SENIOR PROJECT RECAP
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Where have the Seniors been the last 4 weeks?
CHANGES TO THE THEATER DEPARTMENT
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The Theater Department is rolling out big changes next year. Find out what they are and the student reaction.
ONE YEAR LATER
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Find out what new teachers finishing out their school year thought about their first year at MFS.
By Henry Powell ’20, Staff Writer
For seniors and freshmen alike, Mr. Brandon has stood as a beacon of welcome for anyone in need of a pick-me-up (or Oreos) for nearly five years. However, this year Mr. Brandon revealed to the MFS community that he would be leaving our community and taking up a new job as the Upper School Director of Francis W. Parker school, located in Chicago, Illinois. He will be succeeded by the current college counselor Meredith Hanamirian. Though difficult, WordsWorth managed to secure an interview with the legend himself to get some of his thoughts.
When asked about why Hanamirian was selected for his position, Brandon replied that “she has great experience here. . . she can come from both a parent and teacher perspective.” He also stated that he was excited to pass his position onto Hanamirian. It seems that the administration is working hard to make the transition smooth, as Brandon and Hanamirian have been meeting for at least two hours a week since she was chosen as his successor. MFS students can rest
assured that all measures are being taken to make sure that Mrs. Hanamirian is ready for her new role.
Mr. Brandon also had a few words of advice for Hanamirian. His was short and simple: “Get out of the office, and be visible.” As many MFS students know, Mr. Brandon is almost never just sitting around in his office and instead is
out and about the school, handing out cookies and giving profound quotes from Drake.
For the final question, Brandon was asked what he wished he could have had done differently during his time as Director. Brandon replied that he wanted to have shadowed students and visited classes earlier, to get a better idea of what he called the “MFS culture.”
Due to the impact Mr. Brandon has had over the years, he himself has become part of the MFS culture. His departure will certainly leave a void in not only the administration, but also the heart of students and teachers alike. However, Mrs. Hanamirian seems to be up to the challenge of becoming a worthy successor.
Dear MFS Upper School,
Thank you for welcoming me with open arms 5 years ago. Thank you for educating me about Quakerism. Thank you for teaching me the value of reflection and the benefits of servant leadership. Thank you for letting me join your class discussions. Thank you for listening to my “thought-provoking” quotes every week. Thank you for welcoming a candy cane and gelt carrying Santa Claus to your classrooms.
How does your course selection form turn into a full schedule? We go one-on-one with Mr. Omilian. Page 3
I will miss the energy and excitement on campus at the start of the year. I valued my time spending countless periods talking with students (even if they just
wanted candy), faculty/staff (even if they just wanted candy) and family members about anything and everything MFS. The love and pride in the people associated with MFS cannot be duplicated. I don’t know how I can begin to the explain the pride I have in the Upper School during Spirit Week. I was always impressed by the drive and commitment of each grade as they worked toward building a united and inclusive community through the slimy fish toss, eliminator, hallway decorating and their air band performances. I will miss Meeting for Worship, community forums and an always amazing Soul Food Fest (among a long list of events). I hope you continue to value different perspectives, celebrate all forms of diversity and embrace the tensions that challenge the Upper School to grow. You are lucky to have such a supportive, caring and thoughtful learning environment. Thank you for reminding me how much we can learn from each other inside and outside of the classroom. Thank you for allowing me to be your Upper School Director.
By Aaron Klein ’17, Art and Design Director
Congratulations to the new MFSWordsWorth Editorial Board for the 2017-2018 school year. Page 3
Meredith Hanamirian is a lot of things: MFS parent, Director of College Counseling, and resident friendly face at MFS. Starting next year, there will be a new item added to that list: Upper School Director. With the new school year approaching, WordsWorth sat down to talk with Mrs. Hanamirian to see how she is feeling about her upcoming position.
When asked about what she is looking to change next year, Hanamirian said: “My idea is to go in and get the lay of the land. . .I feel for the most part our community
“My idea is to go in and get the lay of the land.”
is very happy, so I wouldn’t want to go in and make any big changes.” She did say that an important issue to her is the Upper School dress code. “I think that really needs to be addressed.” When asked
if she hoped to add any new programs to the Upper School, she said that she would like to put her own personal mark on some existing programs, “making sure that those programs are as strong as they can be before adding anything new.” Mrs. Hanamirian also told WordsWorth that there is some pressure in following in the footsteps of Mr. Brandon.
Go Foxes!
