Junior Issue 2

Record The Horace Mann

MAY 1ST, 2020 || VOLUME 117, JUNIOR ISSUE 2

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

HM families battle COVID-19 Arushi Talwar and Lauren Ho Staff Writers

According to an anonymous poll sent by The Record earlier this week, nearly 5% of the 264 students and faculty respondants surveyed reported they had contracted COVID-19.

“There are a growing number of parents, grandparents, and employees who are dealing with a positive test result for COVID-19,” Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote in an email. “We also have a growing number of adults dealing with the symptoms associated with COVID-19 yet [are] unable to be tested or directed by a doctor to simply stay at home.”

Isabel Mavrides (9) contracted COVID-19 and went through a stressful time with her family, when they all simultaneously had the virus. Mavrides first experienced tightness in her lungs, which she attributed to her asthma.

She later suffered from a high fever and nausea, which according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), are typical symptoms of the virus.

After developing these conditions, Mavrides went to City MD and received a nasal swab test for COVID-19, for which she tested positive.

Ethan Waggoner (10), who also had the virus, experienced the testing process slightly differently because he wasn’t able to get a test right away. Both he and his mother initially had mild fevers and sore throats, so they went to their doctor hoping to receive permission to take a COVID-19 test, he said. However, when their doctor denied their request, they drove to a testing site in New Jersey. “The testing site wasn’t busy, and when they looked in our car, they could see how sick we clearly were, so they let us get tested, which was an extremely kind gesture,” Waggoner said.

“The testing site was in a parking lot, but it looked like a military base with the big white tents,” Waggoner said. “All of the workers were dressed in full body suits and were very efficient with the entire [testing] process.” Waggoner and his mother were told to keep their car windows rolled up until they arrived at the swabbing station, he said.

“The swabbing was an extremely unpleasant experience, leaving you tearing up afterwards because of how far up the nostril they swab,” Waggoner said. “You have to keep still during the swabbing, so I held my mom’s head as they swabbed her because she kept moving.”

Although Waggoner was told he would get his results in two to three days, he received them almost a week and a half after his test, he said. “By the time we got the results, we weren’t as nervous because our symptoms had almost completely gone away.”

When Mavrides’s test results came back positive a week after she tested, she was particularly nervous because she recently had surgery. “I knew my immune system was down so I didn’t know how that would affect me,” she said.

Waggoner, like many others at school affected by the virus, has a parent with a dangerous health condition which puts them at a greater risk, he said. So, he isolated himself from his parents, he said. While in isolation, Waggoner FaceTimed Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

with his girlfriend, studied, and exercised to the best of his abilities, he said. “As a runner, it’s weird walking up stairs or getting out of bed and feeling out of breath and exhausted.”

Once Waggoner recovered, he, like many students, stayed inside and only occasionally went grocery shopping, avoiding others at all times, he said. Now, he wakes up around four or five in the morning to go on runs simply because the streets are the emptiest then.

Since Mavrides and her family all became sick together, they did not know exactly how to take care of each other, she said. Although she had to go to the emergency room (ER) one night due to low oxygen levels and her father was removed from her home due to his condition, her family stuck together through it all, Mavrides said.

Similar to Mavrides, Nora Balidemaj (11) and her family all contracted COVID-19 and had to quarantine themselves together in their house.

“We usually don’t spend that much time together, so we all needed our own space for most of the day,” she said. Though the virus did not impact her severely, it affected her father badly, which was hard to watch, she said. While she, her mom,

she said. She would also do their laundry and wash their clothes with both a mask and gloves on, she said.

Even students who did not have the virus have experienced hardships. Although Tomoko Hida (10) and her family have not tested positive for COVID-19, she has also experienced difficulties with her family: Hida and her sister were quarantined in the tri-state area for the past few weeks, while their parents had been staying in Japan for work since January. Hida’s grandmother had been living with them but returned to Japan for her own safety right before spring break, she said. Hida did not accompany her as she anticipated that school would open after spring break.

Once school closed on March 9, Hida and her sister stayed with Mazyar Azmi’s (10) family, since they could not live by themselves without a legal guardian, she said. As New York City slowly became the epicenter of the virus, Azmi’s house in New Jersey was much safer than her apartment in the city, she said.

After staying with the Azmis for a couple of weeks, Hida and her sister went to Japan last week

Lauren Kim/Art Director

and sister all only had high fevers, her father had a bad cough in addition to lung issues, she said. Balidemaj and her family presume that her father first got the virus from one of his patients.

Talia Winiarsky (11) feels fortunate that after her father tested positive for COVID-19, her family was able to take care of him, since both of her parents are doctors, she said. “My mother measured his oxygen levels using a pulse oximeter, and he improved his breathing with an incentive spirometer, two instruments that my parents had experience with in their jobs,” she said. Her father isolated himself for three weeks, and Winiarsky and her brothers would FaceTime him when he felt up to it, she said.

Alexis Stein’s (11) parents also contracted COVID-19. Her dad lost his sense of taste and smell and experienced a high fever, which her mom also developed later, she said. “Once my dad developed a few symptoms, he got a test,” Stein said. “After learning that he had tested positive, he was able to take care of himself quickly.” Though her parents do not know exactly where they contracted COVID-19, Stein believes they could have come in contact with it through a package or public transportation.

Stein feels that her parents’ experience happened at the best time, since she did not have to juggle schoolwork and could instead only focus on taking care of them. Her brother, Sam Stein ‘18, was also home from college, which lessened the workload. “It was nice having my brother here [while my parents were sick], so that we were able to manage it together.”

Though initially it was scary to see her parents affected by the virus, Stein and her brother tried their best to take care of them while also making sure they stayed safe. “I would bring their food to them on a tray, and after they were done eating, they would leave it outside their room and I would wipe everything down and throw it out,”

to stay with their parents. At Narita International Airport in Tokyo, they both disembarked from the plane in small groups and were put through an organized assembly line to get a COVID-19 test. Neither of them tested positive for the virus, but since it was an initial test, she still needs to be careful just in case she does have it, she said.

Many students also suffer emotional pains when coping with the burden of knowing that their parents, as healthcare workers, are exposed to the virus each day at work. Karina Iman (11) is one of many students with at least one parent who risks their life each day by working in a hospital. Iman’s mom, who is an ER doctor at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, has seen several COVID-19 patients despite working at a relatively small hospital.

