May 2014 Index

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Volume LXXV, No. 9

May 2014

Drug Task Force: An Interview With Dr. Nagl

Honor Council: Is It Truly Visible Enough?

Brendan Burns ‘15 and Arnav Jagasia ‘16 sit down with Dr. Nagl to discuss the “Safety, Character, and Culture Task Force,” composed of three committees, which was initiated after the arrests of several Haverford alumni and students related to the distribution of drugs.

The Honor Council has had an image problem in recent years, an issue investigated in this piece by Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16, who also spoke to members of the Honor Council to find out how they are trying to remedy the situation.

Students are encouraged to submit opinions of any length regarding the Task Force or any of the proposed policies to hsindex@gmail.com.

Brendan Burns ‘15 and Arnav Jagasia ‘16

While the recent arrests of multiple individuals in the Haverford community have left all of us reeling in shock, the ‘powers that be’ are already preparing to take action in response to the discovery of a substance abuse problem that is worse than previously thought. The day after NBC 10 broke the story and dozens of other media outlets pounced on the news that Haverford graduates were embroiled in criminal behavior, Headmaster John Nagl and outgoing Chairman of the Board John Stoviak ’69 met on Sabol Field and made a commitment to examine not only the School’s drug policy, but also its culture and character development programs.

The product of this discussion was the creation of the “Safety, Character and Culture Task Force,” which is chaired by the Board’s vice-chairman, Dick Graham ’52. The Task Force itself is comprised of three subcommittees: the Safety and Health subcommittee, the Character subcommittee, and the Culture committee.

Each of the three subcommittees are comprised of both board members and School administrators, with all three Deans of Students (Mark Fifer, Tracy Nelson, and Jay Brown) represented.

Continued on Page 4

Nagl and Stoviak at the Headmaster Induction ceremony.

Single Sex Education: AIS Student’s Perspective

Gabi Rodriguez, a Fifth Former at The Agnes Irwin School, discusses single-sex education from the perspective of a female student, specifically as it applies to social issues.

Gabi Rodriguez ‘15

We, as Agnes Irwin girls, pride ourselves on the confidence, leadership, and intelligence that we gain from our school.

One of Agnes Irwin’s main goals is to foster and develop that confidence and leadership for students to utilize throughout their lives. In a co-ed environment, this would be much harder due to pre-determined notions, stereotypes, and what is considered “socially acceptable.” Perhaps many of you gentlemen do not know this, but AIS students love the fact that we can arrive at school looking like characters from The Walking Dead and no one minds. In fact, our appearance and behavior is often the last thing on our minds. We are extremely comfortable dancing (quite horribly) down the halls, making constant and “totally fetch” references to Mean Girls, and eating lots and lots of food. (Side note: the way to an AIS girl’s heart is food). The familiarity and ease we have with our friends enables us to work harder in class and not be

Also inside this Issue...

bogged down by the sometimes rigorous social aspect of student-life. Though, with all this being said, we do feel that our interaction with guys is greatly altered by our single-sex education.

First of all, we don’t know you. Literally, we don’t know 85% of the gentlemen that attend Haverford, because we often feel only a select few show up at our events.

A junior at Irwins puts this best: “I believe that having an all-girls education hinders our sometimes infrequent interactions with guys because there are only so many school-sponsored events to go to throughout the year. Those events prove to be crucial later in high school when the friend groups between Haverford and Agnes Irwin students have already formed.

Throughout my years at Irwin’s, I’ve found that although these groups alter a bit, the majority of the people included remain the same. This then leads to many girls at AIS (and probably many guys at Haverford) Continued on Page 6

Haverford, Pennsylvania - haverfordindex.com

Manav Khandelwal ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16

The Honor Council, now in its thirteenth year of service and guidance to the Haverford community, distinguishes Haverford from other high schools across the United States. The Honor Council, and its accompanying Honor Code, will remain as one of our eighth Headmaster Dr. Joseph Cox’s most profound contributions, permanently altering the way Haverford students and faculty view honor and integrity. These characteristics have become an expectation of students, not something to be rewarded for, which further adds to the unique nature of the Honor Code and Council. Led by faculty members Ms. Sara Adkins and Mr. James Griffin, the Honor Council is comprised of nine students: two Fourth Formers, three Fifth Formers, and four Sixth Formers. The members of this year’s Honor Council are: Walter Paiva and Mickey Kober; Major Tepper, Jake Pechet, and Robbie Klein; RJ Meiers, John Zipf, Chris Sukonik, and Dylan Henderson, respectively. In addition to their role as the disciplinary body for the Upper School, these students are tasked with upholding Haverford’s core values of respect, honesty, and courage within all factions of Haverford.

Recently, however, the Honor Council has been experiencing problems with transparency. In addition, there seems to be an underlying disconnect between the nine members of the Honor Council, elected by a popular voting process, and the average Ford. As outgoing Honor Council Chairman, Sixth Former Dylan Henderson, frankly stated, “Right now I don’t feel like we are quite visible enough.” This is not a problem that only the 2013-2014 Haverford Honor Council has faced, but in light of recent events at the school, the spotlight seems to be shining brighter than ever.

Continued on Page 5

Outgoing Chairman, Dylan Henderson ‘14.

World Cup Preview and Predictions

Ms. Dawn Blake

Brendan Burns ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16 take a look at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, analyzing each inital group of countries and predicting the winners who will advance to the elimination stages.

Brendan Burns ‘15 and Alex Sanfilippo ‘16

PART 1: GROUP STAGES

A: Mexico, Cameroon, Croatia, Brazil B: Chile, Neth, Spain, Aus C: Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece, Colombia D: Italy, England, Uruguay, Costa E: Honduras, France, Ecuador, Switzerland F: Nigeria, Iran, Argentina, Bosnia G: US, Ghana, Portugal, Germany H: S. Korea, Russia, Algeria, Belgium

Brazil’s star striker, Neymar.

Football Headers

In the Sports section, editor-in-chief Manav Khandelwal ‘15 profiles Levan “Shawn” Alston, the recipient of over a dozen college scholarship offers. To see which schools have offered, and what Alston’s future might hold, flip on over to Page 10.

Widely regarded as the most popular sporting event in the world, the 2014 FIFA World Cup begins on June 12th as the host Brazilians square off against Croatia to begin the month-long international competition. This event captures the attention of sports fans across the world, as people unite to support their country in the quest for the honor of being World Cup champions. Its location in the soccerobsessed nation of Brazil only further adds to the excitement and anticipation for the games to begin.

In December of 2013, the eight groups were selected by members of FIFA. For those of you unfamiliar with the schedule of the World Cup, each team plays every member in its group once; from there, the top two teams points-wise will advance to the elimination stages. All eight groups will have incredibly entertaining games keeping fans on the edge of their seats for the full ninety minutes.

Continued on Page 11 Article Letter fron the Editors Faculty Extracurriculars Costa Rica Trip Italy Trip Artist of the Issue Drinking Age Calculus or Statistics Climate Change Outdex

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The Index

Editorials

may 2014

Letter from the Editors

Editors-in-Chief Will Tackett ‘14 and Manav Khandelwal ‘15 in Pompeii, Italy.

Dear Reader, In the high school newspaper realm, having a double-digit paged print edition come out monthly is quite the accomplishment. But while having the resources to create a real, tangible paper is a great feat in the high school newspaper world, the opposite is true in the real world.

Newspapers are, unfortunately, a dying breed, and the days of sitting down to read lengthy analysis pieces and long, hardhitting news stories are gone. Online media and quick, punchy reads are replacing printed newspapers and hefty journalistic endeavors. This trend is not lost on the Index, however, as we look to make that transition, at least in some capacity.

Exactly how much of our current structure we retain will be up to the editors of the next few years. Do we want to be a newspaper that contains short, easy-toread articles and has more popular appeal or one with long, carefully-constructed analytical pieces. As Haverford alumnus and sports journalist Michael Bradley put it: Do we want to be the New Yorker or the Daily News? I believe it is not quite so dichotomous. I think that we, as a paper,

will be able to find a middle ground in the next few years, and, as I said before, it will be up to the current and future editors to determine this, editors in whom I have complete faith.

These are the editors whom I have worked alongside ever since I started on the paper as a staff writer my Fourth Form year. Manav Khandelwal ‘15, whom I worked with as co-Editor-in-Chief this year, burns with a passion for the art of journalism, working tirelessly on multiple journalistic endeavors at a time. Brendan Burns ‘15, whose view of the Index’s potential as a newspaper by students, for students surpasses any others. And, of course, Jack Henderson ’15, whose carefully crafted news and opinions pieces are always extensively researched and well-written. These are just a few of the editors whom I entrust the Index for next year and beyond, and I could not have asked for a better group of guys to navigate the paper through these seas of change.

Of course, this change probably will occur most drastically in the website and various media accounts of the Index. The 2013-2014 school year has unfortunately seen another year of treading water in terms

The Index

2013-2014 Staff

Manav Khandelwal ‘15, Editor-in-Chief Will Tackett ‘14, Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Narayanan ‘14, Head of Photography Jack Henderson ‘15, News and Features Editor Brendan Burns ‘15, Opinions Editor Jackson Simon ‘15, Sports Editor Gregory Boyek ‘14, Arts Editor Noah Cutler ‘14, Outdex Editor Graham Gaddes ‘14, Senior Web Editor Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16, Junior Web Editor Grant Yu ‘16, Junior Web Editor Brendan Burns ‘15, Graphics Editor Mr. Kellen Graham, Faculty Advisor

The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic

of the website and not making significant improvements to the site has been my biggest regret as editor-in-chief. It is still aesthetically outdated and slipping contentwise. Next year will be a watershed year for the website--it will either blossom into the news center for Haverford that it can be, or it will fall by the wayside. My hope for the website is for every student to have haverfordindex.com bookmarked as his go-to source for news, recaps, videos, and more. With this in mind, we are happy to bring former faculty advisor to the Index, Mr. Tom Stambaugh, back into the fold as the overseer and advisor to the website.

The other aspect of this great transition is the change, not only from print to digital, but from length to concision. No one has the patience or time to read sixteen pages of heavy-hitting, lengthy analytical behemoths. Instead, short, punchy articles are becoming more popular. The first traces of this change are showing up this year. For example, we are asking for opinions on the Drug Task Force, the details concerning which Burns laid out in his news piece.

These will be short and to-the-point blurbs in which one student gives his opinion on the issue. We hope to have more of these

Greg Boyek ‘14

in the future as they not only provide for easier reading, but also help accomplish the Index’s goal of being the voice of the students.

While needed change is certainly afoot at the Index, it would be remiss to overlook the accomplishments that we have already made in the past few years. This year was the second year in a row that the Columbia Scholastic Press Association awarded us a Gold Medal for the overall quality of our newspaper. Improvements may be needed but the Index is as solid a high school newspaper as you will found and I am immensely proud to have been a part of it as a writer, a section editor, and now, a reluctantly departing editor-in-chief.

For one last time, thank you for reading, Will Tackett ‘14 Editor-in-Chief

policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change.

All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at hsindex@gmail.com.

The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS5.5. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members.

Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 hsindex@gmail.com http://www.haverfordindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXV, No. 1 - September 6, 2013

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The Index

News

may 2014

A Day in the Life: What Makes Tony DiMattia Tick The Index presents its first edition of the Student Profile, a new featured piece that recognizes a particular student that lives a unique or simply noteworthy life that deserves to be told. This month opens with the fast-paced life of Fifth Former Tony Dimattia.

Jack Henderson ‘15

Most students know Fifth Former Tony Dimattia, whether its from math class or seeing him in the halls, but few know of the unusual life he lives outside of Haverford.

Dimattia drives 600cc Sprint cars and midgets (which are slightly bigger and faster) in various short-track racing series, some of which take him to events in Indiana, Illinois, and Florida. He even hopes to race one day in California.

In addition to his core classes, Dimattia takes 3-D Portfolio, in which he focuses on welding, and an independent study in industrial design. He spends most of his time for his independent study learning how to use AutoCAD, which is the newest software for those interested in design.

He takes advantage of his time in school with these two classes to benefit his racing life outside of Haverford.

Dimattia is unsure about his future with racing, but wants to see how it plays out. “I am not thinking I will race for the rest of my life,” says Dimattia. “But I am hoping I can be around racing somehow whether I am building or designing cars.” The flexible course schedule offered at Haverford allows him to enjoy his time in school by pursuing his interest in engineering.

Outside of school, however, is where he has some real fun. “We can get up to about 130 mph at the end of a straight away on the biggest track,” says Dimattia.

He primarily drives on an oval-shaped, dirt track that spurs a very competitive

environment. Dimattia explains, “There are cars pretty much everywhere, and there is a lot of passing, unlike NASCAR races.”

His passion started out as nothing but a fun activity, but it has developed significantly.

He races about three times a week, and his

but usually closer to home in cities such as Atlantic City, Trenton, Providence, and Baltimore. “Those races will sell about three to five thousand tickets,” Dimattia estimates, with about 40 other cars at the track, but the big races can attract up to 200 cars.

“Usually it is just a one night deal, though,” Dimattia clarifies. “It depends on how long all the races go, but normally I will get home no earlier than 12:30 in the morning.” Then he still has to do all his homework and get enough sleep before school the next day.

For a typical big race event that can

DiMattia racing in a 600cc sprint car during a race he won.

team has five racecars at this point, all of which they need for different tracks and conditions.

Dimattia’s racing life takes up much of his time and inevitably conflicts with his school life. The big events can last a weekend or even up to an entire week.

