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The Haverford School · Haverford, PA 19041 · October 2026 · Volume 94, No. 2 · thsindex.org

Head of School charts Master Plan MS. ALEXIS HOPE

Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano speaks to an engineering class about the school’s master plan Byron Yang ’28

ears after graduating, some of today’s students may return to a campus that contrasts starkly from the one they remember. For the past year and a half, a master plan has been in the works to refresh and reshape campus for the decades ahead. This proposed master plan, if it receives the necessary approvals, will take place over the course of several years in different phases. Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano commented on the plan’s logistics.

“I can’t speculate on the timeline just because it’s so uncertain right now. But fundamentally, this plan only becomes a reality with support from the community, so fundraising will play a fundamental role in the timeline execution,” Mr. Casertano said. The master plan is part of the school’s broader Strategic Vision, looking ahead to Haverford’s needs over the coming decades. The goal of the master plan isn’t to build the newest state-of-the-art facilities but rather to

benefit students in a variety of ways. Head of Athletics Mr. Michael Murphy emphasized that the proposed athletic improvements are focused more on how the facilities serve students than how new they appear. “I want them to say we’ve got facilities that really support the mission of the school and support the needs of the athletic program, so that you boys can have the best experience here as high school athletes,” Mr.

Murphy said. The physical changes are also intended to address broader goals surrounding campus safety and community. “I think this plan aims to create a safer, more secure campus that maximizes student engagement and maximizes community connection,” Mr. Casertano said. con’t. on p. 10

Fords travel to central Europe

Vijay Khanna ’28

rom Kraków to Budapest, twelve students spent nine days this past summer exploring the history, culture, and people of Central Europe. The program began as an idea from Dr. Bridget Gurtler, who wanted to build a travel-study program in the region. The school partnered with Atlas Workshops, which designed the itinerary and structure. Mr. Andrew Poolman, Director of the Global Studies Program, said, “My personal experience didn’t influence the program design or itinerary too much. We partnered with Atlas Workshops, and they designed the flow of the program. However, to better prepare our students, I did share my own experience and the impact it had on me as a high school student.” Central Europe carries the weight of

the twentieth century in its streets and landmarks. Both Poland and Hungary lived through Nazi occupation during World War II and decades of communist rule afterward, and that history remains visible throughout the region. Seeing sites and artifacts connected to these events made a lasting impression on the students. “I think the boys returned from this program with a newfound appreciation of history,” Mr. Poolman said. “More specifically, I think their understanding of World War II, the Holocaust, and the Communist Revolution grew tremendously. Witnessing artifacts from these events was a unique and profound experience.” con’t. on p. 4 10/4/26, 12:59 PM

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Soccer, p. 15

COURTESY OF MR. BHELLY BAGBONON

Students on Budapest’s Castle Hill, overlooking the Danube

INDEX STAFF

Exam.net, p. 8

10/4/26, 12:59 PM

exam.net student interface - Index Staff

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Bryn Mawr Film Institute, p. 6

Mr. Shomari Watts - Jesse Kanefsky '29

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Mr. Shomari Watts, p. 16

the index · editorial

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the index 2026-2027 Staff Adam Brown ’27 Editor-in-Chief Matthew Lo ’27 Editor-in-Chief Ayush Varma ’27 Editor-in-Chief Brandyn Luong ’27 Senior Managing Editor Edward Cheung ’28 Managing Editor Will Komada ’28 Managing Editor Byron Yang ’28 Managing Editor

October 2026

editorial

What does brotherhood mean if a brother does something wrong?

ctober has always been a month of transitions. The weather becomes brisker, the nights longer, and the seasonal items on store shelves shift from Halloween candy to Christmas gifts. It is also a busy month, the last month for many Sixth Formers to polish their early applications before sending them off to their dream colleges, and for other students to settle into the rhythm of sports, studies, and socializing. But especially as of late, it has been filled

with controversies far beyond the magnitude of these transitions. One of these stories comes from Cornell. In a lawsuit, a former Cornell student alleges that seven campus fraternity members drugged and assaulted her in 2024, and invited others to join through the fraternity group chat. The case is unresolved, as those who are accused have not been convicted. Public reactions to it vary drastically, and heavy topics like this are laden with serious

Ben Qu ’28 Kent Foo ’28 News Editors

Real brotherhood means stepping in when another brother crosses a line.

Alex Fenton ’28 Ignacio Aliaga ’29 Features Editors Jayden Thomas ’27 Hanru Li ’29 Academics Editors Vikram Ponnuru ’29 Neighborhood Editor Alex Keuffel ’29 Campus Opinions Editor Andrew Yang ’28 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Sahil Manjeshwar ’28 Arts Editor Cody Luong ’29 Voices Editor Keith DiMarino ’27 Vijay Khanna ’28 Sports Editors Colt McDevitt ’28 Mason Choi ’29 Staff Writers Mr. Thomas Stambaugh Faculty Advisor Dr. Micah Del Rosario Faculty Advisor

The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at index@haverford.org. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed using the applications of Google Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud. Its surveys are conducted via Google Forms and are advertised on email to current Haverford students. Graphic designs are created by Index staff via Canva. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1152 community members, consisting of 952 students and 200 faculty and staff members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index Instagram: @Haverford_Index Volume 94, No. 2 - October 8, 2026

emotions and traumas for many, making them difficult to learn about or discuss. The bottom line is that regardless of the outcome of the case, we must address things that we may find uncomfortable in order to grow. We must question our identities, beliefs, and behaviors at their roots. At Haverford, we talk about the “brotherhood” constantly. We experience this brotherhood at football or hockey games, cheering and supporting each other as loudly as we can. We experience it in classes, studying and learning together.

INDEX STAFF

Editors-in-Chief for the 2026-2027 school year: (from left to right) Ayush Varma ’27, Adam Brown ’27, and Matthew Lo ’27

Brotherhood means uplifting our brothers. But what does brotherhood mean if a brother does something wrong? Do we choose to uplift and enable their behavior? Do we sit idly as observers? Or do we pick the uncomfortable choice, the right choice, and hold them accountable for their actions? A brotherhood that only protects its own while mistreating those it views as outsiders is just a clique without standards or morals. Real brotherhood means stepping in when another brother crosses a line, and real brotherhood is what we at Haverford ought to strive for.

Letter from the student body president Mac Brenan ’27

ayne Gretzky: the undisputed greatest hockey player in the history of the universe. Every sport has its G.O.A.T. debate: Brady or Mahomes, Jordan or Lavar, Tiger or Nicklaus. But in hockey, everyone knows that it’s number 99. Alex Ovechkin recently passed him in all-time goals, but still no one doubts Gretzky’s status. Why? Because Gretzky was an assist guy. He was a passer first. Every time he stepped on the ice, he was looking not to score but to dish his teammate the puck so that they could.

The way Gretzky acted on the rink is the exact way we as Haverford boys must act. The only undisputed champion of their sport wasn’t looking for personal glory, wasn’t looking to do it all himself; he was looking to bring the people around him up. The way Gretzky acted on the rink is the exact way we as Haverford boys must act. Always focusing on the success of the classmates around us, always focusing on what we can do for others rather than what we can do for ourselves, always celebrating their success like it was our own—these are the keys to being united as a school. With that mentality, not only will those you helped perform better and achieve their goals, but you will also become the best version of yourself, just like Gretzky did. Looking past your own desires can be a challenge. But it’s not impossible. Each time you catch yourself being jealous, ask why someone else’s success makes you upset.

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Student body president Mac Brenan ’27 welcomes the upper school to an assembly on September 14 Each time you think about doing something if the roles were reversed. Being the G.O.A.T. isn’t easy, but it’s that would put someone else down for your own benefit, think about how you would feel something that everyone should strive for.

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the index · news

October 2026

news

Students’ emails hacked in multiple phishing events

Matthew Lo ’27

notification slides onto the screen. “You have a New Document from The Haverford School,” it reads. The sender’s address belongs to someone you trust. Click. A large, official-looking Punchbowl invitation and a green “open invitation” button sit in the middle of the screen. The button opens a pop-up with a login page. A username and password are entered. The Enter key is pressed. Nothing happens. Hours later, emails begin pouring out, this time from a new email address, but still containing the official-looking letter and button. None of them were sent intentionally. Instead, they were sent as a result of one of the most common cybersecurity attacks: phishing.

“We have two layers of filtering: the workspace education layer, which is Google, and filtering at our firewall level.” MR. PAUL BLACKWOOD “ A phishing email is a spam email with a link, and when you choose that link, [it] launches some kind of background script that grabs your contact list and then uses that contact list of names [and] email addresses to continue sending itself to other folks,” Director of Information Technology Mr. Paul Blackwood said. “So each time someone clicks on that link, it then repeats the cycle.” Mr. Blackwood said K–12 institutions

such as Haverford can be particularly vulnerable to these attacks. “ K to 12 schools are being targeted … because students, employees, faculty, and staff are not as vigilant because we expect emails to be coming from many different sources, so we’re not as vigilant with how we examine the emails,” Mr. Blackwood said. To combat phishing attempts, Haverford uses several security measures. “ We enact multiple layers of security,” Mr. Blackwood said. “One is educating people. We have two layers of filtering: the workspace education layer, which is Google, and filtering at our firewall level.” Haverford’s email system also uses authentication standards to help determine whether incoming messages are legitimate. “ In an email system, we have three boxes that need to be checked,” Mr. Blackwood said. “They’re called DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. They’re all industry standards for what a legitimate email should possess in what we call an email signature.” However, these methods are not foolproof. “ Some emails do get through because, as the nature of how we identify these emails evolves, so do the spam and the spammers,” Mr. Blackwood said. Especially in the past year, these attacks have occurred multiple times. One of the initial Haverford students to have fallen victim to such an attack is a familiar face to many. “It was the first day of spring break, and I clicked on an email from a my friend’s mom, and it said [I was] invited to this party,” Sixth Former Raymond Kresge said. “ It prompted me for my email and my password, and then once I put it in, it didn’t go anywhere. Three hours later, I was driving … and I got all these notifications from Gmail

INDEX STAFF

A phishing email sent using Raymond Kresge ’27’s email address from all these teachers that have automated school Gmail as secure,” Kresge said. “ Every email responses, and I kept freaking out.” email that I get, I’m not going on and checking the sender. I remember I got [invited] days before [for] the Cum Laude breakfast “ People fall victim to … It was that same style, and since I already this all the time.” knew that style was reputable, I was like, ‘Oh, this is from this person.’” RAYMOND KRESGE ’27 Kresge said students can take simple steps to avoid making the same mistake. Although the problem was later re“ People fall victim to this all the time,” solved, Kresge’s experience demonstrates Kresge said. “Just stop and think for a minhow a phishing email sent through a familiar ute, especially if you’re getting [an] invitation account can lower a recipient’s guard. email, and looking at those URLs are just “ I just took everything that I saw on my two simple ways to [stay safe].”

