Volume 76, Number 5 by Tower

Tower The Masters School

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

VOLUME 76, NUMBER 5

Editorial With COVID-19 spreading rapidly worldwide and prompting numerous school closures in the Westchester area, Tower urges people to remain calm, take care of one another, spread kindness – and wash their hands.

MARCH 9, 2020

tower.mastersny.org

COVID-19 update: all classes cancelled for a week Logan Schiciano & MicheLLe Wei Editors-in-Chief

9:36 p.m., Sun., March 8: A K-12 Alert informed The Masters School community that the final week of school before break was cancelled. At 10:44 p.m., Head of School Laura Danforth followed up with an email explaining that classes would be cancelled “out of an abundance of care.” According to Danforth’s email on March 8, “Please know that, as of this writing, there are no known cases of COVID-19 in the Masters community.” The day before, on Saturday, March 7, the school decided to cancel their previous plans to host international students who could not return home because of the coronavirus. Instead, Director of Global Studies and Civic Engagement Dr. Rob Fish said in an email that there will be host families available for boarders. Read more about the coronavirus’ effect on boarders on page 2. All school-sponsored spring break plans to travel had been cancelled as of Friday, March 6, including a golf trip to Florida, a Model United Nations trip to Washington D.C. and a trip to Peru. Masters is one among many schools in Westchester to close because of coronavirus. Masters, The Harvey School and Iona College are closing the week preceding their respective spring breaks. Some schools closed last week and will remain closed this week, such as Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck, Westchester Torah Academy in White Plains, the Salanter Akiba Riverdale (SAR) Academy and SAR High School in Riverdale, the Bronx. Additionally, beginning on March 9, all Scarsdale public schools will be closed through March 18 and East Ramapo Central School District

MICHELLE WEI/TOWER

JIOVANNI ORTIZ AND CHRISTIAN Belliard, members of the janitorial staff, sanitize a chair in the library using the Clorox 360 electrostatic sprayer. As part of the cleaning crew, they are also sanitizing classrooms and facilities after hours. With recent cases of COVID-19 in Westchester County, the school is preparing contingency plans. schools will be closed through March 21. Other public schools including Hastings-on-Hudson, Somers Central School District, Mount Pleasant Cottage School Union Free School District, Annunciation School and Mt. Vernon schools are (or were) closed for one or two days for deep cleaning. As of March 9, there are 142 cases of coronavirus in New York State, 98 of which are in Westchester County. However, new information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) can emerge at any time and The Masters School has been bracing for what Danforth called a “low-probability, high-prep” scenario. Regarding her decision to close the school, Danforth explained, “My colleagues on the COVID-19 task force and I have come to this decision given the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases in our area,” in the email sent on March 8. Danforth first introduced the coro-

navirus task force, which is made up of 11 faculty members, to the Upper School in a speech at morning meeting on March 5. She shared that they have been meeting daily for two weeks to make plans to handle COVID-19 related problems. In her speech, Danforth said, “I want to make informed decisions based on facts not fear. We’re all going to experience levels of anxiety, I know I do, but I want to make sure this campus is kept clean and safe.” She explained that because the news on COVID-19 is changing every moment, the school has to be flexible. “It’s on the forefront of my mind 24 hours a day and there is nothing else right now that is more important to me,” Danforth said. Senior Zeynep Ozturk said she appreciated the clarity that Danforth, Head of School Peter Newcomb and Fish provided in their speech address to the school. Ozturk said, “For once, I felt like

they were being open and actually talking to us like they were our peers.” Fish, who also spoke at the meeting, provided insight on why schools shut down. He said, “There are two reasons... One is to protect everyone else if someone in the community has been exposed to the virus. The other reason is because they [schools] want to slow down the spreading of the disease and keep everything under control.” In the event that school did need to be suspended for a period of time, Danforth said in an email sent to the community on March 4 that a contingency plan for continued learning would be put into place. Danforth also advised students to take all their textbooks and supplies home during spring break. Google will be making its Google Meet software available for free to schools to use during COVID-19 clo-

sures. Danforth said in an email sent to the Masters community on March 4, “Our division heads and department chairs are working to adjust our curriculum for remote teaching and learning and are exploring all viable options with our technology department. They are also working with our teachers to train them and set realistic expectations for both faculty and students.” Faculty from both the Upper and Middle Schools will meet on campus on Tuesday, March 10 for an all-day training on using Google Meet and other online technology for distance teaching, should it be needed after the break. Fish explained that COVID-19 is only dangerous to a small portion of those who contract it. He said, “Almost everyone listening to my voice, if you were to catch this, you would show little or no symptoms. For most of you, this is not a huge personal concern.” Nevertheless, Newcomb, who was the third member of the task force to speak, asked that students be conscious of each individual’s situation. “There are members of our community who are at a heightened risk. Let’s be mindful of how we speak about this because things can resonate differently with different people,” he said. Ozturk, who is an international boarder from Istanbul, Turkey took precautionary measures as she flew back to Turkey on Thursday evening and will presumably stay there through spring break. She said, “Although there are no cases back home in Turkey, my parents don’t want me to be stuck here [in America] if there’s a travel ban.” Newcomb emphasized in his speech to the Upper School, “Please don’t panic… Be mindful of asking questions; we’re all here to help… Thank you all for taking care of each other.” NOTE: Informaton accurate as of upload time at 10:30 p.m. on March 9.

‘Side Show’ cast performs with an open heart Lexi Wachen & Sabrina WoLfSon Contributing Writers

wo girls conjoined at the hip, a lady with a beard and a three-legged man mounted the stage of the Claudia Boettcher Theater last weekend as the cast of the Masters School’s winter musical presented Bill Russel’s “Side Show.” In the musical (which was performed on Feb. 28 and 29), the main characters had physical disabilities and were labeled as ‘freaks,’ which at the time only allowed them to work as the main attractions in a circus. Through their points of view, the show aimed to reveal the importance of self-acceptance and self expression. This theme, which many feel is celebrated and practiced throughout the Master’s community, made the musical relevant for many. Following last year’s production of the widely-known “Fiddler on the Roof,” cast members were hesitant in the first rehearsals to embrace the less-popular “Side Show.” Stage Manager and sophomore Ella Mathas observed that at first, not everyone was satisfied with this years’ choice. “It is less well known so it’s a little bit harder for some people to become their character,” she said. “However, as the season progressed and the spotlight shined

COURTESY OF KISHAN MANGRU, ISAAC CASS, SABRINA WOLFSON AND LEXI WACHEN

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS PERFORMED in the Upper School production of “Side Show” two weekends ago. The show explores the themes of acceptance and self-expression, following the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. on the storyline, many of the cast sulation of the theme of accepting do a great job of taking on the members’ began to love the show.” yourself, and living every moment complex characters and effectiveDirector Jason Reiff said he of life with an open heart.” ly conveying their perception of chose “Side Show” for this year’s “Side Show” takes place in the the world. musical because he felt as though 1930s, when being disabled was Reiff said, “It really teaches the it connected to Masters in a generally perceived as strange delicate balance between portrayunique way. and unnatural. Throughout re- ing a character, and not offending Reiff said, “It is a great encap- hearsals, Reiff said he saw actors them.”

Many actors agreed that the themes of the musical made it an appropriate choice. Senior Gabriela Seguinot, who played the fortune teller, said, “Our school has become a haven for kids with different ideas who come from different backgrounds, we really work on supporting that.” Sophomore Alana Gould continued, “Everybody is different, so why highlight certain people based on the fact that they’re a little different than you?” Gould portrayed Jake, an ostracized gay woman working at the Side Show. Many actors were very glad to perform a musical where they could showcase all that they had learned from their characters. Seniors Annie Rubinson and Ariana Copland played the lead roles in “Side Show,” conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. Rubinson said, “Getting to walk in our characters’ shoes, even if it’s just for two hours, gives a strong insight on how lucky we are to be in a setting where being different is so supported.” Copland agreed that playing their part was an incredible experience. “Because we were physically connected, we have to focus on that and be in the moment at the same time, and the vocals were really challenging.” However, Copland, along with many of the other cast members, felt as though the musical “could not have been more perfect.”

NEWS

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

Carnation delay sparks debate

SOPHIE GRAND/TOWER

MISH REPRESENTATIVES PATRICK CURNIN-SHANE and Kayla Shelley sell carnations in the dining hall. The carnation sale has traditionally taken place before Valentine’s Day, but has been recently moved to mid-March.

Sophie Grand Opinion Editor

asters Involved in Sharing and Helping (MISH) has made various alterations to their fundraisers this school year, notably the moving of the annual carnation sale. Held on Valentine’s Day in recent years, the distribution is now planned to take place the week before spring break. The flower sale on Valentine’s Day has been a long-standing tradition of ten years, when students, teachers and administrators alike can purchase carnations for each other. Whether they are gifted to a significant other, a crush, a mentor, or a friend, students and faculty use them to express gratitude for the important people in their lives. During morning meeting on Feb. 13, the senior MISH co-chairs announced the shifting date of the carnation sale and explained the reasoning behind the change. Senior and MISH co-chair Olivia Sharenow said, “We moved the carnation sale to make the sale more about Jonestown and expressing gratitude instead of making it about Valentine’s Day.” The profits from the fundraising efforts are allocated towards Jonestown, Mississippi, where almost half of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the United States Census Bureau’s American FactFinder. In the 2018/2019 school year, the profit made from the carnation sale exceeded 1,000 dollars. For many years, Masters has facilitated a service trip to Jonestown, Miss. The students and faculty who went in years past spent the time constructing and repairing homes of Jonestown res-

idents who could not afford to pay for renovations. Sister Kay Burton takes in volunteers and through her organization and planning, the volunteers go out to spend time with the different families who work with her. Sister Kay Burton was the school’s primary contact in Jonestown and organized the volunteer projects for the group, who stayed in her private residence. Due to changes in circumstance, a homestay with Burton wasn’t a viable option this year and there was not another location where the group could be housed. In 2018, the group stayed in the recreational center, but it was crowded and did not work out. There-

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If someone doesn’t get a carnation, they will still feel upset in March rather than on Valentine’s Day - OLIVIA KNOWLES ‘20

fore, the trip was unable to happen this year. Sharenow said, “The trip taught me a lot about a different part of the country that we don’t really talk about or learn about.” The money made from the carnation sales helps support Burton’s community programs, which include providing music lessons to young children, knitting groups for teenage girls, and social activities for all ages. The carnation sale was delayed to March in an effort to disassociate the fundraiser with Valentine’s Day because of the emotional welfare of students who did not receive any carnations. Junior MISH representative Mariano Russo said, “There is this imbalance of who gets what, and it makes some people feel lonely.” Russo continued, “This dissociation was the whole point

Asbestos found in Masters Hall annie rubinSon News Lead Editor The entire costume wardrobe for the middle school production of “Shrek: The Musical!” was destroyed over Presidents’ Day weekend due to a steam leak that exposed the Claudia Boettcher Theatre Green Room to asbestos. Asbestos is a heat-resistant mineral that, for a period of time, was often used as an insulator for piping systems – including those in some of the older buildings on the Masters School campus. This was before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized asbestos as a hazardous air pollutant in the 1970 Clean Air Act, and it was determined that the mineral could lead to severe respiratory illnesses if “disrupted.” In line with the EPA’s Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), the Masters administration developed a management plan in the event of a steam leak such as the one that occurred before Presidents’ Day weekend. Licensed asbestos personnel were immediately brought in to remediate the area, Masters Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ed Biddle said in an email to the families of students participating in performing arts on February 19. Since the casting of “Shrek: The Musical!” and the Upper School musical, “Side Show” in mid-November, costume designer Jules Cunningham had been working extensively on selecting, ordering and fitting costumes for every actor involved. So when the treatment of the asbestos closed the Green Room from Feb. 14 to Feb. 19, just two weeks before the opening night of “Side