“Every director will bring their own personality to the job and complement it in different ways. . .I am not looking to be a replica of Mr. Brandon, but I really value some of the things he has done.” She also said that she is known well by students, so, as she said, “there is less pressure for me to come into the community and prove myself.” We asked her what she has been doing to prepare for her new job. “I have been going to a lot of meetings!” she laughed. “[Mr. Brandon] and I sit down regularly to talk about the transition.” She noted that the meetings have been extremely helpful. WordsWorth also asked Mrs. Hanamirian what she hoped to take away from her new job. “Mr. Brandon has done an excellent job building community. . .[and] he has started a lot of traditions like Oreo Friday and quotes after Meeting For Worship. . .I hope to learn more about continuing traditions and building community.” WordsWorth asked Mrs. Hanamirian to sum up how she felt about her new job. She answered with joy in her voice and a smile on her face. “I am so excited. . .I am excited for the challenge, I am excited to interact with students in different ways, and to interact with faculty in different ways.” Mrs. Hanamirian’s first year as Upper School Director will be the 2017-18 school year, and everyone is excited to see what she has in store for MFS.
Monday, June 1st, 2017
By Chloe Jones ’18, Editor In-Chief
Each spring, the Senior class disappears during the month of May on their individual Senior Projects, leaving the rest of the school behind to transition into a month without them. With no Seniors on the hallway or facing benches, what are they up to? WordsWorth spoke to a few Seniors to highlight just a few of the numerous interesting projects they are working on.
Charles Kropiewnicki is doing his Senior Project at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in Philadelphia. The Penn Working Dog Center serves as a training facility for working dogs in various areas of work, most famously ovarian cancer detection.
At the Penn Vet Center, Kropiewnicki has been busy working with the facility’s dogs on a daily basis. “I walk dogs, play with dogs, help train dogs, and clean up after dogs,” he said. Describing his time thus far, Kropiewnicki said simply, “I’ve learned what it means to love your job,” indicating a successful Senior Project experience.
Zachary Swope is spending his Senior Project at the Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge and Sanctuary. Working there, his daily activities mainly consist of caring, cleaning, and medicating the animals at the facility. Despite getting “a bit, scratched, growled at, and pooped on” on a daily basis Swope described, he is extremely enjoying his project experience. “I do enjoy handling and making sure that the animals that live around here are going to have a future here healthy and happily,”
Dragon Ding is spending his Senior Project at Seabox, “a company that designs, modifies, and manufactures ISO containers,” according to Ding. While Ding began the project with an interest in Computer Aided Design, his boss at the company introduced him to every step in the production of their products.
“Using basic measurements, I draw the product in 3D and then transfer it into a 2D template with the dimensions for the construction crew,” Ding explained. Despite his limited experience in engineering, Ding expressed that he is having fun with his project. He especially enjoys seeing the measurements he makes become physical products.
As for his favorite aspect of the project, Ding said, “The best part is, I don’t make the coffee as an intern, I drink the coffee the other engineers make!”
Maura DiVentura has been working at the company IntApp, a business centered around providing assistance to law firms in the form of technology. At the company, she works under the VP of new markets. Specifically, DiVentura has been spending her time researching new clients for her boss, in order to better orient him with new sales.
“Last week I went to meetings in New York and D.C. where we met with potential clients and provided a demo of IntApps products,” DiVentura explained. As for the benefits of the project, DiVentura said,“ It’s been a really great experience especially because this field of business is something that I’m interested in pursuing.”
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2017
By Esha Nitoor, Print Editor
This year, the MFS Consumer Bowl Team ranked third out of seventy-four teams in the state finals. The team comprised three seniors, Alex Horn, John Barton, Alex Barrett, and two freshmen, Josh Strauss and Bailey Butterworth.
The Consumer Bowl is a quiz show that tests the participants on various aspects of consumer affairs. These issues could be anything from junkyard ID theft to a board of cosmetology. The competition is divided into three rounds: individual, team, and lightning. In the individual round, each member must answer a question by themselves. In the team round, the whole team is asked three questions in relation the the Consumer Bowl topics. Then it’s off to the lightning round, where the team is asked a series of twenty questions that are worth the most points. This is the most important round in the competition because the team could lose points if they answer wrong or early.
This year’s consumer bowl was organized by the team captain, Alex Horn, and supervised by Mrs. van Tijn. The team prepares for this event by having study sessions where they study one to two-page briefs on each topic of the Consumer Bowl. They practice by quizzing each other and trying to memorize as much as possible before the big event.
When asked how he felt during the competition, team
member Josh Strauss
replied “I get nervous beforehand, but I am able to focus before during the competition. It’s very exhilarating because, personally, I like being quizzed, so I enjoy the atmosphere of Consumer Bowl.”
The MFS Consumer Bowl Team is now looking for new members to replace the three seniors they will lose at the end of the year.
