The Rivers Edge - 2020 Graduation Issue

Celebrating 50 Years of Student Voice

THE RIVERS EDGE Vol. L, Number 5

The Rivers School, Weston, MA

Following coronavirus response, what will Rivers look like in fall?

BY MAX MEYERHARDT ’21 CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Uncertainty. The word that can characterize any event, thought - optimistic or pessimistic - and just about everything else occurring in all of our lives right now. With the shadow of pain and damage COVID-19 cast upon the world, the Rivers community, as with everyone else on the planet, is certainly not immune.

Departing for March break was filled with uncertainty, but very few could have predicted the situation we find ourselves in now. With school cancelled

for the remainder of the year and summer plans cancelled or up in the air, even going back in the fall is no guarantee. Optimism shattered and fear induced, we are all eagerly and fearfully wondering what the future may hold.

Still, there are reasons to be hopeful.

School and online learning is not as bad as it could have been.

“This experience, if nothing else, has fortified my academic resilience and responsibility,” said junior Owen Nagode.

The thoughtful preparations of Rivers and its teachers have not only helped alleviate the uncertainty in students’ lives, but also

filled our days with much needed structure. While other schools scrambled for ways to teach their students in late March and early April, Rivers was prepared for the worst, which unfortunately ended up playing out. Although six-hour school days over Zoom will never compare to the feeling of simply stepping foot on campus and be surrounded by friends and a caring faculty, it has allowed Rivers students to continue learning and finish the school year strong.

After Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts officially announced on April 21 the closure Continued on page 3

continued to support me throughout the years,” Pipe said. “I have done a little bit of everything in my time, but most of all I will cherish my 20-plus years coaching both soccer and basketball.”

In the summer of 1998, former Head of School Tom Olverson hired Pipe to take over coaching the boys’ varsity program, which had struggled through the 1990s.

After posting a 5-11-1 record in his first year, Pipe led the boys’ soccer team to three NEPSAC Championships in four years, highlighted by the program’s first Independent School League Championship and NEPSAC Class A Championship in 2001.

Rivers’ Class A victory over a stacked Loomis-Chafee team that year marked the third time in over 50 years that an ISL school had

won that coveted title.

Pipe stepped down as soccer coach in 2018, handing the reins over to current coach Steve Schechter ‘89, but without question he established Rivers boys’ soccer as a stellar program in New England. Rivers players have gone on to have standout college careers. For example, current math teacher and assistant coach Matt Dias-Costa ’13 won two championships at Bowdoin, while Charlie Rugg ’09 followed his distinguished career at Boston College by playing in the MLS. In 1999, Pipe took over coaching girls’ varsity basketball and his magic touch and winning ways continued as he developed the program into one of the strongest in New England, winning Continued on page 8

After 23 years, Pipe leaves lasting legacy on athletics and community

BY WILL CONWAY ’21 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

After being a part of the Rivers community for over 20 years, Bob Pipe - known to most as simply Pipe - will be leaving Rivers at the end of the spring to become the new Athletic Director at St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island.

Pipe first arrived at Rivers in 1998 and has served in various positions throughout his time on campus. For the past five years, Pipe has been the head Athletic Director. Throughout his time at Rivers, however, he was also a two-season varsity coach, a class dean, and the Assistant Athletic Director.

“Rivers gave me a chance when I needed one and they have

May 29, 2020

Prize Day 2020

The Faculty Prize Joel Manasseh ’20 Dudley H. Willis Trustee Prize Henry Lewis ’20, Callie Lefebrve ’20 & Rachel Mann ’20 The Jeremiah J. Sheehan Memorial Prize Rylee Glennon ’20 The Hooper Lawrence Memorial Prize Jacquelyn Benjes’20 The F. Ervin Prince Award Laylah Espaillat ’24 & Alex Goldsmith ’24 The Harvard Club Prize Talia Davis ’21 The Thomas P. Olverson Prize Margaret Leeming ’21 The Williams College Book Award Jessica Bargamian ’21 The Brown University Alumni Book Award Joshua Rocha ’21 The CCCE Award Sydney Greer’20 The Johns Hopkins Univ. Alumni Faculty Prize Ian Behrstock ’22 Kenneth F. Benjamin ’50 Citizenship Award Charlotte Diamond ’23

& Alex Massarotti ’23 Robert W. Rivers Prize for English Rayha McPherson ’20 The Mathematics Prize Jack Morgan ’20 & Kate Eselius ’20 The Science Prize Jack Morgan ’20 & Lauren Corliss ’20 The George Woodbridge History Prize Sydney Greer ’20 The Interdisciplinary Studies Prize Jonah Berg ’20 The Otto Alcaide Language Prize/Spanish Jacquelyn Benjes ’20 The Otto Alcaide Language Prize/French Ryan Johnsen ’20 The Austin A. Chute Memorial Prize Adeline Vettel ’20 The Modern Language Prize for Chinese Lucas Lisman ’20 Three-Dimensional Arts Prize (Ceramics) Kate Eselius ’20 Three-Dimensional Arts Prize (Sculpture) Carter Ablon ’20 The Two-Dimensional Arts Prize Lauren Barich’20 & Annabelle Hasselbeck ’20 The Photography Prize Nicholas Hardy’20 & George Reinhardt ’20 The Choral Music Prize Sydney Greer ’20 The Classical Music Prize Daniel Weitz ’20, Isabel Salvin ’20 & Yasmin Meyers ’20 David Killam Instrumental Music Prize Henry Lewis ’20 & Joel Manasseh ’20 The Nonesuch Players Prize Aliesha Campbell ’20 Priscilla Wallace Strauss Athletic Prize Annabelle Hasselbeck ’20 The James A. Navoni Athletic Prize

Ryan Rahbany ’20 ISL Award of Excellence Maggie Barrows’20 & Jack Morgan ’20 Senior Award for Exceptional Dedication to Athletics Maggie Barrow ’20, Lilly Branka ’20, Annabelle Hasselbeck ’20, Jack Morgan ’20, Sam Sousa ’20 & Rylee Glennon ’20 Cum Laude Winners: Apsi Balamurugan ’20, Lauren Barich ’20, Jackie Benjes ’20, Jonah Berg ’20, Sofia Buckle ’20, Jack Desmond ’20, Kate Eselius ’20, Ryan Johnsen ’20, Joel Manasseh ’20, Rayha McPherson ’20, Jack Morgan ’20, Isabel Salvin ’20, Andrew Sledeski ’20, Philip Tresca ’20 & Daniel Weitz ’20

The Rivers Edge

Page 2

May 29, 2020

News

John Bower named interim head of the Middle School

BY SEBASTIAN CONNELLY ’22 STAFF WRITER

John Bower, the current assistant Head of the Middle School, will serve as the interim Head of the Middle School for the 20202021 academic year. Bower has worked at Rivers for the past 12 years. In addition to teaching, he has also served as director of diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as Assistant Head of the Middle School.

A well-rounded educator in his own right, Bower also directs the Middle School chorus, oversees the music for the musicals for both the Middle School and the Upper School, and has taught French in both divisions.

Bower will replace Dr. Michael Kris ’87, the current Head of the Middle School, who has decided to depart Rivers after five years to work in parenting education.

Bower believes his past experience in serving as director of diversity, equity, and inclusion will serve him well in this new administrative role. “A lot of the skillset that is required of people that are diversity directors are similar and parallel to the responsibility of other administrators,” he said.

His past work with students, parents, and teachers all from a wide variety of backgrounds will help him greatly in his new role of Head of the Middle School,

Bower said. His previous role as director of DEI took him out of the classroom more than he would have liked since he was responsible for the entire school’s diversity program. He stepped down last year and the position of DEI director is now held by Ava Archibald.

One thing that Bower is most looking forward to is the increased time he will get to spend near middle schoolers. “I want to be back with middle school kids,” he said “It’s where my heart is, it’s where my passion is, and I love the age group.”

Another aspect that he loves about middle schoolers is that “they are hilarious,” Bower said.

“One day to the next you never know what you are going to get.

Some of that element of surprise and discovery for middle school students is really exciting to me.

There is so much growth and development for middle school students that is awesome.”

A long time member of the close-knit group of teachers, Bower also loves working with the Middle School faculty and hopes to foster a beneficial culture and morale among the faculty. Making sure that Middle School teachers have a voice is crucial to him. By ensuring that, he will help the faculty have the opportunity to be innovative and creative in their own way, which is one of Bower’s top priorities.

