March 2015

Volume 45, Issue 3 March 2015
Manlius Pebble Hill School
Special Report
By Deb Han and Jenae Butler
From Crisis
to Community
On a cold February morning,
MPH students saw Abigail Hodge
walking around school with pink and
lavender hair. The next day, another
head, belonging to Sophie May, could
be seen floating above the hallway
crowds, her hair pigmented bright,
mermaid blue.
The school community was shocked,
yet excited, by the blatant breach
of dress code. Rumors of expulsion
threats and comments of the pair “going
too far” spread across the school.
The girls knew they would get the
dress-code speech and ensuing punishment
-- a loss of free blocks -- but they
didn’t care. Their hair color carried a
message to MPH administrators: Keep
your promises. Because of a drastic
budget crisis suddenly facing the
school, the pair stood to lose a scholarship
that had been promised to them
until graduation.
Many members of the MPH community
shared this feeling of anger and
betrayal when news of the school’s
financial crisis broke to the public on
Dec. 19, 2014, the day before December
break.
This statement from the board of
trustees, sent out in an email to parents
of students, detailed an unsustainable
funding gap caused, in part, by the
excessive distribution of merit- based
scholarships and a steady enrollment
decline. The school announced it needed
to raise $3 million in order to open
in the fall.
Members of the MPH community
have been riding an emotional roller
coaster since that December day when
the news first broke. Information
changed almost daily and now, the
projections have become much less
dire. Debt relief from the bank guaranteed
the school’s re-opening and a
swift fundraising campaign helped
cover costs and salvage a compromise
on those scholarships once thought
gone. Though painful cuts and losses
will still be felt, the very worst has been
avoided.
“Projecting a worst case scenario was
necessary for recovery,” said Interim
Head of School James Dunaway, “but
I never believed that we would end up
there next year. I am optimistic that,
with strategic and aggressive marketing,
MPH will, within a very few years,
attain its optimal size and program.”
The December statement announced
plans for a financial agenda known
as The Way Forward, in which there
would be staff and scholarship cuts,
as well as a tuition increase, in order
to bridge the gap between the deficits
and necessary operating costs for the
future.
As part of that initial plan, now
called MPH First, Hodge and May
were just two of many students who
stood to have their Crosby Scholarships
revoked for the coming school
year. Crosby Scholarships were merit
scholarships that had been previously
awarded to students who demonstrated
exceptional capability in academics,
performing arts or athletics.
Fomer Head of School Scott Wiggins
said that only 184 of the 422 students
currently attending MPH are full
pay, meaning that the rest of the students
are on scholarship, financial aid,
or both. Crosby scholarships were one
“I feel really connected to the school.”
- Jack Hogan, fifth-grader
of the mechanisms MPH offered to recruit
students with diverse talents in the
Syracuse area. Wiggins said in February
that he was extremely regretful of
the entire situation.
“I’m very sad those kids are gonna
leave, and I’m very sorry that we’ve
started down this path with them,” he
said in an interview with The Rolling
Stone on Feb. 5.
So when Hodge, a junior, thought
her scholarship was not going to be
renewed for the next school year, she
knew the prospects of her return were
slim.
“There was a lot of uncertainty as
to whether or not I would be coming
back next year,” Hodge said, “which
was really, really stressful, especially
since next year is my senior year.”
May, who is also a junior and a
Crosby scholar, decided to dye her hair
to support Hodge’s message.
“When I decided to join her in doing
it,” May said, “it was both me deciding
I wanted to support her and what she
was doing and deciding that I wanted
Photo by Maddy Rieks
to be supportive of the other members
of the community who were being affected
by the way the financial situation
was changing at MPH.”
May said their acts of civil disobedience
weren’t meant to point fingers.
Rather, it was a way to express their
discontent with the crisis. The pair
planned to dye their hair back to their
original colors in March after they
learned that a Crosby compromise had
been met. The school has been able to
maintain scholarship aid for all Crosby
families who demonstrate need, according
to the MPH First web site.
Taking a stand was just one of the
varied reactions of the MPH student
body and community.
For some, The Way Forward was
all they could think about. Students
dominated full 80-minute classes with
debates and rants about the plan and
the effects it would have on the place
many of them called home.
Teachers, worn out from meetings,
planning, and the sheer emotional
chaos, found it difficult to teach in the
more volatile classroom environment.
Because of the ever-changing nature
of the plans, not only were students
and faculty constantly seeking out the
newest information, but they also had
something new to discuss every day.
Now, three months after the first
shocking announcement, there have
been major changes at the school. A
new Interim Head of School was hired
on Feb. 23. Dunaway is the father of
an 11th grade student and the previous
Continued on page 4

2 Commentary Students 3
Ten years ago, the vegetables
on your plate at the Arad Evans
Inn in Fayetteville may have come
from as far away as California. Now,
when you sit down to a meal there,
most of the produce comes from no
farther away than Ithaca.
