The Horace Mann Record, Issue 9

The Horace Mann Record HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017 || VOLUME 115, ISSUE 9

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

Crotty (11) speaks at Child Mind Institute Summit Lynne Sipprelle Staff Writer

GIVING BACK Students place food donations into Thanksgiving food drive bags in library.

Harrison Haft/Staff Photographer

Advisories participate in annual Thanksgiving Common Pantry donation

Sandhya Shyam Staff Writer

On Tuesday afternoon, student volunteers organized and boxed up the bags’ contents by type of food for the NY Common Pantry, Bartels said.

After the organization picks up the food, they distribute each type of food into shopping bags that are then given to families in need, she said.

“It was hard this year because it was a bit truncated since we got the list of things we could contribute a little late,” Bartels said. “But I still think we gave a great donation.”

The organization did not contact Bartels this year, so she reached out to them, and therefore received the list with not much time to spare, she said.

The NY Common Pantry is a nonprofit organization that is “dedicated to reducing hunger throughout New York City,” its mission statement said.

The organization had previously

This Thursday, volunteers from the New York Common Pantry stopped by to pick up food donations that the school community contributed as a part of the organization’s annual Thanksgiving food drive.

According to Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels, the school’s donations this year are helping feed 102 families in New York City.

Students and faculty participated by donating food through advisory. Each advisory was assigned a bag to fill with various foods such as boxes of stuffing or brownie mix.

“I think it’s a really nice tradition to have because it makes an impact outside of the HM bubble,” Lucinda Li (12) said. “And it’s good timing too because we’re all “I think it’s a really nice tradition probably shopping for to have because it makes an impact Thanksgiving too, so we wouldn’t be going out of outside of the HM bubble.” our way to buy things.”

- Lucinda Li (12) There was also an option to donate money instead of purchasing food, specifically been working solely with the Middle $40 to feed approximately a family Division on their annual Souper Bowl, of four. Many members of the staff a soup drive where all the proceeds opted to do this because they are not went to the organization. a part of advisory groups, Bartels, who A representative from the organizes the event, said. organization contacted Bartels three “I felt like it would’ve been a lot years ago to get the Upper Division more effective to just donate money,” involved as well, Bartels said.

Sonia Shuster (9) said. “I think there The first year, Bartels organized a are so many more complications with basic food drive open for anyone to donating food, like buying things contribute to, she said. “We did okay,” people might be allergic to.” she said. “We gathered enough food Everyone’s participation was and money that it worked out to feed voluntary, because some students about 50 people,” she said. did not have the means to buy food, “But last year, by doing it by Bartels said. advisory, we were able to feed about

inside

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HM is thankful for...

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Across the divisions, students consider what they are grateful for.

140 people,” she said.

Bartels thought that organizing the drive by advisory groups made it a lot more of an effective and “thoughtful process,” she said. “To me, it feels like our little advisory ‘family’ giving to another family in need,” she said.

Advisories were also asked to write a reflective note to the organization about why they decided to participate.

Adding this aspect helped people to stop and think about why they were giving as opposed to just giving, Bartels said.

However, some advisors ignored or missed the request because of last week’s events, Bartels said.

Akida Joseph (11) felt like the experience was too impersonal, she said. “It feels like instead of being involved, we’re just buying things and giving money,” she said. “I think it would be a lot better if we invited families to a communal meal.”

In the future, Bartels hopes to organize trips that advisories can make to the NY Common Pantry on the day that they distribute food to families to possibly help out, she said. “It would be a step further in being involved.”

“There are so many New Yorkers who don’t have the means to have a Thanksgiving dinner,” Bartels said.

“Thanksgiving’s an American holiday, not a religious one, that’s all about people coming together to give thanks for what they have,” Bartels said.

“We as HM students are privileged,” Karen Jang (11) said. “I was really glad that I could help families don’t have the luxuries that we do.”

“I hope after a few years the food drive will eventually become a part of the fabric of what we do at this time of year,” she said.

Noh theatre

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Li (12) critiques the scene in last week’s theatre production in the Japanese “Noh” style.

This Monday, Alex Crotty (11) spoke at the State of Child and Adolescent Mind Mental Health Summit before a panel about her experience with depression and being bullied. The panel was composed of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Dean of the Child Mind Institute Harold Koplewicz.

The summit was opened by Dean of USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Willow Bay, who introduced Crotty.

After Crotty gave her speech, Bay moderated a panel discussion between Clinton and Koplewizc about children’s mental health care.

In her speech, Crotty discussed how after being repeatedly ostracized and attacked at her old school, she felt unable to connect with anyone her age. “I was only twelve years old, and I found myself questioning whether it was worth it to continue living,” Crotty said.

Even after switching schools, Crotty remained depressed and turned to her parents and doctor for help, who recommended she see a counselor.

On her first visit to the Child Mind Institute (CMI), a national nonprofit dedicated to children’s mental health care, Crotty was diagnosed with depression and began receiving therapy. “It’s transformed my life for the better,” Crotty said.

“I gave the speech because I don’t want anyone else to feel like they don’t have someone out there listening to them,” Crotty said. “I think when I was younger if someone had told me there was a place to get help, I would have listened and taken action sooner.”

Crotty’s mother, Heather Olson P’19, said Crotty’s speech was only

two or three minutes long but extremely moving.

“It’s very emotional, especially for me as her mother, to relive the pain she went through,” Olson said. “It also makes me so incredibly proud of her, not only for having the bravery and wherewithal to recognize it was something bigger than she could manage for herself, but for asking for help.”

