LC Goes Solar New Solar Array to Supply Campus with Green Energy

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The Loomis Chaffee Log

Issue CIV, No. 2 Est. 1915 • 4 Batchelder Rd., Windsor, CT October 25, 2019

By NICHOLAS DARRAS ’21 Loomis buys energy from. The energy de- Contributor livered will substantially decrease Loomis’s power bill,” he said. As Loomis’ energy bill This fall on the Island, Loomis Chaffee decreases, the school will be able to put will finally finish installing a massive solar more tuition dollars toward other needs. array, originally scheduled to open in Feb- “The cost of the array is minimal because ruary of 2019. Set to be finished by early of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) November, this array will supply Loomis Loomis made,” Mr. Hall said. The PPA is an with cleaner, green energy. agreement whereby Loomis will purchase The project was initially developed by energy at a cheap fixed price for 25 years, Jason Liu ’17. Drawing on his research and while a third party company will take care coursework, and working alongside As- of maintenance and installation of the sociate Director of the Alvord Center Mr. array. Jeff Dyreson, Jason developed the idea of During the construction of the array, implementing solar panels around campus finding an appropriate place to put it for his Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship proved challenging. In the area surround- (GEF) project. ing Loomis are various wetlands protected Jason’s goal was to have a solar array that under Connecticut law. Loomis had the could meet 25-30% of the electrical demand option of placing the array in the wetlands of our campus. That amount of energy under the condition that they would replace would be capable of powering over 900 the wetlands somewhere else, but unfortu- homes. nately, the wetland in the desired area was After several delays, the panels were in poor condition. officially installed this past summer. Cur- Ultimately, the array was installed in a rently, everything is finished except the dry area west of the train tracks and outside connection from the array to the electrical of the wetlands and floodplain to avoid substation, which is set to be completed by future conflicts. October 25. The array will then officially be According to Mr. Hall, the school con- put to use in November. sidered other possible locations, including Director of Physical Plant Mr. Lance on the top of buildings or in other dry lands Hall explained that in addition to providing in the western side of our campus, but cleaner energy, the array will have great ultimately rejected them. financial benefits. “The power collected from the array will Photo by Haven Low ’21 be transported to Eversource, the company The solar array is located behind the turf field by the hockey rink. Jason Liu ’17 initiated the plan to install the solar panels, which will be functional by Novem- ber after several delays due to legal and logistical issues. Parents Weekend Becomes Family Weekend By EMILY KHYM ’23 On one hand, the name switch is intend- Contributor ed to help students and their families feel a sense of belonging on campus. Family Weekend Highlights Recently, “Parents’ Weekend” was “People who don’t have parents, and in- changed to “Family Weekend” in an effort stead have guardians, now feel included,” to make the event more inviting for other Kate Shymkiv ’22 said. Friday, October 25 Saturday, October 26 family members or guardians. “The new name makes it sound more “In conjunction with the committee, we open to everyone in the family,” Tony Chun 2:00-4:00 p.m. 8:30-9:30 a.m. changed the name of Parents Weekend to ’22 said. Family Weekend this year. Knowing that On the other hand, Mr. Jeffrey Scanlon International Families Meet & Faculty and Parents Meet & grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and ’79, English faculty member, believes that Greet in Brush Library Greet in Brush Library others participate in the weekend’s events the change was not necessary. and activities, it was determined that ad- “I do not think it needed to be changed,” justing the name to Family Weekend was Mr. Scanlon said. Mr. Scanlon feels that 3:30-5:15 p.m. 3:00-6:00 p.m. more welcoming and inclusive of those who guardians or siblings would have come any- Open Rehearsal for “Macbeth” in Home Games on Campus (see attend,” Mrs. Lisa Ross, director of alumni way, whether or not the name changed. and parent relations, said. the NEO Theater page 10 for schedule)

October EDITORS’ CONNECT WITH US! PICKS The Loomis Chaffee Log News (Page 2) Flik Debunks Food Package Rumors - 2

Features (Pages 3-6) The Loomis Chaffee Log Students to Perform “Macbeth” - 3

Opinions (7-8) LC’s Political Culture - 8 @thelog BRIDGEPORT, CT PERMIT NO. 140 U.S. POSTAGE

PRSRT STD Sports (9-10) PAID Family Weekend Preview - 10 www.thelclog.org Mélange (11-12) @thelclog Tips to Prep for the SAT - 12 2 | NEWS The Loomis Chaffee Log October 25, 2019 Team Photos Under the ageMost of Susceptible 15 & over Age Group the age of 50 Return to Olcott

EEE Found in TotalIncluding 21 SouthTowns Windsor in CT in 2019 11 Deaths Reported in 2019 3 Deaths Near the Southern Coast of CT

EEE Stokes Fear in Connecticut By ANNA LI ’21 coma, there have been only 11 total cases of Staff Writer death in the United States in 2019. Connecticut has had three deaths that re- Loomis Chaffee had widely cautioned sulted from an EEE infection, but all human students about the infectious virus Eastern cases of infection occurred far away from Photo by Angela Wang ’20 equine encephalitis (EEE) following its re- Loomis Chaffee, near the southern coasts of The 2019 varsity softball team photograph has returned to its rightful place on cent emergence in Connecticut and Massa- Connecticut. the wall of Olcott Athletics Center. chusetts. Loomis Chaffee, following steps taken A rare disease most dangerous to persons by Windsor and other surrounding towns, over the age of 50 and under the age of 15, had banned evening activities to reduce the EEE has been detected in mosquitoes in a risk of mosquito bites. However, LC finally By KELLY XUE ’21 and question the absence of their team pho- Features Editor tos. total of 21 Connecticut towns in 2019, in- removed that ban this week, after several Ms. Cabot expressed her frustration at cluding South Windsor. cold evenings resulted in a mosquito-killing Photos featuring rows of cheerful varsity the misconception that the Athletic Depart- While EEE causes deadly symptoms such frost. athletes and coaches have long adorned the ment was considering to discontinue the as swelling in the brain, cyanosis, and even walls of the Olcott Center. practice. These familiar, black-framed photo- “I think it’s a wonderful tradition,” she graphs have documented Loomis Chaffee’s said, explaining that halting the picture tra- varsity athletic history for generations. But dition had never been their intent. when students returned to school last year, In previous years, the school spent ap- they found an empty space where they had proximately $3500 on the picture frames Water Warriors expected their team photos to be. annually, according to Ms. Cabot. She be- This fall, however, the photos have been lieved that preserving the tradition justified updated and reinstalled after a brief de- the cost. Receive Sponsorship lay due to a mishap involving the picture “Representing the past is always worth frames. the effort,” Ms. Cabot said, adding that she Before the summer of 2018, the Athletic enjoys seeing alumni finding their old pho- Department ordered frames for team photos tographs during visits. from their usual frame company. The com- The Athletic Department resolved the is- pleted frames, which arrived six months af- sue by bringing the frames to the Pearse Hub ter the order placement, were found to be for Innovation and manually sawing off the too large and unfit for the frame holders. edges to the correct proportions and finally The framers from which they ordered drawing their year-long quest to a close. subsequently went out of business. Athletic All of the team photographs have now Director Susan Cabot explained that look- been added. Ms. Cabot explained that in the ing for other options, the department began future, they may possibly choose to frame a lengthy process in the search for a frame the photographs after each sport season with appropriate dimensions and eventually rather than organizing them all in June as ordered around 15 different frames. they had previously done, so as to partition “It became a difficult process,” Ms. Cabot the work. said. Furthermore, there are plans to switch She commented that with limited extra out the colored photos for black and white time on top of her other responsibilities, ones to create a more uniform look. these unanticipated intricacies, like obtain- At the beginning of this school year, ing the frames, took much longer than ex- when Ms. Cabot was rearranging the photo- pected. graphs to make space for the new additions, The uneven widths of the frame hold- she noticed that many of the older photos ers further complicated the situation as the had also been cut at the bottom as a result of Photo by Skyler Hanley ’20 frames “were not one-size-fits-all.” ill-fitting frames. By then, the new school year was already “If only I had known!” Ms. Cabot said. Trent Hieber ’22, a member of the boys’ varsity water polo team, helps out with well underway and students began to notice the Water Warriors program. By ANNA LI ’21 Swim Outlet has agreed to donate caps, Staff Writer goggles, and other training equipment for the swimmers. The donated training equip- Water Warriors, a program that teach- ment will be used at the school, and the kids es kids in the local Windsor area how to will also be able to take the gear home to use Flik Debunks Food swim, has recently received a sponsorship for themselves. from SwimOutlet, an online swimwear and The new swimsuits and equipment are Package Rumors equipment retail company. expected to come in by Sunday, October 20.

