34 01

The Milton Paper THE GRADUATION EDITION

JUNE 10, 2016

MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Milton v. Milton

Bottled Up

VOL. 34, NO. 1

A Complicated Relationship

A Modern Luxury

By Michelle Erdenesanaa In a recent Upper School survey made by the Sustainability Board, 70% of respondents admitted that they buy SmartWater from the bookstore and/or the Snack Bar, despite the fact that 67%, just shy of that same number, said that they own a reusable water bottle. Even if the majority of buyers don’t own reusable bottles, a huge portion of respondents own one and still buy SmartWater.

The bookstore reports that about a whole case of SmartWater is sold every day at Milton.

The bottled water is distributed by Glacéau and Energy Brands, a Cola-Cola subsidiary known for its variety of enhanced waters. Since it is distributed by an energy drink brand, SmartWater is technically classified as a sports and energy drink rather than bottled water.

Each liter contains 10 mg of potassium and calcium and 15 mg of magnesium.

Although these supplements sound good to the average consumer, these values make up only 1 to 4% of the daily recommended value of each of these three minerals, making SmartWater’s “energy drink” title bogus. In reality, one does not get a significant health benefit from drinking SmartWater instead of tap water, which also contains calcium and magnesium, anywhere besides rare areas of contamination like Newark, NJ, Flint, MI, and St. Joseph, LA. Besides, despite its classification as a sports drink, SmartWater is primarily seen by consumers as just water. So if SmartWater’s prevalence at Milton has little to do with lack of reusable bottles or with the product’s negligible supplements, its popularity must be due to convenience.

Just like any other bottled water, SmartWater is a shining symbol of convenience and ease--an emblem of modern luxury. In a 2007 article titled “Bottled Convenience,” The Economist stated that, in most cases, buying bottled water is “about time and energy savings for consumers.” That “energy” is

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 DARE CAMPAIGN UPDATE page 4

By Marshall Sloane Many Milton Academy students perceive the relationship between Milton Academy and the Town of Milton as contentious. The interactions between Academy students and Milton High School students tell the whole story. Milton Academy students have told the same stories about a Milton High student honking his horn to scare a group of freshmen, tossing trash at a Hathaway boarder walking back to her dorm, or shouting expletives out of his car window as he cruises past freshman soccer. “Usually when someone screams something at us, it sounds like an expletive or a swear word.

You know something by their tone of voice.

Other times we are harassed by a group of people” elaborated Ceci Strang (II), a member of Hathaway House.

The dynamic between Milton Academy and the Milton Public Schools has come to reflect the complicated relationship between Milton Academy and the Town of Milton.

After a vote in late April, the Milton Town Meeting decided to increase the educational budget of the district to $43.6 million. The decision will affect nearly every sector of the already strong public school district.

The Kindergarten program in particular will dramatically improve. Previously, half-day Kindergarten was free for Milton residents, but the Boston Globe reports that

residents were charged $3,700 for full-day kindergarten, with a sliding scale depending on the family’s income. Milton Academy teachers were previously ineligible for the sliding scale financial aid regardless of need. Fortunately, Milton Academy faculty, like all residents, will now be equally eligible for financial aid.

Milton Academy faculty children previously not being eligible for full-day kindergarten financial aid illustrated how the Town of Milton thought that Milton Academy faculty children’s receiving financial aid would be an unnecessary financial burden to the Town, considering that Milton Academy faculty had a perceived asset wealth due to on campus housing. For instance, Mr. Emmott explained how “The sliding scale didn’t apply...due to the burden the Town feels from having so many families at Milton Academy using the public school system in this way.”

The fear of faculty children draining Town resources originates from underlying resentments in the Town over Milton Academy’s tax status. Milton Academy, due to its nonprofit status, is exempt from taxes, most notably property taxes; thus, Milton Academy faculty, if they send their children to the Town, would be receiving Town services without paying for them with typical Town property taxes. Addressing these financial concerns, Mr. Bland stated “people who

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Inside This Issue SENIOR REFLECTIONS page 9

ALUMNI REFLECTIONS page 20

FACULTY LOVE STORIES page 23

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The Milton Paper The 34th Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Malcolm McCann & Eli Burnes Managing Editor Letitia Chan Opinion Manager Mateen Tabatabaei News Managers Marshall Sloane & Henry Westerman Senior Editors Chloe Kim & Henry Burnes Editor at Large Cheyenne Porcher A&E Editor Rachel Handler

Layout Editor Joy Lee & Jack Daley

Opinion Editor Photo Editor Gabrielle Fernandopulle Caroline Massey Cartoonist Lilly Le

Faculty Sponsor Lisa Baker

News Allison Reed Elina Thadani Ellie Lachenauer Juliana Viola Will Torous Alexandra Millard Jack Sloane

Associate Editors Navpreet Sekhon Jonah Garnick Nihal Raman Website Manager Alex Iansiti

Opinion Michelle Erdensanaa Jerome Vainisi Molly Wilson Barbara McDuffee

Sports Sarah Willwerth

Columnists

Michelle Erdensanaa Tyler Piazza Semi Oloko

Humor Sophia-Wilson Pelton Lydia Hill Zack Herman Nick Govindan

A&E Emma Comrie Katie Friis Lydia Hill Olivia Zhong Sarah Miller-Bartley Emma James

Milton’s Independent Weekly Student Newspaper “A Forum for Discussion and Thought” Founded 1979 • Publishing Weekly Since 1983 Founders David Roth • Mark Denneen The Milton Paper is an independent, studentproduced publication. It does not necessarily represent the views of the students, faculty, administration, or Milton Academy itself. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.

Letters Policy: The Milton Paper gladly accepts letters from anyone who sends them. We do not promise to publish any or all letters, and we retain the rights to edit letters for content, length, and clarity. We will not publish anonymous letters. If inclined, please take the opportunity to write to us. Send letters by mail (Letters to the Editor, The Milton Paper, Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186), by email (TheMiltonPaper32@gmail.com), or by personal delivery to our mailbox in the faculty lounge.

Editorial

Darpe Ciem First and foremost, we would like to congratulate the graduating class. After four years of papers, lab reports, and tests, you’ve made it: you’ve graduated from one of the best high schools in the country. Milton is certainly adept in preparing all of us for the next chapter of our lives. The workload we endlessly bemoan, despite its detriment to our sleep, teaches us how to handle the difficulties we will face in college. The discussion style classes may be taxing at times, but they sharpen our ability to convey a viewpoint and think critically, skills that an intellectually stimulating college experience relies upon. Values we learn here at Milton will stick with us for the rest of our lives.

However, the culture among Milton’s students dangerously prioritizes college acceptances over general learning. At times, students assume — sometimes rightly so — that their peers do things not out of the goodness of their hearts, or out of genuine interest, but instead to add to their résumés. Every test, athletic achievement, and leadership position seems to be the next golden brick laying the path to Harvard. Resisting this pressure cooker mindset in one’s time at Milton is nearly impossible, when all aspects of our school are infected with college fever. Academics, athletics, extracurriculars, and even social dynamics can be corrupted by a college idolatry that forces students to view their actions through a college acceptance oriented lens. When planning for a major assignment, students often worry that one bad grade could ruin their college transcript. DYO’s and research papers grant ample opportunity for risk-taking; but when embarking on an assignment, students undergo a subliminal risk-benefit analysis, and every student comes to the same conclusion: the road not taken does not guarantee a good grade, whereas conventional roads do.

Students, particularly underclassmen with plenty opportunity for risk taking: make your Milton experience what you want it to be. Seize advantage of every day, and never be afraid to take a risk. Don’t let a myopic view of college as the end goal of high school confine you to your comfort zone, as you will ultimately take away much more from your hard-earned failures than your short-cut successes. Resist the temptation to experience Milton as a path to a dazzling college application or a future job. Rather, engage in things that you genuinely love, instead of doing just what will supposedly get you into college. There is much more to gain from Milton than acceptance to your dream school.

The teachers here are incredible, and it is our job to take advantage of our time here. Instead of taking a class because it is known for being easy, take courses which inspire you and make you more curious as a learner. You will find that the most valuable and didactic experiences come from the discovery and pursuit of your interests, and not from the things you’re told will look good on a college app. Immerse yourself in what interests you, and do not waste time on what doesn’t. The passion and dedication students feel for the things that matter most to them are what make Milton truly outstanding. •

FacultyNRews eflections To Instruct and Delight

Doug Fricke, English Department

By Doug Fricke I was recently cornered in the dining hall by a couple of hard core, gonzo journalists from TMP who “requested,” with Flik-forks angled menacingly at my throat, a reflection on the eve of my retirement. Truth be told, I’m keener these days on projecting into the future than reflecting on the past, but here it goes: Reflection typically sends us down too many nostalgic paths, and since I’ve been teaching for over 50 years, I’ll confine myself to the 29 years at Milton. In 1987, Milton was a scruffy place, an emblem of shabby chic with a crumbling infrastructure and few building plans to shore it up. It was love at first sight, especially as I began to know the school’s students, equally as unadorned as the buildings they inhabited. For nearly 30 years, I have loved these students (well, not all), from yet to be housebroken freshman to silly sophomores to dossier-building juniors to oh so learned seniors. What’s not to love? They have made me laugh, sometimes made me cry. They have helped me through daily confusion (“No, this is Three Writers, not the Two-year Survey), overlooked my hearing lapses, endured my tired jokes. Most important, in each of these classes every year, I find some students who passionately love literature and language. These young people understand what the Latin poet Horace proclaimed in “Ars Poetica”: that poetry should “instruct and delight,” and in understanding that pronouncement, they have equipped themselves for the sometimes risky but always rewarding journeys through art and life.

As teachers, isn’t that our charge: to instruct and delight, to create such an environment in our classes? What’s learning without joy? Most of my teaching life, especially here at Milton, I have been surrounded by teachers who have

embodied this spirit, some who have retired to pursuits lofty or humble, some, sadly, who have voyaged to that “undiscovered country,” that Higher Academe Beyond. Brilliant, witty, well-educated, often cranky and curmudgeonly but always compassionate, these colleagues have guided, goaded, and inspired their students--and me-- for decades. The number of books they’ve read could stock underfunded libraries throughout the state.

Such teachers are the heart and soul—and the guts—of any good institution. Fortunately, this talent never runs dry. (How about those cheeky, outrageous Penn Fellows? Devil’s spawn!)

Young talent, new blood; it’s happening here, and thankfully so. Youth spells change, but the school hasn’t changed as much as it thinks it has. Currently, Milton is on an innovation binge, not pausing to realize that so often what goes around, comes around. “There is no new thing under the sun,” saith the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, and we who started teaching in the 60s and 70s can say how true.

Team-teaching; interdisciplinary studies; collaborative learning; project-based assessments; the choice of “relatable” texts: old-timers have been there, done that. It’s really a matter of old wine in new bottles, but the bottles, expertly packaged, have more glitter now.

The one new thing under the sun, of course, is a technology that has all but obliterated (thank God) the days of the mimeograph machines (if my faculty colleagues are of an age to have used such equipment, it’s time for them to retire). Is technology Yeats’s rough beast slouching toward Milton, or a prophet for the New Age? We will certainly know, because technology is here to stay, looking for a few more reasonable, judicious minds to harness it for all its potential good.

Some last thoughts on the institution of MA: I don’t have much “Mustang Pride,” but I do have a pride in and fondness for a school that took me in, looked after me, educated my two children, introduced me to my wife, and put at my table, year after year, students of wit, intelligence, and curiosity. I am immeasurably grateful to the English department at Milton for the freedom it granted me to teach what I wanted and how I wanted and allowed, even encouraged, me to be myself. If we teachers can’t teach what we want and how we want—and we are all very different—then in the classroom we will never be who we are. Imagine that.

And try to imagine what might come to pass if such somber observations recently voiced about the state of higher education

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are even the least bit accurate. “The Coddling of the American Mind,” an article in The Atlantic, and another that soon followed, “The Big Uneasy” in The New Yorker, present an Age of Protectiveness that discourages rather than welcomes a dialogue based on controversy and independent thinking. I decline to accept this trend for Milton. I would like to think that at this school we will always have enough geeks and mavericks, outliers and oddballs to keep such soul-sucking forces at bay and that our students will continue to be more resilient and self-reliant than our faculty, administration, and, yes, parents might acknowledge.

As Milton confronts these issues, I’ll walk into retirement. I want to read what I want, keep my chain saw sharp, walk the earth, cook the perfect meat loaf, and be outdoors as much as I can except when called in by my grandchildren, eager for my collaboration in their Minecraft digital games.•

Dear Mr. Fricke, We are so happy to have been your students at the end of such an illustrious career. Your teaching fostered a passion for literature which we will take throughout our lives. Your lessons brought thousand year old literature to life better than anyone else could.

Your wit guided us throughout our journey in sophomore English.

Love, Marshall and Eli

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News

Dare Campaign Reaches 100 Million

Annual Award Ceremonies

By Ellie Lachenauer

COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

By Juliana Viola Launched in October 2015, “Dare: The Campaign for Milton” -- Milton’s most ambitious fundraising campaign in history -- recently passed the $100 million mark, meaning the development office has raised 57% of their $175 million goal. Much work remains before Dare’s enddate in June of 2020, especially “given the fact that many of [Milton’s] closest and most connected community members have already pledged their support,” according to a statement from the development office. That said, the development office also said that the current state of the campaign “demonstrates an incredible vote of confidence by alumni, parents, and friends in Todd’s and our Board’s vision and priorities for [the] Academy in the coming years.”

In traditional campaigns like Dare, 2% of donors give 98% of everything raised, in the form of mega-gifts of sums in the millions of dollars. But, as Special Gifts Officer Matthew Fishbein pointed out, so far, Dare has been different: “A lot of people are stretching... and thinking of gifts at $100,000 to $250,000, so we’re having a swell of people who really have been off our radar but are hearing the message, hearing Todd and the board’s vision, and responding in meaningful ways...it really does feel like a community effort.” As Fishbein and others noted, the unusual demographics of the donors to the Dare Campaign reflects the community effort that is the campaign.

At its core, Dare is a campaign centered around the people of Milton. Director of Development Katie Connolly noted, “This campaign isn’t about changing Milton; this campaign is about making Milton a stronger version of exactly the school that it is...one of the ways that an organization protects its people is by being financially secure.” Unlike many capital campaigns

which focus on raising funds for expansion or construction projects, Connolly and others clarified that Dare is more focused on stabilizing Milton as it is, as opposed to increasing the overall size of the school.

Head of the Upper School David Ball agreed with this sentiment, adding, “The way I think about it is that there are certain principles or values that define who we are now, and the campaign allows us to build a stronger institution on those same principles...but I don’t think that necessarily means we’re just going to be the same…

[Dare]...allows us to better achieve our great aspirations.”

Dare will allow Milton to achieve three main aspirations. First, the campaign endeavors to give Milton the resources to establish itself as a national leader in education. $64 million raised by the campaign will help “Milton recruit, retain, and invest in a new generation of world-class educators,” according to the development office’s statement. This goal is especially timely given the fact that half of Milton’s current faculty are set to retire in the next decade. Another $47 million is devoted to financial aid, making Milton a more accessible reality for prospective families.

Second, though over half of students who apply to Milton are eligible for financial aid, only 30% of students here receive financial aid. Milton is need-aware, meaning 20 to 30 students are waitlisted each year for financial reasons. Dare will help in closing the gap between the proportion of applicants demonstrating financial need and the proportion of enrolled students receiving financial aid at Milton.

Finally, $35 million corresponds to the Milton Fund, adding approximately $1 million to annual operations at Milton.

Though Dare’s effects will be most prominent once current Upper School students have graduated, Dare promises excellence to future generations of Miltonians.•

As the end of the school year approaches, so does graduation and awards season.

Numerous prizes are awarded to students who exemplify significant accomplishments in academics, athletics, or extracurricular accomplishments.

One of the most prominent awards of the season are the Cum Laude Society selectees.

At the awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 31st, a number of seniors and one junior, Elina Thadhani, were awarded the Cum Laude award for high academic achievements. These students were awarded Cum Laude based on their grades throughout their Milton career. Elina Thadhani (II) explained, “I felt very honored to win - honestly I was very surprised when I got the email, but I’m glad that my work paid off in the long run. People always say this, but I really wouldn’t have been able to get through classes and work without my parents who always pushed me to do better and strive for more. I am very humbled to be recognized this year.” Anna Lachenauer, a member of the Class of 2014 who won the Cum Laude award as a junior, described how “[she] was surprised and honored when [she] learned that [she] was cum laude.” Anna also commented that “there are so many incredible students at Milton, and one of my favorite aspects of the school was that people didn’t focus on individual awards or distinctions.

I’m sure the award could have just as easily gone to many others in my grade”.

Specific prizes are also given to students who excel in a specific area.