According to Iman, many of the patients who go to the ERs are senior citizens from nearby nursing homes as well as people affected by COVID-19 with underlying health issues, she said.

As the outbreak continues, the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a growing global concern impacting healthcare organizations, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Iman’s mother experiences the lack of available PPE at her hospital, Iman said. Instead of official equipment, many doctors at St. John’s are using supplies that they had before the pandemic to protect themselves, Iman said.

“My mom has a couple of masks that she uses during the week and she rotates through so that she doesn’t have to use the same one constantly,” Iman said. Other professionals who do not have access to PPE usually only have their scrubs.

This lack of protection can further spread the already contagious virus, she said.

In order to curb the spread of the virus, Ryan Finlay’s (10) father, who is also treating patients

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

Courtesy of Karina Iman

HEALTHCARE HEROES Zarine Iman P’18 P’21

with COVID-19, has been going through a rigorous disinfection procedure when he returns home from work. As soon as Finlay’s father arrives home, he immediately washes his clothes, places hard items like his phone and wallet in a UV light box to kill bacteria and viruses, and showers, he said. To cope with the emotional burden of the virus, Finlay and his family have meals together every night and try to distract themselves by watching movies.

Alex Nagin’s (10) mother is also an essential healthcare worker. “She takes care of pregnant women in hospitals who are giving birth, helps deliver them, and makes sure that they are staying safe from the virus,” Nagin said.

Both Nagin and Iman’s mothers do not stay with their families, though neither has COVID-19. “Although she visits at a distance once every few days, I miss seeing my mom daily,” Iman said. “It’s kind of lonely without the other person in your house.”

Nagin, who has moved to his grandparent’s house in rural California, has not seen his mom since he left New York City. “It’s definitely very unusual because I have gone long times without seeing her before, but never in a circumstance like this where I’m not allowed to see her,” Nagin said. He does keep in touch by FaceTiming her every day. Despite the physical separation, Nagin and his family recognize the important work she is doing for New York and are extremely proud of her, he said.

“As hard as this experience has been, it has taught me valuable lessons,” Stein said. “It taught me that I am more capable of taking care of the house than I expected I would be.”

scree Has anyone in your family had COVID-19?

scree Have you had COVID-19?

Out of 264 UD students and faculty responses

OPINIONS

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Editor-in-Chief Vivien Sweet Managing Editor Julia Goldberg Issues Editor Adam Frommer Features Izzy Abbott Yesh Nikam News Adrian Arnaboldi Emily Shi Opinions MoMo Campbell Natalie Sweet Lions’ Den Avi Kapadia Oliver Steinman A&E Bradley Bennet Alison Isko Middle Division Yotam Hahn Joshua Underberg

THE RECORD OPINIONS MAY 1ST, 2020

Prejudice in pandemic: Experiencing hatred during COVID-19

Eric Cadena “You know, I feel a lot safer here than I do at any other grocery store.” The realization came to me as my wife and I stood in line waiting to get into the H Mart, a Korean brand supermarket, in Hartsdale, New York. “I know what you mean. No one’s staring at us here,” my wife added.

In the months since the COVID-19 outbreak around the world, my wife and I have been met with more daily hostility and racism than we can remember. My wife, who is Korean-American, and I, half-Taiwanese and half-Colombian, have spent a lifetime dodging, ignoring, or dealing with the day to day racism that many Asians and Asian-Americans face in the US. Everything from people pulling the sides of their eyes back into slants, the ignorant questions about what we eat, and the imitations of family languages we ourselves are still working to gain fluency in are nothing new and we’ve dealt with these for years; we have been taught to ignore it and not cause trouble. Yet, we marvel at how we may or may not fit into

many Asian stereotypes and how we can’t in good conscience say we’re the “model minority”: We’re only mildly good at math, we’re both excellent drivers, my wife plays the piano and violin, and I have a martial arts black belt, amongst other things. Since the pandemic was finally acknowledged by the president, we have experienced more daily racism and microaggressions. I have been ordered by strangers to go back to my country, to which I thought to myself, “You mean New Jersey?” We have experienced countless silent glares that label us as the enemy who brought the coronavirus to our shores.

When Asian cultures and achievements are widely praised, this reemergence of anti-Asian racism is puzzling, but again, not surprising. It wasn’t long ago when the film Parasite and K-Pop group BTS were all the rage. People enjoyed playing video games on their Nintendo and Playstation consoles, reading manga, and watching kung fu films. We’re all using Zoom, and many young people are on TikTok. Despite all these amazing things, COVID-19 has reduced Asian identity to a simple dichotomy: America’s coolest friends or

praised for the work they’re doing to keep people alive and putting themselves on the frontlines of the pandemic; amongst them are a few of my in-laws. We cheer for medical workers at 7:00 pm everyday, but do those applauds count for Asian medical workers as well?

My mother and my wife’s parents came to the United States in the early 1970s.

They experienced tremendous amounts of racism and xenophobia that they don’t openly share, but details of these incidents sometimes slip. They dealt with it and continued their work as medical professionals and dreamt that one day they would be accepted as Americans.

However, we have anxiety every time they go grocery shopping or to work, not just worries about them becoming ill, but worries of them being harassed for trying to live their lives. We’ve felt an obligation to watch over older Asian couples while they are on their walks or in line waiting to get into the store. We feel protective over Asian moms and their children while they are running errands. We feel the need to be the guards for local Asian-owned businesses against anyone wishing to do them harm. We take on these roles in hopes that someone else will do the same

A community away from home: The SDLC experience

Art Directors Lauren Kim Rachel Zhu Photography Jackson Feigin Julia Isko

Staff Writers Sogona Cisse, Sam Chiang, Jack Crovitz, Andie Goldmacher, Marina Kazarian, Henry Owens, Samuel Singer, Sasha Snyder, Talia Winiarsky, Devin Allard-Neptune, Chloe Choi, Emma Colacino, Yin Fei, Lucas Glickman, Claire Goldberg, Liliana Greyf, Lauren Ho, Hanna Hornfeld, Rowan Mally, Maya Normberg, Arushi Talwar, Katya Tolunsky, Max Chasin, Ayesha Sen, Emily Sun Staff Photographers Daniel Lee, Ava Merker, Maxwell Shopkorn, Kelly Troop, Halley Robbins, Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho Staff Artists Wilder Harwood, Sarah Sun, Eliza Becker, Felix Brenner, Riva Vig,

“We cheer for medical workers at 7:00 pm everyday, but do those applauds count for Asian medical workers as well?”

for our families when we can’t be there for them.

