THN Issue 2 2022-23

Pennsylvania voters prepare for Nov. 8 midterm elections Hill goes to the polls

With which party do you most strongly identify?

By GAVIN GRADY ’23 STAFF WRITER

The Pennsylvania general election is quickly approaching but there is still time to learn about the candidates before Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8. With Governor Tom Wolf’s, a member of The Hill School class of 1967, second term coming to an end, five major parties have nominated their representatives to be the next governor of Penn sylvania. Along with the election for governor, the general election also includes a ballot for a seat in the United States senate.

The two most prominent names in the guber natorial race will be Democrat Pennsylvania state attorney general John Shapiro and Republican state senator Doug Mastriano.

Shapiro is currently in his second term as at torney general for Pennsylvania and has been in the public eye for most of his professional career. The state attorney general has plans to prioritize creating opportunities for the children of Pennsyl vania. To do this, Shapiro plans to pass legislation that will improve the state education system, cut taxes and improve the safety of children in the community.

Republican state senator Doug Mastriano has been in the Pennsylvania state senate since 2019 and features a long list of military experience, including three deployments in Afghanistan. He prioritizes infrastructure, voter laws, and the right to life during his time in the state senate. The Republican state senator initially made a name for himself through his attempts to decertify the 2020 general election results in the state and his presence at the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Mastriano aims to create legislation that creates stricter voting laws, despite widespread evidence of voter fraud, that includes voter ID, expanded poll watcher protections, increased penalties for voting violations, and the repeal of Act 77, a 2019 bipartisan law that expanded voter registration and mail-in ballot access

With incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey deciding to not seek re-election, the race for senate has nar rowed down to two candidates; Lieutenant Gov ernor John Fetterman as the Democratic nominee and Mehmet Oz as the Republican nominee.

Fetterman, whose cousin Jake Fetterman

graduated from Hill in 2017, has served one term as Lieutenant Governor under incumbent Gover nor Wolf. Fetterman’s main concern in his cam paign has been the economy. He aims to clean up the economy, claiming that the rich and power ful have corrupted the economy. The lieutenant governor also supports protecting and expanding LGBTQIA+ legal rights, implementing universal healthcare, and legalizing recreational cannabis.

This race for senate is Oz’s first attempt at political office. Oz is a graduate of Harvard and received a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Oz was the host of a talk show for thirteen years before running for senate. He prides himself on being a “conservative outsider” who will fight for the establishment. Public safety has been a major topic in Oz’s campaign with a focus in funding and defending law enforcement.

The deadline for voter registration is Mon day, Oct. 24. To vote, one must be eighteen or older and a resident of Pennsylvania. Voting can be done through mail or in person. Locations for voting can be found online and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Editors’ Note

By ANNA CARROLL ’23 & JASON ZHOU ’23

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

In this issue, we felt it important to focus on the upcoming midterm elections, especially those within this state. We sought to report not only opinions that are representative of campus, but also an accurate breakdown of each candi date’s positions and policies.

Additionally, as displayed in the infographic, 230 Hill students took part in a poll asking about their perspectives on the upcoming Pennsylva nia elections, overall political affiliation, and spe cific topics of concern.

To register to vote, scan the QR code on this page.

Deadlines for the November 8 election:

November 1, 2022 at 5 p.m. -- Applications for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received.

November 8, 2022 at 8 p.m. -- Voted Ballots must be received.

What are the most important political issues to you?

If you were voting in the PA senator race, who would you support?

Exploring the flora and fauna of Hill as autumn arrives

VERBA

Crew: The art of

Inflation hits the Grille

By LIZZIE HOPPER ’23 STAFF WRITER

An updated menu and expanded drink variety isn’t the only new thing about the Grille, as our campus’s beloved hot spot has seen a spike in prices over the summer.

Recently, students have noticed a dramatic increase in Grille prices, as a once $5.49 Ben and Jerry’s pint of ice cream is now $7.29.

“I’ve run through my al lowance faster than ever be fore,” Gia Mancy ’23 said. “Now I am hesitant and don’t buy as much food for people, which for me, I hate because that was something simple and nice I could do.”

“I am one of the fortunate students at Hill whose parents add money to my grille card when I ask. Some of my friends don’t have that luxury,” Mancy continued. While acknowledg ing her position of privilege, Mancy’s comment opens up issues regarding students who lack the financial resources to make Grille purchases with its new pricing.

Meredith Marks ’24 dis cussed how she would often frequent the Grille last school year, however, doesn’t go as much due to the increased pricing. “I don’t want to be

spending a lot of money on food.” She said, “It’s just too much money to justify going.”

Grille employees, howev er, underscored how price in creases reflect larger economic trends. “When COVID hap pened, the prices of everything went up.” Grille employee Fe licia London said. Her sister,

“I am one of the fortunate students at Hill whose parents add money to my grille card when I ask. Some of my friends don’t have that luxury.”

—Gia Mancy ’23, boarding student from Toledo, Ohio

Alexis London, a fellow Grille employee, agreed and high lighted how “the pandemic definitely changed everything.”

The Londons explained pricing is based off suggest ed prices from the vendor, and another dollar is added at times for profit. “We have to make some type of money, so it’s a dollar over,” Felicia London said. Vendor prices increased, impacting our Hill campus.

“Prices increasing have to do with the increase of spend ing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bennett Cerullo ’23, a teaching assistant for AP economics, explained. The re

cent rampant inflation can also be attributed to “the war in Ukraine and the oil crisis.” Ce rullo discussed that the price of oil and the cost of transport ing goods correlate, ultimately

making prices more expensive through the conditions of our economy.

