September 2017 Index

The Index

The student voice... since 1888

Ευταξια Σωζειν Δοκει

September 2017

Volume LXXX, No. 1

Haverford, Pennsylvania

www.havindex.com

PHOTO BY TROY GIBBS-BROWN ’18

This summer, five Haverford students and a group of Agnes Irwin students travelled to Ecuador in partnership with Colegio Americano Guayaquil. The purpose of the trip was to expose the students to the unique Ecuadorian culture. The students, all enrolled in Spanish language courses at school, seized the chance to improve their Spanish speaking skills in a nativespeaking environment. Many students noted a transformation in their worldview, as they built friendships with the Ecuadorian students. Before they arrived, many students were unsure about the environment they would enter. Sixth Former T.J. Brooks said, “Honestly, I had no idea what to expect with both the hosting aspect and

visiting aspect. I think I expected it to go a lot worse than it did, especially because people kept telling me about the dangers of the country, such as crime, violence, and lethal diseases, rather than highlighting the positives of the country.” But the students’ concerns were shattered after exploring the country for a few days. “There was never a point throughout the entire trip where I felt unsafe or worried about anything bad happening to me,” said Brooks. “All of these worries were quickly put to rest after traveling around and exploring Guayaquil and Quito.” After overcoming these initial fears, Brooks transitioned to interacting with the Colegio Americano Guayaquil students. Conversing with

Schedule tweaks before change

his new Ecuadorian friends provided insight on the distinctions between American conversation and Ecuadorian conversation; he gradually learned to start conversations to learn more about the Ecuadorian people, not just to carry out simple tasks. “I learned how to be open and more relaxed when talking to the people of Ecuador,” said Brooks. “Rather than having a transactional conversation, I was able to have deep conversations with random people on the streets who happily told me stories from their lives rather than try and convince me to buy water, food, or some other trinket. In the U.S., we sometimes forget that not everything needs to come with a reward, but

that we can have conversation simply for the sake of learning about other people, and I hope I can continue to open up to other people as well as learn their stories.” While forming friendships with the Ecuadorian students, Fourth Former Yan Graf and Sixth Former Troy Gibbs-Brown noticed huge improvements in their Spanish. “Learning Spanish in a classroom is one thing,” said Graf, “But hearing how people actually used it and learning new words that you might not learn in class is fun.” Gibbs-Brown said, “My encounters with the Ecuadorian people were always lively. cont. pg. 9

Summer spotlight: lab research Eusha Hasan ’18

Nick Chimicles ’19 Every summer, the administration gathers within the deep labyrinths of Haverford, scheming for ways to better our school in the upcoming year. During such gatherings this summer, the faculty integrated a novel semester and examination schedule. Beginning this year, the lengths of the two semesters will be equal, with the first semester having been extended to late January. Exams will take place during the same periods during the school year (mid-December and late-May); however, the exam week, which previously consumed a total of seven days of school with two days of preparation and five of examination, has been condensed to only four days. This was accomplished by requiring the history and

language departments to only give exams in the winter, the science and English departments in the spring, and the math department during both exam seasons, meaning that a student not taking two courses within one discipline will have only three exams per exam season. “One of the takeaways that our consultant had when he came this past year was that our students do not have enough contact days with their teachers,” said Mr. Green. “Learning happens when students and teachers are together.” With the changes in the organization of exam weeks, the amount of “contact days” consumed by examinations has been halved, adding six full school days to the year. “We had to ask ourselves if the benefits of cumulative examinations are worth fourteen days of school,” said Mr. Green. “The history, science, English and language departments found they could condense those benefits into a single examination, while the math department felt quite strongly that building towards a cumulative exam at the end of each semester was important.” The weights of exams have also been adjusted from the static 20% of a student’s final semester grade to a dynamic weight that depends on a student’s course level and year. Standard freshman courses will now have an exam that weighs 1015% of a student’s grade, whereas that of a senior honors level math class will weigh 30% or greater. “The idea is to build towards a higher stakes exam, not unlike the ones you’ll see in college,” said Mr. Green. With every change, there are worries of unanticipated repercussions that could hurt the lives of students. For example, the balancing of the semesters could produce an extraordinarily stressful period after winter break before the end of the first semester. cont. pg. 9

Andrew D’Arcangelo ’19 reflects on SGLI experience pg.5

PUNAHOU SCHOOL

PHOTO BY BRIAN XIAO, COURTESY OF JAMES IVES ’18

Sixth Former James Ives conducted research this summer at the Russell Lab at Drexel University.

This summer, under the guidance of Biology teacher Mrs. Kara Cleffi, eight Honors Biology students interned at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. Over the course of several weeks, the students joined labs encompassing a number of disciplines, from genomics to cell microbiology to engineering. Working alongside renowned research doctors and undergraduate interns, they learned to apply their biology knowledge to the more intricate, impactful research handled by leading experts. At the beginning of the second semester, several Fifth Formers applied for the summer lab cooperative, which presented students the

Students played ping pong vs. locals on China trip pg. 6

opportunity to work in a lab of their choice; if none of the current lab opportunities piqued their interests, the chosen students could opt to scout for another lab with Mrs. Cleffi’s permission. None of the students had prior experience in lab research, so they entered their labs with some skepticism. Sixth Former Kyle Wagner, who studied gene therapy to treat diseases using vectors, said, “[I wondered if ] I would be working with many introverted scientists, who lacked interpersonal skills.” He soon realized that lab scientists, who must creatively formulate hypotheses, require effective communication and collaboration skills. cont. pg. 9

MS. TAYLOR SMITH-KAN

Page 2

The Index - Editorial

September 2017

Approaching Charlottesville in the classroom: memorializing peace and justice The recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, ignited a flame of protest, hatred, and debate. A much greater wildfire of fierce argument has spread across the country and will soon filter its way into classroom discussions. Specifically in the South, in protest of our nation’s deep-rooted history, a clash exacerbated our nation’s weakening divide. Following the chaos that triggered the conflict — the motives and messages behind the rallies — both sides of the disagreement center on one uncertainty: how will we remember the Civil War? This rally was more than just the removal of a revered Confederate statue. Confederate memorials continue to represent different things to different people. To many, the symbolism is nothing more than a grim representation of our nation’s history, but to others it reinvigorates a deep emotional connection to their heritage. After the unanimous decision by local city council to have the statues removed, alt-right groups took to defending Civil War statues. Defending Confederate idols were a cohort of neoNazis, white supremacists, and KKK members. During the act of protest, violence broke out and a white supremacist killed a counter-protester. While hate does admittedly exist on both sides, one side’s hate is entirely justifiable and the other side’s hate is directed toward minorities. Simply put, Nazis are bad. What stood as a place for memorial and remembrance of Civil War veterans is now grounds for racist violence. There is a fine line between history and mythology. Symbols should be the means for reflection not reverence, as a statue’s history is meant to educate and commemorate. Protected by the First Amendment, white supremacists have

the right to voice their opinions through the act of protest, but it is not their right to threaten others’ lives. A symbol, like the Nazi swastika, should have no place in modern America, and neither should the ideas of people who rally behind such an immoral period. Yes, it is their right to support these symbols, but no, it is not their right to be protected from the consequences. Supporters of the alt-right cause have been asked to leave universities, fired from their jobs, and outcasted by communities. One risks such consequences when one openly supports white supremacy. Like the idea of a swastika, since these Confederate statues perpetuate hatred towards particular groups, then perhaps it is in the best interest to remove these symbols from public grounds and replace them with something more positive and

more powerful. Let’s look to the EJI (Equal Justice Initiative). EJI plans to build the nation’s first memorial to lynching victims in Montgomery, Alabama. Whereas dozens of monuments around Montgomery honor the Confederacy, none todate have memorialized victims of lynching, of which there are over 4,000 from 1870 to 1950. The Memorial to Peace and Justice will remember all 4,000 victims. Following in the footsteps of this initiative, we should be remembering the victims, not the oppressors. And when it comes to Charlottesville, there is no simpler way to put it than that. Learning from the past is necessary, especially when it comes to things that are difficult to come to terms with. However, there is a fine line between remembering history and supporting

The Memorial to Peace and Justice will open in 2018 in Montgomery, Alabama.

genocide, oppression, and racism. Ultimately, the discourse provides key takeaways that will inevitably make its way into our classrooms and become the center of discussion. Faculty and students alike must bridge the gap and highlight the need to explain why incidents like Charlottesville occur and how we can metaphorically change Confederate monuments into lynching memorials. The conversations surrounding these protests should be welcomed and explored in our school lectures, classrooms, and discussions. However, the conversation has to be not just about the Confederate statues, but about the Confederacy, about neo-Nazism, and most importantly, about the time-honored legacy of hatred in the U.S. that must be combated with acceptance and love and replaced with peace and justice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EJI.ORG

Looking forward to service events Will Henderson ’18 For those of you new to Haverford or those of you who are looking for a way to become involved in the community, service participation is an easy way to meet people and have a positive impact. This year, we are focusing our efforts on educational access and issues related to peace. Below you’ll find some information regarding service activities. Service Board Applications: Stop by the Service Learning Office to pick up a form from Ms. Loos containing all of the information about the Service Board and its expectations. If you have any other questions about the application process, feel free to ask Ms. Loos, David McKay, Jackson Overton-Clark, or Will Henderson. Peanut Butter & Jelly Club: The PB&J Club meets at Agnes Irwin for one or two hours about once per month to make sandwiches for those in need in the Philadelphia area. This is another easy

way to get involved in service and to meet people from other schools. Rowan House Tutoring: The Rowan House Tutoring project will be headed by Alex Ciardi, Tim Scheuritzel, and Eusha Hasan. We have a large list of students volunteering, and we can always add more. Please contact any Service Board members if you are interested. Riverbend Shiverfest: Every year, Haverford and Agnes Irwin students support the Riverbend Environmental Education Center by participating in its Halloween festivities. Students will be able to dress up and scare people on the haunted trail. All proceeds will support Riverbend. Other Information: If you have any other questions about service at Haverford, stop by the Service Learning Center (first floor office next to Ms. Kasmen), and take a look at the upcoming service events.