Though the restaurant would use local
food in the past, Head Chef Aaron
Ames helped spearhead the shift to almost
exclusively use homegrown foods
and local products in 2011.
“I would rather spend money on a
local business in Syracuse and put that
money back into the community than
buy something from California or Oregon
or Texas,” Ames said. “I would
much rather put the money back in and
do ‘My local, Buy local.’ It helps the
farmer in town, which helps the town.
Our money and tax dollars shouldn’t go
to help someone in a different state. We
need to help ourselves before we help
anyone else.”
And there’s more: “The products are
so much fresher,” he said.
In the past 10 to 15 years, the use of
locally-grown foods has been becoming
more popular among consumers and in
restaurants, known as the Farm to Table
movement.
Ames uses as much local produce,
meat and products as he can, and changes
his menu monthly based on what’s
Editor
Debora Han
Art Director
Maddy Rieks
Sports Editor
Dan Albanese
Advice Columnist
Jenae Butler
Staff Writers
Chenoa Baker
Anna Barnard
Fiona Cardamone
Kate Marshall
Suzannah Peckham
Cady Ridall
Sarah Smith
Advisor
Jeanne Albanese
The Rolling Stone
Manlius Pebble Hill School
5300 Jamesville Road
Dewitt, New York, 13214
Hungry for Home Grown
From farm to table, fresh fruits and vegetables are making bigger and bolder appearances across the country
available. Using local ingredients supports
the local economy, reduces the carbon
footprint and allows him to use the
freshest ingredients possible. Though it
costs less to transport local products, the
products themselves, since they come
The Big Picture
from small farms, are actually more expensive.
It is also a challenge to design a
menu around what’s available. To Ames,
however, it’s worth it.
“There is a demand for local and
people wanting to support the community,”
he said. “It has been very nice as I
have pushed to do more, people have responded
well and now we are very well
known in the area as a place that does a
lot of local.”
While more restaurants are using
locally-grown food, consumption of organic
foods has also risen as consumers
Photo by Maddy Rieks
have become more aware of the potential
health risks of processed foods and
pesticides.
According to the company website,
Wegmans began moving toward more
organic products in 2007. For example,
Wegmans now carries 3,000 organic
products, and has its own organic farm
Chess [ches] noun: a game for 2 players each of whom
moves 16 pieces according to fixed rules across a checkerboard
and tries to checkmate the opponent’s king.
Chess is a well-known game that has been played for
centuries, originating from India around 2,000 years ago.
Since then, the game and its rules have traveled around
the globe, city to city, village to village, person to person,
and, in this instance, teacher to student.
“Mr. Leclercq had put a couple of chess boards in the
lounge and everyone was playing, and then a lot of people
were like, ‘We should have a chess tournament,’ and everyone
had that same feeling so I just did it one day,” said
Ini Oguntola, a senior.
The idea of a tournament quickly became popular, so
Oguntola set up a website that would rank players and
chronicle the games. The tournament began with 36 participants
before Christmas break, and has since dwindled
down to the sole victor, Marcus Johnson, a freshman at
Check Mates
By Suzannah Peckham
called the Wegmans Organics Farm,
which is located in Canandaigua. There,
the company grows strawberries, leaf
lettuce, cucumbers, corn and other produce.
Local organic farmer Brian Luton,
who owns Stones Throw Farm on
Onondaga Hill, said the availability of
organic food in local and chain grocery
stores as well as restaurants continues to
expand based on consumer interest.
Luton said post-harvest handling of
produce, whether it is shipping locally
or farther away, is crucial to the quality
of the produce and has improved greatly.
Luton markets all of his produce locally
with a CSA, or Community Supported
Agriculture. That means local customers
pay a set fee for a share of Luton’s
produce each week during a set growing
season.
“We strive to support our community
of local eaters as best we can,” he
said. “Marketing locally is important to
us from the standpoint of business and
community values, as much as it is economic
ones.”
Organic and farm-fresh foods are
becoming so integrated into our lives
that sometimes we don’t even realize
it anymore. From the farm to the table,
these foods are becoming more and
more popular, and organic foods are a
big trend.
Are you going to join the movement?
MPH senior starts first chess tournament
MPH.
By Sarah Smith
Photo by Maddy Rieks
By TK
Aside from the tournament-style ranking, points from
each game are put into Oguntola’s modified version of the
Elo rating system, which is used in official chess tournaments.
The Elo rating system was created by Hungarian
physics professor Arpad Elo to provide a normal distribution
of points in chess tournaments.
