June 2015 Index

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Volume LXXVI, No. 6

June 2015

Haverford, Pennsylvania - haverfordindex.com

Class of 2015 Farewell: Reflecting on the Largest (and Greatest) Class in School History Sixth Former Manav Khandelwal discusses the impressive impact of the Class of 2015 and how the school’s largest class should ultimately be regarded as one of, if not, the best.

Manav Khandelwal ‘15

Mrs. Kara Cleffi, who teaches one of the school’s most demanding courses in Honors Biology, consistently joked with our class throughout the first semester, “You guys are my best class. Then again, I tell every class that; it’s just easier that way.”

It was not until we were handing in our final exams in early June, however, until she finally—and correctly, in my opinion—revised that statement to, “You are truly my best class ever.”

The Class of 2015 is widely known as the biggest class in Haverford School history with 116 diplomas ready to be handed out at graduation. One could also argue that it is Haverford’s strongest class, and not just for its college matriculation list full of prestigious institutions. The Class of 2015 has left an indelible mark on the fabric of this community and institution, helping to shape Haverford into a place that produces talented young men of admirable character.

Let us look at the specific and wideranging accomplishments of my peers.

We joke about athletics and its importance within our community, but the Class of 2015 truly dominated the fields, pools, and courts of the Inter-Ac from September 2011 to May 2015. Haverford secured the Heyward Cup, given to the top school

across all sports in the league, three times during our reign in the Upper School, including a convincing victory this year.

The Class of 2015 was especially dominant in golf, football, lacrosse, swimming, soccer, tennis, track, wrestling, and baseball. There are many who specialized in a sport and played it to the highest level, like Shawn Alston, Drew Supinski, Reggie Harris, Luke Ryan, and Ben and Zach Lieb among others.

It is also impossible to ignore the crosssport contributions of guys like Noah Lejman, Phil Poquie, Derek Mountain, LJ Barlow, Brandon Shima, and many others.

This senior class had a rich variety of student-athletes, and all of them contributed to creating such a prestigious athletic program. The strength of the collective being greater than the sum of its parts was also evident in this year’s numerous Inter-Ac championships (track, football, golf, lacrosse, tennis, and soccer).

I am proud of my classmates and glad that I was present for so many magical moments, including, but not limited to, this year’s EA Day rout, soccer’s unseating of No. 1 Saint Benedict’s, the record swimming ranking at Easterns, the historic finish at tennis nationals, and the Inter-Ac Challenge triumph at PPL Park.

2015 also brought immense leadership and success to its extra-curricular

organizations. Pegasus took great strides under the leadership of Logan Atkins, transforming into an exceptional literary magazine with professional formatting and quality content. The debate team, led by Jackson Simon, Brendan Burns, and myself, achieved record success at various competitions, including districts and Penn’s Liberty Bell Classic. Under the leadership of Simon, Jake Pechet, and Jack Henderson, mock trial won the local tournament last year and represented Montgomery County at the state competition. DECA, led by Henderson, Simon, and myself, brought home a handful of national awards from Salt Lake City, Anaheim, Atlanta, and Orlando. Model UN and even this very newspaper also brought home numerous accolades thanks to the hard work of the Class of 2015.

I cannot shell out praise without

talking about the artists and performers who graced the stages and studios of Centennial and Wilson respectively. This year’s Notables, under the eye of its senior members, quietly raised the group’s quality to the next level. Who can ever forget Eric Denbin’s magical solo at this year’s Spring Concert? But what is more impressive is that nearly every senior—and there were an impressive eight this year—is capable of such a performance.

The drama department is also deeply indebted to the Class of 2015, with the likes of Marc Johnson, Ian Riley, Kory Calicat and Will Solmssen entertaining audiences for the last four years. Few classes have invested as much time and

and knowledge to lead people in the right direction, serve our community locally and globally, and represent themselves, Haverford, and the community well by these actions. Brady started by “looking at the corporate world and evaluating interviews of CEOs and listening to what they think college graduates are missing.

They talked about leadership skills: resiliency, grit, being able to advocate for oneself, and having an understanding about who you are.” Today, in the III Form seminars, these concepts are strongly emphasized since Brady “[spends] a long time on the self-awareness piece: understanding who are you in the world and who you want to be.” In order to do that, Brady “starts with the Gallup’s strengths-based quest in the 5th grade and the III Form. [He] starts with this assessment because

in the modern day, there is no one definition of leadership.” Another situation where this maxim is exemplified is “when the III Form students write their leadership philosophy – some of it is aspirational and so this idea of who they are and who they want to be – and having that to be able to reference day in and day out, is a powerful thing.”

Continued on Page 2

Mr. Brady Implements Promising Leadership Program

Third Former Sam Turner outlines Mr. Brady’s ambitious leadership plans to educate the Third Form.

Sam Turner ‘18

Did you know that over 90% of the body of an iceberg lies beneath the surface of water? Similarly, as Director of Leadership William Brady teaches, there is more to a person than meets the eye; in fact, he believes what is most potent is the depth of the individual– core principles, a sense of identity, and emotional strength. Brady goes on to compare the stable and full body of an iceberg beneath the water to strong character and morals, while the small pointed tip of the iceberg symbolizes skills and physical attributes. Sound character will hold up long enough to support your skills, but both infrastructures crumble when flipped upside down. And so, Brady spreads this and many more fundamental messages to the students of the Haverford School through leadership activities. A novel leadership program, Brady notes, was founded in 2011 “when The Haverford School was looking for both a coach and

a leadership director, since the Board [of Directors] had in Dr. Cox’s years been very intentional about leadership, and it was just a perfect marriage.” Although the official inception of the leadership program is fairly recent, Brady argues that “throughout history, there has been an unintentional way of teaching character, leadership, ethics, and decision at Haverford.” Whether through lectures, seminars, or the curriculum, Haverford conservatively encouraged leadership before Brady arrived, but even when “Dr. Cox hired [him] and made [him] the leadership coordinator, he said ‘there is nothing for you to direct yet, so you have to build it.’ ” In his fourth year as Director of Leadership Programs, with Brady’s confidence and achievement, he built the leadership program at the Haverford School from the ground up.

Inspired by Haverford’s mission of Preparing Boys for Life, Brady constructed the leadership program around the idea of arming students with the ideal qualities

Also inside this Issue...

Coach Fairfax huddles with this year’s team. Mr. Jim Roese

On Page 6, you can find Fifth Former Alex Sanfilippo’s expose on the basketball team in the aftermath of losing head coach Mr. Henry Fairfax. He discusses recruiting and the ability of the program to remain at an elite level.

Continued on Page 5

Article Ms. Smedley Farewell Mr. Griffin Farewell Why Teachers Come Here Mr. Rooney Farewell Mr. Cloran Farewell Index Athlete of the Year K. McGowan’s Career Solving Senioritis 2015 Matriculation List

Page 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 12

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The Index

News

Class of 2015 Farewell (continued)

Continued from Front Page

energy into theater, and that has shown with some legendary shows over the past four years. They include Spamalot, Is He Dead, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Few Good Men, and Hairspray just to name a few.

There they are: athletics, academics, and arts. In theory, they are the three pillars of any successful private institution.

This class, however, has strengthened the foundation of the fourth and, in my opinion, most important pillar of the school: the “culture.” That word has an elusive, almost chameleon-like definition, but everyone at

June 2015

Haverford knows what it represents: the bonding of classmates, the formation of a brotherhood.

This class truly brought forth the best out of Haverford in a number of ways. This year’s Gentlemen’s Club was one of the most fun in recent memory. Students came out in record numbers to EA Day, the InterAc Challenge, and even Tuesday afternoon basketball games. While the traditional chants (Seven Nation Army, “I Believe,” and “Winning Team - Losing Team”) are still as exciting as ever, the additions of instant classics—“Blackjack Chicken” and Paul Harryhill’s halftime speech—have created an even more intense atmosphere.

There are, however, even smaller and seemingly insignificant improvements brought on by this year’s graduating class.

Video games in the library? A waste of time, an excuse to cut class, right? For a select few, perhaps, but for many more I am confident this provided an opportunity to bond over something other than sports and schoolwork. I personally got to know certain kids better because of the time we spent “running the sticks” in “Super Strikers” or “Smash Brothers.” That concept of social equality, that no group is exclusive to the others, permeates the grade.

While other schools’ students speak of their “lunch table group,” such a concept is far

less prominent at Haverford, especially in the Class of 2015. You will often see students sitting with people who they would not consider their best friends regularly at lunch, a phenomenal byproduct of the inclusive culture bred by this class.

I will be immensely proud to be surrounded by so many talented classmates on the stage come commencement, and while the moment may be a bittersweet ending to a wonderful 12 years on Lancaster Avenue, I could not have asked for a better group of guys to enter the Seventh Form. Those guys are why I believe Dr. Kellen Graham when he says, “This building is really going to miss this class when you are gone.”

English, eleven of which she has spent at The Haverford School.

Throughout her time here, Ms. Smedley has coached Junior Varsity Squash for nine years, been a Third Form Advisor, advised The Index and Student Diversity Alliance, and taught Third Form English as well as a Sixth Form Elective: Philosophy through Literature, Film, and Music. “Of my nineteen year career, this has been the best eleven years.” emphasized Ms. Smedley.

In addition to teaching, Ms. Smedley loves all phases of her job. Ms. Smedley sees it more so as a love for being with her students rather than just teaching English. English teacher Dr. Kellen Graham remarks, “She exhibits so much love, concern and care for students.” As a student of Ms. Smedley, her love and adoration for her students is like no other. Ms. Smedley is one to always put her students before her. English Department Chair Mr. Thomas Stambaugh notes, “She is willing to pitch in when needed, if a class needs to be covered or if a student needs to be helped, she is completely unselfish.”

Whenever I seek out help for a question or need a quick grammar review, or even if I just simply need someone to talk to, Ms. Smedley’s’ door will always be open.

Having worked next door to Ms. Smedley for four years, Dr. Graham feels that “Ms. Smedley is the best relational teacher that I have ever worked with. I have learned so much from her about how to cultivate relationships with students.”

As an advisee of Ms. Smedley, Aidan Mantelmacher remarks, “I feel that I can go and talk to her whenever I have a problem or am struggling with anything. Although she is my advisor, I would feel completely comfortable talking with her if she was not.”

Although Ms. Smedley is seen as advisor to the Third Form, she also mentors other students and faculty members. Dr. Graham points out, “She’s always been helpful, especially when I was a new teacher, in terms of showing me the ropes

at Haverford. She shared her curriculum with me, discussed best practices for teaching boys at the different grade levels, her door has always been open for me and other teachers to come in and to share our triumphs or to vent when necessary.”

In addition, Mrs. Davis feels “Whenever I have sought Rebecca out for advice or collaboration, she has been all-present and ready to support me in any way she can.” Spanish teacher Ms. Brooke Kenna commented that “[Ms. Smedley] was able to help anytime I had an issue. I knew she was someone I could count on. I felt like I could go to her because she is trustworthy, and I knew she would give me good advice.” Dr. Graham also mentioned that “Ms. Smedley is someone I can confide in when things aren’t going well. Her advice has always been invaluable.”

“She’s not just interested in teaching English and the English curriculum, yet she is passionate about the lives and the good habits and choices of all the boys she works with,” observed Third Former Samuel Turner.

With this being my first year at Haverford, I was lucky enough to have Ms. Smedley as my English teacher. Aside from teaching grammar and learning how to write a perfect thesis statement, Ms. Smedley goes beyond her limits to shape the lives and characters of her charges.

Whether it be practicing handshakes at the door, stressing the importance of “I vs.

Me,” or giving meaningful advice about life, Ms. Smedley has set out and achieved her goal of preparing boys for life. “I have had an amazing, wonderful 11 years here.

Haverford is a really special place to me.” remarked Ms. Smedley.

After her eleven year adventure at The Haverford School, Ms. Smedley prepares to move onto to a new adventure: she will join Middlesex School, a co-ed boarding school located outside of Boston, as the Director of Spiritual and Ethical Education.

While at Middlesex Ms. Smedley will still

be teaching one or two English classes, in addition to a religion class. “I’m excited to do something different, something new, work with students outside of the classroom, work at the administrative level, and this is a chance for me to do that. I’ll run chapel services every week. I will work with students with character education, along with good decision making.”

As Ms. Smedley’s time here at Haverford comes to a close, she states, “My relationship with my students has been the most rewarding aspect of working at The Haverford School. I will miss my colleagues and students the most. I truly feel lucky to work here.”

I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for all you have done, Ms. Smedley. Thank you for making Haverford a better place. Thank you for being a mentor in many of our lives. Thank you for the memories and the relationships that have been formed. Your laugh in Centennial will be missed, along with your glowing personality that has made everyone’s day so much brighter. Ms. Smedley, as we say our final farewell, we wish you the best of luck in your future and hope to see you in years to come.

Haverford Loses Unforgettable English Teacher PJ Rodden ‘18

As the school year comes to a close, Room 343 in Wilson Hall will soon revert back to what it was like eleven years ago.

