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“Beg, Steal or Borrow: It’s Nature that Takes the Blame,” a unique and vibrant exhibit, opened last weekend over Deerfield Parents Weekend and is on display until early June.  The exhibit was curated by Adrienne Conzelman, owner of A.R.C Fine Art LLC and the mother of Nicky ’16 and Carolina ’18 Conzelman. The works were created by Jason Middlebrook, a contemporary artist who focuses on various forms of art, including sculptures and installation art. Adrienne Conzelman specializes in contemporary art in a variety of media, and has worked in the field for two decades. She was also an advisor to curators before opening her own private gallery. In terms of how Conzelman decided to bring Middlebrook’s art to Deerfield, she said, “When I first saw the spaces and thought of his work, the soaring verticality of his planks seemed as though they could be shown to their fullest advantage in this space.” Conzelman views the combination of painting and sculpture in Middlebrook’s work as a very unique interplay of the two disciplines. Conzelman collaborated with Lydia Hemphill, Deerfield’s Director of Studies, in bringing Middlebrook’s exhibit to Deerfield. Conzelman said, “Lydia was very gracious to welcome Jason Middlebrook’s exhibit, and hopefully his artwork will be the first of a great partnership between A.R.C and Deerfield Academy.” Middlebrook’s show, titled “Beg, Steal or Borrow: It’s Nature that Takes the Blame,” hopes to emphasize that humans are to blame for nature’s suffering. This plays into the purpose of the Von Auersperg Gallery, which, according to Ms. Taylor, is “to bring different voices to the community, open a conversation, and to break down stereotypes.”  Middlebrook’s art represents the irony of the ethical view humans grant themselves of their destruction of nature. Nature is accentuated through Middlebrook’s use of wood and its natural shapes as a canvas for his artwork. Middlebrook noted: “The trees I use have lived a significant life, being between 100 and 200 years old. Therefore, painting on top of their wood pays homage to the time these trees spent improving lives throughout our planet.” The wood used in the exhibit comes from a mill in Sheffield, MA. Middlebrook said that the wood speaks to him, and he envisions his paintings as he chooses the wood. He has been creating these forms of wood paintings for close to 25 years, and the process has evolved naturally. Many students have attended and thoroughly enjoyed Middlebrook’s exhibit.  Tommy Whiteley, ‘18, said, “Middlebrook’s work is a beautifully evocative combination of natural and man-made beauty. Speaking to Middlebrook about his artistic process while surrounded by his works was an incredibly unique experience.” Hatty Wang ‘16 added, “Jason Middlebrook’s works are so elegant in their simplicity. His designs accentuate the original patterns on the wood, and skilfully present human and nature in unison.” The exhibit of wood paintings and drawings presents an opportunity for Deerfield students as individuals and as a community to respect nature and contemplate how it can be restored to its original beauty.  It has also highlighted how engaging art forms can send a meaningful message to our community and stimulate important conversations.

Lauren Ilsley ’16 has notably represented the green and white in both cross country and track and field for all four years of her Deerfield career, and will be finishing her last season this spring. Ilsley excels in long distance events such as the 1,500 meter  race and is actively involved in the development of running at DA. As a graduating senior and a captain of this year’s team, Ilsley is focused on “trying to make sure the younger students appreciate the sport and take it seriously,” while also enjoying her final spring in the process. Her sister Annie Ilsley ’18, who also runs track this year, said, “[Lauren’s] work ethic has led her to success in many ways, but what I admire even more is her positivity in any type of situation and her ability to put others before herself… her concern for others shows in her role as a leader on the team. Lauren is not just a role model for the younger runners, but a captain who values the success of her teammates as much as her own.” Ilsley ’16 reflected back on her time here at Deerfield, saying, “It’s bittersweet to have finished my eighth season, but at the same time, it’s an accomplishment to have run for four years, and I feel like I am leaving the team in good hands.” She credits her success at Deerfield to Dr. Cullinane, a powerful influence in her running development. She explained that, “He could take the most inexperienced freshman girl and turn her into a track and field star.” As she looks back at her running career, she recalls one of her most memorable moments: this year’s Hunt Relays. She also remembers going to the Vermont River every Thursday, one of her favorite running traditions. She admitted that she’ll miss running along the scenic river, and enjoying the snacks Dr. Cullinane brings for the end of  each of these “river runs.” Ilsley ’18 explained, “One of the biggest struggles I have seen Lauren face in her running career has been a combination of difficulties with breathing and anemia… although these two issues are especially hard for a runner to face, Lauren has continued to run through them with a strong will to achieve her best despite the obstacles.” As Ilsley moves on to the  University of Richmond next year, she is considering walking on to the Division I track and cross country teams or at least running recreationally or at the club level. As she spends her final few weeks at Deerfield, Ilsley remarked that she feels “sad to leave as a proctor and to leave [her] sister, the kids are on the team, and everyone at Deerfield.” She will miss representing Deerfield on the cross country course and on the track, but her strong, positive spirit will continue to influence the team in the future.