Canvas remodels dashboard interface

Adam Brown ’27

casually opened Canvas on my phone and was greeted by an unfamiliar conglomerate of bubbles and charts. Rummaging through the app’s settings to see if there was an option to revert to the old menu, I was relieved to find that it was, in fact, toggleable. But as the menu lay dormant, I reconsidered whether the redesign

could be more beneficial than unusual. On April 18th, Canvas’ parent company, Instructure, released its new dashboard menu to early adopters; earlier this year, Haverford brought it into its system. The new menu overhauls the old three-view system for customizable widgets designed for each student’s needs.

Canvas’s desktop web interface previously offered three dashboard views: card view, which displays tiles for each of the student’s courses; list view, which shows upcoming assignments in a scrolling list; and recent activity view, which displays a bare-bones list of recent activity. Now, a new option appears: “Switch to new dashboard view.”

The new web view features two columns of widgets of varying sizes, including course grades, announcements, a to-do list, and progress information showing which assignments are due, submitted, or graded. Many students may find this customizable menu fresh and tailored to how they prefer to view information. Despite this, some may feel that the new dashboard view highlights the menu item’s own identity crisis: it attempts to be everything at once and falls short in most areas.

It attempts to be everything at once and falls short in most areas.

INDEX STAFF

Canvas has redesigned both mobile and desktop dasboards, as shown on a student’s devices

In my use of Canvas, I find the calendar view to be the simplest visually and easiest to follow. Likewise, the courses menu gives me easy access to my courses. Everything else, primarily announcements and grades, comes through email or push notifications. Thus, I don’t typically use the dashboard much, though other students may use it differently. The mobile app has received a similar widget-based dashboard, except that all widgets fall into one column, which further lengthens the list of items, especially for those with many Canvas courses and groups. For now, Instructure still includes an option to toggle back to the old dashboard menu, a useful choice for those of us accustomed to the Canvas we already know.

the index · news

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October 2026

In midst of Cornell rape case, administrators reflect on peer pressure and core values Sahil Manjeshwar ’28

t 1:42 a.m. on a night in October 2024, a member of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity sent a crude message about a woman upstairs in the house to the chapter’s Snapchat group. That woman, a former Cornell student, now alleges in a civil lawsuit that over the next several hours, multiple men in that house drugged and assaulted her. Lawyers for two of the seven men named in the suit have denied the allegations, and none of the men has yet been charged with a crime. The woman filed her lawsuit on September 14, 2026. Two weeks later, the Tompkins County district attorney reopened the investigation. Cornell agreed to an independent review of how it handled the case, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor. What happened that night remains the subject of an active investigation, but the allegations leave a question for every boy or young man. Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano put that question to our school directly in the October 1st assembly: being a man, he told us, has nothing to do with being macho or tough. It means having compassion, being brave, and standing up for what you believe is right. “I think that’s spot on,” Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade said. Head of Upper School Mr. Mark Fifer said the message “resonated with me deeply.” “I think boys and men get a lot of messages about what they should be and what strength looks like,” Mr. Fifer said. Too often, he said, that strength is “about the accumulation of power and status and wealth, and only looking out for yourself.” “As a school, and as Mr. Casertano said, we aim to be countercultural in a lot of ways,” Mr. Fifer said. “Real strength is about how you act in service of others.” Mr. Kolade named one quality first. “Empathy might be one of the biggest ones,” he said. “Honestly, I think it’s so easy to not realize that other people have different lived experiences and might feel things differently than you do.” Every Haverford student carries a reminder of these values: the Brother’s Keeper card. It opens with one line: “I am my brother’s keeper.” It asks each of us to be “a man of integrity who embodies respect, honesty, and courage.”

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Head of Schol Mr. Tyler Casertano speaks to the upper school in an October 1st assembly Student Body President Mac Brenan island, or what you think is an island.” “I’d say listen to your gut,” Mr. Fifer ’27 and Mr. Casertano chose “honesty” as Mr. Fifer described a tension “between said. “I think most students here know when the year’s virtue. loyalty and honesty, or loyalty and standing something is wrong and is just not right.’” up for what is right.” He called it “a real ten“Based on my own experience,” Mr. sion that students face.” Fifer said, “you have the greatest regret when Honesty is easy to practice when noth- you don’t stand up when you know some“It’s much harder to ing is at stake. It gets harder when the truth thing is wrong.” be standing up by could get a friend in trouble. Mr. Kolade put Situations do not have to be handled yourself on an island, in words what most of us have thought be- alone. The card tells students to report drug or what you think is fore. “It’s hard for young men to navigate the or alcohol use affecting a member of the idea of, ‘Well, I don’t want to get my friend community to a school counselor and to an island.” in trouble,’” he said. send reports of oppressive acts to equity@ According to the woman’s statement to haverford.org. MR. LUQMAN KOLADE Cornell police, two people eventually walked Mr. Kolade said students can also go into the room and said they were shutting it to their advisors, to him, or to Mr. Fifer or Mr. Fifer and Mr. Kolade both said that down, and the group scattered. Mr. Casertano. “Sometimes it’s as simple as knowing something is wrong is different Our card has a word for the person who just having someone to talk things through from saying it out loud. steps in and stands up. If we witness racist, with,” Mr. Kolade said. “The easiest answer is peer pressure,” sexist, homophobic, or other oppressive acts, He has offered one piece of advice to Mr. Kolade said. “If I say something, I’m it says, “I will be an upstander and report many students over the years. “If I have a gonna be isolated, I’m gonna be ostracized, it.” Mr. Fifer used the same word. He said friend who’s in pain, I should tell someone,” people are gonna think I’m a snitch.” he hopes students who understand the social he said. “You never want to be the last one to “People say that they do. They think pressure around them can “be an upstander, have information.” they do,” Mr. Kolade said. “But it’s much to intervene when they know something is “Ultimately, everyone here cares about harder to be standing up by yourself on an just not right.” you,” Mr. Kolade said.

Fords travel to central Europe, cont. from front page This experience extended beyond history. Traveling abroad also challenged them to question assumptions they brought with them. “Any time our students travel to another country, they confront stereotypes and preconceived notions, and I think this program was no different,” Mr. Poolman said. Mr. Poolman said there was no single most-memorable moment because each student came away with something different. “Travel-study programs like this have so many impactful moments that it’s difficult to choose just one. Each student’s lived experience also brings different perspectives to the program. For some students, connecting with locals while traveling is what they remember most. For others, visiting certain sites is most impactful.” Those varied experiences reflect the broader goals of the Global Studies program. According to Mr. Poolman, the program’s broad goal is for students to “be curious, embrace the discomfort, and engage with the world.” “Academic travel broadens perspectives,

deepens what we study, and helps students make new connections. It develops many skills that are really difficult to teach within the walls of a classroom,” Mr Poolman said.

“For some students, connecting with locals while traveling is what they remember most. For others, visiting certain sites is most impactful.” MR. ANDREW POOLMAN

For the students who made the journey, the trip offered something no textbook could: the chance to stand where history happened and see the world a little differently when they came home.

COURTESY OF MR. BHELLY BAGBONON

Tour guide Simon points out a cabin at Birkenau, the largest concentration and extermination camp during the Holocaust

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the index · news

October 2026

Protecting football players from game’s hidden risks

Alexander Keuffel ’29

very autumn, millions of Americans come together to watch football, a sport defined by strategy and speed, but also by collisions and physical contact. Behind professional football lies a serious long-term health concern that can result from long-term exposure to repeated head impacts: a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. The risk of CTE is particularly concerning in both college and professional football because players can experience repeated head impacts throughout their careers. These impacts do not always result in a concussion, meaning that a player may continue participating without realizing the potential long-term effects of repeated trauma to the brain. While professional players often receive greater medical attention and access to neurological resources, even college athletes face significant exposure to repetitive head impacts at a critical stage of their athletic careers. Researchers continue to study how repeated head impacts may contribute to CTE and other long-term changes in the brain. Boston University’s CTE Center reported finding CTE in 345 of 376 former NFL players whose donated brains it had studied. This unsettling finding raises the question: what measures does Haverford’s football program take to protect its players from the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts?

Boston University’s CTE Center reported finding CTE in 345 of 376 former NFL players whose donated brains it had studied. For player safety, proactively identify-

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

A student’s football helmet, designed specifically to prevent brain injury during intense games ing a head injury is crucial. Head Athletic identify when a player may need further days in practice are really just limited contact Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director Mr. medical evaluation before returning to play. with minimal full tackling.” Bill Wardle said, “It all starts with looking Other measures that the program has impleAlthough head impacts remain a conmented are more preventive. for those big hits.” cern in high school football, it has not been One preventive measure is the use of proven that CTE is a huge risk factor for high After a big collision, coaches and staff monitor the player, looking for unusual be- Guardian Caps, which provide an additional school football. “The notion of CTE has not havior or physical symptoms of a head inju- layer of padding on a player’s helmet. “They come up at the high school level yet, just ry. “If he’s not walking straight, if he’s not can decrease some of the forces from a direct because it’s largely people that have played acting like his normal self, if it sounds like helmet-to-helmet blow,” Mr. Wardle said. football for a lifetime, like high school, colhe’s talking differently, he seems disorient- In addition to the Guardian Caps, coach- lege, and pro,” Mr. Wardle explains. “To my ed,” Mr. Wardle said, “then we just have to ing staff have limited the team’s full-contact knowledge, there haven’t been any cases of practices. “Each week, we only do really one kids who only played high school football keep a really close eye.” Observations like these can help staff full day of full hitting, and the rest of the and then went on to have CTE.”

Navigating college admissions testing policies

Will Komada ’28

ll Haverford students, faculty, and staff can attest to the fact that COVID-19 had a profound effect on our community. When COVID-19 disrupted access to SAT and ACT testing, many colleges that had previously required standardized tests adopted test-optional policies. The shift raised a larger question: Would test-optional admissions last? In recent years, several highly selective colleges and universities have reinstated standardized testing requirements. Admissions officers consider several parts of a student’s application, including the high school transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and, when required or submitted, SAT or ACT scores.

