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To some extent, fashion is an artform. Beyond the Valley showcases these aspects of fashion on its Instagram page. Its team works to compile profiles of Deerfield’s best-dressed, sharing the places those students bought their clothing items to allow for viewers to engage more deeply with the fashion world. Beyond the Valley , like many artists, often has its eyes open for different color combinations and other nuances that can make a piece an attention-grabber that fits into the Deerfield dress code but also highlights each student’s individuality. Each student profile also has their own color scheme that is used to label the photos, and the Beyond the Valley team finds complementary colors to decorate the photos.  Devin Trice ’21, co-founder of Beyond the Valley says, “We have an Instagram account that I think is incredibly engaging and offers inspiration for lots of cool conversations and debates about fashion and trends.”  Besides their Instagram account, Beyond the Valley also runs an online blog where they publish articles every two months. The blog has three main pillars that they focus on: Deerfield’s creativity, inspiration, and affordability and sustainability. Trice adds, “I include almost every piece the writers turn into our editing board. Their work is amazing, and I like sharing it with other Deerfield students.”  Beyond the Valley is accessible to every type of person, serving as a form of individual expression and tastes from which anyone can draw inspiration. Not only does it explore the latest fashion trends, but also gives tips on how to have fun with Deerfield’s blazer dress code and use a variety of different color schemes to people’s advantage.  In response to the pandemic-related increases in indoor activity, Beyond the Valley also directed its followers to the best places to buy affordable, comfortable loungewear. In every way, Beyond the Valley is helping to showcase the fashion world outside of the “Deerfield bubble.” In addition to focusing on general fashion, the publication also features luxury brands like Prada or Gucci and how their products affect the Deerfield Community and also the society on a global scale, especially during the pandemic.  In exciting, upcoming news, Beyond the Valley is hosting a fashion show with various campus alliances to showcase Deerfield’s diversity on campus. Scheduled for the first or second weekend of February, the event will showcase different cultures and ethnicities that help define the Deerfield campus culture and diverse student body. Trice says, “I think the fashion show will offer insight on the beauty of the multitude of cultures that exist here at Deerfield, and I hope it can serve as an educational and beautiful experience for whoever chooses to attend.”  To put it nicely, Angie concludes that Beyond the Valley encompasses, “Making fashion choices that move beyond the valley, the Deerfield bubble, and what a stereotypical Deerfield student should look like.”

If you were on a desert island, what is one thing you would bring?  Moisturizer. Definitely. Being on an island, I think my skin would get super dry! Favorite Hobby?  I love to run, but is that considered a hobby?  Favorite dining hall meal? Recently I’ve been loving the Bi Bim Bop, but I’ve always been a fan of the shepherd pie.  Do you have a lucky number? 7.  Why is that?  I think it mostly has to do with my birthday. I was born in July, which is the seventh month of the year, and I was born in 1977.  One place you want to travel? I want to visit a lot of places, but the top of the list is Chile. I also want to go to Brazil, but because they speak Portuguese, I think I would have a better time in Chile.  Favorite saying? It’s kind of a rhyme. “Any job big or small, do it right or not at all.” It helps me stay motivated even when I’m doing small tasks.  What’s at the top of your bucket list? I have a lot of things on my bucket list, but I really want to learn more languages, specifically German and Portuguese, and then I want to be able to travel to those places! Peanut butter or jelly? Peanut butter, hands down. 100%.

