the index The student voice since 1888
The Haverford School · Haverford, PA 19041 · November 2021· Volume 89, No. 3 · thsindex.org
Matt Pressler ’22
Jeffrey Yang ’22
A
MR. JIM ROESE
EA Day returns
s the colder weather comes rolling in, our fall athletes gear up once again for battle against EA. The yarn outline of the sweater hanging by the Head of School’s suite is both a rallying cry for the Fords and a reminder of all that’s happened in the past year and a half. The last time the whole community gathered to cheer on our athletes, current Sixth Formers were just in their second year of high school; Fifth Formers, their first year; and the underclassmen were in middle school. With that, beyond a contest for the warm sweater, this year’s EA Day is a monument in our trickling return to some sort of normalcy, to pre-COVID times. Sixth Formers, for whom this year will be the last time they experience the day as a student, are
Bram Schork ’22
MR. JIM ROESE
MR. JIM ROESE
Ben Szathmary ’22 (left) and Colin Stewart ’22 (right)
eager to watch the games but, more so, to do what they missed last year: rally together. “I think it’s a time for Haverford students to come together and really support one cause; it’s probably the best community building event we have because everyone is so excited. We all want to see a win, and it’s the most I’ve seen people come to a game,” said Sixth Former Andrew Johnson. This community excitement begins in the days leading up to that weekend. Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano said, “To me, it is about community—bringing people together. And I’ve already seen that over the past few days and weeks during the moments when it has already brought people together.” And it’s this shared excitement in the
The student fan section arrives
buildup to EA Day that unifies the entire school, even those who long graduated, in ways that were distinctly absent last year. Mr. Casertano said, “Togetherness begins with you all and your ability to support one another—and when I say ‘you all,’ I don’t just mean the upper schoolers who are competing, but also the pre-kindergarteners, the fifth graders, the eighth graders who will participate. And also the alumni who will return to campus, and the parents who can come together and support the community in ways that they have not been able to during the past few years.” Coming off of the gap left by last year’s EA Day, or rather the lack thereof, some students sense that the spirit is less than what it has been in previous years.
PIERCE LAVERAN ’24
Sam Gerber ’22
Bowen Deng ’22
MR. JIM ROESE
“It’s a little different: there’s less hype, at least from my experiences,” said Sixth Former Max Rosenberger. “The freshmen, sophomores, and even some juniors didn’t get the experience that I did in my freshman year, but I think we can change things around this year.” Others, like Johnson, believe that the excitement is higher than the 2019 EA Day because of both the hiatus and the competitions’ return to Haverford. “I think kids are antsy to have it here again. Talking to some of the athletes who are going to compete, I hear that they’re really excited to put on a show for everybody con’t. on p. 3
PIERCE LAVERAN ’24
the index · editorial
Page 2
the index 2021–2022 Staff Mitav Nayak ’22 Editor-in-Chief Ryan Rodack ’22 Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Yang ’22 Editor-in-Chief Austin Zhuang ’22 Senior Managing Editor Senior Design Editor Jingyuan Chen ’23 Managing Editor Joey Kauffman ’23 Managing Editor
November 2021
editorial
Launch into service
W
hile EA Day is just around the corner and we begin to engage in festivities, competition, and fun, we must remember that we are fortunate to have community events like this. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, we encourage all of you to participate in the community service aspects of school life in addition to the athletic and schoolspirit competitions. Take the time out of your day to bring
in cans for our EA week drive. Reflect on the great impact you could have on the lives of somebody less fortunate by just stopping at the supermarket on your way to school and picking up a few cases of cans. Additionally, our water polo and swimming/diving teams are leading the frozen turkey drive. On Monday, November 22, bring in a turkey to help us exceed our goal of 100 frozen turkeys. Buying just one turkey can give a family in need a Thanksgiving meal
when they otherwise would not be able to have one. If you would prefer to help out in person, show out to the next Peanut Butter and Jelly Club on Sunday, November 14, at the Agnes Irwin School. Bring a friend to help pack bagged lunches for Project HOME to distribute in their outreach program to the homeless.
Connor Pinsk ’23 Managing Editor Quinn Luong ’22 Senior News Editor Ethan Lee ’24 Assistant News Editor Owen Yu ’23 Features Editor Adiyan Nayak ’24 Academics Editor Ethan Chan ’23 Neighborhood Editor Arsh Aggarwal ’24 Campus Opinions Editor Bowen Deng ’22 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Colin Stewart ’22 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Christopher Schwarting ’24 Arts Editor Jake LaRocca ’22 Sports Editor Jack Suter ’23 Staff Photographer Mr. Thomas Stambaugh Faculty Advisor Ms. Emily Harnett 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 via 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 1160 community members, consisting of 960 students and 200 faculty and staff members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 thsindex.org index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index Instagram: @Haverford_Index Volume 89, No. 3 - November 11, 2021
2021-22 Editors-in-Chief (clockwise from the left, Ryan Rodack ‘22, Mitav Nayak ‘22, and Jeffrey Yang ‘22)
CONNOR PINSK ‘23
Letter from the student body president Mitav Nayak ’22
D
ear Fords,
The dodgeball game, trivia, the talent show, the brisk fall weather—these are all signs that EA week is upon us. This week is one of my favorites of the year. Walking through the halls, you can always feel the anticipation and excitement in the air. The athletes make final preparations; students prepare banners and artwork; teachers and faculty participate in competitions. But this year, this excitement is particularly special. The last time we had EA Day on Haverford soil was 2018, when the Sixth Formers were Third Formers. And because we missed last year, many of the athletes competing in EA Day are doing so for the first time. Underclassmen have never experienced EA week in the upper school. It has been two years since the sweater last graced our halls—two years too long. And over these two years, we have been hungrily awaiting the opportunity to bring the sweater home. We all know that a major theme of this year was “back to normal:” back to events with crowds, back to the dining hall, and back to normal classes. Still, one thing is most definitely not normal just yet: the outline of a sweater that
COURTESY OF MITAV NAYAK ’22
Mitav Nayak ’22 hangs sadly outside Mr. Casertano’s office. So, Fords, I urge you to bring us back to normal. Bring the sweater home.
Sincerely, Mitav Nayak
the index · news
Page 3
November 2021
news EA Day returns, cont. from front page else,” Johnson said. Regardless, the activities during EA week serve as a solution to the purported weakened level of enthusiasm. And even with some changes, due to social distancing measures, Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade believes that the activities will still boost the same spirit as they have in the past. “I think there’s going to be excitement for the festivities, and for being able to actually do them. We’re not going to have everyone in Centennial do the activities— we’re planning around that—but still think the energy is going to be good. It’s a time to come together, to revitalize some of the things that are part of Haverford’s culture,” Mr. Kolade said. With concerns about COVID still present, Director of Athletics Mr. Michael Murphy and the rest of the school’s COVID task force have created various plans to ensure safety on EA Day; it helps that most of the events are outdoors. Mr. Murphy said, “The water polo match is usually jammed-packed, so we’ve been looking at ways to make sure that that’s safe. Obviously, indoor spectators will be masked, but, even with that, we’re going to
limit numbers in there. All the events will be live-streamed, but [for the water polo match] we’re also looking to simulcast it here [in the fieldhouse gym]. Outside of that though, everything shouldn’t be that much different.” Other challenges the planning team faced were less difficult to address because there was a precedent: from earlier this year and from previous EA Days. “We’ve been dealing with everything all fall if there are any challenges. The only things, and this is the same with every EA Day, are the sheer number of people on campus: the parking, the four contests happening that day, as opposed to just one game on a Friday night, all the normal challenges that you think about when you host an event,” Mr. Murphy said. Though Rosenberger feels that it might be weird to have so many people on campus again, he encourages everyone to feel safe, as there’s been plenty of other sporting events this year. Johnson further holds that the large crowd is a critical component for EA Day, and this year, to be able to have people on campus after so long, makes it even more significant. “Yeah, it’s going to be a little weird, but,
at the same time, I’m excited for it. Although COVID is obviously still a big thing, it [the crowd] is needed.” Johnson continued, “We haven’t had this many people on campus for a long time, I think it’s important for us to have these big activities where everyone can come together.” However the event turns out, many are eager to just have an EA Day this year: Sixth Formers who are grateful to have one in their last year; and new members of the community, looking forward to their first experience. Mr. Casertano said, “I can’t wait. I think this is one of the greatest traditions in the life of the school and something that I’ve been looking forward to since I first learned about it during the transition process. It’s going to be a great day for The Haverford School.” One shared sentiment remains. “There’s been too many days where we’ve had to look at the sweater outline in the case. We didn’t get a chance last year, and we’ve had that outline for too long,” Mr. Murphy said. “I want that sweater back!”
EA DAY SC EDULE 2021 Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13
1.GOLF
Friday, 1 p.m. @ Gulph Mills Country Club 2. CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, 10 a.m. @ Sabol Field Track 3. WATER POLO
Saturday, 11 a.m. @ McQuillen Pool 4. SOCCER
Saturday, 12 p.m. @ Memorial Field 5. FOOTBALL
Saturday, 1 p.m. @ Sabol Field
Hou, Student Council improve TVs Ethan Lee ’24
Communication is essential for any group of people to coordinate and find success. The Haverford School is no exception: with constant activities and opportunities for students to partake in, there is a constant flow of information making its way around the school. Sixth Former Daniel Hou decided to help accelerate the pace that this information gets to students and faculty. Hou decided that the TVs in Wilson Hall were not being utilized to their full potential. “I first noticed the TVs in sophomore year, and I figured that nobody was taking advantage of that space,” Hou said. “I started
to work on some experimental layouts with Mr. Fifer, who was the Dean of Students at the time.” Hou intended to make the changes to the TV permanent, but then the school went virtual. “Nothing much happened during that year, but this summer I reached out to Mitav to see if we could do this.” Sixth Former and Student President Mitav Nayak immediately reached out to Mr. Kolade to see if he could make these changes. “[Hou] came forward with the design he wanted to use,” Nayak said. “He got it approved and started to implement it with
Ms. Drinkwine.” Hou began to update the flatscreens with different bits of information like the schedule or the lunch menu for that day.
“The idea was to put anything on it that would be more attractive to look at than just text.” DANIEL HOU ’22
“The idea was to put anything on it that would be more attractive to look at than just text,” Hou said. Later on, he asked the Student Council to take over for him; they are currently updating the TVs. “We are not just putting lunch menus up,” Nayak said. “We are also putting up flyers and announcements for different events that the school is hosting.” The Student Council is also trying to highlight athletic teams and other organizations of the school. “I think it’s a great way to show what stuff is going on in the community,” Nayak said. Nayak also hopes that the TVs will help bring the school closer together. “Especially with the advertisements for clubs and extracurriculars, I think it will bring people together at these events,” Nayak said. “It’s a great way for people to advertise their interests and get people to know when things are happening.” Hou agrees, citing problems with getting people to different service projects.
