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Over the past few years, the Deerfield administration and students have made new efforts to help students struggling with mental health issues. These efforts include sustaining a Peer Counseling program, hiring three full-time counselors, instituting a mindfulness program, adding a counselor to the Freshman Village once a week, and, most recently, founding the Wellness Club. Counseling Consultant Dr. Stuart Bicknell explained that “there is a broad range of concerns that students choose or are asked to meet with counselors about,” including “relationship and family conflicts (including family), motivational challenges, unhappiness, anxiety, depression, the urge to and challenges of fitting in, responses to competition and pressure and the impact on self-image and confidence…[students may be] struggling to develop a clear sense of identity, which many would describe as the essential ‘crisis’ of adolescence.” Dr. Joshua Relin, Director of Counseling, emphasized that he thinks faculty “tend to think about mental health and stress management more quickly than students do,” as students “are inclined to push the boundaries and experience that tipping point.” He said, “The school believes that exposure to stress and being challenged to operate outside your comfort zone leads to growth and achievement and success,” noting that “Deerfield draws students who want to push the boundaries and achieve more than they thought they could achieve, and part of that is you come up against experiences that you’re not so sure you can overcome and then you figure out how to overcome them…that’s the definition of stress, in a sense.” “Deerfield has been intentional in growing the counseling offices over the years from one part-time counselor to three full-time,” Dr. Bicknell explained. “The combination of the various programs with a psychological, emotional, physical health and social orientation [has a goal of being] both proactive and responsive. We want to respond when there is a problem but also work to encourage students to be thinking about these issues and ask them to participate and make choices that might prevent problems down the road.” As part of these efforts, the school has instituted a mindfulness program, and mindfulness will “be a theme for the whole school next year.” Maya Rajan ’18 and Julia Bewkes ’18 also founded the Wellness Club this year, and the Tumblr page associated with the club has become a place where Deerfield students can share their experiences and stories about mental health, sometimes doing so anonymously. Rajan explained that “both [she and Bewkes] feel very strongly about mental health, and both of [them] continue to struggle with it at Deerfield.” In starting the Wellness Club, Rajan explained that she “hoped that it could change the school – that people would become more open about their issues and the school would realize it’s not just a small problem. It is clear (through the Tumblr page) that the club and its efforts have resonated with a lot of people…It’s the thing I am most proud of.” Nora Markey ’18, who was chosen to be a peer counselor last spring, explained that the Peer Counseling Program, which started in the mid-1970s, is another great resource that Deerfield has for students struggling with mental health: “There [are] lots of resources available for mental health, [but] it’s just a matter of those resources being known… actually, 30% of the school sees the therapist at some point.” Markey “learned so much” from a two-and-a-half month spring training she went through to prepare her for her role as a peer counselor, where they “meet and receive training from counselors, health professionals, [and] inclusion directors.” Dr. Bicknell feels that “peer counselors are an important presence in the daily life of the school, trained to respond with support and encouragement to the people they live with.” “De-stigmatization [of mental health issues] happens when we consider that going through periods of emotional turmoil is normal,” noted Dr. Relin. “[There are] a lot of students on campus, many of whom you might not expect are struggling inside.” Markey hopes that students recognize that “struggling with mental health is totally normal and doesn’t make you crazy” and hopes that “students [are] more aware of the signs of mental illnesses like eating disorders or self harm so that they can get a friend [to seek help] if they see it…a lot of people don’t know how easy it is to see a counselor, peer counselor, or seek the help that they need.”