So, much of this price in crease has nothing to do with hill administration and staff,

but rather it is an example of our post-pandemic reality and the harm it has caused to all aspects of our economy and society.

Delayed stadium construction inspires Hill football to work even harder

stadium still remained unbuilt.

By MONIYAH PERSON ’23 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

On April 20th, 2022, The Hill Football Instagram posted an excited reaction to hearing the news of a new stadium be ing built for the football and lacrosse teams. Students and faculty expressed great delight and eagerness to see the new field, anxiously awaiting the first home game of the season that was scheduled for Sep tember 24, 2022. Unfortunate ly, after construction encoun tered multiple obstacles, the

“We have been unable to get final permits needed from conservation board to proceed with the project. We anticipate

“I’ll play wherever there is a field. Even though it is disappoint ing, we should use it as motivation for the team.”

—Billy Antippas ’24, boarding student from Long Island, New York

having them any day now and will be prepared to start the project immediately,” Seth Ei lberg, the head of the athletics department stated.

Billy Antippas ’24, a boarding student from Long Island, New York, shared his thoughts about the unfinished football stadium. “I’ll play wherever there is a field,” An tippas said. “Even though it is disappointing, we should use it as motivation for the team.”

Cole Bilotta ’23 and Dante McQueen ’23 shared similar thoughts as well. “I was really

“You know, it’s certainly disappointing, but it doesn’t stop us. We will play on turf, grass, dirt, gravel, snow, etc. The surface that we play on doesn’t define us, but rather the work we put in day in and day out”

—Max Elmore ’23, boarding student from Emmaus, Pennsylvania

excited to expand our football season and have a lot of fun on the new field,” Bilotta said.

While many find the sit uation unfortunate and frus trating, the team looks to see things in a positive light. “It made me very angry and mo tivated me and the team to play harder,” McQueen stated.

“You know, it’s certainly dis appointing, but it doesn’t stop us. We will play on turf, grass, dirt, gravel, snow, etc. The sur face that we play on doesn’t de fine us, but rather the work we put in day in and day out,” Max Elmore ’23 added.

Students are also curious about another athletic con struction project: the Sweeney gym. The gym has been due for updates for years now and is finally receiving a face lift.

“We have needed to replace the roof to Sweeney gym for several years and have been able to get to that now. We are also using this opportuni ty to power wash the façade of Sweeney facing Dell Road, and to renovate the windows which were very old,” Eilberg stated in an email. Students can look forward to a more improved facility.

Collin Mattis ’24 purchases a sandwich from the Grille.

PHOTO BY ERICK SUN ’24

Sweeney

PHOTO

Hill faculty ruminate on Puerto Rico’s losses in the wake of Hurricane Fiona

By ELLA LEE ’24 STAFF WRITER

In the past month, category four Hurricane Fiona struck many Carib bean Islands, leaving areas influenced in shambles. It has impacted numer ous households, including some of our Hill families.

Hurricane Fiona affected Puer to Rico, the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, and many other islands in that same region of the Caribbe an. The aftermath of the hurricane is devastating. According to CNN, with the death toll reaching nearly 3,000 in Puerto Rico, even after a month, there are more than 230,000 clients in Puerto Rico without power.

With students living inside the Hill “bubble,” members of the com munity are mostly unaware of the natural disasters striking our world. Regarding the subsequent number of hurricanes that hit the globe, admin istrators at The Hill School had some valuable thoughts that are important to hear.

“It is unacceptable to me as an American citizen that fellow Amer ican citizens (acknowledging the following fact that Puerto Ricans are American citizens) have been victims of natural disasters so frequently, and yet don’t seem to have the substance of attention or concern needed, on a macro scale or in immediate re sponse,” Assistant Head of School for Community Life Ari Baum stated in an email.

However, it remains of utmost

importance that we, as a Hill commu nity, remain aware of these situations.

Baum continued, writing, “The Hill community should know that the citizens of Puerto Rico are Amer ican citizens paying federal taxes. Yet, Puerto Rico citizens are seseming ly not thought of or treated as fully equal.”

As President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden successfully ended a three hour visit of the hurricane sites in Puerto Rico, it is crucial for Amer icans and global citizens to main tain concern to the people that were greatly impacted by Hurricane Fiona. Baum hopes that the student body should hold itself to a higher standard by remaining aware of countries that were hit by Hurricane Fiona and the severe effects they can produce on the environment and our citizens as well.

Associate Head of School Sylvia Rodriquez Vargas also challenged students to be engaged citizens of both the country and the world in re sponse to the destruction brought by the hurricane.

“I am hopeful that Hill students will develop the knowledge, leader ship skills, and competencies to help shape solutions to these and other complex challenges into the future,’ Vargas explained.

Information to help educate Hill members on Hurricane Fiona and support those affected by the tropi cal storm can be found at National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center and Federal Emer gency Management Agency.

The Supreme court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade divides public opinion

By JENNIE KI ’23 OFF-CAMPUS EDITOR

The United States guaranteed the right to abortion through the 1973 Roe v. Wade in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed abortion before 24 weeks of gestation, when the fe tus was able to survive outside the mother’s womb. It was maintained for 49 years, but on June 24, the Federal Supreme Court officially repealed it, overturning the Roe v. Wade deci sion. Of the 9 judges, 6 were in favor and 3 were against.

