triggers

a sigh of relief.

We

also

appreciate

that

administration

is

starting

to

realize

that we are not elementary school students or factory workers, but mature, young adults who are more than capable of managing our time. The District is following through with a headliner of their Strategic Plan: Student Driven Schools. The “Hour

of

Power”

is

just

the

first

stab

at

giving

us

the

freedom

to drive our own education. Complementing this free hour are new spaces for collaboration, where we will be able to learn in groups without being kicked out of the library. The district is starting to give us more freedom and it is greatly appreciated.

Unsigned

editorial

on

this

page

reflects

the

general

opinion

of staff editors, not the views of individuals.

CORRECTIONS For the April 8, 2015 issue

News Corrections for gun rights lawsuit article on page 4 —

The

title

of

the

article

states

that

the

Gun

rights

groups

filed

a

lawsuit

against

the

district.

This

is

wrong.

The

lawsuit

was

filed

against

the

township,

not

the

district.

Retractions for the jazz band article on page 4 —

We

wrote

that

the

LM’s

jazz

band

won

several

awards

at

this

jazz

competition.

The

jazz

band

did,

in fact, win these awards, though not at this event.

—

We

wrote

that

the

jazz

band

performed

at

the

Annual

Villanova

Jazz

Festival

and

got

to

perform

in

front of jazz virtuosos Randy Brecker and Denis Diblasio. None of that actually occured.

—The

photo

of

Charlie

Johnson

was

not

taken

at

the

recent

Jazz

Festival.

Instead,

it

was

of

him

performing at Chris’s Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia. Also, the photo was taken by Cameron Pollock, not Livia

Davis-McCabe.

—Finally,

we

regret

entitling

the

article

“Jazz

Band

Blows

Hard,”

as

it

was

misconstrued

by

many

of

our

readers.

We

did

not

mean

to

disparage

the

jazz

band

and

their

accomplishments.

The

title

was

intended as a reference to a jazz term that in modern usage is now considered archaic.

Opinions

—We

regret

that

several

quotes

were

taken

out

of

context

in

the

Op-Ed

entitled

“Cheerleading

is

a

sport:

is

dance

not?”

on

page

7.

Quotes

taken

from

Jill

Cameron,

Ms.

Kim

Shalon,

and

Ms.

Nora

Christman were not their complete thoughts and in effect miscontrued what they had intended to say.

The author did not mean to take away from the accomplishments of our cheerleading team.

Features

—The

article

entitled

“Top

investment

professionals

speak

at

new

Investment

Club”

on

page

9

stated

that

one

of

the

club’s

meetings

featured

Tower

Bridge

Advisors.

We

would

like

to

clarify

that

invesment professional Maris Ogg of Tower Bridge Advisors came to visit.

Sports — We

apologize

for

not

listing

the

Ultimate

team

in

the

Spring

Sports

Preview

on

page

20.

—

We

regret

not

listing

the

girls

captains

for

the

Crew

team

in

the

Spring

Sports

Preview

on

page

20.

The

2014-2015

Girls

Crew

captains

are

Christina

Boutselis,

Sara

Clark

and

Carly

Hoffman.

THE MERIONITE Official

newspaper

of

Lower

Merion

High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013

News Editors

A&E Editors

Photo Editors

Julia Bell ’15 Olivia Johnston ’16 Emily Manin ’15

Julia Carstens ’15 Aine Dougherty ’15

Lily Taffet ’15 Sloane

Woerdeman

’15

Editors in Chief

Op-Ed Editors

Sports Editors

Layout Editors

Mitchell Gladstone ’15 Andrew McKinney ’15 Daniel

Wilson

’16

Kyra Kwak ’15 Dylan Siegelman ’15

Copy Editors

Emily Morris ’15

Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Todd Gilman ’16

Business Advisor

Divya Arya ’15 Zay Smolar ’15

Managing Editor

Dena Behar ’16 Jonathan Perlman ’15 Morgan Perlman ’15

Madelyn Schaeffer ’15

Features Editors

Advisor

Dana Handleman ’16 Victoria Klevan ’15 Anna Skillings ’15

Chad Henneberry

Web Editor

Sean

P.

Flynn,

Esq.

The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. The paper acknowledges that mistakes are possible and welcomes questions as to accuracy. Inquiries regarding accuracy should be directed to the editors of the paper. Editors can be contacted via e-mail at merionite@gmail. com or in Room 200A. To represent all viewpoints in the school community, The Merionite welcomes all letters to the editor.

Letters can be sent via e-mail or dropped off

outside

the

Merionite

office.

The

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

OPINIONS

May 20, 2015

7

The Merionite

Land of the free, led by the frightened

Nina McKay ’17

O

n April 24, 1915, the Turkish government placed over 200 influential

Armenian

men

under

arrest in Istanbul (then known as Constantinople). Forcibly removed from their families and homes, they were then taken out of the city to a prison, where many were executed. This is marked as the commencement of the Armenian Genocide.

Over the next eight years, the Turkish government would both allow and assist in the murders of 1.5 million Armenian people.

Hostility toward the Armenians was not a new phenomenon. As a Christian country, they were out of place in a region of Islamic nations. But the genocide that began in 1915 involved blatant persecution.

The Young Turks, the political party in control of the Turkish government at the time, were behind the decision to carry out the killings. One method they used to gain support was the promotion of PanTuranism through propaganda. This referred to the establishment of an empire stretching from Western Turkey to Central Asia that was entirely populated by ethnic Turks.

Armenian people were ordered from their homes and forced to join massive death marches. Many perished along the way due to causes including raids from the neighboring Kurdish people, starvation, and brutality. Turkish civilians were forbidden to provide any aid at all— though some did admirably risk their lives to do so, such as the family that hid my greatgrandmother,

Toukouhi

Kalfian

(nine

years

old in 1915), from the Turkish army. However, most Armenians who lived through the marches had no protection from the diseases and horrors of the concentration camps that waited in the brutal Syrian Desert at the end of the journey and the violent murders carried out there by the Turkish soldiers.

Armenians all over the world observed the hundredth anniversary of the genocide this past April 24, but many were not able to re-

member in peace. This is due to Turkish government, which insists, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Armenians were not persecuted for their religion or ethnicity, but rather deported for aiding Russia (then an enemy of Turkey). They also insist that the number of Armenian casualties was actually only 300,000, while 2.5 million Muslims also perished from the same turmoil of violence typical to any wartime, and that the word ‘genocide’ cannot accurately be used. But this wasn’t always the policy of the Turks toward the genocide issue— they acknowledged it in 1919, before the Ottoman Empire was broken up. Then, in 1921, they altered their point to their current stance amid a surge of Turkish nationalism.

But the real insult to Armenian-Americans is that the United States government has not used the word ‘genocide’ to describe what happened to their families at the hands of the Turks. While our government doesn’t have a policy of denial on the issue, they have failed to follow the examples of more than 20 nations (including France, Germany, Canada, and Russia) and forty states in acknowledging the genocide. Given that America has one of the largest populations of Armenians in the world—second only to the Republic of Armenia itself—it is espe-

threatening to cut off relations with countries that boldly insist on using the word ‘genocide’ to describe the events of 1915 to 1923. But these inhibiting factors should not be preventing our government from making the decision that is morally right.

According to Representative Adam Schiff, Turkey always threatens nations who categorize the violence in the Ottoman Empire during World war I as genocide, but that “it hasn’t ended [Turkey’s] relationship with any of them.” Representative Schiff is a sponsor of a resolution that was recently introduced in the House of Representatives for the United States government

to

officially

use

the

term

‘genocide.’

Ultimately, the American government is choosing to go along with Turkey’s agenda out of fear of the possible impact on international relations if they decided to take a different path. But by not acknowledging the genocide, they are effectively communicating that human rights abuses only ‘happen’ if it is convenient afterward, and that if it isn’t, the country in question can have their record expunged. Given the small percentage of Americans who are of Armenian descent, most of the country does not feel personally affected by this. But what if the United States government refused to recognize the Holocaust as genocide?

Would the strong Jewish community in LM be willing to accept that?

A common saying is that it is necessary to learn from the past, or we will be doomed to live it again. Given that this is a fairly ambiguous factor, it may seem to be of less importance in this situation than Turkish-American relations. But the silence on the subject of the Armenian Genocide was actually an encouragement to Adolf Hitler. When speaking of his intention to murder Polish men, women, and children, he comforted himself with the quesArt by Xinming Jin ’15 tion: “Who, after all, speaks today of cially offensive. This anniversary marks the the annihilation of the Armenians?” While seventh year in a row that President Obama recognizing the Armenian Genocide probhas broken his promise made on the cam- ably couldn’t have prevented the Holocaust, paign trail in 2008: “Two years ago, I criti- the pattern that the American government cized

the

Secretary

of

State

for

the

firing

of

was following of not placing a priority on U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, genocide prevention and recognition conafter he properly used the term “genocide” tinued to be held during World War II. to describe Turkey’s slaughter of thousands Thus, America is excusing the denial of a of Armenians starting in 1915… as President mass murder in order to have an easier time I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.” in diplomatic relations with Turkey. This is a However, Obama’s course of action is shameful course of action to take as a demnot without cause. Turkey is a critical ally ocratic nation that promotes freedom and for the United States for economic reasons, human rights. If our government claims to and it also serves as a political connection value human life, it has to act on that asserbetween the European and North Ameri- tion

rather

than

crumble

under

the

first

hint

can countries and the Islamic nations of the of opposition to it. After all, if our country Middle East. Turkey has used bullying tac- isn’t powerful enough to acknowledge the tics such as recalling ambassadors and even truth, what kind of a world power are we?

8

May 20, 2015

OPINIONS The Merionite

Running unopposed or unapproved

Allie Rauch ‘16 This spring, four out of the five officer positions in Student Council were handed to students who ran unopposed. This is not a new phenomenon, since it has happened the past few years to some degree as well. The officers of Student Council are supposed to represent the voices, ideas, and spirit of the entire student body, but how can that be the case when no one was able to choose, or not choose, them? This situation might have been more acceptable if the candidates had to meet more requirements to show that they are capable of the forthcoming responsibilities of representing LM, but the prerequisites were scant.

According to the Student Council eBoard and LM Constitution, the only eligibility requirement was that the candidate must have attended 50 percent of the meetings this year. Those intending to run then had to solicit only 50 peer signatures, many of which were from students who did not know what they were signing or knew nothing about the candidate. Representing less than 4 percent of the student body, the signatures did not show school-wide approval. Unfortunately, this situation is not unlike real politics. According to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News in an article from The Nation, 33 percent of state legislative-district elections during 2012 were one-candidate elections. The elections this year at LM mirrored this political trend in one-candidate elections.

According to one student council attendant, there was an exclusivity about the elections due to the “lack of information about elections and the idea that only juniors were eligible.” The misinformation already nar-

rowed down the number of people running. After that, a group chat was made which included all of the potential candidates. The chat’s initial purpose was to make sure that not everybody was running for the same office, but it turned into a conversation where people debated over which seat they should receive. The candidates no longer ran for the offices for which they were best fit, but rather for the offices they were able to argue into.

In order to eliminate the exclusivity, Student Council must be more forward with eligibility, including from the beginning of the year. Had I known how many candidates have run unopposed in past years and would this year, as well as been aware the eligibility requirements, I’m sure myself and others would have joined Student Council in an effort to run for an office for the 2015-2016 school year to make it a more democratic, true election.

There is also a lack of information spread to the student body about the platforms of each candidate, unop-

posed or not. I don’t know about any specific plans for communication among the committees or plans for the use of Student Council funds. If we are to have officers chosen for us, we should at least be told their ideas. To make information on the candidate’s objectives and ideas more accessible and known, the candidates running unopposed should also be required to give short speeches about what they will do the following year. Another way of informing studnets of the candidates and their platforms could be running a Merionite feature on the election each year.

In order to have representative school leadership, Student Council must change the election protocol. One

possible solution would be that those running unopposed would instead run against an abstain option. The student body would be given the right to abstain from voting for a candidate, and if the candidate did not reach a substantial, predetermined amount of votes, then he or she would not receive the position. In that system, Student Council would have to have a way to fill that office: a revote with even fewer eligibility requirements to allow more people to run, an appointment system chosen by the “voting members” among Student Council, etc.

Another possibility, although it seems contrary to what I have previously said, is to lower the eligibility requirements even further. This change would allow more people the opportunity to run for office, giving the student body a chance to choose who they want to represent them. The flaw with this is that an officer may not have experienced enough of the student council processes and events prior to being in office. However, if they are qualified enough to be able to lead the high school and take on the necessary responsibilities, those flaws should be able to be overlooked through votes.

A third option for a better, and more democratic Student Council would be the addition of write-ins to the ballot. This way, even if there is only one candidate running for a position, students are still given a choice.

Write-ins act as an abstain option, just with a replacement if the candidate is not elected. A caveat being, though, that, if the write-in wins, he or she must be willing and capable of being an officer. But, I would still counter by saying that attending three meetings can’t possibly qualify you and not others to be a leader of the school anyway.

Fortunately, every candidate has shown involvement—whether major or minor—as committee heads or members. Although the system has many major flaws, I still believe that the 2015-2016 school year will not be disastrous, whether or not it is clear that the newly elected officers are the best possible to represent LM.

Clubbin’ too hard The clock strikes 2:10 and the satisfaction that another day is in the books reigns over most LM students; yet, for some, the day is not over. For many, academic recovery is a perfect time to socialize with friends, receive extra help from teachers, and, most importantly, attend student run clubs. Clubs are a major part of student life at LM as they are frequently advertised with daily announcements and posters throughout the halls. These clubs are publicized as great ways to become familiar with new ideas and, more importantly, to meet new people and gain lasting friendships with all types of students. But I wonder if most clubs at LM actually are providing their student members with these opportunities.

Unfortunately, one of the main reasons why clubs are unsuccessful at their attempts to achieve these two goals is actually not their fault. LM forces its clubs to have at least some academic or multicultural value, and as a result, clubs have to talk about topics that aren’t the most interesting.

