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As students departed campus for March break, no one in the Deerfield community could have predicted what would occur just a few short weeks later. Yet now, months after the initial departure, students and faculty alike are dispersed across the world, grappling with the shift to distance learning. For faculty members remaining on campus, the empty halls and vacated paths serve as an alarming reminder towards the new reality of an empty campus. “Without students here, you kind of wonder what you’re doing,” said Athletics Director Bob Howe. Other faculty members echoed his words. Dr. Margaret Brown, Health Issues teacher, said that “it is a little eerie, it’s just so quiet … and now I hear all these noises that I wasn’t used to hearing before.” The transition has not been easy. With administrative buildings and other dorms sealed off to all visitors, an empty campus has posed administrative challenges. “Meetings now happen through Zoom and email, sometimes it’s a phone call,” said Dr. Brown, “and that can be challenging because of the amount of time that we are now spending in front of our screens.” While adopting increased screen time, Dr. Brown said that she has found it helpful to be mindful. “The concept of mindfulness can look different for everyone. For me, it could look like going for a walk by myself, or it could be sitting in my room quietly.”   Similarly, the cancellation of an in-person spring term has been challenging for seniors looking towards their last term at Deerfield. “It was really sad to realize that we were not going to have our last term,” Trisha Boonpongmanee ’20 said. “We would never have that chance to be back in the community like it was throughout our years there.” Yet despite being separated by physical distance, seniors such as Boonpongmanee have managed to still sustain the community that she felt at Deerfield. Recreating a moment from Deerfield, Boonpongmanee said, “We [Boonpongmanee’s friends] all decided to Zoom call and bake vegan brownies simultaneously, that was really fun. It almost felt like we were there together.” For others, the end of Spring break would have marked the official start to a season. Bryce Pang ’22 said, “This season our senior class was so awesome and we had so many leaders, everyone was willing to work and we were aiming for an undefeated season so it was a really big disappointment.” Yet even faced with a cancelled season, the team remained unfazed. “We all said that we would always have each other’s back and that we would always keep in touch,” he said.   For student-musicians such as Christina Li ’20, creating music during this challenging time has helped her reconnect with her time at Deerfield. “Right now, I’m working on my EP and that was going to be my senior spring culminating experience,” she said. The EP, originally designed to be released on campus, is designed to be a composite of the songs that Li has written at Deerfield, which she says is a way of “giving back.” While continuing to work on the EP from her home studio, Li said, “If I put it out, it sounds cheesy, but it is a way of connecting people.” “This is a reminder of why I work at a place like Deerfield,” said Mr. Howe, “I do think that students will come out of this with a greater appreciation for dorm life, for classroom participation, for sports, and for special places like Deerfield … therein lies the silver lining of the COVID-19: the world is pausing, and when we get back to normal, we will all have a greater appreciation of what we have.”

Once we boarded the plane, I walked down the aisle with caution. To my left, a family of three covered themselves in sheets of protective plastic, and, to my right, an elderly couple equipped themselves with gas masks. With a pair of surgical gloves, a N-95 face mask, and a bottle of hand sanitizer tucked away in my backpack, I thought I was prepared for this flight.  It was an eerily silent trip across the Atlantic. The loudspeaker sounded only once to remind passengers to fill out a departure and arrival form. During the flight, the attendants had minimal contact with the passengers, and even our dinners, cold buns, were pre-packed in the front seat pocket.  After what seemed like an eternity, we were greeted by pouring rain at the Shanghai airport. The once-familiar sight of a crowded tarmac was replaced with endless empty gates. As far as I could see, we were the only plane in the vicinity.  Once our temperature was measured for the second time during the trip, the flight attendants escorted us out row by row. Almost immediately, Chinese workers in white hazmat suits greeted us. They instructed us to sit down in a booth to fill out another form, this time asking us for our home address. The sight of booths and white hazmat suits didn’t stop until we reached the luggage carousel, where each luggage was individually sprayed with disinfectant. Lugging our heavy suitcases across the airport, we were directed to a booth corresponding to our residential district, Changning, where 13 anxious passengers boarded a bus to a designated hotel for all overseas travelers. Yes, hotels all over China were repurposed to become testing centers and isolated accommodations for travelers. “This will be really quick and painless,” the worker said. She stood two feet away from me and slowly placed a cotton tip at the back of my throat, then repeating the procedure with my nose. After, she placed my sample in a tube to be sent away for testing. “Go to your hotel room now,” she then instructed. We stayed in the hotel that night, waiting for the results to come back, and were finally sent home for 14 days of home lockdown.  Overall, the trip home took 30 hours. It was shocking to experience China’s mandatory quarantine for all overseas travelers, which includes phone-tracking technology, home-surveillance systems, separate trash sorting, and daily temperature checks, all of which I am experiencing as I am writing this article.  This exhausting and effective process might raise some questions about breaches of individual privacy  in America, but the Confucian emphasis on group wellbeing allows such interventions to take place. What we can say from our experience is that this process is mobilized by selfless medical workers, all of whom were gentle and kind as they carried out their duties. I felt safe and informed during the whole process, and it will surely be one of the most memorable experiences in my life. Although our reality is merely one out of millions, we hope, by sharing our story, to radiate positivity and hope that this virus can be defeated. The initiatives that Deerfield students are leading show us that compassion and gratitude are always welcome. When a new normal emerges post-COVID-19, let’s carry forth that activism and blaze a trail, the impact of which will be felt across the world, from New York all the way to Shanghai.

