Inklings May Issue

Staples High School

Vol. 87, Issue 9

May 31, 2019

Meet your new superintendent:

Join the discussion.

Abbey plans to lead district through challenges Lys Goldman ‘21 News Editor

Claire Redmer ‘21

Social Media Director

T

he Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. David Abbey as Westport’s interim superintendent of schools starting May 8, 2019. Abbey will serve as interim superintendent through the 2019-20 school year until a permanent superintendent is found.

Although he will only have this position for a short time, Abbey hopes to guide the district through current challenges and prepare it for the next superintendent.

His immediate priority is ensuring that he is well-versed with everything that’s going on in the schools and in the town. “[My] first priority is really getting up to speed with respect to what’s happening, what the priorities of the Board of Education are, [...] any of the issues that exist in the district,” Abbey said.

After catching up, Abbey will strive to be as involved as possible in the Westport community. He hopes to be a familiar face around the town among staff, students and parents. In addition to having face-to-face presence, Abbey also agreed to strongly consider using Twitter.

“Really what I’d like to do is [go to] events [like] art openings, theater openings, athletic events,” Abbey said. “I’d like to drop in on some classrooms [...] and be accessible to any student organization that would like to engage with me or

Photo dramatization by Lys Goldman ’21 has a question or concern.”

Abbey also hopes play a role in improving the district as a whole.

“You’re always on a path of continuous improvement,” Abbey said. “No matter how good [your district is], you’re always looking to improve, and so I’m hopeful that I can help.”

The current challenges within the Westport Public Schools, such as finding a new Staples principal and rebuilding Coleytown, have plans already set in place ACCESSIBILITY TO STUDENTS One of Interim by current administration; Superintendent Dr. David Abbey’s goals is to be Abbey will oversee and familiar and accessible to students, parents and continue these projects, administrators around the school. This accessibility along with working with may include the use of Twitter to post updates. the Board of Education.

Abbey has been an educator for over 45 years. Outside perintendent in New Canaan and holding of his passion for education, he en- several interim positions after retirement. joys following politics, reading, travAbbey was referred to the Board of Edeling and spending time with family. ucation as a possible candidate and was Abbey started his career working in one of two people formally interviewed special education and teaching braille to for the job. In the end, Abbey’s prior exblind students. After receiving a Bache- perience played a big role in his hiring. lor’s Degree in history, a Master’s Degree “I think that the advantage of somein special education and a Ph.D. in edu- one like Dr. Abbey is that he has extencation, as well as working in numerous sive experience as a superintendent,” schools across the country, Abbey came Director of Human Resources and Gento Westport and worked as the Coordi- eral Administratio John Bayers said. nator of the Westport Regional Center Board of Education Chair Mark and Department of Special Education at Mathias expressed a similar idea reStaples High School. Later, he held mul- garding Abbey’s experience when he tiple positions in school systems around was being considered for the position.

Fairfield County, including serving as su“This isn’t his first rodeo,” Mathias said.

“He’s seen this kind of stuff before, [...]

I count ourselves as lucky to have Dr. Abbey be willing to serve the town.”

Mathias added that Abbey’s experience specifically with challenging situations was one of the qualities that made him the best candidate.

“The fact that he’s worked in other challenging environments, such as what we’re going through, was a plus,” Mathias said. “People that we spoke to, his references and even the people that referred us to him had indicated his ability to work with communities and work with challenging situations.”

Along with guiding the district through the current challenges, working with others and building connections will be an important part of the work Abbey plans to do in the coming school year.

“I really need to know people’s stories,” Abbey said. “A big part of my work is going to be joining with people and getting them together in a trusting relationship, building those connections. I think I can do well, but I know that I can’t do well without the help of a lot of people.”

Facebook post prompts changes to sexual assault policies Kaela Dockray ‘20 Managing Editor

Staples administrators are working with students Zarah Ahmad ’19 and Mae Fleischmann ’19 to implement preventive measures and increase awareness surrounding sexual assault.

The changes Ahmad and Fleishman proposed include gender-integrated health classes to create uniformity in the discussion about sexual assault, implementing guidance programs for victims and having a designated day dedicated to spreading awareness of sexual assault.

Initiatives to improve Staples’ sexual assault policy came after Fleischmann posted a letter in the Staples Superfans Facebook group on April 3 describing administrative responses to instances of sexual misconduct.

“As I sit here writing this, I find myself at a loss of words,” the post read. “I have [...] been so ignorant as to believe the faculty and administration at Staples High School would do their very idle best as to respond to [...] situations [of sexual assault and misconduct] with coherent consequences. In my four years, I am so extremely disappointed to report this has not been the case.”

In the post, Fleischmann described her own experience with a teacher who she believed created an unsafe learning environment. According to Fleischmann, this teacher kept her after class to discuss unrelated subjects, accompanied her on field trips for other classes and asked her to drop one of her classes to be in his Independent Study course.

“As a Staples student,” Fleischmann wrote, “I feel a responsibility to every other student that has been affected by this lack of administrative assistance and cooperation to issues in this school that make us feel unsafe.”

Following the post, Ahmad reached out to Fleischmann, hoping to implement changes that address the injustices Fleischmann described. Ahmad similarly felt dissatisfied with how faculty members handled cases of sexual misconduct.

“Teachers have repeatedly told me that I needed to look or present myself in a certain way as a woman,” Ahmad said.

“Originally, my goal was to find a way to educate teachers on how they should act towards students, but when Mae posted that letter in Superfans, I reached out to her and we were able to bring our different goals together to [propose changes addressing] how both administrators and teachers handle these situations.”

Continued on page 2

Inside the issue News Opinions Features Arts Sports

1 Page 10 Page 15 5 Page 8 EQUALITY ACT OBSTRUCTS TITLE IX INTENTIONS WWPT “MONKEY DETECTIVE” 9 Hannah Schmidt ’19 expresses her opinion Four sophomores give the scoop on their LIGHTS OUT FOR DARKROOM The Digital Darkroom class and the 15 on Title IX and the Equality Act. self-run radio show, “Monkey Detective,” Beginning Photography class will be com18 which airs on 90.3 FM. bining for the 2019-20 school year.

70 North Ave., Westport, Connecticut, 06880

News

May 31, 2019

Local briefs Bailey Blaikie ‘19 Staff Writer

May 23

Farmer’s Market opening

The Westport Farmers’ Market opened for the 2019 season on Thursday, May 23. The market will be open every Thursday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. until November 7. The market, located on 50 Imperial Avenue, features a wide variety of local vendors including farms, bakeries and restaurants.

June 1

Great Duck Race

Up to 3,500 yellow rubber ducks are expected to race across the Saugatuck River on Saturday, June 1. First prize winner will receive $5,000, second place wins $1,000 and third place gets $500 in the form of Visa gift cards. The event marks the 10th annual race. Each year over $20,000 are raised and distributed to various local and international charities.

June 1

‘GMS’ rebrands as ‘70 North,’ prepares to launch Graphic by Olivia Valante ‘20 Photo by Emma Dantas ‘21

Andreas Lolis ‘21 News Editor

F

ormer Staples morning TV show “Good Morning Staples” (GMS) is preparing to launch a streaming platform in the coming weeks. The show, now called “70 North,” will continue to feature student-created video content.

The new name, inspired by Staples’ address, signifies a complete remodel.

GMS, which stopped producing videos after teacher Justin Nadal’s departure, plans to create videos in a different structure than past episodes.

Videos that will be featured on the new online streaming service will vary, but they will usually be five to 10 minutes in length and cover a variety of topics including sports, entertainment and Staples community updates. The format of each show will also range greatly, but panel discussions and student

reporting will be a prominent feature.

“We’re rebranding, and ‘70 North’ is going to look like when [Jim Honeycutt] was the teacher,” “70 North” staff member Wyatt Glenn ’21 said.

Videos for the Photos by Emma Dantas ’21 streaming service will be produced in the TV Studio and Documentary Production 2 class, taught

by Geno Heiter.

Co-producer Sam Gold ’20 says that one of the factors preventing “70 North” from launching immediately is that the class has yet to find a server with adequate data sharing space to support TV PRODUCTION CLASS Students in Staples’ TV Production

the entire Staples Class review notes and share ideas as they make preparations community streamto launch ‘GMS’, rebranded as ‘70 North’, on a new streaming ing videos simultaplatform. It is expected to launch within the coming weeks. neously. “70 North”

has already released videos in a “soft launch” on a lower bandwidth server.

Currently, class time is being used to brainstorm content ideas for videos, which will be released when the streaming service becomes available to Staples, according to Heiter.

According to Gold, the most time consuming process in the development of “70 North” has been, “figuring out what students want to watch and how to execute on it.”

The absence of GMS left a void felt among some Staples students. “‘GMS’ provided a great source of […] telling [students] what’s happening in the school,” Sam Lampert ’20 said.

However, there are no plans to continue popular past GMS segments, such as “The Klein Challenge,” on “70 North.” The first priority of “70 North” is to give the Staples community video content that it will be interested in.

“It still [will be] a beta product when Staples is going to see it,” Gold said.

“We’re always going to adapt and change first and foremost for the students.”

Facebook post prompts changes to sexual assault policies Continued from page 1

Senior Prom

Senior Prom will take place on Saturday, June 1 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Stamford Marriott.

Tickets are $75 each. Exit 9 of I-95 will be closed in both directions, making the route unavailable.

June 1

Inklings News

Destination Westport: In the Footsteps of Patriots

The Westport Historical Society is leading a tour to teach visitors about one of the town’s oldest settled areas, Kings Highway North, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. The tour is one to two miles of walking around the established historic district. It covers 106 structures and four historic sites. Tickets range from $8 to $15 based on if you are a member or not.

Assistant Principal Richard Franzis serves as one of Staples’ Title IX Coordinators, and is in charge of carrying out Title IX of the Education Amendments, which is a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs and activities. Franzis believes that awareness of sexual misconduct should remain at the forefront of students’ minds.

“Last year, with the #MeToo movement and all of the other issues that came forward on the national stage, we saw a big increase in the number of Title IX complaints reported in the building,” Franzis said. “But this year, I don’t think I have done one student-on-student sexual harassment investigation. I think this was because it was in everyone’s conscious last year, so people came forward a lot more.”

To increase awareness, Ahmad and Fleishman organized a meeting on April 10 open to all students interested in improving Staples’ sexual assault policy.

“The meeting has definitely opened up a lot of conversations that people couldn’t have before,” attendee Olivia Sarno ’20 said. “Now a lot of people are actively trying to fix this issue, which is amazing.”

Still, Ahmad and Fleischmann believe that the discussion surrounding sexual assault is not as prominent as it should be. As a result, many students are left unaware of the resources Staples offers in instances of sexual misconduct.

“Last year, Monique Ostbye [’18] did a lot of work on changing the policy,”Ahmad said. “We now have four Title IX Coordina-

inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

Photos contributed by SHS Website

TITLE IX COORDINATORS Meghan Ward (left) and Richard Franzis (right) were the first two Staples Assistant Principals to serve as Title IX officers. Currently, all Assistant Principals hold this responsibility. The duty of a Title IX officer is to ensure that students are aware of their right against discrimination based on sex.

tors of both genders and various guidance programs for victims. However, people don’t know that these things exist because they don’t feel comfortable talking about sexual assault in the first place.”

