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During my first few months on campus, my expectations of Deerfield being an extremely green school were shot down after observing the lack of environmental efforts made by the whole student body. The middle school I attended in Georgia was conscious of little things that people could do for the environment.  Although the faculty did not aim to create a strict environment, there was an unspoken rule among us that everyone needs to care. For example, everyone threw their empty chip bags away after school events. Even though the administration didn’t take that much time to explain how important these actions are, people still followed them. I think this is just a matter of everyone taking a few seconds to think about the other people who would have to clean up after them and the consequences for the environment.   On Friday and Saturday nights at Deerfield, plastic and leftover food often linger throughout the Greer tables and within the dormitory halls. During the school day, empty dorms are illuminated by lights, wasting energy. Due to the nonchalant attitude towards these actions in the community, there has been a large disregard for these small and easy actions, especially among new students. When I first arrived eight weeks ago, I was impressed by all the categories Deerfield uses to organize trash: we have separate bins for styrofoam and plastic and even a new system for composting. In spite of the EcoRep program, which teaches new students certain skills such as recycling correctly, the community still seems to be lacking efforts in disposing waste. Easy things such as taking two seconds to throw away a sandwich into the compost bin can make a huge difference in our community or even emphasizing the act of mitigating food waste. Deerfield’s trivialization of this issue damages environmental conservation on campus and beyond, and it makes us, as a school, look as if we could care less. In a way, Deerfield is being hypocritical because of how environmentally aware they seem while looking around campus for the first time. The fancy system for organizing waste has no purpose if no one follows it. This applies to all of the other installations that aim for this goal.  There has been a lack of enforcement from the school as a whole with these environmental crises. Although there are signs above each bin in the dorms, designated for containers, compost, and landfill, just to name a few, people aren’t going to take the time to read the miniscule script detailing each category’s definition under every word. A student representative spoke of the severity of this issue, especially for the ninth grade class. New students don’t have the knowledge that returning students have due to the administration not touching on these problems yet. Therefore, I think older students setting this example is necessary. Speaking from the perspective of a freshman, upperclassmen uniquely act as role models too, and we tend to copy what they do. On Saturday nights, seeing seniors leave trash on the Greer tables leads me to think that it’s okay to do that.  The student-body needs to step up and do whatever it takes to make Deerfield as green as it should be. The cleanliness of the Greer, to take one example, reflects on our community as a whole. It doesn’t take huge efforts to make a change. Small steps matter just as much if everyone participates. As Deerfield students, we want to show that we care and are willing to make a change. We should not only be green in name but green in action.

Sarah Stonestreet ’21 has earned the title of Athlete of The Issue in her final season with Deerfield lacrosse. Stonestreet never fails to bring her humble leadership and top-level skills to the lacrosse field. As a natural leader, role model, and team player, she has made a lasting impact on the Deerfield girls’ lacrosse program.  Stonestreet is the quintessential Deerfield athlete: she radiates team spirit, strong leadership skills, and good sportsmanship. Her personality shines on and off the field.   Coming to Deerfield as a new sophomore, Stonestreet was a member of the 2018-2019 girls’ lacrosse team, who finished with an impressive 13-2 season record. With Deerfield’s 2020 spring stolen by COVID-19, Stonestreet was unable to play in her critical junior season. With COVID-19 restrictions loosening up, Stonestreet was given the opportunity to play a redemption season this year and serve as a co-captain of the  team.  So far this spring, Stonestreet has stood out on the field as both a valuable player and leader. The 15-5 win against Berkshire had fans exploding in cheers for the girls’ team. With a couple more games ahead, fans can expect to see Stonestreet hard at work as the starting center.  Head Coach Allison DiNardo noted, “Sarah’s skill on the draw and versatility on the field has made her a key player in each of our games this year.  She is as reliable with her defensive checking and positioning as she is in finding the back of the net on offense.” Taylor Coan ’21, Stonestreet’s teammate, said, “She isn’t selfish with the ball, and she is always giving 110% effort, whether that be during a high-stakes game or an afternoon practice”. Ms. DiNardo added, “as a leader, Stonestreet has helped welcome two classes into the Deerfield lacrosse program. She strikes a strong balance of being an encouraging supporter on the field while still articulating clear expectations of her teammates.”  Coan noted, “I admire Stonestreet’s ability to stay positive the most. Even when we’re going up against a tough team she always lifts everyone up and keeps the team atmosphere light,” adding,  “I think her dedication to the sport of lacrosse is infectious.” Stonestreet’s passion for Deerfield Lacrosse is unmatched. She explained, “being an athlete at Deerfield is really special. Stepping out on the field wearing green and representing a history of outstanding athletes and long-lasting traditions are like nothing else. There’s an indescribable feeling  you get when you’re representing Deerfield and your classmates, teachers, and friends are all cheering you on from the sidelines.” From a new sophomore to a senior co-captain, Stonestreet’s teammates and coaches have witnessed her transformation over the past 3 years. Stonestreet added, “I would not be the Deerfield athlete I am without the role models I’ve looked up to since I was an underclassman: Bailey Cheetham, Hanna Derringer, Christina Halloran, and Ashley Manning.”  Stonestreet continued, “I am extremely grateful for the support of my coaches Ms. DiNardo, Ms. Creagh, and Mr. Ardery, who push me to work hard on the field and have taught me so much about the game of lacrosse.” This past summer, Stonestreet announced her commitment to play lacrosse at Hamilton College. Stonestreet said about the commitment, “I’ve always wanted to play lacrosse in college, so I dedicated my time attending recruiting showcases, traveling to play days and competing in club tournaments.”  Without  the critical junior year season and having to overcome the obstacles that COVID-19 presents, Stonestreet still managed to attend school visits. “I knew I wanted to go somewhere with good academics as well as competitive athletics and a tight-knit community feel much like Deerfield. I was instantly attracted to how Hamilton balanced academics and athletics, the positive vibes of the girls on the lacrosse team, and that it was part of the NESCAC,” Stonestreet noted. As Stonestreet heads off to Hamilton College next year, her impact on the lacrosse team will live on. She will leave behind a legacy of exemplary leadership, passion for the game, tenacity, and skill. Stonestreet will carry on her spirit and love for the game as she begins her new journey at Hamilton next year.

