Tower Issue #5 2016-2017 by Tower

Tower The Masters School

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

VOLUME 73 NUMBER 5

Editorial Recent student protests of conservative speakers at U.C. Berkeley and Middlebury College took a dangerous turn toward intolerance as the protesters resorted to violent behavior to silence alternative viewpoints. Liberal frustration with Trump Administration policies is understandable but should not be used as an excuse to shut down the free exchange of ideas.

FRIDAY MARCH 10, 2017

tower.mastersny.org

Travel ban disrupts student’s life DaviD oks Copy Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF TONY FISCHER

OVERLOOKING THE HUDSON RIVER in Buchanan, NY, the Indian Point Energy Center is operated by Entergy Nuclear Northeast. The nuclear power plant has been in operation since 1962, but earlier this year Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to close the plant by 2021.

As Indian Point closes, controversy explodes Courtney DeLong Editor-in-chief

A question that has long divided communities throughout the Hudson Valley has finally been answered. On Jan. 9, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a deal to close Indian Point, a controversial nuclear power plant in Buchanan, New York. People concerned about the plant’s effect on the Hudson River or a possible meltdown or a terrorist attack are happy with the closure. Biology teacher Elisabeth Merrill said, “I am delighted that it seems like they are closing the plant.” However, disappointed nuclear advocates have pointed to the plant as a source of wealth for communities and stated that it is safe. Indian Point currently uses water from the Hudson to cool the plant’s turbine, causing warming in the river when the water is released and, according to environmental group RiverKeeper, contributing to the deaths of up to a billion fish, larvae and eggs each year.

In addition, nuclear waste is stored on site and if not properly contained could harm people living in nearby towns where Masters students live. Merrill noted that the plant is located on a fault line and said that the waste was “a danger unto itself.” If an earthquake occurs, she said, the waste “risks becoming a radioactive hazard.” However many residents are not worried. “I don’t feel unsafe,” Peekskill resident Jared Foxhall said. The plant has long been fighting a legal battle. When honors chemistry classes visited the plant in 2015, it was operating on an expired license. During a talk at Masters’ Sustainability Symposium in February, members of the grassroots group Stope Algonquin Pipeline Expansion (SAPE) cited concerns about Indian Point’s proximity to a new natural gas pipeline. Nuclear advocates, however, claim the plant is completely safe. Students were told terrorism was not a valid concern and that the building the plant is housed in could withstand forces as strong as a plane crash. “Honestly a

lot of this bad perception surrounding nuclear energy is because of false hype and media,” Foxhall said. Andrés Cardenas, Masters physics teacher and former Material Scientist for the Nuclear Division at Los Alamos, said a meltdown was “unlikely” but that “the biggest threat of Indian Point is water contamination,” which could occur in the Hudson River or with groundwater seepage. Cardenas stressed that as long as safety regulations are followed, there is no reason for malfunction. However, the plant has consistently been written up for various violations and if contamination were to occur it could have severe public health effects. About 25 percent of all energy used in Westchester County and New York City comes from Indian Point. County Executive Rob Astorino expressed concern over shutting down the facility, saying that “the impact of the plant closing is going to be, in some cases, catastrophic. Where is that energy going to be coming from?” It is also still unclear how the plant’s

shutdown will impact local economies. Indian Point provides jobs and lowers taxes in the towns of Buchanan, Cortlandt and Peekskill. The closing of the plant could lead to significant tax raises for citizens. Some environmental activists support the plant. They hope that nuclear power can replace fossil fuels and act as a sustainable source of energy. “Having studied and researched and visited Indian Point, I’ve come to realize that nuclear energy may be the only way to transition into sustainable energy,” Foxhall said. Cardenas agreed with Foxhall, citing the mass amount of power that can be harnessed from atoms. “If you’re not pursuing nuclear what you are doing?” he wondered. Some people feel that even if nuclear energy has potential, the technology is still not advanced enough. “I don’t know how I feel about something so risky,” senior Julia Poster said.

Grade distribution at Masters shows imbalance Henry WiLLiams Opinion Editor For better or worse, grades are a focal point of academics for many Masters students. They are a metric that registers achievement, growth in the classroom and academic ability. Each quarter, students sit down with their advisors to discuss their grades, and students often talk amongst themselves about their performance. Rarely though, does the larger community examine larger trends in how we evaluate student performance. The Masters School Profile 20162017, prepared by the college counseling office each year to send along with student applications to give a sense of the school’s academic environment and rigor, shows some trends that go unnoticed in the usual dialogue surrounding grades. There exists, according to a chart of student’s end-of-year grades for the last four years, a significant disparity between grades for English and history classes and grades for science, math and language classes. According to the data, about 22% of students receive “B+s” in English classes, compared to only 14% for science classes, and though fewer than 3% receive “Cs” in history, close to 6% get that grade in math. This could be explained by grade inflation, which is defined by Dictionary. com as “the awarding of higher grades than students deserve either to maintain a school’s academic reputation or as a result of diminished teacher expecta-

tions.” “I think there are differences between how different departments grade,” Science Department Chair Frank Greally said. “Grading standards are entirely

tests and assessments that have clear right and wrong answers. As a result, there is less chance of teachers inflating grades based on their discretion. The science department is currently

GRAPH COURTESY OF MASTERS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

ON AVERAGE, ENGLISH AND History grades are higher than grades in Science and Math. decided by individual teachers and departments,” Greally said, “I’m not sure what other department’s standards are.” Greally explained that there may be a disparity because science and math classes have a tendency to be more quantitative, with grading based primarily on

working on standardizing their assessments between sections of the same courses. “We’re working backwards from a common final on what skills students need to learn,” he said. “Our new ninth grade class will give us better insights into possible assessments other

than tests and quizzes.” “When it comes to numeric grades, the question that must be asked is whether it’s based on a range of skills or on a specific assessment,” History Department Chair Skeffington Young said. “History has more of a tendency to look at the process of learning rather than the product.” He elaborated that subjects in the humanities do tend to take into account factors such as preparation and class discussion that lend themselves to subjectivity. “Students who aren’t as strong in written essays can demonstrate their competency through other skills,” Young said. Math teacher Hank Kim explained that despite a lack of direct departmental oversight of grading, “There is still a culture of inflating grades, and all teachers feel pressure to inflate grades.” As to the reasons for the disparity, Kim also pointed towards participation scores, which he said could get much higher than other kinds of assessment. “It could also be that students who are strong in writing and reading are more likely to come to Masters,” Kim said. Despite these anecdotal possibilities, Kim also attested that there is no communication with other departments about grading standards. “This is an important issue, and Academic Committee should set aside time to talk about it,” Greally said. “As a school we need to look at and have a better understanding of what other departments are doing, because sometimes we’re too isolated.”

