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We appreciated this year’s more intensely student-run MLK Day Celebration, reflected in the engaging activities and presentations scheduled for the day. As students participated in the same activity, the breakout sessions induced discussions and built community. Still, organizing sessions into English classes, halls, or groups in which students are more comfortable, could help maximize discussion. More importantly, Dr. Curtis’ informal chat about her experiences as an immigrant and a minority in America was a great way to get to know our head of school on a more personal level. Lastly, the cookies and cocoa provided at the end of the day ended the event on a high note. Unfortunately, there was a disappointing sense of obligation hovering over the day. While the required all-day celebration is understandably irritating, most students are unaware that our celebration of this day originated fifteen years ago out of student protest over a lack of observation. In light such a past, it is quite disrespectful to treat the day as a burdensome obligation. Further, clapping solely for the America flag seems antithetical and perhaps even rude. Let us remember that MLK Day is to celebrate Deerfield’s diversity.

For many children and families around the world, early February marks the most respected and fun tradition of Chinese New Year. Lively dragon dances and the gifts of red packets containing money are only some of the customs. Chinese New Year originally honored family, heavenly deities, and ancestors. Now, since times have changed significantly, most families celebrate by having a simple gathering. The meaning of Chinese New Year is to renew friendships and family ties, and to forget old grudges. The date of Chinese New Year changes every year. This year, the Year of the Rabbit, begins February 3. Many predict that it will be a calmer year than 2010. The Year of the Rabbit is associated with home and family, artistic pursuits, diplomacy, and keeping peace. There are many traditions on the days preceding the holiday and on the Chinese New Year. “Getting together with family, the food, and receiving packets with money inside them are definitely my favorite traditions,” said Deidre Yiu ’11. Other traditions include watching bright fireworks and visiting neighbors. In addition, some families watch local celebrations on television. Some of the older traditions include cleaning the whole house to get rid of all the bad luck and misfortune hiding within the walls, painting doors and walls red, and hanging up paper-cuts with words written on them. These words are often on themes of happiness, longevity, and luck. A handful of families enjoys celebrating Chinese New Year in an old-fashioned yet strict regimen over fifteen days. Some days are devoted to seeing parents, some are strictly to eat vegetarian foods, and others are birthdays of gods that play a continuous role in spiritual life. In the U.S., many cities also celebrate this holiday. Shanya Hopkins ’14 said, “At my old school in New York City, we used to study Chinese history and every year we would do traditional Chinese dances.” Many students and teachers would love to present the holiday here. The International Club will hold a party, or make a presentation at school meeting. To add another festive touch, the dining hall will serve delectable Chinese food. In addition, students will sell red packets with chocolate coins inside. Chinese teacher Cindy Feng anticipates that celebrating Chinese New Year at Deerfield Academy will be beneficial to the students. “It’s nice for some of the international students to have a taste of home, and it’s good for students that live in the U.S. to develop their global perspective.”

For those of us raised in a colder environment, one of childhood’s greatest joys was having a day off from school in the middle of a long winter, and wrapping a scarf around a newly crafted snowman—safe and secure at home. Fast forward to life as a day student. Snow days now mean one of three things: spending a sleepless night on the floor of a friend’s dorm room, sitting at home doing homework and feeling guilty for missing school, or waking up early in anticipation of a dangerous drive to Deerfield through the unplowed streets. Deerfield’s off-campus faculty and staff likewise face a risky drive through the snow. From the grounds crew who must spend the wee morning hours making campus school day-ready to students who must brave the deep snowdrifts to walk between classes, soaking their pants in the process, days that bring deep snow are known to be dreary—and often an excuse for a day of snowball fights in classes, causing the day students who braved the elements or lost valuable sleep to wonder whether it was worth coming to classes at all. Students, faculty, and teachers alike—particularly those whose children have no school—would benefit from a relaxing sleep in. With Deerfield’s concern about teens’ sleep needs, and winter stress relief, a snow day would bring peace of mind to all.

