The Milton Paper
APRIL 12, 2019
VOL. 36 NO. 10
MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
News
An Apology
Ally Week: Supporting Silent Solidarity
Dear Community, The Milton Paper Editorial Board would like to sincerely apologize for the photo included with Darlene Anastas’ article titled “I ♥ Bacon” in last week’s faculty issue. The picture, which included a bumper sticker that featured language insulting conservatives, was both inappropriate and unacceptable, especially when paired with an article that encouraged listening and constructive dialogue. The photo was included without Anastas’ permission, and we should not have chosen it. We apologize for not taking the time to more carefully screen the photos we used and for printing a hurtful and counterproductive message. Please direct any questions to members of the Editorial Board. Best, TMP 36
Image Courtesy of Google Images By SARAH ALKHAFAJI ‘20
Opinion Reflection on C2R By TONY WANG '20
On March 30th, the entire junior class embarked on a one-day trip to Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The objective of this retreat involved class bonding. In preparation for our departure, we asked our seniors what to expect and how to approach the time at Bournedale. The answers were mixed; some enjoyed it last year while others lamented the loss of a weekend. After experiencing C2R for myself, I hold a similar mix of opinions on the day-long séjour. While I understand doubts regarding its purpose as a true bonding experience, I also appreciate the valid effort to bring Class II students together and the chance to relax. So what happened at C2R? Let’s dive into the details to find out. The Saturday of C2R comprised of dinner, a speaker, a dance, and some freeroam time around Camp Bournedale, which is next to a small lake. The scenery is serene and pleasant, so our liberty to wander was well-appreciated. On the flip side, free-roam time coincided with the dance, resulting in a sparse crowd of a few dozen on the dance
GASP hosted a number of events throughout this past Ally Week including activities such as bracelet-making, a Q&A panel, a Friday night showing of Love Simon, and, ultimately, today’s Day of Silence. The Day of Silence serves as a day for allies to reflect on the lives of members of the LGBTQ+ community. “All groups and minorities know what it’s like to be silenced,” says GASP cohead Kendelle Grubbs ‘20 “whether oppression be based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, the Day of Silence should concern more than just the LGBT community,” and GASP worked to unite the community through these events which were, in many ways, “like community bonding activit[ies],” says Sophia Hack ‘21. GASP faculty advisory, Emily Bargar spoke a bit towards Milton’s history with the Day of Silence. The event started at Milton over a decade ago, but the school has has seen growing levels of participation over time. More people have felt comfortable participating in the day of silence now than they did a decade ago. According to Ms. Bargar, GASP hands out roughly a hundred or so stickers to those who wish to
participate, “but [they don’t] keep track.” In the past, students would have to sign up in advance so that GASP could email the teachers notifying them about who was participating ahead of time. However, that tradition ended before Ms. Bargar became an advisor so that more students, if they chose to, could participate last minute. “It’s unfortunate that most participants are usually members of the LGBTQ+ community, but it doesn’t defeat day’s the purpose altogether,” says Grubbs. No matter when they choose to join, all participation is important for the LGBTQ+ community. Hack explained that when she was in Milton’s Middle School, “it felt good to see support from a lot of my classmates on the day of silence. For someone that was still in the closet at the time, that support really helped me feel empowered within my community.” Students unable to partake in full in today’s Day of Silence (whether because of class presentations or group projects), still have the opportunity to stand in solidarity. “I’m hosting an exchange student from England today,” says Avery Miller ‘20 “but I will do my best to stand in solidarity even though I can’t fully participate in the event.” •
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Inside This Issue negin farsad pg.
5|| Diversity or test scores pg. 8|| nipsey hussle pg. 10
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The Milton Paper The 36th Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Opinion Manager Managing Editor News Managers Senior Editors Website Editor Layout Editor
Pierce D. Wilson & Rishi Dhir 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 Aston Chan
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
Opinion
Willa DuBois Christian Westphal Ella O'Hanlon Emma Bradley Jana Amin Kathryn Fernandopulle Kayla Mathieu Madeline Fitzgibbon Margot Becker Maya Bokhari Nikhil Pande Elena Viciera Eliza Barrett-Carter Tony Wang Erinma Onyewuchi Karol Querido Leydn McEvoy Miriam Zuo Tapti Sen
Sports
Sophia Li Antoine Wiley Eliot Mialhe Luke Monnich Lily Wright 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. LettersPolicy:TheMiltonPapergladlyacceptslettersfromanyonewhosendsthem.Wedonotpromise topublishanyorallletters,andweretaintherightstoeditlettersforcontent,length,andclarity.Wewill notpublishanonymousletters.Ifinclined,pleasetaketheopportunitytowritetous.Sendlettersbymail (Letters to the Editor, The Milton Paper, Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186), by email (TheMiltonPaper34@gmail.com), or by personal delivery to our office Warren 304.
Editorial Getting Real About Rejections Many of you won’t read most of the contents of this issue or even read through the end of this Editorial. Many of you will throw this issue into the recycling bin before heading to your next class. You will, however, pause as you walk across the English hallway to take a second look at TMP 36’s “Wall of Shame.” Intrigued, you’ll bore over the many taped up college rejection letters because—let’s face it—we all want to know who got rejected from where. Don’t feel ashamed; we’re all curious. TMP sets up its “Wall of Shame” because we know you’re curious, and we would rather bring that curiosity out into the public than leave it to manifest in sneaky conversations where you try to parse out who got rejected from x Ivy League institution. Year after year, Milton students gossip about college in hushed tones and with a general air of secrecy. TMP hopes that a little bit of honesty and humor can make the increasingly toxic college culture just a little bit healthier. We hope seniors find it empowering to take control of their rejections by choosing the information they’re willing to publish to the world. Once you post your rejection letter up on a English hallway wall, that sadness ideally becomes a little less crushing and easier to laugh at. Most importantly, we want to highlight just how ubiquitous rejections are, even among the inordinately talented students who go to this school. Still, many vehemently object to our “Wall of Shame,” and with good reason. Some worry that in jokingly displaying our rejections, we minimize an extremely complicated and emotionally charged process. Around revisit day, some faculty feel that the wall makes the school look bad to prospective students—though TMP argues that, if anything, these students would benefit from seeing current Miltonians exhibit a healthy attitude towards academic setbacks. Others point out—rightly so—that it facilitates gossip in a campus culture that already fixates on where so-and-so did or didn’t get in. The “Wall of Shame” has been controversial since its inception, and yet, aware of all these grievances, TMP 36 still chooses to offer it to the Class of 2019. We want to see Milton students grow more frank in our discussions surrounding college and what it means to not get the news you so desperately wanted and deserved. College conversations can seem hypocritical or short-sighted. For example, when we returned from spring break with the Varsity Blues scandal fresh in our minds, we were quick to denounce the celebrities implicated and to bemoan the broken nature of the current admissions process. Many of us fixated on how a system that benefits those bribing their way into college inherently hurts those students who’ve worked hard our whole lives (re: Milton students). It’s true that we all work incredibly hard and, in an ideal system, would have our pick of colleges based on our merit. It’s also true, however, that we also benefit from admissions processes that favor the wealthy. Many juniors spent their spring breaks jetting around the country to tour colleges; many more will work with standardized testing tutors in the coming months in order to maximize their test scores. These aspects of the college process are only available to a small subsect of American high school students with the means to travel, pay for tutoring, etc. Most Milton students have a leg up in the admissions process because of their financial statuses. We don’t lie and cheat in the way Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman have, yet we still profit off of our collective wealth. It rings false to discuss unfair admissions processes without acknowledging the many advantages we have over other high school students just by virtue of attending this school. We don’t want to negate the genuine merit possessed by every single Milton student; we only want to encourage more honest conversations about an inherently dishonest admissions process. TMP 36 is truly in awe of the senior class and of each and every student that attends this school. It’s that very awe that inspired us to set up the “Wall of Shame” two weeks ago. We are all so very deserving and hope the wall allows us to see rejections for what they really are: slips of paper that say nothing about your worth and academic ability.•
News
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Jazz Trip
Image Courtesy of Milton Academy
BY AVA SCHEIBLER ‘22