On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13769, titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” which, amongst other provisions, banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations—Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Sudan—from entering the United States for 90 days. Across the country, tens of thousands were affected, including Masters sophomore Parsa Kevyani, who is from Iran. Upon first hearing the news, “I was shocked, and I didn’t know what to do. I tried not to listen to the news,” Kevyani said. Born in Tehran, Kevyani joined Masters this year and has since become an active member of the community. The ban severely complicated Kevyani’s life. Because the ban did not explicitly exclude individuals with green cards from those banned from entering the U.S., Kevyani, who has a student visa, was unsure if he would be able to go to Iran. Since the ban was set to extend through spring break, Kevyani would be out of school but unable to rejoin his family, which became an urgent issue. Kevyani’s mother, who had been planning to visit, was suddenly restricted from coming. “We were very angry and sad,” Kevyani said. The Masters administration reassured Kevyani greatly by meeting with international students to assure them that the school was aware of the situation. “Mr. Ives, Mr. Newcomb, Ms. Danforth, Mr. Cornigans, Mr. Kaine, myself, and others met with international students,” International Student Advisor Mary Holton said. The school also utilized the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) legal advisory on the travel ban, a resource the group provides to member schools. “I reached out to Parsa’s family and his aunt and uncle, who live in the U.S., and told them we’d be here for them,” Holton said. A contingency plan was created in case the original ban had been extended through the summer. Since Keyvani’s aunt and uncle are citizens and live in New York City, he would be able to stay with them, as well as with his grandparents, who live in the U.S. on a green card. “Ms. Holton offered me to stay at her house during spring break,” Kevyani said. “I didn’t feel alone. I was planning to go back to my country during spring break, but after the ban I have to stay in the U.S. with my aunt.” After the original ban was suspended by a federal court on Feb. 9, Kevyani’s situation improved considerably. Since he is in the U.S. on a student visa, he was not specifically exempted by the original ban, but has been exempted by the ban Trump announced on March 6. “There were a few days when things were in the air, but there was never a moment when we weren’t sure that the Masters community could provide for Parsa,” Holton said.

NEWS

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

JCC bomb threats hit home in Westchester Mark TseyTin Sports Editor Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) were established in order to foster peace and a sense of community amongst Jewish people as well as provide a safe space to play games, sports, and have friendly conversations. However, in the past few weeks, over 60 JCC’s and Jewish schools across the United States have been targeted with bomb threats. Anti-semitism has been spreading and has left many parents, teachers, and children afraid of what will happen next. Recently, those threats have spread into the Hudson River area, leaving many Masters students, parents, and alumni worried for our safety. Senior Darryl Frank is getting ready to take on an internship at the JCC in Tarrytown, New York this summer, of which her mother, Michelle Frank, is a board member. “The scariest thing is not the bomb threats themselves; it is how little we are actually talking about them and engaging in meaningful conversation. I do not think these acts will stop if we fail to talk about them,” Frank said. In St. Louis, Missouri, a man

named Juan Thompson was recently taken into custody by the FBI. Authorities do not believe he is responsible for the other threats on JCCs across the country, and suspect that his motive was not driven by hate against the Jews, but rather

by revenge against an ex-girlfriend. Law enforcement officers believe that the majority of the threats have been coming from overseas. The source of the threats against the JCC here in Tarrytown remains unknown. Although Executive Direc-

tor of the JCC on the Hudson, Frank Hassid, could not get into much detail, bomb threats have sparked an increase in fear on campus. “Local law enforcement has worked with us to get through these tough times and has been

working hard to find the responsible party behind all this. However, as an institution, we need to remain calm and move forward with our daily routine while becoming more cautious and aware about these recent threats,” Hassid said. Michelle Frank added, “I think this was a good wakeup call that the JCC needs to up its security measures especially since we are opening a 30,000 square foot sports complex this summer.” As a teacher of World Religions at Masters, Brian Cheney has been doing his best to turn the tide of antisemitism in small ways. “I do what I can do every day at Masters. I deliver the message to students that religion is meant to be peaceful and no religion allows or is meant to allow for such hate and discrimination. Since Jewish people have been discriminated against in the past, I am afraid that we may be dealing with antisemitism for a while longer,” Cheney said. “I’m still going to work at the JCC this summer because after all we cannot let these kinds of things control our lives,” Darryl Frank said.

MARK TSEYTIN/TOWER

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF the year, Jewish Community Centers across the country have been receiving bomb threats, including the JCC located in Tarrytown, New York.

Students organize to strike zero tolerance policy GeorGe Weed Features Editor In many academic institutions, the administration makes all major decisions, and students play little to no part in making change within. At Masters, however, a great deal of change comes from student-led initiatives, with proposals constantly being put before Executive Committee. Whether allowing boarders to return to their dorms during the day or rewriting the school dress code, students play a significant role in which policies stay and which policies go. It becomes more complicated, however, when what’s being changed is as ingrained in Masters as the zero tolerance policy on drugs. Since 2011, the policy has characterized the school’s relationship with illicit substances on school grounds, but as of recently that has come into question. Following the expulsion of a student for on-campus drug possession this

PHIL MINTON/TOWER

OVER NINETY STUDENTS AND faculty gather at Executive Committee to discuss the proposed two strike policy. 264 students, over 50% of the student body, signed the proposal which was co-written by several students month, a group of students got to- Elijah Emery, said that it led him to gether to amend the current policy. arrive at a deeper conclusion: that the Though the student in question was zero tolerance policy is itself flawed. a large motivation for many, one of the “The whole situation opened my eyes petition’s main co-writers, sophomore to the fact that someone as thought-

ful, as kind and as great of a person as him could be kicked out for a mistake any of us could make,” Emery said. According to the current policy, unless sanctuary is called beforehand, the possession of any amount of drugs or alcohol on school property is grounds for the student to be expelled, and in many cases students see the policy’s applications as reasonable. But there are also times when it is not so popular; the student’s recent expulsion being a prominent example. In response to the administration’s decision, several members of the student body came together to write a petition on the current policy, and over half of the student body has signed it. The goal of the petition is to establish a two-strike policy with regard to possession of drugs and alcohol on school campus. This would mean that in drug and alcohol related cases, the precedent would allow, though not guarantee, a second chance to the offender. This past week, the proposal was

the main topic of discussion at Executive Committee. Over 90 people attended—the largest turnout the committee has received this year. “I really appreciate the sentiment I received from students about wanting discipline to come by learning from mistakes,” said Upper School Head Matthew Ives. “I think it is very important that we talk this through and hear all opinions.” Although no final decisions were made, student support of the petition at Executive Committee was strong and highly vocal. “The school, if they accept this policy, will be supporting a pattern of helping people who make mistakes instead of changing the courses of their lives because of it,” senior John Epley said. “It’s not like after their first strike, they will be off the hook, but they need a second chance.”

