The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXV, No. 8
March 2014
Haverford, Pennsylvania - haverfordindex.com
Robotics: The Future of Education at The Haverford School Robotics is unrivaled in its demand as an extra-curricular activity; Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16 outline the large-scale plans administrators have for its integration into the school-wide curriculum.
the help of current Upper School physics and
Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16 engineering teacher Mr. Gerard Rooney and
I wouldn’t be surprised if, ten years from now, there is a Department of Robotics at The Haverford School, that is how big I think this thing is likely to be.” Headmaster John Nagl, the 9th Headmaster of The Haverford School, has a vision. He has had a vision since stepping foot into his cozy office on the first floor of Wilson Hall’s west wing, including planning the construction of a parking garage and new Middle School, which Brendan Burns ‘15 outlined in the February edition of The Index. Nothing, however, seems more vital to his vision of a future Haverford than dedication to improved excellence in STEM learning—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. That improvement starts, in his view, with the integration of Robotics, and the computer programming and engineering skills that go along with it, into the daily life of every Haverford student. Before delving into plans to expand Robotics at Haverford, however, it is important to look at where the program started and what it has become. Mrs. Megan Connolly, currently the Director of Technology and faculty advisor to the VEX Robotics team at Haverford, has been the driving force behind the largest and most successful non-athletic extra-curricular organization in Haverford history. In 2002, due to a suggestion from one of her students, Mrs. Connolly started a Robotics team in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competitions with
a $6,000 grant from NASA. “UPenn gave us money and mentors, graduate students who came after school,” adds Mrs. Connolly. “They worked for free, to help with engineering principles and how to build a robot.” Then, around 2006, the team began to hit some snags. The massive robots needed for FIRST meant fewer kids could work on one at a time, and with 15 students now on the team, Mrs. Connolly felt that experiment had run its course. After a couple years of deliberating, she finally set her eyes on VEX, which allows more teams to build smaller robots, allowing for a more involved experience for every student. After a rough first season accompanied by a steep learning curve for the entire team, especially Mrs. Connolly, she “reached out to the community outside of Haverford to see if anyone knew of any mentors, and that’s when we got our college mentors, and they’ve been helping us ever since.” Always humble, Mrs. Connolly credits much of the Robotics team’s success to those mentors, especially departing Head Mentor Mr. Chuck Glick. That success has fueled an exponential growth in interest for the VEX team here at Haverford; starting with approximately a dozen kids in 2009, the number of Upper School students who came out for the team this year exceeded 40, with only 32 being allowed to join due to space limitations.
The Robotics team preparing outside of Ball.
Mohid Khan
Continued on Page 6
The Scoop on Haverford’s New WiFi Networks Brendan Burns ‘15 and Arnav Jagasia ‘16 explain the school’s new WiFi experiments and what impact they have had and will have on the Haverford experience. Brendan Burns ‘15 and Arnav Jagasia ‘16
Beginning this fall, Haverford is implementing its new one-to-one program, which, as The Index chronicled in January, mandates that every student has a “computing device” on his person at school in an effort to usher in a 21st-century education that mirrors the technology-driven nature of today’s workplace. The new 1:1 program, however, will have far-reaching consequences outside the classroom. The Haverford student body will be armed to the teeth with laptops, tablet computers, and smartphones to a greater degree than ever before; this proliferation will put an even greater strain on the alreadytroubled Wi-Fi networks. As Fifth Former Jack Henderson reported earlier this year, 1:1 policy architect Mr. Joseph Sweeney estimates that, only a couple years in the past, only about one-fourth of Haverford students brought a device to school. That number is now closer to three-fourths, and will only continue to rise. The Index spoke to those in the Technology Department, who are tasked with matching the increased device load with a more powerful wireless infrastructure, to find out more. Just how much will Upper School device
Also inside this Issue...
load increase come September? Network Administrator Paul Steinberger estimates an increase from about two devices to student to three or four, resulting in a total increase in the number of wireless machines in the Upper School from about 1,000-1,200 to roughly 2,000 devices. This increased load will mandate a “full tear-out” of the existing infrastructure come summer, says Steinberger. Director of Technology Megan Connolly gauges that, when the new Wilson Hall was constructed six years ago, the number of wireless devices in the building was around 200-250. “At that time,” Connolly says, “the Wi-Fi technology was state-of-the-art.” When the school was first built, an engineer from HP installed several Access Points (APs – the devices that allow devices to connect wirelessly) around the school; these access points were mostly placed in hallways to provide a wide range of coverage. As Haverford’s device load gradually rose, however, students began to notice slow connectivity. The Tech Department has made many changes that have kept the Guest network usable amid a growing device load. Most recently, the cable that powered the wireless connection, which “was only capable of about a tenth of the
Cyrus Rostami ‘17 investigates the origins of the new Athletics Department sports credit, and what activities fulfilling that credit entails.
bandwidth that the network is capable of,” was replaced according to Mr. Steinberger, leading to a significant speed boost. The changes planned for next fall, however, are much more extensive. First, the School Wi-Fi connection will be upgraded from 802.11n to the newest 802.11ac technology. This will be done by replacing the school’s wireless APs with newer models. As students have likely noticed this month, Tech Department is currently testing APs from three different vendors - Aerohive, Aruba, and Meraki (the latter owned by Cisco) - to replace the 25 or so access points in the Upper School. To ensure that the two trial networks do not create interference between each other, the Aerohive network is built to service the library and language wing, while Meraki provides connection in the Science wing. There are two methods for placing access points to ensure the strongest possible connection. The first, “coverage-based” method, is based on spreading access points efficiently to cover the greatest area possible. The network administrator client allows the Tech Department to generate “location heatmaps” that show, on a satellite map, the area of the building covered by each access point. A second method (“density coverage”) focuses on saturating common spaces (such as Ball Auditorium) and classrooms with signal, using multiple access points, to ensure that a high number of students can
access data in the same area without dividing bandwidth among too many devices. A combination of these two methods will be used to strategically place the new 802.11ac access points throughout the Upper School. As this article is printed, Haverford is arranging a “wireless survey,” in which a professional will survey the School’s wireless infrastructure and make recommendations as to where the new APs should be placed in a way that maximizes coverage, saturates certain areas, and minimizes interference. According to Mrs. Connolly, the Tech Department is considering installing more APs in classrooms, as opposed to hallways, which would allow for better in-class coverage and possibly block certain websites only in classrooms, while letting them be accessible in community spaces (like the Big Room). This selective control of websites would allow the Tech department to better control traffic flow without completely blocking websites from the school network. What improvements in connectivity speeds can students actually expect from this new technology? Speed tests conducted by Mr. Steinberger on the 802.11n Haverford Guest network resulted in data transfer speeds of between 5-5.5 megabits per second (Mbit/s). “We are going to see somewhere in the range of 100 Mbit/s with the new network,” says Mr. Steinberger. Continued on Page 5
Sam Dyer ‘15 profiles Music teacher and Notables and Glee Club director, Mr. Mark Hightower.
Article Letter fron the Editors Faculty Extracurriculars Costa Rica Trip Italy Trip Artist of the Issue Drinking Age Calculus or Statistics Climate Change Outdex
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The Index
Editorials
April 2014
Letter from the Editors
Editors-in-Chief Will Tackett ‘14 and Manav Khandelwal ‘15 in Pompeii, Italy.
Dear Index readers, Believe it or not, there are only six weeks left in what has been an eventful and exciting 2013-2014 school year at The Haverford School, the first with Headmaster Dr. John Nagl at this organization’s helm. From an exciting Installation ceremony to a rousing 4-1 EA Day victory to an incredible performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by the Upper School cast and crew, this year will be a memorable one. With the beautiful weather and the early departure of the Sixth Formers at hand, however, it is easy to lose sight of how important these next few weeks are. Late April and May, up to and including final exams, are where grades are sunk or raised,
where an entire year’s worth of work can be validated or wasted. Enjoy the sun and extra daylight, but we here at The Index remind everyone to stay as diligent as possible in all areas of school life, academically, artistically, athletically, and behaviorally. With that in mind, we hope you can take the time out of your busy day to peruse some of the articles in this month’s newspaper. In the News and Features section, we bring you several key exposés: first, Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16 discuss the projected growth of the Robotics program on the front page. Brendan Burns ‘15 also wrote a scintillating piece on the tech department’s role in shaping the future of the internet at school, which can also be found on the front page. Finally, Jack Henderson ‘15 surveys the extra-curricular workload of Haverford’s
The Index
2013-2014 Staff
Manav Khandelwal ‘15, Editor-in-Chief Will Tackett ‘14, Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Narayanan ‘14, Head of Photography Jack Henderson ‘15, News and Features Editor Brendan Burns ‘15, Opinions Editor Jackson Simon ‘15, Sports Editor Gregory Boyek ‘14, Arts Editor Noah Cutler ‘14, Outdex Editor Graham Gaddes ‘14, Senior Web Editor Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16, Junior Web Editor Grant Yu ‘16, Junior Web Editor Brendan Burns ‘15, Graphics Editor Mr. Kellen Graham, Faculty Advisor
The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic
faculty, from coaching assignments to more nuanced responsibilities like those of Mrs. Kara Cleffi and Señor Javier Lluch. That piece is printed on page 3. The Sports and Arts sections are full and interesting as always, with several pieces that may stand out to you, the reader, in particular. In addition to the informative team updates for each sport, this issue’s Sports pages contain an interesting piece by Khandelwal on the regimen Haverford’s baseball pitchers must go through during and out of the school season to stay in top form without risking injury. In the Arts section, Sanfilippo profiles Juilliard-bound singer/actor/dancer Toney Goins ‘14 on page 7. The Opinions and Politics section contain several interesting pieces, including a criticism of the recent strict enforcement
Greg Boyek ‘14
of the food in Wilson Hall rule by Harry Bellwoar ‘15 on page 12. On page 13, Henderson argues for shifting the emphasis onto Statistics in the math curriculum rather than Calculus. All in all, we hope you enjoy this issue of The Index, and as always, feel free to contact us with any comments or concerns at hsindex@gmail.com Sincerely, Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and William Tackett ‘14 Editors-in-Chief, The Index
policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at hsindex@gmail.com. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS5.5. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 hsindex@gmail.com http://www.haverfordindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXV, No. 1 - September 6, 2013
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The Index
News
April 2014
Single-Sex Education Causing National Controversy Drew Sterman ‘16 explores the impact of single-sex education, citing professional research and the opinions of members of Haverford’s community. Drew Sterman ‘16 The benefits and detriments that Haverford students experience in an all-boys community are often debated. This debate was apparent most recently in a Public Forum resolve for the Debate & Speech club, for which students discussed the impact of single-sex education in American schools. When asked about how Haverford students were stereotyped with regard to single-sex education, Arjun Dravid, a Fifth Form varsity debate member, responded, “Other teams used it against us quite often. One time a Harriton girl asked us in a crossfire whether we thought our school was effective, and that we were bashing our own school essentially. We struck down their question as irrelevant.” The Index recently conducted a survey in order to gather information on Haverford students’ various opinions on single-sex education. The first question of the survey asked whether the student had attended a co-educational school prior to Haverford. Approximately sixty-one percent of students said they had, which is a testament to the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of Haverford students. The next question asked what would change most if Haverford were to become a co-ed school. A majority of students, around sixty-two percent, said that social life would be affected the most. Thirty-two percent said in-class discussions, and only six percent said that the quality of education would be affected the most. When asked what would happen if Haverford was a co-ed school, students offered some staggering responses. Forty-three percent of students who responded said that they would be more distracted in class due to the presence of the opposite sex. This is opposed to thirty percent who said that they would be more focused in order to impress the opposite sex. The remaining twenty seven percent said that their habits would not change. The final question of the survey asked students whether a co-ed or single-sex school is more likely to cultivate academic success. A whopping seventy-two percent said that single sex schools offer a better opportunity to succeed academically as opposed to co-ed institutions. Besides student opinions, there are valid arguments made by experts in the field both for and against single sex education. Kristine Tucker of Demand Media postulates that students of single-sex schools are often laggards
when it comes to future co-ed interactions. She says, “Single-sex schools are disadvantageous when students do not learn how to communicate and interact with members of the opposite sex. Many students from single-sex classrooms eventually work in co-ed offices and must be able to converse with clients and coworkers of both genders. They might join co-ed community organizations, clubs or religious groups. Students in single-sex schools have limited opportunity to connect with members of the opposite sex and learn how to work cooperatively on projects and assignments.” There are also arguments that suggest that single-sex education can reinforce stereotypes and behavioral issues. Professor of Psychology, Human Development, and Family Studies Lynn S. Liben conducted a study in 2010 that examined classrooms segregated by sex and found signs of sexism in students. These developments can obviously become problematic in the future if these stereotypes are imbedded into the mental thought of a young man or woman. A study by Al-Jazeera America suggests that single-sex education offers no benefits at all. The author of the article, Marisa Taylor, claims that “single-sex classes and schools perpetuate gender stereotypes and that segregating kids by gender smacks of the kind of discrimination that — until Brown v. Board of Education struck down the practice in 1954 — allowed schools to segregate based on race.” Her argument is supported by a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this study a team of psychologists examined all available research on single-sex education published within the past seven years, which included 184 studies comprising 1.6 million students from Kindergarten to 12th grade in 21 different countries, and found no evidence to support proponents’[of single-sex education] claims. Single sex education has also been debated in a court of law. The American Civil Liberties Union claimed that single sex education in public schools is both illegal and discriminatory. In the spring of 2008, the ACLU filed suit in federal court, arguing that Breckinridge County Middle School’s practice of offering single-sex classrooms in their public school is unlawful and prejudiced. The school doesn’t require any child to attend a single-sex class, yet the suit argues that the practice violates several state and federal laws, including Title IX and the equal Educational Opportunities Act. An argument is often made based upon the
A class of third grade boys meeting with Dr. Nagl in his office.
haverford.org
difference between nature and nurture. Whether a student goes to a single sex school or not, the biggest factors relate to the child’s nature, such as gender, temperament, abilities (and disabilities), and intelligence. Other influences stem from the way parents and society nurture the child: Family upbringing, socioeconomic status, culture and stereotypes all fall under the “nurture” category. So in reality, the gender organization is not the deciding factor of ones future. Teaching in a single sex school is also very different from teaching at a co-ed school. Ms. Vos Strache, who previously taught at co-ed Episcopal Academy, commented on the contrast between the two, “I think the biggest difference in terms of what I see in the classroom is that Haverford, by not having to appeal to a female group, is able to shape curriculum and clubs in a way that is more geared towards the minds of young boys. It may sound pretty simple, but I definitely designate parts of my curriculum towards oral participation, where I believe boys do better, and it allows for much more of a group-friendly dynamic than I did at a co-ed school. Girls tend to be very good note takers and can move a discussion, but the boys can handle interactive lessons better.” Ms. Vos Strache goes on to say that boys tend to participate more in single-sex classrooms, but will not say whether or not that is due to the lack of members of the opposite sex. Dr. Nagl is a very adamant believer in singlesex education. “As the product of an all-male prep school education, I am a strong believer in the value of single-gender education. As the father of a middle-school son, I have seen the
differences in development between boys and girls, and believe that both learn better in a single-gender environment. And as the leader of an all-boy school, I have seen the lifelong relationships formed by men who grew to manhood in a single gender environment. There is enormous merit in single sex education, and The Haverford School will remain a school that prepares boys for life as long as I have anything to say about it. Amidst the heavy debate, the only thing that can be validated is the fact that single-sex and co-ed schools are very different, and they each offer special advantages.
in addition to athletics. Another example of the school promoting teacher-student connections is the newly established Human Relationships class, taught by Ms. Rachael Jennings and Dr. Mark Gottlieb. This optional seminar for Sixth Formers is an excellent opportunity for students to discuss life topics with their teachers in a relaxed environment outside of the normal school day. There are not many chances like this at a competitive, all-boys school to stop and consider the importance of friends, family, and marriage, and as Ms. Jennings feels, “It is a great opportunity to connect some of my greatest academic interests with one of my greatest interests as an educator: inter- and intrapersonal relationships and empathy.” Some teachers work with students during long weekends or before school starts, either as part of an athletic practice or for some students Glee Club with Mr. Hightower. Others help students with academic subjects not taught at Haverford or as a supplement to the current curriculum. Some students scheduled to take an AP or SAT II exam have had a teacher in the relevant subject tutor them to prepare for the test. Ms. Cleffi is the faculty advisor for the Advanced Laboratory Research Cooperative which is a regular class on the school’s course catalog, but the bulk of the experience takes part over the summer before Senior year, when they work in a scientific field of interest that they have either studied previously or just caught their eye. Ms. Cleffi explains that “the goal of the program is to show students how real science research works.” She then guides the handful of Sixth Formers in preparing a presentation on their research the following fall semester. Mr. Loving organizes the annual Tree Sale in December, which is an opportunity for the students who run the sales and Mr. Loving to manage essentially a small-scale business, and
they all get to have a great time doing it together and pay for Prom. Speaking of Prom, Ms. Smedley and Ms. Fernandez plan the big Prom night with a small group of students, which is almost like orchestrating a wedding each and every year. Teachers and students get to work together on coordinating everything from the location to the food to the music, all of which gives students a chance to work with more experienced teachers on organizing a big event. Sr. Lluch is new to Haverford this year and is looking to find how he can connect with the community. On top of teaching five classes because of no major afternoon commitment, he recently joined a tutoring program that Project Home has for young kids in North Philadelphia, which Fifth Former Manav Khandelwal brought to Haverford. Sr. Lluch drives a van of students to North Philadelphia on Friday afternoons to help mostly seventh and eighth graders with “algebra and geometry, as well as reading skills and sometimes science,” says Sr. Lluch. “Getting it started was a bit difficult, but we have now gone three times, and on a couple occasions I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the kids, which is great.” He also had the “wonderful opportunity” to go on the school trip to Costa Rica over spring break. This vacation was yet another occasion for students to interact with teachers not just outside the classroom, but now in a completely different country and culture. Whether it is on an athletic field, in a classroom, or in a whole different world, Haverford has created vast opportunities for students to interact with and learn from teachers about important aspects of life that simply cannot be taught during a scheduled block in the school day.