In the spring of 2018, Ostbye worked with administors to bring this issue to light, organizing a student-run sexual assault panel. Her hope was for students to continue improving sexual assault awareness and prevention in future years.

“The important thing is that [the] work that I started didn’t end with me,” Ostbye said. “The ideas that are being proposed are things I wish I had suggested earlier as well, and I truly think that [these proposals] would help foster some great discussion in regards

to sexual assault and misconduct.”

Ahmad and Fleischmann similarly want students to continue their efforts after they graduate. They sent out a survey in the Staples Superfans Facebook group on April 24 looking for people to carry out these changes. Over 80% of students who responded to the survey indicated that they would be interested in participating in a club devoted to increasing sexual assault awareness.

“Although we came up with lot of ideas, we aren’t able to see them all through,” Fleischmann said. “The administration is open to all of these ideas, so if there are students out there who want to make this happen, they should know that they really can make a difference.”

Inklings News

May 31, 2019

News

2019-20 schedule introduces new advisory period Non-Advisory day schedules will remain the same as the 2018-2019 school year.

The new period is called “Connections.”

Despite the change, the schedule will still follow a four day rotation. The changes are depicted on the schedule below.

Graphic by Roxy Augeri ’20

20 minutes

Additionally, some Staples students are concerned with the freStaff Writer quency of the meetings even though they recognize the benefit of creating stronger student-teacher bonds.

“I think that it will help foster [a] ren advisory period will replace communication time every lationship between teachers and stuTuesday and Thursday for the dents since the setting is more intimate,” 2019-20 school year. The administration Lauren Spheeris ’21 said. “But I don’t implemented the change in order to foster think they need to meet that often. stronger student-teacher relationships Maybe just two or three times a month.”

However, the administration and comand to better communicate school-wide initiatives. Students will be broken up mittee members, some of whom visitinto groups of 10 to 12 students based on ed Darien High School and Joel Barlow grade and guidance counselor. The groups High School in Redding to see the adwill be paired with an administrator or visory period in action, are hopeful that teacher who will meet with students the time block will be beneficial once during the newly scheduled time. the community gets used to the change.

“I think it’s going to take a little bit of “The primary goal is to foster one additional support system for students by pro- getting used to, but I think ultimately viding another opportunity for students people will adapt,” Assistant Principal Patto develop a meaningful relationship rick Micinilio said. “I was reluctant [about with a staff member,” former acting su- the change] initially, but I did a visitation to Joel Barlow perintendent to see it in acDr. Anthony tion and it was Buono said. “The primary goal is to foster one really cool.”

“However, Micinilio this time will additional support system for said that during also be used students by providing another his visitation, to more effihe saw stuciently con- opportunity for students to dents and their duct grade develop a meaningful relationship advisors dislevel business.” cussing issues Since the with a staff member.” with which the groups are - Former Acting Superintendent students were broken up by grade level, Dr. Anthony Buono involved during the year. Mitasks specinilio also saw cific to each grade can be completed in the adviso- a “shout out” being given to two kids who ry block. Grade-level business will con- had recently won an award at school.

Both the committee and the adminissist of freshman and sophomore guidance announcements as well as junior tration vocalized that advisory time will and seniors’ SAT registration and post bring strength to the Staples commuhigh school planning and preparation. nity and the meetings will be catered to On advisory days, which are Tuesday what students in each grade level needs. and Thursdays, periods that are normal- Classroom instruction will be stopped ly 50 minutes long will be shortened to throughout the entire school during 45 minutes. The regular communication this 20 minute block in order to encourtime period will be shortened from 85 age meaningful communication and minutes to 75 minutes. This will be fol- give administrative announcements.

“At any given moment within that lowed by a 20 minute advisory period.

The library is planning to create a window of time the entire building is shared document with the teachers and basically going to shut down [since administrators of each advisory group. every classroom will be used for the The document will be updated each advisory block],” director of Staples week with links to featured articles, guidance William Plunkett said. “And evannouncements and important dates eryone is going to be in a single group.”

The advisory block has been supon the schedule to provoke communication and share issues on the school ported by the Connection Committee climate during the advisory block. and the administration. It has also been Some students feel that these alter- recommended by the NEASC (New Enations to the schedule seem too com- gland Association of Schools and Colplicated and unnecessary, as many leges) for almost 20 years, according to activities that would take place in ad- member of the Connection Committee visory can be done in the regularly and Staples choral director, Luke Rosenscheduled communication time block. berg. Overall, the administration feels “The new schedule seems impractical that advisory will benefit the Staples because students are already in a class- community upon its implementation.

“It’s is a small group of kids that room with an assigned teacher [with] who[m] they can communicate,” Grace are going to be connected to anothKennedy ’20 said. “The new schedule er adult in the building,” Micinilio said. would disrupt other periods, teachers “So we are hoping that over the span and students who have to move around of four years with incoming freshmen more to their assigned advisory room.” there will be a bond that forms there.”

Emma Dantas ’21

A

Photo by Lys Goldman ‘21

TEACHER INVOLVEMENT Choral Director Luke Rosenberg, as well as other teachers, is a member of the Connnection Commitee that helped to promote the advisory block.

Local briefs June 3

Senior trip

The Senior class trip to Six Flags New England will take place on June 3. Students who choose to attend will leave Staples at 8 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. Tickets are $50 each.

June Yankee Doodle Fair 13 The Yankee Doodle Fair will be taking place on June 13 - June 16.

The event is run by the Westport Woman’s Club and will include classic fair attractions such as rides, carnival games and local food vendors. Additionally, there will be a bake sale, bands and a raffle. The fair will be at 44 Imperial Avenue.

June Staples High School 18 graduation On Tuesday, June 18 at 2 p.m., graduation will take place in the Field House. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. to reserve seats. Every senior will be offered six tickets for their family.

Westport June Public Library 23 grand re-opening On Sunday, June 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Westport Public Library will have its grand re-opening. The day will start with an opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting and will be followed by events, such as a presentation of the new piano, the performance of a oneact play, live music and more.

News

May 31, 2019

Inklings News

Software update, state law may prevent access to Adobe programs in school Melanie Lust ‘19

restructure their curricula to accommodate for the loss of these programs.

Staff Writer “I would love for there to be other options out there that professionals and designers use at a level to the same extent onflict between a state privacy law as Adobe, but there just [aren’t],” Eichler and a software update may limit said. “Right now, [media and technology student access to Adobe programs teachers have] been tasked to look at in the 2019-20 school year, potentially some other alternatives to see what else disrupting digital media courses. is out there in terms of digital media.”

T V Production 2 produces Under the law, “An Act Concerning “Good Morning Staples” Student Data Privacy,” school districts (GMS) with several Adocan not enter into a contract with be programs, mainly any program that can obtain Premiere Pro and student information.

After Effects.

Adobe programs Sam Gold ‘20, a will require stuTV Production dents to enter their 2 student, said email and other the studio’s login information new show-before use begin”70 North”-ning in December. may have to “It’s good to prolearn to adapt tect student data,” art without Adobe.. teacher Carla Eichler “Adobe makes said. “However, Adofantastic software be is changing the way that’s empowered they’re providing the creatives to do software. That’s why amazing things,” he it’s becoming an issue said, “so it makes specifically with Adobe.” sense why so many Fourteen media schools in the states and technology coursand around the es currently rely on the globe use the Adobe Adobe suite, which offers Creative Cloud suite.” editing software such as Gold also disPhotoshop and Premiere, Graphic by Will Roschen ’19 agrees with the student to operate on a daily basis.

Popular courses such as Graphic De- privacy law, which the Connecticut sign and TV Production may have to General Assembly passed in 2016.

“The privacy law in question is fun-

C

damentally flawed,” he said. “The law was written by leaders who lack a working knowledge of the frameworks that enable technology in the classroom.”

A lawyer representing three school districts facing the same issue is negotiating with Adobe and state representatives to ensure enduring access to these programs.

Students in Graphic Design 1 and 2 and Digital Foundations, an honors course, use Photoshop and other Adobe programs every day.

“I really enjoy the class. I know

a lot of other people do, but if we can’t use Adobe programs, we can’t have the class,” Ashley Wright ‘19, a Digital Foundations student, said.

In addition to media classes, the yearbook club, radio station and many other clubs rely on Adobe to edit their content.

“Adobe has permeated so many corners of our school,” Eichler said. “It’s also the industry standard. It’s concerning to me that I would be teaching a graphic design class and on software that, when students leave the school, [it’s] not relevant.”

LEARNING WITH ADOBE A Design and Tech student uses Adobe programs to work

on a project. Design and Tech is among many classes that utilize such programs. If the proposed legislation is passed, such opportunities may no longer be available.

Photo by Lucy Arrow ’21

Six portable classrooms arrive at Bedford Auditorium lobby closes during lunch Lia Chen ’20

Associate Managing Editor

Westport’s installation of six portable classrooms at Bedford Middle School (BMS) in preparation for the 2019-2020 school year is underway.

The units are part of the accommodations BMS is making to provide additional space for the influx of students displaced by the mold issue at Coleytown Middle School.

Installation began the week of May 13 with the preparation of the classrooms’ foundations using landscape fabric and 48 tons of crushed gravel. Two portable classrooms arrived on the evening of May 21 and two more arrived on May 22. The last two classrooms are expected to arrive in the near future for a total of six units.

The full installation process is expected to take five to seven weeks to complete.

Four units will be joined together to create one square-shaped classroom building on the right side of BMS, and two units will be joined to create another smaller building on the left side of BMS, near Wakeman field.

The buildings were purchased from Vanguard Modular Building Systems, which services much of the eastern portion of the United States. The company states that modular classrooms are “cost-effective building solutions to accommodate long-term and temporary classroom overcrowding problems,” according to their website.

The Board of Education previously allocated $1 million for the installation of these six classrooms on Feb. 6.

“Connectivity for wifi, SmartBoards, classroom furniture, safety systems for fire, intercom systems for public announcements,” BMS Principal Adam Rosen said. “Everything that would be installed in a standard classroom gets installed into these.”

PORTABLE CLASSROOMS AT BMS The Board of Education allocated $1 million for the

installation and use of the portable classrooms on Feb. 6. The classrooms are expected to be finished in time for the 2019-2020 school year and will serve as additional classroom space to accomodate for the influx of students.

inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

Andreas Lolis ’21 News Editor

The auditorium lobby area will be closed during lunch waves until the end of the school year due to custodial difficulties caused by garbage left by students.

According to Principal James D’Amico, there is a possibility that the lobby will not reopen at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.

“After many announcements and adults trying to guide students in the right direction,” D’Amico said, “there were huge messes being left there during the lunch waves, which made it really difficult for the custodians to get things cleaned up.”

Some students believe that the presence of insects in the auditorium lobby makes the location unpleasant.

“There are so many ants in the area outside the auditorium,” Chelsea Gaspel ’21 said. “It’s pretty nasty.”

