Issue 28 - Junior Issue 3

The Record

Volume 118 Junior Issue #3

record.horacemann.org

Horace Mann’s Weekly Newspaper Since 1903

May 7th, 2021

Making time for mental health: Students attend wellness day workshops Zachary Kurtz Staff Writer

From student and facultyled workshops to rock painting, the school’s Wellness Day on Wednesday spread awareness about the importance of self-care.

The Counseling and Guidance Department organized the event with help from co-leaders of the Wellness Initiative Club (WIC) Kate Bown (12) and Emily Marks (12), as well as club member Avani Khorana (10).

Wellness Day activities and workshops took place in the Wellness Tent outside of Olshan Lobby and the Multicultural Center from B through H period.

In line with the day’s theme, the library coordinated snacks and handed out stickers and stress

balls during break, Upper Division Library Department Chair Caroline Bartels said. Dance teacher Denise DiRenzo hosted a yoga session during break as well.

Upper Division faculty members ran a variety of craft activities throughout the day including knitting, cross-stitching, crocheting, and rock painting, Bown said.

The art activities were calming and enjoyable, Upper Division Director of Counseling and Guidance Daniel Rothstein said. “The goal is really helping, teaching, and giving students a taste of concrete things that actually can help reduce stress.”

Myra Singh (11) attended a knitting workshop on Wellness Day, she said. The activity helped relieve stress, she said.

In addition to the craft activities, students and faculty members ran

a variety of workshops on topics related to wellness. Psychology teacher Kristen Yael Flatto’s Psychology class led workshops on depression, anxiety, positive psychology, and eating disorders, she said.

Rothstein appreciates when students volunteer to lead workshops about topics that they care about, he said. “I’m always inspired by how invested students are in the topic, how interested, how brave some of them are in talking about some of the things that they’ve gone through and what’s helped them.”

Bown and Marks worked behind the scenes to ensure that everything ran smoothly, Bown said. “It was just a lot of contacting people and coming up with ideas for how we can make it work with the limited time and resources that we have.”

Wellness Day brings attention to the stress students experience due to schoolwork and extracurriculars, Khorana said. The day shows students that they are not alone in mental health struggles, and that there are people here in the community to support them, she said.

Wellness Day reminds the community that they must consider and appreciate their own health on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level, psychologist Dr. Ian Pervil wrote. Self-care is especially important during a pandemic because many individuals are dealing with anxiety, loss, and sadness, he wrote. “How can we take care of others, participate in community, strive for our goals, or celebrate our accomplishments if we don’t take care of ourselves, too?”

Dance therapy activist visits classes Alex Lautin Staff Writer

Daniel Schlumberger / Photography Director

WELLNESS ROCKS Students paint to destress.

Pervil hopes students interacted with Wellness Day to the best of their ability, whether they simply tried out a mindfulness tip or attended a workshop, he wrote. “It has been even harder to make time and have mental space for wellness.”

Even though this is her last year at the school, Bown knows that Wellness Day will continue for years to come, she said. “I really want people to remember that despite the circumstances, no matter how difficult things get, these practices and these mindsets aren’t going anywhere,” Bown said. “They’re always something that we can rely on as individuals and as community members to just keep going and to know that everything’s going to be okay.”

French-Congolese dancer and activist Bolewa Sabourin visited the Studies in French classes via Zoom on Wednesday. He introduced his project, “Re-création Lycée” (Recreation High School) and answered student questions about his work, world languages teacher Dr. Niamh Duggan said.

During the talk, Sabourin spoke about his use of dance as a form of therapy to help victims of sexual violence in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Avery Lin (11) said.

Sabourin also spoke about his organization, LOBA, which means “express yourself ” in the Bantu language Lingala, spoken in the DRC. LOBA works with the French school Lycée Jean Jaurès in Paris to educate students on the sexual violence that women face in the DRC, Helena Yang (12) said. Sabourin’s organization helps students research social issues and present on those issues to their peers, she said.

During the talk, Sabourin discussed his current project that highlights the link between rigid gender norms, with a focus on masculinity and sexual violence against women, Duggan said.

Sabourin’s talk on social justice contributed to the class’s central questions, Duggan said. “One of the themes of the Studies in French classes is to think about the ways that certain groups have been marginalized in French and Francophone society and also give [a] voice to experiences that are usually not heard,” she said.

“Bolewa is incredibly inspiring because he’s an example of somebody who has overcome many obstacles and hardships in his own personal life in order to become a person devoted to helping others,” Duggan said. “Instead of letting himself be discouraged by adversity, he has channeled [his hardships] into good.”

To prepare for Sabourin’s visit, students created a series of minipresentations inspired by the work of Sabourin’s organization, Narayanan said. “These mini-presentations allowed us to focus on a certain problem or social issue,” he said.

Amanda Mark’s (11) favorite part of Sabourin’s visit was when he spoke about starting his organization and the challenges he faced, she said.

“Bolewa is incredibly inspiring because he’s an example of somebody who has overcome many obstacles and hardships in his own personal life in order to become a person devoted to helping others,” Duggan said.

Lawson Wright’s (10) WWII documentary wins New York State History Day contest Alex Lautin and Sean Lee Staff Writers Lawson Wright’s (10) World War II Ghost Army documentary, The Con Men of WWII, won first place in the 2021 New York State History Day Virtual Contest for the City and State of New York.

Wright has participated in and created documentaries for the competition for four years because of his love for history, he said.

“I find the documentary category the most engaging because you’re able to tell a story, in a way, with video, sound, etc,” he said.

Wright has taken initiative from the start of the project, Upper Division (UD) history teacher and advisor to the project Melissa Morales said. “I’m happy to work with him on [the documentary], but honestly, my contributions have been minor,” she said.

“What you see with the documentary and awards that Lawson has won, those are really his alone.”

The documentary focused on a World War II deceptive unit, the Ghost Army. The Ghost Army used visual, sonic, and radio deception tactics to trick the Germans, Wright said.

While developing the film, Wright interviewed WWII veterans about their experiences in the

army. After serving in the war, those people went on to have successful careers, he said.

Wright began the process of creating his documentary by conducting research.

Initially, he searched for reference sources and background information. He then narrowed his view and looked for catalogues of images and videos for the visual aspect of the documentary, he said. After that, Wright

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“Lawson pulls from a bredth of diverse interests when he’s generating ideas for films, and that genuine interest in the world around him provides really compelling storylines.”

-Film/video and photography teacher Jordan Rathus reached out to veterans who served in the unit to gain a first-hand perspective, he said.

Finally, he recorded all of the videos and edited them together.

While this is not the first documentary that Wright has worked on, Morales said that his work on the Ghost Army has been

outstanding. “Lawson is a very skilled documentary producer — he’s very good at using sounds and visuals to keep people engaged,” she said. Wright’s initiative to seek out and conduct original interviews made this documentary special, Morales said.

Film/Video and Photography teacher Jordan Rathus was especially impressed by Wright’s initiative in obtaining first-hand experiences from veterans. “[Wright] didn’t look at the process of fact-finding as some kind of barrier — rather, he just embraced the process of documentary research and followed his own intellectual curiosity to gather information from really impressive sources,” Rathus said.

Rathus assisted Wright during the editing process. “By the time he approached [me] to request advice in the editing process, [Lawson] had all of his sources and he had also written his voiceover,” she said. Rathus then helped Wright fine-tune small details, she said.

Wright has always been a fantastic film student, Rathus said. “Lawson pulls from a breadth of diverse interests when he’s generating ideas for films, and that genuine interest in the world around him provides really compelling storylines,” she said.

Courtesy of Lawson Wright

GHOST ARMY Lawson’s winning documentary.

Wright was thrilled to win first place in the city and the state, he said. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to compete in nationals.”

Rathus was unsurprised when she heard of Wright’s victory. “I’m always incredibly impressed by Lawson and I would imagine that he deserves first place,” she said. “I was extremely happy for him — Lawson is such a great person, and I’m just really excited that he’s seeing the success that he deserves.”

