The Horace Mann Record

HORACE MANN SCHOOL | WEEKLY SINCE 1913 January 20, 2012 http://record.horacemann.org Volume 109, Issue 15

Godfather of American Film Visits School, Shares Insights

Matthew Taub Contributing Writer
Director Francis Ford Coppola sat in Gross Theatre for more than two hours yesterday answering audience questions about his decades as an award-winning filmmaker. Playwright and film student Matt Taub (11) wrote this reflection on the visit. There are filmmakers who make movies we love. There are filmmakers who rewrite the rules of cinema. And then there is Francis Ford Coppola. Coppolas films, a short list of which includes The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now, are quintessential elements of American culture, forever imprinted on the American soul. Its hard to find a list of the greatest films ever made, compiled by either a seasoned critic or a casual moviegoer, that doesnt rank a Coppola film at or near the top. As the world in which we watch Coppolas movies changes, his films remain beloved cultural cornerstones which are received warmly by every new generation that watches them. Theres a stigma surrounding giants of industry that paints them as jaded and pretentious. Though I was ecstatic to learn that Coppola would be visiting school, I didnt know what to expect from him. Would he be going through the motions, anxious to leave, and giving only perfunctory answers to the questions he was asked? It hurts when our heroes let us down, and as someone aspiring to go into the film industry, I tried not to have exceedingly high expectations for Coppolas question-and-answer session. I left the session feeling much the way I did immediately after I saw The Godfather for the first time. I felt overwhelmed, loving movies like Ive never loved them before. But ultimately I felt inspired. Coppolas candor, graciousness, and passion were on full display as he charmed a packed Gross Theatre with career anecdotes, thoughtful reflections, and creative advice for aspiring artists. Coppola seemed most engaged when musing on the creative process, specifically pertaining to writing. He reflected on his days as a drama major with the goal of becoming a playwright, and lauded writers as the true owners of stories, not directors. As if to prove just how sacred the text is to him as a director, he said he made Apocalypse Now, carrying around a paperback copy of Heart of Darkness, the Joseph Conrad novel it is based on, with my notes in it. Coppola hasnt released a boxoffice smash for some time, and he

Francis Ford Coppola, five-time Oscar winner (with history teacher Barry Bienstock, left) , told a packed Gross Theater to embrace self-doubt and use it for any creative effort .

Larry Ge/Photography Editor

questioned the emphasis in press coverage on a movies earnings. Hes more intrigued by his newer films as they feature more of his writing. To write something really means to learn something, he said, and he encouraged the young writers in the audience to develop their creativity by writing one-act plays despite the hormone secreted in young writers that makes them hate what theyve just written. He advised the audience to make a friend of selfdoubt because that is sort of a form of energy. Displaying the openness that made his answers so intriguing, he

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Teo Armus-Laski Staff Writer

Acharya Honored with Social Justice Award

Students Embrace Operation PROM

Colin Mark Staff Writer
Zoe Fawer (10) and Jessica Heller (10) say that every high school student deserves to go to prom, regardless of any obstacles that might prevent him or her from doing so. The two have started a chapter of New York City-based notfor-profit Operation PROM, an organization dedicated to providing underprivileged students with prom attire. So far, the chapters prom dress drive has collected thirty dresses. Heller, who had previously been part of an organization called Project Prom, founded her own chapter of the nationally recognized Operation PROM and partnered with Fawer when she permanently moved the chapter into school, Heller said. According to the organizations website, Operation PROM primarily assists students who are sick, homeless or live in shelters and do not have family to assist them. The HM chapter now collaborates with Operation PROMs branches in Westchester, Hudson Valley, and the New York City area. Heller is a Director of Operation PROM of New York City. The organization refers the HM chapter to students identified by theirs schools as in need of Operation PROMs services, Fawer said. Operation PROM runs a school supply drive at the beginning of every school year. Towards the end of April, the campus chapter will be holding a pre-prom event in New York City where members of the organization will dress and style students for their proms. The event will include a photo shoot in front of a step and repeat, Heller said. These students must be passing all of their classes to be eligible to participate. Seeing them smiling is really meaningful, she said. Getting a dress and feeling pretty is very important to them. Working with Jessica Heller has

Ambika Acharya (12) was honored by a diversity publication for her essay connecting last falls poetry assembly to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s thoughts on dialogue and tolerance. The magazine behind the award, Diversity Prep, held a ceremony on Saturday to recognize Acharya and the fifteen other students who participated in its MLK Day essay contest. In addition to attending a performance of The Mountaintop, a one-act play about the night before Kings assassination, each honoree was asked to speak about race relations during the ceremony. Acharya explained the importance of MLKs ideas of discussion and talking issues out, she said. In her essay, Acharya applied Kings ideas of equality, communication and respect for differences to her reactions and experiences during and after the November 1 assembly. I dont think Kings message will ever be irrelevant to society, she wrote in the conclusion. Our differences are visible everywhere, and we must not take them as reason Courtesy of Jasmin Ortiz to be aggressive to one and other but rather as ways to learn Acharya (12) recieves social justice award for connecting a Continued on Page 3 school assembly to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Opinions & Editorials

