the index
Fords crew sweeps its way to victory
After five Manny Flicks, the crew team was ready for the championship season to begin.
According to Head Coach John Stephanik, the team philosophy is to encourage participation and put athletes in a position to feel a sense of success.
“Success does not always come from winning,” Coach Stephanik said. “It is also about the overall growth of the athlete.”
While winning may not be the total fo-
cus, Haverford was set up to succeed. Several boats either won their races or the time trial at Flick Five to give them the best seeding.
As the boats prepared for May 3rd’s City Championships, a factor out of the team’s control began to take shape: the weather. For the crew team, weather takes on a whole new meaning.
Even the smallest bit of wind can stir up waves that make it much harder to row. Additionally, all the rain in the surrounding
area feeds into the river leading to a strong current. While the boats do go faster, it is much harder to get a strong connection with the water and add push.
During the early City time trials, there was much chop, and the times were a little slow. Despite this, eight out of eleven Haverford crews powered through the time trials and into the finals.
Early on Sunday morning, the first Haverford crew struck gold. The Freshmen
Aaron Bonaparte’s OBSESSED
Released on April 28, 2025, Sixth Former Aaron Bonaparte’s magazine OBSESSED is a portraitphotography magazine featuring 24 members of the Sixth Form class. One may expect a magazine of such caliber to be made by an experienced author, yet this was Bonaparte’s first.
“I wanted to find every corner of my creative mind and make it real,” Bonaparte said. “This project wasn’t about checking off a box. I just felt a need to make something.”
OBSESSED isn’t any ordinary high school project. It’s a full-blown visual magazine combining fashion, photography, poetry, editing, and creativity. From creating outfits, conducting photo shoots, editing in Photoshop, Lightroom, and more, Bonaparte crafted every single part of the magazine. This process was arduous, taking hundreds of hours between October 2024 and the magazine’s release.
“Every free moment I got, I was working on the OBSESSED,” he said. “Whenever I wasn’t actively doing something else, I was working on the magazine, whether it be sketching ideas or editing photos.”
This process included hundreds of rough drafts and many scrapped completed versions.
“Milan Varma’s shoot alone took over two weeks. I went through three different versions, taking the pictures of every single item myself,” Bonaparte said. “Luke Ganley’s and Cameron Ward’s also went through three finished versions that I scrapped after looking back at them.”
con’t on p.6
Quad, made up of third formers Cliff Weng, Cormac Lissack, Weston Messner, and Connor Smith, powered past Haddon Township and Malvern Prep to victory. Shortly after, the Frosh Eight and Novice Quad both won bronze.
con’t on p.16
Michael Bartholdson ’25, Noah Kanefsky ’25, Grey Benson ’25, and Quinn Sullivan ’25 row in
Ryan Wang ’26
Nate Gill ’26
2024–2025 Staff
Ian Rosenzweig ’25
Editor-in-Chief
Connor Simpkins ’25
Editor-in-Chief
Elliot Lee ’25
Senior Managing Editor
Milan Varma ’25
Senior Managing Editor
Liam French ’25
Managing Editor
Tom Saul ’25 Managing Editor
Ajay Chakraborty ’26 News Editor
Ayush Varma ’27 News Editor
Ryan Wang ’26 Features Editor
Matt Lo ’27 Academics Editor
Adam Brown ’27
Neighborhood Editor
Peter McConnell ’26 Campus Opinions Editor
Keith DiMarino ’27 Campus Opinions Editor
Grayson Morgan ’26
Off-Campus Opinions Editor
Michael Bartholdson ’25
Off-Campus Opinions Editor
Luke Ganley ’25 Arts Editor
Quinn Sullivan ’25
Senior Sports Editor
Nate Gill ’26
Junior Sports Editor
Charlie Schreiber ’26
Photography Editor
Ms. Emily Harnett Faculty Advisor
Mr. Thomas Stambaugh Faculty Advisor
The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at index@haverford.org
The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed using the applications of Google Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud. Its surveys are conducted via Google Forms and are advertised on email to current Haverford students. Graphic designs are created by Index staff via Canva. 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 1152 community members, consisting of 952 students and 200 faculty and staff members.
Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org
Twitter: @Haverford_Index
Instagram: @Haverford_Index
Volume 92, No. 8 - May 15, 2025
editorial
To the Class of 2026
As the May edition of The Index arrives, we stand at a turning point in the school year—one marked by reflection, anticipation, and transition. On Friday, May 11th, the Sixth Form took its final bow, closing the book on their time as Haverford students. In a longstanding tradition, rich with history and meaning, the Sixth Form passed their rosettes to the Fifth Form, symbolizing the
handoff of leadership, responsibility, and character to the rising seniors.
The ceremony is more than a gesture; it is a challenge. The Sixth Formers, through their leadership, passion, and example, left a standard to uphold and build upon. From the classroom to the athletic fields, to the stage in Centennial Hall, the aspects of Haverford we all hold most dear have now changed hands. Now, the mantle falls to the
rising Sixth Form. With the weight of the rosettes comes the opportunity to shape the coming year.
To the rising Sixth Form: It’s never too early to start. Ask questions now, and begin to make the changes you wish to see in your community. The clock on your time as leaders has already begun ticking down. Make the most of the opportunities, and lead Haverford in a way you can be proud of.
2024-25 Editors-in-Chief Ian Rosenzweig ’25 and Connor Simpkins ’25
Letter from the student body president
Fords,
I can’t thank you enough for the amazing year we’ve had. The success of this year was largely due to all of you. Without the numerous sacrifices and contributions from each and every one of you this year wouldn’t have been as special. After the success if such a year, I’m feeling three main things.
The first thing is proud. Proud of the fact that this year was so successful. Proud of the numerous sports teams that excelled this year. Many of our teams, like the soccer, water polo, and golf, brought home Inter-Ac championships, on top of us bringing home the sweater for EA Day. Proud of the events the student body organized, such as our spring musical. Proud of the connections that were formed or strengthened this year. And personally, proud I was able to be a Ford.
The end of the school year is also making me feel sad. Sad mainly for the fact that it’s over. For seniors, our time here is done. There is nothing more for us to do. We made our mark on the school, now all we can do is hope the current juniors can step up and be better than us. When you have a good thing going, it becomes extremely difficult to say goodbye.For juniors, your time is now. Em-
brace this place. As a senior, show why this school means so much to you. For underclassmen, it’s time for the next step.
The last thing I’m feeling is nervous. Nervous for the future ahead of me. This school has taught me how to be myself. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without people who reached out their hand to help me when I needed it. I was nervous before coming to this school, so it’s kinda funny how I’m nervous leaving as well.
My goal as student body president was to connect to everyone. I wanted to have connections to all groups in the school to better understand the whole student body. I wanted to be everyone’s friend. Someone they could lean on if they needed.
But now, I’m leaving you guys. We, the seniors, are leaving you guys. I, and the rest of my class, are stepping into places where we will know virtually no one. I know I’m not alone when I say that I’m nervous, just like when I was first coming to Haverford.
Although, something is different this time. Contrary to the start of my Haverford experience, I now have the experience to know what to do moving forward. That thing is to reach out my hand, once again, for others, just like people did for me. I’m gonna be alone for a bit in college. I might be
down on my luck from difficult days. But, I know that someone will reach out their hand for me. And in turn, I must do the same for people who might be in my same situation.
As for now, you all will be choosing my successor soon. Many of you won’t be at graduation, so this will be my last message. That message is to take the initiative to extend your hand. With every door of opportunity, there is a chance to reach out your hand to keep the door open and step in. Keep reaching out your hand to grab your future. Keep reaching out your hand for friends that need you. Keep teaching out your hand to pull more people close. Keep reaching out your hand to become more of your true self.
It’s going to be hard to always reach out your hand. But as Haverford men, it’s our job to grow while doing things that might be uncomfortable. This school works when everyone is invited into the brotherhood, so take it upon yourself to help yourself and those around you.
I appreciate and love the year we shared together. I hope I made it more special for some of you.
Thank you and Go Fords
Josh Williams ’25
Joe Evangelisti ’81 returns to Haverford
On Thursday, April 24th, the Haverford community was lucky to be joined by a fellow Ford Joe Evangelisti ’81.
The Fords sat listening attentively to Mr. Evangelisti as he detailed his time at Haverford, his professional career, and more. As with most Reflections and guest speeches, the Fords delivered a standing ovation. At that moment, Mr. Evangelisti said he “felt the comfort and support of Haverford for the first time in over 40 years.”
This isn’t to say that Haverford was a place lacking support—instead, it showed up differently, often shrouded by more traditional masculine activities, and even then, only presented itself directly to certain members of the community.
Mr. Evangelisti started at Haverford after leaving the Radnor public school system, where he had an already established network of support and camaraderie.
“I was in a class of only 59 boys,” Mr. Evangelisti said. “And only about five of us were new in the Third Form.”
With such a small class size and so few new students, cliques were bound to form. “I
was also on a different economic spectrum,” said Mr. Evangelisti. “I was on scholarship.”
In many ways, Haverford is quite similar to how it was in 1981. Beyond the cliques and social scene, Mr. Evangelisti commented on the nurturing nature of his teachers.
“The faculty truly cared about the whole person when I was there,” Mr. Evangelisti said.
Haverford helped instill in him the importance of a determined work ethic, with an emphasis on high academic standards and excellence, setting him up for success postgraduation.
Haverford has come a long way since the ’80s. In his talk, Mr. Evangelisti touched on his experience as a gay, closeted student at Haverford. Until 2015, gay marriage was illegal in the United States. In addition, schools, and especially an all-boys school like Haverford, often presented a view of straight role models as the ideal. Now, that is no longer the case.
Whether it be through the school’s Human Relationships Seminar, through social media, or even through The Index itself, differences are highlighted, making for a more
accepting community.
Beyond social life, Mr Evangelisti touches on two of the most important aspects of Haverford during his time there —athletics and academics.
“There was more of a focus on academic and athletic success back then,” Mr. Evangelisti said. “Now, I see more of a focus on the full person, on thinking about others, mutual respect and lifting each other up.
The tolerance wasn’t always apparent to me, at least across the board, back then.” Now, Mr. Evangelisti serves as Head of Corporate Communications worldwide for JPMorganChase, a $4 trillion dollar bank with 320,000 employees. Despite the exuberant role, Mr. Evangelisti reflected on still feeling stage fright upon returning to Haverford. With the help of Haverford faculty, some water, and most of all, the air of support in Centennial Hall, Mr. Evangalisti overcame that fear, proving that these fears are only human and that anything can be done with a strong community behind you.
