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It’s 6th period on an average class day, and you’ve happened to stumble into the Hess Center for a well-deserved break. Immediately you notice the noises flowing from the notorious basement band room: the reverberating floorboards, the suave melodies of a saxophone, the sharp snaps of a snare drum, and, above all, the echoing guffaws of Director of Bands John Van Eps. To some in the community, Mr. Van Eps is just another music teacher, perhaps director of the band program at best — someone who appears on stage at Family Weekend showcases, cracking jokes and shaking a tambourine periodically. He is someone that is admired by many, yet not enough. Known as a “Deerfield legend” to the fortunate many, Mr. Van Eps (“Veps”, “Van Eps”, or “DJ Eps,” as many have come to call him) has overseen the growth of the Deerfield music program for a span of over 12 years, longer than all music faculty except one. He is one of the biggest unsung supporters of students’ musical efforts inside and outside of the class day, from student-led bands to a capella groups and every other area imaginable. Born in a family of musicians, Mr. Van Eps grew up with music. He spent his time learning to play the dozens of instruments lying around his house and, with the strong support of his mother, was able to attend New England Conservatory despite his self-proclaimed “horrible grades.” From there, he moved and spent 40 years in New York City working with large companies to produce records for television commercials and the radio. He still partners with many of these companies today. When his daughter, Emlyn Van Eps ’12, was accepted to Deerfield, he began his Deerfield career teaching percussion, which slowly developed into his role here today as director of the band program and the recording studio. As to why he stayed, in his typically terse fashion, he responded, “I liked it.” Mr. Van Eps’ legacy in developing the music program’s potential over a decade has been successful and prominent. Music Program Coordinator Lynn Sussman, the only music faculty who has been at Deerfield longer than Mr. Van Eps, commented on this development: “With the arrival of Mr. Van Eps, the program has changed from concert-band centered … to one that is much more diverse.” She continued, “A lot of it has to do with the areas of expertise that he’s brought to the job as a composer, arranger, jazz musician, and rock musician.” Mr. Van Eps, a part time teacher, is involved in not only the band program but also in teaching music theory, composition, and studio production, in managing the recording studio, and even in ventures with the theater program. “I love that the Acting Lab and Mr. Van Eps’ recording studio are right next to each other because it allows the students from the two programs to collaborate,” Director of Theater Catriona Hynds remarked. “Mr. Van Eps and I have collaborated on three musicals together here, in which he arranges much of the music and is also responsible for playing in the pit band,” she continued. “If I were only allowed one word to describe him,” Mrs. Hynds said , “I would say ‘naughty!’” Commenting on the heavy workload he takes on every year, Mr. Van Eps quipped, “It doesn’t really get too much, not really. But I’m glad when school’s over! That’s the best part.” “Van Eps is a fireball, absolutely one of the funniest guys I know,” Quentin Jerayetnam ’16 recalled. “Some of my best memories at Deerfield are talking about everything and anything with him in the recording studio.” Van Eps’ influence extends not only to students but to faculty as well, forming some especially humorous relationships. “[Mr. Van Eps] is very mischievous; I love that about him!” Mrs. Hynds commented, “You can always count on him to lighten the mood with his wicked sense of humor. He never takes anything too seriously and he encourages us to do likewise, which I think is very important.” Despite his relaxed attitude to teaching, Mr. Van Eps draws from a vast repertoire of musical expertise and knowledge that he uses to guide his students to real learning. “He has decades of experience in basically every style and instrument you could think of. That’s why he is afforded so much respect from the musical faculty — they understand that behind the jokes, there’s truly great leadership and expertise,” Joshua Fang ’19 reflected, “I was fortunate enough to take private jazz lessons with Mr. Van Eps for a few terms, and he blew my mind every lesson. Through each lesson, my mental expanse of what was possible musically would grow to twice, three times the size.” Describing his “teaching philosophy,” Mr. Van Eps explained, “The reason I’m different is because I’ve never thought about teaching.” “I don’t have teaching in my background,” he stated simply. “In other words, I don’t have a teaching philosophy. I don’t have an agenda, and I teach whatever the kids want to learn.” This “philosophy,” or lack thereof, has actually proved to be incredibly efficient over Mr. Van Eps’ Deerfield career, and many teachers admire him for his teaching style. “I think that one of his