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This spring term, the dance program will host three performances: the Family Weekend performance, the spring showcase, and the senior dance projects’ showcase. The upcoming Family Weekend performance will exhibit a total of nine pieces, one of which is choreographed by several students from the Advanced Dance Ensemble, the others by faculty in the dance program, including Stephanie Shumway and Lori Clark, resident contemporary and jazz teachers, respectively. “I love the spring Family Weekend show because I love sharing a show with the music program,” commented Artistic Director Jennifer Whitcomb. “Over the years, even parents whose children don’t dance in the program come to that concert.” For the spring showcase, seven more student-choreographed pieces will be added, with sixteen pieces in total. The showcase gives a variety of dancers with a broad range of experience the chance to dance, which allows even students with no dance background to still hold interest in performing during future shows. “I think we straddle both ends of the spectrum of dance experience: the very beginners to the most advanced kids,” remarked Ms. Whitcomb on the spring showcase. “There are a lot of people who take Intro to Dance for one year and then come back to perform with us later in their Deerfield career. It really represents a lot of different constituencies of our community here.” Behind the scenes, the dancers work diligently. For the choreographers, their work consists of a large amount of responsibility, including choosing the music, costumes, lighting, and, most importantly, creating an entire dance piece from nothing. “Most people’s choreographing process is ‘spend a couple of hours in the studio, make a phrase that’s a couple eight counts, and then set it on dancers,’” elaborated dancer and choreographer Zo Williams ’19 of the Advanced Dance Ensemble. However, instead of a single dancer working on one piece, three dancers are choreographing collaboratively for the Spring Family Weekend piece. Collaborations can make the choreographing process easier, as dancers only need to choreograph a fraction of the piece. Yet at the same time, it raises many additional issues such as cooperation between choreographers, and maintaining a consistent style. “It’s not always this way, but the way we’re doing it is splitting it up. I have the end, another person has the middle, another has the beginning,” detailed Gigi Deinard ’20, who is part of the Advanced Dance Ensemble. “We make sure to talk to each other about the choreography throughout so they don’t seem like three different pieces.” Sentimental emotions arise amidst these busy preparations as the senior performances approach, since seven students from the Advanced Dance Ensemble will graduate this year. “I’ve had to remind myself a lot to be in the moment with them and not to sit there and get weepy,” admitted Ms. Whitcomb. The upcoming senior performances will showcase the solos by these senior dancers in their final dances at Deerfield Academy. “It’s not only dance, but it’s the day before commencement. It’s like our culminating Deerfield experience,” said Mila Castleman ’18, a student dancer and choreographer. “Even as I’m choreographing and figuring out what to do, it’s not just another dance that I’ve choreographed for the winter. It’s a big closing statement.”

Although interdisciplinary projects at Deerfield are typically between academic courses, this year, a student created a project linking English and music. This project serves as an example that learning goes far beyond a single classroom, and has prompted discussion on the promotion of integrating arts into the academic curriculum. Many teachers in humanities classes have began to steadily incorporate artistic elements into their syllabus, giving their students options of using the arts as a way of responding to a prompt. Helen Feng ’20, for example, composed an operatic scene using a musical-notation software in response to an English class assignment, where all students in the class were expected to create a piece of art exploring main themes of their in-class text Othello, which all sophomores studied in their English class. “It was the the first time I had ever incorporated music with English, and it was both challenging and rewarding,” Feng described. “Because the arts are so abstract, I had to deeply understand many more concepts of the literature in order to create this piece of art.” Director of Orchestra and Chamber Music Thomas Bergeron, who has worked with Feng in her development as a pianist, also commented, “I think that Helen’s project perfectly shows how these cross-curricular studies, especially arts, can happen, and be uniquely enriching to students in the way that allows them to explore a different avenue to express their ideas.” Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair Lydia Hemphill expanded on this idea with the example of the von Auersperg Gallery’s role in different courses of study. “Language teachers regularly look to see what is being exhibited in the gallery to use as a writing prompt, and students in math and science classes have come over to the kinetic sculpture exhibit in the fall,” Hemphill explained. “It is one example of a way education is becoming more and more interdisciplinary.” She advocates for the continued involvement of arts in academia, crediting them as sources of inspiration for students in the classroom setting. In addition, there have been different perspectives on the role of extracurricular arts in students’ daily lives after the school day. “I think that we have a culture here where everyone is so busy and so swamped,” Mr. Bergeron remarked, “and when there is an orchestra concert on a Wednesday night, people see it as ‘the orchestra’s just doing their thing’ instead of as an event that should be shared as a community to honor and celebrate the work students have been putting in.” Ms. Hemphill took on the matter from another perspective, focusing more on the broader picture of the arts and what she finds to be a widespread eagerness on campus to take risks. “In studio arts, we have a lot of students who take intro to studio art or photography, which is often their first formal course in the discipline, and, from that, go on to take the AP course the following year. That is what continuously impresses me,” she remarked. “It is an example of many students being encouraged to try something new.” Ms. Hemphill continued by reasoning, “Not everyone finds a home in the Visual and Performing Arts Department, of course, but many students’ Deerfield experiences are largely defined by their passions and contributions in the arts. Synthesizing them into academics would allow more students to explore the arts.”

Dear Reader, The start of April brought a change in the Scroll’s management, and Josh and I are honored and delighted to be leading Volume XCIII of the newspaper! We will alternate writing the Letter From the Editor, and both of us will be deeply involved in the planning, editing, and layout of each issue. […]

What’s your pet peeve? Palms up…When you say something to someone, and they just give you the palms up. I just can’t stand it! What is your favorite memory at Deerfield? My sister had finished playing lacrosse, and my family just sat on the Lower Fields, taking it all in. Describe yourself in three words. Energetic, kind, and loyal. What’s your favorite family tradition? Tuesday night dinners with my extended family on my mom’s side. One thing you wish more people would compliment you for? Stuff that happens behind the closed doors: the little things that you do for people. What is your spirit animal? Silverback gorilla. What are three things you’d bring with you on a deserted island? My family, some kind of ball, and a surplus of my favorite food. Who is your favorite sibling? Aidan and Austin just because they are the most easy-going…but I love all of my siblings. Create a hashtag to describe your life. #effortandattitude

Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Colorado State University. Reynolds High School. These are just a few of the 200 school shootings that have taken place since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, according to . For too long I have watched shooters rob the lives of my fellow Americans before they’ve really begun. When 21 first graders were shot in their classroom in Newtown, Connecticut, I feared for the life of my own six-year-old niece. When 12 people were gunned down at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, all I could see were illusions of unsuspecting victims in the seats of the next Cinemark I walked into. When 17 high schoolers were murdered in Parkland, Florida, I realized that it could have just as easily been my own friends who lost their lives that day. There is a constant fear that stalks the halls of American schools: that any of us could be the next victim of a mass shooting. Many students have been silenced by this fear as we’ve watched our American brothers and sisters be snatched from this world in shooting after shooting, while those who have had the courage to speak up have not been heard by the adults of their communities. Yet, the Parkland shooting was the last straw for many of the ignored in this nation. The walkouts taking place around the country and right here at Deerfield give voice to students who demand to be heard. The movement is a promise to lawmakers that we will no longer tolerate the hunting of our generation. Here