New York Times
Middle School Students at the Young Women’s Leadership School in East Harlem.
Haverford Faculty Members Key Outside the Clasroom What extra-curricular responsibilities to Haverford faculty members have? Jack Henderson ‘15 investigates the contributions they are making outside the classroom. Jack Henderson ‘15
While every Haverford student knows his teachers fairly well inside the classroom, there is much unknown to the students about each faculty member outside the classroom both on and off campus. Haverford has stressed the importance of establishing teacher-student relationships in order to foster a stronger community and build a better foundation for learning. Head of the Upper School Mr. Matthew Green explains, “Most schools have a clean dividing line between teaching faculty and coaching faculty. Haverford has made a conscious decision to hire faculty whenever possible that have interest, enthusiasm, and talent in both because our belief is that relationships are at the core of student learning.” Many teachers participate in Haverford’s athletic program on some level, depending on their interests, experience, and abilities. There is such enthusiasm from the teachers, even with their busy course schedule, because they also see the benefit of seeing kids outside the classroom. Mr. Green elaborates, “Understanding the broader scope of what a kid’s life is like here beyond the 40 minutes that you are teaching them history, for example, is a really powerful way of teaching kids.” Haverford’s mentality is that the teachers can only do so much and get so far in educating students in the classroom, and the students can learn more from interacting with faculty in a less formal setting. Perhaps more importantly, Haverford wants to make sure they are developing young men with the
morals that can be read on the Walk of Virtues, and the relationships the students can forge with teachers outside the classroom only reinforces those values. Mr. Green has the responsibility to “measure each teacher’s responsibilities, determine that it is equitable, and make sure people are deployed in an area where they have enthusiasm and expertise.” Most teachers who coach have an afternoon commitment, but for some it also includes a vacation component or a weekend component, which at the higher levels is labor and time intensive. Haverford sees the moments outside of the scheduled school day between teacher and student as some of the most impactful and everlasting. This year’s Teaching Level Criteria stipulates that each and every teacher must satisfy “all curricular and extracurricular responsibilities.” In addition to the regular four-course load for teachers (besides Department heads who teach three), the school expects teachers to meet certain commitments outside of class. One of the criteria that must be met to be considered an “experienced teacher” states that the teacher must be “an active participant in the life of the school.” Finally, all “master teachers” must take the “initiative to improve the vertical and horizontal alignment of the curriculum beyond the confines of his/her classroom.” Those extra-curricular commitments, however, are not always just athletics. There are many, what the school calls, “non-athletic competitive teams,” such as Debate or Model UN, that many teachers choose to pursue instead of or
Contact Jack at jackhend@haverford.org
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The Index
News
April 2014
Haverford, Baldwin Upperclassmen “Do Like The Romans Did” In Week-Long Trip to Italy Jonathan Paras ‘14 lays out an overview of the schools’ exciting adventures in Italy, including gladiator contests, pro soccer games, and lots of Ancient Roman ruins. Jonathan Paras ‘14
“Of the mountains and valleys on our journey, I sing. As I recount this story , O Muse, let your clarity and grace guide my words.” It was with these prophetic words that our epic journey began to far off Lavinian shores which bore forth Etruscans and Greeks, Sarmatians and Romans, falling throughout the centuries. Our adventurous gang included 7 students from Baldwin and 28 students from Haverford. With four chaperones, Haverford’s Dr. Andrew Fenton, Mr. Christopher Fox, and Mr. Greg Ressler, as well as Baldwin’s Ms. Shelly Lipinsky, the 35 man group landed early in the A.M. in Rome’s satellite airport, Fiumicino. There, we met our engaging and intellectual tour guide, Ms. Danielle Lucente. Fluent in Italian, French and Canadian English (eh?), she would act as our translator, traveler, and our friend and we would make many of those. As we boarded what would be our travel bus for the first wing of our journey, a spry gentleman of dignified age, Dominico, greeted us with a warm smile and a chipper demeanor. Owing to the divine quality of Italian Espresso, we pressed onwards ,immediately after arrival, to the Ancient Roman port city of Ostia. Literally translating to “mouth”, Ostia served as the largest port for the Italian peninsula wherein ships from all over the Empire would bring an assortment of products from the provinces. The city was deserted after the Tiber River shifted to its position 2 kilometers north today. This abandonment has served to preserve the dwellings, mosaics, and roads of what was a bustling urban center of 50,000 inhabitants. Sixth Former Frank Bonini reflected on his experience there. He had this to say: “Stepping foot on the same grounds where, over a thousand years ago, people used to walk was truly humbling. When I stood behind a counter at which food used to be served to people in ancient times, I realized that they were going about their lives
just as I do every day” “But meanwhile it flees: time flees irretrievably” as Vergil would say, and so we swiftly departed for our first basecamp of the trip. Nestled in the mountains of southern
as a result of being completely covered in ash. The town was much larger than I was expecting, and it was really exciting to catch glimpses into the lives of the Ancient Romans as we explored the baths, snack bars, and streets they frequented. Visiting Herculaneum the day after Pompeii was intriguing, as they were both effected by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, but because of their relative locations, Herculaneum was
Haverford and Baldwin seniors at the Trevy Fountatin.
Italy, Sorrento is a sleepy town during the day with a bustling night scene. Arguably best known for its lemon gelato and limoncello (a lemon liqueur), its growers pride themselves on the quality of the citrus they produce. From there, we made day trips to the surrounding ruins and the Bay of Naples region. Abby Lemmon, a senior at the Baldwin School, recalls the visits to Pompeii and Herculaneum: “It was quite remarkable how Pompeii managed to live up to and surpass the expectations I had embarking on the trip. The stones of the buildings and often the adornments were well preserved for posterity
Index Staff
buried in lava, not ash. This meant that it was preserved in large part by heat, carbonizing the wood and burying it in a layer of tufa. The presence of the carbonized wood changed the appearance of the ruins greatly, making it easier imagine how they may have looked at the height of the civilization. My favorite part of the town was the temple to Augustus, which had enormous and beautifully preserved frescos inside depicting Hercules and other mythological characters in a tribute to the deified Emperor Augustus.” Our journey opened us to the lives of people so similar and so different. Danielle,
Dominico and on the last night in Sorrento a Luigi. Yes, Luigi was his name, the lone waiter in the restaurant below the hotel. After so many “gratzies” and “preggos” , a few of us ventured to invite Luigi out to gelato after dinner. We found out some comical truths about how the locals perceive all the American tourists. At one point, Luigi remarked that there would be no reason to visit the USA when many of the Americans bring the United States with them to Italy. It was, however, this last comment that gave a few of us pause. It highlighted the fact that as hard as we tried to be travelers, respectful and cognizant, for better or worse, we carried our distinct American identity to every place that we traveled. By the middle of our vacation, we were off again, this time to Rome. We came to stay at the Columbus Hotel, located only 100 meters from the Vatican. We ventured beyond the boundaries of Vatican City to fountains and Palazzos, monuments and mausoleums as we traversed the cities expanse. It would take ages to unpack the majesty of Saint Peters Basilica or the enthusiasm when Roma beat Torino in the final seconds of a football match, but something much more powerful was accomplished. We came to behold humanity. We felt the essence of stone masons, painters, poets, and sculptors as we unpacked the visual and written language of the world around us. As we opened ourselves to this strange new land and to its peoples throughout history, so too did we open ourselves to each other. “We forged meaningful relationships, as evidenced by our late night intellectual conversations... we started out more or less strangers but by the end of the trip we really understood each other as artists, classicists, and as comedians” chimed Eleanor Pressman, a Baldwin senior. “ Echoing this is Sixth Former Terry Rossi who believes that “[T]he impact that the change of scenery had on us and our relationships with each other [was important]. By exploring a foreign country, putting our education to practice, and fumbling through attempted Italian, all of the members of the trip bonded in ways impossible at home.” It was a destination for some, a journey for many, but an experience that will leave its chiseled mark on all our marbled minds for years to come.
Costa Rica Trip: Fun (and a Little Work) in the Sun David Niedzwicki ‘17
This past Spring break, a group of twentyfive Haverford students and four teacher chaperones went on a trip to visit the Central American nation of Costa Rica. Overall, the trip proved to be a great deal of fun while also helping students improve their Spanish skills. The trip started out with three days of non-academic activities. On the first day after arriving in Costa Rica, the group enjoyed several water-related events. These included jumping off large rocks and rope-swinging into a lake. Later on, the group went to a ‘hot springs’ resort with large pools of varying temperatures and horrifyingly fast water slides. A few days later, students went on a zip lining tour, composed of over 20 zip lines both long and short. The last zip line, the longest one, was over a kilometer in length. Also featured in the tour was a so-called ‘Tarzan Swing’ where students jumped off a platform high in the trees. After free falling, the students continued to swing back-andforth until they came to a stop. For many, this swing was even more frightening than the high-speed zip lines. When talking about the Costa Rica trip, fourth-former Drew Sterman said, “I had fun, lots of it, and made some connections with people that I never thought I would meet and I will never forget my experiences in Costa Rica”. After three days of pure fun in Northwestern Costa Rica, students traveled to the Atlantic Ocean, more specifically the beach town of
Sámara. There they were greeted by their homestay families with whom they would be staying for the upcoming week. For the most part, students were paired in groups of two with their host families; however, some students stayed in groups of three.
a great experience. I got to see what it was like to live in a small tropical beach town and really improved my Spanish.” Several hours long, the classes alternated between morning and afternoon. When reflecting back on the classes, third-former Bill Wu said: “The
Students on the Costa Rica trip lounging in the sun.
On the students’ first full day in Sámara, Spanish classes began at a local school. The school was located on the beach, providing a great way to relax before or after class. Jack McKnight, a freshman, said: “It was
Curran Aiyer
classes were fast-paced, engaging, and fun”. After class, there were many activities to enjoy. These included surfing, kayaking to an island, playing soccer, and enjoying a bonfire on the beach.
Spanish class was not the only way students expanded their Spanish skills. An atmosphere of constant Spanish, including conversations with their homestay families, led students to quickly improve their spoken Spanish. Thirdformer Cyrus Rostami said of his homestay family: “The family that hosted me was very nice and communicating with them was a great way for me to exercise my Spanish and learn about Costa Rican culture.” Another important factor was the small class size, each class having only four to nine students. The beautiful scenery along the beach was a perfect place to attend school and was a sharp contrast to the familiar setting of the Haverford School. On the final day of class, students played games on the beach and wrote speeches for graduation from Spanish class. After delivering their speeches, students received a diploma showcasing their completion of the Spanish course. Even with ‘classes’ during spring break, going to Costa Rica was remarkably fun and offered an learning experience that would have been impossible to replicate without going on the trip. Looking back on the trip, third-former Lawrence Hunter said, “The Costa Rica trip felt like it went by too quickly, but that’s only natural when you’re having fun. Everything we did was fun. Whether we were in class that morning, relaxing by the hammocks in the school’s courtyard, or conversing with our homestay families, we had fun.” I would highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to hone his Spanish skills while also having a blast in a foreign country.
Page 5
The Index
News
WiFi Networks Experiment (cont.) Brendan Burns ‘15 and Arnav Jagasia ‘16
Continued from the Front Page
This does not mean, however, that students will see a twentyfold increase in connectivity speed: many student devices are not even 802.11ac capable, as this is a cutting-edge technology that has just begun to be implemented in Apple computers (as a side note, Apple devices account for about 75% of the Haverford device population, with 67% being machines running Mac OS X). However, connectivity will be noticeably faster, whetherit is the Meraki or Aerohive product that is ultimately implemented (Mr. Steinberger indicated that the School is currently leaning toward Meraki). Another factor that will push connectivity speed skyward is a change in the way that the APs allocate bandwidth. Currently, APs that spread Wi-Fi will drop connection speeds to match the slowest devices on the network. Therefore, if a student were to bring in a computer with an older, slower WiFi standard, the network would reduce the speeds of faster, more advanced devices to match that lowest common denominator. The new trial networks practice “airtime fairness” – that is, they analyze each of the devices that connect to the network, determine the speeds the device itself is capable of, and allocate bandwidth accordingly. The Meraki system administrator describes this operation as “Dual band operation with Band Steering,” elaborating that “Band Steering detects clients capable of 5 GHz operation and steers them to that frequency, while leaving 2.4 GHz available for legacy clients.” (A 5 GHz connection is higher-frequency and is significantly faster.) In addition to replacing all the Upper School’s APs, the Tech Department will be conducting a full rehaul of the wired connections, which transmit signal via physical cables to the access points. The Upper School’s five “wireless closets,” each of which is located in the closets adjacent to classrooms, will see their equipment replaced to ensure high speeds. The Meraki network also allows several new administrative features. First, it will permit more sophisticated traffic shaping – that is, per Mr. Steinberger, “the way that traffic moves in and out through the network.” The school currently operates a “3-Layer” firewall, which allows for traffic that matches specific, listed IP addresses to be blocked (and return the “WatchGuard HTTP Proxy” page). In September, student traffic will be subjected to a smarter “Layer 7” firewall, which can
The Tech Department – Services Coordinator Heayung Cho, Director of Technology Megan Connolly, Software Specialist Andrea Drinkwine, and Network Administrator Paul Steinberger.
recognize and sort traffic based on the type of application in use, then either deny that traffic entirely or only allocate it a certain amount of data. Mr. Steinberger describes the Layer 7 technology as a “more granular firewall” at which “a little bit of data is added at each layer” to allow for better analytics. This will play a central role in keeping the Wi-Fi up to speed: traffic analytics for the month of April through the 17th show that, with 1,126 unique devices accessing all Haverford Wi-Fi networks, 17.7% of all data usage is taken up by four applications/ websites: iTunes, Facebook, Netflix, and
haverford.org
of the new networks is the development of a “System Manager.” Says Mr. Steinberger, System Manager “can push software onto connected devices” wirelessly – whether useful workoriented programs (such as Microsoft Word), or other software, such as antivirus programs. The latter would ensure that, under a BYOD program in which “the School is inviting guests to bring their personal machines onto a public network,” there is a reduced risk of one device spreading a virus around campus. Effectively, System Manager acts as a safeguard for the network. System Manager can also be used to
A location heatmap generated by Cisco’s Meraki Dashboard showing Wi-Fi in the Upper School for the “Meraki Demo” network.