goals is to make everyone comfortable in the group,” Director of Chamber and Orchestra Tom Bergeron noted. “He’s trying to disarm everyone, to make everyone comfortable — make people feel like he’s going to teach you something, but nobody has to feel scared or worried.” Bruce Krasin, saxophone instructor, expanded on this idea, “He has this ‘laissez faire’ attitude that really brings out the best in the students, but at the same time he’ll tell it like it is, which challenges students to really expand their comfort zones.” With his decades of experience and knowledge, Mr. Van Eps has proved his ability to be a fantasti teacher. Additionally, in many more unconventional ways, he is able to reach many students to convey his broader life message of what is important — not only in music. Always down-to-earth, Mr. Van Eps often is the one to put problems in perspective. He teaches students that a single bad grade, a stressful AP test, or a rejection for a leadership position mean almost nothing in the grand scheme of the world. That, for many, is what makes him so special in a high-pressure environment like Deerfield. “If you ask what Deerfield is, it is a preparatory boarding school,” Marco Marsans ’18 explained. “We are basically funneled into this conveyor belt of success, constantly stressed, and Mr. Van Eps is the one person that actually steps outside and says ‘What the hell? You guys are kids. You need to have fun; you need to know how to wear a smile.’” “He’s not a conventional mentor, but he knows exactly how to make you happy and teach you how to live,” Marsans added. While numerous students and faculty have felt the impacts of his reach as a teacher, mentor, or colleague, Mr. Van Eps also considers Deerfield to be a place that has also changed him in many ways over the decade of his work here. “The kids are fabulous. They’re really smart,” Mr. Van Eps explained. “I feel like a lot of the kids gain a lot from what I teach them, and they get it. There are obviously also a lot of knuckleheads that don’t. But because some kids are smart and into it, I know I’m reaching people. That’s the most important part of teaching for me.” He described how his favorite moments working at Deerfield have been watching his students stand up in front of crowds and improvise solos after working hard in the lessons that he has taught. He takes pride in seeing them succeed, because “improvising is the hardest thing a musician can ever do.” As a part-time teacher at Deerfield, Mr. Van Eps spends the rest of his time working in his home recording studio, continuing his career as composer, producer, and arranger for audiences both inside and outside of Deerfield. As for future plans, he plainly jested that he just “needs to make it until 67 until all [his] pensions mature.” From the recording studio, to the band room, to the stage, Mr. Van Eps is the symbol of the extent of music’s reach at Deerfield and beyond. He has a unique ability to impact and influence hundreds around him in momentous and incredible ways. By being the pivotal figure in many students’ lives, he is the epitome of a “Deerfield legend.” “He’s basically Deerfield music’s pituitary gland: regulates growth, ensures normal function, and secretes endorphins.“ “I distinctly remember Mr. Van Eps (I call him DJ Eps) teaching me how to actively listen to music – breaking it down to smaller components of beat structures, instruments, textures, and I’m forever grateful because this skill has been pivotal in the music work that I do.” “He’s really passionate about helping kids discover a love for music, even if it’s as simple as a bongo ensemble.” “There’s something about him that makes you let down your guard. During rehearsal, you never know what will come sailing your way — perhaps a witty insult or occasionally a real compliment.“

The National School Walkout was a nationwide, student-led protest held on Apr. 20 in order to both memorialize the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting and stand against government inaction on gun reform. At Deerfield, student leaders planned a contribution to this walkout with the same goals. Deerfield student organizers Abby Lupi ’18, Suzy Mazur ’18, Kye Liew ’18, Nailah Barnes ’18, and Doris Zhang ’18 scheduled a week full of activities leading up to the National School Walkout here on campus. To introduce the topic, the school held two informational sessions about gun safety and the arguments of organizations and political parties in the midst of the gun control debate. Supplementing these info sessions, the student organizers distributed blue wristbands to people who attended the informational session for the purpose of sparking conversations. Those who attended the walkout were also encouraged by the student leaders to spread the information they learned through discussions with their peers. In addition, the organizers screened , a documentary with statements from the families of victims of mass shootings, specifically Sandy Hook. The Young Democrats and the Young Republicans also co-hosted a discussion forum that allowed members of the Deerfield community to