Merionite May 2016

The Merionite

Ardmore, PA, 19003

May 31, 2016

The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 86, Issue 6

Friendship walk funds charity

From left, Alexis DaCosta-Williams, Alex Podell, and Jake O’Connor enjoy the festivites on Arnold Field.

Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Features Editor Under brisk blue skies, May 15 saw one of the most notably fun events on the LM track and field: the Best Buddies Annual Walk. There was face painting, dancing to a DJ aided by buddy Anderson Brown, pizza, baked goods, food trucks, and even a pie-your-teacher stand. This is the first year that the LM chapter undertook the huge event, and the efforts of

Photos courtesy of Alex Podell ’16 (L) and Sam Gamberg/Staff (R) Van Horn (at right) dances with buddies from area schools alongside the Bulldog. the club officers (Karla Holmes ’16, Leah Raizen ’16, Abby Ritterband ’16, Jessica Epstein ’17, and Nolan Shapiro ’17) and club advisors Special Education teacher Heather Van Horn and school counselor Jennifer Vallieres certainly paid off.

Through months of fundraising, planning, and organizing, the chapter was able to host more than 250 people and raise more than $30,000, which Van Horn calls a “success.”

She elaborates, “Coming together for the Philadelphia Best

Buddies Friendship Walk continues the important conversation of building a community where no one feels isolated and everyone has access to the [bonding] moments that build a meaningful friendship.” Buddy Ariana Bucchiarelli ’17 said of the walk, “I had a great time with my buddy and all of the kids, as usual!” Peer buddy Jen Crainiac ’16 added, “I really enjoyed hanging out with my two buddies, Isabel Lutz, Caroline Borgia, and overall the event was a huge success.”

Please see BEST BUDDIES on page 4

LMSD shows unanimous support for transgender policy Catherine McFarland ’18 On May 16, the district’s school board unanimously passed the LMSD Gender Expansive (an umbrella term for a student whose identity is not strictly male or female) and Transgender policy, otherwise known as GET, making LMSD the third district in the state with a GET policy.

Recent discussions regarding how LMSD treats its transgender students have increased, due in part to a social media spur about gender-neutral bathrooms. Yet contrary to popular belief, the new LMSD GET policy was not created because of this. The creation of the committee to write this new policy began last spring, when students from LM’s All Genders and Sexualities Allied (AGSA) club asked Physics Teacher and Enchiridion (LM’s yearbook) advisor Nora Chrimstman what the yearbook’s policy was on students who use a preferred name that is different than their PowerSchool name.

At the time, Christman did not have a response to this question, as LMSD did not yet have a policy on this issue. After discovering this, Christman, along with various other district teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists, and administrators, started a committee to create a GET Policy. She explained that LMSD is one of the first districts to create a policy like this, and it is modeled after Los Angeles School District’s groundbreaking work.

School district policy 259: Gender Expansive & Transgender Students—Ensuring Equity And Nondiscrimination states:

“The Lower Merion School District is committed to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students and employees. The District is also dedicated to ensuring that every student has equal access to the District’s educational programs and activities. Additionally, the District’s policies require that all schools and all personnel promote acceptance and respect among students and staff. This policy reflects the Board’s support in ensuring that gender expansive and transgender (GET) students are provided such equal opportunity and access to programs, services, and activities. To ensure that GET individuals are provided with such equal opportunity and access, the Board authorizes the Superintendent or his/her designee to develop and promulgate regulations designed to ensure the safety, comfort, and healthy development of GET students while maximizing such students social integration with other students and minimizing stigmatization and isolation. The regulation’s purpose is to provide guidance for District staff regarding isPhoto courtesy of Philadelphia Gay News sues relating to GET individuals in order to create and Supportive alumni and students from Harriton and maintain a safe and supportive environment for all.”

LM AGSA clubs spoke on behalf of the policy at the School Board meeting on May 16.

Please see GET POLICY on page 4

NEWS FEATURES 3rd annual Girls Leadership Spotlight on senior Dean Hughart conference

SPECIAL FEATURE High school relationships

SPORTS Kline’s fitness challenge

Sophie Roling ’18 reports on an LMSD event organized by the Girls Leadership Council. page 2

See how LM students perceive relationships with age differences. page 12, 13, 14

Ryan Fisher ’18 covers Kline’s mission to challenge fellow coworkers in staying physically fit.

The winner of the interdepartmental competition is determined by the number of minutes teachers exercise. page 22

OPINIONS Fentanyl

An in-depth look at the flawed legislation surrounding a fatal drug. page 8

Learn about Hughart’s journey to becoming the talented musician he is today. page 9

A&E Philly festivals Bored this summer? Hit up these hot upcoming festivals for a good time. page 18

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May 31, 2016

News The Merionite

Students volunteer with Committee of Seventy Simone Burde ’17 News Editor

In an election year filled with controversial candidates and issues, Pennsylvania voters finally had the chance to cast their votes on April 26. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton took about 55 percent of the popular vote while, on the Republican side, Donald Trump (now the only candidate remaining in the GOP), won with a similar margin of 56 percent.

From left Owen-Oliner, Fleming, Beller-Grossman, and Henneberry welcome voters outside of the LMSD Administration building, which doubled as a voting center on PA Primary day.

Though many LM students did not have the eligibility to vote in the Pennsylvania primary, fourteen students found a way to interact with the people whose opinions matter the most: the voters. On April 26, 14 LM students served on the Election Ambassador Corps during the Pennsylvania primary.

The Corps was organized by Social Studies Department Chair Jill Knight and Social Studies teacher Chad Henneberry, along with Walker Moseley from the Committee of Seventy. The Committee of Seventy is a nonpartisan group based in Philadelphia that runs several programs involving elections. One of these programs is the Election Ambassador Corps, which offers “Philadelphia high school students an opportunity to observe polling places, learn about the electoral process, and help ensure a smooth experience for voters on election day.” LM Election

Ambassador Lynda Faller ’17 adds, “The goal of the Committee of Seventy is to encourage [a] better government that citizens can trust.”

According to Henneberry, Moseley reached out to LMSD in order to expand the Election Ambassadors beyond the city of Philadelphia and into the surrounding suburbs. This led Knight, Henneberry, and Moseley to coordinate an Election Ambassador Corps for interested students at LM. Knight adds that she and Henneberry, “thought [the Election Ambassador Corps] would be a valuable experience in civic engagement” and would provide students who are not yet eligible to vote with “an outlet to be involved.”

The 14 LM students who volunteered as Election Ambassadors are juniors Sarah Beller-Grossman, Katelyn Dang, Lynda Faller, Emily Fine, Elizabeth Fleming, Sarah May, Isabelle Margulies, Emily Murphy, Leah Owen-Oliner, Roxanna Pasquier, Madeline Ragsdale, Beza Zenebe, and sophomores Ari Amar and Michael Hua. Students volunteered for a variety of reasons; Margulies says that she volunteered because she is “thinking of potentially going into politics in the future,” while Zenebe volunteered simply because she “find[s] the 2016 election season to be fascinating, to say the least;” however, since come-November she is not eligible to vote, she says that she “thought getting involved in this program would not only get me more involved, but also prepare me for when I do get the opportunity to vote.”

As Election Ambassadors, students volunteered their time for several hours on the Pennsylvania primary Day to administer a short five-question survey to voters. One question asked voters about their opinions on absentee ballots, another question on pre-registering 16 year olds. The Election Ambassadors also served as “police” during the election process, as part of their responsibility was to follow a handbook that outlined proper voting procedures and report any possible violations.

The LM volunteers had the unique opportunity to interact with citizens while volunteering at the LMSD Administration Building voting center as well as at voting centers near the homes. Pasquier comments, “It was an enlightening experience to see the differ-

ent demographics that came out to vote, and it was a reminder how complex the voting process really is.”

Zenebe agrees, saying that “It was very interesting because I got to hear all these different viewpoints,” adding that hearing those different viewpoints “truly made me think about these issues in another light.”

However, Margulies did caution that it was “hard to get people to stop for you because nobody really believes it when you say you’re ‘non-partisan.’”

Based on the positive experiences of everyone involved with the Election Ambassador Corps this year, Knight says that she and Henneberry “would certainly consider” holding the Election Ambassador Corps in the future “if student interest is there,” adding that “Having been through it once, it will be easier to grow the experience and make it even more meaningful in the future.” The students concur, as Margulies said, “Millennials need to get more involved in politics.” Hopefully, with the addition of the Election Ambassador Corps, in future years LM students can begin to be more involved in politics while they are still in high school.

As part of their duties as Election Ambassadors, students answered voters’ questions about voting procedures and Voter ID, collected sample ballots, and administered an exit survey on various reforms related to elections and improving the political process.

Photos courtesy of C. Henneberry

Girls empowered at leadership conference Sophie Roling ’18 On Saturday, April 23, LM hosted the third annual Girls Leadership Conference, in- to defend their rights and be prepared for the world beyond the walls of LM. They disviting girls from LM and Harriton to learn about gender inequality and the leadership cussed how to negotiate wages and examined the media’s influence on the objectificaroles that women can have in our society. The conference is organized once a year by tion of women, learning how they as individuals can make a difference. According to the Girls Leadership Council (GLC), which is composed of 20 students from both high Paula Singer, advisor to the council since 2013 and this year’s GLC coordinator, the schools and unites 150 girls from the district. conference “creates a safe space for girls to talk about sexism and determination.”

In today’s rapidly evolving social world, the position of women has developed, and the conference’s main purpose is to inform girls about the critical role they play in this Changes to the conference from last year included additional workshops and a shift evolving landscape. Through many different acto expand the conversation to include a broadtivities and presentations, the conference taught er group of women. GLC member Nina McKay girls about gender inequality in school and at work. ’17 felt that topics discussed at this year’s conGirls were taught how to handle difficult situations ference had a more specific focus on women’s and how to best advocate for themselves with conempowerment as a whole, with numerous disfidence. Most importantly, they were given the opcussions about the influence of women of color portunity to empower themselves through leaderor LGBTQ+ in the media. McKay adds “The fact ship roles. that the focus was much more on intersectionalThe day of the conference included a tightly ity likely reflects a changing climate around that packed schedule from 8:45 a.m to 3:30 p.m. It beissue in the Lower Merion community.” gan with an introduction by Keynote speaker EmOne of the main goals of the conference was ily Kramer-Golinkoff ’03, the founder of Emily’s to empower girls to feel comfortable to speak up Entourage, an organization dedicated to helping about gender issues in different situations, and save the lives of people with Cystic Fibrosis by raismany of the girls who attended feel that what they ing awareness and collecting money for research. learned has made a significant impact on their After the speaker, the girls had a choice between lives. Sophie Hoffman ’17, a program co-head of watching two films: “Miss Representation,” which the GLC, says that the conference “gives girls a explored the objectification of women in the media, place to start in terms of becoming a leader and or “Girl Rising,” which chronicled the journey of advocating for equality, which is definitely hard girls from developing countries around the world. to do alone.” For Rachel Winicov ’16, a co-head of Photo courtesy of Paula Singer the GLC, the highlight of the conference was keyFollowing the viewing of the film, the girls divided Throughout the day of the conference, girls had the opportunity to note speaker Kramer-Golinkoff. Winicov says, into discussion groups led by GLC members where reflect on their experiences by participating in arts and crafts such “Emily spoke on the importance of irreverence they were able to exchange their thoughts and ideas as the “What I Learned” poster pictured above. about what they learned from the film. and encouraged us to challenge being told no,” Throughout the course of the day, girls took part in the many interesting activities demonstrating the leadership skills and determination that the GLC strives to emulate. for which they had already registered online. These sessions ranged from the “Wharton Not only did the conference help attendees learn important information, but Women” workshop on teaching girls how to dress to impress to a seminar focusing on it also united girls from both high schools to enjoy a day full of exciting workshops. helping girls stand out in applications and resumes. Each course, though uniquely pre- Singer explains that the conference allowed “girls [to] learn about many things that sented, focused on a topic related to the overall theme of the conference. Sessions also they are not taught in school,” and many of the girls wish they could learn more included physical activity classes such as yoga for mindfulness and self-defense. about these topics in their everyday classes. The council hopes to continue teachGender inequality in today’s society continues to be a pressing topic of discussion, ing girls about these issues and making an impact on the LMSD community in the especially at the conference. In addition to physical self-defense, the girls learned ways coming years.

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News

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The Merionite

clubs strive for success

TSA qualifies for nationals Nisha Arya ’18 It was a spectacle that saw 2,341 attendees, 1,861 student contenders, 480 advisors, guests, and judges, 139 chapters, 118 different events, 34 LM competitors, six top three finishes, and one bright hope to win nationals.

The TSA (Technology Student Association) state conference was held at the Seven Springs Ski Resort in Champion, PA from April 13 to 16.

LM TSA had three first and second place finishes from the state conference: first place in Webmaster, in which a team of students designs a website that features its TSA chapter as well as a technology topic; second in On Demand Video, in which a team writes, shoots, and edits a sixty-second video on site at the conference; and second in Chapter Team, in which a team takes a written parliamentary procedures test and conducts an entire business meeting consisting of an opening ceremony, three items of business, and a closing ceremony. LM also placed third in Children’s Stories, in which a team creates an illustrated children’s story focused on technology and science.

In addition to the team victories, LM students placed in individual events.

Vanessa Roser ’17 came in third in an event called Promotional Graphics, in which a student develops a graphic design that promotes participation in TSA. Michael Hua ’18 also had a successful conference, achieving a third place finish in Extemporaneous Speech, in which a student gives a five minute speech about a technology topic given to them only fifteen minutes prior, and second in Career Prep, in which participants simulate the job interview process by making resumes, cover letters, and conduct an interview.

To qualify for the state competition level, students had to achieve a top-five finish in at least one of their events at the regional conference. While competition is not as stiff at the regional level, the quality of events exponentially increases at the state conference. Students ameliorate their speeches, robots, websites, planes, essays, posters, and

May 31, 2016

Graphic by Vanessa Roser/Staff binders. Olivia Johnston ’16 explained, “The bulk of the work for the state conference takes place after regionals.

Events get completely overhauled and remade to get them ready for states.”

During the four-day long conference, however, the students are not always competing. TSA chapters from all over PA merge at the conference. Students can participate in information and career sessions about science, technology, engineering, and math, attend formally conducted business meetings in parliamentary procedure, and listen in and view each other’s projects. All throughout the different activities, students from Philadelphia can meet students all the way from Pittsburgh. Kelsey Stanton ’18 says, “When I was waiting in line to get ice cream, I met a girl who was doing Chapter Team for the first time.

She was so nervous. I gave her some tips about what to do and say, and at the awards ceremony, I saw her being awarded for Chapter Team! It felt so great to help someone who I had never met before in an event I really enjoy.”

This year, 12 LM students qualified for the national conference, which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee. LM TSA hopes to expand its chapter even more in the upcoming year by both bringing back old members as well as recruiting new ones. If you are interested in joining TSA, please contact Technology Education teacher Mark Piotrowski or Spanish teacher Ryan McCloskey.

SciOly competes at states Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 News Editor

Following a successful run at the Regionals Competition in March, LM Science Olympiad traveled to Juniata College on April 23 to compete against the state’s top 36 teams. The competition team, consisting of 15 members, participated in an array of 23 building and studying events, earning 12 individual event medals and placing sixth overall.

In the weeks leading up to the competition, students spent hours preparing by attending Lunch and Learn meetings, putting the finishing touches on their prebuilds, and creating practice tests for one another. Contrary to previous years, the club’s officers emphasized the importance of after school meetings. Allie Rauch ’16 describes their value in “helping people develop their building events and cheat sheets in advance, which was crucial to doing well in competition.”

The day of competition kicked off with

an opening ceremony in the gym. Students then attended their 50-minute partner events throughout the rest of the day.

One study event that students excelled in was Green Generation, an event exploring topics related to ecology, for which Michael Cheng ’18 and Andrew Schmid ’16 earned first place. Close behind was Invasive Species, an event testing knowledge of invasive species in local and national ecosystems, for which Lan Luo ’16 and Max Mazo ’17 earned second place. LM students dominated several building events as well, with Daniel Tsai ’17 and Eric Liang ’18 earning second place in Air Trajectory, an event utilizing compressed air to launch a projectile.

Although the team placed sixth at States last year too, the number of individual event medals skyrocketed. Hoping this progress will continue next year, the team aims to join the top two teams of each state at the Nationals Competition.

Dawgma dominates at Worlds Nisha Arya ’18 St. Louis, Missouri—normally a place that sees visitors from around the world for the great wonders of the state: Busch Stadium, the Gateway Arch, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, Forest Park, and more.

But from April 26 to May 1, St. Louis saw visitors from all around the world for a new reason: the FIRST Robotics World Championships.

Dawgma Robotics, LM’s robotics club, traveled to “The Dome” in St. Louis to compete in the World Championships.

Dawgma was one of only 600 teams out of over 3,000 clubs from 20 countries to qualify for this event.

At the Worlds competition, because of the sheer amount of teams, there were eight divisions, meaning that there were eight different events on eight different fields going on simultaneously. Then the winning alliances of each of the eight fields played against each other to determine the winning alliance of the entire event.

On Wednesday, the first day of the conference, teams setup the pit (where the robot stays in between matches), unpacked their robot along with other necessary materials, and participated in a practice match. During the qualification matches on Thursday and Friday, Dawgma placed eighth out of 75 teams, setting them up to be chosen for the sixth alliance captain on

Saturday. Dawgma advanced to the elimination matches before finishing 60th out of 600 participating teams.