Students from Haverford and Agnes Irwin participate in Empty Bowls biannually.

MS. DAWN BLAKE

The Index’s 2017-2018 Staff

P.J. Rodden ’18, Samuel Turner ’18, Nick Chimicles ’19, Editors-in-Chief Neetish Sharma ’19, News Editor Eusha Hasan ’18, Features Editor Toby Ma ’20, Assistant Features Editor Will Henderson ’18, Opinions Editor John Comai ’18, Opnions Editor Grant Sterman ’18, Politics Editor Robert Esgro ’19, Assistant Politics Editor

Lleyton Winslow ’20, Head Web Editor Noah Rubien ’20, Web Editor T.J. Malone ’18, Web Editor Payton Hollway ’18, Web Editor Aditya Sardesai ’20, Web Editor

Gaspard Vadot ’18, Arts Editor Vincent Scauzzo ’20, Assistant Arts Editor Matt LaRocca ’18, Sports Editor Nick Pippis ’19, Assistant Sports Editor Ms. Alicia Evans, Faculty Advisor Bobby Stratts ’18, Staff Photographer Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor

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 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. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2015. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook 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 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.havindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXX, No. 1 - September 6, 2017

Page 3

The Index - Features

Mr. Bridge spans sports, academics

September 2017

If you do ever find yourself in a traditional Moroccan market one day, Mr. Bridge highly recommends avocado milkshakes, a delectable combination of avocado, whole milk, walnuts, figs, and dates. And on Fridays, “I often dug into a mound of couscous so big that you can’t see across, you use your hands, and you drink a huge glass of buttermilk,” said Mr. Bridge. Dabbling in German, Spanish, and French, Mr. Bridge seeks to understand the world around him. Mr. Bridge said, “If I could travel to any era of history, I would live for a year in and practice the way of life in immediately pre-colonial Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, and North America.” In fact, Mr. Bridge wishes that he could understand all eras of history and all types of people from their point of view: “I would want a superpower power like Jean Grey or Professor X,” said Mr. Bridge, “where you can occupy the mind of someone else and see things from their perspective.”

Samuel Turner ’18 Born in Fulda, Germany. Raised in Los Angeles, California. Attended college in Lewisburg, PA. Pursued his Masters in Chicago. Taught in San Francisco, California and Rabat, Morocco. He is the second most interesting man in the world. His name is Mr. Nathan Bridge, and he will be teaching Calculus and Geometry and coaching Varsity Soccer at Haverford this year. A man of many travels and many sports, Mr. Bridge was recruited to play water polo at Bucknell University, but his long-time love has always been soccer. Mr. Bridge said, “I grew up in a very comfortable suburb of Los Angeles, but in my immediate vicinity were a lot more communities where it paid to be tough. Through osmosis, and often on the soccer field, I showed a very tough exterior, so my friends called me Wolverine.” Even though he now has the facial hair to prove it, Mr. Bridge traded in his “Wolverine” exterior for a life in academics. After majoring in philosophy and history at Bucknell, Mr. Bridge graduated from the University of Chicago with an M.A. in Humanities. On the pathway to becoming a Ph.D. in philosophy, he realized that “the world of an academic is very lonely: you have no confirmation as a young academic if you’re doing a good job of contributing to the conversation of your esoteric field of inquiry,” said Mr. Bridge. “I realized at that point what I loved the most was having the same effect on my students that my undergraduate professors had on me,” Mr. Bridge continued. “Teaching was ultimately what I wanted to do.” Mr. Bridge substitute-taught first and third grade and was teaching Harold Washington College courses, including Metaethics, Philosophy of Language, Symbolic Logic, and Political Philosophy. Having had an introduction

to the philosophy of mathematics in graduate school, Mr. Bridge subsequently fell in love with mathematics, what he described as “the purest form of philosophy.” He said, “With philosophy as my weapon, I started in on a mathematics education that for me was the most exhilarating learning I’ve ever engaged in.” A self-identified quasi-realist in the world of metaethics, Mr. Bridge soon pursued a mathematics teaching degree first at City College of San Francisco, and then at San Francisco State University. He said of his experience at City College, “My classmates were military veterans; they were single mothers; they were people who

PHOTO BY INTEL CHEN ’19

wanted to be smart about their finances; they were some of the most mature, thought-provoking, interesting, and real people I’d ever worked with.” After spending a few years teaching in San Francisco public schools and at the French American International School, Mr. Bridge then traveled to Morocco to teach mathematics at the Rabat American School. One of the key differences between teaching in the U.S. and Morocco, Mr. Bridge said, “[was] the expectation and norms around teacher-student interactions. In Morocco, everything is negotiable. If you go into a traditional Moroccan market, there are no price-tags.”

BOBBY STRATTS ’18

Mr. Nathan Bridge most recently taught math in Morocco.

Mr. Myers adds to physics and math equations Eusha Hasan ’18 This year, Mr. Adam Myers will join Haverford as both a freshman physics and algebra teacher. Ever since high school, Mr. Myers knew that he wanted to pursue STEM in college. Mr. Myers said, “I had a great chemistry teacher in high school who inspired me to pursue something based in chemistry.” After tinkering with the coursework and variety of majors offered at Pennsylvania State University, “I opted for engineering because [he] felt it was a more open-ended pursuit,” Mr. Myers said. After obtaining his B.S. in Chemical Engineering, the perfect blend of his two favorite subjects, Mr. Myers completed coursework in education at St. Francis to fulfill his additional

love for teaching. Before coming to Haverford, Mr. Myers taught science and math at the Robinson School in Puerto Rico for several years. Now serving as a Robotics team co-sponsor, Mr. Myers was an active contributor to the thriving extracurricular atmosphere at Robinson. The student body reciprocated his devotion to the community by awarding him the dedication of the junior class ring ceremony in the spring of 2016. “It is an decoration selected by the students of the class, given to an individual they felt had a critical role in their development as students and young adults,” Mr. Myers said. Mr. Myers made the tough but rewarding

decision to move to the Northeast to pursue teaching. While scouting for work, he was automatically attracted to Haverford after hearing positive recommendations from colleagues and others in the area. Mr. Myers said, “The reputation I received word of mouth about Haverford demonstrated that I had an opportunity to work at a great school with great peers and great students.” While visiting the school to chat with faculty and sit down for lunch with a few students, Mr. Myers knew right away that Haverford was the right place for him. “The faculty and administration that I interacted with during the interview process were always courteous and

professional. This played a major role.” Mr. Myers is excited to begin teaching physics and algebra this September. He promises his students a deep, immersive learning experience, as opposed to the conventional lecture-style format. In physics class, he prefers to use classroom demonstrations from commonly accessible objects to inculcate an intuitive understanding of abstract concepts. Mr. Myers said, “These demonstrations work to show why the phenomena occur and can give a concrete nature to why the math is used to model such phenomena. These demonstrations can often be performed by the students, giving them an increased role in their learning [and] lead to more lively conversations about the concepts.”

“Every day is a whirlwind of opportunities to have an impact in students’ lives.” -Mr. Meyers

In addition to academia, Mr. Myers also wishes to contribute to Haverford’s vibrant extracurricular culture. He is excited to start coaching the Cavalry robotics team. He wishes to connect with other students and faculty over his favorite trading card game, Magic: The Gathering. “If there is a club, or students would like to form a club, to regularly play and discuss the game, I would be happy to be a part of it,” Mr. Myers added. Mr. Myers cannot wait for the school year to commence. “I am just excited to get back to teaching,” Mr. Myers said. “Every day is a whirlwind of opportunities to have an impact in students’ lives.” Mr. Adam Meyers will be coaching the Robotics team this year.

BOBBY STRATTS ’18

Page 4

Summer spotlight: foundations of leadership conference

The Index - Features

September 2017

Mr. Hart brings political edge to history Nick Chimicles ’19

Eusha Hasan ’18 Members of Haverford’s honorary service association, the Signet Society, recently attended the Foundations of Leadership conference to examine Haverford’s overall high school experience. The purpose of the conference, held on Haverford’s campus, was “to gather students in current leadership positions within a coalition of private schools,” said Sixth Former Robb Soslow, a member of the Signet Society. With students from various private schools across Pennsylvania including Baldwin, Germantown Academy, Agnes Irwin, and Malvern Prep attending the event, there was cross-school experiential learning that kept the participants engaged. Additionally, the multitude of schools participating added a number of viewpoints on issues. As Sixth Former Miska Abrahams put it, “It was cool to see [students from] a lot of schools; they had a lot of different issues going on at different places, so it was nice to see the scope of it all.” Over the course of two productive days, students participated in various activities and tasks. Soslow said, “At the conference, we listened to a variety of extremely well-qualified speakers, participated in workshops and sessions that were tailored for Haverford, and produced ideas and programs that could be used to better the high school experience at Haverford.”

“[We] were able to learn some new strategies and ways to lead.” -Tommy Bagnell ’18 Participants heard talks given by experienced speakers from the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Union, and other influential figures such as Villanova’s head basketball coach Jay Wright. While working in groups with students from other schools, Signet Society members have developed ideas and plans that should be coming to Haverford shortly. Their plans remain confidential for now, but multiple members have hinted that students should “expect lunch to be interesting.” Abrahams said, “We learned a lot: the steps to developing solutions, team building, and being inclusive in general.” Sixth Former Tommy Bagnell added, “The experience was great because we, seniors, who are seen as leaders of the school were able to learn some new strategies and ways to lead, how to connect the whole student body, and even got to know each other more.”

BOBBY STRATTS ’18

Mr. Jeremy Hart will be teaching Modern World History this year.