Volume 109

The horace Mann record

The horace Mann record

The Horace Mann Record

Editorial Board
Editor in Chief Sarah Pyun Design Editor Baci Weiler News Jenna Spitzer Elizabeth Weingold Lions Den Matthew Cott Thomas Kim Features Ambika Acharya Opinions & Editorials Courtney Hodrick Managing Editor Christine Kim Arts & Entertainment Hillary Winnick Middle Division Olivia El-Sadr Davis

Why SOPA Threatens Our Liberty

I have grown up with the Internet, the freedoms associated with it, and a culture where access to almost the complete accumulation of human knowledge Aramael Peais available to all for the benefit of Alcntara all. It is difficult Online Editor for me to watch our government go through the process of enacting legislation that if passed could harm innovation and stifle creativity. The Internet has changed our world by fostering freedom of speech, thus giving a voice to those whose voices have been traditionally suppressed. From Cairo to Tripoli, this freedom has transformed peoples lives. But the Internet has also brought unintended consequences; intellectual property theft, one common example of which is music downloading, has flourished and was reported by an independent research group to contribute up to 23.76% of all Internet traffic. As such, laws are frequently introduced to discuss the protection of intellectual property online, the newest of which is The Stop Online Piracy Act, H.R. 3261 (SOPA). SOPA aims to combat online piracy by allowing individual corporations to shut down access in US jurisdictional areas to foreign websites dedicated to the theft of US property. Although in principle the idea behind SOPA is noble, it will burden Internet corporations with onerous levels of liability for all usergenerated content while blurring the distinction between the sites owners and its users. Such an act is similar to criminalizing the private operators of a toll highway whenever drivers travelling in the highway commit a crime. Under SOPA, sites could be punished for not policing their site for copyrighted content, even if owners do not post anything illegal themselves. This bill may force Internet corporations to spend more money on compliance and litigation than on innovation. The Internet is our frontier; it opens us the global community up to whats next. Some of the worlds largest corporations are in the technology industry. We have seen websites rise to fame in the short span of a year, and this is all because they have been able to grow unconstrained to experiment with innovations. The web consistently provides new opportunities to create, new chances to inspire the rest of the world. This process all begins with small sites and startups, which unfortunately will not be able to afford the compliance burden or long legal fights that SOPA would virtually guarantee. The websites that we constantly use in the StuPub or the library Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Wikipedia, Reddit, Google, YouTube all began as small startups. If SOPA had been implemented earlier, these sites would not be here today. In a world where our economy can change in a matter of hours, it seems that one of the few assurances we have is that technology is going to be there to drive innovation. However, we received a glimpse of what the Internet could be like under these new bills this past Wednesday as hundreds of Internet sites blacked out in protest. Wikipedia, which participated in the protest, links to billions of articles, sites, and other content online. Under SOPA legislation, they would have to check every page on that website to ensure that there be no infringing content anywhere at the risk of having their funding from donations rescinded or links from Google removed. Wikipedia already operates on a stringent budget and these new penalties imposed by SOPA could eventually force Wikipedia to go down because they would not have the resources to fight these legal battles. That day without Wikipedia could, some day, become our daily reality. If SOPA is passed, future engineering entrepreneurs like me may not have a chance to break out with a new startup. Lets enact legislation that punishes online pirates and not innovators. If you feel strongly against SOPA, contact your senator/congressman. For more information, please visit americancensorship.org.

AP Human Geo Students Explore Islamic Culture

Ian Lee Contributing Writer
Students discussed the differences in Islamic sects, demography, and culture of the region with an Imam this Wednesday at the Islamic Cultural Center. Members of the AP Human Geography class Daniel Brovman (12), Max Moran (12), Anika Tripathi (11), Gurbani Suri (12), and their teacher, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development Dr. Barbara Tischler, took a tour of the Mosque, and were able to observe the congregation pray, and learn about how Islam prayers are conducted. The class has been studying the spread of religions into different areas of the world, so Tischler split the class into five groups each of which was assigned a different religion to research, Tischler said. These students were assigned Islam and decided a trip to the Center would be extremely helpful and provide them with information that we couldnt get from a textbook, Brovman said. After learning about Islam in depth in Tischlers class, the trip was helpful in providing the group with a real field study experience. It was a different kind of learning than what takes place through reading. We learned through experience, Brovman said. Morans favorite part was the tour of the mosque. Its a beautiful space with carpets and materials donated by various countries, while for Tripathi, the prayer was the most memorable. The style is different than anything Ive seen before, in churches, temples or synagogues because it was almost like a song. I gained an actual connection to Islam that I hadnt received when just reading the textbook before, she said.