Roe v. Wade was a historic case on whether abortion was included in the “right to privacy” under the U.S. Con stitution. On May 2, the U.S. Supreme Court’s majority opinion draft report ed by the American political media “Politico” was expected to overturn

the “Roe v. Wade” decision. “Roe v. Wade was absurdly wrong from the start. Rather, it provoked controversy and deepened division,” conservative Justice Samuel Alito said.

Justice Samuel Alito, who drafted the majority opinion, was appoint ed by former Republican President George W. Bush in 2006. The abo lition of the right to abortion was largely driven by three conservative Supreme Court justices appointed by former President Trump. During his four years in office, he appointed Neil Gorsuch in 2017, Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Amy Connie Barrett in 2020. Although Supreme Court jus tices are expected to balance politics and public opinion, American society is mostly dominated by their political inclinations.

Justices of the United States Su

preme Court serve for life. This is to ensure the independence of Supreme Court justices from influence on pol itics and public opinion. However, in the process of appointing Supreme Court justices, it is inevitable that they will be influenced by politics. Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution stipulates that “the President may appoint judg es of the Supreme Court with the ad vice and consent of the Senate.” First, the president nominates candidates for the Supreme Court. In nomina tions, the president considers many aspects, including career, gender, age, race, and political affiliation.

The abolition of the right to abor tion in the United States is being criticized as a historical retreat. The United States is currently divided into pros and opponents of abortion. As the constitution does not recognize

the right to abortion, each state in the United States decides whether or not to recognize the right to abortion.

Some believe that more than half of the 50 states will not allow abortion.

The issues surrounding the right to abortion fall into two main cate gories: a woman’s right to self-deter mination and a fetus’s right to life.

Women’s right to self-determination asserts that women can make their own decisions about pregnancy and childbirth and are free from crimi nal punishment for abortion. When women experience unwanted or un planned pregnancies, social norms force them to conceive. In fact, there are many cases in which rape victims are prevented from having an abor tion due to the judgment of the judi ciary after the incident.

The fetus is also considered to be

the subject of the right to life. Catho lics and Protestants oppose abortion, considering the fetus as life after con ception. For that reason, having an abortion is considered murder. Also, some anti-abortion activists are con cerned about indiscriminate abor tion.

As Roe v. Wade expressed a worldwide wave of shock, The Hill School also left crucial comments on the downfalls of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Numerous members of the Hill expressed concern about the deci sion that led to the overturn of Roe v. Wade. “The main thing I am con cerned about is the safety of people. Especially, the people who are at risk are not the people who have money to be able to travel out of state, but the people who don’t have the money and are subjected to having babies can po tentially kill them, since doctors now have to worry about laws instead of doing something that can save a life,” Nimala Sivakumar ’23 said.

“When I saw the full-width New York Times headline, I knew that we were witnesses to history on that day. The gradual change in political winds has truly come to a climax at this point,” added Jerry Zhu ’23.

As Pennsylvania moves closer to the midterm elections, the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade remains ev ery present.

“It seemed as though this conten tious issue had been put to bed a long time ago, but it does sort of serve to illustrate the importance of staying active in our democracy,” George W. Perkins ’13 Memorial Master Teach er History and Social Sciences Kevin Tkachuck said.

Tkachuk highlighted how stu dents can remain part of this histor ical moment. The upcoming mid terms remind us how “democracy is a verb, not a noun, and that ties in very closely to this question: that things can change and you can play an active role no matter what side of the fence you’re on.”

ILLUSTRATION BY HELEN ZHANG

SGA Co-Presidents Jesse Corser-James ’23 and Stefanie Li ’23 imagine a new Hill

By AIDAN MA ’23 & KIERN LIM ’25

The start of the school year marks a period of change and growth, both for The Hill School as an institution and for the student body as a whole. The student leadership of the school emulated this change. For the 2022-2023 school year, SGA Co-Presidents Stefanie Li ’23 and Jesse Corser-James ’23 take the helm, with a focus on preserving old traditions while still boosting school spirit. The interview below was edited for clarity and concision.

The first question I want to ask is if you guys have plans for the school year: general policy changes that you’re looking to improve, get rid of, or change, anything along those lines?

SL: First, definitely a main goal and vision is for more community engagement. So, that comes in many forms, like in terms of weekend activities, student-led activities and student-led programs during the school year. And also just making sure that during more exciting events, like Strawberry Festival, spirit week, L’Ville Weekend, that we have as much school spirit as we can possibly get, and just making sure the community is really connected as a whole. Secondly, towards more serious policy changes, we have been hearing a lot of things about the schedule, even though we don’t know if that’s possible, and then also dress code changes.

Do you have an idea of where you want that change to head?

JCJ: Yeah, I mean, we haven’t really talked much about it, but we have just been noticing so many prep schools just go to more lenient standards on dressing.

SL: Maybe no-tie Wednesdays, something like that.

JCJ: Yeah, we know that has been a thing every year, but we feel like we can push it this year more because of everything that’s going on.

One of your bigger plans was to improve the big sibling program. Is there anything that we can look forward to following the goose chase event that pertains to the big sibling program?

JCJ: Yeah, we’re going to work with Mrs. Neese. We met with her last year about the goose chase and stuff, but what that meeting basically was about was we are going to make up more, because you know, with the big siblings before, it was kind of just, you know who your big sibling is and that’s it, there was not really any other activities. Our plan is, we’re definitely going to make more activities, but what those activities are, we are still working on it.

SL: Yeah. But definitely more consistent bonding events for students so that they can solidify a tighter relationship with their big and little siblings.

JCJ: And we felt the goose chase did that. It seemed like everyone was having fun.

What’s one of the plans that you have that you’re most excited for in general?

