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After 20 years of coaching at Deerfield, Mr. Michael Silipo will step down from his position as the varsity football and baseball coach at the end of this academic year. He will continue to coach boys squash and teach history. Mr. Silipo has influenced countless players and coaches throughout his time at Deerfield. Assistant Director of Admission Mr. Drew Philie ’09, who is currently a coach alongside Mr. Silipo, played football while he was a student at Deerfield. Mr. Philie said, “[Mr. Silipo] always held me accountable [as a player], pushed me to do my best, and I always knew that he loved me, because he would tell me it all the time.” Mr. Philie noted that Mr. Silipo is not only “extremely knowledgeable about the sports he has coached,” but that he also “teaches kids to earn it both on and off the field and be accountable for their play and action.” Mr. Philie has had many good memories of being on Mr. Silipo’s football team. One of his favorite traditions was Milk and Cookies. Every Friday night, while the team shared milk and cookies, Mr. Silipo would “talk about life lessons” and “about the brotherhood [they] had created.” Mr. Philie said that in these talks, Mr. Silipo “always had the right words, the right tone, and the best message. ” Emerson Logie ’16, a four year member of the Varisty football team, said, “Mr. Silipo taught me how to be a competitor, how to lead, how to be tough, how to be a good teammate, and how to be a more humble person. He made me ask myself why I play football, who I play for, and how the lessons I learn from the game can be implemented in everyday life.” Dylan Presnal ’17, a pitcher on the baseball team, said that Mr. Silipo “embodies what Deerfield Academy should expect from their teaches and coaches. He is the perfect example of how one should conduct themselves both on and off the playing field…  he respects his opponents while commanding and gaining their respect in return.” Mr. Brian Barbato coached football alongside Mr. Silipo this past season and will step up as head coach next year. He, too, believes that Mr. Silipo has “influenced the football program through his passion and dedication as an amazing coach, mentor, and friend.” Mr. Barbato added that Mr. Silipo “cares deeply about strengthening the moral fibers and resiliency of his players and has used the game as his classroom to teach the skills in football and in life that will impact his players.” The entire Deerfield community will miss Mr. Silipo’s presence on the football and baseball fields. Mr. Barbato said that he “will miss [Mr. Silipo’s] understanding of the game and the many experiences that he has shared with fellow coaches, individual players, and the entire team.” Similarly, Logie will miss “spending time with [Mr. Silipo] and hearing all his stories and life lessons,” while Philie will miss “having [him] on the sidelines.” Though future Deerfield athletes will not get the chance to be coached by Mr. Silipo, Mr. Barbato emphasized that he “will make sure… his influence on the team will be felt for a long time to come.”

After 37 years of service at Deerfield, Mr. Richard Bonanno and Ms. Pamela Bonanno will retire to their home in New York City at the end of this academic year. The Bonannos began teaching at Deerfield in September of 1979, after moving from Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire. They were attracted to Deerfield, they say, by the comprehensive academic program, school spirit, and the faculty. Ms. Bonanno explained that year after year, she and her husband have chosen to stay, because “there was always room to do good things, whether it was teaching in the classroom or working with students in the Dean’s office.” Fernanda Ponce ’19, one of Ms. Bonanno’s students, said, “Ms. Bonanno is always there for any student in and out of the classroom. I really appreciate the care she has for us and her hard work and dedication.” Lucas Kim ’17, one of Mr. Bonanno’s advisees, stated, “His humor and reassuring behavior have been extremely valuable to me, and he has helped me pursue my interests and seems to understand me as a person.” Math teacher Sean Keller ’86 recalls his time living in a Deerfield dorm with the Bonannos as hall residents. “I felt like I mattered to them,” he stated, “and they made everyone on their hall feel important.” Mr. Keller described what it is like to have the Bonannos as colleagues now: “I’m up in the math office at some very strange hours of the day and on the weekends, and almost always one of them is up there… they always take the time to do everything the right way, not the easy way.” Mr. Darnel Barnes, another math teacher on campus, explained that the Bonannos have been open to sharing their “wealth of knowledge about