Pingry Record January 2017

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Volume CXLII, Number 3

Students Empowered at People of Color Conference

www.pingry.org/ record

The Pingry School, Basking Ridge, New Jersey

January 31, 2017

Bugliari ‘52 Athletics Center: A True Home Court Advantage

By ALEXIS ELLIOT (V)

By RACHEL CHEN and MEGAN PAN (V)

The People of Color Conference (POCC) is a conference in which 1,700 high school students and over 2000 teachers from private schools all across the country join together to discuss diversity and topics related to the subject matter.

Pingry students Katie Ho (VI), Coby Weiss (VI), Patrick Gilfillan (VI), Alexis Elliot (V), Alessia Zanobini (IV), and Miro Bergam (IV) attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), the student aspect of POCC. Eighteen faculty members, led by Head of Diversity Dr. Diana Artis, attended POCC as well.

As the Pingry students took their seats in the convention center in Atlanta, Georgia, the theme and mission of the conference flashed on a massive screen: “Fulfilling the Dream Together.”

After reading these words, the students comprehended their meaning. But by the end of the four-day conference and after much reflection on the experience, their understanding of these words changed completely.

The first course of action was a keynote address by attorney Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson opened by speaking on a prevalent topic: mass incarceration linked to deeply rooted racism. His work includes defending those who are on death row, and he has helped save over one hundred lives doing so.

Stevenson effectively advocated the need for compassion and a second chance for many of the world’s criminals, many of whom are teenagers.

With this uplifting keynote address, the conference’s empowerment had already begun.

The rest of the conference consisted of Pingry students being split up into “family groups” named after influential human rights activists such as Charlene Teters and Malcolm X. Within these groups, students discussed the six cultural identifiers: race, family structure, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, and sexual orientation. Along with these discussions were interactive opportunities for students to further understand what external factors affected these identifiers and how these identifiers might benefit some groups over others.

Another empowering aspect of the conference was the affinity groups, which ranged from African American and LGBTQ to Asian and White. The main Brooke Murphy purpose of the affinity groups was to allow students with the same identifiers to partake in discussions, activities, and diversity initiatives. Not only was there deep discussion, but there were also many bonding experiences such as spoken word performances and music culture appreciation.

The four-day conference concluded with an inspiring ceremony with guest speakers Hank Aaron, Congressman John Lewis, and Christine King. These influencers spoke about how historical movements

By RYAN FUENTES (V) such as the Civil Rights Movement affected their lives then and now.

However, the most moving part of the conference was the passing of the peace. At the end of SDLC, On Sunday, December 4, the all 1700 students in the auditorium passed the peace to one another in a final chance to cherish the life changing experiences that happened in such a short amount of time. Tears were shed, people were uplifted, Purple Swans Dance Troupe presented a memorable display of Chiand most importantly of all, the dream of compassion was achieved. nese culture at the Union County Performing Arts Center. The performance, A Journey to ShangriLa, showcased an array of ancient dance traditions from various ethnic a green wall, a treetop walkway, along with other groups and regions of China. Ms.

By ANNA WOOD (V) improvements.

Hao as well as several Pingry moms The Sustainable Systems Club, a co-club of the Expressing her goals for the club, Isabel De- and students were prominently feaGreen Group founded by Josie Cummings (V), Vito (IV) said, “I hope that these establishments tured in the dances throughout the Caroline Petrow-Cohen (V), and Rikki Borkowski will make the school campus environmentally evening, and a number of faculty (VI), hopes to impress upon the Pingry community friendly and make green spaces more central to and students attended to support her the positive impacts of sustainability. our community.” and indulge in a mystical journey Having all attended the Island School, a semester Apart from the projects that directly ben- through China. abroad program located in Eleuthera, Bahamas, the efit members of the community, the sustainable The show transported the audithree students created the club as a way to bring systems group would like to promote more eco- ence from Mongolia to Tibet and what they had learned overseas back to the Pingry conscious facilities, such as an aquaponic system all around China, telling stories community. or a digester. However, this might be a challenge, through vibrant costumes and In the fall, club members visited Duke Farms as creating sustainable solutions or green infra- passionate movement. Children’s in order to learn structure take a sig- dances were interspersed throughabout the program’s nificant amount of out the program and those of power advanced sustainthought and main- and victory were mixed with the able systems. They tenance. However, more mournful tones of desert spent the day obGreen Group and nomads. The elaborate costumes serving LEED certithe Sustainable of the dancers complemented the fied buildings, solar S y s t e m s C l u b diversity and deeply personal mespanels, community have been able sage of each work. gardens, an elaboto make practical For many of the teachers and rate greenhouse, solutions through students who sat in the audience, and participated in finding a balance the show was their first exposure to a scavenger hunt between environ- traditional Chinese dance. Spanish that gave them an mental benefit, teacher Mrs. Mecartty-Dunlap opportunity to exconvenience, and said, “It was my first time seeing plore Duke Farm’s expense.

Chinese dancers, and the experibeautiful grounds.

Overall, the ence was very mesmerizing – I Josie Cummings Sustainable Sys- didn’t know how different ethnic According to Cummings, “It was an especially rewarding trip tems Club aims to increase environmental aware- groups of China could express because it gave us inspiration for all the possible ness and inspire members of the community to their culture so vibrantly through things we should try to do at Pingry.” value green practices. Cummings expressed her costumes, colors, and dance.”

The group aims to make Pingry a more energy- hopes for the rest of the year. She said, “I want Her daughter, Angie, was one of efficient and environmentally conscious place, to follow through with the club’s main goals: several audience members called working to provide more eco-conscious alterna- expand the club, make change at Pingry, and up on stage between performances tives to current methods on campus. Specifically, raise awareness for and about the environment.”

