The Panel - March 2012 - Belmont Hill School

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Volume 60, Issue 6 A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill and Winsor Schools
March 9, 2012
Lynch Lab closes doors to students during free periods
Belmont Hill administration responds to misuse of computer lab
By Ian Meyer
Panel Staff
New among the recent technology
changes on campus was the loss of one of
the cherished spaces on campus for student
use during free periods—the Lynch
Lab. While the old policy had afforded every
student almost unlimited access to the
lab at any time, the new regulations offer
the same freedom only between 7 AM and
the start of the school day. For the remainder
of the academic day, students must be
monitored by a faculty member who has reserved
the lab for a class or special project.
The changed Lynch Lab policy
is just one of a number of changes on
campus regarding technology in recent
years. Head of School Dr. Melvoin prefaced
the year by enumerating a few of
these while examining the challenge
for the school to balance technological
innovation and Belmont Hill’s educational
identity in a letter to parents.
Winsor’s Identity Week
By Lindsey Ruggles
Panel Staff
On Thursday, February
24, students from classes IV
through VIII were treated to
a special assembly focused on
identity. First, the members of
GBSTA presented anonymous
submissions, which focused
mostly on sexual orientation
at Winsor, that they had collected
prior to the assembly.
After speeches from DeAndra
Williams ’13, Annie Goodridge
’14, and Abigail Gabrieli ’13,
six Class VII students who
had recently returned from the
Student Diversity Leadership
Conference (SDLC) discussed
identity and how one defines
oneself. At the end of the assembly,
stickers that read “Ask me
who I am” were passed out to
the audience, in hopes that this
question might spark schoolwide
discussion about identity.
This assembly commenced
an action-filled Identity
Week. On February 29,
Upper School students had
lunch with their sibling squads
to further explore identity and
what it means to “come out” at
Winsor. The following Monday,
GBSTA led an open forum during
Upper School lunch called
“Continuing the Conversation.”
At this meeting, students
debated over whether or not
The new Lynch Lab policy has
been met with grudging compliance.
Student reaction to the change is largely
one of affronted indignation, with “Occupy
Lynch Lab” posters parodying
the Occupy Wall Street movement bedecking
the walls of the library corridor
opposite the now-locked entrance.
Whereas some students feel the
closing of the lab in itself was unjust,
many others see its drawback being an
increased lack of productivity in the Byrnes
Library’s stacks and computer lab.
One senior complained, “the library
is now rowdier than ever as a result.”
Librarians Mrs. Pendergast and Mrs.
McNamara shared their perspectives on
the change. They both fully support the new
Lynch Lab policy and recognize the importance
of a reserved classroom lab and separate
IT area for security purposes, but they
concede that a number of students seem
to have chosen the library as a new battleground
for disruptive behavior. “I certainly
have noticed an increase in the level of
Lower School students should
come to the GBSTA assembly
in the future. A few girls commented
on the fact that GBSTA
posters are not allowed in the
Lower School hallway, which
led to further discussion about
what age is the appropriate
time to introduce children to
homosexuality. Channing Frick
’14 comments, “Many students
believed that this is wrong [to
forbid putting GBSTA posters
in the Lower School hallway]
because Lower School kids
know about being gay and are
aware of it and should therefore
be educated about it...not
[informing them about homosexuality]
makes it seem more
‘wrong.’” While no decisions
on the topic of GBSTA posters
in the Lower School hallway
have been finalized, the debate
that occurred at GBSTA has
certainly opened to discussion
the issue of informing Lower
Schoolers about homosexuality.
On Tuesday, Community
Service Club had a special
film presentation of “The
Lunch Date,” an Academy-
Award-winning film that focused
on racial stereotypes
and assumptions. The film
immediately triggered a discussion
about what categorizations
people often make about
certain races, and how these
prejudices affect our decisions.
continued on page 3
Sexism in the Twilight-Potter spoof
By Anushree Gupta & Nell
Birch
Panel Staff
After the last joint issue of
the Panel, there was an outcry
in the Winsor hallways over an
article examining possible sexism
in this year’s winter play that
was performed over President’s
Day weekend—Harry’s Hotter at
Twilight. The article carried with
it two pictures: one of a scantilyclad
Emma Watson and one of
Taylor Lautner in a similar state
of undress. The pictures bore the
caption “Is one of these photos
more sexist than the other” The
answer for many at Winsor, it
seemed, was yes: Watson posing
in a bikini was more sexist than
disrespect recently,” Mrs. Pendergast said,
“There are just too many kids in here.”
The school has bought new computers
which more than compensate for the
loss of available terminals in the lab. Dan
Butler is the IT director for Belmont Hill,
commented, “The school budgeted 16 laptops
in the library, replacing the functionality
of the Lynch Lab, allowing the Lynch
Lab to act as a technology classroom space.”
In addition to announcing new laptop
computers, Mr. Butler noted that this
year’s campus-wide WiFi network allows
formerly “nonproductive spaces” without
Internet access to be transformed into “productive
spaces” where students can log on
with their student username and password.
The motives behind closing the lab
to free-period students were manifold. The
IT department requested the measures in
response to the concerns of other faculty
members. The main goal of the new policy
is to reserve the Lynch Lab as a “technology
classroom,” allowing for the increased productivity
of the classes that sign it out, and
a semi-shirtless Lautner. This response
was often given quickly
though; it was a knee-jerk reaction
rather than one based on
lengthy thought or discussion.
Moving on from the provocative
pictures, however, the
question addressed in the article
regarding the “sexism” against
men in the play is an interesting
one. The “sexism” in the play was
not meant to condone or encourage
stereotypes but to make fun of
the occasionally sexist mannerisms
or portrayals of characters
in either Harry Potter or Twilight.
As one Winsor student put it,
“It’s satire, not sexism.” Although
bluntly stated, we believe the distinction
made by this student is
important. Is it sexist in itself to
name a character “hot shirtless
Did the funny gender stereotypes in “Harry’s Hotter at Twilight” go too far
freeing up the Library Lab for student use.
In effect, the classroom aspect of the computer
labs on campus has now been shifted
and concentrated into the Lynch Lab.
Finally, the administration hopes
that the new policy will preserve the
original intent of such spaces. Mr. Butler
explained, “...The Lynch Lab is not intended
as a social place. It is intended to
be a productive technology area.” The intent
of the new policy is that more technology
would be put toward working and
less toward gaming. Scarcely has a month
passed since the implementation of the
new policy, and some classes already have
the Lab booked daily during A Block, X
Block, and 4:00 study hall, and some days
see the Lab reserved every single period.
The closing of the Lynch Lab is
an issue that has split teachers and students
alike. The administration thinks
the change was justified in order to
increase productivity, and the students
have pushed back, in defense of
what they believe to be their rights. ☐
Photo: Josh Lee
guy” Instead of perpetuating
or reinforcing stereotypes about
men, the play instead draws attention
to them in a humorous
way. Satire is about drawing attention
to misguided and possibly
ridiculous behaviors or
stereotypes within society. It can
also be an excellent tool to raise
awareness about sexism and to
call for change against it. Furthermore,
the main point of the play
was to spoof these popular films
that have, in some ways, taken
over the country if not the world.
So our advice is not to worry;
instead we hope that students
enjoyed the laughs and now feel
free to engage in what will surely
be a thought-provoking discussion
of the role of satire on gender
roles in the 21st century. ☐
News Opinions From Your Editors Arts Sports
Online Piracy p. 2
Recruiting p. 5
Joint gender ideas pp. 6-7
Switch Day pp. 10-11
Hunger Game p. 12
MacLean’s play p. 15
Georgia Williams
Winsor acrobats p. 17
Wrap-ups p. 18

Page 2
Winsor News
The Panel
Online piracy debate affects Winsor community
By Kelly Chen & Anushree Gupta
Panel Staff
Winsor teaches students not to use
Wikipedia as a reliable source; however,
in reality, on the night before a big test or
when a paper is due, it is one of the most
frequently accessed sites. Imagine the distress
created by a blackout of the site on
the night before the winter science exams.
On January 16, 2012, this event happened.
With an ominous, black screen coupled
with the words, “Imagine a world without
free knowledge,” Wikipedia protested
SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, and
PIPA, the PROTECT IP Act. Throughout
the Internet community, an estimated 7,000
other websites joined the protest, including
Google, which featuring a blacked out logo,
and Firefox, which had a message similar to
Wikipedia’s written on a black homepage.
What exactly is online piracy It is one
Wikipedia blackout page
In the short span of 24 hours, over
3000 students from all over the world
descended on the Hilton in Washington
D.C. These students, including 20
juniors and sophomores from Winsor,
participated in the four day NAIMUN
(North American Invitational Model
United Nations) conference sponsored
by Georgetown University over President’s
Day weekend. Students were able
to participate in simulations of United
Nations committees and to discuss relevant
topics such as cyber security,
balancing global development efforts,
and nuclear weapons-free zones in the
Middle East. Katie Weed ’13 explained,
“ I feel like being on a big committee
[over 150 people] definitely made me
more confident about talking to people
because my partner and I... assumed the
responsibility of talking to other delegates
about our ideas and getting them
to sponsor our working paper [resolution].”
Along with very intense and long
sessions, some Winsor students experienced
“midnight crises” in their committees
for which they were awakened late at
night for yet another grueling meeting.
of the may forms of unauthorized reproduction
and sharing of copyrighted works,
typically for some financial gain. Many
file-sharing websites that people use to illegally
download songs, videos or movies fall
under the same umbrella. In recent years,
video sharing websites, both illegal and legal,
such as Megavideo and YouTube, have
gained popularity for their easy access and
wide range of videos. However, the fact that
these websites and others like them often
illegally contain copyrighted works has led
to discussion of intellectual property rights
and, in part, the new SOPA and PIPA acts.
U.S. Representative Lamar Smith introduced
the SOPA to expand the U.S. government’s
ability
Wikipedia.org
experience severe legal
ramifications for certain
user-uploaded videos.
PIPA intends to give the
government and individual
copyright holders
increased ability to stop
“rogue” websites, especially
ones registered outside
the U.S., that share unauthorized
content. While
the backlash against the
acts was highly publicized,
PIPA was approved by a
Senate committee and is
set to be voted upon, and
SOPA was
“The law hasn’t really caught up
with what is available and what
can be done with online content”
to fight online
piracy and trafficking
of intellectual
property
as well as counterfeit
goods. The law would
also expand the existing
criminal legislation to include
unauthorized streaming
of content with a maximum
penalty of five years
in prison. The main targets
for SOPA are websites that
promote and facilitate illegal
downloads of copyrighted
materials and intellectual
property such as music,
movies, and TV shows.
Popular video sharing websites
such as YouTube would
have to monitor video uploads
very closely and might
Delegates debate and discuss
By Anushree Gupta
Panel Staff
In addition to working hard during
the conference, students also had a lot of
fun. Regina Noonan ’13 said, “I like NAI-
MUN because every year the experience
is unique. I get to meet a lot of interesting
people from all over the world and to
reach a deep understanding of my topics”.
At the end of the conference Anushree
Gupta ’13 received a verbal commendation
for her efforts on the G20 representing
the People’s Republic of China.
Schuyler Cornell ’13 noted, “I
loved being surrounded by kids who
care about international relations and
the global future as much as I do. It’s
inspiring to be steeped in that energy
for a few days.” Students also had the
chance to explore Washington D.C. by
seeing the National Museum of American
History at the Smithsonian Institute,
enjoying performances and ice cream
provided by Georgetown students, and
visiting George Washington University
and Georgetown University. Even
though NAIMUN is over, the other half
of the Winsor MUN team is attending
NHSMUN (National High School Model
United Nations). On March 7, Winsor
seniors and freshmen traveled to New
York City to represent Slovenia at the
conference. We wish them all the best!☐
Executive Editors
Emma Collins
Astrid Pacini
Andrew Raftery
Joseph Troderman
Arts Editors
Ryan Baxter-King
Eva Epker
Sports Editors
Abby Giannuzzi
Jonathon Goodman
Photo Editors
Tucker Gordon
Elise Green
Alexander Haigh
Augusta Winthrop
Lamar Smith speaks in support of SOPA
Editors-in-Chief
Pranay Bose
Bailey Scott
Online Editors
Bernardo Pacini
Robert Sayegh
Catherine Walsh
Assistant Editors
Holly Breuer
Kevin Chen
Cole Durbin
Kate Elfers
Charlie Feinberg
Eric Green
Anushree Gupta
Anna Kennedy
Richard Mummolo
Jacob Pagano
Opinion Editors
Kate Brea
Joshua Lee
being rew
o r k e d
so that it can undergo the
same process. However,
the massive push-back
from tech companies and their millions of
supporters against both the pieces of legislation
resulted in an indefinite postponement
of both the voting and reworking processes.
In the Winsor community, faculty
and students had opinions regarding this
matter as well. Mr. Flanagan, Director of
Academic Technology, stated, “The media
industry’s desire to put a stop to illegal
copyright infringement is indeed legitimate
[but] the law hasn’t really caught up with
what is available and what can be done with
online content.” One Winsor junior commented,
“I think the law raises some good
points... but I’m not sure how the government
would reconcile protecting our Internet
privacy while invading our privacy by
hunting down people who are uploading
and downloading illegally.” Another junior
added, “While I can understand the negative
effects online piracy has had and I feel
that it is not morally correct, sometimes
convenience and instant gratification overrule
those feelings.” She continued, “Government
monitoring of online piracy webwired.com
sites just does not seem possible or feasible
with the Internet today; it could also potentially
open up the possibilities for more
enforcement on the Internet, of which I am
somewhat wary.” Mr. Flanagan added on a
similar note, “If these types of restrictions
were in place at the beginning, the Internet,
Facebook, YouTube, etc. might never have
developed and innovated. I support the legitimate
right of creators to protect their
content from malicious or commercial use,
but not at the expense of creativity itself.”
If any anti-pirating legislation,
whether or not in the form of SOPA or
PIPA, did make it back into Congress,
there would have to be major changes to
the severity of punishments and means
provided to the government to track down
IP addresses. Thankfully, for now, Winsor
students can still rely on Wikipedia
for handy information late into the night.
We can still stream videos of the newest
dance craze or music sensation on You-
Tube. The recent protests showed us just
how much Winsor students rely on the Internet
and the gaping void that would be
left if websites such as Wikipedia were to
be blocked, especially during exam week.☐
Copy Editors
Nell Birch
Matthew Czarnecki
Abigail Gabrieli
Ian Meyer
News Editors
Elizabeth Hiss
John Patrick Thomas
Faculty Advisors
Katherine Hamblet
David Hegarty
Richard Morange
Stephen Murdock
Tom Wensink
The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student
body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong
solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment
about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We
reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright 2011 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.
Winsor and RL student delegates
Anushree Gupta

