When most people think of post-graduate students, a big, brawny lacrosse player comes to mind. It doesn’t even cross most students’ minds that there are female PGs amongst us as well… like Tierney Griff and Alanna McDonough. Griff enrolled this past fall in order to play lacrosse, while McDonough enrolled to focus on running. Both girls recognize the PG stereotype and admit that they are definitely not as well known around campus as their male counterparts. “Most people don’t even know we’re PGs,” laughed McDonough. Griff agreed, saying, “I was asked if I was a freshman five times at the beginning of school.” Griff said that even friends from her previous highs school were surprised by her decision to repeat senior year. “Back at home, I had to explain that yes, I was going to high school again, and no I’m not a boy. Girls do it too.” Neither athlete regrets the decision to spend a fifth year in high school. However, despite the attention that boy PGs receive, McDonough and Griff confess that they don’t mind being left out of the limelight too much. McDonough joked, “I’d almost rather not stand out, to be quite honest.” In response to why Deerfield over other high schools, Griff said, “Out of everywhere I applied, this was the one place I didn’t know anyone and I thought it would be a good experience.” “Deerfield is pretty well known for really balancing good academics and athletics and it looks good from a college standpoint,” McDonough added. McDonough, who became a PG to switch her athletic focus from hockey to running, has been satisfied with the level of competition she’s encountered this year. “The cross country and track teams here have greater depth and a few better runners than my old school so I have certainly gotten better.” Griff concluded with sharing the highlights of her year. “Playing on a team and being in that part of the community was really fun. It has been a great experience.”

After months of writing and rewriting essays, taking standardized tests, and waiting, the names of the colleges become abstracted, reduced to an elusive string of syllables, haunting and mysterious. I began to ask myself, “Do I want to go to these schools, or do I just want to get into these schools?” The reality is that, while I liked many of the schools I applied to, I never really bothered to picture myself on their campuses. I was protecting myself, insuring that when rejection arrived on my computer screen or in my mailbox, I would not have lost too much. If I had never imagined my future, than I wouldn’t miss it. Now, adults do not ask me where I am applying or what my plans are or what my essays are about. When we matriculate, we all gain back our identities, we all sigh as we return to being ourselves, stripped of the statistics, which horrify parents and suffocate students. I am happy to resume life as human, not as a “holistic” gathering of arbitrary information. A year ago, I sat in Ms. Bishop’s office as she asked me what size college I was interested in, if I wanted to participate in Greek life, what region of the United States I preferred, and whether I liked an urban or rural setting. My answer to all of the questions was a shrug of the shoulders, an unenthusiastic, “I am not sure.” My parents were frustrated with my indifference. At dinner parties with adults, the only question anyone over the age of thirty could formulate was, “So, what colleges are you thinking about? Do you know where you are going?” I always answered with a vague response, sighing, “It’s really too early to tell.” My parents would elbow me in the side, silently begging me to come up with some more acceptable response, and I would spew a list of colleges. Applying to college is something almost every student has to suffer through. Everyone fills out the tedious forms and applies to a variety of schools: some they love, some they like, and some they would attend if forced. A junior or senior in high school is more than just a college applicant. Yet, we are forced everyday to think of ourselves as a number, a percentage, a statistic. Hopefully, we will be one the few plotted as “accepted” on the Naviance graph for our college of choice, but odds are that most of us will become a red diamond, a sign of being waitlisted or rejected. I prefer not to think of myself as a symbol on a graph. Because I was accepted or rejected from a certain school does not change who I am or how others should perceive me. College admissions is a game. A good amount of players have an advantage, whether it be athletics, arts, or minority status, but we are all competing for those treasured spots. Why are some schools more coveted than others? Is it their name? For whatever reason, students at Deerfield seem to be drawn to the same schools. Perhaps, it is because we have somehow decided that these schools are socially acceptable, that we can utter their names at dinner parties without feeling ashamed or worthless. Teenagers are self-conscious creatures and their choice of college is one of the things they can obsess over. The college process is a balancing act. Nobody enjoys taking the SAT, writing 500 words about an imaginary dinner party with a person of their choice, or typing information for the millionth time into the CommonApp website. It is a struggle, but it has an end. For me, the relief of being done with the process was almost as great as getting into one the schools I most liked.