Steam (a gaming client). iTunes along is responsible for 5.6% of all data usage. Under heavy device loads, the new Layer 7 firewall would enable the Tech Department to deny or ration out set amounts of data to these and other non-academic, bandwidth-intensive applications to ensure that classrooms will not see their connectivity siphoned off. The power to “contain” devices acting as mobile hotspots – which create radio interference and thereby slow connectivity to School WiFi – also exists. A second important administrative feature
Index Staff
install certain “profiles” on students’ devices, including smartphones. For example, using geofencing technology, System Manager could install a profile on a student device that would block a certain application (e.g. the camera) while the student is on campus. When the student leaves campus, the profile would automatically reset and remove all restrictions. Mr. Steinberger also emphasized that “any software,” including the System Manager app itself, its profiles, and any additional applications, “need user approval to install.”
April 2014
Those who choose not to install the System Manager app would still be allowed internet access. “The bottom line is that any device you bring in is yours, and we don’t want to infringe in your privacy,” Mr. Steinberger says. As of 2008, Haverford’s wireless technology is state-of-the-art. But how long will it remain that way? The new 802.11ac technology is currently only incorporated in brand new Apple laptops and Samsung Galaxy phones. To gauge its lifetime, we can only look to its contemporary, 802.11n, which was introduced in 2009. A conservative estimate might peg the useful lifetime of Haverford’s new wireless infrastructure at only five years. However, it seems fair to say that, for these next five years, as Haverford transitions into a 1:1 school, Upper School students will enjoy sufficient technological support for their army of devices. Mrs. Connolly also mentioned a possible method for teachers to view students’ screens in real time. A product called ‘TeacherView,’ would enable faculty members to pull up all of the computers that use the AP located in their classroom. Connolly hopes this could be used as a didactic learning tool for group projects or demonstrations. Teacher-View, however, is only compatible with one of internet products currently being tested at the school (TeacherView is a technology developed by Aerohive). When asked, Connolly said the Tech Department has not yet decided whether or not they would purchase that product and will determine that in the upcoming months. Mrs. Connolly explained that the goal of the new internet system is to provide “security [and] excellent performance for everybody.” Most likely, this means that Haverford students will see the return of a login screen to access the internet. But depending on which product is purchased, students may be able to use a single signin or even their Haverford credentials. Connolly also reiterated that administrators will be able to access student internet data (possibly in the form of the aforementioned “System Manager”). Additionally, the Internet provided at Haverford is a public network; just like using public networks at Starbucks or the local library, students should not expect total privacy. With the next year’s BYOD policy and the burgeoning influx of computing devices - tablets, computers, and smartphones, the Tech Department seeks to provide a faster, safer, and more reliable internet access for Haverford students.
Mock Trial Returns to Glory With Successful Campaign Eli Wachs ‘16 For the first time in the past five years, Haverford’ Mock Trial team won the Montgomery County Championship and gave teacher advisor Señora Mateos her third “Golden Gavel” that she was earned during her time at the school. Led by Sixth Form captains TJ Cole and John Zipf, Fifth Formers Jake Pechet, Jack Henderson, and Jackson Simon, and Fourth Former Eli Wachs, the team beat The Hill School, Jenkintown, Lower Moreland, and traditional powerhouse and last year’s winner Mount Saint Joseph twice, including in the final round of the competition. Also helping the team were Mr. Maley and Equire Frank DeSimone, a renowned Philadelphia lawyer who recently was on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer for a high profile extortion case he will likely be trying next year. At the state championship, Haverford performed admirably and placed as one of the top 10 teams in the state. TJ Cole, a senior captain and multi-time winner of the in court best advocate and best witness award could not help but credit the incredible mentors that help the team saying “Mock trial has been a rewarding experience for a lot of reasons, but what has impacted me the most has been working with the great faculty advisors. Señora Mateos brings a unique knowledge of the Spanish legal system combined with her bubbling enthusiasm and sense of humor. Mr. Maley brings his overall genius and fresh eyes that have quickly adjusted to the club. Finally, working with Mr. DeSimone, one of the most accomplished lawyers in Philadelphia, gives
the team the rare opportunity to be mentored by someone at the very top of his field.” Cole also went on to comment that he was “more than satisfied with [his] three years in the program, and would highly recommend joining the club to anyone, regardless of whether they think they want to be a lawyer.” A traditionally strong club at Haverford, there is a large amount of work performed by the six member team one and its faculty and attorney advisors. In addition to meeting once a week for an hour from December through February or March, the team also devotes a weekend in January to attend the Benjamin Franklin mock trial invitational where it competes against the top teams in the state and this year beat 25 of them. The case which all of this time is devoted too are around 70 pages and contain six affidavits, 11 exhibits, and other case materials. The Team two also had a relatively successful year as they won both of their trials in the district tournament based off of points, however did not advance out of the first two rounds due to the fact that they lost one trial based on juror votes. Team 2’s captains were Fifth Formers Manav Khandelwal, Arjun Dravid, and Nick Greco; the rest of the team was composed of Sixth Former Jonathan Paras Fifth Formers Curran Browning, Jack McAleese, Will Hyland, and Andrew Gushner, Fourth Formers Matt Paolino, Guy Wuollet, Justin Shah, Cameron Miller, and Charlie Lesko, and Third Formers Tucker Matus, Harper Weigle, Cyrus Rostani, Edmund Garno, Stephen Mostek, and David Niedzwicki.
Mock Trial Team One featuring Sixth Forners John Zipf and T.J. Cole, Fifth Formers Jack Henderson, Jackson Simon, and Jake Pechet, Fourth Former Eli Wachs, and Faculty Adviser Sra. Mateos.
Page 6
The Index
April 2014
News
Administration Eyes Robotics Integration (cont.) Continued from the Front Page
-The Robotics team has somehow grown to outstrip its capacity within a five-year span alone, an incredible feat for an activity of such intricacy and detail that requires a considerable time commitment. Mrs. Connolly has also extended Robotics into the other divisions, starting a VEX IQ program in the Middle School under Mrs. Marion Jacob and a FIRST LEGO League program in the Lower School under Mrs. Cheryl Joloza. When asked what has accounted for such rapid expansion, Mrs. Connolly remarks, “Kids’ excitement has certainly added to it, they are signing up for programs when they are available, and students are talking to each other about how much they enjoy it.” With all that said, there is still plenty of untapped potential for Robotics at Haverford, and the administration knows that. With Mrs. Connolly stepping down from her role as the leader of the Robotics team and Mr. Glick leaving to work for Innovation First International, the school is looking to hire its first ever Director of Robotics. Dr. Nagl, along with Head of the Upper School Mr. Matthew Green, Math Chair Mr. Zack Murtha, and others involved in the hiring process have been scouring candidates at the regional and national level for the most qualified person to assume the responsibilities of Director of Robotics. However, as Mr. Murtha makes clear, “The position for the Director of Robotics remains open.” Although the position is void for now, establishing a Director of Robotics is one of Dr. Nagl’s highest priorities for this Spring in order to continue the program’s extra-curricular success, but also to begin the integration of Robotics into the curriculum. The main classroom responsibilities of the new Director, which have not been exactly specified yet, will most likely be centered around mathematics and science courses. Mrs. Connolly expressed her enthusiasm for the new position, saying, “I’m really excited about the new Director coming in, bringing new opportunities into the classroom for kids.” There is still speculation even amongst the faculty regarding which field the Director will begin working in first. Mrs. Connolly states, “Initially we’ll start in the science area, because you have today science teachers ready to go there. As the curriculum gets reviewed and updated, there will be integration with math.” However, Mr. Murtha pointed out that there is a need for two math courses to be taught, and that these courses could be taught be the Director of Robotics. In either scenario, the new Director of Robotics will need to be able to effectively lead the expanding extra-curricular program as well as demonstrate his or her ability to communicate mathematics or science to students.
The ultimate goal agreed upon by all of those involved is the eventual integration of Robotics, mathematics, and science courses. A recurring theme after talking with Dr. Nagl is his hope of Robotics becoming a cocurricular activity that is firmly established in each section of the school. To reinforce his message Dr. Nagl said, “I think we need to teach you Robotics and computer programming throughout the curriculum at The Haverford School. Not as an adjunct, but as a part of the curriculum.” The integration of Robotics into the curriculum in conjunction with the
math and science.” While a fusion between the current physics course and computer programming or having each class being its own is something the new Director will have to consider, this is one of Dr. Nagl’s primary objectives he would like to accomplish. He believes that if the “fun” of engineering and programming is demonstrated in the Lower and Middle Schools, as well as in ninth grade, students will be inspired to become more involved with not only the Robotics program, but also with other STEM-related activities. These significant and impactful changes
Mrs. Megan Connolly outside the Tech Department office.
math and science departments would result in courses regarding computer programming and engineering. Part of the duty of the Director of Robotics will be to work with the math and science chairs and Dr. Nagl to establish these specific courses and how they will be integrated into the curriculum. Mrs. Connolly believes, “Computer science could be the bridge between math and science when it comes to robotics,” and more options for students to enroll in classes of this subject matter should be a serious consideration for the new Director to implement. The most prevalent change that could be implemented the fastest is changes with the current ninth grade physics class. Dr. Nagl feel that the nature of a true physics course should be calculus-based and taught in twelfth grade, but he does agree with the principles and concepts established in the conceptual physics class. However, Dr. Nagl is hoping to “have everyone do some programming in the ninth grade,” in order to “push some of the fun of science and engineering earlier into the curriculum to put more of a focus on
Mohid Khan
carry with them the question: “Why?” Dr. Nagl is essentially creating an entirely new department of study at Haverford and merging that department with two others in order to establish a completely new addition to the curriculum. These changes are the result of Dr. Nagl’s desire to revamp STEM integration at Haverford in order to prepare us for a rapidly changing society. This integration is centered around Robotics because, as Dr. Nagl pointed out, “What we are seeing now is the application of computing power to Robotics, and that combination is unbelievably powerful, incalculably powerful.” Being involved with the defense of our nation, Dr. Nagl experienced first-hand the lack of STEM graduates in the United States. He interacted with companies who were unable to fill thousands of jobs due to a lack of adequate candidates to fill the positions. Dr. Nagl expressed his concern by saying that, “The lack of STEM graduates is not only a threat to the security of the United States, but also the well-being of the United States.” His objectives are clear, “I want
curricular and extra-curricular excellence in STEM.” With the development of the curriculum and the addition of Robotics into everyday student life, Dr. Nagl expressed his highest ambition on how the Robotics curriculum will impact the school, saying, “Ultimately, what I seriously would like to see is Haverford School students getting patents.” With the incredible changes in technology that have all but transformed society as we know it in developed countries, the demand for brilliant science, technology, and engineering minds is continuously growing. Dr. Nagl, like many in the field of education, believes that starts with Robotics and the principles it instills in students. “Robotics,” Dr. Nagl states, “will almost certainly have a bigger impact on your lives than Einsteinian Physics does.” That type of thinking is not outlandish in any way; while Einsteinian physics certainly transformed the way we view the world, Robotics will completely change how the world works, especially how we make things and perform certain activities. Dr. Nagl states that the last aircraft pilots the United States will ever see have been born already; the transition to unmanned planes, water vehicles, and tanks has already begun. In addition, the skills in computer programming, computer science, engineering, and overall design creativity taught by Robotics are useful in any work setting, especially jobs of the future. In fact, as Dr. Nagl points out, our generation “is going to grow up doing jobs that literally don’t even exist right now, that we can’t imagine right now. But I still have to prepare you for a world that I can’t understand.” This reality has forced a shift in the way education is viewed at all levels, and the administration at Haverford is determined to be in the vanguard of schools looking to increase student proficiency in STEM areas. This, Dr. Nagl assures the community, will complement rather than detract from the language and humanities aspects of the current curriculum. Major changes are in store at The Haverford School, changes that will even more adequately prepare Haverford students for an increasingly changing world. While the VEX Robotics team will still be an integral part of the Robotics program here at Haverford, continuing to bring home international awards, the necessity of integrating robotics principles into the curriculum is seen clearly by the leaders within this community. Summing up his feelings on the subject, Dr. Nagl dropped one last nugget about just how important this shift is: “We are living through the Information Revolution and some people, myself included, think that it is going to change life as dramatically as did the Industrial and Agricultural revolutions.”
Teacher Profile: ‘Flex’ Carrying On Music Program’s Legacy Sam Dyer ‘15 profiles Mr. Hightower, who has stepped smoothly into the shoes of his predecessor, Mr. Stairs. Sam Dyer ‘15
Anyone who has taken a music class at Haverford or has been a member of the Upper School’s two singing groups (the Glee Club and The Notables) knows that Mr. Mark Hightower is an extraordinary teacher. Since coming to the school at the start of last year, he has led both the music programs and the Notables to new heights. Among Hightower’s focuses for music students include musicality, the basic foundations of music, making bold decisions, following musical instinct, finding beauty in every moment, and living in the present, among many other key ideas. Before Mr. Hightower was a music teacher at Haverford, however, he studied music at Westminster Choir College. Hightower appreciates his time at Westminster greatly, saying that “What I loved about Westminster was the amazing faculty, all absolute experts of their craft and professionals on the highest levels in the field. What’s even better is that you have very small classes and a lot of one on one time with these musical geniuses and prodigies. Beyond that you are exposed
to what working in the professional arena really is like as you have opportunities to be in professional concerts and operas in conjunction with some of the best orchestras, conductors, and soloists in the world today.” It was these experiences that helped Hightower grow as a musical performer and teacher. After graduating from Westminster, Mr. Hightower taught at Sumter High School in South Carolina, where he led a “big, soulful choir down there with as many characters as you could imagine.” He notes that both Westminster and Sumter High were valuable learning experiences, both of which helped prepare him for teaching music at Haverford. In his music classes, Mr. Hightower likes to focus on the interests of students, as well as many of the basic aspects of being an educated musician. His focus is to “use their interests as a starting point to “get into” music, and show them how it connects with music I know and love via music theory thus merging musical worlds. That way I am constantly learning new music as well as passing on what I have already learned to the next generation of musicians.” While Hightower acknowledges
that he loves every aspect of teaching music, his favorites include music history, both basic and advanced music theory, and performing. Fifth Former Otis Baker, who has taken music classes with Mr. Hightower for the last three years, appreciates that “ he has his own plan for the direction of the class but also lets his students have a major influence on the exact material that they want to go into, which is really important in a music/arts class.” One of Mr. Hightower’s primary roles at Haverford is leading the two Upper School singing groups: the Glee Club and the Notables. “I like Mr. Hightower because of the relationships he develops with us as students,”says Fifth Former Curran Browning, a current member of the Notables. “Hightower is not just a teacher but a relatable mentor and friend. He leads us with the utmost respect and sincerity, and he expects us as young men that we are able to return it.” He also adds that “What’s great about the way Mr. Hightower teaches us is that he works to make us more independent. He always says “my job is over when I’m not needed. It is nice to see someone put so much trust in us and want to watch us succeed on our own.” Outside of the music classroom, Mr.
Hayman Photography
Mr. Hightower in between performances at the 2013 Winter Concert.
Hightower is involved in several activities. He is the faculty leader of the Music club, as well as well as being involved with the Debate team and the Diplomacy Club. Hightower says that “ I have really enjoyed chaperoning a couple of debate team competitions and being a judge, and am probably enjoying the faculty games of Diplomacy a bit too much…”. All in all, Mr. Hightower is one of the most unique and valuable teachers at Haverford, impacting any student who is lucky enough to have the opportunity to study music with him.