March 9, 2012
Winsor News
Page 3
Super Tuesday brings a primary to Massachusetts
Some Winsor voters get their first chance to visit the polls
By Kate Brea
Panel Staff
On Super Tuesday, ten states will
hold primaries to choose the Republican
candidate that will challenge Obama for
the presidency next November. The winner
of Super Tuesday takes the most delegates
and moves one step closer to receiving the
nomination from the Republican National
Convention later this year. Typically, a presidential
candidate must do well on Super
Tuesday in order to win the nomination.
Republican candidates still left in the running
for the nomination include Newt Gingrich,
Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Mitt
Romney. Each of the candidates has been
paying particular attention to abortion
rights, fiscal responsibility, and foreign policy,
especially regarding the Arab Spring.
Mitt Romney is a former Massachusetts
governor and businessman. Ever
since he began campaigning for the 2012
election, the pro-life candidate’s stances
on issues such as abortion rights and
gun rights have become more conservative.
Currently, the issues which he appears
to be focusing on most are fiscal responsibility
and job growth. The Romney
Campaign has highlighted his business
experience in the private sector and his
ecnomic knowledge as qualities that he
will bring to the White House if elected.
Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the
US House of Representatives from 1995
to 1999. He advocates an end to abortion
rights and a crackdown on illegal immigration.
He would seek to undo Obama’s health
care bill and to support an educational system
in which teachers are paid based on
student achievement on tests. He supports
The candidates after a recent debate
www.csmonitor.com
www.cbsnews.org
tax cuts to businesses and a return to a more
laissez-faire system of monetary policy.
Ron Paul is a favorite among libertarians,
those who would like a bare minimum
of government intervention in society.
A former obstetrician/gynecologist, he
is pro-life and advocates for lessened gun
and TSA regulations. He promises to repeal
Obama’s health care law and to veto any
unbalanced budget that Congress sends
to his desk if he becomes president. He
would focus on avoiding war, limiting the
duration of deployments, and ensuring that
each soldier has a mission while deployed.
He would eventually like to eliminate the
IRS, income tax, and the Federal Reserve.
As a senator from Pennsylvania
from 1995 to 2007, Rick Santorum supported
socially conservative positions as
well as limited government spending. The
Washington Post has called him “a real
tea party guy before there was a tea party.”
During his bid for the Presidency, he has
emphasized his support for a balanced
budget. He opposes gay marriage, abortion
rights, and birth control. Taking a
controversial stance against global warming,
he also proposes to use his tightly knit
family values in his governance approach.
2012 will be the first time many current
Winsor seniors will be able to vote
in an election. Emma Collins ’12, who
will vote for the first time in this primary,
said prior to voting, “It really makes me
feel like an adult. Voting for the first time
is a rite of passage, and I’m really looking
forward to it!” Winsor trains students to
think critically about policy and to make
informed decisions. For some students,
this election is an exciting first opportunity
to put that training into action. ☐
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Students reflect on lessons learned during Identity Week
continued from page 1
After a thorough examination of the
racial issues and stereotypes introduced
in the film, the film was played again.
Watching the movie again, the majority of
the students completely reexamined their
biases towards certain races and did not
make the immediate assumptions about the
film’s characters that they did when they saw
the film for the first time. “Not only did it
make me consider who I am, but also made
me think about whom I am in relation to
the Winsor community, and about how my
peers view me” Channing Frick ’14 relfected.
She added that the advisory discussion was
“especially eye opening.” Some students
felt that the week could have benefited
from more student participation; however,
students who did partake in the activities
found that they were able to broaden
their perspectives on identity issues.
On Wednesday, Identity Week
concluded with a lunch meeting sponsored
by Students Against Destructive Decisions
(SADD), which focused on understanding
the “Cycle of Oppression.” Class VII
students from SDLC presented the “Cycle
of Oppression,” a process that describes
how benign assumptions turn into
hurtful racial discrimination. Students
then created a “Cycle of Empowerment,”
illustrating how students can prevent
discrimination by defining and defying
stereotypes, accepting everyone, and
not vocalizing outward judgments even
if they do make initial assumptions.
The Winsor community includes
people who differ greatly in age, race,
sexual orientation, and socioeconomic
status. By having open discussion about
all of these topics, Upper School students
hope that these topics will eventually
feel less “taboo” and can more easily be
discussed. Even if Identity Week itself was
only five days long, the goal of this week
was to spark continuing discussion on
the topic of identity and self definition,
rather than limiting these important
conversations to just one week. Erina Li ’13
reflected, “We hope that the conversations
about our differences don’t stop here.
This week was just a starting point.” ☐
GBSTA reads anonymous submissions
Jennifer Reardon
DeAndra Williams ’13 and Michaela Morrow ’13
Jennifer Reardon

Page 4
Belmont Hill News
Matt Ryan explores the Big Apple for a semester
Fourth Former finds his inner New Yorker through the CITYTerm Program
The Panel
By Matt Ryan
Contributing Writer
For the past 4 months, I
traveled all over New York City
through the program CITY-
Term, which is a program that
teaches “experience-based learning.”
We did projects covering
all 5 boroughs of New York City.
For anyone who has been
to New York, you have probably
noticed the size and scope of the
city by getting elbowed left and
right on the subway, or walking
when you need to take an unbelievable
zigzag path through the
city streets to accomplish any forward
progress. Early in the program
we met a few people to take
us around the city. One of these
people was the self proclaimed
“King of Harlem,” Mr. Herb Boyd.
Something that struck me when
we were walking the streets with
Herb was how he knew everybody.
He would always see people
walking and run up to them
and give them a big hug and ask
how they’re doing. It was pretty
cool to see this happen because
you have to remember the scale of New York City, and so
for him to know so many people amazed me. Eventually we
parted ways with Herb, but it was later in my semester down
there, that we were walking past Zuccotti Park, the location
of the Occupy: Wall Street protests. This was after it got shut
down and only a few loyal protesters were still present. I was
Matt Ryan looks out over New York City
Senate reconciles Space Jam
curious about who was still in there and many were people
dressed in costume who seemed truly insane, but then there
was this man who seemed familiar to me. “HERB!” I yelled
while jumping the fence into the park. He turned around and
looked at me and immediately recognized me and gave me a
hug only the “King of Harlem” could give out. We started talking
to him about our most recent
project and the progress we had
made since Harlem, and he loved it.
This event didn’t really
strike me as something as significant
until I returned home after
my semester away. I had an amazing
experience, but I was thinking
again whether I was a “New
Yorker” or not. I thought I could
name and state more interesting
facts about NYC than most New
Yorkers, but does that make me
one This story is important to me
because I met this man in Harlem,
NY. Imagine me in Harlem walking
around with this man, just absorbing
information on the area.
He was my first real New
York friend that I met on my adventures
and I never thought I would
see him again. It was only because
I saw him again that day in Zuccotti
Park and had a great conversation
with him that made me think that
I had finally become a New Yorker.
This experience to a lot of
people isn’t very significant, but it
was an event that really changed
the way I looked at myself. My
semester in New York was one
Courtesy of Matt Ryan
that was unbelievably changing
because the CITYTerm Program puts you into situations
that make you adapt as a learner and those experiences are
so much fun to have. This program made me remember
what it was like to really explore something and because
of exploration I was able to experience things like meeting
Herb Boyd and finding myself to be a New Yorker.☐
Juniors enjoy year in China
By John Curtin
Panel Staff
Last year’s infamous Space Jam
Dance did not go according to plan. Over
2000 high-school students from several
different schools showed up at the Jordan
Athletic Center, a gym that has a maximum
capacity of 500 people. Many students
showed up without a school ID and
thought they could get in and some resorted
to vandalism when they were turned
down. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind
that the major issue with the Space Jam
Dance was the planning. The dance was
broadcast on Facebook, and almost 3000
people were thus invited. But, understanding
where the fault occurred and how it
might be avoided in the future, Belmont
Hill is going to try again, and the Senate
has recently confirmed a dance will be held
sometime in March at the Jordan Athletic
Center. There was considerable debate
about what should be changed in this year’s
plan and who is to be invited. Junior Senate
member Nick Favaloro had this to say
about the discussion: “The inside of the
dance was pretty well run last year, so we
hope to have that again. We just want to
change the turnout of people, not the dance
itself. It will still be your normal fun dance
with low lighting, a good DJ and a theme.
Essentially, the main difference in this
year’s dance is that we want a high turnout
from a few select schools. Not a huge turnout
from multiple schools like last year.”
The Senate plans on not repeating
the broadcast invitation that happened last
year. For the Space Jam Dance, students
published that anyone who showed up
would be able to get in. This time around,
the Senate has offered no promise that kids
who do not attend an invited school will
be allowed in to the dance, and all students
without ID’s will be turned down.
The list of invited schools is not final
yet but you can expect Dana Hall, Winsor,
Newton Country Day, BB&N, and
Nobles to be on the list. Hours of planning
have gone into this improved design,
and there are great hopes for a solid turnout.
The goal is to have a limited but sizable
crowd all inside for a great dance.☐
The attendance at last years Space Jam, just on Facebook, was triple the capacity
By Arman Ashrafi
Panel Staff
This year, juniors Kyle Laracey, Ben
Eysenbach and Nicky Ricotta, have left their
comfort zones to immerse themselves in
the Chinese language and culture at the Beijing
School Year Abroad (SYA) program.
“Living abroad, has helped give me
an unbelievable amount of freedom
and as a result, everyone here treats
us like college students.
They begin each day with a short bicycle
commute from their host families to the
school, which is “a nice way to talk with the
locals” as Laracey puts it. Their class schedule
is similar to that of Belmont Hill: two
hours of Chinese starting at eight followed by
an array of different classes. Some days after
school, there are calligraphy or gym classes
or even short trips to city parks. Unlike their
previous years at Belmont Hill, none of the
three boys are involved in an organized sport,
something which Ben says he misses dearly.
The value of the SYA program goes
beyond just learning Chinese; SYA involves
interacting with the people and immersing
in the culture. During weekends, all the students
involved in the study program venture
out into the city, exploring different regions
of the capital city. Doing so allows the boys to
see from a different perspective the Chinese
culture, something they could not witness on
a normal sight-seeing trip. “Living abroad,”
as Kyle puts it, “has helped give me an unbelievable
amount of freedom and as a result,
everyone here treats us like college students.”
Over the first few months of their
stay, Kyle, Ben and Nicky have all traveled
to the southern Jiangsu province, a province
with barely any electricity or running water.
Their means of transport A 36 hour train
ride, and as Kyle brilliantly put it, “only the
first 12 hours were fun.” While there, they
stayed in a vast, round building of about 100
rooms called a tulóu. They have also visited
the Great Wall and the Yunnan province.
In comparison to their daily language
classes at Belmont Hill, the immersion alone
can be a helpful tool in fine-tuning their communication
skills. And as Ben soon found out,
“the better my Chinese gets the more I realize
I don’t understand what people are saying.”
But, their experience so far, as Kyle puts it, has
been “exceptional…I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
This year is a year I will never forget.”
All three students strongly urge anyone interested
in a modern language to think about
applying for the SYA program, the very same
decision they themselves made last year.☐
If you receive The
Panel by mail
Please be aware that as
of 9/1/12 we will no longer
be mailing The Panel.
We will email PDF versions
out to all on the
mailing lists

March 9, 2012
Belmont Hill News
Page 5
Recruiting: silent truth or invalid assumption
By George Holderness
Bill Mahoney
Recruiting has evolved into a significant yet controversial
force in college admissions. For better or for worse,
America’s top high school athletes will continue to enjoy
special admissions treatment and athletic scholarships at
many of the nation’s colleges. Many private high schools
adamantly deny recruiting for athletic talent, but one must
wonder if there’s something more than hard work and dedication
behind championship teams and hulking athletes.
Does Belmont Hill recruit athletes If you are applying,
it clearly helps to be an athlete. As Mr. Carr, Belmont
Hill’s Director of Admissions, points out “there
are certain things in a file that make candidates more attractive.”
And, he admits, “one of those things is athletic
ability.” Athletes applying for the Third Form benefit in
particular. It’s crucial that older applicants have some special
interest or talent, so they can fit in and make friends
quickly. “A lot of that’s sports here”, Mr. Carr remarks.
The student body’s opinion on recruiting is decisively
split. Some boys, looking to the strong tradition—and
perennial success—of athletics at Belmont
Hill, are convinced we do recruit. “I think some
sports definitely do it” declares one student. Another
feels that “we already recruit for hockey as it is”.
Much of the confusion lies in the ambiguity
of the term itself. “Recruiting,” as Mr. Carr puts
it, is a “dirty word.” It calls to mind scholarships, athletes
without regard for schoolwork or community, and
the infamous 2010 Lawrence Academy football scandal.
But there’s also a milder side to recruiting—one
where coaches, current students, and parents encourage
outstanding athletes to apply, just as they might encourage
a promising violinist or a budding scientist.
Belmont Hill doesn’t grant financial aid based on
athletic talent. Indeed, Mr. Carr is quick to point out that
our admissions process is “intentionally separate” from the
financial aid process. That’s where Lawrence Academy ran
into trouble a few years ago—they allowed players’ football
prowess to influence financial aid. Fortunately, thanks to our
separation of admission from financial aid, Mr. Carr is “not
concerned” that Belmont Hill will shift in that direction.
Yet in order to sustain a robust athletic program,
Belmont Hill must find other ways to attract students
who would be valuable athletically. Much of that attraction
stems from the school’s tradition of excellence not
only on the field but, more importantly, in the classroom.
Even for the most successful basketball or hockey player,
academics, community, and character remain paramount
here. Belmont Hill offers young athletes an opportunity
to develop academically as well as athletically. Longtime
varsity hockey coach, Mr. Martin, points to the Jordan
Athletic Center as ways to attract prospective studentathletes.
“Our lower level teams play a lot of all-star teams,
in a lot of different sports. The kids play here and see our
facilities—and then who wouldn’t want to come here”
Our coaches, while they don’t actively search
for particular athletes, do make a point of getting to
know younger players. Much of that opportunity comes
through working at sports camps in the summer and over
breaks. If one of these boys or his family asks about applying
to Belmont Hill, our coach is happy to talk with
him about the school and its athletic programs. It’s more
about “informing lots of people,” as new varsity hockey
coach, Mr. McCarthy, suggests, rather than actively
scouring the region for athletes. Mr. Martin notes that
he would never “go and stop at a rink and say ‘What’s
your name and number We want you at Belmont Hill.’”
My job is referring people to the admissions department.
We are also wary of attracting players
from other ISL teams; that is inconsiderate to our
fellow schools. And significantly, there’s no money
involved in our sort of recruiting.
There’s no question that many young student-athletes
are urged to consider Belmont Hill. But that tends to
be the work of current students or parents. Our coaches’
jobs are simply to meet prospective athletes and provide
them with information. Should a boy apply, our coaches
often do discuss him with the admissions team. Mr.
Carr even “encourages coaches to be in touch” to learn
about candidates not just as good athletes but as good
kids as well. Those conversations factor into the admissions
decision like any other part of a file. So while we
may consciously give athletes some degree of preference
in admissions, we don’t consciously pursue individuals.
To some extent, rewarding athletic ability seems fair
and natural. After all, who wouldn’t choose a smart, honest
kid—who also happens to be a terrific athlete—over an
otherwise identical non-athlete But it’s unclear whether
athletic ability should make up for shortcomings in other
areas. Certainly all candidates must be held to the same
high standard of character but academically the expectation
for boys of different athletic abilities becomes vague.
Both before admission to Belmont Hill and after,
no two students’ academic records are the same. On average,
as a group, though, should our best athletes be expected
to perform as well academically as students who
aren’t dominant on the field, court, or rink Mr. McCarthy
thinks so. Regardless of the result, everyone agrees
that academic effort and contribution as a member of the
community must remain equally strong. While Mr. Carr
believes we “need to hold athletes to the same standards
in the classroom,” he acknowledges that those standards
are more about effort, attention, and seriousness than
grades or test scores. Similarly, Mr. Martin hopes all students,
including athletes, will participate actively in the
community. “It’s important that people don’t view kids
just as hockey players or a basketball players,” he remarks.
While there are many notable exceptions, the general
feeling around campus is that a top athlete might not
perform quite as well academically as a typical boy, but still
performs well enough. It’s not a huge degree— Mr. Carr is
clear that “we deny a lot of great athletes”— but the fact
remains that an athlete’s grades or test scores need not be
quite as impressive to be considered closely for admission.
Whether we recruit or not naturally depends on the
definition of “recruiting.” Mr. Carr refers to our policy
as “positive recruiting,” and he mentions that the practice
extends beyond the realm of athletics. As far as admission
goes, athletes tend to enjoy an advantage, and
the better the athlete, the bigger the advantage. It even
appears that athletic prowess makes up for some academic
shortcomings. Still, our coaches “don’t have any
ability to get anyone into Belmont Hill,” as Mr. McCarthy
puts it. Admission to the school runs through the
admissions department, not the athletic department.
Belmont Hill may recruit, but we do so in an appropriate
way. “I think we do a pretty good job of it,”
says Mr. Martin, referring to our staying within the
league’s guidelines. “I don’t believe we’re breaking any
rules, and that’s important.” It is crucial that every candidate,
even an athletic phenom, goes the admissions
department to get into Belmont Hill. That’s how we operate—
Mr. McCarthy stresses that “my job is referring
people to the admissions department”. We are also
wary of attracting players from other ISL teams; that is
inconsiderate to our fellow schools. And significantly,
there’s no money involved in our sort of recruiting.”
If Belmont Hill wishes to remain competitive athletically,
we have little choice but to continue our “positive
recruiting” tactics. Were we a purely academic institution,
we would not recruit. But while academics
and character necessarily come first, most members
of the Belmont Hill community also hope to carry on
our strong athletic tradition. It’s a tradition deeply ingrained
in the school, one that’s not going to vanish
any time soon. And so too will our policy of legitimate
recruiting live on, decried by some but accepted by
most, ensuring athletic success in the years to come.☐