During the winter he races indoors in various cities including Tulsa, Oklahoma,

last a full weekend, his preparation begins Thursday night when he loads the trailer with the cars and equipment needed for the weekend. He then goes to school on Friday and leaves around 2 p.m. when he runs home to get the trailer. He drives down the turnpike for the events on Friday night and does not get back home until around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. “Then I will get the other

Hephaestus Society: What Is It...Exactly?

Cameron Miller ‘16 recaps one of Haverford’s lesserknown events, the Hephaestus Society induction, and explains more about the school’s newest honor.

Cameron Miller ‘16

In recent weeks, confusion has risen from a number of students throughout the school regarding the Hephaestus Society, one of the newly introduced honors that Haverford has to offer. There is no better way to understand the mission of the Hephaestus Society than to have a chat with the man responsible for bringing it to our school, our Headmaster Dr. Nagl. The Hephaestus Society, in the words of Dr. Nagl, “functions as a forum in which we recognized the excellence of the written word, spoken word, and robotic field.”

Essentially, the Hephaestus Society was created to recognize students whose extracurricular focus is in academic pursuits. Dr. Nagl felt that there was insignificant recognition for those who don’t necessarily win (varsity) letters, but still compete in an activity they enjoy. He was first struck by this problem during the football banquet this past fall. “It was a wonderful evening and I appreciated being a part of it, but I thought about the hard work done by the newspaper, Mock Trial, and Model UN and how there were not any banquets to recognize these clubs.” And so it was proposed at a board meeting in

March by Dr. Nagl that the school should have a night to recognize the geeks. The term “geeks” may seem a bit harsh at first, but it is something that he wants students to embrace about themselves.

“It is acknowledged that many young people are not comfortable with recognizing their geekiness and it takes time...I was the same way,” as noted by Dr. Weinstein (P. ‘19), the first Hephaestus Society guest speaker.

Some students are curious about the society’s selection process for new members because they took part in a competitive club such as DECA. Some of the faculty leaders of clubs felt that DECA members should be inducted, while others felt that they should not, but ultimately the decision was to leave DECA off the roster. The specific activities that were recognized this year are as follows: the editors of the Index and the Haligoluk, the Mock Trial, Model UN, and Debate teams, as well as the Robotics team. The members were determined by their significant and sustaining contributions to an academic activity as judged by the faculty advisors.

For their achievements, the members

of the Hephaestus Society were treated to a Greek-style dinner, in honor of the Greek god Hephaestus, while listening to the wise words of Dr. Gregory Weinstein (P. ‘19). A more specific award for a particular member of the society, known as the Magistro, is given “to that member of the senior class that is simply the biggest geek.

car ready for the race the next day. It is a different track, so we need a different car.

Everything is different,” says Dimattia.

The primary obstacle preventing a more rigorous and intense schedule is funding.

Dimattia explains, “If I can find a ride where someone else pays for the cars and I drive for them, then it is a good deal, but for now we are funding everything.” Depending on his performance Dimattia can receive some compensation, but it does not currently account for the money invested in the competitions. Sponsors can cover much of the costs, so as Dimattia improves and attracts interest from sponsors, he may be able to race in more competitive series in the future.

There is much time and effort that goes into each car and each race. It takes about 100-300 hours to assemble a car, and maintenance between races takes about 3-9 hours, depending on the extent of damage to the car.

He and his team do all the work to the racecars in-house.

All of this handson experience has given Dimattia an opportunity to learn everyday and continue to get better.

His improvements began to translate into results last year with a successful season, hyperracing.com winning a very competitive series called 600 Speedweek and finishing runner-up in points at another track. He has a few wins under his belt and even earned Rookie of the Year honors in a new class of cars. His life does not allow much time to sit down and catch a breather but he enjoys every second of it because, well, he just loves to go fast.

By far, Jonathan Paras is the biggest geek in the school” said Dr. Nagl. Why name this society after the Greek god Hephaestus?

“Hephaestus is a screaming geek,” says Dr. Nagl. “He made the first robot and also ended up with Aphrodite, just proving that the geeks are the ones that end up on top.”

Sixth Former Jonathan Paras with Headmaster John Nagl and guest speaker Gregory Weinstein.

Ms. Dawn Blake

Page 4

Drug Task Force (Cont.)

Continued from Front Page

The three committees will meet regularly throughout the summer, then make recommendations to Dr. Nagl and the Board on August 1st. Dr. Nagl characterizes the Task Force’s mission as a “full selfaudit” – everything except for the school’s academic programming will be examined.

“We aren’t examining the engineering curriculum, but we are examining the health curriculum,” Dr. Nagl says. The Task Force’s mission statement lists eight areas of special focus, ranging from a review of value of the Honor Code and Honor Council to the evaluation of drug testing as a possible initiative to curb drug use among students.

The ninth headmaster admits that, until recently, substance abuse did not occupy the same space on his radar that it does now. “We have had only one drug case [involving students with drugs on school property] since I came to the school,” he says. “That led me to believe that we had a problem, but not a particularly severe problem. Dr. Nagl notes that there have been “upperclassmen in drug rehab programs – relatively few, but one is too many.”

Dr. Nagl also came to the realization that marijuana use is a “bigger problem”

The Index

News

the relative harm of alcohol and marijuana, Dr. Nagl says, “as the child of an alcoholic, I am painfully aware of the dangers of alcohol abuse. My father was a high-functioning alcoholic; he was very successful in his career despite being an alcoholic…you find very few highfunctioning marijuana addicts. It saps your motivation, in addition to changing your brain chemistry.”

As The Index has documented in the past few months, Dr. Nagl has been hard at work during his first year on the job— pioneering an interscholastic course on human relationships, incorporating technology more effectively at Haverford with a computer for every student, and working on the campus master plan for the middle school, parking garage, and cafeteria. It would seem that curbing substance abuse will be the next project that the former Lieutenant Colonel will tackle.

Perhaps the most far-reaching option that the Task Force is considering – the one most likely to impact student life – is drug testing, something Dr. Nagl claims he is “not at all averse to.”

What would that look like? Dr. Nagl elaborates that “the school that has the program closest to the one that I envision is St. Joe’s Prep,” which takes mandatory

Although this testing is expensive – at around $100 per test – Dr. Nagl believes it will be “easily worth it if it prevents only one kid from becoming an addict.”

Since hair samples will register traces of substances that were used as long as 90 days before the test, mandatory testing would provide “the kids who are not using but are tempted or curious a finger on the scale towards saying ‘no’” – both a reason and an excuse to not partake.

Drug testing might mandate changes to Haverford’s drug policy, however.

Instead of the current two-strike policy (suspension and mandatory counseling for first offense, followed by expulsion for the second), a three-strike policy might be in order, in which a first offense would result in “referral to drug counseling and increased frequency of testing” instead of a permanent entry in a student’s disciplinary record. Repeated offenses would lead to progressively higher frequency of testing.

While drug testing would serve as a powerful deterrent and dramatically affect the school’s culture, Dr. Nagl is genuinely uncertain as to whether this “unconscious behavior modifier” will actually be implemented. One argument against testing, he says, is that it will “damage the culture of the school in the sense of shared trust – one of the most precious things about

The 2013-2014 Haverford Board of Trustees, which primarily comprises the Drug Task Force and is overseeing its operations.

that previously conceived. Not only has marijuana become the “drug of choice” among students who find it to be more portable and concealable than alcohol, but the drug appears to be “particularly addictive for young people.” In assessing

hair samples every two weeks from 10 randomly selected students. St. Joe’s students “report to the equivalent of Mr. Fifer’s house, get their hair cut [by an outside testing agency], and then go back to school.”

the Haverford School…we trust students to behave honorably.” If the school begins testing the student body, some might argue that a lack of trust is implied.

However, the Headmaster is certain of one thing – faculty would face drug testing

drop of water” in their quest to build wells in Africa. The Service Board is proud to announce that the Lower School students beat their goal of twelve hundred dollars from their walk, thanks to the generosity of the Haverford community. However, this total can grow even further, as later this spring the students will walk around the track field to raise more money. The proceeds will ultimately go to building wells in South Sudan.

Looking ahead, the Service Board is thrilled with the number of service opportunities the Haverford student body will be offered this spring. On the topic, Service Board Co-President Major Tepper says that “the Service Board has been working hard to provide some exciting

events coming up in the near future, so please get out and participate!”

One of the most popular events, The Home Run Derby, which raises money to help combat male cancers, will occur on May 15th at the baseball field. Hopefully, you have seen the “Check Yourself” door hangers in the bathrooms throughout Wilson Hall, part of our effort leading up to the actual Home Run Derby to spread male cancer awareness.

Also continuing this Spring will be the Saint James School initiative run by Fourth Former Kenny Fitzpatrick on the first Saturday of every month. Additionally, Fifth Former Manav Khandelwal is running a tutoring program in Philadelphia for underprivileged children, which

Service Board Update Eli Wachs ‘16

The Service Board is excited to continue the spring season that kicked off to a strong start. Beginning the season was the Education Celebration carnival, which was led by Haverford and Agnes Irwin students. The carnival’s proceeds are going to both local and global education projects. At the carnival a variety of booths were set up for both the enjoyment and education of lower school students from local schools. Highlights included Mr. Palmer’s planetarium star shows and a booth set up by the organization H2O For Life. Speaking of H2O For Life, some of Haverford’s Lower School students had an excellent time when they walked around the Upper School asking for spare change with “each penny representing a

Ms. Dawn Blake photography

may 2014

before any students. “Before we test any boys, we should test all our staff and faculty,” Nagl says. “I’m not expecting any behavior of you that I don’t expect from my team.” Drug testing certainly represents an opportunity to detect and curb substance abuse problems early on. However, there is no denying that Haverford will be a different school if it is implemented next year.

Drug education is a less controversial, but perhaps more important issue for the Task Force to consider. The Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) programming used for underclassmen often has a “short shelf life,” and Dr. Nagl plans on “changing the curriculum to include graded classes on something along the lines of ‘adolescent health,’” possibly as a first-semester course for freshmen. The goal would be to educate the “large influx of students” in 9th grade who “haven’t had Haverford drug education programs” and allow students to study critical health issues for an extended period of time instead of only in short FCD seminars. In addition, there is a strong possibility that outside groups will be hired to perform an evaluation of the prevalence of substance abuse at Haverford. At the least, students can expect anonymous surveys seeking to gather this information.

Finally, the Task Force is probing what might be called the very foundation of the Haverford experience – the School’s character development programs and Honor Code. Although we will not have a clear picture of what specific changes will be made until the late summer, Dr. Nagl does have one specific aspect of Haverford’s drug-use culture in his crosshairs. “If I could change one thing about the culture,” he says, “it would be to change the culture so that it would be wrong to not report someone’s drug problem.”

The “Main Line Takeover Project” could have been resolved differently if adults had been made aware by students who knew what was going on. Likewise, a student who is caught with illicit substances on Haverford’s campus – even if he is not using said substances – faces a suspension that will immediately shorten the list of colleges that the student can be accepted to, thereby changing his entire life trajectory.

In that context, reporting another student’s drug problem isn’t “turning him in,” but “getting him help” and preventing disastrous consequences to a student’s life and health.

The Index will continue to follow the developments in this story as recommendations and decisions are made in August and September. For now, suffice it to say that a thorough review of the School’s practices will be taking place in the months to come. Students who would like to make their voices heard on this issue are encouraged to submit an editorial to the Index.

Contact Burns at brenburn@haverford.org

happens every Friday after sports. Other frequently occurring events this spring will be the Peanut Butter and Jelly Club and the opportunity to help the Philabundance organization twice a week.

Overall, we are excited about the many service opportunities that are being offered to the student body this spring. We encourage all to try to attend events in the hope that you will feel a great connection to those you help. Please check our online service calendar, Mrs. Loos’s window, or ask a service board member any questions you may have about upcoming events.

Finally, please read the final edition of the service column for this year in the June issue, which will highlight service ideas and opportunities for next year.

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The Index

News

may 2014

Does Honor Council Have (In)Visibility Problem? (cont.)

Continued from Front Page

Issues of effectiveness and visibility are two separate yet slightly interdependent issues, so it is important to look at them as such. As Mr. Griffin, Ms. Adkins, Henderson, and Klein point out, the Honor Council conducts a number of programs throughout the school, ranging from case study sessions with Middle Schoolers to a “Virtues” Jeopardy game with the younger Lower School students. As Klein, the incoming Chairman of the Honor Council, puts it, “One of the Honor Council’s main objectives is to promote character education at the Haverford School.” His predecessor, Henderson, adds, “We try educating younger students on the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the system as well as, most importantly, understanding what it means to live under an honor code.”

One would be hard-pressed to contend that the Honor Council’s work with younger members of the Haverford community is not commendable. The various workshops with students in other divisions is crucial in educating them about the Honor Code and the qualities to guide a Haverford student’s life. Ms. Adkins adds, “Hearing advice from older role models, whom [younger students] look up to, rather than a teacher can be way more impactful.”

