the index The student voice since 1888
The Haverford School · Haverford, PA 19041 · November 2020 · Volume 88, No. 3 · thsindex.org
November is here
EA Day hangs in the balance TYLER ZIMMER ’21
Fords score at the end of the second quarter in a 13-28 loss against Germantwon Academy on October 31, 2020. Tyler Zimmer ’21
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he best time to beat the Episcopal Academy is in November. When you run up the scoreboard in, say, September, efforts are invalidated and results overlooked. “Churchmice” scurry up their trees in an attempt to see eye to eye with the Fords who just trampled their fellow horde. Excuses are often made. “We aren’t in midseason form! We aren’t used to the weather!” they’ll say. But what you have to do is walk
right on past them, into your buses, and back to our holy grounds, because EA Day or not, November is here. Over a century of competition, Episcopal has simply had no answer. As sports were added on to an acclaimed Philadelphia rivalry—football in 1889, soccer in 1910, crosscountry in 1965, water polo in 2002, and golf in 2011—Episcopal felt more and more overwhelmed. Attempts to eliminate ties by
hosting an odd number of events only made the habitual broom sweeping ceremony even more embarrassing. A few years back, the student body and faculty wrestled with fan behavior, and matters escalated to the point where Dr. Nagl threatened to cancel this eminent celebration of athletic superiority. Records show that EA Day has never been cancelled and the incident with student misbehavior marks
its only close call. Haverford sage Mr. Fox shined light onto these close calls: “For a little while, an old car was brought to campus and painted with EA colors and students smashed it up with bats and sledgehammers during the pep rally.” con’t on p. 18
Monologues take the stage Jeffrey Yang ’22
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or many in the community, a night of music, comedy, and drama is the highlight of the season in art. On opening night, the annual fall play never fails to draw an eager crowd that relays its delight to friends on the following day, bringing a new wave of spectators to each performance. However, as with other large gatherings, the coronavirus pandemic has eliminated this aspect of fall production. The theater department and student actors are striving to keep the spirit of the event alive despite the health safety limitations. With the school having provided clearance for only one actor on stage at a time, this year’s fall production will feature recorded monologues. Nevertheless, the leading Sixth Form actors, including Drew Loughnane, Trevor Pettibone, and Liam Harkins, have
Ms. Doha Lee, p. 15
MS. DONA LEE
creative ideas for maintaining the excitement of a play.
“We’re transitioning into a sort of a model where we’re not necessarily going to have scenes or acting between people” DREW LOUGHNANE “We’re transitioning into a sort of a model where we’re not necessarily going to have scenes or acting between people. con’t. on p. 16
George Lanchoney, p. 5
JEFFREY YANG ’22
Soccer, p. 19
TYLER ZIMMER ’21
Service under COVID, p. 3
RYAN RODACK ‘22
the index · editorial
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the index 2020–2021 Staff Agustin Aliaga ’21 Editor-in-Chief Matthew Schwartz ’21 Editor-in-Chief Tyler Zimmer ’21 Editor-in-Chief Mitav Nayak ’22 Managing Editor Ryan Rodack ’22 Managing Editor
editorial
Senioritis in an entirely new light
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he quarter has just about come to a close; third formers have adjusted to a new building; Sixth Formers have turned in their early applications. Come November, you may think “senioritis” has begun to kick in, and in a normal year, you would be right. This year, you could not be more wrong. After a recent excruciating yet reward-
ing after-school practice, we engaged in dialogue with Ms. Barb LaPenta. She explained how emotionally connected she was with the community, and how disappointing going virtual would be. But what we took away from the conversation was not impending sadness but rather motivation. We used to describe senioritis as realizing we are within arm’s reach and simply want-
Jeffery Yang ’22 Managing Editor Quinn Luong ’22 News Editor Joey Kauffman ’22 Features Editor Jingyuan Chen ’22 Academics Editor Connor Pinsk ’23 Neighborhood Editor Austin Zhuang ’22 Campus Opinions / Design Editor Michael Tallarida ’21 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Kethan Srinivasan ’21 Arts Editor Jake Larocca ’22 Sports Editor Ms. Emily Harnett Faculty Advisor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh 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 Volume 88, No. 3 - November 6, 2020
November 2020
2020-21 Editorial Board (clockwise from upper left, Editors-in-Chief Agustin Aliaga ‘21, Matthew Schwartz ‘21, Tyler Zimmer ‘21 and Managing Editors Jeffrey Yang ‘22, Ryan Rodack ‘22, and Mitav Nayak ‘22)
ing to handshake President Leahy, calling it a career. Two years ago, that description would be spot on. This year, we describe senioritis as understanding that we could be sent home any given day, and that we must be so incredibly productive with the time we have left. We have noticed an impressive turnout at clubs. The Index, open to all, has welcomed a promising new group of writers from all grade and writing levels. Peer Counseling has thrived, filling two classrooms alongside virtual students, as our Haverford brothers utilize this safe space. Chess Club matches, Entrepreneurship Club speakers, Diversity Alliance open discussions, you name it. We are showing out, and this needs to continue to avoid the old definition of senioritis. The new senioritis is following precautions. The new senioritis is joining the club, trying out for the team. The new senioritis is giving your friend an elbow, mutually understanding how much you appreciate each other’s company. It is not anxiously waiting to wake up on the last day, but rather it is finding the teacher you love talking to and enjoying their presence. Ms. LaPenta told us how much she appreciates her former students reaching out to her or visiting campus, but relationships like these take time and effort. With winter looming and COVID numbers in local counties spiking, we don’t see a better time to strengthen relationships than now. We will need strength to make it through these cold winter months—especially if we go virtual—and this year’s virtue, teamwork must remain our priority.
Letter from the student body president Cyril Leahy ’21
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he school’s “Would you rather…?” surveys have been quite interesting. While some of the questions are intentionally lighthearted, others reveal interesting dichotomies of Haverford men. Staring at my screen, I thought the answer to the question was obvious: Does anyone really want to get rid of movies? Coming to school the next day, I was flabbergasted— there was a cohort of students who were adamant about keeping social media. I walked through the halls and looked at students, their eyes matching mine; each one was friendly, but I was curious what was behind their gaze. Going home, I went to work on my college applications. Meticulously reading and revising occurred from the hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and my mind wandered to adolescent men’s common 2 a.m. mindset: “deep thoughts.” I felt it was apropos to dissect the responses to the survey. I was at least thankful that a majority of the students elected to retain movies. But I thought about a world without social media. I tried to place myself in the shoes of those students who voted against movies. I myself have a hard time paying attention for two hours. I do despise a poorly paced film, which viewers increasingly encounter. I go to the movies for the snacks and the experience; the plot and character arcs merely accent my time. With that said, I knew I was correct. I placed myself within a world devoid of social media, and I saw a world I often wanted: a world without the anxiety to open your phone and see the side of someone’s face. A world where physical interaction is prized as it once was. A world where words
COURTESY OF CYRIL LEAHY ’21
are valuable and experiences are not trivialized by six-second videos and “memories.” A world where the streaks you saw were made by the rain on your window. You have heard the evils of social media before; and you discuss its benefits. You are able to talk to other people and see them more often. You build stronger relationships. And I suppose this is all true. And I suppose that social media may be so distasteful to me because of my lack of social “clout.” But my lack of presence has allowed me to hone myself in real life. I have found the
right moments to make jokes, to say hello, to send that icebreaker Game Pigeon. For me, social media stagnated my growth. You spend moments coveting an ideal of yourself you can never achieve in reality, I ask you to undertake this challenge and see what happens to your mind: just delete social media from your phone for two weeks. Ask people to text you. You may begin to realize the people you “talked to” and “liked” were just faces you saw on a screen. And maybe you’ll finally work on the face you see between the clicks: your own.
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news
November 2020
Among Us players vent stress Tate Conklin ’24
“I
saw blue vent! I knew he was sus since the first round. Vote him out!” These may be phrases that you’ve heard while walking down the hallway during class breaks or advisory. What you’re overhearing is most likely a discussion about Among Us, a video game that has recently sky-rocketed in popularity. Its abrupt appearance left many students with the same question: what’s the deal with this game? The key components of Among Us are lying, deception, and wit. These skills morph into strategies and provide hours of fun with friends. The simple game is a great way to pass time with classmates under COVID-19 restrictions and serves as a distraction from our world’s unrelenting chaos. When entering a round of Among Us, four to ten players are transported to a spaceship. Each player is privately assigned a role as either a “crewmate” or an “impostor.” The objective of the crewmates is to complete critical tasks around the ship. The impostor’s goal is to wreak havoc on the spaceship by
A screenshot of a recent Among Us game killing crewmates and unleashing sabotage. er Forest Willard, it averaged a mere 10-50 When a body is found, an impromptu meet- players daily this past July. On September ing is held to discuss the identity of the im- 21, over 60 million worldwide users played Among Us. poster. How could an online game possibly go After gathering evidence, everyone votes on the identity of the suspected impos- from collecting dust to being an overnight tor. However, if you are unsure and feel as smash hit? The biggest reason is the impact though you lack enough information, you COVID-19 has on our social interactions. may skip and forfeit your vote. The votes With life seeming dull and monotonous are revealed and the game continues until lately, Among Us provides hours of safe, soeither the crewmates win by completing all cial fun. With such an overwhelming number of their tasks or the impostor executes enough crewmates to prevail. The myriad in-game players, many celebrities have decided to join settings allow players to change the number in. American rapper Soulja Boy has amassed of impostors, the number of tasks, the map 600,000 followers on Twitch, a live streamlayout, and much more to keep the game in- ing platform used by most professional gamers. He is well known on the platform for his teresting. Among Us was launched in 2018 by In- Among Us streams. Logic, an American rapper, streams nersloth, an indie game company consisting of only three developers. The game received Among Us on Twitch and has also gained a scant attention in its early days. According to large following. Even professional athletes, like the SteelInnersloth programmer and business manag-
TATE CONKLIN ‘24
ers’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, are playing. Most notably, Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar took part in an Among Us streaming event with some of the most well-known players. The October 20 webcast reached a high of 430,000 live viewers. Remarkably, this massive turnout gave Ocasio-Cortez’s stream the title of the second-highest number of concurrent viewers. The stream, which can still be accessed on Twitch, currently has around 5.5 million views. The goal of the event was to encourage Among Us players to get out and vote in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Simultaneously, it served as an escape from all the tension and stress caused by the election season. The massive following of Among Us highlights the need for peer interaction in times of social distancing. So, throw your space helmet in the ring and take a stab at it, whether you’re a crewmate or impostor.
Service Board leads mask drive, voter registration Austin Zhuang ’22
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s the first quarter comes to a close and clubs start again, the Service Board has already worked on programs like voter registration and mask drives. But because of the pandemic, new projects are in the works. Planning these events and activities for this year posed a serious challenge to the board. “The biggest problem was that a lot of the major activities we wanted to do got sidetracked because of COVID-19, and a lot of them are up in the air,” Fifth Form Service Board Representative Damian Ferraro said. “For example, the Buddy Walk, which we thought would happen, had to be canceled, but things like the can drive and turkey drive, which we thought wouldn’t happen, were just approved.” Health guidelines and regulations have limited the Service Board’s activities, but Director of Service Learning Mrs. Jini Loos is still encouraged by this year’s projects, especially the more recent ones. “We raised over 2,000 dollars on Denim Day for cancer schoolwide, which is great, and the mask drive surpassed our goal of 1,000 masks with over 2,000 masks collected,” Mrs. Loos said. “We’ll be able to spread the wealth [of masks] to the Hub of Hope and several other locations.” Distributing service donations from events like the mask drive and can drive can be difficult to implement safely, but the Service Board has made sure it maintains the community’s well-being. “Our main priority for every single proj-
ect that we do, before even thinking about the project itself, is considering safety and making sure every single thing we do is safe and it’s within the guidelines of the protocol,” Ferraro said. “Once all that is okay, then we can do projects.” Despite the safety-centric model, however, many civic engagement projects like tutoring have been forced to go virtual. Also, large gathering events like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day are still uncertain, although the Service Board is trying to continue these programs. “A huge part of what we do at the Service Board is community outreach,” Sixth Form Service Board Representative Ryan Ngo said. “We want to use our social media platforms to help others and to hear what they need
“As a student, I would like to have something [a project] that incorporates freshmen, especially the new ones this year,” Fourth Former Robert Murray said. “I know it’s hard for them to involve themselves in activities, and they aren’t meeting many new people, so including them in a project would help a lot.” Board members have used every opportunity to continue the positive work they do
and include as many people as possible willing to help local communities. “We just want a huge amount of participation and consistency with the student body,” Ngo said. “A huge misconception this year is that the virtual platform for clubs will put everything on a crutch, but it’s not the end. Being in-person is a huge gift, and we will take advantage of it by serving and participating.”
“We’ll be able to spread the wealth [of masks] to the Hub of Hope and several other locations.” MRS. JINI LOOS instead of just sending them donations.” Outreach aside, the Service Board also has other goals for this year. It hopes to expand its range to include more people in community service and change the sentiment towards service from a feeling of obligation to a commitment to helping others.
