June 2016 Index

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The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei

Volume LXXVII, No. 5

June 2016

Haverford, Pennsylvania - havindex.com

See Ya, Mike: A Farewell to the Class of 2016

Sixth Formers Alex Sanfilippo and Ryan Conway discuss the Class of 2016’s legacy and greatness. Alex Sanfilippo & Ryan Conway ‘16

“Great” seems to be a word used with much frequency as of late. The 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors are now regarded as the greatest NBA team of all time. A certain politician feels very passionately that America has lapsed in its path towards greatness and that under his leadership America can be great once more. The “GOAT” – Greatest of All Time – hashtag circulates Twitter and other social media consistently. Then there is the Haverford School class of 2016. Former Editorin-Chief Manav Khandelwal wrote the farewell to the class of 2015, titling it “Farewell to the Largest (and Greatest) Class in Haverford History.” Bold statement, even if it is in parentheses. How can one objectively label a graduating class as better or worse than another? Members of the class of 2014 – perhaps even 1914 – likely feel similar sentiments about their respective classes that Mr. Khandelwal felt about his. We are confident that a large number of our peers would feel no shame in endlessly debating 2016’s standing in the upper echelon of

Haverford School graduating classes. In fact, we would be some of those people. But rather than making a claim of greatness, we would instead like to impart what we think to be an incredibly impressive list of accomplishments achieved in just four years. We choose to look at the class of 2016 not through the lens of being greater than another graduating class, but one that has left an indelible mark on an institution that undoubtedly left a similarly sized mark on us all, the one hundred and three Sixth Formers in the class of 2016. Athletics. For a relatively small, independent boys school, it goes without saying that the ensuing list of accomplishments remains both unprecedented and utterly remarkable. During the 2014-2015 school year, Haverford athletic teams won 81% of their games. Varsity Football has enjoyed tremendous success throughout the Class of 2016’s tenure in the Upper School, but the 2015 season saw the Fords go 10-0 en route to an Inter-Ac Championship. Five Sixth Formers, Dox Aitken, Brian Denoncour, Frank Cresta, Mickey Kober, and Micah Sims, earned First Team All-Delco honors for their contributions to the team.

A Farewell to the Index’s Very Own Dr. Graham

Though involved across many disciplines at Haverford – academic and athletic – Dr. Graham worked tirelessly to improve this newspaper. We thank him wholeheartedly for his contributions to The Haverford School. Ethan Delehman ‘16

The Index published my first article in the 2013 graduation issue. I was a brighteyed young freshman who loved writing and who had been too afraid to attend any of the actual morning meetings. I walked into Dr. Graham’s room one day following a sudden burst of courage. I mumbled his name to his back as he sat facing his computer. Immediately he turned around, welcomed me, expressed his evident delight in having a new member of the Index community, and allowed a still constantly confused third former to find comfort and a sense of belonging. That is Dr. Graham: enthusiastic, kind, and always willing to go beyond the call of duty to ensure the best for those around him. In my time at Haverford, I can say with great confidence that I have never come across another teacher who could quite match up. Fellow English teacher Mr. Keefe captured Dr. Graham’s essence best in saying: “With eloquence and grace, Dr. Graham ran his literature courses as the

gentlemen scholar. I will always envision him—tweed jacket, leg crossed, students enraptured, tears in his eyes—speaking of Willy Loman.” As a student in Dr. Graham’s Fifth Form American Literature course, I had the pleasure of witnessing such a scene unfold on a near weekly basis. Dr. Graham’s classes are dependent on a careful balance: he could just as easily find utility in a student-run discussion as he could in giving a class-long lecture. Whether discussing American mythology as it relates to The Great Gatsby or describing the fundamental gothic storytelling at play in The Fall of the House of Usher, Dr. Graham always felt comfortable, prepared, and overjoyed to be discussing literature. Most classes sink or swim depending on whether or not the majority of the students buy into the material being taught. In Dr. Graham’s case, that was hardly an issue. Fourth Former Sam Turner said, “Dr. Graham’s influence permeates not only through his lively classrooms but in every aspect of his students’ lives. (Continued on Page 5)

The Class of 2016

What is so impressive about the athletes in the Class of 2016 is their ability to compete in multiple sports. When Kober isn’t on the football field, he’s dominating opponents on the wrestling mat. He and fellow Sixth Former Freddy Corradetti led the wrestling team to tie the most wins in school history last season. The two combined for three AllAmerican honors, with Kober winning two and Coradetti, one. After over a decade’s worth of consecutive losses on EA Day, the Cross Country team, led by captains Peter Merhige and Charlie Scales, has picked up a winning streak of their own, defeating the Churchmen in 2014 and 2015. Success

(Continued on Page 5)

A Lasting Legacy: A Farewell To Dr. Turner Dr. Turner, a constant in the middle school for the past fourteen years, left a profound mark on all students who passed through her classroom. Nick Chimicles ‘19

Whether she is threatening to put a trouble-maker in the dead body locker, cutting an opponent into pieces with a sabre, or pushing a quiet kid to recite poetry, Dr. Delia Turner has always had one goal in mind: to make a difference in her students’ lives. She accomplishes this by pushing her students out of their comfort zones, teaching them moral lessons, and helping her students with grammar or writing. Her students stay engaged because she has an exciting style of teaching and interesting lessons. Without Dr. Turner, Sixth Grade English would be quite the bore. Though she was reluctant at first to teach at Haverford because she was a Baldwin graduate, Dr. Turner accepted a job as science teacher in the lower school about twenty four years ago. While teaching Science, along with Math and Computer Science, her heart was still firmly set on teaching English and writing. Upon the arrival of Mr. Greytok as principal of the middle school, she was finally able to acquire her current position as Sixth Grade

Also inside this Issue... Farewell to Coach Kennett pg. 3

and soccer are essentially synonymous as of late; four consecutive Inter-Ac championships puts the team’s four year Sixth Formers in Hall of Fame consideration. Max Siegfried, arguably the best golfer in Haverford history, no small feat, captained the golf team to a narrow, crucial victory on EA Day. In the winter season, the always competitive Varsity Squash team, led by Sean Hughes, Will Means, Justin Shah, and Drew Clark, handled all Inter-Ac opponents with ease.

Track and Field Recap pg. 11

Robotics Returns to Worlds p. 15

English teacher after ten years in the lower school. For the past fourteen years, Dr. Turner has been teaching every timid middle school newcomer reading, poetry recitations, and especially writing. Though she teaches her students English academic skills which exceed many other curricula of the like, she hopes that her students take away some important moral lessons. “I want them to be strong, and I don’t want them to be helpless,” she said. When all too many Sixth Graders enter the Middle School reliant on parents, teachers or their computers, Dr. Turner aims to instill selfreliance, an essential quality for their High School experience and beyond. Dr. Turner’s accomplishments have left lasting legacies. She has served as the English Department Chair, taught in both the Middle and Lower Schools, and in those roles changed the English curriculum for the better. Her most important accomplishment, however, is the effect that she has had on her students. (Continued on Page 4) Article Letter fron the Editors Faculty Farewells DECA Farewell Theater Recap Baseball Wins States Mock Trial Recap Robotics to Worlds Weight Room Life Matriculation List

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