What is a more interesting and pressing issue, however, is how the Honor Council deals with its closest constituents, the members of the Upper School. In many ways, the Council has tried to build a community based on respect, honesty, and courage, but in many others, it seemingly has done an inadequate, or at least that is the perception, job. When asked about their operations within the Upper School community, Klein, Henderson, and their faculty advisors mention the three assemblies—Jonathan Smith’s opening remarks at the Honor Council Induction ceremony, Bob Ley’s speech at the Honor Conference, and Paul Yingling’s thesis on single-sex education during Honor Day. They also mention the Council’s role as a disciplinary body, which inexorably takes precedent in the minds of students, laments Henderson: “One of the biggest misconceptions about the Honor Council

is that we merely hand down punishments to our peers.” Ms. Adkins agrees, saying, “Right now, the perception of the Honor Council is on a downward slope. Much of that comes from not knowing what the Honor Council does, and mostly only knowing what their involvement is when someone has violated the Honor Code.”

Klein goes a step further, saying, “I believe those who have a negative attitude tend to be students who understand the least about what we actually do.”

Unfortunately, they seem to be right about the perception. When asked about the Honor Council, Fifth Former Arjun Dravid responded, “Besides the fact that they conduct hearings and give punishments, I know nothing about what the Honor Council does.” Fifth Former Spencer Rappaport adds, “I know just what I been involved in, like the Honors assemblies and the break off groups we had, but other than running hearings, I was not really aware they even did anything else.”

Underclassmen share the same sentiment, which does not bode well for what the Honor Council is attempting to accomplish. Fourth Former Wayne Hester remarked, “The perception of the Honor Council is that it only provides punishments for students. All of the other services provided by the Honor Council are unknown.” Fellow Fourth Former Reed Haabestad also believes that “generally it’s viewed more as a punishment system than a way to upkeep the Honor Code. It portrays the wrong image.”

Fourth Former Matt Haigh truly summed up the issue best when he said, “I think the perception of the Honor Council is that it’s purpose is to handle issues of only cheating and major disrespectful matters; I think this is so because since we hear only limited information from the Honor Council, our perception is only based on what we hear which is only of cheating and major disrespectful actions.”

The effectiveness of the Honor Council, first and foremost, relies on the trust of the students, and that comes from students’ understanding of what functions it performs and how it executes them. In that regard, the Honor Council has a long way to go.

Fifth Former Ben Lieb remarks, “I’ve been

at Haverford for 14 years and I don’t know anything about the Honor Council at all.”

In addition to visibility, it is important to gauge the perceived benefits of what the Honor Council does do throughout the year. Through outside speakers and subsequent small group meetings, they hope to “help create a community in which no one breaks the Honor Code not out of a fear of its consequences, but rather because people can distinguish right from wrong,” according to Henderson. In some cases, they have found success. Fifth Former Otis Baker concludes, “[Honor Council assemblies] make me question why and for what reason I do things.” Classmate Curran Aiyer also added, “Each question that the Honor Council member asked [in my small group discussion] gave me a reality check as to how cheating and dishonor still plays a small role in Haverford.”

It does appear, however, that the disparate assemblies do not create the lasting effects the Honor Council hopes for. While Rappaport thinks the community periods make him “think about honor and bring it to my attention in a way that kind of keeps it on my mind,” he also regrets that it lasts for “only a couple days until I just forget about it and the impact is lost.”

This result, however, is not lost on all members of the Council. Mr. Griffin remarks, “The Honor Council thinks, and I would agree with them, that they need to do a better job at educating and re-engaging the community about the Honor Code.” Ms. Adkins agrees, saying, “Character education is an area where the Honor Council could seriously do more work.” It is not as if all members of the Honor Council are oblivious to the gap between where they are and where they hope to be; there is an understanding that work could and needs to be done in the area of consistent character education, but any such plan has yet to come to fruition.

Haverford students, more often than not, feel slightly negatively or at least uninformed about Honor Council activities, which does not seem to reflect the true activities of the Honor Council but more the perception of its activities. So, what exactly can the Honor Council work on heading into 2014-2015? Sixth Former

Rudy Miller believes “more visibility and more understanding among the student body of the Honor Council’s job would go a long way towards improving its image in the eyes of students.” He also adds, “I did appreciate the announcements the Honor Council used to make (a few years back) at the conclusion of every case, and I think they should get back to that to gain visibility and transparency.”

Klein understands this disconnect, saying, “I am discouraged by the student body’s perception of the Honor Council being a ‘secret’ organization. As Honor Council Chairman, I plan on improving the transparency of the Honor Council.”

In addition to the education of students about all of the Honor Council’s functions, which could drastically improve its standing in the court of public opinion, many Upper Schoolers have ideas about how the Honor Council can gain transparency and include its constituents in its activities. Fifth Former Harry Bellwoar advises “meeting times throughout the year where they give the student body a chance to be a part of the Honor Council. There should be a time where people can voice their comments, questions, or concerns.” Aiyer also hopes for more student interaction, saying, “I would like to see more assemblies dedicated to the Honor Council and more community periods designated to talk about how the Honor Council can be improved and how the community can be incorporated more in the coming years.”

The Honor Council is an organization whose very mission statement says its “primary responsibility is to promote the values included in the Statement of Values through educational programs that encourage students to think about and act on those values.” With a glaring lack of school-wide knowledge about its activities and a disjointed agenda for character education, many believe that this organization may be coming up a tad short in that mission. Addressing those two issues may be the only way for the Honor Council’s to honor what still is a tremendous legacy of one a great leader, Dr. Cox. Implementing changes will also help current Headmaster Dr. John Nagl carry on this integral aspect of Haverford.

The 2013-2014 Honor Council with Headmaster Dr. John Nagl. Back row (left to right): Sukonik, Meiers, Henderson, Zipf, Klein. Front row: Pechet, Paiva, Kober, Tepper.

Ms. Dawn Blake

Page 6

The Index

News

Single-Sex Education (Cont.)

Continued from the Front Page

feeling as if the only way to be social and meet guys is to try to break into ‘that’ group.” Whereas you have not only Agnes Irwin but also Baldwin and EA girls with whom to socialize, the only school with whom Agnes Irwin really bonds is Haverford. Of course, this is our fault, not yours, but it does hinder the social aspect of our lives.

Many of us feel our single-sex education impedes our ability to meet new boys–– more than that we feel it impedes our ability to befriend boys. Yes gentlemen, I am talking about the friend zone. We wish more of your would appreciate the friend zone. Often, it’s the best place to be! Girls are more likely to be 100% themselves around you if they know that you’re not just looking for a relationship. You get to know the girl better, and she gets to know you better. It’s a win-win, but we feel our single sex education ruins our understanding of friendship. When we talk about guys, it is often from a “can this be a relationship” standpoint, and we feel you look at us from the same view point. It is only reasonable to assume then that our behavior changes around you.

The same junior explains that “by not being ‘exposed’ to guys on a daily basis, when we do interact with them, many of us feel nervous and on-edge, because after all, you’re obviously not human. As a result, we develop the mindset that we cannot be ourselves around you because of the preconceived idea that our relationships always have to be about being more than friends.” So remember The Walking Dead scene, horrendous dancing, and quoting of Mean Girls? Well, that goes away the

may 2014

moment we are in your presence. Under no circumstances is it your fault, but instead simply our nature having gone to an all girls’ school. We often feel uncomfortable, say silly things (such as: “Oh my god, hey!

We went to driving school together!”) or even question the words coming out of our mouths. We are fearful of how you will perceive us. Will you think we are weird if we start rapping along to Eminem? Will you think we are disgusting if we eat two cookies? Will you ward off all your friends

rude to our own classmates in an attempt to keep a conversation going or make you laugh. One AIS sophomore sums it up pretty well, “We are compelled to act more ‘normal’ in your presence when we are people and we do just as much weird stuff as you do.”

So, as much as we love our school’s challenging curriculum, leadership development, and comfortable nature, we are aware that our single sex educations often prevents easy interactions with

Mrs. Megan Connolly outside the Tech Department office.

when we start talking about our giant moose head collection? (Okay, that one I wouldn’t blame you for. The girl probably knows how to use a gun.) What we also find surprising is that we end up acting

friend, a grade, a guy, or a kitten video on YouTube, there’s nothing I love more than the fact that I have 60-some girls who can understand me and will cry right there with me. However, I think friendships with all genders are important and sometimes, the opinions and advice you get from a guy are much more helpful than any you could get from your girlfriends.”

Mohid Khan

Haverford boys. But maybe we just do not care. “For example,” one sophomore says, “during those times when you just need to eat a roll of cookie dough and sit in bed in your pajamas and cry over a

Haverford Alumnus Profile: Star Soccer Player Jeremiah White The Index presents the Alumnus Profile, one of the paper’s newest featured pieces. This profile will focus on a particular Haverford alumnus each issue and is intended to introduce different paths that Haverford graduates can take.

Kyle Bowman ‘15 starts with soccer phenom and current Haverford Leadership Council member Jeremiah White.

Kyle Bowman ‘15

The Haverford School prides itself on “preparing boys for life.” This goal has pushed the school on a path towards becoming one of the premier academic institutions in the nation. Graduates of the school are consistently attending elite universities and maintaining the values they learned at Haverford. One of the greatest benefits of a Haverford education is the superior preparation to change the world for the better. Many Haverford alumni have grown to become professional athletes, politicians, and business tycoons, just to name a few. Haverford can simply refer to these graduates to support its claim that the school prepares its students for life.

One graduate that represents the essence of a Haverfordian is Jeremiah White, who graduated from the school in 2000. While at Haverford he was a star on the soccer team, earning All-American honors in his senior year. Jeremiah’s successful high school career led him to become one of the most highly recruited players in his class, with offers from prestigious schools such as Duke, South Carolina, and Maryland, before he eventually decided to attend Wake Forest University.

Once at Wake Forest White showed his true talent on the field in his sophomore season. He complied an impressive stat sheet for the Demon Deacons, with 15

goals, 7 assists, and 37 points, and was named to the first team All-ACC and third team All-America. White maintained his impressive performance on the pitch for the next two years and served as a leader

After college White joined the semiprofessional Ocean City Nor’easters for a short period of time before signing with OFK Beograd in Serbia. White was constantly berated with racial slurs during his time with the team. He even made national news when he and a group of friends were confronted by a group of radical fans in the streets that displayed racist signs towards White and the rest of the group. After a verbal argument both groups separated without any serious damage. White, most notably, continued to play with the team for a couple of games after the incident but was constantly

White playing for AGF Aarhus, a football club in Denmark.

for the team throughout his time on the team. He earned two more first team AllACC honors in both his junior and senior year and was a finalist for All-American honors.

socceroverthere.com

harassed by the team’s fans. Following his stint with OFK Beograd he went on to play with a variety of other professional teams, including a one-game stint with the United

States national team, before retiring in 2012 with the New York Red Bulls of the MLS. Even after soccer White has continued to find success in his life. After retiring from the soccer field, he found that he was able to channel the perseverance and character that he learned at Haverford into the business world. He credits Haverford for giving him, “a different set of relationship, and added another wrinkle in my ability to interact successfully across cultural and socio-economic lines.” He is currently the CEO and owner of a web-based development firm called JaySocial, which provides companies with websites and mobile applications that are user-friendly and sleek in design. He also serves as the owner of Datorem, which creates mobile applications for nonprofits, allowing them to function through a phone. He has also served as a member of the Haverford Leadership Council for the past four years.

The council is tasked with creating ideas that allow Haverford students to prepare for life in the most beneficial ways.

Jeremiah White is the supreme example of a the type of man that Haverford hopes to graduate. He battled through severe adversity, in the form of racism, with courage and respect. He did not give the antagonists what they wanted, but instead held his head high and continued to do what he loved in playing soccer. He later used his business tools and connections that he learned at Haverford and Wake Forest to create many successful businesses in the area. His last piece of advice to current students at Haverford is to, “Stop focusing so much on the future, and focus on what you’ve got in front of you.” Jeremiah White entered Haverford as a boy but left as a man who had the tools necessary to find success in every path he has taken.

Page 7

The Index

News

may 2014

The History of Haverford-Invented Benchball Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16 investigates the history of the uniquely Haverford sport of benchball.

Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16

At Haverford, there are a countless number of student niches and games. And while, most of these games are popular among the student populace, none of the activities touch one in particular.

If you have been been at Haverford and don’t live under a rock, you’ve probably noticed students throwing a ball at each other while sitting on benches. This community game, commonly referred to as “benchball” becomes quite prevalent every year the Spring rolls around.

The game is extremely popular among students due to it’s aggressive, upbeat tempo, and also due to it’s ability to create laughable memories for a lifetime.

However, while the game is so intricately engaging there has always been the nagging question of, “where did the game originate?” Contrary to what most would think, the history behind the Haverford recreational sports is quite complex and has roots that date back to the 1960’s.

For starters, benchball was not the first student-created game known to Haverford.

In fact, in the mid-1960’s, a game called “crosby”, a combination of lacrosse and Frisbee, became very popular much like benchball. When I met with archivist, Mr. Mercer, he had some information on the sport: “At the beginning of that decade, soil excavated for the basement of wings added to Wilson Hall was used to fill in an area in front of the Oaks, now the space located by Crosman Hall. This area between it and Lancaster Avenue and to the west of Memorial Field became know as the “Round or Pound Field” because it was small but usable by the Lower and Middle School sports teams. When a lacrosse net appeared on the site, a convenient stage next to the Upper School was set for activity between classes...”

Similar to benchball, crosby was taken very seriously by the students as teams

game endured much hardship including complaints among the faculty. Gradually the sport gained popularity and became egrained within Haverford culture. So

Haverford students playing benchball early in the spring--prime benchball season.

were organized and contests were played rain or shine. However, crosby took a punishing blow in the late 1970’s when the round field became the new location of a new library facility. When this change occurred, students were forced to play on the football field, a hefty walk to Crossman Hall. There was need for a change. It was at this time when four benches were arranged in the pattern that we know today.

