The Milton Paper The Midterm Edition
NOVEMBER 9th, 2018
VOL. 36 NO. 08
MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
News Milton Programming: The Defamation Experience By LIVIA WOOD '19 On Wednesday, November 7, students and faculty gathered in the ACC for a program called “The Defamation Experience.” According to its website, The Defamation Experience is a “unique interactive diversity program,” containing three important sections: “the play, the deliberation, [and] the discussion.” The “play” involves an African American woman who sues a Jewish American man for defamation. The “deliberation” introduces a participatory element; it is revealed that the audience is the jury, and each audience member must give an initial vote. Members of the audience are then allowed to argue their stance and make a final decision. Finally, a facilitator from the Defamation Experience leads the audience in an honest, open discussion about the exercise. The Defamation Experience has been brought to Milton by the Office of Multicultural Development (OMCD) and the Deans’ Office. I interviewed Heather Flewelling, the Director of OMCD, on November 2nd before the show had come to campus. Flewelling said that the two offices began looking at the event as a possibility last winter. She acknowledged that diversity programming—particularly in the past two years with speakers Rodney Glasgow and Rosetta Lee—has been lecture-based. In planning the event, she hoped that the participatory element of The Defamation Experience would allow Milton “to grapple… to talk… to act based on what [the community is] able to learn in front of each other.” Flewelling also said that often, although students and faculty want to learn, they want their education to be comfortable and entertaining. While she encourages people to “recognize that being uncomfortable isn’t necessarily bad,” she hoped the program would be entertaining. The OMCD, according to Flewelling, hopes that The Defamation Experience will spurr Milton to participate in conversations tackling challenging and complex topics. Flewelling echoed the show’s playwright, Tod Logan, who said that he wrote the play in order to “encourage open, honest conversation that leads to greater understanding and empathy to combat today's prevailing trends." Flewelling also hoped that students and faculty took the time to look at the resources sent by the OMCD. She said that often, peoples’ source of discomfort lies “in the not knowing,” which is why she shared helpful material ahead of time. The resources, sent to the Upper School on October 30th, included an article on the arrest of two black men in Starbucks last spring, an article on the vandalizing of Boston’s Holocaust memorial, a “questions to consider” section, and definitions of the words segregation, racial profiling, anti-Semitism, and gentrification. Flewelling encouraged students and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Opinion The “Thing” About Hookup Culture
Image Courtesy of Google Images
By ELENA VICEIRA '19 According to the Oxford Dictionary, a definition of “thing” is “an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to.” It’s a simple and logical definition for such an ambiguous word, right? Essentially, a “thing” is something one simply cannot find a name for. Seems harmless enough. Now think of it this way: A “thing,” noun, is a relationship that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to. This definition, again, is both simple and completely logical. This word, once harmless, has become toxic and confusing, yet we constantly and voluntarily use it. “Thing” isn’t the only word associated with this definition, though. Some others include “hanging out,” “talking,” “going on a walk,” “Snapping,” and more. All these words and phrases are immensely ambiguous. They have no meaning until we give them meaning in the realm of relationships and hooking
up; even then, the mentioning of these words is still vague enough to suggest only that two people are involved. The individuals who are actively in the “relationship” don’t even know what their own engagement entails. Is it exclusive? Is it continuous? Is there a future? These questions are often not answered or addressed by “couples” (and I use that word lightly) until a while after they’ve been involved in a “thing.” We, not just as Milton students, but as GenZ, are petrified of commitment. According to the American Psychological Association, the age that people marry and have children has drastically increased. The words “dating,” “boyfriend,” and “girlfriend” are employed significantly less than they were for our parents’ generation because we are dating significantly less. We would rather be in “things” than in meaningful relationships. We would rather “go on a walk” than on a date to the movies. We would rather “Snap” than CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Inside This Issue Controversy Over "The Sports Bra Debate" pg. 3|| The Depot: Grades pg. 11|| Midterm Elections pg. 14-15
PAGE 2
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
A&E Editor Calvin Cheong
Opinion Editor Faculty Sponsor 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
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
Opinion
A&E
Willa DuBois William Kim 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
Humor
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
Jennifer Lim Grace Li Grace Vainisi Anne Kwok Beck Kendig Gracie Denneen Jasper Burnes Lynn Yuan Dylan Areivan Kenza Chraibi Nara Mohyeddin
Drew Bartkus Annie Corcoran Andrew Willwerth
Sports
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.
Editorial
Clean Up After Yourself: Every Action Matters Milton students do a good job of discussing large-scale social issues and inequalities. We try, through our conversations, to consider how we can have a positive impact on the world. And yet, while we do so, we disregard our immediate community and fail to be conscious citizens in our everyday lives. At any given point of time, you can find half-eaten snack-bar food or empty iced coffee cups strewn about the Student Center. We leave the janitorial staff to scrub away our sticky soda-spills and wash ketchup stains off the walls. “It’s their job”, we often say, but it’s really not. A janitor’s job is to throw out trash and clean up a general area, not clean up the messes we should be taking care of ourselves. It is your duty and your duty alone to throw out your soda cans and leave a space how you found it. Our selfish attitudes abound every day during lunch periods. We get it: lunch is only forty minutes long, the lines are ridiculous, the food is often underwhelming, and it’s always humid and boiling, no matter the weather outside. Nonetheless, these factors should not determine how you treat the servers. When we finally make our way to the front of the line, plate in hand, we take our food and leave the cramped area as quickly as possible. No “Thank you!” or smile to the servers; few of us even know their names. We grab and go. We may not think this is a big deal, but this lack of consideration speaks to our (lack of) values as a student body. We are so used to getting what we want that we take the people around us for granted. This sense of citizenship also translates into sports teams where many would think the culture of being a team player is more evident. However, just as in Forbes, it often lands on the same few people to constantly clean up the bus after a far away game, bring the gear out to practice, fill up the water bottles, and do the small things that everyone should be doing. Still, being