One of the most stark visual differences between the Haverford of 1981 and 2025 is the presence of Centennial Hall. Centennial can
Fifth Form Service Day bonds students
Fifth Formers participated in their second annual day of service this past month. They were split into five groups, each attending different locations in the greater Philadelphia area: SHARE Food Program, Philabundance, Sharpe Park, the Main Line Arts Center, and Food 4 Philly.
SHARE, Philabundance, and Food 4 Philly focus on supporting the cause of hunger; Sharpe Park and the Main Line Art Center are landscaping-focused. All the programs provide much-needed help to beloved area locations.
Fifth Former Sean Curran attended the Main Line Arts Center, where students worked on clearing out flower beds and garden paths around the exhibit.
be overlooked by students at times—seen as a place students are forced to gather twice a week. Mr. Evangelisti, however, showed his appreciation for the auditorium, especially after receiving a standing ovation.
“We would have never had Reflections back then,” Mr. Evangelisti said. The vulnerability of Haverford has evolved through the years, allowing for one of the most integral traditions of Centennial to take place.
Mr. Evangelisti closed by delivering some advice and hopes for the Haverford community. After his talk, Mr. Evangelisti was taken around campus. The quality of the boys and faculty he witnessed was fantastic.
“The warmth I felt and the fellowship I witnessed in Centennial Hall that morning were exceptional. I’m inspired by the hope that these boys will demonstrate that same spirit and camaraderie outside of the auditorium — with each other, with their families, and in their social lives and communities,” Mr. Evangelisti said. “I hope this will be who they are, not just who they are today.”
The Main Line Arts Center is as local as it gets. Some Haverford students even rent spots in the center’s parking lot.
Fifth Former William Bradford visited Sharpe Park, where he and nineteen other students cut down invasive trees, dug holes for new herb plants, and cleared out weeds from flower beds.
“The work was not easy, but our strong teamwork and communication allowed us to get the job done quickly and efficiently,” Bradford said. “I got to know a bunch of classmates more than I did before.”
Many students grew closer as they worked together to finish their task.
Fifth Former Sam Putter was a part of the SHARE food program group, where they went into the city to help feed elderly people in need.
These students packaged boxes of staple
“My favorite part of the experience was just being able to talk with friends while we did the busy work, watching everything come together as the time passed,” Curran said. “I would recommend going back there next year.”
foods,
gram.
“My
would recommend more groups to go back to the SHARE food program to give back to the community and have some fun while doing it.”
loaded these boxes onto pallets, and wrote letters to families helped by the pro-
favorite part of the experience was bonding with the group of guys and overall
having a good time while serving the community,” Putter said. “I
Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano and Joe Evangelisti ’81 speak to students in Centennial Hall, April 24, 2025
James MacColl ’26
COURTESY OF RANVIR GILL ’26
Jack Ford prepares to bag food at the Fifth Form Day of Service Food4Philly distribution event, April 24, 2025
Milan Varma ’25
Senior Assassin comes to a close
Sahil Manjeshwar ’28
For years, Senior Assassin was more than just a fun game—it was a special tradition where Sixth Formers bonded over friendly mischief. The game was simple: Sixth Formers would get a target and try to eliminate them by spraying water on them. Targets would be safe if they had a specific item, such as a Barbie doll.
However, following a car crash that occurred while the game was being played, school administrators forbade the game, prioritizing student safety above tradition.
Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade weighed in on the decision process.
“The decision to stop the game was based on wanting to keep kids safe.”
MR. LUQMAN KOLADE
“The decision to stop the game was based on wanting to keep kids safe,” Mr. Kolade said. “We thought it was going too far. To be honest, the seniors expected it, as I have seen multiple kids knowing it was done at that point.”
Could this be the last Senior Assassin ever?
“It could stop entirely. It’s a thing that I get the fun of it and I love the idea to an extent, but it also can be potentially problematic,” Mr. Kolade said. “Senior Assassin isn’t a thing that is authorized by the school. We could very well decide that we won’t allow any of the accessories or safe zones of the game to happen in the school.”
Even though many students and alumni have fond memories of Senior Assassin, the accident served as a reminder that if we want to have fun, we have to make sure that we keep everyone safe.
“I feel like it’s the right decision,” Student Body President Josh Williams ’25 said. “I am upset the game got cut short, but I believe that continuing the game after an event like a car crash would’ve looked bad for the school. So many things can go wrong, far beyond a car crash. I mean, if someone died that day, the school would be liable for knowing about the game and not stopping it or regulating it more. I think the crash forced the school’s hand so that they had to step in.”
Although the game is fun, it also comes with its risks.
The game is meant to be played with water guns and spraying friends with water, which can lead students to engage in some unpredictable behavior.
Players can be very secretive and sneaky in the game, which can lead to accidents. Students may even get into troubling activities like trespassing on private property and chasing each other in traffic, all in the name of competition.
Haverford prioritizes student safety, so the administration has set a strict policy forbidding water guns.
Eliminations were also not permitted on campus during any school-sanctioned event.
While the cancellation of Senior Assassin could become the end of a recent tradition, could it have been continued if there were more safety measures in place?
“It wouldn’t have been the right thing for the school to do. In my opinion, at some point, too much regulation takes away the
fun of the game. I think more rules would just worsen the problem,” Williams said.
“We already saw that the ‘no kills on campus’ rule was making the game slow and un-
eventful, and continuing it would be seen as putting the students at risk, which the school should not be doing.”
Hephaestus Society celebrates intellectual extracurriculars
On the evening of Thursday, April 24th, students and faculty involved in academic clubs, including Mock Trial, Speech and Debate, robotics, and school publications, celebrated their commitment at the annual Hephaestus Society dinner. The dinner, hosted by Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano, honors students for their contributions to their respective competitive and academic-related clubs.
Each inducted student receives a pin that depicts the Greek god Hephaestus surrounded by gold and maroon, framed with the words “The Hephaestus Society.”
The Hephaestus Society was formed a little over ten years ago.
“Beloved Spanish teacher and Mock Trial Advisor Carmen Mateos-Hirchman wanted to honor Haverford students who participate in non-athletic competitive extracurricular activities,” Hephaestus Society organizer Mr. Javier Lluch said. “The event
also serves as a means of remembering Señora Mateos and honoring her memory and innumerable contributions to this school.”
The symbol to represent the group, the Greek God Hephaestus, was identified with the assistance of Latin Teacher Dr. Andrew Fenton’s knowledge about the classical world.
Each year, a Sixth Former is named Hephaestus Megistos.
“[The award recognizes the student who] best showcases the power of the mind,
a true champion of the intellect, someone who has taken full advantage of all the opportunities Haverford provides to those who want to exercise their brain as much as their body,” Mr. Lluch said.
This year’s Hephaestus Megistos was Sixth Former Ian Rosenzweig.
This year’s guest speaker was Mr. Vincent Scauzzo ’20.
“[The speaker] is using the skills they acquired at Haverford doing the activities we celebrate,” Mr. Lluch said.
Scauzzo was inducted into the Hephaestus Society for his work in The Index. He served as the first editor of the Neighborhood section.
“[The speaker] is using the skills they acquired at Haverford doing the activities we celebrate.”
MR. JAVIER LLUCH
Scauzzo shared memories of his time working on The Index, including helping guys with article ideas and one particularly fond memory of an article about the old Ferrari Dealership on Lancaster Avenue in Rosemont, where he “had a kid go down there and get the history of it.”
Fifth Former Seth Virmani observed that because he was a younger alumnus, Scauzzo’s speech was relatable to current students.
“[It is neat] how the school honors the extracurriculars that aren’t sports,” Virmani said.
FORDS_ASSASSIN_25 ON
Gavin Cooper ’25 eliminates Charlie Halpert ’25 in Senior Assassin Game
Peter Mcconnell ’26
Universities’ funding cuts leave much unknown
Under the Trump administration, universities in the United States are experiencing significant funding reductions and policy shifts, sparking widespread concerns about the future of academic research, student support programs, and academic autonomy.
The Trump administration has targeted elite universities, most notably Harvard, where $2.3 billion in research funding has been frozen.
The funding cuts, accomplished by eliminating or freezing grants managed
though the National Institute of Health (NIH), are drastic. The University of Pennsylvania is among the colleges hit. According to a February 2025 announcement from Larry Jameson, Penn’s interim president at the time, the NIH announced a cap on Facilities & Administration (F&A) rates for research grants at 15%, a move that Penn estimates will reduce its annual federal funding by approximately $240 million.
According to Penn, this reduction in funding threatens to undermine ongoing research initiatives and the university’s ability to continue its contributions to scientific advancement.
The Trump administration has targeted elite universities, most notably Harvard, where $2.3 billion in research funding has been frozen. The administration says the funding limitations are related to Harvard’s admission practices and diversity policies.
Production Club goes live
Harvard disputes these claims, stating academic autonomy is at stake.
The impact of funding cuts extends beyond universities and their research programs.
Other elite universities, like Columbia and Cornell, have also faced cuts, but have worked to appease the administration, specifically regarding DEI policies.
What does this mean for current high school students? The impact of funding cuts extends beyond universities and their research programs; the cuts also threaten to impact the academic pipeline for students hoping to attend these elite institutions.
As the spring season concludes, the Production Club strives to build its program.
In October, the club began live-streaming school sports events. Since then, the club has used HUDL TV to stream sports games.
During the winter season, streamed Fords’
Many are concerned with summer programs designed to introduce high school students to college-level research.
At Haverford, one such program is the Advanced Laboratory Research Collaborative, which places students in local university laboratories for six-to-eight-week summer research experiences. The impact of funding cuts on the status of this year’s program is not yet known.
The question of taxpayer-funded academic research is reasonable.
The question of taxpayer-funded academic research is reasonable. Supporters of such funding point to the massive public health benefits of scientific discovery. Critics of such funding, however, question the reasonableness of universities reaping significant financial rewards for discoveries paid for, in part, by taxpayers.
The University of Pennsylvania’s taxpayer-supported research was pivotal in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. The work of UPenn researchers Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman laid the foundation for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. By licensing their mRNA technology, the University reported 1.3 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2022. Is it not reasonable for taxpayers to expect the Penn to allocate some of that revenue to operating costs, thereby reducing the taxpayer burden?
The challenge is that the cuts by the Trump administration appear to many less like a strategic adjustment to benefit taxpayers and more like political retribution.
Instead of a thoughtful evaluation of Penn and other universities’ scientific contributions and profit sharing from those contributions, the administration’s move is likely targeting schools for social policies, like the treatment of transgender athletes, that have no connection to research outcomes.