Show,” she had to prepare a backup plan. “The timing was awful,” Cunningham said, adding that she felt frustrated to learn that her carefully-selected costumes for both the upper and middle school productions may have to be destroyed due to asbestos exposure. Almost immediately, Cunningham re-rented many of the costumes for both productions in preparation for the worst possible outcome. Luckily, however, the asbestos exposure was confined to the dressing rooms and the theater lobby, and not the sewing room where the majority of the “Side Show” costumes were kept (except the wigs, which were reordered). The cast and crew of “Shrek: The Musical!” were less fortunate. All of their pieces were inside one of the dressing rooms which was exposed to asbestos, and therefore had to be destroyed. According to Department of Performing Arts Chair Jennifer Carnevale, Middle School humanities teacher and costume designer Mary Chappell was forced to re-order everything and is still in the process of re-fitting all of the actors into their new costumes. Cunningham reiterated the strength of Carnevale’s leadership throughout the process, who quickly assumed responsibility for communicating with the Masters administration about the incident and facilitating the replacement of costumes. “If she [Carnevale] hadn’t stepped in, it would have been worse,” Cunningham said. She added that the production team was even prepared to “throw trailers outside the back door” if the green room could not be reopened in time for the opening night of “Side Show.” “The show must go on!” she said.

of us moving it.” Community Service Coordinator Dena Torino weighed in. “Over the past couple years, we have gotten feedback from different people that the carnation sales linked to Valentine’s Day are not as representative of our community as we want it to be.” However, for some, this change is not welcome. According to senior Olivia Knowles, the concept of moving the carnation sales is flawed and will not change how students feel if they do not receive carnations. “I think giving carnations are less so associated with being in a couple or being in a relationship, or as a romantic gesture. If someone doesn’t get a carnation, they will still feel upset in March rather than on Valentine’s Day.” MISH hopes to encourage students to purchase the carnations with the beneficiaries of Jonestown in mind and focus on the importance of philanthropic deeds. Russo said, “The whole point of donations is not to incentivize people. We want to make them do it on their own volition, but there is an inherent problem with that because everybody is born with self-interest and selfishness.” Another major change instituted by MISH this year relates to Jeans Day. This school year, the connection was severed between Jeans Days and Community Donation Days because of the new eight-day schedule. Currently, Fridays remain the only day students are allowed to sport blue jeans, and the sum of money students and faculty contributed for Community Donation Days has been staggeringly low, much smaller than the totals of the 2018-2019 school year. For the last two weeks, MISH has begun collecting donations during lunch on Fridays in replacement of collecting on day five. Their totals have still fallen below last year’s weekly average of collection. Russo believes that the separation of jeans day from community donation day’s prompted this decrease in donations, and a similar trend will emerge from the carnation sales. “I do think we will lose money because of it and people will be less willing to buy the carnations. I don’t think if we are trying to make the most money, this is the right move. Just like we saw with Jeans Days, the amount of money made is probably going to go down.” Knowles agreed with that sentiment: “I don’t understand why we’re taking away such a big part of Valentine’s Day at Masters and something that makes Valentine’s Day a day to look forward to, and to then move it to another time where I’m afraid more people might not be so inclined to donate.”

JIAYUN (ELLA) TANG/TOWER

WHILE MASTERS WAS PLANNING to keep the dorms open to international students who couldn’t easily return home this spring break because of COVID-19 cases abroad, plans changed. Administrators announced on Saturday that students would be housed elsewhere given the eruption of cases in Westchester itself. This change allows for the possibility of an extended closure.

Spring break dorm plan:

An open-then-shut case Mattilynn Stone Photography and Illustration Editor

revious plans to accommodate international students by hosting them on-campus in the dorms have been cancelled as The Masters School has decided to close the week preceding spring break. In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the dorms were originally set to host 22 international students over spring break, giving them a place to stay if there were travel complications or restrictions. However, in an email announcement sent on March 7, this decision was reversed because “the closure of school during the two weeks of spring break will allow us to reduce the risk of community spread for that period of time and help us better prepare for the possibility of an extended closure.” Head of School Laura Danforth reassured boarding families that students who planned to stay on campus would be placed with an available host or guardian family for the duration of spring break. During the week of March 9-16, leading up to the break, while classes are cancelled, boarders are allowed to stay until Saturday. However, domestic boarders are being encouraged to head home as soon as travel and family plans can be arranged to minimize community health risks, according to

Dean of Residential Life Dena Torino. The Health Center has also extended invitation to boarding students for counseling and dialogue. In an email sent on the evening of March 9 from Health Center Counselors Lydia Whitney and Katya Ostor, “Mrs. Ostor and I would like to offer an open meeting for any boarding student who would like to meet and talk about how they are managing the ever changing landscape of COVID-19 and the cancelling of classes this week. We know for some this week can still bring some unsettled feelings regarding making plans and next steps. We are here to support you. We will be available tomorrow morning [March 10] at 11 a.m. in the health center for anyone to come and meet with us.” Senior Yeveen Shin, who is not one of the 22 students who initially planned to stay on campus, but is unable to go home because of COVID-19 in South Korea, explained she wanted to be with family friends in Harrison, New York, for comfort and a feeling of home. Shin also shared her greatest concern, “I’m afraid my parents won’t be able to come here for graduation. I think I’m more afraid of that than not being able to go home for spring break.” EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated from its original content to reflect realtime changes on campus since press date. Changes reflect March 9, 11 p.m. reality.

New York bans plastic bags mate change, and part of it starts with changing our lifestyle.” In spite of the arguments made by supporters of the ban, there is still opposition towards its treatment of paper bags. This bill gives counties the option to impose a five-cent tax on paper bags. Some environmental activists feel that this is not enough, and the proper way to eradicate the waste produced by single-use bags is to ban paper bags altogether as well. These activists have also recognized the gravity of deforestation as much as that of the production of plastic, and feel that the ban doesn’t take enough precautionary steps. While science teacher and EFFECT advisor Courtney White understands GABE KELLER/TOWER this pushback, she also sees a larger DOBBS FERRY STOP & SHOP employee bags groceries in the days prior to the fault of the bill. plastic bag ban. Now the bagholders hang empty. Instead, the store is now selling “If I had to pick a battle, I would reusable paper bags for 50 cents each. instead push for the inclusion of they are eaten by animals, whose diges- banning additional types of plastic tive tracts can be obstructed, causing a bags, such as bulk goods, prescripGabe Keller slow and painful death. Additionally, tion drugs, and takeout food, as well Sports Editor should these bags end up in the ocean as other single-use plastics, such as (which many of them do), marine crea- plastic bottles and utensils,” White ew York became the eighth tures can mistake said. “Unlike paper state to ban single-use plastic them for prey bags, plastics take bags on Sunday, March 1. Governor and consume As a human race, we need far longer to deAndrew Cuomo has backed the bill them. Single-use to do all that we can to comcompose and breaksince March of 2019, saying the bags plastic bags are bat climate change, and part down at varying are harmful to nearby waterways and never fully biodeof it starts with changing our rates depending on the environment and that the ban will gradable, so their lifestyle. the composition,” “protect our natural resources for fu- impact can last she added. ture generations of New Yorkers.” forever. - OLIVIA SHARENOW ‘20 The ban has also The ban applies to plastic bags proSenior and affected local busivided in grocery stores and convenience EFFECT co-presness. At the Stop stores, but exceptions have been made ident Olivia Sharenow agrees with the and Shop in downtown Dobbs Ferry, for some varieties of bags. Bags with passage of the bill and sees it as a step they have the five-cent tax on paper cold cuts or raw meat, bags that contain in the right direction. bags implemented, and they are disnewspapers, bags used for dry cleaning, “Plastic bags have a really detri- playing their reusable bags near the and garbage bags are among those that mental effect on the environment, and front of the store for 50 cents each. are still allowed after this ban. there’s really no benefit to having them In addition to that, there have been Plastic bags can take up to 1,000 when you can have reusable bags,” some negative aspects, as the lines years to decompose, this sometimes Sharenow said. “As a human race, we are taking far longer, according to takes place in soil. As a result of this, need to do all that we can to combat cli- several employees at the store.

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OP-ED

TOWER/ MARCH 9, 2020

OpiniOn

EDITORIAL

COVID-19: Spread love, not fear Whether you are in Dobbs Ferry, NY, Wuhan, China or Qom, Iran, COVID-19 seems to be taking over every aspect of daily life. From sanitation paranoia and quarantined cities to mass media attention and public hysteria, the virus has people worried and wondering where it might go and what it might do next. These sentiments have been transmitted to our school community, as the coronavirus has begun to infect Harkness discussions in all subjects. Posters have cropped up in bathrooms, illustrating how to properly wash our hands and many students have taken to wearing masks, carrying hand sanitizer and opening doors with their elbows. When someone sneezes in the library, for example, the usual chorus of “bless you,” carries a quiver of fear. This is a normal reaction. But we must evaluate the true threat posed by the virus, putting aside our hysteria. It is important to remember that

the influenza virus, which spreads every winter, kills hundreds of thousands of people every year around the world. This is not to diminish the effects of the coronavirus, but only to provide perspective. And we must not let fear lead to hatred. In the midst of this panic, many have forgotten their shared humanity which has been seen in the rise of hate crimes against people of Asian origin, because the virus originated in China. A Singaporean man of Chinese ethnicity said he was attacked by men in London who yelled, “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country,” according to CNN. The good news is that, despite the racism and hate being peddled, the threat can also bring our communities together. In our own Masters community, this has been seen in the support for those brave enough to share their family’s experiences with

COVID-19 responses in China, and in the unusually generous giving to people affected, in an initiative started by Victor Lantao Li, Jesse Xu and August Liu. The campaign ended up raising 2,173 dollars, illustrating how much the effects of the virus have brought our community together. Currently, China and the USA disagree on many things, and both countries often treat each other as financial and political enemies, as trade wars plague both of our economies. Similarly, the USA and Iran – which saw over 2,300 COVID-19 cases as of March 4 – are not diplomatic friends. It is possible that the outbreak could increase international tensions throughout the world. But now is the time to put down our metaphorical weapons, in the world and at the local level, and work together to fight our common enemy: tiny pieces of virulent DNA.

