February 20, 2015

The Taft

Papyrus

Volume CXVII Number 5 OPINIONS

Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret

FEATURES

STYLE

Why is depression The epic tale of never discussed? Taft’s snow day Page 4 Page 6

Mr. Willson Granted Sabbatical

Formal themes Cognitive Maps of that never were Taft by AP Psych Page 7 Page 10

February 20, 2015 SPORTS

Taft Celebrating Coach Cribs Reiff Page 9 Page 11

Alumni Medal Awarded to Drummond C. Bell

Nicole jarck

JOSH MOLDER Staff Writer

illustration:

MAGGIE BLATZ Staff Writer Mr. Jon Willson has been at Taft for much of his life. After attending Taft for all four years of high school, Mr. Willson returned to teach for another nineteen years after a public school stint of nine years. He has spent time as the History Department Chair, a Class Dean, and now as Taft’s Academic Dean in addition to teaching AP US History and coaching Girls’ Varsity Basketball.

But the time has come for a bit of a break. As the next year looms ahead,

Nonprofit Organization U.S.Postage Paid Permit No. 118 Waterbury, CT

it comes with the loss of Mr. Willson to a one-year sabbatical and the mystery of a new Academic Dean with big shoes to fill.

Although Mr. Willson’s plans remain relatively up in the air, he knows that after twenty-three years in a boarding school as both a teacher and student, he is interested in how private school education works.

He explains his curiosity in being based in the fact that, “So many books and essays have been written about public schools, but nothing has really been written about private schools.” His thesis questions how technology

and retirement have affected successful teaching methods.

To find out the truth behind this question, Mr. Willson aims to talk to “legendary” New England boarding school and private school teachers (think Mr. Cobb, upperclassmen). Though he won’t be travelling far, Mr. Willson hopes to see what tactics and strategies made those teachers the cream of the crop and bring that knowledge back to Taft.

But when he comes back, Mr. Willson is not looking to continue as Academic Dean.

“There’s not really a position that exists that fully covers

RED RHINO FUND Established in 2007 by Skyler Serenbetz ’09, Taft’s Red Rhino Fund is a charitable fund run by a Student Board that promotes education for underprivileged children in the greater Waterbury area. Formerly called the Red Rhino Foundation, the Red Rhino Fund has a two-fold mission: first, to support education in the local community by giving grants to local organizations, and second, to introduce Taft students to the fundamentals of philanthropic giving.

Now what does this really mean, and what does our work as a board entail?

To really explain who we are, some common misconceptions must be addressed.

Contrary to popular belief, our job is not simply playing with kids. With the help of our faculty and staff advisors Ms. Jamella Lee, Mrs. Baba Frew, Mr. Paul Parvis, and Mrs. Ginger O’Shea, the Board handles three basic functions of a charitable fund: fundraising, learning about endowment stewardship investments, and allocating grants to local agencies that focus on childhood education. Every year, we work with the Taft Development Office to create our annual budget, publicize our work to the school and the local Waterbury community, organize fundraising events to secure the monies for grants, and most importantly, perform site visits to local charities such as Children’s Community School (CCS), Waterbury Police Activity League (PAL), Waterbury YMCA’s Kingz basketball program, and Bravo Waterbury! to determine which educational organizations are the most deserving of our support. We request funding proposals from potential grant recipient organizations, and finally,

Continued on Page 2 EUGENE LEE Contributor

we present the grants to the charities chosen by the Board at the end of the school year.

The Red Rhino Fund is also not, as some think, a secret society closed off from the school; rather, it is a group of students dedicated to embracing our school motto “Not to be served, but to serve” in order to help education initiatives in the Waterbury area.

The Red Rhino Fund’s officers are selected yearly, and we are always seeking ways to increase visibility throughout the community by making announcements in all-school meetings. In our most recent morning meeting in the fall, for instance, we presented checks to the representatives of Bravo Waterbury! and Kingz program, following a performance of the Bucket Band of Bravo Waterbury! to the delight of all students and faculty.

This year the Board has undertaken several reforms to increase efficiency of our work.

One reform is the creation of committees— Nominating Committee, Grants Committee, Special Events Committee, and Marketing Committee, which has made it easier to distribute responsibilities to individual board members.

In addition, we are currently discussing the possibility of expanding our Board from seven to nine members and including board members from each grade to more fully represent the Taft student body. We are also considering involving Taft students who are not on the board by having them serve as committee members.

Part of Red Rhino Fund’s mission is to expose Taft students to the responsibilities of a board trustee and the basics of charitable giving Continued on Page 2

The Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal is awarded to the individual who has lived his or her life in a manner that exemplifies our school’s motto: not to be served, but to serve.

The award and our school’s motto typify the school’s insistence on the importance of service. This year’s winner is Drummond C. Bell III ’63, a man whose undying love of Taft is recognized in his receiving the Alumni Medal.

Mr. Bell serves countless nonprofits and other servicerelated organizations because he cares about the programs he serves. An altruist to the very core, Mr. Bell seems to be the patron “Giving Tree” of education.

When asked if there were any moments from his time at Taft that he felt embodied the school motto, Mr. Bell answered honestly: “I didn’t see the motto so much when I was here. There was too much work.” Of course Taft has Community Service Day now to help the student body feel the motto, but Mr. Bell’s statement stands true for the majority of Tafties—there is simply too much work and that can overshadow the motto.

However, in adulthood Mr. Bell has the record to prove that he has lived much of his life in service to others. Mr. Bell attributes his time in such a caring community as Taft as

what helped shape him into the caring man he is today. Mr. Bell cites his close relationship with former Headmaster Lance Odden as a teacher from whom he could always get help, and Mr. Bell contends that he needed it, just as Tafties do today. Mr. Bell maintains that these close relationships with Taft’s caring faculty members plant the seed of altruism within Tafties, a seed that can sprout and grow into a driving force to serve.

After receiving his degree from UNC Chapel Hill and then starting his business career, Mr. Bell returned to the world of education in 1987 and began to work with an educational organization known as Clearpool. Mr. Bell lent his caring hand to the program from its onset. At one point, early on, the program was able to use the Taft campus during the summer. Mr. Bell remarked that it was a special opportunity for him because was able to “[share] a school that meant so much to [him].”

During that summer, a standout moment for Mr. Bell was a young girl saying, in response to his inquiry of her opinion of Clearpool: “Clearpool cares.” That moment stands out in his memory because he was able to see the cycle of caring repeat itself; Mr. Bell was taught to care at Taft through the example set by his teachers, and now in this girl he saw that Clearpool was teaching the very same lesson.

When asked about winning the award, Mr. Bell replied, “It’s a really big moment for me. I’ve been on the board for almost thirty years…I hope it makes people work for Taft who weren’t at the top of the class, who didn’t make a lot of money.” In a classic Mr. Bell moment, he finds a way to help and inspire others even in the light of significant praise for his own achievements—talk about a man who cares.

Photo: Charlotte Klein

News

February 20, 2015

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ISP 2015: A P r e v i e w

RORY RONAN News Editor Taft has a long history of encouraging participation in the Independent Studies Program. Since 1964, students have designed and executed extracurricular projects of their choice. The students work with their chosen advisor and a committee of faculty volunteers, headed by Mrs. Amanda Benedict and Mr. Ken Hincker. The students have the year to work on their project as well as an extracurricular exemption for one season.

This year the projects will be presented in late April before AP exams begin. Outstanding independent work is recognized at a special awards assembly at the end of the year for Upper Middlers or at graduation for Seniors. To provide more insight on the variety and scope of the endeavors, here is a selection of projects that are currently in the works.

KAYLA KIM ‘16 For my ISP, I’m writing a long story about a girl who chooses to live more in her dreams than in reality. I’m focusing specifically on bringing my characters to life as fully as possible and translating my own experiences into fiction.

CONTINUED

FJORDI MULLA ‘15 EDDIE ANSARI ‘15 Our ISP deals with depression and anxiety in boarding schools. In the last two months, we have been researching the topics of emotional development in adolescents, mental health services in secondary boarding schools, and the difference in stress between boys and girls. Along with this research, we have also created a website that will bring awareness on this pressing issue. We will regularly be adding information and analysis we discover regarding our topic. By doing this ISP, we hope to become more aware of depression and anxiety in boarding schools, why they are so prevalent, and what can be done to eliminate them as much as possible. &

SIMMONS GAINES ‘15 This fall I have been given the opportunity to create my own curriculum surrounding familial relations and their effects on the development of Theory of Mind in children. Theory of Mind (TOM) is the capacity to attribute mental states — beliefs, intents, desires, etc.

— to oneself, while comprehending

RED RHINO FUND in the hopes that they will gain the knowledge and confidence needed to serve on a board and continue philanthropic work later in life.

Carter Taft ’16, Head of Special Events Committee, says that he has learned a lot about not only about philanthropy, but also about “how to be an active member of a board and to take a leadership role in meetings.” Ryan Parcells ’16 agrees that serving in the Red Rhino fund has given him “skills in a multitude of things, particularly in managing and distributing money and communicating with others.” Sonia Huang ’16, the Board’s Treasurer finds that the most meaningful lesson of the Red Rhino Fund is the encouragement to “look at service

and volunteer work from a whole new perspective because the Red Rhino Fund involves people with a passion [for] helping the future of a community in the most fundamental way—promoting education.”

Going forward, the Red Rhino Fund still has many goals to accomplish. But as we keep growing, we expect to continue to raise awareness about our work.

As Board President Jennifer Zeng ’15 says, we hope that in the future, Tafties will not only think of the Volunteer Council but also of the Red Rhino Fund when it comes to service and volunteer work at Taft.