Students say their long awaited goodbyes for the summer, and teachers say their final farewells to their students and colleagues, in hopes of seeing them again next year.

Yet, many students and faculty members are aware of the faces and personalities that will not be returning next fall. Ms. Rebecca Smedley’s departure is saddening to all those who were fortunate enough to work with her and have her as a teacher, advisor, or a coach. Her dynamic character and unique presence inside and outside of the classroom has transformed young men into writers, scholars, and gentlemen. Ms. Smedley, a Haverford English teacher, goes beyond the limits of our collective expectations. She brings the positive, the cheerful, and her joyful (albeit sometimes caffeinated) personality each and everyday, and for that, her presence in the upper school will be greatly missed.

Ms. Smedley grew up right down the road from Centennial Hall, minutes away from her high school alma mater, Agnes Irwin School. After high school, she attended Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and majored in the study of Medieval Renaissance with an emphasis on Literature. From there, she received her Master of Divinity degree at Princeton Seminary. “English has always been my favorite,” states Ms. Smedley. During college, Ms. Smedley discovered religion and philosophy. During her time in college, Ms. Smedley realized “I knew I didn’t want to be behind a desk. I love to read and write [and talk].” Ms. Smedley feels that teaching is a perfect match for her personality. From that point on, her teaching career took off.

Before Haverford, Ms. Smedley taught at four school in the northeast, including The Baldwin School. Ms. Smedley has taught nineteen years of Upper School

The Index

2015-2016 Staff

Alex Sanfilippo ‘16, Editor-in-Chief Ethan DeLehman ‘16, Editor-in-Chief Drew Sterman ‘16, Editor-in-Chief Arnav Jagasia ‘16, News and Features co-Editor Samuel Turner ‘18, News and Features co-Editor Bill Wu ‘17, Opinions Editor Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16, Sports Editor George Rubin ‘17, Politics Editor Connor Lees ‘17, Web Editor Cameron Miller ‘16, Social Media Coordinator Dr. 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

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 index@haverford.org.

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 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.haverfordindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXVI, No. 3 - December 1, 2014

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News

June 2015

Farewell Mr. Griffin: A True Haverford Gentleman Samuel Turner ‘18

Well-tailored. Sharp. Honorable.

Compassionate. Very personable. A real virtuous man. When said aloud to any student or faculty member at Haverford, these words point directly to Mr. Jamie Griffin. At Haverford for five years now, Griffin has left a clear and present impression on every facet of the Haverford community.

He is both a passionate history teacher and wrestling coach, as well as the co-faculty advisor to the Honor Council. From growing in his profession to impacting his students and athletes, Griffin has absolutely made his mark on Haverford and will be dearly missed.

Before Mr. Griffin began his teaching career at Haverford, he served in a marine squadron in the Iraq War. His experiences abroad compelled him to explore the politics of the Middle East. To share that knowledge and perspective with students at Haverford is the icing on the cake. As fellow history teacher and marine corps veteran, Dr. Ehrhart commented, “He brings a dimension to the history department that will be missed. His expertise and experience in the Middle East is not something easy to replace.”

Additionally, Ehrhart bears high compliments for Griffin’s style of teaching.

Most notably, Ehrhart says, “He can give the boys information that they will not find in the mainstream media.” Utilizing this distinct and honorable perspective, Griffin teaches a Modern Middle East history class that is described as “flames” by one Sixth Former enrolled in that elective, Arjun Dravid. Having first met Griffin in a Fourth Form history class, Dravid’s first impression was that Griffin, “was funny, personable, approachable, and overall great.” Mr. Griffin imparted to Dravid–and to countless students–an abundance of knowledge while, at times, taking on the role of professor: “In class, he emphasizes responsibility and organization, but doesn’t get on your back; in college, professors won’t get on you, and the onus is on the student, and I think what we learned in that class, among other things,

is preparing us for life.”

Regarding a consensus “must-take” class at Haverford, Griffin’s modern Middle East History course, Dravid stated it “involves analyzing current events, making on-thespot analyses, watching speeches happening live in Washington, and reading articles about events that have happened that morning.” However, the most interesting aspect of the class to Dravid is “that it is not a lecture; it is a discussion where we make advanced observations and that really stands out to me.” Creating a forum of discussion and education in class, Griffin has impacted the students both in the classroom and in the community.

While Dravid admires his “balance of the ability to both relate and be a disciplinarian,” the co-faculty advisor for the Honor Council, Ms. Sara Adkins, recognized his exceptional presence and potential the moment that he interviewed for the job. Upon first impression, Adkins deemed Griffin to be a most genuine, kind man and far too humble for his own good. Over the years, she has procured an even higher opinion of him: “He is the best role model for teachers and students at the school.” As a founding advisor of the Honor Council, Adkins herself lives by the principles of respect, honor, and courage, and in her eyes, Griffin exceeds in demonstrating those principles: “He has virtus, as the Romans called it. He has courage, brawns, brains. He is the best a person could be and not only holds himself to the best, but wants the best for everyone around him.”

Aside from his external virtues, Adkins states highly of his email sign-off– “Respectfully, Jamie Griffin” – because “when he signs off by saying respectfully, that tells you all you need to know about him.” Over the years, Griffin has absolutely influenced her experience as an Honor Council advisor because although “she sees the cases as gray, he brings an reinvigorating perspective that is a balance of black and white; during the hearing, we sit on opposite sides and when we make eye contact, we know exactly what the other is thinking.”

Griffin’s moral virtue is also exhibited in

his work on the wrestling team at Haverford.

Third Form student-athlete Chase McCollum was not only persuaded to matriculate to Haverford by Griffin, but he is heavily influenced by Griffin on a daily basis during wrestling practice. For McCollum, Griffin is not only an exceptional wrestling coach, but a close friend and a mentor that forever changed the course of his academic and wrestling career. McCollum commented, “Coach is unique because he runs a hard practice and pays close attention to small detail when drilling.”

In addition to running tight wrestling practices, Griffin shows a deep compassion for his athletes: “Watching him at a wrestling match when a wrestler lost a close match and seeing his interaction with the boy made it evident that he really cared about the kid and what had happened and obviously was giving real good support to a kid that was bummed out,” describes Ehrhart. Griffin has shaped the Haverford experience for both students and faculty at Haverford alike.

However, for Griffin, “[his] experience at Haverford is a matter of being positive member of the school.” He knew from the “first moment the boys walked into my class five years ago, introduced themselves, and shook my hand that this was a special place.”

Coaching wrestling is as important to him as his commitment to informing students about the Middle East.

During his tenure at Haverford, he feels that one of his “greatest achievements is that the year before [he] came to Haverford, the team placed 86th at National Preps and five years later they placed 8th; the growth of the team and the guys was extremely impressive.”

His additional work with students in the Honor Council and the student body at large has always left him “very impressed with the maturity of the boys at Haverford and their ability to sift through dynamic situations, and they always arrive at decisions that make sense… this is very unique.”

Griffin believes that his personal growth at Haverford and learning from other faculty, in addition to acquiring his masters degree in education, have been both his

greatest challenges and proudest moments at Haverford. He is most passionate about the Middle East and, having taken classes in college, and returning from Iraq in 2005, Griffin realized the more he learned, the more he wanted to learn about the complexities of the Middle East. He wanted the boys to be able to “pick up the newspaper and read about what is happening and be comfortable.” He wanted them to “see bias and keep them interested in a region of the world that impacts us all.” Having attended Episcopal Academy for most of his life, Mr. Griffin now considers himself a real “Haverford guy,” and rightfully so.

A wrestling coach, history teacher, and Honor Council advisor in addition to parenting 6-year old twins, Griffin will be dearly missed as an amazing member of the Haverford community; he will be moving to Franklin, Tennessee as Head of Upper School at Battle Ground Academy. As Adkins perfectly phrased, “The whole state of Tennessee will be better with you. We will miss you.” And in plain English, as Dr. Ehrhart echoes what the entire community is feeling, “He has contributed enormously to this community in number of ways and we are sad to be losing what he has to offer.”

Many quotes could help depict Mr. Griffin, but there is none better than this by McCollum: “Thank you for all you have done. I am a way better person and wrestler than I was before. Good luck.”

has overseen the growth of the Haverford Robotics team in both the Middle and Upper Schools. Haverford’s Middle School Robotics program works with VEX IQ, a robotics platform that lets younger students engage with robotics concepts and building techniques before they transition to the VEX platform used by the Upper School teams. With a broad knowledge base in robotics and engineering concepts, Mr. Tagaytay was able to foster the same love for Robotics often seen by our Upper School students into scores of middle and

think it’s working with kids who really work hard. I really haven’t had a team with students who actually spend a lot of time working on the robots. The work ethic that the kids have shown is great. That’s what I’ll remember most.” Reflecting on this past Robotics season, Fourth Former Tucker Matus, a member of Team 169D, commented, “this being my first year of robotics, I had a lot to learn in order to catch up with the more experienced members. Whenever I needed help, Mr. Tagaytay was consistently supportive and

more than thirty middle and lower schoolers this year. Attesting to his guidance this year, Haverford sent one Lower School VEX IQ team, one Middle School VEX IQ team, and four Upper School VEX Robotics teams to World Championships this past April. This is the first time that Haverford has ever competed with the VEX IQ platform on the international stage, showing the tangible impacts of Mr. Tagaytay’s coaching.

Although Mr. Tagaytay’s tenure at Haverford is short, he has already galvanized effects on Haverford’s Robotics team. Sixth Former Ben Quan, a member of Team 169B, remarked that “Being new to [Haverford’s] program was not an obstacle for him whatsoever. Whether it was helping teams do quick fixes or offering words of encouragement before a tough match, Mr. Tagaytay was always there for the team.”

While spending enormous amounts of time mentoring the Robotics participants, he also managed to inspire kids in the classroom and teach effectively. Math Department Chair Mrs. Susan Mitchell commented that “although Mr. Tagaytay’s primary role was coaching the robotics team, he also taught two courses in the math department. We appreciate his dedication to the boys in both areas and wish him well in all his future endeavors.” In his year at Haverford, Mr. Tagaytay has truly prepared boys for life in an increasingly science and math-based world.

Robotics Thankful for Mr. Tagatay’s Impact Kyle Wagner ‘18

In his first year at Haverford, Mr. Gino Tagaytay has brought enthusiasm and great technical proficiency to his dual role as Mathematics instructor and Head of Haverford’s elite Robotics program..

When I sat down with him to discuss his final days at Haverford, Mr. Tagaytay mentioned the challenges he faced while teaching math last fall. “At the beginning of the year,” he noted, “I hadn’t taught math for ten years; confidence is everything.

As I was teaching, I didn’t feel that confident at first.” Although Mr. Tagaytay found teaching Algebra II challenging, Fifth Former Juan Eckert feels that “Mr. Tagaytay is able to connect with his students, as the Head of Robotics and as an avid fan of the professional boxer, Manny Pacquiao. Eckert noted that “this was my favorite part of his class, as he is able to teach us mathematics all the while relating with his students on out-of-school topics.”

In addition to connecting well with his math students, Mr. Tagaytay has always been enthusiastic and encouraging with members of the Robotics team, even through the team’s grueling late hours and long nights. He always welcomes students entering the robotics room with a warm, “Hey, nice to see you again!” Once the students have started to work, he is eager to answer their myriad engineering questions and always provides instructional guidance.

Throughout the year, Mr. Tagaytay

Mr. Tagaytay looks on at the Haverford Stampede, which his robotics team hosted.

lower schoolers alike.

When asked about his favorite memories regarding the Robotics team he said, “I

knowledgeable.”

The Haverford VEX IQ program tripled in size, from about ten students last year to

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The Index

News

June 2015

Haverford Attracts Teachers as Well as Students Will Henderson ‘18

Haverford is widely known as a great school, but is it just as good of a place to teach? With its ample resources, Haverford teachers are not only able to help boys become better scholars, but they, themselves, are able to become better educators.

Haverford teachers are sent around the world to explore different cultures, to gather ideas from other educators, or even to learn from CEOs of companies in order to better themselves. Public schools often allow more protection for teachers under the system of tenure, but at Haverford, teachers are encouraged and inspired to try something new or step out of their comfort zones. Ms. Brooke Kenna, a Spanish I and II* teacher, faculty leader of DECA, and an educator new to The Haverford School, and Ms. Rebecca Davis, English I teacher with fifteen years of experience at Haverford, current Dean of Faculty, and former English Department Chair, express why Haverford School is such a distinguished place to teach.

When asked why she decided to teach at Haverford, Ms. Kenna said that she was interested in a private school mentality, which has a more focused academic mentality and often included talented teachers. Coming from a public school, Ms. Kenna also expressed that at Haverford, teachers are given much more freedom regarding the curriculum they teach. Teachers at Haverford, unlike many other schools, have freedom to teach not only what is relevant and interesting to the students, but they can also teach the material in a way that makes students want to learn even more. Haverford’s educators know how to make material interesting because they are naturally good at teaching and, as Ms. Kenna puts it, “faculty members are excited to be at Haverford.”

