Tower Issue #4 (2021-2022)

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

ROBERT FISH

VOLUME 78, NUMBER 4

Read more on tower.mastersny.org PHOEBE RADKE/TOWER

TOWER The Masters School

DISCUSSING MIDDLE CELEBRATING LUNAR SCHOOLERS IN THE LIBRARY NEW YEAR PAGE 10

PAGE 12 @masterstower

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

Dobbs Ferry not high on marijuana legalization Kira Ratan

Editor-in-Chief

O

n Nov. 23, 2021 the Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees voted to optout of allowing any marijuana dispensaries or marijuana consumption sites in the village of Dobbs Ferry. The decision against dispensaries was made on a 4-3 vote, and the decision against lounges was made on a 6-1 vote.

Vincent Rosillo, the mayor of Dobbs Ferry, voted alongside the six trustees, and said that there were just too many uncertainties to vote in favor of this legislation. He said that if the town opted in they wouldn’t be able to back out, but clarified that the Town has the opportunity to opt into the new legislation in the future.

He said, “We had two public forums and people were very emotional and nervous that middle and highschoolers would see adults over 21 walking out of dispensaries and think it was normal.”

The town ended up holding a total of three public hearings in order to gauge the opinion of people in the community. The third hearing lasted three hours

and involved both voting and non-voting members discussing possibilities.

There seemed to be two schools of thought: those against the legislation have attached themselves to the rhetoric of marijuana being a ‘gateway drug’ to more dangerous substances, and the possibility of increased access leading to increased use, particularly with underage children. Those in favor have been citing the already-widespread use and spreading legalization of marijuana in the United States, and also noted that the money from the dispensaries would be put back into the village.

In March of 2021, the New York State Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed into law, officially legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. Before that, medical marijuana use was legalized in New York State in July of 2014.

Along with the MRTA, a new Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) was created for New York State in order to “comprehensively regulate adult-use, medical and hemp cannabis.” The OCM will also be the body that issues licenses for production and selling, and develops regulations for businesses participating in the new recreational industry.

Hillary Peckham ‘09 is the Chief Operations Officer for Etain Health, one of the first five legal medical marijuana dispensaries in New York State. She started the business with her mother and sister in June 2015, just a year after medical use and distribution were legalized in New York.

Peckham said she thinks there are many misconceptions about marijuana use and that making sure people are purchasing from legal venues is the first step to mitigate those fears.

“Right now we’re at a point where there’s a lot of education that needs to happen about the program and the status. If you’re not purchasing from a legal entity, there’s no testing involved in the products, so you have no idea if there are contaminants or something like that,” Peckham said.

Out of the 45 cities, towns and villages in Westchester County, nine have opted in to allowing both dispensaries and consumption lounges. Out of the 1,520 municipalities in New York State, 885 have chosen to opt-out of consumption sites, and 770 have opted out of dispensaries. The decisions of the municipalities do not affect the legality of marijuana within its borders, but restrictions on sales and places of consumption are likely to significantly decrease the presence of marijuana in the area. Those that are allowing dispensaries will only be allowed to open their doors starting in 2023.

Other villages in the nearby area, like Ardsley and Irvington, have also opted out of both dispensaries and consumption lounges. Hastings-on-Hudson voted to allow a dispensary, but not a place of consumption. Sleepy Hollow didn’t have a vote, which meant they defaulted to opting in to the new laws.

Towns like Dobbs Ferry still have the option to opt-in at any time, but towns that have already opted in cannot reverse the decision by opting out, given that the deadline was Dec. 31, 2021.

School counselor Lydia Whitney is a proponent of substance use prevention, having previously worked for five years at a substance abuse prevention agency directed towards youth in Tarrytown, NY. She said delaying any sort of exposure of the brain before it’s fully developed to chemicals found in drugs is most important. She said she supports Dobbs Ferry’s decision to opt out of having a dispensary in town from the perspective of prevention, not “judging whether marijuana is good or bad.”

“We’re talking about accessibility here, and there are just

TOWER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

A WOMAN AT THE Dobbs Ferry waterfront smokes marijuana as a result of the recent legalization of recreational cannabis. While marijuana is legal and decriminalized for all adults 21 or older in New York State, Dobbs Ferry opted to not allow any dispensaries or lounges in the town. so many risk factors to consider for students,” Whitney said.

Senior and boarding student Sophia Tsoukalas said she supports the town’s decision to opt-out of allowing dispensaries and consumption sites. She said she sees the benefits for Masters as two fold: the decision is in alignment with Masters’ substance use policies and advances the mission of the School to protect its students, especially boarding students who wouldn’t have any other way to obtain it.

Tsoukalas said, “I think it’s going to be very helpful to the entire school community; it reinforces the School’s policies and protects students, which is really important to me.”

Masters’ Dean of Residential Life

Jayde Bennett said they understand the fear that some residents may have about marijuana being readily available, leading to increased drug use in their community, but said they believe that fear is misplaced. Bennet said that they think the greater community would benefit from the increased revenue from dispensaries, which could then be channeled back into education and safety. Instead, opting out misses the opportunity to teach younger people about substance use.

“There’s a conversation we’re avoiding having about safe drug use when we restrict these establishments.

The truth is, kids are going to get it if they want it, and it could be much more dangerous if left unregulated,”

Bennett said. “I understand that it can bring peace of mind, but I really do think it’s a missed opportunity.”

“I think that people also need to recognize that [New York] has the largest illicit cannabis market today. If you’re not giving people legal avenues to purchase this from reputable businesses, they are purchasing it illegally,” Peckham said.

“You’re not really helping anybody by keeping this illicit or by opting out of having a dispensary because people will find it in some mechanism. mMy preference would be that they purchase it knowing that it’s been tested, it’s safe and there’s accountability for it.”

Note: Matthias Sandoval also contributed to this article

Cannabis business; how the market has changed Andrew Mitchell

Lead News Editor

W

hen Hillary Peckham ‘09 was in college, her grandmother was diagnosed with ALS, taking 20-25 pills a day as she battled the terminal illness. Her doctor recommended marijuana as a pill-replacement to improve her quality of life, but the Peckham family wasn’t able to find any legal avenues to obtain it. So, when former Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation permitting the use of medical cannabis in New York, Peckham’s mother came to her with an idea. A 3000 page business proposal and competitive licensing process later, Etain Health was born.

Etain Health now has four dispensaries across the state, in Yonkers, Kingston, Manhattan and Syracuse. The family business functions as one of the largest medical marijuna companies in New York. In addition to running operations at the company, Peckham serves on the Board of Trustees at Masters.

Even though marijuana has become decriminalized and recreationally legalized for adults over the age of 21, marijuana sales are still illegal in New York until licenses are distributed, a process expected to happen by 2023.

While it is legal to possess marijuana,

there’s no way that the general public can purchase it. Peckham explained that this has led to many loopholes. “So what you see popping up is people who are selling items like posters for $80 and then they’ll gift you cannabis with it. There’s a whole illicit business that’s operating in this gray space because there’s no regulations right now,” Peckham said. While legalization has posed a competitive challenge to many medical dispensaries, it has slightly relaxed some of the regulations under which medical marijuana facilities have to operate. For example, prior to recreational legalization, dispensaries couldn’t sell the actual flower, but now they can. Peckham described one of the biggest upsides of the regulations shifts for Etain was the relaxed qualifications. “There used to be a list of 10 conditions that qualify for the program.

Now whenever you see a doctor, if they think you’ll benefit from medical marijuana, they can prescribe it to you, which puts this much more in line with any other pharmaceutical,” she said.

Peckham noted this as one of the largest challenges medical dispensaries, such as Etain, are facing right now. “It is very challenging to navigate because we still have this sort of restrictive medical market where you have to go see a doctor and then take all these steps to get to our doors and

then like there’s literally people who are selling cannabis down the street.”

This “gray area” is due mainly to the current lack of formal legislation to regulate marijuana. The Office of Cannabis Management is in the process of being built, effectively creating a new branch of government to regulate hemp. Peckham described that because cannabis is still illegal on the federal level, New York State has to form this branch from scratch. “They have to hire 200 or 300 employees, train them all, and launch this program. We are expecting a set of regulations which would be ‘Here’s all of the guidelines for how you would operate and sell cannabis in the next three months or so,’ by April 1,” Peckham said. “But I don’t expect anyone to actually get a license for selling adult use or recreational cannabis probably until the beginning of next year at the earliest because it just takes that like so long to set up this whole government agency,” she continued.

The lack of government has created a period in which rules are uncertain and policing has become a challenge.

Part of The Office of Cannabis Management’s mission is to “give people impacted by the war on drugs an opportunity to enter the market,” as Peckham put it. The department has proposed a $200 million fund

that would go towards licenses for social equity and MWBE (Minority/ Women-owned Business Enterprises.)

This fund would aim to balance the marijuana field which is currently dominated by white men, who make up 70% of top executives at the 14 largest cannabis companies, yet were statistically four times less likely to face marijuana related arrests. While the intention is to promote equity, Peckham noted the importance of how the funds are allocated. Because marijuana is federally illegal, there aren’t traditionally banking resources available to business owners. Peckham highlighted that cannabis companies can only be funded privately or through hedge funds on the Canadian stock market.

“So that in and of itself creates a lack of diversity because you don’t have funding options,” Peckham explained.

In order to address these issues and push for properly allocated funds, Peckham has worked to promote diverse businesses, such as Etain which is almost entirely woman-run. “Something that Etain has been passionate about is explaining the difficulties of running a cannabis business and what needs to happen to provide long term support to these businesses to COURTESY OF HILLARY PECKHAM make sure that it’s not just diverse HILLARY PECKHAM ‘09 SERVES as the COO at Etain Health, a female on day one, but you’ve created a sus- -run medical cannabis company. Peckham explained that the medical tainably diverse industry,” she said. cannabis industry was greatly impacted by New York’s legalization.

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

2 NEWS

Masters takes action, adding new booster requirement Gisele Cestaro

C

News Editor

OVID-19 cases have reached an all-time high in the past months, with even more cases reported than at the beginning of the pandemic.

Omicron, the newest, most transmissible variant, is spreading fast and easily throughout schools.

People are masking up and starting to take precautions, such as receiving their COVID-19 booster shot. The booster is supposed to help the body’s immune system defend itself, and provides extra protection, along with the first two doses of the vaccine. Most officials have sent a strong message to get the booster, and although Masters has required it for all students, faculty and staff, that hasn’t stopped some people from being skeptical about this vaccine.

Within several months of re-

ceiving the second dose of the vaccine, people were already informed that getting a booster was highly recommended. Mixed feelings arose as not everyone was sure if they should feel a sense of urgency to get another vaccine dose so soon. The Masters School’s Health Advisory Team worked diligently to make a decision they felt was the safest for the community: mandating that all students, faculty, and staff get the booster within thirty days of becoming eligible.

Individuals were either content with this decision, or concerned as people felt their right to choose was a liberty that was taken away.

Morgan Young, a junior, and advocate for the booster shot requirement, said she appreciated the mandate.

“The school is doing whatever they can to make sure that we all feel safe, so I believe it’s a right-minded decision,” she said.

Young said she trusts that this vaccine will push our com-

COURTESY OF GEORGE CHANG

SENIOR GEORGE CHANG GETS his booster shot.

munity forward and hopefully help lighten restrictions in the future; it will also help protect the immuno compromised from becoming more sick. She said she believes we have a long way to go, but the booster shot is one step closer to returning to normal.

“Having to require the booster shot is necessary for change, but in a sense I understand why people would feel their liberties are being taken away,” she said.

Although some community members are advocates for the booster, there are others who feel that just because the school offi-

“

in our community, should not have to receive the vaccine, since he considers it infringing on people’s liberties. “I don’t think it’s fair to require it in the first place. It’s really leaving me no choice because it’s taking my liberties and freedom to choose [away],” he said.

Although Hernandez does not believe it should be mandated, he trusts that a positive factor is how it may help us return to a relative normal. His hope is that the booster shot will help calm people’s nerves in terms of transmitting COVID-19, which means the extra precautions such as plexi-

We felt it was important to try to protect as many people by requiring the booster because that’s the reason why new variants are coming up. There are pockets of people who are vaccinated or sub-optimally vaccinated around the world - Health Advisory Team Member, Steve Kassell-Yung

cials have the power to, doesn’t mean it should be mandated for private institutions. This can be due to a multitude of reasons such as being afraid of the vaccine’s efficacy, especially because it’s been a very short amount of time since the last vaccination requirement. Masters almost has a 100% vaccination rate for the students and faculty, but some people are exempt due to specific medical conditions.

Mack Hernandez, senior, has strong opinions about how necessary and effective the booster shot really is. Hernandez believes that individuals who are opposed to it

glass and masks can start to fade away. “It will hopefully help the administrators be less strict about the rules and make people believe they are more safe. I don’t think it will make a genuine difference in cases though,” he said. One of Hernandez’s concerns, besides being skeptical of the booster, is that nothing has changed for the better. He said that if the vaccination is going to be required, the rules should at least be not as strict, but that is not the case do far.

