Providence Day School's The Charger April 2024

Dear Reader,

We are thrilled for you to read our frst issue of The Charger for 2024. In the following pages, you will fnd a collection of articles written by Providence Day students, who strive to bring a unique, student voice to the PDS conversation. These articles cover a variety of topics about our school and beyond, ranging from Taylor Swift’s false feminism to accomplishments of our PD athletes. We want to shine light on our diverse and talented student body, in a creative and informative way, and give our students opportunities to share their passions with the community. We hope to provide a new perspective or highlight a story that resonates with you. Enjoy!

The Editors

CONTACT INFORMATION

The Charger is always looking for dedicated student writers, photographers, and designers. If you are interested in joining the club, or if you have a comment, question, or story idea, please write to us at pdschargermag@providenceday.org.

#Family: The Providence Day Football Program

By Cooper Kahn

During football season, Jackson Kelly’s day starts early in the classroom and ends late on the feld.

The sophomore offensive/defensive lineman on the Chargers’ state championship team hardly knows how he fnds time to balance a rigorous academic life with sports, but he does.

“In the end, it’s doable and manageable,” he says.

Kelly’s day normally starts with classes from 8:15 to 3:05. After classes, the team practices from 3:50-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. However, the team’s practices don’t end there. Mondays and Wednesdays call for early bird lifts at 7 a.m. Additionally, on Sunday, practice lasts for three hours from 2-5 pm.

The Chargers are undoubtedly a successful team, being one of the frst two high school teams to play a game at the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium and being featured on ESPN in a game against Charlotte Catholic. Game days bring a whole new level of preparation for the team.

“Like the rest of the week, we start off going to classes,” says Jackson about home games.

“When the school day ends, we eat together before warming up.”

Home games are special for the team since they allow the players to celebrate with the student section, who typically storm the feld following a win. They fnish celebrating with their friends before returning home and enjoying their one day off per week.

Away games look different for the team, given the early dismissals and new territory. Jackson says that once the team arrives at the away stadium, they do the “Charger Walk,” where the team walks to the feld to get a better feel for the type of surface they’re playing on. After the team fnishes their walk, they go to the locker room to get set up and prepare for the game. Kelly says that the team uses pregame not only to warm up on the feld but also to mentally prepare for the game. Once the game ends, the team gets back on the bus to return to PD.

Jackson loves Providence Day’s team mottos:

“#HardWorkWorks” and “#Family.”

“The mottos describe our commitment to the team,” he says. “We have each others’ back even when times get tough.”

The Global Studies Diploma: Connecting Students and Empowering Leaders

By Allana Wren

Students at Providence Day have the unique opportunity to develop their leadership and global thinking through its frst-in-the-nation Global Studies Diploma program.

“[It] offers students an opportunity to diversify and broaden their understanding of global issues, foreign affairs, and a better understanding of various cultures,” senior Liam Hedinger says.

The program, established in 2005, blends curricular and co-curricular activities to provide students with a full range of experiences.

“Students are able to apply the skills and knowledge learned in the classrooms to their own projects that they complete as extracurriculars,” junior Aliyah Kasimov says.

Adds senior Cassie Miller: “Many of my most memorable GSD experiences have come from my Global Studies classes. I’ve been able to dive into fascinating and niche subjects such as genocide and religious confict.”

Some students prefer the co-curricular aspects because GSD provides a vast array of opportunities to explore their interests.

“Whether it’s Model UN or hearing from speakers such as the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, the program has broadened my perspective and allowed me to understand complex issues from people who’ve lived them,” junior Anish Vedantham says.

Students in the program are required to take certain courses and compile their cocurricular activities in a portfolio, where they refect on their takeaways following each event. Although this does involve more work than the regular high school diploma, it allows students to explore their interests and gives them access to events that they might not otherwise have known about.

“I recommend the GSD program to students because it will allow them to learn about many foreign affairs from multiple perspectives,” Aliyah says. “My advice would be to go in with an open mind.”