Over March vacation, Milton Academy jazz students traveled to South Africa. In an interview, Mr. Sinicrope revealed that the trip focused on more than just the exploration of the country and practicing jazz— it allowed Milton Academy students to connect with the people of South Africa, specifically people who live in vastly different situations. This was the twelfth jazz trip to South Africa. They originally began when Abdullah Ibrahim, a well known and respected South African musician, visited Milton Academy, heard its jazz students perform, and knew that they had to come visit South Africa. Along with the help of a former English teacher, a Johannesburg City Council woman for more than twelve years, the students, Ibrahim, and Mr. Sinicrope created this trip. Since the first trip in 2001, Ibrahim has had a significant role in Milton Academy jazz. He will also receive the upcoming National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award in Washington DC next week. Throughout the trip, the jazz students performed in many different concerts, collecting real-life practice and gaining unforgettable experiences. According to Mr. Sinicrope, concerts were at a place similar to Quincy Market, a jazz club, and the African
Leadership Academy, which is a high school for youth training to be leaders from nineteen different countries in Africa. The students also performed in many townships, which are poorer towns in South Africa that, during apartheid, were racially segregated; often, they were some of the only places where black people could live. The students also went on a trip to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many prominent activists were imprisoned during apartheid. This experience would have been powerful in its own right, but the students’ tour guide was a former prisoner himself, and so everything he told the group was from his own past experiences. When asked to compare American and South African jazz, Mr. Sinicrope described South African jazz as “simpler,” “infectious,” “freeing,” and “joyful.” He also said that many South Africa jazz songs carry meaning, and that music as a whole was very important to South Africa in gaining its freedom. For some of the songs the students played, the audiences only needed to hear the introduction before they would start screaming and dancing, because they knew some of the songs so well. Some songs, especially jazz songs, carry special meaning and representation for the people of South Africa. During the time of apartheid, the government
would not allow anyone to straightforwardly say that people of color were being oppressed, so many songs carried hidden messages. One such song translates to “The Bellowing Bull,” which people knew signified the oppression and power of people of color. Because of such connections to the music, Milton Academy students were playing for audiences who really cared, and who had stro ng connections to South African music. Although the people in the townships were very different both culturally and economically, a shared love of jazz transcended those differences. Mr. Sinicrope reflected that “as soon as we [would] play the music, the audience would go ‘these guys care enough to play our music?’” and instantly connections were formed. Mr. Sinicrope also spoke about this trip’s learning opportunities. When the students performed, the audiences started dancing and moving their bodies to the music. The improvement between Milton Academy students’ first and last concert was tremendous, and that kind of development could never have been learned in a classroom. Although a classroom environment has its benefits, getting to perform repeatedly for people who really cared taught the students more in two weeks than they could have learned in many months.•
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News
Community Connections: The OMCD’s Spring Agenda By NEHA MODAK ‘22
As we head into April, spring is finally here and the end of the school year is beginning. Most of Milton is beginning to wrap up and shift the focus to next year; however, things are as busy as ever, if not busier, in the Office of Multiculturalism and Community Development. Not only is the OMCD planning for next year, but they also are focusing on Transitions over the summer, as well as working on a few projects they still aim to complete before graduation. There is a common thread in their agenda and goals for the coming months: connection. The two biggest projects the OMCD is working on this spring—the Cultural Council and Transitions—exhibit their efforts to connect different parts of Milton, share discussions, and engage everybody in improving the community. Last year, the OMCD piloted “The Working Group” as an attempt to connect different cultural clubs through their leaders. As could be expected, this first run involved some successful areas and some that needed improvement. After revising the concept, a new version was implemented called ‘The Cultural Council,’ also called the MACC. Ilan Rodriguez, the Director of Student Multicultural Programming, compares the Council to the SGA; both groups attempt to address student issues and interconnect different parts of the school. Rodriguez says, “we talk about institutional practices, things that are disrupting our community, and issues that are taking place either within the community or worldwide. We can just really come together and have a conversation." While culture clubs work separately most of the time, MACC aims for increased joint discussions and programming between the clubs. Additionally, the MACC hopes to establish connections between faculty and students, different grades, and varying cultural groups. The Council wants the community to share conversations about identity and to build skills in navigating such conversations.
Getting this initiative started is a large task and is one of the things that will be occupying the OMCD for the rest of this spring. Another large undertaking the OMCD will tackle this spring is the Transitions Program. As the student body knows, substantial changes to the program will be made, and some details still remain uncertain. As Heather Flewelling, the Director of Multiculturalism and Community Development, points out, “all that we have to gain from this new model...also comes with some losses.” Nonetheless, the OMCD has a clear vision for the new model of Transitions. There will still be a focus on identity and the questions around identity, but the difference, as Ms. Flewelling says, is a new “community commitment to the work.” The goal of the new model is to give all students the incentive to discuss diversity and each other’s identity. The new program aims to emphasize the benefit multicultural work has for everyone. Additionally, the OMCD is trying to take into account the varying levels of experience that students have with such conversations, and is seeking to provide all students with foundational skills. As summer draws closer, clarifying plans for the Transitions Program and ironing out all the details is a top priority for the OMCD. They also want to incorporate dialogue between students and the Administration into the new Transitions program, hence the addition of the new role of student ambassador. Student ambassadors will express the opinions the student body has about changes being made and discuss with faculty on how to improve the program. As Flewelling explained, “Milton’s greatest strengths are our greatest challenges.” This spring, the Office of Multiculturalism and Community Development will do their best to emphasize these strengths by reinventing Transitions, forming a Cultural Council, and, above all, creating a community that will emphasise connections.•
Faculty Forum: By Teachers, for Teachers By NATASHA ROY ‘19
On Monday, March 25th, a day our classes resumed post-Spring Break, all Upper School faculty convened for “Faculty Forum,” a series of presentations led by faculty members for other faculty members. Faculty Forum is an annual initiative run by Ms. Singh, Dean of Teaching and Learning designed to give faculty a platform to share their teaching innovations with one another. All faculty are invited to share a presentation about a unique teaching perspective they hold. “A lot of our other professional development days—days set aside for us teachers to reflect on our practice and grow— are led by external education leaders,” says Ms. Robbins. For example, a group from the Harvard Graduate School of Education recently visited to work with faculty. Faculty Forum, on the other hand, is run by Milton teachers, for Milton teachers. According to Ms. Robbins, “it’s a moment to share innovations you’ve been trying in your classroom, things you’ve learned from conferences, or a question you have about something you’ve been trying in class.” This year’s eighteen presentations included “Trauma-Informed Classrooms” by Ms. Chapin and Mr. Deehan, “Evening the Playing Field: Cultivating Capacity and a Sense of Belonging in All of Our Students” by Mr. Skinner, and “White Supremacy Culture: Characteristics and Countermeasures” by Mr. Heath and AWARE, a group of white teachers working on understanding race in the classroom. Ms. Foster finds Faculty Forum “one of the most meaningful professional days each year and every year because we’re building on each other’s practices together in an ongoing way.” It’s this very supportive spirit that has led Ms. Robbins to present at the forum every year she’s worked here. “I was a Penn Fellow for my first two years here,” she explains, “and Penn Fellows are basically required to present [since they’re] currently studying the most cutting edge innovations in education... [but] this year I still wanted to present because I had such a great experience the first two years.” This year, Ms. Robbins co-presented with Ms. Locke about an Independent Study they co-teach about gender. Ms. Robbins, an English teacher, approaches the course from a literary and media studies perspective, and Ms. Locke, a Psychology teacher, approaches it from a psychology and development perspective. As such, their presentation focussed largely on the benefits of collaborative teaching and interdisciplinary learning. Because, as Ms. Robbins explains, “our faculty, like our students, are very much critical thinkers,” they frequently reflect on the ways in which Milton needs to grow and change. “Those conversations are really important and productive, but they can also be pretty critical. [Faculty Forum] is a day where [I can] just feel like there’s already such amazing work happening. It feels very positive and celebratory...It’s like ‘Oh my gosh—my colleagues are amazing!’”•
News
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Negin Farsad: A clear message?
