March 2019 Index

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The Index Ευταξια Σωζειν Δοκει

March 2019

Volume LXXXVI, No. 6

www.havindex.com

Haverford, Pennsylvania

A Sweeney Todd to die for

Christian Sarian ’19 COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS

David Hurly ’19 (Sweeney Todd) stands center stage with cannibal carnage on his mind.

A loud shriek set the scene and opened the night for more than 450 spectators at Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Performances during the weekend of March 8–10 were remarkable. In a musical full of different directions, butchered bodies turned into meat pies, and so much more,

Chinese students acclimate to Wilson Hall TYLER ZIMMER ’20

Acing a test presents a sizable challenge on its own, but imagine trying to succeed at the same level in a second language.

International students contend with this language barrier quite often, yet they

are able to maintain a high average and make a tangible impact on the Haverford community. This success, however, often comes with great difficulty. cont. pg. 4

the actors and actresses used every bit of energy within them to bring this play to life.

Sweeney Todd has a rather strange plot, as the title character takes his barbershop and

turns it into something unconventional. He first kills his clients with a swift cut of his knife and distributes his victims... cont. pg. 18

Basketball reflects on historic season DANIEL CHOW ’20

Twenty-eight games undefeated. Hundreds of grueling hours spent practicing. One glorious state championship title.

For the first time in eight decades, an Inter-Ac team has finished the regular season undefeated. The team finally taking the

crown is the historic 2018-2019 Haverford School basketball team, wrapping up the Inter-Ac season with a clean 21-0 record and the league title. cont. pg. 15

COURTESY OF INTEL CHEN ’19

Intel Chen ’19 visiting Denmark. Intel has slowly grown more comfortable in the Haverford halls.

Tornetta’s inspiring art pg. 10

MR. JIM ROESE

DR. MIKE NANCE

Christian Ray ’19 dunks over Shipley. For the first time in decades an Inter-Ac team finished undefeated.

Gay-Straight alliance poster defaced pg. 7

QUINN LUONG ’22

Page 2

The Index - Editorial

2018-2019 Staff

L

a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student academic policy, and All opinions andculture, viewpoints expressed herein Haverford’s place inreflect worldthose affairs. do not necessarily of The TheIndex Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence or the school.

The Index is designed and constructive change. produced digitally.

Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the All opinions and viewpoints editors regarding any and allexpressed articles are herein do not necessarily reflect those of The welcomed at index@haverford.org.

Index or the school. The Index is designed

The a member ofPhotographs the Columbiamay and Index, produced digitally.

Scholastic Press Association, is composed be retouched.

Submissions and letters to on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2018. the editors regarding any and all articles are Its surveys at areindex@haverford.org. conducted via SurveyMonkey welcomed and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Graphic designs are The Index, a member of the Columbia created by Index staff via Canva.Southern Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2018. Its issue, and its editorial staff distributes them surveys are conducted in the Upper School on via theSurveyMonkey day of release. and Index are advertised onneeds Facebook to current The serves the of a total school Haverford students.

Graphic designs are population of 1156 community members, created by of Index via Canva.

Southern consisting 956 staff students and 200 faculty and Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each staff members.

March 2019

Heed the dangers of college entitlement

The Index’s Nick Chimicles ’19 Editor-in-Chief Yan Graf ’20 Managing Editor Neetish Sharma ’19 Editor-in-Chief Toby Ma ’20 Features Editor Yan Graf ’20 Managing Editor Obaida Elamin ’20 Design Editor Toby Ma ’20 Managing Editor’20 Matthew Schwartz News Editor Obaida Elamin ’20 Design Editor’20 Vincent Scauzzo Features Editor Daniel Matthew Schwartz ’20 News ChowEditor ’20 Features Editor Vincent Scauzzo ’20 Features Editor Robert Esgro ’19 Opinions Editor Daniel Chow ’20 Features Editor ’20 Yeshwin Sankuratri Asst. Opinions Editor Robert Esgro ’19 Opinions Editor Jon Krouse ’20 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Yeshwin Sankuratri ’20 Asst.

Opinions Tyler ZimmerEditor ’21 Arts Editor Jon Krouse ’20 Off-Campus Opinions Augie Aliaga ’21 Editor Arts Editor Tyler Zimmer ’21 Arts Editor ’20 Ryan LaRocca Sports Editor Augie Aliaga ’21 Arts Editor ’19 Nick Chimicles Head Web Editor Ryan LaRocca ’20 Sports Editor ’20 Lleyton Winslow Head Web Editor Nick Chimicles ’19 Head Editor Noah Web Rubien ’20 Web Editor Lleyton Winslow ’20 Head Web Editor Aditya Sardesai ’20 Web Editor’ Noah Rubien ’20 Web Editor The Index is a student-run publication of the Aditya Sardesai ’20than bring Haverford School that does more Webdiverse Editorperspectives news: it provides the of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for is student writers to take stands The Index a student-run publication of on the issues theySchool deem important.

It chronicles Haverford that does more than bring the daily strugglesthe and accomplishments news: it provides diverse perspectivesofof the community. also the Haverford Haverford student body.The It isIndex an outlet provides a forum pertinent for student writersfor todiscussion take standsofon issues issues, suchimportant. as studentItculture, academic they deem chronicles the policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. daily struggles and accomplishments of the The Index presents new ideas and aspires to Haverford community. The Index also provides influence constructive change.

ast week, federal prosecutors charged fifty people for involvment in a college prep service that illegally influenced Yale, Stanford, and other major university acceptances. Wealthy parents desperate for their children to attend the best colleges bribed athletic coaches, college administrators, and exam facilitators to fake athletic credentials, assist in admission, and allow cheating on the SAT or ACT. Much of the media has latched onto this story as a symbol of America’s unjust inequality and the unfairness of our society.

Through a more realist lense, unfairness and inequality have been and will likely continue

to be constants of every former and future society. Despite Haverford’s unprecedented diversity, many of us still benefit from that inequity with our wealth and connections.

Many of our parents want us to attend the nation’s top universities: paying for our Haverford education, for an experienced SAT tutor, even giving a donation to our target college. These are the aspects of the unfair, legal college game. Our parents utilize what they can to ensure us a fruitful future and greater success.

These advantages are helpful in shaping our success until, because of them, we expect success. By spoon-feeding their children fake

accomplishment with bribes and conspiracy, those prosecuted parents, despite only wanting the best for their children, ensured their children’s failure.

We should not allow ourselves to be those entitled, spoon-fed failures. Success requires merit, and Haverford supplies us with the environment to develop the social and academic skills we need for college and the world. Our path to college, to a rewarding career, to success is set with golden bricks with no need for illegal backdoors; all we need to do is follow it.

INDEX STAFF

Index Editors-in-Chief Nick Chimicles ’19 (left) and Neetish Sharma ’19 (right) and Managing Editors Toby Ma ’20 and Yan Graf ’20.

Warmest wishes to Chris Domboski. Thank you for your dedication to Haverford. Good luck in all your future endeavors.

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 1156 community members, Contact The consisting ofIndex: 956 students and 200 faculty and 450 staff Lancaster members.Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index Contact The Index: http://www.havindex.com/ 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 index@haverford.org Volume LXXXV, No. 5 - February 7, 2018

Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.havindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXXVI, No. 6 - March 19, 2019

INDEX STAFF

Page 3

The Index - Features

March 2019

John Hickenlooper ’70 announces presidential bid

A

sam walker ’19

mayor, a governor, a geologist, a small business owner... and a Ford.

John Wright Hickenlooper, Jr., ’70, announced his official presidential bid earlier this month. Hickenlooper’s announcement brought some attention to a relatively unknown name in the growing Democratic field.

Hickenlooper, a moderate Democrat, is choosing a particularly charged election cycle to launch a Presidential bid.

Some question whether Hickenlooper will find success. Government and Politics teacher Mr. Tim Lengel said that given his read of the political landscape, “it is probably less likely that an admittedly successful, moderate governor with little name recognition can capture the Democratic nomination this election cycle.”

In his announcement, Hickenlooper quipped that his candidacy represents a Revenge of the Nerds situation, and the former Governor of Colorado has been open about some of his past experiences with bullies. According to NBC News, Hickenlooper joked that he grew up “a skinny kid with Coke-bottle glasses and a funny last name,” adding that because of those traits, “I’ve stood up to my fair share of bullies.”

An endearing and politically savvy move, these comments also beg the question, what was John Hickenlooper’s Haverford experience?

There is no doubt that Haverford has changed drastically since the 1960s, and it can be hard to paint an accurate picture of one’s Haverford experience without directly asking them.

Mr. George Wood ’75 said, “He was a pretty good athlete, but he does paint the picture now of being a nerd… He did love

A graduating Hickenlooper in the 1970 Haligoluk. his time at Haverford, and he was super close to his classmates. I have been involved with his reunions, and I’ll be involved with 50th next year. I know he loves Haverford, but he has told me that he won’t bring it up much because the perception of coming from an all-boys private school may not play.

For us, we are extremely proud of him, there is absolutely no reason not to.”

Mr. Wood, who graduated five years after Mr. Hickenlooper, said that he remembers looking up to him as a sixth grader when Hickenlooper was one of the best pitchers on the varsity baseball team. Despite the image being presented now around Hick-

enlooper, not to mention the perhaps stereotypically nerdy yearbook picture from the 1970 Haligoluk, it seems that the latest addition to the Democratic field wasn’t that nerdy after all.

“I am a little surprised I haven’t gotten as much traction just communicating with people about him,” said Mr. Wood. “Either they are very different with their politics, or they are nonchalant or ambivalent.”

Within the student population, there is a moderate buzz surrounding the idea of a Haverford man becoming president.

Sixth Former Will Griffiths said, “As a senior about to leave Haverford, it is definitely

SAM WALKER’19

cool to see someone who was once in our shoes contending for the presidency. Not everyone may agree with his politics, but right now, we think it is a pretty cool prospect.”

“I know Hick, and I think it is super exciting that a Haverford school alum is running for president,” Headmaster Dr. John Nagl said. “It is a constant reminder to me that the right man, the right character, the right intelligence, the right virtues at the right point in time can change history. We don’t know which one of our boys will change history, but we try to put all that into every one of you. So, that could be John Hickenlooper.”

Fairorth leads chess team to first victory

A

yan graf ’20

nyone who has toured Wilson Hall at any point the last few months would notice the dozens of students hunched over chess boards, watching fellow students test their intellect against each other in one of the world’s oldest

board games.

Ever since the chess boards were reintroduced in the fall, a thriving chess culture has developed in Wilson Hall. The innate competitive nature of chess inspired Sixth Former Mickey Fairorth to assemble a chess team to put the best chess talent Haverford

INDEX STAFF

Fifth Former Yan Graf sizes up the board during a game on The Street.

has to offer up to the test.

A few weeks ago, the new chess team had its inaugural chess match at Devon Preparatory School. The team, composed of Fairorth, Fifth Formers Yan Graf, Mitchell Hark, and Jahmiel Jackson, and Third Former Caleb Cavazos, beat the Devon Prep team 3.5 to 1.5. For those unfamiliar with the scoring system of competitive chess, a total of five matches is scored, with each win being worth one point, and each draw worth half a point.

Captain Fairorth says that the idea of organizing a Haverford Chess team came to him from his friend at Devon Prep.

“My friend told me that he was on the chess team. He said that we should totally play his team at some point. Then I talked to some of the guys I knew were good, and it just happened,” Fairorth said. The Chess team is “another opportunity to show our excellence.”

“We have teams for a lot of obscure things that are really good, why shouldn’t we have a competitive chess team?”

Cavazos, the top Ford chess player, said.

Jackson, who played second seed at Devon Prep, believes that having a chess team “shows off the intellectual side of Haverford that many people do not know about.”

But will the chess team have success

against other schools in the future? Jackson believes that the answer is yes.

“I’ve played against the best schools in the city, state, and country, and it is hard to find what Haverford has,” Jackson said. “Most people here are dedicated and continue to learn on their own even though we do not have an official team. Additionally, we have a supportive community that teaches each other. I can see us beating some of the top schools in Pennsylvania.”

The chess team can serve as a good motivator for more students to try and hone their skills. “It has been proven that chess has the ability to improve people’s metacognitive prowess,” Jackson said.

Fairorth believes that having a chess scene at Haverford would serve well to reach across boundaries set by grade. “I feel like it unites a lot of the forms,” Hark said. “Everyone is able to play with no age restriction.”

So how does the future look for the Haverford chess team? Cavazos said, “Right now, it’s more of a club. But, if we keep winning, it could easily become more than that.”

Fairorth plans on scheduling a match against Conestoga High School in May. “If the game continues to stay popular,” Hark said, “we could have a competitive chess team next year.”

