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With the growing presence of technology on campus, members of the Deerfield community take on a bigger responsibility for their actions online. Every day from 4 A.M. to 1 A.M. , students have access to two wireless networks: DA-Wireless and GreenDoor. While DA-Wireless is available to anyone who is in close proximity to the Deerfield campus, GreenDoor requires login information for verified users and encrypts data sent over the network to protect students and employees from third parties who may try to intercept the data from a nearby device. However, this difference does not change the fact that activity on both networks can be accessed by Information Technology Services (ITS) if a student’s safety is believed to be in danger. All students sign the Acceptable Use Policy upon enrollment, which includes the statement, “The Academy reserves the right to access, view, or monitor any information or communication stored on or transmitted over the network.” Director of Information Technology Services Kimberly Butz stated, “We don’t actively look at people’s traffic, but we do have the equipment that enables us to do that. Students should understand when they sign the Acceptable Use policy…that they shouldn’t expect their transmissions [to be] private.” Because Deerfield Academy owns and issues computers to every student, all information that is stored or processed on school laptops is fully accessible by ITS. Mobile phones, on the other hand, provide more freedom for students to interact without having their data stored in Deerfield’s systems. Text messages sent using cell carriers such as AT&T and Verizon cannot be viewed by Information Technology Services, as well as online activity using cellular data on messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and Snapchat. A student who is involved in a case of breaking a major school rule engages in a discussion with the deans if their phone is believed to hold valuable information for resolving the issue. Dean of Students Kevin Kelly explained, “Every student is entitled to be emotionally and physically safe at the Academy. If someone is in violation of that safety, we have the right to ask for the phone. We’re not going to physically force the phone out of someone’s hands, but if there is a reluctance to hand over the phone, there will be another step in the process.” Kathryn Grennon ’17 expressed hesitation about the school’s ability to read texts sent over DA-Wireless and GreenDoor. “I feel like [looking through students’ phone activities] is crossing a line of privacy. Whether or not you’re doing anything wrong, it’s a personal thing,” Grennon expressed. “Your computer and email is given to you by the school, but your phone is your personal property; it doesn’t have to do anything with Deerfield.” “Personally, I don’t really like the argument that just because you have nothing to hide you should turn [your private information] over,” remarked Philosophy and Religion Department Chair Michael O’Donnell. “We have the Bill of Rights and the 4th and 5th amendment—they [don’t exist only] to protect you if you’re doing something bad; they [exist] to protect you as a citizen.” Information Technology Services receive at most “two or three requests per school year” to look into a disciplinary or academic dishonesty case related to students’ misuse of technology. These requests are carefully considered by the deans before they approve ITS to move forward with the inspections. Mr. Kelly stated, “We’re not randomly picking students and digging deeply into their privacy. The fact that you’re in boarding school [means that] your privacy rights are a little tighter; you’re on this property with an expectation, and that expectation is clearly laid out in the handbook.” Ms. Butz asserted that the Academy’s right to review online activity is in the best interest of the students’ safety. “Part of the reason everybody’s here is to learn, and people make mistakes. Hopefully, we help people learn from their choices and what we do is not just punitive.” “All of us know the difference between right and wrong. You want to start thinking and reflecting before you send something,” advised Mr. Kelly. “All of us would agree that we would not want someone to create a story or display a photograph that is embarrassing or hurtful. Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Uttering the words “spring term” conjures up images of Spring Day, graduation, and the annual Stepping Up Bonfire. As the class of 2017 enters the last term of their Deerfield careers, the subject of senior privileges is on students’ minds. In past years, the deans have granted senior privileges in collaboration with the Student Life Office. Proposals are submitted at the beginning of the spring term to the office, and depending on the standing behavior of the senior class, these proposals are presented to the full faculty for consideration and voting, according to Academic Dean Ivory Hills. In the past, these privileges have included an extended AP limit, unlimited wifi hours, and late check-in. Additionally, day student seniors in the past have gained the privilege to drive boarding seniors. Seniors generally have positive feelings about senior privileges. Will Suter ’17 said, “I think that [senior privileges] are fantastic and a part of the senior tradition…we’ve earned it.”