The Pelican Vol. LXXIII, No. 4
St. Paul's School
October 31, 2023
ADMISSIONS TOURS UP AND RUNNING Prospective Families and Tour Guides Fill the Grounds Katy Scott '24
Student Tour Guides show prospective families around our campus // Photo by Gabby Purvis '24
FALL LINC DAY TO FOCUS ON WELLNESS Rest from Classes for Education in Mental and Physical Health Char Machiels '25 Students’ favorite day of the fall, LinC day, lands on Halloween this term. While the programming is neither Halloween-themed nor a day "off," the upcoming LinC day on Oct. 31 will focus on creating healthy habits along with encouraging mental and physical wellness. The day will feature a mind/body connection workshop led by a select group of LinC leaders who have undergone special yoga and mindfulness training from Dean of Student Support Kate Daniels and Teacher of Science Rick Pacelli. Among the special LinC leader group is Matt Vohra ‘25. “My group is buzzing early and often, putting in hard effort when we come together and doing the right things even if they aren’t pretty,” he says. This dedication extends beyond the mind/body connection group. “Everyone is doing their part to make this thing come together,” says LinC leader Ian Chang ‘25, a
member of the Scenarios and Social Situations group. With three returning sixth formers and 17 new fifth formers, most of this year’s group is experiencing the hard work and dedication that goes into planning and executing a LinC day for the first time. In addition to the expected workload of preparing for a LinC day, the team has recently experienced a shift in management due to Associate Dean of Students Robb Arndt’s parental leave. Associate Dean Thomas Gregston has stepped in to help. “It’s super exciting to work closely with the wonderful LinC leaders who are really the ones who do all the hard work in preparing for the day,” he says. Anna Asano ‘25 agrees that the LinC leaders all have something important to offer. “Each leader has something to contribute to the LinC day, and I’m excited to see pieces of everyone in it,” she says.
FALL PLAY SNEAK PEEK: CLUE Show will be interactive and "criminally hilarious" Annabella Bernhardt '24 and Manon Lesort '24 While most of the community has been enjoying the changing leaves, attending fall sporting events, working on college applications, and doing everything that comes with fall at SPS, the Theatre Company (TCo) has been working tirelessly to prepare a deathly thrilling and criminally hilarious play: Clue. The mysterious board game of many of our childhoods and the nostalgic 1980s film was adapted into a play in the late 1990s and adjusted for high school audiences by playwright Sandy Rustin in 2019. The play follows six guests–Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green and Professor Plum–as they attend a dinner party at a luxurious yet suspicious mansion: Boddy Manor. Filled with murder, confusion, McCarContinued on Page 2
The St. Paul’s admissions process is in full swing this fall. Prospective students and families have been flocking to Sheldon with hopes of becoming official Pelicans in the 2024-25 school year. The Sheldon building has grown increasingly busy as the January application deadline looms. Student Admissions Officers, or SAOs, are sixth formers selected to help the Admissions Office conduct tours, organize events for prospective students, and engage with parents. SAOs spend some of their free blocks in the Sheldon rotunda to keep the tour-to-interview transition smooth and engage in conversation with students and families. Admissions Visit Coordinator Joseph Bernier explains his role in the smooth tour process, organizing all student tour guides’ free blocks in an intricate Google Calendar system. Students now can accept or decline tour blocks multiple days ahead of their tour to make sure that each prospective student has an SPS student to personally take them around campus. The Admissions Office is also starting new programs to expand their applicant pool, such as Access SPS, which took place Oct. 6 and 7. Community-based organizations with connections to SPS reached out to students in different parts of the country to inform them about St. Paul’s. In past years, these selected students have come to campus individually. The admissions team says they have decided to group all the visits together, adding in a student panel, reception, dinner, tours, and buddy students to take visitors to classes. This new program, they say, is a way to immerse prospective students in the SPS life for a longer period of time than just a tour. With new additions to the team such as Associate Dean of Admissions Victoria Bernier, Associate Dean of Admissions and Director of International Recruitment Britt Harff and Associate Dean of Admissions Kathryn Powers, SPS is in for an exciting, diverse, and vibrant new class of students for the 2024-25 school year.
