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With an exciting college crew career ahead at Brown University, Lila Nottage ’22 earns the spot of this month’s Athlete of the Issue for her four-year contribution to the Girls’ Varsity Crew team. After months spent getting in early- morning workouts on the ergs and weight room, Nottage’s senior spring season is well underway. During the 2022 season, Nottage has already led the team to two impressive regatta wins as co- captain. Only picking up the sport her freshman year, Lila has quickly excelled in her crew career to the heights of Division I athletic career on her horizon. Beginning in the 4th boat, Lila transcended the ranks to the 1st boat during her junior and senior seasons. Nottage explained, “I didn’t have a spring sport in mind when coming here, so my parents and I decided that rowing would be interesting to try because of my height,” adding, “I went out in a double with my older sister during the first week of spring break to try rowing on the water for the first time before the crew preseason trip, and after meeting the girls on the team I knew I wanted to stick with rowing.” The Girls’ Crew Team’s Head Coach, Parker Washburn, asserted, “Lila is dependable, coachable, and driven,” adding, “on our team, we talk about the importance of showing up and giving your best every day and Lila is a perfect example of this. She is willing to make adjustments to her technique and training in order to improve and has been extremely receptive to coaching. She never shies away from a competitive moment.” As one of the most physically-demanding sports offered at Deerfield, crew undoubtedly presents challenges to all team members – including a successful athlete like Nottage. She said, “For me, the most challenging aspect of rowing is the time leading up to hard erg workouts or races. The mental challenge of the sport is definitely greater than the physical challenges, which don’t last as long – the feeling you get after spring or winning a race makes it worth it every time.” As this year’s co-captain, Nottage has assumed her role with exemplary athleticism and humility. Mr. Washburn explained, “Lila is a phenomenal lead-by-example captain. She demonstrates through action the type of team member we seek: committed to the sport and the team, cares for others, and values everyone’s contribution to the team.”  Mr. Washburn continued, “Lila quietly pushes her teammates to improve. Her ultimate achievement is that she is leaving the team in a better place than she found it. There’s nothing more a coach can ask of their athletes than this.” Nicole Xing ’22, Lila’s co- captain on the Girls’ Varsity crew team, added, “Lila is constantly setting the standard for our team; she shows up to the boathouse ready to work, and the team naturally follows.” Xing added, “This year especially, she’s taken the time to get to know everyone, ranging from upperclassmen returners to freshmen novices. It’s easy to tell that everyone on the team looks up to and is inspired by her.” With a strenuous sport like rowing, finding motivation and camaraderie within your teammates is essential to thriving within the sport. Nottage is a pillar with her consistent team-building efforts for new members and bringing spirit to each practice. Nottage shared, “I love so many things about rowing, but the people you meet and become close with are my favorite parts. So many girls on the team who I would never have really met on campus have become some of my best friends.” Natalie Meyer ’23, a member of the Girls’ Varsity Crew, assimilated into the team well with an affable teammate like Lila. Meyer explained, “I started rowing last winter during winter crew and Lila was always super welcoming and was a friendly face to have around. Lila’s ability to connect with her teammates beyond the sport of rowing is extremely admirable.” During the off-season, Nottage completed long endurance workouts as a member of the Girls’ Varsity Cross Country team. Over school breaks, Lila committed to getting in an erg workout every day – no matter the location. This type of dedication made Nottage stand out as a highly sought- out recruit for the highest tier of college crew. Nottage’s successful recruiting process landed her an exciting Division I college rowing career at Brown University. Nottage said, “I began my recruiting process the summer after my sophomore year. For a little over a year, I was emailing and having calls with a bunch of schools, and I didn’t really narrow down my list until I started getting offers the summer before senior year.” Mr. Washburn concluded, “By all measures, Lila is prepared to join a team like Brown’s. Her experiences at DA have prepared her to take the next step in intensity, time, and skill that is required to compete at the highest level.” Witnessing Nottage’s outstanding work ethic and motivation is not only impressive but also inspiring. The Deerfield community looks forward to seeing what Nottage’s future holds at Brown next year and beyond!