While D’Amico has not received reports of ants or rodents in the auditorium lobby, he does believe that the garbage being left in the area could lead to infestations of that nature.

“Certainly, what was being left up there would be attractive to rodents or ants,” D’Amico said.

In addition, Assistant Principal Richard Franzis, who proposed the idea of closing the area, says that the auditorium was closed partially because of unruly student behavior.

“I had to send [security guard Tom] Bassett down on a daily basis during the lunch waves because of the inappropriate behaviors that were taking place,” Franzis said.

Some of these behaviors included roughhousing and excessive noise.

Some students, like Ishan Prasad ’22, enjoy the area because it provides a more calm environment than the cafeteria.

“If I need to study somewhere, I need a quiet place,” Prasad said.

“Sometimes I go up with my friends

LITTERING Prior to the closing STUDENT off of the auditorium lobby, many students who ate lunch in the area left their trash on tables, creating a sanitation problem.

to the area outside the auditorium.”

Bassett has seen some students enter the area since it’s been blocked off, but they have not seen any issues with keeping the area closed.

“There have been a few students that have gone around the barriers to go up there,” Bassett said, “and once I explained to them that the auditorium area is closed, they had no problem removing themselves from the area.”

Science teacher Kayla Iannetta believes that students should be able to enjoy access to the auditorium lobby if they earn it.

“I think if [students] could respect the area it should stay open,” Iannetta said. “But if kids are going to bring their trash and not clean up after themselves, it should probably remain closed.”

An open dialogue surrounding picking up trash and preserving Staples’ cleanliness is key to regaining student privileges, D’Amico believes.

“We have to figure out a better way to motivate students to take responsibility,” he said. “I don’t know what the best way to do that is, I think it’s a topic we need to get students talking about.”

May 31, 2019

Inklings News

Opinions

Editors-in-Chief

Have an opinion about an article?

Write a letter to the editor at inklingsnews@westportps.org.

Audrey Bernstein & Allie D’Angelo

Managing Editors

Kaela Dockray & Dana Perelberg

Web Managing Editors Sophie Casey & Eddie Kiev

Business Directors

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Caroline Donohue & Emily Stone

Creative Director

Poppy Livingstone

Associate Managing Editors

Lia Chen & Siri Kanter

Social Media Director Emma Van Riper

Assistant Creative Directors Roxy Augeri & Brooke Dembin Eliza Barr & Olivia Valante

Broadcast Directors Lily Kane & Serena Ye

Assistant Business Managers Ella Bloomingdale

News Editors

Natalie Bandura & Molly Gold Lys Goldman & Andreas Lolis

Opinions Editors

Samantha Felner & Abby Fleming Lia Gordon & Chelsea Strober

Features Editors

Lucy Arrow & Remy Teltser Reilly Caldwell & Carly Kaplowitz

Student initiative illustrates need for sexual assault policy change

I

n the past two months alone, the Staples High School student body witnessed two unsettling reminders of the existence of sexual misconduct within the school.

Arts Editors

Katie Simons Tierney Kugel & Evi Tarshis

Sports Editors

Madison Andrews & Jackson Lev Jack Dennison & Rebecca Kanfer

Web News Editors

Annabelle Iannone & Rachel Suggs

Web Opinions Editors

Jake Navarro & Anastasia Thumser

Web Features Editors

Lauren Hassell & Marlo von der Ahe

Web Arts Editors

Julia Kasabian & Giselle Oldani

Web Sports Editors

Alex Massoud & Lexie Moskovit

Advisers

Joseph DelGobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco, Samantha Galasso & Ann Neary

Silver Crown Award for Newspaper from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2017 Gold Medal for Hybrid News from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2017 Silver Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association for both print and online 2015 Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013 All the opinions, news and features in this paper are those of Staples High School students. Inklings, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored. All letters to the editor must be signed. The editorial board reserves the right not to publish letters and to edit all submissions as it sees fit. The editorial board determines all editorial opinions, which are authored faithfully by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health. The paper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.

On April 3, a senior girl posted an alarming message in the student body’s Facebook group. Her words expressed a loss of faith in the administration’s ability to address misconduct.

“As a Staples student,” she wrote, “I feel a responsibility to every other student that has been affected by this lack of administrative assistance and cooperation to issues in this school that make us feel unsafe.”

This message was prompted by her frustration after news broke that a maintenance employee took photos of a female student without her consent.

On May 11, another student posted a message to the same group, warning members of the importance of consent prior to the junior and senior proms.

Our district has attempted to address sexual assault within our school through assemblies and additional resources available to students including guest speakers in health classes.

Yet, despite these endeavors, student pleas for change illustrate that the administration has not done enough.

And although we praise the courage of the students who have come forward, the student body should not be tasked with the burden of initiating change.

Since the posts, two students have proposed policy adjustments, including altering curriculums in health classes, devoting days of awareness to sexual assault and increasing the number of student resources in the guidance department. They are currently working with the administration to implement these improvements.

These collaborative initiatives do demonstrate progress; however, the administration must be proactive in promoting change, not simply reactive to students’ demands.

If the administration refrains from proactively speaking up about sexual assault, a stigma of silence will permeate the student body. As a result, students will become fearful of asking for support.

To ensure that we develop a new attitude towards sexual assault, there are several measures that can be taken.

First, the meaning of consent should be introduced at an elementary level. For example, students can learn to respect each other’s choices through deciding how they want to be greeted in the morning, whether it be a wave, a high five or a hug. Encouraging these skills of consent at an early age will ensure that they are ingrained in a student’s mind in future years.

In the middle and high school levels, health classes should provide extensive and meaningful lessons on sexual assault and incorporate more guest speakers sharing personal experiences.

[INKLINATIONS]

Additionally, the administration should better inform the student body of the in-school resources our district offers.

For example, our district provides trained Title IX coordinators, who are tasked with executing Title IX of the Education Amendments, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. In recent years, the administration has increased the number of Title IX coordinators available from one to four.

Despite this attempt, many members of our Editorial Board were unaware that our school has Title IX coordinators at all, or what this certification entails.

Speaking up about sexual assault is daunting enough, but it becomes even more difficult without someone to confide in. Therefore, Title IX coordinators must have a personable and approachable presence on campus. This can be achieved through holding assemblies or encouraging individual meetings with the Title IX coordinators. Additionally, although all staff members are mandated reporters, it may be beneficial to train other staff members close to students such as guidance counselors and teachers to become Title IX officers in hopes of creating a larger network of support.

We acknowledge that there are no simple remedies to eradicate sexual assault in its entirety. However, we hope to see the administration become more proactive rather than reactive when dealing with sexual assault in the future.

The editorial board voted unanimously in favor of this opinion.

WHAT ACTIONS CAN THE ADMINISTRATION TAKE TO ADDRESS SEXUAL ASSAULT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT?

70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 203-341-1994 inklingsnews@westportps.org Decisions of Inklings and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.

CONRAD MANN ’19

“Increase punishments because right now punishment for sexual assault or touching or anything like that is the same punishment as throwing a snowball.”

RACHEL LEVY ’20

“Making the punishments more severe and if someone commits it not giving them a second chance.”

ROSS MIELE ’19

“There’s all this education of what women should do to not be assaulted, but I think there’s just a fundamental thing that we need to teach men not to assault women.”

inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

Opinions

May 31, 2019

Inklings News

The Artichoke Satire * *Application for employment: Staples High School Princi-pal Eddie Kiev ’20 Web Managing Editor

Hannah Schmidt ’19 Staff Writer

on hand to remain calm when faced with physical soccer mom altercations.

2. Be blind. A sighted principal will have to deal with the Juul-usage issues that plague every Staples bathroom.

But if you can’t see the crime, then you don’t have to deal with the crime. (Hav-

ing an impaired sense of smell for mango and mint scents would be an added bonus.)

3. Have no life. The next principal must have absolutely no personal commitments other than being principal.

Ideally, this means the next principal will wear a suit under his or her pajamas each night and lay awake by the

T

he Staples High School community is looking for a qualified candidate to take on the increasing burden of Staples’ multiplying problems.

With the departure of our beloved James D’Amico, we need to find a new “princi-PAL” to fill the void.

This job is a high-stakes position and demands specific requirements.

Failure to meet 100% of the qualifications will result in a coup d’etat.

1. Be zen. The truth is, there are a lot of former-prosecutor moms in Westport who hold strong and intimidating opinions about how this school should run. The next SHS principal must have an excess of stress balls

phone hoping Interim Superintendent D r. D a v i d A b b e y w i l l c a l l .

4. Be a nomad. Westport prides itself on being a district of the not-so-distant future. Three years is all we really want to look ahead. So, the next principal should have foresight limited to a maximum of three years. That is just enough time to establish new policies and not have the burden of having to follow through with any of them. So serve the three year sentence and then get the hell out of Dodge.

5. Be retired. It has been a long-standing Westport tradition to hire retired New York state administrators as they will best benefit from the loophole of double dipping from the New York pension payments and a Connecticut salary.

Candidates who qualify should apply to : Westpor t Public Schools 110 Myr tle Avenue Westpor t, C T 06880 Feel free to take your t i m e s u b m i t ting your application; the Westport Board of Education still has at least a year-and-a-half to complete its ntionwide search for a PERMANENT superintendent to serve as your boss.

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone

The Notre Dame fire created destruction, not tragedy Olivia Bag ’22 The flames started small but quickly grew into a raging, uncontrollable inferno that brought with it heat, destruction and a dramatic surge of emotion worldwide.

But as devastating as the fire at Notre Dame in Paris was, it was not a tragedy.

There’s a difference between an upsetting, unfortunate or even destructive event and a true tragedy. A tragedy must involve the unexpected and senseless loss of life and/or difficult human suffering.

The burning of Notre Dame was

not a tragedy considering because, miraculously, there were no deaths, and only one firefighter and two policemen were injured while trying to tame and control the blaze. What has been lost, can be rebuilt with time, expertise and money. The church’s wood latticework roof and iconic spire that collapsed are replaceable, unlike human lives.

But despite the fire not being a true tragedy, well-known companies and wealthy individuals have already donated $1 billion for the reconstruction of the Cathedral. It is certainly commendable that there was such a quick reaction and show of support. This financial commit-

Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

ment will ensure that Notre Dame Cathedral can be restored to its original beauty in time. But that only goes to show that the fire was not really a tragedy.

Real tragedies don’t go away that fast.

Instead, they leave a wake of loss of life and human suffering that forever affects their families and communities. There is no reconstruction when it comes to human lives.

There are tragedies that continually plague the world that have yet to be financially and politically supported.

What about the lead-filled, poisoned water in Flint, Michigan?

What about the Syrian refu-

gees and children starving to death?

What about the mass shootings taking away innocent lives?

These are examples of true tragedies that are daily taking tolls on human life.

Where are the billion dollar donations to address these truly catastrophic problems?

It is imperative that philanthropy be given at the same level of generosity to true tragedies around the world, as was given to the Cathedral.

Our country and world will be a better place the day people care more about the health and well being of innocent children and adults rather than a beautiful church in a foreign country.