The politicization of federal research funding undermines the development of a thoughtful approach to public funding for research and leaves students caught in the middle.
basketball games allowed students another way to watch highly anticipated games.
Live streaming events gives students unable to attend a game the chance watch from their device.
In late February, at the start of the spring season, the club issued a call for commentators.
Similar to basketball, students can now watch Fords’ lacrosse via live stream. This feature comes in super helpful for watching some of Haverford’s highly competitive matchups when not on campus.
The combination of live commentary and the user-friendly HUDL TV platform has contributed greatly to the success of the program, offering fans a high-quality viewing experience.
The club has learned a lot about engaging in sports media.
Program director Mr. Chris Hupfeldt ’11 has plans for the club.
“We’d like to continue to grow the club by expanding the sports we cover and starting to offer additional creative opportunities for students to contribute in, such as photography, graphic design, drone videography, and social media management,” Mr. Hupfeldt said.
The club has worked hard to build a presence. With support from the Director of Athletics Mr. Michael Murphy, and the Assistant Director of Athletics Mr. Brendan Dawson, the club has been recruiting students.
“The first step is getting the club off the ground,” Mr. Hupfeldt said.
vaughn smartt ’28
connor simpkins ’25
Columbia University’s iconic Butler library
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Production club members capture Gavin Cooper
Aaron Bonaparte’s OBSESSED, cont’d from front page
Bonaparte’s journey with OBSESSED began while reflecting on the previous summer’s Morocco photography trip.
“We did tons of landscape pictures and more. One night while messing with my camera, it sort of hit me: I realized that I’ve always been doing photography and I love it,” Bonaparte said. “I decided I wanted to do something fashion/photography related for my senior project. I spoke with Ms. Brown, the visual arts teacher, who helped me organize my thoughts.”
So, he began OBSESSED with no set plan.
“I didn’t really have any idea of what I was looking for with OBSESSED. I just wanted to get things down, then expand from there,” Bonaparte said. “Some of the shoots are more feminine, others are more masculine. Some were taken outside, and others in a studio. I really just explored whatever came to my mind and refined the ideas.”
Bonaparte wanted the magazine to be accessible, unlike mainstream brands that primarily showcase the most trendy and expensive styles.
“I strived for a sense of authenticity. A lot of the clothes used in the photo shoots were
actually mine,” Bonaparte said.
However, what sets OBSESSED apart from other popular magazines, such as Vogue and GQ, is its primary focus.
“At first, I wanted to make a fashion magazine, but then I realized I wanted it to be more about the people, not the outfits,” Bonaparte said.
While most would default to photographing their closest friends, Bonaparte decided to expand beyond his friend group.
“I didn’t want it to be a magazine of just my close friends. I wanted it to be diverse. I was sort of looking for one of every type of senior,” he said. “If you told freshman-year me that I’d be working with football and lacrosse guys for a personal project, I would’ve looked at you like you were crazy.”
The magazine allowed for powerful bonding experiences.
“Every single person was exceptionally kind. I was a bit surprised in a way. I had a rough past with some of the people, but now I could consider myself friends with them— or at least a level above acquaintance,” Bonaparte said. “This happened because of the magazine.”
In a way, OBSESSED marks a social and
The Making of Milan Varma
Ben Qu ’28
Meet Sixth Former and Signet Society member Milan Varma, Senior President of Food4Philly, editor of Newton’s Notebook, and someone you’ll see walking with a big smile around the school or talking to others calmly throughout the day.
For some people, Varma seems to have “been there from the start,” but the truth is that his story, filled with accomplishments, kicked off from something much smaller. His story proves that every interaction can spark great change.
For some background, Food4Philly is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Haverford alumnus Ethan Chan ’23, with many chapters around the nation, originating in Philadelphia itself.
“The work we do is fighting food insecurity, but our unique take on it is that we do [it] through student initiative and civic engagement,” Varma explained. “I didn’t really have a passion for service until I started working with Food4Philly. I started working with Food4Philly in 2023. It’s been two years now that I’ve been leading the organization.” The real story of Varma’s growth, however, comes from one important reaction.
“I was approached by a friend who was two years older than me and a very good mentor of mine, Ethan Chan. Ethan asked me if I had any experience with service.” Chan and Varma had played ping pong together in the past, showing the history of their bond, even before Food4Philly.
“He asked if I wanted to get involved, and I, of course, being a sophomore, said, I’d love to, right? I had nothing much going on that summer,” Varma said.
Just taking one opportunity can mean a lot. As Varma delved in, he took on a job, one that stuck with him.
“I took on the role of working on the media part of Food4Philly—making newsletters, designing Canva posts, things like that. I actually made it a very good skill of mine, the media aspect of it. But as we worked, we kind of decided that I was ready to take on an executive role,” Varma said.
emotional shift, rather than an artistic shift, for Bonaparte.
“In middle school and my freshman year, I would always feel stressed and defensive, dodging people in the hallway,” he said. “I think this project represents how far I’ve come in my time at Haverford, especially since I’ve been here almost all my life, starting in daycare.”
Through the magazine, Bonaparte has found connections with people he would previously avoid.
“I was teased and bullied in middle school. Even by some of the people I actually photographed in the magazine,” Bonaparte said. “Although it may seem a bit silly, I find it to be beautiful.”
OBSESSED’s April edition may be the first of many to come, and something to learn and grow from.
“I have plans for OBSESSED 2 this summer,” Bonaparte said. “It will be called OBSESSED VOLUME TWO: One Week of Summer. It’ll have seven models, with two shoots per model, three-to-four pages per shoot. Each model will represent a day of the week.”
He’s also planning for a third edition to be
released while studying at Howard University, where he plans to attend this fall.
“I want to keep this going, whether I can make this specific magazine into a career or get it picked up by something larger,” said Bonaparte. “However, I will always want a personal project I can dedicate myself to.”
For Bonaparte, this volume of OBSESSED was a “guinea pig.”
“I’m sort of a worst-case scenario thinker,” Bonaparte said. “Committing myself to this project over the course of half a year has, in a way, liberated me. Wrapping up the first volume has felt like reaching the starting line, rather than crossing the finish line.”
As the school year and Bonaparte’s fifteenyear stay at Haverford come to a close, OBSESSED is a fitting farewell.
“I had rather dark times here at Haverford, especially through sixth to ninth grade, but I’m leaving on a bright note. I feel proud of how I’ve grown here—I don’t think I’d be who I am today if I went to a school with a different environment. I feel connected,” Bonaparte said. “I feel like I’ve done something extraordinary.”
At the time, Varma recalls that the group was much more underdeveloped than presently. Now, the organization includes eighteen national chapters and over $60,000 in funding and donations. But it’s not just the statistics that matter. It’s how unexpected relationships can mature.
One of the biggest insights, Varma feels, “is that the relationships you build with people, even when you don’t think they’ll amount to anything, matter a lot. Playing ping pong with Ethan, who kept beating me, actually mattered a lot for my presidency of this organization. So, it aligns very well with my personal values of creating long-lasting relationships. I read a quote once that said, ‘build 50-year relationships.’ That gives a different perspective, right? You’re not just assuming it’ll end after college.”
One of Varma’s other passions is reading. When asked about his top book and its influence on his perspective, Varma selected Inter Mastery, Outer Impact by Hitendra Wadhwa.
“The book focuses on basically how intertwined your thoughts are with reality, and how, when you master your inner self, you have an effect on your outer actions,” Varma said. “I used to believe a lot of the thoughts I had were kind of a side aspect—that what mattered more was what I did. But it actually matters a lot more what you’re thinking. That builds a mindset that enables your actions,” he said.
Upon inquiry, Varma listed East of Eden, Atomic Habits, and Range as top books to read, the last of which talks about why one should be educated broadly, not in a speciality.
Varma also took a service trip to rural India in his Fourth Form year, an experience that changed his perspective significantly.
“I met a bunch of kids there who were about my age, who were completely different from me. They looked a little older than they were; they had very, very different lifestyles. But the more I thought about it and journaled, I realized that with a few steps, that could’ve easily been me. If my grandfather hadn’t sold his car for plane tickets
and moved, or anything had changed, that could have been me sitting in that village. We’re not different than [others] in the grand scheme of things.”
For Varma, journaling was something that his father had kicked off for him.
“It’s a really good way to reflect,” Varma said. “I gave my Reflection on this, but the more you journal, the more you recognize patterns about yourself—you can actually come to an understanding that in the moment, what I’m doing right now will lead to an outcome based on who I am and my habits in general. It’s kind of like a superpower—it slows down time for you. You realize ‘if I continue on this path, this is what the outcome will be.’”
From the rising Third Formers to the graduating sixth Formers, there’s something
to take away from this. While it is important to “reach out,” Varma also emphasizes the importance of being isolated at times.
“You learn a lot by starting your Haverford years very strong. Comfort is good, but having a strong start matters a lot for your educational journey. It’s much harder to think about that when the college process rolls in around junior year rather than in your underclassmen years. Then, as a senior, one of the best things for me has been travel.”
At Haverford, Varma is now very involved. His growth came from reflection, involvement, and relationships. In Varma’s eyes, to see the world around you in your own unique perspective and be constantly aware of who you are, as well as to manage your relationships with yourself and the world, is paramount.
Milan Varma ’25 (center) at the Sixth Form retreat with the Alumni Office
Finn Kelly ’25 suggests saying “yes”
Ben Qu ’28
Amathematician, thespian, and engineer—qualities commonly one could use to describe Sixth Former Finn Kelly. Involved in many noteworthy clubs and groups like The Notables, math club, and Haverford Electronics Group, Kelly is known by many for his achievements, his sociability, and his smile.
Still, there’s much more to him than what may be seen at first glance. Kelly’s path has been filled with many obstacles and lessons.
Kelly’s Haverford experience began in fourth grade. As he progressed through middle and upper school, he learned to embrace the opportunities he was given.
“I’ve become a part of a lot more things, many different communities within the school,” Kelly said. “The easy way to join a club or a sports team is simply saying ‘yes’ when people suggest something to you.”
Among Kelly’s activities is robotics.
“I would have never thought about the robotics team if my friend Milan hadn’t come up to me in sophomore year and asked me if I wanted to join the team, and I simply accepted the offer,” he said. “That one moment started something that, at the time, I didn’t think was going to be big, but it’s grown to be a significant part of my life because of the people and friendships I’ve made there.”
Kelly emphasizes the importance of interacting and introducing yourself earlier, referencing his Third Form year.
