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Deerfield’s demanding workload and high expectations make it difficult for some students to pursue all of their interests. Some students are not able to attend school-organized music programs, such as orchestra and chorus, due to conflicts with other activities. Yet, despite their busy schedules and the lack of recognition on the stage, some of these students have pursued their musical interests on their own time. For example, Madisen Siegel ’17 has played classical piano since 2nd grade. She was very involved with classical piano before coming to Deerfield, and earning a silver medal in the Forte International Music Competition. At Deerfield, Siegel has private piano lessons with Private Music Teacher Barbara Lipstadt since her freshman year and goes to the practice rooms in her free time. However, Siegel has had a hard time fitting arts classes into schedule, and her club meetings interfere with out-of-class groups such as the orchestra. “I think it can be difficult for athletes to express their artistic side at Deerfield,” Siegel remarked. Tai Thongthai ’17 also plays classical piano, which he began studying by the age of four. He explained, “I started off as a competition pianist, but I didn’t really like it, so I play music more for enjoyment and self-expression.” During his time at Deerfield, Thongthai has explored other facets of music as well. He started voice during freshman year and loves to sing in his free time. He also started producing electronic music at Deerfield. Thongthai explained, “Producing is a great way to express how I feel, and my music often reflects my mood at that time.” Like Siegel, though, Thongthai feels that room for artistic expression is limited by the rigorous schedule at Deerfield. “It is difficult for me to find large chunks of time to pursue my interests in music, but I love playing piano or singing when I have free time because music a great stress reliever,” he said. Mary Mack Brown ’18 started playing the mandolin four years ago. Before then, she played the guitar but wanted to try something different. “Originally I started playing it because my mother loved the way it sounded, but after playing it for about a week I began to love the sound as well,” she said. Brown takes mandolin lessons once a week during a free period and also practices it during the week if she has free time. She elaborated, “I do feel like there is adequate time to practice mandolin at Deerfield, but I always wish I had more time for it.” Deerfield has many resources to aid students interested in the arts and many teachers who are passionate about helping student musicians improve. For example, the practice rooms in the basement of the Hess Center are open for the Deerfield community to use for both individual practicing and collaboration. As some final advice to all “hidden artists” at Deerfield, Music Teacher Mr. John Van Eps said, “Music works best as a shared experience. Surround yourself with other musicians, talk about what problems you are having and what pieces you are working on, and share your stories.”

Although he mostly rode the bench, George Fair ’17 was the only ninth grader to make the varsity boys’ soccer team in 2013. Fast forward three years, and his time taking the field for the Big Green is quickly coming to an end, but the senior has done everything in his power to make his final season a memorable one for both himself and his teammates. Fair has saved his best for last, scoring a team-high 10 goals through the first 12 games. More importantly, he has helped put the team in contention for a playoff spot, a first for Fair. “Obviously we have exceeded expectations,” said Fair, “but we are not content. It’s my fourth year on the team and we have never been close to the playoffs, so we are happy with the progress but certainly not content.” Speaking of his personal success on the field, Fair credits the depth of this year’s soccer team; PG Chad Haggerty ’17, a player who has just recently returned from mononucleosis, has helped with the scoring load. “Early in the season, I felt more responsibility to score,” said Fair, “but getting Chad back helped a lot. It allowed me to play with a lot more freedom and my teammates have just been putting me in good positions to score. Scoring is great but it is just a product of good team play.” Coach Ramesh Rajballie is certainly happy to see Fair’s success and especially the team’s progress. He cited Fair’s consistency as being particularly impressive. “He has been a reliably successful striker,” said Coach Rajballie. “The team almost expects him to score now because he has been so consistent. Even with the increased attention being directed his way by opposing coaches and teams this season, Fair has still found a way to score.” “He is very valuable to the team,” stated Fair’s teammate Reid Shilling ’17. “He has so much skill and such a strong finishing ability that he allows everyone else to just worry about getting the ball to him because they know he is going to finish.” Shilling also noted the effort Fair makes off the field to help the team improve: “He is not the most vocal guy, but when he speaks it carries a lot of weight. He picks what he has to say wisely.” Shilling also pointed out the effect that Fair has on boosting team morale: “He is always the first guy to pick someone up after a bad practice or a bad game and give them encouragement.” Looking ahead, the playoffs are an obvious goal for the team, but Fair pointed out one game in particular that holds extra significance. “Personally, I really want to beat Choate,” he said. “I have been anticipating it for so long that I just want to play well and beat them.” One aspect in particular that adds meaning to this game is the presence of alumni, many of whom played with Fair in years past. “I loved being around the older guys; it was always serious, but also so fun,” Fair reminisced. He admits that his favorite memory of being on the team is simply being around the other players. “I miss all of those guys from my younger years.” He distinctly remembers being a younger player on the team and loving the atmosphere, and now feels that it is his time to show the alumni how much he has grown. “I have seen how the Choate game affects people. I have thought about it a lot,” Fair stated. “Definitely on that day, the emotions will be flying. I was really tight with the alumni, which includes my brother, so I just want to perform for the alumni, play well, and give them a show.”