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY ASTON CHAN ‘22 A combination of uneasy murmurs and uncontrollable snickering emanated from the ACC on Wednesday, April 3rd, as Negin Farsad used a variety of sexual jokes and political comments in her speech as the Class of 1952 Religious Understanding Speaker. Despite the periodic outbursts of laughter throughout the assembly, after leaving the ACC, the student body seemed split on whether she accomplished her objective of promoting the overlooked Muslim culture in America. While presenters are generally solemn in their introduction and explanation of pressing societal problems, Negin Farsad’s tone was unconventionally cheerful. Farsad is an Iranian-American comedian raised in Palm Springs, California, who grew up struggling with her identity and its relationship to the community around her. Upon earning her master’s degree in race relations, Farsad established her own production company, Vaguely Qualified Productions, and began promoting awareness of Muslim culture through performing stand-up routines that were built upon her political views and her journey to self-affirmation. To assess the student body’s opinions of Negin Farsad, I sent out an optional, anonymous survey, which ended up receiving one-hundred responses. In answering the question of whether students felt that Negin Farsad’s message was clear, the responders were divided; 48% of respondents expressed feeling like Farsad’s purpose in giving the speech was not clear. One student asserted,
“she was too focused on making people laugh at her jokes to keep her points coherent.” Other respondents agreed that her continuous usage of jokes merely “interrupted her message.” In particular, one student noted that Farsad’s visual representation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which showed the two states appearing to have sex, “diverted [students] from her main points.” A fourth respondent simply stated that “a central motif that cemented itself at the end would have been powerful.” In the form I sent out, I also asked students whether they felt the comedic way Farsad expressed her message was appropriate. 76% of respondents said that yes, her satire was suitable. The 24% of students who didn’t like the humor noted things like, “her jokes were terrible,” “it hurt [them] to watch,” and that “there were several moments of awkwardness where you could [definitely] tell she was forcing it.” One responder even said that they simply “[felt] bad for the class of 1952.” Some students had more pressing concerns than how awkward they felt the reaction to Farsad’s jokes were; students voiced their concerns regarding the usage of “sex jokes meant for an older audience” and the “[misrepresentation of] the conflict in the Middle East,” with some feeling that she made jokes at the expense of the Jewish population. Regardless, some of the impassioned response I got when I sent out the survey, on the whole Negin Farsad’s speech did not seem to greatly influence our student body. I requested that students rank Farsad’s impact on them on a scale of one to ten, from “useless assembly”
to “best speaker this year.” Students gave this speech an average of 5.72 out of ten, with 44% of responses stating that she was less captivating than other speakers, seeming to indicate that they were not very impacted by her speech. However, while some students claimed her address was “not very impactful” or “pointless,” another responder asserted that “the humor Farsad integrated into her presentation made … [her] the most engaging speaker this year.” When asked whether the assembly changed students’ opinions regarding Muslim culture in America, 87% of surveyed students responded that the talk changed affected them “slightly” or “not at all. Although students may not have felt greatly impacted by Farsad’s talk, her use of satirical comedy and non traditional visual aids will make her assembly hard for Milton students to forget. •
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Feature The Missing Perspective on Police Brutality
By EVITA THADHANDI '20 Tina Chang, one of this year’s Bingham Readers, recited her poem “Fury” at a Wednesday assembly in December. The poem focuses on police brutality, specifically on how her son, a young black boy, must navigate his life in this day and age. The last lines of her poem have stayed with me since she read them aloud to the upperclassmen: “love and love and love and love and love and love and love and love and love is crowding the street and needs only air and it lives, over there, in the distance burning.” These lines, and the video she showed beforehand of white cops pulling over a black mother and her children, brought me back to an opportunity I had last spring to interview black police officers on the topic of police brutality. I had been curious to hear a black cop’s perspective because I had never heard it before. After contacting thirteen police stations in southern California, one agreed to hold interviews. I walked into the main police station alone, pen and notebook in hand. People sat on benches around the room, waiting for the front desk to call their allocated number so that they could share their complaint. Some had their eyes closed, others paced back and forth, a few whispered anxiously. They looked like ghosts, faces hollowed out and limbs drooping. One mother cried over the counter, begging the officer to free her son from prison. He was a good kid with good grades, he just had bad friends. Another mother told an officer that her daughter had disappeared two days ago with her boyfriend. The mother walked away after a few minutes. Nothing could be done. I stood in the corner awkwardly, a 16 year-old girl slowly absorbing the police world, a world in which kids my age were arrested and nothing could be done, in which a glass screen had to separate the officer and the citizen, in which guns were held up freely. I knew nothing about this world. I had just begun to dip my toes in, and it already stung. I’m sharing the stories of black officers with you so that you too can experience a completely different perspective. I’m not saying that their stories changed my opinion or that they should change yours; I just hope you read their words knowing that different perspectives help us solve issues and break the bubble we live in. Surprisingly, despite the tension between many black people and the police, all five black officers interviewed in southern California did not feel a conflict between their loyalty to other officers and
their race. “I would never let another officer compromise my integrity nor would I allow my race to compromise my integrity. I treat everyone with the same accommodation,” explains Officer EH, an Navy veteran and a current black president of a police union in southern California. However, they did express the difficulty they have experienced in dealing with the conflict between all police officers and civilians. Officer LG, a Lieutenant, describes how, with all the talk about police brutality, civilians have become more eager to resist the police and escalate a situation. “I’ve never been challenged more than in the last 5 to 7 years,” he admits. All five officers identified the media’s narrow lens on the topic as the real cause of this mistrust between the public and the police. Each of them admitted that, just like anyone, police officers make mistakes and they should take responsibility for those mistakes. However, they claimed that the media often blames the officer without knowing the full story, and, more often than not, the full story reveals the officer as innocent. Officer CN, a black officer with thirty years of experience, shared a story about a group of black men who ambushed a young, white, female police officer. They took her gun, beat her, and left her for dead. “She has that to deal with the rest of her life. She has that to deal with that every single time she comes across a male black... The media doesn’t ask our feelings… If at some point she overreacts [against] the next group of black guys she comes across, then they [the media] will jump all over her, not even knowing or asking why the overreaction,” explains Officer CN. The female officer transferred to a smaller agency in a place with a lower black population in order to reduce the chances of an overreaction, the media’s reporting of which could destroy her reputation and cost her her job. The officers claimed that the missing part of the media’s story is always the perspective of the police involved. “When the media portrays police brutality, they just say here’s what happened, here’s what the officer did. Nobody goes to the officer to see how he feels about it after… they just say here’s what you did and you were wrong. Doesn’t mean he didn’t have any feelings about it. Doesn’t mean he or she might already know I went overboard, I did too much,” says Officer CN. Officer BM, a newly hired officer and Iraq veteran, urges us to imagine a situation in which a black civilian tries to resist police. “I’m going to show up, we’re going to fight, and I’m going to end up taking you to jail. You’re going to have a couple knots. But they’re not going to see my broken nose. They [the