“Things like just saying ‘yes’ once or doing something that you might not have thought you would do or could do can really evolve—kind of like rolling up a snowball
down a hill—into some really great things for you,” he said. “Through my sophomore, junior, and senior years, I’ve branched out more and made a lot more friends and become a part of a lot more cool things.”
“Always smile, no frowny faces. Always have the mindset that things are going to work out.”
FINN KELLY
’25
The time commitment for extracurricular activities creates a common challenge for many students, including Kelly.
“I’ve had to figure out how to allocate my time in different ways to different things,” Kelly said.
Devon Li ’25 returns a shot in a 9-0 win over GA, February 6, 2025
Edward Cheung ’28
Although many students know Devon Li as an upcoming collegiate squash player, he is more than just a student-athlete. Li has spent significant time competing at the highest levels of the sport, reaching a career-high #4 in the U.S junior circuit, and he is committed to play for the Columbia University Lions.
Still, Li has taken more out of high school than just an illustrious squash career, he has learned something even more valuable: perspective.
Starting in Third Form, Li had only one goal in mind: to get really good at squash and maintain a high GPA for college.
“In my freshman year, I had this ten-year
plan. To get this certain ranking in squash, win these tournaments, get into this college and get these specific grades there, and then get a job and live my life out,” Li said.
This monastic life of endless athletic and academic pursuits came at the expense of Li’s social life.
“I had a list of priorities for each day. It’d typically start with squash practice before and after school, then homework, and only after that could I think about fun,” Li said.
Additionally, Li was not very social. Despite being a lifer at Haverford, having been in the school since Kindergarten, he didn’t have many friends. His mentality towards making friends didn’t help.
Aside from robotics, Kelly is also a school musical star, acting the lead in both Enron and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
“Some of my best friends came directly from the theater, especially during tech-week rehearsals, where we’re at school until 10:30 p.m.,” Kelly said. “I think my strongest relationships formed then, and I became close with kids whom I never would’ve expected to become friends with.”
Kelly is still learning to “lean in” to personal activities, such as learning to play the piano.
“I kind of see piano like a puzzle in a lot of ways,” he said. “It’s like this thing that’s seemingly so out of reach because I’ve never touched a piano before, but also in a way, like trying to learn to solve a Rubik’s cube or something like that where I hope that if I put enough time, I’ll begin to figure out the feel of it a bit and become successful in it.”
Kelly offers three main takeaways from
his time at Haverford.
“Number one—be collaborative, not competitive. Number two—always smile, no frowny faces. Always have the mindset that things are going to work out. Number three—take risks, do something that people don’t expect you to do. Do something outside of your comfort zone. Sit down at a different lunch table. Talk to some kids you wouldn’t normally talk to. Take risks!”
Kelly also emphasizes two major qualities he feels everyone should have: humility and kindness.
“The most successful people in the world are humble and kind. The happiest people in the world are humble and kind,” Kelly said. “If you can master those two virtues, everything else, such as success and happiness, will come easily.”
Devon Li finds meaning beyond college recruitment
“I used to be a bit judgmental. I thought if someone didn’t help with my squash career, I had no reason to talk to them,” Li said. “Since then, I have matured. I understand people better now.”
“I believe wanting to quit is completely normal. In those times, you just have to take a step back and reassess your situation.”
DEVON LI ’25
While Li was able to keep up this work ethic for the majority of his Third and Fourth Form years, it started to crack.
“My junior year was tough. I suffered a bit from squash burnout, leading to some hard losses. I also made some pretty idiotic decisions,” he said. “My national ranking suffered. Sometimes, I felt like hanging up the racket.”
This burnout helped Li reflect.
“I believe wanting to quit is completely normal. In those times, you just have to take a step back and reassess your situation,” Li said. “One quote that has stuck with me was from The Dark Knight movie: ‘Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.’”
Picking himself up was not easy, but it paid off, improving his social life while still training hard.
“I trained harder for my next event, prayed for the best, and had good results,” Li said.
After getting into college, Li has been able to do many different activities.
“I began doing some mechanical work on cars. I also started judo. Getting into college has given me more free time to try more activities,” Li said.
Li now sees success as more than just top results in a match or test.
“What I didn’t see was that a successful life is about the experiences you get and the people you meet.”
In terms of being remembered by underclassmen, Li does not want admiration.
“I’d say to look at your own path. Don’t worry about what I did or what others did. What worked for us might not work for you,” Li said.
Li’s journey through high school wasn’t just about athletic and academic discipline, but about maturity and evolving priorities.
“For a while, I lived in an endless cycle of training, performing, losing, getting depressed, then training again. However, now that I’m [admitted to] college, squash isn’t a major part of my life anymore.”
While he once saw success as a destination, he now sees it through the lens of resilience. To Li, success is not linear. It’s turbulent, with each failure serving as a chance to improve.
Finn Kelly ’25 stars in How to Succeed in Business, Without Really Trying
academics
IC Day shakes up the month of May
Since 2017, the school has dedicated one day in May to the pursuit of further knowledge.
Dubbed “Intellectual Curiosity Day,” or IC Day for short, allows students to explore topics they typically would not, both on and off campus.
“IC Day is a day for interdisciplinary exploration, intellectual risk, and experiential learning,” IC Day coordinator and Science Department Chair Dr. Daniel Goduti said. “Our goal is for it to highlight core virtues as a community of learners.”
Prior to IC Day, students select and rank activities they would like to participate in.
This year, students had sixteen course options to choose from, ranging from learn-
May,
MAjay Chakraborty ’26, Connor Morsell ’27, Ezra Walters ’27, and George Kanteliotis ’26 pose in Stonemason
ing how to make pasta to visiting the historic Martin Guitar Factory.
“There really are activities for everyone,” Dr. Goduti said.
Not all students ended up with the courses that they had initially ranked as their top picks—a byproduct of certain popular courses—which resulted in generally mixed feelings.
“I got into [a course], but honestly, I’m not super excited about that because I put it lower down on my list at five or six,” Fourth
the final push
any community members see the “light at the end of the tunnel”: less than a month of school left, and even less with finals and other special days. But how are students feeling about their classes, workloads, and free time?
But how are students feeling about their classes, workloads, and free time?
Many times could be offered in response to the question “what is the busiest period of the year?” Right about now is a top choice for many.
“I think [the busiest time] is coming up. There’s been a lot of exams so far in April and May, but I feel like as we go down this stretch towards the end of the year, it gets quite stressful preparing for finals,” Fifth Former Will Bradford said.
Fourth Former Daniel Khan and Third Former Edward Cheung feel much the same. Although the week differs from student to student, a certain one in May becomes one of the busiest.
“The most stressful period was last week,” Khan said. “I had what felt like five tests plus an essay and a chemistry lab.”
“For me,” Cheung said, “these three weeks before the finals are the busiest parts of the year, where we have our last tests and
papers, but they’re all squeezed so close together, which makes it hard to balance.”
A large emphasis during May is studying for finals. Knowing precisely how far there is to go helps many persevere, like Fourth Former Jayden Thomas.
“There’s a lot of self-studying to come in preparation for finals,” Thomas said. “It’s good to see the end of the tunnel, where you know how many tests you have left, how many classes you have left, and that summer’s almost here.”
“A
lot of my classes are behind in material, so these two weeks they’re really picking up.”
EDWARD
CHEUNG ’28
In order to support students’ preparation for finals, most classes move fast through remaining necessary information.
“A lot of my classes are behind in material, so these two weeks they’re really picking up,” Cheung said.
With the Sixth Form out of school on their graduation projects, Fifth Formers feel the weight of the end of the year.
“All of my exams are coupled together into one big block in one week or two,
Former Kevin Chan said. “I didn’t get into any of the other ones I wanted to get into.”
Other students are looking forward to IC Day.
“It’s really great that IC day offers students a chance to explore specific interests,”
Fourth Former Thomas Lentz said. “I’m personally excited to meet people that I might otherwise [wouldn’t].”
Whether students are looking forward to IC Day or not, it still stands as a oncein-a-year opportunity for learning, free from
the pressure of grades and assignments.
“I hope that students take advantage of the opportunity to try something out they’ve never done before,” Dr. Goduti said. “Part of becoming an intellectually curious person is keeping an open mind and a willingness to ask good questions. IC Day is a chance to practice a behavior that will help you throughout your life.”
so definitely a hard workload to start the month,” Bradford said. “Other than that, I think we’re smooth sailing into finals. I’m going to spend the next few weeks studying.”
Matt Lo ’27
Adam Brown ’27
Third Formers working in an English ASB
Temple
neighborhood
Hand dryers: a quiet but noticeable change
Brandyn Luong ’27
As you step into the bathrooms around the upper school, you might notice a small but significant change: hand dryers have largely replaced paper towels. This shift is part of a broader effort to reduce environmental waste, but it also raises questions about hygiene and convenience. Why make the switch? And what does it mean for us?
The decision to swap out paper towels for air dryers isn’t just about convenience. It’s a deliberate effort to reduce the school’s environmental impact. Paper towels create a major source of waste due to their single-use nature.
With hundreds of students using the bathrooms daily, it’s no surprise that paper towels flood the trash cans or end up scattered on the floor. Disposing of them, plus the resources needed to produce and trans-
port paper towels, all contribute to the school’s carbon footprint. By installing hand dryers, the school aims to cut down on the waste.
Reducing single-use items like paper towels may seem small, but it not only cuts down on waste: it makes maintenance more efficient.
Fourth Former Ray Kresge said, “I think the switch is good for the environment, but it’s also nice not to have to constantly replace paper towels and deal with overflowing trash bins. It’s one less thing to worry about.”
According to Stanford Magazine, air dryers require fewer resources than paper towels, which need to be continually produced, transported, and disposed of—adding to the energy required for their production just to inevitably end up in the landfill.
In terms of convenience, air dryers offer a quicker way to dry hands, although this depends on the individual. Some students find that a few seconds under the jet air stream is enough to dry their hands, which can be faster than grabbing a paper towel, drying their hands off, and tossing it away. However, this comes with downsides.
The switch to hand dryers isn’t without its challenges. Hygiene is a concern when it comes to the spread of germs. Some stud-
Hygiene is a concern.
ies claim that high-speed air dryers—like the ones used in the upper school—can blow bacteria and viruses into the air
According to research in The Journal of Applied Microbiology, jet air dryers can disperse up to 1,300 times more germs into the surrounding environment than paper towels. These germs can travel as far as 6.5 feet and linger in the air for up to fifteen minutes. This creates concern about contamination, especially in a school environment where students are in close contact. While proper handwashing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs, the use of air dryers raises questions about the risk of bacteria circulated in shared spaces. However, this risk is minimal if students wash their
hands thoroughly.