On the Original Costume (In 1995): “It was a very bare bones operation – just myself in a very mediocre homemade (or I guess dorm-made) outfit that consisted of a green ski hat, green towel as a cape, a big ‘D’ drawn on a white T-shirt, two birthday hats colored over in green marker, which I used as shoulder spikes, and a green eye mask that in retrospect kind of made me look like the Hamburglar.” On the Early Stages of Captain Deerfield: “It came about from being frustrated that the school crowd during sporting events just didn’t seem into it as much as I was, aside from the occasional school cheer, which at times was pretty half-hearted… I started doing things to try to pump up the crowd like sprinting around the rink ‘Ultimate Warrior style’ after we scored a goal and it kind of took on a life of its own.” On How Captain Deerfield Joined Forces with the Cheerleaders: “In my senior year (‘96), the cheerleaders/cheer squad kind of begged me to be on the squad; I wasn’t enamored with the idea of possibly being considered a male cheerleader, but they didn’t make me try out, so I gave in.” On His Favorite Memory of Being Captain Deerfield: “[Of] course every now and then I’d get in trouble; I distinctly remember throwing a rubber chicken on the ice after an opposing team’s player took a cheap shot. (I carried a chicken every now and then to taunt the opposing team). Our hockey coach was livid about the chicken and totally wanted to kill whoever threw it; lucky for me I was in disguise and the crowd didn’t give me up, because I’m pretty sure Captain Deerfield would have ended right there.”

The position of Captain Deerfield was created with the initial purpose of increasing school spirit at athletic events. By “getting rowdy” throughout the school year during cheers, pep rallies, Choate Weekend, and the games of popular sports such as football, hockey, and lacrosse, Captain Deerfield serves as a representative of Deerfield’s school spirit. However, in recent years many people have expressed the sentiment that declining school spirit has caused Captain Deerfield’s presence to fade into obscurity by the end of the fall term. Charlie Carpenter ’16, the current Captain Deerfield, reflected on this sentiment. “As a senior and as Captain Deerfield,” he said, “I felt like it was my responsibility as well as the Class of 2016’s responsibility to bring back the school spirit and the school pride that makes Deerfield so unique.” Carpenter strove to reignite school spirit by supporting the student body in innovative ways. For example, he pushed for greater energy and inclusivity at athletic events by going to games year-round and by instating new measures like welcoming girls into the upper rows of the bleachers at hockey games. Many students, such as Katherine von Weise ’17, a current nominee for next year’s Captain Deerfield, welcomed Carpenter’s revitalization of the position of Captain Deerfield. “Charlie was a really good Captain Deerfield this year. When Captain Deerfield went to games, more fans tended to come with him, so when you saw him there with more people, you got more riled up and excited for the game,” she said. Carpenter made a deliberate effort to increase the attendance at girls’ games and the community’s support of female athletes. Jenna Greenbaum ’17 and Felicia Renelus ’17 appreciated this gesture. “I definitely think Charlie as Captain Deerfield made a difference in attendance at female games,” said Renelus. “I remember sophomore year especially, the girl’s basketball team really didn’t get fans, and if we did, a lot of the time the fans were parents from other teams. However, I noticed this year that some Wednesday home games had a great turnout, which really helped the team play well.” Greenbaum added, “One memorable way that Charlie encouraged others to support girls’ games was at our hockey home opener, when the stands were filled and we had a gauntlet in between the periods, something I had never experienced during my three years on the team. It’s always a great feeling to step out on the ice and have a crowd of your classmates and teachers cheering you on.” Another innovative approach by Carpenter and the cheerleaders was attending arts performances in full uniform, a notable first in the history of Captain Deerfield. To actor and stage manager Kaycie Sweeney ’17, this new initiative both surprised and pleased her. “Captain Deerfield and the cheerleaders exceeded my expectations during the opening night of the fall play, , when I walked on stage to find the whole first row inhabited by cheerleaders in uniform. It’s a great feeling to know that all the hard work that you put in is appreciated by people of all walks of life at Deerfield,” she said. The most notable change to the position of Captain Deerfield this year has been the new selection process. In the past, the current Captain Deerfield has chosen his successor with some influence from the cheerleaders and faculty. This year, the selection process has become more democratic, having been opened up to the entire school. “The selection process may be changed in the sense that it takes the pulse of the school in an official form,” Carpenter said, “but the selection process still maintains its tradition of having the current Captain Deerfield having a large influence on who the next successor will be.” The new Captain Deerfield will be  announced on Friday, May 27, at school meeting. Some students, like Cameron Thrasher ’17, thought the changes were unnecessary. “I do not believe a student survey input should apply to Captain Deerfield because it is not a position you run for in the school.” Other students like Jan Menafee ’16 welcomed the changes. “The changes acknowledge that a position as important as Captain Deerfield to the energy of the school year requires student input,” Menafee said. Sweeney agreed, stating, “How well Captain Deerfield does is measured by how much the community is impacted by his or her actions,” Sweeney said, “and having those same members of the community put in their say about who Captain Deerfield should be would definitely make the decision more sincere and true to form.” Other students say they are excited about the new selection process because they hope that it will bring more inclusivity to the position of Captain Deerfield. Zakiya Newman ’17, another nominee for the 2016-2017 spot of Captain Deerfield, stated that by “allowing the whole student body to have a role in selecting the next Captain Deerfield, the school becomes more inclusive, which creates more room for diversity and greater anticipation around the position of Captain Deerfield.” Brandon Scott ’17, another nominee, added, “I feel if a female or non-white person or both were voted Captain Deerfield, it would show that anybody can become Captain Deerfield, that Deerfield welcomes everyone no matter their skin color or sex.” The role of Captain Deerfield has been one both occupied by and associated with white males throughout its history. As