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On May 3, 2025, a thunderstorm hit the St. Paul’s, Choate, and Deerfield track meet—leading to the third cancellation this season. Students from all three teams gathered in the Koch Center to wait out the rain before hearing news of a cancellation almost two hours later. Throughout the season, the athletes and coaches have faced a series of cancellations. “It’s been a really rough season for normal training and development,” Director of Training Tara Keegan said. Boys Track and Field Head Coach Andy Stallings said the coaches have had to ask the question: “what can we do to make sure that the positive energy in the program is sustained and that the culture remains a positive one?” He—and the other coaches—prioritize the competitive drive and focus of the team; as he described, the team culture comes from the athletes’ consistent work ethic and passion for the sport. “The culture for the team as it is right now... was defined four years ago, when we had a group of older kids on the team who were talented athletes and dedicated workers," Mr.Stallings said. The group of students emphasized a positive, tightknit team culture while setting an example of perseverance and consistency. Now, the team’s culture comes out of the athletes rather than the coaches, he added. “Everyone that shines is really bought into the team culture,” Girls Track and Field Head Coach Callie Gray said. In 2020, the Athletic Program split the track team into a girls’ and a boys’ team. “That’s really when I saw the girls team thrive,” Ms. Gray said. She described how prior to the gender split, athletes would often use track as a cross-training sport for other athletics—now, she feels like students identify as track athletes, creating an even stronger team culture. “That ownership on the team was really important,” she added. Still, both the boys’ and girls’ teams practice together. Captain Allegra Alfaro ’25 nodded to a broad gender divide across Deerfield at school meetings, sit-down meals, and in the classroom—but she said, “The track team has been very immune to that divide.” As a girl, she said she’s “never felt less than” practicing with the boys' team. Each team brings a unique spirit, energy, and focus to practice, Dr. Keegan described; she said, “From the girl’s side, it’s this keen seriousness of purpose, and they’re very organized. They’re also very fun, but this year’s boys team leads with [a] goofy, approachable mindset that helps them stay calm…” This season, the team has maintained their unique spirit and culture, even with the lack of competitive opportunity, Alfaro described. “We do really thrive at meets. I think that’s when the team comes together,” she said. Ms. Gray also touched on the optimistic energy throughout multiple cancellations, saying, “What’s impressive to me is that this team has found meaning without a lot of competition." Alfaro described the need for personal motivation; this season in particular, she found that the most successful athletes had the strongest personal motivation, since they didn’t have the same number of external success markers. “The people who stick to one thing and work at it succeed the most personally because they’re... breaking their own records.” At the canceled meet with St. Paul’s and Choate, the athletes competed in an impromptu dance-off. “They [the coaches] said they enjoyed watching us turn something bad into something good,” Kwasi Adu-Gyamfi ’26 said. He added, “We all went through the same experience… we definitely bonded through it, because this is the first time a meet’s been canceled. It’s an experience we have to get over and keep working through as a team.” Ms. Gray noticed the conversation and connection between all schools—they interacted with a communal rather than competitive mindset. Typically, the Deerfield-Choate rivalry does look different at track meets, both coaches and athletes described. The nature of the individual sport creates more personal competition—as Mr. Stallings said, “You can lose to a team and still be really happy with the way that everyone competed.” He added that it’s noticeable that Deerfield and Choate aren’t “taunting each other and angry with each other.” Going into New England's, the end-of-season meet with a total of 17 schools, Alfaro said, “I think the team has been still very strong despite the competitive meets this season.” As Adu-Gyamfi put it, the cancellations have inspired stronger team bonds. “That brings you closer together,” he said.

COURTESY OF MAX WANG Deerfield Track and Field athletes traveled to Philadelphia over the weekend of April 25 to compete in the Penn Relays, where the girls team delivered strong performances, winning their heat in the 4x400 meter relay and earning silver in the 4x100 meter relay. Head Track Coach and History Teacher Tara Keegan described the event as “a true celebration of track,” drawing high school, collegiate, and professional athletes from across the country. Despite logistical challenges, which included getting two vans from campus to Philadelphia, Keegan said that the trip is “a big labor of love,” something made possible by many faculty and staff supporting the team both on and off campus. “We don’t go [to Penn] every year, so when we do, it’s really special,” she added. “Winning our heat in the 4x4 was such a surreal feeling,” said Senior Captain Alex Hermsdorf ’25. “We were all exhausted but so proud. It was just joy.” Hermsdorf also reflected on the unique energy of the meet:“When I stepped on the track and looked up at the stands, it was packed. It kind of hits you how huge this is,” she said. The boys team faced challenges with dropped batons in both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays. Senior Captain Cai Harrison ’25 acknowledged the tough results. “We dropped the baton in the first race…and then [in] the second race, I dropped the baton in the four by four…we definitely lost a couple of seconds. So it wasn’t what we had hoped for, but, you know, things happen.” Still, Harrison showed positivity towards the experience. “It can be really stressful… but once you’re in there, you feel so small. And because there’s so many people… I think it actually makes it easier to run once you’re there. Because you feel less significant, but not really in a bad way.” Coach Keegan echoed this, as she expressed how proud she was of the way the boys handled their disappointment. “Sports are mostly disappointing, but we stay in it for what comes out of that and the growth that happens,” she said. Both Hermsdorf and Harrison reflected on the van rides, hotel stays, and other bonding experiences. The captains mentioned that sharing meals, cracking jokes, and simply spending time together away from school created a tight knit environment. “It’s really rare to get that much time with your teammates outside of practice,” said Hermsdorf. “You laugh a lot, you eat together, and you make those silly memories that last.” Harrison agreed, noting that his favorite moments were the off-track ones. For him, competing at Penn was “less about nerves and more about taking it all in... Be more excited than nervous,” he advised future relay athletes. In terms of preparation, Hermsdorf admitted it had been a rough start to the season. “We’d had a few meets canceled because of the weather, and I didn’t feel super prepared,” she explained. “But we had a lot of short, sharp sprint workouts and worked hard on our handoffs. The coaches were really supportive as well.” Coach Keegan highlighted the significance of the Penn Relays beyond just competition. “The Penn experience does not center on winning. It is so much bigger than that,” she said. “It’s about exposure to a level of competition and excitement that you don’t get at a normal meet.” Still, she acknowledged that the team’s strong finishes were “nice to bring home.” The event left a great impression on both captains, as they walked away feeling grateful for the experience. Hermsdorf expressed hope that others would get the chance to participate. “Relays are really stressful… but I think it’s a great experience for everyone,” she said. As championships approach, Deerfield Track and Field is determined and ready to finish the season strong.