Ms. Davis spoke about the atmosphere for educators at The Haverford School, saying that teachers not only learn from other other instructors but from the students, too.

Haverford’s teachers constantly evaluate one another throughout the year, and Ms. Davis added that this helps teachers grow professionally because they are able to evaluate and discuss teaching methods, explore what they are doing well, and share advice. Perhaps the most interesting thing that Ms. Davis says is that sometimes teachers visit each other not for an evaluation but rather to share a successful teaching method that can benefit the students. As teachers at Haverford are helped by each other, they also are encouraged to do well on their own.

Whether it is the excitement of students, the enthusiasm of the faculty, or the encouragement of Faculty Leaders (Haverford’s most experienced and successful educators), teachers at The Haverford School are continually inspired to improve their craft. When Ms. Davis was asked how teachers are encouraged to be successful at Haverford, she said that in addition to getting advice from Faculty Leaders, teachers can also pursue higher education themselves. With financial assistance from Haverford available for attending graduate school, teachers are encouraged to delve deeper into their subject matter so that they can better convey disciplinary knowledge to their students.

Teachers at Haverford also have benefits with regards to their families or personal lives. For example, educators with children — boys or girls that are about four of five years old and younger — can send their kids to the Haverford Center in Lower School.

Additionally, Haverford provides great travel and global education opportunities for its teachers. When Ms. Kenna was asked about the opportunities for teachers at Haverford, she said that teachers, especially those affiliated with the language department, have many opportunities to experience new cultures. Ms. Kenna went on to say that teachers also have chances to improve their teaching methods and get involved in student organizations.

Furthermore, she commented that “there are so many more opportunities for teachers

at Haverford than any school [she] has ever Today, Haverford puts as much emphasis on worked at,” showing the degree to which keeping students happy as it does keeping Haverford tries to provide opportunities of teachers happy. Fifteen years ago, it was teachers’ enrichment programs. rare to see teachers evaluating each other; There are several reasons that the culture it was rare to see the oldest teachers learn among Haverford teachers is different from new methods from the youngest. But today, other schools, but Ms. Kenna says that at teachers are constantly being inspired to Haverford, more so than any school at climb to the next level, to reach their fullest which she has taught before, there is a real potential. First-year teachers can have as energy among teachers: an energy to not much impact on implementing new teaching only help students, but one that also inspires styles as veteran teachers can, which is what educators to do so. She noted that it is this sets Haverford apart from other schools. energy that motivates teachers to do well; it Educating at Haverford has become a allows teachers to fully prepare boys for life. collaborative approach for teachers so that Additionally, Ms. Davis said that Haverford every student can have the best possible allows teachers to go on educational trips experience and every teacher can grow as over the summer in order for them to delve much as possible. even deeper into the subject matter that From the faculty to the parents to the they teach. From Beijing to Copenhagen to students, the community at Haverford is Nicaragua to Hawaii, teachers are able to a caring and unique environment. As Ms. experience a variety of cultures around the Davis noted, “Haverford is a really special world that they can share with their students. place to teach.” Students often exclaim how In exploring the world, teachers are able to excited they are to have a class with their give students better, firsthand knowledge of teacher and how interesting such teachers their subject matter. can make their classes. Haverford is simply In addition, Ms. Davis that Haverford has a different school because of its caring, changed a great deal since she first started nurturing culture. With its innumerable working at the school a decade and a half resources, excellent educators, and engaged ago. “Haverford, like most independent students, Haverford truly is an exceptional schools, used a different model fifteen years school for both educators and students alike. ago,” noted Ms. Davis. Independent schools used to hire teachers, hand them a textbook, and tell them to relate that information to students. Not only was it more difficult for students to learn the subject matter, but it was also more difficult for teachers to instruct the material. Now, fifteen years later, Ms. Davis remarked that the Haverford School is a very This year’s new faculty, pictured above, include a Stanford graduate and a Ms. Dawn Blake different place.

Harvard biotechnology researcher.

stems from Paulo Freire’s book, The Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Frier coined the term “banking education” to critique the traditional education system for teachers supplying knowledge to their students without having their students use their critical thinking skills. “An environment where the students are treated as objects is dehumanizing; students aren’t tupperware containers for knowledge,” said Mr. Rodriques. “When the answer isn’t clear, students want the easy answer and I won’t tell them what I think. It’s easiest for them to learn how to deal with these problems now in the classroom where there are low stakes compared to later in life”.

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Rodriques helped coach the track team to an InterAc title. “The boys were great,” remarked Mr. Rodriques. “At track meets there’s a lot of downtime where I got to know the boys more as people.” As a sprinter, Mr. Rodriques tried out for the Olympics and his experience greatly benefited the team.

Head Track Coach Mr. Kolade talked about Mr. Rodriques’ impact by saying, “As a coach, he did a great job helping our guys with block starts, providing a different approach that helped many of the sprinters to have great seasons.”

On the track and in the classroom, students have continuously learned from Mr. Rodriques, and he has learned from students and faculty. “I have learned a lot about teaching and I am grateful for the opportunity to have taught here,”

commented Mr. Rodriques. He went on to say how great the faculty was in his first year: “All the new people I met were great.

I learned a lot from the English department, Mr. Skelly, and Dr. Ehrhart.” He added that his students highlighted how “teaching is collaborative. I want to solve problems with my students rather than give them answers.

This was my first year at an all-boys school and at a school with a dress code, so I learned a lot from my students.” When asked what he would like his students to take out of his class, Mr. Rodriques answered, “I want them to leave better prepared to handle problems and, more importantly, I want them to leave better human beings. I want them to leave feeling valued and I hope they have improved as writers but also as people.”

Mr. Rodriques’ goal is to leave a mark on his students, but he has also made a mark on the community. Fellow English teacher Mr. Kolade had this to say about Mr. Rodriques: “He is incredibly intelligent and has a great mind for critical thought. Whenever we talk, he often gives me a new way of considering things, and he manages to do it in a humorous manner.” In class, Mr. Rodriques provided new ways of thinking about literature and challenged the class to make insights of their own. Personality wise, Mr. Rodriques has a witty humor about him that, like Mr. Kolade attested, makes his insights even more fascinating. “He also seems to be much older than he is, and he has great taste in music and an impeccable memory

Mr. Rodriques an Innovator During Time at Haverford Connor Lees ‘17

The Haverford community bids farewell to Fourth and Fifth Form English teacher Mr. Elias Rodriques. Next year, Mr. Rodriques will begin a Ph.D. program in English to advance his studies of literature at the University of Pennsylvania. Although short lived, Mr. Rodriques’ tenure provided his students with a unique classroom experience. In addition, his coaching efforts contributed to the school’s first track and field Inter-Ac championship in nearly 30 years. Ultimately, Mr. Rodriques’ time at Haverford will be defined by his willingness to break the conventional teacher’s mold and his commitment to guiding his students towards becoming better human beings.

“I have two teachings mantras,” said Mr. Rodriques in an interview with the Index: “I believe that intrinsic motivation is more powerful than extrinsic motivation, and students should be the ones producing the knowledge.” Mr. Rodriques’ reasoning behind his first mantra is that “students will be more motivated if they enjoy what they are doing. The donkey who likes to run, for example, runs faster than the one you dangle a carrot in front of.” He went on to say that he hopes his intrinsically motivated students can “learn to think more ethically.

I want them to learn how to tackle ethical dilemmas in low stakes scenarios like reading about Macbeth and apply it to their own lives.”

Mr. Rodriques’ second teaching mantra

for rap lyrics, never failing to pull one out in almost every conversation we have,” Mr. Kolade concluded. Mr. Rodrigues’ interview would not be complete without a joke, so when asked how old Mr. Rodrigues was, he responded, “Seventy two. Now you have to put that in there.”

Jokes aside, Fourth and Fifth Formers in Mr. Rodrigues’ class were privileged to have him as a teacher. Aaron Hudson, a Fourth Former in his World Literature class and a member of the track team, said, “Mr. Rodriques was honestly one of my favorite teachers and coaches at the school. He always had a smile on his face and made others smile as well and even when it was time to get serious he always found a way to lighten the mood.” As Aaron’s classmate, I completely agree with his assessment.

The Haverford community will miss Mr. Rodriques and wishes him luck in his studies and future.

Page 5

The Index

News

June 2015

Goodbye Ms. Jennings: A Passionate, Dedicated Teacher In her three years at Haverford, Ms. Jennings has left an impression on everyone she has worked with, from her students to her debaters to her ultimate frisbee players.

Arnav Jagasia ‘16

Few teachers at Haverford are able to affect true change, yet over the past three years, Ms. Rachael Jennings has made a profound impact in the classroom, on the fields, and in the lives of Haverford students. When Ms. Jennings arrived at Haverford three years ago, she was a parttime English intern, a relative newcomer to the teaching profession. Her extraordinary professional trajectory is summed up by English Department Chair Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, who recently noted of Ms. Jennings that “today she is a rock-solid literature teacher, an extraordinarily successful creative writing teacher, and at the center of a growing Gender Studies curriculum.” Stambaugh remarked that “her English colleagues try to steal her writing rubrics whenever [they] can. She excels in the structured teaching of writing,” serving to show the impact Ms. Jennings has made in all Haverford English classrooms.

Ms. Jennings has taught Form IV students in English II and Form VI students in British Literature and ‘Truth and Other Fictions.’ Reflecting on his English experience at Haverford, Sixth Former Tim Delaney commented, “I’ve always enjoyed my math and science classes more than the humanities, but Ms. Jennings’s Truth and Other Fictions class was my favorite class at Haverford because of her creative writing exercises. My writing this semester drastically improved, and I enjoyed myself every day in class.” Additionally, Fifth Former Walter Paiva, a member of Ms. Jennings English II class as a Fourth Former, commented that Ms. Jennings “is genuinely passionate about English, and works hard to impart that same love

of literature in her students.” In a true testament to the effect Ms. Jennings has had on scores of students, Paiva remarked that “Ms. Jennings has been a vital member of Haverford’s English department, and she will be missed by those who have had the honor of being in her classes.”

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Jennings has transformed Haverford’s Speech and Debate team, Pegasus, and the Committee on Gender and Culture. Running Debate meetings, driving students over to competitions, judging in competitions, and the other myriad activities involved in running the team arguably occupy most of Ms. Jennings extracurricular time. Over the last three years, Haverford’s Speech and Debate team has grown tremendously.

Ms. Jennings and the Debate Team has met every Wednesday through the debate season and has competed at local and national competitions alike. This year, the Haverford debaters finished as quarterfinalists at the University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic and won the district tournament, with two Haverford teams qualifying to compete at State Championships. Under Ms. Jennings advising, Haverford’s Speech and Debate team had its best season yet, and is poised for further success in the years to come.

Additionally, Ms. Jennings served as the B Team Ultimate Coach in the 201213 and 2013-14 school years. When asked to remark on Ms. Jennings coaching, Ultimate Head Coach Dr. Andrew Fenton shared an anecdote about a particularly difficult match against North Penn. He recounted that Ms. Jennings “told the guys that if they scored the next point, she would bring them cupcakes. I just remember the team shouting ‘DO IT! FOR THE

CUPCAAAAAKES!’ They scored, and she made good on her promise. It was a unique, and uniquely awesome, motivational technique.”

The Human Relationships Seminar, which was originally created

by Ms. Jennings and Dr. Gottlieb in 2013, is another of Ms. Jennings’s several impacts on the Haverford community. Through the course, she taught Haverford, Agnes Irwin, and Baldwin students about the important roles of relationships, love, and empathy in daily life. Dr. Gottlieb remarked that “her intellect is second to none, and [they] have shared many common interests, especially in the areas of psychology, social theory, and gender politics.” With the Human Relationships course passed over to the guidance of English teacher Dr. Kellen Graham and Spanish teacher Ms. Carmen Epstein, Gottlieb wistfully noted about Ms. Jennings, “I will miss our discussions of psychoanalysis, gender roles, and cultural theory.” Dr. Graham described his work with Ms. Jennings in Human Relationships this way: “her empathy and her ability to really listen to students makes Ms. Jennings an outstanding teacher. She shares her heart with students in a way that at once comforts and empowers them. Furthermore, her work ethic and scrupulous attention to detail make Ms. Jennings a role model for other teachers.”

Over the past three years, Ms. Jennings has devoted an immense amount of energy to improving the lives of Haverford students both in and out of the classroom. Next year, Ms. Jennings will take her talents to Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire as the English Department Chair. Commenting on her favorite memories throughout the year, Ms. Jennings remarked that “there have been moving, inspiring, challenging,

sometimes hilarious, and energizing moments in every arena – from studying Hamlet or “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” or This Is How You Lose Her with a classroom of bright & creative minds to the Debate competition cafeteria waiting room to those ten-minute-overclass-time conversations we’d have at the end of Human Relationships. I appreciate all of the silly before-class banter as much as all of the serious conversations that have given me pause, that have given me something to think about – whether we’re studying a poem or hearing a bit of personal narrative work read aloud or just talking about life.” Haverford students will truly miss Ms. Jennings’s presence in all aspects of school life and are truly grateful for the impact she has left on our community over the past three years. Thank you, Ms. Jennings, for all of you have done for the Haverford community, and we wish you the best of luck in your future pursuits.