Another aspect to consider is the practicality of air dryers. While they are effective for drying hands, they lack the versatility of paper towels. Kresge points out that air dryers aren’t useful for certain everyday tasks— things that paper towels can handle easily.
“Paper towels are just better for certain things, like wiping your face or cleaning up a mess. The hand dryers can’t do that.”
Ultimately, finding a balance between reducing waste and maintaining hygiene is key.
“Maybe the solution is finding a sweet spot between the cleanliness of paper towels and the environmentally friendly aspect of air dryers,” Kresge said.
COURTESY OF DYLAN AYERS ’28
Will Komada ’28 uses a third-floor hand dryer
campus opinions
Ian Rosenzweig ’25
Haverford is a school, not an athletic training facility. We’re not IMG Academy, and our mission statement does not emphasize physical activity.
Yet, the week of April 28, I missed part (or all, in one case) of five classes. One day, I left school at 1:30. Another, I was already on the tennis court for a 3:45 home match before last period had even ended.
I’ve been complaining about missing class for four years, and not because I’m annoyed that I play a sport. I complained when I missed a day in the Biotech lab because my travel-study to Italy was leaving a day early. I complained when I missed a Spanish class to play capture-the-flag with middle schoolers. As great as the reasons for missing class may be, school is sacred to me.
Ayush Varma ‘27
We all live our lives in routines—scheduling meetings in the mornings, playing video games when our friends call, cramming for tests at night—but what part of these actions fulfill us, bring meaning, and create joy?
We don’t go to Haverford because we are forced to. We are given a choice to take a challenge and do something with our lives, or live in an endless cycle of distraction and unhappiness.
The hour at which we wake up, the days we waste on our phones, and the memories our soul clings to in its darkest moments— these are all actions born from a desire to live fully, to not miss out.
But what if, in trying to do everything, we’re doing everything at the wrong time? Changing our routines and characteristics gives us the freedom to strive to be the best
Picture this: you are fresh off your second class, you can feel your stomach rumbling, but… you have another class.
This is a common occurrence for many, including Fourth Former Lucas Crutchlow. “I get mad when I have a second lunch. I get so tired of waiting. First lunch is my favorite.”
Student Body President Josh Williams ’25 agrees, saying, “I’m a hungry boy.” Williams also likes the crowded lunches. “I feel more of my friends are always at first lunch than second lunch.”
Early dismissals indicate an institution dominated by athletics
I don’t dispute the value that the school places on athletics. I believe in our sports requirement; after all, I am a starter on a team that has won the Inter-Ac championship each year that I have been in high school, and for ten years before that. But I do contest athletics’ preeminence over the school day.
Once I’ve missed a class—or two, or three, or four, or five, as the case was during the week of April 28—my days grow longer. I’m left struggling to find time to meet with teachers and catch up on work. My ASBs are booked with meetings, I don’t share a free block with most of my teachers, and no, I can’t meet tomorrow after school, because I’ll be dismissed at 2:30 then, as well.
So I fall behind. I’m left piecing together linear algebra by myself. My lab partner
completes a gel electrophoresis process without my support, and I have to hope that I understand the pictures that I’m sent of the results—it’s not like I can ask a teacher for help at 11:15 p.m., when I’m sitting down after completing my normal homework to start up on my catch-up work.
And for what? So that I could play an out-of-league match in Unionville, PA? So that I could warm up on-court for over half an hour?
As much as I am disturbed by the personal consequences that I suffer from early dismissals, I’m not just thinking about myself. The week of April 28, my Advanced Topics in Math class—the highest level math the school offers—was left with less than half the class after numerous last-period athletic early dismissals. The same week, my Latin V*
The optimal day
version of ourselves. By turning our routines into intentional actions, we not only shape our days but also our character, something that will always reside in us.
Without further ado, here is the schedule that gives us mastery of a school day so we don’t miss out on anything.
The Green Lot is unpredictable—some mornings it’s wide open, at other times the line stretches to the street. After some trial and error, I found there are only two good options: arrive three minutes before school starts, or arrive thirty minutes early. Since the biggest lines usually form 10–15 minutes before the bell, following this rule can save you a frustrating wait in traffic.
Water fountains can be tricky, as some barely work, and others offer lukewarm water that does little to satisfy real thirst. While most are available throughout the day, grabbing a drink during the middle of ASB or the
end of a second period is ideal, since staying hydrated in the morning has real benefits. If you’re in the Spanish hallway or near the Big Room, I recommend heading to the first floor or the center of your floor—these fountains have a reputation for delivering colder, more refreshing water.
When it comes to lunch, timing is everything. If you can’t get there right when lunch starts, your best bet is to show up about fifteen minutes late. That’s when the first wave of students finishes eating, lines die down, and open seats appear. You’ll have space to sit with friends and maybe even get some homework done before your next class.
As for activities: soccer, football, and spikeball usually open up around 24 minutes before your next class. That window gives you time to eat, grab the ball, and get in a solid game.
Benchball, though, is different: you don’t
class—during the final time we would meet during last period before the Sixth Formers left—was left with about four students. The classes could barely go on. What was the point of teaching if half the class would need a make-up lecture, or their perspectives would be absent from the discussion?
My teachers, without whom there would be no school for these teams to represent, were kneecapped. The week of April 28th showed me, once and for all, that my school was under the thrall and had been upended by an athletic program with more power than the academic institution that it serves. It’s time for Haverford to set its priorities straight. No league, team, or coach should have the power to override the classroom education for which we enroll.
want too many players. The sweet spot is about ten minutes before class starts. By then, there’s usually no line, and you can sneak in a short but satisfying game of the most underrated sport at Haverford. The café, however, has the toughest timing to master. If you go during peak hours, you’ll burn time just standing around. But if you have time during ASB, aim for 10:35 a.m. That’s when lines are short, and the vibes are peaceful—just enough of a break before diving back into your perfectly optimized day.
Once we master the timing of our daily routines and the mindset of focusing on what we truly care about, we stop living reactively and start living deliberately.
Life becomes less about keeping up and more about smiling and laughing every day with no regrets.
Some, however, don’t prefer the first lunch. Fourth Former Will Mullin’s main point of conflict are the lines.
Second lunch has fewer people.
“Second lunch has fewer people, which
means much shorter lines,” Mullin said. Mullin explains another benefit.
“Second Lunch is also better because you only have one period after it. This gives it sort of an end-of-the-day vibe,” Mullin said.
Fourth Former Connor Reynolds agrees.
“It’s the feeling when things are winding down, you power through the first half of the day, and you get to kick back and relax before your last class,” Reynolds said.
Fourth Former Quinn Gallagher also prefers second lunch. But his reasoning is different.
“With the first lunch, if class runs a little
late, you can’t even get a seat!” Gallagher said. But Gallagher also agrees with Mullin. “It’s much easier going into second lunch knowing you only have one class left, and then you are done for the day, rather than having lunch and still having two classes to go.”
The question of which lunch period is better elicits strong opinions—but all can agree that lunch is one of the best parts of the day.
Keith DiMarino ‘27
As Chair of the Character Mentorship Program (CMP) this past year, I have done plenty of advertising.
Unfortunately, the CMP, even more so than the Honor Council, has remained closed off from the school community.
That opaqueness is best demonstrated in our Tuesday meetings, enclosed in Room 100, as students pass by to their first-period class. The intention of the CMP was never to remain behind closed doors, but instead to extend our belief in character to the rest of the school.
Five Sixth Formers, six Fifth Formers, and two faculty advisors comprise the Character Mentorship Program
We work with students who have gone through the Honor Council process and for whom the Honor Council has determined that CMP support will be beneficial.
CMP supports students through a sixweek reflective process. “Mentees,” are as-
Many students hear about the student body’s sense of brotherhood. At assemblies, this point is hammered home, with many speakers discussing it.
Recently Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade posed a question for the community to ponder: “Are we really an honorable community?”
My answer is no. Walk into any community space, you will usually find some sort of trash left behind. I often go into community spaces after school, and the chairs have stains on them or trash is stuffed between the seat and armrest. It is not unusual to find gum around the chairs.
Throughout campus, in many community spaces, the same trend appears. In the various pods where students work on their homework and study for assessments, one can find bits and pieces of food and drinks from the Café scattered around the table.
As students progress through their academic careers, course selection is one of the most important decisions they make.
At Haverford, the balance between broad, general courses and more specialized offerings arises when considering how well the curriculum prepares students for college and the wider world.
While the current approach allows for a strong foundational understanding, many feel that the curriculum could use a little more variety in specialized courses that match the wide variety of career interests.
What character means to me
signed a student and faculty advisor and are asked to reflect, not only on their Honor Council case, but on themselves and their place in our school community.
We’ve seen a wide range of success over my time in the CMP; some students have taken to the process and come out of it genuinely more aware of themselves and their peers, while others spend extra weeks pushing off assignments and learn little to nothing at all.
If the CMP has taught me anything, it’s the importance of persistent reflection. Those who take the opportunity to work with a student and faculty advisor emerge from the process more aware of who they are and how to better themselves.
These mentorships have shown me that character cannot undergo a quick fix. Having mentored others through our process, there is rarely a grand change or sudden realization, never an “aha moment,” but rather a gradual build toward something better.
Sometimes, the chairs are all over the place, and, if a student moves a chair to another location, it rarely returns to its original place.
This disregard for community spaces is also apparent in the dining hall, where students leave food for someone else to take care of. Students often leave the cleaning up to the dining hall staff.
This lack of honor translates into the classroom as well. Although students are
“I think the courses we provide are very
Expanding this to the larger community, it’s easy to look at the “now,” the Haverford we share in the moment. However, equally powerful is the legacy we leave for classes below us. Character growth is a continuous process and may take more than four years. The same goes for the character of Haverford.
The school’s culture is a well-worn topic, often appearing in student-council speeches and state-of-the-school addresses, but no grand gesture or memorable speech can change Haverford. Instead, it is a conscious choice for individuals who comprise this community to think deeply about themselves.
Character is not only our actions and strong moral compass, but a willingness to be vulnerable and admit fault. Without my classmates and close friends, I could never have the self awareness I have today. Character improvement takes courage.
We must admit our flaws, not only to
ourselves but to others, and be willing to continuously reflect. My time here has shown me that sometimes other people know more about me than I do, because only they know how my character impacts them and makes them feel.