News

Friday, January 20, 2012

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

Senior Editor Online Editor Eden Sung Aramael Pea-Alcntara Assistant Design Editor Seth Arar
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.

The Korean Drumming Club practices their Taiko drumming peformance for Asia Night.

Victoria McKaba/Staff Photographer

EWWW Prepares for Asia Night

Rebecca Okin Contributing Writer
Traditional and modern performances from a Lion Dance to a fashion show will highlight tonight, Asia Night, East Wind West Wind organizers say. Its an opportunity to be immersed in Asian Culture, Seth Arar (12) said. And its another grate showcase of our students talents. The evening will be centered around a theme of multi-culturalism and cultural identity club vice president Natalie Imamura (12) said. Other featured acts include a Taiko drumming performance from the Korean Drumming Club and dances to hit Korean pop songs. Many of theses performances are more modern than traditional, Christine Kim (12) said. They are something students can connect and relate to. The fashion show will include a mixture of traditional Korean, Chinese, and Japanese pieces as well as original dress designed by Imamura and EWWW co president Janet Lu (12). Students from Columbia Universitys from the Wushu club and dance company will perform a martial arts demonstration and traditional Chinese Lion Dance. For the Lion Dance performers will be dancing inside a giant lion puppet while doing cool tricks, club co president Yvonne Cha (12) said.

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Operation PROM

An Offer Admins Cant Refuse

Oscar-winning director, producer, and screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola spent G, H, and almost allTheI Record today. Yourquestions and speaking our Thanks for picking up of periods answering doing so means that in Gross Theater. Take a second to process paperto absorb what a phenomenal predecessors succeeded in making this that, something you find relevant, opportunity we were even necessary chance to hear anecdotes and receive interesting, or maybegiven. We had theto read every week, and on behalf of life advice grateful of Hollywoods We innovative and ourselves even them, were from onefor that respect. mostplan to immerseinfluential film directors of in the HM more deeplythe century. community this year, because theres always more At do. many of us did. There were students all driven by wouldnt we canleast, We have some lofty goals, but theyrewhose teachersthe simple release them from class, whoever you are. We want topreparing for an exam desire to be your paper, or who had to choose between represent the breadth and meeting an icon. Were makes to the teachers such a magical to go, but of interests and voices that gratefulHorace Mann who did allow usplace to go we have to to school. question why the administration didnt open the event to all. Every student should be able to take advantage thanonce-in-a-lifetime chance like We have a responsibility to do more of a just report on the issues; we this. This is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the year, but some of usNews also must reach out to every corner of the community. Through the were forced towe will make a concerted effort to report on clubs and events that section, miss out on it. in We have Floating 45 given less publicity. We aspirethatuse thehave been the past have been periods and other mechanisms to could Arts and utilized to enable every student to fill Gross Theater. If the schools schedules Lions Den sections to help build interest in athletic games and artistic are not flexible enough to allowtogether both in and out or Floating 45s are showings, bringing students for last-minute assemblies, of the classroom. used Middle Division section willrather than enriching our educations, we The for solely logistical discussions honor the accomplishments of HMs will fallmoversto more missed opportunities. future victim and shakers in addition to helping younger writers find a Were feeling a strong passion in journalism. sense of irony right now. Record boards long before ours have been writingon aspects of school life to step up and take We plan to run Features editorials asking students that affect HMers advantage of what our school has to offer. Meanwhile, assemblysection as a deeply and personally, and we hope youll think of the Op-Ed attendance or lack where anyone with an opinion can the prime example of students forum thereof has long been considered share. The paper should be an unwillingnessfor students to shine lightother thanthey find unaddressed. opportunity to engage with activities on issues their schoolwork. In the past few years,are excited for opportunities to C period and absence has Finally, we assemblies have been moved to reach past the newsprint, become punishable withperson Hall, all tacticslast years forum on student interacting with you in Study at events like designed to convince us to spend an hour in an assembly. government. Yesterday, though, students at a crossroads with regards to a number of Our school community is demonstrated that we are more than capable of keeping up and sexual orientation, racial and Coppolas visit was not a issues: gender our half of the bargain. Though socioeconomic diversity, mandatory assembly, we gave up free periods and begged our teachers for a the role of student government, and the relations between students and chance to attend.someschool big topics that will influence thethe room, and faculty are only The of the did not need to force us to be in events of this in fact, Gross was nearly as all, well report been in any mandatory assembly coming year. Through it packed as it has honestly and fairly, and do our this year. All the school a sourceto do, it turnedand representation for each best to make this paper needed of inspiration out, was make that room a place we wanted to be. and everyone of you. If the school will go to such ends to convince students to attend assemblies that dont interest them, they should embrace the events that do. We are passionate, excited students, and we deserve the chance to exercise those passions.