Page 6
Winsor/belmont hill opinion
The Panel
Schools share observations about gender concerns
By Jake Pagano
Panel Staff
As foremost single-sex schools in
the nation and the world, both Belmont
Hill and Winsor take pride in their respective
philosophies on producing men and
women of intellect and character. While
the specific reasons for a single-sex atmosphere
range—some believe it provides a
better social setting, others feel that it promotes
a learning environment best-suited
to the adolescent mind—the general theory
is essentially the same: single-sex education
is beneficial to the developing teen.
Yet the philosophy behind single-sex
education is not set in stone; indeed, our
schools are constantly evolving and trying
to understand better how the female and
male brains work and how spending the
academic day isolated from the opposite
gender influences our lives. As we enter
an era of rapid change, it is ever-important
that single-sex education develops, too.
Belmont Hill and Winsor have already
taken some steps to raise gender awareness.
In March 2011, the first Winsor-Belmont
Hill Gender Awareness Forum brought together
juniors and seniors to reflect on the
topic of gender. During the gathering, the
students discussed gender roles, sexuality,
and gender misconceptions. This allowed
students to examine sensitive topics that
seldom arise in a single-sex atmosphere.
Our respective schools are thus taking
the initiative to promote dialogue on gender
awareness. Recently, the topic of singlesex
education has become an increasingly
nationally publicized topic as a few public
schools have been experimenting with single-sex
classrooms. This past winter, a series
of psychological studies were published on
the alleged negative effects that single-sex
education has on gender perception and on
students’ integration into a real world setting.
To better understand how students
in our single-sex environments perceive
gender, and how students and faculty feel
Student responses visualized
Belmont Hill
Winsor
Have you ever been made to feel inferior because of your gender
Yes - 7%
Yes - 44%
a single-sex atmosphere influences those
attitudes, we conducted faculty interviews
and gained student insight. We concluded
that through a survey, we could form a better
understanding of how our respective
schools’ students viewed the opposite sex.
Thus, over one hundred students
in grades 9 through 12 from each school
anonymously answered a series of questions
on a host of gender issues. Some dealt
with how the students felt about gender
equality and societal misconceptions. Others
were more personal, asking students
to give insight on the role gender plays in
their day-to-day social and academic lives.
The responses ranged, showing that
students in our single-sex schools are not
homogenous in how they perceive many
gender-related issues. While the majority
of students from both schools agreed
on a multitude of issues—most adamantly
believe in gender equality, and a
majority feel that gender issues are relevant
to their daily lives—responses to
many other questions revealed the diversity
of opinions in both student bodies.
Responses showed that Winsor and
Belmont Hill students perceive issues of
feminism and sexual discrimination far
differently. On a host of issues, a majority
of students responded “unsure.” Perhaps
these responses of “unsure” manifest
how abstract and difficult to understand
the topic of gender can be. Moreover, the
diversity of responses reflects a larger
theme: how do Belmont Hill and Winsor
students come to these conclusions Of
course, many factors, such as media and
ingrained family values, influence one’s
perceptions, but perhaps the single-sex
educational setting has an impact as well.
Better understanding of the trends
and of the causes of uncertainty and opinion
will allow both schools and their students
to evolve in discussing gender issues.
In interpreting the results, the following
two articles give opinion from both a
Winsor and Belmont Hill perspective.☐
BHS and Winsor faculty
share their thoughts
“I wonder whether you feel a kind of split where in your social lives you see yourselves
as distinctly gendered individuals but at school gender does not define you. Sometimes
it sounds like the question arises, ‘Can I be a strong ‘Winsor woman’ around
boys’”— Ms. Ryan, Class VI dean
No - 93%
No - 14%
Unsure
19%
Unsure - 7%
No - 56%
Are women and men equally intelligent
No - 3%
“Belmont Hill, as a single-sex institution, does not perpetuate a sexist ideology in any
way. Of course, a single-sex institution will influence one’s perspective. But whether it
influences that perspective in a positive or negative way depends on the person.”—Mr.
Bynum, director of community and diversity
“There is an opportunity at an all-girls school to compare and identify differences between
Winsor and the world, and this kind of environment is proven to create and produce female
leaders… [A single-sex environment] changes [students’ perceptions about gender issues] in
a good way.”— Ms. Baumann, school counselor and wellness coordinator
Yes - 67%
Yes - 90%
“I find...that…kids seem to graduate from here with a certain confidence and a certain
ability to take risks that I do not see as readily in co-ed schools, and I’ve taught at coed
schools… Girls tend to lose their voice a little bit more readily in co-ed than in allgirls.”—
Ms. Parsley, Class V dean
Yes - 1%
Do you consider yourself a feminist
Unsure - 10%
“Because we are isolated from each other, some students here think one school in
particular is ‘so and so.’ We need to get better at seeing the other side.”—Mr. MacLean,
History and English teacher
No - 89%
Unsure
29%
Yes - 29%
No - 42%
“I think that a lot of conversations that we assume girls have about understanding
gender issues don’t always happen because we assume that [they are] happening. We
assume that we’re talking about gender because it’s a single-sex school, and that’s not
necessarily true.” —Mr. Braxton, director of community and multicultural affairs
Are ingrained societal norms a major cause of sexism
Yes - 59% No - 41%
Yes - 82%
No - 18%
Results of a joint Belmont Hill and Winsor poll on gender issues.
Over 200 students in total responded.
“I think for many years in the beginning of my time here I was really worried that
boys like this never got to meet girls that were not either girlfriends or family. To be
competitive with women...with whom you have no other relationship but work is
something that teaches you about gender issues...I would like to increase the number
of cooperative opportunities in service learning and global education. We could work
together with not just Winsor but girls from other schools, and I think that this would
improve the programs and improve the opportunities for kids to learn more about
gender issues in the world.”—Mr. Morange, art teacher
“One of the great things about being a girls’ school is that, for students, all of the
leadership positions, all of the accomplishments in the stereotypical “male” interests,
are held by girls… The students find and keep their voices and have the strength to
continue that through college and graduate school and careers.”—Ms. Stern, librarian

March 9, 2012
Winsor reflects on both schools’ views of gender
By Holly Breuer & Susannah Howe
Panel Staff
Winsor teaches us that our opinions
have value, that our minds are just as
capable as men’s, and that our voices
deserve to be heard.
Many Winsor students have preformed
stereotypes of the Belmont Hill
boy: athletic, preppy, and a bit outdated
when it comes to support of women’s rights.
Our personal experience (dances, a few
plays) hardly showed us a reliable crosssection
of the Belmont Hill population,
so when we sent our survey, we kept our
minds open and prepared to be surprised.
Some Belmont Hill students who
responded played right into the stereotypes
we had about them; a few remarked,
when asked about whether they consider
themselves feminists, “I’m a male so...”
(or something along those lines) as if it
were impossible to be a feminist if not a
female. One Belmont Hill student—just
one—identified himself as a feminist.
But many viewpoints were more encouraging.
One boy remarked, “I am neither
pro-male nor pro-female, but rather
pro-equality for all, regardless of sex,” and
the range of responses was quite balanced.
Some Belmont Hill students left scathing
comments on the survey about the phrase
“economic equality.” Our bad, we thought
it would be interpreted as equality of economic
opportunity; socialism was not
what we had in mind! Most Belmont Hill
students, 74.5%, said that they believe in
political, social, and economic equality for
people of all genders. The moment when
both Winsor and Belmont Hill seemed to
hit a wall was around the word “feminism.”
Only 29.3% of Winsor students
and one lone Belmont Hill student said
they were feminists. 10% of Winsor students
and 42% of Belmont Hill respondents
said that feminists hate men. One
Winsor student admitted, “I believe that
women should have everything that men
have, which could qualify me as a feminist,
but I’m hesitant to call myself one.
I believe the term has become a negative
one in many ways.” Feminism is, by
definition in The Oxford English Dictionary,
“advocacy of the rights of women
(based on the theory of equality of the
sexes).” Still, feminists are stereotyped
as, in the words of one Winsor student,
“bra-burning man haters.” A feminist is,
in reality, anyone who believes in equal
rights for people of all genders—not, de-
Students engage in fishbowl discussion
Winsor/belmont hill opinion
spite popular belief, someone who thinks
women are better than men. Maybe, to
some degree, the use of the word “feminist”—with
all of its negative stereotypes,
cultural misunderstanding, and social
stigma—creates unwillingness to talk
about and examine gender issues.
Still, Winsor students are generally
enthusiastic about discussing these ideas.
Winsor teaches us that our opinions have
value, that our minds are just as capable
as men’s, and that our voices deserve to
be heard. Though this environment is one
of the school’s great strengths, the issue of
the “Winsor bubble”—not understanding
the discrimination many women face in
the world—is real. We are not clueless;
many Winsor students are sensitive to,
almost hyper-aware of, gender issues. We
talk about gender in health classes and in
academic classes, particularly history and
English. The main problem is that our single-sex
school environment does not provide
us with much experience of how these
issues play out in the real world or how
people different from us, men in particular,
feel about the issues. Let’s face it—to
many of us, boys can be a bit of a mystery.
Going to an all-girls’ school is a
valuable experience in many ways, but
we often wish we had more of a chance to
discuss gender issues with boys. Talking
about gender in the abstract can only take
us so far. The wide differences between
The main problem is that our
single-sex school environment does
not provide us with much experience
of how these issues play out
in the real world or how people
different from us, men in particular,
feel about the issues.
the prevailing viewpoints at Belmont Hill
and Winsor bring the lack of communication
into focus; many students at both
schools have probably never had the opportunity
to think about gender issues
in depth with members of the opposite
gender. Encouraging and providing more
opportunities for dialogue would not revolutionize
either school, but events like
last year’s Gender Day and the Winsor-
Belmont Hill senior health elective—opportunities
we think should be added to
and expanded upon—would, at the very
least, expose students to new viewpoints
and ensure that we begin to think about
gender in a real-world context. Conversation
is the first step toward bridging
the gap between what can sometimes
feel like two very different worlds. ☐
winsor.edu
Winsor and Belmont Hill students take part in the Gender Awareness Forum
Do both men and women experience sexism
Belmont Hill
Winsor
Unsure - 9%
No - 4%
Unsure
19%
No - 21%
Yes - 60%
Our survey results show that Belmont
Hill students (on the whole) are not
as concerned with gender issues as Winsor
students are. Well over 50% of the Belmont
Hill population surveyed dismissed sexism
as an unimportant issue, while only 17%
of the Winsor population shared the same
view. On the other hand, while an overwhelming
82% of Winsor students deemed
the mainstream media to be sexist, only 33%
of Belmont Hill
students agreed.
In almost every
category, Winsor
students appear
to be more
concerned with
issues of sexism and gender, regardless of
whether the issues themselves concerned
men or women. Belmont Hill students, on
the other hand, gave a broader spectrum
of responses and, as a result, the poll results
were frequently split down the middle.
Is this discrepancy a result of our going
to single-sex schools Maybe to a small degree,
but in my opinion, these results appear
pretty standard. Women have had a long and
difficult history with sexism, while men have
largely been less affected by it. Logically, that
would lead women to be more aware of and
concerned with gender equality than men.
What I found most interesting was
the perception of feminism by the members
of both schools. Only one boy from
BHS said that he was a feminist, and less
than a third of the Winsor population associates
with the movement. A little under
half (42%) of Belmont Hill respondents
perceives feminists as “man haters,” while
a tenth of Winsor students share the same
view. Neither men nor women rushed to
the defense of the feminist movement.
One Winsor student remarked, “I believe
that in today’s world, feminists make their
case by making fun of other women (models,
actresses, women with plastic surgery).
Page 7
winsor.edu
A perspective from Belmont Hill
By Zach Kelly
Contributing Writer
Yes - 87%
Gender issues are far more multi-dimensional
than “that person is sexist” or “that
person is open-minded.”
They play into the stereotypes to get the
attention; they thrive on them.” Many students
at Belmont Hill share this sentiment.
They understand and sympathize with the
feminist movement of the early 20th century—the
movement that won women the
vote and other legal rights—but are perplexed
by the goals of modern feminism.
Obviously, attending an all-boys’
school limits our exposure to the feminist
viewpoint. The vast majority of students at
Belmont Hill are by no means sexist, but we
are rarely shown perspectives other than
our own. That being said, gender issues are
far more multidimensional
than
“that person is sexist”
or “that person
is open-minded.”
The relationship
between men and
women remains a complex intertwining of
issues and ingrained stereotypes, and there
is no survey that can give an entirely accurate
depiction of gender perception in any
community, let alone a single-sex school.
The bottom line is that Belmont Hill
guys like girls. We may not see eye to eye with
the Winsor student body on every issue, but
what matters is that both schools equally
value the other’s opinions. I’ve never seen
a Belmont Hill boy think less of a woman’s
ideas or accomplishments based on her gender,
and for that reason I do not believe we
need health electives and inquiries to teach
us about girls. We spend time with women
on a regular basis and can learn such things
perfectly well outside of Belmont Hill.
Stereotypes do exist, but learning
about gender issues in a hypothetical, isolated
classroom setting is not the way to change
them. If Belmont Hill and Winsor students
are ever going to begin the process of truly
understanding each other, it must be done
through real dialogue, face to face. If we are
to tackle issues of gender in a school setting,
we need integrated programs like the
Belmont/Winsor “Gender Day,” where we
can drag our stereotypes out into the open
and begin to replace them with truth. ☐