Although Deerfield offers yoga classes to its students, the details of the practice remain murky to many. Hoping to help students learn more, Yoga Instructor Lindel Hart explained what he felt yoga was all about.  Mr. Hart said, “Yoga is different things to different people. Even if it’s not a conscious choice to meditate, there is something akin to meditation that happens organically.”  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 86% of people who regularly practiced yoga reported that it helped them reduce stress. Although the physical and spiritual parts of yoga go hand in hand, they both individually offer major benefits. “The practice of yoga and doing the poses works the muscular system, the joints, and the neurological system,” Mr. Hart stated. “No matter what pose you’re doing,” he said, “you’re engaging the whole body.”  He also described the importance of striving for a sense of neutrality so that you are focused on both your body and mind but not to the point where one dominates the other. When asked what the biggest benefit of yoga was, Mr. Hart emphasized balance. “It’s not a magic pill,” he said. “It takes vigilance, determination, and patience.” Additionally, he explained how important persistence was to the practice, saying, “There’s a lot of poses that I don’t like at all but I still do them because the poses that you hate the most are your most valuable teachers.” When asked what his favorite yoga pose was, Mr. Hart said “half moon,” where you are balancing on one leg, rotating to the side, and opening your chest. “It’s expansive of both the physical body and the energy body.”  Current member of the yoga co-curricular Aurelia Bolton mentioned that she was inspired to try yoga at Deerfield after doing it in her freetime with guidance from YouTube videos. “Doing yoga is like having a break in my day,” she said. “We all know how stressful Deerfield can be so it’s nice to have an hour where I get to put my phone away and relax, while also doing something good for my body.” When asked how students at Deerfield could benefit from yoga, Aurelia mentioned that it forces people out of their comfort zone. “Using free time, even 10 minutes, to do a quick practice could be extremely beneficial.” Mr. Hart also explained what yoga at Deerfield specifically looks like. “Knowing what Deerfield can provide in terms of an education and being able to put yoga into that inspires me and gives me great hope,” he explained. If you are interested in exploring yoga at Deerfield, Mr. Hart teaches the yoga co-curricular every term and offers yoga to the community in many other ways such as featured weekend events or optional afternoon sessions.

If this spring becomes the fourth straight term without interscholastic sports games for Deerfield teams, spring sports teams will have been affected disproportionately compared to other seasons’ teams: they will have missed not one, but two whole seasons of interscholastic competition. Putting this bleak possibility aside, there certainly is hope when it comes to playing against other schools this spring, and the possibility of Deerfield obtaining vaccines before or during spring term is the source of much of it. In a letter titled “Healthy Deerfield and the 2020-2021 School Year,” sent out before the start of fall term, Head of School Dr. John Austin highlighted that Deerfield’s plan to minimize the spread of COVID on campus was essentially a combination of “overlapping and mutually supporting layers of mitigation.” Put simply, everything that Deerfield is doing differently this year, from wearing POM tracers to adopting a staggered lunch schedule, is one of many layers in Deerfield’s plan to combat COVID.  Having members of the Deerfield community vaccinated would offer another layer of protection, but it could mean a lot more than any of the measures Deerfield currently has in place. Having a significant percentage of students, faculty, and staff on campus vaccinated could bring significant change, and perhaps even allow Deerfield to regularly compete in interscholastic sports games again. The prospect of vaccinating almost everyone on campus, though, comes with a lot of questions.  Firstly, when either the Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, or some other vaccine becomes available to Deerfield, it is highly unlikely that all 647 students, or at least those on campus, will consent to being vaccinated. The same may be true of some Deerfield staff and faculty as well. Even if Deerfield administrators believe in the safety and efficacy of a vaccine, the question of consent for vaccination is a deeply personal one, and it is hard to predict what percent of campus will be open to receiving a vaccine.  One student who already knows he’ll say yes to vaccination is Max Wuchenich ’21, a two-year JV lacrosse player who has been planning to make the jump to varsity since last school year. The boys’ varsity lacrosse team, as is true of many Deerfield teams, is full of committed college athletes, including postgraduate students. Obviously, missing out on interscholastic games in their respective “primary” sports has been tough for postgraduate students, but the upcoming lacrosse season also means a lot to students like Wuchenich, who only have one more shot to play on a varsity team as a Deerfield student.  Wuchenich does not intend to commit to a college lacrosse program, but he has been working his way up from junior varsity since freshman year. Last winter, he trained with the varsity team, hoping to play for them in the spring season. Wuchenich is doing the same this winter and is hoping to play on varsity in the spring.  When asked to express his feelings about the season ahead, Wuchenich stated, “This season’s been two years in the making, and I think we have a ton of talent this time around.” He added, “I think I can speak on behalf of almost the entire lacrosse team when I say this: we’ll do anything to play.” Wuchenich is just one of many athletes for whom this upcoming season is extremely important.  According to Athletic Director Bob Howe, there is a real possibility of playing interscholastic sports this spring. Mr. Howe pointed out that certain sports are more likely than others because of how inherently COVID-safe they are. Take tennis or golf, for example. In theory, each of these sports could be played with incredibly low risk of transmission. Athletes from opposing schools could easily wear masks and avoid contacting each other. Additionally, tennis and golf are often played outside. Track & field could potentially be low-risk as well. In contact sports like lacrosse, on the other hand, the likelihood of transmission certainly seems higher, but that’s not to say games won’t be played; with enough testing and trust between schools, lacrosse games are possible. Trust between opposing schools will probably be the most important aspect of interscholastic games this spring. For Deerfield to allow its students to travel to another school, or vice versa, that school will have to be up to Deerfield’s standards of COVID protocols–this means that  testing strategies, frequency of positive cases, and other important factors could determine whether Deerfield plays a certain school. Mr. Howe added that Deerfield will likely have to play games within Massachusetts, as legislation wouldn’t allow for interstate travel. This might mean Deerfield won’t see some of its usual opponents: Hotchkiss, Choate, and Exeter, just to name a few.  With plenty of challenges ahead, Mr. Howe is staying optimistic about spring sports. He concluded by saying, “We’re committed to playing some games this spring because it matters to this school.” While nearly all Deerfield athletes would love to play interscholastic games if we could do so safely, all there is to do right now is hope for the best.