JCJ: There are a couple things we’re excited about right now. I think a big thing we’re going to do is work with student life this year. I know this isn’t really a plan, but I want to work with Ms. LaMar ca, figure out what we can do at games and stuff like that, and we were talking about the band thing, I’ve already worked on that a little bit. I’ve talked to Mrs. Neiswender about it, and it’s gone in the right direction so far. And the dress code, I feel like we can do a lot with that. I mean, a big thing we will focus on this year is just noticing change is coming, and I feel like there’s a new Hill coming. We’re still focusing on traditions, but I feel like people need to be ready for that too.

Political organizations of The Hill share their mission statements for the upcoming school year

By JAEWAN LEE ’25

Politics can often be perceived as a sensitive or controversial topic to be discussed in a school environment. The Young Republicans Club and the Young Democratic Socialists of America are the two political clubs of the Hill that foster a safe environment for discussion. These organizations enable students to openly discuss their political opinions. Safe and open political discussions are important to such a diverse school. Both Hill’s political clubs work toward fostering a healthy environment for political discourse and political awareness.

Young Democratic Socialists

The Young Democratic Socialists of America aims to spark change in local and national communities by organizing with other groups such as the Philly DSA. They also plan to educate students at Hill who do not know where they lie on the political spectrum. Nimala Sivakumar ’23 explained that the political spectrum discussed can also apply to interna tional students. “I want to try and simplify complex political theory into more digestible bites, if you will,” Sivakumar said.

The YDSA plans to help give second chances to recently released prisoners by working with the Second Chance Initiative, an orga nization introduced to campus by Mac Sims ’23 that helps find jobs for released inmates. “Part of the culture at Hill is definitely the Honor Code, but more importantly, the possibility of second chances after students make mistakes,” she said. The YDSA plans to both educate Hill students on political theories and topics while working with established organizations to enact change outside of the school.

Young Republicans

The Young Republicans Club centers on the conservative political stance, with the primary goal of providing an open space for political discussion especially regarding con servative ideals and beliefs. “We plan to educate students by providing shared spaces for discussion, where all are welcome to respectively give their two cents on a matter,” Co-President Reagan Basile ’23 stated.

Encouraging the diverse student body of The Hill to discuss, the club plans to enable students to grasp a better knowledge with different views. Basile continues by explain ing that, “engaging in these types of conversations can enhance a student’s tolerance for other opin ions and the way to appropriately conduct themselves when emotions may stir.” The club plans to foster an environment where proper political discussion can take place with attention to the safety and respect of others, while upholding a setting of conservative ideals.

Nimala Sivakumar ’23 lays out her plans for Hill’s YDSA.

Cole Bilotta ’23 and Reagan Basile ’23 hope for reciprocal discussion.

PHOTO BY ANNA CARROLL ’23

PHOTO BY CARRIE SHANG ’23

Li ’23 and Corser-James ’23 look to foster community engagement through more student-led programs over the course of the school year.

PHOTO BY WINNIE LIU ’24

VISUAL MANAGING

& STAFF WRITER

Exploring the flora and fauna of Hill as autumn arrives

By NIMALA SIVAKUMAR ’23 STAFF WRITER

As the warm summer carries into cold autumn winds, many find themselves missing the bright flowers and hyper-active squirrels that come with the sunny days. But beyond the manicured gardens of black-eyed Susans and hydrangeas, Pottstown itself features a variety of wild species that make for ample plants and animals to keep an eye out for as clouds draw over the sky, and snow gets ready to cover the Quad.

1. Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinenis

Probably the easiest to spot among the list, the squirrels of The Hill are playful and jumpy, often caught foraging for acorns as students make their way to class. Eastern gray squirrels are categorized as scatter-hoarders, putting their great spatial awareness and sense of smell to use. This species of squirrel is also estimated to create several thousand caches per season, meaning they actively hide acorns and other food sources underground for later use.

2. Dandelions, Taraxacum offici nale

3. Great egret, Ardea alba

Though the geese by the Dell are plentiful, there is one bird that is a rare sight - the great egret. On full-moon nights, when the waters are bobbing with lunar rays, the great egret makes an appearance, waiting for a sole moment before taking flight above the Dell waters. The great egret is an animal with a great comeback story, almost hunted to extinction towards the end of the 19th century to use their plumage for hats. However, with conservation measures in place, the great egret’s numbers started trending upwards, and the bird now serves as the symbol for the National Audubon Society.

Though often reduced to a ‘weed’ and nothing more, dandelions are extremely versatile, providing me dicinal properties and sweet taste, all in one yellow flower. Used for over 2,000 years in different me dicinal practices across the globe, dandelions have withstood the test of time. Contrary to popular belief, the tufted flower is amazing for a garden, providing balance for the soil properties. Dandelions are also easy to prepare for a meal, making for great salad greens, if one cleans the leaves properly. Whether it’s jam, tea, coffee, soap, shampoo, or wishes, dandelions are the most adaptable plant of them all.

5: Wild violets, Viola sororia

Some of the rarer colors in nature’s palette, purple and blue, are eye-catching in their na tive environment. Wild violets certainly are no exception. Though small and fragile, these flowers make for the perfect garnish on savory dishes, providing the perfect pop of color for a large meal. Wild violets have also stood the test of time in herbal medicine usage, with an cient Greeks using them to treat headaches. Washed violet leaves are also edible, though be careful with the roots, as they are considered toxic. If one is looking to add an elegant touch to lemonade, consider making violet syrup - just make sure to find a reliable recipe before cooking it up!

