The MilTon PaPer SEPTEMBER 28th, 2018
Columns
News
The Depot #3
Yom Kippur and Religion’s Place at Milton By BRENDAN HEGARTY ’20 Last week during Monday assembly, the coheads of the Jewish Student Union (JSU), Chloe Brenner ’20 and Avery Lack ’19, took the podium to explain some of the Jewish high holidays. They explained what many of our Jewish peers were up to on the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. As Wednesday came and went for many students, the religious traditions of Yom Kippur were out
of sight and out of mind as day students and boarders alike enjoyed their day off. Nonetheless, many were celebrating. When asked how Jewish holidays are celebrated in the boarding community, Lack replied that “they aren’t.” She elaborated “some of the dorms have Jewish faculty members and they sometimes celebrate a little bit with you,” but, ultimately, it can be difficult for Jewish boarders to
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Getting to Know Head of School Mr. Bland By ADIZA ALASA ’19
As we all learned at this year’s Convocation, Milton’s Head of School Todd Bland is a family-oriented man. He enjoys physical activity, the occasional Netflix binge, SAGE’s Asian chicken medley, and of course, donning his signature bowties. Mr. Bland’s work with children stemmed from his work as a camp counselor as well as his experience caring for his younger
VOL. 36 NO. 4
MILTON’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
brother. The son and step-son of three educators, Mr. Bland used his double major in history and Spanish to teach both subjects at Belmont Hill School in the beginning of his career in education. During the course of his nine years at Belmont Hill, he began working in admissions. This role offered him the opportunity to continue teaching, advising, and coaching. As the Director of Ad-
"I’d like to say the common consensus is that the seniors during my freshman year were daunting." 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 behaviors and mindsets in the space of Milton Academy. Now, Reader, I have a question for you. Are we scary? When I say we, I mean the Class of 2019, your senior class. I ask this question because, as the school year has begun, I’ve been reflecting on my grade’s time at Milton and how we want to carry ourselves this school year as #seenyas. First, let me give you some context. I’d like to say the common consensus is that the seniors during my freshman year were daunting. Not only did the majority of boys in that class look like middle-aged men, but almost everyone in that grade had eyes that could pierce through your soul. Let me also add that the railing boys were at an all time high in participation rates. Maybe through the eyes of a freshman, these characteristics were more noticeable, for I saw them in people who towered at the top of Milton’s social ladder. Still, the Class of 2016 was something: messy, yet powerful; crazy, yet collected; intimidating, yet inspiring. The seniors during my sophomore year? Less frightening. I’d known them for a year, so our daily interactions displayed camaraderie. Nevertheless, I always walked on my tiptoes around the more assertive students of that class. I’d seen a few too many calling outs, clapbacks, and live
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stream exposés to risk mouthing off in front of the wrong people. Overall, the Class of 2017 ranked just slightly below their preceding class on the intimidation scale. And lastly remains the seniors during my junior year. Probably the least terrifying of all classes at Milton. Sure, my view is tainted by my being one year younger than those in the Class of 2018. However, “intimidating” is one word I cannot award them. I won’t dwell on them for too long, as they don’t support my point. That point being, senior classes at Milton have, in my experience, been fear-inducing entities. I haven’t determined the effects that varying levels of intimidation have on the community, but I can use my past observations to inform my decisions today. So, back to my question: Are we scary? I have an opinion on this, but I’d like to hear yours. As you contemplate your answer, here are some relating questions that I’d ask my peers. 1: Class of 2019, remember our sophomore year, when the freshmen would incessantly infringe on our rights to the tables and couches at the bottom of the stu? What stopped us from laying down the law and fortifying our stronghold? 2: For those that were Transition Program mentors this year, can you believe the banter between us and the incoming students? How dare they feel comfortable enough to throw verbal jabs and joke with us? And how dare we let them? Please do note, Reader, how ridiculous I sounded in those last two
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Inside This Issue
Jose ruiz pg.3||sophmore u.s history pg. 5|| r.i.p flik pg. 7
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The MilTon PaPer The 36th Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Opinion Manager Managiug 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 & D..J Murrell
A&E Editor Calvin Cheong
Opinion Editor Malia Chung
Faculty Sponsor Eric Idsvoog
Sports Editors Associate Editors Humor Editor Janelle Davis Katherine McDonough Sarah Alkhaji Nate Jean-Baptiste Nathan Smith Evita Thadhani News
Opinion
Brendan Hegarty Susan Urstadt Sarah Palmer Max Litvak Jenn Chen Adiza Alasa Oscar Burnes Annie Wernerfelt Elina Mraz Kendelle Grubbs
Willa DuBois Margot Becker Christian Westphal Ella O'Hanlon Emma Bradley Jana Amin Kathryn Fernandopulle Kayla Mathieu Madeline Fitzgibbon Maya Bokhari Nikhil Pande Elena Viciera Eliza Barrett-Cotter Tony Wang
A&E
Jennifer Lim Grace Li Grace Vainisi Anne Kwok Beck Kendig Gracie Denneen Jasper Burnes Lynn Yuan
Sports
Sophia Li Antoine Wiley Luke Monnich Lily Wright Zacary Omar Gianna Gallagher Sam Barrett Tori Choo
Humor
Drew Bartkus Annie Corcoran Andrew Willwerth Nate Stewart
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.
