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Dark hulking sculptures fill the von Auersperg Art Gallery as the space’s current exhibit. According to the exhibition guide, the large, matte black figures, all built within the exhibit by Fafnir Adamites, are embedded with abstract beauty and guides the viewer through space on a path of personal navigation. Ms. Adamites, a local artist from Turners Falls, holds an MFA from the Fiber and Material Studies Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as a BA in Photography and Women’s Studies from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Mrs. Taylor, who first noticed the artist along with Ms. Hemphill at an exhibit at Stoneleigh-Burnham School, met with Ms. Adamites in person and heard about her work. “She’s very generous, and I feel her work is very genuine,” Mrs. Taylor said. “It comes from a lot of research that she did personally, and a journey that she’s done through her life and the life of generations in her family before her.” Mrs. Taylor was optimistic that the exhibit would have a powerful impact on both students and faculty. “The purpose of the exhibitions at the von Auersperg Gallery is to expose students to different types of art and artist from diverse backgrounds,” she said. “Fafnir Adamites is a conceptual artist, she lives locally, and with her sculptures, she claims space for acknowledgment of inherited trauma. We hope that curiosity will bring students into the gallery and engage with the work aesthetically and intellectually.” Ms. Hemphill’s main goal is to garner the interest of the school community. Both Ms. Hemphill and Mrs. Taylor hope that the artwork in the gallery makes students more intrigued by different forms of art and artistic expression. “I want them to be curious about coming in, and to be interested in what the next show is. For each show, we want people to be intrigued, to ask questions, and to look at the materials,” Ms. Hemphill said. Ms. Hemphill was initially drawn to Adamites’s work by the uniqueness of the sculptures and how they would look in the von Auersperg gallery space. “It’s quite strikingly different from the previous shows we’ve had,” she stated. Mrs. Taylor agreed: “We want our gallery to be a teaching gallery, and where there is a surprise sometimes, and there is something unexpected.” Lily Louis ’18, a student involved in bringing the artist, noted the distinctiveness of this exhibit. “It’s conceptual art rather than the creation of a story,” she explained. “With the exihibit, it’s the concept that everything she’s made has been created from objects that will eventually disintegrate. The whole concept is that she creates will eventually fade away as well.” Overall, the exhibit’s main purpose is to reveal to people to a novel type of abstract artistic expression. “We hope that art becomes a part of [the students’] lives,” Mrs. Taylor said. “We want to give them exposure to a different way of working and thinking. It happens in the classrooms, but this is a space where it can happen in a different form.”

As soon as Mr. Bob Howe, Deerfield’s new Athletic Director, set foot on campus, he began to implement changes in the Deerfield athletic program. With support from former Athletic Director, Mr. Chip Davis, Mr. Howe has smoothly transitioned into Deerfield. One area that he is currently addressing is purchasing “greens and greys” (green practice shorts and grey practice shirts) that are specifically designed for female use. During his interview process at Deerfield, Mr. Howe heard some discontent from coaches of female sports and decided that if he were to be hired that was an aspect of the program that he would need to address right away. Players like varsity volleyball captain Annie Roberts ’17 have noticed the improvements and extra energy focused into female athletics this year. “Mr. Howe knows about us and puts time into us,” Roberts ’17 commented. “For example, before every game, he comes to say good luck to me and the team and always knows exactly which schools we are playing.” Roberts also added, “Girls teams really appreciate the addition of greens and greys because it genuinely feels like Mr. Howe cares about every team on campus.” Mr. Howe has also worked to address the process of purchasing team apparel. In the past, teams have purchased very expensive merchandise, sometimes making it difficult for everyone to participate in an order. “Captains need to be mindful in deciding what apparel to purchase and if it is necessary,” Mr. Howe added. This does not mean that this is the end to purchasing apparel; Mr. Howe would just like everyone to be sensitive to members of the team who cannot or do not want to purchase apparel. Roberts explained, “If you are trying to unify a team, getting $200 apparel is not the answer.” Varsity volleyball this year has made a compromise with the athletic office to have warm-up apparel become a part of the team uniform, and it can be purchased by the athletic department. When Mr. Howe arrived at Deerfield from his position as Athletic Director at Loomis Chaffee, he sensed a unique, “excitement and desire to better athletics” from the school as a whole that provides “a greater potential to bring Deerfield’s program further along.” While he has already made changes such as providing coach buses for away game trips longer than one and half hours for all teams, Mr. Howe still believes that there is room for improvement within the athletic program. “We have really good coaches, and I am excited to work with and help them to be able to coach more and worry less,” Mr. Howe said. By working on sportsmanship, gender equity, success in Deerfield’s league, and increasing pride in athletes at all levels, Mr. Howe believes that Deerfield can both reinvigorate and further a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the Academy’s athletic programs.