By Julia Holiday ’20, Staff Writer
Have you ever wondered what goes into making your schedule and how every class fits in perfectly? The answer is a lot of time and effort that goes into the process by teachers, with one in particular—Mr. Omilian.
The scheduling process starts between January and February, and doesn’t end until early September. It’s a collaborative effort; in January and February, Mr. Omilian checks with teachers to see if any of their assignments are changing or if they are moving on with their material. After that, he collects information from the students on what courses they want.
“As you probably know, Juniors and Seniors have greater variety of what they can take than the other [grades]. And what I do is spend a lot of time collating all that information, figuring out if the person who’s taking AP Spanish is also taking physics, and I try to make it have as minimal conflicts as I can. And then, I start grouping all the teachers and staffing to make sure there’s no conflicts with them or their classrooms. And then I compare that to what the students want and try to make everything work.”
Have you ever thought about what happens during the add/drop process? It all depends on when someone is dropping a class. “If they’re dropping or adding a class before I start entering everything in the computer, it’s a five or ten minute conversation. The student has to tell me what classes they want to drop or add, and I have to check to see if that makes conflicts for them.” Omilian suggests that students check with the college guidance office to make sure that the classes they are interested in fit with what guidance recommends in terms of college selections. Once he gets all of the “ok”s, he can start making changes. If someone wishes to add and drop a course after June, everything in the computer must be changed, and it can take between 30 to 45 minutes per student.
The scheduling process is complicated and seems never-ending, but thanks to Mr. Omilian and the staff that help out, students don’t have to worry.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/BLOG EDITOR – Chloe Jones
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/FOX TRACKS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – Andrew Rowan
COPY EDITOR – Ali Chesnick
PRINT EDITOR – Esha Nittoor
ART AND DESIGN DIRECTOR – Aaron Klein
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR – Andrew Shah
ASSOCIATE BLOG EDITOR – Yashnoor Kaur
STAFF WRITERS – Henry Powell and Sam Abiola
ADVISERS – Diana Day and Deb Galler
June 6, 2017
By Ali Chesnick ‘19, Copy Editor
like environmental theatre; using alternative spaces literally as what they are: something set in a cafeteria would be actually done in, for instance, the Dining Hall Commons. Or, you could have theatre that moves from one space to another space, and the audience and the players move from one place to another.”
MFS Drama director Angela Wertner will be teaching the minor course dedicated to the play next year and she plans to utilize every second of her minor block, which will meet 3 times a cycle, to rehearse. When students aren’t being used in rehearsal they will be expected to “be working on intention and running through lines.” She believes that the constant grind will draw the cast closer together, saying, “I think that we always end up just, you know, running together in that last week when we finally have everyone and everybody starts to bond, but think that idea of really creating a really great ensemble is something that this class will really work for.”
One of the major questions Upper School drama enthusiasts asked following the email announcement was how Ms. Wertner is going to cast the show without auditions. In response to this, she explained, “There are definitely going to be readings that will take place in those first couple of weeks, where we work. But it’s gonna be more of a process, more of a ‘let’s work on
this together … let’s see how the characters are growing’ before we put people into places.” She also said that the reasoning for not having a formal audition process was to take the pressure off of students who may be nervous to put themselves out there at a big audition.
Following the completion of the production in March, Wertner plans to transform the class into a director’s workshop where students direct each other in scenes or monologues, which will then be performed for their peers either in an assembly or elsewhere. By teaching direction, Wertner will be able to allow student actors to explore their craft from more than one angle.
Despite all of these interesting new ideas, student actors still have some concerns about what the new program will be like.
One participant in the Drama Program, Freshman Calvin Bell, is worried about scheduling conflicts: “I think they’re trying to accommodate students’ schedules, especially since some students do sports, like myself … but I honestly think that now since it’s during the school and it has to be a minor period it takes away the time where we can do … things like choir, Sports Lit, or any other activity.”
Mariana Goldlust, an avid actress and
participant in many MFS performances, said she thinks that the minor block detracts from the validity of the play: “I think that [the minor block] almost demotes the performance altogether because its not really considered another thing that we’re doing after school, that we’re working on every single day … it’s taking away what made it special, to have a separate rehearsal time.”
The new program
By
however, the work is just getting started.
Tuesday, May 23rd, the candidates running for positions in Sophomore Cabinet gave speeches to the entire grade during First Period Prep. One would be inclined to think, “This will just take a few minutes, right?” Well, that line of thinking turned out to be way off, as an astounding 17 members of the class of 2019 gave speeches on why they were qualified to be elected to officer positions. WordsWorth interviewed some candidates about why they and so many others decided to run for office.