About 30 miles west of Boston, Tommy Leimkuhler ’21 first fell in love with the game of baseball. “I started playing when I was around four, but growing up, sports were always on the TV in my house, and my dad especially loved the Red Sox, so they were always on. I remember going around the back of my house and throwing on the pitch back, just trying to mimic what I saw on TV,” Leimkuhler recalled. These early memories came to serve as a foundation for Leimkuhler’s love and dedication to baseball. The Acton, MA resident primarily plays pitcher, “but can also play anywhere the team needs [him].” Leimkuhler’s willingness to adapt served him well during his recruiting process that was threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leimkuhler described losing his junior year season as “very tough.” He added, “Most of baseball’s recruiting is in the summer and so with the NCAA Dead Period no coaches could really come out to see me play, so it was mostly sending videos.”  Leimkuhler, despite this adversity, was still able to find a home at the next level. He is committed to Holy Cross for baseball along with teammate Tyler Mudd ’21.  When asked about the last year’s season, in Leimkuhler’s typical unselfish manner, he mostly lamented on the fact that his teammates from the Class of 2020 had to miss their senior season. “We had a great team last year, we had a deep pitching staff. We had eight kids who were going on to pitch in college, so we would’ve been very successful,” he remarked.  Teammate Ryan McHugh ’23 said about Leimkuhler, “Tommy is a class act on and off the field who possesses a ‘we over me’ mentality. He wears his heart on his sleeve and plays every game like it’s his last.” Similarly, teammate Henry Foster ’22 described Leimkuhler as “a class act guy that everyone wants to be around.” Leimkuhler’s silent but unmissable leadership has left lasting impressions on teammates such as Peter Shea ’23, who remarked that “Tommy is a natural leader. Whether it be basketball or baseball, he seeks perfection in each rep and expects the same from us. His hustle is really admirable to the team.”  It is not hard to see why Leimkuhler was selected as captain despite only a three year tenure on the team. Head Coach Patrick Moriarty attributed Leimkuhler’s great leadership and success to “his fierce competitive nature and high baseball IQ.” Assistant Coach Raymond DeMartino added to this by saying, “Tommy is someone the entire team can rely on to give 100% no matter what the day or who the opponent is. His work ethic and focus in practice is unrivaled. He carries that same focus into games when he pitches, which is why I think he’s having such a strong senior year.”  This dedication and strong leadership was only strengthened when he saw the tribulations that friend and teammate Andy Pelc ’21 had to endure. Leimkuhler recalled, “I’ve known Pelcy since I was 13, we played on the same youth baseball team, and he’s actually the one that convinced me to come to Deerfield. He tore his ACL that season, and despite that, still continued to show up to all the practices even though he lived an hour and a half away.” Leimkuhler continued, “Then, again, prior to this season he tore his other ACL. Still, he’s supporting from the sidelines every day. That strength and determination inspired me as a friend, teammate, and baseball player.”  Leimkuhler also spoke about teammate Kevin Griffin ’21 and how proctoring sophomores with him on Field 2 has improved their chemistry. “Kevin and I get along great, whether it be proctoring or on the [baseball] field. We’re always on the same page of things and that helps when we’re up the middle together in the infield, or if I’m pitching and he’s behind me at [shortstop] or [second base]. The connection we have definitely helps,” Leimkuhler said.  Further reflecting on his proctorship, Leimkuhler added, “I’m grateful for the experience because it allowed me to meet kids in different grades, and it’s cool expressing to them how much I love Deerfield. I’ve found it particularly rewarding being able to help out the new sophomores during this year, which is obviously not normal Deerfield.”  Leimkuhler’s proctee and new sophomore Jarvis Shema ’23 expressed how appreciative he is of Leimkuhler’s mentorship during this tough school year. “Tommy had a great influence on me from the time I stepped onto campus . He made adjusting to Deerfield easier, and he has always been there for me. He’s a true role model, and I’m thankful for all that he has done for me and the rest of the hall,” Shema remarked.  In addition to possessing a “cannon of an arm,” as described by Foster, Leimkuhler has set a golden standard for Deerfield baseball players and been a tremendous leader on and off the field during his three years in the Valley.