By LILY POTTER ’21 cally the price per meal and then times how Staff Writer many people we’re [serving],” Mr. Garfield said. U.S. History Students to A rumor has spread around the Loomis Every school has the same standards of Chaffee community that LC has a “bronze” Flik meals, which include “making sure we Flik Dining package, as opposed to other have the right stuff on the deli and on the Travel to Rhode Island boarding prep schools that have the Gold or salad bar, having a vegetarian option, hav- Silver. In reality, the Flik dining service at ing a vegan option, having a clear broth By ANNA LI ’21 at historical documents pertaining to the LC is the same program across every school soup and a cream broth soup, so it’s all stan- Staff Writer slave trade as well as going to the graveyards that uses Flik. dards that we have to follow,” Mr. Garfield of the slaves to see how they were remem- It is not the case that Loomis has a low- said. All students taking U.S. History or CL bered. er or less expensive plan compared to other The chefs have discretion over what food U.S. History, as well as their teachers, will “[The field trip] will help [students] bet- schools. items get served on what day, but all schools be going on a field trip to Newport, Rhode ter understand that slavery did exist in the According to Mr. Keith Garfield, Flik that use Flik use the same menu database. Island, on Thursday, October 31. North and Newport is a good example of manager at Loomis, the price per meal is “It’s just the standard across the board of This is the first year the history depart- how an economy really revolved around standard across all schools. Flik. We don’t do anything particular that’s ment has decided to go on a field trip to slavery,” Mrs. Lori Caligiuri, a U.S. History “It’s not really a budgetary thing in regard different from anyone else,” Mr. Garfield Newport. Students will be exploring the ef- teacher, said. to how much money we can spend. It’s basi- explained. fect of slavery had on the North by looking October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log FEATURES | 3

Students to Perform “Macbeth” in November

By VICTORIA CHE ’21 Opinions Editor

“When shall we three met again, in thun- der, lightening, or in rain?” The Weird Sisters’ question leads the audience onto an enticing journey to explore power, ambition, and guilt in the renowned Shakespeare tragedy “Macbeth.” From November 5 to 8, the NEO will be presenting the fall play “Mac- beth” for the Loomis Chaffee community. An all-time Shakespeare classic, “Macbeth” has proven to be both a challenging task and a rewarding experience for the students and faculty involved in the play. Since early September, actors, directing faculty, and backstage crew have been working collaboratively to create an impres- sive production. Lana Breheney ’21, who plays Lady Mac- beth, shares that one of the most exciting experiences she enjoyed was “getting to explore a character much deeper than usual.” “Macbeth” is the first tragedy that Lana has been a part of since the beginning of her NEO career at Loomis Chaffee. Further- more, the play’s widespread popularity ren- ders her performance of this character even more challenging. Knowing that the audience is more familiar with “Macbeth” than most of the previous plays and musicals, Lana admits that she feels more pressure. “The audience knows the play, they know the plot, they might even know the words,” Lana said. Despite some difficulties throughout the process, Lana believes that the directing faculty have guided the actors with their pro- found knowledge of Shakespeare literature to a point at which the crew feels proud to Photo by Anna Rebello ’21 be. “There is no doubt in my mind that we John Howley ’21 (Macbeth) and Talia Mayo ’21 (Young Siward) engage in stage combat during a rehearsal of Macbeth, which would have a beautiful show by the end,” will open on November 5. Lana said. English faculty member and fall play di- “Instead of using Renaissance clothing, up a lot of freedom to the actors because working with the fall play. rector Dr. Will Eggers has served as the as- we are having costumes that have more of the majority of the audience knows the sto- “Working on the musical is always an sistant director for many fall plays at Loomis a modern style. The set has different lay- ryline. Whereas for ‘Twelfth Night’ or ‘Peri- exciting whirlwind because we have to bal- Chaffee, but directing “Macbeth” is his first ers and angles, so it is very dynamic. When cles’ we had to focus on conveying the story, ance singing, dancing, and acting rehearsals. time serving as the primary director. actors move around the stage, their move- this time we can really focus on the acting Helping with ‘Macbeth’ this fall, I appreciate “We have such a solid foundation upon ment is tailored by the stage itself,” Dr. and introspective work,” John said. the extended, quality time that we have to which to build, and our students are both Eggers said. Mr. David McCamish, who has been the work with the text and build the world of talented and committed,” Dr. Eggers said. By the end of the play, Dr. Eggers hopes director of many previous NEO produc- the play as an ensemble,” Ms. Saxton said. “A lot of my job is turning them loose on the that the students involved in the production tions, has been on leave since earlier this As an English teacher, Ms. Saxton has material, see what they produce, and retain will find it an amazing experience and have fall. From John’s perspective, the transition taught ‘Macbeth’ several times and she feels those strongest elements.” made many memories from it. was seamless. that she knows the play well. Dr. Eggers believes that his background “As for the audience, I hope that they feel “Dr. Eggers and Ms. Saxton have both “However, Shakespeare always takes on a in teaching Shakespeare helps him to “pro- entertained even as they encounter the cul- worked in the NEO before, and their different life on stage, and no two produc- vide context, interpret the language and of- turally rich material Shakespeare offers,” Dr. knowledge of both Shakespeare literature tions are ever the same,” Ms. Saxton said. “I fer clarification on the differences between Eggers said. and theatre have really provided us valuable have certainly discovered new things about their [characters in the play] society and John Howley ’21 plays Macbeth and be- insights and advice. They have the cast and the play, thanks to our production. I hope ours.” lieves that the play’s widespread popularity crew’s full trust,” John said. that the audience will leave the show with Dr. Eggers shares that two elements in both pressures and liberates the actors. Director of Writing Initiatives and En- a similar sense of discovery and new insight the play this time — clothing and stage set- “It make the need for accuracy and a glish faculty member Ms. Kathryn Saxton into this enduring classic.” ting —will be quite different from those in text-perfect reading become more essen- has been the assistant director for five mu- other classical productions. tial,” John said. “On the other hand, it opens sicals at Loomis, but this is her first time