RYAN RODACK ’22
Robert Murray ’23, Damian Ferraro ’22, Brian Kim ’23, and Ryan Ngo ’21 with masks from the recent drive
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November 2020
features
Fifth Formers struggle to find parking Ryan Rodack ‘22
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or many students, the struggle of a school day begins at 8:45 a.m. when their first-period class begins. However, there are a group of Fifth Form students whose morning scramble begins a bit earlier as a result of parking difficulties. As Fifth Form students are not permitted to park on campus, they must locate off-campus parking spots that are hard to come by. Fifth Former Colby McNeely, who arrives at school around 8:15 a.m., has dealt with the infuriating experience of parking dating back to last school year. McNeely parks on Barrett Avenue, directly behind the nearby Wendy’s. “It was the only street I found that didn’t have two-hour parking,” McNeely said. After parking there a few times, he ran into issues with nearby residents who were unhappy with Colby, among other Haverford students, for parking on their street even though it is legal. McNeely said, “Last year, [one of the peo-
ple who lives in a nearby home] put a cardboard sign with a bad word on my car. Then, this year, after school when I went to my car, my license plate was halfway bent and [presumably a nearby resident] stole my magnet on the back of my car that said ‘Haverford Inter-Ac Baseball Champions.’ My car also had some key marks on it.” After Colby switched to parking his car on a different street, he faced a new onslaught of problems, including three parking tickets in a matter of a couple of months for violating the two-hour parking rule, twice by less than twenty minutes. “So, yeah, it’s pretty bad,” McNeely said. Colby is not the only Fifth Former who has dealt with the dilemma of parking. Fifth Former Will Morris has experienced similar problems, but on a different street than McNeely. “I park behind Dr. Nagl’s house on Millbrook Lane, but the people are not okay with it, even though it is legal,” Morris said. “People don’t like it because the streets are kind of narrow.” Unlike McNeely, Morris has had face-toface interactions with some of the residents on Millbrook Lane. “This year, some guy started coming out and asking me not to park near his house for safety reasons. He said that if people park there, fire trucks will not be able to
Nearby two-hour parking troubles students get through in case of a fire,” Morris said. “You’re legally allowed to park there, but almost every other day the neighbors come out and ask me to park in another place. Every time I move to a new place, those neighbors ask me to move somewhere else.” For Fifth Former Max Rosenberger, it has been the narrow streets near campus that have troubled him. “Neighbors don’t care if I park near their houses, but I have had my mirror taken off
RYAN RODACK ’22
clean because it’s a pretty narrow street,” Rosenberger said. While the Fifth Formers understand that there is not much that our school can do to relieve these parking struggles, McNeely came up with a couple ideas. “The [Haverford School] should talk to some of the people on nearby streets or find a way to pay for a street nearby that would allow students to park, since only seniors are allowed to park on campus.”
Despite long commute, Third Former Chase Nelson opts for on-campus learning Christopher Schwarting ‘24
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he sun’s beams begin to cast across the greenery northward of the Schuylkill River when Third Former Chase Nelson starts his day. Despite having a longer commute than most, he makes sure he is just as prepared for a day of
learning than his peers on campus. To get to school on time, Nelson needs to awake early each morning. “I usually get up around 6:50 [or] 7:00 a.m. because my bus comes between 7:20 and 7:30 [in the morning],” Nelson said.
MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ’21
School bus picking up Haverford students in the Red Lot
While most Haverford students are driven to school in family vehicles, Nelson gets to school via his township’s school bus. “I take the bus,” Nelson remarked. “It’s easier on my parents.” Many, fearing the transmission of the coronavirus, have refrained from using transportation such as buses. However, Nelson feels his bus company has taken appropriate safety precautions. “My bus company, especially here in my township, is very specific and very careful when it comes down to COVID, so there’s a lot of space for us to [maintain social-distancing]. There’s around six of us, but we all have so much space,” he said. After catching the bus, he finds his seat and begins his journey to Haverford’s campus. “Usually there’s a multitude of other kids. We pick up another Haverford family after I’m picked up, and then, it’s usually thirtyfive to forty-five minutes depending on traffic,” said Nelson.
While the commute averages around forty minutes, afternoon traffic often pushes the time to an hour or more on the trip back to his home in Trooper, Pennsylvania. “I leave school at 3:30 p.m. [and] get home around 4:30 p.m. because there’s a lot more traffic,” Nelson said. Some activities that Chase intended on pursuing have been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. “Most of the clubs I was supposed to do haven’t started yet due to COVID,” he said. With a busy schedule, there have been some challenges that stem from Nelson’s trip to-and-from school, and these challenges have resulted in his ability to participate in extracurriculars. “Now my parents have to drive all the way down and get me. Sometimes it can be a little hard depending on what they [the conditions] are and how much traffic there is or if there’s an accident. I know they’ve definitely had problems.”
Third Formers join student council Charlie Keidel ’24
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ith the start of every school year, Third Formers face the same question: who is going to represent their form in the upper school’s student council? While candidates usually give their speeches in front of the student body, that is no longer possible, considering the school’s COVID-19 protocols. With help from Third Form Dean Mr. Steve Cloran, twelve candidates aiming for the role of Third Form President filmed their speeches remotely.
In the subsequent elections, students voted for their top-five choices using rankchoice voting, a system that helps make sure the candidates the student body most prefers are elected. In a tight election, Asa Winikur, Fred Jordan, and Christopher Schwarting became the president and two representatives, respectively. As Winikur took office, he affirmed that the coronavirus would not hold him back from planning fun events for the Third Form.
“This year, more than ever, our emphasis is on what we can do to make up for what we are missing out on,” Winikur said. Representative Christopher Schwarting is also confident in the representatives’ ability to plan events to create a fun Third Form year, despite the troubling times. “We’ve been working alongside the Student Council to arrange speaker series with alumni who have gone on from Haverford to exceed in college and beyond, and we’re really excited about things in the future.”
CHARLIE KEIDEL ’24
Third Form Representative Christopher Schwarting ’24
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the index ·features
November 2020
Lanchoney brings fresh produce to food banks Jeffrey Yang ’22
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hile most of the community spent the final days of last spring semester’s in-person portion speculating when the campus would be forced to lock its gates, current Sixth Former George Lanchoney stood in a marine research facility within walking distance of pristine Caribbean waters, soaking in what he realized would be one of his last chances to examine Caribbean lobsters and Florida stone crabs hands-on. Twenty days prior, Lanchoney had flown to the Island School’s campus on the southern tip of Eleuthera island in the Bahamas. He planned to attend a 100-day semester on the island with high school sophomores and juniors from around the world. Without the distractions of cell phones and the internet, he and his peers conducted applied sciences research through analysis of the surrounding ocean. Together, they studied the humanities from cultural immersion experiences in the local Bahamian community. The courses centered on sustainability in the 21st century, a topic that aligned closely with Lanchoney’s long-standing passion for the environment. “I’ve always had it, and I don’t know why I’m passionate about the environment. There’s no real reason to know why you like just being in nature, but I think it makes me think differently,” Lanchoney said. “[Nature] has a primitive connection with [the Earth], and it’s inspiring to really be in it.” For the last four weeks of the semester, which finished through virtual instruction, program participants were required to either conduct further research or create an environmental business or project. Lanchoney and a group of friends chose the latter option. “We tried a cardboard composting business because cardboard is actually excellent for composting, but it’s often not even recycled very efficiently,” Lanchoney said. “But with the COVID restrictions in place and with the logistics of it and us being so far apart—two kids were in Boston, and anoth-
er two kids who were down south in Georgia and Florida—it wasn’t feasible.” They attempted instead to create a project for recycling materials into trinkets; however, they soon met with similar challenges as before. “It would have also been very difficult because we would have to hand-make each one [trinket] unless we found some manufacturing system. To mass-produce these would be impossible in such a short period of time— we only had four weeks to really get it going,” Lanchoney said. In the end, after reading an article about the Farmlink Project, a Boston-based initiative led by university students fighting food insecurity by repurposing farmers’ surplus produce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lanchoney began his own project of connecting local farms with food banks that would receive the excess food. It was difficult at first to establish a correspondence with the farmers and organizations. “I emailed over at least a hundred people and none of them responded. I didn’t know why. I thought, Was it because I’m not a big enough organization? Was it because, you know, I’m only like 17? I didn’t think people would actually take me seriously,” Lanchoney said.
“There’s no real reason to know why you like just being in nature, but I think it makes me think differently.” GEORGE LANCHONEY ’21 However, after receiving advice from the Farmlink Project organizers and further farmer contact details from Philabundance, a Philadelphia food bank, Lanchoney struck
COURTESY OF GEROGE LANCHONEY ‘21
George Lanchoney ‘21 (center) researching at the Island School alongside research leader (left) and classmate (right)
COURTESY OF GEORGE LANCHONEY ‘21
George Lanchoney ‘21 delivering 200 lbs of white mushrooms from Hockessin, Delaware to MANNA Food Bank in Philadelphia success. waste hurts the environment in an indirect The next thing he knew, he was filling his way because then we just have to grow more trunk full of mushrooms. food [after it is wasted] and [the cycle] just “My first connection actually came from depletes the Earth of resources slowly over my family friends who had a connection to time.” this mushroom farm down in Delaware,” he To Lanchoney, the project served as a said. “And so, my first delivery was driving testament to what a group of individuals can 200 pounds of mushrooms to a food bank in achieve when they unify under the common Philadelphia called MANNA.” mission of helping others. The number of responses increased shortly “It transcends politics. Anyone can do after, and Lanchoney recognized that farm- it—anyone at Haverford, really, or anyone in ers would work with him on similar projects. my position can do what I did. I only really “I realized [that] these people are really had the internet. I didn’t have any connecwilling to work with me, and I was kind of tions,” Lanchoney said. casting a bit of a net now,” Lanchoney said. Lanchoney has gained confidence in his Lanchoney and an organizer of the Honey own ability to make an impact on his comBrook Food Pantry then launched an official munity. campaign called From Farms to Food Banks “I feel that now I can really like all issues with support from the county commission- going on, and I didn’t think of it that way er. The contact information provided by the when I started it [the campaign],” he said. county allowed Lanchoney to form connec- “We just kind of did whatever we could do tions with rural farmers. because we were a little bit rushed.” “All these local farmers would actually have these roadside stands, but they wouldn’t “I want my work to be connected to the internet because they be this wordwide were kind of in Lancaster and these Amish areas where it was very rural,” Lanchoney thing...I want my said. work to be truly uniThe campaign expanded drastically with versal.” an expanded net of correspondence. Now that his program has been fully realized, GEORGE LANCHONEY ’21 Lanchony holds a less direct role in its daily operations; nevertheless, he continues to receive updates on the project’s success. “I’ve made my mark. Some still need help, Moving forward, Lanchoney feels he is and some don’t. The rural farms now have ready to move his focus onto different projconnections,” he said. “From what I’ve been ects. He plans to organize a charity concert: hearing—because I don’t do the deliveries Lanchoney has arranged multiple concerts in myself anymore—it has been going great. In the past, one which raised $4,000 for local total, they’re getting around 1200 pounds of food banks, and was set to have one prior produce per week from these local farms. It’s to the pandemic that was ultimately canpretty crazy.” celed. In past initiatives, he has also raised Lanchoney hopes his effort helped both proceeds for a housing project in Guatemala. farms and food banks navigate through the Lanchoney aspires through his future initiacoronavirus pandemic. Even though the ex- tives to make an impact globally and to bring cess of food is now less of an issue without a people together through service. lockdown in place, he sees the campaign as a “I want my work to be this worldreminder that food waste harms the environ- wide thing that is not just specified to one ment regardless of a pandemic. country or one place or one type of person “It felt right to do something, to help or one type of idea, religion, or whatever,” all types of people and the environment. The Lanchoney said. “I want my work to be truly farms were able to not waste their food—lit- universal: charity concerts, everyone loves erally, I’ve heard [that farmers] would bury music; building a house, everyone needs a million pounds of onions. With this [pan- shelter; and food, everyone needs food. demic] in general, the most impacted people, Those are just like examples of the stuff I I’m able to help them by [supporting] these want to do that transcends the divisions of food banks, which are really suffering these the modern-day world. I want to cast a big days,” Lanchoney said. “Any sort of food net.”
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November 2020
Henri Waché: volunteer firefighter Ethan Chan ’23
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n the midst of a pandemic where millions of people are forced to stay at home, Sixth Former Henri Waché continues to work as a volunteer firefighter for the Horsham Township Fire Department. Even though the fire department cannot stop its work during a pandemic, COVID-19 has heavily impacted how they work. “We as a department usually meet weekly, in person. Due to COVID-19, we had to meet online for our meetings and drill nights,” Waché said. “Especially in the early stages (March, April, May), it just sucked because we do a lot of important training and that’s when a lot of us go to fire school, which got canceled, affecting us a fair amount.” Despite those challenges, his department was quick to recuperate and figure out a way to get back up and operating again. “The department was one of the ones to bounce back and rebound the most because we’re one of the safest departments around. We have mandatory COVID-19 testing every two weeks and we make sure to take proper safety and health precautions in general,” Waché said. Given these circumstances, the most important safety factor was how they would maintain safety while putting out fires. “In terms of actually responding to calls, everyone had to wear masks. Specifically in homes where older people lived, we had to have our EMS agents come and make sure that person doesn’t have COVID,” Waché said. “We do get calls from people who have COVID-19 so we have to treat those cases very seriously.” As an essential worker, he senses that responsibility he holds to make sure he delivers to his community. “When you’re out and about, and you see how a lot of businesses have been affected by the situation. You feel pretty good that what
you’re doing is still needed during such a troubling time. Regardless of the pandemic, there are still going to be fires, rescues, and more,” Waché said. Even before he volunteered as a firefighter, he knew he wanted to make an impact to help others. Growing up in a household where family members were involved in the military, he was surrounded by the notion of service.
