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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.

A new emergency broadcast system has been installed on campus. There are three parts to the system including speakers, email, and text to guarantee the safety of all students and faculty. In the event of an emergency, speakers placed around campus will broadcast a prerecorded message, followed by an email and text message to be sent to all students with details on the emergency, what to do, and where to go. This will ensure that no matter where students are they can get to safety immediately. “There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ in a situation like a train accident and chemical threat or a tornado,” said David Gendron, the director of safety and security. “We would most likely tell people to shelter in place and to stay where they are. If an evacuation were necessary, the police department has buses on stand by to take everyone to another school nearby.” Speakers are located on the outside of buildings all around campus. There are also speakers located on the lower fields, in case an emergency occurs during sports practice. An emergency could include anything from natural disasters to accidents that occur on Route 5 & 10. When such an accident happens, the police will immediately contact Deerfield to let us know of the hazard. From there, security office will alert the campus within minutes. “Finding the right piece of equipment took a while,” said Mr. Gendron. “We didn’t want to implement something that we would spend a large amount of money on, and it wouldn’t work.” Mr. Gendron said the system is only in its first phase. He added, “We want to set up speakers in all of the classroom and even in some dorms.” The emergency broadcast system will assure the community of safety in the event of a crisis.

Science teacher Andrew Harcourt’s H2O proposal has been chosen from among a number of faculty submissions to be the first AP/Cambridge Capstone course, part of a pilot program that has the Academy working in collaboration with the College Board and the University of Cambridge. Academic Dean Peter Warsaw described the course as “a leading course that would be interdisciplinary, global and lead to a substantial final project,” for the purpose of developing critical thinking, creativity, and research and communication skills. The course is a comprehensive scientific and historic study of water, a single period course taught by Mr. Harcourt and the newly-hired Global Studies Director, David Miller. When asked what the new position will require, Mr. Warsaw responded “Having never had a Global Studies Director, we are about to find out what the position will require, and Mr. Miller is going to be the one to help define the role.” The job listing for the new position stated the responsibilies of the global studies director to be “to lead the school’s international programs. This includes teaching a new class relating to global curriculum, all off-campus programs, developing and implementing evaluation tools for global education programs, working with the Academic Dean and Curriculum Committee on global curriculum development, overseeing ongoing initiatives for faculty global development, and coordinating support of international students.” The class, which will be available to juniors, must be taken concurrently with English teacher Michael Schloat’s American Currents class, and culminates with a “Capstone Project,” a twenty-page research paper, during senior spring. “Students are going to be looking at water quality, water chemistry, and water availability at the Deerfield level, the US level, and then the global level,” said Mr. Harcourt. In addition, students will take field trips and analyze local water and in rivers in India and China. “Unlike most science classes, AP/Cambridge Capstone is going to consist of debates, discussions, presentations, and collaboration with local officials and scientists,” said Mr. Schloat. The English portion of the capstone course will examine “literature that gets us to focus on the philosophical underpinnings of Mr. Harcourt’s course,” described Mr. Schloat. Like all junior English courses, the class will study American literature, with an emphasis on global resources. “It’s not a course that studies literature about water, but the themes and ideas, such as competition for resources and how communities decide how to use or allocate natural resources,” said Mr. Harcourt. “It is a new and interesting way of teaching these subjects,” said Cody Anderson-Salo ‘14. “I can’t wait to see what this class will be like.” Deerfield is one of twenty schools piloting such a revolutionary course, which emphasizes cross-disciplinary thinking and global awareness, integral qualities for the leaders of tomorrow.

The new dorm, to be completed by September, will be an underclassmen boys’ dorm. This new dorm will have thirteen more beds than Chapin Hall, allowing the school to reclaim the common rooms currently being used as doubles because of over-enrollment. The increase in room numbers will also allow the school to provide one day student bed per dorm. In two years, however, the gender assignments for Scaife, Mather, and the new dorm may switch, due to their similar occupancy capacities. “With the construction of this new dorm, each corridor will have a common room, which we think is the best and healthiest set-up for a dorm,” said Dean of Students Toby Emerson. The new dorm (yet unnamed) will also have two three-bedroom faculty residences and one two-bedroom faculty residence. Mr. Emerson confirmed the rumors that the new dorm will have an elevator. “Because of the American Disabilities Act, every building that you renovate or build has to have handicapped access. [The new dorm] has a second floor, so it’s likely to have an elevator. Not for non-handicapped student use, though, of course.” “A lot of time and effort has gone into what the common room spaces will look like,” he continued, “and the new dorm will also pay attention to being green and environmentally sound. [Final plans will be made when] we hear back from the admissions office as to the yield of incoming students.” The new dorm will be taking the place of Chapin Hall. Chapin may be used for faculty housing next year, and in two years, in order to accommodate the renovation of the art building, it is expected to hold art classes.