Photo by Anna Rebello ’21

L-R: Kassie Rivera ’21, Tom Zhang ’21, Ben Radmore ’22, Aidan Cooper ’22, and Dr. Eggers at the Norris Ely Orchard Theater 4 | October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log FEATURES | May 2,FEATURES 2019 Halim Ali ’20: From Somaliland to Windsor tightly and said, “I’m Halim from Somalil- a member of the community. that picture is the reality I’m living in and.” I could feel that he was amiable from Where he came from was totally differ- right now.” I couldn’t agree more with his the very first moment we met. Knowing ent from here. “I came from a community remark as I can feel the intimacy and strong that he was a new senior and just traveled where things were not developed and the bonds among Loomis community mem- from half a world away, I felt more com- opportunities were very few. Everyone was bers; everyone here supports each other fortable because we were both international fighting for oneself. There is no we and us, both inside and outside of classrooms. Ul- students and new to the school. but only me and I.” timately, he is an important part that made When I asked him about his country, Halim describes his previous school as a me feel this way. he eagerly opened Google Maps on his very unfriendly community. There was no He told me since the first day we met, “If phone, locating and meticulously describ- cooperation; everyone was self-centered you need anything, you can tell me every- ing the place where he came from. I was so and selfish. thing and every time. ’Cuz we are room- impressed with his loquaciousness and his However, he didn’t suffer living there at mates, right, so we need to support each good command of English. all. He described his life there as “fantastic.” other.” I was grateful for that, but I never After that busy morning, I went to the He had his family to support him and, most thought that we would support each other dining hall with him. I was so nervous since importantly, to send him to the United for literally everything. I didn’t know anyone else. I was afraid of States, the country he longed for. One day, when he saw me carrying three sitting alone, but at the same time, I was I thought it would be difficult for us to big packages from the mailroom back to afraid of walking to a random table and adapt to our new lives at Loomis, but I was our room, he told me, “You should have Photo by Jessica Hsieh ’08 asking if I could sit there. wrong. He quickly got used to the new called me to help you. Next time, just tell But he wasn’t, so I followed him to sit schedule, classes, and community. On the me okay? Remember we are roommates By KANTAPHON “NICKY” with a group of sophomores. “I love strang- very first day, I was still homesick for my and support each other.” I was so impressed WONGCHAMCHAROEN ’20 Contributor ers,” he told me with confidence. Without family in Thailand and was confused with as I never thought that he would take his him, I wouldn’t have had very first friends almost everything. He asked me if this was words seriously, but he really meant that he Abdihalim Ali, a new Loomis Chaffee senior from the dining table that day, I would’ve my first time in the boarding school, and would support me with everything. from Somaliland who has just moved to the had a hard time knowing other people, the answer was yes. I love talking with Halim about busi- United States for the first time, has faced a and I wouldn’t have adjusted so quickly to That was when I learned that he had ness, which is our common interest. When dramatic wave of changes in his life: the ad- Loomis. He was truly my savior. been in the boarding school for four he told me about his involvement in the justment to a new country and a new boarding During the first week, we talked and years in Somaliland. He showed me some business world, I was surprised that he school. As his roommate, I spent a lot of time learned a lot more about each other. Unfor- pictures on his Instagram, and his school is currently running three companies in with him during the first three weeks of school. tunately, he loved rap music, but I didn’t. looked very different from our U.S. board- Somaliland. Conducting an interview let me delve deep into I loved sushi, but he thought raw fish was ing school. The buildings were old, and the Two of three companies work with his story and perspectives. He decided to move disgusting. He played his music loudly, but land looked barren. Somali celebrities by making advertisement from his old community of a boarding school I loved to study quietly. He talked on the “You know, it’s a very competitive and merchandise for them. Another com- in Somaliland to the Loomis Chaffee School phone and slept late, but I go to bed early. school. Every year, 3000 kids take exams pany invests in farms, helping the farmers as he intended to meet new people and pursue We were so different that sometimes I and only a few students get accepted each launch their products into the market. his dream. Both communities are dramatically was afraid I would struggle living with him. year. And if you get in there, it’s a differ- “The farmers don’t have knowledge different, and he found out that the reality of At last, we found something in common – ent dynamic. Everyone is grinding. The about business, so we help them make being a member of Loomis Chaffee community our dream college. He told me, “If we both school tries as much as they can to impose money,” Halim said. “It’s a win-win coop- perfectly matched his dream. This profile dives get into Penn, we’ll meet again, having fun, the sense of community, but it’s kinda like eration, and I’m very happy that I could into the interesting story of Halim, the boy from and maybe we can be roommates again!” ‘what can I do to be at the top’ not ‘what support them.” Even though having busi- a country most people have never heard of, To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure whether I can we do to be at the top together,’” Halim nesses in Somaliland is great, he told me and my own thoughts and experience being his would feel comfortable living with him for said. that he planned to found a startup company friend and roommate. another year. When I asked him about his expectations involving the stock market here because he When we started the interview for of Loomis Chaffee, he said, “The picture I can reach more people and make an impact Before entering Room 36 of Batchelder this profile, Halim told me that the best painted in my head was honestly a heaven.” to the world in a bigger way. Hall with two big suitcases, I glanced at the decision in his life was moving to Amer- He claimed to have read every newsletter “Thanks for having me here, bro,” said nameplate and saw the engraved letters of ica: “I think coming to Loomis Chaffee is and post on the school’s social media. He Halim after the interview ended. I then got “Somaliland,” a country I’ve never heard of the stepping-stone to my career both as a thought of Loomis as a place full of knowl- back to work, hoping that we would both before. businessman and a student.” He came here edge and people who love being part of this meet again at our dream college. It would Tiptoeing inside, I met my roommate to develop academic skills and ultimately warm community. be great if we could be roommates again Halim for the first time. He shook my hand become a better person, student, leader, and As for the reality, he said, “Honestly, someday, I thought to myself.