In the bowels of the school, up the stairs and down the hallway from Ball Auditorium, once filled with by two-tier engineering tables and a floor littered with forgotten screws, Room 5 has a new appearance. The greenish-gray desks are scattered throughout the room, upon some of which lie freshly opened cardboard boxes. Posters have been tossed upon the wall: a picture of MLK, another of JFK, one states “Be Original” and shows a cartoon man photocopying a filet of meat. Upon four whiteboards there is a lesson plan outlined: Unit 3: Global Conflict Round One. Imperialism. Napoleon. USA enters the world stage. Behind a sparsely covered wood desk sits a young man wearing a mesh James Madison University National Champions athletic shirt, khaki shorts, ankle-high Nike socks and stylish grey sneakers. His name, Mr. Jeremy Hart. One of the newest additions to the Haverford faculty. He is a man of many hats, teaching two sections of Modern World History, coaching the Varsity Lacrosse team and freshman Football, working in the college counseling office, and serving as an advisor to the Honor Council. He previously taught at the all-boys Saint Paul’s School outside of Baltimore as a history teacher, while working towards a master’s degree in education at Johns Hopkins University. He graduated from the Peddie School in New Jersey where he played on the lacrosse team and even faced off against Haverford. He then studied at

James Madison University where he received a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. “I think what really distinguished me was my visit day last March,” explained Mr. Hart. “I taught a freshman World History class, which was covering the causes of the fall of the Roman empire, an area I hadn’t taught. So I asked myself, ‘how can I teach this class without knowing the subject matter as well as I could?’ Well, this was right after the NCAA final, so I made a list of 42 contributors to the fall of the Roman Empire, split the class into groups and asked them to seed the external and internal regions. I said to them, ‘You’re going to pick the winners and the scores, but explain to me why.’” In addition to the novel teaching methods in his arsenal, Mr. Hart still has the expertise to ensure all content is covered, having taught under the pressures of International Baccalaureate (I.B., the internationally-recognized analogue to A.P.) History for two years. While Mr. Tryon might be more focussed on “the environment and the movement of people and cultures” and Mr. Jobs might concentrate on “the big picture and identity,” he himself lies more on the “political side, seeing how different decisions have ripple effects throughout the world,” Mr. Hart said. At Saint Paul’s, Mr. Hart worked in the college counseling office and coached three sports in addition to his roles as a history teacher. “What I like about the job I had a Saint Paul’s and the job I have here is that I get to do a lot of

different things in a lot of different areas,” said Mr. Hart. “It would be great to see how a kid who I coached in freshman football, had for history sophomore year, coached for varsity lacrosse, and went through the college process with grew during high school and maybe took away some lessons that I wish I had had in high school.” Mr. Hart hails from a family of educators, with his two grandparents having been teachers, and his mother a member of the faculty at the Peddie School. “I was a faculty kid growing up,” he recalled. “I always knew that I wanted to get into education.” After college, he worked as a criminal investigator in Washington D.C for a year and a half, which he found, along with Law School, was not for him. After rekindling his love of education at Peddie, he began searching for the next step in his teaching career and recalled Haverford from his high school lacrosse days. “Your Mr. Green is the second one I know,” he said. “His brother John Green,was actually the headmaster at the Peddie School, whom I’ve known for most of my life.” This familial connection, along with Haverford’s reputation in the all-boys school community, drew Mr. Hart further towards a job at Haverford. “What I wanted to do aligned with what Haverford needed. I love Haverford, it shares a lot of values that I have personally. I think I’ll stay here a while.”

Mr. White prepares for Spanish service P.J. Rodden ’18

MR. BILL BRADY

Ms. Joan McConnon presents the story of Project Home.

The Modern and Classical Languages Department recently added a new member to its team of linguists: Mr. Benjamin White. He will serve as a Spanish teacher, showcasing his love of language to the upper school student body. Born and raised in Connecticut, Mr. White attended Gettysburg College after high school. During his time in college, White immersed himself in Spanish culture and language. “At Gettysburg,” said Mr. White, “I earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies. This was a combination of two minors, totaling twelve courses instead of the traditional ten courses for a major.” “I studied the Spanish language through the literature and culture of all Hispanic countries. The Latin American studies part of the major focused on the Spanish speaking countries of the Americas through their histories, politics, and culture.” Further pursuing his education and passion for the Spanish language, Mr. White went on to complete a Master’s of Education from Ohio State University from 2010 to 2011. “The Master’s of Education involved the study of how people learn languages and strategies for the instruction of foreign languages,” he indicated. “It also prepared me to be a classroom teacher in any place kindergarten to twelfth grade.” During his time in college, White initially intended to become a history major, but a

transformative experience abroad shaped the path to his current career. “I spent a semester in Mexico, and I began to speak Spanish with greater proficiency as I learned about Mexican culture and history in first person,” recounted Mr. White. “The professor that accompanied us that semester became a mentor of mine and inspired me to pursue the major.” While abroad, Mr. White saw the distinct connection linking his passion for history and Spanish. The two subjects soon became intertwined. “I have always loved history, studying culture, and exploring the literature of the world,” he said. “My travels and

experiences in Mexico exposed me to different perspectives and attitudes that left me wanting to study more of the Hispanic world. My passion from language comes from using it in travel and to meet new people.” Since graduating, Mr. White applied his love for Spanish culture and language to his teachings in the classroom. Before joining Haverford, Mr. White taught at Cheltenham High School outside of Philadelphia last year, the Whitehall Yearling High School in Ohio from 2011-2016, and the Oxford Academy in Westbrook, Connecticut in 2008-2009. At Whitehall Yearling, Mr. White was the head coach of the tennis team for four years. “My specialty in tennis is doubles,” he said. Mr. White believes that “motivating students and players lies in engaging their interests, being fair and understanding, while having high expectations.” This year, Mr. White will be teaching Honors Spanish II and Spanish IV and coaching the JV tennis team. “Integrating myself into the Haverford community and culture will be an amazing adventure,” he said.

BOBBY STRATTS ’18

Page 5

The Index - Features

September 2017

Summer spotlight: Germination boot camp Neetish Sharma ’19

A group of sixteen-year olds coming up with innovative social solutions for Philadelphia? Fat chance. A cluster of teens formulating a cogent business pitch for a panel of experienced investors in less than a day? Impossible. This summer, impossible was just a word for these teams of Philadelphia-area high school students. Imagine an app designed to improve overall literacy rates in Philadelphia. What about hand sanitizer hubs scattered across the city to curb disease rates and improve overall hygiene? How about an immersive, grassroots service that improves graduation rates by educating and incentivizing teens without resources to graduate high school and apply to college? Maybe even an education and distribution service for a cuttingedge antidote to lower overall heroin overdose rates? These were not ideas pitched by a group of seasoned social entrepreneurs but by this same group of sixteen-year olds. These students were tasked with devising a comprehensive socialimpact strategy and transforming it into a compelling pitch for a group of panelists, all in less than 24 hours. There was one catch: they could not use the internet. This summer at the University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton Social Impact Initiative hosted a week-long boot camp as part of the Germination Project, an organization that aims to re-establish Philadelphia as a national force in culture, innovation, and policy. Founded by the Pamela and Ajay Raju Foundation, the Germination Project pulls the best and the brightest from high schools throughout the greater Philadelphia area to make their mark on the city. Acting as an incubator for these young leaders, the Germination Project invites these ambitious students into a committed fellowship that equips them with invaluable skills, mentorship, and opportunities with the expectation that they will pave new opportunities and pour their talent back into Philadelphia. This class of students, dubbed “fellows,” embarked on a training camp fueled by guided mentorship, interactive team-building exercises, and lunchtime talks from Philadelphia luminaries—all designed to inspire fellows to maximize their potential in leadership, social change, and entrepreneurship. The camp focused on working with others in a team setting in hopes of collectively forming impactful solutions. “We each had different ideas based on our beliefs, our experiences, and our school curriculums. It was pretty cool how all of these such different views from across Pennsylvania came together and became a team. For me, working through those differences was one of my favorite parts of the boot camp,” said 2016 Germination fellow, Sixth Former Samuel Turner. “Our group spent a lot of time working to come to an agreement, and I realized that you have to listen as much as you have to be able to give your own opinion. I think listening is a critical quality to being a good

(L to R) Fifth Formers Andrew D’Arcangelo, Nick Pippis, and Jackson Overton-Clark delivered a school presentation at SGLI.

PUNAHOU SCHOOL

Summer spotlight: exploring peace at the Student Global Leadership Institute Andrew D’Arcangelo ’19 This past July, three Fifth Formers took part in the Student Global Leadership Institute, or SGLI, in Hawaii. Since 2010, the Punahou School in Honolulu has hosted SGLI, where students from around the world congregate and discuss issues in their own communities. The 2017 SGLI group consisted of 70 rising juniors and seniors from 24 schools in nine different countries. The group of ambitious students allowed for a variety of perspectives and approaches to the challenges they were presented with at the conference. For two weeks, students participated in competitive games, attended informative lectures, and went on field trips based on the central idea of peace. The conference culminated in each school developing a project to spread peace within their home communities. During the spring semester, Mr. Brady sent out an announcement to the Fourth Form about applying for a spot in SGLI. The selection process included a written essay of intent and an interview with a few teachers. 2017 SGLI faculty advisor Mr. Brian Long urged “[a]ll sophomores [to] seriously think about applying to take part in SGLI next year. It is a wonderful opportunity to make connections to peers around the globe, learn, and explore challenging topics outside of a traditional graded course structure.” Many definitions of peace were explored throughout the two weeks, and students attempted to bring their knowledge of peace to their local leader.” Along with problem-solving exercises and teambuilding activities, the camp featured multiple speakers over the course of the week. These speakers are influential and important figures within Philadelphia. This year, the speaker lineup featured Dave Spadaro, Eagles Insider for the Philadelphia Eagles; Bill Green, former City Councilman and Chair of the School Reform Commission; Dr. Marisa Porges, Baldwin’s Head of School; and Sozi Pedro Tulante, City Solicitor of Philadelphia. “The lunch speakers were among my favorite experiences at boot camp. The lineup would be representative of many facets of life, such as someone from maybe education, economics, a lawyer, or a doctor. What inspired me about their conversations was their path to success, sometimes

communities scattered around the globe through multiple student-organized activities.

