The Horace Mann Record

HORACE MANN SCHOOL | WEEKLY SINCE 1913 October 28, 2011 http://record.horacemann.org Volume 109, Issue 7

home coming

2011

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Friday, October 28, 2011

Opinions & Editorials

Volume 109

The horace Mann record

The Horace Mann Record

Editorial Board
Editor in Chief Sarah Pyun Production Manager Baci Weiler News Jenna Spitzer Elizabeth Weingold Lions Den Matthew Cott Thomas Kim Managing Editor Christine Kim Arts & Entertainment Hillary Winnick Middle Division Olivia El-Sadr Davis

Cliques Close the Dorr on New Students

For most returning During meal times, most new kids from a group would freshmen, Dorr is filled with be at one table, and most returning kids at another. Its memories from the middle understandable that returning students tend to stay with and lower school years. For the established friends with whom they are comfortable, new members of the Horace but it doesnt help matters that Dorrientation comes Mann community, however, directly after the summer, when students feel the need to Dorr is the first experience catch up with their friends. at a new school. Though Personally, I did not find the team-building exercises Jonathan Bleiberg Dorrientation was overall to be particularly helpful in bridging this gap. I felt that an excellent way to ensure they created an extremely artificial environment in that the first day of school was a little less awkward, the which to make friends: though students may be forced program does have some flaws, which could be addressed to engage with one another during an activity, most of with a few simple changes. these bonds do not last beyond the exercise itself. It is As an incoming freshman, my first true experience unrealistic to expect that people who are put together to with Horace Mann was Dorrientation. It was successful do an activity in which the stated goal is to make friends in that I boarded the bus knowing two people, and I left will become friendly just because of that activity. Most Dorr knowing many more. However, I can distinctly true friendships are initiated of peoples own accord, and recall complaints take a significant about the amount of time to experience from become strong. the other new I believe a few kids that I met, simple changes, complaints that however, could mirrored many go a long way of my own. They towards solving ranged from, these problems. I The skits were propose making disgusting! to groups smaller Why are we and making them doing this? One contain a higher common theme ratio of new to was the lack returning students. of interaction I would hope that between new and this would change returning students. the group dynamic, I wasnt the only forcing old kids freshman who to integrate more found it hard to with the new group make friends with or be isolated. This returning students; will also allow other new groups to sit at Ethan Yaro/Staff Artist & Baci Weiler/Production Manager freshmen shared only one table my concern that the old kids already had friends, and during meal times, eliminating the division between old they they preferred to interact with those friends instead and new. of opening up to the newer students. I think Im not the only student who would benefit I believe that this division is worsened by specific from fewer team-building activities and more free Dorrientation practices. time. I found there to be more chances to make friends Firstly, the new kids are physically separated from the during free time, when you could participate in a game returning kids; the new students are given a separate of Ultimate Frisbee or catch and hang out with your new cabin while those returning sleep in tents on the main friends. Lastly, new kids should not have separate sleeping field. Each night, theyre able to retire to their tents to arrangements, but instead be put together with returning form inside jokes that leave the cabin-bound new kids on kids, as this could be a major bonding experience. the outside. Though Dorr was generally an interesting and exciting Furthermore, when the students are separated into experience, it was by no means a perfect experience, activity groups, these groups are composed of a near and as such should continually be improved to give our equal number of new and returning students. I felt that incoming freshmen an even better orientation to the these numbers promoted the creation of two subgroups school. within the group that were particularly evident at meals.

Features Ambika Acharya Opinions & Editorials Courtney Hodrick

Photography Editors Rachel Essner, Laurence Ge, Justin Gilston, Kimberley Sarnoff

Senior Editor Eden Sung

Online Editor Aramael Pea-Alcntara

Faculty Advisor Dr. Glenn Wallach

For a complete listing of our staff, please visit: record.horacemann.org/masthead

Letters Policy: The Record welcomes letters from its readers as part of its commitment to an open forum. Letters can be submitted by mail (Letters to the Editor, The Record, Horace Mann School, 231 West 246 Street, Bronx, NY 10471), e-mail (record@horacemann. org), or can be left in the Record mailbox in the Deans office. All decisions regarding libel, anonymity, length, and clarity are subject to editorial discretion. All submissions must contain the writers name to verify authenticity and should be limited to 250 words. All letters will be printed on a first-come, first serve basis, space permitting. To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters should be submitted by 4:00 on Wednesday afternoon. The Record is published weekly by the students of the Horace Mann School during the academic year. As a student publication, its contents are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. The Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and contents of The Record, and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or view expressed therein. The opinions represented in the Op-Ed section are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial board. The editorial represents the opinion of the majority of the Editorial Board. All editorial decisions regarding grammar, content, and layout are made by the Editorial Board. All queries and complaints should be directed to the editor in chief. Please address these comments by e-mail, to record@horacemann.org. For information about subscribing to The Record, please visit record.horacemann.org/subscribe.

A Party Deconstructed
As a newspaper, its our duty to present facts and inform our readers. We dont need to tell you about the existence of a party tomorrow night, as youve already received the schools letter about the commercial parties that occur several times a year. In addition to their worries, though, we want to provide you with a picture of the event that matches the multiple viewpoints possibleand possessed by our board. First, take a deep breath. Amidst the hype about ticket sales and pregame plans, its easy to forget that this party is just that, an event that will occupy only a few hours and is supposed to be fun. Its also easy to forget that there exist other options for a social life, and we all know somebody who isnt goingmany of us arent. Please dont allow frequent gossip to raise, or lower, your expectations to an extreme. Saturday night holds the potential for both a lot of fun and a number of negative outcomes, but in the grand scheme of the school year its merely one weekend. That said, though, an examination of the greater forces influencing this and similar parties can provide our community with a jumpingoff point from which to discuss a number of issues that have gone unaddressed for quite some time. The power dynamics intrinsic in the interactions between boys and girls, and the seeming immutability of gender roles come to a head at parties such as tomorrows, and their increased visibility allows for additional analysis. Inescapable in a conversation about Homecoming is a scenario in which upperclassmen boys strive, in an often-competitive manner, to hook up with girls who are usually younger than they. Homecoming can be filled with pressures for freshmen girls, and for girls of all ages: the perceived need to choose an appropriately revealing costume and the fear of risking social retribution for resisting the demands of a popular, older boy combine into a situation that can sometimes be described as predatory. With that said, boys also face pressures to conform: to brag about conquests, to collect kisses like trophies and status symbols, or even to drink as much as their friends, all as a sign, perhaps, of masculinity. When girls are told to respect their boundaries, the same message must be sent to the boys who, often unwillingly, perpetuate this system. The perspective of LGBT students, as well, must not be ignored. At a party, or a school, that seems to revolve around heterosexual interactions, is there room for students to express same-sex proclivities? Would students treat a gay hookup with the same nonchalance as a straight one? Contemplating the issues, though, need not preclude us from enjoying a fun weekend. Whether that consists of cheering on friends at the homecoming games, going out to a movie, or, yes, enjoying the homecoming dance, there are infinite ways to be happy. Pick the one that works for you.