Coach Brady’s Burgeoning Leadership Program (cont.)

Continued from Front Page

Freshman Troy Gibbs-Brown, a basketball, JV football, and varsity track athlete, recognized the value of self-awareness and even applied it to his own life: “Doing the strengths quest was my most memorable moment in the leadership seminar. I constantly ask myself who I am and what I stand for. I think that opened up doors for opportunities and questions for me.”

Whether these leadership opportunities presented themselves in school, sports, or personal life, Gibbs-Brown commented that “the self-awareness gained from the strengthsquest has definitely contributed in many different situations.” Along with Third Formers like Gibbs-Brown, Haverford fifth graders are now also students in Brady’s leadership program. Moreover, Brady is currently entertaining the idea of leadership programs for lower schoolers as young as those in the second grade, noting: “we have dabbled starting in second grade with some mindfulness programs using breathing buddies, so that when the kids are getting frustrated, they can take their beanie baby and lie down and watch the rise and fall of the beanie baby on their chest to get in touch with their breathing – again, the self-awareness to control their emotions.”

Nonetheless, the fifth grade decisioneducation course remains the official launching pad of the leadership program.

Students, whether in fifth or ninth grade, are all equally immersed in leadership, yet it seems that implementing these seminars for Sixth Formers is “a dream... a dream,”

Brady mentions with a smile.

Although the program strives to instill leadership qualities in young men, not all are sure that the concept of leadership can be taught by a class – some believe leadership is an inherent trait and others think valuable experience is the only pathway to the enlightenment of leadership.

However, Brady “personally does think it can be taught, and sometimes people get caught up in this idea of the front-of-theroom leader who is up there directing.”

For Brady, a leader manifests in different forms, and only one is the front-of-the-room leader, the student up at the chalkboard. He continues by saying, “Not everyone is going to be a recognized leader, but everyone can be a leader of their own lives.”

On the other hand, for Gibbs-Brown, “Leadership is not something that you are born with that naturally comes. There is always some influence or outside force that causes people to live their lives a certain way or act distinctly.” A powerful combination of both natural experience and purposeful learning is what seems to mutually work for the students. Time, however, is a small obstacle to the rapid expansion of the program; “in a perfect world, I would love to devote half of your double block throughout all four years,” Brady says. In the meantime, Brady “would like to tie service with leadership. The school doesn’t have a policy right now of mandatory service. Ms. Loos and I were always talking about that. But if it is a onetime mandatory activity, then at least every boy is exposed to it and they can make their

decision from there.”

A servant-leadership mindset is rising in popularity and ubiquity because it aptly combines both leadership skills and community service. Although the growth of the leadership program may be suppressed by the reality of time, Haverford Sixth Former Will Solmssen is a living, breathing example that class time is not the only way to reach an enlightenment of leadership; it can also be through real life experiences. Solmssen, a Student Council representative, President of the Notables, member of the Signet Society, and an active theatre contributor, has much to say on his experiences with leadership and its cultivation. Yet, since the current Sixth Formers were Third Formers the year before Brady instituted the III Form seminars, most of them were never directly involved with the leadership program, so they garnered leadership skills in a different way. Solmssen comments that, “[he] was never approached by the idea of teaching someone how to be a leader through class, which [he] thinks can be effective and is an interesting method, but is not how [he] or [his] classmates learned.” However, Solmssen believes that he has an aptitude for leadership which has been cultivated through experiences at Haverford because “ [he] had the opportunities to be in charge in the Notables, in directing, in student council, or even in small things like group projects in school.”

Recently, among other leadership opportunities, Solmssen directed the spring musical at Haverford. A test of his leadership

skills, Solmssen deemed it challenging.

Even though he was not a disciple of the leadership program, Solmssen gained priceless experience through adventurous opportunities like this and recommends upcoming students to do the same. From these ventures, Solmssen reflects, “I think the most important thing I have learned through leadership opportunities at this school is that the best way to do it is to be fair, and to see the sides of every single situation. Whether you are just leading yourself by setting goals for yourself or whether you are actually leading people, if you have the ability to make things happen, that is one of the most important skills you can have.” Solmssen, like Gibbs-Brown, are just two of the many students that exemplify the core virtues of a Haverford student through their everyday activities, contributions, and choices.

With tremendous direction and promise, the leadership program at Haverford is soaring. As Brady emphasizes, “The fact that we have a director of leadership, someone whose job is to look at ways of integrating leadership, is far ahead of the curve. The fact that we are an independent school, that we can do things like this, puts us ahead of the curve.” The future of the leadership program is wide open for innovation, passion, and service. The leadership program is the culmination of the spirit, innovation, and thoughtfulness that Haverford offers for its student body to prepare them for college, for life, and beyond.

Page 6

The Index

June 2015

News

The Future of Fords Basketball After Losing Coach Fairfax Alex Sanfilippo ‘16

Much like the numerous Philadelphia sports teams currently mired in the process of “rebuilding,” the future for the Haverford School basketball program seems, on the surface, alarmingly nebulous. For the faithful supporters of the program who pack into the bleachers of McBride Court every Friday night, the upcoming 2015-2016 campaign may not carry the same allure as in years past, when fans could expect thunderous dunks from All-Star small forward Lamar Stevens and buzzer-beating jump shots from Temple-bound point guard Shawn Alston. Both will be taking their talents to different arenas next winter, along with standout freshman Cameron Reddish.

Perhaps the biggest change to Fords fans, however, will be watching a new coach patrol the sidelines and direct the team after four incredibly successful years under the guidance of Henry Fairfax, Director of Admissions.

With these four members of the program departing, a new chapter for the basketball program has begun, starting with the selection of a new head coach; recently, the Athletic Department made public that the new coach will be Bernie Rogers, who previously coached at Archbishop Ryan High School. Mr. Rogers will be presented with an intriguing choice: he can attempt to replicate and slightly tailor the system Coach Fairfax has established to his particular style or he can revamp the program entirely and truly start on a blank slate. The route he takes will give an indication of his and philosophies for the program, two things Mr. Fairfax stressed as essential components of any successful athletic program. The coach’s background and principles will also provide insight into his ability to replicate one of Mr. Fairfax’s

strongest talents: recruiting.

Deliberate, successful recruiting in sports at any level, from high school to professional leagues, usually predicts the potential for success of that particular team. Success, however, is subject to interpretation and can manifest in various ways depending on the coach’s values.

For some, success exclusively pertains to winning games. Others, Mr. Fairfax included, see success and recruiting from a more holistic perspective. As a Philadelphia native and former star, Mr. Fairfax clearly has an abundance of resources at his disposal to bring in elite players for the program.

Despite these resources, he stressed three criteria mandatory for any player on his team. Mr. Fairfax described these attributes as, “The ability to be successful [at Haverford] and be appreciative of the opportunity, the character to exist in this environment, and elite skill.” Having men of character and high-achieving studentathletes perfectly aligns with Haverford’s expectations for its graduates, making this particular philosophy of recruiting an exceedingly important one. Mr. Fairfax’s departure opens the door for coaches with recruiting philosophies ranging from only bringing in the highly touted all-stars to minimal recruiting and solely relying on the players already found in the program.

Regardless of the new style of recruiting, Mr. Fairfax states that for any coach to be a successful recruiter in the Inter-Ac league, “you have to first decide and define what is meant by ‘success’.” For Mr. Fairfax, success stemmed from “the relationships forged through my experiences coaching.”

If success for the coach and for Haverford as an institution is defined as winning countless games, then Mr. Fairfax suggests that the coach finds ways to engage high quality players by having a “national schedule,”

which entails playing other premier teams in tournaments across the country.

Members of the Haverford community undoubtedly want to watch a basketball team that can annually compete at an elite level and contend for an Inter-Ac championship, so the question begs, given Mr. Fairfax’s departure: do players need to be heavily recruited in order for the team to be competitive? The short answer, after a thorough discussion with Mr. Fairfax and observing the talent within the league this past season, is yes. If Haverford and fans of the program want to witness a similar caliber of basketball that has graced McBride Court for the past four years, the new coach will have to persuade local, top-ranked players to don a Fords jersey, a challenging task for a variety of reasons. However, this all goes back to the question of how the program defines success and what kind of program the administration and coach desire. As Mr. Fairfax bluntly stated, “Duke University is good because they decided they wanted to be good. If that’s what we wanted to do, then I have every resource to do that.

But my responsibility is as the Director of Admissions before anything else, so what I wanted to do was create a competitive and exciting ball club.” To Mr. Fairfax’s credit, he did just that­– the most recent season was indisputably one of the most entertaining yet heartbreaking in the program’s history.

In order to create the 2014-2015 team, however, Mr. Fairfax and coaches before him did need to entice quality players to attend Haverford, lending support to the prior claim that a competitive team needs competitive players, most of whom are found through recruiting.

Expectations for the new coach will be to come in and win games. For all that sports have to offer young men and women in terms of leadership and character development,

athletics are inherently competitive, and faculty, students, and administrators alike enjoy having a basketball program that contends for a championship year after year.

The incoming coach will need to quickly and capably take the focus away from the successes enjoyed by the team in recent years, and instead shift the focus towards a new future in Fords Hoops. Otherwise, the team will be lacking a consistent system and a fundamental understanding of who they are, two further components Mr. Fairfax repeatedly stressed as keys to the success of any basketball program. In galvanizing this transition, the coach will need to define his own vision of success and ensure that that vision can coexist with the administration’s plans for the program.

These changes will undoubtedly come with challenges. From a recruiting standpoint, whether the coach decides to recruit aggressively or not, attracting stars to play at Haverford in the Inter-Ac league remains difficult. As Mr. Fairfax notes, “It’s hard to attract that kid [who plays basketball year round] knowing that for the Haverford School to be competitive, we need multi-interested, multi-sport students.”

Additionally, Philadelphia continues to

at Haverford, he obviously has wanted students to learn, but even more importantly, he has aspired to prepare boys for life. Mr. Rooney recalled, several years ago, when he gave a speech to the high school about his life before Haverford. In his speech, Mr. Rooney explained how he went from a small town outside of Glasgow, Scotland to helping lead a very successful engineering company in the US. He taught the boys how he prepared for life. But his greatest wish has been that students learn from him; maybe not when they are in class with him, but maybe in ten years they will remember something he had said and finally understand what he meant. Mr. Trocano agreed as he said that Mr. Rooney instills “skills [in students] that will serve them well throughout their lives.”

When I asked Mr. Rooney about his favorite memory of Haverford, he said that he has never had one particular favorite memory; instead, he cherishes the combined memories of Haverford during his tenure.

Mr. Rooney recalled winning the Yearbook Dedication, but he also mentioned two other things: the first loss his undefeated golf team ever encountered and the alumni that have come back to thank him for his “life” lessons. Mr. Matthew Green, head of the Upper School, said that Mr. Rooney “is always focused on preparing boys for life.” In the Yearbook Dedication, former student and golfer Jake van Arkel said that after the golf team encountered its first ever loss to Malvern Prep, they expected a tongue-lashing from Mr. Rooney in the ride back to school. Instead, “[Mr. Rooney] was of [them]...he wanted to win more than any of [them], but he put his pride aside and cared for [them].” Apart from being the single most successful coach in Haverford’s history, Mr. Rooney also has fond memories of Haverford’s alumni. Mr. Rooney said that

although students may not understand some of the things that he says in the classroom, he is elated when alumni come back, give him a hug or handshake, and thank him for everything that he taught them. But Mr. Rooney said this process is definitely not about him getting thanks, but rather, “[him] teaching young men to get a better understanding of life.”

Now, as he nears “a new chapter of life” (definitely not retirement as he asked me to emphasize), Mr. Rooney looks to his legacy: how he will be remembered. Mr. Rooney has always had a great influence and an ability to collaborate with students.

Mr. Green described that influence by saying that “it is the quiet work he does with each student...that is most impressive.” Mr. Rooney said that he wanted students to learn about physics. He wanted students to learn about engineering. But most importantly, he wanted students to learn about life. So, as Mr. Rooney enters a new chapter of his life, he plans to do a couple of things. First, Mr. Rooney plans on playing golf, which practically goes without saying. Also, Mr. Rooney is thinking about either working on several business ideas or volunteering to teach at a non-profit, GED establishment in the city. He further remarked that if he can help those who have the determination to finally get a high school graduate degree, that would be a great, “personal achievement.”

Mr. Rooney will definitely be missed by all who know him. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the golf course, or launching rockets by the baseball field, Mr. Rooney has been a profound teacher, and a great friend.

Mr. Green, said that, “despite a prodigious intellect, [Mr. Rooney] never works over a kid’s head, meeting them where they are and fighting to make things the best he can for each boy. He is not in education to dazzle

people with his knowledge and talent, but to give each student the chance to discover something on his own, to see the world in a new way, to believe in his own abilities.”