a result, many people worry that there will be resistance to a non-white or female Captain Deerfield because of the strong exclusive tradition surrounding the role of Captain Deerfield and the implicit gender and racial hierarchies that still persist within the student body. Imani Goodridge ’17 explained, “I feel that Deerfield has two kinds of hierarchies: racial hierarchies and gender hierarchies. White students at the top, then everyone else. White males at the top, and then everyone else.” Newman added that because of these racial stigmas, “Deerfield puts minorities… at the bottom end of the popularity scale,” making them unable to acquire popularity-based positions such as Captain Deerfield. Discriminatory stigmas against females also have barred them from attaining the position of Captain Deerfield. Von Weise explained that “there is a stigma that girls are less rowdy than guys, and the majority of the school believes that to be true. So sometimes when girls try to be as rowdy as guys, guys will sort of not laugh at them but be like ‘What are you doing?’” Newman attributes this attitude to the conservative mindset of the community with respect to how girls are supposed to act. “Deerfield culture sometimes promotes boys to be very spirited and ‘pumped’ while encouraging girls to be quiet, prim, and proper. If girls continue to live up to this expectation, then they can’t expect to represent Captain Deerfield, a position for a very spirited, eager, and bold person,” she said. In spite of all of this, Carpenter hopes the school will look past these mindsets during the new selection process. “One stigma that has surrounded Captain Deerfield is that it has always been a white male. However, I don’t necessarily think it’s the superficial things or the face value of Captain Deerfield that matter, but rather the spirit within the individual that is Captain Deerfield,” he said. However, Carpenter highlighted a need for change in the attitude of the school first. He stated, “I don’t see [Captain Deerfield] being a female in the upcoming years because of the current… male-dominated [Deerfield] culture. Ideally, our culture would be more equal. However, I do not believe that is the case [right now].” As the school year draws to a close, many have acknowledged the impact that Carpenter has had on the community this year in his role as Captain Deerfield. Assistant Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Kelly stated, “Charlie tapped into what many students were feeling deep down—a pride and love for their school—and it worked. He has now set the bar for any future Captain Deerfield to be much more than just a cheerleader and has demonstrated how one person can impact and lead others to make a difference.” The community is hopeful that the next Captain Deerfield will both continue and expand on the new legacy of Captain Deerfield by exemplifying pride and love for all aspects of the school. In order to do this, students hope the next Captain Deerfield will continue to strive to promote school spirit and inclusivity within the community. Scott said, “We have to make sure that the new Captain Deerfield is someone who is not afraid to get loud.” Sweeney added, “In order to embody true school spirit, all activities should continue to be celebrated. This means next year the new Captain Deerfield and the cheerleaders should show up to orchestra events, student art gallery openings or student debates, in uniform, to show the support of things other than just sports next year.” And Greenbaum believes that the next Captain Deerfield should reach out to freshmen to increase inclusivity: “If we have a leader who is open to helping the younger kids to show up to games and not be too timid to get rowdy, school spirit will be stronger than it has ever been before.” Many students, like Menafee, just want the next Captain Deerfield “to be someone that loves Deerfield and is brave enough to show it all of the time.” As Carpenter’s time as Captain Deerfield approaches its end, he reflects on his experience, saying, “Some of my best memories at Deerfield have been being Captain Deerfield in the bleachers. There is a symbol that Captain Deerfield represents by being in charge of the school spirit. So hopefully, the next Captain Deerfield will continue to take the role very seriously and continue to raise the school spirit at Deerfield.”

On April 25, spoken-word poet Sarah Kay visited Deerfield Academy and performed some of her poetry to a full audience in the concert hall. Kay, who is from New York City, said that she has been writing all her life and began performing her poetry at age 14. She attended Brown University, earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. In 2004, Kay formed Project Voice, a group of poets who use slam poetry to inspire and educate students. As the program’s website states, Project Voice is “dedicated to promoting empowerment, improving literacy, and encouraging empathy and creative collaboration in classrooms and communities around the world.” Kay’s poems cover a wide range of topics, from gender to childhood to family. Through her writing, she likes to not only celebrate women, but also, she notes, to highlight “different lifestyles and choices, and people make [her] happy when others find [her] work empowering.” Kay was one of the inspirations for Deerfield’s spoken-word poetry club, Off Key. Founded by Maddie Blake ’17 this year, the club has met weekly since the winter term. Blake explained the purpose of the club: “Students bring original poems and share them as well as improvise poems as a group.” Kay’s performance at Deerfield consisted of poetry interspersed with personal anecdotes. Kay performed her acclaimed poem “If I Should Have a Daughter,” which she debuted in her TED Talk and has been viewed over nine million times, as well as many other poems such as “The Type” and “Mrs. Ribeiro.” Kay also hosted a Q&A session and book signing event the day after her performance, where students had another opportunity to interact with the famous poet. Many students found Kay’s performance to be interesting and heartfelt. Maddie Chai ’17 described Kay’s performance as “lively, super engaging, and connected with the whole audience the whole time.” Hatty Wang ’16 further added, “Her poetry is relatable [and] easy to understand…Sarah Kay even said during the performance that she wanted to bring poetry to everyone. She was really deliberate with the poems she read and how she read them based off of our reactions.” Kay’s poetry not only resonated with students but with some of Deerfield’s faculty as well. Dr. Delano Copprue, an English teacher, said, “Sarah Kay’s class visit was an opportunity for my students to have a conversation with one of the leading spoken-word poets today.” He continued, “it was an inspiring and inspired event, and it brings to light the great opportunities we have been afforded at Deerfield…moments like these underscore the importance of our writing program at DA.”