Imagine a club where students could partake in a fantasy sports league, listen to music, or share interesting talents: all examples of clubs that would definitely increase student participation and bring together peers across different grades. Why should a club be limited to such specific topics that may not even be relevant to our daily lives?

Another issue that is extremely prevalent amongst clubs at LM can be summed up with one word: food. The smell of freshly baked cookies or the sight of a bag of

potato chips brings in kids for a quick pre-practice snack.

While I won’t deny that I myself have also stopped by a classroom for some food, I feel this idea is a perfect

David Maniloff ’16 example of a larger problem with clubs. Only slight involvement by its members prevent the main goals of the club from being achieved and it adds extra unnecessary stress on the officers. Ultimately this combination of students lacking both interest and involvement in their clubs has created a major problem for individuals who rely on them weekly for enjoyment and inter-peer communication.

As previously discussed, a possible solution to this problem could be the addition of more interesting clubs that students would actually look forward to attending

each and every week; however, that may not be plausible in the near future. So, how can clubs be more effective in connecting a wide array of students while also ensuring their true purpose in an enjoyable manner?

To me, the answer lies in restriction. In order to actually increase the success of clubs at LM, students should be limited in the number of clubs they are involved in.

The goal not being to limit students in what they are able to do, but rather to create a stronger community within the club and enforce that everyone in the club is actually participating. Some of the most influential clubs at LM are the ones where students are actually required to engage in activities, like traveling across the globe to build schools or competing against other schools in heated debates.

Of course, students wouldn’t be obligated to continue their commitment to a club if it isn’t enjoyable, and changing clubs should be a relatively easy process.

Reducing the amount of clubs each student is allowed to partake in would be optimal for LM. This cutback will also allow students to be more involved in their activities and, through active participation, allow them to get the most out of clubs they are in. In the end, this adjustment will allow clubs to become more successful in achieving their goals and make them more enjoyable, interesting, and entertaining for all.

OPINIONS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

A society too GRΣΣK to speak: Why fraternities have gone

S

Dena Behar ’16 Op-Ed Editor

ince the 1700s, fraternities have been a major prescence at colleges throughout the country. Many of our own Founding Fathers belonged to fraternal organizations, and the traditions of brotherhood and loyalty have been entrenched in American campus culture ever since.

Young men, eager to make friends and expand their social lives, participate in selective recruitment processes and sometimes dangerous hazing just so they can be a part of Greek life. But now, fraternities are being thrown into the limelight and their unsavory and demoralizing practices are being revealed—finally.

In March, two University of Oklahoma students were expelled for leading a racist song that caused outrage.

The men singing the song were members of a fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which since has been banned from campus. The singing was upbeat and light-hearted—nothing like the subject of the song, which referenced the lynching of African Americans. Although action was quickly taken by university administrators, the damage to the community was done.

And this incident isn’t an isolated one. Also in March, photos surfaced on a Penn State University private Facebook page. The photos, accessible only to present and former members of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, depict drugs, hazing, and nude and unconscious women. The women, of course, were not aware that the photos were being taken and had not given the fraternity consent to post them on Facebook. Students were dismayed and disgusted by the news but not surprised.

A study conducted in 2007 by John Foubert, a professor at Oklahoma State University, found that men in fraternities were three times more likely to commit rape than other men on college campuses. The study also found that, before college, fraternity men were no different from other male students. There was no disparity in the number of sexual assaults before the men joined a fraternity. But after joining, men who were in a fraternity committed three times as many sexual assaults as those who didn’t join.

This suggests that the men who join fraternities aren’t just bad seeds using alcohol-filled frat parties as an excuse to rape women. The problem is with the whole mindset that surrounds fraternities. The ideals of brotherhood and loyalty end up clouding the judgement of impressionable boys who are just looking to please their superiors. The hazees become the hazers, and the cycle of intimidation continues.

At Dartmouth College, where 51 percent of all students are members of Greek societies, fraternities are a large presence throughout campus. Lily Eisner, who graduated from LM in 2014, said that, at pre-rush events, the heavy drinking is all part of the initiation process. “You have to hang out a lot at the frats you want to rush,” she said, “so you have to kind of prove yourself.” The brothers are judging the boys the whole time to see if they have the frat boy attitude that they are looking for.

Recently, a scandal broke involving pledges being branded as part of initiation into Alpha Delta, a prominent fraternity at Dartmouth which has since been derecognized. Branding was a way for slaveowners to identify the slaves they owned; to categorize slaves as property rather than as human beings. “That’s an example of how being in a frat can cloud your judgement,” says Eisner. There are few, if any, situations in which someone would willingly endure hot iron on his skin, and impressing potential frat brothers shouldn’t be one of them.

One of Eisner’s close friends was sexually assaulted this past winter. “There can always be this kind of pressure to hook up with someone at a frat,” Eisner said, especially when a brother asks you “to play a game with him.” According to Eisner, “Frat brothers feel threatened if they aren’t in control of every situation,” something that they no doubt learned from their superiors.

We are more likely to do something we know is wrong if the person we look up to does it as well.

The solution isn’t to tell girls to wear longer dresses or use nail polish that can detect when their drinks are laced with Rohypnol. The solution isn’t to suspend fraternities for a year so that they can “reorganize,” or so that the college looks like they are taking meaningful action.

The solution is much more complicated than those quick-fix proposals, and, in all honesty, I don’t know what it is. Banning all fraternities would be a drastic measure that almost all institutions would not be willing to take.

But I do know that the only way to end—or at least greatly decrease—sexual assaults and other heinous activity on college campuses is to completely change the mindset of fraternities.

The focus needs to be switched from brotherhood and complete loyalty to support and acceptance. There are plenty of fraternities that do offer this to their members, but problems arise when frats offer a strong community while simultaneously hurting those around them. The least we can do is recognize that there is in fact a systemic problem with college fraternities, one that needs to be fixed.

9

10

OPINIONS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

134 steps: a world of difference We know all too well how fortunate we are to be in Lower Merion Township. It’s something we are reminded of cons by our teachers, administrators and parents. Yet what we never discuss is just how unfortunate other kids can be.

Adrian Corbey ’16 Here, in Pennsylvania, according to statistics from the National Center for Education, our wealthiest public school districts receive 33.5 percent more state and local funding than the rest of the state does, and 11.7 percent more state, local and federal funding than the rest of the country. This results in the largest disparity between state and local funding and the third largest disparity in state, local, and federal funding. The average national differential is 15.6 percent in state and local funding and 1.7

percent in state, local and federal funding; Pennsylvania is far from normal. We clearly don’t make a concerted effort to provide the same quality of education to all students in our state. Unsurprisingly, the students that are the hardest hit are poor, inner-city children.

I reside in Penn Wynne, an area that borders the Overbrook Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. I live 134 steps away from the border of the city. At a comfortable stride I can get there without having spent more than 30 seconds outside. On the surface, Overbrook Park seems the same as my neighborhood. The temperature is unchanged, the birds make the same sounds, the time of day is unaffected, and the sun feels the same, but those 134 steps make a world of difference. In putting one foot in front of the other I find myself entering a community that is seemingly the same, yet wholly altered. In that short trip the demographics and income of the area shift dramatically. In my immediate vicinity within Penn Wynne the average income is $117,678. Comparitavely, the two areas of Overbrook Park nearest me have an average household income of $33,980 and $41,716.

The students who live in that area come from less economically fortunate families, so it defies all logic that their schools receive much less funding. It’s abundantly clear to me that funding on the local level is something that cannot be controlled. The amount of local funding is based upon property taxes, which, of course, correlate with the value of your property and the affluence of where you live. In a failed effort to be equal, the state gives schools very similar funding based on a formula

that doesn’t take poverty into consideration and ignores the inequities that manifest themselves in our schools.

Those who have already had fewer opportunities given to them just because they were born into a low-income family will be worse off when they enter school. The state should think more pragmatically to resolve this issue by providing more funding to schools in underprivileged communities.

Without proper schooling these kids will have a harder time breaking the cycle of poverty they were born into.

This daunting task would not seem as difficult had these children started on equal academic footing. I understand why the schools may initially be different, but what I cannot understand is how they continue to be unequal.

That being said, there are states that have acknowledged the disparity in public school funding and have taken steps to rectify it. In Indiana and Minnesota, the poorest districts receive more federal and state funding than the wealthiest in an effort to try and close the gap.

There does not have to a massive disparity in the funds allocated to the poorest and wealthiest schools if we can approach equal education not as a freedom, but as a right that everyone needs and deserves.

Our survival-of-the-fittest approach to education has led to a rampant lack of education in the American people. The inadequate education that far too many American children receive has lead to a loss in human capital. Each student, if given the opportunity, can aspire to greatness, but as it stands the schools that serve our nation’s poorest are simply inadequate.

A failed attempt at stress management

Justin Guo ’16 As a traditionally high-achieving school, LM goes to great lengths to create a platform on which students can perform at their best. LM offers a wide range of classes, allowing students to find a schedule most appropriate for them. LM also boasts a plethora of rigorous classes to develop deep, involved learning and a strong work ethic.

Many students’ schedules include APs stacked on APs, with a handful of students even taking five or six. These classes are often accompanied with a great deal of stress, especially when different classes’ tests, essays, and projects overlap. The week before spring break, too many of my classmates were averaging fewer than five hours of sleep, trying to tie up different classes’ loose ends before taking off for a week. “This is how I live,” said a friend, when I asked if she was aiming to go to bed at two a.m. that night.

After I saw a Snapchat of an English essay timestamped at 3:46 a.m., I realized how little support LM offers to combat stress. Students are expected to suck it up and move on. While stress and late nights, to a certain degree, can be useful for forging a strong work ethic, the constant pressure that many students face brings great risk for mental health problems. Going to sleep at two

a.m. for weeks straight, as a few of my friends do, raises the chance of health problems arising, even in the strongest students. It seems LM rarely bats an eyelid at stress, though. Little effort has been made by administration to directly help those overwhelmed by their classwork. For example, the LM Student Handbook states that whenever possible teachers should try to avoid giving students more than two full period tests per day. However, this is often ignored.

At the start of each year, there is a grade-level orientation reviewing rules, protocol, and basic policy. Why, in these orientations, is the issue of stress absent? Why are the “encouraging” words, “CRISIS INTERVENTION [...] for immediate assistance, students should see their counselor” only found on page 105 of the LM Student Handbook? Even when administration attempts to tackle the stress issue, approaches are flawed. There are only two major stress support programs implemented directly by LM administration: the Student Assistance Referral Team (START), a confidential intervention program run at the discretion of an intimidating panel of teachers, and SpeakUp!, an anti-stress program revolving around presentations that aims to teach attendees how to deal with stress. Given how it is structured, START can encounter trouble addressing the many struggling, yet superficially happy students, as teachers only have so much insight on students’ personal lives. SpeakUp!, too, only

reaches few students. Only around 50 students attended the lecture, easily less than five percent of our student body. The SpeakUp! event itself is revolved around the idea that stress is controllable through individual stress management strategies, such as going outside to take a break. Stress, however, comes not only from how students manage it, but also in a large part from how much work is assigned and the pressure surrounding the work.

Only administration can control these aspects of stress.

If an Administration wants to reduce the pressure, they need to directly add more counter-stress policies, such as the rule that more than two tests can’t fall on the same day. For example, a set of homework passes given at the start of the year would provide students a mental safety net for days when the stars align and provide you with a track meet, WebAssign, APUSH reading, 23-page annotation, and a math test the next day. In light of these situations, the “fiveminute” break strategies suggested at SpeakUp! are of limited use.

A rigorous course load can help students to become more efficient with their time, but in its current state, the rigorous course load at LM is better at teaching students how to brew coffee than teaching students the value of working efficiently.

A program like SpeakUp! is a step in the right direction, but LM needs to do more. Most advice won’t help you escape the hours of homework you have sitting on your desk. LM needs to involve itself in helping students directly.

Photo by staff

FEATURES

May 20, 2015

11

The Merionite

Baldwinning?

By Tori Klevan ’15

2

1

Features Editor

In

early May, I spent the school day at The Baldwin School, shadowing a senior student. More than the stunning, age-old architecture and interior and the smaller, more individualized classes, one aspect struck me as very appealing—it was all girls. This surprised me because I’ve always gotten along with boys and enjoyed their presence in my educational 3 development. However, I subconsciously curtail my full personality around boys. Many girls face this problem, some more than others. No girls face this problem at Baldwin, because in 1888, the founders of the school eliminated the sole variable that affects us in this way—boys.

As I sat in a senior Calculus class, I noticed that almost every girl was outspoken, comfortable,

and

confident.

I

had

experienced nothing like this at LM. Neither had senior Saranne Louth, a Baldwin student who used to attend Penncrest, a public school in Media, PA. The atmosphere at Baldwin makes her “not as afraid to get things wrong” and less worried about “proving herself to anyone,” compared to Penncrest, she told me.

Baldwin senior Madison Dawkins agrees, saying, “The environment helps girls, especially when they’re at the stage where they feel vulnerable to really get to know themselves without too much judgment.”

Like LM, Baldwin has advisories. Baldwin math teacher Jane Farella says, “My advisees say everything to me and I don’t think they would [if there were boys in the advisories].”

Farella is able to “make meaningful relationships” with her students during advisory time. At LM, things are different. “Our advisories are more of a way for the school to kill twenty minutes and act like the students are forming a community, when that’s just not the way it is,” says LM junior Dena Behar. Farella believes the reason coed advisories fail is because “the comfort level when you’re talking amongst [just] girls is different.”

Girls might be more comfortable in an allfemale environment, but do they actually learn better?

Researchers

find

that

yes,

they

do

learn

better. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania studied a group in Seoul, South Korea. They chose this location because students are randomly assigned to either singlesex

or

coed

high

schools.

The

randomness

ensured that this was the best group to study.