Page 7
The Index
Arts
April 2014
Artist of the Issue: Goins ‘Taking His Talents to Juilliard’
Alex Sanfilippo ‘15 interviews singer/dancer/actor Toney Goins ‘14 about his time in Haverford theater and his recent admission to The Juilliard School. Alex Sanfilippo ‘16
Sixth Form actor Toney Goins has been key in the success and development of The Haverford School’s Theatre Program throughout his Upper School career. Toney’s fluid, rhythmic dancing coupled with his passion and talent for acting has led him to star in numerous successful Haverford productions including Pippin, A Few Good Men, and Hairspray. Realizing his enthusiasm for being on stage, Toney has worked tirelessly to enhance and improve his talents in order to pursue Theatre in college and beyond. Toney first became involved with acting and theatre in the seventh grade when he performed in a fellow Haverford student’s play. Following his initial experience on Centennial’s stage Toney said, “From that point on, I just did shows for fun.” Through participation in more and more productions, it became evident that not only did Toney have a talent for acting, but he also found that it was something he enjoyed immensely. The first time Toney felt a true emotional connection with Theater, and when it dawned on him that this is something he is seriously about was when he cried on stage during a performance as part of his character. Toney commented on this by saying, “I was committed to my performance and did not even realize it. There was a death scene and I did not try to make myself cry, I actually found myself at a point of sadness.” Understanding that he was so passionate about Theater allowed Toney to embrace more challenges and to expand his abilities. He was able to continue working on productions through summer programs to continue to develop his acting, dancing, and vocal abilities. One of the most important things that allowed for Toney to be so successful was thought through all of the long, strenuous days, his passion continued and his happiness about what he was doing never faltered. Being a Haverford student has helped Toney to progress his talents and establish
the skills required for his success. Toney commented that, “I got all of my foundation for acting here, and I just built on what I got from Haverford through the years.” The foundation of the skills required for acting is a very important aspect in the growth of any acting career, and through the guidance of Mr. Cloran, Toney was able to establish and build off of this foundation. Toney also mentioned that the work in the classroom at Haverford will help to give him an advantage in college. Becoming dedicated to an individual passion allows for that interest to evolve and mature through exposure to different and difficult experiences. In acting, this is no different. Toney remarked that, “Each show I perform in is a different experience and the experience depends on the director, the character(s) I am, and believe it or not, the setting of the show.” As Toney participated in more shows, his interests within acting evolved through exposure to unique characters, directors, and settings. “I never lose interest in performing, and that is one of the reasons I know that this is for me,” he concluded. As Toney repeated in his reflection, he follows his passion because it is what he loves, and he encouraged all of us to do the same. Toney’s Haverford School Theatre experience is an impressive collection of stunning performances and instructing choreography with Mr. Cloran. Toney’s involvement and impact on Haverford Theatre increased each year as he found his desire to be a successful actor, dancer, and mentor to his fellow cast members. Toney mentioned the valuable skills he acquired through his time and Haverford and he stated, “I learned how assert myself, and how to become more introverted, how to cope with not getting the part, how to fight for a part I want, and how to manage time and balance outside work with theatre.” These essential characteristics of acting helped Toney with his own career, but is also something aspiring Third and Fourth Formers should look to develop if they wish
to pursue Theatre. Embracing a wide variety of characters throughout his high school Theatre career, Toney demonstrated to his audiences his expansive repertoire of acting, singing, and dancing talent. Furthermore, he is an incredibly helpful and devoted cast member and can be considered as a “captain” of sorts for all of us involved in the productions. Toney will be continuing his studies of the arts next fall at The Juilliard School in New York City. Known to be a prestigious institution dedicated to the arts, Juilliard has an exhausting audition process in order to select the 600 most qualified artists out of over 8,000, meaning a school-wide acceptance rate of about 7%. Even more than the grueling audition and callback schedule, Toney said
Goins as Lieutenant Dan Kaffey in Haverford’s fall play, A Few Good Men.
Gregory Boyek ‘14
We stood craning our necks out around the corner as Vespa scooters zipped between Smart Cars on the busy street before us. Golf-cart sized police cars sped by blaring a distinctively European two-tone siren, transporting carabinieri dressed like nineteenth-century military dignitaries. The first rule for crossing the street in Rome is to forget what you think are the rules of traffic as mopeds, cars, pedestrians and streetcars all share the same space. To walk like a local requires your attention and your confidence. We are on the corner of the Piazza di Spagna, or what Americans call the Spanish Steps. It’s a snazzy, expensive part of town full of trendy restaurants with the nerve to charge for tap water. Navigating here is just as much about avoiding pickpockets and street sellers as it about the traffic. Even so, Rome is certainly a city better seen on foot than from the window of a car. The fantastic thing about walking in Rome is the constant surprises for a pedestrian emerging from a narrow street and into one of the many piazzas to be greeted by a Bernini fountain or Michelangelo-frescoed church. Historic central Rome is highly walkable. By using a few key metro stations (Rome’s subway has only two main lines since new excavations have a tendency to hit ancient ruins before completion) all of the major districts of the old city are accessible. From our hotel just off St. Peters’ Square
adjacent to the Vatican, the thirty Fifth and Sixth Formers from The Haverford and Baldwin Schools explored the side streets, art museums and restaurants of Rome. When traveling in a foreign country, even the most mundane of tasks can be an adventure. Want to turn on the lights in the room? Make sure the room key is in the switch designed to turn off when you leave. Want to buy a pizza? Don’t start by speaking English, make a valiant attempt at Italian and you’ll likely find that they will reciprocate and attempt to speak English. Want to order coffee? The barista won’t take money, find the cash register first. Always put a coin on top of the order at a coffee bar but never at a sit down restaurant. Doing things a little bit differently is an
Dawn Blake
that, “The biggest challenges were to have fun, be yourself, be honest with yourself, let go of all feelings of discomfort, and to forget that your were auditioning.” While these may seem like trivial obstacles, the audition for Juilliard carries all the anxiety of SAT testing and preparation, essays, and any other aspect of a regular college application process coupled with the immense pressure a live
opportunities for Toney to be a successful professional actor are a testament to his diligence and zeal for what he loves to do. After working with Toney, and witnessing his talent, tireless efforts, and intense passion first hand in four high school productions, it would not surprise me to see him performing for audiences on stage or on the screen in the very near future.
excellent exercise in flexibility and makes you acutely conscious of things which otherwise slide by in daily existence. The nature of airplane travel makes arrival in a new place something which leaves no time for slow adaptation. Contrasts are immediately visible which provide a work-out for your senses and your ability to deal with change. Travel has a tendency to produce a thousand little bothers. A seat change here, a bag check requirement there; a lost subway ticket here, a broken hotel room fixture there. Much can be said for good planning, but much more can be said for patience and problem solving. A good motto would be like the British World War II poster “Keep Calm and Carry On.” An even better motto would be “Keep Calm and Observe Everything.” After all, flying across an ocean is only worthwhile if you make your best effort to note, and appreciate, every detail. Tourists have a tendency to see their trips
through viewfinders and bus windows. The amount of people in St. Peters Basilica who stop and take the same picture is astounding. Massive tour groups, often obviously of only one nationality and loudly speaking their native language, overcrowd locals in many areas. Sure, they may see everything you would put on a postcard. But I doubt they will make memories of anything that they are not recording on their cameras. I have more than a few entertaining memories. The first interaction I had in Italy, after passing through a lackadaisical passport check, was attempting to buy a soda and bottle of water using a fresh fifty Euro bill – the only thing which the ATM would produce. Handing it to a cashier, he turned around laughing and made a comment to another employee. His Italian was far too fast for me to even attempt to follow, but I certainly caught something about the obnoxiously large tender I was attempting to use. “Mi dispiace,” I offered. Instantly his hands were aflutter in apology for the comment in Italian he obviously was suddenly concerned that I had understood. Winding up a small, medieval road so narrow that only one car can pass in a given direction at a time is an experience felt more with the stomach than the eyes. It’s particularly noticeable if the drive is uphill and involves being a few inches from a twohundred-yard drop-off. The experiences that really leave a distinctive memory are those that require putting your camera away for a minute. Being a tourist is a passive task, being a traveler is an active one. Above all, check for Vespas before crossing the street.
How to Cross the Road in Rome Gregory Boyek ‘14 looks back on the Spring break trip to Italy in this humorous travelogue.
audition already brings. After being selected with twenty-six others out of one hundred and eighty, Toney proceeded to spend three days at the School with other top applicants, and his acceptance came shortly thereafter. This achievement speaks to the dedication Toney has for the performing arts, and the development of his talent and skill through his time spent at Haverford. Predictably, Toney hopes to follow Theatre following his years at Juilliard. Toney talked about his future by saying, “My goal for the future is to be a working actor, possibly starting on Broadway, but ultimately leading into a career as a film actor.” With the foundation Toney has acquired through his years at Haverford, and the precision and specification of his talents at Juilliard, the
The view of the Vatican from the Italy trip’s hotel in Rome.
Index Staff
Page 8
The Index
April 2014
Arts
Haverford Students Debate the Merits of “Don Juan Comes Home From Iraq” Pro: Don Juan at the Wilma Tackles Cost of War Graham Gaddes ‘14
Burned flesh, broken bodies, broken minds, and broken soldiers; this isn’t how we’re taught to view war. We’re taught to view war as glorious; our expertly led, well disciplined, heroic troops smash through the foppish enemy and return triumphant and jubilant from a righteous war. The Wilma’s production of Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq goes a long way to correct the institutionalized version of war. Written by Paula Vogel, Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq tells the story of Don Juan (Keith J. Conallen), a captain in the Marine Corps whom ladies just cannot resist. The play is based off of an earlier work by Ödön von Horváth, Don Juan Returns from The War and part of a larger tradition of the Don Juan character. On a leave of absence Don Juan meets Cressida (Kate Czajkowski), who then joins the military after being both attracted and disgusted by Juan’s attitude. Then comes the war in Iraq. The play shows how the war hardens people and brings out the worst parts of human character as Juan methodically works his way through the females in his platoon amidst the carnage of war. Juan’s time in Iraq concludes with Cressida stepping on a landmine (whether she lives or dies is left ambiguous) and Juan being injured in the resulting blast. When Juan returns to the United States, he suffers from PTSD, and hallucinates his way through Philadelphia vacillating between past and present as he remembers different events Cressida told him about. The play finishes with Juan homeless, delirious, and alone, save for the people in his mind. Vogel’s play is an interesting and actionpacked commentary on the true cost of war. It helps to communicate to an American public which is far distanced from war (and doesn’t really understand its consequences) what happens to our men and women in and out of combat. The director’s (Blanka Zizka) decision to juxtapose images, such
as a soldier waving a flag (representing patriotism) while his slain comrades lay on the ground, help to complement a strong anti-war message. The play also helped bring to light problems still plaguing our military today; namely the issues of sexual assault and PTSD. Don Juan’s issues with PTSD and sexual assault (namely that Juan essentially forces himself onto one of his soldiers) hold
ambiguous locations (is he in purgatory, hell, even heaven?), and continued explosions and bouts of loud noise help the audience connect with Juan’s shattered state of mind. However, this is a double edged sword; while this helps keep the play interesting, it makes the plot confusing and hard to follow. While the plot may have caused some confusion, it was more than made up for by
A scene from Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq at the Wilma.
significant relevance for today’s society in which the American public is still coming to grips with how to help veterans who suffer from war related trauma, and how to deal with the epidemic of sexual coercion in our military. Throughout the play, the audience is continually kept on edge as the scenery and timeframe shift, while Juan’s façade slowly slips and his mental issues become more apparent. Zizka’s decision to keep the marines in the background for many of Juan’s scenes in Philadelphia helps to show how the war is never far from his thoughts. Seeing the world through Juan’s eyes is like seeing it through a kaleidoscope; everything is fractured and confusing. Flashbacks,
Alexander-Iziliaev
the stunning technical effects produced by the theater. The set, created by Matt Saunders, was designed so that the stage tilted a different direction in each scene. In turn this helped to portray the frantic nature of the action scenes in Iraq, and helped focus the audience’s attention on certain points of stage (such as when Juan entered the Divine Lorraine). The lighting effects (Thom Weaver) were stupendous- just like effects seen in movies. In the Divine Lorraine the golden light shining from behind the attendants made it seem as if Juan was in heaven, and the bright flashes made the war scenes in Iraq seem hyper realistic. The sound effects (Daniel Perelstein) go a long way to enhance this, as the crackle of gunfire and
Con: Don Juan Plagued By Overuse of Tech Christopher Wong ‘14
The Wilma Theater’s production of Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq, a play by award winning playwright Paula Vogel, is as bold as the issues presented within the show itself. The show attempts to tackle issues such as women in the military, the misguided and disturbing notion of “consensual” rape, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the struggle of relationships during wartime - while maintaining a sense of comedy and technical prowess. The Wilma, a theatre known for its stunning stage pictures, did demonstrate its unique technical abilities. The show’s unconventional development is also a proud point for the Wilma. Over the last two years of development Vogel teamed up with director Blanka Zizka, the cast, and countless war veterans in an attempt to shape the play through a bold collaborative effort; one that the Wilma is extremely proud of. Vogel’s show, loosely based on Ödön von Horváth’s Don Juan, follows a marine Don Juan (Keith J. Conallen) as he returns home from his troubling experiences at war. While in Iraq, Juan struggles with the loss of his friends and fellow marines. His return home is plagued by memories and nightmares from Iraq and the disappearance of his former girlfriend Cressida (Kate Czajkowski). Keith J. Conallen’s performance of Don Juan was one that seemed slightly uncomfortable. Much of Conallen’s performance as Juan showed him as a distressed war vet with PTSD. Although the cast spent large amounts time talking to veterans, Conallen’s on
stage movements at time seemed stiff and calculated. His portrayal of stress came across more as a man perpetually confused rather than one struggling with deep emotional trauma. Conallen’s vocal presence dominated the show. Unfortunately his awkward movements, gestures, and facial expression further fail to deliver. Juan’s character, one that is precedent on stage throughout the full two hour show, dominated the production. To Conallen’s credit, the level of intensity remained constant. Even before the first line of dialogue, as the lights dim for the start of the show, the Wilma’s extraordinary technical capabilities become immediately apparent. Set Designer Matt Saunders had to tackle the challenge of drastic scene changes in very short time spans. The constant movement back and forth between time periods and locations created an extraordinary challenge. To combat this, Saunders created a visually stunning elevated and raked stage held from suspension wires. The raked stage was additionally supported by a hydraulic mechanism that allowed the elevated portion of the set to tilt at extreme angles and move during scenes. This dynamic set element helped add contrast to an otherwise abstract space. Furthermore, Saunders employed the use of supertitle projections above the stage to indicate present dates and locations to help audiences keep track of the constantly changing setting. The use of a fiber optic curtain to create a starry night backdrop, hiding scene changes, furthered visual depth. Interestingly, Saunders and the Wilma production team skirted union
actor rules regarding maximum acceptable rake angle by utilizing this moving platform rather than a fixed one, much to the actors’ dismay. Saunder’s unique set design was further enhanced by the work of Lighting Designer Thom Weaver. Weaver utilized a series of moving lights and LEDs in an unconventional way thus adding further depth to the show. In one notable scene Saunders thought outside the box creating a rectangle made of white light symbolizing a character’s grave. As the rectangle began to shrink, it shifted focus backwards to other parts of the stage. This theme of lighting controlling the pace of the show is something that can be seen throughout Weaver’s design. Additionally, Weaver’s use of fog, haze, and pea soupers added contrast and mystery creating stunning stage pictures. Further adding to the world of Don Juan was Composer and Sound Designer Daniel Perelstein’s work. The placement of multiple independent speakers both in the house and on stage added dimension to a normally flat sound design. During fight scenes, explosions would fire off from different portions of the theatre while gunshot effects were localized. Perelstein’s design generally added to the impressive nature of the production. Scene changes early on in the show were accompanied by military cadences. These cadences were pre-recorded then played back with actors lip-syncing. In these few moments, the audio seemed unnatural and pulled audiences out of the scene. Likewise, when The Curator (Sara Gliko) deliberately
boom of explosions made me feel like I was in the middle of a real warzone. The costume design was also excellent, the uniforms of the soldiers being virtually identical to those worn by actual troops. The play’s various successes were complemented by a solid cast who all succeeded in their roles. Keith J. Conallen (Don Juan) captured and held the audience’s attention from the moment he walked on stage, with a “come hither swagger” till the moment the play ended. His tone of voice matches that of the stereotypical military officer; clipped loud and commanding. In the beginning of the play, and while he is in Iraq, he walks like he owns wherever he steps, as the play progresses his strut turns to a stagger, as his mental trauma progressively grows worse. Despite Juan’s many flaws and misconceptions, Conallen made his character sympathetic to the audience through his actions and painful realizations that his actions in Iraq were tainted by evil. The regret is palpable in his voice as he tells police officers (who reside inside his damaged mind) that if they don’t save the child that’s screaming for help in a burning building their failure will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq was at times a confusing, however stunning visual effects combined with a gripping, thought provoking story help overcome slight plot difficulties to deliver an excellent show. Paula Vogel: Playwright, Blanka Zizka: Director, Matt Saunders: Set Designer,Thom Weaver: Lighting Designer, Vasilija Zivanic: Costume Designer, Daniel Perelstein: Sound Designer. With: Keith J. Conallen: Don Juan, Kate Czajkowski: Cressida, Melanye Finister: Company Actor, Yvette Ganier: Company Actor, Sarah Gliko: Company Actor, Hannah Gold: Company Actor, Kevin Meehan: Company Actor, Brian Ratcliffe: Company Actor, Lindsay Smiling: Company Actor
walked across the stage, the sound of heels clicking on the ground was played back over the speakers. Her awkward walk as she attempted to time her step with the audio created yet another uncomfortable moment. While these technical elements are extremely impressive, they wouldn’t be nearly as engaging without Resident Stage Manager Patreshettarlini Adams’ ability to execute lighting, sound, and set cues at the precise moments, while Costume Designer Vasilija Zivanic created time accurate designs that helped add to the consistency of the show.. Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq is a unique show in an industry filled with noise - literally and figuratively. Its collaborative writing process is one that the Wilma is extremely proud of and features on its “Wilma Unschooled” blog page. Ultimately, the direction and content of the show falls to playwright Paula Vogel. While Vogel provides a catalyst for discussion on a variety of issues, the message being conveyed is ambiguous, lost in an ever complicated plot. The jumbled and disorderly sequence of events within the show leaves little room for audiences to consider the underlying message. While never dull, Vogel’s confusing and sometimes bizarre plot, courtesy of Benjamin Franklin, leave much to be desired. In some instances, the show felt like a technical demonstration with Vogel’s script taking a jumbled backseat. Only the Wilma’s nearly flawless technical elements kept audiences engaged.