“There were very few people coming to the Service Board projects. . . . We figured that students didn’t know these events were happening or forgot a week after the announcement in an assembly.” DANIEL HOU ’22
Will Suter ’25 reads the third-floor TV screen
INDEX STAFF
“There were very few people coming to the Service Board projects,” Hou said. “It was only the people on the board making it to the projects. We figured that students didn’t know these events were happening or forgot a week after the announcement in an assembly.”
the index · features
Page 4
November 2021
features Pierce Laveran prepares for EA Day behind the camera Jake LaRocca ’22
W
hile the football team gets a lot of credit for its hard work throughout the season, one student often goes unnoticed. Fourth Former Pierce Laveran spends his time after school at football practice. But Laveran is not in pads like the rest of the team. Instead, he spends his time behind the camera, capturing the pivotal moments throughout practice to make a video for the team’s upcoming game. “I’ve been filming the football team every day to make an episode every week. So far, I’ve made six episodes,” Laveran said.
Laveran originally picked up the camera as a hobby. However, it has turned into much more than that. “This year, I’ve improved drastically in the whole filmmaking process. The biggest step for me was just getting comfortable behind the camera,” Laveran said. “From there, I use Adobe and take about three hours editing footage. The process sounds tedious, but it is something I really enjoy.” In addition to making videos, Laveran spends a good chunk of time editing photos for the players. While it is not his specialty, he understands the players’ desire for action
shots. “I edit photos on Adobe Lightroom. It’s also pretty fun, but I definitely work with video editing much more. A lot of players on the team like photos, so it’s also something I spend time on,” Laveran said. Throughout the season, Laveran has had the opportunity to attend both practices and games. He has certainly taken advantage of his time with the team, developing relationships with many athletes. “Usually I would just go to all the games, but now that I’m at the practices, I can actually talk to and get to know the play-
ers on the team. I have definitely done a lot more this year than I have in the past.” Laveran said. “At this point, I am good friends with a lot of players on the team.”
“Usually I would just go to all the games, but now that I’m at the practices, I can actually talk to and get to know the players.” PIERCE LAVERAN ’24
INDEX STAFF
Pierce Laveran ‘24
A lot of eyes are focused on Laveran for EA Day, as people within the Haverford School community expect a lot out of the Fourth Former. He is prepared for the day, but his process will be a little bit different than in past weeks. “For EA Day, I’m going to make a big hype video. I will not be making an episode this week because I want to focus on that. I will also be going to all of the other sports and getting footage from them,” Lavaren said. After the fall season, Laveran will continue his work with winter and spring sports, but he has really enjoyed the time he has spent with the football team. I’ve had so much fun and appreciated the opportunity to do what I love,” Laveran said.
Former Fords reflect on EA Day Charlie Keidel ’24
E
very year, the leaves turn yellow and orange, and EA Day is top of mind for the school community. Those on varsity teams, who have been working hard since the beginning of August in preparation, are ready for the seasondefining games of EA Day. Haverford alumni note the significance of not only the games that are played on EA Day but the sense of community and camaraderie that EA Day provides the school community. “Friday was when we all came together as a school and truly began to get excited for the following day. Dr. Nagl would always speak and everyone would get really hyped up. Those Fridays were some of my fondest Haverford memories,” Augie Aliaga ’21 said. Aliaga also stressed the importance of attending the games earlier in the day. “The water polo games are usually pretty early . . . but in such a small space like the surrounding areas of the pool; it would get so loud,” said Aliaga. “I would recommend everyone to be there and fill it up.” Fresh off the naming of M&J Spencer Stadium, alumnus Jake Spencer ’20 spoke of his experiences as a wide receiver on the football team in his years as Ford. “I loved looking into the EA home stands and seeing way more maroon and gold than blue and white. Didn’t matter where we
Dante Perri ‘20 plays against EA, November 2019 played, we made it our home field,” Spencer said. EA Day also presents a psychological struggle for the seniors, many of whom are playing their last game as a Ford. “EA Day is always our last game of the season, so the practice becomes a little bittersweet, knowing our season is coming to an end, no matter the outcome of Saturday,” Spencer said. Dante Perri ’20 underlined the im-
portance of classmates’ support displayed throughout the game. Both alumni can still vividly recall the adrenaline rush that playing on EA Day brought them. “Running around on that field and scoring touchdowns with my brothers shouting and screaming from the stands was one of the most exhilarating and heartfelt moments of my life,” Spencer said. Perri echoed these sentiments. “That first touchdown we scored, being
COMMUNICATIONS
able to hear the crowd roar was one of the most amazing feelings,” Perri said. He also stressed the necessity of stepping back and taking in the moment, not getting caught up in the hysteria that EA Day presents. “I personally got ready for EA day by stepping back and taking in the moment,” Perri said. Between the EA week festivities and the anticipation of the game, there is almost nothing quite like that week.”
Page 5
the index · features
November 2021
Do students get enough sleep? Ethan Chan ’23
E
nd of the school day at 3:15 p.m. Sports at 4:00 p.m. Extracurriculars at 6:30 p.m. Home by 8:00 p.m. Homework at 9:00 p.m. Sleep? For many high school students, their teenage years are crucial across many aspects, whether it be academics, athletics, extracurriculars, and health. While some of these factors may thrive, one is too often compromised: sleep. “I usually get 4.5 hours of sleep during the weekdays,” Fifth Former Roch Parayre said. The third year in high school across the country is often regarded as one of the most challenging years for a student, arguably the most difficult and busy. “I am very busy with homework, extracurriculars, college prep, etc., and because I often feel that I am occupied the entire day, the night is the only time when I have freedom and alone time. The phenomenon of ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’ certainly pertains to me,” Parayre said. Responsibilities impact the amount of sleep one receives, but new circumstances can exacerbate sleep deprivation among students. “Freshman to sophomore year, I had a pretty healthy sleep schedule. I’d sleep at roughly 10-11 p.m. and wake up around 7 a.m., giving me around eight hours of sleep,” Sixth Former Bowen Deng said. “After the COVID-19 lockdown, my sleep schedule really got messed up; I’d go to bed around 1 or 2 a.m. and wake up much later due to online school. Even after we went back in person, I kept that schedule and just dealt with getting less sleep.” According to Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher at University College London, it usually takes 66 days to form a new habit. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been over 200 days of school, further establishing the habit and sleep schedule that many students such as Deng now cope with. While the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students like Deng on the notion of
sleep, the juggle between mental health and other priorities is also clear. “School life is definitely very demanding, and, even with this new schedule, I feel like I still don’t have enough free time in order to balance my academic and extracurricular life,” Sixth Former Quinn Luong said. For so long, I’ve just prioritized them instead of taking care of my well-being and mental health.” This compromise over these two crucial facets comes with its burdens. “I get frustrated at myself for sleeping and not finishing my homework, which results in me having to finish it the next morn-
ing or before class. I find it really unfortunate that I have to be harsh on myself when my body is just telling me that I’m tired and I need rest,” Luong said. The collective struggle to live up to the standards of being an ideal student, athlete, and person at the expense of mental health and sleep is nothing new to millions of high schoolers. Change must be made.
“Haverford should try to foster an academic workspace in which we learn the adequate amount of information inclass and can explore our own interests outside of school without the burden of more schoolwork.” ROCH PARAYRE ’23
Matthew Collier ‘23 taking a nap
DAVID BUNN ’17
Students fall asleep at an upper school learning pod
INDEX STAFF
“I think that Haverford should try to foster an academic workspace in which we learn the adequate amount of information in class and can explore our own interests outside of school without the burden of more schoolwork,” Parayre said. The new addition of the free block benefits students, but the re-allocation of time spent in class could potentially be an improvement. Another solution that other nations have used is to eliminate homework entirely. “I think we should look up to Finland and ban homework. You cannot expect us [students] to come to school and essentially work for eight hours excluding extracurriculars and then go home and study for hours. On top of this, how are we expected to spend time with family, exercise, and explore hobbies?” Parayre said. While this concept of no homework can be deemed quite radical when compared to the demanding American education system, this actually allows for more leeway for students to perform better in virtually all other aspects, ultimately affecting performance in the classroom. “If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect,” Timo Heikkinen, a
Helsinki principal, said to the Smithsonian Magazine. Maximizing efficiency is another solution that can lead to healthier amounts of sleep. “They [students] should try to finish all their homework quickly and efficiently so that they will have more time for their extracurriculars, and more time to sleep,” Third Former Nicholas Lu said. Similarly, how students manage their time is also important. “It’s all about time management and planning. Stay focused when you’re doing your work and make sure to balance working with breaks,” Deng said. Even more so, it is important for the school and teachers to have a larger role in dealing with these issues of sleep and mental health.
“Schools should try to... help students optimize their schedue so that they can finish their homework and do their extracurriculars.” NICHOLAS LU ’25 “I think that schools should try to check in with students to see how much sleep they are getting, and help students optimize their schedule so that they can finish their homework and do their extracurriculars,” Lu said. Taking notice is often the first step, and there are a number of ways the school can do this. “This is more on [Student Body President] Mitav [Nayak’s] side, but I definitely think surveys by form asking about sleep habits/hours of sleep per night would help; if 40% of respondents in a form say they get five hours of sleep a night that should definitely be something that’s addressed,” Deng said. Ultimately, the lack of sleep and its detrimental effects on mental health, wellbeing, and more is nothing new to the student body. There will never be a perfect balance between sleep and mental health, but if proper actions are taken, students will feel better.
Page 6
the index · features
November 2021
Alum teacher reintroduces bench ball Jack Suter ’23
T
hroughout one’s years, one will remember many things. For Fords, one unique school tradition is benchball. Former Head of School Dr. Joseph Cox dedicated the new court, just west of its original location, now occupied by the “rounders” next to the upper school office suite. Like so many things that struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, benchball disappeared for a year and a half. Until March 2020, benchball allowed students to take a break from school during lunch, free periods, or downtime during the day. When classes went online in March 2020, benchball went largely forgotten. The new court represents a memory, made distant throughout our time online. With the emergence of a new school year came a rebirth of benchball.
Brown thought that the revival of one of our school traditions would help students connect with teaching of the Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. English teacher Louie Brown ’15 is the person responsible for the revival of benchball. After teaching a lesson about tradition through the English III novel The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Brown thought that the revival of one of our school traditions would help students connect with the way the title character was feeling. The Eng-
teachings of The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Brown acknowledges that there was not a specific defining moment. “I didn’t wake up one morning and decide that I was going to bring benchball back
school culture I felt I could really be a part of—not that I felt apart from the school culture in other ways. I had a good home here. But benchball was something I did purely for fun and for no other reason than to have fun during my free periods.” Brown acknowledges benchball’s uniqueness. “Compared to some other school traditions, I think that benchball relies a lot more
“Benchball relies a lot more on upperclassmen just playing it. The underclassmen see it and are like, ‘What the heck is that game?’ and it’s more studentspread.” LOUIE BROWN
English teacher Louie Brown ’15 lish class was happy to learn the rules, and Brown was happy to teach them. “While I was at Haverford, I didn’t appreciate [benchball] enough,” Brown said. “It was a really fun game; I loved it. I started playing when I was a freshman; back then, it was a lot more popular than it is now. It was definitely a little more established back then.” While benchball helped further the
COURTESY OF INDEX STAFF
Members of the Class of 2021 playing benchball
on upperclassmen just playing it,” Brown said. “The underclassmen see it and are like, ‘What the heck is that game?’ and it’s more student-spread.” Benchball played a major role in Brown’s life. “It was crucial in the sense that it just stuck with me, and I have always wanted to just keep on playing,” Brown said. One summer when Brown was a camp counselor at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, he tried and failed to introduce the game to a new community. “I found some benches on campus that you could move around and make into a square, but it was right in the middle of a walkway, so when I pitched the activity to my boss she [declined] because it was in the way of everything,” Brown said. Brown’s students hope to be able to inspire other students new to the game. Such Haverford traditions must be passed on and down through underclassmen. It’s our turn now.