The results were compelling, showing that girls

attending

girls’

schools

were

significantly

more likely to attend a four-year college compared to girls attending coed schools. The results were the same comparing the all-boys’ to coed schools. Other studies show that girls do better in typically male-driven subjects in this environment. Two researchers, Bettina Hannover and Ursula Kessels randomly assigned 401 eighth-graders to single-gender physics classes or to coed physics classes for one school year. The results showed that girls assigned to the all-female classroom were more engaged in physics and less likely to agree with statements like “physics is for boys.” The results for the girls in the coed class were the exact

opposite.

Jane

Farella

concurs

with

this

research,

explaining

that

at

Baldwin,

there

are

“girls taking Differential Equations, which is a high-level math course, because they are interested in it and enabled to do that here.”

Despite

evidence

showing

that

single-sex

environments promote better learning, organizations like the National Association for Choice

in

Education

stress

that

single-sex

classrooms work best for some students, while coed classrooms work better for others. Senators such as Hillary Clinton and Susan Collins agree with this notion, and have pushed for the option in public schools in the past.

4

3

5

6

8

7

9

1. LM cafeteria 2. Baldwin cafeteria 3. Baldwin lounge 4. Baldwin courtyard 5. Baldwin classroom

6. Baldiwn classroom 7. Baldwin art room 8. LM art show 9. Baldwin staircase

Photos by Tori Klevan/Staff

FEATURES

May, 20 2015

12

The Merionite

Overheard at LM A collection of quotes overheard in the halls by Emma Shapiro

“ZERO 100

TO

REAL

“I don’t know why she broke up with me, I mean we both liked 90’s music, we liked rap, we liked all of it except for country” - A boy about his relationship with

THICK” his now ex-girlfriend

“You can’t fast forward in this video so warning you they’re all Viagra commercials” - A teacher about a 60 Minutes episode

“Oh girl I love the mom jeans!

You look hot af.”

“Varsity sports include running to chipotle.”

A six word memoir

“He’s turning into a real teacher.”

“I need bread to soak up my feelings” - A student during Passover “Why you gotta be so sweaty after wall ball?”

“I was “She

definitely

knew

it

was

happening

running today.”

through the “Really?

Is

that

why

her

hair

looks

610 with good?”

my woes.”

“She’s on my team and you can’t critique her at all otherwise she’ll beat you up.”

- A girl about her softball teammate

“I shouldn’t have come to Mr. LM; I see my haters.”

Students

talking

about

a

promposal

“Wait, are you leaving now?”

“Yeah, my Uber’s here.”

SPECIAL FEATURE

May 20, 2015

13

The Merionite

See Centerspread for introduction to The LM Effect Special Feature

ORI DULITZKI ‘18

AVERY SHANDELMAN ‘18

Walking through the hallways of LM, I’ve noticed that “cool” is a big factor in the perception of others. To some, “cool” means fashionably attractive or impressive, but at LM, it’s more meaningful. I’ve noticed that with the vast freedom students have—free periods, study halls, and gym—some find

all

the

loopholes

and

tweaks

in

the

system

in

order

to

avoid

participation as much as possible. I’ve overheard students talking to each other about how they skipped study hall, or got away with not signing up for AR. I’ve seen students judge one another’s “coolness” by their lack of participation and effort in particular activities. They think that the less you participate in, the “cooler” you are. Why is inactivity considered so “cool” when there are so many legitimately cool things one can do? I think that joining sports, arts, community service, and clubs are the ideal ways to be “cool.” I run on the cross-country and (both) track teams and spend part of every day with people who like to do the same. That’s cool.

AMANDA S. ‘17 AND HALEY K. ‘17 We all know that scene from Mean Girls

when

Cady

is

introduced

to

the

cliques

in

the

North

Shore

cafeteria.

You

see

the

Plastics

table; their priorities are Aaron Samuels, partying, and fitting

into

prom

dresses.

There

are

also

the

Mathletes,

who

prioritize school over their social standing. Not to mention the Desperate Wannabes, who marvel at the idea that a Plastic slapped them across the face. Although the North Shore cafeteria analogy is not as distinctly present throughout LM’s social groups, some groups do prioritize differently than others. There are the partiers who spend the entire school week planning the weekend. The gamers, who play computer games throughout all classses and still manage to get As. The burnouts, who deserve a round of applause when they actually make it to class on time (or even at all). And of course, the smarties, who consider their greatest social outing to be study groups. Even though people at our school do not

title

themselves

into

specific

cliques,

it

is

evident that each general friend group has an overarching priority.

The word “cool” is thrown around throughout our adolescence.

Whether it’s the coolest clothes, shoes, sports, or hairstyles, we cannot hide from the fact that “cool” is a part of our daily lives here at LM. Some choose to ignore what is cool, while others seem to embrace it. At LM, however, cool may not always be the best option. LM can often define cool as adamant, inattentive, and not willing to try many new things. I think cool should be the opposite. Cool should be following your dreams, and doing what is in your best interest—not doing what will impress others. A choice should never be based on its coolness or lack thereof. It should come down to what you feel inside.

That freedom of choice and openness may be the coolest thing available to our young minds. Next time you are contemplating whether to go outside of the box or stay locked in, try escaping the boundaries; you’ll like what you find.

MATTHEW SCHWARTZ, ENGLISH In my mind, the criteria for what makes someone “cool” versus what should make someone “cool” matches up relatively well at our school. Students at LM appreciate their peers based on a wide variety of talents and characteristics. There isn’t one set of personality traits or a specific

extra-curricular

activity

that

makes

a

student

“cool.”

As

I walk through the halls, I see students who excel in a myriad of ways and a student body that welcomes this well-roundedness.

Especially, there is a social value to academics that I haven’t seen in the several schools in which I’ve previously taught. Overall, I think our students get away from the traditional judgment of what a “cool” person looks like and are progressive in the way they give social prestige to a larger array of gifts and personality types. There are enough active, lively students that there aren’t just a few “cool” students, but many who are popular, social, and engaged with their fellow pupils.

Pressures in life have complex effects Jed Yaloff, Psychologist

I appreciate the invitation to write about the social-emotional “cost,” potentially, to a LM student that might be present as a function of pressure imposed by the LMSD.

I

find

this

question

a

tough

one

to

answer.

It

seems

abstract,

yet

there

is

a

ring

to

it

that

is

easily

identifiable.

Does

the

district

ask

too

much

of

its

students?

At

what

point

is

it

too

much?

And

who

is

able

to

identify

the

often

fine

line

when

a student’s level of social-emotional risk is on the rise?

I have been a district resident for over 30 years. My psychology practice includes students who are children, adolescents, and young adults. Each student is an individual, and the context of each student’s life is, yes, individualized. Students come from families with different levels of direction, resource, stress, and educational

focus.

T hus,

for

me,

there

is

really

no

one

answer

to

the

question

of

how

my student clientele are affected by LMSD pressures. By the time I see a client, there is usually a pretty high level of stress centered on academics or other factors.

I have noticed a trend toward students being over-scheduled. For example, I often see students with multiple activities that impose burdens on time-management, study habits, and organizational skills, which contributes to anxiety, depressed mood,

self-confidence

issues,

and

so

on.

Yet,

I

am

not

sure

that

this

is

solely

function of the school district’s achievement initiatives, or other factors that affect any

one person’s choices.

Indeed, there are many considerations that eventuate in a student taking on too much of a load. To that end, there are many stress-point embedded in the school-age years. School districts are aware of these points and offer programs to support students, while at the same time maintaining their primary emphasis on academic achievement. District reputations are affected by student achievement, and district self-esteem can be affected by student academic performance. The same holds true for teachers and parents/guardians. Teachers who recognize and respond to distress signals can direct a student toward help in a way that leads to stress reduction, rather than stress escalation. Parents/guardians who are supportive without being demanding, and who appreciate how their own ideals, sometimes unmet, affect interactions with their children around school achievement, are in a good

position

to

help

their

children

cope.

T he

social-emotional

cost

of

conflicts

around achievement can result in a student feeling shame, embarrassment, depression, anxiety, and/or avoidance, and/or acting-out behavior. This is why teachers, parents, and students need to be in communication with each other and alert to social-emotional

changes

in

the

student

that

may

require

additional

support

or

professional intervention.

14

May 20, 2015

In this issue of The Merionite, we looked into the var interviews, surveys, and opinions from various students, into both social and academic pressures at LM, as well

SOCIAL

Every grade is characterized by its social climate and what brings groups together. How does social organization and what’s considered “cool” change from freshman to senior year?

Freshmen The newbies of the school, the toddlers ready to party all night but not get caught, the children just learning how to swim.

We freshmen struggle to adjust to the new atmosphere. No, the school is not a square, and if you keep walking, you will

not

find

your

classroom.

No,

most

freshmen will not know the crazy bell schedule by the end of September. We naïve freshmen wander around, wondering where to go, what to do, how to make the most

of

the

first

year

of

high

school.

We

realize things have changed since middle school. Now, you cannot catch up with your entire friend group during lunch, nor start your homework at 11:30 p.m. and expect to be done in 15 minutes. However, the freshman friend groups don’t drastically change from middle school mostly because we are lost. Can we decide at this age between partying until college admissions or studying until 12 a.m. every night?

We want to keep our close ties with our middle school friends because they are the only things constant in the ever-changing world of high school. But, we also want to branch out, explore, and have fun. We are the annoying freshmen and we are proud.

We freshmen stick together as friends so we

can

prepare

to

dive

headfirst

into

the

raging, deep ocean called high school.

- Nisha Arya ‘18

Sophomore Sophomores. What’s there to say about us?

We aren’t the new, annoying freshmen, or the overpowering, graduating seniors, or the SAT and ACT zombie juniors, we are just the boring sophomores. As a sophomore, there is only one annoying part of our status: the dodge of an adult trying to make small talk by asking which college we want to attend. Of course, we are just sophomores, and most of us have no clue. Then, obviously not listening to us, they provide a list of 20 colleges that we should visit. Other than that occasional dodge though, life as a sophomore is pretty relaxing. We only need to worry about a few things: which APs to take, what we should watch

on

Netflix,

and

which

parties

to

go

to. Contrary to every single ‘80s movie out there, we do not have to worry about friends that much. There are obviously social status divides within the sophomore class, but there is no hierarchy to them.

There is the sports clique, the Players clique, the super-intelligent clique, the “partiers,” etc. This doesn’t divide us though; each clique has mutual friends that connect them to one another. You may think that you only have 10 friends, but when you look at the big picture, you actually may have 30 or 40 friends.

Although

other

grades

might

find

us “blugh,” we feel that not having divided cliques makes social life more confortable and welcoming.

- Nolan Shapiro ‘17

Junior The social environment of the junior grade, while certainly divided, is not tense. Though our grade is quite cliquey, and many of the friend groups that formed in freshman year have remained relatively unchanged, there are no movie style feuds between warring groups. It doesn’t affect you differently throughout high school, but what group you do choose affects you through all four years. In our grade, not much is seen as cool. No one aspires to be the party girls as much as they aspire to be the varsity athletes. Yet simply because there are no set

definitions

of

cool

doesn’t

mean

that

no one thinks they are cool. Our grade has

its

fair

share

of

queen

bees

(of

both

genders)

who

certainly

see

themselves

sitting atop the non-existent social ladder.

The junior grade isn’t one giant chopped salad where we all mix and enjoy each other’s company but still remain apart.

Some friend groups really don’t like each other, and even within groups there are people who don’t particularly like people they still refer to as their “friends.” Nonetheless, overall our grade has achieved a relative peace, one where we all get along despite our differences.

- Jon Adams ‘16

Senior “I walk into the room and they swarm me with questions like, ‘What college are you going to? What’d you get on your SATs?’ And these are 5th graders.” This is a quote from senior

Cory

Litman

on

his

first

day

as

an

assistant in a 5th grade class at Merion Elementary School. Let’s face it, our community is hardwired to love the idea of getting into a good college, and the social scene of LM seniors is not immune in the slightest. We can throw out the ‘80s high school stereotypes of jocks and cheerleaders cramming helpless nerds into lockers a la Freaks and Geeks, but instead admit the notion that seniors read each other like admissions officers.

If

you’re

involved,

get

decent

grades,

and

not a total jerk, you’re respected. Aside from the die-hard adoration for the basketball team, there isn’t much of a hierarchy. However, just because people

find

their

own

niche

and

are

(generally)

friendly towards each other, doesn’t mean it doesn’t get cliquey. There are groups of friends, and groups within those groups, and before you know it you’re caught up in an endless russian doll system of selective compatibility, but that’s just the nature of high school. Freshman year you walk in with a crowd of 20 friends but senior year you have maybe 6 or 7 that you would say you’re close to. Senior year, you grow up and you grow apart, especially as college nears and you

realize

you

won’t

again

have

the

privilege

(or

burden)

of

spending

time

with

your

high

school

classmates anymore.

- Danny Avershal ‘15

SPECIAL FEATURE

May 20, 2015

15

The Merionite

rious “costs” of attending LM. Through teachers, and experts, this feature delves l as their effects on students.

ACADEMICS

Many students agree that we face academic pressures from many people every day, all of which contribute to our experiences at LM. What are some of the pressures we face daily?

Teachers

Many would contend that our teachers are the biggest sources of pressure. Between tests and homework assignments, projects and presentations, and various papers we’re all feverishly submitting to Turnitin, our academic lives are full of stress. Many people procrastinate and bring more stress on themselves, but some of the pressure undeniably comes from our classrooms every day.

Is LM more “clique-y” than your middle school?

For some more than others, parents can be a huge source of pressure. They’re always reminding us to study for our SATs or ACTs, start our college applications, unload the dishwasher—the list goes on and on. The bottom line is that our parents care for us and want the best for us, and this sometimes leads them to be a tad overbearing.

Is there a social hierarchy at LM?