“The one thing that you really can’t leverage AI for right now is taking the SAT or ACT.” MR. JEREMY BRANCH College Counselor Mr. Jeremy Branch said students should develop as well-rounded an application as possible, one that answers as many questions as college admissions officers might have. Mr. Branch said strong high school grades do not always allow colleges to compare applicants directly because grading standards and student populations vary among schools. In his view, standardized

test scores can provide colleges with another point of comparison. Mr. Branch also views standardized testing as one area of the application process less affected by AI. “Students can use [AI] for their essays. Students can use it to enhance their performance in the classroom. But the one thing that you really can’t leverage AI for right now is taking the SAT or ACT.” Among the universities that returned quickest to test-requiring admissions were elite institutions such as MIT, the service academies, and most of the Ivy League. “If you’re only admitting seven percent of your applicant pool, and most of those students applying are pretty highly qualified, then how do they parse through those highly-qualified applicants?” Mr. Branch said. “To certain test-required schools, having the SAT as another data point is essential for this process.” At under-resourced high schools, some students have not been taught everything on the SAT, particularly certain concepts in the math section. While the SAT is designed so that students, even from these under-resourced schools, know all the concepts, there are certain things in the harder math modules that these students may not have been exposed to yet. Some colleges embraced test-optional admissions long before the pandemic, many of which believe that there are ways to assess a candidate well without the SAT. Mr. Branch said colleges can still learn a great deal about applicants without standardized test scores: “Having worked in admissions for sixteen years, students give admissions officers so much more information through

COMMUNICATIONS

Fifth Formers in Ms. Lewis’ Biology class last November their application that many of these admis- other parts of their application. However, sions officers do not need SAT scores.” students applying to test-required instituMr. Branch said other parts of the appli- tions may still need to submit scores regardcation remain essential regardless of whether less of whether standardized testing is one of a student submits standardized test scores. their strengths. “[College admissions officers] get to hear For these students, Mr. Branch said, “If from two teachers—usually in two different you are not a great test-taker, it is crucial to disciplines—who have observed your work do some test prep. However, if you cannot ethic, the way you work with others, the way get the score that you were aiming for after you attack your tests and quizzes, the way preparing a lot, then it is important to talk to you complete assignments, and even the way your college counselor and see whether you that you think,” Mr. Branch said. want to pivot.” Standardized test scores also provide litStudents, their families, and their countle information about an applicant’s charac- selors will need to continue to work in tanter or relationships with others. dem to adapt to changing test policies in Some students also struggle with stan- order to ensure the best outcome for each dardized tests despite performing well in student.

the index · features

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October 2026

features

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Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s marquee on Lancaster Avenue

Bryn Mawr Film Institute celebrates a century of film

Jayden Thomas ’27

icture house, movie theater, cinema, movie house, and cineplex. There are countless names for the dark rooms where projectors flicker media to plunge us into an alternate reality. But when you walk beneath the glowing marquee on hectic Lancaster Avenue, you aren’t just entering another movie theater, you are stepping into a true institute. October 1, 2026 marked the hundredth anniversary of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI) as a cinematic cornerstone of the Main Line. Before it was a non-profit institute, BMFI was known as The Seville Theatre. According to a 1926 edition of The College News, Bryn Mawr College’s student newspaper, “The Seville Theatre, the new movie house in Bryn Mawr, will open on Thursday night, September 30, with The Family Upstairs.” On that opening night a century ago, audiences sat in a sprawling 700-seat auditorium, mesmerized by a silent comedy-drama accompanied by a live, resounding theater organist. The Seville was (and still is) a masterpiece of architecture, designed by the well-regarded Philadelphia architect William H. Lee, who renovated the Walnut Street and Royal Theaters. It was built with a staggering $350,000 budget—over $3.5 million today—boasting a classical facade, two-story glass-vaulted arcade, and an ornate BeauxArts interior that brought “Broadway high society” to the growing village of Bryn Mawr. But why is it called an institute? After decades of operation as a single-screen theater and later being subdivided into a twin theater in 1978, the historic building faced an uncertain future as the industry shifted towards colossal multiplexes like AMCs and Regal. In December 2004, The Seville was purchased by the newly formed Bryn Mawr Film Institute. However, the organization didn’t just save the building to show the constant reel of low-brow movies. It has transformed the space into a non-profit center for media, educational programs for all ages, and the preservation of independent, documentary, and vintage films. It is an institute because

it treats cinema not merely as a commercial consumerist product but as a cultural landmark. To understand what it takes to keep this heritage alive, I sat down with BMFI theater manager Erica Cutaia. Cutaia oversees the daily operations that make the moviegoing experience feel seamless to the viewer. To mark this centennial milestone, BMFI hosted a Centennial Soiree gala on its anniversary. To BMFI, the event represents a rare pause for the bustling theater.

“Instead of throwing away the old, we are trying to create a little museum space to honor our history.” BMFI THEATER MANAGER ERICA CUTAIA “It’s like the first time ever that we’re shutting down our operations for the day . . . just to really celebrate and meet with members and our community,” Cutaia said. To honor their vast history, the staff even compiled a comprehensive Letterboxd list documenting every single movie they have shown over the past century. Cutaia’s own journey with BMFI echoes the theater’s focus on growth and community. Starting in 2023 as a floor-staff member making popcorn, she is now training as a projectionist. Over the past few years, she has seen a resurgence in cinema, even in an age of endless scrolling and glowing phone screens. A major draw has been the installation of refurbished, vintage projectors capable of running both 35mm and 70mm film. Recently, the theater screened Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film The Odyssey. This was BMFI’s first time running a new release on 70mm analog film in the modern era (one of fifty theaters in the world & their highest-grossing run of all time). “That’s just been very exciting to see that coming back,” Cutaia said. For her, running physical film offers an

avenue for connection that many viewers don’t perceive with digital files. While she believes any trip to the theater is a valuable communal experience, the analog process is far more involved. “As a projectionist, you’re the last line of production for that movie,” she said. “You’re switching from projector to projector, and it’s like a magic trick [for the audience] . . . feeling that energy of the live show with the audience on the film side is much different than a digital screening.” This commitment to the holistic cinematic experience extends to the theater’s programming and preservation efforts. BMFI works closely with external organizations, one such being Be Real Cinema, to curate diverse lineups that ensure everyone in the community is represented. To preserve its own local history, the staff recently constructed a “secret” archives room directly behind the screen of Theater One. “Instead of throwing away the old, we are trying to create a little museum space to honor our history,” Cutaia said. She hopes it will soon become a physical gathering space for community conversations about the institute’s founding and ongoing mission. Looking beyond 100 years, BMFI aims to expand with potential outdoor screenings and the perpetual goal of adding yet another set of analog projectors for Theater Three. Yet, the institute is still dedicated to the simple joy of sharing movies. Cutaia, whose own love for films stems from childhood viewings

of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on VHS, still finds joy in projecting classics for children’s birthday parties. “Whenever I can project one of my childhood favorite movies for the next generation,” she said, “that just makes me so happy.” This legacy of sharing cinema is connected more closely to us at Haverford than many of us realize. While taking a backstage tour of the rooms of the institute, I stumbled upon a golden plaque adorning BMFI’s film studies library. The plaque proudly dedicates the space as the “George Rehrauer Collection: a gift of The Haverford School.” It was a pleasant surprise to stand in this historic building and realize that our own school played a direct role in BMFI’s educational mission. Where do we as Haverford students fit into the next century of BMFI’s history? It’s simple: show up. In an era dominated by algorithms dictating our reels, streaming, and purchases, we need to break free from our devices and enter into a shared experience of simply watching a movie. Whether it’s attending a screening of a classic on 70mm, using the Rehrauer library for a research project, or just choosing BMFI over an AMC the next time you are craving a blockbuster, we can keep this cultural media center going. The next time you’re looking for an escape, take a walk down Lancaster Avenue towards Bryn Mawr, step beneath that glowing marquee, and get comfortable in your seat as the lights fade to darkness.

JAYDEN THOMAS ’27

Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s archives room in its historic building

the index · features

Page 7

October 2026

Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences closes its doors after 200 years Alex Fenton ’28

he Academy of Natural Sciences has permanently closed its museum doors after 200 years of serving the Philadelphia community. The museum struggled to stay afloat for years because of rising costs and fewer visitors after the pandemic. The decision was also influenced by struggles with declining enrollment at Drexel University, the academy’s owner. While dioramas, fossils, and exhibits will be closed, research will continue. The academy holds more than 19 million specimens, ranging from the fossilized tusk of a mastodon to local magnolia leaves. Although research will continue, it is undeniable that the museum became a key part of the academy’s identity. The museum solidified itself as Philadelphia’s premier nat-

ural history museum, appearing on several notable tours around our city. Besides tourism, the museum produced millions of fond memories from field trips, birthday parties, and spontaneous visits alike. During its last month, in the Outside-In Discovery Center, an exhibit focused on live specimens, each wall was adorned with notes. All of these notes said goodbye to the beloved museum in their own unique way. “This is my first time here,” one note read. “It is beyond saddening that it will be my last.” I resonated with this sadness. Even though I had begged my parents to go with me as a child, until I heard of their closing, I had not thought about the place, let alone gone, in years.

As I said goodbye to the sticky-notecovered room, a pink note plastered on an artificial tree stump caught my eye. This feeling of loss was shared by many. While I walked the halls, surrounded by insects, arachnids, and mammals of all kinds, I was glad to know that so many people felt the same connection to the academy as I did: stories of families visiting over multiple generations, a man proposing to his wife in Dinosaur Hall, father-and-son bonding time,

WALLY GOBETZ VIA FLICKR

and so much more. As I said goodbye to the sticky-notecovered room, a pink note plastered on an artificial tree stump caught my eye. “If the youth can’t connect with wildlife, they won’t protect it,” it read. The scenes of bobcats with small birds in their mouths or confrontations between different ungulates had been the academy’s way of creating stories about how these animals ended up this way. Despite this, interest in the natural world and its history is waning, and the closing of the museum represents yet another devastating loss to the field. An article in Scientific American by Jennifer Frazer notes that interest in natural history has steadily declined since World War II. This shift has been influenced by the growing popularity of the hard sciences, which have become more important with the presence of nuclear weapons and modern medicine. As a result of this cultural shift, more biology students are choosing to specialize in a field like biochemistry or cellular biology, while the natural sciences are left to the wayside. Whether or not the natural sciences will continue to exist, the building holds history. After all, the academy houses specimens from as far back as Louis and Clark’s expedition, and the museum was the first of its kind to display a mounted dinosaur skeleton to the public. Although the museum permanently closed on September 30th, an article from NBC 10 Philadelphia notes that certain city council members are hoping to set aside special funds for the museum, which could involve a possible reopening. If not, it is likely that the building will be sold privately, considering that Drexel has already had the property evaluated. While walking down the staircase under a plesiosaur skeleton, I wondered how many times I had visited the museum and how many dinosaur miniatures at the gift shop I had begged my mother to buy. Once outside, I took one final look. The Deinonychus statue still caught my eye, just as it did when I first visited, years ago.

Displays outside the Academy of Natural Sciences on Logan Circle

Brody Collins balances football and soccer

Alex Winn ’28

ixth Former Brody Collins played soccer throughout high school. In his Fourth Form year, after being recruited to kick for the football team by then-Sixth Former Josh Williams, he tried balancing both sports. “The reason I got into football was an EA Day competition,” Collins said. “I nailed a long field goal and will never forget the moment Josh Williams came up to me and asked why I hadn’t tried football sooner.” After considering his options, Collins was determined to try both, splitting his free time during the fall between the two. “What I do for the season is go out to soccer practice from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Then I quickly run into the locker room, change, and head out to the football field with just enough time to get warmed up and stretch,” Collins said. This process can be stressful at times, but one of the keys to success throughout it all is communication. “[Playing football] doesn’t affect his role at all,” Director of Soccer Mr. Keith Cappo said. “I think he has been very organized. We’ve had a lot of communication to minimize any conflict.” Brody isn’t the first Haverford athlete who has played two sports during the same

season, but what stands out about Collins is his leadership across both sports. “Brody’s a great leader on special teams and the team in general,” Fifth Former Luke Andersen, one of Collins’ football teammates, said. “He is always locked in and has a great attitude.”