On September 16th and 20th, Terence Crutcher and Keith Lamont Scott were fatally shot by police officers in their respective cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Charlotte, North Carolina. Both men were unarmed at the time of their deaths. These two instances reflect a recent trend in unnecessary police brutality against black people in the United States. On February 26, 2012, 17-year old Trayvon Martin (pictured above) was walking back from a convenience store after purchasing Skittles, and was followed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, because he looked like “a real suspicious guy.” Zimmerman called the police, who told him not to follow Martin, but he did anyway. It is unclear what occured next, but one thing is certain: Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin. Martin’s death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. According to blacklivesmatter.com, the movement is “an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise,” as exemplified by police brutality against black people in the United States. The Deerfield Black Student Alliance (DBSA) hoped to raise awareness about the issue of systematic oppression in American society today, so at school meeting on September 28th, the DBSA showed a video called “23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America,” in which celebrities and public figures told some of the stories of black people who lost their lives to police brutality. After the video, members of the DBSA stood together in silence on stage, showing the community that they deeply feel the effects of these issues, and emphasizing that this issue does affect the Deerfield community. Imani Goodridge ’17, a Co-President of the DBSA, commented, “We’ve always talked about black issues and we feel like it didn’t get through to the student body last year. We wanted everyone to understand why it matters to us.” At the end of the presentation, the DBSA announced that on Friday, September 30th, the school would hold a blackout. On that day, students wore black clothes in solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement and for the deaths of Crutcher and Scott. The blackout day was a way to bring the entire school together for one common cause, while simultaneously aiming to educate the student body on the issues facing black people in the United States today. Annie Roberts ’17, another DBSA Co-President, explained that among other reasons, the main motive behind holding the blackout and showing the video was so to involve the whole student body on an issue that affects everyone. “It’s always seen as a black issue when it really affects everyone in America,” Roberts explained. “We felt it was important to do something that involves the entire school.” Many students reacted positively to the blackout. Cornelia Mackay ’18, said, “Actions definitely speak louder than words and the blackout day was a symbolic way to show support to people in our community and stand together for the lives lost.” Roberts also emphasized the fact that she wants the Deerfield community to become more educated on these events and issues so that students can empathize with those in the community who are grieving. She stated, “It’s frustrating when you really care about [the Black Lives Matter movement], but when you talk about it, nobody knows what you’re talking about.” Ms. Marjorie Young, Director of Inclusion and faculty leader of the DBSA, commented, “As a community we can better educate ourselves so that we can engage in productive dialogue rather than being afraid and remaining silent… We need to commit to addressing inclusion in sustained and systematic ways.” Mr. Thomas Heise, who has taught United States History at Deerfield for over 25 years, offered the idea that what we learn in the classroom sometimes directly relates to these current events, thus offering an opportunity to discuss them further. “There are ways in which these issues come up in class,” Mr. Heise explained. “And when that occasion arises, it certainly is a good thing to talk about these problems and connect the study of history to what we are experiencing in the present.” Roberts agreed, saying “A huge component of Deerfield’s mission is to educate us to be successful in the world after Deerfield, and keeping up on current events is a crucial part of that.” Goodridge explained how she believes that the Deerfield community is actively trying to become more aware of what’s happening outside of our campus. “This year, there’s a different mindset… Everyone cares more,” she said. Roberts urged people to continue to listen and educate themselves about societal issues facing black people today. She commented, “If someone is feeling hurt, try to hear where they’re coming from, have empathy, and put yourself in their shoes. All I’m asking is that people try to listen and learn.”