School Trips Page 2 they have proposed the Green Garden Design Plan, More student interest and involvement towards Columns Page 3 which includes an outdoor classroom, a rain garden environmental conservation could go a long way, Winter Sports Page 4 or native plant garden, more outdoor seating spaces, she emphasizes.

After a full year of construction, the Miller A. Bugliari ‘52 Athletics Center (BAC) finally opened its doors to welcome student athletes on Monday, January 9th.

The BAC is a 44,000 squarefoot facility that includes a multipurpose practice space larger than the size of two fullsized gyms, eight squash courts, a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning center, and Pingry’s newly digitized Hall of Fame.

Director of Athletics Carter Abbott sees the BAC not only as an expansion of the athletic program as a whole, but also as a necessary improvement for existing teams. “We’ve had a squash team for twenty some odd years and never had squash courts. We’ve had a fencing team for a long time, and they’ve never had a place that is their home. Same with wrestling,” Abbott said. “So this is a real chance, programmatically, to get us to where we need to be.”

The facility is named in honor of Miller A. Bugliari ‘52 for the impact that his more than 50 years of service have made on athletics and academics alike. The Blueprint for the Future Campaign website writes, “It is a fitting tribute to the man named National Coach of the Year four times and New Jersey State Coach of the Year seven times—a teacher, coach, department chair, alumnus, parent, grandparent, and friend who continues to encourage

academic and athletic excellence.”

Students and alumni also feel that the recognition is fitting.

Andrew la Fontaine ‘13 said, “Miller makes you feel there is a greater meaning to playing a sport, a sense of pride for the program. It’s not about you.”

The project has been a long time in the making. Over the course of eight years, the Blueprint for the Future Campaign has raised $65 million to support various needs, including modernization, science laboratories, and salaries. $15 million of the fund was dedicated to the new athletics facility.

After such time, effort, and money, the response from the community to the finished facility was overwhelmingly positive. “Kids have come up to me and said, ‘It’s awesome!’ and ‘I knew it was going to be nice, but this is really nice!’” Ms. Abbott said. “Yesterday, we had ice hockey in the strength conditioning center, girls’ lacrosse working out in Gym 1, fencing with a match in Gyms 2 and 3, a wrestling match in Gym 4, and squash practice on the courts.

Every single space was being used. It was really fantastic.”

Abbott also recalls the joy of finally opening the doors of the BAC to students. “It was really fun, actually—I stood with our director of facilities, Mike Wells, in the building on Monday afternoon and watched the kids stream in, and we both had these big grins on our faces because our teams had worked so hard to get this center finished, and we just couldn’t be happier with the way it’s gone.”

The Purple Swans Take “A Journey to Shangri-La”

Club Spotlight: Sustainable Systems Club

to try her hand at the Chinese fan.

“She was very excited!” noted Mrs. Mecartty-Dunlap.

Another teacher in attendance, math instructor Mr. Leone, also enjoyed the show. He remarked, “It really brought in my perspective on Chinese culture – you usually just think of the country as a whole. I didn’t know there were that many ethnic groups, and yet each had a very different feel.”

The performers themselves

from Sunday night’s benefit performance went to Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in honor of one of the dancers who is a breast cancer survivor.

For Chinese teacher Ms. Hao, also the president of the Purple Swans, the performance embodies her passion in bringing Chinese culture to everyone in the community. She explained, “Dance can be a tool for us to reach out to other people – we love Chinese

represented almost all age groups, both men and women, and several Chinese ethnicities. Nobody, however, was by trade a professional dancer. The group instead consisted of talented Chinese entrepreneurs, educators, and even Pingry parents who all binded together as a team.

The Purple Swans Corporation, a non-profit organization, not only promotes the Chinese performing arts, but also aims to have a positive impact in the community. Proceeds

traditional dance and wanted to introduce it to a broader audience.

We are very touched by Pingry’s overwhelming support.”

The event not only brought a panorama of Chinese culture to New Jersey, but it also demonstrated the spirit of the Pingry community – both in Ms. Hao’s commitment to the organization as well as in the vital support provided by those students and teachers who attended.

Lucy Chu

Stay tuned for the next issue: upcoming stories about art shows, Career Day profiles, and Pingry Drama.

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THE PINGRY RECORD

Editorial: Moving Forward

By KATIE HO (VI)

As I am writing this editorial, I’m still thinking about Career Day, which took place last Friday. Juniors and seniors have already met with alumni, who offered us insight into careers we may be interested in pursuing. Just as Career Day ended, the Record staff was putting together this issue, which explains why Career Day profiles will be included in our next issue and are not here. This is a time of transition for everyone.

Freshmen are going into second semester for the first time. Sophomores are switching from semester one of biology to semester two of chemistry. Juniors are continuing to devour their US History textbooks and work on physics practice problems. Seniors are plunging into second semester, knowing that after four years, this will be their very last.

Although semester one was undoubtedly hectic and stressful, I will miss it deeply. As a senior reflecting back on the last five months, first semester was a period full of learning, adapting, and trying new things. With a semester devoted to my academic classes, college apps, Yearbook, and of course, The Record, and through my interactions with my peers and teachers, I have learned a lot about dealing with unexpected situations, managing and handling stress, and the importance of representing our school as a senior and striving to be a positive influence on the underclassmen.

The first semester was about getting work done, and The Record is one of the many examples of this. The newspaper team, having to adjust after losing Mark and Abby to college, spent countless hours on the first October issue, an issue that focused heavily on the election that had not yet taken place. The second issue featured a number of opinion editorials from various members of our community about moving forward together after the election. Here we are, with the third issue, focusing primarily on what is happening in our school and in our community – the finished construction of the new athletics center, class field trips from December, and sports.