The CMP’s goal each year is “to do unto Haverford what my friends did for me,” challenging us to find our better selves.
With the limited time in any given year, each iteration of the CMP can only do so much. This year, we ripped the floorboards up, revising our process and rebranding as a restorative justice organization entrenched in character.
The five Sixth Formers now entrust our work to the hands of the current Fifth Form and the recently appointed Fourth Form classes. Just as we build on character over time, the CMP and Haverford continue to evolve into a stronger organization and idea.
Standing on Eagle Field for the alumni network event in late April, I talked to graduates from classes ranging from 2017 to 1981 about what Haverford was like for them, and they all described it as a much harsher and unkind place.
My experience with the alumni showed me how there is a precedent of improvement in our community, and therefore, a hope that it can become stronger. If we lose that hope or awareness of self, both in actions and perspectives, then we lose Haverford.
I believe in our potential, just as I believe what the CMP has taught me: I am not perfect, my character is flawed, but with the help of others and my own perseverance, I can always continue to improve. We all can.
Care for community
is
care for each other
friendly and share a sense of brotherhood within their friend group, this doesn’t always translate to people that they don’t know.
Many students do not interact much with others in the classroom, but only guys they already know in the halls. This leads to the existence of a few, isolated brotherhoods rather than one, unified one. This disconnect is detrimental to the learning environment and camaraderie the school strives for.
courses is through electives, which can be
but missing
broad, which can be good for a large scope and understanding,” Fourth Former Anantvir Othie said.
“Other schools, like Baldwin, offer niche classes that dive into specific topics, like a graphic novel class or a Holocaust class,” Othie said. “I think having something similar to our European Dictators elective here would be valuable.”
For Othie, who envisions a future career in business and economics, the current course structure is a great starting point, but it still has room for improvement.
The school’s approach to specialized
“unlocked” as students progress through higher levels of subjects, like math.
For example, once students have completed Calculus, they can move on to more advanced topics such as microeconomics or macroeconomics.
The lack of specialized courses means that students looking to focus on certain industries—like healthcare—or developing career skills, may not get the chance to explore these interests in depth until they reach college.
Anantvir suggests that most electives should not be restricted to a grade level.
In order to maintain and improve the school’s brotherhood, students need to focus on the little things, starting with not leaving trash behind. If people start respecting the spaces that they occupy, this will hopefully lead to starting to respecting others as well. With small intentional steps, we can drastically improve our community and Haverford will become a place of true connection and brotherhood.
“For sophomores, there should be more opportunities if they have the prerequisite knowledge. Prior experience should be necessary, but not restricted to the grade. If students are ready, they should be able to take more specialized classes,” Othie said.
Beyond the traditional academic subjects, Othie envisions a course in practical education—skills that students can use in real life.
“I think if you could add a course, it should be something like life skills,” Anantvir said. “Something more practical versus what you learn in core classes, like Algebra. Public speaking, confidence, charisma— skills that will help in life, not just in tests.”
One of the defining features of the school is its approach to honors courses, which typically go deeper into subjects compared to AP classes.
While the depth of honors courses is a benefit, it also means that students have to consider which courses they choose based on their strengths and future goals.
Expanding these options would complement the current curriculum and ensure students are prepared for both college and their future careers.
Mason Wiegand ’25
Jonny Wang ’26
Brandyn Luong ‘27
off-campus opinions
Afew weeks ago, I sat in a college classroom at Tulane University for a lecture titled “Technology, Information, and Society.” I went in expecting it to be a fairly standard talk—some buzzwords, maybe a graph or two—but I left thinking about data in a completely new way.
The term “Big Data” gets thrown around so often that it gradually loses meaning, but in that room, surrounded by four other incoming students and a knowledgeable professor tossing out examples of how data is shaping everything from politics to playlists, I started to realize just how quietly powerful it really is.
Think about it: every time you stream a song, order food, like a post, Google something, or let an app track your location, you’re feeding a system that knows you better than a majority of your friends do. And now, with AI evolving faster than anyone can keep up with, that data isn’t just being stored—it’s being used to predict, decide, and influence. It’s exciting, definitely creepy, and absolutely worth paying attention to.
Data and the AI that processes it don’t just change our digital habits, they reshape our financial behavior in ways most of us don’t even notice. It’s subtle at first: a budgeting app that categorizes your purchases, a notification from your bank warning of possible fraud, a credit score that updates based on nontraditional factors. But underneath those small conveniences is a growing reliance on algorithmic decision-making.
Whether you’re applying for a loan, scrolling through Instagram, not using your phone, shopping with a buy-now-pay-later service, or setting up automatic savings
April 22nd marked the 55th celebration of World Earth Day, with the 2025 theme of “Our Power, Our Planet.” Created in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day raises awareness about a wide range of pressing environmental issues, such as the overuse of natural resources and air and water pollution.
Since its inception, Earth Day has grown into a global annual event celebrated by over one billion people. Many believe it is an invaluable opportunity to highlight and showcase their commitment to the environment by participating in various environmental events, such as volunteering for local community cleanups, participating in tree and garden plantings, recycling, and going on nature walks or bike rides.
Unfortunately, some opt not to celebrate Earth Day because they view it as a superficial event that may not lead to lasting change or affect them directly. Other people criticize the celebration due to its focus on individual actions regarding the environment rather than systemic change.
Stay vigilant: Big Data is getting bigger
transfers, AI is shaping the terms of your financial life. These aren’t abstract, distant changes. They’re deeply personal.
The kind of tools that once belonged to wealth managers or analysts are now in everyone’s pockets, learning from us and nudging us toward specific outcomes. That’s why understanding how AI affects the choices we make (as individuals, as consumers, and as small business owners) is so crucial. This isn’t just about convenience or innovation. It’s about power, access, and the quiet rewiring of our economic relationships.
Near the end of the lecture, the professor played a video that visualized just how much data is being collected every day. It was
a blur of statistics: millions of Google searches per second, billions of location pings, social media posts, voice recordings, transaction logs, and more—scrolling faster than anyone could fully absorb. The scale was overwhelming. But the real gut punch came afterwards, when he casually mentioned the video was created in 2015. Ten years ago! The entire room went quiet for a moment. If that much data was being gathered and analyzed back then, what does it look like now? It was a chilling reminder that while we talk about AI and Big Data as new developments, they’ve been evolving—and watching us—for a long time. The systems are smarter. The data is richer. And the influence on our
lives, particularly on how we spend, save, and access money, is deeper than most of us realize. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In many cases, it leads to more personalized, efficient, and accessible financial tools. But it also means the stakes are higher. The algorithms shaping our economy aren’t slowing down—they’re accelerating.
If we, as a school community, want to be active participants in this new landscape— rather than passive data points in someone else’s model—we have to pay attention. We have to ask questions. And most of all, we have to keep watching the watchers.
Earth Day exists… but does anyone recognize it?
To me, valuing this one day dedicated to the environment is a chance to change the world for the better. Earth Day can inspire appreciation for the environment and can bring awareness of environmental issues to people of all ages, benefiting society as a whole. Coming together with a united voice on Earth Day represents our universal and commonly held desire to protect, care for, and preserve our home here on Earth. While you may or may not have observed Earth Day this year, each of us could benefit from reflecting on our commitment to the environment and ways to live in alignment with Earth Day’s values.
At Haverford, we are faced with many choices every day that could contribute to the well-being of the environment, whether this comes in the form of recycling the products used at lunch, being mindful of the energy we utilize, or picking up discarded trash from the floor. These are all meaningful steps within our control that we can take to conserve our resources and strengthen our environment.
By implementing these smart practices,
we will be more likely to achieve environmental sustainability, one step at a time. Furthermore, instilling environmental consciousness to younger people may result in lifelong attitudes for respecting nature and living with a minimal footprint. Even though
it may not seem this way, every small action we take to better our environment makes it easier to achieve Earth Day’s goal.
It will take the unwavering support of many people around the world, starting with us, here at Haverford.
Will Komada ’28
Tom Saul ’25
Data centers process enourmous amounts of information
After holding strong throughout Holy Week, Pope Francis passed away after twelve years in office. The Pope displayed an iron will, staying alive throughout a sacred time. He had a major effect on the Catholic Church, changing the rules regarding who could come to Church and ushering in a more progressive electorate.
Francis’s papacy was defined by a radical perspective on mercy, inclusivity, and social justice. In 2013, he remarked, “If someone who is gay seeks God, who am I to judge?” This comment shocked the Church as it set a softer tone on issues like homosexuality. His approval of blessings for same-sex couples in 2023 and his openness to divorced and remarried Catholics receiving communion were bold steps. These moves allowed many more Catholics to rejoin or join the church.
In addition, he elected 163 cardinals from 76 countries, diversifying the makeup of the College of Cardinals as its voice became more widespread and more progressive. While he did not challenge the church’s stance on women in church leadership, he did elect them to high-ranking Vatican roles. Barbara Jetta, for example, was made director of the Vatican Museums.
However, Francis’s reforms caused much controversy. His progressive stance alienated traditionalists, particularly in the United States, where conservative Catholics, clergy, and even political figures like Vice President J.D. Vance clashed with his views on immigration and inclusivity.
Critics accused Pope Francis of sowing confusion on doctrine, with some, like the late Cardinal George Pell, calling his papacy a “catastrophe.” Progressives, meanwhile, were frustrated by his caution—his refusal to
Changing tides in the Catholic Church
ordain women as priests or deacons and his slow response to clergy sexual abuse scandals left many wanting more.
And after an incredibly quick two-day conclave, the new pope has been elected. Robert Frances Prevost, an American and Villanova University alumnus, will fill the role, taking the name of Leo XIV.
Pope Leo is a moderate, and it will be interesting to see where he will go from here.
He has stated before that he takes the classic Catholic perspective on abortion, as shown by his post about the March for Life in Chiclayo, Peru, where he wrote, “Let’s defend human life at all times!” in 2016. Additionally, he does not support capital punishment, as he has stated, “It’s time to end the death penalty,” according to NPR.
He is more controversial in his thoughts on the LGBTQ community.
“The idea of promoting gender ideology is confusing because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist. So God created man
and woman, and the attempt to confuse ideas from nature will only harm families and people,” he told the Peruvian newspaper Diario Correo. He then banned the teaching of gender ideology in Catholic Schools in Chiclayo, Peru.
We know that he is not the biggest fan of President Trump, as he tweeted, “Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?” after Trump deported Kilmar Garcia to El Salvador. And then in February of this year, he tweeted: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
In his first speech, he stated that he desires communication first. “We have to look together how to be a missionary church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”
As Pope Leo XIV begins to lay out the path of the new Catholic Church, it will be fascinating to see how the church will move
What’s going on with the stock market?
