The Milton Paper NOVEMBER 16th, 2018
VOL. 36 NO. 09
MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Opinion A Sibling Story: Is There Nepotism at Milton? By SERENA FERNANDOPULLE '19 & KATHRYN FERNANDOPULLE '21 All of the Fernandopulle sisters always say that Kathryn, the youngest sibling, is the most spoiled. Our parents clearly give her the most leeway. Similarly at Milton, we always joke that Kathryn is given more opportunities due to our paving the way for her to excel at Milton. I, Kathryn, would like to think that I have gained everything due to my hardwork and merit, but to a certain extent, having older siblings really has helped me at Milton. Nepotism is when your family or friends favor you or provide you with better opportunities than another person pursuing the same goal. We know what you might be thinking, but no, nepotism is not just the name of the episode of “The Office” from season 7. A couple of weeks ago, I, Kathryn, was talking with some of my peers, and the topic of nepotism came up. Suddenly, one of my friends said to me, “you only get things at this school because of your sisters.” I was not only hurt by this comment, but I was also baffled. My friend went on to say, “you do the same things as they do and you only join clubs and teams because your sister lets you on.” After thinking about this comment for a while, I realized it was true. I do the same things as my sisters: the same clubs and the same sports. However, I never considered the possibility that the only reason I got onto those teams and clubs was because my sisters let me on. After more thought, I came to the conclusion that I definitely was a benefactor of nepotism. However, even though I believe that having my sister at Milton Academy gives me an edge, I also believe that I have rightfully earned my spot here. Looking around at my community, we can see that there are so many kids in our grades who have older siblings who go or went to Milton. Based on the impression the older sibling made on the teachers and students here, the younger sibling comes in with premade judgements about her. In our experiences, our sisters have helped us rather than hinder. I, Serena, have had many of the same teachers that my older sister, Gabrielle, has had. It is a common experience to reference my sister sometimes with these teachers because these subjects are our common ground. Sometimes teachers will say how we “look so alike,” sometimes they will ask me how she is liking college, and sometimes they even call me “Gabrielle” by mistake. None of these incidences bother me in the slightest because I like talking about my sister, but I know that it may seem that I am “showing off.” In a way, I held the privilege of having positive preconceived assumptions about me because of my sister’s past experiences. Having this extra benefit of the doubt helps us, the younger of the three Fernandopulle
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
News
Spirit Week 2018
Image Courtesy of Milton Academy By ALISON BLAKE '22 With no Milton tradition quite like our rivalry with Nobles, there is nothing like being a Mustang during the week leading up to Milton-Nobles Day. A rivalry almost as old as the schools themselves, it is undeniable that this school-wide feud with Nobles fuels much of our Milton pride. To boost extra morale for the annual culmination of such a decades-old battle, we celebrate spirit week, in which each day of the week is given a different theme like twin day or groutfits. While some events are more popular than others, all culminate in an all-school pep rally and, of course, the great tradition of Milton-Nobles Day. This year, the differently themed days were as follows: Meme Monday, Twin Tuesday, Color War Wednesday, Groutfit Thursday, and All Out Milton Friday. Although not every theme enjoyed the same level of popularity among students, most students took advantage of at least a couple of days to show off their school spirit. Friday’s
Milton Spirit theme was many students’ favorite, because, in the words of Ann O’Malley ‘22: “everyone got involved and you could really feel the spirit compared to other days when people weren’t as engaged.” Overall though, each day and theme had its own highlights of students going all out for Milton spirit. This enthusiasm allowed students to relax and have fun in the midst of a busy week. The most memorable part of spirit week for many was, of course, Friday’s pep rally. Both wrapping up spirit week and setting the tone for an exciting Saturday of competition, the pep rally energized the whole school community with everything from step routines, to confetti and t-shirt cannons. One highlight of the event was the annual Mustangs vs Bulldogs video, in which Mr. Bland and Nobles Head of School, Dr. Hall faced off in a simulation of a VR game. While we often have all upper school assemblies, the entire K-12 student body coming together to celebrate our school
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Inside This Issue Veterens' Day pg. 5|| Dancing While Black pg. 7|| Major league Soccer pg. 10
PAGE 2
The Milton Paper
Editorial
The 36th Editorial Board
Scheduling Mayhem
Editors-in-Chief Opinion Manager Managing Editor News Managers Senior Editors Website Editor Layout Editor
Rishi Dhir & Pierce D. Wilson Natasha Roy Lyndsey Mugford Abby Foster & Charlotte Kane Kat Stephan & Serena Fernandopulle Dillon Pang Jenab Diallo & DJ Murrell
A&E Editor Calvin Cheong
Opinion Editor Faculty Sponsor Lisa Baker 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 (TheMiltonPaper34@gmail.com), or by personal delivery to our office Warren 304.
In the past two weeks, we’ve had four abbreviated schedule days, one for a delayed start, one for the Defamation Experience, one for the Milton/Nobles Pep Rally, and one for a Veterans’ Day assembly. Also in the past two weeks, students received interim grades, there were two mass shootings, and we all learned the results of the U.S Midterm elections. The Defamation Experience, while moving, arrived at Milton at an incredibly fraught time. Not only was the news cycle filled with reports of hate crimes, but the pivotal Midterm elections took place only one night before. Had, say, Massachusetts citizens voted to repeal transgender protection laws, students would have been extremely raw when faced with the assembly’s complex questions. In any case, the assembly also ate up advisory time that would normally have been used to distribute and process interim grades. Freshmen, for example, received their first ever grades from the Milton Upper School—not a joyous occasion for most of us—without any official space to process them with their advisors. The advisory setup usually allows advisors to discuss with new students the difficult transition to high school, the usual learning curve, and other important issues, but this year, vulnerable new students received grades without room for guidance. The collision of the Midterms and the Defamation Experience—each extremely emotionally and intellectually potent— also left us, in the following days, with simply too much to talk about. Milton students already have a tendency to overlook tragedies like the Pittsburgh and Kentucky shootings and the California wildfires because we’re so consumed with the grind of life at Milton. Unless the school carves out a specific discussion time, the student body can overlook important, yet timely events. Finding class time to discuss assemblies or pertinent issues can already prove difficult, but when in a given week when we’re flooded with the topics of the elections, Defamation, shootings, and more, no topic can be effectively unpacked. The Defamation Experience was thought-provoking, but such programming can be impactful only if each student finds a space to process them. The lack of advisory following the assembly left no designated time for people to process, so some students may have discussed the assembly in five classes and then again with friends while others may not have had a single conversation on the topic. We understand that Milton planned the Defamation Experience months in advance and aren’t suggesting the school should have moved it because of the shootings or another unforeseeable factor. The school did, however, know about the Midterms and about grades well in advance and could have planned accordingly. Even assuming the timing was unavoidable (which it likely was), the delayed start could have easily been scheduled for a week in which we didn’t already have an extended speaker and a Pep Rally. Instead, last week featured only two regularly-scheduled school days.