Jing He ’21 has always been surrounded by art. Growing up in an artistic family, she used to accompany her brother, an oil painter, in his artistic adventures. He always had her nose in a book, and once she moved to America, used stories as a tool to learn English. Later, she’d grow into her own artist, paving her own path to success when she came to Deerfield.  He found passion in her English classes, remembering fondly that she got a poor grade for the first time in her freshman English class. Despite that, she worked through it with her teacher, eager to learn more and improve her writing.  Before arriving at Deerfield’s art scene, He felt constricted by art. With pressure from her family to be great, art felt more like a skill to her, rather than a hobby. “It was something I felt I needed to do to live up to my siblings and their artistic skills,” she remarked. “Making art at Deerfield, that made it really personal to me. I was able to turn it into something for myself; creating things that I like to look at, or things that I want to share with the community, as opposed to living up to some sort of expectation.” When she first came to Deerfield, He submitted to the arts magazine, Albany Road. But, it did not work out as she had planned. “I still remember receiving an email from Kiana Rawji, the editor of the magazine at the time, telling me the piece couldn’t be published because it contained too many grammatical errors,” He recalled. “Nonetheless, I remember being so proud because they could not publish it because of the grammar errors and not for the content itself. Daisy Dundas actually helped me edit through the piece, and it ended up getting published in the next issue.” He finds inspiration in everyday life, including various writing programs. “Deerfield gave me the opportunities to explore through classes, clubs, and publications,” He stated. In particular, she feels inspired by the other artists in the Deerfield Arts program, and enjoys observing their projects lining the Hess hallways. Even simply flipping through an issue of Albany Road, or speaking with an English teacher, gives He the encouragement to create. Some of her best memories come from art and English classes at Deerfield. He attributes her everyday excitement to her personal exploration in the studio. She says her favorite feeling is “when you go back to your dorm, and you’ve thought about your piece, and you think about what you’re going to do next, and then going to class excited, thinking about what you want to fix or change.” Mrs. Taylor recalled Jing’s creative spirit in the classroom. “She’s a super hard worker and a dynamic worker. She never gives up,” Taylor said. “When I think about Jing I think about experimentation, someone who is super dedicated, and happy–happy to be in the studio. She’s not intimidated; she takes risks.”  Fellow classmates notice He’s unwavering dedication in the classroom. Former classmate Aneesha Mishra ‘21 said, “Jing is really expressive with her art. Not only does she have good technique, her pieces convey emotion well.” Art has always been a part of life for He. Since arriving at Deerfield, He has found ways to make the studio her own, and figured out the styles she likes best. The art program, even if He does not pursue art in the future, will always have a large impact on her life.

Ingenious. Passionate. Dedicated. Humble. These are all words which have been used to describe Benny Yang ’21, a technically and conceptually gifted contributor of the Visual Arts Program at Deerfield.  Yang’s immersion in visual art began at the age of three, when he started taking private art classes to improve his techniques while developing a fascination for art itself. “Art for me is a way to express what I’m thinking because a lot of times it comes from intuition,” explained Yang. “When I have an idea or image in mind, I write it down in my notepad and turn that into a piece of art.” Yang’s focus later shifted from skills based training to prioritize the creative and conceptual meaning behind pieces. Entering Deerfield with a strong technical background, he also engaged in classes and summer art programs which challenged him to explore a combination of different art mediums.  “Anyone can develop skills with continuous practice,” emphasized Yang. “However, it is the idea behind individual pieces that makes each artist different and unique.”  Art classes at Deerfield have exposed Yang to different ways of approaching art and have enriched his skill set and experience as an artist, allowing him to develop his own unique style. One of his notable projects from last summer includes “The United States of Achromatism.” In this photoshop work, he explored the idea of race by using 100 portraits of the most influential people in the U.S.  including those with religious, political, educational, and economic power. Yang then stacked the images on top of each other and played with the composition.  “After completing this piece, I was surprised to discover that everyone looked very similar,  which makes you wonder how social and political power is distributed within the U.S,” commented Yang.  More recently, however, Yang dove into liminal spaces, studying structures and buildings with the absence of human life rather than presence.  In other words, he explored the relationship between human evolution and the everlasting structures humans create.  For this piece, Yang overlayed six pieces of translucent paper on top of each other, each page containing the same charcoal drawn structure, creating different depictions of human figures.  After overlaying the pages, the structure could be very clearly seen; however, the people merged together to become blurry This comparison depicted “how the existence of people at a specific location is only temporary and very miniscule, but the structures and buildings we create will remain for a long time,” as described by Yang. Natasha Leong ’21, a friend of Yang and a fellow artist, commented on hus work, saying, “[Yang] is the smartest person I know, especially when it comes to art. I’ve always thought of him as an art prodigy, but he is also a genius conceptually. [Yang] largely contributes to the program with his creativity and is also technically very gifted, pushing all of us to improve in his presence.” Mercedes Taylor, Visual Arts Teacher and advisor to Yang, also mentioned that Yang is very open to the feedback of others, always seeking moments to challenge his own thinking process to improve his product which has distinguished him in the Visual Arts program.  In addition to his immense dedication to his pieces, Yang remains driven to helping his peers by providing both compliments and constructive criticism, offering alternative approaches to different projects.  “[Yang] sometimes will just come up to my table, not say a word,  and start moving pieces in my collage around,” recalled Leong. “In doing so, he helps me see the piece in ways I didn’t think of before.” An evolving artist, Yang’s inspiration has come from different professionals over the years as the conceptual meaning behind his pieces change. One example includes Alberto Giacommetti whom Yang looks up to for his unique depiction of human figures. Other artists include Daniel Arsham, Takashi Murakami, and Salvador Dali whose dreamlike work intrigues Yang.  “[Yang] is not afraid to be different and embraces the uniqueness of his ideas,” remarked Leong. “The more comfortable [Yang] has become with his own technical abilities, the more he has been able to think and dedicate time to the conceptual ideas of his pieces which has allowed his creativity to flourish.” Another aspect of Yang’s creative process that constantly changes is the art mediums he chooses to use. Yang identified charcoal as his favorite, due to its versatility and his ability to create unique textures and tones with one single material.  Discussing his love for art, Yang shared, “I think this is really a privilege that I have to be able to turn an image in my mind into a tangible thing that I can look at. That’s the part of art I truly enjoy, visualizing a piece in my mind and bringing it to life.” In the future, Yang is determined to remain involved in the art world and will be choosing art as one of his college majors while attending Columbia University.  “I’ve heard from my friends at Columbia about the University’s amazing professors who are also practicing artists,” Yang explained. “While developing my unique artistic practice, I am hoping to connect with these professors and find mentorship in building my own path towards the art world.” Regardless of the professional field Yang chooses, however, his contributions to the Deerfield Visual Art Program will forever remain valued and inspire generations of Deerfield artists to come.

After 21 years at Deerfield, Math Teacher Wayne Marge will retire this June. Through the years, he has been an active member of the Deerfield community. Outside of the classroom, his roles on campus as a sports coach have included football, girls cross country, girls basketball, wrestling, baseball, and lacrosse. Before teaching at the Academy, Mr. Marge first taught the fine arts while he was still in college, but eventually switched to teaching math, which he has taught since at The Hotchkiss School, The Hill School, and, most recently, Deerfield. Math Teacher Sean Keller ’86 hired Mr. Marge, and still remembers sitting in on the mock class Mr. Marge taught as part of the interview process, watching him explain indirect proofs. He also said the recommendation letter sent by Mr. Marge’s previous school, Hotchkiss, “said that in addition to being an outstanding math teacher he was an even better person.” Mr. Keller continued,“He embodies the idea of ‘think globally, act locally’. If you want the world to be a better place, you can’t make the people around the world do that, but you can do that locally though through your interactions. He treats people with kindness and respect.” Mr. Marge’s kind, welcoming reputation extends to students beyond his classes. Ashley LaBrucherie ’23 watched the JV Lacrosse game on May 1st, a sunny yet windy day. LaBrucherie shared, “[Mr. Marge] offered me his jacket to warm up a little.” Indeed, Mr. Marge strives to be an active member of the Deerfield community and beyond, whether it be through helping the environment or influencing others to be the best they can be.  Advisee Liv Waterfall ’23, shared, “When I was in quarantine in the fall, he would take me on walks and tell me all about the different trees around campus. I loved this, because normally I wouldn’t talk about the trees, but with Mr. Marge, he made it interesting and engaging.” Waterfall fondly remembered being able to unwind on these walks and get outside while tying in nature with learning. She added that, as an example of Mr. Marge’s unwavering support, he even showed up to cheer her on at a tennis match in May. Mr. Marge has always shown an extraordinary commitment to students. His selfless dedication was apparent in a story shared by Mr. Keller: “There was a student, 10 years ago, not a Deerfield student but a high school student from the area. This student was hitting some rough patches in their math class and he would meet them at Sunday brunch all year for about an hour or two to help that student out just out of the goodness of his heart. He could’ve been doing a lot of other things on a Sunday, but he was helping a student out.” Evan Burkert ’21 has had the pleasure of getting to know Mr. Marge as a Precalculus teacher, sit-down head, and basketball timer. She said he has shown her “how being a teacher and a mentor is more than just the title and the role itself. It’s about how you carry yourself and impact others.”  During basketball games, Mr. Marge runs the shot clock and is an honorary member of the team. He has always been an important presence at the games and, as Burkert recounted, “shows Deerfield spirit on the sidelines or on the shot clock.” Head Varsity Basketball Coach Julie Schloat said he was “always positive about how our team played and encouraging of their team unity.” His team spirit and presence at the shot clock will be missed. When asked about his favorite memories at Deerfield, Mr. Marge said, “It’s all about the kids. Whether it was in the classroom, or the teams that I coached, or kids in the dorm, everything has always been student-centered. I love watching everyone play at sports games and there was a time where I never missed any plays.” Senior Associate Director of Admissions J.J. Briones has known Mr. Marge for his entire time at Deerfield. They lived in Doubleday 3 and Johnson 3, respectively, and would often work together. They would go to attend different games together and support each other. When Mr. Briones coached Girls Tennis Mr. Marge would come down and support the girls at their matches. They have bonded over a “shared interest of classical music because [Mr. Marge] knows his classical music very well. We sometimes get into this competition of guessing who the composer is, figuring out whether it’s Beethoven or some other musician.” Natalie Meyer ’23 took Precalculus with Mr. Marge this past winter  and shared an anecdote about Mr. Marge’s vast knowledge of music: “I remember in every class he would always be playing some sort of classical music and whoever could get the composer would get extra points on their test.” After years of friendship, Mr. Briones remarked, “[We’re] losing a man who’s taught for 40-45 years and has given his time and soul into Deerfield. [He’s] very representative of the teachers we want you to have at Deerfield.” Mr. Marge has had an immense, positive impact on the Deerfield community. As Burkert said, “To put it simply, he is the quintessential Deerfield teacher. He’s a legend here and even if he’s not here, his legacy will definitely be passed on.”