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The Index
Sports
Fords Focus: The Practice of Pitching Manav Khandelwal ‘15 explores the theory and practice behind keeping Haverford’s young pitchers healthy and ready to go, game-after-game, season-after-season. Manav Khandelwal ‘15
There are few positions in sports that require the same level of preparation and attention to detail than being a pitcher in baseball. America’s past time’s most complex position is rivaled only by the quarterback in football when it comes to research on opposing teams, complexities of playing the position, and difficulty in execution. That is why I decided to cover the Fords Baseball (8-4, 1-1 Inter-Ac) pitching staff for this month’s Fords Focus column. The tasks of staying in pitching shape without over-working one’s arm, of following a regimen start-to-start, outing-to-outing, and of working on troubleshooting and pitch repertoire without messing with one’s mechanics all walk very fine lines between working to perfection and leading to disaster. Tip-toeing that line is difficult, which is why it is important to look how the Fords’ coaches and pitchers have kept the staff healthy and ready. This year’s staff comprises of seven pitchers, primarily underclassmen: Sixth Former Connor Burke, Fifth Formers Nick Greco and Dan Borine, Fourth Formers Ben Tracy, Michael Warnick, and Frank Cresta, and Third Former Tyler Dunbar. The team’s ace is Burke, of whom Head Coach Robert Castell says, “Connor Burke is our No. 1 guy, from the experience he showed last year, and as a senior. We’re counting on him to be our top starter.” Castell also says his team will rely on Greco, who, in addition to starting, “has the most experience coming in for that one inning and getting that close.” Coach Castell emphasizes that the team does not have defined roles for its pitchers; all seven will be asked to start at some points, come in for middle relief in certain situations, and even close out games when needed. The process, however, of getting all of those guys ready in the offseason and them keeping them in shape in-season is, as I have already outlined, difficult, but that is exacerbated by the reality that all baseball players are competing out of school season. Virtually all play on Summer teams, and some even get on the diamond during the Fall. The first priority for Coach Castell and his staff—assistants PJ Vanni and Larry Shane in particular—is keeping their pitchers from overusing their arms for their club teams.
Coach Castell remarks, “Some guys pitch a long school season, from March to May, and if they come into the summer months through the Fall throwing a lot, it ends up creating problems mechanically when their arms are tired or sore, and they can hurt themselves.” With sore or tired arms, as Coach Castell notes, younger pitchers tend to alter their mechanics to relieve the pain, which can result in loss of command and potentially injury. Monitoring their pitchers, however, is for
a pitcher’s arm, and the Haverford coaching staff, its pitchers, and the players’ club coaches have overall done an excellent job in exercising the required level of discipline. Along the same vein, it is extremely important for pitchers to avoid the other extreme, idleness, and to stay in decent shape throughout the offseason, usually the Fall and Winter months. Although he is not throwing off a mound weekly, Burke “tries to do some form of working out every day, whether it be with weights, playing basketball, or just a light toss.” They do not need to be in game shape in the offseason, but still must do enough to be ready to kick into a higher gear come springtime. Greco adds, “I usually just throw a fair amount to keep my arm loose and then around mid to late February I start
difficult when they are not Sixth Former Connor Burke pitches in a game against SCHA. playing for school. “We try to give them some advice when they ask us for it when they throwing bullpens.” That is how Haverford’s pitchers are should be throwing,” says Coach Castell. “As staying ready in the offseason, but how about we get closer to the Spring school season, we during the team’s long regular season? Their try to get them to pare down how much they are throwing in the Fall leagues.” Much of day-to-day workout regimen is masterminded this task, however, invariably falls on the by Coach Castell’s top assistant, Physical Education instructor Mr. PJ Vanni. shoulders of the pitcher themselves. “Coach Vanni makes a workout program Burke, the team’s most experienced pitcher, during the season for pitchers and the says, “It’s extremely difficult to prevent workout you do that day depends on how yourself from overworking because throwing many day until the next start,” says Burke. a lot is what makes you throw harder, so “The workout consist of exercises like long obviously you want to do it a lot. I usually shut baseball down from September to about toss, bullpen sessions, long distance running, January to give my arm a rest because the med ball circuit, ab workout, and shoulder summer season is taxing on your arm from exercises.” Castell adds, “Coach Vanni has a strength all the games you play.” Burke’s philosophy and development program so that they know has helped him avoid major shoulder and arm injuries, but it is tough for some to go five from day-to-day what program they are on; months without throwing regularly. In the day after they pitch, day before they pitch, end, it is discipline that prevents overuse of etc. Every day that they are not pitching, Mr. Jim Roese
April 2014
they are be on a program.” This program is key in allowing pitchers to develop overall strength and be ready whenever they may be needed. Coach Castell credits Coach Vanni’s workouts as the reason he is able to use pitchers multiple times in a week without it being a threat to their physical health. Coach Castell also believes the success of this training regimen, while designed extremely carefully by Coach Vanni, hinges on the motivation of the individual players. It is up to them to want to be the best in the league and give it their all each and every day. He believes that starts with his leaders, namely Burke, who is 3-0 with a sub-2 ERA this year. “We put a lot of responsibility on [the pitchers], like Connor Burke, letting him lead the younger pitchers by example,” Coach Castell remarks. “The younger guys see how Connor Burke has gone out and performed . . . when they see him put the work in outside of their times on the mound, they see that it is important.” Burke agrees with his coach’s outlook, adding, “I love mentoring the younger pitchers because I have pitched in the Inter-Ac for 3 years, so I’ve gained a lot of experience that I can pass on to them to make the team successful now and in the future.” Leading by example is always something Haverford teachers and coaches aim to instill in their pupils, and Burke and fellow upperclassman Nick Greco have done an excellent job of fulfilling that role. A great product of that thus far has been Warnick, who collected a complete game shutout earlier this season against Penncrest. When they are not on Coach Vanni’s strength and conditioning program, the pitchers are often working on position-specific drills, such as their grips, hitting certain spots in the strike zone, holding runners on, pickoff moves, and pitchers’ fielding practice (fielding bunts, turning double plays). Not only is that key to the team’s success, but it is also integral to the coaching staff’s goal of developing their players for the future in addition to grooming them for success at the current moment. The training and development of pitchers is key to any baseball team, but especially a high school one where players have the most room to grow and the least experience taking care of their arms and bodies. Haverford has done that to a very good degree, and it has and will continue to benefit the success of the team and its players going forward. This pitching staff will make the reigning PAISAA state champions as difficult to beat as anyone.
The Introduction of a Athletic Department Sports Credit Cyrus Rostami ‘17 introduces us to a new club that encourages student support for Haverford’s various sporting teams through the establishment of a sports credit. Cyrus Rostami ‘17
As part of the well known Haverford graduation requirements, the two sports credits per year system has been the most recognized by the student body. This system states that a student must have at least two sports credits in his four years of the Upper School. One of these credits has to be an actual athletic sport and the other may be obtained through participation in a club that requires a substantial time commitment. Just recently, however, the athletic department announced an upcoming alternative to recieve a sports credit. This new club has students help the athletic department in different ways for a sports credit. Mr. Murphy said that in this program, students will “help set up for home athletic events, take leadership in some historical research that will help bring some of the boards around school up to date, work with some of the trophy cases to help with the aesthetics of the athletic department, all different types of things.” So in a way, this program is like a ‘behind the scenes’ group for the athletic department, analogous to the Stage Crew for the theatre department. This club is not to be confused for ‘The Gentlemen’s Club,’ which is a fan group that supports the Fords athletic teams, not the department. It is also not to be confused with
being the manager of a sports team, which handles tasks for a specific sports team. While this is a fairly new program, there are some students in the program right now. There are only two current student members: Fourth Formers Shane and Conor Bradley. When asked about his experience in the program so far, Shane said, “My experience has been good. Right now we are working on finding records for old haverford sports teams which is a good way to see the sports over the years.” He also added, “I decided to join because I needed to find a sports credit that wouldn’t take as much time after school because I have soccer everyday.” The program was established by Mr. Brady for any kids who want to help out Haverford’s athletics and for any kids who do not have time after school because of sports outside of school and other commitments. Even though clubs that reward sports credits are only the clubs that take a large amount of time commitment, this club is designed for students who do not have that time to spare, but want to make use of their limited time. The club usually meets everyday after school but does not take long. It usually will take 45 minutes to an hour, and sometimes less. Members are currently looking for old sports records because the athletic department needs to fill in missing
information in their archives; some of this information is being extracted from the old yearbooks. As stated before, this historical information can also help update the displays around the gym, including trophy cases, posters, and banners. As for assisting in the setting up of home athletic events, there will be more responsibilities than just setting up the scoreboards. Members will have other responsibilities throughout the competitions. There are not really any set responsibilities,
but they are sort of improvised according to what the coaches need at the moment. However, this would not include the responsibilities of team members such as getting the water and first aid kits prior to the start of the competition. Overall, this new program should be great for students who want to have the opportunity to see the athletic department in a different perspective, or just want to contribute to the well being of the department.
The new sports credit was the brainchild of Assistant Athletic Director, Mike Murphy(center).
Mr. Jim Roese
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The Index
Sports
April 2014
Lacrosse Overcoming Adversity, Off to Strong League Start Despite injuries to two of its top players, lacrosse has persevered; Jack Doran ‘15 updates us on the team’s early dominance in Inter-Ac play. Jack Doran ‘15
After a tough start against some of the nation’s top lacrosse teams, Haverford (82, 3-0 Inter Ac) bounced back quickly and currently stands at a strong overall record as Inter-Ac play begins to take stride. Although the team lost its season opener to McDonogh, who is now ranked fourth in the country, they have battled back in multiple comeback wins to remain above .500. Coming into the season, Haverford was ranked in the majority of online polls as the second or third best team in the country. But with arguably the toughest schedule in America, the team knew it would have to play its best and then some to fulfill expectations. Sixth Form Captains Connor Black (Long Stick Midfield #1), Connor Keating (Defense #12), and Peter Blynn (Midfield #11) returned to the team as key players and difference makers heading into the 2014 season. The three captains showed their maturity in the first game against McDonogh with strong leadership, encouraging the entire team to keep fighting to the last whistle. However, the Fords were unable to keep up with the high powered McDonogh offense run by Senior Johns Hopkins commit Britton Valis, and ended up losing 13-9. The Fords bounced back from the loss with two good comeback wins. First, they traveled down to Maryland to play Loyola Blakefield where senior Jeff Odiorne (Attack #7) led the way with three goals. The Ford’s next game was against the Brunswick School from
Connecticut. The Fords had a dominating performance, especially in the fourth quarter to lock up a hard fought win 9-5. Haverford’s early game struggles continued, however, in their next two games with both the Gilman School and IMG Academy. Gilman made the trip to Haverford from Maryland on a Friday and handed Haverford their second loss of the season with a stout defensive showing. IMG Academy, who spent their Spring Break playing the premiere high school lacrosse programs of the Northeast, traveled to Haverford the following Sunday. IMG started strong, but Haverford’s high powered offense, led by nine combined goals from Forry Smith (Attack #26) and Shane McBride (Attack #32), proved to be too much for IMG. The game additionally held a total of a shocking 28 goals. After the IMG game Haverford had the week to prepare for their out of state rival, the Saint Paul’s School of Maryland. Head Coach John Nostrant felt that St. Pauls would be a turning point of the season stating, “Playing against St. Paul’s is a measuring stick for us, so how we do against a Rick Brocato coached team will tell [us] how we’re going to do for the rest of the season.” The game was held at Loyola University under the lights in front of a few thousand people. The game was also televised on local stations in Baltimore. Despite Haverford’s toughness and determination in the first half they trailed 4-1 at halftime. Forry Smith, a sophomore attackman for the Fords, when asked about Haverford’s slow start remarked, “I think in the first half we were playing
really hard but were not making the small plays. We knew that if we came out and kept working hard [goals] would start falling in.” Fortunately Smith was right and the Fords battled back to win 9-8, ending Haverfords traveling affairs to Maryland on a positive note. With the out of state portion of the schedule over, the Fords came home to face two in state rivals including Saint Joseph’s Prep and Episcopal Academy. The Fords beat the Prep in a 15-6 blowout with strong
Lisa Ament
Forry Smith ‘16 runs down the field against Avon Grove.
efforts from midfielder’s Dox Aitken and Drew Supinski. Noah Lejman (Defenseman #9) headed the defense while Alex DeMarco (Goalie #28) had some great saves in a very strong performance in the cage. Most recently the Fords took on their arch rival Episcopal Academy. On that particular rainy afternoon, EA traveled across town to Haverford. From the jump Haverford dominated. Colin Bosak (Faceoff/Midfield #31) controlled the tempo of the game winning several early faceoffs. As the offense got into a groove so did Demarco in cage, who allowed only two goals in the first half with the help of a strong zone-defense. The third quarter was a different story, however,
when EA buried four straight goals to tie the game at 6-6. The Fords put together a run of their own in the fourth putting up four unanswered goals to end the game 10-6. The Fords then took on a three game stretch of Penn Charter, Germantown Academy, and La Costa Canyon who traveled to Haverford for the annual Checking For Cancer tournament. The Fords thrashed those three opponents in consecutive games, outscoring them by a total of 53 to 10. With three confidence boosting games, the Fords look to move onto their next opponents in a tough Avon Grave, nationally ranked Saint Anthony’s of New York, and nationally ranked rival Malvern Prep. With debatably the two best players on the team out with injury (Connor Keating and Peter Blynn), one may find himself asking who is doing the work for the Fords. Well, it is a collective effort on the offensive side of the ball. Attackman Grant Ament, Shane McBride, and Forry Smith have been holding their own and putting up strong numbers on a consistent basis. A platoon of midfielders has been also helping out on the offensive side, such as Drew Supinski, Dox Aitken, and Brandon Shima. On the defensive side, midfielders like Pete Rohr and Phil Poquie have helped solidify a strong defense led by Noah Lejman. Other defenders that have chipped in are Fifth Formers Jack Doran and Sam Denious, along with senior Brendan Burke. In the cage, Alex Demarco has been nothing short of stellar, keeping the Fords in close games with outstanding saves. The team has started to click on offense and the zone defense installed by the coaching staff has helped tremendously. The Fords look to continue their hot streak the rest of the season.