4. Buttercups, Ranunculis occidentalis

Buttercups are modest perennials, an easy flower to spot as they stand out in bright bulbs of yellow among larger patches of grass. A tell-tale sign of warmer weather, buttercups can be spotted on Beech Street when walking to and from Wawa. It is no coin cidence then, that yellow buttercups are a symbol of growth and health, as they start blooming as soon as April begins. Buttercups are, unfortunately, not edible, but make for a great addition to a wildflower bouquet.

Ellis Theatre Guild students paint the town red for Sweeney Todd

By DAVID SLAVTCHEFF ’24 STAFF WRITER

Early mornings and late nights, blood, sweat and tears, and hard work and determination marked the beginning of the year for theater bootcamp performers. It was not all in vain, however, as the actors’ ability to respond would dictate their place ment in roles for the upcoming year.

The Ellis Theatre Guild’s first

show of the 2022-2023 school year is “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” The show follows the story of a murderous, revenge-driven barber, played by Luke Gerdeman ’23. From the rehearsal process to the performance itself, “Sweeney Todd” is sure to be something special.

The story opens with Sweeney’s return to London after being falsely imprisoned in Australia for 15 years. He was sent there by a corrupt judge who wanted Sweeney’s wife. He longs to find his wife Lucy and his daugh ter Johanna, played by Cordelia Davies ’23, but things go awry after he returns to his old apartment. He learns from Mrs. Lovett, the owner of a pie shop beneath his apartment, that his wife is dead and his daughter is in custody of the judge. When Mrs. Lovett hands him his razors, Sweeney resolves to return to being a barber. The plot thickens as Sweeney takes his first victim, and, in quick succes sion, has an encounter with the judge who sent him away. Sweeney is driv en mad by his separation from his daughter and the torment of know ing he’s lost the life he once had. His disdain for humanity and London grows steadily and manifests itself through Sweeney’s actions.

While theater boot camp’s physical demands might seem overkill to some, they’re certainly paying off for the actors in “Sweeney Todd”. Pe riod-accurate clothing, including corsets, hoop dresses, heels, and dress shoes, is worn every day in rehearsal. This brings a whole new level of chal lenge to the rehearsal ex perience. Singing, dancing and acting in this restric tive clothing has forced students to adapt and learn new techniques to better deliver a fantastic show. “So far, the rehearsal pro cess for Sweeney has been very smooth and full of excitement. The cast is al ready anticipating a wonderful show that the student body and faculty will enjoy,” Lizzie Hopper ’23, who plays Nellie Lovett, said. Although exercise is a crucial part of the rehearsal pro cess to prepare actors for moving on stage, “the more demanding stuff lies with the corset and heels and stuff like that,” she said. Corsets, an im portant piece of women’s fashion in

the 1800s, are restrictive, and make it harder to breathe.

The rehearsal process for “Sweeney Todd” is intense, rivaling most sports in terms of time com mitment and energy. The dedicated students work until 6 p.m. every day, often staying later to work on songs or receive private voice lessons. On the weekend, most Hill students take

Hill’s art department embarks on new adventures

By TOFE AKINYAMI ’23 MULTIMEDIA MANAGER

As we enter the 2022-23 school year, restrictions on bringing to campus outside artists implemented during the pandemic have been lift ed. Art programs at the Hill are once again receiving specialized instruc tion and learning technique in addi tion to their usual curriculums.

Woodworking students were re cently visited by Marty Gerhart, local artist and father of Augustus Ger hart ’23, who gave them in-person tutorial on power tools. In addition, they entered the world of collabora tive nature sculpture. The class used sticks and driftwood they collected at Pottstown Riverfront Park to create a collective piece.

“My dad was super flattered

when Ms. Deery invited him to come teach. He was really happy to be able to share his passion and hopefully light a spark in our students’ dai ly lives,” Gerhart said, “Seeing him chase his passion inspired my sister and I to do the same. He taught me to never be afraid to make changes and that it’s okay to be different from my friends and have my own hobby.”

In the Ellis Theatre Guild, 5th and 6th form students will be offered a monthly masterclass featuring spe cial guests from Broadway, vocal per formances, and beyond. This year’s theme is “The Hill School Presents the Hits!” in honor of Director of the CFTA Chris McGriff’s fifth year at Hill. The upcoming season looks promising. In the spring, 6th form theater students will travel to New

York City.

Similarly, there will be develop ments in vocal music. The H-Term choir will be participating in a joint concert with Princeton Girlchoir on campus with Lynnel Joy Jenkins, a choral music educator who has con ducted and lectured worldwide. They will also be performing with Derrick L. Thompson, assistant professor of music and director of choral activi ties at Albright College.

“It was so fun to be able to learn a style of dance that we don’t usually cover in class. He walked us through every step,” Emma Herzog ’24 said, a member of one of two dance classes that received a visit from Frederick Johnson, who gave a masterclass in hip hop, freestyle, and African dance.

Finally, over the week of October

17, studio art students were taught about creating landscapes and cityscapes by a visiting artist, Cheryl Schlenker. Schlenker has accepted local, national, and interna tional awards for her unusual view of mun dane subject matter. Students worked dil igently to learn her mixed media tech nique, combining the mediums of acrylic and collage.

“I love seeing all the different types of art at Hill!” Ma ria Halvey ’26 said.

All of these events bring much

time to relax, but actors are back at work for hours on end every Satur day, often returning to the CFTA on Sunday to work independently. The commitment and work ethic of stu dent actors is often underestimated but it pays off on show day.

