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Leila Govi will be the first women to serve as the President of the Deerfield Board of Trustees. Ms. Govi has served as a Deerfield Trustee for eight years and will assume her new role on July 1st, 2022, as current Board of Trustees President Brian Simmons P. ’12, ’14 retires from the position. Originally from Chicago, raised in Saudi Arabia, and recently having moved to New York after residing in London for over 23 years, Ms. Govi was once one of the first international female students to attend the Academy since the school’s return to coed- ucation in 1989. When asked about the personal significance behind being elected Board President, Ms. Govi told the Scroll that the role is an “incredibly humbling responsibility. I never would have imagined myself in a position to be able to help and give back to the Academy at such a high level and I am acutely aware of those who have come before me as Board Presidents.” Ms. Govi added, “In terms of being the first female president, I think that’s a wonderful thing and I think it’s about time! If I can be a role model even in a small way for other girls, I will be grateful. I want every Deerfield girl to feel that the school is as much theirs as [it is for] every Deerfield boy.” The Board of Trustees President, as described by Head of School John Austin, is responsible for the future of the school by leading the preparation and organization for Board meetings, working closely with the Head of School, and collaborating with other trustee members to appoint chairs of various committees within the Board. When asked about the characteristics of a strong working relationship between the Board President and the Head of School, Dr. Austin said, “There have to be really strong and robust levels of trust. I can go to [the Board] with any question that I am trying to make sense of and I know that they will give me their honest perspective and wisdom while trusting me and my team to make the best decision on behalf of the school.” Among the qualities Deerfield looks for in a Board of Trustees President, Dr. Austin emphasized “dedication to the institution, exceptional judgment, financial acumen, and an ability to steward the resources of the school with the rest of the Board.” Dr. Austin said Leila S. Govi ’93 not only possesses “tremendous love for and dedication to the Academy,” but Dr. Austin is also confident she will also offer a cosmopolitan point of view to the Board. Describing how her story has shaped her desire to give back to the Deerfield community, Ms. Govi explained, “I grew up with a very strong mother; she herself was the only girl to attend an all boys high school in Tunisia.” She continued, “Unlike many [parents] in her generation, she pushed my sister and I more than my brothers. I think that feeling of never settling comes from her and it’s always pushed me to do more for others and for myself.” As illustrated by the goals she has outlined for Deerfield, Ms. Govi is determined to preserve Deerfield traditions that proved to be a hallmark of her Deerfield experience. “I think traditions really matter,” Ms. Govi explained. “They give us that sense of identity and connect us to one another; they can also be really comforting when we go through hard times because they remind us that we have a strong community that we can lean on when we need to. And for me they bring some of the best memories I have at Deerfield. I want to make sure we con- tinue to protect these traditions.” For example, it has recently proven challenging to fit the entire study body and faculty into the dining hall during sit down meals. By planning for a Dining Hall renovation, Ms. Govi hopes to ensure that sit-down meals include the entire school contribute to memories made by future generations of Deerfield students. For the long term, Ms. Govi emphasized, “One of my big goals is to be more connected to the students and faculty to better understand the things they care about so I in turn can be a better Trustee and Board President. I want it to be a very connected tenure. Dr. Austin cares first and foremost about student wellbeing and their experiences and so I want this board to continue driving forward with this most crucial agenda, of putting students first.” In order to achieve these goals, Ms. Govi understands that it is imperative to foster and maintain a healthy board culture. When asked about how she hopes to promote a collegial board and productive working environment, Ms. Govi stated, “My goal as President is to tap into every one of [the trustees] ideas, harness all the talent in the room and make sure the best ideas move to the top.” She concluded, “My job is more of a listener than a talker.” Looking ahead, Ms. Govi’s passion for giving back to Deerfield will propel her further in her quest to preserve the Academy’s traditions that embody the school’s culture and core values. As a community, it is important to recognize and celebrate the Board of Trustees’ dedication and hard work, especially as Mr. Simmons steps down and the community welcomes Ms. Govi as the new President.

