Merionite October 2019

The Merionite

Thestudent official student newspaper LowerHigh Merion Highsince School since The official newspaper of LowerofMerion School 1929 www.themerionite.org Volume 91, Issue 1

Ardmore, PA, 19003

October 7, 2019

Copeland renewed

New year, new clubs

Jonathan Xu ’22 Copy Editor Over the last several years, LMSD has strived for the continuous advancement of academic achievement and bold strides in the direction of reforming the school policy to better help accommodate and equip students for the future. Despite the exponentially growing attendance figures of the LMSD schools every year and the rising costs of providing for the voluminous student body, the school district has worked to foster a scholarly environment and maintain the high standards of academic excellence. This task was a focus of the efforts of superintendent Robert Copeland. In 2015, Copeland took upon the mantle of governance for the school district’s bevy of

Ike Mittman ’22 Source Confirmation Editor

resources and staff, steering the institution towards a more progressive and dynamic avenue of action. Superintendent Copeland was responsible for conceiving the Achievement Imperative Task Force, a program dedicated to implementing restorative practices and enhancing parental engagement in the district’s initiatives. He was also in charge of overseeing bond refinancing that brought in $800,000 for the district and piloting the efforts to plan, design, and construct a new middle school to service the increase of new students entering the township. As of September 16, 2019, Copeland’s contract has been extended.

Please see COPELAND RENEWED on page 2

Graphic by Cate Roser ’21/Staff

In addition to the numerous clubs LM has to offer, three new ones have come to life this year. These new clubs include the Dialogue Club, the Marine Biology Club, and BARK.

Photo courtesy of LMSD.org

LMSD acquires more land Charissa Howard ’22 As students begin to get back into the routine of the school year, the district is closing in on its plans for the new middle school.

The school is set to open in September 2022, with construction launching summer 2020.

Penn Wynne and Gladwyne, both elementary schools, each teach about 750 students. Being the two largest elementary schools in the district, both will feed into the new middle school.

District enrollment is steadily climbing upwards, making LMSD the fastest growing district in Pennsylvania. In the next ten years, enrollment is expected to surpass 9,300 students. According to the LMSD website, “Across the district, multiple schools are at or nearing capacity and require additional classroom space to accommodate students.”

Middle schools in the district such as Bala

Cynwyd and Penn Wynne are being forced to use modular classrooms. This type of classroom is portable, and provides a quick solution for schools that need to solve the overcrowding issue. Permanent classrooms were added to Welsh Valley, Gladwyne, and Penn Valley. At LM, chemistry classrooms were moved to the administration building to make additional classroom space. In 2018, the district decided to create a long-term solution, which can be solved by building another middle school for the students. While the enrollment crisis angers some, Superintendent Robert Copeland says it best in an interview with the Main Line News: “Public education supports everybody.

There are no entrance requirements except for age and you have to live in this community.”

Please see LMSD ACQUIRES MORE LAND on page 2

Clubs are an important part of any school. They provide a place for students with shared interests to come together and learn about topics they are passionate about. Students may find that they enjoy something they never thought they would and discover a new hobby, or even a potential career. At LM, we are lucky to have such a menagerie of clubs with different topics to choose from, such as engineering in Dawgma and TSA, arguing in the Debate Club, and writing in the Merionite. But sometimes newer clubs can be overshadowed by larger, more popular older clubs. It is important that these new clubs get the attention they need so that they can begin to grow. Clubs that are new this year inclue BARK, the Marine Biology Club, and the Dialogue Club.

Dedicated to animal service and activism, BARK seeks to increase awareness for issues regarding animals and offers various volunteering opportunities to members. A typical day in the club consists of activities, presentations, and tours. An example of an activity is making toys for animals at shelters.

Since the club focuses on activism as well, members participate in protesting for better conditions for animals. Members may spread awareness for the injustices of puppy mills, and will also gather together to formulate solutions to animal injustices. Created to help fight the issues surrounding animal rights, the club is open to all who wish to participate.

As evidenced by the name, the Marine Biology Club is about “anything and everything” involving the oceans. Because the club is new, it is always looking for new members to bring new ideas. The club comes up with ways to reduce waste at school, such as selling reusable straws. But it also discusses the larger picture, teaching about our oceans.

According to Maggie Hollis ’21, the founder, the club has a “chill” atmosphere, with students learning and spreading awareness.

The club wishes to create an outlet for individuals to voice their concern about the ocean, getting together to do activities like making posters. The club is actively searching for new members, and advertising around LM.

Please see NEW YEAR, NEW CLUBS on page 4

A&E

Candidate spotlight

Chicago comes to LM

FEATURES

The White House had several developments over the summer. Read about some highlights and how the developments afftected our country. page 3

Elliot Ginzburg ’21 and Jonathan Xu ’22 discuss Andrew Yang and his policies in relation to LM. page 6

Rachel Kleber ’20 gives the inside scoop on the upcoming Players show. page 12

Discover how the reality of LM differs from many high school stereotypes. page 16

Photo courtesy of WikiCommons

Photo courtesy of WikiCommons

NEWS

White House summer

OPINIONS

Breaking stereotypes

SPORTS Boys & Girls Soccer Read up on the recent success of both

Graphic by Andrew Finkenstaedt ’20 the boys and girls soccer teams in the first half of the season. page 19

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News

October 7, 2019

The Merionite

Wolk case breakthrough Mona Vakil ’22 In February of 2016, Arthur Wolk and two other taxpayers filed a lawsuit it experienced multi-million dollar surpluses; thus, accumulating $60 milagainst LMSD over their 2016-2017 tax hike. Wolk argued that LMSD had lion in reserves by the time of trial… Instead of refunding the excess money, been projecting budget deficits, but somehow ended up with surpluses of mil- the District not only kept the money [but transferred to other accounts]… lions of dollars. Instead of returning these surpluses to the taxpayers, the The district built tax upon illegal tax.” Superintendent Copeland believes district had been putting money into other accounts and, over the previous that Wolk thinks that public education is meant to be “inherently inferior.” decade, had amassed nearly $60 million. Furthermore, tax rates On December 11th, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania unanihad been raised by 2.4% in 2016-17, which is illegal without state mously decided to allow the District’s merits of appeal. The Commonwealth or taxpayer permission. The district argued that not only was Court of PA redacted their injunction, with, “The order of the Commonstate permission given, but the money would also be needed wealth Court is reversed, and the matter is remanded for consideration of to pay pensions in the future and support special educathe merits of the District’s interlocutory appeal filed as of right,” stattion. Wolk responded by stating that LMSD had released ed in the final record. LMSD was allowed to argue their appeal. falsified expense reports and illegally spun their finanOn Monday, April 8, 2019, Lower Merion School District cial documents in order to obtain the waivers and filed a supplemental brief in the District’s appeal of Judge circumvent voters. In August of that same year, Smyth’s decision in the case. The district appealed Montgomery County Judge Joseph Smyth sidto the ruling: “Lower Merion School District is ed with Wolk and ruled the tax hike that year hereby enjoined from enforcing or collecting a “unlawful,” and ordered the district to tax increase for the fiscal year 2016-17 of over rescind a portion of the 2016-2017 tax 2.4% more than what was in effect for hike. The district then immediately filed an the prior fiscal year.” If Wolk and his cliappeal of Judge Smyth’s order. The decients win this case, there is much at stake sion to file an appeal was a catalyst for discusfor LMSD students and taxpayers. AP, IB, sion, when the appeals court ruled that LMSD honors classes, Science Olympiad, athletGraphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff ics, writing, arts-based programs (Point of should have filed post-trial motions rather than file an immediate appeal. LMSD’s appeal was rejected in Spring of 2017. View, Waterbound and Artifacts), debate and chess clubs, and similar proThe school district continued to argue the points of not only the immedi- grams could be slashed. None of these programs are mandated by state law ate appeal, but also the initial ruling of the invalid tax increase. Wolk said and could be cut under the “minimum” educational standards the plainin his response to the district’s brief that “LMSD overstated expenses and tiffs argue a public school should follow. The district’s full supplemental understated revenues claiming about $84 million deficits, when in reality brief is available on lmsd.org, and records of hearings are available online.

LMSD acquires more land

Copeland renewed

Continued from LMSD ACQUIRES MORE LAND, page 1

Continued from COPELAND RENEWED, page 1

Recently, LMSD acquired yet another property for the new middle school: 1835 County Line Road in Villanova, bringing the school property count up to three. The agreement for the estate, formerly owned by Dr. John A. Bennett and Nance DiRocco, was finalized this past August, but underwent much negotiation leading up to the final deal. According to Delco Times, the owners accused the district of “forcing them out of the property sooner if they fight the district’s eminent domain deal.” Bennett and DiRocco compromised by agreeing to sell the property for $9.95 million, but are being granted permission to live there until May 2023.

Design and construction plans for the new middle school are already underway. Spiezle Architects will be designing and building the school. A tentative sketch shows the use of outdoor space for courtyards, a bridge that connects two parts of the school, and the use of glass to allow a lot of natural lighting. The new school plans to be very environmentally friendly as well, with a special emphasis on recycled and reclaimed material use as well as “high-performance systems” to reduce excessive energy and water consumption.

Beyond the architecture, workshops are currently being held to discuss exemplary middle school learning designs for students. Participants in the workshops, including current Bala Cynwyd and Welsh Valley principals and other members of the LMSD administration, were asked to make a list of guiding themes that should be used when designing the learning community of the new middle school. The major principles included interdisciplinary learning, collaboration amongst students and teachers, cultivating an environment of inclusion, and encouraging students to self-direct their learning experience. LMSD plans on reimagining the education experience for the new middle school in alignment with their strategic plan, All Forward. The biggest change is going to be that starting in 2022. LMSD plans to have all middle schools make the switch to teaching fifth grade through eighth grade. This is meant to alleviate the stress placed on the elementary schools brought on by an excess of students.

The new middle school has faced some backlash, especially from parents of children who will attend the school in the future. Penn Wynne is about three miles from Bala Cynwyd Middle School, but about five and a half miles from the site of the new school. However, the district is making up for the distance by adding many sports fields and new facilities, redesigning the curriculum to engage middle schoolers as much as possible, and by creating an eco-friendly school.

Hopefully, along with solving the over-enrollment issue, the new middle school will be a success.

At their meeting on September 16, 2019, the LMSD school board made the decision to renew his superintendency contract for another five years, prolonging his tenure as the principal coordinator of the district’s educational matrix. The board’s president, Dr. Melissa Gilbert, cited his “unique combination of foresight and experience,” a conscientious “willingness to disrupt the status quo in the pursuit of excellence,” and prescient “vision and energy,” as pivotal factors in the decision to extend his incumbency at the reins of LMSD. Dr. Gilbert noted that Superintendent Copeland’s persistent drive for improvement has “led to data-driven changes in the way we measure student success, encourage student voice, provide professional development and ensure that equity is a guiding principle of every decision our District makes.” In looking forward to his approaching term, the superintendent’s goals are to further the proposals and initiatives currently in development, which include acclimating to swelling enrollment in the district, refining and implementing his “All Forward” educational strategic plan, mitigating achievement gaps among historically underperforming students, and supervising the establishment of the incipient middle school. With the five-year extension of Copeland’s contract, the LMSD school board hopes that the district will grow and hope that the environment for the students will continue to improve.

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

Graphic by Dhaval Sharma ’21/ Staff

News

October 7, 2019

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The Merionite

White House summer Davis Giangiulio ’21 While we were all relaxing this summer, the White House was flooded which the Judiciary committee commenced in September for other allegations. with work and new events to deal with. For the president, summer beFinally, on August 3rd, a man with an AK-47 walked into an Walmart in gan with a “Salute to America” Fourth of July celebration at the Nation- El Paso and committed a mass shooting, leaving 22 dead and 24 injured. The al Mall. The event included displays of America’s military and a speech shooting coincided with another that occured in Dayton, Ohio early the next from the president. Critics say the event politicized the usually non-po- morning, which left ten dead and 27 injured. In El Paso, the shooter posted litical holiday, but the White House said this was a standard celebration. on an online anti-immigrant platform before comitting what was described by After a controversial start to the summer, the situation worsened in mid-July investigators as a “Domestic terrorism” attack. Eighty-three percent of El Paso as the White House attempted to recover is Hispanic or Latino, and 25 percent of the from a tweet the president made against population immigrated. Many blamed this four progressive congresswomen, includsentiment on the president, who they believe ing firebrand Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez. fuels hate crimes against immigrants by He said they should “go back from which they allowing chants of “send them back” at his came.” Many saw this as the employment of rallies and even classifying those crossing an old trope used against people of color and the southern border as part of an “invasion.” immigrants, however, three out of the After the mass shooting in Parkland, four congresswomen he named were born Florida, LM students and thousands across in America, while Representative Ilhan the country walked out of class to demand Omar was born in Somalia. His justifiaction on gun control. While that effort cation for the attack was that since they slowly faded, after El Paso and Dayton criticized America so much, maybe instead the push for new gun laws was once again they should try to live in their less well ignited. Some Senators proposed Red Flag Graphic by Chris de Santis '20/Staff off “home” countries. The Speaker of the Laws, which allow police or family members House called the comments “racist” and to call for a temporary removal of somepassed a condemnation of the tweets with one's firearm. Other people have been Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff pushing strongly for a total assault weapons all Democrats and a few Republicans.

A couple weeks later, Robert Mueller testified to the House of Representa- ban. The president initially sounded his approval of background check laws tives about his massive investigation that concluded when LM was on Spring but then backtracked and s ai d t h at b ac kg ro u nd c h e c ks are al re ad y Break in 2019. The Mueller Report investigated Russian interference in the strong, and instead the focus should be on the “big mental health problem.”