Crotty said both Bay and Clinton complimented her on her work. “That was huge for me,” Crotty said. “I kind of froze up. It all feels like a dream, to be perfectly honest.”

“Hearing Hillary compliment me really made me realize how far I’d come and how worth it this is,” Crotty said. “It made me realize that even though I’m not the absolute best at everything, a lot of people I’m intimidated by couldn’t say they’ve done that.”

Crotty wrote the speech entirely by herself and, since there were only 200 people in the room and she had given the speech before during Wellness Week at the school last year, wasn’t nervous before speaking. However, Crotty discovered later that 30,000 people had streamed the event online.

“I’m really glad it got out to everybody, and I’m glad I didn’t realize how many people it was getting out to at the time,” Crotty said.

In the past, Crotty made a video about her experience that was shown at a CMI benefit and gave a speech at a CMI awards ceremony. “That went over really well, so when this event came up they asked if I would be willing to speak,” Crotty said.

Crotty said the CMI has transformed her life for the better. “I went in there feeling really miserable and kind of hopeless about my life, and now I’m doing events with Hillary Clinton,” Crotty said.

SPEAKING OUT Crotty (11) poses with Hillary Clinton, Harold S. Hoplewicz, and Willow Bay at mental health summit.

MUSLIM STUDENT’S SUMMIT Tomorrow: Saturday, November 18 9:00am - 2:30pm

Get lit(erature)

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Courtesy of zimbio.com

Students gather for third poetry cafe.

@hm.record @thehoracemannrecord

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THE RECORD NEWS NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

Independent Studies Julia Robbins Staff Writer

Each year, a class is offered to senior students that allows them to research on a topic of their choice. Every trimester, the 48 students enrolled in the course present about their topics and research thus far.

special & General relativity

SouthEast Asia

On October 12, Kyra Hill (12) presented her Independent Study research on Southeast Asia to her class, focusing on the question “what is the history and current state of Southeast Asia and why is this region so underrepresented?”

Hill, who is half-Thai, was born in Thailand and goes back every summer to spend time with family and stay connected to the Thai culture, she said. The time that she has spent in Thailand and Myanmar during the summer inspired her research project.

For her first trimester presentation, Hill focused on major events that have occurred in the countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Using photos, graphs, and statistics, Hill talked about these countries and the reasons for why she is pursuing her particular independent study.

Toward the end of the presentation, Hill used Google Trends to show the quantitative disparity in searches for important terms relating to Southeast Asia such as Aung San Suu

Kyra Hill

Spyridoula Potamopoulou/Staff Artist

Ki, the Burmese State Counsellor, versus terms such as the NFL. Hill used the trends to prove how Americans and people around the world do not spend time thinking about or looking up what is happening in Southeast Asia.

“I was particularly struck by the relative paucity of Google searches of terms relating to these countries when compared to, for example, ‘Donald Trump Hair’,” Aurora Grutman (12) said.

“Kyra did an excellent job giving a brief introduction to these countries and explaining the reasons behind her independent study as well as the trajectory of her project,” Grutman said. Hill presented the information in an accessible way that allowed the audience to understand what she was saying, Grutman said.

Hill was able to able to cover a lot of material in a short time, which was “particularly impressive,” Emma Jones (12) said.

The time that Hill spends over the summer in Southeast Asia is hands on research that teaches her about the culture in the countries that she is writing about, Hill said.

In addition to firsthand experience, there are several very thorough databases and encyclopedias at school that have been helpful resources throughout the research process, Hill said.

Luca Koval Caroline Goldenberg Staff Writer On Monday, Luca Koval (12) presented his independent study on special and general relativity.

Koval discussed special relativity, which involves how frames of reference like velocity and altitude affect time and general relativity, gravity’s effect on the energy and location of objects.

This trimester, Koval explored the math and applications of special and general relativity, he said.

To begin his presentation, Koval asked attendees to write whatever came to mind when he mentioned the topic. Answers included object comparison and Einstein.

“He taught information by applying it to real world situations …the most compelling

part of science for me,” Zoe Mavrides (12) said.

Benjamin Parker (12) learned that general relativity actually applies to the functioning of GPS’s, he said.

Koval began the project in the summer from ideas he’s been interested in for years, which “allowed [him] to learn more about those subjects, especially when they aren’t taught much in school,” he said.

Math teacher Charles Garcia helped Koval understand the math involved, Koval said.

Koval learned how to “communicate ideas effectively when they are extremely technical,” and will study subjects connecting to relativity in the next trimesters, he said.

Jackson Roberts/ Staff Artist

Dorr hosts annual Mind & Body Retreat for faculty

Courtesy of Denise DiRenzo

HAPPY AND HEALTHY A group of teachers spend the weekend at Dorr.

Caroline Goldenberg Staff Writer This past weekend, 15 teachers across all divisions gathered at the John Dorr Nature Laboratory for the eighth annual Mind/Body Retreat. The retreat, led by Middle and Upper Division dance teacher Denise DiRenzo and Middle Division history teacher Caitlin Hickerson, consisted of two

professional development workshops focusing on the mind and body and an hour long nature walk.

The Mind/Body Retreat is held each year to expose teachers to new methods of relaxation of the mind and body, step away from the busyness of the city, and enjoy nature, Hickerson said.

“It is very much like what students do at Dorr. It’s about community building, learning new skills and enjoying

nature,” DiRenzo said.

“Mindfulness is being aware, paying attention, and being receptive to what’s going on around us,” Hickerson said.

“Rather than being distracted by our own thoughts, we are fully paying attention to what is happening right now.”

Every year, the retreat holds a class focusing on the connection of yoga to the body and mind. This year, Hickerson, having completed advanced yoga training, ran her first workshop.

