36.14

The Milton Paper

MARCH 1, 2019

VOL. 36 NO. 14

MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Opinion Delayed Start is More Then Just an Opportunity to Snooze

By DANIEL SIEGEL ’22 The delayed start yesterday offered a nice reprieve for students. Many used the time to get about two extra hours of sleep, which left them feeling unusually refreshed and ready to attack the school day ahead. In fact, they may have found themselves waking up this morning still feeling the effects of yesterday’s extra sleep.

NPR notes that recently, high schools and middle schools in Seattle have been implementing later start times to address the lack of sleep in teenagers, pushing the opening of school back to 8:30 and 9:00 AM. These changes have given the students, on average, an extra 34 minutes of sleep. This increase in available time in the morning changed the average nightly sleep for a student from 6 hours and 50 minutes to 7 hours and 24 minutes.

As the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine states, a recent set of studies performed in Rochester, Darien, Atlanta, Alberta, and Boston concluded that permanent later start times significantly benefit teens’ health and academic success. Schools with later start times had higher grades and fewer tardies, lower rates of drinking and smoking, and higher rates of participation in non-mandatory physical activity.

An article on WebMD titled “Sleep Habits: More Important Than You Think” emphasised that chronic sleep deprivation affects most teenagers. In fact, studies indicate that 60-70% of American teens live with a borderline to severe sleep debt. Consequences of sleep debt include decreased performance and alertness, impaired memory and cognition, poorer quality of life, and higher rates of bodily injuries. While sleep deprivation is caused by a variety of factors, biology can play a central role; in 2004, researchers at the University of Munich conducted a study that concluded that teenagers’ circadian rhythms (the times that the body wants to wake up and fall asleep) differ significantly from the social clock, which is set by schedules and customs. This study analyzed chronotype in relation to age. Chronotype is an individual's endogenous circadian clock. In essence, chronotype is the natural inclination of a person to wake and sleep at certain times. Young children have early

Opinion

Enough Complaining … Smile More!

Image Courtesy of Google

By MAYA BOKHARI '20 Almost every online survey, SGA election, and “transformative” assembly seems to aim to solve another growing issue in our community. We talk incessantly about solutions to problems much of the student body may not even know exist. Bottom line: we complain. A lot. I fear that our complaints have grown to consume our Milton experiences. To clear things up: yes, I am hypocritically complaining about the extent of our community’s complaints, but I do not need to propose a solution to this issue because we see its solution every single day. Moments of powerful silence at the Veterans’ Day flagpole ceremony, overwhelming support for our teams at Nobles Day, or merely the simple kindness of holding a door for an unfamiliar face—these experiences highlight the profound unity that is too often overlooked in our community.

Whether we find ourselves cheering for our closest friends or for completely new faces, we, as members of the Milton community, both receive and give resounding support that I feel is worth recognizing.

On February 4, the St. Baldrick’s Head Shaving Event, brought to Milton by Ginny Barrett ‘20, filled the

student center with an overwhelming majority of our community. Barrett explains that she “definitely did not expect or imagine the effect [the event] had on the community.” Beyond its impact on the student body as a whole, St. Baldrick’s helped Barrett realize that she “underestimated Milton because [she] didn’t think people who didn’t know [her] would care that much.” We continue to stress the support we can find in the health center, our peer groups, or ISS members, but we fail to see that the people we stand behind in the lunch line or wait with at the crosswalks are here to support us too. We need to understand why, as Barrett says, “it’s a shock to see how much the community will band together to support someone.” Why do we expect so little of each other when we continue to find reasons to be grateful for one another?

I think our Class IV deans had the right idea. Friday morning shout-outs for the small, thoughtful acts help illuminate the positivity we share more often than we like to admit. As cheesy as they seemed to our freshmen class, those shout-outs often helped us see the light at the end of the tunnel after every assembly on racism, violence, or illness brought our spirits down. More

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Inside This Issue New Course pg. 4|| Sports Requirement pg. 7|| Unchained Pizza pg. 9

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

News

PAGE 2

The Milton Paper The 36th Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Opinion Manager Managing Editor News Managers Senior Editors Website Editor Layout Editor

Rishi Dhir & Pierce D. Wilson Natasha Roy Lyndsey Mugford Abby Foster & Charlotte Kane Kat Stephan & Serena Fernandopulle Dillon Pang Jenab Diallo & DJ Murrell

Faculty Sponsor Opinion Editor Eric Idsvoog Malia Chung Humor Editors Associate Editors Sports Editor Janelle Davis Katherine McDonough Sarah Alkhafaji Nate Jean-Baptiste Nathan Smith Evita Thadhani Financial Manager Brian Bowman A&E Editor Calvin Cheong

News

Brendan Hegarty Susan Urstadt Sarah Palmer Max Litvak Jenn Chen Adiza Alasa Louise Goldenberg Oscar Burnes Annie Wernerfelt Elina Mraz Kendelle Grubbs Ava Scheibler Daniel Siegel Eleanor Raine Neha Modak Shiloh Liu Livia Wood

A&E

Jennifer Lim Grace Li Grace Vainisi Anne Kwok Beck Kendig Gracie Denneen Jasper Burnes Lynn Yuan Dylan Areivan Kenza Chraibi Nara Mohyeddin

Humor

Drew Bartkus Annie Corcoran Andrew Willwerth Seth Gordon

Opinion

Editorial

Each week, TMP’s Editorial Board discusses prevalent campus issues and crafts an Editorial outlining the issue while also providing a solution. We value our Editorials as platforms for affecting true change: we hope that teachers, administrators, parents, trustees, and other community members—in addition to students— can use our them to better understand and respond to our concerns. We often worry, however, that at times we’re writing into a void. It’s easy for us to shed light on a different issue every week, but it’s harder to ensure that we spark a commitment to actually address those issues. This week, we want to recap some of the solutions we’ve proposed throughout this past year in a bid to spur concrete action.

1. IAs and Financial Accountability: We propose that the feature that monitors IA spending on the Parent MyMilton portal be extended to the students’ portal.

Willa DuBois Christian Westphal Ella O'Hanlon Emma Bradley Jana Amin Kathryn Fernandopulle Kayla Mathieu Madeline Fitzgibbon Maya Bokhari Nikhil Pande Elena Viciera Eliza Barrett-Carter Tony Wang Erinma Onyewuchi Karol Querido Leydn McEvoy Miriam Zuo Tapti Sen

2. DC Inequalities: We advocate for prioritization of prevention and recovery over harsh punishment. We’re pleased to see how the new Disciplinary Review Committee has identified a focus on restorative justice and has been looking closely at these issues for the past several months.

Sports

4. Scheduling Mayhem: The Upper School Calendar creation process needs to become far more cognizant of colliding events both in and outside of the Milton community. Adjusted schedules, special events, extended speakers, etc., should be spread out over the course of the year in order to preserve some levels of consistency.

Sophia Li Antoine Wiley Eliot Mialhe Luke Monnich Lily Wright Zacary Omar Gianna Gallagher Sam Barrett Tori Choo Alison Blake George Rose Jehan Boer Riya Singh

Columnist

Olayeni Oladipo

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, student-produced 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 (PaperMilton@gmail.com), or by personal delivery to our office Warren 304.

Dorm Activities

By KENDELLE GRUBBS '20

An Editorial Rewind

3. Improving the “No Homework Weekend:” Department heads should more closely monitor teachers to ensure that faculty as a whole are truly respecting the “No Homework Weekend” and are not trying to find loopholes around it. Students must also commit to carving the free time out for themselves instead of intentionally burdening themselves with extra work.