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

OP-ED

OpiniOn Backlash against conservatism on campuses threatens free speech In an age of growing political hostility, never before has there been such partisan polarization. Perhaps due to a growing conservative, or “alt-right,” movement and a dominance of conservative views in government, conservative policies and ideals have been met with fervent opposition, especially on liberal college campuses. Though many institutions encourage racial, sexual and cultural diversity on their campuses, many lack a variety of political opinion. As a result, many conservative views are swept under the rug, instead of being debated and discussed. Everyone is entitled to their own political opinions, and political discourse and debate are a vital part of student growth and development. Recently, students have been protesting across college campuses against many conservative speakers and ideologies. On March 5, Charles Murray, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, was invited by Middlebury College’s chapter of AEI to give a speech on his 2012 book, Coming Apart. However, prior to the speech, hundreds of students and faculty signed petitions urging the school to disinvite the conservative speaker. When Murray visited the campus, he was meet with violent protests, resulting in damaged property and an injured professor. Middlebury’s protest paled in comparison to the violent riots at UC Berkeley provoked by Milo Yiannolpoulos, former Breitbart News editor and figurehead of the alt-right movement, who

appeared on campus to speak as part of his “Dangerous Faggot” tour. The protests caused $100,000 worth of damage and spiraled out of control rapidly. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, in the past 15 years about 100 protests to silence conservative speakers and viewpoints have occurred around the country. Moreover, it is estimated that conservative speakers are 2.7 times more likely to be disinvited compared to their liberal counterparts. This deep-seated, often violent, opposition to conservatism on college campuses is contradictory to one of the core values of the Constitution as well as education: free thought and speech. Political discourse should lead to growth and understanding, not detrimental loathing. People should not agree with every school of thought they are presented with but they should be respectful and have the tolerance to listen and digest. Murray is known for his book The Bell Curve which discusses controversial differences of intelligence based on race.

editors-iN-ChieF Allie BerdOn cOurtney delOng leO psArOs

Though the book is, in many ways, offensive and racist, Murray represents a not uncommon worldview that is underrepresented at Middlebury, and other liberal hubs. By listening and asking polite, but challenging questions, students can learn to understand the motivations behind something unfamiliar to them. If students understand the thought behind Murray’s ideologies instead of just branding him as a bigot, they will be more equipped to engage with people who agree with Murray in the future. While Yiannopoulos’ speech often constitutes hate speech that is not protected by the First Amendment and has encouraged the bullying of students on campuses he visits, he still should not be violently opposed and students should hold themselves to standards of civility and nonviolence. Despite the current polarized political climate, compromise is needed in order to accomplish most changes in American law and society. By shutting out conservative schools of thought, even if we find them to be offensive, we reduce our ability to understand the people we must make compromises with, and negate one of the tenets of American government. The idea that all conservatives are wrong or prejudiced is not only false, but hurtful to the common goal of an improved country and world.

desigN editor JAke regele News editors Alex Bentzien MichAel FitzgerAld opiNioN editors phil MintOn henry WilliAMs Features editors lOgAn tOpOrOFF geOrge Weed

sports editors OWen lieBer MArk tseytin MaNagiNg editor cedAr BerrOl yOung advertisiNg MaNager JAck MurrAy

Copy editors JAck MurrAy dAvid Oks

FaCt CheCker tOMMy MckennA

web editor eMMA luis

Trump’s anti-media rhetoric renews dark term Cedar Berrol-Young Managing Editor “Enemy of the people” is a phrase with a complicated history. Often associated with Soviet bureaucracy and anti-Western propaganda that is meant to belittle the rise of power of opposition parties in communist countries, “enemy of the people” was even denounced by such a foe of democracy as Nikita Khrush-

chev, the former leader of the Soviet Union. Khrushchev called it “specifically introduced for the purpose of physically annihilating such individuals” who disagreed with the government. The term came back into the public eye recently when President Donald Trump tweeted that “the FAKE NEWS media … is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!” Amongst the “enemies” Trump included such institutions as The New York Times, CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC.

DANNY’S WORLD

A new U.S. foreign policy daniel Bring Trump’s presidency has brought unprecedented political and social change to the United States, and already has begun to deeply and potentially irreversibly change America’s perception and role around the globe. From the international women’s marches the day after his inauguration to the claims of close ties to Russia, it is undeniable that Trump’s impact has been felt internationally. Even more so, Trump’s foreign policy marks an enormous departure from the status quo of American foreign policy. Under President Obama, the State Department, America’s foreign ministry, pursued a strong commitment to international cooperation, especially with America’s many allies and in concert with many intergovernmental organizations. Trump has eschewed this practice in favor of a firm “America First” foreign policy which puts American national objectives before internationalism. The vagueness of “America First” mean that no one is entirely sure how this

doctrine will be applied in the real world. I’d like to give my take on what America’s new foreign policy is shaping up to be. Self-interest is going to be the defining factor in the role the U.S. comes to take on the world stage. This doesn’t necessarily mean more pragmatic policy making, but it does mean that each step is going to be measured by how beneficial it is to our nation in the short term. It may very well lead to a global policy of disengagement as Trump’s willingness to leave behind our longterm NATO allies puts European affairs far beyond American concerns. It is possible, however, that Trump’s stance will lead to greater American leadership internationally in situations like the War on Terror and the global war on drugs. Overall, only time will tell what the Trump foreign policy will be and what effects it will have on both our nation internally and its standing abroad.

In the world of journalism, the Times has established itself as one of the most reputable news sources in existence. It has won more Pulitzer Prizes than any other newspaper, and supplied other news sources with important stories to report on. Since its first issue in 1851, the Times has been an organization known for its reliability. Yet recently the Times has been barred from a White House press briefing, along with other news organizations such as CNN, BBC and the Los Angeles Times. In a country which prides itself on freedom of the press, it seems contradictory to keep news sources which disagree with Trump and his administration from reporting on these issues which surround this group of people. This is especially important when it comes to the Times, the beloved “Gray Lady” of journalism. There have been situations similar to the one we find ourselves in today, in which the government was able to take further control through media suppression by preventing the public from being informed. Take Turkey. In Turkey’s

case, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was able to bar journalists from reporting on him, using this lack of scrutiny to assume more power and eventually become a dictator. This demonstrates the dangerous path that leaders take when they bar journalists from covering them. While Trump is likely not planning to take Erdoğan’s path, this shows the danger of attacking the media. As the leader of the free world, it is our president’s responsibility to avoid acting in a way which draws comparisons to leaders that have publicly denounced Western values. It is also our responsibility as citizens to support all media outlets, no matter what party we are affiliated with or the opinions the news sources holds. A wide array of opinions and ideas is an integral part to the continuation of our democracy. In these trying times, it is essential that we remember that acceptance of dissenting views by our political representatives establishes the United States as a proper model of democracy for the world.

