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I still remember the awe I felt at my first Commencement my ninth grade year. I remember watching the Class of 2018, donned in their classic gold-buttoned blazers and white lace dresses, march down Albany Road to the beat of the bagpipes resonating in the summer air. My forearms lit up with goosebumps as I took in the grandeur of it all. My ears rang as Kiana Rawji ’18, the then-Op-Ed editor (and my personal role model), spoke on stage: “Deerfield has made us who we are, who we want to be, and who we can be.” For a second, I imagined the moment I, too, would walk down that path for the last time as a Deerfield student. Now, just days away from my very own Commencement, I have begun to reflect on Kiana’s parting words with her time at the Valley. I don’t doubt that Deerfield has fundamentally changed me as an individual. I used to be the reserved kid who would shy away from every proctor night, the awkward tenth seat at every sit-down table who could never seem to fit himself into the night’s discussion. But after four years of awkward encounters and getting used to all the different forms of chicken breast served at sit-downs, I have become comfortable in my own skin. Despite this, Kiana’s words still ring in my head: “Deerfield has made us who we want to be.” I can’t help but wonder if I fully identify with such a statement. I had taken all the classes I had aspired to take, all the extracurriculars I told myself were the “right choice.” I have spent the past four years trying to make the best out of my Deerfield experience, but didn’t take a moment to stop and wonder who I wanted to be as an individual. I have always considered my identity pre- and post- Deerfield to be two distinct existences.  When I first opened my acceptance letter, jumping in joy as I heard my parents celebrating through the phone, I told myself that I was making the right choice, that Deerfield was going to be my path to success. But, in order to find this success, I knew I had to first make myself fit in. As I began to prepare for my freshman fall, I began to adopt an “American” identity. I adopted a new, quintessentially American name, practiced putting on the suit my parents bought after seeing pictures of prep school students online, and practiced speaking in my best American voice with my friends. Deep down, I told myself that this was all an act, a shell I was building to allow me to blend in better to life at Deerfield—and, back then, I continued to hold my Korean identity close. But even with all my efforts, it was clear that I would still stick out as the “outsider” as soon as I stepped foot on campus. I distinctly remember my first sit-down of my Deerfield career, where my parents and I scurried around the dining hall anxiously in search of our assigned table. My tanned skin started to itch as we approached our seats to only to be met with a table full of white faces. Watching my parents beside me, who stayed quiet out of fear that their non-native English skills would somehow embarrass our family, made me contemplate whether Deerfield really was the place for a student like me. Each bite of mac and cheese came with the choking fear that I would never truly fit in the American grain. This burden seemingly followed me around campus. From our first hall meeting to the first advisory activity, I was met with a cultural mindset that constantly pushed me to the sidelines. For the first time, I was self-conscious of the way I held my fork slightly differently to the people beside me and the traces of an accent every time I spoke. I could seemingly never shake off this hyperawareness that Deerfield was made for students that didn’t look like me.  Naturally, I turned to the only way I knew to fit in: by abandoning everything that made me stick out. I carefully listened to my white friends’ verbal tendencies whenever they spoke, to integrate their slang and pronunciations into my own vocabulary. I began to refer to myself as Asian-American, rather than explain the complicated fact that I had never lived in the U.S. prior to coming to Deerfield. I wore my gold-buttoned blazers and waved my American flags in pride, a tangible representation of my successful assimilation into the U.S. My self-afflicted “whitewashing” came at a cost. My parents told me their concerns that my Korean was starting to sound gradually more Americanized—in response, I began to distance myself from the language altogether. I winced whenever someone referred to me by my Korean name, as if it were something that embarrassed me. My friends nicknamed me “banana”: yellow on the outside, white on the inside. Deep down, I knew all this was true. At some point, the shell that I had thought was simply a shield from being pinned as an outsider fused with my own identity, leaving no room for me to engage with mythe Korean side of me. I am ashamed of myself for taking the easy way out. I gave into the sentiments and attitudes that have led to swastikas being drawn on campus sidewalks and innocent women being shot in spas for being too “suggestive.” In trying to escape being ostracized, I became a product of the culture that allows racism to thrive. As I watch movements like #blacklivesmatter and #stopasianhate take center stage in discussions on life in America, I imagine these victims as people like me: people of different identities all trying to attain the American Dream. But while I chose to comply with the whiteness I was surrounded by, these individuals suffered for rejecting it. In my own efforts to assimilate, I perpetuated the belief that compliance was the way to succeed.I don’t believe that, in every moment of my life at Deerfield, I made a choice based on who I wanted to be—but I do think that we can all grow from our regrets. Even after four years, Kiana’s message can still be applied to our community. Deerfield will change you, make you into the person you will be when you walk down Albany Road for your own commencement. But it is your choice to make yourself who you want to be.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to a new academic schedule this year, one thing has remained the same: Deerfield’s practice of grade compression. Grade compression is the contraction of the range in which a considerable percentage of students’ grades fall. At Deerfield, grades typically fall between the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, rather than extending from zero to hundred.  Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs & Strategy Dr. Ivory Hills said, “We definitely have grade compression.”  