. Will Shuhda ’17 echoed Suter’s opinion, asserting, “They are well deserved.” However, other seniors feel a little less positive on the matter. Jeffrey Sun ’17 said that senior privileges “could be clearer … I don’t even know what they are.” Suter and Shuhda both expressed a desire to increase the scope and reach of privileges, but Shuhda admitted that “it is unlikely.” Other classes also have varying opinions about senior privileges. Eli Ji ’19 believes that some senior privileges, such as allowing additional APs, “promote bad habits.” Donnie Sparks ’18 disagreed, reasoning that “It gives [seniors] a chance to relax.” To Dr. Hills, the granting of senior privileges could be interpreted as a reward to the senior class for their contributions to Deerfield. However, Dr. Hills was more reserved about the positives and negatives of rewarding all seniors equally, as he believed that while “many of our seniors are reward-worthy,” the whole senior class cannot be rewarded blanketly. To others, senior privileges are a way of acknowledging the senior class and their contributions to the community, concretely affirming the value that the seniors add by increasing their privileges. Members of the senior class are leaders, they are older brothers and sisters, they are trusted confidantes and friends. These varied, vital, uncelebrated jobs are not easy to perform and they provide immense value to the community. Why not give the seniors a concrete token of our appreciation for their efforts? The practice of giving seniors extra privileges during the spring term is a longtime tradition of Deerfield. The granting of these privileges does not detrimentally affect the Academy, and they may serve as a demonstration of our appreciation for the immense contributions of the senior class to the Deerfield community.

Every year, in the past four years, Penelope Hough ’17 has studied voice under a different choral director. When Hough entered the school as a 9th grader, she began her Deerfield choral career with Mr. Dan Roihl, who was on his fourth year as the department’s director. When Mr. Roihl left at the end of the school year in 2014, Ms. Maaja Roos served as interim director for a year while the administration searched for a permanent replacement for Mr. Roihl. Therefore, last year, Hough sang with Mr. Daniel Jackson. When Mr. Jackson decided that he would not return for a second year, the community welcomed Dr. Thomas Pousont this fall, who is serving as Hough’s current and final choral director at Deerfield. The reason behind so much turnover in choral directors is unknown. Dean of Faculty Mr. John Taylor noted that the turnover is “unusual,” as “there has been a lot of stability in instrumental music” due to the efforts of Orchestral Director Dr. Peter Warsaw, Music Teacher Mr. John Van Eps, and Ensemble Coaches Ms. Lynn Sussman and Mr. Anthony Berner. Mr. Taylor conveyed that the administration is very aware of and worried about teacher movement in chorus. “[The administration] really cares and are trying to do everything possible to nurture [the vocal program] and make sure that it grows and blossoms,” Mr. Taylor said. “We are dedicated towards ensuring that the choral program continues to be characterized by excellence.” Although it had not been easy for Hough to have four different directors in four years, she has made the most of the situation. She took on the responsibility to be an effective liaison between each new director and the students and was able to grow as an artist in the meantime. At the end of the day, Hough concluded, “all the directors have been experts at different things” and have been able to expand the choral program in various ways. “Mr. Roihl is a great vocal technician, Ms. Roos is a brilliant pianist, Mr. Jackson is excellent at building ensembles, and Dr. Pousont is an incredible musician in general,” she said. Hough acknowledged that she has improved as a singer over the past couple years and is appreciative of the mentoring of her multiple directors. In particular, she noted that Mr. Jackson has “given [her] the tools to develop [her] own solo voice without sticking out in the choir,” and that Dr. Pousont has “helped her take on more rhythmically challenging pieces.” As she leaves Deerfield in the spring, Hough remains optimistic about the future of the choral program. She noted that the chorus has improved immensely since her first year at Deerfield: “We now have two different vocal classes: chorus and the Advanced Vocal Ensemble, and Tuesdays are now an arts night for choir and orchestra.” “The chorus currently has very strong and talented singers that will continue to bring the program to the next level,” she said. “It is encouraging that our Valentine’s Day concert got a full house,” she added. “I am glad that students and faculty alike are interested in hearing what we do and I hope that many of them will want to be part of the chorus too!”