media] are not going to see my ear that you bit off, they’re not going to see my broken ankle. They are just going to see your mugshot photo and you have a black eye. They are going to say ‘Police Brutality,’ ” Officer BM points out. Officer BM explained that the media also creates public animosity against the police by reporting on only the cases of police brutality which appeal to most readers: the cases that involve race. “The media focuses on whatever the hot topic is. And the hot topic for the last few years since Trayvon Martin has been black people. So you never hear ‘hey, today in LA a white guy got shot by an officer,’ ” says Officer BM. Officer CN describes an incident where a sheriff accidentally shot a white man, not a criminal but a hostage trying to run away. “It [the incident] was literally just mentioned between weather and traffic… just mentioned. It was a police mistake. It was a police screw up…Had it been a black guy though, it would have been on national news: ‘Police shot another unarmed black guy.’ ” The black officers believed that the media’s lack of police perspectives and limited reporting lead the public to see every instance of police-civilian contact as an instance of police racism. The media has caused the fierce mistrust between the entire police force and the public, a mistrust which breaks the safety police officers and civilians should feel walking on their streets. Their perspectives raised so many questions for me that I had never considered before: What is the media’s role in police brutality? Would a change in media portrayal help regain the trust between citizens and police? Should we trust anyone with a job in which one mistake could destroy a life and family? Asking ourselves these questions—remembering to question our own limited perspectives and those of others—is the first step to solving such polarizing issues as police brutality. Only by questioning ourselves and others will we obtain something closer to the truth. Love is “crowding” around us, in each of us. We just need to free it, give it the “air” it needs to motivate us to enter worlds we may not be comfortable in. If you really care about the lives of others, welcome the discomfort. •
Columns
C2R Reflection
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while everyone else chatted outside as they took in the scenery (there were S’mores near the beach). Throughout the evening, I saw numerous friend groups congregated, and the realization soon dawned on me that they had simply transposed themselves from the Stu to this camp. The students in each group remained near-identical. I recalled the goal of C2R as helping us connect with unfamiliar faces, but my time walking around on Saturday led me to recognize the difficulty of achieving this objective. Indeed, friends form groups for a reason. Common backgrounds, interests, and beliefs bring them together, providing topics to discuss and activities to explore. Attempting to shake up these established links within the course of a day is unrealistic at best. Students don’t suddenly start socializing with an entirely new group of peers simply because they’ve been transported to a lakeside camp. That said, existing friend groups did not stop Class II from having fun and unwinding together on Sunday, thus fulfilling the purpose of a retreat. Sunday was packed with activities. From capture the flag and lawn games to blindfolded tasks, my team communicated and cooperated throughout the day. Though we weren’t all close friends with each other, we still collaborated almost seamlessly. During that time, I felt a form of unfamiliarity melting away. I would rarely find the opportunity to converse with some of these team members on regular school days, but now we were engaged in common tasks that mandated communication. For me, the synergy and the entertainment embodies the proper purpose of a retreat. C2R should not be about feeling compelled to engage in extensive conversations with peers who don’t share common topics; it should simply encourage us to work together, to set aside our differences and participate in stress-free activities. As we got off the bus on Sunday afternoon, I could almost envision those around me reclaiming their background, their beliefs, their specialties. Afterwards, we returned to the same friend groups as before. And that’s ok. We should approach C2R as a time to come together and put aside our differences, not discard them. It’s a trip to show that we can and have enjoyed this common experience belonging to Class II. •
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The Depot #9
By OLAYENI OLADIPO '19 Hey, Team! Welcome to ‘The Depot,’ a storage facility for the topics of our time: the victories and defeats, the reliefs and worries, and the mindsets in the space of Milton Academy. Today, I present a deposit with the Class of 2020 in mind. As the school year steadily comes to a close and juniors begin their college craze, now is an opportune time to shed some wisdom concerning your profile as a college applicant. First, let me present the words of Ariane DesRosiers ‘19, as she inspired this deposit. “Idk if you’ve touched on this yet but I really wonder if people feel the same way [as I] about how college kind of disillusions everybody. All the inherent worth in your passions and interests (clubs, arts, hobbies) are suddenly discounted or seen only as tools that you’re supposed to use to compete with others… I don’t know but it’s really disheartening to me at least. [Suddenly,] I just can’t find the same motivation to do all the same work for the environment anymore because I’m… drowning in the worry that if I do it, it’ll be like I’m just doing it for college. You know?” - Ariane DesRosiers 19 Ariane feared to exhibit the same extent of passion in her extracurricular activities because she worried that others would view her efforts as disingenuous. Read that sentence again. The passion of an avid environmentalist was tainted by the worry that others would view college as the only motivation for her enthusiasm. How does this situation come to exist? The sentiment behind Ariane’s words blooms from all of the negative aspects of the college process. Traditionally, many people enter high school with aims to participate in clubs and sports all for the sake of college. For these students, passion is rarely the driving force behind their endeavors; instead, college and the prospect of a “perfect student profile” moves them.
While high school is the typical precursor to college, that fact does not mean that college must rule our high school experience. Ariane says herself that there is an “inherent worth in your passions and interests,” and I agree that we must respect that inherent worth and fight against all urges to misplace someone’s motivations. If, as a community, we can avoid the practice of living for college and assuming others do the same, then people can more freely pursue their passions without fear of judgement. Ariane’s story is a heartbreaker and a reminder that we need to do better. So, Class of 2020 and underclassmen who have even more time to right this wrong, be passionate, and let yourself rule your endeavors. I’m no admissions officer, but I’m 95% sure that colleges wish to find students that exhibit pure, untainted passion. The takeaways of this deposit are enumerated here. Firstly, do not let college rule your high school experience. Live for you, and let yourself and your values be the main motivations for how you live your life. Secondly, do not assume that those who show commitment to a long list of extracurricular activities or even just one activity are doing so for the sake of college. I like to think that Milton students have some depth, and you should too! See you next time at ‘The Depot’! Do you want a concern, opinion, or question of yours to be sorted, stored, valued, and remembered? Make a deposit to ‘The Depot’ today. Email olayeni_oladipo19@milton.edu and note whether you request anonymity. You can also drop off your letter in the TMP Office in Warren 304.•
Thank You Donors!!!