The History Department awards the Bisbee Award to 12 US History or US Modern World II students who wrote exemplary research papers this year. Each teacher has the ability to nominate up to one student per class for the award; the prize winners then attend the Bisbee Tea an event for both the prize winners and teachers to share their exemplary work. Students had the opportunity to share both the outlines of their papers and the aspects of their research that they found most intriguing. Marshall Sloane (II) described the Bisbee Tea as “an awesome opportunity to learn about the many outstanding paper topics. At the ceremony, we all sat down and talked about our the topics of our papers.” The papers discussed everything from the failure of Reconstruction to the Camp David Accords. Letitia Chan (II), a Bisbee Prize winner, describes how intimate the event felt, noting “the students sat in an inner circle of chairs and the teachers sat on the outside. It was really cool that it turned into a mini discussion about each

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News

Course Selection Trends

By Elina Thadhani As the 2015-2016 school year winds down, returning students have finalized their course lists for next year. Summer reading and future class work are distant concerns during the hectic end-of-year period, but many students continue to discuss next year’s course load in both anticipation and dread. Interests in different departments, applications for independent studies, and excitement for new electives have all become talking points around the school community. But where do student interests really lie?

Milton Academy has long publicized its appearance as a humanities-focused curriculum with strong English and History/Social Sciences programs. However, student interests seem to fall evenly outside this realm. A survey of students returning to the upper school (Classes IV-II), revealed that the department garnering the greatest student interest was the Science department (with 27.5% of respondents choosing it at their prefered department), followed by the History/Social Sciences department (with 22.9%), the Mathematics department (with 16.5%), and finally the English department (with 14.7%). All the remaining departments received a combined 18.4% of students selecting them as their prefered department. While the sample size represents only a third of the returning students, with equal distribution of day/ border, female/male and Class IV/III/II, the data seems to accurately display general student opinion.

In addition to standard courses offered at Milton, students have the opportunity to take their interests in different subjects, or even across subjects. Liz Wood from the Registrar’s office noted, “enrollment and interest in independent studies will vary from year to year: sometimes we have two independent studies running in one year, and sometimes we have

COURTESY OF ELINA THADHANI

eight. Even with fluctuating interest there hasn’t been a general upwards trend”.

However, despite low percentages of students actually applying for independent studies (approximately 8%), over 60% of students stated that they were interested in an independent study but didn’t apply because of lack of space in schedules or other reasons. Only about 30% of students expressed no interest in an independent study, a fact which also reflects the diversity of traditional courses which Milton offers.

Though many students wish they could take independent courses or lament that Milton has too many required courses, Milton does offer a plethora of unique courses and, as Ms. Wood noted, “has relatively few required classes if you think about it: four years of English, only two years of Math, Science and History, three levels of language and one year of art”. In fact with 14 required credits and the potential to take 21.5 credits over four years of high school, students actually have 7.5 worth of credits to use for their own interests. As Logan Troy, Class II, explained, “I used to think there wasn’t enough time, but I’m satisfied with how my courses have turned out over my Milton career… our school offers so many intriguing and advanced courses that independent courses seem like a hassle.”

With varying interests in classes, students have called into question the credit system and the structure of course load as systems that prevent student from taking courses they have the greatest interest in or from taking an independent study.

Some students suggest increasing maximum credits while others recommend that credits be given to reflect the workload of specific classes. Eli Burnes, Class II, recommended that “there should be more credits than just 1 and ½. Honors Bio takes 1 credit in a schedule, but it takes up a lot more time than any other 1 credit course”. Henry Westerman, Class

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Green Out: Bottled Water CONTINUED FROM 1 personal energy, of course-- a tiny amount of effort compared to the 17 billion barrels of oil used annually just to manufacture America’s plastic water bottles. The Economist’s statement barely makes sense, given that a $5-$10 reusable water bottle saves a person hundreds of dollars a year compared to buying bottled water daily.

But the scariest part of bottled water’s prevalence is not the exorbitant amounts of oil that manufacturing drinks up, or even the carbon emissions from manufacturing plants. The scariest part is that bottled water represents the materialism that pervades every aspect of life in developed countries.

Our delusional need for convenience and aesthetic pleasure has seeped into even water, one of our most basic needs. Brands like FIJI Water boast laughable qualities like their product’s “soft mouth feel and iconic square bottle”--while some genuinely buy into bottled water for these superficial qualities, others in Michigan and Louisiana struggle to obtain even clean water. These instances of contamination and drought are some of the few situations in which drinking bottled water instead of tap water is justified. Of course, everyone has moments of desperation--you’ve got practice and you’ve forgotten your water bottle, thus SmartWater from the bookstore is the only option. Consumption of bottled water becomes worrisome only when we choose to regularly drink bottled water for its convenience and disposability, instead of tap water with effectively identical composition and quality and significantly lower cost. To truly be a progressive, sustainable institution, Milton must recognize both how wasteful SmartWater is and how hooked the student body is on this bottled convenience. Let’s stop talking about recycling our plastic bottles--let’s stop consuming them at all. Recycling is treating the symptom, not the disease. We all have the power to treat the disease of unsustainably-distributed water, as long as we’re smart enough to resist SmartWater.• As a part of The Milton Paper’s commitment to sustainability, “Greenout”

by Michelle Erdenesanaa will be a new bi-weekly column discussing environmental issues relevant to our community.

Thanks for the debt @TMP33 Love, TMP 34

Opinion

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PSA: How to Help a Drug Addict

COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

By Emilio Pinedo As part of my Activism for Justice class’s final project, I have been researching the war on drugs, drug prevention, and drug addiction in the United States. If anything, I have learned that the ultimate solution to this problem is not stopping Latin American cartels from pouring drugs into the US, but rather addressing the huge demand for drugs in the United States.

I came to the conclusion that many of us don’t even know how to help a loved one battling addiction. Although I haven’t had a personal experience with a drug addict, I wanted to research the best possible way to help one. Recovery is a complicated path, but if we learn how to support our peers, friends, and even family, we can take one step closer to solving the larger issue. Here, I’ll give you some simple, effective steps on how to help a family member or a friend who is battling drug addiction.

1. Let the addict know you are there for them It is essential to let the addict know that you support them. It might be helpful if you gather family members and loved ones in order to remind the victim that they have a strong support system watching out for them.

2. Get evaluation from a licensed doctor and therapist If you visit the American Society of Addiction Medicine web page you’ll find a find a physician feature which will help you find an appropriate doctor in order

COURTESY OF EMILIO PINEDO

to get a proper evaluation of the addict’s physical and mental health. It is essential to address both the physical and mental health of the addict. Group therapy is a great way to help the addict understand that they are not alone.

3. Find the appropriate recovery program Work with the doctors and counselors to find a recovery treatment plan for the victim. It’s essential to find a program that fits the needs of your loved one. Although this might be a complicated step, understand that the only way the addict can overcome his addiction is by receiving treatment. If money or accessibility is an issue there are government programs too. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website to learn more.

4. Let yourself process the information Learning that a loved one has a drug addiction can be a shocking and emotionally difficult thing. You should process the information yourself by talking with friends, visiting a therapist, or else.

If you ​or someone you know is battling with drug addiction please go visit the Health Center. Here at Milton Academy, there are great resources to ​confidentially​ help a ​person who is dealing with drug use or dependence. Most importantly, please understand that you are not alone and that recovery is possible.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns email emilio_pinedo18@ milton.edu or visit Ms. Morin.•

Milton v. Milton CONTINUED FROM 1 live in the Town bring up...how...you are not paying for anything...that is inappropriate to have any child feel like they are in the middle of that.”

In reality, Town residents’ claim that Milton Academy drains the Town’s school resources without helping to fund them overlooks Milton Academy’s actual contributions. The most recent Milton Academy “Town and Gown” Report explains, “In 2013-2014, the Academy educated 193 Town of Milton students...this represents a value of $2.473 million per year. In 20132014, the Town of Milton educated 38 students living in Academy owned housing; this represents a value of $487,008.” Thus, Milton Academy saves the Town approximately $3 million annually on educational resources alone. Mr. Bland pointed out that “there are many Milton residents that don’t know Milton Academy at all… I worry sometimes that I am interacting with someone who lives in Milton but does not know Milton Academy.”

Full-day kindergarten financial aid issues may be resolved, yet the underlying fears that Milton Academy drains resources and does not adequately support the Town with taxes still remain.

In order to take into account Town concerns, Milton Academy participates in PILOT (Payment in Lieu Of Taxes) in order to compensate the local community for some of the tax revenue it loses. The most recent Milton Academy “Town and Gown” Report catalogues the various contributions of this kind that Milton Academy makes to the community. The report outlined how from 1994 to 2014 Milton Academy has given $768,099.99 of In Kind contributions ranging from computer donations to funds for town water projects. In addition, Milton Academy has paid $197,695 of Real Estate Tax on the properties Milton Academy has purchased since 1985 for faculty housing.

Milton Academy pays these property taxes in order to take into account the impact non-payment would have on the Town given that the Town received property tax revenue on these parcels prior to the Academy’s ownership, as clarified by Mr. Bland.

Milton Academy’s PILOT program has helped foster strong ties between Milton Academy and Milton Town administrators.

Mr. Bland said, “I think that the relationship is a good one. My perspective on that comes from a very strong relationship with Mary Gormley, the chief of police, the head of the fire department, the head of Milton Hospital, the head of Curry College, and leaders in the community.” Similarly, Ms. Mary Gormley, the superintendent of the Milton public school system, agreed, saying, “Todd Bland and his predecessors have a great relationship with me and out of that relationship has

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Millennials May Not “Have it Easy” After All

Opinion

PAGE 7

By Jerome Vainisi

about coping mechanisms, student answers varied. Common themes included working out, listening to music, sleeping, and using “methods [that] are not exactly school approved.” While this could augur any number of unsanctioned activities, such as biking sans helmet, it can be inferred that the anonymous student meant his coping mechanisms would be in violation of the school’s Drug and Alcohol Policy. One answer left absolutely no speculation as to the particular student’s preferred method of decompressing: “I smoke weed a lot.” 30% of respondents divulged actively seeking medication at one point in time to remedy their anxiety or stress. 20% of respondents admit to abusing prescribed medications for the above disorders. The gravity of these revelations cannot be overstated: one fifth of respondents admitted anonymously to abusing a drug prescribed by a doctor to help fix their issues with anxiety. These are drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and Xanaxcommonly prescribed anxiety/focus drugs, prevalent in our community. This reckless behavior correlates directly with school stress- in other words, these results indicate that students cope with stress and anxiety by abusing substances readily available to them.

Peter Shumlin, governor of Vermont, summed up Vermont’s battle against opiates in a mere twenty words: “What started as an OxyContin and prescription drug addiction problem in Vermont has now grown into a full blown heroin crisis.”

According to Milton Academy’s own Mr. Moore, “[Oxycontin, among other opiates] are being abused as a primary drug of choice. And a lot of that comes down to overprescription, unfortunately. Can you call them gateway drugs?” In response to my question, he answers, “Yes. I would say especially with respect to Oxycontin, because what typically happens with Oxycontin is that at some point along the line, oxy becomes too expensive.” He maintains eye contact, sharing the hard-earned

This is Your Country on Drugs

By Jonah Garnick Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, are frequently called the “everyone gets a trophy” generation. They are commonly called “lazy,” “entitled,” or “everso glued to their smartphones.”

They are said to “have it easy.” However, what is often overlooked is the extent of the problems this generation currently faces and will have to face in the near future, and thus dismissing millennials as “having it easy” compared to past generations is simplistic.

Unlike past generations of Americans, millennials will have to pay back unforeseen levels of college debt. According to the magazine Mother Jones, the average college student will graduate with nearly $25,000 of debt (the data is for 2012, but debt has only increased since then).

Compare this with $16,600 in 2005 and significantly lower numbers thirty to forty years ago. For every year since 1980, the price for attending college has grown faster than inflation. In total, American spend nearly 1 trillion dollars.

In addition to domestic issues like student loan debt, millennials will also have to deal with international issues, and while many issues such as the rise of terrorism, overpopulation, and growing income inequality will prove harmful, no issue currently poses as great a threat as climate change. With climate change finally beginning to rear its head in rising shores, more extreme and erratic weather, and the acidification of our ocean, climate change is a fact. As the effects get continually worse over the next thirty to forty years, millennials, who supposedly “have it easy,” will have to bear the brunt of possibly the greatest challenge the globe has ever faced.

Other generations have faced their national and international obstacles, yet previous generations have not dealt with increases in a unique brand of social pressures. Millennials are expected to, among other things, find the perfect job, marry the perfect spouse, give back to their communities, and fight for social justice.

Consequently, millennials have the highest documented levels of depression and anxiety of any generation in American history (according to the American Psychological Association).

These gargantuan problems which tower over the millennial generation make them believe that they don’t “have it easy” anymore. They are tasked with

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“A pill for every ill.” While the coiner of the phrase remains anonymous, the implications of his words are numerous and equally arguable. Perhaps it was the slogan of a pharmaceutical juggernaut, the “have it your way” of medicinal chemistry. Dually, the maxim could have been a criticism of big pharma, a statement that doctors medicate Americans by the dozen for illnesses as trivial as the common cold. The phrase means different things to different people, but even the most mono-partisan of debaters can agree: big pharma’s presence in our lives has multiplied exponentially over the past twenty years. The consequences lie in the shadows of these looming pharmaceutical giants, one of the most severe being opiate addiction. What brought these drugs into our backyard, and, given their risks, why are cases of addiction only increasing?

“Is your teen what you would call a ‘worry wart? Does she experience panic attacks? Does she avoid social situations?

Does she seem anxious even when you can’t see anything to be worried about?”

Each of these scenarios, according to the Elements of Behavior Health Treatment Center, are likely caused by one thing: an anxiety disorder. The website goes on to claim that between 25% and 30% of young women and roughly 20% of young men currently suffer from anxiety disorders.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) upholds that 80% of children with an anxiety disorder will go undiagnosed and thus untreated. Milton Academy cannot contest these claims; students reported in a survey sent out earlier this week that their average stress level rests at an eight, one being the lowest and ten the highest. 50% of respondents selected “most of it” when asked how much of their stress or anxiety comes from Milton- more frightening still were the fourteen percent of respondents that reported that all of their stress stemmed from school. When asked

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South Park and Commodification of PC Culture

Opinion

The Nuclear Threat

By Alex Iansiti

South Park Season 19: if you haven’t seen it, go watch it. While South Park is generally known as one of TV’s most vulgar shows, it also proves slyly clever in saying what others dare not to and in satirizing pop culture and political issues.

In the past, it has winked at Tom Cruise getting trapped in the closet and has speculated on whether Canada will build a wall to prevent emigration by Americans. These topics, though, are light in comparison to Season 19’s piercing commentary on what happens when political correctness and the neoliberal economy intersect. As seen through the lens of the town of South Park, this combination has shockingly familiar implications in terms of Milton Academy’s advertising ploys to demonstrate greater diversity and the presence of practical environmental sustainability.

As described by philosopher Henry Giroux, neoliberalism is an ideology that emphasizes the civic obligation of consumerism and individual freedoms over public freedoms. In addition, neoliberalism prefers market solutions over social government intervention to address social problems. Neoliberalism is a complex and serious topic, but the creators of South Park illustrate it well, focusing on the absurd results arising from the commercialization of political correctness. Episode 6, for instance, follows the town’s reaction to two male friends in the elementary school being mistakenly identified as homosexual.

The town’s neoliberal economy embraces the couple’s “difference” and sells it as a brand through “pride” art fairs. The show exposes that having a PC attitude toward homosexuality is no longer being encouraged solely for its own merit but being marketed because of political correctness’ commercial value. In the same way, the town markets its diversity by placing racially diverse kids in the front of classrooms in an attempt to attract the building of a Whole Foods franchise (signifying the apex of PC culture). And thus, racial and sexual diversity are transformed into brands in the South Park neoliberal, PC economy.

The accuracy of the South Park season is crushingly cynical and fascinating in its clarity and focus. Whether Milton says so or not, it has to sell the school using the brand of racial diversity because our PC society dictates that culture cool and

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By Juliet Pesner This May, 71 years after the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, President Obama paid the city a historic visit. Though Obama made excessively clear that he would not apologize for the bombing, he did meet with survivors of the attack as well as deliver a speech at the city’s WW2 memorial.

His remarks, nonspecific as they were, had implications far beyond just Hiroshima: Obama called for a “moral revolution” in response to the prevalence of nuclear arms capabilities throughout the world. His call to action, or at least to attention, evoked thoughts of North Korea’s threats to develop nuclear weaponry, as well as of last year’s heavily contested Iran deal. The subtext behind Obama’s visit once again raised the question: in a world forever altered by the invention of nuclear arms, how should we proceed to avoid extreme, if not mutually-assured, destruction?

Having seen Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s utter devastation at the end of the second World War, many argue that nuclear weapons should be eradicated completely.

Certainly, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t at least recognize the grave consequences of nuclear warfare.

That said, on paper, the normification of nuclear weaponry has dramatically reduced the amount of global warfare: the number of inter-state onset conflicts each year has dropped, on average, since the end of the second World War. It does appear that, among other factors, the threat of mutually-assured destruction actually deters countries from waging war, and, from a purely numerical standpoint, many argue that it augments world peace to an extent. That philosophy seemed to hold during the Cold War, when neither the US and former USSR actually employed a nuclear weapon, for

fear of a second strike. It’s also what motivates many to believe that countries should secure second-strike capabilities in order to deter others from using nuclear arms upon them.