JACK SUTER ’23
to Haverford because it’s a great tradition,” Brown said. “I just love the game.” Students soon began to follow, especially Fifth Former Joey Pennewill. “He really done a lot of work to bring [the game back] and he’s playing it a lot,” Brown said. “That makes me happy, and it’s a nice sort of side effect, but really I just wanted to play benchball for myself.” To Brown, benchball “was an aspect in
Students playing benchball on a recent day
JACK SUTER ’23
the index · academics
Page 7
November 2021
academics Deans stress dress code’s purpose Austin Zhuang ‘22
T
he dress code is an essential part of school life. From 8:30 to 3:15, upper schoolers must follow strict guidelines regarding their attire. But many students push the boundaries of what is acceptable. Much to the irritation of a few teachers, untucked shirts and blazerless students are a common sight. The reason for this flouting? A discrepancy between students and faculty with regards to the dress code’s effect on the community. For history teacher Mr. Timothy Lengel, the guidelines reflect the school’s serious academic environment. “I think the act of dressing up, intentionally choosing something that is not casual, makes us feel like we are doing important work, which we are,” Mr. Lengel said. “So I think it’s not the tie, it’s not the jacket, it’s that we’re choosing to dress up in what historically has been fancier wear.” Mr. Lengel believes dress down days are examples of how the dress code affects learning, citing the relaxed atmosphere on these occasions. The idea that the dress code promotes the mindset that education is valuable is one of the many reasons why faculty members harp on students’ attire. Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade had a similar perspective to Mr. Lengel, but
he offered additional supporting points. “I had this conversation with [Head of School] Mr. Casertano, actually, about how the idea of having something that unifies a community is really valuable, and I hadn’t thought about that,” Mr. Kolade said. “[The dress code] is a thing that separates us from the outside world to an extent but also unifies us at the same time.” Mr. Kolade also believes that dressing professionally encourages students to act professionally, while also preparing them for a future workplace that might require them to dress in a fashion similar to what Haverford’s guidelines require. “If you roll out of bed and you come to school in your pajamas, there’s no shift between home you and school you, at least not for a while,” Mr. Kolade said. “When you have to actively get dressed for school, there is a shift, a difference between your home life and your school life.” The impression others get from the dress code is another reason why Mr. Kolade finds it so valuable. “People who visit here see the way the boys are, and they’re like, ‘I want my kid to come to this place because I like the structure that [the dress code] gives,’” Mr. Kolade said. “So, from an outward perspective, it does play a big role.” Some students agree with the benefits
Students converse before class that the dress code gives but fail to see any direct effects on academics. “I don’t feel it adds anything explicitly to learning,” Sixth Former Elijah Lee said. “Most of its benefits lie in ‘preparing boys for life.’” Because all students do not value the dress code the same way as faculty, they will continue to push dress-code boundaries. But
JEFFREY YANG ’22
at the end of the day, teachers who remind students to tuck in their shirt and put on a blazer have a purpose. “If we don’t have a line, things start to get blurry, and people start to get lax in other areas of the school,” Mr. Kolade said. “You can see it; people just relax in a way they shouldn’t.”
Should Haverford have more academic around the corner competitions? Jingyuan Chen ’23
November
13 14
Haverford fall sports teams battle it out against Episcopal Academy for the coveted sweater
Peanut Butter and Jelly club meets at the Agnes Irwin School to make sandwiches for the homeless. Bring a friend!
18
Peter and the Starcatcher fall play teaser
29
Sixth Former Jeffrey Johnson presents a reflection on the 76ers
Academic clubs and activities are integral parts of the Haverford experience. Like athletics, achievements in academics can be validated through student performance in competitions. In the past year, participation in competitions dwindled due to the effects of the pandemic. As school life begins to normalize, clubs are reorganizing and preparing for competitions. “Right now, the main focus of the math club is our Philly Math League, where we compete with other private schools from the area,” Math Club Teacher Advisor Mr. Jeremy Fus said. “We’ve got two more matches in the season, and we are doing well. Next week, we have our AMC competitions coming up. Later in the year, we have the modeling competitions, which usually take one or two full days.” The Math Club, led by Mr. Fus and Mr. Bridge, endured through the pandemic with a vision to maintain past achievements and attract more student talent. “I think what comes with participating in Math Cub is, you need to have a love, or at least an enjoyment, of math,” Fifth Former Colin Kelly said. “For those of us that are seriously invested, we enjoy solving math problems. There’s an incredible satisfaction of getting something right and working out a problem. I would suggest that anybody who has that love and affinity for math and enjoys problem solving to come to the club.” On the other end of the hallway, the Speech & Debate Team finds itself with needs to expand and more actively participate in various tournaments. “We have one local tournament monthly, and two national tournaments this year at St. Joe’s and Penn, but it really depends on how many students show up and want to
participate,” Speech & Debate Team Coach Mr. Javier Lluch said. The students are hoping for more opportunities to develop and showcase their skills. “We’re doing pretty well in competitions, though we’ve only had one so far,” Sixth Former and Speech & Debate Team Captain Adamya Aggarwal said. “More events will be good. Right now it’s a little hard just because of scheduling conflicts. But I think more events would allow debaters to practice and accumulate general experience.” While Aggarwal affirms the current progress of the team, he also pinpoints the need to expand and attract more talent. “The activity of debate fits the intellectual side of the school: expressing your opinions and finding good ways to argue them. But the debate team is one of the smaller clubs at our school, so maybe we just need to promote it more through showing people why argumentative skills are important life skills,” Aggarwal said. Mr. Lluch agrees with this assessment. He aims to accumulate talents through setting up debate activities in the middle school to foster early student interest. “We hope that we can actually begin working with middle schoolers this year,” Mr. Lluch said. “There are a couple tournaments that take middle school kids, and the idea is to foster interests in the middle schools, so they will sign up for the upper school team.” Looking back at the trends, Mr. Lluch admits that interest in competitive academic events has declined in recent years. “When I came here in 2013, there was more of a culture of academic competitions. And we have seen that dwindle. What the reason for that is, I’m not sure. It’s a lot to ask
for somebody to be involved in intense competitions.” Mr. Lluch said. “It was certainly not an intentional choice. Dr. Nagl made a point to celebrate students who participate in academic activities. When he made the comment nine years ago, he felt that we already did not emphasize on academic qualities enough.” On the other hand, Mr. Nathan Bridge believes that the Math Club is on top of its game.
“It’s never been more organized and more focused on tangible goals than it is now.” MR. NATHAN BRIDGE “What we’re doing is at the height of everything we've done so far,” Mr. Bridge said. “It’s never been more organized and more focused on tangible goals than it is now. Our math Philly math league is in its third year, and that’s getting bigger and bigger. We started off with only eight teams and now we have ten.” While some dislike the competitive nature of academic competitions, activities like Math Club and the Speech & Debate Team and the academic values they embody represent some essential school virtues. “If we have more students competing, there will be more conversations about these problems, and so more students will be able to learn new ways to solve a problem and thus be better in the future,” Kelly said. “That is an experience you can only get from competing with more kids with different backgrounds. So I think [competing] is endlessly valuable.”
Page 8
the index · neighborhood
November 2021
neighborhood Lower Merion School District’s new middle school Ian Rosenweig ’25
M
any Haverford students know someone who attends the Lower Merion Public Schools. Lower Merion School District, currently serving 8,700 students, is opening a new middle school in Villanova in Fall 2022. The district currently has two middle schools, Bala Cynwyd Middle School and Welsh Valley Middle School, which are preceded by six elementary schools. The current middle schools include grades six through eight. The new school will reapportion some of those students into a third site to be named Black Rock Middle School for students in grades five through eight. Commissioner Andy Gavrin, the Vice President of the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners and recently re-elected representative of Ward 6, the district in which Black Rock is being built, has been involved in the School Board’s decision process for the new middle school. The current Lower Merion middle schools educate 2,250 students, a number that some project to increase in the coming years.
“Both middle schools have faced overcrowding with insufficent space and higher student-toteacher ratios than desired.” COMISSIONER ANDY GAVRIN “Both middle schools have faced overcrowding with insufficient space and higher student-to-teacher ratios than desired,” Gavrin said.
The current state of construction on Black Rock Middle School Board of Commissioners President and Ward 1 Commissioner Dan Bernheim said, “The school district ultimately elected to build a new school rather than add to the existing school in response to the community’s desire to limit class size[s],” Bernheim said. Rising fifth through eighth graders living in parts of Penn Wynne, Ardmore, Gladwyne, Villanova, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford will be educated at the new Black Rock, which is set to open for Fall of 2022. While most LM schools follow traditional educational systems, the new school is designed to support what Gavrin refers to as “learning communities.”
“The space is designed to foster collaboration and socialization. The classroom spaces will be flexible to allow for smaller learning teams and small group discussions in addition to bigger classes,” Garvin said. Students who attended Haverford’s lower school will relate to this learning structure. The lower school’s design features “pods” for each grade with tables for inter-class collaboration. Although only the classes of 2025-2028 have had experience with Haverford’s new middle school building, which opened in Fall 2020, it too features collaborative learning spaces. The Learning Center is home to booths
JEFFREY YANG ’22
meant for collaborative learning ,and the space serves as a hub for students to meet on the seventh-grade floor, much like the socialization spaces that Gavrin says will be “the heart of the [new middle] school.” Only three miles away from our campus, the new Black Rock Middle School and Haverford will be drawing from the same student populations. With a brand new space being introduced into the public school system equipped with many of the same features as two of our newest buildings, Haverford’s admissions team may compete for some of those students.