mathematics, Deerfield Academy, and life in general.” They have passed on their philosophy about how to nurture and challenge their students to fellow math teachers. In addition to teaching, the Bonannos have contributed immensely to other aspects of the Academy. Mr. Bonanno served as the Head of Administrative and Academic Computing from 1979 to 1989, and as Dean of Faculty from 1996 to 2007. He also led the task force that designed the Koch Center, which was completed in 2007. Current Dean of Faculty Mr. John Taylor stated, “[Mr. Bonanno’s] achievements have been far-reaching and have had an impact on countless students and faculty.” Ms. Bonanno, who is currently Chair of the Math Department, was Assistant Dean of Students from 1984 to 1988 and Dean of Students from 1988 to 1996. Mr. Taylor stated that as Dean of Students in 1989, “[Ms. Bonanno] was instrumental in helping the school successfully transition to coeducation.” Ms. Bonanno also oversaw the construction of dorms John Louis and Louis Marx, which both opened in 1998, during her time as Assistant Headmaster for School Life from 1996 to 2003. Mr. Taylor stated, “Besides Mr. and Mrs. Boyden, I don’t think there is another couple in the history of the school that has… given so much to the Academy.” He added, “It is hard to imagine Deerfield without them.” In the many roles they have taken on at Deerfield, Mr. Bonanno explained that he enjoyed being Dean of Faculty most, because he helped bring in “an incredible cast of faculty members.” He added that he feels he is leaving Deerfield in great hands. Ms. Bonanno stated that she has most enjoyed “being in the classroom … and working with kids.” She feels that “there are lifelong bonds between students and faculty.” Upon retiring, Mr. and Ms. Bonanno look forward to returning to the classroom as students. Mr. Bonanno will pursue physics, and Ms. Bonanno hopes to study art and see what New York City has to offer. Though they will be in New York, the two wish to retain the close bonds they have formed with faculty, staff, and students, and hope to visit often. In the fall, Mr. Barnes will replace Ms. Bonanno as the Chair of the Math Department, and two new math teachers will join the Deerfield community. As Department Chair, Mr. Barnes hopes to honor the Bonannos’ legacy by continuing “to challenge ourselves to improve by looking at our practices, keeping what is working well, and experimenting to find alternate methods that may be helpful.”

Change never seems to come at a great time. But we cannot continue to tell ourselves that in five years, Deerfield might become a better place and not do anything to make that better place a reality. If we do nothing, we will never see progress. If we keep telling ourselves, “Wait, we are not ready for change,” then change will be pushed back year after year and “soon” will turn into “never.” Instead, we need to be catalysts for change, here and now. Captain Deerfield has been a position historically dominated by white males, typically of a high socioeconomic class, since its creation in 1995. But Deerfield has changed a lot since 1995. And Captain Deerfield can change, too. Captain Deerfield does not have to be a wealthy white male, and saying that we are not ready for progress is no excuse to prevent a person of color or a woman from becoming Captain Deerfield next year. Being worthy of our heritage does not mean that we must remain rigid in tradition, if a tradition is no longer applicable to the school and the world around us. Rather, being worthy means continuing to uphold Deerfield’s ideals. Respect. Honesty. Concern for others. Captain Deerfield is a symbol of these ideals and a symbol of pride in our school, and therefore he or she needs to be a person who embodies these ideals. This is not necessarily a white male. Being a person of color or a woman does not make you inherently less able to uphold these ideals. Charlie Carpenter ’16, the cheerleaders, and the Class of 2016 deserve a lot of credit for making progress already. For the first time in the history of Captain Deerfield, a survey was sent out to the entire school about who should be the next Captain Deerfield. Girls have been welcomed into the top row of the bleachers at hockey games. The cheerleaders have shown support for the arts throughout the year. The Class of 2016 has done an incredible job striving to “Bring It Back.” But we can continue to do more. We can and must move away from the “tradition” of choosing someone to represent our school based on superficial characteristics like race, gender, and socioeconomic class. Instead, let’s choose someone who truly shows pride in Deerfield, and someone in whom Deerfield can take pride. We need to have faith that our school is ready for progress, and begin to create the change we want to see.

