THN ISSUE 4 2022-23

THE HILL NEWS

Kathleen Devaney appointed as Hill’s first female Head of School

By MICHELLE LAWRENCE ’26

On January 4, during an all-school meeting, Hill School Board of Trustees chair James Alexandre ’75, announced that beginning on July 1, Kathleen Devaney will serve as The Hill School’s 12th Head of School.

When former Head of School Zachary G. Lehman announced that he would depart Hill at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, a search committee led by Michael W. Harris ’84, vice hair of the board of trustees, was formed.

“We had four major responsibilities: helping our consultants gather campus voices for our position statement, reading resumes and educational philosophies, interviewing candidates during a weekend in Philadelphia, and spending time with our top three candidates when they visited campus,” Edward Tuck Hall Distinguished Chair in English Courtney Neese ’00, a search committee member, said.

Devaney was the second major candidate who visited Hill from December 4-6 in 2022. Head of Tour Carrington Bernabei ’24 interned at the Admissions Office during this time and

led Devaney’s tour around campus. Bernabei showed Devaney some of the H-term classes taking place around campus, such as “Mastering the Market.”

“I remember thinking how exciting it was that I got to tour her as a candidate and began to hope that she would become our next Head of School. She was very curious to hear about our personal experiences as Hill students and showed genuine interest in hearing the student body’s perspective on Hill life,” Bernabei said.

Passion for Hill programs and traditions was exactly what the search committee looked for in Hill’s next head of school. Aside from being an authentic and experienced independent school leader, they wanted someone who would be able to be empathetic and passionate about their work.

“At the start of the search process, we sometimes wondered if we were trying to find a unicorn,” Neese said.

“Did someone really exist who could prioritize honesty, empathy, respect, and kindness while also preserving our traditions, fundraising, building community, championing our academic excellence, and continuing to propel our community forward?”

“Somehow in Kathleen, we managed to find all those

things and more,” Neese said. “Kathleen was the best person to be our next Head of School. She was the strongest, most qualified candidate in our search process.”

While selecting a candidate to fill the vacant head of school position was not easy, Devaney stood out among the others.

“From the moment we met her in Philadelphia, our entire committee was incredibly impressed,” Neese said. “She brings extensive boarding school experience, she leads with compassion and purpose, and she believes in the mission of our school. Our community felt so strongly about her that during her campus visit, students and faculty kept asking if we could hire her on the spot.”

Dean of Spiritual Life and Equity Rev. Khristi Adams, another search committee member, added that “ultimately, we wanted to choose someone that we felt could best represent Hill and acclimate the best to serving and leading in their community.”

“Devaney has years of experience in all different aspects of boarding school from teaching, to coaching and to administrating,” Adams said. “She has had her hands in pretty much all areas of student and community life in independent schools.”

Devaney currently serves as the founding Executive Director of Horizons, a summer program at Westminster School. She has also held many administrative positions in addition to teaching

Spotlight: Many Hill students participate in lesser-known winter sports

In the past, The Hill News has highlighted various teams around campus, ranging from thirds to varsity and girls field hockey to boys wrestling. Yet, many are unaware of those students who participate in atypical sports outside of school. Thus, we decided it was finally time to feature those Hill students who take the time to pursue their interests in lesser-known sports.

By PORTIA TUNG ’26 & VICKY ZHANG ’26 STAFF WRITERS

Kyle Chen ’24- Go-Karting

Chen, a 5th former from Wenzhou, China, has been an avid go-karter for more than five years. Since the sport required a significant amount of practice to perfect the technique, his major challenge was balancing his time. He often found himself having trouble properly splitting his time between being on the track and his academic work.

He enjoyed go-karting because, to him, it was like meditation, a break from the rest of the day.

“Whenever I am on the track, my brain is only focusing on racing,” Chen said. “Go-karting gives me the time and space where I can leave all the trivial thoughts outside of my head and truly enjoy what I am doing.”

Zirinsky is a 3rd former from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania. She has been alpine skiing for more than 11 years. Ever since she was a kid, her dad took her to the slopes, which sparked her interest in the sport. One of her fondest memories was competing in a ski race with her friends in Aspen, Colo. and placing on the podium.

It was a fascinating achievement which allowed Zirinsky

and her friends to bond with each other and also achieve new heights with the sport.

“Skiing is a lot more than just a sport, it’s about what it brings and teaches you throughout life,” Zirinsky said. “Skiing has always brought happiness to everyone no matter what they are up against.”

Continued on Page 8

history and coaching in the past. At Westminster, she was the Assistant Head of School, Dean of Students, and Director of Student Life. Before joining the faculty at Westminster, Devaney served

as a German teacher, soccer coach, alpine skiing coach, lacrosse coach, dorm parent, and Assistant Director of Admissions at Deerfield Academy.

Continued on Page 2

The Hill Community takes time to reflect during MLK week CAMPUS | Page 2

Anna Carroll dishes ideas for the dining hall FEATURES | Page 5

OPINION: AI art heralds an artistic devolution

& LEISURE |

VERBA VOLANT, SCRIPTA MANENT

Kate Zirinsky ‘26 competes in the National Standard Race (NASTAR) in Aspen, CO.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE ZIRINSKY ’26

Kate Zirinsky ’26 - Alpine Skiing

Devaney appointed first female Head of School

By MICHELLE LAWRENCE

Continued from Page 1

Though Devaney did not share any future plans that she has for Hill, she did exclaim about her excitement for joining the Hill community.

The appointment of Devaney as the new Head of School came as a shock to many, even to Devaney herself.

“When I was offered the job as Hill’s 12th Head of School I definitely was overwhelmed. I was overcome by so many emotions,” Devaney remarked. “I thought to myself, how lucky am I to be able to receive such an offer.”

The timing of the appointment was relatively quick, as felt by some, but nonetheless, students and faculty alike are excited to see what the future of Hill holds.

Young Women & Gender DEI Leader Alyssa Diwale ’25 was very enthusiastic about this leadership change, particularly that the head of school will be a woman for the first time in Hill’s long history.

“I think it is amazing,” Diwale said. “It will definitely bring a new perspective to the table.”

Warner Associate Chaplain Rev. Anne Confer

Martens ’02, who was also a member of one of the first co-ed graduating classes, mentioned that there were not many females in high-level administrative positions when she was a student at Hill. With Devaney as the new leader of the school, she hoped that students will be inspired.

“Representation really matters. Seeing a woman at the Head of School’s table in the dining hall, in the pew in

under-represented folks that there is room for them too,” Martens said.

Sammie Faella ’26 also believed that representation is an important model for the student body.