As part of the Scroll’s mission of truth, we are  providing the Deerfield community with the resources for constructive, factually-rooted discussions beyond classroom settings in this column. Here, we will give an array of evidence from reputable sources that  feature a different topic, and a range of perspectives each issue. With this column, we hope that students are not only able to spark conversation in their halls, sit-down tables, and club meetings, but be incentivized to seek their own truths in media. *All data was collected on February 11, 2021. CDC : 34.7 million people (10.5% of the population) have received the COVID-19 vaccine. New York Times : President Biden has announced his plans to administer 100 million doses of the vaccine by his 100th day of office. NYT : 4 vaccines have been approved globally for full use. In the U.S., only the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are currently being administered. 2 other American candidates are currently seeking FDA approval. Nature : Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are mRNA, the first of their kind to be used.  Preliminary research and staggered trials allowed for both vaccines to be produced in record times—a couple months as compared to 10 or more years. NYT : mRNA vaccines work by injecting genetic material into an individual, temporarily producing a small portion of the COVID-19 virus. The antibodies built in this process provide immunity. Reuters : COVID-19 variants are a key concern in vaccine administration, as they currently show indications of further mutation. Associated Press : About 1 in 3 American adults are hesitant to receive the vaccine. Top rationales include concerns about side effects and a confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is unnecessary.  NYT : It is not yet known how much of a population needs to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity. Estimates currently range from 60-85%. Wall Street Journal : 1 in 5 white and Hispanic adults in the U.S. do not have plans to get the vaccine, compared to 1 in 3 black adults.

Winter term at Deerfield is notorious for the various challenges it presents. Facing often frigid temperatures and decreased sunlight, many find the season to be long and dark. This academic year, the restrictions brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated mental health concerns. In response, multiple groups have taken initiative to bolster campus morale and bring more focused attention upon student mental health. The Deerfield counseling program has taken initiative this winter in creating a student advising committee. “We decided we don’t want to be doing mental health to the student body,” explained Director of Counseling Dr. Josh Relin. We want to be doing mental health with the student body in a sort of feedback loop, hearing more in real time what’s going on in terms of trends and needs of the students and how our services are being perceived.” A particularly important aspect of the committee will be its focus on supporting students who identify as BIPOC or LBGTQ+. Dr. Relin hopes for the committee to include students belonging to those communities so they might assist the counseling department in filling in any “blind spots” it previously held with regard to amplifying voices and promoting inclusivity.  The idea for a student committee had begun circulating a couple years prior, but Dr. Relin said many aspects of the recent national climate pushed the idea to become a reality this year. “With all the different forces and current events going on in the world right now, it just seemed like the moment was right,” he said. In addition to consulting with students, the counselors also hold frequent professional development sessions which integrate the needs of students from marginalized communities. Student leaders are also seeking ways to more effectively support their community. In January, Dr. Margaret Brown, Dr. Susan Watson, and Deerfield counselors facilitated a virtual mental health training session for Peer Counselors and Proctors. In the meeting, the student leaders shared fall term experiences that were challenging for their peers, and discussed how those lessons might equip them to handle potential difficulties of the winter. They also reviewed important strategies to care for themselves and others. Dr. Brown listed examples like “knowing when to check-in and check-out” with others, and “striving for balance over a period of time, maybe thinking about life over the course of a week.”  While the Winter Term schedule has presented challenges for 9th grade group meetings with Peer Counselors, Dr. Brown emphasized a spirit of experimentation. Groups may shift from their more curriculum-based meetings to more casual check-ins to assess well-being in a more laid-back, hopefully more effective setting. Furthermore, the Peer Counselors are seeking out ways to continue to be a visible and inspiring force on campus, such as looking to present at future school meetings. Peer Counselor Cam Howe ‘22 understands the difficulties that may come with this term. She hopes to approach her work with an open mind and the acknowledgement that many people, including herself, struggle with the inevitable ups and downs of the season. “The same way emotions are fluctuating with the time of year, so will the way people cope with changes in their mental health. Rather than trying to rush to a goal of a resolution, it’s just important to really listen to what someone is going through, and continue to check in so they’ll know you have their support through the