Inklings News

Opinions

May 31, 2019

Standardized tests teach lessons beyond score Rachel Suggs ’21

However, the message surrounding standardized tests in the younger grades was that they “didn’t count.”

The “real” tests were in high school.

But even though I had been preparing for high school since I could formulate sentences, I was still unprepared for the shock I would get by creating my College Board account.

When I registered for my first SAT subject test this May, something inside me hen I was six years old, I shifted. I realized that the long road towatched my favorite movie wards college acceptance had become character, Elle Woods, from much shorter all of a sudden. I blinked, “Legally Blonde” get accepted to Harvard. and college wasn’t so far away anymore.

While at doctor This appointments, sent me I studied the spiralI was aware that my only job until I diplomas on my ing into practitioners’ walls: panic. It turned 18 was to get into a reputable Johns Hopkins, became college.

Yale, Stanford. clear By the time I t h a t graduated from everyelementary school, cultural osmosis thing from then on “counted.” The had worked its magic and I was aware subject test was to be followed by that my only job until I turned 18 the AP exam, and junior year I would was to get into a reputable college. have to face either the SAT or ACT. I quickly figured out that the best When I took my first SAT subject test way to achieve this goal was to score this month, I noticed that many queshigh on standardized tests. I took the tions on the test had not appeared in CMT in elementary school and SBAC my studying or practice tests. Of course I in middle school with great intensity. knew the content, but there was no way Web News Editor

W

I could have prepared for those exact questions themselves. Studying harder, longer or having more stress would not have prepared me any more sufficiently for that exam.

While I prepare for these exams next year, I realize that I have learned something more valuable than any content on the tests themselves: the majority of my score on any exam is out of my control. I can only control my answer to the questions, not the questions themselves.

The same philosophy can be applied to the fate of my col-

lege acceptance, and perhaps even life in general. I cannot control whether or not a college admits me, I can only work to create my best resume possible. Recognizing this has helped me preserve my character while I am evaluated and scored by people who have never met me.

So as I enter into my junior year next fall, my relationship with standardized tests has changed. I am no longer that six-year-old girl, fantasizing about my college resume.

I do not need to achieve a perfect SAT score to be the perfect college applicant.

Because on the other side of my college degree, I will not be able to control every question asked of me; I can only respond to the best of my ability.

Photo by Emma Dantas ’21

Mandatory participation grades will prompt academic enrichment Sophie Casey ’20 Web Managing Editor

Throughout my time at Staples, I’ve attended a variety of classes and I’ve learned a little along the way: ionic bonds are formed between metals and nonmetals, the Jamestown settlement was established in 1607, the antiderivative of cosine is sine. But while my grades are based off of my familiarity with such information, I fear it will be lost.

Much of the information I have acquired will languish in some bygone part of my brain by the time I graduate, forgotten and rather inconsequential—I doubt my understanding of Rolle’s Theorem will prove necessary in my career. What will remain, I hope, is learned life skills that may assist me with future professional success.

In such a performance-driven school, incorporating participation into the gradebook will assuredly prompt students towards a heightened presence in the classroom and, by extension, impart worthwhile lessons of engagement that will undoubtedly be of use in future settings.

Values such as discipline, cooperation and independence—instilled into my character by teachers—will prepare me for the future.

Participation grades simply propel these values into motion. They promote the skills necessary for future

success and enrich the classroom experience. In bolstering student inclination to partake in academic undertakings, the intellectual atmosphere will surely be enhanced through rational discourse.

Furthermore, increased participation enriches and enlivens the classroom. By incorporating participation into a grade and subsequently encouraging active engagement, students will gain more from a lesson. Scholarly discussion of topics covered in class broadens understanding: topics may be explored from a variety of student vantage points.

Through increased par-

ticipation, teachers will also be made aware of where deficits in comprehension exist. If multiple students all express confusion in a certain area, teachers can capitalize on units and designate more time to explain difficult concepts.

Without the motivation behind grades, class participation will remain inadequate, and the consequences of such an occurrence are not insignificant. I often notice the monotony that characterizes a class in which students are unwilling to pose questions and invite debate. It is altogether too easy to passively ingest the material taught. As such, participation grades are

not only beneficial, but necessary.

Students only stand to gain from the grade-based encouragement to participate. Whether it manifests as the development of speaking skills or the predisposition towards interpersonal dialogue, students reap the advantages of participation. In the process, they hone skills of cooperation and stimulate academic engagement which are indispensable from a professional perspective.

One day, I will forget about galvanic cells.

I won’t be able to quote sections of the Federalist Papers. The ability to take the derivative of an inverse function will escape me. But maybe my fondness for participation will remain.

Graphic by Geena Abrams ’20 inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

May 31, 2019

Opinions

The Equality Act would hinder the entire purpose of Title IX

Inklings News

College process stress continues with roomates Bri Zeiberg ’19

Hannah Schmidt ’19 Staff Writer

C

alifornia Representative Nancy Pelosi introduced the Equality Act on March 13, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act to “provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for members of the LGBTQ community across key areas of life,” as defined by the Human Rights Campaign.

The Equality Act is an important step in the right direction towards achieving equality among all human beings, but when it comes to the athletic field, it raises concerns about its implications on Title IX’s protections.

The complexities of this issue makes it difficult to pinpoint a solution that could comprehensively protect every athlete. But especially with transgender athletes, Connecticut, in addition to the 17 other states that allow student athletes to compete without restrictions, can adopt a policy of requiring hormone use for a minimum period of time.

Passed in 1972, Title IX explicitly states that “no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation

in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

Since the passing of Title IX, the NCAA and Title IX have done a lot for women in sports, and it’s clear sex segregation is a key factor in ensuring equality in sports for women and girls. But when the range of athletes broade n s from biologically-bor n wo m e n to transgender women, lawmakers are keen on making judgements and faulty generalizations.

Consider the case of South African Olympic gold medallist sprinter Caster Semenya, a woman born with intersex chromosomes. She was recently asked to take testosterone suppressants in order to qualify for her race in the Olympics.

The innate biological differences between men and women are what separated the field in the first place. Compet-

ing against a biological man, women, in almost any circumstance, lose.

U.S. Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix has won a total of 25 Olympic and world championship medals, putting her above Usain Bolt. An article in the Washington Post notes that in 2018, 275 high school boys, on 783 different occasions, ran faster than Felix’s 400 meter personal record, 49.26 seconds.

There is also the recent i n stance of two high school transgender girls, Andraya Yearwood and Terry Miller, who in Connecticut placed first and second, respectively, in a state track championship meet.

Both athletes were recipients of severe controversy, as frustrated parents and peer athletes believed their higher testosterone levels lent service to a guaranteed win.

Boiling it down, it should be obvious that transgender athletes — and any athlete identifying within the LGBTQ community — deserve to compete in the sport they love and for the gender they identify with, and there’s no doubt the Equality Act will be quick to provide those protections.

But lawmakers have a long journey ahead to ensure that the playing field stay even, and they need to keep a close eye on changes that defy Title IX’s definition.

Graphic by Olivia Valante

Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

Staff Writer As seniors have officially committed to their future universities, it might seem that the stress and agony of the college process would end there. However, there is one last obstacle after commiting: the search for a roommate.

Searching for a roommate is similar to online dating. A dating site allows you to upload your best pictures with a brief summary of who you are.

In the college world, students do the same thing, except Facebook groups are the dating platform. Incoming students post their own photos with a caption explaining their interests and hope for other users to message them.

After the messages start rolling in, the “flirting” begins. Students respond to dozens of messages, going over the same common questions in order to ensure that the person isn’t completely insane. Constant conversation and overenthusiastic responses consume their Instagram direct message inbox. While talking to all these people, they hope to click with a roommate that won’t turn out to be a psycho.

The search for a college roommate turns people into the worst versions of themselves. People try to become the same energetic and overly nice individual, when in reality, we are all human with a variety of different personalities.

The goal of the roommate searching process is to find a person you can at least co-exist and share a living space with. It is important that people learn how to be themselves and not fall into the trap of being monotone robot just to fit in with whoever you talk to.

Seniors, whether you want a single or a roommate, take this time to be yourself and meet people you will really connect with. College is a fresh start that allows you to present yourself as the best you possible and this is the perfect place to start.

May 31, 2019

Inklings News

Features

Graphic by Melanie Lust’19

WeLIFEGUARD makes waves as student-run business Tallula Taylor ’21 Staff Writer h

Serena Ye ’20

A

Broadcast Director

ll throughout her life, Daria Maya ’21 grew up surrounded by lifeguards she looked up to as role models. Whenever summer rolled around, she hosted pool parties in her backyard, swam at the beach with her friends and attended sleep-away camp at the lake. She remembered always wanting someone dependable and responsible to monitor her and her friends swimming.

Maya is now the founder of the student-run organization, WeLIFEGUARD. This program officially launched its website and business in April. Its initiative is to connect families and clients with certified student life-

guards in the Westport community.

After finishing her first semester of lifeguard training, Maya realized there were no local programs available to connect families with certified student lifeguards. With the encouragement of gym and lifeguard teacher Jeffrey Doornweerd, this prompted the budding creation of WeLIFEGUARD, which prides itself on being entirely student operated.

“I was just out of college and doing a lot of swimming lessons at peoples’ houses around here,” Doornweerd said. “They would always ask me to lifeguard for events and parties, and I thought to create some sort of business like that for students would be a good thing to start, especially in Westport.”

Maya’s next step was to recruit certified lifeguards who would not only be excited by her program, but would also be strong swimmers and athletes as well.

“I started asking a lot of my friends

on the Staples water polo team and swim team,” Maya said. “It’s a team business rather than a one- person business.”

One of the newest additions to the organization is Charlotte Foege ’20.

“I didn’t want a strict job because, especially over the summer, I have a lot going on,” Foege said. “But I’m still a certified lifeguard and I want to pay use to that.”

To promote her new business, Maya looked into creative marketing and business strategies.

“I biked and walked around my neighborhood and handed out flyers to every door,” Maya said. “Then I emailed the people at Westport Moms and asked them to post something if they needed any lifeguards over the summer.”

To reach out to more teenagers, Maya set up social media accounts such as Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram.

“It’s very important to market and advertise your business if you want

it to be successful,” Maya said, “especially as a student where you don’t have the outlets an adult would have.”

From organizing the events, getting in touch with lifeguards who are available and receiving feedback and testimonials from clients, operating a full-time business requires plenty of communication and constant improvement.

“I think it’s going to be interesting when she [Maya] has to start working with other lifeguards,” Doornweerd said.

“So I think it’ll be a cool experience for her.”

To further expand her program, the organization will also soon offer swimming instruction for all ages to help teach individuals how to swim and improve the skills they already have.

Overall, Maya appreciates the lifeguarding experience she’s obtained so far. “[It’s] taught me the balance,” she said, “between having fun and keeping people safe.”

Retirement luncheon celebrates Neenan’s Staples career Annabelle Iannone ’21 Web News Editor

When you think of librarians, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely silence, glasses and gloom. Staples librarian Colin Neenan encaptures the opposite traits, apart from the glasses. With a smile on his face, he brightens the library every day he is there.