a conscientious team member often goes unnoticed and only a few members really go the extra mile to help out. Maybe some people think its below them to pick things up if they are an upperclassman. Maybe some people assume others will do it. Regardless, this entitled mentality permeates campus life. We strive unfailingly to stretch ourselves in our academics; Milton students are self-motivated, conscientious to a fault, and we feel disappointed with ourselves when we don’t push ourselves to our full potential. Why can we hold ourselves to such high standards in our academics, and yet fail to do the bare minimum in our everyday interactions? In fact, TMP isn’t even asking you to go above and beyond: we’re just asking each student to fulfill their basic responsibilities as a community member and human being. You could make the argument that we’re here to learn, and so, while it’s critical we challenge ourselves in the classroom, how we conduct ourselves outside of academics doesn’t matter in the same way. And yet, if we want to thrive—or even survive—in this world, each of us needs to do a better job of being a community member. Forget the Milton bubble: in any given school, workplace, or social space, it is considered disrespectful and entitled for you not to clean up after yourself in the most basic way. By keeping our campus spaces’ clean and treating everyone around you with a fundamental respect, you develop habits that can help you survive in communities for the rest of your life. We have a big picture mindset when it comes to changemaking, but our efforts become empty when we disregard our own community. Our concern for major issues is vital, but, if anything, we can have a more tangible impact with our everyday actions in the Milton community because we have more control in these situations. Simple efforts— like keeping the Stu clean or saying good morning to someone—can accumulate over time and improve our community in meaningful ways.•
Letter
PAGE 3
Dear Readers, Since publishing an article titled “The Sports Bra Debate” in our Parents’ Day issue, we have received several questions that we felt warranted clarification. The opinion article in question described an alleged incident in which Mr. Reddicks, Director of Athletics and Physical Education, instructed a member of the women’s cross country team, who was wearing a sports bra, to put on a shirt, while ignoring shirtless male runners. TMP has been asked if we fact checked this interaction and has been accused of fabricating or exaggerating this event, especially since Mr. Reddicks has since denied its occurance. TMP diligently fact checks every objective fact, including statistics, online or textual sources, and dates, in all of our articles—including our opinion articles, though these articles often rely less on objective fact and more on the author’s presentation of a scenario. However, when an opinion article includes a first-hand account by the author, it can be impossible to either corroborate or deny the interaction’s occurrence. When a writer mentions, for example, that their English teacher assigned a reading past 5:30pm, we don’t corroborate with the teacher themselves. In an Op-Ed, our writer is our source. Therefore, we trust our writers to portray their experiences to the best of their ability. We also don’t publish anonymous articles for this reason—we can’t fact check personal experience, so we allow the writer’s name to serve as the source and reference. Regarding the specific incident, both the article’s author (Evita Thadhani ‘20) and other female runners continue to stand by their memory of the incident, and TMP stands by the article we published. The cross country team members listed below have since corroborated this story, and we believe them. Please direct any questions to members of the TMP editorial board or to one the individuals below. Sincerely, TMP 36 Runners corroborating the incident: Buket Aktas Catherine Anderson Anna Hamblet Jeanette Hitt Kenya Mathieu Chloe Morris (captain) Lila Miller Ellie Mraz Elizabeth Strang Jeanna Shaw Larissa Wolfberg Katherine Wiemeyer Lily Wright (captain) Emma Zuccotti Miriam Zuo
News
PAGE 4
So What Happened on November 1st?
OPINION Hook Up Culture CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Image Courtesy of Milton Academy By ABBY FOSTER '19 During the last few weeks of October, members of class IV, III, and II likely heard seniors mention the date “November 1st” with a tone of resigned despair. Teachers also knew about this deadline—some assigned less work for seniors, or at least made sure few major assignments were due on this day. Some Milton students, however, may have been unsure of what this day signified. November 1st was the day that the majority of Early Decision or Early Action college applications were due. What are ED and EA applications, and what is the difference between them? The College Board explains that Early Decisions are binding, meaningthat accepted ED applicants must attend the said college. Early Action plans are the early, non-binding options for students: responses for which students have until May 1st to decide. Both of these options differ from Regular Decision, which many see as the standard decision process. Regular applications are typically due sometime in early January. PrepScholar’s 2018 list of ED schools names over 240 schools that provide applicants with the ED option, and the College Board states that around 450 schools have either ED or EA options. Due to the large number of schools that offer ED and EA, many students consider these options in their application process. There are also some more nuanced choices, like ED II (another binding application, although it’s due in January instead of November) and Restrictive EA (an application for a school that does not offer ED, and if you apply EA to that school, they restrict where else you can apply to in the EA pool), though ED and EA are the most common. Some students believe that applying early will increase their odds of acceptance. A 2017 article from
usnews.com notes that, “qualified ED applicants can sometimes gain an advantage because they are expressing the strongest possible interest in the university,” but also acknowledges that the decision still depends on a vast number of different factors. According to U.S. News data, the average ED acceptance rate for the top 20 National Liberal Arts Colleges was “38.8 percent for fall 2016, compared with an 18.8 percent average general acceptance rate.” The Princeton Review writes that two main advantages of applying early are that it can “show you’re serious” and “cut down on admissions stress.” When you apply early, you’ll either get accepted, denied, or deferred. If you’re accepted to your ED school, you’re committed to going there in the fall; if you’re accepted to your EA school, you’re not committed to going there but you have a guaranteed spot. If you’re rejected from an ED or EA school, that’s it—your application process with that school is finished. However, if you get differed from an ED or EA school, your application will be put in the regular pool to be reevaluated later in the process. When colleges send their decisions for students who applied in the regular pool, students who got differed will find out if they’ve been accepted or rejected. For many, applying early can be the scariest part of the application process; many students apply early to their “dream school,” so they’ll be avidly awaiting the outcome of early decisions. Now that the November 1st deadline has past, most seniors have submitted at least one application. While the college process still isn’t over, seniors should be proud of passing this milestone and take a well-deserved break from some of the stress that’s been dogging them for the past few weeks. •