“Everybody starts out with 100 points,” Oguntola said
on the tournament web site. “Beat someone, and your
rating goes up; lose, and it goes down. If you draw, your
rating stays mostly the same. … Basically the higher your
rating is, the more you have to lose.”
Games were played during lunch, free blocks, during
school, after school and sometimes before school.
“[We play] whenever we get a chance,” Johnson said.
And, yes, there is a prize for winning the tournament,
Johnson said.
“Fame, fortune, wait, no,” he said. “Fortune is com-
Just Ask
Jenae
By Alexus Martin
Q:
Dear Jenae:
I got into
college! That’s
great, though
now I have zero
motivation in
school. What
should I do to
kick my lazy butt
into gear?
Selfies
The Don-asty
Family has always
been the No. 1 priority to my
parents. They always remind
me that, when all else fails,
your family will always be
there for you. As I’ve grown
up, I’ve come to the realization
that my parents are right.
No matter what I go through,
my family is always there
to support me. The same
goes for my MPH family, of
which my dad is also an integral
part.
“MPH has been like an extended
family to me,” said my
dad, known to everyone here
as Coach Don Ridall.
My father has worked at
Manlius Pebble Hill for 39
years. This school is his second
home. He is currently
the school’s athletic director,
a gym teacher, boy’s varsity
soccer coach and assistant
golf coach. He has a positive
attitude, a good sense of
community, and most importantly,
love for everyone
around him.
MPH is a safe environment,
where students can
be themselves. However, no
school is perfect. If any of
my friends or I are having a
tough day and need to escape
from the social scene, my
dad always allows us to hang
Senioritis - The Deadliest Disease
Dear Sluggish,
Oh, no. It can’t be! Listen, I don’t want to alarm you, but it seems
you’ve fallen victim to a disease sweeping the nation: Senioritis!
Senioritis is defined, by the ever-knowledgeable Urban Dictionary,
as “a crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms
include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants,
old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also
features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive
attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as
Graduation.”
So, from what you’ve told me, you’ve got a textbook case of Senioritis.
But don’t worry, it’s completely normal! After months, and
maybe years, of preparing for college, taking exams and filling out
countless forms, it’s only natural that once your applications have
been submitted, your mind and body want to take a well-deserved
rest.
The problem arises when you realize that though your collegeapplication
journey has ended, high school is still going on. Teachers
have lesson plans, AP exams need to be prepared for, and grades
are – unfortunately – still a thing.
Therefore, many seniors find themselves in the predicament
you’re in: wanting to give up, but knowing they have to finish the
year on a positive note. What should we do when we have the desire
to perform but not the motivation?
We can take a look at Mary Morocco, a senior who’s officially
been in college since October. October! When she was accepted to
the United States Naval Academy at the start of the school year,
many people were shocked that she even continued to show up
at school. But, Mary did continue to show up, and even continued
to actively run the club she started in the previous year, the Patriot
Club.
out in his office during our
lunches or free blocks.
Admittedly, I’ve always
been a daddy’s girl. We’ve always
had a very special connection
and I love spending
time with him.
Thanks to the accepting
atmosphere at MPH, I don’t
have to hide my close relationship
with him. If I see
him in the hallway, I never
hesitate to run up and hug
him and even ask for money
so I can get a snack at the
campus shop. He has been
my gym teacher about five
times and it was always an
absolute blast. I’ve never felt
embarrassed to go to a school
where my dad works.
This is probably bizarre
to most teenagers at my age,
but he simply doesn’t embarrass
me. (This also might
be because my dad is even
more popular than I am with
my friends.) Whenever my
friends see him in the hallway
they get so excited, and
one of my closest friends
even refers to him as “Papa.”
I have never met anyone
who loves their job as much
as my father. Almost every
morning, he wakes me up
with a smile because he’s
genuinely excited to go to
work and see his “family.”
Some of my fondest childhood
memories include the
annual back-to-school walk
to MPH. Mr. Vural and his
daughters, and Mrs. Layhew
and her two daughters live in
my neighborhood, less than
a mile from school, and all
eight of us would walk to
school together.
I have attended MPH
since Pre-K (two years of it
to be exact…coloring wasn’t
my strong suit...) Since I was
a Lower-School kid here, I
think it’s very important to
reach out to the younger kids
to be a positive role model
for them. Here, you can truly
get to know everyone, and
age doesn’t get in the way of
friendship. It’s an indescribable
feeling walking down the
hallway and having a group
of lower school students who
know your name run up to
hug you.
Every other day, I have
two free blocks at the same
time my dad teaches a Lower-School
gym class. If I don’t
have too much work to do (or
motivation to do my schoolwork)
I go help him teach.
In reality, I’m not much of
a help though. I usually just
run around and play tag
games with the kids, which
Though she maintains an active academic life, Mary still sometimes
wants to be a bit lazy, because she is human. However, for the
most part, Mary knows that consistency in work ethic is the key to
beating Senioritis.