He explained, “There was an extensive grade discussion [6-7 years ago under a different academic dean] and the articulation at that point was that the school median should be around 89 and that grades in the 90s should be reserved for excellent work.”  “It was really a perception of maintaining the integrity of our grading system so that when colleges saw our grades, they would think there was some stratification or distribution among our students,” Dr. Hills added.  Based on the published college profiles of The Hotchkiss School and Choate Rosemary Hall, there is a visible difference between the grade distribution of Deerfield Academy and those schools.  At Choate, 15.04% of the class of ’21 last school year had a 4.30-4.0 GPA which, on their scale, is equivalent to a 93% and above. Additionally, at Hotchkiss, over 40% of the class of ’21 had a 93% and above last school year. At Deerfield, however, only 6% of the class of ’21 had a 93% or above average last school year. (All data are taken directly from each school’s respective official school profiles for this year) In response to seeing this data, Student Body President Chijioke Achebe ’21 said, “I would hope that when students look at this they feel a little bit better. I certainly do. I had never seen this. I think it shows we are being held to a higher standard, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”  One student remarked, “I’ve also seen the extreme differences in stats between DA and other schools in our league. It’s kind of infuriating.” Many students also pointed out that they perceive a “lack of uniformity” in grading, especially when the subjects are more humanities-oriented, and emphasized the need for a “standardized guideline.”  However, this discrepancy has been a cause of concern for some students who believe that the grading system at Deerfield Academy needs to be reevaluated. According to the results of a recent survey sent out to students by the Scroll , when asked whether the grading system at Deerfield needs to be changed in some way, 63.7% of respondents said “yes,” 22.6% said “I’m not sure,” and 13.7% said “no.” Among those who responded that it needed to be changed, a common belief was that due to grade compression, a single point “holds so much weight.”  Another student proposed that participation may need to hold greater weight, while others recommended widening the range of grades given to students. In addition to calling for a more established standard of grading within departments, one student suggested a new, non-numerical grading scale with “no precise equivalent” to letter grades.  Dr. Hills, however, noted the inherent difficulty and complications of modifying the current system. “In the past, we have talked about changing our grading system, but just moving from system A to system B leads to confusion,” he said. “If the school radically changes their grading system, it would take [colleges] a while to figure out what’s going on.”  This alteration, he added, would lead to further—and possibly unfavorable—changes in the review of applicants. “[Admissions Offices] are immediately going to spend more time looking at ACT and SAT scores,” he said. “I think that might even be a worse measure of what a student is capable of.”  Based on the anonymous survey results, a prominent concern among respondents was that Deerfield’s grade compression will put them at a disadvantage compared to other schools during the college admissions process. A student said in the survey, “It’s frustrating that colleges might not understand how our grading system works.” Another commented, “I do believe it can be harmful in terms of college admissions.”  However, Dr. Hills said, “As it relates to college admission, I’m not worried about it at all.” He added, “I think colleges are very internally calibrated to what a Deerfield grade means in a Deerfield context.” The Deerfield-specific grading calibration is linked to page 3 of the school profile , which is what college admissions officers look at when evaluating Deerfield students.  When asked about personal experiences with grade compression at Deerfield, many students responded that grade compression at Deerfield has had significant effects on their mental health. One student said, “Grades have made me a lot more insecure to participate in discussions where I feel less intelligent to speak up because of a previous grade.”  Another student addressed its toll on their sense of accomplishment, commenting, “When I hear about kids from other schools getting higher grades and putting in half of the work I do, it tears me down.” A student voiced a similar sentiment, saying, “I was at the top of my class at my old school and my work was much worse than it is here. Here, I am getting lower grades and it pushes me to stay up later and be really hard on myself. I have lost so much sleep anxiously trying to perfect a paper when perfection can’t be reached here.”  Echoing the previous student, one student stated how their experiences with grade compression have pervaded various aspects of their psychological health. They said, “As someone who is academically oriented, these experiences have really changed, and for the worse, my motivation to do well in school, my trust in my teachers, my self-perception/self-confidence, and quite frankly my outlook on my future.”  Some students, however, mentioned that grade compression has not significantly affected their well-being. One respondent said, “Personally, I don’t care too much about grades, rather the learning.” Dr. Hills shared words of encouragement for students experiencing the negatives of grade compression. “Numerical grades are a very poor measure of what someone’s capacity really can be. They are a snapshot in time,” he said. “To finish first, you must first finish…You don’t have to feel like you’re the shining star, you just have to have a plan and keep at it.” Finally, he expressed his ultimate goal for students, saying, “Really, at Deerfield what I want and what your teachers want is just for you to fall in love with learning.”  The varying outlooks on the grading system at Deerfield points to the need for further conversations among all members of the Deerfield community. While multiple teaching faculty members were contacted, none were willing to comment on-record about this topic except Dr. Hills. Dr. Hills expressed his willingness for open communication, saying, “If I can be of any help to any student or any group of students, just tell me where to be.”