Self

Friends

Parents

School would be terrible without friends. That being said, they can also serve as a constant source of stress and pressure. There’s constant

(tiring)

drama

around

the school surrounding who was at which party and who’s mad at whom. Students are always anxious for the most recent gossip, which creates a consistent social pressure coursing through our hallways. But it’s high school… what can you do?

Do you think that social and academic pressures at LM take a toll on students’ emotions?

This is the sad truth of our school. Our students put tremendous amounts of pressure on themselves, often leading to midnight crying sessions and sleep-deprived zombies walking the halls. There are many students who always work hard, regardless of the assignment, pressuring themselves to constantly do their best.

Do you think that LM’s administration should make a concerted effort to minimize the pressure put on students?

The Merionite surveyed the LM student body through an online survey. We received 270 responses, the results of which are shown above and throughout this special feature.

Artwork by Madelyn Schaeffer/Staff Graphics by Divya Arya/Staff

16

May 20, 2015

SPECIAL FEATURE The Merionite

See Centerspread for introduction to The LM Effect Special Feature

Pressure builds, Keystone after Keystone Sean Flynn Social Studies Teacher When some of my students approached me to write a column about the pressures on students here at LM, I was torn.

There’s something about seeing hundreds of teenagers clogging the hallways with headphones or cradling a District-provided laptop streaming the Avengers movie that doesn’t exactly scream “pressure.” Neither does a grading scale that awards you a 56 percenr even if you do nothing for half the year. Cs are indeed the new Fs. Credit for late work? Check. Take the test later?

Check.

Ten

field

trips?

Check.

Week-long

college

visits?

Check.

“Frees?”

You’ve

earned

‘em.

Texts,

Twitter,

Snapchat,

Instagram, Ello, Tumblr, and Facebook. Man, your day is hectic! Here, sit down. Deep breaths... ...Now let’s get a little perspective. The real high school pressure happens three and a half miles from here. No not Harriton; the other direction.

Overbrook High sits right across from LM’s City Avenue border. You think taking the Biology Keystone is pressure? LM has teachers dedicated to virtually nothing but your Keystone Biology preparation and remediation. Overbrook High didn’t have a

certified

biology

teacher

this

year.

Overall,

LM

scored 100 percent on the last SAT/ACT College Ready Benchmark. Overbrook scored 2.51 percent.

You’re welcome.

I did say I was torn though, right? In my experience, the majority of you do make learning your top priority, despite all the distractions. And the pressures you encounter from family and peers are real: get better grades, score better on tests, go to a better college. But the stress from struggling to do those things can be good for you. It can make you more resilient. After all, 3.2 million kids will graduate from high school next year. That’s your competition to get into an unfathomably expensive college and

then

find

employment

in

the

slowest

economic

recovery since the Great Depression. Yeah, that’s pressure. If you don’t respond effectively, those graduates that do overcome will steamroll you on their way to making their future dreams come true.

So take advantage of everything the school board, administration, teachers, and staff make available to you here. If you’re still feeling pressured, try reducing the number of AP and Honors courses you take, or the number of activities you’re involved in, or the number of hours you work at your part-time job. Time is your friend in dealing with the pressures of succeeding at LM. There’s only so much of it.

But you’re not the only ones who could do things differently to help you deal with academic pressure and to help you focus on your learning.

I want to talk about the most important and the easiest change for administration to implement. We should stop high-stakes testing now. As the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public School Superintendents (including ours) stated eighteen months ago, “It is time . . . to stand up to the politics at both the state and national levels and re-examine the long-lasting consequences of high-stake testing on our students, our teachers, our schools and our society.”

So what about the Keystones and all the pressure, preparation, diagnostic testing, test days and remediation that go with them? In-term Superintendent Marseilles wrote to your families a few months ago reiterating the District’s opposition to high-stakes testing in general, and to the Keystones in particular. Administrators, however, can’t ignore the Keystones. But you can opt out. Discuss with your family their right to remove you from these tests. Instructions for opting out are on the District website. You won’t be alone (one Seattle high school had 100% no-shows for their spring state assessment last month).

Bipartisan legislation is now pending in both the Pennsylvania House and Senate to effectively end the Keystones as a graduation requirement. Hopefully that happens soon (disclaimer: I am evaluated as a teacher, in part, based on your Keystone scores, despite not teaching a Keystone subject). For now, support Dr. Marseilles and lobby your state representatives to end mandatory Keystone testing.

Let’s also end midterm exams. They take too much time away from the classroom – up to three weeks of mandatory preparation, test taking, and review

–

with

no

tangible

benefit

to

student

learning. On the other hand, thanks to a District initiative started a few years ago, teachers at LM now use a wide variety of formative assessments throughout the academic year to gauge student learning. We meet in small groups every four-day cycle through-

out the year to continually analyze how we assess, how students are progressing, how effective we are, and how we might change what we do in order to enhance student achievement. The midterm is a relic

from

the

‘70s

that

fits

neither

our

on-going

professional development nor our District’s new strategic

plan

for

redefining

how

we

measure

student success.

The

same

applies

to

final

exams,

with

several

additional

considerations.

Not

only

do

finals

take

at

least two weeks of class time to prepare for and administer, you’re already on the beach in Sea Isle by

the

time

we

finish

grading

them.

What

feedback?

We could use the last two weeks of the second semester for more creative culminating projects for students who’ve demonstrated mastery, and to continue to help the students who have not yet experienced that success. Besides, there’s nothing more frustrating than having students tell me before the final

exam

that

they’ve

done

the

grade

calculations

and it won’t matter whether they get an A or an F on

the

exam;

their

final

year

grade

won’t

change.

That doesn’t make for an authentic assessment.

The four-day cycle provides teachers substantially fewer classroom contacts with students over the

course

of

the

year

than

we

had

when

I

first

started at LM nine years ago. With the addition of Keystone preparation and administration, and mandatory

review

periods

for

midterms

and

finals,

instruction time has now been reduced even more, while the pressure on students to succeed – particularly on high stakes tests – has only increased. Let’s worry instead about your actual learning, and your cultivation of an appreciation for learning. Getting back seven weeks of classroom time by eliminating high-stakes testing would go a long way toward both enriching your educational experience at LM and easing some of your pressure.

Now go back to watching Game of Thrones.

SPECIAL FEATURE

May, 20 2015

17

The Merionite

See Centerspread for introduction The LM Effect Special Feature

Pressure in a positive light Dan Matthews ’15 As far as most high schools go, LM has students that succeed. In the district around 95 percent of the two graduating classes go on to institutions of higher learning, and more than 40 percent of those attend one of the top 50 ranked schools according to US News and World Report. Measuring success differently, LM students perform beautifully and win many music competitions, art shows, and sports championships. Finally by a last - and in my opinion most important - measure of success, LM students are

happy,

finding

joy

in

numerous

activities,

clubs,

teams,

and

friends.

So what’s the problem with some pressure? The pressures from the school,

family,

and

student

culture

at

LM

to

find

interests

and

perform

well in those interests work. In a world of bosses, employees, costumers, deadlines, and bottom-lines, the pressures at LM mirror the pressures students

will

have

to

face

later.

Obviously

the

ends

do

not

necessarily

justify

the means; neither a pressure to regularly forgo sleep and socializing nor a pressure that horribly drains students emotionally would be worth our stellar statistics.

But

this

is

not

the

case

at

LM.

As

an

extremely

involved

student

in

high-level

classes,

varsity

sports,

clubs,

and

out-of-school

work,

I

rarely

felt

overwhelmed,

nor

do

I

have

many

friends

that

felt

differently.

I

averaged probably 8-9 hours of sleep each school night, and only an hour or

two

less

on

nights

that

I

had

an

evening

swim

practice

followed

by

a

morning practice before school. Yes, there are times when work piles up and stress accompanies, but when this happens, the typical LM student buckles down and deals. They may sleep less one night, or skip going out

There’s more to LM than pressure Eric Goldberg ’15 LM is a great school. When I began as a freshman, I thought I had to get

straight

As

and

join

every

sport

and club in order to get into a good college, the ultimate goal. The pressures that I put onto myself that I thought were coming from my parents, teachers, and administrators, were simply not the best goals for me to

have.

In

my

opinion,

Ivy

League

schools,

and others like them, come with too high

a

price

tag.

Not

just

in

tuition

costs and the unlikely prospect of getting

a

job

in

your

field

which

can

repay all those loans before you’re 90, but also in the cost of the stress that

we

put

ourselves

under

to

gain

admission

to

these

highly

competitive

universities.

I

have

heard

many

tales

of unemployed graduates burdened with student loans, interest starting the

day

they

receive

them,

and

repayments starting the day they graduate!

If

you

thought

the

stress

was

over

after graduation, think again.

I used to be stressed when I was unorganized. The key to success is organization! Know when your big exams are and make enough time in your schedule to thoroughly prepare yourself. Know how long your homework

will

take

so

that

you

can

leave

enough time to do the fun things that

you want to do. Expect the unexpected. Get into a routine that allows you

to

not

have

to

think

when

you

are

rushed.

For

example,

have

your

backpack and lunch ready to go the night before.

Social stress is a whole other issue here at LM. I consistently witness students

avoiding

something

they

enjoy

because

they

are

self-conscious,

which starts a cycle of being selfconscious so they stop. These are all self-induced

stressors.

I

have

learned

that no one really cares (or should care)

what

you

wear,

what

you

look

like, or what you think. So break that cycle of self-consciousness, step out of your comfort zone, and watch the stress disappear.

I

have

luckily

come

to

realize

that

every

single

thing

I

do

has

a

cost/ benefit

attached

to

it,

and

so

I

often

ask

myself

what

relative

benefit

I

will

receive

from

doing

a

particular

task. This has led me to reconsider the

value

of

self-imposed

stress

at

LM.

From

a

pragmatic

viewpoint,

I

decided a few years ago to step past my comfort zone, seek out new experiences, and put lots of effort into whatever

I

do,

while

also

making

sure

that

I

enjoy

everything

I

do.

This

began the new cycle of seeing all the opportunities that LM has to offer without the attached stress, so that I am

able

to

learn,

g row,

and

have

fun.

one Saturday night in order to study, but they, more often than not, get it

done.

After

weathering

junior

year

and

first

semester

senior

year

along

with

college

applications

(and

rejections),

I

have

found

the

supposedly

most stressful times of high school really not that bad. I studied hard and learned

as

well

(there

is

a

distinction),

while

having

fun

with

friends,

playing

sports,

and

finding

time

to

relax.

Throughout

the

extremely

competitive

college

application

process,

LM

students

support

each

other,

rarely

seeing

fellow

applicants

as

competition,

or

even

asking

SAT/ACT

scores.

Although students are more interested in other people’s grades for schoolwork,

that

interest

comes

more

from

a

desire

to

more

accurately

judge

oneself,

not

others.

I

have

never

felt

what

would

be

unwanted

pressure

from

other

students,

only

a

self-driven

pressure,

merely

inspired

by

other

students. While the pressure at LM induces effort and ultimately success, it is healthy and consensual.

LM’s

pressure

is

so

positive

in

part

because

LM

students

are

realistic.

Students

feel

a

pressure

to

do

well,

but

only

as

best

they

can.

Everyone

has

different

goals,

and

most

students

can

pick

realistic

goals

or

re-evaluate

their goals periodically. While I felt a pressure to attain grades that happened

to

be

higher

than

average,

others

did

not,

and

prioritized

dealing

with

social,

artistic,

athletic,

monetary

(by

working)

or

other

goals.

The

best part is that we accept small failures; when we fail or do feel stressed, our fellow students support us in sympathetic arms while teachers reach out to help.

The pressure at LM is not ubiquitous, encroaching, or suffocating.

Rather, it gently fosters happy kids that reach out and grab what the world has to offer.

The LM cliché: the pressure to succeed Christina Holgado ’18 I

first

noticed

the

stereotypical

high

school

pressure this year when I started as a freshman

at

LM.

People

have

already

started

asking

me what college I want to go to and what I want to be when I grow up. In years past, I could

give

them

an

answer

like

princess

or

explorer. Now that I am in high school, I’m supposed

to

give

a

“real

answer.”

Even

though

I

have

years

until

I

enter

the

“real

world,”

I

am

stressed out about it. It starts with college, but in order to get into college you need to do well in high school. This is frightening. I am only a freshman and I am already worrying about after college, which isn’t really that far away. At least in my case, it may be some self-induced pressure,

but

living

in

our

district

definitely

has

something to do with it. When people are out of

college,

most

want

to

keep

their

way

of

living. In order to maintain a lifestyle in a district like

LM,

you

need

to

have

a

job

that

pays

well

and you need to be successful. Again, this is a reminder that doing well in high school leads to college, which leads to success later in life.

There

is

something

called

the

“Three

A’s”,

that colleges look for in students. Academic, Athletics,

and

Activities.

We

live

in

a

well-todo neighborhood and go to a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence replete with resources. At LM, there is undeniably a lot more

competition

and

it

is

difficult

to

stand

out academically and be recognized for you efforts. If you got a 98 percent on a test, there is most likely someone that got a 100 percent.

In

order

to

excel

in

class,

I

have

stayed

up

later

than usual to study or work on homework.

I

have

sacrificed

hanging

out

with

friends

so

that I could study for tests (especially the midterms).

This

is

all

so

that

I

can

maintain

my

GPA.

Many

of

my

friends

have

also

missed

out

on

parties

and

events

to

study

and

do

homework.

In

addition

to

academics,

sports

and

activities

are

also

beneficial,

and

strongly

encouraged by LM administration, for any student.

On

Move

Up

Day

in

8th

grade,

what

I

remember

the

most

was

people

telling

me

to

“get

involved.”

It

seems

that

the

more

sports

and

activities

that

you

do,

the

more

you

stand

out.

There are more opportunities for you to succeed and get noticed. At LM, many students play one or more sports, and in many cases, even

three.

The

more

sports

you

do,

the

more

chances there are to be noticed by different schools.

The

same

thing

goes

for

activities

and

clubs. You also need to be successful in these groups.