Chief Financial Officer and Associate Director of Operations Keith Finan is currently approaching the end of his tenth and final year as a cherished member of the Deerfield community.  In his current position, Mr. Finan is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing Deerfield’s financial activities. Along with Head of School John Austin and the Board of Trustees, he is also part of the legal representatives for the school’s business activities and negotiations. As the Associate Director of Operations, he addresses crucial aspects of student life; whether it be facilities, security, dining, or risk management, and he strives to ensure seamless operations. Under his leadership, Deerfield Academy has weathered many challenges and embraced many positive changes. Mr. Finan was also responsible for many campus renovations, from the addition of the von Auersperg Art Gallery and Elizabeth Wachsman Concert Hall to the modernization of the library. He also oversaw the constructions of the O’Byrne-Curtis dormitory, the D.S Chen Health and Wellness Center, and the current athletic complex. Six years ago, he worked to transform Johnson-Doubleday from an upper-class boy’s dorm to the current freshman Village. “[This change] has improved campus culture in a lot of ways,” he said. “Getting the freshman boys and girls to get to know each other in a shared area that is somewhat removed from upper-dorms helps form campus culture considerably.” On August 29, 2011, Mr. Finan faced his first crisis at Deerfield when Hurricane Irene devastated the region and flooded the Lower Fields. “The water was so high it was over the top of the tennis court fence,” he recalled. “It was as high as the crossbar of the football post, and I watched the stand get lifted and floated all the way across the lower fields.” Unfortunately, it was also the weekend before students returned to campus. He and his team had to quickly find alternative spaces to host extracurricular activities. Despite the challenges they faced, Mr. Finan was able to use this crisis to catalyze the renovation of the Athletics Complex. “We started thinking about whether there are other places nearby that’s situated higher,” he recounted. “We started to replace the hockey rink since it was 40 years old and needed replacement, and we also needed an indoor turf field in case the fields will flood again, so we worked to build that as well.” Mr. Finan has had to navigate countless other difficult situations. After Deerfield experienced a power outage from a snow storm, Mr. Finan and his colleagues worked to make sure all of the campus buildings had backup generator power in case of another outage. In another case, he proactively took preventive measures to improve fire safety with the addition of campus sprinklers.  The COVID-19 global pandemic brought the need for a multitude of campus changes and reparations, many of which Mr. Finan was responsible for carrying out. Mr. Finan reflected,“This year has been a challenge for everybody, and by everybody I mean the faculty, the senior team, the staff, and Facilities had to work like crazy because we created a situation where every student had their own room, and it was a drastic change as one third were in doubles.” His team swapped out most of the furniture, replaced desks with individual tables, and removed 2-3 person couches to encourage distancing. Additionally, the dining hall was also completely upended, and Mr. Finan’s team had to find a way to reorganize the building in order to follow social distancing protocols and allow  students to get their meals in a safe fashion, eat, then leave for class on time. To his colleagues, Mr. Finan is a man of dedication and grit. Ivory Hills said, “My work with Mr. Finan has been joyful in that I have always known that I could rely on him to have the students’ and Academy’s best interests at the heart of his work.”  “Many leaders are particularly effective at guiding their organizations through either crisis or calm, but few can do both,” Dr Hills added. “This balanced approach has been to our benefit, and I will miss him.”  Head of School Dr. Austin also expressed gratitude for his close colleague. “Mr. Finan has brought to his work not only a masterful understanding of the numbers and details, but also the spirit of a teacher and a deep understanding of what kids need to thrive,” he commented. “Most recently, I have appreciated, and all of us have relied on, his agility throughout the current crisis. His approach has been a model of comportment for his colleagues and staff.” Additionally, Mr. Finan has played a crucial role in Dr. Austin’s acclimation to Deerfield. “Personally, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Finan, as he was incredibly helpful to me as I transitioned into my role as head of school,” Dr. Austin said. “In addition to providing a broad and deep understanding of Deerfield, he introduced me to members of the local community. It was clear that he had put in considerable time building strong and invaluable relationships across the town.” Mr. Finan explained that his most memorable experience of Deerfield came from the people and the sense of community present; he said, “the faculty and staff have a sense of community that is stronger than most other places.”