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News FALL PLAY SNEAK PEAK: CLUE Annabella Bernhardt '24 and Manon Lesort '24 Continued from Page 1
thyism and hysterical antics, the TCo is working hard to prepare an immersive theatrical experience with a set that travels through the audience and in multiple levels of the New Space Theatre. Theater director Kirsten McKinney says she could not be more excited and says she is “extremely proud of the characters we’re building. I hope that the audience can feel the excitement we feel on stage.” Located in the New Space theater, this theatrical performance “will be unlike anything we’ve ever had at St. Paul’s,” says Assistant Director Cole Edwards ‘24, who says he is excited to be a part of the artistic team behind the theatrical design. Throughout the performance, actors and audience will work together, playing their cards in the game of Clue. Audience members will accompany the characters as they venture through the mansion. As the characters begin to unveil the mystery, the audience themselves will be left questioning the integrity of actors before them. This group of actors includes many students who are new to both the SPS community and the theater program. All students in
the fall production must choose theater as their afternoon activity as a demonstration of their commitment to the program. In return, McKinney says she has decided to speed up the pace of rehearsal, resulting in the play being performed a week earlier than last year. This will prevent the actors from studying for their exams and their roles at the same time. This advance in production, McKinney says, will also hopefully allow for a larger audience, as other students will be less occupied with exam preparation as well. The cast includes 17 members of the TCo, including company heads Mason Deas ‘24, Gabby Purvis ‘24, Annabella Bernhardt ‘24 and Kitty Diamond ‘25. The student crew members include Edwards and Maya Edouard ‘27 as Assistant Directors, Jane Lee ‘24 as Stage Manager and John Sanfilippo ‘25 and Pierre Lokhandwala ‘25 as Assistant Stage Managers. The show will open on Nov. 3 in New Space Theater and will run Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday, Nov. 5 at 3 pm. Clue should be a night packed with intrigue, suspicion, and excitement, so be sure to reserve your spots for the production of the season.
Theater Company members rehearsing Clue // Photo by Vin Chutijirawong '25
HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN How did we get one of our favorite and most popular holidays? Miya Zhang '25 Double double toil and trouble; Candy put out on the double. Night falls on a raven’s wing What else will Halloween bring? Halloween: the celebration of all things scary, when people dress up in costumes to go trick-or-treating for candy. It is once again that time of the year when Oct. 31 nears, and I am here to wish you a Happy Halloween! Here is a brief history of all the celebrations and festivals that have led up to the culmination of our modern holiday. Halloween originated with the Celtic festival of Samhain, a pagan religious festival to welcome the harvest and ward off ghosts and monsters. The Celts believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth on Sam-
hain, which explains the frequent underlying association of Halloween with death and spiritual, otherworldly events. The modern practice of dressing up in various costumes at Halloween also came from the Celtic custom of wearing disguises made from animal heads and hides to avoid being singled out by evil spirits. When the Roman Empire conquered Gaul in the first century A.D., two Roman festivals were combined with Samhain to form a new tradition: Feralia, a day honoring the spirits of the dead, and the Festival of Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees. The latter provides rationale for the tradition of apple-bobbing on Halloween, given that the symbol for Pomona was an apple. The final festival that creates the amalga-
mation of Halloween we celebrate today is the Christian All Saints Day, also known as All Souls Day, which honors Christian martyrs. The holiday involved practices of bonfires, parades, and people dressed up as angels and devils. “Halloween” gets its name
from this celebration, as the night before All Saints’ Day was known as All-Hallows Eve. Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, enjoy Halloween on campus! May your treats be many and your tricks be few. Source: “Halloween 2023,” history.com
Graphic by Michaela Hope '24
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News DONALD "BUCKY" LUCIER: THE SCHOOL'S LONGEST SERVING STAFF MEMBER Sebastian Brigham '24 Friedman Community Center, 4 am. The soft hum of the dam is interrupted by the sound of a mop across the tile floor. The mop meticulously works its way around the Kwok Cafe and Grab-and-Go areas before heading downstairs, where it covers every inch of floor, from the bathrooms to the pool table. Bucky Lucier then packs up his materials and heads over to Middle, where he serves as the primary custodian. Forty-six years ago, Lucier says he joined the St. Paul’s School community as a parttime worker. He says he worked when he wasn’t studying, saving up money to buy a car. “I immediately fell in love with the school,” he says, and came on as a full time worker after he graduated. For the first forty-two years of his tenure, Lucier worked in food service. When Flik took over dining services at SPS, he says, he moved to facilities to retire under the St. Paul’s name, as his “loyalties have always been to the students, the faculty, and the school.” The first building Lucier worked in was Armour House, which was previously the campus health center), so it is fitting that his first position as custodian was again in Armour. This year, however, Armour transitioned into a girls’ dorm, so Lucier says was reassigned to Middle House.
For the past four decades, Lucier says what’s kept him at St. Paul’s has been the “love from the students, staff, faculty, administration, and board of trustees.” He can not reiterate enough how much the members of the St. Paul’s community have done for him: “This school means more to me than just a job. If I can bring happiness to this community, then I feel blessed, because I am blessed every day by everyone in this community. This school has shown me so much love and honor.” The little conversations that Bucky has with students and faculty members throughout the day bring him the “love and peace” to get through another day of “feeling blessed.” Even just a greeting on the way to class goes a long way, making the early mornings and hard work well worth it for Bucky. He wants to ensure that every student, faculty, and staff member on campus knows how valuable their presence is to the community, so every Christmas, he sends out hundreds of hand-written cards, each signed “with love and friendship.” September 25 marked the start of year forty-seven, and Bucky is “not looking to get out of here any time soon.” Over the coming years, he hopes to continue to share his love of this community and reciprocate the blessing that he feels on this campus.