Still, Bower understands that this new administrative position will pull him out of teaching more than he would like. He will still be able to teach the Middle School Chorus. However, he won’t be able to participate as actively as he once did in the Upper School musical, and won’t be able to direct music. Bower described this as “a tough pill to swallow, because it is something that I’m also really passionate about.” Nevertheless, Bower will now be dealing with the 125 students in the Middle School instead of just the ones that were in his class.

“I’m hoping to get into the classrooms to observe the teachers, but also to see the kids and the way they are interacting to make sure we are putting together as appropriate a program for Middle School students as possible,” he said.

Bower knows his position is an interim one, but he has every intention to take it head on. And he would certainly like to make this position a full-time one if offered. “I have been at Rivers for twelve years now and don’t see myself working anywhere else, so I do hope that I am able to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to have this position carry on into one that becomes full time.”

Bower also sees this uncertain, stressful quarantine time as an opportunity for both the divisions of the school “to be innovative, to

John Bower has served many roles at Rivers and is prepared to take over as interim head of the Middle School. K. Harrigan. think outside the box, and recog- able to really reflect on who they nize there are certain guidelines are as learners and how they are we are going to have to follow as progressing in their skill developwell as stepping back and looking ment.”

Despite this, Bower does have at this in a different way,” he said.

“I think there are a lot of creative a few changes in mind. “I do think and innovative approaches to that one of my focuses will be looking at what middle school making the extracurricular offereducation can look like in this ings in the Middle School more robust,” he said. “Middle School new normal.”

Bower is eager to carrying on is a time of discovery, and right the great education and programs now the schedule doesn’t allow that have been established in the for as many clubs and extracurMiddle School, “I love the cur- ricular opportunities as I would riculum we have in the Middle like to provide some more opSchool and I love the philoso- portunities for students to explore phy around no grades and being and develop their passions.”

After five years at Rivers, Keith Zalaski, a math teacher, a former class dean, and the varsity boys’ basketball coach, was appointed the new Athletic Director. Richins. multitude of sports will make him an effective leader of the Rivers athletics program. Both an athlete and a coach, he has a fascination with creating an optimal team atmosphere.

Keeping Rivers athletics at a highly competitive level is Zalaski’s main goal as the Athletic Director. He also wants to create more opportunities for teams rather than simply just practicing and playing games. This includes tying athletic teams back to the community. Zalaski is going to work with seniors and captains to help foster the team environment,

which is imperative to a team’s successes.

Mr. Pipe was pleased about the hand-off to Mr. Zalaski and believes he is a strong fit for the position. “His knowledge of Rivers and his relationships with the kids and coaches make it an easy fit and transition for him and for Rivers,” Pipe said. “Keith has proven to be an excellent coach and leader who exemplifies Excellence with Humanity.”

Many student’s share Mr. Pipe’s enthusiasm for Mr. Zalaski in this new role. “Mr. Zalaski is someone who cares deeply about others around him. He always wants to get the job done the right way, and this will blend perfectly into his new position,” said Max Poulton ‘22, who has played for Zalaski on the varsity basketball team for the past two years. “He will help the athletic department move forward in the absence of Mr. Pipe.”

Zalaski has had his fair share of success on the hardwood, winning 103 games in his first five years as head coach of boys varsity basketball. The boys’ basketball team has made the playoffs each year he has coached and has even been to a few New England finals.

Next year, about a dozen of Mr. Zalaski’s former players will have played or be playing at the college level. Some of his proudest moments are getting the chance to watch his former athletes thrive at

Teacher and coach Keith Zalaski appointed new AD

BY MICHAEL PASKO ’22 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a long search process with over 370 applicants, Rivers has found its new Athletic Director, but he is certainly a familiar face. Keith Zalaski, known on campus as simply Z, will be taking over the reins of Rivers’ vaunted athletic program, which outgoing AD Bob Pipe helped build.

Without question this is a vital position at the school, as athletics are valued by the Rivers community and highly respected by many. Simply put, Mr. Zalaski is a people’s person. He can be seen all around campus, whether that be at games, coaching boys’ varsity basketball, or spectating, in the Math Office, or just hanging out in the cafeteria chatting with colleagues and students.

Widely respected, Mr. Zalaski’s charisma and infectious personality are a large part of why he wanted this new role and all it has to offer. He loves working with a wide range of students and enjoys getting to know as many people as possible. Zalaski hopes that the Athletic Director position will allow him to get to know more students and see them in a different setting, too.

In addition to being a people’s person, Mr. Zalaski is a sports fanatic. Throughout his life, he has had the opportunity to be involved

with many different sports and has a deep seeded passion for athletics. He sees the power and benefits in sports and what they can help people achieve, as well as the lessons they provide.

“In my five years at Rivers, I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my time working with the students, parents, and faculty in a variety of roles,” Zalaski said in a recent interview. “I fully believe that the education of kids goes well beyond the walls of the classroom, and I’m very excited to be stepping into the role of Athletic Director.”

Zalaski wants to give Rivers students the same great athletic experience that he was fortunate enough to have growing up. After a stellar high school basketball career, he went on to Amherst College where he earned a BA in economics and played basketball and captained the golf team (he has a 3 handicap). He later earned an MA in teaching from Tufts University where he served as an assistant men’s basketball coach.

The consummate community member, Zalaski values interaction and wants to be as involved as possible. One of his goals is to always emphasize the Rivers ideal of “excellence with humanity.” He thinks the “humanity” component of the core values is especially important in regards to athletics.

Mr. Zalaski feels his interest in a

the collegiate level.

Although Zalaski is an accomplished coach, his character and passion for both academics and athletics is what stands out. Head of School Ned Parsons described Mr. Zalaski as a “teacher, advisor, and mentor to so many on the campus far away from his coaching responsibilities.”

“Keith understands the value of athletics in the lives of young people—at every level, in any sport—and he brings that holistic understanding to the role,” Parsons added. “From college-bound varsity athletes to Middle School students trying a sport for the first time, Keith knows how our program needs to serve each child.”

With his new role on campus, Mr. Zalaski will be reducing his teaching load, but he still wants to stay in the classroom and stay connected with the Math Department. In regards to the fall season in the era of COVID, Zalaski is as optimistic as possible given the circumstances. He acknowledges that the Rivers faculty is working hard in preparing the best possible situation for students this fall, and he is excited to continue the legacy of Rivers athletics come September.

“I look forward to helping ensure that all our student-athletes leave with memories and experiences that they can turn to long after their time on campus,” he said.

The Rivers Edge

May 29, 2020

Page 3

News

Kantaros and Larkin lead Edge to another banner year

BY SOPHIE DUBARD ’22 and ABBY SIKORSKI ’22 STAFF WRITERS

The Rivers Edge has been chronicling campus news and promoting student voice for 50 years and has earned top honors from the American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) twice in the last four years. That level of excellence continued this year under the leadership of graduating seniors Tommy Kantaros and Julia Larkin, whose leadership and work ethic as co-editors of The Edge this year was nothing short of exceptional.

As co-editors, the two helped grow and improve the student newspaper, while maintaining the energy and substance the paper has provided for the past 50 years. This comes as no surprise to Alex Stephens, the paper’s faculty advisor, who described Kantaros and Larkin as having “integral roles as assistant editors on last year’s Edge staff, which produced five superb editions and garnered a national award for excellence in high school journalism,” said Stephens.

As editors this year, Kantaros and Larkin helped The Edge reach

more milestones and accomplishments, including producing two back-to-back 16-page editions this fall, which hadn’t been done in 15 years, and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Edge’s founding all year long.

Producing the paper is an arduous task, but when faced with difficult times, it can be even more challenging. In January, the Rivers community faced tragedy with the sudden loss of beloved math teacher Dan McCartney, and the two editors stepped up to lead the staff to produce an issue that would be a fitting tribute.

“They responded with amazing poise, professionalism, and sensitivity that both honored his memory and helped the community heal,” Stephens said.

Even during this spring with remote learning, Tommy and Julia were dedicated to producing an edition from home. Described as “champions of student voice”

by Mr. Stephens and “driven student leaders,” the two students have left their mark on the “Edge Nation” and, on a wider scale, the entire Rivers community.