Steve Kassell-Yung is a pediatrician and member of the healthcare advisory board which helps

COURTESY OF NICOLE KASSELL-YUNG

STEVE KASSELL-YUNG P’23 vaccinates his daughter Cleo, who is in fourth grade. the school navigate decisions in lines, it can be difficult for the regard to COVID-19. He and the health advisory team because it can health advisory team knew that take a long time for those recomthe science behind the booster mendations to be put out. They will showed it was safe enough to re- often try to get a headstart on figurquire for the school in order to ing out what those new regulations prevent further spread of disease. will be.“The team tries to forecast Kassell-Yung went on to what the CDC guidelines are going explain the importance of vacci- to be, and then we start preparing nations, and why new strains are to put those out,” Kassell-Yung constantly popping up: “We felt said. Most private institutions it was important to try to protect are also following the same pracas many people by requiring the tices since school administrators booster because that’s the reason are in contact with one another.

Although the health advisowhy new variants are coming up.

There are pockets of people who ry team was skeptical of mandatare vaccinated or sub-optimal- ing the booster initially, since it ly vaccinated around the world,” could send a mixed signal that the he said. He relayed that with other two doses didn’t work, they the implementation of boosters knew requiring it was the smartpeople will be more protected. er decision for the school. “The In terms of the Center for Dis- community cares about each inease Control guidelines (CDC), dividual, which is why we had a Masters follows them very closely. feeling that the boosters would be Since the CDC prompts most other well accepted,” Kassell-Yung said. authorities to develop their guide-

The decisions behind split lunches Ally Pagano

D

Photo Manager

ue to Covid precautions, the administration at the Masters School has made the choice to return to split lunches: one early lunch, taking place between 11:30 a.m. and 12:10 p.m., and one late lunch, taking place between 12:50 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. They were designed to ensure the safety and wellness of the school community.

With the decision taking effect, it seems the most frequently-asked question is “what lunch do you have?” When the decision to revert to a schoolwide lunch was made at the start of the 2021-22 school year, the community was ecstatic.

They got to eat with their friends and didn’t have to worry about not having a friend there to hang out with.

Classes already separate friends from each other on a daily basis and lunch was the one time where students were able to socialize with all their friends, but now that’s been taken away too. A few students, Lena Mereck and Alessandra Manalac were asked to speak on the matter of how they felt personally.

10th grader, Alessandra Malanac, said, “ I don’t love it, it makes it harder to interact and see certain friends because lunch is where students chill and there are some lunches where you don’t have close friends so it makes it more stressful.”

11th grader, Lena Mereck, said, “I used to love socializ-

ing in the dining hall but since we have the dividers it’s hard to communicate and I dislike it.”

It’s an understandable solution to making sure everyone distances but there’s the feeling that not everything was taken into consideration as to what it would do to students.

According to Associate Head of Upper School Sara Thorn, who is in charge of scheduling,

“

Thorn indicated that the old schedule may be brought back if Omicron phases out.

Thorn said, “We’ll have to see how it goes. We were asked to do this by the health advisory team so we’ll have to see and reassess. We don’t make major decisions without consulting other groups of adults on campus.”

The split lunch schedule was de-

We use lunch for community time. When everybody at the school was free, we would all be able to be together and have things like Executive Committee. We’re very aware that we were splitting that up and really didn’t want to but we really had to make the change to get fewer people in the dining hall at the same time.

- Associate Head of Upper School, Sara Thorn

having the lunches split undermined the community because not everyone has the same lunch.

Thorn said, “We use lunch for community time. When everybody at the school was free, we would all be able to be together and have things like Executive Committee. We’re very aware that we were splitting that up and really didn’t want to but we really had to make the change to get fewer people in the dining hall at the same time.”

cided not by grade, but by the department. She said, “ We couldn’t split by grade level because so many of our classes have mixed grade levels, so [we] tried to do it by the department.

It’ll take a little getting used to but it’s something that we really needed to do and we didn’t do it lightly.”

Mr. Newcomb affirmed this by saying, “Ideally the lunches would be by grade but some classes have multiple grades in the one class, so it simply would not work.” Mr. New-

comb and Mrs. Thorn have similar opinions towards the matter. Along with this Mr. Newcomb further explained why the health advisory team decided to split the lunches by saying, “What the health advisory team shared with us, was the goal of identifying the lunchroom and in order to do that safely we had to split the lunches so that roughly half the students were eating at the same time.”

Another reason for this split was that the lunches were the biggest safety concern when the advisory team talked about making the school safer. Mr. Newcomb said, “ Prior to coming over winter break, the focus was how do we make the school as safe as possible and the lunch time is the highest risk moment of the school day because our masks are down.”

There’s also the change of Morning Meeting time which Mr. Newcomb addressed by stating, “We just had to tweak alot of the schedule, so that’s why morning meeting is now in the afternoon because otherwise other people would be eating at 1:30 during second lunch.”

Thanks to the help of Mr. Newcomb and Mrs. Thorn the community can have a a better understanding as to why the schedule was fixed to what it is now. We get a look at what decisions were made and why they were made.

With the help of students, we now have a little more understanding as to how they felt with the changes to the lunch times as well as to the socializing aspect.

ALLY PAGANO/TOWER

SOPHOMORES DOING HOMEWORK DURING their study hall in the Sharon Room.

Sophomore study hall bill passes Aurora Horn

T

Staff Writer

he Executive Committee bill, which abolishes study halls for tenth graders, has been passed and approved: the groundwork for this bill was laid last school year by current juniors Tyler Hack and Aimee Ayala.

This year’s writers of the bill are sophomores Matthias Sandoval, Gabe Heller, and Arjun Ratan.

“We’d heard from a lot of our classmates, friends, and constituents that this would be something they’d like to see happen,” Ratan said. “I know that right now because of things like COVID, students’ mental health has not always been prioritized.

I heard from a lot of students that they’d want to have this time where they would have the freedom to go wherever they want and socialize with whoever they

“

want, and also prioritize their mental health if they want to.”

The bill did not pass unanimously. One voting member who opposed it is senior class co-president Denis Sadrijaj. “I know the sophomores,” he said. “My sister’s in the grade and I’m friends with a lot of them, but they tend to get a little bit annoying and rowdy at times, so I’d like to have this time be for the seniors only.”

Theo Knauss, a sophomore, is on the fence about the bill, but he leans more towards being opposed. “I like the idea of having freedom to go around the campus,” he said, “but I think that the study halls are really good places to get work done.”

Dean of Students Jeff Carnevale commented, “study halls for sophomores are an opportunity to make sure they’ve developed habits of studying and opportunities to study.”

I heard from a lot of students that they’d want to have this time where they would have the freedom to go wherever they want and socialize with whoever they want, and also prioritize their mental health if they want to.”

ANDREW MITCHELL/TOWER

STUDENTS DURING DINNER EAT in the dining hall eating with four dividers, a protocol that was imposed due to the Omicron variant.

- Arjun Ratan‘24

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

3

NEWS

Brandon Sanders steps into new counseling role, adjusts to rhythm of Masters community Carol Queiroz Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News

T

he Masters staff has just expanded with the addition of Brandon Sanders, a professional social worker who is taking on the job of part-time counselor in the Health Center. Originally from Los Angeles, Calif., Sanders got both his bachelor’s degree in communications and his master’s degree in social work at Kansas University, plus an additional diploma in Music Studies from Berklee College of Music. Apart from his social work, Sanders is also an avid jazz musician who plays the drums and performs regularly at various New York venues.

He also holds a love for basketball, and was a walk-on for his college basketball team when he attended Kansas University, and is now an additional coach for the Masters Boys Junior Varsity 2 basketball team.

Ever since he was young, Sanders said he knew he wanted a career where he worked with kids.

“I grew up in the Boys and Girls Club atmosphere in Los Angeles.

I became a social worker because I like working with kids and teenagers. And when I was a kid, there was a social worker that they had at the Boys and Girls Club, her name was Mrs. Jones, and she was a huge influence on me. I looked at the work she did and thought ‘Man, I want to do this too!’ So now, I’ve been working with kids and young adults since the late

90’s,” Sanders said.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, student demand for counseling has increased exponentially, creating necessity for an additional counselor. Counselor Stefanie

Carbone elaborated on the need for more help at the Counseling Center.

“Now with Covid, we are seeing so many students daily; a lot of the students accessing the Coun-

seling Center are even self-referred because they find it helpful.

So we see a lot of kids, but we just haven’t been able to keep up with the volume.” Carbone said. “The addition of Mr. Sanders to our

team has definitely been helpful.

Whenever Ms. Whitney or I are with another student or teaching a class, Mr. Sanders is right there and available: he really has been able to help absorb the need.”

COURTESY OF BRANDON SANDERS

BRANDON SANDERS RECENTLY JOINED the Masters Community, becoming the third member of the counseling team in the Health Center along side Lydia Whitney and Stefanie Carbone. Sanders grew up in Los Angeles before recieving his bachelor’s degree in communications and his master’s degree in social work at Kansas University, plus an additional diploma in Music Studies from Berklee College of Music.

Before Sanders was hired for the job, he was interviewed by a panel of students with interests in mental health chosen by Dean of Students Jeff Carnavale as part of the hiring process. One of those students was senior Danny Batista, who recalls her first impressions of Sanders from the panel.

“He was funny, he was very open to meeting with us [the students] on a more personal level and he was very friendly. There was a very professional student-teacher dynamic, but he was still very friendly and I felt comfortable around him.” she said. “I think he’s a great fit for Masters.

Specifically, as a student of color, I think I would feel more comfortable talking to him about problems that people of color face. Because he would be able to relate to us from personal experience.”

Carbone agreed with Batista's statements. She said, “I thought he would be a great fit. I thought the kids would be able to relate to him really well, I liked his kindness, his professionalism and his desire to be a part of this community. He is extremely excited to be a part of this community. And we're excited to have him.”

“I love this school. The students are great, the faculty I’ve met so far are great and the atmosphere is uplifting and positive. I love the energy that the students are giving to me and I want to be able to give something back to them. I really look forward to connecting with the students here and making them feel comfortable around me to share what is on their hearts and minds,” Sanders said.

Opinion

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

4 OP-ED

TOWER 2021-2022

Editors-in-Chief Kira Ratan Sophia Van Beek

EDITORIAL

Chief Design Editor Ellie Yang News Lead Editor Andrew Mitchell News Editors Gisele Cestaro Marianna Gu

The art of storytelling

W

e all have stories to tell, but the importance of telling such stories is often overlooked. Stories engage us and trigger our imaginations. Whether it is childhood experiences or even funny anecdotes, stories give us the opportunity to speak with others on a deeper level and connect in a way we couldn’t have before. They allow us to learn from the experiences of those around us and many times they strengthen or challenge our values.

On January 27th, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Holocaust survivor Trudy Album came to Masters to speak about her life in Hungary as the Nazis rose to power. Sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration

camp during her childhood, Trudy was the only member of her immediate family to survive. Now living in New York, she shared her story, relaying the importance of telling stories to ensure that they are never forgotten. A truly horrifying story, Trudy told the Masters community that she made a promise to herself to keep sharing her story, so that it wouldn’t die with her, and urged all of us to keep telling ours.

At Tower, we strive to be a forum that tells stories which bring the community together. We want voices, the voices of those whose stories are often silenced or told to keep their stories hidden away.

Sharing stories is what makes our work important. We strive to represent the entire community,

Opinion Lead Editors Sabrina Wolfson Rowan McWhinnie Opinion Editor Maya Phillips

and if we fail to do so, we are not keeping our promise to eachother.

Just as Trudy told us, if we fail to share these stories, we are losing the opportunity to make connections with others and learn from their experiences. Everyone has a story, and oftentimes we never know what it could be. If we saw Trudy Album walking past us on the street, we would never know the wisdom that she has to share.

That is why storytelling is so powerful. The tales we tell uncover the details about our lives. And we need to listen because the stories we hear remind us that everyone around us may be going through something important - and without open ears, we will never know.

Features Lead Editors Lexi Wachen Kwynne Schlossman Features Editors Maia Barantsevitch Lucas Seguinot Sports Lead Editor Ethan Schlapp Sports Editor Noah Kassell-Yung Social Media Manager Matthias Jaylen Sandoval Web Editor Carlos Heredia Staff Writer Aurora Rose Horn Photo Editor Alejandra Pagano Advertising & Distribution Mgr, Asst. Social Media Mgr. Lily Zuckerman

Masters needs a course about life Skills

Lucas Seguinot

A

Features Editor

few weeks ago, I asked my mom when I should start a retirement plan like a 401K. I didn’t even know what a 401k was, but nevertheless, I was worried about my future.

Right now I am a sheep being shepherded through life by my parents. It makes sense: I am only 15 and I know that they need to do that to keep me safe, but my parents won’t be holding my hand through college and the rest of my life. I can’t rely on them to teach me everything about life, which is why school

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ponential functions and I can lecture you about the collapse of Rome, but there are only so many skills I can take from school into the real world.