Conestoga’s $39.6M renovation: a revitalized environment Roch Parayre ’23
C
onestoga High School recently invested a total budget of $39.6 million into a 65,008 square foot addition, as well as other renovations, and the results are breathtaking. The project, titled “CHS Expansion & Renovation Project,” finally seemed to take off on November 21, 2019, when the Tredyffrin Township Planning Commission voted in favor of the plan. A few weeks later, on December 10, the committee modeled the final budget and square footage analysis. New classrooms, science laboratories, art classrooms, bathrooms, and even an atrium and laboratory were all recently added to the campus. The Atrium truly is the star of the show. It is the “focal point of the new addition” according to the Tredyffrin/Easttown Township. It contains comfortable seating areas for students to work, both individually and collaboratively, as well as a main tiered, stair seating area where students can study and/ or gather. This space also is equipped with charging stations that are available throughout the course of the day, and skylights that bring in plenty of abundant natural light, minimizing excess electricity. On Wednesday, October 27, 2021, the high school hosted a community open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony, and since then, the space has been open to the stu-
dents. “The new infrastructure includes over 20 new spaces for students. New classrooms, laboratories, art rooms, individual bathrooms, and, almost everyone’s favorite, the Atrium, are all brand new,” said Conestoga High School freshman Virginia Bove ’25, “CHS’s library, nurse’s suite, and some existing classrooms were refurbished. The new changes are absolutely fantastic, and walking into the new spaces makes me genuinely excited to be there.”
Current students are emphatic that the space is finally available. “Everyone loves the new addition to Conestoga. The Atrium is such a great space to complete work, chat with friends, or just re-
lax,” said Conestoga High School freshman Elise Bove ’25. “The new classrooms are extremely nice as well, and I am so glad I will be able to enjoy these lovely spaces for my entire high school career.”
“The new infrastructure includes over 20 new spaces for students.” VIRGINIA BOVE CONESTOGA ’25 Unfortunately, these updates were not available until much later than originally expected. The COVID-19 pandemic put initial construction on hold. Construction was first moved from January 2020 to March 2020 due to the amount of time it took for the Township to approve the project. The pandemic then further delayed construction but was able to continue later that spring.
Conestoga High School
ELISE BOVE VIA TE SCHOOL DISTRICT
the index · neighborhood
Page 9
November 2021
Gulph Mills Golf Club prepares for EA Day fever Bowen Deng ’22
W
h en twenty-four golfers from Haverford and Episcopal Academy tee up on November 12, they will face a demanding course combined with cold temperatures and (potentially) strong winds to finish off their season. With the back nine playing at 3,198 yards from the white tees, Gulph Mills Golf Club is far from a long course. Nonetheless, it features its fair share of other challenges. Precision is key—deep bunkers flank tight fairways on both sides. Wide, sloping greens push unwanted thoughts of a three-putt to a golfer’s mind. In preparation for EA Day and the winter ahead, the maintenance team at Gulph Mills has worked through the past few weeks to ensure optimal course conditions. They have rolled and aerated the greens, punching holes on the formerly smooth bentgrass. Almost every tee box, fairway, and green has been topdressed with a layer of sand. The fairways—initially rough and gritty—will be soft and smooth. The greens—formerly bumpy and slow—will roll nicely on the day of November 12, all thanks to the maintenance team’s efforts. The course’s design provides unique holes for golfers and spectators alike. Haverford and Episcopal will begin on the tenth hole, a 400+ yard dogleg left with a pond directly in front of the green. This tee shot, like many others, will be crucial to success on the opener. Holes eleven (a short par four) and twelve (a short par five) provide opportunities for aggressive golfers. A well-placed drive on the former will leave a wedge shot in; longer hitters can aim for eagle (two under par) on the latter. Holes thirteen and four-
BOWEN DENG ’22
18th Green at Gulph Mills Country Club teen are relatively straightforward, balanced out by the heavy dogleg rights of fifteen and sixteen. The seventeenth hole—a 200+ yard par three—features a downhill tee shot to a green flanked by bunkers. Playing shorter than its yardage, this hole emphasizes precision and club choice. Short but demanding, the eighteenth is
a fitting finale. With a handicap of eighteen and a distance of 420 yards, it is technically the easiest on the course. A wide fairway leaves lots of room for tee shots. This par 5 plays entirely uphill, meaning golfers must add twenty to thirty yards on their approach shots. The longer hitters will have no problem attacking the wide green for an eagle op-
portunity but must be wary of a deep pot bunker and the other greenside bunkers. Spectators at the top of the hill will have a clear view of the golfers on this hole, while the golfers will hit their final approach shots to a backdrop of parents and the clubhouse, creating the perfect end to the last golf match of the season.
Inside look at EA Day’s cross-country course Colin Kelly ’23
M
any factors go into determining the outcome of a crosscountry race. The runners’ ability, race strategy, race-day conditions, and temperature all contribute to which team wins. One of the most important things to consider, however, is the course itself. A course’s influence on the runners can truly decide a close race. A 5K course could be incredibly hilly or completely flat, have a lot of sharp turns or just be one big loop, and be very grassy or mostly pavement. Some courses feature forests with roots sticking out at each step while others can be pri-
marily open fields or even on a golf course. Every course is different, and this year the cross country team has seen a wide variety at many different venues. Sixth Form co-captain Colin Stewart offers some insight into how the course affects a race. “Depending on the course you’re running on, it can really affect what pace you’re running when you decide to make your moves, what people you’re going to be running with,” Stewart said. “It changes everything.” As EA Day approaches, many wonder about the layout of the Fords’ home cross
A part of the cross country course at Haverford College
country course. Haverford’s home course for Inter-Ac races is typically Belmont Plateau, a course in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. For EA Day this year, however, the cross country course will be run on Haverford’s traditional EA Day home course around our campus and Haverford College. Sixth Former and Fellow Co-captain of the cross country team Ben Szathmary describes this course as being special because “it’s a course-specific to EA Day.” Since EA Day 2020 was canceled and 2019 was an away year, it has been three years since the cross country team has run this course. There are currently only four
COLIN KELLY ’23
Sixth Formers who ran this course as Third Formers in 2018. As for the design of the course itself, fans will be happy to hear that the race both starts and finishes on Haverford’s track at Sabol Field. Students, parents, faculty, and friends will be able to cheer on the Fords from the bleachers as they begin and complete the 5K race. After two laps around the track, racers will run up a hill and around Eagle Field onto Buck Lane. From there, they will follow along a stone path down a slight decline, traverse a bridge onto Haverford College’s campus, run two laps around the duck pond, and return back the way they came. “I like the course because it’s quick; it’s compact,” Szathmary said. The course is generally very flat, with only a couple of small hills. It is also mostly run on the pavement. This combination has two important implications. First, runners’ times will be much faster than they would be on other courses. The other more meaningful consequence for race strategy is that runners will be able to make aggressive moves late in the race. On a hilly course, it’s important to get ahead in the race early because it can be difficult to make up ground late in the race. On a flat course like this, however, runners are more likely to be able to pass competitors in the final stretches of the race, meaning there should be some exciting sprints to the finish line. Both captains emphasized that EA Day 2018 was special because there were so many Haverford fans cheering them on. “The entire Upper School was there,” Stewart said. “The effect was immeasurable . . . you can’t really describe it; you just run differently.”
the index · campus opinions
Page 10
November 2021
campus opinions No expectation of privacy: what Haverford gets wrong about technology Joey Kauffman ’23
P
rivacy is serious. As more and more people begin to grow aware of the lack of privacy that social media companies give their users, more people are able to see that technology, despite the irrefutable ways in which it improves our lives, has the potential to be used in ways that infringe on our freedoms. Schools can use technology this way as well. In fact, in 2011, not too far from Haverford, at Lower Merion High School, a student “filed a lawsuit against school officials for allegedly using a school-issued laptop to take photos of the student at home without his knowledge,” according to the ACLU. Lower Merion ended up paying the student $175,000 to settle the case. Yet the student had exposed the school’s practice of violating students’ privacy and revealed that Lower Merion was in possession of over 56,000 webcam shots from students’ laptops. Editor-in-Chief Ryan Rodack ’22 wrote an illuminating article in the October edition of The Index titled “IT knows more than you think about your Google activity.” While the article certainly doesn’t make me think that Haverford would try to do something like Lower Merion did, the piece did make me concerned about how little privacy students have while using school technology. Director of Information and Instructional Technology Ms. Andrea Drinkwine told Rodack, “The school owns [the Google account] and allows you to use it just like you use the athletic facilities and classrooms. So, in that sense, there should be no expectation of any kind of privacy…
There are network monitoring tools and Ediscovery tools that allow IT administrators to get into any account from any student or employee.”
The virtuous thing would be to give technology users more privacy by making a specific set of criteria for when Haverford could track your data. Just to be clear, Haverford has every right to track users of school technology and give us little privacy. The school is a private institution that owns the network and all of the school accounts. But as Haverford has hopefully taught all of its students, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. We should strive to be virtuous above all else—the virtuous thing would be to give technology users more privacy by making a specific set of criteria for when Haverford could track your data and clearly communicate that criteria to students. Technology has, as a whole, given the school an unprecedented increase in the amount of surveillance it can conduct compared to the pre-internet era. The school allowing students to use athletic facilities or classrooms cannot be compared to the school loaning Google accounts or other technology to students. The reason for this
A student reviews his Google account privacy settings
is that athletic facilities and classrooms don’t collect enormous amounts of personal information on the people who use them every day.
I reccomend that the administration writes a policy for specific circumstances when it is OK to access student or faculty data without permission of the person with the name on the account. In the past, it would be impossible for Haverford to know what a student was doing while at home; now, that scenario is conceivable if the student is using a Haverford Google account on the internet. If a student is connected to Haverford wifi, reading a book on his computer during a free period, Haverford can know what book he is reading. This would be impossible before the internet. We should have the right to read an article, watch a video, or text a friend while on school technology without worrying about being tracked. It may seem like a small thing, but as soon as we are complacent about giving up our privacy, we give up a piece of our
freedom. Timothy Snyder wrote in On Tyranny, a book all Fifth Form students read over the summer for history class, that what “the great political thinker Hannah Arendt meant by totalitarianism was not an all-powerful state, but the erasure of the difference between private and public life” (Snyder 88). The things we look up on our school accounts, even though we don’t own the accounts, should fall safely and completely under the dominion of private life. There should be no erasure, no leaking of this deeply personal and private information into the public sphere. I recommend that the administration writes a policy for specific circumstances when it is OK to access student or faculty data without the permission of the person with the name on the account. These instances could include times when a student is reasonably suspected of hurting himself or others, during an investigation into a student who has broken the Honor Code, or any time when the administration deems it absolutely necessary. This way, there would not be unrestricted surveillance of our accounts; we could have an expectation of privacy on our Google accounts, and yet the data could be used if needed. I trust that the members of the IT department have acted in good faith with all of our data, and I have no reason to suspect otherwise. But privacy needs to involve more than trust.