News
PAGE 3
Diversity Conference By SHILOH LIU '22
On the weekend of November 3rd-4th, nine people from Milton attended a conference at Phillips Academy Andover. The Boston Mobilization Social Justice Leadership Institute (SJLI) attempted to give students from New England independent schools a chance to explore the topics of race, gender, sexuality, and more. The conference intended to help students build a supportive community, and through a multi-racial team of staff, “[have] moments of appreciation and articulate things in a certain way,” as Ms. bargar, one of the faculty chaperones, said. The SJLI was a two-day program, designed to focus mainly on race for the first day and gender for the second. In the beginning, “[students] were asked to split up into [their] racial affiliation groups,” explained Victoria Fawcett ‘22, one of the three freshmen who attended. These affinity groups included African, Hispanic, Asian Americans, and white students. Fawcett “joined the small group of white students.” Ironically, there were
only “five [in her group] out of almost forty students,” and she couldn’t help but notice “the unrecognizable pressures of being part of a minority.” After their two-hour affinity meeting, Fawcett and her group “[presented their] promise,” which was “to never ‘take’ another person’s culture and traditions away from their rightful owners and ignore prejudices [people] may have toward [one another] based on the color of their skin.” In addition to her overwhelming experience, Fawcett said that “this presentation allowed [her] to hear the opinions of other racial affinity groups and help better understand what [she] can do to create a more equal community.” She talked about her “roller coaster of emotions” while hearing personal stories and participating in a discussion that involved a very “high level of engagement” from everyone. In a similar manner, Ms. bargar, the chaperone, thinks this conference was essential for students to be well-informed global citizens. When asked about the discussions on race, bargar said that there are “issues on social media” that are relevant and urgent to our society. For exam-
ple, she remembered an anecdote about a white man shouting, “This is America! Speak English!” at two Native Americans speaking their native language. Bargar noted that this event turned out to be very ironic since Native Americans are technically more “American” than the man is. As she spoke more in depth, Ms. bargar also shared with us the definition of having “privilege.” Being white doesn’t necessarily signify an equal sign to privilege. Being Jewish herself, she felt agonized over the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, and she wanted to appear as visibly Jewish as she could to show people that she is proud of her identity. There are just too many factors that determine a person’s “privilege.” The SJLI last week provided students a chance to delve into those serious social justice problems that are shaping our world today. It was truly a blast and a special experience for our Milton participants. Our schoolmates have participated, learned, and most of all, grown into individuals who care more about the world. •
Exciting New Trip to The Dominican Republic By NATHAN SMITH '20 This year, for the first time at Milton, Mrs. Shea-Caraballo is organizing a trip to the Dominican Republic for the students in Spanish 4 honors, 5, or 6 who have expressed interest in music and/ or dance. The trip will take place over the course of 10 days during spring break. Shea-Caraballo is organizing the trip through the company Where There be Dragons, which also hosts the trip to Jordan with Mr. Emmott. Different from the Spanish exchange, this trip will center around Dominican culture, with a specific focus on local music and dance. The trip primarily functions to immerse students in the culture of the DR with an emphasis on these art forms, rather than a strong emphasis on language skill building. Mrs. Shea-Caraballo teaches Spanish 6, which, she said, focuses on music and dance in the Caribbean. The class uses some of the most popular musical and dance genres of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean to explore different facets of social identities and the history and countries of origin of the genres. Spanish 6 students explore the history, instrumentation, rhythms, lyrics, dance movements and aesthetics of key genres such as merengue, bachata, and reggaeton while also examining themes such as national
identity, socioeconomic class, race, sexuality, and gender. This trip is meant mainly for Spanish 6 students but is also open to others in other advanced Spanish classes. Mrs. Shea-Caraballo said, however, that the trip is designed for higher-level students who have a strong grasp of the language and an interest in the art forms so that they can be fully immersed in the rich culture of music and dance. Besides learning about just music and dance, Shea-Caraballo said that students on the trip will experience the general culture of the DR. For the majority of the trip, students will be in Santiago, the country’s second largest city, with host families. However for a day or two before and after their time in the city, they will stay in the countryside, near the beach. In this way, students will get to experience multiple aspects of Dominican scenery and culture. Shea-Caraballo plans for them to participate in a variety of activities ranging from learning how to make chocolate or coffee, to learning about the history of the country from locals, to doing all sorts of activities with host families Focusing on music and dance, students will learn about and play native Dominican instruments such as the tambora, while also taking dance classes at a
local dance studio. The dance classes will not specifically be for Milton students but instead be already existing classes so that students can experience authentic dance. Besides just taking music classes similar to ones potentially taken at Milton, Shea-Caraballo said that, more importantly, students will be able to hear “the music on the streets or at the beach” and see what role music and dance plays in the country’s culture; they will experience “the real life applications of bachata, merengue, and other styles of music.” Another focus of the trip, like other Dragons trips, is engaging with the local community. Throughout the trip, Milton students will spend time with locals, including underprivileged youth at the Bachata Academy, a project that helps them find vocation through playing traditional music for the community to enjoy. Through these interactions, Mrs. Shea-Caraballo hopes for students to learn about many parts of the Dominican culture. This will be the first year that this trip takes place, so Shea-Caraballo, along with Dragons, is still in the process of finalizing the itinerary. She hopes that this trip could be an annual trip for students studying higher levels of Spanish who are interested in music or dance.•
PAGE 4
News
Milton’s Academic Philosophy