There have been a grand total of four disciplinary cases throughout the course of the year thus far — a historic low for Deerfield.  To explain this anomaly, Student Body President Chijoke Achebe ’21 highlighted actions of the administration. “The school has done a great job keeping students engaged and happy this winter, and I’m sure that’s played a part. I also think that students realize how lucky we are to be here on campus, learning in person and seeing our friends, and they don’t want to throw that away by doing something stupid,” he said. In early February, Dean of Students Samuel Bicknell sent out an email to the student body cautioning students to make “healthy decisions” and reminding them that there would be disciplinary response to violations of any major school rules. Mr. Bicknell explained that his intent in the email was one of “precaution, rather than reaction.”  “There is, of course, always chatter about ongoing substance abuse and other infractions, but the goal was to get ahead of the problem,” he said.  In an effort for full transparency, Bicknell outlined what students could expect following that email. “The presence of the Student Life Office will be heightened around campus and within dorms, not because we are aiming to catch kids, but because we care about our students and hope it will help promote healthy decision making, while giving students a chance to think twice before going down that road,” he said.  In the weeks following, three more disciplinary cases were reported. Prior to February, there had only been one disciplinary case.  Other members of the disciplinary committee have attributed this low number to the increased restrictions resulting from the pandemic and the toll that it has taken on social interactions. Crawford Rice ’21 said, “With zero school events and sports games, I would imagine students are less likely to consume drugs or alcohol.”  Nonetheless, Rice expressed that he feels dealing with COVID-19 restrictions has resulted in a broader shift in campus mindset. “Students have accepted the responsibility to act maturely and have recognized the importance of upholding their personal health as well as the community’s well-being,” he said.  After such an unusual fall and winter, DC member Destynee St. Agathe-Faure ’22 examined the challenges that lay ahead for new students following a year with little guidance on how to navigate the disciplinary climate of the academy. “Unfortunately, one of the many casualties of the virus has been the absence of close mentorship from elder students or faculty, which could lead to poor decision making in the future,” she said. Last October, the school formed the Discipline Review Task Force to examine Deerfield’s disciplinary process and propose potential changes to Head of School John Austin and the Board of Trustees by the end of March.  One of the main proposals for change that gained traction over the summer was  the creation of a new disciplinary committee, DEER (Discipline, Educate, Empower, Reconcile), which would address identity-based infractions.  “Recently we’ve been focusing a lot on trying to make the DC more like restorative justice, so we’ve been focusing on the proposal from DEER… we’re trying to see what aspects of that proposal we can incorporate to make the disciplinary committee more transparent, consistent, and keeping more trust within students,” Student Council Chair Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21, a member of the DRTF, said.  Forming a task force was part of Deerfield’s 2020-21 Action Plan to Strengthen Equity, Inclusion, and Campus Culture, which was released last August. Osei-Ampadu explained that this was in response to the events of  last summer, “arguably one of the most prominent summers for social justice and reform,” and she also expressed that many alumni and students have been advocating for the school to make some kind of change.  “I think that there have been some concerns from teachers that if we assemble a different committee, separate from the DC, students might think that DEER wouldn’t bear as much weight as the DC,” Osei-Ampadu said. So far, there have been no concrete changes made to the disciplinary process. By the end of March, Assistant Head of School for Student Life Amie Creagh will write up a final report presenting the Discipline Review Task Force’s findings and conclusions. Changes to the disciplinary process must be approved by Dr. Austin and the Board of Trustees before implementation.

Teams never seem to be closer than during the winter term at the Academy. With varying practice times that run late into the night, it seems that sports and performing arts co-curriculars are always together. Throughout this term I have been observant of teams’ presence on campus. Below are my rankings for the cultiness of each winter team on campus: Boys’ hockey: The hockey boys all seem to live on the same halls in either Barton or Field each year. They travel in packs and eat each meal in the dining hall together. They will never be spotted in anything other than their team gear on the weekends. This team is evidently a great group of kids with a tight bond.  Girls’ hockey: Our campus is drowning in gray hockey jackets. It is difficult to distinguish the hockey girls in public when they have their hoods up. This team feels the need to take up three entire tables in the dining hall pavilion each night. They always hang out by the rink with a speaker provided by Keri Clougherty ’21.  Boys’ and Girls’ Swim and Dive: In typical years, the swim trip to Florida is a perfect opportunity for the girls and boys swim team to become close. However, in the days of COVID, there are no longer joint practices or competitions. You can mostly spot these teams around campus by the soaking wet hair and strong stench of chlorine. And don’t forget the parkas—they’re always paired with the faint sounds of “Aga Chi” from the deck. Girls’ squash: Though they may be few in number this year, girls squash is always spotted in matching Lululemon outfits. The high blonde ponytails can be spotted from miles away.  Girls’ basketball: As one of the tallest female identifying students on campus, Claire Cummings is always spotted at the front of the pack. Girls basketball survived quarantine where they truly bonded as a team. There’s nothing like ten days of isolation to form new friendships and inside jokes.  Boys’ Squash: Each member of the boy’s squash team can be spotted with the squash bag always accompanied by a racket close by. They typically wear the same sweatshirt design in one of three colors: green, white, or black. Skiing’: The ski team has such a wholesome bond as evidenced by their bus rides to Berkshire East and their team dinner each night. You will never see a ski team dinner that is not headed by Mr. Dancer and Ms. Munkittrick. Boys’ basketball: This team is mostly football 2.0, but they do not seem to share the same bond. Occasionally, they will be spotted at team dinner, looking down on their shorter friends. Performing arts co-curricular: These members of the community seem to live in the Hess. They do not seem to travel in such large packs as sports teams around campus.  Coed Wrestling: This team is rarely seen at team dinner, though that is not to say they are not close. They seem to have truly grown as a program within the last few years.