RYAN RODACK ‘22
Page 11
the index · campus opinions
November 2021
Students should have ID access later in the day Christopher Schwarting ’24
I
t’s the early evening as I stroll through the Quad on my way to Wilson Hall. I’m not alone. I come across my peers traveling to major sports practices, others assembling for a concert in Centennial Hall, and maybe a further number of folks finding themselves debating each other in a mock floor session with the debate team. I step up to the doors of the Wilson Hall entrance and scan my ID, ready to head to my own post-school function. The reader beeps, but the door remains locked. Shoot. While fellow students commence a meeting inside, I’m stuck outside—joined by a few friends with the same predicament. Campus life persists long after the dismissal of the last period at 3:15 p.m. But without ID access for those who remain on campus to pursue the various extracurriculars after school, these passion-driven pursuits soon become inconvenienced by an inability to protect belongings, and quite simply, get to where one needs to go. The lack of ID accessibility in the afternoon and early evening inconveniences students. Meetings are scheduled throughout Wilson Hall, often where people are not able to see or hear you. It becomes an unnecessary cause for delay, especially for those who do not control how early they may show up for an event. I recently attended a Pegasus meeting scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Wanting to be on time, I arrived on campus five minutes early, but alas, I could not find anyone to let me in, as my ID no longer granted me
access to Wilson Hall. Pegasus meets in the Big Room—far from any entranceway. After twelve minutes of scouring for a person to open the door, I finally got a friend to let me in by the library. I was ten minutes late to the meeting. Ten minutes is, in most cases, not going to be a great expense to an after-school commitment. But it does perpetuate a cyclical annoyance whenever you have to get somewhere. Sixth Former Will Cordray often finds himself needing to be in Wilson Hall for after-school commitments. A cross-country athlete and jazz band musician, among other pursuits, the ID accessibility window becomes an impedance. “I have sports every day, and by the time practice finishes, [my] ID card never works,” Cordray said. “I have to wait outside for someone to let me in.” The upper school administration reports that ID cards permit student access to facilities up until 4:30 p.m. According to Head of Upper School Mr. Mark Fifer, “The school’s rationale in making [this suspension time] is based on the expectation for supervision when students are in a school building. The school has determined that a reasonable expectation of supervision can be established through 4:30 p.m. based on faculty and staff presence. After 4:30 p.m., there is not a reasonable expectation of supervision based on a lack of faculty and staff presence in the building.” While the concern of keeping students under supervision is critical, most of the students trying to get access to Wilson Hall at this time are those who have an activity or commitment requiring their presence. Such activities, whether they be ensemble rehearsals or club gatherings, already have faculty present to oversee the meeting.
Additionally, the expiration of ID card usage in the afternoon serves more as an inconvenience rather than a barrier to gaining access to the upper school. “Locking out IDs is not the most effective because people show up within probably five to ten minutes. It’s definitely not preventing people from getting in,” Cordray said. “It’s just an inconvenience.” While well-intended, the blockage posed by quick-expiring ID access in the evening creates more obstacles for students than it does for protection. If the overwhelming majority of students using such ID access are there for a meeting under faculty supervision, and if getting into the building is still possible—albeit delayed, I propose an
extended accessibility time would benefit students. No more waiting in the cold for someone to respond to the message you sent them. No more tardiness to a critical afterschool meeting. Instead, students could be given additional ease of mind that they can gain access to facilities in their extracurricular life. It’s a small inconvenience with a farreaching scope on students in athletics, the arts, and intellectual club life. We must consider a simple extension to the ID access period so that students like me can easily and efficiently gain access to the liveliness that exists after 3:15.
RYAN RODACK ‘22
Connor Pinsk ‘23 is denied access to the Wilson Hall after School hours
EA Day should be three times a year time to put one’s athletic prowess to the test. Student-athletes want to put on a show for their brothers; they want to demonstrate the skills to which they have dedicated so much time developing, and most importantly, they want to show how much better of a school we truly are. By holding EA Day for the fall sports teams, the school communicates that only the fall sports teams are worthy of this experience.
to perfecting their skills. While I understand there are certain technical difficulties that arise with this proposition that do not apply to the last one, I believe that these students should also have the opportunity to demonstrate all of their hard work to their brothers. There is no question that as a general com-
munity, Fords intensely dedicate themselves to their athletics or extracurricular endeavors. The best way for the administration to recognize student passion and dedication is to hold an EA Day or a community event of similar magnitude for all sports seasons and all extracurriculars.
Colin Stewart ‘22
E
very action, whether intentionally or not, makes a judgment about the world. By choosing to do something, a person or group implies two things: to act in the way they chose is correct and to act otherwise is incorrect. Similarly, to not do something, excluding people or things from a decision implies that to include it would be the incorrect decision. Why do I start with this philosophical point? Because, whether they intend to or not, Haverford’s administration, by holding a single EA Day, judges the value of its sports teams. EA Day is the community experience at Haverford. Alumni whose life paths have diverged after leaving Wilson Hall, students as young as lower schoolers, and teachers both current and retired, come to watch five teams battle it out on a cold November Saturday. As an athlete who has competed in EA Day, the atmosphere is unlike anything I have ever experienced (and that is coming from a crosscountry runner where races usually muster less than half of those who ultimately attend the football game). Additionally, EA Day is a
By not giving winter and spring teams an EA day or community event... they [EA and Haverford] are implying that these teams are not worthy of it. Conversely, by not giving winter and spring teams an EA Day or a community event of similar importance, they are implying that these teams are not worthy of it. While I do not think that the administration believes this, their actions still suggest it. In order to resolve this discrepancy between the administration’s true beliefs and what its actions suggest it believes, we should hold EA Days, or community events of similar importance, for all seasons. I would go one step further. Students who participate in extracurricular activities such as robotics, debate, and mock trial dedicate relatively similar amounts of time
COMMUNICATIONS
The student section cheers on Fords Football at Downingtown West on September 3, 2021
Page 12
the index · off-campus opinions
November 2021
off-campus opinions
GAGE SKIDMORE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Joe and Jill Biden attending a 2019 Iowa Cubs game
What Biden’s low approval ratings tell us
Justin Fan ’24
A
s of October 31, an NBC news report finds that 54% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s presidency. 40% of Americans view him favorably and 48% unfavorably, nearly identical to expresident Donald Trump (38% positively, 50% negatively) during the same poll. Nine months into his presidency, a clear trend emerges: a shocking number of Americans see the country heading in the wrong direction. But what is causing this belief, and why are President Biden’s approval ratings so low? There is no single answer—a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, compromises on key Democratic priorities, and falling economic confidence make up just a few major reasons on the list. On September 11, we witnessed the 20th anniversary of 9/11, marking two decades since the beginning of the War on Terror, a war of American intervention in the Middle East that cracked down on terrorist organizations, safeguarding world peace. What was initially assumed to be a quick war bogged down into a prolonged conflict. People across the world were scarred: service members in America and our allies, as well as civilians in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan. This chapter of American history would be concluded with the swift withdrawal from Afghanistan, leaving billions of dollars of
advanced military equipment, thousands of refugees fleeing the country, and the Taliban retaking control of the country. Pew Research Center polled that a large majority of Americans say the Biden administration has done a poor job (42%) or a fair job (29%) in handling the situation in Afghanistan. Although the move was seen as long overdue, how we conducted ourselves during our withdrawal will be how history judges us. Because this event just occurred, many Americans lack confidence in President Biden, undoubtedly contributing to his low approval numbers.
The pandemic left a big dent in the supply chain: cargo ships stuck offshore, insufficient numbers of truck drivers, and empty shelves right before the holiday season are probably the most obvious signs. In the past few months, President Biden had to compromise on key Democratic priorities—such as federal paid family leave and lowering the cost of prescription drugs—to try to get his Build Back Better Act passed. The legislation includes provisions for fighting climate change, expanding tax credits, and strengthening the social safety net, paid for by increased tax rates for corporations, capital gains, and those making more than $400,000 a year. Additional sections included the rebuilding of deteriorating infrastructure and investment into key industries and technologies, amounting to an initial price tag of 3.5 trillion dollars. Some key features of this act were drawn back to satisfy both moderates and progressives, instead, leaving
all groups—moderates and progressives; Republicans and Democrats—unsatisfied. The gridlock within the Senate coupled with increasing internal conflict is demonstrated in the views of President Biden’s ability to unite the country. Just 26% say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the country, down from 33% six months ago. Economically, the Biden administration focused on increasing the national minimum wage and expanding worker training, narrowing income inequality, investing in clean energy and infrastructure, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and forgiving student loan debt. However, COVID-19 impeded these goals. A majority of adults (63%) say they are concerned about rising prices for food and consumer goods. That is larger than the shares citing other economic issues—employers being unable to hire workers (42% very concerned), people facing eviction or foreclosure (35%), or people who want to work being unable to find jobs (29%). The pandemic left a big dent in the supply chain: cargo ships stuck offshore, insufficient numbers of truck drivers, and empty shelves right before the holiday season are probably the most obvious signs. The scarcity of materials and the rising price of freight have seen price increases in goods. Small businesses and large corporations alike
There are many reasons leading to Biden’s low approval ratings: recent external problems as well as internal discontent.
were sent reeling due to these rapid changes, all while looking towards President Biden for a sense of leadership. Still, Biden’s economic policies (such as his increased stimuli) made many Americans hopeful about the future. Among all adults, 52% say that economic conditions will be better in a year. No one knows how long the shortages will last, but there are good reasons to suspect that this will be with us well into 2022. I want to reiterate that Biden’s administration is going through a rough patch: this period isn’t what’s going to determine favorability throughout the rest of his term. There are many reasons leading to Biden’s low approval ratings: recent external problems as well as internal discontent. Though some of these issues have their roots decades ago, it will be a difficult time for his administration as they balance damage control and furthering their agenda.
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? 48.5% no opinion
43.2% disapprove
ap 8.3 pro % ve
Google Forms poll of 118 respondents, Between November 7-8, 2021
the index · section title
Page 13
November 2021
Glenn Youngkin’s election doesn’t signify a greater shift in the GOP Charlie keidel ’24
R
epublican Glenn Youngkin won the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race over his Democratic opponent by two points. Just a year ago, President Joe Biden won the state by a margin of ten points over former President Trump. Virginia is labeled a bellwether state, as it gives politicians and their respective advisors a look into how voters actually believe the two main parties are affecting their daily lives just one year after the presidential election. As Trump was handily disavowed by the suburban populations of Fairfax and Prince William counties, Youngkin did not campaign with him—this approach clearly
worked out. Since Trump’s election in 2016, he has ruled over the Republican party with an iron fist. Many have dubbed the new-age GOP, “The Party of Trump.” To step out of line could mean losing support from the former president and his loyal Republican base, and then losing the Republican primary. Youngkin did a fantastic job of accepting Trump’s nomination and not alienating a part of the Trump base, but simultaneously keeping an arm’s distance away from Trump at all times. It remains true that Donald Trump is the most individually influential politician in the world, and this is mainly
A Glenn Youngkin campaign photo
because he is so divisive. Republicans are better suited to hammering away on their usually effective talking points on Critical Race Theory, crime, and abortion. Youngkin toed the line, and the win for the CEO and businessman over the career politician and former governor in McAuliffe had political pundits from all across the aisle proclaiming that this was the way for the Republican party to win big in future elections. However, this analysis may not be completely accurate. Firstly, Donald Trump will not allow this. Trump got into politics for one reason, to be the center of attention,
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
and the fact that every pundit on MSNBC, CNN, and, most importantly, FOX News said that Trump’s exclusion from the race (he never campaigned with Youngkin) was a driving factor in the political newcomer’s victory will be a problem. This isn’t to say that Democrats aren’t fighting an uphill battle in 2022 though; for Republicans to believe that Donald Trump will sit idly by, constrained to only speaking to his core followers and being demeaned as “unimportant” is unconscionable.