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Opinion Diversity or Test Scores: Inequities in New York City’s Specialized High Schools
Image Courtesy of Google Images By MIRIAM ZUO '20 At the highly praised Stuyvesant High School in New York City, 7 black students were admitted into the freshman class of 2023. The total number of students accepted? 895. For the less mathematically inclined, that means black students comprise of less than one percent of Stuyvesant’s incoming class. In a school system where 26% of students are black, that’s a problem. Admission to specialized New York City public high schools like Stuyvesant and the Bronx High School of Science is reliant on a single, challenging test: the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). There is no short answer section, no interview, no writing portfolio, and none of the other aspects of an application that Milton students may be accustomed to. Upon first glance, this system appears meritocratic, merely judging applicants purely on the basis of academic performance. But while this idea may look good on paper, the SHSAT has a number of fundamental flaws. As the reputations of the eight specialized high schools continue to rise to mythical proportions, the SHSAT has come to dominate the lives of many young students in New York City public schools. They begin preparing for it as early as first grade. Their studying only intensifies in middle school, with some students attending SHSAT preparation programs and taking practice tests on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Compare this approach to the lives of many lower-income students and students of color. Some aren’t aware that these schools
exist, and those who are often do not have access to sufficient preparatory programs or rigorous middle schools. As a result, the distance between these two disparate paths becomes insurmountable, and substantial talent is inhibited from reaching its fullest potential. The main issue with the SHSAT is that the testing field is heavily imbalanced. This application system raises many questions, particularly in regards to the overrepresentation of Asian-American students. Do Asian-American students with qualifying scores deserve fewer seats in order to improve the racial balance at specialized high schools? Which is more important: diversity or high scores? Should race be considered at all in the application process? There are two commonly suggested approaches to resolving the inequities associated with the SHSAT. The first is to introduce different standards for different races. This approach essentially institutes affirmative action for test scores, but it fails to take socioeconomic differences, and thus variations in middle school caliber and SHSAT preparation, into account. The second is to improve access to test preparation programs, but this idea would drive the students to unbelievably high levels of academic pressure and stress, as middle schoolers would be forced to learn high school coursework such as pre-calculus simply to stay competitive. Why have school for twelve years when students are expected to learn all the material in eight? Alternatively, the specialized high schools could do away with the SHSAT entirely
and adopt a holistic application process similar to those at Milton and most American universities. I believe that holistic admissions with a particular focus on applicants’ environments will help to strengthen the specialized high schools even further. Standardized tests are a notoriously poor indicator of academic achievement and intellect. And besides, a student’s performance in school is not necessarily reflective of that student’s future accomplishments. Picture a student at Milton who you believe will become wildly successful: did you pick that student because of their grades or because of that student’s character and actions? Good education is meant to be a tool that enables students to succeed, not an end in itself. As we approach the end of the interim grading period, do get your work done, but also consider your time at Milton outside of your academics. What do you contribute to the student body? How do your unique talents and opinions add to your surroundings? The carefully cultivated diversity at Milton is relatively rare in secondary school education. Make the most of it. •
Opinion
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Protesting with Purpose
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY PIERCE D. WILSON ’19 Recently, hundreds of thousands of students from across the world striked from school in an effort to push their governments to get serious about climate change. Milton was out of session on March 15, when the largest of these protests took place, but I chose to attend the Youth Climate Strike in Ann Arbor, MI. I spent that morning waiting around in my pajamas while Faith, a childhood friend of mine, took a math test. At around 9:15, Faith arrived at my house and we drove to downtown Ann Arbor. The protest had a profound impact on me and drew attention from local news outlets. Despite the protest’s large turnout and efficacy, I felt something was off with my own participation throughout the entire event. Many students talked about which class they were missing, what punishments they were to incur upon returning to school, how they feared they were missing important material in class, or how they couldn’t tell their parents that they were at the protests. I slept in that day. My parents knew I was there and were fine with my protesting so long as I washed the dishes before I left. Each time someone told me about their fear of consequences from school, I’d awkwardly explain that I didn’t have school, and that the only thing I was worried about was whether or not I could make it home in time to watch The Blacklist. Throughout all of these conversations, I couldn’t help but feel my participation detracted from the demonstration, even if, numbers-wise, it didn’t matter if I did or did not have school. Every protest needs numbers to be successful, but what determines the impact of a protest is how much its participants are willing to sacrifice for their cause. In the case of Fridays for The Future, demonstrators are willing to risk their education and consequences like detention, suspension, and expulsion in order to send a message. In the United States, public schools are funded by tax dollars, and student strikes therefore grab the attention of teachers, state employees, and legislators. The message says, “Until you prioritize climate change, I refuse to
go to school,” even though most states require youths to attend school until they are 15 years old and an educated youthbase is good for the health of the country. Students are letting legislators know that climate change, and thus the future, is more important than their education and any potential consequences. In the spring of 2017, we held a protest on campus over the administration’s failure to adequately condemn racism on campus. During the first day, many teachers gave cuts to students who participated—some because they didn’t know about the sit-ins, and some because they didn’t understand the intentions, among other reasons. However, by the second day of the protests, Academic Dean Jackie Bonenfant had clarified that students out of class for protests would not receive class cuts, detentions, or other consequences. These protests were still extremely effective, and waiving class cuts allowed more students to participate (especially given that a student’s receiving six class cuts results in a Discipline Committee). Looking back, though, I almost wish teachers had given class cuts. Waiving consequences allows people who don’t care to participate, but raising the stakes trims a movement down to the the people who are passionate about it. Telling our administration that we were willing to not attend class in order to get their attention but then turning around and asking them not to punish us might have weakened our message. On April 19, 2019, students from Milton and dozens of local schools will strike from class to protest the Weymouth Compressor Station and pressure legislators to support the Green New Deal. This demonstration was organized by members of the Independent School Sustainability Coalition (ISSC) in coordination with members of Milton’s environmental groups. In this case, too, the Milton organizers had administrators sanction the protest not only by waiving class cuts but also by chartering Milton vans to and from the protest in Boston Common. And, in asking adminis-
trators to do so, organizers of the strike have cast aside much of the potential impact the strike may have had. Now, it’s hardly a protest, but rather a day of missing classes and rallying at the same time. If we’re not willing to incur the consequences of missing school, why wouldn’t we just do it on a day when class is not in session? Given that Milton is a private school, I wonder what message we’d be sending to our administrators by striking on the 19th? With the 2017 protests, at least the issue we were striking for was one that the administrators had control over. But, in this case, it feels as though we’d just be choosing to protest the government’s inaction against climate change—an issue which does require protest on day which also allows us to miss classes. Organizers of the protest claim they want to “show politicians how much [they’re] willing to risk,” but are we truly risking anything if our school is endorsing us? In no way do I mean to invalidate the April 19 protest. I’m an avid environmentalist and a founding member of the planning organization, ISSC. I’ve been to several environmentalist demonstrations and have also organized such events at Milton. However, I do want to encourage all those who are considering participating to also ponder the implications of striking at private school and asking for immunity from consequences. Protest is one of the most meaningful ways to fight for the change we hope to see in the world, but it also requires clear intent and messaging. We must consider how opponents might poke holes in any protest. I, for one, do not yet know whether or not I will participate in the strike on April 19. Still, I hope that those who do are sure of their choices and don’t expect to protest with impunity. For those who choose not to participate, Sustainability @ Milton is working on ways for you to get involved in local activism from the comfort of campus, so stay tuned! •
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Nipsey Hussle
A&E
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY JASPER BURNES '21 Some may have called him more of a businessman than a rapper or more of a songwriter than an entrepreneur, but Nipsey Hussle has held strong values of community activism that have been present throughout his life. Sadly, on Sunday, March 31st, Hussle was shot dead in South Los Angeles outside of a Marathon Clothing store in Crenshaw, the neighborhood where he lived and grew up. Crenshaw was one of the strongest parts of Hussle’s identity; throughout his rapping career, he continued to reside in his hometown and help sustain his community. Hussle advocated for his community in a variety of ways, such as his recently contacting the LAPD through Roc Nation in hopes of discussing ideas for preventing gang violence in Crenshaw. His loyalty to what he went through as a young man in Los Angeles, to his community, and to himself as a creator helped attract a passionate and loving fan base and community to surround him. His impact as a major influencer remained strong throughout his career. From Hussle’s earliest interviews as a young, hungry rapper in L.A., his vision and determination showed clearly. In an iconic interview with Hard Knocks TV, he said: “All that is cool, but I’d rather invest in some real estate… Invest in some assets, as opposed to trick off my money on some liabilities like diamonds.” When asked about real estate, he said it’s “A real asset,” and that he’s “trying to take care of [his] people, ‘cause you know it look good, but at the end of the day you losing value.”