Board Editorial Family. Heritage. Spirit. Walking down Albany Road on Revisit Days, you hear these words echo in every speech, brochure, and conversation. You hear about how Deerfield is a home away from home, a place where students discover themselves in ways impossible anywhere else. Of course, much of all this is rooted in some essence of truth; however, it is important that we, as a community, do not shy away from the things we don’t tell families on tours. As the admissions season draws to a close, and eager students await the fated green envelopes, the Scroll board hopes to answer the burning question: what happens once you say “Yes” to Deerfield? The first thing you’ll notice when you step on campus is our unapologetic sense of tradition. From the tables to the fields, classes to the dining hall, you will be bombarded with all the little habits that make up Deerfield culture. Evidently, you’ll be left with quite a few questions: What paths are we supposed to walk on? Why do I have to clear the whole table myself at sit-downs? When am I supposed to do the Battle Cry? You may be frustrated when the only answer you’re given is that it’s simply “a Deerfield tradition.” It seems so trivial, how your choice in what table at the Greer you sit at plays into the greater sense of community on campus. But it isn’t the actions themselves that make Deerfield traditions so special; rather, it is the shared sense of experience that allows us to all come together. The shared embarrassment when the whole dining hall sings “Happy Birthday” to you, or the camaraderie of chanting your class cheer at school meetings—all play into building a common Deerfield experience. Of course, tradition is only a small part of your time here. From your first day as a Deerfield student, your schedule will be packed with meetings, classes, practices, and activities. Often, it may seem like you have little time to step away from it all, and paired with the fact that you’re around your peers and teachers constantly, it isn’t far from the truth.  Coming to Deerfield means that you are willing to merge your personal and academic lives in ways that can be equally difficult and rewarding. On one hand, you’re constantly surrounded by opportunities and peers that are as dedicated and passionate to learning and exploration as you are. At the same time, finding outlets to escape the constant work cycle can be challenging—most students continue to reconcile between these two experiences throughout their time at Deerfield. We won’t shy away from the fact that some of your moments at Deerfield may be the hardest of your life. Students here come face-to-face with challenges they may never would have had to at any other school. Like any other community, discrimination, social structures, and stress are all part of life at Deerfield; but with such an insular environment, these issues are inflated. Deerfield students often say that the years they spend here push them to mature much faster than a typical high schooler would—in many ways, they are right. You will experience the same hardships that always come with the student experience; but with a limited number of people you can lean on, you often have to grow on your own. But amidst all the lows, Deerfield truly shines in the opportunities it gives students to form genuine connections. No where else will you be able to see a hall of Ninth Graders all over the world come together over a shared feed late at night. No where else will you see students going on 2-hour walks with their faculty advisors along the Lower Fields. Even amongst other boarding schools, the Deerfield community is unique in the depth of human interaction it possesses.  Throughout your Deerfield career, you will find yourself hiking to the Rock to catch the sun set over the Pocumtuck Valley, and spending your nights with your friends in the most engaging conversations of your life. Even in a time as isolating and tumultuous as COVID-19, the Deerfield community came together to preserve our sense of family in every way that we could. So, before you sign those forms and pack your belongings, remember that Deerfield is so much more than what we can tell you on tours. And, to everyone who does choose to make Deerfield your home, don’t shy away from what you may find “uncomfortable” or “weird”—that’s what makes Deerfield so special.

Rumor has it that there is more to Deerfield art than can be seen on the surface. There is said to be a top secret art vault on campus, kept secure by elaborate mechanisms of security in an unknown location. It supposedly contains pieces by renowned artists who leave behind gifts after displaying their work. Supposedly among the collection lies an Andy Warhol piece that is worth millions. But are these stories true? Does this mysterious vault exist? Is there really an entire world of art that Deerfield has yet to disclose to the public?  Unfortunately it must be confirmed that Deerfield does not, in fact, possess an undercover vault protecting the multi-million dollar work of Warhol and others. The designated art storage area on campus is located below the Black Box Theater of the Hess. It is climate and temperature controlled and equipped with an alarm, yet does not nearly contain as much art as is currently displayed on campus.  The majority of the art Deerfield owns — alumni gifts and collectibles — are placed throughout campus with the philosophy that what is acquired must be hung up. Visual and Performing Arts Chair Lydia Hemphill, the principal manager of Deerfield art storage, said, “What’s in storage is really far less interesting than the fact that we actually have a collection– not every school has such holdings.”  In her 2019 article “Secret of the Manse,” Helen Mak ’20 introduced us to the Charles. P. Russell collection, a gift from two sisters in memoriam of their father from the 1950s. The collection serves as the central representation of Deerfield-owned art, and most of it is displayed in the Manse, in which Head of School Dr. Austin currently resides with his family. In the 1960s, a group of Deerfield students formed the American Studies Group, whose name has no relation to the academic course, with the mission of exploring the educational resources offered by Deerfield’s unique location and studying the art of the surrounding Pioneer Valley.  As written by Chairman Christopher Beach ’69, the group was “one of Deerfield Academy’s most active organizations, providing an excellent opportunity for students to do original research and to experience the satisfaction of study in art and history.”   In addition to many other impressive investigations of Deerfield art, the group wrote and compiled a catalog of the various works of the Charles. P. Russell collection. Beach wrote, “All art is relative to history, and to instill a better understanding of the collection, biographical, historical, and critical material has been combined in the catalog.” The catalog was published in 1969. Indeed, the collection presents a captivating world of history and culture, and the catalog has served as a useful resource for Spouse of the Head of School Monica Matouk in learning about the individual pieces displayed in her home, the Manse.  In her personal research, she has also explored the broader historical significance of the Manse in the development of the arts in Historic Deerfield, and pointed out previous homeowner of the Manse Madeline Yale Wynne as a key player in the arts and crafts movement. Wynne, who was a painter, writer, and jewelry maker, purchased and refurbished the Manse in the late 1800s. “I just love that the Manse has its own artistic role to play in the area,” said Ms. Matouk.   Former Head of School David M. Pynchon described the Russell collection as joining the rich array of art in the larger town of Deerfield, a significant addition to the artistic movement spearheaded earlier by Wynne and others. “The Town of Deerfield… has a unique atmosphere in which boys can live and study, and these paintings… become a part of the living heritage of the school, the town, and the entire community,” wrote Mr. Pynchon as the introduction  of the catalog. “It was the ladies’ desire, and it is our hope, that everyone will take advantage of and share in the rich experience of the Russell collection.” Ms. Matouk expressed her gratitude to be surrounded with such magnificent works. She said of the Russell collection, “It forces you to look. That’s what art does. It makes you slow down and snap out of your automatic way of relating to your everyday life and just look at something the way each artist spent hours looking at their own object, so there is that sense in the Manse that you’re invited to inhabit all these different perspectives.” In previous years, the artwork of the Manse has generally been open for viewing by invitation, and has been an annual field trip destination for Ms. Hemphill’s Art History class. Dr. Austin and Ms. Matouk hope to extend the privilege of viewing the Charles P. Russell collection to the greater school community as soon as COVID-19 protocols allow.