The Community Service Board had asked for help. At a past school meeting, a member walked students through an online initiative that made signing up for weekend projects easier and accessible to the community. Now, members are pressured to volunteer at events they themselves organize and publicize because not enough students sign up. At seemingly every other school meeting, we sit through countless student presentations about summer service trips to Africa or Asia, yet we usually do not have enough people to fill up the van that goes to Second Helpings in Greenfield every Monday. While athletic teams deliberately devote one day of practice to service, the activities are typically limited to an hour’s work of wiping tables and the backs of couches in the Memorial Building. Handing the paper towels to the girls’ varsity hockey team in the winter, a staff member joked, “You’ll be finished with this quickly so you guys can go get ice cream.” But have we earned the ice cream in the first place? Can we truly say to ourselves that the spirit of giving before receiving pervades a community that presumably values service? Moreover, is service truly integrated into our community and daily lives? We constantly juggle schoolwork, commitments, and personal issues, rarely having the time or energy to serve others. If service opportunities were more accessible to us, perhaps among the events listed in Mr. McVaugh’s email of weekend activities, would the current mentality towards service change? What if all students were required to dedicate x number of hours of service in order to receive a diploma? Though this would change the nature of service from a personal choice to a requirement, service could evolve to a relevant, tangible, and defining characteristic of our Deerfield experiences. At the start of the spring athletic awards last year, Dr. Baker asked students to rise and be recognized for their commitment and hours to service. Many remained seated. Hopefully, Deerfield will become a place that visibly values the integrity of serving others, where students confidently rise in the midst of their peers and teachers in an expression of their commitment to something greater than themselves.

Twice a year, Academy Events provide the community an opportunity to experience a thought-provoking performance. More often than not, students’ negative attitudes spoil this event. However, we should appreciate the fact that we can assemble as an entire school and engage in post-performance dialogue. Our lack of appreciation for the presentation stems from the Academy’s failure to educate us on the upcoming show. The Academy should make a greater effort to emphasize the significance of each event. In light of Ailey II, a two-minute video is not a sufficient preview of a two-hour performance. If the community had been as prepared for Ailey II as it was for W.S. Merwin’s reading, perhaps there would have been a greater level of enthusiasm. Regardless of the extent to which we were prepared, as students, we should have the maturity to respect the performance as well as the efforts that go into educating the community.

Walking past the Reid Arts Center, you hear the notes of a cellist, and a rainbow of colors arcs through your head. During geometry class, numbers on the white board form colorful patterns: 1+2=blue. In chemistry class, your teacher explains electron orbitals, while the feeling of that idea brushes your fingertips. It reminds you of the texture you experience when searching for something in your room. Synesthesia occurs when one sense is simultaneously perceived by one or more auxiliary senses. The Greek meaning of synesthesia is “joined perception,” the connections that synesthetes make, enabling heightened senses and enhanced cognition. Emlyn VanEps ’12 has a type of synesthesia that joins hearing with sight. Hearing notes on a scale, she recognizes each note as a specific color. “I don’t physically see the color in my vision. It’s like when I look at something…and my brain recognizes that it is the color red. It’s the same with notes,” VanEps explained. VanEps’ ability to join sight and sound alters her taste in music. “Certain sounds have colors and textures I don’t like. For example, I don’t like the chromatic harmonica because it plays lots of notes at the same time.” Despite her exceptional ability, VanEps is not the only synesthete at Deerfield. Carley Porter ’12 and Caroline Kjorlien ’13 associate digits and letters of the alphabet with specific colors, which comes in handy when memorizing phone numbers or peoples’ names. “Some number combinations are more appealing because of their color. When I see numbers on a page of my math homework, even though I know they are in pencil…it looks rainbow to me,” said Porter. Although many synesthetes see colors in response to different stimuli, those associated hues are usually different for each person. “For me, all even numbers are blue and green, ‘cool’ colors. Odds are fiery colors,” Kjorlien said of her personal synesthetic experiences. Nina Sola ’13 associates numbers with colors. Even more fascinating is her ability to feel the “textures” of ideas. “In school we want to make connections, and when I think of an idea with a certain texture, I am reminded of another idea—immediately there is a link,” Sola described. Synesthetes are able to make abstract connections that no one else can see. However, synesthesia can cause difficulties for those who have not fully discovered the scope of their talent. “The trick is to figure out how it can help you. Don’t adjust the way you think to how people want you to think. Use your brain how it wants to be used. It’s like using a tool for what it was made to be used for,” Sola said.