On the other hand, many of our proposals also revolve around the idea that we students need to enact changes in our own behavior; we need to change student culture from the bottom up. Examples include simple efforts like keeping the Student Center clean and listening attentively to our Wednesday Speakers. TMP has also noticed a rise in student self-censorship because of a climate that enforces a one-strike system, and we encourage students to take risks in their writings and conversations. These cultural shifts can and must come only from us, not the administration. •

PAGE 3

During the winter season, boarding students find themselves busy not only with schoolwork but also with dorm activities. From Secret Snowflake to boarder dinner, Milton provides a variety of activities for students. Many dorms have their own special activities, such as Robbins’s tradition of caroling to some of the boys’ dorms on Valentine’s Day and Millet’s Flakes for Cakes where each grade races to cut out and hang snowflakes to win a cake. Many dorm traditions have been ingrained in Milton culture for so long that even the oldest Milton teachers can’t remember when they started. Since the traditions have lasted for so long and don’t seem to be leaving anytime soon, how do current Milton boarders feel about them?

In terms of dorm activities in general, most students seem to enjoy participating in them. The activities are designed to bring a sense of bonding that boarders often don’t get to feel. Simple activities like carving pumpkins or watching a football game in the common room allows people who don’t normally interact to finally talk. Dorm activities help erase the grade level dynamics that often prevent under- and upper-classmen from approaching one another. In a poll sent out regarding community feelings on dorm activities, an anonymous freshman said, “I really don’t know the dorm, the

people in it, and our traditions very well. I think dorm activities help bring me closer to the place I’ll be living for the next 3.5 years.”

One of the most talked-about and spirited dorm activities is Dorm Dodgeball. Once or twice a week, boarders walk down to the ACC to face off in three rounds of dodgeball. Students come dressed in onesies or dorm-inspired gear and cheer on their dorm mates while they attempt to throw, catch, and dodge.

Familiar tunes like Party in the USA or Mo Bamba blast from speakers fueling the adrenaline-filled atmosphere.

While the high energy can be fun for some, the majority of respondents in the poll believe the school places a heavy emphasis on participating and enjoying dorm activities. Out of the 17 respondents, 76% have felt between some pressure and an overwhelming amount of pressure to participate. The encouragement can turn into a toxic space for students who don’t want to follow what their peers are doing.

Students are expected to put off their work for a dorm activity or do their work on the bleachers during dodgeball while the game and loud music distract them. While some students came to Milton excited to be a part of the dorm life, others are more focused on the education. As one poll respondent put it, “I came here to get an education not to pretend these people are my friends for 30 mins.”

Though dorm life has its problems, there’s always a chance for change, as seen with the recent changes to the Chapel program. The general opinion about Chapel seems to be unfavorable.

Many students grumble about it and enjoy Chapel only for the opportunity to take pictures with friends afterwards. This year, however, opinions have shifted with Chapel’s new changes. Chapel used to run every Sunday. Now, however, it runs only once a month. Instead of having clubs or selected speakers running them, Ms. Debuhr sends out an email listing a question for us to all think about, and students have the option as to whether to speak or perform during those thirty minutes. Students generally prefer not being forced to make up a speech because their club was chosen to lead that specific Chapel.

There are a multitude of dorm activities at Milton Academy, and each one comes with its flaws and benefits.

Milton’s boarding community has a range of students with different personalities and standards for what’s considered “fun.”

Students who are unhappy with dorm activities can reach out to their dorm monitors, whose goal is to try to make Milton’s boarding life as positive an experience as possible. •

Delayed Start

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

chronotypes; they enjoy going to bed early.

According to an article from thesleepdoctor.com, an individual’s chronotype moves later and later when approaching the end of adolescence, peaking around the age of 20 (aka, you start wanting to go to bed later and wake up later). At that point, chronotype becomes progressively earlier until it eventually stops changing around the age of 75 (so you want to go to bed early and get up early). This study also concluded that there are sex differences regarding chronotypes, as men’s chronotypes tend to peak at later ages than women’s. Because

our chronotypes are dictated by genetic factors, modifying chronotype is difficult.

As a way to address the preponderance of sleep deprivation among teens, schools in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and France have late starts at 9 am. Some organizations in those countries even recommend start times around 11 AM or 12 PM to help aid cognition and memory retention. However, 87% of public high schools in America still start before 8:30 AM, according a September 19 article from the Atlantic.

While yesterday’s delayed start time

was a gift that many enjoyed, it’s unlikely that students will feel any notable effects on long term health and performance. The only way for us to reap such benefits, as distant as they may seem now, would be to have a permanent change in start times throughout the entire year. However, until that time comes, delayed start times serve as a nice rest for students that helps disrupt the grind of daily life. •

GOOD LUCK BVBB IN PLAYOFFS!!!

PAGE 4

New Courses for the 2019-2020 Year

By CHARLOTTE KANE '19 Every year, when the time comes to plan one’s classes for next year, students begin to seek out new courses. Ms. Bonenfant, the Academic Dean, explains that while “Milton already has a rich, exciting course catalogue new courses allow teachers to pursue their own interests and fill gaps that may be in the curriculum of other courses.” While the Art, Science, and History departments have always provided numerous half courses and semester program, electives in other subjects have been few and far between.

Fortunately for students who prefer Math and English, five new courses promise to offer more opportunities.

The English department has added three new courses to the catalogue: a semester course, “Understanding Intersectionality: Introductory Black Feminist Literature,” and two half courses in poetry and in journalism. Ms. Sabin, the English Department Chair, hopes that these courses will encourage students to take more English classes, because students who traditionally wanted to take more than one English course have had to take another full English course, putting an unmanageable strain on their schedule. The offer of a half course allows students to take more English classes without sacrificing the other classes they may want to to take.

The journalism half course, taught by Ms. Matson in the Communications Office, will introduce students to a “completely different style of writing” than what is taught in other English classes, Sabin explains; whereas the Nonfictions course may allow seniors to write feature pieces, current news stories require a completely different skill set. The course will train students to be more effective writers for school publications and introduce them to the life of a professional journalist.

Ms. Cacho, a Penn Fellow new to Milton this year, has created a class around Black Feminist Literature—the subject of her master’s thesis. Although she presented the course as a full year option, after a discussion, the department voted against the proposal. Ms. Sabin explains that the December 1st deadline to propose new courses can make these discussions feel rushed, rendering the entire process “pretty painful.” In this case, the department did not have enough time to be confident in passing a full course.

However, Ms. Sabin looks forward to seeing what a semester elective would look like for the department.

The new math electives aim to give students a chance to study math through a completely different lense. Heather Sugrue, the head of the Math department, explains that her

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

News

OPINION

A Check-In With OMCD

By ALISON BAKER '22

In light of the recent changes to the Transitions Program, the Office of Multiculturalism and Community Development (OMCD) has reached out to The Paper to begin a weekly check-in series. Hoping to improve its communication with the student body, the OMCD views this series as an opportunity to involve students in its programming. For the first edition of the series, I met with Mr. Rodriguez, Director of Student Multicultural Programming, to learn about a new agenda the office is excited to announce: the Milton Academy Cultural Council.

The mission statement of the Milton Academy Cultural Council (MACC) is, “to support and advocate for multicultural programming that challenges cultural misconceptions and biases; to drive initiatives that foster a greater understanding of social justice, diversity, inclusion, and belonging; and to encourage the student body to appreciate and celebrate our differences through programming, policies, and special events.” The council will meet biweekly, and each session will focus upon an issue concerning cross-cultural dialogue at Milton. In our interview, Mr. Rodriguez emphasized that he hopes this council will “bridge the gap dividing the student body and the OMCD,” since he sees a need for student engagement within the office’s upcoming programs.

Last year, the OMCD ran a pilot program, the “working group,” that explored ways to talk to students about different issues and build community communication. This year, Mr. Rodriguez and the OMCD are taking a step further with the Cultural Council.