Morales was extremely happy with the results. “I obviously did not see any of the other competitors’ documentaries, but the quality of Lawson’s work made it very clear to me that it was something he should be recognized for,” she said. “I wish him well at the national level, and we are all very proud of his accomplishments so far.”

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THE RECORD OPINIONS MAY 7TH, 2021

“We are Pro-Palestine, and we are also Zionists:” Perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflicts

Yana Gitelman and Becca Rosenzweig This article is, in part, a response to the opinion piece about Palestinian rights published in the last issue of The Record, but it is not a con article. We agree with the writers of that piece, as we support Palestinian rights and think they should be integral to any policy implemented in the region. However, we want to recognize that in our experience within leftist American political discourse, even here at Horace Mann, the dominant stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is pro-Palestine.

We are pro-Palestine, and we are also Zionists: we believe in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in our indigenous land.

The same logic and values that make us proPalestine also make us believe that the state of Israel should exist: our belief in the human right to self determination and the knowledge that both groups are ethnically indigenous to the land. This does not mean that we support all of the ways in which Israel exists today. We are against Netanyahu’s administration, the occupation of the West Bank, and any human rights abuses the Palestinian people face.

Our goal in this piece is not to oppose last week’s article, and we do not want readers to “pick a side.” We want every discussion of this conflict to be nuanced and humanizing, and to center on personal testimonies of both

Palestininans and Jews. We hope this article will further some of the conversations started last week and illustrate the ways in which Zionism can be a deeply progressive and humanitarian ideology.

We believe each country should be held accountable. We want the UN to recognize Palestine as an independent nation and enforce human rights. At the same time, we do not believe that anyone who supports Israel’s existence, or anyone who calls themself a Zionist, is evil or an imperialist. Israel is a nuanced country in which people live, not a theoretical thought experiment. The first publicized calls for a Jewish state emerged in 1896, warning that a Jewish state was the only means of protecting the Jewish people from antisemitism. Israeli independence was not established until after the Holocaust. Though Israel only has a population of nine million, the nation is home to approximately 43% of the world’s Jews.

Even as politically engaged and fairly religious Jews, we have avoided forming an opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for most of our lives because we found it extremely daunting. We have heard older, politically and socially conservative Jewish

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“For no other country that has been guilty of human rights abuses is there a question of whether they fundamentally deserve to exist.”

family members and family friends, who deemed themselves pro-Israel, vent about Hamas in ways that felt wrong to us, but we didn’t take the time to learn what was and wasn’t true. We didn’t even fully understand what Zionism meant. In this sense, we relate to Jacob Shaw’s description of how some Jews around him treat him as a traitor for vying

Letter to the Editor Last week an opinions piece by Jacob Shaw and Yasmeen Masoud titled Activists: Include Palestinian Rights in your Conversations presented a one-sided view of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

When discussing the conflict, it’s important to understand the historical background behind the issues. Since its founding, Israel’s very existence has been threatened by all of its neighbors in the Middle East, particularly Palestine. For decades, Israel and the Israeli people have had to face Palestinians attacking their civilians through bombings, rocket strikes, and other violent attacks. This existential threat to Israel’s existence has led to the extreme security measures in place today.

Though they may seem intense to some, they are a reaction to the decades of violence and harm that Israeli civilians have suffered through.

It may be hard to understand why the Israeli government has imposed such strict safety measures. Imagine this: each time you board a bus, you are worried that it will blow up. At night, you’re afraid that you will hear the sirens announcing a rocket strike and warning you to get to a safe shelter. This is what Israeli citizens, my extended family included, have to worry about daily and this

is why the Israeli government has put these security measures in place.

It is also important to understand that Israel is not only a home for the Jewish people, but rather for all of the Abrahamic religions: Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Israel has a large population of Christian and Muslim citizens who are given the same protections and rights that any Jewish citizen has. All Israeli citizens, regardless of faith, have had the same access to its vaccines and healthcare, among other resources.

I would like to remind the community that Israel is the one land that was created by the international community for the Jewish people and, since its founding in 1948, has been the only refuge for Jews during our most desperate times, such as the aftermath of the Holocaust and, during past decades when there has been a resurgence of antisemitism in France and other countries around the world.

This letter speaks to the fact that current events are complex - but it is important that we consider the facts and history on both sides and continue to educate ourselves. I appreciate Jacob and Yasmeen for raising this important issue to the HM community.

Sincerely, Emily Salzhauer (10)

Managing Editor Claire Goldberg Features Devin Allard-Neptune Mia Calzolaio

News Lauren Ho Purvi Jonnalagadda

Staff

Opinions Yin Fei Kaa Tolunsky

Staff Writers Devin Allard-Neptune, Mia Calzolaio Chloe Choi, Emma Colacino, Jiya Chatterjee, Yin Fei, Ariella Frommer, Lucas Glickman, Claire Goldberg, Tuhin Ghosh, Liliana Greyf, Lauren Ho, Hanna Hornfeld, Purvi Jonnalagadda, Oliver Lewis, Rowan Mally, Simon Schackner, Morgan Smith, Arushi Talwar, Katya Tolunsky, Nathan Zelizer, Max Chasin, Alex Lautin, Jillian Lee, Hannah Katzke, Vidhatrie Keetha, Zachary Kurtz, Clio Rao, Ayesha Sen, Emily Salzhauer, Aden Soroca, Emily Sun, Madison Xu Staff Photographers Kelly Troop, Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho, Sean Lee Staff Artists Eliza Becker, Felix Brenner, Kayla Choi

Riva Vig /Art Director

for Palestinian rights. At the same time, most Jewish students at HM do not share the views of our mostly Republican Gen X and Boomer Jewish family friends. Most of us are liberal and supportive of Palestinian rights.

To that end, the popular assumption that most Jews blindly support Israel without considering the implications of the government’s criminal actions and the suffering of the Palestinian people is a dangerous misrepresentation. Regardless of whether they identify as pro-Israel, Jews around the world have endured antisemitism simply due to their presumed religious connection to the land. On our own social media feeds, we have encountered users commenting “Free Palestine” on Jews’ posts that lacked any connection to their religious identity or Zionist beliefs. We’ve seen users on Twitter celebrating the deaths of Israeli settlers, with one writing, “Dear zionist / Don’t challenge His force / You will fail” in response to the tragedy.

These instances of hate are not limited to social media. Last week alone, four different Jewish centers in Riverdale were vandalized, and several colleges voted to pass a Boycott Divestment Sanctions bill to cut funding to any campus groups who “support the Israeli occupation of Palestine,” including Chabad and Hillel. Many Jewish students rely on these organizations for a sense of community, safety, religious services, and meals; to deprive Jews of these needs in the name of “peace” is hypocritical.

For no other country that has been guilty of human rights abuses is there a question of

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“Human rights for Palestinians and human rights for Jews are not and cannot be treated as mutually exclusive.”

whether they fundamentally deserve to exist.

There is no major human rights movement to abolish Britain or China or Iran. Our ethnicities are based on family that once resided in: Russia, Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary, and Ukraine. These are countries our Jewish families have been pushed out of, and these are countries that have committed atrocities throughout their histories. Russia, for instance, has a long history of attempting to annex and wage war on Ukraine and other Eastern European nations. Though we both have personal familial knowledge about the geopolitical conflicts of the former Soviet Union, and neither of us have any immediate family in Israel, we have only ever been asked to answer for one of these nations.

Not every Jew is pro-Israel, and not every

Volume 118 Junior Issue #3

A&E Emma Colacino Jade Ciriello

Jew feels a personal connection to the country.

Jews have traveled all over the world in the diaspora; Sudanese and Eritrean Jews are currently struggling to find asylum in Israel as the right of return unfairly discriminates against African Jews. In the 2021 legislative election of the Israeli government, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s National Conservative party received the second most votes, after Benjamin Gantz’ more liberal Blue and White party, yet Netanyahu remains in power. His actions and ideology do not represent the majority of Jews or Israelis; the majority want peace and safety for everyone in the region.