Image Courtesy of Milton Academy By SARAH PALMER '20 Most students who apply to Milton are attracted to the school for various reasons. Some follow in the footsteps of their relatives, some come for the rigorous academic program, and some come for the opportunity to specialize. Going into my interview with Ms. Bonenfant, I had the intention of exposing inequalities in the credit and requirement system, such as students’ inability to take six credits (while some half courses are just as difficult as a full course) and the many different ways students fulfill their sports requirement. However, during the interview it became apparent that some of the inconsistencies were actually disguised liberties. For example, if a student wants to audit a course (take it and not receive credit), they can. As for the sports requirement, Bonenfant, a math teacher and academic dean, noted the disparity between a student fulfilling the credit with P.E.–which meets 3 times a week during the school day for 45 minutes–and a student playing a sport which can take up 15 hours a week depending on the activity. However, Bonenfant, stating that “those are also more elective things: you can elect to play a sport if you want to,” revealed that it is a really a liberty that the students who are not as interested in athletics are only required to take P.E. at minimum, while those who enjoy sports can specialize and deeply engage. Furthermore, the student handbook highlights more ways a student can fulfill their sports requirement, a specific section stating that the number of P.E meetings per week can be reduced if “they are engaged in a maximum of two faculty-sponsored activities for a total of 8-10 hours per week. The activities can include drama, speech team, community service and publications,” demonstrating the liberty for students to follow their
interests in Milton’s system. Bonenfant stated “I also think there are kids at Milton that are able to really focus on those things, those disciplines they really like: you can take two languages at Milton, you can do that at Milton, that’s amazing! If you love History and Social Sciences, there’s a way for you to do that; it means that you are making choices because there are other things you are not taking but there is a way for you to do that.” She presented this freedom as a key part of Milton philosophy when she continued, “I think that one of the things that gets kids excited about learning is choice, being able to take something that you are interested and that you want to learn - that's when we’re excited about going to school.” However, there are still some inequalities. For example, even within varsity sports, though they are an activity you choose to partake in, the time commitment can vary greatly and is not always in the student’s control. For example, Bonenfant highlighted the time commitment for some sports where “we have the facilities here on campus: we have locker rooms, we have a field” versus that for sports “that we do off campus, where you have to get on a bus just to get to your practice location.” She also noted that some events just take longer when she stated “Not all varsity sports take the same amount of time: think about a track meet–that’s like all day on a Saturday or all day on a Wednesday–so yeah, things are they’re different.” In order to graduate from Milton Academy, students are required to take three sports credits a year during underclassmen years and two sports credits a year during upperclassmen years. Furthermore, while students have to take four years of English, they have to take only two years of science and history, have to
reach only level three in language, and have to get through only Algebra 2 in math. However, in the interview with Jackie Bonenfant, she acknowledged the typical track students take: four years of english and math, three years of science, two years of history, one year of arts, and four years of language. Interestingly, although only four are required, many students take the maximum number 5 ½ credits, for a total of twenty-two credits; in addition to the unaccredited courses, students are required to take like CEPS, Social Awareness, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts among many others. Bonenfant acknowledged the peculiarity of students generally over-completing the credit requirements in every subject matter and suggested that it was due to the external pressures on high school students to appear well-rounded. While talking about Milton’s requirements, she stated “I would never want to have a program that was so restrictive that we told you every single year what you were going to take, even though, given the colleges our students apply to, I think most students feel pressured to take more. They are already taking four years of english, I think they feel pressured to take four years of math, and beyond level three in language, and not just physics and biology, but physics, chemistry, and biology.” Although, at a first glance, Milton’s system appears to be unequal, Bonenfant revealed that the true liberty students are given is that to interpret the requirements and to specialize in spite of generally low minimum standards. The contrast between the liberty Milton provides its students and the common courseload students take unveils that a lot of the pressure placed on the student body comes from external sources. •
News Veterans' Day
Image Courtesy of Google Images
By BRENDAN HEGARTY '20 On Sunday, people from all over the world celebrated a day that marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. November 11th is known as Veterans Day in the United States, and in spite of its different names, the eleventh day of the eleventh month stands as a day of reflection, gratefulness, and sacrifice worldwide. The armistice to end the war was signed at 11:00 am on November 11th, 1918, and some form of a holiday has been celebrated on that day ever since in several different countries. Milton students and faculty had their own moment of reflection during the flagpole ceremony on Monday. Although the exact date is uncertain, Head of School Mr. Bland says Milton’s own ceremony “was started after World War Two, after the Apthorp Chapel was built.” The chapel, built in 1921, honors Milton students who served in the first World War. Bland went on, “it has been very consistent, the gathering of all faculty and staff, all students K-12 in complete silence to the flagpole” as “a student plays taps at the top of the Chapel, and the leaders of the Middle School and Upper School lower the flag to half mast and bring it back up.” Bland says the gathering is “very elegant and simple,” and is “probably [his] favorite ceremony, and one of, if not [his] favorite tradition.” Bland shared that Brigadier General Richard Johnson, the Veterans Day speaker, has said “he always thinks of [Milton’s Veterans Day ceremony] as one of
the most beautiful.” General Johnson, along with the Paktia province’s governor Shamim Khan Katawazai, addressed the school from Afghanistan via video call on Monday. In his remarks, Johnson stressed the importance of all kinds of service and encouraged the whole audience to find ways to serve others. Katawazai spoke about Afghanistan’s history of conflict, his own efforts to improve his nation, and the importance of cooperation. Bland says the call had been in the works for months, and he says the Johnson family as a whole has been a “gift” to the community, serving as “a way to better understand the sacrifice of military families, not just of soldiers and people who are serving our country in that way.” Mr. Skinner, who spoke on Veterans Day in 2016 about his experience with his uncle’s legacy as a war hero, “thought it was really moving to have these two leaders from two very different cultures trying to figure out how to make something work.” On his experience as the speaker, Skinner explained that he felt forced to “dig in” on a topic that he has “always felt intuitively,” in “a way that gets people to think about sacrifice, connection, and service.” Speaking about the flagpole ceremony itself, Skinner explained that the “ceremony has been a part of [his] life for over forty years.” He says he loves the “notion of silence, of letting the weight of what it all means sink in,” and he says the “forced silence ends up