Over the course of the years the

much engrained that when the Wilson Hall renovation was made, room for a bench ball court was made to be constructed outside the library wing. The home of benchball today.

However, while the history of benchball is a fun topic to discuss, there is much discrepancy regarding the year in which it was created. While many arrows point to the 70’s as the answer, many classes (years) of students argue that they are responsible

De Libris: Lamb’s I Know This Much Is True Ethan DeLehman ‘16

Rarely does a novel have the audacity to open with an action as horrific as that which is depicted in the opening chapter of Wally Lamb’s I Know This Much is True.

A man walks into a library, sits down at a desk in the back, prays, and then proceeds to remove a large ceremonial knife from his bag and amputate his own hand in the name of peace on Earth. This is not a beginning that is written for the sake of being controversial or for grabbing attention. Instead, it acts as a central point around which all of the other aspects of the main character’s lives will revolve around.

It is through this use that, in six brief pages, Lamb is able to touch on themes as diverse as mental illness, brotherhood, post-traumatic stress, guilt, and familial dissonance.

Above all else, Lamb’s novel is the story of two brothers who, after growing up in the same dysfunctional environment, evolved into adults in very different ways.

The oldest, Dominick, proved to be, for all intents and purposes, an average man whose struggles are the same as his stepfather’s were before him. While this might seem to be a strange character choice for the main character and narrator, it adds an extra layer of empathy as you witness this flawed, unsuspecting man get thrown into a world of chaotic struggle courtesy of his younger brother, Thomas. Thomas, a schizophrenic religious fanatic, is the more interesting of the two brothers. Despite the assumed reasons for why a character

like that would be fascinating to watch develop throughout the novel, his depth and uniqueness is mainly due to the way that Lamb presents the story to the reader.

Lamb’s method of storytelling manages to tow the line between disjointed and flowing as he jumps from moment to moment while still retaining a central focus on the event that starts everything off. The main character of the novel narrates the story in such a way that allows the reader to experience both their childhood and adulthood selves while connecting the two drastically different personalities in a highly unique way. By doing this, we are able to see a young Dominick and Thomas cope with the struggles of early adolescence just before we are thrown into a conversation between the two of them about why Thomas chose to remove his own hand. It provides the reader with an interesting juxtaposition that makes Thomas, a seemingly unrelatable character, easily accessible as each of his actions as an adult are countered by the innocence of his young self.

This transition from innocent, soft-spoken youth to unstable eccentric adult is what provides I Know This Much Is True with some of it’s most memorable moments. Not only do this moments provide a realistic and in-depth look at the horrors of mental illness, but also show just how problematic issues like this can be for those around the ill. The most memorable moment of the novel for me was watching 18-year-old Thomas begin his descent into madness as a college student. While

Dominick is enjoying his newfound freedom from his mother and stepfather at college, relishing in the new experiences, Thomas is becoming a shut-in. Never leaving his room, always on edge, always paranoid, always frightened. These scenes hold a particular weight because you know that this struggle that he faces is not something brief that can be controlled, but

for founding the game. For example, when I sat down with the Director of Alumni Relations, Andrew Bailey (Class of 2002), he said that he had slight recollection of an ongoing debate between the classes of ‘88 and ‘89 regarding responsibility of the creation of benchball.

What you’re probably wondering is whether or not benchball has changed over the years or not. Well, the answer is yes and no. Why? Well, as a whole, the sport mainly has the same rules and regulations however, the conduct, playing “field” and other intangibles are included in the list of differences between then and now’s sport. For example, like in today’s game, the sport is very competitive.

The main objective was always to stay on for the longest and bragging rights were awarded to the duo who achieved in doing so. On the flip side of the coin, a major difference between now and then is that back then the benches were made of wood, slightly larger and did not have arm rests on the ends. Additionally, the court today is much smaller than what students were used to at the time. Finally, the game was full contact. According to Mr. Bailey, “There was always boys running back and forth, making significant noise when someone tagged the back of the bench or got leveled when challenging another boy for Dawn Blake a loose ball after a missed shot.”

Putting the differences and discrepancies aside, the sport has always and will continue to be an ongoing Haverford school memory. If you’re willing to put down a schoolbook as the year winds down, the sport promises the potential to change your Haverford experience for a lifetime. An experience that can only be done one time through. So why not do it the fun way?

rather is the beginning of something much greater.

I Know This Much Is True is an engaging novel that, if anything, is highly unique in both the subject matter it handles and the way it handles it. While it is a heavy book, and a long one at that, it is well worth your time and, once you put the initial effort to get into it, hard to put down.

lespetitsmorceaux.com

I Know This Much Is True is the latest book reviewed in DeLehman’s column.

Page 8

The Index

may 2014

News/Sports

Teacher Profile: Mr. Gary Kan (AKA Jian Lao Shi) Eli Wachs ‘16 profiles Chinese teacher Mr. Gary Kan, who has thrived in his first year at Haverford, both as a teacher and as a coach.

Eli Wachs ‘16

As said in The Index’s introduction of Mr. Kan back in the September issue, he had very big shoes to fill—or I guess technically very small ones. After beloved

Chinese teacher Lao Shi (Srs. Hsieh) left Haverford after an impactful 17 years, Mr. Kan, or Jian Lao Shi, was an excellent candidate to fill those shoes. He understands that any new program with a textbook is a big change from Lao Shi’s

Mr. Kan took his Chinese II students to Hunan Restaurant in Ardmore for a closer look at Chinese cuisine.

Mr. Andrew Poolman

method of teaching, but appreciates the school and the “really smart, hard-working, and put-together students” for allowing him to have a smooth transition into the Haverford School community.

Born in Hong Kong, he came to the United States when he was 16 and attended a public high school in Madison, Connecticut. After that he did a PG year at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut and then attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Immediately after college, he went back to Hong Kong and worked at an investment bank for two years, before coming back to the States to start his teaching career.

In his year of traveling, Mr. Kan ventured to the corners of the world: from Finland to Peru, from Japan and Hawaii to Maine. Mr. Kan believes that the best part about traveling is the different people he meets from around the world. While life is often lived with a purpose, he enjoys the liberation he feels when he travels without a purpose. Mr. Kan explained, “You just want to embrace any element nature throws at you,” appreciating the incredible things you can learn from the people you meet come just by taking a chance on a pedestrian street and starting up a conversation with a random person.

In his fifth year of teaching, previously at an all-boys school in Hong Kong, Mr. Kan loves working with teenagers because

of their innovative ideas and their ability to embrace great risks. He especially loves language learning because it presents different ways of thinking. He believes that “the different ways you can speak reflect the different ways you can think,” as it is not about translation, but rather the thinking of the language. Words not present in some languages reflect societal views while the philosophies that created languages seemingly also made those societies. Mr. Kan states that if everyone could comprehend the roots of different languages, the world would be a better place with more cultural understanding.

Mr. Kan says that his favorite movies are Fight Club for its “anti-materialism theme,” Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because of its “ dreamy and romantic aura,” and Lost in Translation because he appreciates the concept that “everyone needs to be lost in order to find his/her true self.” Believing the study of Chinese is much more than just the knowledge of a language, Mr. Kan hopes to be able to teach an elective in Chinese movies and philosophies and enjoys the wisdom and knowledge he learns from studying cultural aspects. Mr. Kan tries to impart some of his own wisdom on colleagues and students as well, such as advising that “the older you grow, the better you become at learning from your contradictions.”

hope.”

As Borine briefly alluded to, the Fords

back so in that sense we have had success in overcoming some of those. We are still a

Fords Baseball Continues Strong 2014 Season Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16

As the long season continues on, the Fords will in turn follow suit. While the team has played well, they are certainly not where they expected, or wanted to be. Currently sitting at 13-9, the team is caught in a bit of a rough patch. With the April showers came a rain of close games and a string of tough losses. Like most high schoolers, the Fords are happy to be exiting April and entering May. The team’s record in the second half of April is an utmost factor in their middle-ofthe road record, winning just three of nine.

The lead domino was the team’s close lost to Penn Charter; the rest was history as that loss triggered a chain reaction of ensuing losses. On the day following the Charter loss, the Fords got set to play La Salle, a powerhouse. The Fords once again stayed with a very talented team but in the end, the might of La Salle proved to be too strong and the Fords fell 3-4.

The following week the squad faced two teams against whom they matched up well. It was in the first of these games, against Shipley, in which the Fords were on the other end of the stick. With the score knotted up at five apiece,Third Former Tommy Toal smacked the game winning single, giving the Fords the 6-5 win. Toal, however, did not stop there. In the team’s next game against Chestnut Hill, he broke

the 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh with another game winning single.

The fun didn’t last for long when the Fords travelled to Inter-Ac opponent, Germantown Academy. Germantown threw their best at Haverford and other than a 1st inning homer from Sixth Former Mike Solomon, the Fords were motionless.

Germantown was all over the team in an 11-1 shellacking. The woes only continued when three days later the Fords traveled to Malvern to take on the Friars. While the Fords showed some resilience, in the end their attempts were futile in another loss devastating loss by a score of 13-4.

Another short three days later, the Fords got set to play Radnor. The Fords, angry, came out of the gates roaring and eventually rolled to a 10-5 victory. The following day, however, the teams annual breast cancer awareness game against Marple Newton HS threw the team back into the loss column. Although the team showed some intermittent signs of life, Marple Newton prevailed in a 9-1 beating.

When Fifth Former Danny Borine was asked to comment on the team’s April woes he responded, “We hit a rough patch.

We weren’t playing our best baseball, little things were undoing us. We’re just going to play a team game and put our best effort out there. We’re a bit short on arms, but we’re just going to have to step up and do our individual jobs. Thats our team’s best

Connor Burke pitching at Springside Chestnut Hill.

have found themselves almost destitute of pitchers due to injuries. Mike Warnick and Frank Cresta, both Fourth Formers, are done for the season with surgeries scheduled. Without Warnick and Cresta, the Fords have just four primary pitchers; Sixth Former Connor Burke, Fifth Former Nick Greco, Fourth Former Ben Tracy, and Third Former Tyler Dunbar. With only four arms, it’s only a matter of time before they run out of gas.

However, don’t expect the Fords to cower in a time of hardship. When Fifth Former Ryan Fuscaldo was questioned about the team’s seasonal success and injuries he answered, “Injury has been a factor that has really been holding the team

very young team and as a whole and have not been playing completely up to our potential. In saying that, we are starting to become more confident and patient at the plate and in the field and we hope that we are able to put together a few wins, winout in the league, and bring all of that momentum into the State Championship Tournament.”

While this run may be a daunting task for the Fords, it is a very possible one.

Especially for a team that has both winning experience in the tournament and a strong core of young talent. The only thing stopping the Fords is themselves. They create their own destiny. Will they do it?

Only time will tell.

May Results

Captain Steve Scornajenghi speaks to the team during a game against GA.

Jim Roese

Penn Charter Conestoga HS Germantown Academy SCHA Malvern Prep Westtown School Episcopal Academy (Playoffs)

Jim Roese

Away Home Home Away Home Home Away

Loss 2-6 Win 6-3 Loss 6-12 Win 6-1 Win 3-2 Win 8-6 Win 7-5

Page 9

The Index

Sports

may 2014

Tennis Rebounds, Ends Season with a Bang Jackson Simon ‘15

The Fords tennis team has recovered from its early-season loss to EA by starting a new winning streak of 15 matches. In the last three tennis seasons, the Fords have won a 65 out of 66 matches, 16 of which came this year. Thus far, the team has won 79 individuals matches which is remarkable considering it has only lost 11. Regardless of how indefatigable these statistics make the Fords seem, the team would consider two losses to EA a failure. For this reason, it trained in arduous practices and received strategic coaching. As a result, the Fords managed to defeat EA by a score of 4-3 to tie for the Inter-Ac regular season championship and then went on to win the Inter-Ac championship tournament on EA’s home court. The following analysis of the tough 2nd EA match is in sequential order. Four out of the seven matches were decided in a nerve-racking third set which further evidences the narrow margin with which we won.

At 3rd singles, Sixth Former Sam Kendall lost to Ethan Markman 6-1, 6-2. Although the rallies were long and both players had their fair share of winners, Kendall ultimately made too many unforced errors in rallies of 10+ balls. At 2nd singles, Fifth Former Ben Lieb won 6-2, 6-0. Lieb played a talented, but less experienced freshman, Harrison McCormick. Although their groundstrokes were equally formidable, Lieb consistently hit one more shot in than his opponent did. Addressing how he won the match against a formidable opponent in such as relaxed fashion, Lieb comments, “I just played percentage tennis. I kept the ball out of his strike zone and stayed focus on my game plan. I stayed positive.”

Certainly, his game plan held through flawlessly.

The next match to finish was 3rd doubles. Sixth Former George Avetian and Fourth Former Drew Clark lost in a disappointing first set 6-1 due to the fact that they were on defense, hitting balls from behind the baseline as opposed to at net. In the second set, however, they began to play more aggressively by hitting harder, deeper serves and poaching with more forceful volleys. The momentum shift in their favor, granting them the second set by a score of 6-3. In a long, grueling third set, Avetian and Clark lost 6-4 due to EA’s

Ben Lieb in action.

Jim Roese

forceful groundstrokes and volleys rather than their own unforced errors.