“Deerfield Academy prepares students for leadership in a rapidly changing world.” This is Deerfield Academy’s mission statement. This line essentially means that every student who steps out of Deerfield’s doors should be knowledgeable and capable enough to survive in society independently. The only issue I have with these statements is that in the last three terms of this academic year, a cumulative 38 weeks, I can only count on one hand the number of times the school has taken an active approach to discuss current events. Deerfield Academy markets itself to countless students like me as a school that blends tradition and progress to create a comprehensive curriculum that fosters “connectedness to our unique setting and the contemporary world,” according to the official website. But from what I have observed so far, the only “world” that exists in the Academy’s purview starts at the lower fields and ends slightly past Academy Lane. This needs to change. The multi-disciplinary artist and author Donny Miller once said that ignorance is a choice in this age where information is easily accessible. As students, half of our Deerfield career will involve courses concerning history, human nature, and our impact on our planet. In my personal experience, the exposure I’ve had to current events happens only in small student initiatives that reach a niche group of peers. Clubs such as ethics and current affairs, debate, and political groups attract the same group of students, creating a closed system that struggles against the school’s more prominent apathy. Significant issues like climate change, racism, and war are only vaguely referenced and never expanded upon. Most of the discussion we get from events like MLK day and the Deerfield Forum only echo the non-committal stance the Academy has decided to take on issues even remotely controversial. Every time someone brings up current events, weird looks get sent their way, and awkward silences ensue as someone else quickly tries to switch the topic of conversation. Deerfield needs a long-overdue reformation to create an environment where people are actively encouraged and pushed to learn about their world. When I interviewed some of the club leaders from the young political groups about their opinion on the problem, they identified the same broad set of issues. These issues boil down to lackluster school engagement and minimal exposure to the outside world. “I think the school is starting to make an effort, but they haven’t been doing much,” said Nando Traversari ’22, one of the leaders of the Young Republicans. Traversari explained that beyond the Deerfield Forum, there is little to no [discussion] in the classroom.“Most teachers stick to their own class curriculum without touching on the social issues, and it’s very rare a teacher will integrate current events into their class plan.” Justin Ahn ’24, a leader of the Young Democrats, echoed a similar sentiment: “I think a large issue with engagement on campus has to do with how removed we are from these situations.” Ahn then argued that “since all of our basic needs are met, there is little at stake for us to relate with [others].” This inability to relate means that these issues will rarely manifest in casual conversation, as they are never acknowledged. There are multiple ways we can burst through the soundless cage we’ve locked ourselves in. They all boil down to encouraging student engagement and visibility on campus. First and foremost, the Academy can do small things like bringing back the news minutes during school meetings, where students will go on stage to present the newest developments worldwide for 5 to 10 minutes. The second tangible way we can change is by establishing a school- wide weekly newsletter. Traversari suggested that teachers could follow Mr. Calhoun’s example, who constantly sends out news articles to his class, and make it a popularized practice on campus. Deerfield needs to reform its curriculum on a larger scale, mandating at least one project or unit to constantly encourage students to be curious about current events and issues. Ahn said that widespread community interaction is critical to overcoming the invisible barrier. In my opinion, the best way to increase engagement is through making our current community service requirements for students more comprehensive, replacing the one-day performative grandstanding with repeated, consistent efforts to improve the community’s awareness of global events at large. Additionally, the administration should provide clubs that address current events with more funding, increasing their visibility and giving them more significant resources to do things like invite speakers onto campus. Overall, informing Deerfield is an urgent priority that requires collective effort from both faculty and students to carry out. Deerfield students should grow into ethical global citizens who marry their compassion with their extensive knowledge of current events to ultimately help improve the world. To create effective leadership in a rapidly changing world, we all need to be informed and prepared.