April 14, 1912. A date that went down in history. Just twenty minutes before midnight, Titanic , the “unsinkable” passenger ship, struck an iceberg and sank two hours and forty minutes later. This year marks the centenary of the tragedy. In order to commemorate the Titanic centennial, the 1997 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Titanic , was recently re-released in 3D. The word “titanic, interestingly, is the third most recognized word in English around the world,” explained Gabe Temesvari, a former language teacher at Deerfield and collector of all things Titanic . The Deerfield community, too, celebrated the event. On April 11, 2012, Deerfield Academy hosted a “ Titanic night,” serving a meal “based on the food that was served on the ship, with our authentic recipes,” described Interim Food Services Director Michael McCarthy. The selection of entrées included chicken lyonnaise and poached salmon, with éclairs and Waldorf pudding for dessert. In addition to a menu similar to that of the doomed ship, artwork from the Topics Art class, music, and video clips created a more authentic atmosphere. “Both the students and my staff enjoyed it,” commented Mr. McCarthy. At the beginning of the school year, Mr. Temesvari, a life-long Titanic fanatic, approached Mr. McCarthy about hosting a Titanic dinner. He also worked with AV Technician Sam Skillings in order to perfect the visual and audio systems. “He’s done a lot of research, and he is really fun and very excited,” Mr. McCarthy said. Mr. Temesvari has been fascinated with the Titanic ever since, as a nine-year old, he crossed the Atlantic by ship. He believes the story of the Titanic “can be likened to a Greek tragedy where everything that was wonderful goes wrong.” He also noted, “The event showed clearly that both the rich and poor can be brought to equal terms by the certainty of death.” Mr. Temesvari encourages the Deerfield community to honor the event by reading about it and remembering that its tragic consequences also brought about rules for ocean travel to make trans-Atlantic voyages safer: the coast guard ice patrol was established, lifeboats as well as drills became mandatory, and the routes were further away from the icebergs. He also suggested, “Go see the movie in 3D! You feel like you are actually on the ship!”

Deerfield is full of talented students, athletes, and artists, but why does it feel as if some talents are valued more than others? The community’s “sports culture” manifests itself through praise of athletic achievements, but how often do students with other talents receive the same praise? Non-athletic extracurricular activities—especially art-centric—are de-emphasized and sometimes stigmatized. We have three sports awards school meetings per year, but there is no school meeting that formally acknowledges student artists. Most artwork hangs in the Hilson Gallery or the lower level of the Memorial Building, rarely a destination for many. Few students attend chamber music concerts, which are inconveniently held on weeknights. Though sports are inevitably a big part of our culture, we can respect the fact that not everyone here has an interest in athletics. Deerfield should be a place where all talents are recognized and valued. Let’s increase musical and theatrical performances at school meeting, give annual arts awards, and showcase student art on bulletin boards in the Dining Hall or heck, even the Athletic Stockroom.