Donald "Bucky" Lucier pictured in front of the Chapel //Photo courtesy of Michael Seamans
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH OBSRVED Students Enjoy Celebration of Latinx Culture Chiza Ilozor '27 National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) at St. Paul’s School was filled with celebration of Latinx culture, fun events for the entire community and a delicious array of Latinx delicacies throughout the month. Students say the events were “an absolute blast.” This year, organizers incorporated food and fun on campus, specifically highlighting Cuba, Mexico, and Columbia. Food is an integral part of Latinx culture and Flik, the school’s food service vendor, created tasty meals from all around the world. The final meal of the month featured empanadas and tamales in the Upper Dining Hall, served with tres leches cake. The Latinx Society also hosted an amazing party full of colors, Spanish music, and guacamole the group made themselves. “It was so meaningful and fun getting to cook with the Latinx Society in preparation for the Latinx Dance,” says Isa Martinez ‘24, head of the Latinx Affinity Group. The theme of this event was “All Around the World: Rep Your Flag,” and students say they had a great time celebrating all the cultures of SPS coming together during this time. Members of the Latinx community say that recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month each year is important for their community on and off campus to be seen, heard and celebrated. “We are a people of immense pride in our culture and this month not only reflects its beauty, but also, on a larger scale, expresses how diversity strengthens our world,” says Martinez. National Hispanic Heritage Month brought students closer as a community. Martinez says that in future years, students should expect more guest speakers who inform the School of important stories, along with fun, colorful events that highlight Latinx culture. Outside of National Hispanic Heritage Month, she says, the Latinx Society looks forward to creating events for members and non-members alike to have fun engaging with Latinx culture.
PELICAN MASTHEAD EDITORS IN CHIEF
Skylar Christoffersen ‘24 Lidia Zur Muhlen ‘24 MANAGING EDITORS
Andrew Choi ‘25 Lucas Miller ‘25 Cole Hamilton ‘24 LEAD C O PY E D I T O R S
Cora Partridge ‘24 C O PY E D I T O R S
Sarah Lee '24 Will Ekstrand ‘24 Annabella Bernhardt '24 Kelly Sung ‘25 Miya Zhang '25 Nausicaa Chu ‘26 NEWS EDITOR
Lulu Mangriotis ‘25 OPINIONS EDITOR
Michael Nechipurenko ‘24 STUDENT LIFE EDITOR
Henry Dennis ‘24 SPORTS EDITOR
Sam Bentley '24 PHOTO EDITORS
Temi Johnson ‘24 MEDIA EDITORS
Declan Schweizer ‘24 Henry Wilson ‘26 LAY O U T T EAM
Elle Ruminski '26 Aedyn Kourakos '26
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Student Life TEA MEDITATION AS AN ACT OF SERVICE Sarah Lee '24 Discusses her Sokoloff Grant Independent Service Project Cristina Baron '25
Sarah Lee in action // Photo provided by Sarah Lee '24
THE SPS COMIC
Comic by Luke Wolfram '27
As the recipient of the Summer Sokoloff Grant, Sarah Lee ‘24 gained the opportunity to merge her interest in developmental and intellectual disabilities with her family’s cherished tradition of tea meditation. The Sokoloff grant is a program that supports and assists in funding students’ independent service projects. Lee has been volunteering for the Special Olympics in Korea for a while. Her interest in helping those with disabilities, she says, developed when her grandfather became paralyzed last summer. When Lee heard about her grandfather’s struggles in a wheelchair, she wanted to do something. “Together with a close friend, we designed and submitted a pamphlet supporting people with disabilities to the Cooper Hewitt National High School Design Competition and we were selected as finalists,” she says. Over the past year, Lee shares that she faced her own health difficulties, which she says proved to be burdensome at times. The combination of these personal experiences led her to recognize her desire to engage and support individuals with disabilities. This plan came to fruition when she received the Sokoloff grant. Around the time Lee learned about the
Sokoloff grant, she also learned of an “intentional neighborhood” called Coastal Haven, a residence in Santa Cruz, Calif. for individuals with disabilities. Lee began to think about how she could provide a service to Coastal Haven’s residents and thought of the Korean practice of tea meditation, which her family often participates in. Lee says she finds the medication practice helpful in controlling her emotions and thoughts during her own health struggles. Tea meditation, she explains, is more than just drinking tea. Participants listen to calm meditation music and engage in a detailed process involving multiple steps such as brewing specific teas. This requires patience and forces participants to slow down. “At times when I’ve felt overwhelmed, tea meditation allowed me to focus on the present moment and just relax and get those thoughts out of my way,” Lee says. After researching the positive effects that tea meditation could have on those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Lee was excited by the thought of introducing the practice to the residents at Coastal Haven. Lee taught the residents of Coastal Haven the process of tea meditation in summer 2023. She says she was happily surprised when the residents would eagerly set the tea table themselves and attempt the complex methods on their own after just a few instructional sessions. After going through the process of tea meditation, Lee says she and the residents enjoyed snacks with tea while conversing or drawing together. Lee also created a common space dedicated to tea meditation in one of the neighborhood’s houses over the summer, and says the space is still being used for that purpose. Residents are enjoying tea meditation along with other activities such as baking. “I wanted this to last beyond the grant and so did the people there,” Lee says, “so I educated the staff on the process as well.” This winter, Lee says she will return to Santa Cruz. By that time, the tea meditation space will be located in Coastal Haven’s newly-built community center.