My first AP exam started on Monday, May 2 and my last AP exam ended on Friday, May 13, 11 days apart. My 2-week AP exam period left me constantly tired and burdened with both studying for my next AP exam and staying on top of school work. An AP exam lasts roughly three to four hours for those without extra time accommodations, and as a result, for every test I took, I missed two class periods. Having four AP exams total, two in each week, meant that I went to my third period class only once the first week, and my fifth period class once the second week. I missed the Monday and Wednesday of my English class, and that same week, we started a new book, and began discussing the book in class. After a stressful first half of the week, I found myself needing to study for the following week’s AP exams and catching up on all the reading I had missed, as well as preparing for an English discussion scheduled for the upcoming Friday. Many AP classes are not intended to prepare us for AP exams, meaning that I had to put in extra work outside of the classroom to fully cover the material and be fully prepared. Putting in extra time outside of class to study for exams is quite standard, but putting in extra hours for every exam on top of the homework and projects I needed to finish was overwhelming. Our current system does not support students during AP exams. I was forced to choose between getting a full eight hours of sleep the night before an AP exam or doing homework for my classes. Studying and doing homework simultaneously makes both more unproductive and decreases the quality of both. The establishment of a designated AP exam week would alleviate students’ stress levels. This exam period would allow for both classes and exams to proceed efficiently. Studying for AP exams diminishes the quality of schoolwork. The compounding stress of schoolwork and AP exams on students makes it harder for them to perform at their usual high standard. The entire school year’s work culminates in the AP exams, in an effort to show what we have learned. It would be beneficial to finish the year strong by ensuring that all the material is properly learned, both to ensure that this knowledge lasts not only for the duration of the AP exams, but also in the long-term. Having to cram for multiple subjects confuses your brain and forces you to choose what knowledge and subjects to prioritize. An exam period would make both class time and exam time more productive and successful.

The truth is that the likely prospect of Roe v. Wade being overturned doesn’t affect me and it likely doesn’t affect you either. For context, Roe v. Wade is a landmark case that protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. On May 3rd, like most other Americans, I awoke to news of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health . Authored by Justice Alito, the draft asserted that the right to abortion is not constitutionally protected and therefore would overturn the 1970’s landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade . My mom had texted me the Politico article, which I only briefly skimmed before climbing out of bed and deciding what I would wear to class that day. Somewhat selfishly, I considered the ramifications this historical reversal would have for me. Sure, I understood that it was an attack on the liberties of women, a threat to our reproductive rights, attempts by white men in government to control our bodies but aside from all of that, I had trouble seeing how anything would change for me. It wouldn’t. So I went on with my day, stopping to think about it only once more that afternoon when I reposted a colorful infographic to my Instagram story. That was the extent of my outrage. Part of my privilege is being able to say that I was never really concerned about the confiscation of my right to choose. Although nearly half of the United States is expected to impose some form of laws to limit access to safe abortions, including 13 “trigger ban” states, where abortion will be immediately banned in totality upon the overturning of Roe v. Wade , I don’t live in one of them. I’m from California, one of 16 states that actually has laws in place to protect a woman’s right to choose alongside Connecticut, New York, and, fortunately for the young women of Deerfield Academy, Massachusetts. We hear it all the time: Deerfield is a bubble, but we often neglect to realize just how isolated our community is. Our own little idyllic corner of the world in the Pioneer Valley has sheltered me from the harsh realities of an outside world where human rights are relentlessly under attack. As hard as I try to remain well- informed, I always feel somewhat detached. For a school that cites “citizenship” as its first core value, I often feel that the student body is far less civically engaged than it could be or should be, myself included. We’re all busy making it to every class, co-curricular, or sit-down. We have homework that needs to get done, and want to partake in hockey games and days by the river, yet none of those things should come at the expense of our civic engagement. Nevertheless, on May 3, when I had concluded that my rights weren’t under attack, I dismissed the case as just another headline. Bummer, I thought, that for the first time in history, American daughters won’t have a constitutionally protected right that their mothers had. Now, as I look back on my lack of concern two weeks ago, I’m truly disturbed. Like so many other landmark policies, especially in the realm of healthcare, those who bear the burden of this reversal will be low-income women and women of color who reside in those states that will impose restrictive laws. Reading the transcript of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health , I found the JWH lawyer Julie Rikelman’s statement particularly profound. She powerfully asserted that “the data has been very clear over the last 50 years that abortion has been critical to women’s equal participation in society.” One can only hope that by now it’s understood that women’s equal participation in society benefits everybody. For instance, the other day I was reminded that one of the most effective methods of combating climate change is the provision of family planning resources in an effort to increase women’s education. So when a decision prevents marginalized women from seeking better educational and professional opportunities, and thereby stunts the development of society as a whole, I must empathize. As a young woman at Deerfield, all that I’ve tried to do—my very reason for being at this school— is pursue my education to the highest level I possibly can. I’m supported by Deerfield in so many ways, including the assurance that a potential accidental pregnancy would never inhibit me from reaching my goals. I stand with women nationwide who want the same for themselves, but, with the reversal of Roe v. Wade would have to navigate far more challenging circumstances than they do now. Recognizing that an attack on the rights of one woman is an attack on the rights of all women has been critical in my understanding of the true gravity of May 3rd’s proceedings. Although we are here in Deerfield, we must never allow ourselves to become too protected, preoccupied, or privileged to care about human rights issues.

