1 NO. 8 – CXLIII MARCH 25, 2021 Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, New Hampshire @theexonian The oldest continuously running preparatory school newspaper in America NEWS LIFE OPINIONS Read about the OMA-hosted candlelight vigil for the Read about “What Comes Next,” an original musical Read about Anna Kim’s ’24 reflection on her time so victims of the Atlanta anti-Asian shootings, written by Music Instructor Jerome Walker, 4. far at Exeter. Students Respond to Anti-Asian Hate Crimes The Exonian encourages our readers to visit the fol- lowing GoFundMe, which is raising money to benefit Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta (Advancing Justice-Atlanta, AAAJ-At- lanta). Donations will go to supporting the organi- zation’s civic engagement & organizing, deportation defense fund, solidarity with detainees, impact litigation, immigration legal services, mutual aid and policy ad- vocacy, and directly to the victim’s families. Senior Lucy Cai looks out on the Academic quad. Teja Vankireddy / The Exonian By ANVI BHATE, ELLIE shootings in Atlanta, in which by upper Lina Huang. Eight shooting. General media cov- yny.” ed the community to attend ANA SPERANTSAS, eight people, six of whom minutes of silence to honor erage of the shooting has been “We thought that creating the vigil in a school-wide HANNAH PARK and were of Asian descent and each of the eight victims of disappointing and has dehu- this space was important for email on Sunday, March 21, ANDREW YUAN seven of whom were women, the shooting followed, and the manized the Asian American a lot of reasons, including following a campus-wide were killed by a white gun- estimated 400 attendees were women victims,” organizer honoring the lives of the eight statement offered by Principal man. invited to stand after the vigil and senior Emily Kang said. Bill Rawson on March 17. Student organizers, in col- individuals that were killed in and reflect at four tables on “We wanted to create a space laboration with the Office of To recognize and honor the Atlanta-area and recogniz- “This was a concerted ef- the quad, each table bearing that recognizes the victims for Multicultural Affairs (OMA), these victims, the student-led ing gender- and race-based vi- fort calling on all adults and the victims’ names. their humanity and clearly ac- hosted a candlelight vigil vigil started with a reflection olence that it was,” L. Huang the many ways they support knowledge that the shooting Monday night in response from Sarah Huang and a “I hope Exonians take the said. our students in and outside of was a hate crime fueled by to the March 16 anti-Asian poem by Lucy Cai, followed time to honor and remem- Dean of Multicultural Af- the classroom,” Hernandez by a guzheng performance ber the victims of the Atlanta anti-Asian racism and misog- fairs Sherry Hernandez invit- said. ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIMES, 2 PEA Admissions Rate Students Urge Financial Drops to 10% Compensation for Labor By JETT GOETZ, MICHAEL The Academy altered the Leahy said. However, due to By LILY HAGGE, HANNAH of Students Office and others I don’t see why students YANG, ELLIE ANA admissions process to re- the increased number of ap- PARK, ANDREW YUAN and to understand their views on shouldn’t be compensated for SPERANTAS and ARHON main accessible during the plicants, the school admission ANGELA ZHANG whether compensation would the very intense and difficult STRAUSS COVID-19 pandemic. “We rate dropped from 15% last be appropriate, for what stu- work that often goes beyond hosted close to 100 virtual year to approximately 10% dents in what student orga- what they originally commit- events for prospective stu- this year. The emotional labor that nizations, and how they rec- ted to in the context of what Prospective students apply- Office of Multicultural Af- dents throughout the summer Students were overjoyed ommend those decisions be their club does.” ing to the Academy received and fall,” Dean of Enrollment fairs (OMA) clubs incur in made.” admission results March 10. at the possibility of attending their roles as student leaders Courtney Marshall, Asso- William Leahy said. “We Exeter. “I chose to apply to “I know it’s been brought ciate Dean of Advising, advis- The select few from the large moved to being a test-op- has encouraged many OMA applicant pool of students Exeter for multiple different student leaders to push for up in StuCo, but if we’re to er of the Afro-Latinx Exonian tional admission process just reasons, from the prospect of really acknowledge where Society and former leader of from around the globe have for this admission year as financial compensation. The until April 10 to decide if they discussions around the Hark- Student Council election