In addition to what’s outlined in its mission statement, Mr. Rodriguez told me that “the Milton Academy Cultural Council aims to celebrate the diversity found in our community, foster an environment in which clubs and individuals can contribute to making Milton Academy a safer space for students of all backgrounds, encourage students to practice allyship, and promote positive, meaningful cross-cultural dialogue.” To accomplish its goals, the council will strategize with dorm

heads and a wide variety of campus leaders on how best to communicate with the student body and Milton community about issues of diversity and multiculturalism.

Though the council will be supervised by three faculty advisors (Mr. Rodriguez, Dr. Cohen, and Ms. Solomon), Mr. Rodriguez emphasized that the MACC will prioritize student leadership. With the hope of providing more students—specifically freshmen and sophomores—with leadership opportunities and roles in discussing such important issues, the OMCD decided that the council should consist of one non-co-head representative from each culture club. Additionally, the OMCD plans to change council members annually, though Mr. Rodriguez acknowledges that the possibility of this rotation is dependent upon interest. Most of all, the OMCD hopes to include “enthusiastic, open-minded students who are excited to talk about these important issues.”

Mr. Rodriguez mentioned that students have to communicate with the faculty advisor of their cultural club if interested in applying to become a council member. From there, Mr. Rodriguez, Dr. Cohen, Ms. Solomon, and the other culture club advisors will select students for the council.

Throughout the interview, Mr. Rodriguez reiterated that the MAAC presents a fantastic opportunity not only for students to discuss pressing issues facing our community, but also them to create solutions to the problems they see. Although he knows not to be over-confident with interest levels, Mr. Rodriguez remains hopeful that enthusiasm will grow over time.

After all, in his words, “Milton students love to engage with these vital issues, and the council is a great way to do just that.” •

PAGE 5

Goodbye, Transitions

By NATASHA ROY ’19

The first time I stepped foot on Milton’s campus, I went to pick up my Transitions registration packet. From there I walked into Straus and suddenly it all hit me; surrounded by shiny wood, old books, and an imposing painting of some esteemed looking old white man, I felt out of place. I was at prep school, I told myself in a panic, and immediately imposter syndrome began to set in. Minutes later, however, Ms. Otenti stood in front of all the new students and offered some variation of “Congratulations Milton students; you belong here.” The next week of Transitions underscored this idea at every turn.

Transitions means everything to me. For the last two years, I’ve acted as a Transitions Counselor and those two experiences have become of my fondest Milton memories. When I think of Milton, I think of Transitions—and I know I’ll do so for years to come. Given how attached I am to the program, I’ve naturally had a hard time internalizing the new change since I heard about it a few weeks ago. Still, I understand why the change was made and am genuinely hopeful for the program’s new iteration. I can understand how an integrated program, focused on educating every single new student on key issues concerning inclusion, could very well prove to be the best path towards long term cultural change at Milton.

Still, I can’t help but feel like I’m saying goodbye to Transitions the way it was: the way I knew and loved it. Though I’m excited to see how the new program improves our community, saying goodbye to the old Transitions means saying goodbye

to some integral part of myself.

So, here goes my goodbye.

I grew up around people who didn’t look like me, and when I got to Transitions I was asked, for the first time, to think more closely about my identity. I’ve always had a complicated and confused cultural and racial identity, but merely having a space that pushed me to look inward gave me new clarity. Transitions gave me support; it gave me comfort; it gave me deep friendships.

Milton needs to address the self-segregation of its student body, and the new, integrated program may do that well. Still, I’ve found a profound sustenance in having a network of students of color whom I found through Transitions. A few months ago, while I was applying to colleges, one supplement asked me to write about a community that has shaped me. I chose to write about Transitions, if only because it created a voice in my mind telling me that there are people here who understand my experience and can advocate for me.

We don’t have terrific levels of solidarity among students of color, but Transitions was that one thing we all had; it created a baseline familiarity. It unified us, and it gave me the feeling that I had a community even when I was the only person of color in a given room.

I’ve met some of my closest friends through the program, both as a new student and as a counselor. Over the course of my three forays with the program, Transitions gave me the people who’ve consistently made me feel stronger during some tough moments. There’s no use getting occupied with hypotheticals, but I can’t shake the feeling that I would prob-

ably have dropped out of Milton halfway through my freshman year if it weren’t for the support systems Transitions had offered me.

One of these friends entered Transitions from the middle school. She and I began the program with polar opposite backgrounds. Where I had never stepped foot on this campus until my Transitions registration, she had spent years walking through the various buildings; where I was international, she grew up in Milton, MA; where I needed to adjust to boarding life, she remained at home, with her family.

Despite our disparate experiences, Transitions helped both of us in very similar ways. It helped us embrace our respective identities, and we cannot extricate our Milton experiences from the experiences with Transitions.

Some attendees have felt like Transitions placed an unfair burden of them, forcing them to think about their race in an unnatural way. I understand that perspective, but that’s never what transitions was for me. I had to be a person of color during every other week of the year, and that otherness gets exhausting and irritating.

But every year in August, Transitions has provided a space for me to just be.

The old format of the program had its flaws. It definitely says something, for example, that I felt so comfortable with my identity during Transitions but not during the school year. I recognize that the changes will likely do a lot of good for this community. Nonetheless, the ‘old’ Transitions made me who I am today, and I will always cherish it. •

New Courses

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

department will collaborate with visual arts teachers in the Mathematics and Art half course, although the course will still be primarily math-focused. Ms. Sugrue mentions that the proposal for this course originated from a student’s independent study proposal. However, she also explains that while having both a math teacher and and art teacher instruct that class would be ideal, she understands that staffing issues may prevent that arrangement from happening. The course has no specific prerequisite and welcomes all students, regardless of level in math. Going in a different direction from the art-related course, the

Discrete Mathematics Seminar will focus on real-world examples of combinatorics and graph theory, topics which, according to the course description, are, “the foundations for understanding a wide range of problems in probability, computer programming and discrete applied mathematics.” To ensure that everyone in the class is engaged with the material, the course will only accept students in Algebra II and Precalc. She describes the course as “what a math class should be” and as a great supplement to traditional courses. While these two new math courses have clearly been thought out, Ms. Sugrue says she doesn’t

know who will teach them.

Departments only lay out the full plan for a new course if students express sufficient interest; although these courses have been added to the catalogue, they will not run if people do not sign up for them.

If you see a course you like while perusing the catalogue, be sure to gather some friends and sign up for it so it can become a reality! •

PAGE 6

OPINION

OPINION

‘To Be’ or not ‘To Be’

How the Milton English department does not do enough justice to ‘to be’ verbs

By NIKHIL PANDE '21

Every student who’s ever taken a Milton English class knows that their writing should never rely on ‘to be’ verbs. Our English teachers often say that these types of verbs bore the reader or lack importance. However, these verbs can quite effectively convey information that lives outside the physical realm. In other words, information that doesn’t involve physical movement or physical change but does involve theoretical concepts cooperates well with linking verbs. Since we frequently work with abstract concepts—in almost all classes, but especially English—we can present these concepts in an even stronger fashion by using ‘to be’ verbs. For example, saying “he walked to the store” communicates physical information, something physically exists. On the other hand, saying “he is a pop star” reflects an aspect of the subject, the man, and not a physical action that he does.

Although poor writing often stems from a dependence on ‘to be’ verbs, these verbs can be more compatible with abstract concepts than traditional action verbs.

For action verbs, it’s all in the name: action verbs traditionally portray real people or objects doing actions.

Although English teachers often tell students to use ‘abstract words’ in their theses and overall arguments, action verbs were made for non-abstract action. The ‘abstract words’ do not show action in any way. Instead, these types of words define the character on whom the thesis is based.

In addition, action verbs, in communicating physical action, tend to only be used in factual ideas. For example, one cannot argue in an essay that the wolf blows down the first two houses, as this fact is directly stated in the

story. Most authors make the physical actions factual but leave the abstract concepts up to interpretation. In this way, the usage of abstract concepts fits better in an essay with ‘to be’ verbs, while action verbs must stick to non-debatable, real events.