Moreover, Mr. Trocano commented that “[he has] seen concrete evidence that the relationships [Mr. Rooney] forges with some students are both long lasting and meaningful to both parties.” But it is not just the teachers who have been touched by Mr. Rooney’s character; students have, too. VI Former Jack Henderson shared his thoughts about Mr. Rooney as he said, “Mr. Rooney has made me a better person. He’s instilled scholastic knowledge in me that has made me smarter, but he’s taught me life lessons that are priceless.” Now, nobody will hear of that eccentric physics teacher that plays golf using his self-patented “Gerry-club.”

Nobody will see Mr. Rooney bring out the golf team’s State Championships plaque and hear him shout, “State Champs, baby!” in his Scottish accent. But, Mr. Rooney has been without a doubt, one of the funniest, most caring, and successful teachers that Haverford has ever seen and he will certainly be missed by the entire Haverford School community.

Continued on Page 8

Coach Farifax’s shoes will be difficult to fill.

Students, Faculty Bid Farewell to Beloved Mr. Rooney Will Henderson ‘18

Next year, no one in Wilson Hall will hear the quirky, Scottish Physics teacher tell them that their grade was “pretty damn good” as he hands back their test. No one will hear their physics teacher talk about how he has the most wins of any Haverford coach. After 11 years of working with boys at Haverford, Mr. Rooney will retire from teaching at the end of this year. His experience here has been filled with accolades: he has been a highly successful varsity Golf coach, the recipient of the Yearbook Dedication in 2014, and an innovative science teacher. Mr. Rooney has had a profound impact on students and will certainly be missed. Mr. Tom Trocano, Science Department chair, said that “Mr. Rooney is one of those teachers who can make the kind of positive impact on a student that can be transformative.” From threatening people with a “Glasgow kiss” to rating their tests as he hands them back, Mr. Rooney has always been able to keep the class lively, educational, and above all, high-spirited.

Mr. Rooney came to Haverford in the fall of 2004, just after his son graduated in the previous spring. After seeing how much his son enjoyed his Haverford experience, Mr. Rooney decided to join the community as a physics teacher. Mr. Rooney said when he came to Haverford, he noticed the camaraderie among not only the boys, but the teachers, too. It is obvious why he won the yearbook dedication last year, as he has had a profound impact on students. And when I went to interview Mr. Rooney, before anything else, he showed me the video of the ceremony in which he received the prestigious award. When the video ended, Mr. Rooney said how proud he was to have the entire senior class vote for him to win the award last year. He then said that as a teacher

Mr. Jim Roese

Page 7

The Index

Arts

June 2015

10 Years of Excellence: Mr. Cloran’s Glorious Tenure Ian Riley ‘15

There is a quote by Henry Adams that hangs in Severinghaus Library. It reads as follows: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” That quote applies in the case of Mr. Matthew Cloran: a man who, for the last ten years, has dedicated himself to constantly improving the Haverford Theatre Department. He has fostered a passion in countless students for theatre, a passion that has often times been carried beyond the hallowed halls of Haverford. When asked if they had any words for Mr. Cloran on this most bittersweet occasion, all fondly remember Mr. Cloran for his energy, his attitude, his dedication and, most of all, for his support.

Mr. Cloran has worked tirelessly to make Haverford Theatre a supportive, inclusive environment. Regardless of previous experience, students have been given the opportunity to perform on Centennial’s stage. And, for more dedicated studentactors, he has offered opportunities to not only take on larger roles, but also explore other facets of theatre. Whether it be playing a lead, taking on a technical position, or allowing a student to direct the annual musical, the students under Mr. Cloran’s tutelage have had experienced that could not have been replicated elsewhere.

Mr Cloran has had an impact on every student that has come through the Theatre Department. In the spirit of that, I decided it would be best to collect impressions of Mr. Cloran from students and alumni alike. I sent out upwards of twenty-five emails and messages, and received upwards of twentyfive responses. There was no shortage of positive things to be said, and obviously I cannot present them all, but I will try to capture the spirit of as many as I can.

Mr. Cloran never shied away from a challenge, and directing two shows a year while producing a third is nothing if not challenging. And yet Mr. Cloran has consistently put on amazing productions.

As Mr. Stephenson put it, “The many Broadway musicals from his inaugural ‘Les Miserables,’ to his most recent, ‘Monty

Python’s Spamalot,’ have been incredibly successful, and well loved by all who were connected to them or attended the performances.” On top of that, “He introduced the Haverford community to contemporary plays that we had not ever attempted here before, sometimes funny, sometimes controversial, and always entertaining.”

Mr. Cloran’s influence goes beyond Centennial’s stage, however. He is someone with an uncanny ability to leave a lasting influence on his students. That theme reappears time and time again when I questioned students about him. In the words of Tyler Brooks, Class of 2013, “Never have I met a faculty member who

developments, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Now, I can only hope that my future mentors will have as great of an impact as Mr. Cloran has had on me.”

When asked about Mr. Cloran’s influence, Mike Green, Class of 2013, replied, “His constructive criticism, chaotic charisma and nonchalant chutzpah changes anybody’s mentality into that of a confident adult who understands him or herself… With every person I meet, with every performance I portray, and with every experience I have, I always can see the influence Mr. Cloran has had on me.”

Quoting V Former Ethan DeLehman, “I wouldn’t be the man I am today were it not for Mr. Cloran. To say this about most would be a gross exaggeration, but to say it about Matthew Cloran may very well be an understatement... Through Mr. Cloran, I found my niche, I found my friends, I found the people who would become my family.

I owe more to him than I could ever express.”

Mr. Hengst, who has been tasked with filling Mr. Cloran’s shoes next year and in the future, said, “For my two years here, Matthew Cloran has been Mr. Cloran peers out into the audience before his final show, Spamalot. Ms. Dawn Blake one of the most supportive worked so thanklessly and selflessly to people I have encountered… Watching improve even the smallest aspect of a him helm productions of up to 60 students, single student’s life.” Toney Goins, Class I’m amazed at how he creates personal of 2014, said, “He gave me so many experiences for every one of his performers opportunities to try things that I would and gives them all space to shine.” have never known I was capable of if it had Ms. Hallman wrote, “He has had my back not been for him taking a chance on me.” since day one, offering sage advice, keeping These sentiments are shared by alumni, me sane during show weeks, and being my current students, and faculty alike. V friend. The man is a legend on this campus, Former Alex Sanfilippo said about Mr as he should be, and he has an incredible Cloran, “Being involved with theatre has ability to make the stigma around a ‘theatre undoubtedly changed my life for the better, kid’ fade away while building a respect opened me up to new perspectives, and and love for theatre in our community.” has allowed me to mature and develop Beyond Haverford, Mr Cloran still has into the person I am today. Mr. Cloran made countless impressions on both past and has played an integral role in all of these current students. In both our sister schools,

and in the High School Theatre community at large, Mr. Cloran is just as well known and admired. Maddie D’Angelo, an alum of Merion Mercy Academy, said, “Matt Cloran has been one of the most singular influences in my life. Artistically, he gave me opportunities and challenged me in a way most people wouldn’t get in a high school theatre program… [He] became my mentor, especially when he didn’t need to be.”

Caroline Mosimann of Agnes Irwin, the Cappie winning costume designer for Joseph and Spamalot as well as Is He Dead?, said “When I first entered the Haverford theatre scene I was incredibly nervous, but Mr Cloran welcomed me into the community with enthusiasm… I can’t thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Fords’ theatre family and to have creative freedom to really design for his shows.”

His work extends into running the Cappies program for several years, and in the words of Kathy Moscotti, Chairman of the Steering Committee, “Watching Matthew work with young people is a joy to behold.

His enthusiasm and his ability to bring the best out of those he works with is amazing!”

There are several pages worth of quotations about Mr. Cloran. I wish that I could have put forth all of them and more to make it truly clear how impactful and unforgettable Mr. Cloran truly is. After ten years of dedication to the Haverford theatre department, he is moving on to the next stage in his life, and I, along with many other students, alum and faculty, wish him all the best.

To close, I decided to share one final thought that truly encapsulates the kind of man Mr. Matthew Cloran is, this one from Joe Cilio, Class of 2010, “Being a boys school, Haverford makes constant attempts to define what makes a ‘man.’ This task is often as perilous as it is reductive.

Regardless, I’m going to take a crack at it: a man is someone who faces every day, exciting or dull, with as much resilience and as much love as Matthew Cloran” Thank you, Mr. Cloran, for everything you have done for Haverford as a whole and for each and every one of us individually. We will never forget the impact you have had on us.

Art Department to Miss Mr. Frock’s Knowledge & Guidance Luke Green ‘16

Although he is a man of few words, Mr. Frock has left a big mark on the Haverford community. His knowledge of design is second to none, and he is a wizard when it comes to computers. He led the charge for a new field of study at Haverford, creating new classes centered around art through technology. Using photoshop and iMovie, Mr. Frock enabled students to explore their own artistic style, and it did not have to be on a canvas or ceramic piece. Don’t let his tendency to be quiet fool you: Mr. Frock has big ideas and he has made a lasting influence in the classroom. He is always available for students, and he puts their needs first. Whenever students encounter a bump in the road, Mr. Frock will always be there to help and will always try to help to the best of his ability.

Not only did he teach numerous art classes and run our school’s computer lab, but he also ran a club that required countless hours of strenuous effort. The Haligoluk, Haverford’s annual yearbook, is a very extensive and meticulous project that requires intense focus and skill.

Mr. Frock led the club for numerous years, consistently releasing content that stunned the student body and Haverford community. He is an expert in layout and has given numerous Yearbook editors the key to layout throughout the years. Every

Thursday morning he would arrive at school bright and early for the Yearbook meeting, and if a student had a conflict, he would be very flexible. Fifth Former Wayne Hester, a Haligoluk contributor, commented on this by saying, “Mr. Frock is a hard worker who put a lot of time into creating yearbooks in his time at Haverford and it has showed with the quality of books

that he has helped produce each year.”

Mr. Frock is not the type of person to get angered quickly if a student makes a mistake. He understands that working on the Yearbook is a learning process, and that everyone makes mistakes. He is a very patient man who lets his ideas and designs speak for his words. No matter the circumstances, whether we miss a deadline or mess up a page or layout, Mr. Frock keeps everyone calm and focused. He understands that we students have a lot going on in our lives, and that the yearbook or art is not always our first priority.

He gives the necessary time in order to complete our objectives, and we are all appreciative of his understanding.

As a member of the Haligoluk, I know and have experienced how tough being the advisor to the Yearbook has been. We are frequently understaffed, and Mr. Frock has to end up doing a significant chunk of the yearbook himself as we simply do not have enough photographers and editors. Frequently, he is seen scrambling to take photos and candids of student life because we lack the necessary photos in order to make the book. Mr. Frock did not have to make

these sacrifices to his own free time, yet he did it anyways because he cares about us and he cares about this community. As an editor for our literary magazine Pegasus, I know that he takes time to go through our magazine in InDesign to make sure everything is done correctly, something he really does not have to do, yet he does it anyways.

So, no longer will students probably hear that quiet voice in an assembly or feel that calming presence in the computer lab. Although you may feel that Mr. Frock had less of an impact on Haverford than some other teachers, I can assure you that what he does undoubtedly impacts each student and the community positively. He is the epitome of hard work, no matter the circumstances, and he sets an example that one does not necessarily have to tbe loudest and most outspoken to become a leader. Sometimes, leading by example is just as effective, something that Mr. Frock has mastered to an art. He deserves great recognition for his tenure at Haverford, and although we can never repay him for the work he has put in, he deserves our thanks.

Even if you did not really know him as a person, I think we all know as a person Mr. Frock enhanced this community in a way we have never seen before. Haverford students wish him the best of luck on his newest journey.

Page 8

The Index

June 2015

Sports

Index 2014-2015 Athlete of the Year: Phil Poquie Drew Sterman ‘16 profiles the inaugural Athlete of the Year, chosen by the Index staff. Poquie won Inter-Ac titles in football and lacrosse and is committed to play the latter at the University of Virginia next season.

George Rubin ‘17

Every few years an athlete of sheer brilliance steps onto the turf of Sabol Field and leads his team to victory. This athlete is a leader amongst his brothers off the field and a mighty force to be reckoned with on it. Phil Poquie is that athlete. Poquie was the workhorse running back for the football team, who won nine straight games to end an incredibly impressive season. In the Spring, he led the Fords’ lacrosse team to an undefeated national championship.

The Index is proud to present the annual Athlete of the Year award to Phil Poquie.

Poquie has led the Fords to unprecedented success in his final season in maroon and gold. Football reached a level of success that had never been seen before in the long history of the program, with Poquie as a key component of the Ford’s high-octane offense. One of the many highlights of the football season was a 54-12 thrashing of Downingtown East, in which Poquie dazzled. He had 10 carries for 119 yards and three touchdowns. In a battle against rival Malvern Prep, which saw the Fords oust

the Friars 22-6, Poquie gained 115 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Whenever the football team needed a big run or a first down, Phil was surely the man to count on. The Fords capped off the season with a commanding victory over Episcopal on EA Day, ending the year with the crowd rushing to the field to celebrate their first football championship in half of a decade.

