The Horace Mann Record, Issue 19

The Horace Mann Record

MARCH 2ND, 2018 || VOLUME 115, ISSUE 19

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

School follows bomb threat protocol after anonymous call

Gustie Owens & Yeeqin New Editor-in-Chief & News Editor

Last Friday around 7 a.m., before any students had arrived on campus, an anonymous person called the school’s main number at the front security desk and said, “there is a bomb in the building.”

The caller refused to answer any additional questions or say anything else about the nature of the threat.

Security Specialist Glenn Smith, who answered the call, immediately began the school’s bomb threat protocol, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said.

The NYPD were immediately notified and police officers and security guards swept the campus in pairs, with one person who was familiar with the campus and one person who was not.

It took approximately 45 minutes to ensure that the Upper, Middle, and Lower Division campuses were safe and secure, Kelly said.

The case is currently being investigated by the NYPD, and the crime has been classified as Aggravated Harassment, Director of Security Mike McCaw said.

This threat was the first bomb threat the school has received in Kelly’s 13 year tenure, he said.

Around 8 a.m., arriving students were ushered into Gross Theater, where Kelly addressed the situation.

“When a bomb threat lands, we immediately begin thinking about where and how best to secure employees and students,” Kelly said.

They decided to sweep and secure Gross Theater, as it was efficient and close the buses and the primary entrance for Middle and Upper Division students.

Many students who arrived early that morning updated their friends about what was happening at school.

Arianna Laufer (12) was driving to school with friends when one of them received numerous texts about the bomb threat and the commotion at school. However, by the time they

Courtesy of Ricardo Pinnock

Courtesy of Kyra Hill

REACTING QUICKLY When arriving to school, community members see various police cars outside of school (left) and are ushered into Gross Theater (right).

were near school, the campus had been cleared. “When we had heard what Dr. Kelly was saying, recounted through text messages, we decided to continue to go to school,” she said.

When Akida Joseph’s (11) bus arrived at school at around 7:55 a.m., she saw the police cars outside of the school and was initially concerned because she thought something bad had already happened, she said.

After Kelly explained the situation to students gathered in Gross Theater, Joseph “wasn’t that terrified because I know Horace Mann is very secure,” she said.

Many students have been hearing about threats against other schools since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida on February 14th.

According to the Educator’s School Safety Network, every day in the week following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attack at least 50 violent threats at schools were reported across the country, compared to a average of 10 to 12 threats or incidents on average.

Laufer received a group text message from a friend saying that

there had also been a threat on Friday at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles.

“That definitely made it more nerveracking than if just Horace Mann had received one.”

Harvard-Westlake closed for the day after alumni and former NFL player Jonathan Martin posted an Instagram with an image of a gun, mentioning revenge and his former high school.

Her ethics class discussed the fact that threats at schools are becoming more frequent, Joseph said. “It made

“Given the nature of the incident, and on the heels of the Parkland, Florida, shooting, it felt only appropriate to give students the opportunity to go home in an organized fashion, if home was where they needed to be,” Kelly said.

Between 30 to 35 Middle Division students arranged to go home that morning, Ingram said. However, they were not allowed to leave alone; either a parent had to pick them up or they could make arrangements to go home with a friend.

“When a bomb threat lands, we immediately begin thinking about where and how best to secure employees and students,” -Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly me think more about how public schools deal with things like this because we have so many more protections,” Joseph said.

When he spoke to the students in Gross Theater, Kelly offered any student who was rattled by the event the opportunity to go home.

Fewer Upper Division students went home that morning. “There were very few parents who called in, very few students who sought help,” Head of Upper Division Dr. Jessica Levenstein said.

Classes resumed normally for the rest of the day. “Beyond speaking to

students, being highly visible, and running with enhanced security protocols with little exception, the best way to make students feel safe was to get on with the business of our normal routine,” Kelly said.

Kelly, McCaw, and Levenstein went around to speak to all Upper Division classes during A and B periods. “The purpose of visiting classrooms in Tillinghast was for students to hear directly from the administration what had happened and that things were okay,” Kelly said.

Because Friday was the official beginning of the end of trimester testing, Levenstein never considered canceling a class to have a school wide assembly, she said. Kelly and Levenstein also did not enter classrooms in which students were taking tests.

“By B period it was business as usual,” Levenstein said.

Kelly addressed and explained the situation to the entire Middle Division at a meeting during the break period at 10 a.m.

“I think they were looking for grownups and teachers much more for protection,” Ingram said of the MD students. The threat prompted some MD students to ask questions about what to do in various other scary situations, particularly if an adult is not present to give directions.

Ingram said that she will likely go to grade meetings with McCaw to talk to students about that question more specifically.

Overall, Ingram was pleased with how calm the MD students stayed and how willing they were to listen to directions.

Kelly also had a conversation with 5th graders in the Lower Division later in the day.

“It’s hard to find the words to describe how appreciative I am of how the faculty and staff stepped up to help, and how terrific the Upper Divisions students were, especially in comforting some of our Middle Division students,” Kelly said.

Muslim students from Al-Noor School spend a day at the school Nishtha Sharma Staff Writer

inside

Students and an escorting teacher from Al-Noor School, a small Muslim school in Brooklyn, visited the school as arranged by the Horace Mann Al-Noor Partnership, a program created by Amir Moazami (12) and Daniel Posner (12) in the fall of 2016.

“The genesis of this partnership was an effort to establish stronger ties with the Muslim community in New York, particularly in light of the greater hostility towards Muslims in our public discourse,” Posner said. The visit was a part of a larger relationship between the school and Al-Noor that has included joint community service initiatives and sporting events and several dialogue sessions with the help of a non-profit organization called Seeds of Peace.

In November of 2016, a group of five to six students from Horace Mann began meeting with a like number of student from Al-Noor to

explore their shared hopes and goals for this partnership. The dialogues at the Seeds of Peace offices touched on a range of topics from Islamophobia in New York to the relationship between or communities.

Among other things, Seeds of Peace has summer programs that “bring together teens from regions of conflict in an attempt to find common ground. I along with others involved in this partnership attended Seeds of Peace Camp over the past few summers,” Posner said.

The students arrived D period and toured the campus, ate lunch during E period, and visited English, history, and science classes during the last three periods of the day.

Some of the students had visited the school before, but it was everyone’s first time witnessing classes.

“It was a total pleasure to share our school with them,” Moazami said, “since on two occasions they have hosted the school students in their classrooms, even inviting us to an Iftar dinner at their school last

Hallway? Runway.

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Several students discuss their fashion decisions.

June.”