From the boys varsity hockey team winning the Flood-Marr tournament for the first time since 2002, to the girls varsity swim and dive team placing second in New Englands, the winter season was full of exciting moments and memories. Here are the final records for each team: Coed Alpine Skiing: Boys had four 1st places, one 4th place, and a 2nd place at New Englands. Girls had four 2nd places, two 3rd places, and a 9th place at New Englands. Co-captain Sevrin Sarachek ’17 stated, “The most memorable moment was the NEPSAC championships. Our five guys at New Englands gave it everything and it was an exciting day of racing. We snagged a 2nd place New Englands finish, which was awesome.” Boys Varsity Basketball: 5 wins, 18 losses. A highlight of the season was when Kaleb Robinson ’17 scored a buzzer-beater to secure the win against Andover 69-67. “When the ball went through the net, it felt surreal,” Robinson stated. Girls Varsity Basketball: 10 wins, 10 losses. Co-captain Lily Fauver ’17 recounted one of her favorite memories of the season: “When we were at Choate, we were down by 11 at halftime and when we got back on the court you could feel a difference in the energy of the girls. When Felicia hit the 3 to tie it up our entire bench was freaking out and when we won by 8 points we all stormed the court to hug Ms. Stedman.” Boys Varsity Hockey: 10 wins, 13 losses, 2 ties. The captain was not available to comment. Girls Varsity Hockey: 11 wins, 7 losses, 3 ties. Co-captain Jenna Greenbaum ’17 stated, “I thought our season went really well. Not only did we improve our record, but the girls on the team became closer than any other year. We barely missed a spot in playoffs, and I attribute most of our success to the great team chemistry.” Boys Varsity Squash: 10 wins 4 losses. Captain Danny Finnegan ’17 recalled a highlight of the season: “A 4-3 win in front of a big crowd at St. Paul’s, and a 7th place finish at New England’s.” Girls Varsity Squash: 14 wins, 1 loss. Co-captain Maddie Chai ’17 recounted a great memory she had during the season: “One particularly memorable moment for me was winning New Englands. Even though we tied with Greenwich Academy, Deerfield hasn’t won New Englands in many years, and usually GA sweeps both Nationals and New Englands. It was a great note to end the season on.” Boys Varsity Swim and Dive: 5 wins, 4 losses. Next year’s captain Andrew Penner ’18 explained, “Going into this year, we knew it was going to be a rebuilding year, after we had so many seniors graduate. Throughout the season, our team continued to build and get faster, culminating in a surprisingly good finish at New Englands.” Girls Varsity Swim and Dive: 8 wins, 1 loss. Co-captain Madisen Siegel ’17 reflected on the season: “I think we had a very successful season. We had a great record (we only lost one swim meet) and coming in second place at New Englands to Greenwich honestly felt like winning first place.” Coed Wrestling: 11 wins, 6 losses. Next year’s captain Connor Finemore recalls the season as “great progress from 4 years ago when the program was almost gutted by the school. The seniors had a great influence on me and the team, and it’s sad to see them go.”

Sold-out blankets that retail at $250 each. A $30,000 minimum fee for guest appearances. Piano lessons from a Grammy Award-winning producer. A reality show in pre-production. 8.8 million Instagram subscribers. Who needs a college degree when you can be on track to become a 15-year-old millionaire just by appropriating the stereotype of a “ghetto chick” on a controversial episode of Dr. Phil? Danielle Bregoli, also known as the “Cash Me Ousside How Bow Dah” girl, skyrocketed to viral fame and fortune last September after appearing on Dr. Phil as a reckless, 13-year-old guest. Her foul language, weird accent from “the streets,” and obnoxious antics have taken the Internet by storm. Her iconic catchphrase can be heard on nearly every part of the globe. Even on Albany Road. Bregoli is not the originator of her outrageous persona. Her head rolling, lip smacking, hair-flipping ways have been executed by thousands of Black women before Bregoli’s appearance on Dr. Phil. These behaviors emerged out of Black urban culture and for the most part are demonized by mainstream media whenever Black women engage in them. For many Black girls, the street accent and ghetto behavior that Bregoli uses as a costume to hyperbolize her persona is their authentic reality, and for them, it wasn’t by choice. Yet, she is the one that social media has chosen to elevate to a viral celebrity status while the originators of her antics are left in the dust and rarely achieve a fraction of the fame that Bregoli has managed to obtain. Instead, they are ridiculed and labeled as “ratchet” menaces to society while being forced to watch people from other races who engage in the same manner be celebrated. Dozens of “out of control” Black teenagers that have appeared on television talk shows similar to Dr. Phil and engaged in behavior and speech similar to Bregoli’s have yet to be given the opportunity to own their own clothing lines and appear in a music video with Kodak Black. Bregoli’s mother called Dr. Phil as a desperate attempt to reform her White daughter’s criminal behavior as well as correct her “street” accent. Yet, an urban Black girl speaking in Ebonics (African-American Vernacular English) and smacking her lips would rarely cause enough alarm for her mother to beg Dr. Phil for help. That’s because this behavior and language is a key aspect of Black urban culture that is foreign to and unacceptable in the White dominant society. Now, I am not insinuating that all Black people inherently engage in Danielle Bregoli’s “ghetto” and “ratchet” behavior and speech. Nor am I suggesting that Bregoli is only supposed to behave and speak in a pristine manner solely because she is White. But her rise to fame is not an example of cultural exchange nor can it be attributed to teenage quirks. The “Cash Me Ousside” phenomena should remind all of us that there is a thin line between appreciation and appropriation. Just as students are expected to cite their sources in an essay in order to give credit to the originators of their ideas, so should the media when choosing who should be labeled as the next outrageous viral celebrity.

