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Esse Quam Videri
The Suffield Bell Volume LXXVIII, NO. 3
Established 1835
February 2013
Holcomb in the Works: Construction Begins The countdown to a new and improved Holcomb Hall has begun. Before heading off for the February extended weekend, signs of pending construction had already been seen. Orange cones and signs appeared, a wire fence went up around the construction site, and on many occasions the maintenance staff was spotted removing furniture from Holcomb for temporary storage. But when classes resumed on Feb. 5, things had really changed. Students and teachers could not miss seeing and hearing the large crane that was hard at work breaking up concrete in front of the science building as they scurried to navigate new routes to S. Kent Legare Library, Memorial Hall, and Centurión Hall due to blocked sidewalks and building entrance doors. Holcomb was officially off limits, and science classes had been relocated to different buildings. Moving classes out of
Holcomb Hall did present some obstacles; but as Academic Dean Sara Yeager pointed out, “The Academy is fortunate to have the luxury of open classroom space in other buildings.” Ms. Yeager is helping dissipate concerns about academic obstacles associated with the renovations. Last year, to accommodate the anticipated science class relocations to Memorial and Centurión, the science department began planning adjustments to this year’s curriculum. Instructional laboratory experiments have been modified based on space and equipment. When asked if the Holcomb reconstruction is a bit of a pain, Ms. Yeager said, “Yes, it’s a pain, but it will all be worth it.” Many on campus are talking about the green technology that is part of the building renovations. With the assistance of students, experiments were conducted to determine the most
Photo by Peter Byun ’13
Amanda Baildon ’15
efficient use of natural light. Building designers then used the results. According to Science Department Chair Volker Krasemann, the Academy is using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified builders and
Dancing for Change: One Billion Rising
Photo by Alex Fabricant ’14
Angelina Massoia ’13
The facts are alarming; Suffield is out to change them. On February 14, 2013, Suffield Academy undertook a small role in the international movement to stand up to violence against women as, all across the world, persons took to the streets to raise awareness about the number of women who are victims of abuse. While flash mobs, dance parties, and rallies took place across the globe, Suffield participated in this major movement as part of its annual Spirit Week. Student Council, under the leadership of Paul Metscher ’13, got on board with the event by dedicating Thursday’s Spirit Week theme to One Billion Rising. SA’s V-Day was a day complete with T-shirts and awareness of the cause behind the dancing. Though the dancing
associated with One Billion Rising may be lighthearted, the premise behind it is far from it. The idea behind the movement is ending violence against women, as it is estimated that approximately one billion women in the world have been victims. According to 1billionrising.org, “One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime.” This astonishing fact is unacceptable, and the surprise most people feel upon hearing it speaks to the importance of raising awareness and preventing further abuse. One Billion Rising has recently been brought to the attention of the world by actress Anne Hatheway, who graced the cover of Glamour Magazine in January. A strong supporter of the movement, Hatheway speaks candidly about bringing this cause into the spotlight and
stopping the worldwide injustice against women. In her interview, she, along with countless others around the world, speaks of her hope that One Billion Rising results in people everywhere “resolving to protect ourselves and our sisters.” Suffield Academy’s participation in One Billion Rising’s Valentine’s Day event began being publicized a week in advance with lunchtime announcements and T-shirt orders as the main goal of this movement was to raise awareness about women’s issues. This awareness spread when freshmen participated in discussions about women’s violence, led by seniors Anna Strzempko, Livy Poulin, Angelina Massoia, and Paul Metscher in leadership classes. With the help of Mrs. Depelteau, Mrs. Gotwals, and a group of students dedicated to the cause, SA’s participation in V-Day’s 15th Anniversary became a reality. The group hopes that the school’s February 14th activities are just the start of greater action and awareness about the very real issues facing the women in our lives. Perhaps, one dance at a time our grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, nieces, classmates, neighbors, and friends will be prevented from becoming part of a startling statistic.
is “putting in the most energy efficient insulation and windows, etc., that are cost effective.” All seem to agree that temporary detours, classroom relocations, and modified labs seem to be small prices to pay for a greener, more state-of-the-art
science building. Spring and summer will come and go quickly; the hassle of detours will end; and, come fall, students and teachers will be busy discussing scientific theory and conducting experiments in a much-improved Holcomb Hall.
Lock-In Proposed as Replacement for Dance-A-Thon Molly Tettemer ’15 The Student Council is currently in the midst of proposing an activity to replace Dance-a-thon. While no event has yet been set in stone, one main idea has been the center of the Student Council’s focus: a “lock-in.” Rather than being an overnight winter event, the lock-in is being proposed as a Saturday night springtime event that would last for approximately three or four hours, beginning in the evening and ending after an extended lights out. Over the course of the night, a multitude of events aimed at “providing something for everyone” would be offered throughout Tisch Field House. Of course, there would be open pool and open gym and, consequently, lots of opportunity for pickup games of volleyball or basketball with friends. Most importantly, the lock-in, like Dance-a-thon always did, would support
a charitable cause selected through a school-wide vote. When asked about the charitable aspect of the event, Mr. Cahn said, “I think there is tremendous value in a schoolwide charitable fundraiser, especially in raising awareness about important non-profits and motivating students and faculty to make philanthropy a priority.” From the beginning of the search for a Dance-athon replacement, the Student Council had some criteria they wanted to follow. They knew immediately they did not want just a dance; as Mr. Lynch said, “That would just be too similar to Dance-a-thon.” As of right now, the lockin idea is only a proposal; there is, however, little question that, under the guidance of Paul Metscher ’13 and Georgina Blakeley ’13, the Student Council is sure to generate a great alternative to Dance-athon that is enjoyable for all.