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Recently, Health Teacher Kristen Loftus has led efforts to promote the importance of sleep at Deerfield. Ms. Loftus explained the importance and value of sleep: “Recent research [shows that] eight hours of sleep is so important as an adolescent in school, since during the last three hours, you are only getting REM sleep, which reinforces procedural memory while also getting a boost in your immune system and a balance in your nervous system.” Ms. Loftus acknowledged that students could still get by with just five or six hours of sleep but noted that a lack of sleep inhibits teenagers from reaching their full academic and athletic potential. In 2007, due to concerns in the administration that students at Deerfield were not sleeping enough, the beginning of the school day was changed from 7:55 am to 8:30 am. Ms. Loftus specified that the administration attempted to track students’ sleep by conducting campus-wide surveys in 2009 and 2011. In 2009, two years after the schedule change, students were generally managing to sleep about eights hours a night from Monday to Friday. However, this trend began to shift in 2011, when students began to report that they were again getting less than eight hours of sleep. The extensive school-wide survey conducted with the help of Arizona State University Professor of Psychology Dr. Suniya Luthar in February 2017 revealed that on average, students were not sleeping eight hours per night. Ms. Loftus identified two factors that may explain the decrease in the number of hours of sleep that students reported: “I don’t think students value sleep—they see it as optional. It’s almost this badge of honor to be sleep deprived. Also, we [the administration] forget that we have a new batch of students that needs to hear about sleep ever year. It’s almost like after a few years of progress, we’ve started to think that we’ve solved the problem of sleep.” Anna Mishchenko ’19 shared a different perspective as to why students tend to fail to reach eight hours of sleep per night: “While I think [sleeping eight hours a night] is possible for some students and especially underclassmen, if you’re an ambitious [student], it’s very difficult. Most people have a lot of homework, and if you’re on a team and you go out for 5 hours on a Wednesday or a Saturday, that just takes more time away.” Elven Shum ’20 had similar thoughts and noted that the Deerfield schedule often makes sleeping for eight hours seemingly impossible. He remarked, “For you to get eight hours, you’d need to go to bed at 11 and wake up at 7 to get ready for school and get breakfast. Most co-currics and dinner end at 6:15-30, and then many kids have club meetings to head to. After, we only have 7:45-11 to finish all our homework and study for tests, and if you want to socialize with friends after study hall, you get even less time.” In spite of the hectic schedules of Deerfield students, Ms. Loftus still expressed that she believed students are capable of sleeping more. Ms. Loftus gave some advice to all students: “You need to prioritize and distinguish what you need to get done with what you want to get done. If you’re not sleep deprived, you’re so much more efficient. You have the capacity to prioritize and get assignments done more quickly.” In addition, Ms. Loftus predicted, “If we get more sleep as a community, I think we would absolutely have less depression and anxiety. We would be better athletes and would see healthier and more supportive relationships. You have a better ability to handle stress when you’re well-rested.” However, Mishchenko believes that rather than solely placing the responsibility of sleeping eight hours a night on students, the administration needs to accordingly adjust the academic and athletic workload: “I haven’t seen efforts to decrease the amount of commitments we [the students] have. Even decreasing the homework five to ten minutes per subject would make a huge difference.” Shum ’20 agreed, stating, “In the environment we live in, expecting kids to sleep for eight hours just isn’t realistic. We need a schedule change.”