Silverstein Says: Meet on Mondays!

attend at most four club meetings during the week, two on Monday and two on Thursday. Most students in Horace Mann participate in a large number of clubs. Thus, during any given I period, there typically are one or more clubs a student cannot attend. This can be even more frustrating when one gets multiple MANDATORY CLUB MEETING emails, which often require the members of the club to go to the entire meeting. As apparent from all the activity at the clubs fair, club leaders appear to be seeking to maximize the number of students attending their clubs. However, by scheduling so many meetings on Thursdays, the clubs do not maximize the number of people attending their meetings. The sheer number of clubs meeting on Thursday places us students in an impossible situation. We are prevented from attending all the club meetings we would like to attend and forced to pick and choose which club meetings we think are most important to attend. Students missing certain club meetings in order to attend other meetings

Brett Silverstein
As I have been talking to friends about different issues in school, many complain that too many clubs meet at the same time during I period. It also appears that there are far many more club meetings during I period on Thursday than there are on Monday. In fact, there have averaged about eight clubs and publications meeting each day over past three Mondays as compared to an average of 18 clubs and publications meeting on each of the past three Thursdays. This discrepancy benefits neither we students who belong to more than one club and need to attend more than one meeting, nor the upperclassmen running the clubs. I think most of us would agree that in order to get anything out of a club meeting, one must be at the meeting for at least 20 minutes, half of I period. A student can therefore

Cover photo by Kimberley Sarnoff/Photography Editor

benefits neither the members nor the leaders of the club. If I periods were expanded to other days of the week, there would be fewer clubs meeting on any given day. However, I do not consider this a viable solution, as increasing the number of I periods would interfere with team practices. Another solution could be to simply limit clubs to holding one meeting per week. However, I do not think this would benefit either the members or the club leaders. Clubs need additional meetings to prepare for special events and this would actually limit the amount of club meetings available for us students to go to. I believe there to be a simpler solution to this problem. The clubs should have to register their meetings for Monday or Thursday, as they register bake sale times. There does not need to be a hard cap on the amount of clubs meeting during the week. Rather, the register would just ensure that the number of meetings occurring on Thursday be relatively equal to the number of meetings on Monday. Everyone will be able to attend more meetings and the meetings will have more attendees.

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Our workload hamstrings students who hope to take advantage of the sea of extracurricular opportunities. As a seasoned sailor on this sea, I have seen too many clubs, too many publications, and too Colin Mark many events collapse under the weight of essays, exams, and college applications. I see a fundamental paradox here: how can HM pretend to encourage its legendary students to do legendary things while it shackles their ability to do those things? Three fundamental problems exist with our approach to activities: Students cannot take advantage of opportunities because they are too busy. Student creations are often unacknowledged by the rest of the student body, because the student body is too busy. Finally, the storied quality of HMs extracurricular institutions suffers when the students who are responsible for that quality are too busy. Lets address these problems in order. Did you know that every Wednesday night last year, a producer from CBSs 60 Minutes brought esteemed guests from across the film world to room 149T to hold intellectual debates with high school students about documentaries? At no meeting of the Doc-Film Club last year did room 149T reach its capacity. Why? The club holds meeting on weeknights, and HMers have to write essays on weeknights. The academic rigor that allows our school to attract 60 Minutes producers is the same academic rigor that prevents us from meeting those producers. This trend is even more obvious at student events. The Horace Mann Theater Companys 2010 fall production, its most recent production in its smallest venue, was performed four times. Not once did it sell out the Black Box Theater, which could seat only 89 people. However, I know that the heart of the problem is not a lack of interest in theater; the spring shows, which open in late April, always either sell out or almost sell out Gross Theater, which has a capacity of over 600. Students attend the shows that happen after seniors are into college and that are far enough away from the end of the trimester to not cut into other students studying time.

Shackled by Our Goals

Opinions & Editorials

Friday, October 28, 2011

Empty audiences at theater productions are only the beginning of the problem. Crowds at sports games are disproportionately filled by adults. The orchestra played a magnificent concert on Thursday in Gross Theater to an audience that would not have filled the Recital Hall. James Ruben (12) coordinated Horace Manns First Annual Social Entrepreneurship Conference, a few Saturdays ago, which attracted public figures as powerful as Doug Band, head of the Clinton Global Initiative. Approximately 20 students attended. Once again, HM is prestigious enough to attract the worlds movers and shakers, but many of its students are too busy doing schoolwork to capitalize on that prestige. Students are taught how to craft incredible works, and then bogged down with just enough work to make sure they cant craft anything. Last year, in Emma Laurences playwriting class, I wrote a one-act play for my final project. No other project I have completed at HM has been more fulfilling for me. Unfortunately, I know I would never have written my play had I not been writing it for a grade I would not have had an excuse. Since then, I have made plans to revise the play and submit it to a playwriting competition... but have not had the time. I often find myself thinking aloud, I could be so much more productive and build something I am truly proud of if only Horace Mann would give me license to do so instead of giving me tests to study for. The blessing and curse of the Horace Mann education should not be a shock to most readers. Still, there is a clear divide between what we students are capable of and have the opportunity to do here and the time HM gives us to show off our abilities. I challenge my readers, the faculty, and the administration to search for a solution that lets the reporters report, the debaters debate, and the actors act unmolested by detriments to their transcripts. Therein lies in the ultimate problem; in a school full of overachievers who want to attend their dream colleges, often the biggest achievement our students have time for is a 4.0. The health of extracurriculars at Horace Mann demands a major paradigm shift at our school. Without this shift, a large section of the Horace Mann talent pool will be wasted on churning out As, with no scope outside of our school walls.

Learning Is Your Future, Too

As I stepped into the dimly lit room where I taught this summer, Mihika Kapoor the alert faces of 32 students shifted as one in my direction. I was working at school in India, in a remote village where the families could not afford education for their children. Om Foundation, a nonprofit organization that admitted one child from certain families in the area, had set up this school. Each child was provided with free education in an English-speaking school with computers, technology, art and sports. As a volunteer teacher, I was struck by the eagerness and yearning to learn present in every child. The students had an incredible thirst for knowledge and were enthusiastic about every opportunity. Each face in the classroom remained turned toward the board for the whole class, housing eager eyes. When I asked them to solve an example problem, their pencils flew in one collective motion toward their papers and etched out answers with furor. When I finished teaching, it was as if they didnt want to leave and would not like to be anywhere else in the world. Most of these children worked, and even at this young age the wages they earned were a crucial support to their households. Growing up in houses that were barely four walls, they knew how fortunate they were to get an education, and so they planned to make the most of it. An education meant dozens of possible future careers. When asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, the most common answer was doctor, and this ambitious drive made them strive to do their best. At Horace Mann, this is absent. Our corridors constantly buzz with students chattering about workloads, sleepless nights, and lack of leisure time. While those are valid complaints, one cannot help but think that we should appreciate the outstanding teachers, curriculum, and school we have. For the most part we, take our education for granted. Eyes flit up to clocks, and as classes wrap up, nearly all the students in a class are edge their books into their bags while teachers are still talking. In the library, high schoolers commonly lean over their desks gossiping about weekend plans and constantly being reprimanded by the librarians. While and balancing our school load, the thought of our future ends up deviating to the thought of college admissions. Nearly every student believes in the notion that a good college guarantees a successful career and that a not-so-good one will destroy it. There is very little belief that it is ones own drive, initiative, and hard work that will contribute more than your future than just a college name. After my experience with volunteering at the village school in India, I feel we should appreciate the education we have and use it towards building a meaningful future.