Seven times a week, students and faculty gather together to share a family-style sit-down meal, one of Deerfield’s most treasured traditions. While I believe that sit-down meals are a wonderful opportunity to get to know members of the community that I may not otherwise get a chance to meet, many students and I find sit-down dinners on Tuesdays and Thursdays to be cumbersome for a number of reasons. After a long day of classes and co-curricular activities, students are often extremely tired and simply want some time to wind down. However, when athletic practices run late, many students are forced to rush straight to the dining hall without even showering. When these students also have first waiting obligations, sit-down dinners become an even greater cause of stress. The large number of clubs and activities that meet after sit-down dinner from robotics to orchestra even further compound the hustle and bustle of Tuesdays and Thursdays. Many students are forced to hurry straight from classes to co-curriculars to sit-down dinner to clubs and activities with hardly any time in between, and only then do they have time to start homework. While the intent of Tuesday and Thursday sit-down dinners may be great, I often find it difficult to truly appreciate sit-down meals when I am both mentally and physically fatigued. Some might argue that sit-down dinners are actually intended to be a restful break in students’ schedules, but I would prefer to use that time to grab a small bite to eat, take a power nap, or even do homework and go to sleep earlier. Some nights during sit-down dinner I feel in danger of falling asleep right at the table, and I know that a number of my friends feel the same way. While it may seem like a 30-minute sit-down dinner should not make such a big difference, it really does have a great impact on the student body. Recently, I have been hearing excitement all around the school that winter term is coming because there will be no Tuesday and Thursday sit-down dinners. When a vast number of students are already sleeping well below the recommended eight to nine hours a night, every minute makes a big difference in students’ happiness and also their health. It is perhaps worth noting that a number of faculty members have also expressed their dislike of Tuesday and Thursday sit-down dinners. After their long day working, I feel that it is not unreasonable for many table heads to want to spend more time with their colleagues or children, especially considering that some of them will be on duty for two hours that same night. Just to be clear, I am personally fond of Sunday sit-down dinners. I think that sharing a meal as a school is a wonderful way to start the academic week, and I love singing the Deerfield evensong. As we all embrace each other and sway gently to the peaceful melody, I cannot help but feel the overwhelming sense of friendship that transcends our differences and unites us as a school. The absence of classes and co-curricular activities on Sunday allows everyone to truly enjoy each other’s company in a leisurely meal, which is much truer to the ideal of what sit-down meals are supposed to be. I believe that changing Tuesday and Thursday sit-down dinners to walk-through meals would not alter who we are as a school, nor would it represent a shift in our core values. While tradition is important, I feel that we as a school should not be afraid to reevaluate our traditions from time to time to see if they still achieve their intended purposes. Despite not having Tuesday or Thursday sit-down dinners during winter term, I still feel like I have adequate time to meet new people and get to know everyone at my table. There are notable differences, however: I no longer have to rush to first wait without showering, I can get more work done and sleep earlier, and I am as a result happier and healthier overall. Ultimately, I believe that having walk-through dinners on Tuesday and Thursday would relieve students and teachers alike without compromising Deerfield’s great values of friendship and community.