The magician behind many of Deerfield’s dances, Peter Pulai ’18 has been DJing for three years. He has DJed for Choate Day, Disco, lock-ins, and opened for the Lost Kings concert last year. Pulai explained why he loves DJing: “I like to make people happy.” DJing, or disc jockeying, is not an on-the-spot, improvisational task. Pulai stated “[People] think that I can just make a remix on the fly, and that’s not the reality.” DJing focuses on the transitions between songs, varying widely depending on available equipment. He does a lot of his “dirty work” on his computer, in software such as FL Studio, while the actual DJing happens in Serato. Pulai first encountered the art form at Eaglebrook School. Initially, Pulai had no interest in DJing, although he’d been listening to EDM since elementary school, going so far as to list Avicii’s “Levels” as his favorite song in his sixth grade yearbook. “I find it amazing how polished Avicii’s songs are,” Pulai asserted. “He’s changed up his style completely… He’s kind of mixed folk music [with EDM].” He cites Martin Garrix as another source of inspiration in regards to both music and work ethic. Pulai is meticulous in his process. Each song has a different tempo and different key, so layering sound involves curating playlists of songs that work, or can be tweaked in order to work with the beats in the background. The science of the matter, according to Pulai, lies mainly in the tempo. “If it’s faster than one’s heartbeat, then one will want to move and jump, while anything slower will induce only the bobbing of the head,” Pulai commented. He also often employs musical drops, spacing them around a minute and a half apart in order to maintain the balance between “hyped” and “frantic.” Pulai can spend anywhere up to two hours a day searching for appropriate music. He maintains a larger master playlist that he carefully pulls from for any performance, trying his best to cater to the majority of the listeners. Currently, the Student Planning Committee (SPC) and Pulai are collaborating to create a more fulfilling dance experience. “I think [Pulai’s skills are] honestly amazing,” said SPC member Jada Howard ’19. She has worked with him when organizing previous dances, such as the first dance of the 2016-2017 school year. She continued, “I think it’s cool just seeing a Deerfield student who has that talent, and [the school] giving him the resources and time to do it.” As with any artist, several figures have provided Pulai with support. Specifically, Pulai accredited Topjor Tsultrim ’18 as “the man behind the curtain” at every dance he DJs. Through both their efforts, the team ensures a “topnotch experience” at all of Deerfield’s dances. Pulai’s father has also encouraged his son’s DJing career, helping the two performers program the lights and engineer an optimal setup. He designed and built the elaborate truss system that supports the lights and tunes the speakers before each dance. At the moment, Pulai is enrolled in Deerfield’s music production class, which focuses on a different element each term. Their current topic is music theory, and they will move onto studio production in the winter. He hopes to continue DJing and eventually produce his own music.

On September 15, Cornell student and Deerfield alum John Greenwood was arrested after a racially charged verbal and physical assault outside of Cornell’s Psi Upsilon fraternity house. Head of School Margarita Curtis addressed the Deerfield community the following Wednesday at School Meeting: “Racism and violence have been disturbing themes of recent news cycles, but this particular incident stands out because the alleged assailant is a Deerfield alumnus … if racial hatred is in open display by a Deerfield alumnus at college, then it could dwell silently, here in this room, right now.” History Department Chair Ms. Julia Rivellino-Lyons also reflected on the weight of the incident, commenting, “The fact that a [Deerfield] graduate used violence and racial epithets in attacking a student at Cornell in mid-September is extremely disturbing, revealing the overt hatred that exists in American society — and closer to our Deerfield bubble than we may like to admit.” In an email to the , Dr. Curtis said, “To be clear, the Academy renounces any notion of racial hierarchy: racially motivated hate speech or violence is repugnant, and we reject it — and anyone who forwards such ideology — completely and without reservation.” The Deerfield community is responding to and thinking about this incident in a variety of ways. Ms. Rivellino-Lyons believes that to fully understand this incident, it is crucial to put it into a historical perspective: “The past and the present are littered with such hatred and ignorance — forces that can destroy some lives while benefiting others — undermining the ideals of equality and liberty on which this country was founded. It is critical that we know our history so we can understand the roots of racism and  bigotry and the power they have wielded in the past – as well as how those forces manifest themselves now.” Furthermore, Assistant Head of School Life Ms. Amie Creagh gave an emotional announcement at sit-down lunch on October 13 addressing how racism can lie hidden on the Deerfield campus. Many classes took time that afternoon to discuss her words and reflect on how Deerfield can do better as a community to address racism. Latin American Student Alliance Head Xochitl Paez ’20 appreciated Ms. Creagh’s announcement, saying, “I’m