All these recent experiences have left me on edge for most of the time I’m awake. I am constantly looking over my shoulder and studying my surroundings. My brain automatically responds to every gesture from a stranger with hostility. What are you looking at? Can I help you to mind your business? What’s that supposed to mean?! You got a problem, buddy?!

However, when these feelings start to get the better of me, I try to look for the good in people. Companies like Table to Table NYC deliver meals with hopeful letters to elderly Asian-New Yorkers who have difficulty shopping for groceries and cooking for themselves. Organizations like the Millburn Short Hills Chinese Association and the Long Island Chinese American Association have raised thousands of dollars and donated thousands of needed medical supplies to local hospitals fighting COVID-19.

We’re all dealing with this pandemic. It’s tiring. It’s exhausting. It’s frustrating. It’s isolating. But doing good for others goes a long way towards helping people cope and overcome this pandemic.

I’d like to leave something for HMstudents to consider, regardless of how they identify themselves; People feel fear when faced with uncertainty. That fear can manifest as hate towards those who are convenient targets. Hate will not prevent anyone from getting sick, it will not cure any illness, and it is the poison that is easy to drink when people foolishly believe it is the one thing that can cleanse them. Strive to walk the walk and make the hard choices to create the inclusive future that we need.

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

Design Editors Abby Beckler John Mauro

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

America’s greatest threat. In the hospitals, Asian doctors and nurses might be

Nshera Tutu The Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is a four-day gathering of students centered on conversations about diversity, social justice, and community building. I originally applied to the conference because I had heard about how eye-opening and moving SDLC was from friends who had previously attended. Discussing and learning about social justice is a passion of mine, and I hadn’t had the chance to truly engage in topics about it prior to SDLC. Part of what drew me to it was the fact that I would finally have the chance to have these important conversations with people who truly cared. I’ve found that sometimes at HM, I have had conversations about identity with the same friend groups, clubs and affinity groups, and that not everyone cares about issues important to me.

At SDLC, I was surrounded by people who found these topics just as interesting as I did and were just as passionate about making a difference in their academic communities and the world around them.

During the conference, I engaged in many interesting conversations with people with a spectrum of beliefs and thought about my own place in the world. I realized the privileges that I take for granted and how I can use that power to better myself and help others. SDLC also taught me the power of vulnerability and leaning into discomfort. On the first official day of the conference, Dr. Rodney Glasgow led all 1,800 students who attended the conference in an exercise in talking about where our trauma lived. After talking about his own life, he invited students up to the stage to talk about how their trauma manifested in their lives. I found myself petrified by the idea of talking so openly about my darkest times in an

auditorium full of near strangers, but I was moved when I saw countless people sharing their stories like they were talking in a circle of lifelong friends. After that moment, I decided to be as vulnerable as I could with the people I talked to. Within my family group, the group of eighty randomly chosen students that I did all my activities with, I talked about experiences at the school and beyond that I previously never felt comfortable openly sharing. Everyone was respectful of what I said and expressed gratitude for sharing my own stories.

Although SDLC as a learning experience was revolutionary, what will forever be most memorable is the sense of community and love that I found. Within the family groups, people could talk about the struggles they faced, and everyone would respond thoughtfully. One could sit Courtesy of Nshera Tutu

SDLC FAMILY Group gathers for a shot!

school for the HM faculty who had traveled with us to Seattle for the faculty version of the conference, People of Color Conference. I found myself overwhelmed with emotion because I wasn’t ready to let go of the joy that the conference brought me. I was certain I wasn’t going to see many of my SDLC friends again, but I was assured by our faculty that this wasn’t the end of our friendships and that I shouldn’t be upset. This is when I realized that the community of people who shared my concerns weren’t exclusive to SDLC. I was surrounded by faculty members who supported me, cared about what we had to say, and helped to improve our experiences.

Luckily, almost five months later, I still talk to many of my SDLC friends regularly. My family group and the Black affinity group have stayed in touch using various forms of social media, and we still celebrate each other and our successes and uplift each other during tough times. It proved to me that the world is bigger than the bubble that exists at the school and that I am not alone in my experiences.

Unfortunately, Horace Mann students can only go to SDLC once, so I cannot apply again. Even if I could, I wouldn’t because I was incredibly fortunate to experience the magic that is SDLC, and I want as many Horace Mann students as possible to have that similar experience. Being around other teenagers who care so deeply, who understand you as a person, and who push you to be a more thoughtful member of your community, will truly change you for the better.

at a table of strangers during lunch and feel like they were already friends. On the two full days of the conference, we also spent some time in racial affinity groups. When I went to the Black/African heritage affinity group, I felt nothing but love from the beginning. We came together and celebrated the things that made us proud to be Black.

For instance, at the talent show on the last night, I lost my voice cheering for all the different performers that graced the stage. I knew that no one would question my Blackness, my knowledge of Black culture, or expected me to speak on behalf of all Black people, which often happens when you are Black at a predominantly White institution.

On the last day of the conference, the six HM students presented what we learned and wanted to bring back to Lauren Kim/Art Director

HORACE MANN NEWS MAY 1ST, 2020

New classes, new format: Students navigate course selection online Calendars on the UD Student Life PSL page so students can readily schedule meetings with them to discuss course planning.

Administrators still must work to strike a balance between Even when school is normally in session, course registration can providing students with information and not overloading their email be a challenging time for students and faculty alike. However, major inboxes, Registrar Chris Garrison said. changes including the new 100-400 level system and the entirely Students have had differing experiences in communicating with virtual process of course selection will likely make this year stand out faculty. Justin Gurvitch (10) has been researching various courses from all others. he was interested in by looking over future syllabi and meeting with The 2020-2021 school year will be the first time students can take a his advisor. However, many students found that scheduling virtual myriad of new courses, which range in difficulty from 100 (least meetings with their advisors is difficult, Samantha Tsai (11) said. advanced) to 400 (requiring departmental approval). The 100–400 Furthermore, many of her friends have hesitated to schedule meetings system will eventually replace the Advanced Placement (AP) system, with teachers they do not already know over Zoom, she said. which the school began phasing out in 2018. While AP courses The administration is well aware of the challenge require teachers to prepare students for standardized AP exams, presented by not being able to meet with teachers, 400-courses give teachers more freedom to tailor to advisors, or deans in person, Garrison said. As courses students’ interests and their unfamiliar as online meetings may be for the students, expertise, History Department Chair Dr. teachers are more than happy to meet to discuss Daniel Link said. course selection, he said.