Neenan is retiring in June after six years at Staples and hopes to spend time on himself and his hobbies. His celebratory retirement luncheon was held on May 16 in the library with 16 students who were selected through a raffle.

“I’m going to be writing, I’m going to

be podcasting, I’m going to be doing undivided attention therapy, so I’ve got a lot of plans,” Neenan said.

Neenan was surrounded by staff members and students at the luncheon to appreciate his work at Staples.

“He is very loving, kind and he writes very good books,” Spencer Stefani ’19 said.

Neenan gives guidance to many students in the library throughout his day by helping them find books, ensuring they get their work done and creating a

quiet environment to study.

“Whenever I need help in the library, Mr. Neenan’s always here to help me,” Feven Alemu-Renzulli ’21 said.

Not only was Neenan available to help students, he was also a friend to them.

“I wanted to spend my last lunch [at Staples] with Mr. Neenan,” Colin Willigan ’19 said. “I couldn’t imagine it being with anyone else.” Neenan

hosted a “pizza lunch” for all of the attendees with pizza, salad and cookies.

“The pizza was absolutely delicious.” Donny Macaluso ’19 said. “Chef Ben did a great job.”

While the luncheon was joyous, some students expressed sadness as well.

“When I heard that Mr. Neenan was retiring, it was the worst day of my life,” Emmet Rizack ’19 said.

As much as Neenan will miss working at Staples, he is excited to focus on what he loves doing: writing books.

“I love being able to stay at my computer and write all morning,” Neenan said. “It’s the only thing that’s really getting me to leave.”

A SMILING NEENAN (ABOVE) After six years of working at Staples, Colin Neenan will be retiring to pursue his hobbies, such as writing novels.

NEENAN AND FRIENDS Bailey Blaikie

’19 (LEFT) and Avery Smith ’19 (RIGHT) pose with Neenan. Neenan often encourages students and creates a positive enviorment in the library everyday.

LUNCH IN THE LIBRARY Students celebrate Neenan’s retirement with pizza and cookies, making an exception to the ‘no food’ policy.

Photos by Annabelle Iannone ’21

inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

May 31

Features

WWPT’s ‘Monkey Detective’ e Poppy Livingstone ’21 Creative Director

W

THE WHOLE CREW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Shane Gordon ’21, Max Stanger ’21, Oscar Hector ’21 and Jack Goodman ’21 gather in the studio to prepear for “Monkey Detective” before going on air. These students are the masterminds behind this comedy-adventure.

hat do you get when you mix a detective, a monkey, Kanye West, slapstick comedy, a masked vigilante and President Richard Nixon? According to four Staples sophomores, you get a great premise for a radio show.

“Monkey Detective,” a comedic audio drama, runs on Staples’ own WWPT Radio and follows the absurd life of Monkey Detective. You can probably guess both the species and occupation of the show’s protagonist. What you likely can’t guess is where his story goes. In the first four episodes of the student-made radio play, Monkey Detective goes on a series of adventures: journeying into Chinatown, joining a war, becoming a president, saving Kanye West’s life and, of course, attempting to solve a murder most foul.

Shane Gordon ’21, Jack Goodman ’21, Oscar Hector ’21 and Max Stanger ’21 are the masterminds behind this comedy-adventure, which airs at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday on 90.3 FM. Inspiration for “Monkey Detective” struck when Hector told Goodman about another detective radio drama he had worked on in 2018. Goodman, in search of comedic gold, proposed a major improvement to the genre; switching the species of the mystery’s protagonist from man to ape. “[After Goodman proposed the concept], we just kind of stood in silence for a while and I said

‘That is the best idea I have ever heard in my life’ and from there we sprung into action,” Hector said.

Hector and Goodman pitched their concept to Gordon and Max Stanger, who Hector refers to as “the brains of the operation.” Gordon and Stanger hold a time slot on the radio station, during which they had previously hosted a talk-radio program.

“Jack and Oscar came over one day and they were like ‘Hey, check out this project we’re working on’ and showed me Monkey Detective, and I pretty much said ‘Well, I hate it but we ran it anyway and it’s been pretty well received,” Gordon said.

Much like the titular character himself, the four showrunners occupy a myriad of jobs in order to produce their show.

“Jack and Oscar have really been the ones writing [...] and Shane and I have been voice acting and helping them run the station,” Stanger said.

“Still, it’s not really set positions; we just make sure every job gets done.”

Their work to bring their creative vision to fruition is essentially ceaseless as soon as an episode airs, the quartet begins working on the following installment. First Hector and Goodman outline the major plot points of an upcoming episode, which Gordon and Goodman then transfer into a script complete with transitions, narration and a plethora of absurdist jokes. After the script is finalized, it is run through once or twice, before being aired on Wednesday afternoons live from Staples’ studio.

Stanger, Gordon, Goodman and Hector star in their production as well, voicing characters ranging from doctors to civilians to damsels in distress to well known public figures and celebrities. Hector, who voices Monkey Detective, puts himself into the headspace of a monkey before each episode. Though the pri-

Scan this QR code to downloa d th WWPT ap e p to listen.

Photos and graphics by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

WRITING THE SCRIPT Gordon (LEFT) and Stanger (RIGHT) work on their scripted radio show. The students play different characters from the Monkey Detective, Kanye West and Richard Nixon.

1, 2019

Inklings News

encourages monkey business “My goal is to have all students mate talks only in screeches and hoots, Hector insists that each line is unique. at Staples be more aware of WWPT “This line was said right after the big and make it their own station,” Bullreveal in episode two when Monkey ock said. “I’d really like to have a largDetective realizes he’s been replaced er listener base in the community.”

WWPT Radio reaches across Fairfield by detective orangutan,” Hector said before unleashing a long chain of mon- County, even reaching across the Sound key screeches, “and that’s really kind of and into Long Island. Goodman and Heca soulful, mourning monkey screech. tor applaud the fanbase of “Monkey DeThat’s definitely one of my favorite lines.” tective” for being “loyal and always sup“He adds a lot of passion and portive,” frequently receiving calls from expression to the lines,” Good- local listeners. During their broadcast man said following the perfor- on May 8, they received four calls and mance. “That’s why he’s monkey.” a flurry of texts from friends and family congratulatHector and ing them on a Goodman both “I mark my calendar for each show well done appreciate the “‘Monkey Decreative freedom Wednesday to have the tective’ is frankly they have at the opportunity to enjoy what the one of the most radio station. crew has put together each amazing piec“As long as es of art that I’ve you don’t swear week.” been privileged or be offensive -Jason Desser to witness,” Jason you can really Desser, a Staples let your imagination run wild,” Hector said. “We’re parent and family friend of Gordon, said. literally making a radio drama about a “I mark my calendar for each Wednesday monkey who goes around the city and to have the opportunity to enjoy what terrorizes people by doing monkey the crew has put together each week.”

From both listener, creator and advisthings on school radio. You can’t get much more creative freedom than that.” er alike it’s clear that “Monkey Detective” Gordon, Stanger, Goodman and is a comedic force to be reckoned with.

Hector have had various levels of expe- Though the listener base for the show is rience with the radio program. Hector small, Goodman and Hector agree that and Stanger both took the Radio Pro- their main goal is to make something duction 1 class in their freshman year, they like and have a good time doing it.

“It’s a lot of monkeying around,” Goodwhile Goodman and Gordon joined the after school radio club without prior ex- man said. “A lot of monkey business.”

“We’re always hard at work, no perience. Lauren Bullock, current teacher of the Radio Production class, hopes to monkeying around,” Hector said sibring in more members to both the class multaneously. “No monkey business.”

Though the two may disagree on and club portions of the radio station.

Though WWPT Radio has been a fixture the solemnity of their creative proof the Staples community since 1973, cess, one thing is certain: “Monkey both teachers and content creators alike Detective” and the radio program as wish that WWPT was more well known. a whole are Staples’ hidden gems.

BRAINSTORMING Goodman (LEFT) and Gordon (RIGHT) bounce ideas off each other for an upcoming episode. In this episode, Monkey Detective became Monkey Lawyer and sued the Masked Man, the villain of the show.

RECORDING THE SHOW Hector voices his character in the show. He plays the Monkey Detective himself, taking time to get into character before each recording session, practicing his main monkey noises: screeches and hoots.

inklingsnews.com | Staples High School

May 31, 2019

Features

Jack Dennison ’21 Sports Editor

A

s spring comes to a close and summer looms near, Westport residents came out on a warm May day to bond over something they all love–dogs.

The Westport Dog Festival commenced on Sunday, May 19 at Winslow Park, kicking off a chain of summer events in the Westport community. According to the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, the festival had over 3,000 visitors.

Activities at the festival included contests such as best tail wagger and best barker, a dog acrobatic demonstration booth and dog obstacle course. Additionally, multiple stands were set up by different services and companies such as Earth Animal and Choice Pet. The man in charge of the event, Matt Mandell, was satisfied that the festival was a success.

“It’s firing on all cylinders,” Mandell said.

“This is exactly what we expected to happen.”

While Mandell runs the festival from behind the scenes, Karen Hall, a c h i l d r e n ’s stor yteller, has served as the announcer of the event for four years.

“I have a flare and voice for the Scan the QR code for kind of thing, a photo story on the so they have dog festival. kept me on every year,” Hall said.

“But I enjoy it because I love meeting the dogs, their owners and all the vendors.”

Earth Animal worker Cooper Nielson

believes that the festival can help to bring together the Westport community.

“I think it benefits the community of Westport because it connects people through animals, something we all love,” Nielson said.

One of the most popular events at the festival was a police dog showcase, in which police officers demonstrated to audience members the capabilities of their canine unit. Eric Patenaude, a K9 officer for the Wilton Police Department, explained how this could benefit watchers.

“It gives us an opportunity to come out and explain the training and demonstrate the training, and give everyone on the outside an understanding of what we go through on a daily basis to train the dogs and get them to the point that they’re at,” Patenaude said.

During the event the dogs attacked a decoy criminal and showed off obedience while the officers took questions.

In addition to providing opportunities for the community to attend

FeaturesNews Inklings

and enjoy the various shows, the Westport Dog Festival also helped pet-related businesses and non-profit organizations extend their reach.

Brian Gordiski, administrator at Adopt-a-Dog, explained how the festival can help pique the interest of people looking to adopt dogs.

“We get to put our dogs that we either have here today or information about the dogs that are available for adoption in our shelter in front of everybody,” he said, “so they can touch and feel the dogs [...] and it brings people into the shelter to adopt these dogs.”

Overall, Mandell believes that the Westport Dog Festival can help to unite the Westport community.

“It’s all about creating experiences for the community, and if we create things that the residents want to go to, then they’re going to come out,” Mandell said. “This does two things. It gives them something to do, they love their town, but it’s also good for the businesses as well.”

Photos by Julia Kasabian ’21

CARDBOARD CUTOUTS This pup looks picture ready posing in the cardboard cutout set up for a dog photo shoot. Winslow Park was packed with dogs and owners waiting for a photo-op on May 19.

