Search this site

Dressing for a cause is not unusual on the Deerfield Academy campus. Word spreads and trends catch on, though most people do not know what causes the dress down days. This was the case a few weeks ago when I excitedly threw on my bleached-bottom blue jeans, ready for the upcoming day. I went about my morning appreciating the soft comfort of the pants on my legs without a question or doubt of my intentions. My feelings came to a halt as I was stopped on the path by a woman who asked, “Why is it that you are all wearing denim today?” My thoughts then divagated quickly, as I couldn’t gather a response to the question. Why was I wearing jeans today? If not for the consolation of wearing comfortable clothing or the option to violate the school dress code, what was the purpose? According to the Denim Day website, in the 1990s in Italy, an 18-year-old girl was forced out of the car during a driving lesson and raped by her instructor. When the case finally reached the Italian Supreme Court, the ruling was overturned, as the judges speculated that since she had been wearing tight jeans, she must have helped remove them, therefore implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian parliament wore denim to support the woman who had failed to receive justice after the assault. As news began to spread of this, more and more people worldwide wore denim in protest of the decision. This was the impetus of National Denim Day. Officially instated in Los Angeles in 1999, National Denim Day is a day to stand in solidarity with victims of sexual violence. The event takes place on the last Wednesday of April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and has happened  across the globe since its introduction. The initial purpose of wearing blue denim on that day was to show support for a particular victim, and it has now transformed into something much bigger: it is a sign of support and a symbol of abstinence for every victim of rape who has been failed by the judicial system. It is a way to come together as a community to discuss something that isn’t necessarily talked about a lot.  I have always been curious about the effectiveness of dressing in support of a cause. To learn more about this event’s connection to the importance of attire at the academy, I spoke with Margaret Melnik ’24, who encouraged students to participate in this event. Melnik explained that education and awareness were the goals of the day, saying, “Unfortunately, as a group of young people, we will all inevitably encounter sexual violence at one point or another. The ultimate objective … is to introduce support systems and to educate students on how to challenge it if it does happen.” The dress code is an important part of the way that Deerfield Academy instructs students to conduct ourselves. It is a way to share communal experiences, to practice regard and elegance, while also accommodating the celebration of diversity in all aspects. Faculty are instructed to hold students accountable to this rule and to reprimand those who fail to do so. Consequently, by going against a rule emphasized so greatly, students created something so wonderfully powerful: an inspiring movement of hope, change, and community. As a group of young adults who are circumscribed to the boundaries of a small boarding school, there is only so much we can do to advocate for change. Therefore, it is imperative that we take the obligatory steps to educate ourselves on any given cause, show support, and push for an alternative reality. Sexual violence is and will continue to be a grave crisis in our society. We are  the face of the next generation. If we don’t talk about it, who else will? It is vital that each and every one of us is properly educated on the severity of this subject. The turnout of this event showed the support and respect we share together in this community. It shows the opportunities each of us as individuals have to impact something bigger than ourselves, and exhibits our ability to combat societal issues and strive to create change. But in spite of all that, I initially had no idea why I was wearing denim. And perhaps that was the point all along: to make people think about an issue that they would not hav otherwise.

Last year, some of the black members of the Class of 2022 hosted a Black Senior Cry. The name was misleading, as junior students were also invited. Obviously, all participants were black. There, a then-senior girl said something that I’ve kept in my mind for the entirety of my senior year: “This place wasn’t made for us.” What did that mean? When Deerfield was founded in 1797, our country was a mere 21 years of age—just old enough to buy a drink. Slavery was a staple of our society, black people and women were property, homosexuality was abhorred and outlawed—in short, the promises of the “Land of the Free” were only accessible for those that happened to be white, heterosexual, male, and wealthy—qualities found in amplitude for the first generations of Deerfield Academy students. Our elite boarding school, similar to Andover, Exeter, and St. Paul’s, was founded to serve as a safe haven for the American aristocratic youth, places where they’d meet and connect with those of a similar pedigree.  However, things have changed. 225 years later, Deerfield students now come from all walks of life. We’re Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, gay, straight, domestic, and international. On the outside, it seems that we’ve finally become the truly diverse, inclusive community that our website promotes. Yet, this is not entirely accurate. It’s hard to provide an accurate commentary about Deerfield without having experienced these Days of Glory firsthand. My own Deerfield journey will conclude in two weeks, and I’m grateful to be able to share a fraction of my experience over the past four years. In general, from my perspectives, I believe it’s fair to say the experiences of a minority student are harder than those of a white student at Deerfield. All students, regardless of identity markers, are bound to the rigid schedule of class, lunch, class, co-curricular, dinner, homework, hang out, sleep, repeat. Coupled with extracurriculars, test prep, and pursuit of non-academic endeavors, the life of Deerfield students is often overwhelming. However, a Deerfield education transcends the classroom—it’s pervasive. The lessons I’ve learned sitting in the MSB, Arms, Kendall, and Koch pale in comparison to the knowledge I’ve accumulated during riv days, sitting in the Greer, late nights in Barton, or even hiking to the Rock.  I’ve received a holistic, world-class education over the past four years; however, I believe I’ve imparted some lessons to the community as well. In January, I delivered my Deerfield Story, which centered on the proper, phonetic pronunciation of my name (Uh-Say-Geh), and the frequency in which black men at Deerfield are mistaken for one another. Students and faculty alike approached me in the following days and commended me for sharing my story and bringing something often overlooked to the light.  I’m not special for sharing that Deerfield Story. I simply did my part, fulfilling the unspoken obligation that myself and many minority students on this campus are bound to: educating our peers about minority experiences on the campus.  Over the past four years, I’ve observed that the onus of dispelling ignorance and, in rarer cases, addressing and condemning instances of microaggressions and racism, is a burden that minority students often bear.  