Since its opening in January 2016 as part of the library renovation, Deerfield’s Innovation Lab has offered a wide range of opportunities for students to turn their ideas into reality. The lab, run by Research, Innovation, and Outreach Coordinator Ms. Emily Richardson with assistance from science teaching fellow Ms. Meghan Jimenez, exists as an open space with a variety of tools and materials for students to utilize. Its chief purpose is to foster creativity and learning through experimentation. It is open every day during regular school hours and evenings, and is located on the lower level of the Boyden Library. As Assistant Dean of Faculty and English teacher Mr. Peter Nilsson explained, “The Innovation Lab prompts students to ask the question: ‘What tasks do my projects require and how can I arrange my workspace to best accommodate these tasks?’” Students are able to create whatever they wish, from shelves for their rooms to lightsabers for a Halloween costume. Notably, Andres Milmo ’17 created a wooden monitor stand in the Innovation Lab that has proven to be very successful. There is also a community project in progress to construct a light fixture. “A lot of core skills are discovered through direct manipulation of material,” explained Director of Communications and visual arts teacher Mr. David Thiel. Both he and Mr. Nilsson mentioned that, in particular, students develop critical thinking skills through experimentation, as they must continually anticipate and solve problems that arise. Furthermore, the establishment of the Innovation Lab has paved the way for more project-based classes, including Mr. Thiel’s Design for Human Impact class, which is centered around creating effective solutions for real-life problems. In the class, students go through the process of designing, prototyping, testing, and finalizing their creations. Currently, students in Design for Human Impact are working on devices to solve problems surrounding earbuds. Some are building mechanisms to prevent tangling while others are finding ways to store the earbuds in a compact fashion. Just as in the Innovation Lab, through this class, Mr. Thiel hopes to “help students with what they want to achieve” by encouraging the process of trial and error, as well as teaching them how to use various tools. “I hope to instill the idea in [students] that a set of tools is just as valuable as word processors or spreadsheets or digital cameras,” said Mr. Thiel. Ultimately, the Innovation Lab “provides the opportunity to experiment with materials and learn about the mechanics of the world,” as Mr. Nilsson stated. “There is something so empowering about building something on your own.”

A few weeks ago, I received an email informing me that I was placed on Level I Restrictions because of three late overnight forms. Two of those three late submissions were last-minute family plans, leaving me no other choice but to submit them after the Wednesday 10:15pm deadline. As a result, I accumulated 12 APs during the first few weeks of school. Compare this to freshman year, when I missed a few sit-down meals and was not penalized as heavily. Four APs for one overnight form is excessive; two APs for skipping a sit-down meal undermines the irresponsibility behind the action. There are many other pairs of offenses that are not equal in severity but are assigned the same AP values—take, for example, skipping a co-curricular activity and not posting a weekend signout form on the door. How is forgetting to tape up a sheet of paper as bad as missing a co-curricular commitment? I think different cases of APs as belonging to one of two broad categories: absence and negligence. The first describes the failure to show up to required events such as a class, school meeting, or a sit-down meal. Under this umbrella are activities that are essential to shaping the Deerfield community; when students fail to show up to these events, they negatively impact Deerfield. Negligence, on the other hand, is more of a mistake than a conscious decision to go against Deerfield’s rules and expectations. Students are assigned APs for common mistakes that anyone can make, such as not signing up for buses on time. Likewise, a student who has to leave campus for sudden unforeseen reasons would also be assigned four APs if that student submits a weekend form after Wednesday. Understandably, faculty members are forced to stay up late at night to go through hundreds of late forms. Although absence and negligence both negatively impact the Deerfield community, there are many offenses across these two categories that are not equal in severity but have the same AP values. Right now, submitting three late weekend forms is “as bad” as skipping six sit-down meals. Clearly, one is a more irresponsible action than the other. The current AP system, which is almost 20 years old, has no student input as to what the point values should be for different offenses. A reevaluation of these point values would help create a system that holds students accountable in a more reasonable manner. A revision in the current AP system should be centered first and foremost on student opinions. We can start by sending out a schoolwide poll to identify which offenses students are the most concerned with. From there, the administration can hold a series of meetings with the student body that serve as a platform for discussing the offenses in question. After creating a new scale of point values, students and the administration can vote on a new system. Many times, the number of APs students receive are out of proportion with the small mistakes they make. A revision in the current AP system by incorporating student opinions will more accurately reflect the severity of student actions, thereby helping the Deerfield community run more smoothly.