Since these abstract concepts don’t do actions in the realm of thought, ‘to be’ verbs can represent them without their doing any action.

Furthermore, the concepts are often attached to a prominent character, and, in defining a character, one must use linking verbs—a set of verbs that includes ‘to be verbs’—to associate the concept with that character.

Indeed, one can never use a form of the verb ‘to be’ to portray action. Yes, this rule can be bad when a full essay sees no action, but, in a way, it can also be good; if one uses linking verbs in his claims, he can be confident that his claim is not plot-based and factual, but is instead interpretive and abstract.

The Milton English department is correct in telling students to avoid linking verbs in much of their writing, but these verbs can be beneficial when using abstract, theoretical concepts. While action verbs work better in the physical realm of the world, linking verbs work better in the theoretical realm. Action verbs are meant for portraying action, and oftentimes, that action is purely factual. ‘To be’ verbs, however, can attach concepts to characters without any action necessary and communicate the change of a character over time. Although ‘to be’ verbs have become the sworn enemy of the English department, such verbs can still provide an abundance of benefits when working with things beyond the physical world. •

PAGE 7

SAA Appeal

Smile More

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

than just Milton, we as a society have become dependent on sensationalizing graphic news stories, and I now cannot remember the last time the evening news made me smile. Instead of listening to Chris Herren talk about the people he could not save, let’s hear about more of the lives he changed for the better. Instead of listening to Rodney Glasgow’s stories of the racist environment he grew up in, let’s hear more about the positive impact he has made on the students he works with today. Organizations like TextLess and OneLove have taken tragedies and turned them into positive reinforcements for change. In moments of weakness and vulnerability, we have proven that our community can create a powerful movement, organization, or event, yet we often refuse to acknowledge these successes.

Our time of underestimating our community’s strength and unity must come to an end. Only so many tragic anecdotes can shock people enough to speak up against unfortunate realities, but now that people have spoken up, we can start spreading hope. Share the positivity that transforms an issue into a solution. We have let the negativity around us overshadow the positivity that lives in all of us, so I hope that the coming online surveys, SGA elections, and all-school assemblies will focus more on what we have to look forward to—not what we feel obligated to look back on.•

Have a Great Break! <3 TMP

By KATHRYN FERNANDOPULLE '21

On any given Saturday night you can see a flood of freshmen and sophomores in the Student Center battling for that last scoop of ice cream for their sundae. The Student Activities Association, more commonly known as SAA around campus, hosts similar to such events every week.

SAA creates activities that foster a greater sense of community and cohesion in our school. Additionally, they try to bridge the gap between upperclassmen and underclassmen. The most prominent SAA activities are definitely the all school dances such as Winter Ball and Glow Dance.

However, any student can probably notice that besides the all school dances, not many upperclassmen attend the weekend SAA activities. Many SAA activities just do not appeal to upperclassmen. Whether it is because they have already attended the same event or because they are simply not interested in eating ice cream in the Student Center, juniors and seniors seem uninterested by some of the activities. I believe that SAA should focus on making more universally appealing activities in order to have more upperclassmen attend.

I attended the majority of the SAA activities last year because as an energetic freshman, I wanted to make friends and meet new people. I remember that during my freshman year, the SAA activities were popular and in turn highly

attended by my peers. However, it is evident that as we get older, the activities become less appealing. Ian Glick ’21, a sophomore SAA representative, said, “I think that many activities are especially appealing to underclassmen, whether it’s because upperclassmen have already seen similar activities before or have a greater ability—especially with cars—to go do things off-campus, but there is also a large portion of activities that are well attended by people across grades, and I think those really help decrease divides between under and upperclassmen.” I agreed with Ian when he said that the on campus activities are highly loved by the underclassmen.

However, I think that SAA should think of new activities to convince upperclassmen to attend rather than let them just drive away in their cars. I think that having upperclassmen attend activities is important because SAA helps enhance student body cohesion. When asked how SAA helps with student unity, Ian Glick said, “It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to attend any given SAA sponsored event, but I think that the events really do help bring people across grades together. The unity that SAA creates really makes Milton a better place.”

When interviewing Jayne Feeny ‘22 she said that she loves the SAA activities. She especially enjoyed the hypnotist, the dances, the carnival, and the movie night. Jayne also said that she often sees a lot of freshmen at these activities. The

freshmen tend to attend most activities, which are a good place to meet new peers and have fun with friends. Without cars to drive themselves, most freshmen and sophomores opt to stay on campus on Friday nights. On the other hand, when asked about her opinion on SAA activities, Amy Shohet ‘19, a boarder, said, “ I feel like they are a great idea and awesome for underclassmen, but I also think that not a ton of seniors go to SAA activities, but I still go every once in a while.” I can understand day student seniors not going to activities because they could just stay home. However the fact that even boarding upperclassmen do not go means that they are simply not interested in them.

Further enhancing my point, Emma Drisko ‘20 said that “almost no upperclassmen go” unless it is a very big activity, such as school dances.

At Milton Academy, The Student Activities Association is a driving force in making the grade divide obsolete.

However, in order to accomplish that, the upperclassmen have to attend the activities. Making SAA activities more universally appealing would help create more comradery throughout grades. As said

by Ian Glick, “I think that is what makes SAA events important: they make Milton more of a community by bringing together people who otherwise would never have known each other.”•

Sports Requirements: Healthy Becomes Stressful

By MADELINE FITZGIBBON ’21

Whether on a sports team or in an art club, Milton students are able to make friendships across grades, as these spaces are open to both upper and underclassmen. However, Milton’s sports requirement eliminates the possibility of an out-of-school support system. At Milton, underclassmen participate in three sports a year while upperclassmen participate in only two. P.E. options, which can serve as a sports credit, take up about two and a half hours a week while after school sports can take up to two and a half hours per day. As a student pursuing club swimming, I can attest to how difficult it is to manage school, the sports requirement, and out-of-school-sport. Although the Milton sports requirement may be intended to promote team building and good health, it can also create stress for students trying to pursue passions that do not fit

into the Milton sports program.

Despite the positive aspects of sports teams, Milton’s multi-season sports requirement generates stress for many students. Although sports waivers are an option for committed athletes, many students are turned down when they request a waiver. Because many sports and arts require year-round training, without a waiver, students are forced to quit or limit time spent to their passion, losing, in addition, a valuable support system of friends.

Having friends outside of school creates an escape from academic stress.

During the school year, I swim for Milton as well as my year-round club team.

During the fall and spring, I am forced to balance fifteen hours of swimming with another school sport, spending valuable time away from the pool, and I frequently skip club swim practices to complete homework. As Leydn McEvoy ‘20, another swimmer, explains: “I think it’s

unfair that the school requires that you do two sports for junior and senior year even if athletes are participating daily in sports outside of school… the school is not giving us the ability to continue doing the things we love and balance all of our academic work.” Students struggle to find escapes from academic stress, and the sports requirement adds one more piece of stress by forcing students to quit or limit activities that bring them joy.

Although school sports provide great opportunities for some students, the requirement that students participate in multiple seasons adds stress for others without creating a positive impact. I value Milton as a place which challenges us all to follow our passions. An arbitrary, one-size-fits-all sports requirement seems to conflict with a place that otherwise encourages us to be unique, take risks, and pursue our dreams.•

PAGE 8

PAGE 9

A&E

Bandersnatch: Opening a New Door of Entertainment

Karl Lagerfeld: A Fashion Legacy

Image Courtesy of Google

Image Courtesy of Google

By LYNN YUAN ‘21 On February 19th, 2019, Karl Lagerfeld, a German fashion designer, artist, and photographer, passed away at the age of 85, causing a stir in the fashion industry and its surrounding art media. Lagerfeld was one of the most widely popular designers of the 20th and 21st centuries and served as creative director for both Chanel and Fendi. At the time of his death, he worked on three brands—these being the aforementioned Chanel and Fendi, as well as fashion brand under his own name—and accumulating an astonishing net worth estimated at over 200 million dollars. Lagerfeld was widely regarded as one of the most iconic people in the fashion industry, and in his death, leaves behind an enormous legacy.