are some reasons why you should join us. Currently in the United States, guns are readily accessible to the majority of the American adult population. According to a article, it takes “less than an hour” to purchase a gun. “Roughly a third of American gun owners buy guns without a background check,” the article continues, something federal law does not always require, while buyers with histories of “criminal convictions, domestic violence, [and]… mental [instability] are rarely prohibited from purchasing arms. This makes it easy for ex-convicts, mental health patients, and perpetrators of domestic abuse to buy semi-automatic weapons, including AR-15s: the type of firearm used in the majority of mass shootings, according to Magazine. In fact, there is no legislation restricting customers on the terrorist watch list from purchasing firearms (as PBS news reports), meaning that citizens deemed too dangerous to fly on planes can still purchase a gun just as easily as someone intending to use it for target practice. In addition, 78 percent of past school shooters have struggled with suicide-related mental health issues (as the American Counseling Association confirms), yet there is no requirement that customers provide mental health records when obtaining firearms. According to New England Public Radio, the National Rifle Association has spent $7.3 million in the last decade on funding for hundreds of school programs such as shooting clubs and junior military programs, including one which Nikolas Cruz, the very person responsible for the murder of 17 students in Parkland, was a member of. Thus, it is clear why gun-related tragedy continues to harm Americans of all identities: guns are too accessible. And I, along with other Deerfield students, am walking out to change this. I am joining the walkers because I’m tired of being afraid. I am fed up with the nagging worry that a gunman will one day walk into my own school and end the futures of so many bright students with a semi-automatic weapon they purchased at the local gun shop. I will not rest until the aforementioned facts and statistics only exist in history books because they are a phenomenon of the past and my own children’s school days are unshadowed by the fear of gun violence. This will only be possible when we as a nation take measures to prevent gun-related deaths. Thoughts and prayers are a start, but they did not stop Nikolaz Cruz from legally purchasing and using an AR-15 on his fellow classmates, thus repeating the same tragedy we had prayed so many times before would never happen again. And, they will not stop the next shooting either. In fact, the staging of a walkout is only the first of many efforts we must take to end gun violence. Next, we must require stricter background checks, ban assault rifles, raise the minimum age required to buy arms, and implement mandatory gun-safety trainings for prospective purchasers, to name a few actions. I’m not asking that all firearms be banned from the public. What I and students all over the country are demanding is that guns be kept out of the hands of those who have and will use them to cause irreparable trauma and devastating damage. Citizens demonstrate that they are worthy of the right to bear arms by not causing harm, just as they prove their right to vote by registering and abiding by the law. Some say that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. While it is true that it is a human being who ultimately pulls the trigger, guns give people the power to kill. Without them, murderous thoughts cannot be turned into deadly action, and classrooms full of first-graders are left untouched. The future safety of the American people depends on the implementation of at least basic gun control. Ensuring that no daughter, no brother, no father ever falls victim to gun violence again is the least we can do to honor the families who lost their children in Sandy Hook, the teachers whose pupils never returned to class, and the memory of those who died in Las Vegas. Because now, we, the young leaders of America, refuse to fall victim to another mass shooting. As social media have promised, “never again” will we fall prey to gun violence. “Never again” will we cry over dreams that were buried along with the dead. “Never again” will we be conquered by our own helplessness. Because now we have two powerful weapons: hope and action.We will use these tools to walk out of school and lobby officials to stand up for gun control until they stand up for it themselves. We will prove that our voices cannot be lost. We, the students of America, know that there is no room for gun violence in our future. For, our future is not built by the afraid and powerless, but by the empowered and unbeatable peacemakers of the next generation.