At 2nd doubles, Sixth Form captain Naryan Rustgi and Third Form prodigy Will McDevitt won with a straight set victory of 6-3, 6-4. With regards to how they won

the match, Captain Rustgi comments, “We honestly didn’t play amazing but we put enough pressure on them that they made mistakes and we won the important points.” With his four years of high school tennis experience, Captain Rustgi, whose

base their game.

At 4th doubles, Fifth Former Gage Bowser and I took a decisive lead and were up 6-2, 5-4. We went into the match with a simple strategy that was executed almost flawlessly in the first half of the

The 2014 Haverford Varsity Tennis Team.

technique and movement have a innate predilection towards doubles rather than singles, managed to lead his Third Form partner to a victory by attacking the net with penetrating volleys at his opponent’s feet.

At 1st doubles, Fifth Formers Nathan Kidambi and Andrew Gushner lost the first set 6-2 and won the second set 6-3.

Kidambi and Gushner complement each other well with their two styles of play.

With his overpowering kick serves—a tennis term for loopy, topspin serves— Kidambi prevented his opponents from controlling their contact point on the returns. As a result, Kidambi saw few service returns come back into play and if they did, Gushner would be on top of the net to hit a putaway overhead. On Gushner’s service games, his deep serves caused defensive returns to which Kidambi poached and won the point with his quick hands and powerful overheads. Down 4-1 in the deciding set, however, their opponents one-two punch serve and volley strategy looked impregnable. As Kidambi and Gushner’s serves slowed due to a combination of factors such as fatigue and pressure, EA’s increased aggression on the returns allowed them to break. Fortunately, Gushner and Kidambi made a miraculous comeback to win the match 6-4. Explaining the comeback, Kidambi says, “Gush’s gym ritual translated to mental strength in the closing moments of the match. I hit a few good kick serves at the end and he hit some nice volleys.” It certainly seems as though their improved physical fitness allowed them to dig deep into the third set and outlast their opponents. Kidambi continues commenting, “Gushner idolizes David Ferrer, nicknamed the ‘little grinder,’ and this influence showed in the closing moments of the match.” This further evidences how important it is for tennis players to have role-models off of whom to

match. On my service games, I would hit penetrating slice serves that would give Bowser an opportunity to poach and hit an overhead smash. On Bowser’s service games, our opponents greatly struggled with the lefty-spin of his slice to their backhand. Aggressive low returns from both of us, as advised by Coach Fink, caused our opponents to miss first volleys, giving us multiple opportunities to break.

In the middle of the second set, however, the pressure reversed.. On their service games, the server began hitting deep, forceful serves and the volleyer began to hit short, angled volleys that neither I nor Gage could return back into play. On our service games, they began ripping returns deep, testing our reflexes and causing us to play unanticipated defense. In other words, balls that they had been either missing or hitting without pace in the first set came with the perfect combination velocity and spin the second set. After giving up five match points, which for the rest of the match and season was difficult to overcome psychologically, we lost the second set in a tiebreak by a score of 7-5. With Haverford up 3-2 overall, this match could have been the clincher, but in a tight third set, the shift of momentum would propel EA to a 6-4 victory, tying the match at 3 points apiece.

To save the Fords’ season and tie EA for the Inter-Ac championship, Fifth Former Zach Lieb was cruising to a victory, up 6-3, 5-2. It was at this point that Fourth doubles lost and all the attention was shifted towards the number one singles match. Pressure had never been so high in any of our high school tennis careers.

For Max Kane, there were no expectations to beat the Delaware County Player of the Year, Lieb. After not capitalizing on a match point, Lieb began to lose hold of the match point by point. Kane managed to insidiously crawl back into the match without our noticing. He glided around the

court, hitting every shot back with spin, depth and height; his reflexes and agility gave him a slight edge on every point. In order to close out points, Lieb had to hit a series of five forceful forehands when at any other time of the match, only one was

Dawn Blake

needed to finish the point. As a result, his unforced error column collected tally after tally. 5-2 became 5-3, 5-4, 5-5 and later 5-6. Because Zach had dominated Kane in the past two seasons, the crowd assumed this comeback would be ephemeral. Kane eventually closed out the set in a tiebreak and went up a break early in the final set.

Momentum had catapulted Kane into a anomalous rally pattern in which he was dominating Lieb in the rallies rather than the other way around. At around 7:55 pm, ominous clouds blessed the Fords with darkness which would defer the match until the following week. In the interim, Kane’s momentum faded and the players would start on a new playing field, one at Haverford’s home courts with the whole entire Gentlemen’s Club cheering Zach on.

Eventually, Zach managed to close out that final set 6-4 with pelting returns and inside out forehands. The epic match, which had lasted a total of four hours and thirty minutes, was finally over and the Fords tied EA for the Inter-Ac championship.

This clutch victory over EA along with the team’s past three years of utter domination has caused the National Tennis High School Committee to notice the Fords and for the first time in our 129-year history, we have been invited to participate in a National Championship in California next season. Looking to maximize our first ever opportunity to compete on a national stage, we will be working extra-hard in the offseason. Singles player will above all have to push their bodies to their limits with footwork drills, short sprints, interval exercises and long distance runs. Doubles players will need to continue working on their serves, returns, volleys and overheads.

If each player can reach his potential next year, then we have a legitimate shot at a national championship.

Page 10

The Index

Sports

may 2014

Fords Focus: Alston Racking Up Offers Right and Left Manav Khandelwal ‘15 sat down with Fords Basketball star Levan “Shawn” Alston, who has received over a dozen scholarship offers, to discuss his present and future.

Manav Khandelwal ‘15

Basketball is simply in Fifth Former Levan “Shawn” Alston’s blood. His father, Levan Alston Sr., won the high school national championship as a starter for Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia.

He went on to play at the University of New Orleans, Temple University, and then professionally overseas in China, Austria, and Cyprus. Ever since he’s been young, Alston has been destined for great things in basketball, and now, through thousands of hours of hard work on the hardwood, his many dreams are starting to be realized.

Alston is excited about what the future holds, and rightly so. 15—FIFTEEN!— Division I institutions have offered Alston scholarships to play basketball at their respective schools. Those include Notre Dame, Western Kentucky, East Carolina, VCU, Wichita State, Seton Hall, Harvard, Boston College, La Salle, Temple, Saint Joseph’s, Penn, Penn State, Rhode Island, and George Mason. Among those, VCU has made it to the NCAA tournament the past four years and the Final Four once, Notre Dame has made the tournament four out of the past five years, and Wichita State went undefeated in this year’s regular season on its way to a No. 1 seed. As one can see, some of the nation’s top programs are competing for Alston’s services.

With two First-Team All-Inter Ac honors and an Inter-Ac MVP trophy under his belt, Alston has already left more than his mark on Haverford’s expanding basketball program. He has led the team in points, assists, and steals each of the past two seasons, single-handedly willing the team to key victories since becoming the team’s unofficial star as a Fourth Former.

Although the team has finished second both years to Germantown Academy, one of the stronger basketball programs in the region, it owes much of the success it has enjoyed to Alston.

Where Alston has truly excelled, however, is in the more open, fasterpaced AAU style of basketball. He plays for Philadelphia’s best AAU team, Team Final, competing on the Nike EYBL circuit. The first two tournaments of this Spring/Summer’s circuit are finished, and Alston has already established himself as one of the Class of 2015’s premier talents nationwide. He is 6th in the nation in points with 124, and leads the nation in steals with 25. First, Alston put on an eye-opening performance in April at the Sacramento event led to numerous schools offering, like Notre Dame, VCU, and Wichita State.

Of the correlation, he remarked, “I played very well out there and a lot of colleges noticed.”

Alston one-upped himself at the Dallas tournament with a 33-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance against Team Texas Elite. At one point, Alston hit six threepointers in a row, with the official Nike EYBL twitter account (@d1circuit) calling his offensive clinic “the performance of the tournament.” Surrounded by impressive talent on Team Final, like five-star Trenton Catholic Academy prospect Malachi Richardson and Neumann-Goretti’s Lamarr Kimble, Alston still finds a way to stand out. He has also emerged as a muchimproved defender, using his impressive length to force turnovers and make it tough for any guard to get around or past him.

Expect even more schools to come calling following Shawn’s impressive showing in Texas, including Stanford and Villanova, which have both shown interest but have yet to offer.

Of the process, Alston says, “Some schools ask [for transcripts] and some just call me. They say how they like my game and then they say that I would fit perfectly at their school and they would like to offer me a scholarship.”

Alston has shown schools what he needs to, but the toughest part of his journey to

Division I basketball is just beginning: the college committing decision. He plans to lean on his family for this extremely tough choice, especially his father, who once had to make a similar decision; of his father, who he considers to be the most influential person in his basketball life, Alston says, “He has just worked me out all my life and taught me everything about basketball.”

He also thanks Mr. Henry Fairfax, Head Coach of Haverford’s basketball team and a person Alston considers to be a “great mentor.”

But where does Alston want to go? For now, he says he is leaning in no particular direction. He plans on making more visits and talking with coaches to see which place catches eye. He did say that he is looking for a complete package: a school with “great athletics, great academics, and

a nice campus.” A wide range of schools have offered him the opportunity to play for them: academic powerhouses like Harvard and Penn, smaller but recently successful programs like VCU and Wichita State, and strong mixes between historically great basketball programs and academic opportunity like Boston College and Notre Dame. This eclectic offering of universities will allow Alston to really make the decision that best fits him and his needs.

Regardless of where he ends up going, however, Alston plans on letting the entire student body be the first to know. He says he will commit in front of the entire Upper School, perhaps in the library. He plans on ending his Division I search where it all started: Haverford.

Alston, Haverford’s starting point guard, pushes the ball up the floor against Penn Charter.

Crew Coming In Strong at End of 2014 Season Jordan Siegal ‘16

The Haverford Crew team is back on the Schuylkill in the upcoming weeks.

After the team showed strong results in the 5th Manny Flick, they were prepared for City Championships which would have taken place on May 4th. But just as the regatta was coming up, a huge rainstorm hit Philadelphia, causing the regatta to be rescheduled because of dangerous racing conditions. Even though the regatta was postponed, the team’s determination remained strong. Coach Stephanik put it perfectly in an email to the team when he said, “Let’s work hard this week and prove to everyone on Sunday that we are one of the best teams in Philadelphia.” The team would have to wait a couple more weeks to race in one of the biggest Junior regattas in the world, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta.

Just recently, the team proved they were hard at work when many kids hit their personal records for a 2k on the erg.

The most impressive showing came from Fourth Formers Guy Wuollet, Daniel Lee, Luke Green, and Andy Leith, who are all in the JV Four. These rowers showed 2k times that were close to or under seven minutes, a huge improvement from their times in the winter season. Impressive times also came from Sixth Former Chet Bickhart, Fifth Formers Eric Petersen, Likuan Wang, and Jordan Siegal, and Third Formers Joe O’Brien, Henry Scarlato, and Davis Martinelli. The 2k on that rainy day truly showed that kids were working hard on the water by building up their strength

and endurance. The results were positive signs for a team hungry to win some races.

With the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and City Championships coming up on May 16th, every boat has been trying to pick up speed. In the weeks before the championship season, training consisted of base work, building up endurance, and refining technique in the boat. As the championship races have been getting

off; every boat has been picking up speed, especially the Varsity Four. Sixth Former Gavin Adams said, “The boat has felt a lot more connected lately. While we still have some technical issues at higher rates, the boat feels very solid.” The Varsity Four, made up of Sixth Formers Gavin Adams, Chet Bickhart, and Eamon Glavin, and Fifth Formers Jordan Siegal and Berkeley Melvin, will see stiff competition at

The Varsity 4 consisting of (from front to back) Chet Bickhart, Jordan Siegal, Eamon Glavin, Gavin Adams, and Berkeley Melvin (not pictured).

closer, the team has done a lot more high rate work. In high rate pieces, boats are able to row at a rate similar to the pace they will be rowing during a race. During high rate workout pieces, coxswains are able to correct mistakes and work on the technique of each individual rower in the boat. All the work seems to be paying

Ann Glavin

Stotesbury, especially from rival Episcopal Academy.

Another boat to follow in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta is the JV Quad. The boat is made up of all Fifth Formers – Jake Pechet, Greg Kirwan, Eric Petersen, and Cheyse Johnson. Jake Pechet recently moved into stroke and will be setting

Mr. Jim Roese

the boat’s tempo. The JV Quad has been very successful thus far, placing second in almost all of the Manny Flicks. The boat has to overcome Roman Catholic’s quad, which has consistently placed first every week in the Manny Flicks. When talking to Cheyse Johnson, he was confident that his boat could win if they really focused and was able to maintain a high rate. Haverford hopes to see gold very soon from this young and talented boat.

The Third Formers were quick to pick up rowing this spring and showed promise in the Manny Flicks. The Freshman Quad, made up of Third Formers Scottie Zelov, Joe O’Brien, Will Pechet, and Ethan Weiss, is the boat to watch in the upcoming Stotesbury Cup. The quad took second to Haddon Township in the Fifth Manny Flick, only missing first by four seconds. With the second place finish, the Freshman Quad beat out boats from Conestoga, Malvern, and Roman Catholic.

Also predicted is a strong showing from the Freshman Eight, led by coxswain Jake Putnam, which had a rough time in the Fifth Manny Flick and is looking for redemption. The Haverford crew team has put in a lot of work, and it has shown on the erg and on the water. While rowing out of Malvern’s boathouse in Conshohocken, Coach Stephanik stopped all boats right in front of the new Haverford boathouse that is currently being constructed. He told the boats that he wants some medals in the trophy case this fall when the team moves in. The team is prepared to do just that, so look for strong results in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and City Championships.