talk in person at school. Due to the lack of communication and definition in relationships, anyone involved in hookup culture is susceptible to the degrading of their mental health. The American Psychological Association also states that, “both men and women who had ever engaged in an uncommitted sexual encounter had lower overall self-esteem scores compared with those without uncommitted sexual experiences.” When we involve ourselves in hookup culture, especially at Milton, it’s hard for us to avoid “uncommitted sexual encounters” as that is how most relationships begin. You start by “Snapping” then you “go on a walk” then you continue “talking” and “hanging out” until you are lucky enough to reach the level of finally defining the relationship as dating. These encounters may not be “uncommitted” per se, but the commitment behind them is undefined. It can take a toll on anyone’s self-confidence and stability not knowing whether you are playing the same game as your partner or how your partner feels about you. At Milton, we love to communicate with our “significant others” through handlers. You want to know if your partner wants to be exclusive? Why ask them yourself when you can have a friend ask their friend who is friends with the person you’re “with”? It’s so much easier that way! Why doesn’t everyone do that? The use of handlers takes even more of a toll on the mental health of individuals involved in the hookup scene because they eliminate the emotional engagement behind communicating directly with a significant other. Hearing your partner’s expectations in your relationship from someone else makes the sentiment, or lack thereof, impersonal and stale. Involving yourself in hookup culture is a choice, but it is crucial to be aware of the harsh realities of how Milton and our generation as a whole have transformed hookup culture. When you are intentional and wise about your actions within the hookup scene, you can tailor your experience to cater to your own desires. According to another study by Psychology Today where 23 college freshmen were interviewed about their experience with hookup culture, many of the students were satisfied with their experience. Some had been in relationships and fallen in love, while others enjoyed the casual Tinder hookup, but they had all been satisfied with the way they had chosen to approach and take advantage of the hookup scene. The only unavoidable aspect, in my eyes, is the ambiguous labels which we assign to developing relationships. By increasing communication within relationships, eliminating handlers, and clarifying the language behind these labels through changing the terminology we use to refer to new relationships, we can make hookup culture more personalized, accessible, and empowering for our whole student body. •
PAGE 5
News
Inside the Class IV Follies By NATHAN SMITH '20 One week ago, Milton Academy held its Follies from Thursday, November 1 to Saturday, November 3 in Milton’s Ruth King Theater, the all-freshman cast of the 2018 Class IV Follies entertained their audience with a strong performance. Upon first entering the theater, the viewer is struck with the unusual seating: as opposed to the classic row seating, the ground level was filled with circular tables surrounded by chairs. A giant balloon-like ball hung from the catwalks. Instead of being a regular musical, the Freshman Follies consisted of a compilation of sketches, songs, and poems, all following the theme of “the four seasons.” Starting with spring and ending with winter, the progression of the Follies followed the progression of the seasons, and each new season was introduced by the recitation of a poem. Last year was the first year the traditional Class IV Play was changed to the Follies. “We did our first Class IV Follies last year. We changed up the format [of the Class IV Play], because we wanted a [show] where we could tap into all the talent the Class IV students have,” said Ms. Kort, who has been the director of
the Class IV Play/Follies for the last five years. In a classic play, each member of the cast has a set role, and as some roles are lead roles with lots of lines and stage time while others give students less opportunity to shine. Kort stated that “The idea for the Follies was to build a show around the students that sign up for it. In this production we had dramatic acting and comedic acting, singing, dancing, instrumentalists, poetry, and more. Every student had a moment that was their own, and that is what makes the Follies special.” Each sketch, song, and poem from the show garnered massive applause. Perhaps the freshmen cast—which was exceptional this year—was the main cause of the show’s success. “They are excited and open to taking risks. The Class IV Follies is [the students’] chance to shine, and they do!” said Eleza Kort. Clara Wolff, the assistant director and choreographer, was also impressed. When asked about how it was working with the freshmen, Wolff responded, “they are all so talented and each such unique individuals. It was a pleasure getting to work with them and watching them each grow performance-wise.” For Wolff, working with freshman was especially important. “As a senior, there are so few opportunities to get to know
the Class IV students, and although the cast and crew of the Follies was only a small handful of the freshmen class, getting to know each one of them and having insight into the dynamics of the freshmen grade was a fantastic and unique experience as an upperclassman…[it] made me nostalgic about my freshman year.” Every cast member gave a fantastic performance, and several audience members have offered glowing reviews. Zan Huang ‘20 said, “the freshmen follies were the work of the freshmen. No doubt about that. It was...amateurish, perhaps due to the age of the cast, but the show was extremely well put together. Overall there is great promise in all who participated.” Kendelle Grubbs ‘20 shared her thoughts as well: “[the] Follies was a good time. I was amazed at how talented the freshman were. From poetry to singing to dancing, the freshmen could do it all. For me, the singing was the highlight of Follies, especially the final number where Autumn Gay ‘22 sung her heart out.” Overall, it seems the Class IV Follies were a major success. If you missed it, make sure to go see it next year; you won’t be disappointed!•
The History of Milton’s A Cappella Groups By ELEANOR RAINE '21
Almost every student has seen a cappella groups perform in assembly. But do you ever wonder the stories behind these groups and why they came to Milton? a cappella has been at Milton since the ‘50s, but the art form is much older. 2,000 years ago, churches didn’t want instruments in their services, so they turned to choirs in order to create the instrumental parts. a cappella became popular in America in the 1920s and 1930s and had a resurgence in the college movement of the late ‘40s and ‘50s. Milton’s traditions followed this college craze; in the early ‘50s, Milton’s first a cappella groups were formed. Octet and Miltones are the oldest of the five a cappella groups on campus today, along with Ep!c, Three For Each of Us (known as 3Fu), and Reson8. Octet, Milton’s first all-girl group, was founded by Lynn Erdman ’52 and Kitty Benton ‘52. Ms. Mundinger advises the group, which is typically composed of eight or nine girls. Currently, Octet is led by Olayeni Oladipo ‘19 and Kat Stephan ‘19.