As the school year comes to a close, students are anticipating senior sports games, final concerts, and of course, the term-ending theater production. Back for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the scale of this year’s musical has presented both unique opportunities and challenges. With a student company of 35 and a faculty production team of ten, Twelfth Night is one of the larger productions attempted at Deerfield, and as such has a lot of moving parts. One of the benefits of such a large cast is the possibility to showcase talents from all parts of the performative arts department. As co-director and choral coach Eve La Puma put it, “It’s this wonderful chance to collaborate between so many different departments in the school, and really give everyone a chance to shine in multiple ways through one larger story.” Such variety allowed members of the cast to display their respective talents and expand their horizons. Seasoned singers have gotten to engage in dance choreography and advanced dancers have learned to push their vocal capacity. Of course, all elements of the show are emphasized by a strong standard of acting. Ally Atwell ’22 talked about her process of developing her character, Sir Toby Belch, who is the uncle of protagonist Olivia, Countess of Illyria. Atwell said she drew inspiration from Johnny Depp when he played Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean , picking out mannerisms that make, in her words, “a classic, loveable, drunk character.” As a female-identifying student playing the role of a man, Atwell also acknowledged the relevant issues that the play addresses, including gender and sexuality. She said, “It’s really rare to get this kind of opportunity to act in a Shakespearean character that’s not my gender, and also get to play with gender as a fluidity and as a spectrum.” Atwell complimented Lori Clark, this year’s co-director and choreographer, saying, “The dance work has been a lot of fun. I just really love Mrs. Clark, and I think she’s super talented and has created so many amazing numbers…I’ve never been in a musical before, so it feels very professional and so creative. I love the big number finishes and also just the variety of dance styles that we have in the production itself.” Mrs. Clark and Ms. La Puma’s contributions have allowed Theater Director and Chair of Deerfield’s Visual & Performing Arts Department, Catriona Hynds, to take a step back. The two have risen to the task of lead directors with admirable determination and grace. In an interview with Mrs. Clark, she commented, “It was a daunting but exciting task to undertake and I feel proud of what we have accomplished together. We are a large team of professionals and students, and our communication thus far has been constructive, and supportive, and is yielding excellent results in my opinion. Thank you to Ms. Hynds for trusting us and supporting this endeavor. She directed the last 8 shows in a row and we’re happy to give her a little break too!” The tech crew, however, has not gotten a break.  Costume designer Karen St. Pierre said that she’s had to design fifty-four costumes for this production. Ms. Pierre’s vision while creating them was, “Twiggy from the 1960s, Colleen Atwood, Katy Jones, Alice and Olivia, Ken Scott, 90s and 60s patterns, and Meghan Fabulous.” She aimed to capture something that was “youthful, timeless, vibrant… like every costume was an instagram filter.”  Theatre Technical Director, Paul Yager, stated, “I would say it’s not the biggest production we’ve ever done but certainly there’s the added difficulty of having to build the set in the Blackbox Theater and moving it to the Hess auditorium…This might be the tallest set we’ve ever built, definitely the tallest one we’ve put on the main stage in my 33 years.”  A typical day in Mr. Yager’s life involves working independently in the morning and setting up projects for the student tech crew during the allotted co-curricular window.  Mr. Yager finishes out the day working with the tech crew “ for two hours every day with no days off. Nobody sits on the bench.” Three of the students on the team this term are veteran theater technicians which is helpful since, according to Mr. Yager, “one of the difficulties that the technicians have is that they have to come in and learn how to use all the tools and painting techniques and all the safety protocols so we can do what we do before we even begin construction.” According to Mr. Yager, the crew is making good time, especially due to the extra help they’ve received from the rest of the cast on days they aren’t explicitly called. Despite being grateful for the help, Yager feels that “sometimes we have too many people, too many people who are willing to help, and everything we build builds upon pieces that we’re working on. There were times when four people came in with a half-hour left and there was really nothing for them to do for that short amount of time.” The cast is excited to share the results of their efforts this term. As Cam Howe ’22 put it, “We’re aiming to have bigger audiences, we want to pack people in.”

The world-renowned St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir in London recently announced its decision to admit girls to its choir for the first time in its nine hundred years of existence. The decision was reportedly delayed by the pandemic as well as funding issues; however, the first girls are set to join in 2025. Robbie Hua ’24, a member of Deerfield’s acapella groups as well as the Advanced Vocal Ensemble, shared his thoughts on the recent decision, saying, “It will bring something new to the sound.” Hua expressed that, considering the prestige of the iconic St. Paul’s Cathedral, it will be interesting to see the impacts of this change.  Hannah McKie ’22, also a member of Deerfield’s acapella groups and Advanced Vocal Ensemble, expressed her thoughts on gender divisions in music, specifically within Deerfield’s music programs. McKie said, “At Deerfield, clubs like acapella have not been gendered, but there is definitely a greater appreciation for guys who sing on campus.” McKie noted that it is generally easier for male artists to find success as a vocalist, particularly since so many more girls participate in the arts. Commenting on the St. Paul’s Choir’s decision, McKie shared her initial reaction, saying, “I didn’t believe it at first and kind of just laughed, because it didn’t even sound real. In a way, it’s just a reminder of how difficult [it] is and how much more limited the opportunities in music women have.” While historically, the arts along with many other aspects of society have been much more limited in terms of opportunities for women and girls, the decision of the St. Paul’s Choir reflects a growing push towards expanding inclusivity. Many other traditionally male English church choirs have also begun accepting girls; the Salisbury Choir paved the way when it began accepting girls around thirty years ago for many other choirs to soon follow suit.