On Tuesday, January 19, Deerfield students had the opportunity to explore the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. through diverse workshops centered on themes of inclusion. One of many adults to share his knowledge and interpretation of inclusion was Hassan Awaisi ’07, who currently serves as DA’s Muslim Chaplain. Mr. Awaisi held a workshop focused on Islamophobia, and how this prejudice “fits into a longer American track record of demonizing minorities—Blacks, Italians, Irish, Jews, Chinese, Japanese, Latinos, etc.—as fundamentally Other.” Mr. Awaisi stated, “The workshop I facilitated at Deerfield sought to critically examine four of the most prevalent stereotypes that undergird the twisted logic of anti- Muslim racism: ‘Islam is a monolith,’ ‘Muslim women are oppressed,’ ‘Islam promotes terrorism,’ and ‘Muslims are un-American.’” Showing DA students “real-world examples of anti-Muslim bigotry in the media today,” he worked alongside several Muslim Deerfield students to explain and debunk the myths about Islam that are prevalent throughout the United States, from politics to media to everyday life. In response to those who often reject Islam due to the acts of groups such as ISIS, Mr. Awaisi hopes to clarify the vast difference between Islam itself and the actions that terrorist organizations promote. “In reality, I think religion does not play nearly as big a role as geopolitics,” he said. “The champions of ISIS are first and foremost fascists, intent on gobbling up as much territory and power as they can, whilst swiftly eliminating anyone they regard as sub-human. Their rise to power is the latest upshot of a long history of shortsighted destructive U.S. military policies in the broader region stretching back at least to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.” Mr. Awaisi also recognizes the dangers of spreading any Islamophobic sentiment. “Islamophobia itself fuels terrorism,” he said. “Sound bites like “Islam hates us”—courtesy of presidential candidate Donald Trump—only serve to bolster the recruitment narrative of Islamist extremists that the West is engaged in a fight to the death with the Muslim world.” In response to the negative rhetoric common in the media today, Mr. Awaisi hopes to clarify the true intentions of Islam as a whole. “ISIS has as much to do with Islam as does the KKK with Christianity, the Jewish Defense League with Judaism, Saffron Terror with Hinduism, and Ashin Wirathu with Buddhism,” he said. He explained that “the Islamic tradition is at its core irenic, decrying bloodlust as a disease of the heart. ‘Do not wish to meet the enemy in battle,’ the Prophet Muhammad instructed, ‘but if you meet them, then be steadfast.’ Fourteen centuries before the Geneva Conventions, [the Prophet Muhammed] laid out rules of warfare that forbade, for instance, the killing of children, women, and the elderly, the cutting down of fruit-bearing trees, and the harming of monks in monasteries.” Mr. Awaisi also suggested how dramatically U.S. attitudes about Muslims have changed over the decades, pointing out that “Ben Franklin once praised the founder of Islam for his humane treatment of prisoners of war and submitted that Native Americans would not have suffered the fate they did had they lived under a Muslim sovereign.” In the nine years since his graduation, Mr. Awaisi has maintained involvement at Deerfield specifically within efforts at DA to promote religious expression and curiosity. As Deerfield’s Muslim Chaplain, Mr. Awaisi visits campus “to give talks as well as work with student leaders on developing programming related to Islam and the Middle East.” He also helps with Mr. Flaska’s Islam and the Qur’an class by hosting students at the Hampshire Mosque in Amherst. During April, Mr. Awaisi “will be coming to [Mr. Flaska’s] class to lecture on the topic of ‘The Human Impact of the War on Terror.’” He attended DA’s Interfaith Dinner last month and compared the discussion at the event to the climate on campus when he was a student. “There were fewer opportunities at that time for community-wide discussion on faith and identity in the context of a private boarding school,” he said. “I think the Interfaith Dinner is a wonderful step toward encouraging much-needed candid dialogue and alliances between students and faculty of different religious backgrounds.”