“Myself,” stated senior Celine Kim when asked who inspires her art. She has been doodling, painting, and expressing her artistic side since the age of five years old. Her mother, a fine arts major, encouraged Celine to pursue this interest. Together, they would go the art studio and draw or paint for hours on end. Celine’s mother even had Celine pose for her when she was little. Her artistic curiosities fully emerged when she left home in seventh grade to go to boarding school in the US. At the Fay School, she took art classes every term and continued to improve her skills. Her real love for art developed at Fay. “I started to really, really enjoy drawing and painting, as it wasn’t forced on me at all. I could explore freely and create different forms of whatever art I wanted to” she said. At Deerfield, Kim currently takes one of Mr. Dickinson’s advanced classes, Topics: Post AP Studio Art. “Mr. Dickinson changed my art career completely. He pushes me to reach my full potential,” Kim explained. “The studio is always full of laughter with Mr. D’s lame jokes, and I’ve learned to truly enjoy art in his class,” Kim continued. Under Mr. Dickinson’s guidance, not only has her passion for all forms of art increased, but she has also completed a large collection of works for her portfolio. During her junior year, she drew and painted a multitude of self-portraits, a line drawing, and her personal favorite, countless pastels. Many of her pieces fall under the category of surrealism. “I mainly do surrealist art, especially at a place like Deerfield because the reality that exists here can be incredibly stressful,” stated Kim. Art currently serves as Kim’s main stress-reliever. “I’ve been struggling with extreme seasonal affective disorder and found that art relieves my anxiety and stress,” she joked. “You can imagine me, super angsty in front of an easel aggressively scribbling.” At the moment, Kim has an art exemption, giving her more time in the afternoons to clear her mind and enjoy herself behind an easel. Though constantly in the studio at Deerfield, Kim pursues art outside of school as well. When she’s in South Korea over the summer, Kim regularly attends art classes and produces her own work, much of which has earned praise. For example, she won the Gold Key Award for the YoungArts in the summer of 2015. This award was for a sculpture she based off an “exciting essay” she wrote for her sophomore year English class here at DA, taught by Ms. Fan. The sculpture was composed of wood, and resembled a human with two heads, both of which were iPad screens. Kim created this unique sculpture to symbolize a person with two identities or souls trapped within one human body. In the future, Kim wishes to keep a balance between arts and sciences in her life. She wishes to continue studying art while in college, but it will not be her major. However, after high school, she wishes to still keep in touch with her artistic side. “I definitely will collect cool pieces of artwork and possibly be involved in the art business along with my career,” she commented. “Plot twist, I want to study medicine because my dad is a doctor, and I believe that art will be an escape from that stress.” No matter what, Kim says that art will “definitely, definitely, 100%” be a part of her future.

The Deerfield theater program will kick off the year with a comedic play entitled Museum by Tina Howe. Though their tremendously successful rendition of Cabaret last winter will be difficult to top, this comedy aims to challenge it. The fall play is a uniquely hilarious show, according to its participants. Mrs. Catriona Hynds, Theater Program Director, stated that Museum is a dynamic comedy set during the closing night of an art museum. The audience will watch as a variety of characters make their way through the exhibits, and the guard struggles to maintain order. The play humor stems from its snappy dialogue and an array of 44 distinct characters, each with their own unique reaction to the same exhibits. With such a large cast, Mrs. Hynds decided to give a role to all of the people who auditioned. Making the most of her inclusive casting, she aims to provide developmental experiences for the plethora of young actors joining the theater program this year. “The audience is going to witness a really huge company mingling together in a whole series of interconnected vignettes,” Ms. Hynds said. A multitude of incoming and returning students, many of whom are new to the theater program, are now participating in the show this fall alongside the more experienced actors. “Everyone is constantly looking for ways to improve, suggesting different scenarios and little additions to what we are doing. Seeing all that enthusiasm is really encouraging when it comes to performing your own part,” said actor Rada Pavlova ’18. After serving as assistant director in Cabaret last year, Michael Wang ’18 is prepared to make his onstage debut as Jean Claude, one of the visitors to the exhibit. “My favorite part is bonding with the ensemble, and working with these amazing actors in and especially outside of rehearsal,” an enthusiastic Wang remarked. However, the production is more than just a starting point for future thespians. “[The aim] is to have a really pacey, vibrant, energetic show,” Mrs. Hynds said, and her actors affirmed the direction of the performance. Amelia Evans ’18 explained, “While it is relatively easy to make spontaneous jokes with friends and score the occasional laugh intended; it is much harder attempting to relay a similar, natural sense of humor to an audience, especially after hearing the same joke, repeated, every day in rehearsal.” Museum opens in the Reid Black Box Theater on November 1st and will run until November 4th.