After two years in the Penn Fellowship Program, theater teacher Ms. Katie Speed is leaving Deerfield. She spent the last two years pursuing her passions: teaching, acting, and improvising. Ms. Speed was initially looking for any theater teaching job, but her first impression of Deerfield made a lasting impact, which ultimately influenced her decision. “On my interview day, I remember meeting students and being so blown away by how thoughtful Deerfield students are,” she said. “It was the Deerfield students that made me want to work here.” While working at Deerfield, Ms. Speed has mostly taught Acting II classes as well as other spring electives such as Speak The Speech, a Shakespeare inspired class, and an improvisation class. She also works with Ms. Hynds on the Advanced Acting Tutorial class in the spring term. “Ms. Speed has helped me enormously.” Ms. Hynds said. “It’s been really interesting and useful to bounce ideas off of her.” Ms. Speed directed the 2015 spring play , as well as this winter. She also has been the assistant director of multiple plays and performances. She is  currently directing the Spring production, . Abby Lupi ’18, who took part in , stated that “Ms. Speed contributed a lot to the aesthetic of Cabaret, particularly to our gestural nuances, really improving the overall atmosphere of the show.” While at Deerfield, Ms. Speed has found a new appreciation for the value of collaboration among different mediums. Ms. Speed stated, “I’ve always believed that theater is a subject that is the marriage of a couple of things: visual arts, music, technology, and actual acting… Here, I was able to learn how valuable it can be to have a professional who’s the expert on this thing… add to my ideas or create new ideas that make my ideas better.” Ms. Speed found that a valuable part of her Deerfield career has been reconsidering the relationship between teacher and student. She said, “It’s been really eye-opening for me in terms of viewing teaching as an influence of an adult on all aspects of a student, not just their academics.” After Deerfield, Ms. Speed plans to work at the UP Academy Oliver Middle School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The school is strictly English and math focused, and the arrival of Ms. Speed will bring about a new arts program. “The school decided that they would like to create an arts program to get more kids excited about learning, and theater is the art form they wanted to focus on. I’m going to be creating their theater program,” Ms. Speed explained. “It’s absolutely right that Ms. Speed is going to a school that really feeds her philosophical approach to teaching theater,” said Ms. Hynds. As for looking back, Ms. Speed reflected on what she will miss the most: “Students here are really empowered to start their own projects and they feel supported enough by the faculty to want to do those things. They actually go out and do it. I’ll miss the tenacity and can-do attitude of the typical Deerfield student.” As much as Ms. Speed will cherish her experience at Deerfield, her companionship will also be missed in the theater and acting department. Ms. Hynds stated, “I will miss her energy and miss having someone that understands how intense it is to be in rehearsal day in and day out, term in and term out… She’s much needed.”