Kantaros has two brothers, Johnny ’19 (who was an assistant Edge editor last year) and Charlie

’24, but he has certainly set himself apart in the Rivers community. As one of the co-editors, he said his love of writing has grown since joining the paper during his junior year. Next year, Kantaros will attend Hamilton College, where he hopes to play on the golf team and major in either economics or computer science.

Although he won’t be required to take English classes at Hamilton, he said he looks forward to exploring Hamilton’s English courses and writing for the school paper, which he hopes is “up to the same standard that the Edge is.”

Along with writing for the Edge, Kantaros was an integral member of the golf team as well as a member of the football team.

He loves to fish and hang out with friends, and is also a part of the Yoga Club, Red Key, and Men’s Chorus.

Reflecting on his favorite part of The Edge, Kantaros said it was the teamwork that stood out the most to him.

“In each edition, writers create amazing articles that hold The Edge to a very high standard, and have both great writing and fantastic quotes that show through-

out the stories,” Kantaros said.

“The Edge Nation is a group effort, and that’s what I like best about it.”

Kantaros’ role at The Edge has been extensive, but through his time as a writer, he remembers his favorite article as the first article he wrote which was about the new Center for Community and Civic Engagement. “I spent hours collecting quotes and drafting the article,” he said. “And, once it appeared on the front page, I couldn’t help but be very proud of the work that I did.”

As a new junior at Rivers, Julia Larkin joined The Edge as a way to meet new people and get involved in the Rivers community. She said she was always an avid writer so being a writer and editor for The Edge was second nature and a perfect way to get involved. She immediately found her place in on the close-knit staff and as a writer, and appreciated the support The Edge gets from the school.

“Everyone is always willing to help out where they can, whether that be with quotes, pictures, or works of their own,” Larkin said.

Larkin always looked forward to seeing the paper being read

around campus and knowing the writers’ hard work had paid off.

She has enjoyed writing editorials this past year, and is especially proud of her one addressing the loss of Mr. McCartney in The Edge’s March edition.

Next year, Larkin plans to study at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she’ll design and pursue her own major and take classes in all of NYU’s schools. She looks forward to classes that include both expository and creative writing.

Following in Julia and Tommy’s footsteps, the new Edge editors, juniors Meredith Shah and Max Meyerhardt, are excited to take over and continue strengthening the Rivers community through The Edge. Both had nothing but praise for their predecessors.

“Julia and Tommy have been such great editors for the last year and their devotion and effort directed towards the Edge are something that I hope to emulate next year,” Meyerhardt said.

Meyerhardt added that he admires their “enthusiasm and diligence in each meeting and the close bonds they formed with every writer in The Edge family.”

ing on a day-to-day basis.”

To combat this issue, along with the efforts Mr. Parsons mentioned, Ms. Enright emphasized the importance of having individual conversations to maintain close bonds with her students and advisees; “I met with my advisees one-on-one once a week because there are conversations that you can have in that smaller setting that you wouldn’t necessarily have as a whole group.”

As we continue to stay connected and maintain strength as a community, the uncertainty of what this coming summer may hold becomes an increasingly pressing worry. Will sports resume in the fall? Will we even be on campus to begin the academic year? Will everything be normal again?

Although these questions cannot be answered at the moment, we should all be assured that Rivers will do everything in its power to alleviate whatever the reality may be in September and do everything we possibly can to safely continue learning.

Right now, there are no certainties of what the fall will look like.

“Fall sports are going to be dictated by what the ISL does,” Pipe said. “Everyone is really waiting on the governor and the state to say what we can do and can’t do. As a league, we are talking about it, and our goal is to come back and play in some capacity. We are willing to be creative and flexible with athletics.”

Pipe added: “We’re certainly

going to take every effort to get some kind of fall season in.”

Most importantly, the school’s administrative team is hard at work trying to plan what a Rivers education will look like next fall, much of which will be dependent on state guidelines.

“We’ve started those conversations, and the faculty has begun to think about training for the possibility—though we hope it won’t be our reality—that we’re back online in the fall,” Mr. Parsons wrote in an email to families recently. “We see three possibilities ahead—a return to classes with no restrictions, in other words, a ‘normal’ fall. A hybrid model where we’re on campus for some things, but not all, and not all at once each day, and practicing social distancing.

And a fully online model like what we’re in now. We’re planning for all of them so that we can make a choice if we can, as late as possible in the summer.”

So what can we do now?

Well, with almost everything being closed and cancelled, not much is available to students. We need to take care of one another and march onwards as a community. Care for your families and friends and stay safe and healthy.

Radiate optimism and happiness and those around you will too.

At least we can have hope, and as a Rivers community, we hope to be back soon. So for now, let us enjoy our summers regardless of what they may look like.

Rivers remote learning a success, but uncertainty lingers

Continued from page 1

of all public schools for the remainder of the school year, the realness of this crisis began to settle in among students at Rivers and beyond.

Despite the current harshness of that reality, Rivers teachers have been approaching each class with enthusiasm and have striven to maintain close bonds with their students by being available to meet anytime, even after school hours and on the weekends, in some cases.

“I am simultaneously grateful that we have the privilege of meeting in Zoom classes and frustrated by the loss of the deeper communication that happens when we are in each other’s presence,” said history teacher Amy Enright.

That genuine sense of caring from the Rivers faculty and staff and desire to make this style of learning as engaging as possible has made a trying situation more palatable.

“I’m impressed with the teachers’ ability to turn their creative attention to the challenge of teaching in this way and their commitment to getting better at it,” said Head of School Ned Parsons. “None of us were trained to teach like this, and our teachers—no matter how much experience they have—are having to problem-solve every day.”

Coaches too are ensuring their teams stay active and connected with one another, emphasizing the need for training but also team chemistry and camaraderie.

Math teacher John Adams (top center) in a zoom class this spring.

“Our coaches have been great through this and our fall coaches will continue to be great,” said Athletic Director Bob Pipe.

As Mr. Parsons says, no one has prepared for the circumstances we are all in right now. There are no global pandemic teacher protocols or guide books. The flexibility of Rivers teachers and administration is unprecedented and something the community of students - and parents - are all thankful for.

From an athletic standpoint, Pipe acknowledged what spring athletes must be feeling by saying, “I feel bad for all of the athletes. It is really tough to lose a sport.” Despite these unfortunate circumstances though, Pipe encourages athletes to “stay motivated and stay fit for the summer.”

But not having a definitive answer on when athletic competitions will begin can be challenging. “It’s harder to stay motivated, but I am grateful I can still run outside even if there are no track meets any more,” said

junior track athlete Cam Stathos.

The thought of not being able to see friends for the remainder of the school year and possibly into the summer was a grim realization students have all had to make, but the relationships and bonds the community has made will not be abruptly stopped.

Mr. Parsons said that in an effort to maintain these characteristic bonds between students and faculty alike, Rivers has “built more time in the schedule for advisories, for clubs, for affinity groups. We’ve also employed videos and things like the Coffee House to try to keep us all connected beyond the Zoom classroom.”

And we all embraced a new cliche: the new normal. We remain connected remotely through a screen, but something is missing.

Enright admits, as many of us may feel, “As time went on,” she said, “I felt the loss of those spontaneous conversations that happen on campus and tell so much about how students are do-

Page 4

The Rivers Edge

May 29, 2020

EDITORIAL Stay safe this summer

Summer, the season of beach trips, barbecues, and boat rides with friends and family, is upon us, but this year it feels very different. In the coronavirus era, our favorite summer activities, customs, and celebrations, such as the Fourth of July, or even just a beach day with friends, aren’t going to look the same as they have in the past. It will be easy to forget about the importance of social distancing as beaches and pools open for the season, but social distancing will still be as important this summer as it has been this spring.

The quarantine has taught us that we should never take our health or social contact for granted. For those not impacted directly by the COVID-19 illness, it is the physical isolation from our friends and family and the desire to be with them in person that is wearing thin. It is definitely not easy to be far away from the people and places you love during an incredibly stressful time like the “Coronacation” we are all experiencing, but you can remedy quarantine loneliness and see your friends while still maintaining a safe distance this summer.

People all around the world have found creative ways to bridge the gap. Though some may be sick of Zoom after an admittedly tiring nine weeks of virtual classes and meetings, take time to set up a call to see grandparents or friends.

Drive by your best friend’s house to surprise them. Go for a socially-distanced walk or run. Rewatch your favorite TV show or movie. Pick up a new skill like that musical instrument you’ve always wanted to learn. Or return to an old skill, like Ms. Regan-Loomis said in her video for the Rivers Instagram.