2016 election and the possibility of collusion with the Trump campaign. There has been no more progress on gun control legislation in the White Democrats tried to extract the insight Muller had on the campaign while House since then, despite high support for gun control legislation naRepublicans attacked him for leading a phony investigation. The president tionally. In the LM student body, a survey conducted of around 400 described the hearing as “a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller.” students in November of 2018 found that more than half do not supAll in all, the hearing did little to change public opinion on impeachment: port the right to own a firearm, a view too extreme for many politicians. as polls showed a majority of Americans were still opposed to it. However, it Overall, it was a very busy summer for the White House and it’s expected did lead many Democrats to come out and support an impeachment inquiry, to be an all-consuming fall for Congress they resume from their break.

LM locks down on safety Benji Elkins ’21 This past May, The Merionite reported on new security measures to be put into place for the 2019-2020 school year. These measures included the contracting of a private security firm the Advanced Protection Company (APC) and the introduction of Raptor Visitor Management Technology (RVMT), a system committed to tracking and screening visitors. Students' reactions to these changes have been mixed.

Within the first month of the 2019-2020 school year, few students have heard of or even seen the new security measures implemented, an ignorance that some prefer. Ben Warren ’21 says, “I have zero knowledge about the new security guards at LM and have never had any interactions with them. But it’s a good feeling knowing that we’re more safe.” Ethan Blum ’21 states “I was worried when I heard

Photo courtesy of Phillip Gao ’22/Staff

Tyler Krause diligently monitors dozens of cameras across the campus to ensure no incidents go unnoticed. While conducting careful surveillance, he also checks-in visitors to the building through the RVMT system.

there were going to be security guards, as I felt that seeing them in the hall would make school feel like a prison. However, I'm happy that they are more behind the scenes.”

Other students have more negative outlooks on the increase of security. Justin Badt ’21 has expressed, “I don’t think any of it makes a difference, as I have never felt unsafe before.

As far as I’m concerned, they’re just a hassle.”

Some go as far to question the effectiveness of the APC guards and RVMT. However, Blum goes on to say “It’s better to feel safe than to be safe, and whether the guards are productive or not, I feel safe under their watch.”

Interaction between students and the APC has been limited, with most of the meetings being with the security guard posted in the attendance office. Typically, students, parents, and visitors must report to the guard when entering the school after 7:30, stating their name, presenting identification, and stating the purpose of their visit. Additionally, the security contractor monitors essential cameras from the start to end of school in order to scan for security threats.

Though the relation between students and the new guards have been rather benign, some voice complaints at the new parking complications. In order to protect LM from potential threats, the new security measures have greatly regulated parking. As Jena Dessain ’21 says, “The new security has made it practically impossible to leave through the side doors which in turn causes me to miss more class time because I have to leave through the front door. It is a huge waste of time, and a big negative for me.” This is a concern many other driving students share. Dessain addresses the security of the building saying, “The security officer should be able to see that the kids leaving through the side doors are not intruders.”

Based on APC reports of the salaries of unarmed security guards and the average cost of a yearly subscription to RVMT, LMSD would be expending over $300,000 a year for LMHS alone, should the district continue down this path. Some say it is a small price to pay for the safety of students, while others say it is excessive. Nevertheless, it is a reassurance to know that the safety of LMSD students are in the interests of the district and school board.

PowerSchool!

Jonathan Sommer ’21 Opinions Editor

PowerSchool’s notifications are a very fundamental part of many students’ LM journey. Over the summer, PowerSchool, LM’s online grade-book, disabled gradechange notifications in its app. It is now impossible for students to be alerted on their mobile devices when their grades have been changed. The PowerSchool app used to have notifications for grade changes instantly when an update had been made.

Maya Christanson ’21, a student frustrated by this change, comments, “I manage my time effectively with grade change notifications on. Now students don’t have the ability to adjust these settings; the app has taken this ability away from all of us.” The app stated in the push notification settings when the change was made that, “Grade Change notifications have been disabled by Lower Merion High School.”

Many students have been afected, some going as far as deleting the app or inquiring with technology supervisors within the building. On the other hand, some students like this change. Haley Morgenstern ’20 states, “The Powerschool app is a huge source of stress, not only because it makes people constantly aware of their grades, but also because parents know the second one’s grade drops. With notifications being disabled, students can fly a little bit freer from their helicopter parents.'' LM Technology Integration specialist Beth Hampton claimed that the district had no influence over this change, conflicting with the app's claims.

Graphic by Dhaval Sharma ’21/ Staff

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News

October 7, 2019

The Merionite

TSA takes Nationals Evie Oliver ’21

New year, new clubs Continued from NEW YEAR, NEW CLUBS on page 1

Photo courtesy of Dhaval Sharma ’21/Staff

The LM TSA chapter finished with seven top-ten finishes in the nation.

As many of us were sitting on the beach enjoying the sun this summer, or rather on our beds with our faces glowing from the light of our phones, the LM TSA chapter was participating at their national competition in National Harbor, Maryland. The competition was a great way for LM TSA to connect with people from other chapters. To quote Sophie Yang ’20, a club officer, “Our chapter works really hard so it was exciting to be at Nationals competing with our projects and meeting people interested and invested in the same kind of stuff we were doing.” TSA’s competition provided a great way to communicate with other chapters, and made the summer unforgettable.

Arguably one of the largest clubs, TSA consists of different events that range from creating books, to designing clothes, to coding websites. At competitions, competitors submit their events to be judged.

If the judges like the submission, the event may move onto the semifinalist round, which is usually an interview. If the semifinalist round goes well, the team may finalize, earning a top-ten at the award ceremony. This year, the competitors made the LM TSA name and legacy proud, with seven total topten medals, including second places in Webmaster, Chapter Team, Biotechnology, Technology Problem Solving, and Fashion Design. Mr. Piotrowski put it best when he said, “It never ceases to amaze me how well our TSA chapter does at the national conference. Historically, this was definitely one of our best years. A great deal of credit not only goes to our chapter members but also our officer team.

Our officers continually do an excellent job of motivating our chapter members and modeling the way to success.” The team usually does well, but this competition was beyond the typical level of success.

This year’s national conference was an especially important event for LM TSA, as it was the last conference for one of its advisors, Mr. McCloskey. He was loved by the TSA team, and it pains the team to lose such a great leader. This was his last competition, and thus stipulated time for final goodbyes.

According to Devon Mooring, “[Mr. McCloskey] was a great part of TSA. He brought overall positive energy to the club and will be greatly missed. But we look forward to our new leadership within the club!”

When they could catch free time within the busy schedule of the conference, LM TSA competitors would wander around the town of National Harbor. It was filled with shops and restaurants where the team could unwind after long days of meetings and competing. On the last night, they went to dinner together, along with their advisors Mr. Piotrowski and Mr. McCloskey. The participants also kept morale up with an intense game of “assassin,” a tag game. They were kept on their toes, always expecting an attack. Even under the stress, they were still able to have fun while doing extremely well in their events.

Competitions may be stressful, but the enjoyment associated with them far outweigh the benefits.

The Dialogue Club focuses on the more casual side of debating rather than competitive pre-determined resolutions like the Debate Club. The goal of the club is to promote dialogue between opposing views. During lunch, students can sit down and have a calm and rational discussion about current events, politics, or other issues. A few examples include the Democratic primaries, Venezuelan polticial crisis, and constitutional interpretation. At the end of every meeting, everyone is asked whether they have improved their understanding of the issue, understood their opponents’ arguments, or shifted their stance on a topic.

The few meetings that have occurred thus far have been a success in achieving tolerance of differing opinions.

If any of these clubs seem appealing, consider contacting the presidents or any other members. For BARK, the club meets once a month during lunch, and sometimes after school for activities, and you can reach at Talia Lehrer ’22 at s017077@students.lmsd.org. a Marine Biology Club meeting. It will meet every week, and you can contact the Maggie Hollis ’21. Lastly, the Dialogue Club is always looking for new ideas, and new members bring just that. The meetings are every other A day, second lunch, in Mr. Levy’s room (306). Contact the Dialogue Club at LMDialogueClub@gmail.com with any questions.

State of the flies Dhaval Sharma ’21 News Editor They come in hordes. They drain our trees. They kill our animals. They are the Spotted Lanternflies. From China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, the insect has emigrated to the United States and were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, they have been found in fourteen counties and efforts are underway to quarantine them. According to the PA Department of Agriculture, the spotted Lanternfly “causes serious damage in trees” along with creating a sugary excrement which “encourages the growth of black sooty mold.” This mold may be harmless to humans but it is detrimental to plants and animals. The Lanternflies have been spotted in the LM commmunity as well as on windows around the school.

Several students have seen them near the track flying around invasively. Students are concerned about their effects on our school’s environmental landscape and about local species. Emily Shang ’21 remarked, “It is scary to see Lanternflies damage our ecosystem that we live in.”

Elliot Ginzburg ’21 states “These invasive species are a serious threat to our LM community and I have been doing my part by eliminating them around the school.”

If you see one of these bugs, the PA Department of Agriculture recommends that you “kill it, smash it, and squish it.” Do your part to save our state: end the bugs!

Opinions

October 7, 2019

5

The Merionite

The Merionite Official newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929 www.themerionite.org Columbia Scholastic Press Assocation Silver Crown 2013

Save our education system!

Editors-in-Chief Samantha Anderer ’20 Izzy Bruckman ’20 Managing Editor Sophie Yang ’20 News Editors Elliot Ginzburg ’21 Haley Morgenstern ’20, Dhaval Sharma ’21 Opinions Editors Melissa Bell ’20 Emily Shang ’21 Jonathan Sommer ’21 Features Editors Emma Becker ’20 Maya Christianson ’21 Ziphron Russel ’20 Arts & Entertainment Editors Noa Cutler ’22 Sophie Meyer ’20 Sydney Zellinger ’21 Sports Editors Phillip Gao ’22 Kyle Patlove ’20 Spencer Rosenbaum ’22 Copy Editors Victoria Bermudez ’22 Jonathan Xu ’22 Senior Design Editor Christopher de Santis ’20 Graphics Editor Cate Roser ’21 Source Confirmation Editor Ike Mittman ’22 Web Editor Eugenia Feng ’20

Teresa Lu-Romeo ’21 Shortly after taking office, President Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne Duncan acknowledged that America’s public school system is failing: “Let’s admit it’s broken, let’s admit it’s dysfunctional, and let’s do something dramatically different... Let’s fix the thing.”

This sentiment has been recapitulated constantly throughout the last few decades. Yet despite widespread call for educational reform and a seemingly endless flow of taxpayers’ money through the system, the problem persists: America’s schools are not adequately preparing students for success in the real world.

Comparisons of test scores from different countries reveal brutal truths about America’s education system. Math, a subject that reliably predicts a student’s future earnings, continues to be the United States’ weakest area at every income level. According to the National Center on Education and Economy (NCEE), the average student in Singapore is three and a half years ahead of her U.S. counterpart in math, one and a half years ahead in reading, and two and a half in science. Students in countries as diverse as Canada, Estonia, Germany, and New Zealand consistently outrank their U.S. counterparts on the basics of education.

Looking at the bigger picture, it is evident that far more than just increased reading or math test scores are at stake. Without a well-educated population, the American advantage in just about every field will continue to erode.

After all, American students have to compete with international students in the college admissions process and in the workplace later on in their lives. If the United States and its citizens hope to remain competitive internationally, they need to learn from the school systems of other countries and make serious changes to their culture and philosophy of education.

The main problem with American schools is that academics are simply not prioritized.

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

ry teacher. Similar patterns arise at LM, where school sports are constantly being promoted while academic clubs get little to no attention or funding from the school. Events like pep rallies and Radnor Week are essentially mandatory, the morning announcements have their own segment dedicated solely to sports, and some teachers even dish out extra credit for attending games. At the same time, clubs like Dawgma, TSA, Science Olympiad, Speech and Debate, and Mock Trial have low enrollment numbers and rarely ever receive support from other students or staff members.

School sports at LM are also extremely demanding of students’ time. Most sports teams practice six days a week for an average of three hours a day. Student athletes are told that they are not allowed to miss practices or games under any circumstances; in other words, they are expected to prioritize their sports team over their education. The academic standard among athletes is also set ridiculously low; to be considered eligible for a sports team, a student can be failing no more than two classes. As long as a student is earning

straight Ds, the school allows them to continue to prioritize sports over schoolwork.

In other countries, sports have little or nothing to do with public schooling. If kids want to play hockey or basketball, they organize pickup games, join a community program, or take private lessons. After all, competitive sports are much more than just a way to stay healthy; they serve to further entrench the myth that academics are not the most important part of school.

The issue of anti-intellectualism in American schools further extends to teachers. In other countries, teacher training is of high quality and teaching is considered a prestigious profession. In Finland, for example, only one in ten applicants for an elementary school teaching position is accepted. There, it is as competitive to become a public school teacher as it is to gain acceptance into an Ivy League university.

Finland also requires stronger academic credentials for its teachers and rewards them with higher salaries. Here, teaching is not considered to be as exclusive or as valuable of a profession as it is in other countries. Teachers earn on average 68 percent of what other university-educated workers make, which disincentives many potentially excellent educators from going into teaching.

Although LM is incredibly privileged to have a host of wonderful teachers and staff, the fact remains that many students do not feel satisfied with many of their teachers or more specifically, their teaching methods. At the beginning of each year, students cross their fingers and hope that they are assigned a certain teacher for a particular subject because it is conventional knowledge that students tend to learn more or be graded more fairly in certain teachers’ classes. For a school with a reputation as favorable as LM’s, this doesn’t seem like it should be the case; a student’s success in a subject should not depend on whether they get lucky at some point in the scheduling process. Hiring competent teachers and enacting more rigorous teacher evaluation standards need to be made higher priorities.