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The Index - Features

Celebratory cigars on a smoke-free campus

A

nick parente ’19

newly minted alumnus reaches into his pocket to pull out a cigar to celebrate graduation. He laughs with his friends while flicking the lighter and then taking a puff on his cigar.

Some graduates choose to indulge in cigars during graduation…on a smoke-free campus.

In recent years, some Sixth Formers smoked cigars on graduation day. Members

“I think it is kind of symbolic of American history, where classy men in the past smoked cigars.” of the school’s faculty and administration warn of tobacco’s dangers, yet this tradition of smoking cigars on campus is tolerated.

“Personally, I think it is a little bit charming,” Sixth Former Carson Rooney said. “It is like a coming-of-age thing, especially since most of the seniors are eighteen.”

For Rooney smoking has no sentimental

value.

“It is not really a big deal for me. Everyone around you is doing it, and it makes for some memorable pictures,” Rooney said.

Sixth Former John Williams said, “I think it is kind of symbolic of American history, where classy men in the past smoked cigars. For us, it shows how we are turning into classy men who are about to embark on our own journeys.”

Recent graduate Peter Miller ’18 said, “I think smoking cigars is a good graduation tradition. It resembles moving on to an older stage of life. It is something you can share and enjoy with your brothers.”

“We try to make it clear that we do not want students using harmful substances on campus, including tobacco,” Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer said. “In terms of graduation, it has been a celebratory tradition to have a cigar after graduation, so the guidelines of the tobacco-free campus have been suspended for the day in recognition that it is a special circumstance. However, we hope that no student feels pressured into smoking cigars if they don’t want to.”

COURESY OF MR. CHRIS DOMBOSKI

Grant Sterman, Tyler Burt, Peter Miller, and Sam Turner ’18 with cigars on graduation day on a smoke-free campus.

March 2019

Peer Counseling prepares boys for life

COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Reichert and Ms. Heed, the founders of Peer Counseling.

CHARLIE BAKER ’20

M

r. David Kim, the inaugural Michael Stairs Lecture Series speaker, ended his speech with some advice. He said the number-one thing students can do for themselves in life is to be a good person. Whether it be in the office or at home, they would live a better and happier life for it.

Consulting School Psychologist Dr. Michael Reichert and Upper School Counselor Ms. Janet Heed created Peer Counseling to do exactly that: help students become better versions of themselves.

In his years at Haverford, Dr. Reichert has provided a space for students to step out from behind the mask that hides their deepest thoughts and feelings. By breaking down that mask, students learn that it is alright to let their true emotions out in front of their peers.

“It has given me the tools and the space to express how I’m feeling,” Sixth Former Luke Follman said. “This simple act alleviates the pain and sadness, which makes me feel better just being able to share it with someone. Peer Counseling has given me a place to feel like other people are with me and that I’m not alone.”

Follman credits Peer Counseling with helping him foster tighter and more mean-

ingful bonds with his classmates. Despite only meeting for just over an hour every other week, Peer Counseling permeates throughout all aspects of students’ lives.

Unfortunately, in just a few short months, Peer Counseling will come to an end for Sixth Formers. The space provided

by Peer Counseling will be gone, and their community of classmates will move on to their next phase of life.

Follman said, “I’m going to lose that space when I go off to college next year. But I’ll never forget the tools that it gave me.

Peer Counseling changed my life. It made me a much better person, with more care and compassion for the people and world around me.”

Dr. Reichert implores students to connect with people through deep, meaningful relationships.

Peer Counseling equips students with tools of communication that are vital, not only in their transition to college but throughout the rest of their lives.

Recent graduate Otis Baker ’15 said, “My experience in Peer Counseling directly helped me in shaping the mechanisms by which deep bonds of friendship are formed.”

Chinese students acclimate to Wilson Hall cont. from the front page “I am generally scared and feel less comfortable in the English environment,” Sixth Former Intel Chen said. Chen, known for his energetic interactions with much of the student body, believes that his “lack of experience socializing in English makes [him] too afraid to make mistakes.”

“Having English as a second language is less about the words themselves,” Chen said, “but rather the culture that it represents.”

Despite his dread of spoken English interactions, Chen has made quite a name for himself. Many students know him either personally or have heard of his scholastic prowess, photography skills, and robotics success. What they may not know is his attitude towards the acclaim he receives and why.

With the language divide as a leading cause, Chen expressed that “the majority of high school, I was battling with the pain of being an international student, or in other words, an outsider.” To cope with this added social stress, Intel decided to devote himself to something, and he sought “fulfillment from the sense of accomplishment and awards.”

Unfortunately, awards cannot always be won, and everybody falls short of their goals every once in a while. Chen said. “It’s really hard to say that any of it is enjoyable. I

consider the process to be a painful struggle that students with English as a first language don’t need to endure.”

As a result of this personal pressure for Chen to succeed in anything he undertakes, “people now see me and expect me to be a serious guy that is always focusing on my tasks,” Chen said.

But who is Chen as a person? What is he like away from the pressure of a competitive school? He is just another student who loves to have fun and “be stupid” sometimes, but he “seems to have lost the right to be stupid” because of the expectations put in place for him.

Chen is not the only Chinese student who has another side to his personality, masked by expectations and a language barrier. Fourth Former Baoer (Paul) Li feels this burden as well.

He mentioned that he “wanted to become a local faster and not let them think that I am different because I don’t speak English well.”

An example of Paul’s language barrier getting in the way of social interaction is the slower rate in which he communicates.

“I will think about the sentence in my mind before I say it to other people to make sure I am saying the right thing,” Li said.

“Even though Haverford has a very

Julius Huang ’22, one of the new Chinese students this year. friendly environment,” Li said, “school is still school, and correctness is still a component, so sometimes I just don’t have the courage to speak and say the possibly wrong answer.”

While there are many downsides to speaking English as a second language, these students emphasized their satisfaction towards attending school in the United States rather than in China. Paul Li and Intel Chen are both committed members of the com-

INDEX STAFF

munity, and Li believes this is mainly in part to “being able to explore your passion and try out different things.”

With all the opportunities Haverford has to offer, Li and Chen are still “playing around with [their] new identity in the community, trying to see where [they] feel most comfortable.”

Page 5

The Index - Features

March 2019

Mr. Kan’s citizenship odyssey

T

JEFFERY YANG ’22

he increasingly interconnected world has made immigration a theme in all corners of the planet; modern transportation has enabled an easier, cheaper, and faster means for searching a better job, education, and opportunities. Nevertheless, conflict, poverty, inequality, and a lack of sustainable life necessities force people to immigrate.

Immigrant stories are sometimes joyous and successful, but other times feature adversity and complications. While we may know of some narratives that spotlight members of the global community, some are unaware of the Haverford community’s stories.

Mr. Kan came to America from Hong Kong at the age of 16 independently, with an F1B student visa. He was an exchange student and ended up staying six years: two years for high school and four for college.

“I went to a public high school in Connecticut for one year, and I played squash,” said Mr. Kan. “One thing led to another, and I got recruited by a boarding school also in Connecticut, so they continued to sponsor my student visa. Then I went to college for four years.”

Mr. Kan’s family was fine with his decision to come to the U.S., in the sense that they only asked for him to return and visit.

“I was a pretty independent guy. I mean, what could they do?” Mr. Kan said.

For the following two years, Mr. Kan returned to Hong Kong and worked in a bank, but came back to the United States to work as a teacher on an H1B visa.

“The second time I decided to leave was because I needed a bigger place,” said Mr. Kan, “And I just wanted to see the world in general.”

Mr. Kan continued, explaining his process in getting the H1B visa.

“Back in the day, it was fairly straightforward, at least for me, to get a H1B because I taught Chinese and was from Hong Kong,” he said. “It made sense.”

“But still…[the school] had to advertise my position in the newspapers and the school website for a few weeks, and then [it] had to bring in other Americans to interview for my position to prove to the government that I was [more] desired and qualified than these other people. Then they were allowed to sponsor my H1B.” Mr. Kan did mention that the school lawyer responsible for the H1B visa processes was less than competent, and often gave misleading information. After a certain point, he stopped asking him for assistance and did everything by himself.

As previously mentioned, the H1B is valid for two three-year periods with the requirement of renewing after the first three years.

After those three years, you would have to apply for a green card. For Mr. Kan, he had to go through all these steps by himself,

without the help of any lawyer. However, it was right near the end of his six years before Mr. Kan met Ms. Taylor Smith-Kan. He was then able to apply for his green card through marriage.

“For marriage, you need your spouse to sponsor you, so you need to prove your spouse has a certain income; and you have to sign a contract government that says if this immigrant needs benefits, the spouse has the responsibility of helping them financially,” Mr. Kan said.

The marriage green card, a type of conditional green card, expires after two years before the couple is required to prove to the government that they are still married, “and that it’s not a hoax,” Mr. Kan said.

It has been roughly a year and a half after Mr. Kan requested the removal of the condition, but he has not yet heard back from the government.

“So right now, I’m without a green card, but it’s not really my fault that it took so long,” he said. “They gave me a little stamp, an actual ink stamp on that paper that’s all smushed up and unreadable. And the stamp basically says, ‘this guy still has the right status, but his green card has been taken away while he is reapplying for the removal of his condition.”

While Mr. Kan was flying back with Ms. Smith-Kan from a vacation in Sweden, the airline staff was worried about the fact that he did not have his green card, and the customs officer told Mr. Kan the stamp was unreadable.

“I mean they let me through, but the flight attendant’s like, ‘I wouldn’t travel with this anymore if I were you.’”

So Mr. Kan is now unable to travel outside the country.

Mr. Kan said, “I think the sentiment of a lot of people is pretty simple: ‘Just follow the law and come in here legally.’”

“And what I want to say to these people is that, number one, I don’t know how the law is accessible to these people [who do not have access to necessary resources] and number two, I have been doing things legally for seventeen years now, and I’m still not a citizen. All I have been given is that stamp on my passport… So think twice when you say, ‘Oh, it’s easy, just follow the law’ because it’s not that easy.”

“Even for people who are fortunate enough, like me, to have the education and resources to actually follow the law, even that is an incredibly bureaucratic, slow, broken system.” Mr. Kan said.

Students sometimes ask Mr. Kan if he had difficulty with understanding the culture when he first came to the U.S., he responds with the following thought.

“One thing people always say when they go on the China trip is ‘What should I expect?’ My answer to them is always like, ‘Just don’t expect anything.’ Why bring whatever baggage you have with you? I’m not say-

INDEX STAFF

Mr. Gary Kan in his classroom. He immigrated to America as a teenager.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. GARY KAN

Mr. Kan with his host family in New York City, October 2001. ing you should not be who you are, or you should not have your own thoughts, but while you’re having this great adventure, why not just see what comes your way and kind of embrace it?”

As for his family back in Hong Kong, Mr. Kan says he does not miss them that much because he has a family in America, with his wife and his dog. In addition, he noted that as an introvert, he has two daily goals: to become a better person and to learn something new in the world. Mr. Kan described that being able to learn something new, instead of having lots of friends or going out, satisfies him. Mr. Kan does return to Hong Kong every other year, but even when he does, he does not love it greatly. This is because he feels that people in Hong Kong are very money orientated and the land, Hong Kong

“I became who I am mostly during the time when I was in America.

We played the anthem all the time, but I used to always have to be the weird guy who stands up, and doesn’t do anything. But now, I could put my hand to my chest.”

itself, is small.

“It’s like many people don’t value anything but money, social status, and fame to an extreme degree.”

Mr. Kan elaborated by explaining his freespirited style.

“I don’t like to be held down or held hostage. Not even to a negative degree, but to any slight degree. Why do you want to tie yourself to something you cannot live without? That would be against freedom, and freedom is a natural instinct everyone is fighting for. ” Just as Mr. Lluch mentioned, Mr. Kan commented on the long, bureaucratic, and over-complicated process of immigration in the United States.

“If the law is not reasonable, then it makes sense for people not to follow it. If you make unreasonable obstacles for people to come here, not only is it bad for you but also it’s just unreasonable,” Mr. Kan said.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Kan completed his naturalization process.

After he received an email notifying his citizenship approval, Mr. Kan and Ms. Smith-Kan visited an immigration center in Philadelphia for an interview.

“The interview should have been pretty straightforward because I had got my citizenship through Ms. Smith-Kan.” Interestingly enough, his green card was still being processed.

Mr. Kan recalled being asked six questions, then taking three-part English test: listening, speaking, and writing. The writing, however, was just copying a prewritten sentence onto an iPad. “You’re just copying letters down on paper. It’s another incompetence of the system: it’s not really testing your writing, it might as well be drawing. I don’t see why they couldn’t [ask] you to write an answer to something like, ‘Why do you want to be an American citizen?’ It’s a pretty thoughtless process.”

With the interview completed, Mr. Kan went in to take an oath. He recalls being emotional when the anthem played, and he could place his hand over his heart.