Page 8
“I am afraid to come out to my family
and my peers at Winsor because I am
scared of how my class
would think of me and
act. Please know—
students and teachers—that
the really,
really little things
you do and say matter
and can make a
huge difference to
someone else,” read one
student during GBSTA’s recent
assembly presentation on
February 23. Another student stepped
forward and recited, “In eighth grade
people found out I was gay, and rumors
spread through at least five grades about
me. It was scary to walk down the hall
and get funny looks from Upper Schoolers
I didn’t know.” A third took the microphone
and read, “Although most people at
Winsor say that they are for gay rights, it
still isn’t completely considered ‘normal.’”
These statements, along with many
others, were submitted by anonymous
Winsor students to the GBSTA to be read
aloud at the Identity Week Assembly. When
taken in conjunction with the anonymous
interviews conducted for this article, they
reveal the general attitude towards LG-
BTQA students at Winsor; homosexuality
is generally accepted as a political issue,
but it is not as tolerated on a personal level.
One junior succinctly summarized
Winsor Opinion
The thought of March Break keeps
every Winsor student going during the
never-ending months of January and February.
But if you are staying home, you
probably do not want to spend your days
moping around with nothing to do. Whether
you have younger siblings still in school
or are not travelling, here are five ideas that
could fill up your long March break days:
1. Taza Chocolate Tours
Located in Somerville, MA, this
chocolate factory makes traditional stoneground
organic chocolate. Tours, which
happen Wednesday through Sunday at
various times, are roughly 45 minutes and
cost five dollars per person. You can sample
chocolate during the tours and see the
process of turning cacao beans into chocolate.
The website advises reservations in
advance. To see tour hours and to reserve
times go to: www.tazachocolate.com/tours.
The Panel
Homosexuality at Winsor: personal and political bias
By Abigail Gabrieli
Panel Staff
this problem when she said, “I think that,
with regards to gays in the news and things
like ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’s’ being repealed,
Winsor students are very liberal-minded
and supportive, but when it comes to being
gay at Winsor, I think that Winsor girls
can…discuss it secretly and maybe feel a bit
uncomfortable.” Students interviewed did
speak positively of the more “political”
side of homosexuality, calling Winsor a
very “accepting” place. However, tolerance
for the more “personal” face of
homosexuality at Winsor still seems
to be lagging, with one freshman observing,
“I think that certain people,
when not directly being asked ethical
or political questions, will display
some biases—like, they
might say, ‘I think she’s,
like, gay,’ in a derogatory
fashion.”
The presence
of openly
LGBTQA students
at Winsor has
helped end some of these negative
attitudes. Mary Theresa
Nahill ’12, one of the co-heads of
the GBSTA, said, “I think a big part of why
Winsor is so accepting is because there have
been gay couples and openly gay kids who
were out and popular. When kids look up to
them and remember them they make a huge
statement to the school.” Drawing a comparison
to the lack of openly gay students at
Belmont Hill, she added, “To anyone considering
coming out at Belmont Hill, even
though it would be scary, you’d pave the
road for an incredible amount of change.”
Student thoughts on LGBTQA issues
“I think [Winsor’s] a fairly good environment for people to come
out. The only problem I would say that our community has–is, well,
the gossip aspect of it.”
“I do have a friend who came out to me. It hasn’t been an earthshaking
experience; it just means that she’s very close to me, and it’s just
something that happened, and it’s been good. It’s something I take in
stride and... smile.”
However, there is certainly still room
for improvement at Winsor. For instance,
one insidious issue that came up several
times was the stereotype that only gay students
attend Winsor’s GBSTA. For example,
a junior interviewed for the article admitted
that she felt that this stereotype was “probably
true.” However, this perspective is not the
case: as Nahill testified, many of the students
who attend that club are straight allies. This
idea can also be damaging, as some students
do not attend the club because they fear being
considered gay. One Class IV student
noted, “There is a girl in my grade whom
I’ve seen some kids bully and call a lesbian,
just because a close friend of hers in the
grade above is in the GBSTA.” Making sure
that all students feel comfortable attending
the GBSTA by ceasing to make judgments
about students who participate in the club
is definitely an important step towards Winsor’s
becoming a more open community.
On a more positive note, Winsor definitely
is making strides forward towards
tolerance. Ms. Stern, the GBSTA’s advisor,
noted that the school “has come a long way
since I started 12 years ago.” She and Nahill
both agreed that the presence of supportive
faculty members has helped make Winsor
a more welcoming environment. Still,
there certainly are problems at Winsor, particularly
with regards to acceptance of individual
gay students and stereotypes about
the GBSTA. Hopefully, the assembly and
this article can remind all of us to be more
tolerant of all the students at our school. ☐
Bored over March break
By Shea Necheles
Panel Staff
3. Laser Tag
This fun, active game can be a blast
for you and a bunch of friends. The competition
will be fierce and you can begin
to get in shape for your spring sport. LaserCraze
in North Andover and Woburn
have arcades accompanying the laser tag
and cafés with pizza and drinks. Admission
is roughly $13 per person. Laser-
Quest in West Roxbury is $9 per person.
Reservations are encouraged at all places.
For hours and contact information for LaserCraze
in North Andover and Woburn
go to: http://lasercraze.us/ For hours and
contact information for Laser Quest in
West Roxbury go to: www.laserquest.com.
4. The New England Aquarium
The aquarium brings you right back
to your elementary school days, and after
an afternoon of running around the giant
fish tank, you will feel like a five-year-old
again. You can also check out the new
shark and ray touch tank. The Boston
Public Library offers passes for free admission.
To see hours for the Aquarium
go to: www.neaq.org/. To reserve passes
from the BPL go to: www.bpl.org/general/circulation/museum_passes.php,
but make sure to reserve in advance!
“If you’re going to the GBSTA, everyone assumes that you’re gay,
related to someone gay, or close friends with someone gay. From
personal knowledge, I know that this isn’t true–there are several students
in the club who are just straight allies.”
“The only way I hear [sexuality] discussed is through gossip with
other people about people who might be questioning their sexuality,
or other people’s stereotypes about Winsor’s reputation as an allgirls’
school, that you must not be straight. That’s not a healthy way
to talk about it.”
“It’s, like–the senior survey after the Identity Assembly showed
that 50 out of 51 kids would be comfortable if a friend came out to
them. But less than half of the kids who [anonymously identified
as LGBTQA] said they would feel comfortable coming out to the
class.”
“In general, people are very accepting of the queer community and
they’re not bothered–it doesn’t ‘irritate them’–but sometimes people
stereotype all gay people. Sometimes they have misconceptions that
can unintentionally hurt people.”
pulplab.com
2. Institute of Contemporary Art
This museum sits on Boston’s waterfront.
A cool building that is fascinating
to look at from the outside and just
as interesting on the inside, the museum
is avant garde and exciting. You will feel
wordly and educated after spending an
afternoon there. It is open from Tuesday
to Sunday. One of the great things
about the ICA is that it is free for anyone
under 17. If you are over the age of
seventeen, on Thursday nights from five
o’clock to nine o’clock the museum is free
for everyone. For times and admission
information go to: www.icaboston.org/.
travel.usnews.com
5. The Freedom Trail
Walk the Freedom Trail either forwards
or in reverse. Starting at either
Boston Commons or Faneuil Hall, the
trail is easy to follow--just travel along
the red bricks. If you want a more structured
tour, the nine dollar guided costume
tour is a lot of fun. A tour narrated
by characters of the Revolution gives
information about the history of Massachusetts
that most Bostonians never
learn in history class. For more information
about tours and times go to: www.
thefreedomtrail.org/tickets/tours.html. ☐
dillerscofidio.com
mytroop7.com

March 9, 2012
In a society where technology
is becoming the driving force behind
the most normal of actions – such as
opening a door – Belmont Hill is striving
to keep up. With the issuance of
new IDs to both students and faculty,
the school has put into action its belief
that technology can better this
campus. The sentiment is a good one,
but, while these new IDs have a lot of
potential future applications that go
beyond their current capabilities,
as of now, they hardly
add any ease or productivity
to the lives of students and
do very little to increase the
overall security of the school.
Each ID issued to students
and faculty is unique,
allowing the school to “monitor
who has entered a building
and when – ‘24/7/365’,” as Mr.
Bounty, the CFO and Director
of Operations at Belmont
Hill, said in an email to the
school. The premise behind
this Big Brother-like tracking
off students and faculty
is that the administration can
always check who was in a
building at a certain time. For
example, if a computer was
stolen from Melvoin Commons
after school hours, the
school would, hypothetically,
For many of us, the last time we explored
was in the woods behind our yard when we
were 5-years-old. There is something elementary
about exploring because the more you
grow up, the less curious you are expected
to be. For the first semester this year, I went
to City Term in New York. Even though I’ve
been back in
Boston for a
month and
a half, during
that time,
I’ve realized
that my term
in New York
re-opened
my eyes to
Belmont Hill Opinion
New school IDs result in little forward progress
Future integration changes could help tap potential uses
By Josh Lee
Panel Staff
be able to see who had entered the
building around the time of the theft.
And while this idea is a good one,
it may lead to even more confusion. No
matter how much the school stresses
the importance of keeping your IDs
safe, to both students and teachers, it
is not hard to get a hold of a student’s
(or even a teacher’s) ID. The library
back room, where laptops are checked
out, are strewn with student’s IDs, waiting
to be taken. If someone went back
there and took those IDs, they could assume
the identities of various students.
this thing
called exploration,
something
that had been long lost in my life.
It is curiosity and exploration which
drives learning, this infantile idea
which makes humans more mature.
I don’t think that we ignore exploration
consciously, but I believe the lack
of exploration is something that has been
forced onto us by Belmont Hill life. We
might have small pieces of fun, but do we
ever really do anything new To me, I’ve
had trouble focusing, not because what we
are doing is boring, but because the whole
process is on repeat. This cycle dulls our
minds and weakens our curiosity, as well as
our desire to learn and improve. We need
to break that bond because there is an entire
world out there waiting to be explored.
In New York, many of our days would
consist of heading into the city and reenforcing
what we learned in the classroom. This
time, though, we got to experience it in the
real world. One experience that really sticks
out to me is when I had to talk with a man
who I soon found out didn’t speak English.
This quickly turned into a “lets try to understand
each other by using hand signals”
ordeal and it was getting nowhere. Suddenly,
I started speaking Spanish and the man was
even less shocked than I was when I heard
the words flowing
out of my mouth.
I was actually using
something
that I learned, to
get information
from this man
about the neighborhood.
It was
The most exciting potential applications
of the IDs have either not arrived
yet, after a few months with the
system, or are not coming at all . These
possibilities include conveniences such
as the ability pay at bookstore with just
the swipe of an ID, just like on a college
campus. This streamlined approach
would replace some current cumbersome
processes and, in cases such as
the snack bar or Better Buy Sale, would
eliminate the need to carry around
cash. The IDs could even be used for
checking-in into school the morning or
A proposed new design for the ID that is both more practical and more aesthetically pleasing.
somewhat amazing
to me because
this was the first
time in my life it
seemed as though school paid off. I discovered
something: In just trying to meet, talk,
and learn from new people, you will meet
some people with the coolest stories ever.
The most important part is putting yourself
in those situations where you can learn.
It is never easy to go out and make
yourself vulnerable, but if you have the desire
to meet new people and expand your knowledge,
it is possible. Belmont Hill can even involve
more exploration within its curriculum.
I’ve had an opportunity that not many
people will have, and I can share parts so
people can better themselves through them. I
can’t make everyone get out there and walk up
to strangers, but once you have the one experience
where everything truly clicks, you will
understand the art of exploration and how we
can get back to our roots of being learners. ☐
Page 9
accessing the gym on the weekend. If
features such as these ever do come on
to campus, they would make these new,
more expensive IDs worth the hassle.
On a practical matter, the IDs
lack each student’s birthdays and
forms. This renders them almost useless
at dances and other events that are
only for specific grades. In addition,
students who don’t have their licenses
yet now have lost a valuable form of
identification that could have be used
at movie theaters, airports, and other
venues. On a more aesthetic note,
the new IDs look, in the
opinion of many students,
Josh Lee
inferior to the old IDs.
Maybe the only current
feature of the new ID
system that benefits the
school is the ability to instantaneously
lock down
the school if necessary. If
there is any security threat
in the school, the school
can lock almost every single
door, keeping any potential
threats out of the buildings.
If the school moves
in a direction where the IDs
are more integrated into the
life of the school, they will
be beneficial and more convenient,
but, as of now, are
just expensive pieces of plastic
sitting in the wallets of
students around campus.☐
A reflection on exploration and time away from home
Fourth Former Matt Ryan discusses his time at City Term and how it changed his perspective on life
By Matt Ryan
Contributing Writer
I don’t think that we ignore exploration
consciously, but I believe the lack of exploration
is something that has been put
on us... This cycle [Belmont Hill] dulls
our minds and weakens our curiosity, our
desire to learn and improve. We need to
break that bond because there is an entire
world out there waiting to be explored.
BELMONT HILL SCHOOL
Form VI
Winchester, MA
350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478 617-484-4414
Richard Mummolo
2
0
1
1
12/5/1992
2
0
1
2
Matt Ryan explores the city, reflecting on his experience.
Courtesy of Matt Ryan

Page 10
Surrounded by Boys
From the editors
Winsor at BH
Throughout the day, I was surprised by how similar Belmont Hill often felt to Winsor. What kept
on shocking me, and I know it is probably obvious, was the constant presence of boys. At points I literally
had Ke$ha’s “Boys, Boys, Boys” running through my head. All of the older boys were pretty nonchalant
about seeing a girl around their school, and they were very welcoming. The funniest thing for me was
walking around the school and seeing the reactions of the younger boys, especially the seventh graders.
I felt like some monster out of a fairy tale as I watched their shocked and slightly horrified expressions.
The Panel
Switch D
The editors explore e
Classes at BH
We all go to school; we all take classes. Yet I never realized how different the style of a class could
be until I visited history, English, and music courses at Belmont Hill. Have you ever played on an
electric piano during class in order to practice your medieval church music skills Well, that is what
we did during first period. Have you ever started off an AP government class watching a Super Bowl
commercial and discussing its implications in the upcoming presidential elections We did. And have
you sat in a room full of boys, listening to them discuss the book Reviving Ophelia, a book about the development
of adolescent girls I did. I found it incredibly heartening to see that the boys took this class
very seriously, and that they seemed genuinely interested in the issues facing adolescent girls today.
The BH and Winsor editors (from left to right: Em
Dogs in Classrooms!
Space to Hang Out
Something felt wrong as we sat down around a table in a study room within the
Belmont Hill library. Aside from the obvious question–“What are we doing in the library”–came
the question, “Where are we supposed to go” I felt lost, without a home,
nomadic if you will, and then I realized the problem: Belmont Hill seniors do not have
a homeroom. In fact, they really do not have one collective, community hang-out spot
at all. Some have said that Melvoin Commons is akin to the Senior Homeroom, but
these “commons” are just a few couches in the middle of an open walk-through area;
privacy is essentially non-existent. I hardly ever saw any seniors actually sitting there
(around four at most times). At Winsor, the senior homeroom makes it possible to
bond with everyone in the class and unwind from the stresses of school during free
periods. After a day of wandering from place to place with no home base (the boys
do not even use lockers), I was thankful to return to our beloved Senior Homeroom.
Panel Carving
There are a few choice things that seem quintessentially “Belmont Hill,” and,
for me, the most unique tradition of all is panel carving. Each Belmont Hill senior
is given a thick wooden sheet onto which he carves something personally significant.
The panels serve as almost a catalogue or legacy for each graduating Belmont
Hill student. Getting to sit in on a panel carving period could not have been cooler.
Each student had carefully designed his panel–with subjects ranging from athletic
icons to flags to bridges on the Charles River–and was using hand tools to give texture
and depth to the design. Examples of completed carvings are hard to miss,
for they are hung everywhere on campus. At Winsor, I think it would be wonderful
to implement something like the Belmont Hill panels that each Winsor graduate
could return to and view as the culmination of her secondary school experience.
AMC Math Test
The last academic thing I did, though, will probably stay with me for a long,
long time. At Winsor, we are so used to taking our tests in small classrooms with
our fifteen or so peers. Well, I was signed up to take the AMC math competition at
Belmont Hill. I went into the testing room only to see an expansive space lined with
desk after desk of boys ranging from the 7th to the 12th grade. I sat down, got out
my pencils, and received a lunch. “Wow,” I thought, “I’m liking this already!” Yet
once the test began, I realized that there were chips inside these lunches. Now, do
you know what 50 boys eating chips sounds like I did not. All I can say is that they
have incredible concentration and must be much better multi-taskers than I am!
Dress Up!
Lunch
Lunch at BH epitomized the fascinating blend of both formality and casualness I
saw throughout the school. On the one hand, we all stood behind our seats until told to
sit down, and boys sat at assigned tables. Underclassmen served food and cleared dishes.
Not expecting this, I pretty much started apologizing to the nice freshman who took
my plate. It’s quite different from Winsor! The walls of the whole room are covered with
carved panels, creating an old-school academic environment. On the other hand, the
volume of the room once lunch began matched that of the Winsor cafeteria. Not to mention
the dramatic rush on the salad bar, which rivaled any Winsor lunch line. Clutching
my bowl and my fork and tentatively reaching for the edamame beans, I felt like I
had been swept up in some wild storm of untucked shirt tails and Timberland boots.
All photos by Emma Collins and Bailey Scott