“We got really positive feedback about how much they enjoyed their visit, Moazami said, “In addition to being impressed with our school, they were struck with the kind of engagement the teacher had with their students and the high level of class discussion.”

English teacher Dr. Adam Casdin hosted students during a class in which they discussed race class and colonialism. Afterwards, Casdin felt they were “indistinguishable” from the school students here, and was especially excited to see his own students’ enthusiasm to engage in conversation.

“These students were challenging my questions and comments, which made the experience so much better,” he said.

Additionally, many the school students were surprised by the amount of discussion in history classes, Gloria Khafif (10) said.

“They weren’t used to bringing up political issues in classes, and were

Mini art show

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Artworks are placed on display in Deans’ Office.

really interested to see them debated in an academic environment,” she said. One teacher from Al-Noor who accompanied the students “was really taken aback by the flexibility in each teacher’s education, as she teaches by a strict curriculum at AlNoor,” Diana Shaari (10) said.

Moving forward, the partnership intends to expand their program at their respective schools and build a network with other schools in the city.

“We are incredibly appreciative that the school has been so supportive of our efforts in this program, in particular Head of school Dr. Kelly, Head of Upper Division Dr. Levenstein, co-Director of the office for ICIE Mr. Gentile, and History Teacher Mr. Jacobs,” said Posner.

Moazami and Posner expressed that hope this partnership continues long after they leave high school and are confident in the dedicated group of juniors and sophomores who will lead this initiative next year and beyond.

Coach of the Year

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Coach Gregg Quilty wins award after leading a successful wrestling season.

Courtesy of Amir Moazami

BUILDING BRIDGES Al-Noor hosts their first meeting.

@hm.record @thehoracemannrecord Horace Mann School 231 W 246th St, Bronx, NY 10471

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THE RECORD OPINIONS MARCH 2ND, 2018

The importance of speaking up

Editorial

This time is different On February 14th, a 19-year-old former student opened fire on Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 students and teachers and injuring 14.

After mass shootings, it is typical for there to be a large media response, for celebrities to send “thoughts & prayers,” for parents of victims to push for legislation. And within a week, the media and most Americans have moved on, abandoning the momentum to create change.

This time feels different. We watched coverage of the shooting through Snapchat stories. We have friends, or know people through only a few degrees of separation, who were directly affected. We see students our age making speeches in front of thousands of people, leading walkouts, and taking initiative to let their grief and anger be a catalyst for change.

Across the country, companies are moving away from their associations with the National Rifle Association, businesses are no longer selling assault rifles, and many politicians are reconsidering their stance on what constitutes comprehensive gun control. And now, high schoolers are some of the leaders of the national discussion. There are many ways for us to get involved.

We can show solidarity with the MSD community, remembering and honoring the lives that were lost, but, more importantly, we can take action. On March 14th, one month after the shooting in Parkland, there will be a national walkout during our break period. On March 24th, the March for Our Lives will take place in New York City, Washington, D.C. and across the country. On April 20th, 19 years after the Columbine High School shooting, a full-day walkout will take place, and students will protest together.

Annabelle Chan Recently, the #MeToo Movement has uncovered an inconceivable number of instances of molestation and sexual assault, including those on young female U.S. gymnasts.

Larry Nassar, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, performed osteopathic manipulation on dozens of patients using a “groundbreaking” and “cutting edge” process that included stretching and applying pressure to the patient’s muscles and joints, as well as “intravaginal adjustment.” Although Nassar practiced these unethical and violating procedures for many years, it took USA TODAY news offshoot IndyStar’s pushing for judges to release compiled sexual misconduct files, Maggie Nichols’ speaking

out, and around 100 other girls’ confirmations to publicize the allegations toward Nassar.

It took 23 years of pain and confusion on the part of American gymnasts for Larry Nassar to be sentenced to 40-175 years in federal prison. After the FBI began their investigation a year ago, they did not publicize their process, allowing Nassar to continue practicing. Notifying the public of the countless allegations against him could have saved 40 gymnasts from the abuse they endured in the year.

When there is a potential threat to someone’s safety, why wouldn’t someone with information alert the public?

The FBI could have easily publicized their information, ruining one man’s future, to spare the future of 40 girls. If there is an abundance of tangible evidence supporting the claims made by dozens of girls, the public should be notified.

However, there is a clear downside to automatically alerting the public after one allegation or a mere tip that runs

the risk of destroying the career of someone who did nothing wrong. There is a fine line between recognizing someone’s concerns and having enough valid evidence to publicize the case. In the case of Nassar, as there was an extensive amount of first hand accounts, videos, photos, and undercover work, there is no doubt in my mind the decision made by the FBI was wrong. I think there are several points one must cover to come to the right decision. Do you have enough claims to put a proper accusation together, and do they have a common thread?

Is there any palpable evidence that blatantly shows the accused committing something wrong?

And lastly, if not the most important, is there a possibility that others will be victimized if the investigation is not made public?

Brown’s (12) reflection on school’s bomb threat

Lutie Brown As I pulled up to Tibbett Avenue last Friday morning, I was puzzled by the four NYPD cars parked outside Olshan. I was even more surprised by the scene inside the lobby; teachers and administrators ushered me into Gross Theater, where there was a solemn sense of anxiety in the air. I passed a handful of middle and upper schoolers calling their parents, but also saw others nonchalatly scrolling through Instagram or playing iPad games.

I felt relieved when I saw a close friend, and I immediately sat with her and asked if she had any theories about the strange situation. While the two of us hypothesized, panicked, and called our parents, a group of friends sitting behind us had a different take on the situation.

They complained about the

inconvenience of the ambiguous procedure; they spoke of studying and catching up on sleep while one frantically edited an essay due that morning.

After only a few tense minutes, Dr. Kelly addressed all the students, faculty, and staff members in the theater, updating us on the events of the morning and assuring us that the campus was safe. I breathed a sigh of relief, and shuffled my way out of the packed mezzanine.

I overheard a few conversations on my way out; a handful of middle schoolers made a beeline for the Olshan doors, speaking of their good fortune of having a day off. Some high schoolers spoke about their upcoming assessments, while others continued their routine survey of headlines and social media. No one around me spoke about Dr. Kelly’s address, or how they felt.

I walked down the Tillinghast hallway and up the stairs in silence, trying to process not only the threat and Dr. Kelly’s address but also the reaction of my peers.

I found a few of my friends who had not been in the theater and had only heard of the morning events when I spoke with them.

Even they were shocked by the lack of a reaction from students and teachers throughout campus.