Osama Khalifa ’14 is one of Deerfield squash’s most notable alumni. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Khalifa’s squash career began when he was very young. In 2008, when he was 13, Khalifa made a name for himself in the squash world by winning the British Junior Open Squash Under 13 age group. He continued to have large successes throughout middle school and high school, including his time at Deerfield. After coming as a new junior in 2012, he never lost a single match in his two years competing for the Big Green. However, he was not only a strong player, but also a captain and friend. Current boys varsity squash captain Danny Finnegan ’17 recalls his overlapping time with Khalifa: “He was a leader my freshman year at Deerfield, even coming to outside tournaments to coach me, when he could have been doing anything he wanted in his free time. He would get on court with Robby [Dewey] and I and hit with us and help our game—really a team-first guy.” While at Deerfield, Khalifa also excited the campus on the weekends. In the fall of 2013, Khalifa invited Seif Attia from Avon Old Farms School to come play. The Dewey Squash Center was packed with 400 students as Khalifa took out Avon’s number one. Finnegan remarked, “I can’t remember a sporting event since that has drawn that many fans at Deerfield, and all for one player.” After graduating from Deerfield Academy in 2014, Khalifa went on to play squash at Columbia University. He received Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2015, and two time first team All-Ivy League and All-American in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, he was the Ivy League Player of the Year. This past fall, Finnegan and Deerfield head coach Michael Silipo went to support Khalifa as he won the NCAA squash championships at Dartmouth, taking down University of Rochester’s Mario Yanez in three games: 11-1, 11-6, 11-5. Finnegan described his play: “He takes one step up or down the court and he’s already at the ball. He cuts everything off and has the best deception I’ve ever seen.” Coach Silipo shared his experience coaching Khalifa here at Deerfield: “Osama is the best player I have ever coached at this level over my 39 years of coaching squash… he makes it look so easy.”

On May 14, the Deerfield Academy Choral Program will perform in a benefit concert at the First Church of Deerfield to raise money for the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). According to its website, SAMS is a “nonpolitical, nonprofit medical relief organization that is working on the front lines of crisis relief in Syria and neighboring countries to alleviate suffering and save lives.” Founded in 1998 as a “professional society that [provided] physicians of Syrian descent with networking, educational, cultural, and professional services,” SAMS has since expanded its vision to provide healthcare and resources for victims of Syria’s armed conflicts. “[We hear] one story after another about how terrible the situation is over there,” said Choral Director Dr. Thomas Pousant. “[The benefit is] a means for us to help in some small way.” Entitled “Music and Verse in a Sacred Space,” the May performance is part of a concert series initiated in the fall of last year by Dr. Pousant. As a modern adaptation of traditional worship services, it was designed in order to bring the community together to sing. This May’s event, held in the Brick Church, will include performances from each of Deerfield Academy’s choruses, who will be singing a collection of English and German compositions. Local poet Colleen Filler will also read her poetry. “By using our talents for such a cause, I feel that even though I’m not directly involved in the mission, I’m making a difference – however small it may be – for the less fortunate,” said Henry Pan ’19, a member the Advanced Vocal Ensemble. SAMS has certainly had a notable impact in providing relief to the people affected by the Syrian conflict. They provided more than 3 million medical services in 2016 alone. The Music and Verse in a Sacred Space series has donated to SAMS since May of last year. “[SAMS is] giving medical aid…” said Dr. Pousont, “[The money] is helping people who are actually suffering.” Besides training and fiscally supporting Syrian medical personnel working in dangerous areas, SAMS also sponsors field hospitals and ambulances and sends humanitarian aid and medical equipment. Admission is free, but donations will be appreciated. Besides being an event meant to solicit aid, the May concert is an opportunity for the Deerfield community to support their peers, relax, and enjoy music. The entire Deerfield community is invited. The concert will begin at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. All proceeds will go to SAMS.