We encourage and welcome talented and enthusiastic students to apply for board membership in the spring!

Bursting the Bubble Egypt’s Response to ISIS Killings

Egyptian warplanes have begun a series of airstrikes against ISIS targets in Libya as retaliation for the murder of 21 Egyptian Christians by the jihadist group. The assaults followed a new propaganda video released by ISIS on February 15th, which depicts the mass beheading of at least a dozen of the 21 slaughtered Egyptian Christians on a Libyan beach.

Harper Lee’s New Novel

Harper Lee, the famed author of To Kill a Mockingbird, is slated to release a new novel entitled, Go Set a Watchman. The impending release has spawned a storm of controversy. The book, an old manuscript written before To Kill a Mockingbird and found recently by Lee’s lawyer, was previously rejected by the editors, and it is uncertain whether Ms. Lee, now 88, made the decision to publish in a clear frame of mind.

Brian Williams Scandal

NBC News anchor Brian Williams stepped down from evening newscast for several days as the network probed misstatements related to his experience reporting on the Iraq War in 2003. His reports of being in a helicopter that was hit by an RPG in Iraq have been disproved. As a result, many more questions of honesty or “misremembering” have been raised about his news stories and they will be explored in the ongoing investigation.

illustration:

Nicole jarck

that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and viewpoints that are different from one’s own. With help from Ms. Reilly, I have been analyzing and studying previously gathered research from other psychologists, as well as gathering my own. With this tremendous opportunity, I have been able to further explore my own social and academic interests.

and any religious doctrine I can study and examine in “mind first and soul soon-thereafter” in an effort to uncover what, exactly, I believe. Naturally, religion is an intricate subject matter, and I fully expect to find myself lost in the confounding haze that is religion, with the hopes that my expedition through these murky spiritual places will lead me to my own wholesome understanding, belief, and faith.

JOHN GRIBBIN ‘15 I wish to pool my religious acumen and spiritual curiosity with the resources Taft has to offer to explore religion on a deep, theological level.

I want to look at scriptures, psalms,

Remember to check out these endeavors as well as many like them during the ISP fair that will take place in late April.

CONTINUED

MR. WILLSON’S SABBATICAL what I’m looking for. Ideally,” he says, “I will be able to come back as a teaching resource.” His interest is not focused on a book or even a paper, but bettering the school he attended and has taught at for much of his life. It has yet to be decided who will cover the demanding job Mr. Willson will leave behind.

The position of Academic Dean comes with a lot of responsibilities. Some we all know, such as the scheduling for the entire student body and dealing with Honor Code violations, but others are not as apparent. It is the job of the Academic Dean to act as the curriculum overseer.

That means the Dean must know the general curriculum of every class from BC Calculus to Regular Physics to World Cinema and the two hundred

other classes at Taft, as well as how the overarching department plays into that curriculum. Mr. Willson has managed to keep all that straight for eight years while maintaining a great basketball team, teaching, being an advisor, and having three children. A sabbatical has definitely been earned.

Mr. Willson’s time at private schools and role as an overseer of classes has definitely opened his mind to effective private school teaching.

His years spent at Taft have been filled with hard work and he most certainly deserves this chance to research what successful teaching looks like and how it has been affected by technology and old age. There is no doubt he will be successful and we all wish him the best in his ventures for knowledge.

Jon Stewart Leaves “The Daily Show

Jon Stewart, the comedian who turned Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” into the popular nightly commentary on news events and the media in general, decided that he would step down from the program after more than 15 years at the helm. He will continue to host the show throughout the rest of 2015 before stepping down.

Ukraine Update

Artillery strikes were reported earlier this week around the strategic Ukrainian city of Debaltseve where as many as 8,000 Ukrainian troops may be trapped. The two sides failed to meet a deadline to start withdrawing heavy weapons on Tuesday, as agreed upon in the cease-fire deal that was established last week.

Penguin Sweaters

Alfred Date is Australia’s oldest man at 109 years, and he knits tiny sweaters for penguins. In the event of an oil spill, the sweaters are given to oil-covered birds to minimize the amount of oil they ingest and allow them to regulate their body temperatures and remain buoyant enough to hunt.

Photo Courtesy of USAToday

February 20, 2015 illustration: Jane Kim

Opinions

LIVE FROM

The Elephant in the Room

WU 107

would be able to tell? Our environment dictates that we need to bury our issues within ourselves so that we can perform Every year, a handful of students are and excel; resultantly, the conversation asked to leave Taft for mental health about mental illness at Taft is virtually reasons. Sometimes students are relieved silent. to end their unhappiness here and other The problems are definitely there; times students feel as if leaving is the they’re just never discussed. School worst possible outcome. Regardless, it counseling, for example, is not exactly is always painful and always difficult a popular conversation topic. Many for them and everybody around them. students talk to counselors for years Friends and peers can feel hurt, betrayed, without telling even their closest friends. protective, and led to wonder: is Taft Everyone, too, knows that the automatic really our home? And, if it is, how could response to the question “How are you?” they just kick somebody out? Is there a is “Tired.” “Tired” is commonplace and point when Taft stops caring? acceptable, but sometimes it’s untrue.

It’s not as if the administration at Taft When people are feeling anxious, sad, is callous and indifferent: the teachers do antisocial, or depressed, “tired” can be care about the students. “The majority of an easy mask. It’s simpler to publicly faculty want it to work,” says Dr. Rachel blame unhappiness on lack of sleep than Russell, Director of to admit to dreaded Counseling. The problem weakness.

“If we did some kind mental is that Taft treats the bond of sleep deprivation, Sometimes students between the school and anxiety, and depression try to fix unhappiness the student like a business by themselves, taking contract. When students poll, [the results] would prescription drugs, be through the roof,” drinking caffeine, or can’t function, they’re not fulfilling their part of predicts Dr. Russell. So even abusing other the contract; they need why is mental health drugs rather than to show that they have stopping to admit to never discussed? a valid reason to remain their unhappiness. at the school, and their “If we did some mental health is linked to their ability kind of sleep deprivation, anxiety, and to perform. While it’s useful to know depression poll, [the results] would be whether or not one can function at Taft, through the roof,” predicts Dr. Russell. the focus on functionality perpetuates the So why is mental health never discussed? idea that being set back by depression is When students leave Taft, they leave not allowed. for a reason. Teachers and students If Taft is not the place for people who care, but that doesn’t change the fact are suffering, then leaving could be the that Taft is a place where depression is best option for depressed students. As Dr. largely swept under the rug and where Russell observes, “There can be virtue having issues is not ok. Depression can in saying ‘You know what, [continuing be helped on an individual basis through to push on] isn’t working - and I need counseling, but, if the culture does not to stop.” This reasonable mindset of change, many will continue to suffer in understanding limits, however, is hardly silence or blame themselves for being apparent at Taft on a day-to-day basis. weak if they are asked to leave.

Here, we’re taught to keep moving, to We need to internalize the knowledge keep working, to keep juggling a million that depression is not a choice nor a activities and fulfill our contract with character flaw and that it shouldn’t be the school. Here, we’re taught that if we shoved down and minimized in order show any sign of mental illness or any to maintain excellence. Changing the signs of slowing down, we are weak. mindset of an entire group of people is There are more suffering students at Taft a daunting task, but simply talking about than just the handful who leave, but who depression is a good way to start.

It’s Saturday Night (Study Hall) PETER STRAUB Staff Writer 120 minutes to go. I write to you live from Saturday Night Study Hall. It’s Stalin—I mean Serafine—on duty so it’s going to be a no-nonsense kind of night. Haunted by the sound of my own thoughts, mixed with the frenzy of typing fingers, a single tear streams down my cheek as I think of all the events I’ve missed these past four weekends. That’s right: I am a fourtime veteran of Saturday Night Study Hall and it’s fair to say I’ve learned a thing or two in my eight hours spent in Wu 107. By now I know that you should never tell the teacher you have your phone on you; I snicker as I watch rookies turning in their iPhones, watching the life flush from their eyes as reality sets in.

96 Minutes to go. At this point you are feeling restless, and if you’re hoping for any instances of prisonbreak this evening, you’d better have five to six reasons to go to the bathroom, get a drink, or go outside, and you better time them out with the same strategic prowess of General MacArthur himself. If you try to sit for the full two hours, you just might not be able to get up at the end of it.

79 Minutes to go. Don’t wear any bright or neon clothing; if possible, wear only beige so that you blend in with your surroundings. This will give you the best chance of remaining undetected as you forge through whatever movie you’ve illegally downloaded in your monochromatic garb.

46 minutes to go. Don’t be a hero.

More than a few have tried to escape.

I even saw one make it to the doors of Wu, but of course they were stopped trying to push through the cryptic glass doors that we all struggle against on a daily basis. I’d have an easier time solving a Rubik’s cube with my

nipple than opening those doors with any grace or efficiency.

5 minutes to go. I’ve found the best study halls are created through teamwork and communication. Of course, most of these interactions are nonverbal, but that doesn’t make them any less profound.

Work together. Make people aware of when the teacher is coming back. A few of my fellow veterans and I have developed a system of blinks and taps that signal a wide variety of things such as: “We can all hear Young Thug through your headphones,” “My leg is cramping but I’m too scared to stand up,” and everyone’s favorite, “I’m hyperventilating--get Fountas.”

1 minute to go. You may have noticed that I’ve used a lot of military language—that’s because this place is a war zone. It will chew you up and spit you out if you let it. When it’s all over, everyone reacts differently. Some kiss the sweet bricks on the way back to their rooms while others sprint off in search of their loved ones. The worst ones sit in their chairs long after everyone has left, shaking, as they have forgotten about the outside world. Pushed into the darkness of the night, they are lost, cold, and alone. I used to be like them, but I can’t be broken down any further.