Jihad. Bombs. Extremism. Hijab. These are just a few of the words three other Muslim students and I spoke — the air in the room heavy with tension — as we shared our stories in front of one hundred DA faculty members in January. We’d been invited to speak by Ms. Marjorie Young, Director of Inclusion and Community Life, who believed it was time “to share and have our faculty hear and understand what it is like to be a Muslim student on our campus.” When I first came to Deerfield, I remember expecting that, in a school like ours, everyone would be welcoming and open-minded. For the most part, they are. But ignorance about Islam is ubiquitous in our culture, both outside and inside Deerfield, and because of this, Muslims are bound to be misunderstood. As Ms. Young put it, most of us don’t realize that “not all… students are having the same experience at Deerfield.” Talha Tariq ’17, one of the nine Muslim students on campus, has been a victim of this ignorance. He recounted, “During my freshman year, a boy in my dorm used the term Jihad instead of my name for almost the entire year. Jihad is a term referring to a Muslim’s duty to protect and maintain our religion, though it has been skewed by the Taliban and like-minded militant groups to refer to a “holy war” on western civilization. When asked to stop, the student invoked his first amendment right to free speech.” However, “free speech” is not an excuse for insensitivity and bullying, especially at Deerfield. And it is certainly not an excuse for blatant unkindness. As Tariq pointed out, we all “signed away” the right to free speech by agreeing to become members of the Deerfield community. In essence, to become a member of this community, all of us made an unspoken pledge to live, work, and play together harmoniously, a commitment that sometimes entails “censoring” what we say and acknowledging that, although we may have the right to say something, it is not always right to say it. Like Tariq, I have experienced discomfort when encountering ignorance and misunderstanding by classmates. Once, on a normal school day in one of my classes, the discussion diverted to the topic of Islam. One student asked what the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims was, and immediately another student responded by saying that he had taken a class before and, as he understood it, the Shias were “the weird ones.” I identify as a Shia Ismaili Muslim— united with other Ismailis in our allegiance to the Aga Khan, our spiritual leader and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad — so, naturally, I felt uncomfortable and slightly offended. To me, it seemed his comment was born out of ignorance, not out of an intention to harm, but nonetheless, as the Aga Khan highlighted in a speech, “in a pluralistic world, the consequences of ignorance can be profoundly damaging.” Another Muslim student mentioned a time in class when the students were discussing their vacations. When one student mentioned that she was stopped at the airport for no reason, another replied, “Just because you don’t have a scarf doesn’t mean you don’t have a bomb in your bag.” These were both instances of ignorance and a lack of sensitivity, demonstrating that seemingly trivial comments and remarks unnoticed by the rest of the community can nevertheless be hurtful to individual students. Muslims all around the world are misunderstood due to the stereotypical lens through which the media depicts them. We fear what we do not understand, and there are many people who do not truly understand Islam yet make certain claims and assumptions about those who practice the religion. Saba Al-Qubailat ’17 knows what it is like to be severely misunderstood and, in turn, feared. When sharing her story with the faculty on January 21st, she narrated, “I took a cab to Greenfield by myself. The cab driver looked very unpleasant the moment he saw me… He kept turning and looking at me from head to toe. I was terrified.” In Greenfield, Al- Qubailat smiled at a woman with her daughter. “I said ‘Hi’ like some did before me,” she said. “The mom pulled her child away [from me].” In addressing the steps that the Deerfield community needs to take to learn to be more inclusive towards Muslims as well as other minorities, Ms. Young pointed out that “a way to make students feel more supported and included is to ensure that their history, traditions, and culture are represented in the curriculum, books, and classroom practices.” The whole community needs to be educated, students and teachers alike. Teachers need to be knowledgeable about Islam so that when discussions spring up in classes, they can help inform and guide them. As Tariq stressed, “the first step towards equality is education from many different sources.” Ultimately, it is up to Deerfield students and faculty to decide what kind of citizens they want to be; a large part of our character is determined by our actions and our words. We have to be responsible with the things we say and do every day, and we must remember that, as the Aga Khan stated, “freedom of expression is an incomplete value unless it is used honorably.” Most importantly, as Tariq noted, we must realize that “the main principle of any community is that when one member suffers, we all suffer. But when one member benefits, we all experience the positive effects.”

On March 22, sadness and fear swept the globe in the aftermath of the Brussels terrorist attacks, which killed 31 people and injured hundreds more. ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, took responsibility for the attacks, just months after taking responsibility for the November Paris attacks that killed 130 people. ISIS has also taken credit for attacks in many other countries, including Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, and Turkey. A video released by ISIS on March 4 shows images of the British Parliament and the Roman Colosseum, while a member of the group says, “If it was Paris yesterday, and today Brussels, Allah knows where it will be tomorrow. Maybe it will be in London or Berlin or Rome.” ISIS is infamous for spreading messages of hate and releasing violent videos showing the executions of hostages. Fears only continue to rise in the U.S.; a recent New York Times/CBS News poll concluded that seven in ten Americans now see ISIS as a major threat to domestic security. Because ISIS insists that its actions are supported by the religion of Islam and are undertaken completely in devotion to God, ISIS and Islam are often conflated. In fact, a 2015 YouGov poll found that 55% of Americans hold an “unfavorable” opinion of Islam. However, it is a statistical reality that all the terrorist groups that fight in the name of Islam comprise an extremely small minority of Muslims. The US Department of Defense estimated ISIS numbers at between 20,000 and 30,000 in Iraq and Syria, less than 0.002% of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, and 2.75 million Muslims here