LC Students Explore Peru

By PILAR WINGLE ’22 salinated water flows from a mountain top Contributor and funnels into pools where families have been harvesting salt since before the Inca’s On June Ninth, twelve Loomis students time, we learned a little bit about the histo- and I, along with two teachers, began ex- ry of relations between the government and ploring the marvelous and diverse country natives on the land. of Peru. On our trip, we studied Peru’s cul- The Peruvian government first took the ture by trekking the Sacred Valley, balanc- salinas from the indigiounous people, but ing on the sides of ancient salt ponds, and after many failed attempts to perfect the visiting different neighborhoods in Lima. difficult technique, the government handed First, we learned about the economic back the land to the indigenous people of disadvantage in some pockets of Lima. We the area, now different local families share studied neighborhoods that are divided and collectively own the mountainside. In based on status and wealth. In one case, this unison, they work together to produce salt divide was maintained by an actual wall - In and make sure that all the operations run as San Juan de Miraflores, at the top of the hill. smoothly as possible. On our way up we saw slabs of metals Along the exit, they have multiple dif- and concrete placed together to create a ferent stands, with each family selling their home and stray dogs running freely. The own bags of salt and goods. The families wall, placed between San Juan de Miraflores bonded by their jobs create a society around and one of the wealthiest places in Lima, is the salinas that captivates you with beauty covered with papers bearing questions and from not only the view but the passion and answers regarding the feelings provoked by dedication the people all have to their tra- the physical separation. ditions. One question asked, “¿Qué opinas de At the end of our trip, we took a three- los muros y las fronteras que existen en el day trek and encouraged each other while mundo?” (What do you think of the walls climbing up steep mountains, and reaching and borders that exist in our world?). The high altitudes. We picked up on the charac- answer: Es cierto que los muros causan divi- teristics of the people around us for so many siones de varias sociedades (It is true that the days that we ourselves were united and con- walls cause a divide in society.) nected. However, regardless of the immense need The sense of community we experienced for aid and attention, the neglected commu- throughout the whole trip had become a nity asserts its voice by electing a leader and part of us, something that seemed almost working together to make the best of what impossible in our dead-silent pre-trip Feb- it has. It built a community center with help ruary meeting. from volunteers and has a plan for future Peru changed us all and taught us to not improvements. only be grateful but to take full advantage of This sense of community and working everything we have in life. For that, we will Photo by Maribel Blas-Rangel with what you have is a common theme always be a part of our tiny Peru-Loomis seen all around Peru. community. Kennedy Anderson ’21 climbs up the Lares trail in Peru in June 2019. Twelve LC At the Salinas de Maras, a place where students and two teachers traveled to Peru to explore its culture and history. October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log FEATURES | 5 BOOM! Boomerang Bags By HAZEL LE ’22 and LANA SHENG ’22 dents how to sew reusable bags from fabric Contributor and Staff Writer scraps and old clothing. The produced bags are hung in the foyer of each dorm, given In the famous words of Katy Perry, “do to food pantries, and sold to fundraise for you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting charities. through the wind, wanting to start again?” Lilith Yu ’20, a Project Green leader, said Unfortunately, due to the over-use of dis- that she had to “start from zero and learn posable plastics, the sight of plastic bags how to sew before jumping right into lead- floating in the ocean or drifting through the ing the project.” wind is our reality. Both Lilith and Freya faced multiple chal- Nevertheless, this problem is being ad- lenges along the way as they tried to spread dressed through the new Connecticut law out the Boomerang Bags projects. on plastic bags, effective from August 1, “Everytime I see a LC student going to 2019. Joining the worldwide movement to town with a Boomerang Bags, I feel like it’s combat climate change, the state of Con- all worth it,” Lilith said. necticut has begun charging a 10-cent fee This fall, Lilith and Freya have created per single-use plastic bag in all retail stores. more signs around the dorms to remind stu- Denmark was the first country to charge dents to bring Boomerang Bags with them. a small fee on plastic bags in 1994, and Cali- They also announced the project in class fornia was the first state in America to adopt meetings to attract more attention from this new law in 2012. Many countries such new students. as Bangladesh and China have even applied They have set their goal for the year: Ex- more aggressive approaches to climate ac- pand Boomerang Bags to the Windsor com- tion, placing a total ban on plastic bags in munity. recent years. Asher Kornfield ’22, a new boarding stu- Implementing the new 10-cent law is dent in Carter said that he always uses Boo- Connecticut’s first small step to spreading merang Bags while going out because “they climate awareness to residents and con- are helpful to the environment and reusable fronting climate change. and also have an added bonus of handles.” Boomerang Bags is an Australian or- Sadie Gardner ’19 said that “using re- ganization started in 2013 that includes a usable bags to shop is a small, easy way to network of local volunteers who work in- prevent more plastic waste,” but she thought dependently to reduce waste in their com- that there should be more constant remind- munities. Loomis Chaffee, thanks to Project ers so people could remember to use them Green leader Freya Rich ’20 is participating while going to town. in the Boomerang Bag initiative. Valentin Silva ’20 said he knows about Mrs. Heather Henderson, the director of the existence of Boomerang Bags and usu- community service, is the faculty advisor for ally uses them. Boomerang Bags. “Sometimes I forget to take one and I “It’s been amazingly effective so far. I go have to purchase a paper bag from Geisslers into stores and see people carrying their or CVS,” Valentin said. own bags, and it’s incredible how much peo- Stacey Zhang ’22 does not use Boomerang ple’s mindset changes in just two months. By Bags that often because she brings her own putting the price directly on the consumer, tote bag or backpack while shopping. they will think again if they really need a bag “However, [I realize] that people do of- or not,” Mrs. Henderson said. ten use plastic bags as trash bags, but they Freya was inspired to bring Boomerang will now have to buy new trash bags,” Stacey Bags to Loomis Chaffee in 2017 after going said. with her father to a local branch of Boomer- Students and community members can ang Bags, where people gathered for weekly contribute to this cause by joining Boomer- sewing bees. ang Bags.

With the help of faculty and Project “Whenever it’s time to go, everyone just Photo by Hazel Le ’22 and Lana Sheng ’22 Green, Boomerang Bags started as a cloth- keeps working and no one seems to want to ing drive and sewing weekend activity be- stop, even after five o’clock. They just keep Project Green leaders Lilith Yu ’20 and Freya Rich ’20 hold their reusable fore turning into an afternoon community working on their projects and it’s always “boomerang bags.” service. been that way with Boomerang Bags,” Mrs. This after-school program teaches stu- Henderson said.

Reflections on Sophomore Retreat By MERCY OLAGUNJU ’22 “My favorite activity was swimming. It Staff Writer was really fun because it was a very hot day and everyone came out so you got to see all Sophomore retreat is a sleepaway camp your friends at once. The activities we got for sophomores to bond in a different envi- to choose like gaga ball really brought the ronment, make new friends, and strengthen students together because we got to choose old friendships. On September 22, the class what we wanted to do and who we wanted of 2022 upheld this tradition in Camp Beck- to do it with,” Dias Belda ’22 said. et in Massachusetts. As the day came to an end, the final activ- After arriving at Camp Becket, students ity was to reflect in groups on how the soph- were split into different groups and separat- omores challenged themselves and helped ed for introductory team bonding exercises. their classmates enjoy their experience. Afterward, they participated in camp-orga- “I’m used to staying in my comfort zone nized activities such as ropes courses and but sophomore retreat challenged me to canoeing. meet more people and make more connec- “My favorite activity was definitely the tions,” Hazel Le ’22 said. ropes course. It was really fun, and it was “[Sophomore retreat] put me in a situa- nice talking to everyone and coming up tion where I had to work with some people with strategies to complete different cours- that I have never met before and integrated es,” A’jah Canty ’22 said myself into the community,” Oliver Martin After a long day of traveling and games, ’22 said. “I had a great time, so if you go into the sophomores sat down to eat dinner at it with a good attitude, you’ll have a great the dining hall. “I liked the family-style din- time too.” ner because it was an opportunity to...get to At sophomore retreat, a group of senior know new people,” Joice Odongo ‘22 said. leaders helped facilitate the activities. After dinner, people were assigned cab- McKayla McPherson ’20, one of the se- ins and settled into their cabins with their nior leaders, shared that she had a different cabinmates. experience from when she attended as a On Sunday night, the sophomores danced sophomore. at a silent disco, screaming words of popular “I was more nervous and didn’t know songs, and jumping to the beat. what to expect,” McKayla said. “But, as a se- Later that evening, a campfire was set up nior, I was really outgoing and super excited with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham to be there. I had my friends with me, and I crackers for s’mores. After gathering around was also excited to get to know more peo- the bonfire and singing songs, people head- ple and help them have the best experience ed back to their cabins and called it a night. possible.” The next day was also packed with “As a sophomore, the retreat was fun team bonding activities. In addition to the but my group leader wasn’t as engaging as I camp-organized activities, other events in- wanted her to be, so I knew I would be able cluded Gaga ball, archery, swimming, bas- to make it the best experience a sophomore ketball, and volleyball. could have,” McKayla said. Photo by Kelly Xue ’ 21 6 | October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log FEATURES The Cutler and Howe Family

By ELIZABETH PECORARO ’21 Contributor

While arriving at a new school can seem intimidating, it can be helpful to have an older peer to look up to or rely on. This year, Howe Hall and Cutler Hall have collab- orated in creating a Big Sister/Little Sister program between the two dorms. The new initiative is led by Mrs. Lori Caligiuri, head of the all-senior Howe Hall, and Ms. Lillian Corman, head of the under- classman Cutler Hall. The goal of the program is to give new girls in Cutler an opportunity to bond with seniors and provide them with a friendly face at school. The seniors may also act as a mentor or a trusted friend for their younger counterparts. Two weeks ago, the freshmen and new sophomores of Cutler were paired with a senior “sister” from Howe. Half of the group went to Howe, while the other half stayed in Cutler. In the spirit of the fall season, the girls painted pumpkins together and relaxed with good snacks and music. “I liked it a lot. The seniors were really nice,” Karly Saliba ’23 said. Looking to the future, the sister pairs will meet sporadically throughout the year for various fun activities. Loomis Chaffee has a number of pro- grams and resources for new students such as peer counseling, pelican pilots, and pre- fect groups. However, the Big Sister/Little Sister program is the first of its kind in that it connects seniors and new underclassmen specifically for a one-on-one relationship. “It helped me feel more welcome to Loomis, and it’s good to be friends with an upperclassman,” Cameron Devenney ’23 said. In addition, this new program is also specifically gender-based and helps facilitate conversations about the Loomis experience as a boarding girl. Having an “older sister” figure is valuable for younger students, and encourages them to ask for advice and helps them receive assistance from someone who went through the same situation only a few years ago. “As the program continues and we develop relationships with each other, I can’t wait to talk more about empowerment and life as a boarder girl here at LC,” Howe res- ident Clare Wibiralske ’20 said. “I think this program is wicked important, and I wish there was a program like this when I was a freshman.” Photo by Haven Low ’21 Above: Howe and Cutler residents decorate pumpkins together in the Howe common room.