Born on September 10, 1933, to a wealthy German businessman, Lagerfeld originally pursued a career involving drawing and history. Later, having immigrated to France, Lagerfeld pursued a freelance career for French fashion and worked under brand names such as Chloé and Curiel.

In 1982, Lagerfeld was asked by the chairman of Chanel, Alan Wertheimer, to design for the label. Despite Chanel being a dying brand at the time, Lagerfeld took on the challenge and is credited by many for Chanel’s revival and glory. As reported by The New York Times, Lagerfeld said, on the subject of taking the job, “Everybody said, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s dead, it will never come back.’ But by then I thought it was a challenge.” Lagerfeld saved Coco Chanel’s iconic fashion house from economic col-

lapse by reimagining its mainstream release line, and he kept Chanel relevant by amplifying original design concepts while observing and tweaking the designs to reflect current styles and trends. Lagerfeld was also known to be a major influence for Fendi since 1965, introducing the unconventional uses of different materials in high end fashion. Despite his reputation for working in high-end fashion, Lagerfeld was not one to deny work with brands that were thought to be below him. In 2004, Lagerfeld collaborated with H&M, setting the stage for further collaboration between high-end and fast fashion; additionally, in 2011, Lagerfeld designed a collection for Macy’s. All in all, Lagerfeld’s fashion career was fruitful, to say the least. Lagerfeld also dabbled in photography and fine arts, with his photography mainly being for his brands and his artistic ventures also semi-related to his fashion career.

Following his passing, Lagerfeld was commemorated by Fendi, who honored him in their most recent 2019 fall show, Vogue describes, by styling their runway models with slick designs in both hair and makeup—an “elegant nod” to Lagerfeld’s iconic style. In a bold and rather amusing move, a portion of his 200 million inheritance has reportedly been given to his only remaining family member: his cat named Choupette.

Other than his brilliant career and the praise he received in the fashion industry, Lagerfeld was also well known for his sharp tongue and unconventional (and of-

ten unacceptable) sayings. Lagerfeld has often been recorded making misogynistic and body shaming comments and was also seen criticizing the “MeToo” movement.

We must keep these facts in mind as we celebrate his legacy. While we can appreciate people like Lagerfeld’s impacts in their respective fields, we must also recognize these drawbacks. •

Invest In TMP

By GRACIE DENNEEN ‘21

Walking through the Stu during the past couple of months, you must have heard the word “Bandersnatch” at some point or another. This movie held the title of the first interactive adult movie introduced on Netflix, so naturally, I decided to watch it as soon as I possibly could.

I grabbed my computer, got some popcorn, and prepared myself for the movie of a lifetime. But the movie wasn’t quite what I expected. After talking about it with different people, I found that it didn’t live up to anybody’s expectations because of the lack of control given to the viewer and the confusing and unsatisfying plot.

Following in the footsteps of interactive children’s movies (such as Puss In Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale and Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile) Bandersnatch is the first interactive film for adults available on Netflix. Netflix came up with the idea of an interactive film aged at a more mature audience in early 2017, according to Variety.com, and asked Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones to coordinate with a Netflix team to create it. The idea didn’t seem feasible to the pair at first, but after discussing future Black Mirror episode ideas, they created the plot of Bandersnatch to work with the interactive film concept. Using Branch Manager, the Netflix Production Team’s branched-narratives script-writing tool, the group got to work.

The story follows a British teen in the 80s, Stefan, during his quest to create a makeyour-own-decision video game based on

the fictional book Bandersnatch. The movie puts the audience in Stefan’s shoes by giving viewers decisions ranging from which cereal Stefan should eat to whether or not he should commit murder. As is mirrored in the movie itself, insanity and meticulous planning riddled the creative team’s journey; the movie contains 28 potential decisions and 7 different endings.

Though the prospect of watching an interactive film excited audiences, the execution of the movie didn’t live up to its potential. The concept of multiple endings should intrigue viewers, but it only works if viewers feel like their choices truly dictate the outcome of the story. Many viewers felt that they didn’t have control over the narrative because the structure of the film caused viewers to “start over” in certain situations. Sometimes, after I made a choice, I would watch Stefan suffer the consequences of my decision and then be rerouted to the prior scene where I would be offered the same two choices as before.

Essentially, I had made an “incorrect” decision, and the movie tried to prompt me to make the “correct” decision. These “soft endings,” as they’re called, according to a flow chart from the website Uproxx, frustrated viewers. When the movie rewinded to help viewers make a better decision, the viewers felt like the decisions they made were unimportant, prompting many to stop watching the movie altogether.

A similar problem arose with the seven potential endings of the movie.

These numerous potential endings kept viewers from feeling satisfied when they

finished the movie. The viewer had access to every single ending because once they reached a potential ending, the movie’s structure made it possible for them to view numerous endings by letting them make a different decision in a prior choice.

While watching the movie, I felt almost overwhelmed by the seemingly endless number of outcomes of the story. I (along with countless others) got so accustomed to restarting after I had reached a potential outcome, that once I had watched every ending, I still felt like I hadn’t finished the movie. A basic narrative structure provides the viewer with a clear ending; the introduction, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and falling action set the viewer up for a satisfying conclusion to the story. The confusing and multilayered construction of Bandersnatch kept the movie from a satisfying resolution.

Bandersnatch introduced Netflix users to the art of interactive filmmaking. Though the interactive feature and the narrative structure of the movie made it frustrating and confusing to viewers, this movie opened up a whole new world of entertainment. I predict that film companies will master the use of decision-making based movie structures and create intriguing movies in the future with a perfect balance of possibility and satisfaction. Bandersnatch is one of the first of its kind, but certainly not the last. •

PAGE 10

A&E

Food Review: Unchained Pizza

Sports

The Natabby #2

PAGE 11

Painfully Talented

THE PRE-SPRING BREAK LULL PLAYLIST

By ABBY FOSTER ‘19 NATASHA ROY '19 For when you’re still hung up on that one exam you failed: “Imposter Syndrome” by Sidney Gish “If I Only Had a Brain” by The Flaming Lips “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” by Oasis “This Is The Last Time” by The National For when a freshman asks you how to get Ms. Sabin’s good graces: “Everybody Thinks They Know (But No One Really Knows)” by Naked Giants

Image Courtesy of Google

By CALVIN CHEONG ‘20 There’s nothing quite like being indoors on a beautiful, snowy winter night. The revelation that you’re inside a wonderfully heated building— when you could otherwise be trudging in the freezing cold—produces incredible serenity and calm. And if in front of you there’s a steaming pizza from Unchained Pizza, ready to be consumed, then the night is all the better.

If you’re a day student (which applies to a lot of you) you’re probably wondering what I’m going on about.

If you’re a boarder, however, you have almost certainly heard of the famed Unchained Pizza—maybe, in particular, the restaurant’s acclaimed Baja Chicken Pizza (or maybe even the delicious seasoned fries). On no occasion has the food I order from there ever been unsatisfactory; in fact, it is nearly always of the utmost quality. During many weekends (possibly and probably too many), I have found myself craving a quality pizza that would replace the repetitive (sometimes even monotonous) meals provided by our superb caterer. The restaurant has been my go-to for relatively quick delivery times and delicious food ever since the fall of last year, when I discovered the culinary marvel that is Unchained Pizza.

Quite possibly, the most attractive feature of ordering Unchained Pizza is the convenience of it. Many hungry times, I have been either too tired or too reclusive to pick up the phone and make my order, but Unchained has an easy-to-use online solution.