“I do feel a sense of pride that there’s a woman as the head of school,” Faella said. “It’s nice to see a female in a leadership position, especially as the first women to do so as the head of school, and it continues to show how women are having more and more of an impact in the world. It’s inspiring, in a way, to see a woman doing something only men have before.”

On the other hand, other students stressed the importance of qualification for the role. Grace Carroll ’26 was excited to learn more about Devaney, but the gender identity of the new Head of School was not the most important criterion for her.

“It didn’t matter to me whether the Head of School was a man or woman, as long as they were qualified to carry out the role of Head of School and would do their best to lead the Hill community,” Carroll said.

Chapel, and at the podium in the CFTA matters because it shows women and other

The appointment of Devaney as the 12th Head of School was a momentous occasion for Hill, as she will be the first female to become the official Head of School and lead the Hill community in its

171-year history. She joined Interim Head of School Dr. Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas, who was the first female and the first woman of color to hold such a leadership position.

Devaney’s appointment as the first female Head of School coincides with the 25th anniversary of coeducation at The Hill School.

In June, Devaney, along

with her husband Mark de Kanter and two college-aged children, will make the move down to Hill from Connecticut. To her, this move will be both “nostalgic and bittersweet.”

When she formally takes the role as Head of School, and even before that during her future visits in the spring, Devaney hopes to get to know

Hill better, little by little. She looks to build relationships and community, meet new people, hear about Hill both past and present, but most importantly do a lot of listening.

“I need to take it slow. This is a marathon; there is a pace to this. It is a pace that I have the endurance for,” Devaney said.

MLK continues to impact Hill students through a week of cultural and historical reflection

By ELLA GRINDLE

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” These words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. seemed to have guided Hill’s recent activities surrounding MLK Day. During the week of January 16, students were encouraged to observe a variety of perspectives on racial injustice, police brutality, and the culture of African Americans.

The week opened that Sunday night with a hip-hop performance by the Philidelphia-based dance company Hip Hop Fundamentals. Students got the chance to view youth involvement in the civil rights movement through the lens of interpretive dance.

Events continued Monday morning with an all-school screening of “The Hate U Give”, which was based on the book of the same name. Angie Thomas, the author of the book, addressed the Hill community later that day, speaking to her experience growing up as a young Black woman in the 90s and early 2000s, and how her struggles were reflected in the story.

“I think finding yourself, and then learning yourself and knowing yourself is an ongoing process. I think that’s one of the beautiful things about life. You’re constantly figuring out what you’re into, you’re constantly figuring out who you are, and that’s cool. But I think you should also always have that root; your morals and knowing where you stand on certain things,” Thomas reflected to the community.

Edward Tuck Hall Distinguished Chair in English, Courtney Neese ’00, played a role in bringing Thomas to campus. “Mrs. Hudak asked the

English Department to brainstorm who we would like to have visit campus this year, and Angie Thomas was at the top of our list,” Neese recalls.

Like many in the Hill community, Neese understands the importance of hearing from an author like Thomas. She shares “The English Department has worked hard to put books in front of our students that symbolize mirrors and windows. Mirrors are the texts that reflect students’ own identities, experiences, and motivations; windows are the texts that provide insight into the identities, experiences, and motivations of others. Our hope is the texts our students read during

their time at Hill allow them to learn something about the world around them while also feeling seen for who they are.”

Thomas shared a similar sentiment to the community, detailing how different types of media helped her find herself. “Reading books was huge for me. One of the things that changed my life in college was reading the autobiography of Malcolm X. Reading Toni Morrison, and Octavia Butler, and all of black authors. Seeing how they saw someone like me, and then seeing myself the way that they saw me, it changed my life. So, between books and hip-hop, they’ve got me covered,” she reflected.

Reverend Khristi Adams, the faculty leaders for Hill’s DEI committee, expressed her thoughts on the broader picture of the diverse student body in answering the question: Do you think that there is any type of resistance from students who may come from different backgrounds?

“Yes. There should be; it’s unrealistic to think that everyone in the room is all on the same page. We’re all answering the same question: What does it mean to come together for and in spite of our differences? Do we value humanity, equality? We may have different approaches to how we answer those questions.”

She continued by explaining, ”What I took away, and hope other students and faculty took away, is people are hesitant to approach these topics because they are so heavy. There is a fear of messing up, or simply a lack of interest. It’s important to realize that there are different ways of engaging in these conversations other than fights on social media. Angie didn’t come trying to give a heavy speech. She was conversational. I hope they are able to hear a variety of perspectives like the ones that were introduced in the film; the main characters who feel stuck between two identities, and the Haileys who come from a communi-

’24

FEATURES EDITOR

’26 STAFF WRITER

Kathleen Devaney visits Hill with her husband Mark de Kanter and sister Mary Kate Barnes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH BENDER

“Representation really matters. Seeing a woman at the Head of School’s table in the dining hall, in the pew in Chapel, and at the podium in the CFTA matters because it shows women and other under-represented folks that there is room for them too.”

— Rev. Anne Confer Martins, Warner Associate Chaplain

Hill’s entrepreneurship class helps build a zero-waste cafe in Pottstown

By EMERSON LEGER ’25

For the past month, Hill’s entrepreneurship class has been hard at work with a project to give back to the Pottstown community and the environment. With the help of Hobart’s Run Executive Director Twila Fisher and Hoda Ehsan, Director of Quadrivium Engineering and Design, students will learn, research, and then build a zero-waste book cafe in Pottstown.

Fisher and Ehsan initiated the program in hopes to open a student-directed cafe and a downtown center for experiential learning. With the help of the Communication Director Cathy Skitko, they combined ideas, and Ehsan drew up a proposal and Fisher found a building to rent on High Street.

After securing a lease for the building, which will last between December 2022 to June 2023, the next step was to meet with the Borough of Pottstown to get a zoning permit.

“We still need to get an approved sign permit and a final commercial inspection from the Borough before the cafe can be

open to the public,” Fisher stated in an email.

Students involved in community service and the Entrepreneurship class were then notified about the idea. “We were notified of this project in late November before H-term, but we really got to work on it this past week,”

McKay Allain ’23 mentioned.

With the goal of developing a zero-waste cafe, they plan to use repurposed materials. In an email, Ehsan mentioned, “We have gotten some furniture from the Hill storage, and Hill’s ITS was very generous by providing us with many electronic devices that we need.”

Fisher added that additional resources for the cafe will come from “general donations, project-specific donor funds, and volunteer labor.”

Allain is excited to contribute to the zero waste book cafe.

“This not only benefits our class and what we have learned thus far, but we have an opportunity to give back to Pottstown and the environment,” she said.