On another day, half of the students worked alongside immigrants and refugees who were stranded in Hawaii at the Pacific Gateway Center, while the other half taught lessons about peace to preschoolers at local schools and churches. In one activity, randomly chosen groups planned and created a pop-up station to spread peace to passers by on the beach. The pop-ups ranged from playing with puppies to origami; each pop-up had varying levels of success. On another day, half of the students worked alongside immigrants and refugees who were stranded in Hawaii at the Pacific Gateway Center, while the other half taught lessons about peace to preschoolers at local schools and churches. One of the three Haverford attendees, Fifth Former Jackson Overton-Clark, said, “My favorite activity was our field trip to the preschool. I got to lead a lesson for the preschoolers with some of my best friends I made at SGLI. We stayed there for at least two hours, and I left the most from poorer backgrounds, and the connections that they made along the way,” commented Sixth Former and former 2016 Germination fellow Matthew Tucker. After the camp, students work with their mentors and colleagues in specialized teams to embark on service initiatives to tackle some of the city’s most pressing problems. Most recently, Germination fellows undertook a large-scale initiative with the American Heart Association to train over 10,000 low-income Philadelphians in live-saving CPR techniques. They are also working to make CPR certification a high school requirement throughout Philadelphia. The next initiative for the current 2017 Germination class is soon to come. “I am very excited to move into the next phase of the project in which my class of fellows will

Germination Fellows heard from speaker Bill Green, a former Philidelphia City Councliman.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GERMINATION PROJECT

exhausted I’d been on the trip. I have newfound respect for preschool teachers.” As amazing as the list of programs is, many participants found that the most unique thing that SGLI had to offer was the people. Fifth Former Nick Pippis described the global connections as “probably the coolest part of the program.” He added, “I now have friends and a place to stay if I visit all different parts of the world, which is crazy, and the fact that we still keep in touch and reminisce on our trip amazes me.” Under the guidance of Mr. Long and Punahou School teacher Mr. Keith Cockett, the three Haverford students developed a project to promote peace and understanding among the student body throughout the 2017-2018 school year and beyond. The students noticed a problem in the way that Haverford boys interact with each other, and they hope that this year’s project will help to create a more supportive brotherhood in which students and faculty feel free to share personal stories and opinions without judgement. Pippis, Overton-Clark, and D’Arcangelo are happy to answer any questions about their plans for the peace project, the application process for the SGLI, or any of their own experiences in the program. Overton-Clark asked the student body “[t]o please go into it with an open mind. It will help us all create a less hostile environment.”

develop a series of social impact initiatives that will better Philadelphia,” said Fifth Former and one of three current 2017 Germination fellows Nick Chimicles. “The connections that my peers and I will gain through not only my other Germination peers, but also Ajay, will likely be quite beneficial to us in the future. However, the webs of connections that are being built will not only be utilized for the interests of those within the web but also for this lifelong community of social impactors who will better Philadelphia.”

“[I]t is clear that Haverford students are invariably prepared and practiced. They demonstrate a sincere, quiet leadership that can be refined early and sustained over the long term.” -Ajay Raju, GP Founder Haverford is one of ten schools to nominate young sophomores for consideration. After a rigorous application process in which academic transcripts, essays, and interviews are reviewed, fellows are considered and chosen. So far, nine Haverford students have been accepted into the program, now in its third year. This year, Fifth Formers Neetish Sharma, Nick Chimicles, and Alec Manko were selected as 2017 Germination fellows and participated in this year’s boot camp. “Our interview process is intense,” said Ajay Raju, CEO of Dilworth Paxson LLP and founder of the Germination Project. “In those conversations, it is clear that Haverford students are invariably prepared and practiced. They demonstrate a sincere, quiet leadership that can be refined early and sustained over the long term.”

Page 6

The Index - Features

September 2017

Sixth Former Samuel Turner represents USA in Maccabi Games Aditya Sardesai ’20

Sixth Former Samuel Turner represented the United States in the 20th World Maccabi Games, which took place from June 20 to July 18. Turner, who played in the Junior Boys Squash Division, was a critical component in team USA’s silver medal performance. The Maccabi Games, known as the Maccabiah in Hebrew, is a Jewish athletic competition that takes place every four years in Israel. “The Maccabiah is basically the Jewish Olympics,”

Turner said. “All the athletes are half-Jewish or Jewish.” The Maccabi Games is similar to the Olympic Games, as delegations of athletes from across the globe congregate and compete in various sports. “There are delegations from around eighty countries and ten thousand athletes,” said Turner. Like the Olympics, the athletes are awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals. The Maccabi Games separates the athletes by age to ensure competition among similarly experienced athletes. “There are three different age groups: the Juniors, the Open, and the Masters,” Turner said. This year, Maccabi USA organized an extensive PR campaign to get the word out about the Games. “There was a lot of advertisement about [the Maccabi Games] on the USSQUASH website, and I heard about it from a few friends,” Turner said. Conveniently, the Maccabi USA headquarters are located in Philadelphia. Interested in competing, Turner decided to try out at Drexel University. From the pool of boys and girls who tried out, seven boys and eight girls qualified to represent Team USA in the 2017 Maccabi Games. In Israel, the competition for Turner was split up into two separate tournaments: individuals and the team event. “In the Junior boys’ [division], there were about thirty boys,” Turner noted. In singles, Turner made it to the consolation finals by beating Israel’s #5-ranked player. A loss to Panama’s #1 junior in the consolation finals put Turner in tenth place overall. The team competition is similar to how a squash team normally competes: each player plays a match, and the team that wins more matches wins. “We [Team USA] beat Great Britain, South Africa, and then a Panama/Mixed team,” Turner said. He and the six other boys representing Team USA played Israel in the finals but were bested by a slim margin. Turner narrowly lost in five games to Israel’s #3-ranked player. Nonetheless, Turner played a crucial role in Team USA’s silver medalwinning performance. Before competing in the Maccabi Games, the athletes spent their first week touring across Israel. Turner and the rest of the squash team toured Israel with the girls’ lacrosse team and the boys’ water polo team. “We went to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv,

the Dead Sea, and Haifa,” Turner said. This competition has proved to be important to the global Jewish community, as it brings together athletes from all across the world. Needless to say, Turner felt a connection to Israel, his heritage, and the athletes and people around him. “When I went to the Maccabi Games, I was delighted to see how tightly-knit the international Jewish community is and how having a common religion and a common heritage bonds you with people across the world.” This strong sense of community has inspired Turner to pursue learning Hebrew. “Meeting Israeli squash players and being in Israel made me want to return to Israel and connect with my heritage. Studying Hebrew in college would be a way for me to do that. One of Turner’s favorite moments from the competition was the opening ceremony, hosted in Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium. “It was like the

Olympics, where you would walk into the stadium with your team delegation.” Patriotism radiated from Team USA’s procession through the stadium. Turner said, “Walking into the stadium with the other team USA athletes, we were all singing the national anthem, chanting ‘USA.’ Being a part of that team experience was very special.” Turner’s most memorable moment was hearing the crowd cheer him on during his match in the team event finals. “That was a very special moment for me, representing my country and being able to play for something bigger than me. It’s the same kind of feeling that I get when I’m playing at high school nationals for Haverford,” Turner said. Turner expects to be back on the squash courts in Israel in the Maccabi Games. Turner said, “I had such an amazing time that I plan on going back in four years.”

MR. RICHARD LEVIN

(L to R) Sixth Former Samuel Turner, Eli Kramer, and Brad Levin clinched the silver medal for Team USA.

China trip: breaking language barriers and using squat toilets Vincent Scauzzo ’20 This past summer, the Global Studies Program sent twelve Haverford students and three Haverford teachers to China. The two-week trip sent the group to every corner of the Middle Kingdom: from the fortifications of the Great Wall near Beijing, to the spring-like city of Kunming, to the peaceful countryside outside Chengdu. The trip was a part of the Global Studies travelstudy program, whose main goal, according to the school’s website, is “[t]o enhance the learning that takes place in the classroom by integrating authentic travel experiences into specified areas of the curriculum.” Many of the students on the trip took Chinese language courses at Haverford and were accompanied by Chinese teachers, Mr. Gary Kan and Mrs. Taylor Smith-Kan. The journey immersed students in a foreign culture. Although the journey was hard at times—such as trying to get past the language barrier and using a squat

toilet for the first time—the challenges only added to their overall experience. “Most of my fondest memories come from some of the most uncomfortable and scary moments of my life,” said Mr. Kan. “I think my students share that mentality—they are overtly hungry for stepping out of their comfort zone and expanding their linguistic and cultural boundaries … the squat toilets and mosquito bites may not be the most positive experiences, but I trust that, in hindsight, all of us would agree that this is a life-changing experience in a very positive way.” “We were in a completely new environment and we had to get through it ourselves, which was really amazing,” said Fifth Former John Williams. Over the course of the trip, students delved into many facets of Chinese culture, such as trying authentic Chinese foods, learning about the Chinese tea ceremony, and attempting Chinese “square” dancing—which takes place in a large public space and has no established movements or

Chinese students participated in a homestay in Anlong.