None of Israel’s problems — not political corruption, not legal discrimination, not military violence — are a result of Israel being the Jewish state. These problems exist and have existed for most of human history in some form in every corner of the world. This claim is not a defense; instead, it is a more accurate diagnosis than the one many of us have accepted. Human rights for Palestinians and human rights for Jews are not and cannot be treated as mutually exclusive.

Jews are a marginalized group who have never experienced real security while being scapegoated and persecuted. We have never had a country where we knew it would be safe to be Jewish. Palestinians have also never had their own UN-recognized nation, and they deserve one by the very same right to self-determination on which Zionism relies.

These beliefs are not contradictory; they are mutually sustaining and necessary.

Even in the process of writing this article, we felt the need to over-disclaim and over-

Editor-in-Chief Hanna Hornfeld

Lions’ Den Rowan Mally

Middle Division Oliver Lewis Arushi Talwar

About Founded in 1903, The Record is Horace Mann School’s award-winning weekly student newspaper. We publish approximately 30 times during the academic year, offering news, features, opinions, arts, Middle Division and sports coverage relevant to the school community. The Record serves as a public forum to provide the community with information, entertainment, and an outlet for various viewpoints. As a student publication, the contents of The Record are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. Horace Mann School is not responsible for the

explain at every step. We’ve experienced that within progressive spaces, including HM, there are either few Zionist Jews or few Jews willing to support Zionism. We’ve both kept quiet on antisemitism and toned down our Jewishness in political discussions in leftist spaces out of a desire to remain “good Jews” in the minds of the non-Jews in the room.

We want to be involved in policy discussions to make Israel a humane place for everyone, and we’d have more time to do so if we were less busy defending our people’s right to exist and our right to simultaneously be leftists and Jews who demand the maintenance of our own human rights. Those who call themselves pro-one group in this conflict and who wish for the disappearance of the other group from the region altogether are not pro-peace.

Issues Editor Liliana Greyf Design Myra Malik

Editorial Policy

Art Vivian Coraci Riva Vig

accuracy and contents of The Record and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

Editorials All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar, and layout are made by the senior editorial board. The unsigned editorial represents the opinion of the majority of the board.

Opinions Opinion columns represent the viewpoint of the author and not of The Record or the school. We encourage students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents to submit opinions by emailing record@horacemann.org.

Letters Letters to the editor often respond to editorials,

Photography Faculty Adviser Daniel Schlumberger David Berenson Ailill Walsh

articles, and opinions pieces, allowing The Record to uphold its commitment to open discourse within the school community.

They too represent the opinion of the author and not of The Record or the school. To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or email (record@ horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed.

Contact For all tips, comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints and corrections, please contact us by email at record@horacemann.org.

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HORACE MANN NEWS MAY 7TH, 2021

Advancing social change: Alumni speak at Parent Institute Ceci Coughlin Staff Writer On Tuesday, the Horace Mann Parent Institute (HMPI) hosted the Zoom event “Advancing Social Change” for parents at the school. The event, moderated by Gita Shaari P’ 16 P’ 17 P’ 20 P’ 22 and Parent Institute diversity consultant Martha Haakmat, featured eight alumni and one current student. The event was the last in a series of monthly Parent Institute events this year, Director of HMPI Wendy Reiter said.

The panel consisted of Molly Weissman ‘06, Chidi Akusobi ‘08, Kenny Thompson ‘09, Imani Moise ‘12, Olivia Rodriguez ‘13, Conasia Watts ‘13, Jody Lewen ‘82, Susanna Loeb ‘83, and Nshera Tutu (12).

The HMPI hosts monthly events during which a variety of people speak on aspects of parenting. This year, the HMPI events focused on antiracism, Reiter said.

Reiter, Haakmat, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly, and Assistant to the Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer Nafie Shelly worked with the Alumni Development Office to invite alumni who contributed to anti-racism and social change in their communities, Reiter said.

Inviting alumni to participate in HMPI discussions is a good way to inspire parents because it helps them visualize paths their children could take in the future, Reiter said. Parents also learned about the school’s impact on the education and quality of life of the panelists and how it helped panelists determine their professional goals, she said.

During the event, Shaari and Haakmat asked the panelists about the school’s influence on their lives and the role of an educational institution in overcoming racism.

Moise spoke from the perspective of a Black student who attended a predominantly white institution over 10 years ago. “I was the Black girl on campus,” she said. If somebody had a question about the Black experience, Moise was the person they went to, she said. This experience led her to write for Duke University’s student newspaper in college — Moise realized that since the newspaper was supposed to reflect the student experience, it should have included Black people. The best way to confront an

absence of Black representation in organizations, such as a school newspaper, is to get involved, she said.

Akusobi spoke about attending the school through Prep for Prep, a program that offers students of color access to private education.

Now, Akusobi studies microbiology, epidemiology, and infectious diseases. Outside of his enrollment in the MD-PhD program at Harvard, he works to increase the number of underrepresented students entering the STEM fields and fighting for racial justice in medicine with White Coats for Black Lives, a nonprofit student-run social justice organization. Akusobi is currently working to provide minority communities with access to the COVID vaccine.

Tutu also reflected on her influences as a Black student at the school. Last year, she attended

overall goal of the series — teaching parents how to navigate the school and support their children, Reiter said.

“I had no idea there were so many avenues in which people could take [on] social justice issues,” Andrea Madaio P ‘23 said. “It opened up my eyes to the possibilities that exist for my own daughter.”

The event was thought-provoking for the parents in attendance. “We as parents love to hear the perspectives and to learn the work of those who have graduated and what they are doing as they follow their passions,” Shaari said.

For parents, the discussion highlighted the importance of allowing students to explore their passions, Tutu said. The diverse group of alumni that spoke strengthened this message.

Parents should show unconditional support

Courtesy of Daniel Schlumberger

COMING TOGETHER Parents and alumni converse on Zoom. the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) with 1,800 other high school students to talk about social justice and equity work, she said. By conversing with students who had similar experiences as people of color at elite schools, Tutu learned how to make a difference on a small and large scale. Her work at the SDLC helped lead to the creation of Black Students Demanding Change, a student-led organization dedicated to making US private schools actively anti-racist.

The final HMPI event reflected the

to their children and allow them to be who they want to be at the school, even if it can be a challenge, Moise said.

“It was a really interesting discussion around racial identity, equality, and inclusion,” Elisabeth Benjamin P ‘23 said. “It was a fascinating program and I really learned a lot.

It was a wonderful conclusion to the year-long conversation we have been having.”

PepsiCo marketing executive Zach Harris speaks at Career Lecture Series Jillian lee and Ariella Frommer Staff Writers “After I read Jaden’s description and Harris’ bio, I went to the event because, even though I am not interested in business, there’s value in hearing about someone who works at such a large company like PepsiCo,” Amanda Katiraei (12) said. On Monday night, Jaden Kirshner (12) hosted a Career Lecture Series event on Zoom with PepsiCo marketing executive Zach Harris.

Monday’s lecture, the second of a three part series this year, informed viewers about a career in marketing, Kirshner said. “The goal of the Career Lecture Series is to introduce students to unique people and unique professions,” he said.

According to a podcast with Harris for A List Daily, Harris currently leads Pepsico’s strategy, Kayla Choi / Staff Artist

communications, innovation, and commercial agenda. Over the 16 years Harris has worked at PepsiCo, Harris has worked in several positions at the company, ranging from sales to brand management.

“There’s a lot more to marketing than creating ads,” Kirshner said, “Harris’ role is to create promotional strategies to make sure that the product reaches as many people as possible,” he said.

Harris began by showing a video of PepsiCo brand advertisements to show the students his work with NFL partnerships. He then opened the lecture up to discussion, alternating between answering Kirshner’s and attendee’s questions. The goal of the event was to have a very informal and open discussion during which students could ask anything about working at PepsiCo and having a business profession, Harris said.

The discussion revolved around Harris’ personal experience at the company, marketing and branding techniques, and advice for students who are thinking about future careers. Harris was engaging and candid when answering questions, Aidan Resnick (12) said.