“Yoga is very connected to the theme of the mind and body because the physical practice of yoga is a way to cultivate the mind, control our thoughts and create stillness in the mind,” Hickerson said.

Hickerson practices some of the methods taught at the Retreat in the classroom. She starts many of her classes with mindfulness activities, like 60 seconds of peace.

“I find the 60 seconds of peace relaxing and it helps me concentrate better in class,” Hickerson’s student Vincent Lee (8) said.

“The workshop is both a way for

Volume 115 Editorial Board Managing Editor Eve Kazarian

Editor in Chief Gustie Owens

Issues Editor Mahika Hari

Features Tiffany Liu Natasha Poster

News Sam Heller Yeeqin New

Opinions Seiji Murakami Rebecca Salzhauer

A&E Jonathan Katz Joanne Wang

Lions’ Den Peter Borini Ricardo Pinnock

Photography Amrita Acharya Freya Lindvall Abigail Kraus

Middle Division Ella Feiner Sarah Shin

Design Editors Evan Megibow Nikki Sheybani Lisa Shi

Art Director Ariella Greenberg

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

Columnists Lutie Brown Amir Moazami

Online Editor Michael Truell

me to strengthen my own practice of being a mindful teacher and also to bring these activities from Dorr to my students directly,” Hickerson said.

DiRenzo, in her fourth year returning, invited her friend and fellow educator based in Rochester, Mary Birchenough to teach the other workshop focusing on practicing mindful approaches to events that would usually trigger an instinctive response. Birchineough, in addition to having been a classroom teacher for the past 25 years, offers professional development workshops on mindfulness in education.

“A mindfulness practice can help a person move from automatic (impulsive) reactions to conscious responses. Taking ‘anchor’ breaths regularly, and hitting the ‘pause’ button when we feel triggered, are two of the helpful tools we discussed,” Direnzo said.

Mindfulness is important for both students and teachers, as the school is rigorous for everyone, DiRenzo said.

“Taking a minute of silence is something you can build into your day to bring you to the present

Staff Writers Malhaar Agrawal, Betsey Bennett, Peri Brooks, Amelia Feiner, Elizabeth Fortunato, Leonora Gogos, Caroline Goldenberg, Katie Goldenberg, Surya Gowda, Will Han, Jude Herwitz, Edwin Jin, Solomon Katz, Janvi Kukreja, Madison Li, Connor Morris, Megha Nelivigi, Noah Phillips, Eliza Poster, Julia Robbins, Abigail Salzhauer, Nishtha Sharma, Sadie Schwartz, Tenzin Sherpa, Sandhya, Shyam, Becca Siegel, Charlie Silberstein, Lynne Sipprelle, Griffin Smith, Georgi Verdelis, Ben Wang, Jeren Wei, Robbie Werdiger, Simon Yang Staff Photographers Iliana Dezelic, Eva Fortunato, Miyu Imai, Abigail Kraus, Daniel Lee, Mimi Morris, Benjamin Parker, Tatiana Pavletich Staff Artists Elizabeth Fortunato, Sofia Gonzalez, Surya Gowda, Damali O’Keefe, Spyridoula Potamopoulou, Jackson Roberts, Zoe Vogelsang

moment, and to stillness of the body and the mind,” DiRenzo said.

The Retreat also served as means of connection for many teachers.

“A lot of us didn’t know each other at well at all, and in some cases, we had never even met or seen each other,” DiRenzo said. “We had an opportunity to really get to know each other at a deeper level.”

Katie Goldenbergvv/Staff Artist

Editorial Policy ABOUT The Record is published weekly by the students of Horace Mann School to provide the community with information and entertainment, as well as various viewpoints in the forms of editorials and opinion columns. All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar and layout are made by the editorial board. The Record maintains membership in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association.

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the senior editorial board. Opinion columns are the sole opinion of the author and not of The Record or the editorial board.

NOTE 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. The Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and content of The Record, and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

LETTERS To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters to the editor should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or e-mail (record@horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed and should refer to a Record article. Letters may be edited for grammar, style, length and clarity.

CONTACT For all comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints or corrections, or for information about subscribing, please contact us by email at record@horacemann.org.

HORACE MANN OPINIONS NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

Casual use of offensive jokes: it’s not funny

Surya Gowda As a school, we pride ourselves in our diversity and acceptance of all cultures and identities. It is written in our core values and put in practice in our classrooms.

Though it sounds good on paper, is that really what happens behind the doors of the library classrooms and casual conversations with friends? Inappropriate jokes

slip into casual conversations, regardless of the harmful effect.

I have heard casual jokes about everything from the 9/11 attacks to race or gender. Unfortunately, the reactions to these jokes are not always what they should be.

A reply could consist of a shrug, a laugh, or even a continuation of the joke. Why do members of our community publicly promote unity and compassion towards one another while fostering divisiveness through hurtful comments?

Internet memes have developed a widespread culture of mocking serious topics, leading some to believe that it’s acceptable to make jokes in any setting. I once received multiple offensive memes related to the Holocaust

in a group chat. People were hurt, but once again, the jokes were met with little response.

Though I don’t make these jokes, I don’t really do anything to stop them, which in some ways is worse. I know that these comments are wrong, and I know it’s a moral obligation to stop these microaggressions from snowballing into something terrible. When I’m sitting with someone who says an offensive joke, my reaction is an awkward forced laugh, telling them, “That’s not okay,” in a light tone. Since these jokes have become so normalized, they have become an acceptable form of social interaction. Sometimes when we exaggerate in casual conversation with friends, our comments can

be twisted in a dark manner in an attempt to be humourous but simply come off as offensive. In the past few years, I have been in conversations where peers have used terrible language towards one another, but I went along with it out of fear of being seen differently by friends. When these jokes are made, I do nothing in the moment, but afterwards I think how terrible they were and regret not saying something that could have stopped a bad joke from becoming worse.