Are you wondering how you are going to make it through the next four months of your teenage life with your family? We are too, but here are some tips that will make it a little more bearable.  During this pandemic, everyone and their mothers seem to have become Martha Stewart. Perhaps it is time for you to hop on that trend and get into the kitchen. Maybe consider backing an old fan favorite and a forever classic – banana bread. If you are looking to be a little more adventurous, try chickpea blondies or sweet potato brownies. While this may sound appalling, and according to our mothers, “they look and smell like the dog’s last potty break,” they are in fact delicious.  Have you ever heard of whipped coffee? We hadn’t either until we downloaded TikTok. Speaking of TikTok, we would recommend you do the same; although, steer clear of the coffee trend: it’s horrible. TikTok is incredibly educational, and we have now learned how to “throw it back”, received an insider peek into the infamous “Hype House”, and conquered arduous tasks like dying our hair pink.  After all the TikToks and baking, you must be tired. Why not seek some repose by bundling up with Joe Exotic? Similar to TikTok, the show is extremely educational. It sheds light on animal conservation, amazing country music (“here kitty kitty” is our favorite), and how to get away with murder (*cough* *cough* Carole Baskin). Once you are finished with this rollercoaster of a show, we recommend Love is Blind, Below Deck, and Schitt’s Creek. Following in the footsteps of our parents (literally), we suggest taking approximately seven walks a day to get out of the confines of your abode. Not only is it a scientifically proven mood booster, but it makes your dog feel as though it is their birthday every day. The absurd number of steps that you will soon be walking will ensure you are passed out by 9:30 pm. Just in time for 12 hours of sweet sleep.  We hope to see you on Tik Tok, Zoom, or in September with bleached clothing, a new appreciation for baking, some interesting hair colors, and toned calves. We miss you all dearly, stay safe.  Much love,  Grace and Camille

This spring, teachers are perfecting the art of Screen Share, and online PDFs have replaced books. But what about the members of our community who typically spend their afternoons practicing their instruments or painting in the studio? This transition has presented an additional challenge for the Visual and Performing Arts faculty at Deerfield—how can the artistic spirit of Deerfield be continued and nurtured through screens?   Studio art and architecture curriculums have adjusted according to supplies and materials that students may have at home. While AP Studio Art classes are continuing to work towards the AP exam in May, Post-AP classes have been pursuing a collaboration-based curriculum, named Art for Us.  Visual and Performing Arts and Studio Art Teacher Mercedes Taylor is currently working with an alumnus artist, Angel Abre ‘92, creating weekly prompts for students to explore in their art.  Benny Yang ‘21 added that he enjoys the unique structure of the new curriculum: “At the end of each week, we submit our pieces together as a whole, without signing our names. It’s presented as a group project — one really big piece.” This group-centered system hopes to increase awareness of how art is not limited to individual work. Visual and Performing Arts and Studio Art Teacher David Payne’s senior elective Intro to Architecture was designed with an emphasis on drawing by hand, but now the course discusses “contemporary issues in architecture,” reviewing various TED Talks and articles related to the field of architecture and design. His Advanced Architectural Design elective is working on a term-long project: designing and presenting a building to a hypothetical client.  Photography classes at the introductory level have been learning to use applications on their phones, rather than the traditional DSLR camera. “This is obviously not ideal, and something is lost with the limited technology, but the work has been excellent,” said Visual and Studio Art Teacher Timothy Trelease. “Students are working the angles of their current location and finding ways to make art with the source material around them.”  Mr. Trelease’s AP Photo class has continued their portfolio work from the winter, while Post AP is working to compile the annual Senior Video, a 40-50 minute video that will be shown to the Class of 2020 at some point this year.  Visual and Performing Arts Teacher Catriona Hynds currently teaches two senior electives in theatre. Her Take to the Stage! course has combined virtual improvisation with scene study and play readings, while her Film Studies elective continues to analyze a variety of cinema.  “Watching recordings of productions is certainly better than nothing, but recordings simply cannot capture the thrill of live theater, in my opinion,” said Mrs. Hynds.  “There is no substitute for sitting in the dark, watching a story unfold in real time, with three dimensional actors performing a few feet from you.” Band, orchestra, and chorus students find themselves in a similar position with disciplines that rely on working together as a whole musical ensemble. In the case of band and orchestra, those who have access to instruments have been working with GarageBand and similar platforms to create music online. Those without instruments can focus on music appreciation through TED Talks and related assignments.  Neha Jampala ’23 said that she likes to track her practice times and assignments through a daily log. “I personally feel that it’s really rewarding to be in a situation where you have a much more flexible time schedule to practice,” said Jampala. “It gives me time to work on things I am interested in.” Orchestra and Chamber Music Director Thomas Bergeron said that for his Advanced Composition and Analysis course, Zoom has proved very helpful in the classroom, as the course has always been technology-oriented.  On the other hand, Mr. Bergeron feels a great loss for his Chamber Music course. “ The magic of all live music is that musicians are able to interact and react to each other to create a cohesive piece of art in the moment.”  Given this, he added,“In these times of isolation, music is one of the healthiest ways we can engage our minds and spirits in creative ways.” Much like those in band and orchestra, students in the Chorus program break into sections during class to work on individual parts of a song. The students are currently focusing on creating layered music pieces to release to the Deerfield community, much like their applauded production of  The Beatles’ “Let it Be” earlier this term. In terms of dance, space is certainly limited for students. The academic dance curriculum is a continuation of synchronous ballet, modern, and contemporary technique classes over Zoom, in which students follow along the best they can, in the spaces they are in. Antonia Forero ’22 said that while dancing in restricted spaces produces a multitude of challenges, she has also sought out opportunities to make the most of the situation.  “I have worked out more because it’s pretty stationary,” said Forero. “I’ve done dance more mentally, like looking for music and choreographing in my head.”  Director of Dance Jennifer Whitcomb said, “One of the striking things for me has been watching how these kids have dealt with getting halfway through preparation for the Spring Dance Concert and going away for spring break and planning to come back for those final rehearsal and costuming sessions and having it not happen. What I saw in the first couple weeks was that students were really grieving.” Given these circumstances, many classes are proposing ideas to keep the spirit of performances, showcases, and galleries alive, albeit in unconventional ways. Senior dancers hope to recreate their Senior Showcase using other mediums. Videography students are preparing for the annual Widdies Film Festival that will be screened online. Various student art pieces can be found on the Bulletin.  Among all these quandaries, Ms. Whitcomb expressed her gratitude for the Deerfield community’s response in this unprecedented time. “I just see this amazing resiliency,” said Ms. Whitcomb. “We’re all figuring it out and keeping a positive attitude, and knowing that people need us to be strong and good leaders right now—that is what makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning.”

Dear Reader, If you walk into the basement of the Kendall during layout week, this is what you’ll find: Lily and Seth writing the latest buzz article that was never submitted; Maggie eating Domino’s lava cakes; Sarah and Annie with a printing crisis; Anna and Angelique dutifully aligning text boxes; Emma eyeing her picture on the progress chart; and Jae, in absentia, having texted in the group chat, shoot we have layout tonight? Over the course of this year, we’ve put out seven issues. That’s seven writer’s meetings, 30 days of layout, and more than 6,000 copies of the Scroll . We knew that many of those copies, since their distribution, were destined to collect dust on wire racks and dorm room floors. But, during those hours we spent in the newsroom, this didn’t seem to make a difference. We were doing work that mattered with people who cared.  Thank you — to the board and advisors of Vol. XCIV — for your guidance, support, and example. Thank you for caring.  Over the course of this year, we completely reinvented the Scroll website, paving the way for an expanded online presence. We refined administrative processes with our QR code system and two-strike policy. And, to my absolute delight, for the first time in years, everything is aligned.  In this issue, we worked with our peer publications at Andover, Exeter, St. Pauls, Groton, and Choate to publish a collaborative mini-series on administrative approaches to COVID-19. The article will cover everything from grading, a tuition refund, and encouraging schools to learn from one another. This is the first time that we have worked with other schools in this capacity and to this extent.  We pass on this torch to the board of Vol. XCV. It is my privilege to name Harry Niles as the next Editor-in-Chief. Harry, I am so impressed by you. Fight for the truth, and never lose your love of stories.