Harris shared useful practical advice about making and utilizing relations with other companies and clients, Resnick said. “I learned that something as simple as just making connections with the people around you can just help create opportunities later.”

Since Harris has worked at PepsiCo for so many years, he has witnessed and adapted to developments in advertising. Stephanie Lee (9) learned about the different methods to appeal to different audiences, she said. “Promotions on social media are used to attract teenagers, while

television advertisements are used to market towards adults,” Lee said.

Harris not only spoke about obstacles that his team has had to overcome but also the great things they have accomplished as a company valued at $22 billion.

Through hearing about these obstacles, Arman Azmi (10) realized that failure is part of success, he said.

The conversation of PepsiCo taking on roles in politics and social justice came up, and Katiraei was surprised because she did not associate the company with politics, she said. “Harris thought taking on political roles wasn’t totally their responsibility, but there is an advantage in showing their supporters that the company supports LGBTQ and other movements,” she said.

Kirshner invited Harris, a friend and business partner to Kirshner’s dad, because he had heard Harris speak to students in the past. Harris provided students with valuable insights as someone who started working at PepsiCo from a college internship, especially since many high schoolers are thinking about summer internships, college, and careers in business, Kirshner said.

Students did not have to be involved in marketing to be engaged with the lecture, Katiraei said. “The qualities needed in marketing, such as making connections with people and being adaptable to the culture, are needed everywhere,” she said. “So, I will take those skills that [Harris] told us, with me in the future.” him because he wanted to do a more creative job that does not just involve money,” Kirshner said.

Even as someone who is not particularly interested in marketing,

the event was still a great opportunity to learn and hear from someone who was successful, Resnick said. “It’s still great to hear from people who have worked really hard, who have become the best of the best, and to learn from them,” he said.

Students did not have to be involved in marketing to be engaged with the lecture, Katiraei said. “The qualities needed in marketing, such as making connections with people and being adaptable to the culture, are needed everywhere,” she said. “So, I will take those skills that [Harris] told us, with me in the future.” working at PepsiCo from a college internship, especially since many high schoolers are thinking about summer internships, college, and careers in business, Kirshner said.

Kirshner hopes people realize how many different professions there are in the business sector, especially because students usually equate business with finance, he said.

“Harris tried a lot of finance jobs and found that they weren’t really for him because he wanted to do a more creative job that does not just involve money,” Kirshner said.

The event was a great opportunity to learn and hear from someone who was successful, Resnick said. “It’s still great to hear from people who have worked really hard, who have become the best of the best, and to learn from them,” he said.

Students did not have to be involved in marketing to be engaged with the lecture, Katiraei said. “The qualities needed in marketing, such as making connections with people and being adaptable to the culture, are needed everywhere,” she said.

Purvi Jonnalagadda/Revelation

Students donate to loose change drive

Emily Salzhauer Staff Writer

In response to India’s worsening COVID crisis, Tuhin Ghosh (11) initiated a weeklong loose change drive in Olshan Lobby that has raised over $100 thus far.

Since he was born in India, Ghosh feels personally connected to this cause, he said.

Some of his family and friends who live in India contracted the virus, and one of Ghosh’s relatives passed away during this most recent spike, he said. “To see [India] go through something so painful is really not something that sits well with me,” he said. “I wanted to do anything that I could.”

With the help of Upper Division (UD) Dean of Students Michael Dalo, Ghosh swiftly organized the drive and began raising money for SEWA USA, a Hindu faith-based organization that specializes in disaster relief, Ghosh said. “I spoke with Tuhin one day last week and [the drive] was ready to go within 24 hours,” Dalo wrote.

Ghosh and his family researched the organization before they planned the drive to ensure that the money collected would actually help the people in India who are suffering from COVID, he said.

The organization will use the donated money to purchase oxygen filters, Ghosh said.

People in India are struggling to purchase the filters due to increased demand and low availability, he said. “The country was not prepared at all to handle such a massive spike in COVID.” Ghosh’s drive has been met with positivity from the school’s community, he said. “The initiative that [Tuhin] created for India’s COVID relief is a great way to help India during this tough time they are going through,” Aamri Sareen (9) said. “I believe that small steps like [the drive he] created can have a larger impact on the community being affected.”

Dalo also hopes this drive makes the UD aware of the current COVID crisis in India, he wrote. “I hope it helps to raise their consciousness about the devastating current situation in India and reminds them that we are all part of a larger global community that, at its best, works to help and support each other.”

Courtesy of Purvi Jonnalagadda

LOOSE CHANGE Students donate money.

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THE RECORD FEATURES MAY 7TH, 2021

A walk through nature: Flora and Emily Sun Staff Writer Additional Reporting by Audrey Carbonell The school planted 10,000 daffodils around the campus in 2015, Director of Facilities Management Gordon Jensen said.

Come spring, the flowers bloom in yellow bursts that decorate the sidewalks and soak up the sun. Other plants follow suit: the magnolia tree by Tillinghast yawns open its milky petals, Callery pears scatter flowers like spring snow along 246th street, and breezes ruffle the Japanese cherry’s pink blossoms over Spence Cottage.

The flora and fauna on campus fill the air from the Shakespeare Garden to the sidewalks along Tillinghast with the scent of nectar and birdsong. For many students, faculty, and staff, the revitalized nature brings a welcome break from the stress of school and work.

Seeing little changes in the plants as they bud, flower, and bear fruit makes every day feel fresh and new, John Dorr Nature Lab teacher Kate Kerrick said. “Even though I pass by the buds and the flowers along Tillinghast every year, I still find them completely delightful.”

The school is located in a temperate deciduous zone, which means it has moderate temperatures and precipitation with four distinct seasons, science teacher Camilla Nivison said.

Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall, lay dormant in the winter, and grow back in spring and summer. “Now, they have that wonderful, gold-green color of brand new leaves,” Nivison said.

Many of the plants on campus, such as daffodils and crocuses, are perennial, meaning that once planted, they regrow every year, Nivison said. Over generations, the plants that live here have adapted to the cold winters and periods with little precipitation.

They grow broad leaves to absorb sunlight during the growing season but shed them in the fall to withstand the weight of winter snow when there is little sunlight. During the cold season, the plants’ long roots absorb water when it is available, allowing for maximum photosynthesis during the growing season.

To maintain the plant life on campus, the school contracts Mario Bulfamante & Sons Landscaping, a New Rochelle-based company, who does a spring clean up in March. They come once a week after the initial clean up until October for general plant maintenance, Jensen said. The company pulls weeds, lays mulch on flower beds, removes fallen plants that died over the winter, plants new flowers, and trims the grass — except for Alumni Field, which the maintenance staff mows, he said.

Public Safety Officer Glenn Smith enjoys walking through the nature on campus because it helps ground him and relieves stress from work, he said. “Our brains are overloaded with so much information throughout the day, so watching nature forces you to be present and not think of any worries.” His favorite plants are the white crocuses that pop up by Spence Cottage at the start of spring, and the cherry trees around campus, he said.

When people spend most of their day at a desk, it is easy to fixate on the next period or the next task, instead of the bigger picture of their lives, Middle Division (MD) history teacher Caitlin Hickerson said. Stepping away from work to walk around nature can put peoples’ concerns in context, she said. “It helps us to see that what we’re doing right now is just one small thing, and that there’s a whole world out there.”

The grandeur and intricacy of the natural world on campus also helps alleviate English teacher Sarah McIntyre’s academic, social, and political anxieties, she said. “Seeing that I’m an organism among all of these other organisms brings me a sense of belonging,” she said. McIntyre appreciates the buttercups and muscari that surround the stairs from the parking lot to Spence Cottage and the pine tree beside it where birds nest.

Hickerson feels soothed by the sounds of nature on campus, such as the songs of sparrows and bluejays that nest near the dogwood between the MD Atrium and Fisher Hall, she said.

“When you start to recognize what the birds are, it’s like being surrounded by familiar voices and talking to old friends,” she said.

People might ignore birds because of their ubiquity, but changes and patterns in their behavior reveal a lot about the environment and what seasons mean for different organisms, Kerrick said.