Two-thirds of the modern-day Republican party would like to see Trump run in 2024, and as most people’s interactions with politics are surface-level and very highlighted on national politics. Additionally, the Republican party cannot win close statewide and national elections without the Trump base. Two-thirds of the modern-day Republican party would like to see Trump run in 2024, and as most people’s interactions with politics are surface-level and very highlighted on national politics. Trump is still the kingpin, and Republican candidates need his support.
Partisan gerrymandering breaks American democracy Connor Simpkins ’25
G
errymandering—manipulating the boundaries of an electoral map to influence House elections—is not a new practice, but on the heels of the 2020 census results, it is a hot topic in state legislatures across the country. The census takes place every ten years, and, once the results are in, states begin a process of redistricting to ensure that electoral maps are fairly populated and distributed. This is where the trouble begins: the seemingly straightforward process of drawing fair boundary lines becomes a hotly contested partisan battle: a power grab in its purest form. Both parties are guilty of using it, and all citizens are impacted when a democracy shifts from one where voters choose their representatives to one where representatives choose their voters. The number of states with nonpartisan independent commissions is few and the current cycle of redistricting raises concerns across the country about gerrymandering and the risk it causes to democracy. Some states have taken different approaches to how they manage redistricting. In the last ten years several states, including Colorado and Michigan, have passed redistricting reforms, creating independent commissions to oversee the redistricting process.
In Pennsylvania, the state constitution requires a Legislative Reappointment Commission to redraw the maps every ten years. Still, that commission is made up of a mix of current state representatives or their delegates, which does not remove the issue of political bias. According to FiveThirtyEight, ten states have already completed their map redrawing, with Democrats gaining five seats and Republicans gaining four seats nationally. However, it is unlikely Democrats will hold the lead. State after state, partisan gerrymandering is influencing future congressional maps. In states like North Carolina and Ohio, Republican legislatures have drawn maps that skew in favor of the GOP. In Illinois, the Democratic legislature proposed a map that gave the party a decided advantage. And while multiple lawsuits have already been filed to fight these partisan redistricting efforts, some wonder how effective these legal challenges might be, especially because of a 2019 Supreme Court decision that ruled that gerrymandering cannot be reviewed by federal courts Regardless of the current redistricting outcome and the many lawsuits that will come, a bigger question remains: how do we find a fair way to reevaluate electoral districts every ten years? Other proposed solutions— as well as independent commissions—in-
clude federal legislation that reforms the process nationwide or the use of computer algorithms in a way that removes political bias. Here in the Haverford community, we are expected to live by an Honor Code that asks us to frame our actions with a set of questions. Applying these same questions to the concept of gerrymandering is revealing: Does gerrymandering mislead or deceive? Does gerrymandering give an unfair advantage? Does gerrymandering deprive another
person of his/her right? Does gerrymandering hurt or disrespect another person? While our current political system may not be honorable, perhaps that is a characteristic American citizens should expect of their representatives. One recent poll reports that only 16 percent of U.S. adults believe their state’s congressional maps would be drawn fairly. Perhaps if our elected offices lived by the Honor Code that every Haverford student is expected to live by, more citizens could trust the redistricting process.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Pennsylvania’s unusually shaped Congressional districts, drawn by the states 133th Congress, 2014
the index · artst
Page 14
November 2021
arts
JOEY KAUFFMAN ‘23
Student actors work on a scene during rehearsal
Inside Look: Actors prepare to take the stage in Peter and the Starcatcher Owen Yu ’23
S
ince the beginning of the school year, Centennial Hall’s reopening has led to exciting community events and poignant Reflections. The fall play, a staple of the theater department and Haverford community, is amongst the many traditions looking to take advantage of Centennial Hall’s return. Armed with the play Peter and the
Mr. Hengst directs a scene
Starcatcher, student actors and stage crew members prepare to light the stage once more. Director Mr. Darren Hengst chose Peter and the Starcatcher for its lightheartedness. This year I was really determined to do comedies,” said Mr. Hengst. “After a year of the theater being dark, I wanted to bring some joy to the community, and I think this is a very funny show.”
JOEY KAUFFMAN ‘23
A prequel to Peter Pan, Peter and the Starcatcher provides familiarity alongside its comedic moments, an aspect that Mr. Hengst believes will add to the audience’s enjoyment. “This is where we find out how Peter became Peter—how Captain Hook became Captain Hook,” said Mr. Hengst. “It’s written with a very sweet story about Peter and Molly, who’s actually Wendy’s grandmother, which I think the community will enjoy.” Consistent practices and a substantial time investment are crucial to ensuring a smooth performance. For Mr. Hengst, preparation is key. “There’s a common misconception that theater is always last minute, but that’s just not true,” said Mr. Hengst. “My goal in every show is for everyone to be as prepared as they possibly can. If they’re prepared and they know what they’re doing and they know what their job is—that just provides them confidence.” Especially in the weeks before the opening night, actors practice routinely to remember their lines and movements on stage. Fifth Former actor Colin Kelly acknowledges the significant amount of work needed to be done before and during the last week of rehearsals. “The week leading up to the show is what we call ‘tech week,’ which is rehearsals everyday from 6-9 p.m. We also have an 11 a.m.-7 p.m. rehearsal on the last Sunday before we open,” Kelly said. Another challenge for the cast involves learning and singing the play’s songs. “Especially because most people who do the play aren’t trained in singing, it’s difficult to learn the songs,” said Fifth Form actor Julian Caesar. “Still, I think we’ve done really well so far.” Aside from acting, students must prepare for the shows’ technical aspects. “[During the week before the show],
I’m here Friday doing lights and I’m here Saturday with the stage crew preparing everything for the show,” Mr. Hengst said. In addition to a busy schedule, actors must also adapt to wearing masks and new equipment while performing. “Every actor will have body mics on them, and when you introduce body mics, you introduce a lot of complexities with the sound director,” Mr. Hengst said. Adjusting to the body mics will take some time. “The mic situation is going to be a little bit complicated, and we’ll need more time during tech week to figure that out,” Kelly said. Regardless of such changes, the audience should expect the same excitement and passion that they are used to from the the-
“It’s going to be a high-energy show because we’re all going to be super psyched to be back on stage.” COLIN KELLY ‘23
ater department. “It’s going to be a high-energy show because we’re all going to be super psyched to be back on stage,” Kelly said. Including a dress rehearsal on November 18, shows are currently scheduled for November 19-21. As opening night approaches, Kelly has only one message for the Haverford community: “Show out, Fords.”
Page 15
the index · arts
November 2021
Student and faculty takes on film safety and the Alec Baldwin incident
GAGE SKIDMORE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Alec Baldwin at the 2016 Comic Con Tate Conklin ’24
T
he explosive roar of the bullet that took the life of Halyna Hutchins sent waves throughout the film industry and the entire world. The tragic incident involving the firing of a so-called “cold gun” on a movie set has quite a mindboggling story behind it. A careless series of events leading up to the disaster has triggered many questions revolving around the failure of people to exhibit the high level of care required for a safe set. What this means for the future of film production is unclear. The terrifying event occurred on October 21 on the New Mexico set for the movie Rust. Through some sort of inexcusable miscommunication, actor Alec Baldwin was handed a gun on the set filled with live ammunition. Not only was this gun loaded with ammo, but it was also pointed at a crew huddled around the camera filming the scene. The gun was fired and killed 42-yearold cinematographer Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Such a rare incident, considering all normal precautions, led to lots of fingerpointing. With so many unanswered questions, Performing Arts Department Chair Mr. Darren Hengst and Middle School Theatre teacher Ms. Jenn Hallman helped answer some of the questions that many students have. “One of the best people we have here is [Production Manager and Technical Director of Centennial Hall] Mr. Dex Woodward. He’s certified in so many different things,” Mr. Hengst said. “He takes his job extremely seriously, and safety is his first concern with all of our technical elements… I feel like together we have the experience of working in professional workplaces in theatre and we can bring those [safety] practices here.” Mr. Hengst explained how in theatre, real guns are never present. Starter pistols serve as substitutes. These fake guns have a barrel, but when the striker hits the blank,
the explosion happens out of the side and no projectile is fired. He shared a personal anecdote involving his experience using a prop gun under the direction of qualified personnel. “Even though it never fires in the show, the stage manager always came up to me before we started, and she opened the gun and told me, ‘This is a cold gun,’ and showed me that there were no bullets in there, and then I would start,” Mr. Hengst said. “These checkpoints are just built into our culture in a great way.” Some of these aspects are missed in an actor’s academic preparation.
“In acting school, we don’t go through these technical aspects [of how to open and unload a gun].” MR. DARREN HENGST “In acting school, we don’t go through these technical aspects [of how to open and unload a gun]. The job of an actor is to portray that you understand how to hold and fire a gun,” Mr. Hengst said. Comparing the use of firearms in film and theatre shows just how many precautions are necessary for the safety on set. “Looking at the things that we do in a live situation to bend reality and tell a story and how we aren’t holding movies to the same standard is wild,” Ms. Hallman said. These questions about whether or not real guns are necessary in movies and shows have been raised by all sorts of people involved in the film industry. Mr. Hengst said he’s received emails petitioning to get real guns off of film sets. Many people are trying to bring more attention to this tragedy through methods like petitions.
“Hopefully this is something a little more eye-opening in that Hollywood sphere to make sure that they’re doing what they should be doing and protecting the people on their set,” Ms. Hallman said. So many theories and perspectives have surfaced, engrossing people all over the world, but failure to recognize and take any action on this incident will get us nowhere. The media is so quick to pick sides and dive deep into the internet to figure out every detail that happened behind the scenes, but the far bigger and most prominent question is: How is this even possible? “To hear something like this happening on a movie set where you have so many resources to create a safe environment for your staff, cast, and crew, it’s just, how did everything get overlooked?” Ms. Hallman said. “Did they chalk it up as an accident and then we sweep it under the rug and move on to the next thing? Especially in a country that is seeing mass shootings [frequently], having something like this happen is just … how careless are we?” “The fact that real bullets were on a movie set is just preposterous. The fact that there was a real bullet there and somebody put it in there by accident is just incomprehensible,” Mr. Hengst added.
“The fact that real bullets were on a movie set is just preposterous.” MR. DARREN HENGST
What this means for the future of gun use on movie sets in an age where modern technology is prevalent is uncertain. The fact
that a life was lost over such an unfortunate occurrence is horrible.