Many

students

at

LM

are

very

athletic

and

work

hard

in

order

to

achieve

something,

whether

it

be

varsity

on

a

sports

team,

or

officer

of

a

club.

This

causes

everyone

else

to

want

to

work

harder

and

harder.

It

may

even

be

more

difficult

to

make

it

to

the

top

here

at

LM than in other districts.

Not

only

do

students

desire

to

excel

above

their peers, but they also want to succeed in life

in

the

long

run.

This,

combined

with

living

in our district, a boatload of competition, and the

“Three

As,”

causes

the

cliché

high

school

pressure to succeed to be on the minds of students here at LM.

18

FEATURES

May 20, 2015w

The Merionite

Secret Menu of the

By Lily Taffet

Starbucks

The Cap’n Crunch What to ask for: Strawberry and Cream Frappuccino with a pump of caramel, two pumps of toffee, one pump of hazelnut, and two scoops of chocolate chips.

Lily: It tastes like childhood in a cup. It’s like rebelling against all of those healthy moms who didn’t let their kids eat sugary cereal.

Tori: CRUNCH-A-TIZE ME CAP’N. Conclusion: Crunchtastic!

The nutella What to ask for: Café Misto with a pump of chocolate and a pump of hazelnut with caramel drizzle.

Lily:

This

drink

definitely

has

potential

but

the

barista

definitely

didn’t

know

what

she

was doing.

Tori: Isn’t this supposed to have Nutella in it? It tastes like watered down Swiss Miss.

Conclusion: NAWtella

McDonald’s

FRIES AND SPECIAL SAUCE

THE MCBANG What to ask for: a Big Mac with two crispy chicken patties between the burger patties.

What to ask for: French Fries with Big Mac sauce, or special sauce.

Lily: This is the heaviest thing on Earth.

Lily: It’s sad because this isn’t the last time I’ll order this.

Lily: It literally tastes like the friendship of a chicken and a cow.

There is no girl in the world who would eat this before prom...except me.

Lily:

I

finally

understand

childhood

obesity.

Lily: Do you really excpect me to eat this after I just devoured that McBang?

Tori: *silence*

Tori: I love this option for fries dip. You don’t really get a sweet option unless you wanna go honey mustard which is like, ew.

Conclusion: Special in a good way!

Conclusion: McBangin’!

Chipotle

NACHOS

What to ask for: A bed of chips with a burrito bowl on top.

Lily:

If

I

wasn’t

terrified

of

the

scary Chipotle lady, I would have asked them to melt the cheese on

it.

Definitely

worth

doing

that

if you’re ballsier than me.

(We asked for a “quaserito” and got turned down.)

Conclusion: Not(cho) bad

The comfort sandwich What to ask for: Panini with turkey and bacon and a side of mac and cheese.

Lily:

If

cuddling

with

Netflix

had

a

taste, this would be it.

Tori: I wish they would do it for you.

Spreading the M&C is a pain.

Conclusion: Comforting.

Wawa

FEATURES

May 20, 2015

19

The Merionite

Becton Scholars An inside

look at LM’s

By Dana Handleman Features Editor

The Becton Scholars Program is what some might call a “hidden gem” of LM. Some people have never heard of it at all, and many of those who have don’t actually know what it is or

why

it

exists.

To

fix

this,

I

sat

down

with

the

faculty

facilitator

of the program, teacher Saleema Smith, and senior Gabby Richardson

to

find

out

all

about

Becton

Scholars.

So,

here’s

the

sitch.

The Becton Scholars program was created as LM’s response to the achievement gap between white and minority students.

It

consists

of

a

freshman

to

senior

seminar

class,

twice

a

cycle,

taught by Smith. Throughout freshman year, they focus on self-advocacy, note taking, and effective study skills. Sophomore year has a focus on PSAT and Literature Keystone test prep. Junior year provides more PSAT prep, as well as SAT prep. Finally, seniors receive guidance on the college application process. There is a student leadership board, which Richardson is a part of. “During my sophomore year… [the students] started a leadership team.

We meet with the administration once every couple of months…We sit and we just discuss anything from how we need more support academically from the teachers, or if we need more support from administration, or if we need more support just as a whole, for us to become more of a community within the Becton Scholars

program.”

In

addition,

there is the Becton Buddies program, through which around 30 students go to Penn Wynne Elementary School twice a cycle to help out by be a Teaching Assistant, or aiding by filing,

tutoring,

or

really

anything the teachers need help with. Then, they help anyone who comes to the after school homework club. The idea here, Smith says, is to start early in dispelling preconceived notions about race for these young kids, to get them thinking, “Of course we would

expect

excellence

from

people

of

color.

I

remember

my

Becton

Scholar

when

I

was

in

elementary

school,

and

now

I

don’t

have these preconceived notions of distance and prejudice.”

But back to the achievement gap, which Smith says is born out of an economic disparity between white families and families of color nationwide. All children start on the same inspired level, but as time goes on, wealthier families are able to give their kids supplementation that other families cannot. Think along the lines of a summer educational program or even just a tutor

in

a

difficult

subject.

As

this

continues,

through

the

years,

the

gap

widens

and

widens,

“and

then

it’s

human

nature.

If

I

am

not

finding

that

I

am

successful

in

an

area,

I’m

going

to

retreat…That’s why you have students [of color], more often than not, who don’t want to take the honors courses or who don’t

want

to

try

really

hard

in

school.”

It’s

easy

to

ignore

this

economic disparity in a place like LM. Many of us, including myself, live under the veiled illusion of universal prosperity within our community. However, there is still an average economic disparity in LM, whether or not we choose to acknowledge, and that’s where the Becton Scholars come in.

Becton Scholars has two main goals in their strategic plan: 1. Getting a higher representation of students of color in Honors and AP courses, and 2. Getting higher representations of students

of

color

achieving

at

the

Proficient

and

Advanced

levels on standardized assessments. That’s all well and good, but

is

it

actually

working?

The

answer

is,

definitively,

yes.

Last

year’s senior class (Class of 2014) started their freshman year

with

a

combination

of

54

Honors

classes.

In

sophomore

year,

they had 56 and in junior, 62. Meanwhile, this year’s senior class (Class of 2015) came in with a combination of 50 honors classes in freshman year. By sophomore year, that number flew

up

to

70.

And

this

trend

is

continuing,

“because

of

the

older

kids’

influence,”

Mrs.

Smith

comments.

“You

know

peer

relationships

are

so

influential!

Your

mother

can

tell

you

whatever she wants, but you want to listen to your friends.” With this success comes expansion, so what started out as a oncea-cycle study skills class has evolved into college visits, mentoring, community service, and so much more. “We are very

“We are very close to achieving our

goals, but you can never stop trying to achieve them and exceed them. That’s why the program keeps growing.

close to achieving our goals, but you can never stop trying to achieve them and then exceed them. That’s why the program keeps growing.” However, Smith says that her “ultimate goal is that one day we won’t need a Becton Scholars program,” because there will be no achievement gap in need of closing.

Smith praises LM’s administration for their help and cooperation

on

the

program.

“I

incredibly

respect

our

principal

Sean

Hughes,

because

if

I

ever

have

a

concern

or

have

a

question, he takes the time to listen to me, to parents, to colleagues.

He can’t always do everything to solve an issue or concern, and that’s not his job… but he listens. Not only to what the concern is, but he listens to your idea on how to eradicate the concern, and

if

he

can,

he

implements

whatever

the

suggestion

is.

I

can’t ask for anything more than that.” She says the Becton Scholars are just an “added piece to the puzzle of excellence we are already putting together for our entire student population.” Finally, Richardson added, “While the Becton Scholars program is academically driven… we are so much more than just what we do on paper here. The Becton Scholars program is a group of minority students who are all ultimately trying to achieve excellence at LM, but as a result we’ve created a community and a family within this room and with Smith. All of us aren’t best friends, just because we’re all the same complexion, half of us don’t sit with each other at lunch, but when we’re in this room and we’re working together we are a family, we are a community, and it’s a place where many of us feel comfortable to be one hundred percent ourselves and we don’t have to wor- Photos courtesy of LMSD.org ry about the stereotypes that follow us amongst these halls.” Top: Becton Scholars pose for a group photo Bottom: Becton Buddies mentor Penn Wynne studnets

”

20

May 20, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Merionite

Aces of the Arts

The rockin’ Roots Picnic Sarah Raizen ’15

Jennie Simonson ’15 How do you contribute to the arts at LM? I contribute by working with others in the LM community to create music, via being in bands. I also was the President of LM/Harriton’s student-run record label, ATR Records.

When did you get into music and what do you love about it?

I

started

taking

piano

lessons

in

first

grade,

and

I

played

competitively

for

a

couple

years.

I

love music because it is truly a universal language. Through my musical endeavors, I have learned life lessons from people whom I otherwise would not have met. Also, I really value the cathartic aspects of playing and writing.

What is your favorite song to play and on which instrument do you play it?

Currently, I’ve been attempting to learn the entirety of Erik Satie’s works on the piano; so far, my favorite piece to play by him is his ‘Sonatine Bureaucratique’.

What are your future plans involving music?

My

band

is

currently

recording

an

album,

which

should

be

finished

by

the

end

of

summer.

While I do not plan on majoring in music, I’d like to be a part of bands and possibly jazz ensembles in college. I also want to continue learning about music composition and theory.

Emily Harnett ’17 How do you contribute to the arts at LM? I am an extremely active part of PLAYERS, on stage and behind the scenes taking full advantage of the student run program! Also, I am very involved in the music department, taking choir and participating in the a cappella groups here!

What is your favorite aspect of the music programs at LM and why?

Overall, I want to say the teachers, because they are some of the smartest most outgoing teachers and can answer any music question that I have.

What is your favorite a cappella song?

“Hide

and

Seek”

by

Imogen

Heap

because

this

was

the

first

song

that

I

sang

with

Aces Angels that really meant something to me.

What do you hope to accomplish before you graduate?

I hope to make a difference in the arts program by getting people more interested and involved in what we do.

A huge crowd rocked out at the 2014 Roots Picnic.

On May 30, The Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing will be hosting the eighth annual Roots Picnic. The Roots produce the event and co-headline each year along with another big name in rap music. Past co-headliners include Snoop Dogg and Naughty by Nature. The picnic features mostly rap music along with some indie and alternative tastes thrown in.

This year’s 18-act line-up, the biggest one yet, promises some amazing performances.

Highlights include A$AP Rocky, Rae Sremmund (#NoFlexZone), Erykah Badu, and the Weeknd. Even if you’re not a huge fan of all the performers, you only know one song, or you’re only interested in the headliner, you shouldn’t miss out on the fun this event has to offer. The picnic has a music festival vibe but on a smaller scale, because it’s only one day. Early concertgoers can enjoy an actual picnic on blankets spread out in front of the main stage before it gets too crowded. Usually there are three stages, with the acts distributed between them throughout the day. The picnic is always the weekend after Memorial

Day,

but,

fortunately,

it

doesn’t

conflict

with

the

craziness

of

early

June

(@seniors).

Each year that I have gone, I have discovered amazing new music that was incredible live. At the same time, if you aren’t dying to see everyone, you and your friends are left with plenty of time to peruse the vendors and simply enjoy the atmosphere. It’s best to enter with an open attitude, ready to go with

the

flow

and

to

discover awesome artists. I love the Roots Picnic (this will Photos courtesy of Sarah Raizen be my third year going), and Concert-goers marvel at the exciting performances.

I’m sure you will love it too.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

May 20, 2015

21

The Merionite

Attention hipster band fans, meet Mr. McCloskey Ailish Dougherty ’15 As crazy as it might seem, teachers actually have lives too, and pretty cool ones at that. Ryan McCloskey, an LM Spanish teacher, is one of six members of a band called Song Dogs, formed in 2008. Song Dogs, made up of a mix of educators from different areas in Philadelphia, plays live shows at various clubs and festivals throughout Philadelphia and New York. The founding members of the band united while rehearsing for a talent show at South Philadelphia High School, where they were coworkers.

Song Dogs plays a mix of classic, blues, and country rock, with two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, a percussionist, and an organist. McCloskey, who rocks out on the electric guitar, says that the band’s “strength is in our diversity of sound, our song craftsmanship, and energetic interplay on stage.” The band members share songwriting duties for the original music that they play, and they all sing, which turns varying “vocal harmonies into one of the defining aspect of [their] sound.”

They released their first EP, called Song Dogs and the Nightjar, in 2011, and their first full-length album in 2013, called Wild Country. Their music has achieved mention in

The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer, who describe it as a good fit for “roadtrip soundtracks” and as “reminiscent of The Allman Brothers and Neil Young.”

McCloskey and his band just released their second full album, Heartlands, which has been self-recorded and produced over the last year in different spaces throughout the city and features guest appearances by other Philadelphia musicians. It represents the band’s collaborative songwriting experience, featuring classic Americana, prairie-style rock, and McCloskey describes it as their “best work to date.” Listen for his mellow lead vocals on track two, called “Like You’ve Never Known,” and track ten, “Same Night, Same Sky.” You can find Heartlands on iTunes, Amazon, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Pandora. Also, you can head to themerionite.org for an album download code and explore the Song Dogs’ website, wearesongdogs.com. McCloskey has an awesome part-time job; everyone should go check out his impressive work!

Photos courtesy of Ryan McCloskey

From left to right: The Song Dogs’ most recent album cover. McCloskey (center) poses with his group. A more recent shot of McCloskey (left) and the Song Dogs.

The ultimate #TBT trends Emma Shapiro ’15

Just as history repeats itself, so does fashion. Some of the most recent fresh and chic trends actually originated from “the decades,” specifically the 60s to the 90s.

Now it’s actually cool to go to a thrift store or rummage through a parent’s closet for vintage digs. Here are some trends that you may or may not know came from other eras.