extremely grateful that she put the issue out there without tiptoeing or sugar-coating it … I feel safer after the announcement because it reminded me of all the support we have on campus from both the students and faculty.” English Teacher Mr. Christian Austin also addressed Ms. Creagh’s announcement: “More of us need to step up and say something when we see or hear something that we know is wrong … Sadly, good intentions and good hearts aren’t enough.” Language Department Chair Mr. Sam Savage echoed Mr. Austin’s statement, saying, “Racism, in any form, has no place on this campus … Speak up. Support each other. Social justice needs to be a pillar of this community, but a few of us seem to have shown that they’re more interested in tearing us down than building us up. We need to do better.” Deerfield has initated inclusion efforts around campus, including a multi-year Strategic Plan for Inclusion. Ms. Marjorie Young, Director of Inclusion and Community Life, is excited about a new inclusion effort at Deerfield this year: Around 25 students will serve as cultural competency ambassadors on campus. These students attend inclusion training and went to the 9th Grade Village to discuss the “negative impact of words.” However, Ms. Young recognizes that “if people don’t embrace it [the training and workshops], employ it, make it a part of how they live their lives, it really doesn’t make a difference … At the end of the day, people have to choose to do the work of inclusion, which includes practicing cultural competencies, reading articles, and speaking to people who are different than you.” Deerfield Black Student Alliance Head Uwa Ede-Osifo ’18 agreed: “We can move forward as a school by learning to hold our students or peers responsible for their actions. Cultural competency is not a rigid set of rules or poster mottos; it is a practiced behavior … Students have the power to impact the culture of the school, even through subtler actions of engaging in civic dialogue.” In regards to the Cornell incident specifically, Ms. Young said, “There’s a tendency for people to say that this is not who we are … I don’t think that’s the appropriate way to approach it … [we must] focus on the fact that this may be here and [we need to know] how to address it … We need to have our skills and courage ready to address issues when no one is watching.” DBSA Head Niyafa Boucher ’18 echoed Ms. Young’s statement, saying, “Deerfield can say that they don’t stand behind the actions of Jack Greenwood; however, it is wrong to say that it isn’t representative of the Deerfield community … it is important to acknowledge that he spent four years in this place and still felt comfortable behaving in that manner.” At School Meeting, Dr. Curtis encouraged the Deerfield community to actively pursue inclusion on campus, stating: “I need your help. Practice the cultural competency skills we introduce on campus … Embrace Deerfield’s emphasis on face-to-face interactions, shared experiences, connectedness and citizenship … It really is true that love conquers all. Our community is richly diverse, and all students should seize the opportunity to interact with people whose backgrounds and perspectives differ from their own — and in doing so, transcend the fear that breeds racism and exclusion.”

The contributions of post-graduates don’t stop on the field or in the gym, but stretch into the classrooms, the dance studios, and many of the clubs around campus. This year, Intro to Dance is a hotbed for post-gradutes, including Mike Bevino ’18, Niko Kvietkus ’18, Keegan McHugh ’18, Cabrel Happi ’18, and Elizabeth Hernberg ’18. This class is a traditional favorite of postgraduate students, so Dance Teacher Ms. Jennifer Whitcomb, has a lot of experience in making athletes into great dancers. Tailoring the introductory dance class to athletes is what helps these highly talented athletes use their talents to expand their comfort zones into the arts. Ms. Whitcomb commented, “These guys are amazing lifters, so they’re perfect for partnering. They bring a whole lot to the program that we wouldn’t otherwise have … The great thing about PGs getting involved in the dance program is they get involved in the community in ways they wouldn’t otherwise.” The athletes in the class benefit equally as well. Happi noted that, “The stretching and strengthening that Ms. Whitcomb has us do to better our dancing in class each day actually helps me be better prepared for soccer in the afternoons as well.” In the showcase over Family Weekend, the Intro to Dance class will preform their dances comprised of their sports moves. Bevino comments, “In the fall showcase, I’m going to show all those parents out there in the crowd that I’ve changed the dancing program here, and I’m pretty sure it’s changed me.” The PGs appreciate that they are taking a 5th year to further their academics as well. Not only do all of these new students actually know where the library is, but a large group of them have also claimed room B209 as their study space during study hours. They play music ranging from Justin Timberlake to Jay-Z to 2 Chainz, dialing them in for another night of homework. One might wonder how they can work in such an environment, but upon arrival, one soon realizes the air is different in there; each one of them is grinding calculus, English, or the infamous Intro to Dance journals. They know how important academics are and recognize the truth in the “student” coming before the “athlete” in “student-athlete.”