American schools have lost sight of what’s important: preparing students for success in an increasingly educated and competitive global society. The mindset that our schools promote is ultimately detrimental to students who will grow up and find themselves unable to keep up with their international counterparts in whatever career they choose, as well as to American society as a whole, which prioritizes education less and less each day.

Let’s talk trash

Business Manager Eric Bing ’20 Assistant Business Editors Caryl Shepard ’22 Claire Sun ’21 Staff and Business Advisor Charles Henneberry The editors believe all facts presented in the newspaper to be accurate. All articles have gone through an intensive, independent fact-checking process to minimize factual errors.

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.

Historian Richard Hofstadter famously dubbed this phenomenon “anti-intellectualism in American life.” American culture places too much emphasis on things like sports and school-spirit activities, while academics are usually pushed to the periphery of students’ consciousness by a culture that simply does not value education enough.

According to The Atlantic, the United States routinely spends more tax dollars per high school athlete than per high school math student, choosing to spend its budget on basketballs and different-colored jerseys instead of textbooks, calculators, and specialized software. In many instances, hiring a good football coach is prioritized over hiring a good science or histo-

Madison Li ’21 Every year, LM clubs such as buildOn and Environmental Club routinely host projects like park cleanups in an effort to raise environmental awareness and give back to the community.

From energy-efficient hand dryers in our bathrooms to automatic double sided printing and the placement of recycling bins throughout the building, LM is without a doubt environmentally aware. However, despite the significant impact of these endeavors, LM has much room to improve in implementing environmental conservation practices. We must apply further changes in order to minimize our ecological footprint.

A simple adjustment to consider making is placing universal recycling cans in hallways.

Ordinary trash cans and bottle recycling cans line the walls of our school, but unspecified plastic items have no place to go. For example, everyday objects, including plastic utensils from

the cafeteria and disposable food containers from packed lunches, can only be classified as landfill waste in our school. Providing universal recycling cans would be sufficient as a first step in bettering our school’s recycling habits.

The need for a more concrete system of recycling urges us to reflect upon the origin of this issue. There are always solutions to an abundance of food and plastic waste, but the cause is less widely addressed; we seem to be more inclined to fix the problems that we have created rather than avoid them in the first place. The transition from reusable, washable lunch trays in school cafeterias to non-reusable styrofoam trays is potentially one of the most questionable changes that our district has made in the past decade.

In our elementary and middle school years, students would claim a plastic tray every day to use throughout the lunch period. The trays would then be returned to a small metal window by the cafeteria gate to be cleaned for the next use. However, as we transitioned into a school over three times the area of our middle schools, we began to collect our lunch in unsturdy polystyrene plastic trays that are discarded in the only available waste collectors in the room: trash cans.

These styrofoam trays are made of non-recyclable, non-biodegradable materials that end up decomposing for at least 500 years in landfills after only a single use. A blog written for technology company Rubicon Global states

that 80 percent of American landfills consist of recyclable materials. Removing a single plastic bottle from a landfill and recycling it could create 20 percent less air pollution and 50 percent less water pollution than would be required to make an entirely new bottle. If a single water bottle can make such a difference, the removal of hundreds of plastic trays from these landfills would only affect more significant change.

The only potential rebuttal to this endeavor would concern the maintenance and salary. Utilizing reusable trays would require additional labor from our already assiduous lunch staff. More time and increased salary would consequently be demanded as a result of this additional manual labor. Nonetheless, an ambitious undertaking such as this, forcing strong consideration and somewhat drastic change, is what is demanded of us as our environmental deterioration continues.

In order to continue building this foundation for revitalizing the environment, the students of LM must put forth greater effort to take initiative. As future leaders representing an environmentally aware and leadership-driven school, we must remain persistent in bettering our community and participating in rewarding projects. Our school district must improve its efforts in reducing our ecological footprint, starting with replacing styrofoam trays and purchasing universal recycling cans.

6

October 7, 2019

Opinions The Merionite

Yang’s Freedom Dividend: fortune or fantasy?

Elliot Ginzburg ’21 News Editor Pro: Andrew Yang is the only candidate who has concretely discussed his plans for the future of our economy, environment, and country. The “fourth industrial revolution,” as Yang calls it, has already begun. This is the greatest economic and technological transformation in our nation’s history. For the last nineteen years, four million manufacturing jobs have been replaced by automation and technology in the Midwest alone. Experts also predict that one out of three jobs will be replaced by machines in the next twelve years. This unprecedented change to our nation’s workforce will mean that opportunities will shrink as software, artificial intelligence (AI), and robots outperform the average person. With disastrous repercussions on the verge of occurring—for example, 36 million U.S. jobs already vulnerable to modern technologies—it is a necessity that a candidate addresses these current issues.

Yang has presented the American population with a proposal championed since the country’s founding: universal basic income (UBI) or the “Freedom Dividend.” Thomas Paine, Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk advocated for the idea long before Yang publically addressed it, however, the time had not been right: automation was not destroying families 200 or even ten years ago. Now, with companies such as Google and Facebook advancing AI tremendously, the time has come to make significant economic changes.

The Freedom Dividend is a form of UBI that guarantees $1,000 a month for every U.S. citizen over the age of eighteen.

UBI is a form of payment that everyone receives no matter their economic standing or employment status. Yang estimated that the Freedom Dividend gross cost would be about $2.8 trillion each year. While the cost is high, Yang’s campaign includes a four-part plan to fund the Freedom Dividend for all 236 million adults in the U.S. At LM, changes in job prospects due to automation concern many students.

Regardless of whether or not LM does a sufficient job preparing students for automation in the workforce, students see that UBI would give them a chance of success after graduation. Sam Richard ’21 explains, “A developed UBI plan could give me money and some stability while I search for a job that has been automated away.” LM students understand the risks of automation and acknowledge that a candidate who discusses these issues needs to be recognized. Richard says “I give major props to Yang for starting this discussion amongst our country.” Benjamin Elkins ’21 also comments that, “he is a necessary component in showing American people the real issues at hand.”

The primary source of allocation for the funds of the Freedom Dividend would come from a ten percent Value Added Tax (VAT). A VAT is a tax on the production of goods and services that a business offers. It is a fair tax that would intend to make it harder for large corporations to avoid paying their

fair share of taxes. For example, Amazon reached record profit in 2018 topping $11.2 billion. Due to a tax break relating to investment, research, and employee compensation, Amazon was able to pay nothing in income taxes last year. In fact, Amazon reported a $129 million 2018 income tax rebate making its tax rate -1%. While the U.S. has yet to implement a VAT, 163 out of 190 countries already have some sort of VAT, and European countries already implemented one that averages 20%.

The VAT that Yang proposes makes him appear ready to make large corporations pay their fair share to the American people, as the VAT reduces chances of tax evasion by companies like Amazon. The VAT is the most efficient way for our economy to sustain itself once any type of UBI becomes a reality.

The perpetual boost to the economy offered by the Freedom Dividend would be felt by a multitude of American sectors. The UBI is not meant to replace the job of any person as $12,000 a year is not near enough to subsist on in this day and age. Unlike many other social services that discourage employment by severing benefits if a recipient gains employment, the Freedom Dividend alternatively allows the recipient to gain employment and continue receiving monetary benefits.

Through the UBI, workers would be given bargaining powers if they work under exploitative wages, and labor market efficiency would increase as people will seek work that is more rewarding and have higher job satisfaction. UBI would have the power to reduce bureaucracy—determining who is eligible is far simpler than any other social service—and the UBI would dramatically improve physical health. In an experiment in Canada with UBI, hospitalization rates went down 8.5% due to the economic security UBI provided.

Yang is a suitable presidential candidate because he foresees the economic and societal challenges ahead of us. He knows that President Donald Trump was elected because voters in swing states such as Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania were fearful of losing their jobs. Trump did not address automation, but Yang has. The Freedom Dividend is the single most effective way to take our country forward.

Jonathan Xu ’21 Copy Editor Con: Andrew Yang is perhaps the most unique candidate in the race for president.

He has presented himself as a newfangled outsider to the realm of Washington’s political impostures, a candidate who is focused on implementing novel policy as opposed to eliciting fervor from the crowd. However, what truly defines him as a distinctive contender for the presidential race is neither his personality nor stratagem, but rather the idiosyncratic proposal that has become the linchpin of the Yang 2020 campaign: the universal basic income (UBI). But while on the surface such a meretricious stipend may seem equitable and rewarding for the American populace, the reality is that a universal basic income instituted as proposed

by Yang would cause far greater problems for the United States economy and citizenry.

graphic by Cate Roser ’21/Staff

When evaluating for any economic proposal, especially one so profound and far-reaching as Yang’s, it is important to assess for the feasibility of such an approach.

In the case of the universal basic income, the arithmetic does not balance out at all. Allocating $1,000 a month, or $12,000 per year, to every individual of age in the United States would necessitate federal outlays of approximately $3 trillion a year (~236 million eligible adults x $12,000), an astronomical figure. To fund the UBI, Andrew Yang has propounded a value-added tax (VAT) of ten percent that is administered at every level of production.

Even when overlooking the potentially unfavorable effects of a value-added tax on the economy, an excise of that configuration would not nearly be sufficient to provide for the exorbitant cost of Yang’s UBI. According to the Tax Foundation, a VAT pertained over an eclectic base of commodities, representing

66 percent of GDP, would only conjure up $952 billion, not even a third of the aggregate cost of the UBI. Even when such revenue is supplemented by other fiscal additives, such as a carbon tax, revocation of the Social Security income cap, and a capital gains tax, which are further measures Yang has proposed, the revenue total only constitutes $1.3 trillion. In order to achieve the status of a revenue-neutral program, the UBI would have to be diminished substantially by 25 percent, while its corresponding VAT rate would have to be more than doubled, to 22 percent.

And the brunt of such a colossal tax burden would not fall on giant corporations, but instead upon the American public: the very group that the UBI is intended to appease.

However, the involuted logistics of establishing a revenue-neutral UBI is not the only drawback of such a unique proposition.

At the center of Andrew Yang’s motivation for enacting a universal remuneration is his claim that automation is stripping away jobs from American industries, with the labor participation rate at 63 percent, the lowest since the 1970s. His verdict is that the UBI will be imperative to counter the adverse effects of this technological transition. But exactly how efficacious will this UBI be? If automation does truly strip away a stupendous faction of American jobs, furnishing every displaced worker with an inundation of capital does nothing to render them more efficient or prolific. Possessing more buying power will not assist in securing a job, and in fact even curtails the latter’s probability of occurring. Individuals who accrue rations of capital from the government will not utilize it as an imperative for acquiring employment, but rather as their safety net to pursue other passions and interests. As Yang himself states, the universal basic income will divert the supply of labor away from lucrative sectors of economic production to miscellaneous activities such as “art production, nonprofit work and caring for loved ones,” which, while perhaps being spiritually fulfilling, are not valid job substitutes for the preponderance of the American working class at $1,000 a month. The bottom line is that the universal basic income transmutes the workforce into a class of prodigal consumers, all utterly dependent on the government to provide for their subsistence, whilst simultaneously being eroded of their productive potential — potential of which could be transposed into any number of surrogate occupations currently accessible on the booming labor market. For a candidate who advocates emphatically for “human-centered capitalism” (e.g. replacing dollar worth with human value), Yang’s policy is inadvertently impelling the opposite: replacing the intrinsic aptitude of humans in economic productivity with an unadulterated dependency on dollar subsidies to keep them sustained.

As the 2020 presidential race shifts into full throttle, the contest among the candidates only grows more unyielding and ruthless. But in the face of all this, Andrew Yang is still growing in popularity, despite being comically ridiculed and trivialized by the media.

However, the foundation upon which his aberrant campaign lies, conceived on the notion of free-spending and liberality, is one that is inherently unsound and pervasively misconstrued. There are certainly aspects of his proposals that deserve praise and attention, such as attempting to remedy the welfare cliff or circumvent what he entitles as “the fourth industrial revolution”. However, the Freedom Dividend, promulgated as it stands now, is not the panacea that the Yang Gang envisions it as, and when all is said and done, his course of action will fare the American populace no better in the long run. Ultimately, the American public must rely on their own adaptability, initiative, and will to succeed as their means of salvation through the dawning age of technology and automation, as no universal basic income will safeguard them from it.

Opinions

October 7, 2019

7

The Merionite

Quiet in the library

Ellie Ward ’21 There are many connotations associated with the word “library.” However, one of the most commonly recognized is “peaceful.” In our school library, the quiet, academic environment is invariably disrupted during Lunch and Learn due to students’ misuse of the monitors located throughout the room.

Therefore, video games should not be allowed in the library because they consistently cause an excessive amount of noise and ultimately disturb the gamers’ fellow classmates. These games distract the students from focusing on their work, since they are constantly concentrating on how well they are doing in their game. Instead, they should be focusing on what should occur in school: academics.

There are multiple studies on the effects of video games on school achievement. For example, a study called “The New Digital Divide” performed by multiple researchers concluded that there was a negative correlation between time spent on video games and academic performance. Many studies utilize the “time displacement hypothesis,” which states that time spent on video games would be better used on academic activities. As shown in one study, students who play an excessive amount of video games, defined as an hour and a half on weekends and an hour every weekday, generally spend only 34 percent of their time on their homework. This is shown in a report of a study in the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Focusing more on video games and less on aca-

demics, they perform worse in school and receive lower grades compared to students who do not play video games excessively. This is especially critical for Lunch and Learn, because it is a time set aside during the day for the purposes of academic recovery, homework, or meeting with teachers.

Video games should not be allowed in the library because it academically hinders both the students playing the games and others in the room.

Instead of doing homework, studying, meeting with teachers, doing classwork, or many oth-

Graphic By Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

er scholarly activities, the students are instead distracting both themselves and their peers.