Currently, Masters lacks a class or even a co-curricular on this subject. The closest thing we have, fortunately, is Business Dynamics taught by math teacher Hank Kim. This course revolves around economics and entrepreneurship, but also includes a large section on peronal finance. Like I mentioned in the beginning, personal finance is one of the elements of the real world that I am worried about. It is definitely one of the most important elements of the real world and I can’t stress

The downfall of the American school system is forgetting to teach kids about life.”

- Gabriela Seguinot ‘20

should help lighten that load.

My sister said it perfectly: “The downfall of the American school system is forgetting to teach kids about life.”

I may know how to graph ex-

enough how fortunate we are to have a course regarding it.

“We just want to make sure that the students that leave the course are financially literate and they are savvy about invest-

ing for their future,” Kim said.

It seems I wasn’t the first person to want life skills taught at Masters. Assistant Director of MISH and Assistant Coordinator of Student Activities/ Transportation Joe DiDonato had the same idea. Three years ago, Head of School Laura Danforth put together a “day hike” a competition where three or four colleagues would team up to make an educational program to present to the Board of Trustees. Whoever won the support of the Trustees would get their proposed course implemented.

With the help of the Gormleys and English teacher, Darren Wood, they came up with a rough idea of a life skills course or co-curricular. DiDonato explained how this had multiple purposes, as different members of the community would teach certain skills. This meant that on top of learning the skills, the students would be introduced to new members of the community. Sadly, the group’s proposal came up short with second place, but when talking to DiDonato, I could see the smile through his mask. With such pride and joy, DiDonato emphasized the importance of these skills. “Changing a tire, balancing a checkbook, putting

gas in the car, making a toast, those kinds of things... I think that every school should [have a life skills class].

I think it is worth teaching

leged with parents who can offer me most of these skills but not every has that privilege. It can be important for the students to break that cycle of missing

“

Changing a tire, balancing a checkbook, putting gas in the car, making a toast, those kinds of things..... I think that every school should [have a life skills class].”

- Assistant Coordinator of Student Activities Joe DiDonato

those kinds of things,” DiDonato said. The amount of creative potential this opportunity holds is immense. The class could be a senior priority so they could be ready for life after high school and the curriculum has variety beyond the basics. For students who lack parental figures, thatcan’t offer most of these skills, this class is a necessity. Some parents may not have much of the experience that multiplemembers of the school community hold. Personally, I am privi-

knowledge that they might have.

That one lesson in changing a tire or planning a retirement plan can change a student’s future. It takes a village to raise a child and two parents are not the entire village.

I question if I am asking too much, but I have to remember that school takes up at least seven hours of my day. In those seven hours I hope I could be getting the best quality of education and best prepared for all aspects of my future

Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News L. Leys Carol Queiroz Associate Producer, Tower Broadcast News Hanna Schiciano Contributing Writers Sandra Liu Viktoriia Sokolenko Staff Photographers and Illustrators McKarthy Grimes Charlie Cooper Alpha Zerfu Ryan Guan Ethan Yankey Patrick Phillip Haoqing Shi Tim Yang Joshua Markowitz Phoebe Radke Dosi Weed Sonali Rao Sydney Starkey Faculty Adviser 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

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Scholastic Press Affiliations, Letters and Editorial Policy

ELLIE YANG/TOWER

HOME ECONOMICS IS A popular class in many public schools, but has yet to be introduced to The Masters School. The class helps teach high school students necessary life skills to thrive once they enter the real world.

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 approximatelyfivetimesayear,Tower,thestudent 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.

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

FEATURES & ARTS

5

Reality is just 15 miles away SOPHIA VAN BEEK/TOWER

SOPHIA VAN BEEK/TOWER

Kwynne Schlossman

“

KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN/TOWER

Lead Features Editor

In The Heights”, a musical written and produced by Lin Manuel Miranda, unpacks and explores Hispanic culture in Washington Heights, New York. Set about 15 miles from Masters’ campus, this musical represents a portion of the diverse community within the larger community. In the past, predominantly white institutions have run the musical with no casting protocol. For this years’ winter musical, Masters decided the show must go on, casting the musical with the purpose of preserving the culture of the production.

“In the Heights” will be performed on Feb. 24, Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, and the principal cast is all people of color. A production like this has never been put on at Masters – the cast and crew are considering a whole host of different possible community reactions to the show. They hope the community will take away the right messages, as seen in both the content of the show and the performances from Masters students.

In order to ensure the correct protocols are being taken into account, the production has formed a “Spanish Task Force ‘’ consisting of Spanish speaking students who help the actors with pronouncing Spanish words.

Senior Caleb Jakes, who plays Benny, one of the lead roles, spoke on how the task force is working cohesively with the rest of the cast “They work together to ensure we are speaking the native language correctly by using the correct accents and everything, this is empowering to the students to share their tongue with the rest of the cast,” Jakes said.

Because this is the first musical Masters has taken on with representation implications for people of color, the actors hope the community understands how deep the team is going in order to put on the best performance.

Senior Daniela Batista plays Vanessa, another lead role, and explained her anticipation for the community to see the show.

“This will help our community be more conscious of the diverse lifestyles within our environment that often go unrecognized, they

will be more conscious of things that commonly go unnoticed like microaggressions. Since we have members in our community who lack an insight on this culture we hope this will be an eye-opening experience,” Batista said.

Batista lives in Washington Heights herself and spoke about how she thought she could relate better to the role than many of her past roles.

Though she has been at Masters since the fifth grade, Batista said she has never experienced a musical quite like this.

“It’s an amazing experience that I am now playing a character that I can relate to and understand, it makes the acting so much more real.”

In addition to the all-POC principal cast, there are a number of white community members helping with the production in other ways. Senior Alec Gould spoke on his experience of watching his fellow actors and actresses perform in a space where they feel represented.

“Being a part of this all is an amazing experience, being able to watch my friends play these incredible roles and be excited about playing them is so inspiring,” Gould said.

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TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

FEATURES & ARTS

LILLIAN COLÓN A Life in Dance - Colón breaks ground and reaches new heights as dancer, choreographer Carol Queiroz

Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News

B

ehind the closed doors of the Experimental Theater, rich Latin-based music plays, rhythmic tapping from dance shoes hitting the floor echoes and excitement erupts as students work on learning the choreography of the winter musical, “In the Heights”.

This year, the production is being choreographed by Lillian Colón,

professionally on the stages of Broadway and beyond.

So she set off on her own to begin her career in dance.

“The first highlight in my career was performing ‘West Side Story’ at Lincoln Center. It was the first time I was in a professional company. From there, I did lots of nightclub work and I moved to Mexico and got a job dancing in Mexico

life,”

she said.

Most recently, at the age of sixty-five, Colón came out of retirement to dance in the 2021 movie adaptation of “In The Heights”.

Colón went to the open call auditions for the movie and immediately saw that she was the only older woman there.

“When I walked into the auditions, everyone in the room looked

-

“

JEFFREY HORNSTEIN

LILLIAN COLÓN IS WORKING as the choreographer for Masters’ winter musical, “In The Heights,” but her story goes far beyond that. She’s sharing her passion for dancing with the world. worked to bring Colón to Masters.

“We knew from the beginning that we wanted a Latinx choreographer. With all the Latin dance forms in the production, it had to be someone for whom this mu-

choreography process.

“The opening number is just to die for. It’s fast, it’s rhythmic, it’s got all the Latin beats that we really want!” she said.

“I am also very excited to cho-

amazing example of quiet teacherhood. Just through her movement, just through her dance, she imparts a lot of craft and a lot of art,” Curnin-Shane said. “Some of the things I’ve seen these dancers do this year is just mind blowing. ” Sophomore Christina Moore, one of the members of the musical’s Dance Corp, said, “It has been really inspiring to work with Ms. Colón because of all of her experience in the dance world,” she said. “This is probably the most difficult choreography I have ever done and the songs are so exciting.

I think everyone is going to love it!”

Freshman Juan Torres, another member of the Dance Corp, remembers that “on the first day of rehearsals, I fell and I was nervous that she was going to be upset about it. But she just encouraged me to get back up and keep dancing.”

Colón advises apiring dancers to go for their dreams and persist through hardships: “You have to persevere and work hard...

Perseverance is the most important thing to carry with you in a dance career. Because it’s not easy, I can tell you that for sure.”

“ She [Colón] is so understanding and patient. She really took the time to teach me the combination and make sure that I got it.”

- Juan Torres ‘25

-

like what I looked like 30 years ago. They had black curly hair, red lipstick, big hoop earrings, midriffs out. Looking as fabulous as Latinas can look. And I was intimidated! And I was thinking about leaving, but I stayed. I really wanted to meet Lin-Manuel!” she said. “I didn’t hear from them until around April. I had forgotten all about it and didn’t think I got the part, but they called me asking me to come to rehearsals. I couldn’t believe it!”

Colón’s dedication to her career and her performance in the movie was honored when she was chosen for the Forbes 50 over 50 list. This list was created to shine a light on women over the age of 50 who have achieved significant success and can be seen as an inspiration to younger women.

Colón was honored at a luncheon with the other 50 over 50 women and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

“This little Puerto Rican girl at the orphanage many years ago never thought for a moment that I would ever be in the presence of a First Lady. But these are the heights that we can get to now,” Colón said.

Now, Colón is writing a memoir about her life and career that is set to come out this year.

Chair of the Department of Performing Arts Jen Carnevale, along with Upper School Theater Teacher Meg O’Connor and Upper School Dance Teacher Shell Benjamin

-

City. I did a movie, a lot of television work and even had my own show there,” Colón said. “Eventually, a choreographer I worked with in Mexico offered me a job as his assistant for Menudo, a Puerto Rican boy band with Ricky Martin.

I became their choreographer and traveled all over Latin America.”

After working with Menudo for a few years, Colón moved back to New York, ready for her big Broadway break. That’s when a dream role presented itself: the Radio City Rockettes were holding auditions.

“Rockettes rarely open for auditions on an open call basis because it’s such a coveted spot to be a Rockette. Nobody would leave that job, it’s too amazing to leave!” Colón explained. “But one year, in 1987, there was turnover and they needed new girls.

So I auditioned with 400 other girls and I got down to the end.”

“I didn’t even know that I was the first Latina Rockette at first, I just felt like one of the other girls. But being recognized as the first Latina Rockette has been the highlight of my

”

-

a professional dancer who is no stranger to success. This is her story.

Colón was born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in New York.

At three years old, she was put into Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Home for children, an orphanage in the Bronx where she lived until the age of 18.

At the orphanage, a dance teacher was brought in once or twice a month to teach dance classes to the children. At her first lesson, Colón said she fell in love with dance.

“I took to it immediately.”

Colón recalled. “I loved it, just loved it. And I knew this is what I wanted to do: to become a professional dancer. And I never changed my mind.”

Discovering her passion for dance at an early age, Colón was eager to leave the orphanage and pursue her dream to dance

”

-

You have to persevere and work hard. You don’t have another option. Perseverance is the most important thing to carry with you in a dance career. Because it’s not easy, I can tell you that for sure.

sic was in their DNA,” Carnevale said.

Colón jumped into the

reograph ‘Carnaval del Barrio’.

Because that song has el orgullo – the pride – of the Latin people. And at The Masters School, I think the flag mentioned in the song belongs to everybody.”

Senior Natalia Curnin-Shane, one of the production’s stage managers, works closely with Colón ​​a nd the dance corp.

“She has been a pinnacle of professionalism and an

Al

ess

an dr

aM

.

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

OP-ED

7

The question of advanced placement classes Con: Choose interest

Pro: To challenge and

stand out, AP’s should stay over rigor and get rid of AP’s ethan schlapp

Lead Sports Editor

W

hen I headed into my junior year, I knew that I wanted to take as many Advanced Placement (AP) classes as I could for a variety of reasons, and so I did. While there are many benefits of taking AP courses, what I really wanted was to be able to set myself apart from others when colleges received my applications, as well as engage with subjects in a fast-moving, comprehensive way.

Now with just a semester left in my high school career, looking back I can say that I absolutely made the correct decision; AP classes have proved to be valuable for me in countless ways.

In recent years, more schools have gotten rid of AP classes for different purposes. Institutions like Scarsdale High School, Choate Rosemary Hall and Ethical Culture of Fieldston School have all eliminated APs and replaced them with various other advanced and honors systems. And while Masters has begun to question the practicality of APs, the truth is that a removal of AP courses entirely would serve not as a benefit, but instead, a detriment to the student body.

In a 2018 opinion piece written in The Washington Post by eight heads of private D.C. area schools, arguments against AP classes ranged from colleges placing less importance on them, to the fact that AP’s cause students to spend more time memorizing and less time learning deeply. And while there is some truth to these arguments, personal experience as a high school student has shown me otherwise.