Hi Margo, Rita, and Curtis, While I want to focus on having fun and being happy for my last year, I’m feeling a bit worried about college and life beyond Deerfield, but it sometimes feels like this topic is taboo to discuss. Do you have any advice to help? Best, seniorsruletheskl ————————— Dear seniorsruletheskl, I am about to utter the three most forbidden words in all of the English language: “The college process”.. BUM Bum bummm. Hello, Class of 2018! Welcome to what may seem like the most stressful time of your lives. Tours and interviews and supplements, oh my! Currently, we are in the thick of it. Some applications have been submitted, many more are left to do, and the waiting has just begun. To aid in this process, here are a few tricks of the trade in hopes that they may help guide you towards some semblance of sanity on this ever lovely journey to higher education. 1. Don’t leave applications until the night before they are due. This one is self-explanatory. 2. Caffeine is your friend. Invest in coffee, Red Bull, 5-hour Energy (heads up: it’s effective, but not approved by the FDA, so maybe not 5-hour Energy), and more coffee! Long nights and the accompanying tired feeling the following day are inevitable. Prepare to drink your caffeine, put a smile on your face, and keep chugging along like the little engine that could. 3. Your college advisor is your friend. Thank them repeatedly for holding your hand through this process. We owe them our lives. 4. Find things that make your days enjoyable, whether they’re walks around campus, jam sessions in the Hess, or shriving in the riv. Good grades are important, but so is your mental health. 5. As all hard times do, eventually this too shall pass. No matter what, we will submit all there is to be submitted, and we will hear the news we are going to hear. 6. In the words of Leo Tolstoy, “Stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” We only have 224 days left on this beautiful campus. While getting into college may be completely consuming your life right now, don’t forget to take time to appreciate who and what is around you here in the valley. We’re only Deerfield students once. To the ’19, ’20, and ’21s: be respectful. I’m sure you can tell by the gray hairs and wrinkles that have recently sprouted on the bodies of your senior class, senior fall is hard. Be kind to us: we are a little fragile right now. I know it can be difficult to feel out what questions are okay to ask seniors and which ones might not be. Just use your judgement and understand that in a few months we will go back to being the fun, loving 2018s you all know and love. “We’re all in this together / and it shows when we stand hand in hand/ make our dreams come trueeee” – (2006) Peace and love, Margo, Rita, and Curtis

For the first time in recent history, Deerfield’s annual Sadie Hawkins Dance — usually called “Sadies” for short — will no longer match underclassmen and upperclassmen students in one-on-one pairs or “dates.” Instead, underclassmen and upperclassmen dorms are encouraged to make arrangements to attend the dance as partner halls. The name of the dance has also changed to the “Halloween Dance” to better reflect the creative costumes worn to the event, which is traditionally held on the Saturday immediately before Halloween. By combining the event with the annual all-school Choate Day Dance on the night of November 11, the Student Planning Committee (SPC) is hoping to promote school spirit by combining two of the most highly anticipated events of the year. Student Activities Coordinator Mr. Brian Barbato explained, “[The Student Life Office] has worked hard in collaboration with [Director of Inclusion and Community Life Mrs. Marjorie] Young and the Inclusion Office to make sure we’re facilitating a healthy environment for everybody. Our biggest interest is for everyone to feel safe, valued, and fulfilled at our activities.” Discussions dating back to October 2016 drew together various members of the Deerfield community to share perspectives on the nature of the dance, including student proctors of the 2016-17 academic year, deans from the Student Life Office, Mr. Barbato, Ms. Young, and faculty residents. Assistant Head of School for Student Life Ms. Amie Creagh stated, “[Concerns about Sadies] have come from students and parents alike. Each year they’ve increased in number, and this year, their scope and volume were persistent and undeniable. It would have been irresponsible to ignore them and to let the dance continue as usual.” The previous structure of the Halloween Dance was driven by proctors pairing underclassmen and upperclassmen students of the opposite gender, with the older student picking a costume for the younger student and remaining a “mystery date” until he or she arrived at the younger student’s dorm on the night of the dance. Current student proctor Bailey Smith ’18 recalled, “Sadies was something I really looked forward to. I thought [the mystery date] made the whole experience exciting … No matter who you get, you’re so excited because they’re an upperclassman and you’re an underclassman.” However, this pairing system did not provide a comfortable environment for all, as Ms. Creagh described, “Sadie[s] sets up a dynamic where older and younger students get matched up as dates. This sends a mixed message about what kind of dating is appropriate and condoned by the school, and it fails to acknowledge an imbalance of power,” she said. The heteronormative arrangements of pairs made strictly between boys and girls, excluding LGBTQ+ students in the process, were also raised as an issue. Finally, choices of costumes deemed “distasteful and inappropriate” by the administration exacerbated the perceived power imbalance within the one-on-one matches. Examples included a postgraduate male student and a 9th grade female student who dressed as a hunter and a bunny respectively, as well as the number 1 and a night stand. Ms. Creagh wrote in an email to proctors, “To some of you, these may seem like unwarranted and frustrating changes. You may feel that we’re ruining a tradition. I understand. But I do hope you might also see this as timely and responsive. I know you care about your proctees and want them to feel valued and included.” Although many students recognized the need for a more inclusive environment, some felt reservations about the changes. Joni Otto-Bernstein ’18 expressed, “I believe a compromise could have been made through dialogue with the students, most of whom acknowledge that these problems certainly exist … I hope that students will be consulted in the future before changes are made to Student Life on campus.” Soo Oh ’20 added, “Sadies was unique before the change, [but] now it’s like every other dance.” Mr. Barbato affirmed that meeting new people will still be possible through the pairing of brother/sister halls and attending the dance as a group: “We are not telling you not to meet up with new people. There are plenty of opportunities on campus … I challenge our students to get out of their comfort zones and form those meaningful connections.” Sharing these hopes, proctor and SPC member Kevin Danforth ’18 commented, “I’ve reminded the people in our dorm that these decisions don’t change the environment of the dance, but just the name and the structure. At the end of the day, a dance is a dance, and a Halloween dance on the night of Choate Day—I don’t think it can get better than that.”