in the United States. What is the truth about Islam? According to the Oxford Islamic Studies, an international research database on Islamic studies, The Five Pillars of Islam, which set the foundation for Muslim life, are: 1) Declaring that there is no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet (shahadah), 2) performing the five daily prayers (salat), 3) giving alms to those in need (zakat), 4) Fasting from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan (sawm), and 5) Performing a pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). Islam traditionally focuses on the qualities of caring and empathy. For example, according to the Oxford Islamic Studies, fasting during Ramadan is intended to “[remind] the believer of the pain and hunger experienced by the poor,” and giving alms to those in need, traditionally 2.5% of a believer’s total liquid assets, is intended to help the community. Deerfield student Iqbal Nurjadin ’18 said, “My interpretation [of Islam] is that everything [Islam] asks you to do…is just to be a good person.” Saher Al-Khamash ’17 explained how Islam has shaped who she is: “Islam has taught me a lot about modesty, not just in clothing, but about the way I behave and interact with people. It’s taught me to be grateful for what I have and [think of those] who are less fortunate when I fast during Ramadan.” Saba Al-Qubailat ’17 commented on the disconnect between true Islam and Islam seen in the media: The actions of ISIS contradict Islamic teachings, she said. ISIS spreads hate, but the Qur’an preaches love and empathy; ISIS murders “infidels,” she said, but the Qur’an explicitly condemns killing. “[Islam] means love; it means caring for each other,” she explained, “and the core principles of my religion have nothing to do with what the media portrays.” Indeed, she said that Islam itself is against the atrocities that ISIS commits. Arabic Teacher Samar Moushabeck explained that Muslims actually see the Qur’an as an addition to older scriptures such as the Torah and the Bible. “The Qur’an celebrates the stories of the Bible,” she said, “and refers to Jews and Christians as ‘People of the Book’ who worship the same God.” Why, then, does ISIS perform such atrocities? ISIS claims that its actions are “jihad,” which is often translated as “holy war,” claiming that it is holy to fight in the name of Islam. Ms. Moushabeck explained, “In a literal sense, ‘jihad’ means to strive or struggle for something at any intensity. For example, the daily struggles to be good or bad are considered jihad. In a religious context, ‘jihad’ refers to the inner struggle to stay good and the duty to inform others about Islam.” Talha Tariq ’17 further noted that ISIS actually harms Muslims as well as non- Muslims, showing that its actions are not even consistent with its own version of Islam. He explained, “On Easter Sunday, Christians in my family’s country of Pakistan were mingling with the largely Muslim population, but a suicide bombing occurred in the park they were celebrating in, and both Muslims and Christians were killed in the crossfire.” Ms. Moushabeck also pointed out that on Deerfield’s spring break trip to Jordan, it became very apparent to the students on the trip that the vast majority of Muslims strongly disapprove of ISIS. In other words, ISIS poses a threat to both Western and predominantly Muslim countries alike. Although ISIS does not conform to Islam, it and many other extremist groups are still able to gain many new recruits, convincing the recruits that what they are doing is holy. Al-Qubailat stated, “Extremist groups use the religious texts out of context, so they seem Islamic, but they’re really not… Their dramatic videos appeal to youth and help them recruit more people, which is both scary and dangerous.” Ms. Moushabeck said that she did not know exactly what ISIS is trying to do or what its ultimate goal is, but it is clear that the group is using the pretext of Islam both for money and a political agenda. She said, “Money has corrupted these power-hungry people. They took over oil wells and now they’re selling the oil to get money. They’re preying on people who don’t have strong knowledge or direction about Islam.” The Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, has pointed out that every religion has extremist groups that abuse religion for their own agendas. He stated at the Munich Security Conference, “For anyone to argue that Daesh [ISIS] is Islamic is preposterous. In the Islamic faith, the Qur’an reveals that you have your faith and I have my faith. You are free to practice your faith and I am free to practice mine. What greater sign of tolerance and acceptance do you have than this?” Despite the inconsistencies between ISIS and the Islamic faith as most Muslims interpret it, the actions of extremist Muslim groups greatly shape the world’s view on Islam, and this deeply saddens most Muslims. Ms. Moushabeck said, “It hurts me to see [extremist groups] ruin the reputation of Muslims. It saddens me to see the damage that they are doing. They’ve damaged historical artifacts that are thousands of years old…. They have no respect for human culture or life.” The actions of extremist groups also have very tangible impacts on how Muslims are treated. Tariq recounted an event that was particularly traumatizing: “When I was seven or eight … in rural Virginia, there came one day on a weekend when I invited a friend over and five or six other boys came, too. I thought they were going to play, too, but they stoned me until I bled and called me ‘terrorist.’ I hated myself for being Muslim, and I hated myself for my skin.” He emphasized that those kids likely acted the way they did not because of any fault of their own but because of influences from their parents or society, but added that this event definitely changed the way he viewed his place in the world. He explained, “I wanted to go into politics, but then I realized that may not be a possibility for me.” For fear of their own safety, many Muslims feel afraid to freely practice their faith. Al-Qubailat explained, “My scarf [hijab, the traditional covering for Muslim women] means a lot to me, but when I go to airports or a foreign country, I might take off my scarf. I also wonder, ‘Should I pray or should I just wait until I get home?’” Al-Khamash experiences a similar pressure to conceal her faith at times, saying, “Sometimes my family will tell me not to tell outsiders I’m Muslim for my own safety.” Despite not knowing the ultimate goal of ISIS, it is clear that like other extremist groups, ISIS uses religion to achieve its own agenda. It is also clear that the vast majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims living peacefully in the world are not the true enemy, but rather victims of ISIS as well. Al-Khamash urged, “People should take some time to learn about Islam and not take what they see in the media…as the whole of Islam, but to look at Muslims as individuals.”