Editorial
DC Inequalities Every disciplinary system struggles with the fundamental question of how to equally punish all those, and only those, who deserve punishment. However, this idealistic system is is almost impossible to implement in reality. At Milton, and really everywhere, this fact is inevitable: the distribution of punishment is often unjust. Milton’s claim that it bases the Drug and Alcohol policies around student health and safety is obviously a valid motivation for disciplinary policies. Issues arise, however, when our disciplinary system fails to actually deter students from using harmful substances and instead simply punishes students who, out of the dozens who regularly use substances, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. These students will be forced to miss classes and will fall behind on work, while others with similar infractions will skate by unscathed. Every student reading this could probably list off multiple people who they know abuse substances regularly and will never get caught. On the other hand, certain students are more likely to get caught for drug or alcohol offenses than others. Day students, for example, are almost immune to these DCs as they’re able to use substances off campus and away from faculty. In short, the system doesn’t punish students for breaking the rules; it punishes us for getting caught. If anything, our disciplinary system reflects the harsh realities of the real world; even outside Milton, the punishment almost never fits the crime. Milton will never have a perfect disciplinary system, but we need to rethink the one that’s in place now. Milton claims to care deeply about our health and safety, but its everyday practices don’t encourage healthy lifestyles in its students. If substance-related disciplinary processes really centered around health, vaping offences would have the same penalties as marijuana related infractions do, if not stricter ones, as vaping is well known to be far more addictive. In fact, Milton doesn’t have systems in place to manage how much its students (don’t) sleep; despite recent SGA efforts, Milton’s climate is still inconducive to students’ mental health; the school doesn’t even work to encourage students, particularly boarders, to eat breakfast on a regular basis. Our campus is undeniably unhealthy and destructive, and drugs and alcohol are barely the reason why. Therefore, the message that the administration sends to the student body—however unintentionally—becomes “don’t get caught” instead of “don’t do it.” At the very least, the widespread perception amongst students often amounts to “everyone does it, and most people get away with it, so I just need to be smart about it.” DCs may be preventative in theory, yet in practice, they fail to prevent students from abusing substances. In any case, fear of punishment shouldn’t be the reason why students avoid substances. Rather, the school must pivot towards practices which focus on getting students help—beyond the existing Sanctuary and Outreach programs—and on creating a more thoughtful campus culture surrounding drugs and alcohol. We’re not calling for the school to discipline the majority of the student body; that would be chaotic and painful for many. Neither are we denying the fact that every high school requires an system to penalize drug and alcohol offenses. We’re arguing, instead, for a meaningful restructuring of the current system. We’re aware that it’s incredibly difficult to create a fair and appropriate disciplinary system, and that the administration has been trying incredibly hard for the past few years to do just that. This is a really hard issue to discuss, and we’re aware that we’re criticizing this system without offering an entirely improved one to take its place. TMP believes that because substances penalties are inherently unequal, Milton should prioritize prevention and recovery over harsh punishment. We’re not here to diminish an exceptionally complicated decision-making process. We’re simply here to tell you that something’s broken, and that we’ve noticed. •
Jose Ruiz: From Edgy Teenager to Dean of Students
news
By KENDELLE GRUBBS '20 The Dean of Students José Ruiz fills the room with standard small talk as I set up for our interview; questions about my classes and workload drown out the sounds of my keyboard clacking. With everything set up, I ask for permission to record our conversation, and he readily agrees. I start out with the question that sparked the interview: how did his experience in boarding school differ from the experience of students at Milton? Ruiz spent his high school years at Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut: a small town thirty minutes from Hartford. One of the key differences between Milton and Westminster is the amount of people; Milton’s upper school consists of about 700 students, and adding faculty and staff brings the number up to almost a thousand people, which is a community much larger than that of Westminster. “Here I sort of feel like with the K-8 division there’s a lot of bodies on campus,” Ruiz adds. One might assume that a smaller campus would equate to closer relationships between members of the community, especially in the dorms. However, Ruiz’s boarding life didn’t have any sentiment of brotherhood and sisterhood—an element of life at Milton that most borders greatly appreciate. Ruiz remarks that he didn’t feel like he had “the intimacy” that boarding students here share during their four years. Instead of being randomly sorted into one dorm for all four years of high school, as is the case for Milton, students at Westminster choose their dorms and switch every year. On the topic of dorms, Ruiz describes an emotion familiar to every border: homesickness. Although Westminster tried to help new students feel welcome with new student programming and a “corny”—yet helpful—square dance, Ruiz still felt distant from his community. He “didn’t feel truly comfortable” at Westminster until the end of his ninth grade year. “From September until December, I would talk to my parents every night,” Ruiz admits, “So I was homesick. Definitely homesick.” Despite these differences between Ruiz’s experience and the Milton one, Ruiz is grateful for his boarding experience because, though it was uncomfortable at times, it helped him become a better advisor during his future time at Milton. Working with half of the juniors in Norris House, Ruiz provides helpful advice and listens to the student’s struggles with empathy. Building on the juxtaposition between Westminster and Milton boarding life, I ask how a young Ruiz would fare in Milton’s vibrant community. He confesses that he would have felt more comfortable here, since Westminster did not have “the level of diversity that Milton has.” Ruiz describes himself as an “edgy” teenager with “a chip on his shoulder” who fought an uphill battle against the “unwritten rules” of Westminster. Milton’s culturally diverse atmosphere would have spun a very different tale for young Ruiz. Like Milton’s familiar “Dare to be True,” Westminster’s motto of “Grit and Grace” provided a message of diligence and responsibility. The grace aspect helped him “be a better human.” Ruiz adds, “there were a lot of things that I didn’t like of the senior classes before me and so, from a graceful standpoint as a senior, I knew what I didn’t want to do.” Shifting away from high school, his recent life had
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New Rules for Clubs By ADIZA ALASA ’19
On Tuesday, September 18, all heads of clubs, organizations, publications, and affinity spaces on campus attended a meeting where they learned the details of their new responsibilities. This year, clubs at Milton have three new guidelines to follow: they must now write a constitution, host one event per school year, and submit bi-yearly updates of their activities. These rules have been outlined by Ms. Reiser, Director of Student Activities, with consultation from Mr. Rodriguez, Director of Multicultural Programming. Each club constitution will include a framework for that organization. Members of each organization will have access to the document which will contain the club’s mission statement, making clear the goals that group has for the year. Constitutions will also include responsibilities for club heads and board members and details regarding membership, meetings, election processes, and, if applicable, affiliation with external groups. The constitution policy seeks to bestow each club with a concrete mission which remains consistent year to year and should allow both members and leaders to know the standard protocol. “There have been situations where students…[apply] for these leadership positions, [and] all of a sudden it’s a new process than it was the year before. And that’s unsettling,” Ms. Reiser commented on clubs before this new rule. Although the idea of a single, long-lasting club constitution may seem extreme, heads have the ability to edit as their organization changes, so long as they include the details of their amendment process within the document. All of these documents will be electronically filed in the Student Activities Office. Additionally, clubs now must hold on event, either a weekend activity or assembly, each year. These events should showcase to the general student body what the organizations is about . “There are so many