March 12, Worldwide  – According to a new report by IQAir, all but seven countries in the world (Australia, Estonia, New Zealand, Iceland, Grenada, Puerto Rico, and French Polynesia) faced unsafe air pollution levels in 2024. Long-term exposure to air pollution leads to significantly increased risk of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. ( Earth.org ) March 28, Myanmar  – A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar caused over 3,000 fatalities and 4,500 injuries. The quake was so powerful it caused a high-rise apartment building under construction 1000 kilometers (621 miles) away in Bangkok to collapse. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military junta has continued to bomb parts of the war-torn country, perpetuating the ongoing civil war in the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster. (BBC) April 10, New York City, NY  – The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading revealed that U.S. inflation has cooled to an annual rate of 2.4% in March, down from 2.8% in February. This decline comes as countries, businesses, and consumers face the highest escalation of U.S. tariff rates in over a century. Despite news of lowered inflation rates, economists caution that this may merely be a temporary reprieve. Experts warn that the ongoing trade tensions and rising tariffs could lead to increased costs and economic instability in the near future. (CNN) April 15, Washington D.C.  – NASA’s Perseverance found a “scientific gold mine” of rocks at Jezero Crater, an ancient site that is providing scientists a glimpse into the planet’s ancient history. One of such samples contains organic molecules, the first possible hint of ancient life on Mars. Another sample found likely dates back at least 3.9 billion years; for comparison, planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old. (ScienceNews) April 16, San Salvador, El Salvador  – Kilmar Ábrego García was deported to El Salvador after being mistakenly identified as a member of the international gang MS-13. These allegations stemmed from his clothes, which included Chicago Bulls merchandise, his tattoos, and the word of an unknown informant. After the United States Government acknowledged his deportation as an “administrative error,” Trump officials opposed his release from a mega prison in El Salvador. El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele recently stated he would not allow Mr. Ábrego García to return to the U.S. (The Guardian) April 17, Boston, MA  – The Trump administration escalated its ongoing battle with Harvard after the university openly defied the administration’s demands to limit activism on campus. Officials have frozen more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts. They now threaten to block the university from enrolling international students among other restrictions. Simultaneously, the administration has quietly removed the legal status of at least 1024 students at 160 colleges, leaving them at risk of deportation. (APNews) April 17, Gainesville, FL  – A 20-year-old gunman opened fire on the Florida State University campus, resulting in two fatalities and six injuries. The suspect, a FSU student and the son of a local sheriff’s deputy, was shot and wounded by police after disregarding commands; his handgun was identified to be his parent’s former service weapon bought for personal use. Certain FSU students have shared that this is the second school shooting they have witnessed in seven years, the first one being in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The above is just one incident in a recent series of gun violence and mass shooting events. (New York Times) April 18, Trenton, NJ  – New Jersey sued the social gaming platform Discord for allegedly failing to adequately protect underage users from predators and is the first state to do so. The civil lawsuit alleges violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, highlighting the ease for children to create accounts and insufficiency of measures in place to prevent adult users from contacting minors. This scrutiny follows a 2023 investigation that uncovered over 100 cases of child sexual abuse material in communications on Discord. (NBC News) April 19, Russia / Ukraine  – Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a brief Easter ceasefire amidst the Russo-Ukrainian war. However, just hours after the ceasefire began, Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of violating the ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Putin to extend the ceasefire to the US-led proposal of a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Estimates place the total number of dead and wounded from the war at nearly one million. (CNN and Newsweek) April 19, Dubai, U.A.E.  – The TikTok trend for “Dubai chocolate” caused an international shortage of pistachios. “Dubai chocolate,” a chocolate bar with creamy pistachio filling, has become incredibly popular—the first video praising the chocolate in 2023 has now been viewed more than 120 million times. Consequently, pistachio prices have increased by 35% in the past year and Iranian producers have exported 40% more pistachios to the United Arab Emirates in six months compared to the previous twelve months. (The Guardian) April 20, Greenfield, MA  – The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association faces a significant setback following the termination of a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This funding was intended to support the creation of an educational website about Lucy Terry Prince, the earliest identified African American writer. The grant was abruptly canceled due to the NEH’s shift in funding priorities under the Trump administration, which aims to reduce federal bureaucratic activities.

