Choate Rosemary Hall 333 Christian Street Wallingford, CT Vol. CXI · No. 11 Friday, February 16, 2018 thechoatenews.choate.edu School to Choate Survey Hosts Seniors This Robotics Tournament Spring By Siri Palreddy ’20 By Grayce Gibbs '18 Staf Reporter News Editor While most students re- Last spring, just over 50% laxed into long weekend on of sixth formers completed the February 2, the Choate Ro- Senior Survey, a mix of multiple botics Team was preparing choice, rating scale, and open for the annual Choate Robot- response questions designed to ics Tournament. This year’s tournament was the second on their experiences at Choate. that Choate has hosted. The The survey takes about ten min- competition was held in the utes to complete and includes Worthington Johnson Ath- questions about experience, im- letic Center, where 49 high pact, and future suggestions for school teams, including nine Choate. Mr. Corey Wrinn, the Di- Choate teams, competed for rector of Institutional Research, a chance to advance to the created the survey last year, and Southern New England Re- he plans to send the same survey gional Tournament. to this year’s senior class in ear- Mr. Kyle Di Tieri and Mr. ly April. Said Mr. Wrinn, “The Andrew Murgio, the coach- Senior Survey gives students an es of the Robotics Team, or- Photo courtesy of Ross Mortensen opportunity to share their expe- Roshni Surpur ’20 performs as character "Scab" in one of the Fringe Festival plays, The Last Burrito. ganized the logistics for the riences, how they have changed event. The coaches coordi- See FRINGE FESTIVAL, Page 7 over time, and what worked or nated with the event part- didn’t work for them over their ners and VEX — the robotics time at Choate.” league Choate competes in — In addition to the Senior THE NEW SCHEDULE: A MID-YEAR CHECKUP to ensure that the tournament Survey, Mr. Wrinn created a By Vincenzo DiNatale '19 tice it, and do a bunch of different to them, creating the “long lab make three longer assignments ran smoothly. “We dealt with survey for incoming students Associate Editor things in one class period.” Dr. block” that Dr. Gell referred to. out of what was once four.” Addi- all the teams that registered, that the current freshman and Gell also commented, “The other For instance, Dr. Gell wanted to tionally, Dr. Gell feels that in her had to get all the volunteers, sophomore classes took, as well thing I like is that it makes it much honors biology class, she is cover- lined up the judges, and lined as any new juniors or post-grad- the school year, many students more possible to do labs any day, her Cell and Molecular Biology ing slightly less material this year. up the other team coaches,” uates. Around 80% of students and faculty have fully recognized and particularly for my advanced class but had to split it between However, Dr. Gell believes that said Mr. Murgio. SAGE, Cho- from the class of 2021 and 2020 the effects of the schedule change. two class days. As a result, the lab this is only a result of adjusting to ate’s dining service, provid- completed this survey, which Although there are some clear being able to do labs all the time turned out to be unsuccessful. the new schedule and is nothing ed meals for the competing was administered two weeks be- rather than once a week is great.” Moreover, Dr. Gell feels that permanent. teams and students who vol- fore they arrived at Choate. Mr. noticed disadvantages as well. Although the schedule change adjusting homework assignments Dr. Gell concluded, “I’m unteered and earned commu- Wrinn said, “The timing is pur- Dr. Selena Gell, a Biology has some positive outcomes, Dr. - overall a fan of the new longer nity service hours. poseful so that we can get a sense teacher, shared her opinion: Gell added that “there are some mented, “I’ve struggled with how blocks, but I think there are However, it was the stu- of where students are before they “Overall, I really like the new activities for which the long lab to keep up having appropriate still some kinks that need to dents themselves who were move on campus, meet their schedule. I think the long blocks block is really necessary.” In practice for big ideas, with only get worked out.” responsible for the bulk of the previous years, science teachers having three assignments per See SURVEY, Page 3 can introduce new material, prac- had two short periods available week, and trying hard not to just See SCHEDULE, Page 2 See ROBOTICS, Page 2 2018-2019 School President and Vice President Elected By Grace Zhang '20 in the day, they just haven’t acti- Staf Reporter vated it yet. I met