Page 11

The Index

Sports

may 2014

World Cup Preview (Cont.)

Continued from Front Page

Group A features the heavily favored Brazilians with Cameroon, Croatia, and Mexico. The clear favorite to dominate this group is Brazil, who has the potential and expectation to win the entire tournament.

They possess talent at each position with key players including star forward Neymar, defender Thiago Silva, and midfielder Oscar. Brazil’s ability to incorporate its outside defenders into an attack can be a valuable asset for the team, but it is also something that other teams will look to exploit. On paper, the team clearly possesses the talent to win, but a difficult draw after the group stage may hinder Brazil’s chances. Before even reaching the semi-finals, Brazil would potentially have to face Spain or the Netherlands in the Round of 16, and then Uruguay, England, or Italy in the Quarterfinals, all of which would be challenging. The second place spot in Group A will most likely go to Croatia. While this spot is certainly up for grabs and all three teams (Croatia, Cameroon, Mexico) could make a run into the Round of 16, Croatia should emerge at the top of these three underdogs.

Inconsistency plagued all three squads in the qualifiers, but Croatia, led by Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, is primed to take points away from a fractured Mexican squad, securing the second spot by a miniscule margin over “El Tri”.

Group B features the two teams from the 2010 World Cup Final in South Africa, Spain and the Netherlands.

Predictably, these two teams will advance past a tough Chilean group and a weaker Australian team. Spain, also considered to be a potential winner, has depth at every position and almost all of its players are very experienced in international competitions. For manager Vicente del Bosque, it is important to find a way to incorporate all of Spain’s midfield talent (Xavi, Iniesta, Juan Mata, Cesc Fabregas) into a consistent lineup. The Netherlands will have to best Chile in order to move on to the elimination stages, which is no easy task especially with both teams being in very fine form towards the latter stages of the qualifiers. The Netherlands will have to find a way for the weaker part of its lineup, its defense, to handle Chile’s

offensive attack, led by Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal. Its offensive talent, however, directed by Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben should be enough to propel them into the next round. However, this has been labeled as one of the three “Groups of Death”, along with D and G, and it would not surprise me to see La Roja in the Round of 16. Group C features one clear favorite, Colombia, and three relatively equal teams fighting for the second spot. Colombia, led by AS Monaco teammates Radamel Falcao and James Rodríguez, finished in second place in a very competitive South American qualifying group, and its success has taken the team into the Top 5 in FIFA’s World Rankings. The final three teams, Ivory Coast, Greece, and Japan, all have a few international stars on their rosters, but ultimately Japan’s success in recent World Cups and international friendlies indicates that its current roster, led by midfielders Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda, has the potential to advance to the elimination stages.

Group D is one of the most intriguing and talented Groups in the 2014 World Cup. Heavyweights Uruguay, Italy, and England, will fight for the top two seeds until the very last game with upstart Costa Rica trying to steal the spotlight from these three successful soccer programs. The Italians should rebound from an embarrassing 2010 showing to finish first in this challenging group, with Uruguay barely squeaking past England for second. Led by timeless goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and eccentric forward Mario Balotelli, the Italians will have to counterattack well in order expose the weak Uruguayan defense if they want to prove that their South African flop was nothing more than a fluke. Uruguay’s attacking strength with forwards Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani will prove to be what moves them past an inconsistent and aging English team.

In one of the weakest groups in the tournament, Group E contains France and Switzerland, the two favorites, followed by Ecuador and Honduras. This group favors Switzerland, who capably cruised through its group in qualifying. The Swiss team, hoping to build off its shocking 1-0 victory over Spain in the final game of the 2010 group stages, boasts a young and confident lineup led by midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri

The core of the Spanish side, midfielders Iniesta (left) and Xavi (right), long-time teammates on FC Barcelona.

Ronaldo (left) and Messi (right), upon whom their respective teams, Portugal and Argentina, will depend.

and Granit Xhaka. The only significant threat to the first place position in Group E to Switzerland is Franck Ribéry and France. However, Les Bleus have been experiencing worrisome troubles in the past few years. After not even making it out of the group stages in 2010 to barely qualifying for Brazil, the French squad is looking to prove they can contend with the soccer heavyweights once again. They have the potential to perform, with a solid lineup throughout, but in order to succeed they will have to forget their shaky past and come together as a cohesive squad if they want to make their mark on Brazil.

Ecuador and Honduras will play the role as underdogs, but both teams lack significant international experience and dangerous players to contend with their European counterparts.

Group F contains one of the most offensively talented teams in the tournament, Argentina, followed by BosniaHerzegovina, Nigeria, and Iran.

Argentina is the clear favorite, and will most likely cruise to a 3-0 group stage record.

With one of the strongest groups of attacking players in the entire tournament(Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín), Argentina has the potential to be in the top three if they can play consistent defense.

The second spot will go to Nigeria as they barely advance over Bosnia-Herzegovina. This could easily go either way, but Nigeria’s recent victory in the African Cup of Nations, only a few years after having its program temporarily shut down, shows its lineup, led by John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, has the capability to oust a tenacious Bosnian side. The Iranians are a dark horse in this group, but their lack of any real offensive threat will send them packing early.

Finally, the Group that has gathered the most media attention, Group G boasts four formidable squads in European powerhouses Germany and Portugal, combined with the United States and Ghana. soletron.com Backed by four incredibly

shangdu.com

passionate fan bases, this Group will certainly contain the most excitement, anxiety, and world-class soccer, ultimately leading to Germany and Portugal advancing to the knockout stages. Germany possesses one of the most dynamic and threatening teams in the world. A successful mix of veteran and young players is anchored by midfield talent, which rivals that of Spain (Marco Reus, Mesut Ozil, Mario Götze).

Look for Germany to be a serious contender this June. Portugal steals the second spot away from the United States and Ghana as Cristiano Ronaldo continues his prolific La Liga scoring spree into June. Portugal brings one of its most talented squads in recent history into Brazil this summer and has the chance to make a deep run in the tournament. While the United States and Ghana both have strong teams throughout, they do not possess the same level of gifted offensive and defensive depth within their lineups. However, they each have the potential to knock off the two European powers, making this the most exciting group, and it is definitely the one to pay attention to come June.

Rounding out the tournament is Group H, which has Belgium, South Korea, Algeria, and Russia. Belgium and Russia are clearly superior in this group, and the most interesting aspect of this group is which one of these underdog European nations can steal first place. The stakes are even higher for this first place battle since the second place finisher will have to compete against Germany in the Round of 16. While the pressure is on for the Russian side– they will be hosting the 2018 World Cup– Belgium will triumph in Group H. Belgium has some of the best young players in the world with Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, meshed well with established veterans like defender Vincent Kompany. This Belgian side is on the rise and could be a very serious contender in the next few major tournaments, including this year in Brazil. While Russia’s squad does not have any international superstars, its tenacious, resilient style of play helped them best Portugal in qualifying. Algeria and South Korea are two very beatable teams, who each lack international stars and come from weaker qualifying groups, so it would be a surprise to see them in the next round.

Continued on Page 12

Page 12

The Index

may 2014

Sports

World Cup Preview (Cont.)

PART 2: KNOCKOUT ROUNDS

in international competition has yet to The twentieth World Cup is set to begin be broken. However, it on June 12, and although oddsmakers have seems that Spain’s time already picked their favorites, the field is may finally be up. The an extremely competitive one replete with Spanish side is older than ever and without strong teams.

Any discussion of a World Cup stalwart leader Carles staged in Brazil has to begin with Brazil. Puyol. The team’s core The five-time World champions will be of Barcelona players, under tremendous pressure to better the who pioneered the consecutive quarterfinal exits that dashed tiki-taka style that won expectations in 2006 and 2010. The shame Spain three consecutive tournaments, of these premature losses is compounded major by the fact that in 1950, the last time the will be coming off World Cup was hosted in Brazil, the their worst club season Seleção suffered a defeat to neighbor in recent memory.

Xavi Hernandez (the Uruguay in the final.

The Brazilian squad has many competitive world’s best passing advantages, the first of which has to be the midfielder and the heart home-field support of thousands of die- of the Spanish football hard Brazilians. The Brazilians take their machine) is 34 and, Official FIFA website The World Cup trophy, made of 13.6 pounds of 18-carat gold, is what each team will be playing for. football seriously. Nothing less than the with Thiago Alcantara injured, will have no first place trophy will do this time around. put-together, has a tremendous amount of discussion Of the four World Cups that have been natural replacement should he tire of experience playing as a unit, is extremely of serious contenders is Portugal. The held in South America, four have been playing 90 minutes of football every time consistent, and simply lacks weaknesses. Netherlands, France, England, and won by South American teams. Brazil La Roja step on the field. Make no mistake Expect big things from the Germans this Belgium all have the quality to make a will certainly be playing in a supportive – Spain is still the World Champion. summer. deep run, but I would argue that the former environment. Second is the guidance of However, it stands a greater chance of One side whose stock has been three lack the necessary unit cohesion a new coach – Luiz Felipe Scolari – who being dethroned than it did in either 2010 rising recently would be the Italians. (as has been demonstrated in recent led a Brazilian side that barely qualified or 2012.

Runners-up at the most recent European International tournaments) and the latter Germany has been a model of for the tournament to victory in the 2002 championship and third-place finishers lacks the experience on such a large stage.

World Cup. Third is a 23-man roster that consistency in past years, reaching the at the Confederations Cup, Italy sports Portugal, on the other hand, has the quality is, without a doubt, one of the deepest of finals of the 2002 World Cup and 2008 a solid team built around two veterans, and the depth to challenge any other team any nation. Scolari – known affectionately Euro Cup, and finishing in third place in club teammates, and 2006 World Cup in the draw. Although Cristiano Ronaldo is as “Big Phil,” included only four players the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Expect champions – goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon without a doubt the heart and soul of the from the 2010 squad, choosing instead no less in June. The German squad is and midfield genius Andrea Pirlo. The team (having singlehandedly qualified his to keep 17 players from the team that the deepest in the tournament, bar none. latter, although nearing the end of his country by outdueling Sweden’s Zlatan demolished World Champions Spain 3-0 Most important is the stacked midfield of career, is the smooth glue that holds the Ibrahimovic), his teammates – Pepe, Fabio in the Confederations Cup last year. This Philipp Lahm, Mario Götze, Sami Khedira, team together. Add a more-than-competent Coentrāo, Joao Moutinho, Nani – are skilled team, anchored in defense by standout Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, defense and mercurial striker Mario as well. Now that Ronaldo has turned into PSG Center Back Thiago Silva and in Marco Reus, Andre Schurrle, and Bastian Balotelli to the mix and you have a team a goal machine for both club and country, midfield by Chelsea playmaker Oscar, Schweinsteiger (that’s a lot of big names, that cannot well be counted out.

Portugal is armed and dangerous. Ronaldo has few weaknesses. Although the team and there isn’t enough space in this entire What about Argentina? The Argentines will be playing with a chip on his shoulder, is rooted in strong defense, it also boasts issue of The Index to fully analyze the have the best offensive quartet in the both to prove that he is capable of the same an explosive attack based on the trio of dozens of options that coach Joachim Low tournament, and perhaps the best offensive success on the international that he has Fred, Neymar, and Hulk. Brazil will need has at his disposal with such talent). The quartet in the history of International enjoyed at Madrid, and to defy the critics to peak at the right time to defeat the more German defense is similarly deep. Germany football. That statement is no hyperbole, that blamed him for Portugal’s exit from experienced German and Spanish teams, will again be relying on Miroslav Klose either. Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, the Euro Cup against Spain two years ago. but if the Confederations Cup final is of at striker – a man who, although getting Gonzalo Higuain, and Angel Di Maria The 2014 World Cup is bookended by any indication, it deserve its status as up in years, has more experience scoring form an extremely potent offense that, tournaments held in locations not as wellgoals in World Cup matches than any other tournament favorites. unfortunately, is supported by a less stellar known for the popularity of football: South Brazil will certainly be facing active player. Unlike recent British and supporting cast. The Argentines are not a Africa in 2010, Russia in 2018, and (to tough competition. Spain’s dominance French squads, team Deutschland is well complete squad in the same sense that any of the chagrin of many fans) Qatar in 2022. the aforementioned teams Brazil, however, is known as the nation that are, and a quarterfinal perfected the beautiful game, the nation exit seems most probable. that has won the World Cup more than any However, any team with other country, and most recently, the nation Lionel Messi alone will whose team underperformed in the two have a veritable chance most recent editions of the tournament. at success. Uruguay faces The weight of the World will be on Luiz a similar problem – the Felipe Scolari’s men. Expect more than stellar forward duo of just heartache from Brazil’s 200 million Luis Suarez and Edinson citizens should the team fail. The 2014 Cavani is not backed Tournament will also be the first to feature up by a world-class goal-line technology, which will serve to defense or midfield. The prevent controversies over whether the Uruguayans battled their ball actually crosses the goal line. Gone is way to fourth place in the Adidas Jabulani, the ball that frustrated South Africa on the back strikers and goalkeepers alike in South of a brilliant performance Africa with its unpredictable travel, and

by Diego Forlán, and they instead the well-tested Brazuca will be will need similar heroics used. For the second time, the World Cup to make a similar run this will feature Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel summer.