His understanding of what has true value in life is a mindset that he didn’t believe was shared across his community and that, once shared, would have an astounding impact on rap culture. Hussle believed that the current mindset is based around insecurity; in the same interview, he stated that “Material things ain't nothing—at the end of the day it’s who you is; you ain't born with it, and you’re gonna die without it. If you feel like you need some diamonds and jewelry to get at a female, then you must feel you lack something within yourself.” With a outlook of positivity and advocating for those around him, Nipsey Hussle was able to share this mindset of acquiring what has real value—as opposed to commercial value—with his listeners. In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, soon after being notified of Hussle’s shooting, Samiel Asghedom, his brother, said that Hussle would travel “in any ‘hood in L.A., Compton, Watts—solo with $150,000 of jewelry on his neck and [an] $80,000 Rolex with no security. That’s why the people loved him.” Hussle’s love for his community ended up being a cause for his shooting. His lack of security, though seemingly admirable, led to his death. His long-term dedication to the Crenshaw community is greatly acknowledged and will continue to be appreciated for the positive strides made in the neighborhood. Rest in Peace, Nipsey Hussle, you will be missed. •
Old Town Road: Country or Rap BY RISHI DHIR '19 If you are one to listen to the radio or the “U.S. Top 50,” you’ve surely heard the song “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X. You probably know the first few lyrics, “Yeah, I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road, I'm gonna ride 'til I can't no more.” What many of you may not know of is the controversy over the genre to which “Old Town Road” belongs. The lyrics of the song feature traditionally predominant country themes, but the addition of a buoyant, electronic beat has confused the music industry. Lil Nas X, a rapper from Atlanta, released this self-proclaimed country track in December of 2018, and as a result of a massive social media challenge known as the “yeehaw challenge,” the song has rose to popularity in recent months. However, this popularity is where the dispute begins. As its fame grew, the song eventually reached the top of Billboard’s hot 100 country list. Suddenly, to the chagrin of many, Billboard removed the song from the country list and placed it in the rap category. When asked why, Billboard responded that the song, “did not embrace enough elements of today’s country music in its current version.” With central focuses of horses, bull riding, and cowboy hats, the song echoes the themes of any other country song. Fans of the song expressing confusion and annoyance ultimately compelled Billy Ray Cyrus to make a remix of the song with Lil Nas X, which now has become even more popular than Nas’s original. In explaining why he chose to add a verse on the track, Cyrus noted, “I was thinking, what’s not country about it? What’s the rudimentary element of a country and western song? Then I thought, it’s honest, humble, and has an infectious hook, and a banjo.” Some look at the choice to remove the song as a microcosm of a much larger issue. Considering Lil Nas X is a black rapper, fans sparked controversy about whether the removal of “Old Town Road” from Billboard was a reflection of a systematic exclusion of black artists from the country industry. As reported by Time magazine, many people believed that removing Lil Nas X from the country hot 100 list acted as protection from a “black entrance into a predominantly white genre of music, limiting black artists into a rap genre.” Though Billboard has denied these claims, audiences speculated that adding Cyrus onto the track, as a white country singer, might warrant his return to the country chart. Whatever the reasoning behind the characterization of the song, this debate begs a bigger question. How much power should organizations like Billboard have in the genre categorization of a song? Since Billboard holds so much power in aiding artists reach popularity, should they be able to make their own decisions on songs without the consent of the artist? Regardless of whether you think the song belongs in the rap or country category, the song is a great demonstration of the modern synthesis of two seemingly different genres. •
A&E
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Dance: A Device for Social Change
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY GRACE VAINISI '19 “Never Again,” a dance choreographed by Emma Bradley ‘20 and Alli Reilly ‘20 in this year’s Winter Dance Concert, depicted the terror of the all-too-frequent school shootings but also the importance of standing with survivors and remembering those lost. Their work perfectly encapsulated the way that dance can be used as a powerful tool to further a cause: the combination of their visual and auditory elements created a dance that promoted greater emotional understanding and opened opportunities for dialogue. Dance exists most often as a blending of different facets of the arts; sometimes the visual and auditory parts of a dance, like the lights, the setting, and the song that the dance is set to, are just as important as the choreography itself. Like many dances, the idea for “Never Again” was born from a particularly striking song. Once Emma and Alli heard “Found/Tonight” by Ben Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the two choreographers were instantly drawn to the power of the song and the potential choreography that could spring from it. After they had established the song, they knew they wanted to create choreography that had an impactful message but was neither triggering nor over the top. So, they worked closely with Ms. Edwards and their dancers to create movement that leaned closer to being realistic rather than theatrical. In their choreography, they were also able to portray
the story of a human being’s ability to uplift someone else after a tragedy; therefore, while remaining a tribute to those who have lost their lives because of gun violence , their dance also acted as a message of hope. The more natural choreography allowed the dancers to perform with a more raw and real sense of emotion, an effect that added immeasurably to the emotional impact that their performance had on its audience. Because of the realistic but well-crafted choreography and portrayal of emotion, every time I watched the dancers in “Never Again” as they danced with intention and grace, a palpable weight was left on my heart. This effect is one of dance’s greatest assets: choreography done well, as it was with Emma and Alli’s dance, can connect with people on a level deeper than most news articles or reports ever could. When they elicit this emotional response, dances like “Never Again” allow audiences to connect with the tragedies they see on the news, potentially in a much deeper way than if they were to read the facts alone. By adding emotion to such issues, dance encourages empathy and takes a step towards a greater understanding for what so many people must go through. “Never Again” was neither divisive nor an inherently political dance; while the dance shed light on the reality of gun violence in schools, it encouraged students to stand united, and it in no way furthered a political agenda or was designed to
create controversy. Even so, the dance was still productive in starting dialogue. After experiencing the emotion that the dance drew out, more students chose to become better educated on the reasons behind these shootings and to buy shirts that Emma and Alli were selling to raise money for the Sandy Hook Promise Organization. All of the following dialogue, research, and fundraising was a direct result of Emma and Alli’s work in Dance Concert. Thus, their dance and its ripple effect reflects the greater power that dance has as a political tool. Events that attract large audiences, like Dance Concert, provide an often-overlooked opportunity to further a meaningful cause. When Emma and Alli took the responsibility upon themselves to point attention to gun safety, they found their voice not only as choreographers but also as young people who wanted to send a message to their community. Because arts connect to us as people and appeal to pathos rather than logos, we are able to gain a much greater capacity for understanding through tools such as visual art, music, and dance. We should all follow Emma and Alli’s footsteps and use dance as a device for lasting, positive change. •