Tennis’ Win Streak Snapped, But Wins Mayor’s Cup Jackson Simon ‘15
Believe it or not, the Tennis team, after a 49 match win streak encompassing its last three seasons, has finally lost its first match. Worst of all, however, is the fact that Episcopal Academy, our arch rival, was the team to break our streak. Episcopal Academy’s addition of two talented Freshman without a loss of Seniors, Phillip Tobar (4th doubles) and Tristan McCormick (2nd singles), coupled with horrible tennis conditions and our lack of preparation made the difference, giving Episcopal the 4-3 edge. The first factor is the most logical explanation of our loss. Since last year Episcopal’s lineup has only strengthened and our’s has suffered losses in Former Captains James Tarte, James Shecter, and Jordan Lieb. These losses were partially counteracted by the addition of two very talented Fourth Formers: Connor Lees and WIlliam McDevitt. What most people do not realize is that a simple shift in the the lineup can have an unexpectedly profound impact on the result. With their net addition of two players and our net loss of one player, each Haverford player from last year moved up the ladder and played a better Episcopal opponent. Moreover, Episcopal’s third singles
player from last year, who beat Jordan Lieb, Brendan Devou, played at fourth doubles, a very rare and suspicious shift in the lineup. The second factor was the weather. We played in damp, misty weather in which there was a thin layer of water on the court and violent gusts of wind jerking capriciously. Objectively speaking, these cold, windy and rainy conditions favor the weaker team by equalizing the competition. In other words, the advantages that we would otherwise have in ideal conditions were neutralized that afternoon. The classic counterargument is that both teams are subject to the same conditions, but just as how a wet field drastically alters the style of play in a soccer game, favoring the weaker team, a wet court and heavy winds change the game of tennis from a game of using technique and movement into a game of reading wind gusts. The final factor potentially had an even greater impact than the last two: our lack of preparation. Because of the terrible winter, tryouts started much later than expected. This delayed challenge matches in which doubles players would practice with each other and Coach Fink could evaluate which teams had the most chemistry. Going into the EA match, most of the doubles teams had only played one full match together. This could very well
Ben Lieb winds up against Harriton last year.
Crew Off to Very Solid Start on Schuykill Jordan Siegal ‘15
A dominating performance in the Fourth Manny Flick set up the Fords for the Fifth and final Manny Flick before City Championships. After the cancellation of the Third Manny Flick because of dangerous current conditions, the team had two weeks of preparation. At this point in the season, rowers are grouped into boats in which they have the best chance to win. After the Varsity Quad was disbanded because of the absence of a key rower, attention was focused on the JV Four and JV Quad, manned with a strong group of Fourth and Fifth Formers. After a spring break with cold weather and difficult rowing conditions, the team set their eyes on bringing home some solid finishes. Expectations were surely met with strong performances on April Sixth. With
two first place finishes, a second place finish, and two third place finishes, the day was an overall success. The novices and freshmen were off early in the morning, showing some promising results. The Freshman Eight showed potential with a second place finish, beating out three other boats in their heat. The Fords then raced a Freshman Quad, which placed 1st in their heat, edging out second place by one second. The boat, made up of Third Formers Will Pechet, Joe O’Brien, Scottie Zelov, and Ethan Weiss, has also been promising, with faster finishes in races week after week. With solid performances in the Freshman Four and Novice Four, the underclassmen are ready to chase some hardware in the big races coming up. The Haverford crew team saw some respectable results from their JV and Varsity boats. Coach Stephanik was forced to shuffle around lineups, leaving some boats
with only one day to practice before the race. Two of those boats, the JV Four and JV Quad, hoped to showed strong results despite limited practice time. The JV Four, which consisted of Fourth Formers Andy Leith and Daniel Lee, and Fifth Formers Jordan Siegal, Jake Pechet, and Berkeley Melvin (coxswain), finished with the fastest time out of 27 boats. Out of all the JV Fours, the Haverford boat was the only one to break 5 minutes. Sophomore Andy Leith best describes the race, saying, “Considering that we put the boat together only one day before the race, we knew we would win if we focused in. Although we had some technical issues throughout the race, the power was definitely there and we were able to come out victorious.” Next up was the JV Quad, one of the most consistent boats on the team. Every week the boat has finished in second place,
Jim Roese
just behind Roman Catholic’s quad. Guy Wuollet, a Fourth Former currently sitting at the second seat in the quad stated, “We have been working hard and it has been paying off, but we still aren’t content to settle for second place in the coming races.” In the coming weeks, look for the quad to push past Roman Catholic, their only competition thus far this season. The day was capped off with Haverford boats racing in the Lightweight Four and Varsity Single. The Lightweight Four showed a strong third place finish in their heat, while the Varsity Single, rowed by Gavin Adams, and the Varsity Double displayed solid performances. Coach Stephanik, in only his second year as head coach, has put an emphasis on the development of the younger oarsmen. With some top finishes in the Fourth Manny Flick, the future only looks positive for this young and talented team.
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Sports
April 2014
Athlete of the Issue: Speedy Outfielder Steve Scornajenghi Cameron Miller ‘16 sat down with Sixth Form outfielder Steve Scornajenghi, an integral part of this year’s baseball team which looks to repeat as PAISAA champions. Cameron Miller ‘16
The Fords baseball team is off to a strong start this season and much of this can be attributed to the presence of Sixth Form captain Steve Scornajenghi. Steve plays summer baseball for the Chester County Crawdads, a Downingtown team which has gained recognition throughout the country. Scornajenghi first started playing ball around the age of three or four, but his father never let him play tee ball because he thought it would not help him become a better baseball player. With this being said, Steve states that the most influential person throughout his growth of the baseball is his father. “When I was younger, I wanted to play first base but my dad made me play the outfield and would always throw me flyballs in the back yard,” he told The Index in a recent interview. “He made sure that I had the best opportunity to play, given that I’m not the biggest guy on the field. He also had me bunt a lot from a young age and bunting is a huge part of my game. At the time I hated it but I’m glad he made me do those things
because he made me the player I am today.” His bunting ability is complemented by his tremendous speed. A member of the varsity squad since sophomore year Steve, also known as “Scorny” to his teammates, is excited to lead the Fords as they contend for both the Inter-ac and state championship. Captaining a team is by no means easy.
Scornajenghi, however, is comfortable in a leadership role and believes that it comes naturally to him. When asked about captaining, Steve had this to say, “It’s a lot of pressure. I try to lead by example by running on and off the field, cheering guys on, cleaning up the field, giving everything 100%. I try to leave the talking to the other guys because I’m a terrible speaker. I also try to be fully engaged in practice to try to keep everyone focused.” Winning backto- back state championships is the goal of every player on the team and it certainly left a
Scornajenghi at bat against SCHA.
Mr. Jim Roese
mark on Scornajenghi as he stated that winning last year’s state finals was his favorite baseball moment. In addition to the Fords’ remarkable season, Steve also had a very good year, making First Team All-Inter Ac. At first he was surprised, but soon after excitement kicked in, “I had a dumb grin on my face for the rest of the day,” he says recalling the day that his coach texted him the news. In terms of this season’s championship hopes, Scornajenghi is optimistic about the possibility of winning it all again. “We can [win the state title]. This is one of the best defensive teams I’ve played on, but it’s going to come down to pitching. If we can get quality pitching all the way through I think that we can.” When asked how he feels about this year’s squad, Steve mentioned, “We are really young and I think it shows in the way we’ve played so far. There is definitely the potential to be great but we haven’t reached that yet.” With regards to that potential, Scorny believes, “The team is going to be very good for the next few years. There are some really talented underclassmen who could become great players and guys like McGowan who could carry a team. When a few guys get some more experience I think the team will be very, very good.” Unfortunately, Steve will not be apart of the squad in the coming years but he certainly will be leaving the team in a very good position to succeed.
Tennis’ Win Streak Snapped, But Wins Mayor’s Cup Continued from Page 10
explain the fact that three out of the four doubles teams lost to EA.Furthermore, there might have been a sense of complacency on the team due to the lack of competition in year’s past. When a team has not experienced defeat in three years, it is difficult to find the motivation to work harder than its opponents. Eight of the eleven starters had never been on the team for a loss in their Haverford careers, both in the Middle and Upper School. Mentally, we were unprepared to face the competition. In face of adversity, we did not know how to handle
ourselves because we had never before been in that situation. The loss was not all that bad, however. Although it hit the team and Haverford community unexpectedly, it has since sparked drastic change on the team. The team has seen this loss as a reawakening. We now know that we have to stick to our pregame rituals and that we have to outwork our opponents if we want to be successful. The doubles teams have learned what will happen if they don’t follow the doubles formula of serving and volleying as well as punishing the middle with volleys and overheads. What this loss returned to us was our hunger
to win and rise to the top of the Inter-Ac. Since the loss we have been counting down the days to our next match again EA at Baldwin’s courts, April 24th. Just the day after the loss, the Fords handily won Philadelphia’s mayor cup, beating Penn Charter 6-1 in the finals. That following Tuesday, the Fords once again beat Penn Charter by a score of 6-1. What is an even greater mark of our recovery as a program is last Thursday’s 7-0 victory against Lawrenceville, a team whose number one singles player, Michael Zhao, is the top 10 in the nation for his age group. Zach Lieb, our number one singles player came out on top
so that puts a lot of pressure on the older guys like myself, Kevin McGowan, Connor Burke, and Mike Solomon. We really need to step up and lead the program.” Have the Fords stepped up? They sure have. Despite only having four Sixth Formers, the Fords have had the luxury of young talent stepping up. Notably, Tommy Toal and Dave Hogarth. Both Third Formers have stepped up to play third base and shortstop respectively. They have done much more than merely filling spots: they have made a profound impact. Of course, this is not to forget Third Former Tyler Dunbar who has provided the Fords pitching staff something very valuable: innings. The fourth and final Third Former who has shown some bright spots is catcher, Bryan Hyland. The catcher has shown his ability to both defend and hit efficiently and should certainly expect his name to be called
every now and then. Despite having six cancellations this year thus far, one should not expect many more as the temperate weather rolls around. Since the break the team is 3-2. First the team got set to play Camden Catholic HS, a traditionally strong baseball team. The game went back and forth, but it was the Fords who prevailed in the end as VI Former, Mike Solomon finished his 3-3 afternoon with a walk-off single in the 8th inning. Next the squad hosted the Perkiomen School. Although the Fords kept the game close for almost the entirety of the matchup, Perkiomen was finally able to break it open in the sixth with four runs. Unfortunately, the Fords were unable to counter and never truly found their usual offensive firepower. However, if there’s something one must know about baseball it is that it is just as mental as it is physical. Getting hung up on one game is the worst thing a team can do. The team recuperated, however, as they soon after defeated Friends Central in a close 1-0 bout. Next the team was finally set to play the Inter-Ac opener against Episcopal. Always a good opponent, Episcopal scampered out to an early lead. However, the lead was short-lived as Fifth Former Kevin McGowan cracked a three-run homer to hand the Fords the edge, which they maintained for the rest of the game. In the end, the Fords came out with the victory 4-2 and started off the Inter-Ac schedule strong. Next on the schedule was Penn Charter. Despite having the control of the majority of the game, the Fords learned that it only takes one swing of the bat to lose a baseball game. Up by one run in the bottom of the 7th, Penn Charter won in walk-off style, 5-4. Despite suffering a heart-breaking loss, the team has and must continue to have a positive
12-10 in a tight third set tiebreak after losing the first set 6-4 and winning the second set 6-3. At second singles, Ben Lieb beat David Laub 6-0, 6-2. At third singles, Nathan Kidambi beat S. Preciado 6-3, 6-3. At first doubles, Naryan Rustgi and Will McDevitt won 7-6, 7-5. Andrew Gushner and I won 6-2, 7-6 at Second doubles. At third doubles, Drew Clark and George Avetian won 6-1, 6-3. Conner Lees and Gage Bowser dominated at Fourth doubles by a score of 6-1, 6-1. This 7-0 victory is all the more impressive considering the fact that we beat them by a slight 4-3 margin last year.
Fords Baseball Off to Solid Start in the 2014 Season Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16
As the spring finally begins to hit its stride, so does the baseball season. With three to four games each week, the squad is getting plenty of experience. Currently sitting at 9-3, the Fords are exceeding expectations. Although the team has plenty of pure talent, one of the principal questions many asked was how the team’s lack of experience would fare throughout the season. Specifically, some Fords fans wondered whether or not the team would be able to put all the pieces together for a winning formula. When Sixth Form outfielder, Steve Scornajenghi was asked about his opinion of the Ford’s keys to success, he had the following to comment, “We just need everyone to contribute. From the guys on the bench to the everyday starters we need everybody. We’re young and inexperienced
Ben Tracy pitching against Perkiomen at home.
Mr. Jim Roese
Michael Solomon bats versus Perkiomen.
Mr. Jim Roese
outlook on the season. When Fifth Form pitcher Danny Borine was questioned about his opinion on the team’s season thus far and his outlook on the remainder of the season, he had this to say, “Well, we’re playing some good baseball right now. In the past, our squads have gotten off to slow starts, but this year we hit the ground running. Burke, Solomon, and Scorny are great Sixth Form leaders. They talk game and then go out and back it up. That’s big for us especially since we have two freshmen starting at short and third, who are also doing a great job so far. Obviously we want to win, and our seniors are going to pull whatever they can out of us to make sure it happens. Nobody is really lighting up the league right now, but look for our squad to jump up to the top throughout the season.” Let’s hope Borine is correct in his prediction as the team looks at a tough stretch ahead. Just be sure not to look away for too long or the Fords might pull a fast one on you.
Page 12
The Index
April 2014
Opinions
Recent Enforcement of the Wilson Hall Food Rule An Unnecessarily Harsh Measure Harry Bellwoar ‘15 cites efficacy of daily snacks and the seemingly gratuitous punishments associated with the rule as reasons for its easing. Harry Bellwoar ‘15
Many of us have gone through the first several months of the school year enjoying the ability to eat food in the Upper School building. Whether that was in the morning before school or walking from class to class, it allowed us to save some time and go through the day with full stomachs. Not many of us knew that this was against the rules. However, recent problems have led the school to begin to heavily enforce the rule. Mr. Fifer has said, “The emphasis on enforcement of this policy over the last month is the result of numerous reports from the custodial staff and faculty that the building’s appearance was deteriorating and generally looking sloppy.” These issues have led to a school wide ban on all food and drinks, and immediate punishments for those who are not following the rule. Mr. Fifer added that, “There were numerous reports of trash throughout the building in addition to reports of unconsumed food/liquid being left in community spaces.” We are all part of the Haverford community and we need to do our best to keep it clean. However, some students are upset about the sudden enforcement of the food policy without any warning. And while they may agree that we need to do our best to keep our community clean, they wonder if punishing students for having any food is the right way to do it. Because the no food in school policy is relatively new, many people are unaware of what it actually is. For example: can you have coffee or water in the school? Or can you eat in teachers’ classrooms with permission? In a discussion with Mr. Fifer I asked him to clarify the actual rule, and he said, “Food and drink are not permitted in community spaces in the US Building. Permission may be granted by a faculty member to allow food or drink in their respective classrooms. In transit, drinks should not be consumed and should be covered to minimize spillage.” There have been some problems with the enforcement of the food policy due to the fact students are allowed to eat in teacher’s classrooms with permission. Fourth Former Cameron Miller had an incident when he was taking food into a math classroom to study
during lunch and was stopped by another teacher. After trying to explain to this teacher that he had permission, the teacher claimed that other teachers couldn’t give students permission to eat in the school. It is hard to enforce the rules when not everyone (including teachers) knows about the rules. This also brings another problem, can the school stop everyone with food in the hallways, they may have permission. There are plenty of other stories about students getting in trouble with food in the hallways. Senior Max Gold told me about the time he had a juice box in the hallway when one faculty member took it and threw it in the trash while the another faculty member came out and gave him a detention. Not everyone has bad stories, but other students have complaints. Cyrus Rostami said, “In the beginning of the school year I would sometimes pack food to eat in the big room and study for tests later in the day. But now with the rule re-enforced I have to study in the cafeteria, which can be frustrating.” Many students may not have the an opportunity to
Sanjay Narayanan
The hallway posters by the street turned upside-down.
eat properly before coming to school, and with such a busy day they may not have time to make it to the cafeteria to eat. The cafeteria
is also a very noisy place for a large portion of the day, and studying in there can be impossible. If students want to eat their food and study, it seems more likely that they will be forced to find time to get to the cafeteria to eat and find somewhere in school to study. This can take up time in a day that many students do not have. This is a problem that fellow Fifth Former Nick Greco sees as well. He says that with the many assemblies, clubs, and short amount of free time throughout the day it can be hard to find time to eat food in the cafeteria. Rather students are rushing off to an assembly or their next class. With a problem like this Nick believes that a little more time should be given to students throughout the day to eat their food. Perhaps the most interesting and absurd story that shows how the enforcement of this rule has gone too far is the story with Sixth Former Christopher Wong. While sitting on the benches on the second floor of the Upper School, Chris Wong was given a detention for drinking a cup of water. As he described it, the detention was given to him without any warning, and without allowing him to state his case. Wong agrees that the increase in the enforcement of the no food policy has been extremely harsh and that the policy should be reformed immediately. It’s hard to imagine that a student deserves a detention for drinking a cup of water in school. While talking to Mr. Fifer, he said, “Each faculty member has the discretion to issue a consequence (detention) if they observe a student violating the rule.” The problem with this idea is that there is no baseline for the punishment. While one teacher gives a detention for having water, another teacher may see students eating chips in the hallways and do nothing about it. Is it fair to the student body, that the punishment they may receive is based on where they are eating the food and who is around them? I am not saying that all students seen with food or drink should be harshly punished, nor am I advocating for teachers to let students eat freely. But their should be a basis for the punishments so each student is treated fairly. The best way to make sure each student is treated fairly is to make sure every student knows the food policy and the punishments that follow infractions. The problem with this is that many students don’t know the rule and any teacher can give out any punishment. Another problem with the current order is that for many of the rules Haverford has there are often times warnings for students.