Eventually, the pandemic will end and “social distancing” will fall from the global vocabulary. This period will pass, and our community will be stronger and more resilient for it.

Recognizing asexuality Asexuality is an orientation that is rarely mentioned, and many people may not even know what it is. However, it is important to recognize that asexual people are an active part of the LGBTQIA+ community. As a society, there is a stigma surrounding open discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation, and even when those discussions do take place, they normally focus only on the lesbian, gay, and transgender communities. The asexual community has even had a history of being excluded by the larger LGBTQIA+ community, and has had to fight to be included in the LGBTQIA+ acronym.

Asexuality is rarely represented in popular media as well, and only recently have more television shows, books, and films included asexual characters.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines being asexual as “not having sexual feelings towards others: not experiencing sexual desire or attraction.” Many asexual people will never experience sexual attraction at all. However, asexuality is a wide spectrum.

Those who find themselves in the grey area between asexuality and sexuality identify as grey-asexual, or greysexual. Grey-asexual people only rarely experience sexual attraction, and some people, those who identify as demi-sexual, only experience sexual attraction when a deep emotional and/or romantic connection to the particular person is formed. Asexual people may still experience romantic attraction and still want to have a

relationship with another person, but some do not experience romantic attraction either. No one asexual person has exactly the same experiences.

It’s also important to note that asexuality is entirely different from abstinence and celibacy. Abstinence is the choice not to have sex, and it’s usually temporary.

Celibacy is a (usually life-long) commitment to abstain from sex, and possibly marriage, for religious or cultural reasons. Both of these are choices, and asexuality is not.

The asexuality pride flag was created in 2010, and it consists of four bars in different colors. At the top is a black bar, symbolizing asexuality, or the lack of sexual attraction. Second from the top is a grey bar, symbolizing grey-sexuality and demisexuality. Third is a white bar, meaning non-asexual partners and allies, and at the bottom is purple, symbolizing community.

If you have any questions about what asexuality means, please use resources such as The Trevor Project, LGBTQNews today, and of course, friends, family, or community members who identify as asexual. You are also welcome to join a GSA meeting any time, where we consider the spectrum of all gender identities and sexual orientations honestly and openly.

We will be happy to welcome you, and will answer your questions to the best of our abilities.

- Julia Lanzendorf ’23

Opinions & Editorials

The impact of a Zoom education

BY NATALIE KLOMAN ’23 AND DANA LOWITT ’23 STAFF WRITERS

When we all heard about the possibility of online classes before spring break, we were ecstatic and interested in a virtual learning environment. I mean, who wouldn’t want to sleep in and wake up five minutes before class started? Despite our eagerness, we still believed that we would return after our two-week break. But then school kept being delayed until we heard the news.

We wouldn’t be returning. And how about the intriguing Zoom lessons we heard about before break? Well, the exciting novelty of our online classes only lasted a little while, because we all started missing every aspect of Rivers immediately. It turns out seeing a friend on Zoom isn’t the same as seeing them on campus. There’s something about a classroom at Rivers that just isn’t present with online learning. As we finish out this year online, it is important to discuss the ramifications of Zoom learning on education and emotional stability.

While the physical differences of Zoom learning are clearly visible, the educational changes and their effects are less known. Before diving deeper into the article, it is important to note the hard work that all the teachers and staff of Rivers have put into making this trimester as wonderful as possible. However, some things

can never be recreated through a screen. Both students and teachers are experiencing the disadvantages of not being able to be in the same space. One student explains that “talking on Zoom, the interaction is just different with the teacher.”

There are some parts of learning that are difficult to duplicate.

In discussing the challenges of teaching students science without the lab experience, science teacher Wen Sailer pointed out, “There’s just something about the whole hands-on experience that you can’t mimic online.” While this is true, Ms. Sailer has found tools and other online games to help replicate experiments as much as possible. She talked about the new way of delivering materials that focuses more on content and less on physically being in a lab.

Despite these creative, new ways of teaching, many students feel less confident asking questions in this new environment. “I can’t just go in, sit down, and ask questions,” another student explained.

The conditions of the classes are completely transformed without the ability to communicate easily with classmates and teachers.

Teachers have also had to make considerable changes to their curriculums. With shorter classes and less time for meeting each week, teachers have had to condense material and sometimes drop pieces of it altogether. Math teacher Kristin Harder, like many other teachers, has had to change

her class plans to meet the new online format. She finds ways around the new setting by creating complex problems that accomplish multiple topics. When asked about the absence of upcoming finals, she answered confidently, “I think we are in a pretty good position to understand where students are at the end of the year.” But are students retaining the same amount of knowledge without the need to study for quizzes and finals? Some teachers say no, some yes, while others are completely unsure. Despite speculation, this is a question that only time will be able to answer.

Mrs. Harder correctly added, “It’s an experiment for all of us.” We as a community will be unable to fully comprehend the impact Zoom learning has had until we go back to campus.

One thing that can often go unaddressed amid the pandemic is the emotional aspect. Everyone is focused on making online classes possible and beneficial, staying safe and healthy, and having enough toilet paper, forcing us to overlook the emotional toll.

What we all miss the most is just seeing one another face-to-face and doing what we love with one another. Yes, Zoom allows us to talk and work with one another, but the muting options, technical difficulties, and the screen layout inhibit us from catching facial expressions and funny jokes. We’re unable to have a regular converContinued on page 8

The Rivers Edge

Editors-in-Chief

Associate Editors Assistant Editors Staff Writers

Faculty Advisor

Max Meyerhardt ’21 Meredith Shah ’21 Will Conway ’21 Kendall Diamond’21 Ellie McCarron ’21 Amanda Gary’22 Hannah Lapides ’22 Sam Lyons ’22 Sophie Dubard ’22 Natalie Kloman’23 Dana Lowitt ’22 Abby Skorski ’22 Sebastian Connelly ’22 Alex Stephens

Contributing Writers: Dave Burzillo, Michael Pasko ’22, Julia Lanzendorf ’23 Photography: Katie Harrigan, THE RIVERS EDGE is published by the students of The Rivers School. THE EDGE is a forum for the ideas, issues and concerns of the student body. Letters and contributions from the entire Rivers community - students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni - are welcomed and encouraged. Unsigned letters will not be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Please send letters to The Editors, THE RIVERS EDGE, The Rivers School, 333 Winter Street, Weston, MA 02493.

May 29, 2020

The Rivers Edge

Page 5

Features

How Rivers handled the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918

BY DAVE BURZILLO FACULTY

The closure of the Rivers campus for the entire spring trimester is an unprecedented shutdown in terms of its length, but the closure is not unprecedented in and of itself for the school. During the 1918-1919 school year, the school’s second at its Dean Road campus in Brookline, the school was closed for one month between September and October, and then for another week at the end of the Christmas holiday.

Then as now, concerns about halting the spread of infectious disease led local communities to order the closure of the schools as well as other businesses and to prohibit public gatherings.

There are a number of important similarities in how each of these pandemics impacted Rivers, with “closure” being perhaps the most significant. A comparison of the pandemics also makes clear some significant differences in how the school- and the local community - experienced each pandemic.

For Mr. Robert W. Rivers, the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic provided an early test of his faith in the ability of his open-air philosophy to promote student health and well being. His conviction that open-air education offered students the best protection against infectious disease was dogma for him. Some years after the pandemic he provided a clear articulation of that dogma: “We have never pretended that fresh air would be a panacea for all ills; there are too many ways to pick up germs in our modern life; only we have said that we would suffer less often—and that when we did suffer we would suffer less.”

Mr. Rivers’ analysis of the impact of the 1918-1919 pandemic on his school confirmed for him the salutary nature of open-air education.

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was not only a test for Mr. Rivers’ optimism about open-air education, it was a test for all of human society. History has shown that this pandemic was particularly devastating in its impact and disrupted every aspect of society. Statistics provide a sense of the pandemic’s reach. In the United States there were an estimated 675,000 deaths, with residents of Massachusetts suffering about 45,000 of those deaths.

The total number of deaths worldwide has been estimated to be in the range of 50-100 million.

Determining the total number of deaths in America - or worldwide - has proved challenging, as many deaths early in the pandemic were initially attributed to pneumonia and other causes. Re-evaluation of medical records from the time has led scholars to revise their estimates of total influenza deaths significantly. It is now clear that more people died in the 19181919 pandemic than in any other disease outbreak in history.