Since the Cold War, the mutually-assured destruction threat has succeeded in preventing actual nuclear warfare. As easily visible in the case of North Korea, however, it has been unsuccessful and quite possibly a deterrent in stopping countries from trying to procure their own nuclear weapons. The frightening implications of North Korea’s or Iran’s gaining nuclear arms capabilities and the volatility of relying on threat for protection aside, even if all nation-states were deterred from using their nuclear arsenals for fear of second strike, one of the scariest components of worldwide nuclear development is that the more prevalent it becomes, the higher the possibility that terrorist groups will secure their own capabilities. Furthermore, to believe that those who organize suicide bombings can be deterred by the threat of their own destruction is by nature foolish. Even if terrorists did fear nuclear annihilation, rogue militant groups will prove much more difficult to “hit back” than will nation-states, as many of them operate spread throughout different countries, or control territory filled with civilians who oppose their rule. Thus, the terrorist threat is reason enough for a true, international effort to rid the world of nuclear weaponry.

President Reagan and BLANK began to work toward that goal at the end of the Cold War when they orchestrated the international nuclear non-proliferation pact, which held that countries which had not developed nuclear weapons programs by 1967 would not begin to do so, and that countries who already had such programs would gradually dissolve them. The agreement, signed even by Iran, left the countries with leftover nuclear weapons to dispose

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By Tiara Sharma

Senior Reflections

when our editorial board was a disjointed, relatively silent group of people. In just So, I’m sitting here in my empty dorm one year, some members of the board room, trying to figure out, with exactly have left, some have been let go, and some forty-three minutes on the clock, how best have joined mid-year. And, even though to reflect upon my time with The Paper this board has had its fair share of woes, I and at Milton. And I’ve realized: when I can say definitively that these people have look back at the past four years, there is no been integral to my growth at Milton. It single experience that I cherish more than was in the moments after a meeting when The Milton Paper. Freshman Tiara was a Jiyoung, Calvin, J.D., and I would linger naive girl who used way too many excla- in Computer Lab 1 that I learned and mation points in her laughed the most. formal writing. She It was in the lull was an Arts & Enterof trying to figure tainment writer who out an editorial feared her section edidea, that we, as a moments of boreitor Sarah Hombach, board, would talk and therefore, subabout the most dom and mitted every article a pertinent or even inefficiency have day early. She shied the silliest topics. away from confronThe Paper office deeply shaped tation and surely did has been home to not consider herself a endless hours of the person I am leader in any shape or procrastination, form. I can say with lack of producconfidence that my tivity, and napfourteen-year-old self ping at ungodly had no idea that The Paper would have hours. But moments of down time and such a tremendous effect on her life. casual conversation with those I love most It’s been two weeks since I was in the at this school have, without a doubt, been midst of the last-minute editorial writing, the most meaningful. the negotiations with Ms. Baker over what So often, Milton forces us to abandon could stay on the back page, the trashing our personal health and enjoyment for the of individuals who didn’t show up to sake of our academic and extracurricular meetings, the pleading for money--ev- excellence. And while devotion to work is erything that made TMP 33 such a truly all well and good, the Milton experience distinctive experience. And I miss it all is nothing without its moments of pause immensely. I miss the downright hyster- and procrastination. When I look back at ical reaction that Jiyoung and I had when my most memorable experiences at Milwe first sent the graduation issue file to ton, I think of the late nights I spent with our printer. I miss the times when we had Emma Wood (I) in the Hallowell upper to beg campus safety officers to stay in the common room, laughing at music videos computer lab past 9:45pm. I miss the fren- and talking about boys. I think about wanzy of doing continuations and copyedits dering the dorm hallways, trying to find with zero time to spare. I miss the incom- someone to distract me. I think about the parable feeling of holding a new issue of meaningful conversations I’ve had with The Paper in my hands and knowing so Hallowell girls who have since graduated. intimately all the hard work that was put And I think I’ve come to the conclusion into its production. that these moments of boredom and inefI often walk by Computer Lab 1 and ficiency have deeply shaped the person I think back to the beginning of the year, am today and my place at this school.

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Tiara Sharma 2015-2016 Editor-in-Chief

The Paper is a publication that forces its editors and its writers to relentlessly critique the institution and the student body. And, quite honestly, there have been moments where Milton has made this job easy for us. I don’t know one student who wouldn’t change something about this school or their experience. There have been many moments in my four years in which I question my own competency or belonging here. Yet, in retrospect, I realize that I could not see myself at any other institution, and The Paper is a large part of that revelation.

So, thank you, TMP for teaching me that every deadline at Milton is a soft deadline. Thank you for teaching me how to recognize moments of discrimination and how to use my voice to advocate for myself and others. Thank you for allowing me to see the beauty of collaborating with those who don’t hold my beliefs. Thank you for all the lessons you have gifted me.

I will miss you all dearly. •

“athe” -- Milton Measure, Volume CXXII, No. 2 Editorial, 3rd to last sentence.

Senior Reflections

PAGE 10

By Calvin Wang So I guess this is it. My last piece for TMP in my short tenure as senior editor.

First I’d like to thank TMP 33, you guys have changed my Milton experience, and probably my life (I wrote about TMP for my waitlist letter, not that college is life though). Milton has had its ups and downs, but I can honestly say that coming here was the best decision I have ever made.

Sure, I could have gone to a school with better academics (not really), sports, diversity, community, food, air conditioned dorms or any number of aspects of Milton that can improve upon (if I had been accepted), but it is the people that I have met here, the people who I live with and see every day, who have made my Milton experience special.

For those who had known me well before this fall, I am sure you have seen the change I underwent sometime between Junior Spring and Senior Fall. My academic focus shifted heavily towards the Humanities, especially during Mr. Hilgendorf’s Senior Seminar. I became interested and invested in writing and reading assignments, they no longer felt like homework, but instead like a few hours spent flipping through the New Yorker. Knowledge was now an active pursuit. This trend continued in African American History with Mr. Blanton, and Economics with Mr. Ball. Humanities resonated with me, I could see how all of them were interlaced.

Whether it is racist systems in the housing market (redlining), or shifts in American economic wellbeing, threads of influence tugged at each other across disciplines, creating an extremely relevant and interdisciplinary vision of the Humanities. We all know how great a Milton education can be, the important and difficult part is the balance of work, sports, activities, friends, and everything else our high octane prep school life requires of us.

I had never been an especially hard working student in middle school, and that continued through most of my time at Milton. I have steadily progressed from a slacker, to a deceivingly cunning, procrastinatory slacker. Milton has helped me perfect the art of scraping by. Until my Junior year, I had only considered doing homework that needed to be handed in, setting aside the majority of my language and math assignments. Yet as I came to enjoy more and more of my classes, namely Reading Consciousness with Ms. Braithwaite and Ms. Debuhr, I realized

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that it would simply be impossible to finish all my work with integrity. I began prioritizing by what interested me, what would teach me something, and what I would not forget. After all, we learn better when we want to learn. Not only did I begin to enjoy my classes more, but my grades also improved steadily. My changing views of academics began in the subconscious, and I did not become aware of it until after the college process. Although I am sure the introspective nature of the college process forced me to recognize my interests, strengths, and flaws, I still wonder if that affected the social changes I had gone through around the same time.

My friend group changed as I placed less emphasis on academic success, I came to value the deeper, broader issues that affect our society. Not only am I referring to activism, but also an overall sense of purpose in expression, an appreciation for both the practical and the artistic. As I learned about the turmoil of the sixties in Senior Sem and Af Am, and cultural issues in Contemporary World Lit, I awoke to a world where people were divided by class, race, beliefs and other aspects contributing to the intersection of identities. I applied my own personal experience to the texts I read, drawing similarities while still recognizing fundamental differences.

My academic classes made me aware of these issues, and by prioritizing them in my social and academic life, I have had the opportunity to meet many new people who have become some of my closest friends.

What my experience at Milton, specifically this year, has taught me is the importance of prioritizing, and this applies to everything. There is no one ‘Milton Student’, we are writers, scientists, mathematicians, historians, athletes, artists, musicians and whatever we set out to be. However, my message applies to all of you fellow students. I hope that you find a passion and a supportive group of friends, like I did.

Find a class, subject, or teacher you can really connect with. Find a supportive team in a sport you enjoy. Find an art, performing or visual, that you can get lost in.

Passion is when work feels like play and curiosity leaks out of the classroom. Passion is when you lose track of time doing what you love. Passion is the only thing that can truly drive you towards success.

As I mention success, I’d like to remind those junior overachievers who have yet to find a passion and anyone else who feels nervous and lost, that this is a time to find yourself, to decide who you want to be.

Passion is when work feels like play

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Calvin Wang 2015-2016, Senior Editor

Yes, Junior spring is tough, I remember the sleepless nights studying for Honors Bio. I look back and ask myself if it was all worth it. It was not, but it did help me find my real passion. Your Milton experience will be a constant battle of trial and error, just know that in the end, you are more likely than not to have found a passion.

Work is only tedious if you do not enjoy it; therefore the underlying assumption I have made throughout this whole passion finding process is that happiness is a first priority. After all, you are a teenager, and school will always be a hassle. But maybe if you focus on what you enjoy, and sleep once in awhile, you might rise from the ashes of a burnt out student a happier, more self satisfied person.

So there it is, my didactic advice given only because I happen to be graduating. Milton has meant everything to me.

Seriously, I’m a boarder, school and life are one and the same. Yet this blurring between the academic and social aspects of life is exactly what makes Milton so special –– immersion. Thank you to the Forbes faculty, Ms. Braithwaite and Ms. DeBuhr, Mrs. Singh, Mr. Blanton, Mr. Ball, and Mr. Hilgendorf. You have made me the student and person I am today. For the past four formative years, Milton has been my home. I have lived in the basement of forbes with the best friends I can ever imagine having. Trevor, we have lived within ten miles of each other our whole lives, and I can’t imagine not doing so anymore. JD and Liam, you mean the world to me. Nat and Intouch, I will never forget our memories. Brian, you are and will be my best friend. To old friends, my forbes brothers, Jess and Rika, who have been there since freshmen year. To new

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Senior Reflections

doesn’t accept me? What if I don’t get into the college that I want to go to? What if my parents are disappointed? What if I am disappointed? During the final two weeks before winter break—the same two weeks before I found out admission decisions from the colleges I’d applied to early—I became so stressed that I began experiencing symptoms of depression.

Seniors or not, many Milton students can probably relate to the stress that I felt during my time here. Milton especially seems like a place where people—especially students, including myself—feel that acceptance is the Mount Everest of emotions. As we all know too well, this school is filled with ambitious students who strive for anything near perfection both in and out of classes. For some, a “B+” feels like an unsatisfactory—and even irritating—grade. As collaborative as I feel Milton is, it’s also very competitive, perhaps naturally due to its title as a college preparatory school. Like how my U.S. History teacher, Mr. Hilgendorf, Jiyoung Jeong 2015-2016, Editor-in-Chief often put it—Milton is a pressure cooker. As a result, the Milton student body

By Jiyoung Jeong doesn’t have many students who simply Watching a clip from Acceptance, a accept mistakes or bad performances; we film inspired by a talk that best-selling au- become extremely upset with ourselves thor Kelly Corrigan gave as a part of the when we don’t do as well as we’d hoped nantucket project, I was struck particular- on a problem set or in a game. I’ve seen ly by one thing. Corrigan was explaining many people other than myself cry out of that acceptance is the “Mount Everest of stress during my three years here. emotions”; people have the hardest time And I do not mean to stigmatize, in accepting unchangeable truths—like the any way, the act of feeling upset as a reway they look as a result of an accident sult of self-disappointment. It’s a natural they were involved in, or mistakes that emotion that often precedes acceptance. they’ve made.

But I remember that there were too many Corrigan’s statement rings very true times when I became too distressed over to my past three years at Milton; looking some small error before finally accepting back, I feel that Milton it as it was. In othhas been an extremely er words, stress exhausting roller coastswallowed and er ride—largely due to chewed me whole freshmen, my reluctance to accept before spitting out the, let’s say, more rickan exhausted me, sophomores, ety parts of the ride. My ready to get over time at Milton consistit and move on. I and ed of multiple streaks remember getting juniors: of “ups” and “downs,” my first test back and every time I in Honors Bio. worry less reached the “down” Despite having part—another 77 on the studied countless test in Honors Biology, hours for the test or a bad week for The that would be Milton Paper—I worked myself up to no a major part of the grade that would be end. I never let a “bad streak” go by with- sent to my colleges—I’d done poorly. I out a mark of anguish, whether that be cried a lot that day, and all the “what if” tears or just explosive, bottled up stress. questions incessantly ran laps around my As a result, I felt constantly nervous and brain during the following couple weeks uptight. When the infamous senior fall before I finally just told myself, “It’s okay, came, I hit a slump. I didn’t simply accept I’ll just try harder on the next test.” I also senior fall as just a harder semester, due remember the week before Thanksgiving to the college applications that I would be break, when a wrong draft of The Milton filling out. Instead, I significantly added Paper issue was printed—and also the to my own stress by never letting half time that a photo of Mr. Simonson, thena day go by without thinking about the track coach, and a senior on the track team “what if’s”: what if I don’t do well on this was captioned “A loving father and son.” test, and the school that I applied to early Tiara and I spent one Friday afternoon

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PAGE 11 just screaming in an empty computer lab, and many following Fridays and weekends fuming about the errors made in that week’s Paper.

But thinking back, I don’t even remember what was so wrong about the wrongly printed issue of the Paper—and neither can Tiara. Last week, we laughed as we sat in Withington and recounted how we’d felt extremely flustered at every little mistake made in the Paper. “To be honest, barely anyone probably noticed a lot of those mistakes that we thought were a huge deal,” Tiara said, forking through her salad. I chuckled in agreement. The same goes for the many horrible tests that I felt were calamities in my Honors Biology class; I remember crying, but I don’t even remember what the tests were exactly on. In the moment, the frustrated me had beaten myself over a single bad grade for days at a time—but in reality, the grade didn’t affect my life in any way apart from my added stress. In fact, I never did well on a test in that class, but my general underperformance in that course only added incredible anxiety, and didn’t affect my outer life at all.

This is going to sound cheesy, but in all honesty, the things that I do remember from my past three years here are the conversations and jokes that I shared with others on the Paper, in Robbins, and more.

And I would definitely have more of such memories if I had spent less time stressing over every single thing that went wrong, and more time accepting what had gone wrong and going with the flow. I spent too much time stupidly trying to calculate how one misstep might affect me. So freshmen, sophomores, and juniors: worry less.

I certainly know that this is much easier said than done—but your time at Milton will feel much more rewarding if you accept whatever goes wrong and spend more time outside of yourself. •

Calvin Wang CONTINUED FROM 10 friends, Emily and Maddie for making math so enjoyable. To the track team for an unbelievable Championship season.

Pub Row (I coined that term), Max, Hannah, Jacob, Jiyoung, Izzy, Sam, Eliza and Sabin. Sophie and Grace, who have been so kind to me. Isabella and Tiara, who I love like sisters. Will Powers, who has been so kind, funny and fascinating. Last but not least, Tara for a great prom and an even better year. You guys have given me more than I could ask for this year, and with all my heart I wish you health and happiness.

Thank you to all of my teachers and peers, and I wish every one of you will take advantage of Milton’s resources and find your passion. Godspeed. •

Senior Reflections

PAGE 12

Clementine Wiley 2015-2016, Opinion Manager

By Clementine Wiley In many ways, the best reflection of my time at Milton would be to remember my South Texan education until freshman year.

Classrooms to me had always meant rows of metallic desks and preparation for standardized tests, so this wonderfully ambitious, intellectual, New-England-elite vibe has felt like something of a study abroad program.

I could write pages about my academic development, but, besides the academic arc, my Milton career has also largely been defined by overcoming social anxiety. I’ve spent a lot of my time here too paralyzed by timidity or indecision to really get to know people or find confidence to speak in classes. And through overthinking how to find things to say, I’ve come upon a few realizations.

The first of which is I’d been thinking of everything all wrong. Doors don’t just slide open—usually, you have to be the one to knock. Literally, you have to be the one going around the halls asking people how their days went. This may sound obvious, but that level of confidence has been something of an epiphany to me. I used to feel so insecure sophomore and junior year that I told myself I had to construct my personality, as if I were starting from scratch. I realize now that, on the contrary, a certain effortless ease and confidence in life are what generate the right enthusiasm and joy to draw other people in. And it’s hard to say where that ease comes from, but expanding your world, meeting new people, and taking up interests outside yourself all naturally lead in that direction. And for that degree of universality and, should I say, testing of my comfort zone, I am especially grateful to Milton.