Brave New Board

been an absolute pleasure, said the organizations founder & executive director Noel DAllaco. After meeting with Jessica, we know that she was passionate and dedicated to our cause. DAllaco and Operation Prom believe that they can make the dreams of underprivileged students come true by giving these students the prom night experience. DAllaco, a former event planner, founded Operation PROM in 2005 to help low-income students attend their Proms by providing free Prom dresses and tuxedo rentals. It has since expanded to also help students with scholarships and school supplies, she said. DAllaco oversees all of Operation PROMs chapters. According to Heller, the organization is rapidly expanding; it has recently opened branches in Georgia and Louisiana and intends to open another one in California, Heller said.

The club has also teamed with the schools Korean Parent Association (KPA) to supply customary Asian food for the night, club members said. Club members have spent the year preparing for Asia night holding auditions, skit writing nights, and many dance rehearsals. A significant challenge this year was preparing for a January 20th Asia Night, which is taking place much earlier in the year than previous years, the clubs co faculty advisor Dr. Eliza Milkes said. I cant say theres a single highlight of the night, Milkes said. The whole thing is fantastic how they all came together to pull this off.

College Advising: Too Little, Too Late

that we had been left in the dark. As an only child whose parents have not dealt with institutions of higher education since their own applications decades ago, I have realized that no one in my immediate family possesses any knowledge of how to begin this process. We placed our faith in the school to provide the answers to questions we did not know existed, but right now I am halfway through my third year of high school, overwhelmed, Sa and unable to answer ra hH much of what is being ein tz & asked of me. Ch lo eT Giving freshmen sa ng /S college advisors and taff Ar asking students to tis ts tour schools four years in advance is not to the college advising team sometime only unnecessary, but would take a during 10th grade, or given guidance toll on everyones mental health. But as to which classes would best play to unfortunately, when asked to choose my strengths, then maybe I wouldnt courses for my junior year last spring, I be sitting here, venting to the entire stood alone. My advisor, like most, was school about my lack of direction. not equipped to offer suggestions as to The word college scared me, and the sort of course-load colleges would in many ways, still does. I purposely expect, nor did I know what over half avoided contact with it because I was of the classes in the course catalogue comfortable with high school and entailed. could not bear ruining the happiness I Ill always be grateful for the ways had found here. But even now, no one in which Horace Mann provides for its in my family knows anything about students. The school supports college the upcoming year as I embark on a applicants in every way possible. I journey that can decide my future. I only wish that this process could have only hope that I am sufficiently ready started sooner. Had I been introduced to begin.

Additional Reporting by Molly Wharton

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Acharya Honored

Alex Fine
Ive always been reluctant to talk about colleges. Watching my friends and peers agonize over the inevitable application process turned me off from discussing the subject with anyone. As I was heading into my junior year of high school, my attitude was simply to avoid the issue altogether and to assume that I would be sufficiently prepared to apply once the time had come. From where that preparation would come, I had no idea, but it was reassuring that the process felt so impossibly distant. In the days leading up to last weeks College Orientation Night, I quickly realized that I had no idea what exactly I was walking into. Other than a short meeting led by my grade dean in the fall, no one in a position of authority ever spoke of College Night, and suddenly my classes buzzed with rumors and nervous talk of what was to come. Perhaps it is partially my own fault that I currently feel so underprepared to tackle the college process, as I rarely pursued meetings with my grade dean or advisor about the topic. But in many ways I wish the school had prepared us earlier for the subject that currently captivates my mind. Horace Mann rightfully spares freshmen and sophomores the stresses of introducing college advisors to underclassmen, but looking back now, we never realized

more about each other and become a more close-knit community. She had originally decided to enter the contest as a way of reflecting on her reaction to the assembly and recognizing the significance of the MLK holiday. People only see another day off from school; they dont realize that only 56 years ago, Martin Luther King improved race relations and led a movement that desegregated the country, she said. After learning about the contest from the magazines editors, Director of Diversity Intiatives Patricia Zuroski had contacted Acharya and several other seniors on the Service Learning Team last December about entering. Shes always very thoughtful, and shes willing to use her voice both for herself and to communicate ideas to her peers and community, said Zuroski, who was in attendance at the ceremony, along with some of Acharyas teachers, family and friends. Im really happy she became our nominee. Shes a terrific young lady with the insight of someone three times her age, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said. Published by entrepreneur Dion Clarke, Diversity Prep Magazine was created to encompass a broad range of young adults in the tri-state area and give them a place to explore issues of diversity, said Zuroski, who had met Clarke after using his company to organize a simulated visit from Harriet Tubman in the Lower Divison last year. Like King said, diversity work is really about discussion. It was great to meet other students and see that they are also interested, Acharya said.

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Coppola Visit

Corrections
In Issue #14: 8th Grader Plays Renaissance Music in DC, the author was miscredited. Vivien Ikwuazom was the author of the article. In Issue #14: Tech Expert Joins Katz Library Staff , it was incorrectly reported that students do not have access to the librarys database from home. Students had received multiple reminders about how they could connect to the databases. In Issue #14: Swim Team Makes Waves of Progress, Henry Warder was incorrectly identified as Jay Moon in the photograph.