Ben Callinder ’11, known for his leadership and star athleticism as a Deerfield student, passed away from cancer in May 2016. After graduating from Deerfield Academy in 2011, Ben went on to attend Davidson College. His kind and compassionate spirit impacted the lives of his teammates on the field and his peers in the classroom at Deerfield and Davidson. Ben’s positive and joyful personality carefully hid his fight with cancer even as a Deerfield student. He courageously fought his disease multiple times throughout his lifetime, taking a year off from Deerfield and a semester off from Davidson in order to receive treatment. At the Academy, Ben didn’t let his cancer diagnosis stop him from playing football. Science teacher Toby Emerson first got to know Ben as the JV football Coach. Mr. Emerson recalled, “What really set Ben apart on the football field was his ability to run into people at full speed, [but] what really set Ben apart off the field was his smile and soft-spoken demeanor.” At Davidson, Ben distinguished himself as student body president, a health advisor, and a co-founder of the Black Men’s Union. Ben had interned for both Bloomberg L.P. and the Clinton Foundation, and had secured a position in data analytics with the Brooklyn Nets. Prep for Prep is an educational program that allowed Ben to attend Deerfield Academy for all four years at no cost to his family. The program also helped him secure internships, jobs, and provided post graduate advising. Ben’s fraternity at Davidson, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, has started fundraising to create a scholarship through Prep for Prep to honor his memory. With a $50,000 goal, this scholarship fund would pay for all four years of high school for one student. SAE hopes to honor Ben’s memory through giving another dedicated scholar the same generous opportunities that Ben received. Lucas Tupinamba ’16, now a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Davidson, hopes that the Deerfield community can “[honor] the memory of Ben and [allow] those who knew him, as well as those who didn’t, but still hold respect for his courageous life, to come together.”

Most students who arrive in the Dining Hall early in the morning to get a hot cup of coffee or finish that last-minute assignment have likely stopped to say “good morning” to Bruce MacConnell. Bruce, who has been working at Deerfield for 27 years now, has developed a reputation for warmly greeting students every day and wishing them well on their way. In my experience, Bruce always tells me a joke, which brightens my mood no matter how busy I know the school day will be. Recently, as I was making a cup of tea, Bruce approached me and asked, “How do you catch a unique rabbit?” “How?” I responded. “Unique up on it! How do you catch a tame rabbit?” “How?” “Tame way, unique up on it!” Sometimes, he’ll even attribute his source: “I got that from a five year old,” he chuckled. When I sought Bruce out in the crowded Parker Room to talk to him, he was on his lunch break, about to sit down with a plate of macaroni and cheese in one hand and a crossword puzzle in the other. Between bites of his meal, Bruce described his life growing up in Westborough, a small town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, where he enjoyed playing football in high school. Bruce joined the Deerfield community in 1989 – the same year that the school went co-ed. During his first year, he worked in the custodial department doing the overnight shift in the Memorial Building, which was rumored to be haunted. “One night, I was cleaning the [Hess] lobby, when all of a sudden I heard crashing piano chords coming out of the auditorium,” he recounted. “I figured that when I opened those doors, there’d better be a…security guard with a beard by the piano or I’m outta here!” Bruce later went on to work at Shipping and Receiving for about seven years before joining the dish crew, which is a position he still holds. Bruce stressed that working on dish crew isn’t easy. “[I]t’s dirty. It’s hot. It’s smelly,” he said. “I mean, the kids are the best part of the job.” Anyone who knows Bruce knows that he makes a point of getting to know students. “I’m sixty-seven now, which is only nineteen degrees Celsius! I think that’s why I get along with the kids so good,” he joked, “[because] I’m a nineteen year-old, trapped in a sixty-seven year-old body! Now, if it were me in a nineteen year-old body, I’d be way awesome!” Last spring, Bruce even gave me a fist bump for good luck my senior year. “[A] bunch of years ago,” Bruce explained, “there was this one kid, and I [said], ‘so you got bumped up to a senior,’ and he says ‘yeah,’ so I gave him a senior fist bump… I started calling it the fist bump of good fortune.” Bruce would also joke, “If you didn’t get one, you would have to spend a PG year at Choate!” As Uwa Ede-Osifo ’18 commented, “When I go up to clear my plate, I can always count on Bruce being there to make my day.” She also mentioned that, if you don’t know Bruce yet, it’s never too late to introduce yourself.