What Fisher would like the students to take away from this project is to implement zero waste principles, developed a social impact that benefits Pottstown, and

learn how to practice sustainable development in social enterprise. These goals align with what the students learned in the beginning of the year. “We learned about budgeting and crucial things to start a successful business,” Allain explained.

This idea started as a dream and turned into a reality. Ehsan stated in an email, “I have always had a passion to take my engineering knowledge to communities outside the education organizations. After being at the Hill School for more than a year, I decided to turn this idea into a reality and make it happen.”

The grand opening of the cafe will be on February 16 and 17, with the location being on 249 E. High Street in downtown Pottstown. Allain commented that she and her classmates are excited to see the outcome of all the hard work they put in. “It is fun to learn how to start a business and to successfully go through with all of it,” she shared.

The entrepreneurship class voted on the official name “Book n’ Brew.” Fisher explained however, that they will use zero-waste book cafe as a definition of what they are offering to the Pottstown community.

Brazil congress invasion shows similarities with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

By JASON ZHOU ’23 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Jan. 8, mobs of people stormed Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential offices in the capital of the South America country, Brasília. Images of protestors fueled with emotions holding the Brazilian flags, trashing offices with clenched fists are reminding people of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

There are parallels between the mob violence in Brazil and attack on the U.S. capitol. The supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro planned the attack on congress in hope to overthrow the newly elected government. Bolsonaro, the far-right former president, claimed that the election was false, in much the same manner that Donald Trump did after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

Bolsonaro, who has a close relationship with Trump, suggested that if he lost the coming election, it would be rigged. The misinformation circling his claim about the election loomed over the Brazilian social media months before the election results came out. The internet played a central role in stoking anger, and the Bolsonaro supporters in Brazil

utilized this playbook to organize their own far-right organizations and planned protests using invisible hashtags, according to the New York Times. Twitter became the spotlight of misinformation again, reciprocating Trump and his supporters’ tweets.

Another important point to mention is the slow reaction of the national police in response to the attack. The new president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said, “The Brasilia police neglected [the attack threat], Brasilia’s intelligence neglected it.” Questions were raised as to how so many people broke through and entered some of the most important buildings in the country, which are supposed to have the most security, with few obstacles. The incompetence of national polices in both Brazil and the United States had been shown in two occasions.

However, the two attacks do not perfectly fall in line. The Jan. 6 attack was focused on stopping the official sworn-in ceremony of the results of the 2020 election, where Joe Biden would be officially inaugurated into the office. On the other hand, the new president of Brazil, Lula, was sworn into office on Jan. 1. Like Jennifer McCoy, a political scientist at Georgia State University said, the attack is more of “an expression of frustration and outrage.”

For Lula, the urgent dilemma also lies in the financial market.

“As with most countries, unrest and uncertainty in politics can cause detrimental effects to the economy.

Brazil’s situation is no differentmarkets tend to follow the mood of its consumers and country as a whole,” Kris Donaldson, Colhoun Financial Literacy Coordinator at the Hill school, said. Lula was able to

Hill students react to lifted COVID-19 restrictions in China

substantially fund social projects, which earned him a lot of votes in the presidential election. Only time will tell if the program he put forward will come to fruition.

With the uncertainty of the Brazilian political situation, foreign investors will be reluctant to continue their support. “The only way stable investing will bounce back is if there is a sense of confidence and stability in the political outlook,” Donaldson suggested.

The Brazil congress invasion has a lasting effect. Besides the economic side, it once again showed how fragile democracy is. Elizabeth Blossom Chair of Humanities Kathryn Malone said that a democratic political system is supposed to decide questions of powers through elections. The system depends on the losing candidates accepting that they lost and the general population accepting the outcome of the election and accepting its legitimacy.

“In both Brazil and United States, what you had is a systematic campaign of misinformation on the part of Bolsonaro in Brazil, and Trump in the United State,” Malone said. With the effective undermining of the legitimacy of the other side, supporters of the losing side are bound to revolt and start a revolution.

The two congress attacks showed how powerful modern communication media is to distort truth, rather than to reveal it. “150 years ago, modern communications were going to make the world safer, for democracy and representative governments because people would have such good information,” Malone said. It is very ironic in present days, as modern communication media “has made popular system that settle things by popular opinion very fragile.”

Malone thought of the Brazil congress attack and the Jan 6 capitol attack as politicians taking an aggrieved working class and turning them into thinking everybody else is the enemy.

“The real power elites are using populist propaganda to create an army essentially to support them. What they are doing is trying to further consolidate powers in the hands of the elites.”

By KIERN LIM ’25 STAFF WRITER

Following nationwide protests and demonstrations over China’s zero-case COVID-19 policy in December, the Chinese government announced a sudden complete lifting of many of its health restrictions across the country. Previously, the Chinese government had imposed restrictions like week-long quarantines and curfew lockdowns in an effort to strive towards a zero-Covid society. Even major cities like Beijing and Shanghai were heavily affected, causing food and delivery bottlenecks. People’s survival became a problem, not to mention business and economic impacts. With the announcement of China’s shifting policies, Hill Chinese students were quick to react to the news.

“I personally think they should have a better system or better preparation rather than announcing it right away because it is really too surprising to the public,” Lucy Lyu ’25, a Shanghai native, said. The sudden shift of policy caught Chinese society off guard, as citizens are being rushed to return to pre-pandemic life without the facilities to do so. The sudden lift of the zero-case COVID policy exacerbated a lot of the ongoing problems in Chinese society.

The lifting of restrictions resulted in the rapid resurgence of the COVID virus in China. “A lot of people are suffering and got COVID because there was suddenly an enormous outbreak in basically every city in China. I could tell from all my friends and the people I know,” Lyu said. She shared that most of the people she knows had extreme symptoms after contracting the virus. Hospitals overflowed with

patients, and health care workers are working nonstop with limited equipment.

With the situation not getting better any time soon, many became concerned and upset with the suddenness of the unthoughtful decision and methods adopted by the government. They also questioned the need for the past few years of strict restrictions. “I was so mad when I thought about it deeply. What was the point of the three years of quarantine and lockdowns? We have wasted these three years not being able to go back home, not being able to travel abroad,” Yina Yao ’25 from Shanghai commented.

However, this new policy has allowed for students to go to China without having to worry about COVID restrictions being imposed on them if they were to return. Previously, there were many Hill students who wanted to return to China during the breaks but were not able to go back due to the strict quarantine restrictions and lockdowns. They were forced to quarantine for long periods of time, sometimes even exceeding the length of the break itself. But now, they can enter China without quarantine. All they will need is to produce a negative PCR within 48 hours before their departure. There is excitement and comfort felt by international families as students are finally able to go back home smoothly.