You may be thinking, “Wait—addressing instances of microaggressions and racism—isn’t that what the Office of Inclusion and Community Life (OICL) should do?” Yes, reader, you would be correct—that is what they should do. However, I only will remember the OICL by its numerous celebratory cultural events—and its frequent mishandling of MLK Day events and debilitating passivity to issues of pertinence. It has approved alliances such as the Deerfield Academy Women’s Alliance (DAWA) which seems to serve as a redundant, unpolished copy of the Feminism Club. It has created the position of “OICL Ambassadors,” whose impact on the community, barring a singular school meeting appearance, seems virtually non-existent. It has used MLK Day as the one opportunity per year where issues of race, racism, and inequity are discussed—but it has also diluted the importance of the day by centering the events around a nebulous, in-correlated term such as “dignity,” by promoting salsa dancing lessons as an MLK Day event. What does salsa dancing have to do with MLK?  This may read harshly. I do not mean to discard the importance of cultural celebration or competency. OICL provides strong support to alliance groups with finances and resources, but that’s often it. I’ve served as a Chairperson for the Deerfield Men of Color Alliance (DMOC) for the past two years, along with my good friend Songa Rwamcuyo ’23. Our grievances with Deerfield often center on ignorance within the community and the futility of addressing the issues. I’ll elaborate. Through my years at Deerfield, I recall numerous instances when I heard, or was made aware of, white students saying the n-word. Whether it occurred on campus, in Palm Beach, or Harbor Island, when made aware of such instances, I was compelled to seek those people out and converse with them about their usage of the word. For most, its usage was intended for comedic effect, to garner attention and a few laughs for unexpectedly breaking a taboo. I see it as a manifestation of privileged ignorance.  I’ve never felt comfortable reporting these instances to the OICL, and neither have many of my peers, for a few reasons. Firstly, the students in question are often held in high-regard in the community. They’re often Cheerleaders, Varsity athletes and captains, and Proctors. Deerfield’s student-propagated “anti-snitch culture,” comes into play here, as it deters students from approaching the Administration for any transgression out of fear of social ostracization. These stakes become higher when the figures in question are often people highly revered in the community: many people would find your claims dubious due to the stature of the alleged, and villainize you for attempting to get such a “great person” in “needless trouble” for a “silly mistake” that’s “not that deep.”  This segues to the general perception of the OICL—that a majority of their work is performative, and they fail to make any real impact. Reporting a student for a bigoted act would lead to anxiety-inducing, prolonged “he-said, she-said” deliberations, risk social suicide, and will likely ultimately be made in vain. The OICL doesn’t make students feel comfortable coming forward and reporting such hurtful issues. Their frequent engagement with diluted, widely-palatable, performative forms of diversity, equity, and inclusion work undermine their credibility when it comes to the important issues, and deters students from approaching them about said issues. OICL work is a nitty-gritty job. Deerfield seems to veer away from that aspect and paint a picture of a community that is completely devoid of bigotry.  More than anything, it’s frustrating to feel as if the people hired for a singular purpose fail to fulfill that purpose. OICL does not seem to provide important education about bigotry, make the student body comfortable approaching them to report issues, or properly address existing issues, however big or small. So how impactful are they really on Deerfield’s campus? I acknowledge that I do not know the ins-and-outs of the OICL, every account of bigotry that has occurred over the past four years and whether or not it was reported, or even the views of every minority student on this campus. However, based on my experience, and conversations with other minority students, this is a part of Deerfield life that we’ve come to accept. It’s up to us, Alliance leaders and members, and students from historically marginalized communities, to educate the greater student body about our experiences and ensure that we feel heard and supported. Hopefully this changes in the future. But for now, we are the real OICL.

Before our midterm grades were released this spring, I made a goal for myself that I would not involve myself in conversations about grades for the rest of the year. Pretty soon I gave in because of a 60 on a math quiz, the stress of AP exams, simply needing to complain with my classmates, and a growing sense that maybe my ostensible academic failures were not my fault, but because of something more systemic. This growing disillusionment with our grading system seemed, to me, heretical at first, having grown up very personally invested in my academic success, which was always measured by numerical grades. Yet, a more critical analysis of my heretical instincts has led me to question our grading system. Maybe it’s just something in the pollen-filled spring air, or maybe I do have a point; in any case, here is my case for the abolition of grades. I. On humanizing education and standardization As high schoolers, we have long begun to develop interests and capabilities in particular subjects and activities. They result from diverse proclivities, upbringings, personal goals, and, of course, hard work. No system, whether numbers or letters, can fairly standardize these personal differences because they are so deeply-rooted in our complex experiences as people. Trying to standardize these differences in interests and capabilities is inherently antithetical to our educational mission. Deerfield deliberately selects students from different backgrounds with different interests and aims to celebrate that diversity. So why do we try to measure different students with the same 100-point ruler? Beyond that, grades inaccurately represent our learning experiences, since no singular number can encapsulate our complex thinking processes as students. Say that one student immediately grasps the art of analytical writing and consistently produces good essays, while another, who started off with less writing experience, improves quickly but still lags behind the progress of the other student. Should the second student be rewarded for improvement? No grade can truly account for a student’s effort, commitment, growth, or support for others. In fact, none of these things are reducible to any number or letter. Moreover, in the spirit of Deerfield’s core values of “face-to-face interactions” and “shared experiences,” I would argue that abolishing grades promotes more genuine human relationships between students and teachers. Grades deter difficult, but important conversations with our teachers, such as asking for an extension or voicing a disagreement with something they said, because students fear the authoritarian “grade-drop.” Grades, along with our fixation on them, can easily lead to teachers-student relationships being reduced to the dynamic of grade-giving and grade-receiving, as opposed to a genuine connection. Furthermore, grades are ineffective and misguided as an external motivator. It is the pursuit of genuinely fulfilling student-teacher relationships that always propels me to dig deeper into the topics that I am interested in and share those findings with my teachers. Even more, it is always those exciting, face-to-face conversations that challenge me to reevaluate my knowledge, rethink my own bias and work to achieve above and beyond, not a numerical grade. Besides, when I receive a poor grade in a class, I cannot help but think that I am undeserving of a connection with my teacher, or of a voice equal to those of my classmates, or even of exploring that subject further, until I get my grade up first.  