“If you’re here and you’re struggling, you’re still here.” So went the words of a particularly observant American Studies teacher to a certain 16-year-old student — as she anxiously stuffed into a messy North Face backpack — at the end of first period, on Wednesday, February 22nd. “Don’t forget that.” I rose and straightened my glasses. With a tight-lipped smile and a deep breath, I swung the backpack onto my back and prepared to leave. “Thanks, Dr. Copprue. Don’t worry, I know.” Slightly brightened by my teacher’s kind words, my day continued. First period bled into second, fifth into sixth, track practice into dinner, followed by a few slightly frantic hours in the library. Just as day turned into night, I sat before a slightly battered journal, jotting down my only conclusion from this relatively ordinary day. Today was good. My nightly musings explained how, exactly, that conclusion came to be, especially after a rather dismal morning. The dining hall served pumpkin chocolate chip cookies at lunch. Thermometers tipped past forty for the first time in months. The boy I spend too much time thinking about stopped to ask how I liked . But maybe, the fact that someone noticed how I was doing — and cared — was enough to render my day “good.” Even if the 9AM clouds seemed particularly ominous that morning, even if I had to wade through a snow bank to get from my dorm to the dining hall, just a few little moments brought enough sunlight to illuminate the sometimes-hidden goodness in an ordinary day. Finding that goodness is a luxury. Finding that goodness in the middle of winter is even more remarkable. New Englanders know this all too well: winters are hard. Winters at Deerfield can be especially hard. There’s something about darkness before 5 PM and masses of students in analogous black parkas that tugs at the heartstrings of the entire Academy. We forget what it feels like to order Cookie Combustion ice cream from Richardson’s on a Saturday in May. We forget what the Main School Building looks like without a crown of snow. But just as quickly as we descend into what William Carlos Williams calls “the desolate, dark weeks,” most Deerfield students are lucky enough to discover something special: as the daffodils outside the Hess Center begin to bloom, so do we. Perhaps, even before the snow melts, you’ll begin to realize the hope inherent in the month of February. Maybe you’ll realize: hope can present itself in the smallest of moments. Deerfield students may be united in the common sadness of winter. But — by and large — we are also united in the common hope of spring. Buds bloom, snow subsides, and grass grows. The hardness of winter melts away. At least, for most of us. April stickball games on the green may allow lots of students to bid winter blues adieu. However, springtime brings a new plight for a significant portion of Deerfield’s student population: those struggling with clinical depression. In , T.S. Eliot wrote, “April is the cruelest month.” Though this statement may appear to just be a cynical, poetic observation, it also indicates a larger problem for those who suffer from major depressive disorder — like Eliot himself. Most of the world’s population is able to defrost as the seasons turn. But for those suffering from depression, seeing everyone around them bloom causes them to sink even deeper. As a family member suffering with depression once told me, “It’s like drowning, but you can see everyone around you swimming just fine.” Depression is easy to ignore and difficult to understand. During a tough week of tests, sports games and friend struggles, it’s easy for any of us to forget what it’s like to feel happy. But, as quickly as you may forget, little things can help you remember. For those with depression, making that switch isn’t as simple. According to the 2017 State of the Academy Report, conducted by renowned psychologist and researcher Suniya Luthar, about 9.6% of Deerfield’s student population suffers from some form of major depressive disorder. This is a staggering number, almost twice the national average. It’s difficult to ascertain whether this is a reaction to Deerfield’s high-pressure environment, both socially and academically, but one thing is certain: something must be done. When the grass outside of the Hess center is finally green again, enjoy it. Relish the sunshine, put on those flip-flops and laugh with your friends while eating popsicles outside the dining hall. But don’t forget that springtime happiness is not a uniform reality — at Deerfield and beyond. Continue to be observant. Continue to care. When an anxious freshman girl asks you, “It gets better, right?” don’t simply brush off her worries as naïve. Rather, answer that yes, ‘it’ does get better, but sometimes it takes a little more work to get better. Sometimes, ‘it’ takes talking to a counselor during your free period. Sometimes, ‘it’ takes medication. Direct those you see struggling to the myriad of resources Deerfield has to offer: four school counselors, sixteen peer counselors, and dozens of faculty and students who are ready to listen at any time. Don’t forget how much parents can help as well. Be that person who reminds others of Dr. Copprue’s simple, but fundamentally powerful truth: “If you’re here, and you’re struggling, you’re still here.” You’re still here. Don’t forget that.