Recently, Deerfield students have been creating new harmonies, rhythms, and musical groups: a co-ed a cappella group and Coda, a student-run band. The a cappella group was founded by Christina Li ’20, Caitlin Sugita ’18, Elliot Flagg ’20, Henry Hayden ’18, and Everett Tsai ’18, while Andy Han ’19 and Joshua Fang ’19 created Coda. The inspiration for a co-ed group, according to Hayden, is the evident gender divide between the Mellow-D’s and the Rhapso-D’s. Hayden went on to describe how past co-ed a cappella groups “fizzled out.” He stated, “We wanted to create a group that would be co-ed, more inclusive, and would sustain longer.” Unlike past co-ed a cappella groups, the group hopes to continue its pursuits with Flagg and Li as its leaders after Hayden and Sugita graduate. The process of creating this group, however, was not easy. Li stated, “They [the other a cappella groups] called it immature.” Hayden commented that they received “backlash” from the other groups, but his intentions are clear. He claimed, “This is just another chance for people to get involved on campus musically. We want another chance to participate and contribute to the music program on campus.” Although it is driven by inclusive vibes, the group wishes not to exceed more than ten people. Hayden explained, “The problem with a cappella is that once you get too big as a group, it’s hard for voices to blend together.” This a cappella group wishes to make harmonious, good-intentioned pop music in the years to come. Meanwhile, the Deerfield community cheered as Coda made its debut at School Meeting on April 12. It all started when Han approached Fang and said, “We should start a band.” Fang agreed and commented, “We wanted to make something for musicians who really want to make music, and people who are more committed.” The Coda creators expressed that they wish for the band to play on even after they graduate: “In 20 years when we come back to Deerfield, we wish to see other students playing in Coda, just like the Mellow-D’s and Rhapso-D’s.” For their remaining years at Deerfield, the duo has two goals to achieve: to excite the Deerfield community about music again through relevant music and hold well-attended concerts. When he first arrived, Fang realized that the music program, in terms of instrumental music, was “lacking” and “there was not much interest.” Coda wishes to change this. Although the group has faced hardships, specifically when writing sheet music, their love for the band has kept them going strong. What will the group be playing? “Not classical music,” Fang stated. There will be, however, a wide variety, since the members have different fields of interest and backgrounds in music. According to Fang, one of the main reasons behind Coda’s name (a musical term signifying the end of a piece) is “because it’s short and catchy. People will remember it. The second is because it has DA in it.” Filled with DA pride and resilience, both music groups persist in their love for music and hope to build their own music legacy during their time here.