Finally, grades hinder teachers from being the best teachers they can be. Deerfield teachers have different ways of thinking and teaching, which is in itself a valuable learning experience for students, as we need to adapt to different types of expectations, reflect on how our past experiences shape the way we engage with certain subjects, and engage in open, critical conversations about different perspectives. I like that my teachers are different from each other because it is personally rewarding to bond with and learn from people with various outlooks. When they are not forced to evaluate each student by assigning a grade, teachers will be able to more flexibly draw from their own experiences and creatively mold their classes to the interests of their students, such as by experimenting with unconventional assignments and class formats. Especially in humanities classes, I appreciate learning about teachers’ opinions, but relentless tests and quizzes have meant that time to engage in meaningful, connective conversations gets lost. Teachers should not be forced to mold their feedback to students to a uniform, inflexible grading system. When they attempt to do so, we end up with inconsistent, inaccurate representations of Deerfield’s rich diversity in teaching styles.  II. On student wellbeing Grades seriously impact students’ mental health. The nature of a ranked scale is that we long to get higher grades and be at the top. This is especially evident in our 0-100 scale, where small point differences that hardly indicate anything about the performance of a student can alter percentile standings dramatically. But such stress is inherent to any system that seeks to measure the progress of a student against a fixed standard. When we fall short of that fixed standard, we often end up with self doubt: asking ourselves why we did not work harder, and pondering why other people could do it when we couldn’t, even though the problem was not us in the first place. Even for students who consistently score excellently and supposedly “benefit from the system,” grades become a toxic standard: it becomes an expectation, even a need, to score above a certain threshold, and when we do not, it somehow erases the excellent work we have done before. Of course, grades should never overshadow our intrinsic value as human beings nor make us doubt our potential. But even in classes where I have excelled grades-wise, I find myself inputting higher numbers into Canvas for the grades I have, just to see what grade “I could’ve had.” As students, it is incredibly difficult to see past an pervasive system that we are constantly surrounded by, that attempts to reduce our performance to an instantaneous, ranked grade. Therefore, if we, as we have been repeatedly told, are truly more than our grades, the grades that attempt to define us should be abolished. Grades also perpetuate a toxic system of competition that harms students’ relationships and mental health. I have tried so hard to compare my own grades only to myself, but when there is a literal scale that measures each student as above or below one another, it establishes a pretty clear hierarchy. We are constantly told that people learn at different rates and excel at different things, but these kind voices will never defeat the concrete numerical grade that we can physically see on DAInfo—which, conveniently for the competitive demons of our heads, are further quantified against averages and quintiles. Even as someone fiercely critical of the grading system, I cannot help but obsess over my own grades, simply because grades exist as a prevalent measure of success in our society. We want to succeed, even if it is by society’s arbitrary standards. So then how could we not climb the grade ladder, stepping over our peers in the process? III. On “pursuit of mastery” Abolishing grades would also promote the “pursuit of mastery” at Deerfield. First, it would allow teachers to create innovative assignments that do not necessarily fit into a traditional system and cannot be assigned a point value. Deerfield, as an institution that trains us to tackle real life issues, must move past formulaic, mundane assignments. For example, in history classes, my most rewarding and meaningful assignments are those where I spend long periods of time in the library, close-reading primary sources, interacting with scholarly literature, and practicing the work of real historians. These assignments are focused on developing skills, as opposed to content mastery, and therefore are hard to measure with a grade. However, these assignments are not only extremely valuable for pursuing mastery but also necessary because they represent the future of learning in the age of artificial intelligence; they showcase the uniqueness of human intelligence that AI cannot replace, and that, for the same reason, cannot be reduced to a number. Secondly, abolishing grades would encourage students to take intellectual risks. Students will be more inclined to choose challenging courses that they previously may have shied away from due concerns about their GPA. Even within a class, students will be empowered to take on challenging tasks such as developing more ambitious arguments in essays and discussions, selecting more challenging research topics, and attempting more challenging problems. Abolishing grades also offers students the opportunity to create specific, long term, and personalized goals for themselves that are not numerical. Although many students do this currently, the second a concrete, numerical grade is released, it seems to overpower any progress we have made in any area that is less measurable, such as learning new thinking skills, developing better work ethic, or even fostering a closer teacher-student relationship. This should be the focus of education at Deerfield, where we have a naturally ambitious, self-motivated, and academically talented group of students who, most importantly, are self-selected. We chose to come to Deerfield because we see grades as a bare minimum and want to engage with learning on a deeper level. Our journeys in learning are boundless, and yet grades give the false impression that knowledge is objectively measurable, or that we are 89% close to fully comprehending a subject, when we should strive for exploration, not perfection. Most importantly, abolishing grades would serve the ultimate goal of education, which is to cultivate a lifelong joy for learning. The content you learn in class will fade away with time, but a thirst for knowledge and genuine fulfillment from learning are lifelong. Yet these traits are curbed by our hyperfixation on grades, which is inevitable as long as grades exist, precisely because our self-selected student population chases academic excellence, even when the school adheres to a misguided definition of excellence.  