When I started working in the library, I quickly found what I came to call “my spot” on the first floor, between the bookshelves and the windows at the back of the reading room. Sometimes I go to my spot during a free period, after getting coffee from the Koch café. In the fall, sometimes I’d go there after showering, rinsing off the sweat from volleyball practice. Or sometimes, after a meeting. There, I’ve sat with different people and had those kinds of spontaneous but long, lingering conversations you never forget. Other times, I’ve cranked out a U.S. history paper from start to finish. But each time, as I sit there, I face the bronze statue of the “Deerfield Girl,” tucked into the corner of the cavernous room. As I sit there, literally a “Deerfield Girl,” there stands that statue, telling me I’m not. I’m writing this article because I think that the Deerfield Girl and Boy statues should be removed from this campus. I understand that the girl statue was created to accompany the boy one, to emphasize that girls belonged at Deerfield as much as boys did. I don’t think the artist or others involved in enabling the statue’s presence on campus had cruel intentions. They weren’t to make me, or any others who share my sentiment, feel like I don’t belong. But our school often emphasizes the importance of intent versus impact, and this is a perfect example of good intentions that result in a negative impact. So what do I think is the problem with the statues, anyway? First of all, they’re clearly white. Sure, the first Deerfield Girl and Boy were white. But today, a Deerfield student can be of any race and the statues don’t reflect that reality. They are relics of the past, and their presence almost seems to insinuate that we should celebrate or at least remember with fondness a time when racial diversity did not exist at this school. Secondly, the statues are blatantly gender binary, contradicting the school’s recent movement towards accepting gender identity. If there’s a “Deerfield Girl” and a “Deerfield Boy,” where’s “The Deerfield Genderqueer”? Thirdly, the statues normalize gender stereotypes. The boy leans casually to the side with his chest open, and holds his books with one hand against his hip—a quintessential “masculine” stance, his books almost a second thought. He is confident and free with his body. The girl, on the other hand, cradles her books tightly to the side of her chest, using both hands—a more seemingly uptight “feminine” stance. She appears rigid, confined to her body. Not to mention, she’s wearing a skirt—a stereotypical marker of female identity. Also keep in mind that, as I’ve heard, just as students would rub the boy’s nose for good luck, they also took to rubbing the girl’s breast. Speaking of dress, I can’t help but notice that the Deerfield Boy statue is wearing—and is, in turn, defined by—a coat and tie. The coat and tie sets an impossible standard of “professionalism,” at Deerfield and beyond, that girls can never live up to. For a girl, there is no equivalent to the coat and tie, at least not in a high school context, that allows her to command as much power and respect as a male. As a friend of mine pointed out, based on her attire, the Deerfield Girl statue, in full compliance with the girls’ dress code, looks like the Deerfield Boy statue’s secretary. That’s saying something. Deerfield’s dress code is a whole different topic that warrants its own article, but I do think it’s worth noting that the attire of the statues emphasizes a power dynamic between the boy and the girl. The notion of there being a physical, concrete manifestation of something so intangible, so indefinable as what it means to be a Deerfield Boy or Girl seems irrational to me. The statues essentially seek to define each as thing (which can be confused as the thing). But the Deerfield student isn’t and can’t possibly be only one thing. There’s no single, static definition; it’s dynamic, expansive, constantly changing. To even imply otherwise, intentionally or not, is both unfair and inaccurate. As my former English teacher, Ms. O’Donnell, put it, of us is in the business of defining what it means to be a Deerfield student. A few years ago, at a Greer chat, someone mentioned that in place of the statues, there should be a mirror. There’s no discrimination or exclusion in a mirror. Some argue that the statues represent tradition and are, therefore, worth keeping on display. Certainly, some traditions are worth preserving. But some are worth breaking. Or at least reshaping. We can still “be worthy of our heritage” as we look to a more inclusive future. To all of you Deerfield students who ever feel like you don’t meet the standards set by those statues—that you’re not smart enough, professional enough, confident enough—or even those expectations not explicitly set by the statues but set by our culture—not athletic enough, attractive enough, enough: the real definition of what is “enough” starts with you. You are the living, breathing manifestation of enough. The issue of students here feeling like they’re supposed to live up to a certain adjective or essence extends far beyond the presence of those statues in the library. And I know that removing them won’t solve that very real problem that pervades our culture. But it would at least be a step in the right direction—in acknowledging that any of us can be and is Deerfield student.