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Student Life FAMILY WEEKEND FUN: STAYING AT SPS Danielle Choi '26 On Friday Oct. 13, St. Paul’s welcomed families from all over the world to kick off the school’s annual Family Weekend. Later, students took a well-deserved break from the stresses of academics and sports. Both during family visits and the following break, activities and events were packed with excitement and action. Starting the weekend off strong, Friday night was filled with the Performing Arts Showcase in Memorial Hall. A spectacular show for not only parents but also students, the performance showcased pieces from the Ballet and Theatre Companies, Orchestra, Wind and Jazz Ensembles, and A Capella. As the official break began on Saturday, students indulged in a Chinese takeout feed along with a ping pong tournament with board games at the Friedman Community Center. “I was able to become really close with the people who stayed here, so that was really nice,” says Raya Yuguchi ‘26, who played card games and talked with fellow students for hours until check. Staying on the grounds over family weekend encourages students to step out of their friendship circle to explore new relationships and form closer bonds with peers. Especially due to the absence of classes and homework, many students find it to be a relaxing and a nice reset. “You can meet a lot of people you usually don’t hang
out with,” says Vicky Zhang ‘25. On Sunday, the school organized a day trip to Portsmouth, where students explored the beautiful town, visited the nearby coast, and wandered through the various shops, cafes and restaurants. On the grounds, students could find the Sunday classic: bagels and coffee from the Works Cafe. Students wrapped up the action-packed day with a chicken tender feed, a Mario Kart Tournament, an NFL Game screening and a trivia competition. Finally, Family Weekend marked the re-
"I was able to become really close with the people who stayed here" turn of a long-missed tradition: sleepovers. For the first time this year, students had the opportunity to visit and sleep over at other houses. “The school organized the activities for students very well,” says Zhang. Overall, students say this year’s Family Weekend proved to be one full of excitement, action and new friendships.
Family Weekend Mini Club Bazaar // Photo provided by Subin Park '27
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear reader, In our fourth issue of the term (a new record!), we’ve thought a lot about the role of the Pelican in the SPS community. We want the Pelican to be a place for students to express their opinions honestly, but also be aware of the repercussions their words can have on our community. We met with the Rector late last week and reflected on a crucial line of the school prayer: “eager to bear the burdens of others.” The role of the Pelican platform in the community is to allow students to share their burdens, whether that be through a captivating op-ed or an objective news article. Everyone who reads those articles is responsible for listening and reflecting on those burdens being shared and creating compelling discussions around the content — not the author or the author’s character. If we want to participate in these difficult conversations, especially in our small, tight-knit community, we must remember to separate the conversation from the person. We find ourselves in a unique opportunity to be a part of this diverse community, so we should take advantage of the time we spend together. Use this opportunity to hear and embrace the perspectives of others who come from different backgrounds. Working to find a balance between our differences may seem challenging and intimidating, but to further strengthen one's opinion, it is crucial to have one’s ideas challenged in return. So the next time you hear ideas that you may disagree with, rather than take offense, look at how your peer’s ideas can expand your own horizons. As our world becomes increasingly divided over issues, we hope that the SPS community can have open and respectful conversations that bring us together, not tear us apart. Skylar Christoffersen and Lidia Zur Muhlen
NEW PUBLICATION FEATURES AREA RESTAURANTS Thomas Armstrong '26 Do you like to eat interesting and fun food? Would you like to learn more about exciting and delicious restaurants in Concord? Well, if you would, you’re reading the right publication. The Concord Craving Chronicles is a new St. Paul’s School student-run newspaper whose primary goal is to educate the student body, faculty, and staff about exciting restaurants to eat out in the general Concord area. “Our main hope is to increase local business in town while informing the student body about new places to eat,” says 4th form coeditor, Wrenn Ragsdale ‘26. Ragsdale says the publication plans to review a restaurant in town every other week. The CCC’s first review is with Constantly Pizza, which has been a paramount partner of St. Paul’s for “at least 25 years,” says co-owner John Constant. Constantly Pizza has provided numerous dinners for St. Paul’s athletes during game days and supplied most Sunday night pizza feeds in the Friedman Community Center.