The goodness of our hearts is not enough to save Communuty Donation Days sissippi), senior MISH chairs said in an announcement to the Upper School. News Lead Editor While I do believe that the conitting in the McKnight Room cept of “giving for giving’s sake” tallying community dona- aligns perfectly with the Masters tions to be directed toward mission statement, we, as a comSeafarers International Union, munity dedicated to service, must my fellow MISH treasurers and I make a choice: is it more importsighed as we counted only $102.66. ant to give as much as possible, or “It saddens me to see a Masters for the “right” reasons? While in tradition fade away,” fellow Trea- an ideal world teenagers would be purely altruistic, by pushing this surer Eric Dowd said later. The steady decline in money too hard now we might risk fosterraised for MISH charities is a di- ing a hostile relationship between rect result of the discontinuation MISH and the broader Masters of the decades-long tradition of community. Having served as both a MISH Jeans Day, in which students were representative and treasurer over four obligated to conyears, a question tribute a dollar I’ve asked myself reIt saddens me to see in exchange for a Masters tradition fade peatedly is whether the privilege of away. or not there is such wearing jeans on - ERIC DOWD, a thing as a selfFriday’s. MISH TREASURER less good deed. Or, Since the imin the context of plementation of Masters, is the only the new eightreason to donate to MISH charities day schedule this year, morning meetings (the time at which to benefit from privileges like Jeans Jeans Day money was tradition- Days? While this may be true for ally collected) have not con- some, to assume this in every case is sistently been held on Fridays. problematic in that it goes against one This was seen as an opportunity of the core expectations at Masters: to to make so-called “Communi- always assume good intent. Additionally, the reality is that ty Donation Days” more charregardless of whether or not fundity-oriented and less about the added privilege of wearing jeans. raisers are directly linked to a form This sentiment was further of “compensation” for contribuechoed by MISH when carnation tors, we will always feel the rush sales were pushed back a month, of “feel-good” chemicals (like doin order to place more emphasis pamine and serotonin) when we on the recipients of the donations give, according to the Cleveland (the residents of Jonestown, Mis- Clinic. I imagine the excitement Annie Rubinson

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of exchanging carnations on Val- ductively reflect upon the ways entine’s Day and dressing down in which we can improve giving on Friday’s would only add to culture and establish a meaningthis. So, rather than fight against ful sense of global understandthese natural tendencies, it seems ing across campus. Secondly, as more productive to take advan- a community, we can search for tage of them in order to prompt as ways in which students can conmany contributions as possible, nect meaningfully with the orgatherefore helping as many people nizations on the receiving ends of as possible. our donations. Of course, it is entirely posBy fully immersing ourselves in sible that if we wait long enough MISH programs and empathizing to get used to the separation of with those in need, perhaps we can Jeans Days from community do- help create a more altruistic envinations, contribution rates would ronment at Masters without feelrecover over time. It is also true ing as though all donations have to that MISH attempting to elim- be incentivinate quid pro quo motivations ized. sets a good precedent, and would better embody the giving culture at Masters that we strive to maintain. But while I don’t deny that Masters students are certainly well-informed about the world around them and more driven to give than any other school community I’ve seen, I’m just unsure of whether the pure altruism of students will be enough to sustain the valuable tradition of community donations Finally, we can all do in the years to come. our best to remember Until we settle on a solution our dollars every Frithat strikes the perfect balance day – once we start dobetween maximizing donations ing this, we can begin and selfless giving, there are a va- to rekindle the tradiriety of different ways in which tion of jean’s days and we can foster a sense of “healthy” make a meaningful donation encouragement across mark on the world. Masters. First and foremost, we must remind ourselves to always SEE “CARNATION DEassume good intent. Only once we LAY SPARKS debate” on do this can we rationally and pro- page 2 to read more. SOPHIE GRAND/TOWER

editors-iN-Chief loGAn schiciAno michelle Wei News Lead editor Annie Rubinson News editor m. bRody leo opiNioN Lead editor noRA FellAs opiNioN editors sophie GRAnd Tim mAThAs features Lead editor kATe sibeRy features editors yAsmine pAscAl oWen sTRieR sports Lead editor miTch Fink sports editors TyleR conWAy GAbe kelleR web editor & soCiaL media maNager kiRA RATAn photography aNd iLLustratioN editor mATTilynn sTone aCCouNtabiLity & aCCuraCy maNager JAcob kRiss Copy editor sophiA VAn beek staff writers eThAn schlApp cARol QueiRoz advertisemeNt & distributioN maNager Reed GilmoRe CoNtributiNg writers mAiA kelleR clARA kolkeR AndReW miTchell moRGhAn lAVeRy sAbRinA WolFson kWynne schlossmAn lexi WAchen Russell Wohl staff photographers isAAc cAss GeoRGe chAnG chARlie coopeR staff iLLustrators sophie GRAnd oliVeR peTeRson JiAyun (ellA) TAnG AViVi WennAn ellie yAnG faCuLty advisers ellen coWhey mATT iVes oNLiNe media For more information, follow Tower on the following platforms: Website: Tower.MastersNY.org Facebook: MastersTower Twitter: @MastersTower Instagram: @MastersTower d istributioN proCess Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers. sChoLastiC press affiLiatioNs, Letters aNd editoriaL poLiCy Tower is the winner of the Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA) and Quill and Scroll. We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to the following email address: TowerEditors@MastersNY.org. Published approximately seven times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tower and its Editorial Board or its advisers. Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of The Masters School, faculty, or staff. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.

OP-ED

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

New ACT options open floodgates for more stress KiRa Ratan Web Editor & Social Media Manager

I AV R

WE TO LI/

hen the ACT announced in Oct. 2019 that they would allow students to retake specific sections of the four-part standardized test and superscore their individual subject scores, high schoolers’ stress levels presumably decreased dramatically. However, these waves of relief may be short-lived because there is reason to believe that this new method will negatively impact students in two main ways: by putting more pressure on them and magnifying the socioeconomic inequalities of the standardized testing process. A superscore combines the highest section scores a student receives on all tests they have taken. Before the switch, neither the ACT nor the SAT superscored. Both organizations would, by default, send all test scores into colleges, unless the college themself used superscores for admission. Additionally, the ACT is giving students the choice of taking the test online on national test dates in designated testing facilities with qualified proctors; this would allow them to receive their scores much sooner, even two business days after the test date, in an attempt to offer schools more timely records based on test scores and provide students with more flexibility. The ACT has introduced evidence

to help back up their new approach. According to the ACT website, after conducting research for two years, results found that superscores were more predictive of how students would perform in their college courses than other scoring methods. The organization has not provided any statistics correlated to this study. Nevertheless, these new options might actually put more pressure on high school students preparing for college as they may feel more inclined to keep improving their score, causing in-

flated scores. Rather than being satisfied with a 34 or 35 (out of 36) on the ACT, students entering a competitive college applicant pool might actually spend more time studying, in hopes of earning a perfect score and prioritize it over their other obligations as high schoolers. If students are able to retake tests one after the next and receive results within days, the test may lose its gravity and would create a race for better test scores as soon as possible. Akil Bello P’24 is an educational access consultant and co-founder of Bell Curves, a test preparation and educational service provider. Recently, he was invited by the CEO of the ACT, Marten Roorda, to explain his view on the new testing options. Bello told Roorda he fears that these changes will encourage a longer test prep timeline, which would only increase stress. “These policies encourage getting started with the ACT early so you have the most time to retake the sections, when in truth almost nothing positive can come from students thinking about ACT and SAT prep in ninth grade,” Bello said, in an interview with Tower. It has been established that socioeconomic inequalities are present and perpetuated within the standardized testing process. Lower-income students are not able to afford the costly coaching and preparation before the tests and therefore, are oftentimes set up to perform poorly on exams compared to wealthier stu-

dents who were able to prepare exten- lar(though at a cost/with financial aid) sively. In an effort to acknowledge this, and knowledgeable college counselors colleges have “holistic review,” mean- to assist us during our personal proing they evaluate students knowing cesses. Students, who can afford it, use that they might not have the money to outside tutoring and test prep in additake the ACT many times and judge tion to the schools’ resources, too. them less harshly given those circumJunior Elizabeth Oakes is in the stances. midst of test prep right now, and beHowever, it seems likely that stu- lieves the new ACT options would dents who are exclusively concen- give students unfair advantages over trated on improving each of their others, and specifically more privisection scores will spend more money ledged students. On top of every other on preparation materials in order to advantage wealthier students have in perform at the regards to their highest possible education, “givlevel. ACT prepaing them this ration courses in These policies encourage getting socioeconomic adWestchester can started with the ACT early so you have vantage for stancost upwards of the most time to retake the sections, dardized testing” $120 an hour, when in truth almost nothing posionly amplifies the with additional tive can come from students thinkalready unlevel fees for diagnosing about ACT and SAT prep in ninth playing field. tic and practice grade. While at first testing. These - AKIL BELLO, glance it seems factors of accessiCO-FOUNDER OF BELL CURVES like the ACT is bility would only adding new opend up widening tions to help stuthe already large gap between low-in- dents put their best scores forward, come and higher-income students’ ACT we have to remember what the college scores. admissions process is like nowadays. As reported by the ACT in 2016, the It’s an ultra-competitive environment average ACT composite score for stu- where, most of the time, there are more dents who reported a family income qualified kids than spots available at a of $80,000 or above was 23.6 and only certain school. 19.5 from students whose families The new ACT options would only made less than $80,000. Even taking increase the amount of stress in this the full ACT once costs $52, and while overwhelmingly competitive environless expensive (specific costs have not ment and push lower-income students been released), retaking sections costs farther down the ladder in terms of money, too. So, it would be harder gaining opportunities for their future. for them to even try to improve their The best solution would be to abandon scores in the first place. these new options in order to offer evMany students at Masters would eryone an equitable standardized testbenefit from these changes, as students ing experience that doesn’t consist of a have access to test prep as a co-curricu- constant race to the top.

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Memes and meaning: it’s about all of us ClaRa KolKeR Conrtibuting Writer

o the outside eye, meme culture may look like a waste of time endemic to Gen Z, some inside-joke-hopscotch among millions. But I implore you to look a little further. Because this phenomenon is about all of us, about how we tick and move society. Simply put, memes serve as our cultural barometers. The term was coined in 1976 by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, who opined that just as species evolve through genetic mutation, cultures are moved forward by ever-shifting cultural units – ideas – that he called “me-

mes.” Memes in such a context range from joke to song, from historic event to satirical social commentary. Today the word is mostly used in reference to humorous internet content like the 2016 Reddit theory that Texas Senator Ted Cruz was actually the Zodiac Killer. However, such modern contexts still align with the original Dawkinsian definition. Even as cartoons, memes show us a cultural snapshot. In Mr. Cruz’s case, this snapshot was of a presidential campaign’s failure to connect with the everyman. According to Google Analytics, the meme’s popularity peaked roughly two months before the senator announced he was dropping out of the race. Even through the inane, the people had spoken. Memes not only reflect culture – they can move it. They not only have the ca-

WHEN TED CRUZ RAN for president in 2016, memes compared him to a police sketch of the so-called Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who committed his crimes in the late 1960s. Cruz was a child at the time. Despite the inpausibility, Kolker argues that these memes reflect the Gen Z zeitgeist. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en/ SUPERALPHA1

pacity to be silly, but heroic, tragic, and consequential. Six years prior, street vendor Muhammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest of the oppressive Tunisian regime. The sheer desperation of his act was just one tile in the larger mosaic of a repressed Tunisian longing for freedom. It was, so to speak, a unit of culture.