“The support that I have received is great.” BRODY COLLINS ’27 Despite the sacrifices, Collins is appreciative of the opportunities that he has been given. Whether it is the chance to play in college or strengthening his relationships with coaches and teammates, playing both sports has been an important part of Collins’ time at Haverford. “The support that I have received is great,” Collins said. “I am forever grateful for how much each coach has helped me get to where I am.” After graduating from Haverford, Collins plans to continue his football career at Colby College.

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Brody Collins ’27 kicking an extra point in a 31-20 win against Calvert Hall

the index · academics

Page 8

October 2026

academics

Humanities teachers pilot exam.net lockdown browser

Vikram Ponnuru ’29

hen the exam starts, the screen locks. No other open tabs, no notes, and absolutely no AI chatbots allowed. Students can only type. That is one way Exam.net can work, using restrictions selected by teachers during online assessments. Haverford is integrating the online testing platform over the course of the 2026–2027 school year. The platform runs tests in a lockdown browser at a time when artificial intelligence is changing how students study and write. According to exam.net’s parent company, Teachiq AB, more than 270,000 teachers use the software globally. In its high-security mode, students take their tests in a lockeddown app. According to the company’s website, it scans in the background for split screens, virtual machines, and remote desktop tools, alerting the teacher to any violations. Dean of Students and English teacher Mr. Luqman Kolade said the program’s primary purpose is to prevent academic dishonesty. “It’s much easier to cheat on a computer than it is if you’re in a class writing by hand,” Mr. Kolade said. “Writing by hand is hard on the hand,” he said, “but it is far harder to cheat that way.”

10/4/26, 12:59 PM

exam.net student interface - Index Staff

INDEX STAFF

The exam.net student interface provides a “lockdown” environment for a variety of assessements However, he does not see the software cy and stumbling through. Only by doing it further in balancing AI use with academic as a cure for the root of the problem. “A kid yourself, unencumbered, can you get better.” integrity. Exam.net, she said, is not an instantaFourth Former Munashe Kachidza said, who is going to cheat is going to cheat,” Mr. Kolade said. “Just because he doesn’t cheat in neous fix for the learning process, but it is “I think that being so strict about AI is actually going to backfire on the school.” front of you doesn’t mean he’s not going to a start. “I think of it as a distraction-free tool Kachidza suggested offering an AI eleccheat outside of the classroom.” The software doesn’t fix morality; it fixes that better creates a conversation between tive or dedicating several Community Periods to having AI professionals teach students a practical problem: knowing exactly whose student and teacher,” Ms. Orlandini said. about its proper and ethical use. work teachers are grading for any given asFourth Former Alex Peter agrees, noting sessment. “The line between AI that businesses use AI constantly. English teacher Ms. MeeRee Orlandini helping and cheating Students, too, are split on how fresees the question from a different perspecquently cheating happens. Kachidza said tive. For her, the issue comes down to how is very thin.” he believes AI is heavily used on essays and students learn to think. short assignments. “I understand that we live in a new MUNASHE KACHIDZA ’29 “The line between AI helping and cheatworld with AI. However, for English and as ing is very thin,” Kachidza said. an English teacher, I don’t believe AI serves a Mr. Kolade said AI can play a more usePeter said, “Guys use [AI] to cheat, but valuable role,” Ms. Orlandini said. “AI seems to be about efficiency and synthesizing an- ful role outside of assessments. He encour- not as much as teachers think.” Exam.net can lock a screen for an hourswers quickly, but reading, writing, learning ages students to prompt AI for study guides how to read and write, and thinking and and practice exams based on questions he long exam; it can’t answer what students and teachers are still working out: where AI aids making decisions require the opposite: they provides. Some students want the school to go learning and where it replaces it. require the long, arduous road of inefficien-

Fords Robotics prepares to “Override” new game

Cody Luong ’29

tacking sounds simple. This year, it to the World Championships,” Coach My- around the world. The tournament revealed our robot is is through competition,” Febres isn’t. ers said. “This year, there is a clear, explicit one of the team’s principal strengths: collab- said. The pins in this year’s robotics goal among four of the drive teams to quali- oration. After the tournament, the team’s fogame, “Override,” are difficult to stack and fy for the World Championships. Just as imFifth Former Theo Berkman said, “This cus has shifted from simply qualifying for easy to knock over. What appears to be a portantly, they are committing to the work season, more than any, we’ve been able to get Worlds to understanding how to get there. straightforward task turns into one of the needed to achieve that goal.” everybody to find ways to contribute.” “I mostly want my team to get a better hardest challenges Haverford’s robotics team For Fifth Former Ebiel Febres and his On the other hand, the Mall of America understanding of robotics and the competiwill face this year. team 169C, qualifying for Worlds has al- tournament exposed areas where the team tion in general, beyond just winning,” BerkIn the game, teams use their robots to ready meant hundreds of hours of prepara- could improve. man said. “This is not my team’s last year, 1:20 100 PM hours on Robotics.3 - Brandyn score points by moving and placing the pins https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16kae_cWJQAB2rqkvSKPb4XjJger-Kq2m tion. They have spent10/5/26, at least “[Mall of America] taught us that the soLuong we ‘27 still have room to grow and improve 1/1 into cylindrical scoring areas. their notebook—a journal documenting the only way to properly know how competitive throughout this season and the next.” status of their robotics progress—and even more time building and maintaining their “I think people don’t robot. understand how “I think people don’t understand how much time has to go into robotics in order to much time has to go be competitive,” Febres said. “Due to there into robotics in order being a split between matches and the noteto be competitive.” book, it involves double the amount of time people would originally think. ” EBIEL FEBRES ’28 For Fourth Former Steve Xie and Sixth Former Taha Obuz of 169R, this year’s game “This game is one of the more challeng- may seem simple at face value, but simple ing ones that I remember,” Head Robotics does not mean easy. Coach Mr. Adam Myers said. “It is a stack“I think that [Override] encourages exing game with objects that are difficult to cellence in many areas, not just designing stack, but easy to knock over.” and building,” Xie said. “That also makes deThis year may bring a new game, but sign an underrated aspect of the game, with the teams’ goals remain certain. Since sum- many teams leaning towards certain ‘meta’ mer began, the four teams have been work- [popular and effective] designs instead of ing to qualify for the 2027 VEX Robotics properly weighing pros and cons.” World Championship. At their latest tournament, hosted at “Every year, the robotics team has the Mall of America, the team competed against COURTESY OF BRANDYN LUONG ’27 implied goal of getting drive-team groups around 120 other robotics teams from Kent Foo ’28 observing a trial of 160C’s robot for this year’s Override game

Page 9

the index · academics

October 2026

Students feel effects of new academic schedule

Colt McDevitt ’28

ith the new schedule officially in effect, the student body is feeling the effects of five periods, more frequent class meetings, and fewer breaks. Instead of four 75-minute class blocks with ASB after the first class, students this year have five shorter periods with ASB at the end of the day. While this gives students more meetings with teachers, it may affect

day-to-day energy levels. “I feel more drained at the end of the day with this new schedule compared to the old one,” Sixth Former Patrick Reno said. Reno also pointed out the effects of the new academic support block (ASB) system. Previously, ASB was an opportunity to work on homework due that day if a student wasn’t able to complete homework the day before. ASB provided the opportunity, as

well as serving as a chance for students to grab a snack or breakfast from the café. Now, the absence of such a period may feel jarring. “Without that nice break between first and second period, I feel like overall energy has gone down during the morning,” Reno said. Some students feel that the new schedule has affected the amount of homework they receive. Having one class three days in

a row—and the first three classes of one day repeated as the last three of the next—can be challenging, especially if you have a class where heavy reading is required, such as English or history. Grinding through three tenpage readings three nights in a row can be draining.

“My amount of homework feels like it has increased, which becomes a hassle if you are doing three long readings a night.” PATRICK RENO ’27

COURTESY OF UPPER SCHOOL OFFICE

The new upper school schedule prioritizes class frequency over length, among other changes

“My amount of homework feels like it has increased,” Reno said, “which becomes a hassle if you are doing three long readings a night.” Teachers have also adjusted their approach to their courses and the way they assign work. History teacher Mr. Brian Long has said the schedule has given him more opportunities to build deeper bonds with students, and he views the schedule as an overall good thing. “I’m covering more material because I’m seeing my students more frequently,” Mr. Long said. While some students already view the schedule change negatively due to increased class meetings, Mr. Long believes not enough time has passed to evaluate the new schedule. “It is probably too early to make a call on whether my students are struggling to meet deadlines in the new schedule,” Mr. Long said. “I think this new schedule is a net positive for the students and faculty… Seeing our students more leads to deeper learning and stronger relationships.”

Calculus I* and II* become one year-long course

Hanru Li ’29

omewhere on the more rigorous side of the course catalog lies Calculus I* and II*, among two of the most advanced math classes that Haverford offers. What happens when they collide and merge into one? Previously, completing both courses required three semesters spread across two years. Now, the school has compressed the material into two semesters over one year. Because topics flow smoothly into one another, combining the material into one year is much more feasible. In combining Calc I* and Calc II* into one year, students who take this course, especially in their Fifth Form year, will be able to take more electives (since they don’t take Calc II* in senior year for one semester).

role of Statistics* teacher, while Mr. Matthew Ator leads Calculus I* and I/II* classes. Mr. Jeremy Fus teaches what may be Haverford’s last ever Calculus II* class. Students who perform well in the class are in a good position to achieve high scores on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam,

which can then be used later to apply to colleges. For students taking on the challenge of this course, it will represent a rigorous yet cohesive dive into college mathematics. Fifth Former Byron Yang said, “With Calc I* and Calc II* merging, it has been in-

teresting so far, but I mean that in the best way possible. Additionally, class engagement has been really good, and I think that Mr. Ator has done a fantastic job of presenting the material in an engaging and conducive manner.”

For students taking on the challenge of this course, it will represent a rigorous yet cohesive dive into college mathematics. Since the two classes have been combined, students should expect a faster-paced class compared to previous years. The main driver for changing the course is Haverford’s new academic rotation schedule. The addition of one extra meeting per cycle keeps the material fresh and makes the heavier workload manageable. This course restructuring also affects our faculty. Dr. Mark Gottlieb now assumes the

INDEX STAFF

Mr. Matthew Ator (left) guides Alex Schwarting ’29 (right) through a derivation in the new Calculus I* course

Page 10

the index · neighborhood

October 2026

neighborhood

Head of School charts Master Plan, cont. from front page One area where the school hopes to address those safety concerns is parking. Haverford currently has 297 parking spaces for faculty, students, and visitors, but needs around 400 to accommodate everyone. The shortage leads some drivers to park in the surrounding neighborhood and cross busy streets to enter campus. Not only is there a parking shortage on campus, but the lack of connected roadways within campus forces some traffic back onto Lancaster and Railroad Avenues, creating additional safety concerns with traffic backups at dropoff and pickup times. The proposed master plan calls for the creation of a two-level parking garage designed to increase the amount of parking spots on campus to 480. A central lane would ramp down to additional parking on the lower level before leading to a roundabout. From there, drivers could exit toward Railroad Avenue, use a right-turn-only exit, or continue along an internal roadway toward the middle and lower school drop-off and pick-up areas. This internal roadway would allow drivers to move between different areas of campus without having to exit onto surrounding roads.