season,” said Howe. The various protocols of Healthy Deerfield largely center around the idea of dorm “squads,” and colder temperatures may lead students to spend more time in their dorms. In response, Teaching Assistants Arianne Evans ’16 and Brian Persons (’16?), and Residential Assistant Sarah Dancer ’16 are seeking out new ways to brighten these living spaces for students by distributing fun supplies and decorations for each hall. Brainstorming for this initiative began over winter break. LED lights were among the first ideas to be approved and brought to action, and students returned to campus to find their halls already adorned with the new lighting. “As a person who had LED lights myself in high school, I just wanted to make halls more lively, and high-energy spaces that feel more like home, versus just a blank corridor,” said Ms. Evans. Many dorm leaders also took the opportunity to submit specific decorations they wanted, like life-sized wall decal stickers, from Spongebob characters to famous athletes. Board games and projectors were also distributed to each hall. Ms. Evans said about these additions, “We wanted something to contribute to student well-being on weekdays, so they’re not just waiting for weekend activities. It feels like a more sustainable approach to student mental health.” TA Treasure Hunts have also been a popular weekend event on campus, recurring every Friday nights in the Athletic Center. Facilitated by Teaching Assistants, the activity is meant to encourage students to spend more time with those outside their squads, and offers prizes such as magnetic dartboards and beanie hats. Robbie Hua ‘24 was among those who participated in the first Treasure Hunt this winter. He felt that the experience was rewarding, most importantly allowing for the opportunity to reconnect with friends. “I hadn’t talked to those people since fall, so it was fun to get to see them again,” said Hua. “We actually ended up going two weeks in a row.” These TA and RA campus initiatives are funded with the support of the Student Life Office, which has also facilitated its own programs. Ms. Amie Creagh recognized how lessons from the school’s fall term reopening have profoundly shaped the administration’s decisions for the winter, including the consideration of how to better facilitate student mental health.  Hoping to improve the overall student experience this winter, the SLO has been hard at work. New furniture has been placed in locations like the Hess and the Athletics Complex. The dining pavilion is decorated with dorm banners, and lighting designed to simulate the Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter. Squad skate times encourage more extensive use of the new outdoor rink, a particularly significant addition to campus this year. Community feedback for the rink has been largely positive. “The lights around the rink look beautiful at night,” said Antonia Forero ‘22. “Winter at Deerfield usually feels super repetitive and uneventful, so these small things that change up our environment definitely make a difference.” Additionally, events like rink broomball tournaments, which do not require skating experience, reflect the goal of the administration to create a space that can be meaningful to a broader range of students.  In this light, Ms. Creagh described her interpretation of mental health at Deerfield as requiring “attentiveness.” “Some folks are naturally more psyched about the rink than others but I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see kids who have never been on the ice before, just going for it,” she said. We want to support those kids who already like winter and [are] trying to leverage that love while supporting those who struggle in the winter,” said Ms. Creagh. Alongside the ice rink, weekend food trucks have been a winter highlight for students. The Student Planning Committee (SPC) and Coordinator of Student Activities Mr. Brian Barbato arranged the food trucks partially in response to the closing of the Greer. SPC Member Chelsea Davis ‘23 emphasized the way accessibility to food can positively impact those on campus. “Since a lot of things have been taken away from us already, the food trucks might bring some of those comfort foods to people,” said Davis. “It’s a way to bring a little extra happiness to campus.” While providing delicious food, the food trucks aim to bring together people as well. Anne Duong ‘22 identified the food trucks as her favorite weekend activity because the opportunities they provide to see other people. She said, “Getting food from the food truck actually gives me incentive to go outside.. which is when I often see my friends and socialize for a bit, too.” Davis added, “Waiting in lines isn’t that great all the time but there is a sense of solidarity in waiting in that cold with others… especially to get hot food in the cold.”  While wintertime may mean a variety of things to the Deerfield student body, Dr. Relin believes that reflecting upon mental health this season can be beneficial to all. He said, “There’s all these countervailing forces that cause us to shut down and get tired, so there’s more of a headwind to stay in touch with those sources that give our lives sustenance.”  The various branches of leadership at Deerfield embrace this importance of caring for ourselves and each other, and hope that their efforts this term are able to reach as many people as possible, whether it be through a light-hearted game of Monopoly in the dorm for one student, or, for another, a discussion with the counselors about how to maximize mental health support.