Influenza is a viral disease, and

Robert W. Rivers guided his new school through the 1918-19 Spanish Flu pandemic; the front page of the Brookline Chronicle in 1918. it is something that humans have had to deal with for millennia.

Because of influenza’s ability to mutate, the particular strain varies from year to year as does its impact. Scientists have established that the type of flu circulating in 1918-1919 was H1N1. For a variety of reasons this particular flu season was quite long and deadly, and its course can be divided into three distinct waves. The first wave, a ‘mild’ one, struck in the spring and summer of 1918. This was followed by a second wave in the fall of 1918 that proved much more deadly. Finally, a third, less severe wave came in the winter and spring of 1919.

In Brookline, where Rivers was founded in 1915, the experience of influenza was typical of most local communities in some ways but not in others. One important difference in Brookline’s experience was the influx of influenza patients from outside the town. During the pandemic’s second wave, the town became home to a tent hospital on Corey Hill for more than 300 sailors with influenza, sailors who had been recruited for service in the merchant marine by the United States Shipping Board and were training in Boston Harbor.

As is the case in so many places affected by the pandemic, the actual number of those affected by influenza in Brookline is hard to ascertain. The town’s health officer reported 2,369 cases of influenza in 1918 but suspected “that figure should probably be doubled to represent the number of cases that occurred.” The second wave of the pandemic severely strained the ability of the department’s nurses and doctors to meet the needs of citizens and this led town officials to order the cessation of certain activities in an attempt to stop the spread of the flu. Schools, bowling alleys, billiard halls, and soda fountains were closed, and gatherings at churches and halls were prohibited. Gatherings were also prohibited in houses where there was a deceased person. Unlike today, businesses were not shut down.

Many local businesses adapted their newspaper advertising to reassure customers that they were open for business, adapting to the circumstances of the pandemic, and prepared to serve their customers.

No vaccine is currently available for COVID-19, and no vaccine existed in 1918 for the flu — the first flu vaccine would not become available to civilians until 1945. Many bacterial diseases were well understood by 1918, but viral diseases were proving more enigmatic. Scientists had hypothesized that a microbe smaller than a bacterium caused the flu — viruses are so small that about 8000 virions can fit into a bacterium - but the Influenza A and B viruses were not isolated by scientists until the 1930s.

Without knowledge of the nature of the microbe that caused the flu, creation of a vaccine was not possible. In the absence of a vaccine, the best that state and local officials could do in 1918 was to employ a number of “non-pharmaceutical” interventions to halt the spread of flu. These interventions included many of the things people are familiar with from life during the COVID-19 pandemic: isolation of the sick, quarantine of those in contact with the sick, school closings, and prohibitions on large indoor or outdoor gatherings. The choices officials made in each case led to significant differences in the course of the disease in a given city. In Brookline most of the closures and prohibitions introduced to halt the second wave of flu were lifted after about a month. Schools remained closed for a few additional days, and another restriction was kept in place but modified: the ban on gatherings at homes where a person had died was not lifted, but the focus of this prohibition was narrowed to homes where the death had resulted from influenza or pneumonia.

The pandemic impacted the

schools of Brookline, including Rivers, in a number of significant ways. First and foremost, Brookline schools were closed for extended periods of time on at least two occasions that year, requiring Rivers to close as well. School closures were instituted in many American cities in 1918 to stem the spread of the flu, though some large cities, including New York, New Haven and Chicago, chose not to close their schools. In September 1918 the spike in local influenza cases sparked intense debate about school closure in Brookline. Ultimately the Brookline Board of Health ordered the closure of schools starting September 24. The justification for this action was clear to the town’s health officer: “Early in the epidemic it was noted that the first case in many of the families was a school child and especially children from certain rooms in certain schools. It was evident that the disease was being spread through the schools despite the fact that every precaution was being taken to exclude children showing any suspicious symptoms.” Schools remained closed into late October. After the closure order was extended until October 22, schools were allowed to reopen shortly thereafter.

The second wave of the pandemic eventually passed, but a resurgence of cases in December, attributed by local health officials to the Armistice celebrations in November, again raised concerns about containment of the virus.

This led the town officials to order another school closure, this time extending the date for the resumption of classes after the Christmas vacation. Mr. Rivers sent a notice to parents sometime

The tent hospital on Corey Hill for more than 300 sailors with influenza.

during the week of December 22 that noted the rise of influenza cases in December, and reported that after conversations with Dr. Smith, the head of the school’s health advisory panel, that the school would reopen on December 30. He urged parents to keep their boys home if they had been involved in activities during the vacation involving crowds, if they had family members with influenza, or if parents had any doubt about a boy’s health. He emphasized that there had been only one case of influenza at the school before vacation, and that he wanted to keep it that way. In a follow-up letter, dated December 30, Mr. Rivers noted that the Board of Health would allow the school to re-open on January 2.

In the end, Rivers emerged from the pandemic relatively unscathed. Mr. Rivers reported to parents at year’s end on student health, comparing illness in the student body over the previous two years. According to the data he provided, 1918-1919 was actually a better year for student health at the school than 19171918 in all but one statistical category.

The attendance records for these years have not survived, so it is not possible to investigate this report in more detail, but Mr. Rivers clearly believed that his students enjoyed good health during the pandemic and weathered the influenza pandemic better than the general public.

Mr. Rivers would continue to hold to his conviction that his students would be healthier in normal and abnormal years because of the school’s open-air philosophy. He touted the school’s success in this way in 1924-1925: “In the last five years the loss at The Rivers School from absence due to respiratory ills – various types of colds, throats, ears, tonsils, etc. of all kinds has been less than five percent of the total possible attendance. That record speaks for itself…. All the little problems and minor inconveniences become negligible when compared to the gifts to health and through health to achievement of living and working in the open air.” In the end, did the open-air philosophy help keep students healthy during the flu pandemic of 1918-1919?

Mr. Rivers certainly thought so.

Page 6

May 29, 2020

The Rivers Edge

Arts

Mr. Harrison has inspired many over his 32-year career

BY HANNAH LAPIDES ’22 and AMANDA GARY ’22 ASSISTANT EDITORS

You might only know him from his PowerPoint presentations at all-school meetings or his recent exhibit in Bell Gallery, or you might have been fortunate enough to have him as an art teacher, but either way, you have definitely benefited from the significant impact that Jeremy Harrison has made on the Rivers community over the past 32 years.

Having gone from not taking any art classes until college to earning an MFA in printmaking, Mr. Harrison’s time at Rivers has been very developmental for him. He has gotten the chance to learn from fellow faculty members and form close bonds with his students through his time teaching various art classes including art history, as well as through his time “leading the set crew in building sets for our theater productions” and even coaching thirds soccer “in the early years.”

Mr. Harrison, only 28 years old upon his arrival to Rivers in 1987, had previously taught for one year at Brimmer and May and another year at a secure juvenile facility.

“The assistant head of school loomed over me from behind his large desk as I sat in the interview in a very low armchair

with worn-out springs,” Harrison recalls. He was often mistaken for a student in his early days of joining the Rivers’ community, at the time, an all-boys school, and had to teach the Art History class for his first year at Rivers. With all of those intimidating factors, his entrance to Rivers was somewhat overwhelming. Yet, with the encouragement and support of the art faculty, especially David Saul and Eleanor Mahoney, the late ceramics teacher, he got into the swing of the busy academic life at Rivers. Once he settled in, he quickly connected with students and honed his craft as a teacher. He also served as Arts Department chair.

Having taught beginning drawing, intermediate drawing, painting, printmaking, advanced art, and digital photography, Mr. Harrison’s diverse, wide range of art classes enabled him to enlighten many students and share his passion of art with them.

“One of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher has been seeing students develop their own voices and a love of the arts,” Mr. Harrison says.

Throughout his years at Rivers, Harrison worked closely with his students to motivate all to put their best works of art forth.

“As a teacher, Mr. Harrison gently guides his students through the challenges of the

creative process, encouraging experimentation and helping students shape and articulate their creative voice,” says Mr. Saul, who has taught photography at Rivers since 1984 and has been the Arts Department Chair for the past 28 years.

A faculty member who strives for the success of his students, Mr. Harrison was and is always thoughtful and cooperative, empowering students to utilize their concentration and skill to undoubtedly produce creative, extraordinary work.