For students who currently drive to school, the proposed changes could make parking one of the most immediately noticeable parts of the master plan. For students who currently drive to school, the proposed changes could make parking one of the most immediately noticeable parts of the master plan. Sixth Former Hugh Williams, who lives on Panmure Road, sees the proposed garage as one of the plan’s most significant changes. Williams said, “There’s not going to be terrible parallel parking on Panmure [or] cars getting scraped.” The proposed location of the parking garage, however, would require another major change. Due to the lack of space on campus, the only feasible location for the proposed garage is the current Memorial Field, where the baseball and soccer teams play. To make room for the parking garage, the master plan would relocate both teams to a redesigned Eagle Field, which would become a shared baseball and soccer field. This relocation would require vacating Panmure Road and removing several school-owned properties. The proposed changes around Panmure Road have raised concerns among nearby residents about how closing part of the road could affect traffic and access through the neighborhood. In response, the school has met with nearby residents and is pursuing the possibility of returning Buck Lane to two-way traffic. Sixth Former Conor Morsell, who lives on Panmure Road, said he was initially concerned about how the closure would affect his own travel through the neighborhood. “I was a little disappointed because I have a lot of friends who live over on the other side of Haverford Avenue… It would be an extra five minutes for my drive,” Morsell said. However, the possibility of Buck Lane returning to two-way traffic changed his view of the proposal. Morsell said, “Now that I heard that they’re reopening Buck Lane, I feel very excited about it.”

COURTESY OF HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP

Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano speaks at the Haverford Township Planning Commission Meeting Beyond changes to parking, roads, and at… Guys have gotten bigger, stronger, more quate outdoor spaces for the school’s youngathletic fields, the master plan also proposes physical,” Mr. Murphy said. est students. The master plan proposes new major changes to the center of campus. The proposed field would provide more playground areas designed to better serve One of the largest changes proposed is space for both teams while also changing the them. Along with the lower school, Cententhe reconstruction of the current dining hall experience for spectators. nial Hall would also see some renovations. and its relocation to where the Walk of Vir“It’s kind of wedged in there, so the Centennial remains effective as a performtues currently stands. The Walk of Virtues spectator experience […] is kind of detached ing arts center, so unlike the dining hall, it would be relocated to a more prominent en- in some of those places,” Mr. Murphy said. would not see a major overhaul. Instead, rentrance to the quad near the middle school, The proposed design would include ovations would focus primarily on bringing where it would serve as a pedestrian connec- bleachers behind home plate and along the the building up to accessibility standards, tion into the center of campus. The proposed baselines for baseball, as well as grandstands including adding an elevator and improving dining hall would take over part of the low- with space for both home and visiting spec- its restroom accommodations. er school, which could require some lower tators during soccer games. Other proposed changes focus less on school spaces to be reconfigured or expanded student spaces themselves and more on how elsewhere. The current dining hall, which is the campus operates behind the scenes. The current fitness roughly 70 years old, was built to accommoThe loading dock is currently situated center lacks the space date 300 to 400 fewer students than are presbetween the dining hall and middle school ently enrolled. and flexibility for carand is one of the first things parents and The existing dining hall’s lack of space visitors see when they pull into the middle dio, stretching, and has created problems beyond crowded and lower school drop-off and pick-up circle. other types of fitness lunches, affecting how the school schedules With the proposed multipurpose building beyond the weight the academic day around getting students replacing the current dining hall, the loading through the dining hall. room, limiting how dock would also be demolished. Under the “We can’t design the academic schedproposed plan, it would be moved underthe space can serve ules in the lower, middle, and upper schools ground with a separate entrance off Railroad the school’s needs. through the perspective of what’s the best Avenue. The move would also address safety way to sequence classes for you guys. We concerns, as younger students regularly walk have to design them through how we feed The proposed changes would not only through the area while large delivery trucks you,” Mr. Casertano said. “We just have to affect the sports fields but also the athletics pull in and out of the loading dock. get you in there and out of there as quickly center itself. While the master plan lays out a vision as possible.” The current fitness center lacks the for how much of the campus could change, The proposed dining hall would provide space and flexibility for cardio, stretching, when those changes could become reality still more space and seating, with enough room and other types of fitness beyond the weight remains uncertain. The plan must receive the for an entire division to potentially eat to- room, limiting how the space can serve the necessary municipal approvals, with support gether at once. Currently, there are often not school’s needs. from the surrounding community playing enough seats despite split lunch times. The The plan calls for expanding the athletic an important role in that process. Even if additional space would allow schedules to center onto the current outdoor basketball the plan receives those approvals, fundraisbe less oriented around getting students in court, creating a larger fitness center with ing would still be needed before many of the and out of the dining hall and create more more open space in the weight room for proposed changes could become reality. For opportunities for students to interact with added safety and greater flexibility for cardio, these reasons, there is currently no set timeothers outside their usual groups. stretching, and other fitness activities. The line for when construction could begin or “The dining hall is the aspect of the expansion would also double the number of when the master plan might be completed. master plan that will have the most mean- squash courts from four to eight, addressing When asked whether current lower ingful impact on the culture of Haverford a shortage that currently limits participation school students could see parts of the master and the sense of community that we aspire and complicates practice scheduling. These plan come into effect before they graduate, to create,” Mr. Casertano said. facilities aren’t just used by sports teams, but Mr. Casertano said, “I hope so.” When the current dining hall is torn also by students in PE classes and the broadFor most current students, the full imdown, the master plan proposes constructing er student body. pact of the plan will not be visible until after a new multipurpose building in its place that “People don’t understand how import- they have graduated. By then, much of the could house the Fords Store, business office, ant the strength and conditioning center campus they return to could look different and other spaces for students and faculty. and what Coach Rosko does [are] because it from the one they attended. The master plan would also address sev- really impacts all of our athletes and all of Mr. Casertano said, “I hope that this eral limitations in Haverford’s current athlet- our teams and all of our students in terms campus still feels like the school that they ic facilities. of their wellness and health and well-being,” went to, but like an enhanced version of According to Mr. Murphy, Memorial Mr. Murphy said. that campus and one that they wish they had Field is too small. Several smaller changes throughout been able to enjoy when they were students, “Our soccer and baseball fields were campus are also included in the master plan. one that they’re proud of.” both undersized for the level that we play The lower school currently lacks ade-

Page 11

the index · neighborhood

October 2026

Is the Main Line watching you?

Ignacio Aliaga ’29

t the recent budgeting workshop at the Lower Merion Police Department (LMPD), $375,000 was proposed for township drones. A drone would be stored in the township building and sent out in response to certain 911 calls. It surveys a situation and sends information to a remote officer, who can then guide first responders. Officer Joe Smith, a Community Relations Officer and Part 107 Drone Operator at LMPD, said that “trying to search an area faster than you can do on foot using technology to your advantage, like thermal imaging cameras,” prompted LMPD to adopt a Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program.

The program does have safeguards: Flight routes, dates, and times will be logged on a publicly visible website as part of the DFR program. The Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners is split on the program. Some commissioners believe it is a “no-brainer,” while others are worried about the privacy implications. This township in particular has to take extreme precautions against pri-

vacy concerns after what happened in 2010 with the Robbins vs. Lower Merion School District lawsuit, when Lower Merion High School was caught taking thousands of photos of kids with their school-issued computers. Opinions on the Main Line are mixed. “I am worried about what this drone

Lower Merion isn’t the first police department to try drones. program could lead to,” Fourth Former Xander Yee said, “especially with the uprising and scandals with Flock cameras.” The program does have safeguards: Flight routes, dates, and times will be logged on a publicly visible website as part of the DFR program. “Drones can’t look into a second-floor window of a house without a search warrant, and the same rule applies to officers,” Officer Smith said. Lower Merion isn’t the first police department to try drones. The Los Angeles Police Department has already implemented a DFR program and has put in place the same safeguards as LMPD plans to, drawing little major pushback. Brookhaven Police De-

COURTESY OF HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP

A Lower Merion police officer discusses the need for drones at the September 9th Budget Workshop meeting partment in Georgia has also implemented a partment. This plan is a five-year deal, which DFR program with positive results. A report totals the above $375,000. In addition, the published by the drone company alongside drone will receive free repairs and be replaced city officials claims a 12% reduction in total halfway through the deal at no cost. index crime and a 20% reduction in violent The Township Commissioners have yet and property index crimes. to vote. Many commissioners are concerned LMPD already works with a technology about the unclear policy details before the company called Axon for all of the town- DFR program is written into next year’s ship’s car and body cameras. Now, they will budget, so it might be some time before they also provide drones. The technology will cost hover in the sky. approximately $75,000 per year for the de-

Best places to get your hair cut on the Main Line Harrison Gurk ’30

or some people, a haircut needs to be done every two to three weeks. Others treat their haircut as a ritual with a certain standard of style. Main Liners tend to lean toward the prim and proper end of the hair care spectrum, so this historic and prestigious suburb of Philadelphia has many a choice of high-end salons and barbershops. Barbers generally recommend a trim every three to six weeks, according to Barbermane’s grooming guide. As of October 2026, the average men’s haircut costs about $29. Fourth Former Carter Smith gets his hair cut every six weeks at Philly Bloke in Wayne, where he regularly pays between $45 and $60. “I like the people and the haircuts,” Smith said. Fifth Former Alton Tiongco goes every three months to Francesco and Giovanni

Salon in Montgomery County, where he spends about $40 per cut. “The first time I went there, the service was really good [and] the barber was really nice,” Tiongco said. “They ask what you want and make sure that you get what you want.”