I know people who have left chats because of how casually language is used to make antisemitic or sexist jokes. Running away is not the right answer.

Though I don’t think that is enough to change people’s way

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of speech, the saying “pick your battles wisely” comes into play. In no way am I insinuating that you do nothing about the situation, first you have to confront the person and speak out against what they’re doing. In a school like ours, everyone comes from different types of households and backgrounds. They may be raised to think a certain way that contradicts yours, but that does not mean that their entire character should be seen in a negative light. This still means you have to stand up for what you think is morally right and not give up. Just because there might not be an authority figure or you are not in public or professional environment, hurtful jokes are never okay.

Ariella Greenberg/ Art Director

The Rappaccini Variations: separating intent from impact

Allison Li Starting off my senior year, one of the things I most looked forward to throughout the week was rehearsal for the Rappaccini Variations. I was eager to improve my acting skills and participate in a play at school for the first time.

I was particularly excited by the concept of this production, a retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter through various forms of theatre. Each of the nine scenes in the play represented a different style of theatre, beginning with a modern day oral presentation and moving back in time all the way to ancient Greek drama — an homage to the tradition of theatre, meant to educate both the actors and the audience.

One particular scene was a recreation of traditional Japanese Noh theatre, a minimalist form of theatre in which actors wear masks and recite poetic text. Though I initially had my reservations about this scene, I wasn’t able to articulate any concrete objection to it until we rehearsed it in costume for the first time. When I learned that a white actor was going to wear a yellow mask with slits for eyes and a black wig for the scene, I was in

disbelief.

After a few cast members expressed their discomfort with the costumes, our stage manager raised the issue with the theatre department, and we held a meeting to discuss the scene before our Saturday rehearsal the next day. Coming into this meeting, I figured that if enough people opposed the scene, it would be modified, and we could just move on with the production. However, I was surprised to hear that most of the cast did not see a problem with the scene, and believed that as long as we portrayed Noh theatre accurately and respectfully, it

“

When I learned that a white actor was going to wear a yellow mask with slits for eyes and a black wig for the scene, I was in disbelief. wasn’t offensive.

I felt upset that most people seemed to disregard my opinion, and that they believed that they had reached some sort of consensus on the matter, when in reality I was still opposed to the scene. Despite our conversation, the costumes did not change, and I ultimately decided to drop out of the scene.

Reflecting back, it is important to remember the difference between intent and implication. Though we intended to portray authentic Noh theatre in a way that would educate the school community about this art form, the implication of

putting a white actor in yellowface is entirely separate. Our good intentions don’t negate the offense caused by our actions, nor can they be used to justify why a person should not react in a certain way.

If some members of the audience were offended by the scene, then harm was done, regardless of our intentions.

While I understand this type of costume is a part of Noh theatre, we have to keep in mind that theatre does not exist in a vacuum, but rather in a specific context--in this case, the context of our school, where we are hyper-conscious of racial issues, and of the United States, with its painful history of discrimination against Asian Americans and yellowface. Seeing this costume reminded me of the caricatures of Asian people I’ve seen in the media, meant to mock, dehumanize, and reduce us to a stereotype; of every time someone treated me differently because of my race; of feeling frustrated that people could have so many preconceived notions about who I was before even meeting me.

Though the costumes in our production did not have this malicious intent, the context they belong to might have shaped the way that our audience interpreted and reacted to the scene. Therefore, I believe it had great potential to offend and hurt members of the community and further divide us.

Though I do not want us to shy away from discomfort in theatre, there is a line between making people productively uncomfortable and offending them. Earlier this year, the HMTC held a reading of the play Bang

Bang You’re Dead in response to the Las Vegas shooting, exploring a controversial topic in order provoke discussion about the issue and ultimately provide an educational experience — an example of theatre as a means of opening up an uncomfortable conversation. For me, the Noh scene crossed that line; I don’t believe there is anything educational about the discomfort caused by seeing yellowface on

stage — it’s just offensive and harmful.

I want us to learn from this experience and be more mindful of the difference between intent and implication, as well as between uncomfortable and offensive. I encourage our community to make theatre a safe space where we can explore different themes, perspectives, and cultures creatively and provocatively without being offensive.

Editorial

Balancing informing the public and the safety of individuals

Last week, columnist for The New York Times David Leonhardt ‘90 wrote an article called “The Conspiracy of Inaction on Sexual Abuse and Harassment” about how The Record editorial board did not cover rumors about sexual abuse, uncomfortable comments, and harassment when he was Editor-inChief.

Despite being “teenage crusaders” and wanting to expose injustices around campus, they did not cover what has become one of the largest issues the school has faced in spite of having heard rumors.

Though we are fortunate in the amount of freedom we have with our coverage today, we need to evaluate how we use this freedom. What students and teachers may have dismissed as rumors were actually immeasurably horrific. As a diverse editorial board, we should be aware of and actively pursuing relevant stories, no matter how challenging or out of our grasp they may seem.

However, a few days after his article was published, a member of the Editorial Board spoke to David Leonhardt about his piece. In the week marked by the controversial joke and ensuing discussions, one piece of advice Leonhardt gave stuck out to us in particular: “In a high school, in any community, you want to think about if there is any way the kind of damage we’re doing by calling attention to an individual outweighs whatever service we would be doing in terms of informing people.”