“Teaching art here feels like a collaboration between me and my students like a team or a family,” Mr. Harrison observes.

Harrison’s 32 years of teaching at Rivers have made a profound impact on the whole school, faculty and students alike and Mr. Harrison himself. Not only was his journey at Rivers a teaching experience, but a learning one as well. “One of the brightest things about teaching here has been the way I too have been able to take on the role of student,” Mr. Harrison remarks. He embraced all of the opportunities that Rivers gave to him for personal growth as an artist, whether that be students’ curiosity inspiring him and fellow faculty sharing their skills, or exploring and broadening his range of media.

Moreover, Harrison has been

Mr. Harrison works with senior Lauren Corliss in the new Revers Center art room. Photo by J. Hurley. supported in his passion for travelling in the wilderness, his nature works have become his major focus. He has embarked on epic canoe trips to some of the most remote regions in the world. With a tribute to Mr. Harrison, the Bell Gallery featured his art as he displayed his breadth of media. Always thinking of motivating his students to experiment with their art, his four-panel ten foot long watercolor in the Revers Center portrays testing of a range of materials to encourage students to think outside of the box and fully embrace the creativity of artwork.

“I am grateful that Rivers is a place where everyone is exposed to the arts in meaningful ways

and many thrive and are encouraged to develop their passion for the arts at the highest levels,” Harrison says. “I am grateful to have contributed to the growth of these students. I am also grateful to my students from whom I have learned a great deal myself.”

Harrison has enjoyed giving students the opportunity to take art classes in high school, one that he never had, and expanding together while deepening their love for art. As his five children graduated from Rivers, Harrison’s deep connection to the school and the community will be everlasting as he is especially grateful to have had the chance to give his children and all of

of music. Aside from the Select 1 Combo, he has been a member of the Honors Big Band, as well as Jazz Composition, and Jazz Transcription. His impressive performances, though, are not the only aspect of playing music that Joel enjoys.

“I continue to enjoy being a musician because of the people I play music with,” Joel says. “The best music I’ve played has never happened within the confines of a class or concert, but with those same people thirty minutes before class or in someone’s house because we’re worried by how well we’re playing.”

Aside from playing music with his fellow musicians and closest friends, Joel enjoys playing music with, what fuels his passion is the absence of judgment. “My freshman year in the combo was also the first time I realized that there is no judgment in music,” he says. “This lesson is true throughout the entire school.”

This fact is also the whole purpose of the Coffee House, Joel notes. There is absolutely no judgment within the confines of the Black Box (or on Zoom as the most recent one has been), and everybody is extremely supportive of one another whether performing music for the first time or sharing an elaborate song that very few in this school and broader community are even able

to play as Joel is frequently able to do. “That is what the Coffee House is all about,” he says. “It is one of my favorite things I do with music because of the support.”

As a leader of the Coffee House this year, Joel has been able to encourage others to perform who are not musicians.

After a Coffee House this year where Joel played piano for a group of non-musicians performing a song. Joel recalls, “Backing Abe, Colin, Tommy, and Drew on the piano is a memory I’ll never forget.”

As Joel prepares to leave Rivers and go to Brown University in the fall, he admits that he is not sure what his future in music will look like and to what capacity he will play. He hopes to continue playing gigs as he has done in high school occasionally and continue playing in church as he does at home now.

His teacher, Farias, however, is confident Joel’s future will be a bright one. “I know that [Joel’s] positive and honest attitude will help further him in any future endeavors,” Farias says.

Regardless of where Joel’s amiable personality and mastery of music takes him, his impact on the music program and almost every other aspect of Rivers he has tapped into will certainly leave a lasting impact on our community.

Continued on page 8

Bassist, scholar, athlete: the multi-faceted Joel Manasseh

BY MAX MEYERHARDT ’21 CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Joel Manasseh’s time at Rivers has been nothing short of exceptional. As a student, he is a thoughtful, intelligent, and diligent member of the class. As an athlete, he is a four-year member of the varsity football team. And, as a human being, he is a kind and compassionate member of the Rivers community.

Joel has given back to Rivers in so many ways during his four years as a student here and has certainly made a lasting impact on everyone in the community.

His impact is perhaps most notable in his engagement with the music program and Conservatory at Rivers.

Now, as an incredibly talented and passionate bass player along with the piano and some dabbling in guitar, when asked about how he developed his love for music, Joel admits, “Music has always been something a part of my life, but my passion for it developed a lot later.”

As a 6-year-old just beginning to learn how to play music, Joel was indecisive of what he wanted to play. After beginning by taking piano lessons, he shifted “to guitar lessons to voice lessons for a brief stint until finally settling on the piano again in 4th grade.”

As he developed greater

Joel Manasseh has impressed many with his many talents. skill and passion for playing the piano, Joel signed up for the evening jazz ensemble at the Rivers Conservatory in the 6th grade, three years before he became a student at Rivers.

Here, Joel learned how to play alongside others for the first time and to “balance [himself] with the whole group.” Joel praises the teacher of the ensemble, Sean Farias, who is still his bass teacher today. Farias says that being able to teach Joel has been “awesome and a privilege.”

Joel adds, “Still, up to this point, picking up the bass had never crossed my mind.”

Joel later recalls that while playing in this jazz ensemble as a 6th grade pianist, the group wanted to try something new.

Naturally, as sixth graders tend

to do, Joel saw a bass in the conservatory and said to his teacher something along the lines of: “Can I try playing that? It looks cool.” As it turns out, when applying to Rivers, the school was in need of a new bass player, so that is exactly what Joel became.

He joined the Select 1 Combo his freshman year and began playing in the Big Band too.

“That was the moment where I really started enjoying the bass,” Joel says. “And unlike my experiences with other instruments, I wanted to practice to improve my playing.”

Throughout his time as a student at Rivers, Joel has played at numerous all-school meetings, Coffee Houses, and performances where he displays his monumental skills and mastery

May 29, 2020

The Rivers Edge

Page 7

Sports

With 12 varsity letters, Hasselbeck a star in every way

BY KENDALL DIAMOND ’21 and ELLIE MCCARRON ’21 ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Annabelle Hasselbeck is a name that turns heads. Her Rivers high school career consisted of two banners, an undefeated season, and 12 varsity letters. When students here at Rivers think of athletes, AB is the first that comes to mind. Whether it be racking up points for Coach Anctil and the field hockey team, shooting threepointers for Pipe on the basketball team, or scoring through the leg goals for Coach Parsons and the lacrosse team, Hasselbeck has had one of the biggest impacts an athlete could have at Rivers.

In the fall of 2016, Annabelle put on the Red Wing jersey for the first time. As a brand new field hockey player from Indiana, it didn’t take AB long to adjust to her new life in Weston as a Red Wing. The then 14-year-old Hasselbeck helped lead her team to the NEPSAC B Semifinals that November. That was only the beginning of her outstanding field hockey career. In her sophomore year, AB was an asset to the team as a star midfielder eventually leading the squad to another NEPSAC semifinal game. Her junior and senior years were equally if not more impressive.

Unfortunately, her 2018 season ended with a devastating loss in the championship against Brooks.

Nonetheless, AB returned her senior season with a vengeance.

Two banners - the program’s first ISL championship as well as the

NEPSAC crown - and an undefeated season later, Annabelle ended her field hockey career with a bang. AB received countless ISL Honorable Mentions throughout her field hockey career as well. Not bad for a sport she picked up four years ago.

“Although field hockey is not ABs primary sport, her impact on the team was huge,” says Coach Janna Anctil. “On the field, she was always one of the hardest working midfielders and constantly asking questions and taking risks to improve her game.

Off the field, she was a fantastic teammate and role model for the underclassmen.”

For Hasselbeck, the perfect season in field hockey and another strong winter for girls’ basketball was leading up to a promising Rivers lacrosse season.

“This year was such a special athletic year for me even with the loss of my favorite sport, lacrosse,” says AB, who has also been a writer for The Edge for four years. “Going undefeated and winning the ISL during field hockey season this year is truly indescribable. I will never forget watching the clock hit 0 and running to hug my teammates with the Fanzone. Being able to have that incredible season with my sister was extremely special.”

As snow began to fall in Weston, Hasselbeck didn’t use the “off season” to recover, as most athletes would. She hung up her field hockey cleats and tied up her basketball sneakers. AB was a member of the girls varsity

basketball team for four years.