At the end of every term, Deerfield students and parents wait anxiously for the email notification that grades have been released. While grades should certainly not be the only drive for students to pursue academic excellence, many, including myself, cannot help but feel a rush of stress as they wait. And unfortunately, at times, I have been frustrated after seeing what my teachers deemed my numerical grades should be. Granted, I will freely admit that some of these instances were caused by my own errors. However, other times, the grades I received on major assessments remained consistent, while my overall grade dropped. In some instances, I only received comments on major assessments. In these cases, I approached the teacher and was told that I was doing very well. But when my grade would be released, it would not seem consistent with the feedback I had received. During the winter term of my ninth grade year, I obtained a grade I was proud of in a class but noticed that the class median was significantly higher than the one that Deerfield teachers tend to aim for: 89-90%. In the spring, I worked as hard as I had during the winter. However, when my spring grades were released, I found that both my grade and the class median had dropped by exactly two points. Since the grades I received on major assessments that term had not significantly changed, I figured this decline must have been due to a drop in my participation grade. I found this very odd, as my teacher had actually remarked in my course comments that my participation and collaboration skills had improved during the spring. I have also noticed discrepancies in grades based on subjects. For instance, in a math or science class, the highest achiever could have a 98% or 99%, whereas top grades in the humanities generally do not exceed 95% or 96%. While I do understand that success in math and science is easier to quantify and writing a “perfect” essay is arguably impossible, I still think that the gap between the grades of top students in the humanities and those in STEM may give the impression that the STEM students are more academically driven and talented, when both have equal merit. Many argue that every teacher has a different teaching style and that grade inflation at Deerfield has to be mitigated. To address the former point, in this piece, I am not trying to encourage the notion that every teacher must teach in one standardized way. I do believe that the diversity of the faculty at Deerfield is something to be very proud of. However, the subtle differences in teachers’ pedagogies cannot be determined from a numerical grade. For example, a 92% in a particular English class may actually be the highest grade in a certain class, but a student may not able to discern this just from the grade. Even if the student were to approach the teacher and receive feedback that he/she was doing very well, at least in my experience, teachers do not often reveal the highest and/or lowest grade in their course. Thus, a student with a 92% may feel as if he/she is not performing at as high of a level as a student who has a different teacher and a 94% overall. A grade should be a clear indicator to students how they are are performing in a class for their own personal knowledge; however, I do not believe our current grading system allows for this kind of lucid communication. As for grade inflation, I do not seek to deny the salience of it in this piece and I am aware that it is a phenomenon not only occurring at Deerfield but also at our peer schools. However, I do not believe that pursuing a policy in which every class must adhere to an 89% or 90% median is right. I do not think that every Deerfield student puts forth the exact same amount of effort or performs at the same level. In some classes, the students as a whole may demonstrate ability that is significantly above average. In this case, is it right to continue to enforce an 88% median? Or say that in another class, it is widely known to students that earning a grade above 92% is nearly impossible. How then, may we encourage these students to perform at a level higher than 92%? Why would some exceptional students in this class try their best, if they knew that whether they put in 70% or 100% of their effort, they would still obtain a 92% overall? Because of the faults in Deerfield’s current grading system, I think that a grading scale of 1-6 or 1-10 would be optimal. Phillips Academy Andover currently uses a grading system of 0-6, in which a 6 indicates “outstanding,” a 5 “superior,” a 4 “good,” a 3 “satisfactory,” a 2 “low pass,” a 1 “failure,” and a 0 “low failure,” according to the school’s 2016-17 profile for college admissions offices. Similarly, Phillips Exeter Academy uses an 11-point grading scale. By adopting this kind of grading system, the scenario in which an excellent STEM student receives a higher grade than an excellent humanities student could be avoided. For example, instead of giving one a 98% and another a 93%, both students could receive a 6. This system eliminates the misconception that a “perfect score” is attainable, as a 6 indicates outstanding work, not perfection. Additionally, situations in which the top students (who are taking the same course but with different teachers) receive differing numerical grades could be avoided. I believe that Andover’s grading scale also fulfills a grade’s original objective in a better way. A 6 is an undisputably outstanding score, whereas grade inflation has rendered a 0-100 point based system more ambivalent. In short, I believe that the current Deerfield grading scale does not always allow for students to obtain a clear image of their progress in a class. Term end comments may provide more thorough feedback; however, they do not address the numerical inconsistencies that I have mentioned. By adopting a unique grading scale, Deerfield Academy would be able to address this vagueness and inconsistency more proactively.