GEORGE WEED/TOWER

DONALD TRUMP HAS DENOUNCED members of the media as enemies of the people, a term reminiscent of Soviet era demonization of political opponents.

staFF photographers vincent AlBAn sOphie BuchAnAn FaCulty advisers MAtt BrOWne ellen cOWhey

oNliNe Media

For more information, follow Tower on the following platforms: Website: Tower.MastersNY.org Facebook: MastersTower Twitter: @MastersTower Instagram: @MastersTower

distributioN proCess

Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers.

sCholastiC press aFFiliatioNs, letters aNd editorial poliCy Tower is an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). For 2015-2016, Tower earned the honor rating of All American with four marks of distinction from the NSPA. Tower has also won the NSPA’s Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, and is a 2016 winner of the NSPA Story of the Year award in the OpEd Category, as well as the CSPA Gold Circle Award for Computer Generated Art/Illustration. We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to the following email address: TowerEditors@MastersNY.org. Published approximately six times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tower and its Editorial Board or its advisers. Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of The Masters School, faculty, or staff. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.

Features & arts 4

FEATURES AND ARTS

Emma Luis Web Editor

The smell of face paint and the sound of children’s laughter filled Strayer Gym on Saturday, March 4. The annual Junior Games, hosted by Masters in partnership with the South East Consortium for Special Services (SEC), was held at the school for the 35th time, with an astounding turnout of volunteers and participants. This year, Masters hosted around 80 families from various organizations, including Cabrini Immigrant Services and the SEC, as well as faculty children. 220 Masters students also attended the event, either partnering to play one-on-one with a child or leading a station, like the ball pit or soccer. Each of the one-to-one student volunteers were paired with a child from these organizations, spending the day parading around the gym, eating lunch and playing games. Director of Community Service Amy Atlee said, “Every year, our students have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with children with special needs. To see how they naturally embrace it and learn from each other is amazing. That’s really the heart of service learn-

DaviD oks Copy Editor Masters recently hosted performances of Footloose the Musical, based on the hit 1984 film. Directed by Drama and Dance Department Chair Chris Briante, the show centers on Ren, a rowdy teenager who, with his mother, moves from the city to a small, traditionalist town where dancing is prohibited. The plot focuses on the rebellion of Ren and other youth against the town’s strictures, as well as on the blossoming romance between Ren and the rebellious daughter of the town’s preacher—a story which allows for an exploration of the cast’s physical and vocal talents. More than 40 cast members prepared for the production from November to February. A profession-

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

SOPHOMORES EMMA GOODMAN AND Emily Brieant enjoying the 35th annual Junior Games with their buddy, Manami. This year’s Junior Games incorporated over 80 children and 100 student volunteers. The volunteer turnout solidifies the Junior Games as the biggest community service event on campus.

Holzberg takes flight Sports Editor

JUNE KITAHARA

DOBBS 16 REHEARSES FOR the International Competition for High School A Cappella at the Galvin Middle School in Wakefield, MA. Dobbs 16 did not move on to the semi-finals but gained experience competing.

Opinion Editor After last year’s appearance at the International Competition for High School A Cappella (ICHSA) finals, Dobbs 16 competed in the quarter finals of this year’s competition on Feb. 11. This year, however, they did not move on to the semi-finals, failing to advance by only one point. Sponsored by Varsity Vocals, an organization which hosts various a cappella groups across the nation, the competition included seven to eight different regions across the country. Introduced two years ago, the quarterfinal round makes the competition process considerably longer. In past years, Dobbs 16 has qualified for the semifinal round and then not made it to the final round. However, for the past

flection of how strong Masters’ theater program is.” Audience members particularly enjoyed the romantic relationship between Rusty, played by junior Laine Philipps, and Willard, played by junior Dylan Douglas. “That was my favorite part,” said Taha. Another star performer was Ian Accetta, who played Reverend Moore, Ren’s conflicted opponent. “Even though the nature of my part meant that I had to do a lot of individual work and less ensemble work, I still really enjoyed the community of the cast,” Accetta said. “There was a lot energy both on and off stage, so it was a lot of fun,” he said.

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

JUNIORS NICK MASON AND Dylan Douglas perform “I Can’t Stand Still” in the production of Footloose, showcasing their dancing skills.

vincEnt aLban Contributing Writer

owEn LiEbEr

PhiL minton

al pit band provided music for the production, with direction from Coordinator of Middle School Music Katie Meadows. The musical’s performers thought that their performance was good. “It was really interesting playing Ren,” junior Nick Mason said. “He’s really a different energy from the town of Beaumont, and really a stand-up guy. I see myself as more polite and not as outspoken, so I really enjoyed playing him,” he said. The play received loud approval from the audience during its two performances on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. Playing to a full house, Footloose’s cast excelled in their performances of the play’s musical and dance numbers. “Footloose was fantastic,” junior Ahnaf Taha, who attended the musical, said. “It’s really a great re-

Masters puts sustainability efforts into EFFECT

Dobbs 16 sings its way to semi-finals

two years, the a cappella group must make it through an extra round that stretches the process throughout the whole school year. Dobbs 16 director and Chair of the Music Department Jennifer Carnevale became a judge for the same competition, albeit on the college level (the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) to see what judges look for and to see what it was like to judge competitions. “First, Second and Third are all done by numbers [1-10] and judges only have about 10-12 minutes to create their scoring sheet,” Carnevale said. Senior and vocal percussionist Daniel Roma said that at the quarterfinals they performed their set “the best they had all year.” “It is upsetting not to win, but I am proud of our performance and honestly at the end of the day I am not going to remember the competition; I will remember all the rehearsals and times leading up to it with this group of people,”

Masters applauds as actors cut loose in Footloose

Students spread joy at Junior Games ing.” Junior Games has been a tradition at Masters for decades, with a huge turnout of volunteers each year. “Junior Games is more of having fun, I never felt like it was volunteer work. It’s one of the biggest and most fun things you can do at Masters,” Junior Vice Chair of the Games Derick Lee said. Lee added, “I met my freshman year partner’s mom and she still recognized me. It was cool to see my child grow up and they still remembered me.” Throughout the day, each of the children cycled through the stations, playing soccer, bouncing in the bouncy castle and trying their hand at inflatable bowling. “The transformation from an ordinary day to this special day is incredible. Not only is it amazing to see the children having fun, but it is also special for the parent. Their child is sometimes the kid who is different, but with the Junior Games, their child gets to be the star for the day. They become the center of positive attention and love,” Atlee said. With such a strong effort by volunteers and participants, the Junior Games continues to be a strong tradition at Masters. “It’s so fun to watch the children having fun. Everyone is tired, but everyone is smiling, and having fun. It’s really rewarding,” Lee said.