Throughout her time in Benson, AB helped lead her team to the playoffs each season she played, as well as helped the team gain three Holiday Tournament titles.

“AB has been a joy to coach and watch on the fields the past four years,” says outgoing coach and Athletic Director Bob Pipe. “AB is a great teammate and leader on and off the field and court.

Everyone looks up to her and she is so inclusive to Hasselbeck, the future BC Eagle, earned 12 varthe young girls. sity letters at Rivers. Photo by Dave Arnold. girls’ varsity lacrosse program, As a player and as an athlete she is just elite. She is from her unbelievable work ethic ultra competitive and determined to her generosity of spirit to her to do whatever the team needs to unrelenting grit on the field.”

Hasselbeck was one of the win. She works hard every day on her craft to get better, not just three captains of the lacrosse team for herself but her teammates and this spring. Although she didn’t coaches. It was an absolute joy to get to shine one last time on the be a small part of AB’s journey at lacrosse field, her three years on Nonesuch were incredible. AB Rivers.”

Last, but certainly not least, was 2nd in the ISL for points durAnnabelle has been a star on the ing her 2019 season as well as girls’ varsity lacrosse team from All-ISL recipient all three years. the first time she stepped on the “My favorite lacrosse memory field. Coach Lisa Parsons put it was when we beat Nobles in our best: “It is hard to put into words last game of the season my freshthe impact that AB has had on the man year,” AB recalls. “I remem-

ber hugging Coach Lisa and immediately breaking into tears. We jumped in Nonesuch Pond and it became a tradition from then on.”

Her many teammates in all three sports agree with her coaches. “Annabelle is the hardest worker I know and puts the team before herself and develivers her best every single practice and game,” says Annabelle’s younger sister and teammate Mallory Hasselbeck ’21.

Not only has AB had an outstanding career in her red and white uniform, she has had an exceptional athletic career outside of school. For the past three years, AB has earned the Under Armour All American award for lacrosse. Her hard work and dedication have proven to lead her to great successes. AB was selected to play for the USA U17 lacrosse team in the summer of 2019. She led her Mass-Rhode Island team, a mix of the best of the best girl lacrosse players in MA and RI, to a National Championship victory this past summer.

Hasselbeck will continue her lacrosse career at Boston College in the fall of 2020. “I am so excited to play lacrosse at BC,” she says. “Some of my lacrosse idols have played, and still currently play for the women’s lacrosse team and I honestly can’t believe I will be playing alongside them.”

The Red Wings will miss Annabelle Hasselbeck, but Rivers athletics will forever be grateful for the impact AB had. She has inspired many Rivers athletes and most certainly left her mark.

coming to workouts throughout the whole winter and spending so much of his time making Rivers football as great as can be.”

Moving from the turf to the court and fall to winter, after beloved Bob Pipe’s decision to leave the school, Lindsay Miller has been hired to take over the girls’ varsity basketball program. A former Harvard player and assistant coach, as well as recruiting coordinator, Miller is no novice to the ins and outs of coaching. A psychology major in college who went on to earn an M.Ed. in Boston University’s clinical counseling and sports psychology program, Miller founded Net Excellence, LLC, which offers sports psychology services to athletes and teams, according to the Rivers website announcement. In addition, Miller (whose maiden name is Hallion) is the director of Hallion Hoop Academy, a girls’ basketball program focused on growth through skill development and competition.

“I am excited to lead a program with such a successful history,” Miller said. “In talking with the players, it is clear they are passionate and have a strong chemistry, and I look forward to building on that.”

To put it simply, she’s ready.

Equally ready is rising junior Ana von Ruhmor, who found her role as a sharpshooter on the squad this year. “I’m excited to get to know our new coach and to grow and build on all the good our team did last year,” von Ruhmor said.

In 21 seasons, Pipe established Rivers girls’ basketball as one of the strongest programs in New England. It seems the Red Wings are in very capable hands now. “When I knew I was stepping down as the coach, Lindsay was at the top of my list of people I’d want to take over the program,” said Pipe.

Basketball isn’t the only winter sport with change on the horizon. When the puck drops for both the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams, new skippers will be on the bench. For the boys, it’s former NHL player Freddy Meyer. Meyer, who played five pro seasons, brings a different level of experience and the returning members of the team are eager to get going.

“I’m really excited,” Ziv Deener-Chodiker ’22 said. “I have gotten to know Coach Meyer a bit and he’s a great guy and a great coach so I think all of us are very excited for a new

As for the girls hockey team, Coach Courtney Sheary, former BB&N assistant coach, looks to equally provide that entertaining brand of hockey. Sheary brings a similarly impressive hockey resume to her new role. Both at Cushing Academy and the University of New Hampshire, where she earned a degree in sociology, Sheary was a standout on the ice, according to a recent Rivers website story. Postcollege, Sheary returned to her alma mater, Cushing Academy, to serve as head girls’ ice hockey coach and assistant athletic director, a position she held for five years. She moved on to coach at the college level, serving as assistant women’s ice hockey coach at Dartmouth College and Boston College.

“I am thrilled to have her take over our program,” Pipe said.

“She’s a great role model and knows what it takes to play at the next level.”

Goalie Eve Stone echoes the support: “I think going into next season with a new coach will be a positive,” Stone said. “This will give us chances to learn from different coaching styles.

Coach Sheary has an incredible background and it will be amazing to be able to work with her.”

New coaches for football, hockey and girls’ basketball

BY SAM LYONS ’22 ASSISTANT EDITOR

In the past few months, everyone at Rivers has felt changes in some way. The Rivers coaching staff is not immune to that evolution. Next school year, we will welcome four new varsity head coaches to the school: Randdy Lindsey (football), Lindsay Miller (girls’ basketball), Courtney Sheary (girls’ hockey), and Freddy Meyer (boys’ hockey).

When Red Wings football takes the field for the first time since a disappointing 2-6 season last year, Coach Randdy Lindsey will be leading the charge.

Lindsey, who coached linebackers and running backs for Rivers last year, knows the system and already has his theme for the season mapped out.

“The motto I want to press upon the team this season is ‘WE DICTATE,’” he recently told his players. “I wanted to use this motto because I want us as a team to understand what we control. We control us.”

A strong mindset, indeed, and next year’s captain Joey Kraft is pumped. “Having Coach Lindsey come in has been awesome so far,” Kraft said. “He’s committed and shows this by

perspective and to get started with him.”

Meyer was a member of three Beanpot Championship teams at Boston University and was named a First Team All-American. After college, he played semi-pro and pro hockey for nine years. In 2014 he joined the elite East Coast Wizards hockey club, where he has held multiple positions, including coach, general manager, and director. Meyer is also the owner and operator of Dream Big HockeyStars, a premier hockey training program based in Winchester.

Meyer, who will also be the assistant director of athletics, is ready to go. “I’m really excited to be part of the Rivers community and I can’t wait to start,” he said. “My expectations are set high for this group of studentathletes to excel in the classroom and on the ice. Our ultimate goal is to win a championship, but along the way we will provide the school with an entertaining brand of hockey.”

Meyer will take over for Shawn McEachern, who built Rivers boys’ hockey into a premier program, leading the team to five ISL Eberhart titles and multiple appearances in the postseason.

Page 8

The Rivers Edge

Pipe built indelible legacy at Rivers

Continued from page 1 three NEPSAC Championships in four years from 2008-2012. In fact, the team has made the postseason every year since 2004. As one of the top ISL teams for decades, the team was bumped up to Class A and then the elite Class AA, proving they could compete with the best girls’ basketball programs in all New England. Many of his players, who are intensely loyal to Pipe, have gone on to successful college careers and a few have gone beyond.

“Playing for Pipe was so much fun for me,” said junior Mia Folliard, a three-year member of the girls’ basketball team. “He makes playing basketball so fun and he’s always so supportive of everyone.

He cares about me and everyone on the team and is more than just a basketball coach to all of us. I wish he could be my coach all four years but I couldn’t be happier for him and his new job.”

Between boys’ soccer and girls’ basketball, Pipe had enormous amounts of success with both teams and over the past 20 years, earning over 500 total wins and 9 total championships. Overall, he has coached 47 studentathletes who have gone to play college sports and three who have gone on to play professionally.