Not allowing video games at LM gives students the opportunity to take a break from the games that they are playing at home. In a survey entitled The State of Online Gaming, the researchers found that gamers spend an average of seven hours and 37 minutes every week on video games. This is nearly a twenty percent increase from 2018. Although this may not sound like a lot of time to some students, if you combine this number for every week of the year, it becomes a substantial value. Our school allows students to take a break from video games and work on classwork, homework, or study guides.

Allowing video games in school has both increased this already tremendous amount of time that students spend on games and also decreased the prob-

ability that they will converse with their peers.

Of course there are some arguments in favor of allowing video games to stay in the library, the most notable being that it allows for students to relax more during the day and lowers their stress.

However, many students go to the library so that they are able to work in a peaceful, quiet environment and finish their work. Flashing lights and loud noises emitted from the monitors will most definitely distract students from completing their work. In other words, not only are the gamers distracting themselves from their academics, but also they are also diverting the attention of their fellow classmates. As for the claim that video games create a more stress-free environment, school is designed in order to improve academics and increase student knowledge. Sometimes that does require school to be stressful and for teachers to assign homework. Lunch and Learn is given as a time for students to catch up on homework and to go over aspects of the curriculum that they do not comprehend. Furthermore, it is a time for students to lessen their workload. The students who are playing video games during lunch are not utilizing this anti-stress tactic to decrease their workload, and are therefore heighting their stress levels since they will have more work to complete at home.

Allowing students to play video games in the library would cause increasing stress levels of the students who are gaming, and will also distract their fellow classmates who are trying to work on their academics. School also allows a time for students to take a break from video games, which is much needed due to the rapidly increasing amount of time spent at home playing games.

If the school does not clarify that students are not allowed to play video games in public spaces, specifically the library, then they will continue to disrupt the academic environment, and be prevented from taking full advantage of Lunch and Learn.

Beating obesity es, the cost to fix these conditions is large; thus, prevention of obesity is cheaper in the long run.

To reduce weight, people often choose to go to a weight loss program. For weight loss programs, one must pay for the meetings, for the premade meals, and the supplies for the program. One also has to work less as he or she has to spend more time exercising and preparing healthy meals.

Noah Sommer ’21 For the past fifty years, we have been fighting a war—a war with many casualties. The name of the enemy is obesity. Obesity, as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is having a body mass index (BMI) of thirty or higher. This a great concern for the current generation. The obesity epidemic has to stop now and for good; this dire issue can be stopped by helping people adapt and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Fifty percent of individuals struggling with obesity pay more than $1,430 a year on medical bills compared to people with a healthier weight. The people of Millennial generation (1980-2000) are the most affected by obesity.

In 2018, the average person spent over fifty percent more on food than in 1975, adjusted for inflation. This could be caused by eating a more unealthy diet. Obesity can be caused by overeating and lack of exercise. When one becomes obese, they are open to all sorts of different medical dilemmas: diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart diseases, edema, strokes, joint pain, cancer, decreased mobility, etc. After getting any one of these diseas-

Graphic By Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

Four percent of the average salary is spent on additional medical bills. Four percent might seem like a small number, but that is fifty percent of the cost of food for an average four-person family. We must stop this by promoting a healthy lifestyle. We must work together on prevention. We

must help each other become healthier people.

For the sake of more money in our wallets and the health of our society, we do not want to be the on eof the first generation to live shorter lives than our parents. Obesity is so prevalent that one out of three people have it. According to the CDC, it is currently the leading cause of death in the United States.

We can help others by helping them exercise more, eat healthier and in moderation, and limit screen time. One can exercise more by joining a sports team or walking for 30 minutes a day. One can eat healthy by eating fewer carbs, meat, and starch, and consuming more vegetables and fruits.

A palm-sized meal of everything, except more fruits and vegetables, can really help one eat healthier.

Obesity can be caused by mental health issues, primarily depression, which is common in Gen Z, compared by other generations. Mental health issues is a tremendous obstacle for students at LM, seeing how they are Gen Z and our school is a very high pressure one. Of course we should pay attention to these issues at our school regardless, but we especially should do so because such issues can cause obesity -- another extremely dangerous ailment. This means we should all look out for ourselves and our friends to make sure they’re feeling alright, and thus taking care of themselves.

Obesity and obesity-related diseases are the number one cause of death in America and are very expensive to treat. We must stop this by having a healthy diet, maintaining good spirits, and exercising. Together we can stop this epidemic and live as long or longer than our parents.

8

Opinions

October 7, 2019

The Merionite

Israel is in the right

Ike Mittman ’22 Source Confirmation Editor Israel, constantly subjected to the criticism of the left leaning, has been singled out at an unprecedented level by two freshman members of Congress. Unlike members in the past who had voiced genuine concern, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar have consistently asserted incorrect statements about Israel, and Israel made the tough decision to bar their entries. For instance, Ilhan Omar once compared Israel to Apartheid South Africa despite the fact that Arabs are entitled the same rights as Israelis, and more rights than the surrounding countries provide. Misconceptions are in and of themselves harmless, but when they are used to undermine the legitimacy of an important ally, there is the potential for serious issues. If these individuals lead the Democratic Party into limiting US support of Israel, Iran could fill the power void in the Middle East. Damage to Israel’s power in the private sector and on the world stage would limit Israeli independence in the Middle East, and thus pave the way for Iranian dominance. Another key issue is that Omar planned the trip to Israel with a group that supports Hamas, which according to the United States, is a terrorist organization. But perhaps the greatest reasons for Israel making such a decision was that they have supported BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions on the state of Israel), and have made numerous anti-Semitic statements. In order for Israel to have protected her economic interests, limited the support for Hamas, and prevented anti-Semitism from entering, the choice to bar Omar and Tlaib was justifieably done.

Like every other country, Israel deserves the right (and already has laws on this matter) to prevent the entry of those who advocate for boycotts, notably through

BDS. Tlaib and Omar have frequently supported BDS, an organization that preaches annihilation of the only true republic in the entire Middle East. Why would any sane nation allow for them to enter? The economic impacts of BDS have been harming Israeli companies and have been lowering Israel’s role in the world in the fields of medicine and technology. Across college campuses in the US, students march for the “liberation of Palestine,” and call for widespread boycotts to meet that end. Little do these students know that Israel, ranked second in patents per capita, has made enormous advances in technological and medical developments — a few of the most noteworthy being the desalination system, desert afforestation, and the Rewalk exoskeleton. Without all these great sources of economic growth Israel would lose power, and in turn create a power vacuum. With Iran possibly developing nuclear weapons, Israel may very well lose her biggest advantage over Iran — nuclear missiles. Israel, however, has been catching up to Iran in GDP despite only comprising a little more than a tenth of its population. Economic sanctions would destroy this growth, and Israel should not let this happen. By kowtowing to those who call for boycotts, Israel would inevitably be unable to continue producing, and the whole world would lose a major source of innovation.

Perhaps the most prominent reason is that Omar and Tlaib wished to travel with an organization that supports Hamas, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. Hamas, which has employed suicide bombers, is a terrorist organization, and Tlaib has frequently surrounded herself with sympathizers of Hamas. According to research by the National Review, the group that organized their visit —Miftah— has endorsed terrorists, and praising a “woman who helped murder thirteen Israeli children.” The US denies entry to those who sympathize with terrorists, so why should Israel not do the same? In eight U.S. Code § 1182, the government states that no one who “endorses or espouses terrorist activity” may receive a visa. Yes, Omar and Tlaib are not directly calling for terrorism, but they should at least have organized a tour with a group that did not support terrorism, unlike Miftah. Any act of terror on civilians—no matter the reasoning—is inexcusable, and should be treated with zero tolerance. Israel must not show terrorists that she will give in to their supporters.

While terror poses a direct threat to Israel, anti-Semitism poses a direct threat to Israel’s Jewish identity.

According to Alan Dershowitz, an American lawyer and acadmic, criticism of Israel does not entail anti-Semitism, but holding Israel to a higher standard than the rest of the world does, simply for being Jewish. However, one does not need to follow this rule to point out that Omar and Tlaib have made anti-Semitic attacks. Omar once tweeted that US support of Israel was “all about the Benjamins,” the face of the one hundred dollar bill.

It was said in reference to the so-called “Jewish money,” a common stereotype that there is a Jewish monopoly over money, in the form of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbying. Not too long after, she tweeted that Jews have an “allegiance to a foreign country.” This has frequently been used as an attack on Jewish allegiance to the United States in an attempt to undermine their voice in this country. A Jewish country should defend itself from anti-Semitism and must not give a voice to those who have made such comments.

Omar and Tlaib’s comments should be feared by a nation with a proud Jewish identity. A country should not, in its own economic and political interests, give a voice to those who call upon economic sanctions.

Currently, Iran is most likely celebrating the emergence of these new leaders of the Democratic Party.

Iran would enjoy a weakened Israel, and would take the first opportunity to emerge as the dominant Middle Eastern power. But Israel also has domestic issues of concern. Allowing Omar and Tlaib to travel with an organization that supports terrorists would not be the wisest choice. There are too many national security problems with this; Israel already has an enormous terrorist problem, and does not need people spreading its ideals. In addition, Omar has made multiple anti-Semitic statements, and she should be held accountable. Her statements are inexcusable, and Israel should not grant her a forum because of them. Even if Israel could grant her forgiveness for everything else, there is still the indisputable harm caused by boycotts that must be addressed. BDS can cause unbelievable harm to Israel’s economic prosperity. Because of these reasons, Israel has made the correct decision to bar their entry. If Israel were to bow down to those that may cause harm, she will cause great harm to herself.

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

Features

October 7, 2019

9

The Merionite

Morning Hacks Rebecca Altman ’21

Have you ever felt like getting out of bed is difficult in the morning, so you keep snoozing your alarm to avoid the inevitability of going to school? All of a sudden, it’s 6:50 AM, your bus is arriving at your house in four minutes, and are rushing to get all of your supplies together for school. If this dramatic scenario sounds familiar, here are some tips and tricks to help with waking up for school, crafting breakfasts in a crunch, and much more!

One of the most important factors of waking up is your alarm. You keep your phone next to your bed and set a multitude of alarms alerting you to wake up. However, you just keep snoozing and snoozing it until it’s too late. One of the best things you can do is place your phone (or even your very obnoxious alarm clock) across the room from you to force yourself to get out of your bed.

It automatically gets you moving and energized which will help start your day off strong.

People often skip breakfast in the morning, either because they don’t have time or they aren’t hungry. While the statement is cliché, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. To avoid the mid-morning munchies, here are a couple of quick breakfasts that will get you through until lunch.

Granola bars are simple yet nutritious, and are easily accessible. Drive down to or ask your parents to pick them up at ACME, Giant, Whole Foods, or any other grocery store in the area. Brands like Cliff Bars, Health Warrior Chia Bars, and Kind Bars are substantive enough to fill you up until lunch, and are easily grabbable before you leave for the bus!

Another great quicwk but nurturing breakfast is belVita’s Breakfast Biscuits. They come in an assortment of flavors and varieties, such as Crunchy Toasted Coconut Bars or a Peanut Butter Biscuit Sandwich. They’re very filling, and are sure to sweeten your morning.

Lastly, smaller yogurt cups from brands like Chobani or Yoplait are a great way to start your day. You can get plainer flavors, such as vanilla or strawberry, or you can choose from a variety of different fruity and crunchy mix-ins.

Either way, yogurt is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and micronutrients will be sure to fuel you for the morning.

All of these things can help you get a jumpstart to your day, and they are sure to make you feel ready for another great day at school!

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

spooky recipes Alex Greenblatt ’22 These three classic recipes are used year round for various occasions. There are easy ways to use these for Halloween as well. The following recipes are classics year-round, but with these simple embellishments, they are perfect for the season. Don’t get scared to make these delicious treats if you have never baked before, as they are all are geared towards beginners!

Gory Oreo Cheesecake This delicious treat is inspired by a Buzzfeed Tasty article titled “No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake.” Follow the recipe given and turn it into a Halloween themed dessert by dying the filling orange after you remove it from the stove on the seventh step.

After the cheesecake has cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over the cake with a piping bag to make a zig zag pattern. Pro tip: If you do not have a piping bag, pour the melted chocolate into a plastic bag and cut off the tip to create a disposable piping bag.

Orange and Black Frightening Fudge This recipe is the easiest to make since it only requires four ingredients! It is adapted from this Tablespoon recipe titled, “Rainbow Fudge Recipe.” Instead of dividing the mixture into five bowls, split it in half and dye half of the bowls black and the other half orange. Then, alternate adding a half cup of the black mixture and a half cup of the orange mixture each time you remove the fudge from the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cake Pops These cake pops require baking, but there’s no need to fret! You can easily use any flavor of boxed cake mix as they do in the Tasty recipe called, “Galaxy ‘Box’ Cake Pops”.

To make the recipe even easier, disregard the glaze and instead melt a bag of white chocolate chips. Once the chocolate is melted, dye it orange and coat the pops one at a time, putting a mini chocolate chip on top of each to make it look like a pumpkin!