March 9, 2012
ay 2012
ach others’ schools
From the editors
BH at Winsor
Classes and Schedules
Looking at the Winsor schedule, I immediately saw differences between theirs and ours. We
have a simple, rotating schedule that I can remember with little effort, while the Winsor day is quite
confusing. When I asked about it, many girls responded that they have to check it daily to remember
it. They had periods of varied lengths that moved around to different times throughout the week.
After attending an hour-long math class, I understood the possible advantages to being able to have
better discussion and more effective classes. I just don’t think I could function at Belmont Hill without
a routine, including the predictable schedule. Winsor classes seemed more like a discussion with
the teacher than a discussion amongst students which the teacher prompted. It was a bit different
from some Belmont Hill classes, but similar to the more lecture-based courses (like the sciences).
Recess Before...
Page 11
ma, Joe, Bailey, Pranay, Astrid, Andrew)
The Senior Homeroom
For me, Switch Day made clear one distinct difference between Winsor and Belmont
Hill. The idea of a senior homeroom, or lack thereof. When we first arrived at
Winsor, we were directed towards the senior homeroom. I immediately imagined something
like Melvoin Commons, the so called “senior homeroom” of Belmont Hill, where
seniors congregate on occasion to use the computers, but are always surrounded by
students and staff. When we arrived at the senior homeroom though, I realized that it
was something completely different, like nothing we had at Belmont Hill. The Winsor
senior homeroom is an actual room with four walls and a door that separates it from the
rest of the school. It is filled with couches, chairs, murals, and anything else the seniors
decide they want. Here the Winsor seniors can escape from the rigors of school and
relax. This is a luxury that Belmont Hill seniors do not enjoy, especially with the recent
closing of Lynch Lab. A senior homeroom at our school would allow seniors some much
needed relaxation between classes and would be central meeting place for the form.
Lunch
Umm...
Winsor takes a very different approach to lunch than we do at Belmont Hill.
Food is served cafeteria-style, and girls stand in a line with trays to get their meals. In
addition to the hot lunch for the day, which has more options, there are salad and sandwich
bars and a soup station. At Belmont Hill, there are only two drink options daily;
at Winsor there are a variety of drink options, including chocolate milk, fruit juices,
and Gatorade. Hot chocolate, tea, and coffee are also available to students throughout
the day. Once they’ve selected their food and drinks, Winsor girls can choose
where they sit, very different from our assigned tables. The cafeteria itself is much
more inviting than ours, with high ceilings and large windows that flood the room
with natural light, clearly superior to Belmont Hill’s dining hall that often feels stuffy.
...Recess After
Thoughts from your editor
Today symbolizes the beginning of
the end of one chapter of my life. At the
end of today I will have completed my
final paper, and will have officially begun
my last season of Belmont Hill crew.
My commitment to the newspaper and
to Belmont Hill crew have been the two
mainstays of my time at Belmont Hill.
I will leave this place a completely different
person than when I first entered
the Chapel on acclimation day in 2006.
While much of my character has
been shaped in the classroom, so too has it
been shaped by being a part of this newspaper,
and being a coxswain on the crew.
In both of these aspects I learned what it
takes to be a leader, a teammate, and to
persevere, even when I thought a task to
be impossible. I have been a part of the
newspaper since 7 th grade. I started with
the Bell, and in 9 th grade made the shift to
The Panel. For everything we learn in the
classroom, there are lessons that can only
be learned through extracurricular activities.
I have come to realize that it is a
lot easier to think you can do a better job
than the people in charge than to actually
do it. I came into this position full of
energy and full of dreams of the changes
I was going to make to the paper; looking
back, I did not make any of the changes I
had dreamed of. That is not to say that I
would consider my time on the Panel as a
failure. We were able to put out each issue
on time, which was a huge accomplishment
if you think about how disorganized
the Belmont Hill side of things used to be.
Through my time on the Panel I
also learned what it takes to be a leader.
Leadership on The Panel is a lot different
from leadership in sports. This leadership
position requires a business savvy, of
sorts. Within the first week of my time as
EIC I realized that I couldn’t just cox my
staff and expect them to respond. I had
to negotiate, and be a diplomat. Unlike
on the crew, people weren’t just going to
listen and get in line. They had no reason
to. There is no grade or reward for being
on The Panel; people join it purely out of
their own desire. I learned that leadership
sometimes means getting in the trenches
and doing the grunt work, or sometimes
it means delegating, or sometimes it even
means doling out a whole lot of compliments
and hoping that flattery will get you
far. A leader does whatever it takes to get
the job done on time. Joe, Andrew, Tucker
and I have had times when we would be in
the Lynch Lab till 11 p.m. on the Thursday
and Friday before layout, because we
were unsure if we were going to be able
to put out an issue on time otherwise. I
also remember instances where I would
be able to leave layout at 11 p.m. for some
other commitment, and have faith that
everything would get done, because of
the hard work of the juniors on the staff.
The Panel is going places. Through the
hard work of my predecessors Tom Muse,
and Matt Weinstein, we have earned high
levels of praise at national newspaper
conventions, and we hope that this issue
of the paper will be fit for competition.
So as I wrap up this reflection, I
have one last thought. For all the underclassmen,
I urge you all to get involved in
some extracurricular activity. You will be
surprised as to how much you learn about
yourself. Hopefully, one of you will decide
to join the newspaper after reading this,
eventually become Editor-in-Chief, and
write a reflection of your own, someday.
In closing, I’d like to thank Mr.
Prenatt, and Mr. Morange for everything
they’ve done for me and for The Panel.
Not only is this my final issue, but this is
Mr. Morange’s too. We are at the end of
an era. If his successor is able to do even
half of what Mr. Morange did for all of us,
this paper will continue to be the premier
extracurricular activity at Belmont Hill.
Thank you,
Pranay Bose

Page 12
I can picture myself on March 23 at
the Burlington AMC theatre at midnight,
impatiently waiting in a line among other
crazy fans, and then settling into a creaky,
old chair. Yes, an obnoxiously loud popcorn
eater probably will be sitting next to
me, and yes, I will probably be sitting in the
front row because I did not get to the theatre
on time. But you know what It will
not matter, because I will finally be able to
see the long awaited Hunger Games movie.
The Hunger Games trilogy has garnered
many dedicated fans since its release
in 2008. For me personally, these books have
provided the perfect story to turn to after finishing
the Harry Potter and Twilight series.
The three books have proved to be not just
a replacement, but a unique narrative with
an enthralling world for me to delve into. In
the trilogy, author Suzanne Collins creates
the futuristic, dystopian realm of Panem.
As a punishment for a past uprising
against the Capitol, the center of Panem,
each of the twelve districts must present two
tributes, one girl and one boy, to participate
in the annual Hunger Games. The story begins
when 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen,
played by Jennifer Lawrence in the movie,
and the town baker’s son, Peeta Mellark,
played by Josh Hutcherson, are sent from
District 12 to the ruthless competition as
tributes. All twenty-four of the tributes
fight to the death until one remains, returning
home to a life of luxury and honor.
On November 14, 2011, and more
recently on February 1, full-length trailers
for the film were released. Based on these
glimpses, the movie is simply going to be
fantastic. The trailers set up the movie perfectly
with quick flashes of a dismal-looking
District 12 and Katniss and Peeta’s whirlwind
journey to the Capitol and Games. The
scenery and the costumes were exactly how
I imagined them to be. Panem is a seamless
blend of a futuristic, eccentric Capitol
and a rundown District 12. From the endings
of both trailers, which show the actual
Hunger Games, the film’s competition will
be just as fast-paced and action-filled as the
Winsor Arts
The newest phenomenon to hit the silver screen
In the fight-to-the-death Hunger Games, only one will survive...
By Kelly Chen
Staff Writer
TV’s “survival of the fittest”
By Abigail Parker
Contributing Writer
Just like wild animals, a TV show
needs to find its niche and cling to it
fiercely to survive the harsh conditions
that are imposed on the shows by competition
between networks. Extending
this analogy, we might say that American
television is in a period of extinction.
Last year, several wildly successful
and long-lived “species” of television left
the air. 2011 marked the drawn-out goodbye
of the final season of “The Oprah Winfrey
Show,” which ended after a 25-season
run. Additionally, ABC brought two of
the longest-running shows on television
to a close with the finales of “All My
Children” and “One Life to Live.” These
soap operas had been a staple of American
television for 41 and 43 years, respectively.
For shows like these, departure
from the airwaves is graceful and planned.
Other shows are not so lucky; to the
dismay of their fans, some shows’ time
on the air is cut short by low viewership.
A prime example is “Pushing Daisies,” a
show about a man whose touch can bring
the dead back to life, which was cancelled
after only two seasons and wrapped up
hastily without revealing any of the secrets
behind its premise. One show that avoided
such early cancellation is “Chuck.”
In 2009, lovers of the geek-turned-spy
launched an energetic campaign to prevent
the show’s possible cancellation. The
show was renewed and effectively found
a new niche by switching its focus from
comedy to drama; it continued until this
January, when it ended after five seasons.
Some shows common on a Winsor
girl’s watch list that have left the air recently
include “Lost,” “Friday Night Lights,”
“Scrubs,” and “Greek.” Even young shows,
like “Pan Am,” which began only last fall,
are not immune to this wave of extinction.
“Pan Am”’s cancellation is not official, but
its low viewership makes it highly likely
that its new fans will be left disappointed.
As our favorites leave the air, we are
left wondering how to fill our beloved TV
time. Grieving fans may go into denial
and live off of re-runs, but if your show
has fallen victim to TV extinction, I also
recommend exploring new options being
offered by the networks. As each “species”
dies, another will evolve to take its place
on the air (and in our hearts). One outstanding
new show is “New Girl;” if you
don’t watch it yet, put a dollar in the jar.☐
book’s. I am particularly excited to see the
cave scenes, which were not shown in the
trailers. Katniss and Peeta hunker down in
a cave together as a shelter, exchange stories
about themselves, and most importantly
talk about their feelings for each other.
Regarding the characters themselves,
the casting directors hit the jackpot with the
supporting actors. Specifically, I liked
Effie and Gale the best. Effie Trinket
(Elizabeth Banks), escort of District
12, is the perfect Capitol
woman with her high, accented
voice and eccentric mannerisms.
Gale Hawthorne
(Liam Hemsworth) also fits
the book’s description
of
Katniss’ goodlooking
best friend and
hunting partner. One
of the main characters,
however, was not
cast perfectly. Katniss
should look more like
a hardened hunter
who has lived starving
for most of her life, as
described in the books.
That being said,
there is no doubt that this
movie will be a blockbuster,
Each Sunday night, nine million
or more viewers have tuned in
to watch delicious drama and salacious
scandal unfold in the lives of an
English noble family and its servants.
The British television show “Downton
Abbey,” which finished its U.S. season
in February, has rapidly gained both fans
and positive reviews since it first appeared
on PBS in January 2011. Many Winsor
watchers now eagerly await the return
of the show, scheduled for airing on PBS
in January 2013, but until then episodes
of “Downton Abbey” are available on
both Hulu Plus and Netflix instant play.
The series, classified a “period
show,” follows the story of an aristocratic
family and their servants in England in
the early twentieth century. Filled with
drama, heartbreak, and laughs – mostly
because of actress Maggie Smith as the
hilariously atrocious matriarch of the
family – “Downton” has delivered addictive
entertainment in its first two seasons.
The show at times, however, can slip
slightly in the soap-opera direction. With
sub-plots ranging from the mysterious
death of a foreigner to the potential return
of an heir with amnesia, the realism
o f “Downton” is questionable.
The best
The Panel
one sure to please die-hard Hunger Games
fans and those who have not read the books
yet. Filled with action and speckled with romance,
the film will surely attract all types
of viewers. I cannot wait until it comes out
and will be crossing off the days to March
23. And best of all, we will all be
on March break when the
movie arrives. So be sure to
check out this movie when
it comes out! May the odds
be ever in your favor. ☐
Not just a show, but a lifestyle
Wikipedia.org
“Downton Abbey” is an addiction
By Nell Birch & Elizabeth Hiss
Panel Staff
moments in the show are not necessarily
ones of high drama and intrigue, but
rather the small moments between family
and staff that illuminate the subtleties
of the “upstairs downstairs” drama, the
lives of servants and the people they serve.
The moments when servants and members
of the family accidentally run into each
other throughout the house are often the
most amusing. During the second season,
this dynamic became even more interesting
as World War I started to break down
the barriers between servants and aristocrats,
culminating in a scandalous romance.
As a lesson in early twentieth century
history “Downton” is certainly entertaining,
but it is occasionally less than accurate.
In the phrases the characters use, such as
“Downton” has delivered addictive entertainment in its first two seasons.
Moviepostershut.com
“step on it,” as well as the fashions they wear,
“Downton” sometimes jumps forward a few
decades. Both the family’s aristocratic life
and the effects of WWI are well represented
in the show, although the time-lapse of a few
years between episodes makes following historical
events in the show somewhat difficult.
“Downton Abbey” manages to mix
the guilty pleasure of a soap opera with humor
of a sitcom and the history of a
Ken Burns documentary,
and this combination
makes it a show to
watch and eventually a
show to love. ☐