The program also offers opportunities for student leadership. 12 students make up the program’s board; they make decisions about the future of the program alongside Assistant Head of Upper School Tosha Arriola and Assistant Director of Global Programming Suzanne Clements. Anish says that being on the leadership board allows student leaders to “help develop the program and work to ensure the success of program.”

“As a GSD leader, this program has given me a greater sense of agency and political effcacy,” Cassie says. “Armed with the knowledge and tools that the competencies have helped me learn, I feel prepared to go into the world and make positive change.”

Senior Reed Zimmerman also believes in the program’s lasting infuence on him.

“One of the most impactful takeaways from GSD that will stay with me is the ability to recognize the intersectionality of global issues.Being in the program has enabled me to recognize and further analyze these connections, an invaluable worldview I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Racist Roots: Racism and the North Carolina Death Penalty

By Cooper Kahn

Few topics are more contentious than the death penalty, igniting ferce debates over justice, morality, and the very essence of human rights.

In late January, during the most attended Upper School Lunch & Learn of the year, sophomore brothers Charlie and Zach Kahn screened "Racist Roots," a documentary about the death penalty and its racist history in North Carolina.

The flm, although only twenty fve minutes, reveals the complex interplay between slavery, racism, and the death penalty. It includes stories of individuals awaiting execution and exonerees, along with information about what is needed to combat the issues of racism in the death penalty.

“We wanted to educate our classmates about the ‘racist roots’ of the North Carolina death penalty,” said the Kahn brothers when asked why the showing of the flm was so important. “We wanted to spread the word.”

The brothers' interest in this issue was sparked after they attended a screening of the flm at Queens University. Immediately, the two were drawn in and knew they had to do something in order to educate others on the issue.

For some students, the documentary provided new information on the topic overall and was a neat learning opportunity.

“I think it was a really well made documentary,” said sophomore Raj Das. “I didn't know that there was so much racism in how people are judged for the death penalty.”

For others, like senior Cassie

Miller, the flm served as a reminder that more needs to be done to combat this issue. Cassie has been passionate about the movement to abolish the death penalty since middle school.

“The statistics are breathtaking,” said Cassie. “But what really ignites my fre is the personal stories of Black defendants who have lost years of their lives at the hands of a criminal justice that seeks to strip them of their liberty or, in the worst cases, their life altogether.”

Junior Matthew Harris had similar thoughts on the racist connections to the death penalty's legacy after watching the screening. “It was fascinating how the death penalty is still rooted in racism; change is necessary, as much of these juries deciding the outcome of the cases are predominantly White people when the far majority of defendants are Black males.”

“But what really ignites my fire is the personal stories of Black defendants who have lost years of their lives at the hands of a criminal justice that seeks to strip them of their liberty or, in the worst cases, their life altogether.”

Cassie Miller

Films like this, and the conversation that followed, raise awareness of these issues by creating an environment for students to learn. In turn, these actions inspire them to make change both inside and outside of their community. The scope of this issue cannot be understated. Rather, it can be understood. The brothers did more than just “spread the word;” they left a profound impact on the PD community.

Student Starts Tutoring Initiative to Improve Education

By Anish Vedantham

Arjun Rawal’s frst tutee was just a year older than him.

A few years later, the Providence Day sophomore is taking his passion for education to more than 200 students from kindergarten to college graduates.

His frst client, who transformed her grade from failing to a 99, inspired him to start TutorLion, a company “for students, by students.”

“The peer-to-peer model is extremely effective,” Arjun says. “It’s a lot more personal, given that the tutors can sympathize with the learning process and give students advice.”

He adds: “They’re more than tutors, they’re mentors.”

TutorLion impacts the larger community, with more than 100 tutors in the greater Charlotte area. And its reach is growing. The company has more than 40 tutors in eight different states and growing branches in Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The diversity of tutors allows the company to offer tutoring services in more than 30 subjects, including coding, chess, foreign language, public speaking, and entrepreneurship.

Nikhil Patel, a Spanish tutor and Providence Day junior, emphasizes the beneft for both tutor and tutee.

“In addition to building vital skills, tutoring helps both parties,” Nikhil says. “My Spanish consistency and skills have grown tremendously as I have tutored.”