Doodles from the Editors notebooks

This is a response to an Op-Ed published last issue attacking the Occupy Wall Street movement, an article that presents itself as an analysis Cyryl Ryzack inspired by common sense but that does not treat the movement fairly or objectively, and that reflects the views of the many students who feel threatened by the positions of the OWS movement. The author first contends that not all bankers are born into privilege, using her father as an example. Is it so damning to Occupy Wall Streets list of 23 grievances that her father worked his way through college? Surveying them, I dont see a single comment on the original socioeconomic status of Wall Street investors. With this rags to riches, tale the author has ignored why the members of Occupy Wall Street are protesting. She dismisses their message without ever confronting it. After describing her fathers education, the author humanizes the financiers further, claiming that, bankers are not just black suits, but people who have worked their entire lives to further themselves. Through this statement she reflects a common ideological principle

Occupy Has Potential for Real Change

that capitalists are as much workers as the actual working class is. While Im not going to dispute whether a banker is confronted by stress, tiredness, and other symptoms of working hard, I will ask a simple question: so what? Whether or not Wall Street executives work hard by some standard does not illuminate anything about our societys increasingly stratified class structure or the destructive tendencies of finance. The Op-Ed floats in the realm of the subjective feelings of capitalists instead of moving to the objective social analysis necessary. Many who oppose OWS play the roles of bourgeois moralists in proclaiming, as the Op-Ed did, Everyone has a choice between working hard to succeed or slacking off and suffering the consequences. I would hardly call this statement a true example of choice in the same way that your money or your life isnt really a meaningful choice. For most people, selling ones labor power is a material and social imperative and not a matter of the contemplation implied by the word choice. Laziness is not the cause of social inequality. Sociologists Eric Olin Wright and Joel Rogers list 3 social structural reasons for inequality and poverty in America, with which I agree: inequality generated through exclusion from labor markets, inequalities generated within labor markets, and inequalities generated through non-market income. The first creates inequalities between the stably employed labor force and marginalized categories of people, the second Amy Hood/Staff Artist between well

paid workers and badly paid workers, and the third between wealthy and non-wealthy people. The vast majority of Americans strive with their brain and muscle to increase our social wealth, but their work does not benefit them. Rather, it increases the private fortunes of the capitalist class. Finally the author attacks Occupy Wall Street for lacking concrete complaints and for directly protesting against Wall Street. Occupy Wall Street has released a declaration of 23 grievances against corporate capitalism which can be found at www.nycga.net. I disagree with the second contention: Occupy Wall Street has already inspired a national movement with Occupations in Chicago, Boston, and LA. It has raised a voice against a system of exploitation and accumulation by dispossession. It has elevated national discourse from petty partisan bickering to real discussions about our socioeconomic system. If they had merely brought claims to congress it would have been ignored completely by the public. Politicsas-usual is the death of any movement. Direct protest works. There would be no Civil Rights Act without the Freedom Riders, no 8-hour workday without the strikes and factory occupations of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and no Indian independence without the masses taking to the streets. I applaud Occupy Wall Street for taking the revolutionary step beyond electoral politics. Alea iacta est.

Friday, October 28, 2011

News

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News in Brief
Habitat for Humanity Planning Builds
Working with a family whose home has nearly no electricity and whose son recently returned from service in the Middle East, the schools Habitat for Humanity chapter plans to help build new homes in the weeks to come, club leaders said. The project is one of many builds it does throughout the year, club president Harry Manin (12) said. The club works alongside Habitat for Humanitys local affiliate in Westchester, building affordable, decent shelters for needy families in our community. Every month, club leaders meet with the Director of Habitat Westchester, Jim Killoran, alongside other high school representatives at the New Rochelle main office, to plan initiatives. Although they were unable to work this past weekend, the group hopes to return to work soon. Manin said that Habitat for Humanity has had an experienced, exponential group over the past few years.

Bloomberg Plants Trees in Van Cortlandt

The Service Learning Team and Union hosted a Halloween party for the Kingsbrigde Heights Community Center yesterday.
Kira Newmark/ Contributing Photographer

From Halloween to Amnesty, Students Take Action

William Ellison Staff Writer
Human rights discussions and community service initiatives were undertaken in the classroom and by the Service Learning Team in the past week. On Monday, Director of the Center for Community Values and Action Dr. Jeremy Leeds Ethics class met with Joshua Rubenstein, Northeast Regional Director of Amnesty International, to discuss various topics regarding human rights. The students, Rubenstein, and Leeds discussed issues including the death penalty and its application in the United States, the use of torture worldwide, the importance of advocating for the elimination of torture, and prisoners of conscience, people who are imprisoned or persecuted as a result of their race, religion, or political views.The discussion with Rubenstein allowed the class to learn from a person who has experience dealing with these topics in the real world, Leeds said. Later, Rubenstein met with Leeds and Rebecca Segall (12), head of the Amnesty International chapter at Horace Mann. Segall said afterwards, I think Dr. Rubenstein does in the academic world what our club aims to do in the school world, which is to find creative ways to spread awareness of human rights and human rights abuse. The Union and the Service Learning Team collaborated to host a Halloween party for the students at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center yesterday (KHCC). The Teen Center created a haunted house in the gym and we had a carnival style activity center for the kids in the room leading to the gym to give the kids something to do while they wait to go into the haunted house, Imani Moise (12) said. The room included an arts and crafts station with pumpkin decorating and mask making, a scary story telling station, among others. Alexis-Brianna Felix (12) will also be working on choreography to Michael Jacksons Thriller for the kids to learn. This Saturday at Homecoming, the Center for Community Values and Action and the Service-Learning Team will continue the community service initiatives through a school supplies drive. The CCVA and the SLT will be collecting supplies for distribution at the KHCC, Marble Hill Community Center and The Childrens Aid Society at P.S. 152.

Last Tuesday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg enacted a piece of legislation, which plans to plant 20,000 trees in Van Cortlandt Park (VCP). According to New York Citys Parks and Recreation website, this act was part of a larger, citywide project that hopes to produce an environmentally friendly message through the planting of one million trees through the city by January. VCP has long been frequented by parts of the Horace Mann community. During the fall, the boys and girls cross country teams use the park, while the varsity Ultimate team occasionally occupies fields during the spring. Having Van Cortlandt is an indispensible asset to the team, cross-country captain Henry Warder (11) said. We practice there everyday, and knowing that the city cares about our park is very inspiring for the team as a whole. Kids often go down to Van Cortlandt for a variety of activities, Sara Land (11) said. When students see a whole group of new trees being planted, theyll realize how much effort is needed to help out the environment. As president of GreenHM, Land is tasked with sending eco-friendly messages to the student body. Because its such a popular place for teams to practice, Land said, its great that the City is looking to improve the environment we live in.