March 9, 2012
Stramdbooks.com
Winsor Arts
It is not too late to revisit your literary childhood
By Holly Breuer, Susannah Howe &
Louisa Kania
Panel Staff
With March break coming up, everyone
is looking for something great to
read – a new novel, a great biography, or
the latest fad book. (The Hunger Games,
anyone) But, as you grow up, do not forget
about all the great books you read as
a kid. Using our expert research skills, we
have compiled a list of six books that defined
your childhood – or should have!
- - - - - -
The Magic Tree House series
by Mary Pope Osborne:
Ever since siblings Jack and Annie
were first whisked away through history by
By Kate Elfers & Olivia Moscicki
Panel Staff
Field trips are always fun. You get
a change from the regular school day in
addition to experiencing a fascinating
exhibit or museum. This year, students
have embarked on field trips around the
Boston area. These field trips include
Class III and IV’s trip to the Pompeii exhibit,
the Figure Drawing Class’ trip to
“Degas and the Nude,” and Art History’s
weekly trips to the Museum of Fine Arts.
At the end of January, Class III students
caught a glimpse into the ruins of
Pompeii at the Museum of Science as they
experienced what they had studied during
science class and saw artifacts they had
researched in Latin. Ms. Manning, a Class
III science teacher, explained that “seeing
the [body] casts made the implications of
a volcano eruption real to them.” Class IV
Latin students and the Upper School Art
History class also visited the exhibit to
explore the daily life of Ancient Romans
and the destruction of that life during the
eruption of Vesuvius. Although the Pompeii
exhibit closed on February 12, the
MOS is currently offering other fascinating
exhibits including “Made in Greece,”
their magic tree house filled with books, we
have been hooked! These beginner chapter
books allow readers to explore new places,
experience adventure, and engage in the
protagonists’ escapades as they use their
brains and courage to problem-solve. And,
let us be honest, the majority of historical
information we know to this day comes
from facts in the Magic Tree House books.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith:
Betty Smith’s book follows the coming-of-age
of Francie Nolan, the daughter of
BarnesandNoble.com
an impoverished Irish-American family living
in Brooklyn, New York. Centered around
the metaphor of an ever-surviving “Tree of
Heaven” that represents the Nolan family’s
unwillingness to be overcome by adversity,
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a touching portrait
of poverty, personal struggle, and urban
life at the turn of the twentieth century.
Visit a museum over vacation
which is open until June 15. Different from
the Pompeii exhibit, “Made in Greece” focuses
on modern Greek architecture and the
process of creating it. The MOS has many
other exhibits worth visiting, and come
on, who does not love those musical stairs
This winter, the students in Figure
Drawing and Art History went to the Degas
exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. “Degas
and the Nude” followed Degas’ deviation
from the classic style to the modernist depiction
of the body in both everyday and
unusual settings, such as a Paris brothel. The
students were interested in the raw quality
of the pieces. Dorie Gordon ’14 remarked,
“It was absolutely amazing and made me
really think about different styles of art. It
inspired me to start experimenting in different
mediums.” The Degas exhibit ended
in February, so it is time to explore something
new! Until May, you can see “Beauty
as Duty: Textiles and the Home Front in
WWII Britain,” which explores how fashion
and textiles were used during World
War II to lift British morale.
From learning about an Ancient Roman
city at the Museum of Science to exploring
the form of the body at the MFA, Winsor
students have been discovering amazing art
and culture, and you should not miss out! ☐
Smartdestinations.com
The Royal Diaries by various authors:
Have you ever wondered what it
would be like to get inside Cleopatra’s
head Or Marie Antoinette’s Or Grand
Duchess Anastasia’s The Royal Diaries do
just that: the books are fictional diaries,
based on historical fact, of real queens
and princesses during their preteen years.
Though most of the books are about wellknown
monarchs, some lesser-known
ones, like Kaiulani, queen of Hawaii, and
Anacaona, a Haitian princess, have diaries
as well. The books are great ways to learn
about history and have some fun pretending
to be a princess at the same time!
Nancy Drew Mystery
Stories by Carolyn Keene:
This classic mystery series follows
the adventures of teenage detective Nancy
Drew as she solves a wide range of mysteries
and strives to assert herself in a male-dominated
society. A smart, independent, and
confident young woman who always stands
up for what she believes, Nancy is, in some
ways, the ideal female heroine, and the
mysteries she finds never fail to intrigue us.
Ann Rinaldi’s books:
Rainbowresource.com
Ann Rinaldi’s historical fiction is, in
our opinion, some of the best out there,
regardless of the age group to which it
is directed. Her books, which take place
mostly in the Revolutionary and Civil War
eras, are full of fascinating historical detail,
but they are also wonderful books in
their own right. All of her characters are
By Holly Breuer
Panel Staff
As spring quickly approaches, Winsor’s
musical groups continue to fill the
hallways of Winsor with song. Their diligent
preparations culminated in the annual
Winsor-Roxbury Latin March concert
on the afternoon of Sunday, March 4, at
Roxbury Latin’s Rousmaniere Hall.
Chorale opened the program with a
solo performance of the Irish tune “Bheir
Me O” and was then joined by Small Chorus
for a rendition of the “Sound of Music”
by Rodgers and Hammerstein with
soloist Lena Afeyan ’13. Annie Batten ’12,
Fiona Ehrich ’12, and Erika Verdine ’12
were featured as soloists in Senior Small’s
“Winter Song” by Ingrid Michaelson
and Sara Bareilles, as arranged by Erika
and Kasumi Verdine. Small Chorus then
graced the stage once again for the performance
of three additional songs: “Barcarole,”
from Tales of Hoffman—with trio
of soloists Annie Goodridge ’14, Grace
Hanrahan ’14, and Laura McCallion ’13—,
“Stand by Me,” as arranged by Mac Huff,
and “Niska Banja” accompanied on piano
Page 13
complex and vividly believable, and the
stories address major themes about both
history and growing up. Particular recommendations:
Hang a Thousand Trees with
Ribbons, Finishing Becca, and Girl in Blue.
Goodreads.com
The Boxcar Children Series
by Gertrude Chandler Warner:
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are
four orphans who seem to find mysteries
wherever they go. Before they were adopted
by their wealthy grandfather, they spent
some time living by themselves in an abandoned
boxcar, and their experiences taught
them the importance of teamwork and family.
Both thoroughly enjoyable and engaging,
this series is rich with vivid details that bring
stories of these resourceful siblings to life.
- - - - - -
We hope you will chose to revisit one
of these quintessential childhood reads when
you search your bookshelves for reading material
this March break. Happy reading! ☐
Niutoday.infom
Winsor singers’ talents shine
by Ms. Becker and Sarah Goodman ’14.
Winsor’s portion of the concert
concluded with a combination of voices
from both Roxbury Latin and Winsor’s
Small Chorus performing five movements
from “Requiem,” by John Rutter,
under the direction of Roxbury Latin’s
Mr. Opdycke and Winsor’s Ms. Taillacq.
This joint production was accompanied
by orchestra—including Winsor musicians
Jen Holthouse ’12 (harpist) and Sophie
Applbaum ’15 (cellist)—and featured
several student soloists, including Bailey
Scott ’12 and Ellie Bridge ’13. Scott says,
“It was gratifying to see Small Chorus and
Chorale rewarded for their extremely hard
work.” Annie Goodridge ’14, a member of
Small Chorus, notes, “We’ve spent all of
our time since winter vacation working
on our wonderful pieces and were especially
excited to bring to the Winsor community
songs in many different languages
including French, Latin, and Serbian!”
Overall, the hard work of the Winsor
singers came to fruition in an outstanding
performance. We wish Chorale,
Small Chorus, and Senior Small
the best of luck in the coming spring!☐

Page 14
Belmont Hill Arts
Campisi brothers make living off art in NYC
The Panel
Christopher and Evan Campisi are
enjoying life in the Big City. As brothers
they went to Belmont Hill, graduating
in 2004 and 2000 respectively, and they
have both moved on New York City. They
moved there immediately after graduating
from college. Evan, the older of the
two brothers, attended Skidmore College,
a liberal arts school in Saratoga Springs,
NY. There, he majored in art, and after
his four years there, he says that students
wishing to pursue a career in design, art,
or photography should consider applying
to a full-on art school. He believes
that “the technical level of education students
at these schools receive puts them
in a better spot to enter the job market
when they graduate.” Chris, on the
other hand, attended Wesleyan University,
where he majored in Sociology. At
Wesleyan, he also took many art classes
because “that’s what I was really into.”
The two brothers’ passion in the
Evan Campisi’s Panel
By Bernardo Pacini
Panel Staff
BHS archives
[Evan] also was especially connected
to Mr. Kirby; having him as a
three-season coach for all six years,
“really instilled a tough work ethic…
the harder you work and train the
further you will go... Chris found
another interest. He particularly enjoyed
Chinese, and found Ms. Gao
a great mentor as he took the course
for four and a half years.
arts originated in their time at Belmont
Hill. Here is where they took a special
interest in the subject. Chris took drawing
with Mr. Fiori during his sophomore
year, which when looking back, he sees
as “definitely a positive experience.” Although
this course made him passionate
about the arts, he attributes most of
his current success to “obsessive reading
of Ayn Rand’s ‘The Fountainhead’ and
‘Atlas Shrugged.’” Both these novels are
heavily involved in arts. Evan, in contrast,
was passionate about photography.
He took an introductory level class
but also did an independent study with
Mr. Morange, which he highly recommends:
“It gives you the opportunity
to explore your own ideas and focus
your time on a class tailored for you.”
Art is not the only interest of
the Campisi’s. Evan feels as though his
“Belmont Hill education as a whole really
allowed me to get to where I am.”
He also was especially connected to Mr.
Kirby; having him as a three-season
coach for all six years, “really instilled a
tough work ethic…the harder you work
and train the further you will go.” He
also really enjoyed physics, although he
was forced to drop it as his math skills
“have never been a talent [of his].” He
looks back to the first few weeks with
fondness as he remembers building a
massive hot air balloon out of mylar.
Chris found another interest. He
particularly enjoyed Chinese, and found
Ms. Gao a great mentor as he took the
course for four and a half years. He was
a multiple-time member of music ensembles,
admiring Mr. Fiori’s zeal for the arts.
The brothers are now living in
New York City, each involved in companies
using art every day. Chris is working
with the company ColorEdge, which
works with graphics, printing, and creative
service industries. It specializes in
a specific type of advertising and marketing
and concentrates in “big ideas” and
in making them come to life, “everything
from print advertising to digital.” Chris
is now running an on-site production
design studio for one of ColorEdge’s
biggest clients, involved in Luxury Fragrances
and the Beauty Industry. He
specializes in ‘design for production’ or
things such as consumer goods packaging,
print advertising, outdoor advertising
(billboards), retail point-of-sale display
units, and all sorts of fun marketing
collateral. Chris enjoys this job although
he does say that sometimes the “fastpaced
environment” is very stressful.
In addition to this job, Chris has
been working as a freelance illustrator,
something he has done since college, and
is now planning to start-up a full-service
creative/design agency, production studio,
and print brokerage company. On
his way to the top, Chris has been involved
in many jobs, ranging from book
packaging and publishing to bartending.
Evan is working for Nylon Magazine,
a fashion and culture magazine
Christopher Campisi’s panel
based in New York. He is their art director
and is responsible for managing a team of
designers and photo editors, and for directing
the ‘look and feel’ of the magazine.
He makes up concepts for photo
shoots, and travels to places like London
and Los Angeles to direct them. His team
then lays out all the pages for the publication.
Evan enjoys all of this work: “It’s an
exciting magazine to work for,” he says.
Evan and Chris are settled into
New York City and loving city life. They
are still connected to Belmont Hill by
way of Janice Campisi, their “awesome,
supportive, loving mother…who is also
the mastermind coordinator behind
the epic success of Belmont Hill’s Summer
Programs,” as Chris remarked.
Mr. Morange, an arts teacher at
Belmont Hill, is delighted with the
Campisis’ success. “People with degrees
or backgrounds in art get scooped
up right out of college,” he said. “And
they frequently receive starting salaries
equivalent to what young lawyers
receive.” Everyone at school is thrilled
with Chris’ and Evan’s success.☐
Fifty musicians perform at Winter Instrumental Recital
BHS archives
ByRyan Baxter-King
Panel Staff
Clear, sunny skies and warm
weather have characterized this winter
and Sunday, February 24th was no exception.
A little past two, Dan Fiori, the
Director of Instrumental Music, opened
the Winter Instrumental Recital by welcoming
the audience, which more or less
filled the bottom floor of the Hamilton
Chapel. Mr. Fiori briefly sketched out the
general format of the recital before leaving
the stage to the first of nearly fifty
boys that would perform that afternoon.
Cellist Alex Santangelo was
up first, playing a Bach Minuet. He
was succeeded by two violinists: Andrew
Kaneb, who performed an Allegretto
by von Weber, and Richard
Cronin with another Bach Minuet.
After the initial three soloists came
the Jazz Combo. A small group that
formed last year and practices twice a
week, the combo played “Red Clay,” by
Freddie Hubbard, and “The Jody Grind,”
by Horace Silver. The group comprises
Cole Durbin on drums, Ian Meyer on
the tenor saxophone, Charles Feinberg
on bass guitar, Petros Palandjian on alto
saxophone, Colin Power on vibrophone,
Carl Reid on keyboard, Samuel Stack on
both alto and baritone saxophone, and
Patrick Whalen on guitar. As Mr. Fiori
noted during the recital, the group includes
two strong piano players, Power
and Reid, neither of whom was actually
playing piano. The Jazz Combo played ex-
tremely well and should be congratulated on
forming such a strong, student-led group.
In one of the most impressive performances
of the afternoon, [Arman
Ashrafi] played Ballad no. 2 by Chopin.
From the First Form’s balcony,
his hands looked like spiders and he
transitioned from a gentle 3/3 time
to a faster, almost feverish pace, and
back again.
A number of soloists then took
the stage. Among them were two violinists,
James Miller playing a Kriezler excerpt
and Raymond Hunt playing a Seitz
concerto. Kyle Wheeler also played during
this time, performing “Jelly Roll” by
Bill Mahoney
James Miller performs at the recital
Charles Mingus. He was the one solo recitalist
that played on a Jazz instrument.
Also up were two pianists. Eric
Kim performed “Etude No. 5 in E Major,
La Chasse, Allegretto.” It was impressive
to see how his hands kept crossing
each other without missing a beat. The
other pianist was Arman Ashrafi. In one
of the most impressive performances of
the afternoon, he played “Ballad No. 2”
by Chopin. From the First Form’s balcony,
his hands looked like spiders and he transitioned
from a gentle 3/3 time to a faster,
almost feverish pace, and back again.
After a short intermission, during
which the audience retreated to the
basement for some refreshments, the Orchestra
played two selections. The first
piece, the Allegretto from Beethoven’s
“Symphony No. 7,” went off without a
hitch while the Bachanale from “Samson
and Delilah” was a little rougher. The
Orchestra pulls its fourteen members
from both the upper and lower schools.
Violinist Robert Sayegh remained
on stage after his fellow strings departed,
performing Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 6.” He
was followed by two pianists, Juan Carlos
Fernández del Castillo playing Bach’s “Jesu
Joy of Man’s Desiring” and Kevin Chen with
Brahm’s “Op. 118.” They in turn were replaced
by the Middle School Jazz Ensemble.
Traditionally, Middle School groups
are not as proficient as their upper school
counterparts. However, while the MS Jazz
Ensemble was not as good as the Upper
School Jazz Band, which ended the recital,
the middle school ensemble played
incredibly well. The group played two
songs. “Caravan,” by Duke Ellington, Irving
Mills, and Juan Tizol featured Brian
Tanabe on alto saxophone and Jon Lazor
on trumpet. Clifford Brown’s “The Blues
Walk” had multiple soloists, including
Matthew Armstrong on trombone, Ryan
Godfrey on trumpet, Benjamin Wanger
on trumpet, Brian Tanabe on alto saxophone,
and Lucas Jurgensen on piano.
The US Jazz Band was the last group to
play in the recital. Their first song, “Aquarela
Do Brasil,” by Ary Barroso, featured Tucker
Gordon on trumpet and Christopher
Champa on alto saxophone. They also performed
Duke Ellington’s “I Got It Bad (And
Tucker [Gordon] spent the first
semster doing an independent study
in jazz composition. During the
third quarter, he has recorded music
around Belmont Hill.
That Ain’t Good),” featuring Peter McHugh
and James Kelleher on tenor saxophone and
Kyle Wheeler on the baritone saxophone.
Finally, they played “Black Nile,” by Wayne
Shorter. This last piece was different because
it was arranged by Tucker Gordon, a senior.
As Mr. Fiori explained to the crowd,
Tucker spent the first semester doing an
independent study in jazz composition.
During the third quarter he recorded
music around Belmont Hill. One of the
products of his independent study was
the arrangement of “Black Nile.” This semester,
his senior project also deals with
music. “Black Nile” featured Kyle Wheeler,
Christopher Champa, Richard Jarvis on