On Friday, March 28, Deerfield Speech and Debate board members Edie Huffard ’25, Lily Pierce ’25, and Avery Zakowich ’25 (also News Editor of the Scroll), along with Head Speech and Debate Coach Daniel Houston and Director of the Deerfield Fund Kellie Houston, traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to compete in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship (WIDPSC). Huffard qualified for the semifinals in Parliamentary Debate and finals in Impromptu Speaking; Pierce qualified for the Interpretive Reading and After Dinner Speaking semi-finals; and Zakowich qualified for the Persuasive Speech finals. During the competition, each speaker competed in four events: Parliamentary Debate, Impromptu Speaking, and Interpretive Reading, and either Persuasive or After Dinner speaking. Huffard noted that Parliamentary Debate at WIDPSC differed dramatically from the traditional New England format. Instead of ten minutes of prep time, partnerships were given a full hour before each debate. In addition, the organizers randomly assigned partners for each round; during her time in the competition she had a partner from South Korea and two from South Africa. In addition to coaching the team, Dr. Houston also served as a judge for rounds of various competitions. He said, “[Parliamentary] debates are really cool at this international tournament because the partners are randomized, so as opposed to working in someone you’re used to working with, like a teammate, you’re partnered with someone from a different place in the world who might have a radically different debating style... It was really fun to see.” Pierce felt that the global aspect of the competition was also reflected in the prompts themselves. “On the world stage, there are things that are... much more broad and universal,” she said. “There still are topics about language and health care and education, and sometimes it can be a little bit difficult... bridging the gap in a way we don’t have to when we’re competing in our own debate league in New England,” she said. In the Impromptu Speaking competition, speakers were given three topics to choose from and two minutes to prepare a three to five minute speech. Huffard noted that these prompts could vary widely. One memorable prompt for her was a quote from Albert Einstein: “Reality is an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” For the Interpretive Reading competition, each speaker chose a written work of literary merit between five and eleven minutes to perform. In the Persuasive Speaking category, each speaker prepared and delivered a speech on a serious topic between seven and thirteen minutes designed to persuade, and in the After Dinner category, each speaker prepared and delivered a speech between five and seven minutes meant to both persuade and entertain. For her Interpretive Reading piece, Pierce read “What Dark Thing” by Rachel Zucker, which she described as “a commentary on the monotony of daily life as a woman and how the world that we live in kind of places a superficial value on everything around us,” she said. She described her After-Dinner speech as “a satirical kind of commentary on the... wealth and privilege of some private schools... and what the wealth gap looks like between some private and public institutions,” she said. The Deerfield team also explored the area of greater Kuala Lumpur during their trip. Before the competition officially started, they, along with the rest of the tournament’s debaters, toured the National Mosque and Independence Square. They also visited a local durian orchard where they built chairs for a nearby school. Huffard enjoyed this break from the debate room and the opportunity to learn more about her fellow debaters and Malaysian culture. “I built a chair with a girl named Advika. She’s from Singapore, super sweet, and it was just a cool way to meet people outside of the competition... and a sense of the culture,” she said. The location of the competition reflected its intentions. “The multinationalism of Kuala Lumpur was really cool,” Dr. Houston said. “Being able to see a beautiful mosque and Hindu temples in one city was so neat, because it’s that part of the world where these cultures [coexist harmoniously].” During the competition, the team visited the National Gallery and the Perdana Botanical Gardens. After the Grand Finals, the team stayed in Malaysia for one more night before they visited the Batu Caves, which housed a Hindu shrine. Reflecting on his experience as a coach, Dr. Houston said, “It’s extremely busy when we’re there... The tournament is... around the clock. It’s a lot of time in debate rooms. So it goes by in kind of a blur, but it’s really, really fun.” With this year’s championship wrapped up, the debaters are now getting some much-needed rest as the Speech and Debate program sets its sights on WIDPSC in 2026.

On April 13, Deerfield’s International Student Alliance hosted a Zoom meeting with former Algerian United Nations Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi. This meeting provided students with an opportunity to engage with a leader highly experienced in conflict resolution. Mr. Brahimi spoke on being a conflict mediator through his experiences in four different countries and answered student questions. As a member of the International Student Alliance, Abdullah Ali ’25 wanted to fulfill the alliance’s goals of providing opportunities for students to gain a global perspective on diverse topics and creating a space to engage in dialogue. Ali said, “I noticed that the guest speakers at Deerfield have only shown the American perspective on the global community, not any other perspectives.” Ali stated that he considered the American perspective that Bridget Brink, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, had presented to be “very useful and insightful,” given her speech about how she perceives the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine. However, he believed that “[the meeting with Ms. Brink] was a really good conversation, but wanted to present international students with an international perspective.” After talking to Arabic Teacher and International Student Advisor Lina Samawi, Ali decided to invite his maternal grandfather, Mr. Brahimi, to speak with the international student body and other interested students about diplomacy and international relations from his non-U.S. perspective. During the one-hour meeting, Mr. Brahimi spoke about his career in peacemaking in Lebanon, South Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq and the actions he took to improve the social and political climate in these countries. In Lebanon, where continuous disputes between ethnic and religious groups have existed since the modern state’s founding in the mid-20th century, Mr. Brahimi served as a special envoy representing the Arab League by helping pass the Taif Agreement that ended the 15-year Lebanese Civil War. Similarly, as United Nations special envoy in South Africa, he worked with African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela to abolish apartheid, which led to Mandela’s victory in the 1994 South African presidential election. When Mr. Brahimi was sent to Afghanistan as a UN special envoy, he was aware of the importance of external factors to Afghanistan given its long-lasting tensions with the Taliban. During an interview with PBS, Mr. Brahimi described Afghanistan as a “landlocked country,” unable to “produce weapons...