Telling a tale of two skiers MoRgan laveRy Contributing Writer

s a kid and an athlete, I have seen my share of intense parents. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be a parent, however I have noticed that parents tend to raise their athletes as they wished they had been raised. These are two different stories, two extreme ways to parent. I have a friend who started skating at four years old. Her parents set a goal for her to go to the Olympics. She was skating every day before and after school from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. When she turned nine she was taken to a psychiatrist because her coaches and parents believed she didn’t have the grit to win. The pressure became too much for her. She quit at 11, losing love for a sport to which she had devoted six years of her life. Now her parents don’t push her as much and she makes her own choices. She devotes herself to skiing and excels simply because she loves the sport. There are success stories of chil-

dren who started a sport young, deciding on community college instead. trained intensively their whole life Layla Odin writes about famous athand made it. Tiger Woods is the most letes such as Tom Brady, who started well known. In an article for the New playing both football and baseball as a York Times, David Epstein writes kid. He had to turn down the option that most athletes, like Roger Feder- to play baseball in order to pursue er, start out playing multiple sports football at University of Michigan. before deciding which sport they want All of these stories aren’t to tell to specialize in. you how to raise your kids, only to My parents raised me like this. I warn you that the “Olympic swimbegan skiing very young but didn’t mer” you began training at the age compete until much later. My par- of 18 months may not enjoy the ents don’t push me. Intead, they let sport. All we ask as children is that me choose when I want to compete. you check in. Ask your kid if they Their philosophy is that if I’m not still want to play soccer or still want motivated enough to get where I need to run track and if they don’t, it’s not to be then I don’t care enough about the the end of the world; odds are they sport. will be happier for it. In his list about the most overbearing parents in sports, Eric Newman noted Gunner Kiel, a football player, who made an oral commitment to LSU. Despite this, his mother made an “emotional plea” to Notre Dame to recruit him. After https://creativecommons.org/ playing with them A FATHER AND SON play soccer together. While this may for a year, he quit, seem sweet, Lavery argues that it can become unhealthy.

News of Bouazizi’s self-immolation spread among the similarly dissatisfied Arab youth through social media; his gesture sparked an outrage that ignited protests in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen. The resulting social movement, known as the Arab Spring, was itself both reflected in and propelled by online content. “We use Facebook to schedule the pro-

tests,” announced an Egyptian activist. “and [we use] Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world.” While the movement itself was short lived, the Arab Spring resulted in the ousting of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the reforms of other governments throughout North Africa and the Middle East. A single act, a single idea, a single cultural unit had the capacity to spark an entire ideological revolution and change the course of history. So the next time you see someone on their phone in the subway, hear a joke between kids that you don’t understand, don’t lament how the youth is stifling its own future; we’re simply engaging in the very process that paves it.

INSIDE THE HERRICK ROOM

Meatless Mondays: What’s the beef ? Russell Wohl For anyone who is not strictly vegetarian or vegan, the term “Meatless Monday” can raise some eyebrows — however, it’s one meal out of our twenty-one in the week. In fact, there is not much debate from the anti-Meatless Monday side about this issue, when a bill was passed in executive committee. Meatless Mondays are a great idea. In fact, schools in New York City have implemented Meatless Mondays, following Mayor DeBlasio’s request they do, last March, and Masters could be considered behind on the trend. The benefits? Well, less meat means two things: healthier lunches and a healthier environment, according to a UN report. Further, EFFECT tried out Meatless Mondays last year, but this Executive Committee bill would make them a permanent thing on Mondays from here on out. Although the price of going meatless will stay roughly the same for Brock, the amount of meat that we would save could actually make an environmental impact, given that the most of the Upper and Middle School and faculty and staff eats meat in the dining hall.

Raising cattle involves a ton of water and can also contaminate local water supply. So it’s in our best interest to do whatever we can to support reducing such water usage along with our carbon footprint. So if there are so many good things that come from Meatless Mondays, what’s there to lose? Some people prefer meat. And it’s fine if people do, but Meatless Mondays are also just a good way of expanding your taste and being open minded to new foods that you would not have otherwise considered eating at lunch. This reasoning has also led to concerns from the health center: that students would not eat lunch and therefore end up damaging their health. However, many of the current options will still be available: the salad bar, drinks station, and of course, the hot lunch stations — just no meat. Besides, dairy and seeds would still be available for various side dishes and cereal, as sources of protein. This is just one step closer to creating a more mindful and healthy environment here at Masters and, hopefully, it’s a small step to creating an impact on the world.

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Masters has its very own “baby boom” daughter a unique name, so she chose Olympia Lucette. “Olympia” has Greek origins and means “from Mount Olympus,” a mountain in Greece that mythologically was the home of the Greek gods. The name Lucette was chosen to honor the death of her husband’s grandmother. The importance of a child’s name is a recurring theme with all the newborn babies, and continues on for Esperanza Borrero’s baby. Borrero works as a college counselor and on Jan. 12 at 12:02 a.m., her wife, Daniela Benitez, gave birth to Mayu Borrero-Benitez. “Mayu’s name came from the Kichwa word meaning river because I met my wife while living near the Hudson,” Borrero said. Kichwa is a Quechuan language originating in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Benitez has some Ecuadorian and Indigenous lineage originating with the Kichwa tribe. Being an alumna herself, Sujata Jaggi returns to the ever-growing Masters community each day as Head of Alumni. She gave birth to her son Sachin Anand Jaggi on September 30 at 5:45 a.m., who weighed 6.11 lbs. “Sachin was named from the Hindu word meaning ‘of the essence’ and my husband and

maia Keller & morgan lavery Contributing Writers With a constantly growing community, Masters is often accepting new members, and over the past school year, they have been packed with arrivals of five new faculty babies. Athletic Director and coach, Logan Condon has recently returned to campus after the birth of his daughter, Marilou Condon, on Feb. 12. Marilou is named after Condon’s wife’s grandmother and called Lulu for short. Upper School photography teacher, Rachel Langosch recently had a baby twins, named Elle Josephine and Olympia Lucette Renaud. Elle was born on February 7 at 3:26 p.m. weighing 6.3 lbs, while Olympia, born just one minute later, weighed 6 lbs. Both names hold a lot of meaning for the Langosh family. “Elle” means sunray or shining light in Hebrew and her middle name, Joséphine is in honor of Langosch’s late aunt Janice and great uncle Jack. Langosch explained that in Judaism, relatives who have passed are honored when a new member of the family uses the first letter of the deceased’s name to begin their own. Langosch wanted to give her

OUR VERY OWN FACULTY members have welcomed lots of new faces to the community. Sachin Anand (top left) was born to Sujata Jaggi, and twins Olympia Lucette and Elle Josephine (middle top and left bottom) were born to Rachel Langosch, Mayu (bottom left)was born to Daniela Benitez, wife of Esperanza Borrero, and Marilou (bottom right) was born to Louisa Condon, wife of Logan Condon.

I are Hindu. And Anand is his grandfather’s name,” Jaggi said. The name one gives their child is taken into careful consideration because it is not

“Starling” debuts in the ET By Tim maThas Op-ed Editor

Although it may not be the most prominent or conspicuous art form at Masters, the filmmaking industry of Masters features some of the most creative minds on campus. On Friday, Feb. 7, Media Arts teacher Raleigh Cappozalo hosted the second annual Masters Film fest, which featured five short films from student directors. One of these directors, sophomore Mac Alexander, presented his first film at Masters, which explores a unique relationship between two teenagers through an array of surreal and psychedelic components. Alexander is working to carve out his niche in a talented pool of student directors at Masters and improve his work as a writer, actor, and director. Alexander said, “I made the film at New York Film Academy, a month-long summer program...I wasn’t allowed to have dialogue in it just because they wouldn’t lend out the equipment that was necessary, but I think it really helped my film.” To make up for the absence of dialogue, Alexander stitched three songs together to clearly outline emotional changes within his film. He chose to focus more on the imagery in his film, and the feeling it evoked, rather than a specific message. The film displays the daily routine of a young New Yorker, and it fea-

COURTESEY OF MAC ALEXANDER

JUNIOR EMERSON DEL MONTE, stars in Mac Alexander’s short film, “Starling.” Alexander made the film , which has no dialogue, at a month-long summer program at the New York Film Academy.

tures many quintessential elAlexander said, “I would ements of the New York City describe it as an art film, like lifestyle. a surreal trip. I don’t like tryUnlike feature films and ing to convey such a direct message, because I think all film is up for interpretation.” Going forward, AlI would describe it as an art film, like exander expressed a surreal trip. I don’t like trying to his hopes to collaboconvey such a direct message, because rate with some of the I think all film is up for interpretation. other filmmakers at Masters, this coming - MAC ALEXANDER ‘22 spring and summer, when he has the time to continue his cinematic endeavors. other main-stream major moAlexander said he hopes to tion pictures, many short films explore various new artistic do not feature a traditional and technical methods as he plot line, partly because they continues to compose films, do not have the budget, nor and ultimately pursue a cathe time, to make a sophisti- reer in the industry. cated film. That said, this alHe said, “While I am inlows directors like Alexander volved in photography and to utilize their creativity and many other arts, Film is put effort into other areas of something I definitely want to their film, such as the visuals focus on in the future.” and cinematography.

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about the name itself but the meaning behind it. Whether it be a “river,” “sunray,” “of the essence,” or honoring a past relative, it is the importance of the name that gives reason

for using the name. And the Masters community sees that as more new faculty babies trickle into their community.

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Senior AP Studio Art student Madison Burton is one of a handful of students who exhibited original work at the Katonah Museum of Art “Young Arts” show. Her piece shines light on themes of race, privilege, and outside perception. Other student artwork navigates womanhood, nature, humanity and more.

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Museum showcases students’ work

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Alumni talent tours classrooms and stages ◄

During her senior year, alumna Hannah Hickok ‘07 was co-president of Dohters, Dobbs 16 [a club at the time] and the Glee Club. Involvement in the music community at Masters, she said, was central to her choice to continue pursuing a career in the music industry. “Music clarified my identity for me, because there’s a difference between saying I play the guitar and I’m a musician. I think Masters really empowered me to identify myself as an artist in a very earnest and authentic way.” Since graduating, she has performed as part of a folk duo that did two year-long tours across the U.S. and put out five albums of folk music. She is now studying at Columbia’s Teachers College in hopes of becoming a music educator; she made the decision to pursue a career in the educational sector after attending her 10 year reunion at Masters. “I was walking around campus, feeling very nostalgic – I loved my time at Masters. I had a really positive experience and I felt like I really came into my own.And then I thought, I could be at a place like this everyday, just on the other side of the teaching equation.” Other alumnae, who haven’t ventured as far into their musical careers, are working on establishing themselves both within their college communities as well as local venues. Vittorio Stropoli ‘19, who now attends the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) as one of two freshman jazz pianists, explained his aspirations. “One thing that I really love about this school [MSM] is that we celebrate individuality, so I guess my goal as an artist would really be to hone into what my sound is and present my authentic self to people,” he said. Stropoli said that his involvement in music programs and student performing groups during his time at Masters enabled him to quickly take on leadership roles among other students. “My work in jazz band in the SPGs [student performing groups] allowed me to be a leader so that when I got here I already knew what a good, functional musical group should look like.” Stropoli said he is currently working to develop networking strategies, such as meeting with local musicians, performing with smaller pop artists and working at corporate events. He said that he hopes to continue performing at corporate venues until he gains enough traction to establish himself individually. Elliot Feder ‘19 is studying at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU and said she feels that the best part about attend-

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIUS RODRIGUEZ

Julius Rodriguez ‘16 is one of many alumni who have gone to pursue music as a career path. Rodriguez withdrew from Julliard after two years to focus on his budding career.