We decided to work with some of the news from before winter break partly because our many activities – like a fantastic POCC trip for this editor – made it difficult to get a longer paper out in December. At the same time, as we read back through these articles now, they can help remind us how we were feeling in 2016: stressed, yes, but also excited about the trips we were taking and the projects we were working on. At that point, we were still looking forward to finally being able to use the squash courts.

Now we are using them!

And if we’re reading a restaurant review that Ethan Chung wrote in September, it’s because we think it’s still a great review and a great restaurant, and we’re glad this piece finally fits.

The January issue is about nostalgia, but it is also about looking towards the future and seeing what the next five months has in store for us. I will have to cherish every day in these next five months and make them count, because before we know it, May will be here and seniors will be starting their Independent Senior Projects before separating and traveling separate paths. As you read this issue, we hope that you are excited for what the future has in store, but that you also hold on to the important memories from the past and inhabit the present while we live it.

-Katie Ho

AP Students Explore the Met

By OUARIDA BENATIA (V)

On November 21st, students in the AP Art History and AP European classes spent their day exercising their knowledge of visual arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The day started off with a bus ride to New York, in which students had the opportunity to bond with each other over the excitement of spending their Monday at the United States’s largest art museum.

AP Art History teacher Mr. Nigel Paton gave a tour of the museum, touching on various exhibits and famous art pieces.

One interesting painting Mr. Paton touched on was titled The Harvesters, by the artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

It features the life of harvesters during their lunch break and makes the peasant life seem relaxing and pleasant.

This paradox of a painting is believed to be one of six different paintings by Bruegel, each showing two months of life in the west. This work of art is essential to know in these AP classes and allows for a better understanding of the material being learned.

Katharine Matthias (VI) explained that her experience was both enjoyable and useful because “it gave a lot

By ALISON LEE (III)

On November 16th, the freshman class took a field trip to New York City to watch the offBroadway show Master Harold and the Boys.

Having just read the play in English, the freshmen were able to understand how Athol Fugard’s Master Harold and the Boys serves as a political statement against the racism during apartheid, the institution of many segregation laws that discriminated against darker-skinned people during the 1950s in South Africa.

At the time, marriages or any sexual relations between whites and other races were banned, and nonwhites were required to carry documentation. In addition, the white ruling class instituted homelands, or lands in which non-whites resided according to their record of origin. Moving or being forced to move to the homelands meant one lost their citizenship of South Africa, and Number 3

Editor-in-Chief Katie Ho Assistant Editors Rachel Chen Megan Pan

Website Editor Lindsey Larson

Column Editor Alexis Elliot

Sports Editor Will DiGrande

of context to what [she] was learning about.”

Halfway through the visit, the AP Art History and AP European History classes split and went to focus on works of art that are more central and beneficial to their curriculums.

All of the AP Art History students had prepared presentations on works of art that are displayed in the MET, and together they traveled through different time periods and places to experi-

ence the presentations. The students exclaimed that their expectations were shattered, and they chatted about how much bigger or more colorful something was in person versus on their computer screens or books.

Toward the end of the trip, students were given the opportunity to explore the MET on their own and were encouraged to revisit anything interesting they had seen during their tours.

“The MET is such an

amazing museum,” Connor Beard (VI) exclaimed. “I enjoyed being given the freedom to go around the museum and explore, and a highlight for me was the Buddha Room.”

Mr. Paton commented that the trip “also encourages students and all those on the trip to go back to the MET and to be introduced to it.”

All students were given teen passes for the MET that can be used for free entrance to the MET for the rest of their high school lives.

Maddie Parrish

Freshmen and Seniors See Broadway Shows in NYC

Volume CXLII

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TRIPS JANUARY 31, 2017

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homelands denationalized over nine million South Africans.

The play is a vignette from Fugard’s adolescent years spent in South Africa, set in a tea room owned by Master Harold’s parents and manned by two black men. Master Harold is a white young man still in school.

Occurring over a time period of just one afternoon, the play has only three characters onstage: Master Harold (also known as Hally), Sam, and Willie. Hally was played by Noah Robbins, Sam by Leon Addison Brown, and Willie by Sahr Ngaujah.

The play depicts a rainy afternoon that Google Images begins with Willie and Sam ballroom dancing while cleaning. Hally comes in, and they converse throughout the rest of the play. The conversation glides between ballroom dancing, schoolwork, and Hally’s father, a drunken cripple who embarrasses Hally.

They reminisce about the old adventures the trio had, but things take a turn for the worse.

After an explosive fight during which Hally makes very bigoted remarks directed towards his surrogate father figure Sam, the play dramatically ends.

There were some mixed reactions about the play, as many people did not like the casting of Hally. Dr. Reid Cottingham, an English teacher, said, “There were parts of it that were wonderful and some parts that fell a little flat. I felt that the actor who played Hally missed a lot of beats (the opportunity to find the depth of emotion). My favorite part was the set. I thought it was gorgeous and drew you into the world of these three people.”

Overall, the experience was a nice way to escape from the classroom for a day and experience the curriculum in an engaging setting.

By TRACY COOPER (VI)

On November 16th, the senior class, accompanied by several members of the faculty, traveled to New York City to see a matinée production of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Performed by the Roundabout Theatre Company, the production took place at the American Airlines Theatre.

After the production, a group of cast members returned to the stage for a talkback in which they praised the receptive audience, answering questions from high school students from a number of schools, including Pingry, who attended the show.

The production tied into many students’ classroom experiences, since many seniors’ European and British Literature classes had read The Cherry Orchard. The modernist play depicts a Russian family that is struggling financially

but refuses to sell their home and cherry orchard in order to save themselves.