“It’s just me personally because I came here when I was sixteen, which are the transformational years in a person’s lives,” Mr. Kan said. “So I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that I became who I am mostly during the time when I was in America. We played the anthem all the time, but I used to always have to be the weird guy who stands up, and doesn’t do anything. But now, I could put my hand to my chest.”

For Mr. Kan, the two most profound changes after receiving citizenship is the security and the ability to vote.

“Right after the oath, they would immediately register you as a voter. I think that the ability to vote is one of the biggest changes because I think it’s important that people get a voice.”

As for security, he elaborated on the apprehensions immigrants face every day. Even with his citizenship, he stressed that the insecurity did not vanish. Mr. Kan still expects to feel an underlying hesitation in the future.

“The fear you have as an immigrant is slightly hard to understand. You are constantly trying to hide, even though you don’t have anything to hide. There’s is a sense of added security, but there’s always going to be a protective thing embedded in my head, or at least for a while.”

Lastly, Mr. Kan reflected on the unique aspect of gaining citizenship in a country bound by our values.

“In America, we are not defined by bloodline or genes, we are defined by ideologies.

For example, even if you have a citizenship in another country, you won’t be seen [physically] as from that country. However, that’s different here,” Mr. Kan said. “That’s why people want to come to America.”

Page 6

The Index - Features & News

R is for Race! Volkswagen Golf R review

T

VINCENT SCAUZZO ’20

his is not the Nürburgring.

Far from any German Mecca of speed, this is Spring Mill Road, and yet, I am in a race car. I’ve got four-wheel drive, torque vectoring, a speedy automatic gearbox, and 292 Wolfsburg horses at the disposal of my right foot.

Green light!

The Golf R rips away from the traffic without a chirp from the tires and pins me to my seat. The digital speedometer can barely keep up as I accelerate, 40… 50… 60. Hey, the cops aren’t here.

One of the most stable accelerations I’ve ever experienced, the new Volkswagen Golf R delivers speed and control like few cars can for the money. The way it drives through the twisty back roads of Lower Merion with ease and smoothness is surprising. In some ways, more bumps (and a manual) could possibly make this car more “fun,” but the R is all about power and control.

Much of the grip is down to the tech.

The R is the only hot Golf with Volkswagen’s four-wheel drive system, 4motion, and it provides the most grip possible. 4motion directs power to the wheel it deems needs it most, allowing the rear axle to provide power during and out of turns, though the majority of torque always goes to the front. Most of the time, the R uses front-wheel-drive to save fuel — classic Golf style. When the R turns onto a racetrack — I mean, Old Gulph Road — and the car is set to “Race” mode, the 4motion system works like magic, providing constant control through sharp turns, sweepers, and quick runs uphill.

Stay in Race. This, like every other Race mode, firms up the suspension, allows less pedal travel for more RPMs, and quickens the steering response. Plus, it’s the most fun.

The car feels quick and light in this setting, which allows the driver to throw it into corners at high speeds and come out facing the right direction. The steering was surprisingly light during the drive, which separates the chassis from the road, but it just shows how the R can drive fast and yet still control itself.

No raging torque steer here. The suspension also worked wonders in Race. It was one of the most impressive traits of the car — its ability to smooth out bumps and handle hard turns gives the driver confidence.

Setting the car to “Race” is done on

an eight-inch touchscreen, capable of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—it’s not every day you see both of these systems. Instead of a “classic” analog gauge cluster, a screen displays the speed and RPM along with navigation, driver settings, and the trip computer. Traditionally found on newer Audi models and other luxury cars, seeing it in a Golf makes the car feel modern and classy. The seats, while not high-bolstered Recaros, do keep the driver in place through the fast stuff (I’d go for the retro black and red plaid). The whole interior feels high end and modern, adding to the R’s grown-up vibe.

In Race mode, the car’s computer uses the four-wheel drive and traction control system to keep the car as planted as possible: great for going fast on a track; but, when it’s a little wet out and you want the car to be a little looser, they don’t allow much leeway. A button turns it off, but it’s not really off, as is

the way with most modern traction control systems.

But it could be so much more fun with a manual transmission! While VW does offer a manual R, they are increasingly hard to find in the United States, and this model, with its seven-speed auto, is what comes with most new Rs. This transmission comes with paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel, as opposed to the stalk. Only use them while driving with verve because any slower and it feels a little slow and clunky. It feels great with the pedal to the metal, though — almost no gap in between shifts, and it’s really satisfying to pull away from a stop and rip through the gears like with a sequential ‘box in a rally car. Like the rest of the car, the transmission doesn’t sweat in high-speed situations.

As for the speed, the R is a rocket. 292 horsepower is plenty for any body type, but that much in a hatchback, oh boy! The car looks heavy from the outside, and—with its black interior and fancy screens—it feels like a sedated German luxury vehicle. But when the light goes green and the foot hits the floor, the R screams. It feels like a sleeper from the calm, comfortable cabin. The noise

March 2019 builds, and the R puts a big grin in your face, but then again, the computer synthesizes engine and exhaust noise through the speakers.

It sounds great, just know it is not genuine.

Outside of drag racing, the power is linear and ready for any speed in any direction — sharp turns or passing on the highway, the R eats it up.

The Golf R can definitely answer the question: “if you could have one car for the rest of your life, what would it be?” With its power, four-wheel drive, comfortable interior, and smooth suspension, the Golf R could satisfy most people’s needs and desires. Comfort when you need it, Race when you’re feeling it: the R performs very well.

Most people will say the R appeals to the mature enthusiast, someone who has grown out of rock-hard suspension and can afford something with more power and class because, after all, this car is not cheap (about $40,000). I would agree that some hatchbacks have more “boy-racer” attributes, but the R is plenty looney for everyone’s inner teenage driver.

It’s understated inside and out, but next time I’m driving on Upper Gulph speedway, I know what I want.

The Volkswagen Golf R with the precious ‘race’ mode.

INDEX STAFF

New US reading olympics group prepares

T

QUINN LUONG ’22

he inaugural Haverford Upper School Reading Olympics season had a rough start but, fortunately, is improving steadily toward the Delaware County competition in April, where they hope to win a blue ribbon, the most prestigious prize. Third Former Jeffrey Yang leads the Upper School Reading Olympics team along with Librarian Mr. Joshua Newman.

Reading Olympics is a competition in which high school students compete in a county-wide competition in the spring of each school year. Teams of students collaborate to read forty to fifty books that have been selected by a committee. Following the year-long preparation, students will be asked basic questions about the Reading Olympics books.

During the competition, each team competes in three rounds of questioning with three different teams. At the culmination of the evening, each participating team will receive a ribbon. The number of points each team scores will determine the color and merit of the ribbon.

Unlike other clubs in the Upper School, Haverford’s Reading Olympics meets infrequently every other Wednesday morning and is often flexible with members. The club is also quite laid back: members can choose any book they desire to read on the list — they are not assigned.

“The purpose of a Reading Olympics club is to allow eager readers in the community to congregate and be able to work together for a fun competition,” Yang said. “In addition, the books on the lists are typically captivating books. It provides readers with a list of interesting books to read.”

Although the inaugural team this year is mostly made of Third Formers, Yang is hopeful that more upperclassmen will join the following year.

“Upper schoolers should join because we need a team to read the list of books,” Yang said. “The wide variety of books are truly exceptional and appeal to anyone.”

Jeffrey Yang ’22 turning some pages in the library.

MR. JOSH NEWMAN

Page 7

The Index - News

Anger, not surprise, after GSA poster defaced BEN GERBER ’19

W

hen there is an inefficiency at Haverford, such as a problematic new football field, or controversy surrounding the “lifer” yearbook picture, students get stirred up, because we are used to a tightly-run institution.

But when a homophobic slur is written on a Gay-Straight Alliance poster, some are not surprised: we may have grown desensitized to incidents like these.

Late in February, a poster advertising the first meeting of the newly formed GayStraight Alliance was defaced with a homophobic slur by a student who was never identified, leaving other students disappointed,

“[Mr. Fifer] believes we are seeing a rise in hate speech, but thinks this year “we have had more high-profile public situations,” but adds that “we’ve always had challenges.” yet unsurprised, and prompting questions about the rise in racially charged, homophobic, sexist, and insensitive incidents at Haverford in the past year and half. What is our school culture? What steps must we as a school take to stop these occurrences?

“I didn’t feel that surprised. I was a bit annoyed, maybe a bit angry, but not surprised,” said Michael Yoh, a Sixth-Form student leader of the GSA. To many, this is the saddest part of the situation. Students may have grown numb to insensitivity and even hate. Yoh said he hoped the perpetrator would be “held accountable for what they did.”

“We opened an inquiry. Obviously, we are deeply concerned by what was reported

March 2019

to us,” said Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer.

“We never actually saw the poster because over the course of the inquiry we understood that it was taken down immediately.

We didn’t ever determine who took it down, and so therefore we did not determine who wrote the really deeply concerning slur on the poster.”

Many members of the community wanted the student to be held responsible for his actions.

Since last spring, the Haverford community has been plagued by some racist and homophobic behavior.

“Is this something that is new? Not at all,” said Director of Diversity & Inclusion Mr. Brendon Jobs. “[Hate speech and bias action] are on the rise, everywhere, especially on college campuses, but certainly in secondary schools and all schools.”

“In terms of this being a matter of politics,” Mr. Jobs said, “I think the media says that a lot, and I think that it’s an oversimplification. I think that politics are a part of what’s causing a lot of the conflicts and the tensions, but it’s much more a societal issue.”

Mr. Jobs’ view on the rise of hate speech is consistent with that of the Anti-Defamation League, who according to Mr. Jobs, has identified hate as a major issue on campuses.

“I don’t think that we live in a vacuum,” said Mr. Fifer. “I think that Haverford is part of a large context. I know that other schools and institutions are dealing with a rise in the use of derogatory language and action, and so I don’t think Haverford is immune to that.”

Mr. Fifer’s perspective on the cases specific to Haverford is unique in that he sees every case, even the ones that are not made public to the whole school. He believes we are seeing a rise in hate speech, but thinks this year “we have had more high-profile public situations,” but adds that “we’ve always had challenges.”

While one can make the excuse that Haverford is not alone in this epidemic, last spring’s racial conflicts have brought up

BEN GERBER ’19

A GSA poster, one of the many posted around the Upper school campus. many questions about the nature of school culture.

“I kind of reject the binary approach to this,” said Mr. Fifer. “We are not dealing with whether [the community is] either homophobic or not; I think we as a community are still addressing challenges, and this is one of the challenges that we are still addressing as we try to strive for inclusivity and as we try to strive for a community where all people feel comfortable being who they are when they are in school.”

“I think the issue is a couple [of ] guys more often acting on and doing particularly egregious things,” Yoh said.

Perhaps the most provocative question that has come of this case is: “What do we do now?”

Constructing new headaches: the new middle school

S

ERIC HOYT ’19

omeone looking through the yearbooks of past decades can see all the changes in the school: renovations to Wilson Hall, construction of the gym and lower school, kids sporting wide ties and thin ties, boys with long hair and short hair, and all fads of fashion.

But through all the myriad changes at Haverford, one part of campus has remained the same.

The middle school students stand outside for their class picture with the same backdrop year after year. Crosman Hall is a campus fixture, a fulcrum of Haverford life. With the imminence of renovations to Crosman Hall, now is the time for reflection about what this change will mean for the students.

Rumors of this project have been circulating for years, but now it is a reality. There is a plan. There is a date.

A new middle school stirs up excitement throughout the school. Construction work-

ers are doing preliminary work around campus. Fences are up. Construction is afoot.

Change is in the air.

“We are preparing for Crosman Hall to come down, by taking the utilities and rerouting them to the dining hall,” Head of Middle School Mr. Jay Greytok said.

From there, the project picks up speed, although the length this project will take is extensive: from June 2019 to August 2020.

Fourteen months. What’s going to happen in that time? First, around May 12, mobile

The future Crosman Hall which will begin construction in June.

INDEX STAFF

“[We need to have] some sort of social accountability about that subject; saying that it’s more than just a joke, you have to think about what that means, and what the greater context of that is,” Yoh said.

Social accountability has been brought up before in conversations about what we need to change as a school to prevent these incidents from happening in the future.

“I hadn’t heard much conversation about homosexuality outside of maybe a couple classes before this year,” said Nick Brill-Edwards, a Sixth-Form leader of the GSA. “I think we need to talk about this stuff a lot more.”

learning centers called “The Virtue Village” arrive at the tennis courts to operate as the middle school next year.

What will this mean for the tennis team?

“We won’t have tennis courts next year.

We will have to rely more on Baldwin and Haverford College,” Headmaster Dr. John Nagl said.

A campus without tennis courts is not the only concern this project brings. Since construction will still be taking place all of next year, safety is another worry. With workers throughout campus and all the attendant noise, dust, and complexity of a major construction, many have legitimate questions.