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
PAGE 5
Spirit Week
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
is limited to few occasions throughout the year, and so the pep rally represented a rare moment to unite as a complete Milton community. Rivalries often stem from bitterness for the other team, yet the all-school rally displayed why the Milton-Nobles rivalry is so special; with everyone from kindergarteners to seniors decked out in orange and blue and screaming “I believe that we will win,” it is clear that our school’s tie to Nobles brings out the best in us. Whether you played at Nobles on Saturday or cheered from the sidelines, we all shared Milton school spirit by just being here. Yes, not everyone might have dressed up as a meme on Monday, but spirit week wasn’t really about the themes. Instead, it was about being proud of this incredible school that we are all so lucky to attend. Go Mustangs!•
OPINION
Sibling Story
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
sisters, because if we do make a mistake, our teacher may give us more room to grow because they have seen the older sibling’s potential and believe that we can achieve the same amount. However, this is also a double edged sword. In many areas of our life, the bar is set high by our older sibling. Thus, if we don’t achieve to the same level or higher, we are judged as “not as good” as our sibling, or a let-down. For me, Kathryn, playing the same sports as my siblings has really helped me at Milton. For instance, in eighth grade, I tried out for the girls high school varsity team, and I ended up making the team. However, I definitely was not a clear front-runner for the team, especially seeing as I was not as skilled back then and was not as tall as I am now. Having my oldest sister, Gabrielle, as the captain that year really increased my odds at making the team. I would like to think that I made the team because my coach saw potential and skill in me. However, having both of my sisters on the team definitely helped me. As a result, when I made it onto the girls varsity soccer team my freshman fall, I was scared that I only made it because of my sisters. To my surprise, I ended up being a starter that year. Having a sister on the soccer team was not the reason why I made it; it was just an added bonus. People always tell us that we three sisters look identical. Almost all of our teachers, coaches, and peers have called us the wrong name at least once. Indeed, this subconscious bias to lump us in the same bucket bleeds into the rest of our lives. This bias has helped us in some situations and also made us feel like failures in others. We both acknowledge that we would definitely not be where we are if not for our sisters. Nepotism at Milton is definitely present, and at times it has made us question if we really deserved the results we got in classes, extracurriculars, and even sports. Nepotism also is ingrained not only in Milton’s systems of making a varsity team, but also subconsciously in how we are treated by others. We don’t know how or if we should change the system, but we do know it definitely has shaped our experience at Milton.•
PAGE 6
Opinion
Cooperativity
Image Courtesy of Google Images By MAYA BOKHARI '20
How often have your advisor, your teachers, your parents, and sometimes even your friends told you to meet with your teacher about an essay or a test? I know I have heard this suggestion time and time again over my six years at Milton. This year, my junior year, I finally heard a new recommendation: peer study groups. While I am sure we have all heard about and hopefully experienced the benefits of meeting with our teachers, the majority of our community often overlooks the value in cooperating with someone who is struggling with the same concept. During one of those first few classes of the year, my biology teacher told our whole class that our individual success would be based entirely off of our ability to cooperate with, learn from, and help out each other. She suggested we form a study group. Believe it or not, we had our first study session three weeks prior to our first test. Six people from our class of ten showed up to that first meeting. The next week, nine people came. Finally, our last session before the test included our entire class. In those three sessions leading up to the test, I learned a lot more than just what was necessary for the test. During our first meeting, I realized how much less intimidating the study group was in comparison to the classroom when others had the same questions I did – questions we all were too embarrassed to ask in class for fear of looking “dumb”. Milton has an undeniably intimidating atmosphere, such that when you look around you realize how smart and accomplished your peers are, but we all experience the same pressures to limit vulnerability when it might affect a grade. This study group gave me the confidence to find comfort in asking those supposedly “dumb questions” not only in our supportive group but also in the classroom. We spent our second meeting crafting an extensive class-wide study guide. In compiling our notes, selecting the most important points, and
cross-checking each other’s contributions, our class bonded over this common goal of maximizing our collective success. I was surprised how quickly we as a group overcame the inevitably competitive nature of challenging classes that might have hindered our ability to work well together. We all saw the direct correlation between collective success and individual success. Our sixteen page collaborative study guide may not have been the most concise study tool, but it served as tangible evidence of our study group’s productivity and resulting camaraderie. In our last session before the test, our group no longer felt scheduled, forced, or restrictive. I cannot exactly speak for my classmates, but I really enjoyed studying for that test. Even though we have just barely begun the second interim, I think this biology class will end up high on my list of memorable Milton experiences. But while the subject matter is fascinating and the lab work is mind-boggling, learning from and working with my classmates both during and after class hold responsibility for my positive perspective. I do not, by any stretch, mean to say that meeting with my teacher has not been helpful because those meetings have been and continue to be extraordinarily beneficial. However, I do believe that if I had had study groups similar to this one in the past, I would have reflected on those classes more positively. Who knows, I may have even had greater success in those classes if I had coupled teacher meetings with peer study groups. Metaphorically speaking of course, success from our study group mirrors the cooperative binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. When oxygen binds to hemoglobin, the presence of the oxygen helps the hemoglobin hold its shape to give more oxygen easier access to the binding sites. I would say that, just like the oxygen and the hemoglobin, our individual affinity for success is directly affected by others’ affinities for success. •