As the snow begins to melt across the Pocumtuck Valley, students at Deerfield gain opportunities for many outdoor activities. One of the many pastimes open to members of the community is fishing on the Deerfield River. On weekends and even on some weekdays during the spring, many students are at the river casting out their lines. In Deerfield’s past, an active fly fishing club organized interested fishermen and allowed them to collaborate to maximize their fishing potential. With this access, students were able to pick up a sport to which they may not have otherwise been exposed. There has been buzz around campus of reviving this club to give others the same opportunities as before. With the Deerfield River being one of the best fisheries in New England, there is an incredible chance at success, even as a beginner. That is not to say that there are not ways to pick up the sport without a formal club. With so many students with fishing experience on campus, there are many to look up to in the field. Willy Conzelman ’21 started fly fishing just last year, and is excited to continue fishing at Deerfield. Under the guidance of many skilled upperclassmen, Conzelman has found much success during his short time at Deerfield. Conzelman noted the calming benefits of fishing, saying, “Fishing is an escape from the real world and an opportunity for one to discover his or her place in nature.” He expressed passion for the sport and has made efforts to expand and diversify the fishing community at Deerfield. Philip Weymouth ’18 added that fishing has helped him “realize the beauty of the Valley” and allowed him to respect his surroundings in a more thoughtful way. Fishing in the Deerfield River clearly serves not only as a way to have fun with friends but also as a way to reflect on the events of one’s life. This can be seen even in spring electives. In English Teacher Dr Mark Ott’s Literature of Fishing, students read and analyze texts pertinent to the art of fishing such as by Norman MacLean. This novel was adapted into a film starring Brad Pitt, and is the central idea to a course about fishing. During long periods, members of the class have the privilege of trying their hand at the sport on the Deerfield River. Dr. Ott spoke fondly of the course. He said, “Because the Deerfield River is such an integral part of campus, it seems like more and more students are excited to engage with it more deeply through fishing and observation. In the Literature of Fishing course, students read a broad range of texts by Melville, Hemingway, Thomas McGuane, and Norman McLean among many authors, as they consider the natural environment — oceans, lakes, and rivers–and how it is entwined with the human race through fishing and the maritime experience.” Tommy Whiteley ’18 noted that his favorite part of the class is “being immersed in nature, which is incredibly soothing during the hectic routine of a Deerfield week.” Molly Fischer ’20 also enjoys fishing and commented on the gender imbalance in the sport, saying, “I think there is always room for improvement in gender equality, and I think if the fly fishing club was formed again, we could see real growth in female participants.” Fishing is an activity that has brought mindfulness and joy to lots of members of the Deerfield community. It may continue to grow in the coming years.

Over spring break, the Dining Hall Staff received instruction on Asian cuisine from special guest chef Shirley Cheng, a teacher from the Culinary Institute of America. Chef Cheng, a native of Sichuan Province, China, worked with the Dining Hall staff for three days. This visit served as another step in the Dining Hall’s long term plan to increase the diversity of dining hall offerings and enhance the dining experience. Bradley Woodward, Assistant Director of Food Services, said, “[The goal of this training was to] give us a quick but broad view of different Asian cuisines and cooking techniques … from a lot of different cultures.” He described the training’s material as a survey of cuisine from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and India. Some of the new dishes the staff practiced making will soon be served in the Dining Hall. Mr. Woodward shared, “We are going to prepare our own kimchi for the first time.” The staff also loved a “teriyaki skirt steak recipe … [that will] be served at brunch in a couple of weeks.” With such a diverse campus and strong Asian community, Mr. Woodward affirmed, “[The Dining Hall has been] trying to increase the amount of Asian and other ethnic cuisine that we’re preparing, and also trying to improve the authenticity of that food.” There has been a general concern about the quality of Asian cuisine served at Deerfield, especially among Asian students who grew up enjoying authentic Asian fare. Commenting on the ‘Asian Chicken Tacos’ served at the Dining Hall, Nadia Jo ’19 said, “When I told my Asian friends [at other schools] about it, they simply laughed because tacos aren’t Asian at all.” When discussing the effectiveness of bringing an Asian chef straight from Sichuan Province, China, Anna Fu ’20 reflected, “They can’t simply bring an Asian chef in for a few days and hope to teach the Dining Hall chefs’ all the nuances of Asian cuisine. It’s far more complicated than that.” She explained how countries within Asia had a diverse set of palates, and even within China, different provinces had unique cuisines. “To think that one [person] from one province in China can accurately teach the cooking styles and techniques of so many different countries is ridiculous,” Fu articulated. Mr. Woodward acknowledged they were limited by time in the length of the training: “In three days, you can’t really cover everything about the cuisines of these different countries.” Without being able to focus on the details and having to provide food on such a large scale, the Dining Hall is challenged in being able to provide completely authentic food from any cuisine. “However,” Fu continued, “the Dining Hall should take more caution when defining any dish as ‘Asian’ or ‘Mexican’ when it is evident the dish is inauthentic.” The Dining Hall’s goal of providing a more multicultural menu for the diverse Deerfield community has a fan in Jae Won Moon ’20, who shared, “[I am] looking forward to the new meals they have in store.”