Over the last 22 years, Mx. Ahbel has forged an impressive and impactful career for himself at Deerfield. Not only has Mx. Ahbel taught every math course from Algebra I to Calculus, but he has been an Academic Dean, Math Department Chair, academic technology coordinator, faculty resident in Denunzio, and thirds basketball coach. Many times, like in 2006,  he held all of these roles simultaneously.  He compared roles in his classroom to those on an athletic team: the coach, players, and cheerleaders. The teacher, acting as the coach, needs their players to be able to play the game, or in this case, commit to learning. Students, however, often need a cheerleader as well as a coach, or someone who will celebrate not only their triumphs, but also encourage them to try again after a struggle. Anne Brown ’21 reflected on Mx. Ahbel’s class, saying, “I thought of myself as a bad math student, but as soon as I had his class I realized I was never bad at math, I just didn’t have confidence in myself. Mx. Ahbel showed me I just needed to believe in myself, by the fact he always believed in me, that I really could succeed in math.” In this case and many others, Mx. Ahbel has taken on the role of both coach and cheerleader for his students. Abby Persons ’21 commented on Mx. Ahbel’s Precalculus and Statistics class, in which he uses a completely self designed curriculum: “Before Mx. Ahbel’s class, I was always disinterested in math. I didn’t really understand a lot of the content, and most of it was boring. Now, we learn about the importance of math in current issues I care about, and I’m doing better than I ever have in a math class. Having relevant subject matter in a math class makes all the difference.”  Mx. Ahbel has led a meaningful career within Deerfield’s classrooms, courts, and administrative departments and has held active roles outside of campus. He has spoken at teaching conferences on six different continents and given keynote speeches on four. He’s done work, taught, and researched for the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education. Mx. Ahbel’s double life has also taken his expertise into classrooms around the world and at numerous levels, in the form of curriculum and learning materials development. He has written instructional material nearly every day beginning in the 1990’s, and some highlights include three textbooks for the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, a Common Core based curriculum funded by federal grants, and a year long curriculum that he himself authored, An Alternative to Precalculus, completely free. Mx. Ahbel aims to write curriculum that is interesting, sophisticated, intellectually challenging, and highly applicable. Still, Mx. Ahbel has not just been a crucial asset to student’s learning careers, but to teachers as well. Mx. Ahbel has said one of the most rewarding aspects of his career has been mentoring teachers to teach students. For the past thirty years, Mx. Ahbel has consulted and run workshops at secondary schools in the American Northeast to focus upon how to prepare students for the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. On the other side of Mx. Ahbel’s double life, the one most of us are acquainted with, he’s witnessed and precipitated positive change at Deerfield over the last twenty two years. Mx. Ahbel was present for the first Second Helpings at St. James Church, a service opportunity to serve meals to local residents, before it was an organized event. It was a tradition he continued for many years and one that he said helped him to stay grounded while surrounded by the opulence of Deerfield, something he wishes all DA community members could find.  When asked about any admirable changes he’s seen at Deerfield over more than two decades, he replied with the fact that the school is now engaging with some serious self reflection, especially in relation to its role in power and privilege. He says it’s hard work, but it seems as though Deerfield is challenging itself recently to be a place that is truly inclusive. Mx. Ahbel said emblematic of the change he’s proud of is that the students call him Mx. Ahbel and how it’s become normal. It’s his way, he says, of challenging himself to participate in the necessary change Deerfield is working towards. His favorite thing that hasn’t changed at Deerfield, however, Mx. Ahbel said, is how students will thank him everyday when departing class, even when the grades were bad and the test was hard. Every day, he wakes up much earlier than he needs to, just in case his students need more extra-help. He also prepares a “Picture of the Day’’ for his classes, always including a mathematical component and often relating to current events. Now, if you asked Mx. Ahbel why he’s done this every class period for years, he’d probably tell you it’s in case anyone who’s running late from their last class won’t miss any instruction, but to be honest, I don’t buy that. The Picture of the Day embodies Mx. Ahbel’s achievements inside the classroom. It’s a piece of information that connects an important, real world phenomenon or event to the concepts he teaches, relayed in a manner that’s easily understood or inspiringly challenging, and encourages all his students to start class off right: in the pursuit of knowledge to better understand the world, and make it a better place all together.  Mx. Ahbel is known to get teary-eyed when talking about his love and appreciation for his students. Well, I hope he knows his students are more than teary eyed for him: sad that he’ll be gone, but so grateful they had the privilege to sit in his classroom and experience his passion for changing the world for the better—a spirit of advocacy that will remain with Deerfield for years to come.