Miltones is the oldest—and, as of now, only—boys group. It was created around the same time as Octet, and is advised by Mr. Whalen and led by Ricky Lin ‘19, Pearce Crocker ‘19, and Chuck Leonetti ‘19. Another group that has been around for some time is Ep!c, led by Elena Viceira ‘19, Zoe Flessas-Finoche ‘19, and Chloe Morris ‘19. Ep!c is another all-girls group, and is the only a cappella group without a faculty advisor. The group members all agree that the lack of an advisor allows them to become extremely close. 3Fu has been around since 1998 and is Milton's oldest co-ed a cappella group. 3Fu’s name was inspired by the ratio of three girl members for every boy member. This school year actually marks the 20th anniversary of 3Fu’s creation. Currently, it’s led by their faculty advisor, Mr. Skinner, and its head Christine Char ‘19. Reson8, the second co-ed (and most recent) group, was formed a few years ago by Ginny Alex ‘17 and Dalton Letorney ‘17, and is now overseen by Coach
Stone and run by Julia O’Connor ‘19 and Laura Bailey ‘19. Milton has many opportunities for those who love to sing, such as the Chamber Singers and the Gospel Choir. However, some people prefer a less formal experience; in a choir, there is generally a teacher standing in front of the group, leading. In contrast, an a cappella group relies mainly on the students creating the arrangements. Ms. Mundinger, faculty advisor to Octet, said that she “used to write out their arrangements, but today’s students are really good at making the arrangements on their own”. In an a cappella performance, each member carries significant responsibility, whereas in a choir you might only be responsible for a small part of the overall sound. Performing a cappella takes an incredible amount of concentration, practice, and time, but students say that the experience makes the commitment worth it. Elena Viceira '19 said that she chose a cappella over a larger choir because “you have more artistic liberty to sing the songs you want, when you want, and how CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
News
PAGE 6
Delayed Starts Let Students Sleep
Image Courtesy of Google Images By ADIZA ALASA '19 Last school year, the Self-Gov-
erning Association (SGA) worked toward an initiative to address student mental health, with particular attention to sleep. As a result, three delayed starts have been granted to Upper School students this year, the first of which occurred on Monday. After the work by last year’s Head Monitors, Kailee Silver ‘18 and Greg Livingston ‘18, students and faculty at Milton have paid more attention to student stress levels. Student responses indicated that demanding homework loads and a lack of proper sleep were among the most significant contributors to stress, both of which could be reduced by occasional later starts to the school day. According to current Head Monitor Asia Chung ‘19, her predecessors were inspired by the adapted schedules following all-school assemblies by guests like Rodney Glasgow and Rosetta Lee. Silver and Livingston met with Academic Dean Jackie Bonnenfant, SGA Faculty Sponsor José Ruiz, and the academic department heads to propose several dates for the late starts. The Head Monitors sought to schedule the delayed starts for peak times of student stress, such as the early college application due date for seniors, DYO and research project due dates, and the
final stretch of athletics and theater performances. Research by the National Sleep Association has shown that high school students need eight to ten hours of sleep per night. The rigor of courses and investment in extracurricular activities at Milton, along with commutes for day students and dorm obligations for boarders, make getting the proper amount of sleep nearly impossible. With the 10 a.m. starts, students can get an extra two hours of sleep or use the spare time in the morning to relax and eat breakfast without feeling rushed. Though few students appear displeased by the delayed starts, some people felt challenged by the shortened class times, which may feel rushed or unproductive for both students and teachers who are working with 15 fewer minutes than usual. After Monday, the Head Monitors sent a survey to the student body and received mostly positive feedback. Chung said, “One challenge with these delayed starts will be pleasing every single student, which applies to anything that [the SGA] does, but hopefully, students can really take advantage of the opportunity we have to get some extra sleep.” Students can look forward to more of these late starts on Thursday, February 28 and Friday, May 17. •
Defamation
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
faculty to do research prior to the program in order to feel adequately prepared and to participate confidently. Students and faculty responded to the play and following discussion differently in the ways leading up to the event; while some were excited, others were apprehensive. Flewelling noted that members of the Milton community expressed concern over the timing of the assembly after last week’s shootings in Pittsburgh and Kentucky which targeted Jewish and black people. She recognized that “some of [the community] is very raw,” but that the OMCD and Deans’ Office couldn’t have known that events like these would occur just before the planned programming. She said that “silence is not necessarily the same as safety,” and that “it’s really important that as a community, [Milton] learns how to engage with [one] another when things are emotional.” The Defamation Experience offered students and faculty an opportunity to actively participate in a discussion about the intricate topics of “race, class, religion, gender, and the law,” according to the program’s website. The OMCD hopes that Milton will practice “engag[ing] with each other,” even “when it feels like there’s a tension point between [intellect, emotion, identity, experience, and behavior].” While every student reacted to the program differently, The Defamation Experience aimed to push boundaries while keeping its audience entertained. •
Our
thoughts
and prayers go out to the vic-
Pittsburgh, Louisville, Thousand Oaks. tims of
A Simple Request to Teachers
Image Courtesy of Google Images ’21 By CHRISTIAN WESTPHAL '19 I love Thursday. For me, it’s the best day of the week. My schedule is impeccable. I only have three of my core academic classes, so I have a lot of frees. On Fridays, however, I have all my classes without a single free; inevitably, I spend my Thursday evenings doing a large amount of work. I also have two hours of sports and a German writing class. Unsurprisingly, I go to bed pretty late as a result. But what if my teachers posted the homework right after class? I would get at least half of my homework done in school and spend my time at the library working quietly instead of messing around with friends. But I can’t because teachers often decide to wait until 5pm, or even after 5pm (I was once assigned something on Sunday at 7pm) to post. This habit is frustrating for those looking to get ahead on work. Milton is strange in the sense that we constantly hear the faculty expressing their love for us, their concern for our well being, and their willingness to help us out when things get a little rough. I believe them for the most part. Yet, they still assign us boatloads of homework. No wonder most of us students get nowhere near enough sleep! How am I supposed to get enough sleep if my homework is assigned at 5pm? Like the majority of students, during the evenings I have extracurriculars to do. And I’m only a sophomore. I can’t imagine writing my college applications while still having all these assignments. I want to be very clear that the point of this article is not for teachers to reduce the nightly homework they assign (though that would be nice), but for them to be more conscious about assigning homework right after class. And yes, of course, I love my teachers, but that my love for them does not change the fact that they should post earlier. To the faculty at Milton Academy, I have one message: just post homework after class! I can’t see how this request could possibly have a significant effect on your day. All it takes is two minutes: log onto the computer and post the assignment on schoology. Personally, I would really love to get started with my homework earlier! I could spend more time with my family, friends, and of course, my dog. I would be able to use my free periods effectively instead of moping around with my friends. I know for sure the librarians wouldn’t mind silence while I work! Teachers, I appreciate everything you do, except for this habit. Please change it. •
Opinion
PAGE 7
How Milton Shows School Spirit: It Doesn’t