To some, the flag is (unfortunately) little more than a national standard. But to millions of other Americans, the Stars and Stripes are sacred, reminding them that no matter who they are — the Kentucky coal miner who works long hours underground to power the gears of his nation, the Iowa corn farmer who toils to feed his country, the Michigan steelworker, arms scarred from a lifetime of smelting, who kisses his baby daughter on the head when he leaves for work at four-thirty in morning, and returns home when she is again fast asleep that night, so that we may build buildings he will never walk in — they live in a truly exceptional country. A country like no other in human history, that, even with its nasty blemishes, has, through its commitment to the ideals of liberty and freedom, established its place as the single greatest country on the face of the Earth. The American left has, over the last half-decade or so, committed itself to pushing the once-good idea of internationalism so far that it has devolved into the now common “no human being is illegal, borders are immoral, and anyone who believes in the very concept of borders is an evil ultra-nationalist” left wing inanity. This cancer on American leftism is not a movement that spans the entire spectrum of the country. Rather, it is one centralized in highly urban areas, college campuses and international boarding schools where moneyed foreigners come to “learn” from ultra-liberal professors and get to know their American counterparts who will in a decade or so begin their entrance into the world of the controlling elite. But I digress. The obsession with internationalism has initiated an assault on American nationalism. I always like to say that nationalism is good in small doses; a little bit of patriotism goes a long way. However, here in our “Deerfield bubble,” in our ignorance of its effect, we have contributed — and are continuing to contribute — to the conditions that allowed someone like Donald Trump to become president.

On February 7, in an email to faculty and staff, Head of School Dr. Margarita Curtis announced the appointment of Dr. Ivory Hills as Academic Dean. Dr. Hills will take over for interim Academic Dean Mr. Joe Lyons on July 1, 2017. At Deerfield, Dr. Hills serves as a Chemistry instructor, the Director of Sustainability, and the Director of the KIPP Step Summer Program. He has also worked with the Rising Scholars Program and the Experimentory. Dr. Hills earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry at MIT and then worked as a research scientist at Merck Pharmaceuticals for over five years before coming to teach at Deerfield in 2011. In her announcement, Dr. Curtis mentioned that at Merck, Dr. Hills “held managerial responsibility for the research efforts of four scientists and also worked collaboratively with teams of six to twenty scientists,” which, she explained, will enable Dr. Hills to bring “a different professional background and expertise to the school, and as such, he will richly complement the skill set of other members of senior staff, and provide fresh perspectives on the issues at hand.” According to the job description, the Academic Dean’s responsibilities are to “oversee all aspects of the curriculum, explore new research in the field of education, identify topics and leverage discussion regarding best practices in adolescent education, and lead the faculty and staff who support student academic matters.” Other duties include supervising Academic Honor Committee (AHC) hearings, interviewing prospective faculty, co-chairing the Academic Standing Committee and Alternate Studies Committee, and more. Mr. Lyons believes that “Dr. Hills’s respect for Deerfield students and faculty, his sharp analytical skills, and his calm demeanor will serve Deerfield well.” Dr. Hills became interested in the position because he saw it as a chance “to ensure that our curriculum… continues to be relevant for students, [as] the world is changing rapidly.” One of Dr. Hills’ goals is to help “students to be properly challenged and not overwhelmed,” and faculty to feel “supported, valued, and excited and rejuvenated by their profession.” In taking over this new role, he hopes to still teach chemistry, and intends to spend the first year as Academic Dean learning from faculty, students, and families. He also wants “students to be aware that they can come to [him] for anything.” Dr. Curtis emphasized that “Dr. Hills has not only demonstrated high professional standards and a consistent pursuit of excellence in a number of areas, but also displayed a generosity of spirit, and a level of commitment to the community that creates an affirming, caring culture for all.”