Amidst a Pandemic, some Deerfield students Outreach ed and Prep ared essential goods and Kind Words to Shield Our Defenders and ensure that Nobody Goes Hungry. COVID-19 has left the world in havoc, but Deerfield students have found ways to bring light to these dark times through initiatives such as Shielding Our Defenders , Kind Words USA , Nobody Goes Hungry , Outreach and Prep , and Amidst a Pandemic .  Based primarily in New York, Shielding Our Defenders is a non-profit organization dedicated to shipping personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare workers in New York City.  Eric Wang ’21 initiated the project when he asked his friend Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21 if her mom, a Bronx healthcare worker, needed N95 respirators. His initial shipment was immensely helpful, and they soon considered shipping PPE to hospitals. Mark Chung ’21 and Harry Niles ’21 joined in, and they started a GoFundMe.  After Wang’s father found a Hong Kong mask supplier, Niles and Osei-Ampadu delivered the equipment shipped from Hong Kong to various hospitals. They have transported N95 to the Bronx Medical Center, the Jamaican Hospital Medical Center, and the NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital. Up until April 30th, they have raised $10,100 and have sent at least 2,000 masks to the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan boroughs in New York. The local TV station, News 12 The Bronx, has featured their efforts. Additionally, Shielding Our Defenders has partnered with other Deerfield organizations such as Nobody Goes Hungry and Kind Words USA . In the future, they may plan on shipping masks to essential workers, such as cashiers, police officers, and paramedics. In Chicago, Gabriella Hu ’21 was inspired by her Jordanian friend and her father to start Kind Words USA. Hu’s father, a doctor, told her about the low morale in hospitals, and she realized the severity of “the compromised mental health of many workers battling COVID.” Her Jordanian friend created Kelme Helweh to express gratitude towards Jordanian healthcare workers, and Hu decided to create a similar initiative for American healthcare workers. Kind Words USA asks people to send a thank-you message to healthcare workers battling on the frontlines of this pandemic. Julia Hioe ’22 and other volunteers then transcribe the messages onto cards and send them to hospitals all across the United States. Hioe’s favorite message came from “a younger student who drew a picture of two doctors and a big heart above.” So far, they have sent notes to Montefiore Hospital (NY), Edward Hospital (IL), Elmhurst Hospital (IL), and Saratoga Hospital (NY).  Back home at Deerfield, Nobody Goes Hungry strives to provide non-perishable goods for famished residents in Western Massachusetts. Juliette Lowe ’21 said, “Families who never had to go to food banks now had to go.” Lowe created a GoFundMe to help solve food insecurity. She stuck posters across town and used donations to create bags that contained a full day’s worth of nutrition, including beef jerky, crackers, tuna, apple sauce, and granola bars. Residents lined up every week at a table where she would hand out these bags. With instructors spread out all across the world, Outreach and Prep, initiated by Jing He ’21 and Ellia Chiang ’21, offers free online tutoring to middle school students. When He’s mother informed her about pupils deprived of high-quality live classes and resorting to no classes or recorded videos, He and Chiang started to brainstorm. They recruited more than twenty Deerfield students and scheduled online tutoring sessions to help middle school students.  On the other side of the world, Natasha Leong ’21 started the blog Amidst a Pandemic to record personal stories about people affected by COVID-19. They have interviewed people from Hong Kong, Australia, United Kingdom, Greece, and Hungary. An infected patient, a pilot, and a healthcare worker have all shared their stories on amidstapandemic.com .  These Deerfield students have devoted vast amounts of time and energy to helping others. Osei-Ampadu spends more than three hours per day sorting out logistics for Shielding Our Defenders . Jing He said that Chiang “has said that her eight to twelve is reserved for me. I’m not trying to brag, but I feel like I have a special position.”  However, all of these initiatives depend heavily upon the support of individuals. Hu said, “the biggest challenge has been to get people to send notes in and to spread awareness beyond the Deerfield bubble.” Chiang and He both agreed and urged Deerfield students to “spread the word, put it on your Instagram, and tell people about it.”