Dear Reader, As the school year of 2015-16 drew to a close, I became increasingly concerned about the prospect of a Deerfield without its beloved seniors. I worried that, with the loss of a class that did all they could to “bring it back,” our spirit would suffer. I worried that we might become less supportive, less lively, less rowdy. I worried the green and white would fade. Now, as the end of that anticipated year’s fall term is on the horizon, I feel both relief and excitement that my pessimism from last spring was unfounded, that Deerfield has not lost the spark it gained last year. Some specific moments in the last week have enabled me to feel this way about our campus in this moment. On Sunday, November 8th, with three friends in stride, I made my way down Old Main Street to the O’Donnell’s House for the Albany Road Coffeehouse. As I opened the door, I immediately saw upwards of 45 pairs of shoes strewn across the foyer floor; this event was more attended than I would have ever imagined. Every room of Nims house rang with music and poetry. The house was so crowded that I could hardly walk around without bumping into my peers. I sat in the O’Donnell’s living room for an hour, listening to songs, spoken word poetry, and prose. As an audience, we listened, but also participated, singing along together, and laughing at and snapping to the written works of fellow students. I was shocked to see people I never would have expected to even show up, laughing and listening intently to the art around them. It was a Deerfield moment I’ll always remember, and one that solidified my belief that this year’s school spirit will surely compare to last year’s, if not surpass it. In the heat of Choate Week, I spent a large portion of my Tuesday morning frying up bacon outside the Hess with a group of seniors, cheerleaders and non-cheerleaders alike. It’s the little things like this and the Coffeehouse that have already made this year so memorable. I hope our community will continue to bring this spirit to games, arts productions and presentations, and relationships with others. With that said, we still have a lot of year ahead of us. Let’s bring this spirit with us. Hold onto it. Congratulations on finishing up strong. All the best, Perry Hamm Editor-in-Chief

On most Saturday mornings at 7:00am, students usually are fast asleep in their dorm rooms. However, horseback riders Rachel Penner ’19 and Ella Holowesko ’20 are awake and ready to train off campus by 8:00am. Their destination is Kelianda Farms, an equestrian facility in East Granby, Connecticut, where the pair spend most weekends practicing with their horses. During the winter, they travel all over the country to competitions from Marlboro, Maryland to the HITS Winter Circuit in Ocala, Florida. Both Penner and Holowesko travel for show jumping contests, where they typically compete against 30 to 150 other girls in events judged on a variety of technical and flair points. The sport requires a deep relationship between horse and rider, as even one small mistake can prove costly. “You have to trust [your horse] completely and both be in it 100 percent, because it’s not just for you but for the animal,” said Penner. “In riding, you can enter a race and lose within the first second.” Despite the challenges and cutthroat competition at contests, both girls have enjoyed success in their age and height categories. This year, Penner was crowned champion in one of the largest equestrian riding competitions in the nation, while Holowesko qualified as a top-70 rider and won her respective division. The pair feel that their titles are a product of sustained dedication for many years. Holowesko recalls that she missed “birthday parties on Fridays even when I was eight or nine years old. I would be at the barn late and then wake up early on Saturday to go ride.” Penner began riding even earlier than Holowesko; she has been taking lessons since she was four years old. At Deerfield, Penner and Holowesko’s riding commitment often means finding time to finish work or juggling horseback training with volleyball, as both girls play the sport as a their fall co-curricular. “I’ll sometimes have to go in the car and just do some homework quickly before my class,” Holowesko commented. “If you have shows on a weekend, like horseshows, when everyone’s getting time to rest and catch up on work, you’re sitting in a barn.” Although riding is a lot of work, she has no regrets. “It is a big commitment but at the end of the day you can make it work.” “I feel like a lot of people don’t see horseback riding as a sport,” noted Penner. “But riding takes a lot of physical and mental strength, and it’s an incredibly huge commitment. It’s a dedication to an animal who you’re trusting your life with.” Ultimately, Holowesko and Penner’s passion for the sport motivates them to train off campus up to six times a week. “It takes up a lot of time,” said Penner. “But there’s nothing more satisfying to me than going to a competition and doing the best I can.”

“Half my life ago, I killed a girl” is the frankest line of Darin Strauss’ memoir, Half A Life , which traces back to the year he turned eighteen, when a fun trip to mini golf turned into the day his life would be lived for two. Driving in his Oldsmobile, Strauss struck Celine Zilke on her bicycle and sent her flying at forty miles an hour into his windshield. Haunted by his memories of Celine’s death and his unwillingness to face the accident, Strauss tells a story not of the typical adolescent drinking and driving accident, but of his life after a “no-fault fatality,” a car crash where someone swerves into an automobile intentionally, and the driver is not at fault. As he confronts Celine’s parents, the two people he hasn’t had the courage to face, he is burdened with a comment from Celine’s mother that will haunt him for the next twenty years. “‘Whatever you do in your life, you have to do it twice as well now.’ Her voice went dim. ‘Because you are living it for two people.’” Strauss’ only encounter with Celine’s mother permanently ties his life to another’s. Celine’s would-have’s and should-have’s become Strauss’ reality throughout college, marriage, and parenting. This is made clear when Celine’s parents begin suing Strauss for millions of dollars. Although the lawsuit is eventually dropped, Strauss continues to be haunted by his memory of Zilke. As he begins to express his feelings, undergoing therapy as a release, and putting pen to paper, Strauss faces his past. He writes to help others with similar feelings and experiences, and to “finally [look] hard through the window of memory, a neat square cut into the years.” As Strauss believes, this book is not one of self-pity. Instead, it is a book that illustrates the regret and guilt felt through a life that owes itself to another.