They can’t hurt me anymore. I find myself intentionally coming late to class and skipping meetings just to get another taste of the inside.

Satirizing aside, Saturday Night Study Hall is not a curse, but a blessing. Or, if not quite a blessing, then a worthwhile bonding experience that every Taftie should have for sure. For all of you Study Hall virgins out there, I urge you, don’t be like me. Stay out as long as you can because once you go in… you’ll never be the same.

S enioritis : A Misdiagnosis SARAH LAICO Head Writer “Senioritis” is an umbrella term with which I hate being diagnosed.

The Class of 2015 has paid its dues. We’ve completed innumerable homework assignments, group projects, and presentations. We’ve worked hours upon hours into the night preparing for assessments. We’ve learned how to properly organize our time, interact with others, and behave ourselves in an educational setting.

We even managed to balance the work with our social lives and extracurricular activities.

Given these facts, it makes sense

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that most of us seniors are sick of these tasks; they increasingly seem pointless. This sensation— “Senioritis”—must be common; one can only sustain so much effort for so long before burning out. I’m sure that most, if not all of my peers, suffer from this malady at least to some degree. Teachers sense it; the term is used as an excuse when our work slips through the cracks.

We don’t feel compelled to do this work to get into college anymore, since college applications are all submitted; we only complete it so that our GPAs don’t plummet and the faculty doesn’t get on our case.

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KAYLA KIM News Editor

The Taft Papyrus 2014–15 Editorial Staff

Head Writer Sarah Laico ‘15

Editor-in-Chief Charlotte Klein ‘15

Copy and Layout Editor C.C. Borzilleri ‘15

News Rory Ronan ‘15 Kayla Kim ‘16

Style Livvy Barnett ‘15 Tara Clayton ‘15

Opinions Ezra Levy ‘15 Anna Farrell ‘15

Head of Website Caroline Leopold ‘15

Photography Allie Davidge ‘15

Faculty Advisor Mr. John A. Magee

Sports Lewis Dayton ‘16 Tom MacMullen ‘16

Features Vienna Kaylan ‘15 Gaines Semler ‘15

Illustration Nicole Jarck ‘15 Jane Kim ‘15 NamAnh Nguyen ‘15 Garrie Ma ‘15

The Taft Papyrus is issued periodically throughout the school year as a public forum for student expression to enlighten, inform, and entertain the school community.

Editorials printed under “Our View” reflect the opinion of a majority of the editorial staff of the Papyrus. All other commentaries reflect the opinion of the author only.

In no case does publication of an article necessarily denote the endorsement or agreement of The Taft School or its administration. In their efforts to reflect the diversity of perspectives and opinions within the school community, the editors encourage readers’ reactions to the content of the newspaper. Letters should be signed upon submission and addressed to Editors, The Taft Papyrus, 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT 06795 or Papyrus @TaftSchool.org.

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Opinions

February 20, 2015

No Fear Shakespeare, No Fear Taft 40

CHARLOTTE KLEIN Editor-in-Chief Anyone who is bilingual understands the great flaw of translation: the meaning that is often lost along the way. Just as some Spanish words fail to have English equivalents, the language of Shakespeare follows suit. Upon discovering discrepancies between the “Modern English” translation of SparkNotes’ No Fear, Shakespeare and the classic Hamlet text, my blind adoration for SparkNotes began to weaken. Resources like SparkNotes are regarded by teachers as lazy, restrictive, and often bring up issues of the honor-code; yet, since abandoning shortcuts of this nature in an effort to be more authentic, I find myself at a disadvantage within the classroom, both during discussions and reading quizzes. SparkNotes becomes a crutch for a reason; the question is what we can do so that it does not need to be.

I began Othello my sophomore year with the trusty tool of SparkNotes at an arm’s reach. I never thought to do otherwise, for I assumed No Fear, Shakespeare was an unflawed way to understand the difficult text. In an effort to slowly wean myself of No Fear, Shakespeare, I read the classic text with the safety of SparkNotes projected on my computer screen only a few inches away. I was in awe of the subtle ways that Shakespearean language guided me and my perception of a character: mannerisms like the ‘royal we‘ attest to how very artificial Claudius, Hamlet’s villainous uncle, truly is. With the two texts side by side, I realized that such mannerisms fail to come through in the

No Fear translation, leaving one to read with a narrow, oversimplified mindset.

The reason we still read Shakespeare year after year is not for plot - which, in essence, is all that No Fear Shakespeare gives you. To seek out one of the many footnotes offered in the classic Shakespearean text after forming my own opinion on the reading is

The desire to achieve at a high level and the desire to do so in an honest and thoughtful way is a thin line; a line made especially thin by the presence of reading quizzes. something I had neither done nor could have done with No Fear, Shakespeare, which spoon-feeds you the opinion of others whether you ask for it or not.

My breakup with SparkNotes resulted from the resolve to stop attempting to translate Shakespeare; how liberating. In wrestling with the text on my own, I held much more appreciation for subtext and even more questions as to what was actually going on, a shift that heightened my curiosity and plummeted my numerical grade.

The desire to achieve at a high level and the desire to do so in an honest and thoughtful way is a thin line; a line made especially thin by the presence of reading quizzes. In AP Senior Literature, reading quizzes seek to prove that students have actually done the reading, which is unnecessary in one of the highest English courses offered

CONTINUED

SENIORITIS

From a student’s perspective, it seems that Taft as a whole accepts this. We’re allowed to coast, as long as we get the required work done. We’re allowed to have Senioritis. While this all sounds like a relief for us, I still detest the word on personal grounds—I’m one of the most restless human beings that I know.

Until I completed the college process, my life consisted of constant anxiety: anxiety about completing assignments, preparing for quizzes and tests, and getting good grades. I thought that stressing about these things was normal. Now that I no longer feel so concerned about them, I’m living my worst nightmare: a life of unproductivity. With every homework assignment I complete, everything feels more tedious. I grapple with purposelessness daily, loathing this “coasting” and craving intellectual engagement or curiosity.

All this time, I’ve been taught that it doesn’t matter whether I enjoy a class or not; I have to take the class if I want to be a wellrounded scholar and if I want to get into college. Just this year, I signed up for four AP courses, not because I totally wanted to take them, but because I worried that colleges wouldn’t accept me without them. This seemed reason enough to go through with the plan, but now I’m left wondering… I signed up for all these courses that teach me how to take a standardized test? A standardized test that only might help me place out of collegelevel courses and realistically won’t count for college credit?

It’s a painful realization.

What I truly desire is passion. Currently, my ceramics class and my work on The Papyrus staff are the most fulfilling things I do at Taft. Both offer me opportunities to be creative, use my mind in a different way, and put my passions into practice.

Shouldn’t all classes be like that?

I do not wish to say that my other courses don’t engage me or interest me at all. I can safely say that I have a set of motivated, intelligent, and inspiring teachers. But I don’t wholly feel motivated or inspired by the subject matter that they teach. This frightens me; I don’t know what I want to do in college - or in life, for that matter. As a person who is distressed by ambiguity, I’m desperate for some idea of what I’m best at, or at least of

at Taft. The expectation for Lower-Mid and Mids is to the reading; the expectation for Juniors and Seniors is to read between the lines and apply the text to a greater meaning. At times, the reading checks pick out details so minute that I find the questions difficult to answer even with a solid comprehension of the story. Fearful of that neglected detail that could appear on a pop-quiz, I am tempted to revert to SparkNotes. Despite the inspiring “life-after-SparkNotes” anecdote mentioned earlier, that long-overdue dimming of the computer screen and embracing of the classic language has inspired me in a way that I cannot convey through a reading quiz; in other words, my more honest approach has only impacted my grades negatively. This leaves me with a spinning head of questions: am I reading to ace this quiz or to get something out of the literature? Is the anxiety of a popreading quiz the kind of emotion we should learn to associate with literature?

If SparkNotes provides me with the who, what, when, where aspect, I’ll probably do better on that reading quiz; but, aside from the temporary accomplishment of a higher grade, am I really getting anything from the text at all?

The larger dilemma is whether this has to be an either-or type of thing; I don’t think it has to be. Mr. Magee is notorious for the reading response, which all of his students - AP or not illustration: Nicole jarck - hand in for homework every night. The bones of the sometimes tedious assignment: pick a quotation from last night’s reading that moved you and show why and how it means. When we began arguably the hardest book that Magee’s AP Language and Composition tackles, William Faulkner’s Go Down, Moses, I came to class with a reading response in my hand. I was thoroughly lost on much of the reading with the exception of what I wrote on. This class had no reading quizzes; reading responses were not graded but each response received a thoughtful comment. In the absence of reading-check quizzes, I was motivated to read in knowing my grade would depend not only on my understanding of time and place, but also my ability to think for myself. The freedom of reading responses allows one to show a passion that reading quizzes do not.

Let’s have more reading responses and less reliance on reading checks, especially in higher-level English classes. Or, if teachers insist on reading checks, perhaps we could restructure the form of these quizzes to resemble that of the reading response, providing the intellectual latitude for a writer to choose something that ‘moved’ him while still testing his familiarity with the content. What you’re expected to bring to class should be more than that certain character’s sister’s cousin’s father’s relationship to Stephen Dedalus.

what attracts me.