contribute to the ongoing discussion. “I felt very comfortable talking about my opinions in this setting,” said Emma Earls ’20. She continued, “It was a political discussion, but it wasn’t harsh or tense; we were all just interacting with each other’s viewpoints.” During another open meeting, leaders informed participants how to get involved and use their voices to make a difference by preparing them to speak to government representatives. Around the Dining Hall, small papers illustrated basic gun control information to readers, allowing students and faculty members to hold productive and factually correct discussions. A large group of student volunteers supported the organizers’ efforts, helping run sessions, make posters, and manage an informational booth on the day of the National School Walkout. Volunteer Grace Mazur ’20 offered her motivation for helping make the walkout at Deerfield possible, saying, “Instead of just being frustrated about this congressional inaction, I wanted to take action, join this movement, and create change. I also wanted to support and get the word out to people on campus who felt similarly about taking action.” Walkout participant Natasha Leong ’21 stated, “In my hall, they were talking about when the Florida shooting happened and how big of an impact it had on every student in America. It really got me thinking and when I saw that we had a walkout at school, I just took the opportunity to go.” Similarly-motivated students, capitalizing on the chance to walkout during school, brandished posters and wore orange t-shirts in protest of a lack of gun control legislation. However, not all students agreed with the premise of the walkout. Mason Horton ’19 said, “I think they should walk out and stand in solidarity with those we have lost and in protest for gun reform, but I was not in favor of the walkout due to the fact that it was anti-gun.” After seeing the turnout and results of walkout week, Mazur said, “The walkout was certainly successful in sparking a conversation on campus about gun control, and I hope that we, as a school, continue to have important political conversations.” Similarly, Liew acknowledged, “Each differing opinion is extremely important in terms of stirring up wider campus wide discussion, and I hope discussion leads to compromise, and compromise leads to change.”

On Apr. 12, 1996, Maria Pulzetti held a demonstration at the University of Virginia, protesting the silencing of the voices of the LGBTQ+ community within the school. She and other students were silent for the entire day to show support for LGBTQ+ members of the community. In 2018, the Day of Silence is a national event held on Apr. 12 in schools and communities nationwide to honor the mission of Pulzetti’s protest. According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the catalyst for the event, the National Day of Silence is a student-led national event where folks take a vow of silence to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ+ youth at school. The Gender Sexuality Alliance explained the importance of this event to the Deerfield community, urging them to stay silent or to show their support in an attempt to see the world from someone else’s eyes. Head of the GSA Valentina Saldarriaga ‘20 said, “The purpose of Day of Silence is to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ kids who can’t speak up for themselves, no matter the reason.” Students were encouraged to take a vow of silence in order to draw focus to the erasure LGBTQ+ kids across the country. If students were not able to contribute to the silence, they were encouraged to show their support in other manners; the whole community was asked to wear red in solidarity, and rainbow ribbon pins were handed out by GSA members. Saldarriaga compared last year’s event to this year’s, saying, “[2018’s] Day of Silence was a big success compared to the Day of Silence last year. I feel like people began to understand the point of what we were doing.” Though participant Madeline Lee ’20 felt her silence was respected in part, she commented, “There was a lot of confusion from people at first, I felt pretty isolated from the community. It took a while for people to warm up to actually participating.” She continued, “It was pretty awkward in classes because I felt that some people didn’t fully understand the meaning of the silence.” Angela Osei-Ampadu ‘21 advocated for participation in the event, saying, “I think it’s an awesome opportunity to support the people around you.” Lee described new realizations she had throughout the day: “The Day of Silence made me think about the things that people couldn’t say either because they really just couldn’t, or because they were afraid.” Though some may feel that there is still a divide between alliance groups and the remainder of campus, this event was an opportunity for students to participate in the active inclusion work promoted by the Office of Inclusion and Community Life. Overall, the Day of Silence is an opportunity to voice support for victims of LGBTQ+ erasure and to contemplate what the Day of Silence means to their community.