After a long day of classes, co-curriculars, and club meetings at Deerfield, the work is far from over — there is still reading to do, tests to study for, and projects to complete. And yet, if you ask students why they study for tests, the answer would probably be to get good grades. You ask, but why do you want good grades? Well, to get into a good college. Why do you want to attend a good college? To get a good job. Why do you want a good job? To make good money and have a good life. This line of logic is common not just among Deerfield students, but among people all around the world. Superficially, this logic may seem convincing. In our capitalist and consumerist culture, we are constantly bombarded with all sorts of false messages and advertisements, promising us that buying some product will make us truly happy. We love keeping up with the Kardashians, pretending that we had their lives, escaping into the utter insouciance and bliss of wealth. We are tricked into believing that money will bring us happiness. For others, the thing that they most desire is fame. They wish to become a household name and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. And still, others desire power and spend their entire lives attempting to crawl up the corporate ladder. Even from a very young age, we are indoctrinated to view success in a certain way. When you ask an elementary school student who they want to be when they grow up, they say Bill Gates, Tom Brady, Angelina Jolie, Neil Armstrong. They say Barack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, J.K. Rowling, Oprah. No child says that they want to become a small family farmer in some insignificant rural area. No child says that they want to work in a nursing home, feeding and cleaning up after discontent elderly people. And yet, I believe that the conventional notion of success — that the most successful people are those who are wealthy, famous, and powerful — is fundamentally misguiding for a number of reasons. Even though there are many definitions of success, I feel that at some level or another, most of them are centered around the notion of happiness. We want to get that grade or earn that award or get that promotion because we feel that those things would make us happier. After all, if they did not make us happy, then why would we work so hard to achieve them? If we believe that people pursue success in order to be happy, then a great irony is immediately apparent. Why are so many people willing to sacrifice their own happiness in order to achieve their goals? One of my classmates recently said that they mostly want to become a neurosurgeon for the money. Another said that they don’t really want to become a corporate lawyer, but they are willing to do it for the money. Though this logic is shared by a myriad of people all over the world, have you ever thought about how strange it is that people are willing to do so? Is it worth it to toil in a job you hate for 40 hours a week, every week, for over 40 years, just for a few blissful years of retirement? Or is it better to earn less money, but spend most of your life doing something about which you are truly passionate? Moreover, people often lose sight of what is truly important in the mere pursuit of success. They work nonstop, and they allow their relationships and health to deteriorate. In the past, I, too, have fallen into this trap, sometimes forgetting to contact my family for periods at a time. When we are taken over by this workaholic mentality, we no longer take time to smell the roses; life turns into a beast that we must conquer instead of a ride that we can enjoy in the company of those who matter to us. Nurses report that when people are on their deathbeds, they often say that their biggest regret in life is not having spent more time doing the things they love with the people they love. Not even the richest person on earth can buy back the time lost in the pursuit of success. Not even the most powerful person on earth can raise their loved ones from the dead. There is no true and lasting happiness that comes from money, fame, or power. When we become rich enough to buy a better house, we may be happy for a moment, but soon we will set our eyes on an even better house. We will want to be even richer. We will want to be even more famous. We will want to be even more powerful. There is no end to this vicious cycle; like an addiction, we will never be satisfied, but we will always be left craving for more. I believe that if we wish to be happy, we must redefine what it means to be successful. We must acknowledge that the pursuit of worldly interests like wealth, fame, or power will never truly satisfy. Rather, I believe that success comes from improving your life and the lives of those around you. Even though common people like custodial staff or factory workers are hardly ever recognized, society would not be able to function without their important jobs. In this view, the small farmers working in rural areas and the diligent staff working in nursing homes are just as successful and worthy of praise as people like Angelina Jolie and J.K. Rowling. I believe that the best way to bring happiness is to give happiness. Whether it is volunteering to help those in need, making the time for the people that count, or complimenting a stranger on his or her outfit, these are the acts that make the world a better place for everyone. These are the acts that inspire a genuine, everlasting sense of warmth and happiness that cold, hard cash simply cannot.