DOG OBSTACLES Many dogs happily participated in the obstacle course. Other stations were set up for the 1,000 canine attendees such as Earth Animal, The 203 and The Connecticut Humane Society selling dog treats, food and apparel.

GUIDE DOG SHOW Fidelco Guide Dogs, a guide dog organization, made an appearance at this year’s festival. Grayson, a trained guide dog, and his owner show the crowd his tricks during their presentation.

THE BEST TRICK CONTEST Lexi, this Westport dog, and her owner take first place for the Best Trick contest, winning a gift card to Earth Animal.

The contest has been an annual event and a crowd favorite.

Graphics by Molly Gold ’21

Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

BEST COSTUME This Westport big brown vizsla dresses like Ariel from “The Little Mermaid,” competing for a first place trophy in the Best Costume Contest. This contest was among other events dogs could participate in, like best tail wagger and best barker.

Inklings News

May 31, 2019

Features Graphics by Lys Goldman ’21

Faculty club shines rays to unite staff them to contribute $20 to help fund the gifts that are sent out through the club. Since 2008, the Sunshine Club has distributed over $14,000 in gifts for both festive and sorrowful occasions. tudent-run clubs have always been When math teacher Jessica Levy a huge part of bringing the Staples had her baby, she received an Amacommunity together. From baked zon gift card from The Sunshine Club. goods to foreign countries, students “I love the idea of the Sunshine Club,” can unite to form a club about almost Levy said.“ Even though not everyone is anything. But when it comes to Staple’s necessarily aware of all of the life events staff, there’s only one club that unites going on that require ‘sunshine,’ it repthe faculty: the resents that you Sunshine Club. are in the thoughts The club was of the communi“The Sunshine Club is a started by Casey ty. It makes me Marinuzzi in 2006 grateful to work great reminder that there aiming to unify with such a caring faculty members are people here who care group of teachers.” across the buildMath teacher about you.” ing.

Guidance Nikki Pendolphi -Math teacher counselor Chrisis also an adtine Talerico took Nikki Pendolphi vocate for The over the club when Sunshine Club.

Marinuzzi left in “Being a teach2008 and has been running it ever since. er, a lot of us are very busy from time With the hard work of Talerico, The to time,” Pendolphi said. “The Sunshine Sunshine Club works year-round, ac- Club is a great reminder that there knowledging significant events and are people here who care about you.” milestones for teachers, secretaries, cusOn average, the club typicaltodians and all adults who are a part of ly has 140 members; however, this the Staples community. These events year the number decreased to 98. include birthdays, weddings, surger“My hope is that somebody who ies, critical illnesses and even just wel- isn’t a member, if they get something coming new staff members. The club for some sort of event in their life, also sends out a newsletter every few it will make them think twice about months that allows the staff to see joining the next year,” Talerico said. what their colleagues have been up to.

Talerico also hopes that the club “When a lot of us first got here like 20 will embrace the importance of peryears ago, the building was a lot smaller sonal messages in a society so overand the faculty was a lot more interac- ruled by emailing and texting. tive,” Talerico said. “Now with the building When experiencing the aftermath of a so big and spread out, The Sunshine Club death in her family, the meaning of The is a way to bring people closer together.” Sunshine Club especially affected Talerico.

Every year Talerico gives a brief over“When I went home and had cards view of the club to the staff at the first from so many colleagues in this building faculty meeting. Then, every teacher it was really touching,”Talerico said. “I truly receives a flyer in their mailbox asking hope I can bring that joy to other people.”

Evi Tarshis ’20 Arts Editor

S

TALERICO LEADS THE WAY Christine Talerico poses with the Sunshine Club banner. Talerico took over operations back in 2006 and has been in charge ever since.

Photo by Andreas Lolis ’21

Photo by Emma Dantas ’21

A LETTER TO START THE YEAR The Sunshine Club hands out letters and pencils ingrained with their name to start the 2018-2019 school year off on a good note.

National Merit Scholar proves to be more than test scores Layla Wofsy ’19 Staff Writer

She has a top-notch PSAT score, over a 4.0 GPA and exceptional extra curriculars.

These characteristics describe a winner of the National Merit Scholarship award; however, Angela Ji ’19 is even more than the sum of her academic record.

Ji is the concertmaster of the chamber orchestra, has a leadership role on the math team, participates in science olympiad, is a member of the new science national honors society, writes for the STEM Journal, draws graphics for Inklings and even figure skates.

“Angela definitely spends a decent chunk of her time studying and doing homework, but she also recognized that there’s more to high school than just studying,” Daniel Westphal ’19, Ji’s friend, said. “She’s able to maintain a good balance of work and play.”

Receiving the National Merit Scholarship was not an easy task. Not only did Ji receive a top score on the PSAT, but she wrote an additional essay re-

quired for her scholarship and filled out an application about her many activities.

“I wrote about my grandpa who was a doctor, and now that he is retired, he taught himself how to paint

like a professional,” Ji said. “He never got the formal education in the arts that many of us can get, but it was something that he loved and he went after it.”

Ji’s success was not something she achieved all on her own, she credits her supportive parents, teachers and friends who guided her along the way.

“I have been able to take classes with really supportive and incredible teachers,” Ji said. “In their own way, they have really helped me ask questions and get out of my comfort zone to try new things.”

Ji’s junior year AP Economics teacher, Drew Coyne, spoke of her qualifications for the award.

“I think it’s a combination of Angela’s academic credentials and her character,” Coyne said. “It’s rare to see someone as academically successful, but humble in her day-to-day life.”

Ji’s friends and classmates agree with Coyne.

“I’ve had several classes with Angela in my time at Staples,” Westphal said.

“She’s always been engaged and focused

in school, but, just terests,” AP Language teacher Meghan like she is outside Scheck said. “She is open-minded of school, relaxed.” about herself, and is always ready to Due to having be interested in something she hadn’t participated in perhaps found interesting before.” many STEM proAfter learning about the March grams, Ji had alfor Our Lives movement in class, Ji ways found herwas inspired to partake in an inself interested dependent study with Scheck in the sciences, called “A Survey of the Rhetbut it wasn’t oric of American Feminism.” until taking “[AP Government and AP AP LanLanguage] are two classes guage and I didn’t think I would go Composiin really enjoying just betion junior cause I have a lot of STEM year that activities,” Ji said, “but she found they have come out as that she was some of my favorite classinterested es and something I want in studyto continue in college.” ing the huJi will be spending manities. her next four years at The “I have University of Pennsylvaseen her develnia and plans to explore JI’S SUCCESSES Along with the op confidence all of the opportunities National Merit Scholarship, Ji in herself as a the school has to offer. won Science Olympiad state scholar; I have “I liked Penn,” Ji said, “bechampionships and participates also seen her cause I knew they had realin the math team. explore new ly strong programs in both ideas and inSTEM and the humanities.”

Photo by Natalie Bandura ’22

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May 31, 2019

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FeaturesNews Inklings

May 31, 2019

Inklings News

Audrey Bernstein ‘20 Editor-in-Chief

T

he Beginning Photography, Darkroom and Digital Darkroom courses will be combined to create Photography 1 for the 2019-20 school year. Additionally, Advanced Darkroom and Advanced Digital Darkroom will be merged into Photography 2.

The Art Department made these changes after determining where there was overlap in courses and looking into what needed to be altered to become more suitable for students, according to Music and Visual Arts Coordinator Tom Scavone.

“The question becomes, how do you make it relevant for students who are here now and then also looking with an eye to the future,” Scavone said.

The Photography 1 course will focus on basic camera functions, photo composition, exposure settings and editing photos, while Photography 2 will offer more advanced techniques, according to Digital Darkroom and Advanced Digital Darkroom teacher Stacey Phelan.

Phelan believes that these changes will be advantageous as they will allow

for a streamlined approach to the arts.

“It’s a good change in that I think it clarifies the program,” Phelan said.

Another major factor in the change was the cost of the photography courses.

“We were running into issues with the traditional photography and expenses,” Scavone said. “You can’t buy the equipment anymore.”

Some students have noted that these changes will not significantly alter the curriculum of the classes.

“The class itself minus the combining and name change seem like it’s pretty similar to the original Darkroom class,” Darkroom student Bennet Staffa ’20 said.

Despite this, Digital Darkroom student Gabby Keusch ’21 believes that, although merging classes has the potential to help students learn about all topics, it might result in less coverage of each individual subject.

“I personally enjoyed the editing aspect of digital darkroom,” Keusch said, “and feel that other people with the same interest may prefer to have the option to take an editing-based course rather than more of a focus on introductions to photography.”

Darkroom and Advanced Darkroom teacher Janet Garstka agrees that the art of darkroom will be lost as a result of these changes.

“The classes aren’t really merged.

They are discontinued. I am disappointed because I love teaching Darkroom,” Garstka said. “The analog darkroom art will be lost.”

Phelan similarly notes the benefits of maintaining an individual darkroom class.

“As someone who spent much of my time in high school and college experimenting with varying darkroom techniques, I hope we can offer darkroom photography in some capacity again,” Phelan said. “It is a fascinating process, however the cost and clean-up associated with darkroom chemicals was also a major factor for the change.”

Overall, however, Scavone feels as though feedback has been positive. He additionally expressed hopes to revive the Darkroom program in future years.

“Our hope is, in a couple years, once we get this thing sculpted out, we would love to bring [Darkroom] back as a higher course,” Scavone said. “I love traditional photography, and I think it has a place.”

Graphics by Roxy Augeri ‘20

Lights go out for darkroom: photography courses merge for 2019-20 school year

Photos contributed by Ellen Gang Design Studio

Fashion show models Rachel’s Rags, fundraises for Lili Romann ’19 Staff Writer

As the founder of Rachel’s Rags, a costume designer for Staples Players, a Cornell student and a wholehearted friend, the life of Rachel Doran ’15 was taken too soon after battling two rare, life-threatening skin diseases. Her enthusiasm for fashion was celebrated at a show hosted by Ellen Gang, her fashion mentor, on May 18.

The show, hosted at Penfield Pavilion, had over 300 people who enjoyed live music, Bodega catering and both a live and silent auction. They raised over $100,000 for Rachel’s Hope, the charity that the Dorans started to raise money for families with relatives who have rare, critical illnesses.

The event showcased items from Rachel’s Rags, the homemade pajama company that Doran started at the age of 11.

“It is the perfect way to honor Rachel, with a fashion show, which is what her passion was,” Ellie Doran ’20, Rachel’s sister, said. “I guess it wasn’t that surprising when I saw how many people showed up

and how much money we raised because I know how many people loved Rachel, and I know how many people want to help support our family and our cause.”

Friends and family of Doran have stated that they admire her passion for fashion designing. Jackson Daignault ’18 recalls attending the Bedford Middle School Talent Show where Doran showcased pieces from Rachel’s Rags.

“Seeing the crowd’s positive reaction to Rachel’s show that night really proved how talented she was at a young age,” Daignault said. “At that point, it was clear to me that fashion was Rachel’s passion, one that she would continue to pursue at the highest level.”

The Doran family looks forward to continue fundraising for Rachel’s Hope.