Dear Reader, In honor of Commencement, I’m proud to present the Deerfield Scroll’s first 20-page issue! When I first suggested that we aim for 20 at the beginning of this month, there was some concern about sacrificing quality for quantity (and understandably so). That ended up being far from the case. I’d like to thank the staff, editors, and advisors for their many hours of tireless effort and commitment to achieving this goal. With our previous issue, some questions surfaced surrounding the and its relationship with the Academy. I firmly believe it is more important than ever that the remains uncensored by the administration — this is the Academy’s official stance, and I am committed to its continuation in practice. Our goal is that neither administrators nor trustees will exert influence over what we publish. Recently we have received a lot of feedback from multiple parties regarding our newspaper’s opinion pieces. We are committed to providing an unbiased platform for any member of the Deerfield community to opine if they are willing to stand behind their views in a public forum. This issue, we have opinion pieces written by students, faculty, parents and staff — all of these constituencies care deeply about our school, and we will continue to invite and host their opinions. As stated in our masthead, opinion articles with contributors’ names attached solely represent the views of the respective writers. We strive to publish well-written, thoughtful opinions based in logic and reason, and ask that you, as a reader, carefully consider the reasoning of these writers before dismissing (or agreeing!) out of hand due to preconceived notions. Within the newsroom, we will continue to report objectively on news stories that are relevant and worthy of readers’ attention. Last issue, we published a feature article on special Asian cuisine training that the Dining Hall staff received over spring break. The impact of this piece was far from what we intended. I’d like to apologize for making any staff members feel that their hard work was not appreciated. As always, we will remain mindful of the picture of Deerfield that we portray. We understand that the responsibility lies with us, the Editorial Board, to ensure the accuracy of our stories and keep our community well-informed. As the tents come up and another eventful year draws to a close, potential for great change in our school lies ahead. Through it all, I hope we can embrace a wide range of perspectives, and not shy away from voicing our opinions for fear of repercussions. An atmosphere of aversion to criticism or controversy will lead only to a lack of productive discussion on campus. To the Class of 2018: thank you for your leadership and friendship. You will be dearly missed. Joshua Fang Co-Editor-in-Chief

To the Editors, The front-page faculty opinion piece on “Moving Toward an All-Gender Dress Code” in the April 19, 2018 issue has produced a groundswell of parent reactions. The ongoing dress code discussion raises complicated issues and touches on strong personal beliefs for many students, faculty, parents and alumni. For the most part, the community’s conversation has been marked by open, civil discourse. Given the productive conversations to date, many of us were particularly disturbed to read the front-page opinion suggesting that the Deerfield dress code supports a “rape culture” on campus and that DA’s gendered dress code leads to an environment where “harassment and violence are inevitable.” These assertions are truly alarming and make us wonder if this is really the case at Deerfield – we don’t think it is! Most parents believe that the academic dress code encourages neat attire that leads to engaged, serious, respectful students and classrooms – positive traits that factored into choosing Deerfield. Beyond the campus environment, it also prepares students to dress professionally for many sectors of the working world. While there may be issues with the current rules, the purpose of the tradition is clear. We encourage the ongoing, constructive community conversation as the Board works toward an updated dress code that respects tradition while offering appropriate personal expression, clarity and simplicity for all students. On a more general note, we recognize that the primary audience of the is on-campus, but the response to this article reminded us that many parents (current, past and future), alumni and others are also avid readers. You and your team serve an important role in connecting and informing the extended school community. Thank you! Respectfully, Deerfield Parents Network Executive Committee

When anyone asks what the best part about Deerfield is, we all instinctively say “the community” or “the people.” And I completely agree. My peers here are some of most exceptional people I know. I am continually awestruck by their eloquence on the page, their artistry on the stage, and their prowess on the field. My teachers, too, amaze me with their insights into the world and their passion for helping students grow. The administrators are kind and always willing to listen to student feedback. The staff work nonstop to make this school run well, and always with heartwarming smiles. Yet what has impressed me most about this community is our willingness to see the world from another’s point of view. I am proud that we have had candid and constructive conversations regarding a wide array of topics, such as race, gender, and politics. Still, I feel that there is one topic we have yet to fully address: competition. In fact, we seem to avoid this topic at all costs, presumably because we believe that competition has no place in a loving community. Many tour guides artfully dance around questions about competition at Deerfield. Some teachers panic whenever they see remotely competitive actions: some of my peers report being rebuked for asking how they could improve in a class. We keep denying competition until we are blue in the face, but that does not change the fact that we students are competitive. And should this really be surprising at all? We all want to succeed. We have even competed to get in: Deerfield’s acceptance rate is lower than that of most colleges, and only ambitious people would apply to a top boarding school in the first place. We demand that others tell us what grades they get on tests. We have cold wars over leadership positions. We gossip and make mean remarks about teammates and classmates. Of course, this is not all of us, and this does not happen all of the time, and this