One of the main draws for tutors is the wide variety of opportunities the company offers.

“We empower high school students to follow their passion,” Arjun says. “In addition to teaching, we help them get realworld experience in marketing, videography, web development, and business.”

Junior Matthew Harris, who works with the subject of fnances, agrees.

“There’s so many possibilities on the team,” he says. “There’s really an opportunity for everyone here.”

Those opportunities have extended beyond the classroom. The company boasts a middle school robotics team and two Future Problem Solvers teams, including a state-qualifying team.

But for Arjun, a big part of TutorLion is service. The company works with several nonprofts, including Project Empower, Youth Entrepreneurs of Charlotte, and a variety of diverse foundations.

“It’s really all about giving back to the community and improving local education through students,” he says.

Be Not Afraid: The Advent of AI

By Anish Vedantham

The arrival of artifcial intelligence has thrown the academic world into chaos. ChatGPT has been feared by teachers seeking to prevent cheating and revered by students looking for academic shortcuts.

From students seeking academic shortcuts to teachers seeking to prevent cheating, the academic world has been thrown into chaos around ChatGPT, a “language model designed to generate human-like text,” according to itself.

Conventional wisdom tells us to be wary of new technology. In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates questions the benefts of written language, worrying that it will lead to forgetfulness. In England, laws were passed to prevent the utility of automobiles. Time and time again, humans have resisted new technology only to eventually accept it.

This is already happening. School districts across the country are banning ChatGPT from student devices. Teachers are worrying about the future of papers, while administrators across the country grapple with the use of “AI-catching tools” like ZeroGPT.

But ChatGPT can be useful. It can help teachers and students customize education. So, the question remains: why not harness artifcial intelligence for the beneft of both? Embracing technology could allow for great academic strides and provide each learner a personal teacher.

Picture a high school English classroom, a required course, where writing levels vary. In such a space, the teacher has three options: cater to the top, the middle, or the bottom. Focusing on the top leaves two-thirds of the people in the class confused, while focusing on the bottom leaves two-thirds of the class bored. As a result, educators have to design lessons that appeal to diverse learning styles and strengths, a daunting task even for the most veteran teacher. And while schools may try and mitigate the damage, these solutions take extra time, money, and personnel.

Now, imagine a future where students use artifcial intelligence to enhance their learning. They can follow up on concepts they don’t understand, while artifcial intelligence provides them with personalized feedback. Here, AI is able to meet the students at their level, and provide a foundation of knowledge on which learners could build skills and confdence. For example, when asking ChatGPT to explain a topic, one can adjust the level of diffculty, making it easier to understand. It can create and correct practice problems of various diffculties, helping students practice concepts and skills.

But AI won’t kill the job of educators. Calculators, books and the internet didn’t. Nothing can replace the connection students build with teachers. It can also make teachers’ jobs easier, freeing more time for them to make those connections. Humanity is an educator’s greatest asset, and it’s something that cannot be replaced by technology.

Elon Musk said “[AI’s] great when the emperor is Marcus Aurelius. It’s not so great when the emperor is Caligula.” But why allow an emperor at all? Let the people elect what to do with AI. It’s time to reject fear because AI is here. What we do with it, however, is up to us.

Taylor Swift: Anti-Hero or Anti-Feminist?

By Meha Khanna

Pop sensation.

Prolific songwriter.

Record-breaker.

These are Taylor Swift.

While her music has captured the hearts of millions, she’s also a feminist icon to many. This is, however, a fallacy. She may champion female empowerment in her music and public statements, but her actions contradict her performative nature.

Accusations of “white feminism" dog her. While she readily speaks out against misogyny directed at her, she falls short in addressing broader women's issues, particularly those affecting marginalized communities. Critics highlight her failure to acknowledge intersectional struggles and speak on global women’s rights violations; although many claim she is not responsible for effecting worldwide change, she asserts she wants to do so by “stand[ing] up to double standards.”