“Celebrate. Remember. Fight back.” These are the words strewn across the purple banner on the Relay for Life homepage. Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities take part in the Relay for Life to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. Why? Because cancer affects almost everyone. Deerfield Academy will host its 3rd Mini-Relay for Life on Saturday, May 12, on the track. The structure of the venue for the event emphasizes one of its major functions. “The idea is situated on a track, and you think about going around the track as a race, a race to find a cure,” Community Service Director Bernie Baker explained. Leading up to the day of the event, student-formed teams have asked family and friends to raise awareness and money. During the event, “You’re walking around the track with friends, music is playing, there’s food… It’s a social event. It’s a time to come together and celebrate your health and life, and try to raise money to extend other people’s health and life,” Dr. Baker said. Led by co-chairs John Lee ’13 and Mariah Kennedy Cuomo ’13, this year’s relay is almost entirely student-run. Having started much earlier this year, leadership committees have begun promoting the event, encouraging participation, and planning logistics for food and entertainment. After experiencing two relays and eagerly awaiting the success of the third, the Community Service Board is more organized and ambitious. “The relay is empowering because I get to help create something that everyone is able to participate in. I am a part of something bigger than myself,” Lee noted. According to Dr. Baker, Relay for Life has the potential to be the largest single service event at DA. “Ultimately, one of the things that we want from service is that sense of empowerment because that’s what leads you to your next act of service,” he said. Currently, sixteen teams are signed up, but both Lee and Dr. Baker are confident that more groups will form in the upcoming weeks. Kevin Tang ’12, Anna Pettee ’13, Emma Beck ’13, and Sunho Park ’14 are among some of the team leaders. As Lee said at school meeting in early April, “You can go onto the Relay for Life website and sign up. It only takes two minutes.” Two minutes to make a lasting difference.

Just as many find an outlet to express themselves in hobbies such as writing, acting, dancing, or playing sports, Hadley Newton ’12 discovered her passion in her sophomore year and since then has become an active contributor to the visual arts. She is currently taking Post AP Topics, which she described as “more personal and independent.” Newton explained painting and drawing as “a cathartic experience,” an opportunity to let go of the daily vicissitudes of life and simply relax. “I allow my eyes and hands to do the thinking, to perceive the subject without bias or distraction. In a world of technology, where everything moves faster, art is one of the few places where I can sit down and everything is still.” When the average kid went to the playground, young Newton spent much of her free time visiting museums with her family. Growing up and learning to appreciate art is one of the reasons that she decided to pursue her creative side. Newton said that although sports at Deerfield “often seem to get more attention, Deerfield is putting more and more emphasis on art, and a greater number of students are now signing up for the AP [Studio Art] class.” From classic, detailed paintings to quirky projects with “Q-tips, paintbrushes and acrylic,” Newton finds no boundaries to her creativity. Humble and modest, despite her obvious talent, Newton explained that art is very subjective. “Good art incites a reaction. People don’t need to even like it, but it should get them to start talking and thinking.” Over her four years here, Newton has explored the arts in other ways, influencing students with her incredible writing talent as the former Arts and Entertainment Editor of the Scroll and the former Arts Editor of Albany Road. Although Newton does not want to be a professional artist in the future, she concluded, “Art will always be an important part of my life.”

The highly regarded Elements program is sure to be one of the most remarkable co-ed co-curricular activities offered this spring. Elements offers a variety of outdoor activities to assist the typical student better understand nature, conquer potential fears, and support his or her peers in a unique opportunity. Horseback riding, archery, rock-climbing, canoeing, and backpacking are only a handful of the activities Elements will tackle this spring, with the help of fine arts teacher Tim Trelease and science teachers Jeffrey Jewett and Dennis Cullinane. According to Mr. Trelease, the Elements program is intended to create a foundation of “individuals working together as a team” through an “experience consistent with sports teams.” For all the students who feel trapped in “the Deerfield bubble,” the Elements program provides a release to interact directly with the beauty of New England. Over the years, the Elements program has positively affected all its participants. Mr. Trelease described these effects as the development of support and confidence. “Over the course of all the things that we do, [participants] gain the experience of being supported and supporting others.” Emma Beck ’13, an Elements participant, praises the program as “a great way to get outside and have fun while leaning new things about being in the great outdoors. Not only have we gone hiking, but also rock climbing and horseback riding, along with tomahawk throwing, bow and arrow shooting, and fire building. It’s been a rewarding experience!”