Ty Kelleher ’14 may be a freshman, but with his incredible skills on ice, he is an essential member of the boys’ hockey program. The Scroll caught up with Kelleher to learn more about his season, teammates, and future as a hockey player. The Scroll : Were you born with a hockey stick in hand? TK: Pretty much. I’ve been playing hockey for as long as I can remember. My dad had me skating basically before I could walk, so it’s been my life for a really long time. TS: Are the rumors true that you are committed to play hockey at UNH? Why did you choose UNH? TK: Yes, I am. I decided to commit to UNH because I’ve heard nothing but good things about the coaches, and I loved the campus. It’s always been my dream to play for UNH. TS: What is it like being the only freshman on the team? TK: It’s really fun to have older friends and teammates, but the best part is chirping Adam Ellison ’13 for getting sniped on during practice. TS: How is playing with all of the Canadians? TK: It’s horrible. I wish I didn’t have to. The Canadian style of hockey, especially the goon Ben Masella ’12, will never match that of the Americans…. Just kidding, they’re all good guys, and it’s been really fun. TS: Do you have any pre-game superstitions or special warm-up? TK: I like to do the same warm- up and put my equipment on the same way every time. I also like to play soccer before the game with Kevin Roy ’12 and Masella. TS: What is your favorite pump-up song before games? TK: “The Adventure” by Angels & Airwaves. TS: What was your most memorable goal/game/play so far this season? TK: Probably scoring a hat trick against NMH [in his opening game of the season]. TS: What was it like to play during 80s’ Night in the Barn? TK: It was awesome and the environment was unreal, but it was too bad that we lost. TS: Who has influenced you most at Deerfield so far? TK: Probably Mr. McVaugh because he is my hockey coach, dorm resident, and academic advisor, so he’s helped me out a lot in all of those places. TS: What was it like beating Choate in the barn in overtime? TK: Beating Choate in overtime was unbelievable, and it was definitely up there in the most memorable wins I’ve been a part of. TS: If you could change one thing about Deerfield right now, what would that be? TK: Probably less work so I don’t have to spend my whole night on homework. TS: Who on the team uses their seniority over you the most? TK: Definitely Greg Browne ’11, for reasons only the team can know. TS: In your opinion, who has the best ‘flow’ on the hockey team? TK: I’m going to have to go with myself. I take great pride in my flow although Roy’s is a good contender. Jake Thoubboron ’13 has the worst flow in the league. TS: When you’re not playing hockey, you are… TK: Chilling with Devin Joyce ’11 and Jordan Janzce ’13.

I woke up early on Sunday, January 9, to go to the Old Brick Church. I arrived, and Reverend Hallstein opened the service by saying that in light of recent events, we would have a time for reflection and discussion about the horrifying shooting that had occurred the previous morning. As she described it, I felt sickened. My stomach tightened into a knot. I was ashamed I hadn’t heard about the shootings until more than 24 hours after they occurred, and I shared everyone’s shock that something so awful had happened right here in the good ‘ole USA, in an average supermarket, on an average Saturday morning. After church, as I read news about the shooting and the political discourse that followed, I asked myself, what did I think? The discussions centered on several questions: the interpretation of the Second Amendment, the need for gun control and background checks, the similarities between this shooting and previous tragedies. But one thing seemed clear to me in the midst of it all. Although we may never agree on the interpretation of the Second Amendment, or the best use of guns, or how to control them, guns are bad. Gun violence may seem far away to many people at Deerfield, but for me it strikes right near home. I come from a poverty-stricken city torn with gang violence, Rockford, IL., which was recently highlighted in a New York Times article, “Portraits From a Job-Starved City.” I went to Auburn High School there, and during my freshman year I sat locked in my English classroom for three hours because a ninth-grader from my school was shot in the cornfield across the street. I remember in middle school when an eight-year-old boy, who attended the Boys & Girls club program at my church, accidentally shot his best friend when they found a loaded handgun in a vacant lot. I remember in 8th grade when Scott Madison* was shot by his cousin in gang-violence. On January 22, one person was killed and four were injured when someone open fired into a group of party-goers on Sherman Ave, four miles away from my house, two miles away from my church, and less than a mile from Auburn High School. Gun violence, especially related to gangs, is an everyday occurrence in Rockford, IL., which doesn’t make it any less terrible or horrifying. After the shootings in Tucson, Arizona, I spent hours looking at all sorts of studies and statistics designed to convince the reader that stricter gun control laws were good or bad, effective or ineffective. The truth is, there are numbers out there to prove any point you wish to make, but what I know from living in Rockford, IL, is that guns kill people every day and it’s easy for us to forget about it here in our Deerfield bubble. Even for me, it’s easy to forget about the violence that tears apart the city I call home. When it takes a shooting as widely publicized as Gabriella Giffords’ to grab our attention about gun violence and gun control laws, something is wrong. Contrary to the popular line, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” guns do kill people. Everyday. No matter what we believe about the “right to bear arms,” I believe we all have the responsibility to pay attention to what is really happening around us and support programs and policies that minimize gun violence. *Name has been changed.