“The way that you finish out this year is going to affect how your
start your first semester of college,” Mary said.
And if that’s not enough to motivate you, maybe this is: most
universities can and will revoke your acceptance if you don’t graduate
with grades comparable to the ones you had when they accepted
you. So, if you’d like to overcome your Senioritis and not be diagnosed
with Super Senioritis (read: repeating senior year), I suggest
you hit those books!
Best, Jenae
MPH is our home away from home.
gets them more riled up, and
draws their attention away
from my father’s instructions.
But we are ALL his kids after
all!
I love that I have been
raised by my father both at
home and in school. The
relationship my father and I
have with MPH is something
Illustration by Sarah Smith
Story and photo by Cady Ridall
so special and unique, and
I’m so lucky to have spent
my life here. MPH is an extraordinary
community that
genuinely feels like my home
away from home.
As Don Ridall said, “we’re
family.”

4
Feature Feature 5
Test pressures continue to mount as students set high expectations
It’s finally the big day. You’ve
been preparing for these next couple
hours for the past three months. You
had a good night’s sleep and ate a
good breakfast. What could possibly
go wrong?
Then, just when you feel the slightest
bit of confidence, the anxiety creeps
up and consumes you.
This isn’t what I studied. I can’t breathe. I
don’t feel smart. I’ll never accomplish anything.
My whole future is in the hands of
this exam.
“Sometimes people think that if they
fail one test, their whole high-school
career is over, they’re the worst person
in the world and they’re not going to
get into the college of their choice,”
said Joy Strickland, MPH’s Director
of Counseling.
Test anxiety can strike anyone, anywhere,
anytime. Test anxiety has become
more prevalent over the years,
especially when students feel their performance
can dictate so much of their
future.
With AP and final exam season fast
approaching, understanding how to
Pressure to Perform
Continued from page 1
deal with this form of stress is important.
Some students feel that no
amount of preparation and confidence
can prevent them from feeling
anxious. Others are confident in their
preparation and knowledge.
Experts say the first step in conquering
and taming test anxiety is identifying
the fact that it is an issue and that
it’s normal. Preparation also plays a
big role in the amount of anxiety experienced
on test day.
Strickland said she looks at how a
student has prepared for the test. She
suggests students study a little bit each
day and says that preparing 20 minutes
a day is better than studying one hour
the night before a big exam.
“A lot of times anxiety is based on
not feeling prepared or just being overwhelmed
by the subject matter,” she
said.
Learning how to prepare properly
for specific types of exams is also key.
The preparation process varies depending
on the person and the exam.
As students get older, they typically
begin to find out what works best for
them. Time wasted worrying could be
used to study effectively.
Strickland said re-reading doesn’t often
work, and recommends methods
that include eye-to-hand interaction,
such as rewriting notes, creating flashcards,
or using Quizlet on the computer.
In addition to figuring out what works
best for you when studying, making a
plan for how to approach the test can
also be helpful. For example, find out
how to keep your mind focused on the
task at hand and not worry about what
questions you may be asked next, or
what you don’t know. Often, staying
positive during an examination can
make all the difference and increase
your confidence (and prevent secondguessing).
Syracuse University Psychology Professor
Tanya Eckert said that there are
many ways that students and teachers
can work together to reduce test
anxiety. She recommends consulting
the teacher and making alternative arrangements.
Some possibilities include
an alternative location or no time restraints
if the student is worried about
not finishing the exam. An additional
factor that contributes to test anxiety
is the weight that the exam may carry
Tips For Success:
By Kate Marshall
or what the exam may ultimately determine.
“I believe the pressures regarding test
performance continue to mount, making
more students worry about their
test performance and subsequently increasing
their anxiety,” Eckert said.
Strickland said there are high demands
on students today, and students
at a small school like MPH, which
has many top-caliber students, can put
even more pressure on themselves to
perform well. Pressure comes from
parents as well.
“There is a huge expectation that how
you perform today will determine your
future,” she said.
The most important thing to keep in
mind during the upcoming testing season
is that one test will not completely
determine your future or the student
you have worked so hard to become.
Sure, getting a perfect score, or reaching
that 5 would be satisfying, but
what you take away from the course
and how much information you retain
is what will matter more, regardless of
whether or not your final score reflects
that. So relax, breathe, pick up your
pencil, and try your best.
1. Remember to prepare ahead of time instead of cramming last minute.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether for a specific subject, or just a problem – there’s no shame in asking!
3. Practice effective studying habits (avoid cell phone distraction/unproductive environments).
4. Start a study group for those who are preparing for the same exam, peer interaction can help to make the
studying process more fun!