This just in: the results for the survey regarding the Term End Experience. Upon implementing five exams, opposed to the traditional three, students shared their thoughts about the change. Disregarding the numerous comments about the dining hall only serving 3 feeds for the five exam schedule, students’ views on the new experience are listed below.  85% of students claimed that the best way to improve this system is to have a week of sleep instead of testing periods. They argued that this sleep will allow them to actually enjoy their break, rather than spend it catching up on sleep deprivation from the term end experience. Rumor has it that the majority of faculty concurs. “Dr. Hills, can we please have a scheduled nap time?” You can dream. 25% of students wrote stories about them exiting their term end experience in tears. They went in thinking they know the material, only to be proven very painfully wrong. These students turned in their exams, wet with fresh tears, as the teacher gave them a worried look… but no curve. Some claimed they cried of laughter as the test asked about concepts of which they knew nothing about. The only thing more funny than their experience was the grade they received.  89% of faculty complained about the necessity of sitting through multiple exam periods, when they previously only had to attend one. They wrote of back aches and repeating the same answers over and over again. 47% percent of faculty even admitted that they fell asleep while proctoring their exams. Looks like they too could benefit from a week of scheduled naps.  With these statistics in mind, we urge the Academic Dean’s Office to strongly consider the alternatives to this new term end experience. However, if we must take tests, at least promise us one thing: justice in the form of five worthy and delicious exam feeds.

The best speakers turn lectures into conversations. They strive to form a personal connection with each listener. The speakers that Deerfield has brought in for their Student Wellness Speaker Series, however, have fallen short. The Student Wellness series has proven ineffective because it’s an impersonal, lecture-based series on something that needs to be tackled with care and intention.  Our second Student Wellness speaker this year was from the Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association. Although the presenter’s speech during the school meeting was well-intentioned, it felt like a bad way to approach a prevalent and nuanced issue one that, according to a 2019 Scroll survey, one out of five female students struggle with. The upperclassmen’s meeting with January’s Student Wellness speaker Michelle Pierce was informational — but it was only that.  Packed with facts and statistics, the regurgitation of information seemed more like a performance than a genuine attempt to relate to student life. Because of this, many struggled to find relevance or meaning in what seemed to be surface-level sentiments. In addition, many students with questions pertaining to eating disorders felt uncomfortable asking them within a larger audience. Ultimately, despite the speaker’s good intentions, it failed to connect with students. This trend extends far beyond the most recent Student Wellness speaker. Students have noted similar issues with Hakeem Rahim and “Speak About It.” Rahim’s message, though riveting and personal, was not specific to the Deerfield environment and was, therefore, less applicable or available to students — it was a one-off school meeting without any lasting effect.  Similarly, many students found the “Speak About It” initiative unmemorable and unimpactful. While the event was slightly more interactive than the Wellness Speakers, the large setting and oversimplification of such complex issues made the overall presentation hard to digest.  As a whole, Student Wellness speakers are invariably impersonal and ineffective when not paired with more intimate forms of student interaction and discussion. Without follow-up efforts, the Speaker Series left little behind save the opportunity for a few tasteless memes and jokes. The lasting impact of these lectures is students who feel unsupported and hurt that their personal struggles haven’t been properly addressed by the administration. Speeches and lectures can’t get to the root of a problem without more specific aid. The lectures require further conversation organized and enforced by Deerfield, whether in health classes, in dorms, or with sports teams.  Small group settings, such as in peer counseling groups or by halls, are much more effective for students to discuss mental health concerns. Students are more likely to share their experiences with people they know and are comfortable with. Personal conversations help students better process what they are going through and reach out for help.  The peer counselors’ visits to the Village every week demonstrate the vital and effective role of small group settings in student health education. Ninth-graders discuss subjects like mental health, eating disorders, and bullying. Similar programs should be provided for all DA students, as honest conversations about topics like these are indispensable for student wellbeing and to ensure students feel safe and supported on campus.  In addition to moving conversations about mental health in smaller, more personal settings, we also believe funding should be put into improving and expanding the existing programs on campus, not just on hiring speakers. The school could allocate more resources for students struggling with mental illnesses, like hiring more counselors.  The aforementioned Scroll survey also found that less than half of students consider DA faculty or the health center staff as mental and/or emotional support systems. Such statistics remain common knowledge but have escaped any serious intervention. Ultimately, Deerfield has refused to attack the problem of wellness at its root, leaving paid, third-party presenters to ensure the wellness of its own students.