Upper School English teacher Mr. Jesse Sataloff pays $28 at Scissors, a small shop in Bryn Mawr. Upper School English teacher Mr. Jesse Sataloff pays $28 at Scissors, a small shop in Bryn Mawr. “I would love to get my hair cut every

three weeks or so, but with the chaos of my schedule probably closer to every month and a half,” Mr. Sataloff said. Mr. Sataloff first found Scissors with a quick Google Maps search when he moved to the area. “They’re very kind people, and they do a good job,” he said. Still, in today’s economy, he is concerned about the dramatic price increase of his haircut. Many options are also available close to campus. Salon Cachet at Haverford Station is a short walk or a three-minute drive. It lists men’s haircuts as a specialty, with cuts starting at $35 with a stylist and $45 with the owner. Pageboy Hair Society and Salon 31 are both in Ardmore. Salon 31 has a 4.4-star rating from more than 100 Yelp reviews. For a traditional barbershop, Gentleman’s Quarters Barbershop in Ardmore shares the same

three-minute long drive from 450 Lancaster. Boasting an energetic and welcoming shop atmosphere, it is a local spot providing premier haircuts for all ages and hair types. Make Your Mark is another neighborhood barbershop located just minutes away on East County Line Road. The shop is praised for meticulous fades, trims, and classic men’s cuts. Finally, located a short drive down Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, The Fade Factory brings high-end Philadelphia-style fades to the Main Line by combining traditional old-school barbering in a luxury setting. Whether you are looking for a simple “wash and cut” or want to enrich your experience with additional treatments such as scalp treatment, styling, or coloring, there will always be a salon or barbershop for you on the Main Line.

Ardmore adds two more Asian cafes

Kent Foo ’28

wo new cafes opened near campus this summer: Half a While and Mango Mango. Both specialize in Asian desserts, giving students new options for an after-school treat. They join a number of similar shops in the area, including Yi’s Boba, Mr. Wish, Maido, and Tous les Jours—a French-style bakery chain with Asian roots.

Together, the two shops give students a place to try Asian desserts beyond bubble tea. Half a While opened in late July, replacing the Kung Fu Tea by Suburban Square. It is owned by a local husband-and-wife team, Leo Wei and Haley He, and it has a cozy, modern feel. Like Tous les Jours, it serves Asian-inspired pastries and drinks, but it sets itself apart with a low-sugar approach. Its products have half the sugar of their usual ver-

sions, thus giving the cafe its name. The pastries at Half a While are well made, but the bubble tea leaves much to be desired. It is not as good as the boba at nearby shops like Mr. Wish or Yi’s Boba. If you go, I would recommend ordering a different drink. Mango Mango, which also opened in late July at Ardmore Plaza on Greenfield Avenue, is extremely close to campus. As the name suggests, it focuses primarily on mango desserts, but the menu also includes tiramisu, crepe cakes, smoothies, and bubble tea. The store has a modern look and plenty of seating options for customers who wish to dine in. So far, I have enjoyed everything I’ve tried, but my favorites are the mango coconut smoothie and the mango coconut sago. Sago is a dish made with chewy pearls similar to tapioca, only much smaller. Both have a sweet, refreshing mango flavor balanced out by the coconut. Overall, the quality at Mango Mango is high, and it’s worth a visit. Together, the two shops give students a place to try Asian desserts beyond bubble

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Mango Mango’s Ardmore location sits on Greenfield Avenue tea. They also add to the growing number of Sum Factory. With so much competition in Asian restaurants on the Main Line, which the area, though, it’s hard to say how long includes recent openings like Ogyu and Dim every shop will last.

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the index · campus opinions

campus opinions Give ASB a chance Ben Qu ’28

he new schedule, particularly the move of ASB to the end of the school day, has proven controversial among students. Academic Support Block serves as a flex period when students can complete work, meet with teachers, or receive other forms of academic help. Previously, it was located in the earlier half of the

school day, from 10:20 to 10:50 a.m. It gave students a break in the middle of classes to talk to teachers or friends, complete work, and, for some, play games. Now, with its relocation, some students may find its placement at the end of the school day inconvenient, especially athletes who have frequent early dismissals.

Even with these drawbacks, however, students should give the new schedule a chance. With ASB at the end of the school day, students will have attended all of their classes and received their assignments for the day. Then, at the end of the day, students can return with questions while the material is fresh in their minds, clarify what they need to study for a test, or start their homework. Similarly, students can ask their teachers in person rather than emailing them after school, when they may not be available. Although moving ASB to the end of the day may make it feel like students have lost free time, a midday break can also interrupt the flow of the academic day. For some students, playing a game or doing something unrelated to schoolwork during ASB can make it harder to settle back into the next lesson. Moving ASB to the end of the day creates a more continuous stretch of classes

October 2026

without a midday flex period interrupting the academic schedule. The largest tradeoff is that students may be tired by the time ASB begins. It is reasonable for students to wonder about their productivity or willingness to work when they are about to go home or head to sports. For ASB to be productive, students need to stay engaged, and teachers will need to be available. Getting work done during ASB, though seemingly small, can reduce the workload students bring home. The old ASB offered a refreshing break, and students have good reasons for missing it. But the 2026–2027 schedule also gives ASB a new purpose at the end of the academic day, when students can address questions and begin assignments while their classes are still fresh in their minds. These benefits deserve a fair chance before we can confidently judge whether this schedule change was a mistake.

Haverford should bring back AP courses Weston Messner ’29

averford students excel academically, but they should also have opportunities to demonstrate that achievement through externally recognized measures. Advanced Placement classes would allow students to showcase their academic work and access opportunities that may otherwise be more difficult to achieve. One benefit of Advanced Placement classes: students can earn college credits based on their exam performance. A high score can allow students to bypass prerequisite classes, letting them begin more advanced coursework

earlier. With college costs at all-time highs, earning credit through AP exams could benefit some families. Even at highly selective institutions that do not grant AP credits, a high score may help students place into more advanced coursework. Advanced Placement can also provide colleges with a common academic metric. It is difficult enough for admissions officers to compare course rigor across schools. Students could showcase their academic prowess outside of Wilson Hall without relying on the school’s reputation.

Advanced Placement also exposes students to high-pressure academic testing. An externally administered and scored exam will test students on their ability to recall, interpret, and utilize information under stressful conditions. This experience could better prepare students for high-pressure exams in college and beyond. One concern is that Advanced Placement courses emphasize test preparation over the type of instruction found in independent schools. Multiple well-known schools have eliminated Advanced Placement because of this legitimate concern.

However, Haverford does not have to choose between offering Advanced Placement and preserving the teaching style that distinguishes independent schools. Haverford could selectively offer Advanced Placement in courses in which the exam is aligned with the instruction at the school while continuing to offer advanced coursework in all other subject areas. Teachers could maintain their unique instructional style while still preparing students for the exam.

off-campus opinions Teenagers should vet social media news reports Ibby Kanchwala ’30

n a matter of hours, a news story can travel through Wilson Hall before anyone has opened a news site. An Instagram clip can be reposted, screenshots can be shared, and by lunch, much of the student body can have an opinion on information they have never even seen firsthand. For many high school students, this is just how the news works. Social media is so ingrained in students’ daily lives that it can be difficult to avoid encountering false or inaccurate information. The more useful question is not whether we should be getting news from social media but whether we know how to fact-check what we see. The shift from traditional news sources toward social media is well documented.

A recent national survey conducted by the Media Insight Project—a collaboration including the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the American Press Institute—found that 57% of teenagers regularly get information on national issues and events from influencers or independent creators. According to Pew Research Center, at least 40% of teens on TikTok and Instagram say news is a reason they use those apps. That reliance is unsurprising given the apps’ popularity: 63% of teens use TikTok and 61% use Instagram. For many high school students approaching voting age, the ideas they form about elections, health, the economy, and world events won’t come out of nowhere. If

those views are built on clips with little evidence, they can become difficult to change even when corrections emerge. Unlike journalists working for news organizations with established editorial standards, independent creators may not be subject to formal fact-checking or correction processes. A large following does not guarantee that a creator follows the same editorial standards as a professional news organization. Social media feeds are designed around engagement and what keeps users watching rather than accuracy, and a lot of teenagers seem aware of this. The same Media Insight Project survey found that only 12% of teens who get the majority of their news from social media have a high level of confidence in

the information they receive. However, low confidence doesn’t necessarily mean careful checking. Doubting a post does not necessarily prevent it from influencing someone’s opinion. Confirmation bias can make information that reinforces existing beliefs particularly persuasive. A common proposal to fix this issue is for teens to just stop using social media for news. Shut your eyes. Scroll past. What that idea misses is why social media has become such a popular source of news in the first place. The apps are free, immediate, and already built into students’ daily lives. Switching to a dedicated news platform is an extra step. A more realistic solution is a short habit of verifying. Who posted this? Do they name where the information came from? Many viral posts are screenshots of other posts, leaving the source several steps removed. This habit can be difficult to incorporate into an everyday routine, but even pausing before accepting or sharing a questionable post can lead to more informed opinions. Social media isn’t going away as a source of news for teenagers. The goal should not be to avoid every piece of news on social media, but to know when to stop scrolling and start checking.

the index · voices

Page 13

October 2026

voices

Feelings of October

Teddy Walkenhorst ’29

don’t recall many memories of my childhood. The memories I do remember, though, seem to arrive in autumn: the chill of the fall breeze, the many-colored leaves, preparing to free-fall to the ground and repeat the cycle, and the perfect pumpkins from a small farm to carve out faces with friends. Somehow, fall has always brought a similar comfort every year it came around. The words fall and festive go hand in hand. It almost feels as if fall is the true beginning of the new year. In October, school starts and almost every sports season begins. Something about the atmosphere in autumn is unlike any other season. And every season is festive in its own way. Summer comes right before fall and signifies freedom, warm vacation weather, and a season to get away from things for a while. Winter comes after fall, but something about it arrives as dread. Spring for me is the most boring. Yes, you get closer to better weather, but the pe-

riod from March to late April can still be marked by dreary weather. Fall is the hardest season to critique. The atmosphere of October especially evokes that festive spirit. School is in full swing, but it’s early enough in the year to not get too boring. “Sweater weather” is arguably the most enjoyable and coziest. Halloween also comes up, which is a great addition. While the holiday season of winter comes with many decorations and fun activities, there is almost nothing as unique as embracing the evil or scary side of the world by dressing as monsters or decorating entire neighborhoods with Halloween-themed decorations. For a long time, Halloween was my favorite holiday. I enjoyed the candy as a kid, but more so the day’s atmosphere. The ordinary, bland houses transition to become haunted and festive. I enjoyed picking out costumes to scare my friends and the frequent trips to Home Depot, wandering around the store and picking out the most terrifying decorations.

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Teddy Walkenhorst ’29 Let’s go back to those first vivid memories. The leaves falling, turning different colors, picking out pumpkins, and enjoying the nice fall breeze, perfect for a cozy sweater. You won’t have any memories this unique in

any other season. That’s because October invokes the senses. The first memories on earth for a human will be of their senses, and that’s why October is like no other month. It’s the best time of year.

One month completed, how are you doing?