Photos by Haven Low ’21

(L-R) Liles Wall ’20, Jean Shin ’20, and Turner Brode ’23; Alli Benthien ’23, Thea Porter ’20, and Avery Martin ’23; and Sadie Olcott ’20 and Karly Saliba ’23 hold their decorated pumpkins. October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log OPINIONS | 7 OPINION | May 2, 2019 Is SCAM Dead? By STEPHANIE ZHANG ’21 In fact, the iconic nature of the opening News Section Editor dance, along with Loomis Chaffee’s dance culture in general, has been fading out for “Party in the USA” echoed loudly off the a while now. Other than SCAM and the walls of a half-empty Shimkus gym as un- winter formal, the only two dances where derclassmen and a few juniors showed off people actually show up, every attempt at a their new TikTok dance moves under the dance turns into a room of about five peo- hazy glow of strobe lights, dutifully waiting ple, three of whom are StuActs-appointed for the seniors to run in. DJs. If I wanted to listen to music in an emp- The clock struck nine and the seniors ty room, I would just stay in my dorm. came stampeding in, like a mob of deter- The opening dance isn’t completely dead, mined shoppers on Black Friday weekend, but Loomis’s dance culture is slowly having making tons of noise and stopping to flash the life choked out of it by strict regulations their cut-up firefighter t-shirts that dis- and the loss of certain traditions. Starting played their senior status. last year, freshmen could no longer partici- A swaying, sardine-like mass of people pate in the tradition of donning cut-up class ping-ponged my body from one side of the shirts at their Loomis dance debut. gym to the other. The heat emanating off I understand and agree with the deans’ at- Photo by Laine Duncan ’20 Photo by Samantha Tishler ’23 people’s bodies made the air so thick that I tempts to prevent the freshmen from being couldn’t breathe, and my feet were stomped targeted, but depriving freshmen of their Avery Fitzgerald ’20, Jenna Stevens ’20, Ellie Ross ’23, Sofia Preuss ’23, Zoe on every five seconds. And yet, this is what only opening dance tradition takes away Laine Duncan ’20, Liles Wall ’20, Bailey Alford ’23, Mattie Wright ’23, Samantha I lived for. much of the dance’s identity, let alone the Prete ’20 and Emma Keane ’20 posing in Tishler ’23 and Izzy Balise ’23 pose in This year’s opening dance, or as the fun of bonding with fellow new students their Class of 2020 shirts in 2016. their tie-dyed shirts after not receiving students all call it, SCAM (Seniors Care over the shared pre-dance ritual of mutilat- the traditional freshman class shirts. About Maturity, along with other creative ing class gear. culture comes with the end of other student While the opening dance wasn’t what variations), was without a doubt better Additionally, this year’s opening dance favorite traditions too. The disappearance made Loomis, Loomis, it was an iconic part than that of my freshman year, a construc- was held on October 5 — far later than last of round tables in the dining hall, the SNUG of our school’s identity. As traditions of tion-themed dance held in a sectioned-off year’s date of September 22 — and each becoming the Student Center, and the dis- yore continue to die, we lose aspects of our portion of the hockey rink that included year the weekend of the dance seems to get continuance of family-style are all relatively school that promoted the value of commu- more awkward jumping up and down than pushed back more and more. At its core, the small changes that have still had a large im- nity: cutting the shirts together, the round any of the dance’s characteristic squished-in opening dance is supposed to be a chance for pact on the identity of Loomis and its com- tables, the old SNUG. masses bumping shoulders and trading an- everyone to let loose, as well as an oppor- munity. So while change is inevitable, these noyed glances. tunity to integrate younger students with So the real question is, how do we as stu- changes have propelled Loomis into a more But despite the sweat soaking my shirt old, creating camaraderie between previ- dents revive the dance culture at Loomis individualistic direction that will shape how and the adrenaline hastening my heartbeat, ous strangers. When the dance is held five without upsetting the Deans or accidental- future students define the culture of the this year’s dance just seemed like another weeks into the school year, can it even be ly targeting students? How do we deal with Loomis community. rave. It didn’t live up to the iconic standards called the opening dance anymore? the loss of Loomis traditions and the Island’s of opening dances past. The slow demise of the Loomis dance constantly changing identity? The Loomis Chaffee Log EDITORIAL Issue CIV, No. 2 Est. 1915 • 4 Batchelder Road, Windsor, CT October 24, 2019 Editors-in-Chief Opinions Section Editors Graphics Manager Family Style Should Ethan Levinbook ’20 Victoria Che ’21 Julie Chung ’21 Neala Sweeney ’20 Ryan Jones ’20 Jenny Pan ’22 Sports Section Editors Graphics Staff Not Return Managing Editors Julian Hernandez ’21 Anna Rebello ’21 This fall, as students have returned to was significantly different than that of the Portia Inzone ’20 Riley Meade ’21 Julia Manafort ’21 Loomis Chaffee, one thing has been no- 2016 school year. Without the circular ta- Angela Wang ’20 Janus Yuen ’21 ticeably missing from the boarding-student bles, conversing with more than two or Melange Section Editors Gabriele Kozik ’20 experience: family style dinners. Every LC three people at a time has become more dif- Emma Goldfarb ’20 Margarita Demkina ’20 student, except those who are new this year, ficult. Also, the food was not served family has experienced some form of family style style. Instead, students would walk to the Director of Design Andrew Park ’22 Zachary Davis ’21 dinner, in which the entire boarding popu- servery to serve themselves buffet style. The Michelle Park ’20 Haven Low ’21 lation, dressed in their best, convenes for a family style experience seemed far more ca- Columnist Matthew Weng ’21 meal on Tuesday nights. sual than it had been during the 2016 school Natalie Halsey ’20 Audrey Zhang ’21 This arrangement was feasible when year. Hazel Le ’22 our dining facilities were large enough to Class Dinners are a great opportunity to accommodate the entire boarding student build community within each class and also, Faculty Advisor Staff Writers Sky Hanley ’20 population; however, the Scanlan Campus to a certain extent, continue the long-stand- Jessica Hsieh ’08 Mercy Olagunju ’22 Center, inaugurated October 2018, cannot ing tradition of formal dinners. This year, Brett Donshik ’21 Contributors seat everyone this year. The Loomis admin- each class will meet for dinner once a term. Lily Potter ’21 Cooper Raposo ’21 istration has thus introduced Class Dinners, The formal dress code will remain the same, News Section Editors Zachary Davis ’21 Justin Wu ’21 in which entire classes — boarders and day but day students will be included in these students alike — will eat together. dinners. The rest of the school will eat in the Stephanie Zhang ’21 Lana Sheng ’22 Emily Khym ’23 While the origi- student lounge. The Minjune Song ’21 Jordan Korn ’22 Nicholas Darras ’21 nal family styles we first class dinner Krishnapriya Rajaram ’21 Elizabeth Pecoraro ’21 four-year seniors Class Dinners are a (for the senior class) Emma Devlin ’21 Anya Sastry ’20 once loved are (lam- happened on Octo- Features Section Editors John Howley ’21 Stacey Zhang ’22 entably) a thing of great way to include day ber 22, and the rest the past, given the will follow during Jean Shin ’20 Natalie Halsey ’20 Debi Chakrabortti ’21 circumstances — students both the remainder of the Kelly Xue ’21 Anna Li ’21 Pilar Wingle ’22 specifically, the lack term. Hazel Le ’22 of space in the Tisch in the boarding student At times it does K. Wongchamcharoen ’20 dining hall due to seem that traditions this year’s over-en- community and are fading at Loomis Web Edition rollment — the pro- in a beloved Loomis Chaffee, and fam- Web Content Editors Web Director Social Media Managers posed Class Dinner ily-style dinner is model seems pref- Chaffee tradition. just another one to Jack Glassie ’20 Krishnapriya Rajaram ’21 Ally Velasquez ’20 erable to reinstating bite the dust. Every Lauren Volkodav ’22 Hazel Le ’22 family style dinners. year it seems that During the 2016-17 school year, the the school puts less and less emphasis on boarding student population sat down for preserving traditions; however, given our The Loomis Chaffee Log is the official student newspaper of the Loomis Chaffee School dinner on Tuesday and Thursday nights in current circumstances, the administration the fall and on Tuesday nights in the spring. should be commended for making a con- in Windsor, CT. We can be found online at www.thelclog.org, and we can be contacted With students arranged by dormitory at certed effort to ensure some form of formal via email at [email protected]. Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions are welcome via our beloved circular tables (greatly missed), dinner remains. email. The Log reservces the right to edit all letters and pieces for brevity and content. the food was served family-style — that is, We recognize that it is no longer possible The views expressed in the Log do not necessarily reflect those of The Loomis Chaffee passed around the table to be shared among to return to the Family-Style Dinners we School. Unsigned editorials represent the collective views of the Editorial Board. neighbors and friends. knew and loved due to the lack of space in The 2017-18 school year disrupted this our new dining hall and because we’ve got- tradition; due to construction on campus ten rid of our circle tables. Ideally, if family ADVERTISING and the transformation of Erickson Gym style were in the same format as it once was, To advertise in the Log, please contact the editors-in-chief listed above. into a makeshift dining hall, family style we would argue for its return. ceased to exist. As the return of family style However, due to the current circum- was debated during the 2018-2019 school stances, we believe that Class Dinners are year, the administration ultimately decided a great way to include day students both in CORRECTION: The photograph of Liam Scott ’19 in our previous issue was incorrectly that it would return in the fall and the spring the boarding student community and in a attributed to Haven Low ’21 instead of LC Strategic Communications and Marketing. but would take place only once a week. beloved Loomis Chaffee tradition. The atmosphere of family style last year 8 | October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log OPINIONS Loomis Chaffee’s Political Culture