Dear Reader, First of all, we would like thank Perry Hamm and the rest of the Scroll editorial board, vol. XCI, for their endless support and guidance. Without their hard work and dedication, the caliber of would be nowhere near where it is today. Of course, we would also like to thank you, the readers, who give purpose and meaning to this paper. Our mission is twofold: we aim to provide you with accurate and relevant content and to promote honest and open dialogue in the Deerfield community. With this mission in mind, we have added two new pages to : News and Buzz. Rather than squeezing in full news stories on the front page, the dedicated News page allows us to cover more news in greater depth. This extra space also allows us to conduct investigative journalism, such as this issue’s investigation on the amount of privacy we have over Deerfield Wi-Fi networks. The Buzz page is more light-hearted and serves as a space to highlight topics that are unique to the Deerfield community. On this page, we have also revived the humorous “Margo, Rita, and Curtis” column. While it is certainly important to discuss serious topics, we hope that the Buzz page will provide more balance to the paper and also serve as a reminder that even in a dark and unforgiving world, there is always a little bit of magic that we can find in our daily lives. We also recognize that a wide variety of viewpoints exist at this school. We seek not to prescribe a certain ideology, but rather to provide a welcoming platform for all of us to celebrate our differences and expand each other’s horizons. To this end, we encourage all members of the community who are passionate about an issue to write op-eds for , and we also welcome letters to the editor in response to published content. We hope that we, the collective Deerfield community, will feel free to discuss important issues in an open, honest, and non-judgmental manner. We hope that we will feel free to disagree with each other in an academic and respectful manner, knowing that we can attack each other’s ideas without attacking each other. All the best, Kevin Chen and Jillian Carroll Editors-in-Chief

An aficionado of the performing arts, Lucy Binswanger ’17 is an artist whose talent spans the three mediums of dance, theater, and music. Her passion for the arts began at a young age. Binswanger recalled, “I used to write and perform skits with cousins and other members of my family. Once, I was a prince who said ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!’ and instead [my cousin] threw spaghetti at my face.” She credits a substantial amount of her success to her family, stating, “They’ve been so incredibly encouraging and supportive throughout [my journey].” A star in both and , Binswanger is also head of the Comedy Club and currently participates in the theater co-curricular. She described as “one of the most amazing experiences of [her] life.” The show, a Broadway musical set in the Kit Kat Klub during the 1930s, was a production that garnered school-wide attention and acclaim. Director of Theater Ms. Catriona Hynds recounted that “ was a phenomenal production and collaboration between three different programs [dance, theater, and music].” Ms. Hynds then added, “Lucy is so confident and positive every time she walks into the room it instantly uplifts [everyone’s] mood.” “It was such a rush to see all those people in the audience,” said Binswanger. “I love when something dramatic happens and you hear the audience go ‘Ooh.’ You can just hear them having a reaction.” One of the challenges Binswanger has faced as an actress was learning how to immerse herself into her character. “It’s weird to think about all the tiny details that are particular to your character,” stated Binswanger. “For example, suddenly I have to consider how I walk, how I sit down, [and] how I open a door.” She articulated that there is something “terrifying yet fun” about inhabiting a character. She particularly enjoys method acting, a theater technique in which the actor aspires to complete emotional identification with a part. According to Binswanger, becoming a character is one of the most fulfilling aspects of acting. Binswanger is also an avid participant in both the music and dance programs. She is a member of Deerfield’s all-female a cappella group, the Rhapso-D’s, as well as a hip-hop choreographer for the upcoming Spring Dance Showcase. An interest in the visual arts led her to videography and photography as well. Binswanger said, “I think the connecting link between all of these activities is their ability to form a personal connection [with the audience]. Performance art is so cool because everyone has such different reactions to it, and I want to hear all these opinions.” Binswanger, a triple threat in the performing arts program, has confidence that she will continue all three activities as she begins college. She remarked, “Just having so many ways to channel ideas really helps me not to go crazy.”