Come see the dramatic end of The Ellis Theatre Guild’s fall produc tion on November 11-13.

excitement to Hill’s vibrant campus so keep a lookout for upcoming at tractions.

The expert’s guide to the perfect Halloween costume

It’s time: the best holiday of the year. To me, there’s nothing more fun than dressing up in costume and trying to be someone else for a little while.

I have countless treasured memories of finding the perfect costume and spending nights with my friends, eating candy and hang ing out. But there was always one thing that bothered me in these so cial gatherings, no matter my age: the quality of each person’s Hal loween costume.

Picking the correct Halloween costume is a very specific and pre cise process. You want the outfit you wear to be topical, but not so topical that it won’t age well by the time you look at a picture and ask yourself, “What even is that?”

What works? Many things, but it’s up to personal preference. Ob viously, there are some that will never die: Harley Quinns, Scooby Doo characters, and array of super heroes will always be a costuming mainstay for the time being. And for those of us considering outfits not in dress code, there are cer tainly some other famous options. (Have fun in college, I guess!)

By LUKE GERDEMAN ’23 & ANNA CARROLL ’23 ARTS AND LEISURE EDITOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

What also works are your classic horror movie monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein, Michael Myers, and Freddy Kreuger. They are “spooky” and somewhat wellknown enough that you won’t have to constantly explain who you are. Here are some other more specific ideas for those of you who need inspiration:

1. Mr. Worldwide (a.k.a. Pit bull): Whether or not you are do ing a costume individually or as a group, dressing up as Pitbull will always be iconic and simple—all you need is a bald cap, facial hair, sunglasses, and academic dress.

2. Top Gun: As perfectly dis played by Hill’s new faculty mem bers, Top Gun costumes will steal the show. Not to mention, this is perfect for a group or individual!

3. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker: Dress up as the most icon ic duo of all time from the Rush Hour movie franchise. And if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s on Net flix.

4. Tinkerbell Fairies: For an easy and cute costume for you and your friends, dress up as the Tin kerbell fairies: Tinkerbell, Rosetta, Silvermest, Vidia, and Iridessa.

5. Founding Fathers: Look great strutting your stuff to class dressed up as your favorite found ing father. Personally, I’ll be go ing as Benjamin Franklin. Who doesn’t love a good bifocal?

My advice? Pick something that you can look back on positive ly. You want to look at a picture of your costume and go, “I was cool.”

Now, I’m not entirely sure what our costumes will be like this year. I can guarantee at least a dozen an imated movie characters and quite a few modern references I won’t understand. More than anything, have fun with it.

Lizzie Hopper ’23 and Luke Gerdeman ’23 rehearse for their lead roles in “Sweeney Todd.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAYTON JOBSON ’23

Marshall Welch ’24 as Judge Turpin in “Sweeney Todd.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH BENDER

Dance students enjoy a master class with Frederick Johnson.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA COBBS

GOP potential gains spotlight the elephant in the room

By BENNETT CERULLO ’23

The 2022 Mid-Term is going to be one of the most contested elections in recent history. Senate races in Pennsylvania, New Hamp shire, Georgia, Ohio, and more will either solidify a Democratic hold on the Senate, or create a blockage to Biden’s presidency with a Republican victory. The catch? The Repub licans cannot lose a single seat they already have as well as gain one. And the Democrats just need to win a single seat and hold the house to have a true majority in both houses and hold the White House.

According to a recent NPR/PBS Poll, 42% responding American adults strongly disap prove of Joe Biden’s presidency, where only 12% strongly approve, and 24% approve. Log ically, with this data, it would likely mean that the possibility of a Republican victory this November is more likely than not. However, according to FiveThirtyEight, Republican candidates do not control a positive point ad vantage in any Democratic incumbent states. This is in contrast to the Democrats who hold control of majorities in Pennsylvania, and Georgia, who had a Republican in their seat until a special election in 2020. If the Demo crats can win Pennsylvania in November, they will control the Senate with a true majority. In comparison the Republicans need to flip Nevada, Georgia, or New Hampshire and hold on to their current seats in order to hold a majority in the Senate.

According to the same NPR/PBS poll cited above, major issues this election are, based on most importance to the voter: inflation (30%), abortion (22%), health care (13%), January 6th committee hearings (9%), immigration (9%), and others (17%). Repub lican affiliated responders’ top two issues were inflation (40%), and immigration (22%). For democrats, it is Abortion (35%), followed by January 6th hearings (22%). Independents draw from both camps with their top two be ing inflation (37%) and then abortion (22%).

So, who are the big Republican candidates fighting for Senatorial seats? First, Pennsylva nia. Mehmet Oz, celebrity physician and host

of The Dr. Oz Show has been in public life for more than 20 years, since his successful heart transplant of Yankees manager Joe Torre, Frank Torre, during their 1996 World Series campaign. Since the early 2000’s Oz has held segments on many shows, addressing health issues. He has been overtly political since the 2016 election where hosted Donald Trump. In 2018, he was appointed a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

Herschel Walker, the Republican candi date in Georgia was a professional Football player, starting his career with stardom as a member of the University of Georgia Bull dogs. He played professional football from 1983 to 1997 where he rushed 8,225 yards. He will be running against Raphael Warnock of the Democratic party.

Other major Republican candidates include J.D Vance of Ohio, Blake Masters of Arizona, and Adam Paul Laxalt in Nevada.

So, the major question to be asked is, what will happen in the Senate? According to FiveThirtyEight, the Democrats take the senate in two of every three outcomes. In contrast, the Republicans may take the house with their two to three chances of winning the House of Representatives. However this ends, this election will have major ramifications for the next two years, and the election cycle in 2024.