“The very first time that Dominic walked into an audition for a show we knew immediately, the moment he opened his mouth, that he was a deeply gifted actor,” said Visual and Performing Arts Chair and Theater Director Catriona Hynds, the theater director at Deerfield Academy. Dominic Sessa ’22 has been a hard-working and dedicated member of the Deerfield theater program since his first year here. Sessa was a new sophomore and instantly immersed himself in the Arts program; “I started taking Acting II with Ms. Lori Clark, and that same year I also did my first show here, which was Antigone .” Sessa explained that his first show had gotten him involved in the theater program and from there he continued taking classes that developed his skill set as an actor. Sessa took a course titled Acting and Directing during his junior year which allowed him to direct a piece and see the set from the other side of the camera. In this particular course, Sessa directed an excerpt from a play called No Exit by John Paul Sasha. Sessa described, “Deerfield theater classes are small, so you feel a sort of conservatory type of an atmosphere, where you create these ensembles.” He elaborated, “You really are able to make more in-depth relationships that you maybe wouldn’t be able to make in any other classes because you’re on your feet and are pushed to be very vulnerable. You have to show sides of yourself that you may not be very motivated to show in other areas on campus.” In addition to taking acting classes within his academic schedule, Sessa has also been involved with The Mellow-D’s acapella group and the Improv Club during his time at Deerfield. Sessa remarked, “Trying to get other kids involved [in these groups has] definitely had a big impact on my experience at Deerfield, but has also certainly made an impact on my future.” Ally Atwell ’22 said, “Dom is a really great guy, and he’s a close friend of mine. I’ve really enjoyed being able to see him act and learn from what an amazing actor he is. He’s always really funny and brings a lot of great energy in a rehearsal space.”  This past winter, Sessa had the opportunity to work on the set of the upcoming movie, The Holdovers . Comparing this experience to acting in Deerfield productions, Sessa said, “I was very nervous going in because I’ve never done any acting on film before. All I’ve ever done is live performance.”  The film is centered around a boarding school student, Angus— Sessa’s character—and his teacher, played by American actor Paul Giamatti, who is disliked among the other students and faculty. They both get stuck on campus during winter break and end up forming a special familial bond. Sessa conveyed that the entire process felt like a master class on everything that goes into films, “Working with professionals from every area of filmmaking; from costumes to lighting, directing, and my fellow actors as well.” Sessa described that the experience of working on the set was truly incredible.  Mrs. Hynds expressed that Sessa is no ordinary actor: “Dominic himself is extraordinary and intense, and hard-working, and he just wants to act, act, act all the time.” She explained that learning lines is not easy, but Sessa always makes an effort to know them inside and out, finding new ways to portray a line. Regarding his first Deerfield performance in Antigone , Mrs. Hynds said, “He was thrown into a role that was really challenging, a really dark character, he’s amazing.” She continued, “From that to Rumors last fall, his comedic timing is just amazing. His range as an actor is phenomenal, but what I think sets him apart from the others is the extraordinary humility that he has.” When it came time for Mrs. Hynds to write back to one of the casting agencies that had reached out to Deerfield, she knew that some of her students could be potential candidates for the part. The casting agency had auditioned 12 Deerfield students, and Sessa auditioned for nearly an hour. This was followed by a series of Zoom meetings with the lead, Paul Giamatti. In an attempt to stray away from any false hope during the auditioning process, Mrs. Hynds explained to Sessa, “This is what dreams are made out of, it’s probably not going to happen, so let’s keep going.” Sessa responded by acknowledging that even if nothing happens, he’s learned so much in the process so far. However, after Sessa went through another round of auditions, he ended up securing the role. Mrs. Hynds concluded, “His life will be forever changed by this extraordinary opportunity.”

Hayden Sawh ’22 has been an avid artist since the age of four. She took a class at the Berkeley Museum, and the museum used one of her pieces as a leading feature for the children’s division of the museum. She explained, “Seeing that happen made me really want to be serious about art.” Sawh joined the Deerfield Arts Department as a freshman in Visual and Performing Arts Teacher Mercedes Taylor’s “Introduction to Studio Art” class, in which Ms. Taylor quickly recognized that Sawh is “really invested and dedicated” to the arts. “She always wanted to grow as an artist,” Ms. Taylor remarked. “Hayden really puts in a lot of time and effort into her work. She’s very serious about what she does,” she added. Sawh’s desire to open up conversations about difficult topics drives her passion for art. She focuses on projects that “deal with [her] personal emotions’’ as well as “things that [she feels] aren’t discussed enough within art and topics that are a little bit harder to talk about in words.”  Sawh’s most recent collection is an exhibition displayed outside of Hess 123, inspired by her interviews with individuals with mental disorders. This project started in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Sawh was inspired by the increase of awareness around mental health. “I struggled a lot with mental health during that time,” Sawh said, “I knew that a lot of my friends were [struggling] as well so I wanted to make a series just focusing on that.”  Sawh attended a pre-college program at Tufts University, where she gained insight into how to start an exhibition piece. She began reaching out to people who confided in her about their own experiences with mental disorders and consented to Sawh anonymously publishing their quotes for the exhibition. Sawh explained that she collected quotes from a wide range of people between the ages of sixteen through fifty. “That was my favorite part about this entire project,” Sawh stated. “It’s nice to try and tell people ‘yes, go to counseling – talk, talk, talk’ but instead of telling people who are struggling with mental health what to do, which puts an obligation for them to do something, I wanted to hear what they had to say themselves. What do they want?” She expressed that to “depict them in a way that [she] thinks captures their essence” is a responsibility she is certainly grateful for.  Her artistic process was inspired by inkblot tests, and she intentionally used acrylic paint in order to attain the effect of vein structures. “I really wanted to make it clear that these people I’m depicting are not their mental disorder. Their mental disorder does not make them,” Sawh revealed. “They are living, breathing people just like somebody who might not have to deal with mental disorders.” She also deliberately selected each color according to color psychology; she recounted how one color can represent countless emotions. “None of the things that I did were unintentional,” she stated. Sawh expressed her joy after revealing the finished product to those she interviewed. “It made me extremely happy having some of them say ‘this is exactly how I feel’ and ‘this is really relatable.’” Carson Bynum ’23 said that he felt as though observing the exhibition “was a great learning experience” as “someone who doesn’t struggle with any major mental health disorders.” Bynum was captivated by two pieces in particular, Reserved and Solitude, in which he believes Sawh “does a really great job” representing the quotes that accompany the artwork. Ms. Taylor noticed “moments of quiet,” when students viewed the exhibition. To her, this demonstrated that they are “connecting with the work.” Sawh’s next series will likely be centered around environmental sustainability, but she plans to continue her project about mental health. Her work with encouraging conversations around mental health has certainly impacted both those she is inspired by in her pieces, and her viewers.