March 9, 2012
Belmont Hill Arts
Lost in Yonkers, MacLean’s final play, a success
Page 15
By Jacob Pagano
Panel Staff
Kraft Theater was filled with hoots of
laughter on Friday, February 25, and Saturday,
February 26, as a cast of Belmont Hill
and Winsor students put on a production of
Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers. The play, performed
by ninth and tenth graders, revolves
around the lives of two young boys, Arty and
Jay, as their lives are turned upside down.
When their father has to leave on business,
they are forced to live with their sole remaining
grandmother. The laughs rolled around
the theater as the two children faced their
tyrannical grandma, helped their childlike
aunt, and were awed by their gangster uncle.
Lost in Yonkers featured Clayton Starr,
Charlie Schwartz, and Michael Gates, while
Jake DiCaprio and Robert Sayegh acted
as stage managers. Mr. MacLean, who directed
the play, was assisted by Mr. Loeb,
Assistant Director, Holly Gettings, Technical
and Lighting Director and Set Designer,
and Rose Carlson, who handled costume
production and design. Before the main
performance, Michael Gates performed in
the vignette, Sure Thing, a series of sketches
where a duo’s conversation is continually
reset by the ringing of a bell from offstage.
Simon’s play is deeper than it may appear.
Set in 1942, at the height of World War
Two, the play tracks a family of Jewish immigrants.
Arty and Jay’s father had to go away
in order to pay off debts incurred from their
deceased mother’s medical bills. The cast did
an excellent job portraying the varied emotions
present in this marvelous work, which
won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991.
The weekend was bittersweet for another
reason: after twenty-four years, it was
the last time that Mr. MacLean would direct
a play at Belmont Hill. “Mr. MacLean has
been the central leading figure in Belmont
Hill theater for the last two decades” recalls
Headmaster Richard Melvoin. “He has been
a persistent champion of the program, not
only in creating a dedicated corps of actors
from both Belmont Hill and Winsor, but
also in making sure that the school provided
Mr. MacLean has been the central
leading figure in Belmont Hill theater
for the last two decades” recalls
Headmaster Richard Melvoin. “He
has been a persistent champion of
the program, not only in creating a
dedicated corps of actors from both
Belmont Hill and Winsor, but also in
making sure that the school provided
support of all kinds for the program.
support of all kinds for the program.” At
a school known for rigor in its sports and
academics, finding time for other activities
can be challenging. But as Mr. MacLean
explains, “What we’re doing is a varsity
sport. It’s what coaches love. It’s just having
the close connection outside the classroom.
When you’re in the theater, everyone
wants to be there. The nature between the
actor and teacher is incredible. I’ve had so
many intense relationships with students.”
Mr. MacLean started off as an assistant
director, but soon became the head of
the theater program. “There were so many
good shows, and strong actors,” he reflects.
Ryan Baxter-King
A wall of photos in the Morse Building commemorates recent theater productions
From comedies to the profound story of
Our Town, performed this past fall, he is
reluctant to single out any particular production;
he has worked with many amazing
actors. Indeed, this attitude reflects a universal
theme in Mr. MacLean’s directing style.
Focusing less on talent and more on character
and desire to work, Mr. MacLean has
inspired young men and women who never
thought of themselves as actors to take a risk.
Nonetheless, two plays were special in
that they were landmarks in Mr. MacLean’s
directing tenure. Richard III was Mr. MacLean’s
most ambitious production, as it required
extensive editing. Shakespeare’s plays
are notoriously long and large portions of
the plays are often cut, especially for film
productions. The other play that was unique
was All My Sons by Arthur Miller. The play
centers on a woman who reports her father
to the government for supplying the U.S.
army with faulty parts during World War
II. This play was personal for Mr. MacLean
because he lost many good friends in the
Vietnam War. Nevertheless, he was proud
to have done it. During the intermission,
the actors read letters from soldiers from
many periods of American history, from the
Civil War to Iraq. Actor A.J. Desta’s performance
still resonates vividly in his mind.
Other memorable productions included
the 9th and 10th grade production,
Frederick Knott’s Wait until Dark; on opening
night a brilliant snow storm made it a
“show that only a few got to see it--that
made it special,” reminisced Mr. MacLean.
Throughout his tenure, beyond finding
actors, Mr. MacLean learned how to tactfully
integrate two single-sex institutions.
“When you have a Winsor girl and a Belmont
Hill boy, they sometimes have preconceived
notions about what the other schools’
students are like.” Perhaps the most rewarding
part of his career was replacing these
biases with observations and friendships.
During Mr. MacLean’s time at Belmont
Hill, “the Middle School program has
grown and thrived,” says Mr. Melvoin. “Ms.
Gettings has come to the school and provided
professional level lighting, set and technical
work; the Kraft Theater went through
exciting renovations; and [Mr. MacLean]
has been instrumental in bringing and supporting
a new generation of dedicated faculty
in theater, including Mrs. Hamilton, Mr.
Kolovos, Ms. Davis and Ms. deKennesey.
Mr. MacLean echoed Mr. Melvoin’s
sentiment that the future is something to
look forward to, not something to shrink
from. “I talked a lot about memories involving
past productions and cast members,” he
says, “and I need to add that that there is an
amazing group of rising current actors at
Cast of Lost in Yonkers
Belmont Hill and Winsor. There was not a
single senior from either school in the excellent
casts of Our Town or Lost in Yonkers.
Emblematic of the strength of these upcoming
actors is the fact that Belmont Hill Drama
Club’s presidents, Mudit Tandon and Mark
Thurner, are both juniors. Both are fine actors
and leaders, and there is a score of others
at both schools who are just as talented
and dedicated. The future is in good hands.”
As my interview with Mr. MacLean
came to a close, he recalled one more story.
In one show, Margaret Gamell, the lead romantic
actress, fainted as she was about to
kiss the male actor. The show stopped. Mr.
MacLean noted; “I asked the audience to be
patient, took the cast back stage, and directed
another girl, named Karina Rarhardjia
to fill in.” Mrs. Rahardjia held book before
intermission, but thereafter she eloquently
acted in Mrs. Gamell’s place without book,
as though she had understood and memorized
the role all along. “It was amazing,”
Mr. MacLean chuckled. “Minutes after she
fainted the show was up again, and completed
the play. “That one I will never forget.
Neither will Margaret, neither will Karina.
Indeed, this story epitomizes Mr. MacLean’s
ability to excite students about acting.
But beyond producing actors, Mr. MacLean
has helped those actors find an unbridled
passion for the theater, a lifelong connection
to something truly special. “All my shows,
all my actors, they are something I will never
forget.” The strong showing on the night
of Mr. MacLean’s final circle paid tribute to
the invaluable role he has played in transforming
the lives of so many students.☐
Members of all Forms perform at annual Poetry Festival
Holly Gettings
By Ryan Baxter-King
Panel Staff
The Poetry Festival is an annual
tradition at Belmont Hill. Each rendition
brings memorable recitations to the
stage in the Hamilton Chapel. Last year,
performances included Boonaa Mohammed’s
“Green Card,” performed by Abdurazak
Shemsu, and Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky,”
performed Gabe Schmittlein.
Learning the poems begins in the
classroom. The English classes, as well as
the Inquiry courses currently being taken
by seniors, require that each student, regardless
of form, memorize a poem of
fourteen lines or more. Each class then
selects several students to move on to the
semifinals. These semifinalists recite their
poems in front of a teacher in the Hamilton
Chapel. From there, the finalists are
chosen to perform in front of the school.
This year, on February 18th, a number
of students recited their poems in front
of their peers. In the back of the chapel,
the faculty looked on along with the parents
of the boys. The process, however,
was slightly different. In the past, Mr. Brodie
has organized the festival. However,
this year Ms. deKennesey and Ms. Davis
listened to the semifinalists. Mr. Collins,
Ms. Whitney, Edward Columbia,
and Mark Thurner judged the contest.
They chose the following boys to
participate in this year’s Poetry Festival:
Sebastian Themelis, who performed “Loving
and Liking” by Dorothy Wordsworth,
Hartman Russel with “Advertisement for
the Waldorf-Astoria, by Langston Hughes,
Abdurezak Shemsu with “I Can’t Read” by
Lamont Carey, Noah Levine with “What
Work Is” by Philip Levine, EJ Cayemite
with “Black His Story” by Nicholas Alexander,
Mudit Tandon with “Mark Antony’s
Funeral Speech” by Shakespeare, DJ Demetri
with “My Dream: A Vision of Peace”
by Todd-Michale St. Pierre, Nick Favaloro
with “The Half Tail of Winchester”
by Taylor Mali, Jake Pagano with “Suburbia”
by Phil Kaye, Zachary Kelly, “Oh
the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seus, Henry
Cousins “Another Reason Why I Don’t
Keep a Gun in the House” by Billy Collins,
and Brian Tanabe with “Scratch and
Dent Dreams” by Eric Darby. The winners
Bill Mahoney
were Abdurezak Shemsu & Jake Pagano.☐ Nick Favaloro at the Poetry Festival

Page 16
Winsor Sports
The Panel
Winter Sports Wrap-Up
By Claudia Forrester, Bibi Lichauco, Olivia Moscicki, Abba Parker, & Sea-Jay Van der Ploeg
Contributing Writers
Basketball:
• Cheered on their awesome senior captains Elise Green, Erin Cohee, and Emily
Morton with an elaborate senior day celebration, then topped it off with a 38-43 win
against Portsmouth Abbey. Cookies, balloons, apparel, oh my!
• Exchanged valentine gifts between upper and lower classmen “marble buddies.”
• Battled Dana Hall in a dramatic overtime, coming out with a 38-43 loss.
• Bested with a 17-point win at Concord Academy, then again at a home rematch with
a 14-point win.
• Is proud of its season, ending with 9 wins and 7 losses. ☐
The basketball team poses after a victory
Curling:
Jonathan Green
• Welcomed four new curlers as well as four returning team members.
• Travelled to the Brookline Country Club twice a week for practices and games.
• Fielded two teams, one of Shoshi Spurlock ’12, Maggie Larkin ’12, Maia Raynor ’12,
and Corinne Worthington ’15 and the other of Pavlina Karafillis ’13, Cheryl Hagan
’13, Kelly Chen ’13, and Carol Renneburg ’13.
• Finished 15th and 17th in their league, but only because they were not able to play all
of their games.
• Greatly improved their skills and strategy of where to aim the stones on the ice. ☐
The curling team stays focused during practice
Gus Freedman
Hockey:
• Ended its season of hard work with an EIL record of 4-7-1 and an overall record of
6-9-2.
• Tied 1-1 in an exciting final game against Portsmouth Abbey on February 18.
• Enjoyed their practice time on the ice with head coach Ms. Gregory, who said, “We
have played hard every game and we have a lot of talent on the team.”
• Triumphed over rival Dana Hall with a final score of 5-2 on February 10.
• Will miss seniors Jen Holthouse, Maggie Ryan, Mary Theresa Nahill, and captains
Erika D’Andrea and Maddie Sovie next year. ☐
The ice hockey team celebrates a successful season
Gus Freedman
The squash team squashed everyone at New Englands
Ellen Giannuzzi
Squash:
• “Had its most successful season ever! The girls have worked really hard, and it certainly
has paid off,” according to Ms. Grassi, the assistant coach.
• Ended its amazing season with a record of 13-2 and stands undefeated in the EIL.
• Took sixth place in Division II and 22nd place in the nation overall at the U.S High
School Team Championships.
• Earned first place in Division B at New Englands at Westminster School on February
25, with three of the top seven players, Abby Giannuzzi ’12, Ananya Mahalingam-
Dhingra ’14 and Adrienne Conza ’16, winning their divisions!
• Sadly said goodbye to seniors Abby Giannuzzi, Catherine Walsh, Alison Carter, and
Astrid Pacini. ☐
Swimming:
• Finished with a fantastic record of ten wins and three losses in dual meets.
• Celebrated all seven seniors with cards, flowers, baked goods, and unique handdecorated
bags during a successful senior day.
• Enjoyed getting filmed on an iPad by new head Varsity Coach Ms Baudis to help
improve swimming techniques.
• Swam fantastically in the EIL Championships, finishing second overall!
• Sent 14 swimmers to the New England Championships in Connecticut. ☐
The varsity swim team before a meet
Gus Freedman

March 9, 2012
It was big news when Winsor’s varsity
squash team achieved an unprecedented feat
by winning Division III at the US Squash
High School National Championships in
2011. However, no one knew what to expect
when, as a result of their win, the team moved
up to Division II for the tournament this year.
Although Winsor was originally seeded 13-
16 in the preliminary rankings published the
week before the tournament, when the draw
was posted, the girls, to their surprise, found
themselves seeded 9-12. That is, the tournament
directors expected that the team would
finish the tournament somewhere between
9th and 12th place based on the season record
– already an improvement over the directors’
initial, expected ranking. It was with
this expected ranking in mind that the girls
on Winsor’s squash team piled into a single
black suburban with their coaches and
embarked on the two and a half hour ride
down to Connecticut for the tournament.
The pressure was on as the girls took
on their first opponents, St. Andrew’s School
from Delaware. Against all odds – and motivated
by the fact that they would have to
play early the next morning if they lost –
Winsor pulled out a 4-3 win on Friday evening.
Even though they had been seeded
lower than St. Andrew’s, Winsor’s win in
the first round ensured that the team would
finish in the top half of the tournament; regardless
of what would happen in the next
While some Winsor girls may
start their Sunday afternoons by catching
up on a TV series or working on their
homework, Ella Belina ’14 and her sister,
Emily Belina ’18, start Sunday afternoons
by setting out for Simply Circus
in Newton for their weekly circus class.
While neither Ella nor Emily is seriously
considering a circus career, they
both look upon the class as a chance to
have some fun. During a family trip to
the circus, the girls spotted an ad for the
program in the circus show-bill. They followed
up, checking out the cheery website,
which offers general circus classes “to kids
from 5 to 105 years old.” In a spur-ofthe-moment
decision, both Belina girls
signed up, excited to try something new.
Ella and Emily begin each class with
some conditioning and stretching, followed
by juggling practice. After that, they have
the chance to learn and practice a variety of
skills, depending on their interests. For Ella,
this time usually involves riding a unicycle
or perhaps practicing aerial acrobatics with
Emily on the lyra, a steel hoop suspended
from the ceiling. On other days, Ella might
be found trying out a new activity such as
trampolining or training on the aerial silks,
long hanging strips of fabric. With only
five to ten people in each class, the Belina
sisters receive a lot of specialized training
from skilled instructors, all of whom
Winsor Sports
Page 17
Varsity squash finishes in 22nd place at Nationals
By Abigail Gabrieli & Catherine Walsh
Panel Staff
By Claudia Forrester & Louisa Kania
Contributing Writers
The squash team huddles pre-match
matches, Winsor Squash was already certain
to finish higher than its original seeding.
Ananya Mahaligam-Dhingra ’14, whose
nail-biting match, the last of the evening,
secured Winsor’s victory, said that the win
was “amazing” and that the match helped
her realize “how important it is that a team
is actually a team.” She added that the reason
that team did so well was because of
how “close and unified” they were. The girls
were all in high spirits when they returned
to the hotel later after a day of squash, camaraderie,
and late-night pizza, delighted
both by their win and by the prospect of
getting to sleep late the next morning.
Winsor faced off against St. Paul’s
School from New Hampshire, the second-seeded
team, the next day. Unfortunately,
the team did not win any matches
against St. Paul’s, a result that did not
accurately reflect the whole match; it
failed to show how hard the girls played
as each player stepped up her game to
take her opponent to four or five games.
The match was definitely not a total
loss, though: the players learned some
valuable lessons from matching up against
talented players. Said Sarah Bell ’14, “I
think playing with girls that good definitely
pushed our skill level up.” Their new
knowledge showed later that evening when
the team beat Bryn Mawr, a school from
Pennsylvania, 6-1. Coach Grassi reported,
“It was fun and exciting to watch the
girls jump back after losing to St. Paul’s.”
The team’s last match was on Sunday
attended college for circus performing.
When asked why she wanted to try
a circus class, Ella simply replied, “Why
not” Though circus might just be a bit of
fun for Ella and Emily, it is a lot of hard
work. Many of their classmates are intense
gymnasts who are just there for a workout
and have no problem holding their entire
weight with one arm. Many of the activities,
such as the acrobatics in the lyra or
hanging silks, require a lot of upper arm
afternoon against Phillips Andover Academy
from Massachusetts. The girls were raring
to play this team for the first time after a
scheduling mix-up during the regular season
had left the varsity team playing Andover’s
JV team. After a long weekend full of lots of
squash, Winsor lost to Andover, 4-3, to come
in sixth place in the tournament overall.
Winsor’s finish left them as the 22nd
best girls’ team in the United States -- a fantastic
result for a school as small as Winsor.
This final outcome is particularly impressive
considering both that the tournament
directors had expected the team to place in
the bottom half of the division rankings and
that the team had only moved up to Division
II this year. In addition, every girl learned
much about squash from the tournament;
when the girls returned to the second round
of regular season matches, other coaches
noted how much they had improved.
Overall, Nationals was a fabulous
experience for the entire team. Adrienne
Conza ’16 summed it up nicely, saying,
“Travelling with the team was much more
fun than just going to a tournament by
myself… Best weekend ever!” Co-captain
Abby Gianuzzi ’12 agreed, reflecting, “Moving
up to Division II was scary at first, because
the competition was much harder.
[But] everyone on the team gave it their all
for every single match, and I am thrilled
that we came in 22nd in the country!” The
team would also like to thank their coaches,
Szilvi Szombati and Helen Grassi, for a
wonderful experience, and they look forward
to another exciting season next year. ☐
Unicycles and aerobatics: Ella and Emily’s circus weekends
Ella and Emily hang on the weekend
Lindsey Ruggles
Ellen Giannuzzi
For many Winsor athletes, a team is
like a family. A team provides an athlete
with a close-knit community that supports
her, cheers her on, and loves her unconditionally.
Spending hours each day with
the same group of girls often leads to an
extremely intimate team atmosphere in
which each athlete feels comfortable trying
her hardest and taking risks. Sometimes,
though, the athlete pushes herself a
bit too far and ends up with an injury that
keeps her from playing. To most athletes,
being kept out of sports and not being a
part of a team in the same way is utterly
devastating. As Ms. Geromini, the director
of athletics, emphasizes, “an injury is the
hardest thing for an athlete to deal with.”
One Winsor athlete who was forced
to take some time off was Delancey King
’14. Last year at soccer practice, right before
the biggest tournament of the season,
King broke her wrist. She remembered, “I
honestly did not even care about the pain
and everything, I was just freaking out
about not being able to play the next day.”
While King still came to the game to cheer
her team on, she was “jealous and angry”
that she was not able to play alongside
her teammates. Even after her wrist had
healed, King admitted, “I really worried
about coming back and not being on the
same level as everyone else… I worried
strength. Circus class is a two-hour-long
workout and could definitely qualify as an
IP, fulfllling the Upper School Fitness requirement,
but Ella just sees it as weekend
fun and enjoys competing on both the Track
and Cross Country teams here at school.
As you come into school each day,
be on the look out for Ella, because she
says that her “dream is to be able to ride
[the unicycle] to school one day.” You
might just see her pedaling to Winsor! ☐
Athletes sidelined by injuries
By Delancey King & Lindsey Ruggles
Contributing Writers
that I would come back and have lost my
touch and be the worst kid on the team.”
Allison McGuirk ’15 found herself
in a similar situation when she tore her
quad during field hockey try-outs this
fall and was forced to sit out of practice
for three weeks. McGuirk remarked that
her injury “made [her] feel helpless.” She
confessed, “I was really mad at myself for
a long time; I was mad that I didn’t take
care of my injury sooner, because I felt
like I had let myself down.” McGuirk acknowledged
that being injured during a
sports season “is a true test because it’s
much harder to be part of the team when
you can’t physically participate…you feel
helpless because you can’t do sprints with
your teammates, or help them score.”
While it may feel awful for an athlete
not to be able to participate physically
in her sport, there are certainly other ways
for the athlete to remain part of the team.
Ms. Geromini suggests that injured athletes
“do their rehab during practice time-
-they can “warm-up” with the team, then
head to the training room, etc. to do their
exercises. They [could] then finish practice
with the team (cheering, etc.).” Likewise,
McGuirk commented that not being able
to participate physically in field hockey
was “isolating for a while, until [I found] a
way to contribute by cheering and being a
moral support.” According to King, when
an athlete finally does return to her sport,
“it [is] the best feeling in the world.”☐