“It [not being able to meet in person] just sucked because we do a lot of important training.” HENRI WACHÉ
“My brother’s friends who were always at my house were firefighters. Seeing that at a super young age growing up was pretty interesting,” Waché said. This exposure to firefighters led Waché to want to volunteer at the fire department. “When I turned 16, a few days after my birthday, I got sworn in at Horsham Township Fire Department,” Waché said. “I felt that this was a great way to start that service aspect in my life by starting in my community, before opening up to the country,”. Since he joined the fire department, he has been a part of a number of calls, from fires, rescues, and more. “Even for being a firefighter for a very short amount of time, I’ve been to a fair amount of calls, some are pretty bad,” Waché said.
Henri Waché (middle) and two other volunteer firefighters
COURTESY OF HENRI WACHÉ ‘21
In his short tenure as a firefighter, he recalls one moment that he will remember forever. “It was a FedEx truck that hit a small sedan, multiple cars were involved too. As we got there, we could hear over the radio that there were already two casualties,” Waché said. This car crash was a tragedy, yet the bond between himself and his fellow firefighters strengthened from it.
“The people that you are with are not just your teammates or brothers, they are people that you have to trust your life with and rely on.” HENRI WACHÉ
COURTESY OF HENRI WACHÉ ‘21
Henri Waché and two other firefighters in action
“The people that you are with are not just your teammate or brothers, they are people that you have to trust your life with and rely on,” Waché said. “Taking accountability and having that trust in others and yourself play a big part every day for me as a firefighter.” When looking back at his experience as a firefighter, Waché says that one of his favorite parts of the job is the thrill of the journey. “The adrenaline rush when my pager goes off, turning on my blue lights, and going to the station to board up into the truck is a great feeling. Even though the thrill of the job is immense, the most rewarding part for Waché is the service. “At the end of the day when you help someone, the fact that you helped someone and made a difference, there’s nothing like it,” Waché said. “That’s why I’m a firefighter.”
HORSHAMFIRE15.COM
Some of the Horsham Fire Co.’s recent calls
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the index · neighborhood
Page 7
November 2020
neighborhood
Local public schools open late, balancing in-person and virtual learning Ethan Lee ’24
A
ll around the country, public schools are beginning to open up into a hybrid form of learning. Opening schools include schools in both Tredyffrin/Easttown and Montgomery County. On October 12, Conestoga High School opened up, allowing students to arrive and learn at the school in-person. Currently, the school has two cohorts of students, these groups are based on the student’s last names. Depending on the day, one of these groups is allowed to learn in-person and the other group must learn from the safety of their homes. However, the school does not require students to be in-person at the school. “The Board of Directors followed the CDC guidelines when opening the school. They have added a plexiglass barrier for the teacher and the desks have been rearranged to accommodate for social distancing,” Conestoga sophomore Ethan Liu, a virtual student, said.
“They have an obligation to the community to function as centers for learning and help” EVAN LU CONESTOGA ’23 The TE school district appears to be following the guidelines that the CDC listed on their website. Students are required to social distance, wear masks at all times (except to eat lunches), and sanitize their hands regularly. Students eat lunch in designated classrooms that are monitored by a faculty member at all times. Additionally, students are required to fill out an online screening form before entering the building. When asked about being a virtual student, Liu said, “I don’t want to get COVID-19. It is much safer to be at home.” Conestoga sophomore Evan Lu agrees. “I believe that schools should reopen.
CONN0R PINSK ‘23
Conestoga High School on October 30, 2020 They have an obligation to the community to function as centers for learning and help. However, I am not returning to school inperson because there is not a strong need for me to go back. It is far safer for me to stay at home,” Lu said. Although the reopening of schools in the TE district has been successful, that does not mean there were not any hiccups along the way. “There are some issues with technology. It is also hard to interact with students inperson when you are virtual,” Lu said. “There have been a lot of technological issues,” Liu agreed. “The teachers are being forced to work with technology that is relatively new to them.” These two students are hopeful that the school will continue to be open, but they have doubts about students following mask protocols and other such safety measures put in place by the school. “As school progresses and students become more comfortable in school, they might let their guard down and rules might be less strictly enforced,” Lu said. Liu and Lu both also raised concerns about the efficiency of hybrid learning compared to all virtual or all in-person learning. “I feel that there are miscommunications
and other such issues in between online and offline students. Things such as presentations can be weird when the student does not have a direct presence in the classroom as the people online don’t have the same visuals as the people in school,” Liu said. Like The Haverford School, Conestoga also experienced a schedule change. In a normal school year, they would have eight periods in one day. Now they have four per day, alternating which periods they have every other day.
“Almost all of the activities we do are online, and we need our devices at all times.” AMANDA LEE RADNOR ’23 Conestoga has had one reported case of COVID-19 in the faculty and no cases reported within the student body. Radnor High School has also opened, albeit sooner than Conestoga. Radnor opened
on September 20 for freshmen and seniors for one week, then to the rest of the people in school. Students still have the option to remain virtual if they wish. The Radnor schedule is also similar to Conestoga’s schedule, with two cohorts evenly splitting in-person learning. This schedule is modified from their typical schedule, which, like Conestoga, has eight periods in one day. Each class is about 80 minutes. “There have not been many reopening issues,” in-person Radnor sophomore Amanda Lee said. “The teachers have to adjust to the restrictions put in place by the school due to COVID-19. Almost all of the activities we do are online, and we need our devices at all times.” Radnor has hired additional faculty members to help police the students in cafeterias and in hallways. Mask wearing is a must at all times, as well as the regular use of hand sanitizer. Like Conestoga, Radnor faces problems with virtual students interacting with students in-person. “It is much easier for a teacher to interact with students in the physical classroom,” Lee said. “It is a lot easier to converse with others when you are inperson.”
Enoteca Tredici, a dining treat, indoors or out Chase Shatzman ’24
T
he Enoteca Tredici experience brought with it a few perks and served up a couple of powerful
punches. Given the CDC rules that govern gatherings and restrictions placed on restaurants, food establishments have seen diminished patronage as well as have been challenged by the need to provide aesthetically pleasing outdoor atmospheres. Bryn Mawr’s Enoteca Tredici seems to have taken parking-lot dining to a new level. My party dined at a table inside the restaurant by a large window overlooking a tented area that could have fooled any diner into believing that they were part of a highly decorated annex.
Bryn Mawr’s Enoteca Tredici seems to have taken parking-lot dining to a new level.
Most tables were at least six feet apart, although it seemed a bit forced as patrons were numerous. Even as I exited the restaurant, it felt as if I were maneuvering around a crowded rush-hour train station. It became apparent by the crowds waiting by their cars for a table, that this was a hot spot for great dining. I ordered the calamari appetizer—a safe, generic choice. It had the perfect blend of freshness with the added punch of a citrus crust. For my main entree, I ordered the popular lamb chops. The exterior meat was tender, juicy, and seasoned to perfection. However, the recommended medium cooked order came with the surprise of a rare and cold center. We kindly brought this to the attention of the waiter and asked for the chef to put the untouched portion back on the grill. The waiter apologized for the inconvenience, brought the meal back to the kitchen, and returned with a plate of aesthetically displeasing meat. Unfortunately, this time the entrée was overcooked and too tough to eat. The manager had no idea that I was reviewing his
restaurant, and to his credit, he saw the unfortunate-looking lamb, apologized for the meal, and later generously excluded this item from the bill. The owners should give him a raise. Two members of my party ordered the
Unfortunately, this time the entrée was overcooked and too tough to eat. pistachio-crusted scallops. Although there were only three scallops on the small serving dish, their perfection counterbalanced the unfortunate lamb-chop debacle. These three crustaceans were fresh and perfectly seasoned. The crust had a distinctive pistachio glaze that would please any critical palate. My compliments to the chef. They were incredible and definitely a must-have should you visit Enoteca. Our waiter was a pleasant fellow who tried
desperately to be humorous and accommodating. Still, we were a forgotten table. Perhaps he spent a little too much friendly time at each table, or the restaurant was so packed by returning satisfied customers that it was difficult to keep up with the service. In spite of the little bumps along the way, this was a positive dining experience and one that you should not miss. Restaurants are having a tough time and if you can support your local businesses, they will be there for you when the pandemic is over. Bravo Enoteca!
CHASE SHATZMAN ’24
Pistachio crusted scallops at Enoteca Tredici
the index · academics
Page 8
November 2020
academics
Teachers plan transition to second quarter Adiyan Nayak ’24
O
ver the past five months, upper school administrators and faculty members have adapted the schedule to fit the requirements of COVID-19. Through the first quarter, students have attempted a great deal without feeling overwhelmed, largely because they are only dealing with three classes. As they transition to the second quarter of the school year, students feel comfortable with the changes they will experience, and many will feel refreshed by a new set of courses to explore. Teachers, however, are not afforded such luxuries.
“I consider myself lucky that I’m still here, and I’m still in Wilson Hall” MS. BROOKE KENNA Under normal circumstances, teachers are given a full year before returning to the same material, but due to the alternating quarter system, many of them will be teaching the same material within two months. Additionally, some will be alternating between different rooms to accommodate class sizes. Spanish teacher Ms. Brooke Kenna discussed some of the challenges she will face moving rooms after each quarter. “I’m definitely going to get my steps in, because I’m moving to the third floor, but I consider myself lucky that I’m still here, and I’m still in Wilson Hall,” Ms. Kenna said. “I know I’m gonna have colleagues that will help me out and be right nearby to make the experience easier.” Ms. Kenna said she will keep things fresh in the second quarter, while essentially teaching the same skills.
“It’s always dependent on the group of students,” Ms. Kenna said. “I try to feed off their energy and their interests, so one of the first things I’m gonna do is ask them, ‘What do you hope to get out of this class?’ And I’m gonna tailor everything I do around that.” “I think it’s gonna be a unique challenge for sure,” Ancient and Modern World History teacher Mr. Jeremy Hart said. “There will always be fun in getting new classes and students, new personalities. But it is going to be a bit of a broken record of, ‘Oh, didn’t I just do this?’ So I’m curious about the transition between the two.” Teachers have learned quite a bit from their experiences in the first quarter, and plan on using their newly acquired knowledge to improve their classes. “I’m excited to try and improve upon some of the things in terms of management of hour-and-a-half classes,” Mr. Hart said. “I think there is some intellectually stimulating planning I’m gonna get to do.”
“I’m excited to try and improve upon some of the things in terms of management of hour-and-a-half classes.” MR. JEREMY HART As preparations for the second quarter begin, teachers are already looking ahead to the return of their current classes. “I think the biggest challenge,” Mr. Hart said, “will be picking up the third quarter with what’s transferred over, and seeing what kids have retained.”
INDEX STAFF
The second quarter begins on November 9, 2020.
Check out all articles online at thsindex.org
Page 9
the index · campus opinions
November 2020
campus opinions Athletic contests threaten safety Arsh Aggarwal ’23
W
ith coronavirus cases still rising throughout the country, Haverford should not risk the health of their students for a couple of sports games. The school’s decision to run practices for sports was itself controversial and left many families and students apprehensive. Sports like football and soccer, where social distancing is almost impossible to enforce, were the main source of worry. After only about a month of practice, the Inter-Ac League decided to introduce a fall season. In an email sent by Football Coach Mr. Brain Martin, he explains that “Given
the current low rates of community transmission in our area, the Inter-Ac is planning a modified non-championship fall sports schedule…”. These “low rates of community transmission” are because of diligent abiding to rules that most schools and institutions are following, but by running sports games, the transmission will inevitably increase. The community has worked incredibly hard to return to school safely and even give students a glimpse of sports throughout the last few months, but that does not justify increasing risk and pushing the limits. This argument makes it feel like the school is pur-
posefully searching for ways to put students at increased risk, and it is not okay. It is undeniable that our community heavily revolves around competition. The thing is, teams do not need to have games with other schools to fuel this competitive nature. Inter-team scrimmages provide ample competition while keeping athletes safer. In the end, it is all about priorities. The school has, yet again, prioritized athletics, but this time risking everything and everyone in the process. While everyone hopes for the best, the risks cannot be ignored, and if all does go wrong, time in-person could be over. For the sake of the students, the
The administration should announce COVID-19 cases agustin Aliaga ’21
T
he Haverford School has been prudent in its decision making and wise in its restrictions concerning the safety of its students during the pandemic. However, one challenge that was unclear coming into this academic year was how the school would handle reported cases of COVID-19 in the community.