Alum Talks Global Economics with Students

Molly Wharton Staff Writer
Economic models may work when the economy is running smoothly, but they cannot explain how dysfunctional economies behave, a London School of Economics professor told students last week. Dr. Keyu Jin 00, asked students in Gregory Donadios AP Econ classes to explain why poorer countries are becoming lenders to more wealthy countries, with the result of capital flowing from developing to developed countries. Jin said that most economic models are based on a closed economy, which is fundamentally different from our globalized economy today. She noted that although the U.S. has been pursuing many stimulus policies to bring the economy out of the recession, the unemployment rate is still very high. She suggested that the stimulus was leaking through linkages to other nations, such as to China, where a great deal of U.S. production takes place. If you dont tackle these issues in a global context, Jin said, youre missing a big chunk of the story. Jin asked, Why are China and India saving so much and investing so little? Students offered a range of responses: Sam Minter (11) discussed political factors, and Steven-Louis Dreyfuss (12) proposed the idea of risk being higher in these developing countries than in developed ones. Jin also expressed her hope that some of the students sitting in front of her would continue their study of economics and help resolve the world issues. Its a fascinating time to be thinking, studying, and researching economics, she said. Although Jins presentation was based on macroeconomics, rather than microeconomics, which the Econ students focus on for the first half of the year, she was able to make it understandable for us, Econ student Claire Park (12) said. She showed that people can do real things in the world as an academic economist that have an impact on everybody. Matthew Russo (11) was impressed by the fact that she is about as young as you could possibly be and be an assistant professor. Donadio said Jin was hugely knowledgeable and articulate, Her successful career all started in the class that were taking, student James Ruben (12) said. Jin was a foreign exchange student from China when she was a student here. She was a very intelligent and very determined student, said Math Department Chair Chris Jones, who taught Jin and also organized her visit to campus. Jin studied economics as an undergraduate at Harvard, and then continued there to complete her PhD. At LSE, she teaches Advanced Economic Analysis and International Economics. I have a particular interest in international finance issues pertaining to emerging markets, with a focus on China, Jin, said in an interview with the alumni magazine.

AP Chem Gets Down and Dirty

Students of Dr. Chaya Rosenthals AP Chemistry sections toured the Westchester Wastewater-Treatment Plant yesterday, to show students applied chemistry in a form of practical learning, Rosenthal said. Rosenthal hoped that her class trip, coinciding with the AP Chem curriculum, would help her students visualize how distillation occurs in real world situations. At the most basic level, sewage treatment revolves around the separation of mixtures, Rosenthal said, and in class are now learning how mixtures can be separated in a variety of manners, whether that be through distillation, vacuum separation, or through a chemical reaction. According to the United States Geological Survey, New Yorkers discharge approximately 1.4 billion gallons of waste daily, which flows through 14 sewage plants spread across New York City. Many students who visited the facility found the trip constructive. Rachel Essner (12) said that the class as a whole benefited from the trip. We learned how the reactions and principals we practice everyday in class can be applied in real life, she said.

~ Alex Fine
Illustrations by Chloe Tsang/ Staff Artist

Vivien Ikwuazom Staff Writer

Alumni Come Home to Something New

will be hosting an open house from 9-3 on stage in Gross Theater and will conduct tours of the theater as well as display books of the archives. More alumni-based events for homecoming We have all of our slides on disc now and there will bring together alumni from multiple will be a looped display playing on a smart board generations who had a shared experience during with pictures from shows starting in 1939 and running to the present, Nye said. We invited high school, organizers said. To commemorate the class celebrating its 50th reunion, a special luncheon is held at Head of School, Dr. Tom Kellys house every year. This years special luncheon is the Golden Alumni Luncheon, a new event this year, is being held in the Cohen Dinning Commons. The Golden Alumni Event was created to bring together people who may not have had a reunion scheduled for a few years if theirs is not within the cycle. It informs Horace Mann about the schools history and what made Horace Mann education so enduringly significant to these people and where it took them in their lives, which is something that Horace Mann values, Director of Publications Ruth Seligman said. At homecoming last year, two alumni faculty members gave lectures focusing on the arts and service learning. This year we see the introduction of a Golden Alumni event in the Cohen Dining Commons and the continuation of our new tradition of bundling our reunions at one or two locations in order to allow our alumni to visit across classes, said Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly. Planned events include a sing along with alumni sharing some of the old songs that were sung at assemblies, said Director of Alumni Relations Greg Zuroski. Dr. Robert Ackerman 53, author of the alma mater, will be attending the luncheon. Alumni from the Class of 1946, who graduated 75 years ago, are gathering at school today. A a lot of theater alumni specifically to come professor emeritus at UCLA, will be teaching back this year and sent out a postcard in the summer in order for them to save the date as one of the physics classes Zuroski said. Woody Howard and Jonathan Nye, from the well as a letter listing the events that we would be theater department, have also planned a series hosting, Howard said. Margo Dion and well as Tracy Bryce and of special events for alumni. Howard and Nye James Farmer, who taught in the 90s will also be visiting. Nye and Howard set up an oral history booth for former theater students and teachers so that we can get some history, Howard said. We are so thankful for Woody Howard, Jonathan Nye and Karen Johnson for enhancing this years Homecoming with their initiatives, writer and storyteller, whose exhibit Here NThere is on display in the gallery, will be returning to share some of his recent works. The studio arts at Horace Mann was my savior during my time at the school. This exhibition shares my passion for documentary but also reinforces the vital importance of the arts at Horace Mann, Lenzner said. Lenzners exhibit closes on Homecoming day. Many Horace Mann teachers who have been part of the schools Homecoming and Reunions for a while, see how meaningful it has been for alumni to connect with one another, Seligman said. Many have lost contact, but have very fond memories of their days at school and friends they made. In this day and age, with social networking and through the efforts in our office to keep everyone posted through our Alumni Page and our publication, we are able to reconnect alumni people with the greater Horace Mann School community. I have personally found it rewarding and a source of pride for the school to connect with many alumni who have come for reunions and learn of their pursuits and accomplishments and then see these translated into ways that are meaningful to Horace Mann itself, Seligman said. The Horace Mann alumni house members hope that some of the activities created will appeal to alumni visitors, speakers and other alums in a different part of the country. The tradition of staying in contact with alumni has been going on in some fashion for 125 years. The history of Horace Mann is very much one Chloe Tsang/Staff Artist of alumni love and support for their school, Zuroski said. Homecoming is as much about the legacy and the traditions we continue to celebrate as it is Horace Mann School today. Who better Parento said. In the planning of this years to help tell the Horace Mann story than our homecoming the Alumni Office wanted various alumni? Kelly said. events that would encompass all the various departments at Horace Mann School, opposed to only one field. Ben Lenzner 98, photographer, filmmaker,

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News

Friday, October 28, 2011

Asher Baumrin Staff Writer

Weitz Walks Through Webinar

functions in its parts and as a whole. The idea is that you look at HM as one big community, but there are lots of little communities within it, Weitz said. Similarly to the complex systems like the brain, this school is a very intense place, and there Towards the end of the webinar, Weitz introduced the Chamber Choir to perform Byker Hill. I wanted music that would illustrate the notion of complexity and chaos, Weitz said. I really like Chamber Choir and how the piece they sang began with world cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them. The Alumni Office organized the series of webinars, so that alumni can feel involved, share ideas, and support the school, Greg Zuroski, Director of Alumni Relations, said.