IV. The alternative, and of course, college There are many alternatives to grades that could work at Deerfield. I propose a reforming of our course comments as a replacement for grades, as well as monthly, formal meetings with each of our subject teachers to discuss our progress in the class face-to-face, candidly, and humanly. Beyond this, there are many possible systems that have been proposed by educational thinkers across the US, which I will elaborate on. The biggest obstacle I ran into when discussing my ideas about abolishing grades with my peers was, of course, college. We are conditioned by our grades to believe they are essential to education and therefore, college admissions. However, I believe we need to consciously unlearn the influence grades have on us. Even colleges have begun to recognize that grades are poor reflections of a student. A 90 at another school, in general, means less than a 90 at Deerfield, and colleges already arbitrarily adjust for those discrepancies, and do not treat grades as an objective marker. Moreover, it seems that the popular consensus among admissions experts, including the College Advising Office, is that grades serve as nothing more than a sieve in the beginning stages of college admissions to narrow down the applicant pool to academically qualified candidates. Deerfield is already a vetted, college preparatory school and has a fantastic reputation for our alumni, so we do have the leeway to abolish grades while maintaining our college admissions. Secondly, this is really not that outlandish of a proposal. In October 2021, the Washington Post published a feature on the “Mastery Transcript Consortium” (MTC), a non-profit collective of 275 private high schools and 125 public schools that are trying to establish a “mastery transcript” system. A “mastery transcript” entails a series of “micro-credentials,” such as “global perspectives,” “community service,” “collaboration,” “critical thinking,” and “compassion.” Under these “micro-credentials,” students will submit work samples such as a piece of writing, presentation, or portfolio. These samples are then compiled into a “transcript” along with a school profile and teacher comments, without any grades, and submitted to colleges. According to the MTC’s website, as of February 2023, 315 universities in the US now accept Mastery Transcripts, including Harvard, California Institute of Technology, Georgetown, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  If you are not convinced by these precedents, then my question is this: why can’t we, at Deerfield, be pioneers of an educational revolution? Why can’t we do better? Conclusion Even in light of the things I am saying in this article, I personally fall victim to obsessing over grades as a measurement of my personal value, again and again. So long as grades exist, they remain reductive and dehumanizing. It is not enough for us to ask students to simply see past their grades while we place them under the pressure of a cold, unforgiving, and ultimately inaccurate system. We need an institutional overhaul: a significant reconsideration of the purpose of education, the values of this school, and how we reflect those values in our education.  In the meantime, students: start by giving yourself some grace. Grades are a system that have been placed into our lives, not an inherent measurement we must live by. Start by taking time to consider the well-established alternatives to this toxic system and holding an open mind. I invite you to actively question the value of grades and its effectiveness in encapsulating your academic experience, your Deerfield days.

Walking into John Louis after a long night, I stumbled into a room full of uncomfortable faces, debating whether or not transgender athletes should be able to compete in leagues with the gender they identify as. While I appreciate discussions about culturally taboo topics, I left the room feeling drained; most of the arguments relied on biases, half-stories, and semantic slanting. No one was lying, attacking anyone’s identity, or even being passive-aggressive, but the fundamental lack of nuance stuck with me.  All too often, I hear students falling into black and white—or rather, red and blue—ideologies about how the world works. Not every argument needs to reach the intellectual caliber of scholarly debate, but Deerfield should still be doing more to encourage political literacy. We, as a student body, need in-class opportunities to have arguments that are both passionate and compassionate. We need to use our many newspaper subscriptions to stay updated on current events, not just ace a research project. In my experience, Deerfield promotes political literacy when it is convenient. Deerfield promotes political literacy when it knows the week will be dull and when it has the ability to control the narrative. The newly instituted Deerfield Forums prompt conversation for a few days before it inevitably becomes less important. Whenever the school tries to bring up hard-hitting topics for a brief period of time, students invariably develop surface-level, single-faceted opinions.  A two-hour-long forum creates two-hour opinions. Today, it is crucial for young voters to form complex, well-informed opinions instead of simply following one particular political ideology, especially as those ideologies become increasingly radicalized. Short forums that follow the form of an unusually courteous two-party debate only encourage, not lessen, the “this or that” political mentality. To create a politically literate graduating class, Deerfield must integrate deliberate, long-term strategies into its core curriculum.  At my past school, my sixth grade history teacher had each of his students do a “current event” every week. We were required to explain in detail the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a singular event, analyzing multiple sources and sharing its significance with the class. I am often shocked by the degree to which Deerfield history and English courses simply don’t make time to engage with current events. We could improve on the status quo by, for instance, structuring significant time for weekly news catch-ups into all humanities class. Currently, if or when political topics are brought up, it is at the discretion of a teacher, which inherently allows individual biases to pervade the conversation. I have loved the few talks my English class has had about climate change, for instance, but if we do not institutionalize learning about political topics, we as a community fall risk having all of our conversations shallow and unlearned. When I say political literacy, I am referring to the ability to recognize bias, emotional factors, semantic slanting, different value orientations and ideologies, stereotypes, and clichés. In other words, political literacy is the ability to identify how media is used to advance partisan or ideological interests. Students will only be able to refine this skill through consistent scholastic engagement with modern events and controversies, having students research first and form opinions afterwards or even argue from the opposite point of view of their personally held beliefs.  Here is an example of political literacy: being able to read these two headlines – “More green investment hasn’t softened red resistance on climate” (CNN, May 2) and “Only 32% of Americans think Biden mentally fit to serve” (FOX, May 7) – and recognize the different assumptions each one capitalizes on to influence their target audience. That requires keen source analysis skills, as well as a complex understanding of today’s partisan politics. Passionate and compassionate political discussions have a place at Deerfield. Unmoderated and unfiltered political discussions have a place at Deerfield. But they have a place in the Deerfield academic curriculum. We as a community  need to make space in our humanities classes to engage with the most pressing issues of the day. Even when I hold drastically different opinions from my peers and teachers, my interactions with them can be amicable, interesting, and constructive. But nuanced conversations can only hapenn when we are politically literate, and can recognize the validity, as well as the underlying values and assumptions, of each other’s opinions.