Focused, determined, and inspiring are only a few words that begin to describe our Athlete of the Issue. Whether she’s wrestling in the gym, leading Student Council, or looking after her proctees on Johnson I, Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21 is a highly respected and well-loved member of the Deerfield community.  Osei-Ampadu was first introduced to the Deerfield wrestling team during a Sunday sit-down her ninth-grade year. She  found herself particularly captivated  by the team’s willingness to accept students from all backgrounds and levels of wrestling experience.  “I think that diversity is very important. You look at my friends, they’re from all different types of races, backgrounds, and have various interests. Take the wrestling team, too. From me being the only girl on the team my freshman year, to now having nine girls and one non-binary person is an incredible sign of progress,” Osei-Ampadu said.  Despite being the only female member of the team during her first year, Osei-Ampadu never felt excluded by her male peers, but instead felt empowered as the only girl on the mat. Indeed, the resilience and positivity she has displayed throughout the years have propelled her  to success. Her sophomore year, she placed 2nd at Phillips Academy Andover New England Girls’ Wrestling Tournament in the 113 lb. weight class. Her junior year, she placed 2nd in the same tournament, competing in the 117 lb. weight class. Her achievements did not stop there. In February 2020, Osei-Ampadu won the first ever official New England Girls’ Wrestling Championship in the 121 lb. weight class.  Osei-Ampadu, while disappointed in the cancellation of interscholastic wrestling this year, also expressed her determination to improve even with a modified season. She said, “This is just another test for Deerfield wrestling: ‘Are you still motivated to work your hardest every day, despite having no meets? How badly do you want to get better?’”  Devin Trice ‘21, Osei-Ampadu’s longtime friend, commented on the way this perseverance enriches the lives of others around her. “I am constantly in awe of her accomplishments and her ability to continuously raise the bar for not only girls at Deerfield, but everywhere. She is a literal Superwoman,” said Trice. After years of dedication and hard work to improve her skills, Osei-Ampadu has been given the chance to wrestle at the Division I level next year for Brown University. She hopes to extend her impact in the wrestling world, such as lobbying for more Division I wrestling programs in universities and potentially creating a women’s wrestling club at Brown. Varsity Wrestling Head Coach Dr. Houston, holds Osei-Ampadu in the highest regard. He said, “For two years as captain, Angie has epitomized and personified the ideals of Deerfield wrestling: intensity, intelligence, and integrity. She leads with élan, inspiring confidence and compassion; she teaches with absolute focus and authority; she maintains a culture of compassion and inclusivity. Angie’s leadership has been transformative, and it will long be remembered!”

For much of the last 50 years, the United States and the People’s Republic of China have made steady progress in establishing a stable relationship. But ever since Donald Trump took office in 2017, US-China relations have deteriorated sharply. His confrontational policies and “America First” approach only weakened key alliances in Europe and Asia. They failed to slow down China’s increasingly hegemonic aspirations. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic, the US-China trade war, and the Hong Kong protests have further strained tensions over the past few years. As Joe Biden begins his term as president, it raises the question: How will his administration tackle the deepening US-China crisis and prevent the “New Cold War”? Joe Biden successfully ran his campaign on the promise of beating the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding the Affordable Care Act, increasing taxes for the wealthy, fighting climate change, and reviving the economy through his “Build Back Better” recovery plan. In terms of foreign policy, Biden has publicly reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting its NATO allies and made it clear that he will not be “soft” on China. He will, however, cooperate with China in converging interests, including climate change, global health security, and non-proliferation. However, it is important to note Biden’s emphasis that China and foreign policy will not be his administration’s top priority. Biden refers to the flagship of his China policy as: “Summit for Democracy”, a multilateral front of allied nations challenging China. He designed it to “renew the spirit and shared purpose of the nations of the Free World”, and to intentionally exclude Xi Jinping and other authoritarian leaders. Yet, determining invitees will be difficult, especially concerning allies who recently demonstrated anti-democratic trends; although, setting high admission bars will only alienate partners. For Biden’s foreign policy to succeed, he will need to combine Trump’s antagonistic approach with a level of friendly engagement. He cannot simply ignore China– the Chinese government is possibly the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II. With its relative economic boom amidst the pandemic, China is now set to overtake America as the world’s largest economy by 2028. Therefore, Biden will need to know when to adopt a tough stance on China and when to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation on global issues. Perhaps the biggest challenge to his plan will be convincing potential partners to ally with the US after years of unilateralism under Trump. Why ally with the US instead of the soon-to-be largest economy when there is a possibility of Trump (or someone with similar policies) regaining the presidency in 2024? Given the increasingly negative views Americans have on China, it is difficult to imagine the new administration easing up on issues concerning technology and trade. After all, there is a bipartisan consensus between Democrats and Republicans for the US to remain tough on China (according to polls conducted by the Pew Research Center). By now, I’ve learnt to accept the hard reality that a major improvement in their relationship is nearly impossible, as human rights violations and accusations of intellectual property theft continue to cause the two countries to drift further apart. If Biden’s China policy is successful, China’s aggressions and assaults on democracy will most likely be contained. If he fails, China will dominate the next decade as the world’s leading superpower, hence, Biden’s careful balancing of competition and cooperation through multilateralism is one of the best ways to approach the US-China crisis.