Physics teacher Jeff Weitz explained complexity and chaos to alumni of all ages in a webcast this Tuesday. The first of a series of webinars, Weitzs talk, the Complexity: The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts, used examples drawn from the school itself and cellular automatons to music sung by the Chamber Choir. There are elements interacting with each other in a system: neurons in the brain for example, Weitz said. But the function of these interactions cant be explained when you analyze the elements by themselves. When studying how they function together, the issue of a principle that functions at a higher level arises. Weitz related this idea to the way the school

The mission of the school is preparing students to live great and giving lives, and the alumni are the measure of our success.
are lots of parts within this whole like the Record community, theater community, swim community, and others I probably dont know about. The fifty-minute discussion included explanations of how the various physical principles could be applied to non-scientific systems. one layer and ended conclusively with different layers of polyphony in between. Weitz pointed to a quotation from Albert Einstein which he said really gets to what I was saying in the presentation. Weitz said. Einstein said, the problems that exist in the It was inaugurated this year for the 125th anniversary. Weitz was invited to present a webinar, because he has taught at Horace Mann for over 30 years is recognized as a master teacher here, Zuroski said. Hes very respected and well-liked by the alumni of all ages.

He was also very willing to put time and effort into the project. To Weitz, The mission of the school is preparing students to live great and giving lives, and the alumni are the measure of our success, he said. With this new series of webinars, alumni can feel involved, share ideas, and support the school. The following broadcast in this series is on Shakespeare will be presented by Harry Bauld in November. Weitzs presentation will be archived on the Horace Mann website for those who were not able to listen to it live, Zuroski said. With the level of success Dr. Weitz had, theres no reason we cant do this for parents as well, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said, who originally conceived of the idea to engage alumni through broadcasted talks from teachers.

HOMECOMING 2011: Saturday, October 29th

Sports
11:00 12:00 1:00 2:30 3:00
Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Dalton Clark Field Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Dalton Four Acres Mixed Varsity Water Polo vs. Trinity Prettyman Pool Girls Varsity Volleyball vs. Dalton Prettyman Gymnasium Girls Varsity Tennis vs. Dalton Andrew Feinberg Tennis Center Girls Varsity Field Hockey vs. Hackley Four Acres Boys Varsity Football vs. Riverdale Clark Field Dan Alexander Alumni Soccer Game Four Acres

Homecoming Highlights
1:003:00 11:303:30 12:00 & 2:30 11:303:30 Evening
Golden Alumni Luncheon Classes of 1960 & earlier Cohen Dining Commons Community BBQ Lunch Fisher Hall Plaza Campus Tours led by Student Ambassadors Homecoming Welcome Tent Student Clubs Fair Clark Field Class Reunions See Reunion invitations received in mail

Friday, October 28, 2011

Middle Division

The horace Mann record

MAROOn A n D WHITE D A Y
SPORTSRECAPS
This Tuesday, all of the Middle Division teams competed in Maroon and White Day games.
Recaps by Thomas Eng & Elizabeth Maghakian Illustrations by Chloe Tsang

-BOYS SOCCERThe 7th and 8th grade Boys Soccer Teams played Trinitys Middle Division Soccer Teams. The 8th grade team won 3-1 and 7th grade team 4-0. In the 7th grade game, there was a true team effort, the four goals were scored by four different players, Ben Harpe (7), Jack Miller (7), Jonah Lowey (7), and Jack Weber (7). This was a great win and we were really surprised and happy, said Zach Weiss (7), a member of the team. In the 8th grade match, the boys were very excited to play on Clark field, and even more thrilled to have won the game. Overall, we played well as a team. Trinity is one of the better teams in the division, said Noah Scholnick (8). Specifically, the third goal that we made was a very good play. Devon Tietjen (8) passed the ball across the goalie box and Alex Berk-Kraus (8) onetimed it to the upper left hand corner of the goal, said Dan Heintz (8). This play showed how much we progressed as a team, and how well we worked together. Trinity beat Collegiate, which is our greatest rival, so this was a huge win for us, said Scholnick.

-GIRLS VOLLEYBALLThe 7th and 8th grade Girls volleyball teams played against Trinitys teams, winning both matches of best out of three: the 7th grade girls won the first and the third games, while the 8th graders won all three. We made some pretty good serves and some pretty good saves, Gigi Pea-Alcantara (7) said. The JV and Varsity Volleyball teams went to watch and give their support, which really helped us. Lauren Simpson (7) made an incredible serve for the last point of the first game. It was a highlight because it won us the game even though it hit the net and barely tipped over, Pea-Alcantara said. The 8th grade portion of the match, although the girls won all three games, it was a very intense matchup. We are very excited and happy that we won. I think we played very well as a team, even when Trinity started gaining points on us. We still held together and ended up playing well, Chichi Ikwuazom (8) said. We have a lot of great players who add a lot to the team, and I think we function well together, Pea-Alcantara said. But we can still be a little better and were still improving.

-FOOTBALLThe Horace Mann Middle Division Football Team played against Dalton and won with a final score of 30-22. The 7th and 8th graders on the team worked well together and had already won a 16-point lead by the end of the first half. The game wasnt that difficult. We had it by the end of the first half with a score of 22-6, said Brad Goodman (8). I think we function relatively well because we know each other, and so we have good teamwork overall. Many of the players made touchdowns during the game. Sean Kim (8), a slot receiver, and Max Augustus (8), the quarterback, both made scores to add on to the teams lead. In the second half of the game, the team substituted most of its starting players because of the incredible lead that they had on Dalton. But the game concluded when Richard Wu (8) scored the final touchdown by receiving a catch thrown by Alex ONeil (8), the second quarterback. Were a pretty good team, and we have a lot of players and a lot of depth on our team, said Matt Parker (8). We have around 40 players, and almost everyone is very good so we can always substitute.

The horace Mann record

Middle Divison

Friday, October 28, 2011

-GIRLS TEnnISThe Girls Tennis team scored a victory in a match against Trinity, continuing its undefeated streak. This was just an additional match against another school that we have weekly, said Alexandra Mantz (7). We won every single match, Emily Weinstein (7) said. Trinitys doubles players were pretty weak, and their singles players werent so good either. Trinitys team was better than other schools that weve played, but we still beat them in every single game. Of the singles players who participated in the match, Anne Rosenblatt (8), Lauren Hooda (8), and Sydney Katz (7) won their individual matches. During practice we decide who plays what position, and the next day we talk about the match during practice we talk about what worked and what didnt work, strategies, and things that we noticed, Weinstein said. This really helps as a team because our coaches and teammates can help make us better players by giving us advice. I really like watching my teammates play, but I like to play even more, so I look forward to my matches, said Mantz. The team is competitive, but the friends on the team really make this a fun experience.

-CROSS COUnTRYThe Boys and Girls Middle Division Cross Country Teams made their way down to Van Cortlandt Park, where they raced against various other schools including Fieldston, Dalton, Collegiate, Brearley, and Hackley. The Lions performed very well, with runners placing 1st, 3rd, and 4th. We are a really strong team and run every day. Specifically, we work on sprinting during our practices, Eric Stein (8), who was unable to attend the meet on Tuesday, said. Overall, I hope to place in the top 30s by the end of the season. The team has been doing well throughout the season so far, and hopes to continue its good work. Our team is pretty good so far, said Michael Farinelli (7). If we can each do our best in the races coming up like the Collegiate Invitational, we could end this season very well. The Cross Country team has the Collegiate School invitational this Friday, and the Ivy League Championships next Friday. The kids have been doing a great job and Coach Cullen and I are very pleased, said Jon Eshoo, co-coach of the Middle Division team.

