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Each year, healthcare providers at the D.S. Chen Health Center work to protect the Academy’s faculty, staff, and over 600 students against a constant onslaught of pathogens, including respiratory diseases and gastrointestinal bugs. Leading this effort are Director of Medical Services Bryant Benson, nurse practitioners, nurses, and the Health Services employees. At least four illnesses—flu, COVID-19, mononucleosis, and strep throat—are tested in-house, according to Dr. Benson, and tracked on a weekly basis. However, the Health Center “do[es]n’t always swab for respiratory infections… unless they look like COVID or flu, particularly if [students] have a fever or if they look quite ill,” Dr. Benson added. “There’s a normal ebb and flow to illness,” Dr. Benson noted. Following summer, winter, and spring breaks, the nurses at the Health Center usually notice an “uptick in cases of illnesses between weeks two and four” after students return to campus. A disease not on the in-house testing list is norovirus. Along with other gastrointestinal illnesses, cases of norovirus tend to rise between January and March, overlapping with influenza season. At the end of each year, the Health Center staff conduct a review with larger cohorts. “We see how many people come in with bronchitis, pneumonia… for general data collection,” Dr. Benson commented. He also added that if the number of infections in the community rises to a significantly high level, the Massachusetts Health Department reports that information. Dr. Benson added, “Sometimes I will see an illness spreading on a team, and I’ll give the coach [of that team] a call,” referencing an outbreak of mononucleosis on the football team last year that spread through sharing water bottles. About water bottle sharing, he said, “People need to use their own.” The Health Center staff are “always doing standard infection control procedures whether there’s an uptick in illness or not,” Dr. Benson remarked. These include handwashing or hand-sanitizing, wearing masks or gloves when applicable, and cleaning rooms with disinfectant. Regarding the Deerfield Health Services health department, he said, these “universal precautions [have] worked well.” Regarding student isolation, the Health Center nurses no longer quarantine non-febrile cases of COVID-19. However, individuals diagnosed with strep must still be isolated in the Health Center for the time it takes for two doses of antibiotics to be administered. Dr. Benson also emphasized that “a fever reflects that someone is ill,” adding that there are many cases of students who, despite claiming they were fine, were “really under the weather and really need[ed] to rest.” Overall, Dr. Benson expressed that “using hand sanitizer or washing their hands and [practicing] good hygiene habits,” such as not sharing glasses or water bottles and coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, “all are things that [can] help with infection control,” he added. “If you have a fever or chills, please get checked out at the Health Center.”

On dorm room doors, Bennett Stankovits ’19 saw name tags that said Deerfield welcomes every race, religion, and ethnicity, and couldn’t help but notice that “ability” wasn’t included on it. As a person with Tourette’s syndrome, he hoped to improve disability accommodation at Deerfield. So he took initiative to found Deerfield Academy Disabilities Alliance (DADA) with the goal of addressing the stigma around getting accommodations or having a disability. Specifically, he hoped to educate students about disabilities that weren’t immediately visible. Since then, DADA’s purpose has evolved to encompass all disabilities, including physical disabilities, and adopted increasing accessibility as a key goal. DADA has also started educating adults and other community members alongside students. However, the essence of the alliance’s goals has stayed the same: to make sure campus is accessible, to make sure those with disabilities are receiving fair accommodations, to destigmatize disabilities,    and to educate the Deerfield community on disabilities. This year, DADA has created an email template forstudents to communicate to their teachers about any disabilities they might have and how they best learn. Alliance Co-Chair Gracie Spencer ’25 said, “Even if you don’t have a classified disability, if you still have some sort of learning difference that you want to be addressed to your teachers, you could still use this template.” Spencer wanted to emphasize that the template is a resource for every student. She expressed her worry that many students might not know the template exists or that they think only those with diagnosed disabilities can use it. DADA has also created an accessible tour route for those with physical disabilities, which made navigating the Deerfield campus easier for students and visitors with mobility challenges. The Disabilities Alliance has also held many club meetings and block parties. In these spaces, students can both learn about others and their experiences as well as share their own experiences. 11th Grade Class Dean and Student Life Office Member Brian Barbato, who serves as the DADA faculty advisor, emphasized that they allow students to be heard. Spencer’s description of the discussions was similar. She said, “We want to create a strong community of people so that you have other people to talk to about things, or just other people who either know what you’re going through or are interested in learning from your experience.” Block parties are another way DADA educates the greater Deerfield community on disabilities. They include snacks, food, fidgets, learning sign language, or activities that can challenge students’ perspectives on disability or sensory experiences. Additionally, DADA has put together a display in the Boyden Library with different books about and relating to disabilities so that Deerfield students can easily begin to learn about them. DADA has many plans for the future. In the next 20 years, the Alliance plans on talking with members of school administration to discuss how to renovate buildings on campus, such as the dining hall, the Main School Building, and Arms, to be more accessible. Furthermore, they aim to continue allowing special accommodations in classes as fairly as possible. While students with learning disabilities might receive extra time on tests, they don’t receive extra time on homework (in which time limits are placed based on class level and apply to all students). They may have to spend an unfair amount of time on their assignments, and this is an aspect current accommodations don’t address. Finally, continuing efforts to destigmatize disabilities is another ongoing goal. While the Deerfield community has made great progress towards understanding accommodations, it hasn’t been entirely successful yet. “I think we’re better than we were,” said Mr. Barbato. “But you will still hear a student say, ‘Oh, if I had extra time, I’d get the perfect score on the SAT, right?’ And that student who says that is not really trying to be negative towards somebody. Most of the students who get extra time would love to give it back and love to not need it.” Mr. Barbato also expressed his hope that the Deerfield community can get to a point where people can start seeing disabilities not as a handicap but as a unique part of an individual that may allow them to see things in ways others might not— their very own unique power. YONG DING/DEERFIELD SCROLL