Self-acceptance or contentment are

some of the best feelings in the world, but that complement it. What I’m daring to truthey’re quite a game of endurance to reach. ly say is that getting to know uneducated Or not. But it was that way for me, espe- or non-privileged people is in some ways cially since this very assertive, self-assured the best education you can have. The drive environment has felt overwhelming some- to improve society for selfless means rather times. I’ve found, however, that the fight than for personal pride is genuinely excitis actually easier in the long run than the ing and feels sometimes a little rare. Forflight. I became most happy at Milton when give my condescension, but you can’t fully I relaxed, spent more time doing activities appreciate life until you taste the greasy I enjoyed, and talked more openly with chicken. But I know I wouldn’t appreciate people. it nearly as much if Milton also hadn’t Religion is huge in Texas, even more so helped fine-tune my understanding of the in South Texas, and, ironically, distance relationship between words and truth. from home has gravitated me towards a More unsolicited advice would be to better perception of a theme there, “being try new things, not to just adhere to preset blessed.” I didn’t really believe in fate or standards. Dare to be true, yes, but also care karma until I came to understand them on to be new. I’ve thought from day one that my own terms. I’ve seen that from some it was bizarre that almost everyone here good effort or gesture unfolds more good, wears Lululemon, J. Crew, and a handful and that from some negligence or self-re- of other expensive, elite brands. One of the striction comes more limitations. You nev- biggest risks at Milton, I would say, more er know which little interest, skill, or friend than avoiding being untrue, is avoiding beis going to unlock more opportunities or ing too homogenous. Or maybes that just help you discover new things you like or makes me the petty one. that inspire you. Maybe that’s why so many When I first came to Milton, I had many of my esteemed peers want to go into eco- questions: Why do these people to work nomics—Milton/the New-England-elite out so much? Why are they constantly askstratosphere is so good, I think, at under- ing me how I am? What’s with all the pearl standing how to invest in something and earrings? Is it still a fashion choice if evget multiplied returns. eryone’s wearing them, or are bare earlobes But sometimes I wish Milton had more actually the fashion statement? I think that of the inherently carefree spirit I knew I wondered about things so frantically and back in South Texas—people there are un- with such an overarching sense of being flinchingly joyous, even though they live overwhelmed by the differences and fast in a place that’s relatively poor and where pace that I never quite hit my social stride the summer heat soars over a 100 degrees. until senior year. But I loosened up at some The public school chicken I grew up with point, and now I more enjoy seeing paralwas a thin disk of gray covered in crumbly, lels between my past and present experigreasy breading, but I never really heard ences. Happiness is there if you look for it. students complain about the food, someHow I’ve become more relaxed has a thing I can’t quite say here. By contrast, I parallel with how my writing has grown. think of Milton as inI’ve come to think satiable in a way, and that having a thirst there’s tremendous for overcoming a power in this, since thought-provoking it drives people to dig struggle is at the I’ve found that for new discoveries, root of truly good the fight is actunuances, wisdom, writing, that a certain and self-improverestless self-awareally easier in the ment. But there’s ness combined with also great power in humor and love for long run than satisfaction and in the bittersweetness the flight making the most of of life is what makes what you have. I’ve it enjoyable to both personally felt the the reader and writer.

Milton-type ambition Writing is playful take a stressful toll and at its best uses at times, since I’ve sometimes focused on an inventiveness with language, animated labels or repute or lost myself a bit com- interest, personality, and desire to speak to paring myself to others’ standards. And this some nuance of the human condition--all all distracts from what is actually useful in of which are of course also at the heart of the world, which is whatever makes you confidence and sociability. feel pumped about life and about what you In a way, pearl earrings have been a symhave to contribute. bol of development for me: to find pearls, I’ve struggled for the balance between one must dive deep in the ocean, dig, and my Texan and Milton philosophies, be- crack shells open, but after being attained, tween leaning back a little to enjoy life and they can be worn beautifully and simply, leaning in. On that note, some of the most the hard effort behind them invisible. Well, inspiring experiences I’ve had, if not the CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 most, have been those outside of Milton

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A Cirque du Soleil Special

PAGE 13

A Trip to Cirque du Soleil

By Malcolm McCann & Eli Burnes The story begins in the depths of the Boston subway, where stood beside the tracks, surrounded by advertisements for Kurios, a Cirque du Soleil special, on tunnel walls.

We took a long train ride from Government Center to Suffolk Downs, and walked by the race track to the big-blue tent. It felt as if we were making a pilgrimage. As soon as we entered the big-top, we were surprised at the excessive commercialization of the steampunk theme. Waiters walked around in steampunk costumes, passing out fancy appetizers (we did not partake), and a massive steampunk balloon hung over the bar.

Initially superficial, we quickly learned to appreciate the steampunk decor. The entire theme was a spectacle of itself.

The big top felt incredibly intimate. We could make out the faces of the every audience member, and the stage was so close we felt part of the scene. Wacky steampunk gizmos adorned the stage, but the actor’s seemed not to notice and barely interacted with them, as if they were a natural part of the circus’s world. The show started when a procession of musicians emerged from the side of the stage and circled the audience, drawing us into an opening act of an incredible juggler.

The circus progressed in a blaze of acts, each unique, but preserving a mystical and astonishing allure. In the third act, the russian cradle duo, a man strapped himself in a platform between two pilings and threw his partner into the air, circling and flicking around the platform in an

intensely suspenseful maneuver. A second stand out act was the upside down dinner, where we watch confusedly at an odd cast of characters sit down for dinner. Soon enough, the main act was revealed: an identical dinner was taking place up above, but upside down and suspended from the ceiling. The act changed our perspective of space, and transformed the stage and the circus into a memory. In the final act, tens of mimes, dressed in black and white striped costumes, danced around the stage and formed pillars up to 4 people high. The performers had no safety net, making the leaps between stacks of people terrifying keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. After the final act, we were astonished and amazed at the incredible feats. *** When writing this article, we considered analyzing the overarching narrative of the circus. However, sometimes a fantastic performance needs no analysis. It is what it is. Kurios was Kurios. There is nothing we can say to change that, and each individual, after seeing the circus, will have their own opinions on what the imagery meant.

Nonetheless, the heart of the performance was strong. You could see the dedication in the eyes of the performers. Even the atmosphere and sensations of the audience made the presentation visceral. People loved Kurios and Cirque du Soleil, and anyone would know this after feeling the reactions from the crowd. Kurious was a genuine experience, a rarity in our modern age, and it was unforgettable.

All in all, Cirque du Soleil blew us away. •

Photos: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil

PAGE 14

Milton v. Milton

Senior Artist Reflection

CONTINUED FROM 6 come great partnership.” In fact, regarding faculty students, Ms. Gormley asserts that “the children of all parents and guardians who live in the Town of Milton are welcomed and encouraged to...come to the Public Schools.”

Even with strong ties between Town and Academy leaders, the Academy’s assistance to the Town of Milton does not reduce town residents’ negative sentiments towards Milton Academy. Nick Govindan, a resident in the Town of Milton and former student at the Glover School, said how amongst the students “there is a hatred towards the bigger institution...Milton public schools are great relative to public schools but they do not have the resources that Milton Academy possesses.” In addition, Ege Yalcindag (II), a former student in the Milton public school system, stated, “As I was growing up in the Town we had the idea...that the Milton Academy kids are snobby. Milton residents...have these stereotypes because they believe that Milton Academy does not help the Town.”

The problematic dynamic between the two parties does not eliminate future chances for connection. For instance, Mr. Hamel, the Chair of the Modern Languages Department and a parent of students in the Milton Public Schools, stated, “I have discovered the beauty and the power of the Town community. I am thankful because I have found friends in the community and started coaching there. It has also shown me that Milton has an awesome public school system.” Mr. Hamel also articulated that “Milton Academy faculty might be the stitching between the Town and the Academy.”

The complicated web of relationships and issues does not reduce Mr. Bland’s view that “Relationships really matter...A lot of people in the Town who have a very favorable opinion of Milton Academy. We have to acknowledge how important the community is to our health.” •

Clementine Wiley CONTINUED FROM 12 in a way Milton is my pair of pearl earrings—a kind of confidence that comes after inner strife and looks deceptively easy, a truth attained.

I’ve learned that it’s in fact not DC-able to let myself be happy. Four, three, or two years is not that long a time, and it’s worth knocking on someone’s door, picking up new hobbies, and smiling more. I came to Milton to meet the inspiring peers and teachers I’ve gotten to know, to study in Milton’s enthusiastic way, to learn so many fascinating habits and philosophies, and overall to feel the exhilaration of being part of a place so encouraging of growth. Thank

By Brian Kim

The truest thing I’ve learned at this school is to do what you love. Not what a teacher or friend thinks you love. Not what your parents think you love. What you love. I know, it can be difficult. Like that other talented kid at Milton just shows up and is better than you at what you do? And he doesn’t even try? Ignore that. Talent only takes you so far. Talent without passion is like a spark without fuel.

Coming from a family of doctors in which my uncle (the brother of my mother), delivered me, I always thought I’d become an engineer or doctor of some sort. The humanities and arts were an icky field I could never figure out and I was comfortable where I excelled. Then some time near the end of my sophomore year, a beautiful little fairy by the name of visual art came along.

Art stormed into my life. With a hint Brian Kim 2015-2016, Persky Award-Winning Artist of interest and a knack for detail oriented work, I was swept away. It went from a or if I had found a lifelong passion. hobby to a passion. From two required Some of you will have already settled classes a week to every day for several in your passions. I’m not asking everyhours. From the ring of the bell at the one to take up visual art. But, visual art end of sit down to the jingling of the is uniquely powerful. Unlike its peers, campus safety ofdance, theatre and ficer’s keys. The music, visual art is greatest part was purely creative. Orignot knowing how inal. In early and even much time, enerprofessional phases It’s not knowing gy and thought I in other arts, you folput into painting low someone else’s whether good or and drawing, but choreography, read bad things await simply making art someone else’s script with no thought of or play someone that is so great any consequence else’s score. But the or result. At the first time you paint or peak, art made sculpt, that creation is science, what I yours. No one else has had grown up to done that and never love so much, take a backseat. A free will. And to have such a tool at such a period and an unfinished homework as- young age is powerful. Milton’s Visual signment? Nah. Math test and a science Art Department is its hidden pearl. That lab due? It didn’t matter. Study hall was tube of oil paint you see so often walkalways in the Arts and Media Center. But ing by? Forty dollars. Although I enjoy then this thing called the college process the quiet of the AMC, it annoys me how rolled around. It was a deeply reflective silent it is. How so few students come in time, forcing me to think about what was outside of the school day to take advantruly important and necessary in my life. tage of such an opportunity.

So much of the college process was At times I wonder how life would have statistics and strategizing: filling in the been if I had never discovered art, if I holes in my standardized testing and had just kept my head down, studied my figuring out what essay topic would sciences and never had the misfortune of maximize my chances of acceptance. My having so much trouble deciding what parents found it a strategic disadvantage I want to do in life. It’s not a quandary for me to take “non-academic” courses I’ve settled and not one I’m in dire need junior year. My mother told my brother of answering because something about that she hoped this “art phase” would the uncertainty is invigorating. If I knew pass by soon. Art was too unstable for where art would lead me, I’d search her liking. Although she constantly for something better. It’s not knowing reminded me that I could do whatever whether good or bad things await that is I wanted, I was skeptical. It made me so great. Don’t be normal. Be weird, odd, question myself. Whether or not this was and strange. • just a stage of my life, like high school,

“

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Arts & Enterainment

Art SZN for Seniors

By Lydia Hill

Beyond a chance for relaxation and unstructured time, the senior project period provides, of course, the chance for seniors to explore projects that excite them. This year, many seniors, both individually and in groups, have undertaken creative endeavors in the visual and performing arts, from ceramics to choreography. Milton’s plethora of artistic talent is bringing no shortage of creativity to this year’s project season.

One highly anticipated and largely advertised project is “Norman House,” the improvised mockumentary-style TV show created

by Adam Bramson and nine members of Norris House. The group is producing four thirty-minute episodes, the first of which aired at the film festival in May; additionally, all episodes are available on Youtube for free. Gavin Baker-Greene and Aimee Chea are also working on a film-related project.

They will be choreographing dances and making five music videos to songs of various genres, from Kanye West to Ed Sheeran.

Many seniors are also spending their time on music-related projects. Macy Handy and Jack Stenhouse are writing and producing four original songs, each song modeled after the popular music of the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘80s, or modern day. The duets feature Jack on the piano and Macy on vocals, and synthesized beats from Logic Pro to emulate the periods’ sounds. Michael Sabin is also dabbling in music composition, with

a half-project of writing, arranging, and eventually performing modern jazz pieces.

Finally, Michael, JD Jaramillo, Trevor Atkeson, Alan Thamthieng, Liam Grantham, Max Chiaramonte, and Jacob Aronoff are producing music and a walk-through for a multimedia group. The art exhibit and music will contain a collection imagery and music which describe a capitalist dystopian world.

To extend their impact to those outside of Milton, some seniors have decided to pair arts with community service. As a half-project, Hannah Wolfberg, Michaela Olson, and Anna DiGravio are making mugs for D.O.V.E., a shelter for domestic abuse victims in Quincy. Together they will make a total of 30 mugs for the shelter, each mug handmade and unique. The project emphasizes experimentation with various ceramic techniques and materials. Zoe Pottow and Andrea Minicus are also combining arts and outreach by both learning to knit and then knitting seven hats for premature babies at a children’s hospital. Each hat will have a unique style, size, and pattern.

While project season certainly provides a great chance for relaxation in the final spring of one’s Milton careers, many seniors are maximizing this opportunity and creating thought-provoking exhibits, films, and songs. Students’ final products will undoubtedly project the high level of talent and dedication of the class of 2016. •

The Nuclear Threat CONTINUED FROM 8 increases the possibility of, even if all nation-states use their weapons solely as war deterrents, nuclear technology’s falling into terrorists’ hands.

In order to eradicate nuclear weapons, a broad-based international effort must begin consistently enforcing the nuclear non-proliferation pact. Given the distrust that brought on the non-uniform enforcement to begin with, this effort will have to involve intense scrutiny. Perhaps every nation will need to disclose the locations of all of its nuclear facilities, and a counsel of inspectors from every nation will have to inspect the facilities of every nation on a surprise basis.

Unless Russia, the United States, China, and Iran have all directly scrutinized each other, they are unlikely to believe that the others will really dissipate their nuclear programs.

Such is just one example of the time, labor, and cash-intensive measures that will be required to eradicate nuclear weapons and their development, but it’s clear that the steps taken must be drastic and supported on all sides of the international arena if we are to avoid the dire consequences of nuclear weapons’ becoming a tool of terrorism. •

of them of their own accord. Almost fifty years later, few countries have done so (the United States certainly hasn’t), and more countries have moved toward violating the pact by developing their own nuclear programs. The pact turned out, over time, to be a weak agreement: countries with their own weapons have not trusted others enough to truly eradicate their programs, but they have attempted to enforce the agreement upon those countries that did not possess weapons as of 1967, as exemplified by the recently-lightened sanctions on Iran.

That non-uniform enforcement of the treaty has served to make countries without weapons feel weak and undermined, which has, in many cases, translated to belligerence: Iran might not have sought nuclear capabilities if the United States hadn’t retained so much nuclear power, and North Korea certainly wouldn’t be so obsessed with developing its own stores if it didn’t see nuclear weaponry as an emblem of global power. The inconsistent enforcement of the non-proliferation pact, though it may feel safe to Americans, actually increases global tension around nuclear weaponry, perpetuates its prevalence in the world, and

PAGE 15

Your Country on Drugs CONTINUED FROM 7 knowledge of a pharmaceutical scientist.

“If you’re an opiate addict for a long time, your body, from a scientific standpoint, from a pharmacology standpoint, needs more, in order to gain the euphoric sense that you felt originally.” Ultimately, Mr. Moore avers, the price of Oxycontin becomes too high— and just like that, “they turn to the cheaper alternative, which is heroin.” After being asked whether he thinks drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are too accessible to children, he simply nodded his head. “Oh man. Yeah, I do. I do. And that’s because, as you might be able to tell, some people know, I know a lot of drug addicts. I’m very familiar.

And I know a lot of methamphetamine abusers that say that their path started with Ritalin.” I asked him next to comment on the 41% increase in prescriptions of drugs like Adderall and Ritalin. “I can tell you that I think it’s asinine. I think the fact that we have become a society that is so quick to prescribe, it’s easy to do, yeah, it’s unfortunate. It’s just the way that our society has become. It’s just like ‘for every ill, there’s a pill.’ It’s what most people are buying into and it’s unfortunate. This can be taken really poorly, because again, some kids respond really beautifully to these medications.

They really do. But I think it’s like ‘oh, it can’t be the upbringing. He’s gotta have something wrong with him. It’s gotta be ADD, so let’s give him the pill.’ Instead of like ‘let’s take a global look at this kid, at what’s happening. What his life is like, before just saying the cure-all is gonna be ADD meds.’ I don’t think that happens enough.” Mr. Moore’s words shine an invaluable light on the pharmaceutical takeover of recent years. This hair-trigger prescription principle has resulted in the overprescription of addictive drugs.

The effect a medicated life has on an individual is undeniable. Ranging from dependence to death, even focus medications can have a devastating effect. But how will this affect our workforce? Is it normal to medicate children at the rate America does? The National Drug Abuse website states that despite representing only 5% of the world’s population, Americans consume 75% of the world’s medications. Almost every doctor in the country will rail against the dangers of these drugs- but the rising percentages of medicated Americans seem to indicate that other factors are weighing on the minds of medical professionals. In order to solve this problem, the FDA needs to tighten up on big pharmaceutical companies. The only sure way to prevent the overprescription of these drugs is to actually enforce the laws surrounding

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

PAGE 16

Arts & Enterainment

Annual Award Ceremonies

CONTINUED FROM 4 person’s paper. After someone had presented their research, everyone would be asking questions and discussing the topic. It was more engaging and active than a normal awards ceremony. ” In addition to academic prizes, the Persky Awards are awarded annually for excellence in student journalism and creative writing.