Dawgma had a stellar performance at the World Championships, and the spectators took note. GameSense, a livestream with commentary for all the divisions and the finals at Worlds, said that Dawgma’s defensive strategy was “brilliant” and that “the big thing [for the alliance against 1712] is overcoming 1712 [Dawgma’s robot].” Maya Levitan ’18 comments, “Apparently, one of the people who was on the livestream pulled one of our mentors aside specifically to tell him that we were the MVP of our elimination matches, he was beyond impressed with our defensive play, and the only team that really compared to our defense was 1405, who was the robot playing defense on the finalist alliance and who had almost won the World Championships.”

Reflecting on Dawgma’s performance at the world championships, Narin Park ’18 says, “We placed 60 out of 600 teams at worlds overall! We are so proud of this great achievement.” As seen from Dawgma’s achievements at the world championships, LM’s Robotics Club is not only flourishing in its competitions and alliances at the regional and district level, but also at the international level.

LM takes second at Envirothon Julian Ginzburg ’19 Students from LM’s Environmental Club traveled to Lower Perkiomen Park on April 27 to compete in the 2016 Montgomery County Envirothon, an environmental science competition. For the past couple of months, students have been studying the five environmental themes related to this year’s competition: forestry, soils and land use, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and invasive species. For each of the categories, students took tests, identified animals based on certain characteristics, analyzed soil samples, and measured the age of trees in teams of five.

LM performed exceptionally well, placing first in the forestry category. The team of Hannah Si ’17, Jacob Noel ’16, Grant Wei ’16, Michael Cheng ’18, and Julian Ginzburg ’19, exceeded expectations and led LM to a second place finish overall. Even though the weather condi-

tions were not exactly ideal,— it’s an outdoor event, rain or shine—the Environmental Club finished only three points behind Perkiomen High School, who won the championship and the chance to compete in the Pennsylvania State Envirothon this month.

The Environmental Club has its eyes set on next year’s competition, where they will try to unseat Perkiomen High after back-to-back championships. After the competition, Si remarked, “Studying for Envirothon isn’t an easy thing, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by how much there is to know about just soils or trees alone! But I love that you come away knowing exactly how the environment is understood and taken care of. This year, I can’t help feeling frustrated about those three points, but I’m still proud of how we did. We’ll be back next year with even stronger preparation and strategy.”

Photo courtesy of Jen Isett/Montgomery County Conservation LM’s Environmental Club, pleased with their second place finish, is looking ahead to next year’s competition where they hope to advance to the Pennsylvania State Envirothon. From left, Noel, Cheng, Wei, Ginzburg, and Si pose with their banner.

News

May 31, 2016

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The Merionite

Best Buddies

GET policy

Cont. from FRIENDSHIP WALK FUNDS CHARITY, page 1

Cont. from UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR GENDER POLICY, page 1

The Best Buddies LM chapter is in itself a force of change. Van Horn has worked for years to build the club to its point of success today because she believes that it is important to never “underestimate the power of friendship.”

She notes that C.S. Lewis believed, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’”

Best Buddies makes these friendship creating moments more frequent, more meaningful, and facilitates them to occur across the wonderful spectrum of diversity our school and community setting has to offer. Vallieres was herself a peer leader in college and now continues to be one as a school counselor, where she works with students of all ages and abilities. She emphasizes, “People may not realize that high school can be a daunting experience for students both with and without physical and intellectual disabilities as well as for the families and staff

In addition, the committee created administrative regulations that provide solutions to the prominent issues regarding access to facilities for GET students in school.

In accordance with Pennsylvania’s House Bill 303, the regulations state that any student will have access to locker rooms and bathrooms of the gender they identify with. They also have the option of more privacy if they would choose; for example LM has two single stall gender-neutral restrooms available for all students. These were created in the 2013-14 school year as a result of a student movement requesting them.

Additionally, any student may play on the sports team that they identify with, regardless of their biological sex. Also, all dress codes must now be gender neutral; the dress code can no longer refer to a single gender when creating a rule. For example, instead of saying that girls may not wear tank tops, it would state that no one could wear tank tops. Along with this, at LM’s graduation this year, all students will be wearing maroon gowns instead of the previous white for girls and maroon for boys.

Students are also given the right to be called their preferred name and use their preferred name on all unofficial records such as ID cards, rosters, diplomas, newspapers, and yearbooks.

The only time they must use their legal name is on official documents like transcripts, grade reports, and records.

GET students receive a right to confidentiality; the school cannot disclose any information about a student’s identity. Lastly, the regulations seek to increase education and training about GET students through student leadership trainings, the new anti-bullying program, and staff professional developments.

GET Policy Committee member, Christina Minecci, explained that there would be different levels of training.

Basic education about GET students has already begun in the district, and if the policy is approved, the multi-piece

founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, and in just 27 years it has benefited more than 900,000 individuals with and without disabilities. He was just an undergraduate at Georgetown when he realized the tremendous potential of college students. He began to inspire his peers to personally collaborate to expand the realm of opportunities that disabled students can access. This outreach includes one-on-one friendships, like those at LM, that foster great relationships between people with and without disabilities to generally improve quality of life. They also strive for integrated employment–helping them earn an income, pay taxes, and support themselves. Finally, their leadership development endeavors empower and educate individuals with IDD to speak out as leaders, presenters, and advocates.

The Walk began in 2009 to raise money while creating an atmosphere for new friendships to prosper and inclusion to exist. It has now spread to 24 states and raised $2,000,000,

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Vallieres A sampling of IDD buddies, their peer buddies, associate buddies, and other supporters who came out to walk for the cause. More than 250 people attended, and the event raised $30,000 to support the Best Buddies programs. that are involved with our school system.” Through individual buddy pairings of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and neurologically and developmentally normative LM students in addition to a larger circle of associate buddies, the club works to build a community that Vallieres says “challenges the feeling of isolation that many experience by encouraging people from all backgrounds to come together and celebrate one another.”

Marielena Caporaletti ’16, a buddy who has been heavily involved with the club during her four years at LM, said during an interview with NBC to promote the walk in February, “I like that it helps me make friends.” Peer buddy Emma Black ’16 joined her onscreen, where she noted, “It helps me understand how hard it is for kids with developmental disabilities to be integrated into a school community, but we have such a big club at school that we really get them involved in school. It shows us what good friends and everyday members of the community kids with disabilities can be if you really get the time to know them.”

The larger Best Buddies foundation is one of international outreach, spanning 1,500 chapter schools and ranging from middle school to college campuses in every state from coast to coast and across six continents through over 50 countries. It was

and 81 percent of all revenue goes right back into Best Buddies program revenue.

This is LM’s first year hosting the event, and the chapter was excited to have Program Manager Meredith Brooks and Area Director Milli Protheroe come down to kick off the walk. LM Best Buddies decided to host the 2016 Philadelphia Friendship Walk to raise money for the club while creating an atmosphere for new friendships to prosper and promote inclusion for all.

The chapter will use the money to fund other special events throughout the year that allow students to be creative, share, and collaborate with one another as well as support the larger Best Buddies Foundation. Alexa Bucchiarelli ’17 notes that she “love[s] being [in] Best Buddies because people of all abilities are included, and everyone always has a great time!” Amanda Steinberg ’16 established that even as an associate member of the group, she “had so much fun and felt so welcomed.”

The club and its dedicated officers and advisors work tirelessly throughout the year to help maintain the friendships and love that are so important to everyone involved, and the success of the Friendship Walk helps them continue that great mission.

training will be continuing to discuss the implementation of the policy specifically. These regulations seek to reduce stigmatization and provide guidance on how to implement the original policy.

“

...if you feel that you can improve the world around you, it might not be as hard as you thought.

”

-Nora Christman There have been different responses to this policy; Dora Nathans ’18, who attended the School Board meeting that discussed this policy, remarks that she was “struck by the overwhelming support from parents across the community.” Parent Lisa Eldridge explained her support, saying “There is nothing more important than how someone sees themselves. Our GET students need extra support from the whole LMSD Community as they take a stand for who they are. I think it is great that LM is taking this stand at a time when there is some backlash against the civil rights of GET people. I’m all for the new policy.”

Though there is a large amount of support, not everyone approves of the policy; some parents are worried about privacy issues. Some feel that it discriminates against cisgender students (students who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) who should have the right to share facilities with people only of their biological sex.

Regardless of these differing opinions, the successful passing of the GET policy shows how the district is willing to respond to specific student concerns. Christman added, “This has been a meaningful experience seeing how supportive the district was of this idea, and if you feel that you can improve the world around you, it might not be as hard as you thought.”

Update: Cosby case moves forward Rebecca Tauber ’16 News Editor Last February, Norristown came alive as the country watched and waited to hear whether Bill Cosby would be taken to court for sexual assault allegations. The hearing was to determine if an immunity deal between Cosby and former District Attorney Bruce Castor was valid. The deal, allegedly formed in 2005, prevented Cosby from being tried in criminal court, instead sending the case to civil court. This past fall, current Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele claimed the agreement was nonexistent and charged Cosby with sexual assault, reopening the case in criminal court.

On February 3, Judge (and LM alumnus) Steven T. O’Neill ruled in favor of the prosecution, declaring that the immunity deal was invalid, thus clearing the way for the case to go to trial. Following the decision, Cosby’s defense team appealed the ruling in an attempt to stop Cosby from facing criminal charges.

On April 25, a Pennsylvania state appellate court released that it would

not hear the appeal. It also refused the request for a stay (a postponement of proceedings), of the pretrial hearing, thus allowing the case to move on. Steele asserted that “this rich, celebrity defendant is not entitled to unprecedented special treatment,” echoing his earlier comments during the original hearing about wealthy defendants attempting to buy their way out of criminal cases.

At the preliminary hearing on May 24, Judge Elizabeth A. McHugh ruled that the case could continue forward, ending months of attempts by Cosby’s legal team to stop the trial. This decision ensures that of the many sexual assault accusations, Cosby will go to trial for at least one.

The question remains whether Cosby’s original deposition from the civil suit in 2005 and testimonies from other accusers will be allowed as evidence. The trial will likely take place later this year, and will again bring the public eye to Montgomery County, as a formerly beloved public figure faces criminal charges.

Opinions

May 31, 2016

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The Merionite

Editorial: What we’ve learned from Lunch and Learn Lunch at LM has undergone a very dramatic transition over the course of the 201516 school year. Back in September, we still operated more or less under the old schedule when the word “lunch” invoked a very different set of images than it does now.

With just thirty minutes to leave class, obtain food, find a spot to eat, consume the food, socialize, finish a homework assignment, and then run back up to class, lunch often felt more like a marathon than an actual break.

The new schedule aimed to address the multitude of logistical issues with our old lunch system by creating the hour of free time in the middle of the day that we now know as Lunch and Learn. The new rules allow students to eat virtually anywhere in an effort to compensate for a cafeteria that can no longer safely hold one third of the school’s rapidly expanding student population.

The Merionite The official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors-in-Chief Dena Behar ’16 Olivia Johnston ’16

While Lunch and Learn has been met with a significant degree of controversy, The Merionite does believe that its benefits outweigh its costs. Serving essentially as a free period for everyone in the middle of the day, Lunch and Learn has given nearly all LM students the freedom to budget their own time. Prior to Lunch and Learn, underclassmen and students who did not have frees had only the 25 minutes of academic recovery to visit their teachers or collaborate on projects during the school day. In addition, a lunch period of greater length allows for students to actually reap the benefits of a break, which, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, allows for the enjoyment of an enhanced level of cognitive functioning and a greater attention span during afternoon classes. These are certainly important and significant benefits, and markers of a program worth continuing (especially when, due to overcrowding, there aren’t a lot of other options). However, we also believe that it is important to note the flaws in the new lunch program, particularly the problems that could be addressed in the future.

Not often brought up during discussions about lunch and learn is the somewhat distressing policy that has actually inhibited the ability of some students to enjoy their new freedoms. Last year, an upperclassman with multiple failing grades would have had their frees changed to study halls but would not have lost their lunch privileges. This year, however, now that lunch is longer, a student

News Editors

Adrian N. Corbey ’16 Todd S. Gilman ’16 Nina McKay ’17

Features Editors Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Leslie Gladstone ’16 Alexandra Hummel ’17

Arts and Entertainment 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

Graphics Editors Samuel Gamberg ’17

Web Editor Noah Rubin ’17

administration emailed all LM students a schedule showing which lunch our teachers have on which days. This schedule can now be found on our school website. However, the major problem with this schedule is that it is not actually accurate. This is because many teachers have to operate according to a different office hour schedule due to various factors (such as the lunch schedules of their colleagues). In addition, it can be difficult to locate some teachers—particularly those who teach science courses, because many of them share rooms and teach classes in different rooms throughout the day.

Therefore, it can actually be very difficult for students, even many months into the school year, to figure out when and where they can find their teachers for help durinLunch and Learn.

While these issues certainly pose problems, they are also relatively easy to resolve.

Teachers and administration should consult about which lunch schedules teachers will follow before the start of the school year, so that students aren’t receiving two conflicting streams of information. It is certainly helpful to have an office hour schedule on the school website, but it is only useful if it is accurate. And, students should not be deprived of half of their Lunch and Learn for receiving failing grades when they are also losing frees. Overall, though, Lunch and Learn has indeed had a very positive effect on the LM community, and we as a student body have demonstrated our ability to appropriately utilize our new freedoms.

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

Simone Burde ’17 Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17 Rebecca Tauber ’16

Opinions Editors

in the same position would lose both their frees and half of their lunch period each day.

According to the aforementioned research, this may actually be counterproductive to the aim of assisting students in improving their study habits, because thirty minutes spent rushing from place to place could very reasonably be argued not to constitute a break. In addition, Lunch and Learn has now become a time for study group meetings, project work sessions, teacher-led reviews, and club meetings. Forcing a student to sit in one room for half of Lunch and Learn could seriously inhibit their ability to take advantage of these academic and extracurricular opportunities.

Of course, students who would like to spend their free time during Lunch and Learn working on schoolwork in classrooms and getting one-on-one help from their teachers should be able to do so. Indeed, this was a benefit of the hour-long lunch that administration highlighted as a majorly helpful new academic tool. We were told to take advantage of the fact that each of our teachers would have office hours for half of lunch every single day, during which they would be available to provide help in their subject area. Essentially, this was replacing the twenty-five minute academic recovery period that had formerly concluded B, C, and D days. But, in order for the new “learn” part of Lunch and Learn to actually work, it is essential that we know when our teachers have their office hours—during first half or second half. At the beginning of the year,

Letter to the editor: Is OLWEUS pointless?

To the Editor, In the April issue of The Merionite, the front page was plastered with photos of hallway decorations for OLWEUS, LM’s new anti-bullying program. Also on the cover, junior Deepika Jonnalagadda’s article, “LM Takes a Stand Against Bullying,” detailed the specifics of this new program as well as its implementation in high school settings. Much like the bright and cheerful hallway displays, the article focuses on the positive outlook many LM staff members have on the future success of this program. With the assurance that “OLWEUS will allow LM to be a place where everyone feels safe,” as Assistant Principal Karen Defranco states, “It’s hard to find fault with LM’s new anti-bullying policy.” However, can OLWEUS really change LM’s bullying issues, or are the construction paper and kindness cards that blanket the halls also covering up more substantial efforts to stop bullying?

OLWEUS has struggled for years to develop a bullying prevention program for high schools, and though its middle school programs have shown documented success, the company has “limited research on its effectiveness in high school,” according to research from the University of Cincinnati. However, many students at LM didn’t need graduate studies to find fault with the implementation of the program; the distribution of lollipops and school-mandated “decorating days” made many students feel infantilized, and the program quickly gained a reputation for being unequipped to deal with the complexity of high school issues.

Unfortunately, this dismissive opinion of OLWEUS’s effectiveness may be fairly justified. Though research on the new high school program is undeveloped, and at worse, unfunded, the data that has been published is not as positive as LM’s administrators had made it seem.

A recent study by ProQuest, an academic research organization, found “no statistically significant effect of the intervention for reducing bullying others or bullying victimization” between schools that implemented OLWEUS’s high-school program and those that did not. The study suggests several causes for the ineffectual results of the program, from “unfavorable working relationships” with administration to poor assessments of “school readiness,” but the research and LM student opinion agrees: it takes much more than rewarding high-schoolers for “kind efforts” with school mandated pizza parties to change the culture of bullying at LM.

Business Manager Justin A. Guo ’16

—Vanessa Roser ’17

Advisor Charles Henneberry

Business Advisor

Congratulations to our new staff for the 2016-17 school year!

Sean P. Flynn, Esq.

The editors believe that 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.

The Merionite The official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013 Editors-in-Chief Simone Burde ’17 Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17

Managing Editor Isabella Dumitrescu ’17

News Editors Nisha Arya ’18 Catherine McFarland ’18 Dora Nathans ’18

Opinions Editors

Copy Editors

Michael Cheng ’18 Nina McKay ’17 Sophie Roling ’18

Julian Ginzburg ’19 Kelsey Stanton ’18

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

Graphics Editors Samuel Gamberg ’17 Vanessa Roser’17

Web Editor Noah Rubin ’17

Arts and Entertainment Editors Molly Cutler ’19 Molly Gonzales ’17 Claire Ochroch ’18

Business Manager

Sports Editors

Charles Henneberry

Matt D’Aquila ’17 Kelly Harrigan ’17 Zach Slogoff ’18

Business Advisor

Bradley Kaplan ’17

Advisor

Sean P. Flynn, Esq.