The article argues that AP classes are becoming less important as more students enroll in them, but this claim fails to take into account the full scope of things. According to a U.S. News blog about college admissions, “generally” the most important part of a college application “is the GPA and challenging high school curriculum,” said Jeannie Borin, the founder & president of College Connections, a college consulting service that has aided over 4,000 families in the college search process since its establishment in 2003. As someone who has visited around a dozen colleges thus far, this fact has been confirmed at every single information session: GPA and rigor of course load are the most important components of an application for colleges. Even if more students across the nation are taking AP courses, being unable to take AP courses sets students who are looking at the most competitive schools behind the eight-ball straight away, for they will be deemed sub-par in relation to their peers.

According to Crimson Education, a service that helps students get accepted to their desired colleges, “For students aiming for the Ivy League and Top 20 schools in the United States, a good target is to take (and pass) 10-14 AP classes throughout your high school career

— or 3-4 each year.” While they also note that it is important to have a balance in life and taking into account that Masters only allows students to take a maximum of three AP classes in their junior and senior years, it is necessary for students to utilize these higher level courses to better their transcript. Although colleges continuously say that they look at students within the context of their school – that is they won’t judge a student for not taking AP classes if AP classes are not offered at their school – a student who wants to but is not able to take AP courses is unable to set themselves apart from a student that would not have chosen to take AP courses even if they had been offered.

At the same time, it is important to recognize that not every student will be looking to attend the most competitive schools, but instead will be taking AP courses for another reason: the credit. While AP credit rules differ between schools, credits acquired through high scores on AP exams allow students to have more opportunities in college. This means that students may have the ability to take higher level courses going in, skip classes entirely (which can help those that want to graduate earlier to save tuition), or both. As someone who wants to explore a variety of subjects in college, earning AP credit to skip certain courses would grant me the freedom, and time, to take classes in numerous fields, which is exciting.

Even though taking AP courses now will serve me well down the line, I recognize that AP courses have current benefits, too. I have always loved fast-paced classes and AP courses provide me with the opportunity to learn in that environment. Furthermore, taking AP courses, which are often challenging for the speed and immense amount of material covered, I have begun to recognize the importance of creating good homework and study habits.

While no high schooler is perfect with time management, learning these skills now will only continue to serve as a benefit as I transition to college life.

Additionally, while AP courses are great for students that learn at a fast pace and for those that like to absorb a lot of information, taking AP courses has allowed me to dive deep into subjects that are interesting to me. For example, because I want to study finance in college, I wanted to, and did, sign up for AP Statistics this year. Through this class, I have been able to learn thoroughly

about a subject that greatly intrigues me, enhancing my learning experience.

While I believe that we should keep AP courses, I am clearly not the only one who holds this opinion. In a survey sent out to the Class of 2024 and the Class of 2025, 92.9% of respondents (99 responded out of 253 students) stated that they wish to take AP courses during their junior and/or senior year.

Additionally, in a survey sent to the Class of 2022 and the Class of 2023, out of those who have chosen to take AP courses, 84.8% of respondents are happy with their decision (79 students, who take AP classes, responded to this question (88 people responded to this survey in total) out of 258 students). .

Yet though AP courses provide numerous benefits to students, it’s no secret that they are limiting in certain

areas. Common complaints include a course curriculum that is too fixed, a homework load that is too great, etc…

And while there is some truth to these arguments, the fact of the matter is this: if students do not want to take AP classes for any reason, then they simply should take the standard course, or an elective course, in that subject.

Eliminating AP classes does not solve any sort of problem for the students that are opposed to taking them, but instead it only hurts students that do want to take these advanced classes.

terested in these AP’s. Students are told that colleges tend to look at the difficulty and rigor of your classes Features Editor when assessing your transcript; this information alters students’ decision s high school students be- when choosing courses, steering gin to think about the im- them away from meaningful learning. portance of their transcript, There are many reasons that I think Advanced Placement [AP] usually AP’s should not be a part of the Mascomes to mind for most students. In ters curriculum. First and foremost, simple terms, AP classes are college it takes away from the meaningful level courses students take in high learning experiences Masters offers. school. These classes are known for The Upper School extends the unique their rigor, high demand and the pos- opportunity to choose which classes sibility of college credit. The Masters you would like to take. The options School offers a variety of AP classes range from semester long seminars, in all subject areas including math, to honors classes, to AP classes. Bescience, English and history. I am a ju- cause the application process has nior this year taking three AP courses told us that colleges want to see chaland I believe that Masters should re- lenging and rigorous classes on high move the option of taking AP classes. school transcripts, students tend to When choosing my courses for choose the harder classes over courses they are genuinely interested in. This begins the cycle of academic validation and competition among students.

Junior Giselle Meskin, had the opportunity to choose AP courses for English and history classes but chose American Studies, Masters’ combined-humanities course for juniors, instead.

Meskin said, “I always have to explain why I am taking American Studies and that I need to essentially prove my intelligence and prove to them that I am actually smart.”

English and history AP’s don’t specifically target a student’s interests, whereas seminar classes are designed around one subject matter. “Students are given a total myriad of options that they can choose from and can cater to their individual interests and what they want to talk about, what they want to learn about, and what they want to become experts on,” Meskin continued.

While students may fear that the courses they are taking won’t look as challenging if there are no AP’s on their transcript, this problem can be solved by removing APs entirely. This removes the pressure students face both when taking APs or when deciding courses.

PHOEBE RADKE/TOWER Cheryl Hajjar, chairperjunior year, I went back and forth on son of the visual arts department, has whether or not I should take AP’s. been working at the Masters School There were several science seminars for 13 years. Among the numerous that I was interested in, both in biolo- art courses she teaches at Masters, gy and in environmental science. This two of them are AP’s: AP Art History was the same case for English, where and AP Art and Design. Hajjar has the I was struggling to choose between ability to write her own curriculum seminars and AP’s. For both subjects for these AP courses but is limited I ultimately chose AP Biology and AP to the specifications of the College English Language for one reason: Board. “Even though it is my curriccollege. The biggest deciding factor ulum that I write, it is a curriculum was how these classes would look on that is dictated by the requirements my transcript. Since AP’s are the most of the College Board,” she said. rigorous classes that Masters offers, Hajjar also worked at the Graduate I blindly chose that option regardless School of Columbia University, where of whether or not I was actually in- she was a part of their admissions team, maia barantsevitch

A

“I did a survey with about 25 different college admissions officers about how important the AP’s are to them. And they said, I would say, 85% of them said that they’re not looking for AP’s; they’re looking for students to challenge themselves within their own personal best kind of milieu,” Hajjar continued. “They’re looking for students to not just challenge themselves academically but also be extremely community minded and have other interests outside of academics.

That’s what they valued much more in terms of their admissions decisions.”

Hajjar has been with Masters for over a decade and has been able to see the impact of AP’s in the Masters community. She said, “In my years teaching here, the [AP] program has changed a lot and it has become a much healthier program. But I still feel like we have a dynamic enough faculty to really create challenging courses for students, that are much more student driven, and will support their learning based on their passions and combining passions.”

Many independent schools in New York have already taken the initiative to remove AP’s as an option, including The Dalton School located in NYC. Dalton got rid of AP classes in 2003, as critics of AP’s began to notice the pressure it put on students. The rigid curriculum that all AP’s must follow does not give teachers any flexibility to expand on certain topics or focus on topics of less relevance to the exams.

The strict curriculum along with the constant assessment of performance can lead to students developing a reliance on academic validation based on how high they score on an exam.

While I understand that there are students who choose to take AP’s for the challenge they provide, Masters has done a strong job of providing courses that permit the same level of difficulty, without the AP label. Courses such as Master’s Thesis and American Studies accommodate students with a challenging class while being able to focus on certain topics. Another aspect that needs to be addressed: a multitude of colleges that Master students apply to do not actually accept the AP credit from these courses.

Many students attend private schools for a more individualized learning experience. AP’s detract from that often alluring aspect of independent high schools like Masters. wAs an independent school, Masters has more flexibility with their curriculum and what courses they are able to offer. I think students should focus on taking advantage of this exclusive circumstance rather than aim to take the most challenging course possible.

Masters is offering students the chance at meaningful learning and to discover passions in certain subjects, this opportunity should not be looked over because it lowers your chances of getting into a more prestigious college. These courses can still be as rigorous as AP’s but with the specialties that private schools offer.

THE EFFECT COLUMN

What to Do With Electronics: How the Digital Age Changes Sustainable Practices

W

hen we think about the problem of waste, we probably imagine the environmental destruction from our food, packaging, or clothes.

However, another global problem has emerged in our digital age: discarded electronic devices. By 2016, ~45 million metric tons of e-waste had been dumped worldwide, with only 20% appropriately recycled (United Nations University).

The majority of people want

EFFECT TEAM to avoid contributing to this waste but don’t know how. To decrease your contribution to this waste, consider donating the devices you no longer need to charity organizations. It will prevent electronics from ending up in landfills and help those from modest backgrounds access technology, crucial for their work and education.

If a device does not work, it can go to the recycling facility. Earth911 has an extensive database of recycling centers, making it easy to

find a place nearby that recycles the items one wants. Some electronics manufacturers and retailers (Amazon, Apple, Office Depot, Staples, and Best Buy) also accept old devices for recycling or refurbishing.

Finally, the easiest step to take is to unplug one’s electronic devices when they are not actively used.

Although it may seem to have little effect on the climate crisis, it can actually contribute to reducing carbon emissions. According to the study in

Northern California by The Natural Resources Defense Council, ~23% of the household’s electricity is used by devices in “idle” mode. When leaving home, finishing working with a device, or simply when your phone becomes 100% charged, unplug it.

Another environmental issue connected with electronics is electricity consumption. In 2019, electricity production resulted in 25% of all the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States (EPA). To cut down

the electricity usage and reduce your carbon footprint by 2,400 pounds, you can stop using a clothes dryer (Green America). Drying your clothes with a dryer may be more convenient, but using a clothesline, a rack, hangers, or simply a door can save both money and electricity.

As environmentally responsible practices among individuals become increasingly common, so does the realization that without effective measures by the governments and corpo-

rations, individual actions will not be enough to stop climate change. However, by donating old electronics, buying a clothesline, or even unplugging a washing machine when it is not used, people can cut their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, helping prevent the depletion of natural resources used to produce electricity and manufacture electronic devices.

8

FEATURES & ARTS

TOWER/FEBR

B L AC K H I S TO

A look at how and why Black history is celebr

“

Glory is a movie about the Massachusetts 54th, which was the first fighting Black regiment in the Civil War. My father’s office was in downtown Boston.

There is a statue commemorating the Massachusetts 54 blocks away from my father’s office. I’d walked past this countless times and didn’t pay any attention to it. I didn’t have a clue that Black people fought in the Civil War, because it wasn’t taught to me.

So the idea that Black people fought in the Civil War would have been really helpful to me to know as a young Black kid. Not knowing that sort of thing inspires me to bring that kind of history – my history – to people that otherwise wouldn’t know it. And so that’s in part what Black history means to me. It’s a celebration of Black contributions, of Black excellence, of Black joy and celebration. But it’s also an opportunity for people who aren’t part of the Black community to learn about the Black community.

M

y high school didn’t recognize Black History Month.

Granted, I was in high school only 10 years after President Ford called on the country to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black

History Month took a while to catch on. The history that I learned came primarily from family members, many of whom lived through some watershed moments, or from classes I took in college. Now, Black History Month is widely celebrated by schools across the U.S., Canada, and the UK (theirs is in October), and

- Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Roland Davis

B

The History of Black History Month

efore there was Black History Month, there was Black History Week.

In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson, and other African American scholars, selected the second week of February to celebrate Black history, because it contained the birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

By the 1960s, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, many college campuses began celebrating the entire month of February. Since 1976, when President Gerald Ford first recognized Black History Month on a national level, every U.S. president has designated the month as Black History Month.

Mirna Valerio

M

Every year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) decides on a new theme for the month. 2022’s theme is ​​Black Health and Wellness. According to the ASALH website, “The theme for 2022 focuses on the importance of Black Health and Wellness. This theme acknowledges the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora.”

SPOTLIGHTING MASTERS ALUMNAE

irna Valerio graduated from The Masters School in 1993. Nearly 30 years later, she is active on social media as a sponsored athlete. An ultra-marathon runner who leads adventure retreats for people of all sizes and ability levels, Valerio continues to remain engaged with the Masters community, serving on the Board of Trustees.

In addition to her work as an athlete and adventurer, she is a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) professional, leading training for various organizations in anti-racism, social justice and identity. Valerio said she shares many feelings about Black History Month; she recognizes both the importance of celebration, but hopes that the work of February carries through to the entire year.

“I’m Black all the time. Part of me celebrates the concept of Black History Month. We should absolutely celebrate ourselves, our contributions, and our culture, which is not a monolithic culture in the United States and in the world. But it is an opportunity to spotlight us as people who basically have built the United States,” she said.

Valerio believes the month is also a necessary opportunity to create as many outlets for education as possible. “I do love celebrating my own personal culture, my family culture, my community culture. But it’s much more than a celebration, and it should be much more than a celebration. Celebrating Black voices should be woven directly into everything that we do.”