I eventually made my way to the library, where business was as usual. People stressed, people gossiped, people laughed. No one around me acknowledged what had happened. I was still in a daze while being astonished by the calm reaction of my peers. I spoke my thoughts to a friend, who to my surprise, did not feel strongly about the threat since he had sat through similar ordeals several times in the past.

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

I couldn’t fathom the thought of following bomb threat procedures at any age, let alone during elementary years. I am so thankful for having had such safe, relaxed school environments and experiences, and immediately thought of those who aren’t as fortunate and don’t have the same safe spaces we have here.

I now take note of the “In an emergency” signs across campus; I think about possible safe lock down areas in each classroom I visit.

I was able to voice my concerns

and hear the input of my peers in my classes later that day, and teachers shared their thoughts on both the threat and the political climate, further inspiring me to make change. I also heard about the effective A period visits by administrators; I commend the school for all the steps it took in the wake of the threat, and thank my peers and teachers for supporting one another as a result. I not only appreciate the systems that our school has put in place to protect and enrich our lives but also the wise adults and mentors who are always accessible, supportive, and inspirational.

I am baffled by the fact that this is the reality that students across the country must endure. One of my teachers said something on Friday that has stuck with me: “I’m sorry that my generation has failed you, and allowed events like this to happen,” he said. The students speaking out and taking charge of the gun movement as a result of the tragedy in Florida are a ray of hope in the devastating times we live in, and I hope that our collective efforts will lead to concrete change.

Surya Gowda/Staff Artist

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

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.

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HORACE MANN NEWS MARCH 2ND, 2018

Li (10) wins scholarship, is honored as Asian American youth leader Jude Herwitz Staff Writer

Madison Li (10) won the Asian American Youth Project (AAYP) 2017 Youth Ambassador Scholarship with an essay about her ongoing quest to become a leader, answering the prompt “What does it mean to become a leader? Is there even a definite answer?”

According to the AAYP website, the project, which offers an award of $1000, looks to “encourage Asian American [as defined by the U.S. Census] youth to speak out about their experiences growing up at the intersection of two cultures.”

Li heard about the project through a family friend who sits on its board of directors, she said. Li had attended a forum last year hosted by the project, where the winners of last year’s Youth Scholarship Competition collected

their awards. Two famous AsianAmerican journalists spoke at the forum about how their identities played into their careers, partially leading her to think more about the topic, she said.

The Scholarship, and the AAYP, is supported by the China AIDS Fund (CAF), a non-profit focused on increasing awareness about and preventing the spread of HIV/ AIDS throughout mainland China, according to its website. CAF fights AIDS/HIV by “leveraging the support of the Chinese-American community,” the website says, and has connections to various nonprofit organizations in the U.S. Li wrote about how her identity as an Asian-American has impacted her, she said. Other options for submission included answering the question “What differentiates you from others as a great leader?” through an essay, film or art piece.

FOLLOW THE LEADER Madison Li (10) receives scholarship award.

She wrote the roughly 1000word essay with ease, in only about three hours, because she had written about similar topics for another program’s essay, she said.

“I already had these experiences in my mind, and I guess this essay really came easily to me because I’ve been thinking about my experiences as an AsianAmerican,” she said.

For Li, winning the competition meant more than the $1000 scholarship, because it recognized her leadership and voice in the Asian American community.

“I felt really honored to win the contest especially because being Asian is a really big part of my identity, and I was just really glad that my experience was out there for other people to hear my story,” she said.

Courtesy of Madison Li

Columbia professor leads microaggression workshop for teachers Nishtha Sharma Staff Writer Professor of counseling psychology at Columbia University Dr. Derald Wing Sue, author of books relating to race, microaggressions, counseling, and psychology, visited the school to lead teachers in workshops about the harms of microaggressions.

Bringing Sue to the school was important because he is the most esteemed in his field and an expert on having honest conversations on race and microaggressions, CoDirector, Office for Identity, Culture and Institutional Equity (ICIE) John Gentile said.

While Sue was at school on Tuesday he worked with many different departments including grade deans, the Athletics Department, division heads, and Alumni and Development.

In addition, Sue spoke at a joint Middle and Upper Division faculty meeting, and held a workshop for parents in the evening, Gentile said.

In his workshop “Overcoming Microaggressions in the School Climate: What Faculty Need to Know as Advisors, Team Leaders, and Colleagues,” Sue, a child of immigrants who grew up in Portland, Oregon, discussed being teased about his ethnicity. He said this teasing led him to study multicultural counseling, the study

of culture, ethnicity and race, and sexuality.

The focus of Tuesday’s faculty meeting workshop was on people of color, their experiences with microaggressions, and thinking about them from the perspective of an educator, English Department Chair Vernon Wilson said.

Sue began the workshop discussing how microaggressions, a term that Sue himself coined, often stem from implicit biases or stereotypes that affect our actions subconsciously and, while small, add up quickly.

Being subjected to racial microaggressions in everyday life, no matter how small they may appear, can cause psychological damage over time and cause outbursts, Sue said.

During the second half of the workshop Sue explained the importance of teachers understanding microaggressions and how they affect their students.

Teachers cannot understand microaggressions without experiencing them, and they have to find ways to make students of different races and ethnicities feel included, Sue said.

Wilson said that he understands the importance of acknowledging these microaggressions and tries to be very aware of them. The workshop not only identified what microaggressions are and why they

are problematic, but also included ways to explain to students why they are offensive to some, Wilson said.

“I’m sure that this will improve my sensitivity and certainly the facility with which I respond in the moment in a way that’s not demonizing somebody,” Wilson said.

Sue also disussed how being silent is almost the same as being complicit in these microaggressions.

While this silence can occur for many reasons, people must learn to break the silence, Gentile said.

Sue offered the faculty numerous strategies to combat microaggressions and make them visible. *Additional reporting by Eliza Poster

Author discusses genocide with senior English elective Sadie Schwartz Staff Writer

Two weeks ago, Bernhard Schlink, author of “The Reader,” visited Dr. Deborah Kassel’s “Man Search for Meaning” senior English elective, which focuses on genocides throughout history, to converse with students about his book. During his visit, Schlink discussed the movie versus the book, his own experiences living in post-Holocaust Germany, how the public reacted to his book, and some of his literary choices.

“The Reader,” which is set in post-Holocaust Germany, tells the love story of a middle-aged abusive woman and a teenage boy. After a heated love affair, the man meets the woman many years later only to find out that she committed horrible crimes during World War II and is headed to prison.

“I admire the book so much and to be able to see my students engaging in this conversation with Professor Schlink is personally rewarding,” Kassel said.