The stock market is going for a ride. With reports that $2.5 trillion has been wiped off of Wall Street, the second Trump Administration has people scrambling for their savings. On February 13, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a plan for reciprocal tariffs, promising to match half the tax rates foreign nations place on U.S. imports. Although this provided the government with nearly $200 million in tax revenue per day (the Trump administration claims $2 billion), it threatened to raise prices for imported goods.
The price of a stock is determined by a combination of hard data—profit, holdings, and dividends—as well as soft data like analyst opinions and market trends. When the S&P 500 dropped nearly 10% in the month following Trump’s announcement, investors were reacting to changes in soft data. According to a Bank of America research report on the U.S. market in April, “Measures of hard data, e.g., jobless claims, industrial production, building permits are above histori-
cal norms while soft data [confidence, sentiment, and new product orders] languishes below average.”
While investors are predicting the market will struggle in the future, the tariff announcement, which caused the $2.5 trillion selloff, has not yet had much of a direct impact on the economy.
Stocks have shown signs of recovery since Trump announced his 90-day tariff pause on April 9, 2025, leading to a remarkable rebound. On that day, the S&P 500 saw its best daily performance in nearly seventeen years.
Still, the market is continuing to recover, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average nearly recouping their April declines. This up-and-down has led to a profitable opportunity for some community members. Even though the stock market is on a strong trajectory right now, the reinstatement of the tariffs is still on the horizon. In the best-case scenario, Trump’s tariffs bring foreign nations with much higher tariffs than our own to the negotiation table, potentially bringing jobs to the U.S. and promoting free trade. At worst, the possibility of a global trade war that raises tariffs
forward.
Will it swing more in line with the recent rightward shift we have seen across the world? Or will it continue in the progressive path that Francis has laid out or go further?
Pope Leo XIV was the best candidate for the pope among the cardinals as he held one of the most balanced opinions in the college. He was not as conservative as the African Cardinal Sarah or as progressive as Luis “Asian Francis” Tagle.
The future looks positive, as in addition to mentioning communication, he repeatedly stressed his desire to have peace in the church, with his first words being the classic greeting “Peace be with you.”
After that, he invoked the peace of Christ. Additionally, his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was known for his support of workers and the poor. Hopefully, he will continue in this legacy and help support the lower classes.
higher than ever, triggering an inflationary crisis in the US.
The stock market’s recent volatility is driven by fears of a future recession, not tangible changes.
Though there is no doubt that higher tariffs are disadvantageous for companies, this period of fluctuation has created opportunities for savvy investors who capitalized on buying the dip.
With the reinstatement of tariffs in the near future, there is a wide range of possibilities for the U.S. economy.
Drew Carasco ’26
Nate Gill ’26
Pope Leo XIV on the Vatican’s loggia
EGGAR BELTON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Betting on the future: the lure of online gambling
Robby Busser ’25
Two years ago, when I was a Fourth Former, I walked into history class. It was normal, a little boring, and highly predictable. You know the drill.
I sat down in my usual spot and enjoyed the comforts of normalcy: sitting next to my usual partner, the same view of the board, the same view of the clock, yada, yada, yada….
The teacher began class with a worksheet, the kind that allows students to complete it at their own pace. It felt like one of those classes to fool around in. The teacher was off-task at his desk, so it only made sense that I did what I wanted to.
At this time in Haverford School history, there were no phone caddies or Yondr pouches, so phones were abundant, sitting in the crevice that divides the screen from the keyboard on one’s computer. My mind wandered. It wandered to a place it often did: online sports gambling.
Why gambling? Maybe I’m being targeted. Cursory research shows that gambling companies, especially FanDuel and DraftKings, market their services toward children. The online sports betting market in the U.S. is roughly $11 billion, and it would not surprise me if 20-30% of that market is underage gamblers.
As I sat in class that day, deciding how to concentrate on the task at hand, I immediately failed. I looked to my right. My partner’s eyes were fixated on FanDuel’s online casino. The fictional roulette table lit up like a New Year’s Eve ball drop. Each light felt like another reason to get bettors to place another dollar. It felt like an adrenaline rush waiting to happen. My internalized voices said to follow the crowd and gamble, yet I came to school most worried about a Spanish test that morning. While my partner was making money to my right, I began to question whether this Spanish test was my best use of time.
Wait, I have to concentrate. Well, maybe not just yet. I’m not a roulette guy, but, oh, how I love sports.
Like many American kids, I am infatuated with sports. Everybody has a favorite sport, team, or player. With 38 states allowing online sports betting and more coming, gambling on your favorites has never been easier.
Furthermore, gambling operations such as Fliff or Thrillzz, which are easily accessible on academic campuses nationwide, speak volumes about the regulatory gaps in our country’s legal system. These companies advertise to boys starting around the ages of 10-12.
As I sat in class that day, as bored as my teacher seemed, I focused on my betting opportunities. Way more fun than a history quiz, right?
And all of a sudden, my partner was intensely focused on his phone, placing sophis-
ticated bets on European soccer. Wait, what? No. He wasn’t. He was just betting on online roulette. Total chance. Stupid, I thought. But then the thrill came to life right there in the Philadelphia suburbs just after 9 a.m. on a Thursday.
I had heard (ok, and maybe experienced) that online gambling was the future gold mine of consumer behavior, but to see it play out that morning in real time left me mindblown.
The worst I had seen of the gambling epidemic in the U.S. was a FanDuel or DraftKings commercial on TV during the NFL slate on a Sunday afternoon that fall. My mindset toward online gambling had always been pessimistic. Why was I, as a kid, being marketed through every marketing channel possible? Why was I born into the generation that has had online gambling become extremely accessible to them? Why was I attending a school where several people gamble?
Gen Z has fully embraced gambling on all sorts of social media platforms.
Maybe it’s not that complicated.
Gen Z has fully embraced gambling on all sorts of social media platforms. Memes circulate Instagram feeds, X timelines, and TikTok For You Pages. Content creators such as BookItWithTrent and CallingOurShot boast about their winnings online while joking around with their immature audiences, pitching pick after pick in hopes of leading children to sign up for gambling sites using their referral codes.
And, sadly, it works. These creators have inked multi-year, seven-figure contracts with
these companies to promote their apps. This is what makes the apps even worse: they hand out large contracts to content creators with young audiences, incentivizing predatory gambling promotion tactics.
The gambling culture amongst young people in the U.S. infiltrates people’s minds and convinces them to continue to feed their addiction, constantly chasing the thrill they first experienced when they began placing wagers.
At 9:35 a.m. that day, my social conscience kicked in. I wasn’t going to tell my partner not to do that. That wasn’t me. I’m
I’ve personally experienced gambling through the app Fliff.
not a confrontational person, I thought as the white ball spun around the wheel, eventually landing on Red 25. My partner banged the desk. “I mean, I have to bet again to make it back, right?” he asked rhetorically. He knew the $5 wager he placed would not deter him from depositing and betting more money.
I’ve personally experienced gambling through the app Fliff, which CEO and Germantown Academy grad Mike Ricci claims to be an “introductory tool” to gambling. The app is gamified, colorful, and userfriendly. Fliff’s business model grants children the ability to gamble on sports and casino games without parental supervision. The striking blue and green app is a common sight at Haverford that’s often followed with “Look at this parlay that hit last night” or “Give me some locks for tonight.” Apps like Ricci’s also allow creators to promote
gambling jargon such as locks, tuck-me-ins, and fades, which echo in school hallways nationwide.
The next 30 minutes of class were spent watching a white ball spin around a wheel, hoping my partner would find his next high.
“Each spin excites me,” he told me. I was captivated yet cautious. I had previously seen how gambling can affect the human mind when I lost a figurative $100,000 in the Grand Theft Auto casino. That threw off my mood because I couldn’t participate in certain events in the game anymore with my friends. And that was only a video game.
But watching real, hard-earned money being wagered right in front of me was wild. My family didn’t gamble at all, so I was shocked.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 60-80% of high school students reported gambling money in the past year, even though the legal age ranges from 18-21.
Adolescent exposure to sports betting has run rampant in the past couple of years. Introductory tools such as video games or gamified gambling apps like Fliff or Thrillzz contribute to the 2-7% of youths with a gambling disorder, Yale Medicine says.
Furthermore, FanDuel’s online casino was insanely accessible.
My class partner said he tricked his father into giving him his Social Security Number, effectively enabling him to set up an account on his own so he could wager money. My vehement feelings toward gambling were quickly shifting. I could make money doing nothing? You mean I could sit in class and collect a profit equal to an hourly wage?
This was crazy, but I had a feeling it was too good to be true. Was it?
Robby Busser ‘25
Guys, listen to Jensen McRae
Liam French ’25
“
In 2023 Phoebe Bridgers is gonna drop her third album & the opening track will be about hooking up in the car while waiting in line to get vaccinated at Dodger Stadium and it’s gonna make me cry,” tweeted then-aspiring singersongwriter Jensen McRae on Jan 14, 2021.
At the time, she only had four singles released on her Spotify account, a byproduct of her time as a pop music major with a concentration in songwriting at USC Thornton School of Music. Her tweet gained traction, and she wrote the song. The title “Immune” encapsulates the angst of the narrator towards their partner’s inability to catch feelings, or COVID. The song did well and landed her a feature in a Wall Street Journal article about the COVID-19 vaccine’s influence on contemporary music. To date, it is one of her best-performing singles, having increased her monthly listeners on Spotify and Apple Music tenfold from 80,000 to 800,000 and amassing her a cult following of listeners.
Both songs are breakup songs that end in blistering heat.
Her music is often compared to Phoebe Bridgers, one of her biggest influences. On track three of her sophomore album, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!, “Savannah” sounds hauntingly similar to Bridgers’s music. The opening lyrics “There is an intersection in your college town/ With your name
on it, with your name on it” are reminiscent of “Somewhere in Germany but I can’t place it/ Man I hate this part of Texas” from Bridgers’s “I Know the End.”
“When you’re put into the observer, outsider position early on, it makes it pretty easy to figure out who you really are and what you really want.”
Both songs are breakup songs that end in blistering heat. Both songs evoke a desolate and destroyed landscape: “Savannah” evokes the burned bridges of Sherman’s March from Atlanta to Savannah which serve as a metaphor between McRae and her partner, while Bridgers paints the end of everything in a cacophony of outlet malls, Government UFOs flying overhead, and a billboard sign reading “THE END IS NEAR.”