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

Roma said. Senior Emma Rubinson, an alto signer and the group’s choreographer, said the most fun part is when they all spend time together on the bus even when they don’t make it to the next round of a competition. Rubinson explained the difficult aspects of being the group’s main choreographer. “It is challenging to teach so much matieral in such a limited amount of time, especially for a group of people who don’t dance,” Rubinson said, “but in the end we did win the award for best choreography at ICHSA, which was exciting because it was the first time Dobbs 16 won for choreography.” “Dobbs 16 cannot and should not be judged by if we bring back an award,” Carnevale said. Looking ahead to the summer of 2018, Carnevale is hoping to bring Tower Singers and Dobbs 16 to the World Choir Games in South Africa to compete. “They just love making music and have so much heart,” she said.

On New Year’s Day, senior Jason Holzberg celebrated the arrival of 2017 by passing the flight exam at the Orange County Airport in New York and obtaining a private pilot’s license. Before taking the exam, Holzberg had to have flied for a total of more than 40 hours, three hours with visibility reduced, three hours of flying at night and ten hours flying solo. With the license, Holzberg can fly anytime and anywhere in good weather in a single engine land plane. In addition, the pilot’s license he is willing and able to take Masters students on flights. Holzberg’s first flight came when he was 11 years old at Berkshire Aviation in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Holzberg said, “I went to camp nearby for years and I asked my parents if we could stop in to try flying. Once we were in the air I knew this was something that I was going to want to do for the rest of my life.” This past summer, Holzberg trained at Take Flight Aviation in

Montgomery, New York in preparation for the exam. His training included learning how taking off and landing the plane, reading weather charts, navigating effectively and talking to air traffic control. He was also taught how to maintain the plane’s engine and conduct fuel, distance and time calculations. Holzberg’s longest recorded flight during the program was 2.7 hours from Montgomery to Great Barrington with a high speed of 250 miles per hour. After Masters, Holzberg will be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, where he will be focusing on aeronautical science with a professional pilot track. “I will be learning everything there is to know about the world of flying: design, law, business and operation,” Holzberg said. For most students attending college specifically for aeronautical science or engineering, a career in the military or as an airline pilot is common. “Right now my plan is to teach flying until I reach 1,000 hours. Then I’ll look to get hired by a regional airline. My main target is to fly for a major airline like Delta, United, or American Airlines,” Holzberg said.

JASON HOLZBERG

JASON HOLZBERG FLIES A plane over New York as a newly licensed pilot, which allows him to pilot small passanger planes.

The Masters Matters symposium on sustainability was a day for the Masters community to be inspired to be more efficient and sustainable to protect our planet. Held on Feb. 15 and featuring numerous guest presenters, the event sparked conversations about the environment, the masters community and the broader world. Students and faculty sat in on seminars, engaged in discussions, attended Dan Barber’s keynote speech on sustainable farming and participated in various environmentally-friendly activities, such as composting and cleaning up garbage throughout the campus. Organized by EFFECT, the student-led environmental conservation group at Masters, the sustainability symposium was a success largely credited to their hard work

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

MASTERS MATTERS SPEAKER DAN Barber talks to the Masters community about cooking with sustainable products and the importance of flavor. in getting students and faculty involved. The focus of these activities was

to inspire the school community to become more conscious of our environment and for students to learn

what they can do to actually help. “The goal of the Sustainability Day discussions and activities was for students and faculty to become aware of the personal responsibilities for the environment, taking action instead of only words, and going outside one’s comfort zone to make change,” Mary May, a biology teacher who serves as the faculty advisor for EFFECT, said. The group is is divided into six subsection known as “key groups.” These groups include Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot, Education and Curriculum, Land Use and LongTerm Goals, Community Health, Residential Life and Energy. May, who has a short-term plan for the group as well as a long-term vision for the a sustainable future at Masters, said, “EFFECT hopes to one day establish Masters as a waste-free campus.” Though achieving something of that scale poses difficulties, May and the EFFECT group sees it as

reachable with the involvement of the entire community. “The long-term goals of the Land Use group, looking into the future, include a potential farm and greenhouse, more efficient composting with machinery, getting rid of plastic and a larger garden,” Sam Coffey, a senior and leader of the Land Use and Long-Term Goals group said. EFFECT’s ambitious goals exist to ensure that Masters continues to evolve into a community that fully values sustainability and incorporates them into the everyday lives of students, faculty, and staff. The sustainability symposium was the first step of this process.

Features & arts 4

FEATURES AND ARTS

Emma Luis Web Editor

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

Holzberg takes flight Sports Editor

JUNE KITAHARA

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

JUNIORS NICK MASON AND Dylan Douglas perform “I Can’t Stand Still” in the production of Footloose, showcasing their dancing skills.

vincEnt aLban Contributing Writer

owEn LiEbEr

PhiL minton

Masters puts sustainability efforts into EFFECT

Dobbs 16 sings its way to semi-finals

Masters applauds as actors cut loose in Footloose

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

JASON HOLZBERG

JASON HOLZBERG FLIES A plane over New York as a newly licensed pilot, which allows him to pilot small passanger planes.

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

to inspire the school community to become more conscious of our environment and for students to learn

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

OP-ED

Consistency is the key to improving classes

micHaEl FitzgEralD News Editor logaN toPoroFF Features Editor Masters classes lack consistency within courses, and there are many steps that can be taken to achieve this desired consistency. In the academic community, consistency means having students be accustomed to their learning environment, and not stray too far away from that comfortable environment for students. The first step should be consistency within specific departments. For example, many math teachers have different philosophies for grading, as well as various strategies which they implement in each lesson. Some teachers drop the lowest test grade, some give extra credit problems, some offer test corrections and others offer test or quiz retakes. The quality of your education oftentimes is determined by the teacher you are assigned to. While these are all positive

methods for improving grades, if two teachers who teach the same course don’t have consistent class policies, it is incredibly difficult to know whether two students with similar aptitudes and study habits would earn similar grades if they were in the same section of the course. For example, if one teacher offers extra credit and one does not, then one section of that class is missing out on the ability to improve their grades, despite being in the exact same course. All students should be provided with the same opportunities to improve their grades. If the students in one section of a course are given additional ways to improve their grades, or in class time for their students to get ahead on assigned work, other teachers teaching the same course must do the same. Another way to improve consistency is to have exams that closely

resemble class activities or study guides. Quite often, teachers incorporate information on their tests that is not covered on the review packets they give out. If you are able to answer all the problems on the study guide correctly, there is no reason why you should be surprised by anything that appears on the test. Hav-