The pounding high-tops of the girls’ varsity basketball team are only beginning to scratch the gleaming surface of what could become one of the most promising eras of athletic talent that Deerfield has ever seen. With seven freshmen on the team, and the equivalent in returners, head coach Darnel Barnes could not emphasize enough the amount of potential this team is boasting. “We’re young, energetic, enthusiastic, and extremely talented,” he said. With this talent, the girls are setting the bar higher than has been feasible in years past. Starting forward Elizabeth Murray ’14 said, “We have to win at least half of our games to make it in the playoffs. Deerfield hasn’t made it in a few years, and I think if we keep working really hard we’ll be there, but of course it will be tough.” Big competitors this season include such familiar names as Choate, Taft, Loomis, Andover, and Suffield. “At the beginning of the season we played in the Eight Schools Tournament and beat some pretty good schools that aren’t even in our league,” said co-captain and four-year-veteran point guard Rosemary Straut ’11. “That gives us a lot of confidence because we now have a greater idea of how well we’ll do against our regular season competitors.” The players’ confidence is backed by hours of hard work. Each practice is a precise regimen of passing drills, lay-up work, scrimmages, shooting series, run- throughs of specific game plays, and court-lengths and court- lengths of sprints. Although Mr. Barnes runs a tight ship, returning player Marissa Morte ’12 said, “Basketball is the highlight of his day. He’s such a dedicated coach. Of course he wants us to win, but it’s also obvious that it’s really important for him to just be out there on the court encouraging us and motivating us to do our best.” To become a big name in New England basketball, a team needs a lot more than just stellar line-up and talent. “We can win,” Mr. Barnes said. “Since we are in control of our own fate, and we have such a young team, we look to the leadership of the returners to take us as far as they are willing to go.” Although this season’s 4-8 record hasn’t been as glimmering as hoped for, the road to such success can only come progressively. Such instances of poise and progression were seen at a recent game against Andover. Although Deerfield lost in the end, their incredible first half cannot be overlooked. While bravely going toe-to-toe with one of the toughest team in the league, our girls put on a ferocious performance before halftime. “The girls on the other team were huge,” said Mr. Barnes, “but that first half was by far the best basketball our girls have played so far.” At the end of the first half, Deerfield was only down by two points, and powerhouse Andover had to rally from DA’s unexpectedly dangerous performance to conclusively possess that evening’s victory. “At the end of the day, we’re young,” said Mr. Barnes, “so it was great to see our girls play such a good half, but, starting now, we want every minute of every game in the future to be played with the same amount of first half energy.” This goal seems reachable, according to co-captain Kendall Carpenter ’11. “No team is out of our reach,” she said. “Every one of the girls brings something to the table. We’re not only going to be strong this season, but the program will continue to be good in the future.” As Mr. Barnes said, “I want us to be in the hunt every year; I want their coaches to say, ‘Man, we’d better get ready. Deerfield is coming.’ “