Moreover, the continuation of HM Online However, the complete transition to virtual means that the process of course registration, planning can well lead to a lasting positive change. like all school activities, has migrated to a virtual “I think [the digital longsheet] is actually going medium, making this the first year that students to be more streamlined than ever,” English must peruse the Program of Studies, meet with Department Chair Vernon Wilson said. “I teachers, and fill out long sheets all online. don’t see any reason why we would go back to In light of remote learning, it is recommended the physical printed sheets.” that students continue to take advantage of their The new courses to be taught this fall online resources and means of communication, have been years in the making, and Upper Division (UD) Dean of Students Michael Dalo teachers are excited to teach to their said. Even though it may seem overwhelming at first, it expertise, Link said. Department Chair is important to look carefully through the PowerSchool Dr. Lisa Rosenblum said the Science Learning (PSL) page dedicated to program planning, he Department was excited by the opportunity tor said. to re-think the curriculum. The AP Biology course irec tD /Ar Students should meet with faculty in order to address u will emerge next year as a three semester Advanced h Z hel Rac their own situations, Head of UD Dr. Jessica Levenstein said.

Biology course where students will spend an entire semester Recently, all grade deans, Dalo, and Levenstein have opened Google on ecology and evolution as opposed to the three days spent in the

Madison Xu and Jacob Shaw Contributing Writers

Guest speaker Dr. Edith Eger reflects on Auschwitz in Zoom discussion Hanna Hornfeld Staff Writer

Auschwitz survivor, psychologist, and awardwinning author Dr. Edith Eger and her daughter Dr. Marianne Engle participated in a Zoom discussion on Tuesday during D period. In the meeting, which is held annually by English teacher Dr. Deborah Kassel for her Man’s Search for Meaning senior English elective, Eger spoke about her life experiences and a Hungarian cookbook she is cowriting with her daughter.

Kassel’s course is focused on why good people let bad things happen by analyzing genocides through literature and film, including Eger’s book “The Choice,” which recounts her experiences in Auschwitz. Eger has spoken at the school for the past three years, Kassel said. “Dr. Eger has honored us for the last years by accepting our invitation to speak to our class and the larger school community,” she said.

Courtesy of Amazon.com

THE CHOICE Kassel’s class analyzes Auschwitz Normally, Kassel’s class would have read “The Choice” by the time Eger visited, but because of the transition to HM Online, they have not, class member Amiya Mehrota (12) said. Prior to meeting this year, Kassel told her class about Eger’s life, and they prepared questions to ask her about her experiences, Belle Beyer (12) said.

In the talk, Eger shared her life story and meaningful words of wisdom. On the way to Auschwitz, her mother said to her, “We don’t know what’s going to happen. Just remember nobody can take from you what you put in your mind.” When coping with survivor’s guilt, Eger avoids the word “overcome,” she said. “I did not overcome, I came to

AP Bio curriculum, she said.

Many rising seniors plan to register for 400-level instead of AP courses, Evann Penn-Brown (11) said. Penn Brown was planning to take AP English, but is now considering the new 400-level English electives instead, as they would allow her to focus more on her own literary interests, she said.

Rachel Zhu/Art Director

Administrators are nevertheless excited for everything future classes have to offer. Levenstein hopes that students approach program planning as an opportunity to explore areas that excite them intellectually, she said. “And that should be their priority: ‘What is going to get me excited, so much so that I’ll read even more than I’m supposed to?’”

PARENT POWER: COMMUNITY FINDS WAYS TO CONNECT THROUGH ZOOMS, INITIATIVES Claire Goldberg and Alex Lautin Staff and Contributing Writers

Courtesy of Dr. Eger

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Despite the confining nature of quarantine, yoga classes, wellness workshops, sports business forums, and other online events have helped the school’s parents balance their home life with a virtual parent community. Parents have stayed engaged with the community by attending a number of webinars hosted by the school’s parents and students, as well as participating in food drives to help families in need.

During this challenging time, the parent body has been looking for more ways to connect with

end, Brooks helped participants use a wall to decompress and stretch after the workout, in a handstand-like pose.

English teacher Rebecca Bahr attended the workshop and found that it connected her to the community, she said. “It was very nurturing for me to do it and it helped me remember that we are all one community,” Bahr said. “We can support each other and rely on each other in these very difficult times and that is very reaffirming.”

On Wednesday, the founder of MindScience, Cathy Trentalancia P’23, hosted a mindfulness workshop for the parents at the school.

MindScience introduces methods to increase self awareness, peace of mind, focus and

PORTRAIT Dr. Eger poses for a photo terms with it. I got through the shadow, but I didn’t get stuck there. Guilt is in the past, and I cannot change that,” Eger said.

Eger compared her experiences to the uncertainty of the current COVID-19 pandemic, because both situations induce stress of not knowing what is going to happen next, she said. “[In Auschwitz] all we had was each other. And all we have now is each other. I hope this time period is going to be considered a way to hold each other’s hands and empower each other,” Eger said.

In this world, love and kindness are fundamental, Eger said. “I hope you ask yourself, before you say anything, ‘is it kind, and is it really important for me to say that?’”

Throughout the talk, Eger also stressed the importance of loving one’s self. “I hope you look in the mirror and say ‘I love you and I’m going to decide what kind of a day I’m going to have,’” she said.

Beyer found the experience very special, because although she has learned about World War II in class, she has never heard directly from a Holocaust survivor, she said. She was also warmed by the clear connection between Eger and her daughter.

Kassel hopes that students were inspired by the talk to become more proactive, forgiving, and kind, she said. Audience member Louise Kim (9) believes that this goal was achieved. “Dr. Eger’s message of self-care and self-worth really resonated with me, and her growth from her trauma was very inspirational,” Kim said.