amazing opportunities here and so many passions, and I don’t think the entire community knows [about them]” Ms. Reiser said. In her mind, the visibility that these events will provide will yield increased participation in the clubs. Also, clubs will benefit from hosting weekend activities because they will receive funding from the Student Activities Association. The final new guideline is the requirement to submit an update twice a year to the Student Activities Association on what the club has been doing and any progress made on fundraising. While the changes these new club rules pose may seem irrelevant to some people, these regulations go beyond the obvious goals—these new responsibilities are designed to be easy to follow for active clubs and will compel the less active clubs into putting in the work that comes with student leadership. Feedback from club heads has been mixed. Lily Wright (I), co-head of Habitat for Humanity, is hopeful that the addition of the new rules will have a positive impact on the way clubs are run, saying “I think if [Ms. Reiser and Mr. Rodriguez] follow through and check up on everyone, [the implementation of these new rules] will be really effective and have have a beneficial impact”. On the other hand, Esteban Gutierrez (I), co-captain of Speech Team and co-head of FLLAG, is wary of how effective these new rules will be.He explains, “I think it’s just another thing people are going to do to make sure their club is approved by the school.” For Gutierrez, writing the constitution poses an additional burden on the things to do in an already overwhelming senior fall. Regardless of how club leaders feel about the new changes, these restrictions will undoubtedly create a major shift in how people interact with Milton’s clubs, for better or for worse. •
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news MR. BLAND
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-missions at Belmont Hill, Mr. Bland had an external role—he was a spokesperson for the school and interviewed prospective families. He said, “I loved that work, but after doing it for while, I knew I wanted to be a leader in a school that was more internally focused”. Following his time at Belmont, he moved on to graduate school and then to Cincinnati, Ohio to become the Principal, and later Interim Head of School, at the Seven Hills School. Mr. Bland said his experiences at each of these schools laid a solid foundation for his current role at Milton. Some of Mr. Bland’s favorite things about Milton are the range of students, the culture of allowing individuals to find their voice, and the resources we have access to. “Milton students—and I think this is part of our DNA—give each other credit and status for a huge range of interests and accomplishments. It’s not narrow. You can do lots of different things, and even... one person can do a lot different things,” Mr. Bland said. He also explains,“I think the ‘Dare to be True’ motto is very real here, and for me it is an expectation that everyone works on their voice; that you determine your truth and you are active in pursuing that truth both as a part of this community and then away from Milton.” Mr. Bland’s responsibilities with the upper, middle, and lower schools send him to different parts of campus each day. His responsibilities vary day-to-day, adding excitement to Mr. Bland’s job. Most days are packed with a variety of meetings with groups such as Human Resources or the Board of Trustees for school fundraising as well as financial aid. Mr. Bland also directs the Administrative Council (Ad Council) that represents all divisions and departments of the School. Outside of Milton, Mr. Bland serves on the Board for the SteppingStone Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that prepares underserved elementary and middle school youth for opportunities at competitive private and exam schools in the Boston area. The Ad Council has established areas of focus for the 2018-19 school year; it seeks to implement a Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, through which the Council will develop structures to understand common language and values surrounding diversity, continue to incorporate external diversity and inclusion consultants, and launch a gender identity task force to begin implementing a plan for campus-wide gender inclusion. •
RELIGION
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celebrate holidays as they would at home. “For Yom Kippur,” Lack specified, “most of the boarders that are Jewish that [she knows] just fast.” She noted that “it’s really difficult to find a way to get to services,” and that “when you’re given a free day, especially as an upperclassman, you can’t use it to celebrate a holiday, you have to use it for schoolwork.” Elaborating about other holidays as well, Lack explained that during Hanukkah, boarders “aren’t allowed to light candles in the dorms.” Although some boarders are able to go to faculty apartments to light candles, Lack ultimately called the process “kind of impossible.” In terms of general religious practices at Milton, Lack continued that “there are a lot of day students who can take boarders to church and stuff on Sundays,” but she “[doesn’t] think religion is prioritized here at Milton.” And, although she understands the difficulty in focusing on religion, she noted that during “[her] Sophomore year, [Milton] didn’t give Yom Kippur off for schoolwork, which is ridiculous, because the main way to celebrate is by not eating, and you can’t really go to class if you
haven’t eaten for twelve hours.” Regardless of their religion, boarders still find some ways to to celebrate holidays during the school year. Siramori Yattassaye ’19, one of the co-heads of Muslim Students Association (MSA), explained the experience for boarding students of practicing their faith on Muslim holidays. Yattassaye said that “Ms. Solomon helps out with organizing food, praying, and prayer time during the day,” and more generally, “she helps organize with Sage Dining, and helps students maneuver throughout the day” The boarding experience during Ramadan, the month-long holiday in which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, can be tough, and Yattassaye noted that because Milton “[has] such a busy schedule during the day” it can be hard to balance “fasting while going to classes.” She added that “people are kind of mindful, but sometimes you have to remind them when you don't have the energy to be like your normal self.” In spite of these challenges, Yattassaye stated that “Ms. Solomon works with different people like Sage Dining and the house heads to help Muslim students
during Ramadan.” She feels that at Milton, “a lot of people don’t really know about Muslim holidays,” and that “[Muslim students] barely have days off ” compared to their Jewish and Christian peers. Although she believes the Milton “schedule is not fitted for Ramadan,” Yattassaye doesn’t think that the school is not mindful about the holidays, “because when [Muslim students] do bring it up, [the school] definitely respects the holidays.” Overall, Yattassaye hoped for more accommodations for Muslim students practicing their religion, especially during Ramadan, and it seems like accommodations would be welcome for all religious students, day and boarding alike. Although scheduling around so many students can be tough, many feel that Milton as a whole could do better to understand the needs of community members, and announcements like the one last Monday morning serve as opportunities for the whole school to better understand each other’s traditions, faith, and needs.•
COUGH DROP SZN
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news Sophomore US History’s Effect on Arts Departments: A Follow-Up By SARAH PALMER '20
Last year, when the History Department gave students the opportunity to take U.S. History during their sophomore year, the Class of 2020 was excited by the prospect of completing the dreaded U.S. History requirement early and opening doors to future electives. But despite a positive response from most Milton students, the decision to allow sophomores to take U.S. History and fulfill that graduation requirement early deeply impacted the Arts Department. In the 2017-18 academic year, roughly 91 sophomores chose to take U.S History. At the same time, the number of students in usually popular art classes was, according to Visual Arts Chair Ian Tourney, “essentially cut in half.” For example, the Photography and Digital Imaging Course usually ran three full sections in a given year. Last year there were only two sections, and each section included only about 8 students. In addition, Torney emphasized that in the Visual Arts Department, courses are designed in three year cycles, since in previous years most students would take an art class during their sophomore year. As a result, advanced art courses have taken a hit. Advanced Drawing normally has two sections, but this past year it only had one; Advanced Printmaking didn’t run at all; Mr. Torney’s Advanced Painting course only had six students, which was half of the usual 12. Furthermore, in past years only about 10 students would wait until their senior year to take an Arts class, but this year that number was closer to two dozen. According to Bob Sinicrope, the director of the jazz program with 46 years of experience at Milton, in the past decade the program’s size “went from three advanced jazz classes and two first year classes down to two advanced classes and one first year class.” However, Sinicrope theorizes that this change was not due to the sophomore history class, because the Music Department offers mostly half courses, as opposed to the full courses offered by the Arts Department. Instead, Sinicrope hypothesized that this change occurred due to increased requirements and workloads outside of the Arts. He also cited the increasing pressure on students due to the college process, and the “emerg-