is not unique to Deerfield — students at nearly all top high schools report competitive environments. But these harmful acts certainly do occur, and we need to do something to address them. The specific remarks that people have made to hurt me and the ways that people have wished for my failure are not what is important. What is important is that competition here has hurt me. Competition here has hurt my friends. Our current response to competition, if we wish to call denial a response, is ineffective. What ends up happening is that we still compete with each other, but seeing that it is not socially acceptable to compete openly, we do it surreptitiously instead. Consider our nation’s economy: by acknowledging that companies are competing with one another, we can regulate competition and determine what constitutes fair competition. If we were to deny the existence of competition in the name of supporting collaboration, competition would not vanish; rather, the lack of discourse would make the problem worse. In many ways, this is what I think we as a school are doing right now. When I visited a college, I asked the students there about the competition at their school. A common response was that students are competitive in the sense that they want to succeed, but they want their peers to do well, too. It was so refreshing to hear this acknowledgment of competition, and for once, I felt that people were being honest about it. Some may argue that a natural consequence of competition is wishing your peers to fail, but I reject this notion. Consider an athlete training for a race. She would improve much faster with a training partner, because on one day he may beat her, and then she will be inspired to work harder, and perhaps the next day she will beat him. They will keep pushing each other and making each other better. We should want our peers to be strong, because that would make us all stronger in the end. Without competition, it is easy to become complacent. I believe that that there is a place for healthy competition in our community, and this stems from viewing ourselves as teammates training for the race of life and not as opponents battling for victory. For example, instead of being upset that someone got a higher grade than us on an English assignment, we should listen closely to what we like about their writing when they read it aloud in class and use it to improve our own writing in the future. The same goes on the stage and on the field. There is nothing wrong with wishing to improve ourselves — we should just hope that our peers succeed, too. As I began this piece by saying, the people at Deerfield are some of the best people I have ever met. I believe in our community. Our community is not so fragile that a bit of healthy competition would cause it to come tumbling down — unhealthy competition surely hasn’t — and I think it’s time that we all start believing. Regardless of our views on healthy competition, one thing is clear: the status quo cannot remain. We have implicitly agreed to banish the topic of competition from conversation, but waving our magic wands has not made competition disappear. Instead, a toxic breed of competition has flourished behind the scenes. We must call competition by its name to build a better community together.

The Young Republicans and Young Democrats leaders have taken steps to increase communication between members of the community who lie on opposing sides of the political spectrum in recent months. One initiative that Raegan Hill ’19, Shreyas Sinha ’19, and Mason Horton ’19 specifically pursued with this intent is “Change My Mind,” which took place on Apr. 29. At the event, students sat around tables and discussed several political issues, ranging from gun control to the wall along the US-Mexico border, with the guidance of a student leader. Addressing the importance of the Change My Mind event​ for the Deerfield community, Sinha stated, “I believe that the effort to produce bipartisan relationships should start at the high school level; we’re all students learning about the world and still developing our opinions and ideas about political issues.” The core of both clubs lies in instilling the confidence to both speak and listen comfortably. Rather than narrowing that newfound confidence to dialogue between students who share the same views, Hill, Sinha, and Horton, in addition to Nora Markey ’18 and Marco Marsans ’18, decided to expand conversations to include students on opposite sides of the spectrum. Sinha described the effect of previous smaller-scale bipartisan conversations conducted on campus: “In the joint meetings we hosted during winter term, it would be very common for people to disagree with members from their own club while finding themselves agreeing with those from the ‘opposing’ club.“ Hill added, “I’ve found that students are actually more alike than different when it comes to our views.” Hunter Keller ’20 expressed that she felt that the “Change My Mind” event was successful in raising awareness on key issues and promoting dialogue. She said, “[I thought that] students left with a fuller knowledge on the issues and a better understanding of where their fellow students stand.” Sinha reminisced on the valuable conversations he witnessed at the event. He noted how several students approached him after attending “Change My Mind,” and expressed how their opinions on topics such as a US-Mexico wall or gun control evolved after listening to their peers’ alternative perspectives. However, Samara Cummings ’20 shared a differing opinion on the value of the event: “I did not think it was that productive. Although we shared our views and there were different sides at the table, people were just stating and restating their points over and over.” Cummings continued, describing how she felt that the students at the event refused to acknowledge other perspectives: “[It was] as if they were talking to walls, rather than actively listening. No one stopped for a second to really listen and empathize with each other.” While the goal was never to force students to actually change their minds, the “Change My Mind” initiative aimed to take a crucial first step towards tackling the stigma around political discourse on campus. Hill stated, “People shy away from it because they don’t want to step on people’s toes.” Sinha elaborated, “With people finally understanding each other’s beliefs, we reduce politics from a sport of moral superiority to what it is supposed to be: an engagement in various schools of thought.”