“Because it has garnered so much attention, I hope that people will be more aware moving forward because nobody should be losing their life on a movie set like that when you have people who are being paid to make sure this equipment is safe.” MS. JENN HALLMAN “Because it has garnered so much attention, I hope that people will be more aware moving forward because nobody should be losing their life on a movie set like that when you have people who are being paid to make sure this equipment is safe. When it’s not, lives can be lost,” Ms. Hallman said. “It reassured me that we are doing the right thing in our department when we have any kind of firearm or special effect in our possession and how careful we are with everything,” Mr. Hengst said. This isn’t the first time an error like this has happened, so people will realize that a real gun with the capability of being shot holds far more power than just a prop. If the gun is not safely hidden until it’s ready for use and has a barrel and a trigger, everyone’s life is at risk. Hopefully, out of this tragedy will come a deeper level of safety and care applied to all productions, ensuring a senseless accident never occurs again.
Page 16
the index · sports
November 2021
sports Water Polo hopes to beat EA again Colin Stewart ’22
Avi Mehl ’22 passes the ball in a 14-5 win over the Lawrenceville School on September 22, 2021 ords Water Polo is rolling into EA as a team,” Schorck said, “is that it was the season, the best season of water polo in Day in a paradoxically familiar yet best water polo that EA has played in a very Haverford’s history came to a close in 2019. unfamiliar way. The water polo long time.” Whereas the Fords used to be able to get team has long been one of the most domiApart from changing their offensive strat- away with a certain level of team incohesivenant sports at Haverford and continues to egy, the Fords are working on playing as a ness due to the sheer amount of talent, this be, garnering six regular season wins in the team. year is a different story. This has factored Inter-Ac. In many cases, the Fords have deinto the Ford’s mentality: “There is a certain feated teams by double digits and in one case, expectation that you have to put out in the “In order to match defeated the Malvern Prep Friars 17-4, more games. Compared to previous years we don’t their [EA’s] enthan 4x times the score of their opponents. have as strong of a team so you need to show On the other hand, the team’s two losses up to every game ready to play. But more imergy, we have a more were to Episcopal Academy, the first time portantly, we have such a young team with skilled team, we just this has happened in many years. “We played a lot of freshmen and sophomores, that we need to make sure very poorly in our game [...] we now know [the upperclassmen] need to be leaders in the we are able to work exactly what it takes to beat them,” Sixth pool.” Former and Captain Jake LaRocca said. LaRocca specifically praised two undertogether.” Echoing the same sentiment, Sixth Forclassmen, Third Former Ben McDade and mer and Captain Bram Schork was not goFourth Former Luke Putter, as having really BRAM SCHORK ’22 ing to brush off the loss as an anomaly: “It stepped up their game this season. LaRocca was a bit of a wake up call. We realized that remarked that, “They both work very hard we really needed to reevaluate our game plan “In order to match their [EA’s] energy, and it definitely reflects during games.” walking in.” we have a more skilled team, we just need This reinvention came to fruition on NoFor many years, the team had been run- to make sure we are able to work together,” vember 6, when the Fords faced off against ning the same offensive strategy. EA, after Schork said. the Churchmice yet again, though, this time many years of being ruthlessly dominated in Although the water polo team has seen it was in the Easterns Prep Tournament. The the pool, finally figured it out. “Our belief more than their fair share of success this Fords dominated the entire game winning
F
Luka Sekulic ‘23 shoots in a 14-5 win over the Lawrenceville School on September 22, 2021
MR. JIM ROESE
MR. JIM ROESE
21-13. Schork and Sixth Former Avi Mehl picked up hat tricks and Sixth Former goalie Jaiden Shuchman had a fantastic game in net. Although this commanding win over the Churchmen stokes hope in both the team and the general Haverford community, the players are keeping their eyes on the prize.
“Since this is my last water polo game at the Haverford School, I plan to do everything I can to get the win.” JAKE LAROCCA ’22
“Since this is my last water polo game at the Haverford School, I plan to do everything I can to get the win. I’m not concerned with stats. I only care about coming home with a win,” LaRocca said. Both Schork and LaRocca look back to the atmosphere of EA Day 2018 as something to expect for this year. Schork described EA Day 2018 as his “all time favorite event.” Although students likely will not be able to pack onto the pool deck as it was in 2018, Schork and LaRocca both expect the atmosphere to be exhilarating. “The sound of all their [spectators] echoing off the concrete walls is just an incredible feeling,” Schork said. Although LaRocca reiterated many of the same feelings towards the environment, he plans on taking a much more businesslike approach to the game: “Although the crowd makes the game much more intense, we’re going into EA Day with the same plan as every other game. We know what we need to do to win, and the crowd will prout momentum which we’ll use to our advantage.” “Even though we lost to EA earlier this season, we are not going to again. We changed our strategy and want it more than they do.” Schrock said, “We want more than anything to win this last game.”
the index · sports
Page 17
November 2021
Fords golf takes it one shot at a time Mitav Nayak ’22
T
he stage is set: on November 12 at 1 p.m., the Fords tee up against Episcopal at Gulph Mills Golf Club for the first of the EA Day competitions. The Fords look forward to competing in front of a large crowd and hope to secure an early one to zero lead in this year’s grapple for the sweater. Sixth Form Captains Trey Campbell, Chase Curran, and Bowen Deng lead a young yet talented squad against EA. “It’s pretty even—honestly a toss up,” Deng said. “If we have a good day, we can beat them. If they have a good day, they can beat us.” Campbell pointed to the Fords depth as a possible separator.
“I think it is going to be close, but hopefully we have the edge.” TREY CAMPBELL ’22
“I think we match up against EA pretty well,” Campbell said. “We have more depth on our team and that will allow us to get an advantage. I think it is going to be close, but hopefully we have the edge.” Twelve players from each team will participate in EA Day—more than most golf matches. The players will be divided into six groups of two, and the lowest scores of the six groups will count. Sixth Former Chase Curran said, “Since we are taking more players than normal for
EA Day, and we think we have a deeper team than them, I think we match up well.” The team’s youth excites the captains.
“One thing the seniors told me last year was to just have fun—because if you’re not having fun in golf it never goes well for anyone.” CHASE CURRAN ’22 “As for underclassmen, we have three freshmen, one eighth grader, and one sophomore playing in EA Day,” Curran said. “One thing the seniors told me last year was to just have fun—because if you’re not having fun in golf it never goes well for anyone.” Curran and the other captains are passing on this same advice to the next generation of Fords golf. “EA Day is a great experience,” Deng said. “Our message has been to go out there and have fun playing the last match of the season.” Enjoying the experience while still taking the competition seriously is a fine balance that the captains are explaining to the younger players. “You have to treat it like a tournament,” Campbell said, “because the way these tournaments are played—it is different from just messing around. I think what makes people great in school golf is being comfortable within that tournament situation. And I know it has been tough with COVID be-
MR. JIM ROESE
Chase Curran ’22 swings his club in Inter League Play on September 21, 2021 cause people haven’t played tournaments in almost two years, but that’s what we’ve been pushing.” Deng believes that much of golf is relying on the work one has already put in.
“The first thing is trusting what you’ve worked on in the range.” BOWEN DENG ’22
MR. JIM ROESE
Rory Nesbitt ’23 swings his club in Inter League Play on September 21, 2021
“The first thing is trusting what you’ve worked on in the range,” Deng said. “Even if I have a bad shot, I remind myself that it is one bad shot, and I can easily recover on the next shot.” The goal of treating every single shot at its own event is common across the team. “It is common for everyone to get mentally behind in golf, but to be better than everyone else, one thing that Coach Berman has told us and I have taken in is to take one shot at a time and everything that happens is in the past—you can’t get a shot back.” Because golf is so mentally demanding, intangible factors of the game are often the difference between winning and losing. Curran explained how he remains poised under pressure. “You have to treat every shot like it’s the same shot whether there are fifty people watching or zero people watching,” Curran said. “Also, you should have a good routine so that no matter who’s watching you are doing the same thing and you don’t let other things throw you off.” Campbell has a similar mindset. “In matches like EA Day, every shot re-
ally counts. So when I hit a bad shot, I think about the next one and how I can do well from there. And that helps me stay focused and not get frustrated as much,” Campbell said. Everyone on the team, except for Campbell and Deng, have never played in EA Day. Curran said, “Growing up, I’ve been to so many EA Day golf matches, and it looks really exciting and there is a lot of energy. I’ve never played golf in front of that many people.” Even for Deng and Campbell, this EA Day will be unique. “I’ve only played in EA Day once before,” Deng said, “and I’m really looking forward to playing in front of everyone—especially considering that it is senior year.” The anticipated crowd of Sixth Former excites the captains.
“I’m really excited to have that crowd for the first time, and for my last EA Day.” TREY CAMPBELL ’22 “I played two years ago at Aronimink, but EA Day moved it to Saturday so we didn’t have that crowd,” Campbell said. “I remember going to EA Day my freshman year. I was not playing, but the crowd was there with all the seniors. To see that—that’s what I wanted to play in front of. At Aronimink it didn’t work, and then COVID hit—so I’m really excited to have that crowd for the first time, and for my last EA Day.”
Page 18
the index · sports
November 2021
Soccer looks to rebound from a trying season Jake LaRocca ’22
S
Joe Pariano ’23 clears the ball on September 29, 2021 vs. The Hill School ince starting their season in August, single team has fewer than two losses. the soccer team has dealt with a lot: Sixth Former Jack Masse knows the players have left the team to join team’s talent is comparable with the rest of clubs, key players have gotten injured, and the league. overall, the season has gone differently than players predicted. Sixth Form Captain Torin “Practically every InMcClave reflected on their expectations. ter-Ac game we have “I definitely thought we were going to played this season have a very successful season coming out of was a one-goal game, summer,’’ McClave said. “We had an amazing starting lineup with minimal injuries.” which just shows the McClave does not believe the losses competitiveness of were an issue with talent, rather a couple of the league.” other reasons. “What I’ve noticed is that we gave SCH JACK MASSE ’22 and GA [the teams with the best league records] a harder fight than PC and Malvern. In the Inter-Ac, it’s mostly mental,” McClave “Practically every Inter-Ac game we said. “I believe injuries hurt us this year, but have played this season was a one-goal game, we have gotten beaten mentally rather than which just shows the competitiveness of the physically.” league,” Masse said. Despite losing a number of starters Despite a generally disappointing fall, throughout the season, the team has dis- the soccer team’s season is not over. Over the played determination. They have managed next couple of weeks, they will compete in to walk away with a couple Inter-Ac wins, the PAISAA State Tournament as well as in but more importantly, each game has been EA Day. In preparation, the team needs to a dog fight until the last second. This sea- go back to basics. son, the Inter-Ac has been competitive: not a Sixth Form Captain Sam Tryon said,
COMMUNICATIONS
“I think we just need to focus on balancing having fun playing the sport and playing as a team. When we find that balance, we’re very competitive with any team.” The Haverford School first played EA on October 19, losing the match 2-1. Although that may seem like it was recent, a lot has changed since, as the team picked up a big win against Penn Charter and tied first place SCH. Masse knows they’re a different team since losing in October. “EA narrowly beat us earlier this season, but we will definitely demand a great performance from them if we play with the same passion and grit that we displayed against SCHA and PC,” Masse said. Sixth Form Captain Will Kendall feels the same way. Win or lose, he knows the second game against EA Day will go differently. A lot of what the team is doing at practice is in preparation for EA Day.