Messi near the peak of their powers. This The last team that is will not be a tournament to miss.

FOX Sports worth mentioning in a The German midfield, consisting of Mesut özil, Thomas Müller, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, will be tough to handle.

OFFICIAL PREDICTIONS

ALEX SANFILIPPO

BRENDAN BURNS

Winner: Spain

Winner: Germany

Runner-Up: Brazil

Runner-Up: Brazil

3rd Place: Argentina

3rd Place: Portugal

4th Place: Germany

4th Place: Spain

Page 13

The Index

Politics

The Farm Bill and Agricultural Taxation Politics Editor Brendan Burns argues that a tax on certain unhealthy foods would benefit both the overall health and the economy of America.

Brendan Burns ‘16

It is no secret that obesity is a major problem in the United States. By some estimates, as many as 70 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese. Besides resulting in lost productivity, such high levels of obesity, driven by poor diet, fuel rising healthcare costs in a nation with an already-aging population. Poor diet choices are significant risk factors for many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, and stroke – the three leading causes of death in the United States. Poor diet can also lead to the onset of diabetes and hypertension.

The United States simply cannot afford to continue to fuel such a high incidence of these chronic conditions. Chronic diseases are, by far, the most expensive to treat and the most taxing on the American health care system. In the United States, individuals with multiple chronic conditions – a small subset of the population – account for fully 66% of all health care spending, with 21% of funds going to those with more than 5 chronic conditions (an even smaller subset). Individuals with 5 chronic conditions incur health care costs at about 14 times the rate that those with no chronic conditions do, and are almost 100 times more likely to have an unnecessary hospitalization. For those over 65 in the United States, the figures are even scarier: those with multiple chronic conditions account for 96% of spending, and those with 5 or more ailments account for almost four-fifths. And the number of people who fall into these categories is only increasing.

According to a recent OECD report, chronic diseases will already account for 7 in 10 deaths in the world by 2010.

What can be done to reverse this trend? The American healthcare system is geared toward disease treatment instead of prevention, however, it is notoriously difficult to change the general population’s

everyday lifestyle choices. The Affordable Care Act does contain provisions for “wellness” and prevention, but there is currently no piece of legislation on the books that tackles the root cause of these chronic conditions (poor diet) hard enough to make a tangible difference. This will

of subsidies go to just 4% of US farmers, and all too often, those 4% are the giant agribusinesses (“Big Ag”) that are partially responsible for Americans’ poor diet.

Of the $260 billion spent during that 15-year period, US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) found that “a full $77 billion went to subsidize corn; wheat and cotton growers received just over $30 billion apiece; soybeans were subsidized to the tune of $24 billion.” What is so wrong with this? Only 1% of the corn produced

The Farm Bill benefits “Big Ag” more than it does everyday farmers.

only be done when a sweeping change in agricultural policies is enacted.

To subsidize the cost of food for lower-income Americans and cushion the American agricultural industry, the United States government issues billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars to farmers. These subsidies are determined every few years by legislation known as the “Farm Bill.”

It is within this bill that some of the root causes of America’s obesity problem can be found. From 1995 to 2010, $260 billion in taxpayer money was spent on agricultural subsidies. How much of that money went toward subsidizing the cost of healthy food, thereby making it easier for poor Americans to make healthy food choices?

Laughably little. The majority of the subsidies went toward a small percentage of American farmers – mostly the largest and wealthiest farming operations. 74%

highergroundstrading.com

with that $77 billion is actually the sweet corn that humans eat. The majority of the commodity crops that we subsidize are made into biofuels, feed for livestock (massive amounts of corn – an unnatural feed – are fed to livestock, resulting in lower-quality meat), and food additives. During that same time period, taxpayers spent $16.9 billion on corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup (an extremely common substitute for sugar, and the health detriments of which deserve their own article), cornstarch, and soy oils. None of these foods can actually be consumed by humans, but instead are common additives in soda and sugary snacks. The only significant subsidy for any fruit or vegetable intended for human consumption was $262 million over 15 years for apples.

These subsidies have far-reaching effects. They make unhealthy foods that

may 2014

contain unregulated additives cheaper and, because most of the funds go to the biggest wealthiest agricultural operations, also serve to outcompete small family farmers and drive up the cost of healthier, unprocessed food products. 14 of the Twinkie’s 37 ingredients – including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and vegetable shortening – are currently made with federal subsidies.

A large amount of the additives that the Farm Bill pays for are designed for the production of snacks. Uncoincidentally, a 2003 study by Harvard Professor David Cutler et al. found that Americans increased their daily caloric intake by 206 calories from 1977 to 1994, 90% of which was due to the increased consumption of snacks. These dietary trends directly fuel obesity, especially childhood obesity (which age group consumes snacks at the highest rate?), which has tripled in the last 40 years. A 2009 study in the journal Health Affairs found that more than $150 billion a year is spent on “obesity and its related co-morbidities, a value that has doubled over the last decade.”

With obesity rates that outdo the rest of the world and rising rates of chronic disease across the board, continuing to subsidize the wrong agribusinesses to produce the wrong crops to make the wrong foods is wrong. Barack Obama and Congress must take two specific actions to reverse these trends: first, sweeping Farm Bill reform that makes fresh fruits and vegetables cheaper and doesn’t spend taxpayer money on foods that will cause disease among the population, and second, a sizable (read: massive) tax on the production and sale of foods and ingredients that have been linked to long-term ailments. A tax on all sodas, trans and saturated fats, high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars, and other processed foods would force Americans to make healthy choices instead of forcing them to make unhealthy choices, and lower healthcare costs in the process. Although such a tax would certainly face tough opposition, it would serve the long-term health of every single American and the long-term fiscal health of the country.

Political Neutrality: Should Teachers Be Held To A Stricter Standard in the Classroom?

In this opinion piece, Rudy Miller’14 explores the issue of teacher political bias in the classroom, arguing that it is beneficial to “preparing boys for life” and should not be regulated.

Rudy Miller ‘14

Biases are a part of human nature and of life. Even though they can often obstruct progress significantly in all areas of human ingenuity, they are irremovable from society, meaning everyone must learn to deal with them in some way. Here at Haverford, like in every other school, teachers possess biases, particularly of a political nature, and these ideas occasionally seep into their lessons for (and debates with) students. Some students dislike the idea of teachers presenting biases, and they claim that their biases taint their learning. However, I believe these biases actually augment our learning, and they help us become more prepared for life.

One of the common complaints against a school like Haverford is that it is a “bubble”: an environment that is too kind and forgiving to prepare students for the harshness of the real world. Yet the introduction of opinions can counter this: by introducing different opinions

to students’ otherwise sheltered world, teachers can create a conflict of morals and ideals within Haverford students’ minds. Through this, students must wrestle with their beliefs and decide what they truly endorse, and since this struggle is a key component of building a student’s character, the experience will mold him into a more thoughtful and worldly human being.

Even if these opinions do not change a student’s viewpoint, his exposure to them in the first place can be beneficial.

To give an example, last year I attended The Overlake School in Seattle, where I was taught U.S. history by Mrs. Tina Proctor. To an extent, the entire course was centered on her views, resulting in a course less about an overview of U.S. history but more about a case study of the rights gained by different groups throughout U.S. history and the ramifications of said gains.

Her views rarely lined up with mine, and throughout most of the first semester I despised the class, as I had never had this type of experience before. Yet by the end of the calendar year and throughout the

second semester, I eventually reconciled her views with mine. I still disagree with her ideals, but I understand why she agrees with them, and this is a key step towards acceptance, a trait that every Haverford man should possess.

Those who argue that political neutrality should be required or policed for teachers claim that these opinions taint the subjects they are being taught, and that a neutral classroom would result in more effective learning. However, this flawed perception of reality is stained with insecurity and fear. Students who argue this point often have opinions that disagree with those of teachers, and since most teachers have generally liberal leanings, members of the conservative crowd are often at fault here.

I do not wish to slander conservatives, as I am one myself, and I know many accepting and thought-provoking conservatives at Haverford, yet I ask those who request neutrality this: Do you want engagement and learning at the highest level, or do you desire to hear only what you want to hear?

Similar to myself in the first semester of Mrs. Proctor’s history class, these students rarely acknowledge the legitimacy of other opinions or take the time to understand why those who differ from them in political beliefs subscribe to their chosen opinions, and thus they are commonly incensed at different opinions as they

simply do not know how else to react. But there is also fear: An underlying feeling that students are being “brainwashed” and that these opinions will overtake their own.

While this could happen to some degree, the challenge of battling with one’s self over morals is paramount, and a mature Haverford student should accept this challenge rather than blindly accepting beliefs of others. If students who criticize the biases in Haverford classrooms continue down this unfortunate path, they will sadly not be prepared for life.

To intellectually engage and learn at the highest level, the student body as a whole must embrace teachers’ opinions for what they are: fantastic learning experiences that mature boys into men at a rate that most textbook learning cannot achieve.

While I cannot claim that I am completely innocent of this myopic behavior, I have learned from my past mistakes and now accept others’ opinions and biases rather than fearing them, and I invite my fellow students to do the same. Opinions do not make someone a bad person, even if they disagree with yours: opinions only become malicious when they shut out the opinions of others. Encouraging open and honest inquiry and discussion is key to “preparing boys for life,” and I sincerely hope that Haverford embraces all opinions now and in the future.

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The Index

Politics

may 2014

Bloomberg Versus the National Rifle Association

Cyrus Rostami ‘17 details former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s current and past efforts to implement gun control and take down gun lobbyist group, the NRA. Cyrus Rostami ‘17

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has always been a proponent in the mission to implement stricter guncontrol laws. However, there was no time during his three-term tenure that he addressed this concern more than in the past few months after he left office. The impetus for Bloomberg’s censure of the NRA has been on account of a few events in the recent years. This would include the shootings in The Aurora movie theatre; the Sandy Hook shooting, and a few more deadly shootings that have occurred in the not-too-distant past.

In the past couple years, Bloomberg has been pressing for reforms in guns laws, mainly stricter background checks for people trying to purchase guns. These background checks would confirm that criminals, minors, and people with severe psychiatric problems would not be able to purchase guns. He also has stated that he wanted to crack down on the sales of illegal weapons as well.

In 2013, Barack Obama attempted to initiate a plan similar to what Bloomberg is working on now. Obama’s plan covered many aspects of gun-control reforms: background checks, limitations on possession of automatic weapons, limitations on possession of large amounts of ammunition, funding law enforcement agencies with the intent to strengthen gun security, and other commonly suggested reforms. The poll results of this plan showed

that 90% of Americans would be in favor of the idea of stricter gun-control laws. Also, in the Senate, 54 voted for the gun reforms, and 46 voted against them. However, the Senate now runs on a “supermajority” rule so 60 votes were required to have the plan officially initiated. This ever so slight loss was a great disappointment to Barack Obama and others who supported guncontrol. Public support for gun-control reforms had been increasing from the time of the Sandy Hook shooting to the time of the poll, but now, many were beginning to move on. But Michael Bloomberg, who was Mayor at the time, had not forgotten.

After the end of his tenure on December 31, 2013, Bloomberg began to take action.

He knew that his enemy at this point was the NRA, for many people believe that the filibuster within the Senate about the supermajority vote was corollary to the NRA and its spending of millions of dollars on gaining government support. Bloomberg initiated his action by establishing a new organization called Everytown, which will be an organization of Americans who are passionate about passing guncontrol laws in order to build safer communities. The organization also wants to counteract the negligence of Washington gun lobbyists, and others who have been protecting the NRA and other gun funding organizations from the reforms. According to the Everytown website’s information summary, “More than 1.5 million mayors, moms, cops, teachers, survivors, gun owners, and everyday Americans [have

Bloomberg delivering a eulogy at former NYC mayor Ed Koch’s funeral.

observer.com

joined the organization]”. This diverse population of supporters should help shed light on the gun-issue, just like issues regarding unemployment and healthcare reforms have been publicly addressed.

Bloomberg has become very serious about his mission and states that he and his organization will never stop pushing their reforms, even if it takes generations to do so. Bloomberg has also announced that he has already devoted $50 million to this mission. The Everytown group will also fund two other gun-control subgroups: Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Unlike past reforms, the focus is no longer on restrictions of specific weapons, but the enforcement of background checks. The administration of this new organization is also very bipartisan, having board members who worked in both the Obama and Bush administrations. This bipartisanship is

not the result of Bloomberg switching political parties twice in the past 20 years (from Democrat to Republican to Independent), but it shows how Bloomberg and his followers are focused on one goal: gun-control reforms. Also, the fact that Bloomberg has engaged in this mission after his tenure as mayor shows that he is interested in what he does for how he thinks it will benefit society, not his political career.

In a recent interview, Bloomberg mentioned about he was well aware of his age, which shows how serious he his about his new plans. He also mentioned in an interview that not only was he not acting to gain support for future nominations into political positions, but instead that he was “going to spend the rest of [his] life trying to make a better world for [himself, for his kids, and for his grandchildren].”

attacked. The second reason is to increase the defensive capabilities of Eastern Europe. The situation in the Ukraine

these recent events in the Ukraine, we have had the idea that there was no need for a permanent US presence in Europe.

Since the Cold War, US strength in the area has decreased by over 80%. But as said by Polish defence minister Tomasz Siemoniak, “events show that what is needed is a re-pivot, and that Europe was safe and secure because America was in Europe.”

Despite the sound reasoning behind the movement of troops around the Ukraine, Russia still condemns these moves by the US. The Russian point of view on the US increasing their military presence near the Ukrainian border can be illustrated in a phone call between the US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu.