If approved by the administration, the new policy will increase the ratio of students to teachers, widen the age range of student members to include juniors, and add the position of student chairperson. At present, the D.C., which acts as an advisory to Head of School Margarita Curtis, requires four faculty members and four students at each hearing.The new system would add eight more students. Student body president Charles Giannini ’11 hopes that with this modification, students will be more willing to trust the disciplinary process. “We want to create a committee that better represents our community,” he said.Adding juniors to the board will also ensure that the committee always has a diverse selection of members. This change will also bring the respect associated with being a community leader to those on the committee.“We believe that a seat on the D.C. is a leadership position comparable to a position on Student Council or proctorship,” said Giannini. Dr. Curtis values the advice of the current D.C. but is confident that this change can be for the better. “Including a wider body of members will surely advance the committee’s ability to make a balanced and carefully deliberated judgment,” she said. Some object to equating a student’s judgment to that of the faculty or administration. “This is a prep school, not a democratic society,” said Eliot Taft ’11.“A teenager, whose brain has not yet fully developed, should not have more, or even equal, say than a teacher with a masters or Ph.D.It’s completely ridiculous.” However, both Giannini and Dr. Curtis trust that those selected will be capable of taking on this responsibility, because with this system, the D.C. will never be without experienced committee members. “That scaffolding is strong enough to support students as they hone their critical thinking skills,” said Dr. Curtis.

Stephanie Shumway may be a new member of the Deerfield faculty, but she is not new to the world of dance, or even the Deerfield dance program. Asked to find a hip-hop choreographer by Fine Arts Department Chair Jennifer Whitcomb, Ingrid Kapteyn ’09 recommended Ms. Shumway. That year, Ms. Shumway choreographed her first piece at Deerfield for the 2009 Winter Showcase, and has worked with Ms. Whitcomb and students on every showcase since. Influenced by her older sister and mother—both dancers—Ms. Shumway started dancing at the age of three. By the time she was sixteen, Ms. Shumway was teaching classes of her own. Shortly thereafter she began dancing with professional dancers. This past fall, Ms. Shumway became an official dance teacher in the co-curricular program. She teaches three classes to beginner, intermediate, and advanced level dancers covering jazz technique and hip-hop style weekly. In addition to teaching technique and combinations to her students, Ms. Shumway makes it a priority to help her students improve their flexibility and strength. “Everyone is always sore after Steph’s classes, but we still think of them as the best classes of the week,” said Flora Donovan ’12. “Her excited attitude and fun combinations make our hard work well worth it.” Ms. Shumway explained, “I believe that as a dancer it is important to take good care of your body and keep it tuned up to prevent injury. That is why I workout frequently, practice Pilates, and do conditioning exercises with my students. A couple of years ago I also went through training to earn massage therapy license. I get a massage every three weeks and have noticed a huge improvement in my dancing and well-being since then.” Though a large part of her life, dance does not monopolize Ms. Shumway’s time. She also enjoys photography. “I would love to have my own workspace and dark room some day, and maybe even do some more free-lance work,” she commented. When asked what other jobs she has held previously, Ms. Shumway descibed some modeling work she has done for M.A.C. Cosmetics: “I played the part of a ballerina in one of their live ad campaigns. They did some incredible make-up and I wore a beautiful costume. It reminded me of the kinds of things you see in Vogue . It was a blast.” Although challenging, her classes are always a favorite among the dancers, and her pieces are always a hit in the showcases.