I certainly would have considered going virtual. So far, there have been at least two cases reported. Those students have been isolated, their cohorts were temporarily made virtual, and their identities kept anonymous. However, as the school is not obligated to do so, it has not officially reported these cases to the student body or their parents. Sadly, I believe this is a significant blemish on the school’s
otherwise near-perfect response to this year’s altered situation. While I understand that protecting the students’ identities is a priority for the administration, there are a variety of reasons why withholding this information is problematic. First, this information is necessary for everyone’s safety. There are many students who, if they had known about the reported cases, would have chosen to go virtual at least temporarily or would not have chosen to return to school if already virtual; I certainly would have considered going virtual. While the school took one correct precaution in notifying students who had been in direct contact with students who have tested positive, I believe that this is not enough. While mask-wearing and physical distancing among students has been relatively successful, it certainly has not been absolute or perfect: hallways still occasionally get crowded, mask breaks are not foolproof, and desks often get rearranged so that the six feet separating them is reduced. However, I am not trying to criticize how the school’s enforcement of precautions, as these things are understandable and partially expected; rather, I am trying to show that one case could potentially have infected many students outside of a single cohort or class. With an unprecedentedly high transmission rate, this is exactly why COVID-19 can be so dangerous. Given that the system, albeit well-designed, is not perfect, an announcement to people in the community of the presence of a case would not have only been warranted but expected. Second and perhaps even more importantly, an official announcement of the first cases could have been beneficial to the community’s understanding of the new precautions. With an imminent threat of a recent case, I believe students would become more aware of wearing masks and of distancing from their classmates. It would create a consensus that the rules and standards we have agreed to are merited. The fact that these cases remained isolated is a testimony to
the effectiveness of the school’s policies and shows the student body that the sacrifices we are making are necessary; however, without any kind of official communication to the students, doubt and uncertainty clouds what could be clarity and confidence. Third, it would prevent circulation of rumors. If the administration was upfront about what happened, there would be less conflict than I see now. There would not be speculation of student identities, discussion
administration must rethink and revise its priority on sports.
of blame, or students upset with the school’s handling of the situation. Unfortunately, however, all of these things have happened as a result of the vagueness that still surrounds the situation.
If the administration was upfront about what happened, there would be less conflict than I see now. The school has done an excellent job in its reopening plans and in enforcing the precautions meant to protect the student body, but in order for this response to be called perfect, students must know about cases present in the school.
Infographic of COVID-19 safety measures
AGUSTIN ALIAGA ‘21
Page 10
the index · campus opinions
November 2020
Sports practices must be more safe Joey Kauffman ’23
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his is my second year running cross country in the upper school, and more than anything else, I love the practices. I’m not kidding. I love the hard work. I love the true, selfless brotherhood displayed during practice. I love how, no matter how bad I feel during the school day, my attitude always transforms after we finish running. I love everything about the sport, and the part of me that loves cross country sincerely wants all other fall sports to continue their run at Haverford and have a great season. But it doesn’t matter what I want. What matters is that we are in the middle of a worsening pandemic and we need to be safe. As long as fall sports continue to halfheartedly employ COVID-19 restrictions, I will continue to speak out against the flagrant misuse of privilege the program currently embodies.
The school has spent seven figures to minimize the spread of the virus—they have improved ventilation, hired additional staff, and enforced daily symptom checks. It seems that in every other facet of school life, Haverford goes above and beyond COVID-19 protocols. The school has spent seven figures to minimize the spread of the virus—they have improved ventilation, hired additional staff, and enforced daily symptom checks. Everyone wears a mask during the school day, and the faculty has no tolerance for students who do not wear masks. Even the smallest of details are noticed—say during class, my nose slips out of my mask. In a matter of moments, someone will tell me to pull the mask back up, thereby keeping us safe. I respect the Haverford administration for how quickly and effectively they have restructured the way we learn, but the thing is
that none of it matters if we go and reverse it all during sports. When I get to practice, there’s a strange shift that occurs—the hyper-cautious COVID-19 protocols of the school day are suddenly relaxed. When the athletes run in cross country, they are completely free to take their masks off. I understand that this is for good reason—wearing a mask while running limits the athlete’s breathing, severely hindering performance. Yet, I have seen time and time again that when masks aren’t required during sports practice, social distancing breaks down. In cross country, the athletes run in groups, maskless, for upwards of forty minutes, all the while breathing heavily. However, cross country is an essentially solitary sport, while other fall sports such as football and soccer require contact, making it impossible to play the sport without breaking social distancing guidelines. “Kids are going to be closer because they’re going to be trying to tackle the ball. There’s offense and defense so they’re going to be clashing,” Fourth Form soccer player Neil Sawney said. “Towards the end of practice, we’re doing more live gameplays. To an extent, the longer the practice goes on, the less it’s socially distanced.” The same is true for football, a sport that requires more contact than soccer. “Obviously there’s going to be contact within the linemen and other positions,” Fourth Form football player Zach Powell said. “[The linemen] do have a lot of contact for maybe five seconds.” The main argument for allowing sports is that the athletes are outside and moving around, which reduces the danger. This is true, to an extent. An article from Vox explains how the coronavirus spreads differently because of distance, duration, and ventilation. Outdoor practices mean better ventilation, yes, but that does not mean distance and duration can be ignored. Even though the kids that are playing are supposed to be moving, there is plenty of time when people are close together for longer than a split second. “There are some times in the middle of a drill when people are just kind of talking and
AGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21
Brenden Touey ’23 warming up on September 21, 2020 they’re fairly close,” Sawney said. “Most kids have done it.”
I want you to think about one thing: how lucky the Haverford community is during this moment in history. Also, if you simply look at the news, you will see just how dangerous outdoor, maskless meetings can be, despite the decreased risk that comes from being outdoors. High profile individuals such as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins, and even the President and the First Lady all contracted COVID-19 after attending an outdoor event
Teddy Malone ’22 and Will Costin ’22 during a lacrosse practice on October 2, 2020
MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH
in the Rose Garden that Dr. Fauci, the leading COVID-19 expert in the US, called a “superspreader.” Even though the kids playing sports at Haverford are moving much more than the people at the Rose Garden event, there are still daily instances of social distancing neglect at practice, and this adds up after happening daily. However, I don’t just want to criticize the sports program at Haverford; I want to give credit where it is due, and as I talked to athletes, one sport—crew—seemed to be doing an exemplary job. “We just use singles [a boat that can only fit one person]. If we were in doubles or quads then we would have to wear masks and it would just not be as safe,” Forth Form rower Connor Pinsk said. “And I just don’t think the school wants to take that risk.” Where Connor is wrong is that the school is fine taking that risk, as we have seen from the football, soccer, and cross country programs—crew is the odd one out. I’ll offer a solution to the problem, but I’m almost certain my solution won’t be well received. Other sports programs must follow in the steps of crew, making sacrifices about the types of activities that they can do to increase safety. The cross country team would need to sacrifice running in groups, the football and soccer teams would need to sacrifice having any sort of physical contact during practice, and all teams would need to sacrifice having games with other schools. Before you call me a heretic, I want you to think about one thing: how lucky the Haverford community is during this moment in history. According to CNBC, 71% of students around the country have virtual school or a hybrid. At Haverford, we are not only in the minority for having the ability to come into school every day, but we are also in an even smaller minority that can practice and participate in school sports. We need to appreciate how exceptionally lucky we are, and from that mindset, do everything in our power to address, rather than ignore, the pandemic.
Page 11
the index · off-campus opinions
November 2020
off-campus opinions The electoral college should be voted out Matthew Schwartz ’21
T
his election is rigged, but not in the way one might think based on what is discussed in the news. This election is rigged because the vote of a citizen in Vermont is worth three times the vote of an equally qualified citizen in Texas. This system has led to five elections where a candidate won the popular vote yet lost the election. The clearest example of this flaw is in the 1888 presidential election when incumbent Grover Cleveland lost the electoral college while winning the popular vote. The following election cycle in 1892, Cleveland ran again, winning the popular vote for the third election in three tries and demonstrating that the will of the people is not represented by an electoral college. The common argument against a popular vote—apart from the idea that we should preserve the will of the Founding Fathers—is that candidates would choose simply to campaign in the most highly populated areas or specific regions as opposed to running on platforms and promises with a national focus. Simply put, this reasoning ignores the facts of the situation. Under the current structure, in 2016, the largest state in the US by population, California, was treated to zero campaign stops by both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton after each candidate clinched their party nominations. In fact, Hillary Clinton spent more days campaigning in Florida, Ohio,
and Pennsylvania than the 47 other states combined. Though a popular vote might lead to more campaign stops in higher populated states such as California or Texas, that should not be considered a con. A democracy is supposed to represent the will of the people and therefore regions with more people should be valued over those with less. In the 2012 election, 54,132,897 people, or 43% of all votes cast, were ignored. These are the number of votes, Republican and Democratic, cast in states whose majority, and subsequently 100% of their electoral votes, went for the opposing candidate. Due to a winner-take-all system for the electoral votes, the 4,839,958 Republican voters in California in 2012, a number larger than the population of 25 states, would have had an equal say in the election had they stayed home that day and watched TV. In a time when celebrities are posting videos online to go vote and AOC is streaming to 400,000 viewers on Twitch about using their voices, the institutions currently in place do the opposite. It is also a fairly wide-spread consensus that the main candidates of the past two elections all have serious flaws and would likely not be many voter’s first choices. Another argument against a popular vote is that it encourages more candidates to run as independents, resulting in a possible President who only received 35% of the vote,
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
2016 Electoral College map the majority simply due to there being four candidates. In my eyes, this is an outcome we should strive for as a country. There are too many qualified individuals barred from running for President because, under the current circumstances, they would never receive enough funding or backing to carry the required amount of states. We should be doing everything we can to encourage as many candidates as possible. The presidency is the most important job in our country, arguably in the world, and we somehow narrow it down to two people out of hundreds of
millions. This opinion piece is not meant to say Clinton should have beaten Trump or Gore unfairly lost to Bush as I acknowledge campaigns would be managed drastically differently if the goal was to receive a majority of votes; all I am attempting to do is to provide the facts needed to spark a dialogue around an important issue and hopefully give enough of an argument to motivate you to do research on this issue and form an opinion of your own.
The election’s effect on teenagers Bowen Deng ’22
T
he 2020 election is one of the most important of the 21st century. In this turbulent year, the election results will drastically reshape the United States, for better or for worse. Among the many policies and implications to sift through, the candidates’ stance on the issues of COVID-19 and climate change are most relevant to our generation. If teenagers want their lives to return to any semblance of normal, COVID-19 must be dealt with first. Both candidates have promised a vaccine. However, they have different measures in combating the virus before a vaccine is widely available. Biden has a detailed plan on his campaign website, promising free and expanded testing, more emphasis on the opinions of health experts, more supplies for hospital workers and first responders, and many other proposals to deal with the pandemic. His proposals seem to focus on short term sacrifices - putting the pandemic before the economy - for long term benefit, with his belief that “we cannot get the country moving before we control the virus.” For example, Biden has stated that he is willing to shut down the country again if scientists advise it. For teenagers, a Biden election brings promises to flatten the curve, defeat the virus, and hopefully allow businesses
and institutions to loosen the restrictions. Yet, if that doesn’t happen, it also holds the possibility of returning to lockdown. Whether or not these promises will be kept remains to be seen, since Biden has backtracked in the past with regards to his proposals. “Under Biden we may see another complete lockdown like we had during the beginning of this virus,” says Joshua Ricefield ’22. “I think that if Trump were reelected we would be seeing the country fully reopen to save the economy.” As Trump has no publicly available plan with regards to fighting the virus, one can only assume he will do the same things as he is doing now. A Trump reelection would most likely continue the current policy of putting the economy before the virus and attempting to build it back through similar policies of the last four years. Teenagers would most likely have to continue to live with the virus for longer. Our daily life will continue as it is now, and there will still be an increasing case and death count until a vaccine is available. With record breaking wildfires across Western states such as California and Colorado, it is clear that if something does not change, our generation and future generations will face the severe consequences of climate change, such as more droughts, higher temperatures, extinction, increasing natural
disasters, and food shortages. For the first time, the topic appeared in the presidential debate. Biden’s plan is ambitious and expensive, seeking to transition the United States away from oil and focusing on renewable energy sources while creating new jobs at the same time. Again, even if Biden is elected, it will remain to be seen if this plan will be enacted. If possible, however, it would be a significant step in improving the environment and futures of teenagers. Trump has no plan regarding climate change, simply stating that he wants the “cleanest water” and “cleanest air.” Yet, he has advocated for boosting production of oil and natural gas. His response to the pleas of California Governor Newsom to recognize climate change’s effect on the wildfires was “it will start getting cooler, you just watch,” and “I don’t think science knows.” In four years, he has rolled back 72 environmental regulations. It is clear that climate change may not be one of Trump’s concerns, which should be worrying for teenagers. These two, however, are by no means the most important policies in the minds of everyone. My peers will each have other policies that they place a high emphasis on. But regardless of results, teenagers’ social life is most immediately impacted by the election, and not in a positive way. “A social
tempest will occur amongst students of the losing party. Social media will be divisive and caustic, and classrooms will be full of toxic discourse for a period of time.” says Tripp Ronon ’24. Somebody must lose, and there will be dissent and bitterness in schools all around the country.