Professional. Kind. Gifted. A Pied Piper. These are all words which have been used to describe Grey Holmén ’21, a dedicated and driven contributor of the Deerfield music, theater, and dance programs.  A lifelong lover of the arts,  Holmén began singing and dancing from a young age, partaking in music, theater, and dance all throughout his middle school years and diving into each medium upon his entry into Deerfield. “Art for me has always been a means of expression,” said Holmén, “whether it be playing a character on stage, choreographing, or singing.” Taking advantage of every opportunity, Holmén joined the Mellow-Ds as a ninth-grader and reflected on his choice saying, “While I could never pick one art over another, joining the Mellow-Ds was the best decision in my Deerfield career.”  Although entering with no previous a capella experience, Holmén quickly realized he was becoming part of a brotherhood in which he would create many memories and find those to whom he looked up to. Now a senior and captain of the group, he works to establish the same welcoming atmosphere for newcomers.  Holmén fondly described one of his most valuable memories from the Mellow-D’s in which he was running late to the first showcase and found that the entire group had come to his door to take him to the performance. Interested in returning to organized singing in a choir setting, Holmén became a part of the Advanced Vocal Ensemble as a junior. He felt that as a singer, he gained more experience daily and emphasized the support of Deerfield Choral Director Thomas Pousont throughout the course of his singing career.  More recently, Holmén worked on a project for the possible reimplementation of the Koch Friday Concert, a beloved Deerfield tradition. He assembled a band featuring a pianist, drummer, and guitarist among others, with him serving as the vocal lead. In addition to his passion for music, Holmén is thoroughly involved in the theater program, currently focusing on directing a scene from the play “RED” by John Logan.  Director of Theater Catriona Hynds reflected on the various ways Holmén has contributed to theater at Deerfield including his work ethic and fearlessness. “When [Holmén] came in, he was one of those individuals who was a triple threat,” explained Mrs. Hynds, “[Holmén] comes to rehearsal ready to work, demanding the same work ethic from others.”  Describing Holmèn as a natural actor with a “professional approach”, Mrs. Hynds highlighted the thoughtful and meticulous research he completes for each character, in addition to his ability of portraying stories through nuanced roles. Michael Fadugbagbe ’21, one of Holmén’s close friends and a fellow performer, added, “[Holmén] is willing to be vulnerable in situations like acting and is not afraid to make mistakes” Also having participated in numerous plays throughout his time at Deerfield including You Can’t Take It With You and Frankenstein, Holmén fondly recalls his role in the children’s play, How I Became A Pirate , remembering the production as his most rewarding theater experience because he was able to have a meaningful impact on a young audience, for many of whom it was their first play. Furthermore, Holmén is an experienced dancer, initially entering the program as a sophomore with extensive background in hip-hop and instantly immersing himself in new styles. Having used his first academic dance class at Deerfield as a stepping stone to further his choreographic abilities, Holmén’s work grew in sophistication as he composed yearly pieces for the dance showcase; last year stepping out of his comfort zone by combining hip hop and contemporary styles.  Director of Dance Ms. Jennifer Whitcomb, former advisor to Holmén, described him as a natural mentor saying, “[Holmén] takes people under his wing and doesn’t leave anyone behind.” She added, “[Holmén] is an invaluable leader and collaborator.” Defining him as a “trail blazer”, Ms. Whitcomb emphasized his disregard to conformity, goal orientedness, empathy, and willingness to take selfless risks.   When describing his choreography, Ms. Whitcomb said, “[Holmén] achieved a new avenue of expression in dance, using hip hop to tell a story and confirm my belief of it being a viable and reputable art medium.” She additionally noted that his pieces have evolved to incorporate a theatrical base. Gabe Swisher-Rosa ’23, who has participated in various of Holmén’s pieces explained the positive and inclusive work space Holmén creates. “When [Holmén] is choreographing, he works to the dancers’ strengths and pushes them to be able to do it.”  Swisher-Rosa ’23 added, “[Holmén] is really good at positive reinforcement and knows his dancers well which I really respect him for.” Looking to the future, although uncertain through which specific career path, Holmén is determined to pursue art at the college level. “At Deerfield, I never had to choose between anything; I’ve always taken on everything I could,” Holmén explained. “I have many big dreams and could honestly see myself going every which way in the future, whether it be acting professionally or releasing my own music.” Regardless of the path Holmén chooses, Deerfield memories will always remain with him and his legacy as both a mentor and performing artist will never be forgotten.