The construction of the Outdoor Rink, colloquially known as the ODR, originated as an idea in 2021 from the Student Life Office leadership team to encourage students to participate in outdoor activities during the winter. During the COVID-19 pandemic schoolyear, the Academy became aware that the majority of student activities were concentrated indoors and sought out new ways to allow students to socialize and form bonds across the community. Initially launched as a temporary facility, Deerfield had rented the ice rink from Ice-America, a portable skating rink company. However, after receiving positive feedback from students and faculty alike, the Academy decided last year to expand the ODR into a long term plan and erect the rink annually during winter term. However, the ODR has not always been oriented alongside the front of the temporary dining hall. Its original iteration had run in front of the Boyden Library from a different direction, from east to west instead of north to south. The original ODR had also been slightly smaller than the standard full size ice rink. Chief Financial Officer Matthew Sheehy reflected on the process of working through further plans on the ODR, “It was a whole host of issues dealing with sunlight and heat and all of those kinds of things… For why it’s oriented the way that it is now, sort of creating a permanent opportunity for it.” The operational costs of the ODR is categorized under the Finance Office’s general facilities budget. However, Mr. Sheehy said, “There’s not a specific amount of money that’s set aside for that [the ODR]. At this point we’ve already purchased the boards and we’ve purchased all of the equipment in order to have an outdoor ice rink.” The ODR is available for all students and faculty to use until study hall hours, between 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm. Students are discouraged from using the rink during this period due to the noise and distractions created especially by loud music and hockey pucks. Boys Varsity Hockey Captain Ryan Diffley ’25 described how the ODR is a chance for students to relax and take a break from normal routines: “It’s a great way for people to have some fun, get out there those who might not have skated before, but also just a great way for teams to bond and play around and just get moving.” During co-curricular periods, the ODR supports the Ice Hockey program by helping teams and their players, such as junior varsity or recreational hockey, as an extra space for games and practices. Mr. Sheehy noted that the rink has helped reduce scheduling conflicts, which were previously common when all the hockey teams had to share one rink. He said the ODR “allows us to not have teams practicing until nine or teno’clock at night. And so it just adds a level of flexibility when it comes to co curricular programming.” Hadley Spater ’25 recalled how her JV girls hockey team spends time together on the ODR not just for practice, but also for team bonding. “Last year we had a practice a few times where our coach had us put our sticks and pucks aside and play soccer, but on our skates, on the ice, so that’s always a lot of fun. It’s kind of dif- ferent than you would expect a hockey practice to be,” she said. Not only does the ODR contribute to athletics, it also serves as an activity programming opportunity for the Student Life Office. From outdoor fire pits, s’mores, and music on Friday nights, students enjoy weekend activities set up near the ODR as a space to connect. The Academy has also collaborated with a company which provides ice skates for students to go to the athletics stockroom to check out and use. Diffley further emphasized how the ODR is a gathering place for various hobbies and recreations. “[The ODR] is really not just the hockey aspect. It’s more of just like the community,” he said, “I’ve seen tons of other people out there, especially on the weekends…it’s just a great activity for people to try something new or just have a good time with your friends.” The Academy has been looking for other opportunities and ways for programming more activities in the future. “I know [Head of School] Dr. [John] Aus- tin would love for us to have Curling…and program other ways to have fun, much like we had pickleball on Albany road but during the wintertime while the rink is up,” Mr. Sheehy said commenting on future plans. The ODR is a place on campus that has created memories for students and faculty alike. “I get a kick of going by and seeing somebody out there. Generally speaking, those who are out there, they have a smile on their face,” Mr. Sheehy said, “To me, that’s the memorable part of it….It brings everyone together from across the spectrum. I’m very grateful that Deerfield’s willing to do that for us.”