We asked two questions: Why do you think so many people decided to run, and do you think participation will remain high next year? The answers we received were mixed.
The Vice President for the 2016-2017 school year and Presidential Candidate Dylan Zhou said, “I personally believe that after seeing what the previous class officers have done and with the ‘Junior Nightmare’ looming they want to make this year a memorable experience, and do as much as they can planning out Spirit Week, Hallway, and Airband Meetings. Things like that are probably the general driving force as to why so many people are running this year.” Zhou also cited the rivalry between the 2018 and 2019 classes (during Spirit Week) as a big reason for the jump in the number of participants.
Vice Presidential Candidate Jordan Edelstein said that he thought so many people ran this year because people have become more familiar with the school’s environment and are comfortable with their classmates. He continued to say that the comfortable setting led to people wanting to be in a position of leadership.
Presidential Candidate Micaela Coll stated, “I think a lot of people are concerned with Spirit Week and Prom next year, and think they want to have a hand in that.” When asked if she thinks the number of candidates will remain high for next year, she replied, “I don’t think so; the Junior Class this year doesn’t have a lot of people running because who wants to be president for one year when you don’t set up a lot?”
To
Editor’s Note: The WordsWorth Staff has been hard at work on in-depth, feature stories. Each story with multimedia content is posted in full on our website, MFSWordsWorth.com. Please enjoy the excerpts and previews below.
By Ali Chesnick, Andrew Rowan, Andrew Shah, Esha Nittoor, and Sam Abiola
In the last few months, Healthy Foods By Choice, the company that manages food service in the Dining Hall Commons, has been a topic of frustration among staff and students. These complaints spanned a vast range of topics from the prices to Barb Caden being fired from the Dining Hall. Many complain that the Dining Hall has an unfair monopoly over the students purchasing lunch. Teachers have noticed an increase in students ordering food for delivery from Main Street during their lunch period.
Choice Foods Inc., Healthy Foods by Choice’s parent company, was originally a caterer for the school’s development events. The company didn’t originally have a school lunch program, but the school was eager to try the company out since it was a local business. Because MFS is a small school, finding lunch providers is often hard because companies often need a certain amount of people to purchase food in order to make a profit.
WordsWorth took a comprehensive look into the Prices in the DNC, the To Go Prices in the DHC, Contract Prices, and People Ordering Out.
PRICING
In order to better understand student complaints, WordsWorth sent out a poll (via e-mail) that asked the students how favorably they viewed the Dining Hall’s prices and why they ordered out instead of eating food from the Dining Hall. On a scale from zero to ten (zero being very unfavorable and ten being very favorable), the average rating across the three grades was a 3.86 out of 10. We also collected some video of students answering these pressing questions.
“Main Street has become an increasingly popular food alternative for sudents.”
The direct relationship between food quality and pricing was a common complaint among students, and many said that high Dining Hall prices led them to go to Main Street, but as Director of Finance and Operations Lisa Carbone Warren pointed out, not all meals are equal. In response to a question about difference in prices between the Dining Hall and Main Street, Carbone Warren told WordsWorth that while students may get cheaper food on Main Street, it is not necessarily healthy food.
TO GO PRICING
To go containers are a hot point with students’ and faculty’s frustration with the Dining Hall Commons. There is an additional charge for taking disposable containers: $0.30 for salad clamshells, $0.20 for hot and sandwich boats, and $0.10 for plastic cups…. When pressed about the contradiction between Upper School administration constantly encouraging students to leave the Dining Hall to go to clubs, which would end up costing students more money, Carbone Warren asked for suggestions from the student body for better solutions. She added, “They are expensive, and they are just charging what it costs [Choice Foods] to get them.”
By Alex Horn, Ewan Larkin, Aaron Klein, Henry Powell, Dylan Carilli, and Noah Magaziner.
Academic dishonesty is a problem that plagues the entire nation, yet while most people would agree that it is wrong on principle, that does not seem to stop them from doing it. The adage “cheaters never prosper,” may apply in some situations, but in high school, the very opposite is true: nationally speaking, the majority of high school students cheat, and the majority of cheaters are never caught.