“I just felt kind of relieved that we could finally have a chance to go back to three years ago,” said Maggie Qi ’25, who is originally from Beijing.

Jason Zhou ’23 contributed to this article

The Entrepreneurship class prepares for the opening of the zero-waste cafe. PHOTO BY JASON ZHOU ’23

Supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro storm Brazil’s National Congress. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELA JIN ’24

SYA students send news from abroad

By MEG O’HALLORAN ’25 STAFF WRITER

Four Hill students are having an adventure of a lifetime this year—a chance to experience the culture of a different country. School Year Abroad, a program of which Hill is a member school, sends teenagers all around the country to their

“A lot was being thrown at me: new country, new language, new family, new type of food, new school, etc. During that time, I just tried to remind myself of what my host family and teachers kept telling me, that little by little it would get better—and it did”

Diemmy Dang ’24, a current 5th former participating in the SYA program.

outposts in Spain, Italy, and France for a semester or a full year. Students live with host families, go to school with other SYA and local

students, and are immersed in language and culture in a way that can’t be replicated in a classroom. Three of the students studying abroad, 5th formers Diemmy Dang ’24, Morgan McMahon ’24, and Annie Gaither ’24, agreed to share their experiences over the past term.

Though easy to romanticize, for many students the transition to Europe is rocky.

“At first it was extremely challenging. Everything about my life had changed,” Gaither stated in an email.

“A lot was being thrown at me: new country, new language, new family, new type of food, new school, etc During that time, I just tried to remind myself of what my host family and teachers kept telling me, that little by little it would get better—and it did,” Dang agreed in her own email.

For McMahon the hardest part was “never the big things, because you expect those.” The small, cultural and regional differences in the day-to-day were the challenges she couldn’t have prepared for. Laughing, she shared that, “there was a two week period where I couldn’t open the door!”

Soon, though, they found

themselves adapting to a new routine, growing close to their host siblings and parents, and starting to feel more confident in their language abilities.

“I’m grateful that I have a super caring host family that has really welcomed me into their lives,” Dang stated. “As for friends, this is a pretty small program, so everyone gets to know each other in a really unique way. We’re all going through something different and a little scary at first and I think that’s a bonding experience.”

Morgan thought that SYA students “build a community that I could never begin to describe.” She and her friends went to school, hung out, and traveled together. A plus she highlighted for anyone thinking about SYA—there’s many opportunities for solo

travel around some of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Hill ties, however, never sever, not even between thousands of miles and grueling time differences.

“At first, it was extremely challenging. Everything about my life had changed”

Annie Gaither ’24, a current 5th former participating in the SYA program.

“Hill is still a big part of my life in France,” Gaither wrote. “I talk to my Hill friends almost every day.”

Dang decided to travel back to the states for winter break and was able to recon-

nect with friends and teachers on campus.

Morgan’s back to Hill for the Winter term, readjusting to our community and dazzling everyone with stories of her adventures.

Independence and confidence were the keywords as the girls looked back on their experience thus far.

“I’m capable of more than I thought I was,” Dang said.

McMahon thought fondly of the new person she’s become. “I learned how to talk to people. Learning how to do that in a different language really helps the English aspect of things,” she reflects.

The wide range of experiences, from worry to feelings of home, reminded Gaither of a quote from John Lennon: “Everything is okay in the end; if it’s not okay it’s not the end.”

Hill fundraises for upcoming projects

By LEXI LUBZCENKO ’25 STAFF WRITER

Upkeeping a community that houses and educates hundreds of people is an incredibly tedious undertaking. This process includes an indepth fundraising program to ensure ample money for funding the various aspects of student life. The Hill’s fundraising team earns the school millions of dollars each year from alumni, trustees, and parents, however, this can often go unappreciated in the eyes

of Hill students, who are oblivious to what’s going to be done with the money.

Geoff Neese, the Director of Capital Giving and his team manage these fundraising efforts. In his role, he travels around the country to connect with alumni who are planning to invest in the school. Although Neese’s team oversees fundraising, they aren’t the ones who make decisions on the projects that take priority.

“Projects are typically given to us from the board and the Head of School. They

tell us what’s important to the school, and we try to make that happen,” Neese said.

He spoke about several large previous and upcoming projects and renovations that alumni have recently supported, as well as alumni who have made significant contributions to the school. The most notable of these individuals is the previous board chair Preston Athey ’67, who made a $12 million donation and became one of Hill’s biggest supporters in the school’s history.

Christian Sockel, the Assistant Head for Institutional Giving, provided a breakdown of Hill’s annual budget and its sources that go the daily operations of Hill.

“On an approximate $40 million operating budget annually, $25 million comes from tuition and $15 million from gifts and endowment draw and other auxiliary revenue like rentals of

fields and facilities.” Sockel said.

Many renovations are within the world of athletics. For example, new equipment in the weightroom, the Madden Stadium for football and lacrosse, projected to open in mid-April, and a new set of tennis facilities.

“They’re going to completely rip out all the tennis courts on Beech Street, build nine new courts, and a tennis pavilion,” Neese shared about the tennis facilities renovation.

Another large project is the construction of a brandnew dormitory between Dell Village and Wendell dormitories. The Board of Trustees and fundraising team is aware of the deteriorating condition of the older dormitories. They are working on projects to address that problem in the future.

“The original plan is to build a new dorm and use that as a swing space to be able to renovate. This is a guess, but

our next campaign will probably be an overall residential life campaign,” explained Neese.

Another project that has received heavy alumni support is the renovation of the Alumni Chapel, with the goal of having all four forms to attend the service in person at the same time. The funds will allow Hill to stretch out the structure by building a choir loft on the front-facing side.

Students can also play a role in fundraising through participating in student

panels.

In 2018, student leaders in the engineering class met and spoke to alumni, who are curious to see how the program is doing here long after they graduate. The engineering class went on a trip after getting a donation from the alumni. Former Head of School Zach Lehman met with student leaders through weekly breakfast. These forums could be a place where students can have a voice in the policy changes and future fundraising programs.

Morgan McMahon ’24 and Diemmy Dang ’24 visit the caves in Alquezar during SYA Spain. PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN MCMAHON ’24

Anna Carroll ’23 dishes ideas for the dining hall

By ANNA CARROLL ’23 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From the wide range of choices to the sheer number of students in the pantry, it is an indisputable fact that the Hill School Dining Hall is overwhelming. For many, indecisiveness kicks in when attempting to put together a nutritious and delicious meal. Thus, it only seems appropriate to provide all students with a guide to the Hill School Dining Hall, providing tips and hacks on how to satisfy cravings and fuel energy through making use of the variety of whole foods provided.