Though as an Editorial Board, we want to always pursue the most interesting, thought-provoking stories, it is also important to protect the individuals within our community. This is a balance we will continue to pursue.

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THE RECORD FEATURES NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

HM is

Thankful for...

“I am definitely thankful - for my friends, for my teachers, for my school. But I am most thankful for the support they give me, picking me up when I’m down, encouraging me to never give up, and praising my accomplishments. So you could say, that I am thankful for HM spirit.” - Nikki Pande (5)

“I’m really thankful for being able to go to Horace Mann, to have such a great education and be at this place with all these amazing people.” - Adam Frommer (9)

“I’m definitely thankful to come to this school.

I was new to this school last year and coming here was really incredible for me. I’m thankful for my family, for my house, all the food I have, just all the blessings in general.” - Noah Phillips (10)

“I’m thankful for having such a wonderful family.

I’m thankful for this because there are people who don’t have as loving, caring families as I do.”

- Alice Davis (4th grade)

“I’m thankful for my family and my friends because they’re always there to support me, and they’ve been really helpful for the past three years in my highschool life.” - Cindy Kaiser (11)

“I am thankful for family because t always help me when I need help and t take good care of me. I am also than for friends because whenever I’m arou my friends, I’m happy.” - Sami August

“I am thankful for my whole family because they take care of me every day. I am thankful for my house, my dogs, and great food.

I am also thankful for Horace Mann, my friends, and pretty much everything else that I have in my life.” - Jonathan Thomas (4)

“I am thankful for wa and food.” - Stella Burns

Ariella Greenberg/Art Director

they they nkful und t (3)

ater s (1)

Thanksgiving Unconventional Traditions Celebrations 5

HORACE MANN FEATURES NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

Kiara Royer Staff Writer Some students at the school go beyond the typical Thanksgiving meal and celebrate their own unconventional traditions. Rachel Okin (12) and her family throw a themed Thanksgiving dinner party every year with the Rosenblatts, their family friends.

The tradition began when Thanksgiving and Hanukkah coincided a few years ago and Rebecca Okin ’15 came up with the idea of having a Batman-themed Thanksgiving, Rachel said.

“We all got dressed up in Batman clothing and capes and masks, and we had a menorah with a turkey on it,” Rachel said.

While the tradition symbolizes everything that Rachel is thankful for, it also gives the “Okinblatts” something special to look forward to, a night when they can all be weird,”

Rachel said.

Previous themes include the Wild West and disco. This year, the theme is Hollywood, which Rachel herself came up with over the summer.

Another popular and unusual tradition is “Friendsgiving,” where friends have thanksgiving dinner together. Charlotte Cebula (10) took part in a Friendsgiving last year.

“My friends and I had a Friendsgiving where we went to a restaurant and ordered different kinds of food to share,” Cebula said.

“We had a Friendsgiving because we wanted to celebrate a holiday together as a group of friends, especially to mark the end of the first trimester,” she said.

This year Cebula and her friends are planning a more personal potluckstyle Friendsgiving at someone’s house.

“We’re planning on putting up turkey decorations and eating a lot of food, which is my favorite part,”

Family Time in the Kitchen Megha Nelivigi Staff Writer Apart from spending quality time with family and friends, food is what makes Thanksgiving so special, Malka Krijestorac (11) said.

“Thanksgiving is one of the few times I see my siblings over the year,” Krijestorac said, “so when they come, we all cook together.”

When Krijestorac’s mother first came to the US from Serbia, she was not accustomed to a traditional Thanksgiving, but was in charge of making dessert. On a whim, her mother used what she had in the pantry to create a pasta dessert with a brown sugar sauce that she continues to use more than 29 years later, Krijestorac said.

Young Joon Kim (11) helps cook Thanksgiving dinner for his family as well. His family always ordered their food until four years ago, when he decided he wanted to cook.

“I wanted to make something because I know many families make things together as a bonding experience, and I wanted that,” Kim said. “I made up a recipe for mashed potatoes purely based on instinct.”

Kim’s brother helps him make his mashed potatoes, which he makes with salt, pepper, butter, and his very own “secret seasonings,” he said.

Chidi Nwankpa (12) creates a Thanksgiving feast with a main dish of

jerk turkey. Nwankpa has been helping cook since he was around four years old, and though he tries to help cook whenever he can, Thanksgiving is the one time he can always count on cooking with his family, he said.

Since he was in 6th and 7th grade, Evan Wu’s (11) family has made pork dumplings together every year for a “Chinese Thanksgiving,” he said. The family gets into an assembly line to make them, with his mom creating the casing and Wu and his brothers filling and folding the dumplings.

The first time they made dumplings, the family had “just moved to the US from China, and we missed our grandma’s dumplings. Together, we worked for more than two hours making at least 200 dumplings for the 30 people attending Thanksgiving,” he said.

In Jackson Stinebaugh’s (11) home, each member of the family cooks one dish that they particularly enjoy; for Stinebaugh, that dish is mashed potatoes. Each family member has their own station in the kitchen, he said.

“Every other day of the year my mom makes all the food and no one helps, but on Thanksgiving, we all come together and cook,” Stinebaugh said.

Courtesy of Rachel Okin

Giving Back on Thanksgiving Gabby Kepnes Staff Writer

While most families gather at the dinner table to feast on turkey and a fall-themed meal, the Rosenzweigs, Ben (10), Jacob (10), and Rebecca (9), spend Thanksgivings serving lowincome and homeless people in lower Manhattan.