Originally performed in 1904, the play is based in Russia prior to the Russian Revolution. It addresses changes that were taking place in society at the time, such as a failing agricultural economy, a rising middle class comprised of descendants of former serfs, and the decreasing prosperity of aristocrats.

At the heart of the play, Chekhov addresses questions

about the future of his country.

Would it be saved by businessmen or intellectual progressives? He also conceived of the play as a comedy, as most of the characters are unable to effectively communicate with one another or save themselves.

Stephen Karam, who also wrote the plays Sons of the Prophet and The Humans, adapted the production, while Simon Godwin, who directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet as well as a production of Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe, directed the play.

Many Pingry seniors greatly enjoyed this production. Will DiGrande (VI) said, “I liked going to the city and seeing The Cherry Orchard because it was really great to see the play onstage after we read it in class. In class, I was Lopakhin.

I played him, I was the voice

Google Images

of him, and to see him on stage was a whole different experience. It was really great to see.”

Katherine Trejo (VI), a World Literature student who had not read the play, said, “It was funny, which I didn’t expect, and was really nice. After watching the play and listening to the talkback, it kind of connects to today. Even though the play itself was written many years before the Russian Revolution, you could still tell there was some kind of unrest.”

THE PINGRY RECORD TRIPS and COLUMNS JANUARY 31, 2017

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Artists Inspired by Chelsea Galleries Looks in the Halls: Winter Wardrobe

By VICKY CHEN (IV) and PRAESANA DANNER (IV)

The drawing and painting, photography, and filmmaking students took the school day off on October 26th to visit the galleries of Chelsea in New York City.

That Wednesday morning, the students boarded a bus and set off to the galleries to develop a greater knowledge of artists’ techniques and to find inspiration for future in-school projects.

The groups, hoping to see as many galleries as they could within the allotted time, split off to tackle the various ones in Chelsea.

The trip was carefully planned and mapped out by teachers beforehand to ensure an efficient experience. When asked about the preparation that goes into the

trip, drawing and painting teacher Mr. Peter Delman said, “There is a lot of prep. Every year I scout all the galleries so we have a specific list.”

Groups were able to visit up to ten galleries in the short time period due to the teachers’ preemptive hard work.

This year, the trip was unique because some groups “went freelance and went to galleries that

weren’t on the list. Students had a chance to discover some of their own galleries and make some of their own choices,” according to Mr. Delman.

The groups visited exhibits with vastly different art styles such as charcoal, vibrantly painted rocks, photo-realistic paintings, and several types of sculptures.

One exhibit unlike the others involved short films, cartoons, and the specificities within those visual arts.

One gallery showed paintings in the style of childlike sketches with words scattered throughout and was a favorite for drawing and painting student Mariah Smith (IV).

She explained how she admired the way it was “able to convey a strong concept with a

exciting experience for all art students. Among these students was Nick Ladino (V), who said, “Going to the art galleries is always great because you feel very limited looking for art on your computer, but going in person is different because you get a real feel for how artists work and how their work is represented in actual galleries and not just on a computer screen.”

The trip occurs every year for continued exposure to different kinds of artwork. The hope is that the pieces the students see will be an inspiration for their work.

Speaking of their return to class, Mr. Delman said, “We had discussions of what we saw. Everybody was supposed to take pictures of their favorite work and use that to keep in their bank of images for the future.”

He hopes students will revisit these pictures throughout the year in order to draw inspiration.

The trip concluded with an exciting lunch at a nearby market, Eataly.

It is the highlight of the trip for many and a great way to finish the day.

“Eataly is traditionally part of the trip; we go to Eataly and have lunch.

So I jokingly say that it’s called the Eataly trip, and we also go to some galleries on the side,” joked Mr. Delman. “Obviously, that’s not the whole point, but everybody loves going to Eataly to top off L. Larson (V) the day.” really simple image.”

The annual trip to Chelsea’s Another favorite was one of galleries in New York City is a fun the unplanned galleries that the and interesting experience, one students opted to visit, involving that Mr. Delman says “inspires prints with spray paint and paint the students in their work in their splatters on top. Smith said that studio and to get new ideas — she “loved this one because it had because you can look at work so much going on at once, but it online, and you can look at work also had elements which tied it in pictures and books, but it’s not together, so it seemed messy but the same experience. It’s actually a sort of organized messy.” seeing it, the real thing, and that Visiting the galleries is an makes all the difference.”

Anatomy Students Visit Science Center

By SHRUTI SAGAR (V)

On Thursday, November 17th, the Anatomy and Physiology classes took a field trip to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey. At the museum, students had an opportunity to walk around the exhibits, see preserved human bodies up close, and watch a livestream of a vertebral column surgery.

The surgery was performed

by Dr. Hodosh at the Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ and lasted approximately three hours. Pingry students remained in the viewing room of the museum for the entirety of the surgery and were able to ask the surgeon questions about the operation.

The procedure involved removing overgrown sections of an older woman’s vertebrae. As the Anatomy classes had been learning about the skeletal system prior to the field trip, they watched was a perfect supplement to what they are currently studying.

When asked what she thought about the surgery, Mary Pagano (VI) said, “It was so interesting to actually watch a live surgery and be able to ask the surgeon questions as the procedure was going on.”

Students asked a variety of questions including clarification questions about what the surgeon was doing, questions about the importance of each step of the surgery, and questions about the overall procedure. They were able to learn a lot from this experience and make connections between the surgery and the class. For example, Dr. Hodosh’s answers allowed students to better identify the parts of the body that otherwise would have been difficult to recognize.

After the surgery, students had a chance to walk around the museum and visit a particular

science. There were displays of every single part of the human body of both the male and female. There was also a fetal section that displayed several stages of a baby’s growth and development.