MS. TAYLOR SMITH-KAN

choreography, unlike Western square dancing. In addition, students also got to live with homestay families, where they saw Chinese life first-hand. The China trip presented many new and unique experiences. One of Fourth Former Alexander Greer’s most prized memories from the trip was “[s]eeing the mountains surrounding the Great Wall, a truly breathtaking experience that could probably never be recreated elsewhere.” The students also seized the opportunity to hone their language skills by communicating with native speakers. Students needed to interact with locals to get through the day; for example, students were given stipends to buy their own meals, so they had to order from a street vendor or restaurant. “We were essentially thrown into the deep end of language learning,” said Greer, “And luckily, we all discovered how to swim with great success.” One such activity where the students needed to use their Mandarin skills was a scavenger hunt that sent four groups of students scurrying across the city of Kunming to complete many difficult tasks (for example, one task was to photograph a student playing a traditional Chinese instrument while a teammate in the background ate a banana). Although sometimes comical, these activities were effective in helping students grasp a better understanding of the Chinese language. “I wanted to go into this trip to get a better understanding of not only the Chinese language, but also how to use it,” added Greer. “I feel as though the trip certainly accomplished this, as I was able to more confidently communicate with people in both Chinese and English afterwards.” “I wanted to see the beauties of China and experience the culture,” said Williams, “This trip completed that, and I now have a new respect for Chinese.” And that, said Mr. Kan, is the intention of the China travel-study program. “There were parts [of the program] that were hardwired to

deliver certain results such as the language classes and homestay experiences in the cities and rural areas,” Mr. Kan said. “But there were moments of using public transportation in a buzzing city with nothing around but Chinese signs and Chinese speaking people, navigating around a rural village and playing ping-pong with the locals, or silently reflecting on the meaning of life on the Great Wall. Those unexpected, incredibly authentic and meaningful learning moments had lifechanging impacts on each of our students. For me personally, nothing pleases me more than seeing our students applying their Chinese knowledges in the real world.” The students themselves were greatly enriched by their experience in China. “I would without a doubt recommend participating in a group travel-study program such as this one,” said Greer, “I think that I will remember every moment of this trip for years to come, not only because of my experiences learning the language, but also for the invaluable feeling of living in the lifestyle of an entirely different culture.” “It was amazing to travel to the other side of the earth and experience new cultures,” said Williams. Mr. Kan said, “[The trip] not only achieved the goals of the Global Studies program, such as language acquisition and cultural empathy, but it also addressed [the] school’s wide strategic visions such as character building, leadership development, decision education, [and] global citizenship.” He added, “I am thankful that our school provides such wonderful opportunities for our students to participate in the China travel-study program.” Mr. Kan cannot wait for the next China trip two years from now, when he can enrich another cohort of avid Mandarin students’ perspective of Chinese people and their culture.

Page 7

The Index - Opinions

September 2017

a massive placating effort. In the absence of a high culture or significant modernist nationalist current, the fallback of Chinese culture has been to look for foreign offerings. For these reasons, China’s mass culture has been mostly taken in from the west, from fashion to music to literature. Postmodernism has become a rising influence in Western discourse, for better or for worse. Trump, for one, is indicative of the nascent post90’s consumer postmodernism. He is a political reflection of the desires of a society molded by television and entertainment, as well as the foil to the axioms of Washington. On the flipside, the left has developed a postmodern sort of academic epistemology, spearheaded by postcolonial theory and filtered into mainstream discourses through intersectionality, anti-racism, and other various idealist concepts. In China, postmodernism has yet to have the same political influence as it does in the west. However, it has shown some potential. Postmodernism, despite its deconstructive nature, can act as a building block, clearing space for new

imaginations of crucial ideas and practices, such as democracy, mass organization, class society, and more. For example, a so called “New Left” in China has shown some signs of life. Generally, this term applies to Communist Party officials and local political movements that organize resistance to capitalist material forces and often espouse a desire to return to a Maoist party line. That being said, the movement is not definitively Maoist, nor is it unified. It is a genuine upspring of social, political, and economic resistance. Like the Chinese New Left, more political and social currents will begin to develop in China, as the Fukuyamist lull of the 90’s comes to a close, and global crises such as climate change, overpopulation, and cybernetic warfare accelerate the devolution of the liberal-capitalist world order. China’s role as the most populous country on earth, the second largest military power, and largest economy makes its internal sociopolitical developments a crucial step for change in the world at large.

Postmodern China’s implications John Comai ’18

In mainstream contemporary discourse, The People’s Republic of China plays several different, and sometimes conflicting, roles. National security debates involving the South China Sea, for example, will often center around China’s strong military power, enabled by its powerful central leadership and crisp state functions. China is perceived as a nebulous adversary in this context, but in the realm of economics, China is a rich business opportunity, offering millions of consumers to foreign companies and new markets to foreign investors. As the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasury bonds, China also holds an immense influence on the security of the U.S. economy, making it an uneasy partner to the U.S. government and domestic capitalists. Either way, these Western narratives about China and its significance fall into a rather simple pitfall. Their assumption that China operates as a polity and society similar to the modernist, post-WWII Western world causes errors in their analyses and prevents them from accurately theorizing. In other words, their analyses operate based on the idea that China’s direction is towards a Fukuyama-style embrace of “post history”: their military activity is meant to bring an end to political disputes and maintain a stable nationstate, and their economic developments reflect market trends and the strive to yield returns on investment. Under this assumption, it becomes impossible to explain the coexistence of various ideologies that would otherwise be untenable together. On the streets of Shanghai, privately-operated banks fly communist flags. Anti-imperialist slogans are marked on the side of buildings owned by foreign investors. Confucian-style respect of tradition is interwoven into the minds of Chinese youth along with a fluid consumerism that rejects the notion of established norms. This analysis has no predictive or explanatory power; it simply attempts to mold China into an understandable lens for Western audiences. Western liberal commentators will fail to explain honestly why China’s political structure has remained rigid since 1978 while its economy has made vast changes. China is not a static nation-state. It is a dynamic, postmodern entity, a political and social body directed by a swath of both conflicting and complementary forces. Not only is China postmodern, but it is postmodern in a way that distinguishes itself from the postmodernity of the west in theory and practice. This analysis explains China’s specific phenomena without resorting to inconsistencies, and can more comprehensively understand the next potential developments in China’s sociopolitical environment. China is uniquely postmodern in that it did not follow the Western path. No equivalent of the European enlightenment occurred in China, and rather than 19th century modernism and

nationalism, China adapted socialist modernism after the defeat of the nationalists in 1949. The previous Republic of China government, though bourgeois-modernist in its approach, was unable to reach some specific markers which defined European modernism. First, it held limited control over the country politically, weakened badly by the reign of competing regional warlords. Though Chiang’s 1928 “Northern Expedition” somewhat resolved this, the Nanjing government was unable to exercise complete control over these vestiges of feudalism, and what control was gained was undermined soon after by the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. In the midst of the Second Sino-Japanese War, then the continued civil war from 1945 to 1949, the ROC government could not claim any significant cultural influence over China. The push to dispel foreigners and reestablish national culture and sovereignty along with liberal institutionalism failed in earnest with Mao’s victory in 1949. A different current had swept China, one fiercely supported by the peasant and worker classes, as well as some factions of the national and petty bourgeoisie: Communism. Though opposed to liberalism, which in some ways has come to be a defining aspect of Western modernism, Communism is still fundamentally a modernist ideology. Unlike post-war Western modernism, socialist modernism centered around a planned economy and a straightforward statecitizen political system. Socialist modernism in the Mao era took the Soviet form, i.e. industrial development through five year plans, agricultural collectivization, and state ownership. The 1966 Cultural Revolution secured the hegemony of socialist modernism through the destruction of cultural artifacts and political terror directed at revisionists, reactionaries, liberals, and petty-bourgeois elements of the Communist Party. Yet the Sino-Soviet split, which had proliferated since the death of Stalin in 1953, and the rise of financial markets in the 70’s gave insurmountable challenge to socialist modernism. After Mao’s death and the Gang of Four’s arrest, the Deng Xiaoping government began enacting reform in 1978 to dismantle the socialist mode of production built by Mao, and to develop China in the path of the postmodern west. Economic liberalization in China opened the floodgates for the tidal wave of foreign and domestic influences that would sweep the country in the coming decades. Like the postmodern west, China has been overwhelmed since the 70’s by an explosion of imagistic consumerism due to the development of digital media and communications technology. However, China’s relationship to this simulacra differs in that it has largely been imported. The Chinese export model, wherein masses of rural residents have been shifted into urban centers to work for low wages in manufacturing, has required

JOHN COMAI ’18

Sixth Former John Comai visited Shanghai this summer.

College admissions process is grueling William Henderson ’18 One of the longest and most stressful processes of a person’s life is getting admitted to college. At Haverford, this task lasts from the end of sophomore year to the middle or end of senior year. The college process is unpleasant: it is expensive, stressful, and competitive. The amount of work that goes into it — combined with the influence of money and competition — transforms what should be a relatively straightforward path into one convoluted with anxiety and the workload of about two or three extra classes. For most Haverford students, the drama begins with standardized testing in the spring of Form IV. To be clear, these tests are not a “one and done” deal as they probably should be; students may have to take the ACT or SAT multiple times,

they must know if their schools are test optional, they must know if they can superscore, they must know if they can send their highest composite score or their highest section scores. The bottom line is that students have to learn the system in order to get a leg up on other applicants. After spending months tutoring and studying for the SAT or ACT, colleges throw in another wrench: Subject Tests. Though they may sound mildly interesting, I assure you they are not. Students might simultaneously study for school, the SAT or ACT, and at least two Subject Tests. Many schools only “strongly recommend” Subject Tests, so if a school is deciding between two applicants, one without Subject Test scores and one with high Subject Test scores, it might pick the student with the higher scores. Don’t worry, there’s more. Class work, visiting colleges, filling out applications, writing essays,

and much more — if students want to get admitted to a college, they must stay on top of all of these. Alone, all of these tasks may sound simple. Added together, however, these tasks give students the stress of Wall Street bankers. Speaking of money, the college process requires a lot of it. Getting admitted into a college is a for-profit process. The College Board, the organization in charge of the SAT and founded in 1899, has been taking advantage of young adults and their families ever since. Students have to take a College Board test at some point in this process, and doing so can cost up to $60. Most students take the test more than once, adding up to $120, $180, and even $300 in some cases — not even including Subject Tests. The College Board also sells students textbooks for up to $30 each and offers tutoring packages starting at $900. The last

way this group takes advantage of students is by delaying the release of test scores. For example, if a student takes a test on September 1 and is debating about whether or not to take the October 1 test, he/she will not know his/her score from the September test until after the October test occurs. Perhaps the College Board is playing people for profit. And this is only the College Board, one of many standardized testing companies. Students can also pay to be “tutored” when writing college essay supplements, to visit schools (especially in travel expenses), and to simply send an application to a school. This process is grueling, and the only time I will actually be happy with it is when I get admitted to a school. After paying for testing tutors, taking the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests, and visiting schools, all I have left to throw money away at is sending in my applications — then I can start to pay a school $65,000 a year.