Ben, Jacob, and Rebecca joined an organization called Education Alliance to create their own holiday tradition when Rebecca was five years old and the boys were six. “The intention was to experience serving other people instead of having people serve us.

We weren’t used to it,” Rebecca said.

One aspect that they appreciate about the experience is the various reactions of the people they serve, they said. “Some of the people are very appreciative of it, and some

people deny the help, which is interesting,” Ben said.

“It’s important to know that you are making a difference,” Rebecca said.

“It has [altered my perspective] because there are a lot of drives that you can donate food and clothing, but they’re are not as many where you can interact with the people,” Rebecca said.

Ben’s involvement in the organization has not changed how he views the situations of the people he helps, but it does allow him to see the different lives from his own, he said.

The Thanksgiving tradition has become a part of their lives, Ben, Jacob, and Rebecca said. “It wouldn’t be a Thanksgiving if we didn’t do this, and it’s not only the money and food that helps these people, it’s the time you are giving,” Rebecca said.

Malka Krijestorac’s (11) Dessert Pasta Recipe Ingredients 1 box of penne 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil 2 tablespoons of brown sugar 4 tablespoons of very fine breadcrumbs

Cooking Instructions Boil the pasta, put oil and breadcrumbs in a pan, and turn on low heat until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Still on low heat, add sugar and stir rapidly to prevent the breadcrumbs from burning. Turn off heat, add pasta, and stir it all together.

6

THE RECORD MIDDLE DIVISION NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

Exploring different cultures at International Food Festival Jeren Wei Staff Writer

Middle Division students gathered in the atrium this Wednesday to experience the diverse cultures of school at the Middle Division International Food Festival (MDIFF). Co-Chairs of the event Jacqui Weidman P ‘24, Cathy Trentalancia P’ 23, and Nancy Pretsfelder P ‘22 said that the event was a celebratory experience that unified the cultures of the school.

“The International Food Festival is great way to share family history and traditions, and it is something that everyone can enjoy,” Weidman

said. “[Having the students know] that they are global citizens and learn about the cultures and different types of food that are outside of their little realm is important,” Jennifer Hippolyte-Thomas P ’22 said.

The parents brought foods from various cultures. “I brought in Haitian beef patties and we have Jamaican beef patties. We have South African food and Nigerian food,” Hippolyte-Thomas said.

Each section of the event represented different affinity groups of cultures ranging from Korea to Cuba, and each brought a unique food to their table,

Pretsfelder said.

Andria Madaio P ‘23 brought plantains to represent her Hispanic heritage. “[Plantains] are almost like potato chips. They are easy to make and are very common foods in Puerto Rico and Cuba,” she said.

The MDIFF is one of the largest events in the Middle Division and represents the diverse community of the school. The event is an opportunity to get to know people through their tradition and culture, and the festival truly is a testament of how diverse the school really is, Trentalancia said.

Many of the middle schoolers enjoyed the various foods of the event. “I especially enjoyed the

duck and Chinese section of the event,” Lauren Song (8) said.

There was almost every kind of food you could think of, Song said.

“Everything was great. I saw foods I didn’t expect to see like Greek food.

“I really liked the Chinese chicken dumplings,” Walker McCarthy (8) said, “I am a very big fan of Asian food, especially Chinese food, and it was nice to find non-Americanized Chinese food.”

Many middle schoolers found also found the experience educational. “It’s nice to see the diverse community at Horace Mann and see how it is expressed beyond just talking about it [in the

classroom],” McCarthy said.

As the eighth graders learn about world religions in history class, the event served as a fun reflection of the course curriculum, McCarthy said. “[The event allowed students] to be exposed to traditional cultures and was a great way to get people interested in other cultures because there is great food and you can talk to people who know a lot about the cultures,” he said.

The school community should all embrace their cultural differences and where the students come from.

Even though the community may have its differences, everyone can all enjoy food together, Song said.

Ahaan Palla / Staff Photographer

Eighth graders practice improv in Black Box Theater Leonora Gogos & Ahaana Shrivastava Staff Writer & Contributing Writer This Thursday, the eighth graders participated in a Theatre Games class in the Black Box Theater. Theatre teachers Ben Posner and Alexis Dahl co-teach the class, which is actually based on a theatrical concept called “TheatreSports” invented by Keith Johnstone.

Johnstone developed the concept of TheatreSports, an improv competition which involves the performers, the audience, and judges. The point

of the competition is not who wins or loses, but rather the fact that someone does, because once the audience knows it’s a competition, they root for a champion, Posner said.

Last year, the Theater Games class didn’t exist but theater students responded so positively to the theater games they’d play within their classes so that the teachers decided to make a class devoted entirely to them. “They teach the things we want them to teach,” Posner said.

He hopes that the students have fun and that the audience enjoys the performance and gets a sense of the skill that’s involved

Gabby Fischberg/ Staff Artist

in this kind of work, Posner said “Every time we have a live performance, we come together and figure out what’s better,” he said. They realize what works and what doesn’t work during live performances, he said.

The event is composed of two types of games: filler games, which are short-form competitive games that are challenges of wit, and story games, in which the performers build or tell a story. An example of a filler game is the “S-game,” in which the performers can have a conversation using no words that start with S, while a story game is more difficult because there’s

no rules to go by. The idea of the classes is to get to the point where the teachers can simply give the students a scenario, and each team will play a different scene based off of that scenario.

Although he was a bit nervous to be on stage and perform in front of an audience, he was still very excited to do improv and have fun with friends, Yin Fei (8) said.

She was excited for the games because of the fun rules of the games that Posner selects, Rachel Kuhn (8) said.