I do not write all of this to be negative. Taft It’s not often that I focus on the present is an extraordinary place with the resources instead of the future. I know that college is and a dedicated faculty capable of great months away and that I should “cherish my things. I’m not asking that the school cut us time here.” But when I’m taking classes with slack from doing work. All I ask—as a senior the same excitement that I approach chores, it’s feeling purposeless, not Senioritis—is to be difficult to live in the moment. This is really guided in pursuit of the things that I’m drawn a unique period of time for seniors—we’ve to. Perhaps if electives were offered in the gotten through the most difficult aspects of high spring for seniors to dabble in, I’d feel more school, and we’re left with this final semester assured about what direction I want to go in the before beginning the next stage of our lives. I final chapter of my education. These electives should be thrilled, but rather I find myself in an could offer a variety of opportunities, such as existential crisis that no one will take seriously. a sampling of languages that are not offered at I know that taking a variety of courses— Taft but perhaps will be in college, or courses on even the ones that I’m not very interested geology—even hiking in areas near Watertown in—supposedly will make me intellectually and learning about the plants and wildlife of well-rounded. But I often question if I’d rather the region. I understand that in AP courses, the be “intellectually well-rounded” or happy, material dictates a tight schedule, which does taking classes that fascinate me and make me not allow for such things. However, as long as think. At this point, I’ve covered all sorts of we’re learning the necessary material, it would subjects in school. For this reason, I believe be nice to stray from the prescribed subjectthat my learning from now on should be solely matter once a week to study something related intrinsically motived—that is, I should be but different. Our minds have so much potential, learning for learning’s sake alone. and if we stick to all the same stuff, we’ll never But I have no choice but to push through, be productive. Finding your life’s purpose is an because at a high-functioning institution like ongoing challenge, one that I’m sure cannot be Taft, it’s either do what you’re expected to do, met in a semester. But with the right guidance, or face punishment and judgment. we seniors could get one step closer.

This attitude (unsurprisingly) receives a lot of chastising. I’m constantly told to “focus on the good.” This is easier said than done. Not only am I innately a realist, I also can’t simply just pick out the positive pieces from each t h e pa p y r u s e d i t o r s hour, class, or day and be satisfied. Because if encourage readers’ reactions I pretend that I only see the good, I’ll overlook my own beliefs—that I should be learning about things that make me want to share, explore, and t o t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e n e w s pa p e r create. I don’t want to forget about my desire tell us how you feel to improve myself or help others or make a P a p y r u s @ ta f t s c h o o l . o r g difference by submitting to a routine.

got opinions?

Features

February 20, 2015

Dopplegangers

Page 5

PAPYRUS EDITORS

We see them in the hallway every day, but how do we know that these people aren’t their Hollywood doubles?

Mrs. Kenerson

Ryan Kriftcher

Michael Phelps

Alex DeLiagre

Draco Malfoy

Mr. Willson

Phil Dunphy

Laura Linney

Aaron Dillard

Suite Life’s Mr. Moseby

JP Raftery

Russell from UP

Let’s Get Weird: Mrs. Mac’s Conditioning Class SARAH LAICO Head Writer As a regular of Mrs. Mac’s killer aerobics class, nothing incenses me more than being scoffed at for pursuing an “easy” ex. This misconception is built on ignorance; anyone who has actually attended the class understands the real rigor involved. Thus, for all those who have never had the courage to attend an open conditioning class, let me set the scene for you: It’s a Wednesday afternoon. After seeing one of Mrs. Mac’s emails on News for about the billionth time, you decide you’ll finally go see what her aerobics classes are all about. Never mind that people say it’s “SOO HARD!” You’ve been working out—the other day you ran a mile and a half and only had to stop twice. You’re in great shape.

Water bottle in hand, you stride confidently into the newly-renovated aerobics room. A sense of claustrophobia overwhelms you as you notice the mirrors on three of the walls. Is that really what you look like? You’re sweating already. To make matters worse, everyone keeps giving you a knowing laugh when you inform them that it’s your first time. They keep shoving equipment into your hands—a step, long tube, resistance band, weights, a mat, a small exercise ball—and you wonder what it all could be used for. And a towel too! But you don’t sweat that much. You won’t need it.

The regulars are all in attendance.

Grace Wu is perfectly coordinated in

Lulu Lemon attire and has her equipment—all the most difficult level— neatly organized. Dr. Russell and Jackie Tyson have assumed their positions in opposite corners of the room cheerily.

Perhaps I’m there, too (if I haven’t gotten distracted by DIY crafts on Pinterest).

Mrs. Mac is discreetly setting up.

She turns on the music—radio hits of 2014, speeded up. You’ve never heard Rihanna’s “Diamonds” at such a fast pace. Mrs. Mac, also decked out in coordinated Lulu apparel, dons her wireless headset after clipping her hair back neatly. You’ve never seen arms so perfectly toned. She assures you that she’ll break down the step aerobics for you…

Things start off well—just some dynamic stretching, lunges and such. But suddenly…the choreography begins.

Never have your feet felt so disconnected from your body. Mrs. Mac is telling you the steps right before they occur, but somehow, you’ve managed to get 3 and 7/8ths steps behind everyone. What was that step called again? A basic? A V-step? You may never know.

Your brain is as frazzled as your clumsy feet attempting a grape-vine movement.

You look around the room. People are looking shiftily at you with concern. You’re not only drenched in sweat, but are panting heavily. Everyone else is so GOOD at all the steps, it’s like they’re robots. And Grace Wu hasn’t even broken a sweat!

The step routine lasts a full half hour.

Between steps that require you to hop over and around the step, as well as complicated ones that you’re sure you’ll NEVER master (split-basics are a killer,

man), you become increasingly close to passing out. You wonder if you can ditch the class once the step routine is over— after all, the only step that you can do with some grace is the mambo cha-cha.

Even though Mrs. Mac just said the routine was over, it’s not. She continues to lead you through several agonizing sets of jumping jacks, dynamic squats, and double-time heels on the board.

When you’ve finally finished, you’ve realized…you’re only half-way there.

“Grab your weights!” Mrs. Mac declares jovially, returning to her step.

You’re not sure if you should be annoyed or amazed. This woman literally just led you through 30 minutes of cardio and somehow managed to tell you all the steps, keep the beat, and BREATHE. She deserves a medal of some sort. If only she wasn’t so good at this, maybe the break would be longer.

The step, much to your dismay, is still playing a crucial role. Now, you’re stepping on and off it as you do a variety of weight exercises. The fivepound weights in your hands may as well be five-hundred. You can only do seven push-ups, max, on a good day. Your arms are not cut out for this. Why did you do this to yourself?

The pain is short-lived but you move on quickly. Now the resistance bands are around your ankles and you’re stepping back and forth. It sounds so harmless, but your butt hurts so much. Plus, you look like an idiot since you’re not used to moving with some industrial rubberband restraining your legs. And still, everyone is eerily calm and straightfaced, trying to avoid eye contact with

you during your struggle. Seriously, does Grace Wu even sweat at ALL? Next up is tricep dips. Every eight dips, it seems like you’re done, but Mrs. Mac forges on. She doesn’t quit! Your arms start buckling after a while and literally collapse from your body weight.

You’ve never been this sweaty in your life. You’re now lying on the step, legs in a perpendicular position, in the most hellish form of leg raises you’ve ever experienced. Mrs. Mac grins mischievously as she cries “Trace a circle with your toe!” You hear your entire lower body—scratch that, your entire body—silently crying.

The long tube makes its appearance as you loop it under your step and proceed to repeatedly move your arms in and out and up and down while gripping the handles. “Thankfully,” your arms are already numb from the tricep dips, so you can only feel a dull pain. When it’s over you find yourself nearly asleep on your mat doing the most manageable of the exercises: abs.

You’re zoned out. Maybe you’re doing crunches, maybe not. You don’t feel anymore. Suddenly, the lights go dim.

“What Does the Fox Say?” sped-up ten times has vanished. You see Grace returning from the light-switch. She gives you a polite nod of acceptance; you’ve completed your first aerobics class.

The sound of Josh Groban’s voice combined with Mrs. Mac’s stretching exercises miraculously “raise you up.”

And in three short minutes, it’s over.

Whether you’ll ever go back—that is the question.

Features

Page 6

Survivor Journal Entry:

Snow Day Edition RICHARD GILLAND Contributor

If you’ve had limited access to the internet, news, or awkward dining hall small talk with adults, or spend all of your time indoors, you definitely haven’t noticed that it’s been really cold.

This Snowpocalypse Juno scared Mr. Mac so much, that, our otherwise brave, snowstorm-challenging, and

Illustration: Garrie Ma

absolutely jacked headmaster was forced to return to the Faculty Staff news forum with an announcement of the first snow day in recent Taft history. Thanks to my flannellined LL Bean khakis and a gritty sense of determination, I, a mere day student, was able to remain on campus throughout this terrifyingly exaggerated R-rated knock off of Disney’s Frozen. Luckily for the recently thawed out

boarding school newspaper, I uncovered my super freeze travel log and am sharing it with you all below.

DAY 1 THE NIGHT OF THE FREEZE

So a few buds and I are out havin’ a dart in the ol’ China Star parking lot when we notice a sharp decline in the Barometric Pressure.

The skies turned grey, and, all of a sudden, I feel the icy breath of Jack Frost down my collar. Oh God, I have to get out of here! As I race home to the blaring riffs of Lynyrd Skynryd--the only band that really understands me-adrenaline rushes through my veins and a million thoughts flash through my head at once, mostly concerning school attendance during the super storm. Because of my deep seated passion for schoolwork, I decide that I will attend class.

I pack up my sports bag

MATH Portrait of an LEAGUE Artist: Mr. Brand ON FIRE (Is this real life?)