Dear Asian Deerfield student, I am guilty. Maybe you have Asian parents, maybe you were born in Asia, maybe you have an Asian passport, or maybe your home is in Asia. Maybe you are all or any combination of these things, just like me. Yet sometimes we find ways to take our smallest differences and blow them out of proportion to drive wedges between members of our community. I am a witness and I am guilty. When I first came to America as a seven-year-old, following my dad’s new assignment in Washington, D.C. as a diplomat, I was shocked to discover that other diplomat families’ kids could barely speak Korean after only about a year in America. Feeling pity for them, I swore not to lose sight of the place I belonged to and came from. I read Korean novels and watched Korean news and TV shows, refusing to speak anything but Korean with my parents. At the same time, I was determined to fit into this new environment. Weeks before starting school in America, I memorized the Pledge of Allegiance and practiced it in front of every adult I came across. Come the first day of second grade, I marched into the classroom, placed my hand over my heart, and triumphantly recited the Pledge perfectly with all of my new classmates. I looked up at the American flag on the TV screen as if it were a prize for my assimilation. It was the first day of school and I already blended in perfectly, like a jigsaw piece fitting snugly into a space where it was meant to be all along. Later, in my middle school of 1400 students (30 percent of whom were Asian), we surrounded ourselves with enough other Asians to feel as if we were in an entirely yellow world. With fellow Asians at every turn, even the slightest differences were subject to criticism and fuel for gossip. Lunch table seatings were analyzed, social media scrutinized and evaluated, and “twinkies” — yellow on the outside and white on the inside — pitied and resented. An Instagram post with a brunette in a sea of blondes was a red flag. Even people who got highlights in their hair would cue whispers throughout the cafeteria, the phrase “wannabe white” hanging in the air. In truth, I was overcome by a misled sense of superiority. In the endless battle between conformity and “authenticity,” each side took pride in its stance while condemning the other, and I fought to prove that my choices were right. I moved back to Korea the summer before I came to Deerfield after living in Virginia for six and a half years. Over those years, I had changed completely. When I stepped back in Korea, I realized that I did not really belong there. I saw kids in school uniforms using slang I couldn’t understand, streets swarming with fans of K-Pop stars I had never seen before, and hundreds of city names tangled up in the map of subway stations, none of which I could relate to. In the country I struggled to call my own, people pointed out my “American” clothes, “American” accent, and “American” attitude. Indeed, it was true: once I started viewing myself as an outlier, there was no going back. By the time I came to Deerfield, I was overwhelmed with guilt whenever I called myself Korean. Curiously, when I introduced myself to new Asian students at Deerfield and explained the (stereotypically Asian) activities I took part in, some of them dubbed me the “epitome of Asian,” laughing. Of course, it was a fleeting title, but this memory became something of a manifesto to live up to — a foundation for my four years ahead. The nickname seeped into my head like water on dry ground. I was given an opportunity to reclaim my identity, so I took the offer. Every day, I kept track of even the most trivial decisions to see if I had been “Asian enough.” If I get in the line for lasagna instead of ramen, does that mean I’m not Asian enough? If I don’t go to ASA meetings, does that mean I’m not Asian enough? If I don’t mention Korea in my Instagram bio, does that mean I’m not Asian enough? At the end of the day, I reflected on my performance in these numerous tests: I chose lasagna over rice, didn’t go to ASA meetings, and had an Instagram bio without the word “Korea” anywhere, and I told myself I failed. Looking down on other Asians’ similar “shortcomings” seemed like an easy escape from this disappointment. With my attention on someone else’s confusion and what I perceived to be a surrender to the American “melting pot,” I could shield myself from toxic self-criticism that threatened to tear down my entire lifestyle and identity. My time at Deerfield around Asian students with incredibly diverse backgrounds has slowly torn down my misguided judgment. I am still in the process of eliminating these poisonous thoughts that have fogged my mind for so long. But to my friends or any Asian student who has sneered, “X is so white,” please do not lash out against others because of your own confusion. I’ve been there; it does no good for anyone. Being Asian in America — being an immigrant or a child of immigrants in America — hides a world of self-doubt. I know I am not the only one who struggles to come up with the name of a single place to describe where I’m from or debates calling myself “Asian” or “Asian-American,” because identity is not made of the names of places or labels; it is made of experiences. The path I have walked in my life cannot be distilled down to a few words, and neither can yours. You are not alone. Sincerely, Nadia Jo