Entering the 2024-2025 season, the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team welcomed back only four players; nine of last year’s 13 players graduated in the class of 2024. However, Student Activities Coordinator and Head Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Connor Merrill had prepared to rebuild much of the roster. The team’s newcomers include four new juniors – Elijah Webb ’26, Chuck Haight ’26, Owen Babb ’26, and Harry Miles ’26 – as well as two post-graduates – Tate Bannish ’25 and Jackson McBride ’25. While the addition of new players is typical for any team, especially for basketball, it is uncommon to lose so many players in one year. For instance, varsity football only brought in two new juniors to their significantly larger roster. However, with the intention of pursuing a balance of multiyear players and post-graduates, it is not unusual for coaches to accept a large portion of juniors new to Deerfield. Nevertheless, Mr. Merrill said that if the team “plays teams in a league with a bunch of 15 to 16 year olds, that’s probably not going to go too well just because of the level of talent and the level of physicality.” Thus, repeat juniors Harry Miles ’26 and Elijah Webb ’26 serve as important additions to the team this year, both showing promising talent already. Particularly, Webb stands at 6’9”, who’s “working his butt off and making big steps, so he’s showing a lot of promise for [the boys’ varsity basketball team],” said Mr. Merrill. Miles is also an asset to the team, but sustained an injury to his hand earlier in the year. Returning junior Jonathan Ocasio ’26 continues to be an asset to the team. However, he is showing his leadership in a different way, as he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury earlier in the year and is off the court for the season. Mr. Merrill jokingly referred to Ocasio as “coach” when he entered the film room one day because he acts “assistant coach right now and being in the guys’ ears and is good at just pointing out the positives and pointing out things they have to work on. His leadership is really, really showing up.” The new recruits are complementing both the skills and leadership of captain Tommy McMahon ’25 along with the rest of the players. The team, halfway through the season, has a record of nine wins and fourteen losses. For the rest of the season, Mr. Merrill sets the team’s main goal not in terms of wins or losses but in terms of the player’s determination in pushing through challenges in every single game. “I want fans, opposing coaches, opposing players, referees, and whoever is in the gym watching— win, lose or draw—to walk out of that gym saying, man, those guys play so hard, and they leave it all out on the floor,” Mr. Merrill said.

Deerfield’s Varsity Boys Hockey and Lacrosse Captain Lance Roberts ’25 has been commended by many coaches and teammates from both teams for his leadership and constant positivity. Dean of Ethical and Spiritual Life and Philosophy and Religion Teacher Jan Flaska has coached Roberts both on the lacrosse turf and in the hockey rink. As the assistant coach for both teams Mr. Jan has been able to observe Roberts’ leadership as a whole, not just on one team. Mr. Jan commented on Roberts’ personality, saying, “Lance is kind of a man of few words…He chooses his words wisely. I think he does not draw attention to himself, and I think he does his job.” He recalled how Roberts’ displays leadership both on and off the rink. “Leadership, actually, it’s action. It’s off the ice, it’s in the locker room, it’s in the classroom, it’s at sit down meals,” he said. “I think the players look up to him in a way; he puts points on the board, but I don’t think that’s why. I think it’s the other stuff that’s not necessarily on the ice, that’s what allows him to derive value and leadership qualities.” When asked about Roberts and his interactions with other players, Mr. Jan said, “Lance is certainly loved.” He further highlighted the fact that Roberts chose his locker in a position such that, instead of being next to many other returning seniors and upperclassmen, is next to newer members of the team. This locker choice has given him the opportunity to get closer to and get to know more of the younger players, helping create a closer team dynamic between all grades. Mr. Jan said about Roberts’, “He wants to reach out.” Roberts commented on how, as a leader, he relies on his other two captains, Justin Tavares ’25 and Ryan Diffley ’25. He said, “We have a strong leadership group.” Roberts also further highlighted that the hockey team’s successful performance thus far can be attributed to the multitude of seniors present on the team: “We have a lot of seniors this year ,and I think that leadership aspect has carried throughout the entire team…I think we’ve started off as a team really strong.” According to Roberts, another factor contributing to the hockey team’s success with eight wins and three losses, is their close-knit community. When asked about any special traditions the team may have, Roberts commented that the team has not done anything differently than they have in past years but “[is] a lot closer than [they]’ve ever been.” He attributed the team’s close bonds to many players living in nearby dorms, allowing them to hang out together outside of practice, team dinners, and staying in hotels together during preseason and tournaments. Roberst spoke to the team’s closeness, saying, “I feel like the hockey team is probably one of the closest teams I’ve ever been a part of.” On another note, Roberts will be taking on the role of captain for the lacrosse team in the spring. He credits his co-captains Tavares and Will Wright ’25 to organizing many lacrosse captains’ practices. The three hosted captains’ practices on Sundays during the fall, and during the winter organized conditioning training at least once a week on top of the weekly captains practice on Tuesday. As a result, while Roberts has mainly been participating in hockey this winter, he has also continued to be involved with the lacrosse team. After Deerfield, Roberts hopes to continue pursuing hockey by playing in the USA Junior Hockey Leagues (Juniors), a hockey league that high school students typically go to for one or two years after graduating to prepare for competition at a higher level (college or the National Hockey League). Roberts hopes to continue competing in hockey at the collegiate level.