that idea came from, it’s from the OMA Book Club, agreed we knew online testing and ness table to the boarding ALES,” upper Janessa Var- and shared OMA club lead- want to join the next wave of in-person test centers would debates of the 2021-2022 Exonians. experience to the top notch school year brought about gas, co-head of the Afro-Lat- ers’ frustrating experiences. be impacted by the pandem- faculty and great friends that inx Exonian Society (ALES) “I always say to the students, This year, students were ic.” schoolwide discourse on this I would make,” Rui Jiang ’25 issue, though affinity groups and La Alianza Latina (LAL), what do you get out of it? not given the chance to sched- “We haven’t made any de- said. said. “There’s been propos- Right? Is this OMA club lead- ule an on-campus visit and have been requesting finan- cisions yet about our process Jiang explained how Exeter cial compensation for several als about every four years, ership role adding to you in interview due to COVID-19 for next year but anticipate they’ve been around since any way? Or is it a headache? health concerns. Instead, offered math curricula Jiang years. some parts of our process this did not have at their current 1968… the 2016 proposal is And if it’s a headache and it’s the Admissions and Com- year will continue into the In her 2021 Martin Luther really interesting because it’s frustration and it’s irritating, munications team provided school. “I currently take AP King Jr. Day keynote address, future such as offering some Calculus BC, and the schools the one that we were using.” that has to change.” numerous online resources, virtual fall events for families Roxane Gay ’92 said, “I think ranging from Q&A webinars in my area don’t provide any that students who serve in “It would be beneficial for Requests for fi- unable to visit campus,” Lea- courses for me to take in high there to be avenues for stu- nancial compensation have to virtual tours in hopes of hy added. executive positions for all allowing prospective students school while Exeter provides student organizations should dents to be compensated for grown in response to the to experience all that Ex- Despite these challenges years of math courses for me receive stipends.” work they do as advocates Academy’s attempts to ad- eter has to offer. Since many posed by the pandemic, Ex- even with where I am now,” for OMA clubs,” senior and dress global incidents of rac- eter saw an increased num- Jiang said. “The endowment can af- Asian Voices (AV) co-head ism, which some OMA lead- students did not have the ford it,” she added. ber of applicants. According Victoria Liu ’25 learned JaQ Lai said. “Considering ers have seen as lacking. “We opportunity to take the Inde- Rawson wrote in an email pendent School Entrance Ex- to Leahy, the number of ap- about Exeter through Exeter the school has paid positions saw [that] with the school, plicants increased by 23% Summer. “The Exeter Sum- to The Exonian on January such as library tech support, [there was a ] very delayed amination (ISEE) or Second- 19 that, “this proposal [for ary School Admission Test from last year. “It is clear that mer experience also helped lifeguard, or game room response to the rise of anti COVID concerns globally me understand the learning financial compensation] has monitor, the threshold for Asian racism, primarily in (SSAT), Admissions waived not previously been brought the standardized testing re- played a role in the increased environment. Though it was which students can be com- the Bay Area against elderly interest in applying to Exeter online, it definitely was one of to my attention. I would like pensated for labor has been Asian folks,” senior Sarah quirement, allowing students to hear from OMA, the Dean to apply test-optional. and other boarding schools.” the best times I’ve had!” Liu set at a pretty low precedent. Huang, co-head of AV, said ADMISSIONS, 3 COMPENSATION, 3 Religious Services, Students Discuss Queer Religiosity By ASHLEY JIANG, SE- in all branches of religion. unions to be in any way of a gay teen once said to crushing and demeaning pain people felt when they LIM KIM and CLARK WU Students of different reli- similar or even remotely me, ‘Does the Vatican real- to me. I think it was a bit were told that the institu- gious backgrounds, sexu- analogous to God’s plan ize what the language they jarring for LGBTQ+ Cath- tion to which they belong al orientation and gender for marriage and family.” use can do to a 14 year old olics, myself included, be- invalidates their relation- The Religious and Spir- identities attended. boy? It can destroy him.’” cause of what has seemed ships and the shapes of itual Life team organized Senior and Catholic Ex- like openness from the their love,” Hofheinz said.