According to Shoygu, the US and NATO have increased their military presence with “unprecedented force.” Shoygu also mentions a statement by NATO’s secretary general that Russia should be “restrained” and talks about the attention the US media has been paying to the issue saying that some of the sources had, “unveiled a real anti-Russian hysteria.”

Even if part of the Ukraine manages to remain independant, Putin will always be interested in controlling it economically and strategically. Crimea’s ports into the Black Sea are very important to European trade and Ukraine’s oil pipelines are strategic to oil distribution which is even more important given the fact that Russia supplies massive quantities of oil throughout Europe. When Russia-friendly Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych was removed from power, Putin used the opening to take Crimea for Russia and sink his teeth into the rest of Ukraine as well.

This does not mean that Putin is necessarily on a rampage to take back the lands lost during the fall of the Soviet Union, but there is no harm in moving troops around the Ukraine to provide a concrete reminder of Western power.

Expanding U.S. Military Presence in Europe is Beneficial George Rubin ‘17

As the crisis in the Ukraine continues to worsen on a day-by-day basis, Western European powers are helpless to prevent Ukraine from being pulled closer and closer to Moscow. They have done most of what they can already – Western nations continue to throw sanctions at Russian politicians and large Russian corporations, but to Vladimir Putin this is a very small price to pay for taking back what he believes is the rightful property of Russia.

The West tries to make peace agreements with the Ukrainian government, Russia, and the pro-Russian Separatists fighting

and the situation there but Putin has no incentive to heed any of it.

Because the US and Western Europe cannot become involved militarily and have no effective diplomatic options either, one option that the US has already taken on a small scale is the movement of US troops into European countries near the Ukraine to prevent further aggression against Eastern Europe. The US has moved four companies of the 173rd Infantry Brigade from Italy to Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.

Each of these companies contains only 150 troops, so a paltry 600 troops remain in those countries training with their armies.

The purpose of having US military

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

A map showing where U.S. military personnel are around the world.

the war with the Western Ukraine, such as the agreement made in Geneva on April 17th. However, becauase there is no consequence for violating the terms of these agreements and there are no provisions for enforcement, they are largely blank documents. Similarly, the UN can issue fiery rhetoric about Russia

BBC

presence near the Ukraine is not to take on the Russian army of 40,000 amassed near the border of Russia and the Ukraine, which would not be possible. Its purpose is, for one thing, to show the United States’s commitment to the its NATO allies, which may be nervous over whether they will actually be defended by the US if they are

nymag.com

definitely raises questions as to whether Putin is trying to recreate the old Soviet Union and if he will attack or destabilize Eastern European countries surrounding the Ukraine. If there are US troops present alongside troops of a country Putin is attacking, there would be a direct issue between the US and Russia which Putin hopefully would want to avoid. After all, in a state of the nation address he made in 2005, Putin called the fall of the Soviet Union, “the major geopolitical disaster of the century, [where] tens of millions of our co-citizens and co-patriots found themselves outside Russian territory.”

It’s not as though US occupation of Eastern Europe is a new idea in the first place. After the cold war, the US occupied most of Europe with army personnel.

But within the last ten or twenty years our military has been increasingly more focused on the War on Terror. Up until

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The Index

Politics

may 2014

Immigration Reform: Executive Action Needed

Ethan DeLehman ‘16 calls for executive action from Obama to sort out the issue of immigration reform, progress on which has been stalled in Congress and, more specifically, the Republican-led House of Representatives.

Ethan DeLehman ‘16

Comprehensive and effective immigration reform has been a soughtafter goal within Congress for more than a decade, and yet even now, at a time when potential solutions to this issue are abundant and mutual compromise is possible, there are influential voices saying that we need to slow down. Despite these voices, the Senate did manage to pass a bill in June of 2013 that proposed a plan supported by members of both parties (the “Gang of Eight”), which would put into place a system that would allow for many of the 11 million illegal immigrants currently living within the Unites States to be put on a path to citizenship. This, of course, being the preferred alternative to the mass deportations that have been forced to occur under the current administration. Why then has this bill become stuck in a type of legislative limbo where no votes have been held despite the apparent possibility of it passing? Those claiming that we need to halt immigration reform currently have control over The House of Representatives.

There is no better known opponent to the application of progressive reform than House Speaker John Boehner who, along with some of his fellow party members, has made it clear time and time again that he has no intention of holding a House vote on this bill. Boehner went so far as to say a year ago that “the House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes.” Now, with the House making no progress on either voting on the Senate bill or creating its own bipartisan bill, the Obama administration has been forced to threaten more direct action in the form of potential Executive Orders to halt the deportations being caused by this

take such an action. They state this while claiming that the President is willing to break the law to push his agenda while failing to take into account the lives they are destroying by putting off the vote on immigration reform. Families who have resided in The United States for years, who have found jobs here and who have made families here, are being disrupted by this unfair and inconsiderate system.

Representative Boehner has repeatedly made the claim that our nation is “a nation of laws” in regards to President Obama’s proposed reform. And yet he fails to also recognize that we are a nation of individuals whose freedoms are supposed to always be

has proven to be completely disinterested with the plight of certain Americans unless it directly impacts their primary goals for the future.

The claim that Obama would be overstepping his bounds, coupled with the claim that they are not confident that undefendable stalemate. Not only would the Obama administration would follow this force the issue of immigration reform through with the steps necessary to to the forefront of congressional talks, but enforce immigration laws, has provided it would also prevent families who have opponents of reform with a buffer between done nothing wrong beyond their illegal the American people and the GOP’s true entrance into The United States from being interests. The Republican Party, having deported. recognized that it will not be able to elect a With this possibility comes a raucous member of their party as president until it uproar from the right claiming that draws on the support of certain minorities, President Obama would be drastically has made the conscious decision to shelve the move for immigration reform until it can no longer avoid it – until the next presidential election.

Following Mitt Romney’s abysmal performance among Hispanic voters – gathering just 27% among that demographic in the 2012 Presidential election – the Republican Party recognized that it must be a priority for to earn favor on the issue of immigration. Unfortunately, rather than taking that step immediately and cooperating with an already-passable bill, the GOP has instead chosen to elongate the process in order to both make it seem as though Obama has accomplished nothing in regards to immigration during his time in office and also in order to appear to be the heroes who spearheaded the last round of reform just before the next election cycle really takes off.

Once again, the GOP has its priorities far removed from the priorities of the American people, which is precisely why President Obama needs to stop this process as soon as he can.

An executive order would send the message that the era of allowing the Republican-led House to prevent Christian Science Monitor him from actually implementing the Speaker Boehner has opposed any attempts at immigration reform. majority of his plans is over, and in overstepping his bounds if he were to the priority of their government. The GOP its place stands a new realm of possibility.

Bush and Clinton Families and the 2016 Election Eric Petersen ‘15

Many political pundits lately have bemoaned the prospects of Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush running for President in the 2016 race because of the dynastic nature of the two larger-than-life families. A BushClinton matchup for the next election cycle would be an interesting moment as veteran political aides of the 1990s face off against their counterparts; however, it is far more realistic than many Americans may believe. Americans, and for that matter, humans, have long supported the ascension of families with big personalities to the halls of power. In Argentina, husband and wife Nestor and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner have held the presidency since 2003, and in France, the third largest political party, The National Front, has been held by the Le Pen family since its inception. Political dynasties may not be a phenomenon unique to the United States, but they do appear far more frequently in our country for a few reasons.

Many European nations formally had monarchies run by prestigious families.

These patriarchies, like the House of Windsor (the reigning British royal family) were subject to gossip and celebrity alike, and the public yearned to hear more of court intrigue. This trend still continues today, as exemplified in the worldwide celebration of the Royal Wedding and subsequent announcement of a royal baby. Americans naturally have never experienced this type of monarchy, but voters have consistently elected leaders closely related to their

predecessors. This is especially apparent at the statewide level, as the DuPonts of Delaware, Landrieus of Louisiana, and of course, the Kennedys of Massachusetts show that a family name delivers a substantial amount of political capital. But is this such a bad thing?

Many leaders and even members of these families have decried the transparent nepotism of American politics. Clearly there is enough talent in a nation of over 310 million that several surnames are constantly displayed on ballots. Political dynasties are a substantial and important part of policymaking. Money and connections can pass through generations, giving certain districts more priority in national bills through complicated backroom deals predicated by seniority.

A Kennedy occupied a Massachusetts Senate seat for all but two years between 1953 and 2009. Other dynasties live on, like the Begiches of Alaska. Many in underrepresented states want a larger voice in politics, and choose to elect politicians literally born into power.

Possibly the foremost reason for the existence of dynasties in American politics is the fanfare of a family in power.

Historians and members of the press have traced Kennedy lineages since their arrival in America to the members just entering colleges. Even over 50 years after John F. Kennedy’s death, a false rumor that his grandson was gay made national headlines.

And no one in the 1980s political media can forget the wedding between Maria Shriver, JFK’s niece, and A-list celebrity

Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Kennedys have all been to prestigious schools, many Ivy Leagues, and held many influential diplomatic posts. Even though Caroline Kennedy, the President’s only daughter, had no interest in Hillary Clinton’s vacated New York Senate seat, national news outlets buzzed for weeks over a possible return to the Senate for the family. Mrs. Kennedy later became ambassador to Japan. Every time some distant member of the Kennedy clan gets involved in a DUI, or marries a socialite, the press reports because Americans have an intense fascination with power and the families that seem to pull the strings. Many families have received incredible amounts of pressure, and one way to continue storied lines of succession are through marriage.

Although Chelsea Clinton has not lived in the White House since 2001,

her life and charitable work have been well documented. But perhaps her most famous achievement to date has been her marriage to Marc Mezvinsky, whose mother interestingly has decided to run for a seat in Congress she lost 19 years ago.

It seems any connection to the Clinton name presented her with ample clout to run a campaign. Chelsea Clinton’s mother may not be running for office yet, but her mother-in-law sure is. And although the Bush family may well produce three Presidents, the third might not be Jeb, but rather his well-connected, outgoing, and maybe most importantly, half-Mexican son George P. Bush, who is currently running for statewide office in Texas. Forget a Jeb vs. Hillary matchup, Americans could see three President George Bushes because of the star power a surname presents.

Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush could very well vie for the presidency in 2016.

Forbes, Politico (L to R)

Page 16

The Index

may 2014

Outdex Recently at The Haverford School...

Noah Cutler ‘14, RJ Meiers ‘14, Sanjay Narayanan ‘14, Ian Riley ‘15, Will Tackett ‘14, Will Solmssen ‘15, Brendan Burns ‘15, Chris Ley‘15, Otis Baker 15, Jack McAleese ‘15, Major Tepper ‘15

Arts week, the one time of year when the school can come together and pretend arts are as important as sports.

A few weeks ago, the Junior and Senior classes got to celebrate prom, a magical evening where young men invite dates to stand on the outer edge of the dance floor while the boys jump and shout “Hey! Hey! Hey!” to pop music from 2003 for 3 hours.

After listening to Mr. Fifer’s reflection on World War II-era Haverford, Mr Keefe has decided to resurrect the Bond Club after 70 years, albeit with a different mission statement.

In light of questionable senior projects, Haverford is changing its policy next year to mandate classes that “prepare boys for life” during the month of May. The course list is attached below: Listening to Golf Grass Grow with Mr. Gerry Rooney Biology: Watching Flies Fornicate with Ms. O’Brien Splendiferous Conspiracy Theories? with Mr. Jamison Maley Blowing Stuff Up also with Mr. Gerry Rooney The Art of Facial Hair with Dr. Mark Gottlieb Star Trek Trivia with Mr. Thomas Trocano Commitments While being Homeless with Physiology Department Chair Emeritus Dr. Jon Rutter I hate seniors with Dr. Mark Gottlieb Man vs. Wild: Schuylkill River Edition taught by Chef Kenny Ruining A Third Former’s Friday by Mr. Justin Gaudreau How To Control The Seniors with Mr. Jack Siderer An Introduction to Protein with Mr. Mark Fifer Protein III* also with Mr. Mark Fifer A Gentleman’s Guide to Bocce Ball taught by Mr. Tom Stambaugh What To Look For In a Pair of Socks with Mr. Kellen Graham Dr. Nagl realized baseball was not meant for him after dropping the baseball...in a toss with himself...during Cole Hamels’ speech.

In light of the recent addition of keycard security to the cafeteria Chef Jon expressed his excitement about the new “safety” he feels while making his wraps.

“Failure. Time. Dreams. Dedication. These are words. Big words. But at the end of the day, it’s the end of the day. I hope you understood what I had to say today. Thanks everybody. Boy am I tall.”Cole Hamels In light of recent events in the sophomore class student council elections, an investigation is being conducted by a force led by faculty member Matt Frock because of his wealth of knowledge in the area.

Gabe Newton holds up election results as Mr. Green halts the process due to his shock and dismay that Newton cannot promise he will grow 2 inches in 3 weeks.

On my way to steal yo girl.

Will Tackett

Little Known Fact: Sixth Former Toney Goins is apparently going to Juliard?

Abington Friend’s School recently burned down in a stage lighting related fire, Sixth Formers Chris Wong and Paul Addonizio are at the top of the list of suspects.

Manav Khandelwal

Actual photograph of Chef Kenneth “Kenny” McFadden wading in the Schuylkill River, happily observing his catch of the day.

Jack McAleese