Graphic by Cate Roser ’21/Staff

10

October 7, 2019

Special F

The Me

1. Admire the locker ball 2. Play Kahoot with Mr. Laubach 3. Go to a Players show 4. Have a KP email sent out about your car/bike 5. Touch the top of the back staircase by the gym 6. Purchase a Dawg Pound all four years 7. Be shushed in the library 8. Dance with a club in Maroon Madness 9. Win the Maroon and White game for your grade 10. Buy a Chick-Fil-A sandwich at a LM football game 11. Receive a yearbook superlative 12. Do the LM rumble at a nonschool-sponsored event 13. Appreciate all that Mrs. Christman does for LM 14. Get even tangentially involved in the Amazing Ace 15. Get a ticket in two hour parking 16. Take a stereotypical “freshman” elective 17. Attend a student government meeting 18. Tell Mr. Grace you’re better since seeing him 19. Play Spikeball® in the courtyard 20. Go to TSA Regionals 21. Find your locker 22. Send an unfinished email 23. Start your own club

24. Get 0% plagiarism on Turnitin 25. Forget your Naviance password 26. Get quoted in the yearbook 27. Meet Jenny Liberace 28. Lug home a textbook but never use it 29. Buy Krispy Kreme for a fundraiser 30. Be a Face of the Ace or Ace of the Arts 31. Lie on all the chairs in the music tech room like a bed 32. Take a selfie with your favorite teacher 33. Get to school at 6:00 a.m. for a parking spot 34. Participate in all five Radnor Week spirit days 35. Do the summer work for a course you end up dropping 36. Play Mario Kart in the library 37. View the Philadelphia skyline from the Belmont Plateau 38. Grow something in the greenhouse 39. Swim in the LM pool 40. Get asked for a hall pass 41. Attend an LM Music Department concert 42. Panic about putting a permanent sticker on your computer 43. Get featured on the morning announcements 44. See a teacher after school for help 45. Lift in the weightroom 46. “Reply All” to a large email list 47. Witness one of Mr. Henneberry’s war reenactments 48. Explore every nook and cranny of the mysterious chem building 49. Take on a leadership role in a sport or club 50. Try every f'real milkshake flavor at Wawa ™ 51. Bike to school 52. Take a nap in the courtyard 53. Thank Mrs. deFranco for your birthday pencil

54. Ask M 55. Learn 56. Yell “K 57. Visit th 58. Pull a 59. Donat 60. Start c 61. Go to t 62. Subscr 63. Get ov 64. Stay a 65. Ride t 66. Make 67. Give S 68. Go to

Feature

October 7, 2019

11

erionite

70. Get certified to use the Makerspace 71. Kneel before the KOBE shrine 72. Fall asleep in yoga class 73. Do cartwheels in the hallways after school hours 74. Order the café special 75. Get featured on the @aces.nation Instagram 76. Partake in hallway wars 77. Check a book out of the library 78. Lose all of your pens/pencils before October 79. Hang out in an art classroom and draw 80. Bomb a physics test, but save your grade with corrections 81. Sing along in the hallways during music Fridays 82. Tell your teachers “See you next year!” on the last day before winter break 83. Join Fork of the Month Club 84. Go to the “chem building” during lunch 85. Ask Mr. Piotroski how tall he is 86. Befriend a campus aide 87. Pledge to stop using the Styrofoam trays in the cafeteria 88. See a teacher at Wawa Mr. Levy if he’s ever met John Oliver 89. Accidentally speak a foreign language in the Computer Science gang sign the class subsequent to your foreign language class KOBE” every time you shoot anything into a trashcan 90. Make a music video at school he Chemistry building’s courtyard 91. Get the last question of a 32 question Khan an all-nighter then sleep in the nurse’s office Academy wrong te milk (they need milk bad) 92. Get a six on a lang/lit essay clapping and make everybody clap for no reason in the cafeteria 93. Ask for a laptop charger the jazz festival 94. Recycle the extra copy the printer gives you ribe to the buildOn email list 95. Attend a school board meeting verwhelmed and momentarily unsubscribe 96. Get the 2 week notification to restart your at school until 9 p.m. computer the elevator with an injured friend 97. Go see a Writing Fellow for essay help it to the sound system board at the top of the auditorium 98. Enter to learn Sev a fist bump 99. Write for the Merionite TSA Regionals 100. Go forth to serve

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October 7, 2019

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Rachel Kleber ’20 The 1920s. Times of lavish lifestyles, sweet jazz, and the accused, murderous women of Chicago, Illinois. Yes, you heard correctly. In 1926, a play appropriately titled Chicago was written based on the true murder trials of two women in 1924. Much later, in 1975, a musical adaptation of this play came to Broadway, and became the second longest running show in Broadway history. Now, LM PLAYERS is bringing the show to you. The musical Chicago follows Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two women suspected of murder, and a cunning attorney in their intriguing journey full of manipulation and mystery.

As Chicago is only in its early stages of production, there is a great amount of excitement among the directors, cast, and crew.

When questioned about their visions for the show, those who were interviewed responded with similar ideas: “Chicago is just as relevant today as it was when first produced in 1975, and PLAYERS’ production promises to be big, flashy, and have ‘all that jazz,’” says junior Noah Schur, the director of the show. He also mentions that there are surprises, adding “you’ll have to come out and see them for yourself!” Junior Anne Hamilton has a vision as stage manager “for the house to be filled... [and] everyone backstage to have a good time!

I also want to make sure that throughout the process, people are being productive, yet still having fun.” From an actor’s perspective, senior Noa Webner, who plays Roxie Hart, says, “Part of the reason why I gravitate so much to this show is because of its commentary on fame and how it tends to corrupt not only our legal system, but our whole society. Our directors, Schur and Nina Aagaard ’22, have extremely interesting ideas...[about] how they are going to highlight not only the glamour of the 1920s, but the massive corruption that came along with it.”

Though visions for Chicago may be similar, everyone has different aspects that they

look forward to completing in their respective roles. As director, Noah Schur is excited to work with the actors, watch the show develop, and see it take shape. He says, “It’s treally cool to be able to create your own concept and ideas for the show, work with designers and actors to make those ideas a reality, and see the outcome of all that hard work. I can’t wait for all of this!” As stage managers, Hamilton looks forward to tech week and getting to lead backstage while junior Isabel Coopersmith, like Schur, looks

Marius D’Herve ’22 (top right), Andrew Louie ’22 (center), Ari Zeidi ’21 and Ella Stuccio ’21 (bottom left) help the show shine behind the scenes.

forward to working with the actors. Additionally, Schur wishes to create relationships with new members. Webner looks forward to the later stages of production. She explains, “When you’re rehearsing for so long, it can be easy to lose sight of the final goal, but the moment when everything starts to come together into the final product, it’s always so gratifying and rewarding, not only for me but for everyone in the company. It’s so satisfying to see the benefits of all of your hard work.” The show will debut the week before Thanksgiving, starting on Thursday, November 21. On behalf of everyone in PLAYERS, we hope to see you there!

Since PLAYERS is student run, it can be a sizable program with lots of responsibilities among everyone involved. Each of the respective crews have different roles, but they all contribute to the shows that they create. Some critical parts of being a member of PLAYERS includes collaboration, problem solving, and having fun.

If you or anyone you know are interested in joining PLAYERS, feel free to reach out to Hamilton, the PLAYERS Board, Mr. John Grace, or check the PLAYERS website at www.lmplayers.com for more information.

Photos courtesy of LM PLAYERS

No need to wait for it: Hamilton arrives in Philly Caryl Sheppard ’22 Assistant Business Editor Ever since Hamilton’s 2015 debut at the Public Theater in New York City, the hit rap musical has taken the world by storm. Steadily progressing to Broadway stages and later touring across major cities throughout the U.S., Hamilton is now a household name. The successful musical has managed to obtain immense success since its opening four years ago, winning eleven Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama within its first two years of performance. Lin Manuel Miranda, the mastermind behind Hamilton, also played Alexander Hamilton in the show until he retired from his position in 2016.

Hamilton revolves around the complex life of Alexander Hamilton, from his birth in Saint Kitts and Nevis to his rise as an essential figure in our nation’s history. Lively characters such as Aaron Burr, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, King George, and the Schulyer Sisters help beautifully reveal the once mysterious story of Alexander Hamilton. Furthermore, much of the cast consists of people of color, unlike many other Broadway shows.

All the triumphs and losses Hamilton endured during his life are masterfully illustrated in a show which has left many starstruck and wonderous.

Unsurprisingly, obtaining a ticket to see Hamilton in New York on Broadway in its early years was a desirable, if not seemingly impossible, mission. Those who wished to see the magic of the American Revolution and the lives of its major players unfold were placed on a waitlist to obtain tickets, accompanied by thousands of other people. If one proved successful in finding tickets to the show, they would have to spend a considerable sum of money for tickets. Furthermore, if one was able to buy the highly prestigous ticket, they then faced the reality of having to embark on an upwards of three hour pilgrimage to Manhattan to finally watch the story on stage. Luckily, Philadelphians will no longer need to travel more than twenty minutes from the comfort of their homes to experience the wonders of this successful musical. The city’s reknowned Kimmel Center has managed to host Hamilton from August 27 to November 17. This allows Philadelphia residents and Greater-Philadelphia residents to finally experience the magical tale of Hamilton relatively close to their homes.

Some of LM’s students have already taken advantage of this amazing opportunity. According to Zoe Agiv ’22, “[Hamilton] was a lot of fun to watch

and I really enjoyed it! I had wanted to see Hamilton for a long time and it was really exciting to see it in person.” However, though students unanimously enjoyed seeing the musical, some criticized the casting in the Philadelphia show. Among these students is Isabel Bowser ’22, who commented on some of the musical’s actors, “I thought Burr was a little weirdly casted, but some actors, such as Angelica, were very unique.” Finally, one student emphasized the show’s similarity to its Broadway counterpart. Talia Lehrer ’22, who also saw the show on Broadway, noted only subtle differences between the two productions,“I loved the show, and thought it was just as good as on Broadway. I’m pretty sure there was only a piano in Philly and a whole orchestra in New York, but [the shows] were both really good.”

For students eager to see the musical in their hometown, tickets are still on sale until November 27th. If you are interested in American history, new and exciting kinds of musical theater, or simply looking for a fun way to spend an evening, Hamilton surely will not disappoint. Season ticket holders at the Kimmel Center may have an easier time getting tickets, so you may want to act fast in order to obtain a seat for an upcoming show. According to Bowser, “We had to get season tickets to be able to attend the show. [My family] bought them way ahead of time, and they sold out fast.” However, if you are looking to buy tickets cheaper, keep an eye on StubHub and other ticket sellers. Agiv exclaimed, “My sister and I spontaneously bought the tickets ten minutes before the show had started for a very good price. My mom had the StubHub app on her phone and she had her eye on the tickets. Someone had cancelled and there were two seats left in the whole theater. Tickets are usually 300 dollars but we got them for eighty dollars because we bought them so close to when the show started.”

No matter how one may choose to buy tickets for the show, Hamilton will leave a lasting impression on anyone who sees it. A revelation in the theater industry, Hamilton is a one-of-a-kind production that should not be missed. According to a critic at the Washington D.C. Theatre Scene, Tim Treanor, “...I will say without hesitation that [Hamilton] is the best musical I have ever seen, and I do not expect to see a better [musical] in this life.”

Arts & Entertainment

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October 7, 2019

The Merionite

Get artsy at LM:

Art clubs for everyone!

Arts & Entertainment Editors

Dolphin The

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ion Jaz r e z M nd Ba

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The Dolphin is LM’s very own literature and art magazine; filled with the fabulous work of students who have submitted various artworks, poems, stories, and even some photographs that capture the visions of many aspiring artists, this magazine caputres the wide variety of artists that LM has. Members of The Dolphin believe creativity is essential in everyday life, and use their knowledge to even review other artists’ work aside from creating their own pieces. It is published every so often, and those who do not take art or are super into literature can still submit their work for chances to be featured! The club meets every Tuesday from 2:40-4:00 p.m. in room 230.

Lower Merion Jazz Band is an audition-based jazz ensemble that gives Lower Merion students who are interested in playing jazz the opportunity to perform, improvise, and explore jazz music of different genres and styles outside the classroom. The band meets weekly to rehearse music that changes often, and travels to perform and compete at local and regional festivals, adjudications, and other special events. Auditions begin in mid-October and are open to any student.

A rt

Forum

Art Forum is a student-run organization that is concerned with enforcing the importance of and facilitating of the arts. Students involved in art forum come together to discuss certain artists, art-related current events, and will even sometimes take field trips to museums and art galleries to learn more about art and its history. Bus transportation is provided. If you’re interested in discussing and learning about the arts, this is a perfect club for you. They have meetings during different Lunch and Learns throughout the year. To join this wonderful club, contact Mr. Hazel at hazeld@lmsd.org.

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h ot o g r ap hy

Fil m

Inside Out is a club concerned with publishing visual works, their art, and themes in popular culture. They display submitted art onnew interactive monitors around the art hallway. These interactive digital publications, recently implaced in the hallways as a way to make students more aware of Inside Out and their featured artists, allow students to explore the works of their peers. Students looking to submit their art can submit them through the Inside Out website at http://lminsideout.com/submissions.

Film & Photography Club serves to educate LM students on the power of film and photography, and teaches students to view art in an entirely new perspective. Students are able to share their work with their peers, recieve feedback, and learn more about photography and videography. Students are able to join throughout the school year, regardless of their enrollment in an art class; meeting days vary. Contact Mr. Walsh at walshb@lmsd.org for more information.

A LM

Capella

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Culinary Arts Club offers students (with some or little cooking experience) a chance to embrace their love of cooking delicious food about once a month. Students will get the opportunity to cook different foods and of course indulge in those foods. CAC will meet in the cooking rooms after school. Students will gain a lot of experience and even get the chance to view some public speakers, host fundraisers, and go on field trips. Contact Mr. Bomze at bomzem@lmsd.org for more information.

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LM A Capella gives students the opportunity to learn about producing moving music— without the presence of instruments— by using solely their own voices. The a capella groups of LM have a winter and spring concert and perform at LM’s famed “Amazing Ace” event as well. While Auditions have already occured, the results will soon determine whether the club has one or two different groups seperated by gender or voice range. To inquire about future auditions, email Mr. Hunnex at hunnexj@lmsd.org.