We make a big deal out of student officer roles; each spring, many of us will vie for these prized positions tooth and nail. But it is often unclear how exactly the winners of these competitions will be determined, leading to a silly version of power politics. While the problem may seem trivial, it has the potential to sour relationships, undermine students’ self-confidence, and sow institutional doubt. An article by Yoonsa Lee ’25 in our most recent issue about the peer counselors illustrates how prized roles within the student community can create controversy and grudges. The problem fundamentally boils down to this: When students are tasked with picking their successors, the potential for corruption becomes inherent in the process. It becomes impossible to avoid personal biases and conflicts of interests that get in the way of assessing candidates based on their qualifications, skills, and dedication to the club’s mission,  This can breed an atmosphere of distrust and skepticism among members, who question whether decisions are being made in the best interest of the club or for the benefit of those in power. Such an environment erodes the sense of unity and collective purpose that should characterize student organizations, undermining their potential to foster meaningful connections and personal growth. Firstly, clubs and alliances have a responsibility to articulate what leadership skills will be considered during the application process. Setting clear standards will reduce the effect of personal biases, expose unfounded assumptions, and force decision-makers to explaining their acceptances and rejections. In addition, clubs should articulate how these intangible qualities will be assessed. That way, these important but loose terms will become more concretely measurable. Faculty advisors should have a role in deciding future student leadership, acting as an impartial advocate for the interests of the club as a whole and holding student leaders accountable.  When reviewing applicants, clubs should consider meeting attendance as a prerequisite to ensure future club leaders are committed, specifying “hours of participation” expected of a certain leadership position. This will provide a way of measuring commitment to club activities, one of the most important qualifications. Furthermore, selection processes for leadership positions should be institutionalized, going through deliberations featuring many people. When power is concentrated in the hands of one or two people, the decision becomes personal, creating the potential for ruined relationships. It also means that important perspectives may be overlooked. Additionally, clubs should offer potential candidates opportunities to prove themselves by involving them in management tasks, helping them understand their would-be responsibilities and also getting an indication of how they would perform in a leadership position. Bridging the gap between leadership and membership would also ease year-to-year transitions.  Input from club members can also offer helpful perspectives, serving as a window into club members’ aspirations for future leaders and ways in which club members hope that club dynamics will improve. Most importantly, seniority must not take precedence over preparedness. The misconception that experience trumps merit stifles leads clubs to overlook potential leaders who possess innovative ideas and genuine commitment.  Of course, there are many other factors to consider: should returning leaders need to re-apply? Should diversity be considered? These questions remain open, but we hope that these foundational principles lead to more fairness.

Dear Reader, With its rising temperatures and longer days, Spring Term at Deerfield marks a return to colorful class dress rather than the gray sweats deemed smart-casual enough for the winter and the blooming of pastel pink flowers outside of the Dining Hall. In their free time, students flock to the Lower Fields by the dozen, spending afternoons playing Spike Ball or lounging by the River.  For many, spring is a period of reinvigoration, following the deep hibernation of work and dorm time many bury themselves in during the wintertime. However, when we push past the sunny veneer of springtime bliss, one may realize that spring is, in fact, the busiest time of the year. With teachers trying to make up for random tangents (maybe those five-minute breaks weren’t so sneaky) and finish the course curriculum, they pile homework in high stacks. If that was not enough, our leisurely reading takes the form of thick AP review books. And, of course, there is a buzz of anxiety followed by seniors rejoicing as they plan for their next steps.  Of course, with the end of the school year looming on the horizon and the gradual end to school work, as each last assignment gets turned in one by one, one may find more free time on their hands. During this time, one could take a quick swim in the River or even make the daring venture to cliff jump at Stillwater. There are seemingly endless things to do now that the never-ending checklist has ended, but with only a few days before the end of the term to accomplish all.  Some pastime reading could also help to fill that space, and if that’s the case, one can browse the newest issue of the Scroll . Featuring articles ranging from discussions revolving around political literacy and inclusion, Eric Li ’24’s “anonymous” confession regarding nefarious Gotcha ongoings, and remarks from departing faculty and seniors who have left deep imprints on the arts and sports communities at Deerfield, this issue encapsulates the many campus events and perspectives that makeup life at Deerfield. Perhaps more importantly, its articles allow the seniors one last chance to share their thoughts. Having shaped the Scroll’s conversations for so long, they can rest assured knowing their presence will be missed.  In nature, spring is a time of change and growth. The snow, albeit slightly less present this past winter, melts, and Deerfield’s uncannily green grass will grow in its place. Following this natural progression, human nature is similar. While academic growth will no doubt take place, except for in cases of severe senioritis…, we also met the individuals who will soon join our community and shape the place we call home and will say goodbye to our friends, teammates, and mentors as they graduate. As we prepare for such rapid change, we must remember that in the face of growth, Deerfield bonds will persist, like the dependable nature of a new edition of the Scroll each month.  All my best, Kaitlyn Xia