Owner’s Representative John Cacciola said, “Every worker will be highly visible.

There will be flag people at all times whenever people have to move through campus, and all workers will be screened with background checks, and have numbered badges at all times when working on campus.”

What about graduation? The Class of 2019 will be spared. Construction doesn’t start until after this year’s graduation, but next year’s graduation might not be so lucky.

In addition to weather delays, it remains unclear if the project will stay on pace.

With the possibility of construction vehicles on campus during the graduation of the class of 2020, the school still plans to celebrate accordingly.

“We would put maroon and gold bows on them for graduation,” Dr. Nagl said.

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The Index - News

March 2019

A day for curious Fords

D

ryan Rodack ’21

uring Intellectual Curiosity Day on Wednesday, February 27, Haverford School students participated in an activity for the entire day. Activities included a South Philly food crawl, an exploration of culture and cuisine in Philadelphia’s Chinatown, experiencing a day of the life of an artist, exploring the business behind baseball, an Old City Scavenger Hunt, a day of board games, a Black Mirror marathon, a Big-5 basketball experience, exploring 9/11, an Iron Chef day, and many more.

Upper School Spanish teacher and Upper School Director of Global Studies Mr. Andrew Poolman, who is also a director behind IC Day, said, “IC Day gives students something new to do in the middle of winter when sometimes breaking up our routine is very necessary. [The day] gives students something new to look forward to, as some

“I came out with a whole new perspective on 9/11” people call it, a rallying point.”

“The second purpose of IC Day is just to get students to realize that education is not only about our normal academic disciplines and what we teach in class, but it goes much beyond that,” Mr. Poolman said. “It emphasizes that education is not just sitting in a classroom behind desks, reading books, and copying notes, but there are many other ways to learn things and part of that is

hands-on experience.”

Of the many options students were given to choose from, three of the events students enjoyed most were the Big-5 Basketball Experience, the Haverford Iron Chef Cooking event, and the trip that several students made to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.

The day of the Big-5 Experience began at 9 a.m., when eighteen high school students took a trip to the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. Once they arrived at Penn, the University of Pennsylvania’s Assistant Basketball Coach Joe Mihalich gave the students a tour of the famous home gym, The Palestra. All of the students learned about the history of The Palestra and looked at all of the plaques, trophies, and photographs in the concourse of the building.

After Coach Mihalich concluded his tour, the University of Pennsylvania’s Head Men’s Basketball Coach Steve Donahue talked about the importance of leadership while the students listened from the bleachers in the Palestra.

Following their visit to Penn, students took a trip to the practice facility at Temple University where Head Coach of Men’s Basketball Fran Dunphy, accompanied by Temple’s senior point guard and Haverford School alumnus Shizz Alston ’15, shared advice on how to build a good culture and how to be a good leader. Alston gave them advice on how to succeed at Haverford as well as at the college level.

COURTESY OF RYAN RODACK ’22

Coach Steve Donahue speaking to intellectually curious Fords on February 27, 2019.

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Examining icicles with Mr. Ressler in Wissahickon Valley Park, February 27, 2019.

Third Former Jameel Brown said, “I learned that college basketball coaches do not only look for how good you can play, but they also value grades.”

Freshman Basketball Coach and trip leader Mr. Stephen Cloran valued the words of Coach Donahue, Coach Dunphy, and Alston.

“It was great to listen to them share more about culture, relationships, community, character, and those kinds of critical life skills and values that were just great to listen to and to take away,” Mr. Cloran said. “It was just a really valuable experience to listen to two gentlemen who have vast experiences in an occupation that involves young men and trying to mold them and bring individuals together.”

Another educational experience that many students participated in was a trip to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. The Museum tells the story of September 11 through interactive technology, archives, narratives and a collection of artifacts.

On the way to the 9/11 Museum, the eighteen students on the trip stopped at a financial advisor’s office. Many of the firms including this advisor’s firm were forced to move to New Jersey after the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Third Former Ian Rush said, “It was pretty cool to stop at the financial advisor’s office because everyone in the office was affected by 9/11. The man who owned the office was pinpointing people and telling us stories about them, which was pretty interesting.”

After their stop at the financial office, the students continued along with their trip and arrived at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

They saw clips from the day of the attack and a documentary about the event, as well as artifacts from that day including pieces of police cars and people’s shoes and clothing.

The students also learned about the structure of the original building.

Third Former William Morris said, “In the museum, they still have the structural foundations of the actual building.”

“The museum provided me with information I’ve never thought of. I came out with a whole new perspective on 9/11,” said Third Former Nick Pante.

Although there were many off-campus events, one of the most exciting on-campus activities was the Iron Chef Cooking Competition.

The fifteen students’ morning involved a discussion on flavors, how they work, and how to use them as it relates to cooking certain foods. They learned which flavors are more popular and how certain flavors affect taste.

Later in the day, students were assigned into groups of two to three people and given a secret ingredient that corresponded with a certain flavor. Students went shopping for ingredients with a budget of $10. The afternoon was spent cooking certain dishes which were judged by teachers.

When asked whether cooking was easier or harder than he thought, Fifth Former Sunny Yu said, “It was easier than I thought because I went in with low expectations for myself, but I think I did a decent job.”

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The Index - Opinions

March 2019

Honor Council should stand by precedent

Eliminate grade entitlement culture

Nick Chimicles ’19

Neetish Sharma ’19

he Honor Council is a legal system without an age-old star or map to guide it towards the port of justice.

Bias swings the vote left to right, light to harsh, nearly sinking the entire process. The Honor Council is missing the legal guiding star of precedent.

To base a decision on precedent is to compare the facts of a past case to those of a similar present one and reach a just punishment. For example: if a student plagiarized on a five-page paper, apologized quickly to the teacher, was remorseful in the hearing, and received two Saturday detentions; then another student who plagiarized the same amount, with the same apology, expressing the same remorse, should, based on the precedent of the first, also receive two Saturday detentions. This system ensures legal continuity, equal punishment for equal crimes, and protects a legal system from swaying aimlessly with political, social or racial climate.

Precedent becomes tricky though when it is not so cut and dry, when a past case does not match perfectly with the present one.

Then, how the precedent applies to the present case is subject to interpretation. In the courtroom, lawyers interpret a precedent’s application to the present case in favor of either the prosecution or defense. In the Hon-

or Council, currently, the only person who interprets the precedent is a faculty advisor.

Stare decisis, to stand by things decided, abbreviates a legal system’s basing in precedent.

In our Honor Council, biased opinions, loud voices, and school climate shape decisions. The only guide through the messy, chaotic deliberation is a brief mention of precedent, without any democratic interpretation, without any questioning or discussion. Jurors forget the importance of past cases weighing in on the present one and propose with their guts, with their emotions, without justified backing.

Whenever an Honor Council member attempts to question the interpretation of the precedent by offering more detailed factual comparison or another past case, we must proceed carefully to avoid violating the confidentiality agreement. But, because all the jurors in the hearing room must abide by that agreement, any information said in the hearing room remains confidential. Therefore, why can the Honor Council and jury not debate confidential precedent since that debate and that precedent must remain confidential?

We, the students, should guide our system through stormy waters by the star of precedent.

G

rade inflation. We’ve all heard the term. Students deserve good grades for their hard work and effort, some may say. Others see it differently: should students really feel so entitled to deserve satisfactory or above average grades every time they turn in an assignment or complete a test?

Throughout a young man’s years at Haverford, the entitlement of deserving good grades has been an epicenter of controversy for both students and teachers alike. We need to consider if Haverford accomplishes its mission statement — preparing boys for life.

Grade grubber. We may have seen one patrolling the halls and classrooms on their hunt for that perfect transcript. You may have been one yourself. I have fallen into that trap before, and it’s not the best experience in the long term. When we think about how the entitlement for grades manifests itself here, the grade grubber is the archetype.

Haverford is a highly competitive environment. There’s no denying that. However, when we allow this mentality to go too far and cause students to feel entitled to receiving stellar grades for mediocre work, this becomes a problem. I myself have realized that when I would attempt to argue with an English teacher for a better grade on an essay.

“We have a responsibility in the coming years to foster a culture that emphasizes self-sufficiency and independence.”

I take on the mentality that I automatically deserve a grade, even when my work may not have been as deserving. This is not only annoying for faculty to have to reconsider their decisions, but it also represents an incredible lack of judgement from the student to assume that their own judgement is inherently more qualified than a teacher with far more experience.

Allowing students to feel entitled to receive these grades fosters an environment too sheltered from the real world.

In college and life afterwards, not everyone will acknowledge the individuality or specialness of every student or employee.

People will not necessarily care if a person feels as if they deserve a grade simply for their effort and hard work. The real world is results-oriented: either you get the job

INDEX STAFF

The Honor Code poster with emphasis on integrity, respect, honesty, and courage.

done or you don’t. Employers or professors won’t care if the task took you a tremendous

“It will be understandably hard to receive grades that are sub-par for many students, but in the long run, it will be beneficial. It forces students to put forth their best foot and develop thick skin, preparing them aptly for cold world that won’t give them this kind of individual attention.” amount of effort. If you can’t produce the desired result, then you’re not the right man for the job or the class. Plain and simple.

We have a responsibility in the coming years to foster a culture that emphasizes self-sufficiency and independence. With the help of the upperclassmen setting an example, we need to make it clear that we can succeed without needing to have every last grade be pristine as it can be.

This proves to be hard for many students, as parental expectations and college pressures form a nasty mix that compels students to engage in grade grubbing. Thus, it will take work and time to effectively minimize our Haverford culture of grade entitlement. Moreover, this enables faculty, especially newer teachers, to be more firm in their classroom grading policies, allowing them to do their job most effectively.

It will be understandably hard to receive grades that are sub-par for many students, but in the long run, it will be beneficial. It forces students to put forth their best foot and develop thick skin, preparing them aptly for cold world that won’t give them this kind of individual attention. Students need to realize that results may not come out as intended, and sometimes this can either be bad luck or an indicator that we may need to work smarter, not harder. Eliminating grade entitlement, grade inflation, and grade grubbers will more effectively prepare our boys for life.

A student’s graded exam.

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The Index -

F

Tornetta d new s

Tyler Zim

ifth Former Andrew Tornetta is known by his peers as a dedicated artist. Tornetta has worked on various styles of art, each building upon the previous style, but differing in complexity and methodology.

Five paintings on display were all part of different projects over the last year.

The painting of the mountains was created in a “Bob Ross style.” These types of paintings “are not time-consuming,” said Tornetta, “but rather, they are stress relieving and usually end up with a nice result.”

Tornetta added that he does these Bob Ross paintings “in order to explore some new techniques and further develop my skill set.”

Continuing on this theme of nature, Tornetta continued his development, painting what he described as “perhaps [his] favorite painting to date, as I was able to combine so many of my personal strengths and add flair to it.”

“I always seemed to enjoy painting landscapes and sunrises or sunsets. However, I never really branched off, so I used this specific idea as a pathway between what I had been doing and what I wished to improve upon,” Tornetta said.

Taking a more personal approach, Tornetta’s next assignment was to create a “self portrait,” something that represents his personality or experiences. He immediately thought of the “times [he] had spent working with my father in the garden each year, both of [them] wearing work boots.”

The personal connection he made to the shoe allowed him to dive deeper into the project.

The next project relates to the last because of the black-and-white color scheme. While the pencil drawing used shading, the door handle was “only allowed to use five values including black, white, and three shades of grey.”

This project forced Tornetta “to see objects or images in a new, in-depth way, which allows me to add complexity and style to my

Bob Ross-style mountain-painting

Bob Ross-style painting two

Door Handle

- Arts

develops skills

March 2019

mmer ’20

paintings,” he said.

The final and most recent project “took a couple of big turns from the original thought. My original goal was to represent fire, water, and earth into the same picture.”

Through pure creativity and imagination, Tornetta saw an abstract design that he grew fond of and ran with it.

“In this painting of a mindfulness stream, I eventually began creating spirals and stripes along with the atmospheric background,” he said.

Connecting to his life, the spirals represent the “mind filled with everyday thoughts, each one with a different color and personality.”

As an artist, not every moment is filled with inspiring ideas or works in progress.

Rather, there are many periods of brainstorming, where he “tries to consider anything until I develop an idea that is concrete enough to begin a new project.”

Because of the “up and down” ride that artists like Tornetta take, he said, “Some weeks I will know exactly what I am working on when I walk into the studio. However, other days or even weeks do not always have a plan set in place.”

Finding great success in his first attempt at abstract art, he may head down this path again in the near future. One strategy he uses is keeping “multiple projects in motion simultaneously.”

“It allows me to have a choice over which one to work on,” he said.

This choice he creates for himself leads to a more excited attitude towards the project he decides to chip away at.

From experience, Tornetta does his best work over long periods of time in the studio.