Summer is a time for relaxation and unwinding, a time when we can get a break from Deerfield and all its academic stresses, such as daily textbook readings (Davidson), weekly Biology quizzes, monthly math tests, and time-consuming extracurricular commitments. However, what is supposed to be our most relaxing break is actually more stressful than expected. Competition at Deerfield never truly ends when we leave the confines of the campus; we carry the culture of competition with us back home, feeling anxious about what other people are doing to be productive, even when we’re taking a moment’s rest on our beds. We are inevitably dragged back to our desks, practice rooms, gym, and fields, disturbed by the nagging thought that we are just not doing enough for both Deerfield and college. Deerfield students often spend their sophomore summer studying for the SAT/ACT and their junior summer writing college essays, gaining work experience, or attending intensive summer programs not only to develop their skills of interest but also to build up their college profiles. Application after application. Practice test after practice test. Run after run. Early mornings and late nights continue, filled with hard work and motivation, only for us to end up even more burnt out than we were prior to the start of break. Once again, working the days away, watching passively as the radiant sunlight outside changes its hue every hour, mired in work and tired of our screens. Change in location aside, this feels just like Deerfield. Especially as students enter junior and senior years, nudges from peers, parents, and even ourselves to do better, and to reach higher unavoidably tire us out. So, if this competition is inescapable, what can we do to alleviate the stress, and in turn, make the remainder of our academic journeys at Deerfield and beyond less draining and more enjoyable? One thing we can do, although it may not seem like much, is to consciously check how we are feeling in the moment about whatever we are doing to work towards our goals. It’s good to question ourselves about what our goals are, whether we truly care about them, and how far we are willing to push ourselves to achieve them, but to the extent that we are not harming our mental health or relationships. Once we have the answers to these questions, we can continue striving through the summer, rest assured that we are working to arrive at our desired destinations. So whatever struggles that may result from our effort, is worth the pain. If we have that certainty that we love the goals we are working toward, our respective journeys to get there will be more bearable, and even hopeful, despite our moments of exhaustion.

Dear Reader, For me, spring means throwing an ultimate frisbee around with my friends before dipping my toes in the cool Deerfield River. It means singing Taylor Swift at the top of my lungs on spontaneous walks around the Loop. It means reading a book under the sun’s gentle caress in front of the MSB lawn. Meaning is how we make sense of this place as individuals and as a collective. But when we move our sights beyond the sun-filled Valley, what does it mean to be a student of the world at this moment in time? As the days bleed into 80-degree weeks and COVID-19 appears to be a relic of the past, it becomes easy to forget about the world outside of our ivory towers. But we need to remember that we live in a blissful bubble, that the world is wider than this 330-acre land we call home. In Israel, the prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh was shot dead on May 11th while reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her fellow journalists have accused the Israeli army of shooting her. According to The Guardian, Aquleh was “known as the voice of the Palestinian conflict and an advocate for the people of Gaza and the West Bank.” In Hong Kong, John Lee was appointed as the next Chief Executive on May 8th. After the current Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that she won’t seek a second term in April 2022, all eyes turned to Lee, a former Secretary for Security who oversaw the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2019. As the sole candidate approved by China in the election, he was chosen as the next Chief Executive by the 1,5000 member committee and will take office on July 1st, 2022. In Nigeria, a recent market explosion on April 19thin the rural town of Iware resulted in approximately 30 casualties. A terrorist organization, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), claimed responsibility for the attack. For more than a decade, Nigeria has been fighting with both the ISWAP and Boko Haram in a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions more. In Afghanistan, the Taliban installed a law that required women to wear a veil whenever they leave their homes in public. The moves signals a reversal from the Taliban’s initial moderate stance and may foreshadow a further regression of gender equality. Israel, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Afghanistan. These are just snapshots of the current events happening around the world. Each one impacts a different Deerfield student in its own way. While the allure of the Deerfield bubble may make it easy to forget about the world outside, I urge you to take five minutes out of your day to learn about current affairs and to make meaning of the world around you. Open The New York Times app on your phone during Flex Time, follow the BBC’s Instagram account, or converse with