When asked what she thought about the trip, Jordan Taylor (V) said, “The trip was a really good experience, especially for people like me considering a profession in medicine, but also for people generally interested in science.”

Pagano added, “The trip was so much fun because it was as if we were actually in the operating room. The hands-on feeling

exhibit called “Bodies Revealed.” The exhibit contained various body parts, such as muscle and bone, from people who donated their bodies to

you can get by watching the surgery on a microscopic level and by asking questions was one I will never forget.”

Google Images

double your wardrobe. Flannels are short, some are heeled, and are always good options that pair some are flat, but all are fashionable well with cool graphic tees or plain and practical. Adding a pair of boots With “sweater weather” finally t-shirts while creating an edgy look. to an outfit immediately looks more upon us, a new fashion season beWith warmer layers, light cloth- put together. Many shoes will go in gins. The transition from cool ing combats the random occurand out of style but a high-quality autumn temperatures to chilly pair of boots can comwinter promotes layered and bat cold weather wincomfortable styles. From ter after winter. For knee-high boots to fuzzy rainy or snowy days, sweaters, winter is the best many prefer fleece time to show off personal lined rubber boots or style while keeping warm. sturdy work shoes, For some, winter is the permaking the walk from fect excuse to wear comfortthe junior lot to the able sweatshirts. For othathletic entrance more ers, this season is a chance tolerable. to try new styles. Grace Overall, winter Brown (IV), for example, fashion is all about likes winter fashion because personalizing your “you can experiment with bundled up look. different layers from coats Remember that indito cardigans.” She adds, “I vidualism is always on love coats because there are trend. As Yves Saint a lot to complement different Laurent said, “Fashstyles. You can wear a simple ions fade, style is etersweater and change it up nal.” Just as everyone with a cute vest or jacket.” has different tastes Google Images With temperatures in and opinions, an outfit school varying from freezing cold rences of 65-degree weather. Rather is the perfect outlet to show your to too warm, wearing layers can than packing away your summer personal style. Although trends may help adjust to any situation. Popular dresses, layering them with knit be the majority consensus, don’t be top layers include bomber jackets, turtlenecks or plain t-shirts can creafraid to go against the norm and green army jackets, long cardigans, ate a trendy look that incorporates try something new. Some winter and many more. Bomber jackets summer vibes with cozy sweaters. wardrobe hacks: create a cool, retro look, while green Isabella Drzala (IV) agrees, saying, -Stop runs in your stockings or army jackets provide a neutral olive “Winter fashion gives me a chance tights by spraying a strong hold color that can serve as the base for to experiment with my summer hairspray that can hold the fibers any outfit. Finally, long cardigans clothes to create a winter outfit.” temporarily. have seemed to be a staple for the Alessia Zanobini (IV) especially -Fix a pilling sweater by gently past few years, lining the shelves prefers “sweater dresses with tights, running a pumice stone or a disposof large brands such as Aritzia and as they are comfortable, especially able razor over the pills (be careful Forever 21. in this building so that you don’t get not to rip the sweater!)

Brands such as Patagonia and too hot or cold.”

-To remove shed hairs or sweater North Face are worn around camWhile sporting a t-shirt at school fuzz, run a beauty blender over the pus as well, creating a more athletic might be uncommon, we have shirt as a lint roller. look. The warm Patagonia snap all certainly opted for closed-toe -Remove scratches on leather pullovers and North Face fleece shoes. Ankle booties seem to be boots or bags with a bit of moisjackets are popular choices that a top choice, allowing the wearer turizer. come in a variety of fun colors. more mobility in the calves. Longer -To clean suede, gently brush Throwing on a long cardigan over leather boots also still remain a with a toothbrush in the opposite a short-sleeved summer top can staple. Some are knee-high, some direction of the fibers.

By KRISTINE FU (IV) and ANNA WOOD (V)

Morimoto: More Than “Mere Dinner”

By ETHAN CHUNG (V)

Sprinting towards Chestnut Street, I rushed to make my dinner reservation at Morimoto, a high-end Japanese restaurant in Philadelphia owned by the famed Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.

The summer air felt so intense that I, out of shape and exhausted from running, completely missed the entrance of the restaurant.

I doubled back to find myself greeted by a pair of inconspicuous, transparent green doors. It was a mystery to me how newcomers could even the find the place, as the sign reading “Morimoto” was in small white text encircled in a white display less than a foot long.

Nonetheless, I walked in just in time to see an environment completely foreign and seemingly out of place. There were no white tablecloths on the tables, welldecorated walls, or opulent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Instead, the walls were made of rough stone that curved in wave formations, looking as though they were hand-carved by gods.

What was such a strange setting doing in the heart of Philadelphia?

After being seated, rather than ordering an à la carte selection, I ordered the eight-course omakase, essentially the Japanese equivalent of the French ‘Prix Fixe,’ in which one enjoys multiple tasting courses at a fixed price.

Less than two minutes later, the first course had arrived: yellowtail tartare with fresh wasabi and osetra caviar in a soy dashi marinate.

The first bite of luscious yellowtail exploded in my mouth in a rush of intriguing flavor combinations. I tasted the subtle sweetness of the freshly ground wasabi with the umami of the soy broth and the saltiness of the caviar, all held

together by the butteriness of the raw fish.

The second course was a seared whitefish carpaccio with a garlic, ginger, chives and yuzu soy vinaigrette. The sour component of the citrus in the yuzu juice paired excellently with the fish.

I was slightly disappointed that the third course, a sashimi salad with a soy vinaigrette, had the same flavor components of the second course, but both dishes were undoubtedly delicious and well composed.