M M M Students packed Oshlan Lobby for the International Food Festival Wednesday. The festival allowed parents from different ethnic backgrounds with the opportunity to open a door of culture diversity for the student body.

Justin Gilston/Photography Editor

described throwing the Oscars he won for the first two Godfather films out of a window in a fit of rage while struggling to get the funding to make Apocalypse Now. His mother then carried the mangled statuettes to the Academys offices, fibbed about how they broke, and asked for replacements. She got them. He also reminisced about the first rehearsal for The Godfather, saying that when Marlon Brando arrived, he really was the Godfather in the eyes of a young, star-struck cast including Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. Perhaps most interesting of all were Coppolas insights into his films longevity, especially because, as he reminded the audience, many of them received initially lukewarm responses. My films havent gone down well in their timeIf you hit the nail right on the head in terms of what the audience wants, [the films] seem dated later on. Coppola summed up this sentiment when he said: The same things you get fired for when youre young are the same things they give you lifetime achievement awards for when youre older. He has the award to prove it. Though he wasnt planning to, Coppola stayed through all of I period signing autographs, taking pictures, and answering more questions. His humility and genuine interest in the students who stayed was incredibly refreshing, and it was his demeanor as much as his words that sent me home proud to be a fan of his films and driven to dive into more creative projects. We students often hear things like Out of creativity, you learn, a piece of advice Coppola offered the audience yesterday. When you hear it from Mr. Coppola himself, however, thats an offer you truly cant refuse.

Friday, January 20, 2012

TBALL SHKE TRA

Global Gymnasium

Features

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The horace Mann record

Features

Friday, January 20, 2012

Good luck, have fun, and stay safe.

- der Kommissar Cunha

JAIL-Blazers
We are the Jail-Blazers. Our players consist of those who are truly living young, wild, and free lives, but most importantly, free. Team captainship comes from a pair of real Gym Class Heroes: Kevin I Love Jared Jeffreys Westergaard and Ben Deutsch-bag Deutsch. We leadin this team to a championship, baby. bababaBANK on it. Kim Jong Il left several top advisors without jobs, allowing us to deftly recruit Toby Ad-ee Cru Lee (12) and Michael Chon (11)--our discipline co-ordinators. As for the brawn and the brainsDr. Kalil Kal-me-ill Oldham will be showing this league just what a Harvard degree can do. This is a team of heart and soul, showcasing Andrew Arnaboldi (11), Glen Rain Man Brickman and Harrison Lesser Half Finkelstein complete the illest roster. Ball me, Blazer.

Lets start off with the simple decree, that is, Global Gymnasium is made up of the most athletic kids at Horace Mann. Led by captains Lucas Pergament (12) and Alex Min (12) We were eager to become trash captains ever since we were freshmen. When we were offered the opportunity, we decided that it was time to come and conquer. Our first pick was Andrew Schwartz (11) and we are super excited to have snagged this beast of an athlete, who will dominate rebounding. Next we have Kenny Yoon (12), who plans to drain as many points as he scored on the SATs. He has an unstoppable fade away, an unpronounceable first name, and a dog. After some scouting, we uncovered Phillip Perl (11), a gem of a shooter, who only misses is if no one guards him. Watch out for PP, the legendary chess player. Hes coming for you. We also have Matt Kim (12), Jacob Moscona-Skolnick (12) and Ryan Their (11). Keep an eye out for our Moneyball team.

Off In The Library

When not playing street ball at Holcombe Rucker Park, you can find Chris P. Creme Melendez and Hard Hat Harry Horace KIILLAA Manin off in the library. Thats where they were during Trash Draft 2012. Actually. Melendez was in the AV room, practicing his jump shotin the videogame NBA 2K12. Manin planned to demonstrate some drillsfor his Habitat crew, but the drill bits were missing and he was hard-hatless. The duo isnt too confident about the teams chances. The other teams have an unfair advantage, Manin said. They drafted a team. Melendez agrees, saying, Even though were true physical specimens, even though weve perfected the peekaboo offense, the tiger claw defense, and the megaman space jam, most teams are going to beat Off In The Library. Because of their absence at the draft, der Kommissar Cunha selected Off In the Librarys lineup. Manin concurred. There is going to be a lot of beating Off In The Library this year. But at the climax of the season, no matter how many teams beat Off In The Library, as long as we stick together, well have a great time.

Bad News Berensons

Some may say its unseemly for a teacher to Captain a Trashketball team. Immature. Pathetic, even. To that I say, yes, yes, and, well, yes. It is Trashketball, after all. So listen up, the Bad News Berensons are back - and this time they mean business. Andrew I dont play Thursdays Silberstein (11) will supply the skill (on Mondays), Charles half-marathon Scherr (11) the speed, Malcolm by any means necessary Thompson (12) the muscle, Noah Im not just a pretty blond, I also play football Landesberg (12) the height, and Akiko you have no idea what Im capable of Uemura (11) will provide the heart. Adding much needed depth to the line-up is Eric gravitational Mass (11), Ben BK your way Kremnitzer (11), and Troy How about we dont bring the wooden horse inside? Sipprelle (11). And of course, this crew of likeable misfits will be led to certain glory by Mr. David I have a wife and child, all I need now is a Trashketball championship Berenson. Huzzah!