Any Day any student may forget a rule, but if all it is is an un-tucked shirt, than the student will simply be warned. But is it fair that because the school wants to crack down on food in the building they can decide to avoid the warning and go straight with a detention? The school also needs to consider the problems stated earlier that there are busy days for students, where if they want to have time to eat they may need to do it in school. Allowing a certain spot in school for those who want to have a small snack while doing work quietly could help a lot of students out. However, if this does happen students need
have. In the case of alcohol, this is especially bad, as its illegality causes many high schoolers to drink simply because it is “cool” or “edgy,” rather than for the social aspect or general enjoyment of alcohol. This leads to many peer pressure situations and many students making poor decisions because they are pushed between the rock of human nature and the hard place of illegality. It is because of this that the experiment of Prohibition failed dramatically: human nature caused many Americans to want alcohol more than they did when it was legal. This led to alcohol consumption in the US actually rising during this period. Thus, parents and academics that say a higher drinking age protects kids are wrong: kids are more likely to make poor decisions about an illegal substance than a legal one. Finally, and most importantly, the state of drinking in the US, as well as the attitude towards it, causes destruction towards those hopelessly caught in its grasp. One of the arguments used by those opposed to lowering the age is that polls show that a lower percentage of teens in the US use alcohol than teens in Europeans countries, where the drinking age is usually 16 or 18. However, these data are not reliable, simply because less teens in the US feel comfortable admitting their alcohol use than in other countries. Like sex, alcohol is simply a taboo
subject for US teens around authority figures. This leads to the laughable statistic that only 39% of teens in the US drink at least once every 30 days. From my own observation, the percentage is likely double that. However, the problem goes farther than that. In other cultures, especially in Europe, kids are introduced to alcohol by their parents slowly and responsibly, allowing children to understand the implications of drinking and its possible consequences. In the US, however, kids are simply thrown into drinking by other kids who drunkenly shove 40-ounces into their hands. This leads to a youth that is generally irresponsible when it comes to drinking, leading to drinking problems that could easily be solved by a more responsible treatment of alcohol. I know kids my age, both at Haverford and in Seattle, who were once responsible but have spiraled into alcoholism and its consequences. I do not want to see more succumb to the same fate. A lowered drinking age could change all that. It could eliminate problems with peer pressure and alcoholism while not changing much of the drinking culture among US teens: if anything, it will better it. As I said, I do not drink and care only for the wellbeing of others, and I do sincerely hope that lowering the drinking age will benefit many generations to come.
Lowering of the Drinking Age A Good Idea Rudy Miller ‘14
When you turn 18 in the United States, a wealth of opportunities open up for you. You can get a senior driver’s license. You can start a 401k. You can own property. You can smoke. You can join the US Military. You can enter a strip club. Basically, you are an adult in the eyes of the government. However, there is a three-year waiting period to be given just one more right: the right to drink alcohol. Before I undertake this argument, I must first affirm that I am approaching this as an outsider. I do not drink, smoke, or use any other drugs, as I like to keep my right mind and refrain from activities that can commonly kill people. However, that is simply my opinion: if you don’t mind harming your body, go right ahead. Still, from my vantage point, I see no reason why the drinking age should not be lowered to 18. First off, the US stands alone in this endeavor. Out of all of the world’s 196 countries, the United States is the only one that chooses to have a federal law that places the drinking age above 18. And as mentioned earlier, outside of a few oddly specific rights (such as the right to adopt children), only the drinking age is held off until age 21. Why? Drinking is not inherently worse than smoking for an 18 year-old. Also, many concerts and clubs require customers to be
18, but do not serve alcohol to those under 21. What difference would a few more buzzed or drunk individuals in a swirling mass of them make? Secondly, and most obviously to many of you, laws do not stop people from drinking, smoking marijuana, or using any other illicit drugs. If people want to get drunk or high, whatever their age, they can certainly do so without much effort, either through the aid of older individuals or fake IDs. Most of you probably know this, because most of you have participated in this yourself. This is especially prevalent in college, where almost every fraternity party has massive amounts of alcohol, as well as other, more harmful drugs, and generally administrations cannot bust these parties simply due to the enormity and widespread nature of the law-breaking. Most 18, 19, and 20 year-olds in the US go to college in some capacity, so lowering the drinking age would barely change any of the cultures at these schools: in fact, it would improve them, as kids would not have to look over their backs for the rare case of a bust, one that is usually strangely punishing. Human nature also works against the illegality of alcohol. Generally, when an action or object is illegal, our instinct is to want to possess that item or participate in that activity: as humans, we want what we cannot
Sanjay Narayanan
Phil Gregory ‘14 eating food in the building.
to remember it is a privilege not a right, and we as a community need to keep our school clean. The increase in the enforcement of the food policy feels like the faculty is punishing the entire student body, when it was only a few students who left trash around. The school should lessen the restriction on eating food in the Upper School building throughout the day, and give the students, now that they have been warned, a second chance. A full lunch should not be allowed in the building, but small snacks to help us make it through the day should be no problem. However, if we want this privilege we are going to need to earn it. That means keeping an eye on each other and cleaning up when we see a mess. We can return to how it was in the beginning of the year if we take pride in our school and show the faculty we can change.
Page 13
The Index
Opinions/Politics
April 2014
Statistics Should be Emphasized over Calculus in UpperLevel Math Curriculum With Calculus currently dominating the math curriculum for upperclassmen, Jack Henderson ‘15 believes Statistics needs to become the focus. Jack Henderson ‘15
On The Haverford School’s course catalog there is a chart under the Mathematics section outlining each student’s course progression during their years in the Upper School. By the Sixth Form each student is expected to be studying calculus at some level. “All math education since elementary school is basically getting students ready for calculus,” says Math Department Chair Mr. Zack Murtha. If Haverford wants every student to learn calculus before they graduate, the school must feel that it is an important component of “preparing boys for life.” This system is not unique to Haverford, but has been adopted by many schools and has become a requisite class to be prepared for most college-level mathematics and science courses. The system in place must be constantly questioned to ensure that we always have the best setup to educate the next generation. We must ask ourselves whether we should continue to steer every student towards calculus or if there is another course of study that better fits the needs of today’s world. When answering this question, we must consider the purpose of teaching math in education. Education in general is necessary to function in the workforce, so we must be fairly confident that most workers benefit from knowing some level of calculus. The best approach to education is one in which anyone can easily see a practical reason for studying that topic. Hopefully, the information can be used by students throughout their lives on a daily basis. But, unfortunately, that is not the case with calculus. Arthur Benjamin, mathematics Professor at Harvey Mudd College, thinks, “Very few people actually use calculus in a conscious, meaningful way in their dayto-day lives.” Certainly, calculus can be tremendously beneficial and often crucial for study in fields such as engineering or economics. However, if calculus appeals
to such a small portion of the workforce, why does it remain the focus of our math curriculum? People can say that we emphasize calculus because we need more students pursuing these important fields of study, but I am not sure that holds true anymore. The study of calculus in schools’ curricula goes back “to the Cold War and the space race,” says Haverford’s Math Department Chair Mr. Zack Murtha. “There was a real race
Secretary of the Department of State, has found that most engineers do not utilize the higher levels of math. Pearson explains, “My work has brought me into contact with thousands of engineers, but... I cannot recall, on average, more than three out of ten who were well versed enough in calculus and ordinary differential equations to use either in their daily work.” If roughly 70 percent of engineers do not use calculus regularly, why are we forcing every single student, regardless of their vocational plans, to sit through a course that the majority of students will not need for their jobs? There is an opportunity to make a greater impact on each student that will benefit a much wider range of careers if Haverford were to emphasize
Dr. Gottlieb teaching pre-Calculus
to get more engineers in the country, and so, regardless of students’ interest, passion, or ability, all mathematics education in the country was geared towards developing more engineers down the line.” Today, those fields are still flourishing, but some of those workers acknowledge that they do not work with calculus that often. Robert Pearson, former Executive
Sanjay Narayanan
statistics over calculus. Mr. Murtha explained that we are living in a new era of big data and discrete mathematics with many companies performing predictive analytics to predict future conditions. I find it ineffective to have every student learn calculus when it is not practical enough to be used by most workers. The knowledge from studying statistics is much more useful for a functioning society, as we are constantly
contemplating risks and making decisions. Mr. Murtha is “almost certain” that calculus is not as relevant as it once was, and that “there is going to be a national push for more students to take statistics.” In fact, the education system has already begun to take such steps. The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by 44 of the 50 states and establish the framework for a typical public school education in the United States. Even the College Board has begun to evaluate the Common Core Standards for the SAT. As Mr. Murtha clarifies, “It is very clear that those standards emphasize statistics.” Thomas Jefferson believed that a wellinformed electorate is a necessity for democracy to function properly. With complex and misleading figures intended to sway voters one way or another, a solid education in statistics would provide voters with the ability to interpret data and formulate their own judicious, educated opinions. In the current system students are spending their time learning calculus, only to have most of them forget and never use the information in the workforce, while the nation suffers from having a society that is not as informed as it could be. While calculus is not widely applicable to everyday situations, statistics plays an important role in helping us make intelligent decisions. Statistics allows us to compare past and present results, analyze the effect of any changes, and draw conclusions from the situation. Statistics also accounts for uncertainties, as it allows us to predict future trends, which is useful for many businesses, for instance, in determining efficient production levels. Mr. Murtha believes that “for the jobs that many Haverford students are going to want and what they will want to study, there is going to be a need for more statistics.” Haverford should consider the benefits of taking calculus for the majority of students compared to taking statistics and restructure course progressions towards statistics. Haverford can, of course, still offer calculus courses for those considering a career that needs calculus, but virtually every student will benefit from the knowledge of statistics. A nationwide movement has begun for the study of statistics, and Haverford would be wise to follow suit.
Recent Events in Ukraine: An Interview with Mr. Patrylak Cameron Miller ‘16
Following the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, more Russian troops have begun to amass on Ukraine’s eastern border. Amid this prolonged period of heightened tensions, Fourth Former Cameron Miller sat down with Math teacher Mr. Stephen Patrylak to get the Ukraine native’s take on recent events that have taken place in his home country. CM: Many people were shocked and taken by surprise when Russia invaded Crimea. Do you believe the international community should have seen this coming? Did you personally anticipate it? Mr. Patrylak: I do not think the international community could have seen it coming because it is not something the international community is conscious of. Being Ukrainian, I’m not shocked at all – I anticipated some of this. [The invasion] is part of a pattern that continues to repeat – this is not the first time nor will it be the last. The same thing happened in 1659 – Ukraine had a treaty with Russia that was supposed to be a military treaty, and it took it to be an economic one... Crimea is historically part of Ukraine. CM: What do you believe was Russia’s strongest motivation for the annexation of Crimea? Mr. Patrylak: Their claimed motivation was the protection of a Russian-speaking population, which is a contrived excuse. Their goal is to control
the Russian-based assets in Crimea. All the Russian oligarchies have their summer homes there – it’s a tourist attraction. Gas lines also run through Crimea. There were both economic and military reasons at play. CM: Recently the United States has urged Russia to demilitarize on the Eastern Ukrainian border. US Secretary of State John Kerry has threatened additional consequences in the event of another Russian invasion. Would it be in the best interest of the United States to intervene if Russia were to invade Ukraine from the eastern border? Mr. Patrylak: No, I don’t think so. I would love to see some sort of military action but it’s unrealistic. From the American perspective it is meaningless, the same type of regional conflict that we have seen over and over again. Whatever happens will happen, and it will be up to the Ukrainians to defend their homeland. CM: Do you believe the U.S. will take action? Mr. Patrylak: No, I don’t think we will. I think that what does makes sense would be very strong sanctions, stronger than what have been imposed before.
CM: Russian oil giant Gazprom recently raised prices on all energy exports to Ukraine. Will Ukraine be economically able to draw nearer to the European Union, or will economic independence only arrive when it is no longer dependent on Russian oil and gas? Mr. Patrylak:
Ukraine is not economically dependant on Russia – Russia is dependant on Ukraine to a large extent because of the agriculture and because of the coal and iron deposits on Ukrainian soil. That is why the Russian government covets the eastern part of Ukraine. The largest titanium deposits in the world are found there. The Russian-Ukrainian economic ties for those resources are very very strong. Russia needs an agricultural partner and needs those natural resources. Ukraine needs Russia as an outlet for those products. If this conflict escalates Ukraine will be forced to turn to the west for this. CM: A full-on war between Russia and the United States would be disastrous given the thousands of nuclear warheads between the two nations. What could the United States have done beyond what it did to prevent Russian aggression, or was the President helpless to do anything, as it seemed? Mr. Patrylak: I don’t know that the U.S could have done anything differently. Ukraine made a lot of mistakes when it became independent right from the beginning – especially handing over its nuclear warheads to the Russians and giving up its fleet in the Black Sea. But I don’t know if the U.S. could have done anything differently beyond what it has done. CM: Russian aggression has spurred two responses: both Ukrainian nationalism and pro-Russian sentiment from Russian sympathizers in Ukraine. How unified are Ukrainians in opposing Russian aggression?
What percentage of Ukrainians want to see Ukraine brought under Russian control again – and why? Mr. Patrylak: Ukranian nationalism has always been strong, especially in the west and even in the east. It is a unified movement throughout the country. Even the people in the east who identify themselves as Russian don’t want to be part of Russia. After all – they are living in Ukraine. They are comfortable, their lives are flourishing. I think that all Ukrainians would certainly want a stable, peaceful government. Russian people living in Ukraine are content, even the Crimeans. Strictly by ethnic lines, 22% of the Ukranian population is actually Russian, and I’m not so sure that all of them would want to be apart of Russia.