The fourth course was black cod miso with sweet and sour soybeans and pickled bell peppers. I was particularly excited for this course, as it is one of Chef Morimoto’s signature dishes. My high expectations were met, if not exceeded by this course. The cod was the most tender and flaky fish I had ever tasted. The firm crunch of the peppers and the acidity of the soybeans cut the saltiness of the miso to create a dish balanced in textures and flavors.

For the fifth course, I was served roasted tilefish in a smoked chicken broth with summer vegetables. While the tilefish was cooked well and the vegetables offered a nice bitterness and a rustic feel, the star of the plate was the broth, containing deep flavors of smokiness and pepperiness.

The sixth course was perhaps the most interesting of the courses for its unique presentation. Raw strips of Wagyu beef were surrounded by mushrooms and root vegetables in a soy onion jus, sizzling on a hot stone. Much like the

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cooked fish in the other courses, the steak was luxuriously tender, and the jus was good enough to make any toddler want to eat their vegetables.

The seventh and least riveting of the courses consisted of the chef’s selection of sushi. Although it tasted fine, the sushi didn’t have the same creative pop that the other dishes had.

However, after tasting the eighth course, dessert, I wondered if the chefs had set up the omakase so that the least impressive dish was adjacent to the best dish, concluding the tasting meal.

The dessert was a chilled soufflé cheesecake with a strawberry-red wine sorbet and fresh berries. The creaminess of the cheesecake went amazingly well with the light, airiness of the soufflé; the acidity and the sweetness of the sorbet and the berries brought the dish to a whole new level.

I left the restaurant full but not overstuffed, grateful to have had the opportunity to have eaten there. It is a gross understatement to deem my meal at Morimoto a mere ‘dinner.’ It was so much more than that. It was an incredible dining experience with ineffably delicious food in an eccentric dreamscape.

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SportS

The Pingry School, Basking Ridge, New Jersey Volume CXLI, Number 3 which they finished seventh, and the GIRLS’ ICE HOCKEY Edwin M Lavino relays, in which they

By SAMANTHA BURAK (III), STUART CLARK (III), CAROLINE FRIEND (IV), PATRICK GILFILLAN (VI), NICOLE KLOSS (IV), MARTHA LEWAND (III), PAIGE MAULTSBY (IV), MADDIE PARISH (V), TYLER WILLIAMS (V), JOHN CHEN (IV), ANNETTE JONES (IV), STUART CLARK (III), HANNA DAVIS (IV), KAYA LEE (III )

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Led by Captains Mary Pagano (VI), Charlotte Curnin (VI), and Sarah Moseson (VI), as well as Head Coach Courtney Tierney, the Girls’ Basketball team has started the season with a 4-6 record.

Coming off the heels of a 2015-2016 season in which the team was the youngest in years with only one senior player, Coach Tierney believes that the team’s experience will continue to be an asset in the coming games. “We have a lot of returners, and we have some girls that are pretty strong that will step in right away,” she said. “We are really hoping to make it pretty far in the Somerset County tournament and in the Prep tournament as well.”

This year, a big focus for the team is communication. “If [the girls] are always talking to each other, they are helping each other learn and they are encouraging their teammates,” she said.

In addition, the coach praised the players’ work ethic, and how quickly the new players are catching on. With experience from older players and new talent from freshmen, the team is very excited for their upcoming games.

The end of the season Somerset County tournament will run from February 11th through the 25th.

BOYS’ ICE HOCKEY

Although last year was tough for the Boys’ Ice Hockey team with a record of 5-10-7, the team is optimistic for this season.

Led by Coach Scott Garrow and captains George Enman (V) and Greg Naratil (VI), the hockey team enjoys a depth it hasn’t had for a while, with three offensive linesmen, five defensemen, and two goalies. Coach Garrow acknowledges that having seven seniors on the team as well as an influx of talented freshmen “has definitely helped.”

Before the regular season, the team played three scrimmages, collecting one win, one tie and one loss. The win against Mendham was a crushing 5-0, and the 3-1 loss to Summit was prevented from becoming worse by goalie Peter Papadopoulos (III).

The players share Coach Garrow’s optimism and have set their sights on winning the Skyland Conference title. On the team’s hope of becoming state champs, Coach Garrow said, “I think if we commit to improve everyday in practice, we have a chance.”

With a current 3-4-3 record, the team has promise and ambition that promises that this season will be one to watch.

The Girls’ Ice Hockey team is beginning to look towards the future as they build their program into a competitive group of accomplished athletes. With a 6-8-1 record as of January 19th, the team has had their best season in the past three years.

Senior Captain Rose Beatty (VI) remarked that “our coaching staff is different and there are five new freshmen on the team.” These new changes have helped the team play “really well,” according to Rose.

When playing against Summit High School, Beatty was excited after they “were down four to nothing,” but “were able to dominate the third period and score three goals to almost comeback and tie.” The team has won competitive games for the first time against Princeton High School, Randolph High School, and Lawrenceville. As the championship season gets closer, Beatty wants to “bring the team together and foster more enthusiasm before each and every game.”

GIRLS’ WINTER TRACK

The Girls’ Winter Track team, led

by Head Coach Sarah Christensen and captains Victoria Watson (VI), Allison

Bruce Morrison Bisgay (VI), and Julia Dannenbaum (VI), is heading for a successful season.

Coach Chris is thrilled about the potential of the team.

“Our pole vault group is tops, led by nationally ranked Julia Dannenbaum. We set records at every meet last year, and this year we hope to lift those higher with Caroline Dannenbaum (III) and Carol Ann Perry (III) joining the team, along with Alaina Brotman (VI). In addition, Carol Ann Perry is also a tremendous high jumper, and Cathleen Parker (IV) will help us in that event as well. Captains Victoria Watson and Ally Bisgay will lead our sprinters, along with Kierstyn Brown (III). On the distance side we have strong runners from the cross-country team that will contribute, including Nicki Vanasse (III), Anna Wood (V), Cathleen Parker, and Lillian Rockoff (IV). New student Avery Schiffman (V) is a fantastic addition in the 800!”