LAYERS PLAYERS has grown to become one of the most populated clubs that LM has to offer. LM's student run theater organization enlists the help of hundreds of studentds with all different interests to produce three shows every school year. They have a musical in the fall, a blackbox show (often a drama or comedy) in the winter, and a mainstage spring play. Students participate in one of five crews; acting, scenery, publicity, costumes and lighting, all of which are essential to putting on the best show possible. While the Fall season has already started, interested students can contact executiveboard@lmplayers.com or Mr. Grace gracej@lmsd.org for more information.

Graphics by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

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October 7, 2019

Arts & Entertainment The Merionite

Kohana Bondurant ’21 As we approach the end of 2019 and go forth into 2020, fashion reverts back into the past with society adding its own twist. With styles from the seventies, eighties, and nineties in today’s most popular stores—Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, Hollister, H&M, and more—thrifting is a new activity that many students at LM enjoy participating in, as the vintage look makes its debut everywhere. “Crop tops” were first introduced to the fashion scene in the 1940s and peaked in the seventies and eighties, due to pop culture. For example, the hippie movement during the seventies highly popularized the “au-natural” look, and the crop top emerged from there. As we look back on popular shows featured on Netflix, such as Friends and That ‘70s Show, our community and society are exposed to these fictional characters’ personas and possess the desire to dress as Rachel Green (Friends) or Donna Pinnasoti (That ‘70s Show).

Another fall fashion trend is the “scrunchie.” The scrunchie, similar to the crop top, has made its grand return to the fashion scene. As LM embraces and idolizes the chambray and velvet accessory, it is perplexing how they ever went out of style in the first place. The scrunchie can provide benefits for hair health in comparison to an elastic hair tie. Many LM girls wear scrunchies, whether it be in their hair or on their wrist. This fashion trend is

undeniably a result of eighties nostalgia. Scrunchies are indeed an element of the past, and has evolved into quite a look. LM cannot get enough of these fabric elastics, especially with the “Tik-Tok” personas, such as the “VSCO” girls who may need to acquire a Hydro Flask, Birkenstocks, and you guessed it, scrunchies.

Also, barrettes have progressively become more popular and are now seen almost everywhere, from Kendall Jenner to LM students. This old-school hair staple is all over social media platforms, embodying the slim and sleek metallic fastener of nineties chic at its finest. Statement hair barrettes and exposed bobby pins are pieces of decor that cannot be tamed. Bulky ones, although not as popular, are still found on some students at LM and around the community. The barrettes were noticably present on the show Gossip Girl. Fictional characters like Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen are fashion icons to many viewers who possess this accessory. Style influencers such as Blair almost always sported some sort of hair accessory, whether it be a headband, hat, or, you guessed it... a barrette.

A large variety of fall fashion trends are circulating the halls of LM, and whether it be old-fashioned hair accessories or a retro outfit, students are now beginning to step outside of their comfort zone and express their true colors.

Graphics by Catherine Roser ’21/Staff

Ayden Herold ’20

IT: Chapter 2 (2019)

Banking on the now-trendy nostalgia for the eighties culture and the success of the original 1990 miniseries, 2017’s IT was a surprisingly enjoyable box office hit. Charming and sensational, IT managed to condense a decent portion of Stephen King’s 1000+ page horror novel into a fun and effective horror movie that scared audiences all over the world. The first film followed the terror-filled summer of seven children living in Derry, Maine, as they were stalked by an evil clown, Pennywise, who was able to shapeshift into their worst nightmares. Continuing the plot of the novel, IT: Chapter 2 carries on the story 27 years later. Now adults, the seven survivors must return to their hometown and fight Pennywise one final time.

This film is a mixed bag for me personally. The central problem of this movie is its length. As a fan of the original book, I was perfectly content sitting through Chapter 2’s nearly three hour runtime, appreciating the fact that director Andy Muschietti was given the freedom to include as much content from the book as he did. However, from a critic’s perspective, the length of IT: Chapter 2 did not bode as well for me. Audience members are likely to get bored with the movie after sitting for so long in the theater. One major reason why most horror movies do not exceed a length of more than two hours is simply because after a while, the film just stops being scary and becomes dull. The first movie face this problem as well, though it was still a whole half an hour shorter than this one, making the runtime a little more bearable.

Thankfully, this movie is chock-full of great performances from its central cast and has plenty of great cinematography. While the film isn’t scary, it is at the very least, visually interesting. James McAvoy is cast in the lead role of Bill Denbrough, and works well with what he is given, playing a guilt-ridden older brother charged with looking after the rest of the adults. Jessica Chastain, Isaiah Mustafah, James Ransone, Jay Ryan, and Andy Bean also offer great performances in their roles as the adult versions of the kids from the first movie.

However, it is the two clowns of the movie (one figurative, one literal) who completely steal the show in IT: Chapter 2. Bill Hader playing Richie Tozier is hilarious to watch, and adds much needed comedic relief and entertainment to the film, while also showing off a surprising amount of range. Whereas the first movie hid much of his performance behind special effects, Chapter 2 allows main character Bill Skarsgård to shine, and showcases his ability to make Pennywise go from innocent, to menacing, to funny, then back to terrifying all in one scene.

Despite the good performances from the actors helping with its runtime, the film had other flaws bogging it down. Tonally the movie was a mess. It flip flopped from dark comedy to horror and only occasionally rode the fine line between the two with perfection. Both comedy and horror are highly subjective and two very different genres, so much of your perception of this movie depends on whether or not you find it funny or scary or both. If not, this will likely be a tiresome experience of a film for you. Furthermore, fans of the original book will likely be pleased by how much from the novel is retained

in this adaptation. However, for those not so into horror movies or watching a movie of such enormous length (which is perfectly understandable), then I would advise skipping this one. To me IT: Chapter 2 is a solid 6/10.

Halloween (1978)

Sometimes, the modern horror movies of today just aren’t enough to satisfy your horror needs – whether it be the special effects, the cheap jump scares, or the overly indulgent scenes of gore. Sometimes, you just have to go back to the classics to have a good time; and what movie could be better than one of the greatest slasher films of all time? John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween is the origin of nearly every slasher movie cliché you can think of, and for good reason. The masks, the knives, the promiscuous teenagers, all began with this one film.

Halloween follows a very simple plot. On the night of Halloween in 1963, a young Michael Myers kills his teenage sister and is kept in a mental hospital for the next fifteen years. The day before Halloween of 1978, he escapes captivity and heads back to his hometown, stalking babysitter Laurie Strode (played by a young Jamie Lee Curtis), and her teenage friends.

Throughout the film, he is pursued by his former psychologist, Doctor Sam Loomis (played excellently by the late Donald Pleasance). This straightforwardness and small cast keeps the story very focused and easy to watch.

This movie is all about slow buildup and tension, as Michael slowly and deliberately hunts down his prey. The camera constantly alternates between putting you in the shoes of Michael and his victims. Sometimes you will see Laurie and her friends from behind a tree or a bush, or the camera will peek through an open window to watch them, completely unaware of the stalker outside. Other times the camera will focus on the main girls and put Michael in the background, never letting you forget about his skulking presence. You can never be sure whether or not Michael is lurking in the dark corners of every scene.

There is much to be said about the score for this movie. The music by John Carpenter cuts through every scene like a knife, mounting the sense of dread and never letting you forget about the impending doom that is Michael Myers. His use of synthesizers and shrill strings keeps the audience engaged from the film’s iconic opening to its unforgettable ending.

Now, imagine you are alone in your house at night. Most of the lights are off, and you can barely see outside. Every little creak of the floorboards or gust of wind outside sends shivers down your spine. Halloween takes this feeling and cranks it to an eleven. At the end of the day, this classic is easily one of the best horror movies ever made, and for good reason. The fact that it is able to so perfectly capture this common fear, while defining an entire genre at the same time, makes it one of my personal favorite Halloween movies. Watch this one alone with the lights off for a scary time, or watch it along with friends for a fun time. Halloween gets a 9/10 from me.

Features

October 7, 2019

15

The Merionite

Saying goodbye Emily Shang ’21 Opinions Editor

As the 2018-2019 school year came to a close, LM parted ways with some of its favorite staff members. For those of you who never had the opportunity of studying under these outstanding retired teachers, The Merionite has collected first-hand accounts of what it was like to be in each teacher’s class and how each department has changed in their absence.

There is no doubt that when Rosalie Garrett announced her retirement in the middle of the previous school year, most of her students were shocked. Magistra Garrett was a favorite among her students: Owen Wetherbee ’21 fondly recalls: “She would often make jokes or references that literally no one understood... but then she would just laugh really really hard, and somehow her laugh was infectious because then the whole class would start laughing, but not at the joke, just at how she really enjoyed her own joke.”

As students direct themselves away from their typical classroom and towards a room foreign to Latin students, they are welcomed by an accommodating teacher. Kisara Freeman ’21 describes the new Latin teacher, Brooke Fireman, as “making a good attempt to get to know her students” and explains that many are “excited to see her teaching style.” Although the void Magistra Garrett left can never truly be filled, the new Latin classes are sure to be exceptionally educational and enriching, with a healthy fusion of old and new teaching methods.

Another beloved teacher that LM reluctantly said goodbye to is Glenn Brooks, an LM alumnus who had taught generations of chemistry and organic chemistry students for over twenty years. Known for his strict cell phone policy and snazzy suspenders, most of his students were extremely sad to see him retire. The students recall his influence as one that altered not only the course of his students’ lives, but also LMSD as a whole. Most notably Brooks, who is the founder of the organic chemistry program and its curriculum. Many Harriton and LM students have been educated through these Saturday morning classes and will continue to be for years to come, generating interest and curiosity in the sciences. Jasy Li ’20, a student of Brooks’s chemistry Honors class two years ago, remembers fondly that,

“Mr. Brooks would always put up with our shenanigans and was supportive...

When I missed a class, he was willing to spend time with me... until I understood it all.” Teresa Lu-Romeo ‘21 remembers that “everyone loved him,” citing that his retirement gift included contributions from “a bunch of alumni from many years ago... every single page was full of people writing him nice messages.” Because the LM chemistry department has included Brooks for so long, the loss of such a key staff member will be an adjustment.

However, we are thankful that Brooks left behind a wonderful chemistry class and a popular organic chemistry program that will further his legacy at LM. Yet another legendary teacher that has unfortunately left LM in the past year is Peter Kaczmar. He was known by most as an excellent teacher in some particularly difficult math classes including calculus and senior seminar. His impact on students also knew no bounds. According to Eugenia Feng ’20, “Kaczmar really changed the way [she] thought about math in that [she] no longer accepts new formulas or concepts at face value, and instead wants to delve deeper and understand the reasoning behind it, how it was discovered, and how it relates to other concepts.” Annie Liang ’20 also recalls that he was “intimidating, but over time, I grew to love his class.” LM is very proud to have had teachers who turn challenges into positives for students.

There are many other staff members who are no longer at LM. One of these is Dr. Timothy Edge, who was our school psychologist and is now working in the administration building. Another was Spanish teacher Ryan McCloskey, of whom Izzy Bruckman ’20 said, “He always smiled at me and said hello in the hallway, and he was never even my teacher.” The Special Education department is also sad to lose Michael Borsch and David Orlansky, who are both moving to Welsh Valley middle school.

There is no doubt that the LM environment will be forever changed following the departure of these beloved teachers, as well as the excentric Elliott Burch. But as this new school year begins, we look forward to seeing in what ways new teachers will change the environment and create their own traditions and legacy at Lower Merion High School.

Saying hello Philip Gao ’22 Sports Editor

As the halls fill with new faces, the classrooms are starting to see some big changes. This year, LM introduced 17 new teachers, secretaries, and counselors to the educational staff. Let’s welcome all these amazing teachers to our high school!

The STEM departments are excited to announce the addition of three new science teachers and one new math teacher. Andrew Samulewicz, who teaches biology and chemistry, was a teacher at Central Bucks-Lenape Middle School. He loves science, and has worked as a lab researcher and educational consultant in his past. Donniele Cooke, another biology teacher, joined this school after teaching at Charter High School for Architecture/Design. Ms. Cooke likes to work out, bike, hike, and travel to unique places in her freetime. The last science teacher, Glen Hughes, has moved to LM to teach chemistry and work as an assistant football coach. Mr. Hughes enjoys exercising and playing basketball, and looks to coach LM’s track team as well. Timothy Presser, the new math teacher at LM, is a writer, artist, and drummer.

When asked about LM, Mr. Presser noted that there is a “great reputation of the students as kids who genuinely care and want to learn.”

Educational Support is quite important in LM, so we are excited to see three new teachers join the Special Education department. One of them is Molly Williams, a specialist in educational support from Penncrest High School.

She enjoys hikes with her dog, singing, and sleeping. Ms. Williams feels very welcome in this school, expressing that “it is amazing to be so welcomed.

I am excited about working at LM. She exclaims, “I’m most excited about getting to work with the talented group of teachers and to get to know my students!” Ms. Gigliotti enjoys cooking as a pastime, and was the director of a musical at her old school.

The World Language Department has also grown in numbers, with the addition of two new Spanish teachers and one new Latin teacher. Lauren Leveque, who moved from Upper Darby HS, is a devoted Spanish teacher who loves to swim, cook, and bake brownies. Ms. Leveque finds that “...the sense of community and character among students and staff is impressive and immediately noticed.”

Jessica Clark, who enjoys hiking, skiing, playing lacrosse, and “a good ol’

fashioned campfire with s’mores,” is another new Spanish teacher to the LM staff.

Ms. Clark is excited to get to know every one of her Spanish students this year. The last addition to the language department, Brooke Fireman, who just graduated from Villanova and worked as a student teacher at Radnor, is excited to begin her career as a Latin teacher. She is an avid runner outside of school, and is looking forward to teaching at the school many of her family members attended.