QUINN LUONG ’22
Jackson Overton Clark ’19 marches in Center City at the Youth for Black Lives March, August 2, 2020
Page 12
the index · off-campus opinions
November 2020
Controversy surrounds the Google monolith Colin Stewart ’22
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n October 20, 2020, the Department of Justice along with ten State Attorney Generals filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Google. The Department of Justice claims in United States v. Google LLC that Google is “unlawfully maintaining monopolies in markets [...] through anticompetitive and exclusionary practices.” This lawsuit represents only the latest example of the battle between the United States and Big Tech companies like Google. Only one week earlier, on October 13, 2020, Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a statement in response to a petition for a writ of certiorari on another Big Tech lawsuit. He stated that he believes Title 47 U.S. Code § 230, colloquially known as “Section 230,” a statute that provides immunity to internet platforms from some civil and criminal claims, is too broadly interpreted. Led by Attorney General Bill Barr, the Justice Department looks to diminish Google’s stranglehold on general search services, search advertising, and general search text advertising. Google handles roughly 90% of the internet’s yearly searches overall and 95% of the internet searches on mobile devices. The DOJ maintained that Google has paid billions of dollars to phone manufacturers in order to use Google as the default search engine; a price tag so high that it “stifles competition and innovation from smaller upstart rivals to Google.” This claim is backed by the Senate Judiciary Committee which found that Google does use monopolistic practices. The committee reported that Google has acquired an estimated 260 companies in 20 years all in an effort to suppress competition. Google’s Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, issued a statement claiming that the “lawsuit by the Department of Justice is deeply flawed. People use Google because they choose to, not because they’re forced to, or because they can’t find alternatives.” This encapsulates a very good defense for Google. In the most basic example of a monopoly, consumers are forced to use the company’s products because it is the only company creating that product. Walker made it clear that this is not the situation in which Google
finds itself. Walker even went as far as showing consumers how they can switch to Google’s competitors’ products should they want to. Currently, State Attorney Generals from seven more states are still investigating Google’s practices and have yet to consolidate their case with the DOJ’s. The case will likely reach the U.S. District Courts in late 2021-early 2022. In all likelihood, the army of lawyers representing the United States against the army of lawyers representing the world’s 13th largest company will drive this case up through the Federal Court System until it reaches the Supreme Court. In other Big Tech news, Justice Clarence Thomas issued a statement in response to a petition for a Writ of Certiorari. For those not familiarized with the legal processes of appealing a case, a petition for a Writ of Certiorari might sound very confusing: it is actually quite a simple concept. When a case is decided, the attorney representing the loser of the said case has the opportunity to petition a higher court. This petition lays out the facts of the case and why the attorney thinks it was wrongly decided. Specifically, with the Supreme Court, the justices review these petitions and decide whether or not they agree on hearing the case. Four justices must decide that the case should be heard in order for the petition to be accepted. Of the thousands of cases that the Supreme Court turns away each year, the amount of statements in response to petitions numbers in the single digits. Hopefully, this not only puts into perspective what a petition for a Writ of Certiorari is but just how rare a statement in response is. The statement written by Justice Thomas was in response to Malwarebytes v. Enigma Software Group USA. In his statement, Justice Thomas agreed with the court’s decision to turn away the case but wrote the response in order “to explain why, in an appropriate case, we should consider whether the text of this increasingly important statute aligns with the current state of immunity enjoyed by Internet platforms.” In §230, there are two subsections relating to the protection of interactive computer service providers. These are companies such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc. The first
Google’s Sundar Pichai speaks at a March 2015 conference
Justice Clarence Thomas’ official portrait subsection, §230(c)(1), is definitional: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider” Information content provider refers to the users of the platform. This law makes the delineation between publishers and platforms. The second subsection is open for much more interpretation. §230(c)(2) says that computer service providers shall not be held liable for (A) good-faith acts to restrict access to, or remove, certain types of objectionable content; or (B) giving consumers tools to filter the same types of content. The combination of these two subsections creates an Everest-like barrier for an attorney to climb in their effort to win a case. In Justice
MAURIZIO PESCE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Thomas’s words, “In short, the statute suggests that if a company unknowingly leaves up illegal third-party content, it is protected from publisher liability by §230(c)(1); and if it takes down certain third-party content in good faith, it is protected by §230(c)(2) (A).” Justice Thomas argues that this interpretation allows computer service providers too much leniency; they are either not punished for a lack of action or not punished for incorrect action, so long as the defendant can prove the action was made in good faith. Justice Thomas proposes the idea of revising the §230(c)(2)(A). Thomas’s argument as to why the law should change is this: many of today’s platforms more closely fit the definition of a publisher because they are regulating information far past what platforms are defined as being capable of; this breach of law is protected under the current and too broadly interpreted §230(c)(2)(A). Publishers are classified by their ability to regulate information. In other words, they get to decide what is seen and what isn’t. The argument that platforms, specifically the three companies Facebook, Twitter, and Google, are regulating information, rather than restricting objectionable material in good faith is quite an easy one to make. Though the argument most commonly found in today’s political discourse isn’t that they are unfairly regulating information on both sides, but rather that the liberal Big Tech giants are targeting conservative voices. Regardless of whether or not you believe in censorship by Big Tech or that Google is participating in monopolistic practices, both subjects are a function of a single idea - Big Tech is powerful. It is important, regardless of political affiliation, to remember that unchecked power is dangerous. Though Big Tech has made this world that we live in today possible, it is also important to make sure that Big Tech does not become the reason why markets become monopolized and ideas become silenced.
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Should schools remain open through the winter months? Kethan Kalra ‘24
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very day, COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the United States and kill thousands. During 7 months of lockdown, 8.98 (10/29/20) million cases were reported in our country, leaving 228 thousand Americans dead. Among these fatalities are 8,800 Pennsylvanians, 895 of which from Montgomery County. Thus, the question arises, “Should Haverford Remain Open in the Winter months?” Ultimately, it comes down how acceptable the risk is, because while online learning is difficult, contracting COVID-19 is far worse. Third Former Brady Stalkamp expressed his understandable concern about remaining open as he thinks the risk outweighs the gain. When Fourth Former Ethan Lee and Third Former Noah Anderson were posed with the question, both stated the situation should be handled on a day by day basis and cases should be monitored rigorously. Unfortunately, due to the amount of students who tested positive, Haverford is on the brink of shutting down with an estimated 4% positivity rate in Montgomery County. At the state we are in now, it seems like a foolish idea to remain open and put faculty and students at risk as schools are required to close at just a 5% positivity rate. In the hypothetical scenario that we make it to winter, it would be extremely wise to take examples from countries that have already undergone harsh temperatures. For instance Germany has mandated leaving windows open to increase ventilation, chilling students to the bone amidst below freezing temperatures.
Entrance to Wilson Hall during a snowstorm on November 15, 2018 Schools are left to decide if pneumonia is worse than contracting COVID-19. If we were to remain open, ventilation would play a key factor as it allowed air to circulate simulating the outdoors. In many Nordic countries, class has been moved entirely outside. A study originating from South Korea revealed that kids under ten contracted and transmitted the virus at a much slower rate than teenagers and adults. The reason for this is currently unknown but possible theory suggests that children’s smaller lungs play a role. These findings pose yet another question: would it be fair for younger children to attend in person while we attend online? Some may find it unfair that students with
far easier classes have the ability to remain in person but we do not. Personally, I find these claims to be valid, but I also think a kindergartener will have a much more difficult time learning online than we will. Due to both medical reasons and their lower aptitude for learning virtually, I believe grades K-5 should be able to attend school regardless of seasonal changes. With Haverford on the threshold of closing, as mentioned previously, another bump in cases could potentially put an end to our in person learning. However the risk does not come in closing down, it comes in reopening. The CDC requires a positivity rate of <3% which would be incredibly difficult
MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ‘21
to manage. With Thanksgiving break on the horizon it is expected that many students will travel or visit family, putting yet another risk on the table. Personally, the best way to combat this influx would be to remain online for two weeks before returning, testing each student before entering the building. In the end, this topic is a question that no one can solve until after the damage is done. Administrators will make the executive decision after carefully weighing pros and cons. The easiest way to do so is by determining if the reward is greater than the risk, and if that aforementioned risk is at an acceptable level.
Why every student should pay attention to the Supreme Court of Texas have all defined the modern landscape of college admissions. While the issue is not yet fully litigated, the court’s prior and future decisions will shape the way college admissions can work.
Sam Kohl ‘22
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hile America’s highest court might seem divorced from the everyday life of a Haverford student, the opposite is true: the court’s decisions have direct, tangible impacts on all of our daily lives. Take an easy example: college admissions. Around this time, Haverford seniors are applying to colleges and juniors are beginning to enter the process themselves. Can the college that you are applying to take your race into account when making a decision? Yes, according to the landmark case Grutter v Bollinger. In this case, Barbara Grutter, an applicant to the University of Michigan’s law school, was denied admission. She filed suit, claiming that the university had discriminated against her based on race and that such discrimination violated the 14th amendment and 1964 civil rights act. The court disagreed in a 5-4 split opinion, finding that the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause did not prohibit this practice, as it furthered a compelling interest: diversity. Grutter v Bollinger, Regents of the University of California v Bakke, and Fisher v University
Historically, looking to the court provides a barometer for our nation’s changing values and circumstances. Another example is found in an unlikely place: video games. In 2005, the California state legislature passed AB 1179. This law banned the sale of “violent” video games to anybody under the age of 18. This law was quickly challenged in the district court, which ruled that the law violated the first amendment. On appeal, the ninth circuit agreed with the district court, deeming it unconstitutional on first amendment grounds. Dissatisfied with the result, then-Governor Schwarzenegger filed a writ of certiorari to the supreme court, asking them to review the decision. The court, agreeing with both lower-court decisions, said that the law violated the first amendment, comparing video games to other mediums of speech in the case Brown v Entertainment Merchants Association. While many stores still require a customer to be 18, a government requirement is illegal, thanks to this opinion. This decision also likely protected other modern
forms of speech, for if video games were not constitutionally protected, other cultural products could be restricted as well. These cases are just two examples of how the court affects a student’s life. There are many other issues I didn’t even touch on, such as school desegregation, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion cases. Now I’d like to pivot to another point: you should pay attention to the court not just because it affects you, but because it affects our nation in profound ways, currently and historically. The list of important cases in our nation’s history is long, but let’s turn to a more current one first: California v Texas. This case, being argued on Nov. 10, will decide the fate of the Affordable Care Act, a law providing tens of millions with healthcare. Knowing the context of cases such as these can bring clarity to other governmental decisions. After the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, senate Republicans worked extremely quickly to fill her vacant seat with circuit judge Amy Coney Barrett. The Republicans want Barrett on the court to rule favorably on any election problems and the aforementioned healthcare case. She was critical of the previous decision regarding Obamacare (NFIB v Sebelius) and is likely to rule the individual mandate unconstitutional and maybe even the entire law. Historically, looking to the court provides a barometer for our nations changing values and circumstances. Take, for example, two famous cases: Plessy v Ferguson and Brown v Board of Education. Plessy ruled segregation constitutional, a repugnant moment in
our nation’s history. Yet only 60 years later, a unanimous Warren court found the exact opposite to be true: segregation violates the 14th amendment’s’ equal protection clause, as it is inherently unequal. In 1973, Maryland became the first state to officially ban same-sex marraiges. 42 years later, in the landmark decision Obergefell v Hodges, the supreme court declared such bans unconstitutional; same sex couples could now marry in all 50 states with federal protection. While the court isn’t as glamorous as the executive branch. Oral arguments are less entertaining than presidential debates and justices tend to be reserved rather than outgoing. Nevertheless, knowledge of the court and its proceedings are vital to understanding the world around you.
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The Supreme Court in winter 1939
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November 2020
Should Democrats pack the courts if Biden is elected president? Colin Stewart ‘22
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ince the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, public opinion has been polarized on the topic of the Supreme Court. Republican’s two-faced approach to confirming justices has led many on the left to call for an extension of the Supreme Court. There have been a few bipartisan bills introduced in the Senate over the last decade to reform the Supreme Court. These proposals would have introduced limits on tenure, limits on the amount of justices a president can nominate per term, and even a reform in which there would be three outwardly partisan nominees per party and then the other three justices would be chosen with a yearly lottery that picks from the Federal Appellate Court system. Those are all good ideas, with the intention of introducing fairness and objectivity back into the court. At its core, packing the court is exactly the opposite.
The only reason FDR wanted to pack the Supreme Court was so he could insert partisan justices to effectuate his prefered policy. Packing a nine justice Supreme Court was first proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. The Judicial Procedures Reform Bill was an initiative FDR undertook after many of his New Deal statutes had been shot down by the Supreme Court. To be clear: the only reason FDR wanted to pack the Supreme Court was so he could insert partisan justices to effectuate his prefered policy. The New Deal was a very
popular proposal but even the citizens of the 1930s recognized that packing the Supreme Court in order to pass those laws was incredibly dangerous. As is evident by the fact that there are still only nine justices on the bench, FDR did not pack the court.