By ELIZA BARRETT-COTTER '20 A couple of weeks ago, both the field hockey and boys’ soccer teams had back-to-back Friday night games under the lights at BB&N. Playing under the lights usually adds an element of excitement and competitiveness if the fans show up. Unfortunately, a lack of support at Milton sporting events has become the norm. This indifference can be discouraging for any athlete, especially given the amount of support shown at other prep schools and even at the various theater productions on campus. As the field hockey team left the locker room at BB&N prior to the game and walked out to the field for warmups, the BB&N football team had crowded around the doors to cheer on and hype up their fellow athletes on the field hockey team. Throughout that game, the football players stayed present and aware of the game; their loud encouragement never ceased, and they seemed to be genuinely excited to be there. Even after the game, when we had come out on top (2-1), the football players stuck around to congratulate their peers on a game well fought. That is school spirit. I am not saying that we should have had more Milton student fans supporting us at this particular game, although it would have been nice if boys’ soccer had been a little more alert during the game. I understand why most may not want to schlep out to Cambridge on a Friday night — for the most part. All other things being equal, had that game been at home, I would not have been surprised if BB&N still had more fans because other schools’ student bodies are for whatever reason more proactive and supportive of each other than we are. We’re just getting worse. Take the annual Friday night lights football game. During my freshman year, it was a huge deal: players on the team made announcements in assemblies, SAA organized fan buses and, when the fan buses couldn’t pull through, faculty members made students aware of
how to get to the field via public transportation. Some teams’ practices even let out early to allow students time to get to the game. The bleachers had been split into a BB&N fan section and a Milton fan section, each bursting with students and even some teachers, sporting school colors and cold weather gear. It was freezing cold outside, but still few left before the end of the game. Weather conditions were similar at this year’s tilt against Roxbury Latin, but the cold isn’t what made the Milton side of the stands so empty because it certainly didn’t keep the RL fans at bay. In the week leading up to the game, I received just a single email about a fan bus that showed up late. Despite the lack of excitement preceding the game and my looming SAT the next morning, I went expecting the energy of the crowd to be like in years past — something I wouldn’t want to miss. The few who were at there made up an unenthusiastic audience despite the intense nature of the game. This season, something unnecessarily controversial happened: we got a turf field. At our first home game of the season against Exeter, we were excited to have drawn a full crowd of students and a few faculty, not just parents. The crowd, as it turned out, was not a very animated one, even when we scored. When the game ended, the stands emptied of students and faculty fairly quickly, leaving, as always, the parents. But games with some sort of added excitement like those I’ve just mentioned are not the only games at which we as students should be supporting our peers, and the faculty should be supporting their students and advisees. Furthermore, us athletes cannot be idle in our exasperation. On the contrary, we should be the driving force if we want to fix this problem: if we want people at our games, we must go to others’ games as well.•
PAGE 8
Opinion
The Dangers of Social Media Censorship
Milton's A Cappella Groups CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
you want”; not only do students enjoy the feeling of “being able to pick [their] own music and sing more current/pop music”, but they also love the friendships that are created. Friendships and trust are a very important part of both the performance and the experience. a cappella relies on every person in the group being in tune and singing perfectly. Groups need to trust every member to sing the part and rely on the others to sing Image Courtesy of Google Images theirs. Our a cappella groups mean was planned on Discord servers, a group chat a lot to our community. Students By MIRIAM ZUO '20 app. More recently, the devastating shooting love listening to the morning While an opinion cannot be proven at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, performances; one of the students’ right or wrong, misconceptions are created by PA, was committed by an openly anti-Semitic favorite things about the assemthe incorrect interpretation or outright rejecuser on “Gab,” a social media site known for tion of verified principles, typically stemming its socially conservative/alt right leanings and blies is watching friends perform. from ignorance. The longer a person receives user base of people who have been banned from These occasional performances brighten the days of our students misinformation, the harder it is for them to more mainstream platforms. as well as our greater community. accept an alternative view, even if the view is Though alternative social media sites based on fact. Especially when a community of distance us from offensive and hateful miscon- Every spring, Milton hosts its annual a cappella night showcasing like-minded believers exists, those who hold ceptions, they serve as safe spaces that their onto flawed opinions feel validated by comrades users do not deserve, and ask a high price from Milton’s a cappella singers and groups from colleges. Everyone who both commiserate constant, universal society, one we cannot afford. The grotesque criticism of such opinions and share such views solidarity between site users who aggressively should be on the lookout for this event, and show up to support rally to a collective dismissal of corroborated subscribe to misconceptions--Flat Earthers, fact. Thus, fundamental misconceptions on climate change deniers, racists, etc.—drives an these valuable parts of the Milton experience! • issues such as women’s rights and sexuality ever-growing wedge between them and the are perpetuated by the ignorant, resulting in possibility of reconcilement with facts and the hate speech, much of which ends up online. rest of society. Their internalized misconcepBut, regardless of the origin of offensive ideas, tions are divisive and pose as a threat if acted seeing this hate on mainstream platforms such upon to the extreme. On mainstream platforms, Both the Midterm as Instagram and Facebook is shocking, upsetproblematic misconceptions are constantly ting, and potentially triggering. Hate speech on argued against. Though people who believe social media begs the question of whether the in those misconceptions stubbornly hold onto Elections and the sites should censor harmful posts for the sake them, partly due to support from sources such of pleasing the general public. as Breitbart and pseudoscience, efforts from the Currently, social media sites respond Defamation Exlarger community to challenge their views are largely in the same manner: for example, Facecritical in the effort to prevent the normalizabook detects hate speech through AI, human tion of them. The greatest concern associated perience provide reviewers, and user reports, and then moves to with the visibility of offensive ideas in maindelete posts and/or ban users. These censorship stream social media is the triggering effect it efforts, as well as public backlash, increase if an may have on people who accidentally stumble an opportunity act of hate is committed in the real world by a upon it. This issue needs further discussion, person who had expressed their beliefs on Face- especially among social media management, but book. Social media sites ban users they consider there need to be trigger warnings on offensive to listen to your to be a threat to both security and their compa- posts so that social media users have some conny image—people will complain if hate speech trol over the content they see. constantly pops up in their timeline. However, Censorship has its place in the online world peers before passin search of social media sites where they can on a case-by-case basis, but in regards to users freely express their misconceptions, the banned with strong misconceptions, censorship does users are increasingly migrating to far-right ing judgment. essentially nothing, as users will continue to and unregulated platforms. The problem is that express themselves on alternative platforms. users of these platforms find a community that However, on those platforms, they are supportPlease do so. supports them. Isolated from the greater comed by like-minded people, and their misconcepmunity and ignorant of opposing views, they, tions will become more entrenched. There is driven by their conviction in their own deeply immense value in interactions between people flawed beliefs that only grow stronger, someof opposing views: even though misconceptions times commit horrific actions. Last summer’s are usually offensive, their exposure is preferawhite supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA, ble to their erasure.•