According to a Rutgers University survey of over 24,000 students at 70 separate high schools, 64 percent of students have cheated on a test or examination at least once; that number balloons up to an astounding 95 percent if one includes copying homework as a form of cheating. Essay assignments fare hardly better: 58 percent of high school students have committed plagiarism. And despite all efforts to stop cheating, those numbers are only rising. The 64 percent of students who have cheated on tests is up from 60 percent in 2004, while the 58 percent of students plagiarizing assignments was only 36 percent but a few years ago. To put the numbers in a more historical perspective, only 20 percent of college freshmen cheated in high school according to surveys conducted in the 1940’s. Today, that number is closer to 95 percent. Partially, this rise in cheating can be attributed to the relatively new ubiquity of the Internet and other technology, which have provided safer, easier avenues for cheating. But just as concerning as the new methods of cheating is the new mindset: increasingly, while students may publicly condemn cheating, they privately consider it a necessary evil, or not even an evil at all. With college admissions becoming ever more competitive, and the pressure to get an A or be the best unrelenting, even the brightest students -- people more than capable of mastering the material -- are turning to cheating to get a leg up. According to a Who’s Who Among American High School Students survey, up to 80 percent of the best students in the country cheated at least once to lock down a spot in the top of their graduating classes. With the not-unfounded belief that all of their fellow students are cheating as well, academic dishonesty has become normalized to the point where many students feel justified in committing it. 93 percent of respondents who admitted to academic dishonesty still claimed to be satisfied with their own ethics and character; 59 percent agreed with the idea that in order to be successful, “what others consider cheating” may be justified. Clearly, there is strong inner bias at works; while students may disparage cheating in some contexts, when it comes to the kind that benefits them, they feel either that the ends justify the means, or that since everyone is cheating, they are simply leveling the playing field. Yet despite the widespread, partially subconscious belief that cheating is okay, its negative effects cannot be ignored. Cheating disadvantages honest students who choose to maintain their principles; it calls into question the validity and comparability of student scores and achievements; it ill-prepares students for the real world, where such easy shortcuts as cheating are either impossible or illegal; and most simply, it robs from the opportunity to actually master the material they are learning.
“The majority of high school students cheat, and the majority of cheaters are never caught.”
Read more on MFSWordsWorth.com
Dining Hall patrons may have also noticed a new $0.10 charge for plastic SOLO cups. Carbone Warren was originally unaware of the new charge at our interview and said that Healthy Foods by Choice was not permitted to introduce new charges during the school year….
The average cost of a full contract meal per day is approximately $10.33. The average cost of a full contract meal plan per school year is $1,225.00. The potential lunch cost per school year of a student who is not on contract is $1,705.00.
ORDERING OUT
Ordering food from Main Street has become an increasingly popular food alternative for students. Though only seniors and, at a certain point, juniors can use their privileges to go “uptown” for lunch or on free periods, many underclassmen have found a way around that by using their cellphones to order food from Main Street restaurants.
By
Chloe Jones, Kayleigh Schweiker, Julia Holliday, Yashnoor Kaur, and Noah Magaziner
Student discussion regarding the MFS dress code seems to run on a seasonal cycle, arising as a topic of controversy every spring as students switch their winter sweaters for their spring shorts. This year was no different—from bralettes, ripped jeans, and other modern fashion trends that often violate the dress code, to the methods of enforcement of the school’s rules, to the very societal “norms” and gender roles suggested by the code itself, both students and faculty are affected by the dress code every single day. “Our current dress code is around 18 or 19 years old,” according to Dean of Students Michael Brunswick. “It was just before I became Dean, so probably right in there,” he described. A committee of MFS teachers and faculty members has recently been established in response to issues surrounding the dress code. Religion Department Chair Dan Christy Randazzo described the goal of the committee: “The goal is to revisit the dress code,” he said. “It hasn’t been looked at in a while, and see if the concerns of the people...whenever the dress code was reimagined several years ago, to see if that actually still applies, if we have changed, where we want to go with the dress code, and if that fits issues of current fashion, issues of where we as a faculty are now, issues of where the school is, and if dress codes are actually something we want to engage in. We are open to all questions,” he concluded.
One of the largest issues relating to the dress code has been the inconsistency and the means of enforcement. The issues with enforcement seem to lie with the range of willingness from teachers to enforce the rules, contributing to an inconsistency in who is dress-coded, and the appearance that a select population of students are frequently dress-coded, as well as the context of the interaction between a faculty member and the student being dress-coded. While History Department Head Clark Thomson has informed students in the past that their attire may have been “inappropriate,” he expressed confusion relating to the enforcement of certain fashion trends. Whereas, Brunswick explained how he recognizes the age of the dress code and the current and evolving fashion trends. “There are things with jeans and frays that are now sold, and things like that we are a little more lenient on,” he said. While ripped jeans are against the dress code, he tries to use judgement while keeping in mind trends. “But when you have these big gaping holes in the pants, that really breaks the trust and the code itself,” he said, addressing the fine line between the amount of rips in an appropriate pair of jeans. “So while people may see that an inconsistency, I see it as us being lenient to the trends and things like that,” Brunswick added.