Neither Fei nor Kuhn have performed theater outside of school. “I enjoy [theater] and I

love to try new things,” Kuhn said.

“I just thought that trying something new would be an interesting way to learn something that I have no knowledge of otherwise,” Fei said.

The games have allowed him to bond with his classmates, Fei said.

He would like for there to be more theater games in the future because he finds them to be a good way to learn about “thinking on the spot, giving up control, and building off of others,” Fei said.

Abigail Kraus/ Photo Editor

7

HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

SPOTLIGHT: CRAIG MURRAY Murray shares musical talent with community

Eddie Jin Staff Writer Have you ever heard flowing, melodious music resounding from the Olshan Lobby piano? It was probably Craig Murray (11), an award-winning pianist and singer.

Murray’s musical journey began when he was six. His mother noticed how he often played his toy piano, and he soon began to take lessons, he said.

After only four years of piano lessons, he began to excel among his peers and since then has won various competitions, even playing at Carnegie Hall as part of the Piano Teachers Congress Honors Program, Murray said.

He was named the winner of the Westchester Musicians Guild Young Artist Audition for three consecutive years, tied for first in the Bronx Art Ensemble Young Artist Competition, and made the finals in the Claudette Sorel Piano Competition.

Specializing in classical music, he currently studies piano at the Concordia Conservatory and previously attended the Manhattan School of Music precollege program.

Although music takes time away from academics, Murray

THE PIANO MAN Craig Murray (11) plays the piano in Olshan Lobby.

was able to find a balance and believes it also helps to develop mathematical skills due to the many parallels between math and music. He attributes success in his mathematics classes to concepts he learned from musical studies, he said.

Among his favorite composers and pianists are Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin. Liszt and Chopin were both renowned for their difficult music and

chastised at times for being too challenging, Murray said.

However, Murray faces their compositions head on, enjoying the rewarding feeling once he is able to play them flawlessly, he said.

“I play the piano because it allows me to enter another realm of artistry,” Murray said.

Murray has been able to share his love for these composers with the school.

Abigail Kraus/Photo Editor

Accompanist Dr. Amir Khosrowpour distinctly remembers Murray’s “amazing and hilarious” performance of a Chopin etude at a school talent show, Khosrowpour said. “He got up there on this keyboard that was half-falling apart, and all of a sudden, he’s playing this really difficult and fast music, just up and down the keyboard.”

According to Chair of Music Department and choir director

Timothy Ho, Murray has a technical aspect with the way his fingers move and how quickly he is able to interact with them, but he also has a strong sense of how to craft a series of notes into a beautiful musical phrase.

Part of the school’s choir groups since middle school, Murray is eager to share his passion for piano with them, often playing accompaniment while the students sing, Khosrowpour said.

Murray also helps teach younger students in the Middle Division (MD) Chorus by visiting their classes weekly to play and teach the stylistic aspects of his current piece, which is by Liszt.

Initially, it was a casual 45-second lesson when Murray happened to be in the choir room during a MD Chorus class., Ho said, but it has developed into a greater endeavor.

Ho believes in the importance of students’ listening to highlevel music as well as having it come from someone with whom they can connect, Ho said.

Murray was excited to have the opportunity to present his analysis of the century-old piece written by one of his favorite composers, Murray said.

From Green Day to Google Translate: this week’s Poetry Cafe Julia Robbins Staff Writer The weather this past Monday I period was cold and gloomy, but inside of Olshan Lobby students gathered around candles, albeit not real ones, listening to members of their community perform poetry and music.

Around 15 students and one teacher performed poetry that they had written or that was meaningful to them.

This past Poetry Cafe was the third poetry café in the last two years, President of Poetry Out Loud Claire Yoo (11) said. In past years, mostly upperclassmen and Manuscript or Poetry Out Loud members have attended the event, so this year there was more advertising in order to increase the variety of students participating, Yoo said.

Upper Division Director of Student Activities Caroline Bartels planned most of the event and Manuscript coEvents Planner Gavin Delanty (11) helped with planning and advertising.

Alexis Fry (9) delivered a poem inspired by her grandmother, Dorcy Go-Puan Seng, “who grew up in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s,” she

said. Her grandmother and her five siblings had to go into hiding to escape death because Seng’s father wrote anti-Japanese articles in the newspaper he owned, she said.

Delanty read a poem that “was originally the first paragraph of a Japanese paper [Yoo] was writing,” he said.

Google translate “skewed her words,” and Delanty asked Yoo if he could read the new product aloud.

“Talking in front of a mic was kind of stressful, but it was really a good experience to hear other people’s work,” Natalie

Sweet (9) said.

Jonathan Mong (9) sang two songs by Green Day because he is a fan of the band and believes that the lyrics of the songs have relevance in today’s political climate, Mong said.

Mong played and sang the songs “21 Guns” and “Good Riddance,” which had the audience clapping along to the sentimental music’s tune.

The Poetry Cafe went very well, and it seemed like the people who attended the event had fun, Delanty said.

Ariella Greenberg/Art Director

Dorcy Go-Puan Seng

by Alexis Fry (9)

My soiled bare feet thump against the dirt below in a rapid pace, as fast as they can go Tears of pure fear fall down my face, as wind push them across my cheeks I can taste the salt water as it tickles my lips, lips as soft as the skin of a baby that has just been birthed But I am far from the embrace of a mother’s arms Warm familiar skin of similar hue against mine, comfort, security But I know my tears would turn into blood if I sit still A moment of peace or the price of my freedom I choose freedom.