In short, this is my take on Hill’s high-performance meals.

the fast

If you want to shake up your breakfast, making a smoothie bowl is always delicious and filling.

Smoothie Bowls: When there are smoothies at breakfast, I like to pour the smoothie into a bowl and top it with an assortment of fruit, granola, and chocolate chips.

Soup-er creations

Vegetable Noodle Soup: It’s always a good day when the garden vegetable soup is served. As an avid pasta-lover, I like to add noodles to my soup, as well as plenty of parmesan cheese. You could easily do this with other soups, as well!

Mix with Rice: I’ve also seen other students add rice to soup and put chili on top of rice! You can add whatever toppings in the salad bar to your soup.

General tips

-The Sesame dressing is good on everything.

-The Pico de Gallo will always spice up a regular salad, as will the bruschetta.

-The lemons are located next to the tea and coffee.

By now, every student knows that the rice is a hot commodity at lunches and dinners. And, honestly, this is rightfully so. However, if there is ever rice left in the cooker for you, here is a classic idea:

Sesame Bowl: Build a nutritious bowl by pairing rice with your choice of protein and vegetables. For me, this looks like rice with tofu, mixed greens, cucumbers, and other vegetables served. Then, top it all off with the Asian Sesame dressing—it's really the best salad dressing there.

Up your basic salad

Balsamic Spinach Feta: When there are strawberries, this is my favorite salad to make! Have a bowl of spinach, with feta cheese, strawberries, croutons, and diced chicken. You can use either balsamic dressing or balsamic vinegar mixed with olive oil.

Pico De Gallo Salad: Level up your salads with a variety of vegetables, sliced grilled chicken, and the pre-made Pico de Gallo. I like to top this salad with the Balsamic dressing or the Orange Citrus Vinaigrette.

The pantry is filled with endless pasta-bilities

There are more types of pasta to make than just parmesan dusted noodles. Combine the pasta line with the salad bar, soups, condiments, and/or drink station (yes, the drink station) to create lemon pasta, pasta salad, or even vegetable noodle soup. Here are some of my favorites:

Lemon Pasta: Grab a bowl from the salad bar and create a small bed of spinach. Then, ask for an appropriate portion of plain noodles. Add any toppings you want. For protein, I choose between the protein from the mindful station, the diced chicken, or beans. I add other vegetables available at that meal, as well, such as broccoli, snow peas, and edamame. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese and olive oil. Grab a lemon from the drink station near the tea to squeeze its juice on the pasta. Lastly, add salt or pepper-- to taste.

Pasta Salad: Ask for a little bit of pasta (this works best with smaller noodles). Mix with cucumbers, tomatoes, the bruschetta, and feta cheese. For protein, I like to add beans or diced chicken. As for the dressing, I like to mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil—these are located on the side of the salad bar, next to the dried fruits and seeds (the opposite side of the granola).

The Dining Hall is home to various options of quality, nutritious food. Look for ways to mix and match different ingredients to satisfy your cravings and fuel your hunger. And who knows, maybe your creation might just be the next high-performance meal.

The Hill News wants to thank Sodexo for their constant support of the student body and school to ensure we are fed

for our long days.

PHOTOS BY ANNA CARROLL ’23

OPINION: AI advancement heralds an artistic devolution

By AIDAN MA ’23 VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

If you have been on social media at all lately, you’ve likely heard of the latest technological phenomenon: AI art. Programs like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Dall-E have exploded in popularity as of late, sparking much discussion and controversy about intellectual property, creativity, and the nature of art itself. With a prompt as specific or broad as the user wants, a piece that might take a professional artist hours to bring to life is created within seconds. This image isn’t pieced together or collaged from other images off the Internet either; every image generated by one of these programs is wholly original—to an extent.

These works are not created out of thin air. To have the necessary information to run, they must be fed vast amounts of images created by real artists, turning them into code that they can then imitate. That means that a user could theoretically “commission” a piece from any artist in history, dead or alive, if their art is even remotely present on the internet. The possibilities are boundless and the ideas are limitless, but one central question emerges: where does this leave artists?

When lines of code can imitate the various idiosyncrasies of an art style, the position that artists hold in this world becomes unclear. The hours of work it took to create a piece and the years it took to nurture the skills needed to get to a commercial level suddenly become irrelevant. We live in the age of convenience, and when everything, from food to

household chores, can be ordered and done with a tap of a finger, why wouldn’t creativity be the next frontier?

Ethically, AI art lies in an ambiguous position. Artists never consented to having their images used and consumed by these programs to churn out works faster than they could imagine. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the companies running these programs, with a group of artists filing a class action against Midjourney, Stability AI, and DeviantArt, the companies responsible for some of the most prolific AI programs out at the moment.

Some argue that what AI does is arguably the same as what people do, just at a much faster rate; after all, learning is all about being influenced by those around you. Yet, the key differences between machine and human learning is that people learn to improve, and AI programs learn to replace. It becomes much clearer the position these artists were put in when they’re art is actively used by technological giants for this sole purpose of replacement.

The ethical dilemma of programs like these is complex, but AI art forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality of technological progress and automation. At its core, the purpose of automation is to reduce the skill and labor it takes to produce. In a perfect world, this would benefit the entire population: employees could work fewer hours, products would cost less, and everyone would be satisfied. But AI art doesn’t do any of these things.

Aside from subjective quality (there is an argument present that AI art is just plain bad), it actively hurts

By HENRY RITTS ’24 STAFF WRITER

Last November, Xander Hoishik ’24, a 5th former, performed live at The Gem, a local speakeasy. His band, Twilight of the Frog Gods, played an over 2 hour set list, featuring fan favorites that ranged from Barracuda by Heart to Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen to Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo.

Hoishik has been the guitarist for the band ever since it came into being four years ago. He first got into guitar when he received one for Christmas at the young age of six. Eventually, he began to take it more seriously and originally took lessons with

Oaklawn-Tuttle Director of Vocal Music, Yoon Soo Lim, when he was in 5th grade.

Through Earth Song Creative Arts, an educational, music and wellness program, he was placed in a band with his current bandmates. Although some shows are still through Earth Song, most of Hoishik’s gigs are independently driven by the band.

“I really look up to guitarists who can hold their own in a band, some of my biggest inspirations are real strong at not just guitar, but at songwriting and performing. I really look up to people like Hendrix, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Jerry Cantrell, and Slash,” Hoishik said.