“One of the largest issues...has been the inconsistency and the means of enforcement.”
No matter how amusing it is to hear Brunswick pronounce the word “bralette,” it is a fact stated by Brunswick himself that bralettes are against the MFS dress code. This interpretation has angered many students, particularly due to the fact that bralettes have transitioned into fashion because of the bad rap surrounding the visibility of bra straps. In addition, bralettes have become a prominent fashion trend, sold in almost every popular clothing store. Interestingly, bralettes are not entirely new; students at MFS have been wearing bralettes since last spring, when the trend first started. However, bralettes have peaked in popularity this spring.
WordsWorth polled 127 MFS students, and when asked what they would change about the dress code if they could, numerous students commented that they wished the code allowed visible bralettes. Commenting on the practicality of shopping, another student said, “Bras that 100% do not show are hard to find.” Another student added, “I would allow bralettes to be shown because they are worn to be showed off or cover you more.”
Overall, WordsWorth was able to look at student issues with the dress code, with a focus on the inconsistency and method of enforcement of the rules, specific trends such as bralettes and ripped jeans, and the commentary the dress code makes on gender roles in society. Dialogue both within and between students and faculty has begun, tackling the many issues and concerns with the dress code within the MFS community. While a faculty committee has already been established, MFS student government has discussed in Agenda the possibility of establishing a student committee in September, hoping to continue the seemingly seasonal dress code debate and modernize the decade old dress code. Read more on MFSWordsWorth.com
Monday, June 1st, 2017, 2017
By Barbra Caden
Dear Moorestown Friends’ Students, Faculty, Staff, and Administration,
I am overwhelmed with all of the heartfelt letters and cards in which you expressed your love for me. I am truly thankful for all of the wonderful gifts you have given me.
I am so blessed to have an extended family at MFS. I love you all and I am truly sorry that I was not given the chance to say goodbye. I love all of you: the faculty, staff, administration, and the wonderful students.
I am wishing all of the Seniors graduating this year a prosperous future, filled with love and happiness.
I miss you all tremendously and my heart is forever touched by all of your love and generosity.
Love always, Barbra Caden
By Andrew Rowan ‘19 Editor-in-Chief/Foxs Tracks Executive Producer and Ali Chesnick ‘19, Copy Editor
Walk into any class in the Upper School, and you’re bound to see at least one student spinning a three pronged object centered by a protruding circle.
Fidget Spinners are currently the hottest thing on the toy market. At the time of this article, all different variations of spinners filled the top #20 spots on Amazon’s Toy Best Seller page.
“I really like spinning it and I’m a very fidgety person in general, so spinning it allows me to focus more,” said junior Yashnoor Kaur.
Many ads and packaging note that the spinners improve focus and help manage things like ADHD. Scott Kollins, a clinical physiologist and professor at Duke University told NPR, “There’s no evidence to support [the] claim [that they improve focus.” He noted that there was no clinical research.
The misunderstanding is from different, past clinical research. There have been studies that fidgeting can help improve focus in children with ADHD. The movement makes the regions of the brain that aren’t equal with the other regions slow down or speed up accordingly to match the rest of the brain’s speed. This allows the brain to focus on the task at hand. However, the fidgeting with a spinner doesn’t work in every case. Experts told TIME Magazine that playing with the spinner does not produce the same results as actual fidgeting.
So, where did the idea for the Spinner come from? Catherine Hettinger, a tourist visiting her sister in Israel in the 1980s, saw young boys throwing rocks at police officers. After brainstorming, she found a way to curb their energy, and thought that toying with little spinners would give them something to occupy themselves.
“It started as a way of promoting peace and then I went on to find something that was very calming,” Hettinger told MONEY.com. After being rejected by Hasbro over 20 years ago, Hettinger got a patent on her product. It has since expired. Since the toys come in different designs from a variety of companies, including Hasbro, she does not make any money off the devices.
“I don’t like how the teachers are against the idea of the spinners because it really helps people, and a few people misusing it shouldn’t prevent other people [getting a chance to use it],” added Kaur.
Upper School Science Teacher John Winter gave his insight on the purpose of spinners and their recent popularity.
“I think they are a fad; they’re something to play with. I don’t think that they probably help most people to stay focused and … I don’t expect that they’ll be around for very long, because there’s sort of a limited number of tricks and things you can do with them.”
In keeping with his view that spinners are a toy, Mr. Winter has been known to confiscate spinners from students during class. History teacher Eliza McFeely told WordsWorth that she gets easily distracted and when students in her class use the spinners, she can’t pay attention.