Dear Reader, This has been a tumultuous time in both our community and the greater community that surrounds us. As a publication that seeks to shed light on the diverse opinions of the student body, we feel that it is important to reflect this diversity of thought in the topics and issues we choose to cover in each edition of the . In this issue, our board decided to address the hate that has plagued our community this school year. We agree with Ms. Creagh that Deerfield must do better, and we hope that through our board editorial, we help her drive this initiative. It is a tremendous privilege to be at Deerfield, where we receive such excellent instruction in academics, sports, and the arts. We must always be sure to use the privileges and freedoms we have to make the world a better place for everyone, and we must make sure that all members of this community feel equal and welcomed. Fellow seniors, as Dr. Curtis says at the end of every School Meeting, let’s “lead the way.” We must work to set an example for our younger peers and make sure that the sense of community that we pride ourselves on is truly shared by everyone. We only have one year left at Deerfield, so we must be sure to leave a positive legacy. We urge all members of this community to recognize and stop hatred at its source. Buy in to the inclusion exercises and practices meant to help us learn and grow. Have difficult conversations with your peers. But most importantly, always speak up when you hear or see something you know is not right. All the best, Kevin and Jillian

Doing it B18 is what Deerfield’s school spirit is all about. Whether in the classroom, on the stage, or on the sports field, Deerfield students are always talking about bringing their “A game,” “going big, or going home,” and giving their performance “all they’ve got.” Thus, the cheerleaders, along with the Class of 2018, thought there would be no better slogan for this school year than one which incorporates and further cultivates this energy on campus. Doing it B18 means more than just getting rowdy and losing our heads at sporting events; it’s a state of mind. A large portion of doing it B18 involves simply showing up, in more ways than one. For example, Deerfield offers amazing opportunities for students to exhibit their talents, such as dance showcases, music concerts, theatrical performances, and sporting events, just to name a few. By both taking advantage of these opportunities and making the effort to attend these events, we, as a community, are taking pride in our school and in each other. To do it B18 also means to get out of our comfort zones; we have to push ourselves and each other be the best versions of ourselves. We “brought it back” with the Class of 2016. We established our sense of love and community with the Class of 2017’s “Fam17y.” And now, we need to prove that we can not only keep it here and remain a strong family, but that, this year, we can do it B18ger than ever. To the Class of 2018, this is our time. This is our year. To everyone, let’s make every moment count and DO IT B18! Yours, Captain Deerfield and the Cheerleaders

Hi Margo, Rita, and Curtis, I’m so excited for the upcoming year at Deerfield!! But, I am nervous about things I still don’t know. For example, last week I walked on senior grass and I was so embarrassed when people started calling out for me to get off the grass. Please help so I can avoid moments like this! Best, confused2021 ________________ Dear confused2021, Welcome to the valley! Whether this is your first go at life at the Academy or maybe your fourth, the fall is always an exciting time to be here in Western Mass. The sweet smell of farmlands in the morning will never get old. Each school year brings new challenges and nerves. In an attempt to ease your September jitters, I present to you: the Deerfield Commandments. Follow these and I guarantee you will be halfway to success around here. 🙂 Always watch where you walk. This is a life or death type tip, so I recommend a pen and paper for this one. Unless you are a 2018-er, the lawn in front of the MSB is a no fly zone. It’s called “Senior Grass” for a reason. We’ve all taken our turn freezing our butts off in the winter having to walk around the grass, and frostbite is a right of passage. The second area you must never walk on (and this goes for all) is the Deerfield seal in the Athletic Center. I have eyes everywhere…If you do, I’ll know. Speaking of the seal, protect it like it’s your newborn child. With Choate Day approaching on our turf this year, our seal becomes increasingly vulnerable to the soles of the Choaties’ feet. As as we all know, disrespecting the seal is like disrespecting the work of Beyoncé. It’s just unacceptable. This tip might be the most important: Respect the people who work around campus. As a school we are lucky enough to have kind and dedicated staff members who look out for the student body’s best interest. Learn their names, and thank them often. Without these people, not only would we