Valerio thinks any work done during Black History Month should carry through the entire year, rather than being dedicated to just February (which she noted is the shortest month of the year).

She said, “February is not enough.”

Valerio said any genuine work must consider structural organization and institutional change. This is work she tries to engage the Masters Board with, saying “I do commend Masters on the work that we are doing, but there’s always more work to do. There’s always more reflection, there’s always more action we can take to ensure not just diversity, equity and inclusion on the outside, but on the inner workings of the school.”

She acknowledged the labor of DEI practitioners who are constant in their vision for and work towards a more equitable future, saying “It takes that consistent, back-breaking work to make sure we’re living our motto. And it’s not just something that you can do once a year during February. It’s not just something that we can take a month our for and say ‘okay, well, we did our work.’”

Although Black History Month is about uplifting and celebrating Black voices, Valerio emphasizes the importance of non-Black people’s involvement in that process of education and amplification.

“You can’t place the burden of celebration or organization only on those in marginalized communities. It’s unfair and it sets us up for failure. You absolutely need to ask and include people in those marginalized communities, and you need to trust us and listen,” she said.

Valerio similarly asserts the importance of challenging the community in a genuine way. Criticism, for Valerio, is not contradictory to celebration, saying, “We need to be unafraid to engage with really difficult ideas and concepts. It’s a school. That’s why we’re here.”

She acknowledged that a lot of DEI work will receive pushback, because building a better community means confronting the status quo.

“You have to not be afraid of ruffling feathers.

That is where things go horribly wrong. Because if you’re not allowing people to be their full selves – which is something that Masters prides itself on – if you’re not allowing the things that need to be said to be said, then there’s no point. It can be celebratory, but it can also be critical. You need criticism. You need that feedback in order to do better,” she said.

“This is lifelong work. The need for this work will never cease. Hopefully the work will change in a positive way. It’s critical to our survival as humans living in community with each other. It is a struggle, but it can be a beautiful struggle,” Valerio said.

T

Carolyn Aston

he Masters School enrolled its first Black student in 1965. Carolyn Aston, from New Haven, Conn., learned in an environment of almost entirely white students and had all white teachers. By the time she graduated in 1968, she was one of five Black girls attending the School.

it makes me unbelievably happy that students today have the opportunity to learn – in and out of the classroom – about the innumerable contributions made by African Americans.

Independent schools have a special responsibility to commemorate Black History Month and similar celebrations of heritage. For most of

their e have e and oth in term terms It’s ou pose st our cou ness! –

Celebra Black Jou Wr E

Errin Haine

rrin Haines currently serves as editor-at-large for nonprofit news outlet The 19th. She previously rep ed for the Associated Press, serving as their national w on race. Her work focuses on politics, civil rights, racial tice and voting rights.

In May, Haines wrote a story on the fatal shootin Breonna Taylor, which took place in March. It was her n story, which was published in The 19th and The Wash ton Post, that brought national attention to Taylor’s de She was also the first journalist to interview Kamala H after her nomination as the first Black and South Asian V President was announced.

FEATURES & ARTS

RUARY 11, 2022

9

ORY MONTH

rated at Masters and beyond

existence, schools like Masters excluded African Americans her non-White folks –not just ms of who attended, but also in of whose history was taught. ur social responsibility to extudents to the complexities of untry – it’s a big part of its rich– and to discuss how and why

some people have been excluded.

I would like Masters to commemorate this month by going beyond the usual grim stories, recognizing the joy-filled parts of Black history. Discussions of the Black experience are too often limited to stories of struggle—even when struggle results in some positive

ating Today’s urnalists and riters

es

r the portwriter l jus-

ng of news hingeath.

Harris Vice

Ta-Nehisi Coates

T

a-Nehisi Coates served as national correspondent for Atlantic Magazine, where he wrote on issues pertaining to class, race, and politics, with a focus on white supremacy and Black identity. Some of his most famous pieces include “The Case for Reparations” (2014), which focused on housing discrimination and redlining, and “My President Was Black” (2016), which he wrote in the aftermath of the 2016 election.

Coates is also a memoirist and fiction writer. His first book, “The Beautiful Struggle,” reflected on his experiences growing up in West Baltimore. “Between the World and Me,” published in 2015, was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction; written as a letter to his son, it addresses what it means to be Black in America. Coates’ first work of fiction, “The Water Dancer,” was published in 2019; he also wrote the sixth volume of Marvel’s “Black Panther” series.

outcome. There’s so much more to the Black experience than monolithic, collective suffering. There’s also tremendous joy, and I think it is important for students at Masters—for all of us, really—to bring this into our celebration of Black History Month. I mean, it’s a celebration!

I

ONYX

M

asters’ Onyx, a club that celebrates Black heritage and empowerment, plans many events during the month of February to celebrate Black history.

Maison McCallum, president of Onyx, is working to prepare a video to present at Morning Meeting that reflects on the club’s mission: “to enhance, educate, and empower”.

“We want to educate the school on pressures and stereotypes, and the experiences of Black athletes and Black artists at our school,” he said.

McCallum hopes that the school will be receptive to Black History Month celebrations as well as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, which was delayed until Feb. 18.

“I think the most important thing is just acknowledgement and understanding, because that’s a very basic and foundational step for people to then learn more about the history and information we present. [We want people] to just acknowledge the information they are hearing and receiving and discussing, and understand where we come from in presenting it, and where they stand in listening to it,” he said.

In addition to working with the larger school community, Onyx plays bonding games like Family Feud and Black Card Revoked.

McCallum said, “Games like that help to bring our group closer together and bond over shared experiences.”

Africana Critical Thought

n 2015, students at Masters first called for the induction of an African history course into the school’s curriculum – one that didn’t focus on the American perspective of slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement, but potentially explored African indigenous history, studies philosophers and scholars from the African diaspora, and analyzed post-colonial theory.

As a result, Africana Critical Thought: Race, Theory, and Empowerment, a course never taught before, was introduced for the 2021-22 school year, taught by Associate Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Selas Douglas. There is currently one section of the class, which is only open to seniors.

Senior Camille Smith is currently taking the class, in part because she had taken Douglas’ U.S. history class last year.

“I thought I would get more out of it, because there had been a trend before I took U.S. history with Mr. Douglas where I was not really learning about my history or Black history or Black anything,” she said.

Within the larger curriculum of ninth and tenth grade history classes, students can explore Ancient Egypt; in 11th grade U.S. history classes, the history of slavery is also taught.

However, Africana Critical Thought exclusively discuesses philosophers of the African diaspora, according to Douglas.

“Some of what we talk about in the class is that philosophy is a human project that all of us engage with. We’re learning tools to navigate the world around us, but we’re also taking the opportunity to explore the contributions in this area from Black folk around the world that don’t often get highlighted,” he said.

The class has covered thinkers such as Zera Yacob, Ida

B. Wells, and Anna J. Cooper, who span across four centuries and engage with topics like religion and gender, not just race, exclusively. “Some philosophers are explicitly dealing with the conditions of Black folk, but with others we’re studying different places in their theory,” Douglas said.

In teaching the class, which is made up of ten seniors, Douglas said he has learned a lot about teaching history, especially the history of marginalized people.

He said, “I was reminded of just how little the general public knows about Black historical figures. I realized not only is this a blind spot, but most of us don’t even know how large the blind spot is.”

Douglas believes Black History Month as Masters should be about education in addition to celebration. Also, the community should prioritize accuracy over comfort during Black History Month.

“We must really work to be honest about the past, honest about the present, and aspirational about the future. I think so many of the times that we fall short is when we try to either sanitize the presentation or package it with the wrong outcomes in mind,” he said.

Douglas said his work is all about striving towards collective liberation and understanding mutual struggles.

“Some of what we don’t have the opportunity to practice often is connecting the humanity between these different struggles. All of these struggles are the same struggle. These are struggles about how to live and be a part of humanity and be fully seen; how to be engaged in a human process; how to be a part of the human condition and not be taken advantage of; how we find a way to exist together in ways that allow us all to flourish.”

Designed by Ellie Yang and Sophia Van Beek Written by Sophia Van Beek Photo Credits:

Tony Webster Bettmann/CORBIS Library of Congress The Masters School Archives

Ellen Cowhey Eduardo Montes-Bradley Susan Beard Photography

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

10 OP-ED

Close the book on middle schoolers in the library Rowan McWhinnie

I

Lead Opinion Editor

am sure almost all Upper School students have heard the renowned cry made by the librarians as they make their rounds, urging students to leave and make room for the next batch.

Students repack their bags, exit the glass doors and stand watching in the hallway as the middle school enters and the librarians put up the sign, “The Library will be closed for all upper school students from 2 to 2:30 PM.” Many linger in the hallway, peering through the doors as the middle schoolers check out new books and use the one space provided to the Upper School students for studying. Others will search for a new location to work in that hasn’t been taken over by freshman and isn’t crowded and filled with noise like the Fonseca Center or the Dining Hall.

Though some may not be bothered by this, many are, including myself. I, personally, use this time to finish up any leftover work, homework, or studying for the next upcoming period, and having that time taken away is a huge inconvenience. I understand that the middle schoolers have a right to be in the Library and have reasons for doing so, I am only asking for a new time to be proposed for when they go in.

It may not seem like a big deal for faculty and staff and they may feel as if including the younger students is a better way for the entire Masters Community to come

together and bond while we use the new space, but many of you have your own offices to do your work.

This is the space where we do ours.

A great deal of upperclassmen have few free periods due to scheduling, overloading courses and AP classes, but in the few minutes provided for us as a break, Upper Schoolers get to study, sleep, and relax in this space. Until, only recently, when the Middle School started coming into the Upper School to use the Library on Nov. 1st, 2021. Mr. Newcomb made an announcement during Morning Meeting about this predicament, but I brushed it off until I was forced to leave and I realized how much of my time was going to be taken away. Though the Pittsburgh Library is for the whole Masters Community, and I understand that the Middle School has little time to enjoy the newly renovated room, I still think we could find a better time for them to come in or even let the Middle School and Upper School students use it at the same time. If you want us to be a community, let us get to know each other in the space we love so much.

I recently sent out a google form to the Upper School, asking students whether they found the time taken away from them disruptive and if the middle schoolers should find a new time to come in. I have received 106 responses, each expressing how/if this situation affects them.

The statistics are shown below.

Jillian McCoy, the new head librarian, and Jennifer Rathkopf, the middle school humanities coordinator, collaborated to find a way for the middle schoolers

to visit the Library. They spent time looking through the middle school’s schedule and found that the “Academic Choice Time,” which falls from 2-2:30 P.M., coincided with the Upper School’s break. “It seemed like a natural time to let middle schoolers come and use the space,” said McCoy. Like myself, many upperclassmen thought that the middle schoolers and upper schoolers should use the Library at the same time. An anonymous upper school student wrote in the google form, “It is frustrating that we aren’t even allowed in with them during that time. I feel that we deserve to be working in there while they use the library. I think we can coexist.”

McCoy and Rathkopf, however, found that some middle schoolers are uncomfortable coming to the Library when upperclassmen are there. “I understand why the upper schoolers feel that the space could be shared, but it can be a little bit intimidating for them [middle schoolers] and they need to be supervised a bit more actively than the upper school students. Using this break allows middle schoolers to use those pods, and gives them a time that feels special and dedicated for their use,” McCoy said.

When I was in the Middle School, we were not technically allowed in the Library and we too were somewhat intimidated by the upperclassmen, however, we never needed to go there. There was no reason for us to. In the 30 minute break provided to us we spent the time eating snacks, playing outside and did our work in classrooms or the chairs outside of the Head of Middle Schools’

PHOEBE RADKE/TOWER

EVERYDAY FROM 2:00-2:30 the Pittsburgh Library closes between third and fourth period. During this time, Middle School students are able to sign up and come in to take advantage of the newly renovated space. They can do homework, check out books, or socialize with their peers. office. Another anonymous upper school student wrote, “I was in the Middle School, we never used the library, and we never wanted to. There are plenty of social spaces in the middle School. The library would not be a social space for middle schoolers but a place to find resources if they need.”

Despite the fact that McCoy understands that the middle school coming in is disruptive because it changes the upperclassmen’s school day, she also thinks it’s for good reason. “Once 4th period starts, there are about 5-10

minutes where there is a delay for them [upper school students] getting into the library but I think the 5-10 minutes is worth the access that it provides to those middle schoolers who don’t get to use the space for the rest of the day.”

Many upperclassmen who filled out my google form understand that the middle schoolers should be allowed to use the library but still think it’s too much of an inconvenience. “It’s not that I don’t feel like the Middle Schoolers should be welcomed into the library, it is a space for everyone,

but I just think it is extremely inconvenient when I happen to be working on an assignment in the library and then get shooed out with nowhere else to really go to productively finish my work,” an anonymous upper schooler said.

Though this predicament may take a while to be solved, if it ever does, I would still like to see some form of active conversation around the topic, ensuring that we find a way for both the upper and middle school students to be happy and use the space provided when given the time.