Wondrous vocals swirl around the audience, engulfing the theater with vibrato. Lucky Deerfield students and faculty sit in a row, enraptured by the emotion filling each note and gesture onstage. Fifteen Academy members attended the world’s second most-performed opera, La Traviata , at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on April 21, provided for by the generous fund of Sheldon and Marilyn MacLeod ’45. In the past, the MacLeod Opera Trip has attended operas at the Boston Lyric Opera. This year, Director of Music and organizer of the trip Daniel Roihl explained, “Why not go to the best? The Met is certainly one of the most reputable opera houses in the country, if not the world.” Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata ( The Fallen Woman ) was composed in 1853. Mr. Roihl said, “[Guiseppe] Verdi is the undisputed master of Italian romantic opera.” The opera tells the story of a terminally ill courtesan and her romance with a young nobleman. It centers on the theme of class-difference that is signature to operas. Mr. Roihl described the multi-faceted manner in which the tale is expressed. “It combines theatrical arts, musical arts, costuming, staging, and visual arts. It really is a cornucopia for the senses.” Edric Tam ’12, an attendee, said, “While the melodies and harmonies in western music are usually defined, the subject of the music and the intentions of the composers can be subtle. However, in operas, because story telling, acting, and singing happen at the same time, it is easier to feel the emotions, understand the music, and appreciate the composer’s genius.” “It is interesting that you act through singing. In our real life, we often compare our life to song lyrics. In opera, it seems like they actually act through the lyrics,” said participant Jack Park ’14. Among the faculty attending was Head of School Margarita Curtis. She commented, “Opera is a spectacle that combines many different art forms, and as such is a richly textured performance that engages you on many levels. While the libretto and the choreography are important elements, for me, the music¬—and especially the quality of the voices—is paramount.” A ticket to an opera, which fuses a multitude of art forms in a polished and “larger than life” manner, costs a minimum of $175. Mr. Roihl said, “The Academy is deeply grateful to [the MacLeods’] generous legacy which will enable many of our students to experience the incredible spectacle of this inimitable art form.”

A ninth-grader who placed fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke event at New England’s with a time of 1:08, one second away from the school record, Claire Collins ’15 is one of the brightest stars in girls’ athletics. This spring, Collins has added to her impressive athletic record as a first-year rower. Collins pulls times on an ergometer that not only break the records, but also match times of women in the best Division I programs. Her caliber of athleticism is difficult to put into perspective. Collins’ 7:06 two-kilometer test on an ergometer is so impressive that the USRowing U18 Junior National Team’s Head Coach Liz Trond contacted Collins to invite her to row with the junior national team this summer. When asked about her reaction to Trond’s invitation, Collins explained, “I am excited rather than stressed about this opportunity.” English teacher Louise Kinder, the new girls’ varsity crew coach, believes that Collins has both the mental and physical strength of a future Olympic rower. “It is just a matter of time,” said Ms. Kinder. “Crew is a sport that requires patience and attention to technique.” Ms. Kinder, who graduated from Deerfield in the class of 2005, rowed for the University of California at Berkeley and has a national championship under her belt. After talking about her coaching experience at the collegiate level, Ms. Kinder said that she frequently has to remind herself that the erg times produced by college athletes equal the times produced by Collins, a freshman in high school. A six-year swimmer, Collins brought her talents to the girls’ team and contributed to the team’s 2nd place finish at New England’s. Sonja O’Donnell, the girls’ varsity swim coach, believes that in addition to her developments in technique, Collins’ greatest improvement in the past season was her mental strength. Mrs. O’Donnell, who is also coaches novice girls’ rowing, believes in the importance of psychological toughness required in athletics. In her opinion, mental preparation is as important as any other aspect of performance. “During my last season before coming to Deerfield, I had a tough time dealing with the mental aspect of swimming.” Collins admitted. “Mrs. O’Donnell taught me to focus and relax, which is a huge component of rowing as well.” When asked about the future, Collins stated her deep desire to compete at the Division I level. “Going D1 is definitely a long-term goal of mine, but at this point, it will not likely be for swimming,” she said with a laugh.