never have grilled CCs again, but our school would physically not be able to function. Things for good luck: When you walk past the green D, give it a tap. Same goes for the horse’s head on Albany Road. Greer nights are an essential to Deerfield life, especially in the fall. Show up (you too, villagers!), meet new people, buy a cup of ice and a pack of gum, and have fun. Ah, dances. A scene resembling an angry mob of animals at the zoo. Go to as many as you physically can, and dance like nobody’s watching. Dance like Napoleon Dynamite at the talent show. For new kids, possibly your best teachers will be kids older than you, or sometimes even younger than you. Never hesitate to ask people for advice, or help. We’ve all been new at some point, and we know it takes a village to raise a Deerfield student. It’s going to be an amazing year. Make the most of the beautiful weather while you can. #DOITB18 and Beat Choate. Keep on keepin on, Margo, Rita, and Curtis

Thomas Bergeron , Orchestra and Chamber Music Director, has taught at several colleges, including Williams and Amherst. He is currently the Principal Trumpet for the Springfield Symphony and has two albums. He has “a secret life as a hip hop artist,” has “just started a career as an amateur baker,” and believes “that music has the power to heal​ our body, mind, spirit, and global social divides.” Marshall Carroll , Library Director, comes to Deerfield from Mercersburg Academy. He has coached wrestling, water polo, and soccer and led international trips to Poland and Ireland. He is “excited to work with students in many capacities across campus…and looks forward to hearing feedback from students about how the library fits their needs.” Patricia Chambers , History Teacher, comes to Deerfield from the Taipei American School, previously teaching at the Loomis Chaffee School and working in children’s publishing. Ms. Chambers was co-captain of the women’s varsity swim team at Williams College her senior year. In addition to teaching history, she will be the head coach of the boys varsity swim team. Deborah Costello , Math Teacher, comes from Trinity Prep School, having previously taught at both Lake Forest Academy and Taipei American School. She has worked for over 20 years at the College Board. She said, “Mathematics is logical, elegant, and beautiful. The fact that it’s also pretty useful is icing on the cake.” Anthony Ferraro , Physics Teacher, taught at the International School of Berne, Switzerland for the past five years, after graduating from Yale University. In Switzerland, he joined a steel pan group. Julie Graves , Math Teacher, has taught everything from precalculus to number theory in Fiji with the Peace Corps, at Phillips Exeter Academy, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. She enjoys gardening and quilting. Megan Hayes-Golding , Science Teacher, moved into Dewey with her wife and three cats after teaching for 13 years. She traveled to Deerfield from Atlanta on a motorcycle, a journey that lasted over six days! She “felt connected to the landscape in a way that’s just not possible in a car.” Ms. Hayes-Golding loves geocaching, camping, and hiking. Beth Hooker , Sustainability Education Coordinator and Assistant Director of the CSGC, lives in Amherst with her husband and two daughters, one of whom is currently a Deerfield student. Dr. Hooker previously taught at Hampshire College and Mount Holyoke College. She will teach environmental science. Daniel Houston , Language Teacher, comes from the Cardigan Mountain School, previously teaching at other schools and serving in the Marine Corps. Mr. Houston lives with his wife, Ms. Kellie Houston, and his daughter, Evelyn. He grew up on a dairy farm in Contoocook, New Hampshire, and loves pistachio ice cream. Amanda Howe , Assistant Academic Dean, moved to Deerfield last year after working in independent schools for 25 years. She has four daughters: a training fellow with Ballet Austin in Texas, a sophomore at Deerfield, and twins in ninth grade at Bement. She also has two cats: Puck and Plie. Callie Hughes , Math Teacher, taught at the Country Day School in Costa Rica for the past two years after teaching at the Foxcroft School for three years. While she still misses Costa Rica, she is “really excited to get back to skiing.” Erin Hutchinson , College Advisor, worked at the Admissions Office at Washington & Lee University for ten years. She owned a Fiber Arts shop, where she taught knitting, crochet, and quilting — she “brought more yarn and fabric with [her] to Deerfield than anything else.” She has an identical twin and is a black belt in American Freestyle Karate. She lives in the Village with her sons, Jason and Donald, her husband, and a yellow lab. Hannah Insuik , Science Teaching Fellow, graduated from Deerfield in 2013. She is “excited to work with the counseling center at DA on… breaking down mental health stigma on campus.” Ms. Insuik remarked, “It is an incredible honor of mine to be back teaching among those people who inspired me to teach… and it is great to be back home.” Chrissy Kopp , History Teacher, has worked in many Deerfield offices and taught at several schools, including Phillips Academy. She enjoys history because “it’s the next best thing to a having access to a time machine, time turner, or the Tardis.” She said, “You may see me around campus with my seven-year-old daughter…Say hi!