Page 18
Belmont Hill Sports
The Panel
Squash impresses at New England’s
Newcomer Nick Harrington battles in a tough match.
Alpine ski team races to a league title
Bill Mahoney
By Liam Quinn
Contributing Writer
The Belmont Hill Squash Team
finished a stellar season with a perfect
15-0 regular season dual-match record.
Newcomer Nick Harrington was undefeated
during the regular season as he
put on a clinic for his opponents regularly.
Harrington finished as a New England
Champion in the #3 division in his
debut. Edward Columbia dazzled his opponents
as he finished at New England’s
as the #1 American player in the tournament.
He adds another phenomenal season
to his Belmont Hill squash career.
The Squash Team has been ISL
champions for the past four years. Veteran
captain Liam Quinn consistently
led the team to many wins against very
challenging opponents. The team finished
3rd in the High School Nationals
at Yale this year, losing in a tight semifinal
match and beating Philadelphia’s
#2 ranked team Chestnut Hill 5-2. Liam
Quinn and Edward Columbia were undefeated
for the duration of the tournament.
Senior Andy Linn vastly improved
over the course of the winter to post an
impressive record at the #6 spot. Ninth
grader Spencer “Spanton” Anton went
19-1 at #4 against strong older players.
Another middle school varsity contributor,
Timmy Brownell, showed poise by
beating many kids up to five years older
than he at #5. At #7, speedy Michael De-
Franco competed on a national scale to
round out the Varsity squad and finished
2nd at New England’s. Young seventh
graders James Bell and Alex Kurtin aim
to be top 7 contenders in the upcoming
years as well as junior Petros Palandjin.
Seniors Eliot Greene and Greg Ho
played 8 and 9 to fill out the BH squad.
Overall the team finished 2nd at
New England’s losing by an extremely
close margin of 112-100 to Brunswick.
All of the kids played amazingly
and have high hopes for the coming
years even after losing Captain Liam
Quinn, Eliot Greene, Andrew Linn,
and Gregory Ho. Great Season to all!☐
By Matt Czarnecki
Panel Staff
Despite an atypical, uncharacteristic
New England winter, featuring sunny,
spring-like weather and minimal snow accumulation,
the Alpine Ski Team had a tremendous
season. Beginning in November,
with the dreaded, brutal cross training on the
track and concluding with the ISL League
Championship on February 22, the ski team
has withstood challenging competition en
route to their best season ever. With a top
three finish in every race this year, the alpine
ski program at Belmont Hill has emerged as
another sport (similar to the school’s remarkable
squash and crew programs) that has become
unbelievably successful at the school.
At the NEPSAC Class A Ski Championship
in mid-February, the team finished
third, the best finish ever not only for Belmont
Hill, but for any ISL school. Finishing
with a score of 36 points in Slalom and 33
points in Giant Slalom, the team totaled 69
points, falling only to Deerfield Academy
and Kimball Union Academy. Co-captains
Mike Remondi and Tucker Gordon exhibited
strong leadership throughout the season;
both had strong races at NEPSAC’s
as Mike finished in eighth place in the Giant
Slalom. The top skier on the team, and
perhaps in the ISL, Fourth Former Sabri
Eyuboglu finished in third place overall.
The team’s season concluded on
Wednesday, February 22 in the ISL Championship
at Nashoba Valley. Coming in as
strong favorites, they finished in third place to
Middlesex and Nobles in the Varsity race and
in second place to Nobles in the JV race. Yes,
a disappointing end to the season, but due to
their solid regular season record, they finished
as League Co-Champions with Middlesex.
Sophomore Alex Haigh, a new arrival
to the Alpine Ski team this year, has found a
winter sport he loves. Summarizing his season,
Alex says, “As a newcomer to the team,
I was really impressed by the balance of enjoyment
and hard work the team has. While
you may see the team eating cookies and
drinking hot chocolate at the base, on the
course, it is all business. We finished as cochampions
of the ISL, but at the same time,
we had a lot of fun.” With a young group of
skiers and the top three competitors returning,
there are high hopes for next year with
Belmont Hill’s first New England Championship
victory in sight. Coach Trautz looks
forward to next year, hoping to rely on both
the young talent in the Middle School and
the seasoned veterans of the Upper School.☐
Belmont Hill tears up Nashoba Valley.
Bill Mahoney
Hockey skates to successful season
Mike Najjar (17) joins team to celebrate a big win against St. Sebs
Bill Mahoney
By Charlie Feinberg
Panel Staff
The Belmont Hill varsity hockey
team has found its stride this season. Their
record soared to 22-5-3 after they won the
last six games of the season and Captain
Joe McNamara believes that this recent
hot streak can lead this high-flying team
through the playoff. “Every year the winner
seems to be the hottest team, and right now
we are the hottest we have been all year,” said
McNamara in an interview with the Panel.
Although the hottest team in the
playoff may be the Hill’s, they owe much
of the team’s success to goalie Dave Cunningham.
His unequalled agility and acrobatic
saves have made the loop crowd
at any game chant “D.A.V.E., Dave, Dave,
Dave!” “I would attribute a lot of the success
to Cunningham,” says McNamara,
“Because of the confidence he gives
the rest of the team; just knowing that
he is behind us if we make a mistake.”
While much of the hot-streak is being
attributed to Cunningham’s goal-tending,
it may also be the tight-knit quality of
the team itself that has brought so much
success this winter. In highs and lows the
team has stuck together under the mindful
leadership of their captain and their firstyear
head coach, Mr. McCarthy. “Coach
McCarthy has done a great job getting us
to play as a team and play smart, which
has led to a lot of wins,” says McNamara.
Belmont Hill met Lawrence Academy
in the first round of the New England
Tournament. The team fought hard behind
great goal tending of Cunningham
(65 saves), but lost 5-4 in overtime.☐

March 9, 2012
Belmont Hill Sports
Page 19
Basketball team has promising future
By Jon Goodman
Panel Staff
You don’t develop good teeth by
eating mush
As the clock struck down to 0:00,
Belmont Hill’s season ended in travesty.
The basketball team needed to win their
last game against Governor’s Academy to
be eligible for the New England Championship
tournament, but when the final
shot hit the rim and fell to the ground, this
team’s goals fell to the ground too. Down
by 2 with 4 seconds left, sophomore Harry
Roberson put up a shot to save the season.
Although this shot did not go in, and
the team did not make it to the New England
tournament, this team has a bright
future ahead. This squad is comprised of
4 freshman (Sultan Olusekun, Nathaniel
Trznadel, Deven Ferguson-Perez and
Hilal Dahleh), 2 sophomores (Max Gustafson
and Harry Roberson) and 2 juniors
(Petros Davos and Dewey Jarvis), and they
will all be back next year with a vengeance,
and they will try to bring the ISL and New
England Championship to Belmont Hill.
When Coach Murphy was asked
about having a younger team, he replied:
“We are starting with the basics and trying
to make sure they are fundamentally
sound.” He added, “We also expect the older
guys to lead by example and show them
the ropes, something that makes my job
a little easier.” The leadership on this team
was a bright spot with 5 seniors — EJ Cayemite,
Jimmy Kelleher, Brendan Treanor,
Conor Murphy and Captain Mike Minhan
— who all really helped out the younger
guys. With the inexperience, the team was
not able to run some of the complex defenses
that they had run in the past, but that
did not seem to hinder the team’s success.
This team was very streaky as it endured
two different 3 game losing streaks.
“Basketball is a game of streaks,” Coach
Murphy said. Part of this inconsistency
could speak to the youth of the team, but
there were several times where the youth
would lead the team, and freshman sensation
Sultan Olusekun would take over.
One memorable moment was when Sultan
hit a game-winning buzzer beater against
Milton Academy, giving BHS a 51-50 win.
One of those 3-game losing streaks
took place in an invitational tournament,
where the team lost to Trinity Pawling (55-
58), Phillips Andover (61-71) and Phillips
Exeter (46-74). If it wasn’t for this tournament,
it would have been possible for the
team to make the New England tournament.
When coach Murphy was asked
about this he replied: “We are going to
play a tough schedule going forward.” He
also quoted the long time army football
coach Earl Blaik in reference to the Belmont
Hill basketball team’s schedule, saying:
“You don’t develop good teeth by eating
mush.” Coach Murphy also alluded
Freshman phenom Sultan Olusekun dribbles past defenders.
to building a good tournament resume,
which he plans to do in the upcoming years.
Although this year’s team did not
make the tournament they still had a great
year. They fought tough in every game and
Bill Mahoney
were one shot away from becoming eligible
for the New England tournament. As expected,
next year’s schedule will be tough again,
but with all these young players returning
they should be in for one good season.☐
Belmont Hill takes down competition within the Independent School League
By Keven Chen
Panel Staff
Jeff Ott became an All-American for
the fourth consecutive year
With the first rays of sunshine
peeking from behind the overcast clouds
of February, the winter wrestling season
is winding down to its end. This year,
the squad managed impressive statistics
across the board. From finishing
with an outstanding 19-1 regular season,
to placing amongst the top seeds
at all the competitive tournaments,
each weight class pulled its own and
brought success to the cohesive line-up.
Under the leadership of seniors Jeff
Ott and Cam Scari, the wrestling team was
able to learn and improve as a unit. Those
who were returning to the team contributed
much by sharing their experiences
and knowledge with the newcomers.
The season began with the annual
Caruso tournament at St. Benedict’s Preparatory
School. After only few practices,
the solid starters captured first place
by a point and thus began a spectacular
streak. The first two opponents to set
foot onto the navy and maroon mat never
got within 70 points of the team’s lead.
Then, in critical matches against Tabor
Academy and St. Paul’s School, Belmont
again rose victorious, setting the stage for
the Doug Parker Invitational in Enfield,
Connecticut. Though the team sent six
of its wrestlers to the prestigious Beast
of the East tournament the same weekend,
the squad showed its depth by pulling
out a 3rd place finish at Doug Parker,
sending three of its wrestlers to the finals.
A new year brought a new sense of
vigor into the wrestlers as the team made
quick work of BB&N, winning convincingly
71-6. After a few more sweeping
triumphs, Belmont arrived at Northfield
Mount Hermon for the dual meet event
of the year against Northfield Mount
Hermon, Phillips Academy Andover,
and Wyoming Seminary, the second best
prep wrestling school in the country. The
Varsity wrestling team had consistently
fallen on the short end against its rival
NMH before, but, with star lower weight
classes and strong uppers, Belmont Hill
took the win, 39-31. The team went on
to defeat a strong Andover team, which
had outscored them at the New England
Junior Aaron Reid takes down a Roxbury Latin wrestler.
tournament just a year before. Wrestling
against the star-studded Wyoming Seminary
team was a good experience filled
with some close, exciting matches, and
the team hopes to continue to wrestle the
nation’s top teams in the coming years.
The crew then went on and won
eight consecutive meets against tough
opponents such as Phillips Exeter and
Pomfret, clinching the ISL dual meet
championship with a final win over St.
Marks. With this, the regular season came
to a close and tournament season began.
Bill Mahoney
The ISL championship, the
Graves Kelsey tournament at Roxbury
Latin, was first. The team hoped
to continue its dominant seven-year
winning streak, yet, after a long day
filled with tough matches, Belmont
Hill took 2nd place, behind St. Paul’s.
“All good streaks end some time,
ours at seven,” said Coach Bradley. “The
kids wrestled a very good tournament and
I really could not be more proud of them.”
The following weekend, the team
traveled again up to Northfield Mount
Hermon, hoping to earn its third New
England title. However, at the end of the
two-day, grueling tournament, Belmont
Hill stood behind NMH and St. Pauls.
Finally, those who qualified (by
placing top seven at New England’s),
went to Lehigh University to compete
in the Prep National tournament. Belmont
Hill’s seven qualifiers (Mihir Gulati,
Joshua Lee, Henry Cousins, Jeff Ott,
Cam Scari, Nick Favaloro, and Robert
Perdoni) capitalized on the chance to
test themselves by facing new opponents
from all around the country. Jeff Ott
became an All-American for the fourth
consecutive year with an impressive
2nd place finish. Other members of the
team also wrestled well; Scari won three
matches, Favaloro two, and Cousins, Gulati,
and Lee all won one. The team finished
23rd overall with 39 team points.
Now, with spring looming, the
team looks back on the memorable season.
Henry Cousins (Form V) said,
“Even though we’re saying goodbye to
a handful of phenomenal wrestlers, the
team has great talent to pick up the reins
in the coming years, and I’m excited to
see what we’re going to accomplish next
season.” As the sun drives away the frosty
winds of winter, wrestling finally comes
to a close, with the applause of the school
community for the team’s excellent run.☐

Page 20
Call Me, Maybe
10 Ways to get into the
Poetry Fest finals:
1. Recite a Langston Hughes poem
2. Have a 5-minute + poem
3. Read a Shakespearean soliloquy
4. Foreign accent
The Panel
Faculty Twitter Feed
@BreakingButler: Got a new haircut #thegoldenarches
@MrLube: Woke up at 8 AM, mom made me breakfast #greatstart
#winning
@TheDon: Caught Jeff wearing pajamas and no tie to school, no
biggie #WrestlerFavoritism
@TheSkyDiver: Skipped school for a skydiving competition
#priorities
5. Talk your way through a Taylor Mali
poem
6. Dramatic pause
7. Rap
8. Be in the drama club
10. Skip a line
@TysonTrautz: Took 3rd place at the Toboggan World Championships
#LikeaBoss
OVERHEARD IN THE HALLS
“What are all these boys doing here”
Winsor Panel Picks
Snow ✓disappointment
Here’s my number ✓call me maybe
Spring break ✓the beach
ILE ✓the due date
Hemenway ✓your common app
Leslie Dewan ✓casual robots
“Why would I do my chem homework”
“I wish I could just carry around a personal
steamer so I could steam the wrinkles
out of this skirt.”
“Why can’t I take 7 classes”
“Why can’t I take 3 classes”
“We deserve a pity snow day.”
“Hashtag...”
“Are the young’ns getting younger every
year”
www.iphone4s-wallpapers.com
Panel, It’s been real....peace out
- EBAY