The Milton Paper won the most of any publication this year, with five award recipients: Gabrielle Fernandopulle (II), Henry Westerman (II), Marshall Sloane (II) and Will Powers (I), who won two awards. At the ceremony, the winners and nominees for the awards listened to Kristen Case --a member of the Milton Class of 1994 who is now a professor of English, poet, and essayist-- who spoke on such varied topics as The Iliad, Walden in order to offer the students lessons about the twists and rewards of life after Milton. “I thought her speech was fantastic!” reflected Henry Westerman (II).

“She worked in things about all these different books, but then brought it all back to how thankful she was for the education she had received at Milton, and how we should live life to the fullest, pursue our passions, and find the ‘song we want to sing’.” Chloe Kim (II) added, “The whole Persky ceremony was a really great experience, and I was honored to be recognized for my writing, especially as a Junior.”

Congratulations to all the award winners!•

Your Country on Drugs CONTINUED FROM 16 overprescription and punish doctors prescribing them. While focus medicines, like Ritalin and Adderall, do good for many people, the process leading to a diagnosis must be finessed to a point that people with the intention of abusing the drug can pass for a genuine patient. The attitude taken on

by America, consumer of three-quarters of the world’s medications, has to change.

No longer can we afford to prescribe a pill for every ill- we need to find solutions for many diseases without addictive medicines. It takes a village to ignore overprescription, and it’s time for that village now to rise up against it. This problem will only grow larger without attention.

Rolling Stone prints that 2009 saw a 48% increase in opioid prescriptions from 2000. One county in Pennsylvania saw twenty-two overdoses from opiates in a single day. Pharmaceutical giants have very much infiltrated our lives and planted a nearly invisible enemy right in the heart of our medicine cabinet. The grim reality is that behind a huge percentage of America’s mirrors sits at least one addictive prescription drug. This problem starts at home and in the doctor’s office - and that’s where it needs to be fixed.•

Summer Arts Preview

COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

By Katie Friis This summer—whether you plan on interning eight hours a day, lounging around at home and watching Netflix, or hitting the beach—if you are in Boston, you should consider spicing up your summer with a little bit of art by going to one of the many concerts, festivals, and other events that are taking place in the city. Boston will be alive with fun activities in the upcoming three months. To start off the season, Beyoncé played in Gillette Stadium last Friday, June 3rd and, according to the Boston Globe, was the most frequently searched concert this summer in the Boston area. Following her as the second most searched concert this summer is Kenny Chesney, a country singer and songwriter, who will be performing at Gillette on August 27th. Others playing in Boston this summer are Billy Joel (August 18th), Coldplay (July 30th), Drake (August 10th), and Zac Brown Band (August 20th).

Aside from concerts, numerous arts festivals will be held in Boston this summer. The Summer Arts Weekend, hosted by WGBH, The Boston Globe, and Citizen’s Bank, is being brought back to Boston this summer on July 25 and 26th. The event will take place in Copley Square and is completely free of entry. A wide variety of musical artists will be performing, and many arts, food, and cultural programs will be open to the public. The weekend should

be a great way for the Boston community to come together and celebrate art created not only in our country, but also in our own city.

This June, the musical Matilda will be playing at the Boston Opera House.

The musical has won four Tony awards as well as fifty other international awards.

Based on the novel Matilda by Roald Dahl, which is about a young girl who develops the power of telekinesis, the show has a runtime of two hours and forty minutes, and ticket prices range from $39 to $72. (Tickets are still available, so buy yours now!)

Another free event took place this past weekend: the Salem Arts Festival. This is the eighth year the annual has happened.

Over eighty artists performed, ranging from art, music, dance, and theater. Additionally, a temporary public art installation was featured and many local artisan vendors sold their creations. A “Mural Slam” was introduced this year for the first time, in which twelve selected artists worked on paintings throughout the festival and completed them

by Sunday. The festival was a great success in promoting arts in Salem and Boston, and many more similar events will be happening later this season.

Other events happening in Boston include the Summer Soulstice, Bastille Day, and a feature on Leonardo Da Vinci at the MFA. With these jam-packed, diverse array of events going on, don’t miss out on the chance to soak in some art this summer!•

Please donate money to The Measure... we hate to see them buy pizza with the administration’s.

Arts & Enterainment

The Beatnik Legacy

COURTESY OF EVAN SCALES VISUALS

Will Powers (I) takes his solo at Beatnik in the fall.

By Emma James Beatnik Café, or just Beatnik for short, is a pivotal feature of the Milton Academy experience. Three or four times each year, hundreds of students pack into Straus Library to watch their peers, and sometimes even faculty and staff, perform. The performances range from jazz ensembles to song covers to piano concertos to student-written raps, and the night can exceed three hours.

The members of Magus Mabus, the organization which runs Beatnik, gather even more attendees with the allure of free food and gift card raffles. But oddly enough, not many attendees are aware of the historical context of the word “Beatnik.”

The Beat Generation was a culture movement in post-World War II America. Modern World History and Art History teacher Larry Pollans explains the movement as “a group of coming-of-age youngsters who were looking for alternative ways of expressing their views of the world [and] disagreed with their elders.” Students in universities began to question societal norms like traditional sexuality, modern materialism, and the stigma surrounding drug use. Among these students were Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, two men who met at Columbia University in the 1940s. They started the movement in New York’s anti-conformist underground scene. They named it the “Beat” Generation because of the word’s

double meaning: beat as an adjective can mean tired and worn, but beat as a noun is a unit associated with rhythm. Rhythm had a special significance during the period; the artistic push was famous for making intellectual remarks about society through literature, and so many of its members, including Kerouac and Ginsberg, were poets.

Mr. Pollans calls the poetry of the Beat Generation “freeform” because the writing generally had no measure or rhyme, and was “more primal.” In his poem “America,” Ginsberg makes some truly controversial statements, including “[g]o f*** yourself with your atom bomb” and “I used to be a communist when I was a kid and I’m not sorry,” lines showing how radically defiant some ideals were. Aside from essentially inventing slam poetry, the Beats joined forces with modern jazz musicians.

In his November 1, 2012 discussion of the collaboration between poetry and jazz, Geoff Page of Cordite Poetry Review highlighted a 1958 recording by Jack Kerouac in which alternately he reads his Blues and Haikus poems for a few bars, and then tenor saxophonists Zoot Sims and Al Cohn offer some bars of “musical comment.” As reflected by this eccentric collaboration, the Beats were fighting the rules and expectations in every aspect they could, even in their wardrobe choices, wearing “dungarees (jeans) and tee shirts,” according to Mr. Pollans.•

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Course Selections CONTINUED FROM 5

II, also brought up the option of “having more classes be semester or half courses so that greater ranges of topics can be covered; for example, it would be cool to have the option to take two semesters of different math classes or history classes rather than a year long course”. However, as Ms. Wood explained, “changing the credit system may not be possible when considering compatibility with colleges and scheduling. Even realistically when you think about it, quantifying courses by workload assumes that the work takes each student the same amount of work where the homework for one class may take a student one hour, it could take another student only twenty minutes”.

In the years to come, the administration might want to consider better reflecting the interests and desires of the Milton student body by reworking the credit system or opening opportunities for more

South Park CONTINUED FROM 7 necessary. It would be an easy exercise to measure the racial diversity shown in Milton media in comparison to the actual racial diversity of the school. This idea of selling the school to a PC economy also explains why the ACC is covered with solar panels as a visible (but economically questionable) sign of commitment to the PC goal of renewable energy. Many studies say there are more cost effective ways to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, such as by planting trees in Brazil, but these do not visibly associate Milton with the brand of a green campus to all applicants and donors. Of course, these phenomena aren’t specific to Milton -- most private schools and colleges (as well as companies) sell social constructs such as diversity and a clean campus to the PC economy -- but nonetheless, this obvious commoditization is disheartening to see in trusted institutions.•

Millennials CONTINUED FROM 7

Please donate opinions to the Measure… we hate to see them use the administration’s.

solving some of the greatest problems to face any Americans in our history. However, in spite of these challenges, millennials are on track to be the most diverse, most educated generation in American history (according to whitehouse.gov).

And that, in itself, provides some hope that their struggle against these challenges will prove successful.•

Sports

PAGE 18

M-Club Recap

By Gabrielle Fernandopulle Each spring, the athletics department hosts the M Club awards dinner, a banquet to recognize a number of students for their accomplishments on and off the field. The legendary “orange carpet” is rolled out for all the varsity athletes, coaches, and senior parents to celebrate the year of Milton athletics. The ceremony begins with tangible excitement as athletes line up to get their photos taken, enjoy food from a buffet dinner, and sit together with teammates and coaches.

As the event transitions from dinner to awards, athletes linger in the FCC bleachers, awaiting the year’s athletics highlight videos and awards. This year’s video was created by Trevor Turnbull (I) and James Cadigan (I) as part of their senior project.

Turnbull says, “It was really cool to see Milton athletics from a different perspective while going through all the film. It was a great way to see what an incredible year in sports we have had!”

Athletes who have excelled during their seasons are then recognized for “All-American”, “Honorable Mention”, and/or “First Team All-ISL”, receiving their official certificates from the athletic director Mr. Reddicks. In addition, the ISL championship and New England championship winners are announced. After each sport’s honors have been expressed, seniors who participated in all three seasons of varsity athletics are presented with a large, embroidered M, a “Varsity Letter”, in recognition of their contributions and dedication to the athletics program.

The highlight of the night is the

presentation of the four memorial awards annually awarded to senior athletes. The Priscilla Bailey Award is given to a senior girl who “has demonstrated exceptional individual skills and teamwork, as well as true sportsmanship”, and this year’s recipient was Kellie Quinn (I). A three sport varsity athlete and captain in soccer, hockey, and softball, Quinn humbly states, “I was really surprised but I would say it was definitely a special way to end my many great memories as a Milton Academy athlete.” Anna DiGravio (I) won the second award for senior girls, the Dorothy J. Sullivan Award for exemplifying self-sacrifice and leadership. She commented, “Looking back at my time at Milton, sports have been my absolute favorite part of high school. When I received the award, it was a true honor because all the people that received it before me were amazing leaders to me.” On the boys side, this year’s recipient of the Alfred Elliot Memorial Trophy was Quintin McDermott (I) for showing “self-sacrifice and devotion to the best interest of his teams, regardless of skill.”

The final honor, the Robert Saltonstall Medal, was awarded to Domenic Cozier (I) for his physical excellence, determination, and leadership throughout his Milton athletics career.

The night, and the end of the year of Milton Athletics, concluded with goodbye wishes for the summer and a thank you to all the seniors for their amazing contributions throughout their time at Milton.

Kellie Quinn (I) reflected “it was a great ending to my athletic career and I felt truly blessed to be a part of the athletic community at Milton.”•

The Rio Olympics’ Big Problems

By Nihal Raman The Summer Olympics are the second-most watched sporting event worldwide, behind only the FIFA World Cup. In fact, the 2012 London games drew an audience of 219.4 million people in the United States alone, according to Nielson ratings.

Furthermore, the Olympics is the only event that gathers almost all the world’s top athletes. However, the Rio games may not live up to the high standards set by previous Olympics because of Brazil’s political state, its current recession, and the Zika virus epidemic.

In 2014, president Dilma Rousseff won the presidency for a second consecutive cycle. Rousseff is an unpopular leader to say the least. She’s so unpopular that, in March,

over a million Brazilians took to the streets to protest the government’s corruption. The protesters got their way; in April, the Brazilian Congress voted to impeach Rousseff.

While the trial for Rousseff’s impeachment carries on, vice president Michel Temer occupies the presidential title. However, Temer is also disliked by the majority of Brazilian citizens because of allegations of corruption and racism. All of these political problems could cause the country to have an unstable government come Opening Ceremonies on August 5th.

Brazil’s current recession could also harm the Olympics. The recession, caused in part by collpasing oil prices, shrunk the economy by 3.8% in 2015 alone, CNN.com reports. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the recession will continue throughout

CONTINUED ABOVE

Rio Olympics CONTINUED FROM BELOW this year. Economic conditions have compelled athletes to go months without being paid and the government to cut the Olympics’ budget. In fact, Rio’s mayor, Eduardo Paes, said “We are not a rich country. So every time we can cut some of the budget of the Olympics, we will do it.”

Finally, the outbreak of the Zika virus could jeopardize athletes’ health. Zika is a disease primarily spread through the bite of bacteria-infested mosquitos. Though the virus is most dangerous when contracted during pregnancy, it can still cause fever, rash, and joint pain for non-pregnant individuals. As of March 9th, over 4,000 babies were born with microcephaly, a defect caused by Zika pregnancies. Recently, the Brazilian government deployed over 200,000 military members to control the outbreak. However, even with military involvement, Zika could still affect the Olympic games since many athletes may decide to skip out on the games because of the virus. Take Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, who “[doesn’t] want anything to affect [his chance of starting a family].”

All concerns aside, the Rio Olympics could still hold up to its expectations. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt strives to win all three major sprinting events (100m sprint, 200m sprint, and 4x100 relay) in his fourth and final Olympic games. Bolt stated: “I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do.”

With a star-studded roster, the US Men’s Basketball team also vies for gold. NBA stars such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Lebron James are all sure to feature team, and should carry the group to victory.

Thus, despite the problems faced by the upcoming Rio Olympics, the games will still feature many of the world’s best athletes, who will surely make the games an exciting event.•

New England Champions Boys Soccer Girls Tennis ISL Champions Boys Soccer Boys Swimming Girls Swimming Boys Track and Field Boys Hockey Boys Baseball Girls Tennis

Mustangs of the Year

PAGE 19

Jen Costa (II)

Nat Deacon (I)

By Navpreet Sekhon

By Jack Sloane

Although Milton Academy develops many talented athletes, Jen Costa (II), a hockey recruit who came to Milton as a sophomore, stands out in every sport she plays.

Costa plays varsity soccer in the fall, hockey come wintertime, and track during the spring. On girls’ varsity soccer, she dominates the field from center back. Playing hockey, she races along the left wing with impressive speed. During the track season, she specializes in the 400 meter dash, 4x400 relay, and javelin throw. This year, she won the New England’s javelin event with a throw of 115 feet, “just 3 feet shy from the Milton record,” she explains.

Even though she excelled at ISL’s and New England’s for track, Costa calls hockey her “greatest passion.”

“Hockey for me is just another world where I can completely focus on just one shift at a time,” she explains.

Costa’s love for hockey makes her one of the strongest players on the team because she fully dedicates herself to the sport, striving to “prove [herself] to others and be that one player that no one wants to play against.” She credits hockey for allowing her to simultaneously release stress and showcase skill.

Compared to hockey, the atmospheres in soccer and track differ quite a lot. “For soccer the vibe is very competitive—I am very passionate about the game, and I know that my teammates and I always put forth our best effort,” she explains.

Track, she elaborates, is “more laid back and relaxed.”

Nonetheless, she emphasizes, “during the 60 seconds that I’m running, I’m in the zone and focused.” She knows that in track, unlike in soccer and hockey, she can’t rely on others as often, but she still feels that her teammates and coaches have shaped her into the athlete that she is now. “My teammates are always there for me when I need help,” she gladly points out. In return, she says, “I try to perform to the best that I can and be the best role model for them.”

Costa’s support system comes not only from her teammates but also from her coaches, who see her determination and give her constant encouragement to persevere and stay focused. She greatly appreciates her coaches’ advice and kindness, and she knows that they “want nothing but for [her] to be successful in the future.”

Next year, Costa will continue playing all of her sports, and we’ll be able to watch her destroying the competition on the field, ice, and track. For her excellence in athletics in the 2015-2016 year, we would like to highlight her as the female Mustang of the Year!•

Milton Academy is full of impressive athletes: those who set school records, win ISL championships, and support their teammates to the final minute. Nat Deacon (Ⅰ) has proven to possess all these qualities and much more.

At the beginning of the 2015-16 school year, Deacon set his sights high by being a vital part of three varsity teams and a captain of two.

Deacon began the year with football, functioning as one of three captains, ready to finish off his high school career on a great note. He and his teammates placed 2nd in the ISL, with a record of 6-2. Deacon totaled nearly 100 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. Moreover, he was awarded All ISL, an accolade given to the best athletes in ISL sports, as well as the Scholar-Athlete award.

Following football season, varsity wrestling was next, where he was also a captain. Deacon finished wrestling with a personal record of 8-4, and the team finished 5th in the ISL tournament. To conclude his high school career, Deacon completed one more season of varsity lacrosse, in which he finished with a record of 8-9—a record much improved from the previous year.

Deacon is guided every day with a burning passion to compete and to “represent Milton well.” When asked what he loved most about playing for Milton, Deacon said, “you go out there every day, and you’re with the same guys who all love putting in hard work.” Additionally, Deacon is known for his compassion and competitiveness on the field, traits that he will carry into his sporting career at Bowdoin College. Overall, Nat Deacon represented core Milton values throughout his high school career, making him more than deserving of the title of TMP Mustang of the Year.•

The word devil is used 34 times in the Bible

Alumni Reflections

PAGE 20

Fishing For a Marlin

By Hari Patel ‘15

Bernie Sanders were a bit pathetic. And yet her speech echoed the fish analogy in During my 9 years at Milton, the movie a concrete way. She recalled that a menthat I most admired was “The Social Net- tor of hers encouraged her to go west and work,” the 2010 drama that depicts the cover the Robert Kennedy campaign of founding of Facebook and the lawsuits 1968; he insisted that “the way to make that followed. To be clear, I have little your name as a journalist is not to write desire to work at Facebook, or in the tech a lot of little stories. No matter how good industry at all, but the film was culturally they are, they won’t start a new conversaincisive in a way that I think few films tion.” You have to tackle a big story, her are. editor explained, one that provokes peoAbout a halfway through the film, ple, changes the way that they think, and Mark Zuckerberg meets Sean Parker, a answers the “why” questions that always notorious entrepreneur and the founder of go unanswered.