Michelle Wei Editor-in-Chief

Hannah Hickok ‘07 (left) performs onstage in her folk duo “Hannah & Maggie.” Hickok is now studying at Columbia’s Teachers College.

or not. Madison Burton’s Ambiguity, done with oil on canvas, communicates her perception of her own racial ambiguity and how that contributes to privilege and how people perceive her. Another piece, Nicole Newman’s Mother Nature, was inspired by natural injustice for both women and the environment. The piece is a divided clay sculpture of the imprint of her own torso with preserved moss accents lining the inside. Newman said, “I wanted to make a statement by representing mother nature being torn apart.” The venue where these visual art students work was displayed, exhibits three to four shows a year. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, KMAs website explains that they aim to present “exceptional art from all cultures and time periods”. Hajjar said, “The museum is an absolute gem in Westchester and it shows some incredible artwork by some really big name artists, so I always try to let our students know that you don’t have to go far to see some truly good artwork. It’s especially exciting if some of that artwork is our own.” The students’ work remained on display at the art center until March 1. Their next exhibit will feature Bisa Butler’s Portraits, a collection of 25 quilts exploring aspects of African-American identity and culture.

Students explore the corners of painting

Emma Friedman ‘18 performed in 2017’s Great Gig. After graduation, she went on to continue education at the Berklee Institute of Music.

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ing music school is that she is surrounded by many future collaborators. Feder was a member of Dobbs 16, Dohters, the jazz band and Positive Rhythm while at Masters. “I found that the music community at Masters was really open. I’ve been to other programs where it’s a much more competitive and hostile environment so being a part of the music community at Masters taught me how to collaborate with my peers and how to play in a lot of different styles,” she said. Hickok also recalled the inclusivity that the music community at Masters fostered that made her feel comfortable sharing her sexual orientation. “I came out to Ms. Crane, who doesn’t teach here anymore, but who used to be the Dobbs 16 advisor. She was the first adult I ever came out to and it was so overwhelming at the time, and that’s who I knew I could trust. Music brought me that connection.” Although she plans to pursue a career path that isn’t solely related to music, Emma Friedman ‘18 said she feels grateful for the numerous opportunities to experiment with new concepts and musical technologies at the Berklee Institute of Music. She explained,“It’s safe to say that pretty much everything I do here involves music. I feel fortunate to have access to incredible classes that span a diverse range of topics. From DJ labs to lyric writing, to acoustics, I get to live and breathe all things music and explore so many concepts I had no idea existed.” Julius Rodriguez ‘16, whose stage name is Orange Julius, is a freelance musician in New York City who plays local shows, travels with other bands and writes music both for himself and other NYC artists. Rodriguez recalled a favorite performance of his from last summer when he played for a dance company at Bard College, called Evidence. “I’m a big fan of interdisciplinary works and so getting to play for that was an awesome experience, not only because I got to do that but one of my favorite composers, Meshell Ndegeocello, was commissioned to write for a piece they choreographed, so I got to play with the dancers and work with her.” Rodriguez attended The Juilliard School for two years before deciding to withdraw in order to focus solely on his professional career. In remembering his time at Masters, Rodriguez fondly recounted his experiences as a member of numerous performance groups on campus. “They were all so super unique, Masters is such a unique place, the teachers new how to make an environment so that you can learn at any level, in performances like Great Gig I got to learn about things that I wouldn’t normally have done, playing for the Cabaret Troupe got me to learn different musical theater repertoire, it provided me with a different kind of experience that most musicians didn’t get at a normal high school music program.

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Kate Sibery

Recently, eight seniors from The Masters School displayed some of their artwork at the Katonah Museum of Art ‘Young Arts’ show. Annually, the museum holds open submissions for high school artists from across the Westchester, Putnam, Fairfield and Rockland County and for Text the past ten years, Masters has taken part in this exhibition. This year, seniors Anna Bluhdorn, Madison Burton, Leron Dugan, Sophia Herzberg, Karen Li, Linda Liu, Nicole Newman and Marina Shishkina took advantage of this opportunity. The offer, which is most often presented to seniors, is based on whether the Department of Visual Arts acknowledges a student having focused the bulk of their time at Masters to the visual arts. Department of Visual Arts Chair Cheryl Hajjar, who has exhibited her own work at the museum as a visiting artist, said she feels that the exhibit provides a unique platform for students to have their pieces viewed by a wider audience. “This is an exhibit that I think is a really big deal for students and is always really exciting. I myself never had an opportunity to say that my artwork was exhibited when I was a student so it’s something that’s really special.” Held on February 9, the opening reception was

the first public exhibition of original artwork for some students, including senior Anna Bluhdorn. “I had never had my work open for anyone to see so I was super nervous at first. But, it was nice to see all of my friends in my AP Art class getting affirmation for our work.” Senior Leron Dugan, having attended the Oxbow School with a focus in the arts for a semester just last year, said, “I usually don’t feel comfortable showing off my work whether I am proud of it or not. We had done something similar to this at Oxbow, but it was really fun to see my friends from my AP Art class get to be in those kinds of environments where their work will be appreciated.” Dugan said he owes much of his interest in art to the Art Department at Masters. “If it weren’t for the mandatory art classes in the middle school, I don’t think I would have continued to pursue it as I have,” Dugan said. Before they could exhibit, however, students first had to submit their work to their respective teachers to be reviewed for submission. Hajjar said, “It’s important to us that we are sharing what our students are most proud of and feel expresses themselves as artists best. We never strong-arm them in the decision, but this is a great opportunity to gain some exposure and that shouldn’t have to be met with fear.” One piece currently on display is Leron Dugan’s Erasure. Erasure, done with charcoal-pastel on canvas, was born from Dugan’s interest with the layers that humans present to society, true

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH HICKOK

A man snaps a picture of four rows of frames. A foot away, another man takes a call on a couch while others behind him stare at a piece of abstract art. These men, made with acrylic gouache, are subjects of the latest exhibition hanging in the Wenberg Gallery. Its opening reception on Feb. 14, Every Picture Tells A Story; Narrative Paintings and Composite Images attracted many of Masters’ art students. Elizabeth de Béthune, the artist, said that all 15-20 pieces were made sometime between 2015 and 2020, except for one that was made in the late 90s. The theme of her paintings was inspired by her own curiosity about people and human narrative implications. Many of the art pieces are set in art museums, a result of de Béthune’s own visits to art museums and observing how other people reacted to the displays. Other pieces focus more on home life and situations de Béthune is familiar with. De Béthune said, “Those two different kinds of work [museum pieces and home life] are similar, combining spaces with people. It’s not a picture you can always exactly tell what’s going on, it intrigues.” Senior Anna Bluhdorn commented on de Béthune pieces, “Her use of space is kind of incredible. A lot of artists tend to do a lot of art where subjects are centered. Every corner had something particular in it, every single corner was touched upon. She really captured the essence of community.” Bluhdorn, who is in AP Studio Art, was one of a couple dozen art students who attended de Béthune’s workshop on Feb. 24. Hosted during lunch, all students taking a studio art class were invited to attend de Béthune’s workshop. In the workshop, de Béthune presented a slideshow of artwork from artists that influenced her own work, including Susan Lichtman and Edouard Manet. Afterwards, de Béthune showcased her own artistic process through a demonstration of mixing marble dust with acrylic paints and painting in layers. Sophomore Phoebe Radke said she ad-

mired de Béthune’s ability to make her own acrylic gouache and use of mixed media and composition. She was also particularly impressed by de Béthune’s composition pictures; de Béthune uses different reference images in different settings to compose a single painting. “Her presentation definitely hit home with me because I want to increase my skill with anatomy and composition and people so she kind of taught me how to do that,” Radke said. De Béthune stayed for an AP Studio Art class following her presentation and observed as the students began new pieces, applying the techniques they had just learned. Other visual arts classes are also doing the same, creating original artwork from

various references. Upper School Visual Arts Department Chair Cheryl Hajjar said that she was also impressed by de Béthune’s ability to layer, collage, compose from different images, and use saturated color. Moreover, Hajjar said she is always looking for local artists to display their work in the Wenberg Gallery. Hajjar said, “I feel really, really proud to be able to show local artists. I was so pleased by the response of our students. It’s been a personal goal to bring in more local artists. It’s about showcasing that art can be a lifelong practice.” De Béthune, an art teacher herself, will also attend the closing reception for the gallery on March 13.

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After her workshop with many studio art students, Elizabeth de Béthune imparts some advice to senior Zifei (Linda) Liu as junior Jiayun (Ella) Tang looks on. Béthune’s workshop included personal influences and demonstrating how she makes her own acrylic gouache, her preferred medium.

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Alumni talent tours classrooms and stages ◄

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIUS RODRIGUEZ

Julius Rodriguez ‘16 is one of many alumni who have gone to pursue music as a career path. Rodriguez withdrew from Julliard after two years to focus on his budding career.

Michelle Wei Editor-in-Chief

Hannah Hickok ‘07 (left) performs onstage in her folk duo “Hannah & Maggie.” Hickok is now studying at Columbia’s Teachers College.

Students explore the corners of painting

Emma Friedman ‘18 performed in 2017’s Great Gig. After graduation, she went on to continue education at the Berklee Institute of Music.

VINCENT ALBAN / TOWER

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Kate Sibery

Recently, eight seniors from The Masters School displayed some of their artwork at the Katonah Museum of Art ‘Young Arts’ show. Annually, the museum holds open submissions for high school artists from across the Westchester, Putnam, Fairfield and Rockland County and for the past ten years, Masters has taken part in this exhibition. This year, seniors Anna Bluhdorn, Madison Burton, Leron Dugan, Sophia Herzberg, Karen Li, Linda Liu, Nicole Newman and Marina Shishkina took advantage of this opportunity. The offer, which is most often presented to seniors, is based on whether the Department of Visual Arts acknowledges a student having focused the bulk of their time at Masters to the visual arts. Department of Visual Arts Chair Cheryl Hajjar, who has exhibited her own work at the museum as a visiting artist, said she feels that the exhibit provides a unique platform for students to have their pieces viewed by a wider audience. “This is an exhibit that I think is a really big deal for students and is always really exciting. I myself never had an opportunity to say that my artwork was exhibited when I was a student so it’s something that’s really special.” Held on February 9, the opening reception was

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH HICKOK

MICHELLE WEI / TOWER

FEATURES & ARTS

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

The spontaneous life of Andrés Cárdenas Owen Strier Features Editior

rom spending four months alone in the wilderness hiking to receiving two master’s degrees and a Ph.D., Dr. Andrés Cárdenas has filled the majority of his life with interesting experiences and an extensive professional career. Cárdenas was born in Bogota, Colombia and spent most of his childhood living there. Between his sophomore and junior years in high school, Cárdenas and his immediate family moved from Bogota to America. They moved partially to escape the dangers of the Colombian drug cartels, and so Cárdenas could further pursue his studies in science. As a self-proclaimed “nerd,” Cárdenas said that the sciences have always fascinated him, especially physics and chemistry. After moving to the United States and finishing high school, Cárdenas attended Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California for an undergraduate and a bachelor’s degree. He then attended California State for his two master’s degrees and then continued on to receive a Ph.D. in physics at New York University. When Cárdenas completed his time at NYU, he began to work at a research facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico – the same laboratory at which the