Felix Brener/Staff Artist

Lauren Kim/Art Director

the school, Head of Upper Division (UD) Dr. Jessica Levenstein said. “It’s important to create moments where parents can be assured that the school is still here, that we are still taking care of their children, and, most of all, that we are still a community.”

In order to create more opportunities to engage with the community, certified yoga instructor Shari Brooks P’19 P’20 P’22 P’26 has hosted a number of Vinyasa Yoga classes online for parents, students and teachers alike. Vinyasa is a type of yoga that integrates breathing into a flow of poses.

“Yoga has incredible benefits and it is a wonderful healing tool,” Brooks said. “The meditation and the breathing are really beneficial tools to use in a time of crisis and trouble, but also for everyday wellness.”

The class combined a series of poses with breathing, making for a peaceful and meditative environment. It accommodated all skill levels while still offering a challenging workout. At the

connection. The workshop integrated three main practices— concentration, mindfulness, and loving kindness—to help parents lower stress and anxiety. “We can’t change the situation right now, but we can learn to recognize the negative thoughts and emotions it brings up and change our relationship to them in order to cultivate presence,” Trentalancia said.

Furthermore, The Horace Mann Parents Association (HMPA) has been hosting a monthly book club to keep parents involved, Co-Chair of the Lower Division HMPA and Book Club Kiara Jones Austin P’30 said. “It’s one of the spaces where parents from all the different grades come together to not talk about school,” she said. “Even when parents weren’t able to attend, it still gave them a reason to reach out and reconnect.”

see PARENT PROGRAMS on pg. 5

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THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 1ST, 2020

Three TV series to binge in quarantine

ALL AMER AMERICAN ICAN Katya Tolunsky Staff Writer I started watching All American out of boredom during quarantine, but I was disappointed to find that it’s just another teen drama with an overused, overdramatic plot that lacks depth and authenticity. Nevertheless, the show was entertaining enough to compel me to keep watching.

The protagonist, Spencer James, is a star high-school football player who gets recruited to play at Beverly Hills High by Coach Billy Baker. Though one may think the show would only be appealing to football fans, the football field is merely the stage on which the drama unfolds.

Luckily for me, the viewer does not need to know anything about football to watch All American.

The show features a web of plot lines ranging from familial conflicts and secrets, to narcotic and alcohol addiction, to gang violence. In addition to the absence of originality in each of these narratives, there’s a flat phoniness to the behavior and dialogue of the show’s characters. With each of these storylines stemming from different characters and communities, All American can’t help but feel disjointed as well.

Much of Spencer’s character revolves around the hackneyed theme that he is torn between two worlds. As he tries to balance his impoverished community at home with his privileged life in Beverly Hills, he is constantly angry or stressed about something happening in one or both of his worlds. Primarily in season one, Spencer gives an excess of theatrical monologues about how he feels disconnected from the rich students and teammates who bring laptops to school and spend afternoons partying on the beach.

Whether it be football related problems

or family conflicts, Spencer always seems to be complaining. Although almost all of the show’s supporting characters seem to love him, Spencer’s melodramatic attitude is not appealing to the viewer.

The one compelling and emotionally genuine aspect of the show is the racism Spencer faces, both overt and subtle, in Beverly Hills. The show also briefly touches on issues of police harassment which illustrate the discrepancies in the characters’ experiences as young men of color. However, the show lacks a more nuanced exploration of the role race plays in Spencer’s life.

The gang violence plaguing Spencer’s South Los Angeles neighborhood represents a missed opportunity to bring awareness to a serious and prevalent topic in much of the urban United States, and the unrealistically dramatized language and shallow characters cause this plotline to fall short of anything remotely meaningful.

Spencer’s issues with his father are perhaps the least original narrative in All American. His father abandoned him and his family from a young age, and Spencer claims to have blamed himself for it every day since. The show has a series of ridiculously corny flashbacks with dramatic music, which showcase his father’s absence at Spencer’s football games growing up. These scenes, although meant to be emotional, elicit nothing but eye rolls from the audience.

Due to a lack of authenticity, the stories told in the show feel stale and have been told far better elsewhere. All American certainly had the potential to be good, but when given the opportunity to be original, over and over, the creators chose the beaten cliché and unrealistic dialogue.

“Did Carole Baskin feed her husband to tigers?” is one of the many outrageous questions posed in the strangely addictive Netflix original series Tiger King: Murder, Madness, and Mayhem. The documentary follows the bizarre, action-packed life of big cat owner Joe Exotic. The seven episode docuseries primarily focuses on the conflict between Exotic and animal rights activist Carole Baskin while also providing an overview of the nutty world of big cat owners in the U.S. From the eccentric subjects of the documentary, to the controversy over ownership of tigers, lions, and jaguars, Tiger King is a mustwatch.

The audience is first introduced to Exotic’s Zoo, the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park and learns about Exotic’s feud with Baskin shortly after.

The feud is powered by both Baskin and Exotic’s views on big cats in America.

Isabella Binnmyr Contributing Reviewer In Too Hot to Handle, single adults are sent to a beach villa and promised $100,000 if they successfully avoid sexual activity for one month.

Each time someone engages in sexual activity, all contestants lose money. Two contestants, Harry and Francesca, manage to lose $3000 dollars with a kiss on the second day. $100,000 dollars is a lot of money, and abstaining from sex for a month while living on the beach is a seemingly worthwhile and easy task for most. However, for these people, who I truly believe are sex addicts, it’s one of the most challenging activities they have ever done. After the kiss, Harry tells the rest of the contestants that Francesca was the one who kissed him and therefore she should be blamed. So, Francesca kisses another contestant as revenge and causes Harry to lose more money. Watching someone lose $6000 is both extremely infuriating and entertaining, and the sheer ridiculousness of the contestants’ actions makes the show phenomenal to watch.

An unnecessary aspect of the show is the manufactured growth of the contestants.

Emotional vulnerability seems forced by the

producers in order to make a show that has value and isn’t just trash TV, which, for avid lovers of trash TV (myself included), is unnecessary and boring. I would rather see two brunette girls fight over a guy with nipple piercings.