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ing information on the test that’s not on the study guides means lower scores and lower student achievemente. While some may believe that a student’s ability to adapt to different problems is beneficial, we believe students have a better opportunity to succeed if the information

To avoid fiscal crisis, U.S. government should institute a VAT DaviD oks Copy Editor

Few issues will have a greater or more dire consequence for the lives of young people today than the national debt. For years, the deficit has grown at a faster rate than the GDP, contributing to a debt-to-GDP ratio growing to uncomfortable levels harmful to economic growth. Currently, the United States’ public debt is 106.7 percent of its GDP; several studies have found that a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 90 percent significantly hurts economic growth. Without a significant reduction in deficit growth or a budget surplus (when revenue exceeds spending), the debt will continue to grow at a faster rate than GDP. This means a future that is increasingly precarious: if debt continues to grow as a percentage of GDP, the consequences will be severe. Nations with extremely high debtto-GDP ratios, such as Greece and Italy, have seen economic calamities and high interest rates, and have been forced to implement severe cuts to public services as well as sharp increases

in taxes. Burdening the young people of today with a large debt, and forcing them to resolve it, is foolish. Solving the problem today, and circumventing the ramifications of holding it off for later years, is the best course of action. In order to stop or slow the growth of debt, the U.S. government should seek to raise new revenue. In this task, there’s a simple solution: a national value-added tax (VAT) levied on a product at each stage of its manufacture. Such a tax would apply to most products, and would exclude spending on education, healthcare, and other necessities. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a VAT would raise a tremendous $2.67 trillion over the next ten years. Here’s how a VAT would work in a simplified supply chain if a VAT of five percent was in place. If an initial producer sells a resource to a factory for $10, they pay $0.50. When that factory sells the resulting product to a vendor for $15, they pay $0.25 (the value added minus the amount already paid via VAT) in tax. When that vendor sells the final product to the consumer for $20, he pays $0.25. Thus the government makes a total of $1 (five percent) of this purchase. A VAT would not be economically

COLUMN: ELI’S ELECTION

And the winner is...you?

DAVID OKS/TOWER

A VALUE-ADDED TAX would increase government revenue without greatly hurting the economy or the poor.

be about $559 billion. A VAT would decrease the deficit by nearly a third, and would slow debt growth from 3.8 percent to 2.7 percent. If nothing more, it’s clear: a VAT is a wise choice for the nation’s future.

come into account. For example, as black people are 12.3 percent of the US population, a national office would have a 12.3 percent chance of being won by a black person. Compare that with the miniscule number of black Americans in national office under the current system. Additionally, this system prevents the arisal of a political class, helping to control corruption and making sure that power does not have enough time to corrupt. This means fewer problems relating to close lobbyist-lawmaker relationships, less corruption, and less-entrenched politicians. Though this system is not particularly feasible in the modern era, especially for statewide or national offices like the presidency, the system could work exceedingly well in filling local positions, like city council, in order to ensure that the poor and underprivileged have an equal chance to implement their ideas as do the wealthy elite. Small groups of citizens’ juries could perform small tasks with diverse teams that work together to solve problems.

identify shared goals and learning outcomes, design comon assessments and projects, participate in practice grading exercise, etc.” The philosophy also encompases the value of each class as its own individual experience. While teachers may prefer being given freedoms in how they wish to teach their section of the course, it is more beneficial to students to have a more defined structure of the entire course, in which they all cover similar material, and are given the same opportunities to improve their grades. However, if each teacher creates their own guidelines, some students are not put on the same even playing field. We believe that increasing consistency in all facets of Masters courses will not only make students more confident in their classroom environments, but also improve students’ grades and achievements. Most importantly we feel it puts students on the same page, ensuring that all Masters students, regardless of class or section, are able to receive a world-class education.

COLUMN: WHAT’S ON MY MIND

Why we need Historically Black Colleges and Universities NiNa HyltoN The acronym HBCUs stands for “Historically Black Colleges and Universities.” These institutions of higher learning were established in order to provide black people of all nationalities a chance to pursue higher education. I happened to apply to, and get into, four of these special schools: Howard in Washington, D.C., Hampton in Virginia, Spelman in Georgia and Tuskegee in Alabama. During this past month I had the chance to go down south and visit Tuskegee. I was not sure what to expect, but I definitely wasn’t thrilled about the location. After an almost two hour drive from Atlanta, my dad and I drove to the campus and suddenly, I didn’t care about location at all—the campus was exquisite. HBCUs are unique in the fact that they are meant to nurture and sustain black excellence. On that campus I felt a sense of belonging that I’ve only ever felt at home. After witnessing strolling (a tradition

that originated in the early 20th century in black Greek organizations, such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first historically black Greek sorority) in the cafeteria, to the unbelievable energy of the band, to the Afrocentric curriculum of the class I sat in on, to the sweet Southern hospitality, to the thousands of students who looked like they could all be related to me in some way, I decided that I truly loved it. What really sold me was the rich history I learned while visiting Booker T. Washington’s home on the campus. The unrelenting commitment of Washington to change the trajectory of the black race, coupled with the charismatic, engaging demeanor and brilliance of my tour guide, a grad student from Chicago, left me almost speechless. HBCUs are refreshing, and absolutely necessary.

Sexual education protects American youth lEo Psaros Editor-in-Chief jack murray Advertising Manager

ElijaH EmEry Thus far, this series has focused on finding a system of voting that is as representative as possible, emphasizing ideas such as ranked voting. We’ve discussed national, as well as local, elections to create a truly representative legislature. Instead of discussing the most representative election, however, I will focus on creating the most representative possible legislative body. The way to theoretically get the most representative ruling group possible is sortition. Sortition isn’t actually a type of voting at all: each “election” would be won by a person randomly selected from among those who live in the area that requires a new congressman, city council member or mayor. In this system, every person who casts a ballot would be voting for themselves, as their name is entered into a drawing and the winner of that drawing would be named winner of the election. This system was used in ancient Athenian democracy, and remnants of it continue to this day in the selection of fair and impartial juries. Because a lottery is conducted without any type of prejudice, sortition would create elections in which voters’ biases and bigotries would not

catastrophic. Though a VAT would be regressive and would hurt the pocketbooks of the poorest citizens, its effects could be offset by using some of the funds raised to expand programs for the poor, such as the Earned-Income Tax Credit. In addition, VATs are not, according to a 1992 CBO report, significant contributors to inflation. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this year’s deficit will

is being presented in a convenient manner. There needs to be a noticeable consistency between the presentation of information during class lessons and how that information appears on exams. Furthermore, final exams need to be presented in the same exam format that the teacher has given all year. Also, the additional week of school after finals week should increase teacher accountability on the matter. Accountability is as essential in education as it is in other things, and Masters should embrace it fully. Additionally, the education philosophy currently includes ideals of teachers learning through each other’s methods and opportunities for them to share their educational approaches throughout the department. Academic Dean Chris Goulian said, “Teachers work together in their departments to ensure that their sections are appropriately aligned with one another. They