By ANYA SASTRY ’20 those challenging conversations with peers is community back into a political frenzy, speaker. Contributor and they created an atmosphere on campus and students will be much more engaged as But what causes disappointment and and MINJUNE SONG ’21 that encouraged and facilitated difficult, yet different political opinions take the center frustration is the fact that there is little room News Section Editor respectful, political discussions. stage in national politics. But until then, are to disagree with liberal views at Loomis. At I have had the opportunity to prog- we stuck with a community that is detached least this is what I felt when, during con- ress through Loomis at the same pace that from, uninterested in, and uninvolved with vocations and classroom discussions, there LIBERAL PERSPECTIVE Trump has progressed through his presi- politics? seemed to be a consistent preference for dency. In this process, I have gained insight left-leaning ideas. This bias invited indirect “Let’s Not Get into an Argument.” into how national reaction to Trump’s pres- CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE reinforcement of the idea that dissent is not Anya Sastry ‘20 idency over the past few years has impact- welcome, and that only one idea is “right.” ed and shaped our political culture here at “Avoiding an Echo Chamber” What any progressive person should As someone who is highly invested in Loomis. Minjune Song ’20 wish for is an equal representation of both and engaged with politics on multiple levels, However, I have found that just as Loom- narratives. A political discussion with only I have always felt that the political culture is’ political culture was heightened by the Bias infuses Loomis Chaffee life as it does one side talking —often referred to as an at Loomis is a significant part of my experi- intense national response to the election re- in any other institution. It’s here, prodding echo-chamber — is dangerous. Period. Stu- ence on campus. I have found that although sults, it has also conformed to the nation’s at a corner of your mind when you are just dents should not be reluctant to express we like to refer to ourselves as an island, growing apathy toward and resignation to about to say something genuine — their opinions just because they stand in distanced and separated from everyone and political occurrences. I can’t say this, not here. contrast to popular sentiment. everything else, we are much more like a It seems to me that as Trump’s reaction- Here we are at Loomis Chaffee, a school Discussion from both sides should be sponge when it comes to political culture — ary political decisions and actions remain where we strive to promote equality and promoted, and Loomis has a responsibili- our community soaks up and reacts to the consistent, the general public no longer re- inclusivity for all. However, there is a lin- ty to not disproportionately represent one greater political atmosphere around us. acts, as they predict what is coming. People gering fear for students with conservative narrative. Let students form their own I entered my freshman year at Loomis have grown tired of debating and discussing views that our ideas will be interpreted as opinions, and let them have an equal oppor- in the midst of a heated and heavily polar- political issues. problematic. As a result, students sometimes tunity to hear out both sides: both sides have ized presidential election. When the results The same has occurred at Loomis. The feel discouraged from speaking out. valid points. of the 2016 presidential election were an- political culture that persists now is wildly Mrs. Lori Caligiuri, faculty adviser to Recently, Loomis has made some changes nounced, I found myself determined. I be- different from the political culture of my the Young Republicans, expressed surprise to even out the political representation of came intent on engaging with, participating freshman year. Aside from student groups when a number of students spoke out in the both parties. In fact, Loomis will soon be in, and learning more about the political at- such as the Shultz Fellows, the Young Dem- first Young Republicans meeting this year. hosting convocation speaker David French, mosphere that surrounded me. ocrats, and the Young Republicans, genuine New club members said that they were re- a conservative writer and attorney. Mrs. And I saw other students do the same. political engagement and interest is hard to luctant to join the club, perhaps because Caligiuri singled out Mr. Eric LaForest, di- Loomis reacted strongly to the election come by in our community. they feared biased treatment from teachers, rector of the Norton Family Center for the and as a new student, one of my first im- Students are put off by any mention of students, and even colleges. Common Good, for inviting different voices pressions of the Loomis community was politics. Recently, I voiced a political opin- Max Rosenberg ’21, the student president into the campus. that both students and faculty alike were ion different from one of my peers and I was of the Young Republicans, admits he was Political belief is the least of the quali- passionate about political issues and cared eager to start a discussion over the topic; hesitant to mention his leadership position ties that contribute to our ability to be our about what was happening around them. however, in response to my statement, the in the club “because college administrators best selves and work for the common good. As a freshman, I looked up to the mem- student simply said, “Let’s not get into an ar- were sure to judge.” No judgement, no prejudice should be cast bers of the Classes of 2017 and 2018 be- gument,” and instantly changed the subject, Some conservative students feel hesi- based on what we believe, and nothing cause those classes were filled with students despite the fact that there were no signs of a tant expressing their views because we are should deter us from being entitled to our willing to engage with each other and have confrontation. Students are now seeing pol- located in a more liberal state and attend a own opinions. those difficult conversations, no matter itics as disruptive and taboo. generally left-leaning school. Liberal ideas what side of the aisle they were on. Many As trends and data suggest, the upcoming are more likely to be promoted, and rarely of those students taught me how to have presidential election will spur the Loom- do we encounter an openly conservative

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE Is Anonymous Grading a Good Idea?