To prepare for Schlink’s visit, each student came prepared with ten questions in case there was a lull in the conversation.

The book addresses the relationship between Germany and America, so Evan Frommer (12) asked questions about the current German political system, Frommer said.

“As a class, we’ve had some unanswered questions about the plot, the inspiration of the book, and the time period it was written in. I thought it was interesting to hear his thoughts about these things,” Alexis Bolner (12) said.

“It kind of helped me put the book into perspective, especially in the context of the time.”

The class asked about how he choose the specific books that one of the protagonists read to his lover. “He read to her what he enjoyed reading, simply,” Schlink said.

“We all thought it was kind of funny how he hadn’t put as much thought into certain details as we had during discussion,” Ruby Wertheimer (12) said.

The class had debated why the main character commits suicide at the end of the book, Bolner said.

Schlink talked about the character in an objective way: as a character who makes her own decisions and not as an author making the decision for her, she said.

Prior to his visit, Kassel informed the class that Schlink did not believe that the relationship in the book was inappropriate and non-consensual. However, during his visit, he did come acknowledge that it may have been an abusive relationship.

When discussing the characters’ relationship, Schlink said, “We have become much more sensitive of abuse than before, and yes, there was an abusive element, that she was stronger than him, but it was still true love.”

“Before, he was very against the idea that it was any sort of sexual abuse relationship,” Jazmine Smith (12) said. “It’s interesting how his views have changed over the years.”

“The book opens up this question of ‘are people who committed these crimes inherently evil or are they simply complicit in allowing the horror to happen and not doing anything to stop it?’ So I think that Schlink’s book is an amazingly powerful meditation on a lot of these questions,” Kassel said.

Courtesy of Dr. Deborah Kassel

THE READER AND THE WRITER Author Bernhard Schlink visits Dr. Deborah Kassel’s senior English elective.

HM 246

GALLERY OPENING Courtesy of Eliza Poster

MICROINTERVENTIONS Dr. Derald Wing Sue speaks in Recital Hall.

Wednesday 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. in the Rotunda

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THE RECORD FEATURES MARCH 2ND, 2018

Students discuss their fashion choices and how they express themselves through their clothes Reporting by Staff Writers Mayanka Dhingra and Abigail Goldberg

Jeren Wei/Contributing Artist

Jackie Lee (12)

Since Jackie Lee (12) was young, her sense of fashion has been influenced mainly by her mother and the places she has travelled.

“When I was younger, my mom would dress me, and she has an amazing style, so I kind of just took it from her,” Lee said.

Lee and her mother used to travel to France because of her mom’s love for fashion, Lee said. For this reason, Lee describes her style as Parisian, but as she has grown older, Lee has incorporated more style inspiration from New York City, she said.

More recently, Lee has enjoyed experimenting with modern trends, she said.

“My style has definitely changed over time; I think I fall to the whims of style trends a bit more now, whereas my mom is a firm believer in pieces that can be worn

over and over again for years to come,” Lee said. “I just think it’s fun sometimes to do what’s considered ‘cool’ or ‘hip,’ taking a break from the usual items in my closet.”

In addition to being influenced by current trends, Lee finds that her style is also influenced by the amount of free time that she has to invest into her clothing, she said.

“I feel like I used to be more adventurous with my clothes when I had less work, so these days I sometimes wear simpler outfits, while earlier I would have worn tutus and that kind of thing,” Lee said.

“Fashion is definitely a way that I express myself, and I really love wearing a cool outfit and having people compliment it,” Lee said. “That is really validating for me.”

Elizabeth Chung (11) Elizabeth Chung’s (12) sense of style has changed a lot over the past few years, but it originated from a place of genuine interest, she said.

“My style was entirely nonexistent about two years ago. I used to not care at all how I dressed.

Ironically enough, this is actually what helped me become so into fashion because I was never in it for looking pretty or trying to impress people. It was just cool and an interest that kind of just happened,” Chung said.

Depending on her mood and what is in her closet, Chung’s style ranges from punk and alternative, to more preppy and classic, she said. Recently, Chung has been exploring ku-y-ee, Japanese street fashion. “Basically I’m willing to try anything and everything in between,” Chung said.

Chung is influenced by both people she looks up to and her surroundings: living in New York and traveling to Korea, she said.

Chung’s fashion and glamour role model is Dita Von Teese, an American model, costume designer, entrepreneur, and occasional actress who has helped to revitalize burlesque performance and vintage style, she said.

“I find the way that she experiments with

Courtesy of Jackie Lee

clothes to be very liberating, in the sense of just wearing what you want and what makes you feel good,” Chung said.

Chung feels lucky to have a broad group of friends to draw inspiration from, she said. “My friends are all interested in different things and I look up the styles of those things and get into different styles through that.”

Chung also finds fashion inspiration in the neighborhoods streets of New York, she said.

“Most people know what people dress like on the Upper East and West Side, but if you go down to Soho there are so many different ways that people look and dress. Then, if you go to Union Square or St Mark’s you can see a lot of the punk-goth scene, which is always really interesting to me,” Chung said.

“I think what is interesting about fashion, and street clothing in general, which I wished more people paid attention to, is that you should dress however you want, but at the same time be open to pushing your comfort zones,” Chung said.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Chung

Kyle Gaillard (11)

For Kyle Gaillard (11), clothing is about dressing in that will make you feel good.

Style is not about trying to impress other people, it’s about what you like and what gives you confidence, he said.

“When I first came to Horace Mann as a freshman, I wasn’t very stylish, but as I became exposed more media and pop culture I began to take real interest in fashion,” Gaillard said.

Gaillard stays up to date with current trends through social media, primarily on Instagram. “I draw a lot my inspiration from the street style of figures like Jaden Smith and Asap Rocky,” he said. “My style is also influenced a lot by my dad. He has a unique eye for style and definitely passed down the interest to me,” he said.

Gaillard’s process of piecing together a look is an impromptu operation. “If I ever finish my homework early, which is never, I will think about my look, but for the most part I throw together my outfit in the mornings,” he said.

He describes his style as innovative and creative. His interest in style has led to other opportunities such as modeling for Urban Outfitters and other companies. “There is definitely more to come, but nothing I can reveal just yet,” he said.

Tess lehrman (10) “I always dress for myself, but walking into a room with a fun outfit on can really lighten the mood for everyone,” Tess Lehrman (10) said.

Lehrman describes her style as trendy, yet comfortable. “My dad is the person who has influenced my style the most,” she said. “I like to call him the Hannah Montana of style because even though he wears a suit to work all day, when he goes out to dinner at night he’s rocking ripped jeans and a tee,” she said. “He has taught me that you can live the best of both worlds.”