After a long year of maintaining a closed campus, Deerfield plans to welcome parents and guests of the class of 2021 to celebrate Commencement alongside the rest of the community on May 30th. Although there will be modifications due to COVID-19, the administration plans to uphold the Academy’s long-standing tradition as one of the final events of this unprecedented school year. In regards to her thoughts about the upcoming ceremony, Gabriella Hu ’21 shared, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to see my parents while being able to celebrate the end of my Deerfield career.” Despite Commencement being a relatively large gathering, Georgia Barnes ’21 explained that she did not have any concerns. Barnes stated, “Deerfield has handled COVID extremely well so far this year, and as long as the protocols set in place are followed, everything should go smoothly.” Barnes also expressed her excitement for Commencement saying that, “I’m really happy Deerfield is prioritizing an in-person graduation, as I know a lot of schools are unable to do so this year.” In terms of the planning behind in-person Commencement, Head of School John Austin shared that throughout the entirety of the 2020-2021 school year, Deerfield has remained committed to having an in-person Commencement. He stated, “We’ve always wanted to do as many in-person events and remain as close to established rituals and ceremonies as we could, so we followed a similar design principle for the ceremony itself now that state guidelines allow for it to happen.”  The constantly evolving state health guidelines for Massachusetts have been the main challenge facing Deerfield’s planning team. However, over spring break, Massachusetts offered further guidelines for Commencement, meaning that each graduate is allowed to invite up to six guests. To accommodate all the guests on campus while still maintaining community health, Dr. Austin explained, “We’re staying within our Healthy Deerfield guidelines and all the suggestions from our public health consultant.” Since April of last year, Deerfield has been working with an environmental at-risk consulting firm called Environmental Health and Engineering, in order to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on campus. Dr. Austin emphasized, “They’ve been an important part of planning and have been involved with interscholastic sports and allowing parents to visit. We worked with them to develop guidelines for those events, and they’ve been working with us to plan Commencement.” Director of Educational Initiatives David Miller said that the hope is to keep graduation not only rooted to tradition but also make it a special experience for the Class of 2021, who have experienced a senior year unlike any previous class.  To keep everyone healthy during this event, he added, “There will be masking and distancing between people who are not in the same household. The effort is to make this a close contact free Commencement which will be achieved by having pods of each graduate’s six guests with distancing between the different pods.” Mr. Miller elaborated that there will not be any testing upon arrival, however, guests will be expected to follow Massachusetts state guidelines and to follow Healthy Deerfield guidelines such as masking and distancing.  Director of Alumni Relations Jennifer Hammond said that while she has not had the chance to interact with the graduating class, the parents she has communicated with have all been very excited. She continued, “They’re all really thrilled that they can have up to six guests in one seating with their group. I think that the overall tone is also just gratefulness.” With Commencement being one of the most defining moments for many seniors, many members of the Deerfield community look forward to celebrating the graduating class of 2021 in just a few weeks alongside the rest of the Academy.

This year, amidst the pandemic, the Healthy Deerfield Team and the Student Planning Committee have planned various activities including Spring Day, Koch Friday Concert, and the Alliance Block Party, hoping to restore a sense of normalcy. Heather Brown, the Associate Director of the Center for Service and Global Citizenship and a part of the Healthy Deerfield team, said “it has been a priority all year round to implement a spring program that is interesting, engaging and prioritizes COVID precautions.” The Healthy Deerfield Team and the Student Life Office have held frequent policy meetings to ensure that all the activities adhere to Massachusetts state guidelines and that the rules are consistent across all academic, athletic, and student-life programs.  Masking and testing regulations have remained the same throughout the year, and the Healthy Team utilized previous experience to normalize and improve upon future events. For example, the Silent Rave, held on two different nights during the winter term, helped inspire the simultaneous upperclassmen and underclassmen semi-formal dances that took place this spring. A successful visitation program has also paved the way for more spring activities. Additionally, the warm spring weather enables the school to hold most activities outside, lowering transmission rates. “Every meeting, we discuss how close to normal we can get, and we’re getting closer and closer,” said Mr. Barbato.  As of now, the school has successfully run a wide variety of activities. Arabic Night was held on the 14th of May, followed by the Alliance Block Party and Scream on the Green. On the 15th, TEDxDeerfield was held from 6 pm to 9 pm, and Deerfield also hosted Next Level Gaming and Just Dance.  The much-anticipated Spring Day, planned for the 26th of May, — which returning students missed last year — will feature dunk tanks, music, food trucks, ice cream vendors, bungee courses, blowup slip and slides, kiddie pools with water guns, and five or six obstacles courses.  Although the possibility of a bouncy castle is still up for debate, Mr. Barbato said that he’s “going to push the limits, and hopefully we’ll have the same energy as a usual year.” As the day winds to an end, Mr. Barbato expects the students to trickle to the upper-level fields, where the SPC will set up a stage for KFC.  Ms. Brown and Mr. Barbato have promised that Senior Prom, Senior Cry, Senior Skip-Day, and Step-Up will be “the same as they have been.” They have also reassured all that such events are at the top of the team’s current priority.  Typical Deerfield traditions might feel different with social distancing. Mr. Barbato believes there is “always going to be a tradeoff, but the ultimate goal is for students to have a good experience. The more we embrace the guidelines, the less stifling the precautions will feel.”  As school comes to a close, he urges students to come out “with your friends and bring the energy,” even hinting at the possibility of other future activities “that will keep you on your toes.”