Of course, much of these possible policies are very much hypothetical, and may never be implemented. Trump may realize the consequences of imposing extremely high tariff barriers and forcing US companies to move out of China, and put an end to this speculation. And without doubt, China would also be hurt tremendously by a trade war. It truly would be a “lose-lose” situation.

Since its founding in 1797, Deerfield Academy has undergone a variety of changes. Some obvious shifts that have affected the Academy include the switch to co-education and the renovation of campus buildings, such as the Koch Center and the Hess Center. However, Deerfield has also experienced more subtle changes, such as a diversified student body, an increased use of technology, and a rise in specialization. Firstly, a larger pool of applicants over the years has resulted in a diversified student body. Philosophy and religion teacher Mr. Michael O’Donnell said, “The student body is more diverse in an authentic way.” For example, the student body has become more well-rounded over the years. “School spirit in the past was driven a lot by athletics, so it was cheering, competing, and winning [that mattered],” explained science teacher Mr. Andrew Harcourt. However, now, with a larger variety of students being accepted, Mr. Harcourt noted that the theatre and arts branches of the school have developed into much more prominent aspects of Deerfield life. However, some wonder if the growth and diversification of the community has also meant a loss of cohesion between students and faculty. In the old days, “most of the rules and decisions were set by the faculty,” English teacher Mr. Joel Thomas-Adams explained. “Part of that is because the students knew the faculty and the faculty knew the students.” In previous decades, as Mr. Thomas-Adams pointed out, administrators would be selected from faculty members who would later resume their positions as teachers, so their primary roles were as educators closely in touch with the student body. However, Mr. Thomas-Adams believes that today, faculty members look more towards “the direction of parents and trustees” rather than towards students to guide their decisions. In turn, “the faculty as a body of power, as the core of this school, have been pretty marginalized.” Interactions between faculty members and students are not all that have changed. Students’ mindsets have also dramatically shifted, which is largely due to the increase in specialization in recent years. Mr. Harcourt explained that this trend towards specialization in sports, arts, or academics “is definitely a change from the well-rounded, broad-based liberal arts standard that we used to have.” Previously, tri-varsity athletes were quite common, whereas nowadays they are much more rare. Now, students more frequently get sports exemptions during off-seasons. History teacher Ms. Mary-Ellen Friends added, “In the past, I used to see more kids ‘kicking it around’ on the weekends, while now I see them with tutors, and not having as much fun. Now [they are] getting out for rink time, whereas before they’d be playing wall ball.” Many believe this intensity has increased due to college pressures. “I think nowadays the stakes are so high and there’s a concern that your particular child may not be able to cut [it],” said Mr. O’Donnell. “Therefore, there’s less and less risk taking, and more ‘I’m going to have a private coach for my kid, a Skype tutor, and an outside consultant for college advising.’” Like students, teachers too have become more specific in their areas of focus. “We get a lot of faculty now who are specialists, so that sense of [a] ‘triple-hitter’ (a dorm resident, teacher, and coach) is not the definition of a prep school teacher anymore,” said Mr. Silipo. “I always felt that this, though, was a core reason why people wanted to be at these places. Whether as a teacher or as a student, you wanted the total package.” Many say that, as a result of specialization, the stress levels of students and their families regarding college have grown and continue to grow with every incoming class. “Sometimes the kids who come in are a little more intense [in their respective areas of focus],” said Mr. O’Donnell, “so that is definitely something that has changed over time.” Another shift that has impacted the campus environment is the increased use of technology. “In teaching science having technology is fantastic,” remarked Mr. Harcourt. “In terms of bringing people together, however, it doesn’t work as well.” Mr. Harcourt articulated that one of the main problems Deerfield faces is the overuse of the cell phone, which he believes can hinder students’ ability to grow and mature as independent individuals. In the past, there was only one phone on each dorm hall, “so there wasn’t that sense of talking to your mom once or twice a day, or texting in general,” described Ms. Friends. “This sometimes discourages students from the hard task of working with their teachers and encourages them to go to their parents first.” Although she believes the phone can keep students from becoming more self-reliant, Ms. Friends also sees how it has provided them with an easily accessible support system. “I think in some ways it has been very