He also had this to say about

creatives and consumers alike. The lack of story, labor, and soul—the integral processes of creation—needed to generate these pieces devalues them from the start, and while that might keep gallery artists safe, graphic designers, illustrators, and various other commercial artists face a much

his love of music, “I love the creativity of music because you can do anything you want, and the expressiveness of it. I don’t feel there is any better way to express yourself. People interact with me here at Hill, and those people who came to my show would never have expected me to do what I did at the show. You get into a completely different character when you are performing. Everything around you, the world. the audience goes mute. You are just in the moment playing music. There is no other feeling like playing live.”

If you have ever been to one of his gigs, you can truly see his respect for showmanship and rock and roll. He even played through a lacerated finger last November.

In an interview with the Twilight of the Frog Gods’ singer, Camryn Snow, she praised Xander for being “very confident” and “extremely talented.” Looking forward, Xander hopes to play more shows at bigger venues with more songs. Although the Twilight of the Frog Gods has only done cover work, he says that “we have about 18 originals in various stages…and our goal is within the next year to play a show that is only originals.” This future album remains unnamed as he is focusing on producing, “50 or so songs, so that we have a wide range to pick from.” He spends most of his nights working diligently in sound production for this music. He says he is able to make time for music despite the often overwhelming demands of The Hill School.

The Twilight of the Frog Gods are performing live at Rivet here in Pottstown in late April or early May.

grimmer future.

The zeitgeist of the 21st century is one of unrestrained progress and technological advancement, with change in every corner of the world and in every corner of our lives. These changes, for better or for worse, will be staying with us

for the foreseeable future, but from the flagrant intellectual property violations to the utter absence of soul and artistry, I can only draw one conclusion: out of all the technological advancements made in the last couple of years, AI art just might be the worst of them all.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” floods the box office

By LUKE GERDEMAN ’23 ARTS & LEISURE EDITOR

James Cameron has done it again! Despite all the jokes about the series and its characters, the Avatar franchise continues to be an incredible success in the box office.

After a month in theaters, Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” is among the ten highest-grossing films of all time. Although there were initial doubts before release, it’s not hard to see why the film is such a huge success.

Taking place on the fictional planet of Pandora, this movie follows the story of Jake Sully’s family among the Na’vi people as life becomes more tense on this alien world. Threats of violence between Na’vi and human beings worsen and Jake is forced to move his family away from the forest to a water tribe in the first half of the film.

The story continues, and what follows is an action adventure story which deserves all the praise it gets.

While some may complain about this story as a retread of the original, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Cameron doesn’t reinvent the wheel in terms of sequels here. What he does instead is identify the essence of

“Avatar: the Way of Water” was released on December 16, 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

an “Avatar” movie and successfully recreate it for his audience thirteen years later. Relatable characters, reprehensible villains and an appreciation of the natural world deeply connect with the audience over its 3-hour runtime.

And that might be the greatest issue with the film. With any film more than 2.5 hours, there reaches a point in which the audience can become bored and begin to disengage. This pacing

becomes an issue around the second act of the film, as the audience views several sequences in which the Sully family becomes accustomed to their new surroundings scene after scene. However, by the time the film reaches its action-filled third act, the audience finds themselves deeply immersed in its conclusion.

If you enjoy science fiction, action films, or the first “Avatar” film, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” is a must-see.

Illustration generated by Dall-E. Prompt: “The Industrial Revolution in a psychedelic style painted with oil paints.”

Xander Hoishik ’24 sells out local venue with his band Twilight of the Frog Gods

The NFL community supports Damar Hamlin throughtout his recovery

By GRANT LUPIEN ’23 STAFF WRITER

The NFL must see Damar Hamlin’s unfortunate accident as a wake-up call.

The severity of injuries that occur during the regular course of a game, such as after a routine tackle, often go overlooked. Players from across the NFL have expressed their concern with how easily serious injuries can happen to anyone.

On January 2, in a crucial game for the top seed in the AFC, Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, took a hit to the chest during a routine tackle from the Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins. Damar stood up from the hit, attempted to walk away, and collapsed in the middle of the field.

Damar went into cardiac arrest. Fortunately, CPR was immediately given to Damar, and paramedics

eventually transferred him off the field and to the nearest hospital. The game was delayed and then later canceled, with changes being made to the AFC playoffs to adjust for the canceled game.

While the exact cause of the cardiac arrest is still unknown, experts believe Damar’s heart may have gone into an arrhythmia. This condition is caused by a blow to the chest area in the precise time window of 20 milliseconds while the heart is relaxing in between pumps.

Since the injury, Damar has been released from the hospital and met with his team before their playoff meeting with the Miami Dolphins. The effects of the injury have been far-reaching and have served as a wake-up call to sports medicine and injuries. Bills’ trainer

Denny Kellington has since been credited with saving Damar’s life and has been

praised as the epitome of a fast and hardworking medical trainer.

Players throughout not only the NFL but sports have made comments about player safety, with basketball star Lebron James commenting player safety “is always the most important.”

In addition to attention being brought to sports injuries and treatment, Damar’s charity, Chasing M’s Toy Drive, received 8.7 million dollars in donations. The initial goal of his GoFundMe campaign was to raise 2,500 dollars, but with the united support of sports fans around the world, Damar was able to well exceed his initial hopes. With this money, Damar plans to “support young people through education and sports” adding that he will be donating a portion of the money to various nonprofits across the country. In the week following the injury, nu-

merous changes were made to honor Damar, with each stadium painting their 30yard line a different color in respect to Damar as he wore number 3.

Football is one of the most dangerous sports to participate in, and while new rules continue to be implemented for the sake of player safety, the NFL needs to work with the NFL Players Association to prioritize player safety. In conjunction with this reevaluation of injury protocol, the NFL should celebrate the aptitude and swiftness of the trainer Denny Kellington and continue to promote him as the primary example of a top-notch trainer.

Despite the Bills not being in the Super Bowl, the city of Buffalo has united behind the same cause, and the world of sports will watch to see how far Damar Hamlin’s teammates can carry his dream.

Sam Bankman-Fried could plausibly beat his case

By CORBIN CARTAGINE ’23 OPINION EDITOR

Sam Bankman-Fried is undoubtedly guilty of financial crimes and negligence; however, his likelihood of evading criminal punishment seems to be growing. A few weeks ago, Bankman-Fried entered a not-guilty plea for allegations that include incredibly serious charges such as money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. These legal repercussions come in response to the collapse of his cryptocurrency trading platform, FTX.

The allegations state that Bankman-Fried essentially took the funds of cryptocurrency investors that were meant to make direct trades, and instead maneuvered such funds to his hedge fund. The hedge fund, Alameda,

was an entity that was supposed to be completely separated from the trading platform itself. Fried took investors’ money that was specifically directed towards executing personal trades, and he used such funds to make risky investments into his crypto trading hedge fund. The fund took increasingly bold strategies, such as trading derivatives on cryptocurrency. The hedge fund suffered from astronomical losses, and Fried did not have the funds to cover the withdrawals of his investors from the exchange.