Lana, the show’s version of Amazon’s Alexa, tells the contestants that they need to become more emotionally mature and stop being “serial swipers.”

In order to improve their emotional maturity, the contestants participate in weird workshops, such as tying each other up and staring at each other for too long. The contestants seemingly “mature” over time, which we only know because they tell us constantly in the last episode, but it seems fake, especially during the third week when the contestants are given watches that turn green and grant them permission to engage in sexual activity when they act emotionally vulnerable. The watches, combined with the fact that there is prize money at stake, result in a false sense of emotional growth from the contestants.

Too Hot to Handle is ridiculous and really doesn’t provide anything past mindless distraction and entertainment. However, for now, that’s exactly what most people need.

Riva Vig/Staff Artist

Riva Vig/Staff Artist

TIGER KING Emma Colacino Staff Writer

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Baskin is devoted to ending the breeding and captivity of big cats, while Exotic boasts that he is the biggest breeder of tigers in the U.S. This feud is one of the most interesting elements of the show, as both parties constantly try to derail the work of the other through insults, accusations, and lawsuits. Most notably, Exotic accuses Baskin of killing her husband Don and feeding him to the tigers in her sanctuary.

I personally do not believe that Baskin fed her husband to tigers, as there is little substantive evidence suggesting that she did.

As more information is revealed about both Baskin and Exotic, it becomes clear that neither are as righteous as they claim.

Baskin’s ideology is often hypocritical, while animal abuse clearly occurs in Exotic’s zoo. Viewing the exploitation of animals in Exotic’s zoo made it clear to me that politicians must create laws to prevent big cats from being kept in private zoos.

As the series continues into the fifth, sixth and, seventh episodes, Exotic’s focus shifts from his animals to politics, as he strangely and unsuccessfully runs for President of the United States in 2016 and then Governor of Oklahoma in 2018.

Exotic promotes his campaign by handing out condoms with his face on them and bringing tiger cubs to his parade floats.

While this section of the show was interesting because of its strange nature, it did not add any importance to the documentary as a whole. I believe the political focus of the last few episodes could have been cut, as they caused the ending to be dragged out longer than necessary.

Upon completing the show, viewers will have a greater understanding of exotic animal ownership in America.

Though the plot meanders towards the end, for the most part, Tiger King is incredibly engaging and a great way to stay entertained during quarantine.

Rachel Zhu/Art Director

5

HORACE MANN MIDDLE DIVISON MAY 1ST, 2020

from Parent Programming on page 3 Furthermore, The Horace Mann Parents Association (HMPA) has been hosting a monthly book club to keep parents involved, Co-Chair of the Lower Division HMPA and Book Club Kiara Jones Austin P’30 said. “It’s one of the spaces where parents from all the different grades come together to not talk about school,” she said. “Even when parents weren’t able to attend, it still gave them a reason to reach out and reconnect.”

Nancy Pretsfelder P’13 P’18 P’23 and Amy Federman P’21 have also started a new initiative called “HM Has a Heart” as another way for parents to stay involved in the community, Head of the HMPA Andrea Madaio P’23 said. The initiative calls for parents to underwrite grocery bags for families in need.

Their goal is to supply 75 bags of groceries each week to families in need, Federman said.

“We launched this initiative on April 21 and have already raised over $20,000 worth of grocery bags,” she said. “Parents are thanking us for launching this initiative and for giving them a way to help out and make a meaningful difference, especially in a world right now, in which everyone feels so helpless.”

Madaio said that she hopes parents take these opportunities to connect so that they know they’re not alone and that the school’s community is here for them.

“These additional offerings are a wonderful opportunity to double down on strengthening the relationships that we value greatly,” Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote in an email. Events for parents are a relief because they give parents a way to stay engaged while their children are working, he wrote.

There have been some benefits to switching the parent programs to an online format, Levenstein said. “People can fit them into their schedules much more easily so going online means that W can be more points of contact,” she said. The administration is still planning more opportunities this school year for parents, faculty, and students to get together in various forms.

Federman said that she would like to have a Facebook page to bolster the online parent community and share information. “I have always found [Facebook pages] a great community building tool,” she said.

Brooks said that she is impressed by all of the programming for the community. “We’re limited on what we can do right now so we’re being very creative,” she said. “There’s a learning curve and it’s really taken off.”

MD mentor program resumes online Courtesy of Bradley Bennett

Courtesy of Bradley Bennett

SELFIE TIME! Eckels advisory poses for a selfie.

Maya Nornberg and Jillian Lee Staff and Contributing Writers On March 4, Middle Division (MD) mentor Samuel Weidman (10) headed into what he did not know would be his final in-person meeting for months to come.

As the news surrounding COVID-19 began to grow, the MD Mentor Program leadership began contemplating how the pandemic would affect the meaningful relationships between mentors and mentees.

The MD Mentor Program is a crucial way of allowing Upper Division (UD) students to build lasting connections with middle schoolers, MD Mentor Program co-leader Leyli Granmayeh (11) said. Activities led by mentors during advisory sessions range from check-ins and discussions to physical activities such as bonding games.

Madison Kim (8) finds the program to be a valuable chance to learn about high school, she said. “Mentors can really prepare us for high school because they are going through it right now.”

The role of the program in difficult times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, is to maintain the connection between the UD and MD, Head of the MD Mentor Program Wendy Reiter said. “This is the first time we’ve had to explore a creative way to stay engaged in this day-to-day virtual middle school life,” she said.

A few weeks after the UD began their online classes, the heads of the program began planning their return to MD advisory meetings and preparing for

ZOOM ZOOM! Eckels advisory poses for a selfie. the adaptation to an online format. The first meeting occurred via Zoom on Wednesday, April 15. Mentor leaders told mentors to talk about quarantine and check in with their advisories, Granmayeh said.

Reiter, along with Head of MD Javaid Khan ‘92 and Advisory Coordinator Norma Rodriguez, has developed guidelines to engage all mentees and aid the mentors in managing their groups, Reiter said. They decidedto include advisors in the meetings, although they were muted and their cameras were off, was a valuable rule, because it made them available just in case, Reiter said.

As part of adjusting to the new online format, mentors and mentees are only meeting every other week, for the time being, Granmayeh said. Although Granmayeh finds the decision to alter the meetings from weekly to every other week beneficial, Weidman believes meetings should occur more frequently. “If we’re just doing mentoring once every other week, it’s not doing much, especially when there’s so much time on everyone’s hands,” Weidman said.