When asked about the season’s goals, Coach Chris “wants to win the state title!”

Along with all of the above, Coach Chris is excited to see the team perform in relays, and especially the sprint and distance medleys in particular. She believes the team “has awesome potential.”

“We will be working on weaknesses and preventing injuries in the weight room with drills,” Coach Chris said.

Recently, the team competed in the Somerset Country Championships, in

finished fourth. They are looking forward to success in upcoming meets.

GIRLS’ SWIMMING The Girls’ Swim team is off to a winning record this year. Led by Coach Deirdre O’Mara and captains Julia Robinson (VI), Caroline Marone (VI), Yelena Salvador (VI), Sofia Briones (VI), and Emily Tung (VI), the team is headed in exciting directions.

“We have depth, talent, and huge numbers,” Coach O’Mara noted. “Depth will be one of our biggest strengths this year.” She added that the team hopes to win the Prep Championships, place in the top three at counties, and push everyone to swim their best times.

After former coach Judy Lee retired and many swimmers graduated last year, the future of the team was uncertain. But based on how well the team has been performing, Salvador and the rest of the team are beaming with excitement and optimism. “Although we lost a lot of our top swimmers last year to graduation, we have a lot of great freshmen who have joined and will add a lot of depth at our meets,” she said. “The season is going really well. One of our highlight meets was against Mount St. Mary’s, one of our biggest rivals. We beat them based on our performance in the last relay, which was super exciting.”

With lots of team bonding and everyone putting in consistent effort, the swimmers hope to create a family-like environment and strive to achieve the goals they have set their minds to. “I have a lot of confidence in our team going forward, especially into championship season,” Salvador said.

The Girls’ Swim team is off to a winning record this year. Led by Coach Deirdre O’Mara and captains Julia Robinson (VI), Caroline Marone (VI), Yelena Salvador (VI), Sofia Briones (VI), and Emily Tung (VI), the team is headed in exciting directions.

“We have depth, talent, and huge numbers,” Coach O’Mara noted. “Depth will be one of our biggest strengths this year.” She added that the team hopes to win the Prep Championships, place in the top three at counties, and push everyone to swim their best times.

After former coach Judy Lee retired and many swimmers graduated last year, the future of the team was uncertain. But based on how well the team has been performing, Salvador and the rest of the team are beaming with excitement and optimism. “Although we lost a lot of our top swimmers last year to graduation, we have a lot of great freshmen who have joined and will add a lot of depth at our meets,” she said. “The season is going really well. One of our highlight meets was against Mount St. Mary’s, one of our biggest rivals. We beat them based on our performance in the last relay, which was super exciting.”

With lots of team bonding and everyone putting in consistent effort, the swimmers hope to create a family-like

WRESTLING

“It’s a great group,” she said, praising the team’s dynamics. “The captains are very energetic. They help motivate the team and integrate those who are beginners.”

Moving forward, captain Ellen Li (VI) expressed her goal “for everyone to improve individually and get close as a team.”

Her hope is that the team’s improvement and high energy will lead them to success in the coming meets.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

After last year’s 13-10 record and a state tournament appearance, the Boys’ Basketball team started off the season with high expectations. They are led by captains Michael Weber (V), Zachary Keller (VI), and Jack Wolfson (VI).

With eight returning varsity players and many successful practices throughout

Coming off their most successful season in 30 years, wrestling aims to “raise its eyes even higher” in the words of Coach Mark Facciani.

Coach Facciani has every right to be ambitious. Many skilled wrestlers, some district and county medal winners, are returning this year, and a new promising roster of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are joining the team. They are all led by captains Ryan Boylan (VI), Frankie Dillon (VI), and Thomas Tarantino (VI).

Over Winter Break, the team had to endure a grueling six events over 12 days.

With a record of 5-4, the team has started to adjust to the season, winning five of its last seven matches. At the end of December, the Hunterdon Central Tournament yielded a third place finish by Brandon Spellman (IV) and second place finishes by Dillon and Tarantino. Though he is ambitious, Coach Facciani’s underlying goal is “for our wrestlers to make their mark against tough competition.”

While he is very optimistic about the year ahead, Coach Facciani talked about the major role last year’s seniors played on the team. Acknowledging the high performance and leadership displayed by Bruce Morrison these seniors, he acknowledges “the greatAfter strong performances in recent est challenge will be for the next wave of meets, coaches and athletes alike are upper weight wrestlers to fill the big shoes excited to keep bonding as a team as they of that group.” become faster and stronger.

SKIING

BOYS’ SQUASH

Although the Pingry Ski Team lost some seniors to graduation last year, returning skiers and new freshman show great promise for the season ahead.

“We have really great potential to go to states or race of the champions,” says Annie Leithead (IV), who was one of last year’s top performers and who placed fifth in this season’s first race.

Lindsey Hogan (V) and Matt Dispenza (III) also performed well, with Hogan placing fifth and Dispenza placing ninth.

Dispenza is a newcomer to the Pingry ski team this year.

“We have a bunch of new freshmen

“We expect to beat Lawrenceville and retain our state title,” Scherl said, and Hutt stated that one of the team’s goals is “to finish in the top eight in the country” at nationals.

When asked about this year’s team compared to last year’s team, Coach Vehslage responded that this year’s team “will be stronger, as we added some solid depth at the bottom of the ladder.”

