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Volume 75, Issue 1
April 16, 2026
A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School
STRIKING SPEECHES IN WOODBURYS Bills
Fans,
Big
Brothers,
and
Bold
Ideas
By Brian Tang ’29 Panel Staff From the origin of an unwanted nickname to an unfulfilled Christmas wish turned into a moment of gratitude, the Woodbury Public Speaking Contest never ceases to amaze the Belmont Hill community. This year's speakers, Ryan Ho ’28, Chinweikem Anyanwu ’28, Christopher (Topher) Batchelder ’26, Alexander Chen ’27, Charlie Maws ’26, and Ari Itzkovits ’28, all delivered riveting stories that will be carried with them throughout their tenure at Belmont Hill. The proceedings began with Ryan Ho’s informative speech on the history and value of tests. Drawing on his research, Ryan traced their origins from China to America, explaining how they eventually evolved into the military-style exams that helped shape the SAT. He then challenged the audience to consider whether tests truly benefit students, arguing that they often create anxiety and fail to reflect real proficiency in a subject. Using the example of Bob, a strong panel writer whose low SAT score limited his college options. Ryan highlighted the flaws of standardized testing. He closed by urging Belmont Hill to embrace an approach similar to Aristotle’s, less
Woodbury Finalists Gather in Hamilton Chapel testing, and more walking and talking. Following Ryan’s speech, Ikem Anyanwu reflected on the many nicknames that have shaped his identity. From PM to Big E to Kem Kem, each name carried a memory and revealed a different side of who he is. The crowd laughed especially hard when he shared how a football coach dubbed him a “freak of nature,” inspiring the nickname Freakem. But beneath the humor was a
BH Communications
thoughtful message. He showed that the names others give us can reflect the impact they have had on our lives. Ikem closed with the powerful reminder that “One name can never be enough to describe yourself ” and that “one label is too small to capture anyone’s true nature.” After Ikem’s speech, Topher Batchelder shared a heartwarming and entertaining reflection on his childhood wish for an older brother. Begin-
Take
the
Stage
ning almost like a poem, he described a young boy hoping to find one under the Christmas tree, only to come up empty-handed. He then brought the story to life by recounting how he once woke up his sisters on Christmas morning to search for that imagined brother, before joking that his mother had practically “rented” him a big brother, drawing plenty of laughter from the audience. Beyond the humor, though, Topher delivered a sincere realization: that he had been shaped all along by his two sisters, and that “what I wanted was not an older brother, but a mentor, and I had two around me the whole time.” Next, Alex Chen spoke about his experience working as a congressional caller and how stepping beyond the script enabled him to form genuine human connections. He recounted everything from receiving threats over the phone to learning how to truly listen, showing how even difficult conversations can lead to understanding. Through these experiences, Alex reflected on the deep division in modern public life, observing that “we live in a world where politics has become a blood sport.” He closed with the reminder that many conflicts might soften if people simply took the time to listen. Continued on page 2...
PWAP Brings Schools Together for Fun and Fundraising By Sam Leviton ’28 & Cooper Schuldt ’28 Panel Staff On Saturday, February 28th, the annual Party With a Purpose (PWAP) event took place at the Jordan Athletic Center. PWAP is a Dance Marathon organized annually to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital. As stated in the party’s mission statement, PWAP’s goal is to “raise as much money as possible for the patients and families at Boston Children’s Hospital.” PWAP was organized by the student heads of the event: Will Achtmeyer ’26, TZ Snail ’26, Scotty Moreau ’26, Declan Woolbert ’27, Rylan Flynn ’27, Tyler Grossman ’27, and student leaders from Rivers, NCDS, Winsor, and Dana Hall. Faculty advisor Mr. George contributed immensely, helping to plan the event. On the evening of PWAP, students from Belmont Hill, Rivers, Dana Hall, Winsor, and Newton Country Day School entered an athletic center that was buzzing with excitement. This year's event included the quintessential elements of previous
PWAP Hockey Loop (Left) and BH & NCDS at PWAP (Right) editions, including delicious snacks, yard games, free skate, and karaoke. The creative PWAP team came up with new ideas to make the event even more exciting. For the first time, the event included bubble soccer and a puck toss raffle. The team also gave students the opportunity to shoot pucks at their favorite history and science teachers.
A Look Inside The Panel Page 2: US Iran Conflict Adrian Chen ’28 and Patrick Snail ’28 delve into the US-Iran conflict, reflecting upon the social, economic, and political consequences of the recent militarization occuring in the Middle East.
Page 4: Systematic Grade Inflation Sam Leviton ’28 evaluates the trends of grade inflation in high schools across the United States, uncovering data from both public and private high schools and the consequences of the inflation on students.
Page 8: Artist of the Issue: Jake Ma ’27 Ryan Li ’28 interviews Jake Ma ’27, discovering his talents, both hidden and shared, as a multi-instrument musician. Additionally, he touches upon Jake's talent in other arts, such as drawing and engineering.
Page 10: Fishing in Martha's Vinyard Will Greenhill ’28 describes the Martha's Vinyard fishing scene and its revival as the Spring rolls around, featuring quotes from local fishermen, including Aiden Olsen, Doug Asselin, and Ryan Zipp.
One of the club heads said, “The bubble soccer and the chance to shoot pucks at teachers were very successful and a great way to bring more students to the event.” The event was a success, raising around $30,000 dollars for Boston Children's Hospital, a massive high note for the PWAP club. Attendees also had an incredible time,
BH Communications with one Belmont Hill student saying, “I had such a great time Saturday night. Being able to hang out with my friends and connect with new people was awesome, and I really loved shooting pucks at Mr. Bracken!” PWAP was a great night of fun and entertainment that raised a huge amount of money for Boston Children's Hospital. ☐
Letter from the Editor:
Welcome to Issue 1 of Volume 75! This month, our news and arts sections highlight a variety of school-wide events, including the Spring Woodburys, the Winter Concert, and the most recent Chapel speaker Clarice Assad. Additionally, our sports section features Luke Waldeck ’26 as the Athlete of the Issue, as well as other local and BH sports news. Our opinions section focused on close-to-home subjects, such as grade inflation, the US Iran conflict, and all boys schools through deep analysis. Finally the centerspread of the issue spotlights the many adventures Belmont Hill
students and faculty went on over March break. The photographic collage features language, outdoor exploring, and cultural experience trips, opportunities which Belmont Hill students are privileged and grateful to have! This issue marks the first of Volume 75, the three-quarter-centennial volume! As we transition into a new staff of editors and assistant editors, we thank all of the writers, editors, and faculty of Volume 74 who have set high expectations and helped mentor the new staff. None of this would be possible without your constant support! Thank you, and enjoy Volume 75!