positive in the sense that if a student has hit some difficulty, it’s pretty easy to get a team of people together, including parents, to help,” she said. At the same time, she mentioned that this connectivity threatens the entire premise of a boarding school, where isolated students in a close community can consider the wider world from afar. “This generation has been raised inside the technology and is almost incapacitated from the ability to think critically about it,” stated Mr. Thomas-Adams. He mentioned that, while “places like [Deerfield] could provide that experience for them,” students may be too connected to the world to consider it critically. Nonetheless, Deerfield has kept some aspects almost exactly the same throughout the years, such as maintaining the focus on dorm life on campus and preserving traditions such as sit-down meals. However, as Mr. Silipo put it, “these places, as old fashioned as one might say they are, are still quite dynamic.” Over the years, Deerfield has readily adapted to change, embracing the reality of a modernizing world. For better or for worse, it will likely continue to do so in years to come.

Participation is a core component of the curriculum at Deerfield and at most of our peer schools. In humanities classes, participation typically accounts for 20-30% of a student’s final grade. However, feels that the current system of class participation and grading at Deerfield often favors extroverts at the expense of introverts and sometimes even works contrary to its intent. First of all, we think it is important to distinguish between introversion and shyness. While these two concepts may sometimes be connected, they are certainly not equivalent in psychology. Being an introvert simply means that you “recharge” yourself by spending time alone or in the company of just a few friends. Introverts also tend to reflect deeply on their thoughts and like to think before they speak. On the other hand, shyness is essentially a fear of negative social judgment or humiliation. It is completely possible for introverts to be outgoing and good at public speaking; they just need more time to think before speaking and some good downtime alone at the end of the day. certainly believes that public speaking is an important skill, but we feel that there are a few problems with our current system of participation. In many discussion-based classes, the teacher may pose a question and then open the floor to the students to answer. Typically, after a student offers a satisfactory answer, the teacher moves on to a new topic or question. However, we feel that this system of participation is biased towards extroverts or students who can think very quickly. It is typically the same group of extroverted students who speak first, leaving little room for introverts to participate, who by nature simply need a bit more time to collect their thoughts before speaking. Introverts can be just as engaged in class as extroverts, but often someone else says exactly what they were about to say just a few seconds faster, making it difficult to participate under our current system. It is difficult to think of an everyday situation where it is not possible to simply take a few more seconds to think before speaking. Learning is not a buzzer contest, and it is unfair to penalize students simply for not thinking a few seconds faster. also feels that the pressure of being graded on participation sometimes compromises our ability to have deeper and more meaningful discussions. Many students participate in class solely for the purpose of participating or raising their grade, and the discussion table is a fight to speak. Instead of taking time to consider what each person is saying, students often cut each other off to talk about an unrelated topic so they can get participation points. We believe in the value of thoughtful silence; we feel that it is sometimes more productive to spend some time contemplating what has been said in the discussion rather than charging on and only addressing each issue superficially. Ironically, our current participation system may actually discourage some students from participating. Some Deerfield students have said that after trying to participate for so long to little avail, they’ve simply accepted the fact that participation would lower their grade. We feel that participation grades alone are an ineffective motivator because instead of participating in class, they simply try to score higher on tests and papers. These students begin to see class participation as a horrible burden, rather than a useful learning tool. Additionally, some students who are strong in STEM say that they dislike the humanities because of how participation affects their grade. thinks that there are many ways we can improve the participation system at Deerfield. While we are certainly not experts in pedagogy, we feel that it may be worthwhile to experiment with a more structured learning environment. For example, instead of allowing students to blurt out their answer or thoughts as soon as they think of them, it may be useful to wait a few moments and allow others to gather their thoughts as well. In this way, all students will be able to think critically about the problem. By purposely waiting, this