“Once again,” Lisa Doran, Rachel’s mother, said, “the community has really come together to support our family and what we’re trying to do with the charity to help other families.”

Graphic by Allie D’Angelo ‘20

WALKING THE RUNWAY Supporters of Rach’s Hope present pajamas crafted by Rachel Doran ’15. Rach’s Hope is a charity created after Doran’s death, which financially supports families of children with a serious illness.

For example, the organization provides financial support for transportation and housing of families whose children stay at hospitals. It accomplishes this by partnering with hotels and VRBO, a travel website company. y cb

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Inklings News

May 31, 2019

Fashionably Westport illuminates small businesses, supports charity Tallula Taylor ‘21 Staff Writer

R

ows upon rows of white folding chairs surround a long pink carpet.

Women trickle into the venue wearing colorful sundresses and men in pale suits hold the hands of their young daughters donning rompers and hairbows. Merchants smile at the guests and try to sell their bags, accessories and more at booths set up around the room.

Fashionably Westport is an event for the community because it not only shines a light on all the various local boutiques, salons and beauty companies in down-

town Westport, but its proceeds also go to a great cause. Westport Downtown Merchant Association teamed up with Project Return—a program of Homes with Hope which is a non-profit organization that helps young homeless women.

The two-day event began with a fashion show on May 16 at Christ & Holy Trinity Church. It was followed by in-store events in the downtown area and playhouse square the next day.

President of WDMA opened the event with a few words and comedian Leah Bonemma followed with a lighthearted routine. Then came the fashion.

There was everything from casual-day looks to evening wear and bridesmaid and wedding dresses. Moms, dads, children, grandparents and even a dog formed the cast of models strutting the runway.

“The energy in the hall was electric,” model September PICTURE

PERFECT

(LEFT)

Model Kelsey Gilmore struts the pink carpet in a fuschia long cardi from Nic & Zoe.

MODELING FOR CHARITY (RIGHT)

Model Flora Levin shows off Fred Sip & Shop’s blue dress. All of Fashionably Westport’s proceeds went to Project Return, a nonprofit benefitting young homeless women.

Stevens said. “It was wonderful to see so many different parts of Westport come together and be fun, silly, fabulous and incredibly optimistic about the future of our downtown [...] and all for a great cause.”

Stevens is also the co-chair for Summer Night, an annual event by Project Return, with Liz Videler and Donna Bacro.

The emcee for the night, Eva Amurri Martino, who is a writer of the popular blog “Happily Eva After,” introduced all the models while DJ Mo played hit songs.

Martino also announced raffle winners for a glass and silver necklace as well as other prizes that were awarded to show guests.

The show featured a variety of looks from stores such as Eileen Fisher, Plumed Serpent, Bella Bridesmaid and many more. Artistex Salon, Orgánachs Farm to Skin, Steve Mancini, Whip Salon and others did the makeup and hair.

“I am not a model, but once

you turn the corner from backstage and the music is loud and there’s all those wonderful Westport faces cheering you on, it’s impossible not to feel fantastic,” Stevens said about walking down the runway.

Guests of the show were treated with pink and white goodie bags on their seats filled with a wine glass, an umbrella, nail polish, a hair mask and an assortment of gift cards, coupons and other treats from local brands featured in the show. VIP guests in the front row also received a bottle of rosé with their bag.

“I think there’s so many creative ways [...] to support each other’s interests and a community as a whole,” Stevens said. “Westport should be very proud.”

STRUTTING IN STYLE (RIGHT) Model Frances

Kleiner walks the runway wearing Savvy & Grace’s blush dress.

Photos by Tallula Taylor ‘21 Graphics by Lys Goldman ‘21

Southport Diner’s new take on classic meals provides healthy diner option Ella Bloomingdale ‘20

Assistant Business Manager

There is nothing better than the sight of fluffy waffles, the smell of freshly cooked bacon and the taste of a gooey omelet provided by your favorite diner. Sherwood Diner has reigned supreme in Westport for many years as a local go-to, but a possible competitor has recently entered the ring.

Located at 3350 Post Rd, Southport, a new restaurant, The Southport Diner, has recently opened, offering a “oneof-a-kind experience where everyone can get what they crave whether it is a guilty pleasure or a healthy option,” according to the Southport Diner’s website.

Like many diners across the country, The Southport Diner emphasizes its family-friendly atmosphere.

The chefs who create the dishes not only call themselves a figurative family, but in fact, they’re actually related.

Chef John and Chef Adonis have been

cooking together their entire lives, learning through experience alongside their father, Leo Pertesis. They describe their waitstaff as kind and professional, which validates the entire staff’s closeness.

But the diner has built the majority of its reputation around the food.

The Southport Diner has every dish any diner junkie could imagine. Ranging from eggs, sandwiches, salads and soups to fresh fruit, pastries, desserts and more, you can enjoy the experience of the diner for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The healthy alternative options to the classics also make the Southport Diner a standout from its competition. The Southport Diner includes many different vegan and gluten free options, which makes the menu appeal to an even greater variety of customers.

While none of these specific dietary restrictions apply to me, during my time at The Southport Diner I decided to order two meals, one more of a classic diner style and one with a more healthy aspect.

During my first visit to The Southport Diner, I ordered a healthy harvest salad.

This dish contained baby kale, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts and goat cheese tossed in a balsamic dressing. The main standout feature of the salad was the refreshing fruit elements that were showcased in the meal.

I also enjoyed the crunchy walnuts along with the creamy goat cheese, creating a perfect blend of taste and texture. The salad was a generous portion and enough to satisfy me, but did not completely fill me up.

The salad was a total of $13, and is something I would order again.

The next time I went to the restaurant, I was craving a sweet breakfast. I ordered the berries and cream pancakes. This dish included pancakes mixed with a strawberry compote and topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. As soon as this dish was set in front of me, I could tell I was going to enjoy it by the sweet buttery smell. As I took my first bite with a little bit of vanilla ice cream, fresh fruit, pillowy pancakes and smooth syrup, Photo by Ella Bloomingdale ‘20

Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

my taste buds were in love. The pancakes themselves were very soft and airy and the fruit was once again very fresh. The cost came to a total of $12.45. Although this was such a classic meal and hard to do wrong, the Southport Diner provided me with a rich and whole-hearted dish.

The last thing that really added to my joyful experience was the atmosphere.

The diner was new but still successfully managed to provide a traditional diner feel. From the booth chairs and tables, to the old pictures and decorations strategically placed around the venue, it was presenting a very friendly and old school vibe.

Whether you are looking for a Sunday morning brunch of pancakes or late night dinner of french fries, The Southport Diner is available and open for all.

My experience at the Southport Diner was welcoming and I am sure to become a regular at this establishment.

Scan the QR code to see an Adobe Spark and video by Kaya Leitner ‘19 about the Southport Diner.

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May 31, 2019

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Inklings News

May 31, 2019

Staples football appoints Adam Behrends as new head coach Emily Stone ’20

Senior athletes recall Staples sports career highlights Hannah Bolandian ’19 Staff Writer

A

s the 2018-2019 school year comes to a close and seniors prepare for graduation, many student athletes are saying goodbye to their Staples sports careers. While some are ending their athletic careers for good and others are looking forward to playing in college, all are feeling nostalgic about their high school sports careers.

As for the girls’ swim team, Marissa Healy ’19 contributed to setting an FCIAC record during the 400 freestyle relay at the FCIAC meet last year.

“It was the last event of the meet, and winning moved us from fifth place to third place overall as a team,” she said. “It was such a team effort for us to get to that point.”

Photo contributed by Marissa

Photo contributed by SporHarry Azadian ’19, captain of the varsity baseball team, recalls how his hard work even prior to high school paid off throughout the years.

“My best moment as a Staples baseball player was winning the State Championship my sophomore year,” he said. “I was very happy to be a part of something very special.”

Photo contributed by Staples girls’ tennis Face-

Soccer has been a lifelong hobby for Catherine Sprouls ’19, former captain of the girls’ varsity soccer team.

As her soccer career has come to an end, she reserves one moment as the best in the past four years. “[It] was when I scored a header off of Ashley Wright’s corner with less than four minutes in the game,” she said. “ [It allowed] the team to advance to the quarter finals in the state tournament this year.”

Photo contributed by Chris

Throughout the years, Staples has seen an array of FCIAC and State Championship victories. Two that were established as firsts in history were won by the girls’ varsity tennis team. Captain Kai Dasbach ’19 recounts this double victory as the highlight of her Staples tennis career.

“It had never been done before in girls’ tennis history, and it was something the team had worked really hard for and wanted really badly,” she said.

“Winning just the FCIAC was the goal, so being able to win both was really cool.”

Business Manager

The Staples Athletic Department announced Adam Behrends as the new Staples head football coach on May 17.

Behrends formerly worked as an assistant coach for the IMG Academy football program located in Bradenton, Florida.

Former head coach Phil Treglia stepped down from the Wreckers’ football program on May 13 after just one season. According to Connecticut sports blog, Gametimect.com, Treglia hopes to pursue a career in his home county, Westchester, New York.

In a press release sent out from Westport Public Schools, coach Behrends indicated his excitement to work with Staples students and athletes and looks forward to making a meaningful impact on players.

“I am very excited for our new coach,” member of the football team AJ Konstanty ’20 said. “I hope he brings great knowledge and youth to our team from his extensive experience at IMG Academy.”

IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school widely known for its strong athletic program, consistently producing top college and professional athletes, according to the IMG Academy website.

The Wreckers are eager to train with a coach that has such a qualified background. According to The Ruden Report, Behrends has an extensive background in coaching multiple successful NFL players.

“Behrends has helped guide the development of dozens of top NCAA prospects and Division I All-American athletes.”

Behrends also took part in the Academy Pre-Combine/Draft Training program, which has worked with NFL quarterbacks including Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins and Teddy Bridgewater.

The Staples football program published a press release on May 17 announcing Coach Behrends’ new position along with the assets he’s expected to bring to the program.

“Coach Behrends brings a wealth of football knowledge and experience to our football program,” Staples Athletic Director, Marty Lisevick wrote in the release. “Coach Behrends’ passion and enthusiasm for the game of football is contagious [...] Our student-athletes and entire community are fortunate to have him as their head coach.”

Another first for the spring sports season was the varsity rugby team playing in the state finals last year.

Captain Enrique Pesantez ’19 marks that game as his best moment playing on the Staples rugby team.

“It was me and a bunch of my friends playing for something that we have never been at before,” he said. “It felt great to be able to say we went to the state finals after working so hard as a team.”

Photo by Eliza Barr

Photo contributed by Chris Staples High School | inklingsnews.com

This year, the Staples cheer team placed in the top three in the state and made it to Regionals, making it one of the most successful seasons the program has seen in years.

According to Emily Putman ’19 (far right), the team started preparing for the competition season early in the summer.

“We start in the summer with conditioning and camps, and throughout the football and basketball seasons we also work on our routines and more conditioning,” Putman said. “All that preparation brought us to Regionals, and that made it all worth it.”