Seven forty-five p.m. looms over me like a death sentence every day of the week except for Friday and Saturday. I’m a freshman, and study hall is arguably one of the most prominent components of my daily schedule. A typical school day consists of three parts: classes, co-curricular, and study hall. However, the current study hall policy seems to diminish its very purpose, which is to increase students’ productivity. With a large number of freshmen and new sophomores enrolling each school year, study hall seeks to ease the difficulties that arise from settling into boarding school, especially one as rigorous as Deerfield. Adjusting to Deerfield poses a variety of challenges; changes in academic, extracurricular, and social life are enough to trip up anyone. It is only natural that the administration implements systems they believe are most helpful for students to meet the high demands of the Academy. But these good intentions are often overridden by study hall’s shortcomings. First, forcing students to sit down and work for two hours takes away the motivation to study. On days with more flexible schedules, such as Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, I am more productive because I get to work when I want to. Study hall is a different story – not only is it difficult to remain focused the entire time, but students also resort to other activities such as watching Netflix. Students have remarked that they do not do much work during study hall; if anything, they find their own time to study and finish homework outside of the two-hour time block. Being guilty of habitual procrastination myself, I am not blaming study hall for my failure to meet obligations. Nevertheless, we must consider if study hall should be enforced at all if it is serving as more of a guideline than a rule. There is no foolproof or convenient way to ensure everyone is working during study hall, as some group of students will always find other time to study. Perhaps the administration can strongly encourage students to study after 7:45 p.m. rather than requiring students to do so. Study hall also forces underclassmen to follow a schedule that greatly restricts the activities they can participate in. Between the end of co-curriculars and 7:45 p.m. curfew, there are a little more than two hours to get things done outside of the dorm. Everyone has different activities that they want to do at different times, ranging from photography and robotics to working out and practicing instruments. Requiring students to be in study hall after 7:45 p.m. prevents students from engaging in these activities, particularly holding meetings for student clubs and associations. I understand that for freshmen, study hall can be an effective way to introduce good study habits. However, it seems redundant for sophomores, most of whom are already comfortable handling a heavy workload. Given that a number of students at Deerfield have repeated a grade, sophomores will have had a year or two of high school behind them when they begin the school year. Coupled with the benefits of a more flexible schedule to accommodate various student activities and studying preferences, a change in the current policy would improve academic life significantly. A possible solution would be to enforce study hall for fall term of sophomore year and allow students to study outside of the dorms during the winter and spring terms. This way, new sophomores would have the opportunity to become comfortable with the Deerfield workload in a structured environment, and be granted a more flexible schedule later in the year. Time is our most valuable resource, and we must make sure we use it in the best way possible.

Raegan Hill ’19 Contributing Writer There have been both drawbacks and benefits to living in The Village this year, but I’ve concluded that it has been a positive experience. Three situations that I’ve faced this year include living with a roommate, living with only freshmen, and sharing a complex with students of the opposite gender. Sharing a room has taught me important life skills such as compromise and accountability. I’m reluctant to leave behind all the inside jokes, the episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, and the duets with Margaret Williams in Johnson 205. Starting at a new school is tough for anyone, but by having a roommate, you instantly have one familiar face. I am also very grateful for the opportunity to live in a hall of only ninth graders because at the end of the day, they are the ones I’m going to spend the next four years with. This is not to say I don’t want to get to know the upperclassmen, but living with my class has created deeper, more meaningful friendships. Overall, the class of 2019 was fortunate to have Crowe Commons be a part of our everyday lives. The space has literally and figuratively connected Johnson and Doubleday. Some of my favorite memories from this year include the entire grade watching on Halloween and my Semi date teaching me how to swing dance in our pajamas the morning of Semi-Formal, both in Crowe. Crowe was a place for us to be able to hang out and get to know each other without any pressure. I have just as many guy friends as I do girl friends, and because of The Village, I bet I could name every student in my grade. When I’m a senior, I want it to be the norm that girls can hang out with boys, go to breakfast, and even get parietals with them without everyone immediately thinking that they’re hooking up. I hope future