But I starve, oh I am so hungry, my stomach caves, a veil for my buried fears I hide in the dim garage that we must call home, of dust haunting me that death soon awaits I bury my head between my knobby knees, dirt in the crevices, I close my eyes I think of a life leading to absolute silence And it whispers in my ear, of the defeat that I shall face If I move one finger.

Speak one word.

Leave this cage that we call home.

The price of freedom, awake in my mind each moment Each moment of unrest I cave in as pressure and fear amounts upon my defined ribs Breaking.

I cannot breathe. I am suffocating.

I heave a rattled breath, the pain courses the lining of my lungs, Pain endured for a future Most of all for a family Children.

Grandchildren.

That I will never meet But I suffer, And the salt water tears still fall down my cheeks, perhaps tainted by pure hope of a small girl. Hope of a superior upbringing for my own.

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8

NOVEMBER 17TH, 2017

Making the transition from fall to winter sports Eliza Poster Staff Writer Afternoons in the Prettyman Gymnasium are becoming more crowded as student athletes dodge increasingly cold temperatures on the Alumni Field for winter sports practices and tryouts.

Tryouts for fall athletics began at the end of August, and students were well rested and eager to start the new season, Coach Robert Harmon said.

“When you’re dealing with the fall, you’ve got great weather for the first part, people are fresh coming in,” he said.

The two-week fall preseason provides an opportunity for teammates to bond and make a more leisurely transition into the athletic season as well as the school year, Jane Frankel (12) said. It also gives athletes time to accurately demonstrate their skills to coaches.

“Fall tryouts are much better [than winter tryouts] because you

EN GARDE! Fencing team prepares for season by facing off against one another

have more of a chance to actually show what you can do, whereas, especially with basketball tryouts, you have three days with not a lot of time to show your talent,” Nick Potash (10) said.

The end of the first trimester has proven stressful for winter athletes, especially those who did not participate in fall sports, because they still must participate in gym classes as well

Courtesy of HM Flickr

as stay until 6 PM after school.

“This is the week where I probably need the most time to study and do work, so that’s why I thought I should either have a gym free or not have tryouts or

practice for the week,” Darius McCullough (10) said.

The winter season usually means more schoolwork and extracurricular obligations for athletes; however, students are better adjusted during the winter, as they have gotten used to the workload, forged new friendships and gained a better understanding of the school, Director of Athletics Robert Annunziata said.

Whereas basketball began their preseason in early November, other sports convene later in the month. This was done so that teams could have time to adequately prepare for competitions, allot time to finalize line-ups, and make cuts.

“We’re going to utilize these next couple of weeks before our season starts for team chemistry and working on our shots and defense,” Frankel said.

ALWAYS A LION

ONCE A LION

Courtesy of Columbia Athletics

SPIKE! Ikwuazom ‘16 featured on poster hung up around Columbia campus to promote varsity volleyball team

Members of Girls Varsity Volleyball support Chichi Ikwuazom ‘16 Noah Phillips Staff Writer Last Friday, roughly 65 members of the school community attended Columbia University’s volleyball match against Brown, where they met alumna Chibuzo “Chichi” Ikwuazom ’16. Members of all levels of the volleyball program, ranging from the seventh-grade team to the Varsity team, were at the match.

Columbia dominated Brown throughout the entire match, despite having lost to Brown earlier in the season, Gabby Fischberg (9) said “Overall the team played really well against Brown,” Ikwuazom said.

Current varsity player Destiny Wright-Butler (11) commented on

Ikwuazom’s style of play.

“She’s a very vocal player, which is good for volleyball and any team.

She is also able to terminate the ball and get the point every time she gets a set,” Wright-Butler said.

“She played amazingly. Chichi made some amazing spikes as a middle blocker. It was so exhilarating to see her play because of how powerful and well she could spike the ball,” Fischberg said.

Ikwuazom has the best attacking percentage on the team with .387 and is also leading the team in total blocks with 110 on the season. She even has a couple digs which is not common for middle blockers.

While Ikwuazom maintained her focus during the match, immediately following, she came out to interact with the group,

Jason Torres, who was Girls Varsity Volleyball Coach when Ikwuazom still attended the school, said.

“I talked to, caught up with, and took pictures with many of the people from the HM group. It was nice to see many of the younger volleyball players,” Ikwuazom said.

She also recognized many of the volleyball players from when she coached at the school’s volleyball camp, she said.

“Seeing my former team and coaches cheering me on was a reminder of the amazing people in the HM community that I had the privilege of working with and getting to know. It meant a lot to me that they were there and that they continue to support me,” Ikwuazom said.

During her time at the school,

Ikwuazom participated in all levels of school volleyball, beginning in seventh grade.

“It’s really empowering to know that she started at the same level as me and other HM students; it’s really motivating,” Wright-Butler said.

“Chichi came in seventh grade with no volleyball experience” Torres said. “But throughout her years playing at Horace Mann, she really became a dominant player.”

“One of my favorite on-thecourt moments during my HM career was during my senior year when our team made it to the final round in the NYSAIS tournament,” Ikwuazom said.

“In the semifinals against Chapin, the gym was packed with people. It seemed like every time

Chichi got a big block or a spike the whole gym would go crazy,” Torres said.

Now, as an alumna, and having had great success with volleyball at the school and beyond, Ikwuazom looks to give back and support volleyball development for younger athletes.

“I hope to impress upon the younger volleyball athletes the notion of having a strong, positive, and confident mindset. A lot of the time younger players seem to get discouraged because they do not think that they are good enough, but getting better takes time, determination, and positivity, so I hope to inspire younger volleyball athletes to work hard in order to fulfill their goals,” Ikwuazom said.