An undefeated season by the lacrosse

Poquie looks to hit a hole against the Churchmen on EA Day.

team had only accomplished once before,

in 2011. Poquie was a main component of the unstoppable Fords’ team that ended the season as the undisputed #1 team in the nation. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the final of the InterAc Challenge, scoring four key goals in the Fords’ 15-8 victory over the previously undefeated Hun School. Poquie began his domination early, scoring the first goal less than three minutes into the game on what has become almost routine for him.

He showcased his speed and athleticism by bursting through a pack of Hun defenders before firing a shot past the helpless Hun goalie. To conclude the fantastic season and his career in a Fords uniform, Poquie aided the lacrosse team in a remarkable comeback victory over Culver Academy that came down to the final seconds, preserving their status as undefeated and indisputable #1. This game stood out in Poquie’s mind as one he will never forget.

His six years at Haverford have provided many challenges and many accomplishments.

Being a two-sport athlete with training year-round, academic pressure was heightened for Mr. Jim Roese Poquie: “It was a lot harder simply because of the vigorous academics we have here at Haverford.

The challenge was real and a shout out

definitely goes to those Iron Men who manage to play three sports all three seasons for all four years.” Poquie will be taking his immense talent to the prestigious University of Virginia, who finished sixth in the nation for lacrosse. Poquie was a commit to the University of Pennsylvania for most of his high school tenure, but decided against it in the latter stages.

Phil attributes the success of this year’s athletic programs not only to him but more importantly his classmates: “The difference is, one: the depth of the senior class. This year we had more seniors playing for both football and lacrosse and a strong core really helps and two is definitely the will of this years two teams.

When it came down to it, guys on both teams told one another that they were not losing by any means.” The strong core and camaraderie shared between the Sixth Form was the most important factor for the Ford’s success. “Finishing my senior year with two championships made me feel accomplished. My career here at Haverford has definitely been a wave.

I’m just glad it ended up on a high note.

All of the hard work that the class of 2015 put in for 4 years paid off,” Poquie said.

Phil’s presence will surely be missed on the field, but it is clear that he will more than adequately represent a true Haverford gentleman in the years to come.

All-Star McGowan Ends Sensational Haverford Career Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16

Sixth Former Kevin McGowan is not the loudest player on the field, but in his fouryear baseball career at Haverford, he has allowed his actions to speak for themselves.

A lockdown second basemen, McGowan has been around baseball his entire life and when he came to Haverford in his freshman year, he brought exactly what the coaching expected: a highly skilled, determined baseball player. McGowan was made up of the “right stuff” even before he came to Haverford.

After finishing his eighth grade year, McGowan, with aspirations of playing at the next level, wanted to be in an environment that would allow him to make that leap in a much easier fashion. When McGowan discovered Haverford, he knew it was the right place because he knew of its prestige and how successful its sports teams had been in sending players to college programs.

McGowan performed impressively from the start of his first Haverford School baseball tryout, making the Varsity squad and eventually becoming a highperforming starter. Although McGowan admits it was tough at first being on the varsity team as a Third Former due to the age disparity, he acknowledged that he was able to “hold his own” with the senior

leadership always behind his back.

Yet, McGowan being the humble player he is, can attribute his ability to lead to those who led him: “I have grown into a better player and leader over the past four years because of the experiences I was able to pick up in my career.”

It is very safe to say McGowan adapted to the varsity competition very quickly.

McGowan batted in the nine spot for the majority of his Third Form season, but by the time the state tournament came around, he had moved into the second spot because of his high on-base-percentage.

Coming off of an impressive first year, McGowan was hungry for more and played spectacularly during his Fourth Form year.

Moving into the cleanup (fourth) spot in the lineup, he was asked to step up into the role that he would eventually assume permanently. Obviously, he took that role by the collar; he never turned back.

In his best statistical season as a Fourth Former, McGowan finished with a 0.438 batting average, a 0.510 average with RISP (runners in scoring position), 30 runs, 46 hits, 41 runs batted in (RBIs) and 11 stolen bases.

After leading the Fords to a state championship that year, McGowan somewhat struggled in his Fifth Form year.

With internal pressure regarding where he would continue his career at the next level

and the feeling that he was responsible for carrying the team, he had his worst statistical year.

Yet, McGowan remained composed and found a way to battle every day on the diamond and continued his role as a vocal leader for the Fords, helping them advance to the State semifinals.

McGowan has been a member of the Haverford baseball program now for four years and thus has experienced the atmosphere surrounding four very different teams. When asked about any parallels and/or differences between the 2012 team (his freshman year) and the team this year, he answered, “I see a lot of similarities between this year’s team and the team my freshman year because of how many seniors we have this year and all of the leadership we have. That being said, there weren’t many younger guys on the team my freshman year as opposed to this year.”

As leadership is a factor in McGowan’s evaluation of the teams, it is important to note that he has been one of the team’s leaders ever since his Fourth Form season.

Now, as a Sixth Former, McGowan has returned to his Fourth Form ways and led the Fords to an impressive 25-5 overall record. Despite falling short in their quest for another state title, the baseball team notably defied expectations, and the season can surely be seen as successful.

contribute to the program, but conceded that it will be a “different” team taking the court than in years past. For the team to take the talent they possess and compete, Mr. Fairfax stated that “if you get here before school, we have kids playing lacrosse everywhere all throughout the year. There’s no coincidence why we are as successful as we are. Well, if you go into our gym, you don’t see any kids working out or playing basketball every single day.” In order for the team to enjoy success and win games next year, a high level of commitment and effort will be required from every player. In recent years, the team could win or lose based entirely on the efforts of one or two individuals. Now, an

interesting dynamic presents itself in which all members of the roster affect whether the team wins or loses, so those extra workouts and practice time will become increasingly vital. Responsibility, then, is placed on the incoming coach to organize these workouts and foster a culture that emphasizes team play and the mindset that each individual is working to make the players around him better so that they all can be successful on the court.

While many are optimistic, the future of Haverford basketball remains uncertain.

New coaches always represent a new beginning, regardless of similarities that may arise between the past coach and the

Basketball Program in Transition (continued) Continued from Page 6

thrive as a high school basketball juggernaut, so the most talented players will search for an environment that allows them to harness and elevate their potential to new heights, an environment Haverford may not necessarily provide. While this certainly isn’t a negative aspect of the school, it does make the task of the basketball coach more difficult.

On the court, the new coach will have to work with a young roster consisting of many rising III and IV Formers who will have to step up and prove their ability to compete at the Varsity level. Mr. Fairfax suggested that the team does have players who can

Moving beyond Haverford, McGowan will continue his baseball career at La Salle University. A passionate player, he looks forward to advancing his game at the next level and letting baseball taking him as far as possible.

The Fords baseball staff and community will miss McGowan’s talent, but more importantly they will miss the Kevin McGowan who was always willing to work harder than the player next to him, and then teach others how to follow after him. McGowan is an irreplaceable player in the annals of Haverford School Baseball history who will not be forgotten.

new one. The most important task for the incoming coach will be to establish what the values and objectives for the team are.

Mr. Fairfax frankly noted, “If it was simply about winning championships, I would have approached it [coaching] completely differently. I would have had three Shawn Alston’s, three Lamar Stevens’s, and five Cameron Reddish’s. Lifelong relationships, I think, in the grand scheme of things are going to matter more.” With a new season approaching, however, Mr. Fairfax’s philosophies no longer guide the basketball program. A new era has descended upon Haverford basketball. Everyone is waiting to see what it brings.

Page 9

The Index

Sports

June 2015

Tennis Completes Another Historic Season Connor Lees ‘17

Haverford’s Varsity Tennis team capped off another successful season after winning their sixth consecutive Inter-Ac title in May. The 2015 team, lead by seniors Ben and Zach Lieb, Andrew Gushner, Nathan Kidambi and Jackson Simon, won the Philadelphia Cup, the New England/MidAtlantic (NEMA) Invitational, the InterAc tournament and captured a sixth place finish at the National High School Tennis Invitational. Haverford finished the year with a stellar 20-1-1 record; with their single loss and tie coming at Nationals.

After a thrilling 2014 Inter-Ac championship win over archrival Episcopal, Mr. Fink, coach of the Varsity tennis team, announced that the team received an invitation to compete for a national championship in Newport Beach, California at the National High School Tennis Invitational. Because the tournament was scheduled for early in the 2015 season, this season began earlier than usual. Throughout the winter, the team prepared by conditioning together at a local gym and traveling around the Main Line to find open indoor court time to practice.

Directly following the offseason, the season’s first challenge came at the Philadephia Cup. The Philadelphia Cup fielded Philadelphia’s best sixteen high school tennis teams for a two-day, world cup style event. The Fords stormed through the group stage and finished the knockout stages unscathed, sweeping Lower Merion, the Pennsylvania Public School champions, Radnor, and Episcopal 5-0.

After staking their claim as the best tennis team in Philadelphia, the Fords flew to to Los Angeles to compete for a national title.

For each match at Nationals, there were five singles and three doubles matches with the singles players also playing doubles.

The Ford’s first match was in the morning against the Arizona state champions, Brophy Jesuit. The Liebs took care of

Brophy’s one and two in singles and doubles and the Fords held off the Arizona state champions 7-1.

The atmosphere at Nationals was nothing like our Inter-Ac matches. The tennis match had the energy of a basketball or football game, with excessive cheering between points, coaches coming onto the courts between games, and huge crowds.

In the afternoon session, the Fords drew the favorites to win the tournament, the Menlo School from Atherton, California.

Menlo was exceptionally strong; their top three singles players were committed to Division I schools for tennis.

Halfway through the singles matches, the Fords were ahead of the nation’s top team in four out of the five matches. In the Southern California heat, the Fords began to cramp and lost the four matches they were winning while Ben Lieb stormed back and beat one of Menlo’s two AllAmericans. Down 4-1 and needing to win all of the doubles matches proved to be an insurmountable deficit and the Fords suffered their first loss of the season.

The next day, the Fords prepared better for the heat in lieu of their match against the fourth best team in the country, San Marino High School. The loss to Menlo inspired the Fords as Zach Lieb beat San Marino’s best player, a UCLA commit, in singles to take a lead going into the doubles.

All-Americans Zach and Ben took care of business against San Marino’s best doubles team, while then the tandem of Drew Clark and William McDevitt clinched a 5-3 victory over San Marino, one of the biggest wins in Haverford tennis history.

Following the match the team refueled at the original Ruby’s Diner in Newport Beach and suited up for their final match; the 5th place match against Harvard Westlake at the Palisades Tennis Club. The Palisades once held the Davis Cup, tennis’ equivalent to the FIFA World Cup. At the center of the facility, a center court fitted with a stadium sized scoreboard, stadium

seating for at least a hundred people is surrounded by ten pristine green hard courts.

The Fords saved their best tennis for an evenly matched opponent in Harvard Westlake. Both teams played well and were even down the stretch. Ben and Zach won first doubles while Will McDevitt and Ben Lieb won their singles matches to keep the score close. The match ended in a 4-4 tie, but not without controversy. Harvard Westlake violated the tournament’s antistacking rule by playing their second best player on their third doubles team team and should have been disqualified. In the end, however, the Fords took home an impressive 6th place finish.

Nationals was definitely the highlight of the 2015 season, but the New England/ Mid-Atlantic (NEMA) title provided a close second. The NEMA invitational fielded the sixteen best teams from nine different states at the McDonough School in Owings Mill, Maryland. The team’s top three singles and two doubles competed in individual tournaments for their respective category earning points for the team with each win. Excluding one singles, Haverford placed first in all other events, dominating the field and winning their second NEMA

Kim, Peter Rohr, and Greg Kirwan, defeated Episcopal in their final race of the season, marking the first time the cross country team had won on EA Day in more than fourteen years. They notched a third place finish at Independent States.

The golf team, commanded by Ryan Bowman, Jay Losty, and Jack Henderson, finished first in the Inter-Ac for the fifth time in six years. They also claimed victory at the state finals for the third consecutive season and continued their dominance on EA Day. Swimming, led by All-American captains Luke Ryan and Ben Nelligan, broke 10 school records and set a team record for their finish at Easterns by placing second out of over thirty competing teams. Fifth Former Matt Haigh earned the recognition as Delaware County Swimmer of the Year, and Third Form sensation Alex Boratto became the first ever Ford to win a race outright at Easterns.

Wrestling once again contended for the league title, finishing second. Captain L.J Barlow, who will wrestle for the Harvard Crimson in the fall, was named All-Delco Wrestler for the third time. He was the headliner in a strong Sixth Form of nine.

Squash, led by Yale-bound Jay Losty and star Fifth Former Sean Hughes, won both the Inter-Ac title and the Mid-Atlantic Squash Association tournament. Their only loss came to national champions Brunswick.