ing, yet not necessarily valid” belief that taking higher level Humanities and Science courses looks better on transcripts than Arts courses. In fact, Sinicrope explains that taking an interest in visual and performing Arts can separate a student from the crowd. According to Robert McGuirk, the History Department Chair, most other schools offer U.S History as an option for sophomores. McGuirk reasons that “history involves skills, just like any discipline has skills, and if the last time you wrote a History paper [was] Freshman year, [a history class as a junior or senior can be] a struggle... we want sophisticated good writing, so maybe it’s an easier transition to sophomore year.” He also noted that it is in the interest of both departments for students to take advanced electives, but acknowledges the impact that sophomore U.S. has had on the Visual Arts Department. He notes that last year, many more students signed up for the course than the History Department had anticipated. Ms. Edwards, director of the dance program, has suggested a solution that could be beneficial for both departments: if the course was originally intended for sophomores with a particular passion for history, the course should not be as accessible for students who are simply trying to get the history requirement out of the way. McGuirk disagrees with this plan, arguing that his department is “really here to do what serves the students best.” He also refuted the common misconception that Class III U.S History is easier than the traditional class, stating that the History Department “obviously [wants their] courses to be challenging.” Mr. McGuirk says the sophomore course has become less popular in the past year, with the number of students taking it decreasing to sixty—two fewer sections than the department anticipated. McGuirk sees this new number as indicative of future years, with around sixty students becoming the norm. The smaller history classes revitalized Arts courses this year; currently the Photography course has more than doubled since last year, and is at about 40 students. If McGuirk’s prediction is accurate, a balance between history and art may just be struck. •
JOSE RUIZ
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explored a fortunate chain of events. Ruiz returned to work at Westminster, but after ten years he forced himself to make a decision: either Westminster would be the only school he’d ever experience, or he would branch off towards a new path. Ruiz chose the latter, and found himself working for three years as the Associate Dean of Students at St. Marks. After former Milton faculty members Miles Bailey and Bridget Johnson approached him, Ruiz applied for his current job. Now, Ruiz resides happily as Dean of Students providing support and guidance to all who need it. Make sure to pop by the Dean’s office if you ever want a nice conversation with a man who used to be a student, dealing with all the ups and downs of high school, just like you. •
THE DEPOT #3
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points. The fortification of strongholds?! Chill. And interclass banter? NOT that radical. What I’m trying to say is that the Class of 2019, whether we’re conscious of this or not, has slowly been tearing down social structures between classes. Years past seem to have equated scariness with strong leadership, and that idea is so old-fashioned. Has anyone noticed underclassmen sitting in the upperclassmen section of Forbes?! I’m not mad about it, but can you imagine it? Milton, a place where lunch seating is not segregated by grade? I kind of like the sound of that. My mentioning of this unwritten rule may seem to be against what I’m advocating for, but perhaps speaking about these social practices at Milton is what we need to do. To think that my class may not be as “scary” as
the other senior classes scares me. We’re falling out of tradition and weirdly forging a new path. This path might be, however, what Milton has been waiting to travel down. I guess we shall see, or maybe my class might actually be scary to the underclassmen, and tradition is tougher to break than we think. I’ll only know if you let me know. So with that, make your own deposit. So long, and see you next time at ‘The Depot’. • Do you want a concern, opinion, or question of yours to be sorted, stored, valued, and remembered? Make a deposit to ‘The Depot’ today. Email olayeni_oladipo19@milton. edu and note whether you request anonymity. You can also drop off your letter in the TMP Office in Warren 304 or on www.themilton.paper.com
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FeaTure
A Day in the Life of a Farmer
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By MARGOT BECKER '20 Drumlin Farm: roughly 14 acres of perfectly tended farmland lying on 200 acres of Audubon wildlife preserve. Every Wednesday, over 150 people flock to the farmstand (which is set atop the drumlin, or “rounded hill,”) to collect their Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and mill around as the farmhands stand guard over mountains of lush, colorful, and diverse produce, which was harvested just hours before the CSA opened. The farm is a hub for environmentally conscious families and individuals from the metro-Boston area. For two weeks this summer I was lucky enough to live and work at this hub. Through my days on the farm, I learned the importance of sustainable farming. Days at Drumlin start early; a 5AM wake up means that you’ll need to hurry to get to work on time. At 6 AM sharp, two beaten, rusty, mud-covered pickup trucks, both packed with bleary farmers, bump their way out into the still-dewy fields. From 6 AM to noon, the team harvests crops for restaurants, the farmer’s market, or the CSA. Large-scale industrial farms use tools like ‘green’s harvesters’ to harvest whole rows of arugula or mesclun in just minutes; at Drumlin, we cut down every single leaf by hand. Three people might take an hour to harvest a 6 by 100 foot bed of greens. Using less labor-intensive methods to harvest food requires tools like plastic row-coverings or chemical fertilizers, which are environmentally disastrous. Plastic is inevitably ripped from row covers by tractors or tools and will never break down in the soil, and chemical fertilizers can permanently taint groundwater with hazardous substances. A farm with a sustainable mission needs massive amounts of manual labor to employ environmentally
conscious practices. However, for most, the labor is worth it. The extra work that we put in each day not only kept the land safe for both future farmers and local residents but also improved the quality of the produce. Despite this extra work, though, the farmers on Drumlin all love their time out in the fields. The long hours out in the field might sound brutal, particularly under the roasting sun in the afternoon sun, but the team of roughly 8-12 farmers (depending on the day) happily works continuously for 11 hours with only one hour of break. Natan Charytan, an NYU student who spent his summer working on the farm full-time, said that “[his] mind just kind of goes blank; it’s pretty calming when you're doing something over and over again.” Veronica Gassert, who works on the farm year-round, says that sustainable agriculture “[is] really creative,” since she is able to create something with her own hands. After a gruelling six hour morning harvest, the same pickup trucks carry in the now sweat-drenched farmers along with hundreds of pounds of produce. After a brief lunch break, the team suits up again and rumbles back out into the fields for another round of work. The afternoon brings weeding and planting, much more challenging jobs. However, sometimes guests provide some welcome relief—volunteers from the surrounding towns give their precious time to lend extra, fresh hands to the tasks at hand. Many of these volunteers participate in a CSA workshare, a program that lets people pay a reduced fee for their CSA produce in return for their help in the fields. These people make Drumlin particularly special. Gassert expressed: “I enjoy the community a lot...not just the people that I work with, but also the people who come to visit the farm and buy our produce [who] are like-minded... we care about being stewards for the land and we care about the quality of our food.”
Drumlin’s community interaction is critical, especially at the present moment. With roughly 60% of calories purchased nationwide coming from “highly processed foods” in 2015 according to Science Daily, the divide between America and its food is immense. If more people could actually experience, up close, the quality of food that can be produced without industrial techniques, they would likely be considerably more conscious about their food purchases. This increase in understanding would lead not only to more sustainable agricultural practices but also to healthier Americans. By the end of the day, every member of the team was absolutely exhausted and everyone piled into cabs or onto the tailgates of the pickup trucks as everyone rolls towards hot showers and clean clothes. On any given day, each farmhand pushes his body to the limits—exposing himself to extreme heat, lack of water, and aerobic activity. All this hard work shows at the end of a long day. However, the sweat of the farmers goes towards something worthwhile. The farm is a community, and, beyond that, it is proof that multi-crop agriculture can be sustainable. Each day of work furthers this sustainable cause, helps to grow awareness of the importance of sustainable agriculture, and shows how achievable this sustainable dream is. It’s easy to say that sustainable agriculture is unsustainable on a large scale, but that sort of thinking is just what keeps industrial farming in power. Drumlin’s 14 acres of farmland produce at least several tons of produce each week. If a similar model were implemented in areas with immense amounts of open space, such as the midwest, just imagine how much sustainable, high quality food could be produced. America needs sustainable agriculture. It’s possible— now all we need to do is make it happen. •