Page 8

The Index - Politics

September 2017

The removal of controversial statues Ryan Sanflippo ’18

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS VIA WIKIMEDIA

Jefferson Davis statue in Richmond, Virginia.

Although the American Civil War ended 152 years ago, stark racial tensions remain within these United States as perfectly expressed by the events in Charlottesville a few weeks ago. Charlottesville reignited a race-relations issue which had previously received little attention: the

removal of Confederate statues and monuments. In 2015, Dylan Roof, a known white supremacist and supporter of the Confederacy, murdered nine African-American members of the Emmanuel A.M.E church in Charleston, South Carolina. This tragedy furiously revived debate over the removal of confederate monuments. In the weeks following the Charleston church shooting, the Confederate flag was removed from the grounds of the South Carolina State House. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) also began to compile a database of Confederate monuments, schools, military bases, public spaces, streets, etc. that are named after the Confederacy or its leaders. The SPLC found 1,503 symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces. Of the 1,503 symbols, 718 are monuments, mostly of Confederate soldiers. It is also interesting to note that the majority of the monuments were built during two eras: the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The majority of schools named in honor of the Confederacy were either dedicated or re-named during the Civil Rights Movement. Under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, the government is prohibited from restricting the basic rights of citizens or other persons. Congressmen, mayors, city council members, and the like all have a sworn obligation to uphold the Constitution. If they believe that the monuments abridge the rights of any citizens, then they have a moral and legal obligation to remove them. Prohibiting some representations of the Confederacy is easy. For example, the Durham school board recently unanimously voted to prohibit the wearing of symbols of the Confederate flag, swastikas, and KKK symbols. However, removing Confederate monuments and symbols is a different situation. In a recent NPR/PBS newshour poll, 62% of respondents said that statues honoring Confederate leaders should remain as a historical symbol, 27% said they should be removed because they are offensive to some people, and the remaining 11% said they were unsure. However, of the respondents that were African-American, 44% said they should remain, 40% said they should be removed, and 16% said they were unsure. Although the statues commemorate a repulsive time in U.S. history, these statues can be a learning lesson. These statues and monuments should be either displayed in museums or turned into memorials, like the Holocaust memorial in Berlin. By turning monuments into memorials, a memory of the Confederacy would be kept alive -- a memory of remembrance rather than reverence.

JOHN COMAI ’18

North Korea has been on the periphery of the U.S. national security state’s attention since 1952. Only recently have a combination of the DPRK nuclear program’s developments, provocative public statements from Pyongyang and Washington, and joint US-ROK preparatory action on the DMZ brought North Korea into the spotlight of American media coverage. In a Seoul press conference, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson officially announced that the Trump White House would be abandoning the Obamaera policy of “strategic patience.” Tillerson said that President Trump’s administration will be examining a new list of potential policy options; he emphasized that a military option was still on the table. The President himself made his position on the conflict clear, expressing disappointment at the Chinese leadership’s perceived unwillingness to confront the North Korean state and calling on the North Korean regime to end its nuclear program under threat of violence. China, the only regional ally of North Korea, has uncomfortably sided with the U.S. in recent years, asking North Korea to diffuse the situation and even freezing coal imports from North Korea in reaction to its nuclear proliferation. Despite the aggressive posturing by both parties, the Korean situation remains locked. On one hand, North Korea will almost certainly not comply with American demands to denuclearize. Since the U.S. has strong regional allies in South Korea and Japan, North Korea has only one hand they can play in response to U.S. aggression: nuclear weapons. The threat of immolation of major cities in the region is one of the very few factors holding back a U.S. invasion. The

international community is almost entirely behind the U.S. and her allies, who face little repercussion for any military action taken on their part. Indeed, it is safe to assume that North Korea was observant of how the U.S. used international pressure to force chemical weapons from the hands of both Iraq and Libya and then to destroy the two states. North Korean nuclear missiles may be able to reach the U.S. mainland, but the U.S. has near-insurmountable advantages in the form of international hegemony and a vastly larger nuclear stockpile.

The “crisis” here is entirely reliant on the whims of the U.S. national security leadership. North Korea will almost certainly not precipitate one on its own. Unsurprisingly, achieving North Korean denuclearization would probably require a goodfaith effort by the U.S. to scale down its own nuclear stockpiles and reduce its troop presence in the North Pacific. This demand, while not unreasonable, is untenable to the U.S., whose desire for international control remains as strong as ever. For these reasons, it may be that the Trump administration simply continues strategic patience under another name, lest an unprecedented amount of death and destruction befall the Korean peninsula in the case of a disastrous first-strike. The “crisis” here is entirely reliant on the whims of the U.S. national security

Why Trump won’t be impeached but also won’t be reelected Gramt Sterman ’18 President Donald Trump’s “soft” reaction to the Charlottesville riots and his pardoning of controversial former sheriff Joe Arpaio has stirred a resurgence of calls for impeachment. Democrats feel impeachment is the only suitable punishment for President Trump’s actions. However, their efforts will most likely fail for two reasons. One, members of the public are looking largely at non-presidential, yet completely legal actions by Trump as grounds for impeachment. While many want to reprimand the President for tweeting excessively and playing too much golf, they are criticizing the appropriateness of an action rather than its legality. Some Democrats will point to the Russian probe as evidence of collusion, but United State law is based on “innocent until proven guilty”; thus

far, no foul play on Trump’s behalf has been found. Instead, Democrats would be wise to base President Trump’s impeachment on his continuing of business ventures while in the Oval Office, a possible conflict of interest and actual impeachable offense. Two, despite any actions President Trump may commit, impeachment is still a very political process. The Republicans are an extreme majority in Congress, and an impeachment trial requires two-thirds of the Senate to convict the president. Despite what the media may say, Trump’s approval rating is still relatively high among Republicans. Incumbent Republican congressmen and congresswomen will not be willing to risk their voting base to impeach a president still relatively liked. Compare President Trump’s scenario to former President Bill

Clinton. President Clinton was not convicted in his impeachment trial for his relations with Monica Lewinski despite a Republican majority in the senate. In the recent healthcare vote, most of the Republican senators proved to still stand with the President. It is highly unlikely that President Trump’s support would suddenly collapse in the case of an impeachment. Democrats may still see the early exit from President Trump that they desire: opting not to run for re-election. The last president who chose to not run for re-election was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. Character evidence suggests that the President may not want a second go. Donald Trump is “a winner”: his pride and ego are at the forethought of most of his decisions. After winning the 2016 election as an underdog, Trump could not have felt more loved. He loves

to constantly talk about how much America loves him and that the media’s “fake news” is not a factual representation of his support. He may not be willing to risk his reputation. The last time an incumbent president lost re-election was in 1992, when George H.W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton; the odds would definitely be in Trump’s favor, should he decide to run. However, he may prefer the 100% odds of always being a winner, allowing his claim of ubiquitous support to never go disproved. Additionally, considering the current havoc that is American politics, President Trump may want to leave the mess to another Republican president while he can retire to one of his mansions and author a best-selling book.

Page 9

The Index - Arts

September 2017

Summer spotlight: student artists at work Gaspard Vadot ’18

Robb Soslow ’18

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBB SOSLOW ’18

Sixth Former Robb Soslow worked in Maranacook College in jewlery design earlier this year.

When he isn’t writing speeches to the student body, editing Haverford’s very own literary magazine or training his vocal cords with the remarkable Notables, Sixth Form’s Robert Soslow might be in the studio, tirelessly working on some of his most brilliant work: his jewelry. As a Third Former, Soslow showed his talents in the Ceramics room under the tutelage of Mr. Nelson, who expected great things from him even as a young student. But three years ago, Soslow also took part in the jewelry course at Baldwin after school. While his background may have been with clay, Soslow was more interested in working with metals to make jewelry, a unique passion here at Haverford. Since then, he has become more and more comfortable with his tools, and his work has received not only more attention, but also considerable praise and admiration from peers and teachers alike. This summer, the Sixth Former attended a Pre-college at the Rhode Island School of Design, a program made for high-schoolers to go through

the same experiences as an incoming freshman would have during their “foundation year” at RISD. Sleeping in dorms with other students and going to drawing, design and other art classes during during the day, working long hours in the studio outside of classes, Soslow discovered the intensity of art school. Through a characterically hard workload that ranges from drawing and jewelry design to critical essays, Soslow has made major steps forward in his artistic knowledge: “my design sense has been markedly improved, my drawing has advanced in leaps and bounds, and my skills in jewelry, specifically my conceptual execution of work, has improved as well.” During his final year at Haverford, Soslow will be taking the 3D Senior Thesis course where he not only hopes to further his one of a kind talent but also take advantage of Haverford’s brand new lathe. Regardless of what Soslow chooses to do with his time in the studio, there is no doubt that it will catch our attention.