The hockey team, led by a strong core of Sixth Formers, earned a 10-win season. The Fords finished second in the Independent

Hockey League, with Brendan Jacob and Brandon Vattima garnering first team honors. Their even managed to embarrass rival Episcopal in a 7-0 victory.

The Fords’ success at the end of 2014 carried over well into the Spring of 2015. The Crew team, captained by Jack Pechet, Jordan Siegal, Kyle Bowman, and Berkeley Melvin, had a stellar season on the Schuylkill. Four boats medalled at the Philadelphia City Championships, widely considered one of the most difficult rowing competitions on the east coast. In addition, the JV Four boat of Andrew Lengel, Jeffrey Li, Davis Martinelli, and Andy Leith won first place at Stotesbury, arguably the most prestigious high school regatta in the world.

Baseball was led by a strong senior class of eight containing the likes of Kevin McGowan, Ryan Fuscaldo, and Nick Greco. These three, backed by a stellar pitching seasons from Mike Warnick and Tyler Dunbar, helped the “Diamond Fords” to a school record 26 wins, including wins over Malvern and several big southern powerhouses during a Spring trip to Florida.

Guided by a strong core of Sixth Formers, including James Greytok, Reggie Harris, and Brandon Walker, the track team won the Inter-Ac championship for the first time since 1976. They also reigned supreme at the state championships, where long jumper and sprinter Micah Sims was stellar.

The Fords went undefeated in dual meets and sent many runners to compete in the renowned Penn Relays.

Tennis set records once again, winning

The tennis team huddles before a game at their home courts on Baldwin’s campus.

Is This the Pinnacle of Haverford Sports?

Drew Sterman ‘16

In the past school year, Haverford athletics has reached an unprecedented level of success across the board. The Fords have seen championships in soccer, football, cross country, track, tennis, golf, and lacrosse.

During the fall, the Varsity soccer team continued its run of overwhelming success, punctuated by an exhilarating 1-0 victory over the previously #1 ranked team in the nation. Led by Sixth Formers Shane McBride, Tucker McBride, Brandon Shima, and goalkeeper Quinn Letter, the Fords netted their third-consecutive Inter-Ac title.

Fifth Former Connor Gregory was chosen as the Inter-Ac co-MVP and led the team in goals scored.

Football had, quite possibly, its best season in program history, finishing the season on a streak of nine straight victories.

Led by Sixth Formers Derek Mountain, Jack Doran, Julian Jamgochian, Phil Poquie, and a breakout season from rocket-leg kicker Jack Soslow, the Fords ran away with the league title. Boasting one of the strongest defenses in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Fords held Episcopal Academy, Penn Charter, Germantown Academy and Malvern to a combined 20 points. Fifth Former wide receiver/safety Dox Aitken was named the most valuable player of the league after a phenomenal season. 14 players were recognized with all-league honors, an incredibly impressive feat.

The cross country team, lead by Alex

Mr. Jim Roese

title in three years.

The Fords’ success carried throughout their Inter-Ac season. The team not only won every Inter-Ac match, but did not lose a set in any league match. After completing a clean sweep of the Inter-Ac, the team headed into the season ending tournament as the favorites and easily brought another title back to Haverford. At the Inter-Ac tournament, there is a morning round robin followed by a knock-out style tournament for the top finishers in the robin robin.

There was four separate tournaments; A,B and C doubles tournaments and a singles tournament. In all of the flights, multiple Haverford teams competed for one title. It was an all-Haverford final in the singles between Ben and Zach and they both defaulted to share the singles title.

Meanwhile in the B doubles flight, senior Jackson Simon won his first individual Inter-Ac title and Drew Clark won his third overall against the freshman duo of Benji Bacharach and John Walsh.

The departing senior class lead the Fords to great 2015 season, so now it’s up to rising Sixth Former Drew Clark and a strong group of underclassman to lead the Fords in 2016.

yet another Inter-Ac championship. In a national invitation tournament over spring break, Haverford suffered its first loss in 25 matches, dropping a hard-fought battle to the top ranked team in California, Menlo School. Led by the Penn State-bound Lieb brothers, the Fords once again dominated Inter-Ac play, not dropping a set in any of their league matches.

The lacrosse team had the most visible success out of all sports. Led by a remarkably talented group of 22 seniors, the Fords rolled through every opponent on their way to an undefeated national championship. They dominated archrivals and reigning league champs Malvern Prep, and throttled the Hun School in the final of the Inter-Ac Challenge. An undefeated lacrosse season had only been achieved once before, in 2011. The Fords finished as the undisputed #1 team in the nation.

With such a high level of success being reached, the question remains: What now?

The graduating Class of 2015 has been one of, if not the strongest, athletic and academic classes in Haverford’s storied history. With many valued members of nearly every sports team graduating, the spots will be hard to fill and the absence will be widely felt. It seems unlikely that Haverford athletics will ever reach this level of widespread dominance and excellence in the years to come. Congratulations to the Class of 2015 on all of your accomplishments in this record breaking year, the Class of 2016 is eagerly ready to fill your shoes.

Page 10

The Index

Opinions

Solving Senioritis: A Student Method Sixth Former Manav Khandelwal explains the root causes of “senioritis’ and how the school should take a more instinctive approach to resolving it once and for all.

Manav Khandelwal ‘15

The Haverford School: “Preparing Boys for Life.” The reality is, however, is that its primarily role is to prepare boys for college, as the title “college preparatory school” belies. To that effect, much has been made of students’ work being directed towards the pursuit of college acceptance letters, and how that drives Haverford students to succeed, which detracts from some of the learning at this institution.

It is definitely an issue worth discussing.

On any given day throughout March and April, many senior-only elective classes had maximum attendance rates of 80-85%.

Some people had genuine reasons not to be in school or that class, but many times it was the simple fact that they could not be bothered to show up. Double free? Make that triple free by skipping first period and coming in at 11. Many teachers and students point to this phenomenon of “senioritis” as the result of Haverford boys’ attitudes, the pressure their parents put on them to succeed in college, and an intrinsic lack of passion for learning.

I would like to take a more nuanced look at it for a number of reasons. First and foremost: what actually motivates students at the high school level? I think getting at the core of that question first requires understanding why lower schoolers appear so happy, why they seem to enjoy coming to school every day. I know many older students, myself included, would love to return to the days of lower school where going to school and learning was fun.

Fifth Former Dan Kielty, who attended lower school in Australia, says that

“seeing my mates and going to recess to kick a footy” made school enjoyable for him. That is a pretty common answer among the upperclassmen I interviewed for this article. Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, that answer carries over to high school.

“The one reason I am always willing to come to school,” says Sixth Former Harry Bellwoar, “is because my friends are here and I know I’ll enjoy my time around them.”

Classmate Ryan Bowman adds, “I look forward to coming in every morning and hanging with my friends between, during, and after classes.”

Schoolwork, many of them conclude, is a drag, but it is the thrill of seeing friends each day, cracking jokes and talking about their lives, that helps them get out of bed in the morning. Haverford often touts its “brotherhood,” and while the connotations of that word may not be fully understood by the administration or even the students, there is no denying that Haverford is a place for friendship. The relative comfort of a single-sex environment, one that breeds trust rather than jealousy, love rather than competition, makes peer interactions an essential part of the school day.

In fact, I’d extend that even further: I believe our classmates drive us to strive for more than college or monetary aspirations, although they are significant factors as well. Many adults feel that students can feed each others’ bad habits, that one bad apple can convince students that trying hard in school is bad, or that success comes easy. I feel the opposite is true, and so did a few of my interviewees.

June 2015

In fact, Bowman feels motivated by “Most of my motivation has come to satisfy others. I love when . . . a classmate stops me to tell me my painting was really good.”

Bellwoar adds, “What motivates me is a competitive attitude. I like all the people in my classes, but I want to be the best regardless.”

How are those two sentiments related?

One is about peer appreciation, the other about competition, but they share the same key element: classmates motivate us. Some of it is pride, a desire to please others, while the remainder is often pure competition, which in many ways is far healthier than apathy. We all know that too much of a good thing can be bad, but I think Haverford’s culture promotes the right amount of competition, a testament to the attitudes of the faculty.

In many instances, this motivation pushes us further than any material reward. Take a hangout at a friend’s house, for instance, where a few Haverford boys gather to play a few “casual” games of FIFA 15. Within 30 or 40 minutes, bar none, rivalries will be formed, temporary enemies will be made, and tempers will flare. Winning that game against your best friend may not be the ticket to an Ivy League school, but you will be far more motivated to succeed there than on your Spanish test due the next day.

The key to senioritis, in my opinion, is unlocking that aspect of motivation as the college impetus fades. Teachers often feel that hands-on, project/discussionbased learning is the panacea for senioritis.

It often helps (see: Modern Middle East), but it is just not enough. Unless you are teaching material that is fascinating at its core, something that students would talk about even if they were not wearing a coat and tie, sitting at a disk, and being forced to pay attention, your task is far more

difficult.

How exactly would I go about implementing such a strategy? For one, I would acknowledge that traditional styles of teaching do not, and will not, work.

Expecting students to study for your test and put effort into your paper because they always have, unfortunately, does not apply.

Before, you relied on their tangible reward motivation. Now it is time to stimulate the intangible.

In fact, it is often the students who have displayed the least outward desire to work who can be motivated this way, probably because that urge has been stifled so long by the societal importance of college that only second semester of senior year can release it. For our Utopian Literature final project, where we had to create our own utopia based on personal beliefs and ideals, Mr. Matthew Green, our teacher, perhaps expected the kind of response he had received all semester on his assignments: general apathy. What he found, however, or at least what I found, was that this two-hour session was probably more stimulating than any essay or test response he had graded thus far. The opportunity to create an idea, present it in front of classmates, and then defend it had brought out the creativity and passion within more than a few students, even the ones who had been most critical of the class throughout the semester.

That model, class-wide work that forces students to take responsibility for their ideas and effort in front of their classmates, is what will ultimately drive second semester seniors to be more than just passengers. Taking advantage of the instinct that has them spending countless hours checking their fantasy football team, plotting trades and reading online analysis will benefit everyone in the long run.

students to flexibly design their own schedules, and the administration to move and change various communal activities.

Private schools inherently allow for private rule. Yet students seem to be perpetually wanting more and more for their own satisfaction. While I fully understand the aim to always want more (Greed is good, right?), there is a fine line between being motivated and simply being obnoxious.

A large portion of the student body tends to disregard some of the supposedly rigid rules enforced by the faculty. A shining example of this student rebelliousness revolves around the practice of moving cars.

Since Haverford only has enough parking space to guarantee spots for seniors, most newly-licensed Fifth Formers are forced to park in hourly parking spots located on the periphery of the school’s campus.

In order to prevent the accumulation of parking tickets, most Fifth Formers simply leave school during free-periods to go and move their cars without “signing out,” a so-called “mandatory requirement.” But rather than being punished for breaking clearly stated rules, students still believe their situation merits more privileges.

They believe breaking the rules should seemingly be replaced with the abolishing of certain rules altogether.

The sense of entitlement that stems from the five figure tuition payments tends to overshadow the idea that children are, in fact, children. Haverford already given students an ample amount of freedoms, which the average high school lacks.

Students do not need hall passes to be excused from classes, various rooms are

designated solely for social convenience, and dress down days are routinely given out. Recent demands have centered around a rejuvenated effort for a student lounge, Fifth Form privileges to legally be allowed to leave campus, and casual Fridays. While these demands are within reason, they cannot be met with forceful request and pretentious attitude.

Furthermore, the faculty have nothing to benefit from if students’ demands are met.

A compromise is defined as “an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.”

Students’ desires force faculty to make the concession of giving up a classroom for a lounge, or keeping track of more students if Fifth Formers are given off-campus privileges. All these demands benefit the student body and does not require it to make any concessions in return. This ironic twist concerning portray of power places the student in the driving seat while, in reality, the students actually have zero affect on what the faculty or administration has to do.

Students have to be reminded that many of their luxuries are privileges and not rights.

Privileges are given as a result of loyalty and obedience, and can promptly be taken away as soon as that complicit manner is lost. While I would love to have a senior lounge for my final year at haverford, and to smoke cigars on my graduation day, and to dress down every Friday, I do realize my place at Haverford is as a student and sometimes I have to accept that I do not always get what I want.

Privileges, not Rights: What Students Don’t ‘Deserve’ Will Means ‘16

Frank Underwood once said, “You are entitled to nothing.” While Netflix’s hit TV show “House of Cards” and its attack on public welfare programs may not correlate precisely to The Haverford School, the same mindset must be applied to the student body.

Cries for increased student privileges and rights, especially among upperclassmen, have risen in recent months and are corroborated by claims that the administration is removing certain traditional elements of high school life without consulting the student body. Sixth Formers are no longer allowed to smoke cigars on graduation day. A student lounge for upperclassmen, while never existing in

the first place, has been repeatedly rejected by faculty. Students claim that their rights are being taken away from them and their high school experiences will severely suffer as a result. But these claims arise from an overly-spoiled mindset where students are trying to yank the silver spoon out of their mouths and replace it with one covered in diamonds.