5. Allow your mistakes and failures to help you learn and grow in order to improve on your next exam.
6. Remaining healthy and getting a good night’s sleep before the test is just as important as studying.
Dean of Faculty at the Kinkaid
School Kinkaid School in Houston.
Changes have also been made on the
Board of Trustees, after the resignation
of the president, vice president and
treasurer. Those positions have been
filled by John Mezzalingua, Suzette
Melendez and Jenny Hicks, respectively.
The MPH First plan is truly doing
just that--putting MPH first. Even
those who strongly protested against
the school at first, such as Hodge, feel
that the school is on its way to fixing its
problems.
“I really do feel like the school is trying
to work to make this program better
for everybody,” she said.
According to a message posted
by Dunaway on the MPH First website
on March 2, re-enrollment estimates
were “30 percent ahead of the original
Way Forward projection” at that point.
This also means that the initial estimate
of cutting 40 of the school’s 135
staff members may decrease. Faculty
and students alike are thrilled that the
school may not lose as many faces as
once thought.
That’s because MPH’s future is not
just about numbers and statistics. The
future of Manlius Pebble Hill lies in
the hearts of its students who have
dedicated themselves to being part of
the unique community that has formed
from years of tradition and culture
For students like fifth-grader Jack
Hogan, that bond transcends generations.
“This is my mom’s 19th year, this is
my eighth year here,” said Hogan, son
of Amy Hogan, an English teacher. “I
feel really connected to the school.”
That connection has driven the
MPH student body to rally around their
school and its staff to show their support.
In January, the members of the
National Honor Society set up a large
array of snacks in the faculty lounge,
with signs pledging love and support to
the staff.
“When you say we’re a community,
things that help people feel appreciated
and bring people closer together
are important,” said Wiggins, who
announced his resignation in January.
“Those initiatives of putting a bunch
of food into the faculty lounge really is
very, very positive and I really appreciate
it. It’s huge.”
The junior and senior classes have
been working nonstop to raise funds
for scholarships, staff-severance packages,
and operating costs for future
years. Even Lower and Middle School
students have chipped in, holding fundraisers
like talent shows and dressdown
days. These efforts have not gone
unnoticed. The community has collectively
raised more than $2 million.
Sarah Chhablani, who is a new
member of the Upper School history
department this year, was especially
impressed with the students’ selfless
commitment.
“The kids make it happen,”
Chhablani said. “Everyone’s going to
make mistakes, everybody’s going to
have their bad aspects, but there are so
many good people and when you’re
surrounded by good people, you have a
good thing going.”
When you’re around good people
with good hearts, you know you’re doing
something right. For Ancient and
United States History teacher Matthew
Twomey-Smith, who has been teaching
at MPH for four years, it’s those
faces that matter most.
“You grow accustomed to seeing
people and you want to see those
people again because that’s part of the
experience you have,” Twomey-Smith
said. “You want to see those faces,
whether they’re student faces, whether
they’re staff faces, whether they’re faculty
faces.”
Throughout this entire process, it’s
the faces and relationships that have
been formed at MPH that have made
this process bearable.
Fifth grader Gordie Means, son of
MPH’s school counselor, Joy Strickland,
said, “I think [my friends are] sort
of glad that they could make connections
with the other kids and that they
don’t feel alone.”
And that’s it. The friendships, the
connections, and the interactions that
make up the MPH experience have
made it so that you never feel alone,
no matter what crises the school goes
through. The bonds formed between
everyone involved in the Manlius Pebble
Hill community have created a legacy
of love, support and gratitude that
will continue to be strengthened, and
live on for years to come.
It’s this love for MPH that allows
Jack Hogan to look past just individual
faces and look to MPH as a whole. He
said that even if his mom didn’t work
here next year, “I just want to at least
keep it alive.”
Our Way Foward
Manlius Pebble Hill financial issues affect MPH community
By Fiona Cardamone
On the first day of school, all
422 students and 68 faculty members
gather in the cramped gym to listen
to the heads of school welcome
them into the new year. Then, one of
MPH’s most special traditions begins:
the handshake ceremony.
Each senior’s name is announced
as they walk outside to line up with
the faculty on the sidewalk. Then,
the rest of the students wait to take
their turn to shake the hand of each
faculty member and each senior. Faculty
members greet students by name.
Seniors hug their friends, from Pre-K
through eleventh grade. The handshake
ceremony represents a tight-knit
community happy to be back together
for yet another year at MPH.
“When we do the handshake you’re
literally looking at everybody in the
eye, shaking their hands and almost
making that pledge,” said English
teacher Pat Bentley Hoke. “To say, ‘I’ll
stand up for you, you stand up for me,
we believe in each other, we support
each other.’ I think that’s really important
and I think that’s really unusual
and significant.”