Dear Margo, Rita, and Curtis, I don’t really know what to do. There’s only a couple weeks left in the school year and there are so many people on campus that I wished I had talked to earlier in the year. If I don’t have any classes or extracurriculars with these people what should I do? In desperate need of help, friendlygal101 — Hi friendlygal101, As the school year dwindles down to its final days, we are hitting friendship cuffing szn, the magical time in which we all finally crave the human interaction that the winter term has robbed us of. No matter what time of the year it is, the best way to make a new friend at Deerfield is to put yourself out there and take a risk — show your friend of interest your true personality. I am sure they will embrace you for being who you are. If spewing confidence and exposing your true self seems like too grand of a feat for only a couple weeks of opportunity, here are some specific ways to show someone that you truly care: 1. Check your potential friend’s schedule on DAinfo. Wait outside their classroom after every class period to walk them to their next building. Who needs to be on time to class when you’re in pursuit of a new friendship? 2. Attend your friend of interest’s extra curricular events with posters of encouragement for them. A friendly face in the crowd is always appreciated. 3. Write a song inspired by Nick Jonas’s “Introducing Me” and perform it for your potential friend to let them in on your quirkier side. “If you wanna know here it goes…” I own a guitar so hit me up if an instrumentalist is necessary. Face-to-face human interaction can be awkward. We know this. Take it from a girl who face planted onto the dining hall floor in front of the entire population of the school during sitdown dinner last week. So, if my above suggestions are all too far out of your comfort zone, there are plenty of other ways to show someone you want to get to know them! Try any of the following 3 S’s: 1. Send them cupcakes with a note signed, “Just because. Love, You know who ;)” 2. Slip a note under your desired friend’s door on a nightly basis to let them know you’re thinking about them. 3. Slide into their Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Myspace, Linkedin, Canvas, Club Penguin, or Kik DMs to ask how their day is going. Repeat this every day. Consistency is key. Finally, if all else fails, find a common interest or a mutual friend, and go out of your way to be warm and friendly. Odds are other people are hoping to make some new friends too. You can bond over watermelon lemonades at the river or spikeball games after sitdown; with people coming out of the winter term hibernation the possibilities are endless. But, I still recommend the DM slide. It’s never failed me. Moral of the story: Be creepy. Goes a long way, I promise. Best of luck. You got this. Rock on, Margo, Rita, and Curtis

When I was accepted into the Deerfield class of 2019, I was elated. In addition to the countless merits of attending Deerfield, as an only child, one of the main reasons I decided to come to boarding school was to build closer connections with my peers. I had been to multiple sleep-away camps, and had forged some of my closest friendships through attending activities, hanging out, and laughing together. This camaraderie was what I thought distinguished boarding school from day school. However, on my first day here, with the grass still lush and the air balmy, I excitedly went to my dorm’s common room to introduce myself to my hallmates. The two girls briefly introduced themselves before immediately disheartening me by thoroughly defining each separate friend group in our grade. All the way down my hall, clearly-distinguishable friend groups and pairs of best friends were clustered together, their rooms all adjacent to one another. Shortly thereafter, I began to notice a similar pattern in all of the sophomore girls’ and boys’ dorms. Existing friend groups or pairs were living on the same hall. I now know that this pattern may be a result of the 9th grade Village. Because freshmen requested hall placement with friends last year, it left new sophomores this year like myself in the middle of a rather distant and unwelcoming atmosphere. Even at dorm feeds, where the hall resident, proctors, or associates created a place for connection and regardless of the chatter or exchange of stories, the minute we stepped outside of the dorm, the habitual level of connection between us consisted of terse smiles and hurried hellos. I’m sure most students would agree that one’s dorm experience is essential to the quality of life on campus and serves as a critical starting point for new students to integrate. But with friend groups who weren’t particularly keen on including a new member, or even getting to know me, it made my first couple of terms at Deerfield much lonelier and more disconnected than I ever expected. Although I understand that it is a privilege for students to choose whom they live with, I have heard from faculty and students alike that prior to the existence of the 9th grade Village, underclassmen dorms had a prevalent sense of camaraderie that made it possible to make friends from both your own grade and a