Sports are essential to American culture and the Academy, where cheerleaders tell students to “buy in” by committing to team culture and by showing support at games. However, the prevalence of sports in the US means that American students don’t often consider the different ways other cultures from around the world view sports. Sports in America serve as a unifier across social and economic groups in a quintessentially diverse nation. Athletic competition’s place in American society is further strengthened by sports’ long history in American higher educational institutions. The popularity of sports in America is boosted by the intense commercialization of professional sports leagues like Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the National Football League in the late nineteenth and earliest twentieth centuries. However, international students at Deerfield provide a unique perspective on how American athletics are similar and different from the nature of athletic competition in their home countries. “There are some universities that prioritize sports and might offer scholarships, but generally, when you’re applying to colleges, you’re not assessed on how good you are at sports,” explained Science Teacher David Hallwood, who was raised in the UK. “In fact, some colleges might think, ‘You’re too interested in sports,’ and not accept you because of it… For soccer, for example, there’s no connection between college and playing professionally. You’re recruited by a club before you leave high school.” Ukrainian student Nikol Kmita ’25 echoed Dr. Hallwood’s comment about how, outside the US, sports are not as important when it comes to college admissions. She said, “[In Ukraine,] Universities only rely on final exam scores [to make admission decisions]. Sports have no relationship to success unless you play really competitively.” This disconnect isn’t just in the college admissions process. In general, there is a lack of connection between high school and college sports culture, with sports based around local and national clubs and sports academies similar to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Silvie Sobotka ’26 highlighted how most high school students in Germany do not focus on their athletics. She said serious athletes have the “option to attend a ski academy or a boarding school specific for sports. There, you get intense training, and school becomes less important because you’re trying to make it to the Olympics.” Sobotka further explained that, in Germany, athletic extracurriculars are focused around physical fitness, rather than pure competition. Sobotka said, “[In Germany, ] We usually have Physical Education classes, which everyone is required to take, but we don’t have teams associated with [high schools/colleges].” Johan Wilkerson ’27 observed a similar pattern in Sweden, where hockey players compete in local clubs up until high school, at which point athletes who want to play professionally either join clubs in the J18 and J20 hockey leagues or attend a hockey gymnasium (upper secondary school in Sweden, grades 10-12), where classes are tailored to the athletes’ hockey schedule. Rania Limam ’27 said, “Young Moroccans who aspire to become professional athletes often don’t have a structured framework or government support to make achieving their goals easier.” She also mentioned how class divides and monetary commitment determine who can pursue certain sports. She said, “Their [young athletes’] parents often do everything they can to pay for private coaching, training sessions, and club memberships.” Mac Wang ’25 and Leo Ma ’25 both mentioned how athletes in China play sports to become professional athletes, and how athletic achievement is often seen as a viable alternative to academic success. “There ’s not a lot of student-athletes back home— they’re mainly just students or athletes,” Ma said. “It’s different [in the US] because it’s more of a culture rather than a profession.” “From my experience and from what I’ve seen, it’s extremely difficult to balance being a good student and a good athlete [in China],” Wang affirmed. Sobotka shared that the fervor of German sports crowds in comparison to their American counterparts. “[German fans] are much more vocal!” Sobotka said. “If you look up German soccer fans on YouTube… you’ll see they make the stadium shake. You’d be scared to stand there! Going to a soccer game in Germany is probably the most fun, especially for smaller, less well-known teams. Their fan bases are like cults—they love it.” Limam emphasized the higher importance of sports in Moroccan society and culture. She said that during the 2022 Soccer World Cup, “[her] school gave [the students] free afternoons to watch matches where the Moroccan soccer team competed… [A person] could hear screams in the streets whenever the team scored a goal, and cafes would be completely full two hours before the match.” On the other hand, Wang believes that Chinese sports culture is weaker compared to that of the US. “In my opinion, there’s no real sports culture in China. Sports are seen as something you do for fun—you can’t really pursue it as a main focus in life unless you’re a professional athlete,” he shared. “In the US, it feels like everyone plays sports. As a freshman, I was shocked to see senior rowers who were just brick walls—huge, strong athletes.” When it comes to differences in coaching and training styles, Wilkerson mentioned how technical skating skills are prioritized by Swedish coaching philosophy in early hockey development as opposed to actual gameplay. “In Sweden, hockey players’ primary focus isn’t on game performance—it’s on developing skating first,” Wilkerson said, “Until I was about ten, I’d never played a full-ice game. Dr. Hallwood explains that coaching philosophy in the UK is slightly more removed on game day. “When I coached rugby at my last school, we’d coach the team throughout the week, but on game day, it was up to the players. We might make a couple of substitutions or give advice at halftime, but during the game, the players made the decisions. In the US, there’s much greater interaction and control from coaches during the game,” he explained. Ultimately, international students experience a dichotomy when they play sports in America because of differences in playing styles, team cultures, and coaching techniques.

The Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Hockey Teams have started off their 2024–2025 season with a record of nine wins and four losses, ten wins, three losses, one tie respectively. The boys hockey team recently began their season by playing against seven other schools in the Flood Marr Tournament, hosted by Milton Academy and Noble and Greenough School. Finishing the tournament with a record of two wins and two losses, the team beat Salisbury School and Milton Academy but lost to Phillips Academy and Kimball Union Academy. Senior captain Ryan Diffley ’25 said, “our performance in the tournament was a solid baseline for the team” as it helped him and the rest of the captains identify “the team’s strengths and weaknesses.” Pre-tournament, senior captain Lance Roberts ’25 described the team’s open season practices as, “a little more intense than the past couple of years.” The team focused more on what Roberts described as “conditioning work and putting more emphasis on decision-making plays.” Regarding team chemistry in the opening days of the season, the boys demonstrated strong leadership, depth, and group bonding. Diffley said that “there has been a lot of leadership not only from the captains but also the other, more experienced players on the team.” Describing the talent on the team this season, Roberts said senior Drew Keiver’s ’25 “level of confidence and knowledge of the game has jumped since last season.” Diffley credited a major part of the team’s current per-formance to Elliot Lennon ’26’s “skillful goal-tending,” he said. The girls’ hockey team opened the season by competing in a tournament at Cushing Academy. Finishing with a record of three wins and one loss, the girls placed third in the tournament. Senior captain Allie Corrieri ’25 described their performance as “incredibly competitive with very high energy,” she said. Within the team, the girls have bonded tightly over practices, beneficial to team chemistry as well as developing skills. Corri-eri described the team dynamic as “very bought-in,” filled with energy and dynamics., she said. Corrieri further detailed how each individual on the team is “aware of how their role differs from each other, but everyone is still willing to do their part.” The girls are ready for the rest of the season and ready to put their skills to the test. Corrieri stated that juniors Ava Giroux ’26 and Brady Wierl ’26 are on the rise this coming season.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, case numbers for infections like flu, Strep A, and RSV have escalated. In the midst of rising frequencies in diseases, norovirus was also one of them, infecting individuals of all ages throughout the United States and beyond. Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Although […]

This school year has been an inflection point in the movement towards banning phones during the school day. As of the 2024-2025 school year, 14 of the US’s 20 biggest school districts have either banned, or are arranging to ban, phones for part of the academic day (The Washington Post). Three states, South Carolina, Louisiana, […]

During his tenure as Deerfield’s headmaster, Boyden proclaimed, “Pay what you can” to families struggling to afford an education at Deerfield. His statement has served as a core principle regarding Deerfield’s approach to financial aid. Today, Dr. Austin outlined the approach to financial aid as such: “Deerfield’s commitment to affordability and access in the form […]

On January 1, 2024, a wildfire sparked in the Pacific Palisades, an affluent California neighborhood. Since then, the wildfire has spread rapidly across Los Angeles County, into Eaton and Hollywood Hills. The fire has destroyed over 37,000 acres and killed at least 28 people. The fire has caused severe weather conditions that have delayed or […]

Winter term at Deerfield brings snow, the outdoor ice rink, and casual dress. However, winter also brings seasonal depression, and Deerfield Academy is no exception. “Seasonal depression” is a colloquial term for Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a type of depression that occurs most often during the fall or winter. Director of Counseling, Jennifer Daily, […]