Two weeks ago, a group of Lehrman’s friends decided to dress like her for a day. After this, Lehrman was inspired to dedicate the following week to dressing like each one of her friends without revealing who she was channeling. “I always have fun with it,” she said.

Aside from her friends, Lehrman says as a passionate follower of music, her style is often inspired by figures in pop culture. “Right now, I’m really into the Gigi Hadid vibe,” she said.

Courtesy of Kyle Gaillard

Lehrman chooses all of her outfits in the mornings completely spontaneously, she said.

“I usually start out basic then head over to the crazy section of my closet to see if I can spice up my look with some mesh or a crazy sweater,” she said. “In all honesty, sometimes I take a look in the mirror and think, those pants have to go; it’s a process, but I always make it work,” she said.

In fact, so many people began taking notice of Lehrman’s unique style that an Instagram page was created last year by Gaby Moussazadeh (10) to document Lehrman’s daily ensemble.

Lehrman said she feels like the Instagram page is a great representation of the evolution of her style over the years. “It’s hilarious to look back and see all the crazy things I wore,” she said.

Courtesy of Tess Lehrman

5

HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 2ND, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: JASPER HEYMANN Heymann (11) wins Lang Lang Young Scholar Award Becca Siegel & Natalie Sweet Staff Writer & Contributing Writer To Jasper Heymann (10), piano is a mental game. Getting into the right mindset is sometimes difficult, but “a moment of pain is worth a lifetime of happiness,” he said.

Heymann has been playing the piano for ten years, and his intensity and dedication was recognized this past December when he received one of the country’s most prestigious awards for high school musicians: the Lang Lang Young Scholars Award.

The first instrument Heymann learned to play was drums, but his drum teacher suggested that he might be better at piano, he said.

Since that moment, Heymann fell in love with the rush of playing pieces and hearing each note come together to create a beautiful harmony, he said.

Heymann and his piano teacher Elena Rossmin decided to apply for the Lang Lang Young Scholars award this year, because of its popularity

and prestige amongst high school students, Heymann said. Out of hundreds of applicants, Heymann was one of nine selected.

“Jasper puts a lot of work into playing and it shows in his performances. His dedication and practice have led him to being able to play all types of classical music: from baroque to contemporary, which is extraordinary,” Rossmin said.

To apply for the award, Heymann had to prepare and record several pieces as well answer questions such as “how will your music contribute to society,” he said. Heymann also participated in a variety of performances as part of the application process at places such as Carnegie Hall, hospitals, and elderly homes. The application process culminated in a concert in Chicago.

Heymann was nervous when applying for the award, because it is a tedious application and perfecting his piano pieces while balancing schoolwork was difficult, he said.

He practiced his pieces for one to two hours every day, which made it difficult to balance schoolwork as well, he said.

The award consists of a title and a plethora of a performance opportunities that follow, such as the Oxford Piano Festival, the Leeds Piano Festival, and many charity concerts for various schools and hospitals.

When applying, Heymann had to face his anxiety of performing in front of an audience, he said. After beginning to play his pieces on stage, however, Heymann feels his nervousness melt away, he said.

“Piano is an expression of my feelings, and like telling a story to an audience, it gets people to listen,” Heymann said.

Heymann was shocked, thankful, and excited to receive the award. The opportunities that the award have given him for his future in music performance and service are very helpful, he said.

Courtesy of Jasper Heymann

PIANO (HEY)MAN Heymann (10) performs in concert.

Student work featured in Deans Office art show Leonora Gogos Staff Writer Administrative Assistant to the Grade Deans Ennis Smith has chosen to transform an ordinary conference room in the office into a display space for student artwork. Twice a year, before summer and between the first and second trimesters, Smith organizes this show in the Deans Office.

Smith began curating the art in 2015, when he arrived at the school. At first, he was only expected to clean up the conference room, which acted as more of a stock room, but he decided to use his background in arts writing and performing arts to showcase student art instead, he said.

There were already paintings hanging up in the conference room, but they were all by professionals, and he found them somewhat uninteresting, he said. Then, he walked into Dean of Student Life Susan Delanty’s office and saw a piece he liked. When he asked Delanty who it was by, she told him Visual Arts Department Chair Kim Do had made it. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, why can’t we use some of this?’” Smith said. He went to the art studios to learn more about the teacher’s artwork, and ended up deciding to use student artwork.

Smith derives pleasure from curating the show, but he also enjoys showcasing student art from different divisions around the school, he said.

“I also think it’s a great opportunity to showcase not only the wealth of artistic talent we have at the school, not just the people operating over in the art department, but the fact that the art department isn’t the only division that fosters a creative medium,” Smith said.

Smith wants to showcase the tremendous Theater Department the school has, because he finds the renderings created in domains like set and costume design to be art as well, he said. Therefore, he also displays artwork like stage designs or costume design sketches in the shows.

A lot of how Smith selects the art has to do with availability, the willingness of the instructors and students to let go of the work, and what’s being produced that trimester, he said. The gallery does not follow any specific theme during any given trimester, rather the work itself dictates the theme. This trimester, the predominant medium in the gallery is photography.

“What I want the goal to be, more than a theme, is to get as many different voices as possible in the room,” Smith said. Most times, Smith just goes to the Art Departments and looks at the artwork in the room when he’s curating, he said.

“I think it’s a great initiative to have student art hanging in the school,” Do said.

“You can find posters of impressionist art in any office anywhere, but since we are a school

and our students make art, we should take that opportunity to show it.”

The school currently has student art hanging in the lounge, the halls, the lockers, the study hall room, and the deans office, he said. Do also tries to organize different murals around the school, which are gradually becoming more permanent, he said.

Do is grateful for the initiative Mr. Smith has taken in curating more student art to be shown around the school, and helping the school change those exhibits more often to keep them fresh and on a rotating cycle, he said.

The main feedback from the show is surprise when people come in and see all the art, Smith said. However, a lot of people take the show for granted, he said.

“Hopefully, for a visitor at least, they’ll have another experience of the student body through what they see on the walls,” he said. “Not just the idea of us being the high-achieving intellectual academic cauldron that we’re known to be, but also a place where creative minds are at work!”

Delanty, who works in the Office, thinks that the art exhibit adds to the conference room, she said. “We love it,” she said. “We’ve always had student artwork in the conference room, but what Mr. Smith does is he rotates it,” she said.

The freshness creates an exciting atmosphere, Delanty said.