Arms and legs intertwine as each dancer’s movement portrays the vivid emotion of the African-American experience. Passion pulses through each gospel melody, pointed toe, and heart-pounding rhythm. There is a story in each dance and a life in each motion. The world-renowned dance company Ailey II will perform next Monday night, April 9, in the spring Academy Event and lead residency activities for the academic dance classes. The performance will include a range of pieces by Alvin Ailey, the founder of the dance company, and emerging contemporary choreographers. Academy Events Coordinator David Howell said, “There will be a wonderful cross-section between some historical works with great significance and choreography, and some exciting new ideas that will inspire our students.” The juxtaposed harmony between pieces choreographed by Alvin Ailey and those by contemporary dancers will forge a stage bearing the uniqueness of African-American heritage and the modernity of contemporary dance. Most notably among the historical dances, the company will perform Ailey’s signature piece, Revelations. Ailey described it as “a suite of spirituals in three sections.” The first section, Pilgrim of Sorrow, depicts the faith to transcend the heaviness of life’s burden. Take Me to the Water, the second section, recounts Ailey’s own baptismal. The third section, Move Members Move, is set on a Sunday morning in a country church and emphasizes the great faith and joy of the people. Mr. Howell said that, “Revelations contains messages of hope, inspiration, jubilation [and] happiness in the midst of sorrow [where] most of the choreography is steeped in African American tradition.” The hearty melodies energize the dancers as they evoke the emotions and unparalleled cultural stories rooted in the symbiotic duet of music and dance. Fine Arts Department Chair and dance teacher Jennifer Whitcomb and Mr. Howell both applauded the professionalism, energy, and youthfulness of the company. Ms. Whitcomb added, “They don’t hold anything back because they are really climbing and clawing into major companies.” These ascending dancers, close in age to Deerfield students, provide a lens through which we may see ourselves. Mr. Howell said that the “same kind of drive that characterizes the vast majority of Deerfield students is possessed in these dancers.” He said “that energy, that pride, that joy of being a part of a very long tradition of [Ailey dance]” possessed by Ailey II dancers resonates with the feelings of students about Deerfield tradition. Nina Shevzov-Zebrun ’12 said, “Everyone can benefit from opening his or her mind to new forms of expression.” She added, “It will be interesting to observe the Ailey II dancers’ technique and style and to try to absorb as much as possible.” The Alvin Ailey dance style melds African-American culture and stories with modern dance technique in a form that activates each muscle with emotional energy—an energy that flows smoothly at times and strikes staccato at others. Ailey’s fused style is a product of both his dance background and heritage. Ailey began formal dance training after being exposed to dance when he attended performances of a ballet and the first African-American modern dance company. He trained with the founder of America’s first racially integrated dance company, Lester Horton. Ailey II utilizes Horton’s modern dance technique and welcomes dancers of all ethnicities. Ailey explained, “We are really celebrating human beings and we are trying to make an identification with the black past.” He added, “I am a choreographer. I am a black man whose roots are in the sun and the dirt of the South. My roots are in the gospel churches of the South [with their] anthems to the human spirit.”

We live in a community of over eight hundred people, where it is difficult to know everybody’s name. Over time, it becomes easier to recognize the faces of not just teachers and students, but staff as well. Through her winter exemption, Ashley So ’13 has worked to put names and stories to some faces in the Deerfield crowd. At the beginning of the winter term, So petitioned for a co-curricular exemption to photograph, interview, and write about DA staff members. “I’m compiling a book. I’m interviewing different people on campus—grounds crew, physical plant, dining hall, even the Historic Deerfield tourguides—and getting to know their stories,” So explained. So’s exemption is not simply an outlet to hone her photography and reporting skills; it is a way for students and faculty to get to know those who play integral roles in campus life. “I feel that we stress community and how the people here are so important, but I think we are forgetting an important aspect of the community,” she said. “We are so busy. We connect with students, teachers, and people in the dorm, but not as much with those who work ‘for us’,” So said. Though we may say “thank you” to a Dining Hall employee or offer a “good morning” to a grounds crew member, we rarely connect. “I guess I’m just providing that angle that people don’t see everyday. We come from all over the world, and [the staff members] also have their own stories about how they got to Deerfield,” So explained. And every story is different. Hoping to get unique material from each interviewee, So deliberately did not ask pre-formed questions in her interviews. “Whatever I find out about them, whatever they feel is important, I try to make it into a story. This project was definitely more work than I thought it would be,” So said with a smile. So’s hard work has paid off. With the start of the spring term, her project will enter its final stage—printing and distribution.