Manlius Pebble Hill School is dealing
with much uncertainty due to financial
issues. Much confusion surrounds
the specifics, but one certainty
is that changes will occur. The school
will open next year with fewer students
and teachers. Even those who
can return worry if the school can retain
its feel, and if traditions like the
handshake ceremony will have the
same effect.
“I just think that there will be fewer
hands to shake and that might take
away from it being such a strong MPH
tradition, especially for the kids who
will be walking through the line who
know which faces are missing,” said
senior Maura Colley.
Many students at MPH have attended
since Pre-K. They’re called “lifers.”
Freshman Jamie Layhew is a lifer.
Vicki Layhew, Jamie’s mother, has
worked at MPH for 21 years, teaching
fourth and fifth grade. Jamie is a
talented dancer who has taken dance
classes here since Pre-K. By watching
Jamie perform in the student choreography
concert, it is easy to see her
talents highlighted by MPH’s great
arts program. But Jamie Layhew isn’t
going to be able to attend MPH next
year, as the tuition for children of faculty
members will increase. Currently,
faculty members pay no tuition (only
fees) for their children to attend; next
year, that cost will rise to 25% of tuition
(but no fees), and tuition overall
is increasing. Layhew is one of many
students who won’t return. After 11
years at MPH, she’s going to a new
school for the first time, most likely
Jamesville DeWitt, she said.
“It’s kinda scary leaving a school I’ve
been at for eleven years and switching
to a completely different school with a
lot more people. I’m a little angry that
it has to happen but there’s not much
we can do right now,” she said.
MPH is one of the few schools that
offer dance classes starting in Pre-K.
Changing schools could mean that
Layhew will no longer be able to share
her incredible dance skills with her
school community.
“I think (the dance program) is one
of my favorite parts of MPH and the
arts program is very welcoming and
unique and it’s different from what a
lot of different schools would have,”
Layhew said.
At MPH anything that you enjoy
Ms. Strickland hugs students at the 2013 Handshake Ceremony.
– from dancing to playing chess – is accepted.
It is common to see students of
all ages standing together in the hallway
laughing and making jokes. Students
as young as first graders know
Upper-School students and those children
often run up to hug their older
friends in the hallway.
“I think there’s just the feeling of
family here,” said sophomore Caroline
King, whose brothers also attended
MPH. “Everyone’s so close,
everyone’s accepted. Things that are
special about you, they’re brought out
“It will take a while for it
[MPH] to reform and
re-identify itself as a school”
- Mr. O’Malley
here. You can feel good about who
you are and you don’t have to feel like
you’re going to school every day being
judged. You can be yourself.”
This aspect of MPH will hopefully
continue, no matter what happens next
year. However, some are concerned
the community is going to change too
much next year to stay as close as it is
now.
“I don’t know what will be different,”
said Julia Walsh, a sophomore.
“I guess the obvious, a lot less students
and that will feel a lot different. I can’t
imagine the handshake ceremony or
anything on the first day. I don’t know
what to expect.”
Faculty members are also concerned
about the future of MPH. Will
O’Malley is the only Latin teacher
and has worked at MPH for 18 years.
All three of his children have attended
MPH since kindergarten. Mr.
O’Malley has not yet decided whether
his children will attend MPH next
year. While some faculty members
have been re-hired, others aren’t sure if
they’ll have a job next year. O’Malley
echoed the biggest concern the faculty
members have had throughout the process.
“The number one concern that the
faculty has is, will there be a place to
teach here next year, then will I have
a job at that place, what students will
be here, what will that mean for my
classes, what will I be teaching if I do
have a job,” O’Malley said.
O’Malley, like many teachers at
MPH, does not have a teaching certification
or a Master’s in education because
those aren’t necessary to teach at
a private school. This means that these
teachers can’t go find a job at a public
school.
Imagining MPH without any of
these faculty members changes what
this school means to some students.
“I think the most special part about
MPH is the relationships you can make
with people,” Walsh said. “You get to
know teachers on a more personal level,
which is really great because it gives
you another person you can trust and
talk to.”
If beloved teachers don’t return
next year then part of what makes
MPH special will disappear. During
the handshake ceremony, some smiling
faces the students are used to won’t
be there to welcome them back.
Although much will change next
year, many hope that if MPH pulls
through these financial difficulties,
then it will be stronger than ever before.
O’Malley knows that it will be a
challenge.
“It will take a while for it [MPH]
to reform and re-identify itself as a
school,” he said. “Because the school
is going through a tough time, the people
who end up mending the school
will likely feel a great sense of community.”
Photos by Deb Han
Sophmores wait nervously to get back into a heated dodgeball game.