Over the years, the government has pushed for increasing public health awareness on issues like smoking and nutrition. This has resulted in significant improvements in national health. Yet when it comes to sexual health and education, the United States government falls seriously short. Since sexual education is not mandated nationwide, many states which either lack the funding for such programs, or see sexual education as immoral, suffer increased rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases. If the government truly wants to keep Americans healthy, as it did with smoking laws in the 20th century, it must invest in and support nation-wide sexual education. For a country with one of the most comprehensive healthcare systems in the world, the U.S.’s sexual education system is often neglected. While the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends sexual education to children of all ages, only 24 states require sexual education for high school students in public schools. Of those 24

states, 15 do not require medically accurate sex education–in several states, sexual education is defined by teaching abstinence. One of these states, Alabama, has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, with almost 7,000 teenage pregnancies in 2011. This is a testament to the inefficacy of abstinence. Teenage pregnancies are more than a family issue, however. Only 50 percent of teen mothers receive a high

ARTWORK BY GEORGE WEED WITH ORIGNAL PHOTO by Durex UK

school diploma by age 22. Consequently, children of teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of high school, to have lower educational achievement, and to be incarcerated. Moreover, teen pregnancy is a preventable burden to American taxpayers. Teen pregnancy accounted for $9.4 billion in costs to the U.S. taxpayer in 2010, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). That means that teen pregnancies have a per capita cost

of $30.45. Teen pregnancy also promotes an unhealthy life for the child and makes it incredibly difficult for the parent to act as a contributing member of society. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, two thirds of young unmarried mothers are poor and about 25 percent go on welfare shortly after birth. Opponents of sexual education argue that giving young people more knowledge of sex will lead to an increase in underaged sexual activity. Yet there is no conclusive evidence that this is anywhere near true. Sexual education actually leads to a 50 percent decrease in teenage pregnancy, according to the National Survey of Family Growth. Sexual education, despite critics’ claims, is not a “how-to” guide; it warns of the dangers of unprotected and underaged sex. Sexual education is one of the most important educational programs that a teenager can receive. According to the WHO, teenage pregnancy is the second most prominent cause of death among girls age 15-19 in the United States. If the government wants to save taxpayer money and promote health among the citizenry, it must invest and mandate sexual education nationwide.

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

SPORTS

Girls’ lacrosse team works towards improvements Allie Berdon Editor-in-Chief Each new season brings new athletes, coaches and a new dynamic to a team and girls’ lacrosse is looking forward to a successful season. Last season the team was introduced to a new coach, Laura Graham, who came to Masters from the Nyack public schools. The transition went smoothly and the team had a more successful season than in previous years. “Coach Graham pushed us a lot harder, which is why we were able to win a few games,” junior Liv Jonhke said. According to Johnke, continuity is important and with Graham coaching for a consecutive season the team will be able to thrive under her leadership and coaching method. An influx of freshmen and underclassmen has bolstered the numbers on the team, and new seniors are also joining, many having never played lacrosse before. Giselle Garvey has played soccer at Masters for four years and is one senior who expressed interest in trying lacrosse

for the first time. “I miss playing a sport in the off season and I have always wanted to play lacrosse. This seems like the best opportunity to try something new,” Garvey said. For many students at Masters playing on a team is a great way to meet new people and try something different, and with a developing program such as the lacrosse team, new members are always welcome. While practicing with such range of skill levels can be challenging, it is also important for beginners to watch and play with more skilled players in practice and in games in order to hone in on their developing skills. While there are new players, according to assistant coach Eric Shear, “There is a solid core of experienced players; most of the starters have at least one or two years of experience.” The girls lacrosse team will be working hard throughout March in preparation for their first game against Long Island Lutheran at home on April 1.

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

GIRLS’ VARSITY LACROSSE HUDDLES in one of its first practices of the year. This year is stacked with a solid group of experienced players along with new and incoming underclassmen looking to improve. The team’s first game will be at home on April 1 against Long Island Lutheran.

Baseball veterans hope underclassmen will step up to the plate Alex Bentzien News Editor Now that the snow is disappearing and high temperatures have come, spring has fast arrived on the Masters campus. The arrival of spring means the beginning of long hours spent lying on the quad and listening to music, classes being held outdoors and, of course, spring sports. With preseason already beginning at the end of February, it is obvious that Masters’ athletes are eager to get a start on the season, especially the boys’ varsity baseball team. “Baseball is a game of doing a few basic things and doing them really well,” said head coach Tom Wethington, who stressed that focusing on building up physical fitness and concentration within the team will be the key to a strong season. Since the team

does not have their first game until after spring break, much of the practice during preseason will be devoted to working on conditioning and skill development, for which the team also has two assistant coaches to help. Though Wethington described the squad as a “young team” with only three seniors, there will be a core group of sophomores and juniors returning from last year. Wethington hopes that many of the underclassmen will mature in their roles and step up to the plate as leaders throughout the season. Senior Eitan Magaliff also echoed this sentiment. “The number one priority would be growing and winning, but you also want to help the younger guys improve so that they can keep the team on track once the seniors are gone,” Magaliff said. “I have three goals for the players at the start of every season, which are for them to become better baseball

players, to win games, and to have fun,” Wethington said. Although the team no longer participates in the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA). There is now more flexibility in scheduling. A total of 13 out of the 16 games the team plays will be played at home on Masters’ Clarke Field, creating many opportunities for Masters community members to show their support of the team. One of this year’s managers, senior Hadley Talty, noted that the atmosphere of a home game contributes positively to the performance of the team. “The games are a time when everyone on the team comes together to support for each other and cheer for each other; everyone feels rewarded when their hard work pays off,” she said. On April 1, the team will be playing its first game against Long Island Lutheran High School on Clarke Field.