Lion Pause
Going into the draft, we knew we were the favorites to win the league, but needed a leader. Who better to pick than Coach Matt The Third Harbaugh Russo to lead the squad to victory. Next, we decided to go on a journey to pick out our next few sleepers. First, we stopped by Inside the Actors Studio to convince Spencer Reiss (12) to join the squad, at least for the playoffs. Then we decided to grab an enforcer; Jungle Joe Cooper (12) promised to bring his cute, clumsy swag, his spirit squad, and his fro every week. We couldnt resist. Looking for another big bruiser, we followed a trail of sweat from the fitness center all the way to Athens to find Akillezz himself. With the biggest and strongest team in the league set, it was time to go for some scrappy young guns-- Harris Teitelbaum (11), Lyle Dershowitz (11), and Thomas Meerschwam (11) hopped on the bandwagon. Last but certainly not least, we claimed Chloe Tsang (11) as a valuable league trade chip. With our combination of size, athleticism, a little elderly wisdom, raw rapping ability, workout swag, and some fiery attitude, we are the team to beat. Your Captains, Kid Cotti & Bader

Welcome to the Abus

ement Park

As captains of Welcome to the Abusement Park, Josh Levine (12) and Edgar Legaspi (12) have guaranteed a season of thrills and chills led by countless scorgasms and a victorious secret. First round former Junior Varsity Superstar Adam Mansfield (11) was drafted as the 2nd pick overall. With his long arms and shaggy hair hes projected to lead the league in rebounds put-backs. The next pick was Michael Sputnik Winik (11), followed by Harold Roldi Chen (11), the Mikey Babyface Reiss (11), then Larry Da only G Man Ge (12), to complete their starting lineup. To come off the bench, the team has Tyler Finklestein (11), and Gianni Maestro (11) both divas in their own right. In the last round they took Matt Rolfo (12), to implement as the brains behind the operation. They hope that he takes control of their plays and strategizes to take down all other opponents.

99 Problems And a Sh

ot Aint One

Mista Pep Pookies

BallS of Fury

Chris I score mad points without the ball Benjamin (12) and Braxton so swaged out its stupid Brewton (12) are the co-captains leading the99 problems and a shot aint ones. This year they decided to embark on the journey of being co-captain Trasketball all-stars by first becoming HMFL captains. Despite our top two picks Michael Vick and Adrian Peterson not suiting up for any of our games, we still had a very successful football season. But now theyd like to take the trash league by storm. With our immaculate leadership skills, colorful sneakers, and swaged out team name, they are the best 2011-2012 Trashketball season co-captains. All superstars need a supporting cast, and they are still looking for one. In the mean time, Ben Mark-sman shooter Shelley, Justin I think water Polo is a real sport Bleuel, and Ian How do I serve a basketball Antonoff should all be great additions. Coach Hoggel and Alex Talarico have also been gym rats preparing for this trash season. If you have any questions hit them up on LeBron or Kobes cell phones. You have never seen talent like this.

We are Mista Pep Pookies BallSof Fury. In honor of Pep le Pew, we chose the skunk as our mascot because we reek of a disgusting ambition to win. League favorite Jacob Frackattackman (11) was our first round pick in this tough competition. With his luscious blonde locks and the shot of a champion, he is going to be one tough skunk to beat. Straight off her dismissal from the girls team, second round pick Celine Im a Rebel Moussazadeh (12) has intensity and the necessary upper-body strength to clobber any ruffians that get in her way. Soon after came Kyle Id date your sister Ezring (11), Owen Fat Cat Elliott (12), Pete Petey Montesino, and Chloe Im tanner than you Albanese to complete our wonderfully scented family. And with fearsome leaders Pierre Chest of Steel Eid (12) and Sofi I think Im hilarious and I know it Selig (12), MPPBF is sure to be unstoppable.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Arts & Entertainment