Tyler Campbell ’18 This summer, Sixth Former Tyler Campbell went to Kenyon College in Ohio to attend a writing workshop to improve his art: poetry. For three weeks, Campbell worked in eight-hour long workshops, reading and reacting to literary pieces and articles with poetry and writing. “I always loved telling stories, so writing came naturally,” Campbell says. He started writing poetry when he was 10 years old and has not stopped improving since. Shel Silverstein’s fun and short poems are what inspired Campbell to write when he was in 5th grade. Yet, this summer, Campbell reached into a “much deeper meaning of writing,” but on top of improving his literary skills, his interaction with

other students from around the world at Kenyon’s program reinforced a valuable belief about society: “though you may be vastly different from someone else on the surface, if you give them a chance and listen to their story you will find a lot more commonalities than differences.” Kenyon’s program will remain a positive memory for Campbell, who recommends it not only to avid writers of poetry, but also to anyone who enjoys any kind of writing. Even with the 150 members of the program, Campbell found it to be a personalized learning experience, of which he comes out not only a better poet but also a “much better, more polished writer” overall.

PHOTO BY AMELL GARRISON, COURTESY OF TYLER CAMPBELL ’ 18

Sixth Former Tyler Campbell studied poetry at Kenyon College this summer.

Summer lab research cont. The students were also quite surprised by the freedom granted to them. Many had expected to merely shadow a graduate around the lab while jotting notes. While working in insect biology and ecology at Drexel University, Sixth Former James Ives said, “I figured that I’d be following the professors around and copying everything they did. It was pretty jarring to be largely left to my own devices. After a week or two of learning my way around the lab, I was left to handle my own project and to help some of the undergrad students with their work.” In the beginning weeks, the students scrambled to keep up with the heaps of experiments assigned to them, but slowly they familiarized themselves to the rhythm of the workplace. The rigorous lab environment pushed them to their limits, challenging them to understand multiple procedures and catalog huge swaths of information. Ives said, “I learned how to extract DNA from pea aphids, conduct series of PCR (polymerase chain reactions), and run several gel electrophoresis. I also learned how to manage large sets of data as well as transfer small samples of aphid hemolymph from one subject to another.” Regardless of the difficulty their internships posed, the students were satisfied with the overall experience. As rising Sixth Formers, they were ex-

cited to work independently, beyond the restrictions imposed by teachers at school. Rather than listen to everything uttered by their instructors, the interns could let their imaginations roam wild with the freedom granted to them by their research doctors.

“Some pieces took me multiple versions, but throughout the process, I was able to optimize designs to a point where they would function properly.” -Matthew Tucker ’18 However, with liberty came many mistakes. Everyone initially struggled to use lab tools properly or remember a critical step, but they eventually overcame these hurdles. Matthew Tucker, who researched traumatic brain injury at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering, said, “It is okay to have an unsuccessful design. Some pieces took me multiple versions, but throughout the process, I was eventually able to optimize designs to a point

where they would function properly.” The students had to acknowledge that creativity would initially yield bad results, but over time they would learn to fine-tune their knowledge and hands-on expertise to do the job perfectly, consistently. This process of discovering what is correct instead of being taught from the get-go compelled students to explore various paths, which proved to be taxing but enjoyable in the long run. Now that the students have finished their internships, they must write both a literature review and lab journal for their research. After winter break, they will present their work to the science department and select students, enhancing their ability to communicate science to a broader audience. The participating students would unanimously recommend this opportunity to the Class of 2019. “It is a good simulation of the real world,” Sixth Former Zach Mattiola said. “Not only does it give you the opportunity to foster one’s scientific interests, it also teaches students what it is like to be members of society. You must catch a train to work, then work mostly independently for eight hours, then catch the train home.” Ives endorsed a more cautious stance, warning others “[t]o join only if they really enjoy science and their particular field of study. The lab study is a significant time commitment, after all.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBB SOSLOW ’18

Three pieces of jewelry that Sixth Former Robb Soslow has produced over the last year.

The stories of Ecuador cont. They showed me how important, but little, of an impact our Spanish classes have on our Spanish-speaking skills. While I always knew what I wanted to say, it was hard to express those feelings in a setting where a response is immediately expected.” As with any trip, the pain of saying goodbye to their Ecuadorian friends was difficult. “I can proudly say that this was an experience, not just a trip, an experience of a lifetime. The fourteen of us that traveled to Ecuador all had a hard time leaving the beautiful country,” Gibbs-Brown said. “In fact, three of us were even brought to tears as our flight took off from the city of Guayaquil.” The trip’s students unanimously recommend Spanish students to sign up next year. “I’d like to give a lot of credit to Mr. Poolman,” Gibbs-Brown said. “I honestly think he picked the perfect country, city, and school to send us to. I encourage everyone to try and take advantage of this great opportunity. As I said, it brought us to tears to depart, but we also have this strong urge to return to the great country of Ecuador.”

New schedule cont. Students would be stressing over improving their semester grade and teachers would be assigning large tests or projects. This period could provoke students to stress over the winter break in preparation for the final push of the first semester. “We are very cognisant of this problem,” said Mr. Green. “It’s human nature to want to end with something, but learning is cyclical: it shouldn’t begin on one day and end on another.”

“Keeping an eye on the health and wellness of the boys has been and continues to be a top priority as we navigate these changes.” - Mr. Green Though the changes this year may give rise to a slight fear in the student body, Mr. Green desires to reassure the student body that “keeping an eye on the health and wellness of the boys has been and continues to be a top priority as we navigate these changes.”

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Planning to retake the Inter-Ac, the soccer team is fired up for the 2017 season. This year’s team is captained by Sixth Formers Will Baltrus, Parker Gravina, and Michael Pilkington. The team has already played the first two games of their season, starting with a 2-1 loss to Archbishop Curley and a 2-2 tie against Loyola Blakefield. Playing the first game against one of the top teams in the country was definitely a challenge for the Fords, but during the second half of the game the team managed to score a goal, tying the game. Unfortunately towards the end of the game the Fords conceded another goal leading to their first loss.

“I feel excited and ready to take on a big role on our team and I’m ready for us to take back the Inter-Ac.” -Dan Calvelli ’19

The Index - Sports

September 2017

The following day the Fords faced Loyola. The Fords had a rocky start to the game, giving up two goals in the first half, but, in the second half the team showed their true talent with one goal from Nick Pippis on a breakaway and another from Michael Pilkington with a set-piece volley. Through these first two games, the Fords progressively improved, creating a positive outlook for the rest of the season. This season the team has, in addition to the veteran Coach Brady, two new assistant coaches: Coaches Bridge and Coach Brett. Although the majority of the coaching staff is new, they are fully aware of the expectations for the team this year. Coach Bridge said, “Although I am new here, I’m aware of the program’s past success. With the talent present on the team this year I look forward to a very successful season.” The players are also aware of their expectations. Fifth Former Dan Calvelli said, “I feel excited and ready to take on a big role on our team and I’m ready for us to take back the Inter-Ac.” PHOTO BY MR. JIM ROESE

After a nine-month period of strenuous swimming and treading, the Fords’ water polo team is back and stronger than ever. Last fall, the Fords finished their season 17-9, ultimately demolishing EA in their final game on EA Day. Returning with many of their star players from last year’s title run, Sixth Formers T.J. Brooks, John Nelligan, Matt LaRocca, Matt Baumholtz, Ryan Sanfilippo, and Gaspard Vadot look to make Haverford history; they would be the first Sixth Formers in program history to win the Inter-Ac under head coach Kevin Van Such.

If our younger guys can step up and fill the spots left by last year’s seniors, I believe we have a very strong chance of winning the Inter-Ac.” -T.J. Brooks ’18

spots left by last year’s seniors, I believe we have a very strong chance of winning the Inter-Ac.” Fifth Former Nick Biddle will start his first varsity Inter-Ac game October 3 against Malvern Prep. Along with Germantown Academy, Malvern proves to be the largest obstacle in the way of the Fords’ ultimate goal: winning the league. John Nelligan said, “I think we need to stay focused and take it one game at a time. We [Haverford] have a lot of potential to win this year; everyone just needs to do their job.” Through all of this hard work and patience, winning the Inter-Ac is an accomplishable goal. The Fords, who have failed to win the Inter-Ac since 2009, believe this year and the following years to be their best chances in a long time. Sixth Former Matt LaRocca said, “Our team is looking great this year. Nick Biddle has improved tremendously and so have many of our field players.

Many of our younger players can definitely lead this team in the future, including Fourth Formers Matej Sekulic, my brother Ryan LaRocca, and David Gobora.”

“This is the fastest our team has been since I came to Haverford my freshman year.” -Matt LaRocca ’18 Because the Fords are such a fast team, they plan to use this to their advantage in upcoming games. Sixth Former Matt LaRocca said, “This is the fastest our team has been since I came to Haverford my freshman year.” The water polo team hosts their first home game of the school year against rival school Gonzaga on Friday, September 15.

PHOTO BY MR. JIM ROESE

Led by Coaches Mr. Gui Costin ’85 and Mr. Steve Cloran, the 2016 Haverford Golf team had a good season, culminating with a 192-199 win over archrival Episcopal on EA Day. Despite losing some key members of that team to graduation, this year’s group still looks strong. They return with Sixth Form captains Cal Buonocore and Tyler Roland. In addition, Fifth Formers Peter Garno, Sam Walker, A.J. Aivazoglou, Mac Costin, and David Hurley will also be important contributors. Underclassmen such as Fourth Former Charlie Baker also will play a role in the team’s success. Because of the numerous returning players, the team has high goals.“Our goal has remained the same as last year and that is to win the Inter-Ac,” said Roland,.“While we came up short last year, I think the team that we have is more than capable of getting it done this year.” Inter-Ac golf this year looks competitive. Along with Haverford’s team, defending champion Malvern and Episcopal boast strong, experienced squads and pose the biggest threats. Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, and SCHA also cannot be overlooked. To win the Inter-Ac, the Fords recognize that they must work hard during the season. They stress the importance of being prepared and focused. Roland said, “We will try to reach this goal by practicing hard like we always do to make sure we are prepared for the upcoming matches. Also staying focused will be very important to our success.” Sixth Former Harrison Fellheimer also emphasized the importance of being engaged. “We will win matches by just playing our game, hitting fairways and greens in regulation, not trying to go for the big shots,” Fellheimer said. The key matches for the Fords this season will be the first and last Inter-Ac tournaments held at Huntingdon Valley Country Club on September 12 and October 19 respectively. Roland said, “The first one is important because you never want to fall behind early. The last one is important because it tends to be the one filled with the most nerves and ultimately it is what the whole season comes down to.”