Welcome to Specials. For this issue, the Scroll is examining the Deerfield bubble and its implications within and beyond our campus. Speaking from the perspective of a day student, Ella Foulkes argues in her opinion piece the ways in which the bubble separates students socially, politically and geographically from the surrounding community. Most importantly, Foulkes makes the case for why the Academy and its students should break out, contribute and engage with the larger community. Stepping outside of the bubble, Julia Hioe speaks with members of the Pioneer Valley, collecting their views on the Deerfield bubble and how it has shaped Deerfield’s image and role. Through a multifaceted inspection of the Deerfield bubble, we hope to fully understand, and work towards dissolving barriers that serve to isolate our community and the ones we surround.  When I hear the term “Deerfield” I, and many others, think of school, not the actual town of Deerfield. Students coming to Deerfield are entering a community outside of the Academy and yet there exists layers of bubbles surrounding the campus—preventing meaningful engagement. Despite living on campus this term, being a day student has always appeared integral to my Deerfield identity. It’s a title constantly reiterated, whether on my laundry card which calls me a “Boarding Day Student,” or an article introducing me as “Ella Foulkes, a day student.” Frankly, being a day student was always an insecurity for me, as I felt I wasn’t just a Deerfield student, I was a Deerfield day student. I worried I would miss out on the ‘true’ Deerfield experience by not spending all of my time on campus. I had come to define Deerfield as its campus, as its borders, and as a perfectly enclosed bubble of community, both physically and ideologically, and I straddled this bubble. In particular, I noticed a physical bubble that prevented genuine connection with the community and therefore limited students’ capacity for engagement. Before the pandemic, I only left the campus with people other than close friends once, for a community service day with the track team. I appreciate that Deerfield Academy’s attempt to foster a connection in this way, but that one day of required service did little towards that goal. Students seeking community projects during breaks or even the year focus on large-scale projects or distant travels with the CSGC, often not considering their potential impact in their community in Western Massachusetts. Deerfield Academy and its students have the capacity and resources to significantly contribute to combating levels of poverty in the area through volunteering with the local food bank or using their projects to address the homelessness, poverty, and hunger in the community that they live in for the year. However, when students don’t interact with these issues, they seem distant, and less pressing then they truly are. Even ‘non-service’ engagements with the community such as weekend trips to Greenfield or Amherst to see a movie or go to a restaurant, would expose students to the world directly outside of the Deerfield bubble. The Academy does try to supply these opportunities for students (before Covid-19, of course), but many students do not take advantage. Students stay on campus, in part, because we are comfortable in our physical bubble, and don’t have the necessity to leave it. By not leaving, the physical bubble is further solidified and the cycle continues. This physical separation not only leads to a further lack of engagement from students with the community, it fosters a political bubble around the campus. When I initially heard the term, the Deerfield Bubble, I assumed it referred to a simple political divide, but over the past three years, I have come to understand how complicated politics on campus truly is. I believed it referred to the conservative presence on campus that I was unused to in Amherst. This is true to an extent, as Massachusetts is considered one of the “bluest” states, while Deerfield is much more evenly split (in fact, Massachusetts had the highest percentage of votes go to Joe Biden than any other state this election).  But what shocks me, and what I believe constitutes the true Deerfield Political bubble is that many Deerfield students are simply “not into politics,” an entirely new concept for me, and one I consider linked to the physical bubble surrounding campus. Politics is crucial to all aspects of our lives because decisions made for, or by, our country have direct impacts on us. Absolutely, certain classes, races, ethnicities, sexualities, and many other groups are left more at the whim of policy makers than others. However, not feeling personally impacted by certain political decisions does not create an excuse to not care and can be damaging to groups that do need the attention. A distinction must be made between international students for whom American politics may not be as relevant, students who feel uncomfortable expressing their beliefs and do not have the space to do so, and students who simply don’t seem to care. Not caring about politics is absolutely a privilege, and one persistent on campus. In the weeks leading up to the presidential election, I had numerous conversations with eligible voters on campus who chose not to vote. Even students who I see are political at home (through social media) often stop being proactive when on campus.  When students enter the physical Deerfield bubble, the disconnect they experience from the harsh issues I mentioned previously makes it easy to put politics aside. The Deerfield administration certainly tries to create opportunities for engagement through things like a school-wide subscription to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal . However, many students do not take advantage, because it can be comfortable to avoid devastating political topics. Political events on campus are often not attended by the students that need to hear the message the most.  To effectively pop the Deerfield political bubble, politics and current events can not just be available, they must be integrated into student’s everyday lives, through the classroom, through addresses from the administration, through opening genuine political discourse on campus. The bubbles protect students from the harsh realities of the national or global political scenes and this sheltering can lead to students graduating Deerfield without understanding the necessity of engaging with political topics, or without being able to do so effectively.  Further complicating the matter, productive political discourse can be incredibly hard to come by on campus. Whether through tailored social media or choice of friends, students often find themselves surrounded by conversation that agrees with their political philosophy. This is fine, and can be healthy, however, when students only engage in political discourse with friends that agree with them, or are only exposed to specific opinions on social media, they are effectively in an echo chamber. Within the Deerfield political bubble, smaller political bubbles have formed which inhibit open discussion and integration of politics onto campus. I fell into an echo chamber myself this summer. After months in quarantine, spending a lot of time on social media and talking with close friends, I had grown used to being agreed with. When I returned to school, I was shocked when faced with disagreement, which led me to grow defensive. I see this often when two groups are so assured in their beliefs that discourse turns combative. Discourse does not always mean convincing others or being convinced; I still believe in the same things I did this summer. Rather the first step in productive discourse on campus is listening for genuine understanding. By dissolving these interior bubbles through productive, non-combative discourse, politics can become a stronger presence on campus which could, in-turn, expose students enough to break down the larger political bubble surrounding the community. Deerfield Academy has an ability and responsibility to graduate students capable of improving our world and solving issues. In many ways, the Academy achieves great success on this front. Yet each bubble that separates Deerfield Academy from the community—each bubble that removes students from the issues they can contribute to the solution of—hinders this goal. To dissolve these bubbles will be a slow, but absolutely crucial process.