A&E
PAGE 9
The Billie Eilish Story
Image Courtesy of Google Images
BY GRACIE DENNEEN ‘21 On November 2nd, 2,500 Bostonians gathered in the House of Blues to watch Billie Eilish, the artist behind “Ocean Eyes,” “idontwannabeyouanymore,” and “when the party’s over,” perform. Billie Eilish, the young singer with the light, feathery voice and gorgeous harmonies, has become one of the most popular teen artists, with 17 million monthly listeners on Spotify. But where did all of this success come from? According to thefamouspeople. com, Eilish was brought up in a very musical household. Her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O’Connell, homeschooled Eilish and her brother to support their interests and musical talents. Along with music, Eilish focused on dance and acting for the majority of her childhood. Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, are the masterminds behind all of her music. She and her brother have been close their whole lives, sharing a bond through the music of their childhood. Inspired by the prior success of Eilish’s parents in music and her own older brother, Eilish had wanted to be a star since the very beginning. Eilish’s first big success was the release of “Ocean Eyes” in 2015. ` According to billboard.com, she and
her brother wrote the song together and released it without any expectations of the public opinion. The success of the song shocked the two of them, prompting them to write and produce more music together. Last year, Eilish released the song “Bellyache,” stirring up many questions from her listeners. The song is set in the mind of a serial killer, mentioning her friends’ bodies laying in the back of her car. During the first listen, the lyrics are a little frightening. Eilish explains that she enjoys writing in character: according to an interview by billboard.com, she believes that “one doesn’t necessarily have to feel the feelings they write songs about, they can just act as a character to express emotions through lyrics.” The combination of her haunting music and simple music videos creates the whole image of Billie Eilish. The music video for “when the party’s over” is a perfect example of her minimalistic video style. It opens with a glass of black liquid of some sort. She drinks it, and, as the video goes on, she starts crying the liquid onto the floor. Despite that being all that happens for the three minute and thirteen second video, the video is so beautiful and skillfully shot that time flies, even with just one take. Each moment of
the video draws the viewer in, while all Eilish does is mouth the words, drink an unknown beverage, and cry. Billie Eilish’s elusive presence is what makes her so captivating. Her immense success is due to so much more than just her music or her videos. It’s the poise, talent, and maturity she has for a sixteen-yearold. On top of her sheer amount of popularity, her songwriting ability and pure talent is striking. The art of songwriting is learned through years and years of practice, but Eilish perfected the art by the time she was just thirteen years old. Recording and putting out songs, acting and dancing in music videos, performing around the world, and giving candid answers in interviews all require bravery and maturity: Eilish handles the stresses and excitement of fame with ease and poise. Billie Eilish is a sixteen-year-old superstar. Her pure talent is unmistakable, her hard working attitude is undeniable, and her popularity is already immense. For a sixteen-yearold kid, she’s thriving, and I, along with many others, can’t wait for her next release.•
PAGE 10
A&E
Shoe Collaborations: Brand Name Hype or Stylistic Expression? By Beck Kendig ‘20 During one of our weekly style club meetings (Thursdays in Warren 324), Pari Palandjian ‘20 and I led a discussion around several modern stylistic trends and concepts. After running through bulky dad shoes, fanny packs, and over-theshoulder jackets, we raised the question: are shoe collaborations worth the extra cost? For those of you who are content rocking whatever shows up on the Adidas or Converse website, this question might make no sense. A shoe collaboration is the product of two brands’ working together to create something unique. Usually, collabs will occur between a well-known shoe distributor and another brand, re-seller, or individual. In most cases, the the former provides the platform, and the latter provides the inspiration. Although collaborations can take numerous forms, ranging from Tyler the Creator’s Converse Le Fleur to the Pharrell Human Race NMDs, I want to focus on a specific type of shoe: footwear from wellknown brands that skyrocket in price when paired with a hypebeast logo. During our Thursday discussion, we projected a picture of Comme Des Garcons Converse on the whiteboard. Owning a pair from this particular project, I felt my opinion was a little biased and chose instead to observe the conversation. The first person to speak was rather blunt, claiming that it was ridiculous to pay extra for a brand name when the shoe itself was practically the same. Although I did not personally agree, I could see this
individual’s reasoning. The footwear we had projected were, the same model as regular High Top Chuck Taylor 70’s. The only differences are the strip of white that cuts down the shoe’s back and the red Comme Des Garcons heart imprinted on the right. Despite this seemingly minimal distinction, these converse cost 40-50 dollars more than regular Chuck Taylors. In response to the initial claim, two people insisted that the shoes were worth the price increase. One thought the heart looked cool and believed collabs deliver the sort of uniqueness we all look to include in our personal styles. The other went on a monologue that culminated in his assertion that crossbrand shoe projects “have clout.” In the days where Supreme bricks sell for 140 dollars, we cannot ignore the attraction of “hype” brands; however, I would argue that it is unfair to reduce this allure to mindless chasing of a shallow relevancy. We moved on from the topic of shoe collabs to another prompt, but I continued to consider the concept as I walked around campus in my Adidas Consortium Stans. They have an offwhite sole with the traditional leather upper. Embossed on the slightly wrinkled white material are the words “ALIFE” and “STARCROW.” Surprise, surprise: These are the names of two relatively prolific streetwear companies. I knew that I loved these shoes since the day I saw them on my weekly browsing of END clothing. The reasoning for this appreciation had remained ambiguous for me. I could have given the simple answer of, “I
Throw OUT
just like how they look.” I could also have given what most would assume to be the hidden reasoning behind my purchase: “I bought them because of the brand names.” In reality, neither of these explanations accurately portrayed my thought process when– after an hour of looking at on-foot images and a phone call to my mom–I had decided to buy the shoes. Upon reflection, I discovered what I believe to be the logic behind purchasing collaborations. Shoes, similar to clothing and accessories, allow us a medium of personal expression. By wearing our own interpretation of style, we give the world a taste of what makes us unique. This method of acquiring the a pair of sneakers allows individuals another method of expression. Brands are not just hollow logos and designs; they are the manifestations of the visions of devoted designers. They represent a unique style and culture. Some brands, however, have more of a unique identity than others. As a result, shoe collaborations are the perfect method of giving some basic Chuck Taylors that red heart of taste. Do I believe that collaborations are always worth the extra cost? Of course not. Every Off-White shoe has a hand in creating something that will be expensive enough to overshadow the sneakers’ stylishness. The concept of collaboration, however, is an essential and wonderful aspect of modern fashion, and certainly something you should consider next time you look for a new pair of shoes.•
the pickles!!!