-GIRLS SOCCERThe Middle Division Girls Soccer team drew a crowd of eager parents and students as they faced a close defeat against Trinity on Tuesday, with a score of 1-2. The Lions started out the game ahead with Sydney Watson (8) scoring the first goal of the game. But Trinity came back, scoring two back-to- back goals in the first half. The Lions started to make a comeback in the second half and kept Trinity away from the goal. We started playing a lot better once they scored the two goals on us, we couldnt let them destroy us on our own turf ! Carolyn Applebaum (8) said. Tuesdays game was the first loss of the season. Weve been training really hard these two months to become a real team, Watson said. Were all individually good players, but we need to focus more on working together as a team, and look forward to improving throughout the rest of the season. The team has three remaining games against Fieldston, Dalton, and Riverdale.

-FIELD HOCKEYIn a close match on Tuesday, Middle Division Girls Field Hockey beat Dwight Englewood with a score of 1-0. It was a tough game, with neither team scoring in the first half. It was not until the last ten minutes that the Lions scored the only goal of the game. This game was a big win for the Field Hockey team; it has been a rough season for the team with only two wins so far out of eight games. We improved a lot this game, and we still have two more games next Tuesday and Thursday to get a little better, said Isabel Wolfson (7). We had a slow start, but recently we started winning and doing much better as a team. We hope to continue to improve our skills and do better in our last games this season, said Amanda Eisenberg (8). We still have two more tough teams to play, Masters and Tuxedo Park, said head coach Caroline Surhoff. But I think if we played like we did on Tuesday, we have a chance of winning.

10 Friday, October 28, 2011

Arts & Entertainment

The horace Mann record

Clockwise from left, Daniel Monteavaros Hotrod, The Rogue, and Something Exciting are among of the eleven pieces that will be displayed in Fisher Hall from November 1st to November 30th.

Photos Courtesy of Daniel Monteavaro

Monteavaros Art Pops the Pixels

Asher Baumrim Staff Writer
Eleven pieces by pop artist Daniel Monteavaro, will be showcased in the Fisher Hall gallery exhibit opening Monday. Pieces like Hotrod contain exciting, chaotic imagery such as isolated exclamation marks, large all caps phrases, and bright colors, which make these eleven 5 x 5 pieces speak louder to adolescents than some of the other work weve seen, Schlesinger said. This is something a lot of people across the school can connect with. One can look at it with the sheer sort of fun of them. One of the common themes throughout all the pieces is an echo of comic book imagery and its relationship to pixilation. I remember reading comic books when I was younger; I remember noticing it had a pixelated look, Monteavaro said. Weve all seen a comic book and comic book lettering. In this age its a lot more intriguing than it was a while ago. Monteavaro, who studied at Ramapo College of New Jersey under Schlesingers instruction, conceived of the idea for this set when he was reading something about Jackson Pollack saying that the modern artist lives in the modern age, he said. But apparently the modern artist today lives in the digital age. Everything we get is pixelated, and that got me into thinking how just by society, people are kind of trained to think in a pixelated way. He has gotten a lot of comments on similarities between his work and that of pop artists Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, he said. I think in terms of these pieces, Im not so much playing around with the idea of popart being something commercially reliable and making it fine art, he said. The difference is that these are much more multi-layered, Schlesinger said. In addition, they take not only the tradition use of mass-media and pop imagery; at the same time they use more up to date and more recent and contemporary mass-media forms. Schlesinger invited Monteavaro to show his work at the gallery knowing that we could bring in people who are very, very, heavy

political or very, very, deep symbolic meaningful things that are somewhat overwhelming. In the end, these works of art are fun, Schlesinger said. The students will find these works beneficial because its kind of an upbeat show, Monteavaro said. One of the best experiences going to any show was what I would think about afterwards. Seeing the works was fantastic but the thoughts and thought process afterwards was what would get me into thinking. Art is part of what makes life worth living, Schlesinger said. We spend so much time in the classroom thinking about the difficulties of text and problem sets, and historical research, and this is the moment where one can just free themselves of all those things. Monteavaro will be on campus to showcase his work and lead class discussions from November 1st to November 4th, while the pieces will remain in the gallery until November 30th. There will be day openings for students and teachers, and night openings for the community and parents, Schlesinger said. Kindergarteners will also get a chance to see the exhibit, he said.

The Polyphony Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble of young Arab and Jewish musicians from Israel, captivated students in their performance of Bach and Mozart for the Middle Division on Tuesday. Polyphony seeks to bring equal opportunity for music education and offer education to Arab Israeli youth, and offer Jewish Israeli youth the opportunity to participate in these programs, co-founder Deborah Cogut P07, 13, 16 said. Through the program, we foster dialogue between the communities and hopefully bridge the gap, Executive Director Nabeel Abboud Ashker said. I myself had the privilege to learn the violin and as I grew older, I started to see how important it is to bring the experience to other people in our community, Ashkar said. This inspired Ashkar to create Polyphony and, through a partnership with the Cogut family, reach out to a broader community, he said. Founded in 2006, the program has over 100 kids in Nazareth playing at an international level and over 1500 Arab students in Israel partnered with Jewish conservatories. Polyphony connects Arabic youth with music teachers from Jewish conservatories. Due to the culturally

Amy Hood Staff Writer

Polyphonys Music Brings Arabs and Jews Together

divided geography of Israel, many of the teachers have to drive over two hours to reach their students as frequently as five times a week. Polyphony does not only promote cultural connection, but also the empowerment of women. One sixteen-year-old Muslim woman, for example, defies the stereotypes of all communities, co-founder Craig Cogut P07, 13, 16 said. Craig explained that it was not expectation in the Jewish or Arab community to see a sixteen-year-old woman soloist. Theyre breaking barriers, Andrew Cogut (8) said, who spent time with the musicians over the summer and joined them on their tour. It was incredible to hear them play and (we thought that) HM students should also have the opportunity to see how amazing these kids are and that theyre just like us, he said. The group, which only had six weeks to prepare for the concert, impressed many students. It was incredible to see how they had prepared, with so little time, such a awesome concert, Roya Moussapour (11) said. It was cool that they could bring people from everywhere to play just for the love of music, Andrew Kirjner (8) said. One of the cellists said he does it just to make people happy and thats the goal for all musicians.

The Polyphony Chamber Orchestra performed selections from Back to Mozart for the Middle Division while raising awareness of Arab/Jewish relations.

Emma Maltby/Staff Photographer

Timks Polls Screen Movie Genres

Comedies have been at the top of the Art of Film teacher Joseph Timks annual poll for a couple of years now, which does not surprise Timk. Westerns are harder to guess because they have been at the bottom of the poll of the past couple of years. Over the years, Timk has found trends not only from the polls, in which students rate different genres of movies in order of preference, but also from observation and research. Timk devotes a unit in his class to learning about the different types of film genres. Genres originated because people wanted to see certain types of movies when they went to the movie theater. Based on only a title, it was sometimes hard to know what kind of movie the film would be. Genres were to eliminate the problem of wanting to see a comedy, and being disappointed when that movie turned out to be a drama, Timk said. Timk has all eighty of his students take the poll on the first day of the unit so that he can get the class involved, and do a statistical analysis on the results. Timk does not make students sign their name, but he requires that they put down their gender. This allows for the class to see additional trends. Some movies are more popular with boys, and some are more popular with girls. For example, more girls than boys like romantic films. This is how Mr. Timk thinks

Grant Ackerman Staff Writer

the term chick flick may have originated: its because of a girls tendency to like romantic movies. Mr. Timk said that the movie Transformers, which came out this summer, was definitely marketed towards young boys, and he would presume that young boys were the main audience seeing this film. Like fashion, genres have a life-cycle. Certain genres are popular one decade, but not popular the next, Timk said.