The senior trio of Scherl, Hutt, and Brendan Raimann (VI), set a good example on and off the court as they try to establish team chemistry and communicate clearly what is needed to help the team thrive.

Scherl said, “We are really trying to show the younger players how to conduct themselves as members of a varsity team” while managing school simultaneously.

The team looks optimistically toward the upcoming season, with strong progress made through practice. Chris Zachary (IV) said, “We have a promising future ahead and we are all excited for a spectacular season.”

that I’m really excited about and some new seniors, which should be fun,” said Coach Julianne Coxe. “I’m really just looking forward to seeing how they will improve.”

Captains Amy Kaplan (VI) and Jack Schiffman (VI) display excitement and enthusiasm as they lead their team into this year’s season.

Despite losing a couple of seniors in the top seven from last year, the boys’ squash team looks forward to a very memorable season.

With a huge win in the new athletic center’s first home match, the team continues to compete and work with an attitude to win. Led by Head Coach Ramsay Vehslage and Captains Sam Scherl (VI) and Daniel Hutt (VI), the team has their sights on preserving their state champion title and doing well at high school nationals, which will determine the team’s final ranking.

GIRLS’ FENCING

environment and strive to achieve the goals they have set their minds to. “I have a lot of confidence in our team going forward, especially into championship season,” Salvador said.

The Girls’ Fencing team has had two wins and five losses in dual meet competition against some of the most powerful girls’ teams in New Jersey. The team’s opponents include Montgomery, Bernards, and Ridge, all teams that finished Top 8 in New Jersey last season. Despite their statistics, the team still has a lot of potential.

Head Coach Ted Li remarks, “Although the team is small this year, and even though we are starting first year fencers, the team is still considered a formidable opponent.” Recently, the team fenced in the Santelli Girls Team Tournament, gaining what he calls “much-needed competitive experience.”

This season, Computer Science and Geometry teacher Aye Thuzar has joined Head Coach Li, Coach Davidson Barr, and Coach Dayn DeRose in leading the team.

the summer, the team has the potential to finish as one of the top teams in the conference this year, according to Head Coach Jason Murdock.

“I feel that our experience and chemistry will play a major role,” he said.

Phito Jean-Louis (V) emphasized that the team has had to step up to fill the gaps left by two graduated seniors.

“We lost a good amount of our scoring so we’re going to have to continue to move the ball offensively,” he said.

Despite this, Weber pointed out that they have a nice returning core and are hoping to continue to build on their current 5-3 record.

BOYS’ WINTER TRACK

GIRLS’ SQUASH

Led by captains Julia Masch (VI) and Rachel Chen (V), the Girls’ Squash team is off to a strong start with a 4-1 record.

The opening of the new athletics center makes this season especially exciting.

“The real highlight of the season is finally having a place to call home,” said Chen. It is the first time since the program began in 2002 that Pingry has had its own squash courts. “With the courts, the team gets more time to practice, and we’re already seeing improvements in all of our players,” said Masch.

“Our main goal for the year is for both the boys’ and the girls’ teams to earn a spot in the top division for the National High School Team Championships in February,” says Head Coach Ramsay Vehslage. Although a couple of strong players graduated last year, Vehslage says the team has “one of the strongest class of Form III students. Last year, Pingry brought home both the boys’ and girls’ titles and we would love to do so again this year.”

January 31, 2017 and Sean Tan (V) hope to help the team achieve this goal.

With a positive attitude, the boys’ swim team is looking forward to their upcoming meets.

Bruce Morrison

With the season in full swing, the Winter Track team hopes to continue to build on the progress that has already been made. Head Coach Mr. Timothy Grant is enthusiastic about taking the team to the championship meets later in the season.

So far, the team has completed five of the fourteen meets planned for the season, winning medals in two events of the recent NJSIAA Relay Championships.

Coach Grant said, “Despite there being very few boys, they are performing well and holding their own against the competition.”

Boys’ captain Sean Wang (V) is also looking forward to the competition of the upcoming championship meets.

“With Mr. Grant at the helm of the team again, the sprinters will be able to really focus on technique as well as building a base for speed endurance,” Wang said. “The distance team will continue to build their aerobic base and strength in preparation for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.”

BOYS’ SWIMMING

The Boys’ Varsity Swim team is off to a great start with a 6-1 record.

Captains Henry Biedron (VI) and Victor Vollbrecthausen (V) have done a great job in keeping the boys focused and ready for the incoming meets. Biedron said, “The season’s been going great. We have a lot of young swimmers doing well and swimming fast, and we’ve also got a lot of veterans coming back.”

The boys’ team has had strong showings at dual meets. Headed into their championship season, the team hopes to continue this success. Head coach Steve Droste said, “We’re going to be shooting to swim our tenth straight title.” Leading swimmers like Victor Vollbrecthausen, Leighton Mayers (IV), Matt Stanton (V),

Bruce Morrison

BOYS’ FENCING

The Boys’ Fencing team, led by Coach Davidson Barr and captains Parth Patel (VI) and Malcolm Fields (V) has a 2-5 record and has been successful in the Somerset County Tournament. Coach Barr noted the team “had good performances by Malcolm Fields (who won), along with Apurva Memani (V) and Graham Matthews (V),” both of whom took third place.

Despite their success, there have been some challenges.

Patel notes, “Right now, our team has the bare minimum amount of members.

This means that when someone is sick or unable to make the meet, we are forced to sacrifice three bouts apiece out of the fourteen needed to win.”

The team’s goal is to qualify for states and the Sweet 16 Tournament. Fields says, “Everyone wants to do well, meaning that everyone wants to get better and continue to work hard. So, we have a team that is willing to lift each other up and do what they know they need to do in order to make the team dynamic work.”

All scores are current as of January 25th.

Go Big Blue!