As members of the Class of 2017 assume their new roles as seniors, they have chosen to commemorate their final year at Deerfield with the word “FAM17Y.” The motto, coined at the Stepping Up Bonfire last spring, aims to emphasize the distinct sense of community among students at DA. At the Stepping Up Bonfire, the student body came together to hear Griffin Thomas ’17 speak about why he chose to return to Deerfield the same night that he lost a loved one: he wanted to be with his fellow Deerfield students—his family. Kathryn Grennon ’17, a senior cheerleader, explained how Thomas’s speech inspired the slogan FAM17Y: “It was created when Griffin spoke to all of us, because we felt like everyone cares so much for each other in our community and the word ‘family’ perfectly represents our school.” Nick Leone ’17 added, “Family is something that is really important at DA. When we come to this school, we leave our families at home and go to a place where we hope to find a new one.” Logan Knight ’17, another senior cheerleader, mentioned that the seniors also hope their efforts to promote FAM17Y will reach the younger students. He is “looking forward to showing the underclassmen that it’s cool to be excited about Deerfield and challenging what it means to be the quintessential Deerfield student.” While excitement builds around their new motto and the legacy they hope to leave behind, members of the Class of 2017 have big shoes to fill. They follow the Class of 2016, who reignited Deerfield’s school spirit with their “Bring it Back” campaign. Audrey McManemin ’17, a head cheerleader, remarked, “As senior cheerleaders, we are kind of in a difficult position just because there’s so much pressure after the amazing job that the cheerleaders and [the class of] 2016 did with bringing it back… [but] I hope that our grade is able to unify Deerfield… while still keeping up the school spirit.” Jared Strauss ’17, this year’s Captain Deerfield, elaborated on the ways in which the seniors hope to put the talk around FAM17Y into action: “Our top priority is getting large groups of people to attend athletic and performing art events, so we can support our fellow classmates.” He also intends on having the senior class organize “spontaneous gatherings [where] people can get out of their rooms… and enjoy each other’s company and our beautiful campus.” As we dive into the 2016-2017 school year, returning to our busy schedules, the senior class hopes to remind students that, in Knight’s words, “we are our best when we look out for each other.” Ultimately, as McManemin explained, “Deerfield is more than just a community. There have been countless times when I say, ‘Oh, I’m going home’ and I mean I’m going back to Deerfield.”

Dear new student, If you are anything like I was as a ninth grader, you were a trembling mixture of excitement and nervousness when you arrived on campus for your first move-in day. Whether you’re from down the street or halfway across the world, you probably had no idea what to expect. Maybe you cried and maybe you didn’t (I did, a lot). Either way, know that you weren’t the only one. While this is my fourth year navigating Deerfield life and all of its complexities, I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t figured it all out yet. And I’m not unique in this regard—just about everyone here is faking it till they make it at one point or another. Acknowledging and accepting the fact that no one at Deerfield is perfect makes it a lot easier to be kind to yourself and those around you. Trust me on this one. Whether you’re here for four years or just one, the best way to make the most of your time here is to invest in the entire Deerfield experience. Believe me, it’s very easy to get caught up in the stresses of classes, assignments, and grades, but if you spend every waking minute at your desk or in the library, you’ll miss out on everything that makes Deerfield special. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do your homework. Please do that. But, also recognize all of the opportunities that Deerfield has to offer beyond the classroom. Join a new club. Go to sports games that aren’t your own. Attend concerts and theater productions. Apply for a leadership position, even if you’re afraid that you won’t get it. When you look back at your Deerfield career, these are the experiences that you’ll remember and take pride in. There will be times when you will feel like Deerfield is too much for you. When it seems like every minute of your life is packed with academics, cocurriculars, and required meetings, lean on the support systems that you have here. You are a part of the Deerfield FAM17Y now, which means that there are friends and allies in your classes, on your teams, in your dorm, and just about everywhere on campus. Don’t be afraid to ask them for help. Deerfield is an incredibly special place, and one that I’ve been lucky enough to call my home. Take the time to get to know the people here, to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings, and to cherish all of the small moments of spontaneous fun, and I guarantee that you’ll love your Deerfield Days. Good luck! Maddie Blake ’17