If they can’t be in the room, let them zoom Sabrina Wolfson

I

Lead Opinion Editor n the Spring of The Masters many others, ducting school

“

March 2020, School, like began cononline due

classes, extracurriculars and all meetings were held virtually using the online platform Google Meet.

This system of virtual learning was designed so that students could finish the semester while staying within the safe confines of their home. This system continued to run for the remainder of

Because I didn’t have Covid, I wasn’t able to do online school which definitely caused me unnecessary anxiety.”

- Maddie Marlowe ‘23

to the Coronavirus outbreak. For the entirety of the fourth quarter,

2020, as well as on and off during the 2020-2021 school year, as

Scan this QR code to read the pieces from our Tower Bloggers Tara Phillips ‘23 Viktoriia Sokolenko ‘23

mandated quarantines were lifted.

Now that most schools are fully in-person and the hybrid system is no longer necessary, it is up to specific schools whether or not they wish to provide virtual learning as an option for students that, for a variety of reasons, are not able to be at school in person. For the 2021-2022 school year, Masters has made the decision to mandate virtual learning only for students that test positive with Covid. During the five days that each student is required to quarantine, they may join their classes online so that they do not have to be absent.

However, for students that do not test positive for Covid-19, but have some other reason that they are not able to be in person, the option of virtual learning has been revoked. Those students must accept an absence in all classes that they are not able to attend in person and make up their assignments

and missed classwork another time.

This then puts students behind and adds more stress to their lives, when tensions have already been heightened for the past two years.

In the past, students that were not able to attend school in person had no way of attending class virtually. Most schools were not even aware that virtual learning could be an option, as seen in data that states prior to 2020, Zoom had 200 million meeting minutes as compared to the 3.3 trillion annual meeting minutes in January of 2022. Before the pandemic, most institutions had no need for virtual learning either, as students that were not able to attend school simply made up their work following their return.

Today, I believe it is pointless not to offer students the ability to participate in virtual learning even if they have not tested positive for the virus.

Junior Maddie Marlowe had to

ESME TALENFIELD/TOWER

WHILE VIRTUAL LEARNING HAS become a common practice, Masters does not allow students to attend school virtually if they have not tested positive for Covid-19 which causes unnecessary anxiety to those not able to attend in person. miss just shy of six weeks of school in the fall semester due to another illness.

Marlowe said, “Because I didn’t have Covid, I wasn’t able to do online school which definitely caused me unnecessary anxiety.”

Because students aren’t able to attend school virtually without a diagnosis of COVID-19, it puts students unfairly behind and adds unnecessary stress to their life. It would be less stressful to stay apace with the work than have to cram six weeks worth of work in, while also getting new work assigned. This means students have to work almost twice as hard as their peers, all while still physically recovering from whatever they were out for.

It is likely that the reason this decision was made was because faculty worried that if virtual learning became an option for every student, members of the community would take advantage of it, participating in

online school when they simply did not feel like being in person or had a test or quiz. However, I believe there is a way to offer students this option without them being able to take advantage of it. Students should be able to participate in virtual learning for regular classes but should they have a test or exam, they have to wait until they are in person in order to take it. Additionally, a student’s parent or guardian must call the school, alerting them to the reasoning that such student cannot come to school. This way, faculty do not have to worry about students going home simply to take a test online when they are able to take it in person.

Even though Masters has made the decision that students who have not tested positive for Covid should not be allowed to attend online school, this choice should be re-thought so that being absent does not have to be an unnecessary burden for students.

Valentines Day

WRITTEN BY MAYA PHILLIPS DESIGN BY KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN

T

TRADITIONS

S

LOVERS

vs.

he winter months are short and cold; celebrations are far and few between, that is until Feb. 14. However, some members of the Masters community are not wholehearted fans of the holiday.

“For some, Valentine’s Day might be a reminder that you’re single and don’t have a partner to share it with,” said junior Sophia Semczuk. She continued, “I think a lot of high schoolers dislike Valentine’s Day because most are not in a relationship.

Big grand gestures might be superficial to them.”

ome individuals without partners have created family traditions to celebrate the holiday with loved ones. “My dad always gets my mom flowers on Valentine’s Day and we put heart shaped decorations around the house, ” Semczuck said.

Jillian McCoy, the School librarian, doesn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in the traditional way. She said, “Not purposely; it just feels like a commercial experience. It feels like an excuse to sell heart shaped things and my wife and I are not the kind of people who spend the type of time thinking about anniversaries, so it’s not really for us.”

As couples get older and settle down, Valentine’s Day might become less significant. “I usually babysit for my friends when they want to go out for Valentine’s Day. That’s how I help other people,” Shelly Kaye, Dean of class of 2022 and teacher said.

Whereas Ed Gormley, student activities and transportation coordinator, said, “Mrs. Gormley and I have the kind of relationship where every day is Valentine’s Day… We don’t really do any kind of tradition and we honestly don’t really get each other gifts. I don’t think I have bought her a card in at least 15 years. People think that’s not romantic but I kind of think it is, we both feel the same way.”

FEATURES & ARTS

GALENTINE’S

G

alentine’s Day – dedicated to celebrating female friendships - was recently popularized by the sitcom “Parks and Recreation.”

“My friends and I usually end up getting chocolate and candy for one another. It’s fun to do that kind of stuff and nice to show appreciation for your friends and share love, even if it is not in a romantic way,” Semczuk said.

“I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day romantically, in that sense but I have always celebrated with the people around me… I get chocolates and teddy bears for my friends. This is a way to show someone you appreciate them and it gets rid of the expectation that the holiday is only for couples,” Senior Katie Williams said.

INCLUSIVITY

“Valentine’s Day, it’s for friends, it’s for family, it’s for teachers … but you mostly associate it with romantic love, which is not demonstrating inclusivity. The marketing for Valentine’s Day only really shows straight people” - Luke Byrnes

A

ntipathy also comes from the holiday’s commercia lization and focus on expensive gifts as displays of affection. “Sometimes big grand gestures can be a little bit over the top,” Semczuk said . “I don’t agree with showing you love someone through material value… it turns into a competition of how much you can prove that you love someone through monetary gifts” Byrnes said. “Valentine’s Day should be changed from the capitalist

“The best way for Valentine’s Day to become more inclusive is to get rid of the pressure and the stigma around the day and also get rid of the idea that the holiday is solely about generic love and instead think of it more as just a celebration of love in general.”- Katie Williams

C O M M E R C I A L I Z AT I O N lens of consumption and exclusivity and instead should be about recognizing the important people in your life and expressing your love. It doesn’t matter what type of relationship you have with someone if you love them, you love them,” said Byrnes.

For those who see the holiday as a money making venture, sustainable and meaningful gifts are an option.

“You really need to think is what I am buying going to last, is it something that will stay

11

DAY

HATERS

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

on this earth for a really long time, is it something of value…

It’s not about being a perfect person but it’s really important to be conscious and be a smart consumer,” Williams said.

“I don’t think you have to be lonely on Valentine’s day because you’re not in a relationship.” concludes Katie Williams, “Valentine’s day is about appreciating people in your life and expressing and receiving love above all commercialization and consumerism.”

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

12 FEATURES & ARTS

Celebrating the

HOPE AND SURVIVAL

Year Of the Tiger

Seven decades later, Trudy Album tells her story

you eat traditional food. Then you go around to all your family and greet them. And this is throughout the course of three days.”

This year, though unable to go home, Battulga will be taking New Year’s Eve, which is on Monday Jan. 31, off to celebrate with his sister in New York City. All international students are allowed to be excused for the first three periods on Jan. 31 to celebrate New Year with their families and watch the New Year’s Gala. Some international students will also watch the Gala together in Cushing, our co-ed senior dorm.

Luke Zhu, the co-chair of the International Club, said, “On

afternoon with friends. Junior August Liu, who is choosing the latter, Ellie Yang and Marianna Gu said, “I think it’s good to celebrate Chief Design Editor and News the new year with your friends or Editor classmates. Because in some ways they are your families. I’m a boarder, so I spend a lot of time with or over 3,000 years, counthem and not with my families.” tries in Asia have celebratJunior Jack Li echoed Liu’s ed the Lunar new year. sentiments. “For this year, because Masters’ international students we cannot go home, I will probably from across the continent have celebrate with my friends and precontinued this tradition away from pare the ingredients for hotpot as home. Their celebrations have been the New Year’s dinner,” he said. impacted by the travel restrictions The International Club will enforced during the pandemic as also be hosting a celebration on returning home becomes near imTuesday Feb. 1 in the Sharon possible. However, students are still Room. Zhu, said, “We will host difplanning on celebrating with others ferent activas they step ities such as into the year practicing of the Tiger.

Chinese The Lucalligraphy, nar New Year a traditionat Masters al Chinese brings people writing together for a through holiday that is which we usually celewant to brated differpromote ently in differcultural exent countries. change beIn China, tween stufamilies gather dents, and to eat dumpalso we will lings, set off be handing fireworks, and out red encountdown velopes (in to familiar the form of songs played ROBERT FISH a lottery) on a nationally MASTERS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS GATHERED in the Cushing and makaired TV Gala. common room celebrating the Lunar New Year, The Year of the Tiger. ing braceIn Monlets, a welgolia, the fesMonday, some students are taking a coming activity for all.” tival is referred to as Tsagaan Sar Liu and many of his friends will (White Moon Festival), and the day off to celebrate the Lunar New celebrations look a little different. Year in China’s time. I personally be attending this celebration. He Dayan Battulga, a junior and inter- will celebrate the festival with my said, “ I really feel like the teachers national student from Mongolia, family and watch the New Year’s here care about Chinese New Year. said, “First, we have lunch with Gala, as we normally do in China.” And the people leading the InternaWhile some are taking the day tional Club, they care about this even our family. Your parents sit there off to celebrate, others are choosing though some of them are not Chiand there’s this blue scarf that you greet each other with… after that to attend school and celebrate in the nese. So I feel like the vibe is good.”

F

Hot Pot trend sweeps the world Sandra Liu

I

Contributing Writer

t’s Chinese New Year again, and I’m sitting at the table. In the center of the table is a very large steaming pot. In the smoky haze, there are the sounds of children laughing and playing around the table, and the sounds of adults talking. Hot pot, also called “Huo Guo” in Mandarin, is one of China’s original cuisines and is a popular food for both young and old.

Hot pot is a cooking method in which a pot is used as an apparatus to boil water or soup with a heat source to cook various types of food.

Typical hot pot ingredients include a variety of meats, seafood, vegetables, soy products, mushrooms, and egg products, which are scalded in boiling water or a special soup base.

Some of them are also dipped in seasonings and eaten together.

The hot pot has evolved over time. The tripod of the Zhou Dy-

nasty (1046-256 B.C.E) may be the earliest prototype of the hot pot. The nobles of the time each had a personal bronze pot called Ran Lu. The main part of the Ran Lu was a small stove with a small pot on which charcoal was burning. Later, during the “Three Kingdoms Period” (200-280 AD), a hot pot made of copper was created, which is generally considered to be the origin of the hot pot. Hot pots became very

SANDRA LIU

popular in the Qing Dynasty(1636-1912). The emperor often ate hot pot at banquets for ministers, and hot pot gradually

became a symbol of noble status.

In the modern era, the hot pot is beloved because of the dry and cold climate in the northern part of China. People feel that hot pot brings them warmth in the cold winter. In addition, hot pot restaurant owners are constantly innovating their business strategies. There are “numb, spicy, hot” offerings, known as Chongqing hot pot, which is the archetype of Southern hot pot. Instant-boiled mutton represents the staple of the Northern hot pot and new hot pot styles.

I looked back and in front of me were my cousins having a rowdy time around the hot pot. Hot pot has accompanied our family through every Chinese New Year. Hot pot is not only a delicacy in China but part of the rich food culture.

Families gather around a steaming hot pot to chat and eat together in a warm and cordial atmosphere, which is suitable for the traditional Chinese culture of a family reunion.

ISAAC CASS

ON THURSDAY JAN.27TH, Holocaust survivor Trudy Album (middle) sat beside Jewish Culture Club Co-Presidents, Maddie Marlowe(left) and Lexi Wachen(right) as she shared her remarkable story with the Masters community during Morning Meeting. ber of her family to survive. Now 92 years old, Album lives in New York and continues to speak with groups in the New York area, de-

Lexi Wachen

Lead Features Editor

O

n Jan. 27, the Masters community welcomed Holocaust survivor Trudy Album to share her story on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Born in 1929, Album was raised in a Jewish household in Hungary. As the Nazis rose to power, with antisemitism exponentially increasing simultaneously throughout Europe, Album survived one of the darkest genocides in history. At age 15, she was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Operated by Hitler’s Nazi Germany, this was one of the deadliest concentration camps, where over 1.1 million Jews perished. Album was the only mem-

“

You are your brother’s keeper. Take care of one another.

-Trudy Album termined not to let the memory of what happened to her and 6 million other Jews fade from public view..

Co-President of Jewish Culture Club and junior Maddie Marlowe, had the opportunity to meet Album at a B’nai B’rith Youth Organization(BBYO) International Convention in 2020. She reflected on the ways Album was able to

connect to the audience and how much her story resonated with her.