Although the pandemic forced Deerfield to temporarily suspend several of its summer programs, due to positive health indicators, the school is bringing back the Experimentory, a trademarked Deerfield summer experience. The Experimentory is Deerfield’s summer program for rising seventh, eighth, and ninth graders. It allows younger students to sample the Deerfield experience and learn innovatively and creatively. The Experimenory will be returning for the summer of 2021 with changes to accommodate state and federal health requirements.  This new variation of the program will be called PERISCOPE. The most noticeable change compared to previous years is that it will be held virtually instead of on the Deerfield campus and will incorporate both synchronous and asynchronous content. The shift online occurred primarily due to Massachusetts requiring a 10-day quarantine for newcomers coming into the state. Deerfield wanted to ensure that international students were included in the program, thus implementing the shift to a virtual experience. Director of Summer Programs Jordan Brown emphasized, “A big part of the Experimentory is bringing students in from all over the world, just like Deerfield Academy.” He continued, “We had to make the decision back in the fall; we just weren’t confident that by the time summer came that students from outside of the US would be able to even get into the country.” With this shift to online learning, there are some experiences that will invariably be lost. The Experimentory alumna Thayer Newton ’24 had concerns about how a virtual program might affect applicants’ interest. “I don’t think that these kids will actually get a window into what the Deerfield experience is like,” she expressed. Despite these obstacles, the Summer Programs team is working hard to ensure that PERISCOPE will be a successful and fun experience. Currently, they are finalizing the course list for the summer while considering student input. Past courses have covered stage acting, the history of the universe, engineering, architecture, public speaking, and the science of athletics. Most are taught by current Deerfield faculty. The quality of the courses will remain the same as in past years, according to Mr. Brown. “It’ll be super hands-on, experiential, engaging. Those are the types of courses we offer, virtual or not.”  In another effort to foster strong connections, staff will engage attendees in a small group discussion experience focused on leadership and community. This new element of the program will promote not only student interaction, but also real-world skills.  As part of the program, students will also be able to take virtual, interactive tours of the Deerfield campus, participate in Zoom sit down meals, and attend digital school meetings in a mission to engage with Deerfield and each other as much as they can despite the barrier of a screen.

From Friday, April 23 to Sunday, April 25, Deerfield welcomed its Trustees to campus for the Board’s first in-person Board meeting since January of 2020. Despite only being able to meet over Zoom until now, the Board of Trustees and Dr. Austin have spent the past year collaborating to create a Deerfield experience as close to normal as possible while following COVID-19 guidelines to keep students safe and healthy. According to Dr. Austin, “The Board of Trustees has responsibility for the financial health, the long-term direction, and the mission of the school as well as hiring and if necessary, firing the Head of School.” He said, “They are the collective body to whom I, as the head of school, report to. They try to stay at a strategic, long-term level.” Bringing the Board to campus required significant coordination and time, and Dr. Austin stated, “I think we’re the only school that has had their board meeting on campus.”  On Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, the Board’s 12 internal committees met. These committees range from Academic Affairs to Buildings and Grounds to Financial Aid and College Advising. Each Trustee serves on an average of three to four of these committees within the Board.  Following the individual committee meetings, the full Board of Trustees met on the afternoon of Sunday, April 25 in the Garonzik Auditorium. This collective meeting followed the standard proceedings, which entail reports of each committee’s findings over the course of the past few days, an update on recent actions at the school by Dr. Austin, and a full Board discussion on a topic chosen by the President of the Board of Trustees, Brian Simmons, and Dr. Austin. For this meeting, the Board discussed post COVID-19 planning for the school.  Regarding Deerfield’s transition to more normal circumstances, Mr. Simmons said, “We became extremely reactive, we had an incredibly high sense of urgency, just like, we have to get these things done, and we became very tactical. Now we’re trying to unwind that and be more deliberate, more strategic.” Mr. Simmons recalled the various unknowns the school faced early on in the pandemic: “We were just thinking: How do we get school open? How do we get tests? How do we communicate with parents? How do we do contact tracing? What are we going to do? It was just a nonstop stream of making fairly important decisions with having less than 50% of the facts, because nobody did.” Over this past year, Mr. Simmons emphasized the persistence and dedication Dr. Austin displayed. He recalled when Dr. Austin cut short a family vacation at the very beginning of the virus’ outbreak in March 2020. Returning to an empty campus, he felt that he needed to be there simply because of the great uncertainty during that time. Dr. Austin was also extremely committed to holding a Commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 and didn’t give up on the prospect until a gathering of that size would evidently be illegal in the state of Massachusetts. During the pandemic, Dr. Austin said the Board of Trustees met with higher frequency in the past 14 months than the standard schedule of one meeting per term. “Our normal schedule of meetings once a term is built for a state of non-emergency, but when you’re navigating through an emergency that’s threatening the operations, we had to meet more often.” In addition to this, he and Mr. Simmons met three to four times a week.  Throughout the process, Dr. Austin found a silver lining in needing to spend more time with the Board. He said, “it’s allowed me to get to know the Board of Trustees more quickly and more intensely that I otherwise could have because we had to work together in a very collaborative, transparent, open way.” He shared, “In different ways, I think everyone’s really stepped up. The board here is incredibly hard working and dedicated. No one ever misses a meeting, ever. Everybody shows up. These are incredibly dedicated, thoughtful, accomplished, experienced people from a range of industries.” Mr. Simmons compared Dr. Austin and his team’s work to “three Deerfield junior years all rolled into six months.” He said, “It was unbelievable what they accomplished, and that’s why Deerfield’s experience stands out among residential high schools.”