Do Grades Matter? By ELLA O’HANLON ‘21 Given that everyone received their interim grades within the past week, I’m sure people around campus are stressing a little bit about their grades. I’ve been at Milton for a little over a year now and I’ve already been told by numerous teachers that, “grades do not matter!” After receiving a quiz that I’ve failed, or an essay that I didn’t do too well on, I’d go up to a teacher, stressing about my grade, frantically asking how I can bring my grade up, just to here once again, “calm down, grades don’t really matter.” Well, in my opinion, they definitely do. No, this test failing scenario hasn’t played out in my life that many times; but I have received grades I wasn’t happy with and wished to ask my teacher how I could improve my average. Yet, I can think of two specific occasions when teachers scolded me for asking for more information about grade because, according to my teachers, grades don’t matter. I sent out a survey to the entirety of the upper school, asking a variety of questions regarding high school grades, to which 316 students responded, so that I could see how my fellow classmates felt about the matter at hand. Of the upper school students in this pool, 82.2% said teachers have told them that grades don’t really matter as long as the student understands the class’s content, and that caring too much about grades simply brings on stress. Yet, 96.2% of the upper school students also said that they feel a pressure to get good grades at school. That almost all of the upper school students that responded continue to feel this pressure makes the teachers’ logic contradictory because if people continuously receive bad grades, they will feel even more pressure to bring their grades up. Teachers may feel that students shouldn’t get upset about a grade because grades don’t hold important roles in a student’s life; but, some parents feel differently, putting pressure on students to get perfect grades, despite their teachers’ views. Although some Milton teachers don’t really appreciate the importance of grades, college admissions officers may feel differently. Most students at Milton Academy want to, at some point, attend college. All but one or two of last year’s graduates planned to attend college at some point, and 98.2% of this year’s students surveyed said they want to attend college. Of these people, 97.9% of them said that they think grades play a huge role in getting into college. Given that getting into a good college leads to getting future jobs which all in all decides one’s path to a successful career, and that grades play a huge role to get into college, we could argue that one’s grades in highschool can be a huge factor in deciding one’s future. CBS writer Lynn O'Shaughnessy wrote about high school grades, stating that, “a high school GPA is the strongest predictor of whether a student will fare well in college and ultimately graduate.” Your future in the college process is important; therefore, grades are important. No, one grade won’t affect your entire life, but unlike many teachers at Milton atest to, grades do matter more than many adults will claim. •
PAGE 7
Opinion
Dancing While Black
NEWS VETERANS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
Winter Dance Concert 2018, Image Courtesy of Milton Academy By ERINMA ONYEWUCHI '20
Disclaimer: I will also be speaking specifically about black women but not for black women. In the past two years, companies like Flesh Tone and Nubian Skin have began releasing ballet slippers and dancewear that include nude shades for dark skinned women. It struck me that dancewear for women of my complexion and darker was not an option as recent as 2015, and that inclusion had been an afterthought for so many. The black woman is consistently counted out and forced to make due in spaces where she is considered a deviation from the historic mainstream. The world of ‘modern dance’ in particular excludes black women everywhere from the dancewear available to the “aesthetic” and “classical training” so many choreographers require. Modern dance is a descendants of ballet- a more rigid art form established in the 16th century for the upper class of Europe. Though modern dance expels much of ballet’s rigidity and strives to a more inclusive version of ballet, it has still managed to perpetuate structures of racism and classism. Subsequent to ballet elitist history, dance forms associated with lower class blackness - hip hop,and ‘cultural’ dances (i.e. Caribbean and African) - are still looked down upon today and considered separate from “real dance.” As a result, black women are still assigned to these forms and discouraged from venturing outside the worlds of hip hop and other cultural dances today. Modern dance is ballet’s less strict descendent but much of its makeup still mirrors much that of ballet’s racism. As modern dance has developed and diversified, so have its admirers, and thus, it is one of the most popular dance forms today. The problem, however, is that ‘modern’ dance has made little to no effort to include black women -and non-skinny black women in particular. Due to where a majority black americans were placed socioeconomically, it is also far more difficult for black women,
on average, to receive classical training in modern dance forms. Those who do, however, still do not have it easy. Black modern dancers face typecasting, more rejection than their white counterparts, and the burden of finding dancewear that compliments their skin and body types. The inequality present in the world of dance is especially visible here at Milton Academy’s beloved winter dance concert. The dance concert is a show predominantly consisting of modern style dances, and of those on stage most dancers tend to follow one body type and maybe three skin tonesnone of which are darker than Rihanna in the wintertime, though. One dancer, a black woman who prefers to remain anonymous, states that “even though [she has] done 11 years of classical training, [she has] never been cast in a modern dance at Milton Academy” She goes onto say: “I can’t sit here and tell you I’m the best modern dancer in the world but I can say I’m qualified.” Another dancer in Milton’s concert tells me: “the coordinator- and i love her- is a modern dancer and she [naturally] makes room for as many moderns as she wants, this results in more space for modern dancers- who tend to be those same ten girls.” “They [choreographers] want variety but I don’t see that in the finished product; why are we limiting spaces for some dance forms over others?” Regardless of the progressiveness and pure intention of the show’s coordinators and choreographers, this ‘pure intention’ does not always carry over onto what the student body sees on stage. Like everyone else, I look forward to the winter dance concert every year, and I applaud all of its participants for putting on such amazing performances. I also hope to see more inclusion in the show this year! In big 2018, the option to exclude black women from your spaces is null and void. Yet, I see efforts of exclusion not only on a small scale here on campus, but also as a large issue that informs the career and creative paths of black women worldwide.•