When you log onto DAnet or DAinfo, have you ever wondered who is the mastermind behind the neat configurations on these websites? The position of Web Applications Programmer has been vacant for nearly a half-year, until Christian Day took over the job in early January. Self-described as energetic and curious, Mr. Day has an extensive background in computer science. Mr. Day graduated with a BA in Computer Science from Manhattanville College. He continued to pursue a MA from Brandeis University before teaching Computer Science at both Emma Willard and Exeter. In 2007, he left teaching to pursue a career as a web programmer. He has since worked at a small software implementation company with an emphasis on Web. 2.0, a new technology primarily intended to facilitate web searches. “It’s interesting to be a programmer; web is everything now, [and] a lot of things are changing,” Mr. Day commented. His favorite aspect of the job is “finding problems and solving them, [and] looking deep into the code.” “I’m responsible for the code on DAinfo and DAnet,” Mr. Day said, “and right now I’m fixing a lot of bugs. Ultimately, once the bugs are in better control, we’ll be looking into adding features on DAinfo.” Deerfield’s location was one aspect that drew Mr. Day here. “It’s particularly amazing, something about both the Deerfield campus and students made me feel like that this is a place where people are well cared for. It’s a place I want for my children.” The close relationship between the faculty and students also sets Deerfield apart from other schools. “You might watch graduation [at Exeter] and not recognize about a third of the students who are graduating. I have a feeling that, just in my short time here, Deerfield is different.” Born in Cambridge, MA, and raised in Maine, Mr. Day now calls Troy, NY, his home. He lives with his wife, a math teacher at Emma Willard, and their two children, Aiden and Aniella. Mr. Day’s family decided to stay back in Troy while he came to Deerfield. Being away from his family for most of the week “is still new. I go home on the weekends and some weekdays; the rest of the time, [we] Skype to stay connected.” Mr. Day said. “It’s a great technology; I can help my son with homework, and my daughter can show me her new ballet routine.” A cycling and lacrosse enthusiast, Mr. Day hopes to continue these activities at Deerfield. He believes that it’s important to have “a variety of interests to keep you motivated and moving forward.”

In light of the recent Martin Luther King, Jr. day celebration, civil rights is one topic on our minds at Deerfield. In the 1950’s and 60’s, African-Americans fought to pass the Civil Rights Act, which gave them rights equal to those of Caucasians. A comparable movement today in the U.S. is the fight for equal rights for homosexuals. Just as African-Americans fought against segregation, gays are currently fighting for civil marriage. However, in an even broader sense, both movements are about simply being accepted. This fight for acceptance is relevant, especially on the Deerfield campus. Just think about the gay young men such as Seth Walsh who committed suicide just months ago because peers tormented and harassed them for their sexual orientation. This issue not remote, either. Recently, a Deerfield teacher reminded us not to swear or say sexual slurs having to do with homosexuality at wrestling matches. I would have thought that Deerfield students would be more accepting and have more respect for people who are different from themselves. Earlier in the year, the Deerfield Gay Straight Alliance held its annual coming-out day, where students had the opportunity either to share a personal part of themselves with the community, or to announce their support for students who have sexual preferences other than heterosexuality. I was not one of those brave students who stood on the stage that day and pronounced their support for gay rights, and I must say, I am ashamed of myself, for it is my firm belief that everyone in this world is equal and should have equal rights. Ten countries now have legalized gay marriage, but only five U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have legalized gay marriage. Those fighting against gay marriage would argue that just being together is enough. Some even see sexual preferences other than heterosexuality as a sin. But being allowed to live together without being prosecuted is not enough. If a man who loves a woman is allowed to have a big, happy wedding with the whole family, why shouldn’t gays be allowed to do the same? If all people are created equal, one of America’s basic doctrines proposes, then all people should be entitled to the same rights. If being allowed to live together is supposed to be “enough” for a gay or lesbian couple, then why are heterosexual couples treated differently and allowed to marry? One of the few arguments still standing in opposition of gay marriage is the idea that the purpose of marriage is to “procreate,” and because two people of the same gender cannot reproduce they should not be allowed to marry. However, even this argument is no longer effective. If a couple is lesbian, they can have children by artificial insemination. A same-sex couple cannot have a biological child together, they can still adopt and raise a child. There are currently many kids in the foster care system who are in need of loving families—which these couples could provide. In fact, what about heterosexual couples who are infertile or choose not to have children? By this rule, they, too, should not be allowed to marry. It would be better just to let everyone marry. Marriage, by my definition, is about love and commitment. Who that person is should not matter. Made a common phrase by Abraham Lincoln in his 1863 Gettysburg Address, I believe that all people “are created equal.”This principle applies to the issue of gay rights, and rights issues of any kind. If some are allowed to do something, then everyone should be given that privilege. If heterosexual couples are allowed to “get hitched,” or “join together in holy matrimony,” same-sex couples should, too. For sources, contactthe author.