classes will appreciate The Village as much as I did. Bayard Demallie ’19 Contributing Writer After living in The Village for a year, I have come to the conclusion that although The Village made it easier to create a tightly knit class and bridge the gender divide, there were many more repercussions. As new students, freshmen should be housed as close to the center of campus as possible. By isolating the freshmen, an environment in which some freshmen feel as if they do not need to involve themselves in the community is created. For example, there is always a group of kids who rarely go to dances and are always in their rooms. It is totally fine if someone does not want to go to a dance, but these same kids are also the ones who skip other events like KFC and pep rallies. Having freshmen in the center of campus and living with sophomores would work to end this practice. Freshmen would be more inclined to get involved in the community and would adapt to Deerfield more easily. Over the course of this year, it seems that The Village has created the idea that freshmen don’t need to participate in schoolwide activities and can stay in the Village instead. As a result, there is a divide between those who do not leave The Village and those who do. So by helping the gender divide in the freshman class, we create another divide. In the end, there will never be a perfect solution, but I don’t think that the Freshman Village is the best one. Emily Henderson ’19 Contributing Writer Living in The Village has created an opportunity for our class to interact with greater ease and frequency than any other freshmen class before us. While I believe The Village has achieved some of its proposed goals such as improving the gender divide issue, it has not achieved enough to justify the switch. For example, friendships and friend groups are often defined by hall in The Village, and it is rare to spend time on a hall other than your own. If the freshmen were to be integrated with sophomores, I think it would help us to branch out and become friends with people outside of our hall as has happened in the past when underclassmen lived together. Taking away the freshman-sophomore living experience has created fewer opportunities for interaction between the two grades, and both freshmen and sophomores lose out on valuable opportunities to get to know each other. Although I owe The Village greatly for the freshmen connections it has afforded me this year, reverting to the previous system would be beneficial for future freshmen and sophomores’ living experiences and for the campus community as a whole. The connection between underclassmen formed by living together benefits the entire community, producing a campus where students not only know many people in their grade, but other grades too. *Graphs were created from 78 Freshman Responses

Last year there was just one female player on the Deerfield golf team. This year, both Kimberly Stafford ’19, who is currently the fourth seed on varsity, and Katherine Goguen ’16, who plays on junior jarsity, have joined the team. Both girls have been playing golf since they were toddlers; Stafford plays year-round in tournaments, while Goguen plays in the summer with her brothers. This year, Goguen played golf instead of lacrosse because of four recent concussions, two of which were from sustained from ice hockey. “Some of [the boys] have been our closest friends this season,” Goguen said. Considering that golf at Deerfield has traditionally been a male-dominated (if not a male-only) sports team, Goguen “was actually shocked at how welcoming [the boys] were, and how comfortable” they made the female athletes feel. Stafford is used to playing with the opposite sex: “I grew up playing with all boys, but at the end of the day, it’s your game, and you have to focus on what you’re doing. It doesn’t really matter what other people are doing.” Although the boys on the team were very friendly, the girls originally did not receive respect from their male opponents. Describing her experience at one of the matches, Goguen said, “I have only played against boys this year. When we did introductions, I barely got eye contact when they went to shake my hand.” Lowell Weil ’18, who currently plays number-two seed on varsity, has enjoyed having Stafford join the team. He believes her presence has had a positive impact on the group. “At the beginning of the year, it was definitely a change in atmosphere… The Deerfield golf team is historically an all guys team, but right away [Stafford] fit in really well. It was not awkward at all,” he said. He added, “She has earned her respect this year playing No. 4. She has consistently contributed to our matches and to a lot of our success. We are all grateful for that.” Goguen has also noticed the love and respect for the game shared by players on the golf team: “I definitely think it’s interesting when we go to play other schools,” she said, “I think we are very respectful, and we care about the rules.  And I don’t think anyone on our team would jeopardize that, because everyone knows we are representing Deerfield and your honesty is a huge part of golf.” Stafford looks forward to future seasons playing for the green and white, and Goguen was happy to spend her last season at Deerfield with the golf team. She explained how her teammates made a lasting impact on her, saying, “the guys on the team have made playing golf worth it… I [didn’t] leave a practice without laughing. They’re really awesome.”