Baci Weiler/Production Manager

Censorship stopped gangster movies from being popular in the 1930s. When science-fiction movies were starting to go unnoticed, new and improved special effects made more people interested in them. Now, vampire movies and television shows seem to be the trend, though they are different from the old vampire movies such as Dracula, Timk said. Though the poll has not yet been done this year, the trends in the past couple of years have remained the same, and Timk thinks that they will probably remain about the same for this year as well. In my mind, the popularity of movies and movie genres reflect our society at the time period when the film was made. If comedy moved far off of the top spot, I would definitely be able to infer that something outside the movie world happened that caused the change, Timk said. The whole point of the course is to get people looking at movies in different ways then they were before. Exploring the spectrum of genres is one of the ways Timks classes look at movies without showing a bunch of classics, he said. The function of the poll is to get people involved so that I am no just feeding them facts, Timk said. I want to get the class to participate, and not just have me lecture the whole time. As in studio art classes like drawing and painting, you would rather paint and draw, than take tests on famous painters and drawers, he said.

The horace Mann record

Lions Den

Friday, October 28, 2011 11

Athlete Spotlight
Toby Lee
Sarah Heintz Staff Writer
Toby Lee (12), third year varsity player and co-captain of the Boys Varsity Soccer Team, is a stand out striker on the team this season. The leading goal scorer, with a total of eleven goals, Lee is an all star by any standards, according to Head Coach Neil Berniker. Andrew Silberstein (11), a key player in the center midfield, said, Tobys a very hard working player. He really wants to win more than anything, and he will do whatever it takes in order to make that happen. The two have played together on varsity for the past two years. Hes a workhorse in practice and games. His individual effort on the field is outstanding. He responds very well to the challenges that his own teammates and our opponents present him with, Berniker said, As a striker, Lees job is to put the ball in the back of the net. You dont have to show him the way to goal, Berniker said. Hes a critical player to have in front of the goal, because hes a good finisher, Owen Elliot (12) said. Hes got speed and agility, so he can manipulate the defenses in the Ivy League, which creates great opportunities up front, and ultimately score some big goals for us this season. Lee scored twice against the Lions big rival, Collegiate, at Horace Manns home game early on this season. The final score was 3-1, so Tobys goals were essential for the big win. One was a finish from a throw in by Stephen Lipton (12), and the other was a penalty kick. Lee has played for the Manhattan Soccer Club these past three years. His team attends college showcase tournaments, participates in league play, and plays in the state cup every year. He trains a lot during the offseason to stay in shape and on top of his game. I ran almost everyday before preseason, Lee recalled, and played with a good number of kids from the team a couple of times a week, both of which I definitely think helped get my fitness up to par. Tobys co-captain Bernie Rawlins (11) said, Toby is an amazing captain on top of being a great athlete and soccer player, he truly is the leader of the team. Hes vocal and always seems to know exactly what to say when we need it the most. We seem to agree on everything and I couldnt have asked for a better co-captain. His teammates also point to Lees character and leadership abilities. He brings a unique level of maturity into the mix, and really cares about the well-being of the team, Elliot said. Tobys an unselfish, team player, Berniker said. Hes just one reason were in the winning position were in now, but I know hell continue to contribute greatly to the teams success. Well surely miss him next year.

Toby Lee (12) looks to set up a pass downfield to a teammate.

Kimberley Sarnoff/ Photography Editor

Maddy Gordon
Molly Wharton Staff Writer
Maddy Gordon has been one of the stars on the Girls Varsity Tennis Team since freshman year, and is by far the best athlete on our team, teammate Meredith Ruskin (12) said. Maddy is captain of the team this year, along with Lizzy Weingold (12), but shes been a leader on the team for the past four years, Ruskin said. She really motivates us during practice and matches, and sets a great example by being so committed. Gordon has been undefeated so far this season, and outside of HM she is in the top 40 of the Girls 18s Eastern Region for this October. She plays the most demanding schedule of matches for the team as the #1 singles player, a position usually reserved for the best singles player on the team. She really knows how to take control of the netshe just dominates with her volley game, teammate Lizzy Rosenblatt (11) said. She also is a really smart tennis playershe takes into consideration strategy and even though shes a singles player she always has great advice for doubles, cocaptain Weingold said. She will look to continue her success in college, and has given a verbal commitment to Emory University. One of the strongest players on the team since joining her freshman year, she has been preparing to go to the next level and is ready for the challenge. Teammates agreed she is a great team player in an individual sport: Wingold said,

She is always one of the first to cheer someone on in a tough spot, and constantly trying to make everybody around her a better player. Gordon has been instrumental to the teams success, with two Ivy League Titles in her first three years on the team, and hopefully a third this season. She is undefeated in all of her matches, and the team also stands at an impressive 9-0 record. Maddy is fundamentally a very naturally talented athlete and tennis player, but she also puts in the work that it takes to get good, and that hard work has evidently paid off, Rosenblatt said. Its clear that her energy and love for tennis spread to everyone around her and thats why shes such a great captain, teammate, and friend.

Maddy Gordon (12) smacks a forehand return.

Kimberley Sarnoff/ Photography Editor

Football Looks to Rebound from Loss, Injuries

Evan Reinsberg Staff Writer
With one of the largest crowds in recent memory, the Lions were off to a great start, leading 7-6 after the first quarter, marching down the field with two long, successful drives. In the second quarter, Dalton quarterback was injured on a goal line play and left the game with a broken ankle. Dalton was still able to take and hold onto the lead on the shoulders of backup quarterback, shredding the Lions defense both though the air and on the ground. Dalton was able to rally around the injury to their quarterback and came out strong in the second half, Coach Matt Russo said. The key moment of the game occurred on two back-to-back plays in the 3rd quarter. Dalton had the ball on its own 20 yard and rushed for an 80-yard touchdown, which was then called back due to a holding penalty. On the very next play, a Dalton screen pass went for a 90-yard touchdown, despite the Lions having opportunities to stop the ball carrier. We struggled making tackles all game, and that led to a few big plays against us, and we just couldnt get back into the game, defensive end Andrew Schwartz (11) said. The 34-15 defeat was the worst for the Lions this season, as they lost focus on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, players said. Dalton played a complete game from the 1st to 4th quarter, Schwartz said. We didnt necessarily do anything wrong, but we didnt do enough against a strong team like Dalton to get the victory Things arent getting any easier as the Lions scheduled Riverdale for Homecoming. The Falcons are 7-0 this season, and have won their last 5 games by at least 20 points each. Riverdale is probably the best they have been in about 20 years. They are a well coached and very athletic team, and it starts with their wide receiver who has been destroying defenses all season long, Coach Russo said. Homecoming will be the biggest fan turnout of the season, as alums, parents, and faculty will be on campus all day. The Lions havent had a homecoming victory for a few years now, and spoiling rival Riverdales undefeated season would make it a game to remember. The team will be at a further disadvantage with injuries to several key senior leaders on the field in quarterback and Co-Captain Braxton Brewton (12), running back Matt Cott (12), and middle linebacker Joe Cooper (12). Chris Benjamin

(12) will get the start at QB, and the team is looking to pick their injured teammates up with a strong performance. To have a chance against Riverdale, the entire team needs to step up and we need to slow the game to keep their potent offense on the sidelines. But if we are able to defeat Riverdale, it will be a game that the kids will remember for the rest of their lives. Russo said. After Homecoming, the team faces Fieldston at home and then has an end of season bowl game.