FLIK: R.I.P By SEBASTIAN PARK '21 AND CHRISTIAN WESTPHAL '21 We all remember last year’s “crispy potatoes” that were clearly french fries, the not-so-icy ice cream, and the watery, tasteless scrambled eggs served every morning. These memories were all elements of Flik Dining; however, we never remember the luscious cookies, the wondrous pizza at the snack bar, the delicious lunch smoothies for which everyone crowded around that small window, and the thoughtful Thanksgiving feasts that stocked the dining hall every month. People often focused on the negative parts of the company, but they never noticed the positives. Everyone always manages to find something wrong with what we eat, and while we have a right to know what we put into their bodies, we often dramatize the malignant aspects of reality. What aspects of Flik did Sage actually improve? Well, for one, the lines have been cut in half for the most part. There’s pizza everyday. There’s also bananas all the time. You can also serve yourself whatever portion sizes you desire! While some people claim Sage improved certain aspects, most of these actually prove exactly the same. Many may argue that the snackbar staff cook the chicken better. Others may argue that the pasta bar gives more choices. Some people may also say that the noodle bar variety expanded. In reality, the same snackbar staff cook the same chicken, the pasta bar is in fact even SMALLER than the Flik bar, and the noodle bar gives fewer options. Therefore, while there are some drastic benefits that came with the Sage transition, there are also many beloved elements of Flik that we lost. If we’re being realistic, Flik was no worse than Sage is. Both were equally sufficient food services, and we never realize how lucky we are to have such great food. While I’m not telling you to hate Sage, I think everyone should realize that we should appreciate Flik’s comparable status. While people always exclaim how Sage’s food has greatly improved the dining services, at the end of the day, people always find a way to complain about school food by focusing more on the cons than on the pros. In two years, or even less, I can guarantee everybody will be complaining about Sage and asking for a transition to a “better” dining service company. We often do not realize how privileged we are to have such amazing eating options. So, I challenge you to not be the typical student. Instead, try to appreciate what amazing dining opportunities have been placed in front of you, and enjoy whatever dining company as best you can. More specifically, he described how sculptors’ interactions with clay mirror “geological mechanisms,” again demonstrating the connection to nature and its unexpected contrasts. His sculptures explore and examine the “edges of interaction between humans and their environments.” Though each teacher has a unique style and medium, there are similarities behind their pieces, especially those shown in the exhibit. Each teacher has a different source of inspiration, but all connect to a larger theme of important people or places. They use art as a form of communication and expression, displaying a clear passion for art and willingness to share that appreciation with students at Milton. •
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Why I Would Redo My Class IV Talk By ELIZA BARRETT-COTTER '20 Editors’ Note: Eliza Barrett-Cotter ’20 was awarded Best of Class IV Talks for her class. I loved my Class IV Talk. I thought it was the best thing I would ever write. Now, two years later, I cringe when I re-read it. I wish I could re-write that Talk. When I chose my topic, gender bias, I thought I was being brave. The goal of my speech was to highlight some ways in which women face gender bias. But in the speech, I should not have been so apologetic about focusing on my experiences. I should have understood that women’s struggles are important enough to be the sole subject of a talk. In fact, my worry about how the boys might feel was a symptom of my fear that women’s issues aren’t important on their own and that I couldn’t assert myself unless I championed everybody. I worried that the boys in my class would take offense if I didn’t include their struggles, so I talked about bias against boys as well. I shouldn’t have worried. I should have better described the gender bias against girls the classroom. In class, girls have to raise their voices just to be heard around the Harkness table. Speaking as someone who rarely feels comfortable raising her voice, I often cease on participating in certain class conversations because it’s exhausting to have to work so hard to be heard. It’s not only when talking about gender that I find myself stepping back. In any classroom, a girl has to speak twice as loudly as a boy does to be heard. You may be frustrated at how many times you have heard this story; but it’s even more frustrating to have to raise my voice to be heard around the Harkness table. Struggling to be heard is only the beginning. Feeling invisible leads to feelings of inadequacy and invalidation in school and beyond the classroom as well. If girls don’t feel comfortable speaking up in class, how are we supposed to feel comfortable speaking up outside of it? How are we supposed to say “no” to sex if we can’t even tell our brothers and fathers to just be quiet for once while we have our say? My first English assignment this year was to consider any question and ask it in a different way. I decided to write about the question I ask myself after not having spoken up for myself: Why did I let myself get interrupted instead of raising my voice? I flipped the question to ask: Why should I have to speak so loud to be heard? I think the boys whose feelings I worried about bear blame and responsibility. In class, boys talk louder and interrupt far more often than girls do. The reason boys don’t seem to understand that cutting off other speakers is wrong is that competitive, superior, aggressive behavior is often tolerated and even expected of boys. For girls, this is not the case. If a girl interrupts a boy, she is chastised and asked to wait her turn. She is accused of exhibiting bad manners. Girls are taught to be accomodating; they are not taught to take their place at the front of the line. If I were given the chance to go back in time and change my Class IV Talk, I would take it. The Class IV Talk gave me an opportunity for me to assert myself. I feel that I gave up that opportunity and, in doing so, I let myself down. So, if I were given the chance to re-write my Talk, I would take that chance to speak up about my experiences neither quietly nor cautiously. •
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New Rules Benefit Student Organizations
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By MAYA BOKHARI '20 On Tuesday, September 18, junior and senior heads of Milton’s 50+ clubs, organizations, and publications joined their faculty sponsors and Kelly Reiser, Director of Student Activities, for a meeting that would introduce the new requirements for running a school-sponsored organization. While the immediate task at hand was to prevent any and all hazing within these groups, the club heads left Wigglesworth Hall with even more work to do outside of their already overwhelming academic schedules. The first action for all organizations involves the leaders’ drafting of a constitution by next month. Heads and board members will create a document that outlines the purpose of their organization, expectations of the participants, and goals for the group. Then, to showcase their dedication toward their constitution and weekly maintenance of their group, club heads will have to either hold a morning assembly or host an activity open to all members of the community. Finally, Ms. Reiser expects each organization to periodically provide goals and accomplishments to the Student Activities Office. Hopefully, with the addition of a concrete framework on which all organizations will be based, each organization will not only have a greater presence in the community but also have a greater impact on the community. As one of three co-heads of Milton’s South Asian Society (SAS, Thursdays @ 3!), I look forward to creating a clearer mission statement—especially since so many of our meetings are discussion based. Often filled by guest speakers whom many students feel no connection towards, Wednesday assemblies may become the perfect place to celebrate Milton’s own niche groups. In fact, I went to my first S.A.S meeting after hearing the then co-heads Pari Sharma ’18 and Vijaya Anisett ’18, present at a Monday morning assembly. So many student organizations go unnoticed by other students and faculty members, but while a required physical public presence may feel like a burden to some club heads, the overall community will benefit from an opportunity to find and connect with a group many people may not have known even existed. What many club heads may see as a waste of their valuable time may serve as motivation and a source of greater productivity for each organization. Furthermore, mandatory notifications of goals and accomplishments will undoubtedly prepare each student leader for the workplace, and, realistically, requesting information on how school-funded clubs are functioning is not too much to ask. Unfortunately, Milton students have grown accustomed to clubs’ being low priority, stress-free outlets, and, consequently, many students are now oversubscribed. Seniors, in the midst of their early college applications, make up the vast majority of club heads, and many of them are key members of multiple organizations. For them, adding the preparation of a constitution, a presentation or event, and a list of goals and accomplishments may unsuspectingly flood their already overwhelming schedules. The underclassmen, however, may have an advantage when they face the challenges of senior fall because they joined these organizations knowing the newly introduced club head responsibilities. I feel Milton will benefit from more prevalent regulations surrounding the student organization policies. Both new and returning students will have more opportunities to discover the groups they truly want to join. Additionally, the Student Activities Office will have a better understanding of where its funding goes. The current upperclassmen leaders will suffer the time limitations that accompany the extra effort that comes with the new regulations, but the underclassmen who will someday take over these clubs will not be as oversubscribed as today’s upperclassmen, and with their commitment to their groups will come valuable contributions to the community.•