Manhattan Project, developing the first alone. He said that being alone for that nuclear weapons, took place. During period of time was not the most chalhis time there, Cárdenas worked on a lenging part, but the physical toll that secret government project, mainly con- hiking 600 miles was the hardest part. sisting of finding a way to safely and “What I really gained from it was any efficiently store hydrogen. problem or challenge that I have in my After his time at Los Alamos, Cárde- everyday life I can take a step back and nas spent some time living in Los An- say ‘Wow if I could complete a 600-mile geles but eventually decided to move hike, then I can complete whatever else to New York, for the sole reason, he is facing me.’” Cárdenas said, “I learned said, that he loved the city. While living that I could do something so physically there, he worked at Bard High School and mentally challenging and that I folEarly College. lowed through with it, showed me that Cárdenas found a love for hiking I’m stronger than I thought and that while working I can really do in New Mexico anything.” and brought “What I really gained from it was He returned that love to any problem or challenge that I have back to New New York with in my everyday life I can take a step York and began him. Inspired back and say ‘Wow if I could comtutoring stuby the movie plete a 600-mile hike, then I can comdents in science. Wild, in which plete whatever else is facing me. While working the main charwith one of his acter drops ev- DR. ANDRES CARDENAS former stuerything and dents, Masters hikes the Paalumni Chase cific trail, Cárdenas called his boss on Markoff ‘19,Cárdenas was informed a whim and quit his job at the public of an open position at Masters. Cárdeschool to hike the Pacific trail. nas applied for the position and began “You need those reboots to get working at Masters in 2016. through life, and for me, going on this Cárdenas said that he has always hike was my reboot.” Cárdenas spent occupied himself with different hobbies. the next three months gathering gear After high school, he began bodybuildand preparing for the hike, and left ing, shoe collecting, and DJing. Cárdewhen he was ready. nas said he started bodybuilding beFor the next four months, Cárdenas cause he was always a scrawny kid and would hike over 600 miles of the Pacif- he wanted to change that. He collected ic Trail, starting in Mexico and ending shoes for the fun of it and he began to up in Northern California. During the DJ when one of his friends gave him entirety of his time hiking, he was fully turntables. Cárdenas enjoyed mixing

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music and even DJ’ed parties and clubs while living in Los Angeles. Looking into the future, Cárdenas said that he would like to move to Korea, after falling in love with Korean culture when he lived in Koreatown, Los Angeles. At the moment, Cárdenas wants to stay at Masters and even try to grow and develop the science research program. “This year I really saw the potential of what a high school kid can actually do, and it made me want to stay here and help those kids reach their goals.” Cárdenas said that after he gets tired of teaching, he will most likely return to the field of laboratory research and physics, but for now, he will stay at Masters influencing and teaching his students. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDRES CARDENAS

Levy’s work with Klobuchar comes to a close; senior grateful for experience M. BrOdy LeO News Editor

M. BRODY LEO/TOWER

SENIOR MAX LEVY VOLUNTEERED to call and text undecided voters to encourage them to vote for former Democratic presidential canidate, Amy Klobuchar.

Senior Max Levy has become quite familiar with asking the question: “Are you considering Amy Klobuchar for the primary elections?” As a calling and texting volunteer for the former Democratic presidential candidate up to her dropout on March 2, he had memorized it as part of his script. Since registering as a volunteer on Klobuchar’s website last December, every week Levy was emailed a list of eligible voters to call, and given the responsibility to sell them on Klobuchar if they were undecided. He reached out to thousands with that message since he started his work, and each time, he was met with a variety of common replies. “The responses I got have

been mixed. I’ve had a lot of people call me a libtard,” Levy said. “Some people are a lot nicer than others.” Despite a couple negative reactions, the opportunity to have open conversations with so many potential voters still drew him into continuing his work. “I like talking to voters and getting to see what issues are important to them,” he said. Levy made an effort to make these calls for around three or four hours a week, but being a full-time student sometimes made this difficult. But a large amount of freedom to choose when and where he placed these calls, Levy was usually able to fit it into schedule. Despite the time that it took out of his week, Levy was always enthusiastic to volunteer for Klobuchar, whom he thought of as the best candidate for the job.

He said, “Klobuchar has been the most productive senator running for office, and definitely the most bipartisan of the candidates.” Levy said it’s important to vote for electability against Trump and a candidate that would be well-received by non-coastal voters, who Levy believes have been neglected by other Democrats in the past, especially in the 2016 election. Levy said, “There are voters that voted for Obama twice and have been voting for Democrats for decades but are now voting for Trump. The question now is, ‘How are we going to get those voters back?’” Klobuchar won an impressive following despite not having the same name recognition as other candidates like Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders, and her third place New Hampshire performance looked like it might put her into upward

swing in the polls. But, after a weak standing in South Carolina, the underdog’s uphill battle got too steep to continue her bid. Even after her dropping out shy of the White House, Levy does not regret the time he put into volunteering for Klobuchar. He said, “My goals going in were to meet people, gain experience, and learn more about this country. . . my goals were totally met.” Levy’s proudest moments have been when he has been able to see evidence of his efforts making a difference. During his time volunteering for Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, he remembers a day where he texted over 1000 potential rally-goers in hopes that they would attend an upcoming event. That event turned out to have the highest turnout of any Gilli-

brand rally besides her campaign announcement, according to Levy. “That moment just made me really proud of what I was doing,” he said. It was instances like these that made Levy realize his passion for politics, something that he plans to carry with him into his adult life. It’s seven or eight years in the future, but right now I envision myself spending a lot of time in politics.” And even though Klobuchar’s campaign has ended, Levy’s time volunteering has not; in fact, he has already begun his work for New York Congressional Candidate Mondaire Jones. Though volunteering work sometimes goes unappreciated or unnoticed, Levy maintains that anyone who firmly believes in a cause should volunteer to affect change.

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

FEATURES AND ARTS

Shootings. Fires. And now COVID-19...

SPECIAL REPORT:

Keeping Masters safe LOGAN SCHICIANO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Always alert: evacuations and inspections

hough the fire protocol for Masters may seem simple, there is actually a lot that is done to see that an evacuation, whether for a drill or in a real scenario, is executed properly; the school’s fire safety systems are inspected annually to ensure that all aspects are up to speed and in compliance with state regulations. Evacuations are most challenging when large groups of people are in places like the Claudia Boettcher Theater, the Fonseca Center and Dining Hall. Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle explained that numbers of exits are key to safety. “The most important things are having the highest number of exits available and having an orderly evacuation. If you don’t have enough exits, you can be saved by an orderly evacuation. If you don’t have enough exits, and you don’t have an orderly evacuation, that could be problematic,” Biddle said. The security team said there are

an adequate number of egress points in all the communal spaces on campus. Gerry McIlvan, who has done State School Inspections for The Masters School for 15 years and is a volunteer at the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department, tours the campus and makes sure the buildings are in compliance with the New York State Law and New York State Education Law. McIlvan said that, “The school’s become so popular. It’s got growing pains.” Nevertheless, he noted the school’s focus on student safety. For example, due to occupancy constraints in the theater, Masters began utilizing the Experimental Theater (ET) in the Fonseca Center at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year to accommodate the freshmen class for morning meetings. In addition, many of the older buildings have been retrofitted with sprinkler systems in the last ten years. “The administration is pretty good about complying with the codes. I

Head of School Laura Danforth continually preaches that safety is her top priority. The “mama bear,” a self-proclaimed title, is tasked with guarding a community of over 700 students and 200 faculty and staff, all scattered across a 96-acre open campus. Her sentiment is never more relevant than today – according to EverytownResearch.org, there were more school shootings on record in 2019 than any year since 1970. Just over two years after the devastating school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, Masters is constantly evaluating its safety systems and protocol. The school has made alterations and upgrades though community members have expressed concerns and noted various areas of improvement. BRIAN BUGGÉ (LEFT) WAS appointed the new position of director of campus safety in early June of 2019. Buggé was the director of security and campus safety with Edison Learning where he served 155 schools in 33 states; he was formerly with Kroll, a security consulting agency, where he worked on the security systems at Columbia University following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He is also an adjunct professor of security management of University of Phoenix online and has been board-certified in security management by the American Society for Industrial Security.

would definitely say things are up to speed,” McIlvan said. Practicing fire and other evacuations are key to safety as well. As of March 1, the school has had 24 evacuations across 12 different buildings on campus and 11 of which were considered “active alarms”. Additionally, 12 lockdown drills were completed in November, each in a different building. Buggé said that PANTON ADAMS (RIGHT) HAS been a security guard on campus since 2013 and was the this year, Masters has exceeded the Director of Security from 2016-2019. UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL PHOTOS/GRAPHICS number of state mandated drills by a ON PAGE 9 BY LOGAN SCHICIANO/TOWER significant margin. Each practice and any alarm is analyzed with an eye toward improvement. Biddle said that any situation gets reviewed and taken seriously, and recalled an active alarm that sounded in Masters Hall after school on February 24, where the cast of the play had to make their way out of the building fully clothed in their costumes. This was considered an “unplanned drill”, though Biddle said SECURITY GUARD DAIN these are arguably more important to EDWARDS on patrol during middle school pick-up. evaluate. “You always learn more about evacuations if they’re unplanned,” he said, noting that this active alarm sounded after school, a time where drills are rarely practiced. Buggé aims to make all the school’s systems and practices both efficient and effective. “Efficiency is doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right thing. So you can have a situation where an organization is efficient but not effective.” A DEVICE PROVIDED BY He continued, “They could be doing Raptor Technologies does things right, yet being taken further a background check on visaway from their goal, so not effective POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL gather outside Masters Hall after an evacuation afitors who enter Masters Hall at all.” ter school on February 24. The situation was resolved soon after the alarm sounded. and the Fonseca Center.

Concerns expressed about Masters’ open campus

eeping track of visitors is have been background checked, proparticularly difficult on the vide adequate adult supervision. Masters’ open campus. The Barrios also proposes that the school recently has installed a visi- school institute a guard check at the tor management system provided by major entrances to keep the campus Raptor Technologies, which scans a clear of intruders. He feels that this visitor’s identification and instantly would not just be a physical barrier does a background check on the per- but might also have a psychological son. According to Raptor’s website, impact. the system “screens for sex offendHe said, “It’s about deterrence. If ers, alerts staff of custody violations, you just do a guard check, whether and provides districtwide reporting there’s someone in there or not, it just for all visitors.” Raptor was installed requires someone to think twice.” about six months ago and is utilized Biddle referenced the Ethical Culin Masters Hall and the Fonseca Cen- ture Fieldston School in the Bronx as ter when a receptionist is present. a school that exercises “highly conFormerly, the school asked visitors to trolled access.” write their name down in a sign-in He said, “You approach the gate, book; Peggy Hickey, one of the front there’s a guard, you give them your ID, desk receptionists, said that now the you’re given a pass and you don’t get book is only used if a guest does not your ID back until you leave campus.” have their ID with them; she can But Biddle noted that Fieldston has also enter a visitors’ information in a single entrance to campus, which the Raptor system made the the immanually. plementation of a After hours, the We have no protocol in place to guard check relaFonseca Center gure out who is coming and going tively straightforhouses practices from our campus. If something were ward. for various sports to happen, we have no documented Danforth, who teams; Bredon Barevidence of who they are.” formerly was the rios, a teacher in Head of School the history and re- BRENDON BARRIOS at Fieldston, said ligion department, that these securinoted that the FC ty measures were is unlocked during these times and implemented during her time at the anyone, in theory, could walk through school; however, she doesn’t feel that the lobby doors and not get stopped. this project makes the most sense for “We have no protocol in place to Masters at this point in time. figure out who is coming and going Biddle also explained that The from our campus. If something were Masters School has looked into the to happen, we have no documented possibility of constructing a perimevidence of who they are,” he said. eter roadway (the “gold standard” of Buggé feels confident that the cur- designing campus roadways, accordrent safety measures are adequate; ing to Biddle), with one or two enthough, he said he is always looking trance points, to better funnel traffic to improve. “We do have cameras. And we do have a security presence. We haven’t had any problems to date with that. We are conscious that there are other approaches, but you have to understand that every approach has ramifications.” Furthermore, he said that the school has considered having a security guard at the front of the FC from the hours of 5-10 p.m. but in the meantime, Biddle feels that the ELLA TANG/TOWER coaches for the various teams, who

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on campus, however he said that the design would be extremely expensive and is not likely feasible due to the hilliness of campus and the potential disruption to wetlands and water drainage. Nevertheless, Danforth said, “It’s not a matter of cost. If we felt like it was the right thing to do, we would do it. I just don’t know if that’s the way to go,” she said. Biddle said, “It would be great if we didn’t have such porous borders but we have a pretty good idea of what’s required for the school. Barrios also feels that the community needs to be more aware of security challenges. “We are still a community that relies on trust rather than vigilance. We always assume good intent, which is great, but you still have to be alert and aware,” he said Danforth said that the school can work on training community members to be more alert for potential signs of suspicious activity. “Do they look familiar? Do they look nervous? Are they carrying something that’s odd?” She continued, “You only have so much control. But I want people to feel comfortable and know how to identify a threat on campus.” A GUARD CHECK AT entrances to campus is an additional security measure that could be implemented. While the school has considered this possibility, the lack of a perimeter roadway would make this project much more challanging according to Biddle.