As both returning and new students return to campus this September, they’ll notice a big change: they will now be using the OneCard to pay at campus stores and cafes, enter dorms, access the Fitness Center, use printers on campus, and check out books from the library. Ryan Noble, Associate Director of ITS, explained, “For over 20 years, the Deerfield community has been using a [Greer card], implemented by Dining Services in the 1990s. [This] old system grew into a point-of-sale system for the Greer, Athletics, Bookstore and access to the Fitness Center.” However, according to Mr. Noble, the Greer Card’s outdated magnetic stripe technology and software factored into Deerfield’s decision to switch to a new system. Students will still be able to make payments at the Greer, Koch, Athletic Store, and Hitchcock House with their card, but the new OneCard system operates like a debit card, rather than a charge card. Before students can make purchases, they or their parents/guardians must deposit money into their OneCard accounts. Melissa Persons, Director of Financial Aid and Student Accounting, explained that this system gives parents/guardians and students the ability to monitor charges and deposit funds in the OneCard online, instead of using monthly paper statements to track charges. This year, dorms will be locked and the OneCard will allow students key card access to all dorms until curfew. Mrs. Persons emphasized that “safety has always been a priority on campus and, as [the school] evaluated the need for an upgrade to the prior card system, updating the campus with a door access system emerged” as a necessity. Now that the OneCard acts as a key, Mrs. Persons said that students must “report the card lost so that it can be de-activated.” Students who lose their OneCard will also be charged a $70 replacement fee. Mrs. Persons also explained that the OneCard is a tap card, so to use the card for any of its functionalities, you simply tap it against the card reader. A chip embedded in the OneCard controls the functionality, so Ms. Persons warned against punching a hole in the card, because it may disrupt the programming of the card. Mr. Keith Finan, Associate Head of School for Operations and Chief Financial Officer, stated that a combination of factors indicated it was time for this change. He explained that the “software that runs the current Greer card is no longer being supported by the vendor,” and that there has been “an increasing number of requests to provide greater security to the students’ living quarters.” Because there was already a need to replace the current system and its technology, Mr. Finan said “it was both a timely and efficient opportunity to enhance the current system.” Mr. Finan put together a committee that evaluated alternative card systems, proposed the OneCard system as a replacement, and, with the trustees’ support, implemented the new system. Mr. Noble, the committee chair, believes that “the best part of this change is the opportunity the new platform provides for adding additional services down the road”—for example, “attendance tracking at required Academy events.” He also said that the updated system will “make supporting the system much more manageable in the long-term, thus placing ITS in a better position to roll out enhancements to the community.” As with all new systems, there might be glitches as students come back to campus. Mr. Finan asked students to “please be patient and report those problems to Security or the Information Technology Desk respectfully.” Ms. Persons echoed his statement: “One of the most challenging parts of this project was to define and create permissions for all of the different categories of users on campus. If you have an issue with your card… please send an email to Mr. Anthony Kenney.”

This year marks a significant change for the Deerfield music program, as Mr. Stephen Peisch and Dr. Thomas Pousont will assume the positions of Director of Instrumental Music and Choral Director, respectively. Mr. Peisch was appointed the new Director of Instrumental Music when former director Mr. Peter Warsaw announced his departure last spring. Mr. Peisch is a commissioned composer; he has earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music with Honors from the New England Conservatory. Before coming to Deerfield, he taught at Lawrence Academy for twenty-eight years, where he held the positions of Music Director, Choir Director, and Chair of the Arts Department. Mr. Peisch has many goals for the next school year. He explained, “I hope to maintain the impressively high level of the orchestral and the chamber music program that I witnessed last spring.” Peisch will prioritize “private lessons and ensemble coaching [for students]” and will “continue Mr. Warsaw’s tradition of asking music students to think for themselves and to share their interpretive ideas with each other.” Most importantly, Mr. Peisch “[wants] to be sure that Deerfield musicians have everything they need to progress intellectually and musically.” Many members of the school orchestra are excited to work with him. Britney Cheung ’19 said, “He seems very qualified and knowledgeable about music, and I’m sure he’ll make great contributions to our music program!” As for the choral program, the rather sudden departure of the former Choral Director, Mr. Jackson, took many by surprise. In a message to his choral students, Mr. Jackson wrote, “I want to say that I’m sorry. I really hated disappearing like that, but my family’s needs had to come first. I’m sure you all will do great things. I honestly wish I could take you all with me.” Many of his students were sad to see him go. Penelope Hough ’17 said, “It was very upsetting to hear that Mr. Jackson is leaving us. However, his short tenure still proved to be incredibly beneficial to the choral program.” Dr. Pousont has been appointed as the new Choral Director. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and both his Master’s and Doctorate in Music from McGill University in Montreal. He has been Director of Music at the First Church of Deerfield since 2003, and a teacher of voice, piano, and organ at Deerfield since 2005. Dr. Pousont explained how he hopes to improve the music program: “I’ve noticed that the audience attendance has been limited at Academy music performances, so… I will focus on improving that. I’ll be giving the choruses more visibility on campus, and ensuring that their concerts are well advertised.” He added that he is “looking forward to working with the dedicated and talented music students here at DA, and to collaborating with my colleagues in the music department.” Hough ’17 sang in church choir under Dr. Pousont’s direction for three years and explained, “I am confident that Dr. Pousont will continue to lead the program in a positive direction and I am excited to work under him again.