with the head of ITS and I’m going to meet with The votes are in, and the Will Morris this week to talk about student body has spoken: Itai maybe opening up the possibility Mupanduki ’19 and Tommy of requesting visitation from that Wachtell ’19 are Choate’s 2018-19 app,” explained Wachtell. Student Body President and Vice Though Mupanduki has never President, respectively. Mupan- been on the Council, he believes duki summed up his plan for he is capable and willing to learn. his term in three simple words: “I don’t have prior experience “For the people.” Mupanduki with Student Council, but I do explained, “I will be here to ben- have prior experience with lead- ership work around campus. I’m to work to make Choate a place the president of Choate Young where the focus is more about the Democrats and have worked with students.” Their terms will begin organizations around campus. So, at the start of Spring Term and I have worked with faculty and the continue through next year’s Fall Administration and I know how and Winter Terms. to get things done and organize All candidates gave two-min- events and get things through ute speeches during school meet- the bureaucracy that is Choate. I ing on Tuesday, January 30. think that experience will be ex- Then, the student body voted the next day. While student coun- Photo by Pinn Chirathivat/The Choate News lot of the people I will be working cil passed a proposal regarding School President Itai Mupanduki '19 (lef) and his Vice President Tommy Wachtell '19 (right). with have been on Student Coun- the possibility of current sixth ing to keep doing what I normal- Caroline Rispoli ’20 and William Wachtell already have concrete transparent environment where cil for years, so I think that com- formers voting in the schoolwide ly do – my job. That’s about it.” Robertson ’20 are Form Repre- plans regarding the beginnings things are being done for the sole bination of leadership experience election, the possibility was not Wachtell has served on Student sentatives. Shane Baldwin '21 is of their terms. Mupanduki said, and helpful advisees will be very realized by the time of this year’s Council for two consecutive years the 2021 Class President and Ula “Through my meetings with Mr. body. I want that to be a larger useful.” election. and will now begin his third. Lucas '21 is one of the Form Rep- Stanley and the Board of Trust- concern, to take into consider- The president and vice presi- “It feels great. There are a One week later, candidates for resentatives. After Nico Camp- ees, I’m going to work to rein- dent know each other personally, lot of things I want to do for this additional Student Council posi- bell '21 and Anesi Ojior '21 tied, stitute the 9-9:30 study break. I have worked together in the past, school, and now I have the plat- tions gave speeches during form a runoff election was held, and with Mr. Will Morris, Associate and foresee effective cooperation form to get what I want to get meetings. For the Class of 2019, Ojior elected as the second Form want to get done, so we can have Dean of Students and the Di- for their upcoming term. “Itai - Tippa Chan ’19 is Class President, Representative. Elections for Day that for our next school year, as rector of Residential Life, about was my wrestling partner fresh- duki on how it initially felt to be and Carly Casazza ’19, Arjun Kat- Student Representatives will take well as changing the schedule a the possibility of students re- man year. We were dormmates in elected. Said Wachtell about re- echia ’19, and Clay Zachery ’19 are place later in the term, and the little bit to include longer lunch questing visitation electronical- Mem. He’s in my American Stud- ceiving the congratulatory email, each Form Representatives. For new Student Council will choose a blocks, and introduce a forum ly. “The REACH app we have on ies class, so I’ve worked with him “It felt good, but it’s not too differ- the Class of 2020, Vikram Shar- secretary in the spring. for the student body.” In the long our phones can actually be used ent for me; it just means I’m go- ma ’20 is Class President, and Both Mupanduki and term, he plans to institute “a more to sign in and out of your dorm See STUDENT COUNCIL, Page 2 Green Cup Returns Love at First Read What’s Read more about the In a series of informative Inside News.............................................1-3 annual school-wide snippets, the 111th Masthead Opinions: Campus ........................... 4 Opinions: Nation/World .................. 5 BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY conservation challenge.