SRINIDHI BHARADWAJ Contributor

Any promising math student at Taft has received countless emails from Mr. Heavenrich regarding NEML, or New England Math League, competitions. The key to the math team’s success is consistency. Each month, a good number of Tafties (20-30) fill Laube auditorium and take a half an hour out of their day to work on some unconventional math problems. As a result, the Taft math team usually has a couple of perfect papers. At the same time, the convivial nature of the entire math team, especially Mr. Heavenrich, promotes an atmosphere that allows any student to try an NEML and take joy in the wonder of math. While many students choose to opt out of the tests, those that do take them are doing remarkably well—Taft is currently 2nd in New England in the competition. For those interested in securing Taft’s place, be sure to attend the next NEML contest.

VIENNA KAYLAN Features Editor

It’s 8:19 AM on a Thursday morning, and for the third time since F block started, I wonder whether I am dreaming. Tom Brand, Collegium’s new director, darts around the room with the vitality of a crazed puppy. Suddenly, he skids to a stop in front of my section. Crouching in anticipation, Mr. Brand fixes the Altos with an intense stare. “Tom…” he murmurs, his voice bubbling with hushed excitement, “peaches.” The Altos wait in uncomfortable silence; most of us have never experienced this much eye contact before 9 AM. But as usual, Mr. Brand offers no explanation. “Tom,” he repeats, his voice building, “PEEEEEEEAAACCHHHEEES!” He whirls around and points to a random Tenor, “YOUR TURN! NAME AND YOUR FAVORITE FOOD! GOOOO!” The freshman quivers under Mr. Brand’s piercing gaze.

“P-Peter,” he whispers nervously, “c-co…coconut?”

“WONDERFUL!” Mr. Brand bounces over to the piano. Mr. Jacovino, our brilliant and stoic accompanist, raises an eyebrow in mild amusement.

He is the love child of Tom Cruise and Mary Poppins, possessing the action star’s determination and agility, and the magical nanny’s uncanny ability to guilt naughty children.

“Mr. J,” Mr. Brand flashes his brilliant smile, “if you would?”

Mr. J solemnly begins to play a jaunty tune, and a minute later, Mr. Brand is leading the entire choir in an impromptu call-andresponse song about our individual dietary preferences.

While this quirky musical endeavor is a regular occurrence in Mr. Brand’s Collegium, it bears little resemblance to the class under Bruce Fifer (who is currently on sabbatical in Italy). Like Mr. Brand, Mr. Fifer inspired his students with his impressive knowledge of and passion for music, and he was widely adored.

He kept the class on track with a scary but necessary roar of “NO. TALKING. I MEAN IT, FOLKS!!!!”, which managed to keep things quiet for another eleven minutes or so (quite an impressive

February 20, 2015 with a few essential articles of clothing, a travel sized bottle of melatonin, and my iPod filled with recordings of my mother’s lullabies (I have trouble going night-night) and armed with these items, I confidently stride onto campus ready for a night in the dorms.

DAY 2 THE AFTERMATH

I awake and groggily assess my situation. I’m sprawled out on a couch in HDT 4, and it looks like I’ve been stripped of all my original clothing, presumably work of the underclassman that populate this dormitory. As I roll upright and gather my bearings, the stench of day old Easy Mac and sweaty lacrosse pads wafts up in my nostrils as if to say, “Good morning, Richard!” Visible clouds of spray deodorant float through the hallways: a sorry attempt from the locals to mask the stench.

Smells like an average night in a boys’ dorm. I head down to the dining hall to grab a bite to eat, bearhugging and kissing on the cheek every faculty member that I cross in the hallway. Finished with my display of gratitude, I skip outside to play some pond hockey and chat up some snow bunnies. Hockey! Sledding! feat, considering Collegium is a particularly rambunctious bunch).

Mr. Brand runs his class very differently. He substitutes booming shouts for boisterous enthusiasm. The overwhelming passive aggression of fifty kids between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, who are being forced to sing in Latin before they’ve really woken up, makes for a hostile atmosphere.

Yet Mr. Brand forges on. He is the love child of Tom Cruise and Mary Poppins, possessing the action star’s determination, agility, and stature (getting the Basses to focus could serve as the plot line for a Mission Impossible spinoff), and the magical nanny’s lilting voice and uncanny ability to guilt naughty children. Mr. Brand always manages to melt my frosty exterior, even as I stand in class on Thursday morning.

It’s early, it’s cold, and in my opinion, no one should have to sing about what they would do if they were a bird (“If I had the Wings of a Dove” is one of Mr. Brand’s favorites). But somehow, before I know it, I’m singing about Peter’s love of coconuts, Livvy’s passion for peanut butter, and Alex’s appreciation for kumquats, and I can’t help but smile.

Collegium with Mr. Brand is always an experience, and while it takes some getting used to, the class’s variation and vitality are refreshing.

If I go to the bathroom, it is not unlikely that I will return to the entire class doing an interpretive dance while chanting a traditional African folk song that I have never

Very suggestive snowmen (and women)! It seems as if all of Taft is outside having a (snow)ball.

Get it? Once every orifice of my body is thoroughly covered in snow and I’m completely exhausted, I trek over to the library and crack open my laptop so I can browse the latest on Facebook. “Oh look!” I gasp.

Every lowerclassman girl has posted an album of 100+ photos of her and her besties frolicking in the snow. “Wow! A new pro pic!” I exclaim. A completely unfiltered photograph of a beautiful young girl surrounded by a not-so-generic winter wonderland. You are a special, unique snowflake, much like the thousands that coat the grounds, and this photo surely warrants my “like.” There’s no other way I would rather spend my one day break from the average hustle and bustle of life at Taft.

With that last entry, my travel log documenting the great Taft snow day of 2015 concludes.

I speak for the entire Taft community in saying that restful, relaxing, and even rejuvenating snow days should be utilized more by the administration in the interest of a more thoughtful, productive, and tight-knit learning environment. heard before. If I space out for a moment while Mr. Brand is working with the Sopranos, when I tune back in I am sure to find the conversation has shifted completely: “… and sometimes that little snail pokes his head out and says ‘Yo, George, what’s up?’” Mr. Brand is saying, mimicking a little snail peeking out of his shell. What snail? Why is the snail talking to George? George isn’t a Soprano…what’s going on? And in a moment Mr. Brand will transition yet again: “You are here because you are amazing,” he tells us, staring directly into one student’s eyes before moving to another, “You have made a promise to be the best person you can be. You promised me, you promised your peers, but most importantly, you promised yourself.” Yes! I think to myself, I can do anything.

I could be president, or an astronaut, or a brain surgeon…

Of course, this confidence will quickly wear off next period when I inevitably walk into a test that I didn’t even know I had, but Mr. Brand’s positivity will stay with me.

His students cannot help but feel moved, motivated, and happy. The class could easily be mistaken for the set of a sappy Disney movie about the inspiring story of a happygo-lucky choral director who teaches his scrappy band of singing teens to channel their angst into making music. But in a school full of AP Physics and Russian Literature, a little Disney cheese is a rare, much appreciated treasure.

Features

February 20, 2015

Formal Themes That Never Were (But Could Have Been) VIENNA KAYLAN Features Editor

Fifty Shades of Grey This theme is wildly appropriate and inappropriate at the same time.

Appropriate because the movie itself is all the rage, and as a theme for formal would entail a stunning silver-grey color scheme and sensual music to get us all in the mood to…dance! Inappropriate because, well, we’re in high school, and everyone would have to wear red velvet blindfolds and carry leather whips, both of which could present various problems.

Titanic

In the middle of the dance floor would sit an exact replica of the floating door that Rose clings to as Jack slowly passes away. You and your date could reenact the final scene (just think of the photos!) as sound effects of blustery winds and human suffering add to the ambiance. A caricature artist would be on hand to “draw you like one of his French girls” upon your request. At the end of the night, the whole school would cling to one another and cry as Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” blasted on the speakers.

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Around the Pond

Students were made fully aware that in leaving early for Long Weekend, they chose to receive class-cut grades. The 72 people in Saturday Night Study Hall unanimously report that they “regret nothing.”

Recent statistics reflect a 200% growth in the number of Taft girls who “just can’t even” after Kale becomes available the Dining Hall.

Students stress out as Mid Term grades approach. Thank God we all have those Quarter Grades made up of that one quiz we failed to give us an accurate and helpful perception of where we stand, right?

ABC network asks to televise Taft Formal instead of the real Oscars.

A representative for the network explains, “Frankly, your students are better looking.”

President Barack Obama recently recognized Brie Abrams for her insightful commentary on breaking news, public health, and ethnological awareness via the social-networking app “Snapchat.”

Tuxedo rental runs out of bolo ties after Mr. Lehner’s blowout Valentine’s Day performance sets a trend.

Fatal measles outbreak sweeps dorms across campus! Heads of Residential Life are too busy taking all the fun out of Senior Sign-In to even notice.

#ATMFP

Behind the Scenes of The Diviners GAINES SEMLER Features Editor

Illustration: NamAnh Nguyen

A Night in HDT With musical stylings of Young Gleesh and Major Lazer paired with a tantalizing menu of Easy-Mac and burnt Pop-Tarts, its hard to see how this theme didn’t get picked. Perhaps it was the challenge of recreating HDT’s unique scent of unwashed feet and eleven-week-old pizza that came out just a bit over budget.

The Garden of Eden Everyone would wear nude bodysuits in homage to Adam and Eve, but don’t worry, the opportunity for personalization would arise with the leaves you choose to cover yourselves. Bedazzled, striped or leopard print, the possibilities are endless! Various attendants dressed as serpents would circulate the ball-room offering you “forbidden fruit” (don’t worry, just a candy apple). This theme was nixed because chances are, a few of us would have taken the “nude” bodysuit a little too literally.