ART GALLERY (Right) Ben Goldberg’s stage design for “The Tempest”; (Left) the conference room with art installed.

Ho leads Hula workshop Noah Phillips Staff Writer

it from a historical perspective was very important for me,” Ho said.

The Hula-dancing workshop was On February 23rd, the Cooper a part of the regular after-school Dance Studio was immersed into the classes organized by Theatre, Dance, song, text, and dance of Hawaiian and Film Studies Department chair culture in Chair of the Music Alison Kolinski. The school day Department Timothy Ho’s Hula- does not permit a full experience dancing workshop. of a multi-hour class, so Kolinski After school, all Upper Division organizes three workshops per students were invited to learn and trimester, she said. practice authentic Hula-dancing.

While on Friday the dance of Ho taught students the motions choice was Hula, in the past there to “E Mau E,” a song he had already have been flamenco, salsa, bellytaught to glee club students, he said. dancing, and more taught by In his twelve years at the school, Ho professional instructors brought has taught Hula four times, he said. into Horace Mann to lead the class, “Since Hula must always go with Kolinski said. singing and text, the glee clubs and Since Ho had previous experience the middle school choirs have learned teaching Hula, Kolisnki invited him a song and the history of it and all to lead a class, she said. “We do a lot of the text, and I actually taught of different units in class but a lot of them to dance to that song. It was a the workshops are techniques that I matter of the aesthetics of Hawaiian may not teach,” Kolinski said. music as it Ho chose relates to to teach the words and “The workshop really helped workshop in s t o r i e s ,” because of me connect with what we are part Mr. Ho the ensembles’ said. singing about and learn more trip to Hawaii “Having this year, Ho about Hawaiian culture,” already said.

-Henry Owens (9) Ho expects learned the song s t u d e n t s as a on the trip member of Glee Club, I thought it to study Hula in some capacity was a really cool opportunity to get while in Hawaii, with the various to learn the motions that go along trained professionals that will be with the words. The workshop really accompanying the Horace Mann helped me connect with what we are ensembles, he said. singing about and learn more about “There were a lot of students Hawaiian culture,” Henry Owens (9) from the choirs--concert glee clubs, said. treble choir--there were several “The workshop was really band students that were involved, meant to show what Hula from a and there were other students who Hawaiian perspective looks like, were dancers. It was a nice mix of so getting away from what people students, but the majority were stereotypically think Hula is, and singers,” Ho said. to get through how Hawaiians use

“

6

THE RECORD MIDDLE DIVISION & NEWS MARCH 2ND, 2018

Sixth graders perform in second talent show Simon Yang Contributing Writer

This Wednesday, sixth graders displayed their diverse talents in front of their peers, parents, and teachers. This talent show was the second of the year, after the first one that took place in November. Many students showed interest in participating in the first talent show, and thus another was arranged for them, sixth grade dean Michelle Amilicia said.

The sixth grade talent show is an annual tradition that provides the students with an opportunity to showcase what they have been passionately preparing for. This year’s hosts were Nate Garelick (6) and Melissa Migdon (6). The hosts for the show are chosen by the teachers, who look for funny, confident students, Amilicia said.

Unlike seventh and eighth graders who normally have the opportunity to perform during the grade meetings in the atrium, sixth graders have the chance to perform in the Recital Hall where their teachers and parents can watch, Amilicia said.

The show not only gives students an opportunity to see what their peers have prepared, but it also gives them a chance to build their confidence, Gisella Fischberg (6) said.

“Students are more open to performing in front of an audience when they are in sixth grade, and so we organize a whole period

for them to do so. It’s also a great opportunity for them to deal with nervousness,” Amilicia said.

From Layla Mahini’s (6) ukulele and vocal performance to Nate Chiang’s (6) stand-up comedy performance, this year’s roster of performers showed a great variety of talents. A stand-up comedy performance has not been done in a few years, which made Chiang’s performance very fresh, Amilicia said Camila Florencio (6), along with her peers Etta Singer (6) and Dylan Warszawski (6) performed the song Guns and Ships from the musical Hamilton.

“I performed in the first talent show, and I wanted to perform one more time. My friends and I really loved the show Hamilton, so we decided to perform,” Florencio said. The talent shows are good, since not only do they give students the chance to perform, but they also train them to be active audience members, she said.

Sophie Rukin (6), who danced to

Thriller with her dance class in the previous talent show, believes that the show is a great opportunity for the students to embrace their creativity.

“I look forward to listening to people who write their own songs, because my favorite part is seeing what people come up with,” Rukin said.

The show allows the students to come out of their shells and show what they like to do outside of school, Juliet Burgess (6) said.

Whether they are good or not, the confidence of the performers is admirable, she said.

“Not only is the show for the students, but it is also for the teachers,” Amilicia said. “It enables the teachers to see their students in another light, and teachers were commenting on how talented the students were after the show, so that was amazing,” she said.

“It’s great to see people do what sparks their fire,” Emily Grant (6) said.

NEWS

CC raises money and awareness for Rohingya genocide Betsey Bennett Staff Writer The Community Council (CC) hosted a bake sale to raise money in support of the Rohingya refugees in Myanmar on Wednesday.

Additionally, CC Chair Amir Moazami (12) has spoken to History Department Chair Dr. Daniel Link about integrating the issue into history classes.

Link discussed the crisis in his Global Cold War class and recommended an article on the Rohingya refugees that other history teachers could incorporate into their class discussions.

Rohingya Muslims are currently facing religious persecution in Myanmar due to their ethnic, linguistic, and religious differences from the Buddhist majority of the country.

The money raised from the bake sale will go towards a United Nations program that provides the refugees with water, clothing, and funding for shelters, CC representative Jeren Wei (11) said.

“I thought it was important for us as a school to become more socially conscious,” Moazami said. “We need to think about our role in the broader community, and this is an important global issue that a lot of students at HM didn’t know about.”

Adam Fife (11), who was not previously aware of the persecution of Rohingya Muslims, found that the bake sale was effective in raising awareness for the crisis.

“I had to look on a map to see where it was,” Fife said. “It makes sense that someone such as me who doesn’t watch news shows or read newspapers would find out about these things through projects like this.”

The CC is currently organizing a pie-in-the-face contest in order to raise more money for the Rohingya refugee cause, Wei said.

Courtesy of Valerie Hunt

GOT THE MOVES! 6th graders show off their moves during the talent show.

Reading in the MD: Students share Their favorite books THE HUNGER GAMES

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

By Suzanne Collins

By John Green

“It has a lot of action and is well written.”