Relationships end, as all things do, but McRae uses songwriting to help her move through the ends towards new beginnings.
In an interview with The Line of Best Fit, she said, “I’ve been writing songs forever, and I knew my songs were great, but I didn’t know how to do anything else besides write songs.” Her spotify bio glamorously reads, “An avid journaler, McRae has been breathlessly documenting her existence since she was 18.”
She documents trying to make sense of the world she lives in, what she knows to
be true, and what she is still figuring out for herself. She grew up as a black girl in a predominantly white environment, feeling left out and developing an observer identity.
“When you’re put into the observer, outsider position early on, it makes it pretty easy to figure out who you really are and what you really want,” McRae said in a video interview.
“Conformity isn’t a choice. I started to develop this identity of being a narrator and a collector of details about my life, about other people’s lives.”
This sentiment is echoed on the fifth track of I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!, “Let Me Be Wrong.” She, the observer, watched mean girls succeed while she pursued her songwriting dreams.
“They’re all in law school and getting engaged,” she said in a TikTok. “wdym they never got karma for making fun of me and my songs when we were kids?” However, the karmic debt always comes back around, and the words that once hurt her only motivate her now. She continues the verse, “Something twisted in my chest/ Says I’m good but not the best/ When I was young, that knocked me out/ But nothing really shakes me now.”
She’s grown since she first started songwriting. She was paid “three sweaty dollars” for her first concert ever in a small venue where the only audience member was her mother, but that concert landed her a deal with her first label. She moved up the ladder and opened for MUNA’s North American Tour in 2022. The indie girl group comprised fellow USC graduates Katie Gavin ’15, Josette Maskin ’16, and Naomi McPherson
’15, who took McRae under their wing and brought her out to open for them, as well as to sing “Silk Chiffon” on tour with them; McRae sang Bridgers’s verse in the song.
“MUNA Tour, one of the best experiences of my LIFE,” she tweeted.
A year later, Jensen DM’d Noah Kahn on Instagram, which led to her opening for him on his Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) Tour. Her song “Massachusetts” always garnered the most reaction, saving it for the end of her set. It is one of Kahan’s Favorite songs of hers, and he has even come out to sing it with her on stage on special occasions.
“As an opener, having that reaction to a song that’s not out is very jarring and very humbling and very, very moving. It always brought me to the brink of tears,” said McRae.
Opening for Noah Kahan and MUNA was just the beginning for Jensen McRae. She will be on tour this summer for her new album, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!
Watch out for Jensen McRae this summer; she’s more than just a voice played on WXPN and NPR. She is new music with an ever-growing fan base. Her album is not just the sound of those who came before her. It’s the journey of a singer-songwriter finding her own sound amongst the chaos of breakups and boy troubles.
In her words: “This is exactly how this was supposed to sound. I’m still so proud of [the] album and I’m so excited to keep discovering more about what it means to sound like me.”
Jensen McRae plays at a 2017 concert in LA
sports
Crew, cont’d. from front page
After a strong showing in the youngest events, the crew team turned to the repeat racers.
The JV Four, composed of Fourth Formers Ethan Qiang and Andrew Walker and Fifth Formers Luke Maguire and Nate Gill, coxed by Fourth Former Delaney Joseph, was racing together for the first time at Cities. After winning both the time trial and having the best time of both semifinals, the four were looking good.
Christian Brothers Academy, however, was a determined competitor. After absolutely ripping off the line, they held equal to Haverford until the final 250 meters. There, the difference between power and rate reared its head. Haverford began to up the press and their rate while the spent Christian Brothers fell behind. Haverford smashed the race open and took the second gold of the day by five seconds.
“It felt great to break them in the final bit of the race. They were holding us for the first half of the race, and we were expecting it to go down to the wire,” said Walker.
After this exciting win, four boats had yet to race: the Lightweight Varsity Four, Second Varsity Four, Varsity Quad, and Varsity Four.
The lightweights were determined to keep the winning streak up. Described as “dawgs” by Sixth Form Captain and coxswain Eddie Grant, the lightweight crew composed of Sixth Formers Will Suter and Sabby Gillis, Fourth Former Patch Hope,
Fifth Former Peter McElhone, and Third Former coxswain Will Komada, the Lightweight won by over six seconds. The Second Varsity Four fell just short of a medal with a tough fourth-place finish.
After holding second place for almost the entire race, the quad fell short and came in fourth.
Fifth Former Benas Antanavicius said, “I think there is a lot of room for improvement. Now we know what the competition is like. Coming out of this weekend, we know what we need to do. We are one of the strongest boats out there. But we are not good. We need to work on our technique. We are separated into the Stern and Bow pair. We need to connect those together to win.”
The final boat of the day was the showstopper. Stroked by Sixth Form Georgetown-commit Michael Bartholdson, and with a bow pair composed of Boston University-commit Grey Benson and Hamiltoncommit Quinn Sullivan, the boat had been given an additional advantage when Cornellcommit Noah Kanefsky was switched from the varsity quad to complete the stern pair.
“It was pretty easy to shift,” Kanefsky stated, “Sculling requires lots of relaxation, boat feel, and just solid technique, which carries over well. Going from two oars to one, if you boil it down, is easier.”
With this powerhouse lineup, Haverford was ready to go.
“The boat felt heavy, and we did not have a lot of power in the first two races,”
Baseball unites during building year
It’s peak baseball season, and while the Fords have faced their share of challenges, the team is starting to come together, playing with more fight, chemistry, and purpose each week.
Since April, the team has gone 3-7, but Head Coach John McCann believes the record doesn’t tell the full story.
“The team battles,” Coach McCann said. “They work really well at the plate and score a lot of runs. The effort and heart are there.”
Due to the completely new coaching staff and a young, exciting team, much of this season has been about building relationships.
“We’ve all gotten to know each other as the year’s gone on,” Coach McCann said. “The chemistry has definitely improved.”
Fourth Form catcher and third baseman Thomas Lawler has taken a big role this season, but he praises others.
“Our freshmen—Zack [Lawler] and Owen [Murphy] have stepped into big roles and really helped us compete. [Braydon] Scanlan’s been strong in the outfield, and [Mike] Noone has done a great job on the mound,” Lawler said.
Although Lawler’s teammate, Sixth Former Brenner Green, was sidelined due to an injury prior to the season, he has continued to make an impact off the field.
“He’s our best player, but even without being able to play, he’s been a leader off the field the whole year,” Lawler said.
The team recently made time to give back to the community, hosting a youth clinic for fifth through eighth graders this past weekend.
“It was a great experience for the kids, and a meaningful way for our guys to share
Benson said.
Despite these subpar performances, Haverford was still winning by lengths. In the final, it changed.
“The boat felt light and we all could feel the boat accelerating through the water, gaining speed. The finish line was the best feeling of the weekend as we were able to celebrate and smack the water when we came in first,” Benson said.
It was Grant’s first medal.
“It was long overdue,” Grant said. “Winning at every level is special. It just shows how great our coaching staff is. In terms of the team itself, I couldn’t be prouder of the young guys. We have underclassmen who have already adopted the race-to-win mentality.”
Coach Stephanik agreed.
“City Championships was a great step in the right direction. Not only did it show the efforts of the group, but also the overall depth of the program,” Coach Stephanik said. “Haverford Crew is in a unique situation where we row both methods, sweep and sculling, unlike most of the programs we race. Sometimes there is balance in our results, and sometimes we sway one way or the other. I feel with the depth of the team, the future is bright with both sweep and sculling.”
Now the team begins to prepare for their final two tournaments. The Stotesbury Cup, on the Philly stomping grounds, is the weekend of May 16. It will feature many strong crews from across the country that the team must face. And the National Championships are a week later, beginning on May 23rd.
“St. Joe’s Prep, BCC, Norfolk, and Christian Brothers’ Academy are some teams this year and last year that were very tough competition,” Benson said.
The team is preparing for these battles.
“We try to find consistency in our training model so that we are prepared for whatever is ahead,” Coach Stephanik said. “There is a heightened excitement and level of competition in the championship races. If we stick to our preparation and focus on the Haverford style of rowing, we should see continued growth and confidence moving forward. All boats are putting in a great effort in our practices, improvement will be gained by small adjustments and finding more speed going into our last few races.”
“It’s about showing up, putting meters down, and buying in. It’s pretty simple if you come ready to put your body on the line and
buy into making adjustments so that we go fast,” Kanefsky said. “We need to let the boat run out with some more swing to get a feel for our boat. We have the speed, we just need a bit more feeling, which comes slowly day after day.”
The captains are proud of the team’s work this year.
“We are very grateful to have a senior class that leads and pushes one another,” Benson said. “This season, multiple seniors have stood out to the team as being dominant. Noah Kanesfky and Michael Bartholdson have contributed in numerous ways to the City championship for the Varsity 4+. Along with Will Suter and Sabby Gillis, who have also led their lightweight 4+ to a city championship through their skill, power, and leadership.”
Grey then continued his appreciation of the younger classes.
“We have a very good freshman and sophomore class. Besides the impressive erg times they put up, they are also very skilled in the boat. Benas Antanavicius is the clear candidate for standing out among the rest, as he contributes in numerous ways of power and skill to the varsity quad. Other underclassmen that have stood out to contribute in big ways to their boat speed are Ethan Qiang and Cliff Wang. Ethan has shown a lot of growth this spring season, both on the erg and water. Cliff is the third seat of the freshman 4x and has also contributed in numerous ways to the gold medal they received at city championships through the power and endurance he brought to their race.”
Coach Stephanik also praises the team.
“The seniors as a group have shown great direction for the program and have been consistent in pursuing our goals,” he explained. “As boats, we have seen great things from both our Freshman and JV lineups. They have shown huge improvements and are buying into our culture of the program. The coaching staff is proud of the hard work and determination of the team this year. We are excited to see how things wrap up with our last two championship races of the season.”
Grant finished up with his hopes for the remainder of the season.
“Things only get harder as we go, so it’s important that guys stay committed to the process,” Grant said. “I think some boats are going to find another gear this week, and we’re gonna take back some hardware.”
their love for the game,” McCann said.
With the PAISAA tournament approaching, there’s a quiet belief building
within the team.
“Our best moments are ahead of us,” Lawler said. “We’ve been playing better every week and trying to get hot at just the right time.”
Patrick White ’25 tags a runner at home in a 2-5 loss to Bayard Rustin,
Ayush Varma ’27
The JV four, l to r, Nate Gill ’26, Andrew Walker ’27, Luke Maguire ’26, and Ethan Qiang ’27 at a practice early this spring