6

Opinions

May 31, 2016

The Merionite

A different kind of promposal

Rebecca Tauber ’16 News Editor Prom: what pop culture and social media teaches us is the pinnacle of the High School Experience. Endless teenage movies reach their climax at prom, such as American Pie, Mean Girls, and Paper Towns. However, I fail to see why society is so obsessed with what is not much more than a glorified bar mitzvah.

I’ll start with the money. If you added up all the costs, from the outfit (including hair, makeup, and nails for girls) to the ticket, transportation, and in some cases even house rent for a weekend, the cost of attending prom and all its components is exorbitant. Many people spend hundreds of dollars on a dress they will wear once and an event they will spend a few hours at.

The social stigma surrounding having a date is also unhealthy. Having stalked a fair share of prom pictures on Facebook (you know you’ve done this too), they all have something in common: everyone has a date. Whether in a relationship with their date or not, most

This year, prom was held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, May 21. people will pair off. This makes it socially unacceptable to not have a date, causing some to even take people they have never met. Why does society create an atmosphere where people would rather spend the night with a stranger than dare go to prom alone?

The other key components of prom involve not what actually happens at prom, but the before and after: preprom and post-prom. While both parts can be unifying and fun, many experience the other, ugly side. The extensive planning required for pre and postproms often hardens social boundaries, acting as a breeding ground for stress

and exclusion.

Sorry for dampening everyone reading this who has been dreaming about prom ever since High School Musical 3 or Prom. However, the positive side is all one sees in pop culture and on social media. While many quietly stress to their friends about prom, society fails to openly validate anyone who does not anticipate prom with excitement, such as those who were hesitant to spend so much money or stressed about their post-prom plans coming through. These are not all necessarily my problems, and I did not write this merely because prom is stressing me out, but because I have

seen the worries it has brought many of my friends too.

I am not calling for the end of prom, but for a shift in the weight society places on the event and a change in its ever-perfect portrayal. We need to draw attention to how in addition to being a cumulating rite of passage, prom also reveals deep-rooted societal expectations and conforms to cultural pressures.

In retrospect, the prom itself was actually enjoyable; I heard many who stressed about it (myself included) say they realized it was not that bad. It was fun to dress up and take pictures with friends (and the Founding Fathers), most seemed to enjoy themselves dancing, and spending a weekend away afterwards was not bad either.

The contrast between the experience of planning prom versus attending it raises the question: why do we anticipate prom so much that the planning process is much more unpleasant than the event itself? In the months leading up, it seemed as though all anyone talked about was prom, trying to one-up each other with prom-posals, plan the best post prom, or take the cutest pictures. Prom itself has become an entire industry, rather than merely a unifying and cumulating event. And it is this industry that ironically takes away from the intent of the event itself, which at its root should be to have one last good time with our entire grade. Therefore, if I can give one piece of advice to juniors (and a rebuke to my past self), it is this: don’t buy in to the entire extravaganza; instead, relax and live a little.

Opinions

May 31, 2016

7

The Merionite

White House Correspondants Association is the joke

Andres Bermudez ’19 On the last Saturday of April, the Washington Hilton hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD). This exclusive event, held annually to raise money for scholarships for gifted journalists, is the White House Correspondents’ Association’s (WHCA) most profitable fundraiser. It nets around 600,000 dollars from the 2,600 tickets, which are sold at 300 dollars each. The WHCA used to have a purpose apart from hosting the dinner every year, but it has recently become a monument to the very issue it was created to stop.

In early 1914, during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, rumors began to spread in Washington that a congressional committee would begin to decide which journalists would be allowed at the president’s newly regular press conferences. Obviously, this was an issue for journalists who did not have connections in politics, as their absence would leave reporters with a monopoly on information unable to be proven wrong. Although these rumors never proved to be true, the White House Correspondents’ Association was nevertheless born out of fear and necessity.

The original purpose of the WHCA was to provide an unbiased, independent way to select which journalists would go to the White House press conferences and meetings of that nature. More recently, the WHCA and, most importantly, its White House Correspondents’ Dinner have become examples of coziness between inside journalists and the White House.

Over the years, the dinner has grown from a small group of 50 men (women were not allowed until 1962, when JFK refused to attend until the ban on women was lifted) to around 2,600 invitees, many of whom have no connection to Washington or journalism. Even now, there have been mentions of an increase in venue size in order to sell more tickets, but it has proven too expensive. Furthermore, because of federal ethics

President George W. Bush (left) and comedian Steve Bridges (right) impersonating the 43rd President at the 2006 White House Corespondants Dinner. decisions, ticket prices must stay the same price in order for politicians to accept invites. This means that the gross revenue produced by the event stays the same over time. That being said, every year the event’s comedians and stars become more expensive to hire, and in turn the funds being raised for the scholarships lessen. If this continues, the WHCD may prove unprofitable. In this manner, the dinner has become a way for those in the upper echelons of American society to show off their wealth and connections, rather than a celebration and fundraiser for journalists.

The most extreme example of how the WHCA has become a tool for the White House was when President George W. Bush used the dinner as a stunt to show compassion. In 2007, in order to demonstrate his extreme remorse about the Virginia Tech killings, Bush made a big deal of not making his own comic sketch or stand up bit, as is custom at the dinner. Instead, Bush used it as a tool to state that he stopped being “a funny guy” when killings like this happened. While this may seem somewhat sincere, the irony lies in the fact that this same president did make jokes at the WHCD after 9/11.

A possible interpretation of this is that Bush’s boisterous silence was nothing more than a publicity stunt to humanize himself and therefore gain the people’s fa-

vor. In a New York Times article published at the time, Frank Rich speculated that Bush might have tried to bolster the people’s approval of him because of the congressional hearings happening around the time of the dinner that reflected negatively on the president. Although less hypocritical, the current president uses the dinner in the same way. The dinner allows those who are seen as stern, strict leaders—as presidents often are—to show a lighter side of themselves to the American people. Regardless of the reason, the WHCD was and is used by the president and those closest to him as a way to humanize himself, rather than as a way to congratulate journalists who have distinguished themselves in the White House.

The WHCD has the positive effect of showing the president and his inner circle as normal people, but because the rumors of White House control of the press in 1914 never came to fruition, the WHCA is not serving its original purpose. Now, it is merely a tool for the president to affect public opinion of himself, and has therefore become inextricably linked to the White House. For these reasons, the WHCA is no longer independent. It has lost its unbiased and unconnected status and has become exactly what it was created to counteract over 100 years ago.

Decoding dress codes

Claire Ochroch ’18 On Thursday, April 21, an announcement rang through the halls of LM reminding students about the parameters of the dress code. The weather was just beginning to get hot, and students were starting to wear shorts and tank tops. Apparently, some students were dressing inappropriately, and the administration wanted us to know that it was not okay to wear certain items of clothing to school.

The announcement also warned students about consequences that would take place if the code was broken, such as being forced to wear LM apparel, or being sent home if the code is broken more than once. This announcement upset many female students at LM, and there was even a letter posted around school. It addressed some of the more ridiculous rules of our school dress code and their much more serious implications. Our school is not the only one with unrest in this area; in fact, schools across the county have had issues with gender bias and ridiculous dress codes.

LM is actually relatively good in several ways

when it comes to our dress code. The code is not gendered, and I have heard of very few incidents where students are called out or face disciplinary action for their outfits. The real problem lies in schools that send students home for dressing “inappropriately,” or for wearing outfits that are “too distracting for the male population” of the school. One example is at Woodford County High School in Versailles, Kentucky, where the dress code bans skirts and shorts that fall higher than the knee and shirts that extend below the collarbone. Recently, a photo of a female student at the school who was sent home after wearing a seemingly appropriate outfit went viral on Reddit and Twitter. It seemed ridiculous to many that this girl was sent home for showing her collarbone.

The process of defining what’s considered “offensive” and “inappropriate” can get quite murky.

Schools may promote prejudiced policies, even if those biases are unintentional. In the U.S., over half of all public schools have a dress code, a significant number of which outline gender-specific policies.

Some administrators see these distinctions as necessary because of the stereotypically different ways in which girls and boys dress. In many cases, however, female-specific policies account for a disproportionate number of the attire rules included in school handbooks. Certain parts of Arkansas’s statewide dress code, for example, exclusively apply to females. Passed in 2011, the law “requires districts to prohibit the wearing of clothing that exposes underwear, buttocks, or the breast of a female student.”

It is ridiculous that the boys do not have rules, and gender specific rules can be extremely alienating for gender neutral or gender nonconforming students.

Rules should not be gendered because if one gender

is going to be limited, other genders must be limited as well.

The message behind the dress code is even worse than the code itself. Many girls believe that their schools convey the message that the main reason for dress codes to exist is for them to create a ‘distraction-free learning zone’ for male students. Woodford County is one of many districts across the country to justify female-specific rules with that logic, and thus to effectively place the onus on girls to prevent inappropriate reactions from their male classmates. Educators and sociologists, too, have argued that dress codes grounded in such logic amplify a broader societal expectation: that women are the ones who need to protect themselves from unwanted attention and that those wearing what could be considered sexy clothing are “asking for” a response.

It seems to be expected that women should be extremely aware of their physical identity and how the world responds to it, especially to the male gaze.

“Often they [female students] report hearing phrases like, ‘boys will be boys,’ from teachers,” says Laura Bates, a co-founder of The Everyday Sexism Project.

“There’s a real culture being built up through some of these dress codes where girls are receiving very clear messages that male behavior, male entitlement to your body in public space is socially acceptable, but you will be punished.” This is a completely ridiculous notion for girls to have. Boys should be taught not to sexualize girls; girls should not have to change because boys are staring at their bodies.

Clothing and fashion are forms of expression that should be encouraged by schools, not squashed by them. We should be encouraging girls to be proud of their bodies and be confident in their own skin.

8

Opinions

May 31, 2016

The Merionite

Fentanyl: a hidden killer

Isabella Dumitrescu ’17 Features Editor New England: the Patriots and sports bars, wind-worn shingles and cobblestone streets. When most think of this northeastern region of the U.S., what they recall probably isn’t dozens of bodies found with needles still dangling from their arms. This is certainly a graphic image, but this area marks the launch point for a major increase in the abuse of the opioid fentanyl, and this epidemic is spreading at a distressingly rapid rate. Up to fifty times more powerful than heroin, the drug produces effects so intense that users don’t have time to pull needles out of their arms before the substance reaches their brains.

When taken, it produces an intense high similar to that of cocaine, but even a small amount can cause the body to relax to such an extreme that breathing and heart contractions stop.

According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 5,500 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses between 2013 and 2015 in 12 hotspot states (including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Ohio), contributing to the all-time high of 18,893 national drug overdoses in 2014. Eighty percent of national usage takes place in just ten states, one of them being Pennsylvania. In March of 2014, Philadelphia alone saw 28 deaths from pure fentanyl. However, detecting fentanyl requires an individual drug test that morticians do not perform unless instructed, meaning that cases are slipping below the radar. Deaths are going undocumented, and those seeking hard drugs are therefore often unaware of the true possible consequences of their choices. Many dealers are tempted by lower prices to sell fentanyl as substitutes for drugs that are harder to obtain, such as heroin.

This is oftentimes done without the knowledge of the client, despite the fact that only a quarter of a milligram to two milligrams of fentanyl could easily be fatal, compared to the lethal dosage of anywhere from 35 to 500 milligrams of heroin.

These drugs are coming from labs in Mexico, China, and likely elsewhere. Forensic Scientist Terry Baisz recently told CNN that pills of fentanyl (the most common mode of consumption on the West Coast) are so precisely fabricated that

product. Middlemen and individual dealers now often dilute the extremely potent powder with over-the-counter medication or even powdered sugar, yielding ten to 20 times the product.

It’s all about the money.

As the prescription abuse epidemic swelled in the late 2000s and peaked in 2013, the largest source of illegally obtained pills was dirty doctoring (the inappropriate distribution of drugs for personal gain) and blanketing over-prescription. Pennsylvania is a large contributor to these problems.

Art by Wint Thu ’16 In 2015, the CDC saw 10.4 million prescriptions for opoid medicines filled by patients in Pennsylvania, which ends up being nearly one prescription for every citizen in our state.

“someone has gotten ahold of or manufactured the specialized plates for the pill press.” Even to the keen eye of a trained analyst or chemist, the legitimate fentanyl pills and the illegal knockoffs are indistinguishable.

Drug cartels have been discovered to be buying bulk fentanyl for a fraction of the price of heroin and turning to sell it to U.S. buyers for prices comparable to heroin. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in the “established distribution hub of Lawrence, Massachusetts,” heroin sells for “$70,000 a kilogram, [and] fentanyl runs about $90,000.”

While the drug used to be solely cut into heroin to make it more addictive, the recent availability makes “pure” fentanyl an increasingly attractive

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2015 saw 10.4 million prescriptions for opioid medicines filled by patients—nearly one prescription for every citizen in the state.

Fortunately, opioid prescriptions have been on the decline for the past two consecutive years. Yet Pennsylvania still ranks “No. 1 in overdose deaths for males 12 to 24,” according to the Department of Justice. This is where drugs like fentanyl come out of the woodwork. The street availability means that those seeking opioids can cut out physicians altogether; prescriptions are far from necessary.

Crystal methamphetamine (meth), heroin, and cocaine are street drugs that, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, sit right alongside marijua-

na as some of the cheapest psychotic substances. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), however, ranks as the eighth most expensive substance in the world.

It’s the first drug on the list, appearing just below plutonium and diamonds.

This is the difference between Schedule I and II drug classifications. Heroin is a Schedule I drug, while fentanyl is classified as Schedule II. The latter label indicates both a high potential for abuse, with effects of “severe psychological or physical dependence,” and approval for restricted medical use in the United States. Drugs like LSD and ecstasy are some examples of the further prohibited Schedule I drugs, ones that have no current medical purpose.

These labels were established under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, a year before President Richard Nixon waged his “War on Drugs,” stating, “America’s public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse.”

While many parts of the War on Drugs were and remain controversial, laws like this make hard drugs like cocaine to become up to ten times more expensive according to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University.

The clear correlations between classification and accessibility have led many to declare that fentanyl should be re-classified as a Schedule I substance.

However, the drug is extremely useful within medicine. It acts as a powerful anesthetic that keeps patients from receiving dangerous levels of weaker opiates like morphine and helps patients suffering from chronic illnesses and cancers that have made their bodies long resistant to traditional painkillers. A classification change, while certainly well-reasoned, is impossible given how useful the drug is for those who legitimately need it.

It must be incredibly hard for parents and loved ones of those killed by drugs like fentanyl to hear that such deaths were possibly avoidable with the right legislation and education. Yet it is likely just as hard for families to put their own young children through devastating rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, knowing that their only chance for comfort and sleep is a dangerous opioid. The light and dark sides of the drug determine that our battle with it is far from over as fatalities rise.

Is LM learning lopsidedly liberal?

Sophie Hoffman ’17 A few weeks ago during English class, I had an epiphany: we were having a discussion on articles we had read and annotated about immigrants in society and the American dream, and suddenly I heard my grandfather’s voice in my head, echoing one of his sayings along the lines of, “you have liberal thoughts and ideas because the school you go to hires liberal teachers, who in turn put these

liberal opinions in your head.”

Now, usually when I hear this at the dinner table, I disagree with him, because I like to think that my thoughts are my own and that I have formed my own opinions on political and social issues. I realized, however, that all five of the articles we read in order to prepare for this class discussion had expressed very similar, if not identical, perspectives.

They all fell into the liberal category, but there is most certainly a whole other opinion on the subject—a more conservative take on immigration and the American dream. I am not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with either side, but I do believe that our discussion was not valid considering that we were only discussing our knowledge of one side of the story.

I believe that it would be reasonable to read one sole opinion if we had time to read and discuss only one

article, but it isn’t unreasonable for at least one (if not more) of the five sources to be from a counterclaim perspective if a large number of articles are assigned. It is important that, as teenagers who are coming into adulthood, we form our own political and social views. In order to do this successfully, we need to be exposed to multiple existing views as opposed to the same standpoint.

I also find it problematic that not only was I the only one to bring up this issue during our discussion, but also when I did bring it up, no one responded. My comment was followed by silence not only from my fellow students, but also from my teacher, who proceeded to fill the silence with an unrelated thought. Students are continually fed one viewpoint and are so discouraged from exploring alternate opinions, that they don’t even recognize them as legitimate

stances.

I am concerned that this has other consequences. Even if all of the students in my class considered themselves to be politically liberal, they should still be able to recognize the fact that these articles are very one sided, and understand the problems that such a situation, if repeated, will cause.

I am not upset, specifically, that I did not get to hear a conservative voice on the immigration topics we were learning about. I simply believe that there is importance in exposure to as many sides of the story as possible, especially to young and ever-expanding minds such as those of my classmates and me. I simply ask that in the future, when teachers select articles to share with a class, a conscious effort be made to bring as many perspectives as possible to the table.

Features

May 31, 2016

9

The Merionite

If you're Reading This you love Dean HugharT Claire Ochroch ’18 The audience was frozen, all attention on Dean Hughart ’16. His melodies rang throughout the auditorium, entrancing students and parents alike.

His first solo at the LM Spring Concert was on flute, something unexpected; many audience members were surprised by the unique style of the jazz flute, especially from a such a seasoned saxophonist. Then came Dean’s signature tenor saxophone, where you could hear his years of experience in every note. He played his heart out and his passion was unmistakable. He completed the melody flawlessly, and sank back into his to the sound of a standing ovation. His musical talent is obvious, but his expertise is a result of years of dedication and hard work.