Birds are especially active in spring because it is their mating season, and male birds use their voices to establish their nesting spot and attract female mates, Kerrick said. Cardinals mark their territory from treetops, starlings squawk as they soar over the field, and mockingbirds mimic car alarms from the roof of Tillinghast.

The flora and fauna on campus remind people that they are a part of nature’s yearly cycles, which people can easily forget when they live in the city, Kerrick said. Paying attention to the natural world, such as the scent of the lilac bushes by the Business Office, can help people feel more connected to the place they are in.

“The field is one of my favorite parts of Horace Mann because it serves as a great space to relax and unwind during the day,” Jake Ziman (10) said. “I’m thankful for that because a lot of schools don’t have something like this.”

Besides the field, students also appreciate other outdoor spaces on campus. It feels serene to rest near the silverbells and wide-leafed hostas in Shakespeare Garden, Trish Tran (10) said.

“When you have a really stressful school day, just sitting there and being a part of nature, looking at the colors, and listening to the ambient noise is really calming.”

Nor

Scien Fami Dura Th in No in To perch fan, a incon imita scree

Riva Vig/Art Director

Northern Cardinal

Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis Family: Cardinalidae Duration: Year-round

Male cardinals show off their vocal trills to attract mates and defend their territory. They often tweet two whistles followed by a dozen quick chirps. If their song is not distinctive enough, their plumage is crimson like the attire of cardinals in the Catholic church, with a black square on their face and a crest of feathers they raise when agitated. Female cardinals are brown or burnt orange with red splotches. Both sexes share a cone-shaped beak to crack open seeds and nuts, and male cardinals feed females beak-to-beak during courtship — a ritual that looks as if the two birds are kissing.

Courtesy of Emily Sun

Vivian Coraci/Art Director

Carolina Silverbell

Scientific name: Halesia carolina Family: Styracaceae Duration: Deciduous Perennial Location on campus: Outside Pforzhiemer Pendant-shaped blossoms jingle on the ends of silverbell branches in spring, encasing the bark in a white glow. Bumble bees buzz between the flowers to drink the nectar and brush their legs against their orange stamens. The blooms turn into four-winged copper drupes by fall, though the fruit is rarely eaten. Their fine-toothed leaves drape over the tree in summer and dry into yellow as the weather chills.

They can live for up to 100 years and grow over 40 feet tall.

Cherry Laurel

Vivian Coraci / Art Director

Scientific name: Prunus laurocerasus Family: Rosacea Duration: Evergreen perennial Location on campus: Spence Patio and Shakespeare’s Garden White, one-centimeter flowers cluster in groups of 30 to 40 on each raceme of the cherry laurel bush. These evergreen shrubs can grow up to 20 feet tall, though most of the ones on campus are under five feet. Thousands of peach-toned pistils on each bush attract swarms of bees, and they produce tiny, dark plum drupes that last throughout the winter. They resemble berries, but do not pick them — these drupes and their almond-scented elliptic leaves contain poisonous hydrogen cyanide that suffocates the nervous system when consumed.

Courtesy of Emily Sun

5

HORACE MANN FEATURES MAY 7TH, 2021

d fauna on campus

Riva Vig/Art Director

rthern Mockingbird

ntific name: Mimus polyglottos ily: Mimidae ation: Year-round The Northern mockingbird is the most common type of mockingbird orth America — Harper Lee was likely referring to this species o Kill a Mockingbird. These birds have a polite demeanor: they h on branches with a puffed chest, grey tail folded like a sheathed and white ringed feathers that hug their sides in neat layers. Their nspicuous appearance contrasts their vibrant vocal range as they can ate over 200 sounds, including other birds, insects, dog barks, and the ech of car wheels.

Riva Vig/Art Director

European Starling

Scientific name: Sturnus vulgaris Family: Sturnidae Duration: Year-round “I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but ‘Mortimer,’ and give it him to keep his anger still in motion.” This line from Act I, Scene 3 of Henry IV, Part 1 is the reason you can hear these birds flutter past on campus: the American Acclimatization Society released 60 starlings into Central Park in 1890 because they wanted to introduce every species mentioned in Shakespeare’s works to North America. They look black from afar, but their feathers shimmer blue, purple, green, and orange, with white triangles on the ends. Their yellow beak makes them easy to spot between the leaves, and their calls are a mix of tight screeches, trills, and croaks.

Blue Periwinkle

Scientific name: Vinca major Family: Apocynaceae Duration: Evergreen perennial Location on campus: walkway above Shakespeare’s Garden Six rhombus petals form a hexagon around the periwinkle’s center, like a pastel purple pinwheel that peeks out between leaves and vines. In Europe, they are called “flowers of death” because people laid them on deceased infants’ graves, and prisoners wore periwinkle garlands as they marched to the gallows.

Introduced to North America in the 1700s, they can sprout roots where their stems touch soil and thrive in sunlight or shade. Their adaptable nature lets them multiply and choke out native species, creeping their way across uncultivated areas like abandoned homes and forest floors.

Courtesy of Emily Sun

Vivian Coraci/Art

Great Laurel

Vivian Coraci/Staff Artist Courtesy of Emily Sun

Scientific name: Rhododendron maximum Family: Ericaceae Duration: Evergreen perennial Location on campus: Left of the entrance to Spence Cottage Purple-dusted stamens stretch out from the laurel’s center, dotting its white petals with pink when bees brush by. Some variations of rhododendrons produce “mad honey,” which Ancient Greeks used to poison enemy soldiers because its grayanotoxin induces nausea. The laurel blooms in late spring over oblong blue-green leaves and crooked branches. These leaves are thermotropic: in cold weather or droughts, they curl up and droop down to prevent water loss. In forests, laurels can grow into impassably thick subcanopies dubbed “laurel hells,” in which a two hour walk can take two days.

Vivian Coraci/Art Director

6

HORACE MANN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MAY 7TH, 2021

From pinch pots to plaster, 3D art show showcases student work Celine Kiriscioglu Staff writer The Fisher Hall gallery is featuring distinctive clay, cardboard, and plaster artwork pieces in the 3D art show which opened on Monday April 28 and will be showcasing the pieces until Wednesday May 12. The pieces in the gallery include kinetic pieces, marble runs, and foam sculptures from Visual Arts teacher Mirrie Choi’s sculpture classes, and clay pieces from Visual Arts teacher Kenneth Renner’s ceramics classes. The gallery provides the opportunity for students to view their peers’ work and celebrate the hardwork and talent of the school’s students, Choi said.

Students in Renner’s Ceramic’s 1 class created the pieces showcased in the gallery during the “Pinch Pot Parts” project, where they built complex pots from different pinch pots, Renner said. Students in that class also worked on the project “Coil Pots with Negative Space,” in which they created coil pots designed to hold flowers.

Ceramics 2 created wheel thrown bowls and Ceramics 3 made jars and other pouring vessels, Renner said. For the cup assignment, students had to consider how others would interact with their artwork because its functionality was now of importance, he said.

Daniel Schlumberger/Staff Photographer

Daniel Schlumberger/Staff Photographer

The Ceramics 4 and Directed Studies classes worked on the “2x2” project, which required students to design miniature works that fit into a two inch by two inch space.

Ahana Nayar (10) created an hourglassshaped jar and lid in her Ceramics 3 jar project. “Working on the piece was kind of an afterthought, but as I saw the potential of the piece, I put more effort into it and had a great time doing so,” she said.

While making her piece, Nayar learned how to make a lid specific to the shape of a jar, which was something she had never done before. Nayar is grateful that her ceramics class has remained a constant joy of hers amidst the difficult and changing times of this year, she said.

Choi’s classes created hand sculptures by making plaster models of their hands and designing them to represent an element of each of their identities, Mikail Akbar (10) said. When Choi introduced the hand sculpture project to her Sculpture 2 class, Akbar immediately thought to design his hand sculpture to look like a local basketball court he plays at because he thought it represented a place he enjoys to spend time in, he said.

Trisha Tran (10), who is also a member of Choi’s ceramics class, created a sculpture of a hand holding a miniature colorful skateboard inspired by an 80’s windbreaker jacket, they said.

