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Thursday, March 5, 2020 Vol. 46 No. 6 www.thekonews.org Playwright Sarah Ruhl rules KO at last by Cici Chagnon ’21 the podium to introduce Ms. Ruhl. ences with the passing of loved During the presentation, Ms. ones. “Art is a way of making a On Tuesday, Feb. 25, play- Ruhl read from her book “Letters little bridge to them,” she said. wright Sarah Ruhl visited KO as from Max,” a compilation of Sophomore Elsa June Ciscel the 37th Baird Symposium author. correspondences between herself wanted to know where the inspira- Ms. Ruhl’s visit was met with and her student Max, who passed tion for “Melancholy Play” came much anticipation following its away from cancer around three from; Ms. Ruhl replied that she postponement in December, and years ago. She describes the book wanted to comment on how our both the Symposium class and the as “part letters, part dialogue, part culture views depression, and how whole community were eager to poem, part nonfiction.” She paused melancholy is distinctly different. finally welcome her to campus. to discuss different aspects of her History teacher Stacey During her visit, Ms. Ruhl relationship with Max, as well as Savin asked about playwrights attended a dinner and masterclass to read his poem “Scan” about that inspire her. “The whole world with the Symposium students, an MRI scan. Her reading ended is in Shakespeare,” Ms. Ruhl said. Ms. Ruhl addresses the community at assembly. Photo by Jacqueline Pisani. a dinner with faculty, as well as with a bit of the epilogue of the “Everything you could ever want to writing style also set her apart. “I plays are supposed to be watched a lunch with students selected novel and then moved onto ques- know is already in Shakespeare.” chose Sarah Ruhl because her style and experienced,” he said. “While by their English teachers. She tions from students and faculty. English teacher Michelle is totally different than those other reading her plays, I have consid- also spoke at two assemblies: Questions ranged from Caswell, who chose Sarah Ruhl playwrights,” Mrs. Caswell said. ered how I would experience and one for the Upper School and inquiries about her writing process as the Symposium author, felt “It’s kind of like magical realism interpret things differently if I one for the Middle School. to her favorite type of soup; that having a playwright made and really surreal sometimes and were in the audience watching it.” The Upper School assembly while potato leek and chicken this year’s Symposium unique. creative and humorous and light, Senior John McLaughlin was opened by English Depart- soup were the first to come to “I wanted to choose a writer who and it’s really accessible language.” said he agreed that studying Ms. ment Chair Catherine Schieffelin. mind, Ms. Ruhl couldn’t pick a wasn’t a novelist because I feel like Symposium students agreed Ruhl has been a unique experi- After providing some history on favorite. “I like equal opportu- we’ve done prose writers the last that Sarah Ruhl is unlike any ence that he’s enjoyed. “I person- Warren Baird’s creation of and nity as far as soup goes,” she said. few years,” she said. “I thought it’d author they’ve studied before. ally enjoyed studying a playwright vision for the Symposium, Ms. Junior Ahana Nagar- be interesting to look at a contem- Senior Benjamin Zamstein said rather than a novelist because there Schieffelin described the assembly katti asked Ms. Ruhl why she porary playwright.” Not only the class forced him to consider are multiple media through which as a large story circle to “revel in so often writes about love and was Ms. Ruhl the first playwright writing in a different way. to consume her work,” he said. ancient forms of communication.” death. She replied by touching Symposium author since Tony “Studying a playwright has been Senior Alma Clark said her Senior Cai Kuivila then took to on some of her own experi- Kushner in 2013, her distinctive different because unlike novels, Continued on page 9. Seniors receive Cum Laude award by Sloan Duvall ’21 the senior class, and that’s deter- community their entire time at KO. Kumar, Matthew Marottolo, with sports and other commit- mined by GPAs. The primary This year, 19 students were John McLaughlin, Ethan Pinkes, ments. Each of the Cum Laude On Tuesday, Feb. 11, 19 component is academics, but inducted into the Cum Laude Yusuf Rashid, Spencer Schaller, inductees had various methods seniors gathered in the Conklin another component is citizenship, Society: Jenna Blocher, Aiden Hannah Shames, Brandon that led them to success; however, Library to be inducted into the which we take very seriously.” Borruso, Alma Clark, Joey Fago, Stake, and Nicholas Traver. they all stressed the importance of Kingswood Oxford