Eight years ago, when Dean was trying out different instruments in the fourth grade, he had no idea that music would become such an integral part of his life. Ultimately, he decided on the clarinet, simply because it was an uncommon instrument to play. This was not his first major exposure to music, as both of his parents are musicians. They used to play and have Dean and his sister, Olivia Hughart ’19, sing to accompany their parents playing for Christmas CDs. His parents’ focus on music inspired Dean to become serious about music himself, although he needed encouragement early on.

His mother would make him practice daily and enforced truthful practice logs. Just a year later, this hard work was already paying off: Dean got to play a solo with the chorus. Dean remembers “practicing that piece over and over again, making sure [he] got every part right.”

He went on to Bala Cynwyd Middle School and continued to play the clarinet for all three years. “I knew that I wanted to play in the school’s jazz band,” he said, “the only problem with this was that jazz bands do not include clarinets.” Jenny Neff, the BC music teacher, encouraged him to learn the tenor saxophone so that he could join the group. He picked it up quickly and joined the junior jazz band by the second semester of that year. Dean advanced to the senior jazz band for his remaining years of middle school.

“

about it. He’ll play some intense solo and then come chat with you about that day’s math test.” Teachers aren’t immune to this charisma, either. Music teacher Aaron Datsko, who has taught Dean for all four years commented, “One of the best things about Dean is that he doesn’t just want to be a good saxophonist and clarinetist. He wants to be a better musician in general. He has borrowed school instruments and tried playing them to better himself as a musician.”

Aside from clarinet and tenor saxophone, Dean plays the alto saxophone, flute, oboe, and piccolo.

He said, “I love the new challenge that comes with each instrument.”

It took him around

“

Dean’s a legend. He’s the kind of kid that you admire for his talent, but he’s not arrogant about it.

- Luca Saleh ’17

I remember practicing that piece over and over again, making sure I got every part right.

”

- Dean Hughart ’16 Dean moved up to LM, where he continued to play clarinet in the band as a freshman and graduated to orchestra winds for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. During his time in high school, he matured not only as a musician, but also as a person. He started out as a timid freshman, and through hard work transformed into a refined, talented musician and an accomp plished senior. This spotlight was inspired by a student’s request to acknowledge his talents and work, an example of the unofficial fan club he’s garnered. Luca Saleh ’17 said of his fellow orchestra member, “Dean’s a legend. He’s the kind of kid that you admire for his talent, but he’s not arrogant

solo award. When he was starting out, Dean looked up to the upperclassmen of jazz band.

On stage, trombonist Jim Tobias ’14, whom Dean particularly admired, approached him. “Welcome to the club,” he said. This meant the world to Dean, and stuck with him throughout his years. He knew in that moment, he wanted to do whatever it took to better himself, to continue practicing, to become one of those skilled upperclassmen that he so revered. He went on to win many more solo awards and meet his goals.

Artwork by Vanessa Roser ’17 two months to get a consistent sound out of the flute, but ended up being a natural. For the short amount of time he has been playing, he is ridiculously good.

At LM, he has also been in the Jazz Band all four years, a fantastic experience that has helped him hone his musical skill. One of his proudest moments happened at his very first jazz festival. He had a solo in the song “Catch As Catch Can”. He was jittery at first, but, after practicing diligently, each note came out perfectly.

He that performance, his first solo in his high school career, Dean won a best

”

Outside of music, Dean rocks out on the field with the Ultimate Frisbee team and has been playing baseball since he was young. He was a contestant in the Mr. LM pageant, where he blew everyone away with his amazing saxophone performance as he embodied the charmingly awkward band geek stereotype. He thinks that one of the greatest things about Mr. LM is that it brings people out of their shells. It brings the community together and lets everyone in on the secret talents of LM students. He elaborated, “without Mr. LM, we would have never seen Alden Hallak ’16 doing hilarious stand up comedy or Dana Handleman ’16 paying homage to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

He also enjoys listening to instrumental jazz fusion, and his favorite bands are Snarky Puppy and The Yellow Jackets.

Dean knows how to kickbox, his favorite food is hamburgers, and his favorite TV show is SpongeBob Squarepants. You can catch him getting ice cream at Koffmeyer’s in Havertown. After high school, Dean is going to the University of Rochester, where he plans to play with the school’s orchestra or band.

Everyone knows that Dean is a great musician, but without trying something new in fourth grade he would have never gotten to where he is now. He encourages all kids to try an instrument and work to find their passion like he did. Music has made his experience at LM so special, and he wants everyone else to be able to have that. People can feel his passion when they listen to his music and watch him perform. One of the many students who love his playing is fellow Jazz band member Mia Hodges ’18. She revealed that “everyone in jazz band really adores him. His solos are the highlight of every rehearsal. Everyone looks forward to him winning a solo award. He gives us a reason to be hype. He is a really good role model for everyone in the Jazz Band!” Dean is an amazing musician who has truly grown into his potential and whose work is celebrated immensely by the population at LM.

Photos contributed by Dean Hughart ’16. From left to right: a fifth grade clarinet performance with the chorus, signing off of his 2016 Mr. LM talent, and a baby Dean as a Halloween pumpkin.

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Features

May 31, 2016

The Merionite

SENIOR PRANKS Sophie Roling ’18

In many schools, seniors have a long-standing tradition of presenting the school with one last manifestation of their humor, more commonly known as their senior prank. In the past few years, however, Lower Merion High School has not had a senior prank. Many teachers at our school believe that this is mostly due to the fact that pranks at LM had become criminal offenses and were taken too far.

After surveying different LM teachers, some extreme pranks were discovered. One year, senior students put soap on every single stair in the school. This way, students and teachers were unable to safely climb the stairs to get to the upstairs classes. This idea could have been genius, but it took the custodial staff three hours to clean. It was also a large safety violation. Another year, students released hundreds of crickets in the cafeteria around lunchtime. It was believed that the old LM building had an infestation, which is terrible around food, so the cafeteria was evacuated. A student was injured on the way out due to the mass exodus of people rushing out of the school. Another year, students broke into LM’s buses and broke ignition key slots with toothpicks. The buses were unable to drive

to get students, and the prank was an expensive fix.

Some pranks were slightly less extreme, but equally bewildering to the LM community. When the parking lot was on Arnold Field during LM’s renovation, the seniors used this layout to their advantage. Social Studies teacher Chad Henneberry said, “During construction, the teachers had to park on Arnold Field and the seniors blocked it in with cars. But then they moved their cars, instead of getting towed.” Chemistry teacher Larry McAfoos added that they parked horizontally across three spots to maximize the effect of the prank. Another group of seniors once filled the hallways of the first floor entirely with cups of water, so no one could walk. Other students brought live farm animals into the LM hallways.

Senior pranks, although amusing, caused many issues in our school, which is most likely why they stopped. Some, like the crickets in the cafeteria, were criminal offenses. Others were extremely expensive to fix, like the bus ignition prank. Most gave custodial staff hours of extra work. Although they were funny, most seniors were seen as selfish because they didn’t think of

the repercussions of their pranks, which is partially why the pranks have been eliminated. English teacher Brian Mays thinks that, “maybe people got lazy or were scared of the consequences.”

Dana Handleman ’16 says, “The school stopped excusing people just because they’re seniors.

People were too scared of getting punished.”

We asked teachers what they think would make a good senior prank, and asked for some input on the idea. McAfoos explained a prank that he remembered from college, though it would not be as feasible in a high school setting. The seniors at his university put dehydrated soup cubes in the shower heads, so when students went to shower, they washed with soup and not water. English teacher Jean Mastriano says that a good senior prank would consist of something that makes a political statement in a way that is not harmful to other students and teachers. Ideally, a good senior prank would surprise the school but not cause any damage. Although they have recently stopped, pranks at LM have clearly been debatable yet comical events provided by the senior class.

What would be a great senior prank?

“Replace all the bathroom soap “They could number pigs one to five, but only actually bring “They could plant a federally protected tree with mayonnaise!”

4 pigs. The pigs would run free, and administration would in the middle of the courtyard, so the school -Laura Ruckenstein ’17 keep looking for that missing pig that doesn’t exist!” would never be able to move it.”

-Sophia Seligson ’17 -Randy Cheloha ’17 “Lock all the doors, and hide [the keys] in “The seniors should set up a “All the Harriton and LM balloons. They could blow up hundreds of petting zoo in the court yard. “Take all the doors off the bathroom seniors should switch stalls, except for one.” balloons and administration would have Everyone could bring their places for a day.”

-Carmen Gonzalez ’17 to pop all of them to unlock the doors.” dogs to school.”

-Sophia Seligson ’17 and Ben Epstein’17 -Randy Cheloha ’17 -Laura Ruckenstein ’17

Pros Marli Weisman ’18

Playing Sports

“Everyone should storm the library and as many people should sit as each table at possible. They could bring beach chairs in case there aren’t enough seats.”

-Randy Cheloha ’17

Cons Grace Tomlinson ’18

Senior Day! A time to lovingly harass your older teammates and celebrate all they’ve done to contribute to your sport. There may be some tears, but you’ll definitely appreciate supporting your friends.

From spending hours rowing on the Schuylkill or running mile repeats, every athlete knows the feeling of post workout days. However, there is nothing much you can do to relieve the pain besides stretch, ice, and Advil the days away.

Practice, Practice, Practice. As you’re sweating it out on the track or getting splashed on the Schuylkill, you know that all your hard work will pay off soon. Your times will drop, and you’ll feel better, faster, and stronger.

Many might view missing classes as a pro, but with the constant flow of weekly games, missing assignments, assessments, and notes starts to build up, and the perpetual rescheduling with teachers gets old quickly.

When school stress starts to pile on, the first thing everyone wants to do is exercise (read: Netflix and ice cream). Seriously though, exercise releases endorphins. As your heart gets pumping and muscles stretch out, you’ll definitely start to feel better. You might even figure out how to handle a tough problem during a distance set!

Say goodbye to your afternoon bus driver, because chances are the late bus is going to be your new best friend. Soon you will realize the beauty of the rare 4:30 practices.

Get hype over competing with our longtime rival Radnor, and be sure to bring your older-sister sympathy for Harriton matches.

Spirit days mean you can rock footie pajamas (or not get dressed in the morning), wear crazy socks and hats, and show the whole school that you bleed maroon and white for LM. Not to mention, your team will certainly bond over zany getups like the swim team’s superhero outfits (i.e. a bathing suit and towel cape over your clothes).

Make new friends! Sports are one of the only places in LM where students of all grades get to mix, so use those lengthy competitions and grueling practices to foster inside jokes and lasting friendships.

When rushing from school to practice to games, athletes are forced to manage their time well to balance it all. These skills will stick with you even after you’ve graduated, so you can thank your coach when you’re able to balance your job and social life when you’re older.

Whether you’re a captain or a tiny freshman, you have a great chance to inspire your teammates. Upperclassmen can easily become role models for younger students, and even the youngest superstars can bring positive energy to the group.

Playing sports at LM means continuing the 122-year-long legacy of students before you. We might have iPhones and “hover boards” now, but the LMers of 1894 were sweating it out for the Aces just like us.

Through the thick and thin, alongside your teammates you’ll learn how to work together and fight for the win. Lifelong lessons like commitment and the ability to compromise will carry you far past the finish.

Sleeping in on Saturdays will become a thing in the past. From 7:15 a.m. bus departures to 8:00 a.m. practices, there is never a dull morning. The sporting doesn’t ever stop, not even on weekends.

We all love our seniors, but there is an obvious hierarchy. While some may argue that it is due to more experience, when did it become the norm to rank age before ability?

All athletes have experience with injuries like sharp hip pains and infamous shin splints. You can suffer through it in silence in the hopes that your coach notices or you can spend your time with Jenna.

Let’s say that the average practice ends at 5:40 p.m., and it takes twenty minutes to get home. By that time, it is already 6 p.m.. You take half an hour to eat dinner and another 45 minutes to shower, and you have not even started the three plus hours of homework that lay ahead. Like any normal teenager you goof off on your phone or get sidetracked with family, and before you know it, it is 11 p.m.

“I can’t go, I have a ___ practice/game” is a phrase athletes know all too well.

Now that you have committed to a possible six-day-a-week sport, none of your plans will ever be set in stone.

When it comes to competition, our coaches succeed in getting our heads in the game… maybe a little too much. Just a simple game of “ninja on the hill” can trigger a competition bone, making it just a little more serious than it needs to be.

Just being able to say “I go to the same school that Kobe did” will certainly raise eyebrows among anyone that you tell. At LM, sports are a massive part of the culture, from the Kobe legacy to the track team’s famous 4x100. For all athletes, the stakes are high.

Features

May 31, 2016

The Merionite

11

Ins Th pire eO db nio y n©

Satire project contributions from English Teacher Dana Flynn’s AP Language and Composition classes

Promposals Are you doing them right?

16th Century Neck Ruffles: Bullies Bullied in Attempt The New Flower Crown? to End Bullying

Molly Hughes ’17 Gentlemen, it’s that time of year again: Promposal Season. Right now, there are approximately 300 guys per square mile deciding on what they should do in order to ask their crush to prom. And to those guys I say: Stop what you are doing right now and read this article.

Many believe that they know the “right” way to ask a girl to prom when, in fact, the majority of promposals have proven to be disastrous. In order to avoid more failed promposals and to have a better society as a whole, I will provide a basic outline that should be followed when asking a girl to prom.

First, you need a theme. This could be an inside joke that you and the girl shared. Not only is this cute, but it shows that you remembered something besides her name. Don’t take this advice too far though. Never—and I mean never— center the promposal around an inside joke that you and your buddies had about the girl you are asking. That will never go over well. If you don’t share any inside jokes, no worries! You can just think of a common interest.

After you pick a theme, decide how you are going to ask!

Most people go for the classic sign, a pun and a rose or two.

But frankly, you can do better. Every girl is expecting the stereotypical promposal, so why not make it more interesting?

For instance, in a little town named Ardmore, Ralph decided to ask his friend Sarah to prom. Following the first snow, Ralph went out in to the school courtyard, and wrote in gigantic letters “SARAH, PROM?” The entire school was able to see it from every floor, in every hallway overlooking the courtyard. His promposal was visible for the next two weeks due to the cold and horrible temperatures common to the Northeast. Ralph not only avoided a stereotypical sign, but he did something that no one else has done in the history of promposals. He is a true pioneer in the prom industry.

If you do decide to make a sign, there are some basic rules. First and foremost, don’t make your promposal il-

Amanda Trautmann ’17 Vinyl Records. Polaroid Cameras. Vintage Furniture. VHS Tapes. It seems old is the new trend. But has it gone too far?

For years now, kids have gotten into the bands their parents grew up on and claim it is “old school.” They wear greasy hair, plaid shirts, and baggy jeans and call it “vintage.” But is two decades removed really vintage? Well, it seems another wave of this “vintage” trend is on its way. This time it seems more antique than vintage.

Remember that funny thing the Queen of England wears around her neck that makes you always think, “Gee, that looks uncomfortable.” Well, now kids are walking around town with their heads held high from these 16th century neck ruffs. While a few have miraculously found original neck ruffs from Shakespeare’s time, most make their own. People tea-stain

their ruffs and then let them sit out to dry so they get that old weathered look.

Will ruffs be the trend at next year’s Coachella? Will we stumble upon Beyoncé looking like the queen she is, promoting the ruff on stage? Will the ruffs usher in a Victorian getup overhaul, where the hip youth will trade in their sloppy updos and booty shorts for heavy woolen gowns and pinned up hair? It seems only time will tell for the ruffs.

In recent years, most educational institutions, from elementary to high school, have attempted to implement anti-bullying programs. It seems that over the years, however, these programs have taken a turn for the worse. Attempts to “stand up” against bullying have morphed into hurtful comments that devalue the bully.

This, many believe, is a result of initiatives forgetting to teach the message of “everyone matters” and instead teaching students to “fight back.” Offensive methods such as puns, colorful posters, and window graffiti have been used to attack the bullies.

One former bully, Oscar, told us of a traumatic incident he had in the hall.

As he walked past a “Don’t be a bully.

Eat stromboli!” poster he recalls, “There were these dorks standing in the doorway shouting, ‘Yeah, Oscar! Don’t be a bully! Eat stromboli!’ They pointed their fingers and laughed every time they saw me the rest of the day.” Sadly, Oscar is just one of the victims of this epidemic.

More research is being done on this topic, and scientists have already starting studying the effects that this anti-bullying campaign can have on the mental health and self-confidence of the past bullies. Perhaps this campaign has served to create bullies out of the masses rather than to extinguish the few that had existed beforehand.

Photo courtesy of Molly Hughes ’17 We can see that Ralph took his promposal to the next level in 2014. He will go down in history as a promposing legend. Follow in his footsteps. legible. Second, don’t be afraid to do the basic “will you go to prom with me?” because a stupid pun is not as funny as you might think. Stupid puns are never funny. Never. Third, don’t use glitter glue. Markers and colored pencils are perfectly acceptable tools, so don’t reject them just because they’re basic.

With the perfect theme in mind and the perfect sign, you’re almost ready to prompose. Most promposals have taken place at school, during lunch or between classes, and usually require the assistance of some friends. However, recognize that if the girl you’re asking is shy, she probably won’t want to be asked to prom in the middle of a crowd where everyone can see her. On the other hand, her obnoxious friend will want you to ask publically in front of the entire school so she can gloat about it to everyone. Ignore this friend. You also need to decide if you need promposal assistants. If you decide to get help, only ask your friends; involving her friends will just ruin the surprise. She’ll know every detail of the promposal weeks beforehand! Knowing where you are going to be and with whom now helps you to prepare even more. You can plan to surprise her in the perfect place, and your friends can help to keep bystanders away from the background of photos.