also alleviates the pressure that many students feel to answer quickly, and it encourages more thorough and thoughtful answers to the question at hand, rather than the first answer that comes to mind. This style of participation would be more inclusive to everyone. If teachers even call on students who do not raise their hand, they can help build shy students’ confidence to speak. This would also be better at motivating students to speak than participation grades alone. Both introverts and extroverts can learn many things from each other. In open class discussions, extroverts should leave some room for the introverts, and perhaps even take the lead by asking other students what they think. We believe that great leaders are genuinely interested in everyone’s opinions, not just in stating their own. There is value in thinking more before you speak. We would also encourage introverts and shy students to speak up in class and risk being wrong. It takes a long time to come to terms with the idea that it’s okay to be wrong, but that acceptance can be life-changing. There is a new sense of freedom to be gained. Elbert Hubbard, an American writer and publisher, once said, “to avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” Truly, there will always be someone who can find fault in what you do, no matter how well you do it. Deerfield is also one of the best places to risk being wrong; there are no consequences for saying the wrong answer in a class discussion. believes that if all of us work together as a community to make the discussion table a more welcoming environment for everyone, we will not just benefit introverted or shy students, but rather hear increased diversity of viewpoints and have even greater and more meaningful discussions.

On February 24 and 25, the Deerfield Academy theater program will present the children’s musical in three performances. The cast and crew has performed at Newton School on February 15, a YMCA on February 22 and will soon perform at Greenfield Elementary on March 1. This August, they will perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, the largest arts festival in the world. “It is a great honor that we have been chosen to represent this school and this country on an international stage,” said Mrs. Catriona Hynds, the director of the musical. “…[Touring and outreach work] really makes them think about how the play educates beyond just the performance.” Mrs. Hynds gave significant consideration to selecting which musical to perform. “Since we are bringing the performance to the Edinburgh festival, I wanted a musical with a name recognition… [and] something with a real quality musical score… Even though it is a children’s musical, is about stereotypes, family dynamics, and living your life in a balanced way,” she explained. “We have some really great talent here at Deerfield Academy, and Lucy Binswanger rocks,” Mrs. Hynds remarked. “They’ve worked really hard, and I am proud of the professionalism that everyone brings into the rehearsal room.” In addition to the cast, numerous other Deerfield students worked hard behind-the-scenes to help put the musical together. Assistant director Kaycie Sweeney ’17 worked with Mrs. Hynds, theater coach Ms. Robinson, and Mr. Hynds to deconstruct text, create the blocking (organizing the actors’ positions and movements on stage), and help the actors to better connect with the characters. “Every day, rehearsals are an instant pick-me-up to my day, and I love working with my peers on a project that we are all very passionate about,” Sweeney said. As the stage manager, Suzy Mazur ’18 was responsible for keeping track of all the actors, props, sound cues, light cues, blocking, and scheduling. “I have really enjoyed all of the organizational, management, and logistical details that go into producing a show,” Mazur explained. “Seeing the show come together is very rewarding.” As the dance captain, Amelia Evans ’18 choreographed the large dance numbers. “I enjoy the fact that… I am a member of the creation team this time,” she said. “Instead of choreographing for the dance showcase, where I try to incorporate advanced choreography, the movement I chose for this production was purely for the enjoyment of the children.” Maddy Beaubien ’19 designed the set for the play. Since the set had to be moveable to the Edinburgh festival, she designed three backdrops made of fabric. “I really enjoy the freedom I had in my job,” she remarked. “I went home and just drew up what I thought would be best. I had so much control over it, and it was very relaxed.” Mia Silberstein ’20 was a member of the tech crew and did the lighting for the play. As such, she was in charge of setting up the equipment, installing and learning how to operate and program the new board, and running the lights when the production goes to Edinburgh. “I definitely enjoy the sense of community that comes with being a part of the tech crew. In many ways, much like any sports team, we are a family,” Silberstein said. There are many ways for Deerfield students to get involved in the theater program. Mrs. Hynds explained, “Theater is a co-curricular that welcomes all levels of experience, and I would encourage anyone who is looking for an opportunity to audition.”