“I really enjoy it because of all of the symbolism the author uses and because of Hazel’s dry sense of humor.”

- Etta Singer (6)

LIVING HISTORY

By Hillary Clinton

“I am interested in what experiences shaped her and how she was inspired to a life of public service.”

- Steve Yang (7)

- Maeve Goldman (6)

“I like how the protagonist has a clear voice, and you understand how she is feeling easily.”

- Sylvie Seo (7)

STRANGER WITH MY FACE

BYSTANDER

“I liked it because it was a mystery with supernatural elements.”

“It is a great book about bullying, but from a side point of view. It draws you in.”

By Lois Duncan

- Dalia Pustilnik (8)

By James Preller

- Larry Tao (7)

HORACE MANN LIONS’ DEN MARCH 2ND, 2018

Girls basketball makes it to NYSAIS semis Jeren Wei Staff Writer After winning Buzzell, the Girls Varsity Basketball team continued to build momentum through the rest of the season.

The team ended the season in the semifinals game of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), placing fifth in the NYSAIS tournament and third in the Ivy League.

“Buzzell was a big momentum booster for us. We really needed that win to get us rolling into NYSAIS. I think we were confident and optimistic about the Masters game,” coCaptain Zaie Nursey (12) said.

While the team did not win its game against Masters, the Lions are “very proud of how far [they] made it this season and how far [they] had come from the beginning of the season,” Halley Robbins (10) said.

“I really think that we played well during the Masters game. There were so many moments in that game where we rallied back after being down or played really great defense when they were up. I’m very proud of the way the team played. We fought until the final buzzer,” Nursey said.

Similarly, Girls Varsity Basketball team Coach Ray Barile is proud of the team’s performance during games. He believes there is a strong team dynamic. “The three sophomores complement each other very well, and the two seniors bring the stabilizing factor to the team,” he said.

“We are such a close-knit team; it feels like a family, and I think we draw upon each other and support each other,” said Olivia Kester (11).

While they were optimistic about entering

SWISH SWISH Julia Robbins (10) drives through the defense to the basket.

the semifinal round of the NYSAIS league, the team knew that Masters would be a competitive team, Robbins said. However, the challenge served as even more of an incentive for the team to work harder and play smarter, she said.

Abigail Kraus / Photo Editor

“Knowing that Masters beat Dalton and Poly Prep, who had both beaten us two times, we felt that we really wanted the win,” Robbins said.

In preparation, “the coaches scout other games and based on the scouting reports they

Senior fencers wrap up their high school careers

Ben Jacobs

Four-year Varsity foil fencer Ben Jacobs (12) finished last season with an impressive record, losing only five of nearly 50 matches.

Jacobs began fencing competitively six years ago, he said.

This year he served as co-Captain and placed 7th at the Independent School Fencing League Individual Tournament.

Jacobs said he enjoys the unique combination of mental and physical challenges in fencing.

“It’s like physical chess,” Jacobs said.

Throughout his years on the team, Jacobs shared his knowledge of the sport with younger teammates.

“Ben and I fenced during practice all the time and whenever I was struggling with something he would always give me advice and teach me new skills and strategies,” foil fencer Daniel Lee (10) said.

The close environment of the fencers fostered a “dynamic more like a family than team,” Jacobs said.

Lucinda Li

While Lucinda Li (12) started fencing relatively late in the summer after her sophomore year, she has come a long way since then, she said.

Beginning so late was a signifiant challenge for Li, she said. She trained at a fencing club outside of school where the kids there “were basically fencing since they could start walking,” she said. “Everyone was just so much better than me. I was 15, didn’t know a single thing, and lost to 12 year olds on a daily basis.”

“When I was chosen to be a leader, I was honestly shocked,” Li said. “But being a leader really pushed me to be better because there was pressure to be a good role model,” she said.

Some of Li’s proudest moments on team have been watching her fellow teammates achieve great things, she said. “One time, for example, I gave one person advice in the middle of their bout, and they ended up winning,” she said. “They told me later that the advice really helped.”

Tasfiah Tabassum

For Tasfiah Tabassum (12), the fencing team is more than just a team. “When I joined fencing, I knew by the end of my first season that I found family,” Tabassum said.

Tabassum began fencing in the tenth grade, when she was persuaded to join the team by current coach Errol Spencer ’16, she said.

Tabassum’s weapon of choice is the saber. “The year I joined, there wasn’t a girls saber team at all,” Tabassum said. “So when Coach Fito encouraged me to become a saber fencer, two other girls and I got together and became HM’s first ever girls saber team.”

“Fast forward two years and now the team consists of six devoted girls who just got bronze at ISFL teams, which I consider to be one of my proudest moments on the team. Coach Fito believed in us with so much hope and constantly pushed us to work harder because he thought we could go somewhere, when none of us had ever fenced before,” Tabassum said.

7

gathered, we came up with different plays and defensive strategies to compete with them,” Nursey said. “We also worked a lot on shooting because we knew that we could get lots of outside shots. This paid off because there were so many girls who shot well that game,” she said.

The captains and coaches played a large role in the success of the basketball season, Robbins said.

“I think that our captains, Jane Frankel (12) and Zaie, did a really good job motivating all of the team members during the games.

Everyone felt like they had a role to play,” she said.

Nursey believes the coaches as well as the team’s cooperative and positive attitude played a large role in the successful season.

“Our success is completely because of the hard work of my teammates and of course the coaches,” Nursey said. “I think we were successful because of our competitive spirit and how much we care for each other.”

“I could not be more proud of this team and what we were able to accomplish together both on and off the court,” Frankel said.

A key issue that the team had been working on was preventing mental mistakes, Robbins said. “[We] picked up our intensity and hustled more [during the game], which really picked up the momentum of the game,” she said.

For Nursey, the highlight of the season was “getting to the semis in NYSAIS,” she said. The team grew during the season and “showed the league that we are definitely a top team,” she said. “I think we have a great shot at winning it all next year!”

Profiles written by Staff Writers Sandhya Shyam & Eddie Jin. Pictures taken by Miyu Imai.

Mahdid Uddin

Épée fencer Mahdid Uddin (12) continued participation in the Varsity Fencing team through his senior year despite a late start to the sport: his junior year.

“Despite the difference in experience on the team, I never felt that I was on unequal ground compared to my teammates,” Uddin said.

Uddin felt that the pressure to improve brought him to the same ability level of his peers his senior year, he said.

Uddin originally joined the team because of friends, but he grew to enjoy épée fencing, he said.

His favorite memories of his fencing career are the tournaments.

“Having all of your work throughout the season culminate in that final burst to the finish is unforgettable,” Uddin said.

Uddin’s teammates saw him as an integral part of the team’s culture.

Ethan Kim (11) said, “Mahdid has a very positive attitude and it spreads to the rest of the team.”

Emma Jones

Emma Jones’s (12) journey as a fencer began in the eighth grade, when she was enamored with the idea of fantasy, sword fighting, and female strength, her main reasons for getting into fencing, Jones said.

A crucial part of Jones’s growth as a fencer has been developing her own distinct style, she said. “I think getting third in individuals this year was really cool for me, and I never would’ve imagined getting this far as a freshmen,” she said. “There’s just been a lot of time where I have felt real passion and affection for the sport.”

Jones has described her style as really aggressive and straightforward, which stems from the confidence of being strong and being present. Gaining that confidence was something that took time, she said.

As captain, her confidence in herself has grown, Jones said.

“When other people look up to you, you have a drive to do better,” she said.

Lions’ Den Record Sports

MARCH 2ND, 2018

8

Gregg Quilty: Coach of the Year William Han Staff Writer Even with a small team of just 11 athletes, the Varsity Wrestling team pulled off a great season, finishing with a record of 10-5 and placing second in the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) tournament. Coach Gregg Quilty was also awarded the “Coach of the Year” award in wrestling and achieved his 400th career win in his 25th year of coaching.

“Quilty is a fantastic mentor, not talkative or expressive, but a great example for hard work,” team co-Captain Jamie Berg (11) said. “For instance, he practices and does the drills with us, and it really inspires us to push ourselves.”

“The kids themselves are probably the biggest motivation for me because they work so hard, are really tough, and are always so focused,” Quilty said.

Berg, Davis Parzick (11), Michael Ortiz (11), and George Verdelis (11) all placed in the top five in multiple tournaments this season.

“We consistently have wrestlers placing in tournaments with public schools, and we are one of the few teams that compete outside of the Ivy League,” Berg said.

“This season, there were a lot of newcomers and not that many wrestlers in total, yet as a team we did extremely well, placing second in the state of New York,” Parzick said.

“It really fell to Coach Quilty to get those kids who were new to the sport into fighting shape by the beginning of the season,” Parzick said. “He really turned around the trajectory

of the team.”

“Every kid on the team is really important.

I don’t feel like my job’s done until I have given a hundred percent to every single kid on the team and developed all of them. It’s even better because all of them are always hungry to improve,” Quilty said.

“He works harder than any coach I’ve ever seen,” Ortiz said. “He does everything we do in practice, and he’s constantly pushing us to get better while trying to get better himself. He genuinely loves what he does, and it’s hard not to want to fight your heart out for him.”

“I just try to learn as much as I can, staying up to date with the sport because it’s constantly evolving. I watch videos, go to clinics, and I am always looking to get better,” Quilty said.

“Quilty has found a really great system to train us into competent, competitive wrestlers with a pretty short amount of time,” Berg said, “he turns novices into competitors.”

“Coach Quilty taught me how to wrestle last year. I had no clue what I was doing and he turned me into a good wrestler very quickly.

He’s a great role model and teaches us to embrace the grind. It prepares us for challenges off the mat,” Ortiz said.

Over the years, the wrestling team has seen a dip in the number of participants, Berg said.

“We’re hoping we get more people because our team is really competitive and impressive, and Quilty is really such a phenomenal coach.

He drills the fundamentals and regardless of what level, Coach can really elevate any wrestler,” Parzick said.

“I want to say that a lot of what I have

Amrita Acharya / Photo Editor

COACH OF THE YEAR Gregg Quilty displays his “Coach of the Year” award, which is a great way to finish his 25th season of coaching at HM.

accomplished is because I have so many hardworking and dedicated athletes. I am very

appreciative of the kids, and I have a lot of admiration for all of them,” Quilty said.

Indoor track ends season with championships Charlie Silberstein & Brody McGuinn Staff & Contributing Writers

Championships.

With all the hard work in practice and help from its coaches, the team did well at Ivy’s, with both the boys and girls placing fifth overall, This season, the Varsity Indoor Kaufman said.

Track teams were all about “preAt NYSAIS, the girls took home preparation for post-results,” Grant eighth place out of 18 teams, even Kaufman (12) said. After three though only two athletes, Lauren Gay months of hard work, the track (9) and co-Captain Freya Lindvall season culminated with the Ivy (12), qualified for the meet. Lindvall League and New York Association and Gay both took home medals, of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and Gay qualified for the state meet this weekend.

Courtesy of Ricardo Pinnock The boys finished ninth out of 16 teams at NYSAIS with most of the team winning medals. Co-Captain Ricardo Pinnock (12) also qualified for the state meet this weekend.

Dana Jacoby (11), who was the favorite for her two events, was unable to participate at Ivy’s and NYSAIS due to an injury, she said.

In preparation for the major meets, the teams incorporated new exercises and training regiment into their daily workouts, such as SILVER MEDALISTS Ricardo Pinnock (12) and the Boys the use of resistance bands, Kaufman 4x200 relay team won silver medals at NYSAIS.

said.

“I regret that I never really did that in the past but I’m glad we introduced it into our routines,” Lauren Gay (9) said.

The team had a new assistant coach this year.

Assistant Varsity Track Coach Angelio Grullon, a student at Manhattan College, who “has been a great addition to the track team with all his knowledge and experience from his competing days in high school and in college,” co-Captain Chidi Nwankpa (12) said.

Freya Lindvall / Photo Editor “He’s able to STARTING BLOCKS Grant Kaufman (12) gets set at the start of the 4x200 relay. The team won silver. help everyone improve on the a lot of progress, but I’d also love to “It feels amazing,” Gay said. nuances of their events, and he has give the underclassmen recognition “Going into the season I did not a great eye for detail, which is crucial because they have made great expect to win any medals because in track and field” Nwankpa said. strides to work hard and get better,” I am a freshman, but to have won Nwankpa wanted to be a good Kaufman said. not one, but two medals was really leader for his fellow teammates, he In particular, sophomores such as astonishing.” said. The four-year sprinter set a few Paul Wang (10) and Charles Simmons With the indoor track season school records in his final year on (10) made significant progress in coming to an end, many of the the team. He set the record for the their overall “track mentality,” which athletes are looking forward to the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter led to them breaking their personal outdoor track season, which begins dash. He also worked with his records, Kaufman said. on March 1st. teammates to break the record for Gay emerged as a young star, as the 4x200 meter dash. she won two medals in the first Ivy “The seniors have definitely made Championships, Kaufman said.