Little black dress: Also known as the “LBD,” Coco Chanel brought this to life for “women with taste” all the way back in the 20s. She published her creation in Vogue, and it was referred to as “Chanel’s Ford,” like Henry Ford’s Model T car. Famous designers followed this look, and it is still a staple in women’s fashion today.

Chokers: Ah yes, the choker. Almost every girl our age when they were younger, whether it was black, colored, multicolored, or beaded; they were all that. These originated in the 90s and, after a long hiatus, they are back and better than ever.

Tie dye: If I could tie-dye everything I own, I would. Tie-dye became very popular among hippies in the 60s, and it was a psychedelic symbol of the sexual revolution and the anti-war movement. Now, it is a fun way to elevate a white t-shirt. It also is very popular as an arts and craft at overnight camp.

High-waisted pants: High-waisted pants and shorts have made a comeback and are often worn to concerts or just during summer nights out on the town. They’re more common now, even though they originally arose in 60s and 70s. Many hip teens also donned baggy high-waisted pants in the 90s.

Leather jackets: Leather jackets were actually used as a functional purpose by the military, specifically the air force, in the 1950s. Soon enough, they became for a “bad a$$es,” like Sandy and Danny in Grease. Today, trendsetters wear the outerwear to accentuate a cute outfit.

Fanny packs: A girl’s one true love. Helpful in the 80s for working out or going dancing, they are now a staple for a rave or tour. There was a point when fannies were looked down upon because old men wore them around their waists in Disney world. Fortunately, that’s changed now.

Scrunchies: Also hailing from the 80s, scrunchies are back! With their vibrant colors or patterns, they’re a great way to make your ponytail more fun.

Pant suits: Oh pantsuits, how we’ve missed you. In the 60s and 70s, women started to wear these because unisex apparel was in and they wanted to make themselves equal to men. Today, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who refers to herself as a “pantsuit aficionado,” has made them very prevalent again. Just as they were in years past, pantsuits are a sign of a strong, independent woman.

No bras: No bras 4ever!!! This became cool back in the 60s and 70s when feminists adopted the slogan “burn your bras.” The trend was also brought back more subtly in the 90s, as seen frequently in the popular TV show Friends.

Maxi dresses: These flowy dresses originated in the 70s and were worn for comfort and style. They’re back now, perfect for summer or vacation.

Check out some other styles from other decades that have made comebacks: Big sweaters: 90s Jumpsuits: 80s Flare jeans: 70s Fringe/Minnetonka boots: 60s Flannels: 80s-90s Leotards: 80s Denim jackets: 90s Wayfarer style sunglasses: 50s Harem pants: 60s (and the Middle East) Jeans: 40s Crochet: 70s Printed pants: 70s Mauve lipstick: 90s Leggings: 80s Next time you see a new fashion trend, look it up, because its origins might surprise you!

Graphic courtesy of Madelyn Schaeffer/Staff

22

May 20, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Merionite

Amazing art brightens LM’s drab halls Sarah Carstens ’17 If you have walked that

final

moment.

And,

past the large art displays for all the seniors and art all around the school this students this year, the art past week, you have also show was that moment witnessed a whole new when they got to shine. side to LM students that It

was

the

final

result

you may not have been of all their hard work. aware of—the artistic If the art itself wasn’t side. Students in all art enough, there were plencourses have expressed ty of other reasons to their imagination in their come out to the show. artwork and, luckily for Aside from the food, us, put it on display all visitors got to know each around the school. You artist through his or her might have stopped to work. Students blossom stare at and admire these through their artwork, beautiful pieces such as and, as art teacher and those on boards in the art show coordinator upper atrium, the deLouise Pierce stated, the tailed portraits in the main factor in the differnurses’ hallway, and the ence between pieces is vibrant sketches out“the individuality of the side

the

guidance

office.

person making it. EveryThankfully, there was an body brings the entire opportunity to do more history of their life to an than just glance at these art piece, so they bring pieces between classes. their voice and that inOn May 7, from six to cludes things like their nine p.m., many took time interpretation of an asout of their days to enjoy signment, their color the amazing creations of sense, and their sense of your fellow classmates space. You know, there and visit the art show. are so many factors that It is easy to get caught make up a [piece of] up in all the sports at LM, artwork. And it’s just From

paintings

to

self-portraits

to

ceramics

to

metal

arts

to

creative

senior

panels,

beautiful

pieces

of

art

fill

LM,

including

boards

by

(clockwise)

but we are reminded that art as individual as the seniors

Andrea

Barnes,

Hana

Holquist,

Mariana

Dougherty

and

Noa

Seligsohn,

and

Magnus

Peterson-Horner. students put just as much person.” Nobody was time and effort into their bored as they observed year and now they get to show off.” Many Honors

student

Andrea

Barnes,

who

finalwork as athletes do. As senior and AP Art students refer to art as a hobby, but, ly has her own senior art board, said this the compositions, and they were able to student Dan Matthews put it, “I think upon seeing the art displays, it is obvious of the experience: “leading up to it over understand art students better through the that a lot of times when you think of LM that these art pieces are so much more. the past four years, there’s been a lot of techniques they used and the messages they you get wrapped up in the sports and the This particularly relates to seniors, who anticipation and anxiety over it, and, now strove to convey. The month-long art show school spirit around sports, but there’s a have been waiting for this moment ever that it’s here, it’s a good way to end high has truly been a wonderful opportunity to lot of appreciation for the arts. It’s also since they starting taking art classes as school.” Just like an important sporting see beautiful pieces and gain insight into just a nice culminating event for the art underclassmen. AP Studio Art and Art 3 event, there is the same stress leading up to the minds of LM’s talented art students. students, because they worked the whole Photos by Aine Dougherty/Staff

Selfish: millenials’ new bible Jon Adams ’16 On Tuesday, May 5, a renowned artistic and literary hero released a photography album that will surely enter the canon of great American literature.

Selfish, Kim Kardashian’s collection of handpicked selfies taken across the course of her career, hit bookstores this month, much to the delight of reality TV. The album has piqued the interest of book and art reviewers alike.

For under 11 dollars (and with an ID, due to some rather risqué photos conveniently printed on a series of black pages in the middle of the book), readers can enjoy the photographic voyage of the life of a woman whose reality show is the secret, guilty pleasure of many LM students. Kardashian’s book spans from 2006 to 2014. Starting with her first ever selfie, captured by a disposable camera in 1984, the book jumps forward to a rather awkward shot taken aboard a plane in 2006. From that point on, the shots range from the mundane to the extraordinary, with photos of Kardashian getting her makeup applied interspersed with those of her at the Met Gala while meeting Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.

Yet Kardashian’s book is not solely comprised of candid shots. Many of her selfies are accompanied by annotations written by the star herself, providing explanations for the seemingly random

collection in the book. Some of the captions are comical, such as, “Baby hairs on fleek. Lol.” However, others provide a much deeper understanding of exactly what Kardashian is attempting to show her audience, such as one shot of Kardashian in the midst of curling her hair accompanied by a short blurb reading,

“I was getting ready for a photoshoot wearing my signature Juicy sweat suit! I was obsessed!!! I know so many people would find getting their hair and makeup done so often tedious but I love the entire process so much. It’s therapeutic for me. It relaxes me!” It is through commentary such as this that Kardashian’s

Junior

Jon

Adams

emulates

Kim

Kardashian

in

an

inspired

selfie.

Photos courtesy of Selfish

(Universe Publishing, 2015) and Jon Adams

talent as a writer becomes evident, and she truly connects with her readers.

It is within the very center of the book that Kardashian’s photos take a rather raunchy turn. Printed across 39 glossy black pages is a collection of Kardashian’s indecent selfies. They range from the suggestive to the obscene, all while maintaining a sensual aura that only Kardashian herself seems to have perfected when it comes to social media. Though some were taken for her husband, others were just for her. Kardashian took a few selfies after her pregnancy in an attempt to feel comfortable in her own skin and to “feel sexy again.” Considering the fact that her notorious “video” is what made her famous, Kardashian truly had nothing to lose by including those shots.

As much as the public loves to hate Kardashian, by publishing this book, she certainly displays a degree of confidence that others lack. Whether people want to accept it or not, her book is avantgarde simply due to the fact that it has never been done before. As vapidly as the media often portrays her, Kardashian is a businesswoman and a brand-builder like no other, and Selfish only furthers her career. Hate her all you want, but Kardashian is certainly laughing all the way to the bank, selfie stick in hand.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

May 20, 2015

23

The Merionite

The

side of Senior Project

By Aine Dougherty ’15 A&E Editor

Ah, the mysterious Senior Project, the last task on seniors’ to-do lists, a three-week long, pass/fail, independent research experience designed to help the graduating class explore their interests before entering the next stage of their lives. As a senior in the middle of my experiential phase right now, I can’t tell you how amazing it is to do your own thing instead of waking up at 6:30 a.m. every morning and spending hours in a slew of dry AP classes. Don’t worry underclassmen—you’ll get there eventually.

Although exciting, the idea of senior project is also terrifying. What if I don’t have any interests? What will my essential question be? What am I going to do? Have no fear. There are countless ways to fulfill the requirements while still being creative and having fun. For example, if you’re artistically inclined (or want to become so), center your project on something related to the arts or entertainment. But don’t feel limited—this can be anything from painting, to writing, to photography, to fashion, or even to directing. This year, a variety of LM seniors are working on extremely unique and artistic projects. Let’s get to know some of them!

Gus Daly Gus Daly, infamous for his sassy social media, is surprisingly not spending his three weeks tweeting to see how much drama he can stir up. Instead, he is taking a much more academic approach, asking: “How has European art changed throughout history, and how have specific pieces changed the course of history?” With a docent at the Philadelphia Art Museum, he will “go through a timeline of art from the year of 1100 to modern day and connect all the movements of art” and discuss “how certain periods marked a change in history.” For example, Daly passionately explained to me the story of how political cartoons actually originated from 18th century British paintings. But don’t expect him to spend all his days in a stuffy art museum basement—he will instead be traveling to a multitude of galleries, from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to Stormking, a 500-acre sculpture garden in upstate New York that presents pieces from all over the world. If you want to learn more about European art or just see the Twitter-famous celebrity in person, come to Room 319 on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:15 p.m. to hear Daly present his research.

Photo courtesy of Gus Daly Daly beams next to a piece of abstract art.

Hana Holquist

Fashionista Hana Holquist is going in a very different direction, with an essential question that deals with “how to take an idea from research, to concept, to construction, to final product by exploring the art of drag.” Although you may be taken aback by this idea at first glance, just listen. A common misconception that Holquist refutes is the idea that drag has to be from “male to female.” Instead, it is simply “the transformation from one thing to another, both physically and mentally.” The style that she will be focusing on during her experiential phase is called “non-gender club kid drag,” which is “more conceptual and focused on aesthetics than ‘traditional’ drag.” In addition to designing three looks (including hair and makeup) and researching the history of drag, Holquist will also be “interviewing Philly drag queens and watching performances.” Ask her about her project if you want to learn more about drag!

Julia Christian

Photo courtesy of Hana Holquist Holquist, third from the right, poses with some Philly drag queens after an enjoyable performance.

Julia Christian has chosen to learn a new skill for her senior project. What could be better than hanging out and crocheting with your grandmom all day, working to answer the question: “How is the act of crocheting therapeutic?” After “the stresses of senior year,” Christian can’t wait to calm down through the art of crafting, and she is excited to have a bunch of crocheted hats lying around that she can “just give away for Christmas.” Maybe one day she’ll be good enough to teach someone else the crocheting skills that she is learning through her senior project!

Photo courtesy of Julia Christian Christian and her grandmom peruse books about crocheting.

Danny Avershal

Next up is avid writer Danny Avershal, who is looking to answer the question: “How can I further my writing skills and explore the world of children’s literature by writing my own children’s book?” He wanted to incorporate his love of writing with his creativity, so he decided to author a children’s book “with the illustrative help of [senior] Andrea Barnes.” Although he knows that he wants to continue writing in the future, hopefully

Avershal

finds

out

if

he

wants

to

go

into

the

exciting

world

of

children’s

literature

as

a

career

after

he

completes his unique project. Come to Room 226 at 8 a.m. on June 2 to hear the new Dr. Suess speak about his endeavors.

Aine Dougherty

Photo courtesy of Aine Dougherty/Staff Avershal writes furiously, drafting his inspired children’s book.

As for me, you can call me Delicious Dougherty, because I’ll be developing and cooking my own internationally inspired recipes and featuring them on a blog for my senior project. From pad Thai pizza in Thailand to mango lassi cupcakes in India, my posts will hopefully fulfill all of your foodie and cultural cravings—just please don’t show up at my house asking for leftovers. Stop by Room 221 on Friday, June 5 at 9:30 a.m. to join me for an edible adventure (and enjoy some treats along the way).

Photo courtesy of Aine Dougherty/Staff One of Dougherty’s culinary creations; a salad with homemade Asian dressing.

24

May 20, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Merionite

Finals fashion

noise for Noises Off

Madeline Ragsdale ’17

Alexandra Hummel ’17

Are your pants’ waistlines made of elastic?

Are you wearing flip-flops in public? Is your hair easily habitable by mice? If you said yes to any of these questions, chances are it’s finals week.

That, or you’re a loyal patron of Wal-Mart. (But probably not, because this is LM. We shop at Target up here.) All that aside, finals week, which is quickly approaching, brings us a colorful and interesting variety of styles, rivaled only by the homeless and the tweens on Disney Channel.

These styles can easily be separated into four separate classes of varying degrees of effort.

First and foremost, you’ve got your pajama wearers. Fun, hip, fresh, and comfy, these kids emulate “just rolled out of bed” effortlessness by rocking anything from flannel pants to pajama shorts and oversized t-shirts, with an occasional full-piece adult onesie tossed into the mix. They may look vaguely ridiculous, but no one can deny that they’re cozy.

Second, you’ve got your sweatsuit wearers.