Napster, for the first time. Parker strolls I’ve spent a little too much time over into the trendy west coast Asian restau- the past few weeks at and around Milton rant with the gangster like swagger of reflecting on my time in high school, and Henry Hill in Goodfellas, arriving half an I could come up with a million things that hour late and shaking hands with half a I did wrong. But I think if there is one dozen people before arriving to Zucker- thing that I did right, it was that I took the berg’s table. He calls over the attractive opportunity to catch marlins when they waitress by her first name and scolds her arose. for not bringing food to the table earlier.

The point that I’m trying to make is not The music swells as Parker tells a va- that you have to create some billion dollar riety of stories about his past, but soon business or uncover watergate to be sucParker and Zuckerberg start talking about cessful. Instead, I am trying to point out Zuckerberg’s progress with Facebook. that at places like Milton, where we are Parker insists that a million dollars isn’t given the freedom (and even encouraged) “cool,” but a billion dollars is, and that to take risks, there is no virtue in modZuckerberg is headed towards a billion eration. No one remembers the kid who dollar valuation—unless he takes bad ad- wrote the eight articles in as many years vice, “in which case he may as well have about how over-pressured Milton students come up with a chain of successful yogurt are, or how the absence of AP designated shops.” classes is good or bad. No one remembers And then Parker arrives at an analogy the history term paper that was written that has stuck with me at the last minute. for quite some time.

No one remembers “When you go fishthe DYO that was ing,” he says, “you played safe and got can catch a lot of fish, predictable results. you can catch a or you can catch a big And no one rememfish. Have you ever bers the friends lot of fish, or you walked into a guy’s with whom they can catch a big den and seen a picture never did anything of him standing next wild and crazy— fish to fourteen trout?” and maybe even “No,” one of illegal.

Zuckerberg’s friends To put it bluntly, responds, “he’s holdthere is no line to ing a 3000 pound tread between what marlin.” is healthily provocative and what is offenAbout a week ago, I was reminded sive. If you think about your writing like of this scene during the commencement that, you will never write anything worth address at the University of Vermont’s reading. Write what you believe and craft graduation ceremony with Gail Sheehy, it effectively. Seek out argument and disAmerican author, journalist, and lectur- putation for your own sake. As I wrote er, as the commencement speaker. Much last year, life after graduation, out there of Gail Sheehy’s speech was filled with in the real world, will provide plenty of pandering to the audience: the constant time for silence. one-liners that celebrated the virtues of And, more broadly, there is no line to

“

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Hari Patel 2014-2015, Editor-at-Large

tread between what is fun and what is risky. Nobody likes risk averse people.

They suck. Nobody likes that kid who was always worried about getting caught or petrified about not getting an A. The majority of Medal of Honor winners are awarded for doing things that directly disobeyed the orders of superiors.

To live meaningfully, at Milton or anywhere, is to constantly break routines and rules. And if our objective is to create something greater than ourselves, then we cannot go out to catch a lot of little fish.

The pursuit of marlins what creates the kind of community that Marina Keegan writes about in her essay, “The Opposite of Loneliness,” an essay that Mr. Chung had us read in our Class IV English class, because we see that what so many of us find at Milton is just like what she found at Yale. It’s not quite love and it’s not some idyllic sense of community. It’s just the sense that we never struggle or take a risk alone. It’s the willingness to write a memoir with your most intimate secrets because you know Ms. Baker will understand. It’s the desire to forgo sleeping because you know that writing a fascinating term paper is more important. The people with whom you pay the check at Steele and Rye with and then stay at the table for three more hours. The nights when we were up at 3 and didn’t want to go to sleep. The nights we don’t talk about.

After moving to New York and away from so many good friends and so many good memories, I’ve come to realize that what we remember are not the times that we got an A or the times that we studied hard or the times we cheered for friends on Milton-Nobles day. We live for the risks we take and the friends we take them with.•

Alumni Reflections

PAGE 21

My Senior Reflection...

A Year Overdue

Alex Garnick 2014-2015, Editor-in-Chief

By Alex Garnick ‘15 Around this time last spring, for some reason or another, I failed to partake in one of TMP’s editorial rites of passage: a Senior Reflection. Call it what you will—an aversion to sentimentality, a nonconformist inclination, general distraction, or, most likely, sheer laziness—I just never got around to it.

Nevertheless, I’m here to make up for some lost time, to redeem my former absenteeism.

Now, I don’t pretend that I can offer some inspirational wisdom about “life”, “happiness,” and other such matters, because I most certainly cannot. But having spent some time on the “outside”—that is, outside the clichéd, but still definitely real “Milton bubble”—I think I am in a better position than I was last spring to say some legitimate things about this place. In other words, I’ve had time to let my thoughts marinate and any hostilities simmer.

But I’m gonna try to be honest here, and the first thing that comes to mind, well, might not be what you want to hear amid all the end-of-the-year jubilation. Still, it remains a nagging truth in my view that there exist many problems with the high school I call my alma mater. And my time away has only made these problems seem more numerous and profound. Some of them are new—these were the problems I was most aware of while I was here. But some of them seem to have always been here—these were the problems that I became most acutely aware of only after graduating.

Having spoken to many teachers about their observations and from reporting in the community firsthand, I believe that the

school has changed quite a bit from what we enjoyed it and genuinely thought that it was when I started my freshman year, we were making some kind of difference— and it is still changing quite rapidly. And as however quixotic that sentiment might’ve with all changes, this change is partly for been. If even a few people happened to the good, partly for the bad. The school’s read what we wrote and, as a result, thought growing emphasis on athletics over aca- a little more critically about their own comdemics, its increasingly corporate mindset munity too, then I’d call that a success. at the administrative level, the dominating (Even if we didn’t win quite as many Perfocus on college admissions, prestige, bro- sky’s as we should have…) chure appearance, et cetera, et cetera—you know the drill—I think these are all defi*** nitely bad things, and their existence is not I think I can confidently say that I learned something I can gloss over in an honest more from TMP than from any class I took reflection of my time here. here at Milton. And that’s no slight to my In fact, having become so disillusioned teachers because I sure as hell learned a with these problems senior year, I can only ton from my classes, too. But through my count myself as lucky for having found many, often impassioned discussions, in some kind of outlet, or relief, in The Milton actually questioning the routine instead of Paper. What we did at TMP that gave us merely slogging through it, in just thinking some sense, however delusional, of duty— constantly about this place, I developed of meaning amid so many meaningless, ap- a much better sense of what I wanted out plication-padding “extracurriculars”—was of my education here and after. TMP gave to identify these me the impetus for this bad changes, the extensive introspection, areas in which which I don’t think I how you will our idealization would have engaged in of Milton did not otherwise. And what I later judge your align with the learned from that kind reality, and overof engagement has stuck experience is all come students’ with me better than any on you, apathy about course material I can them. recall. really, and not And that’s realThe truth is that reducly the true evil to ing my entire experience the place itself fight, kids: apathy. at Milton to either “totalApathy towards ly great, no complaints” everything not or “a regrettable life dedirectly related to academics or college cision” would be far too simplistic and, if admissions or other kinds of long-term in fact true, far too boring. Ultimately, the ambitions. Helping to take down a sexist question of whether you “liked” a school is dress-code, exposing a buried mass-layoff a poorly posed question to begin with—a in the Development Office, facilitating a little too vague. Instead it can be better much-needed school wide discussion of substituted by how you dealt with the cirpolice brutality, fighting athletic dominion cumstances, what you chose to do or not with the pen—these were all things, among do, what kind of relationships you created, many others, that we did at the expense whether you resisted the awful pressures of our GPAs and application essays, and or fell prey to them. So how you will later in spite of sleep deprivation so severe our judge your experience is all on you, really, office in Warren became essentially a glo- and not the place itself. And while this may rified napping den. We ran the Paper with seem like a real burden, it’s actually more an intensity and enthusiasm that could only liberating, more exciting, and more just. be described, looking back, as irrational.

The problems that exist at Milton, the But, amid Milton’s overwhelming pres- ones I experienced and tried to combat sures for maturity, it was in this irrational during my time here, are fixable—most of replacement of what we should have been these bad changes are not irreversible. To doing—i.e. diligently pursuing long-term simply do nothing about them, mindlessly adult expectations—with what we wanted complete your homework assignments, to be doing—flirting with ideas, poking fun and then later dismiss the entire place is at authority—that made my TMP experi- defeatist and should give you no ground to ence so unforgettable. complain. You must first try to make your And sure, I’ll admit, our work on the actual experience fit your idealization, and, Paper probably meant more to us on the if you encounter any obstacles along the Board than anyone else in the community. way and have to resort to complaining, then But I don’t think that really mattered. The at least do it the proper way: write about it point is that we did what we did because in The Milton Paper. •

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Faculty Reflections

PAGE 22

Letters “Home” from Ghosts of TMP Past — Hari-Harry interview

By Lisa Baker Just a couple weeks ago, I received an email from Hari, a graduate of last year, whom some of you might remember from these very pages. On the Editorial Board of TMP ‘14-15, Hari was a loud, unabashed editorial voice, championing independent thought, perhaps especially if it disrupted mainstream sentiment. His email to me was rushed, breezy, with a document attached. He was in the middle of exams but still had managed to jot down 2000 words about his experience of college to date, in the form of advice for my students.

I routinely ask recent graduates to come back and share their experiences of life after Milton, with seniors soon to take the plunge. Hari knew he wouldn’t make it back from Columbia in time to offer his view in person, so I printed and passed along his thoughts to my students in The Craft of Nonfiction. His view on college is largely cynical and nostalgic, his advice muted by a reality that has asked him to navigate institutional bureaucracies; my seniors responded with quiet unease: Is college really that?

Then, just yesterday, I received a handwritten letter from Harry, a good friend of Hari’s, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of TMP last year. I’ve received three such handwritten letters over the course of this year, which strike me as delightful acts of resistance from Harry -- he who used the pages of this Paper to speak truth to power and convention whenever he had the chance.

(A sidenote, to all of you who have not written or received a letter by hand: indulge in the experience! Something special happens when you discover the writer in the curves of the letters, the choices of notepaper and envelope. Suddenly, you imagine the moment of the writing -- a letter approximating face-to-face conversation in a way that a typed document can’t quite.)

COURTESY OF LISA BAKER

“Just checking in again,” Harry opens.

“A friend with some weird independent study project set up a workspace where you show up, put your phone in a bin, write down a goal for 30 minutes, and flip a (half) hour glass. It’s almost eye-rollingly Brown, but it’s pretty powerful.

And I’ve been meaning to write you for a while, so that is my goal for this experiment.” Turns out, Hari had also shared with Harry his document about college life (“His manifesto?” Harry playfully questions). “I think it’s safe to say,” Harry writes, “I disagree with all of it.”

When TMP editors sent out a call for submissions to this issue, it occurred to me that permitting these dyed-in-thewool, former TMP Editors to debate again in these pages, on this subject, might be fun -- and meaningful to all of you, who will find yourselves, someday if not imminently, beyond Milton. In both, I find intelligence and generosity: a willingness to expend effort, amidst their busy end-ofyears, to cross the gap back to you. Certainly, Hari and Harry’s differing views about college reflect their personal differences, their institutions’ differences, and their courseworks’ differences. I hear, too, how much they agree, as they disagree -which is to say that, more often than not, they read shared experience differently.

Together, throughout their debate, they depict for you the chasm between high school -- Milton’s version of it, at least -and college, an important take-away.

Most of all, I appreciate their commitment to reflection, their ability already to step back and take stock of this first year, for your benefit and their own. If one measure of a good liberal arts education (you will hear them launch into this subject) is the degree to which it promotes reflection in its students, then they’ve both been taught well -- though whether by high school or college, they would debate.

As you read, remember that advice is

advice: useful until it isn’t. Hari knows this, too, venturing forth quite humbly, “As a college freshman, I’m probably not qualified to give much profound advice to high school seniors. But if there is anything that I wish I knew before coming to New York, it’s the following.” That said, I give you Hari vs. Harry, in excerpt and in dialogue: HARI: As Milton students (and soon-tobe alums), the best liberal arts education you get will come from your high school.

There is little chance you will ever have the chance to sit in a class as small as 14 people, with as talented teachers, during your undergraduate years. When you do have small classes in college, they will usually be taught by underpaid grad students or post-docs, who don’t think much about the quality of their teaching. That’s not to say there is nothing to gain from college. You will gain some tangible skills and, as I said above, meet some interesting people. But you have to engage with your work more than with your instructors. Let the books you read and the content you study enhance your worldview, even if your professors don’t.

HARRY: I agree that Milton provides a top notch liberal arts education, but the structure of college classes provide numerous benefits Hari omits. While high school teachers are primarily teachers, college professors are primarily researchers. This means that, yes, they have more important things to do than make sure you outline your essay in advance. But it also means that they are far more knowledgeable about the topic they teach than any Milton teacher could be. Even if the professor does not know your name, a good college professor, of which there are many, can radically change how you view a topic or incite an intellectual passion from the front of a 400 person lecture hall. And if you want that same relationship we all had with at least one Milton teacher, just about every professor loves talking about their research during office hours and is usually desperate for research assistants.

HARI: A talented teacher is more likely to “radically change how you view a topic” because that’s their job. A researcher who had never taught a day in their life may give one good Ted Talk, but they don’t have years of experience in presenting material effectively. The modern university is not good at giving us a liberal arts education, in the sense of teaching you how to think critically and read more thoroughly and write more clearly.

“The system,” to be frank, doesn’t give a f*** about you. If you don’t show up to

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Faculty Love Stories

Todd and Nancy

COURTESY OF LILLY LE

Interview with Todd Bland Transcribed by Jiyoung Jeong The first time I met Nancy, my wife, was when I was sixteen years old. We were introduced by my roommate at the time. I went to St. George’s School. We had grown up together in Worcester, Massachusetts, and I decided to go home with him one weekend. His name was Todd as well. I remember [Todd] said that he wanted to introduce me to one of his good friends. We went to her house, and we met very briefly. I remember being in [Nancy’s] house distinctly; I remember that—there was a famous movie at the time called “The Big Chill”—and we listened to the soundtrack of “The Big Chill” that was playing in the background. And I remember that moment distinctly. I thought she was great, but it was just a very brief meeting. I didn’t see her again but maybe in passing for another year or two, and then we ended up on Cape Cod together, spending the summer before our freshman year in college. We both went to Cape Cod to work, and I was living with Todd. It was definitely then that I took particular notice of her. I actually have a very distinct vision in my mind. At the beginning of that summer—I don’t even know if I shared this with her—so she was walking down a driveway to [Todd’s]

house, and I remember looking at her, and being like, “Holy moly! That’s someone special.” And again, it’s hard for me to know how much of this has been built in my own mind because of where we are today. But I have a very distinct memory of thinking, at that moment, when I didn’t even know her yet—people ask me if I believe in love at first sight—and I remember that moment and saying, “I don’t know why I have this feeling, but I think I might marry her!” And I didn’t even know her then!

As soon as we started spending time together, I actually did know; I’d had other girlfriends and so on, but this was different. And so we started dating at the end of that summer, and in the fall of our freshman year, I took her to my favorite place in the world, in Camden, Maine.

There’s a mountain there called Mount Battie, which slopes right up from the ocean. It has an unbelievable view of the Maine seacoast, and it’s been my favorite place since I was a little boy. It was north of Bowdoin College, where I was in school—and I took her there. I said, “This is my favorite place. The next time I take you here, I’m gonna ask you to marry me.” She laughed, but six years later, I brought her back and proposed to her. I’m a romantic, you know, in part because of her—but it has always felt

Persky’s 2016: TMP 8; TMM 2

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Letters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 class ever, no one is going to care. If you do really badly on all of your assignments, no teacher is going to pull you aside and talk to you about how you can improve.

Not that many teachers will know your name or much about you, and even fewer care if you put no effort into their class.

People complain about bureaucracies for a reason. They are nameless and faceless and unforgiving. At Milton, every department has an approachable person at its helm, but that will not be so at your college. In college, take advantage of the bureaucracy when you can. Faceless bureaucracies can’t get mad when you exploit their loopholes.

But also know that bureaucracies have the power to harm you at least as much as they have the power to help you.

HARRY: I agree that the system “does not give a f*** about you.” But that is exactly what is so great about college. In the most recent TMP, which I still look forward to every week, the cover article outlined what can be only described as an all around pitiful attempt at a skip day. Here at college, if you want to play foursquare on the green instead of attending a class that does not seem worth your time, all the power to you. We are no longer 14, we do not need to be told when to wake up and do our homework. The classes you do decide to go to, as a result, become more meaningful because you chose to be there. At Milton, it is easy to go to every class without really asking yourself why you are there, why you go to class, why you stay up ungodly late to study. As soon as this autopilot wears off in college (took just about a semester for me), you have to reevaluate and find motivation to do your work now that you are no longer studying to get into college. You must really ask yourself why, of all the possible things you can do with your life and with a quarter million dollars, you are here studying. And when you find that answer, it doesn’t matter who gives a f*** about you.