In simple terms, everyone lost their money because Bankman-Fried’s behavior was reckless, greedy, and seemingly criminal. So, how could he possibly evade legal

repercussions? Bankman-Fried has an incredible legal team who will most likely make the argument that Bankman-Fried’s actions were not malicious, but instead simply unpredictable mistakes. They will argue that Fried had no intention of defrauding investors and that he had zero intention of causing any of this. Unfortunately, these arguments may be approached with some level of sympathy by the legal system. The United States’ legal system has become notorious for letting white-collar criminals get away. With only 3% of prosecutions within the United States being white-collar crime cases, the number of white-collar criminals held responsible is

Southwest Airlines must replace its tech leadership and infastructure

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Editors-in-Chief Visual Managing Editors Anna Carroll ’23, Jason Zhou ’23 Aidan Ma ’23, Carrie Shang ’23

Ryann Holladay ’24

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Winnie Liu ’24

Caroline Calello ’26

Stella Mueller ’26

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Jaewan Lee ’25

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Lizzie Hopper ’23, Grant Lupien ’23, Ella Lee ’24, Mia Jacobs ’24, Henry Ritts ’24, Angela Jin ’24, Cici Fang ’24, Vicky Xiao ’24, Emerson Leger ’25, Kiern Lim ’25, Lexi Lubczenko ’25, Meg O’Halloran ’25, Evan Luo ’25, Portia Tung ’26, Michelle Lawrence ’26, Vicky Zhang ’26

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Content Policy

The Hill News is the student-run newspaper of The Hill School. Content is determined by and reflects the views of the student editorial board and staff and not school officials or the School itself. The Hill News acts as an open forum for student expression where they have complete control over the content produced.

Want to contribute to The Hill News?

Come to our weekly meetings TBA or contact a member of our staff. To submit a letter to the editors or an opinion piece, email acarroll23@thehill.org, zzhou23@thehill.org, ama23@thehill.org, hshang23@thehill.org.

By EVAN LUO ’25 STAFF WRITER

A devastating winter storm that pummeled snow across much of the United States led to widespread flight cancellations over the Christmas holiday. By Christmas day, however, air travel was back to normal — unless you booked your holiday excursion with Southwest Airlines.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, Southwest canceled more than 2,600 flights on December 27, single-handedly representing over 90% of US flight cancellations that day. As a result, Southwest needs to terminate Priya Narayan, its Senior Director of Technology, and Robert Quintanilla, its Senior Director Of Technology Services and Operations. Both hold full blame for the fiasco at Southwest Airlines this holiday season.

Both Narayan and Quintanilla held direct management over Southwest’s crew application and caused this disaster by ignoring the recommendations of Southwest’s software engineers, who brought up the need for a major update to

Southwest’s software system. Yet, they refused and even covered up major software problems, bugs, and performance issues that ultimately led to this disaster. They even retaliated against employees who spoke up against the issue.

Their actions directly

their bags to their customers. It was only a week later when Southwest resembled a functioning airline.

The consequences of Southwest’s unprecedented collapse will be steep. Southwest says that the cascading logistical failures will cost the airline between $725 million and $825 million in lost revenue, crew costs, and passenger refunds.

ILLUSTRATION BY VICKY XIAO ’24

caused Southwest’s scheduling system to malfunction when the winter storm came. Consequently, this forced Southwest to rely on manual crew assignments. Yet a lack of manpower in their telecommunications system caused the company’s flight operations to build up, creating a cascade effect that caused Southwest to abort nearly all their flights. Southwest’s failure not only canceled over 16,000 flights but left many passengers searching for their luggage, wondering why Southwest wouldn’t return

Additionally, Southwest faces a federal investigation from the US. Department of Transportation into whether it violated its own legally required customer service plan amid the blizzard of flight cancellations that ruined the plans of travelers over the Christmas holiday. In a statement on December 26, the USDOT called Southwest’s service meltdown “disproportionate and unacceptable.”

Overall, Southwest needs to replace its technology management with experienced leaders who will focus on upgrading the airline’s software system, listening to employee concerns, and providing Southwest crew with the operational tools they need.

Damar Hamlin recovers after suffering from cardiac arrest.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

Sam Bankman-Fried faces allegations of financial crimes such as money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

Hill celebrates 25 years of women in sports

By LIZZIE HOPPER ’23 STAFF WRITER

“Coach Mo Gaitan and I ran a gender excellence task force several years ago and put together a committee of coaches that closely evaluated our entire athletics department,” Eilberg stated.

This task force tackled issues such as ones Neese presented in her statement, and worked to ensure that every student at Hill has the equal opportunity to pursue excellence in athletics—despite their gender.

“We examined issues of equity and access and worked to address things like accounting for the reality of restricted fund giving by alumni,” Eilberg stated. This task force ensured that despite the long history of males at Hill, that alum gifts to restricted funds would go to support both boys’ and girls’ teams in the intended sport for donation. Eilberg said he hoped “every girl has the opportunity to pursue excellence in their sport(s) and feels that they have every support to do so.”

Roadtrips unite the varsity girls hockey team

By ELLA LEE ’24 & MIA JACOBS ’24 STAFF WRITERS

This winter season, the varsity girls ice hockey team traveled over 3,000 miles. From Massachusetts to Rhode Island, you can always find them on the road to their next games.

The girls have a strict schedule and demanding wake up times, but they still manage to have fun during it all. Hill’s team plays opponents within the New England Prep Athletic Council, as well as various independent schools.

Assistant coach Laura McConney sees traveling as the best part of the program. “It is in the less structured moments that we’re able to learn the most about each other,” McConney said. “I do genuinely feel that the building blocks of the relationships that I have with our student-athletes originate on the bus.”

Forward Sasha Goldberg ’24 is fond of the Wholefoods and Panera Bread runs that the team do together. “We always go the same route to Connecticut and Massachusetts, and we stop at the same Wholefoods and Panera. It’s nice to have some time to eat and hang out,” Goldberg said. Her go-to order is the turkey BLT at Panera.

The girls hockey team also has a rule regarding electronic uses. After boarding the bus, the team turned in their phones before they get off the bus to the hotel and 30 minutes before entering the away rink.

This upcoming school year marks the 25th anniversary of Hill going co-ed, impacting not only the social environment of the community but the athletics programsprompting a challenging and transformative period in female sports at Hill.