This February, the Deerfield Black Student Alliance (DBSA) hosted a film series and an art information display to share culture and history with the Deerfield community in honor of Black History Month.  When considering ways to honor the month, the DBSA noted the timeless and powerful ability of art to display culture. Reflecting on the diversity of art made by black artists from different parts of the diaspora and the creation of art in response to struggles faced in history by black people, DBSA leader Vera Grace Menafee ‘20 said, “I think the arts are a perfect way to start in terms of understanding the black community.” The film series included three movies that were all shown during the month of February: Do the Right Thing , Coming to America , and US . Leaders of the DBSA decided to show movies because of their unique ability to showcase narratives that often intertwine with history and culture. In choosing what films to include, the leaders sought to show films with both black actors and directors that are relevant across the black diaspora.  Menafee spoke on the importance of such criteria, saying, “It’s important to have black people on screen visually, but having us in the actual creation of the film matters so much as well. That issue carries through music production, theatre and other artistic genres…Having directors and screenwriters working behind the scenes to ensure the stories are real is important.”  Do the Right Thing , which was directed by Spike Lee is the first movie that was shown. Chronicling the events revolving around a controversial wall of fame at a pizza shop, the film explores racial tension.  Coming to America , the only shown film without a black director, stars Eddie Murphy and tells the fictional story of an African prince who ventures to America to live and find love.  U s, a more recent film directed by Jordan Peele, is a thriller film about a black family haunted by doppelgangers who seek to take over the world. All three films showcase different aspects of black culture and are classics in the history of black Americans in film. In addition to the film series, the DBSA partnered with the Deerfield Visual Arts Club to showcase two black artists: Kara Walker and Jean-Michel Basquait. Walker is a contemporary artist known for her work with silhouettes, and Basquait was a neo-expressionist street artist known for his masterful graffiti.  Across the board, the DBSA’s choices in art to display seek to recognize the importance and synonymous nature of black culture and American culture. In their presentation of the month at school meeting, the leaders played a Google commercial that showed the milestone contributions of black Americans to the cultural fabric of America. Referring to portrayals of American culture, the DBSA sought to address the exclusion of black Americans from mainstream depictions of American culture.  In the wake of a recent hate crime involving slurs that targeted  black students on campus, Menafee noted the hurt amongst members of the community.  Given the aim of Black History Month to respect and educate surrounding the achievements of black Americans in this country, the offensiveness of the action held extra weight for some. “I think it’s a strong statement that this happened during Black History Month. The disregard for what this month means said a lot,” Menafee said. While Black History Month is officially limited to the month of February, Menafee expressed her desire for black history to be integrated more actively within and outside of the classroom. Asserting her belief that black history ought to be celebrated outside of the month of February she said, “I would want my whole class year to be ingrained with different black artists and writers.”

It’s a Sunday morning, and a group of students sit around a table in the foyer of the dining hall near the end of brunch. They are talking and enjoying their brunch, much like the rest of the students in the main dining room, but this table is different from all the others. They have their laptops out, just not for schoolwork. This group of students is passionate about implementing positive environmental change through political action. They are holding a meeting as Deerfield’s local chapter of the nation-wide Sunrise Movement, a youth-led organization whose main goal is to pass the Green New Deal through Congress. Sam Crocker ’19 started the local Deerfield branch of the Sunrise Movement last year soon after a student- led climate change protest in Greenfield on September 20, 2019. This protest had proven popular and successful among Deerfield students. A bus full of Deerfield students participated in the climate protest, donning signs and calling for climate justice. At one point during the protest, Thomas Lyons ’21 took the microphone and said that “the time is now to rise up and disrupt. Who will rise with us?” In response, the crowd cheered loudly. Lyons credited his initial involvement in climate activism to Crocker, and described the Sunrise Movement as “a group of passionate, young people who are dedicated to working on promoting climate justice in the U.S. and the world.” The Sunrise Movement hopes to rally support on campus for the Green New Deal, a congressional resolution first proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts. The goal of the resolution is to create a plan to combat climate change, while creating jobs and protecting those who may live in disadvantaged communities or communities vulnerable to the effects of climate change.  Maya Laur ’20, another member of this local branch of the Sunrise Movement, said, “We have a stake in the world around us and the communities around us. We have a choice, and we can either be leaders in the climate justice movement and leaders in a better tomorrow or we can fall on the wrong side of history.” Laur’s sentiments reflect the sense of urgency that pervades the mission of the Sunrise Movement. One of the goals of the Green New Deal is for the U.S. to be entirely carbon neutral by 2050. Currently, the Deerfield branch is working to create a Deerfield thrift store where students can donate and exchange clothes and items they no longer use. Lyons commented, “The idea is to cut down on our carbon footprint by reusing, recycling, and it’s also just a cool idea, that I hope everyone can get excited about.” The thrift store will be located in the basement of the Dewey dorm, and the Deerfield Sunrise Movement hopes to have an initial donation drive by the end of this February.  The movement also wants to start a conversation about responsible investing practices for the Deerfield endowment. Lyons noted, “The student body presidents of all the Big 10 schools released statements in support of divestment. The Sunrise Movement at Deerfield hopes to look to other colleges like Bard, Smith and Yale to learn about their eco-movements on campus and see how we can try to mirror the successes of those movements and also learn the shortfalls of those movements.” The Sunrise movement also hopes to network with other Sunrise Movements at NMH and Greenfield High School and work with these programs on local projects and awareness.  Laur noted that she believed that we are at a “crossroads.” The Deerfield Sunrise Movement hopes to continue working on its current projects and recruit more and more students to be increasingly aware of the effects of climate change, and find ways for students of the Deerfield community to make a difference in improving Deerfield’s climate impact.