The CCC is proud to announce that from Oct. 11 until Oct. 28, Constantly Pizza has provided the St. Paul’s community with a ten percent discount both in-store and oncall. Customers should bring their school ID when ordering in-store to help confirm their St. Paul’s affiliation. If ordering on-call, customers should have their order delivered to 32 Dunbarton Road. Read CCC’s first review for more information, which will be posted soon on SPS Connected and our Instagram account: @ concordcravingchronicles. We hope to have our website up and running in the coming weeks for your convenience and satisfaction.
Graphic Taken from CCC's Instagram
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Student Life FASHION COLUMN: MAYU OGAWA '24 Lidia Zur Mulhen '24 How much does a person’s style actually say about them? For Mayu Ogawa ‘24, “my style says the opposite of who I am because I tend to dress pretty simple.” This remark is important because it is a reminder that while style might be a way for people to express themselves, it does not necessarily say anything about a person’s character. The monochromatic palette Mayu usually sticks to consists of white, navy, and gray, but this does not reflect Mayu’s personality, which she says is “a bit more colorful.” Mayu says she grew up being dressed in “simple yet cute outfits by mom.” To this day, she says, her mom has served as an important stylistic role model and inspiration. Mayu explains that her mom’s wardrobe is made up of a lot of simple designs in pieces, but she also pulls up as the best dressed. “Seeing her mix-and-match these simple pieces helps me to realize that I don’t need a ton of clothes to make a good outfit.” Mayu also explains it’s good to find pieces that are surprising. “I’ve been getting into pieces with unique cutouts, like a shirt that may look conservative in the front but is actually a little party in the back.” But ultimately, Mayu's advice is: don’t overthink an outfit, and “basic should not be a bad thing, it can sometimes be just as good as a super outthere outfit.” To add character to outfits, Mayu uses a
similar approach to her accessories that she does to her clothing: less is more. One way she is able to add more saturation to her outfits is by wearing a lot of simple gold jewelry. “Jewelry or a hair clip can completely change an entire vibe of an outfit, and it can make someone look much more put together,” Mayu says. “Sometimes accessories aren’t even necessary and you can transform baggy low rise jeans and a t-shirt into a model-off-duty look by slicking back your hair into a tight bun or ponytail.” Mayu says she would like to thank all of her friends for helping her pick out her outfit every day. “I’m so sorry to everyone I go to for advice on my outfit. I tend to be very indecisive, so I usually switch between multiple different outfit ideas only to switch to my first outfit of choice,” she says. No matter what someone’s style is, much thought goes into what makes someone comfortable and confident. Mayu has been able to find what works best for her, which is a more simple, monochromatic vibe. She encourages everyone to be adventurous, but also not feel pressured to stick out because sometimes the best and most comfortable outfits are basic. Finally, Mayu has one last special shoutout to Ava Price ‘24. “She always encourages me to get rid of my clothes.” Mayu showing off her style in the Baker Reading Room // Photo by Temi Johnson '24
STELLA AT SYA
A FOOD JOURNEY Stella McNab '25
Despite being over a month in, it still feels unreal that I am living and going to school in France. Taking the bus to school each morning instead of walking to Chapel after breakfast is still an unusual feeling. However, I am here to write to you about the present and not about my fond memories from my freshman and sophomore years at St. Paul’s. In this edition, I will be writing about the variety of foods I have had the pleasure of eating. For breakfast, I typically start my day with a croissant, jam, and, if I’m lucky, an iced coffee. The croissants, pain au chocolates and every other pastry you could think of are consistently tasty. When I can’t go straight to a boulangerie, I’ll go to the French equivalent of a 7/11 and pick up a delicious,
flaky, warm croissant. Lunch varies depending on the day of the week and the mood my friends and I find ourselves in. Is it a lazy Saturday? Is it a casual Tuesday? Or are we all craving McDonalds? Typically, we find ourselves at the French high school. We wait in line for our appetizer: typically grapefruit, half an avocado or a small beet salad. Next, we choose between a selection of cheeses (I always choose the Laughing Cow cheese). Then we head to the main, which usually features potatoes, broccoli or green beans, and a protein ranging from calamari to meatballs. Lastly, we pick out our bread and sit down for the next hour and a half, getting ready to finish the rest of our classes. Dinner is always the meal I look for-
ward to most. On weekdays and Sundays, I always eat with my host family, attempting to butt into the conversation whenever I understand a stray sentence. Usually, we make a homemade pizza, a savory tart and occasionally a soup, which we eat with a salad and bread and cheese (of course). On Fridays and Saturdays, my friends and I try to find the cheapest, yet tastiest restaurants. Often, we settle with an American option and have a 5 euro meal from McDonalds. Sometimes, we find actual French restaurants and sit down for a quick salad with a side of prosciutto and cheese. Dessert is always my favorite meal of the day. I love the sugary boost that a homemade blueberry crumble, apple tart or a simple chocolate pudding gives. It provides happiness and reminds me that everyone loves sugar, not just Americans. I’m sure the Upper has delivered tasty meals to the community this year, but I sure am happy to be on a food journey in France.