The varsity softball team travelled to Taft on Apr. 21 with an undefeated season under their belts. Coming off a 13-7 win over Stoneleigh-Burnham that Wednesday and close wins over both Choate Rosemary Hall and Worcester Academy, the team felt confident despite going up against a notoriously strong Taft team. Last year, Deerfield played Taft twice, falling 0-5 and 2-4, so, as head coach Rebecca Melvoin described, they “knew it was going to be competitive.” The day proved to be historic as Deerfield took home the victory 3–0 for the first time in more than 10 years. Leading the team was captain Meghan O’Brien ’18, pitching a perfect nine innings with 13 strikeouts. O’Brien also hit two doubles — one down the third base line and another cranked to right field. Teammate Kathryn Hioe ’20 described O’Brien as “a force to be reckoned with.” Hioe continued, “She is always ready to play and never has any doubts about our performance and what we can do as a team.” The impressive feat of a perfect game came despite the anxiety of playing a talented team over Family Weekend. O’Brien, a seasoned player, has learned over her softball career to channel these nerves into motivation. “I’m very comfortable on the mound. I feed on my nerves — I like it. It pushes me and drives me,” she said. Having lost a close game to Taft last year, the entire team was hungry for a win. It was evident in the mood on the field. Deerfield batted first, and O’Brien’s double in the first inning set off consistent team support and energy that lasted the entire game. Ms. Melvoin added, “[The girls] know how to pick each other up and get each other going.” Suzy Mazur ’18 and Hioe hit a double and triple, respectively, completing Deerfield’s hard-fought win. The team has enjoyed success all season. It was seen from the start during their training at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports over spring break, where they were able to bond and create the trust they now rely on in games. Gaining confidence from last year and carrying it over to this year’s team, O’Brien commented “[The preseason trip] set the foundation and [helped us] see from the beginning that we could be something. … it was promising.” The softball team finished the season with an 8-5 record and competed in the Western New England Championship on May 18.

Over the course of this term, the biggest topic of conversation has been the dress code. This was sparked by Dr. Curtis sending an email to the female student body about her expectations of how they should dress. While there is a very constructive conversation going on about the girls dress code, I want to talk about the boys dress code. Some have advocated for either modifying it or abolishing it completely. I wholeheartedly disagree with that. One of the reasons given is that there is no way to make the girls dress code more formal, so as to be on par with the boys dress code. Because of this, some think that there is an imbalance between the boys and girls as it relates to dress. I personally think that things are fine as is. Our boys dress code is a huge part of what defines Deerfield. If you look at our admissions viewbook, “101 Things to Love about Deerfield,” one of those 101 things is the Windsor knot. I myself prefer the four-in-hand, but you get the point. And while I do believe that there is much more to Deerfield than just our dress code, I also firmly believe that it is an indispensable part of the culture here. If you ask a student at another prep school what they think of when they think of Deerfield, aside from our exceptionally strong academic programs and sports teams, they will tell you that they think about our dress code. That dress code has defined Deerfield since the days of Mr. Frank Boyden, and it would be a disgrace to throw that all of that history away. Some might say that just because it is a tradition doesn’t mean that we have to keep it. To that I say that this is a tradition that we should keep because it sets us apart from our peer schools; it shows that we maintain a standard of excellence. There are also real benefits to the boys dress code. When I wake up in the morning, I do not have to think too hard about what I want to wear. I’ll brush my teeth, take a shower, find a pair of khakis, a blazer, a blue or white shirt, and maybe I’ll spend a minute or two figuring out what tie I want to wear. Then I’ll put on a pair of loafers and head to class. That’s it. I don’t have to spend an hour agonizing over my outfit. At the end of the year, that’s a lot of time I’ve saved that can be put to much better use. That, and it tells me that what I’m doing is important. When I put on a jacket and tie in the morning, I know that it is because I am about to receive some of the best education in the world, and that someday, I’ll put it to good use. Some say that our dress code fosters a sense of elitism among the boys here, in part because of the cost associated with purchasing clothes for class. While that is a fair point, I believe that the benefits of class dress far outweigh the costs. I believe that our dress code pushes us to better ourselves because more is expected of us. Because of how well dressed we are when we go to class, there is an expectation that we do the absolute best we can do. It would be far different if we all went to class in sweats. When you dress for success, unsurprisingly, you succeed. A study done in the magazine Scientific American found that participants in business attire were taken more seriously, and landed more lucrative deals than their counterparts in casual clothing. I think that this proves my point. I’d like to finish this by saying one thing. Everywhere you look, traditions are being scrapped, or “modernized.” But here at Deerfield, we have a long history of doing things differently. From sit-down meals to our policy banning phones on the path, we have set ourselves to a higher standard than our peer schools. So let’s do that. Let’s be worthy and keep the boys dress code.