not being a forced silence because we all kind of want it.” Skinner thinks it is “one of the best recognitions of heroism and sacrifice out there,” and he says “whenever the time comes that [he leaves] Milton, that’s something [he] will miss.” The ceremony has an impact on students as well. Ian Glick ‘21 reflected on his second Veterans Day at Milton, saying “seeing the whole student body being quiet for 10 minutes was really powerful.” He thinks Milton’s “ceremony is very influential and beautiful.” Ultimately, Milton is not alone in its celebration of November 11th, or Veterans Day specifically, but the school does so in a unique way that moves member of the community. As the whole school comes together to silently observe, the lowering of the flag reflects our remembrance of sacrifice, and the raised flag that flies at the end projects a sense of hope and perseverance. •
Shoutout to Charlotte Moremen '19 and Alex Rodriguiz '20
PAGE 8
OPINION
Cutthroat Competition
Milton Graduation 2018, Image Courtesy of Milton Academy
By KAYLA MATHIEU ‘21 As seniors have already turned in their early applications and the regular application deadline approaches, the era of forbidden questions has begun. Don’t ask a senior anything about college. This topic is something you tiptoe around from now until seniors wear the apparel of their college of choice in May. These are simply the rules for Classes II-IV. In the senior class, it seems as though the habit of avoiding college questions lasts all year. The competition between classmates to get into the best schools seems to keep people from conversing about the process altogether, even among friends. This competitive nature of Milton students can be seen not only in the college process, but throughout ordinary school life as well. We love to claim that we foster a strong sense of community here, but when it comes down to it, it really is every person for themself. Given the cutthroat competition for success, a competitive attitude is the expectation, but there is a fine line between healthy competition and destructive competition. The competition that exists between classmates—and even more importantly, friends—can be toxic to the relationships that we foster in high school. Because we are driven by such a competitive mindset, anyone who gets in our way is just another obstacle on our road to success. This is not just an epidemic at Milton but everywhere. For instance, many
view affirmative action as a handout to people of color, particularly Black and Hispanic students. Harvard is currently undergoing an affirmative action lawsuit that, in my book, can be classified as a competition at its worst. A group called Students for Fair Admissions, run by Edward Blum, is accusing Harvard of placing excess weight on race in the admissions process and therefore puts Asian students at a disadvantage. The Asian students suing Harvard have found that other students of color are giving them competition in Harvard admissions; therefore, this suit serves as their response to such competition. Though an extreme case, this suit demonstrates clearly what the competitive attitudes thats we foster at Milton can become if we aren't careful about how far we take competition. Once everyone finally does figure out where they are going to school, and the era of the forbidden question comes to an end, a phrase that I will hear all too often is “how did she get in there?” Instead of simply being happy for one another, we question why our peer did so well. Even when the process is over, the competitive attitude remains. Milton students have developed an inability to be genuinely happy for others who do well. We all do it in our own way. It may be a look that you give at prize ceremony when the same person wins all the awards or the rolling of your eyes when your friend gets an A+ and you get only an A. Furthermore, we seem to be
obsessed with “one-upping” each other. No matter what it takes, we are determined to be better than even our closest friends. While striving for such excellence is admirable, when we begin losing sleep over it, it becomes dangerous. I am most definitely not suggesting that we lose the competitive edge that makes us one of the best private schools in the country, but I am suggesting that students should think about how competitive they are and how it will shape their character. If your competitive attitude alters the way in which you interact with others, then I encourage you to rethink your approach to competition. •
RIP Stan Lee
PAGE 9
A&E
The Role of the Arts in Education By GRACE VAINISI '19 After a full day of classes, activities, and sports, after eating dinner and dragging my feet up to my room, the time comes to start my homework. And all I feel is dread. I’ve taken so many courses where the work in the class itself isn’t necessarily hard, but the time I have to put in to finish my work everyday makes it seem grueling. The act of memorizing information is undoubtedly important, as it enables us to store little bits of knowledge away to use for when it suits us. However, even if I’m learning about something I find interesting, memorizing vocabulary words or dates is often a boring, if not excruciating, task. The arts are definitely important to education. From providing the opportunity to find a new passion to giving the space for individual expression, the arts have the power to play a major role in any young person’s life. However, they don’t have to be all-consuming in order for us to reap their benefits; by incorporating the arts little by little into our everyday studies, we can take big steps to work towards being both more engaged in what we’re learning and more well-rounded students on the whole. Whether it’s listening to Hamilton again to refresh on what exactly the National Bank has to do with the American Revolution or watching an entire season of Elite on Netflix in a fleeting attempt to convince myself that it’ll help me learn Spanish vocabulary, involving the arts in my process of learning makes doing the actual work more interesting and enjoyable than scribbling down countless lists or flashcards. Choosing forms of entertainment to supplement my education in a way that makes the work seem less taxing is a personal choice; everyone has a choice to take ownership of their work and decide to try different tactics to make the work more manageable. And I think that the arts are a great place to start. •
Nesto Gallery : A story of Chairs and Immigration