Haverford, by definition, is a private school and private schools are not obliged to follow various degrees of governmental education requirements.

Haverford has largely gotten rid of any form of standardized testing or curriculum, as seen when the school eliminated AP courses. This lack of overall rigidity in the school’s daily planning allows teachers to personally create their own curriculum,

Mr. Sassu, being sworn in above as Haverford’s Chief of Police, fields the brunt of complaints regarding parking. Ms. Dawn Blake

Page 11

The Index

Politics

June 2015

Explaining Both Sides of the Iran Nuclear Deal Geroge Rubin ‘17

In April of 2015, the world has taken major steps forward in preventing more countries in the Middle East from acquiring the atomic bomb. Iran represents a major threat for the West, and even more so if they had a nuclear arsenal. But where do they come from? It was in the 1950s that the United States provided Iran with its first nuclear reactor. At that time, the relations between the USA and Iran were stable under the rule of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and Iran promised it would only use the reactor for peaceful research of nuclear energy. In 1968, Israel, one of Iran’s biggest enemies in the Middle East, acquired the atomic bomb. Although Iran did not pursue the same ends, they thought about it, which was enough to scare the West a little. In 1979, the monarchy is overthrown during the Islamic Revolution.

Ruhollah Khomeini was one of the main leaders of the Iranian Revolution and was appointed Supreme Leader of Iran as Ayatollah Khomeini. This position is a theocratic one, and Khomeini is a representative or Allah for Iran, and leads them spiritually, having a lot of influence.

At this point, the ties between Iran and the United States, which were previously close, began deteriorating, and Khomeini started calling the US “Great Satan”.

From 1980 to 1988, Iran was at war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. When Iraq acquires the nuclear bomb, Iran feels threatened. Both Israel and Iraq, its two biggest enemies, have nuclear weapons, and so Iran also wants to upgrade its arsenal. When Khomeini died in 1989, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is still the Supreme Leader of Iran to this day, became the head of Iran, the country was already researching the nuclear bomb. In 1996, President Bill Clinton, realizing the chaos that would enter the world if Iran researched the nuclear bomb, started sanctioning Iran.

He prohibited any US entity from trading with Iran. This caused economical issues for Iran, and consequently blocks their path to the atomic bomb without stopping their research.

In 2002, President George W. Bush ignored valuable intelligence from inside opposition groups warning the USA that Iran is much farther into research than the rest of the world thinks. George Bush at the

time preferred to concentrate on Iraq, and focused on finding a way to justify attacks against Saddam Hussein rather than stopping Iran in their tracks. Supporters of Iran’s nuclear program rejoiced when conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president of Iran in 2005.

His main motivation for accelerating the process of acquiring the nuclear bomb was competition against Israel. He believed Israel should be wiped off the surface of the Earth and that the Holocaust was a myth. Israel felt threatened and planned an air strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Bush stopped Israel from doing this and instead tells them about USA’s plan to slow down Iran’s nuclear progress.

“Olympic Games” consisted of cyberattacks that the US planned against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and causing malfunction in centrifuges in such a way it would look like they broke accidentally.

Tension rose even more between Israel and Iran when three of Iran’s best nuclear scientists were killed. In 2009, Barack Obama came into office as President of the United States. He continues “Olympic Games” but also starts diplomatic talks with Iran as well as with the world’s other major powers. China, Russia, United Kingdom, France and USA are known as the P5, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and since Germany also took parts in the talk, they are referred to as P5+1. These countries, as well as the UN and the IAEA, have been the major players in the talks with Iran since 2009.

In the same year Obama was elected in the US, Ahmadinejad was reelected in Iran, which caused a lot of controversy and revolts. The seven-month protest that was the “Green Movement,” calling Ahmadinejad a dictator and suspecting the vote to be rigged, put a lot of pressure on Ayatollah Khamenei. While Iran was already weak due to problems in interior stability, the rest of the world keeps sanctioning Iran, by first cutting them off from the International Financial System, and delivering a major hit to its economy when, in 2011, the United States started doing its best to block Iranian oil exports, the main source of income for the Middle Eastern country. Europe mimicked the US by refusing oil imports from Iran, causing the Iranian currency to drop in value, down 40%.

Iran, who was losing more than 8 billion

dollars per month by the beginning of 2013, continued to install new centrifuges while the rest of the country was struggling heavily with the continually deteriorating economy. Later in 2013, Hassan Rouhani is elected president of Iran and makes a promise to attempt to restore ties with the rest of the world, as well as get all sanctions removed, both of which seem, at this point, impossible. Towards the end of 2013, Iran took a major step forward by agreeing to freeze and later even start to dismantle parts of the nuclear program until they come up with a good framework for a deal.

The problem now is the deal. Since 2013, P5+1 and Iran have been having talks in Vienna and Switzerland to come up with a deal that would be profitable for everybody. In the beginning of April 2015, a framework has finally been thought out to roll back the breakout time, that is to say the time it would take for Iran to create a nuclear bomb, of Iran. The first part of the deal concerns the reduction of all available resources in Iran that would help Iran reach the nuclear bomb. Iran currently has 20,000 centrifuges on its territory.

The deal would reduce this number down to 6,000 in 10 years, as well as cut the amount of enriched uranium they have in the country from 10,000 kg to 300 kg. To create one atomic bomb, one needs 25 kg of 90% enriched uranium. Iran has only been enriching their uranium to 20%; now they will not be able to go over 3.7%, and only for peaceful research purposes. This restriction would last for at least the next 15 years, and maybe more if Iran attempts to break the deal. The nuclear facilities Iran has will be converted into research centers and the reactors will either be shipped out of the country or used in peaceful ways.

Specifically the heavy water reactor, which created weapons-grade plutonium, will be either destroyed or shipped out of the the country from its current location in the Arak Nuclear Facility. All of the plutonium will be shipped out of the country. The biggest enrichment centers at Natanz and Fordow will stop enriching uranium completely and become research centers instead.

The second part of the deal is the surveillance. In order to ensure that all the restrictions that would be set in place by the deal be followed, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be permitted full access at any time over Iran’s nuclear facilities. For supervision

President Obama’s eagerness to leave a legacy of peace in the Middle East is playing into the hands of Iran and leader Ayatollah Khameini, pictured above, who want sanctions lifted.

purposes, inspectors have access to all of Iran’s uranium mines and any sale of any kind made to the Iranian government is monitored. Although the IAEA must get exclusive permission from Iran to investigate any other areas not covered by the deal, if Iran refuses, another committee gets the final vote on whether or not the IAEA should be granted access or not. The only area in the deal that causes problems is concerning the economic sanctions placed on Iran since 1996. The United States say they will lift sanctions only when Iran gives full access to the IAEA and they definitely stop trying to get the nuclear bomb. And even once the sanctions are lifted, they could be put back into place immediately if Iran shows they have gone back on their word. Iran on the other hand claims that there will be no deal unless the US accepts to lift sanctions on the first day after the deal is struck. But no matter what they say, Iran cannot back out.

The benefits for the whole world are clear in this deal, but one may need to look a little bit further into the topic to understand the benefits for Iran in the deal.

Iran has arrived at such a point in time that the economic sanctions are so high and the financial crisis is so bad that even if there wasn’t a deal, they wouldn’t be able to keep up the research for the atomic bomb. The cost would be too great and, soon enough, the Iranian people would revolt against the Supreme Leader who has already faced pressure in 2009. While on the topic of the supreme leader, let’s talk about his credibility and the credibility of Iran as a whole. If he backs out of the deal now which he could do, not only would his people, having been promised that they would be safe from sanctions soon, would revolt, but also all of the major powers would lose all of the little trust they had left in him and his regime, for backing out of a deal that would be extremely beneficial to everyone, at the last minute.

The world’s major powers would soon be able to attack Iran and justify the military strikes by reminding them that they backed out of the deal. The rest of the world easily benefits from this deal. The whole Middle East region would be safer.

Going back in history, Iran wanted the bomb in the first place because Iraq and Israel had it. The same thing is going on now, with all the other countries surrounding Iran. If the West can discourage Iran from getting the bomb, they can prevent many other countries in the Middle East from acquiring it as well. Even in 2025, when the deal starts to end, Iran will remember the economic sanctions that came with their opposition to the rest of the world, and will probably not try to acquire the bomb again. Obviously this deal is good for the US, but it is even better for Obama. By running this deal, Obama proves that diplomacy can get to greater ends than violence.

Bush’s attacks on Iraq, in the goal of scaring Iran out of the bomb actually frightened Iran into wanting the nuclear bomb as self-defense and did nothing to stop them, but since Obama started the negotiating with Iran in 2009 and implicating other world powers in the talks since 2013, a lot more progress has been made, without firing a single shot.

This also encourages world powers to cooperate more often as they can easily get exactly what they want doing just that.

Wall Street Journal

Page 12

The Index

June 2015

News

Class of 2015 Matriculation List Compiled by Index Staff

Cary Ahl University of Colorado - Boulder Levan Alston Temple University Grant Ament Penn State University Connor Atkins University of Virginia Logan Atkins University of Virginia Otis Baker Yale University Lawrence Barlow Harvard University Harry Bellwoar Georgetown University Daniel Borine Temple University Colin Bosak US Naval Academy Kyle Bowman Boston College Ryan Bowman Boston College Gage Bowser Tulane University James Boyle Penn State University Louis Brown Vassar College Brendan Burns University of Pennsylvania Kory Calicat-Wayns Temple University Avery Callahan Syracuse University Brian Casey Ursinus College Timothy Delaney University of Pennsylvania Eric Denbin George Washington University Samuel Denious Bowdoin College Antonio DiMattia IUPUI John Doran Dickinson College Arjun Dravid Bowdoin College Benjamin Durham Wake Forest University Samuel Dyer Macalester College Niles Easley Trinity College Benjamin Euler Bucknell University Mathias Fink Loyola University Maryland Eric Follman Penn State University John Francis Penn State University Ryan Fuscaldo Dickinson College Michael Gindhart Penn State University John Gola Vanderbilt University Nicholas Greco Colgate University James Greytok Northeastern University Matthew Grubb Penn State University Andrew Gushner Tulane University Mason Hall Vanderbilt University George Hall University of Richmond Reginald Harris Bucknell University Paul Harryhill University of Pennsylvania Jackson Henderson University of Pennsylvania James Hervada University of Delaware Ross Higgins Franklin & Marshall College William Hyland Wake Forest University Brendan Jacob US Naval Academy Julian Jamgochian Dickinson College Marc Johnson Muhlenberg College Cheyse Johnson Lehigh University Miller Joyce University of Richmond Alexander Keszeli Villanova University Manav Khandelwal Harvard University Nathan Kidambi University of Pennsylvania Alexander Kim Temple University Gregory Kirwan University of Colorado - Boulder Robert Klein Cornell University Austin Krell Villanova University Noah Lejman University of Pennsylvania Quinn Letter Wake Forest University Christopher Ley Wake Forest University James Leyden Emory University Benjamin Lieb Penn State University Zachary Lieb Penn State University

James Losty Yale University Daniel Lyons Franklin & Marshall College Tim Maguire Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute John McAleese Wake Forest University Shane McBride Franklin and Marshall College Tucker McBride Franklin and Marshall College Alex McCutcheon Union College Kevin McGowan La Salle University Berkeley Melvin George Washington University Colin Moran Penn State University Derek Mountain College of the Holy Cross Benjamin Nelligan Fairfield University Seamus O’Connor University of Notre Dame Lane Odom Johns Hopkins University Remy Panagos University of Colorado - Boulder Jacob Pechet Harvard University Eric Petersen N/A Westy Pew University of Colorado - Boulder Erly Pineda Penn State-Abington Noah Pollack Tulane University Jonathan Pontecorvo University of Colorado - Boulder Philip Poquie University of Virginia Ben Quan Lehigh University Spencer Rappaport Vanderbilt University Corey Richards Dickinson College Ian Riley University of Southern California Peter Rohr Sewanee: University of South Andrew Rossi University of Pennsylvania Luke Ryan Towson University Christopher Sabia Penn State University Teddy Selverian Wake Forest University Brandon Shima University of Michigan Jordan Siegal Dartmouth College Chauncey Simmons Oberlin College Jackson Simon Yale University Sutton Smith Syracuse University William Solmssen University of Michigan Michael Somkuti Bates College Jonathan Soslow University of Pennsylvania Drew Supinski Johns Hopkins University Major Tepper University of Texas Eli Tills Chapman University Stephen Tornetta Penn State University James Turner Syracuse University Brandon Vattima Quinnipiac University Brandon Walker Morehouse College Likuan Wang Hobart and William Smith Avery Weiss Amherst College Jared Welsh University of Maryland Devin Wilkins Oberlin College Thomas Willcox UNC-Wilmington *N/A - Student either has not made college decision or did not give consent for it to be published.

96% of students were admitted to one of their top three college choices, 86% were admitted to one of their top two colleges, and 61% of the boys were admitted to their 1 st choice college. (Statistics provided by college counseling office)