In response to why he has chosen to play the piano, Sean Yu ’18 stated, “It is my passion. I hope that one day I can use it to touch people.” Yu is the first musician from Deerfield Academy to attend a conservatory. Next fall, he will attend New England Conservatory, one of the most distinguished music schools in America. For as long as he can remember, Yu was exposed to music by his two musician parents. They started nurturing his passion for the piano from a very young age. “My parents bought a piano when I was one and I started fiddling with it when I was three, so I started playing when I was five” said Yu. Yu also takes his inspiration from his parents, especially from his father, for persevering for their art despite the difficulties they faced. “[My father] came a long way from China during the Cultural Revolution only to perform on stage,” Yu elaborated. Before coming to Deerfield, Yu won numerous competitions, providing him the opportunities to perform at various venues including the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. Yu considers this one of the greatest achievements of his career. During spring break of 2015, the Deerfield music program traveled to Asia and spent ten days in Korea and four days in Hong Kong. Yu, a ninth-grader at the time, accompanied the orchestra and choir, and performed chamber music during the two-week-long tour. “That was my first experience performing so many concerts in a short amount of time and for pretty big audiences,” Yu reminisced. “It was a new and truly enjoyable experience.” The director of this program, Peter Warsaw, was the previous Academic Dean and Director of the Chamber Music and Orchestra programs. Despite leaving Deerfield in 2016 to work in China, Warsaw also immensely influenced Yu’s passion for music. “One of the reasons why I came here was because of Mr. Warsaw, and he really garnered a lot of interest in me for music,” Yu said. “He was just a great mentor. He was my teacher, my advisor, and also my piano teacher, so I’d say I attribute most of my success here and my aspirations to him.” During all four of his years here, Yu participated in Deerfield’s orchestra and took Chamber Music, the most advanced class offered to instrumentalists. Chamber Music allows musicians to work with each other in small groups, giving Yu the opportunity to collaborate with other Deerfield instrumentalists as well as meet renowned chamber musicians. “During my time working with Sean, it’s clear that he is very knowledgeable about music and genuinely very passionate about the piano,” said Britney Cheung ‘19, a violinist also taking the Chamber Music class. “Sean is a talented, and reliable pianist. He is highly aware of his goals and devotes a large amount of time and effort into his practice,” added pianist Shangyi Zhu ’20. “He has grown to develop more mature ideas in music, and become more passionate towards the things he loves.” Four years ago, Yu played the first movement of the Brahms piano quintet in F minor Op. 34, and now, for his last chamber performance here at Deerfield, Yu will return to this piece full circle and perform the fourth movement. “I fell in love with the piece back [in freshman year],” Yu said. “I was the one just listening to everyone else and trying to find my place. Now, I’m playing it more as a leader of the group. My role has changed, and I’m more musically mature, so it’s a great experience for me to play it and I hope to play it more.” In addition to his chamber performance, Yu performed his senior recital on May 13. “It’s my last performance here, and it’s my only ever solo recital here, so I hope to give back to the school what they gave to me,” said Yu. Looking forward, Yu plans to continue his studies with piano and perhaps diverge into other fields of music, such as composition or conducting, at NEC. Above all, he hopes to “concertize for people and touch people” with his music.