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A&E
Queer Eye: Makeup and Politics
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY ANNE KWOK '21 Ever feel like your life is down in the dumps? Wouldn’t it be magical if a team of amazing individuals came into your life, pointed out everything that’s going wrong, and revamped nearly every aspect of it? Netflix’s popular reality show Queer Eye plays with this concept of turning a target’s life upside down in the span of one week, with the help of a team of five talented experts with fabulous stage presence. Season 3 of Queer Eye premiered in March 2019 and gained the highest ratings yet, including a 91% on the Tomatometerand an average audience rating of 4.5/5 on Rotten Tomatoes. Originally named Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the show returned fifteen years later and had its name shortened in order to include a wider range of people appearing as the makeover targets, including passionate hunter Jody Greene, devout Christian Mama Tammye, AJ, a gay man who wants to come out to his mother, and many more. Queer Eye features the “Fab Five” on their tour through the South, with the collective goal of performing a radical “makeover” on a person at each stop. These five inspiring, exuberant men have various talents and carry different responsibilities in the final “makeover” of each episode’s subject; the group consists of Antoni Porowski (Food & Amp; Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Karamo Brown (Culture), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), and Tan France (Fashion). Queer Eye attained an overwhelming amount of success which most attribute to the feel-good formula of the episodes. Each episode features a target who is in obvious need of a decluttered space and a healthy diet away from microwaved hot pockets, who is stylistically and culinarily challenged, and who has a deep-rooted tension, whether it be cutting off ties with children,
struggling to come out, or feeling stressed with a family of six. Queer Eye scopes out people who need that extra push in their life to succeed, through a complete home renovation, a wardrobe and hair change, a cooking class in preparation for an endof-the-week dinner party, and one deep conversation with Karamo, a licensed psychotherapist, that usually ends in tears. The satisfaction element of these transformations—especially the home renovation and fashion change—appeals greatly to viewers who are almost instantly gratified at how quick a person’s well-being and confidence can skyrocket. The show boasts a hopeful, inspirational message: by changing these few aspects of yourself, you can start a new life of success and happiness. It’s a comforting thought—one that, perhaps, satisfies viewers who go on to demand more of these exhilarating stories. Indeed, Queer Eye is ambitious in the sense that the show attempts to emotionally propel a cultural change in their makeover targets. In Baffler reviewer Laurie Penny’s words, “Queer Eye is a cultural intervention masquerading as a Netflix series.” Most of the series takes place in small towns in the South like Yass, where homosexuality is mostly still taboo. Political tones in the episodes are rather subtle: for example, the team discovers a “Make America Great Again” hat in clutter, and Tan speaks to devout hunter Jody about his opinion on guns, eventually both agreeing on gun control laws. Mostly, the politics are driven by Karamo, a black male, who speaks about his aversion to the police when the quintet are stopped by a policeman as a prank (a nominee for his friend) while Karamo was driving. The episode does not show much of his tense interactions with the makeover target, who is also a policeman, but opts to highlight their honest conversation where
they try to understand their differences later in the episode. This selective display of tension fits their feel-good brand, but viewers who are there for the entertainment appreciate the Fab Five’s touching on sensitive topics. Throughout the episodes, we see several of the Fab Five open up about their childhood living in the South; in the Mama Tammye episode, Bobby, who had gone to church daily as a child, exclaimed that he “spent every Sunday crying and begging God to not make me gay,” which called for a big bear hug from Christian Mama Tammye, who had once distanced herself from her gay son. That the Fab Five members experience individual growth along with the targets is one of the most gratifying things in the series, which contributes to the devotedness of viewers as they deeply connect and are moved by the men’s growth. Queer Eye is a zesty remake on the original and fights “for acceptance” instead of just tolerance, as Tan France asserts. Each episode caters to a successful formula and inundates viewers with hilarious and rowdy interactions, heartfelt affirmations, honest, moving conversations, fabulous transformations, and, at the end, many tears for the rewarding, life- changing growth the makeover target experiences. My favorite episodes that embody all these elements perfectly (aka the episodes that made me smile but also grab tissues the most) are “God Bless Gay,” “Too Gay or Not Too Gay,” “Elrod and Sons,” “You Can’t Fix Ugly,” and “From Hunter to Huntee.” Whether it’s to fill a study break, or to watch with your friends and family, these 40-minute episodes of pure fab lousness will touch your heart and leave you smiling all day. •
Sports
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The Boston Marathon: A Student’s Fundraising Quest
Image Courtesy of Google Images
BY VICTORIA CHOO ‘21 “The Boston Marathon is honestly my favorite day of the year,” Ella O’Hanlon ‘21 says. This Boston Marathon, a tradition dating back to 1897, will be held again this year on Monday, April 15. This event continues as the world’s oldest annual marathon and serves as a day of celebration for many across Massachusetts. Each year, the Boston Marathon is held on Patriot’s Day, a Massachusetts state holiday commemorating the battles of Lexington and Concord. Ella O’Hanlon ‘21 will be standing along mile 15 watching her dad, Mike O’Hanlon, compete in his twelfth Boston Marathon. “He ran two [marathons] when he was younger,” O’Hanlon says about her father, “Later his parents got cancer so he started running for Dana Farber [a Boston-based cancer treatment and research center].” This April will be her dad’s tenth Boston Marathon for Dana Farber. Over the years, her father has raised over 200,000 dollars for the charity. “He emails a ton of people and he does raffles and fundraising parties,” she says. Out of the hundreds of runners for Dana Farber,
Ella’s dad has become one of the top ten fundraisers for the charity. Because her dad has been fundraising for Dana Farber for so long, last year, he was partnered with a patient whom he ran for. “We got to form a meaningful bond with him,” O’Hanlon reflects. To O’Hanlon, the marathon has always been about community. She says, “My entire family and all my neighbors spend the entire day making signs for my dad and we all come together to cheer him on.” Although O’Hanlon reflects on mostly happy memories regarding the Marathon, she recalls on the Boston Marathon Bombing. “I remember seeing [the bombing] on the news right as we got home and being so scared,” O’Hanlon remembers. “Luckily, my dad was still a mile away,” she says. Although her dad was not hurt, O’Hanlon reflects on the apprehension she felt returning to the Marathon the following year: “After such a horrible event in 2013, I was a little nervous to come back; but, it was so cool to see how such a tragic event brought our city even closer.” Now, O’Hanlon is proud of the way her community continues