In addition to welcoming teachers from outside the district, LMHS is lucky to have teachers who transfered from Harriton and Welsh Valley. Sania Mirzanschall, a Social Studies teacher who taught at Harriton High School, loves to teach her class so that it “. . . easily allows for discussions on what’s happening locally and globally.” LM is also excited to have two teachers from Welsh Valley, Lynne Malara and Taj Byrd. Malara has worked as a school psychologist for 15 years, through which she has supported teachers, counselors, and administrators. Byrd runs LM’s Becton Scholars’ program (in place of Saleema Smith, who is on sabbatical), and he notes that the program provides him with the “...opportunity to motivate, encourage, guide, and connect with LM’s students of color.” Having been part of the school district, these teachers are familiar with the our Photo courtesy of Sean Hughes system, and will be able to help improve it.

Lastly, there have been additions in the administration of LM. The new school counselor Nicholas Allen moved here after teaching at Kensington Health & Science Academy. The new security Photo Courtesy of Sean Hughes officer, Tyler Krause, has also come to LM to ensure the safety of the students on campus. Cynthia Lira, who is replacing recent retiree Sue Lynn, and Danielle Nunan are the new secretaries to Assistant Principals Scott Kilpatrick and Karen deFranco, respectively.

Though LM is excited to welcome these new staff members to our beloved high school, it is unfortunate to see that some of our dedicated teachers have also left. In the first few months of this year, I encourage you to welcome our new teachers to this building. I have barely begun to explain their wonderful personalities and goals for this year. They have come from so many places to help us with our education, so I urge you to get to know them better as the year goes on.

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October 7, 2019

Features The Merionite

Ella Johnson ’22 What did you think LM was going to be like when you walked in on your first day of freshman year? Were you scared of being pushed into lockers? Were you on the lookout for a group of jocks in varsity jackets? These common stereotypes portrayed by countless movies about high school, from Freaky Friday to Clueless, couldn’t be less accurate when depicting student life at Lower Merion High School. Despite what I thought when I was ten, going to LM is not exactly like High School Musical depicted it.

First of all, there’s school work. And homework. A lot of it. Based on the almost nightly parties, trips to the mall, and cutting school portrayed in movies and books, you would never guess that a lot of your time would be spent doing work for classes and extracurriculars, and that school actually does require you to go to class. Although weekends are a break from school, many LM students spend their Sundays completing the assignments they didn’t have time to get to during the week.

While the heavy workload is an academic aspect of high school that is often untold, the social aspects of LM are even more different from the common stereotypes.

When freshmen were asked about the biggest stereotypes of high school that didn’t exist here, many mentioned that they were surprised to find that clear social cliques such as jocks and cheerleaders didn’t exist. In addition to this, the freshmen also said that they expected the upperclassmen to be mean to them, while in fact they found that students older than them were welcoming and helpful. With its mixing between social groups or this is generally the case in high schools today, the accepting attitude of everyone at LM is a pleasant difference from the so-called high school “norms.”

A more negative difference from the stereotypical high school experience is that LM students cannot enjoy the Friday night excitement of football games like so many other

schools across the country. Because there are no lights on the football field, the classic fall activity takes a backseat. This is a disappointment to many students, having grown up around movies like Friday Night Lights, and who are excited for the standard rite of passage into high school: their first football game. However, LM basketball games are always exciting, and during the winter, they pacify LM students who wish there could be a bigger football culture here.

Lastly, a reality check to get you away from the stereotype portrayed by movies, books, and stories from the older generation alike: You don’t have to find your true love in high school. There is a revolving door of couples at LM, as should be expected.

Couples like Gabriella and Troy may have led your younger self to believe that in high school, your primary occupation would be spending time with your boyfriend or girlfriend. However, there are other things that get in the way.

School, work and extracurriculars all make it hard to commit time to finding someone or being in a relationship. But this is okay. You don’t need to be dating someone to have a good high school experience. But if you are, good for you!

The classic stereotypes of high school suggested by the outside world are evidently very different from how LM operates. Actually going to class and doing your homework may seem like a shocking norm to outsiders, but here it’s an expectation and requirement, not a rule to be broken. The social dynamic at LM becomes much easier to navigate once you realize that instead of standard cliques of cool kids and nerds, social groups mix, are accepting, and are tolerant of everyone. Instead of football games, basketball is the sport people go see on Friday nights, and unlike the popular stereotypes, the star athletes do not exclusively date cheerleaders. LM is a school different from what you thought it would be on the first day of freshman year, and in most cases, it seems like this is for the better.

Graphic by Chris de Santis ’20/Staff

Features

October 7, 2019

17

The Merionite

Freshman 101 Rebecca Altman ’21

Starting the school year is always nerve-wracking. You have just spent three months relaxing and now you have to go back to waking up early every day, doing work, interacting with people, and using the left side of your brain. It’s tough. But when you’re going to a completely new school, it’s even more intimidating. When I was starting my freshman year, I was terrified. Things are scary when you aren’t sure what to expect – it’s a natural response. But don’t fret, I have some tips that may make this transition easier.

When it comes to being prepared, go all out. Print out your schedule, lay out your clothes for a whole week in advance, pack one hundred pencils, write your name on everything you own, check with your friends to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything – now is not the time to worry if people will think you’re going overboard. Having every single school supply that you could possibly need will help calm your nerves indefinitely. Doing this helped me so much in my first few weeks at LM. I felt satisfied with my preparation, and was confident that I would be okay. Once you check everything off of that school materials list in your head, you will feel much more prepared and confident than if you simply throw your computer and a pencil in your backpack.

Don’t. Hate. Your. Teachers. I feel that a common elementary and middle school mindset is “all teachers are bad because they give me homework and tests.”

However, I’ll admit, it’s usually with more complex reasoning. What I’m trying to say is that the workload and responsibilities of school can sometimes lead to a feeling of contempt towards your teachers. But this will be a fatal flaw in your high school career, as teachers are only here to help you. It’s in their own best interest for you to have an A+ in their class. So, remember that you can always lean into their assistance. Trust me, help from your teachers will come in handy throughout your high school career.

In high school, you’ll get homework every day. It’s not much more than middle school, but because of the new and challenging levels at which you’ll be

learning, it will seem like the workload has been considerably escalated. However, there’s an easy way to make sure you don’t slip up and fall behind on all of your work: time management. I know you’ve heard it a million times before, but trust me, time management will be your best friend in high school. You miss one homework assignment one day, and suddenly you have piles of work just waiting to be completed.

You can go from an A+ student to C average in no time. It’s terrifying. But it’s easily controlled by just having a plan – make sure you write down your time management plan for the year and keep it strict. You can’t let yourself start falling behind.

Freshman year is a transformative time in your life. Really, all of high school is. Yet you will notice this the most in your first year at LM. There are so many clubs you haven’t joined and classes you’ve never even heard of. They’re all chances. Chances to enrich your life, keep you busy, and boost those extracurriculars on college applications (not that you need to worry about that right now). Freshman year is the perfect time to try new things. Things you never even thought you’d be into. You always have the ability to switch electives or clubs if you are not loving them, so there is no reason to shy away from opportunities that the school gives. Classes like ceramics or clubs like Players (the theater company), photography club, or a sport. They’re low risk, high reward.

The start of freshman year can be tough. Big changes always bring so many fears, so many ‘what if’s,’ and that can make this time in your life pretty daunting. You might be hesitant to leap into it. You might even want to leap backwards. But trust me, it always turns out okay. Whether it be changes in your friend group, in your daily routine, in your hobbies, life at school will only change for the better. At the beginning of high school, I was terrified of change. Terrified of fading friendships, new people, switching a class, joining or leaving a club. But freshmen year is all about change, and that taught me something valuable. Change doesn’t stand by itself, change leads to growth. Always. So, although some of these big adjustments may seem hard and scary, know that they are just the start to a great high school career.

18

Sports

October 7, 2019

The Merionite

Racing into a great year Sara Braslow ’21 The girls’ cross country team had a memorable season last year. The team finished third in the Central League and fourteenth in District One out of 54 other teams. After such a successful season, the team will be looking to improve upon that foundation this year. The team had been training hard all summer, and through preseason workouts such as mile repeats, hills, and long runs, the team is looking to not only dominate in the Cen-

top seven teams to finish will all qualify for States. Additionally, the top 25 runners to finish individually will qualify. Qualifying for States this year will be especially challenging because District One will have an enormous amount of competition as per usual.

But despite that, the team will continue working hard and setting their bars high for a spot. Although placing fourteenth last year at Districts was a huge

Photo courtesy of Eliza Keefe ’20

LMXC girls compete at Coopertown Elementary to secure their victory against Springfield. tral League, but in the state as a whole. achievement, they will be looking to With a new coach who pushes the improve upon that this year for sure. girls to their limits, strong leadership The junior Sarah Hurst, who had from captains Helena Blobel ’20, Eliza qualified for States individually as both a Keefe ’20, and Elizabeth Graham ’20, freshman and sophomore, expressed and a wide depth of talent through- that “it is always a challenge to qualify out the team, the girls are confident in for States, as we are in one of the most their abilities to achieve their lofty goals competitive districts in the northeast. for this season. According to Blobel, However, as the season goes on and “We were all nervous of what the new we get more solid workouts in, I am season would bring, but after our confident that our hard work will come intense preseason and our first few together on the course. We have a strong meets, we gained the confidence team this year and if we can pull it all that we will definitely be a serious together, this will be the first time in competitor in the Central League this LMXC history that we can qualify for year.” In their first league meet at States as a team.” Only time will tell Penn Wynne Park on September 4 what the team will achieve this season, against Penncrest, Marple Newtown, and and the level of anticipation is immense.

Radnor, Sarah Hurst ’21 took the win with a time of twenty minutes, 41 seconds in hot and humid conditions. Gwen Koziara ’21, Helena Blobel, and Eliza Keefe all had strong races as well, finishing close behind Hurst. The team ran hard, and despite the heat, finished on top against the three other schools in the race.

The first invitational of the season, the Briarwood Invitational, took place on Saturday, September 14, at the Belmont Plateau. This invitational was certainly a test of what the girls could handle since this course in particular was known for its hills and difficult terrain. As expected, the girls ran hard and placed well. To no surprise, the team finished tenth overall and this difficult course definitely helped to prepare the team for later invitationals such as the Paul Short Invite and the Central League Championships meet.

This year, the District meet Photo courtesy of Lower Merion XC Parents will take place at Lehigh University on October 25, and there will The captains are excited after claiming be over fifty teams in attendance. victory against Springfield.

At the District Championship, the

Full speed ahead Jonathan Xu ’22 Copy Editor A thunderous bang resonates across the field. A cascade of runners surges forward, arms and legs flying in all directions, cleats splattering mud everywhere, fanning out across the panoramic course. These runners have all come from various backgrounds and settings, some having only met one another months before. But here, on the course, surrounded by their comrades, they are unified as one. A single team with one objective and soul.

After weeks of intense training over preseason, during which the tenacity of all team members was put to the test, the boys’ cross country team commenced the 2019 season with a blast, infused with relentless energy from a long summer in waiting, as well as ambitious goals for the emerging season. The boys’ coach, David van Houten, had set forth the primary focus of the team as “[progressing] in our training and racing throughout the season so we’re at our best for the League Championship and District Championship meets,” the highly-anticipated climax of the cross country season. However, in order to be adequately prepared for such a daunting challenge, the team had to first double down on their league meets, scattered throughout the months of September and October, during which they would contend against fierce opposition from rivals vying for the top spot in the league as well.

The team kicked off the season with flair in its first league trimeet, in which the boys raced against Penncrest and Radnor on their home course at Penn Wynne Park. The LM squad performed admirably, with frontrunner Joey Litvin ’20 leading the pack to a solid sub-seventeen minute first place finish, and fellow teammates Trey “TJ” Gannon ’21 and Simon Schmeider

their training and striving for improvement. The following week, the LM boys’ outfit journeyed to Conestoga’s home course to challenge its namesake school as well as Ridley. Despite scorching weather conditions and a formidable racecourse, the team proceeded to win the meet by a stunning margin, with all of their seven varsity runners placing within the top ten. But that was only the tip of the iceberg for the LMXC boys.

After easily winning their next home meet the following week against Harriton and Marple Newtown, the boys ventured to the PIAA Foundation XC Invitational near Hershey Park, where over fifty teams from across the state engaged in heated competition for the highly coveted win. The LM boys executed a phenomenal performance that took everyone by surprise by claiming the top spot, in spite of blazing heat and humidity, not to mention a grueling, hilly course. While Litvin scored seventh overall out of 347 runners, Gannon and Schmeider both came through the finish line in the top 25, with Alex Bullard ’22, Robert D’Aquila ’21, David Litvin ’22, and Henry Folk ’21 not far behind.

Having defeated both their rival Penncrest, as well as the second-ranked team in the state, the victory served as a testament of the camaraderie the team has developed amidst intense training together and the unrelenting determination they have to succeed.

With the season still at its midway point, there is still much room for the LMXC boys’ squad to progress and improve. Coach van Houten notes that although the early loss to Penncrest necessitates raising the game for the team, there is still an open shot at finishing first in the league, with the right effort and preparation. He comments that while cross country is not an “instant gratification sport,” the

Photo courtesy of Lower Merion XC Parents

The team celebrates their recent victory at the 13th annual PIAA Foundation XC Invitational in Hershey, PA. ’22 not far behind, taking fourth and fifth place, respectively. Although the LMXC platoon fell short of a victory over Penncrest, they fulfilled the main mission of the day, which was to run in packs and build momentum throughout the third mile of the race, with ten of their runners completing the course in under twenty minutes.

The group’s narrowly missed triumph, however, did nothing to dissuade the LM boys from continuing to pursue their goals; rather, it galvanized the cohort of runners to become more assiduous in executing

running philosophy of LMXC is centered on “consistent training over weeks, months and years [that] leads to individual improvement and great team performances.” Coach van Houten also stresses the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship in the sport, asserting, “We won’t be successful unless every team member is committed.