For Marlowe, Holocaust Remembrance Day is more than just another day in the calander, but a day of listening and learning.

Marlowe said, “Never forget–we say this to acknowledge the atrocities of the Holocaust.

We need to hear the stories from the survivors of the Holocaust to show that something like this could happen and to make sure it does not happen again. Trudy’s first hand account will both rivet us and fill us with hope for humanity. It gives us the opportunity to connect and ask questions.”

Album ended her speech with a message of inspiration to the community, vocalizing the importance of loving your neighbors, fighting hate and speaking up.

She said, “You are your brother’s keeper.

Take care of one another.”

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TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

FEATURES & ARTS

13

M RE TIME, PLEASE: The ins and outs of extra time commodation plan that teachers have access to,” she said.

Not only is this process potenAdvertising & Distribution Mgr, tially challenging and expensive for families, but there is an enand Asst. Social Media Mgr tirely separate process if a student wants extra time on standardized here has been an ex- tests such as the SAT and ACT. plosion in the number In a recent survey sent to 504 of teens requesting ex- Masters Upper School students, tra time for testing in schools. of the 105 students that respondAccording to the College Board ed, 50% indicated that they re(2019), requests for accommo- ceive extra time. There were a lot dations were noted to have in- of reasons as to why each students creased 200% between 2010 to has their accommodation. Out of 2018. Simultaneously, the num- the people that receive extra time, ber of test-takers increased only 19% declared that they never use by 25%. While the stigma around it, even after all the hours of getextra time on tests has decreased ting tested. in recent years, leading many Others find their extra time instudents to speak up about their valuable. Junior Lauren Marlowe struggles and get the help they spoke about her experiences with need for their learning differenc- the extra time accommodation. es with educational accommo- Before Masters, she attended the dations, some students are also Windward School, which focused eager to get extra time on stan- on supporting her education in dardized tests like the SAT. light of her learning differences.

The process to be approved Marlowe said, “Extra time for extra time is neither fast nor helps me relax. It puts me on the cheap. In order to receive extra same playing field as kids who time on tests don’t need at Masters, all extra time. It Test optional schools requests must allows me to go through the write out what “believe that a test score is not Learning EnI’m trying to hancement and think and say.” completely representative of a Development Marlowe student’s ability to succeed in department noted that she (LEAD). Julia uses her extra college.”

Jones, the directime on everytor of the LEAD -Karin Tucker, College Counselor thing. No matdepartment, ter the comdescribed the plexity of an process of receiving such accom- assignment, she said she always modations. needs her extra time.

“Certain documentation that On the other hand, one student outlines a diagnosis has to be sub- who decided to stay anonymous mitted in order to make the de- stated they use their accommodatermination if the extended time tions differently. accommodation would be put in The student explained that place. Additionally, there’s a team they don’t always need extra process around the documenta- time for every subject. They said, tion to review it and then deter- “Like, for example, for math mine the accommodations. If it’s tests, I usually have enough time. determined that a student is eligi- And with in-class essays, I might ble for extended time, then within use it a little more, but not all the the LEAD office, we write an ac- time. Whereas with the tests like Lily Zuckerman

T

the ACT or any other standard- extra time on standardized tests. ized test, I tend to utilize all the The question, then, is how time because much does I tend to not a test score finish within really matter Extra time helps me relax. It puts in one’s colthe standard time winme on the same playing field as kids who lege applicadow.” tion? don’t need extra time.

Out of the Masters colstudents that lege counanswered the selor Karin -Lauren Marlowe ‘23 survey, 30% Tucker exof those stuplained that dents noted they only use their for some colleges, standardized

“

test scores remain very important, during Covid other schools have deemphasized SATs and ACTs in admissions decisions and other schools have gone entirely test-optional. These schools, Tucker said, “believe that a test score is not completely representative of a student’s ability to succeed in college.”

Ron Lieber, author of the “Your Money” column in The New York Times, questioned whether extra time and slightly

better test scores really do help a student.

Lieber said, that maybe,“without the test, your acceptance rate goes down seven percent. But are those seven percentage points really worth it? Is it really worth it to pay some psychologist $10,000 to write you a note to get the extra time when your school is already a known quantity? I don’t know. I am deeply skeptical.”

“

SONALI RAO/TOWER

MANY STUDENTS AT MASTERS and beyond utilize extra time. Time accomodations for assessments and standardized testing have exploded across the country, but the process of obtaining it is lengthy. Students must go through several rounds of tests, and verify that they are using the time in order to keep their accomodations. Accomodations have uncovered more inequity in the school systems, too.

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TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

FEATURES & ARTS

Mental Health Club works to reduce stress The hope for change put into motion by new campus organization

TO WE R

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perative that students have time to unwind.

Eisenbeis continued to reflect upon the impact that the longer schedule places on students. He said, “Especially with athletes who get home late, it’s almost impossible to have downtime before you repeat the cycle all over again.”

G/

he potential for a substantial change in both the homework load along with the schedule has been put into motion by the Mental Health Club.

The Mental Health Club at Masters is currently run by Juniors Ana Castillo and Claress Bahamundi, along with faculty members Stefanie Carbone, Cheryl Hajjar, Lydia Whitney, and Brandon Sanders.

The mission statement for the club begins with, “Our goal is to work on mental health issues at The Masters School that can be improved directly by the administration.”

However, change is in the control of the administration.

Castillo said, “[The Masters School] definitely cares about mental health and they let the students talk about it, but I personally have not seen any changes that would actually help us.”

Over the last month, the club has ramped up their YA N

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Sport Editor

some students the opportunity to voice opinions on how the school could adapt to aid struggling students, nothing in the form of concrete change was accomplished.

This year, Castillo is looking to build off of those conversations and create more structure in order to create actionable change.

“I’m trying to make it more of a structured proposal where every time we meet with the administration we talk about something specific,” Castillo said.

With mental health becoming a forefront issue, schools have been found to cause or add to the stress that students endure. The Mental Health Club has brought many of these vocalized issues to the schools attention, along with potential ways to ease the stress.

EL LIE

Noah Kassell-Yung

During the 2020-2021 school year, Castillo, who at the time was a sophomore, wrote a letter to the administration, starting the conversation about mental health.

In response, the school created a Mental Health Task Force which discussed many of the issues that students face. When that task force disassembled at the end of the year, Castillo and fellow founder Claress

Our goal is to work on mental health issues at The Masters School.

Issues that can be improved directly by adminstration.”

-Masters’ Mental Health Club

Bahamundi continued the work in the form of a club.

While the administration gave

What’s With Wordle?

Carol Queiroz Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News

S

ugar, wrung, elder, perky and light.

These five letter words may seem like they have nothing to do with each other, but they have all been answers to the hit online word puzzle Wordle. This simple puzzle gives players one mystery five letter word once per day. After guessing an initial five letter word, the game tells you whether or not you correctly guessed the letters that create the secret word and if they are in the correct placement by turning the guessed letters green, yellow or gray. With this information, you have six guesses to get the word right.

Josh Wardle, a software engineer based in Brooklyn, New York, is the sole creator of the popular puzzle. Wordle — which is a play on his last name — was originally engineered in 2013 when Wardle created the game’s first ever prototype. However, Wardle initially scrapped the game after he showed it to some friends who were uninterested in the concept. seven years later, when the COVID-19 pandemic drove him and his puzzle-loving partner, Palak Shah, into quarantine, Wardle brought the game to life for them to play together. After seeing how much fun they had with the daily puzzle, he uploaded it to the internet in October, 2021. And the game went from a personal gift to a viral sensation in only three months.

On Nov. 1, 2021, there were only 90 players who finished the puzzle according to Wardle. Today, there are millions of players finding the daily word, flooding social media platforms with hashtags, tweets and posts about the puzzle, sharing tips online on optimal starting words and competing with their friends to see who can solve the puzzle in the least amount of tries.

work to create real change: tackling simultaneously some structural aspects of the school that could be modified, along with doing work that affects the students directly such as bringing in a speaker to present to the school. The club has not met with its 50 or so members, as most of the work has been focused on finishing the proposals that are being presented to administrators this month, however meetings are being planned soon. Additionally, they have created

representative positions for some of the members, focusing on boarding students and other niche communities at the school.

“The reps are a new thing we started after winter break which allows people to write their own proposals about something that they’re passionate about,” Bahamundi said.

Earlier this school year, the club released a google form to the school asking about mental health issues that were stemming from the school itself. What they uncovered was the homework load and schedule were two recurring issues that students were harping on.

According to junior Henry Eisenbeis,“After a long day it is im-

Since the form was released, and early 2022, Castillo has been conducting research into school schedules and homework and their impact on the mental health of students. Her proposal, landing around the range of 20 pages, has dug deep into the complexities of 80 minute classes and homework loads. Despite hours of researching, Castillo acknowledges that, in the end, real change lies in the hands of the administration and board of trustees.

She said, “There’s two sides to every argument and I hope that we can come to a compromise. That’s my hope because I know that the administration can’t say yes to everything.”

One of these players is Upper School English Teacher Stacy Van Beek, who originally found out about the game through a New York Times article and social media.

“I noticed a feature of the game where you could share your daily Wordle results without spoiling the word on social media, and I think that competitive and social element is really great. Seeing all of those, I became so curious and wanted to try it for myself.” Van Beek said. “It’s such a fun brain teaser that you can do in such a short amount of time.”

Seeing all the traction Wordle has generated online, The New York Times bought the game on Jan. 31, adding to the publications collection of word puzzles. According to The New York Times, the game was bought for a price “in the low seven figures,” and will initially remain free to play.

Top 5 Starting Words* 1. Slate 2. Sauce 3. Slice 4. Shale 5. Saute

*According to Unwordle

“Limbo” By Ellie Yang is one of the many works recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Award.

Congratulations to students whose art and writings were recognized recently.

Masters students’ art ad writing pieces were recently recognized across categories by the Scholastic Art and Writing award. Selected senior art pieces are also in exhibition at the Katonah Art Museum.

Read more about this in the news briefs on tower.mastersny.org.

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

SPORTS

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Kai Biddulph-West ‘25 returns to the court after hiatus Viktoriia Sokolenko Contributing Writer As racquets were spun to decide the server and players took their positions on the courts, the first match of the season for the boys junior varsity squash team began. After only three weeks of practice, the team competed in their first contest against Rye Country Day School on December 9. Although the team ended up losing, it was a close battle as the Panthers won three out of seven matches. One of those wins came from a younger player on the team, Kai Biddulph-West, who finished his match with a score of three to two.

While this was Biddulph-West’s first Upper School squash competition, his history with the sport goes back several years. He originally became curious about the game in seventh grade, while watching his brother and father play squash. Being used to fast-paced sports, Biddulph-West decided to try this one out too. As he started to develop necessary skills, he began noticing benefits in other activities that he did.

“It helped me develop more pace and quicker feet. And that helps me with a lot of sports because I also play soccer,

and in soccer, you have to be quick. It helps me in any physical activity that I do,” Biddulph-West said.

However, as the then 7th-grader continued to improved his squash skills, he was forced to stop playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Biddulph-West did not own a racquet and, as a result, could not play for six to eight months.

The break put him, along with several other players on the team, out of shape.

Despite having only a few practices before the matches, Biddulph-West was optimistic about the team’s performance in the future games. As he said, other teams probably had the same challenges due to the pandemic, so in the end it just depends on how good every team is.

On top of the obstacles thrown by the pandemic, Biddulph-West feels the transition to the Upper School team has been a major change for him in terms of competition and expectations.

“The Middle School team cut people based on the capacity of the school. [In the Upper School, though] you have to practice extremely hard because they now can take two teams, and they can move you to different spots based on your talent,” the JV player said.

Though squash is largely an individual sport, Biddulph-West said that play-

ing with a new team can help him grow as much as possible but is also very supas a player since there is always someone portive of his teammates. With a good who is better than him and can challenge work ethic, Kai is sure to improve.” him, pushing him to improve his skills.

Biddulph-West, indeed, is a dediFor Biddulph-West, one thing that cated player. When he has a chance, he has remained unchanged since entering comes down to the squash courts and the upper school is the support of the just hits the ball on his own. Besides coaches. that, he works on his fitness.

“Both in Middle School and Upper “I prefer to be outside doing physiSchool they are very helpful because cal sports: soccer and basketball and go even though they are teachers, they down to the gym. For my body overall, know how to I try to work out play and know a lot and I run a how to help you lot and do a lot of win. They reother things,” he Kai is only a freshman, said. ally helped me to be a better B i d but he brings energy and enthusquash player,” dulph-West’s siasm to the squash courts every love for sports Biddulph-West day. He takes initiative to get on helped him desaid.

The Junior court as much as possible, but is velop physical Varsity coaches also very supportive of his team- strength, which in return apprehe now conmates. With a good work ethic, Kai siders his main ciate the freshis sure to improve. man’s eagerness advantage as a to play. Paul Szasquash player.