neighboring grade. It was common practice to make friends with people you never would have met otherwise. I’ve heard the entire dorm dynamic was much more relaxed and connected. However, the most urgent part of why I am sharing my experience is to suggest specific ways as to how we, as an entire community, can improve the experiences of new students. Adults in the Deerfield community have been supportive, caring, and insightful, but I think the majority of students themselves may not be paying enough attention to the difficulties that come with being in a new environment. It is painfully lonely and deeply hurtful to ignore another peer just because they are not familiar. I do not believe that my peers were deliberately intending to be unfriendly, but I do think that it takes deliberate intention to be inclusive. The Academy encourages statements such as “be welcoming” and “be kind,” but what can we do to make these generalized instructions a reality? We are not given specific examples of how to be welcoming to new students or how to be kind to members of our community. “Being welcoming” can look like this: Often knocking on someone’s door to ask if they want to go to dinner, an event, or the Greer. Letting someone into a circle of conversation instead of nudging them to the fringes. Taking down someone’s phone number or social media accounts to reach out and keep in touch. Sincerely asking about someone’s day and how they are doing. Asking someone if they want to go watch a sports game. Inviting someone over to watch a movie or to study for an upcoming test. Talking about a common class. Chatting about music, movies, or television shows. These steps may seem like second nature with your own existing friends, but for a new student, simple gestures can have a significant impact. More importantly, these steps don’t just apply to new students; they would also bring everyone on campus just that much closer. I am not asking you to be best friends with everyone on campus, but by reaching out in these small ways and genuinely making an effort to get to know someone, we can initiate a culture of kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. I have repeatedly heard of the life-long friendships that people make at boarding school. I’ve spoken to alumni from various boarding schools who tell tales about adventures they’ve had with people they still refer to as their closest friends to this day. I hope that I will one day leave Deerfield with similarly fond memories. I would like to point out that creating positive memories is a collective initiative. With our heads constantly buried in our phone screens or schoolwork, sometimes all it takes to bring us back to what is truly special and unique about boarding school is the age-old act of knocking on someone’s door. I hope you will join me in doing that.

Since he was two years old, Scott Danforth ’17 could be found with a racket in his hand. His mom, who played tennis at the University of Virginia, “was always getting [him] out on the court when [he] was young and [he] just loved it.” Danforth began developing his game by playing competitively in USTA 10-and-under tournaments and used time during the summer to practice his skills. In seventh grade, Danforth transitioned to playing competitively year-round. When it came time for Danforth to take his talent to the high school level, he realized that boarding school would be best for him. After visiting a variety of schools, Danforth decided that Deerfield was the right fit. To Danforth, Deerfield’s main draw was mentor, coach, and Deerfield legend: Mr. Jay Morsman ’55. Danforth remembers Mr. Morsman sitting him down when he visited campus and simply “telling stories of his previous fifty years at the school.” These stories and memories both inspired and excited Danforth to become a part of the community. Although there were some challenges in continuing to train year-round in a boarding school environment, Danforth was quick to thank various members of the Deerfield community for helping him in his endeavors, such as Tim Wondoloski and former Amherst women’s tennis coach Mollie Domain. Danforth’s favorite part of playing tennis at Deerfield is the team itself. He explained, “[The team has] kids from all over the place: China, Texas, Norway, Florida, and we all have a great time and have good teammate chemistry.” As a tennis player, Danforth has earned a reputation for not only his “tenacity on the court,” as teammate Tom Slack ’17 put it, but also the focus he puts into each and every game and practice. As Danforth enters his final season of tennis here at Deerfield, the emotions do seem to run high, but unsurprisingly, he is focused on achieving goals both personally and for the team as well. His aspirations are quite simple. He desires to “get some wins for the team” by consistently performing to the best of his ability. With regards to the goals that Danforth has for the team, he hopes to win New Englands and also “have fun and improve as a team.” With a few matches behind them, Danforth and the tennis team seem to be electric with energy in anticipation of a new season beginning and are sure to excite the Deerfield community in the coming weeks.