Her following affords her a rare platform to effect meaningful change. When she encouraged voter registration, more than 35,000 people signed up to vote. This was a worthy cause, but her lack of action surrounding other women’s rights issues that claim the livelihoods of millions globally speaks volumes about her selective support. In times where she could raise her voice to save lives and reduce oppression, she is not neutral. She is complicit.

Her penchant for pitting women against each other exemplifes her weaponization of feminism. She doesn’t elevate female voices; she silences detractors. In response to a joke on a Netfix show where a character claims another “goes through men faster than Taylor Swift,” she called out the alleged sexism. Instead of taking the joke in stride as many celebrities do, she allowed her fans to blame the actress, who was simply doing her job.

Feminist movements have been built upon women uplifting each other. Swift undermines this. If she only discusses feminism when it benefts her, is she really a feminist? Should this be the type of feminism we extol?

Global feminist movements are currently demanding real change. In the words of Swift, they seek to “deconstruct an entire belief system.” However, she resorts to token gestures that are increasingly outdated and superfcial. Yet many still laud her instead of focusing on feminist revolutionaries like Bisan Owda and Faila Kataliko who are on the frontlines, risking their lives for substantive change. Such individuals are far more “iconic” to the cause of feminism. Most importantly, they are working to reform a system built on oppression to be one focused on equity.

The Unseen Thre

By Anish Vedantham

Menacing words and violent actions toward public offcials constitute the greatest threat to democracy.

The true threat to democracy lies in menacing words and violent actions toward public offcials. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department is “witnessing a deeply disturbing spike in threats against those who serve the public.”

This violence, indifferent to party lines, has targeted fgures like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.), Mayor Michelle Wu (D-Boston), and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (D-Ca.). Recent "swatting" attacks, where false emergencies are reported to offcials' homes, pose threats of harm or death. Additionally, more than 15 state capitol buildings faced bomb threats, leading to evacuations of more than 50 percent, per the Associated Press.

This is concerning. American democracy is built on a foundation of freedom of speech and mutual respect. When violent threats are directed at public offcials, it undermines this fabric. These actions have the potential to scare offcials from expressing their beliefs, causing public trust in our institutions to erode.

Election offcials also have faced a spike in threats. In fact, three out of four workers have experienced threats, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

at to Democracy

This has contributed to unprecedented levels of turnover, including in North Carolina, which has seen 40 percent of its head election workers resign.

This frightening trend has continued across the country, and yet the general public has barely noticed.

Violence can impact election security. Faced with immense pressure and violence, election offcials may be compelled to make decisions under duress, leading to a breakdown in the election process. This in turn can lead to offcials leaving out of fear for their lives, as seen in Texas where volunteer poll watchers resigned following harassment and stalking.

Politicians–at all levels of government–may also compromise their principles due to apprehension about these attacks.

The unseen threat to democracy, characterized by fear and intimidation, demands urgent recognition and rectifcation. Ordinary citizens must become aware of the actions of individuals seeking to undermine the political system.

Vigilance, condemnation of violence, and a commitment to upholding democratic values are imperative. Politicians and citizens must stand united in their critique about the fundamentally undemocratic actions of this small but powerful minority.

Three Things to Watch for During the Spring Sports Season

By Charlie Hitt

During the fall sports season, the Providence Day Chargers dominated NCISAA sports with state championships in football and cross country.

The winter sports season produced both boys and girls basketball squads making runs to the state championship, the frst time that’s happened since 2016.

Now the spring sports season is in full swing with 15 upper school teams and nine middle school teams underway. As you navigate this busy and exciting season, here are three notable storylines to keep an eye on:

Looking for a bounce-back season, Florida State commit Jaida McGrew and Purdue commit Blane McElroy lead a Girls Varsity Soccer team with high expectations. After winning three state championships in a row, the Girls Varsity soccer team fell short in the championship game last year. Nonetheless, head coach Dan Dudley has a talented roster, including McGrew and Purdue commit Blane McElroy. There will surely be some thrilling games and eventually, a deep playoff run.

“There've been some exciting games, there've been some unbelievable battles, championships, and conference championships. The biggest thing for us here is making sure that the community is aware of when and where we play. I like to treat our entire soccer program as one.”