With a few clicks or taps on your computer or phone, you can have a

pizza made and delivered within a half hour. Leonardo da Vinci once said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and Unchained definitely satisfies this adage.

But what makes Unchained different from all its other pizza-making competitors? Well, the simple answer would be its unparalleled consistency in terms of ingredient quality and overall taste. But, to be frank, Unchained Pizza’s distinguishing factor would ultimately be an amalgamation of all its favorable aspects.

The medium and large sizes are ideal for either eating alone or sharing, respectively. The combination of ingredients creates an exquisite taste.

There are many options other than pizza: fries, calzones, burgers, salads, and more! The list goes on and on, but my point is that if you’re a boarder, and if you’re having doubts about SAGE on any particular night, Unchained is a solid, well-rounded option for anyone seeking quality food.

Ordering takeout is part of the essence of dorm life. Over shared pizzas and sodas, bonds are made.

Nothing is more satisfying than opening a pizza box, grabbing a slice, and watching a movie, a TV show, or sports game. Being far away from home definitely takes some getting used to, and I have found that good food takes away the stresses of academic life and puts the mind at ease.

People are connected by food, and if that food is from Unchained Pizza, then you’re in luck! •

For when your research paper is due in 2 hours and you’re still 1,000 words under: “Help!” by The Beatles “Nothing” by Rex Orange County “Digital Witness” by St. Vincent “Death with Dignity” by Sufjan Stevens For when you desperately need to get cuffed before break: “911/Mr. Lonely (feat. Frank Ocean and Steve Lacey)”

by Tyler, The Creator “Deepthroat” by cupcakKe “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)” by Father John Misty For when juniors start talking about all the Ivys they wanna apply to: “Reality Check (feat. Akenya & Eryn Allen Kane)” by Noname “You’re Not Good Enough” by Blood Orange “Super Rich Kids (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)” by Frank Ocean “Doubt” by Hippo Campus For when they’re rejecting senior projects left and right: “Blindsided” by Bon Iver “Shattered Dreams” by Earl Sweatshirt For when some horse girl wins the Grammy for Album of the Year?? But then you find out she’s kind of good?

“High Horse” by Kacey Musgraves For when you anxiously watch Ms. Bonenfant take the stage at assembly: “(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School for Using) Drugs With Friends [But Says This Isn’t a Problem]” by Car Seat Headrest For when two nights of Dance Concert tickets are sold out before the link gets sent out: “It Never Happened” by The National “Trust No Man (Acoustic)” by Wet For when you want to have a threesome: “Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)” by Car Seat Headrest •

Image Courtesy of Google

By JEHAN BOER '21 Twelve people sat in the stands of

Maryland’s best high school football team as they got ready to play Canada Prep Academy, a small team that drove 9 hours to play in Baltimore because no one else would.

Saint Frances Academy is a small Catholic school located in relatively poor area of Baltimore, Maryland. This school year, the Saint Frances team played just five games, all against teams in their own independent league, which they created for themselves because no one in their league would play them. They were just “too good.” But the fear of this team has only recently appeared. In fact, in recent years they have won only a minuscule percentage of their games, with a record 0 in 2010 and just 2 in 2015. So what, since then, has changed for this joke of a high school team? What catalyzed its transformation into such a strong program that in 2017 won every single game, outscoring the opponents by a total of 473 points? Most of the Saint Frances Panthers’ newfound success is at the hands of recently appointed head coach Biff Poggi, who is both an exceptional businessman and a stellar coach. Upon arrival at Saint Frances, Poggi certainly brought his wallet with him, having so far invested 2.5 million

dollars into creating what he hoped will be a “national championship winning team.”

Puggi’s financial tactics, as well as his playbook, have obviously made the Panthers a nearly perfect team, with Saint Frances now ranked first in Maryland and seventh in the United States, but at a huge cost: the Panthers have suffered from a huge stroke of boredom this season, in hopes of just being able to compete. They have played five full games so far this whole school year. Puggi’s new program, its success, and the cause of that success have all been controversial topics. Supporters applaud the opportunity it has given and will give many teenagers from low-income Baltimore to receive numerous Division One football offers, yet critics find Puggi’s money-driven, ego-based obsession with being the best distasteful.

Regardless of your opinion on Puggi’s approach, it asks a very important question in the wide world of sports: what comes next? Is a “perfect” team worth it?

In sports, similar, intentional situations often arise: for example, the French soccer club Paris Saint Germain (PSG), who for the past few years have received substantial funding from wealthy business owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi, spent well over a billion

dollars in six years. PSG’s stacked squad have only lost one game out of their 25 this domestic season, an enormously above-average percentage, and they already lead the France Ligue 1 by a whopping 17 points.

We may as well crown them champions already. So what happens next for these powerhouse teams, who are the instant favorites against any team they play? Obviously, the goal is to go bigger, to compete more nationally, and to win larger trophies until everything has been won. However, when you have no competition, the significance of being number one fades. I guess we will see whether Saint Frances’ and PSG’s overpowered squads and tedious domestic seasons buffer their playing as they go on to play larger teams and pursue grander titles, Saint Frances is shooting for the national championship, and PSG is craving to be crowned the champions of Europe. Stay tuned. •

PAGE 12

Sports

Sports

PAGE 13

Winter sports recap

Chart Party and Pretty Good: Fascinating and New Sports Commentary

Image Courtesy of Milton Academy Athletics

By KATHERINE MCDONOUGH '19

Image Courtesy of Google

By KATHERINE MCDONOUGH '19

In a previous issue of The Milton Paper, I wrote an article about one of my favorite games, Scorigami. Fans of Scorigami play it by looking for final scores of recent NFL games never before scored in the league.

Those who read the article may remember that the creator of the famed Scorigami is SB Nation video producer Jon Bois. Bois, in my opinion, is one of the best sports content creators at this time, and I implore all of you to invest some time in exploring his works.

Two of Bois’ most popular series, found on SB Nation’s Youtube channel, are Chart Party and Pretty Good. I first discovered Bois through Chart Party, specifically his video “The Browns Live in Hell,” a video that explores how it is statistically impossible for the Browns, who at the time had won a total of 2 of their last 48 games (I also cannot believe that statement is real), to be that horrifyingly terrible. The video demonstrates the best of Chart Party. “The Browns Live in Hell” combines a statistical nerd with the humorous failure of the Browns. Bois did not create this mixture between statistics and sports; statistics have been, from the beginning of any organized sport, a measurement for a given player or teams’ performance throughout a season. However, unlike most people, Bois uses statistics to demonstrate the sheer absurdity of some sports. According to Bois, he spends hours upon hours analyzing data

from official statistic websites to create his unique graphs. The detail in these graphs play an important role in making Chart Party so appealing. This detail can be seen in the photo above, where Bois personally documented, all 46,377 punts made in the NFL since 2000 for his Chart Party video titled “The search for the saddest punt in the world.” The figure points every punt by season on the x-axis, by field position on the y-axis, and by week within the season on the z-axis. These details can be seen in greater depth within the video. Bois’ commitment to finding generally absurd topics through statistics gives Chart Party an angle of sports analysis that few other commentators commit to.

Bois’ other series, Pretty Good, tells, according to Bois’ description of the series, “the true stories that are pretty good.” Pretty Good stays consistent with the aesthetic of Bois’ videos that make them decisively his: the graphics that, even if they are taken from video released this year, have a distinctly 2007-esque energy; the “ken burns” filter transitions between graphics; the smooth jazz in the background of the transitions; and, most distinctly, Bois’ narration throughout. While Pretty Good doesn’t stick to just sports stories, its most defining episodes tell the stories of defining sports moments that go overlooked. Bois’ Pretty Good episode titled “WHY DO I CHOOSE THIS FOR A LIVING?” explores the sport of poker,

which I, prior to watching this episode, was unaware could be classified as a sport.