Now you can finally ask her to prom! Not only are you prepared to prompose, you are saving yourself from the embarrassment of doing it badly. If something doesn’t go well, then that is your fault. I have prepped you for the most perfect promposal possible, and if you mess anything up, that’s on you. But, assuming that everything goes well, you will be going to prom with the girl of your dreams.

Artwork contributed by Vanessa Roser ’17

Artwork contributed by Alexandra Stern ’16 Female figure is outlined in rainbow colors. Male figure is labeled “GOP.” Caption reads: “Republicans want to keep the government out of your life”* *”unless you’re in the bathroom”

Artwork contributed by Jarod Estacio ’17 Hat reads “you suck.”

Artwork contributed by Leah Owen-Oliner ’17

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Special Feature

May 31, 2016

The Merionite

“It makes no sense that people shouldn’t date each other when they’re within 4 years of each other’s ages when they have things in common and care for each other.”

ren tly in an age a rel diff ation ere s nce hip w ith cur are

11%

Percentage of students who feel that any age difference is acceptable in a healthy relationship:

31%

59% of students believe that the school should not report relationships that they believe may violate statutory rape laws.

en

47% Underclassmen

“I think it’s important to socialize with other age groups and to expand your maturity. I’m not completely against freshman-senior relationships, I just don’t think they’re ideal because both people are at different points in their life during that time.”

Upperclassm

in a ave been urveyed h ence of those s age differ ip with an relationsh

31%

“There is no way I would report something like that in a school, as the relationship may be going smoothly with no abuse and acting as a normal relationship.”

Ag Differ Relatio High school is known for the stress it causes teens, both positive and negative.

But homework and college are not the only anxiety-causers for students, despite what parents may think. Relationships can take up almost as much time as schoolwork in high school, especially since many people are exploring romantic relationships for the first time. Any relationship can become school news depending on who’s involved, but the larger the age gap of the students involved, the more infamous the relationship often becomes.

Approximately 31 percent of the 250 students who responded to a Merionite survey said they were in an age difference relationship at some point, with eleven percent saying that they are currently in one. Although these relationships may seem appealing to some, especially for a younger girl looking for a more mature, older guy, others see them as an easy way for an experienced, older boy to prey on an inexperienced, younger girl.

“There is a stereotyp boys taking advantag girls and that doesn much with older g younger boys or coup same gender. Howev is definitely less comm and sometimes mo uncomfortable when older girl is dating younger bo

May 31, 2016 “We encourage all students to report unhealthy relationships, whether it involves them or a friend. They can talk to their own counselor, Ms. Pudlinski, our Health and Wellness Counselor, or Ms. Montalvo, our Social Worker. If they feel more comfortable with another trusted adult in this building, that is fine too. [...]

Friends can certainly report their concerns either directly or through our anonymous START program. START referral forms are available on Ms. Pudlinski’s door in the Student Services Office.” % - Marsha Rosen

76

ge rence onships The Merionite chose to look closely at this issue because of its prevalence in LM and its lack of identification. As one respondent said, “It’s a very relevant topic that applies to many people and that everyone has an opinion on.” Everyone knows someone in an age difference relationship, but most of the time these relationships are not second-guessed, or at least not publicly.

We wanted to see what people really thought of these relationships; if they think they’re healthy, if they think they lead to increased sexual pressure, etc. We compared the answers to these questions among those who have been in prior age difference relationships, those who are in one now, and those who have never dated someone of a different grade. We also looked at the issue from the perspective of a certified school psychologist, as well as a current senior who dated a senior when she was a freshman.

pe of older ge of other n’t exist as girls dating ples of the ver, it mon ore an ga oy.”

of students do not know where in LMHS to report unhealthy relationships

44% of people currently in an age difference relationship think that age-gaps lead to increased sexual pressure in most cases

BUT

36% of those who have never been in an age difference relationship believe the same.

78% of surveyed relationships include a younger girl

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An expert opinion:

Dr. Anderer weighs in Susan E. Anderer, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Certified School Psychologist Spend time binge-watching any teen series on Netflix, and you’ll find yourself immersed in a wide variety of romantic and sexual dramas: Rory and Dean of Gilmore Girls, Joey and Pacey of Dawson’s Creek, Brooke and Lucas of One Tree Hill. While the twists and turns of these relationships vary in intensity and focus, they depict the most typical pairing in high school romances: meeting someone in high school who is in your grade, making a connection, and maturing together. This makes sense. Research reveals that romantic partnering is as related to proximity as it is to any other characteristic—you are most likely to date the people with whom you have the most and the easiest physical contact.

In addition, students within the same grade are often at the same psychological stage of development: they have similar levels of romantic experience, similar problem solving skills, and a similar level of “maturity” for dealing with the ups and downs of interpersonal conflict. As with any area of developmental psychology, however, there are variations within individuals, as when one person progresses at a different level from his or her peers, opening the possibility of interest in a partner from a different grade level. While chronologically at different places in their academic careers, the difference within these pairs may not be as divergent as they first appear. But are there pitfalls in dating outside of your grade?

“

A senior who has already had a number of relationships may be in a better position to weather the storm of a romantic conflict than a freshman for whom the same conflict is a first experience of this kind.

”

Age differences can make people more or less ready for the emotional ups and downs that accompany romantic relationships. A senior who has already had a number of relationships may be in a better position to weather the storm of a romantic conflict than a freshman for whom the same conflict is a first experience of this kind. Similarly, this same senior who has had a number of sexual partners may be farther away from the storm of emotions that can accompany a first time sexual encounter, and therefore less sensitive to the conflictual emotions about taking a relationship to a new level.

Research continually shows that once a teenager becomes sexually active, they are more likely to continue to be sexually active with subsequent partners—it is hard to go back. This can understandably create pressure on a younger partner who maxy not be emotionally ready for this kind of physical relationship, but feels that it is difficult to deny what may have become an expectation for the older partner. While this can make the pairing of students from different grades problematic, it is more the level of experience and expectation that has the ultimate impact on the relationship, rather than physical age or maturity.

Take Jen Lindley and Henry Parker (also of Dawson’s Creek): she, an experienced senior, and he, a dewy eyed freshman. While much younger and more inexperienced, he had the emotional maturity to weather her ambivalent feelings about dating outside the norm (it tends to be more socially acceptable for older boys to date younger girls), the teasing they received from their friends, and the maturity to realize that he was not ready for a physical relationship until they were more committed to each other. Dating someone in your grade can make things easier in many ways, but dating someone with similar experience and level of maturity may be the ultimate determinant of a successful relationship.

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May 31, 2016

Special Feature The Merionite

Looking back: an insider’s perspective on freshman-senior relationships Amelia Carpenter is a current senior at LM. As a freshman, she was in a relationship with a senior boy, who chose to remain anonymous for this feature. Carpenter spoke candidly with The Merionite about her relationship with [the boy], and how the freshman-senior age gap affected it.

The Merionite: When did the relationship start and when did it end?

Amelia Carpenter: It started in the fall of my freshman year and ended in the winter of my sophomore year.

M: How did the relationship come about?

AC: We were both involved in student government, so I think right around Radnor week it sort of picked up because we were there doing Hallway Wars stuff and I was pretty involved as a freshman, but I think the biggest connection point was that one of my really good friends from field hockey was also one of his really good friends.

M: And what was the age difference exactly?

AC: It was three years. So, when I was 15, he was 18.

M: Did you ever worry about the age difference? Did that ever cross your mind?

AC: I think the biggest concern that I had with it was just second guessing myself and worrying about getting taken advantage of since there’s such a stereotype of seniors dating freshmen, especially senior guys dating freshmen girls and taking advantage of them. I really didn’t feel like that was the case with my relationship, but that worry was always in the back of my mind, and I think it was harder to trust him in a lot of situations because of that stereotype. Like every time a rumor got back to me I would kind of freak out just because I was so worried about getting taken advantage of.

al life. People wanted to know what was going on, and a lot of times there were rumors and it felt like people would almost try to sabotage it and test my trust in him. They’d be like, “Oh did you hear he’s thinking about renting a room at the hotel for after prom and trying to get you to do stuff.” And I don’t think he ever would have done anything like that but again, the stereotypes plus those rumors would make it a really tough situation and would make me doubt myself a lot.

M: Did you friends and family ever worry?

AC: My parents were shocked when I told them. And I think they at first were like, “Are we going to be okay with this?

Are we going to forbid her from seeing this boy?” But I think they ultimately recognized that I was responsible and wasn’t going to get myself into a dangerous situation or one that I wasn’t comfortable in.

But obviously they had some boundaries with it.

she is dating a senior and succumbed to the pressure—but that’s my personality.

As I was saying earlier, there were a lot of rumors like “Has Amelia had sex with him yet?” And even after we broke up, like one time Joel [Amelia’s current boyfriend, ’15] said to me, “When we first started dating like one of the first questions people ask me is ‘did she have sex with [the boy]?’”

Like why is that relevant two years later?

M: Going off of Joel, being in a relationship now with someone who is a year older than you do you see an obvious difference between that and being in one with someone three years older than you?

AC: Yes, in that Joel and I are closer and more comfortable with each other.

When I was dating [the boy], it felt that I was a bit of a trophy piece almost, and that I had to keep up a certain image as “this freshman who’s dating a senior and going to prom and doing all these things.” It almost felt like when I was with him, even when we were alone, I had to be worth his time. But with Joel, it’s much more comfortable and we were friends when we started dating, instead of me being picked out like “I think she’s cute, let’s talk.”

I think there’s a significant difference in that way.

“When I was dating [the boy], it felt like I was a bit of a trophy piece almost, and like I had to keep up a certain image as ‘this freshman who’s dating a senior...’”

M: Did you feel that there was an obvious difference in maturity?

AC: No. Being a senior now and seeing some relationships like that, a senior with a freshman, I understand how people thought it was really weird. But when I was a freshman, I didn’t understand why it was weird. I was like “No, this is totally normal.” But I also think that girls tend to be more mature for their age than boys so I was also just not really interested in any guys in our grade and I think it was because my maturity level matched more with older boys.

M: Do you know how his friends felt about it? Did they ever express concern?

AC: I actually don’t know. They definitely weren’t mean to me. There were some people who were mean to me because of the circumstance of the relationship but not his friends. [His friends] accepted me because they trusted his judgment. Having said that, when I would go to a party with him where there were a lot of seniors sometimes it didn’t feel like I fit in because I didn’t know a lot of them, and people weren’t going out of there way to welcome the freshman.

M: Did you ever feel judged, not by your friends, but by other people in the school who were looking at the relationship without knowing anything about it?

AC: Well, I’m not sure I felt judged as much as I felt like people were—not to be cocky—really interested in my person-

M: Did you ever feel sexual pressure, maybe not from him, but from the situation?

AC: If anything I felt pressure not to do anything sexually mainly because I didn’t want to fall prey to that stereotype. I was really stubborn about not being that freshman who loses her virginity just because

M: So there was no way that [the boy] would be prosecuted under statutory rape laws, but before you knew that it was only a three year age difference, did that ever worry you?

AC: Well, I don’t know if it worried me.

I would never bring a lawsuit on him or anything, but it also wasn’t applicable in our case.

M: Now that you’ve been in a relationship with that large of an age gap, do you think that there is a positive perception around those types of relationships?

AC: I definitely think that people are quick to judge those types of relationships, but it definitely depends on the situation—every [relationship] is different, but the stereotype is very generic and the same stereotype is applied to so many relationships so it’s not really a fair judgment.

M: Do you think people view these relationships in a negative, positive, or neutral light?

AC: I think generally negative, but there are definitely exceptions. Like when a couple’s really cute versus when the guy’s kind of “sleazy” or the girl is kind of “promiscuous.” It’s a case-by-case thing, but generally negative.

M: Looking back on it as a senior having gone through all of high school, would you do the same—be a freshman who dates a senior?

AC: I think I would. Now, I see how people think it’s weird, and I didn’t get why people thought it was weird as a freshman, but I don’t think that I fit that stereotype of a freshman getting taken advantage of. I think I learned a lot and grew as a person from being in a relationship with him, someone older, and I wouldn’t change that.

M: Having a younger sister who is a freshman, would you support her if she dated a senior? Would you think that that is okay?

AC: Um, no. Haha I’m kidding, it would be hypocritical of me not to support her. I think I would make sure that she is in the relationship for the right reasons and not one of the people getting taken advantage of.

M: Talking of being taken advantage of, do you think that there is more of a chance that someone will be taken advantage of if they are dating someone older than them?

How valid is the stereotype from your experience?

AC: Well I think that stereotypes exist for a reason—they don’t appear out of nowhere. I think that a majority of the relationships are like that, with an older boy taking advantage of a younger girl, and that probably comes from the girl being naïve and the boy having motives.

Although, my relationship was not one of those, so I think that it’s wrong to apply the stereotype to every situation.

M: Do you think that people were more likely to judge you relationship with [the boy] than your one with Joel?

AC: Oh yeah, 100 percent.

M: Everyone knew [the boy], and a lot knew that he had just been in a pretty long relationship before you got in one with him. Obviously, he wasn’t inexperienced. Did that ever cross your mind? Like you could have been dating a senior who was just as inexperienced as you were, but you didn’t.

AC: It crossed my mind, and I was aware of it. But he was also very respectful—he always emphasized that he wasn’t going to pressure me, and that he understood where my boundaries stood and wasn’t going to intrude on them. So I think he definitely played a very large role in soothing some of the fears that may have arisen from knowing that he was experienced.

Statutory Rape - what is it?

Sexual intercourse with a person who is 13, 14, 15 or when the defendent is at least 4 years older

Breaking this law can result in the prosecution of the older participant

Conviction can lead to a fine and/or prosecution

The age of consent in PA is 16

Features

May 31, 2016

15

The Merionite

Elections for dummies Julia Rosen ’18

As we all know, the 58th presidential election is quickly approaching. It has been one of the most publicized and unconventional elections of all time, with scandals and radical candidates galore. It has also been long; Ted Cruz, who was the first to enter the race, announced his candidacy in March of last year. But much more information is out there than what you may have picked up from reading the headlines on the TVs in the library while procrastinating during frees. While many of us are aware of current politics, we aren’t exactly House of Cards scheming Zoe Brooks, and there’s still a lot to learn. This election, however, has been particularly confusing as some candidates often changed their views, there were myriad intial candidates, and the issues at hand are complex. Here is a little cheat sheet to a few of the remaining candidates’ positions on especially controversial and topical issues, courtesy of The Merionite.

Republican:

After beginning with a whopping 17 candidates, the large pool of Republican contenders has dwindled down to a final victor: the notorious Donald Trump. Ted Cruz dropped out of the race on May 3, with Kasich following in his footsteps a day later. This is understandable, as things weren’t looking very good for Kasich, considering he won only one primary, his home state of Ohio. In contrast, Ted Cruz’s dropout was a huge surprise to many, as he was the last conventional challenge for Trump to surpass for the party’s nomination. This was a disapointment to many establishment Republicans who strongly disagree with many of Trump’s opinions.

Democrat:

As opposed to the Republicans’ seventeen initial candidates, the Democrats began with only five candidates.

Now, it’s down to the final two: Hillary and Bernie. Clinton represents the establishment, having experience as both Secretary of State and Senator of New York. Sanders is a dark horse candidate.

He believes in an economy where production is collectively owned. Sanders’ main platform is bridging the economic gap between the ultra wealthy and everyone else. While Clinton maintains a strong lead, Sanders is still sticking in it with upset primary wins and close numbers all around the country. There was great surprise at Bernie’s success, as he is a Democratic Socialist and has ties to communism, such as taking his a trip to the Soviet Union. However, his radicalism has not been heavily addressed in this eleciton, possibly due to his juxtaposition with other radical candidates.

Donald Trump (R)

On Abortion: Originally, back in the 90s, Trump was pro-choice, but since 2011 he’s changed his position. March 30, 2016 is the infamous day when Trump took three different positions on the same issue. Summed up, the event went as follows: At 2:30, “There has to be some form of punishment (for the woman).” By 3:30, he declared, “I am pro-life with exceptions, which I have outlined numerous times” via Twitter. At 5:00, “The doctor of any other person performing the illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman.” The opinion that a woman should be punished for seeking an abortion is not a popular one, even among conservatives. Many believe Trump backtracked on this conviciton because it would have hurt him in the polls.

On Gun Control: Trump is very pro-gun, and has repeatedly voiced his support for the second amendment (the right to bear arms). He believes that there should be no limits on gun sales, claiming that, by giving Americans the means to defend ourselves, the nation will be safer. Mass and localized shooting sprees are major issues in the U.S. right now, something many experts believe to be perpetuated by limited gun control. Trump disagrees, saying that they the problem arises from poorly managed mental health issues, not a lack of regulation, stating that “the guns don’t pull the trigger.”

On Immigration: The first thing that comes to mind when this topic is introduced is the infamous wall. Trump released this well-publicized policy plan in August 2015, and has become synonymous with his campaign. He aims to slow the tide of illegal immigration, deport illegal immigrants living in the U.S., and make Mexico pay for the wall’s construction.

Trump claims that the Mexican immigrants who cross the border are “rapists.” Despite this, Trump maintains that “the Hispanics love me,” which he claimed in an address to Christian Hispanic voters. He also has strong opinions on Muslim immigrants entering the U.S. Originally, he vowed to ban all Muslims from entering the United States, but he recently altered this position to permit the entry of Muslim citizens and leaders of Muslim countries. However, Trump is skeptical of immigrants in general, whom who he characterizes as “killers and rapists.”