Everyday in practice we work to develop the relationships and trust that will motivate us to run for each other when it’s time to race. We believe in racing for our teammates and our school and do our best to maintain the tradition of LMXC.”

Sports

October 7, 2019

19

The Merionite

Soccer season kicks-off Elijah Bloch ’22 The LM boys’ soccer team is looking great after an exhaustive three week preseason tryout. With a total of fifteen seniors having graduated from the squad last year, head coach Nico Severini was in search of some new up-and-coming talent to revamp the roster. Losing such a large amount of seniors came with some consequences, as the fifteen boys from last year’s varsity team had great experience to dominate the high school regular season, and made a run when it came time for the playoffs.

However, loss of experience was nothing to dwell upon as the new and improved roster has some formidable talent.

Led by senior captains Phil Monos and Evan Goodman, the young Aces core is composed of some skill and lots of potential talent. The team is made of mostly tenth and eleventh graders, almost all lacking in varsity experience. In addition to the four sophomores making a considerable impact on the success of the team, freshman Sam Nyenka is the youngest player on the steady Aces roster. With such a young core, it should come as no surprise that both goalkeepers, Michael O’Gara ’22 and Sammy Kao ’22, who are just beginning their varsity careers as sophomores,

for redemption and bounced back this year with a conclusive victory at home. Much of the team’s success thus far can be credited to a strong midfield, led by Monos, playing the ball up the field to the strong attack corps of sophomore winger Reid Joseph, junior winger Shane Brown, and forward Downey. In addition to the names mentioned above, the immense impact of the strong defensive core and the overall depth of the roster should not be discounted.

The Aces coaching staff prefer a style of play that requires the team to excel at controlling the midfield, which this year’s roster certainly has managed.

This does not limit the ability of the squad outside of the midfield however. When the Aces maintain possession in the center of the field, they can effectively work the ball up the middle.

However, they also love to play the ball outside to the speedy wingers of this team, who make angling runs in order to play crosses into the box to the head of teammates-the source of what’s been an increasingly effective aerial attack this year. Many of the Aces goals have come off of headers in the box thus far.

Although it’s come to be expected that LM produces some of the top

LMGS takes the lead Teresa Cato ’20 Prospects for the LM girls’ soccer team are higher than they have been in years. After a strong start to their season, boasting a 7-1 record, the team, with a unique balance of youth and experience, expects to go far. Placed ninth in the district, the team contains unbridled potential and a drive that is yet to be matched.

Two of the captains, who are also the team’s only seniors, Teresa Cato ’20 and Aviva Kosto ’20, are immensely excited for the year. “Between the returners and

displays are integral to the team’s morale and is a blueprint for the success LMGS has attained thus far.

Another representative of the junior class is Hannah Shalaby, who leads the team in goals, and would most certainly lead the team in positivity, if it were a stat. She also has tallied countless assists this season, particularly to Kosto. During portions of both her freshman and sophomore seasons, Shalaby had been recovering from injuries, but now com-

Photo Courtesy of Sheryl Garton

The girls huddle together to celebrate a goal in a runaway victory against their district rivals, the Harriton Rams.

Photo courtesy of Min Zhong

Will Pitonyak ’21 steals the ball from a Penncrest attacker as LM fights to secure a win after a dissapointing loss last season to the Lions. will continue to grow and improve with the territory. The boys began their fall season on Friday, August 30 at Avon Grove with a tough first matchup. The Aces came out on top with a 1-0 victory, earning a goal off of the head of Owen Downey ’21. Since then, the group has grown both on the field and off the field. Each contest has granted them the opportunity to improve their team chemistry and adjust their play style as they go. The squad is becoming more fluid each day. Currently undefeated, the Aces have already overcome some notable opponents that have provided early tests for the bunch. Defeating a team like Upper Darby may have seemed a struggle at first, but the LM lineup eventually overpowered the opposition.

Suffering a surprising loss to Strath Haven last season, the Aces yearned

soccer talent in the Central League, this year’s young bunch doesn’t expect a walk in the park winning the league title.

However, given the young core, combined with the experience of the five seniors on the roster, it will certainly be a manageable task for the squad, provided the season goes smoothly. Winning the league is not the only goal of the squad this year though, as they are looking to make a deep run into the playoffs.

There is a long road ahead for the Aces, with many tough opponents still left on the schedule, and the competition will only become stronger come time for playoffs. The Aces are continuing to become better individually and as a unit, an indication that they should have much success in this year’s fall season and into the playoffs. We wish them the best of luck in the upcoming weeks-let’s go Aces!

the freshmen, we see a lot of promise on our team and hope we are able to see Districts and beyond in our final year,” posits Kosto. After suffering a fracture to her L5 vertebra over the summer, she is back at her resident position of center forward.

In the 2018-2019 season, Kosto was voted to first-team All Central League, as well as the team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player. “We’ve been starting for [Lower Merion Girls’ Soccer] for the past four years, and we have come to truly love the program. This year, our team chemistry is unmatched. It’s the best team LMGS has seen in years,” she continues.

Keeping the team’s goals-against numbers low, the backline is composed entirely of tested veterans. Sophomore Roberta Moger is a valuable asset to the team from her station at left full back.

It’s commonplace to see Moger make a tackle, deftly juke three players up the sideline with her dominant left foot, and levy the ball into the box or into the net. Her ability to counter-attack makes her presence on the field invaluable and has led to countless scoring opportunities early on. The defense also includes Cato and junior Ellie Ward as centerbacks, with junior Lily Garton at right fullback. Together they form a cohesive backline that is rarely breached by their opponents.

At attacking center-midfield, junior Maya Masotti is a force to be reckoned with. Seemingly everywhere on the field, Masotti is the backbone of LMGS attack. Her footwork, nimble acceleration, and play-making ability has allowed the team to truly flourish.

In just her freshman year, she earned first-team All Central League and led the team in goals. From there, Masotti’s talent has only crescendoed. She is currently fielding offers to play Division one soccer, and is hoping to make her decision by the end of the year. Serving as one of the captains, she is also a crucial leader for the team; the work ethic and commitment she

ing off her first full preseason, Shalaby has been unstoppable on the right side.

However, the rest of the team’s starting lineup is composed of all new players. Six freshmen have joined the team this year, three of whom are starters.

Left wing Grace Downey ’23 has proved herself to be a powerhouse when it comes to her impact around the crease.

Whether she’s catalyzing a goal via a perfectly placed cross or rocketing the ball through the back of the net herself, Downey has quickly become one of the team’s top scoring options. In the middle of the field are Elly Slensky ’23 and Emma Burke ’23, holding center midfielders. Both girls exhibit such tenacity that they elevate the level of play for the rest of the team, despite their apparent youth. Quick and tireless, the two freshmen are able to fluidly ferry the ball from defense to offense, often positioning the wings for a scoring opportunity. Shalaby, who at right wing also sets the metric for hustle and efficacy on the field, has been immensely impressed by the freshmen: “Not only is the freshman class full of talent and determination, but their high energy brings the team together as a whole.”

Audrey Brown, a junior, also joined the team this year and quickly cemented her position as the starting goalie. Her contribution to the team is not only in safeguarding the net; she also has had multiple shots on goal due to her aptitude for free-kicks.

So far, the girls are off to a terrific season. Talent is present everywhere on the field, but it is not sequestered only to the starting lineup. The deep bench allows the level of play to remain the same after substitutions, and the team is able to keep fresh legs on the field for the entirety of the game. The team is closeknit and enjoys spending time with each other, whether on or off the pitch. Their bond is apparent in their unified playing style, and they hope to carry this cohesion onward far into the postseason.

20

Sports

October 7, 2019

The Merionite

Getting out of the rough Evan Peterson ’20 After a long off-season during the late months of scorching summer, the LM golf team In addition to the late-summer matches against Marple Newtown and Radnor, purposely prepared for the season ahead. Following a rough 2018 season, the team felt that the Aces have faced Garnet Valley, Conestoga, Haverford, Harriton, Strath Havit was ready for redemption in the Central League. The team is loaded with hungry seniors en, and Upper Darby. While the team only came up victorious once, they have taken who have experienced many tribulations but hope to contribute to the some momentous steps in the right direction. One specific perforturnaround, like co-captains Evan Peterson ’20 and Andrew Bonds mance that stood out to the team was the Harriton match. Harri’20, alongside fellow seniors Justin Segal, Ian Hackman, Michael ton, who is likely destined for a Central League title, got the Aces’ Loonstyn, Carson Geis, and Ethan Weisman. Rejuvenated by their best despite the production of freshmen Sydney Yermish. Sydnew coach, Coach Dennis Keenan, in addition to standout freshmen ney was able to post her best high school score at two under par Sydney Yermish and Levi Hannock, the team prepares to make a name 33, in part to an impressive eagle on a par five hole. Ian Hackman for themselves in the Central League with a tough schedule ahead.

‘20 and Adam Chen ‘21 also posted their lowest scores of the year The squad was put through numerous challenging practices in during this match, scoring a 42 and 38 respectively. While the which they proved to be more than prepared for the year, even withsquad lost this match by a score of 194-207, this match gave the out the help of the talented Sydney Yermish ’23 and Adam Chen ’21. team a 24 shot improvement from the opening match of the season.

In their first match, the Aces faced off against their rival, reigning Aside from their play on the course, this team has establishing Central League champion, Radnor. Despite their best efforts, they something it had not had nearly enough of in years past: a sense came up short in the end. The match however, showed the team that of unity. When asked the comradery of the team, Levi Hancock they were capable of putting up more than just a decent score, as it ’23 said that, “As the only freshman boy on the team I was not was 25 strokes better than their score of the first match last season, in sure I would fit in or not on the golf team, especially since there spite of the two missing links. The next match was a tightly contested were seven seniors. But I have formed bonds with all of them and match against Marple Newtown where the Aces fell by a score of 213they have welcomed me on the team. It’s nice to know that I have 219. This was a match where the Aces truly demonstrated their pofriends in grades above me to help me out with anything that I tential, even without the help of the aforementioned Yermish. While need to know about Lower Merion.” Coach Keenan has been a Photo courtesy of Evan Peterson ’20 huge part of this upward trend towards success that the team has the end result was frustrating, the players viewed it as a stepping stone match, and a sign of all the good things to come for the proexperienced this season, which has made it an extremely fun and gram. Carson Geis ’20 also mentioned, “Everyone clearly put in their Carson Geis ’20 practices his entertaining environment. The LM Aces golf team has faced its’ work this summer. Everyone came into the season with a bad taste chipping accuracy for next struggles early in the season, but the long hours of practice and in their mouth after last season, and while the wins haven’t come yet, game. commitment demonstrated by the team are really starting to show. it has been a fun environment with a bunch of great teammates.”

Swinging for the roof Adi David ’20 and Xuan Feldman ’20

Volleyball is a tough sport, both physically and mentally. It requires hours of practice on and off the court. Only the most dedicated of teams, made up of the most hardworking players, are able to thrive. This year’s volleyball team has some of the most committed athletes, who work tirelessly to make this season the most successful one yet. Every athlete on the 28-person team, JV and varsity, shows 100 percent commitment on the court. With every ace, kill, dig, and block, the team gets stronger. In every game and practice, we work as a team to improve the way we play and dominate every single court. “This team is my second family, and one of the most important things to me in the world. Being a part of LMVB makes me so happy and grateful everyday,”says Talia Bierschwale ’21.

The team’s diligent preparation has not gone unnoticed, as it’s commonplace to see many fans coming to matches and cheering on the team. Jon Goldstein, one of this year’s spirit heads, spoke very fondly of experiences at the games, saying, “I thought it was an incredible experience put on by a team full of enthusiastic athletes. Their energy made me care about what was happening because of the amount of effort they brought into every part of the game.”

The team started the season strong with four consecutive wins, and are becoming stronger and developing chemistry game-by-game. In addition, players on the team have been breaking school records at an unprecedented rate . On September 4, Varsity setter Adi David ’20 entered the record book with 222 assists in her career. On September 18, Varsity middle blocker Laila Newborn ’22 broke the record of blocks in a match with 12 timely blocks against Penncrest. Varsity libro, Talia Bierschwale is leading the State aces with over 25 in her career. The season wraps up in mid October with sure-to-be exciting matches against Garnet Valley on the 4, Springfield on the 7, Ridley on the 14, and Radnor on the 16. October 14 is also LMVB Senior Night, a very special night for our graduating seniors that you definitely won’t want to miss!

Photo courtesy of Lauren Perri

The Varsity and Junior Varsity teams have had remarkable success this season.

Freshman Sam Nyenka

Sophomore Caroline Vo

Junior Ethan Blum

Senior Rachel Lappen

What sport(s) do you play?

Soccer What is your greatest athletic achievement?

Making the Varsity soccer team as a freshman What’s your favorite flavor of gatorade?

Lemon lime/grape Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go trick or treating?

Halloween party

What sport(s) do you play?

Volleyball What is your greatest athletic achievement?

Winning first place at a tournament What’s your favorite flavor of gatorade?

Fruit Punch Do you believe in any ‘mythical’ monsters like shadow people?

Yes of course, I swear I saw a spaceship when I was young in a corn maze

What sport(s) do you play?

Cross Country and Tennis What is your greatest athletic achievement?

Winning the Lower Merion Little League championship in 3rd grade Is cereal soup? Why or why not?

No, and if you disagree you are nuts Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go trick or treating?

Definitely trick or treating

What sport(s) do you play?

Tennis What is your greatest a thletic achievement?

Beating Harriton freshman year What do you want to achieve this year?

Make playoffs for the tennis team What’s the funniest thing that’s happened at a practice?

When we found out that our coach is a huge Bachelor in Paradise fan