Although many Sixth Formers will contribute significantly to the Ford’s upcoming season, multiple Fifth and Fourth Formers will provide Haverford with the ample support necessary to win the league. Captain T.J. Brooks said, “I think the sophomores and juniors are the key to this season. All of the other Inter-Ac teams have established seniors, like us, but their younger guys aren’t as strong. This year, we need guys like Matej Sekulic and Ryan LaRocca to continue to improve in their starting roles; we need to see David Gobora make the leap from a J.V. to varsity contributor; and we need starting goalie Nick Biddle fill the void left by All-Inter-Ac goalie M.J. Tricolli. If our younger guys can step up and fill the Fords Football is back. After a rigorous summer filled with intense training camps, the Fords are ready to have another successful season of football. Fifth Form Kicker Thomas Ward is especially excited. “Although we lost a lot of really good seniors last year,” Ward said, “we made up for it with all the practice and hard work we have put in during the offseason. We have a great season ahead of us.” “Hard work and dedication” seemed to be the two overarching themes when discussing the team’s success. Even though the team this year

PHOTO BY MR. JIM ROESE

believes that the Inter -Ac poses as a challenge, team members still feel that with hard work and dedication they are more than capable of winning it. Fifth Form lineman Michael Leone said, “I’m confident in our team’s offensive and defensive capabilities, and although our out of Inter-Ac schedule is a definite challenge, I am confident in our team’s abilities.” The team’s first game was against Woodson High School. Woodson has proven themselves to be a strong team with numerous players already committed to varying successful collegiate pro-

grams. The Fords looks to bounce back from the 43-12 loss. Of course, the one question on everyone’s mind is how the team will stack up against Episcopal Academy. The team overall seems confident in the work the they put in on and off the field. With the same hard work and dedication that has always driven the Fords, they plan to be successful when taking on our rivals both at home and on EA Day.

PHOTO BY INDEX STAFF

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The Index - Sports

September 2017

Crew team competes at historic Henley Regatta Nelson Liu ’19

PHOTO BY MR. JIM ROESE

Led by Coaches Mr. Tim Lengel and Mr. Brian Long, the 2016 Haverford Cross Country team had a successful season, finishing as InterAc Champions for the first time since 2001. Even though the Fords have lost seven members to graduation, they still have high expectations for the fall. They return with many key contributors from last year’s team such as Sixth Formers Will Merhige, Mark Gregory, and James Ives. Fifth Former Khalil Bland also is expected to be an important component of the team. Along with them, underclassmen also will play a crucial role. Merhige said, “There are sure to be younger guys ready to step up and fill [the 2016 Sixth Formers’] shoes.” Because of the many returning contributors from last year’s team, the team has big goals. According to Merhige, the team “looks forward to trying to defend the Inter-Ac title.” Like always, the 2017 Inter-Ac field is loaded with Cross Country talent: Episcopal, Germantown Academy, Malvern, Penn Charter, and SCHA all pose threats to Haverford’s potential to repeat as champions. While the team knows they have set lofty goals for the 2017 season, they are confident because of the hard work they have been putting in during the summer. Before the season even started, the Fords realized that they needed to work extremely hard during the summer to be able to repeat as InterAc champions. Despite running individually, the Fords made sure they were all in top shape before preseason. As a result of such preparation, the team will be able to push themselves during races. “Much of our success last year came from racing as a pack,” Merhige said. “We have always been able to push each other throughout a race and have strong groups of guys towards the front.” Along with Inter-Acs, the Cross Country team’s other big meets are States and EA Day. Last season, the Fords finished second at States to Episcopal. Despite this loss, the Fords gained revenge with a score of 27-32 on EA Day. Both meets will be competitive, must-see events.

This past summer, for the first time since 1997, members of the crew team traveled to England to compete at Henley Royal Regatta. Steeped in history and tradition, the 178-year old Henley regatta is one of the most prestigious in the world, annually attracting hundreds of top-caliber athletes (ranging from Olympians and World Champions to top university and schoolboy crews) from across the globe. The regatta itself is run over a five-day, head-tohead, single-elimination bracket format—a stark contrast from the six-lane heat, semi-final layout familiar to rowers. Crews race down a narrow 2,112-meter stretch of the River Thames, with wooden booms bracketing rowers mere feet away from their competitors. At Henley, there are no second chances. One mistake, and your season is over. Preparation began in the Fall of 2016. Throughout the 2016-2017 seasons the team trained under the guidance of Head Coach Mr. Jonathan Stephanik. Representing the Fords in the Varsity 8 were (from stroke to bow): Jack Costello ’18, Michael Boston ’17, Joe O’Brien ’17, Aidan Leavy ’19, Henry Scarlatto ’17, Andrew Farmer ’18, Davis Martinelli ’17, Tim Scheuritzel ’18, and Nelson Liu ’19 (cox). Serving as spares were David McKay ’18 and Jeffrey Pendergast ’19. After arriving in the town of Henley-onThames in late June, the team settled in with its host family and immediately began preparations for their upcoming races. The Fords were one of sixteen crews entered into the schoolboy eights required to pass through Qualifiers, a time-trialstyle race against the clock which would narrow the field to 32 crews. Practicing twice a day alongside Olympians and top-tier international crews, the focus was on battling through any last vestiges of jet lag and dialing in together as a boat. The atmosphere was intense on the day of the Qualifier, with nerves and anticipation running high as the culmination of over ten months of work rapidly approached. Tension hung thick in the air as the crew of nine mentally prepared inside boat tents. Outside, a faint buzz rose from spectators gathered along the river. At 6:48 p.m. on June 23, the Fords began their qualifying race. “The time trial itself kind of passed by in a blur,” said Scheuritzel. “I think one thing that really stood out to me was [our coxswain] made this call, ‘ten months, every erg, every session, together - for this one… moment,’ and I remember thinking in the middle of the race that yea, we’ve got this. Let’s go.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HENLEY

Crew teams across the world have rowed in the Henley Regatta since 1839.

It was a reminder of what Henley meant to everyone involved, and “go” is exactly what the Fords did, putting in what Jack Costello called “one of our best races of the year.” Despite the strong showing, the crew still didn’t know if they had made the cut. Standing outside the boat tents after docking, the nine crew members had to wait with bated breath to hear if they would race in five days time. The speakers finally crackled to life, “This is an announcement—the qualifying crews for the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup [schoolboy eights] in alphabetical order are as follows.” The Fords stood in a silent bubble of nervous anticipation while cheers and celebrations rhythmically rang out across the athletes enclosure as crews were announced. For a horrifying second it seemed as if the crew’s efforts had fallen short: the announcer blew past the H’s. Then… “The Haverford School, USA.” Noise erupted from the crew, a mixture of jubilation and relief, and a culmination of years of work. Michael Boston described those minutes as “an experience like no other that will forever have an effect on me. It was just a great moment with all my teammates and to see all the hard work paying off.”

Although the Fords were defeated in the regatta by a tough Deerfield crew (which would later advance to the quarterfinals and lose to the English national-silver medalists and multi-time Princess Elizabeth Champions, Eton College), it would be a disservice to the athletes and coaches if the success of this trip was judged solely on that one result. This trip meant more than just that race it marked the revival of a forgotten tradition; it was a testament to the effort and dedication of the athletes and coaches; and it was a chance for the Haverford community to represent itself on the international sporting stage alongside some of the best in the rowing world. Highlights of the trip not already mentioned included David McKay and Jeffrey Pendergast winning the Intermediate Men’s Double at the nearby Reading Town Regatta (beating multiple international crews in the process), eating lunches at nearby Shiplake College, and touring the town of Henley-on-Thames. “It was just amazing to see all the tradition and be at the birthplace of rowing,” says assistant coach John Suter. “Seeing the enormous crowds stretching down the entire course, watching such high levels of rowing across all the events—and knowing that you’re a part of it.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREW TEAM

Varsity 8 (L to R): Davis Martinelli ’17, Henry Scarlatto ’17, Joe O’Brien ’17, Jack Costello ’18, Nelson Liu ’19, Michael Boston ’17, Aidan Leavy ’19, Andrew Farmer ’18, Tim Scheuritzel ’18.

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The Index - Outdex

September 2017

Luke Egan ’18, PJ Rodden ’18, Will Baltrus ’18, Satch Baker ’18, Aidan Mantelmacher ’18, Eusha Hasan ’18, John Walsh ’18, Ryan Sanfilippo ’18, Matt LaRocca ’18, Will Yoh ’18, Matthew Tucker ’18, Robb Soslow ’18

Following the very informative essay workshop sessions, the college counseling staff has selected their favorite essay topics thus far: “This essay doesn’t matter; my grandparents will get me in anyway” by Harrison Fellheimer “My journey from a cartoon monkey to a regular high school student” by Grant Sterman “How to apply makeup for a photoshoot” by Matthew Tucker With summer wrapping up, we at the Outdex would like to inform the student body what the Haverford community was up to this summer: John Comai worked tirelessly to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Samuel Ralph Turner had a productive summer, completed all of his summer work, prepared for college, and exercised a good amount. Andrew Lengel ’17 decided to get a teaching job at Haverford. As the iconic duo of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James has just broken up, we’d like to take a look the most iconic duos in the Haverford community: Samuel Ralph Turner and the wheels on his backpack Luke Egan and Ms. Adkins’ wall Will Yoh and Duke University

HMU if we have any classes!