"Wayfairer" by Kitty Wales, Image Courtesy of Anne Kwok '21 By ANNE KWOK '21 It’s Thursday; the cold air and gentle drizzle of rain nudges students into the cozy basement of the AMC. The Nesto Gallery welcomes a distinguished guest—Kitty Wales, senior lecturer in Sculpture at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and an artist who has a hand for timeless pieces. The exhibition hall bustles with curious chatter as students file into the spacious room. Nibbling on a hearty piece of cheddar from the platter, I enter the room, expecting wide canvases on the pristine walls. Immediately, I am greeted by three peculiar, wooden sculptures. Two dogs crouch on the floor as if they are about to stretch out their knobbly backs and play fetch. Their names are Camelback and Rushback. Their delicate frames are made of steel, and their lifelike skin is molded from brown clay. Both dogs were constructed with broken wooden chair parts. On their backs, they carry wooden chairs with extended pegs that meld into the dogs’ anatomy, creating a sense of balance and motion. The dogs stand beside a sculpted woman. “Wayfairer” is a vivid depiction of an early explorer, and her attire makes her seem as if she had stepped straight out of her time period and into the art gallery. Her elliptical headdress covers her hair and most of her face; she dons a long gown also made of deconstructed chair parts. The obscure attire add onto the mystery of the woman’s identity, all the while creating a personal and individual feel to “Wayfairer.” Wales explains that the hat was a style choice since many women at that time had no reason to show their hair. The “secrets she holds under her costume,” in Wales’ own words, and the ele-
gance with which she holds herself make the wooden woman incredibly timeless. Wales was inspired by the stories of maritime exploration in the 1500s. She says she loves “narratives that are open ended.” Because most early ship navigators were represented by men, she was motivated to tell the story of the women navigators. “I think they had a lot of secrets,” contemplates Wales with a smile. Her rough sketches of her sculptures are inspired from Hans Holbein and Albrecht Dürer’s art. The apparently random use of wooden chairs, however, is not merely an aesthetic choice. These chairs came directly from Ms Wales’ old community in Maine and are the highlight of the art pieces; Wales thinks that since chairs are domestic objects that one has to leave behind when migrating, having to disassemble and bring pieces of home with you are the real burdens of travelling, especially for the subjects of her art: the explorers. The meaning of Wales’ piece is thus incredibly relevant in these pivotal times, as immigration becomes a topic of growing controversy the US. “In the end, migration is really about what travels with you, and what you leave behind,” she continues. For many immigrants, they leave behind their homes and only bring with them a sliver of hope for the future. According to Wales, “Wayfairer” captures the “timeless endurance” of a navigator and wanderer. And what of the two dogs? “I thought the ‘Wayfairer’ needed some companions,” Wales chuckles. Wales modeled the two canine sculptures after her own dogs at home, whom she loves and is inspired by. Migration is about the people who move with you—wherever your loved ones are is home. •
PAGE 10
Sports
Milton vs. Nobles Day By SOPHIA LI '19
Rivalry week at Milton Academy is a longstanding tradition that all Milton and Nobles students enjoy taking part of—I mean, who wouldn’t love dressing up as memes and watching our and Noble’s Head of School battle each other in a video game while wearing mascot heads. However, the festivities of Rivalry Week are not the star of the show. The showdown between Milton and Nobles’ sports teams holds the spotlight. Last Saturday, Milton sports teams geared up and made their way down to Nobles. Everyone was excited, no matter the outcome. Rivalry Weekend is always filled with team spirit, excitement, and delicious soup, provided by Flik Platinum this year. Girls’ Varsity Volleyball started off the day’s varsity games. The Milton Girls’ Volleyball team faced a formidable opponent. Nobles was at the top of the league, beating Lawrence Academy 3-1 to take the number one spot in the ISL. This rivalry game would be a tough one for the Milton Mustangs. The Milton
girls played quality volleyball. However, with a very strong outside hitter and a skillful setter, Nobles had the upper hand. Nobles took all three sets, beating Milton 3-0. But the Mustangs did not go down without a fight. Maddie Cesaretti ‘21 served ace after ace and Amira Brown ‘19 blocked powerful hits from the Nobles’ outside hitter. Although Milton did not win, they played some of their best volleyball of the year and made Nobles work for each and every point. While Volleyball battled, Girls’ Soccer and Field Hockey got ready to play their last games of the season. The Wolfpack fought hard against a solid Nobles soccer team. With a strong back four and fierce forwards, Nobles managed to keep Milton out of the net. Although Nobles kept pressuring the Milton defense and scored two goals, Milton goalie Zoe Katz ‘20 managed to keep Nobles from beating Milton’s line of defense. Katz made many great saves, the most memorable being her penalty kick save. Katz stared down the Nobles player and made a tremendous block that prevented Nobles from taking an early lead. Even though Milton fought
until the end, Nobles managed to keep Milton from scoring and won the game 2-0. As Varsity Girls’ Soccer was playing, Milton Field Hockey put in their mouth guards and got ready to play Nobles. Going into the game, Milton knew that Nobles would be a tough opponent. However, they did not let that scare them. Milton played fiercely, pressuring the Nobles defense and stopping shots from the Nobles forwards. However, Nobles weaseled their way around the Milton defense and strengthened their defense, allowing only one Milton goal. The final whistle blew, signalling Nobles’ 5-1 win. While Girls’ Soccer and Field Hockey played, Milton Boys’ Soccer was playing one of the most important games of their season. The week before rivalry weekend, Milton’s Boys’ Soccer suffered a devastating loss against Brooks. The loss bumped Milton from first in the ISLs to second, putting their chances of making playoffs in jeopardy. However, a win against Nobles and a loss for Middlesex would ensure that Milton would make the eighth seed in NEPSAC playoffs. The
MLS: The Farmers’ League By JEHAN BOER '21 Since its formation in 1995, the MLS, or Major League Soccer, has always taken harsh criticism for being seen as a low-level soccer division. Compared to the larger European leagues, the MLS is viewed a “farmers’ league:” a league that shouldn’t be taken seriously. In recent years though, its title of “farmers’ league” has been slowly changing due to its increasing popularity among other countries and especially among those larger European countries. However, these European countries aren’t interested in the league itself. They are interested instead in the amount of talent that comes from the league. Only a few months ago, Canadian big-name striker, Alphonso Davies, signed a pricey, longterm contract for German powerhouse Bayern Munich, signalling the start of a new MLS. MLS is the professional league that represents soccer in the highest level in the United States and Canada. From when it started to a few decades ago, the MLS was not a big deal in the United States and Canada because many people view soccer as a foreign sport. The league saw many difficulties in its early stages including low attendance and harsh ratings. All of its problems were mostly due to lack of popularity, and this caused it to lose