What Midterms mean for the Democratic Party

By NATE WHITTEMORE

STAFF WRITER

The US midterm elections in November do not look good. It seems likely that at least 10 seats will flip, losing possibly the house and or the senate to the Republican Party. There is his torical precedent for the midterm elections to reflect the national feeling towards the sitting president; more often than not this involves the sitting president’s party losing one or both chambers of congress.

Inflation is one of the most talked about and followed issues facing the nation. It will likely be on the top of voters’ minds this November as they go to cast their ballot. The Democrats must contend with the record inflation, hit last summer, in four decades. While Biden’s landmark relief bill did help, it will likely be forgotten, at least partially by un decided voters. Inflation is fated to return the controllable levels as the supply chain finishes recovering from the massive disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The president himself comes under scruti ny in November. He has been polling incre mentally better in the past few weeks; however, this will not move the needle enough to change the minds of the public. The Democrats hope

that the Student Loan Relief Order, as well as the heretofore Inflation Reduction Act will get approved.

Illegal immigration, though not a large concern among Democrats in comparison to Republicans, is not to be downplayed this coming November. It remains a massively controversial issue across all political parties and will certainly have a role in how swing voters will vote. At the end of this fiscal year, the number of undocumented immigrants will surpass two million a year, a first in modern history for the nation.

Roe v. Wade is one of the most recent, most hot button issues for Americans today. Holding a level of importance adjacent to or more then the economic factors in November’s election, the overturn of Roe v Wade in June of last year has reflected poorly on the GOP. The outrage and controversy around the decision has not faded, with that controversy still fresh in pro-abortion undecideds, that may be the factor that outweighs the others. Recent opin ion polls indicate that around 60 percent of Americans support abortion rights. If accurate that statistic could be a strong pull factor for the Democratic Party.

No more Pro Bowl is an improvement for NFL fans and players

By NOAH MACIELAG

STAFF WRITER

On September 26, the NFL announced that the Pro Bowl would be replaced by “The Pro Bowl Games”, a weeklong event consisting of various skills competitions, culminating in a flag football game at the end of the week. The Pro Bowl is the NFL’s equivalent to the MLB’s AllStar Game, where players are voted on by fans to compete in the games. The AFC plays the NFC in the final game of football before the Super Bowl, creating a competition in which players, often from rival teams, share the same uniform and teammates.

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The issue with this game, however, is that since it is a meaningless game that has no affect on standings or draft picks, most players put in minimal effort in order to avoid injury. This problem has dramatically increased over the last decade, and fans have called out the NFL for asking players to play in an inconsequential game at the finale of the season.

The one bright spot of recent Pro Bowls has been the skill showcase, which has garnered more watch time than the actual Pro Bowl. These skill showcases vary from catching and throwing competitions to the fan favorite: dodgeball. The NFL took note of the ratings, and in conjunction with both players in the NFL and coaches, made the decision to switch to a week of only skill showcases and cut the Pro Bowl game entirely.

This decision is a win for all parties in

volved. The new length of the Pro Bowl Games allows for the NFL to sell more ad time, creating more revenue. Fans now get to watch a more entertaining culminating game as well, with celebrities such as Peyton Manning coaching the game. As for the players, they will be able to utilize skills different from their usual arsenal of moves for the flag football game and will be able to put in more effort without the risk and worry of injury. The expansion of the skill showcase into a weeklong event also allows for both “football and non-football skills in challenges over several days”. While no events have been officially announced, it is safe to expect that most competitions from the previous show case will be included, with perhaps additions of Madden tournaments or other non-athletic based competitions. The 2023 Pro Bowl Games will be hosted at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with the flag football game being played on February 5.

ILLUSTRATION BY CICI FANG

Hill School Boat Club rowers take on Head of the CharlesBlue Crew: The Art of Being a Fan

By SARAH KENVIN ’23 STAFF WRITER

Entering the 2022-2023 school year, high-spirited upper formers and faculties are taking the initiative to bring back pre-pandemic Hill tradi tions. Among them, the Blue Crew makes a triumphant return to the Hill community.

The Blue Crew is a branch of the Student Life Association that focuses on highlighting and supporting Hill’s athletic teams. It creates a positive and fun environment for the com munity to come together.

Co-heads of the Blue Crew, Joey Asterino ’23 and Kerry Elliott ’23, enthusiastically represent Hill spir it through supporting their peers. “The comeback of Blue Crew was in spired by the need for better culture surrounding sports at Hill,” Asterino said. “It is extremely important to be supportive not just of our athletes but of our student body as a whole. Blue Crew is supposed to be an inclusive part of Hill, where anyone can be involved in something fun and spir ited.”

A plethora of aspects empha

size Blue Crew’s mission to increase support, clarity, and entertainment regarding Hill’s athletic games. One of Blue Crew’s duties is to choose the Bluelight games, which spotlight one varsity game per season. Differ ent themes are also chosen for var sity games. Recent themes include jerseys, construction, blue out, and pajamas.

While the games themselves are always enjoyable, student ener gy often lulls during halftime. Blue Crew plans to change this by offer ing half-time activities. From raffles and sack races to all kinds of snacks, spectators can participate in or en joy various kinds of entertainment during halftime. Most importantly, Blue Crew keeps students informed of when and where games are taking place through lunch announcements as well as social media, encouraging attendance.