The Recent Rise in Teenage Anxiety
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By MADELINE FITZGIBBON ’21 Anxiety has become an epidemic among teenagers, and no one knows what to do about it or where exactly it stems from. According to the New York Times, 30% of teenage girls and 20% of teenage boys in 2015 reported having an anxiety disorder, and according to an article in the Washington Post by Amy Ellis Nutt, anxiety was roughly six times more common in 2007 than in 1938. These numbers are disturbing, yet researchers cannot agree on a cause for the increase in anxiety. Some argue that the numbers are inaccurate and teens are exaggerating their symptoms without truly having an anxiety disorder. Others blame new technology, the shifting economy, or the pressure of school. However, anxiety is becoming a common topic of discussion as the public begins to educate itself on mental health and more teens suffer with the disorder. Many argue that teens report anxiety more often now because of the new awareness and education surrounding it. Based on personal experience, I feel that anxiety develops due to a combination of pressures from all areas of life. With near constant access to social media and therefore a constant stream of edited pictures, teenagers develop a desire to fit into a narrow idea of perfect. However, social media displays only the best moments of people’s lives, so many teenagers are striving to reach impossible standards set by their peers. In addition to the social pressures to display a perfect lifestyle, the combined stresses of succeeding
both academically and athletically in order to get accepted into a good college forces students to balance insane amounts of work. With so many pressures coming from all these different aspects of our lives, it isn’t hard to believe that anxiety rates are increasing. In addition to this combination of everyday pressures, students also feel anxious due to the responsibility they feel to be social activists. As kids grow up and become more politically aware, they begin feeling a sense of responsibility. Young people’s political opinions are overwhelmingly left-leaning, and as they notice a lack of action surrounding injustices, they feel obligated to stand up against such atrocities. While teenagers have had incredible success in movements such as the March for our Lives, they also experience dissatisfaction when they witness injustices that they can do nothing about. Although protests are effective, teens have no power in lawmaking and subsequently feel ineffective in enacting change. Combined feelings of having to live up to impossible standards of perfection and having to take responsibility for solving the world’s problems might lead to teenage anxiety. Although most researchers agree that anxiety stems from this combination of pressures, no one has a truly effective solution. I have heard many people tell me that my panic attacks are imagined and that I need to “calm down and take a deep breath.” Though terms like self care and mental health CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
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a&e Practice What You Teach
OPINION
TEENAGE ANXIETY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
IMAGE COURTESY OF PIERCE WILSON '19
By JENNIFER LIM '20 Walking into Kellner, one immediately notices the faculty exhibit, which showcases pieces from eight of Milton’s art teachers. Dedicated to Kay Herzog, a “longtime member of the faculty and champion of the Arts at Milton Academy,” the exhibit, Practice What You Teach, showcases the art teachers’ pieces that communicate the inspiration behind and individual relationship to their artwork. Mr. Nobles showcases a series of four pictures taken during his family’s move from New York to Boston. Titled Unboxed, Mr. Nobles drew inspiration from the stack of cardboard boxes he had collected. His kids reused these cardboard boxes to recreate scenes from their youthful imagination. Mr. Nobles took pictures of his kids playing with these boxes and, using Photoshop and other pictures he had taken, he created a highly realistic snapshot of his kids’ imaginations. Mr. Nobles’ passion for photography comes from the fact that it “can be used as a form of expression and creation.” Through these photographs, he hopes to demonstrate the power of creativity and imagination. Ms. Swain’s portraits and sculpture are very realistic, as she wants people to realize the “power in everyday scenes and subjects.” Because the people she chose for her portraits were important to her, she focused on keeping the background simple, shifting focus primarily toward the subject. The viewer’s primary focus on the person fosters a “new relationship with the subject,” which, to her, is important when “[observing and transcribing] the world around [her].” In doing so,
she shows how inspiration can come from anyone or anything. Ms. Hughes’ prints are so important to her because they are “an act of storytelling.” The prints in the collection are all relevant to her story. Two of them, for example, are old pictures from her Instagram. Three of her newer prints are inspired by the conversations she had this past summer with her brother about their mother. Ms. Hughes was inspired by her personal experiences and memories with her mother and tells those stories through lithographs. Mr. Pollans’ sculptures show the four Milton teachers who have impacted him the most. Inspired by their “intellectual scope, their dynamic presences, and their love of energy,” he pays homage to these four teachers: Kay Herzog (to whom this show is dedicated), John Charles Smith, David Smith, and Nina Seidenaman, who have had a significant impact on him as both a teacher and artist. While making these sculptures, he says he captured their energy and impact by “finding the visual essence.” Ms. Darling thinks of art as her first language. Her multicultural upbringing has influenced her artwork, which allowed her “the most consistent form of communication.” Due to her Japanese upbringing, Japan and its unique styles of art have influenced her pieces, which are often intertwined with styles from her western education. Ms. Darling’s work helps her “make sense of the world” and hopes it will send a message to her viewers and raise thought-provoking questions about the events happening in the world today. Mr. Torney’s oil paintings
are bandied around, concrete techniques to decrease anxiety and prevent panic attacks are rarely passed around. Students are not given enough opportunities for discussion around the topic of anxiety. If even two class periods were donated to suggesting techniques for anxiety management and allowing students to talk to each other, students could greatly improve their livelihoods. They could experience a decreased feeling of isolation and desperation and reduce anxiety through utilizing available resources and relying on friends. In a world designed to place pressure on them, teens need to learn that they do not always need to be perfect. • are inspired by the changing views from his summer studio. As the landscape changes with the weather, season, or time of day, he captures the movements through painting. Connecting to a larger theme, he explores how these transformations in nature connect to the “dichotomy between the social constructs of painting and humanity’s understanding of the intrinsic impermanence of nature and the sublime.” Mr. Fuller bridges the gap between the visual and performing arts by having the visual and performing elements of a production work together to tell a story more effectively. He “[believes] that all aspects of a production should serve to tell the story and bring it alive.” And, to him, those aspects of a play includes not only the performance but also visual elements like production posters, lighting, and set design. Mr. McDermott’s sculptures draw inspiration from nature but add an abstract twist. Most of his sculptures, for example, demonstrate the contrasts between the various landscapes of the American West, where he grew up. He chose clay as his medium for these sculptures due to “its deep literal and metaphorical connection to land.” More specifically, he described how sculptors’ interactions with clay mirror “geological mechanisms,” again demonstrating the connection to nature and its unexpected contrasts. His sculptures explore and examine the “edges of interaction between humans and their environments.” Though each teacher has a unique style and medium, there are similarities behind their pieces, especially those shown in the exhibit. Each teacher has a different source of inspiration, but all connect to a larger theme of important people or places. They use art as a form of communication and expression, displaying a clear passion for art and willingness to share that appreciation with students at Milton. •
Kava—NAH. KAVA—NAH.