COLUMN: PLAY BY PLAY

Baseball spring training underway ShAwn FArhAdiAn

Spring training is essentially a “pre-season” for professional baseball. As opposed to the regular season, in which teams are scattered all around the United States, every team has a field in the warmer regions of the country for the early spring. Teams in Eastern divisions, and half of the Central divisions, have fields in Florida (known as the Grapefruit League). Meanwhile, the Western divisions, as well as the other half of the Central divisions, have fields in Arizona (known as the Cactus League). This period of the year allows for newer players to try out for spots, while returning players can get back into the swing of competitive play. Baseball fans across the country got a little taste of the upcoming season on Feb. 22, as the first spring training game of the year was played. The Arizona Diamondbacks played an unusual opponent, the Grand Canyon University team, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Diamondbacks dominated, winning by a score of 9-1, albeit they are a professional baseball team facing off against a collegiate-level squad.

New York teams also saw action as both the Yankees and Mets played their first games of the year on Feb. 25. The Yankees played the Philadelphia Phillies, while the Mets played the Boston Red Sox. Both teams won, which shines a light on the future of both franchises. “We’ve been talking about it; we believe that there’s a lot of talent here, and there’s more coming,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after the Yankees’ win. “It’s really good to see.” The Yankees and Mets will continue their Spring Training season for the rest of March. For the Yankees, it will come to a close on March 31 against the Atlanta Braves. The Mets finish their Spring Training season in nearby West Point, New York, against the Army Black Knights on the same day. Each team will begin their regular season games soon after Spring Training ends, as the Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida on April 2, while Mets open at home against the Braves. From that point on, each game counts for a shot at the World Series trophy in November.

SportS

SPORTS

TOWER/MARCH 10, 2017

Boys’ varsity volleyball team digs into new season Leo psaros Editor-in-Chief In its second season as a varsity sport, the boys volleyball team is ready to begin a new year. Though originally an intramural co-curricular, the boys volleyball program has evolved into a varsity team that competes with various other independent schools. With the help of dedicated coaches and increasing interest from students, the team is set for a very successful second season. Since last year was the volleyball team’s début year, many of the team members had to acclimate to a new sport in a competitive league, the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA). This posed considerable challenges for the new sport. However, under the leadership of experienced volleyball coach Jackie Granger, the players are optimistic that they can improve their skills and their results. Granger has coached girls Division 2 college volleyball for the past

10 years. She believes the team has improved tremendously over the past year and can improve even further with hard work this season. “They didn’t focus on winning but took the season to learn the game and improved tremendously,” Granger said. “Last year, the team didn’t win many games. This year I hope that we can improve our teamwork and team chemistry to better ourselves and win a few games,” junior co-captain Dexter Kalderon said. The team has already had their first pre-season meeting, and has has received great interest from the student body. With a relatively new program and supportive coaching staff, the team is aiming to have a successful season. “I hope that the team will love this sport like any other, and play hard from start to finish. More important, though, I want them to have fun,” Coach Granger said. The boys volleyball team is working hard throughout March in preparation for their first game on April 5 against the United Nations International School.

LEO PSAROS/TOWER

BOYS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYS in a game against St Lukes during the 2015-2016 season. Pictured from left to right, Allen Miyazawa, Yousseff Aly, Cedar Berrol-young and Kanaruj Chanthongdee play. The new team is getting ready to take on its second consecutive season and is ready to battle as hard as they can to win as many games possible.

Masters’ tennis squads prepare for spring season By Logan Toporoff Features Editor As Masters heads into spring, the tennis teams are preparing for their upcoming season. This year, players will be in both junior varsity (JV) and varsity boys and girls teams, including various returning players along with many new members. Last year, though the teams were not all they hoped to be, they were competitive in the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) tournament at the end of their season, while experiencing a productive season filled with improvement. Members of both the JV and varsity teams continued to play year round in order to develop their skills in preparation for the approaching season. Boys JV coach William Roberts said, “We are looking forward to another competitive season, to improve on fitness and skills. We will be working on conditioning to improve our skills and have challenge matches to see who will play either singles or doubles.” He added, “We would be shooting for a 500 season [winning as many as you lose], representing masters well and being a very competitive team.” Junior Oren Vasser, a member of the boys varsity team, said, “With our new coach this season I am hop-

ing that we have a better season than we have had in the past and do well in the FAA championship as well as getting a lot of wins throughout the season.” Girls varsity coach Greg Lesser said, “It would be nice to get more victories this year and see if the team is improving match to match.” He added, “Our main goal would be to be better by the end of the season then when we started and be competitive in the FAA championship.” This year’s team captains will be seniors Haley Goodman and Julia Poster, who will also be playing for Dickinson College. “This season I hope to be more competitive and work together strongly as a team to support each other more during matches,” Poster said. The boys varsity team will be gaining a new coach from the Hastings Tennis Club. One of the club’s owners, Brian Ingles, will be coming to push the team’s skills further and improve each player to their best abilities. “Our main goal is to get a good turn out and build a core group of kids, while developing everyone’s skills,” Ingles said. The boys JV and varsity teams will also be joined by two other Hastings Tennis Club members, Jeremy Goldberg and Tomas Ortiz, who will serve as assistant coaches.

LOGAN TOPOROFF/TOWER

SOPHOMORE JACKSON FREIMAN HITS the ball at varsity tennis practice alongside other varsity members and head coach Brian Ingles. The team, also coached by William Roberts and Jeremy Goldberg, has their first game against the Storm King School on Sat. April 1 and looks forward to a productive season.

Boys’ varsity squash victorious at national championships Tommy mckenna Fact Checker

The Masters’ boys varsity squash team recently won at the High School Division III Nationals Championship, in spite of the team’s brief existence as an official Masters team. In o rder to win the championship, the team bested many other independent schools, including Rye Country Day, Westminster and the Berkshire School. Head Coach Sahel Anwar expressed an appreciation for the accomplishments of the team, and said that the prestige of the Masters squash program is increasing. “Our school is getting on the map,” Sahel said. “Our school is getting recognized,” said Anwar. In the future,

ELIZEBETH EPLEY

MASTERS VARSITY SQUASH TEAM holds the US Squash Division III victory banner at the national championship at the Loomis Chaffe School. The team was lead to victory by its top 4 who went undefeated; other members also gave it their all. Anwar wants to keep up the team’s current reputation and prepare

them for any upcoming games. “Next year, we’ll be competing

in the New England Individuals,” Anwar said. Freshman Nouran

Youssef, the top-ranked female squash player under 15 years old in Egypt, played as the only girl on the team. Anwar was especially proud of Youssef’s performance: “Obviously, it’s tougher [for girls on the team], because boys are stronger, faster and quicker for her to play against. Her playing as player number three was a pretty big deal.” Youssef said that playing primarily against boys was “a little weird,” and that she “wasn’t that comfortable, but my teammates were nice and supportive, so I felt more comfortable.” As boys varsity squash continues to carve out a name for itself, Masters can look with confidence towards the team’s future successes.