Although Blue Crew is a stu dent led initiative, Director of Stu dent Activities Claudia LaMarca and Assistant Director of Student Activities McKenna Edwards help facilitate discussions and implement new ideas. Like the co-heads of Blue

Crew, they too believe in the impor tance of student support. “Blue Crew was originated by former student, Phil Bolinger ’14, who would rally students out of their dorms to sup port home athletic games that day,” LaMarca said. Edwards underscored the importance of honoring that tra dition by continuing “the pride and support of Hill Athletics that Phil started.”

As the fall athletic season contin ues and the winter season approach es, the Blue Crew will continue to support Hill athletics and carry along the passion. “As Mr. Eilberg often says,” Asterino reminds us, “cheer for Hill, not against the other team.”

By MIA JACOBS ’24 STAFF WRITER

The Head of the Charles regatta is an annual regatta, or race, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is extremely famous, and several pronounced rowers have participated in the event. Because of its popularity, HOCR is a selective event. Founded in 1965, it is known as one of the most prestigious regattas in the world. It has attracted thousands of rowers to compete under its name. This year, 11,000 rowers raced down the Charles, including the Hill School Boat Club and several Hill alumni. The Hill School Boat Club showed high spirit and passion to have competed in an event like this. The team inspired and pushed each other to do better, which landed them a spot at the Head of the Charles regatta.

The HOCR regatta began on Octo ber 22, and finished October 23. Since the announcement of HSBC’s partic ipation, the Head of the Charles has been a popular conversation among team members.

Kim Monzingo ’23, a rower for Hill since her 4th form year, said be fore the race, “I have no clue what to expect as I have never participated in this high level of a race. I am both excited and nervous. It is a wonderful opportunity, but I will be up against very hard competition.”

When Monzingo came to Hill, she tried crew for the first time and fell in love with everything about it. Monzin go raced in the women’s youth singles against 45 people, and it was a head race. “A head race is where one person goes at a time, and they measure your time from start to position,” Monzingo explained. She expressed her excite ment for what is in store for her and her team. Most of all, she is thankful that Hill can provide this wonderful

opportunity.

Michael Rapp ’24 has been a member of HSBC since his 3rd form year. He participated in the HOCR last year with Nate Whittemore ’23. Rapp shared that because it was their first time competing, they did not re ally know what to expect. After gain ing more experience, Rapp was more prepared than last year and ready to compete better. He was confident that his boat would do great. Rapp prepared with his partner Colin Mc Lenaghan ’24 the entire summer and fall, and they both worked hard to perform well. Rapp and McLenaghan competed in the men’s youth double this month. “While we know our com petition will be hard, we know that we have done everything we can to increase our chances of placing well,” Rapp said.

Head boys crew coach Will Scul ly has raced at the HOCR seven times but last year was his first time coach ing the event. When asked about his expectations for the race this year, he spoke about the importance of “soak ing up the atmosphere with thousands of people lining the banks of the riv er.” He was excited for his rowers and hoped they leave the water feeling like they raced their best race, ignoring the external results.

Scully was optimistic about the rowers that the Hill sent to the water in Boston. “The success of our boats will be measured by internal measures,” he said. Scully explained that the course of the race is technically challenging, and he was excited for the kids because “the race, as well as the rest of the weekend, is such a staple in the rowing world, that every rower should have a chance to experience it at least once.” Similar to Monzingo, he was thankful to the school for allowing the athletes to have this opportunity.

The race, as well as the rest of the weekend, is such a staple in the rowing world, that every rower should have a chance to experience it at least once.

Hill strength and conditioning program experiences revamping

By KATE O’BRIEN ’25

With the advancing school year here at Hill also comes various changes within our community. One of the biggest is our Strength and Conditioning program. The program has been completely re vamped with the help of two new members, Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Performance Elle O’Brien and Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning Bart Mestelle.

O’Brien and Mestelle both have helped to rehabilitate the strength program. Students and faculty alike have had raving reviews and noth

ing but positives about the changes. “I am really enjoying the new re fresh being brought to the strength program. It has been super enjoy able and rewarding so far,” Anasta sia Krafczek ’25 said.

Strength and conditioning is a great opportunity for students who are either in their off-season or en joying strength training aside from athletics. It allows them to fill their afternoons with something positive but also something that will keep them busy and that is taken serious ly. In addition to a great after school activity and pastime, the program offers several opportunities for stu dent athletes to assist within The

Hill community. This includes tasks such as volunteering as ball boys or girls at soccer games.

Currently at a capacity of 91 student athletes, each day consists of two 45-minute training sessions, which vary from weightlifting, speed and agility, metabolic condi tioning, and yoga. “One of the big gest highlights was ‘Fun Friday’. We all went into the field house to play a massive game of capture the flag. Sometimes, the best way to train speed and agility is to compete. Though, the greatest highlight has definitely been seeing student-ath letes at Hill, work to advance their athletic and personal development through hard work and commit ment every day”, O’Brien said. The strength program is an incredible resource equipped for student-ath letes of all kinds. It is a fun-filled, optimistic group, always ready to give 100% to benefit themselves as well as their teammates, she contin ued.

Many past beliefs regarding the strength and conditioning program at Hill were that it was a fallback ac tivity and easy, but now more than ever, each program focuses on the athletic development of each stu dent, training the fundamentals before adding weight and progres sions.

PHOTO

WINNIE

Fall crew take

Boston

preparation for the Head of the Charles annual regatta.

PHOTO

Blue crew cheers on Hill boys soccer for their blue light game.

PHOTO BY ANNA CARROLL ’23

— Head boys crew coach Will Scully

STAFF WRITER