By STACEY ZHANG ’22 and DEBI CHAKRABORTTI ’22 Contributers ARESH MR. EWEN ROSS KATE SHYMKIV ’22 Anonymous grading, an idea originally POURKAVOOS ’21 Science Faculty “I think anonymous grading will proposed by junior boarding girl Student give an equal opportunity for all Council representative Veronika Berezh- “It would remove the issue of “The standard-level classes would students to get a realistic grade, nenko ’21, has been on Student Council’s unconscious bias from grading agenda for the past year. be more fit for anonymous grading because sometimes teachers might which is good, but writing isn’t Under this proposal, teachers would be because what matters is a good show favoritism toward specific encouraged to grade essays without know- simply correct grammar and syntax; foundation in the material, and people or have a biased opinion ing the identity of the writer. Instead of advanced classes would do better it is also the emotion and that might writing their names, students would mark about the others.” their papers with a unique symbol, thus re- with non-anonymous grading be lost if the grader doesn’t know maining anonymous until their teacher has because it’s more important for the who the writer is. Maybe, I am not graded the assignment, and subsequently teacher to track individual students’ sure.” matched a symbol to a student. Student Council has drafted a detailed progress.” plan and submitted it to the faculty. If the proposal is approved, Student Council is hoping to implement it in the English De- MR. JEFF SCANLON partment first, and subsequently the other English Faculty academic departments. MR. SCOTT PURDY KRISHNAPRIYA “If you are in my English class, I English Faculty don’t think you want anonymous LAUREN RAJARAM ’21 grading, because it will likely lower “Anonymous grading wouldn’t Web Director for the Log your grades.” VOLKADOV ’22 help as much in terms of seeing Web Editor for the Log a student’s personal growth and “Students could benefit from whether they implemented previous anonymous grading because their “I think there are pros and cons feedback into their writing. It could grades are not being affected by any KELLY ENG ’20 to it. For example, if you improved have a psychological impact on sort of bias, so I think this might greatly from your last assignment be a good idea to try out, especially “I like the idea because it does students if their grade didn’t change ensure unbiased and fair judgement I would want the teacher to know after. Then they would see that bias around the end of the year, but a it was me, but I also would want big problem might be mixing up the from the teachers. The school can might not come into effect when definitely try implementing it; one to remove any bias the teacher had teachers grade their papers.” tests or papers, or losing them since towards any given student.” they are anonymous.” of my teachers has tried it on an essay before and it was successful.” October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log SPORTS | 9

Coaches Recall Memorable VARSITY Moments from the Sidelines RECORDS as of Oct. 21 By MERCY OLAGUNJU ’22 beautiful moment,” Blickman said. at the same time and they shake hands at the Staff Writer Girls varsity soccer coach Linda Hathorn end of it are memorable moments,” Hathorn # of wins - # of ties - # of losses regularly motivates her players with one said. Watching from the sidelines, Loomis of her everlasting mottos. “Be better today Similarly, girls varsity volleyball coach Chaffee coaches have seen it all. The coach- than you were yesterday but not as good as Jeffrey Dyreson revealed the keys to his BOYS’ TEAMS es watch film and draw from their previous you’ll be tomorrow,” Hathorn said. team’s success. “Some of our mottos are experiences in preparation for upcoming For the team to be successful, they must practice with a winning effort and generate matches. Sebastiaan Blickman, the varsity buy into to her philosophy. “Always keep in your own mental energy and focus, but the boys’ assistant soccer coach, recalls that his mind that there is constant growth and the biggest one is [asking yourself] are you in?” most memorable game was during his first ability to keep improving,” Hathron said. Dyreson said. CROSS COUNTRY 6-0 year coaching in 2017. Hathorn credits sportsmanship as being He emphasizes that when his team steps “It was the semifinal game against Taft the most valuable part of the game. “The on the court, they are fully committed to the and we were down 2-0. [However], we times when players are going one vs one task at hand: playing the game well. eventually won 3-2 and played in the finals, against each other in a game it’s really com- where we beat Berkshire 1-0, and that was a petitive but they’re smiling and having fun FOOTBALL 2-4

SOCCER 7-3-2

WATER POLO 11-4

GIRLS’ TEAMS

CROSS COUNTRY 5-1

FIELD HOCKEY 5-6

SOCCER 4-1-5

Courtesy of LC Communications Photo by Jenny Pan ’22 Photo by Liam Scott ’19

VOLLEYBALL 10-2 “It was the semifinal game against “Some of our mottos are “Be better today than you were Taft and we were down 2-0. ‘practice with a winning effort’ yesterday but not as good as you’ll [However], we eventually won 3-2 and ‘generate your own mental be tomorrow... Always keep in mind and played in the finals, where we CO-ED beat Berkshire 1-0, and that was a energy and focus,’ but the biggest that there is constant growth and beautiful moment.” one is [asking yourself], the ability to keep improving.” ‘are you in?’” EQUESTRIAN 2nd place and 4th Mr. Blickman Ms. Hathorn place in first two shows Mr. Dyreson

Loomis Chaffee Needs an Official Rival By RILEY MEADE ’21 and bragging rights that come along with Sports Editor winning the day. This is because on that rivalry weekend the teams shed the identity The Loomis Chaffee School was once of- of their specific sport and truly play as one ficial rivals with the Kent School, a similar against another. private institution located in Kent, Con- Correspondingly, building this tradition necticut. However, the last “Kent Day,” a day at Loomis would produce a new type of dedicated to all Loomis sports teams match- experience and competitiveness for pelican ing up against their Kent counterparts, was athletes. A day in which all of our respective in 2015. Since then, Loomis has been left teams share the one common goal of beat- without a primary adversary. Even though ing one common opponent would generate Loomis competes against most Founders great camaraderie amongst competitors. League schools, we lack an arch rival. The results would carry on as a legacy, and An example of this arch rivalry is the infa- would serve as a common ground amongst mous annual enmity between our Founders all Loomis athletes, past and present. Photo by Kunal Kothari ’22 League counterparts the Hotchkiss School Associate Director of Admissions and and the Taft School. Both Hotckiss and Taft Head Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Russell The Loomis Chaffee boys’ varsity water polo team played Suffield Academy at have, for decades, devoted a day solely for “Rock” Battistoni believes that Loomis is in Suffield on October 19. The boys defeated Suffield with a final score of 14-12. their intense sports rivalry. Undoubtedly, need of such an adversary. of our teams,” Coach Battistoni said. since the last “Kent Day,” the prospect of the athletes from Taft compete hard regard- “A rival is nice; a day like a Kent Day As for who this potential new rival could a new marquee opponent excites. Loomis less of the opponent, but on Taft’s so-called builds tradition and is something that’s re- be, Coach Battistoni touched on the biggest athletes and coaches alike are always search- “Hotchkiss Day,” the games simply mean a ally ingrained in the community,” Coach games for his boys varsity basketball squad. ing for more motivation as well as a com- little more to both school’s players, coaches, Battistoni, a six-year coach at Loomis, said. “When we play Deerfield, those are al- petitive edge. and even the faculty. Coach Rock also addressed the already ways big games, they know we are pretty What other event hypes up any of the is- What adds to the established fierce com- competitive nature of Loomis games. good and as a Coach in those games it defi- lands respective teams and their fans even petition within Founders League athletics “In my experience teams get up to play us, nitely has that rivalry feel,” Coach Battistoni. more than a dreaded opposing team? for them is the intensified tradition, legacy, which I think is a testament to the level of all Although almost five years have passed Not much. 10 | October 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log SPORTS Family Weekend Home Games Preview

By JULIAN HERNANDEZ ’21 Sports Editor

Friday (10/25) Saturday (10/26) Varsity Football vs. JV - Nearing the end of their Worcester Academy season, this match will prove to (3:30pm) be a test for the young pelicans Thirds Field Hockey Varsity & JV A rematch of last year’s 27-13 in their efforts to finish the vs. Rumsey Hall School Field Hockey loss, the pelicans look to avenge season on a high note. (3:45pm) vs. Berkshire School themselves against Worcester (3:00pm) Academy. Thirds - An interesting match After a rocky start, this young versus a strong Hotchkiss boys pelican squad looks to defeat a Varsity- Coming off of last team. tough Rumsey team. year’s 3-2 overtime thriller, the Pelicans look to win once more against Berkshire. Varsity Boys Water Polo JV- This pelican squad looks vs. Phillips Exeter Academy to redeem themselves against (4:45pm) a formidable Berkshire team, following a loss the last time Two prominent New England these two teams faced off. powerhouses collide for a must- see match in Hedges Pool. Girls’ Thirds Soccer vs. Marianapolis Prep (3:00pm) An exciting match versus an experienced, older Marianapo- lis girls team.