The horace Mann record

The horace Mann record

Art Students Examine a Real Surreal Show

Melissa Rodman Staff Writer
Drawing and Painting students investigated how individual artists can use surrealist imagery during a contemplative visit Tuesday to The Whitney Museums Real/ Surreal exhibition. The show features American paintings from the first half of the 20th century. The piecescirca 1920s to early 1950sexplore the genesis of surrealismbizarre, out of the ordinary images juxtaposed with the ordinaryfrom the more conventional content of realist paintings. The surrealist paintings dealt more with fantasythe jumbling up of different imagery, visual arts teacher Kim Do said. Being able to focus on a core selection of paintings as a group was helpful for a budding artist, Drawing and Painting student Pak Shen (12) said. You learn more; you see more when you share ideas and brainstorm about a piece. Even the guide didnt originally see some of the things we picked out for discussion. One of the pieces which the students reflected upon was painted by Rockwell Kent, an artist born and raised in New York who attended Horace Mann in the early twentieth century. Seeing his painting was kind of a highlight for us because not only is Kent a well-recognized artist but his being a alumni of our school was a good way for the students to connect to the show, Do said. Edward Hoppers Early Sunday you dont imitate anothers work exactly, the paintings the group discussed will allow me to be more creative and more innovative in the classroom, he said. Even before visiting the Whitney, many of the Drawing and Painting students had already been playing with the concept of fantastical images. Erik Derecktor (12) is currently working on a landscape that is fundamentally shaped like a hand with the knuckles of the hand morphing into hills. In Dos AP Drawing and Painting class, Kanfer is concentrating on the topic of distortion, as her personal focus in the course, during which students create their own portfolios, she said. One of Kanfers paintings is a portrait in which the subject is part person and part machine, which riffs on a surrealist painters notion of reality, she said. The girl is peeling the skin away from her face to reveal mechanical parts underneath, so its surreal in that its unexpected, yet at the same time you can recognize that it is a painting of a girl, she said. Art students can look forward to the possibility of another trip later in the year. Weve gone to the Brooklyn Museum and to the Met in past years, and now we can add the Whitney to the list, Do said. Everybody seemed to gain something from the trip, so Im definitely hoping to do another one. Im also proud of the students for not running in the museum, Do joked.

Skiers Fly Down the Slopes

Robert Hefter Staff Writer
The ski teams biggest obstacle this year is not one of their traditional opponents, but mother nature. The lack of snow has left the team without many opportunities to perform. Before the season started, the team traveled to Vermont, where there is significantly more snow than in New York. They worked on their skills and mental game to prepare for the upcoming season. We were able to have a lot of race training in Vermont which really helped us early on in the season, Co-Captain Andre Manuel (12) said. The Lions are not able to race against private schools because none of them have a working program. Therefore, they race against a strong set of public schools Coach Rawlins Troop said. Wednesday, the team faced Clarkstown, Bronxville, and Ardsley. The teams scoring is tallied by adding the times of the top five racers for each team, meaning the lower the team score, the better. The girls team lost by a slim margin to Clarkstown, 192.57 to 191.34. However, they came out victorious against Ardsley and Bronxville. The team was able to dominate in this meet even without captain Gillian Miller-Lewis (12), who was sidelined by illness, with Francis Kronenberg (11) was tops on the girls team with a time of 26.05. The boys team faced Clarkstown and Ardsley. The team dominated in the Ardsley meet, but lost against Clarkstown, bringing the record to 1 and 1. Alex Cogut (11) was tops on the boys team with a time of 35.39. The combined record of both teams came out to be a three wins and two losses which it hopes to continue to end the year.

Lions Den

Friday, January 20, 2012

Eddy Grafstein (12) butterflies his way down the pool in the teams most recent meet against Dalton.

Kimberely Sarnoff/Photography Editor

Vivien Ikwuazom Staff Writer

Swimming Prepares for Ivy League Trials

teams strategies was deciding the line-up for the meet and what team members would swim in each event. When planning we really want to take advantage of the teams strengths and tailor the line up each week in knowing who you will compete against. With Trinity we knew we could not win in certain events, so we pulled people out and placed them in events that we knew were would score well on, Grafstein said. We have a lot of talent this year but we need to work on our discipline as a group and making sure we are all pushing each other to do our best in practice every day, so that work pays off in races, Captain Amy Hood (11) said. Along with altering their line-up the girls team also performed many drills and worked on their technique. We also worked on getting a lot of yardage in, working on turns and starts because those are crucial place to drop seconds off of our times, captain Lizzy Rosenblatt (11) said. The boys team also worked on improving minor things such as start and turns, to make sure we would win our races, Alexandre-Eid said. Another major strategy was to place as many swimmers from the team in an event to score more points. We have a lot of decent swimmers on our team and as a result the more lanes there are in a pool the more swimmers we are allowed to place in the events; we generally score higher when we are able to have more swimmers swimming in the events, Alex Fine (11) said. We were able to get the first and second lane in most of the events during the meet, which definitely helped us get the win, coach Michael Duffy said. The team has two more duel

Edward Hoppers Early Sunday Monring was a centerpiece of The Real/Surreal exhibit at the Whitney Museum. Morning was another favorite piece from the trip, AP drawing and painting student Billie Kanfer (12) said. Greeting the observers, a row of empty storefronts stand shadowed in the cool light of sunrise, in an empty town where only a fire hydrant and a candy-cane barbershop pole occupy the street. The painting really stood out to Kanfer in that it was fairly realistic looking, but it had a dusty quality to it, she said. The scene supposedly takes place on a New York City street, so, since the streets painted were completely empty, it was surreal that New York could ever not be busy, she said. In this way, the paintings deeper meaning was subtle. Its universal for teenagers to be interested in surreal images especially, Do said. Youre caught in between childhood and adulthood, and that space opens up possibilities to be expressed in art. While the paintings from the exhibition will not directly determine a project for his drawing and painting classes, as Do generally