Hillary Clinton (D)

On Abortion: Clinton is pro-choice, but believes that abortion should be a last-resort. She focuses discussions on making abortion “safe, legal, and rare,” by putting emphasis on other options for parents not ready for children, like adoption.

She has always maintained a pro-choice opinion, yet has at times offered confusing mixed-message statements, like how abortion is a “sad, tragic” choice.

On Gun Control: Clinton has been dubbed the “standard bearer” for gun control of the Democratic Party, as opposed to the efforts of Obama, which are considered to be more passive. For years, Clinton has vocalized her opposition to the gun-lobby, a group of government leaders who argue for the right to own firearms. She has confronted them and major gun manufacturers for trying to unfairly influence and even attempting to bribe members of Congress. Clinton also supports extensive background checks for those trying to purchase guns and the Brady Bill, which was passed during Bill Clinton’s administration. This 1994 bill is specifically concerned with handgun violence prevention in honor of James Brady, the Press Secretary of former President Ronald Reagan, who was permanently disabled after being shot during an attempted assassination of the President.

On Immigration: Clinton promises a national office completely for the purpose of managing immigrants and global refugees. She was an avid supporter of the national Dream Act, which didn’t pass, but whose purpose was to create opportunities for the children of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship. Clinton is also a big supporter of keeping immigrant families together and “putting families first.”

Bernie Sanders (D)

On Abortion: Sanders is strongly pro-choice, and advocates for the protection of all reproductive rights. Also, Sanders supports the expansion of funding for Planned Parenthood (a nonprofit that aids with contraception, family planning, abortion, and reproductive issues, etc.). He has strongly opposed Republican attempts to cut funding for Planned Parenthood or its elimination altogether, saying, “ The rich get richer; everyone else gets poorer, and all these guys can talk about is war and defunding Planned Parenthood.”

On Gun Control: Compared to the strong opinions of the other candidates, Sanders has a more neutral stance on gun control. Vermont, his home state, is very pro-gun. He has voted in favor of firearms on multiple occasions, but supports extensive background checks for potential gun owners and increased regulations.

On Immigration: Sanders has voted in favor of immigration for the majority of his time in the Senate, but Clinton has criticized Sanders for one exception. He justified this vote by arguing that the bill wasn’t in accordance with legislation regarding labor for immigrants. He supports a path to citizenship for immigrants, the Dream Act (as does Hillary), and an increase in border security.

The great debate Alexandra Hummel ’17 Features Editor Nothing stirs emotions, ruins friendships, and ends relationships like the fro-yo vs. ice cream debate. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion on what is the best frozen treat.

The rivalry started a few years ago when fro-yo became more and more popular, and replaced many local ice cream shops. Maggie Moo’s, for example, was replaced with Yapple. Carvel and Coldstone Creamery shut down, and Fro-Yo La La opened. This change was met with some resentment. “I really miss having ice cream shops everywhere,” says Isabella Dumitrescu ’17. “Coldstone was my favorite. They would mix in the gummy bears for you.” While some were attached to individual stores, others are more disillusioned with the disappearance of ice cream as a whole. “It’s so hard to find ice cream now,” says Dan Wilson ’16. “I feel like I’m

forced to eat that disgusting, low-fat fro-yo. I don’t even have a choice.” Dumitrescu agrees, adding, “now you have to buy it at the grocery store like a schmuck.” Ice cream lovers think that fro-yo is just a fad, and that it does not taste as good as traditional, full-fat ice cream.

On the other hand, fro-yo lovers think that their dessert of choice is healthier and that it tastes better.

They also prefer the more fashionable ambiance of froyo shops to that of the more “basic” ice cream shops. “I spend so much time at Yapple Yogurt that I could probably tell you all of their flavors off the top of my head,” exclaims Deepika Jonnalagadda ’17. “It’s just so convenient. I also just love the community feel of Yapple. All the employees know my name.” Yapple is also a favorite spot to hang out with friends.

Then, there are the more obscure Dippin’ Dots fanat-

ics. This dessert is much harder to find than the other two, and is usually sold in some discreet corner of an amusement park. Dippin’ Dots fans are rare, but extreme in their views. Most, however, dislike “the dots.”

History teacher Chad Henneberry elaborated, “A medium-sized bowl of balls of ice for $5.50? Bulls be dippin’.” Dena Behar ’16, conversely, grew up on the colorful dots. “They defined my childhood—the dessert of a generation.”

Whether you love ice cream, fro-yo, or even Dippin Dots, it is important to respect other people’s opinions.

Getting upset over other people’s views on ice cream is not reason enough to insult others or to put them down.

While it is something on which everyone has strong opinions, we must be sensitive and accept others for what they believe.

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May 31, 2016

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Arts and Entertainment

May 31, 2016

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The Merionite

Entertainment industry disassociates with HB2 Molly Cutler ’19 wrote, “No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.”

To quell backlash from fans disappointed at missing a show, Springsteen added, “Some things are more important than a rock show, and this fight against prejudice and bigotry—which is happening as I write—is one of them.

It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”

Many Springsteen fans were pleased that the musician had finally made a political statement on his current tour for a rerelease of his album “The River,” because the original “River” tour had been where Springsteen first found a definitive voice on politics and government.

Soon after, the band Pearl Jam announced the cancellation of their performance in Raleigh, NC. In a handwritten letter, Pearl Jam called HB2 “a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens,” and said they would “be watching with hope and waiting in line for a time when we can return.”

Among other artists that backed out of NC were Cirque du Soleil, Ringo Starr, and the rock group Boston. Composer Steven Schwartz

has also said he will forbid any theatre groups in NC from putting on any of his musicals—which include Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, and Children of Eden.

The boycotts are not just limited to musicians amd composers, though. Entertainment company Lionsgate is moving filming locations for their new show “Crushed” out of Charlotte, NC. Author Sherman Alexie has cancelled all appearances in MS, and 269 more authors including John Green, Maureen Johnson, R.J.

Palacio, Laurie Halse Anderson, Rick Riordan, and Veronica Roth have signed an open letter stating that they will have to seriously consider making any appearances at the schools and libraries in NC. And Tracy Morgan, a comedian, cancelled his upcoming performance in MI. While these groups are acting nobly and bravely by defending the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens, they have come under some backlash from both sides of the discussion.

Predictably, supporters of the legis-

Lemonade // Beyonce

When the queen’s album dropped as a Tidal exclusive on April 23 after the debut of her accompanying short film, Lemonade, the world once again fell crazy in love with the singer. The album itself, an ode to black womanhood, and an apparent narrative about her husband Jay-Z’s infidelities, has been deemed a holistic masterpiece.

With the feature of the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner in the short film and a visual of herself on top of a sinking police car in the video for “Formation,” Beyoncé is more explicitly political than ever in a time that demands it. From employing Vampire Weekend’s front man Ezra Koenig on “Hold Up” to featuring the outspoken genius rapper Kendrick Lamar on “Freedom,” Beyoncé outdoes herself from her 2013 eponymous album. Are we really surprised?

Dangerous Woman Although riddled with com// Ariana Grande ments about her small stature and often compared to a 12-year-old on the red carpet for a majority of her career, Ariana Grande isn’t letting that hold her down. With a four octave range, a net worth of $10 million, and a masterpiece of a third album, her haters have nothing on her. With everyday releases of a single leading up to the album’s launch, Grande has not only slayed the charts, but she has also proven to be an artist to the highest degree. With powerfully layered harmonies on “Greedy” and the cutting voice of rapper Nicki Minaj on “Side to Side,” Grande is adopting a more sophisticated aesthetic, elevating her art to a new level. She is showing the world she is indeed a woman who demands all respect.

lation in the involved states are displeased. More surprisingly, some self-professed allies also disagree with the decision to boycott.

The performers involved have extraordinarily devoted fans, and they may have been excitedly counting down the days until their favorite band arrived in town, only to hear that they will receive a refund for the show because of a law that they quite possibly disagree with anyway. Fifty percent of North Carolinians do disagree with HB2 according to one poll.

A significant amount of other artists did not cancel their appearances, instead donating all proceeds to proLGBTQ+ rights groups, or speaking out against HB2 from the stage.

Beyoncé took another approach and did not interrupt or cancel her NC performance, but later issued a statement condemning HB2 and suggesting ways to fight back against it.

Certainly fundraising, speaking from the stage, and writing statements are clear methods of protest, but these actions are still not enough. By continuing to hold events in states with such repugnant laws, performers are pouring enormous amounts of money into corrupt state financial systems.

This does not send a cold, hard, effective message to lawmakers that something needs to change. It does not have the same impact in the media that can give the government bad publicity, and it does not have the same genuine economic punch Graphic by of Vanessa Roser ’17

“The Bathroom Bill”: a fairly innocuous nickname for a horribly insidious regulation. The first law of this sort was HouseBill2 (HB2), passed on March 23 this year in North Carolina by Governor Pat McCrory. This discriminatory piece of legislation forces transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex they were assigned at birth, bans people who have been discriminated against in the workplace from suing, and prevents cities and counties from raising the minimum wage.

A similar law, HB1523, was recently passed in Mississippi. This one acts under the guise of “religious liberty” to allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.

Oxford, a city in Alabama, passed an ordinance that could send transgender people to jail for using the bathroom they feel comfortable in; this was repealed in May because of excessive backlash. Georgia also had a bill like this in the works, but under threats of mass boycotting and protesting, Governor Nathan Deal vetoed it.

Strong opposition to HB2 and HB1523 has been brewing, and many corporations such as Google, Pepsi, Reddit, Apple, Starbucks, PayPal, and the NBA, as well as many celebrities have condemned the laws, some even pulling out of the states altogether.

Various states and cities including New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco have also voiced their opposition to the law. But perhaps the most effective statements against HB2 and HB1523 have come from artists, especially musicians.

Rock musician Bruce Springsteen was one of the first to do something big. In a thoughtful statement he released on April 8, Springsteen canceled his show Greensboro, NC set to take place later that week. He

Honorable Mentions: A Moon Shaped Pool // Radiohead

Coloring Book // Chance the Rapper

that a full cancellation would.

According to The Charlotte Observer, financial losses earlier in April resulting from HB2 boycotts had quadrupled in only one week, and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated total losses for that county at around $3.1 million. These losses come from booking cancellations of hotels, performance venues, travel expenses, and potential visitor spending.

It does seem to some degree that these protests have been effective considering the recent repeal of Oxford, Alabama’s ordinance, and Governor Deal’s veto under pressure of mass boycotting.

On May 4, the U.S. Justice Department sent a letter to NC Gov. Pat McCrory, informing him that both he and HB2 were in violation of the Civil Rights Act, and they are giving him until Monday, May 9 to “[confirm] that the State will not comply with or implement HB2.”

In the event that McCrory refuses to comply, the state may lose a significant amount of federal funds. In fact, NC sued the Department of Justice because of this message—and the Department of Justice sued them right back. The fate of HB2 now lies within the legal system.

If groups were to protest directly from the stage, LGBTQ+ citizens and advocacy groups might still benefit, but not at the same cost to the states’ governments, which need to be taught that bigotry and discrimination can simply not be options in today’s world.

Ultimately, while it may be disappointing to hear of artists, celebrities, and companies detaching themselves from certain states, missing a concert may mean the difference between passing or repealing laws that serve only to discriminate and deny rights.

Anti // Rihanna This pop force of nature released an album every year for seven years. Rihanna then went through virtual bankruptcy and abuse from her then boyfriend Chris Brown, but still nothing could stop her. After her widely acclaimed release of Unapologetic in 2012, fans couldn’t wait to see what she had in store. However, 2013 came and left without an album drop. Where was Rihanna?

Undoubtedly, she was creating the masterpiece that is Anti. A 16-track album, Anti utilizes Rihanna’s charisma in the best ways. Opening up with “I’ve got to do things my own way darling” on “Consideration,” Rihanna separates herself from her pop contemporaries. Her one-of-a-kind charisma continues to shine through on her lead single “Work,” where she draws form her Caribbean roots by speaking Paotis (contrary to beliefs of her supposed “gibberish”). Ending with the heart-wrenching ballad “Higher,” Rihanna showcases her raw, isolated vocals backed by just a piano. With no signs of bankruptcy, Rihanna’s versatility is center stage, securing a net worth of $160 million, a New York Fashion Week runway show for her Puma line, and an album that went platinum in under 48 hours. Anti is yet another artistic masterpiece.

The Life of Pablo

Views // Drake

Shortly after declaring his candidacy for // Kanye West president in 2020 at the VMAs, Kanye is back, and his stream of consciousness is as transparent and as vague as ever. An unusual mix tape that samples the likes of Nina Simone and the recent “Panda” rapper, Desiigner, The Life of Pablo is a stark contrast to West’s previous studio albums. Some accuse the rapper of trying to fit in with lesser known rappers who often create mix tapes because they lack resources to craft a studio album, but West separates himself from the rest with brutally honest lyrics and his classic conceit. Fans can’t get enough. Despite his focus on design with Season 3 of Yeezy, his musical artistry and influence has not faded.

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Arts and Entertainment

May 25, 2016

The Merionite

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Aviva Weinstein ’19 Springtime is one of the busiest times of the year for all of us at LM. The months of April through June are full of stress while students attempt to prepare for final exams, keep up with spring sports, perform in school plays, attend graduation parties, take part in talent shows, and stay dry on rainy days.

In addition, springtime is also one of the most eventful times of the year for the entire city of Philadelphia.

There are festivals and celebrations throughout the city all spring and summer long, so if you are looking for something to do to relieve stress or boredom, here are some fun activities that should definitely be on your list of things to do in Philly!

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The Odunde Festival brings families, friends, and most importantly, food together for a day full of celebrations! This year the Odunde Festival will be celebrating four decades of bringing the cultural foods of Africa to Philadelphia’s South Street. The festival covers a distance of 12 city blocks and draws close to 500,000 people each year to taste delicious foods of the various African cultures. This is not one to miss!

Photo courtesy of Christina Erny Smellin’ the sauce sold by one of the many vendors at the Italian market festival.

Do you like bicycling? How about cheering on friends and neighbors? Come participate or help cheer on friends in a giant neighborhood party during the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic! Fun, exciting, and even challenging, this event offers you to have the chance to take on the steep hills of the Manayunk Wall or partake in a more recreational version of the course before the pros race on Sunday.

Regardless of ability and age, the race promises to be tremendous fun for all who compete!

Longwood Gardens, one of the best attractions in suburban Philadelphia, is home to some of the world’s most spectacular flowers and plants. From April through the beginning of June, Longwood Gardens puts on their Spring Blooms display as their best flowers and plants are blooming. The event is an amazing place to get some fresh spring air and to take in the beauty of 1,077 acres of indoor and outdoor gardens.

Spruce Street, RiverRink Summerfest, concerts at Penn’s Landing, and more waterfront fun: All Summer 2016

Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens Stunning Rhododendron in bloom at Longwood Garden’s annual Spring Blooms showcase.

Clark Park Farmers’ Market: Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (year round), and Thursdays 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (May through November) At 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue, Clark Park is the destination of one of Philadelphia’s largest farmer’s markets. Over a dozen vendors line the street and set up tables with foods varying from fruits and vegetables to cheeses, meats, candy, drinks, and much more.

Sound delicious? In addition, the Clark Park Farmers’ Market is more than just an opportunity to buy food and flowers, as it also helps bring together the city of Philadelphia. The market is promoted with help from The Food Trust and the University City District of Philadelphia. Bring some friends and neighbors, and the Clark Park Farmers Market will surely be great!

Philadelphia International Cycling Classic: Sunday, June 5

Spring Blooms at Longwood Gardens: April 2-June 3

A Forest Journey Exhibit at The Franklin Institute: All Summer 2016 Rainy day? That’s okay! There are always indoor activities in Philadelphia. From the Philadelphia Art Museum to the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia has museums galore. One of the most exciting, hands-on museums is the Franklin Institute. The museum’s permanent exhibits are always very exciting, but this summer and upcoming fall, the Franklin Institute’s travelling exhibit, “A Forest Journey”, will be an exciting addition. This wonderful exhibit sheds light on the history of wood in forests and on bare trees. This exhibit will take you back to the oldest trees which all helped create civilization as we know it today, using wood for things like houses and tables. There will be a lot to learn about and interesting sights to see, so be sure to book your exhibit tickets soon!

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Odunde Festival: Sunday, June 12

9th Street Italian Market Festival: May 21-22 For one momentous weekend each year in May, the heart of South Philadelphia is taken over by the well-known 9th Street Italian Market Festival. This fun and music-filled festival takes place in America’s oldest continuously operating open-air market. Come experience the fine foods of Italy, varying from cheeses to pastas to meats and more! You can win prizes, stroll through the market streets tasting all of the free samples you find, and experience new favorite Italian foods while listening to the many concerts. All you need to bring are some friends, family, and an empty stomach!

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Photo courtesy of Historic Philadelphia Inc. A walking tour during the Indenpendence Day festivities. On foot is by far the best means of exploring Old City.

Photo courtesy of Odunde Festival A dance performance at South Street’s Odunde Festival, which celebrates the culinary variety of Africa.