6
Features Features 7
Make Prom Night a BOMB Night
FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO HAVE AN EXPLOSIVE TIME
By Jenae Butler, Kate Marshall and Cady Ridall
2 months before • Get fitted and find a dress, if you haven’t already. Check sites like promgirl.com
and stores like Boom Babies, Spybaby and Forever Bridal for elegant, modern gowns.
• If you’re wearing a tuxedo, go to a store like Men’s Wearhouse to get fitted. If
you’re renting that tux, make sure to reserve one in advance so you don’t get stuck with
something ill-fitted or outdated.
1 month before • Buy your prom ticket.
• Book hair, makeup, and nail consultations and appointments. (Book hair and
makeup appointments for the day of prom and nail appointments for the day before.)
• Get all necessary accessories; shoes, jewelry, and handbags.
• Figure out your prom group and your transportation (limo, separate cars, etc. )
1 week before • If you’re going for a bronzed look, get your spray tan a week before to give it
time to fade into a more natural glow.
• Order your corsage or lapel flower from your local florist or grocery store.
1 day before • Get your nails done.
• Pick up your corsage or lapel flower, and refrigerate it!
• Pack your purse with essentials - bobby pins, small perfume, touch-up make-up,
gum, etc. If you don’t want to carry these around with you, remember that the school
keeps these stocked in the prom bathrooms.
The Big Day • Go to your hair and makeup appointments in the morning.
• Get your prom photos done with your date/group.
• Have fun!
Looking for the perfect way to ask your desired prom date to the big dance? We’re here to help with
the perfect Promposal! A Promposal is a fancy way of asking someone for a date that night. Forget
calling them on the phone or talking to them in between classes: Asking for a date has now become
an event of its own. Here’s a look at a Promposal that recently went down – and resulted in a Yes!
The Details
MPH PROM
Prom season is finally upon
us, and while for some it
means shopping, romance
and the promise of an unforgettable
night, for others it
translates into stress, panic,
and the fear of a botched
high-school rite of passage.
To help you navigate toward
The Big Day and hopefully
avert disaster, follow this
schedule for the pictureperfect
event. (Or close to it.)
Below is an example of a fully-packed,
prom-ready purse. To the right is an
example of flower options.
Who: Senior Will Maresco asked
junior Jordan Dunaway-Barlow
When: Wed. March 11, first block
Where: By the lockers in the barn
How: Will had asked Jordan the
night before via text if she wanted
coffee in the morning. Jordan, a
big coffee drinker, of course, said
“Yes.” Jordan was in U.S. History
11 when she went to her locker
area to retrieve her binder and Will
surprised her with the expected
coffee, along with flowers, and a
colorful rainbow cake topped with
mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
(Jordan’s favorite candy) spelling
out “PROM”
Why: Will knows his way with the
ladies, and Jordan is a catch!
Photo by Cady Ridall
Date:
Saturday, May 16th
Time:
8:30 -11PM
Place:
Landmark Theatre, 362
S. Salina St.
Cost:
$50 per ticket
Theme:
The Roarin’ Twenties
Photos by Maddy Rieks
Tips for the Perfect Promposal:
1. Baked goods and sweets are always a hit.
2. The element of surprise adds to the excitement.
3. Be confident.
4. If the person you want to take is shy, try a more private
Promposal.

8 Sports
The Fifth Quarter
Some MPH alums go the extra mile in college sports
The weekly schedule for the men’s
lacrosse team at Geneseo remains fairly
similar each week. A typical practice lasts
three-and-a-half hours minimum, six
days a week. That doesn’t include two additional
mandatory weight lifting sessions.
Then on top of that, there are academic
classes to attend.
MPH alumni Duncan Morrison, a
freshman on the Geneseo team, said playing
a sport in college is significantly more
demanding and more time-consuming
than playing in high school.
“The coaches expect that practice isn’t
enough each day for players’ potential
to be maximized,” Morrison said in an
email. “You have to sacrifice things like
video games and TV to do things like play
wall ball and lift.”
Playing sports in college is no easy feat.
According to the National Collegiate
Scouting Association, almost 8 million
students play high-school sports, yet only
two percent of those students will play in
college, and only one percent will receivefull
scholarships to a Division I school.
On average, athletes can spend upward
of 40 hours a week in practice, not including
workouts, which can add up to seven
more hours. It’s not just free time they’re
losing. Many athletes will typically have
practices during classes. For example, Division
I men’s basketball players miss an
average of 2.4 classes per week, and 20
percent miss more than three classes each
week, according to the NCAA.
“Its easy to let your grades slip due to
sports but in high school I had practice
every day for almost the entire year, so it’s
not much different,” Morrison said. “It is
really just about managing your time the
right way and prioritizing.”