Stanley Hu ’29

month into the school year, it feels like I just transferred schools. It could be the new schedule that requires more focus and productivity. Maybe it could be the new teachers and students. Nevertheless, at least for my form, I feel like we were prepared for the change, to

a certain degree. I haven’t seen many people in my class forget homework assignments, come to class late, or do poorly on summer assessments. Honestly, it’s the exact opposite: in almost all of my classes, only a few students thought the summer assessments were difficult, and

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Stanley Hu ’29

the challenging ones were diagnostic. Then again, compared to the homework load and difficulty of classes compared to Fourth and Fifth Form, it could be an entirely different story. Since the activity-credit requirement for Third and Fourth Formers has jumped to three this year, choosing an extracurricular activity has grown more difficult, and balancing those commitments with academics will be even more demanding. Nonetheless, many of my friends have been doing well so far, and they’re doing well both on the field and in the classroom. But every day necessitates sacrifice. If you want to finish your homework but also talk to your friends, it’s sleep that you must sacrifice. On the other hand, if you want to finish your homework and get a full eight hours of sleep, there’s less time to spend on social media. Mostly, I find myself trying to do all my easier work in school and finishing bigger assignments at home. When I come back from

squash at 9:30, the motivation to do anything is gone. Many of my peers can relate. If I had one tip to advise the underclassmen or people struggling with the new workload and schedule, it would be to try to be more efficient. Take advantage of those new ASBs at the end of the day and take a stab at a bit of your homework. Even if it’s 20%, 10%, or 5%, it’s worth it. Every percent finished accumulates before you know it. During free blocks and in class time, try finishing easy assignments. And yes, you’re going to be tired (who isn’t?), but it’s still important to take that next step, no matter how small or insignificant, and inch forward. At the end of the day, doing something is better than doing nothing. Eventually, by the weekend or sometimes at the end of the day, you will feel relaxed and energetic instead of tired because you won’t have fifteen lingering assignments waiting for you back at home. So, it’s been one month into the school year. How are you doing?

When do we outgrow Halloween?

Caden Zhang ’29

ver since I was a kid, I’ve always deemed myself “too old” to go trickor-treating. It wasn’t something I thought about often, but each year, the reality grew more apparent. Now, being a high school sophomore, I feel more and more out of my element. But let’s go back for a second. As a child,

the idea of Halloween never evoked fear in me, contrary to many others. For instance, when Halloween comes to mind, memories of hanging out with friends and knocking on door after door flood back. These aren’t feelings of fear or fright; they’re reminders of good times. Halloween never needed to be scary for people to participate in the holiday, so I don’t see why the absence of terror in Halloween is a reason not to go trick-or-treating. But many people, young or old, feel a need to do what’s considered “cool.” For some, dressing up in costumes and eating candy feels too childish and might invite ridicule for being immature. Especially nowadays, teens feel an increasing need to be different or act older than they are. Halloween is a victim of this drive to be an adult instead of enjoying our fleeting youth. With the start of October, Halloween has become a looming concern about whether or not trick-or-treating is something you’re “too old” for, but Halloween is more

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Caden Zhang ’29 than just receiving candy. You can do other things, like giving out candy or hosting or going to parties. No matter what, you have to participate in any

way possible, or the idea of Halloween might become a fleeting memory. Celebrate in any way you choose, but embrace that Halloween spirit.

the index · arts

Page 14

October 2026

arts

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey inspires excitement for Fourth Form reading

Simon Davidson ’29

went into Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey expecting an engaging and thrilling movie. I came out of it thinking that the main character, Odysseus, deserves both a place in history and a relaxing vacation where he can avoid fighting for his life, just for one day. This guy can’t go anywhere without getting slowed down, attacked, or dragged into a total disaster. I usually get annoyed when my ride home from Haverford gets ruined by traffic. After watching this movie, I should keep these complaints to myself. Calling something a “cinematic masterpiece” is cliché, but I honestly think that description fits The Odyssey. It takes a story that is thousands of years old and gets you

interested in what is happening on the big screen. Even when the scale is enormous, the basic goal of the story is easy to understand: Odysseus wants to get home to his family. Unfortunately for him, basically everything in the world seems determined to stop him.

This is the kind of movie that deserves your full attention and the biggest screen around. The film’s timing is also perfect because the entire Fourth Form is about to read The Odyssey. Normally, hearing that everyone in your grade is about to read a long ancient poem might not be great news. After seeing the movie, though, I am actually excited to start reading it. The visuals provide one of my favorite parts of the film. This is the kind of movie that deserves your full attention and the biggest screen around (thank you, Regal King of Prussia). The world feels huge, which makes the journey feel even harder. Home seems very far away, and you understand why getting there matters so much. Watching it on a phone while checking three other apps

BYRON YANG ’28

This fall English II students will read Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey, which inspired Christopher Nolan’s screenplay would have felt like a waste. about him. He is the hero, but he is defiI also liked Odysseus as a character. He nitely not perfect. You can root for him and is smart, tough, and somehow manages to also blame him for putting himself in bad survive situations that would have ended my situations. Furthermore, there was always trip in about five minutes. At the same time, another problem waiting to be encountered he definitely has an ego. Sometimes you can by Odysseus and his crew, but it never felt see that he is about to make a bad decision, random or unintentional. He was just trying and you just want to tell him to stop talking to get home, and by the end, I wanted him and get back in his boat. to make it. That was one of the things I liked most 10 out of 10 for me.

Upper school to perform Mr. Hengst’s own adaptation of Moby Dick this fall Sahil Manjeshwar ’28

r. Hengst spent the summer searching for this year’s fall play and struggled to find the perfect one. He came across a licensed stage adaptation of Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s 1851 novel about Captain Ahab’s hunt for the white whale that took his leg. He liked the story and its large cast, but the script left him unsatisfied, so he went back to the novel to see what he was missing. About ten chapters in, he kept asking himself why the adaptation had cut so much of Melville’s material, and that question led him to a discovery. The book is in the public domain, and he could adapt his own version.

“I said to myself, ‘I’m going to try it,’” Mr. Hengst said. “If I don’t get it finished, I’ll just license the other one.” He finished it, and in doing so he had to fit an 800-page novel into a single evening of theater. Melville gave him some help. Around the story of Ishmael, Ahab, and the crew of the whaling ship Pequod, the novel stretches into long chapters on whales and the whaling trade, three of them on the whale alone. “If you take just the story out of that, it’s a much shorter book,” Mr. Hengst said. He held on to enough of those chapters to show the audience what life aboard

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Performing Arts Chair Mr. Darren Hengst in his Centennial Hall office

the Pequod was like and what work the crew signed on to do, then shaped the rest of the script around the moments the story could not lose.

Under those lights, a cast of about 50 students will take the stage, about 20 of them in speaking roles. The story moves between a ship and a few places on land, so Mr. Hengst needed a set that could change with the story. He found his partner in Nathaniel Williams, the new technical assistant in Centennial Hall, where the play will return this year after last year’s fall-play production in the Big Room. Williams is the show’s scenic designer. The two have planned one set that looks like a ship and can double as other locations, and they will leave the rest to the audience’s imagination. The stage crew is planning on building Williams’ set design under the leadership of Fifth Former Alex Fenton, the new Stage Crew Captain. Fenton has worked on shows since eighth grade, including the program’s production of Les Misérables, so Mr. Hengst expects the crew to pick up right where it left off. The crew will also work with lighting designer Kelly Bertucci, who worked in technical theater at EA and has collaborated with Mr. Hengst before. Bertucci will get to use the new lighting instruments the school

bought last year, which Mr. Hengst hopes will make the stage feel like open sea. Under those lights, a cast of about 50 students will take the stage, about 20 of them in speaking roles. Only one Sixth Former auditioned this year, so Fifth Formers earned the three leading parts. Melville’s story still left a door open for the oldest students. On its voyage, the Pequod meets the captains of other ships, and each captain appears in one scene, so several Sixth Formers who could not commit to the full production took those cameo roles. Some of them even get monologues. Once rehearsals begin, Mr. Hengst wants to stage the highly anticipated scene where the crew hunts whales and at last spots Moby Dick. He has ideas for the chase, though he plans to work it out with his actors. Mr. Hengst hopes the production sends people home curious enough to read the novel, and that they notice how his cast handles Melville’s language, which he described as heightened, though not quite Shakespearean.

“I’m excited for people to hear it and say, ‘These guys are really stepping into these roles.’” MR. DARREN HENGST “I’m excited for people to hear it and say, ‘These guys are really stepping into these roles,’” Mr. Hengst said.

the index · sports

Page 15

October 2026

sports

Water Polo remains optimistic despite injuries

Noah Wang ’30

he first month of the year has already brought numerous obstacles for Fords water polo. The team recently lost many star players, including Sixth Former Mookie Dombar, Sixth Former Henry McDade, and Fourth Former Mac Pennington, due to various injuries.

“We’ve always had injuries, but this year has been one of our worst years in a while,” Fourth Former Teddy Walkenhorst said. “I think losing Mookie, Henry, and Mac was big for our performance, not only because they are good players, but because it has hurt our depth a lot.”

COMMUNICATIONS

Thomas Springer ’27 shoots during last year’s EA Day match

Despite the injuries, the team has pushed itself through the preseason and regular season to keep playing at its best. “I think even as the team has had a lot of injuries, we see that as sort of a motivator to work harder and prove that we can still play at a high level,” Walkenhorst said. The team is determined not to let any injuries stop its ambition, adopting an optimistic attitude. Some see this situation as an opportunity to showcase different players. “We are a little thin on depth, but that just gives players like me a chance to prove my worth. Hopefully we can win the Inter-Ac season and carry that momentum into EA Day,” Walkenhorst said. While unable to swim, many injured players have adapted to continue their involvement in games, contributing to the team differently. “I’m still showing up to games. Even

if I’m not in the pool, I still have a lot of knowledge around the sport that I can share and instill into younger teammates,” Dombar said. Beyond mentoring, some injured players also help with the scoreboard during games. Even the appearance and support of the injured players boosts team morale. “I think the injuries are tough, but I feel like it drives us to impress the sideline [by] having injured players that want to be in [watching the game]. They hype us up, and they’re all motivated to get back in,” Fourth Former Xander Neill said. Even though they can’t be in the pool physically, the injured players have faith in their teammates and believe their hard work will pay off. “I know that the team will do what they need to do to find success this year,” Dombar said.