What accounts for the difference between introverts and extroverts? What makes communication effective? How can music impact our emotions? If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, make sure to visit the TEDxDeerfield event at the Hess Concert Hall. The theme for the 2021 event, which will take place in May, is “motif.”  “We choose the theme to encompass a multitude of talks that can range across STEM, humanities, and the arts,” TEDxDeerfield student leader Rosnel Leyva-Cortes ’22 explained. “Motifs themselves are just items that represent a broad theme, and this idea holds true in the real world. Small actions or concentrations of study all eventually contribute to some higher purpose or ideal that we rarely think about.” Each talk will be around eighteen minutes long. The students started preparing at the beginning of the winter term, first writing a thousand to three thousand word long script then revising, making a powerpoint presentation, memorizing their talk, and rehearsing continuously. In the TEDxDeerfield Committee, several different groups work in conjunction to ensure the event will run smoothly. The subcommittees are hospitality, communications, and tech.  “Hospitality deals with securing the venue and making sure props and location are set for the day of the event; communications relays information to speakers and to the school in general about TEDx; tech helps with the setup of the audio and video for the event,” said Leyva-Cortes. Lily Zeng ’22 will give a talk about the neuroscience of introversion and extroversion. A few years ago, she read the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, which became the source of inspiration for her talk.  Zeng hopes to use the scientific basis of temperament to help clarify misconceptions about the meaning of introversion and extroversion in Western society. “There is this widely held idea, for example, that introverts have worse social skills because they’re quiet ,” Zeng said. “But in the end, when you look at the facts, what separates us is the way we react to outside stimuli and how easily aroused our brains are.” Daniel Kang ’21, who will be giving a talk about languages, also thinks that TEDx is “a wonderful opportunity to share about something I love and spark curiosity in people who’re excited to learn.” Knowing that “the community of enthusiasts is very small,” he hopes to introduce this field of studies to more people.  Kang realized that the rules that he has been familiar with for a long time might seem peculiar to an audience without any previous knowledge. “This realization reminded me of the very reason I fell in love with languages; they show that, even with all the diversity in human culture that makes the world an exciting place to live, we are, at the end of the day, all human beings that think in a similar way, that can empathize with each other,” he said. In addition to Zeng’s and Kang’s talk, Jerry Zhou ’22 will present on nonpartisan discourse, Yurok Song ’22 on the intertwining of music with human emotion, Maddie Poole ’21 on effective communication, Annalisa Fang ’22 on the flow state in music, and Fahad Shahbaz ’22 on his experience of going from a big city in Pakistan to the small town of Deerfield.  TEDxDeerfield experienced some major changes this year because of COVID-19. In the past years, Deerfield has invited guest speakers from the surrounding Pioneer Valley or other states to participate in the event. This year, due to COVID restrictions, the group of speakers is composed entirely of students. With the departure of Mr. David Thiel, who used to be the head of TEDxDeerfield, and the graduation of several student leaders, the current committee has had to further adjust to a new norm.  However, the event will still happen in-person at the Hess Concert Hall, with a socially distanced audience, and recordings of the presentations will be uploaded to Youtube for those who miss the chance to attend. Be sure to check out this event!

Dear Reader, If you were to ask me what I miss the most about “normal” Deerfield life this year, it would be the thrill of sitting on a Green Machine with thirty other students to travel off-campus. Waking up on a Saturday when the sun is shining, gathering your friends, and giving the Greenfield Cab Company over thirty calls to try to grab a ride heading to Greenfield or Northampton, is a pursuit not for the meek of heart. The early morning hikes to Supercuts after giving Mark Chung ’21 an arguably very professional haircut. The afternoons exploring every corner and thrift store in Northampton, only to stumble upon a store filled with old military outfits. The nights standing in the snow with shorts and a Levi’s denim jacket as I fought my way to go see Black Panther or making dumplings with my best friends at Gabriella Hu’s ’21 house. These too, are all memories that have stuck with me. To many new Deerfield students, these possibilities may seem foreign, and maybe even unimaginable. The thought of leaving campus and seeing strangers seems so far from our current reality that it seems implausible to even think of the prospect of it once COVID-19 settles.  Consciously breaking through the walls of the “Deerfield Bubble” has made my experience here richer. The various towns of the Pioneer Valley have been home to some of my favorite off-campus memories.  First up, and the closest to Deerfield, is the town of Greenfield . After weeks of planning, only to have the secret broken unknowingly from a close friend that day, my friends planned a surprise birthday party for me at the pizza restaurant Magpie. This dinner was the first time I had ever sat with all my friends at one table. Unlike the round tables of the dining hall where I could only seat about eight classmates, our table at Magpie was filled with fifteen of my closest friends. By traveling off-campus, I was able to finally share a moment with all of the people that made my time at Deerfield so special.  Next up is Northampton. My favorite memory in Northampton was actually my first trip there. On a brisk day during Fall Family Weekend, I was comfortable with staying in the comfort of my room on campus. Little did I know that campus would be so silent, that you could hear a pin drop in the Greer. But rather than waiting around for my friends to return, Rosa Sun ’21, Lily Steinwold ’21, and I decided to get on a Green Machine and head to Northampton. I stepped off the bus to be surrounded by an Urban Outfitters, a bubble tea shop, a vinyl and comic book store, and a colorful candy shop. My paradise. By leaving campus, I got to share that paradise with my friends. Lastly, and the biggest hike from campus, is Amherst. At the beginning of my eleventh-grade year, I traveled to Amherst with Christina Li ’20, Soo Oh ’20, Sarah Jung ’20, and Mark. Together, we all ate at a Korean restaurant named Gohyang . Although the kimchi jjigae may not have been the most authentic, I enjoyed learning more about my friend’s culture and wouldn’t have been able to do so if I stayed on campus.  These are just a few of the off-campus memories that have made my time at Deerfield so special. Beyond the valley, I will always remember my trip to Spain with the CSGC and trying new restaurants in my hometown of New York City with Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21. But I hope you can all see that you do not need to take a nine-hour plane ride or three-hour drive to have worthwhile experiences off-campus. In this Issue of the Scroll , I hope that we were able to share with you different ways the Deerfield community connects to other communities. From the Specials page, I hope you all got to reflect on Deerfield’s image off-campus. In “Featuring: the Renaissance Ensemble” and “Grading at Deerfield: Paving the Way for Open Conversations,” you can read how Deerfield’s programs and students’ interests compare to those of our peer schools. From “Deerfield Hockey’s Commitment to Sarah Duval’s Legacy,” Sophia Hamlen ’22 writes about how our sports teams continue their commitment to standing with teams off-campus.  