[and] produce its food.” This led him to make significant efforts in bringing Afghanistan together with its two most important neighbors–Iran and Pakistan. Mr. Brahimi was also sent to Iraq as the UN envoy during the Iraq War in order to help the country recover from the U.S invasion in 2003. There, he also built the National Assembly regardless of Iraq’s ethnic and religious diversity. (Encyclopedia Britannica) After Mr. Brahimi talked about his experiences as a freedom fighter, UN diplomat, and Algerian Foreign Minister, students asked questions about the significance of the UN and how his career has impacted his perspective on global affairs. Clara Lipman ’27 said, “Students were especially curious about how Mr. Brahimi got involved in global politics. Some asked him specific anecdotes from each country he served in as a UN envoy.” From the meeting, Ali said he learned that it is “important in this global society, with the nuclear weapons that [countries] possess, to have a space for dialogue because it directly affects everyone.” Lipman added that she acquired a new understanding of global citizenship from the meeting with Mr. Brahimi, which inspired her to “be more globally aware of the world around [her].” Anne Kelly ’27 said that Mr. Brahimi “was able to talk about controversial topics but still [make] light of them” by talking about not only his perspective but also those of diplomats he had worked with from other countries. “Mr. Brahimi also did a great job talking about how global citizenship would impact our future and what we, as students, have to do in order to bring peace and integration with countries around the world,” Kelly added. She remarked that he gave the students multiple tips on how to execute global citizenship appropriately and effectively, such as “educating [oneself] on ways [one] can take care of the world and respecting cultural, religious, and ethnic differences.” The meeting with Mr. Brahimi allowed students an international perspective on diplomacy, conflict resolution, and the ideal global citizen. Ali referred to this meeting as “a necessary and memorable conversation,” noting that he now believes that “an international perspective on global affairs has been finally presented to the Academy.”

Mr. Shea came to Deerfield three years ago on the heels of longtime Head Baker Steve Parsons. Inheriting 40-year-old recipes and a highly passionate community, Shea described, he learned to strike a balance between his own baker’s vision and student, faculty, and staff opinions. He meets regularly with the Food Committee, a group of students responsible for providing feedback on the meals and desserts. Often, he receives positive feedback. “But even negative feedback I’m perfectly happy with, because we want to keep improving things and make it so that people are happy,” he said. Laughing, he described how faculty members would come up to him after a meal and tell him they didn’t care for that evening’s dessert. “They just have a lot of opinions about things, and I just have to take the good with the bad,” he added. But the next day, he’d often receive positive feedback from the same individual about a different dessert. Behind the scenes, Mr. Shea, the Food Service team, and the Food Committee gather often to talk about menu changes and community feedback. “We know what we make quality-wise usually meets the mark. If we messed up a recipe, we know that didn’t work out that well,” Mr. McCarthy said. As Mr. McCarthy put it, there’s an expectation around a certain meal or dessert. Changing that expectation often results in immediate feedback and reluctance to deviate from Deerfield tradition. Some students and faculty members, he described, follow the five-week menu rotation schedule and know exactly when a certain meal is coming. “I’m blown away sometimes by the amount of attention people pay to what we do every day in our menu cycle,” he said. For the bakers, Mr. Shea said it’s about making each baked good and dessert the best they can. “Same thing with the Food Committee,” Mr. Shea said. “They might say, ‘We’re tired of berry crisp,’... cheese and shepherd’s pie—have become simpler, walk-through dinners.” Mr. Woodward credited this to the broader student attitude around meal diversity. Recently, he’s seen the student body lean to more “international flavors...over New England home style,” he said. Still, the oldest dessert recipes—such as the baked Alaska and apple crisp—date back to the ’80s. Mr. McCarthy said, “We try to stay as contemporary and as up to date as we can, at the same time keeping the traditional things that people expect here.” Both he and Mr. Shea described striking a balance between Academy tradition, current community opinions, and their own ideas. Now, students have started to prefer cookies and other grab-and-go desserts. “I think it’s part of a larger trend where people prefer to just have something they can pick up at the end of the meal,” Mr. Woodward said. He said it seems as though students want a dessert they can “leave the dining hall with, rather than what I would consider a nicer homemade dessert.” But Mr. Woodward clarified: it’s not that students have stopped liking certain sit-down desserts; they simply choose another option. “Probably the same percentage of students as 10 years ago will say that they like apple crisp today, but I think fewer of them will eat it because of the time factor,” he said, adding that “they don’t want to spend the time on dessert.” For Mr. Shea, this means fewer cakes and crisps and more bars and cookies—and a need to adapt to the student body changing in attitude. While learning to use the new ovens and baking equipment in the temporary Dining Hall, Mr. Shea and his team are adapting to feedback and preference. Mr. Woodward, Mr. McCarthy, and Mr. Shea all touched on the feedback integral to the role of a popular and effective baker. As they said, they have learned to both prioritize the community opinions and take their varying, up-and-down nature with a grain of salt—or, perhaps, a grain of sugar. But it’s good to have that feedback. And it’s, ‘How can we make a berry crisp a little bit better?’” Mr. Shea’s arrival to Deerfield came in the midst of a student body-wide shift in meal and dessert preferences. “When I first came here in 1998, we were more of a meat-and-potatoes type of school,” Mr. McCarthy said, but in recent years, the school has expanded options and types of meals. Assistant Director of Food Services Brad Woodward, who is responsible for the menu selection, described the changes he has made over the years. He explained that previous sit-down meal staples—such as the macaroni and cheese and shepherd’s pie—have become simpler, walk-through dinners.