Fords soccer wins again and again

Ayush Varma ’27

imply put, Fords soccer seems unstoppable. After going unbeaten in nine straight games, they now look to dominate the Inter-Ac competition. At the Main Line Jamboree at Westtown, Seton Hall Prep seemed quite the Goliath, ranked top-three in New Jersey at the time. However, the Fords put together a complete 80-minute game, capped off by Sixth Former Aidan Zwilling’s half-volley to the side netting. 1-0 Fords win. The Fords undoubtedly faced their toughest challenge in The Pennington School, another top-ranked team in New Jersey. Notably, their player number 10 bore the nickname of “Black Messi.” But no Messi could stop the Fords. Fifth Former Andrew Yang, just five minutes into the game, hit a left-footed power shot from long distance which escaped the goalkeeper’s gloves. Later, Fifth Former Jose Hernandez weighed his set piece so that captain and Sixth Former Finn French could head the ball to the left of the goalkeeper. 2-0 Fords win. “That away game at Pennington, I just feel like that was [the best moment], and then the bus ride home, it was a really cool experience,” Fifth Former Chris Bryan said. Astonishing as it is that the Fords are finding such success early on, what’s more is that they haven’t even let in a goal yet. “The season so far has been going great,” Fifth Former Quinn Cappo said. “Undefeated, no goals conceded. As a team, this is one of the best environments we’ve had in a long time. The team has definitely progressed.” Indeed, the defense, led by captains and Sixth Formers Hudson Coulson and Chris Burnetta, has rarely even let any shots through. Often, with new standards and success, comes a pressure to perform. “We’ve created such a strong bond as a

team that the pressure isn’t really there anymore,” Sixth Form captain Graham Costello said. “The pressure isn’t as much there as we’ve learned how to play with each other, and we just keep the same mentality every game moving forward.” Others echoed Costello’s message. “A lot of things work really well, like how our team works together as a whole,” Fifth Former Chris Bryan said. “Our culture brings the team together. It makes us better as a whole, and we want better for each other. We’re defending a title. I wasn’t on the team last year, but I already see how much it means to be on a team like this. I feel like everyone works so hard on the field, and we’re just so focused on being the best version of ourselves as a team.” In their first Inter-Ac matchup, the Fords took on Springside Chestnut Hill. After 68 minutes of high-intensity play, the Blue Devils and Fords remained deadlocked until Costello snagged a corner and quickly launched a counterattack. Zwilling played the ball through to Third Former Oliver Green, who, in his first few Inter-Ac minutes, dribbled 40 yards down the left sideline before slipping the ball left of the goalkeeper for the game’s only score—1-0 Fords win. Numerous Blue Devils rested their hands on their heads as they watched their season possibly slip away. That intensity extends beyond the final whistle, beginning with the energy the Fords bring before they even step onto the field. “My favorite part about the team is having juice during pregame warm-ups,” Fifth Former Chase Timmerman said. The heavily anticipated matchup between the Fords and Friars took place on a Friday night, with many students filling the sidelines behind the Fords’ bench. “It [the student section] really brought

the sort of energy we needed,” Third Former Dixon Gillis said. However, the game did not go as expected, with the Friars opting for a low block—a defensive structure where the team often stays in their own half to win the ball and prevent attacks rather than a high press. Apart from a few crosses, headers, and long-distance shots, the Fords could not seem to penetrate the Friars’ defensive structure. Tensions brewed as their rivals kept the Fords scoreless for nearly 70 minutes. Then, French drove down the right sideline, cut back into the box, and caught a Friar defender lunging. French tucked the penalty away and the Fords held on. 1-0 Fords win. “Our grit is the best part of our team,” Hernandez said. “We like to fight to the end. We never stop. We pick each other up, especially in bad times.” That grit is supported by a strong team environment. “The best part is the environment,” Sixth Former Lukas Messick said. “I just love playing soccer with my friends and brothers.” After taking their cleats off after their

captain’s practice one Saturday, the Fords dressed up and scared kids at the service event Shiverfest. Moments like this remind players that the team is much more than soccer. “My favorite part of the team is just getting to know my teammates,” Quinn Cappo said. “Every day, we just get closer and closer, and we’re just so friendly,” Fifth Former Jackson Gilbert said. “That’s how we can get to the places that we’ve been, because we’re so close.” Despite slight slowdowns against SCH and Malvern, the Fords have stayed true to the way they want to play. “We’re taking one game at a time,” Bryan said. “People aren’t tearing each other down. We’re building each other up. We’re working together on things in practice and always having a good time. I also feel like everyone on our team is a very hard-working individual. They all want to win.” “Enjoy every moment, Costello said. “This team is very close, and we can all have fun, but also have the mentality of wanting to win it all.”

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Soccer captain Finn French ’27 kicks the game-winning penalty in a 1-0 win against Malvern on October 2

Football’s morale is “higher than ever”

Rex Riley ’28

he Fords football team experienced a rocky start to the 2026 season with three consecutive two-score losses to the McDonogh School, Salesianum, and Bonner. But the Fords were far from finished. Since then, the Fords have flipped the script, securing two massive wins. First, they pulled off an unexpected win over the sixth-best team in Maryland, Calvert Hall, at home on September 26th.

Calvert Hall was projected to have a 90% chance of beating the Fords. Instead, the Fords bulldozed their way through the Cardinals in their home opener, cruising to a 31–20 victory behind a three-touchdown performance from star running back and Fourth Former Mick Slachta. “Morale was higher than ever,” Fifth Form quarterback Gunnar Hermansen said. The Fords then had a tough road

matchup against the Georgetown Prep Little Hoyas. Still, the Fords came into the game with their heads held high. Hermansen believed that the game with Georgetown Prep would swing in Haverford’s favor. This confidence helped lead him and his team to a dominant win against the Little Hoyas, securing a victory 42-7. “I have never been more sure of something in my life,” Hermansen said. The star of the show was, without a

doubt, the Fords’ unrelenting defense, which prevented the Hoyas from scoring, aside from a late touchdown deep in the fourth quarter. The offense also found success, scoring the most points of the season so far, helped by key contributions from their running back, Third Former Bryce Byrd. Next week, the Fords travel to Penn Charter for the Inter-Ac season opener.

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the index · sports

October 2026

After a shaky start, Fords golf focus on next shot

Keith DiMarino ’27

fter an inconsistent stretch, Haverford’s golf team is focusing on one thing: the next shot. The Fords fell 208-203 to the Hill School, responded with a second-place finish at the Penn Charter Invitational, and won the Episcopal Invitational at Merion West. They narrowly beat La Salle 226-228 before finishing third at the Germantown Academy Invitational. With such a young team, Coach Stephen Cloran expected some inconsistencies. “Coming into the season, I knew that it might be a little bit of a roller-coaster ride,” Coach Cloran said.

“You could play so good one day and really bad the next.” HARRY NEILLY ’27 Coach Cloran credited Sixth Formers Jack Luterman, Harry Neilly, and Quinn Gallagher with helping the younger golfers develop a better mental and physical presence on the course. “[The Sixth Formers have been] great in putting their arm around the young guys and not only talking about their successes in

the Inter-Ac over the years, but where they have also come up short.” For this team, being teammates doesn’t stop when the final putt drops. “We’re more connected in the group chats, you know, talking about a lot of stuff, and all of us are really trying to support each other. We’re all bought into the program,” Neilly said. Coach Cloran agreed. “It’s a tight team that really likes each other,” Coach Cloran said. “In all my years as a coach in sports, that’s not always a guarantee. So I’m very grateful for the togetherness of this team.” This closeness extends beyond matches and practice. “A couple of nights ago, the whole team went to an indoor golf place when it was raining. And we hit balls for probably four hours,” Neilly said. Support for your team is easy to have on the range and during practice but hard to maintain on bad days. “You could play so good one day and really bad the next,” Neilly said. “You know, a big thing about this team is we just support each other, and we’re always there for each other.” That support helps the team stay fo-

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Eric Cunningham ’30 (left) and Harry Neilly ’27 embrace during a golf match Coach Cloran points to a different faccused on the next play. “We always talk about flushing or for- tor. “We know the course well. Probably we getting the last shot. Whether it was a great shot, a good shot, or a terrible shot, we con- know it the best. It’s our home course. So stantly harp on flushing it,” Coach Cloran we should be confident and comfortable,” Coach Cloran said. said. Coach Cloran sees a real opportunity The Fords now set their sights on their upcoming home invitational at Gulph Mills. for this team to play deep into November. “I truly believe that this team has the ca“I definitely think Gulph Mills is going to test the team the most because it’s the pability and the skill set to win the Inter-Ac, second-to-last Inter-Ac match. It’s a kind of win states, and win on EA Day,” Coach Cloran said. tight course. It’s difficult,” Neilly said.

Mr. Shomari Watts joins the athletics departement 10/4/26, 12:59 PM

Mr. Shomari Watts - Jesse Kanefsky '29

Christian Kirby ’30

eet Mr. Shomari Watts ’09, our new Associate Athletic Director. Mr. Watts played varsity football and wrestled all four years for the Fords. After Haverford, Mr. Watts continued to play football at the University of Rhode Island. Watts then earned his master’s degree in sports management before working in cybersecurity for seven years. He then worked for the University of Pennsylvania, raising money for its athletics program. “I chose to come back to work at Haverford because this has always been a place that’s home for me,” Mr. Watts said. “You know, I got here in fifth grade. I was here from fifth grade to my Sixth Form year.” Mr. Watts also emphasized the attractiveness of Haverford’s community, which has forged such a deep connection that he

would not want to be anywhere else. Mr. Watts’ favorite memory is winning EA Day in 2008, mostly because it was Mr. Murphy’s first EA Day win as head coach of the football team.

“I chose to come back to work at Haverford because this has always been a place that’s home for me.” MR. SHOMARI WATTS Outside of Haverford, Mr. Watts likes to spend time with his family and participate in jiu jitsu.

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Associate Athletic Director Mr. Shomari Watts in his office

Cross-country enters fall season with high standards

Keith DiMarino ’27

ords cross-country opened their Inter-Ac season on September 15th at Belmont Plateau. Haverford defeat-

ed Germantown Academy and Springside Chestnut Hill but fell to Malvern Prep, Penn Charter, and Episcopal Academy. Four days

later, the Fords placed 11th at the George School Invitational, with their top-four finishers being three Fourth Formers and a Third Former. Fourth Former Munashe Kachidza led the Fords, completing the 5K in 17:19.5.

“I think that one of our roles as captain is to transfer this knowledge we’ve acquired over these past four years into these guys.”

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16kae_cWJQAB2rqkvSKPb4XjJger-Kq2m

RAYMOND KRESGE ’27

JESSE KANEFSKY ’29

Cross-country captain Raymond Kresge ’27 in action against EA last fall

Captain and Sixth Former Thomas Lentz sees room for improvement and urges his teammates to run together during races. “I think we have a lot of guys who actually have potential to be super strong,” Lentz said. “I would actually like to see a lot more people trying to run with each other during races, because I think we can get way more guys up in those front ranks.” For Sixth Form captain Raymond Kresge, his role extends beyond numbers. “I think that one of our roles as captain

is to transfer this knowledge we’ve acquired over these past four years into these guys,” Kresge said. The captains put that approach into practice by modeling the type of focus and discipline they want to see the young runners bring on race day. “I think a huge part of race days is knowing when we can be a team that goofs around and knowing when we can be a team that needs to lock in, do the stretches, and get ready for their race,” Kresge said. Kresge emphasizes the importance of maintaining focus in daily training, even as the season wears on. “As you go on into the year, we get 1/1 tired,” Kresge said. “But we kind of need to hold ourselves to a higher standard.” Intentionality and drive will instill it into the team. “Another thing we are really trying to be conscious about is being intentional about things,” Kresge said. Kresge points to Fourth Former Alex Peter as a runner who helps set the tone for the team. “[Peter has] got a love for these guys on the team, the culture we cultivate, and really just everything about it,” Kresge said. “And he loves getting better. He loves working hard.”