Dear Reader, You have almost made it to the end! It is hard for me to believe that in just four short days, Deerfield will lose the Class of 2016, the class that has shaped, inspired, and excited our community for the past nine months. I truly do not believe that anyone is ready to see them go. With them, they brought spirit, joy, and leadership. I can only hope the Class of 2017 will follow in their footsteps. Each and every member of the Class of 2016 is destined to change some aspect of our world. Here at , we want to celebrate these students and the places to which they are headed in the near future. This issue highlights the matriculation results for the Class of 2016. Last year, for reasons that are valid and well-intentioned, The Scoll’s Editor-In-Chief at the time, Bella Hutchins, chose not to report on where the senior class was headed to college. As the new Editorial Board, however, we have weighed both sides of the issue, and we have come to the conclusion that our community is simply curious. We are anxious to know where our peers are off to next fall — the places to which they will bring a piece of Deerfield — and that curiosity is not a bad thing. It is important, however, to note that the colleges and universities our peers choose to attend are not the sole or total measure of their successes or characters. As a community, let’s remember that. Let’s respect everything they have done for us and wish them well in their future endeavors, wherever those may take them. To the Deerfield community: 2015-2016 has been a year to remember. Congratulations on your hard work and persistent spirit. Let’s carry on the legacy the seniors are leaving behind. Finish up strong. To the Class of 2016: I wish every one of you endless luck in the future. Thank you for Br1n6ing It Back! All the best, Perry Hamm Editor-In-Chief

At the end of this academic school year, Mr. Chip Davis will be stepping down from his position as Athletic Director. Mr. Davis has held this position for ten years, and says that he feels “no regrets about the timing or the number of years I have been Athletic Director.” Doing what he thought best for Deerfield’s athletic program, Mr. Davis has both maintained crucial parts of the status quo and made significant changes within the department. One thing that he maintained in the interest of Deerfield athletics is the number of sports teams available for students and faculty. Mr. Davis explained that adding more teams would only create thinner rosters because of Deerfield’s limited population size. He also noticed the trend of student athletes taking off-seasons in order to specialize in only one or two sports, something that would also create smaller rosters. Mr. Davis has also taken charge in implementing change for Deerfield’s student athletes. One significant change was the increased school spirit pertaining to sub-varsity awards. He said that he takes particular pride “when sub-varsity athletes receive resounding applause at the athletic award school meetings.” He feels Deerfield athletics has created a more inclusive environment over the years for all athletes, not just Varsity players. The department has also recently created projects to construct new athletic facilities over the next two years. As Mr. Davis concludes his final year as Athletic Director, he will also be stepping up as the new Admissions Director. With the recent departure of former Director of Admission Ms. Stafford’s, Mr. Davis commented that “the timing of the offer came as a surprise to me, and everything has transpired in May.” Although he has already served several years on the admissions committee, he thinks that his new position “is far more comprehensive” than he is used to. However, he does feel quite ready for the challenge; Mr Davis said that “I’m looking forward to working with the great team of colleagues in the office and am confident I can be a quick study in learning the operation in order to lead it.” Unlike his former position as Athletic Director, his new position will be a full time job. Thus, he will no longer be teaching economics. “I am sad about [leaving economics],” Mr Davis commented. “I’ve taught the course for 22 years. However, the new opportunity affords me a healthy challenge, so I can justify the loss of the economics classes.” He will also give up coaching football, but will remain as the lacrosse coach for future years. Next fall, Mr. Bob Howe, current Athletic Director of Loomis Chaffee, will be in charge of athletic department. Unlike Mr. Davis, Mr. Howe will be a full time Athletic Director. Mr. Davis believes this to be an exciting move for the department because “the expectations and responsibilities [of the athletic director] have broadened.” Mr. Davis has provided 10 years of leadership for Deerfield Athletics; he is confident in Mr. Howe’s abilities to pick up where he left off, and is ready to take on his new position in the Admissions office.