Over the eight week winter break, multiple construction projects took place including the assembly of an outdoor ice rink, the construction of a heated dining pavilion, and the renovation of campus buildings into day student dorms.  The outdoor ice rink located on the quad between the Koch Center and Harold Smith dormitory was officially opened to students on January 22. At the moment, students are only able to skate in the outdoor rink on weekends through reservations of thirty-minute time slots with their dorm squads, while usual hockey practices for the recreational, junior varsity girls, and junior varsity boys teams are hosted in the outdoor rink during co-curricular times on weekdays. “The goal of constructing the outdoor ice rink was to bring a sense of joy and festivity to what might otherwise be a bleak winter,” said Assistant Head for Student Life and Language Teacher Amie Creagh. With open rink times available throughout the weekend, students have been able to experience first-hand whether Ms. Creagh’s testament that the ice rink has brought together the Deerfield community and added joy during these particularly challenging days rings true. Carson Belaire ’23 said, “The rink is a place to hang out and relax with your friends. It provides extra space for the hockey team to practice but also allows those who don’t skate to experience the sport.” Deerfield also built a heated dining pavilion – colloquially referred to as Hogwarts Hall – in order to revive its treasured tradition of sit-down lunches while also adhering to the de-densifying principle amidst COVID-19. The pavilion extends out from the main entrance of the dining hall. Presently, four to eight students sit at each table, with each chair placed six feet apart. The waiting system has also been greatly altered compared to previous years in compliance with the community health guidelines.  Despite restrictions on meeting people outside of one’s hall squad, the upgraded system of eating at long vertical tables eliminated the need for plexiglass dividers used on dining tables in the fall. This change allowed for more natural conversations as the dividers previously hindered students from hearing conversation clearly. “In previous years, sit-down meals have always been a way to come together as a community and get to know teachers and fellow students that you otherwise might not have met at Deerfield,” said Katrina Csaky ’21. “Given the COVID restrictions, I think Deerfield has done a great job trying to recreate this experience.” However, she added, “the table’s composition of, in my experience, students only in your hall, makes it difficult to forge new connections that last year’s model allowed.”  Hoping to maintain a safer “bubble”, Deerfield also mandated that day students reside on campus if they wanted to attend classes in person. To facilitate the onboarding, Deerfield renovated the Hitchcock House, Ephraim Williams House, and Williams House to accommodate “boarding-day students” on campus. Describing the challenges of making these renovations, Director of Facilities Jeffrey Galli explained, “We needed to find a new home and move the bookstore. Advancement Office staff needed to pick up personal items and all remaining office items from the Ephraim Williams House needed to be packed and moved to storage.  Facilities also needed to find new office space around campus, pack and move before any of the construction work could proceed. Another challenge was finding new dorm room furniture.” In addition to the three major construction projects, Mr. Galli said, “Modifications to the Parker room were made; including creating new openings in existing walls, removal of cabinets, and dining hall equipment to allow for social distancing lines as well as some modification to the main Dining Hall service.” With the new additions to campus, Deerfield hopes to bring more delight and ease into students’ grooves despite these peculiar times. Already, the community is taking advantage of these new additions as the second half of the winter term is underway.