In the mind of Linda Kengne ’14, one of the actors in Voices in Conflict , “It is a play to make people aware. There is a war going on. Just because we don’t hear gunshots where we are doesn’t mean that there is no war. People are dying right now, and many Americans don’t even know it.” The winter theater production, Voices in Conflict , is based on the words of American soldiers and Iraqi citizens, and it voices their experiences and hardships during the war in Iraq. Director of Theater John Reese said he chose Voices in Conflict because “the play presents all viewpoints on the war, and is a tribute that honors the troops who make daily sacrifices on our behalf.The least we can do is to appreciate their sacrifices and those of their loved ones.” The play “really interested me,” said Benji Reed ’13. “It’s an issue I didn’t know much about.” The cast includes students who performed in the fall production, such as Jem Wilner ’11, Gabriela Espinosa ’12, and Elisabeth Yancey ’12, as well as new actors who have yet to participate in a play this year. The cast not only memorizes lines and blocking, but also watches documentaries, such as The Ground Truth , in order to understand the emotional aspects of fighting in a war and later returning home. “The films made it easy to empathize with [the soldiers],” said Reed. “It really opened my eyes.” Combined with outside research on the war and on individual soldiers, these movies help immerse the actors in the setting. “I was against the war before the play, and I still am,” reflected Thomas Shuman ’13. The controversial subject matter led to a sudden banning of the play on the day of the play’s debut at Wilton High School in Wilton, CT in 2007. However, Mr. Reese noted, “We are just presenting information.” The play shows equal views on the war. “It’s putting forth the words of the soldiers and making the audience think,” Shuman added. With or without controversy, “At least the truth is being spoken,” Kengne said. The cast will be performing Voices in Conflict February 15 through 19 in the Black Box Theater at 7:00 PM.

Molly Muller ’07, a petite, blonde 21-year-old in a grey Colby sweatshirt, sat comfortably in history teachers Joseph and Julia Lyons’s apartment in McAlister I where she was on check-in duty. In addition to dorm duty, Ms. Muller helped coach j.v. swimming with Dana Emerson, attended sit-down meals as a table head, and, most importantly, worked as a teaching intern with science teacher Andrew Harcourt in A.P Environmental Studies and sat in with English teacher Suzanne Hannay in her senior English class, “Literature and Culture of the 1950s.” Ms. Muller is a fourth-year American Studies major and Environmental Education minor at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Her minor requires her to take a “teaching practicum,” which means working at a school for credit, keeping a journal of her experiences, and posting daily on a Facebook forum along with 30 other students. “I immediately contacted Ms. Karbon, my advisor, to see if there was an opportunity here for me,” she explained. Soon, Ms. Muller was happily settling into the empty room on JL 1 South. “I feel like I am walking a strange line between student and faculty resident,” she said. “I am on a hall with juniors and seniors but at the same time I am attending faculty meetings and eating with the faculty at meals.” Ms. Muller joked that she is ambivalent about whether she should be introducing herself as Ms. Muller or Molly. Ms. Muller, who is admirably driven and confident about a career in teaching, explained, “I have always been lucky to have had lots of amazing and inspiring teachers and have always enjoyed learning and sharing that with others.” She hopes to teach at a private high school and is seriously considering boarding school. However, she has a flexible attitude and is up for teaching anywhere, from Maine to California. She also mentioned applying for Teach For America, and added, “At this point, I really just want a job.” She has enjoyed getting to know the young teaching community at Deerfield. “They have really embraced me and made it an easy transition,” she said with a smile. An avid outdoorswoman, Ms. Muller has always been passionate about protecting and preserving the environment, and took an introductory course in Environmental Science her sophomore year. Last spring, Ms. Muller led a backpacking trip in Big Bend National Park and studied sustainability in Tasmania, Australia. From Tasmania, Ms. Muller brought the debate of logging old-growth forests in to Mr. Harcourt’s environmental class.