Column
PAGE 11
The Depot #7
Image Courtesy of Milton Academy
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 no other deposit than my own. Let me begin by stating my claim. I believe that we, as students, should have an open grade book that allows us to not only view our grades the instant they’ve been recorded but also trace our cumulative grade throughout the semesters. Opponents of my theory worry that students will obsess over grades, thus forgetting the true value of learning. I assume they fear that an accessible grading platform could foster competition and academic stress. As valid as these points are, I want to draw your attention to the positive aspects and what I believe are the needs for an open grading system. Transparency. I can’t think of a student who dislikes transparency. Regarding our education, all we wish to know is the truth about how we’re doing and where we can improve, and to that truth we wish to have unlimited access. I most prominently feel a need for an open grade book when interim or semester grades arrive. We, as students, just received our interim grades this past Tuesday. Note the word choice of “receival” implies that grades—something
that solely our work constitutes—are like presents, things to be given. These periods of getting our grades capture a mix of heightened schoolwide anxiety and excitement. The hype around these periods of time not only places more pressure on our grades but also makes it seem as though we have no control over them. An open grade book would eliminate uncertainty. By having access to the symbols of our achievement, we could hold ourselves more accountable for our work, and we could hold our teachers more accountable for their grading process as well. To know exactly what an interim or semester grade consists of allows students to see where they need to improve. No longer would any student fear asking teachers for their grade. Now, if you’re surprised by this last sentence, take my experience as evidence. I feel that some teachers have a distinct distaste for students who ask to see their grades. Whether it be asking to view an assessment grade or their cumulative grade at any point, students who request to see a symbol of their progress are often viewed as too “grade-focused” or simply annoying. What I don’t understand is how one can be annoying for asking to see the product of their hours of work. While many teachers insist that grades don’t matter, the simple fact is that they do. So, instead of hyping them up for the
four days a year we receive the cumulative grades, why not decrease the apprehension by making grades always accessible? I believe that having an open grade book would pacify the tension around grades. Students would look at their grades when they want and get bored after a while, thus making grades less “important.” When contemplating having an open grading system through Schoology, in which our grades are currently inaccessible, you should ask, Why not? From the conversations I’ve had, many students believe this system would decrease stress, and stress relief is Milton’s ultimate goal these days. Is it not?•
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.
PAGE 12
Sports
Cross Country Recap
“Titletown”: A History of Boston’s Sports Victories By VICTORIA CHOO '21 On October 28, 2018, millions of people watched as the Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series in fifteen years. Beating the Dodgers in a 4-1 series, the Red Sox took the Commissioner's Trophy for the city of Boston. This championship was Boston’s 11th combined sports title in the 21st century for the four major American sports. It is no surprise that many refer to Boston as the 21st century “Titletown” for professional sports. Boston’s winning streak started when the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI in the 2001 season. The Patriots defeated the Rams 20-17 in order to take the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl win. Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48 yard field goal to lead the Pats to victory. Quarterback Tom Brady was named MVP after leading the Patriots to their 11-5 record in the 2001 season. The Patriots went on to win four additional titles in the 21st century, all led by Quarterback Tom Brady. The Pats beat the Panthers 32-29 in the 2003 season’s Super Bowl, earning Brady his second ring and MVP award. Again, in the 2004 season, the Pats beat the Eagles 24-21 for a consecutive Super Bowl win. This time, wide receiver Deion Branch was named MVP for his 133 receiving yards. The Patriots passed the torch to the Red Sox, who, having not won since 1918, won the 2004 World Series, breaking the 86 year “curse.” The Sox beat the Cardinals in a four game sweep. Despite having four errors in the first two games, the Red Sox won both games and then went on to win the next two games in Arizona. After a strong World Series performance, outfielder Manny Ramirez was named series MVP. Ramirez hit a career 555 home runs, retiring with the 15th most of all time. After both the Patriots and Red Sox won their respective
championships in 2004, Boston became the second city to ever win a SuperBowl and World Series title in the same year. In a mere four years, Boston had totaled up four championship titles. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series again in 2007 when they beat the Colorado Rockies in a 4-0 series sweep. This time, third baseman Mike Lowell was named MVP for his powerful bat after he hit four RBIs and scored six runs in the series. After the Red Sox’s victorious run, the Celtics won the NBA Finals in 2008. This win was the first time the Celtics had won since the “Big Three” era led by Larry Bird in the 1980s. The Celtics’ 2008 win was the franchise’s 17th NBA Championship win — the most of any franchise. After every other major professional sports team in Boston won in the 21st century, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. The Bruins defeated Vancouver in a forced 7th game in the best of seven series. Bruins’ Goalie Tim Thomas was named MVP for his impressive shutout in the last game and simply incredible performance throughout the series. According to the Boston Globe, Boston is the only city in the new millenium to have a championship in the four primary sports: baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. Within a only 7 years, Boston won a championship for all four major teams, the fastest this task has ever been accomplished. Boston did not stop there: it added another four more championships in the next seven years. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2013, the Patriots won the Superbowl in 2014, and few can forget the Patriots coming back from a 25 point deficit to win the Super Bowl in 2016. With the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series victory, Boston is continuing to live up to its nickname “Titletown.” •
By LILY WRIGHT '19 On November 2nd, the Girls’ Varsity and Junior Varsity cross country teams competed at the Independent School League Championship at Nobles. This year’s Independent School League (ISL) course featured 3.1 miles of wooded trails with a monster hill both steeper and twice as long as Milton’s own observatory hill. The day featured 4 races with Girls’ Junior Varsity racing first, followed by Boys’ Varsity, Girls’ Varsity, and finally, Boys’ Junior Varsity finishing off the day. In the Girls’ Junior Varsity race, Nettie Hitt ‘21 ran in 24 minutes and 40 seconds to come in 1st for milton JV and 16th place overall. Captain Chloe Morris ’19 also had an outstanding race, running the course in 25 minutes and 20 seconds for 25th place, followed closely by Sam Cody ’20 who ran in 25 minutes and 32 seconds for 29th place, Kate Packard ’20 who ran in 25 minutes and 39 seconds for 34th place, and Buket Aktas ’21 who ran in 25 minutes and 47 seconds for 39th place. Overall, the Junior Varsity team placed 5th in the ISL. In the Girls’ Varsity race, Ellie Mraz ’21 ran a blistering 21 minutes and 10 seconds to come in 1st for Milton Varsity and 4th in the ISL. Her finishing speed proved to be vital as she was able to beat three Nobles runners, who were mere seconds behind her, to the finish line. Evita Thadani ’20 also had an outstanding race, finishing 28th overall in a time of 22 minutes and 50 seconds. Other standout races included Tara O’Malley ’20 who placed 41st in a time of 24 minutes 1 second and Jeanna Shaw ’20 who placed 46th in a time of 24 minutes 16 seconds. Overall, the Varsity girls placed 6th overall in the ISL. The success of the Milton’s Girls’ Cross Country teams are extremely impressive when factoring in the parity and expertise of the ISL as whole. Despite the talent throughout the ISL, Milton Academy stands out. This coming weekend, Milton Cross Country will be racing at New England’s at Avon Old Farms in Hartford Connecticut for their last race of the season. Go Stangs!•