Over the past four years, cousins John Patton ’23 and Oscar Patton ’23 went from having little experience with rowing to becoming two of the best rowers in the country. John said, “Some people on my team think I’ve been rowing for a while, and I’ve really only been rowing for three years, so it’s humbling to me because it helps me keep that idea that I’m always progressing. It’s not like I’ve been doing it for ten years. Each year I’m getting better.” John grew up in Brookline, MA, and moved to Houston, TX, in seventh grade. He grew up going to rowing races and rowed a little in middle school. However, in Houston, it was difficult to find opportunities to row, so he ran track and field instead. Both of John’s brothers had rowed, and when he was a freshman, his brother, James Patton ’20, was the captain of Deerfield’s Boys’ Varsity Rowing team. John started rowing partly because of his family; his dad is a two-time Olympic medalist for rowing. John wanted to try rowing not only because it was important to his family but he also found it an exciting competitive outlet. He said he enjoys rowing for its many team aspects, saying, “It’s like that quote that ‘you’re only as strong as your weakest link.’” In other sports, a star player can score many points for the team and earn a quasi celebrity status, while in rowing, a boat has to work entirely together to win. John said, “I kind of liked that aspect of it because it really forces you to be a team player and teaches you a lot of valuable skills.” He said he likes that rowing has a diverse group of people from different backgrounds and areas, and appreciates that every boat has a unique culture and environment. John also appreciates the variety in the boat setup available. The intense competition intrinsic to the sport and in his family drives John to improve. He said his brothers are “always trying to compete, even at dinners. It’s like a race to see who can get to the bread first.” This competition pushes him every day to work and be the best he can be, and as John said, “Why do something if you’re not going to give it your all?” Oscar is from Concord, Massachusetts. Oscar’s father rowed at Brown University and Oscar decided to try it out for the first time at a local club in seventh grade. After that, he continued to row recreationally until he got to high school, when he dedicated himself to the sport. For Oscar, much of his motivation came from the success of everyone in his family. The fact that the rowing team had lost every race during his sophomore year also served as an impetus. John said that being out on the water is a calming experience that relieves stress: “I think I’m probably one of the only people who would describe it as peaceful. There’s a lot of little things you have to focus on, which really leads to everybody getting into this kind of zone.” On the other hand, John also noted that the team has been trying to raise their energy level during races by “shouting and just being chaotic because it sort of helps everybody know that we’re all working towards this goal. And it just gets us fired up.” In addition, he said that it helps him tell that the team cares: “If it was quiet when we were racing, you wouldn’t really know what others are thinking.” The race last year at Nationals that Deerfield won was a memory Oscar recalls as a highlight from his time at Deerfield. For threequarters of the race, Deerfield was behind by two or three seconds. In the last quarter, however, they pushed through and won by a small margin. Oscar said, “I’ll never forget that. That’s on YouTube, and I’ve rewatched the race like 20 times.” Switching this year from fourseat boats to eight-seat boats has meant more competition and has been challenging. Even though the rowing team placed first at Nationals at the end of last year’s season, variables like injuries, coordination, and energy have come into play with a larger boat. Part of the reason for the switch was the size of the rowing team and the limited number of coaches. Being the first year to row in eight-seat boats is inspiring for John since “this year’s rowers can set the bar high, and then that will encourage future generations to just keep doing the same thing.” John said that having Oscar on his team is helpful: “I can tell when he’s frustrated, and I know what he’s annoyed about. Because we’re cousins, we come from a similar family with competitiveness, and we both have that same drive to want to be leaders and make our team as good as possible.” He added, “I think the balance between us two is perfect because we both bring different things and different ways of looking at it. And I think that has helped us develop and lead our group.” Oscar echoed this sentiment, saying that rowing with John has been very helpful for his development. “I mean, John’s the best rower in the world. I’m pretty sure anyone who has rowed with him would tell you that.” He added that John’s work ethic and close relationship have made the team dynamic special. After only erging during their freshman year because of COVID-19, John and Oscar participated in a virtual US National Championship, winning the U17 pairs as determined based upon erg times. John was in Texas, and Oscar was in Boston, and they FaceTimed each other during the race. After their sophomore year, they both went down to Oregon. In Chula Vista, San Diego, they trained for the junior national team at a selection camp, along with 70 other athletes. John ended up making the team as the youngest on the boys’ team. They ended up winning the World Championships that summer, which America had not done in a couple of years. The next summer, John returned to the USA team and got third place, but the leadup was different. John said, “It was kind of a different role for me because I had to lead versus just being a piece of the puzzle. I sort of helped the coach out a lot and led the group versus just being there and existing.” He ended up getting the United Teen Junior Athlete of the Year, along with the coxswain, who are voted on by the coaches and the teammates. Rowing is something both John and Oscar prepare for almost year-round. In the winter, the students who participate in the winter rowing co-curricular erg after school Monday through Saturday and lift on Tuesday and Thursday. They even did an extra bike workout one morning per week. Oscar said, “It has been really helpful to have the rowing tanks to use in the winter when you can not row on the river.” During the actual rowing season, the rowers do about the same practice. John will be a member of Yale University’s rowing team, and he hopes to continue his rowing journey past college. John said, “I think I’ll just keep doing it as long as I can, honestly, until my body doesn’t allow it anymore.” He added that he could see himself coaching in the future. He also said that he hopes to one day go to the Olympics. Oscar will be attending Princeton next year for rowing. “That’s going to be a lot more training than we’ve done here, which I’m excited for,” he said. He hopes to try and make the U23 National Team. He was on the U19 National team and now has four years to make the U23 team. Oscar said, “I just want to go as far as I feel like I can in the sport.”