Scarlett Jaworski, another MPH alum,
“You have to sacrifice things like video
games and TV to do things like play
wall ball and lift.”
is currently a sophomore on the women’s
lacrosse team at St. Bonaventure University.
She said college practices are far more
demanding than high school practices.
“With everybody focused on lacrosse
with rarely any side conversations, the
pace of practice is a lot faster,” she said
in an email. “Some drills are only done
for 15 minutes, which means we can get
through a lot more of them during a two-
- Duncan Morrison
hour practice.”
In addition to practice at 6 a.m. on
weekdays, Jaworski’s team has weight
training sessions and film sessions before
games. Jaworski said they get one day off
a week.
MPH senior Gerrit Church plans to
join the men’s soccer team at Johns Hop-
Story by Dan Albanese
kins University next year. Although it will
be difficult, Church says he’s ready for it.
“I’ve been able to have great grades
and keep them up while playing soccer
almost every day since I was in 7th grade,
so I’m not too worried,” he said.
While managing sports and school
can get difficult in college, Morrison and
Jaworski both said their love of the sport
makes it all worthwhile.
“There are definitely days where I’ve
thought about the millions of other things
I’d rather do than a swimming workout
at 7a.m. in the morning,” Morrison said,
“but I love lacrosse.
“It’s all part of a process and I know
that the games we win wouldn’t feel as
good if it weren’t for all the hard work.”
Jaworski said while there are times she
needs a break, she has no regrets.
“I try to imagine my life at college
without lacrosse and I can’t,” she said.
“I love playing the sport so much, and I
have played since I was in kindergarten,
that the tough days are worth it.
“There are far better days than there are
worse.”
Even though men and women
and girls and boys participate in many
different sports, men’s sports draw larger
crowds and get more media attention.
According to The Women’s Sports
Foundation, a 2009 study found that
network affiliates dedicated 6.3 percent
of sports coverage to women’s sports in
2004. In 2008, it dropped to 1.6 percent.
The same study found that ESPN also
gave women less attention: 96.4 percent
of information that streamed across the
bottom of the screen was about men’s
sports.
Jordan Dunaway-Barlow is an 11th
grader who plays varsity soccer and volleyball,
and runs track in the spring. She
said there are more men’s games on TV
and bigger crowds at their games because
the men have more of a fan base, and
that’s just part of American culture.
“As someone who plays sports, it sometimes
stinks,” she said.
Photos of Scarlett Jaworski and Duncan Morrison courtesy of St. Bonaventure and Morrison
She’s the Man
Girls make gains on the field - but not in the stands.
Dunaway-Barlow doesn’t follow professional
sports much, but at school, she
wouldn’t mind larger crowds at the girls’
games.
“I think if we could advocate both the
girls’ games and the guys’ games that
would be great, just to make it all even
out,” she said.
“As someone who
plays sports, it
sometimes stinks”
- Jordan Dunaway-Barlow
Pat Bentley Hoke has coached girl’s
soccer as both head coach and assistant at
MPH for 22 years. She has also coached
boys modified basketball. Bentley Hoke
said historically, the boys games get larger
crowds.
“People think of the men’s sport as the
real one,” she said, “And then (think)
‘girls do it also.’ As a spectator sport they
tend to think of going to watch men’s athletics,
and not women’s, which is too bad.”
Bentley Hoke said women’s games
are different from men’s, but that doesn’t
mean they aren’t as good. She sees an increase
in interest in women’s sports at all
levels, from the boy’s soccer team coming
to watch the girl’s team play to the popularity
of the successful US Women’s National
Soccer Team.
“It’s becoming more culturally acceptable
for men even to be interested in women’s
athletics,” she said.
Vonn Read, the associate head coach
for the Syracuse University women’s basketball
team, has coached both men’s and
women’s basketball. Several years ago,
the SU women’s team started playing in
the Carrier Dome. Though the team only
drew an average of 710 fans this season,
Read said the team enjoys it and it is
an honor to play where the men’s team
plays. He said smaller crowds at women’s
games are universal on any campus.
“I think it is a good experience for our
Story by Anna Barnard
girls to play in an atmosphere like the
Dome,” he said. “Hopefully, one day we
can build to where we have those great
crowds.”
Read believes that putting a good product
out on the floor is the first step. When
he helped coach the women’s team at
Kentucky to some of their most successful
seasons in their history, he said the
crowds increased significantly.
“It’s just a process of putting a great
product out on the floor and really trying
to get out and get the fans to come out
and watch the women play,” he said in an
email. “I really do think it’s a great product,
as well.”
Joey Cerio, an 11th grade varsity soccer
and basketball player, said that because
men’s sports started first, everyone became
used to sports as a male phenomenon.
A lot of people still think it isn’t okay
for women to play sports, he said, though
that’s not his opinion.
“ I would like to see a change,” he said.