Presidents of the Past Who says that Thomas Jefferson didn’t know how to have fun?!

This theme would include thrilling activities such as checking the Declaration of Independence for grammar mistakes and counting how many presidents had the first name “James.” Music would be an elaborate ten-piece orchestra that only knows how to play The National Anthem (they might consider playing “Our Country Tis of Thee” if you slipped them an Andrew Jackson). In the end, this theme didn’t make the cut because presidential impersonators are surprisingly expensive!

(William Henry Harrison was only president for 32 days, but the fee for his impersonator alone was half the catering budget).

C.C. Showers, a preacher, arrives in a churchless town. Most of the townspeople view his arrival as a simple addition to the community; others view it as a gift from God. Nevertheless, everybody is talking about the new preacher. But there’s one small issue: C.C. has given up preaching altogether. This small community of Hoosiers won’t let him off so easily. The town has a general store, a diner, endless farmland, and close-knit folk who need somebody to look up to in the times of the Great Depression. Everyone in the play cares for one another; every single character is a good person who wants what’s best for his or her town, and they all believe C.C. will spark a much-needed change in spirits.

The Diviners tells the story of C.C’s evergrowing friendship with Buddy Layman, a cheerful but troubled teenage boy. The boy is petrified by water, yet he has a natural talent for divining, the practice of finding water in the ground with a willow rod. Buddy lives with his father, Ferris, a car-loving mechanic, and sister, Jennie Mae, who, due to tragic circumstances, is forced to be the maternal figure of the house. It’s truly a compelling story that evokes both laughter and tears.

Director Mr. Efinger came to Taft to teach Mrs. Fifer’s classes (while she’s on sabbatical) and direct the winter play. On his deciding what play to perform, director Mark Efinger explains, “I was looking for a play that was intimate in nature. I was thinking about Taft and what I’d learned from it. I was struck by the sense of community. The play is about the same subject of community.”

The Diviners does exactly that. The play highlights its character’s exceptional sense of community in order to manifest the

importance of having close relationships with those we see on a daily basis. Actor Johnny Morgart ’16 emphasizes, “It’s a new experience being in a town-like setting and interacting with all the characters because they truly do know each other. It’s a divine experience.”

Efinger explains, “It’s a play that really focuses on the work of the actors. There’s a lot of great stuff in the story, but the actors create the mood, the motion, and the feeling. The cast really delivers.” The cast reciprocates this praise and is grateful for being a part of such a great show with such a talented director. Actor Carey Cannata ’16 notes “Being able to work on a show with a new director has been a refreshing experience.”

The show has also benefited the actors in different but equally significant ways. Actress Sophie Pulver explains that she “found a new appreciation for cargo pants,” while Actress Felicity Petruzzi ’16 claims, “This play helped me find the lord.” It’s evident that the play has changed the lives of the actors; so just imagine what it’ll do for the audience.

The small cast of eleven includes Emily Axelberg ’16 (Luella Bennett), Raymond Bai ’18 (Melvin Wilder), Aditya Balsekar ’18 (Dewey Maples), Carey Cannata ’16 (Ferris Layman), Maggie Luddy ’16 (Buddy Layman), Johnny Morgart ’16 (C.C. Showers), Felicity Petruzzi ’16 (Norma Henshaw), Sophie Pulver ’16 (Jennie Mae Layman), Gaines Semler ’15 (Basil Bennett), Elinor Walker ’15 (Goldie Short), and Kimberly Wipfler ’15 (Darlene Henshaw).

Come to the Black Box Friday at 4:00PM and Saturday at 8:00PM for an unforgettable experience!

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Style HOPE TIERNEY Staff Writer

February 20, 2015

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H E N R Y T I L G H M A N C T

Chista and Anjali’s double dominates Congdon basement.

As a corner room, they have three fantastic double windows, giving them lots of natural light. The large room consists of a study corner with their two desks, a sleep corner with their “L’d” beds, and then a dressing corner with their lengthy, built-in closet. The lively, patriotic pair claim, “our roommate bond is made even closer by our Indian heritage and we make an effort to represent that loyalty through comical and sincere decorations.” This bondage further strengthened about a month back when the couple decided to buy a betta fish named Noodles. Even the tank is well-decorated, with hot pink stones, a plant, and a buddha. The fish has been suffering as of late due to his mothers’ unfortunate lack of care, but at least he’s living in style.

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Henry and Carter lucked out on the rooming lottery this year. Commonly known as CPT 1.5, their room is the sole room on the landing, eliminating any worries of noise complaints. Being only one short set of stairs up from Lincoln Lobby, they have a quick and easy commute to the dining hall, laundry machines, classes, and bookstore. The location is just one of the many covetable aspects of the room. It is a large room to begin with, and Henry and Carter make it seem even bigger by designating “work and play” areas. The two desks are in the front of the room, and then the couches and 42inch monitor occupy the back half. The blinking lights add a colorful touch and illuminate the patriotic flags on the sizable windows.

PHOTOS: Allie Davidge Elisabeth’s Vogelstein dorm room is unlike any other. She manifests her unique and beautiful style through her very distinctive decorations. Round terrariums hang in front of her windows, sprouting green plants, while a baby blue vintage Crosley record player bumps the Black Keys and Simon and Garfunkel from her dresser. On her window sill lies homemade journals made from recycled bags, fabrics, and paper. Above her bed a vivid, vintage “Beach Blotz” tapestry surrounded by photos adorns the wall.

Voge is lucky to have a room with such eccentric and enticing decor--well done, Elisabeth.

PHOTOS: Charlotte Klein

E L I S A B E T H L O W E

Style

February 20, 2015

For the Love of Psychology (and Cool Projects, Too) LIVVY BARNETT Style Editor

I cried for two reasons upon handing in my Honors Chemistry exam last spring.

First, I was finished, once and for all, with my battle against Redox equations, Avogadro’s number, and stoichiometry: hallelujah. That is not to say I had won this battle. Indeed, I had a strong conviction that the number on top of my exam paper would reflect my unpleasant relationship with this subject (shocker: it did!) However, I simultaneously cried tears of joy at the realization that I had fulfilled my requirement of the Natural Sciences, and I had - albeit barely - made it out alive.

It didn’t take long for me to decide on AP Psychology for my Senior year science course. It was one of those classes that I knew would never fail to pique my curiosity, and I was right.

Aside from fascinating and fun class discussions with (the one-and-only) Dr. Russell as well as textbook readings that are actually bearable, our class has completed a variety of projects that differ from the conventional science projects (i.e. planetariums, cell constructions, ‘roller coasters’ to measure velocity…).

Each project has allowed students to delve further into the subject, and I think I can speak for our entire E-block class when I say that these projects have garnered a deeper appreciation for this intriguing subject within us all.

One of our first projects was to

recount a ‘self-defining memory,’ which Dr. Russell clarified as consisting of an enduring theme, issue, or conflict that “helps explain who you are as an individual.” Responses varied from personal tragedies to concussions, as in the case of Sarah Laico. My confidence assured me that I could whip out a four page paper with ease. Contrary to such certainty, I found myself staring at a blank page and frustrated by how difficult it was to conjure a memory that was ‘supposed’ to be a part of me. The first time I went to sleep-away camp or the summer I got my new puppy wouldn’t cut it; I needed a memory that was a piece in the puzzle of my life. Hours later, I found it. Although a painful memory to recount, I soon found myself lost in the process. I will admit I was impressed at how flawlessly I remembered it, as if it had happened the day before rather than in June of 2006. My fingers mechanically detailed the smell of the apartment, the Italian dress I was wearing, the sound of my mother’s broken voice… I found that writing helped solidify the memory in a new way; although I know it is something I will never forget, the words on the page made it unable to ever be erased. I am sure my peers had a similar experience in recounting a memory that they will never lose.

Of course, a class favorite was the “child-observation” project. The task,

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simply enough, was to observe a toddler (in this case, faculty kids) in his or her “natural habitat” for an afternoon. The Borkens, Benders, and Pastors were flooded with numerous requests, and all kindly obliged.

The material that had been covered in the Developmental Psychology Unit could easily be applied to the children’s actions. The follow-up paper detailed idiosyncrasies of the children and specified ways in which they reacted to certain situations.

Afternoons spent with the toddlers proved both informative and highly entertaining - Sadie Borken refusing to put her shirt on gave Catherine Kahler an unforgettable experience - but also may have made students uncertain about parenthood.

Our final Semester One assignment involved a detailed recount of our sleep habits for 10-14 days over Thanksgiving break. We were to fill out a chart with the following information: mood and fatigue levels during the day, number of naps taken, activity level, stimulants, depressants or medication taken, time gone to bed and woken up, number of hours slept, what you did before bed, and how you felt upon waking up. While a tedious process, these details were vital to the results. Knowing such particulars allowed analysis of our habits on a new level. Additionally, we were to fill in a Dream Journal immediately upon waking up. Dreams were then analyzed in the follow-up paper and studied meticulously in order to tap into the unconscious. I have never tracked my sleep—perhaps because there is seldom enough of it—but the Sleep Study helped me realize what

was keeping me up at night and what I could do to improve my shut-eye.

Even today, I have found this analysis integral in understanding myself as a sleeper.

Most recently, students in Dr. Russell’s Psychology class were asked to draw a “cognitive map” of Taft—that is, entirely from memory. This process turned out to be much more difficult than expected, forcing students to demonstrate the power of “latent learning,” which is learning that takes place without intention or incentive.