Last spring, the seniors launched the “Bring It Back” campaign in an attempt to revitalize school spirit and the sense of community at Deerfield. Class Dean Kevin Kelly said, “In the spring of 2015, the rising seniors met on the stairs of the Main School Building. The cheerleaders led the Class of 2016 through the typical cheers we hear year after year. Suddenly, Charlie Carpenter silenced the crowd: ‘We’re going to make next year special, we’re going to bring it back, and the only way to bring it back is for all of us to buy in!’ The crowd went wild!” Charlie Carpenter ’16, holds the position of Captain Deerfield; a position generally associated with representing school spirit. Carpenter said, “‘Bring It Back’ means bringing back the sense of school pride that was standard in the Boyden era. In my opinion, the measures of school pride are the tightness of the community and the amount of support for others within the community.” Serena Ainslie ’16, another major contributor to the “Bring It Back” campaign, explained the origins of the movement: “My dedication to the ‘Bring It Back’ campaign really began when I toured Deerfield in 8th grade. I still remember how unbelievably excited I was when my tour guide told me about Choate Day, the cheerleaders and how Deerfield’s school spirit brought the community together. This was one of the main reasons I chose to come to Deerfield…That spirit permeated all aspects of campus life.” Ainslie explained that after her freshman year, there seemed to be a newfound “attitude of listlessness and even resentment…The loss of school spirit was a campus wide topic of conversation, yet no one seemed to be doing much about it.” At the end of her junior year, she heard sophomores saying that the Class of 2016 was going to be a bad senior class. This moment was Ainslie’s call to action. She stated, “When I heard this, I was infuriated… On the night of the stepping-up bonfire, Bella [Hutchins ’16], Charlie and I… vowed to respect the legacy of 2013 and try to be to the rest of the school what 2013 was to us our freshman year. So, at the stepping- up bonfire… ‘Bring It Back’ was born.” Mr. Kelly commented on the Class of 2016’s success in this endeavor: “Since day one of this school year, the Class of 2016 has… questioned, challenged, and changed some long-standing traditions at the Academy. They embraced gender equality issues, invited the girls to join the boys at hockey games, shaped how the student body should conduct themselves at sporting events, supported theater, dance, and music performances throughout the year, all while being positive role models to our younger students.” Jiwon Shin ’17, the Deerfield orchestra concertmistress, agreed: “I think that the seniors did bring it back this year.” Shin noted the increased attendance at orchestra concerts this year, saying “We appreciate the support at our concerts from the seniors and others in the community.” Mr. Kelly explained what he thinks truly made the campaign a success: “You have been very much aware and committed to developing the ‘collective you.’ Without the ‘collective you,’ the school fails. It is, and will always be, the small, consistent, daily acts of kindness, respect, and caring that show your collective personality. The ‘collective you’ has demonstrated just how much you love each other and love DA.” Ainslie further explained, “As graduation approaches, I… feel so proud to be a part of [the Class of 2016]. I’ve been thinking a lot about the legacy I’m going to leave, and how long that legacy will last. I think back to 2013 and realize that their legacy is still here. Their attitude inspired 2016 to bring it back, which hopefully [will] continue to inspire this community to show their love for Deerfield. That’s what I think it means to be worthy of your heritage. School spirit is the connection that all of us have to every class that came before us. It’s the common thread that makes Deerfield a place that we all love, that we all call home.” In a message addressed to the senior class, Dean of Students Amie Creagh remarked, “You…have yet again raised the bar on what senior leadership means. True to form, you have demonstrated a willingness to adhere to some basic expectations without losing sight of all the fun senior spring should entail. Our younger students are lucky to have had you as the new standard bearers.” Thomas Song ’19 agreed: “I’m a freshman, so I can’t compare how school spirit was this year compared to last year, I think that the seniors have really fostered a sense of school spirit and have been excellent role models.” Student Body President Claire Petrus ’16 summarized the lasting significance of the campaign: “The ‘Bring it Back’ campaign has been successful in reviving the Deerfield tradition of school spirit… [It] has shown that, as a student body, we are capable of uniting behind one cause. This same passion and energy should be used not only to embrace the heritage that makes Deerfield unique, but also to resolve issues, like the gender culture, that negatively impact our school.” Looking towards the future, Petrus also urged, “Although this emphasis on tradition has been beneficial, it’s also important to know that as a school we are not only defined by our history. We shouldn’t be afraid to modernize certain aspects of the school’s culture just because they are ‘tradition.’” To the Class of 2016, Mr. Kelly said, “As your dean, I will never forget any of you. You are a very special group, and Deerfield will always be your home. Selfishly, I hate to see you go, but the timing to move on and leave Deerfield is appropriate. Good luck in your future and be worthy of your heritage!”