Mr. Stephen Patrylak
haverford.org
Page 14
The Index
Politics
April 2014
Petersen: Arguments for Voter ID Laws are Faulty
In recent years, Republicans have argued for voter IDs to combat voter fraud. Eric Petersen ‘15 explains why their arguments are unsound. Eric Petersen ‘15
The spate of voter ID laws passed since the Republican wave of 2010 is one of the most underreported threats to democracy in the United States. After the Tea Party was thrust into power in the 2010 election, state legislatures became dominated by Conservatives. Many in power in purple states like Pennsylvania and Virginia realized that, in subsequent elections, they would likely lose seats (if not the majority) in state governments. Many decided to use their offices to keep control by instituting Voter ID laws. The Republicans attempted to explain these efforts at voter suppression by claiming defense against voter fraud, and attempts at modernization. Many Republican governors have decried voter fraud as a national issue that needed to be addressed immediately, or at least before the next election. So widespread was voter fraud, Republican activists argued, that action needed to be taken to change how Americans voted. This is inherently wrong, as in the past five years, about 120 people have been charged with fraud, and a scant 86 have been convicted. In the same five years, hundreds of millions of Americans have voted
legally. Furthermore, most voter fraud occurs in urban and heavily Democratic areas like Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City. It seems that the widespread issue of voter fraud is actually much smaller than most think, and skewed towards liberal areas. The argument of modernization is also incredibly
capitalisminstitute.org
A sign outside a voting center indicating that I.D. is required to vote.
weak. Many Republican lawmakers have said that because basic business transactions require photo ID, voting should also. This is another misleading statement, as many of the poorest Americans do not partake in activities that require ID, like founding a business or buying a car. In fact, many Americans, especially in urban areas, do not even have
a driver’s license, one of the most common forms of photo identification. Republicans would point out that passports are acceptable identification, however, only slightly over a third of Americans possess a valid passport, and those tend to be the more affluent. The poorest Americans may be disenfranchised by Republican attempts at “modernization” at the polls. Many Republicans have also claimed that the overwhelming majority of voting-age Americans have some sort of valid Photo I.D. Again, this is true, but deceptive. 89% of Americans have ID, but 11% do not. So even though less than an eighth of potential voters do not meet this requirement, there are still tens of millions of Americans that could lose their right to vote in the next election. Race also factors into this troubling equation. Around 8% of white voting age Americans do not possess valid identification, but an astounding 25% of African Americans do not. This is saddening, especially since over 90% of African Americans vote for the Democratic Party. This essentially eliminates a quarter of a major Democratic demographic. Many liberals have even gone so far as to compare the new voting laws with the Jim Crow laws of the South. Republicans have responded to the calls of racism with anger, but there does lie some truth. Although Republican lawmakers may not be prejudiced, they seem to know who to harass to ensure safe conservative victories. Another tactic used by Republicans to
further the voter suppression of liberals is restriction of early voting. Early voting has been a staple of the modern electoral system, and allows people who work on the traditional Tuesday election day to vote. Many people do not own cars to travel to the polls, and use other means to arrive at the voting centers. One of the most common means of transportation through church-owned buses after a Sunday service. Taking advantage of early voting, this predominantly AfricanAmerican group almost entirely votes for the Democratic Party. By restricting early voting, which is used heavily by working-class Americans and liberals, Republicans have hoped to dissuade millions of Americans from voting in our elections. Many of these tactics have failed only because of the sheer determination of working-class Americans to refuse to be disenfranchised. In Florida during the 2012 elections, hundreds of thousands of voters (again, mostly AfricanAmerican), stood in lines for hours to vote in overwhelmed urban voting centers. This outrage is likely to fade, however, during the midterm elections, which tend to have a more conservative turnout, the full effect of the law may be endured by the Dems. The major worry among liberals today is that without the initial outrage of voter suppression laws, their intended effect may be felt. While Republicans claim that stricter election laws help and modernize the electoral process, they may be returning us to the darker days of widespread discrimination.
2014 Midterm Elections: DeLehman Analyzes the Races to Watch For Ethan DeLehman ‘16
The support of Congress is critical to the success of any Presidency, making the upcoming midterm elections decisive to the fate of the last two years of the Obama administration. In November, onethird of the Senate – 36 seats – are up for grabs. The outcomes of these three dozen elections will determine whether or not the Republican Party will regain control of the Senate or allow it to remain in the hands of the Democrats. With the GOP set to retain control of the House of Representatives, it is up to the Senate to promote and attempt to help pass any measures President Obama plans on implementing through the 2016 election. Thus making the two potential outcomes of the midterms elections of great interest to both parties. For the 2014 midterm elections, the Republican party will have 15 of its seats up for contest; however, due to the political makeup of most of the states these seats reside in, it seems likely that near all of them will firmly rest in Republican control. The only two potential upsets that could go the way of the Democrats currently seem to be those available in Kentucky and Georgia. In Kentucky, the current top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, is set to face both a challenging primary opponent and a dangerous Democrat nominee. First and foremost, McConnell must take on Republican hopeful Matt Bevin. Due to McConnell’s nature as a more soft-spoken political contender, Bevin has found success in a campaign centered around the idea that McConnell is not sufficiently conservative enough for the state of Kentucky. Bevin, a businessman, has attacked McConnell for his weak stance against certain Democratic or bipartisan initiatives, claiming that McConnell did not do enough to try and prevent bank bailouts, the raising of the debt ceiling, and the implementation of Obamacare. Between this challenge from within his own party and a fierce campaign mounted by Democratic opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes, it is a distinct possibility that McConnell may not hold on to his seat. Additionally, in Georgia, the problem rests in the ideology of the primary Republican contender, Paul Broun, who is aiming for the seat vacated by the retiring Senator Saxby Chambliss. Mr. Broun is most famous for his public claims that The Big Bang Theory and
The Theory of Evolution are, as he put it, “lies straight from the pit of hell.” It is this ideological extremity that makes Broun an insecure candidate whose radicalism could allow for a Democratic nominee to sneak in, despite Georgia being a heavily red state. If the Republican party successfully manages to overtake the Senate, currently split 55 Democrats to 45 Republicans, it would effectively control the outcome of all of the president’s proposed actions for the last two years of his presidency. This is especially true considering the fact that several of the potential new Republican Senators are heavily right-wing and Tea Party- backed meaning that there could quite possibly be a sudden considerable influx of radical Republicans within the Senate. As of right now, there are nine seats in the Senate which are viewed to be potential Republican targets making the required mark of six potentially within reach. The majority of these current seats has one thing in common: they all reside within states that President Obama either lost in the 2012 election, or won on small margins (South Dakota, West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Montana falling in the former category and Iowa and Michigan falling
in the latter.) It can be seen here that the likelihood of red state Senate seats being retaken is far more likely than being held by either the current Democrat nominees attempting to maintain the seats previously held by retiring Senators or the incumbents. While these races alone hold most of the power in terms of who will control the Senate through 2016, there is more to each potential Republican seat than just probable victory. Beyond the potential gain of six new seats in the Senate, there is also the impact of which Republican candidate will come to take them as, in addition to the several candidates I’ve already detailed, there are several other Republican primary races which could prove to not be in the best interest of the party. More and more Republican candidates who could be described as conventional conservative Republicans are entering tough races against the new breed of radicalized Tea Party candidates, whose priorities rest mainly on hot-button social issues. A key example of this would be the Mississippi Primary Senate race in which Thad Cochran, a traditional conservative, is up against the
newcomer, outspoken Tea Party Republican Chris McDaniel. Mr. McDaniel led a protest outside of Mississippi’s one abortion clinic claiming that our country needs to experience a shift to traditional values – a point which clearly resonated with the people of Mississippi as McDaniel is now very much in the race for the Republican nomination. Similarly, all over the United States, current Republican Senators who truly embody the phrase “traditional conservative” are being challenged by a new breed designed to be as loud as possible and gather the maximum amount of attention. The different aspects of the midterm races make them just as crucial and fascinating as the general elections that occur on Presidential election years–but with a fraction of the media attention and public awareness. The outcome of these elections will prove key to not only the next two years but also to each party’s odds at winning the presidency in the coming election. If there is one concrete conclusion to be drawn from the current state of the midterm elections, it is that more information must be provided to American voters so as to prevent accidentally causing a damaging political
The race between Chris McDaniels and Thad Cochran in Mississippi is symbolic of the Republican part split.
soletron.com
Page 15
The Index
Politics
April 2014
Climate Change: Legislation is Needed to Help Mitigate Global Warming Third Former George Rubin argues that fossil fuel consumption must be curtailed to combat global warming, and the United States should implement climate change legislation to accomplish this goal. George Rubin ‘17
As dependence on fossil fuels continues to increase across the globe, climate change continues to become a more prominent issue on the national and global stage. This is especially true as we begin to wonder if climate change is causing unusual weather that directly affects human activity – Hurricane Sandy ravaging the East coast, drought in the West, and one of the coldest winters on record with record-breaking snowfalls. What is the culprit behind all this? Carbon Dioxide – the byproduct of the fossil fuel combustion that powers the entire world. Every year, 5.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere by the United States alone. Current levels of carbon dioxide have not been present in our atmosphere for at least 800,000 years. Human carbon emissions have not decreased, or even leveled off – they have only increased. There has been a 108% per capita increase in carbon emissions since the 1950s alone. The fast-growing human population aggravates that number even more. The worst part is that there is currently nothing being done about this issue. As of now, there are few regulations on how much carbon vehicles and factories can pump into the atmosphere without penalty. In the past fifteen years, many politicians in governments around the world have pushed for climate change legislation, but this type of legislation has yet to be passed in the United States. In Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, 37 nations agreed to adopt the ‘Kyoto Protocol’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% by 2012 and its burden fell mostly on developed countries, as the treaty argues that it is industrialized nations that are more responsible for the current level of greenhouse cases in the atmosphere. For precisely this reason, President Bush, after defeating Al Gore in the 2000 election, declined to send the Kyoto Protocol to Congress for ratification. In 2005, the Kyoto Protocol was ratified by 141 nations, but the US was not on board. In 2009, another effort was made to push climate change legislation through Congress. The Waxman-Markey Carbon Regulation bill,
also known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act, was based in a cap-andtrade system and intended to move America towards a clean energy economy. Although
whether it be oil for heating or transportation, or electricity created by burning coal. If a government puts a tax on burning fossil fuels or somehow raises the cost of doing so, the energy companies graciously push that cost onto the consumer and if that consumer is a business, that cost is then transferred to its customers. This will in turn lead to higher costs of living and an overall negative impact on our economy. The second reason it is hard to regulate
cleantechnica.com
One big question for our generation is if we are passing on a healthy Earth to the next generation.
there was a deep split in the Democratic party, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 219 to 212. When the bill was passed on to the Senate, however, Majority Leader Harry Reid declined to bring the legislation forward because he wouldn’t be able to pass it. Ever since 2010, when the Republicans gained the majority in the House, global warming has become an ever-declining issue on the national stage. In 2011, House Speaker John Boehner eliminated the House Committee on Global Warming, arguing that in the interest of eliminating waste in government, climate change would be handled by the Science Committee. But why is climate change such a hard issue for politicians to deal with? There are several reasons this is the case. The most prominent one is that reducing fossil fuels directly affects a nation’s economy. Fossil fuels are the basis of the American economy in that every single business uses energy created by fossil fuels –
Climate change legislation could move us towards a greener future.
carbon dioxide emissions is that there is, as of yet, no suitable large-scale replacement for fossil fuels. 91% of the world’s energy is gathered by burning fossil fuels or noncarbon-neutral technologies and to attempt to bring that number down by even a little would cost billions of dollars in expenditures for businesses. Another issue, and the main reason that developing countries such as China will not restrict their carbon emissions is that developing countries depend on cheap fossil fuels to industrialize. The economies of developing nations are too fragile and poor to survive a large rise in the cost of energy. The emissions of developing countries, however, are increasing exponentially – far faster than those of developed nations. One problem with international climate change agreements and legislation like the Kyoto protocol is that nations argue over which countries must take the economic consequences and lower their emissions first. For example, China creates over 8
blogspot.com
billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, more than 3 billion than the United States’ emissions. However, China emits only 5.3 tons of carbon dioxide per capita, far less than the rate of the fully developed United States. As can be expected, each government will argue that the other has to reduce their emissions, and in the end, nothing actually gets done. And to make the whole issue even more complicated – emitting carbon dioxide is frowned upon, but what about lowering the rate at which the only carbon sink is destroyed via deforestation? Lastly, lobbying and advertising by both energy manufacturers and environmentalists can change and manipulate the opinions of the public and our government about the issue. For example, the Free Market Enterprise Institute, a capitalist organization funded in part by energy companies, released a television ad in response to An Inconvenient Truth whose punchline was “Carbon dioxide. They call it pollution; we call it life.” The commercial featured pictures of happy people and wildlife and proceeded to tell viewers that humans exhale carbon dioxide, plants inhale it, and the emission of carbon dioxide is therefore completely natural. Ads like this can manipulate the thinking of a large part of the oft-uninformed American public. Because of the aforementioned issues, climate change legislation is hard to push through Congress; however, there are a couple of types of this legislation that are popular with politicians. One type of legislation that is more commonly seen is a cap-and-trade type law. If this were to be passed, there would be a cap on how much carbon dioxide large carbon emitters can release. To be able to release carbon dioxide, they would have to get a permit indicating how much they could emit, and these permits would be tradeable. Over the years the cap would get smaller and smaller, allegedly forcing energy companies to find more carbon-neutral energy sources. In a way, this type of legislation could be beneficial for our country. This is because there is a new technology being developed by coal power plants called carbon capture. In carbon capture, carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels can be reinjected into underground geological formations. The oil industry has been using this technology and re-injecting carbon dioxide into oil fields that are past their prime for decades. This coaxes the oil out of the rock formations and also keeps it there. There have been experiments that have shown carbon capture is viable on a large scale, and it has been implemented in a few power plants, but not enough to make a difference. The reason for this is that there is a significant initial investment involved to initiate such a project and unless energy manufacturers are required to, there is little incentive to do so. Our government, using cap-and-trade legislation, could provide the impetus for fossil fuel companies to implement this technology on a large scale and truly make a difference. If energy companies perfect this technology, it could be used elsewhere in the world as well to clean up the Earth’s atmosphere. Another action that could be helpful would be to allow more nuclear plants to be built. Nuclear energy is a relatively cheap and clean source of energy, and there is plenty of fissionable material on the planet to fuel reactors for a very long time. There are only two issues. One is the issue of radioactive waste, for which, at the moment, we have no idea how to dispose of properly. The second is the public perception that nuclear power is inherently unsafe. The bottom line is that no climate change legislation will be passed until the public demands it. At the moment, most people either know little about the facts of climate change, are unsure if it is manmade, and do not understand its severity. Only a very small percentage of the population is actually worried about climate change. Perhaps more evidence is needed, or perhaps available science needs to be better communicated to the American population. Either way, Americans need to face this problem immediately at both the personal and legislative levels.
Page 16
The Index
April 2014
Outdex Recently at The Haverford School... Noah Cutler ‘14, RJ Meiers ‘14, Sanjay Narayanan ‘14, Ian Riley ‘15, Will Tackett ‘14, Will Solmssen ‘15, Brendan Burns ‘15, Jackson Simon ‘15, Otis Baker 15, Jack McAleese ‘15, Major Tepper ‘15
With another strong outing in the book, varsity pitcher Daniel Borine allowed 5 runs over 2 innings, lowering his season ERA from a 94.89 to a 68.11. Dennis Arms could have prevented the wifi drought of 2014 Accusations of foul play during the Tennis team's would-be 50th straight win have been thrown at Dr. Gottleib. An anonymous member of team said that before the game, "he was all antsy," possibly out of fear of losing his beard as celebration for the milestone victory. Infuriated by the new food prohibition policy in the Upper School building, members of the Tech Department have constructed several speakeasy salad bars throughout the library. They hope to send a message to the administration, but the internet has been pretty spotty, so they may have some trouble. Fifth Former Brendan Burns still believes that the Day of Honor speech was just an elaborate April Fools Day prank.
Brendan Burns is just sad that he didn’t come in 1st place for the alphabet. Taking a break from their work on the school’s wifi, the tech department has recently been trying to fix the air conditioning problem. Unfortunately, all they could come up with was placing giant, industrial fans in teachers’ classrooms.
Angelo Brutico has been chosen as the host of the newly revamped series of “MTV Cribs.” Here’s a shot from their first day on set.