The week of the much anticipated Spring Musical Revue arrived among the flurry of events during the last weeks of the school year. While the theatrical performances at Deerfield are typically met with enthusiasm and support, this production has garnered abnormally more. Songs from many eras of musical theater are performed, as this production is “a synthesis of all the performing arts,” described Theater Director Catriona Hynds. This Revue, directed by Mrs. Hynds and Theatre Teaching Fellow Adaire Robinson, has something for everyone, and it allows all types of performers to participate. Quinn Soucy ’19 expressed that she was never able to participate in theater because of her commitment to dance, but the Musical Revue gave her the opportunity to do both. Now, she is able to continue to improve as a dancer while developing her acting skills as she scored an unexpected monologue in “Cell Block Tango” from the musical . The Revue also allowed students who participate more frequently in theater to broaden their understanding of musical theater. Students are able to witness musical theater’s evolution through the decades from classics like “Do You Hear the People Sing” to to “My Shot” from . The complexity of this Revue required all performers to be constantly focused during rehearsals and connect with their various characters to create a multi-dimensional production. While audiences may be awed by the intricate dances and sequence of performances, there is more to the Revue than meets the eye. The creative team behind this Revue has not missed the opportunity to add layers of meaning to well-known songs. During her interview, Mrs. Hynds hinted that the Revue has “a little more political bite.” She added, “We are making some subtle (and some not so subtle) commentary with some of these beautiful old musical pieces.” While the original message for this Revue centered around the seniors as they prepared for college and left Deerfield, the directors soon decided it was more important to speak about issues in modern society, from immigration laws to political corruption to cultural stereotypes. They aimed to use this production as a medium to draw light to those problems and start a conversation amongst all vivvewers. Maddie Wasson ‘18, who has been part of every theatrical production this year, said, “I think that this is a really fitting way for me to end my time at Deerfield. The performances in this production are proof of how much I’ve grown.” Having made new connections with some of the characters she played, Wasson encouraged audience members to come to this production with an open mind: “Don’t look for the shows within the numbers — allow them to be up for interpretation.” With all the work and time dedicated to this show, both the directors and performers were excited to reveal it to the Deerfield community. And the Revue, as hoped, received outstanding reception from the community, with full shows and high praise.

The Deerfield community welcomed four talented Flamenco artists to perform on behalf of the Spanish Department several weeks ago. Flamenco, a dance that typically includes singing, guitar playing and dancing, originated in Spain and has roots dating back to 1774. Since then, its popularity has spread all around the globe as it surfaced in many non-Hispanic countries such as Japan and the United States. As this is the second year Deerfield has the honor to host such a talent group, all involved authorities wanted to ensure a warm welcome for the dancers as they debuted in the Hess Auditorium. It was back in 2014 when Language Teacher Cheri Karbon visited Granada. While visiting Spain she met Pilar, Jorge, Sanda and Paco, the four members who make up the Flamenco dance troupe who visited campus during late April. Ms. Karbon recounted the steps it took to invite the dance group: “Mr. Flaska came to visit us in Granada and I took him to see their show. He loved it! He asked me if I thought there would be any way to bring the Flamenco dance troupe to Deerfield. As a result, I asked them if they might be able to spend a week performing and offering workshops at Deerfield. They loved the idea.” Once the quartet took the stage, they mesmerized the entire community with their performance. Ms. Karbon further added, “Flamenco is such a beautiful and traditional art form, full of passion and history. It was so wonderful to be able to share that with the community.” Students in various language classes, primarily French and Spanish, were given the opportunity to dance with the Flamenco dancers instead of having their regular Spanish class. Flamenco dancing is very focused on detailed hand and feet movements. Students reflected that it was hard to coordinate their body movements to the unfamiliar dance genre. Christina Halloran ’20 remarked, “It was so hard to coordinate the tapping of my feet with the clapping of my hands and keep track of all of the dance moves. Although the dancing was hard to learn, it was a lot of fun!” Another student who took part in the practice, Jarod Harrington ‘20 commented: “Paco was the one who led the dance; I remember he was a very talented and patient teacher. Not only did he understood where we were coming from because it was completely new for us, He was also trilingual which made it so much easier since we took French. In terms of the dance, it was compelling yet unusual. You needed special shoes to dance.” The same class was introduced to members of the dance ensembles. Gigi Deinard, member of the Advanced Dance Ensemble, said, “It’s unlike any style we’ve learned. The amount of details we have to focus on is insane. I had to pay attention to rotating my hands and tapping my feet.” The dancers that came to Deerfield were not only exceptional in their dancing ability but also eager to share aspects of their culture with the Deerfield community. From Spanish lessons during class to the presentation clothing and props, students were allowed a glimpse into the unique traditions of Flamenco and aspects of the culture it stemmed from.