These, I feel, take up most of the high school population. They’ve got the right idea in loosefitting sweatpants or running shorts, usually paired with a bat mitzvah t-shirt or oversized sweatshirt. These outfits are not only comfortable, but they also, as the name would suggest, allow you to stress-sweat to your little heart’s content over how the heck to do stoichiometry.

I like to call the next level up the “Almost Try-Hards.” You’ll see these fellow high schoolers looking almost put together, but still making it nice and clear that they too stayed up until three a.m. studying and crying last night.

You might spot leggings, maybe a pair of jean shorts, or even a button-down on these fashionistas. However, comfort still remains their top priority, even if they’ve opted out on sweats.

The last class, however, is the worst one.

You know who I’m talking about. The kids who actually look good. During finals week.

The girls in skirts or well-coordinated tops and bottoms, the boys who really went for it and broke out the khakis. You know, the ones that make it painfully obvious that yes, you are wearing sweatpants three sizes too big and Old Navy flip-flops. The traitors. Take comfort in the fact that they’re nowhere near as cozy as you are in your Target-chic outfit.

So, as finals week draws ever near, ask yourself, LM: what class are you in? Pajamas? Sweatpants? And if you identify as one who really tries to look fresh during the week of hell that is finals, answer me this: Is it really worth it?

Make some

When sophomore Katharine Villarin showed me an cohesive show, and what the real lives of the cast must enormous spreadsheet detailing all the members of be like. Of course, they’re much more competent than PLAYERS, I was shocked. The sheer number of people their characters, and the night before the show, or “the involved in LM’s theatre program is staggering. Mem- Dark Day” is very different. Still, the many frantic bers are there every day, often until nine p.m. But you backstage changes and the improvisation when someonly need to go to one PLAYERS performance to know thing goes wrong illustrate the necessity of adaptation that all of their hard work, all that planning and all and instant reactivity onstage. those late nights, is more than worth it.

PLAYERS flawlessly executed Noises Off, and it was P L AY E R S ’ fast paced and most recent filled with laughs. show, Noises Someone sits on a Off, gives us a cactus not once, glimpse into but twice, falls the chaotic lives down stairs, and of the cast of walks into a pole, Nothing On. It’s and at least one a show within person at a time a show. Noises is in his or her Off opens with underwear for a the eclectic good deal of the cast hysterishow. “It’s the cally rehearsing most fun I’ve ever for their show had onstage,” said the following sophomore Erin night. Everyone Swisher, who is panicked beplayed Brooke. cause nothing Throughout the is happening performance, the Seniors Michael Stahler (left) and Karen Hafter (center) perform their last PLAYthe way it’s supaudience gets to ERS show alongside junior Nathaniel Snyder (right). posed to. In Act know the characTwo, the rotating ters, their frustraset, designed by senior Michael Lashner, gives the audi- tions, their jealousies, and their propensity to bring the ence a behind the scenes view. As a result of numerous performance to a halt when they lose a contact lens. It hilarious misunderstandings, the characters’ show goes makes the funny moments even funnier. even worse than their original rehearsal.

Aside from putting on outstanding performances, Unlike their characters, however, the members of PLAYERS is a place for any LM student looking to be PLAYERS were completely prepared for their perfor- creative. Senior Sofia Barrett said, “I’m really going to mance. miss the creative outlet and supportive atmosphere next It’s not nearly as stressful as you might think,” direc- year.” Aside from acting, there are opportunities for tor Taylor Feld ’16 said about the night before the show. just about everything: architecture, interior and exterior “I’ve seen all the hard work everyone’s put in, and, hon- design, or even history. Anyone can contribute. estly, I’m really calm…. Everything that needed to hapAccording to Feld, “It really is a broad organization pen, happened, and I completely trust the work and with niches for any creative-minded person, as well dedication of the people working this show.” as those who just want to join a great community and Noises Off shows us how difficult it is to put on a learn about theatre!”

Photo courtesy of LM PLAYERS

Good food at a good price: b.good Shuli Weinstein ’18

Photos courtesy of Aine Dougherty/Staff

Looking for a new place to get a healthy, quick bite to eat? If so, the restaurant for you is coming soon to the Wynnewood Square Shopping Center! Two lifelong friends who were inspired to deliver healthy yet tasty food founded b.good in 2003, and they are bringing their nutritious, delicious, quick cuisine to the Main Line for a good price this summer.

At the beginning of their venture, which originated in Boston, the founders realized that opening a restaurant was no simple task. They had to think of an appealing name for the restaurant, choose what types of food they would be selling, decide on prices, and hire staff. Throughout the restaurant opening process, they had many disagreements and were under tremendous stress in order to successfully open their restaurant.

Despite these setbacks, the duo ultimately worked together to succeed, and, in 2003, their dream became a reality—b.good received a permit from the city of Boston to build their first restaurant. Expansion occurred quickly from Boston. The establishments have spread to many other cities all along the East Coast, with restaurants mostly concentrated in the New England area. Philadelphia is now lucky enough to have a b.good too. The chain has continued to succeed because of the high demand for high quality food and reasonably priced, quick service.

This wonderful addition to the neighborhood will be moving into the location of the former Qdoba restaurant in the shopping center on Lancaster Avenue. This plaza is located near many pizza and fast food restaurants, so adding b.good into the mix will benefit LMers who are looking for an excellent healthy dinner option.

In addition, many LM students are tied up with their busy lives, balancing sports and homework, so a quick meal at b.good is perfect for those with overwhelming evenings. Another satisfying option is the nearby Fuel, located right down the street from b.good. It’s up to you to try them both and decide which is better!

B.good has a wide variety of wholesome food options including kale salads, burgers, sandwiches filled with veggies and meat, and fruit smoothies. No foods at the restaurant, not even French fries, are prepared with heavy grease or fat, allowing for American favorites to be made healthier at a low cost to the establishment.. Furthermore, the chefs are constantly working with different ingredients to make their food not only healthier but also even more delicious.

B.good has finally made its way to our City of Brotherly Love, so if you’re looking for a new place to enjoy relatively cheap, nutritious food nearby this summer, make sure to check it out!

SPORTS

May 20, 2015

25

The Merionite

Young guns: reforming the NBA age limit Danny Roth ‘16 When the NBA raised the age limit to nineteen in 2005, forcing athletes to wait until they were a year removed from graduation, it ushered in a new era of professional and collegiate basketball. The “one and done” phenomenon has developed into one of the most prominent and controversial issues in modern sports.

Athletic super talents enter college basketball as freshmen, prepared to make their mark on the game, and before we blink, they are gone and on their way to the NBA. Similar to a great disappearing act, the star-studded freshman class has been plucked from its place in college athletics, and dropped into the menacing world of the National Basketball Association.

The modern NBA age limit creates even greater barriers for college teams to succeed. Many talented freshmen

opt

to

enter

the

draft

after

their

first

college

season

in search of a large contract, valuable endorsements, or a lifelong dream. Although esteemed programs, which rely on recruiting, are still able to maintain their annual success, it has become virtually impossible to construct a dominant team from scratch. This dilemma was quite evident this year, when the freshman led Kentucky Wildcats

plowed

through

the

competition

until

finally

being

defeated in the Final Four.

The most shocking result of the “one and done” system is the numerous college athletes who end up as NBA busts. Among the infamous athletes who chose to pursue a career at the highest level, rather than remain in college, are Jerryd Bayless, who was drafted 11th overall in the 2008 NBA draft, Tyrus Thomas, who was drafted fourth overall in the 2006 NBA draft, and Brendan Wright, who was drafted 8th overall in the 2007 NBA draft.

In reality, the “one and done” system is creating an unprecedented revenue stream for both the NCAA and the NBA. In utilizing March Madness and numerous other nationally televised broadcasts, both organizations have

attempted

to

maximize

profits

created

through

the mass exposure of young talent. Revenue from this year’s March Madness tournament exceeded one billion dollars,

with

a

finals

matchup

featuring

prominent

“one

and done” players Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, and Justise Winslow of Duke. On the opposing team stood Frank Kaminsky, the towering seven-foot senior for Wisconsin.

In fact, Kaminsky represents the complete opposite side of the “One and done” spectrum. Over Kaminsky’s four years at Wisconsin, he has drastically improved, averaging 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds per game as a freshman, 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore, 13.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a junior, and 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a senior. Kaminsky’s versatile ability to shoot the three has allowed him to move from a likely low-pick draft bust to a top pick.

What

can

be

done

to

fix

a

system

that

is

in

desperate

need of repair? In order to begin the path to reform, the NBA and the NCAA must create an arrangement where the athlete may choose to either commit to attending college for an extended period of time, or go directly to the NBA from high school. Athletes should be allowed to enter

the

NBA

for

whatever

reason,

financial

or

otherwise, directly out of high school. However, if they decide to attend college, there must be a requirement for the number of years they attend. For example, let’s imagine that

I’m

a

five-star

recruit

who

plans

on

attending

Kentucky. After I commit to attending Kentucky, I must stay there for a minimum of three years until I am allowed to commit to the draft. Under this system, both the college and the professional leagues would be improved, and athletes could possibly receive a meaningful education.

Despite

the

illusion

that

the

current

system

benefits

athletes, due to success stories such as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis, and John Wall, there is an overwhelmingly greater amount of failure than triumph.

While it may seem that forcing athletes to attend college for one year helps assist in the development of the game and the intelligence of the players, this is also just a fantasy conceived by capital seeking management.

In the next few years, we will witness the transformation of collegiate and professional basketball, as the age limit is once again challenged and considered in future collective bargaining agreements. Simultaneously, we can observe the expansion of the NBA Development League, and International Leagues such

as the Liga ACB located in Spain and the CBA (Chinese Basketball Association). Recently, Brandon Jennings, currently on the Detroit Pistons, chose to bypass college and play professionally overseas in the Euroleague. As we enter the end of the NBA playoffs, we are reminded of the effects of a full college experience (i.e. Tim Duncan), and the future implications of age limitations, college restrictions, and draft regulations.

Graphic by Kyra Kwak/Staff

The most interesting man in sports Andrew McKinney ‘15 Sports Editor

A

lunatic.

Certifiably

insane.

The

most

interesting

man

in the world. A genius. God. Who is the person behind all

of

these

classifications?

His

name

is

Chip

Kelly,

head

coach

and

first-year

general

manager

of

the

Philadelphia

Eagles. Amongst the 32 head coaches in the National Football League, or NFL, only two head coaches hold the title of head coach/general manager: Bill Belichik, four-time Super Bowl champion head coach of the New England Patriots, and Chip Kelly. After running a lightning-fast offensive tempo to success at the University of Oregon, Kelly became a hot commodity in the NFL head coaching market. The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off a disastrous 4-12 season from their so-called “Dream Team” and the departure of longtime head coach Andy Reid, were in need of a new coach and a new identity. This made Kelly and the Eagles an ideal match, and thus the perfect concoction was formed. Kelly wasted no time implementing his program and culture into the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia. Speaking of concoctions, his program included personalized smoothies for each player. In addition, he incorporated sports science and many other quirks which no other team can claim credit towards. He carried a team that started with only a lot of potential to a 10-6 record (a 6 game swing from the previous year) and

a

playoff

berth.

He

made

headlines

in

his

first

offseason, when he shockingly released Pro-Bowl wide receiver Desean Jackson for “football related reasons”. With this move, Chip Kelly sent the message to the public that he doesn’t care about accolades, but instead values culture.

He wanted a culture that would demand excellence, buy into his system, and expect to win. Kelly’s second season with the team saw the same record, but this time without a playoff

berth.

His

first

offseason

was

routine.

His

second,

however, was anything but predictable. Chip Kelly knew

that the standard of excellence had been raised, and he led the Philadelphia fans, the national media, and the players themselves through the most eventful team offseason in recent memory.

The setting is March 12, 2015, in South Philadelphia. Every Eagles fan, young and old, is impatiently waiting for top free agent Demarco Murray. This signing would make people forget about the trading of Lesean McCoy for a former Defensive Rookie of the Year that was recovering from a torn ACL. It would make people forget about trading fan-favorite Nick Foles for an injuryprone, former #1 pick who had been labeled a massive draft bust. Finally, it would make people forget about the years of missed opportunities and draft blunders. In one moment, the Philadelphia faithful see a warrior of a man choosing to switch sides of a bitter rivalry and help the Eagles bring home the holy grail that has eluded the franchise for generations: the Lombardi Trophy.

The question at hand is whether all this talk of lunacy regarding Chip Kelly is warranted. Has Chip Kelly gone insane? Perhaps. However, another question must be raised. Is Chip Kelly the mad scientist we believe him to be, and if so, can he bring home the championship that we have cherished for years? A porous defense was mended through various signings and draft picks that can hopefully build a young core that terrorizes opposing offenses, just as the Jim Johnson defense did a decade earlier. While Chip Kelly never addressed the problem of depth in a Top-10 offensive line, the team can count on its

five

starters,

when

healthy,

to

form

an

elite

blocking

force. The massive turnover of key offensive positions will

obviously

lead

to

questions

of

efficiency

regarding

new players in the Quarterback, Running Back, and Wide Receiver positions, but the ability of Chip Kelly to make the

most

out

of

the

players

on

the

field

will

be

the

key

factor in the team’s success going forward. Last year, the team endured injuries across the entire offensive line, in-

cluding the Quarterback position. Even through all these injuries, Chip Kelly’s revolutionary offense placed in the Top 5 statistically for the second straight year. This led to many analysts lauding Chip Kelly’s “plug-and-play” offense, where merely decent players could produce ProBowl seasons. Overall, Chip Kelly has proven his ability to transition his high-octane offense from the college ranks to the NFL. Only time will tell if this offseason madness will amount to a deep run in the playoffs, and by extension, Chip

Kelly’s

first

playoff

win.

However,

as

Eagles

fans

know too well, you must expect the unexpected.

Photo courtesy of WikiCommons Chip Kelly’s innovative offense at the University of Oregon and with the Philadelphia Eagles makes everyone smile, including himxelf.