The policy regarding Fidget Spinners vary among the three divisions at MFS. Upper School Dean of Students Mike Brunswick told WordsWorth that there was no rules against the Spinners, and he has heard that students are using them “responsibly.”
Middle School Director Kimberly Clarkson told MS faculty in a bulletin to “set
By Alex Horn ’17, Editor In-Chief
I have now come to the close of a four-year career writing and editing MFS WordsWorth; if you include my ungainly formative years on The Middle School Murmur, my time as a journalist at MFS inflates to seven years, a number which astonishes me. With seven whole years to work with, I could have used the time I spent writing here to earn a degree from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then again, the Harry Potter books never do mention Hogwarts having a school paper, so I suppose I wouldn’t have liked it there. I can’t imagine my high school years without WordsWorth.
I started at WordsWorth as a wide-eyed freshman, armed only with a love of writing and a deep-seated fear of Ms. Galler, who reminded me of my eldest sister in a way that made me afraid I was about to get in trouble. As I moved through the ranks of the paper, I learned so much from the talented writers and editors who came before me — Maura Aleardi, Jared Edelstein, and Ed Gelernt, to name just a few — and discovered that it took more than a talent for snarky words to make a journalist. It took levelheadedness, patience, teamwork, and above all else, an indomitable work ethic. I like to think that, even if I still lack one or more of those qualities, I am far closer to embodying them than I was as a freshman, and the lessons I drew from the editors-in-chief before me have a lot to do with that.
Diana Day’s constant pushing of her student journalists to go the extra mile, which she backed up by example with her tireless hours of work, not only made every piece of journalism we put out possible, but also inspired us to dream bigger.
I even overcame my fear of Debra Galler — turns out she’s much less frightening once you learn to understand her sense of humor — which was lucky, because she turned out to be my favorite teacher, wisest mentor, and most frequent confidante throughout high school, even if we still disagree on mostly everything.
It was an absolute honor writing as part of WordsWorth for the past four years, and an even greater one to serve at its editor-in-chief this year. I’m proud of the work we did. Our Inauguration Issue and other political content provided a forum for open, constructive discussion between those of all perspectives, and stood up against those too closeminded to listen. Our coverage of controversial issues throughout the school community, from pricing in the dining hall to academic dishonesty in the classroom, was hard-hitting but fair and informative.
And proudest for me, our April Fools edition, the resurrection of which I consider to be my greatest achievement as editor-in-chief, was not only hilarious, but brilliantly satirical. While I’ve always enjoyed parody journalism — it merges my two great loves, humor and writing — and was proud of my own contributions, the best part of that issue for me was seeing what my younger journalists produced. Andrew Shah’s ode to Mr. Obermeier’s Coca-Cola habit and Aaron Klein’s caricature of a robotic Mecha-Brunswick in particular have me laughing to this day.
I am sad to leave the WordsWorth staff, but I am also thrilled knowing that I leave it in more than capable hands — hands more capable, dare I say, than my own. Chloe Jones and Andrew Rowan, next year’s co-editors-in-chief, are utterly brilliant, and I cannot wait to see what they produce.
To the MFS community, it was a thrill to write for and be read by you. And to the staff of WordsWorth, it was a privilege to work with you. Good luck, and keep writing.
— Alex Horn, Editor-In-Chief 2016-2017
boundaries that they see appropriate in their classroom.” This could include the free use or the banning of the spinners. She encourages teachers to seek out alternatives like the cubes or sliders, which many be less of a distraction. Lower School Director Kelly Banik stated a similar policy, adding that once “fidget Spinners become a distraction rather than a helpful tool, a teacher will set parameters on their use.”
“Although I know they’re just a phase, they bring my momentary joy,” said sophomore Cameron Stirner as he spun a metallic spinner sitting during a study hall. When asked if it helped him focus, he said it was “just a toy to play with.” Many, like Cameron, agree that the devices are a phase and will go away relatively soon.
For now, the spinners will keep turning.
By Andrew Rowan ’19, Editor-in-Chief/Fox Tracks Executive Producer
For the past 6 years, behind a tall wooden desk and a metal stand with her name engraved on a blue plate, Michelle Horton has sat as the school’s morning receptionist in the Stokes Hall Lobby, watching as hundreds of students and faculty walk past her every day. In honor of her retirement in just a few days, WordsWorth decided to take a look at the woman behind the desk.
“[I’m motivated] by the fact that we don’t have a lot of time to waste,” said Horton. She added that she is purposeful with whatever she chooses to do. “By understanding that I don’t have forever to use, I will make use of that time vibrantly—learning who I am—always learning.”