The video chronicles the incredible stress, stakes, and oftentimes, ridiculousness of professional poker with statistics and personal storytelling, a trademark of a Pretty Good video.

Bois’ commentaries allow me to watch sports in a new light through a statistical lens. Bois walks a very fine line between sports commentator and original creator. His inspiration from statistics and storytelling brings an audience that, as he describes, “[doesn’t] even really follow sports.” That audience is a big part of the reason I respect and admire Bois so much.

Through his original and stylistic aspects to his videos, he introduces a new audience to the wonder that is sports. And, for those who already do follow sports, his commentary introduces a new lens with which to absorb the media. If you have a couple free minutes this weekend, I recommend to both sports-lovers and sports-haters alike to invest some time in an episode of Chart Party or Pretty Good. •

Boys’ Basketball

This year’s Boys’ Varsity Basketball squad produced another successful year, boasting an impressive 19-5 record throughout the season. The team, captained

by Rhett Carter ‘19 and Dan Schlackman ‘19, has consistently made the playoffs for the past couple of years, standing as one of the best basketball teams in the ISL. This year, Boys’ Basketball entered the playoffs seeded 5th, Defeating Suffield Academy 62-54 this past Wednesday.

Girls’ Basketball

Varsity Girls’ Basketball, captained by Adiza Alaza ‘19 and Alli Reilly ‘20, started the season strong with three wins in their first four games. However, they became plagued by injuries throughout the season, never regaining a completely healthy lineup. As a result, they’ve been unable to reach their full potential as a team. Lyndsey Mugford ‘19 describes the season as one with “some tough moments due to injuries and some talented opponents, but overall I’m really proud of the team this winter.” Lyndsey talks about how the hardships throughout the season allowed the team to grow “both as a unit and as individual players.”

Girls’ Hockey

Girls’ Varsity Hockey started the season somewhat rough, as the team faced a lot of injuries from the team early on in the season. However, after winter break, the team, led by captains Julia Johnson ‘19 and Mary Thompson ‘19, started to come into its own. In the second half of the season, the team had some strong wins against Dexter Southfield and Rivers. In the last game of the season, the team fell to Nobles but fought hard collectively.

Boys’ Hockey While the Boys’ Hockey team began the

season with a rough start, much like the Girls’ team, it was able to come together at the end of the season. Captain Quinn Fox ‘19 lead the team throughout the year.

Robert Westwater ‘19 notes how “the team really came together at the end of the season and was able to string together some wins at the end of the season,” like their wins against Thayer and Belmont Hill.

Boys’ Squash

The team captains, Zac Ibrahim ‘20 and Quintin Crawford ‘19, led the team to an impressive overall record of 11-3, an 8-1 record in the ISL, and 2nd place title in the ISL. Boys’ Squash this year was good enough to qualify for Division A for New Englands. Milton finished 10th overall; however, they had 3 players out of the 7 person varsity team default due to injury, so they lost a lot of possible points. Both captains came in 4th in their draws. A highlight was Quinton’s match against a Belmont Hill player during New Englands.

Quinton had lost to the player in their season match against Belmont hill, but at New England’s, Quinton redeemed himself and beat the player decisively.

Girls’ Squash

Girls’ Varsity Squash boasted another successful year with a strong 7-2 record in the ISL. Lead by two year Captain Caroline Spahr ‘19, the team qualified for New Englands after their successful regular season. The team finished second overall in the ISL and placed 9th at New Englands this past weekend.

Boys’ Swimming Boys’ Varsity Swimming fought hard throughout the season. They faced formidable Opponents throughout the season, and as a team they put their best effort in for each meet. Dylan Pang ‘19 lead the team as captain throughout the season. The team has a lot of new and young swimmers, so

be sure to keep an eye on the swim team in coming years.

Girls’ Swimming

Milton Girls’ Varsity Swimming had another successful season. The swim team went to ISLs a week and a half ago, and they won the entire tournament. The team, captained by Kelly Han ‘19 and Lily Wright ‘19, will compete in New Englands this weekend and TMP wishes them luck!

Girls’ Skiing

The Milton Academy Ski teams have been successful these past couple of years, with consecutive New England’s Class B championships. Captained by Kat Stephan ‘19 and Shayla Kelley ‘19, the Girls’ Varsity Ski team moved to Class A this year, facing more challenging opponents. Despite moving up a class, the team performed very well, placing 3rd overall in New England’s this year.

Boys’ Skiing

Similarly to Girls’ Varsity Skiing, Boys’ Varsity Skiing has had a lot of success over the last few years. Team captain Chuck Leonetti ‘19 lead the them to an overall successful season in which they qualified for New England’s Class A, a step up from Class B last year. The team finished 7th overall in the tournament.

Wrestling

Milton Varsity Boys’ Wrestling had a good season as well. Captains of the team were Alex Palacios Santos ‘19, Mert Bayturk ‘19, and Isaac Goldings ‘19. Mert, in particular, was a standout throughout the season, winning three heavyweight championships: the Northern New England Championship, the ISL Championships and the New England Championship. •

PAGE 14

Non-Fictions

Non-Fictions

Something Everyone Deserves to be Asked Q: What Is One Thing You Wish Someone Would Ask You?

One Thing You Wish Someone Would Ask You?

Why did we choose this question?

Our Nonfictions English section partook in a two-day debate: If we could ask a number of Milton students anything, what would we ask them? We tossed around questions regarding goals, beliefs, regrets, and romance. However, when we experimented in class asking each other our devised questions, many of our own responses fell flat and predictable. We found that our questions seemed more provocative than the answers they elicited.

So, instead, we went in a different direction. What answers would we hear, we wondered, if our question allowed students to identify what they longed to speak about.

We chose to ask the question, “What is one thing you wish someone would ask you?” giving permission for respondents to be playful or serious, to accept the open invitation to direct the conversation.

We each asked five students this same question, and the answers surprised us— and didn’t. We want to be asked if we are happy, and if we are really fine. We also want the airtime to talk about our interests, our desires, our dogs. Some of us didn’t get the question; others didn’t want to be asked any questions at all. A plethora of responses reminded us of the many different levels of students’ lives—how we live both inside and outside of ourselves, here and away from here. In the end, we learned how a single answer, offered even quickly and anonymously, can reveal more to us about our community than we knew before.

Here is a selection of the responses we received.

“I really want someone to ask me out.

When I started high school a couple months ago, I imagined this fairytale image where some guy would ask me out on the first day after seeing my amazing looks. Part of the high school experience seems to be having that sort of romantic relationship, and, I admit it, I’m getting desperate for that sort of thing. Plus, it’d be cool to kiss my boyfriend in the middle of the Stu while everyone’s watching” — Girl (cis), Class IV “Genuinely ask how I'm doing. In passing, all I can say is, “Good!” but sometimes I'm not good.” — Girl (cis), Class II “Uh, I guess why do I play football.

There’s more to it than people think.” — Boy (cis), Class II

“‘What is the most elegant you’ve been in failure?’ Because I have this really cool story that pops into my head when you ask me that. So I was skiing, and it was a powder day, and I was on a new mountain that I’d never been to, and I was kind of sending it down a slope, and then I realized that I had trapped myself on all sides by rocks and pebbles and whatever. So then I was like, ‘Aw f***!’ My plan was just to go straight through them—because I can’t stop—and try not to turn so that I don’t damage my skis too much. Halfway through I eat it, fall, and one of my skis goes flying. But I caught it, and I landed on my feet somehow. I felt pretty badass, but no one saw it.” — Boy (cis), Class I “Nothing. I don’t like when people talk to me. I don’t like being asked questions.”

— Girl (cis), Class II “‘Do you want three million dollars?’