From piano keys to her original compositions, on April 11th and 14th, Deerfield Academy held its third annual Homegrown Concert, featuring members of the Deerfield Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and various student soloists. The program began with performances in the Elizabeth Wachsman Concert Hall and then transitioned to the main lobby of the Hess Center for the Arts. Unlike previous years, the concert was scheduled during Spring Family Weekend rather than in May. This year’s concert included student compositions by Andy Chen ’25, Dasha Lukyanenko ’25, Vivian Wan ’25, and Leo Ma ’25, along with performances from Senior Concerto Competition winners Sophie Petronzio ’25 and Managing Editor for the Scroll  Yoonsa Lee ’25. The Homegrown Concert provides Deerfield artists with an opportunity to showcase their creativity. “It’s really a chance for us to lift up our most creative musicians and artistic leaders in the music program,” Director of Music Tom Bergeron emphasized. “The Homegrown Concert always happens in the spring, so not only do we see the growth just musically, but also technically over the years.” Collaborating across seven ensembles with over 100 students in the Academy, the concert members worked together to deliver a complete performance. Mr. Bergeron praised the orchestra as a “wonderfully committed group of musicians,” despite having only a “limited rehearsal time with less than 90 minutes of time together each week.” While working on his Symphony No. 1, Chen faced the challenge of adjusting his score to match the current orchestra lineup. Written initially with last year’s orchestra in mind, he “had to change around a couple of instruments.” An injured tuba player also led to a last-minute change, but Chen explained that the bigger challenge was finding the confidence to translate his vision into written notes. Senior Petronzio chose to sing Laurie’s Song  from Aaron Copland’s 1954 opera The Tender Land  because of the connection she felt with Laurie, who is also about to graduate. “I saw a lot of myself in her, and I realized that I, too, wanted to pursue more than just what I’ve known in the little bubble of where I grew up,” Petronzio said. As Petronzio’s first time working with the orchestra as a soloist, she faced challenges in executing her song. “Honestly, it was very scary. At first, I was worried I’d...miss a note and then mess up the rhythm, but the orchestra was really solid, and after working through things with them a couple times, I felt really confident,” Petronzio said. Lee decided to participate in the competition late in the process, performing Bruch’s Romanze , the first piece she learned on the viola. In preparation, she rehearsed with Piano Studio Director Yu-Mei Wei and Music Lesson Instructor Anthony Berner. “I brought this piece back to life pretty last minute...It was really helpful that I already did my senior recital in February,” Lee reflected. Instead of playing as the First Chair Violist, Lee performed as a soloist in this event, which required adjustments to her performance. “When I was performing with the orchestra, I was more conscious of staying really on time...[but] there are lots of places where I have lower notes that are fast, and I needed to make those really clear, especially if I want to be heard over eight other people in the orchestra,” Lee explained. Chen discussed the need to learn different musical interpretations for different instruments accordingly. “I’m starting to realize more and more that writing for an orchestra is almost like I am trying to speak in 15, 16 different languages...[there is] a difference between what I have in my mind when I communicate in my sheet music, and then what Mr. Bergeron sees in the sheet music,” he said. Through exploring their pieces, performers reflected on their Deerfield experience and discovered new aspects of themselves. Petronzio felt that she gained flexibility that would support her future path. “I think a lot of people at Deerfield come in thinking that they have one set path in their mind for how they want their future to go...Similar to [Copland’s character] Laurie, I realized that there are so many different ways you can accomplish your goals,” she said. The Homegrown Concert has also enabled performers to achieve not only personal growth but also to improve their musical technique. “Four years ago, I didn’t even put on the viola...I think why I was so proud of this particular performance was because by the time I went up on stage, I didn’t feel that nervous,” Lee reflected. Chen further expressed appreciation for the composition process and for the orchestra that brought his Symphony to life. “I’m really grateful...that before I graduate high school, I got to see my work performed,” he said. Looking ahead to future events, Mr. Bergeron hopes that by continuing to hold music performances such as the Homegrown Concert, they can “help students see the wider spectrum of ways to harness music’s transformative power.”

“For me, as an educator and choreographer, it was incredibly rewarding observing dancers come together from different schools and backgrounds to share their joy for and love of Dance,” wrote Deerfield Director of Dance Heather Holohan-Guarnieri (Ms. H) in an email interview. “The work that they did on stage was truly exceptional and the feedback that we received from the other schools—student and adult alike—was absolutely wonderful and very affirming.” Coming back to Deerfield campus, the Family Weekend Showcase happened on Friday, April 11, in the Large Auditorium. It was a 30-minute program containing a total of six faculty-choreographed ballet, contemporary, and hip hop dances. Dancers reperformed all five pieces in the Spring Showcase around two weeks later. “I would say that I think it’s sort of a little part of a bigger show, and it was a good... taste of what people would see,” said Grace Taylor ’25, one of the student choreographers and performers of the Spring Showcase. Deerfield Dancers performed the Spring Showcase on Thursday, April 24, and Friday, April 25, featuring a diverse collection of both faculty and student choreographed pieces. However, this year’s showcases featured more student-choreographed dances than in years past. Taylor, who choreographed a contemporary piece to “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, noticed this change in the Spring Showcase. “I think Ms. H is putting a bigger emphasis on student choreography and allowing everyone who wants to choreograph, choreograph,” she said. “I think it’s great, because it’s really important to foster creativity and have a lot of people have the time to grow as choreographers throughout their time in Deerfield,” she said. Tang, who choreographed a hip hop piece to the song “4 Minutes” by Madonna, spoke about the goal of both the Spring Showcase and Deerfield dance showcases in general, saying, “Specifically as choreographers, our goal is to showcase what we can do with dance; it’s not just, ‘someone’s moving on stage.’ I think our purpose is more to showcase what we can do and the creativity behind it.” Tang also mentioned a difference in this year’s Spring Showcase from the past few years. “[Because] the Spring Dance Concert is so long and there are so many pieces, I think we have to have an Act One and an Act Two,” she said. Taylor provided insight into the rehearsal process for dance showcases. “We rehearse every Sunday, so there are people who are in the studio on Sunday from ten to five rehearsing for these shows. It’s definitely a big extra commitment.” However, she also mentioned that “it’s also really rewarding, because you’re [still] able to do other co-currics and participate in other things while still being in the show, which I think is a really great part of the dance program.”