to triumph around the many athletes competing. O’Hanlon hopes to follow in her dad’s footsteps and one day run the Marathon herself. “My sisters and I always talk about running it with my dad once we all turn 18,” she says. Although O’Hanlon has never competed, she has always been actively engaged. “My dad’s been running [the Boston Marathon] since I was three or four so it has been a huge part of my life,” she says. “I’ve been involved in the Marathon for as long as I can remember.” This year O’Hanlon decided to get involved with her dad’s fundraising efforts as well. “Every year, my dad does a ton of fundraising for the marathon through Dana Farber,” she says. “This year I wanted to help out.” O’Hanlon set up a March Madness bracket where half of the proceeds go to her father’s fundraising efforts. Through her bracket, she raised 250 dollars for Dana Farber. “It’s not too much, but it’s a start!” O’Hanlon acknowledges. “I loved helping my dad out this year and hope to fundraise even more in the coming years.” •
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Sports Trump Undoes Obama Deal Once Beneficial to Cuban Baseball Players
Image Courtesy of Google Images BY GEORGE ROSE '21 Cuba, a nation where baseball has been played professionally since the 1870s, has supplied Major League Baseball with great players like Tony Pérez and Minnie Minoso. Unfortunately, because of the Cuban-American relationship, some players have never gotten the chance to play in the big leagues. The Red Sox alone have claimed standouts such as Luis Tiant, who, as a pitcher in the 1970s, accumulated four twenty-plus-win seasons and led the American League in Earned Run Average twice. Cuban players like Yasiel Puig and Aroldis Chapman continue to make their impact in the majors. But because of a sudden move by the Trump Administration, efforts to help Cuban players make their way to MLB teams are now in jeopardy. On Monday, April 8th, the Trump Administration sought to block a deal between the Cuban Baseball Federation and Major League Baseball that would help Cuban baseball players avoid the dangers of defecting Cuba in order to play baseball in the United States, according to The Washington Post. The Washington Post reported that the Trump Administration’s move—which declared the deal between the Cuban federation and MLB illegal—happened only a few days after 34 Cuban players were declared eligible by the Cuban federation to sign with MLB. The reasons for the
Trump administration’s action is a bit like insider baseball and has a history dating back to the Obama Administration, which tried to normalize relations with Cuba. Some baseball fans may remember Obama and his family in 2016 watching a Tampa Bay Rays game in Havana, Cuba, against the Cuban National Team (Tampa Bay won 4-1). Fans who followed that game may remember that while President Obama was sitting with Cuban President Raul Castro, across the atlantic, Brussels, Belgium, was reeling from a terrorist attack. Donald Trump, then a presidential candidate, tweeted that Obama “should leave the baseball game in Cuba immediately and get home to Washington.” However, through negotiations and this trip to Cuba, Obama helped open a pathway for Cuban baseball players to come to the American majors, something that had not been possible before (the players would have just been considered to be defecting from their home nation). But what exactly was this pathway? According to the Washington Post, what the issue really comes down to is the payments the MLB was making to the Cuban Baseball federation. The Trump Administration says that the Cuban Baseball Federation is really an extension of the Cuban government, and therefore the deal is illegal. For a major league player, the Cuban Baseball Federation was, according to Obama’s deal, receiving
15-25% of that player’s signing bonus. This new pathway gave no reason for Cuban ball players to have to attempt to make dangerous escapes. The pathway also made it so that these players were no longer “defecting” from their home country. Unfortunately, Donald Trump undid this pathway, making it much harder for players from one of the biggest baseball countries to come to MLB and show their skills. The Washington Post wrote: “The Trump administration Monday declared illegal a December deal between Major League Baseball and the Cuban Baseball Federation that would have allowed Cuban athletes to play in this country without having to defect.” The Trump administration, in a move directly clashing with the viewpoint of the Obama administration, ruled that the Cuban Baseball Administration is not separate enough from the Cuban government to receive these payments from the MLB, despite assurances from the Cuban Baseball Federation, according to the Washington Post. What are the real implications of this decision? Well, it seems that for now at least, Cuban prospects will have to continue to defect and struggle for housing in order to reach their dream of playing in the MLB. •
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MATF Preview
Image Courtesy of Google Images
JEHAN BOER ‘21 After a long, cold, and extended Winter, Spring is finally here, or it should be. Along with the green quad, the sun, and the shorts, Spring brings the third trimester of sports here at Milton. With weather warm enough to play outside and the fields finally in good enough condition to play on, athletes ready to play lacrosse, tennis, baseball, or golf escape the confinement of the ACC to represent Milton in their respected sports. One team that is excited to get out into the sun is Milton Track. Track is a unique sport because it mixes every single aspect of athleticism into a series specialized events. Field events focus on different types of strength, sprinting isolates speed, and long distance events work with endurance and capability. With so much to offer, track is a huge opportunity to many of the athletes at Milton. One athlete who is considerably excited for the upcoming season is Alexa Pil ‘21, who does hurdles
and pole vault. This year is her second doing Track and Field, and she expects a year just as good as her first one. In Milton’s previous track season, both boys and girls took second place in the ISL (a feat that warranted celebration). But since then, the track team has taken a few losses, including some coaching staff, as well as many talented seniors. The Class of 2018 had a few seniors who went on and continued their Track and Field adventures into college—athletes like Lok Ho and John Minicus—whose talents will be heavily missed. In fact, their exits may leave a small hole for the boys’ team, as thirteen of the nineteen highest scorers for Milton were seniors who graduated last year. The girls’ team, however, looks as though it is in safe hands, as their top competitors still remain at Milton. As a combined group, the entire track team hopes to dig deep and go outside their comfort zones in order to recreate the amazing finish of last season.
One thing that will be a deciding factor will be some of the new coaching staff, including new head coach, Thomas Giatrakos. He has made a good first impression on his new team, and he has been described as “intense and fierce.” Alexa Pil says that his “new coaching techniques may be intimidating, but he knows how to get the best out of his runners,” and he proved this claim with the impressive pick of his 4x1 team. While three out of the four runners he chose were new and inexperienced, all four impressed at the meet last weekend. The oldcomers to this team have some getting used to, and the newcomers, including the coaches, hope to all add to the team and recreate past feats—and more—for this upcoming season. Although nothing is for certain, the track team seems to have chosen the correct mixture of players and coaches for this season. •
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Do-Your-Own Superlatives Should be couple
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Most likely to have 6 children by the 5 year reunion
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Most opinions __________________________________ __________________________________ Most likely to go to jail
Kingpin of the MedellĂn Drug Cartel __________________________________ __________________________________ Most likely to fake a recruitment and bribe a college __________________________________ __________________________________
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