Photo contributed by IMG AcadNEW FOOTBALL HIRE Coach Adam Behrends of IMG Academy began as an Assistant Coach with the program in 2010 and will take over as Staples Head Coach this coming season. Behrends work with elite prospects has granted him knowledge of the game, and he will look to propel the Staples football team to a new level in 2019.

Inklings News

Sports

May 31, 2019

DiGiovanni exceeds athletic expectations as lacrosse goalie Maya Reiner ’21 National Arts Blog Manager

W

hether she is clad in a white and blue skirt, with a big bow in her hair, cheering for the football and boys’ basketball team or geared up in pads from head to toe on the turf, protecting the triangular lacrosse goal, Sara DiGiovanni ’22 always puts her best foot forward.

“Both in cheer and lacrosse, everyone wants to improve and do their best, and I for sure do the same,” DiGiovanni said.

DiGiovanni was on the junior varsity cheer team during the fall and winter season. This spring, she has played a pivotal role as one of two goalies on the varsity girls’ lacrosse team.

“It is great to see a freshman goalie help out the team, especially in big moments throughout the games,” Arden Scherer ’21, a teammate of DiGiovanni, said.

However, DiGiovanni said her personal and team’s success is a result of the great chemistry the girls have had all season.

As a freshman, DiGiovanni has felt accepted by all and thinks the team has a very strong bond.

This has made her first year

Photos contributed by Sara Di-

on Staples varsity lacrosse a positive one.

“I’ve had a great time at Staples lacrosse because I’ve become close with a lot of new people,” DiGiovanni said. “It’s even better because we all are doing something we enjoy, while improving.”

DiGiovanni loves the cohesive and fun aspects of the game, as well as her teammates, and she also wants to continue to work hard to improve her skills. In order for DiGiovanni to continue to produce her best lacrosse skills, she plays on a club team called Gold Coast that is run out of Fairfield County.

The club’s practices and tournaments help Di-

giovanni keep her skills sharp off season. “I do Gold Coast because it gets me ready for the Staples season,” DiGiovanni said.

“It also gives me a chance to play all year round.”

This freshman is motivated to improve her skills due to her love for the sport and the lessons the game has taught her.

“I love lacrosse because it’s a great sport overall, and I also love being on the field and getting to play,” DiGiovanni said. “Being a goalie is great because it has taught me a lot about perseverance and being able to handle pressure.”

Throughout her performance on the field, the

preparation from the off-season is evident, and her teammates appreciate the value she brings, despite her young age.

“Sara has been a huge asset on our defensive end this year,” captain Samantha Pacilio ’19 said. “For a freshman, she has really showed up for times we needed her in big games.”

The team has been able to win some close inner conference games in important situations this year, keeping them at the top of the FCIAC. DiGiovanni, the backbone of the defense, has stepped up and helped to secure the win when her team needed it.

“In the Ridgefield game, she was an asset to the team and helped clinch our win against one of our rivals,” Pacilio said. “She really stepped up and made very important saves with just a few minutes left.”

Throughout the season, DiGiovanni’s teammates have noticed an improvement in her game and see great potential that she can have.

“She has really helped out our defense and has improved greatly so far this season,” Pacilio said. “I am so excited to see her development throughout her next three seasons at Staples.”

PROTECTING THE NET DiGiovanni saves shots and scans the field to make a successful clear. Thanks to DiGiovanni’s strong play in goal, Staples was able to accomplish a record of 14-2, placing the Wreckers third in the state, allowing them to compete.

RTM approves $4.7 million for new turf fields, track Lys Goldman ’21 News Editor

Stadium will be closed off until all ren- the current surface],” Lawrence said.

In addition, the new fields will also ovations are finished, which Lisevick hopes will be in September. Work on have slightly different elements comGinny Parker and P.J. Romano fields pared to current ones. The current fields will commence in the summer of 2020. have crumb rubber infill, or pellets made Both the new fields and track will be of recycled rubber tires; however, the similar to the current ones, but will in- RTM passed legislation in December 2018 corporate slightly modified aspects. banning the use of crumb rubber infill According to head track coach Lad- on any new artificial turf fields in Westport due die Lawrence, to health the new track concerns. will be com“[The new fields] will enhance skill As a posed of the for field hockey players and any other result of same mathis new terial as the sport that will be lucky enough to legislation, current one play on it.” all four but will have - Field Hockey Coach Ian Tapsall new fields an embedded surface will have a pad unrather than d e r n e at h an encapsulated one, meaning that the granules will and three of them will instead have composed of thermoplasbe spread on top of the last coat rath- infill er than being mixed in with the pour. tic elastomers (TPE), a type of coat“It will give us the same kind of ed plastic, according to Lisevick. “[The TPE infill] sinks in real well and texture we have, same kind of durability, same kind of performance [as plays real well,” Lisevick said. “I think

Westport’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved a $4.78 million appropriation to replace four synthetic turf fields and the Staples outdoor running track by a 29-1 vote on Tuesday, April 23.

According to First Selectman Jim Marpe, the plan to replace the Staples running track and re-turf P.J. Romano, Ginny Parker, Wakeman B and Staples football fields has been in the town’s five-year capital forecast since 2015.

“Due to their age and extensive use, these facilities are in need of replacement, and it is important that we do that replacement right so that they can serve us long into the future,” Marpe said in his appropriation request at the RTM meeting. “We believe that the proposed fields and track will provide high quality and appropriate facilities where our youth and adults can be active and safe.”

The replacement of the Staples track and re-turfing of the football and Wakeman B fields, set to begin around the end of May, will be completed this upcoming summer.According to Staples Athletic Director Marty Lisevick, the fields should take roughly two months to complete, while the track should take about three months.

Although work on the football field will be completed about a month earlier than the track, the entire Staples Graphic by Molly Gold

when it’s all said and done, we’re going to have, if not the best, then probably the top one or two fields in the FCIAC.” Still, some people believe that TPE still poses potential health and safety risks.

RTM member Greg Kraut, the lone dissenter at the April 23 meeting, cites health and safety concerns of TPE, like possible chemicals of concern and inconclusivity of safety reports as the reasons why he did not vote in favor of the appropriation.

“We all talk about how plastic straws and plastic bags are so bad for the environment, and they are, but we should also be protecting our own kids from potential dangers right in front of us,” Kraut said. “When I get a report that it is safe for our children, I will vote yes.”

While Kraut was not in favor of re-turfing the fields and wanted to see them instead reverted to natural grass, multiple Staples coaches and players are looking forward to the new turf.

“I am ecstatic,” field hockey coach Ian Tapsall said when addressing his response to the RTM’s approval of the appropriation. “[The new fields] will enhance skill for field hockey players and any other sport that will be lucky enough to play on it.”

Staples athletes are also excited to play on the new turf once it is installed.

“I think everyone is really excited,” lacrosse player Shira Parower ’21 said. “I also think lacrosse and field hockey will appreciate the new turf to improve the play for both sports.”

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May Feb. 31, 14, 2019 2019

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BOYS VOLLEYBALL Matthew Epstein ’20 jumps to tip the ball over

the net in the FCIAC semifinal against Danbury. The Wreckers won the game 3-2, as they moved on to the championship.

Spring sports wrap up, kick into the postseason Lexie Moskovit ’21

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Web Sports Editor

ix Staples teams found success in their regular seasons and are looking to advance to the FCIAC and state titles. While many of these teams participated in these tournaments in prior years, current players comment about specific challenges they might face in the postseason.

The softball team finished 9-7 in the FCIAC and 11-9 overall. In the regular season, many games went into extra innings, and players like Jen Westphal ’22, Sophia Alfero ’20 and Maisie Dembski ’20 rose up in these high-pressure situations. Having a better record than last year, they hope to make it far in the postseason tournaments.

In order to do so, the girls must maintain their composure down the stretch. “I think the hardest part will be facing the same teams we have played and going into that with level heads,” Jen Westphal ’22 said. “Not getting ahead of ourselves because we’ve beaten those teams before, and not losing hope because we’ve lost to them before.” Although they did not qualify for the FCIAC tournament, they hope to beat Warde first round in the state tournament who they lost to 9-3 in the regular season.

Coming off last season, losing in the State quarterfinals to Ridgefield, and losing in FCIAC finals to Darien, the Staples baseball team looked to bounce back. This season, they went 13-2 overall and 10-1 in the FCIAC. The Wreckers beat the Ludlowe Falcons 2-1 to take home the FCIAC championship on May 22. Looking further into the postseason, the Wreckers hope to bring home one more ring with the help of Duke commit, Chad Knight ’19, as well as Zach Zobel ’20, Adam Petro ’20 and Jake D’Amico ’20. “The toughest challenge we’ll face in the postseason is getting hot at the right time,” Petro said. “We won the 2017 state title because we were able to play our best baseball for those five games.

Now it’s all about getting in a groove as a team and start firing on all cylinders.”

Coming off a state championship and FCIAC victory last year, the boys’ volleyball team looks to continue their winning streak. This season, they went 11-1 with Darien being their only loss. The team had a completely new starting lineup which had contributed to their success. “I think everyone has stepped up as it is almost a completely new team from last year,” Captain Theo Gabor ’19 said. “Everyone deserves credit.” Facing tough opponents in the postseason, the team hoped to beat Darien, Newtown and Southington in FCIAC and states this year. On May 24, they faced the Blue Wave in the FCIAC championship and lost 1-3. The Wreckers played their first state game against Enfield on May 29.

The Staples boys’ rugby team ended the season 3-3. Last year the Wreckers beat Aspetuck in the semi-finals but fell to Greenwich in the state championship. This year, they played undefeated Greenwich for the state semifinals on May 24, but lost, concluding their season. New players on the team helped to improve their record. “I have to give a huge shout-out to the underclassman,” captain Zach Iannacone ’20 said. “Whenever we have needed it, they have stepped up and exceeded expectations. It’s awesome having a group of young guys that are working hard and playing at the varsity level.”

After winning both FCIAC and states last year, the Wreckers hope to do it again.

They are currently an undefeated 14-0. The addition of new players has helped the girls maintain this perfect record. “Freshman Amelia Galin is playing two singles for us and has been [an] amazing asset to the team, and she’s undefeated so far,” Natalie Carozza ’21 said. The tennis team beat Wilton 4-0 in the FCIAC championship. They are hoping to bring home another win in the state championship after beating Westhill 7-0 in the first round and Cheshire 7-0 in the second round.

The Staples girls’ lacrosse team went undefeated in the FCIAC at 10-0, and 14-2 overall in the regular season. Losing many seniors last year, the team has looked to its new players for a better season. “So far, we have completely changed our expectations coming off of last season,” captain Kathleen Cozzi ’20 said. “Last year we did not have a great season and we knew we did not want to repeat that so, we have been taking every practice much more seriously.” The Wreckers have circled the Wilton game on their calendars for a long time. Being a big rival team, they lost 9-6 on May 7, and hope to get redemption on them in the postseason. The Wreckers lost to the number two seed, New Canaan, in the FCIAC semifinals 14-8. Staples looks to make a comeback in states and started off strong with a win, 20-2, against St. Joe’s on May 28.

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