26

SPORTS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

Photos courtesy of LM Enchiridion

The Year in Pictures: LM Athletics in ’14-’15

At left, above: Jorge Severini, who passed away in October 2014, led the boys’ soccer team to another dominant season,

below:

Senior

attackman

Evan

Wolf

provided

offensive

firepower

for

the

boys’

lacrosse

team,

which

had multiple upset wins. At center: Senior Emma Gogarnoiou was a force for the girls’ tennis team, performing consistently at #2 singles. At right, Senior Corey Sherman helped the boys’ basketball team make its way to sixth consecutive state playoffs appearance.

Swinging for the fences Kelly Harrigan ’16 tell me to ‘have fun’, ‘keep [my] foot down’, and ‘breathe’ while batting, which really Whether

it

is

sliding

into

bases,

swinging

metal

bats,

or

diving

for

flyballs,

there

is

little

helps.”

One

coveted

skill

this

team

has

captured

is

the

ability

to,

just

as

Harrigan

stated,

doubt that the game of softball is intense. A game could be fast and exciting or slow and subconsciously analyze the advantages and disadvantages of every player in order to help calm, but nonetheless, the LM softball team enjoys every moment of the season. Team one another grow as athletes. That is what separates this team from others in the league. bonding, practices, and games have all allowed these girls to form a family of athletes that The coaches are very proud of their athletes, and, aside from instructing the girls, they will is unmatched by any other team in the Central League. reward them for working hard throughout the season with a well-deserved ice cream break Due to the fact that most people in the LM student body are familiar with the game during practice. Undoubtedly, the LM softball coaches have unlocked the secret to having of softball, I decided to investigate further regarding who our softball team is underneath a close, dedicated team through working hard, wearing a smile, and enjoying themselves. the helmets and sliding pads. This group of athletes has been working diligently towards The players have adopted these qualities, which is demonstrated through situations such a common goal of improving their record and skills, since, as Jessie Epstein ’17 explains, as when a teammate is disheartened. Players immediately know how to cheer their team“Other schools have great recreational softball leagues for children as they grow up that, mate up by being vocal because they know the importance and positive effect of hearing in the past, LM has not had. That means that those leagues feed kids into high school encouraging voices from the bench after tough plays. programs that have had years of good coaching and playing experience, and it makes the Although

some

other

softball

teams

may

seem

close

when

on

the

field,

the

LM

athletes

competition

very

difficult.” have

friendships

extending

off

the

field

that

the

competition

may

not

obtain.

Every

year,

However, the LM team is not discouraged by Mo McConnell ’16 holds a spirit dinner, which is one this fact, as Julia Kothmann ’16 states, “Although of best experiences of the season for many of the we may not win every game, we always go out players. with

a

smile

on

our

faces!”

This

team

stresses

the

Harrigan recollects how “We eat loads of food, importance of having fun while playing, since, aftalk the night away, and go crazy. It really bonds the ter all, that’s what high school sports ideally are whole team, making us more cohesive both on and about: having fun and working hard. off

the

field.”

These girls acknowledge the importance of Epstein excitedly adds how “Mo makes this killer being energized and motivated before a game, so Mexican lasagna and a salad that is to die for, and many of the players have their own light-hearted we all bring desserts. It is so much fun to relax and rituals

that

they

perform

before

the

first

pitch

is

hang out with all the girls outside of a softball envithrown. Each girl who has a ritual makes it indironment.” vidualistic and unique.

Kothmann agrees, stating that “It’s great to be Epstein describes that she performs “a cute able to sit around the dinner table and laugh with handshake with our second baseman, Theresa my

teammates.”

These

girls

will

not

question

setting

Barna,

and

our

third

baseman,

Lily

Millar.”

She

exaside a weekend night for some quality time with plains that there are also larger group rituals that their teammates. Ranging from freshmen to seniors, unify

the

athletes

before

taking

the

field.

“Every

these

girls

definitely

cherish

their

time

together

and

inning

before

we

play,

the

infield

meets

with

our

are really much more than just a team. pitcher, Mo McConnell, in her circle. We basicalHarrigan remarks, “My favorite memory of this ly

high

five

with

our

gloves

on.”

These

routines

year was winning against Academy Park, then going definitely

typify

the

inclusivity

and

intimacy

of

the

straight to the dodge ball tournament, then straight team and, if not intimidating to the opponent, are to our spirit dinner. It was about seven hours with undeniably enjoyable for everyone. the team, and it was so much fun. We laughed the enAside from having fun, the LM softball team is tire time. It reminded me that what I’m going to miss still serious and relentless while playing the game. most about high school sports is the team camaradeThe varsity coach, James LaPera, is the perfect role rie

that

exists

at

LM.”

Every

player

on

the

team

will

model for the team’s all-around good play, as he probably agree with her about the team bond that gives effective coaching advice. Kothmann menis shared between the girls and, how, even though tions, “Mr. C., always tells us to ‘walk through the numerous sports claim to be well connected, there is curtain of fear,’ encouraging us, no matter how something special about the softball season that sets tough the opponent, to go for it and play our hardit apart from others. est.”

A team does not have to be number one in the Captain Quinn Harrigan ’15 agrees, “Everyone league standings in order to be successful. All that is receives

specific

attention

on

the

team

from

their

needed to make a team great and unique is the dediteammates. We all know each other’s strengths and cation and supportive nature of the players. These weaknesses. Lily, Jessie, and Coach LaPera always Photo courtesy of LM Enchiridion qualities are what set LM’s softball team apart from the others in the Central League.

Jessie Epstein ’17 settles into the batter’s box during a game this season.

SPORTS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

Climbing down from the beanstalk: An interview with LM’s big friendly giant Daniel Wilson ’16 Sports Editor

Most commonly known as a basketball player and even more recently

a

volleyball

player,

Jeremy

Horn

’16,

a

gigantic

figure

in

the

LM sports culture, gives us the perspective from the ceiling.

Daniel Wilson: Okay, let’s settle this one and for all, how tall are you?

Jeremy Horn: Six

feet,

eight

inches.

DW: What’s the view like from up there?

JH: The view is very good from up here.

DW: Besides sports, what’s the biggest advantage to being that tall?

JH: Being able to intimidate freshman and being ALWAYS able to see over crowds and reach for food.

DW: Biggest disadvantage?

JH: Either travel or when people are like “wow you’re SO tall,” which I don’t really have a answer too that….

DW: What size shoe are you?

JH: I am size 16.

DW:

How

hard

is

it

finding

shoes

that

big?

JH: I have to specially order all my shoes online, which I basically have two brands that I order online.

DW: How’d the volleyball season go for you?

JH: Good

we

just

made

districts

for

the

first

time

in

15

years.

DW: Did you even have to jump to hit the ball back?

JH: Yes, but with my hops I am not jumping very high.

DW: Favorite part about playing volleyball this year?

JH: Definitely

my

teammates.

DW: Will you be returning to volleyball for your senior season?

JH:Yes, and if you want to play a fun chill varsity sport that is better

than

ultimate,

play

volleyball

next

year.

DW: What’s

the

offseason

going

to

be

like

heading

into

next

year’s

basketball team?

JH: Very good, right now we are working out three plus days a week, and we will surprise a lot of people in the winter.

DW: What’s the most improved aspect of your basketball game that maybe a lot of people don’t know about?

JH:My

jumping

ability

has

definitely

recently

improved

due

to

volleyball.

DW: Do you have a favorite nickname (either from the basketball team or around school)?

JH:Big Jerm is simply a classic.

DW: What’s it like to tower over everyone when you’re walking down the halls?

JH: I don’t know, a lot of times I will forget I am that tall and then look in the mirror and be like, “Damn, I’m tall.”

Freshman Jared Robinson Sports Played: Tennis and basketball.

What are you most looking forward to this summer? Playing basketball at the Maccabi Games in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from a coach?

Always give your all, no matter the score.

Batman or Superman? Batman, because of Catwoman, naturally.

Sophomore Jessie Epstein Sports Played: Softball.

What are you most looking foward to this summer? I can’t wait to fix

my

awful

softball

uniform

tan

lines!

What was the highlight moment of

your

season

off

the

field? The softball team played in the dodgeball tournament, and although we lost right away, the hype about it was awesome.

Who do you most want to see in concert this summer? I want to see Hozier

so

badly!!

Junior Eli Needle Sports Played: Basketball and baseball.

What are you most looking forward to this summer? Two trips, one to Arizona with the basketball team and another across the country with my family What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from a coach? Lead through your actions, not your words Batman or Superman? Batman, he doesn’t have any super powers and still gets the job done.

Senior Bailey Votto Sports Played: Soccer, swimming, and track.

What are you going to miss most about LM? The school spirit, friendships, and teachers.

What was the highlight moment of

your

season

off

the

field?

When Coach Dennis bought the distance team Rita’s after a really hard workout.

Who do you most want to see in concert this summer? Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan, or Keith Urban.

27

28

SPORTS

May 20, 2015

The Merionite

5

.333 51.90

Combined margin of victory in boys’ lacrosee wins over Central Bucks South and Garnet Valley, the #4 and #5 ranked teams in Southeast PA

Batting average for boys’ baseball leader 2B/3B Brandon Jones ’16, who also leads the team in extra base hits

Mitchell Gladstone ’15 Sports Editor

A

sk any athlete, and they’ll tell you that they are all about the gear. For soccer players, it might be the excitement

of

lacing

up

a

new

pair

of

cleats

for

the

first

time. With a baseball player, it’s likely to be the smell of fresh leather and the routine of breaking in their new glove. With the advancement of technology and the intense competition that comes at even the high school level, student-athletes and their families are certainly paying the price to gain a leg up.

Each year, nationwide, nearly eight million high school students participate in interscholastic sports.

That

figure,

according

to

the

National

Federation

of

State High School Associations, is the highest it is has ever been. And with rising numbers in terms of participants, it is obvious that families are spending more and more money support their budding young athletes.

According to a research study done by Travis Dorsch, a former kicker for the Cincinnati Bengals and now an assistant professor at Utah State University, some families now spend up to 10.5 percent of their gross income on their children’s sports. If you take that percentage and multiply it the median American income of $52,250, it means that parents may be spending upwards of $5,400 per year on youth sports.

“Parents

think

these

investments

are

justified;

they

think it will lead to a full ride to college. That’s highly misinformed,” said Mark Hyman, an assistant professor at George Washington University in an interview with the New York Times for an article published this past January.

The numbers don’t lie. This is a fact. In looking at data from

the

NCAA,

less

than

five

percent

of

high

school

athletes

move on to play collegiate athletics. This then prompts the real question: why are parents paying so much for “athletes” who likely won’t continue beyond their senior year of high school?

At LM, a large proportion of the student body participates in at least one PIAA sport and for many, they are not one, but two or three-sport athletes. For parents such as those of Lizzy D’Alonzo ’17, a member of the varsity girls’ soccer, basketball, and lacrosse teams, the costs may be tripled in some cases.

“In a typical year I usually would spend around $500 per year for all of the equipment I use,” says D’Alonzo.

“For additional sports training including travel leagues and one on one sessions, I have probably paid over $1,500.

Dorsch added, “A family bringing in $50,000 a year could

be

spending

$5,500.

Without

being

judgy,

I’m

fine

with families spending that kind of money.” The real issues come in portions of the country where some families may even struggle to keep their lights on at night.

A study done by the C.S. Mott Hospital at the University of Michigan found that 61 percent of respondents to its surveyed said they had paid some amount of money to play sports in either middle or high school. Furthermore, among the families surveyed with an income less

Girls’ 4x100 relay time, in seconds, posted at this year’s edition of the Penn Relays in Philadelphia. The girls won their heat.

1 Central League loss for boys’ tennis on their way to a league title and the top seed in the PIAA state tournament

than $60,000 annually, 19 percent claimed costs as the reason for their child or children participating less in sports.

At a time where obesity is near its highest peak in American history, this data is alarming. Don’t we want to encourage our children to play sports as frequently as possible? And don’t parents want to do everything they can to help to support their offspring?

Interestingly enough, LM students and their families typically spend on more than just equipment. Most teams have some type of booster club that collects dues from each player to purchase additional team gear. They also typically hold fundraisers to offset some of those costs.

Of

course,

individual

families

also

find

other

ways

to

spend money on their athletes. Boys’ varsity tennis player Simon Vernier ’15 utilizes a personal coach outside of school, with whom he trains roughly two to three times per week.

Amelia

Carpenter

’16,

who

plays

varsity

field

hockey

and girls’ lacrosse in addition to running winter track, adds that her parents have spent extra on sports mentality training. Many students will also supplement their practices with a gym membership and some even add on the cost of a personal trainer, which can run upwards of $60 an hour.

Ultimately, everything adds up and families will continue

to

spend

large

sums

of

money;

LM

is

clearly

no

exception to the rule. Yet, even as student-athletes, where academics are the primary focus and athletics secondary, most students feel similarly about the value of adding to their preparations for high school sports.

“Of course, I feel guilty for having my parents paying so much for me,” says D’Alonzo. “But honestly, sports are the most important thing to me and my life, so I think it’s worth it.”

Similarly, Carpenter elaborates, “I am primarily committed to school, but it doesn’t cost my family much extra because most of my academic needs are met within the school day. At the same time, my parents spend money to enhance my learning outside of school by paying for seminars, conferences, and other academic programs, just as they do with my sports.”

Most importantly, Vernier recognizes that the opportunitiy he has been given is something that most young athletes don’t get.

“The

cost

of

playing

tennis

is

definitely

something

I

keep in mind when playing. I realize how blessed I am to have parents that support me so much in pursuing my passion. I try to use this as motivation to train hard and always get the best out of myself when I am on the court.”

We live in a community that is, for the most part, extremely fortunate. Many young athletes get to play sports at a high level and are lucky to have parents who support them in all of their sporting ventures. It is important, nonetheless, to be mindful of the rising costs that come along with such participation and the impact that it will have on students and their families moving forward.

Graphics by Dylan Siegelman/Staff