Is everyone accounted for?

crucial step in any evacuation is making sure that everyone who was inside successfully makes it to safety. The Emergency Response Plan claims that students are expected to “line up with the adult present at the activity student has been attending. Leading adults take attendance. Thus, when a fire occurs during class time, students are asked to stick with the teacher whose class they were in at the time. Students who are not in class, referred to as “unattached students” are supposed to find the “nearest adult and remain with the group.” Junior Samantha New, who is the head of the Student Safety Commission and has done extensive research in the field of school safety feels that one problem area in the current evacuation is taking attendance, especially for students who are not in classes during an alarm. She said, “I recommended that we have one teacher who is the person to go to if you have a free. That way we can keep track of everyone.” Biddle acknowledged that changes could be made today to take attendance in emergency situations. Biddle said, “Until 10 a.m., we don’t have an accurate count from all the classes, which is a potential vulnerability.” He also noted that a similar situation could occur at the end of the day. If students who are not participating in a co-curric-

ular and had a free last period, they could, in theory, leave campus without anyone knowing, during school hours. If there was a need to evacuate, those students’ whereabouts might be in question. Biddle explained that the school is looking into a “real-time, electronic attendendance tool” that would solve the problem. “There are schools that assign students a tag and they need to get their tag scanned when they arrive at school,” he said. The school does have an extensive system in place for boarding students, known as Boardingware, which allows students to sign-out when they are leaving campus. It is also utilized for border check-ins, though students’ location around campus is only formally recorded at those times. Pereira said that earlier this year, he had the opportunity to test a mustering system called Ruvna, that allows students to check-in or request aid during an emergency situation via a mobile application; the technology also allows for easy communication and attendance. Buggé believes that if Masters were to install a system like this, they would set a precedent for other private schools. “We will probably be the first private school to do something like that... We are striving to be the school to benchmark against,” he said.

Sam New proposes hard corners Junior Samantha New has been working on her Masters Thesis, Schooled: A Project on School Safety. In a five-part podcast, she conducts interviews, shares research on and ultimately recommends various safety practices which she believes should be implemented in institutions across the nation. One improvement that she hopes to bring to Masters is the installment of hard corners. According to New, this is a designated space in a room that is safe to hide during a lockdown. It is marked off and there is nothing in it. “It’s for you to gauge where you need to go to be safe,” she said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMANTHA NEW

JUNIOR SAMANTHA NEW AT a Moms Demand Action national rally in White Plains. New spoke about her personal connection to gun control – her friend Alex Schachter was killed in the Parkland shooting in 2018.

10 It is no secret that wealthier students have an advantage on standardized testing. College applicants are simply not on a level playing field, which is clear both within the college process, and specifically the SAT and ACT, the standardized tests many colleges require for application. In 2019, this problem was nationally highlighted in a widely publicized 2019 case, 34 wealthy parents were accused of It is no secret that wealthier students have interfering

AN OFFICIAL

SAT

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

Includes:

KEY BREAKDOWNS OF THE EXAM

EVALUATION

an advantage on the SAT and ACT.

In 2019, this problem was nationally highlighted when 34 wealthy parents were accused of interfering with the college admissions process to aid their children’s acceptance through means of bribery and cheating on the ACT. Although paying off colleges, test proctors and coaches is an extreme case, there are many more common systemic barriers in place that harm lower-income individuals taking standardized tests. The statistics are remarkable. The College Board, which creates the SAT, collected data showing that students from families with an annual income of more than $200,000 scored an average of 388 points higher on the SAT than those from families making less than $20,000 annually. One obvious advantage is that wealthier families can afford to send their children to better schools. But access to test prep, the means to be evaluated for extra time, and the ability retake the test multiple times all factor into test scores – and they all cost money. The standardized test originally sought out to measure knowledge, instead of aiming to show mastery of skills; it was considered an impartial measure of intrinsic intelligence. As written in an article by Wayne Au, a professor at the University of Washington, “the assumptive objectivity of standardised testing was thus used to ‘scientifically’ declare the poor, immigrants, women, and non-whites in the U.S. as mentally inferior, and to justify educational systems that mainly reproduced extant socio-economic inequalities.” There are undeniable advantages to the SAT, both conscious and unconscious, rooted in US history, and perpetuated in the current educational system, that influence an applicant’s college admissions process.

2020 EDITION with the college admissions process to aid

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Test Preparation

ffluent students have access to extensive test preparation, both in and out of schools. For years, College Board maintained that the SAT, being a test of general knowledge, could not be studied for. They insisted that coaching to the test, which makes up a quarter of the $1 billion tutoring and test prep industry, according to IBISWorld, would result in minimal, if any, changes in score. Many companies have emerged that offer one-on-one, personalized tutoring for the exams. Anthony-James Green, a private SAT tutor, wrote an article for Vox, admitting that he made $1,000 an hour coaching the children of wealthy parents. Princeton Review, a private and popular test-prep company, claims that a student can get a 1,500+ on the SAT for a price of $2,000. For $150 an hour, Princeton Review advertises a minimum 250 point gain. Sophomore Sasha Sinel has been receiving private tutoring since August and has seen an over 200 point improvement in her PSAT scores. She meets with her tutor for an hour each week, with each session costing $90, and plans on continuing the tutoring through junior year. Private Prep, a tutoring and test prep company, has over a dozen locations nationwide, including one in White Plains. Unlike on-line courses from companies like Khan Academy, they offer one-on-one, personalized test preparation. The tutoring is tailored to the student, so it is difficult to put a price on the service because

it varies from client to client. The cost varies depending on if students are willing to receive tutoring online. Private Prep has a scholarship program with both academic and financial criteria; for instance, students with a “3.5 GPA in a rigorous course load” or a “90%+ scholarship at an independent school” are encouraged to apply. According to Stefanie Lob, who has been both a tutor and administrator at Private Prep for over ten years, “the criteria is designed for students on a path for a competitive four year college.” She has seen clients attend universities across the country with a full-ride, which is the main goal for the program. The scholarship is valued at over $10,000. On average, according to Lob, Private Prep clients gain 50 percent of the points available to them. For instance, if a student has a 30 on the ACT, they have six points available, and they might go up to a 33. Lob notes, however, that “the way we look at progress is different than just by points… This helps normalize the playing field for students starting in different places.” It is in students’ best interest to invest in all parts of their application, despite test scores being an often necessary part. “I think it is one metric that schools use to evaluate students, but it’s not the most important metric. But, [universities] do need a way to compare students coming from different schools and different parts of the country.”

What are some testing accomodations?

A) Many students receive 504 accommodations in school, giving them extra time to complete tests due to learning difficulties. Students with disabilities sometimes struggle to complete standardized tests in time; studies have shown that extra time improves test scores for students, disability or otherwise. B) Students must get evaluated by a specialist to qualify, which can cost as much as $10,000, are not covered by insurance, and take many hours over the course of multiple days. In wealthier communities, according to an article in The New York Times, students have higher rates of accomodations. William Singer, a consultant hired by many of the families involved in Operation Varsity Blues, directed his clients to a psychologist, telling the student to “act stupid” during the examination in order to qualify for extra time.

ELLA TANG/TOWER

5 h Test-Optional Colleges

Recognizing that standardized tests are not equitable has led many schools to become test-optional, meaning students don’t have to submit their SAT or ACT scores. In 2018, the University of Chicago went test-optional, and the entire University of California system is considering it. A 2018 study hosted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that minority students were more likely 5 to not submit test scores than white students. Additionally, 27 of the 28 schools in the study found an increase in the number of first-generation college students, minority and low-income students. However, universities may have reasons beyond increasing student diversity for going test optional. Because high-scoring students are more likely to submit their test scores than low-scoring students, the average SAT score for the college is inflated. Additionally, more students will be likely to apply to test-op10 tional schools, which lowers the school’s acceptance rate and, in theory, increases their ranking in polls such as the annual US News and World Report college rankings.

C) On average, 5.8 percent of students in the top 1 percent of income have a 504 accommodation, with some districts having rates as high as 18 percent. Only 1.5 percent of students in the bottom 1 percent have access to a 504. In addition, white students have accommodations at a greater rate than any other race. D) Sander Peters, a sophomore at Masters, is approved for extra time, but must get re-evaluated soon, as 504 status must be updated every four years. It will take eight hours over two days and cost between $5,000 and $6,000.

The full length version of this article can be found on our website @tower.mastersny.org

TOWER/MARCH 9, 2020

SPORTS

Basketball fans prepare tournament brackets Ethan Schlapp & Mitch Fink Staff Writer & Sports Lead Editor

ver 20 million Americans attempted to predict the course of March Madness last year when they filled out their brackets before the start of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament; not one was perfect. The tournament, which gets its nickname “March Madness” from its exciting upsets and yearly drama, is known for its unpredictability. Every March, 64 teams earn a berth into a “one-and-done” style bracket which ultimately decides the national champion of the season. One avid college basketball fan is science teacher Eric Shear, who fills out brackets with multiple groups of friends each year, in hopes of predicting the most correct picks. Shear said he loves the excitement of the tournament, which is in part due to the way the bracket is set up. “I think it’s the best playoff format of any sport – single-elimination, forty minutes decides it all. I love seeing upsets… everyone is giving everything they have every single game,” he said. It is not only the bracket-style tournament that creates a lot of hype, but also the fact that there are so many memorable moments created every single year. Shear, who attended the University of Michigan, recalls some of his favorite moments of watching the tournament in college. “My favorite bracket memory is 2013, which was also my senior year of college. Michigan went to the championship game. I was part of a bracket competition with my house – there were seven of us – and I was the only one to pick us to win, and we made the championship and I won the pool easily,” he said. Senior Brian Margolis is also a huge fan of the tournament. “I can start a bracket on ESPN with my friends – we’ll all chip in five bucks, the winner takes all – and no one thinks twice about it. And it’s just really fun because no one knows how to fill it out, they all just put random upsets and don’t know who the players are, and they don’t know anything

ETHAN SCHLAPP/TOWER

– and neither do I,” he said. know what to look for, but I’m watchMargolis not only enjoys the luck ing to say ‘I want him on the Giants,’ that comes with predicting certain or ‘I want him on the Knicks,’ ‘I want teams to win, but he also enjoys get- him on the Cavs.’ I’m just watching to ting a chance to see see who I want on some of the future my team.” stars of his favorite I think it’s the best For Shear, he professional sports playoff format of any hopes his alma mateams. sport – single-eliminater can take home “You watch for tion, forty minutes dethe trophy, but he certain players. Last cides it all. expects Gonzaga year I watched Ja to win. On the othMorant, Zion [Wil- ERIC SHEAR er hand, he also liamson], and R.J. believes that the [Barrett], who endBig Ten Confered up being the top three picks” he ence is really strong this year, and he said. “When I watch college sports – wouldn’t be surprised to see a Big Ten football, basketball, any case – I don’t team make a long run.