The leadership team conducts Zoom calls two to three times a week in order to discuss how online mentoring is going and the adjustments necessary for the application process for new mentors, coleader Charles Shapiro (11) said.

However, therew are challenges that come with the transition to online mentoring. Kim said that her advisory’s interactions were awkward at first, unlike their meetings on campus.

“Mentoring is really about the interactions you have with the mentees,” Weidman said. “You can’t recreate that online.”

There were also logistical issues in the transition. Granmayeh and her fellow leaders do not have advisories and are instead in charge of taking attendance.

On campus, leaders were able to walk between rooms to check on the advisories, but doing so on Zoom is far more timeconsuming and disruptive, Granmayeh said.

To solve this issue, leaders are constantly communicating with mentors on Facebook Messenger, where mentors explain what they did in their advisories that week, Shapiro said. “This helps give mentors new activity ideas that their peers have tried, and a way to track mentor attendance,” he said.

As additional aspects, such as the tutoring feature of the program, are being evaluated, Reiter wants to proceed slowly and come together to revisit and see how successful the program has been, she said.

MD students are excited for the possibility of expanding the academic aspect of the mentor program online, as it would be a convenient way to stay connected with mentors, Logan Scharlatt (7) said. “If someone needed help with their math homework, it would be easy to just drop in on Zoom,” he said.

Despite certain restrictions, students and mentors alike were delighted to see one another again. “It was a great first step into normalcy and routine,” Samantha Pruzan (8) said.

Online MD assembly promotes empathy Chloe Choi and Emily Salzhauer Staff and Contributing Writers Last Wednesday, the Middle Division (MD) held an assembly that highlighted the importance of students supporting students during these difficult times, through a series of stories told by John Dorr Nature Lab teacher, Nick DePreter, and the Head of MD, Javaid Khan.

DePreter was asked to speak at the assembly because he attended a workshop called Narrative 4, where faculty learned to build empathy by sharing their personal stories, he said. The workshop’s mission is to “equip people to use their stories to build empathy, shatter stereotypes, break down barriers, and—ultimately—make the world a better place,” according to the Narrative 4 website.

“My goal was to support [Khan] as a fellow colleague and to hopefully get Middle Division kids thinking positively about their experience right now and know how to build some empathy for each other in the future,” DePreter said. Taking place on Zoom, the assembly had a successful turnout of around 500 people, including both MD students and faculty.

“Mr. Khan’s story was about a car accident with a happy ending and a realization that his family is looking out for him in ways he never quite understood until he needed it,” DePreter said. “Mine was about a canoe trip with the potential for disaster and my realization that I needed to learn from my friend that even though I think I should be able to handle whatever life and rivers throws at me, I have to accept help, admit to my own vulnerability, and [I] actually grew as a result.”

The main message of the stories was to encourage students to be sympathetic of others, and to put themselves in each other’s

shoes. “Each [story] seemed like a traumatizing experience, but [the stories] ended with people coming together to help each other when it was needed,” Alex Schnurman (8) said.

MD history teacher John McNally thought that it was nice for

to catch up with everyone and feel like we are part of the Middle Division.”

However, other students had mixed feelings about the assembly, Stern said. “I know that not everybody enjoyed the whole assembly because they felt that it wasn’t a great use of their time in the middle of the day, but I also know that others found it very motivating and encouraging.”

Alexandra Leichter (7) felt as though the assembly reduced the stress of both school and quarantine, she said. “[It] makes people think about how even in hard times you can always help people and someone can always help you.”

Khan has a talent for running engaging assemblies and McNally looks forward to having more assemblies like this in the future, McNally said.

Sarah Sun/Staff Artist

students to be together, especially since everyone could see each other and hear from Khan, he said.

Schnurman enjoyed being together with the whole division as he feels that during this period of isolation, the company of a large group of classmates is very comforting, he said.

Similarly, Lola Stern (8) enjoyed spending time with the rest of her division because it reminded her of school back on campus, she said. “While we are doing online school now, it feels a little more independent, but [the assembly] was more as a group. It was nice

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

MAY 1ST, 2020

Seniors reflect on their lost spring season Mia Calzolaio and Emily Sun Staff and Contributing Writers

When co-Captain of the Varsity Outdoor Track Team Charles Simmons (12) told his teammates that he had run his last race at the end of the indoor track season, they reassured him that he had another season outdoors in the spring. Now, Simmons’ statement rings true.

On April 2, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly announced that the spring athletic season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The news reverberated through all spring athletes, but it was an especially hard blow to the seniors who had looked forward to leading and competing with their teams in their final year at the school.

“It just ended so abruptly,” Captain of the Varsity Crew Team Ben Goodman (12) said.

“It’s sad when you work so hard for something and then see it collapse before your eyes. You can’t do anything about it.”

Other athletes were not as surprised by the news, yet the official statement made the reality have a larger impact, co-Captain of the Varsity Softball Team Diya Mookim (12) said. She was excited to see what the team would have looked like this year and was prepared to tackle new challenges.

“I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t shed any tears [over the lost spring season],” co-Captain of the Varsity Ultimate Frisbee Team Daniel Lee (12) said. “I had been looking forward to ultimate all year.”

Seniors were also dismayed by the loss of the opportunity to be team captains. Varsity Baseball co-Captain Mark Fernandez (12) said that as a freshman he looked up to the seniors and admired their leadership. This year, he wanted to play a similar role for the underclassmen, he said.

“I was looking forward to being able to lead the team and getting my chance to be recognized after being on the team for so long,” Captain of the Varsity Golf Team Matthew Wein (12) said.

Seniors also lost their chance to see their hard

work pay off in competitions and make a final championship run. “The diligent effort by our kids put us in a position to win a championship, and they will never get to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Varsity Golf Coach Tim Sullivan said.

Interacting with teammates is one of the highlights of spring sports, Fernandez said.

“Not being around those people every day has been really hard and probably the thing I’ll miss most,” he said.

Spirit and camaraderie brought the tennis team to victory in previous years, co-Captain of the Boys Varsity Tennis Team Ishaan Kannan (12) said. He hopes that the team will continue to hold on to that, even though they are not playing together.