Deerfield Tourneys, the group that periodically runs tournaments ranging from beach volleyball to spike ball to basketball, is more than what meets the eye. Currently run by seniors Osegie Osayimwen ’23, Muyi Woghiren ’23, and Christian Reavis ’23, the group has facilitated five tournaments this year. Founded during the whirlwind school year in 2020 by Bodie Fish ’22, the group initially sought to raise public morale during a tumultuous school year. Ultimately, however, the tournaments resonated with the founder, Fish, so much that he eventually chose to write about the process for his college application essays.  Now, DA Tourneys has become a staple of student life at Deerfield. The group’s Instagram, @da_tourneys, has amassed over 200 followers and consistently posts the winners of each tournament.  When asked about how he got involved with DA Tourneys, Osegie Osayimwen ’23 explained, “Sophomore year I participated in some tournaments, then Junior year it was the first time I refereed a tournament alongside Isha Rao ’22, Christian Reavis, and Sophia Hamlen ’22. And it was great. We had a great turnout, and I just continued it from there.”  After a year of increased interest in the 2021-2022 school year, the tournaments held by the DA Tourneys have been in full swing this year. Osaywimen thinks that the tournaments help build school morale, saying, “My favorite tournament this year has been outdoor volleyball. I think this year’s spring term hasn’t had as much communal feel as I would have liked, but on Friday, a lot of people showed up. Under the lights, we had music bumping, and a lot of people came out and had fun. It was a good time.”  The theme of mass participation making for a good tournament is felt throughout DA Tourneys. When asked about his favorite tournament held this year, Woghiren said, “My favorite tournament that we ran this year was the 3v3 Basketball tournament. It’s probably because I’m a big basketball fan, but it was also a great tournament with the way everything ran.” Woghiren also enjoyed the musical chairs tournament because everyone on campus could partake in it and have a chance at winning, regardless of athletic ability. Not only has DA Tourneys upped the number of tournaments held this year, but they have also diversified the sports and games played. While dodgeball and volleyball have been staples of this year’s DA Tourneys, DA Tourneys also added a pickleball tournament, spearheaded by Finn Knight ’25 and Ethan Li ’25.  As for the future of DA Tourneys, Woghiren has a simple goal: to continue the work they’ve done. He said, “I just want people to continue running tourneys. I think tournaments are a great way to meet new people, which is why we have rules about opposite gender and grades. It’s all about meeting new people and seeing new perspectives.” Osaywimen has a similar view; “I just want to continue the tournaments, just making sure people have fun…I want to continue to bring people together through tournaments.”  While the sports, seasons, and teams change, the main goal of DA Tourneys stays the same: to make sure that all students, regardless of ability, have the opportunity to meet new people, have fun, and let loose from the regular stresses of Deerfield Academy.

Meghan Holland ’23 started her lacrosse journey in third grade when her mother signed her up for a local lacrosse league. Many of her elementary school friends played in the same league and inspired her to try out a sport other than soccer. But, little did Holland know that this was just the beginning of her long journey with lacrosse. Originally, Holland had no interest in playing lacrosse in college. However, after a socalled “rocky sophomore season,” according to Holland, her club coach gave her a pep talk that allowed her to relax and enjoy playing lacrosse again, which turned many heads over the summer season. Her decision to commit to Colgate University was cemented after she “loved” her tour there, she said. Her parents emphasized that Holland should prioritize going to a place “where she was wanted,” and after some conversations with the coach at Colgate University, Holland knew she had found her new home. Holland said that her favorite part of being a student-athlete, other than competing, is hanging out with her teammates every day and bonding with them during team meals. Holland shared how post-practice meals her freshman year gave her a designated area to converse where she could show her bubbly and outgoing personality. Holland has two older brothers, Will Holland ’21 and Michael Holland ’19, who, after four years at Deerfield Academy, went to play ice hockey in college. She said that her brothers “honestly paved a path for me and made my transition here easier…[but] it also put pressure on me to emulate who they were.” Holland said, “It was difficult to find myself, but I think that once my middle brother left…I was able to be me and not just my brother’s little sister. ” She has been a trivarsity athlete for most of her Deerfield career as a member of the Girls’ Volleyball, Basketball, and Lacrosse teams. Teammate Harlowe Healey ’24, who shares the lacrosse field and basketball court with her, said, “I am proud of the confidence Meghan has gained in herself. Sharing the field with someone as competitive as her and has the definition of a team-first attitude is something I and everyone will miss dearly.” Lacrosse teammate Loulla Rousou ’25 said, “She leads by example and has helped create a very special team culture this season as captain.” English Teacher and Basketball Coach Julie Schloat said, “Meghan worked her way up through the basketball program, proving her work ethic and leadership skills along the way. She was an outstanding captain in her senior year and commanded the floor as our point guard. Her ability to shake off mistakes and focus on the positive helped us build a tight-knit team.” Holland said her favorite season, besides lacrosse, was her diligent but comical freshman season on the volleyball team. As one of the few freshmen who made the cut, Holland found that the team was full of humorous seniors and energetic freshmen with excellent chemistry on the court. As a result, the team made it to the semi-finals for the first time in history, and as Holland said, the drive and victories “were because of our team chemistry.” Holland balances three varsity sports, a rigorous academic schedule, and a role as a peer counselor. Although she found it hard to manage her time during her first year at Deerfield, she said has since learned the value of the phrase “work smarter, not harder” when completing her schoolwork. In addition, Holland encourages every student at Deerfield to join a sport because it makes “the school feel smaller,” she said. Holland has set a high standard for what it means to be a Deerfield student, and the community cannot wait to see her out on the lacrosse field for Colgate’s class of ’27.