Creating the hand sculpture taught Tran about the “virtue of patience” because of the time consuming nature of the work, they said.

Similarly to Tran, Nayar also learned how to be patient in her attempts to complete her jar and lid.

In her sculpture, “Boardwalk Attraction,” Louise Kim (10) utilized small objects such as coins and key chains to create a miniaturesized sculpture modeled into a fair, they said.

As well as providing her with an artistic output, the action of constructing the sculpture allowed Kim to process the activities they missed because of quarantine. “Making my sculpture gave me a chance to explore a different art form and revealed the importance of pursuing new interests and discovering my creativity,” Kim said.

In addition to showcasing work that students made in the studio, the gallery features work that students created during quarantine. Renner and Studio Manager Emily Lombardo provided sketch paper, glue, scissors, polymer clay, and plasticine clay in take-home-kits for Renner’s ceramics students, he said. With these materials, students molded and shot claymation films, which are stop-motion films at home.

“It’s amazing to see how a simple project with

Courtesy of Dr. Anna Hetherington

Art curator discusses NFTs with students Ava Westreich and Audrey Moussazadeh Staff Writers

Curator of contemporary art, Dr. Tina Rivers Ryan, visited Visual Arts Department Chair Dr. Anna Hetherington’s classes over Zoom this week to discuss non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

NFTs are pieces of digital media usually bought and sold using cryptocurrencies — a type of currency that uses digital files as money, like Ethereum or Bitcoin, Ryan said.

People who own NFTs own the certificate to a specific piece of digital artwork or media — not the artwork itself — and can sell those tokens for a profit, Ryan said.

“It is similar to dollar bills or casino chips,” Sari Sladkus (10) said. “They don’t really mean anything themselves, but in the end, they can be worth something.”

Hetherington scheduled formal lectures with Ryan because many of her students expressed interest in NFTs’ relationship with the art world, Hetherington said.

Because of the complicated structure of NFTs, Hetherington wanted students to have a solid understanding of NTFs and their impact on the art world.

During her visits, Ryan described the pros and cons of NFTs. For example, NFTs increase digital privacy and security and provide an “alternative to the centralized authority of governments and banks,” she wrote in her presentation. However, the lack of regulation surrounding NFTs can lead to problems like fraud, IP theft, and “dark web” illegal activity. In addition, NFTs are the same prompt leads to so many different outcomes based on each person’s experiences and their visual style,” Choi said. Although Choi’s classes faced challenges with consistently working on the class project due to the multiple quarantines, she is proud of how each student overcame a different set of obstacles to create unique works of art, she said.

“Ceramics is this juggernaut of a process.

harmful for the environment and suited for tax evasion and money laundering, Ryan wrote.

After listening to Ryan’s presentation, students were able to ask her questions in a Q&A session.

Miller Harris (10) found Ryan’s visit to be “eye opening.” He was fascinated by the impact of NFTs on the environment as well as the economy, he said.

Leading up to Ryan’s visits, students read optional readings that Hetherington provided to familiarize students with NFTs. Before attending Ryan’s lecture, Emmi Zeitler (11) hoped to learn about the role that art plays in the digital world and how it is sold and presented digitally, she said.

Sonia Shuster (12) did not have much knowledge of NFTs before Ryan’s visit, but hearing her speak clarified the topic for her, she said. “The biggest way [Ryan] influenced my perspective on them was by telling me what they are, because I didn’t know exactly what was behind NFTs.” Jaden Richards (12) found the concept of NFTs interesting. “[It] is very different from how we do most things,” he said. “Buying an object usually comes with a deed of authenticity, but here, you’re buying a link that proves you own something.”

Hetherington hoped that students would be able to understand NFTs and the cryptocurrency world better, as well as the complications between art markets, financial markets, contemporary art, and digital art after the discussion, she said.

Once you start it, you can’t stop. You’re always working on it and you don’t fully see the work until you pause and refine the work you’ve done,” Renner said. After each reduction firing, Renner discovers at least one thing that is completely new and demonstrates students’ creative use of the glazes, he said. “My classes never ceased to amaze me.”

Sketches, sitcoms, and standup: students enjoy comedic content Ayesha Sen and Athena Rem Staff writers “A couple of laughs a day wash all my stress away,” Eleanor Woodruff (10) said. Woodruff, like much of the school community, enjoys humor and comedy for entertainment and stress-relief, she said.

Science teacher Oleg Zvezdin watches sitcoms when he does not have the attention or bandwidth for a more serious program, like a documentary, he said.

Conversely, Jaden Richards (12) watches comedy to enhance his understanding of the world around him as well as for entertainment, he said. He typically prefers comedians from the 50s and 60s because of the sense of transparency that is lacking in modern day comedies. Specifically, Richards enjoys the work of George Carlin, a 20th century stand-up comedian who was not afraid to talk about controversial topics, which gave him popularity in the comedy industry, he said.

Comedy shows share many characteristics, but also differ in format, including the types of jokes and styles in which they are delivered.

During particularly stressful times, Woodruff typically chooses to watch short comedy sketches, whereas during times where she craves drama and suspense, she watches sitcoms. “Shows without continuous plots are appealing to me when I don’t really want to sit down and focus,” she said. “They are perfect for when I want to multitask.”

While Naomi Gelfer (9) does not generally enjoy comedic TV shows, she enjoys watching stand-up comedian John Mulaney who she became interested in at the start of the pandemic,

she said. “John Mulaney has that unique ability to take a simple story and make it so much more interesting based on his deliberate tone choices as well as the specific jokes he makes.”

Like Gelfer, Molly Goldsmith’s (9) taste in comedy changed during the pandemic. While Goldsmith used to exclusively watch comedy shows with continuous plots, she now enjoys watching Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketches, she said. “I’ve started watching more comedy and especially watching different kinds to find what I really like,” she said.

Zvezdin is interested in stand-up comedians such as Dave Chapelle, whom he finds humorous and thought provoking, he said. “[Chapelle] has used his platform as a comedian to explore his childhood and shed light on what it is like to grow up and live as an African American in the US,” he said. “I think it allows those who are not prone to thinking deeply about these topics an entry into these conversations in a way that they would not perhaps have in any other ways.”

In contrast, English teacher Harry Bauld enjoys watching theatrical comedy which is intended for a live audience. Bauld enjoys finding contemporary nuances in ancient works, for example, in Aristophanes’ ancient Greek plays and Shakespeare’s work. Ironically, he finds Shakespeare’s tragedies, such as Hamlet, the funniest, he said.

Theo King (11) consumes most of his comedy through the social media platform, TikTok, which grew in popularity during the pandemic, he said.

For King, TikTok became a way to escape from the real world, sometimes for hours at a time, he said.

Besides providing pleasure to its viewers,

comedy shows are able to effectively portray controversial subjects, Zvezdin said. While he is unsure of whether humor is the “right or wrong” outlet for sensitive topics, comedy sitcoms help normalize representations of minorities, particularly due to their large viewing audiences, he said. The comedy attracts viewers, and then shows can explore sensitive or culturally divisive topics with the fan base. “‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’ for example, had an episode where Will Smith was pulled over driving a car and arrested due to the color of his skin,” Zvezdin said. “By portraying this on air on a nationally televised show, this increases the likelihood that the conversation about this will be had in more homes.”

Woodruff has seen an increase in political jokes in comedy sketches within the past few years.

While she believes political humor is amusing, she also thinks that comedians need to tread lightly at times to avoid causing major disagreements among audience members with differing political opinions, she said. “A sketch shouldn’t be too centered around one political opinion,” she said.

“Sketches should be more about a funny political experience and less of a political debate with a few jokes thrown in.”

Bauld strongly believes in the importance of political humor, citing politics as the only things worth joking about. “The sensitive topics are the meat of comedy because comedy at its funniest is always the most serious,” he said.