From piano keys to her original vocal composition “Drop by Drop”, Dasha Lukyanenko ’25 began her musical journey at age five. While Lukyanenko’s primary focus was playing the piano, her formal training also included an afternoon music program where she studied music theory, history, and choir, laying a foundation for her future musical endeavors. Lukyanenko’s first musical influence was her piano teacher Fizuza Timofeeva, who founded a music school called “Uventa” at home in Ukraine. To Lukanenko, “she’s not only a teacher for me, but also a role model and wonderful friend.” After 8 years of studying in music school, Lukyanenko graduated with honors and focused on piano and singing. She also studied music theory, music history, and sang in choir. After arriving at Deerfield, Lukyanenko took Choral Director Michael Pfitzer’s Vocal Ensemble course her sophomore year and Director of Music Tom Bergeron’s Music Composition course the following year. “I’ve always admired Dasha’s willingness to try anything as a singer,” Dr. Pfitzer acknowledged. “As a young singer, your instrument [your voice] is changing all the time, it can often feel very different from one month to the next to sing.” Dr. Pfitzer stated that Lukyanenko has a really strong musicality. The hard work Lukyanenko has put into technique training allowed her to “grow and blossom into a beautiful sound.” During her junior year composition class, Lukyanenko expressed her interest in writing original chamber music pieces, which prompted her to compose a string quartet that was performed at the 2024 Women in Music concert. She also composed an original vocal piece “Drop by Drop”, which premiered at the Carnegie Hall Recital on February 6th, 2025. This year, Lukyanenko is continuing Music Composition and Analysis, and she has had the opportunity to experiment more with vocal compositions. “I am currently working on a Piano Quartet, which will hopefully get performed at Baccalaureate at the end of spring,” she noted. Describing the ongoing process of composing a string quartet, Lukyanenko expressed her difficulty composing for string instruments for the first time. However, she enjoyed working with different tonalities and collaborating with peers in her class. She stated, “I think the most interesting part is actually being at the rehearsal with the players and being able to ask them if something is working or not working, which allows room for interpretation.” Andy Chen ’25 mentioned that Dasha attended every single rehearsal during the three-week process of music production. No matter how long their rehearsal went for, Lukyanenko was always there with a score, listening to her peers and giving constructive feedback; Chen stated, “almost as if she was a teacher herself.” Under the mentorship of Vocal Music Lesson Instructor Caitlin Felsman Pfitzer, Lukyanenko has found several musical opportunities. Ms. Felsman encouraged her to apply for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), where she spent six weeks working on her voice, collaborating with musicians, and meeting composers. “I could go to orchestra readings and meet all those musicians from different backgrounds, so [BUTI] was really a push for me,” Lukyanenko said. At Deerfield, Lukyanenko was able to showcase original compositions, collaborate with her peers, and her coaches. Highlighting her influence on Deerfield’s music program, Dr. Pfitzer stated, “I think Dasha has shaped the music program here, just thinking the kind of person she is, the way she’s multi-talented, pretty selfless, and showing others the goals they can aspire to, and it’s sort of a two way street.” Chen echoed Pfitzer’s sentiments, he said, “Dasha is the most communicative, kindest and most sympathetic composer that you will find on this campus.” Whenever Chen and Lukyanenko collaborate during composition class, Chen noted that “she is always presenting her best work, writing in the parts as completely as she can, then fleshing out in her work to such a degree that you never feel like she’s not putting in her best effort.” Looking to the future, Lukyanenko hopes to join either a women’s or co-ed choir at Harvard University. “I’m hoping to still compose, since there’s an interesting opportunity for choral composers at Harvard that I’m hoping to pursue.”