The boys’ crew team first boat finished off the year strong by capturing the New England title and finishing third in Nationals just a few days later. The first boat, led by head coach Spencer Washburn, included captains Caleb Friends ’16 and Gordon Johnson ’17, Freddie Johnson ’17, Will Sanford ’17, and Dani Michelson ’17. At New Englands, the boys’ first boat finished in first place with a time of 4:52.883. Their win automatically qualified them for the Youth National Championship held from June 10th-12th. During the National Championship, the boys earned their bronze medal with a time of 6:32.820, falling just 2.198 seconds behind the silver medalist, Belmont Hill. “At Nationals, we were a little bit disappointed we got third, but it was a great race and getting third in the country is nothing to be ashamed of,” Johnson commented. When asked about the caliber of competition, Johnson added, “The competition at Nationals was definitely top class, with every boat in our category representing the fastest programs across the country.” He also shared that the majority of the teams they faced practiced with an intense regimen year-round, while Deerfield’s rowers only trained as a team in the spring. Even though the boys do not practice year-round, their concentrated spring training prepares them well for racing season. The boys practice six days a week with morning lifts on Tuesdays and Thursday. Most afternoons, the team “rows for two hours… constantly doing race pieces to get the boat up to speed and ready to go,” stated Johnson. Reflecting on last season, Coach Washburn shared that practices were his favorite memories. “I love being at practice with this team. They’re fun. They work hard. They enjoy what they’re doing. They’re a blast to work with.” He also remarked that he “was most proud of the way the group was willing to take a good look at the team’s culture and they started to ask some hard questions about what it meant to be part of the Deerfield Academy rowing program.” Johnson shared that from last season he is “most proud of how the guys responded to some of the extremely difficult workouts the coaches put forth. No one shied away from the task but instead was happy for the challenge.” As students return to Deerfield for another school year, Coach Washburn reminds us that “each year is different and we don’t approach the season thinking that we need to repeat or defend anything.” Although the boys’ first boat will have four returning members, the coach stated that it is up to the boys to work hard and re-earn their spots. He also added that “the rowers that race for Deerfield this spring will create their own identities and work to achieve their own successes.” Johnson is optimistic for the upcoming season, stating, “next year we will continue to press the idea that everyone on the team matters. From novice to varsity, each rower has his own part and matters to the entire success of the program. It’s not just about the first boat but rather about every boat and every rower.”