The Jay ’55 and Mimi Morsman Tennis Pavilion has been an anticipated addition to the tennis program for months. Unfortunately, delays have forced Deerfield’s tennis players to be patient entering the spring. “Back in the winter when construction started, they were some delays and disagreements, so the project started later,” commented Athletic Director Bob Howe, on the progress of the roof. He added, “They’re behind schedule and they are working hard so we are able to use the facility. The team will be able to use the courts on April 9 as practice courts; the only issue is that the lighting is not finished yet.” The pavilion has garnered anticipation for good reason. The ambitious construction project plans to put a roof over the first six courts and add radiant heat under the floors. It will also add a motorized roller screen system for walls surrounding the courts. The finished product will allow the academy’s tennis program to practice through unpredictable weather in the spring. The JV Girls’ tennis team practiced under the pavilion due to rain. Unfortunately, their practice was hindered by the pavilion’s lack of lighting in its current state. “Right now, it’s unplayable,” said coach Anna Gonzales ’12. “You can’t see the ball coming at you.” “I think having indoor tennis courts would encourage tennis players to continue practicing throughout the fall and winter, which would be beneficial for many of the early matches,” said Lisa Chen ‘18. She added, “A common restraint for students at Deerfield is time, and I think that having such an easily accessible indoor facility would be appealing to many tennis players.” Girls varsity tennis coach Christian Austin said, “The roof will be a total game-changer … If we are able to attract good tennis players, this will be essential to strengthening the tennis program. Additionally, we would also be a more attractive site to host NEPSAC tournaments.” There are many games in store for Deerfield tennis this season. The boys and girls look to repeat last year’s success at the New England tournament. Be sure to make your way to the tennis courts and support the players in action in the new tennis pavilion this spring!

Sam Savage “Living in Italy for two years was a dream come true, and that experience changed my life for the better. After spending a summer in Spain on a language immersion program between my 10th and 11th grade years, I swore to myself that I’d live abroad for a significant amount of time later in life. I fell in love with the process of learning how to communicate in a foreign language and understanding the nuanced perspectives of another culture. While living abroad, even the most mundane tasks are exciting learning opportunities. With the right mindset, every time you step out the door, you are overwhelmed with possibilities for adventure. Living abroad can be exhausting, but the new perspectives you gain are invaluable.” Julia Rivellino-Lyons “I was born in West Germany, the daughter of two teachers in the Department of Defense School system. To grow up as an American in West Germany — to be a child and then a teenager during the last two decades of the Cold War, living every day with the threat of nuclear annihilation — was to live a bifurcated life. On the one hand, my military-issued I.D. card allowed me access to the American bowling alley, the American movie theater, and the “base exchange,” where I could shop for American jeans, American sneakers, or American music. On the other hand, my family lived in a small German town where we spoke German with our friends and neighbors, bought broetchen and Pflaumenkuchen at the Baeckerei down the street, and played in the ruins of the local castle.” Callie Hughes “Travel is an incredible experience in general. You get to see completely different cultures, different food, and different history. My fiancée and I love to travel during any break we have. We meet great people, eat wonderful food, and see some incredible sites. However, living abroad allows you to do something more. There is a difference between you experiencing a culture and having a culture become a part of you. While I lived in Costa Rica, the Costa Rican culture became my culture. I was able to find my favorite grocery store and have a preferred taxi driver. Before you know it, I was saying “Pura Vida” to every local vendor and running on the highway. I got to take my time to enjoy the little things like the flowers on my commute or the street art next to my house. I moved to Costa Rica with very minimal Spanish, but realized that there is an international language if you are willing to make an effort (and are very good at charades). Living and thriving abroad means pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and I am a better person for it.“