Richards said that comedy can induce a sense of normalcy in otherwise controversial or particularly upsetting events, such as the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, he said. Richards has noticed that laughing at tragedies makes it easier for him to

comprehend them, since it helps him overcome feelings of disappointment or helplessness. “If we can’t comprehend [these events], how can we ever move past them?” he said. “By joking about [these events], we are able to better understand them, which is better for us in the long run.”

Goldsmith, on the other hand, prefers when politics and comedy are separate, she said.

“Sometimes it can be appropriate, but most of the time bringing up politics can detract from the comedy and add an unnecessary level of seriousness.” For example, SNL sketches can become less funny as they try to add in too many political sketches, she said.

Over the pandemic, comedy has become important to many more people than before, Goldsmith said. Comedy sitcoms and humor as a broader subject have become her go-to source for solace. “Whether it is a stressful test coming up or general worries about the pandemic, comedy has become my escape from basically everything.”

Lauren Kim/Art Director

7

THE RECORD MIDDLE DIVISION MAY 7TH, 2021

MD celebrates Cinco de Mayo Allison Markman Staff Writer On Wednesday, Middle Division (MD) students celebrated Cinco de Mayo in their Spanish classes by exploring the culture and history behind the holiday. Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s military win over French forces at the battle of Puebla in 1862.

Alexis Gordon (8) believes learning about other cultures is crucial.

“I think everyone can learn something by observing other cultures’ celebrations,” she said.

In her class, Gordon enjoyed learning about the historical and cultural significance of the holiday, she said.

Different cultures and people celebrate the holiday in their own way. “It’s always really interesting to learn about the contrasting ways that [people] celebrate,” Julia Lourenco (7) said. “Some have parades and parties, and some have dinners and church services, so it’s always really cool to learn more about what makes these different groups unique,” she said.

Every year at school, classes also celebrate Cinco de Mayo differently.

Matthew Brand (7) said that his own Spanish class

spent less time discussing the holiday this year than in previous years. “When I was in sixth grade, we did a lot more Cinco de Mayo related activities,” he said.

“We watched a few videos over the course of a week, and then, it was part of our cultural portion of the unit.”

Julia Lourenco (7) has noticed that the holiday has been discussed less frequently as she progressed through the school since Lower Division. “I think that [Cinco de Mayo] has been getting more and more downgraded as the years go by,” she said. “I remember that when I was in the lower division, there was an extravaganza almost everybody got really excited for.”

Still, some classes did not celebrate Cinco de Mayo at all. Tea Lazri’s (6) class has not learned about the holiday, but she believes that it should be discussed more frequently, she said. “I think many people celebrate the holiday without actually understanding why, so it is important that we dedicate time to learn to better appreciate and respect the culture.”

This year was Emma Filstein’s (6) first time learning about Cinco de Mayo, she said. She enjoyed learning about the customs of the holiday and how people celebrate it both in the United States and in Mexico.

Celebrating the holiday

has helped Brand connect his knowledge of the language to the real world outside of Spanish class, he said. “I’ll get a better sense of what we’ve been learning this year, which is Spanish speaking countries, their holidays, and their traditions,” he said.

“Knowing what led to those [holidays] being established gives me a better sense of the bigger picture.”

Similarly, learning about cultures associated with the Spanish language helps Lourenco communicate with native Spanish speakers, she said. “I think it’s important to learn about different cultures and what makes them unique and how we celebrate them,” Lourenco said. “If you’re going to learn a language, you’re probably going to communicate with people that speak that language and you should at least have a basic idea about what their beliefs are, what their culture consists of, so you understand where they’re coming from.”

Ellie Romero (8) believes that learning about Cinco de Mayo helped to expand her knowledge of the Spanish language, she said. “We learn the words that they use to discuss the holiday, so it helps us speak better Spanish and form better sentences.”

Since some classes did not cover the holiday in depth during class time, many students are exploring the holiday on their own.

Lily Sussman (7) and her family celebrated the holiday

by eating Mexican food.

Sussman has also spent time researching the holiday in order to deepen the topical understanding of the holiday she gained in class, she said.

Though COVID-19 made it difficult to honor the holiday, Romero believes that it is still important to have some sort of celebration to honor Mexican culture. “You can’t have a big celebration with everyone, but you can still celebrate the holidays,” she said. “It brings so many people together.”

COVID-19 restrictions made it difficult to celebrate in the same way students normally do, but Lourenco asked her teacher what the students would have done if these restrictions were not put in place. “We would have made churros, or we’d go outside and play games that are celebrating that culture,” she said.

Though many students are celebrating, MD Spanish teacher Arni Àlvarez said that the holiday is not considered a celebration in Mexico, but rather, is regarded as a historical event similar to the Boston Tea Party. “We have other opportunities to celebrate,” he said. “For example, for me, Mexican Independence Day is a big deal,” he said.

In the US, Cinco de Mayo is commercialized and used by companies to make more money selling Mexican food and items, Àlvarez said. “It was a date that was appropriated in

the United States to sell more Mexican products, and an excuse to invite people to go to restaurants and consume Mexican food,” he said. “[Mexicans] see it as a marketing device.”

In spite of many Americans appropriating the holiday, Àlvarez continues to see Cinco de Mayo as an opportunity for others to embrace and deepen their understanding of Mexican culture, he said. “Why not make it to our advantage, and make it a celebration in our classroom of some sort?” he said.

“Even though it’s very American, I am trying to step away from focusing only on the historical aspect in the way I perceive it as a Mexican, and I’m beginning to embrace it.”

Due to his evolving viewpoint, Àlvarez enjoyed seeing the Mexican food in the cafeteria and the flags up around school to commemorate the holiday, he said. “Now everybody is aware of [Cinco de Mayo],” he said. “This is what happens with culture, it keeps evolving, it keeps changing, and people keep embracing new things.”

Riva Vig/Art Director

Our Town production to take place on Alumni Field Courtesy of HM Flickr

LOST IN THOUGHT Posner stages a scene.

Sean Lee and Rachel Baez Staff Writers Morale is high among the tight-knit cast of the Middle Division (MD) play, “Our Town,” as rehearsals resume, theatre teacher and director of the play Benjamin Posner said. The cast had its first rehearsal since Spring Break this past Saturday, and this week was their first full week of rehearsal, Posner said. The performance is scheduled to happen on Alumni Field on Saturday, June 12.

The rehearsal process is running smoothly, stage manager Bailey Hecht (10) said. “Typically, we have one rehearsal each day during D or E period, and we’re also having a bunch of Saturday rehearsals.”

However, the postponement of performances due to COVID-19 restrictions have been a major challenge for the production, Hecht said.

Social distancing protocols and unexpected quarantines have also slowed the process, Posner said.

The rehearsal process initially began in the Fall and the cast was fully prepared to perform the first act of the play in November. The production came to a halt after a large number of seventh graders were quarantined the day before the performance, Posner said.

The cast did not rehearse throughout the remote school period in the winter, but was

nonetheless prepared to start rehearsals for the first act in early March, Posner said. However, because Posner had to quarantine that week, he put a pause on rehearsals.

The cast has since resumed rehearsals for all three acts of the play. While Posner initially planned for the cast to perform each act at a different time throughout the year, they now aim to perform all three acts at once, he said.

“Here we are — it’s spring time and we’re getting ready to get the show back up on its feet.”

Actors still have concerns regarding COVID-19 regulations during rehearsals. Actor James Moore (7) is frustrated that students are forced to yell and repeat themselves as it is difficult to hear each other through their masks, he said.

Actor Emily Park (7) worried about how rehearsals would adapt to keep actors safe.

“Social distancing also became an issue — the scenes are written in a way where the actors can’t keep their distance, so we have to change a lot of our stage directions in order to follow COVID regulations.”

While the cast originally struggled to find time to rehearse all together, the play has since adapted to these challenges, Park said. “We’ve had more Saturday rehearsals this year than we’ve had in the past because rehearsing after school has presented a host of other logistical

problems,” Posner said. “Parents have been very supportive in regards to the shifting schedule, and Mr. Khan has also been our champion in terms of steering us towards production — not an easy task amidst the COVID safety guidelines.”