a substantial amount of money in every single season. Not only was the MLS unpopular in North America, but it was also unpopular in other nations, including the European countries. MLS took a swing at improving the league and increasing popularity by trying to “Americanize” the sport and adding several unneeded rules to make the league more interesting. You can imagine why those from countries where soccer was a bigger deal would look at the MLS as if it were a joke. In 2002, the MLS was in very poor condition. The MLS was saved by the 2002 World Cup in which the United States national team surprisingly made it to the quarterfinals with victories against Mexico and European stronghold, Portugal. After this run in the World Cup, the MLS saw increased views and record attendances. MLS soccer was becoming more popular in the United States and Canada, and in the years following it was increasingly taken more seriously around the world. The next years saw many MLS players, names like DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan, leaving for smaller European teams, a large step going forward for Major League Soccer. Perhaps due to the MLS’ increasing popularity, youth soccer became more popular in the United States. More
CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
parents wanted their children to play soccer, and therefore more kids grew up playing soccer. The MLS saw increased talent in their teams’ academies. An example of this is 18 year old Canadian Alphonso Davies. Davies grew up in Edmonton, Canada, and was good enough to join the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy when he was 14. Impressing at all levels of youth and academy soccer, Davies made his MLS debut at age 16. He managed to stay consistent in his performances and caught the eye of European powerhouse Bayern Munich, one of the best teams in Europe. At the age of only 17, Alphonso Davies transferred to Bayern from the MLS for an MLS record of 22 million dollars. Many other young soccer players have made the journey from the MLS to Europe, but Alphonso Davies’ MLS record transfer is a very big deal, almost the start of a new MLS. Because of Davies, the MLS and its quality are now seen in a very different light, as it is proving to produce quality players. The MLS is now taken very seriously and is seen as a high-ranking league as is growing and producing players who are taking the opportunity to compete in some of the best teams in the world, almost giving it’s nickname of “farmers league” a new meaning.•
PAGE 11
Sports
Luka Doncic: The NBA's Leading ROTY Candidate
Image Courtesy of Google Images By ANTOINE WILEY '20 Slovenian basketball prodigy Luka Doncic made waves at the 2018 NBA draft as the most decorated European basketball prospect ever. Luka went pro in the EuroLeague, Europe’s premiere professional basketball league and the second best pro basketball league in the world. At only 15 years old he utterly dominated the EuroLeague championship, Euroleague MVP, EuroLeague Final 4 MVP, and made the All-Liga ACB First Team (comprised of the EuroLeague’s ten best players) by the age of 19. Luka has the rare combination of size and skill, as he has possesses all of the passing and dribbling finesse of a seasoned point guard but has the height of a small ball forward at 6’7”. Scouts recognized that Luka was a special player, and few were surprised when he got drafted 3rd overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Basketball fans knew he was going to be good, but just how good was hard to gauge. Luka seemed great, but there have been a great number of European busts that wilted in the NBA, and there were concerns about Luka’s athleticism, specifically his lateral speed. These concerns were proven baseless once the season started. Luka has been statistically phenomenal. According to NBA.com, he leads all rookies in scoring, averaging almost 19.6 points per game; he ranks 3rd in rebounds at 6.5 per game, 2nd in assists per game at 4.4, and 5th in steals at 0.8 per game. What’s even more impressive is that Luka is dropping nearly 20 points a game at a ridiculously
efficient field goal percentage of 47%, which ranks 8th among all rookies, including centers. He’s also on fire from three, shooting 39% where other rookies have struggled to find their rhythm in the league, such as Trae Young, who is averaging a less-than-stellar 28% from three. Statistics only mean so much at such an early point in the season and his career, but if Luka can maintain these numbers, then he is sure to win rookie of the year. The Mavericks are a bottom feeder in the NBA, having finished an abysmal 13th in the West in the 2017-2018 season, so Luka is sure to get the minutes he needs to put up big numbers. In the bigger picture, the addition of Luka to the Mavs’ roster makes the team interesting for the first time in a while. Luka Doncic and sophomore point guard Dennis Smith Jr. form one of the most dynamic young backcourts in the league. This duo makes the Mavericks future look a whole lot brighter than it did just a couple years back, when questions as to whom aging superstar Dirk Nowitzki was going to pass the torch to worried Mavs fans and team executives alike. The torchbearer is now here, in the form of Luka Doncic, the talent hailed early on by a Spanish newspaper as El Niño Maravilla, or Wonder Boy. It’s definitely a big adjustment to get used to the quicker, more athleticism-dependant pace of NBA basketball, but Luka can handle it: he’s been a professional since before he could drive. •
Milton vs. Nobles Day CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
game was evenly matched until, in the last 10 minutes of the game, Milton was awarded with a penalty kick. Ollie Clarke ‘21 was to take the penalty. The fans held their breaths. Clarke ran up to shoot and the ball hit the bottom left corner of the net. Milton was up 1-0. The next ten minutes were crucial. Nobles battled hard to get on the scoreboard but in the end, Milton managed to fend them off and win 1-0. As the Boys’ Soccer Team celebrated their victory, the Milton Football Team was fighting hard against the Bulldogs. The Mustangs were down by ten the whole game. As the third quarter rolled around the Mustangs managed to cut Noble’s lead down to four. However, in the fourth quarter, Nobles scored another touchdown, bringing their lead up to 11. Milton tried hard to fight back, but the Nobles defense was just too strong. Milton could not score again. The Bulldogs ran off with a 17-6 win. Although Milton did not win many games, the quality of play and the upbeat atmosphere of Rivalry Weekend kept everyone’s spirits high. Nobles’ Day is always a day full of fun no matter if Milton wins or not. Besides, we have a year to prep and get ready to face Nobles again.•
#Girls in Stem #Girls in Gotcha #Girls in Stem #Girls in Gotcha #Girls in Stem #Girls in Gotcha #Girls in Stem #Girls in Gotcha #Girls in Stem #Girls in Gotcha
PAGE 12
Ad Nauseam
Things to be Thankful for this Thanksgiving December 1st #nonutnovember Mr. Heardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laugh <3 Black men and women being integrated into our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community since 1953 The United States: The best country in the world Getting into Harvard early early action :P Cute men with acne The rare female orgasm Sal Khan