students from other countries during sit-down meals. At the Scroll, we are committed to promoting global stewardship and facilitating “informed discussions of pertinent issues that concern the Academy and the world.” In the last issue, we sought to highlight the diversity of Deerfield students and their perspectives. The Russo-Ukraine war timeline delineated how the invasion has uprooted the lives of two Deerfield students. On the Op-Ed page, Angel Zhou ’21 explained how the pandemic has ravaged her hometown, Shanghai, and resulted in a critical shortage of food supplies. In this issue, you’ll find articles ranging from the leaked Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade to the Buffalo shooting. As Billy Tang ’25 writes in his Op-Ed, “to create effective leadership in a rapidly changing world, we all need to be informed and prepared.” We hope that after reading this issue, you’ll look beyond the headlines to formulate your own understanding of our society. As we lounge on the green lawn chairs and dream about our summers, take a second to appreciate the moment. How we create meaning out of moments like these is important, but how we discuss and make sense of our experiences in this vast universe is also significant. We hope that this issue of the Scroll will encourage you to look beyond Deerfield’s ivory towers and its shimmering bubble and glimpse a world wider and truer. And as always, if you have an original perspective or story about the Valley or of the world at large, please consider joining us on this mission. Warmly,  Sunshine 陈心旎

A few weeks ago, an anonymous survey was sent out to the student body asking questions surrounding their favorite class they haven taken at DA. Below are the most common answers from the 55 responses we received. Honors Environmental Science – Mr Emerson & Mr. Calhoun 11th & 12th Grade : Students will investigate recent anthropogenic climate change, agriculture systems, and comparative biomes while taking advantage of the deciduous forest ecosystem in our backyard. “It made me look at the natural world with a clearer lens in terms of the science behind it as well as the policy making when it comes to solving the climate crisis and making the right decisions.” “The course was really engaging and focused on concepts that have everyday implications. We also went on a lot of field trips.” Accelerated Biology – Mrs. Washburn 11th Grade : Accelerated Biology is a comprehensive introductory survey course organized around the eight characteristics of life. “Mrs. Washburn makes bio so interesting, and I love the group of students in my class. She is always willing to answer our questions, and we get to do a lot of labs.” Ethics – Mr. Flaska 9th, 10th, & 11th Grade : In Ethics, students will explore to what extent our ethical understandings are shaped by our identities and life experiences. “It was always engaging and fun. We would talk about interesting topics, and I feel like I learned a lot from these discussions. The class also went on a few field trips which were fun and unique to this class.” “It was an inclusive, discussion based class in which I felt supported by my teacher and peers.” U.S. China Relations – Dr. Friends 11th & 12th Grade : This 10-topic policy course investigates US-China diplomacy in the context of China’s major domestic and international priorities from the Cold War to today. “The class managed to cover a variety of topics that provided a comprehensive look at this very current and important relationship between these two nations in an interesting manner.” “It is a summation of all of my interests and passions. I love international relations, and I love specifically studying China and its relations to the world, whether that be through economics, conflict, human rights, etc. The course was holistic and covered not only U.S.-China relations but relations with and situations of surrounding countries too like ASEAN countries [the ten Southeast Asian states] and Taiwan. Dr. Friends is an incredible teacher and I’ve had her for two years. She engages with her students heavily, pushes them to do their best work, and genuinely loves her job. Dr. Friends has been my favorite teacher for the entirety of my time at Deerfield and she has inspired me to pursue an international relations major in college with the hopes of working in diplomacy.” Africa and Latin America History – previously Dr. Baker, currently Ms. Batchelor 9th & 10th Grade : Using literature and a rich variety of historical sources, this course studies the cultural, political, and economic consequences of colonialism in selected countries in Africa and Latin America. “Super interesting content; Dr. Baker was a great teacher that loved what he was teaching. I could sense he had a real deep emotional connection with the content.” “Dr. Baker was a phenomenal teacher. He engaged us well and left behind all kinds of knowledge about the world.” Defining Literary Traditions – Ms. Matouk, Mr. Romick, Ms. Hodge, & Ms. Westman 10th Grade : Tenth-grade English emphasizes critical reading, and study literature derived from the British tradition. “I enjoyed it because I learned so much from a wide variety of topics while having a very fun time. Ms. Westman is so engaging and is not overly aggressive with the work that she assigns us, yet makes us work hard nonetheless. Everything we do benefits us in some way; there is no busy work. She has helped me grow so much as a writer and a literary analyzer. She is also such a sweet and incredible human as well.”

After many long winter months, Deerfield students rush to the Lower Fields at the first sight of sunshine for hours at a time, enjoying the outdoors and being in the company of their peers. How is it that Deerfield students manage to spend endless hours at the low- er fields? Here is a list of common activities that consume Deerfield days near the river. Lacrosse This activity is dominated by lacrosse boys trying to get in extra pre (or post) practice reps. However, beginners can also be seen passing a ball with their friends who have already mastered the sport. Lacrosse is a relatively safe activity, until a rookie to the game throws a ball astray, which ends up catching a bystander off guard with its painful rubber and ability to zoom through the air. Golf Somehow, the upperclassmen boys have turned the Lower Fields into their own personal golfing range. Needless to say, it is rather unpleasant when they get too close to the groups of tanning people and start hitting golf balls off of peoples’ chests (and sometimes even hit people in the leg with their errant chips!). Nevertheless, they seem to be having fun with each other and improving their golf skills (in order to avoid any more stray golf balls). Tanning You can often find groups of girls laying on their towels on the Lower Fields, usually listening to soft music, trying to work on their base tan before the summer months, or evening out their tans before prom. Due to the Deerfield sun’s rather deceitfully strong rays, tanning can be a rather unpredictable activity… remember to bring your sunscreen! Homework While doing homework at the river always seems like a good idea, it never quite works out the way you plan. Between the glare of the sun on your laptop screen, the grass getting between the pages in your book, and the lack of a comfortable way to position yourself, the idea of doing homework at the river is always easier to imagine than to accomplish. Spike Ball You can often see someone walking down the hill to the Lower Fields carrying a spike ball net on their shoulder and a yellow ball in hand. If you are the owner of a spike ball net, you are immediately wanted at the river. Spikeballer’s can be identified by their quick sprints to hit the ball into the air before it reaches the ground and their cheering after a victorious match. Shriving While many activities at the Lower Fields are centered around the river, students barely spend as much time in the river as they do engaging in other activities. Despite this, the river is a common place for co-curriculars to cool off after practice, students taking a break from the Deerfield sun beating down on them, and the river rats. These hardcore shrivers can be found walking south on the Lower Fields and letting the river pull them back north to the main river entrance. Somehow they are able to withstand the chilling Deerfield river for longer than others. With only a short amount of time left in the spring and the sudden increase in temperature, Deerfield students will surely spend a majority of their remaining time on campus this year at the Lower Fields.

How long have you been working here? This is my fourth year. What is your favorite place on campus? My favorite place on campus is the Boyden Library, specifically the space in the reading room that looks out on the fields. What is one of the fun- niest interactions you’ve had about the class you teach on terrorism? There are so many. When I was introduced to the student body I was introduced by a coworker who wanted to make sure everyone knew that I was not teaching a how-to-class on terrorism. The best interaction though was probably during my first year, when a student totaled my car on Main Street and the police and the ambulance came, and the student was hysterical, obviously. The policeman asked, ‘How do you two know each other?’ and the student looked him dead in the eyes and said, ‘We do terrorism together. She teaches me terrorism,’ which is technically not wrong. You could just see this look in the cop’s eye, like, ‘this is my moment.’ So anyways, I had to explain. What is your favorite food from the dining hall? Raspberry Cookies because they are the best cookies. There is absolutely no competition. They are a perfect snack, dessert, and breakfast. They are just perfect. The best or worst advice you have received? Be yourself; I am a Gemini so I have, like, six personalities, so I don’t know which that refers to. Are you in the CIA? I have a rejection letter from the CIA that I would be happy to show anybody. I spent ten months interviewing for an analyst position at the CIA, unbeknownst to me they had a hiring freeze because it was during the recession. I applied and interviewed for ten months, but I was ultimately rejected. An assumption people always make about you? I think people often assume that because I am always energet- ic and enthusiastic, I can’t also be serious. When you were younger, what did you think you would be when you grew up? First I thought I was going to be an actress. Then, be chief medical examiner of Los Angeles so that I could do autopsies on actors and actresses. Then after that, I thought I was going to marry Nicholas Cage and be a kept woman. My decision after that was to be a spy. What’s at the top of your bucket list? Skydiving or taking a boat up the Nile, as I am learning to read Egyptian hieroglyphs. Actually, forget skydiving. I just said that because I felt like I needed to conform. I actually hate the idea of skydiving. I really genuinely just want to go to Egypt. What is a fashion trend that you would like to bring back? Jean on jean. Do you have a favorite song right now? I have really been getting into the Lumineers, so I think ‘Ophelia’ is always a good stand by. Favorite candy? Gummy bears, specifically the pineapple flavor or clear color. Favorite emoji? The sideways laughing face.

Some of my earliest memories as a kid were spent watching Deerfield sports. Whether it was watching Deerfield soccer games during my rec soccer days, watching Deerfield baseball games during my t-ball days, or 80’s night in the barn before I knew what multiplication was, Deerfield sports were something that I greatly admired as a kid. Seeing the support of the student community at all these events has always been what makes Deerfield stand out to me, yet it had always seemed so distant from me as a kid. Flash forward to my freshman year, putting on the green and white for the first time was something that I will never forget. Seeing those colors on me, when I had only ever seen them on other people felt surreal. In my first few months at Deerfield, I realized how much of the Deerfield experience happens outside of the classroom. Anything from going to games, to theater performances, to spending time in the Greer on weekend nights, I found these were the moments that I enjoyed the most. For me, participat- ing in team sports was where I found some of my closest friends and greatest role models at this Academy, and going to other teams’ games was where I was able to spend quality time with these people. I so quickly fell in love with these experiences that I knew I wanted to make sure that everybody else had the opportu- nity to experience the same enjoy- ment that I did, and this is where my eagerness to become Captain Deerfield stemmed from. While I know going to all games and events across campus is not something that appeals to every Deerfield student, I wanted to make sure all students at least gave this experience a try because of the joy it gave me. Playing soccer and baseball meant that the winter was the time when I had the most freedom to go to different events around campus. This time was eventful, to say the least. Some of the most memorable moments to me include the 100 Years of Hockey event, a deep playoff run from girls’ hockey and girls’ basketball, 80s Night, and Choate in our home barn in the same weekend. There was no other way that I would rather spend my Wednesdays and Saturdays than running between games all afternoon and evening with the cheerleaders. Being part of the erupting crowd after the Choate OT winner in boys hockey, or Aga Chi ringing throughout the Athletics complex re-enforced the love that I had for Deerfield sports, and our community as a whole. There are many things about Deerfield that are similar to the other great schools that we compete against. However, the one thing that has set us apart year after year is our school spirit and our love for this school. The instantly sold out tickets for theater performances and packed stands at games bear testament to this statement, but the feeling is not something you can truly experience until you become a Deerfield student. The love you feel from seeing your classmates on the field sporting the green and white while screaming at extraordinary volumes is something that you can only experience at Deerfield.  Thank you to all the cheerleaders for making this year unlike any other. As I write this, I have not even left Deerfield yet, but I have somehow already begun missing it.

On May 7, 2022, six teams composed of Deerfield students participated in Casey’s Memori- al Cup. Founded in 2018 by the Casey Strale Foundation, the ice hockey tournament has been run- ning for four years in memory of Casey Strale, a young player who passed away from Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC). After a long fight with many clinical trials and surgeries, Casey lost his battle to ACC on June 24, 2013, surround- ed by his friends and family. ACC is extremely rare and affects one to two people out of 1.7 million and it is even rarer for children as young as Casey. It is so rare that CHOC’s Children Hospital, where Casey was treated, had never treated any- one with this cancer. It is difficult to acquire adrenal tumors for the purpose of analysis. In the hopes of understanding the molecular basis of adrenal cancer and identifying new therapies to treat the rare disease, Casey’s family collaborated with Translational Genom- ics Research Institute (TGen), a non-profit organization that specializes in research and advanced testing, to fundraise for cancer research, which is crucial to battling all forms of cancer. TGen uses genomics data for the purpose of recognizing different mutations in ACC tumors. The Casey Strale ACC Research Fund Page says that the mutations “may help researchers to design new diagnostic tests and therapies to treat ACC.” Sara Ito-Bagshaw ’22, who grew up with Strale in Irvine, Cal- ifornia and introduced the compe- tition to the Deerfield community, explained that “[Casey] was some- one who was part of my commu- nity back home. He used to play at a rink that I had always played at growing up, for both roller and ice hockey.” Casey was a former employee at Irvine Inline, an ice and inline rink. To Ito-Bagshaw, the ability to spread awareness will ultimately facilitate additional fundraising efforts to promote further cancer research and spread awareness for ACC across a wide demographic. Ninth-Grade Dean Heather Brown, who assisted Ito-Bagshaw in understanding her goals and bringing Casey’s Memorial Cup to Deerfield, shared that fine tuning the delivery of the message was imperative to Casey’s Memorial Cup success. In addition to spreading aware- ness, Ito-Bagshaw’s efforts to com- memorate Strale’s memory act as a reminder of how philanthropy can become a part of daily life at Deerfield. Casey’s Memorial Cup provided students an opportunity to serve the wider community and Deerfield’s motto: “Be Worthy of Our Heritage.”

Anyone who has spent time with Cooper Demallie ’22 as his teammate, proctee, or classmate can attest to the fact that he is an effective leader and considerate peer. His positive energy and relaxed demeanor are contagious and put everyone around him at ease. As both a proctor in Scaife and captain for Varsity Football and Varsity Lacrosse, Demallie’s leadership on campus is profound. Demallie has been passionate about lacrosse since he was very young. He has various memories of playing lacrosse growing up in his hometown of Ridgewood, New Jersey. Demallie shared, “Ever since I was born, lacrosse has been a big part of my life. My dad played and coached in my local youth league. I started at a young age and then joined a club team in third grade.” Demallie has always put a great deal of time into lacrosse, and his hard work continues to be evident as he prepares to play lacrosse collegiately next spring. When asked about the transition into assuming the impactful leadership roles of both proctor and lacrosse captain this school year, Demallie replied, “Proctor-wise, it is nice to have an influence on the younger group so they can continue carrying the Deerfield legacy and being positive members of the community. As a captain of the team, it has been nice to see our team grow.” Demallie shares that the lacrosse team has taken big strides and improved a lot since the beginning of the season. Demallie explained, “Early on in the season, we were trying to find our identity as far as our style of play. We have done a good job of developing our style, and I think we play our best when we play fast. Our team IQ has also improved, [as has] our communication as a whole.” Demallie also shared his pre- game ritual that helps him get locked in for game time. Demallie shared, “I got this idea from Tommy Stull ’21, which was to turn my lights off a couple of hours before every game and listen to some classical music. It helps me get into the right mindset and gives me this build-up prior to the game. A couple of hours before game time, I want to be calm. Then right before game time, I listen to heavy metal to get amped. Then I feel like I’m ready to go.” Demallie added that he is highly optimistic about the future of Deerfield lacrosse, “Deerfield lacrosse has always had success. The foundations that we built both last year and this year have set up the program for a very bright future. As seniors, it’s our responsibility to pass down that legacy of success. I believe that the sophomore and junior classes are both shaping up to be very successful.” When asked about Demallie as a lacrosse teammate and proctor, Sam Whitehurst ’24 said, “Cooper is always keeping the team going and in good spirits.” There is no doubt that Demallie’s leadership has contributed to Deerfield lacrosse’s enormous success not just this year, but throughout his four years at the Academy. Demallie is committed to continuing his lacrosse career at Middlebury next year where he plans to major in Computer Science. In his free time, Demallie hopes to learn to ski, as Middlebury is located in mountainous Vermont. Although Demallie will be greatly missed at Deerfield, his impact on campus is permanent, and Middlebury is lucky to not only have a talented athlete, but a stand-up community member join them this fall.