Photo courtesy of Stella McNab '25
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Student Life THE SPS QUIZ Lulu Mangriotis '25
Graphic by Michaela Hope '24
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Student Life THE SPS CROSSWORD Henry Dennis '24
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Student Life FALL BALL? HALLOWEEN DANCE? ...BOTH? Sarah Ernst '24 Opinions spread like wildfire across the St. Paul’s campus in early October as students discussed various ideas about whether the school should have a formal dance, a Halloween Dance, or both. Students were distraught when they learned Fall Ball was happening on Halloween weekend instead of a Halloween Dance. After many complaints from students and Student Council representatives, a question in Millville arose: Fall Ball, Halloween Dance–or both? Students and faculty alike could be spotted on the paths having heated discussions over which of the three options was best. One student shared his opinion on this serious matter. “Jack Bretl is pro both dances,” said Jack Bretl ’24. In general, students were in favor of holding both Fall Ball and a Halloween Dance. Many Fifth and Sixth Formers recalled what they say was a “legendary” 2021 Halloween Dance. When asked if two dances in
three days would be too much, Sixth Former Lele Gibbs replied, “We will rally.” On Oct. 5, students cast their votes in house meetings, with many houses voting in favor of both dances. The decision was not announced for days, however, and some students said this was “driving them insane” as they came up with Halloween costumes they might not have an opportunity to wear. Other students wondered if having classes the morning after a midweek Halloween dance will be a struggle. “Nah, it would be fine, no homework would be great though… I think having a dance midweek would be good instead of the usual Saturday,” said Pierce Trevisani ’25. There was also a rumor of a “pajama party and Halloween movie” instead of the Halloween Dance, to which many students responded with confusion and distress. While some said this was a viable fourth option, it did not have much student support,
Graphic by Ava Price '24
with the possibility of a festive dance overshadowing a pajama party. With each day after the Thursday voting, students wondered when and if a decision would be made, glancing around every time a member of the Dean of Students team or a Sixth Form Officer made an announcement. Since Halloween is not a closed weekend, those living close to campus in New England were considering leaving campus for the weekend if a Halloween Dance was not an-
nounced. But in Chapel on Oct. 13, the Sixth Form Officers dressed in Halloween costumes to announce two dances. A Halloween-themed dance was held Oct. 28, with an exciting spirit week leading up to the event. Fall Ball will be held on Nov. 11. Students will be in great spirits after Fall Ball leading into Fall exam week and Thanksgiving vacation.
MUSIC COLUMN WITH LIV
ECOFEST FEATURES SHOW-STEALING PERFORMANCES Liv MacMillan '25 Hello to my wonderful St. Paul’s School community! In this year's new SPS music column, let's take a look at the exciting music going down on campus this term. October is the quintessential fall month at SPS. The leaves get their uniquely stunning orange hue, we whip out our hoodies and chunky sweaters and start planning our Halloween fits to wear absolutely nowhere. One event that defines fall at SPS is Eco Fest: the plethora of pumpkins and farm ani-
Graphic by Kiki Hillery '24
mals populating the chapel lawn tend to define the event, but this year we had some show stealing performances on our Eco Fest stage. First, Eliza Tse ’24 serenaded us all with Tyler Childers’s “Jersey Giant”, as well as a few tear-jerking originals. Her confessional, Adrienne Lenker-reminiscent guitar ballads struck a chord with those who sat down to listen, and even pulled a few tears out of me. Tse has been playing guitar and writing songs since the 5th grade, and says as she grew up she “began to have more complex and nuanced life experiences.” She says she has used her songwriting as an outlet for processing such feelings that simply “can’t be expressed with just words.” Tse cites her biggest musical inspirations as Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. Her emotion-packed chord progressions, paired with the newly orange leaves and shining pond behind her, could not have made for a more picturesque moment. In the second performance, some of the
Sixth Form boys took the stage, led by Jack Sulger ’24 and Lucas Salazar ’24. Wearing immediately-recognizable festival attire with a decked out DJ set, we had SPS’s very own Fishers. In conjunction with their perfect attire, the group did not come to play, whipping some absolute bangers for the EDM lovers.This included “Billie (Loving Arms)” by FredAgain and “Baby Girl” by Disco Lines. Sulger and Salazar ended their performance on a high note by putting their own spin on some universal hits like “Mr. Brightside” and “Heroes.” While the performance was definitely a contrast to Tse’s soft guitar and Eco Action’s curated playlist of Hozier and Phoebe Bridgers, as an EDM fan, the vibes of this set were unmatched. Sulger says he and Salazar started mixing because EDM was what motivated them best during a workout. They began the mixing process for EcoFest only six days prior, he says, and impressively enough, Sulger says it was their first time mixing ever. Even with a
jam-packed schedule and only a week of practice, by Sunday, Eco-Fest was given a record-breakingly hype performance. We know who to call in to play the next dance, because I personally cannot hear “Cotton Eye Joe '' one more time in my St. Paul’s career or I might explode. Who knew our star crew athletes loved to rave? Next Eco Fest, I think we should continue this legacy. Watch out SPS, Liv will be taking the stage, serving up some hardcore techno and a bass face. Prepare to cover your eyes and ears. Lastly, in honor of the fall season and brand new column, I have organized a “Fall at SPS” playlist of my own personal picks, along with some great contributions from all of you. Whether you’re grinding in the lib, having late night talks with your roommate, or observing the beautiful fall foliage, I hope I can help you all cultivate your perfect seasonal soundtrack. Check SPS Connected for the link!