Horton stated that she is deeply motivated by love, peace, and hope. She loves laughter, too, especially when it comes from little kids or as a result of corny jokes. “I absolutely love corny jokes.”
“I grew up in South Philadelphia. . .I lived in a house that was full of love. We were poor, but we always had lots of love in the house.” She lived with her mother, uncle, aunt, and sister. They ate dinner together every single night. Horton noted that they did a lot together as a family. In her neighborhood, Horton said she had a community of people looking after her. “If a neighbor saw you do something you weren’t supposed to be doing, you knew she was going to tell your mother. Everyone was looking out for you. We had a whole community of people parenting us.”
“My mom was single, because my dad died, but my mom kept going and tried to do what was right and raised us to be kind and mannerful even though the world wasn’t always kind to us.” Her mother, now 91, grew up in North Carolina. “She picked cotton on the farm. That is what you did- you didn’t really put a lot of effort into going to school.” Horton admitted that she wished she was pushed more to get an education when she was younger. She hopes to go back to school after retirement.
In the middle of our interview, which took place on the inside of the Stokes Hall desk, Horton greeted a perspective teacher visiting for a job in the Lower School. “Welcome to Moorestown Friends,” Horton said with a smile, “a little rainy out there, huh?” The day’s forecast was nonstop downpour all day, and during our interview dozens of drenched people came in and out of the door. She greeted each of them with a little wave or smile as we were talking.
“I see a lot, I hear a lot, and I know a lot. And I have to juggle all of that.”
Many community members might be unaware that she is an Associate Pastor at her church when outside of school. “My role is to really organize the administrative part of the church. There is the business side and the spiritual side and then put those two things together.” She leads a leadership group and tries to mentor them to be better leaders so the group can better serve their community.
“Faith. . .has influenced me to trust someone higher than me and greater than me. My faith is my foundation for everything. I don’t know where I would be [without it]…I feel like that is why I was born. I was born to give out what was inside of me and give that to the next person, so it passes from generation to generation.”
I asked Horton if she had anything that changed her life and put her on the path to what she was doing today. Her life changed the most in the two year period of time where she lost her brother, father, nephew and got a divorce. “I had to deal with the hardness of life and how to get through that and not come out disheartened myself.” She encourages young MFS students going through their own hardships to know that they should keep going, because they will get through it. “It seems so hard when you are at a loss. But know that you can see a light even when there is darkness. If you keep
going you get stronger.”
She also explained how her trip to Ghana, Africa changed her life. “I just connected with my ancestors and the slaves that were there and how they were taken. It changed my life to appreciate those people who paved the way for me to be a woman of color in a world that is not always kind.”
She carries a rock from Africa in her bag. “When I get frustrated, I pull out that rock and remind myself that it’s not as hard as I think it is.”
To lighten the mood, we talked about her favorite things to do. On the weekend, she said she was “born to dance.” Her favorite type of music is smooth jazz, old school rhythm and blues, and gospel. Her favorite quote comes from her favorite book, the Bible, and it is Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” She frequently finds herself on Facebook. Horton wants everyone to know that she really enjoyed working at Moorestown Friends School. She plans to work more at her church, take care of her mom, take walks, and travel more. She is a big fan of the Caribbean’s clear water and has visited many times.
When asked about what it is like to be on the other side of the desk, Horton responded: “I see a lot, I hear a lot, and I know a lot. And I have to juggle all of that.”
WordsWorth wishes Michelle Horton congratulations on her retirement.
By Andrew Rowan, Editor-in-Chief/Fox Track Executive Producer and Sam Abiola ’18, Staff Writer
“It’s a family,” said Mary Ann Griffis immediately when asked what she thought of MFS. Arriving in 1978, Mary Ann Griffis will be retiring this year after 38 years at MFS.
“I’ve never woken up in the morning and said, ‘Ugh, I need to go to work.’ That is because doing this never feels like work.” Griffis added that she has great colleagues that she gets to work with every day.
“Doing this never feels like work.”
Griffis told WordsWorth that she is also amazed at watching everyone grow up from Lower Schoolers to Seniors and then Alumni. “I remember one Alumni came in and I asked him, ‘What are you doing now?’ and he told me that he was a lawyer and I said, ‘I am not surprised! You used to argue about everything!’ So it is really cool to see how people develop from young kids to grown adults.”
The community may be surprised to know that Griffis was a music teacher for four years before she became a librarian. When asked what she thinks is a must-read, she replied “Hidden Figures.” Griffis said she read the book and saw the movie with two of her granddaughters. In general, she said, people should “definitely read the book before watching the movie.”
During retirement, Griffis will be travleing to Arizona for a visit with her sister. She also will be traveling to see her family, which is spread across the country. She
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