February 4: Sweden In what the Swedish prime minister called the “worst mass shooting in Swedish history,” 11 people were killed, including the assailant. The 35 year old shooter targeted an adult educational center in Sweden, where people learn vocational and workforce skills and take language classes, providing essential services for migrants and refugees. The shooter had gun licenses for his four weapons, unused munitions, and has not been identified with any ideological motives. He was a former student at the school he targeted (Cable News Network and British Broadcasting Channel). February 6: USA The Department of Government Efficiency appointed multiple college-age students as senior advisors to multiple government departments, including the Office of Personnel Management, Environmental Protection Agency and United States Agency for International Development. These individuals include Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran (New York Post). February 8: Israel/Palestine Israel and Hamas completed the fifth hostage-prisoner swap. Three Israeli hostages and 183 Palestinian prisoners were released. Before the exchange, which was mediated by the Red Cross, the Israeli hostages were forced to read speeches thanking Hamas militants. Palestinian prisoners were medically evaluated by the Red Cross; many allege abuse and starvation. After the exchange, Hamas released a propaganda video featuring the three hostages (CNN). February 9: New Orleans, Louisiana The Philadelphia Eagles won the 59th Super Bowl defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch from two years ago. It was a mark of domination as the Chiefs failed to score points within the first half of the game, letting the Eagles romp to a 24-0 lead. Despite a spirited effort in the final stages of the game, the Eagles won it out at a scoreline of 40-22. This win breaks what would have been the first three-peat in NFL history and marks the Eagles’ second win. Kendrick Lamar’s, the half-time performer, produced an extravagant and politically-charged show which included SZA, Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams (CNN). February 12: Munich, Germany President Trump started war talks with Putin, supporting a quick end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. He had a nearly half hour long phone call, and met with Zelensky in Munich, on February 14th (BBC). February 16: Democratic Republic of the Congo M23, a rebel paramilitary group with Rwandan support, captures the Democratic Republic of Congo’s town of Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu with a population of over one million. Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu was captured in January. Despite denying official support, the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame was absent in a December peace talk which was to be led by the Angolan president (The Guardian). February 20: Boston, Massachusetts Team Canada beat Team USA in the 4 Nations Face Off Final, with a score of 3-2 in overtime in a packed stadium, after losing their first match against the U.S. ( ESPN) February 23: Germany German polls finished as the former government coalition consisting of the Social Democratic, Green and Free Democratic Parties collapsed, caused by incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz’s dismissal of the Minister of Finance, who belonged to the FDP. The German president called for a dissolution of the parliament, and a premature election was called. The conservative Christian Democrats lead with 28.5 percentage points, and far-right, populist Alternate for Germany (AfD) Party in second place, with 20.8 percentage points, doubling their previous count in 2021. Current chancellor Scholz’s party, the Social Democrats, sit in third with 16.8%, after losing more than 9 percentage points from 2021. As the exit polls results came in, Christian Democratic Union Leader Freidrich Merz will be the new chancellor (The Guardian). February 24th: Washington DC, USA President Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron met at the White House to discuss the Russia-Ukraine War and approaches to peace. In contrast to Trump, Macron advocated for a deliberate method cession in the fighting and future security guarantees, and also firmly called Putin out, stating that he had violated the peace. The two agreed on implementing European peacekeeping forces, a suggestion that Putin also was willing to accept (Reuters). February 28: Washington DC, USA In a heated conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, Trump repeatedly told Zelensky that he has no negotiating cards and was not in a position to request anything from the U.S. Zelensky originally traveled from Kyiv to Washington D.C to finalize a deal granting the U.S limited access to Ukraine’s natural resources. Instead, the deal fell apart as Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House and threatened to cut of U.S aid to Ukraine entirely. This comes at a time when the U.S President has been more sympathetic to Moscow than to Kyiv after generations of U.S presidents standing staunch against Kremlin aggression (CNN).

In our modern education system, College Board has become synonymous with higher education. We take for granted that the organization partakes in an oligopoly on accredited courses and standardized testing, both factors that are significant in deciding college admissions. Students like us have devoted our time, attention, and money to it in exchange for reaching the doorsteps of our dream schools. We conform to its omnipotent presence—we hold its views, exams, and demands to dogma and avoid questioning its imposed authority. Occupied by incessant test-taking, we lose track of what education is fundamentally about. Thus, it's time for us to reconsider College Board. The College Board is best represented by its two most infamous exams-Advanced Placement exams and the Scholastic Assessment Test. These two exams, along with other services, generate over $1 billion of revenue annually for College Board. Its CEO, David Coleman, earns over $2 million a year. Despite these astronomical numbers, College Board remains a non-profit organization, allowing it exemption from federal income tax. Non-profit organizations are supposed to promote social or collective benefits. In this way, the College Board operates more like a business institution than a non-profit. It monopolizes the college application industry, reaping immense wealths each year from essentially every high school student's wishes to attend college. The cost for taking exams each year could easily amount to almost 500 dollars each year for a high school junior--the equivalent of taking 4 AP tests and the SAT. Five hundred could be a significant burden on low to middle income families, making the AP a necessary luxury for college admissions. Furthermore, the College Board has been pushing its AP exams onto high school students across the socioeconomic spectrum recently in the name of equity and making college-leveled courses available for everyone. Meanwhile, a Business Insider study has found that the performance of students from low-income backgrounds is still significantly worse compared to their wealthier peers. In this manner, AP exams are not advocates for true equity as much as instruments for the privileged to attain their goal of higher education. Similarly, multiple reports from sources like the Washington Post and WNBC found that the SAT is not as much a measurement of capability as a judgement of income. Students from wealthier households are more likely to receive tutoring and preparation help compared to their counterparts, so the SAT doesn't stand as an exam of meritocracy, only exacerbating the wealth