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October 31, 2023
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Opinions GO GREEN FOR HALLOWEEN Gretta White '25 A couple days before Halloween last year, my lovely roommate Isa Martinez ‘24 informed me that she was going to dress up as the Cowardly Lion from the film The Wizard of Oz. She was so excited about her group costume with some of the other girls in our dorm and wanted to buy a lion onesie that would be comfy but cute. When I asked to see the costume, she proceeded to waddle into the room in a skintight suit that, in plain terms, would raise some eyebrows. When I recently asked Isa about this event, she recalled feeling “terrified” and “betrayed by Amazon.” As a result, the cute lion costume she had wished for was ultimately never worn, as the dress code would have a field day.
The costume sat in a corner of our room for the rest of the year, and acted as a reminder of just how easy it is to scam customers like Isa. Whether Isa had misinterpreted the Amazon cover photo or should have never bought or trusted a lion costume off Amazon are questions we should ask. However, Isa’s innocent mistake can be a learning lesson for the students of St. Paul’s. In the future, before you choose to purchase your Halloween costume, ask yourself: what are some alternatives? Once November arrives, that costume you spend so much time and money on will ultimately be thrown into a Mish Bin or worse, into the trash. Halloween contributes to the environmentally harmful ideals of fast fashion. But with planning, Halloween costumes can be both sustainable and true to the holiday!
THE PHONE BAN IN THE LIBRARY IS HELPFUL Studying or scrolling? Patalie Viprakasit '27
Graphic by Kennedy Hinojosa '24
As someone who recently went to a junior boarding school that only permitted phone use in certain blocks of time (4:30 to 6 p.m. and 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.) I’ve experienced the benefits of not having easy access to certain apps. These apps, which include social media, are ones that I can easily find on my phone while studying. The second I put my phone down, a notification will pop up that will distract me, or I’ll be tempted to check my phone to see if I
got a text – even if it was on silent mode. As much as I hate to admit, it is almost impossible to multitask while producing quality work. When I do check my phone, my mind wanders, and I scroll through at least three apps, wasting five more minutes of work time. My phone is simply too accessible, and it is often difficult to resist the urge to use it while studying. Even when I’m not being distracted by my phone, I am still able to find other ways to get off track. Namely, my tablet and laptop, which play a significant role in the work I need to complete daily, make it hard to fully escape distraction. Still, being away from your phone promotes a lower chance of becoming distracted. I, for one, become more distracted scrolling on TikTok than when I am trying to browse for YouTube videos on my laptop. Overall, I do not think that being restricted from your phone will necessarily prevent all distractions from studying, but perhaps decrease temptation by not being able to access the distractions with just one click. The phone policy in the library is a helpful rule to avoid interference while studying; after all, the fewer the distractions, the better.
Could you make your own costume? Could you borrow clothing from a friend? Both methods could reduce your carbon footprint during Halloween and extend the life of your costume. Isa and I ended up creating our own costumes the past two years and had so much fun in the process. It is easy to get caught up in trying to buy the perfect costume. It’s a difficult process and can distract from the true purpose of Halloween, which is to have fun with your friends and be creative. So for the future, I’m setting a challenge for the people of St. Paul’s: Consider making your costume out of things you already have in your closet. And in our next issue, we'll even be highlighting some of the best homemade costumes we saw on the dance floor! Happy Halloween! Graphic by Kiki Hillery '24
WHAT'S IN THE WATER?
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS SHOULD STAY PRIVATE Jack Bretl '24 The college application process is full of very exciting moments. Some students find success quickly, but for many this is a long journey filled with stressful moments. As we come closer and closer to the deadline for most early applications, please respect students' privacy when it comes to their college applications. This is a completely personal process that is much more complicated than it may seem. When sixth formers are asked where they are applying to college, it really puts them in an awkward position. They do not want to ignore the question, but most of the time they do not want to disclose any information. At St. Paul’s the college process can feel especially competitive at times, so often sixth formers keep their process private from most people. One way of of supporting seniors during the college process is by checking in and making sure they are doing ok. This time of year, seniors might feel like they on their last ounce of energy, so any effort to support them can mean a lot. Let's all remember this part of our school prayer: never forget to be kind. Please support your stressed senior friends. Even giving
a smile goes a long way. What’s very exciting is that very soon, just after Nov. 1, the seniors will be past the Early Decision deadline and have a chance to cool off for a bit before the next round begins. As a senior, thank you to all who have put in the effort to support us during this often-stressful time. Form of 2024: we are almost there!