Varsity and JV Volleyball vs. Suffield (4:30pm) Academy Graphic by Julie Chung ’21 Boys’ Varsity, JV, and Varsity- Two strong teams face Thirds Soccer vs. off in an must-see game follow- Hotchkiss School (3:30pm) JV Boys Water Polo vs. ing last year’s epic matchup. Phillips Exeter Academy Varsity - A must-win game (6:00pm) JV- The powerful pelicans for the pelicans against their squad looks to secure another Founders League rivals if Two red-hot teams face off win against a solid Suffield foe. they look to secure the League in an epic matchup following Championship once again. varsity.

Matt Farrell ’20 Shatters His Own Course Record

Courtesy of Jerri Graham

Photo taken at 42nd Annual New Haven Road Race. Loomis Chaffee cross country team member Matt Farrell ’20 broke LC’s course record last year when he ran five kilometers in 15:37.00. On October 5, at the Quad Meet versus Northfield Mount Hermon, Taft, and Hotckiss, Farrell broke this record again by running five kilometers in 15:00.70. Matt will run this Saturday, October 26, in the Shaler Invitational at the Williston Northampton School.

12 | Otcober 25, 2019 The Loomis Chaffee Log MÉLANGE LC’s Scheme to Impress Parents on Family Weekend By ANDREW PARK ’22 being instructed to be more friendly to all Melange Editor Tales told in the deepest, the visitors, with performing actions such as Graphic by Michelle Park ’20 Raising hands: darkest corners of the Island tell of a series of holding the door open, pulling out a chair, *WARNING: SATIRE* instructions some faculty members jokingly or looking happy for people. (read: very seriously) say to their students. This was found to cause a dramatic Family Weekend. Previously known as After years of strenuous deciphering by change in the community, with no one go- Parents’ Weekend, it’s the perfect time for a team of the top five most accomplished ing inside buildings as everyone was hold- *SATIRE* celebrations, feasts, and other such shindigs cryptographers, the message was revealed to ing doors open for everybody behind him or with none other than one’s family – hence say, “Raise your left hand if you don’t know her without going in, and nobody sitting in the name. the answer and raise your right if you do.” chairs as everyone was pulling out chairs for The relatives (usually parents) of students This was a revolutionary discovery. people to sit on, without actually sitting in a SAT congregate from all around the world to see While making it seem as though the class chair themselves. how their precious boys and girls are doing participation rate was an astounding 100%, With such a polite community, it’s no in such a fine school. They follow their chil- in reality, the teacher would merely have to wonder visiting parents would feel so wel- By BRETT DONSHIK ’21 Staff Writer dren around everywhere, from their class- call on a person with their right hand raised, comed at Loomis. rooms to the dining hall, and are made privy unless, of course, it was a person who ha- to the wonders of Loomis Chaffee. bitually raised their right hand who actually November is quickly approaching, which Now, just how do they do it? How does didn’t know the answer.2 means the SATs are almost upon us once this prestigious institute make sure that par- again. Whether you’re a senior taking the ents will leave feeling awed by it? My team Attitude of students: Walking around SAT one last time before regular applica- of researchers think they’ve figured it out. the campus on Family Weekend, one may tions, a junior getting a head start on your notice that in general, the entire student testing, or a sophomore getting such an Bougie food: After hours of extensive re- body looks unnaturally upbeat and, well, extreme head start that some schools won’t search done only by the most respected and smiley. Now, students could just be happy even accept your scores, here are some valu- acknowledged professionals of the field, it because their parents are here, but it’s al- able tips that will help you achieve your goal has been proven scientifically over and over ways better to know for sure. of a sweet 1600! that the quality of the food served in the After running up to hundreds of students, dining hall during Family Weekend tastes scrutinizing their faces, checking boxes here Before the Test: 49.65% better. and there in our very professional-looking 1) Devote your entire life to the SAT While these values neither hold any room clipboards, and making them take an hour Do you have four CL classes worth of for doubt, nor have they been randomly se- long survey over the course of numerous homework due tomorrow? Study for the lected by a random number generator, it Family Weekends, we came to the conclu- SAT. An important away game against Ex- has been noted that indeed, the food during sion that while the presence of parents was a eter? Stay at Loomis and study for the SAT. Family Weekends seems to taste better and determining factor in the change in people’s Are your friends all going to lunch in town look fancier than your usual, run-of-the- moods, it was not nearly the largest one. Graphic by Julie Chung ’21 this weekend? Lock yourself in your room mill dining hall food.1 Instead, it was found that students were and study for the SAT.

2) Use Test Prep Books Whether you are taking the SAT or a subject test, books like the Princeton Re- view and Barron’s will jokingly inform you that network solids in fact have nothing to do with television, and surely, other mas- Spooky Costume Ideas terfully crafted jokes that will lift your spir- its are lurking elsewhere in these books. for Each Academic Department 3) “Go to Sleep Early!” Your parents will tell you go to sleep early so that you have maximum brain capacity By JOHN HOWLEY ’21 characters from foreign films because we dedicated to the College Board’s test. How- Staff Writer Science: This department should dress up already need subtitles to understand what ever, you will probably just stay up all night heavy metal rockers, you know, like ACDC, they’re saying. Why not embrace the con- stressing out about box plots. To truly embrace the Halloween spirit, magnesium, aluminum, or Metallica. fusion? the various academic departments on campus should dress up together in coordinated Math: Our math teachers should dress up College Counselors: This Halloween, On Test Day: costumes. While some departments have as lumberjacks so they can cut down some the college counselors should consider 1) Coffee This one is incredibly self-explanatory. already decided on what creepy outfits to logarithms. (Get it? Get it?) dressing up as actual college admissions of- Just make sure you don’t crash mid-test. wear this Halloween, I have a few sugges- ficers because after all, there is nothing scar- tions that might really scare the masses. History: Teachers in the history depart- ier. ment should dress up as some of our past 2) Bring a Watch Because you’re probably going to find English: The English teachers on cam- government officials. That would be pretty Administration: Administrators on yourself in the only seat in your testing cen- pus should consider dressing up as charac- scary... campus should dress up as students out of ter that does not have a clock view. ters from various Shakespeare plays because dress code. That would guarantee a scare or we already don’t understand what they’re Language: The educators in our foreign two. (Oh, the horror!) saying. language department should dress up as 3) Actually Print Your Admissions Ticket You paid for the test so you might as well take it.

After the Test: 1) Agonize You have two full weeks until your score comes out. At least they’ll be out well before the PSAT scores.

2) Register for the December SAT Even though you answered 15 more questions correctly than last time, the curve will probably be so bad that your score goes down by 20 points.

3) Register for the December ACT Since you are probably irritated by the SAT, you can switch to the ACT. But don’t worry! The SAT will welcome you back in March with open arms once you decide the ACT is just as frustrating. Graphic by Michelle Park ’20

by“Ghostbusters” Ray Parker Jr. by“Somebody’s Lizzo Watching Me” by“Monster” Lady Gaga “Monster Mash” “Take It To the Graveyard” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt- “Witchy Woman” by Lovecraft SPOOKY Kickers by KIDZ BOP Kids by“This The Is Citizens Halloween” of Halloween LOGRhythms by“Thriller” Michael Jackson by“Sympathy The Rolling for Stones the Devil” By PORTIA INZONE ’20 For more playlists, follow us on Spotify Managing Editor by“I Want Bow Wow Candy” Wow by“Zombie” The Cranberries by scanning the code below: