Issue 3

The Record

Volume 119 Issue 3

Ariella Frommer and Heidi Li Contributing Writers This past weekend, the annual Governors Ball Music Festival (Gov Ball) took place in the parking lot of Citi Field in Queens, NY. The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 but resumed this year, requiring attendees to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, according to the Gov Ball website.

While some students were uneasy about attending a public event, others trusted the COVID-19 protocols and went to the festival.

Benjamin Rothman (12) wore a mask most of the time to be cautious, he said. “It didn’t feel any less safe than in past years.”

Gov Ball was the first large event Ariela Weber (10) attended since the start of COVID, she said. “This past year we’ve been deprived of large events, and I thought this would be a good way to still be safe by being outside and vaccinated, but start to return to them.”

Lynn Egan (10) also felt comfortable with the COVID-19 precautions put in place at the

festival. “Because it was an outdoor concert, there was a vaccine mandate, and I wore my mask when it was crowded, it felt safe,” she said.

However, Maya Westra (11), who decided to sell her Gov Ball ticket a few weeks before the event, did not believe the precautions were enough. As the number of COVID cases increased leading up to Gov Ball, Westra felt uneasy about going. She was also not sure of the school’s stance on the festival and did not want to quarantine, she said. “After seeing Gov Ball on social media, it didn’t look the most COVID-safe, so I’m not mad about selling my ticket.”

Meanwhile, many students returned to the event after attending in 2019. This year, in an effort to make the festival more accessible, Gov Ball moved from its traditional location on Randall’s Island to Citi Field. Rothman, who went to Gov Ball both in 2019 and 2021, said the new location made the event different from previous years. “There weren’t huge grassy areas for people to sit on, and it was a bit smaller,” he said. “But that didn’t affect the quality of the performances.”

Weber’s favorite moment was watching Megan Thee Stallion’s performance and trying to get to the front of the crowd. “Megan’s music is one that most of my friends and I know really well because of how popular she is, so we were all singing and jumping together,” Weber said.

“The crowd was very alive and just very excited and almost grateful to be there because it had been so long since we have had events like these.”

Sofia Kim’s (10) favorite moment was also the performance by Megan Thee Stallion, who sang her new hits. “She was a great performer and singer, and really knew how to hype up the crowd,” she said.

For Maddie Kim (10), who went to Gov Ball on both Saturday and Sunday, the most memorable part of the event was seeing her friends around the festival, she said. Because a lot of her friends went to the event this year, she was constantly running into them — even people she hadn’t seen in years.

Rothman said the energy of the crowd made performances more enjoyable. “There were audio issues during Billie Eilish’s performance

Clubs and Pubs Fair returns in person Athena Rem Staff Writer

Yesterday, the Upper Division (UD) revived the annual Clubs and Publications Fair to showcase both new and existing clubs. 15 new clubs and one new publication made their debut at the Fair.

While the fair took place online last year because of the pandemic, it is back in-person this year with the traditional booths, banners, and snacks, Dean of Students Michael Dalo said. Despite some adjustments being made due to the pandemic, the fair has almost completely returned to normal. The main difference is that club leaders were only permitted to bring individuallypackaged food, Dalo said.

Since the Clubs Fair was online last year, Dalo was excited to bring back the traditional in-person version. “I really believe that participating in [clubs and publications] is integral to the HM UD experience, and the Fair offers an easy way for students to access that,” he said.

“We tried to simulate it as best we could [last year] through the virtual directory, which included videos. While that was okay, it was not the same. I’m so happy that we are back to the usual Fair.”

The Fair is also important for sharing passions and creating a sense of community, Dalo said. “Our students do incredible things in the classroom, and the Clubs and Pubs Fair is a way to see some of [what they do].”

When they entered the UD, Rizaa Fazal (10) and Yasmeen Masoud (10) looked for a publication on humanitarian issues, but could not find one, Fazal said. This inspired them to start their own publication called the HuMannitarian, she said. “It highlights

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human rights crises, past and present, around the world,” Fazal. “By doing so, the main purpose is to educate people.”

Fazal is also excited to bring another club to the school with Nuisaba Ashraf (10), Zain Lakhaney (10), and Masoud: Horace Mann for Islamic Awareness (HMIA). The club is an open space to discuss prejudice against and the achievements of Muslim people around the world, Fazal said. They plan to hold discussions on fundraisers on these topics and donate these proceeds to nonprofits helping immigrant and refugee families around the world, Fazal said.

Miller Harris (11) and Sammi Strasser (11) started a new club called HM Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math Coalition. The program operates several times a year, allowing UD students to collaborate with the Lower Division (LD) to conduct various science experiments, Harris said. Harris was especially excited to gain volunteers at the Fair.

Sophie Dauer (11), Allison

Markman (11), and Rachel Baez (11) introduced the Horace Mann Criminal Justice Club at the fair. Dauer and her co-presidents wanted to create a space to discuss issues pertinent to criminal justice, she said. “This is a space that currently does not exist at the school.”

Dauer plans to invite speakers and hold discussions amongst students to inspire a meaningful dialogue on incarceration and legal justice, she said.

The group will also reach out to various nonprofits and organizations based on reentry, the return to society after incarceration, she said. The club plans to connect with multiple groups over the course of the year, she said.

This was Oliver Guyer’s (9) first Clubs Fair. “I remembered seeing it when I was in sixth grade and it was really cool to see how enthusiastic everyone was.” Guyer also spoke to a lot of upperclassmen about clubs, which he found interesting. “The energy level was very high, and it was great to see everyone’s interests.”

Sam Siegel/Contributing Photographer

SIGN UP HERE Students visit booths at Clubs Fair.

October 1st, 2021

and people couldn’t really hear her well, but the crowd’s energy was still great.”

Meanwhile, this year was also some students’ first time at Gov Ball. “I wanted to go to Gov Ball in 2019 but didn’t really know it was happening, so I didn’t buy tickets in time,” Maddie Kim (10) said. Now that she is two years older and knows more about music, Kim made a bigger effort to track ticket availability and bought them the day they came out, she said.

Egan also bought her Gov Ball tickets last spring, hoping that the event would happen this year, she said. “It was one of the first concert tickets that I bought that [the concert] wasn’t cancelled.”

Sofia is excited that big events like Gov Ball are now able to happen, she said. “I thought it was really fun because it was a good balance of music and food and you could just say ‘hi’ to people you haven’t seen in a while.”

Egan enjoyed the familiarity of being at a music festival, she said. “It felt good to be back to old ways for a day.”

Murphy teaches parents about power of listening Jillian Le Staff Writer “Listening is a superpower,” author and journalist Kate Murphy said on Tuesday night at this year’s first virtual Parent Institute (PI) event. “We’re all Clark Kents waiting to be Superman.”

Murphy is a Texas-based journalist and has written for publications such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Her book about the importance of being attentive, You’re Not Listening, was the main reason why the PI invited her to the school, director of the PI Wendy Reiter said.

Reiter learned about Murphy’s work from the Macmillan Speakers Bureau, a publishing house she often collaborates with for PI events, she said. The event was part of the PI BookTalk series.

Murphy, Reiter, and English Department Chair Vernon Wilson met a week in advance to prepare for the event, Wilson said.

The event consisted of a conversation between Murphy and Wilson, followed by a Q&A with parents. “The quality of the conversation that they had throughout the evening was really remarkable,” Reiter said.

Wilson, the facilitator, catered the conversation towards parents by asking questions about the overarching ideas in Murphy’s book, rather than the neuroscientific aspects of her research.

The conversation was meant to help parents become better listeners. Parentchild relationships can greatly benefit from the encouragement of actively listening to make one feel heard, Reiter said.

Within families, closeness communication bias, the tendency

to make presumptions about what someone will say based on the intimacy of your relationship, tends to occur frequently, Murphy said. Nancy Korff P’23, ‘25 ‘27 learned that when talking to family members, it is important to actively listen and avoid making assumptions, she said.

Listening for understanding can also carry over into classroom spaces, Wilson said. “Listening is key for the functioning of a classroom,” he said.

“Discussion rather than debate.”

The first step to becoming a better listener is to ask open-ended questions that provoke interpretation rather than generic compensatory questions, Murphy said. That may look like asking the following after returning home from school: “What was something new that you learned in school today?”

Rather than asking “How was your day?” The former will foster more fruitful conversations, Murphy said.

Murphy encouraged families to spend time together in person – without technology – to work on improving listening skills. Murphy’s book explains how technology has altered the chemical processes of the human brain in a way that weakens our abilities to actively listen. In addition to technology, regular everyday duties can make it difficult to slow down and be attentive towards body language when listening to others.

The pandemic has had silver linings, she said. With more free time, people are more attentive towards each other, Murphy said.

PI events this year will have a theme of communication. Tuesday’s event was a good way to start off the year since listening is an integral component of

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THE RECORD OPINIONS OCTOBER 1ST, 2021

A debate case for public speaking

Sean Lee After having navigated through the sea of cardboard trifolds and the overwhelming, siren-like calls of students coercing you to join their club (using candy and baked goods to draw you in), you probably still have no idea of what clubs are like in the Upper Division. What types of clubs are you really interested in? What clubs do you think you’ll have the most fun in? What clubs have people told you to join that you’re not so sure about? Here’s one piece of advice: get out of your comfort zone and try an activity that entails public speaking.

Public speaking and communication are a few of the most important skills that you’ll need to thrive at Horace Mann and any academic, social, or professional environment you find yourself in beyond your years on campus. The ability to ace a presentation, talk to strangers with ease, and speak your mind are crucial skills that are best

developed starting from high school, and joining clubs that encourage you to develop these tools during your freshman year — or any other year — is a great way to get started.

My introduction to public speaking wasn’t so smooth. During 6th grade, one of my teachers required multiple presentations and acting performances throughout the year. Without any prior experience with speaking or acting in front of a crowd, I was absolutely terrified.

Every time I walked up to the front of the classroom, it felt like my heart was going to explode. My legs shook uncontrollably as I croaked out nearly-incoherent sentences: stage fright was taking over my entire body. Even just the mention of presentations would make my heart flutter, and I could barely muster the courage to present when the time came. Frankly, I was embarrassed at my lack of courage and jealous of my peers who had a knack for public speaking.

So, in an attempt to overcome my challenge, I sought out ways to improve my public speaking. In the summer before 7th grade, I found myself in a debate class, excited to improve my communication skills while arguing over whether television was beneficial for people’s health. After less than a month of preparation, I placed second at my first ever debate tournament: a small in-house tournament with few competing teams. Nonetheless, I was hooked.

Ever since my first debate class in

August of 2017, public speaking has served me invaluably. I’ve learned important tricks for communicating effectively, like maintaining eye contact, projecting your voice, and emphasizing certain words or phrases to solidify a point. The improvement Sophia Liu/Contributing Artist

in my conversational skills has been extremely helpful in communicating with peers and adults during meetings with teachers, important interviews, or talking to parents as a peer mentor.

I’m not afraid to voice my opinion during class discussions, even when my thoughts about a certain event

in a book might differ from other people’s interpretations. I even ran for class president in 8th grade and gave a speech in front of the entire school. Although I didn’t win, it still felt good to have my ideas heard by the community. These are just some ways the lessons I’ve learned through participating in public speakingrelated events have motivated me, and while the use of these tools might differ in your personal circumstances, they are vital skills to have.

At this point, you might be wondering what clubs at Horace Mann can offer these wonderful opportunities to you. Here’s a quick list of a few activities that can help cultivate your public speaking skills — it’s definitely not comprehensive by any measure, but it’s a good place to start.

My personal favorite (I swear I’m not biased) is the Debate Team. On the Debate Team, you learn to speak eloquently, but you also learn how to argue and construct solid arguments that trump your opponents and effectively convince your judges.

Debate helps develop your critical thinking skills, forcing you to think and speak on your feet (it’s a good thing, trust me) and teaching you how to research a variety of different topics, from the U.S. healthcare policy to the NATO defense commitments in the Baltic States. These research and critical thinking skills have served me well in history and English where students are often required to construct strong, logical arguments supported by the texts they read.

Additionally, presentations in class have become much easier — communicating with your classmates and teachers is less stressful when you have practice with these skills. Plus, you’ll now have useful rhetorical techniques to keep your audience engaged.

Other activities that are also awesome choices to improve your confidence in speaking and presenting include the Model UN team, the Speech team, Mock Trial, Model Congress, and Parliamentary Debate, all of which help develop your communication and research skills for school and any future jobs you plan on pursuing.

I get it — stepping out of your comfort zone isn’t easy. You might be reluctant to join a club that forces you to talk in front of people when you don’t feel comfortable doing so, and your first exposure to these types of events might not be pleasant. But trust me — I understand the struggle just as well as you do, and from my own experience, I can confidently tell you that I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve gained so much from improving my public speaking and communication skills, and I’ve also made some great memories while doing so. Clubs at Horace Mann can provide the same experience for you, and no matter what grade you’re in, it’s never too late to start. On the other hand, if you have no hesitation about joining a public speaking club, then welcome to the team — you’re already as obnoxious as the rest of us.

“Shaping a world before me”: The benefits of studying art

Zachary Kurtz Every time I sit down at the pottery wheel with a ball of clay spinning beneath my hands, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. It is the kind of calm that can be hard to find during a hectic day of school. As the clay runs through my fingers, I feel as though I am shaping a world before me. The clay can become anything that I imagine. This feeling is something unique to the arts courses that the school provides.

Throughout my years at the school, I have had the opportunity to try a variety of visual arts courses such as photography and ceramics, in addition to being part of one of the school’s choirs each year. Each of these classes has provided me the time to relax during the long and heavily academic

school day. I urge all students to choose to take art classes due to the countless benefits that they can have on your mental health, academic performance, and so much more. So, why should you choose to take arts courses?

1. An education in the arts directly complements an education in the core academic subjects, spurring us to learn more effectively. Art allows for our imagination to flow, which in turn allows us to think in more imaginative ways. Creativity is a skill that is necessary in any discipline. Once, when throwing a pot, I completely messed up its lip. When faced with this challenge, I found a way to carefully and strategically remove the damaged lip to salvage the pot. This practice of problem-solving teaches us to isolate issues and to learn how to address them most effectively.

2. Art allows us to see ourselves in a new light by helping us realize who we are as we physically manifest our thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Creating means learning to make decisions.

When producing art you are forced to make choices that will ultimately shape your artwork. Every person makes different choices and that is why all art is unique. Each image that I have chosen to draw or paint comes from my imagination or is affected in some way by my experiences. I draw from my memory and from photos that I have taken, and when I produce these ideas on paper, it allows me to envision the

Volume 119 Editorial Board Editor in Chief Hanna Hornfeld

Managing Editor Liliana Greyf

Features Mia Calzolaio Emma Colacino

News Claire Goldberg Katya Tolunsky

Opinions Devin Allard-Neptune Yin Fei

A&E Purvi Jonnalagadda Arushi Talwar

Middle Division Jade Ciriello

Lions’ Den Lauren Ho

Art Directors Vivian Coraci Lauren Kim Riva Vig

Design Editors Avani Khorana Myra Malik Arin Rosen

Photography Oliver Lewis Daniel Schlumberger Ailill Walsh

Online Editor Lucas Glickman

Head of Design AJ Walker

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

feelings that the memory provokes.

3. Art courses help to relieve stress.

When asked how I am feeling on a given day, the first word that comes to mind is “stressed” — a frequently uttered adjective at Horace Mann — however, art is scientifically proven to alleviate stress. According to a study done by Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, making art, no matter your skill level, can significantly lower the amounts of stress-related hormones present in your body. I always feel extremely calm while doing art, because I can focus all of my energy on one thing and leave the rest of my worries behind. When I draw in times of stress, all of my emotions flow out onto the page. The page transforms into an outlet for the pent-up intensity.

I am a firm believer that we should utilize any resources possible to work more effectively in our daily lives.

After attending drawing sessions, I find that I am able to work much more productively and even think more clearly as a result.

4. Arts courses are, more than anything, a lot of fun. The staff members that teach the courses are very talented and passionate about what they are teaching. That passion is evident in how eager they are to teach you new techniques and ideas related to whatever type of art you are engaged with. In Mr. Logan’s visual arts class, whenever I came across some type of art that I wanted to try, such as making

a stamp or building my own canvas, he would help me learn how to make it.

The enthusiasm that art teachers bring is one of the main reasons why I am able to absorb so much while having a blast at the same time. The courses are also a lot of fun because the stakes are low. You can learn a skill without having to be the very best at it.

5. Performance arts classes can also teach you a myriad of skills. From musical theatre to Concert Glee Club, the school offers options for students who wish to perform on stage.

For many people, taking center stage is a step outside of their comfort zone. This was definitely the case for me when I was younger, and I still get nervous before any kind of performance. Performing on stage for the first time can be terrifying, but your confidence will grow through embarking in these courses. I have been in a school choir for six years — starting with Chorus 6 and progressing all the way through Concert Glee Club. Despite being afraid of performing when I was a sixth-grader, I was pushed to do so both in class and during concerts. The support I received from my teachers and peers was tremendous. I can now

Staff

Staff Writers Rachel Baez, Audrey Carbonell, Max Chasin, Jiya Chaterjee, Cecilia Coughlin, Owen Heidings, Hannah Katzke, Vidhatrie Keetha, Celine Kiriscioglu, Zachary Kurtz, Alex Lautin, Jillian Lee, Sean Lee, Allison Markman, Audrey Moussazadeh, Divya Ponda, Clio Rao, Emily Salzhauer, Ayesha Sen, Aden Soroca, Emily Sun, Madison Xu, Alexandra Yao Staff Photographers Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho, Sean Lee Staff Artists Eliza Becker, Felix Brenner

say that, thanks to my involvement with arts courses at the school, I have overcome that fear and can do any type of activity that involves speaking or performing in front of others.

6. Performing arts force you to interact with others to achieve your goal. Teamwork is an extremely important skill to learn in life, as you will often find yourself surrounded by other people whom you will need to work with in order to accomplish a given task. Additionally, I have made some of my closest friends during chorus classes over the years in bonding over music and singing. When you are in a room with a group of people who are just as excited as you are to perform you are bound to find commonalities between yourselves. It is the perfect conversation starter and a great way to pursue your artistic passions!

These are just some of the many reasons why I would urge all students to take art courses. When you select an art course you should think about it not just as a graduation requirement but also as something that you will be happy to have in your schedule. While at the end of the day you may not come out of an art class as an expert potter, photographer, or filmmaker, you will have had fun, learned a new and unique skill, and made your day infinitely more enjoyable.

Editorial Policy

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

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

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

Letters Letters to the editor often respond to editorials, articles, and opinions pieces, allowing The Record to uphold its commitment to open discourse within the school community. They too represent the opinion of the author and not of The Record or the school. To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or email (record@horacemann. org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed.

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

3

THE RECORD FEATURES OCTOBER 1ST, 2021

From tee-ball to Lutnick: Joel Colon’s story Vidhatrie Keetha Staff Writer “I’ve always been a pretty calm person, even as a kid, I was always quiet,” maintenance staff member Joel Colon said. “I try not to let anything get to me. Even though I think everyone has some level of stress, everyone’s human. I’ve had my share of stress in life. You go through a lot of rough patches, you go through a lot of good times, and I think for the most part, even through the bad times, I’ve always maintained that same mentality.”

Colon attributes this mentality to the way his parents raised him. “I grew up in a really bad neighborhood, and I think I give my parents a lot of credit for the way they brought us up,” Colon said. “Even living in that bad neighborhood, my parents always taught us that there’s better out there, and they always kept the good positive energy around us.”

Colon strives to implement these teachings by doing his best to help others. One time, Colon noticed that one of the tennis coaches seemed to be out of breath. “I ran into him and I asked him if he was okay, he was like, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ but I knew he wasn’t doing well, so I took him outside to get some fresh air,” Colon said.

Colon stayed with the coach for a while before calling another coach over and getting the nurse. “It turned out that it was something in his heart,” he said. “I’m always aware of stuff like that. I don’t know if it’s from training, or if it came naturally to me.”

He tries to help out around the school by reminding students to be respectful and take care of their school environment.

“This is your second home, you have to appreciate it,” Colon said.

During the typical school day, Colon makes sure that everything related to the Athletic Department is in order. He spends time ensuring the gymnasiums and locker rooms are clean, maintains the pool, and helps set up the field before athletic games. Aside from these duties, Colon receives work orders around campus, which include fixing broken desks and working on installations, he said.

Colon joined the school’s maintenance staff in February 2018 when a friend informed him of a job opening. Before coming to the school, Colon worked as a wallpaper hanger for 12 years, during which he worked with multiple construction companies on commercial installations in new buildings and hotels, he said.

Colon became introduced to wallpaper hanging because two of his uncles were part of a construction trade union, he said. One of his uncles, who was a wallpaper hanger, brought Colon into the union as an apprentice, he said. “It wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to do, but it was good pay, and I saw

an opportunity for myself at that time.”

Although Colon ended up working as a wallpaper hanger for many years, he eventually chose to leave. “It was very unstable for me, dealing with periods where I wouldn’t work, and I wouldn’t get paid,” he said. “It got super hectic at the end, the instability of not working all the time and having a child. It just became too difficult.”

Colon chose to work at the school because the job would offer him the stability he needed. “I knew coming here, [that] having the stability of working every day and being somewhere that I feel like I can call home, will be beneficial to me,” Colon said. “I already had an idea of what kind of atmosphere it would be because of my friends that worked here. I knew that everyone was nice and it was a great place to be, so I knew I would fit in.”

In the three years he has worked at the school, Colon has developed a close relationship with his coworkers. “We’re actually like a family,” Colon said. “We take care of each other.

We do have rough days here in New York and we’re all human, there are days that are a little bit tougher for some of us. But aside from that, it’s great, we all get along.”

As a child, Colon had other dreams for his future. “When I was younger, I was really into sports. My main thing was baseball,” Colon said.

Colon became interested in baseball because of its similarities to tee-ball. “I was born in Puerto Rico, and I’ll never forget it — I was maybe like four years old, maybe five years old, and I played T-ball [there],” he said. “So when we moved to New York, I started playing little league.” During that time, Colon typically played shortstop, second base, and first base positions, he said. In high school, Colon played Junior Varsity baseball in the infield, shortstop, and third base positions.

While Colon played baseball during his first two years of highschool, moving from New York to Florida in the middle of his highschool career made it difficult to continue to pursue his passion, and he no longer plays.

“On the weekends I would play, but I haven’t done it in a very long time, especially since having my son,” Colon said. “I put more time into him and taking care of myself, so I really don’t do it as much anymore. But I do follow it all the time on TV, watching games and stuff, so I still follow it very closely.”

After highschool, Colon attended Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. He initially took courses in the liberal arts before deciding to study civil engineering.

However, Colon was only able to attend college for a year and half because he decided to move back to New York to be with his girlfriend. “At that age you’re not thinking clearly, your emotions are all over the place. But I can say that to this day I’m still with the same person, so it happened for a reason,” Colon said.

Courtesy of Joel Colon

SAY CHEESE Colon smiles with his son and wife.

Colon’s wife is now a speech pathologist, and the couple has a seven-year old son, who currently attends Success Academy.

Colon enjoys travelling and spending time with his family.

“During the summer we do regular stuff, [we] go to the pool, go to the beach. My son loves mini golf, he’s really good at it, so I’ll go mini golfing with him,” Colon said. “At home, we’ll watch movies together, and we also try to take vacations every year.”

As an only child, Colon’s son gets bored easily, so Colon does his best to keep him engaged at home. “He plays Roblox, so he’ll get on his iPad, I’ll get on my phone and I’ll play with him that way,” Colon said. “I’ve [also] been reading Harry Potter with my son, because he’s never read it, and he wants to watch the movie. So I’ve been reading the first book with him.”

Colon enjoys working at the school, he said. “I really like [that] we’re constantly busy, and I like the community here, I like the way that kids carry themselves,” Colon said. “Everyone’s very polite and respectful. It’s a good place to be. I hope the kids realize that what they have here, not a lot of kids have.”

Cooking, Legos, and, Physics: Meet facilities supervisor Dan DeCecco Emily Sun Staff Writer Dan DeCecco is the school’s facilities supervisor and, as of last Sunday, champion of the BrickFair LEGO Fan Expo’s Bridge Build competition with a record-breaking bridge that held 188 pounds. At the school, he oversees campus sanitation, maintenance, and other tasks that keep it up and running, he said.

DeCecco graduated from Westchester Community College in 2007 with a degree in business administration, while working as an office manager at a gardening center. After that, he was a data clerk for Class Action Refund until he was laid off after the 2008 financial crisis. He found a job at Junkluggers after a few months, then worked as a security guard before applying for a groundskeeper position at the school in 2011.

As groundskeeper, he worked from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. to clean the campus and set up for sports games and practices. He carried soccer goals down to Van Cortlandt Park, lined up the bleachers along Four Acres, raked the fields, and hung backstops for baseball and softball games.

Over his seven years as a groundskeeper, he found ways to streamline jobs using his knowledge in physics, his favorite school subject. “I’ve always been infatuated with physics because I enjoyed learning how things move naturally in the world,” he said.

For example, he found the center of gravity on 25 feet tall baseball backstops so he could balance them on one shoulder, instead of having another person help him.

After the previous supervisor left the school in 2018, DeCecco applied for the position as

Courtesy of Dan DeCecco

HARD AT WORK DeCecco helps mow Alumni Field. a challenge. “It was a leap of faith for me,” he said, but he overcame his doubts with encouragement from his coworkers. “They would tell me, ‘go for it, you can absolutely do it,’” he said. “They had a lot more faith in me than I did, so I felt that maybe it’s a sign they were seeing something that I didn’t.”

DeCecco is responsible for the full picture of maintenance across the school. There are many moving pieces that he has to keep track of — new deliveries to move, electricity to wire, plumbing to fix, and locks to replace.

The biggest challenge is being flexible with new tasks that pop up throughout the day, he said. “You have to constantly re-evaluate who’s doing what and how to prioritize to get everything done.” He stays organized and communicates with other maintenance staff through their work order system and radios.

He delegates the maintenance staff to tasks

based on their availability and experience.

“We’ve always had a lot of fun doing what we do here,” he said. “There’s a lot of humor in our team because we’ve all come to grow together as a family, and most of the people who are here now I’ve known since I’ve started.”

His favorite jobs are school events that call for a big team effort, such as homecoming, he said. It takes a long time to set up all the sports games and tents, but humor makes the day fly by, and he likes to see all the students and families on campus. “We all joke around, and it’s a lot of fun to feel like we’re part of the bigger HM community,” he said.

He still works weekdays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and mows Alumni Field once every week.

“That’s my hour of peace,” he said. “It’s a very tranquil time of the day, the sun is beginning to come up, and I can play my music.” He usually listens to a mix of symphonies and

Super Nintendo soundtracks, or just enjoys the quiet.

On the weekends, DeCecco hikes, builds LEGOs, and cooks with his nine and seven-year-old kids, Katherine and Robert.

They visit Westchester county parks such as Kensico Dam Plaza and other trails. “I love being outside,” he said. “I don’t love the humidity, but I love the crisp morning air, autumn with the leaves changing, and even the snow doesn’t bother me.”

They also have a shared love of LEGOs, especially the Star Wars sets, and they built the 7,500-piece Millenium Falcon over a few weeks during quarantine. He played with LEGOs growing up because they let him apply math and physics to problem solving, like figuring out the ideal way to interlock bricks so they can withstand the most weight at the competition. “My two kids are obsessed with LEGOs, so, between the three of us, I have an apartment full of them,” DeCecco said.

“They’ve evolved into mini me’s, that’s for sure.”

His family immigrated to the United States from Italy in the 1930s, and he cooks dishes for his kids like his mom used to do for him.

His favorite meal that she made was creamy, garlicky beef stroganoff. “We called it ‘steak and noodles,’ and it was something that I could devour,” he said.

He makes tomato sauce every week, barbecue, and any dish with garlic — “I’m Italian, so I tell my kids, ‘you’re required to like garlic.’” This Wednesday, dinner was his signature salad: lettuce, tomato, onion, bell peppers, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a drizzle of vinegar.

4

THE RECORD MIDDLE DIVISION AND LIONS’ DEN OCTOBER 1ST, 2021

Students return to Dorr for the first time since COVID went to Dorr every year. “The seventh grade trip is a forest study instead of doing team bonding activities usually For the first time in 18 months, done in sixth or eighth grade,” Khan students visited the John Dorr Nature said. “This trip is about Dorr as a science Laboratory (Dorr). Over the past few classroom.” weeks, groups of seventh grade students The seventh grade science field lab traveled to the Connecticut campus generally changes every year, DePreter to collect data on trees and soil for a said. “We have done different types of science lab, Alexandra Peters (7) said. labs in biology, geomorphology, and stream studies,” he said. “This year we are doing science of forest health and climate change.”

During the lab, students looked at a plot of land and determined what plants were growing and if the trees there were dead or healthy, Kayla Ogyaadu (7) said.

Even with IN THE WILD Students conduct experiment in the forest.

C O V I D - 1 9 restrictions, students The seventh grade went to Dorr still took part in activities besides the in 10 different sections separated by lab, Ogyaadu said. “Between lunch or science class beginning in the second lunch prep you could hang out with week of September, Dorr Director your friends,” she said. “There was a Nick DePreter said. It took a lot of piano so we mainly did that. You could preparation, but thanks to support from also play Uno.” the school’s teachers, Head of Middle Having the opportunity to come to Division Javaid Khan, and Director of Dorr is also important for students’ Facilities Management Gordon Jensen, mental health, DePreter said. they created a great program, he said.

“COVID-19 has caused all sorts of Before the pandemic, seventh graders different anxieties,” he said. “It helps Ceci Coughlin and Sofia Kim

Staff writers

by being able to come up, engage with nature, take a step back, and realize that there is something bigger out there than just your computer or bedroom. Nature is the great equalizer and Dorr provides all the students that it can with a chance to experience that.”

For students such as Ved Daga (7), Dorr is about connecting with peers through activities that would not be available at school, he said. “Nature is a lot more exciting while exploring with friends, rather than going alone.”

For new MD students, Dorr is an experience that allows them to make memories by talking to their friends and playing cards before bedtime, Gupta said. “Dorr has so much to offer even though kids may not be able to take part in everything just yet,” he said.

Khan and Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly communicated closely with DePreter to discuss the logistics of traveling to Dorr, and Kelly made the final decision in August to allow students to attend Dorr, Khan said.

While making this decision, the school followed CDC guidelines and put trust in the school’s families to maintain a safe community, DePreter said. “The HM promise is the reason we are able to do what we can do both at school and at Dorr,” he said. “Families that have committed to being safe at home means that we can be safe with the kids at school.”

At Dorr, activities like eating, meetings, classes, games, freetime, and

Actor and activist George Takei visits Middle Division Sophie Rukin and Alex Lautin Staff Writers

“The first word that comes to mind is ‘gift.’ We were given a real gift to hear from George Takei,” Head of Middle Division (MD) Javaid Khan said about last week’s assembly.

Last Thursday, Takei spoke to the MD about his novel, “They Called Us Enemy,” and the experiences he has faced as a gay Japanese American actor.

During the assembly, Takei spoke about his life as an actor and an activist. He played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek. He is a pioneer for Asian Americans on television, as well as for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Over the summer, all MD students read his graphic memoir, “They Called Us Enemy.” “[The assembly] just made the story that everyone had the chance to read over the summer feel even more personal,” MD History Teacher Justin Baker-Rhett said. The memoir tells Takei’s experience as a young boy during World War II through to his experiences as an adult in the United States.

The book was an extraordinary way to teach people about the struggles of Japanese Americans during World War II, Matilda Bau (7) said. Its format as a graphic novel was engaging since generally kids can relate better to pictures than long monologues, she said.

Takei spoke to the MD about his inspiration for writing his memoir. He had been looking for novels about Japanese Internment, but could not find anything. Many Japanese parents did not feel comfortable sharing information about the camps with their children, for it was a touchy and uncomfortable subject; however, Takei’s father did.

Victoria Woo (8) said it was interesting to learn about what it was like in the internment camps during World War II, especially because it is a gap in history throughout the American education system. The assembly made her realize that many current students do not understand what it is like to be seen as an enemy, she said.

During assemblies Khan wants every person to have their own unique takeaway. “I always tell students that my theory in assembly is the snowflake theory,” he said. “We’re going to drop

a lot of ideas on you. And some of them may stick and some won’t. And that’s okay.” Khan’s theory is part of the reason why he tries to bring in a variety of speakers for assemblies — so that everyone gets to hear something that speaks to them.

Neeya Gupta (7) enjoyed learning about Takei’s activism for LGBTQ+ rights and about his career in relation to his sexuality, she said.

Takei’s words were powerful and interesting to listen to, she said.

Baker-Rhett was struck by Takei’s emphasis on participation in civic life, specifically when Takei talked about the importance of action and engagement, he said.

Similarly, Music Department Chair Timothy Ho was struck by Takei’s message about getting involved in democracy so history does not repeat itself. Ho also had a more personal takeaway. “For me, it’s the larger idea of telling your story so that your truth is known,” he said.

Takei began the assembly by talking about the history of Pearl Harbor and the events that led to World War II. After providing context about Japanese internment, he transitioned to talking about his personal history. For example, Takei had to say the pledge of allegiance at his school in the internment camps every day, he said.

As a child in the internment camps, Takei was young, naive, and unaware of how his parents suffered more than he did, he said. The experience of internment for his parents was “devastating” and “anguishing,” while young

Takei had no clue what was going on, he said.

“Students are going to be setting the tone of what America is all about,” Takei said. His goal is to make America a nation of equality, he said.

The assembly was Takei’s first time speaking at a school in 18 months. It was special for Bao to see Takei speak in person since books sometimes lack feeling and emotion, she said.

The assembly helped her to better see what Takei was trying to demonstrate.

more were held outside, DePreter said.

“It’s the safest place anywhere at HM because you are outside all the time.”

Dorr also took other safety precautions such as wearing masks at all times, except when sleeping or eating, Kahn said. In the bunkhouses, they used the same surface sanitizing and air filtration units as the school, DePreter said. All of the windows also stayed open with screens, he said.

Though the students stayed together in a cabin, the safety measures allowed them to feel safe. “I knew everyone was vaccinated, as was I, and the Dorr staff took a lot of precautions,” Neeya Gupta (7) said.

“The heart of each program is the same and a lot of the things that we do are the same,” Assistant Director of Dorr Kate Kerrick said. “It’s just the logistics that have changed.”

DePreter hopes to move forward with school trips to Dorr. “We really hope that we can have the OutDorrs Club come back. We also want any other clubs interested in coming to Dorr to contact me and see if we can work it out.”

Students and teachers alike are excited for Dorr programs to resume. While staying at home, a lot of kids didn’t have the time to explore nature, Kerrick said.

“Here at Dorr there is so much space in between planned moments to learn other things or grow as a community,” she said. “It’s nice to see the kids explore the space of Dorr again. It’s those moments that are really precious.”

The in-person assembly was thrilling to Khan. The room felt normal again, with the standing ovation and laughter, he said. “Zoom can not replicate that.”

Gupta said she learned a lot from the assembly, but overall she had one key takeaway.

“I learned to just be who you are and in life to just work hard and push through the bad parts, because that’s what he [Takei] did,” Gupta said.

TEACHING STUDENTS Takei educates students on internment.

LIONS’ BOX: Results from This Week’s games Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Portledge School -WIN 1-0 GirlsVarsity Volleyball vs. Loyola -- WIN 3-0 Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Loyola -- WIN 4-0 Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Poly Prep -- LOSS 1-2 Girls XC Ivy Developmental Meet 2 -- 3rd Place

Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Poly Prep -- LOSS 0-1 Girls Varsity Tennis vs. Riverdale -- LOSS 2-3 Field Hockey vs. Hackley -- LOSS Boys XC Ivy Developmental Meet 2 -- 5th Place *Correction: Last week, we misattributed the Student Drivers’ License artwork to Art Director Lauren Kim. Staff Artist Lauren Bay Kim created the drawing.