“Regardless of what has happened this season, we are getting ready to finish the season strong.” WILL KENDALL ’22
COMMUNICATIONS
Sam Tryon ’22 strikes the ball on September 29, 2021 vs. The Hill School
“Right now, we are preparing for a state title run, but of course we are heavily focused on EA Day. We’re working on a lot of finishing and tackling in order to come in stronger against EA,” Kendall said. “The energy is high and the team feels connected. Regardless of what has happened this season, we are getting ready to finish the season strong. With a few more wins to our name and better team chemistry, we are a much different team. If we play two-touch soccer and move the ball quickly, EA will become discombobulated. I feel if the confidence is high and we fight for everything, we could come out with a win.” The team is ready to forget all of the ad-
versity they’ve faced throughout the season. At this point, they know they cannot change anything. Sixth Former Temesghen Irgau reflected on what he wants to see as they wrap up their season. “We have to put all that has happened to us in this season aside. Right now, our wins and losses thus far mean nothing; all of our focus needs to be directed towards beating EA,” Irgau said. “Above all, we need to have confidence in ourselves and our teammates.” Due to the pandemic’s cancellation of EA Day in 2020, most of the players on the team have never experienced competing on EA Day. A competition much different from ordinary games, the team had November 13 circled on their calendar since August. The energy at practice has been extraordinarily high, and the team plans to use that energy to come out strong against EA. Tryon understands the effect of EA Day and knows the team will use it to their advantage.
“The atmosphere that comes with EA Day will definitely help us, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play on EA Day at Haverford as a senior.” SAM TRYON ’22 “The atmosphere that comes with EA Day will definitely help us, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play on EA Day at Haverford as a senior,” Tryon said. “We know what we need to fix from the last game we played against them, so it’s all about being on the same page and going out there with a confident and positive mindset.”
the index · sports
Page 19
November 2021
Gridiron Fords plan complete game Connor Pinsk ‘23 and Adiyan Nayak ’24
T
he 2021 season presented its fair share of challenges, but this year’s varsity football team has shown tremendous resilience to overcome obstacles and stick together. Highlighted by a thrilling win over Penn Charter, the team had a magical season thus far, and is poised to make a statement against their rivals on November 13, 2021. The Fords now prepare for the biggest showdown of the year, and with the ever-meaningful EA Day on the horizon, the Sixth Former Sam Gerber feels that the team is closer than ever. “Our team has a really close bond, from the seniors all the way down to the freshmen,” Gerber said. “Between all grade levels there’s a real sense of connection and brotherhood on this team.”
“Everyone has their own leadership style. We’ve had guys that lead by example and always do the right thing, and then we have some more vocal leaders.” SAM GERBER ’22 Much of the credit for this bond can be attributed to the Sixth Form, which demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout the season. “Everyone has their own leadership style,” Gerber said. “We’ve had guys that lead by example and always do the right thing, and then we have some more vocal leaders.” Coach Brian Martin capitalized on his Sixth Formers’ capabilities by having them
speak to the team every “Tackle Thursday.” “We’ve been having seniors talk to our team the entire season,” Coach Martin said. “And a lot of them talk about being in the lower school and seeing EA Day, and always wanting to be a part of it.” The tradition of EA Day was one of the casualties of last year’s restrictions, which only adds to the excitement of the coming matchup. “It felt like last year, we didn’t necessarily get an EA Day football game, because fans were limited,” Gerber said. “This year it’ll definitely be really exciting to have an EA Day atmosphere and getting to play in that.” Sixth Former Dave Kearney thinks that missing a year of the classic competition has only made the Fords hungrier to get the win. “The victory would mean everything for the team,” Kearney said. “This is the game we’ve been looking forward to all year. It’s been marked on our calendars, and it’s a game we think we should win.” Coach Martin knows better than anyone how determined the players are to win the game. “They’re looking forward to it. They want to win, and they want to leave a legacy of beating EA,” Coach Martin said. However, he also knows that the team needs to remain focused on their jobs amid the excitement of EA week. “There are more distractions during the week. We’re trying to reel the guys in, and have them focus on the job at hand, while trying to enjoy it at the same time,” Coach Martin said. The message resonated with the players, who are certainly focused on the task at hand. Sixth Former Jahmon Silver is aware of the challenge that EA presents. “One thing about EA is that they don’t quit,” Silver said. “We’re really going to have to focus and key on what we do. Everybody has to watch film, everybody has to put in
PIERCE LAVERAN ’24
Ivan Harlamov ’23 kicks an extra point in a 21-14 win over Landon, October 2, 2021 the repetitions. We have to be ready to execute our plays to the best of our ability and give them no chance to stop us.” One factor that always plays a role in the rivalry is the location. This year, the Fords are at home, and Silver believes that the fans can play a role in the game. “It’s definitely going to benefit us,” Sil-
ver said. “We’ll have all our guys there, our whole supporting cast, everybody there to keep our team up. In the crucial moments, where we have the crowd get loud, we’ll have the advantage.” The support in the stands will also serve as a motivational reminder to the players about the people they play for. “When we have all the Haverford kids and all the supporting parents and families, we know that we have something to fight for, and we have people to live up to,” Silver said. If one thing is certain, it is that the players will do whatever it takes to win. As far as the game itself goes, they know that consistency will be key. “We haven’t played a full four quarters of football yet this year,” Gerber said. “Some games we’ve played a really good first half and not a good second half, and vice versa.” If the team can put together a complete game, their dream of winning the rivalry game will become a reality.
“We really want to come out firing and put together a full game. We haven’t done the best at this year, but we really want to put it all together on EA Day. That sounds like a pretty good day to do it.” DAVE KEARNEY ’22 “We really want to come out firing and put together a full game,” Kearney said. “We haven’t done the best at that this year, but we really want to put it all together on EA Day. That sounds like a pretty good day to do it.”
Chase Knox ’23 runnning after a catch in a 21-14 win over Landon, October 2, 2021
PIERCE LAVERAN ’24
Page 20
the index · sports
November 2021
Cross country looks to carry momentum into EA Day MR. JIM ROESE
Fords runners begin a race against Malvern and GA on September 14, 2021 Ryan Rodack ‘22
A
fter an impressive fourth place finish in the state tournament, the cross country team is looking to carry the momentum into EA Day. “Finishing fourth was awesome, but the team that won the whole thing was EA, so we certainly have an uphill battle, but it’s one that we’re ready for,” Head Coach Mr. Michael Toomey said. To prepare for the Churchmen, Coach Toomey designed a specific training plan for the two weeks leading up to the race. “The intensity that we run will be the same, the frequency as far as the days we run will be the same, but we’ve really started to cut the volume. The biggest focus is on staying healthy and not getting sick,” Coach Toomey said. “We have a team day for yoga planned with Ms. Stinson, so we’re trying to keep it fun while still getting in the work.” “We’re doing yoga to get our minds centered, stretch our bodies, give them [the runners] a break, but also allow our joints and muscles to be mobile,” Assistant Coach Ms. Barbara LaPenta said. While training and exercises make up part of the EA Day preparation, Sixth Form Captains Ben Szathmary ’22 and Colin Stwewart ’22 will help prepare the team for the mental side of the race. “I just have to be positive and be intentional at every practice and just keep everyone’s head straight,” Szathmary said.
“They’re not focued on anything else except what they need to do to run hard.” HEAD COACH TOOMEY “I think Ben and I were chosen because we’ve been on the team and we’ve been a part of the distance running community at Haverford,” Stewart said. “Our job on Saturday [EA Day] isn’t to necessarily get people hyped up, but instead to remind them why we’re running and who we’re running for.” Part of the task at hand includes preparation for the raucous crowd that will be on
hand for the Fords race against EA. “They’ve gotten really good at blocking out that extra stuff that doesn’t really matter,” Coach Toomey said. “They’re not focused on anything else except what they need to do to run hard.” While the mental side of running can often be a problem, the coaches have no doubt that their captains will prepare the rest of the runners. “Those two [Colin and Ben] have been unbelievable,” Coach Toomey said. “They’ve not only taken care of the business of running and leading the team and guiding us to a fourth place finish at states, but they’ve also had a big role in developing our younger runners.” “They [Colin and Ben] have to balance what our [the coaches] expectations of the team are and they need to command their peers, which is really tough sometimes,” Coach LaPenta said. “But, I think they’ve done it with grace, they balance each other really well. They’ve shown leadership and tenacity.” Apart from the Sixth Form Captains, one runner that has impressed both coaches this season is Fifth Former Colin Kelly. “[Colin Kelly] put in some serious summer training. He probably ran more than anybody this summer, and it has shown,” Coach Toomey said. “Usually you look for improvements of thirty second or twenty seconds, but he’s literally improved by minutes from last year.” “[Kelly] has just taken the time to actually buy into the program and do the workouts and do them right,” Coach LaPenta said. “He has gone from one of our guys who would run a 20-22 minute 5k, and now he is breaking 18-19 and is one of our top-seven guys. So, he is the poster child for what this program can do.” Kelly’s drastic improvements can be attributed to a challenge from Coach Toomey. “In a July summer workout, Coach Toomey said that he would be giving out 200-mile club t-shirts for the month of August,” Kelly said. “Basically, if any of us were to run 200 miles total throughout that month of August, he would buy those people a shirt that says ‘200 mile club’ on it.”
For the first two weeks of August, Kelly ran about 6.5 miles each day. Then, a roadblock to Kelly’s goal arised. “I got a hip flexor injury in the middle of August and I was out of running for three to four days. So, for those last ten days of August, I had to run eight or nine miles a day, and somehow I managed to do it… I look at this challenge I completed, and I think it may be one of my greatest accomplishments,” Kelly said. “I’m very proud of it.” Kelly is just one of many runners who have impressed the coaching staff this season. “We’ve definitely outperformed where I’d thought we would be,” Coach Toomey said. “I wasn’t too sure coming off of last year, having that shortened season with COVID, so we missed an entire class of runners last year with what happened.”
Going into EA Day, all members of the team are aware of the talent they are going up against. Still, the Fords remain confident. “We know our course better than they do, we are smarter runners than they are, so at the end of the day we just have to make better decisions than them. We don’t have to be physically faster,” Stewart said. “We’re all super excited, and I think the pressure is going to help, having everyone there, supporting us, and cheering at the beginning and end when we start and finish on the Haverford track,” Kelly said. “We are the underdogs on paper, but we have a really good team, and our kids are going to race,” Coach Toomey said. “So, EA will have to come in and have a good race to beat us.”
MR. JIM ROESE
Colin Kelly ‘23 nears the finish line against Malvern and GA on September 14, 2021