Perhaps the only thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on is that they view the Supreme Court not as an objective body to keep Congress and the Executive Branch in check but a political branch that works to further their political desires. Our nation’s forefathers considered the Supreme Court the least dangerous branch of the tripart system they created. As Alexander Hamilton noted, the highest court in the land had “neither sword nor purse strings.” This is a metaphorical way of saying that the court had neither the army nor the control over government to affect their decisions. Hamilton, however, was quickly contradicted by the very institution he helped create. In the Supreme Court’s 10th case, Marbury v Madison, it was ruled that federal courts have the ability to rule executive and legislative acts unconstitutional. This gave the Supreme Court its “purse string.” Marbury v Madison should not nullify the true intentions of the Supreme Court, though. The court was and still is supposed to be the least
The relevant section of the Fifth Formers’ U.S. History textbook
INDEX STAFF
INDEX STAFF
Dr. Gurtler’s copy of David Kennedy’s Freedom from Fear, a survey of the Great Depression Supreme Court today, no matter the ideoldangerous branch of the government. The second (and just as important) aspect ogy, there would be an invincible majority. of the Supreme Court is that the justices are This would, for all intents and purposes, turn supposed to remain objective and, without the Supreme Court into a super legislator. This is obviously very bad. As many of us personal policy preference, decide cases. It would be dishonest to pretend as if this in- learn at a very young age, the United States tention hasn’t already been cast aside. Justices government was built with the intention of like Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor making sure that every branch of governare a perfect example. Just the same as Justice ment is checked and balanced by another. Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination exempli- This intention would be nullified if the Sufied, the original intention of the founding preme Court was packed. The checks on the fathers no longer matters in today’s political court would remain the same as they are world. Perhaps the only thing Democrats today. The president would nominate, the and Republicans can agree on is that they senate would confirm, and congress has the view the Supreme Court not as an objective ability to impeach a sitting justice so long body to keep Congress and the Executive as they feel the justice has not remained in Branch in check but a political branch that “good behavior.” There would be little to no balance against the Supreme Court. The court could rule opposing parties bills as If six partisan justices unconstitutional without any need for a lewere added to the Sugitimate argument and Supreme Court cases preme Court today, would be decided along policy lines rather than constitutional ones meaning an almost no matter the ideolocertain violation of our constitutional rights. gy, there would be an To those who want to pack the court I invincible majority. would say, “At the end of the day, it is better This would, for all to have a system that you disagree with on a policy level than a system that sees your huintents and purposes, man rights as a line to be crossed in search turn the Supreme of some utopic future or a power grab.” Yes, Court into a super the Supreme Court is currently in shambles legislator. but the way to fix it is not to pack the court. You cannot fix an unfair system by making it even more unfair. If you still feel that packing the Supreme works to further their political desires. You might find yourself asking, “Why Court is necessary to a properly functiondoes packing the court matter if the original ing court then I ask you this:“If packing the intention of objectivity is already forgotten?” court is truly not about inserting justices to The answer to this is simple: the justices are do your bidding but rather preserving the in a constant cycle of being replaced, so the constitution, should President Trump, with court stays relatively balanced. Right now the intention of preserving the constitution, there are three partisan Democrat justices, pack the court? If you answered ‘No’, is that four partisan Republican justices, and two because you would be afraid that he would swing justices in Chief Justice John Roberts insert judges to do his political bidding?” and Brett Kavanaugh. Packing the court The coin has two sides. Neither party should would upset this balance. FDR’s proposal pack the court because, regardless of what was to add six justices to make a court of fif- they may say their intentions are, politicians teen. If six partisan justices were added to the only want to ease the path to power.
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November 2020
arts Saturday Night Live’s middling new season Connor Pinsk ‘23
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aturday Night Live has begun its new season. And it is spectacularly ordinary. It’s not unusual that SNL centers its shows and skits around politics. This is fine . . . when the jokes are funny. In the early days of Donald Trump’s election to the White House, this was the case. The jokes were funny, and the skits were pristine. Yes, they were making fun of Trump, but even if you are or were a bigtime supporter of our president, many of these early jokes could make you chuckle. The problem is that these jokes were four years ago, at the beginning of the election cycle and early on into Trump’s presidency, and SNL still makes many of the same comedic references. Sure, they make a few jokes at the expense of former Vice President Biden, but the main focus has always been Trump. So, my question is this: how many times can SNL say something like “orange man bad”? They can’t figure out the answer, but they seem to have gotten an estimate, and it is somewhere around infinity. Now don’t get me wrong, I usually like SNL, but it just seems to have grown stale. Still, this season, there has been one major exception. As of this writing, there have been
only four episodes, but the second one, hosted by Bill Burr, was spectacular. Burr did not make jokes that he thought that the left-leaning audience would want to hear. Instead, he talked about things that push the line of dark humor and even get you laughing out loud, even if it might not be politically correct. Burr is a stand-up comedian and is brilliant at coming up with jokes that other people would never attempt. Now you might say, “but Chris Rock hosted, and he is a comedian,” but I would have to disagree with you. The funniest thing about Rock is probably his voice. Let’s move on to the music acts, and this will be short. The singers, in my opinion, are pointless. I do not even remotely want to watch someone perform in the middle of a funny show. Even if the singer is someone that I like, I am not interested in watching them. Why would I? I can go on YouTube to see live performances. As of now, Bill Burr takes the lead with his episode of SNL, and in second, I would have to place Adele. Adele is not a comedian, but she was able to incorporate her singing into a skit that I found hilarious. It was not a full-blown performance, but only a second or two of several songs that gave the sketch a unique feel. I would rank the other two
Saturday Night Live Season 46 Logo episodes a tie in last, with neither of them standing out in any way at all. SNL is a good show, but to become even
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better, it needs to take a break from politics and focus on other current events.
Ms. Doah Lee explores the Hate Alphabet Austin Zhuang ‘22
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ew middle school art teacher Ms. Doah Lee embarked on a project, 100 Days of Alphabet, on the first day of the lunar calendar: January 25, 2020. Every day for the next one hundred days, Ms. Lee started with three six-by-six inch pieces of paper and ended with a letter of the Latin alphabet on one sheet of paper, the phrase “Hate Alphabet” on the second, and “* Alphabet” on the third.
Recently, Ms. Lee had her work showcased at the FJORD Gallery in Philadelphia with her solo exhibition Doah Lee: Hate Alphabet, which reflects on her experience learning English as a foreigner. “As a non-native English speaker and coming to this country to learn English, I watched a lot of ways people engaged differently with non-native speakers,” Ms. Lee said. “When I was in graduate school, I saw my friends being mistreated for their lack of
Ms. Doah Lee’s Hate Alphabet title image
VIA MS. DOAH LEE’S INSTAGRAM
language ability and accent, and just watching that made me sad.” Ms. Lee’s perspectives on power imbalances based on language also inspired the project. The open discussion in the seminar class she took on the topic, along with her personal experiences, influenced the purpose and execution of the piece. “It is open to the audience to interpret ‘What is alphabet?’ and ‘Which alphabet am I talking about?’” Ms. Lee said. “Artists are people who ask questions.” One of the reasons Ms. Lee became an artist was to communicate with others. For her, art is a language she uses to share her feelings and stories, as well as the best medium she can use and speak. When history teacher and Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Mr. Brendan Jobs first met Ms. Lee, he was struck immediately by her personality, passion, and creativity. Also, he found Ms. Lee’s Hate Alphabet a daring piece of art. “My first reaction was, ‘This artwork is brave,’” Mr. Jobs said. “People don’t like to talk about emotions, along with really strong emotions, and she was bringing a whole project around a really strong emotion that people have trouble talking about.” Mr. Jobs also found Ms. Lee’s character as story-driven. He saw her as someone who thought in a story format, was open to sharing these stories about her life with others, and dedicated to her work. For this project, Ms. Lee spent three-tofour hours daily to make the three phrases that were a part of her exhibition. Starting by shading the entire piece of paper with a pencil, she painstakingly etched out the words by erasing the marks. However, while tedious, the process helped Ms. Lee through the pandemic.
COURTESY OF MS. DOAH LEE
Ms. Lee’s art on exhibit at FJORD Gallery
“It was great to have something like homework to finish,” Ms. Lee said. “I appreciated the fact that every single day I had something to do and accomplish.” Also, during the pandemic, it was not just a sense of purpose that motivated her to continue the project. The racism and hostile environment towards Asians and AsianAmericans as a result of COVID-19 was the reason why she finished and showcased her work. “I wanted to show the world that I would never be silenced,” Ms. Lee said. “[The project] was meant to start a conversation and get people to think. When people came up to me at my show and talked about their relationships with the world, I appreciated the fact that my art could help others reflect on their thoughts.”
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November 2020
Monologues take the stage in place of fall play, cont. We’re going to try to do something with a green screen, or we’re going to try to go outside and film some stuff that way, but it’s going to be a lot more recorded stuff, and we’re not going to have an audience,” Sixth Form actor Drew Loughnane said. Performing Arts Department Chair and director of productions Mr. Darren Hengst plans to string the individual segments together and hold a viewing event with a virtual streaming hub serving as the theater hall. “[A physical audience] is not possible, I can’t even have more than one boy, without a mask, right now. [An audience] just wouldn’t be a responsible thing to have,” Mr. Hengst said. “This summer, we had success with the streaming event for Carousel, so we’re going to do it similarly to that. It’ll pretty much be like a watch party. Everybody gets a link, and then it goes off at eight o’clock or whatever.” Currently, Mr. Hengst has eighteen students signed up to perform, and he is in the
JORDAN HAYWARD VIA MOTTO FILMS
Trevor Pettibone ’21 in the Fall 2019 production, Three Musketeers
process of working with students to select monologues.
“It really helped me grow mature as a person and overcome my stage fright” TREVOR PETTIBONE ’21 “I was thinking about a theme in the beginning, but it’s difficult to do that with the number of boys.” Mr. Hengst said, “My job in any production is that I look at the boys that are participating and I find the strength of those of that group. I, rather than try to fit all that [the monologues] into some type of theme, I’d rather highlight the talent of the boys as best I can.” Some students’ monologues, however, will be more intertwined. For example, Loughnane, Pettibone, and Harkins will each be recording speeches from the play True West. “[The monologues will be similar to how] you watch a YouTube [video]. It is a threeperson scene typically, but because of COVID, that’s not really possible right now. So, we’re going to film them [the monologues] separately, then clip it [the scene] together,” Pettibone said. Others are still in the process of being assigned their performance piece. In contrast to the timeline of the production in previous years, rehearsals have not yet begun. “As of now, I don’t think any practices have happened yet,” Fourth Form actor Colin Kelly said. Rehearsals as a whole will be different for this pandemic-era production: students will work one-on-one with Mr. Hengst. Actors such as Kelly are saddened by the inability to engage with other crew members. “Last year, and every time I’ve done a theatre production at Haverford, one of, if not, my favorite parts of being in it is just the energy of the cast and crew and just being
backstage,” Kelly said. “This year, of course, there’s not going to be any ‘backstage’ because normally we’d all be like huddled, either in the dressing rooms or in the wings. It’s going to be different.” The absence of a physical audience also strikes as a major loss for the actors. “I would have loved to be able to put on a show and have all my friends there in the audience sitting next to each other, and clapping and being together,” Loughnane said. For Pettibone, breaking out into the spotlight before audiences in last year’s fall production, Three Musketeers, even helped him conquer his fear of performing in front of a crowd. “It really helped me grow mature as a person and overcome my stage fright and the nerves everybody gets before they go on [stage]. And now I just kind of like the crowd,” Pettibone said. The Sixth Form actors for whom this production will be their last fall play expressed regret but also deep gratitude for having the opportunity to perform in some way. Loughnane compared their situation this year with that of the graduated actors from the Class of 2020 in describing a cherished moment from last spring’s Carousel. “One of my favorite moments of really the whole year is that last day before we all left [in spring] when we were able to put on Carousel on that Thursday night—just seeing how the seniors were affected by it, and how the whole school really rallied around all of the hard work that everyone had been doing. To have one show and have a night like that was really something special,” Loughnane said. “I think it’s similar this year, in the way that my class and my group of seniors were obviously disappointed that we can’t have a full show,” Loughnane said, “but to be able to have something as seniors and just have a way to go out, I think it is definitely significant that they’re able to get something done.” Mr. Hengst and the cast believe that the
spirit of the performing art will be kept alight. During the pandemic, Mr. Hengst described the importance of art and its function as an emotional getaway for many; in the present, its significance continues to hold. “When we all went into quarantine or lockdown, what did we do? We all turned to artists, right? We went on Netflix, and we went to Disney plus, and we streamed and binged and, and so you know, it’s an escape, especially when there weren’t sports. So we
“I think at least some sense of normalcy is a good thing” DREW LOUGHNANE ’21 need art during this time,” Mr. Hengst said. Loughnane emphasized his hope that this fall production will still provide a jolt of excitement around which the community can rally. “Even if it’s not a full show, being able to have at least some piece of theater, whether that’s just a video, or whether it’s just a monologue, or even if it’s just the idea of a show, bouncing around to you know, keep hope and keep kids in it,” Loughnane said. “I think at least some sense of normalcy is a good thing.” Looking past this fall, all are longing for a more typical spring production. Nevertheless, Pettibone encouraged new actors to join this season’s production to have a unique performing experience without the greater commitment of the typical play. “If you have little stage fright or whatever it is, you get to have the experience of doing a monologue,” Pettibone said. “So if any kids have an inkling that they might want to do it, they should. This is really the year that if they want to just try it a little bit and not come to tons of rehearsals. They just learn a monologue and come in one day to film it.”