On May 29, writer and comedian Colin Jost will come to Deerfield to speak at the 2016 Commencement ceremony. Each year, Deerfield invites a distinguished individual to address the graduating class. Previous speakers have included former U.S. President George Bush; Henry Rodgin Cohen ’61, President of the Deerfield Board of Trustees and Senior Chairman of the law firm Sullivan and Cromwell; Martha Minnow, Dean of Harvard Law School; and Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. G’03, Commander of Apollo 13. Mr. Jost has been on the cast of since 2005 and is currently a co-anchor, along with Michael Che of , the SNL sketch that parodies current events. Jost graduated from Harvard University in 2004; during his time there, he served as president of the a comedy publication. He has been nominated for five Emmy awards and has won a Peabody award and three Writers Guild awards. Jost, who grew up on Staten Island, wrote the screenplay for and acted in the comedy film, . Ms. Jenny Hammond, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, explained that the process of finding a commencement speaker “[is] complex because it involves the Head of School, school administrators, and sometimes even the Board of Trustees.” She also mentioned the importance of getting “input from the graduating class… sometimes a year in advance.” Since last spring, Student Council Chair Claire Petrus ’16 has led the search for this year’s commencement speaker with guidance from Head of School, Dr. Margarita Curtis. Petrus explained that she “wanted someone to capture the essence” of the graduating seniors; she looked for a “fun and lighthearted” speaker because “[2016 is] a fun class.” Due to his experience speaking in front of live audiences, Petrus felt he was an excellent choice for Commencement. “[Jost] knows what he needs to do to please an audience and make a memorable speech,” Petrus added.­ Many seniors are looking forward to hearing Mr. Jost speak. Anne Trapp ’16 is excited to hear “someone who is both funny [and] able to make a point that will hopefully stay with the graduates.” Camille Moeckel ’16 hopes Jost will capture “what a graduation really is: the sadness of leaving your Deerfield home behind and the happiness of moving on to a new experience.” She pointed out that Jost is a “very accomplished writer at just 33 years of age… [and] we will all be able to learn from him and his success.” Dr. Curtis said, “I generally look for someone who can inspire young people in two ways–by how they have chosen to lead their lives… and by the kind of message they choose to emphasize on this important occasion… my hope is that every Commencement speaker encourages [the graduates] to lead worthy lives.”

At the age of five, Quentin Jeyaretnam ’16 learned to play the piano. His passion for music, however, did not ignite until his thirteen-year-old self came into contact with a drum set. Using those drums, Jeyaretnam played in a band, and since then he hasn’t “been able to get enough.” At Deerfield, he has continued playing the drums, while also learning how to play the bass guitar, the guitar, the keyboard, and various percussion and string instruments. He specializes in jazz, blues, rock, and funk, but is also well acquainted with classical, reggae, and samba styles. “DA’s music programs have greatly increased my technical musical ability and my understanding of music in general,” said Jeyaretnam. “Having the opportunity to work with all these great musicians has allowed me to elevate my playing to an even more professional level.” Jeyaretnam also credits group practice as an important factor in his skill development. He owes his ability to play the drums to practicing and performing with his childhood band. Here at DA, he frequently plays in the band room with Nate Steele ’17 and Gavin Kennedy ’15. He expressed, “I love long jam sessions where everyone listens to one another and complements each other’s playing, quite literally creating something out of nothing without much thought or premeditation, bar establishing a key to play in.” In addition to Steele and his DA teachers, many other people inspire Jeyaretnam musically. His idols include “rock and jazz legends like John Bonham, Dave Grohl, Jaco Pastrorius, and Paul Chambers.” Though he is incredibly fond of their styles and careers, Jeyaretnam aims to enter the music industry with his own unique musical style. His musical abilities reach beyond playing a variety of instruments. “I’m fairly experienced in studio production, and have helped some other Deerfield musicians produce their tracks (such as Aaron Bronfman ’15), while also providing creative input for other producers on campus like Clay Wadman ’16, Tarek Deida ’15, and Tai Thongthai ’17,” he stated. Jeyaretnam’s wide range of skills will serve him well in his  future musical career. After Deerfield, he plans to minor in music production in college, and then, during his two years in the Singapore Army, engulf himself in the country’s rich music scene. In Singapore, he hopes to “work with local musicians in as many different genres as [he] can.” Jeyaretnam said, “Music will stay with me forever. To me it is a very spiritual experience, and I find myself transported into a new world when I listen to or play good music. To be able to feel the emotion and passion in a song, that’s what music is all about.”