In preparation for their final performance, actors are now carrying their scripts onto the stage and performing a minimalist play, Hecht said. Saturday rehearsals are a source of enjoyment for the directors and actors alike, Hecht said. “As long as you’re passionate about it, it’s fun to have the extra time with other people who enjoy the same thing.”

Despite the several challenges the production has faced, Posner’s original plans remain intact. “[I want to] tell the story, provide the actors a fulfilling experience, and give the audience something to enjoy, learn from, and connect with,” he said.

Park hopes that she will have the opportunity to perform for their peers, she said. “I hope that we can have the production sometime this year because we all worked really hard for it, and it would be nice to perform for the Middle Division.”

Posner finds it important for the cast to finally perform, and anticipates it will be a rewarding experience, he said. “The actors in the stage lights, the sun setting behind the hill, and the school community gathering for the first time in a long time and bearing witness to a story that is a testament to life. Can you picture a better scene than that? I can’t.”

Courtesy of HM Flickr

DRAMATICS Actors rehearse.

Courtesy of HM Flickr

Lions’ Den Record Sports

8

MAY 7TH, 2021

Hong (10) pursues figure skating despite the pandemic

Courtesy of Jojo Hong

Hannah Katzke Staff Writer

“There’s no way that I was gonna give up on skating,” Jojo Hong (10) said. At the start of the school year, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly announced that all athletes pursuing sports outside of school would remain online. When faced with deciding between figure-skating and in-person school, the choice was clear, Hong said. Hong spent more than half of the school year, up until March, attending school remotely to continue skating.

When Hong began skating at eight years old, the sport came naturally to her, she said.

She quickly learned challenging skills and consistently improved. That same year, Hong began figure skating competitively.

Hong’s love for figure skating comes from its balance between precise technical skills and

Courtesy of Jojo Hong

PERFECT 10 Hong wows judges with her skill.

artistic expression, she said. “I just love figure skating every day — to feel the wind blowing in my face and just feeling really free on the ice,” she said.

But when the pandemic began, skating rinks closed, and Hong could not skate for three months. Until then, her longest break from skating was during the week she spent at Dorr in eighth grade, she said. Even that mere weeklong trip was stressful for Hong as she worried she would lose her skills, she said.

When she returned to the ice, Hong again felt like she would have to start over, she said. She had to spend a lot of time practicing basic skills and getting reacquainted with the ice. “You kind of lose the feeling of being on the ice and how your feet feel in the boots,” she said.

As a result of the pandemic, however, Hong got more time to practice by herself on the ice, she said. “I loved playing music really loud and skating by myself.” The extra time also reminded Hong of the joy she felt when she first began skating, she said. “I felt like I could express myself and my emotions without worrying about others’ judgments.” She was also able to work on her strength and skills after her time off, which was important, she said.

Kelly’s announcement in the fall that student athletes would remain online came as an advantage to Hong’s training, she said. This change gave her more time to focus on her schoolwork and extra time to figure skate after online school in preparation for the next season.

During a typical school year, Hong would miss many school days to travel and compete in international competitions. However,with traveling restrictions due to COVID, she could no longer compete, she said. The inability to

travel was disappointing to Hong, she said.

Hong’s mother, Jihong Chen P ‘23, respects the decisions Hong has made regarding online school. “I totally supported Jojo’s decision, as this showed her responsibility and accountability for the school and for her classmates,” she said.

For Hong, Kelly’s decision did not come as a surprise because of the severity of the pandemic, she said. Although staying online was a simple choice, she had hoped to come to school and see her friends in person. In addition, she could no longer engage in classroom discussions like she did when she attended school in person, Hong said.

However, Hong is grateful she could turn to skating amidst the frustrations and challenges of online school.“Skating was definitely a retreat for me from online school,” she said.

In December, while Hong was still online, she faced an injury to her lower back, partly because she had not kept up with the same level of intensity in her training as she did before the pandemic, she said. Fortunately, her injury did not stop her from figure skating. Hong has continued to train through the injury while lowering the intensity of difficult skills like jumps.

In March, Hong returned to in-person school once the school dropped the restrictions on after-school activities. “It felt amazing because I missed being in the classroom,” she said. While attending in-person school, Hong felt like she could be more present in the classroom while spending time with her friends. “It was nice to see Jojo after such a long time when she came back to school,” Miller Harris (10) said.

“Everyone missed her.”

This year, Hong has learned the importance

STRIKE A POSE Hong spins on ice. of creating goals and focusing on them, she said.

When returning to the rink in June of last year, she was in a repetitive training cycle and lacked motivation due to the uncertainty of the season ahead.

This competitive season was supposed to be her first year competing at the senior level, allowing her the opportunity to compete at larger international events, she said.

For the next season, Hong’s goal is to qualify for the New Zealand Olympic team — she was born in New Zealand — and plans to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics, she said.

In September, she will partake in an important qualifying competition for the event. Chen looks forward to sharing the high and low moments, laughter, and tears as Hong follows her dreams, she said. “[Hong] loves the sport and enjoys the sport, and I am so happy to go all the way along the journey with her.”

Online school allows Wu (11) to continue her passion for swimming Jiya Chatterjee Staff Writer

“There is a sense of liberation when I swim, a feeling of freedom,” Maddy Wu (11) said. Wu started swimming at the age of two and has been a competitive swimmer for nine years.

Wu learned to swim at a young age because her mother, who cannot swim herself, was worried about Wu’s safety in the water. However, for Wu, swimming soon shifted from a safety necessity to a passion.

Her mother noticed this change too, and encouraged Wu to try out for a swim team.

When Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly announced this fall that students could not participate in out-of-school sports if they planned to attend school in-person, Wu chose online classes without much deliberation, she said. Online school made it easier to balance her swim training — including physical training and eating habits — while

staying on top of schoolwork, she said.

Wu has enjoyed the structured lifestyle that online school allows her to lead. She can follow a regular routine free from any distractions that in-person school might bring, she said. “I’m able to use time in between classes and frees to finish as much homework as possible so that my work doesn’t pile up at night.”

Wu’s out-of-school swim team at the Asphalt Green sports center has trained regularly during the pandemic. The team meets six days a week, another reason why she chose to stay online.

Swimming has always had positive effects on Wu. “Swimming helped me cope, and put me in a better place in my life.”

Despite the pros of training every day, Wu still has to sacrifice various aspects of her life in order to attend online school. “My social life is basically nonexistent,” she said. “A lot of my friends aren’t athletes, so even though they ask me to hang out Courtesy of Maddy Wu

FAM PHOTO! Wu and the Sea Lions snap a selfie.

because I’m not in school, I still have to tell them that I can’t come because of practice,” she said.

Even though Kelly announced in March that students attending inperson school could return to their out-of-school sports activities, Wu chose to remain online. “My family and I came to the general consensus that it would be safer for me and my sister, along with my swim and school community, if we stayed home,” she said. “[Wu] is a very passionate swimmer as well as very goaloriented, and I think that’s where her success has come from,” varsity swim team coach Thatcher Woodley said.

“She is a very consistent trainer, and has spent a long time perfecting her craft.”

While Wu was unable to participate in the school’s swim season this year, members of the team admire the assets she brought to the team in the past. “Maddy is a really hard worker,” Harmony Li (11), Wu’s former teammate on the school’s varsity swim team said.

“She pushes herself past her limits in practices, especially when others can’t.”

Wu brings an enthusiasm and energy to practices that inspires others, swim team member Walker McCarthy (11) said.

Wu hopes that her journey in swimming continues into her future. “When I was younger, I always said I wanted to go to the Olympics,” she said. “Once you get older though, you start to put things into perspective and realize your limits.” However, Wu would like to be recruited for college and hopefully swim division one when she gets there, she said.

Courtesy of Maddy Wu

SWIMMING SENSATION Wu poses with her teammate to celebrate a win.

Teams compete today Wish your peers good luck in today’s sports games. All members of the teams were tested in advance to ensure a safe game. Here are the teams playing: Girls Softball Boys Lacrosse Girls Lacrosse Boys Baseball Boys Tennis