“The soccer field was the first place I felt like I belonged when I stepped foot on Hill’s campus,” said Courtney Neese ’00, Edward Tuck Hall Chair of the English Department. Neese came to Hill’s campus in the fall of 1998 as a 5th form student taking part in soccer, basketball, and softball. Despite “animosity” on every other aspect of campus life, Neese commented that “the athletic fields were an escape for many of us.”

Neese added that due to the small number of women on campus, the programming was “stretched pretty thin,” However, she closes by stating, “It’s incredible how far so many programs have come in such a short period of time. I am filled with so much pride walking the hallways of the Athletic Facility, seeing 25 years of young women wearing Major H sweaters.”

Seth Eilberg, Athletic Director said, “To think of the depth of talent and success across our girl’s programs that we have in just 25 years of girls sports, it is really incredible.”

This developed success included a close attention to equity.

When talking about the meshing of female athletics with male athletics, Kathryn Malone, Elizabeth B. Blossom Chair of Humanities and Senior Master Teacher of Humanities, commented that “we had to fight some minor battles over stuff,” such as uniforms, field space, and budgeting. However, the primary issues of co-ed sports lie with the heightened focus on male sports.

“As much as we play up our successful girl’s teams, they never get as much attention as the boys’ do,” Malone continued.

“I would say the girls’ programs slipped right into the same levels of expectations as boys,” Malone added. She came to Hill in 1999, just one year after the inclusion of girls on campus—working as a history teacher, field hockey coach, and lacrosse coach.

Malone stated that “field hockey has always been strong” and attributes much of this success to the first female field hockey coach, Jen Sparacino, and the proximity of Hill, being in the “hotbed” of field hockey.

“The oldest field hockey programs in the country happened to be at some of the mainline day schools, Shipley, Baldwin, Agnes Irwin, and in the space of two weeks, that second year of the program, they beat all three of those teams,” Malone commented when praising the strength of the field hockey program from its origins.

Paige Hartshorn ’23 a member of both the varsity field hockey and softball teams stated that she was “incredibly grateful for the Hill alumni, specifically the female athletes who paved the way in developing successful athletics programs, giving my teammates and I programs to thrive in.”

Lesser-known winter sports spotlight

In the past, The Hill News has highlighted various teams around campus, ranging from thirds to varsity and girls field hockey to boys wrestling. Yet, many are unaware of those students who participate in atypical sports outside of school. Thus, we decided it was finally time to feature those Hill students who take the time to pursue their interests in lesser-known sports.

Continued from Page 1

By PORTIA TUNG ’26 & VICKY ZHANG ’26 STAFF WRITERS

Hayden Downie ’26Ice Skating

Downie, from Rumson, New Jersey, began figure skating at a young age, since her family used to go to an ice rink by her house. Downie eventually realized it was something she really enjoyed and started taking lessons. At 10 years old, she travelled to Connecticut to compete with and against her friends. It was her first time traveling because she was proficient at a sport and felt a significant sense of accomplishment.

Downie remarked about the hard work that it took to physically and mentally prepare for competition on the ice.

“No one really views it as a real sport even though it is hard work, and there is also body image to think about.” Downie said. “During competitions and performances, figure skaters often have to wear tight skating dresses that are tight especially around the waist. Many people feel discouraged because they are not confident with their body and are afraid to put themselves out there.”

Usually every weekend, the coaches and players pack themselves into a coach bus and venture off hours away to face their competitions. The varsity girls hockey players are hardworking student-athletes as they must manage their weekly travels on top of their academics. Through late practices to 4 games a week, they have a busy schedule on their hands during the winter term.

Charlie Rauch ’24 described how she manages schoolwork and athletics as a girls’ hockey player.

“I manage my work by taking advantage of the free time we have before practice and throughout the day,” Rauch said. “We have a study hall on the bus during weekend trips so taking time to get work done helps too”

She expressed gratitude for the opportunities Hill has provided her.

“Being a part of HGVH has been one of the best things that have happened to me,” Rauch said. “Being able to have a close connection with people on campus when I first came in helped me a lot.”

Rauch was also very thankful for road trips with the team. Although they are long, her favorite part of traveling was “spending hours on the bus talking to everyone from different groups and forms.”

Brooke Heck ’24 shared similar feelings with Rauch. She described how she manages schoolwork on the road.

“Our buses often have Wi-Fi available on them so we can access our computers,” Heck said. “My teammates and coaches are great resources if I need any help with assignments. It’s kind of like having one big study group. I make sure to take full advantage of our usual 5 plus hour bus rides to and from New England.”

She also told us that her team does a book club over the summer to stay in touch and keep their minds fresh.

“As a program, we really believe in being present. Often times, devices that we use on a daily basis create a barrier between people, and we want our players to be able to engage with each other in the present moment and in real time, without any barriers,” McConney addressed the policies.

Heck stated that even though they get their electronics taken, it’s evident how quickly they can bond and connect with each other.

“We are randomly assigned roommates, so we get closer to the players we are not familiar with,” Goldberg said. “It allows us to focus on the games and have more face-to-face conversations with our teammates.”

As many players said, traveling with girls hockey is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“From Mr. Baum’s funny talks that he casually gives on the bus to his incredible pregame speeches, we are always smiling,” Heck concluded.

There is no doubt about Hill girls hockey’s reputation on campus for being a tough, closeknit program.

Jeannie Lee ’26 - Bowling Austin Dunn ’25Horseback Riding

Lee is the 3rd former from Seoul, South Korea. Bowling has always been an integral part of her life. When Lee lived in Singapore, it was quotidian for her to bowl in the American Club with her friends and take lessons to improve her play. Not only was bowling a sport of socialization, but it was also a refined sport she considered as one her sports. These weekend bowling excursions eventually developed into a tradition full of memories.

Lee’s favorite part of bowling is the exhilaration she felt when she delivered a strike, or the feeling of accomplishment when the hit she desired was made. To those who want to try the waters of bowling, Jeannie advised, “Do not let the stereotypical thoughts of bowling deter you from the essence of the sport, which is to enjoy the simplicity of executing a strike.”

Dunn has been a horseback rider for more than six years. He owned five horses, including Madrid and Hunter, who he uses for jumping. Before leaving Georgia, he won numerous competitions both in the state and in the South. Ever since coming to The Hill School, he has not been able to ride as much but looked forward to finding ways to do it more often.

Dunn said his most significant challenge was getting back up when he falls off. He claimed that horseback riders encounter a variety of difficulties, such as falling off, but if one can find the strength to get back up, one can achieve great things.

PHOTO BY ROSE FLAHERTY ’23

For food and bus stops, the team goes to places like Panera and Whole Foods.

The 1999 field hockey team was one of the first women’s sports teams at Hill.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOUIS JEFFRIES