HARI: The diversity of the people that you will meet, especially at medium-sized or large universities, will transcend the diversity of your senior class. In part that’s because high school years are formative ones, and those with a different high school experience than you are bound to have a different outlook. But more importantly, in a political climate like the current one, it’s really interesting to hear what people from foreign countries have to say.

HARRY: While it’s true that the diversity at colleges will “transcend” the diversity of any Milton class, I would stress that the merit of this diversity lies not in people from foreign countries but from more diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. More importantly, going to a college with diversity does not have a significant, inherent benefit

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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Letters

Faculty Love Stories

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 unless you actively engage with people from radically different backgrounds. As a NY Times op-ed accurately described a while back, “A given college may be a heterogeneous archipelago. But most of its students spend the bulk of their time on one of many homogenous islands.”

HARI: College is entirely separated from the real world. As a former editor of the Milton Paper once wrote in her alumni reflection, “College is like a glorified summer camp”—it’s almost entirely egalitarian and socialist—it’s one of the only settings where life doesn’t revolve around family. There is a definite and constant sense that you are not living in the real world.

HARRY: I agree with Hari that college does not feel like the real world. In fact, it’s better than the real world. Just because it is not representative of the rest of our lives does not mean that the experiences we have are not real or meaningful.

HARI: Living in a community where you recognize or know almost everyone provides a great deal of security. At Milton, you know, at the very least, 90% of the people that you pass in the hallways every day. That level of familiarity generates an amazing sense of community.

If you go to a medium sized university with about 6000 undergraduates and many more graduate students, it’s likely you won’t even recognize 90% of the people you walk past in the hallways. In a word, it feels a bit daunting.

HARRY: College lets you be who you want to be. Take [a named Milton grad], for instance, who is in an experimental jazz band, rolls his own cigarettes and dresses in layers of flannel and cuffed pants. College allows for far more personal expression and individuality than Milton ever could.

HARI: The way you eat and think about eating will change. At Milton, meals are at set times during the day. Even if you are a day student, you probably sit down at a table and have dinner with your family, and when you go to lunch, you have a variety of friends to eat with. Neel Taneja ’15 texted me in the fall complaining about how if he ever wanted to eat with any of his friends, he would have to text them earlier in the day and see if anyone was free to eat with them earlier in the day and see if anyone was free to eat with him at a given time. At Milton he would just walk into the dining hall and, as he put it, “All of my boys would be there.” It may seem like a small change, but the chance to effortlessly have lunch with your friends everyday is a privilege.

HARRY: If we are discussing high

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

Rachel and James

Interview with Rachel Klein-Ash Transcribed by Jiyoung Jeong James Ash sits down and starts telling his side of the story: When we met, it was just after 9/11 in 2001. It was probably October, and we both separately went—didn’t know each other at the time—to a professional development breakfast sponsored by Stanford University. Downtown, in a hotel, called in people like us so that they can talk about the school and we can talk about it. So I went with a colleague—I was at Wellesley High at the time—and Rachel went with Mr. Skinner, and we sat at the same table, just coincidentally. And as with those things, I’m just talking, introducing, and all of the sudden, I look, and I go, “Oh! Well who’s this? She’s… sort of cute, she’s sorta interesting.”

So that was the initial meeting. I remember driving out of the parking lot, and I saw Rachel and Mr. Skinner walking out. So we said bye. At that moment, that was the end of it. We kind of had conversations throughout the breakfast, kind of interesting, you know—pretty easy, from what I recall. Enough that I remember being sort of intrigued, but… one of the reasons why I didn’t actively do a whole lot was because I was kind of dating someone long distance at the time, though it was not a serious thing.

Rachel almost didn’t go to this breakfast, by the way, was literally going to just blow it off, and her boss at the time, Susan Case, said: just go. So we were that close to not meeting, perhaps, which is always kind of funny to think about in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway, short version of the story is, Rach comes back to her office, and her boss asks her, “How’d it go?” And she goes, “Oh it was good,” and Susan asked, did you meet anyone? And Rachel said, “Well, I met this guy from Wellesley High...” and she, Ms. Case, kind of locked into that, and asked, “Who did you meet?” And I think Rach tried to minimize it a little bit, so Susan goes, “Well, let’s just find out!” So [Susan] picks up the phone, knows this woman, Kim O’Bern—they’d gone to graduate school together—and says, “What’s this James guy? What’s his situation?” So I guess Kim O’Bern said, “Oh, James, a really nice guy...” (Which you know by now, right?) “I don’t really know what his situation is.” So… Kim O’Bern sort of sneaks down to my office with a big smirk on her face. And she says, “So… what’s your situation?” And I go, “What are you talking about? My situation?” It was really out of the blue.

I don’t remember exactly what I said to Kim O’Bern, but I probably said, “Um, kinda dating someone…” I don’t remember exactly. But anyway, I said something wondering whether or not the question was kind of related to [Rachel].

Maybe a day or two later, Ms. Klein-Ash picks up the phone. Calls. Me. And she goes, “Hey, remember me? We met?”

And I go, “Of course I remember!” And she said, “Do you want to go out?” And I said, “Well!” I said something like, “I do, but let me tell you my situation first.”

Before anything, I said, “I’m kind of seeing someone, long distance, we can kind of see other people, but I just want you to know that.”

Ms. Klein-Ash gets up from her desk and walks into the living room, where James and I are speaking. She says: I had Never, never, never in my life asked someone out. Never. Never! But I had, a month prior, ended a relationship. And it was the first time I’d ever ended a relationship, rather than having one ended on me. And I had just turned thirty… No, thirty-one. And I was like, I’m getting better at this. I figured out when I needed to end that relationship, I ended it, and I’m figuring out when I should ask somebody out when I’m interested in them. I was like, that’s what people do! They ask each other out! Why does it always have to be the guy who asks the woman out? I’m gonna ask him out! I was totally nervous. I talked myself through what I wanted to say. We didn’t have cell phones in those days, but I knew he worked at Wellesley High School, so I had to call him during the working day.

So many times after that, things went to voice mail—but he picked up that time, and I was like, “Oh God!” Ms. Klein-Ash walks back to her desk.

James chuckles, and he continues: We went out, Veteran’s Day weekend… Right Rach? 11/11, Washington Square Tavern, in Brookline, had a really good time. Good dinner, good conversation, really fun, really easy. She gave me a ride home in her old car, the only time I ever saw her old car. We went out twice, good time, then I came here, I kind of snuck—well, I didn’t sneak in, but she kind of kept me under the wraps, you know. So I came to Robbins House, and she cooked me dinner. I believe it was our… third date. And at that moment, we sort of joke that I sort of gave her the axe, which isn’t really accurate. But that was the moment where I was like, “Oh, I really kind of like this person. And I need to figure out this other thing.” Because I wasn’t really that interested in this other

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

Faculty Love Stories

Lisa and Jessica

Interview with Rachel Klein-Ash Transcribed by Jiyoung Jeong

I met my wife, Jessica—who, by the way, is the kind of person that everyone loves when they meet her—when we were in college. I was a sophomore, and she was a freshman. We were friends; we were in the same dorm. And so she would come by—she wasn’t very good with computers—and she would lose her whole copy of whatever paper she was writing, and I would try to help her. Just funny, because that sort of still happens now.

I was less of a “study” type of person—I was getting all the fun out of college, and she was the “study” kind of person. So we weren’t, like, super close, but we got closer. We became best friends my senior year.

I became much more focused on school because of that, and she began to have more fun. So her grades dropped a little, while mine went up! I was living in an apartment then, and she was living in the same apartment down the hall. She, at that time, started to have a crush on me—but I wasn’t there. I was like, “You’re my best friend, and I would probably end up hurting you.” Then I went into the army, and she went out for my graduation from the army in South Carolina. And then again, when I graduated from the next part in Virginia. She was just awesome to come out there, and I was starting, at that time, to fall in love—but we hadn’t really gotten together yet.

When I got out of the army, we moved in together in New Hampshire, as friends.

But that’s when we started to fall in love.

So we lived in New Hampshire for a while, and then we moved to Connecticut, and at this point—we’d been together for about four years—I had gotten a severe asthma attack, and I was on life support. She’s an ICU nurse. So during that time, I was in a coma. I was unaware of what’s around me.

We were definitely already in love, but

this definitely transcended love to a different place for me. I don’t know if this was a dream or what, but I had this vision while I was in coma, that this healing shaman was rubbing my head and telling me that I was going to be okay. As a part of this ritual, this healing shaman would crack a coconut over my head, and it would smell like coconut—and that would heal me.

When I started to wake up—I still had the tube in my mouth, so I couldn’t speak—I realized that Jess was with me every day, always rubbing my hair. And she had this coconut verbena cream that she rubbed on my hands. And I was like, “Holy cow!

Like, you are my healing shaman. You are my everything.” She was always just rub my hair, and tell me what day it was.

She was by my side throughout the whole thing. To me, that was one of the things that transcended my love to another level. At the time, we didn’t have marriage in any state in the country. And in fact, she wouldn’t have been able to visit me in the hospital. My family happened to love the heck out of Jess, because like I said, everybody does—so she was able to be there. But she had really no right over what I wanted. My parents could have said, “No, you can’t come into the room.”

It was very scary.

So I was in the hospital for a month, from December to January of 2003 to 2004. On May 19th—it was the day after Jessica’s birthday—they passed [same sex] marriage in Massachusetts. And so we said, we really should move out there.

This is where her family is from. And we got married September 6th, 2004.

And then having our children together—I know that for some marriages it can be tough to have children, it’s a lot of stress—but to see my wife as a mom has made me love her every bit more. So I think every step of the way, I just love her more and more, and it started as a friendship! I’m crazy about her. •

Rachel and James CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 it was Rach! So I, you know, I walked in, and was like, “Hey, what’s up?” She was visiting some friends in Brookline, and she said something along the lines of, “Good to see you, I feel like we should get together, there are some things I want to say that I haven’t really gotten the chance to say.” So I say, “Yes. We should.”

So on our fourth date, we go ice-skating on the Frog Pond. And I should have let her talk first, but I didn’t, and said, “Before we start, we broke up, this woman and I… Just so you know.” So that was our fourth date… And was our fifth date skiing? Something like that. And the

“thing” anyway. And in my mind, I knew that I was going to officially kind of end this other relationship.

Ultimately, I did. Rach and I didn’t chat for a little bit, for a week or two.

Then, another sort of stars-aligning story.

I like to run, and I was living in Brighton at the time, and I had two or three regular running loops that I did. So I go out for a run—and for whatever reason, I decide to veer off my three usual loops. And I go on a route that I rarely, rarely, go on.

I was going across Beacon Street, and there was this little store. I’m running, running, and I look in there, and I stop.

I was sorta looking in the window… and

PAGE 25

Letters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 school eating habits, let us not forget the nightmare of walking into Forbes and not having anyone to sit with. It is more work to find people to sit with at college, but it is also totally fine to eat alone, something I didn’t really feel at Milton.

HARI: LOL, Harry, clearly, you’re just a loser. I never experienced that once at Milton. It’s hard, but worthwhile, to make friends that are older than you. When I was a freshman at Milton, a random senior would come biweekly to our morning assemblies to talk to us about how we should approach Milton, with various bits of advice about different aspects of the school. The tradition seems to have died out in recent years, but it was, I think, a very smart move to put successful, confident students in front of us who could serve as role models. There are very few formal mechanisms through which role models are given to younger students at university. But so many of the juniors and seniors that I have met here at Columbia have inspired me to work so much harder and to love this place so much more.

HARRY: Wholeheartedly agree to seek out seniors. No disagreements here.

They are objectively cooler than every freshman.

HARI: College leaders and administrators like to speak ad nauseam about how a liberal arts education broadens horizons and opens up opportunities. The ugly truth, for those of us who won’t inherit millions from our parents, and who want to have lifestyles more prosperous than our parents (and, importantly, those of us who graduate from a liberal arts institution, not an engineering school or pre-professional school, like an undergraduate business or design school), is that there are essentially just four options for us as we depart our liberal arts education. We can of course, toil away in finance, working the banker’s schedule of 9am to 5am (that’s not a typo), while earning luxurious salaries in our early twenties; we can work in consulting, where we lend our intellectual capital to the highest bidder; we can join the growing mass of tech companies who snatch up any young talent with the ability to program; or we can stay in school and learn applicable skills that a liberal arts education won’t give us. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. If you are willing to endure the struggle of living on less than $30,000, you will have the opportunity to do a great diversity of things. And if you somehow possess an ungodly level of intellect that will make you a Rhodes scholar, then you can probably craft a path of your own. But for the vast majority of us, the possibilities that lie on the other side of graduation are far less diverse

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

PAGE 26

Faculty Love Stories

Alisa and James Interview with Alisa Braithwaite Transcribed by Calvin Wang We actually met at work because he was the head of the literature section at MIT when I started, so I first met him in an interview, and I guess we became friends in the fact that my whole department was really friendly and we would hang out together, a lot, and when I left MIT I still maintained friendships with a lot of people from our section.

Then another one of our friends, Sandy, said that she thought that James and I would be a good couple, and when she said that I was just like “ What are you talking about?!” because I never really thought about him romantically, I just thought “yeah he’s cool, I like hanging out with him,” when I’d hear he’s having a party, I’d go. If I had a party I’d invite him, you know stuff like that. But she was like “yeah I think you guys would be good”, so she said that and I completely forgot about that and continued dating a bunch of duds and then I guess it was probably a year later I was invited to the literature section’s holiday party at MIT and I was like “Well you know, I’m at Milton now, I don’t know if I should keep going to those parties, it’s kinda weird still hanging on to the old group or whatever”. At the same time I got a call from Sandy, and Sandy said, because at the time James was in a relationship too, but Sandy called me and said “he has broken up with his girlfriend, you need to get on that,” and I was like fine whatever. So she said “look, why don’t you come to this party with me, he might be there”. So I went to the party and he was there, and it was weird because I was like “oh now I’m thinking about him in this other way, which I hadn’t thought about him before.” So they said “well you’re coming to our holiday party right?” and I was like “um…” and he was like “yes you have to come, I will drive you,” and then I was like “OK, I’ll go” and so he came and picked me up for the party and what was weird was like he had picked me up for parties before, but somehow it felt kind of like “are we going on a date right now, this is really weird.” When we arrived, another colleague who was hosting the party, she lives on a hill and it was really icy, and I get out, and as soon as I get out I’m slipping down and he’s like “oh no,” so he comes to get me and so then we have to hold hands, but his shoes are slipping too so we are all just like slipping down. So we thought that was really funny. And then at the party I kind of stayed around, other people

left early but I was like “he should drive me home!” So he thought that was interesting. Then he drives me home and he gives me a really big hug, and I was like “ok, ok.” And when I wake up the next morning there’s an email and it’s like “would you come to dinner with me tonight” and I was like “ahhhh.” So that was our first official date, we went out to dinner the very next night it was really funny because then we had to be like “ok so what’s going on here, we are going out on a date” and then I asked him how old he was because he was older than I am, and so he told me and I was like “ok.”

And then I told him too. On that date I was like “I’m looking to get married I’m not trying to have any silly nonsense anymore” and he was like “ok”. So then we just kept seeing each other, we just really enjoyed spending time together. We went out again, and then we had to leave for the holidays and then when he was away in Chicago he called me while I was in New York, and when we got back from the holidays, we came back for New Years, and we basically just spent New Years together and were never separate again. And then he had to go to Singapore for four months for work and so he said “yeah I got this thing where I have to go to Singapore, do you want to come with me?” I was like “ What? You really want me to come with you” so I was like “ ok let’s do it” and then I spent that summer, like seven weeks with him in singapore.

It was so amazing and I think we both felt like “if Singapore works out, then we work out.” And Singapore worked out!

I think a year after we started dating, he proposed. It was really nice, and then we got married six months later.

Sandy didn’t say anything to him, she said that she knew he liked me but he had never told anyone, but she could intuit it.

She said you guys just get along together, like you have a good energy and what I found really surprising because it was true, I always enjoyed his company and we used to have to do these lunches to talk about our progress in terms of work because he was the head. I loved those lunches, I looked forward to them and we just had these lovely conversations, but never did I translate that into “oh this is a person who would be good for you for your life” because I think that I’d still had the “oh you have to have a crush on that person, and you should this that and the other or whatever” but I actually think that that was better, the fact that we got to know each other bit by bit so that when we turned to being romantically involved we felt comfortable being ourselves with

Letters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 than they are made out to be. The administrators who cling on to the idea that your possibilities are infinitely broad after your undergraduate degree are stuck in a world that evaporated before we were even born.

HARRY: While there may be some truth to his simplified version of our post college choices, the entire point of a liberal arts degree is that it is not entirely about careers. From the two semesters I’ve been at college, my horizons have most definitely been broadened. Take for example the class wholly devoted to The Brothers Karamazov I just took. Will that class put me closer to my dream career in environmental policy? Of course not. Has it made me evaluate my conceptions of responsibility, empathy, and religion? Absolutely.

The value of a liberal arts education should be measured not by how it prepares us but how it changes us. One factor of that change is indeed workforce preparation, but it must also incorporate the kind of people we become, the ways in which we see the world differently, the passions it instills in us.

HARI: A liberal arts education teaches you to think and read and write at a very high level. Its purpose is to confer the analytical skills that are applicable no matter how the economy or technology changes.