Before the cancellation of the season, spring athletes faced another difficult loss: the announcement that the annual training trips that most spring teams attend would no longer occur.

Over spring break, teams go to either California or Florida for a week to participate in intensive practices, play against teams they would not typically face, and, for those in Florida, spend quality time together at Universal Studios.

For many teams, the trip is a highlight of the year, as athletes have the opportunity to train and build camaraderie, Kannan said.

News of its cancellation arrived during one of the first weeks of the spring season.

“Immediately, everybody’s mood went from smiles and being happy to being sad and gloomy,” Girls Varsity Lacrosse member Ranya Sareen (12) said. “The last 45 minutes of practice were pretty miserable.”

Similarly, the softball team came together and sat in a circle to share their mutual frustrations, Mookim said. “In that moment, being a team really mattered, because we understood that it was affecting all of us.”

To compensate for the lack of a spring trip and season, teams have turned to weekly Zoom calls to study game techniques and to work out.

“We are doing our best to stay positive and just

6

Courtesy of Andrew Cassino

Courtesy of Halley Robbins

Courtesy of Mia Calzolaio

TEAM ON 3 Baseball, ultimate frisbee, and softball teams stand together. enjoy each other’s company,” Lee said.

Several teams hope they can celebrate the season and play together in the future, despite the new circumstances, Sullivan said. While the baseball team has no plans at the moment, team members are trying to hold on to the familial nature of the team that is absent from online practices, Fernandez said.

Although they lost their last high school spring season, many seniors wish the best for the futures of their teams. “I’m hoping that the current juniors step up next year and make the impact I wish I could have made,” Goodman

said.

Last year, Sareen’s busy junior spring prevented her from fully appreciating the girl’s lacrosse season, she said. She hopes that the juniors on the team will be able to cherish their final season next year.

During this time, seniors are reflecting on their past experiences as athletes. “[The loss of a season is] unfortunate, but I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the team for the last three years and have made some great memories and some great friendships,” Wein said.

Sports during COVID-19: How fanatics cope with the loss Devin Allard-Neptune and Vidhatrie Keetha

Staff and Contributing Writers

“I didn’t realize how serious [COVID-19] was until sports were getting canceled,” Sam Perlman (9) said. Beginning with the indefinite postponement of the NBA and NHL seasons on March 12, many annual sporting events, such as the NCAA March Madness Tournament and the MLB season, were canceled later in March.

Coach Ronnie Beller was not surprised that mainstream sporting events were postponed because of the severity of the virus, he said. “[I] was happy the leaders of these sports put safety in front of the dollar.”

Perlman is a supporter of both the MLB and the NBA, and he wants live sports to return as soon as possible, even if that means hosting events without fans present, he said. “As a fan, I think that they should do everything they can to get games up and running.”

However, Nshera Tutu (11) thinks that if sporting events were to happen without fans present, it would change the atmosphere of those events, she said. “It will definitely affect sports because so many athletes thrive off of the presence of spectators, regardless of whether or not they support that athlete,” she said.

In the NBA, the atmosphere of the arena without fans can affect coaches and players, but from a supporter’s standpoint,

Rachel Zhu/Art Director Rachel Zhu/Art Director

being able to watch a game is what matters most, Perlman said.

“Even if you just watch it on TV, or watch on your phone, it’s still nice to have a game to watch,” he said.

While some fans believe that sports will find a way to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic, others feel that it is too soon to resume. “At the end of the day, it only takes one person to spread a virus,” Dalia Pustilnik (10) said. A player or coach is just as likely to have the virus as a spectator is, so there is no point in having these events, she said.

For many sports fanatics, the cancellation of sporting events has led to the cancellation of anticipated personal and familial traditions. Watching the Olympic Games with her family to cheer on Ghana, her native country, is usually a moment of pride for Tutu, she said. “I cannot pinpoint an exact reason why sports are so important,” she said. “I’ve grown up in a home that’s really big on sports, and it grew on me from a very young age.”

As a longtime supporter, math teacher Chris Jones has also been looking forward to attending a few baseball games with his father, which he does each year, he said. Jones said being able to anticipate such events would make it easier to get through these difficult times. However, due to the severity of the pandemic, that tradition might not happen this year. “I should try to put things in context and realize how big the pandemic situation is and that losing sports for a while is little compared to life-anddeath situations,” he said.

Perlman will also be missing out on a family tradition this year, he said. Under normal circumstances, Perlman would go to a Brooklyn Nets game to celebrate his birthday, but this year he was unable to do so.

Life in quarantine without sports has also affected Pulstilnik’s relationships with her friends, she said. In the past, she had established friendships through her love of the New York Yankees, but during this time, she cannot discuss the games with them, she said.

Nevertheless, fans have still been consuming sports-related media. Tutu said that she watches as many replays of past games and events as she can. “Yesterday, I watched an El Clasico match between Real Madrid and Barcelona from 2016 with my older brother,” she said.

Jones also has been watching replays of famous games online, he said. “I really enjoyed watching game six of the 1975 World Series as well as game four of the 1988 NLCS.” As a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball fan, he was looking forward to this year’s baseball season, he said.

In addition to watching replays of past games, Jones has been watching shows such as Unorthodox and Money Heist on Netflix, he said. He also enjoys sports-related shows such as 30 for 30 on ESPN, he said. However, this hasn’t been the same as watching live sports, he said. “I love playing sports and I love watching sports and I love the crazy feeling of being a lifelong fan,” he said. “It is hard to explain to someone who is not a fan.”

“I cannot pinpoint an exact reason why sports are so important. I’ve grown up in a home that’s really big on sports, and it grew on me from a very young age.”

- Nshera Tutu (11) The ongoing pandemic has heightened the necessity of sports for Beller, he said. Sitting down and watching a game provides people with entertainment and a distraction, which brings them together in the process, he said. “Sports, to me, are the ultimate escape from the real world.”

Tutu feels that she has been doing the same things repeatedly during isolation and that live sports would have helped diversify her daily routine, she said.

“I tend to get really attached to the teams and athletes I support, which deepens the emotional connection I feel,” Tutu said. “However, I would feel terrible if I contributed to potentially endangering athletes. At the end of the day, they are human beings before athletes, and no sport is worth one’s health.”