As the New York Times reports, the number of globally infected persons has now exceeded 80,000 and death tolls have climbed up to 2,600. The news and fear of a novel coronavirus, officially named COVID-19,  has gripped the world. Originating in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus is a respiratory virus that has rapidly spread across both China and twenty-four other countries. The effects have been disastrous. In China, immediate quarantine procedures have been imposed upon all citizens, leaving normally bustling streets instead empty. Supplies of crucial medical resources such as masks dwindle, leading citizens and hospitals to hoard supplies while they last. And hospitals are overwhelmed as the number of cases soar exponentially.  Internationally, infected persons with COIVD-19 have now reached every inhabited continent, with over 30 confirmed cases in the US. Global conglomerates, such as Apple Inc., and small businesses, have slowed due to the shutdown of factories and absence of workers.  For students with families in China, such shocking news seemed to be unbelievable. “At first, I honestly thought it was ‘fake news’. It only started feeling real when I heard about it from my family members.” Elena Zhao ‘22, with family in Shanghai, China, said as she reflected on the first time she heard of the outbreak. Similarly, Angel Zhou ‘22 said that the news had come “too suddenly” and “out of nowhere” for it to even seem believable.  Aside from its alarming nature, the news of COVID-19 has also disrupted many students’ schedules. It has become a personal struggle for many students. “My grandmother, she went to Hunan at the beginning of Spring Festival; she has cancer but she can’t go back to Shanghai for her chemotherapy, nor can she go to a local hospital because of the higher rates of infection at hospitals,” said Angel Zhou ‘22. “Honestly, it’s not routine. It has disorganized my life. And it honestly feels like I have to scramble up my life again, and put the pieces back together.” For students with family in China, a recently imposed travel ban prevents all travel back home for an indefinite period of time, complicating plans for times such as spring break and summer vacation. Several international students have had to find other homes to stay in, whether it be with a friend from Deerfield or even a Deerfield teacher. For now, these students remain separated from their families indefinitely. For others, the risk of coronavirus has also prevented travel to conferences and school-led trips. Deerfield’s annual trip to China for culture and language immersion was recently cancelled. Additionally, Harvard and Yale Model United Nations trips were cancelled last minute due to risks of contracting Coronavirus. Discussing the cancellation of these trips, Harry Niles ‘21, one of the leaders of the Model UN club said, “I was really disappointed, and disheartened that it was canceled because I prepared for months and it was shut down in less than an hour.”  In response to these complications, the Academy has attempted to resolve the issue in a variety of ways. As the Director of Inclusion & Community Life Marjorie Young said, “Deerfield does a really good job in times of crisis such as these. We strategize and pull together resources and plan about how to move forward as a community.”  In charge of this movement is the Crisis Response Team, which is responsible for coordinating all of the different pieces of addressing the Coronavirus crisis such as communications between departments and student support. So far, the Crisis Response Team has worked closely with many different groups on campus. Some actions they have taken have included working with the health center to support Director of Medical Services Dr. Bryant Benson in his address to the community and with alliances such as the Asian Student Alliance in creating an affinity space for students who have been affected by these issues.  In the example of disrupted travel plans, the Crisis Response team has reached out to effectively coordinate plans and resources. Working with members such as the International Student Advisor, Francoise Ellis who is responsible for coordinating host family accommodations and travel plans.  And with the Center for Service and Global Citizenship to find opportunities such as travelling with ‘Envoys’, which provide trips similar to the ones offered by the CSGC during March Break.  While the administration’s efforts prepare for the worst case scenario, it is statistically highly unlikely that coronavirus will pose a risk at Deerfield, as Dr. Benson explained, “First of all, you don’t need to be worried about coronavirus. No one on this campus is from Wuhan City, China or from the Hubei province. There is no concern about coronavirus being on this campus or anywhere near it.”  But even then, as part of the Crisis Response Team’s efforts, the Health Center is well prepared for the unlikely scenario of the novel coronavirus reaching Deerfield. “The main thing we’ve done is per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, is to screen anyone with a fever or cold symptoms and ask them if they’ve either visited Wuhan, China or been exposed to a lab-confirmed case of coronavirus,” said Dr. Benson.  “We are following the recommendations of well-respected federal and state agencies that are involved in monitoring this and managing it. Specifically, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Center for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services.”  Beyond the virus itself, and perhaps spreading even more infectiously, has been the fear surrounding the novel coronavirus. As few facts emerge, the lack of information has led many to speculate and fear the presence of coronavirus in their own communities. From villages in Ukraine to fashion shows in Milan, fears of a pandemic run rampant across the world. “It’s important right now, as a community, to be empathetic,” Ms. Young said concerning the community response to the news of the Coronavirus.  “Empathy comes from knowing that the person next door, one of your friends, or a teammate may be struggling with some of these issues, the most important thing is to ask, ‘How are you doing?’ as opposed to saying nothing and pretending that it’s not an issue. We are going to be supportive until the situation is over, and that’s for however long it needs to be.”