On Sunday, May 1st, 2022, Angel Abreu ’91 displayed his art collection in the Von Auersperg Gallery. He created the artworks between 2014 and 2022, and they were all inspired by his interpretation of varying literature. Mr. Abreu’s art career started before he attended Deerfield as a part of the Class of 1991. He became the youngest artist to ever have a painting in the Museum of Modern Art, at age fourteen. However, his interest in a literature-based art career began once he entered Deerfield, where he discovered a passion for reading and the outdoors. Mr. Abreu said, “It became really easy to make these connections between literature and art.” He majored in Comparative Literature and Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he began making works inspired by literature. Not only an active artist, Mr. Abreu also teaches AP Studio Art and Topics Tutorial at Deerfield. To him, teaching is one of the most fundamental parts of his art process. He said, “I don’t know if the world needs any more artists, but we definitely need more teachers.” His love for his work is reflected through the classes he teaches. Topics Tutorial student Julia Hioe ’22 shared that he often pauses and asks the students if they can “feel the energy from the piece.” Hioe added, “He is probably one of the most passionate teachers I have ever met.” Students in the Topics Tutorial class worked with Mr. Abreu in creating a large, collaborative painting. For three weeks, he cooperated with and guided his students through the production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream inspired painting. The class constructed the wooden canvas and made the background of the piece using the characteristic style of Studio Kids Of Survival, the art studio that Mr. Abreu works for. The background of the piece was inspired by Felix Mendelssohn’s score of the play. The painting was inspired by the flowers of Puck, which in the play caused love at first sight. Visual and Performing Arts Teacher Mercedes Taylor said that “everybody had a word in thinking [about] how they were going to arrange the flowers on the canvas.” The students used inks and watercolors to make the cosmos and explosions that make up the heart of the painting. Many students and teachers were immediately moved by this piece. Philosophy and Religion Teacher Doug Kremm said he was drawn mainly “because of the bright colors.” Elsa Schuberth ’22 said, “[I] really liked what they painted on the sheet music, with the mixture of the colors.” The painting directly to the right of the Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nocturne no. 2, was based on Chopin’s Nocturnes, which are short piano compositions inspired by the night. Mr. Abreu also paid homage to the artist James Whistler’s painting of Nocturne. Whistler used dark shades of colors on canvas, along with splashes of bright colors, similarly to Mr. Abreu. He was intentional in his positioning of the paintings in order to create a contrast between the bright explosions and the gradient of dark gray and black. Hioe said, “[The] bold strokes of yellow really made the painting pop.” William Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying , one of Mr. Abreu’s favorite books inspired another one of the paintings featured. The book has 53 chapters, with each chapter narrated by a different character. Conveying the sorrow of the book, the colors are muted and flowing, like a “sad orchestra,” said Mr. Abreu. The style of the painting is purposefully made similarly to Tim Burton’s movies, gothic and dark, yet expressive with its tones and colors. During the summer of 2020, Mr. Abreu also created several smaller paintings inspired by Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man . The letters “I” and “M” struck back to the civil rights movement, with the “I am a man, I am a woman” movement. Visual and Performing Arts Teacher Tim Trelease shared that he was intrigued by the “2D pushing towards the 3D” nature of the artworks. In 2014, Mr. Abreu completed the first work in his showcase based on William Falkner’s novel The Wild Palms . The novel interweaves two narratives: a couple who embarks on a journey of passionate love, and a convict asked to rescue two people stranded in a flood. The overarching themes of grief and sorrow are highlighted in this large-scale painting. Due to the tragic resolution to their love, there are large elements of the color blue in the six paintings displayed on the right, signifying water. The story also introduced the theme of abortion so Mr. Abreu included a “notion of veil of truth.” The last painting in the gallery was inspired by Walden , a novel written by Henry David Thoreau. With his stay in Walden Pond for two years, Thoreau constructed a little shed to make a year round study of nature. When Mr. Abreu was sitting in his backyard on a hammock reading the book, he looked at the trees and saw the leaves swaying back and forth. Based on that imagery, he used the colors of blue, white, and red that surrounded him and painted with broad strokes. For the duration of Mr. Abreu’s showcase in the Von Auersperg Gallery, the Deerfield community has the opportunity to enjoy perusing his literary inspired works.

At 2:30 pm on Saturday, May 14, 18-year-old Payton Gendron opened fire outside Tops Friendly Market, a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. The gunman shot four people while making his way through the store’s parking lot, killing three of them. Once inside, he shot nine others, with seven of them suffering fatal wounds. Out of the 13 victims, 11 of them were Black. Every single one of the 10 victims killed on Saturday were Black.  Aaron Salter, 55. Ruth Whitfield, 86. Pearly Young, 77. Katherin “Kat” Massey, 72. Heyward Patterson, 67. Celestine Chaney, 65. Roberta Drury, 32. Margus D. Morrison, 52. Andre Mackneil, 53. Geraldine Talley, 62. Zaire Goodman, 20, Jennifer Washington, 50, and Christopher Braden, 55, sustained injuries.  “This is an absolute racist hate crime and will be prosecuted as a hate crime,” said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, according to NPR News.  Gendron posted a 180-page document on the anonymous message board 4chan prior to the attack that included the time and place of the attack, detailing as much as the route he planned to take through the store. The document also outlined white supremacist ideology and subscribed to “the great replacement,” an antisemetic and anti-immigrant conspiracy theory asserting that, in order to reduce white power, white people are being systematically replaced across the globe by people of color.   The gunman live-streamed his attack on the streaming platform Twitch, but according to a Twitch spokesperson, the stream ended less than two minutes into the shooting. While only 22 users joined the livestream at the time, copies of the video had been seen by at least 3 million people within two days of the attack.  The lives lost in Buffalo will never be returned and the damage created by the 50 shots fired that day is irreversible. To many, this is a tragic and devastating event, yet there is nothing new about the nature of such an attack. We have seen mass shootings, specifically those targeting key markers of identity, such as race, religion, or sexuality, manifest time and time again. The Atlanta spa, Christchurch mosques, the Orlando nightclub, the Pittsburg synagogue, and now, the Buffalo supermarket. We cannot simply move on and forget until the headlines scream at us to pay attention again. Because, whether it be a year, month, or even week from now, this will happen again. So what do we do? It’s a difficult question to answer, and maybe no one really can, but what we can do is learn. This shooting tells us so much about the escalation of white supremacist ideals. It is no longer, and never has been, enough to simply not be racist. Instead, we must actively fight even the smallest hints of racist ideation. We must do our best to educate every individual in this country to ensure that the next generation is less susceptible to theories like “the great replacement” that Gendron subscribed to. This means ensuring that our textbooks and curriculums do not brush over, but instead dive into the areas of American history in which people of color have played integral roles in bringing the country to prosperity in order to combat sentiments that solely white people contributed to America’s current success.  We at Deerfield may not sense the effect of such ignorance and vitriolic hatred to the same extent on campus, but events like the Buffalo shooting should be enough for us to see that ignoring, or even passively interacting with, the state of our world is becoming increasingly deadly.  It is long past time we stop merely acknowledging the everpresent bubble we live in and instead begin to break it.

In over thirty states, LGBTQ+ rights are not protected by the government. In over twenty states, according to the ACLU, legislation has been introduced to criminalize aspects of trans lives, with some, such as in Texas, enabling the government to sue parents for their child’s gender identity; in Alabama, gender-affirming medical procedures are now felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In a few states, such as Florida and Tennessee, even mentioning the LGBTQ+ community can too be met with lawsuits, and teachers are legally required to out students to their parents — a measure which, if enforced as promised, will cost lives.  At Deerfield, we are privileged to be in a state with civil rights protections and in a school without such direct and malicious legislative discrimination; however, our community is worldwide, and members live in states and nations without such protections. So although these pieces of legislation may not directly affect Deerfield itself, community members will be hurt. Don’t we, therefore, have an obligation to help? This rally, while incited by a want for conversation and awareness of these terrifying pieces of legislation, functioned too as a litmus test for the GSA, a way to tangibly see our pride and the support we have around campus. And the result was uplifting. The cheering and laughing and yelling of those who joined us, added volume and spirit to our collective voice. By being courageous enough to break the norm of apathy on Deerfield, we gave power to our rally and therefore to our community.  The line of our community stretched the length of the Dining Hall entrance, two rows deep, with joy and kindness dancing across the quad. Faculty members and their children formed an arc around us, creating both a sense of safety and hope, for we know we have support in many classrooms and that this next generation of children, raised on campus, are being raised to extend empathy to all.  However, with oppression and homophobia rising across the country, not everyone in our community felt comfortable participating. Depending on where you come from, it can be difficult to know where you are safe, where you might be allowed to express yourself in your entirety. Deerfield itself is often a repressive and demoralizing place to be queer, for a variety of reasons. Gender is taken to the extreme on campus, through the general cultures of our dorms, our sports teams, and our dress codes, forcing students who exist outside the binary into constant dysphoria. In those dorms and on those teams, being queer is still, somehow, a common punchline to demean those who diverge from normal behavior. Students are known to be outed without consent, either accidentally or maliciously. So, while GSA meetings are a consistent safe space for anyone in our community, being seen in public fighting for LGBTQ+ rights is justifiably frightening for anyone who has experienced this more open homophobia on campus. If you actively participate in the propagation of these homophobic practices, or silently stand by as they occur, or even find yourself avoiding stories about the LGBTQ+ community, we ask for you to examine yourself to understand why. On the national scale, we see these homophobic and transphobic laws being driven by a public fear of what is unknown and different — the LGBTQ+ community often proudly deviates from societal expectations, and we welcome with open arms those who have been ostracized from the mainstream. This takes away control from those who have become accustomed to it. If these fears drive you to act harmfully against others or, arguably worse, to act apathetically, educate yourself. Dive deep into your mind and try to find where your insecurities originate from, why they may push you to these behaviors, how you may help end them to create a safer campus. All we ask is for your empathy.

* The Scroll interviewed candidates Jerry Huang ’23, Osegie Osayimwen ’23, Stephen Souder ’23, Valentina Williamson ’23 and Ainslie Kell ’23 for this article; Will Richards ’23 responded by email. Huang and Osayimwen are members of the Scroll .  Process: Candidates will give speeches in the Hess large auditorium during Thursday community time, according to an all-school email sent by Hugo Nutting ’22. Nutting explained that the poll will be released soon after the speeches and remain open for 24 hours. He anticipates that results will be tabulated and released on Friday evening. He will only release the name of the winner, not details about the standings. Unlike in previous years, this election will utilize a ranked-choice voting system, where students will be able to choose their first, second, and third most preferred candidates. This is to avoid an outcome where the president-elect is supported by a minority of the student population due to an electorate split between a wide field of candidates. Points will be assigned based on the preference a candidate received on a voter’s ballot, which will be totaled to yield the overall winner. Campaign: According to Osayimwen and Huang, this election will be characterized by a strong desire for big changes, given the continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the relative inaction of this year’s student government, including the Student Council and current Student Body President Hugo Nutting ’22. This has been reflected in a campaign featuring detailed policy proposals, sometimes published through Instagram accounts. At the same time, most candidates played down high hopes and focused on feasibility, with Osayimwen being a notable exception and calling for more ambitious plans. According to Nutting, this campaign cycle has featured more comprehensive and ambitious policy proposals than usual. Campaign Instagram accounts have also become venues for drawing attention. Souder produced cinematic videos and montages, including a parody of “My Name Is” by Eminem; he said that such efforts demonstrated his dedication to his campaign. Huang posted an original endorsement song featuring students in the Mods. Endorsements were courted not only of eligible voters, but also of seniors and recent alumni, such as former Student Body President Chijioke Achebe ’21, who endorsed Osayimwen. Major Issues: While candidates have gone to varying extents to elaborate on their ideas, and have emphasized different aspects of their platforms, there has largely been consensus on key issues rather than significant clashes.   Firstly, the Student Handbook has been a major focal point. Osayimwen proposed a handbook review committee; he, Kell, and Stella Fierro ’23 have discussed reforms to the Academic Honesty Committee and Disciplinary Committee processes as well as greater leniency for parietals. Kell seeks to amend the 20% rule, which allows the school to make a student go pass/fail if they miss 20% or more of their classes in a term. Secondly, mental health has surfaced as a priority for some candidates. Huang proposed “mental health passes” that would allow students to miss obligations without accruing APs. Kell suggested ways to alleviate burdens on students with eating disorders or mental disorders. Richards called for greater awareness of mental health to be promoted at school meetings, seminars, and by posters. Valentina Williamson ’23 proposed an array of measures including student groups, while Stephen Morris ’23 declared that the administration must prioritize students’ sleep. Thirdly, many candidates seek greater transparency from the administration about decision-making and financial spending. Osayimwen argued that budgets for arts, athletics, and student life programs should be made public. Huang suggested weekly conversations with leading members of the administration and student government. Both candidates also supported a greater prioritization of arts and girls athletics programs. Finally, a variety of add-ons to the student life experience were proposed. Huang, in particular, published a document of proposals on his Instagram page, including but not limited to a revamped peer tutoring program and access to reliable transportation. Will Richards ’23 proposed more frequent off-campus trips and organized “dorm games.”

Although Deerfield is not considered a need-blind school, the administration and admissions team were able to take a need-blind approach for the 2022-2023 academic year student recruitment. This approach was feasible specifically for this upcoming year after a meeting in January with the Board of Trustees that granted the Admissions Office the ability to expand their yearly financial aid budget. This allowed the team to admit students without considering socioeconomic circumstances as potential barriers during the selection process for the domestic pool. Director of Financial Aid Melissa Persons said that there was no policy change, but rather simply more resources allocated by the Board of Trustees that allowed them to take this approach. Mrs. Persons shared, “It has been a priority of the board to increase financial aid. This year’s significant increase [in resources] allowed us to avoid making those difficult decisions and cuts during the selection process and instead allowed us to remain focused on seeking excellence.” Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Chip Davis shared more on the admissions process itself, revealing that out of 2,400 applicants in the initial stage, between 25-30% go to the committee round. The committee round features different types of committees based on grade, gender, academics, arts, athletics, legacies, siblings, and programs that send their recommendations of good students to the admissions team. As Mr. Davis elaborated on the process he said, “From there, we were able to vote on students without any awareness of financial need, so in the last stage of our process, we resembled a need-blind process, which had almost happened organically.” In years past, the financial aid process had looked different. Mr. Davis explained “Usually there is a collision between the two, and unfortunately some candidates end up being put on the waitlist because of financial issues. This year, with the exception of being need-aware for international students, we were able to take the students we wanted most.”  With regards to international students, Mr. Davis said, “We are aware of [international students’] financial needs. That means that while there is not necessarily a set amount, in our allocation of financial aid, we are at least aware of how much of that aid is going to international students.” In the 2021-2022 school year, 37% of the school’s student body are recipients of financial aid, with the average grant size being $54,600 covering 83% of the total cost of tuition and other fees.  On March 10, 292 students were admitted. Although there was no change in the financial aid policy of Deerfield, the Academy experienced a record number of applicants this past year. Additionally, the admittance rate dropped from previous years’ 16% to an even more selective 12%. Mr. Davis shared his thoughts on this matter and said, “I think it’s a good thing, in the big picture, of making Deerfield accessible to as many people as possible. In a way this year was sort of a pilot, so if we deem it to be a successful pilot, it may unlock opportunities for a bigger commitment to financial aid in the future.”  Looking to the future, Mrs. Persons said, “The trustees have always committed to increasing the financial aid budget yearly, so funding will continue to increase. However, our applicant pool changes each year so it’s hard to predict what our funding needs will be and at what level we can support our future applicants.” In the meantime, as the Admissions Office prepares for yet another busy admissions season, the Deerfield community can look forward to the arrival of new students in the coming fall.

A Boogie wit da Hoodie, the rap- per/singer/songwriter behind hits “Look Back at it” and “Drowning,” headlined Deerfield’s 2022 Winter Concert on Saturday, February 19th. The news was announced during Wednesday’s School Meeting on February 9th in a creative skit performed by Head of School John Austin and Student Body President Hugo Nutting ’22. Hinting at an upcoming hoodie extravaganza at the Hitchcock House, the two announced that students would even be able to “boogie wit da hoodie” on Saturday. Following the announcement, students in the Hess Auditorium promptly erupted into roaring cheers. While the student body fervently anticipated his arrival, A Boogie expressed his own excitement about coming to campus in an interview with The Scroll . “I’m really excited because I didn’t perform a show in a little while right now,” A Boogie said. Because this was his first perfor- mance in two months, he said, “I’m just worried about my energy tonight. My stamina, I’m gonna be having a battle that’s all.” In regards to performing for a crowd of around 600 at Deerfield as opposed to a more typical arena containing thousands of fans, A Boogie appreciates a few aspects of the former. He expressed, “It’s more intimate with smaller crowds which I like to perform certain songs that I don’t get to perform all the time when I’m in front of a million people. Like “R.O.D.,” like one of those songs.” A Boogie also enjoys the dynamic he can have with a smaller audience. He said, “I get to perform in a more eye-to-eye way with the fans right in front of me just singing along every word. I just I love it.” A Boogie believes that the music a person listens to impacts what they do in life, or how they “move”. Specifically, he said, “I listened to Future and everything when I was younger and I started moving in a bad way. It was a good way too, but the bad ways, I wish I could’ve cut out and just stuck to those 100% positive effects. Even though all of us rappers talk about all of this negative stuff, I would just have to tell people to listen to the good side, don’t just hear all the bad stuff we say… that’s not what we want.” Deerfield began hosting an annual Winter Concert in 2017. According to Coordinator of Student Activities Brian Barbato, Student Planning Commit- tee (SPC) Representative Claire Koeppel ’18 was determined to invite a DJ group to come to campus. After calling a few different agencies, she and Mr. Barbato ended up connecting with Phil Quist of the Creative Arts Agency (CAA). Quist also helped Deerfield book Lost Kings, a DJ duo, as the school’s very first professional concert. Since then, Mr. Barbato said Quist has been “amazing” in helping book Prince Fox in 2018 and The Him in 2019, both DJs as well. In 2020, CAA helped Deerfield connect with Maggie Lin- demann, the first vocalist to ever perform at a Deerfield concert. “The wintertime at any private school, college included, is a challenging time. And our job is to keep people engaged and excited,” Mr. Barbato said. “[The annual concert] is a big part of that.” He continued, “The purpose of this is to let everybody know you all work really hard. So this is to kind of support what you all are doing and let you know that we do care.” The process of choosing an artist involves the senior SPC representatives and usually begins in August. However, Mr. Barbato said, “This year, because of the unknowns of COVID and not knowing if we were gonna be able to pull it off this winter or spring, we had this as something that we wanted to do, but it was kind of sitting there on hold.” Because of this uncertainty, this year’s planning process was pushed back a few months. According to SPC Representative Siobhan Kelley ’22, though “[the SPC] has been talking about similar artists for a long time,” they “didn’t get the list [of potential artists] until about a month [before the concert was announced].” Kelley explained that all of the SPC members, especially the seniors, were “very actively” trying to get A Boogie after receiving the list and beginning to discuss priorities. Despite the strong student support, booking an artist as popular as A Boogie was a serious commitment for the school, as Kelley said, “[A Boogie] was actually kind of shot down at first but the senior SPC Representatives, especially Hugo, wanted it so bad that we made meetings and came in with agendas and reasons why it was important.” Interim Assistant Dean of Students Drew Philie commented, “We needed to really have some deep conversations, but there was definitely some umph behind [A Boogie].” Assistant Head for Student Life Amie Creagh said, “I think [Nutting and SPC Representative Matthew Fierro ‘22] have made a pret-ty compelling argument for why this is a good year to have maybe a next-level person come in just because of what students on campus have been through.” Ms. Creagh said about the Class of 2022, “They saw Deerfield pre-COVID and then they hopefully will be seeing Deerfield post-COVID. They are feeling that with being in that unique position, there’s a fair amount of responsibility in carrying on with some of what Deerfield culture is supposed to look like and what the traditions are. That resonated with me.” Similarly, Mr. Barbato felt the concert is a way for the school to thank students for “valuing each other and making small sacrifices” with COVID regulations. An additional student argument for booking A Boogie was how different his performance would be compared to those in the past. Mr. Barbato said, “We’ve had the DJs, which were great, but that’s one style of music. I’ve heard our students talk about how they want variety, and I think that’s one of the reasons why we specifically went after A Boogie.” Kelley agreed, saying, “We’ve had artists come in the past that play similar music to what we have at dances. So I think this is going to be really exciting because it’s different from what we normally do.” Mr. Barbato also acknowledged that the concert will most likely help with yield during the upcoming admissions cycle. He said, “You’re splitting hairs with so many of these schools,” but “[the concert] speaks to Deerfield being not just a place that’s great to say you went to, but it being a great place to be.” He continued, “Hopefully the students who are considering Deerfield recognize that we are the type of school who’s going to value your mental health and value your interests and make sure that we are constantly pushing that envelope.” Though a few peer schools have reached out to Mr. Barbato about the process of organizing a concert since hearing the news about A Boogie’s performance, Deerfield is still the only boarding school to hold annual concerts. Based on some student reactions, the concert seems to have been successful in raising campus morale. Grace Caligiuri ’22 appreciated “how much more personal [the performance] felt than being at a regular concert because we were in such close proximity to [A Boogie].” Though she was unsure how A Boogie would feel about