PD Head Coach Coach

Dan Dudley

The Boys Varsity Baseball team enters their frst season in nearly 40 years without Coach Jim Cerbie or Jeff Lucia.

The two staples of the Chargers baseball program, Cerbie and Lucia coached at Providence Day for nearly four decades. Both retired this past summer after nearly winning a fourth state championship, which would have been a frst since winning back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998. The program is now in the hands of frst-year head coach Steve Bondurant.

New head baseball coach Steve Bondurant (PD class of ‘98) with his son, Hudson, and wife, Vica.

Boys Varsity Track looks to win its tenth state title in the last 11 seasons, and Girls Varsity Track looks to win its 11th straight title. Head coach Ben Hovis has built a dynasty, and he was named to the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame in February. Along with the help of coach Kris Jones, who is in his second season, Coach Hovis keeps the programs in great shape. He credits his success to the continuous talent and leadership of his athletes at Providence Day over the past decade-plus.

Head coach Ben Hovis (pictured above) has built a dynasty, and he was named to the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame in February.

Granger Bartee Commits to UNC Chapel Hill for Swimming

By Charlie Hitt

Granger Bartee, a junior at Providence Day, has shattered eight school swimming records, and he still has a year to go. He holds the fourth-fastest time for the 100 backstroke in the entire country for boys high school swimming Granger received offers from Harvard and Stanford, among other schools. Despite this, one school stood out to him during the entire college recruiting process: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“It was defnitely a unique process…one of the most stressful things I’ve had to do” he said of the recruiting process. “You have to set up calls with coaches, and I had to deal with visits this past fall. I would be gone Thursday through Sunday for three straight weekends.”

But there came a point when Granger just wanted to make his decision.

“I feel like I found the place for me,” he said, “and it’s a great feeling to have.”

The Charger recently interviewed Bartee about his decision to commit to Chapel Hill.

Q: What were the days before and after your commitment like? Were they stressful, or were they fun, or both?

A: It was a little bit of both…the weekend prior, I had just gotten back from a visit and I was supposed to have a call with the coaches from that visit so they could make a more offcial visit…before I got on that call, I said ‘I’m going to enjoy this call, but I think UNC is the place for me.’ After [the call], I told my parents ‘I think I’m ready to commit to UNC.’ That was me saying that I’m offcially ready to do this.”

Q: What are you most looking forward to [at Chapel Hill] swimming or nonswimming related?

A: Being able to compete for college will be the coolest part. I have a team with me at Providence day and at my club, but it’sA: Being able to compete for college will be the coolest part. I have a team with me at Providence day and at my club, but it’s more individual focused ...one of the coolest things about UNC is that everybody, both at training and at races, they're swimming for their team. For the logo on their cap.

Q: How has being at Providence Day improved you as a swimmer?

A: That's a good question. I think my time management has been better. I went to public school for elementary and middle school, and it was easier to get by and not be as effcient. Providence Day is very rigorous, though. Having those time management skills while I’m out of the water has led me to be more effcient while I’m in the water. Being able to focus on the task at hand has been a big learning point for me over the past few years.

An Inside Look at Providence Day’s Production of “Freaky Friday”

By Maddy Padmanabhan

Providence Day’s Upper School theater department is putting together this year’s spring musical “Freaky Friday,” a warm and humorous story about a complicated motherdaughter relationship.

“Freaky Friday” opens April 11 at the McMahon Fine Arts Center and will run through April 13. Evening shows begin at 7 p.m. each night along with a matinee at 2 p.m. on April 13.

The cast of 20 includes actors from all upper school grade levels, freshmen through seniors. The principal actors are sophomore Eli Goblenz, juniors Jackson Davis and Liza Grimes, and seniors Avery Thalberg and Cassie Miller.

The crew, led by technical director Jordan Ellis, consists of about 30 students working around the clock to bring together a show-stopping set. The crew consists of two bodies: a build crew and a run crew.

Rehearsals are split between acting and singing; some days the cast members run through songs and learn harmonies, while on other days they work scenes and transitions. After playing group games as a warmup, they consider movements and voice infection, smooth out any actions taken by the ensemble, and work in any beats, or changes in objective or emotion.