Yeah. Yeaaaaaah. That’s a good one” — Girl (cis), Class I “I wish people would ask me about my brother who has a lot of disabilities. They feel awkward about it. I wish they would just ask me if they are curious, you know what I mean? I wish they would just be like, ‘Hey, what disabilities does he have?’

That would be so much easier.” — Girl (cis), Class I “‘Tell me about your dog.’ Because I love my dog, and she is so special to talk about.” — Girl (cis), Class of 2028

something. But on the daily, I’d rather...I’d rather people not ask me questions.” — Girl (cis), Class I “How did you get to the legendary status that you are at now?” — Boy (cis), Class I “‘When’s your birthday?’ Because I feel like nowadays the only way someone knows your birthday is if it’s on Snapchat, and they see someone’s birthday cake emoji, and I feel like that’s making friendships less real. As a kid I used to remember everyone’s birthdays and call them on their birthday, but that just doesn’t happen anymore.” — Girl (cis), Class III “Can I buy you chicken nuggets, or food in general?” — Girl (cis), Class III “Oooo, if I’m zoning out, I like it when people ask me, ‘What are you thinking about?’ It makes me laugh. It makes me seem really weird.” — Girl (cis), Class III “‘How are you really doing?’ I want someone to give me the real tea. People are always asking, ‘How are you doing?’ but everyone gives you fake answers. I want someone to seriously ask me what's going on in my life and for them to tell me that their life sucks. I want to be honest with them. I don’t want to hide any more.” — Boy (cis), Class I “Is your jewelry real?” — Boy (cis), Class I

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

who they are.” — Male Faculty “Are you happy?’ It’s something everyone deserves to be asked.” — Boy (cis), Class III “I want someone to ask me about politics. Plain and simple. I wish we would talk more about politics at school, and I sometimes wonder whether we’re intentionally hiding politics at Milton just because we’re afraid of the consequences.”

— Boy (cis), Class I “What do you want from me?” — Girl (cis), Class I “‘Can you help me?’ Because I feel like, in a lot of senses, I have my act together, and I want to be there for people who need help. But sometimes people don’t seek help, and I don’t know when people need help.”

— Boy (cis), Class II “If I were sitting around and really talking with a group of friends, I’d want someone to ask, ‘What do you hope to get out of life?’ That’s a bit deep, but wouldn’t it make for great conversation?” — Girl (cis), Class III “‘Where do you want to go?’ Like, where I want to travel, where I want my life to go. I just feel like you can do a lot with that question.” — Girl (cis), Class I

“‘How do you think you are going to change the world?’ I guess. ‘How do you want to change the world? How are you going to do it?’” — Girl (cis), Class I

“‘What do you want your life to look like in 10, 20, 30 years? What’s actually going to happen?’ Because if someone asks me, then I’d be forced to think about it.” — Girl (cis), Class I

“I wish people asked me about my dog more. She’s pretty amazing. Her name’s Lucy, she's sooo adorable—and if you say she isn’t, you're wrong. Sorry, that's the facts.” — Girl (cis), Class I

“Do you want to kiss me?” — Girl (cis), Class I

“‘What’s your ultimate goal in life?’ As an adult, people don’t really ask you what your next steps are.” — Female Faculty

“I don’t know that I want to be asked questions. I think I offer my opinions to anyone that I want to know anything about me. I just say it to them, with no prompting, ‘You know what this funny thing is about me?’ There’ll be days where I’m like, ‘Ask me about the thing I’m doing in chemistry,’ ‘Ask me how my classes went,’ ‘Ask me how my exams went,’ because I’m proud of

“‘Tell me about your childhood.’ Because that’s the question to ask if you want to know someone. In America, we are so good at reinventing ourselves, so it can be intimidating, painful, or inconvenient to be factual or straightforward about one’s childhood. But I think people do want to understand and speak about the true story of their childhood, which helps explain

“‘Do you have pets?’ I want to talk about my dog.” — Girl (cis), Class II

“You are the sexiest, yes?” — Girl (cis), Class I

PAGE 15

“What do I wish someone would ask me? Uhhhh, ‘You want me to pay for college?’” — Girl (cis), Class II “Something I wish someone would ask me is, ‘What’s your perspective on gender?’” — Girl (cis), Class I “I wish people would ask me the spelling of my name instead of trying to spell it themselves and then spelling it wrong. I

go through that a lot. ‘What’s this?’ I ask.

They say, ‘That’s you, that’s your name.’

Just ask me to spell it. Simple things like that.” — Female Staff “I guess I just don’t get asked how I am often, so it’s kind of nice to have someone care if I feel good or not.” — Girl (cis), Class IV “Something along the lines of, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ and like, what you’re passionate about. For me at least, I have no idea about what subjects I like. Since my brother is going to college, he already knows what he wants to do, whereas I have no idea because I like English and math, and I feel like they are opposites.” — Girl (cis), Class IV I guess the question, ‘You say you’re fine, but are you happy?’ Reframing the question a little bit.” — Female Staff “How does it feel to always be the bad guy?” — Boy (cis), Class I “It definitely differs person to person. I want some people to ask me some things and some people to ask me other things.

But I also question whether it is selfish to want to be asked other things. I guess it would be, ‘Do you want to hang out?’ Because it’s a nice reminder that someone is thinking about you.” — Boy (cis), Class I “I really appreciate it when students ask me, ‘How are you today?’ It’s always interesting to see who does that. You would expect seniors to do that because they’re older, but it doesn’t end up being that way.” — Female Faculty “If they’d marry me. That’d be pretty cool.” — Boy (cis), Class I “Here’s one thing I wish someone wouldn’t ask me: ‘What did you get on the test?’ I’m tired of people coming up to me after class and asking how I did, since they think I’m this really smart person. They’re expecting my response to be like, ‘Oh, I got a 97.’ But I’m seriously tired of people wanting to compare themselves at Milton, since we’re really not competing against each other in the end. I just want people to be happy with who they are and not have to

work just to be better than someone else.”

— Boy (cis), Class III “I wish we could talk about grades without them being compared at Milton.

Without meaning that someone is getting put down.” — Boy (cis), Class II “Why I care so much about the things I care about. I think people will judge you for the things you care about without ever bothering to learn why you care about them, and I think that’s pretty lame.” — Girl (cis), Class II “How my family is. I want someone to circle back on an issue and check in.” — Girl (cis), Class I “I want people to ask me, just, like—I can’t think of a specific question. But just ask me, at this school specifically, ask me who I am. No one cares. I want people to ask me, ‘Why is this school toxic?’” — Girl (cis), Class I “It’s not really a question, but I wish someone would have me just talk about something in my life or myself for, like, fifteen minutes. If somebody actually wanted to know what’s going on in my life, or even what my vibe is, you need to kinda let me go on for a little bit.” — Girl (cis), Class I “I want people to know my favorite color. I wish people would ask me, ‘What’s your favorite color?’ Because I have a story behind it...during the right timing of twilight, when the sky is nice and navy blue, it’s the best time of the night. It’s really great, and I love it.” — Boy (cis), Class III •

PAGE 16

Ad Nauseam

Hi All, This week we have some exciting assemblies! Here is the full list for you to choose from. Remember to check in or we will publicly execute you!

4th graders will be playing Baby Shark with recorders. Location: Strauss Local ex-basketball star says “just say no.” Location: A Junior’s basement on Friday night

Mr. Ball talking about nothing until the last 5 minutes where he makes an extremely bold connection to something somewhat relevant

Denis Febo on connecting with your inner hotep “Conservative” tells us why he supports Bernie Mr. Bland will say I love you to each of us individually. Location: His house How to use your “social”: an appreciation speech for Coach K Phone dropping on bleachers ASMR. Location: ACC 45 minutes about how we should act in assembly SECS on our changing bodies ATS tries to make the projector work with audio for 45 minutes. Location: FCC GASP SAGE ONYX Joint Assembly: About Why You’re Already Canceled. Location: Stu Thanks, Your Deans