performing at a high school when he is used to larger venues, Caligiuri said, “He seemed to be enjoying himself and having fun, which got the crowd really excited.” At times, Chris Gergis ’22 felt students were being aggressive when he and his friends were being shoved into the metal barricade in front of the stage. Overall, however, he enjoyed that “[A Boogie] was genuinely a very charismatic singer.” He continued, “I loved how he was interacting with the crowd.” Despite some students’ positive reviews, others felt less satisfied with their concert experiences, such as Jenine Hazlewood ’22, who expressed her own discontent in a series of Instagram story posts. In the posts, Hazlewood said she noticed a number of non- black students singing the n-word and throwing gang signs during the performance. In all, she shared, “It makes me sad to see that we are still trapped in the cycle of using and abusing blackness to perpetuate white privilege.” Especially because Hazelwood feels many black students are the same people “who made his career, who made him famous, who streamed his music from his very first single” and “who were used as a major selling point”, she was disappointed most of them “did not get the opportunity to meet him or enjoy his concert in the same way that white students did.” Though students’ experiences at the concert differed, bringing A Boogie to campus was a significant feat that both students and administrators credited each other for. Ms. Creagh said, “The credit is due to persistent students and a Head of School that puts students first.” Mr. Philie brought attention to Production Services Coordinator John Laprade, who was “huge in orchestrating all of this and working with [A Boogie’s] tech team.” Kelley highlighted the work that Nutting put in, saying “Hugo did a lot. He wrote up a statement about why it was a priority and why we felt he needed to come.” She also emphasized, “Mr. Barbato puts in a lot of effort and really cares so I think he’s just another person to give a shoutout to.” Lastly, Mr. Barbato made sure to acknowledge the efforts necessary in the logistics of the concert: “I can’t say enough about the people that you see walking around this place every day. In our dining hall, in our physical plant, in our security team. They care so much about our students that they don’t flinch in knowing this is a monumental task to take on.” He concluded, “It’s awe- inspiring to know that we work with such talented people who are giving up their time and their effort.”

From Tuesday, February 22 to Saturday, February 26, the Theater co-curricular performed Simon Stephens’ mystery play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the 2003 novel. Director of Theater Catriona Hynds chose the play because it was unique, especially in comparison to previous Deerfield productions. For instance, the fall term play, Rumors, featured a realistic unit set that simulated the inside of a house. Mrs. Hynds said that The Curious Incident, however, is “genre-defying because it’s not naturalistic. It has 57 scenes in all different places, and so you can’t do that in a naturalistic manner.” Mrs. Hynds was inspired to choose The Curious Incident for the winter production after her Acting II class read it last year. She said, “I never considered doing it until just by chance, Gavin [Mariani ’23] happened to be the student reading the part of Christopher Boone. And he did it with such profound respect. I thought that we could do a production of this and do it justice because of Gavin Mariani.” Assistant Director Chelsea Davis ’23 worked closely with Mrs. Hynds in the months leading up to the show. As the Assistant Director, she worked at the right hand of Mrs. Hynds, the Director of the play. She ran rehearsals, blocked scenes, and helped with line delivery and whatever was needed for the success of the play. Davis said, “I work on trying to make sure that all the little things are in place and the nuances are all right in the play. The play is a mix of my style and [Mrs. Hynds’] style mixed together.” The Curious Incident features a neurodivergent protagonist, Christopher, who is described by Mrs. Hynds as “exceptional but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life.” Christopher’s neurodivergence played a central role in the preparation process for the cast to give the play life with sensitivity and compassion. Davis said, referring to the cast’s initial readthroughs in December, “We wanted to make sure that we respect the people that are a part of the [autistic] community and that they had enough information for that.” Gavin Mariani ’23, who plays Christopher, has been performing in shows since 7th grade. Since then, he has done seven plays, including Rumors, and three musicals, including Little Shop of Horrors. Remarking on playing such a sensitive character, he said, “The audience will really connect with him and stand by his side through- out the show. I feel confident and excited about this part, but I really want to stay true to Christopher.” To properly portray Christopher, the company received help from the parents of autistic children within the Deerfield community. Mariani said, “I took five full pages of notes listening to them share their experience. The most important things I learned were that repetition and predictability are key to understanding someone with autism and that if you’ve ever met an autistic person, you have met just one autistic person.” Lily Pierce ’25 played Siobhan, a teacher who guides Christopher throughout the play and is able to understand and respect Christopher. As a freshman participating in her first Deerfield production, Pierce had stepped into a mature role usually reserved for upperclassmen. Pierce said, “To say the least, it has pushed me as an actor in the best way possible. The show is in the round [mean- ing audience members surround the stage on four sides] and Mrs. Hynds has mentioned how liberating of an experience it can be, and I couldn’t agree more so far.” To ensure that the play is complete with appealing visual elements, the tech crew worked to build everything from scratch. The set consisted of twelve different boxes, about 10.5 feet by 10.5 feet, that can be lit from within, and 150 lighting cues provide for an interesting viewer experience. Three boxes are on each side of the square, but can be moved around, for the purposes of symmetry. Sophia Wolbach ’23, a member of the tech team, said, “Without [lighting], the audience can’t get fully immersed in the show. We spend a lot of time making sure that we can capture the actor’s expressions and movements.” The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time challenged Deerfield actors to try something new and different. Mariani concluded, “It has been a feat, but Mrs. Hynds, and this cast, composed largely of freshmen, give it their all every day. Not to mention that the truly incredible quality of Deerfield theater is, I think, something you can’t find anywhere else.”