This current stage of rehearsal is called the “blocking” stage. While there is still a long

ARTS

According to Scenic Designer, April Liu, the crew’s goal with each show is “to make it better than the last,” and with this one they wanted to bring a sense of modernism to the stage that refected the themes of the musical. This culminated in one of the Providence Day Theatre Department’s most ambitious sets to date.

The entire set is focused on a two- story build placed on a rotating, circular platform. Charlie Zeller, the crew’s Master Electrician, has taken on the role of Automation Programmer specifcally for this set. The platform is attached to a motor that allows it to spin

this build as “an opportunity to work with leading industry automation software and technology.”

This year the musical is opening two weeks earlier than usual.

“It’s exciting as a senior to be able to soak up every moment, get the joy of meeting new people, and getting to watch the spark of upper school theater in their eyes,” lead actress Avery Thalberg says. “We always have our bumps, but we always get it in the end.”

Meet the Editors

Emma Adams is a senior at Providence Day who has always enjoyed writing and journalism. She got her start in the newspaper her freshman year as a writer for the Trending section, in which she wrote articles on the Uighur Muslim genocide and Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem. She was promoted to editing the Arts Section for her sophomore and junior year, and fnally in her senior year she became the Editor in Chief for The PD Charger. Outside of school, Emma swims year round and plays piano. Next year she will pursue a Biology major on a Pre Med track at a four-year university.

Jahnavi Bondada is a sophomore at Providence Day School and has been writing for The Charger since she was in eighth grade. While this is her frst year on the editing team of The Charger, she enjoys her role immensely. Outside of the Newspaper, she is also a member of the Golf Team, Track and Field team, AMEMSA, Women in STEM, and Girls Who Code. In her spare time, she enjoys collage, writing poetry, and making music. Her main goal as an editor for The Charger is to allow her writers to hone their writing skills and passion for the craft.

Juliette Echahamian is a senior at Providence Day School and is the short-form editor on the instagram of The Charger. She moved to the United States fve years ago and has been writing ever since. She loves the short-form posts because they are closely related to techniques she learned while working for Cornell’s EMI social media marketing. Outside of school, Juliette loves staying active, writing songs, and painting. She also created and is leading PD’s Women in STEM club where members see guest speakers and do fun STEM-related activities every month. After school, she plans on studying molecular biology on the Pre Med track to either become a cardiothoracic surgeon or a researcher in genetics.

Meha Khanna is a junior at Providence Day School, and the editor of the Opinion section of The Charger. She has been writing for the newspaper since her freshman year and editing since her sophomore year. Meha loves to edit the opinion section as it exposes her to a variety of different perspectives and gives her an opportunity to help students write about their own passions. Outside of writing, she is an Indian classical dancer, aerialist, and orchestral violinist. She is a passionate environmental and political activist, and helps lead the schools sustainability and SAGE clubs as well as serving on the GSD leadership team.

Julia Maybry is the editor of the Trending section for The Charger, and she has been writing since freshman year. At Providence Day, Julia participates in the Track and Cross Country team, and outside of school she plays piano. Julia takes a strong interest in world events happening right now , whether they are pop culture or major political events. As the editor of the Trending section, Julia hopes to see writers learn about and take interest in whatever is happening at the moment, as doing so only broadens our world perspective.

Elizabeth Pritchard is the sports editor for The Charger and is a current Junior at Providence Day. Elizabeth started writing for the newspaper her freshman year, and began editing her sophomore year. She plays competitive golf, which sparked her interest interviewing athletes, and learning about their diverse sports, interests and college plans! Outside of the newspaper, she is the founder of National Art Honor Society at Providence Day and Project Palette, a non-proft where she teaches youth art.

Anish Vedantham is the editor of the Features section of The Charger and has been writing since sophomore year. Anish is a part of the Global Studies Leadership Team, Model UN, Science Olympiad, and the Cross Country/Track team. As a participant in both academic and athletic facets of the school, Anish enjoys watching his writers display passion for their interests and seeing their successes highlighted for others to enjoy.