A liberal arts education is not preparing you to make money when you get out of college, and I note this because I think so many people go into college thinking it’s the golden ticket to getting most of the jobs in the current economy. A liberal arts education is infinitely valuable (if that is, in fact, what college is giving us), but economically, it currently doesn’t provide us many great options.

HARRY: On topics like these, I always turn to my brother Seth, a champion of being driven by passion and self development. In a letter he left me when he dropped me off for college, he ended it with advice I frequently remind myself of: “Enjoy college, try hard, don’t take it too seriously. Just do well enough that we can buy a piece of land in 10 years and start building a cabin.” • each other already, instead of the way if you don’t know that person, you create this whole narrative in your head about what you hope they will be, then when they are themselves and that doesn’t match up, you start getting really freaked out about that. We didn’t have that and I think that really helped us feel really comfortable the whole time. We got married in Cambridge, in Cambridge city hall, we had a nice little wedding, it was actually on Juneteenth, June 19th. •

2016-2017 Club Heads

MA Sports Hub 3FU Ege Yalcindag, Gabrielle Fernandopulle, Lauren Oliver, Allana Iwanicki Magus Mabus Amnesty International Keisha Baffour-Addo, Sarah Shen Math Club Katie Hoffman, Ky Putnam Anime Club Miltones Te Palandjian Art with a Social Conscience Model United Nations Asian Society Tony Xu, Ceci Strang Peter DiGiovanni, Charlie Gagnon Chess Club Multiracial Club Christian Fellowship Juliet Jarrell, Maya Slocum Octet Te Palandjian Coffee for Change Onyx Noah Cheng, Maria Horbaczewski Community Service Outdoor Development Conservative Club Ginny Alex, Matt Tabor Program (ODP) Mark Bodner, Ashleigh Hogan Day Council Poetry Club Luke Cadigan, James Dunn Debate Team Programming Club Drew Galls, Elina Thadani, Gabby Disko Bay Ice Core Public Issues Board Fernandopulle, Caleb Rhodes Project Entrepreneurship Club Jason Kong, Ashleigh Hogan, Robotics Team Emily Jiang Eshani Chakrabarti, Oladunni Oladipo Ep!c Rock and Roll Club Fashion Club Mollie Ames Marshall Sloane, Henry Westerman, FLLAG Science and Eli Burnes, Henry Burnes Engineering Club Maggie O’Hanlon, Anna Desan, and Garden Club Silent Language Club Olivia Zhong GASP Hannah Congdon, Sarah Miller Bartley, South Asian Society Speech Team Gospel Choir Gemma Freiberg Spikeball Club Oladunni Oladipo Habitat for Humanity SAA Sarah Shen, Elina Thadhani Helix James Dunn, Alexa Perlov Hollywood Filmmaking Club George Luo Improv Club Cheyenne Porcher, Spencer Evett, Nick Student Ambassadors SAGE Govindan, Lyndsey Mugford SIMA Lilly Le, Agnieszka Krotzer, International Sustainability Board Lydia Yang Students Club TextLess Live More Invest in Girls Ellen Wei The Asian Alex Iansiti, Eli Burnes Investment Club The F Word JJ Bussgang, Jackie Golden JSU The Milton Measure Destiny Rosas, Wayne Harding, Latino Association The Milton Paper Kiana Cozier Tutor Milton Joy Lee, Will Pincince, Dylan Paul Lorax Video Game Club Yearbook

PAGE 27

Isaac Fossas, Jack Czarniak, Emma Murphy Eshani Chakrabarti Logan Troy, Anne Bailey Nick Govindan, Spencer Evett, Wayne Harding Nathan Strauss, Caleb Rhodes, Gabrielle Fernandopulle Sophia Wilson-Pelton Caroline Massey, Annie Auguste Daysha Adotey, Jaylen Ortiz Malcolm McCann, Silas Monahan

Sarah Willwerth Peter Marangos, Katie Friis, Alex Iansiti Marshall Sloane, Anna Desan Truman Marshall, Carson Prindle, Isabel Basow, Anne Bailey Allan Rappleyea, Gillie Sanders, Andrew Chan Will Torus, James Dunn, Jessica Wang

Lily Reposa Anooshka Gupta, Eshani Chakrabarti Marshall Sloane, Joy Lee Mark Bodner, Teddy Beaudoin Bobby Beniers, Del Jenkins, Sophia Wilson Pelton, Jaquie Golden, Ginny Alex Katie Friis, Anooshka Gupta Chloe Lestage, Anooshka Gupta Malcolm McCann, Mateen Tabatabaei Juliana Viola, Katie Friis, Jason Kong Catie Wise, Emily Bell, Julia Lebovitz Emma Comrie, Lydia Yang Cheyenne Porcher, Thea McRae Mollie Ames, Teddy Beaudoin Malcolm McCann, Eli Burnes Elina Thadhani, Lilly Le, Casey Delano Shaw Hagiwara Caroline Massey, Julia Lebovitz, Jack Daley

@clubheads: congrats on padding your college apps!

PAGE 28 Ashley Adelberg Ryan Allen Jacob Aronoff Annabell Asare Trevor Atkeson Elise Atkinson Gavin Baker-Greene Madeline Barnes Charlotte Bern Alex Bernard Graham Blackburn Jonny Blaize Lyla Bonaccorso-Nulisch Ethan Borsook Addison Bowden Eliza Bower Gabrielle Bower Jason Bowman Kolbi Bradley Adam Bramson Sam Brigham Chris Bucci Andrew Byun James Cadigan Lydia Capicotto Julia Carabatsos Jon Chan Aeshna Chandra Sophie Charles Aimee Chea Belle Chen Janice Chen Christie Cheong Max Chiaramonte Nick Chung Sophie Cloherty Finley Cobb Bri Condon Caroline Conway Mary Corcoran Rachel Corcoran Jeremy Cowham Dom Cozier Maya Davis Nat Deacon Maddie Dewire Cam Digiovanni Anna DiGravio Sterling Dintersmith Madina Diop Mitchel Donovan Chelsea Dougherty Andrew Dumaresque Maddie Dupre Izzi Emerson Molly Emmons

2016 Matriculations

(Gap Year) New York University New York University Northeastern University Barnard College University of Virginia (Gap Year) Colby College Harvard College Trinity College Villanova University Babson College University of Michigan Tulane University Scripps College University of Denver University of Michigan Williams College Boston University University of Miami Wesleyan University Lafayette College (Gap Year) Yale University Northwestern University Northwestern University Bucknell University Loyola University Maryland Yale College California Institute of Technology (Gap Year) Columbia University Wesleyan University University of Toronto University of Chicago University of Chicago Tufts University Colorado College Johns Hopkins University University of Michigan University of Richmond Tulane University Amherst College Georgetown University Boston College Massachusetts Institute of Technology College of the Holy Cross Middlebury College Bowdoin College Amherst College Hamilton College Connecticut College (Gap Year) Stanford University American Univeristy in Madrid Northeastern University Connecticut College Junior Hockey—Langley Rivermen in the BCHL Bowdoin College Washington University St. Louis Occidental College

Xavier Etheridge Brie Etoniru James Fadule Alex Falcone Morty Fearey Deanna Ferrante Will Fitzpatrick Sarah Ford Spencer Fox Alexi Frongillo Izzy Gilman Alex Gistis Cali Giuggio Max Glattstein Emily Grace Liam Grantham Marcus Green Jeremy Gross Marcus Guenther Charlie Guscott Corey Hales Yudaam Han Macy Handy Libby Hemp Sam Hitt Sydney Hoffman Nick Hogan Rush Hogan Katherine Holmes Trevor Hopkins Paul Housey Simone Hunter-Hobson Rika Ichinose J.D. Jaramillo Jady Javier Jiyoung Jeong Aaron Johnson David Jones Krist Joti Tarin Karimbux Brian Kim Maddie Landau James LaRochelle Vivian Lee Drew Leffler Luca Levee Tianyu Lin Andrew Lu Mack Makishima Anne Malloy Peter Mansfield Izzy Manuel Mark Massa Caroline McCammond Cale McCormick Quintin McDermott Nick Mehlman Isabella Miller

Boston College Brown University Brown University Boston College Trinity College University of Massachusetts Amherst Hamilton College Boston College Wesleyan University Brown University Villanova University Laguna College of Art and Design Pomona College Lynchburg College Brown University University of Puget Sound Macalester College Vanderbilt University Fairfield University Babson College Belmont University Wellesley College Trinity College Bryn Mawr College Colby College Connecticut College DNR Kenyon College University of Chicago Middlebury College George Washington University George Washington University (Gap Year) Columbia University Columbia University Franklin and Marshall College (Gap Year) Stanford University Morehouse College Washington University in St. Louis University of Toronto Colorado College Brown University Lafayette College University of Maine Boston University Occidental College University of Maryland University of Pennsylvania Massachusetts Institute of Technology Boston University Amherst College Bowdoin College Skidmore College Georgetown University Colgate University University of Chicago Bentley University University of Southern California University of Toronto

Andie Minicus Mohamad Mirzan Israel Moorer Mike Morin Jake Munroe Jared Murphy Madeline Murphy Elizabeth Muse Ryan Navas Hannah Nigro Michael Njauw Hadley Noble Cameron O’Connell Danny O’Connor Cole O’Flaherty Michaela Olson Jerry Ozor Sophie Palmer Avery Park Natalie Perlov Juliet Pesner Izaac Polukoff Zoe Pottow William Powers Katherine Pratty Emil Qiu Kellie Quinn Shay Quintin Ravi Rahman Rajiv Ram Brett Reilly Jordan Remar Kevin Ren Ian Rhee Ellora Rich Samuel Rochelle Juliana Rogoff Silvio Rossi Talia Rubenstein Matthew Ryan Michael Sabin Eliza Scharfstein Justin Schwaitzberg Tara Sharma Tiara Sharma Justin Situ Benjamin Smith Grace Stanfield Jack Stenhouse Lauren Stikeleather William Stikeleather Melody Tan Intouch Thamthieng Nicholas Tupanjanin Trevor Turnbull Kali Tyler Eleanor Vaughan Collin van der Veen

2016 Matriculations

Aimee Veneau University of Virginia Luis Viceira University of British Columbia Lilly Vivado The New School Calvin Wang Emmanuel College Caroline Ward University of Colorado Boulder Matthew Ward University of Miami Cassidy Warwick Harvard College Curtis Weyerhaeuser Tulane University Carter Wilcox Babson College Clementine Wiley (Gap Year) Oberlin College Christian Williams University of Chicago Hannah Wolfberg Columbia University Emma Wood University of Oregon Jessica Xu Wake Forest University Cameron Yip Boston College Chadd Yuan Wesleyan University Andrew Zhang Boston University Dartmouth University Columbia University Tufts University Harvard College Merchant Marine Academy University of Virginia (Gap Year) Harvard College New York University (Gap Year) University of Chicago Connecticut College Messiah College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Columbia University Rochester Institute of Technology Boston University University of Chicago Brandeis University Swarthmore College Brown University Harvard College University of Colorado Boulder New York University Babson College New England Conservatory Harvard College Renssalear Polytechnic Institute Brown University Scripps College Claremont McKenna College Georgetown University Wesleyan College Northeastern University College of William & Mary Trinity College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Northeastern University Emory University Middlebury College Gettysburg College Union College Junior Hockey

PAGE 29 Wellesley College Harvard College University of California, Los Angeles (Gap Year) University of Chicago Colby College Duke University Colgate University Junior Hockey (Gap Year) Harvard College University of Chicago McGill University Tulane University University of Puget Sound University of Chicago Boston University Tufts University Washington University St. Louis

hey parents, this may be the only thing you care about in this issue, but it really shouldn’t be. there is more to appreciate in this issue (and in Milton in general) than college matriculations. *** and no, we will not do a ‘by the numbers’ section (@TMM)

PAGE 30

Humor

The Tree.

This Monday, Milton Academy lost an integral member of its community, a shining beacon of passion and inspiration that has guided us throughout the years: The Tree. The Tree sprouted in 1797, two months prior to the founding of Milton Academy. According to urban legend, the school’s inaugural board of trustees was leaving campus, unimpressed by its landscape, when one of the men tripped over the budding sapling of The Tree, sending his tri-cornered cap flying across the Quad. Feeling embarrassed in front of his peers, he tried to restore his honor by ripping The Tree out of the ground; however, its roots were firmly fastened into the soil, unbudging even under the hands of four fully grown colonial gentlemen. After finally acknowledging their defeat, the board realized that this powerful sapling was a sign from God, indicating the proper place for the school’s roots to take hold. The next day, the men re-evaluated the landscape and decided to establish Milton Academy in its current location.

The Tree lived every moment of its life to the fullest, dedicating its life to the needs of Milton Academy students and faculty. Whether supporting the outdoor club slack line or providing shade for Forbes diners, The Tree approached all that it did with a steadfast sense of purpose and dedication. This fall, Malcolm McCann (II) ran full tilt into the Tree during a momentous bout of Hack Soccer. Reacting quickly, The Tree deformed around Malcolm’s body, and miraculously Malcolm emerged unscathed. Above all else, the Tree deeply cared for the health and safety of Milton students. The Tree woke up early every morning, and through a widely hypothesized process called “photosynthesis,” relentlessly sought to improve our air quality and combat the effects of climate change. The Tree’s infallible roots extended deep underground, providing strong support for a vibrant subterranean ecosystem. Additionally, after shedding during the winter to contribute to Milton Academy’s winter aesthetics, The Tree grew back its leaves each March in order to provide shade for the students and block out harmful UV rays. These selfless acts are characteristic of The Tree’s dedication to helping others.

In its last interview for The Milton Paper, The Tree reflected on its role on campus, saying “My favorite part of my job is providing a safe space for students to express their most natural tendencies of affection with their peers. It brings me such joy to see these young sprouts beginning to spread their seed.”

Alumni, too, offered their favorite memories with The Tree from their years at Milton. “My girlfriend and I carved our names into [The Tree] before she caught me in the car with her roommate!” one nostalgic Milton Academy alumnus recalled.

In all its years of service, The Tree was a passionate, caring, and relentlessly steadfast member of our community, one who truly embodied our motto: Dare to be True. It will be sorely missed by our community for many years to come. •

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PAGE 31

Dear members of the Milton Academy community, The Milton Paper is Milton Academy’s only fully independent publication, meaning that we have the freedom of minimal censorship in the topics we cover and the criticism we publish. In order to remain a fully independent publication, however, we must also maintain our financial autonomy. Thus we rely entirely on subscriptions and donations to provide the Milton community every week with thought-provoking editorials, investigative journalism of Milton-related issues, scathing movie and music reviews, the latest updates on sports teams, and hearty laughs. To continue publishing each week, we need your support.

It costs about $270 to print every Friday, and the cost of publishing this graduation issue alone runs over $1,000. Additionally, we understand the ecological implications of our print publication, and thus, for the first time in TMP history, we offset our carbon emissions through donations to carbon reduction charities.

Therefore, we ask that you please subscribe or donate to The Milton Paper. If you enjoyed reading our publication, learned something new, thought about an issue a new way, or laughed at our back page, please help The Milton Paper continue to provide the community with an independent collection of student voices.

To subscribe or donate: • Visit our table between the Student Center and Straus Library, where we will be accepting all major credit cards, cash, and checks.

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Sincerely, The 34th Editorial Board Malcolm McCann, Eli Burnes Letitia Chan, Cheyenne Porcher, Mateen Tabatabaei, Marshall Sloane, Henry Westerman, Chloe Kim, Henry Burnes

PAGE 32

Ad Nauseam How to Spend Summer 2k16 Rising Freshmen

• •

• • •

Set up dates at Legacy with cuties you found in the directory.

Watch some high school movies to prep yourself. Recommended: “Sky High,” “Mean Girls,” “High School Musical,” and “Restless Virgins.”

Actually read East of Eden Gracefully part with your excellent middle school transcript Prepare yourself to receive terrible grades

•

• • • •

Freshmen For the strong ones: Tour the colleges worth applying to (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and maybe Stanford) Relish in your fond memories of the Cave™ Get into the rhythm of doing absolutely nothing that matters Become painfully irrelevant.

Find ways to console yourself after receiving terrible grades.

•

• • •

Sophomores Begin touring some safeties in case that chem grade hurts your app (Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, perhaps MIT) Enjoy the stolen glances between you and the hottie in your driver’s ed class.

Start SAT prep. Realize the SAT sucks. Start ACT prep.

Find ways to console yourself after receiving terrible grades.

• •

•

• • • •

•

Juniors Practice Mindfulness with Todd to recover from Honors Bio trauma Work in a Harvard Medical School lab. Sneak your name into a paper for your contributions labelling test tubes and manning the centrifuge Build your college resumé by taking a trip to Costa Rica to get in someone’s way of building a school.

Harvard campus interview Another Harvard interview (gotta show that demonstrated interest) Go to sleep before midnight for the first time since summer 2k15 Create a google doc for your college essay. Write your name and the date. Take a break from writing for the rest of the summer.

Find ways to console yourself after receiving terrible grades.

• • • • •

Seniors

Finish up those detention hours Read a book for pleasure for first time in four years Party in a country with a drinking age of 18 (aka The Cape) Punta round 2?

Laugh about receiving terrible grades.

Printed on 50% post-consumer waste. Please recycle this paper. www . themiltonpaper . org