The Olympic Triathlon is one of the hardest tests of endurance in individual sports. A triathlete must not only possess strength and stamina, but must also be versatile amongst three athletic disciplines: swimming, biking, and running. To most, it can seem daunting to even consider competing in such a difficult race. When Jan Flaska started the annual triathlon at Deerfield Academy in 2006, he had a very different vision in mind.  “My goal [was] to make [the Deerfield Triathlon] as accessible as possible to anyone,” he said. Indeed, in the earlier years of the Deerfield Triathlon, the race route was much shorter and easier for inexperienced triathletes to attempt. In more recent times, Flaska has added a “Gold” Route, which is comparable to an Olympic Triathlon– 1 mile of swimming, 18.4 miles of biking, and 4 miles of running. “There have only been about a dozen students who have ever done it,” said Flaska. For students seeking to participate in a less physically taxing event, there are “White” and “Green” routes, which are much shorter than the main “Gold” race. Additionally, participants are allowed to sign up in teams of two or three. Triathlon purists may argue that this tarnishes the grueling individual aspect of the race, but it also allows specialized athletes to showcase their strongest assets. Last year, the quickest team time in the Gold race was 1:41:40, set by Jordan Coan, Bailey Smith, and Liam Holowesko. They beat the next three-man team by a considerably large margin – nearly ten minutes – despite being an all-freshman group Coaches who specialize in their respective events have suggested a hypothetical team of athletes who have the potential to beat last year’s best team and surpass a 1:40 time.  In the cycling position, Liam Holowesko ’18 was selected, who, last year, won the New England Championships as a freshman. For the running portion of the race, coaches selected next year’s cross country captain Hughes Benjamin ’17. As for the 1 mile swim, either Miles Smachlo ’16 or Bailey Smith ’18, both star athletes in the Deerfield swim program,would be suitable. Smachlo holds multiple New England Records while Smith recently won the New England Championships with the rest of the girl’s team. Whether these athletes compete together in a team, the Deerfield Triathlon continues to be “a great test of athleticism,” Smachlo said. “It definitely brings athletes together.”

As Director of Medical Services at Deerfield, Dr. Hagamen has treated thousands of students and overseen improvements that have made the health center what it is today. After 27 years of dedication to Deerfield, he will retire at the end of the academic year. After graduating from Dartmouth medical school, Dr. Hagamen served two years in the National Health Service in New York and arrived in Greenfield, MA in 1984, seeking a place to raise a family. Dr. Hagamen joined the health center when a Deerfield graduate practicing medicine in Greenfield encouraged him to apply. When he first arrived at Deerfield, the physical health center building looked very much as it does today, but Dr. Hagamen explained, “the services here have expanded significantly.” During his time here, Dr. Hagamen implemented many changes to improve patient care. Ms. Kate Rolland, Director of Nursing and a close colleague and friend to Dr. Hagamen, explained, “he increased the nursing staff, created a role for a medical driver, advocated for increased nurse practitioner hours and [expanded] counseling staff services; he created a concussion protocol, a psychotropic medication protocol, and he is a big advocate for the trainers and athletic staff.” Over the years, students’ demands of the health center have evolved. Dr. Hagamen stated, “as students’ needs have changed, we’ve had to change with those needs.” For example, during his time at Deerfield, the number of concussions per year has increased from around 5 to more than 100. Today, the health center receives over 10,000 student visits per year. Sophia Centola ’18 suffered a stress fracture in the fall of 2015 and was treated by Dr. Hagamen. Being a dedicated cross-country runner, she explained that Dr. Hagamen’s optimism and understanding throughout her treatment was valuable to her. Centola felt disappointed that she couldn’t apply any pressure on the leg and, in turn, couldn’t run. However, as the fracture healed, Centola recalled, “[Dr. Hagamen] gave me a lot of suggestions of what I could do to train instead of running, so I could stay in shape for the sport.” When Dr. Hagamen retires, he will move to Turner’s Falls and plans to travel and bike. He will also continue to help others in need by doing volunteer work. His successor in the Deerfield health center will be Dr. Byrant Benson. In 2001, Dr. Benson graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He completed his Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and Bay State Hospital in Springfield. “We are very fortunate to be getting a doctor of his caliber to replace Dr. Hagamen,”  explained Dean of Faculty, Mr. Taylor. He continued, “he has seen a wide range of patients and cases, so he is very well prepared to deal with the kinds of medical issues that he is likely to encounter at Deerfield.” “What I will miss about Dr Hagamen is his calming presence. He always has a caring manner in which he looks at all situations. I appreciate all that he has taught me over the years and he will be greatly missed every day,” said Medication Nurse and Assistant Director of Nursing, Ms. Caryn Gardner. Mr. Taylor added, “we are very [lucky] to have had a doctor who is as dedicated to the school and his patients as Dr. Hagamen has been during his tenure at Deerfield.”