Deerfield has always been a safe haven for indigenous animals in Western Massachusetts. On a typical day, birds are heard chirping, cows are grazing, and you may even see a student actively recording a squirrel ready to post it on the Squirrels Of Deerfield Instagram account. However, every year, in between the fall and spring, Deerfield’s campus has become an open sanctuary for not just native animals, but foreign ones too, leaving many concerned with whether the door has been held too open.  Migrating from the north, canadian geese make their journeys south yearly in search of endowment and friendship, two qualities Deerfield never comes short of. Home of heated sidewalks, and Canada Goose’s not so distant cousin from Italy, Golden Goose, Canada Goose is seen almost everywhere on campus, it’s distinct patterns leaving the Deerfield door at risk of replacement each time they come.  In recent years, the spike in canadian geese growth has been exponential and like Sammy Cahn writes in his song Let it Snow, “man it doesn’t show signs of stopping.” Suddenly, for the first time, the Deerfield logo was endangered, as prospective students questioned tour guides whether Deerfield athletics were sponsored by Canada Goose, whether Deerfield Academy was sponsored by Canada Goose, and worse yet, asking the question “are those badges your school emblem?” while pointing at students wearing Canada Goose walking by.  In the past two years, the biggest countermeasure the Deerfield administration has undertaken is changing winter term to casual dress in hopes of repopulating the campus back with green and striking back against the foreign foes. Luckily, finally allowing students to wear the things they buy from the school store to class has reignited merchandise demand and the Deerfield colors and symbol can be seen reclaiming its territory. In the end, the score is tied up as the doors seem to have won the battle against Canada Goose. As for Golden Goose… nobody seems to know the answer to that one. Are they even a viable contender when their lifespans are a couple weeks long? Who knows, time will tell…

Over winter break, several students pursued projects to serve their community through micro-grants from the Center from Service and Global Citizenship (CSGC). Students can apply for and use micro-grants to help others in ways that suit their own interests. Ella Foulkes ’22 used her micro-grant funds to address the rising poverty in her home community. “I knew of many homeless shelters opening up for the season, and that’s a lot of at-risk people in tough environments,” said Foulkes. “I started to do some research and found that I could have the greatest impact by distributing facemasks and food. I decided to sew 40 face masks for the 37 people staying at a homeless shelter in Amherst, and bake and deliver 45 meals to people who I knew were having trouble getting [food].” In addition to providing masks and food, she also volunteered at a local food bank to help combat increasing food insecurity.  Lilian Regal ’24 leveraged her passion for crocheting by donating her crocheted items, like hats, to Warm Up America, a charity that accepts a variety of items and clothing for different causes. “I’ve been crocheting for a while, and I’d always wanted to be able to connect that with service,” she said. “This winter, I finally had the opportunity to get funding [from the CSGC]. I liked the idea of being able to help multiple causes at once,” Regal said.  Angel Zhou ’22 chose to focus on helping the senior citizens in her community in Shanghai. She interviewed fifty seniors and is currently developing a video about the stories they have shared. She decided to take this initiative after watching a Youtube video of seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “After watching this video, I felt like I should dedicate myself to helping seniors promote their thoughts and voices by the form of interview[s] and videography,” she said.  While the administrative process was relatively straightforward, there were definitely challenges along the way. Foulkes found that the precautions organizations took due to the pandemic hindered her original plan. “I was originally hoping to volunteer in the homeless shelter and actually distribute the food through there, but, understandably, they didn’t want people inside because of COVID,” she said. “That’s why [the project] took on a more independent nature.”  For Zhou, the process of filming constituted the main obstacle. “Many seniors were willing to be interviewed but not filmed, because they [were] worr[ied] about their faces being published into the public, so there [was] a lot of explaining before each interview,” she said.  The micro-grant projects not only served communities but also provided a valuable experience for each participant. For Regal, her project awakened her to the ease with which one could help those around them. “There’s so much need out there, and even one small thing can really help someone,” she said. Foulkes shared a similar sentiment with Regal, saying, “I learned how much of an impact the smaller things can have.”  For Zhou, her project was a reminder of the impact the younger generation can make in the lives of the elderly. “Many of the seniors, who I interviewed, really appreciated me asking these questions. Some of them thought that by having this interview, their voices were being heard by the younger generation, and many others even felt as if this served as a great reflection for themselves,” she said.  When asked if they had any advice for other students with similar ideas for community service, many students emphasized the importance of taking initiative. Regal encouraged fellow peers to turn their ideas into reality. “This is a time of great need, so if you have an idea for something, and there are resources available, you should just go ahead and do it,” she said.