​” Bakir Mohammad , Philosophy & Religion Teacher, has lived in the UK and Beirut for most of his life. He will be at Deerfield for 14 weeks. At King’s Academy in Jordan, he is part of Department of Ethics, Philosophy and Religion and coaches JV soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. Patrick Moriarty , College Advisor and Head Varsity Baseball Coach, spent 22 years as a Correctional Case Officer and 12 years as the head varsity baseball coach at Cathedral/Pope Francis High School. Mr. Moriarty was inducted into the Cathedral High School Hall of Fame and won a Western Mass D1 Championship. He lives with his wife, son, and daughter. Chinyere Odim , English Teaching Fellow, graduated from Swarthmore College in 2017. She grew up in Brooklyn and was captain of her high school’s Varsity soccer, track, and field teams. She’s taken Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish for over two years each. Forest Reid , Math, Computer Science, and Physics Teacher, taught at several schools, including Northfield Mount Hermon and Burke Mountain Academy. He holds a bachelor’s in astrophysics from Tufts University and a master’s in physics from Brown University. Elliot Sakach , Math Teaching Fellow, has worked on several political campaigns, including two presidential campaigns, and has worked for a U.S. Congressperson. He has taught many subjects, including Spanish, math, and economics.

At New England Champion-ships this past May, the Deerfield Academy varsity crew teams showed the competition why they were number one seed. The girls’ first boat placed first over defending champion Winsor School with five seconds to spare, and the boys won their first ever New England team championship. The gold medal finishes meant both the boys’ and girls’ first boats qualified for the 2017 Youth National Rowing Championships in Sarasota, FL, held on June 9. The Deerfield first boat consisted of Bailyn Prichett ’19, Anna Scott ’18, Lily Fauver ’17, and Erika Warren ’18, with Jerilyn Zheng ’19 as the coxswain. The girls’ crew found a winning recipe through a laid-back approach: “We have a real ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality,” rising captain Bailyn Prichett ’19 said. “Off the water, we’re a pretty lighthearted team, always having fun. On the water, we get down to business and finish what we need to get accomplished.” June’s results reflected this chemistry. The girls placed third out of eighteen in their time trial, which qualified them for the semifinals. They were then edged out in the final stretch by Saugatuck with less than a second difference to finish fourth. However, following this semifinal heat, the girls began a winning streak, coming in first place in the B Final and finishing as the seventh fastest boat in the country. In spite of last season’s success, coach Melanie Onufrieff knows there is little margin for error now that the crew has a target on their backs: “Success one year does not guarantee success the next,” she said. “We have a strong returning group and are welcoming some promising newcomers to the mix as well. We’ve got to believe in ourselves, keep driving each other to be our best, and never get comfortable with where we are.” The boys crew team began competing in Sarasota simultaneously. Throughout the season, the first boat roster consisted of Freddie Johnson ’17, Luca Basile ’17, Will Sanford ’17, Gordon Johnson ’17, and Dani Michaelson ’17 as coxswain. However, at Nationals, postgraduate students are ineligible to compete, so Henry Lowe ’19 was tasked with filling in at bow seat for Basile. After their success in the time trials, the boys finished first in the semifinal heat and never lost the lead in their final race. Their work resulted in earning the title of the fastest youth boat in the country— Deerfield’s second national title in six years, and the first title under head coach Spencer Washburn. “The feeling was exhilarating,” recalled Freddie Johnson ’17, captain and stroke seat on the first boat. “After getting bronze in 2016, we had more to work on. Almost every night I thought about how we could put ourselves in a position to be the best in the country.” The strong bond between the seniors in the first boat and Mr. Washburn made winning Nationals all the more meaningful for both parties: “We talked a lot about doing it for ourselves or doing it for Coach Washburn,” Johnson said. “And to see him on the bank looking so proud was a great feeling.” The key to maintaining last season’s success for both the boys’ and girls’ crews’ is enjoying themselves without losing sight of the season’s goal: “I think it’s important to continue balancing hard work while still having fun in such a challenging sport,” said Prichett. Until the spring, the teams can only prepare for the starting horn in April. Coach Onufrieff had a parting piece of advice for all Deerfield teams: “Preparing well, training hard, and putting your team first sets you up for success on the race course, in the classroom, and in life.”