History was made this February when Angie Osei-Ampadu ’21 became Deerfield’s first girl to win the New England Wrestling Championship and went on to win 3rd place in the National competition. A fierce competitor and impassioned leader, Osei-Ampadu will leave a legacy for Deerfield athletics that goes far beyond the wrestling mats.  A junior captain and the only girl on the team, Osei-Ampadu entered this year’s New England competition built for success. Weighing in at 113 lbs, she ended up having to wrestle at a ten pound disadvantage, because her weight class jumped up from 105 to 121. However, Osei-Ampadu dominated her competition. She beat all three opponents using the same high level move, called the “cement mixer,” which Head Coach Dan Houston explained in his post on the wrestlers’ success on the Bulletin: “Basically, the offensive wrestler hooks his—or her!—dominant arm under the opponent’s shoulder, pulls him—or her!—off balance, hips in, and throws the opponent to the mat. Done right, it’s a pin.” Osei-Ampadu explained, “I didn’t know I was gonna do that move, but I did it the first match and then the second. All three of my competitors happened to be from Middlesex, so my coaches and I knew that in my final match, the opposition would be expecting it. However, when the match started, we were going back and forth, but I needed to pin the girl and ended up doing it the same way. It was super cool to get the pin in the third.”  As Osei-Ampadu got her third and final pin and secured the championship, all Deerfield members in the room, coaches Dan Houston, Marshall Carroll, Mark Scandling, and co-captain Chris Thagard ’20, knew she had just done something special.  Osei-Ampadu also described the moment as “surreal,” saying that, “It was really awesome to look over at the coaches and Chris and how excited they were.”  She went on to explain how the incredible support from the Deerfield community did not stop there. The following week, as Nationals approached, the wrestling team was by her side to prepare her for the highest level of competition she would face yet.  She said, “I’m really grateful for my team. Especially this last week before for Nationals, I was the only one prepping, but the whole team still came to the optional practices and worked me really hard when they could have just taken the afternoon off. In particular, co-captain John Chung ’20 and Hugo Nutting ’22 practiced with me every day. And my co-captains Chris and John came with me to the tournaments, John coming with me all the way to Nationals, which he didn’t have to do, but he did. It’s a really special community.” At the National competition, Osei-Ampadu represented Deerfield with class and integrity. She beat a wrestler from Northfield Mount Hermon for the third place trophy and brought home a victory.  Chung, on watching Osei-Ampadu compete at the national level, said “It was a really inspiring weekend. Angie has a grit and tenacity to her that fit right into the national competition. I was really proud to see her lift up that trophy.”  Having only started wrestling her freshman year, Osei-Ampadu is a role model for breaking boundaries and paving the way for success. Mr. Scandling said, “What pleased me the most Angie was her humility. I couldn’t tell the difference when she one or lost-when she was pinned at Nationals, she just stood up, smiled, and said she did her best. When she pinned her opponent at New Englands, she stood up, smiled, and said she did her best. She has a graciousness to her that goes beyond just wrestling, and I think that bodes well for her future.” Osei-Ampadu, “I hope more girls will be fearless and courageous and try out for the team, especially because I’ve shown them that success is possible. It is totally possible for girls to join this sport and be good at it. If girls are scared to join a majority boys team, they should not be, because the team is made up of the nicest kids on campus.” The Deerfield community is very proud of Osei-Ampadu for her inspiring leadership and determined hard work and success. Congrats Angie!