On Apr. 8, more than 400 high school students came to Deerfield for the annual Asian American Footsteps Conference. Founded over ten years ago by educators in Boston, the conference opened up an opportunity for Asians, Asian-Americans, and mixed-heritage Asian students to connect with others who share their similar yet unique heritage, experiences, and cultures. The main event of the day was a keynote speech presented by Wesley Chan and Phillip Wang, co-founders of an Asian-American film company called WongFu Productions. The pair has a YouTube channel with over three million subscribers, and has created several short films and music videos. Students were able to meet the pair. Discussing their work overall, Chan explained, “We’re not the weak ones or the passive ones, and we don’t all know kung-fu. We want to show that Asians are just normal guys.” Wang focused on the specific keynote speech that he and Mr. Chan gave at the conference, stating, “First and foremost, we do want to inspire people to be creative. We hope to encourage people to keep exploring what they’re passionate about. It can even start off with making silly videos for fun. Creating a bigger footprint for Asian-Americans … I think that’s what we want to instill.” Following the keynote speech, students attended an array of workshops to discuss topics ranging from how Western beauty standards impact Asian-American feminism to the intersections of the Asian or Asian-American community and the LGBTQ+ community. Presenters varied from high school students with powerful ideas and stories to share to professionals with years of knowledge on their topic. When discussing the impact the conference had on the students attending, ASA officer Lynnette Jiang ’18 stated, “[The conference was] a way for Asians to share their common struggles and experiences with one another … [We] got to hear about all their different stories over the years… and share and help each other with [our] experiences.” The conference offered a chance for Asian students to connect with peers who face similar challenges and to build friendships to help support one another at their separate schools. However, as the Office of Inclusion emphasized the importance of cultural competency with the “Cross the Valley” Campaign, many on campus worried that the seemingly exclusive nature of the AAFC appeared to be a step backwards in Deerfield’s goal of understanding and listening to different cultures. Part of Deerfield’s mission statement states that Deerfield is a “vibrant, ethical community that embraces diversity.” Thus, many wondered if the conference, created by Asians, for only Asians, abides by the Academy’s strong belief in the importance of inclusion. When explaining the rationale behind the exclusiveness of the conference, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Jenny Hammond, who was the head coordinator of the conference, said, “[It is sometimes important] to have a space just for people who can relate to each other without having to explain a whole lot. In mixed company you have to explain why you do certain things. That kind of space [the conference offers], especially when you’re underrepresented, can be really valuable.” Asians, Asian-Americans, and mixed-heritage Asians, being a minority at most independent secondary schools, may not have as many chances to be surrounded by peers with common backgrounds and the struggles and experiences that emerge from their shared heritage. Even though independent high schools in New England have become increasingly diverse in recent years, the conference has adhered to the strict parameters of who can or cannot attend the conference for over ten years. The stated intention of the AAFC was not to exclude people from the conversation, but rather to carve out a separate space where people with similar backgrounds can network and share experiences and hardships without having to climb over cultural gaps. “Both are really important,” Ms. Hammond explained. “We have to, at some point, bring the rest of the people in and to communicate across cultural differences, but it’s also important to support and foster people who might feel they’re only a small minority.” However, many students feel that Deerfield still has a long way to go to create a fully inclusive community. Being culturally competent requires one to be willing to study, learn, and listen to the stories of different people. Ms. Hammond reflected, “Accept their truth, because when you get to know someone who has a completely different experience from you, it’s really eye-opening and it’s important to realize that.”