For example, he often spends his “long frees, double lunches, and after school hours” to make significant progress.

Keep up with his new projects by following @andrew_j.tornetta_art on Instagram.

Shoe Self-Portrait

Mindfulness stream

IMAGES COURTESY OF ANDREW TORNETTA ’20

Page 12

The Index - on-campus opinions

March 2019

Battle of the Blackjacks Matt Mignucci ’20

T

he question as old as time itself.

Which is better? Blackjack Burgers or Blackjack Chicken? While both are two of the most anticipated and loved lunches at Haverford, the students have spoken and it has been decided that Blackjack Chicken is the best.

Personally, I believe that Blackjack Burgers are the best lunch at Haverford, and I was shocked when I saw that not only was that not the popular opinion among those who responded to the poll, but that Blackjack Chicken was the overwhelming favorite.

Out of the 88 total votes, Blackjack Burgers received a mere 31 compared to Blackjack Chicken’s 57.

After receiving these startling results, I had to reconsider how well I really knew my brothers. When asked about what made Blackjack Chicken better in his opinion, Fifth Former Pearse Glavin said, “There is a tradition surrounding Blackjack Chicken that has been in place at Haverford longer than many students have walked the school’s halls. The taste may not exactly live up to some people’s expectations, but student’s perceptions

about the lunch, and wanting to fit in with everyone else, makes the chicken taste that much better than a Blackjack Burger.”

While I consider Mr. Glavin a good friend and respect his opinion, I humbly disagree.

On the contrary, when asked why Blackjack Burgers were better than Blackjack Chicken, Fifth Former Bo Brady thinks, “A Blackjack Burger holds more flavor and gives people more calories while also providing you with more protein than a Blackjack Chicken which you need throughout the day.” Along with that, Bo had one last word to add to his argument, “Bacon.”

With the new addition of bacon to the Blackjack Burger it has definitely become a lot more popular among the student body, but as Pearse mentioned Blackjack Chicken has a reputation of greatness at Haverford that will be very hard for the Blackjack Burger to surpass.

INDEX STAFF

Dylan DiNubile ’20 and Ben Hokenson ’20 in line for Blackjack Burgers during A lunch, March 7, 2019

Is Intellectual Curiosity Day intellectual?

I

Ben Fosnocht ’21

ntellectual Curiosity Day provides a break from the repetitive nature of daily school life. It allows students to explore a topic that they would not experience on a normal school day, and the majority of students appreciate that. However, the name of this day sparks some debate: is IC Day really “intellectual”?

Some defend the intellectual aspect of the day, such as Fifth Former Pearse Glavin.

“IC Day allows people to pursue something they are actually interested in,” Glavin said, “and all the programs incorporate some sort of intellectual aspect.”

Each IC course requires thinking and exploring into new experiences, but some seem more like school, which some students want

fun on IC day, not work.”

Some students, like Sixth Former David Hurly, believe that the day “is a concept that

has good intentions but is executed poorly.”

Hundreds of students scroll through the spreadsheet to find their name: some quietly celebrate, while others tell their friends that the IC Day course they received was fifth or sixth on their list.

The students may only have a strong interest in three or four of the IC day courses, which tend to be the most popular.

“After IC day, some kids had great experiences, but most say the opposite,” said Hurly. “We should use the day to explore what students want to learn about, not the faculty.”

There have been student-run IC day

courses in the past that seemed to better reflect the desires of the boys, so perhaps getting more input from the students on certain IC day activities would improve the experiences.

It is impossible for someone to learn nothing in any of these classes. And without a doubt, students appreciate the effort that the faculty puts into their events.

“I know some of the courses were just activities that were interesting, and you learn something in all of them,” Fourth Former Jake Stacey said. “I think it’s just a different kind of learning.”

“There have been studentrun IC day courses in the past that seemed to better reflect the desires of the boys, so perhaps getting more input from the students on certain IC day activities would improve the experiences.” to avoid. This causes the more hands-on and active experiences to draw more attention, and the groups centered around discussion and deep thinking to be less popular.

“Most courses teach something to the kids, but I think some are just to have fun, and that’s a good thing,” Fourth Former Drew Loughnane said. “In general, the students are more drawn to the ones with the least amount of work. They want to have

INDEX STAFF

Fords sketching and journaling at a statue on the heights above Wissahickon Valley Park, February 27, 2019.

Page 13

The Index - Off-campus opinions

Black History is every month

Raise the voting age to 25 Nikhil Chakraborty ’19

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eenagers have been clamoring for the right to vote for years now, and some politicians are beginning to support them. The common arguments circulating include “teenagers are becoming more politically active” and “decisions in Congress affect teenagers too.” But the reality is, if we want rational thought to determine our next president and Congress, teenagers shouldn’t vote for who’s in office.

As a matter of fact, even some young adults shouldn’t vote — the cutoff age needs to be 25 to encourage fact-based decisionmaking from those with life experience.

There is a large body of psychological evidence suggesting that teenagers and young adults are incapable of fully logical thought.

According to the University of Rochester, the prefrontal cortex, or the rational part of the brain, is not yet fully developed in young people. As a result, they tend to process information with their amygdala, or the emotion center of the brain. The connections between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala are also not yet developed, causing overwhelming emotional input in decisionmaking.

I notice this within myself — though I would consider myself fairly well informed, — it’s a constant, conscious battle to try to use logic to make decisions, one that I don’t always win. I certainly wouldn’t trust myself with voting, which needs to be done rationally — one must carefully weigh the pros

and cons of each candidate. The brain development necessary to make such a decision doesn’t come until age 25.

So why are we letting people without this capability vote? It just doesn’t make sense.

In addition, there is an important life experience component that should play into a voting decision. It’s difficult to fully understand the effects of taxes unless you’re paying them yourself, to understand the cost of college unless you’re dealing with the debts.

Performing these actions allows you to find out what’s important to you — for example, are you responsible for helping pay for other people’s healthcare with your tax dollars?

While people with life experience may disagree on key issues, at least they’re not going entirely based on idealism. With a significant portion of 18 - 21 year olds in college, many young adults don’t acquire a few years of life experience until age 25. The result is noticeable — political militancy goes down significantly between ages 18 and 25 as people think deeply about their views.

People need time to understand exactly what they’re voting for and why, and raising the age cutoff to 25 would allow people that time to create a more informed voter base.

Voting is an incredibly important part of our democracy. We, as a country, need to make sure the people who elect our leaders are well-informed rational individuals.

Robotics needs a sports credit Quinn Luong ’22

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As a new member of the Haverford’s VEX Robotics Team 169 “The Calvary,” I am partial towards all aspects of robotics. But some people in the Haverford community criticize the robotics team because it is worth one sports credit, which for all intents and purposes classifies it as a sport.

But what defines a sport? Many believe that sports are defined by the physical capability an athlete can exert and improve, and to a lesser extent, an athlete’s mental capability. The Haverford School is known for its grueling athletic programs that consistently produce countless championships and Inter-Ac wins. I believe that Robotics, while not a physically intensive activity, challenges students to exert more mental strength than regular athletes do.

The Cavalry is one of the most esteemed robotics programs in the world, as our teams have competed around the country and are

highly competitive at the world championship level. My team, 169M, a team mostly made of Third Formers, was challenged to construct a robot with world-class quality.

Robotics is also highly time consuming, as members may stay as late as 8 p.m. every day of the week. The amount of work members exert year-round accumulates to many esteemed achievements throughout the season.

Members of The Cavalry not only learn about science, technology, engineering, math, and design, but also teamwork, perseverance, and creativity — creating something from nothing. Robotics members improve their techniques and strategies with constant practice, just like physical athletes.

From my many experiences during the Robotics season, I can attest that Robotics is not physically demanding, but it is a mentally challenging and creative sport.

March 2019

Shane Fordham ’19

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lack history in America is too vast to simply be observed in one month, let alone the shortest month of the year. Black people have been contributing to the history of America since they were first brought to this country as slaves. Famous Black inventors such as Dr. Charles Drew, Madam C.J. Walker, and George Washington Carver have drastically changed lives in America for the better.

According to Time magazine, Black History Month originally began as “Negro History Week.” Historian Carter G. Wood-

My grandfather’s church hosts special programs where members wear Afro-centric attire. Museums in Philadelphia invite the public to hear Black authors. There are musical concerts featuring Negro spirituals across the country.

I spoke to Rutgers University history professor Erica Armstrong Dunbar about whether or not Black History can be covered in a single month. Professor Dunbar says that the month reminds young students of color that their history is important.

“Black History Month gives us a mo-

COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS

Historian Erica Armstrong Dunbar, who wrote Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge. son and the Association for the Study of African-American Life in History launched “Negro History Week” as an annual tradition. They chose the second week in February, which was inspired by the birthday of Frederick Douglass (February 14) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12). Julia Zorthian of Time also says that Former President, Gerald Ford, declared Black History Month

“What if there was no Black History Month?

How would America learn about Black history?” a “national observance” in 1976.

Actor Morgan Freeman created controversy during a 60 Minutes interview when he referred to Black History Month as being “ridiculous.” Freeman said, “Black History is American History.” Freeman also justified his point by saying that there was no “White History Month” or “Jewish History Month” at that time. It is all American History.

Kashana Cauley of The New York Times writes that “Black History Month always felt like an obligatory celebration.”

ment to remember and commemorate a history that isn’t always taught, read, written about, or thought about with the majority of Americans,” she said.

What if there was no Black History Month? How would America learn about Black history?

According to Professor Dunbar, Black people would depend on oral history passed down generation to generation, “[b]ut at this moment in the twenty-first century, it would be negligent, offensive, and problematic to not incorporate Black history some way within Black History Month and outside of it.”

Professor Dunbar has also taught Black Studies and History at the University of Delaware. She has written a book about George Washington’s runaway slave, Ona Judge. The story of Ona Judge is not found in all history books, which is why Professor Dunbar agrees with Freeman in that Black history is American history and should be taught year round.

I did not know about Ona Judge’s story.

Stories like hers and other important Black people should be in the history books.

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The Index - Off-Campus opions

Connor’s cuisine corner Connor Devine ’19

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heeseburgers have long been a staple in American cuisine. They allow you to get your carnivorous fix at a low price point. Nearly every American restaurant will have a burger on the menu; some establishments put their own spin on this basic and others take a classic approach. I have found that there are only a few restaurants on the Main Line that do the cheeseburger to my satisfaction. There are a number of things that come into play when grading a burger, the main points of consideration being the quality of the meat, the fixings, and the environment in which you are consuming the burger.

4. Five Guys I am hesitant to put a chain so high on my list but, Five Guys in Wayne knocks it out of the park consistently. The quality of meat leaves more to be desired but, again this chain is considered “fast casual.” You are getting what you pay for and you are getting what you expect. Five Guys stands out for two reasons, Your ability to customize the burger to suit your tastes and the speed at which you are getting your meal. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and grilled onions, finished with ketchup and mayonnaise. The sesame seed bun is soft and delightful and the burger comes with the perfect ratio of toppings to meat. This is the best fast casual burger going and puts places like BGood and Shake Shack to shame (both

inconveniently located in King of Prussia).

If you are looking for a quick bite to eat and have a hankering for a cheeseburger, go to Five Guys in Wayne. Do not forget to order their famous fries on the side, they make the meal.

3. Autograph Brasserie Autograph makes a delicious burger.

Their lunch burger is the same as their dinner burger and while it is the least expensive entree on the menu, it still costs an arm and a leg. I reluctantly went to Autograph because I had to try this burger. Immediately when you walk in it is evident it is not a comfortable environment to be eating any meal with your hands. They are not targeting the teenage boy demographic with their decor or menu. Fine, we’ll still give their burger a fair shot. The burger comes out with cheddar, bacon, a large slice of tomato, caramelized onions, and finished with thousand island dressing. I was rather pleased with the lack of lettuce and the beefsteak tomato was amazing. The quality of the meat was what really made this burger. It was perfectly seasoned and ripe with juice, this burger was clearly made by a talented chef who would also cook a fine steak. The knock on this burger is just the environment you’re eating it in and the price point. You can find better for cheaper.

2. The White Dog Haverford White Dog has the same feel as Auto-

graph except for a small more comfortable bar seating area. This restaurant is conveniently located next to Haverford and is a great place to grab a bite for lunch. Unless you are trying to break the bank, the burger is the obvious choice. Their burger comes on a brioche bun topped with lettuce and red onion. I don’t come back to White Dog for their bun nor the tart flavor of the onion. I come back for the smoked bacon mayo. It is delicious and puts this burger a cut above Autograph. This burger doesn’t come with regular bacon on it, you can add it for an extra charge. No one should have to pay two dollars to add bacon to their burger, especially when they are paying $20 already. At White Dog you don’t need to, this burger already packs a strong smokey bacon punch and some. This burger was phenomenal.