Graphic by Julia Koeman '25
The Pelican
October 31, 2023
P. 11
Sports ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: ANDREW CARROL Cam Perry '24 Last year, Boys Cross Country runner Andrew Carroll '25 had a strong season, averaging fourth place on the team with a personal best time of 18:14 in the 5K. Carroll says he wasn’t satisfied with his fourth form season and set an ambitious training plan to help him improve for his fifth form season. He continued running throughout the year and saw significant im-
"Carrol shattered his previous record...finishing with a time of 17:18 minutes." provements through his summer training. He says that maintaining discipline without the support of the team was difficult at times, but he found a way. "I was lucky to have friends who also ran back home,” he says, “who were able to keep me consistent and accountable, which was great." The proof of Carroll’s hard work and determination quickly became evident in the team’s opening race against Groton, where Carroll shattered his previous personal record by an astonishing 58 seconds, finishing with a time of 17:18 minutes. This remarkable accomplishment not only secured him the top spot on the varsity team but also sent a powerful message about his dedication and the potential of the team moving forward.
The team’s impressive victory against Groton was just the beginning of the journey for boys XC. The team has its sights set on the annual NEPSAC meet at the end of the fall, aiming to top their fifth-place finish from the previous year. Carroll reflects on the impact of the team’s performance over Family Weekend: "Family Weekend definitely helped show where we are and what we need to improve," he says. As the cross country season unfolds, the team’s progress in culture, training focus, and mutual accountability is clear. The synergy of individual determination and collective support is setting the stage for a promising end to the season. “I have seen great progress in team culture, focused training, and holding each other accountable,” says Carroll. “But only time will tell where we line up for NEPSACs."
Andrew Carroll taking the track by storm during practice // Photo by Ryan Su '26
TEAM HIGHLIGHT: BOY'S VARSITY SOCCER Theo Christofferson '26
Photo by Ryan Su '26
Boys Varsity Soccer playing against Deerfield // Photo by Temi Johnson '24
The Boys Varsity Soccer team had an impressive 7-6-3 record during their 2022 campaign, culminating in a second-place finish in the Lakes Region. Some highlights included notable victories against tough opponents and a stunning two-goal comeback against a strong Phillips Andover squad. Looking to build on their previous successes, boys varsity soccer began their 2023 season under the experienced guidance of their captains Randy Fu ‘25, Brandon Cho ‘24 and Declan Schweizer ‘24. The team graduated eleven seniors last year, so there were a lot of new faces on the team looking to make their mark this season. “We feel like we have each other to rely on when down on ourselves,” said Hunter Morton ‘26. Fu acknowledged that the season started out with some challenges. “The beginning of the season has been particularly challenging for the boys, with a streak of away games
against top NEPSAC schools and several injuries within the team,” he said. With a full schedule of upcoming home games however, the team looked to turn the page and redefine their season. “With the start of our home game schedule, I think it can be an important turning point of the season, and we really look forward to pocket some wins in front of our fans,” said Fu. The team has made good progress since the start of the year and is definitely improving. “Our main goal this year is to build character in the team and manifest it through our effort on and off the field and get as many wins as possible,” said Fu. The team secured their first win of the season during their midOctober matchup against Berwick with an impressive finish by Henry Wilson ‘26 on a cross from Cho. The players hope students will support their team for the second half of the season as they look forward to building on their momentum with some exciting matchups at home.
October 31, 2023
The Pelican
P. 12
Sports TEAM HIGHLIGHT: FARM TEAM A team for a reason Cami Bell '24 The Farm Team has been up to a lot of exciting stuff this fall. Along with maintaining the community garden, students say they have been baking focaccia on the outdoor stove and built a new fence to give the SPS chickens more space to race around. “We do quite a lot. It’s hard to find two days where we do just the same activity, and there always seems to be something new to do,” says Farm Team captain Brandon Montoya ‘24. This year, in addition to their on-campus duties, Farm Team has been completing projects outside of campus. Montoya and the team have helped take care of crops planted by refugees at a farm in Concord and pulled
invasive weeds, up to 100 feet long, that were growing on trees in the forest. Students grew and harvested lettuce used in the salads during Family Weekend through a technique called hydroponics, which uses a water-based nutrient solution instead of traditional soil. Experiences like this, students say, make for a great opportunity to learn about how the food the community eats in the dining hall makes it to the plate. “I have learned new topics that I did not know much about before, ranging from topics like environmental science and ecology to food and cultivation,” says Montoya.
Farm Team members hard at work // Photos by Temi Johnson '24
Written by Sam Bentley '24 // Graphic by Cole Hamilton '24