Not only did Pipe play a massive role in reshaping Rivers as an ISL athletic powerhouse, but he also founded the Mass Mavericks AAU Girls Basketball Club, which operates out of Franklin, Massachusetts. The Mavericks, which began as one team in 2013, has grown throughout the years and currently has 11 different teams with more than 100 differ-

ent players that range from grades 5 to 11. Pipe has helped Mavericks members, as well as Rivers athletes, navigate the college process throughout the years. He maintained strong relationships with various college coaches in many different sports, which helped him to guide students to both successful collegiate and even some professional athletic careers.

Serving as an advisor for many years, Pipe has also been able to form unique bonds with students throughout the community. “Pipe was always there for me when I needed him,” said Matt Cormier ‘20, who is a current member of Pipe’s advisory. “He helped me overcome problems in the classroom, on the ice, and during the college process. I couldn’t thank him enough for everything he has done for me. He truly did make me a better person.”

In another example of Pipe’s impact on students, this past winter during an all-school assembly, the Rivers community got to witness first hand the impact that Pipe had on a former player, Tayra Melendez ’12. Melendez, who went on to star at the University of Rhode Island and then for the Puerto Rican National Team, visited campus to express her gratitude to Pipe in a heart-warming ceremony. She thanked him for his support throughout the years, and gave him her Puerto Rican National Basketball Team jersey.

The team has qualified for their first ever Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which will be held in the summer of 2021.

Leaving Rivers after such a storied career is bittersweet.

Pipe will be missed dearly

by students, alumni, faculty, and staff, as he was much more than an athletic director, coach, colleague and friend, but an icon of the school.

“I’ve known Pipe for over 30 years. He helped me get the job at Rivers and has been supportive ever since,” said girls’ soccer coach and assistant dean of students Susanna Donahue. “He has an unbelievable way of relating to all students. He cares deeply about his colleagues as well. Pipe is also an excellent coach. He has a way of getting the best out of each player, from the star to the last one off the bench.”

Without question, Pipe always put his students first, and truly wanted what was best for them.

His outgoing, friendly personality made him a fan favorite among the Rivers community, and he touched the lives of a multitude of students through his time at Rivers.

“Rivers means everything to me. It is like family,” Pipe said.

“I have been at Rivers for almost half of my life and will never forget all the kids and colleagues that I have worked with. All of my best memories at Rivers come from coaching and mentoring my athletes and advisees. The students are really what make Rivers a great place to work. I am looking forward to my next adventure but I will never forget Rivers. Thank you Rivers for everything.”

While the entire Rivers community is sad to see Pipe go, we are extremely grateful for all he’s done for the school and wish him nothing but the best at St. George’s.

Continued from page 5 his students an opportunity to explore all types of art and find a passion for it in their high school years.

As much as Mr. Harrison loves the Rivers community, the students might have loved him as an art teacher even more. Several students remarked that he is an “amazing,” “awesome” teacher, who encouraged his students to develop their own creative style.

“I think his patient teaching style has been very helpful to me and to all of his students in de-

veloping technical skills as well as their own artistic style,” says sophomore Keira Thompson.”

We’ll miss him.”

Similarly, Maddie Foley adds, “He was really good at giving good instruction but also allowing us to take creative liberty which made class really enjoyable.”

In his retirement, Mr. Harrison expects to spend much more time on his own art exploration as well as community service work.

However, after 32 years of teaching, he will miss coming to work

at Rivers every day and interacting with his students, who have become like family to him. Upon his final reflection of his time at Rivers, Mr. Harrison says, “The most meaningful times were those in which I could really see joy in the lives of my students, and those moments comprise my fondest memories.”

Mr. Harrison started out his time at Rivers inexperienced and nervous, but 32 years later, his retirement will leave a hole in the Rivers community, and he will surely be missed.

Continued from page 4 sation. Zoom can do many things, but it doesn’t let us hang out on the turf, do labs in Revers, or grab a snack in the cafe. And it’s not just the students that miss seeing one another, the teachers miss being at Rivers, too. “What I love about teaching is not necessarily the content,” said Ms. Sailor.

“What I love about teaching is interacting with students.”

We all feel isolated right now, but it’s comforting to know how much everyone misses seeing us.

But like any other tough situation we’ve been in, every member of the Rivers community has worked hard to make the best of

this pandemic. Faculty strived to create virtual clubs and in each class, teachers have gone above and beyond. Not to mention an amazing staff video every morning on Instagram to start our day.

In addition, we’ve all thought of new ways to pass the time. Going for runs, spending time outside, learning an instrument, giving ourselves haircuts, and baking (or attempting to bake) bread are just some of the things we’ve been up to. In 20 years, when people ask us about the coronavirus, we will want to tell them about all the crazy and fun things we got to do, not what we didn’t get to do.

We are living in the world of

Zoom, where we are at the mercy of circumstances that we have no control over but impact our educational lives tremendously. It is important during this time to not take for granted the education we are receiving and also the time put in to make it possible.

As we turn our attention to the fall trimester, we have to believe that the Rivers community will be able to weather the storm of uncertainty and achieve the best level of education and extra-curriculars possible. Rivers, we’ll survive this, and we will come back to school eager to resume campus life.

Harrison inspired many students

Learning to live in the Zoom world

May 29, 2020

College Matriculation Class of 2020

Ablon, Carter Lafayette College Adams, Samuel B. University of Southern California Balamurugan, Apsara Northwestern University Baldwin, Matthew Elon University Barich, Lauren George Washington University Barrow, Margaret University of Miami Bauriedel, Maximilian Babson College Benjes, Jacquelyn Brown University Berg, Jonah Duke University Bloom, Callahan Boston College Branka, Lillian Middlebury College Buckhout, Hannah Bowdoin College Buckle, Sofia Claremont McKenna College Burke, Connor Bucknell University Campana, Nicolas Swarthmore College Campbell, Aliesha Clark University Churchill, William Colgate University Connelly, Audrey Tulane University Corliss, Lauren Vanderbilt University Cormier, Matthew Juniors Hockey Corrigan, Colin Sacred Heart University Davock, Aidan Colgate University Day, Tyler Boston College Dekin, Abraham Villanova University Desmond, Jackson Dartmouth College Dieterle, Jay Tufts University Donovan, Elizabeth College of the Holy Cross Eselius, Kate Stanford University Folliard, Mallory Tufts University Freeman-Carter, Myles Becker College Freeman-Carter, Ronald .

Boston University Gage, Eric Williams College Gainey, Zoie University of Michigan Glennon, Rylee Amherst College Gomez, David Santa Clara University Gourinovitch, Sophia Northeastern University Graf, Collin Jr Hockey (Union College commit) Greer, Sydney Washington University in St Louis Hardy, Nicholas Boston University Hasselbeck, Annabelle Boston College Hitti, Julia Brown University Jack, Elizabeth Middlebury College Janko, Casen Junior Hockey Johnsen, Ryan University of Southern California Kantaros, Thomas Hamilton College Kaye, Brendan Villanova University Kew, Christina Endicott College Lawn, Patrick Jr Hockey (Bentley College commit) Larkin, Julia New York University Lee, Soobin Babson College Lefebvre, Caroline Boston College Lewis, Henry University of Toronto Lisman, Lucas University of Virginia Lunder, Samuel Colby College MacIsaac, Gavin Syracuse University Manasseh, Joel Brown University Mann, Rachel Northeastern University McEachern, Michael Colby College McPherson, Rayha Harvard College McShane, Madison Trinity College Mentis, Dylan Ithaca College Mickle, Zachary College of the Holy Cross Miller, Bret Tulane University of Louisiana Miller, Thomas Villanova University Morgan, John Duke University Myers, Yasmin Indiana University-Bloomington Nelson, Brooke Wesleyan University Noble, Trevor Stonehill College Perko, Lindsey Colby College Rahbany, Ryan Amherst College Reinhardt, George Lewis & Clark College Ryan, Mark Babson College Salvin, Isabel University of Chicago Sivolella, Donald New York University Sledeski, Andrew New York University Sousa, Samantha Tufts University Staiti, Jack Babson College Stein, Max Tufts University Sussman, Cole Kenyon College Taylor-Black, Logan Northwestern University Thomajan, Evelyn Lehigh University Tresca, Phil Jr Hockey (Yale Univ. commit) Turissini, Julia Colby College VanDuzer, Riley Bryant University Varsamis, Victoria Trinity College Vettel, Adeline Northwestern University Waller, Samuel Boston University Walsh, Abigail Villanova University Weitz, Daniel Columbia University Winston, Alexander Lynn University Xu, Olivia New York University