October 28, 2011

LionsDen
The Horace Mann Record

Volume 109, Issue 7

Girls Soccer Fighting for Playoffs

Maddie Penn Staff Writer
After its two week winning streak, Girls Soccer suffered two tough defeats this week with two big losses against its rivals. With a current record of 7-5-3, the Lions have had a solid season thus far and are gearing up for their game against Dalton on Saturday on Homecoming. In the close game against Fieldston on Monday, the team endured their first loss in the past three weeks. Even though it was a three to two loss, we played a very good game and played well as a team, but just in the second half we did not come out ready to play the way we needed to, Sarah Heintz (11) said. We outplayed the Fieldston team; they did not beat us, we beat ourselves. Kaitlyn Puglia (11) and Caitlin Rubin (10) scored the two goals against Fieldston in this weeks game, both capitalizing off of corner kicks. Throughout the game we were giving ourselves a lot of chances to score, but we could not make it into the goal, Coach Tim Sullivan said. We made a lot of great plays, we just did not finish them. The other game against Riverdale, lead to easy goals for the opposing team, said Sullivan. We do not make them anymore and are a much better team overall, he said. The girls are a stronger team and have been playing harder than ever. Near the beginning of the season we did not have really great control over the ball and keeping possession, but in our past few games weve done a really great job keeping the ball and moving it down the field, Heintz said. All the teams drills and practices have really improved both the girls soccer skills and their unity as a team. The team has been working a lot on ball control with possession drills and ball handling drills. I guess the key to scoring for us is to remember to pass to peoples feet and when receiving the ball to keep it at their feet so the defense cannot steal it, Sullivan said. The girls have improved a lot over the course of the season though and they have a lot to be proud of. Their confidence has been built up and their ball control is much better. The team has made vast improvements and they look forward to demonstrating their progress at Saturdays game in front of the whole school.

Forward Sarah Heintz (11) battles for posession in the 2-3 loss against Fieldston. one of the best teams in the league, on Wednesday, though they lost 2-1, was still a testament to how much hard work the girls put in at practices, said Sullivan. Sullivan said, although they lost, it was one of the best games the girls have played. We originally lost to Riverdale 4-0, but in this game we played hard and kept the pressure on until the end and loss less severely, he said. The girls play as a team, and no one plays as an individual, Sullivan said. Though they did not win the last two games, they always look to pass to each other, always have their

Laurence Ge/Photography Editor

teammates backs and will always be there for each other. They work well together and it shows on the field. The five game undefeated streak is a better indication of the girls soccer skills and hard work. In the beginning of the season we made many mistakes that would

Boys Soccer Closing in on League Title

Chloe Tsang Staff Writer
In the Boys Varsity soccer teams final game of the regular season, the Lions managed a 6-0 victory against Riverdale on Wednesday, putting the team at a record of 11-2-1. If the team beats Dalton at Homecoming on Saturday, the Lions will win the Ivy League title, something that hasnt been accomplished since 2008, co-captain Toby Lee (12) said. In addition, the team will be the number one seed going into the NYSAIS tournament if there are no out-of-league teams that have an outstanding record, co-captain Bernie Rawlins (11) said. The teams win can be attributed to Head Coach Neil Bernikers game plan to move the ball quickly and play the ball through to the wings, Rawlins said. The six goals were made by Lee, defender Zach Dinan (11), and midfielders Owen Elliott (12), Stephen Lipton (12) and Michael Stier (10). Though the Lions had beaten Riverdale 7-0 before, we knew that it was important to stay focused and make sure that we didnt underestimate them, Lee said. We came out strong early and the goals followed, so we cruised to a pretty smooth win, he said. The teams win against Riverdale gave them confidence for our crucial game against Dalton and carrying over to the post-season, Rawlins said. Looking toward Homecoming, the team expects to come out really aggressively, midfielder Andrew Silberstein (11) said. Dalton is a strong side, but were confident that if we come out strong we can pull away with the win, Lee said. At times, the team became a bit complacent, Lee said. The teams loss to Poly Prep really served as a wake up call for the guys, he said. Personally, I think we just need to keep putting balls in the midfield and firing shoots, and we should keep winning, defender Troy Sipprelle (11) said. I think our weakness has been addressed, Lee said. Everyone just needs to stay hungry and passionate about winning, and if so, we definitely can achieve our goals of winning both the league and state titles. This season, the team has been playing well, teamwork has been good, and the support and encouragement for each other has been great, Berniker said. Im very proud of what theyve accomplished so far, and I hope the same thing continues on for the post-season.

Water Polo Ready for Trinity

from Quentin Montgomery (10) and Alessandro Van Den Brink (10). Weve been working a lot on high pressure defense and it really paid off. The other team had plenty of turnovers, Gavin said. The score changed throughout the contest and no team had a dominant hold on the game. In the third quarter, the Lions scored multiple goals off of steals and kick outs. Daniel Elkind (11) and Bleuel provided much needed scoring from the wing and flat positions. We moved the ball a lot better in this game, especially in our man up situations where we needed to capitalize and score, Kim said. In the fourth quarter, the Lions jumped out to a one-goal lead but later lost the lead due to Brunswicks pressure in passing lanes. For some odd reason, we have this trend of competing and winning in the first 3 quarters but we always seem to lose it in the fourth, Josh Levine (12) said. The Lions also had many opportunities to tie and win the game. Shots werent falling and sloppy passes were made in the fourth quarter. We couldnt get the ball to our main scores, Quentin and Justin. They were double teaming Quentin and our open players couldnt hit their shots, Alex Fine (11) said. We have to practice shooting because our last game was basically decided in our inability to hit the back of the net, McCombe said. The teams final game is against Ivy League rival Trinity, a team they beat 19-16 in their previous matchup.

Captain Thomas Kim (12) winds up for a shot against Brunswuck in Wednesdays game.

Courtesy of Jeff Barg

Michael Chon Staff Writer

With less than a minute left in the final quarter, Co- Captain Justin Bleuel (11) held the ball for one final possession to bring the water polo game into overtime against the Brunswick School. Martin Gavin (11), coming off of Co-Captain Thomas Kims (12) pick, received the ball from Bleuel. Both defenders scrambled for Gavin who then lobbed a pass to Kim. The pass fell too far for Kim and the Brunswick goalie snatched the ball and ended the Lions chances. The close loss on

Wednesday, 10-11 puts the teams overall record at 3-7. Our record doesnt really reflect our season because we have been playing nationally ranked teams and every game has been decided by less than two points, Nick McCombe (11) said. The game was basically decided in the last two minutes. Thats how close it was. We started off slow though but we really brought it to them in the later parts of the game, Gavin said. Brunswick scored two quick goals at the games start. The Lions then came back to tie the game with pressure defense and fast break goals