- Coach Paul Szaniawski niawski, a proIt allows him fessional coach to hit the ball of the team, said, harder, making “Kai is only a it more difficult freshman, but he brings energy and for opponents to return. He also spoke enthusiasm to the squash courts every about his areas of improvement for this day. He takes initiative to get on court season.

“

“Developing my footwork could really help me, developing my backhand, and just overall knowing where I need to be. If you’re not in the right place, you cannot get the shot that you want and you can’t win,” he said.

While the varsity team is uncertain about playoff possibilities, the JV squad has wrapped its competition schedule for the season, finishing with an 0-3 record.

Biddulph-West reflected on his growth as a player this season.

“My forehand has gotten better; serves, backhand and so much more has improved,” he said. “I think the coaches and my teammates really challenged me and helped me develop my game to where I want it to be.”

Biddulph-West said he wants to continue improving his skills next year and try out for the varsity team. He also added that he became a better team player this season.

“Another thing that I think I have done well on, along with my other teammates, is leadership. Even though as a team we never won a series, I feel that by being there when we weren’t doing so great and when we were on a roll, I have improved in that area and became closer to my teammates.”

VIKTORIIA SOKOLENO/TOWER

KAI BIDDULPH-WEST HITS a forehand during a practice on Feb. 7.

St. Luke’s remembers Balkind after tragic accident Carol Queiroz Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News On Thursday, Jan. 6, sophomore Teddy Balkind from the St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Conn. was fatally injured during a junior varsity hockey game against The Brunswick School. A Brunswick player’s ice skate blade cut Balkind’s neck in an on-ice collision during the game. The player was unable to stop before the fatal collision. Coaches and medical staff at Greenwich Hospital, where Balkind was taken after the accident, took all the action they could to try and save him .

Since the time of the accident, there has been an inaccurate story being told regarding this tragic event. While many news sources state that Balkind fell during the game and a Brunswick player skated over him, eyewitnesses to the event say that this was not the case.

In an email sent out by Head of The St. Lukes School Mark Davis on behalf of the Balkind family entitled “Setting the Record Straight”, the events of Jan. 6 were clarified.

“Teddy did not fall and was not lying on the ice. He was skating upright and low. During the normal course of play, another player’s leg momentarily went into the air and, through no fault of anyone’s, or any lack of control, his skate cut Teddy. Why is this important to share?

Because it’s accurate and because

it emphasizes the lack of any fault.

These boys were excellent skaters, playing a great and fair game when an unimaginable accident wreaked havoc,” the email stated.

Sofia Shklovsky, a junior at St. Luke’s, recalled hearing about Balkind’s passing for the first time.

“When I first heard about the accident, I could not believe it.

The first thing I thought of was about how I recognized Teddy’s last name. I remembered that he has a sister in the grade above me, and I just felt so awful. I couldn’t imagine something like this happening to my brother,” she said.

“On the Monday following what happened, we all went to the auditorium and our Head of School said a few words. It was pretty brief and we had a moment of silence, but it was very hard. I didn’t personally know Teddy, but that atmosphere was very scary. You never expect something like this to happen in your own school.”

In the aftermath of his death, people everywhere are mourning and honoring the life of Balkind.

Many have taken to social media, taking pictures of hockey sticks outside the doors of their houses under the hashtag #SticksOutForTeddy. On Jan. 19, at a New York Rangers hockey game, the team wore “Balkind” and Balkind’s number five on their jerseys during pregame warmups as a tribute and invited the St.Lukes hockey team to the game. Even the National Hockey League released a statement regarding the incident on their of-

Crossword

ficial Instagram, stating: “The National Hockey League mourns the tragic passing of Teddy Balkind, a member of the hockey family lost too soon. Our prayers and most heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his St. Luke’s teammates and his many friends.”

Fatal accidents such as these are extremely rare, but this tragedy has ressurected the debate on neck protection for younger, amature hockey players. According to The New York Times, both St. Lukes and Brunswick School play under the rules of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council, which does not require high school hockey players to wear neck guards.

Sam Brande, a friend of Balkind’s, created a Change.org petition to change this rule and make neck guards mandatory for hockey players to prevent tragedies like this from occurring to anyone else, which currently has over 105,000 signatures.

Under the petition, Brande wrote, “I lost one of my best friends due to lack of player safety rules in USA hockey. Please consider signing this so we can raise awareness and nobody needs to lose a loved one or a life in an avoidable accident.”

However rare fatal injuries in sports are, accidents like these are a reminder to all to be safe while playing high-risk contact sports and always wear proper protective equipment and to have a reliable emergency protocol.

Head Athletic Trainer Kalya

Created by Andrew Mitchell

Photo courtesy of Carla Coelho

HOCKEY STICKS SIT OUTSIDE of a Connecticut residence after the death of high schooler Teddy Balkind. After the sophomore passed away from a freak hockey accident, many people put hockey sticks outside of their homes as a way to memorialize his death.

Medina talked about the emergency sports protocol Masters has in place and the importance of wearing proper safety gear.

“At the beginning of each athletic season, I review all EAP’s, or emergency action plans, with all coaches in a coaches meeting, with the athletic director as well. We have them review what the plans

ACROSS: 1. Oregano relative 6. Oom-___ (Tuba’s sound) 9. What the subjects and verb in this clue don’t does 14. Capital of South Korea 15. It can be high or low 16. Sends via USPS, maybe 17. Big name in Notre Dame football fame 18. Country with the world tallest building, in short 19. Cosmic revolution 20. Chipotle concern of old 22. EPA banned pollutant 23. Anderson of film 26. “Mai” follower or “chi” proceeder 27. One may be dynamic 28. ___ Romana 31. Ogled 33. Artifact 35. Hereditary unit 36. Chicago players 38. Some test subjects 40. A help in crossing a stream, or a hint to each of the circled segments 43. It may give something a kick 44. Paul, John or George, but not Ringo 46. Addresses starting with http 47. Thread again 50. Top scores in gymnastics 51. With 8-down, a giggle 52. Before, in poetry 53. When doubled, a French desert

are in case an emergency happens in their specific field. So before the emergency happens, they’ll know which coach will call 911, which coach will alert campus safety or security so they all know what roles they should do ahead of time so they can be prepared,” she said. “In regards to safety equipment, I think education is key to ensuring that

55. One can get it out of a trunk 56. Singer, Rapper, Lil ___ X 57. In short supply 59. Jackson 5 hairdos 62. Face on the Yuan 63. Toddler coddler 67. Idaho capital 68. Couples’ cruise ship?

69. Site of 1965 civil rights protests 70. Relinquishes 71. Undergrad degrees 72. Like Cinderella’s slipper DOWN: 1. Sound of disapproval 2. One of three in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” 3. Hit Netflix show about an obsessive lover 4. “Sorry, I was on ____” (frequent 2020 apology) 5. Give a seat?

6. Rocky’s best friend in the “Rocky” films 7. Trendy berry 8. See 51-across 9. Gas station brand with a torch logo 10. Attire 11. Bit of barbecue 12. Manning of Giants fame 13. Superlative suffix 21. Rower 22. Hockey game souvenirs 23. One might surf it 24. Many a fixer-upper

proper protection is being provided. Coaches, parents and athletes should all be aware of what protective equipment is recommended and required for individual sports.

The equipment should be National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) certified and is the appropriate size and fit for the athlete.”

25. City one may be “sleepless in” 27. Front desk sound 28. Indiana flowers 29. TV topper 30. Slashes 32. A controversial one was blue and black or white and gold 34. Understudies studies 35. Win and grin 37. Apt rhyme for “ahh” 39. Best-selling k-pop group 41. Cat’s murmurs 42. Many a brain freeze inducer 43. Hagrid’s abode 45. Small unit in baking; abbr.

48. Kindle contents 49. Holy smokes 52. Relaxes 54. Takeout food request 56. Notable Pinocchio feature 57. Heroine of Dr. Zhivago 58. Carol 59. Airer of “Good Morning America” 60. Counterpart of “friend” 61. Purge 62. Fairy queen in “Romeo and Juliet” 64. Common citation style 65. Ruler divisions; abbr.

66. Word with queen in pop culture Want to submit a crossword to Tower?

Contact andrew.mitchell@mastersny.org

Sports

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SPORTS

TOWER/FEBRUARY 11, 2022

Throwbacks: Former Faculty Athletes E G E L L O BARD C TBALL BASKE

CENTER

tesy of Photo cour

Ethan Schlapp and Noah Kassell-Yung Lead Sports Editor and Sports Editor

gosch

Rachel Lan

H C S O G N LA RACHEL

Athletics are an important part of student life at Masters, however, here we have highlighted a couple of faculty members who held a passion for sports in their high school and college years. Upper School Visual Arts teacher Rachel Langosch played Division III basketball at Bard College, while Director of Parent Engagement and Special Events Aishling Peterson played varsity ice hockey at Boston College.

s very gentle a w e h , y h s u n’t p how it goes’ ach who was e o e c s a d s n a a w e c e r ti rac “The grade and st come for p th ju h y ig e e ‘h in id g a s in lay and he ked it. I started p d e v lo d ool. I really li n h a c t s n h ig h h g and I we rou ect I played all th mmunity asp o n c o e n e th th h it m o w fr o proved along ammates wh it te e g r in tu v c a u h tr s h it the gw manship alon ts r o p s e th and .” were friends

Students celebrate Spirit Week with fashion and fans

A

Aurora Rose Horn Staff Writer

s the winter has roared in once again with snow and sleet and freezing rain, so has one of the long-standing traditions at Masters - Spirit Week.

Staples of Spirit Week include dress-themed days and daily sporting events where the community can gather and support one another. Organized by Dobbs Athletic Association (DAA), the goal is to cultivate a sense of

school pride, and according to one of the DAA Co-Presidents, senior Kyle Benson, that’s exactly what’s happening.

“Yesterday was pajama day, and it was extremely successful,” Benson said in an interview on Tuesday. “We had a lot of people wearing pajamas–students, teachers, faculty, the whole mix– so that was very nice.” Following pajama day on Monday, students came dressed in gear from different decades for the “Decades Day” theme on Tuesday. On Wednesday, DAA incorporated the Delta/Phi rivalry with a

Charlie Cooper/TOWER

FANS CHEER ON THE boys’ junior varsity two basketball team in a game against Greenwich Country Day on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

The team ended up losing by a score of 33-22.

“Delta: Winter, Phi: Summer” theme, in which Delta students dressed up in winter clothes while Phi students donned summer attire. “Crazy Hat Day” occurred Thursday before a “Purple Out” on Friday rounds out this week’s festivities.

Furthermore, Benson spoke to the importance of school spirit.

“I think that it allows the community to come together over an entertaining and exciting experience,” he said. “I’m a very avid athlete, and I love having supporters come and watch my games, so I know that similarly athletes and students would love to have their peers come and watch.”

After fans came out in full strength to lend their support during the boys varsity soccer team’s NYSAIS championship run, senior and DAA Co-President Aidan Lothian spoke about continuing that same school spirit during the winter season.

“I think it’s really cool to see how much more the fans care than you might initially think,” he said.

“It’s cool just to see the fans coming out to support everyone no matter who they are, whether it’s up to varsity basketball or even down to JV2 basketball. It’s fun to see the crowd coming and getting excited.”

Junior Camila Arthur spoke about the benefits of supporting her fellow students at games.

She said, “cheering for the team allows all of us to voice our support and passion to the players and school.”

“I started in hig h school and wo men’s ice hock coming a popu ey was just belar sport and a sport that was g at the collegiate aining traction level and when things start at th level they start to e collegiate tickle down to h igh school so I p inaugural team layed on the at my high scho ol and then one teams at Boston of the earliest College.”

BOSTON CO LLEGE HOCKEY

Photo cour te

sy of Aishling Peterson

LEFT DEFENSE

AISHLING P ETERSON

Dinana secures UVA Squash Championship Hanna Schiciano Associate Producer, Tower Broadcast News

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n Feb. 6, Masters alum Taha Dinana ‘20 clinched the squash Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship for The University of Virginia. Dinana had only six days of practice in the last month, due to a hamstring injury and testing positive for COVID-19.

“With constant rehab, my leg got better but still not at 100% to compete. I talked to our sports medicine team and the coaches and told them how badly I wanted to play. They finally told me it was up to me,” he said.

Second seed UVA defeated first seed Drexel 5-4 in the Championship, but when Dinana arrived on court, his team was down 3-1 in the overall score.

Dinana was tied 2-2 in his match when he said he noticed that the crowd was growing around his court.

“Before I went back in for the final game, I noticed our entire team was watching and the place was fully packed because we were tied 4-4 in overall score now,” he said.

Dinana was down 9-7 in the final game, but won the next four points to secure the victory.

“Somehow, and I still don’t know how, I came back and won 11-9. That was, by far, the best feeling in the world as my teammates rushed the court,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Taha Dinana

MASTERS ALUM TAHA DINANA poses with teammates after winning the Mid-Athletic Conference Championship. In comeback fashion, Dinana helped secure the championship for UVA over Drexel.