Notables begin rehearsals with new safety measures Carter McCann ’21
A
fter months of being unable to practice or perform together, the Notables are working to get back into the swing of things, while ensuring the safety of the singing group’s members. Singing is more likely to spread a higher amount of particles than just talking, so the group has put several measures into place to minimize risk. Rehearsals occur with five students at a time, standing about fifteen feet apart, and using the entirety of a classroom. Practices are limited to less than half an hour. Before last March, the group would usually see up
One method Mr. Hightower plans to employ includes “singing masks,” specially manufactured masks to allow full range of motion in the face and jaw. to twenty students around a piano for a total of three and a half hours each week. Synchronous quintet singing allows for practicing with sectionals (five people of the same voice part), but an irregular schedule allows for occasional mixing. This practice not only improves the harmonization between voice parts but also
brings the students closer together while physically keeping their distance. Notables Director Mr. Mark Hightower does his due diligence in keeping his students safe, but he recognizes some of the challenges presented by those regulations. “It’s weird to sing with a mask on. It makes breathing harder, and singing is breathing,” Mr. Hightower said. One method Mr. Hightower plans to employ includes “singing masks,” specially manufactured masks structured to allow full range of motion in the face and jaw. These masks, however, are currently on backorder due to high demand. Mr. Hightower said, “The real test is trying to produce polished recordings.” The music department has provided individual microphones for better sound during practice and for recording for future use. Students should be on the lookout for the possibility of a brand new album or something similar later this year. Social distancing makes staying together and timing a challenge, but not impossible. Sixth Form Co-President Ben Fosnocht noted the group’s ability to adapt. “It’s definitely an adjustment,” Fosnocht said, “but I think the challenge is elevating us. We’re more committed when we’re there because we know about our limitations. We’re also taking this time to record ourselves, so I’m really looking forward to hearing the results.”
CARTER MCCANN ’21
Notables Director Mr. Mark Hightower leads a socially distanced Notables sectional practice.
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sports
the index · sports
November 2020
Haverford defense brings down opposing player in 13-28 loss against Germantown Academy on Saturday, October 31.
TYLER ZIMMER ‘21
The “rac” is back: behind the decision-making proMitav Nayak ‘22
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n October 9, student-athletes sat in their last period class when an email with the subject line “InterAc statement on fall sports” appeared in their inbox. Anxious to know the fate of their fall seasons, they opened the statement. “After considering a number of factors related to the possibility of executing an interscholastic fall athletic season, the Inter-Ac is not ready to pursue such an endeavor at this time,” the letter read. The decision was met with mixed reactions. Some who yearned for an opportunity to showcase their offseason work felt disappointed. Some created petitions. Others felt the decision was safe and correct—the decision best for the school as a whole. At the time, athletic directors ultimately believed the decision was in the best interest of health and safety as the uncertainty of the colder months approached. They would, however, continue in “daily discussions with medical professionals and [their] fellow Inter-Ac schools about finding ways to allow some limited conference competitions in November in at least some sports
if [they] believe [they] can do so safely.” A few weeks, petitions, and medical considerations later, the Inter-Ac reversed its decision: they were to return to league play. Director of Athletics Mr. Michael Murphy explained that both decisions—to cancel the league and return—were made after careful discussion of pros and cons. “The first and foremost concern was trying to make sure that when we return, we do it as safely as possible, where the student-athletes that are out there can safely return back to the community when they come back to school,” Mr. Murphy said. The Inter-Ac, as a unit, initially felt that this would not be possible, which led them to postpone competition. “Everybody’s number one goal was to be able to return to school in person, and we weren’t willing to do anything to risk that,” Mr. Murphy said. “We were trying to keep everything as contained to Haverford as possible, and that’s why we decided not to have any out of league or even inter-league competition, but we did decide to do athletics on our own campus.” After hearing this news, some studentathletes, such as Fifth Form football player Ian Rush, were frustrated. “There were other leagues coming back and putting great plans into place [which were] limiting the number of people on the field,” Rush said. “I was looking at the facts, the stats, and what other leagues were implementing. We’re a much smaller league than the Central League, much smaller than the Catholic League—so why can’t we do it?” As other student-athletes throughout the Inter-Ac felt similar frustrations, Penn Charter junior Jerry Rullo created a statement voicing their views. The statement, different from various other petitions floating around, was addressed directly to the athletic directors and heads of school. “After they canceled fall sports, I’m sure we all were disappointed,” Rullo said. “We put in the work for the season usually all year,
especially in the summer leading up to the season, and I think we were all disappointed to see that go to waste. We devote a lot to the sport, and I thought that the Inter-Ac league is particularly capable of handling the situation safely. I found a lot of support with that statement, so I thought the students should get the message across.”
“If we did not feel like we could do this in a safe way, we would not be having athletics.” MR. MICHAEL MURPHY Quickly, “The Coalition of Inter-Academic Football Players”—consisting of studentrepresentatives from each football-participating Inter-Ac school—formed in support of Rullo’s proposal. Rush was Haverford’s representative. “[Rullo] sent over the [proposal], and he gave stats, he gave facts, he gave examples from the collegiate level, which is a way bigger game than the high school level,” Rush said. “I put my name down as representative and then and then I was like, ‘Look, do you need help getting this to other schools?’” The statement gained support, spread throughout the Inter-Ac, and ultimately made its way to an Inter-Ac athletic directors’ meeting. Rush said, “[The representatives] are all rivaling schools, but we were all working towards a common goal like they get our season back. It didn’t matter that me and [a rival] had some bad blood. I reached out to him and I was like, ‘We’re trying to get this season going up. Can you get this around?’ He said, ‘sure, without a doubt.’” Eventually, the league decided to return. “Right before they came to the decision [to return],” Rullo said, “they were informed by one of their health officials that transmis-
sion on the playing field during competitions wasn’t a significant factor.” This lack of evidence for transmission between players was one of the several arguments presented in the proposal. Mr. Murphy said, “[We] were hearing from doctors that there seemed to be very little transmission within the course of play from player to player . . . that’s why we’re putting such a painstaking measures into looking at the areas where they found spread [normally] occurs: on sidelines, in locker rooms, when teams decide to have dinner before games and things like that.” The athletic directors also considered the travel of student-athletes for club sports and college showcases. “It’s something we were aware of,” Mr. Murphy said, “but it wasn’t a driving factor. We didn’t say, ‘Oh they’re playing club sports anyway, so let’s do something dangerous.’ What was certainly brought up a couple of times was that if we offer athletics, and it makes some people from feeling like they have to do club sports, it may help slow the spread of this thing.” When the season was canceled, Rush and many others felt the need to travel out of state for showcases for college recruiting purposes. “I would say now that there’s football back and a lot of kids with the opportunity to build their film and build their college resume, there’s going to be less need to go to Scranton to play with kids from New York, Maryland, and Connecticut, which is what I did,” Rush said. While the petitions, statements, and the desire for students to play were discussed amongst the athletic directors, safety was, and still is, of utmost importance and the sole decision-maker. “We’ve gone through a very good process with this and people can feel confident that we looked at this in a lot of different ways,” Mr. Murphy said. “I would like to emphasize that if we did not feel like we could do this in a safe way, we would not be having athletics.”
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the index · sports
November 2020
New coaches propel football Fords in tight schedule Ian Rush ‘22
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n March 13, 2020, we traded in our classrooms for Google Meets, our social lives for quarantine, and our athletics for uncertainty. Many seniors wondered if their last snap, their last free-kick, or their last race of their high school career had already passed. Now that the dust has settled, Inter-Ac sports are finally back. Despite the uncertainty of this summer, the Haverford football team has been hard at work. Since June, the team has had frequent Zoom calls and outdoor workouts. These workouts did not go without any hiccups, as a brief suspension of team activities in August and many restrictions hurt the team’s ability to practice. The team stayed resilient and made the most out of the preseason activities, but an overwhelming doubt of a 2020 season lingered nonetheless. This year’s offseason definitely has been interesting yet exciting. In addition to COVID-19 concerns, former Assistant Coach Brian Martin took over for Head Coach Michael Murphy. Murphy coached Haverford football for fifteen years and moved on at the end of last season to focus on his role as athletic director. Coach Martin has coached Haverford football since 2001 and has taught P.E. in the lower school for fifteen years. Justifiably so, Martin was “super excited” when he found out he was promoted. He felt “honored to carry on the tradition of this great program, following the footsteps of Coach Murph, who’s done an unbelievable job.” Another major addition to the coaching staff is coach Greg Isdaner, who brings years of NFL, college, and high school experience to the program. Graduating from Episcopal in 2005, Isdaner played college ball at West Virginia, where he was a two-year starter at left guard. He then went on to play for the Eagles,
Cowboys, and the Hartford Colonials of the now-defunct United Football League. After his professional career, he joined the staff at Episcopal before moving on to coach at Germantown Academy, where he was the offensive coordinator for seven years. Coaching at a school that was once your rival as a coach and a player is definitely an interesting plot line. “I’ve learned throughout the years that these schools are all very similar,” Coach Isdaner said. “To me, the kids at these schools are a joy to coach because they work hard, they’re into it, they’re pretty decent athletes, and they’re smart.” Isdaner’s fiery coaching style, knowledge of the game, and overall understanding of player development will come in handy this year for a young Fords squad. While little is changing for the defense this year, Coach Isdaner brings with him a completely new offense. Modeled directly after LSU’s title-winning offense led by stud quarterback Joe Burrow, this new system is unlike any other in the Inter-Ac. This particular offense requires the tight end to be the smartest player on the field.
At the end of the day, for this team, it’s a blessing to be back out on the field. Sixth Former Matt Carlino has been a three-year starter for the Fords and is committed to play Division-I football at the University of Delaware. Ranked the #4 tight end in PA, Carlino is more than apt to mirror the role of Thaddeus Moss at LSU. Carlino feels the role not only will allow him to shine but others as well. “Obviously, a lot of it’s based around tight end,” said Carlino. “But really that opens it
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Chris Sims ’21 reaches out for catch against Germantown Academy in a 2813 loss, October 31, 2020 up for everyone else, all the way from our challenge but I’m always up for a challenge.” starters to the third and fourth group.” For Holmes, leading during the pandemic Last year’s Sixth Form leadership was ex- is “just as important off the field as it is on ceptional. The whole class led by example the field.” He emphasized “staying together and had one common goal on their mind, even when we had to stay apart” was an intean Inter-Ac championship. Unfortunately, gral part of his style of leadership. the season ended with a second-place title on The Fords have a lot to prove this season EA Day. in a fiercely competitive league. With many This disappointment, aided by the leader- schools (with the exception of GA) losing ship of the Class of ’20, vigorously fueled the key players in the Class of 2020, many young rising senior class to be the best leaders, play- players league wide have something to prove. ers, and teammates they could possibly be. Another important footnote from the offSenior leaders such as Chris Sims, Geordy season is Malvern Prep’s departure from the Holmes, and Colby Kim (this year’s recipi- Inter-Ac for the year. Their decision to go ent of the Kip Taviano #10ve award) have rogue evens out the league even more makgeared their mentality toward a ring, despite ing this crazy year, anyone’s year. the unorthodox season ahead. At the end of the day, for this team, it’s Kim feels his role as a senior leader dur- a blessing to be back out on the field. The ing the pandemic is “really important for the Fords will play an abbreviated league schedyounger guys and juniors who didn’t get a ule of four games for the 2020 season. The proper offseason,” and he hopes to share “the team suffered a 28-13 loss in its opener to values of what it means to be a Haverford Germantown Academy on Saturday, Octoschool athlete and student.” ber 31. Sims said, “[Being a leader is] a lot of pressure, a lot of intensity. But it’s fun. It’s a
No EA Day 2020? cont. from front page
EA Day sweater frame in Wilson Hall
We did not show our team spirit in Haverford fashion. “A dummy dressed in an EA uniform was dropped from the catwalk onto the stage, and lower schoolers wound up screaming and crying.” In the 1970s and 80s, Episcopal rocked and rolled their way to a few insignificant victories, but today the Fords no longer use unwarranted build-up tactics; these athletes let their performances silence the squeaking. But with the possibility of the first ever cancelled Haverford-EA duel, how will the class of 2021 unleash years of pent-up domi-
AUGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21
nance? Athletic Director Coach Murphy set the record straight. “There will not be an EA Day this year in the traditional sense. It will have a different feel,” he said. “It is a shame that the community loses such a great tradition and rallying point, but the focus is on the athletes this year.” Golf coach Mr. Franz added, “I am hopeful that we can, in some way, come up with a format that would allow this great tradition to continue.” The tone of EA Day has shifted. Rather
than the community building up the athletes, it is the athletes’ turn to build up the community, and the class of 2021 could not be more suited to do so. The twelve varsity captains across five sports exhibit their leadership through the Honor Council, studentled unions and clubs, and the Signet Society. These multidimensional athletes will unite the community in times of uncertainty. One shared certainty is utter domination, because the Fords are used to putting in hours when nobody is watching. While the student fan section may encourage mental toughness, these captains will have no problem generating it on their own. Sixth Form soccer captain Kieran Bradley said, “I have been working on my ball skills on my own at a field near my house. I’ve also been going to the gym to get some extra workouts in.” Sixth Form cross-country captain A.J. Sanford has done the same: “I have essentially been on a regimen since last season. I have put more mileage in over this summer than I have in every other summer combined.” Fans or no fans, these athletes are ready to unite in Wilson Hall but lead as individuals on the field, course, or pool. “The golf team is blessed with great leadership,” Coach Franz said. “They approach every practice with the intent to improve. They are great leaders, and it helps that they are also really good golfers.” Soccer coach Mr. Dan Keefe added to the new, uplifting culture that restrictions have ensued: “We have an under-the-lights game on the schedule.” Those students who are fortunate enough to attend the limited spectacle will bring an unforeseen intensity.