When things return to normal, Deerfield, remember that it is okay to take a step off-campus. As boarding school students, we live where we work and those boundaries begin to blend. Each student should take these moments to enjoy their times together. Deerfield also has a commitment to teaching leaders who engage in their communities. When you leave campus, you will be reminded of these responsibilities Deerfield instills within each one of us.   As we leave for Spring Break, remember to go out of your comfort zone and experience new parts of your hometown. Then, when you return to campus, you will appreciate the normalcy all the more. Work Hard, Be Kind, and Get Smart, Harry Niles

Many of us spent our time in quarantine exploring different intellectual activities, whether it be chess, Go, crossword puzzles, or sudoku. The COVID-19 pandemic might have brought life to a halt, but these games are thriving, most notably chess.  Chess has been exploding in popularity. One of the world’s oldest games, whose origin can be traced back almost 1500 years, is the pandemic’s new surprise. Demand for both online and over-the-board chess surged as everyone, shut-in and under siege from the coronavirus, discovered the ancient sport. Chess is no longer just a game for geniuses; it has rebranded itself as a lively pastime for the masses. The premiere of the Netflix Series The Queen’s Gambit in October has inspired millions more to take up chess. The No. 1 Netflix show details the fictional story of Beth Harmon, an orphan girl in the 1960s who succeeds in the male-dominated game of chess while grappling with addiction. The current interest in chess stems from a combination of the pandemic, The Queen’s Gambit , and the massive increase in coverage from popular content creators and streamers. With my newfound free time during winter break, I found myself consumed by chess. I, like many of my friends, registered a chess.com account, with the intention of it just being a fun little distraction. Soon, however, I developed a passion for the game. I was regularly playing games against players from all over the world, watching live coverage of top-level tournaments, and scratching my head as I attempted to figure out the solution to the daily puzzles. Unlike video games, I actually felt productive and accomplished while doing so. Even if I lost, I was always eager to study the computer’s chess analysis to find out why I didn’t win. Instead of succumbing to my urge to punch a hole through the wall, I learned to use a loss as motivation to improve.  Whenever I’m contemplating a trade or piece sacrifice, I take into account how active the piece is, whether or not I have a material advantage, and if I’m getting some kind of positional compensation in return. Life is like a chess game, and we have to know when to sacrifice and when to make a trade in order to survive. In this past year, for example, we have had to sacrifice our social lives for the well-being of ourselves and others around us.  Much of the appeal of intellectual activities has to do with how they can help us stay focused and grounded. They are relatively easy to pick up, yet surprisingly difficult to master. They generally have simplistic rules, yet an infinite number of complexities. But most importantly, they stimulate our brain and are able to provide us with much-needed social connections amidst a time of crisis. Chess has allowed me to remain in contact with my friends from other dorms and family members in China. It’s more than just a pastime or a game for me; it’s a means to communicate with those closest to me. And not only that, but it has changed how I make decisions, making me more aware of the consequences of my actions, and how I approach my activities, teaching me to look ahead and to think in a systematic, step-by-step way. I urge everyone at Deerfield to explore these activities with their friends, classmates, and family members. Perhaps play a few quick games of Bullet Chess after study hall or complete a New York Times Crossword before class. Let’s all have some fun!

Lights, Camera, Action! The scene starts, and the audience can feel the magic of theater come alive. The Deerfield winter theater production will feature fourteen pieces, a mix of one-act plays, monologues, and scenes from plays and movies such as The Crucible and Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 . Rehearsals were directed by faculty members as well as students from the Acting/Directing for Production course, and filming took place in the Black Box Theater, where a white box was constructed to transition from scene to scene quickly and seamlessly. Theater Director Catriona Hynds said about the production, “It has been an interesting way and fun way to work, creating all these different worlds. Most of the scenes are comedic, but of course, there will be a couple of dark ones in there.” Here is a sneak peek of a few of the scenes and what the actors have to say! The Tarantino Variations is a one-act parody of director Quentin Tarantino’s famous gun scenes, and should be a hilarious progression to watch unfold. Actor Will Sussbauer ’23 emphasized the need to expect the unexpected, saying, “Many of the actors are having a blast exploring new types of roles, some of which may surprise the viewers, as [the roles] are quite far from the typical demeanor of us. I am very, very excited for the people of Deerfield to see a totally new side of me!” I’m Herbert is a one-act performance featuring Gavin Mariani ’23. Portraying an old married couple reflecting on their youth, this should be a heartwarming and nostalgic scene to watch. What helps Mariani get in character? He said he feels as though the added element of filming and technology for this performance especially “completes the character” in a cohesive way, and added that “it’s the elaborate  sets and well-thought out costumes that really bring a scene to life, and make you be that character in that moment.” Ally Atwell ’22 and Thomas Lyons ’21 are the stars of Sure Thing , a scene about two young adults who make conversation in a café on a rainy night. Atwell describes the scene as comedic and “a nice way to keep the energy up during the winter term…” She said, “It’s really just a lot of fun to watch and observe how people judge one another off first impressions… the plots of the scenes are shocking and hilarious.”  Lyons expressed that while, from beginning to end, the process presented unique challenges, those hurdles allowed him to create meaningful memories with Atwell. He said, “When in person, we couldn’t see each other’s facial expressions– when there was a positive test early in the term and we had to return to Zoom, I remember feeling so glad I could see what expressions [Atwell] was making. The first time we wore the plastic, see-through masks, we just stared at each other and started laughing.” As one of many programs contributing to Deerfield’s “Artsapalooza,” the theater program has prepared an amazing group of pieces that should prove to be interesting and fun to watch! Be sure to check it out on the Artsapalooza website!