Pro Tip: ask for a side of the bacon mayo for your fries. Thank me later.

1. The Goat’s Beard Wayne The Goat’s Beard is the place to be on any night of the week. They have live music on Tuesday’s, Thursday’s, Friday’s, and Saturday’s. The ambiance inside of the Goat’s Beard is perfect for a date or a meal with your friends and family. The menu is fairly reasonably priced, and they even offer a special on the burger on Wednesdays. This burger comes complete with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, pickles, and their secret sauce. If I had to guess, the secret sauce is just a house-made garlic aioli. When this fancy mayonnaise is spread onto the pretzel bun and combined with their choice fixings, it makes for the perfect explosion of flavor with every bite. I have no qualms with their burger other than if you don’t eat it quickly

March 2019 enough, their, house-ground, perfectly seasoned, ground-beef patty’s juices will drip through the pretzel bun. I’m still not even sure if that is a complaint. Go to the Goat’s Beard. Try the “TGB Burger.” Go back, try something else. I have had the pleasure of meeting the head chef at the Wayne location, he is very invested in his craft and his attention to detail is evident in this perfected burger. I am open to any recommendations you may have concerning your favorite burger but, right now, “TGB Burger” is atop my list.

THEGOATSBEARDWAYNE.COM

Devine voted The Goat’s Beard’s burger as best on the Main Line.

U.S. should stick with North Korea strategy

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n February 28, 2019, President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un suddenly cut short their summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Both leaders left the meeting without signing an agreement. This marks the first major setback for the recent thaw in relations between North Korea and both South Korea and the United States.

In the past year, North Korea and South Korea have sought closer ties with each other, committing to denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The two countries also marched together at the 2018 Seoul Olympic Games and competed with a united Korean women’s hockey team.

The U.S. and North Korea have also pursued peaceful negotiation. Preceding this conference, Trump and Kim had met last year in a summit in Singapore, the first meeting between American and North Korean heads of state.

The results of this summit were moderately successful, with Trump and Kim signing an agreement that committed both leaders to work towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, return of American prisoners of war and those missing in action, and a final end to the Korean conflict between North and South Korea.

However, the agreement articulated vague goals instead of clear-cut objectives. In addition, neither country has established a concrete definition of “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” The U.S. sees “denuclearization” as an end to North Korea’s nuclear program, while North Korea might believe that it also includes complete withdrawal of U.S. military presence from

Toby Ma ’20 the peninsula.

Without a stable base for mutual dialogue, it will be challenging for both countries to move forward in negotiations. Both countries should work on defining the terms of peace on the Korean Peninsula and clarifying denuclearization.

Leading up to the Hanoi summit, American negotiators were hoping to set up a more definitive agreement. This compact would include a clause where North Korea would shut down the Yongbyon nuclear reactor, the country’s major nuclear research facility, in return for the lifting of some American sanctions.

The Trump administration stated that the talks were abruptly ended because North Korea had demanded the lifting of all American sanctions on the country, something that he could not accept, choosing instead to “walk away.”

The North Korean delegates refuted this claim in a news conference after the summit concluded, stating they were willing to shut down the Yongbyon nuclear facility and end all ICBM testing in return for the partial lifting of sanctions.

North Korea’s relationship with the U.S. and the rest of the world has been tumultuous. The nation has started, slowed, and restarted its development of nuclear weapons in response to outside influences. This new era of warming relations between North Korea and the U.S. and South Korea was preceded by the pinnacle of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, with its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially strike the mainland U.S. Although the three coun-

tries have made major strides in the past two years, all their progress could be lost with a slight misstep, resulting in a return to simmering tensions.

Right now, North Korea’s greatest asset is its nascent nuclear arsenal, which admittedly has had a positive effect of bringing the U.S. and North Korea to the negotiating table.

North Korea is well aware of the potential consequences if it chooses to relinquish its nuclear weapons; it would put the country at risk of military attack from the South and the U.S., a conflict North Korea is unlikely to win. Although he has committed himself to denuclearization in writing, Kim will not acquiesce to denuclearization unless it feels that the U.S. or South Korea will pose zero threat to his regime.

The Trump Administration must act reasonably with the North Korean regime. Although it would be more tempting to strike

a decisive deal with Kim, the U.S. cannot expect to reverse almost seventy years of enmity between the two countries with a snap of its fingers.

The Trump Administration should not be discouraged by the results of this meeting.

Rather than assigning blame for the failed talks, the U.S. should continue pursuing the diplomatic route with North Korea. It would be disastrous for the Korean Peninsula if there was a return to heightened tensions. Although much remains to be done for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, these summits still are substantial first steps to accomplishing American goals.

The Korean Peninsula is closer to peace and harmony than ever before, and the U.S. should continue in its talks with North Korea while conditions are still favorable — despite the disappointing results of the Hanoi

WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Trump and Kim having dinner on the first day of the Hanoi summit.

Negotiations were abruptly cut short on the second day.

Page 15

The Index - Sports

March 2019

Laxmen prepare for top national competition

“They just worked with me and told me to take it day by day,” Brown said.

Even as a Third Former playing on varsity, especially on a team drawing enormous crowds and making history, Brown had no problem keeping his cool. “There was no pressure, a lot because of the guidance of the seniors.”

“As a leader, first you gotta make sure you got a good group of guys, and that’s a testament to Mr. McBride for bringing good guys in here,” said Nelson. “You got to set the culture, and we’ve overall had a good culture. We always hang out outside of school and on and off the court, we just always get along. And that just makes it so much easier to work with guys.”

“I feel like being leading isn’t just barking people orders — it’s knowing your teammates the best and getting the best out of them, and making a great team out of that,” Nelson said.

Coach Rogers realized the importance of a tight-knit team and strove to maintain a positive environment. “There was a positive culture,” said Coach Rogers. “[The team] enjoyed each other and were happy for each other’s success — realizing everyone’s contributions made us a stronger group.”

“The team had talented players who were unselfish and were focused on the team succeeding,” Coach Rogers said, noting that the selflessness of the team was a large reason for their success.

Nelson agrees, remarking that not only did this year’s team have undeniable talent, but that “[the team] was unselfish and everybody worked hard and contributed to the team.”

“The bench players and everybody was just pushing each other the whole year. Nobody ever let up in practice, the games — we were always focused in film sessions. We just did everything right as a team,” Nelson said.

Winning the state championships this year was simply satisfying for the team, especially after coming up short in the finals last year. Throughout the journey, although staying undefeated is no simple task, the team was never flustered.

“After like the first ten games we were like ‘Wow, we really aren’t losing,’” Nelson said. “And then after that, it just became regular like ‘Yeah, we’re gonna win this game, we’re gonna win this game.’”

In no way was coming out of each game victorious an easy task. “We had a couple a couple of tough games during the first part of the season versus like Hill and Perkiomen — that was what really put us over the edge because we lost to those teams last year,” said Nelson. “Knowing that we beat them this

Dan Chow ‘20 Fifth Former Brennan McBride in a lacrosse match against St. Paul’s school last year.

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ith their sticks strung and their helmets strapped, the lacrosse team is buckling up for the long season ahead of them. This year, the team has made sure to be more prepared than ever, with the Sixth Formers taking the initiative and leading by example. Starting well before the official spring sports season, the team has been training before and after school, with workouts facilitated by the seniors.

Ranked twelfth in the nation by Insider Lacrosse, the team has a challenging match schedule ahead of them, playing many of the top-ranked teams in the country. Their extra efforts during the off-season have begun to pay off, as they currently hold a 2-1 record after defeating St. Paul’s School and Boys’ Latin School of Maryland but losing a tough game to McDonogh School.

Fifth Former Chris Tsetsekos, the team’s face off/get off position (FOGO), said, “All those morning workouts, after-school lifts and extra time we put in are starting to

DR. MIKE NANCE

show on the field.”

The captains of the team this year are Sixth Formers Mac Costin, Peter Garno, Ryan Niggeman, Adam Salvaggio, and Gavin Burke.

“The senior’s leadership this year is great,” Tsetsekos said. “They get us pumped up for games and focused all the time. They lead by example and communicate effectively at all the right times.”

The commitment of the team to grind together during the off-season is a testament to the “I got your back, you got mine” positive environment that the team strives to foster.

“Everyone is really committed to the success of the team. When we work as a unit, no one can stop us,” Tsetsekos said.

Director of the Lacrosse Program Brendan Dawson has taken the helm as the lacrosse coach confidently. Taking the position after Head Coach John Nostrant — named “one of the nation’s finest lacrosse coaches” from multiple sources — meant filling some large shoes. And so far,

it seems that Coach Dawson is excelling in his new position.

“Coach Dawson has done a fantastic job so far, to say the least,” Tsetsekos said.

“He and Coach Nostrant, along with all the other coaches, are the best coaching staff in the country, no doubt about it. There’s no one I’d rather have to coach me every day.

Their experience is unparalleled.”

As with any team playing on the national scale, the team has had to travel out of state multiple times, last week playing against multiple Maryland teams. In the next couple weeks, the Fords will take on No. 1 Salisbury School and No. 2 Culver Military Academy. On April 27–28, the team will be competing in the GEICO High School Lacrosse Showcase, a prestigious event where they will be playing on ESPN against the top teams in the nation.

“We have the hardest schedule in the country,” Tsetsekos said, “and we’re all pumped to play the best in the country.”

school basketball history.

This year’s Sixth Form lineup, along with Coach Bernie Rogers, have been pivotal in leading the team to its success. LaSalle commit Christian Ray dominated almost every match, leading Haverford’s scoring for 23 out of the 28 games. Asim Richards and Gavin Burke have had powerful presences on the court, and Nelson, although spending a large portion of the season recovering from a torn meniscus, came back relentless — scoring the clutch game-winning shot in overtime to defeat rival Malvern Prep and secure the Inter-Ac championship.

Despite coming back from his second season with an injury, Nelson’s determination to win did not waver.

“I was disappointed at first, but it was just life,” Nelson said. “There are some guys that don’t have the opportunity to play basketball, and I could play.”

Nelson is now looking forward in his

basketball career. “The opportunity to be playing in high school is great, but I’m just trying to get as ready as possible for college.

I find that it’s important, but I feel like college is more important at this point in my basketball career.”

Although currently committed to Saint Joseph’s University, Nelson will be taking a prep year first.

The team’s success this year can be attributed to many factors. At the center of any great team is a great coach, and Coach Rogers and the assistant coaches were no exception.

“The coaches were an important part to the team because they always held us accountable,” said Nelson. “They also held us to a higher standard. The standard was always high, but, as we started winning and our season became more historic as it went on, they were like ‘don’t let up, you gotta just keep going and going.’”

“We won games, but I feel like Coach Rogers made it better because there were games that we should have lost, and he made that apparent, but I’m still happy we won all of them,” Nelson said.

Brown, a top-twenty ranked player in the nation, was also grateful for the coaches.

“The coaches helped a lot. Every day in practice they push me to work hard and stick with it, every day,” Brown said.

In addition to the coaches, the Sixth Form leaders set a positive example for the team. “Their hard work and selfless play were great role models to their younger teammates,” Coach Rogers said.

Brown said,“Learning from all the seniors, Gavin Burke, Jameer Nelson, Christian Ray, Asim Richards, it was just a great year learning from them on and off the court.”

Working with the seniors, Brown’s confidence also grew both on and off the court.

Basketball reflects on historic season

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DAN CHOW ’20

ut the team’s success story doesn’t stop there. Entering the PAISSA (Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association) state championship tournament with an undefeated record, the team maintained their winning streak as they stormed their way to the finals.

In a historic finals match against Westtown, Haverford secured their place as one of the most dominant, if not the most dominant, teams in the region. The team triumphed over their Westtown in overtime, finishing 67-62 with Third Former Jameel Brown scoring twenty-four points and Sixth Formers Christian Ray and Jameer Nelson, Jr., each contributing seventeen points for the Fords. With the addition of the PAISSA victories, the total wins at the end of the season tallied up to 28-0, making the 20182019 roster the first ever undefeated team in

DR. MIKE NANCE

Tyler Seward ’21 doing a lay up in a game against Shipley during this year’s

“As time went on, you could feel that we were doing something special.” year, we thought we could just beat anybody.”

“The season was exciting throughout,” said Coach Rogers. “And as time went on, you could feel that we were doing something special.”

Although four Sixth Formers will graduate this year, the team’s depth ensures a promising future.

“I think the underclassmen will step up well. We have a top-twenty freshman going to be a sophomore next year, Jameel,” Nelson said. “I think he’ll help lead the team with [Fourth Former] Tyler Seward and [Fourth Former] Christian Clover, who is coming back off injury. And they might get some incoming freshman next year, who knows. I think it’ll be a target on their backs, but they got good supporting guys like [Fifth Formers] MJ Atkins and Matt McKenna.”