From April 10-12, Virginia Murphy ’17, Ethan Thayumanavan ’17, Nailah Barnes ’18, Lily Louis ’18, Melia Summers ’18, and Kishor Bharadwaj ’19 attended the Save the Children Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C. The six students were accompanied by Director of Global Studies, Mr. David Miller. Save the Children is a world-renowned non-profit organization that has helped hundreds of millions of children globally by advocating for their rights and providing them with food, healthcare, and education. The Advocacy Summit, which occurs anually, serves to educate students about current issues and inspire them to take action. This year, students learned about early childhood education and its impact on children and families. Barnes said, “Kids who receive a high quality early education earn 50% higher income, are 50% less likely to be arrested, are 20% more likely to graduate from high school, and are 28% less likely to develop drug and alcohol problems.” When explaining her interest in attending the summit this year, Louis said, “I wanted to learn more about what we can do and what organizations are already doing to help [children].” “The first two days of the summit involved learning about policy and advocacy,” Thayumanavan added. “We heard from many inspiring and interesting people involved in Washington, including Gayle Smith, the administrator of USAID.” At the summit, students learned from and spoke with experts in politics and social justics issues. They also had the opportunity to advocate for children’s rights and early childhood education at Capitol Hill. There they met with Congressman Jim McGovern, who represents the 2nd congressional district of Massachusetts. Louis found the experience to be “an eye opener,” saying, “It helped us learn how important our voices can be.” This fall, as Save the Children ambassadors, the six students hope to continue immersing themselves in the cause and further engaging the community by bringing local advocacy events to Deerfield. For example, they plan to broadcast debates and lead discussions surrounding the U.S. presidential election on campus. Mr. Miller said, “Learning about advocacy with our students and being able to take an active role is not only intriguing but also gratifying.” “Working with Save the Children is truly a wonderful experience,” Murphy said. “It is important to recognize that even we can make a difference, and it’s not that hard.”

The elections for student body president have been a long-standing tradition at Deerfield, and this year, the Deerfield Student Council held a different type of election. When I heard that the election was going to include a debate, I was excited to hear the candidates’ opinions and their views on those of their opponents. However, “debate” is probably the wrong word to describe what took place. The candidates were merely asked questions, and some responded by completely avoiding the question altogether. I’ll admit that since attendance was not required, I skipped the student body president election my freshman year. My sophomore year I went only because my friends were going, and because I had little homework, since it was sophomore spring. I had little interest in who the president was going to be, or what his or her ideas were, since I didn’t know what the president did or could do. All I knew was that the president would occasionally step onto the stage during school meetings and could put a big fat “President of the Student Body” on his or her college applications. But this year, I was excited to go, and as a rising senior, I wanted a competent president who would be able to ensure our grade a fun and transformative senior year. The majority of the people I talked to before the debate already knew who they were going to vote for based on their perception of the candidates (I’ll admit, myself included). But this is the inherent problem of the whole system. With the somewhat over-public community that we live in, we all know who everyone is, who has hooked up with whom, who said what, etc. This affects not only who we’re friends with, but who we choose to like and dislike without ever talking to that certain person (myself included, again). This year, only two of the seven candidates were girls. This was not surprising however, as the majority of elections in the past have consisted of mostly boys with the occasional one or two girls who are willing to put themselves out there, and usually, get beaten because of some twisted preconception. All of my four years here, the student body president has been a boy. And this year, the Chair of the Student Council is also a boy, which leaves no girls in positions of power in the school. Going into the election, most people made it clear that they already favored a certain candidate; their opinion then influenced their friends’ opinions. Thus a whole wave of communication can stem from an opinion that isn’t even yours in the first place. One of my friends received a text from someone telling her to vote for X candidate because X was her boyfriend. Is that really the way the system should work? Additionally, the voting after the election was initially conducted through Facebook, which is a problem for multiple reasons. Many people at Deerfield don’t have a Facebook. Also, once social media sends out the vote, it leads to other forms of communication in which opinions are discussed. People tend to vote for the same person their friends vote for, and they are often good friends with the candidate for whom they vote. The aftermath of the election is also flawed. You ask others who they voted for, either to your happiness or dismay. But when you ask the harder question, “Why?” the responses become more disappointing. One person I asked simply responded, “Because he’s X.” It is hard to blame a candidate for causing people to completely disregard the ideas of true qualification and to vote for someone according to who they are, rather than what they will do.  Yet, I ask you to try to your best to break free from this vicious cycle of social inequality in which the student body president election has, unfortunately, become a popularity contest. I have no perfect solution to this flawed system, since the social norms at Deerfield can perpetuate a vicious cycle of false rumors and mass opinion. Perhaps a better approach to the situation would be to keep the candidates undisclosed until the election, so that people go in and listen to the ideas of the candidates and are not influenced simply by their names and appearances. At the election, a group of students in front of me were on their phones during one candidate’s speech but eager and listening during another’s. If you don’t have the courage and sense to have your own opinion, at least have the respect to listen to others. Don’t be afraid to be different from people that you think know better than you. Embrace your own opinion. If this happens, I believe Deerfield can become a better place.