As Nicole Jarck stated: “the perception [of the way one draws the school] depends highly upon expectations formed by past experiences, opinions and associations.” Maps varied from small and simple 8x11 inch portrayals to drawings that filled up ten pieces of paper. It is intriguing to see the various ways in which each person has drawn Taft and allows one insight into the individual’s mindset and overall impression of Taft’s landscape.

What makes Psych so special is how deeply and intuitively students are forced think beyond the memorization of formulas and equations. Psych allows one to thoughtfully consider various aspects of life that other subjects do not; topics inspire lively discussions where students share personal experiences that are then put into context with the topics we are studying. AP Psych has been one of my favorite courses this year, and I encourage underclassmen to seriously consider taking this class. Why suffer through AP Chem when you can spend four glorious classes a week with Tyler Rowe and Dr. Russell?

NAMANH NGYUEN

Each map had certain labels that revealed a location’s importance to the artist. In Nam’s map, places that she was uncertain about were labeled with the word “stuff,” such as “soccer stuff,” and “more soccer stuff, I think.” Clearly, soccer isn’t too important to Nam; however, Centen, her dorm for two years, has lots of detail, indicating that she holds it closer to her experience at Taft.

MADISON HASKINS

While most boarders included much detail about their dorms, Madison brought a unique day student perspective. Her drawings of the various rooms in the Main Building from the Harley Robert’s Room to the Black Box demonstrate her heightened awareness of specific rooms rather than buildings in general— unsurprising for someone who doesn’t see school as a home so much as a place for learning and interacting in meeting rooms and classrooms, like a typical high school.

NICOLE JARCK

Maps tended to include variations based on one’s time spent in certain locations.

In Nicole’s map, Main Hall is elongated because she often frequents “its warm indoor paths gratefully in the winter.”

Meanwhile, the Main Circle and Varsity Baseball field are reduced in size due to her disinterest in the locations.

CAROLINE LEOPOLD

Some maps included very minute details, but not without reason.

In Caroline’s map, for example, the benches near the arch under Voge are included. Caroline noted that the place has significance in her mind because she saw her Old Girl sitting there with her boyfriend during her first few weeks at Taft, and, as a freshman having attended an all girls’ school previously, found the idea of sitting alone with a boy nauseating and unheard of.

Page 10

Eat This, Not That

Style

Dr. Susan Biali, a medical health and happiness expert wrote an article for Psychology Today entitled “Why you need to listen to your body.” Doctors, nutritionists, and health gurus alike are all big advocates of “listening to your body.” Particularly regarding food, it is important to eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full, and nourish with what you are craving. But hold on – how many of you spend your days craving spinach? Or kale? What about quinoa? If you don’t crave healthy foods, should you reach for an extra slice of cake every time you smell the sweet ILLUSTRATION: Jane Kim ‘15 vanilla frosting?

MEGAN SCHOENHOLTZ Staff Writer

There are many reasons why your body might be craving unhealthy food. First, your body craves what it knows. For example, if you reach for a burger with a huge carbohydrate filled bun every time you crave protein, chances are your body will begin to associate the flavor of carbohydrates with protein. Additionally, carbohydrates and refined sugar are appetite-increasing magnets. Because sugary cakes and cookies are metabolized quickly, they give you a quick boost but then an even quicker crash that leaves you craving another boost – thus begins an endless cycle. The growing industry of processed foods and unnatural flavoring accounts for another reason why our bodies often get confused with what we really need. Lastly, hormonal imbalances, of serotonin and dopamine in particular, can cause an emotional craving for unhealthy foods – your physical body doesn’t actually need any of the flavors you are craving (but that doesn’t mean a cheat day of eating ice cream won’t help with those extra bad days).

To help ease your confusion, here is a decoded version of your bodies’ unspoken language. If you are craving…

Sweets – Your body actually needs chromium, sulfur, and tryptophan. Each of these nutrients relate to your body’s blood sugar and insulin regulation system that helps provide you with constant fuel throughout the day as opposed to ebbs and flows of energy. Additionally, chromium and sulfur are needed to metabolize other foods as they enter the body. Next time you crave sweets, reach for lean meat, seafood, whole-grains, or fruit.

Salty foods like chips – You body is begging for a little extra chloride.

Chloride aids in the regulation of hormones, particularly stress hormones that help relax the body. Furthermore, chloride supports electrolytes within your body, which works to provide easy communication within cells. Tuna, fish, yogurt, milk, fruits, or leafy greens should help calm your chips craving.

Oily or Fried Foods – You need some calcium. Like chloride, calcium

also supports electrolytes within your body, which again aid cell and nerve transmission. Calcium is also vital for strong bones as well as hormonal secretion. Get your share of calcium from dairy products such as milk and yogurt, or from kale, broccoli or tofu.

Caffeine – You could just be really tired which means you need more

sleep, or your body is telling you it needs more iron and vitamin C. Iron is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body and enables the storage of oxygen in muscles. Vitamin C supports healthy growth as well as a strong immune system. Get some extra iron from beef, poultry, fish, soybean, spinach or other beans, and fill up on vitamin C with oranges or other citrus fruits.

Bread – Many people try to cut grain out of their diet completely, which can

be one explanation for a bread craving (everything is good in moderation so you should never cut something out of your diet completely unless recommended by a doctor). Your body might also be telling you it needs some more nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes strong skin, hair, and nails. It also aids in blood circulation. Foods dense in nitrogen include foods high in protein, such as nuts, eggs, milk, and yogurt.

Chocolate – Your body is probably suffering from magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium is involved in energy production, protein synthesis, blood sugar control, and hormonal regulation. In this situation you actually do need some magnesium-filled chocolate – but be sure you reach for dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa) or else you’ll cause your blood sugar to spike. If you can’t resist not eating sugary milk chocolate, try reaching for leafy greens, nuts, seeds, or whole-grain.

Congratulations! You are now almost fluent in speaking the complicated language of “listening to your body.” Be sure to give your body what it needs when you have a craving so you can be your best and feel your best! Happy snacking…

February 20, 2015

The Latest and F I N N M A T T H O F F M A N C L I F F O R D Greatest THE in CALORE BROS MicroFashion SARAH COLEMAN Contributor Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Though Taft is undeniably a place of style with Barbours and Vineyard Vines adorning the halls, many of us who recall our earlier years can agree we fall in the latter categories of greatness. And yet, there are a rare few who enter the world dressed to the nines and have maintained their statuses ever since. To find these lucky few, look no further than the rear tables of Laube, where you will witness the awe-inspiring micro-fashion of Taft.

Upon entering the realm of the mini fashionistas, you will first be captivated by the heart-melting smile of Finn Hoffman.

However, don’t let the puppy dog eyes fool you: this is a child who knows exactly how adorable he is. Finn’s go-to apparel is a bold patterned onesie, paired with either a timeless sweater or quarter-zip Patagonia in a sky blue that makes those goo-goo eyes pop. The outfit wouldn’t be complete without the durable Timberlands to which the baby-sized angel is partial, and since he has not yet taken his first steps, the boots are still pristine. All in all, this is one baby who is always on fleek.

Another stylish pint-sized Taftie is none other than Cora Benedict, who was born into a life of yoga pants and floral kimonos. The yogi-in-training opts for comfort, though never sacrifices style. She can be found giggling in her colorful pants and cozy onesies, most likely playing with the miracle balloon from Halloween that has not yet popped. No matter what

CORA BENEDICT

apparel of the day the baby finds herself in, her shock of blonde hair will be bouncing atop her head in a Cindy Louhoo-esque ponytail. The naturally flawless look of Cora will no doubt continue to serve her well in life.

Yogi babies aside, there are many brands of fashion that serve well. For Zach Calore, that genre is jock. If you have trouble spotting the future tri-varsity athlete around meal times, look no further than the field house, where he can be found toting a hockey stick and cheering on the sports teams. For Zach, durability is key, as his active playtimes require only the best of sportswear. Sporting a hard hat and killer sunglasses, he and his brother are often seen strolling through campus with straight-up confidence.

Style is all about individualism, remaining true to yourself and what you love to wear. Which is why when it comes to fashion icons of Taft, Matt Clifford is truly the most extreme. Don’t recognize the name? You many know him better as the tiny Darth Vader near the desserts at dinner, or perhaps the Buzz Lightyear zooming through the halls, or maybe even the kid hanging outside Mac in a gorilla mask. When asked about his love for costumes, Matt revealed that his favorite is a banana costume his sister, Ellie, left in his room. Why? He just likes bananas.

Of course, when it comes down to it, fashion is about wearing what makes you feel great. So rock what you love this upcoming spring season and let your true colors shine through. And if the real you happens to be a giant banana suit, rest easy knowing that Matt Clifford approves.

PHOTOS: Allie Davidge

February 20, 2015

DAN QUIRK Contributor

Sports

Understanding the Athlete

In theory, every sport is essentially one big game of tag, complete with parts and people that move in different ways. While that may be an overstatement, nearly all sports echo the same rules that lay the foundation for the game of tag.

Growing up, almost all children get to play tag with their peers, whether it be on a blacktop, school playground, or grass field duck.

Children extend the game of tag as they grow older: the classic chase turns into graveyard, capture the flag, paintball, and even the formal, competitive sport of touch football.

Our first experience with tag can be motivated by a friendly rivalry or our first crush on that special someone. One possible situation: Boy has had a crush on Girl all day long. So, what does Boy do to act on this instinct? He runs up to Girl, tags her on the back, and runs away.

Rightfully so, Girl turns around and chases Boy until she catches

up with him and tags him back.