Looking for summer fun by the water? There are plenty of activities, festivals, and more to visit this summer near the water! Blue Cross RiverRink, while well known as a winter ice-skating rink, also welcomes people of all ages to come for the annual RiverRink Summerfest. Concerts are also exciting daily happenings at Festival Pier and the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing. In addition, visit Delaware River Waterfront all summer long and cruise through the many parks the waterfront offers (e.g. Spruce Street Harbor Park), as well as festivals including the PECO Multicultural Series, bringing many different cultures together in celebration. The waterfront is definitely a beautiful place to be this summer, so pack a picnic and bring some friends to enjoy this beautiful sight Philadelphia.

Independence After Hours: May 27-October 22 (select days) Do you find it too tiring to be out in the sun all day?

Independence After Hours is an evening walking tour that takes you to many exciting landmarks in Philadelphia’s vast Historic District. Along the way, stop to meet Colonial characters who bring history to life in the exact spot that it happened! The evening begins with a spectacular three-course meal at the historic City Tavern, followed by stops at many historical places like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. This family-friendly tour is a must-visit for this spring and summer!

Arts & Entertainment

May 31, 2016

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Out of the closet and onto the screen

Oscar Wegbreit ’16

Claire Ochroch ’18

Throughout his works in the Art Show, Wegbreit displayed his versatility as an artist, experimenting with various styles within his series of portraits of fellow LM students. One of these portraits is shown at left, and an abstract self-portrait is at right.

Stereotypes are always around us. They influence our opinions of others without us even realizing. One of the largest culprits in the perpetuation of stereotypes is television. Americans watch television an average of 33+ hours a week, making it likely that the majority of their exposure, and therefore their perception of cultures and people who are different from themselves, comes from the TV they watch. Life imitates art, thus as television has become more accepting to LGBTQ+ people, so has America. As they are more accepted, the LGBTQ+ characters go farther away from stereotypes. LGBTQ+ characters on television need to represent the diversity of the LGBTQ+ in real life.

Will & Grace was a TV show before its time in the representation of LGBTQ+ characters. The show follows the relationship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), a straight interior designer. During Will & Grace’s original run from 1998-2006, it was one of the most

number of LGBTQ+ characters on television is higher than it has ever been before.

During the year of 2015, on prime-time broadcast television, of the 881 regular characters scheduled to appear, 35 identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, and another 35 recurring characters also fit that description. Scripted cable series featured 84 regular lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters, and 58 recurring characters.

Streaming services Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix have 43 LGBTQ+ series regulars and 16 recurring characters appearing in their original content.

Advances such as these indicate a growing acceptance of LGBTQ+ people within both our entertainment industry and our society. However, there is a danger in using stereotypes to represent people, as most LGBTQ+ characters are written as stereotypically gay people first and complex human beings second, if at all. LGBTQ+ people are people, regardless of their sexuality or gender orientation, and assumptions

Claryse Hansberry ’16 In this oil painting, Hansberry reimagined the Taj Mahal in the midst of a thick tropical jungle. She describes, “The layers of vines, bugs, and exotic organisms seem chaotic and yet so rhythmic―much like the process of painting.” She will continue her art at Tyler School of Art in the fall.

Shenqi Hu ’17 Hu’s impressive painting of a beachfront instantly brings to mind the picturesque beaches of New England.

The work looks almost photographic, even more so when viewed in color.

She depicts each part of the landscape with delicacy—the sand, waves, cliff, and sky all are shown with extreme, yet accurate, detail. When asked why she decided upon a seascape, she responded, “I really like how waves look, and painting them realistically was a challenge, something I’ve never done before.”

Photo courtesy of The CW Daryl (right) of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and his newfound beau, White Josh (left).

Instead of being used as the butt of jokes or as shock value, Daryl’s bisexuality is explored as simply another romantic storyline.

Wint Thu ’16 Thu, famous in the hallways of the art wing for her distinctly recognizable style, excels in the self-portrait form.

The painting at left hones in on her face, with her nose, eyes, mouth and bone structure crisp and clearly defined. Yet as the viewer’s eyes move steadily down, the brush strokes grow wider and softer, with Thu’s feet almost melting into the floor by the end.

successful television series with a gay principal character. Since the airing of the final episode, the sitcom has been credited with improving public opinion and familiarizing viewers with the LGBTQ+ community. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden even commented that the show “probably did more to educate the American public [on LGBTQ+ issues] than almost anything anybody has ever done so far.” It showed America that gays were real, important people.

For scripted shows where one of the main characters is gay, it seems that the most popular stereotype of gay men is a sassy, over-the-top, fashion-conscious man. You can see this stereotype throughout modern TV shows. Some examples of character who fit the archetype are Modern Family’s Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet), Glee’s Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), Will & Grace’s Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), Faking It’s Shane Harvey (Michael J. Willett), and Young and Hungry’s Elliot Park (Rex Lee). Though by themselves, these characters are not bad, this repeating trend creates assumptions about gay people in general. These characters are all alike, but in real life every gay person is different. By overusing these stereotypes, TV shows create perceptions of how gay people should act, and if they do not act this certain way, they are “abnormal.”

Any exposure of LGBTQ+ characters is positive, and their representation has gone up in recent years. GLAAD, a non-governmental U.S. media monitoring organization founded by LGBTQ+ people in the entertainment industry, found that the

like these wrongly assume that their “being gay” is the only facet of their personhood.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community are just as complex as anyone else, and to assume otherwise is frankly dehumanizing.

Luckily, there are several shows that are now portraying LGBTQ+ characters as complex and multifaceted people whose sexualities do not play a central role to their personality. They are not gay characters, but characters who just happen to be gay.

One example is the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. One of the characters, Darryl White Feather (Pete Gardner) is a recently divorced lawyer who realizes that he is bisexual. He embraces his sexuality, but it does not become the sole focus of his character. Darryl is a very uneventful character whose new relationship with a man is portrayed as any other young relationship: awkward and bumbling.

In order for us to have even more TV shows that represent LGBTQ+ as fully developed characters, we need to support the shows that already do. Exercise your power as a viewer: watch them, let network executives know that you not only support, but will watch TV shows of this nature, because TV is a business like anything else.

The greater representation of LGBTQ+ people on television in past years is fantastic, even though we need to encourage diversity and complexity in their characters.

Americans who are not as familiar with members of the LGBTQ+ community need to see their complexity, and TV is a great medium for executing such a change.

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Arts & Entertainment

May 25, 2016

The Merionite

A return to Westeros Nisha Arya ’18 “All men must die.” All men almost did die from anticipation in waiting for the Season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones two weeks ago.

Game of Thrones is currently the most popular TV show in the world, with 7.94 million viewers watching the Season 6 premiere. An adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, has received numerous awards in acting, costumes, makeup, and music.

In the series Game of Thrones, noble families fight for control of the mythical land of the Seven Kingdoms. At the onset of the series, the King that sits on the Iron Throne dies. Now, everyone thinks they have the right to the throne: the King’s son, the King’s two brothers, the previous King’s children, and more.

Each candidate desperately tries to eliminate Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), when asked what he does, their opponents, while also conquering as responds, “ I drink, and I know things.” much land as possible.

While the families of the Seven Kingdoms the Night’s Watch. Will Melisandre, a devout priestess squabble for political power, a very ancient evil awakwith divine capabilities, pull through or has the fate of ens in the far north. Amidst the war, a neglected milYou-Know-Who already been set? itary order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, is all that In King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingstands between the realms of men and icy horrors bedoms, Queen Cersei Lannister is feeling the afteryond. shocks of being publicly shamed in front of her people The Season 6 premiere titled “The Red Woman” and losing one of her loved ones in the Season 5 finale. aired at 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 24 on HBO. In this Her brother Jaime comforts her and fuels her anger highly anticipated first episode, viewers were able to towards her enemies. return to the mystical, violence-ridden land of WestIn the North, we follow up Sansa Stark, Theon eros.

Greyjoy, and the Boltons’ storylines. Peril is in store The episode began at Castle Black with the Night’s for Sansa and Theon as they flee from the dangers of Watch, the men who protect the Seven Kingdoms Winterfell, the capital of the North. Will they make it from anything beyond the wall. In this scene, the show to Castle Black, the only safe place in all of the Seven started exactly where the Season 5 finale ended last Kingdoms left for Sansa and Theon? year, with the death of a very important member of

In the East, Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons, is struggling to return home after the dangerous events that are occurring in Meereen, a city in deep conflict between the masters and their slaves.

In Braavos, Arya Stark is still training to become one of the Faceless Men, a guild of assassins who worship the Many-Faced God and have the ability to physically change their faces, shape-shifting into an entirely new person. However, especially based off of the events of last season’s finale, she still has a lot of work to do.

Martin is in the process of writing the sixth book in the seven-book series. This means that the TV show, with the premiere of the sixth season but the lack of a sixth book, has caught up with and surpassed the publication of novels. Now book-readers and TV-show-watchers alike will be on the edge of their seats each episode, desperate to know what happens next.

A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones have an exceptionally broad and active international fan base. The fan base is well-known for its fan fiction, its theories, and its retention of the vast and detailed history of the series.

Fans include political leaders such as President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

In 2012, “Arya” was the fastest-rising girl’s name in popularity in the U.S., jumping from 711th to 413th position. This shows how devoted the Game of Thrones fan base is.

As the popularity of the show increases exponentially, it will be a lot harder to avoid spoilers. So, you might as well hop on the bandwagon now! Tune in on Sundays at 9 P.M. on HBO to watch Game of Thrones (or borrow your friend’s HBO GO password)!

You sure you want this tattoo?

Molly Gonzales ’17 teenage hooligan. Stick-and-pokes are pretty self explanatory, being as painful as they sound.

Some of her tattoos mean something and some don’t. She explains, “I don’t know. I mean this one on my neck means something, but this one on my butt is just fun!”

Maybe it’s because of my parents’ brainwashing or society’s perception of them, but I have always thought of tattoos as dirty and impulsive, owever, af-

Cartoon by Sophia Salganicoff ’16 STAFF

“Wanna see my butt tattoo?” asked my friend Shaela Wade ’17 in set eight physics. Without giving her an answer, she showed me her penny sized smiley face tattoo. This particular tattoo, like other stick-and-pokes, wasn’t done at a salon, but by the crafty hands of a teenager.

Trusting a teenager with permanent ink may seem daunting—especially when near your skin—but an experienced artist such as Shaela is no such

“Soooo... Is this tattoo for anyone special?” *Silence*

ter seeing my friend’s stick-and-pokes, I’ve come to appreciate their beauty and individuality.

The stick-and-poke tattoo is primarily found in high schools and prisons... how ironic. This strategy is the easiest way to get a tattoo without going to a professional or getting parental consent.

Dangerous? “A bit, but with practice you will get the hang of it. As long as you use the right tools you will be fine!”

Shaela adds. Some stick-and-pokes last longer than others; they are supposed to last forever but depending on what type of ink you use, and the depth to which you “poke,” the design could wash off within a couple of months.

It is also hard to draw round and organic shapes with the stick-andpoke method. Unless you are artistically gifted, stick and pokes should stay as lines and shapes.

“I started to stick and poke a line ‘cuz I thought I would get inspiration but then I didn’t. What should I turn it into?” junior Lucy Pitock asked me, nodding her head toward a straight line drawn on her ankle.

“Ha, no it doesn’t mean anything, I just thought it looked pretty,” she added.

Tattoos are about choice. You choose what they are about, if anything at all. You choose to get them, where to put them, and why.

“I decided to get one because I think markings on the body and just tattoos in general are appealing to me,” said Kirsten Jones ’17. “It’s cool to just have a picture or word on your body that can make you feel a certain way or think of something instantly.”

I always assumed tattoos have to mean something, like the date of your dog’s birthday or the flowers your grandmother would plant in her garden—something sentimental and touching—but a lot of tattoos are just fun. They are a way to decorate your body and express yourself.

Be careful though, tattoos require a commitment more binding than marriage. You go to the grave in that

Tattoos aren’t about how they will look in five, ten or even fifty years, they’re about “living in the now.” design. By getting them early, how can you know you will like them forever?

Today I may like the idea of a dog in a space suit, but in ten years?

Based on what I have heard from people who have tattoos in high school, tattoos aren’t about how they will look like in five, ten or even fifty years, they’re about “living in the now.”

“My first tattoo I love so much because it’s just a design and it has no meaning at all. I think people are glued to the idea that a tattoo has to have this deep meaning but they don’t and it’s just a perfect piece of artwork on my chest!” concluded Jones.

Tattoos are obviously not for everyone. Kim Kardashian once responded when asked if she had any tattoos, “Would you really put a bumper sticker on a Bentley?” It doesn’t really matter what other people think, including myself. Tattoos aren’t about pleasing other people or sticking it to the man or your parents, they’re about you and what you want.

Sports

May 31, 2016

21

The Merionite

Back to Back: boys’ tennis dominates PA Emily Barson ’18

stated, “This season we’ve all worked really hard during every practice. We hope that we will all grow as a team and strengthen our abilities as players. Our ultimate goal for this season is to take the championship for the second year in a row.”

Robinson anchored the two doubles team.

He previously remarked, “Winning the States Championship last year was an amazing opportunity for me to experience and motivates me and the team to work even harder this season. This year taking every practice and match seriously is critical so we can come out on top again.”

At the districts and state tournaments, the boys crushed the competition. They beat Wissahikon for the district title and then won every single match in the state tournament. Both of the doubles teams were particularly strong, as they did not lose a set in the state tournament. The team brought its A game to the state final against Fox Chapel, a team based in Pittsburgh.

Fox Chapel had two extremely strong singles players, but both Matt Chen ’17 and Thibault Vernier ’17 won their first sets, while Atteberry and the two doubles team won their matches and clinched another state trophy for the cases in the halls across from the cafeteria.

While most LM athletes head across the street to Arnold Field or to South Ardmore Park after school for practice, the LM Crew team takes a bus to a boathouse in Conshohocken, where the girls practice on the Schuylkill River from 3:305:30, and the boys from 5:30-7:30. Once they arrive, they head to work on the water. Then on the weekends they are back for three hours to train and prepare the boats for Sunday races.

During spring break, the team had two practices per day for four days straight. Freshmen Cleo Cohen and Annika Edwards agreed it “was really fun, because it was a big bonding experience.” Since rowers were at the river for seven hours, seniors on the team organized activities during the three-hour break, which included Wawa runs, an Easter egg hunt, a spa day, and more.

Sophomore Kathryn Lockwood admits that “Practice every day can be a nuisance but at the end of a good practice when the boat is set it is worth it, or when we row a long piece.” She further explains that this season has been the best season yet, with her boat’s “win at cities, and a new coach excited about the program, it has really been enjoyable.” Fellow sophmore Emma Spaeth says that the team “rows about five to seven miles a day, eight on a harder day.”

Spaeth adds that this season has been different because of two new coachs, noting that, “Our last coach focused mostly on technique, which is really important. But this season we’ve had more time to focus on power, strength, and endurance.” She added that because of the new coaches her boat has been “basically undefeated” in all regattas, the newfound success culminated at City Championships.

On Sunday, May 1, out of the thirty teams competing in the girls junior varsity four category, LM’s boat came in first.

The boat consisted of Mackenzie Beckman ’17, Eva Nates

Photo courtesty of the Enchiridion

SuccessCamille onCarr the water ’18

Multiple of the crew team’s boats are on track to compete at nationals, including the pictured girls varisty lightweight four, consisting from front to back of Samantha Wellner ’16, Kerren Matthews ’18, Bari Zweben ’16, Emily DeSouza ’16, and Rebecca Tauber ’16. ’18, Lockwood, Spaeth, and Jillian Rothstein ’17 as coxswain. An unbelievably close race that took place in inclement weather was won by “0.8 seconds. It was truly a close race and every single person in the boat was doing his or her

Photo courtesty of the Enchiridion

Flowers were blooming and trees were sprouting. Spring offered new promises and a fresh start for many, especially the boys’ tennis team. If you happened to have walked by the tennis courts, you were guaranteed to see all the members putting in countless hours of preparation for another state run. Not only would you have heard the screech of their shoes and the thump of their tennis balls, but you would have also have seen their intensity.

Last year, the Aces endured a competitive season (242) and triumphed with the AAA state title. With the help of Simon Vernier ’15 and Nick Legg ’15, LM came out with a win against Upper Saint Claire in the finals of states.

Even though the Aces lost past talent, they easily compensated with a new key addition: Sean Atteberry ’18, a highly touted recruit who was homeschooled for tennis.

Atteberry immediatly filled the holes as he went undefeated for the entire year at 3 singles. The Aces had the drive to make it to the finals because they wanted to relive the incredible experience of a state championship run. In addition, they had personal experience of how to handle the pressure and high level of competition.

Under the coaching of Dave O’Connell, two sophmores, Jared Robinson and Harrison Axelrod, took a prominent role. Axelrod fully joined the Varsity team just this season and played four doubles. Earlier during the season, Axelrod

Over the past few weeks, the boys’ tennis team competed in a long run of competitive matches, including the states tournament in Hershey, PA. (Pictured: Chen)

part, which really makes rowing the ultimate team sport,” says Lockwood.

Other boats have experienced success, too. The boys’ JV 8 came in third place at the Midatlantic Youth Championship. The boys varsity pair, consisting of seniors Adam Granieri and Graham Mills, medaled at City Championships, coming in second. The girls varsity lightweight four, rowed by seniors Emily DeSouza, Samantha Wellner, and Bari Zweben, sophomore Kerren Matthews, and coxed by senior Rebecca Tauber, came just shy of a medal, making it to finals and coming in fourth by .2 seconds. While the loss was disappointing, Wellner described the experience positively, explaining how “My boat mates and I went beyond our limit and what we thought we were capable of doing. The trust we have for each other is unexplainable…we missed a medal by .2 seconds, but crushed our own personal goals.”