gap. What does all this have to do with Deerfield? First of all, we must recognize our privilege. Tucked away comfortably from most financial struggles in a private boarding school, we, perhaps as much as we don't like to acknowledge, are the primary beneficiaries of such a flawed system. We receive education that more than adequately prepares us for AP exams; we could readily acquire some of the best preparatory materials for AP exams and SAT; we are also more likely to score higher on these exams with easier access to tutoring outside of school. Therefore, as we profit off of this system that's molded in favor of advantaged students like us, we only perpetuate this burgeoning inequality, rendering our goals of greater social justice to mere chimeras. The substantial amount of money we commit to the exams each year grants College Board power and resources to further expand into more schools across the country, bolstering the tragedy described above. We also owe responsibility to those less fortunate than us. As one of the leading preparatory schools in the nation, our actions set the tone for college admissions. As students, our commitment to the AP exams and SAT essentially voices our conformation to the faulty system injurious to students of lower socioeconomic classes. On the other side of the college admissions process, colleges likely regard Deerfield Academy and other preparatory schools as important considerations when adjusting its admissions policies due to our prominent status in college admissions throughout history. If we stand as bystanders in indifference to the difficulties experienced by those hurt by the system, we don't pressure colleges to make their admissions process more equal to all, and we signal to colleges that the College Board is an unblemished institution trustworthy of handling the college admissions process. Aside from social justice reasons, the College Board has infringed upon our academic liberty through its imposed curriculum. The AP curriculum is very much a rigid structure that promotes skill sets and knowledge more particular to itself than anything else. In some cases, I think AP curriculum even sets boundaries to our learning. For example, College Board has long established history exams like AP European History or AP U.S. History, but only this year it started administering the AP African American Studies exam, all the while never having an AP history exam focused on Asian history. My point is not for the College Board to organize an Asian history centered exam, but rather to abandon the inflexible curriculum of the College Board all together. Because expansive subjects such as history are so difficult to encapsulate into a few courses and exams, it's better to leave the liberty of course programming to individual schools so as to not risk systematically ignoring certain topics as a whole. Amidst the conversation about our responsibilities, the fact is that we, as Deerfield students, have also fallen victims to the College Board. I have spent countless hours reviewing and adapting myself to the materials and styles of the AP exams and the SAT. I have invested hundreds of dollars into taking these exams. Yet I did this all the while doubting the College Board system, as reflected in my writing. There's an urge that drives me to put in all the effort and money because doing so seems to propel my chances at college applications, however significant or not it may be. External influence and peer pressure also succumbed me to the supremacy of the College Board, as I don't want to see myself behind my peers in any way. Combined, we mostly take AP exams and the SAT not because we see it as beneficial, but merely because of the pressure both internally and externally. Colleges must owe up to their enormous influence over high school students. They must change their admissions criteria to one void of the College Board in order to alleviate the unnecessary burden placed on high schoolers across the country and the globe. Strong statements must be produced from colleges to undermine the legitimacy of College Board exams and programs in college admissions. They must recognize the tragedy from the misplaced power they had granted the College Board. KAYLEEN TANG/DEERFIELD SCROLL

Dorm feeds, a snack provided for students after study hall, are a long standing tradition at Deerfield. Since before the 1980s, dorm snacks have been integrated into the Deerfield schedule for students to unwind after studying and enjoy food.  Although almost every student will enjoy a dorm snack sometime in their Deerfield career, most students do not know the logistics behind this tradition. Dorm residents, and proctors are given a budget at the beginning of each school year. Proctors are given $50 for each student, and dorm residents are given $60-$70 per student. Oftentimes dorm residents will combine their budgets with each other because they receive a budget for one side of the hall, but not the other half.  Student proctors also have the option to hold a dorm snack once a week. John Louis Proctor Allie Corrieri ‘25 said, “Jennifer [Luiru ’25, her partner proctor] and I will DoorDash something, print it [the receipt], and bring it to the SLO, so that they can approve it, and then we can go to the Finance Office to get reimbursed.” For dorm residents, it is almost exactly the same process, though, according to John Louis Dorm Resident and Math Teacher Callie Gray, some use their school credit card to pay for dorm snacks.  Dorm residents often try to serve hot food or frozen treats because dorm associates and proctors do not generally have access to this kind of food. Mrs. Gray said, “I like to give feeds where [students] have to put something together, like make your own ice cream sandwiches, or nachos because they are very tactile foods, and [students] seem to be more involved [in the activity].” Saadia Ouermi ‘27 said “my favorite dorm feed is when Ms. Bicknell gave us oats, fruit, and vanilla greek yogurt, but my favorite part of dorm feeds is how close my hall is.” Some dorm residents even bake their own feeds, Alice Wu ‘25 shared that “in Poc[umtuck], my dorm resident, Mr. L[eitermann-Long], made sourdough and white bread, along with cheese, jams, and sausages–all made by himself! It was a huge hit in Poc.” Corrieri shared that her favorite dorm snacks were “the charcuterie boards from Ms. McVaugh on Tuesday nights on Poc II.” Deerfield instituted dorm snacks to build hall bonding and establish a designated social time for students. Mrs. Gray said, dorm feeds are “a really nice moment to come out from individual studying, and be social, see your friends, and let out that last bit of energy before going to bed.” As Dean of Residential Life Dr. Becca Melvoin said, “It aligns with Deerfield’s values of face-to-face interactions and finding time for joy and playfulness. It also aligns with Deerfield’s high engagement model which focuses on strong connections between students and adults.” As Luiru said, “The best memory in every dorm feed is that there is always laughter.”  The tradition of Dorm feeds continued during COVID-19, however they were slightly different. Mrs. Gray said, “It was a weird time for feeds, I still believed in it, but I had to leave individual brownies outside of everyone’s doors”, and although they did not have the same amount of face-to-face interaction as the normal dorm feed would entail, Mrs. Gray said that they “did have Zoom jeopardy and other things.”  From building culture to acting as a social time for students, dorm feeds are a much-loved tradition in the Deerfield community. This 45 minute tradition has allowed students to have home-cooked dishes, put down their phones, and socialize with each other before curfew.