Perhaps the game began not among two young lovebirds but among a group of kids. After deciding which player will be “it,” the others scatter around in an attempt to escape the hand touch (aka the tag) of “it.”

The annual game of tag begins here, and will continue each day at recess. You may wonder where the fun lies for Girl, Boy, and all their peers, just as we sometimes admire the simplest ways that little kids amuse themselves.The game of tag is a child’s early expression of human instinct - the same human instinct that was once exercised for survival, as cavemen stalked and preyed on 2,000-pound Bison Bulls.

As humans have evolved, we no longer exercise this instinct through digging and hunting with our tribe but instead exercise it with a new kind of tribe: our sports team.

As athletes, we frequently receive a question along the lines of, “What is it about your sport that you really enjoy?” In hockey, you

Page 11

core of why humans enjoy athletics as much as they do: competition.

Instinctually, we seek to perform as our best selves and succeed in everything we do; sports are a perfect example of people acting on this very mindset.

The next Sunday you find yourself in the Green Gym, playing a game of pick-up basketball or competing for Taft in the Squash Nationals, think about what it is that is pushing you to compete and grind as hard as you possibly can. Sports are so much more than a time to go out and have fun; they provide humans a method to embrace their most primitive senses and fight for the win in a headspace that does not exist elsewhere.

ILLUSTRATION: Nicole Jarck

are essentially just hitting each other and passing a rubber disc around, right? The eye of an outsider could surely analyze a sport like this, but athletes (and anybody, for that matter, who can comprehend sports) understand that it is so much more than a mindless two hours of running, skating, or swinging. All sports contain the same element as that of tag, the element that is at the

CATCHING UP WITH VARSITY SQUASH CAPTAINS BELLA JONES Contributor

The 2014-2015 Girls’ Varsity Squash team has enjoyed a triumphant season thus far, not only because of our 10-5 record, but also because of our enthusiastic fan base and supportive team dynamic. Before playing in High School Nationals, the girls’ Squash team won every competition besides two matches against Greenwich Academy, the defending national champions.

We headed into Nationals eager and prepared to compete at Trinity College.

Although we finished 12th, every match Taft played was close. The team loved playing on a college campus, as we got a chance to see a college squash facility, giving many girls an insight into what the next level of squash has in store. Perhaps we would have found more success if we had the amazing support of our fellow Taft students, who, without fail, have cheered us on at every home match. The energy at the squash courts during the match against Greenwich Academy invigorated each player and allowed us to truly play our

best. Despite listening to “Umbrella” by Rihanna every practice, we were focused for the contest. Although we had a slim shot at defeating a top-ranked team, more people could not have fit in the viewing area of the squash courts. Amidst all of the wild cheering, my friend on the Greenwich Academy squash team turned to me and said “Wow, that’s school spirit.” The Girls’ Varsity Squash team is highly appreciative of the endless support and encouragement we have received from the Taft community.

We simultaneously strengthen our game and push each other to improve our shots while also developing some of our most meaningful relationships at Taft. On more than one occasion, Eliza Dunham has said to me: “I have found some of my closest friends at Taft on the squash teams” (along with her boyfriend).

The Girls’ Varsity Squash Team looks forward to competing in New England’s on February 28th. Although we will not have the Taft community there to cheer us on, we have faith that we will find more success than we did at Nationals.

BRANDON SALVATORE Contributor

So far this season, the Boys’ Varsity Squash team has performed really well despite playing top competition. An early highlight of the season was a close win against the defending national champion, Avon Old Farms. Soon after winter break, we beat a muchimproved Kent team that had some fantastic players at the top of their ladder. However, a few days after the Kent match, Brunswick came to town and proved that they were the best team in the country. Even with our huge home crowd, we lost 6-1. Heading into Nationals, we had a record of 9-2. In the first round of the tournament, we beat a strong Germantown Friend’s team, and we had a ton of momentum going into our quarterfinal match against Chestnut Hill. We stepped onto the court against Chestnut Hill

with a lot of energy and emotion. However, their ladder was too strong top to bottom. They had a more skilled squash team, but we hung in there with them in every game. They pulled off a 5-2 win and our quest for a National Championship was cut short. We ended up finishing in 6th place.

Despite an already eventful and exciting season, we have some momentous matches coming up. We will be playing Deerfield at home on Wednesday, February 18th, followed by a match against Hotchkiss at home on Saturday, February 21st. Both those matches should be really heated and fun to watch, so come out and cheer Big Red!

Photos courtesy of Taft School

Sports

Page 12

150 Won and Done JOHN GRIBBIN Contributor

30 years is a long time to spend in the intense psycho-physical pressure cooker that is the sweltering Taft wrestling room. For most, a wrestling career constitutes three, maybe four years in this sacred place, all the while struggling to realize the cathartic glory that

Wrestling is a lesson in how to struggle gracefully against the pitfalls that a wrestler may encounter in a match, or life, and under Coach Reiff, we have come to understand the value of this righteous perseverance. comes with success at this: the world’s oldest sport. Yet there are those who have dedicated their lives to this painful-yet-wonderful

tradition. Coach Al Reiff is one of these life-long wrestlers, the fuel that has driven Taft squads from relative ignorance to wrestling prowess for three decades.

Coach Reiff’s coaching career began as Assistant Coach under the great Coach Wynne, the namesake of the wrestling room itself. For 15 years, Coaches Reiff and Wynne worked together to form a crucible of some of Taft’s most successful wrestling teams through hard work and dedication. Some of Coach Reiff’s fondest memories of Taft wrestling glory come from this era, such as the Westerns-dominating team of ’95 and the New England Champion team of ’96. Reiff spoke of the Western Championship of ’95: “We had the tournament won before the final round. We could have lost every match after [the semifinals] and still won.” Such dominance is a testament to the preparation and discipline taught

by Coach Reiff and Coach Wynne.

When Coach Wynne ended his 36-year career in 2000, Coach Reiff had the option to become the Head Coach of either wrestling or crew and chose wrestling. For the last 15 years, Coach Reiff has been the leader of countless young students

Remembering Corey Griffin

eager to take up this ancient, p r i m a l ritual that is wrestling.

Hundreds of individuals have learned in that sweltering room not just the moves and techniques that make a good wrestler, but the sportsmanship and character that make a good person.

Wrestling is more than a sport; it is a physical struggle for survival. And in that environment, we learn more about ourselves than any textbook or adage can teach. Coach Reiff understands this and embraces it.

Whether it’s his no-nonsense policy on explicit music in the room (“If coach can’t say it, we don’t play it”), or the emphasis he places on not just being a good wrestler, but a classy sportsman, Coach Reiff has taken this violent, bloody sport and made it an example. Wrestling is a lesson in how to struggle gracefully

February 20, 2015

against the pitfalls that a wrestler may encounter in a match, or life, and under Coach Reiff, we have come to understand the value of this righteous perseverance.

This year, the wrestling team is 13-3 entering the Westerns tournament, coming off a thrilling 39-38 clutch win over Hopkins in the final dual meet of the season.

Earlier, Coach Reiff won his 150th career match against Chase. Said Coach Reiff to the team, “I want to go out on top, and you guys are doing the job.” Coach Reiff will remain at Taft next year to continue to teach and coach cross country.

Photos courtesy of Taft School

TREVOR McGEE Contributor

O

n January 31st, members of the Taft family celebrated the life of Taft graduate Corey Griffin ’06 who passed away unexpectedly last summer. Members of Corey’s family, who filled an entire bus, and his former teammates also attended the gathering before the annual Taft hockey alumni game. Both Coach Murphy and Mr. MacMullen spoke before the game and shared the experiences they had with Corey as both a player and a student during his post-graduate year at Taft.

In recounting Corey’s time on the 2005-2006 Varsity Hockey team, Coach Murphy described Corey as the glue that kept a talented group of players together. Corey played a crucial role on the 2006 New England finalist team (21-5), with its final loss in the New England Championship game against Salisbury. While Corey was certainly a talented player, Coach Murphy believes that Corey’s skill on the ice is not what made him great, but rather it was Corey’s attitude and “team-first spirit” that enabled him to make a significant contribution in such a short period of time.

In Mr. MacMullen’s remembrance, he, too, commemorated Corey as having an energetic and vibrant spirit that was felt throughout the Taft community. Corey was the person that everyone wanted to be around,

PARENTS’ DAY HOME GAMES

whether it was on the ice, in the classroom, or in the dorm. This personality is what Coach Murphy refers to as a “people-collector,” a term that he uses to identify a person who has a magnetic spirit, constantly drawing in other people.

It is no surprise that even after Corey left Taft he continued to affect anyone he encountered with his contagious, spirited personality. After a close friend was diagnosed with ALS, Corey became a pioneer of the viral Internet phenomenon called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and vigorously fundraised in order to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease. With his fundraising, Corey showcased his natural ability to lead and inspire people into believing in something that he was so passionate about.

While Corey’s life was cut too short, it was certainly a fulfilled life for a unique and gregarious young man. As a son, Corey would have made any parent proud; as a brother, friend, classmate, and teammate, Corey was the ideal role model and someone that everyone aspired to be like because he exemplified Taft’s motto: Not to be served, but to serve.

Horns up to Corey Griffin, #23.

2:00 Girls’ Varsity Hockey v. Choate Rosemary Hall 4:00 Boys’ Varsity Hockey v. Choate Rosemary Hall 2:00 Boys’ Varsity Squash v. Hotchkiss School ILLUSTRATION: NamAnh Nguyen

4:00 Girls’ Varsity Basketball v. Choate Rosemary Hall

Go Big Red!