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a&e
A Successful First Beatnik By LYNN YUAN '21 Saturday, September 22nd marked the first Beatnik of this academic year. Set inside Straus, the event provided a setlist packed full of spectacular performances from all classes and attracted an enthusiastic crowd. The familiar set up –various microphone stands and instruments pre-setup on the stage, chairs arranged in rows for seating, and string lights dangling across the balcony railings– welcomed the students entering the building. Snacks and beverages were strewn about on the tables on each side of the doors, stacked in boxes which arrived shortly after the start of performances. Students packed the room, sitting on the balcony level or on the windowsills, chattering with their friends and waiting for the first performance to begin. Shortly after seven thirty, loud cheers emerged from the audience as the heads of Magus Mabus Music, Olayeni Oladipo ’19 and Kat Stephan ’19, introduced the event. The lights dimmed as the Advanced Jazz Class started the night off with an upbeat piece featuring several impressive, improvised solos. This performance was followed by various solo and duet vocal pieces, the first being Anna Holtschlag ’20, who covered “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae. After Holtschlag, Charlie Volpe ’20 performed Ninja Sex Party’s “Danny Don’t You Know,” which featured bold lyrics that visibly amused the crowd. The set list continued, showcasing many performances of different styles and genres, ranging from acoustic, soft songs, to a lively rock performance. Some more highlights include Siramori Yattasaye ’19 and Katie Cabrera ’21, who performed of an original song and Jess Rush ’19, who bravely ventured into live vocals. The Spanish Exchange students also put up a very high energy performance in Spanish that drew considerable audience participation. In addition to vocal singing, several musicians demonstrated Milton students’ instrumental talent. An intense rendition of “Unravel” on the piano by Tim Fan ’21 blew the audience away, and the jazz group wowed the audience again with a second piece halfway through the show. Although all the performances were undoubtedly amazing and original, what stood out the most about this Beatnik was the audience’s enthusiasm throughout the event. Each performer was welcomed with much cheering and anticipation, and left the stage accompanied by loud applause. When performers asked for audience participation, their requests were always received well by the majority. The crowd could also be seen waving phone flashlights in the air for various soloists, as if it were a concert. All these instances of participation helped to create a high energy, positive atmosphere for the event, most audience members leaving the event feeling satisfied by time well spent. Overall, the first Beatnik of the year was a success, and it heralds the promise of many more successful Beatniks to come. Magus Mabus music has also created an Instagram page, @magusmabusmusic to showcase highlights of each Beatnik, for those students who could not attend the event. Keep a lookout for more Beatniks!•
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By GRACE VAINISI '19 On September 17, the 70th Emmy Awards show aired. I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t watch them—or didn’t know they were airing at all. The show’s ratings dropped ten percent from last year’s, setting an all-time low. Although we’ll probably never be able to pinpoint a precise reason for why the numbers are so low, we can identify a lot of factors that may have contributed to such low ratings. A big reason may be that it’s now so easy for us to watch highlights of award shows that it seems almost a waste of time to sit through the whole thing, commercials and all. Why would we, when we can watch sixty second long snippets of noteworthy highlights and funny moments compiled for us on one of the many social media apps at our disposal? A more controversial reason, perhaps, lies in our population’s minimal interest in the hosts and actors’ speeches, which appear to be becoming more and more political with each passing show. Some viewers want to escape the polarized political climate of our world for even the short length of an awards show, so they will turn it off the minute they disapprove of some political occurrence. There’s a strong belief that actors should just act, that it’s neither their place nor job to share their personal opinions. It makes sense that the Emmys would want to avoid political topics altogether, as they would rather celebrate winning TV shows in an effort to unite an audience than alienate watchers who aren’t interested in the opinions of celebrities. However, the hosts and actors at the Emmys have a unique opportunity to express messages to the huge audience they have access to. For instance,
celebrities at the Golden Globes played a major role in the unprecedented acknowledgement that the #MeToo movement received. The speeches of winners are so widely spread—even if it’s mostly through social media and not through the live viewing of the event— they for can shed light on certain topics that may have never received the same attention. The question of whether or not politics should have a place at an arts awards show also bleeds into the discussion of politics’ place in the arts world in general. The reality is that we waste influence and opportunities for expression if we turn away from statements made through art. Avoiding controversy is useless—in today’s world, anything we do or say will generate some level of controversy, so attempts to avoid it are futile. The rich opportunities for expression are not to say, though, that art should always be about spreading political messages. Art also provides a great refuge from our political climate, and we should remember to take advantage of that as well. The Emmys this year had some really special moments: Regina King’s win, Ryan Murphy’s speech on behalf of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” and Betty White’s appearance, which took the entire event to the next level. If we choose to turn away from shows like the Emmys in order to take refuge from the chance that a celebrity will say something that challenges our own views, we will miss so many more moments like these. And we are all so blessed to have our lives overlap even slightly with the life of Betty White; to miss the light she shines onto us all would be absolutely devastating.•
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a&e To All
The
Boys I’ve loved Before, A Review
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By ANNE KWOK '21 August 2018 was the month of Asian-Americans in the media. Two days after Crazy Rich Asians was released to cinemas, a rom-com starring an Asian-American lead came out on Netflix. It’s an airbrushed, soft piano music, sweet gestures kind of movie. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, about teenage Korean-American girl Lara Jean, is loosely based on the teenage years of author Jenny Han. Lara Jean (Lana Condor) is a hopeless romantic who has never been in a relationship. In the movie, she writes heartfelt, incredibly embarrassing love letters to all the crushes she’s ever had and hides all of the letters in a box in her room. Her little sister decides that Lara’s introvertedness needed some change, and mails out all the letters to their recipients. The twist–one of these letters is addressed to Lara’s older sister’s boyfriend, Josh. Desperate to save the situation, Lara impulsively kisses the school’s sweetheart, Peter Kavinsky, in front of Josh, initiating a series of events that lead to an inevitable love triangle. The movie is a success, earning a 96% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a rapidly growing fanbase, and a huge following of the cast. However, the production of the movie had not always been smooth sailing. Jenny Han said in her New York Times Op-ed that "the interest (from production companies) died as soon as [she] made it clear the lead had to be Asian–American." Eventually, one production company shared her view that “the fact that the lead was Asian-American wasn’t seen as a liability.” The film is groundbreaking in the sense that it opens up a new chapter
for the representation of Asian minorities in entertainment. The movie reuses, but cleverly executes the rom-com tropes of “having no choice but to date”, “writing out a dating contract” and “escalating conflict between potential love interests 1 and 2.” It has an amusing plotline, with the perfect sprinkle of conflict to keep the audience on its toes, but it’s not too tense so that they can comfortably watch the story unfold. Everyone in the movie is kept real and believable, with many lovable characters, like Lara Jean’s little sister – annoying as all sisters are but a source of comfort when needed. My favorite part was the snippets of Asian culture on an American screen, like yoghurt drinks and the Korean dishes Lara’s caucasian father makes (or attempts to make). The movie has a 90’s feel that makes the setting seem very quaint and intimate, yet it also has modern elements in the plot, such as social media. From beginning to end, the movie was not just amusing, but also warm and comforting. A curious aspect in the film is Lara’s Korean mother and her early death. Her mother wasn’t a focus, and it would have been interesting to see how her absence from Lara’s childhood shaped Lara. I would have also liked more development of Peter Kavinsky’s (Noah Centineo) character. Critics have said that “Centineo performs a type of compassionate male energy that is in short supply in movies at the moment.” In contrast to male leads in many others rom-coms, Peter has a certain element of vulnerability and gentleness that’s comforting to watch, and, furthermore, the actor’s chemistry with Lana Condor is undeniably convincing.
Peter doesn’t fall for Lara Jean because of a sudden realization that she’s attractive, nor is he overwhelmed by the sudden but transient feelings of a teenager; the steady and logical development of attraction creates more substance in the couple’s relationship. I personally appreciate that the core of the movie is not about a clash of cultures and, hence, normalizes a racial minority character in the lead. It shows that stories about identity don’t always have to be painful: they can be beautiful and mellow as well. Though the film mostly avoided racial topics, the scene where Lara and her sister are watching the racist character of “Long Duck Dong” in popular rom-com Sixteen Candles, makes a point that media can sometimes portray their minority audience as racist stereotypes for slapstick humor. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is, in every sense of the term, a good movie. It’s the kind of movie that you watch and go to sleep with a smile on your face, providing a similar feeling that warm mug of hot chocolate can on a pastel-tinted day. Lara Jean is a dreamy yet bold cinematic revolution, and in Jenny Han’s own words: "There is power in seeing a face that looks like yours do something, be someone. There is power in moving from the sidelines to the center.”•
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sPorTs
Increased Interest in Women’s Collegiate Sports
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By GIANNA GALLAGHER '21 Tom Brady, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer: all of these names have one thing in common: that they are all male athletes. Unfortunately, names such as Serena Williams, Mia Hamm, Ronda Rousey, and Simone Biles don’t sound as familiar, even though these names are some of the reasons why women’s athletics are quickly increasing in popularity. Each year, more and more women and girls join sports teams and become a “student-athlete.” With the increasing popularity of girls’ sports, more girls are motivated to continue playing in college. According to an article written in The She Network, a publication run by the Women’s Sports Foundation, stated that “before Title IX (1972), one in 27 girls played sports. Today that number is two in five,”. As part of the Milton community, we can see the growth of girls in sports by looking at the athletics on our campus. This fall, many girls attended tryouts for sports such as volleyball and soccer. These two sports in particular were so popular that, unfortunately, there was not enough room on the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams to keep everyone who wanted to play. Girl’s Volleyball does not have a 3rds team, and Girl’s Soccer did
not have enough room to keep all the Sophomores and Juniors on their one Junior Varsity team. Considering the outcome at both girls’ teams tryouts, our athletic director, Mr. Reddicks, fixed the shortage of teams for girls athletics by creating an intramural volleyball team, as well as a girl’s JV A and B soccer team, both of which had not been necessary in previous years. Not only are young women gaining interest in playing sports, more and more females are committing to college for their sports. Before the 2018-2019 school year even began, our senior class had several female athletes already committed to colleges. In an interview, Julia Johnson ‘19, who committed early to play Hockey in college, stated, “It might just be the fact that I wasn’t very close with many seniors my freshman year, so I may have just not known, but I don’t remember hearing about any senior girls committing early to play at Middlebury. This year though, I know that there are a bunch of other girls who are committed to different schools, which is really exciting for all of us.” Over the course of four short years, the number of female athletes committing to play in college has grown tremendously. However, the problem still arises during
the recruiting process of finding a school that offers one’s particular sport. As Julia said, “I think that for hockey especially, even though it’s expanding really quickly, the recruiting process can be a bit harder since there are a lot of schools that don’t have women’s hockey. Even though many schools do, there are less spots for women to play college hockey than there are for men, which could make it a little more difficult to get the chance. In general, however, I don’t know if it’s harder for women, although it very well could be because there isn’t always equal opportunity.” Hopefully, as time goes on, women collegiate athletes will become just as popular as male collegiate athletes. As Julia nicely said, “I think something I want people to know about recruiting in general is that academics come first. Pretty much everyone who commits to a school chooses it because it’s the right school for him or her academically, and sports are just a nice addition.” However, sports are now rapidly becoming a big factor on choosing what school is right for him or her, giving a promising athletic future to both men and women.•
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sPorTs
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Browns Finally Win!
IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE
By LUKE MONNICH '21 On September 20th, the Cleveland Browns played against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. This game may have been anticipated to be like a bore since both of these teams have, in previous years, been at the bottom of the NFL. However, this was no normal football game . After having a losing streak since December, 2016, the Browns finally won, upsetting the Jet 2117. Prior to their win in December, 2016, the Browns had not won since December, 2015. The Browns have had some of their worst seasons these past two years, going 1-15 in 2016 and 0-16 in 2017. The losing streak is over and Cleveland Browns fans finally see new hope in the team. This win could be the turning point that the team needed. Let's take a look at how the Browns managed to lose 19 games in a row. In 2014, when the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel as their starting quarterback, things took a sharp turn. Since 2014, 14 different quarterbacks have stepped into the pocket for the Browns. While a quarterback usually plays for a team for about three to four years, the Browns’ quarterbacks kept on underperforming, forcing the Browns to find and draft replacements. However, the “curse” of the quarterbacks did not start in 2014;
the Browns have started 20 quarterbacks since the 1999 season, the most in the league. Some recognizable names that underperformed are Robert Griffin III, Brian Hoyer, and Josh McCown. However, with rookie Baker Mayfield, 2017 Heisman winner and first draft pick, the Browns may be seeing a new franchise quarterback. This win was not a fluke of nature; the first two games of the year for the Browns were extremely close. They tied the former playoff contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and lost to the powerhouse of the New Orleans Saints’ offense by only three points. The Browns only lost these games because of missed field goals that would have helped them beat the Steelers and push the Saints into overtime. These last two games have been a rollercoaster ride for all NFL fans. Zane Gonzalez, the Browns’ kicker for these two games, missed two doable field goals against the Saints, losing out on points that easily could have put the game in his team’s favor. Everyone has been hoping to see the Browns win a game this year, and seeing victory torn from their hands two games in a row was excruciating. Thankfully, the Browns added new kicker Greg Joseph to their roster. There is hope that with this new addition to the team will miss fewer field goals than the Browns historically have.
The question now is “what’s next”? Because of the promise the Browns have shown this early into the season, their fans should definitely show hope for the team. In one half, Baker Mayfield displayed immense talent and capability to help the team. Cleveland has the youngest team average in the NFL by almost a year, meaning that their players are still improving and are better at recovering on a week to week basis. The Browns most likely will not make the playoffs this year, but if Mayfield continues improving, they could work their way to a playoff-contending run in just a few of years. With the Cleveland Cavaliers’ loss of Lebron James this summer, Cleveland sports fans now may have a new team to support in the upcoming years. •
nO nO cHeAtInG !!!!!! cHeAtInG
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TMP
Music
FOR ALL WE KNOW BY NAO
recommended by Pierce Wilson '19
K.T.S.E
BY TEYANA TAYLOR
recommended by Kat Stephan '19
OK COMPUTER BY RADIOHEAD
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THE FIRST
BY WILLOW SMITH
recommended by Abby Foster '19
SPORtS
Girls’ Cross Country Recap By LILY WRIGHT '19 30 girls. 3.1 forested miles. One race. This past Saturday, the Milton Girls’ Cross Country team competed in its first home meet at Cunningham Park. After three weeks of hard training, the team battled Rivers and St. Paul's as fans cheered nearby. Despite the course being extremely difficult in terrain, Milton’s home course has long been considered a favorite in the ISL for its tranquil stretches through Cunningham’s woods and forgiving concrete downhill right before the finish. On Saturday, Milton beat Rivers and came second to St. Paul’s by a mere
two points. Ellie Mraz ‘21 impressed crowds, finishing first overall with a blistering time of 20 minutes and 4 seconds, only thirty seconds away from the school record of 19 minutes 36 seconds! Another strong performance came from Evita Thadani ‘20, who finished in 6th place with an impressive time of 22 minutes and 48 seconds. Lila Milles ‘22 and Anna Hamblet ‘22 also had extremely powerful races, finishing in 23 seconds and 6 seconds and 24 minutes and 4 seconds, respectively, which accounted for placing ninth and twelfth overall. Other top fifteen finishes included Tara O’Malley ‘20, Netty Hitt
‘20, and Jeanna Shaw ‘20. This coming Saturday, the team will face BB&N, Groton, and Brooks where we are team is hoping to have an even more successful race. •
we <3 Roe v. Wade
TMP
Music
TMP 36's Album Recommendations EAST ATLANTA LOVE LETTER BY 6LACK
recommended by D.J Murrell '19
SATURATION TRIOLOGY BY BROCKHAMPTON
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THE ELECTRIC LADY BY JANELLE MONAE
recommended by Pierce Wilson '19 and Natasha Roy '19
MAKE MY BED BY KING PRINCESS
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NEGRO SWAN
BY BLOOD ORANGE
recommended by Nate J.B '19
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ThinGs
To
do duRinG FRees (insTeAd
oF
hoMewoRk)
1. Call Dennis Febo and have an engaging dialogue about invisible waves 2. Teach SAGE food service about flavor and why food should have it 3. Play hide and go seek in the crowds at lunch 4. Drive home ‘cause you really gotta drop a #2 but not at school 5. Create a lookbook for the F/W’18 season security outfits 6. Lay back and have an in-depth read of the new academic integrity packet 7. Schedule 17 meetings with Mr. Skinner only to decide you don’t want to go to college 8. Send lost and found emails 9. Deconstruct the social concept that is grades 10. Ask a senior where they’re applying to college to make a senior friend. They want to be asked. 11. Get together with your black friends and summon the ~diversity~ photographer 12. Find where all the chocolate milk from lunch hides 13. Realize you’re accidentally skipping P.E.
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