BETO :((((((
PAGE 13
Sports Red Sox World Series Champions
Image Courtesy of Google Images
By LUKE MONNICH '20 Since breaking the so-called “Curse of the Bambino” in 2004, the Red Sox have been unstoppable, with four titles in only 15 years. Just a few weeks ago, The Red Sox added to this legacy by winning the 2018 World Series. This victory was not simply a fluke—the Red Sox had one of the best seasons in MLB history. The Red Sox started their season with a loss against the Tampa Bay Rays. However, in the rest of the season, the Red Sox won 108 games and lost 54 only games. Impressively, the team never lost more than three games in row this year under new manager Alex Cora. Cora was hired shortly after the 2017 World Series and has proved to be a valuable asset to the team. Cora is one of five rookie managers to ever win the World Series, an accomplishment that demonstrates just how valuable Cora is to the Red Sox. Because the Red Sox won their division, they were awarded with a “bye” for the postseason, meaning they wouldn’t have to play in
the first hand. After the New York Yankees won the extra game against the Oakland A’s, the stage was set for this historic rivalry. Because this game was only a division championship, whoever first won three games won the series. However, as daunting as the 100 win Yankees may have seemed, the Red Sox took them down in four games, even scoring 16 runs in Yankee Stadium. Next, the Red Sox faced off against the previous World Series champions: the Houston Astros. The seven game series started off slightly scary for the Red Sox, as the Astros defeated the Sox 7-2 in Boston. However, the Red Sox did not let this loss phase them; they went on to win four straight games, defeating the Astros 4-1. Finally, it was time for the Red Sox to start the World Series against the National League Champions and 2017 World Series Runner ups: the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers, a 92 win team, had just won a seven game series against the Milwaukee Brewers and were motivated to win it all after losing the previous year’s
World Series. The series began with the Red Sox taking a quick two game lead, but the Dodgers won the 18 inning game 3, the longest World Series game ever. In game 5, with the Red Sox leading the series 3-1, the two teams were tied at the top of the ninth inning after a four run Red Sox comeback. After Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers hit the go-ahead run, the Red Sox were put on top, helping them take a 3-1 series lead. Then, in game 5, first baseman Steve Pearce—who would be awarded the 2018 World Series MVP—became one of three players older than 35 to hit multiple home runs in a single World Series game. The Red Sox won the game 5-1 and won the series 4-1 the same night. As the season wrapped up a few weeks ago, the 2018 Red Sox proved their greatness. The only question now is if the Red Sox will continue their World Series hot streak in the years to come. •
PAGE 14
Midterm Elections
On November 6, 2018, the TMP Editorial Board sent out an anonymous survey to which Milton students could respond as if they were voting in the Massachusetts primary. Between 7:30 PM and 11:59 PM, 193 students responded to the survey. For each question or position, respondents were given, in addition to the real life candidates and answers, the option to respond: “I don’t feel informed enough to make a decision at the moment.” The survey also included a question in which respondents could tell us how informed they feel on a scale of one to ten. Some of the survey results are included below. We understand that Milton students might not—for a number of reasons—be as informed as they could be about these issues, and we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to convey that information. Even though most students cannot vote, it is important for us to be informed about the political landscape of our state and nation. As a community, we are often well-informed about presidential elections, but Midterm elections often go underrecognized. We hope that you will use the information below to think about your own perspective on MA politics and become informed about issues that have tangible effects on all of our lives. Question 1: A YES VOTE would limit the number of patients that could be assigned to one registered nurse in hospitals and certain other health care facilities. A NO VOTE would make no change in current laws relative to patient-to-nurse limits.
RESULTS MILTON: No 50.8% Yes 31.7% Other 17.6% ACTUAL OUTCOME: NO
Question 2: A YES VOTE would create a citizens commission to advance an amendment to the United States Constitution to limit the influence of money in elections and establish that corporations do not have the same rights as human beings. A NO VOTE would not create this commission.
RESULTS MILTON: No 9.5% Yes 65.3% Other 25.1% ACTUAL OUTCOME: YES
Midterm Elections
Question 3: A YES VOTE would keep in place the current law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in places of public accommodation. A NO VOTE would repeal this provision of the public accommodation law.
PAGE 15
On a scale of 1 to 10, to what degree do you informed about the Massachusetts political landscape?
RESULTS MILTON: No 8.5% Yes 86.4% Other 5% ACTUAL OUTCOME: YES Massachusetts Senator
In addition to polling students about how they would have voted for Massachusetts candidates and ballot questions, TMP also wanted to offer the opportunity for students to share their thought on our school’s political culture as a whole. The following is a selection of unedited responses to our question “Is there anything else you'd like to add about the Milton's political climate? You can view all of the results on our website. "Even though we are so politically engaged, we as a community still hate talking about the issues first hand."
RESULTS MILTON: Elizabeth Warren, Democrat,incumbent 65.3% ACTUAL OUTCOME: Elizabeth Warren, Democrat,incumbent Massachusetts Governor:
"I think that where there is a conservative point of view among students, it comes through in a very strong and somewhat obnoxious, uninformed way. I think that reflects badly on the Milton community in certain circumstances off campus." "I’m not from Massachusetts and being at Milton hasn’t really bridged that gap." "Milton often looks at issues through a simplistic lens. Moreover, things are discussed as "liberal" or "conservative" and synonymously "Democrat" or "Republican." The world is a complex place and Milton needs to cultivate an environment of objective thinking (this does not mean neutral, if two people say something their opinions aren't equally valid) which delves into the complexity. Also, Milton seems hyper-focused on identity (race and gender are important issues) and ignores issues with economics, foreign issues, the establishment, corruption, and more. For example, people are obsessed with Elizabeth Warren's debacle with claiming to be part Native American, while they ignore her actual work and policies such as creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In the words of JFK: "We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."" "It's a liberal echochamber in one of the most liberal states in the country." "Milton ain't as woke as it thinks it is."
RESULTS MILTON: Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito, Republican, incumbent 44.7% ACTUAL OUTCOME: Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito, Republican, incumbent
"I would say that a lot of Milton students have a habit of portraying their opinion as fact when discussing politics with others."
PAGE 16
Ad Nauseam
COLLEGE ESSAY TOPICS:
White Feminism and me
Why I will thrive only at an Ivy League Overcoming my Juul addiction
Deconstructing my 14 on the ACT What my third vacation home in a developing country taught me
Grades are a social construct My favorite building on your campus donated by my family