In the last weekend of April, 13 Deerfield track athletes participated in the 4x100m and 4x400m races at the 127th Penn Relays. The girls’ 4x400m team (Campbell Fealy ’24, Alexis Miller ’24, Josephine Louis ’23, and Kaelin Creagh ’24) came in first place, beating Loomis Chaffee; in addition to winning the wheel, a prestigious award given to event champions, the girls set a new school record of 4:03:86, beating the previous one by three seconds. The boys’ 4x100m team (Jackson Rose ’23, Brady Stahelski ’23, Christian Reavis ’23, and Triston Ward ’24) also earned gold medals in the Independent Preparatory Schools category. Fealy, Miller, Creagh, and Alex Hermsdorf ’25 represented the girls in the 4x100m and got second in their heat, earning silver medals. Farouk Mukhtar ’24, Owen Haight ’24, Barack Mwesigwa ’24, and Chandler Dicks ’23 competed in the 4x400m and placed third overall, and received bronze medals. The Penn Relays are one of the oldest track competitions in America and host thousands of track athletes annually. The results at the Penn Relays reflect the overall commitment, achievement, and devotion to the track program that students have exhibited throughout this year and past years. With weather fluctuations and cancellations of races, the Varsity Track Team has continued to practice and race despite some roadblocks. Track Coach Tara Keegan said, “It’s a really exciting time for Deerfield track. The boys’ team has really become a top-notch program, [and] the girls’ team is a program on the rise… and so the goal is to expand the event areas contributing to their success and maintain it while also maintaining a good and fun environment.” Dr. Keegan worked closely with all of Deerfield’s track athletes throughout this season and later attended the Penn Relays with the selected 13 who raced. She noted that the track team is different from other sports in that they do not have as many meets. The track team’s main goal is to train for New England’s, where they will compete against many other prep schools, such as their main competition, Loomis Chaffee School. Loomis Chaffee was also at Penn Relays, and just as the Academy beat them in a couple of races, Loomis beat Deerfield in others. Besides winning, the coaches aim to create a fun and empowering environment for Deerfield’s student-athletes. Head Boys Track Coach Andy Stallings said that both his and Head Girls Track Coach Callie Gray’s goals for the track team were “to present a program that would help athletes stay healthy throughout the season.” In this sense, they are attempting to facilitate an athletically challenging environment by putting together a series of practices where students can form meaningful connections and friendships, despite participating in an endurance sport. The coaches’ goal has been accomplished as Campbell Fealy ’24 and Alexis Miller ’24, who have been running for six years, said they had a positive experience with Deerfield track. Fealy said, “It is really fun making an individual sport feel like a team through bonding activities.” Miller added that “it is a really fun team,” which makes her want to continue. The Penn Relays are an opportunity for Deerfield’s track athletes to compete at a high level against other high school teams in the country outside of just the prep school league. Deerfield’s continuous success in these events is due to students’ participation, and the team encourages people to keep joining. Dr. Keegan remarked, “I think it just takes a foot in the door; with track, people just have to give it a chance, and then they find that they love it.”

Spanish Teacher Yoel Castillo Botello joined Deerfield’s faculty three years ago and will leave after this school year. At Deerfield, he taught Spanish 3 Honors, Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Spanish 4, Spanish 5, and Spanish 6 Honors: Latin American Literature. Dr. Botello joined Deerfield because he loved Deerfield’s “commitment to intellectual pursuit and deep respect for the liberal arts.” He has cherished his time here due to all the students he has met and the community he was a part of, saying, “Once my student, always my student. I really hope that everyone who has been under my wing will know that I will always be there for you.”  Shogo O’Connor ’25, a member of his hall on LM, said, “[Dr. Botello] is a super genuine, down-to-earth guy, always laughing and smiling. He’s very forgiving and all-around a great guy.” O’Connor also mentioned Dr. Botello’s influence on him, saying, “I also know that I can always come home to someone who is very welcoming and someone that I can easily talk to about my problems and about my day… I know that he impacted so many kids.” Although Dr. Botello’s first year was when COVID started, he enjoyed getting through it and has had “a really big collection of great memories” since. After this year, he will be moving to Grinnell College to be an assistant professor of Spanish.

Leah Moore, more commonly known to students as LM, has been teaching English at Deerfield for three years. She arrived as a ‘Penn fellow’ through a program at the University of Pennsylvania, which granted her the opportunity to experience teaching at a boarding school while also getting her master’s degree. She was a dorm resident on Johnson 3, coached Girls’ Varsity Basketball and Girls’ Varsity Track and Field, and was a co-advisor for Deerfield Women of Color (DWOC).  Her favorite parts of teaching at Deerfield were helping eager students “dive into nuances of language and of stories” and being able to “have more autonomy in the classroom and teach things that speak to [her].” In addition, as a dorm resident in Johnson, she enjoyed being able to “see students interact in authentic ways with each other,” an aspect that she noted is a “powerful part of working at a boarding school in general.”  Jeanlukas Meza ’26 said, “[Ms. Moore  has] supported me through thick and thin and taught me how to analyze stories better and connect them to the real world.” Meza added that he was always “encouraged to speak up” and has become a “better thinker of the world around [him].” Ms. Moore offered some parting wisdom to Deerfield students: “It is really important to be your authentic self, even though it’s really hard to do that.” She recognized that many people “perform” for the world and said that we should try to be more “genuinely caring.” She hopes that students will “lean into things that [they’re] not always sure about” and realize that it is “not bad to make mistakes and be willing to fall.”  Ms. Moore will be moving to Claremont, California, where she will teach at the Webb Schools.