“Winter Term has been quick but strenuous. With classes, COVID, and the cold, I feel like there is no escaping. Every time I find myself at the surface, making progress, and feeling better, some unforeseen issue pulls me down. It’s important in these moments of sinking for us to look around, see that we aren’t alone and give the support we can give each other.” Arie  Lewis-Pugh ’22 “The winter has definitely been tough on everyone, I recommend that students struggling to look out for the events that the Student Planning Committee has organized. I feel like returning students have been affected the most because of the previous excitement that Deerfield winters provided. Overall, I believe that there are resources on campus for students to take advantage in regards to mental health; however, the workload and stress of classes can make taking care of mental health seem like an unnecessary inconvenience.”  Max Kainamura ’22 “I think my mental health has actually been thriving this winter, which I feel grateful for.  At Deerfield there is pressure to take AP classes or the hardest possible courses you can muster the effort to put yourself through.  But this year, I decided that I only want to take classes that genuinely interest me.  I’m in Intro to Cosmos and Poetry.  Unlike last year I don’t dread the school day, and I’m happy for engaging in a love of learning.  Beyond that my mental health has been great because I made more hobbies for myself.  I do a lot of embroidery into my jeans and I’ve picked up sketching.  Also JV swim and the opportunity to be active everyday has promoted a healthy mindset as well!” Janie Doyle ’21 Winter is always a tough time and with COVID now too, I have found myself in some difficult days. I am definitely grateful to be here on campus with everyone, but there have been challenging days, and I think others would agree. I think one of my main things to keep in a good headspace is to just talk to my friends and people around me and to make the best of what we have…  Deerfield is very open and supportive about talking about mental health which is very helpful for students, yet I feel that some informal conversations among friends about your mental health should be more normalized. Keri Clougherty ’21 “In the winter at DA, I have always found it noticeably more mentally challenging than other terms. I think a lot of that has to do with the weather and how short and crammed the days all feel. For me especially with time commitment to swimming, I can never find time in the day to just be outside and enjoy myself like I can in the fall or spring. Luckily, I love swimming and the swim team so I have been able to rely on them alongside my other friends to get me through, so it has never been that bad for me.” Robert Amundson ’22 The winter term, especially in the midst of a pandemic, has been pretty detrimental to my mental health. That being said though, I think everyone has a tough time in the winter but as someone who struggles with mental health year round, winter can be really rough. I spend time with friends and try to keep open conversations about mental health going whenever I can regardless of who it may be and that helps me a lot – helping others with their mental health helps my mental health. Ella Mbanefo ’22 “One way that helped me cope with the winter is finding a reason to smile, which is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. For me, a reason to smile can be watching a new show, starting a new craft or changing my mentality. I tried to stop searching for the “why” in things like “why can’t I do this” or “why is this happening to me” because even though I try searching for the why during hard times, it is what it is, which brought me to a new mentality: during hard times, I try to think “bring it on.”  Sara Ito-Bagshaw ’22 “I largely experience Winter as sinking, breathlessness. The feelings of isolation and hopelessness are the most difficult part for me. I think I mostly get by looking for moments of warmth and connection however few they may be.” Adebisi Akilo ’21 “Certain restrictions definitely takes a toll on me, like isolating dorms and banning out-of-school activities, which are unarguably needed for healthier campus. Each morning, I jot down three short points: Today I will focus on… Today I am grateful for… Today I will let go of… Those brief remarks help me focus on the day and feel accomplished, which makes me feel better.” Tom Park ’21 “This winter has been somewhat rough on my mental health, and that seems to be a common theme among my friends. Everyone has different coping mechanisms, but I have found that being creative is typically successful, so whether I am writing, listening to music, or making Valentine’s Day cards for my friends, art has been a useful tool. For others in a similar situation, I would recommend diving into their passions, and finding tranquil activities to relieve some stress.” Will Sussbauer ’23 “Being a generally cheerful person in combination with the abundance of events and activities at Deerfield to keep me occupied, the winter has been a breather for me as well as many seniors finishing off their college applications. In previous winter seasons however, it has definitely been a little tough with the stress of the academic workload coupled with the bleak weather conditions. People always make it better. The winter gives you hope for the blossoming of flowers and new relationships in the Spring.” Noah Depp ’21