On April 12th, former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass read several of his highly celebrated poems to the Deerfield community, including “Shame: An Aria,” “The Gardens of Warsaw,” and “August Notebook: A Death.” Hass also conducted a workshop with several student poets and held two back-to-back question-and-answer sessions. Hass received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Stanford University, and is now the Distinguished Professor in Poetry and Poetics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is one of the most highly-esteemed contemporary American poets and the winner of many prestigious honors. Hass served as the U.S. Poet Laureate from 1995 to 1997. During this time, he also became a champion of ecological awareness and began traveling the country to promote ecoliteracy in diverse places. “The President of the United States nominates one person to serve as Poet Laureate, which is the official poet of the country for the year. That person’s job is largely ceremonial and in charge of promoting poetry in the United States,” Mr. Schloat, chair of the Deerfield English Department, explained. From 2001 to 2007, Hass served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. Hass also won the National Book Award in 2007 and the Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for his collection . In addition to being an accomplished poet, Hass is also a notable translator. He spent 15 to 20 years translating the poetry of his fellow Berkeley professor Czeslaw Milosz, a Nobel Prize-winning poet. Growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco, Hass said he initially became interested in poetry during his junior and senior years of high school. “It was the available form of rebellion,” Hass said. “In those days, there were no creative writing programs, so we read each other our writings.” During the open question-and-answer sessions the morning after his reading, Hass described how, as a teenager, he was both in love and insecure. To him, poetry was a constructive way to articulate his thoughts. His literary inspirations ranged from T.S. Eliot and Robert Frost to Wallace Stevens and Ernest Hemingway. “There was an amazing generation among England and France in the 1910s and 1920s,” he told the audience. ”America went from a provincial background to being the new energy that other people were learning from.” Many students really enjoyed hearing Hass read his poetry. Ally Edwards ’17 commented, “I found it interesting how he related how growing up is different for everyone, and how his love of poetry stemmed from being different in high school.” “I liked his performance because each poem had a story behind it and each one had a clear and personal meaning,” said Hollis McLeod ’17. However, some students found some parts of his poetry uncomfortable to listen to. Soomin Lee ‘19 stated: “While his poetry was beautifully written, I found some of the [sexual] content uncomfortable to listen to. I didn’t really like how he accompanied some of his poems with sexual sounds and tones. It’s not really what I’m used to.” Nevertheless, many teachers highly praised Hass. English teacher Mr. Schloat said, “[His poetry] reminds us of the ineluctable bond between community and language and how important it is to consider all of our experiences as shared, but also unique and the way language can tie us together from generation to generation.” English teacher Mr. Stallings, who studied with Hass as a graduate student at the University of Iowa, said, “What I like about him as a presenter and as a person is that he has a very broad frame of reference. What’s unique to his poetry is how fully it embodies the sense of northern California, with a mix of the urban environment and the natural world.” Hass departed with a few words of wisdom: “Let the topic pick you, rather than pick a topic,” he said with a soft smile. “That’s what poetry asks.”

Dear Reader, I would first like to acknowledge that would not be anywhere close to the one you know today without the admirable leadership of those who came before me. I thank Bella Hutchins endlessly, along with her dedicated board, without whom would hold a mere fraction of its success. Bella has left me with enormous shoes to fill; my only hope is that I can continue to set a high bar for this paper and make her proud in doing so. My goal is that the new editorial board will not shy from publishing what we believe the community should know; that may include controversial content, but we hope it will spark conversation in a way that helps us grow. I am aware that this paper caters to members of one community, but not everyone will share the same beliefs. I’d like to capitalize on that. I’d like to filter these differing opinions into a medium everyone can see and hold and, ultimately, respect. As a community, there are endless ways for us to positively acknowledge individuality,  be it gender, race, religion, or simply personal preferences. Unfortunately, however, beyond “the Deerfield bubble,” these differences are often met with violence. According to Wikipedia there have been 148 “terrorist incidents” since the events of March 22 in Brussels. We are not immune to these attacks on our own soil; last week the city of Boston commemorated three years since the bombing at the Boston Marathon. Personally, that event hit close to home. When I was in eighth-grade, I revisited Deerfield before enrolling; my flight landed in Boston at 3:10 p.m. on April 16, 2013. When we all turned on our phones upon landing, I remember the cabin filling with an agonizing silence—we couldn’t believe what we were hearing and seeing. The first bomb on Boylston Street had gone off just 21 minutes before. I remember how anxious I felt driving from Logan Airport to my hotel, getting stuck in backed-up tunnels.  Perhaps the marathon bombs were only the beginning of a larger attack;  , I kept thinking. My nervous toes tapped the floor of the car as my mind raced in fear; I couldn’t help but imagine the worst. Our hotel lobby swarmed with participants and onlookers—refugees of unthinkable violence. I’ll never forget seeing the blood drip down one runner’s leg as he hobbled up the hotel steps. Here at Deerfield, these situations may seem impossibly distant, and I am infinitely grateful for our security. But we should know what is happening here and abroad and we should know why. Our spread this issue endeavors to educate the Deerfield community about ISIS and Islam and the critical distinction between the two. As an editorial board, we feel it is important to highlight this ongoing world issue, and to ensure we support those in our community who may feel vulnerable in the midst of a volatile threat to everyone’s safety. Let us honor difference. Let us celebrate originality. All the best, Perry Hamm