Next up for the team was Stotesbury Regatta or “Stotes,” which is the largest high school regatta in the country. Stotes is a huge high school race, and was an exciting time for every member of the team. Three boats, the girls’ JV 4 and lightweight 4 and the boys’ JV 4, qualified for semifinals. The girls JV 4 even made it to finals, coming in fourth, just shy of a medal. All three crews placed well, especially at such a large regatta, with the girls JV 4 coming fourth out of 70 crews, the boys JV 4 coming ninth out of 65 crews, and the girls lightweight 4 coming ninth out of 25 crews.

While Stotes was the last race for most crews, those who qualified for SRAA’s traveled to Ohio on May 26 to try their luck at nationals. The girls varsity lightweight four, JV four, and JV eight, and the boys JV four enjoyed racing against top crews from across the country. Overall, the team’s dedication and determination to do well while supporting their teammates is admirable.

Focusing on the field

Photo courtesty of the Enchiridion

Track and Field is a sport many of us admire but don’t have the lung capacity to actually participate in. As the sea-

Poe, one of the LM athletes who competes in the field events, broke the shot put record, which had been in place for 34 years.

Zach Slogoff ’18

son comes to a close for the LM athletes with the strongest lungs, so does another successful season for the LM track team. Often times, we do not consider all the moving parts of track and field. Many believe it is made up of only runners. This is a misconception about the track team. Here at LM, one of the best aspects of track and field is the actual “Field” events.

When our friends say they have track practice, we don’t consider them throwing a weighted ball around for a couple hours. Rather, we think of athletes running around a track. However, there are many different events that don’t involve the track itself. These events include the discus, shot put, javelin, and all the jumps (long jump, high jump, pole vault, and triple vault). Although the entire team has performed well this season with many members participating in the Penn Relays, the field athletes have stepped up their game. Vanessa Poe ’16 (shot-put) broke the school’s long-standing shot put record this season—one that had been intact for over a decade. Randy Cheloha ’17 (shot-put), Isaac Czarkowski ’17 (shot-put), Aviv Harel ’17 (javelin), and Henry Dyer ’17 (jumping) have all performed admirably as well. Dyer is going to Districts for jumping, a feat that is extremely difficult to achieve. The field event participants are proving that you don’t necessarily have to be fast or have great stamina to do track and field. There is a place for those whose niche is their strength and vertical ability.

The runners on the track team are some of the select

few who recognize the importance of field events. When asked about his perspective of the field events, distance runner Joel Herbert ’18 stated, “Field events, even though some people don’t realize they exist, are definitely some of the most entertaining to watch. Just like the rest of the track team, they are flames and a half.” Another distance runner, Jake McFadden ’18, said, “The only reason field events don’t get enough attention is that they don’t happen on the actual track. They deserve to be highlighted more than they actually are.”

There is a very distinct respect from both parts of the track team towards each other, and in my opinion, it is what makes the sport unique. For example, the field events are scored much differently. For the shot put, a thrower gets four tries to toss the ball as far as he or she can. Those who have a top eight or ten throw by distance are assigned pin numbers and only lose that number if they drop out of the top eight to ten. At the end of the event, the pins are measured. If the same shot-putter has two similar throws, he or she may be awarded two pins to ensure the best throw is measured.

Field events are both challenging and overlooked. It takes strength, control, and tons of balance to succeed.

With the massive achievements of the field participants this year, only more recognition is to come.

We should not underestimate these athletes anymore.

Instead, they should be celebrated for the difficulty of their sport.

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May 31, 2016

The Merionite

Varsity softball puts pieces in place for future success Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

Matthew D’Aquila ’17

Charleson winds up during an outing on the mound.

With its season drawing to a close, the LM softball team hopes to accumulate a few more wins in what the team is calling a “rebuilding year.” After loosing star captain Quinn Harrigan ’15, the team has looked for leadership in four-year varsity seniors and captains

Lily Millar, Mo McConnell and Julia Rosenau. But the seniors will have to say their wistful goodbyes in just a few weeks after having led the varsity team for multiple years. In fact, McConnell has been leading the varsity pitching rotation ever since her sophomore season. This season she’s been a dominant arm, achieving a low ERA (earned run average) and committing to long innings so her team can feed off of her success on the mound.

McConnell has been a leader for her teammates to look up to even in a season when the girls have failed to accumulate a single win. Inspiring a younger crop of pitchers such as Hannah Charleson ’19, McConnell’s protégés will help lead the softball team to a brighter future. In fact, Charleson is already high up on Coach Jim LaPera’s pitching rotation and will be a force to be reckoned with in the years ahead. Not only that, but her teammates also have good things to say about the young pitching stud. “She is a great player and will continue to be an asset to the team as she gets older,” says junior shortstop Jessie Epstein.

Despite the loss of seniors like Millar, McConnell, and Rosenau, LM softball will still have girls who will lead and improve the program for years to come. Epstein says that the team is still developing as a whole due to the inexperience of its roster. “We are extremely young this year, with only 6 upperclassmen on our 14 girl squad, but the many freshmen on our team show awesome potential as they get older. The team will grow with them.”

All in all, the team remains very optimistic no matter the outcome. With unprecedented spirit, the LM softball girls can be found cheering on teammates from the bench and maintaining good sportsmanship with other teams no matter what the score.

Despite the absence of wins this year, the LM softball team doesn’t feel down about its season. In fact, Coach LaPera aspires to turn around the program over the next few years. “We have potential for the future,” says

shortstop Epstein. However, it will take a lot of development of the younger players to tap into that potential.

Unfortunately, the team was not able to pull out a win this season but will continue to practice with hopes of winning more in upcoming seasons. Looking forward to next season, it appears as if LaPera will have some work to do to make up for the loss of the team’s key senior captains.

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

Epstein digs into the batters box as she awaits a pitch.

A little competition can go a long way Ryan Fisher ’18 June has nearly arrived, bringing with it a number of events. Finals are only a few weeks away, followed by the period of relief: summer vacation. In fact, this month brings with it the temptation to suspend all activities associated with suffering, however minimal. This includes aging New Year’s Resolutions. StatisticBrain reports that only 46 percent of those who had made a resolution keep it through June. The largest detriments to this figure were the most commonly failed goals: losing weight and staying fit. Clearly, many Americans have some difficulty finding the time to maintain their exercise and nutrition. LM faculty found a way to counteract this.

Gym teacher Tom Kline, wanting to encourage other faculty members to stay fit and maintain their resolutions, created a program called “The Fitness Challenge” in which teachers can log their daily exercise. This information is then published to a spreadsheet, which sorts the faculty based on their hours spent exercising. This type of loosely competitive environment theoretically boosts motivation, and encourages people to best others competing in the program by working out more often.

This competitive spirit is further extended between departments. Kline compiles the total number of hours performed by each department, and ranks them accordingly. The hope is that involved members will extend their motivation to others in their department, so that their team does better as a whole. The effect is more exercise for all, which was the inspiration for The Fitness Challenge. “If it motivates ten other people to get up and do [exercise] who would otherwise not have,” points out Kline, “then it’s successful. After all, it’s more about doing something than competing the most.”

Despite this, both continue to be integral aspects of this movement, helping staff keep fit.

The minutes spent exercising by teachers has quickly accumulated over The Fitness Challenge.

Currently, three departments have separated

Photo Courtesy of James Haglund

James Haglund, the minutes leader in The Fitness Challenge, rides in a bike race for his team TeamIHateCancer during the Nittany Stage Race in State College, PA. He placed fifth in the time trial. In his college days, Haglund was the Division Three Champion in the DMR, 10K, 5K and the Division Three XC Champion.

themselves as ideal models for others to follow: Social Studies, Special Education, and The United Arts (Business, Art, Cooking, etc.) in that order. The Social Studies Department has accumulated over 28,000 minutes exercising since January, which is when the competition began. In that same period of time, Special Education racked up nearly 24,000. Not far behind, United Arts comes together for a grand total slightly under 20,000. If you combined the efforts of each individual, then the tally would strike six figures: 132,000 minutes of exercise. This high of a total was largely made possible by several prevalent individual participants: English teacher James Haglund with around 9,400 minutes, Social Studies teacher Chet Laubach with nearly 7,000, and Social Studies teacher Joe Callahan with close to 6,000.

The growth of The Fitness Challenge has been fueled by an increased number of participants. Kline thusly decided to reward those who stand apart from the multiplying people who are a part of the program.

These awards will go out to the leaders in both the individual and departmental categories for their dedication and commitment to health and fitness.

Kline wants to further emphasize health among teachers with his competition. He wishes to extend the length of the program “to go all the way from the beginning through the end of the [school] year.” He believes this would follow what experts have been preaching for years, regarding the benefits of exercising throughout an entire year in a consistent manner.

He also hopes to begin hosting a fitness class every week, where faculty and staff would be able to be active for the duration. This type of consistency is what Kline hopes to impress upon the participants; those who enter a normalized regime have better chances of maintaining it. He hopes to further extend these goals to students in following years, by setting up an accessible spreadsheet in which students could enter their data just like the faculty is able to do now. Kline foresees a future in which the entire school is motivating each other to stay active and healthy, and believes that this could become a reality sooner rather than later.

Sports

May 31, 2016

23

The Merionite

Ultimate strives for another state title Shuli Weinstein ’18 After qualifying for States in 2015, the boys’ ultimate frisbee team has returned with a hunger for similar success in the current 2016 spring season. To put themselves in a place to compete for another state title, the team started training September.

While participating in the fall season, the Ultimate team learned a few important lessons that would help them in the more competitive spring season. For starters, many of their key players, including Griffin Murphy ’16, Jason Erich ’16, Eli Shandelman ’16, and Alex Barnett ’16, did not participate in the fall season due to other commitments. Because the team lacked a few of these important players, they had to find others to fill their roles. This allowed other players to practice ingame situations that otherwise may have not occurred and allowed the team to work with new players. The fall season also helped maintain skills and keeping the team together throughout the year.

Photo courtesy of Jason Ehrich ’16

Photo courtesty of the Enchiridion

Eddie Scott ’16 skies his defender in aims to catch the disc, showcasing the LM boys’ work ethic and determination that helped them win their first three tournaments this season.

Year round practice was just what the boys needed in order to successfully start off their spring season. On April 10, the team competed in their first tournament

Freshman Devon Tate What sport(s) do you play?

Football and Lacrosse What are you going to miss the most about your freshman year and why?

I’m going to miss all of the seniors that I played football and lacrosse with.

What is your favorite memory of your team this season and why?

My favorite memory was in Cocoa Beach Florida with my lacrosse team. #cocoabeach #dennyssquad #LMLax #LMFootball Are you a pool person or a beach person? Why? I’m more of a “Cocoa” Beach person I’d say.

at Radnor High School and beat Archbishop Carroll, Methacton, Haverford, and Radnor en route to a 4-0 record and a tournament championship. The following week, on April 16, the LM boys competed in a tournament in Oaks, PA and came home as tournament champs yet again, beating Radnor, Archibishop Carroll, Masterman, and North Penn for the second time.

The team also showcased their talent in a tournament with competing teams from outside Pennsylvania. On the weekend of April 23, they competed against some of the best teams in the New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. Here as well, LM was able to proudly continue their winning streak, finishing in first place overall.

However, these victories came as no easy feat to the team. At the tournament in Oaks, LM struggled to score against the North Penn team. One of the their players was extremely tall and according to senior captain Griffin Kao, “He just kept scoring on us simply because [his teammates] would throw it up to him, and he would be able to catch it.” This initially left boy’s utimate in a frustrated state. But suddenly, Conestoga junior Alex Atkins made an amazing play. Atkins soared over a member of the opposing team’s head and intercepted the disc. This spectacular catch was somehow a wakeup call to LM, picking up the team’s energy and enthusiasm for the game. After this catch, the game changed for the better in favor of LM, as the team’s intensity allowed them to cover their tall opponent. Kao shared that they “began to work together as a team and just got into a groove, bringing the game back and then finally beating [Radnor].”

Nonetheless, the road to success was not short for LM. Rather, it has taken quite some time for the boys’ ultimate team to achieve this quality playing level. This year’s senior class has already spent time learning from and overcoming larger problems. Because of the hard work they have put in, they can now focus on smaller details. Kao shared that, “unlike previous years, we don’t have much to teach the team that they don’t already know. Even better, since we’ve been playing together for so long and we have great chemistry, it’s more like we’re talking with the team than at them.” Having such a close-knit team means that the boys can focus more on honing small technique, than just team bonding and communication.

Over Mother’s Day weekend, the team took a great bonding and competition level opportunity to the annual tournament in Amherst, MA. The team finished in third place, falling short to Amherst’s team, which is ranked number one in the entire country.

The team has proven to be extremely dedicated and passionate about frisbee, but they still have many things

Sophomore Sean Atteberry What sport(s) do you play?

Tennis What is at the top of your summer bucket list and why?

I really want to go jet skiing What is your favorite memory of your team this season and why?

When we won Districts and when we won the tournament at State College.

Are you a pool person or a beach person?

Why? I am a pool person because it is more relaxing and less crowded

Photo courtesy of Jason Ehrich ’16

Julian Galbraith-Paul ’18 throws a backhand at the Amherst tournament, where the boys finished third with a record of 3-2. The LM team battled tirelessly against many difficult teams, including Amherst varisty, which is currently ranked first in the nation. they must do in order to improve. According to senior captain Eddie Scott, “Our biggest weaknesses are mental lapses. Oftentimes in games we get off to slow starts and drop easy passes, so as a team we just need to work on mental toughness.”

In addition, this year’s varsity team of 21 players has 14 seniors. Consequentially, next year’s team will have some major changes due to the fact that the majority of the varsity team will have graduated. However, the team will be left in good hands for the future. Jesse Thorton, a varsity captain and current junior, shared, “We do have a solid number of talented juniors and underclassmen.

Players like myself, Julian Galbraith-Paul ’18, and Sean O’Kelley ’17 have been important members of our team this year and they are sophomores. Also, our JV team is one of the best in the area and I’m confident that many of those players will step up and bring success to the team next year.”

It will be quite exciting to see how the boys’ ultimate team will continue to grow and improve over the next few years.

Junior Emily Murphy What sport(s) do you play?

Crew and Swim What is at the top of your summer bucket list and why?

I would love to travel the whole summer because it’s a great feeling to just move around and see a ton of new places.

What is your favorite memory of your team this season and why?

One day during practice we finished a bit early so we all stood up in the boat and were all laughing and really happy.

Are you a pool person or a beach person? Why? Honestly both; if there’s water I’m happy.

Senior Lily Zekavat What sport(s) do you play?

Cross country, Indoor track, Outdoor track What are you going to miss the most about your time at LM and why?

Being part of a team; I’ve gotten to meet so many different kinds of people.

What is your favorite memory of your team this season and why?

Qualifying for Districts! It was my first time in four years.

Are you a pool person or a beach person?

Why? Pool, the beach is too far.

May 31, 2016

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

24

Sports

“A big highlight of our season this year was our progression.

We are always attaining higher and higher positions in our races.

Every race, we got better and better, making vast improvements.

At Mercer, many of our boats brought home medals. I was really excited for Stotesbury (the largest regatta we compete in) and if these trends continue, we will exceed expectations. What I’m most excited for next year is our lightweight program; we have a lot of up and coming lightweight rowers, and Lower Merion historically performs best in the lightweight category.”

- Senior Boys Crew Captain Alden Hallak

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

The JV 4 boat consisting of juniors Kevin Aspesi, Aidan Trainer, Max Koerner, Jarod Estacio and coxswain Jake Nibauer row along the Schuylkill River.

Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

“Watching some of the players we saw demonstrate potential last year turned that into dominance on the field. Plenty of players look like they’re going to be good, but some don’t put all the pieces together. Our underclassmen really have, and are becoming great players to coach and watch play. The good news for next year is a new crop of players to step into roles they might feel uncomfortable with, but will eventually learn to embrace and excel at. They have the talent, but have watched this year’s top line dominate certain positions for the last couple years that are going to open up!”

- Girls Ultimate Head Coach Chris Vanni

Sarah Lipson ’17 throws the disc around the extending arm of her defender.

“We started off the year with a 2-1 non-league win over Upper Merion. It turns out, the Upper Merion game was a prelude to what was coming throughout the season. In all, we played in eight 1-run games, going 2-6 in those contests. Based on this year’s results and the late success of our underclassmen, I am looking forward to improving more on closing the gap between LM and the competition. If we can continue to decrease the runs allowed (40 less runs allowed in 2016 vs 2015) and increase our run production we can be ready to compete for a playoff spot in the CAL.” - Baseball Head Coach Jeffrey Nyce Photo courtesy of the Enchiridion

Eli Needle ’16 follows through on his swing after getting a base hit. The senior first basemen had a .341 batting average on the season.

“The highlights of our season was the excitement of Vanessa Poe breaking the 34 year old record in the shot put and also qualifying for the District Meet in the shot and discus. The excitement of Freshman Rowan Hassman breaking the 2000 Freshman Record in the 3200 m. run. The excitement of all three relays--4 x 100, 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relay qualifying for the District Meet!! Excitement of the 4 x 400 relay winning the 4 x 400 Tom Anderson Relay at the Lower Merion Invitational. Excitement of seeing the 5 out of 8 finalists in the 100 meter dash at the Central League Championships being ALL Lower Merion Sprinters! The excitement of the team medaling multiple times at every Saturday Invitational we competed in this year.”

- Girls Track Head Coach Sandy Hoopes

Sprinter Erieon Dominick ’18 remains focused while racing past her competition.