“Everything is subject to change, just as it always has been,” Sixth Form soccer captain Reed Halpert said. To compensate, Sixth Form football captain Chris Sims said, “I’ve been preparing myself mentally, keeping my competitive mindset, and am hungry to hit the field.” In a perfect world, the student body would find themselves supporting their brothers with raspy, lost voices, but this is not the case. Coaches and captains have adapted, working independently towards their common goal of defeating the nemesis at Newtown Square. “The game shouldn’t be close,” Sixth Form water polo captain Grayson Walker said. And as Sixth Form cross country runner Nolan Cooleen puts it, “It’s a bad day to
Will there be a formal EA day? Unlikely. be a hill.” It’s a bad day to be a hill, and it’s a terrible month to be the Episcopal Academy. Will there be a formal EA Day? Unlikely. But when the Fords graze away at Episcopal’s perfectly manicured fields, plucking their horde away lineup after lineup, the mice will remember what month it is, and who that month belongs to. 2020 may have an asterisk or a void on the holy sweater, but when each sport takes care of their inferior counterpart, there will be no debate where the stitching should reside.
the index · sports
Page 19
November 2020
Despite brief schedule, soccer Fords kick into action Alexander Nekoumand ‘23
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he varsity soccer team is ready for a shortened but exciting soccer season. “As a senior and a captain, I want to make the best of our shortened season and do the best I can for my teammates,” Sixth Form Captain Kieran Bradley said. This season will be different, but the team is ready to make the most of what is ahead.
The boys are buzzing and are ready to be back in action as they took a tough exit out of the state championship last fall. The boys are buzzing and are ready to be back in action as they took a tough exit out of the state championship last fall. Due to the pandemic, setbacks delayed the begin-
ning of the season. “I appreciate how Mike Murphy and John Nagl kept the dream alive by fighting for a season in our league,” Varsity Soccer Coach Mr. Keefe said. It won’t be an easy season for the Fords, as games consist of Inter-Ac rivals Episcopal Academy, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Germantown Academy, and Penn Charter. “I am really excited for our game against EA, which is scheduled to be played under the lights at their field,” Bradley said. “This is one of the many games the boys have marked on the calendar and just can’t keep their eyes off of. This is one of those games the team has been looking forward to since the beginning of the school year!” With an abundance of good news in such a short amount of time, the boys know they are still living in a cautious world. Restrictions will be enforced during this revised season, such as limited fan attendance, masks for those in attendance, and only league games. Players are disappointed that limited
TYLER ZIMMER ‘21
Sebastian Perez-Gasiba ’24 works his way through the SCH defense in a 0-1 loss,
fan attendance will be a rule this year, but they are excited to represent The Haverford School and make everyone proud. Still, the team is grateful to be back and competing with each other. This revised season will look different, but the varsity soccer
team is not taking anything for granted. “We are a school of scholars, athletes, and artists,” Coach Keefe said. “Without the ability to find artistry in play on the field or connection with teammates, men at The Haverford School lose a part of themselves.”
Golfers face cold, windy weather in late contests Bowen Deng ‘22
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he Inter-Ac golf season has arrived—albeit much later than usual—and with five scheduled matches in November, the Fords look to make the most out of their abbreviated fall season. Under the veteran leadership of Sixth Form captains Tyler Zimmer, Jake Maddaloni, and coach Cole Berman ’14, the team has their eyes set on yet another Inter-Ac title in an unusual season. For Berman, the biggest challenge is man-
aging the team during the pandemic that creates “daily uncertainty.” “We all want to have practice and matches, but school is the priority,” Berman said. “We are all trying to find the right balance that allows the team to be safe and healthy while having normal in-season opportunities.” With the end of Daylight Saving Time, golfers will have less daylight to work with. This will force them to tee off earlier than usual.
Edward Trumpbour ’21 lines up for a shot during a golf match
TYLER ZIMMER ‘21
“We will be starting our matches nearly two hours earlier than normal to ensure that all groups are finished before dark,” said Berman.
“We all want to have practice and matches, but school is the priority.” COACH COLE BERMAN ’14 If last year’s EA Day is any indication, golfers can expect relatively cold temperatures and heavy winds, which decrease carrying distance and faster greens which is a stark contrast to the usual fall breeze. The Fords are no strangers to challenging conditions. “We’re all upperclassmen who have played for a few years,” Zimmer said, “so we know how to go low despite strange circumstances.” “The temperature will definitely be colder, but that shouldn’t affect anyone because our competition will have the same course conditions as [we do],” Maddaloni said. Another challenge the team will face is the sudden thrust into the season. In previous years, Haverford golfers came into the first
match fresh with experience from a string of summer tournaments. As the school year starts, outside tournaments occur less frequently, and with the season beginning so late this year, the Fords must adjust as quickly as possible. “Normally, we have summer tournaments every week,” Zimmer said. “But since there were few of them this year, we’re super excited to get back into matches because we love to compete.” Fewer tournaments does not mean the Fords are at a disadvantage. Golf is an individual sport, so team members have been practicing on their own. The team has also used their own ways to make team practices competitive to best prepare themselves for the return to matches. “We make fun intra-squad competitions to keep the right mindset,” Zimmer said. “I personally have practiced with Sixth Former Edward Trumpbour every time, so we always play some type of match.” These practices offer coaches and captains an opportunity to determine which six players will compete. “We have some new freshmen and sophomores that have shown great improvement and talent, so that will be exciting for the years to come,” Berman said.
Cross country finds motivation in three-race season Ben Szathmary ‘22
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bout one year ago, on a vivid sunny morning, the cross country team stood foot-to-foot with their adversaries, Episcopal Academy. Unfortunately, after the grueling 5k race, the Fords lost 24-32. “It’s not a loss when you just do better the next time,” Sam Reisbord ’20 said. Sam is right, but the team did not know that next year’s EA Day might not even happen. Sixth Former A.J. Sanford, one of the school’s most elite athletes, said, “With cross country not always being the most exciting sport, seeing all of my classmates and faculty come out and watch my sophomore year was a moment I’ll never forget, and I wanted the same energy my senior year,” Sanford said. There is no doubt that this season has been different for A.J. and the rest of the team. The uncertainty about having a fall cross country season posed new challenges for the
runners, especially during summer training. Runners had to stay motivated to run despite an unclear future season. Fifth Former varsity runner Colin Stewart recalled his spring and summer training. “I wasn’t even sure we’d have a season, and that sadness on top of the sort of isolation that you go through during quarantine really took a toll on my ability to effectively train over the summer,” Stewart said. Since school has opened and the team is back to a normal routine, runners have felt more normal and more motivated. The team’s excitement grew when the Inter-Ac announced a short three-meet season over the next few weeks. Though the season is short, runners like Fifth Former Jeffrey Yang are pumped. “I am excited that the Inter-Ac has worked to create some meets that [the] team can strive to perform well at and keep [them] motivated,” Yang said.
Along with the changes as a result of COVID-19, the cross country team also welcomed a new head coach, Micheal Toomey. Having coached high school, collegiate, and open-level running for over 23 years, Coach Toomey is more than equipped to coach the boys to a successful season.
“I wasn’t even sure we’d have a season.” COLIN STEWART ’22 “Each practice, I’ve felt challenged and pushed to my limits, but at the same time, I am confident that I will walk away a better runner and tougher human being,” Senior runner Ryan Ngo said. “I’m really grateful for Coach Toomey’s positive energy and his willingness to adapt to our team culture.”
MS. BARB LAPENTA
Runners toe the line against GA
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Water Polo hungry to return
the index · sports
November 2020
Ben Springer ’22
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ver since the appearance of COVID-19, every sports team has had to make sacrifices in order to practice and play games. Water polo is no exception. Water polo is an interesting case when it comes to social-distancing measures, as the team practices in a confined space. Players cannot wear masks in the pool, and water polo is a contact sport. Due to the conflicting natures of water polo and COVID-19 safety precautions, many aspects of the sport have been modified to keep the players and coaches safe. To start off, coaches have shortened practices to two hours in length, a far cry from the three-hour practices polo had last year. Due to the shortened practices, the intensity has also increased, with everyone putting in extra effort to make up for the loss of time. Morning swims have also taken a hit. Last year, there was an average of two morning swims a week, starting at 6:15 and ending at 7:30 a.m., but due to the pandemic, morning swims have been completely eliminated. Weekend practices recently resumed on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Games have also taken a heavy blow. Last fall, the water polo team played 28 games. The games occurred in several tournaments such as Beast Of The East, Easterns, and the Inter-Ac season. This year, the plan is to compete in InterAc games only, meaning that the water polo team will only play in six games. Even these six games are not set in stone. The game schedule is constantly changing, with games frequently jumping around the calendar.
Bram Schork ‘22 prepares to shoot in a 18-6 victory of EA, November 9, 2019 Fifth Form team leader Bram Schork spoke our best to help our teammates improve for about his opinion on COVID-19’s effect on the upcoming season.” water polo. Head Coach Kevin Van Such said, “In August we were informed the season was canceled. It was disappointing, but things “The pandemic has turned around and now we’re on the doorstep of our season-opening game. There are forced the team to recertainly challenges with limits to practice ally focus on playing and preparation, so just focus on making the for each other.” most of the time we have. It may be an abbreviated season, but we’re excited to have BRAM SCHORK ’22 competition.” With competition in sight, the coach“The pandemic has forced the team to ing staff began to notice a different mood really focus on playing for each other. Since amongst the team. there is essentially no season for the seniors, “The guys are fired up,” Coach Van Such they are playing purely because they enjoy said. “We’re coming off a historic season the sport and spend time with their broth- last year, and the team is motivated to build ers,” Schork said. “We’ve got a great team on success. Our goal is to win. One game where everyone is there for the guy standing at a time. After winning the league the past next to him. We support each other and do two years, we definitely have a target on our
MR. JIM ROESE
back… They’re hungry to continue the success we’ve had in the league.”
“We have strong leadership and an experienced core.” COACH KEVIN SUCH One of the reasons for the continued success of the program is due to the wellrounded roster year after year. “We have strong leadership and an experienced core. Our strength the past few years has been our depth, and we’re excited to see which guys step up and contribute this year,” Coach Van Such said.
Fords weigh in on Sixers’ offseason plans Ethan Chan ’23
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ith the end of the 2020 NBA Finals and historical “bubble” season, many teams have produced incredible playoff runs or have fallen short of expectations. The Sixers’ 40-33 record and first-round playoff exit have left many fans and Fords disappointed. With the offseason starting, changes to
RYAN RODACK ’22
Tobias Harris in an interview before a Sixers game
the Sixers’ front office have already occurred. After getting swept by the Boston Celtics, former seven-year Head Coach Brett Brown was fired. With his dismissal, students question the Sixers’ future. “I personally just think that they need more of a veteran leadership in the players and coaching staff,” Third Former Sean Brodnik said. General Manager Elton Bran, and the Sixers’ management acquired former head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers. Rivers helped the Clippers make the top10 offensive rating, something that Philadelphia’s defense-heavy and tallest lineup in the NBA needs. Most importantly, Rivers brings his veteran experience and leadership to the table. “I think that Doc Rivers will definitely improve our overall record, especially during away games,” Fourth Former Thaddeus Busser said. The Sixers lost a number of closely fought games. The Sixers have a 33% win percentage in overtime games and a 55% win percentage in games within 10 points. “I have seen them giving up games at the end because they couldn’t finish,” Brodnik said. Rivers’ leadership proves to be something that could solve this problem. Despite the Clippers’ result in this year’s playoffs, Rivers led some of his previous teams to victory in crucial games. With the 2008 Boston Celtics, he helped them overcome two Game 7’s in Rounds 1 and 2, beating a resilient Detroit Pistons team in the process. Finally, he captured the elusive title for the Celtics
against the longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers, led by the late Kobe Bryant.
“I think Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are great players on their own, I’m not sure about their future in the long run” THADDEUS BUSSER ’24 Just as good coaching and leadership can help a team, the players still to win. As chess translates to the hardwood court, the proper algorithm and chemistry between players can determine a team’s performance. “I think Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are great players on their own. I’m not sure about their future in the long run,” said Busser. Embiid and Simmons remain the backbone of the team as both led in points and several other statistics. This leaves the question, did certain role players deliver and benefit the team? “Tobias Harris or Al Horford should be traded. They don’t serve their purpose,” said Brodnik. Harris signed a max $180M deal with the Sixers. They signed him to secure a solid player with a consistent 3-point shot. In contrast to the expectations, Harris is outside the Top 100 3-point percentage in the NBA. To put this into perspective, Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans, who is widely criti-
cized for his shooting form and consistency, has a higher 3-point percentage than Harris. Similarly, Al Horford is expected to be traded to the Knicks or Timberwolves due to his underperformance throughout the season. If a trade between the Timberwolves and Sixers occurs, the first overall pick, which is expected to be the crafty LaMelo Ball, might be involved if the Sixers give up Simmons. With the acquisition of former Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey, the Sixers are sure to make some important changes. Morey is one of the reasons for the emphasis on 3-point shooting, often dubbed “Moreyball,” for the Rockets and around the NBA. With him managing basketball operations, the possibility of Ben Simmons shooting threes doesn’t seem impossible anymore. Not to mention, Morey coming from the Rockets could possibly set up a trade between Ben Simmons and other draft picks for the 2018 MVP James Harden.
“Hopefully they can win the ring” THADDEUS BUSSER ’24 Nonetheless, the organization has made important changes to the Sixers lineup and management that will greatly impact the team’s performance heading into the 20212022 season. “This season for the Sixers is going to be an interesting one,” Busser said. “I look forward to watching the games and hopefully they can win the ring.”