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Girls’ lacrosse sticks together past, this year we need to be more serious and make sure everyone is invested in actually bettering their skills while Accountability & Accuracy Manager ensuring that everyone is having fun.” Freshman midfielder, Sabine Godwin, ith the Masters girls’ varsity is enthusiastic to begin the lacrosse sealacrosse season starting on son. Godwin’s personal goal is to, “score March 2, ambitions are high 5 or 6 goals a game, and win at least 3 among team members. Senior team cap- face-offs a game.” tain Audrey Corrigan hopes to use her Godwin also hopes to benefit from the role as a leader to better the team as a social dynamic present in the team. result of her past ex“I’m excited perience. to play with new “Building the team people and make and making sure it’s It may have been too renew friends, and I a place people want laxed in the past, this year we think, even if evto be, consistency need to be more serious and eryone’s not amazhas been a problem. make sure everyone is investing, as long as we The past few years ed in actually bettering their have a good work have been good but skills while ensuring that evethic and work as my freshman year we eryone is having fun.” a team we will do were forced to forfeit well. ” many games,” Corri- AUDREY CORRIGAN Godwin is hopegan said. ful for the comWith this in mind mencing season Corrigan hopes to imnot only because plement some change she trusts the team into the team’s training dynamic, to to work well together, but also her view achieve this goal and have a successful on its leadership, “I think we are gonseason. na do really well because we have great Corrigan said, “We plan to practice leadership. Coach Megan is a super nice how we play more than we have in the person and makes everyone want to past. It may have been too relaxed in the train harder.”

Jacob kriSS

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LOGAN SCHICIANO/TOWER

FRESHMEN TARA PHILLIPS AND Maia Barantsevitch field a ball during practice on the turf field. Phillips and Barantsevitch are both new to the game of lacrosse. The team attended a Mercy College lacrosse game to familiarize the new players with the fundamentals of the sport.

As March Madness nears this year, predictions are starting to get more serious, as many “bracketology” experts are already picking who they think will win despite the fact that the bracket is not close to being finalized yet. As expected powerhouses such as Kansas and Gonzaga are also favorites to win. However, this season in college basketball has proven to be one of tumult near the top. The coveted top spot in the Associated Press’ poll has been divided between an unusually large number of teams throughout the year, meaning that there’s little way to know how things could end up come March. Much of the reason for this chaos near the top is a result of many

regular season upsets already, some of which seemed like they should have belonged in March. On Nov. 26, 2019, mid-major Stephen F. Austin shocked the college basketball world with an 85-83 victory over Duke, a perennial powerhouse which was ranked 7 in the nation at the time. Just a few weeks before that, the University of Evansville shocked the 8th ranked Kentucky Wildcats with a 67-64 victory at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. With the lack of a team that seems to be far and away the best in the nation, look for tight matchups, thrilling finishes, and expect the unexpected this March.

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Varsity baseball buzzing Boys’ squash rallies at national tournament for new season Kate Sibery Features Lead Editor As the spring season approaches, the Masters boys’ varsity baseball team is anticipating a strong start with an incoming group of freshmen who are eager to play. Upper School History and Religion teacher and coach Brian Cheney was encouraged after seeing a number of prospective players at an informational session in early February. “At our informational session there were a lot of fresh faces, so we definitely don’t have a shortage of players. As a coach, it definitely makes me feel confident that while we did lose a lot of seniors last year, we have a lot of new people that will step up,” Cheney said. Cheney has enjoyed the close-knit nature of the team in past seasons, and he’s excited to continue to form tight bonds. He feels the ability to enjoy each other’s company on the team has led to success and the past, and he hopes that that will stay the same this year. “I am looking forward to a lot of the things that I enjoyed last year, which was really just the sense of camaraderie amongst the team. I think we really came together and managed to be competitive, but also we enjoyed ourselves, we kept it fun, and ultimately created a really good environment.” Cheney foresees a strong group of returning junior and senior players acting as leaders and models of behavior and effort to the rest of the team. He feels that’s what made the seniors last year so influential – their ability to be consistent in their leadership and to remind the rest of the team to maintain focus, while also enjoying themselves.

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SENIOR PITCHER AUGUST PETERSON fields a grounder during a baseball practice on Reuinion Field. The team, with a combination of upperclassman leadership and fresh faces, look to find continued success. Peterson, a senior, is committed to St. Lawrence college for baseball. “There are some points in the season when you may feel very low and defeated and then there’s points where you’re so exhilarated that you think that nothing can go wrong, and I think the key to success in leadership is to remind yourself and the team to kind of ignore both and, even in the great moments, to remember we have to be serious and in the rough moments to inspire people to keep on trying.” Junior co-captain Justin Small, who has played on the team since his freshman year, is also optimistic that a lot of practice and skill development will lead the team to success this season. “We lost a lot of good players, but

this year we’ll just keep on growing... I really just want to have a positive record this year,” he said. Junior Nick Albani, who, like Small, has been playing on the team since his freshman year, is looking forward to making the incoming underclassmen feel welcome as a part of the team, just as he had been. “A big part of what I loved about baseball freshman year and last year is that everyone talked to each other and there was a good atmosphere outside of practice, so people talked to each other in school and generally took the time to get to know everyone on the team,” Albani said.

Boys’ volleyball sets for success Sophia VaN beeK Copy Editor Runners-up for the New York State City Athletic League (NYCAL) in 2019, the boys’ varsity volleyball team is headed into their 2020 season with new momentum and enthusiasm. Senior captains Matthew Pordy

ing points. This gives our lower ranked players a fighting chance to win some matches.” Opinion Lead Editor Youssef said she wished she could play with the team, as she’s The Masters boys’ varsity done every year since her freshsquash team outplayed expecta- man year. tions at the 2020 HEAD U.S. High “It has always been fun for me, School Team Squash Champion- but I bet it’s not too much fun for ships on Feb. 21-23. The team won the guys I play against,” she said. their first match, with a score of “Especially since they are not used 4-3 against New to losing against Canaan High a girl.” School, but lost The team performed She added, 4-3 in the quarter amazing and all of them “The boys would final to Mercerstried their hardest. Even have [had] a burg Academy. though it’s not the result we better chance of Each of Maswanted, I’m insanely proud winning if [she ters’ top seven of them. had] played.” players squared -TAHA DINANA However, Dioff against their nana said he ranking counterwas feeling optipart from the opposing schools, mistic. Coach John Boyer said. Masters “The top two spots, me and Garbrought eight players, with one rett, are guaranteed wins, so we as a backup: Taha Dinana, Garret need two more wins,” he said. “I’m Wenberg, Ian Stein, Reed Gilmore, relying on Ian [Stein] for his win George Chang, Jonathan Oakes, and someone else from the bottom Mitchell Fink, and Leo Hsu. four has to be clutch to get that Going into the tournament, Boy- win.” er, who is one of the team’s three Both Dinana and Garrett Wencoaches, said he was optimistic berg won all of their matches 3-0, about the team’s chances. which the two seniors saw as a “Our top two players, Taha and satisfying cap to their season on Garrett, have won all or almost all the team. their matches,” Boyer said. “After Although they didn’t win the these, our team is very young and tournament, Stein said, there were has shown a lot of potential.” smaller and nonetheless meaningBefore the game, senior Taha ful wins. Dinana, the top-ranked player on “I feel that I played the best I the team, said he aimed to be a have ever done in my squash caleader among his teammates and reer,” Stein said. was hoping for a win in his last He added that his highlight season at Masters. was beating someone in the tour“I’m not nervous because my nament that had a higher rating matches will be pretty easy. But than he did. I’m stressing about the overall In their first match, the team, competition because I want us to which was seeded 14 out of 16, get this title so bad and hopefully beat New Canaan High School, it’ll happen, these boys put so much who were seeded 3 out of 16, work in every day and it’s amaz- within Division 5. This meant that ing.” Although Dinana’s hopes did according to their seeds, Masters not come to fruition, he still won was expected to lose to Canaan, all of his individual games. but to their surprise, they beat The team competed in Division them 4-3. V, which meant they competed Eventually, the Masters team against weaker teams than they was knocked out of the tournament have in the past. This is because in the quarter final. However, they there is a new rule that senior Nou- competed in the consolation brackran Youssef, who would be ranked et, in which they won their first second on the Masters team last set, but lost 5-2 in the final round. year, was ranked number one in Despite their loss, Dinana said the country, from playing, as she he was proud of the team. is not technically a member of the “The team performed amazingly boys squash team. and all of them gave their hardBoyer said that while he wished est,” Dinana said. “Even though Youssef could play, he anticipat- it’s not the result we wanted, I’m ed that this weaker competition insanely proud of them.” would help the team. Wenberg agreed, “I’m proud of “The silver lining is that we the team, I think we put out our dropped from Division 3 to Divi- best performances of the year.” sion V when we lost Nouran’s rat-

Nora FellaS

and Taha Dinana are hoping to win finals this year, with a combination of hard work, dedication and team bonding. The team practices five days a week from 3:45 to 5:30, with some players staying later to practice shooting and drills. VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER Coach Chanelle Flowers demands both physical and mental hard work LAST YEAR’S BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL from every player, which helped celebrates during a match. The team them to a 6-5 record last year. looks to repeat its success this season.

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Photo gallery: Girls’ basketball runners-up in NYSAIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC CASS

JUNIOR BROOKE TATARIAN NOW in her third year with girls’ varsity basketball, was a major catalyst for the team’s success. Tatarian averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, and scored her 1,000th career point against Summit Academy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC CASS

JUNIOR ALLIE KOZIARZ ENJOYED a breakout season in 2019-20. The point guard, in her third year with the team, had her biggest game of the season in a 77-53 victory over Wooster Academy on Jan. 23, with 14 points and 6 assists. Koziarz will look to maintain her performance next season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC CASS

SENIIOR GWENN SABATO HAD a remarkable senior season with the Panthers. A co-captain, she led the team of just seven players to the NYSAIS championship final, and announced her commitment to East Stroudsburg University to play Division II basketball.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC CASS

SENIOR NOEMIA MASSINGUE FINISHED off her Masters career with a splash, as the forward bounced back from an injury-riddled junior year to make a huge impact on the team. Her size and physicality in the paint was a huge asset for the team, both on the offensive and defensive end.

Freshmen Ana Castillo and Rachel Mafuru were also members of the team. The team was coached by Nick Volchok.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISAAC CASS

FRESHMAN DAKOTA DANIELLO CONTINUED her success in her second year on the varsity squad, although just a freshman. Daniello made a splash last season with her emergence as an eigth grade phenom, and has now developed into a consistent guard in her freshman season.