But the team need not worry about next year yet — for now, they can enjoy knowing they were part of such a historic season.

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The Index - Sports

Casual frisbee turns competititive

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jeffrey yang ’22

ltimate Frisbee, a sport recognized for its typically relaxed and laid-back practices and coaches, has evolved this season.

What changed? In a marked improvement over prior years, the team now has 30 members.

“I think we are building a program that is developing into something that is getting street credit,” said coach Mr. Greg Ressler.

This credibility can be attributed to ultimate’s competition and training. Dr. Fenton and Mr. Ressler break up their focus into “skills and fitness, two things that are very important for this [Ultimate Frisbee],” Coach Ressler said.

The team will start with full-team warmup drills, then break into their A and B teams where they will focus on fundamentals of the game, going through the basic plays and understanding the setups they will run. “[Ultimate Frisbee] is a very soccer-based game, you’re always moving. You got to learn when to walk and when you got to sprint,” said Coach Ressler.

The team is broken into quarterbacks and cutters. There may be two or three quarterbacks, each acting to open space for the other. The cutters are like wide receivers, trying to find any open space to receive a long pass to then move it the remaining distance to the endzone.

Practice builds toward the end goal, competition. The team competes against other schools in the league PHUEL, Philadelphia High School Ultimate Education League. The biggest competition is the Division title. Currently the team is aiming for the Division-II title. The team competes under basic Ultimate Frisbee rules, meaning the first to 15 points is the winner.

The hidden factor of UF’s overall success has been the sense of unity. Because they take the game more seriously, they also take each other more seriously. They are now able to commit to a common goal, which allows the members to invest into the game and into each other.

“Their camaraderie is really developing,” Coach Ressler said.

MR. JIM ROESE

Nikhil Chakraborty ’19 defends against a deep shot last spring.

A decade-long dynasty for tennis? matthew schwartz ’21

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oach Antonio Fink has been the head coach of the Haverford Tennis team for ten years. Of those years, only the first ended without an Inter-Ac Championship. With a win this year, the tennis team will have won the Inter-Ac ten years in a row, an astounding accomplishment for any athletic team.

“The secret is getting the top players to buy into Haverford tennis… they all love to play for Haverford, and they represent the school incredibly well. We’ve been lucky to

“This year, we don’t have quite that raw talent.”

MR. JIM ROESE

George Maguire ’19 closes in on a befuddled foe last spring.

March 2019

have not only their talent but also their leadership,” Coach Fink said.

Even with the added expectations of delivery a tenth-straight championship, Coach Fink stressed the team would not change how they approached the season and would maintain their intensity throughout.

With each new season comes new players rising up through the ranks to become captain. This year the tennis team is being

led by Sixth Formers Thomas Ward and Nikhil Chakraborty.

Chakraborty is excited for the season to get underway and is ready for all the duties that come with being captain. “I want to support the team in any way I can,” Chakraborty said, “meaning making sure we have a place to play every day, whether it’s indoor or outdoors, or planning logistics for matches and practices. Also, I want to help everyone to gain confidence in their ability to hit the ball and compete.”

There has been a lot of turnover from last year with departing seniors, but that has not deterred Chakraborty and others in reaching their goals for this season.

“In the past, Haverford has had a lot of nationally ranked players. This year, we don’t have quite that raw talent. However, we make up for that with some great depth,” said Chakraborty. “There’s a lot of great players to support the team in all positions, from first singles down to fourth doubles. We don’t have a significant drop in level as you go down the lineup; everyone is competitive.”

Rowers encouraged by renewed interest

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ryan Rodack ’21

hrouded in mystery, Haverford’s crew team lacks recognition, unlike its other spring counterparts. A sport that involves a body of water, the team typically practices and competes in regattas on the Schuylkill River. Due to this commute, students do not attend competitions, limiting the sport’s popularity among student fans.

“I think crew is unique in that the vast majority of our practices are off-campus,” Sixth Form coxswain Nelson Liu said. “We don’t necessarily have any easily-accessible ‘home games’ for [the student fan section]. I think that leads to people not actually knowing too much about the sport or the team, and having to go off second-hand accounts.

The team still promotes a positive team camaraderie and dynamic.

“I think that in general, our team atmosphere is much more positive and supportive than our reputation would otherwise lead someone to believe,” Liu said. “As far as this year goes, both the coaching staff and the seniors are just trying to continue building on last year’s momentum — to continue fostering a team culture which is not only positive and supportive but which also encourages everyone to constantly push themselves and

each other.”

Some students perceive crew as a “dying sport.” Liu dispelled this notion, highlighting the team’s recent success and efforts to develop younger talent.

“Interest in crew has not stagnated at all,” Liu said.

“Not only did we just win a national championship last year, but we are also consistently one of the most successful teams on campus. We returned to England for the first time since 1997 two summers ago, and in the past few years, a substantial number of our seniors have been recruited to continue

rowing in college at places like Princeton, Navy, Dartmouth, and Penn. On top of that, crew is an incredibly rewarding sport. We’ve seen a great turn-out from underclassmen this spring, and we’re continuing to develop young talent in our middle school program as well.”

Andrew D’Arcangelo strokes down the Schuylkill last spring.

MR. JIM ROESE

Page 17

The Sixers playoff picture MATT MIGNUCCI ’20

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ith the Philadelphia 76ers 130125 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday March 17, they officially punched their ticket to the playoffs. While there has been a lot of tension and questioning the Sixers legitimacy during a rough stretch after the All-Star Break, the Sixers have bounced back since the return of their All-Star center Joel Embiid and reminded everyone why they’re a force to be reckoned with.

After the All-Star break, 76ers center

The Index - Sports

Joel Embiid took some extra time to rest due to knee soreness and during the eight game stretch where he was out the Sixers struggled with their scoring, chemistry, and ball movement which led to them going 4-4. However, since Embiid has returned the Sixers have begun to dominate again winning every game since and clinching playoff berth.

The Sixers success depends on the availability of Joel Embiid and the level of play he is physically and mentally able to produce in a given game. Throughout his

absence, with the continued struggles of J.J. Redick, it has required other players like Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and especially Jimmy Butler to step up to the challenge of playing without one of their key teammates.

The temporary loss of Embiid forced the Sixers to reach into their bench more.

It also allowed for players like Mike Scott, who allows the team to spread the floor with his three-point threat, Jonah Bolden, a talented rookie center who has great potential, and veteran Amir Johnson to receive more minutes, and gain more confidence and experience in the Sixer’s system.

Moving forward, the Sixers do not have an incredibly difficult schedule except for a game on 3/20 against the hated Boston Celtics and against the Bucks again on 4/4. Last year the Sixers were unstoppable

march 2019 towards in the home stretch of the regular season winning the last 16 games of the season to give them their best record in years at 52-30. Right now the Sixers sit at 45-25, and in order for the them to accomplish the same level of success as last year they will need to finish the remaining part of the season with at least a 7-5 record.

Looking ahead at their schedule, I think it would be very fair to expect a 7-5 record from the Sixers and I would even predict they get anywhere from 8-10 wins in their final 12 games.

With Embiid back and healthy the Sixers are beginning to perform at the championship-level team that they are again, and with the playoffs right around the corner, there is no better time than now for them to catch fire.

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons vs. the Wizards, February 25, 2018.

KEITH ALLISON VIA WIKIMEDIA

Bryce Harper signing excites student fans

O

JAKE LAROCCA ‘22

n February 28th, 2019, MVP outfielder Bryce Harper signed a huge, thirteen-year, 330 million dollar contract with the Phillies. Along with the whole city of Philadelphia, the trade electrified students demeanor upon its announcement around 3:00 p.m., 15 minutes before last period ended.

Most students were in class when the news came out, so something positive came out of last period. Third Former Will Kendall was one of the many in class when the news hit ESPN. “I felt a buzz in my pocket and took out my phone to see an ESPN notification.

When I saw Bryce Harper signed a contract with the Phillies, I screamed to everyone in my class about what had happened. I was ecstatic. The whole class was so excited, and everyone pulled out their phones to make sure the news was true,” Kendall said.

Almost everyone was excited, but the school baseball team may have been the most excited. Coaches and players came down to practice with smiles on their faces.

“It was amazing,” Third Form player Colby McNeely said. “Coaches and players were hype throughout the whole practice. It was all we talked about.”

The last time the Phillies made a playoff appearance was in 2011, losing to the Cardinals in the first round. With Bryce Harper’s signing, many believe the Phillies

could be in for some playoff baseball.

In addition to the possible playoff run this year, the signing also sets the Phillies up for a big year in free agency next year. Phillies fans think the Harper signing encourages Mike Trout, arguably the best player in the league, to sign with the team next year when his contract ends. Haverford students

dream about the possibility of bringing in Trout next year.

“A player like Bryce Harper draws a lot of good talent to the city of Philadelphia,” Fourth Former Jack Deppen said.

Overall, the Harper signing is imbuing everyone with anticipation for the Phillies home opener on April 5.

Although basketball and football have taken over as the main sports in Philly— with the recent Super Bowl Championship and the young, talented Sixers’ team—the Phillies have a good opportunity to get everyone back on baseball.

Bryce Harper speaks to reporters in 2016.

ARTURO PARDAVILA VIA WIKIMEDIA

Page 18

The Index - Arts

March 2019

A Sweeney Todd to die for

cont. from the front page... ...to Mrs. Lovett (Allegra Greenawalt), who places them into a furnace and bakes them into meat pies. But it was the intricate details, the challenging vocals, and music that made this musical extremely difficult, possibly one of the most difficult musicals to perform.

Theater Department Chair Mr. Darren Hengst said, “The show is extremely difficult in every facet, with the lighting, the music, just everything in general. But these guys have worked really hard, and they really set the bar, with the seniors, in particular, setting the example. I couldn’t be more proud of them and with all of the work they’ve put in since December has truly paid off.”

With a great attendance for the shows on Friday and Saturday night, the audience knew what they were prepared to see and hear.

Music director Mr. Mark Hightower led the ensemble and did not shy away from the

fact of how difficult this piece was to perform.

“This is hands down the most difficult theater music that exists, in my opinion. It’s a huge challenge for everyone, and it’s almost an opera because of its scale and the music itself makes it that much harder to follow through,” Mr. Hightower said.

Sixth Former David Hurly played the eponymous Sweeney Todd, and by staying on stage for the most time out of all the other actors and actresses, this was by far his hardest role. Playing a deranged barber made it that more strenuous, but Hurly managed to prevail and actually surprised himself in the process.

“Rehearsal’s been brutal, and we had to keep going through after each mistake, which only made it that much more difficult for me personally,” Hurly said. “The music is ridiculous with all the iterations, and from my standpoint, this was all about improving

Harverd Dropout’s formula

for me as a singer by increasing my range, which I did somehow, and for staying on stage throughout the entire play essentially only puts more pressure on me.”

The message of the play may seem unclear at first.

Sixth Former John Williams said, “It

shows what identity and trauma can truly do to a character and make a hard impact on you in life, but also how revenge is a terrible thing. [Sweeney] thinks that killing someone is beneficial for him at the moment, and as a result, he gets himself caught in the cycle and ultimately pays the price for it.”

Egard Watches responds to Gillette’s toxic masculinity ad

YAN GRAF ‘20

U

nless you have been living under a rock for these past two years, it would be impossible to have not heard of the meteoric rise of South Florida rapper Lil Pump. His lavish, carefree lifestyle and his controversial music have made 17-year-old Gazzy Garcia one of the faces of modern rap culture.

Recently, Lil Pump released his newest album, Harverd Dropout — and yes, that is not a misspelling: the album is really titled “Harverd” Dropout. The album, whose title is an allusion to a joke often made about Lil Pump’s repetitive lyrics, dropped February 22 and features 16 songs totaling 40 minutes of music.

The most glaring reason why Lil Pump’s music has become so controversial has to do simply with his musical style. Critics often charge that Lil Pump’s songs are dull and unimaginative. He is often accused of simply repeating catchphrases over and over again, instead of actually “rapping.”

The most glaring example of this is the song “Gucci Gang.” The song, which is 2:10 long, can be shortened to just 40 seconds if all repeated lyrics are taken out.

Does Harverd Dropout change this in any way? The answer seems to be no. In fact, Harverd Dropout is not anything new in terms of music for Lil Pump. Most of his songs feature very similar beats, all with him uttering the same few words over and over again. A good example of this would be his song “Dropped Out.” In it, he repeats the phrase “Dropped Out” a total of 33 times within two minutes.

Much of his other songs all rely on the same formula that some of his older music has as well. Even some of the less repetitive songs, like “ION,” featuring fellow South Florida Rapper Smokepurpp, still have Pump saying the phrase “I don’t need you” over 29 times.

The only song that truly breaks the mold

COMMUNICATIONS

Allegra Greenawalt and David Hurly performing during Sweeney Todd.