Although the Deerfield Rocket Club has been active for several years, co-presidents Jon Lamb ’12 and Jade Moon ’13, along with advisor and Science Department Chair Ben Bakker, have taken the club to new heights, showcasing even more rocket launches this school year. While rocketry is an unfamiliar hobby to many students, the Rocket Club is the perfect platform for cultivating this interest. The purpose of the club is simply to enjoy the process of rocketry and the challenges of building a rocket, such as monitoring weight distribution, aerodynamics, and engine strength and thinking quickly. “The Rocket Club itself is its own independent club, but at the same time, we’re a sub-branch of the science team, so we build rockets for the TARC (Team America Rocketry Challenge) division,” Lamb said. On their most recent launch, which took place on the far lower athletic fields, the captains attempted to qualify for TARC. To estimate the results of the rocket, Lamb used a computer simulation. In this program, the participant can input measurements and specifications to alter factors of the rocket. To qualify, the launch had to go as close to 800 feet as possible with two perfectly intact raw eggs in the rocket. “Unfortunately, though we hit the correct altitude, we had some parachute problems, and the rocket fell down way too fast for the eggs to handle, and the eggs cracked,” said Moon. At the launch, a judge from TARC had to see the flight and report to the association. “As a judge, I inspect the rocket to be sure it meets the requirements of the contest. Then I stand back and observe the flights while recording information,” explained Gerry Lempicki, who volunteered to submit results to TARC. Anticipating next year, Moon hopes to recruit a maximum of six people to build and launch rockets as a team. “We want our recruits to be both experienced and inexperienced, and are considering holding some training sessions to teach students rocketry,” said Moon.

Imagine my surprise and subsequent dismay when it was announced that peer counselors would no longer be allowed to apply for proctorship at the end of junior year. Of course there had been rumors my sophomore year, but this proposed division was first officially announced last year. I was not personally affected, as I was not a peer counselor (nor did I have any intention of being a proctor), yet I was still struck by the school’s rather audacious motion to actively separate proctors and peer counselors. That announcement seemed to catalyze what has indubitably turned out to be the administration’s attempt to diffuse the roles of leadership at Deerfield. As of now, any student potentially interested in being a proctor must actually choose among proctor, peer counselor, head peer tutor, AHC member, and DC member. As a rough estimate, these groups alone would comprise some fifty to sixty seniors, constituting around 25% of the senior class. I doubt that I’m alone when I say that this number is ridiculous. There is no reason for the school to oblige a quarter of the senior class to hold supposed “leadership positions” after the effective buccellation of leadership privileges, wherein the school stands behind the altar, meting out leadership positions to the students, one position per student. In all, current arguments make an appeal to time commitment and consequent scheduling conflicts. However, there is not substantial conflict to warrant enforcing the strict separation of these leadership positions. Furthermore, a student should be given the autonomy to be able to decide for himself if his selection of activities will require more time than he can spare. If a person has the qualities to be a good leader, he shouldn’t be bound by a stringent one-per-person edict that serves to artificially inflate the number of students that “hold leadership positions” on campus. The reason that some proctors were, for example, peer counselors in the past is that they were good leaders , not because of some stroke of luck that benefited them at the expense of other seniors. It is no coincidence that, in many cases, the best proctors are peer counselors and vice versa. It is impossible to successfully dilute leadership, because leadership is not a nominal title handed down by the heavens, but instead a quality that only some people have , by no means enforceable by anyone but the people themselves.