chapter of According to him, some research Molly Jones, Esha Kataria, Kush These students worked determination and perseverance. the Cum Laude Society. These is required to confirm the student Kataria, Luv Kataria, Lily “Cai” incredibly hard to maintain honors Senior Molly Jones cred- students enjoyed an evening with has been a good member of the Kuivila, Juliana Kulak, Vishal level work and balance school ited some of her success to taking family and friends and spent advantage of resources. “I met time celebrating their impres- with my teachers and formed sive academic records at KO. good bonds with them so they According to the Upper could help me if I was struggling School Handbook: “Cum Laude with a certain topic,” Molly said. Society is the independent school Senior Brandon Stake equivalent of the collegiate Phi mentioned how his in-class partici- Beta Kappa Society.” Seniors pation led to his academic success. are eligible to become members “During class, I always take the of the Cum Laude society at the time to understand whatever I closing of the first semester. am learning and make sure I am English teacher and Secre- not just memorizing it,” he said. tary of the Kingswood Oxford Spanish teacher and Presi- Cum Laude Society Ronald dent of the Cum Laude Society Monroe is a part of the selec- Brenda Semmlerock, alongside tion process. “It’s pretty straight other faculty members, organized forward,” Mr. Monroe said. “We the dinner; the event was designed basically take the top 20% of This year’s 19 senior Cum Laude recipients smile for the camera in the Conklin Library. Photo by Jacqueline Pisani. Continued on page 9 What’s Inside this Issue: OPINIONS ARTS FEATURES IN-DEPTH SPORTS A path to the Dr. Gleason shows Mrs. Pomp-Shine Multiple cases of Boys and girls presidency off style on saxo- promotes girls in vandalism shock varsity swimming page 4 phone sports the community take first page 11 page 13 page 16 page 24 Thursday Thursday 2 March 5, 2020 News Editorials March 5, 2020 3 Chris Herren educates audience by Kathryn Westrick ’20 why some people felt like his approach was aggressive, but I think that’s what makes it On Tuesday, Feb. 4, former NBA so effective,” Ethan said. “Sometimes that’s basketball player Chris Herren visited the best way to get the point across, espe- Kingswood Oxford to speak to the cially regarding such an important topic.” community about his personal battle Other students had a different with substance abuse, prevention educa- perspective. “I found it to be very thought- tion, and the disease of addiction. provoking,” senior Juliana Kulak said. “But The star of Durfee High School in his I wish he focused more on the nicotine home town of Fall River, Mass., Mr. Herren industry and how it is manipulating high was named All-American and scored over schoolers because I think that is something 2,000 points. He began his collegiate career more of us can relate to. Still, he was a capti- at Boston College but later transferred to vating speaker who definitely connected California State University in Fresno, Cal. with the audience on an emotional level.” for a fresh start after failing drug tests. Dean of Students William Mr. Herren’s first two years at Fresno Gilyard said that it is important for KO were very successful as he was named to to bring in speakers like Mr. Herren. the All-WAC first team in 1996 and 1997; “I received many phone calls and however, halfway through his junior season Chris Herren shares his experiences speaking around the country. Photo by Jacqueline Pisani. letters from parents about conversations he publicly announced that he needed with the support from his family and his presentation, Mr. Herren emphasized the they had with their kids,” Mr. Gilyard to take time off to undergo treatment for friends, Mr. Herren is now 10 years sober. importance of the first day over the worst said. “Even if only one person comes his ongoing struggle with substance use. The road to recovery was long and day to explain the process of addiction. away with something then that is enough Despite these setbacks, Mr. painful, but Mr. Herren turned something Mr. Herren also warned the audience to make Mr. Herren’s visit worthwhile.” Herren achieved his dream of playing bad into something good. In order to spread about how our choices affect the people Guidance Counselor Chasity Rodri- in the NBA when he was drafted by the awareness, Mr. Herren now travels the world around us. He explained how he tore his guez said she believes that the most impor- Denver Nuggets in 1999. He was then sharing his story. His goal, according to family apart, and how he disappointed team- tant part of this assembly was that it gave traded to the Boston Celtics in 2000.

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