Robert Esgro ‘19

P

WARNER BROS RECORDS

Album cover for Harverd Dropout, where rapper Lil Pump retreads his old musical style in this album is the song “I Love It” featuring Kanye West. The song, which dropped as a single September 7, 2018, is the only one that features a different flow and musical style than what we are used to from Lil Pump. Apart from this singular song, it can often be hard to tell songs apart from each other in Harverd Dropout.

So, is Harverd Dropout trash or treasure? Well, as always, it depends on who you are. For those who have not been fans of Lil Pump’s past work, Harverd Dropout is simply more of the same. The same beats, lyrics, and themes are covered in every song, and they are extremely consistent with Pump’s past songs. Therefore, for those, I could not recommend this album.

However, Pump’s meteoric rise would not be possible if he did not have a large number of fans. For fans of Lil Pump, this album represents a great source of new songs to fulfill that urge. It is the summation of the Lil Pump formula that has gotten him so popular over the past two years. Whether you love it or hate it, Lil Pump’s new album truly is a great summation of what the state of rap has become in present day.

iano music begins over a black screen. A house fire dwarfs six firefighters operating a hose. A voice begs the simple question: “What is a man?”

The question of masculinity and what it means to be a “real” man has come under intense scrutiny lately as waves of women and men have accused men of sexual harassment. Although many of the claims detail allegations of incidents that occured years — sometimes decades — ago, this has not stopped the claims from garnering national notoriety. Companies such as Gillette, a brand of Procter and Gamble, have released short films attacking what is commonly de-

“As a fireman carries a child from a burning building, Srulovicz asks, “Is a man brave?” as the screen reads “Men account for 93% of workplace fatalities.” As a combat veteran hugs his son holding an American flag, Srulovicz asks “Is a man a hero?” as the screen reads, “Men comprise over 97% of war fatalities.” scribed as “toxic masculinity.”

Even at Haverford, we learn of ways to be less toxic. In February, Mr. Al Vernacchio came to discuss consent, an extremely

important topic that certainly holds a place in today’s (and for that matter, any) society.

But instead of simply learning about how to safely navigate difficult situations, we also learned about how our gender, skin color, and even religion could possibly factor into an accusation, as they are signs of “toxic inherent power.”

Egard, a watch company, released a short film in late January called “What is a man? A response to Gillette.” The film brings to light men’s issues in a political world that may ignore or even deny them. The film achieved its purpose with engaging music, interesting statistics, and most importantly, the powerful juxtaposition of those factors with clips of male actors.

Directed and narrated by Ilan Srulovicz, the short film was released as a response to Gillette’s “The Best Men Can Be,” from mid-January. The film features footage of men fighting fires, hugging their children, and returning home from combat, as Srulovicz, narrates somber statistics relating to men.

As a fireman carries a child from a burning building, Srulovicz asks, “Is a man brave?” as the screen reads “Men account for 93% of workplace fatalities.” As a combat veteran hugs his son holding an American flag, Srulovicz asks “Is a man a hero?” as the screen reads, “Men comprise over 97% of war fatalities.” Srulovicz asks similar questions throughout the film: “Is a man a protector?

Is a man vulnerable? Is a man disposable? Is a man broken? Is a man trying?”

In addition to the powerful statistics, Srulovicz juxtaposes the clips of men in different scenarios with long-shots of their faces, looking into the camera. The men, all with serious facades, stare pervasively at their viewers, all seeming to ask the same question: “Are we really ‘toxic’?”

Page 19

The Index - Sports

Everyone should watch Japanese movies John williams ‘19

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he Japanese film industry has mastered the art of magical realism, a genre where stories are told in worlds with one aspect different from our own.

Instead of making this difference fuel an antagonist-protagonist dichotomy, like Hollywood’s Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes, the characters simply explore their animated existence. By watching anime, American consumers will realize that their global cultural power is not as encompassing as they thought. Experiencing these fantastic stories with vivid panoramic shots and detailed expressions allows viewers to escape from reality, and return with a new perspective on the world.

Take the 2008 anime film Ponyo, directed

by Hayao Miyazaki. The story follows an underwater guppy-like princess who turns herself human to be with her new landdwelling friend Sōsuke. Instead of wasting time formulating a conflict, Miyazaki builds the narratives of the two characters based on how their differences affect their experience on land. In the end, rather than defeating a villain, the two characters come to terms

ILHA VOYAGER VIA WIKIMEDIA

Makoto Shinkhai, director of Your Name.

with their dissimilar existences.

Many have questioned my passion for watching these childish Japanese animations.

I’ll admit, before watching my first Miyazaki movie, I too judged anime fans. Consuming something so foreign, sometimes with just subtitles, seemed like an unnecessary waste of my time. But by suspending my doubts, I was able to experience something unfamiliarly beautiful.

In addition to a non-Western plot, films such as Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name have also set a new standard for artful imagery. “Like a landscape shining after [a] heavy rain,” these frames of glowing Tokyo pedestrian

“I challenge everyone to overcome their doubts and search for Japanese films.” intersections, undisturbed Japanese rice farms, and golden Shinto shrines formulate a euphoric visual experience.

The Japanese have mastered magical realism, channeling it through animated films. Although you could watch these movies, you could also stick to Hollywood magical realism blockbusters such as Birdman. If nothing else, anime is worth watching due to the intricate detail of each character’s faces. Unlike real-life actors who are inherently unable to match the director’s intent, animators design the intricacies of each blush, smile, and tear. These movies express human emotions in ways unattainable without animation. Ultimately, these particular details have allowed me to connect with characters in ways that I had never before.

It is human nature to judge something completely foreign. I challenge everyone to overcome their doubts and search for Japanese films outside of the Hollywood sphere. These movies offer a new perspective to view human emotions, Eastern culture, and ultimately our world. Reach outside your comfort zone and explore the fantastic vivid and emotional realms that exist in these animated films.

March 2019

All aboard to binge watch city: The Great Train Robbery on Netflix

Tyler McDonald ‘19 INDEX STAFF

L

A student viewing The Great Train Robbery on the Netflix app.

et’s be honest with ourselves: sometimes it’s cool to be the bad guy. Parents instill morals into their children at a young age and teach them to strive to be good and genuine. Still, people are always fascinated by the idea of doing wrong. Many love to watch television shows with anti-heroes. These characters often break the laws and do dishonorable deeds, but their actions are either justified or simply are there for the love of the mayhem they create.

Television series such as Breaking Bad and Narcos have grown extremely popular, and it’s not hard to see why. Being a rebel is fun.

A series that does not get the respect that it deserves in the genre of organized crime is the 2013 British documentary The Great Train Robbery, available to stream on Netflix.

This two-part mini-series reenacts arguably the biggest heist of the century.

The first half revolves around the events that lead up to August 8, 1963, where a mail train carrying 2.6 million pounds (which is equivalent to 53.3 million pounds or 70.7 million US dollars today) was robbed by fifteen men led by Bruce Reynolds and his right-hand man Gordon Goody. The second half follows Detective chief Superintendent Tommy Butler and his team and their multiyear pursuit of the robbers.

Even though the robbers were portrayed as lawless men on radio programming and newspapers, the citizens of Britain saw the robbers as anti-heroes. No one had ever dared to steal money on the train because it was considered “the Queen’s mail,” and it would be an offense against the nation of

Britain. The people of Britain did not see it this way and instead painted the robbers as working class rebels who were able to “stick it” to Parliament.

These men were seen as heroes. Directors Julian Jarrold and James Strong paint the robbers as sympathetic individuals whom the audience wants to root for. They write the robbers not as men who refuse to get a job, but as men who are tired of circumstances of life dictating how far they will get in life.

The effective casting of the rebels helped in their endeavour. Luke Evans takes the role of Bruce Reynolds, and he completely owns the smooth talking thinker who organizes the robbery. He is also a family man with a young son, whom he always reminds with a twinkle in his eye to, “Be Lucky.” Jack Roth takes the role of Gordon Goody, Evans’ right hand man. Known for his smaller size and violent outbursts, Roth plays Goody, a methodical sociopath who would do anything for his wife and two daughters. Paul Anderson, Martin Compston, and Robert Glenister are a few of the supporting actors whose performances help garner sympathy for the robbers.The gang feels like a close family, brothers in arms.

After robbing the train Reynolds (Evans) tells the crew that what they did on the tracks was a work of art, and before pulling off in separate vehicles Evans tells his men “be lucky.”

Captain Marvel challenges gender stereotypes Mitav nayak ‘22 & yeshwin sankuratri ‘20

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aptain Marvel, the latest film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, offers an entertaining and original plot while still capturing the traditional Marvel movie feel. Praised by critics, satisfactory to many fans, and a hit in the box-office, the fast-paced adventure introduces yet another powerful superhero to the universe: Captain Marvel.

While some criticized Brie Larson, who plays the eponymous superhero, for her “bland” facial expressions in the trailer, she completely delivers. With a blend of humor, power, and wit, Larson brilliantly portrays the story of a Kree warrior who struggles to discover her past and identity.

Fans familiar with the MCU know that Captain Marvel is the first film in the franchise with a female protagonist; while female superheroes such as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and Gamora (Zoe Saldana), have appeared in previous films, they have never had a stand-alone film.

This movie takes place in the 1990s, before all previous films in the MCU timeline with the exception of Captain America: The First Avenger. The story revolves around a character named Vers (Larson), who has

memories of her life as a female pilot on Earth.

The story begins with Vers training to be a Kree warrior in Starforce. On her first assignment, where the team encounters form-changing enemies called the Skrulls, she gets separated from her team and winds up on Earth. Here, she runs into Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who quickly forms a partnership with her as they begin to unravel her past, identify her enemies, and complete her transformation into Captain Marvel.

After a slow start, the movie gathers speed towards the middle and end. A balance of plot development, action, and comedy provides an engaging and suspenseful experience.

Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck highlight gender stereotypes in parts of the film, as they strive to empower young women around the world. While incorporating serious critiques of society, the directors maintain the trademark Marvel comedic and entertaining feel, resulting in a worthwhile experience.

There is no surprise that the movie has been off to a record-setting pace at the box office. Already the second-highest grossing film of 2019 so far, Captain Marvel is one of the performing Marvel origin movies to date.

Captain Marvel references previous

films, addresses unsolved mysteries, and leaves viewers in anticipation of the next Marvel blockbuster set to come out in April,

Avengers: Endgame. For die-hard Marvel fans and new viewers alike, Captain Marvel is a must-watch movie.

INDEX STAFF

A Captain Marvel poster photographed at Narberth Theatre.

Page 20

The Index - Arts

march 2019

Jake Weinstein’s astonishing drawings

I

Cole Stecker ’20

f you are like me, you have walked by the new glass doors in the basement of the school and marveled at the many intricate drawings that cover the walls. Or perhaps you noticed the new signs on the front of the door which appeared every week or so.

Regardless of how you came to notice this room, or if you never noticed it at all, it houses the most unique and interesting drawings in the entire school.

The previous sign, which was haphazardly taped to the door summarizes the room perfectly. The sign read, “Yes, Jake drew all of these.” Sixth Former Jake Weinstein, the man behind the drawings, has made his new home in the former art storage closet and turned it into a showcase of his sketches.

Weinstein is passionate about sketching.

He has taken various art classes, but even the art teachers realize his talent and understand that his creativity should be allowed to blossom independently.

“I usually come in here during class,” Weinstein said. “It is easier for me to work in here than to have to deal with all the noise and distractions.”

According to Weinstein, Mr. Fox, his current art teacher, is supportive of his talent.

He showed me some gargoyle models that Mr. Fox gave to him to sketch, “We are on the same mental plane,” Weinstein said.

Weinstein spends most of his free time at school in the room honing his craft. Though it might seem private, Weinstein enjoys when people comment on his work: “It’s always cool when kids like pop their heads in here just like, ‘Yo, I like that picture of the girl,’ and that’s basically all I hear.”

Weinstein plans on continuing his hobby and hopes to turn it into a career. Next year he will attend New York University’s art school seeking a minor in the Liberal Arts and a full major in Visual Arts.

However, his outlook on college education changed in the second half of his Sixth Form year.

“Back when I applied, I was sort of under the impression that [was] like, ‘Oh, I kind of want a structured education,’ but now I really don’t,” Weinstein said. “The Liberal

Jake Weinstein ‘19, at home in the new Sixth Form art studio Arts degree is going to make me do lots of extraneous work which won’t apply to my future life.”

Weinstein hopes that New York City will help him fulfill his dream of becoming a fulltime artist, humorously telling me, “If I’m going to be a starving artist anywhere in the world, it’d better be New York. I think there are the best odds for success there.”

INDEX STAFF

Jake Weinstein’s workplace in the Sixth Form art studio, where he does most of his sketches and drawings

Some of Jake Weinstein’s sketches.

PETEY LEMMON ‘19

INDEX STAFF