Courtesy of the Whitney Museum

allows students to pursue selfdirected projects, some students will invariably choose some surrealist imagery to incorporate into their work, Do said. Visiting the exhibition provided his students with the means to view some professional approaches to surrealism, which they can, in fact, incorporate into their own classroom work, he added. Shen said that the trip to the Whitney really inspired him because he got to see more ideas, and although being an artist means

All Architecture is Classical Architecture

Will Ellison Staff Writer
Studies of Renaissance and related art movements filled Thomas Fosters (12) first trimester as he studied Leonardo Da Vinci, his life, his works and the transition from the Gothic Period to the early Renaissance for his independent study project. With a year of AP Art History under his belt, Foster said that he decided to pursue this project because he is interested in the Renaissance time period and architecture, and particularly how the two worked out with each other and thought that studying closely with art history teacher Avram Schlesinger would be the best way to continue my studies of art history by focusing on what most interests me. Schlesinger said that Fosters project is a great discipline and one that needs to be considered from both a historical perspective as well as an applied practice. Foster began the year by researching Da Vinci, the Gothic Period, and the early Italian Renaissance, while second trimester he is focusing on how several artists gave new meaning to Gothic architecture and applied that style to the Italian Renaissance. He is also studying the way in which the classical style transcended the Renaissance and manifested itself within the Baroque Period, and how those traditional Gothic forms still maintain their identity in todays architecture. During the third trimester, Foster will be investigating how Michelangelo took the High Renaissance and transformed it into Mannerism, which eventually became the Baroque Period. Foster called Michelangelo the last true Renaissance artist, sculptor and architect. Foster gave a presentation to his independent study class on Thursday where he illustrated continuities in classical aspects of architecture throughout time.

The Boys Swim Team beat Trinity last Friday and Dalton on Wednesday to move their record to 3-2, and 3-1 in the Ivy League. The victory was crucial for the boys after their loss to Hackley at a previous dual meet. You cannot win the league if you have more than one dual meet loss; in order to have a chance at winning Ivies, we needed to win the meet and stay in second place, Captain Eddy Grafstein (12) said. A lot of swimmers turned in best times and won the events they were supposed to and lived up to teams expectations. The team members swam for the team and not just for themselves, Captain Pierre Alexandre-Eid (12) said. The team members and the coaches put a lot of thought into strategies for the meet. One of the

meets until the Ivy Championships in February. The swim team has won the championships for the past four years. Before the championships are the Ivy Trials where each team enters four swimmers for each event. In the weeks before the Ivy Trials, the team usually tapers their practices. We cut down on the length of practice and do more sprint work as well as different types of drills to get our bodies prepared. Another important part is the shave down to make ourselves as streamlined as possible and get a good feel for the water, Grafstein said. At this point every member of the team is in great shape and turning in good times. It is a matter of making staying shape, eating right, sleeping staying healthy and modifying your technique or the way you train. It is the little adjustments that will make the difference, Alexandre-Eid said.

NFL PLAYOFFS PREVIEW with Evan Reinsberg (11)

Giants

vs.
49ers
stop, allowing only 77 yards per game. The Niners also have the leagues best turnover ratio, stealing possessions 32 more times than their opponents. A key for a Giants victory this weekend will be to win the turnover battle. On the other side of the ball, San Fransisco has been led by QB Alex Smith and TE Vernon Davis. Harbaughs strong emphasis on the ground and pound game to RB Frank Gore has enabled Davis to capitalize on opportunities through the play-action game. Smith, the first overall pick of the 2005 Draft, was tagged as a bust, but is quickly proving his many critics wrong. Smith has thrown for 17 touchdowns, but what is most impressive is that he has only tossed 5 interceptions all season. The Giants vaunted defensive rush will need to control the trenches to stop Frank Gore and apply pressure on Alex Smith. The Big Blues Three Headed Monster, consisting of Jason PierrePaul, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora should overwhelm the Niners offensive line and make Smiths day as miserable as possible. This will be a hard fought battle, but the Giants are simply playing too well to be stopped right now. Prediction: Giants 24--49ers 17

Patriots

vs.
Ravens
only way the Ravens can keep the Pats offense in check is to use creative blitz schemes and apply constant pressure on Tom Brady. The Patriots only lost 3 times this season, and the recurring trend in those losses has been penetration to the backfield through blitzes. The Ravens offense has been very inconsistent this season, mostly due to the erratic play of QB Joe Flacco. Fortunately for the Ravens, they face a horrible pass defense in the Patriots (31st in the league) that has struggled all season covering opposing receivers. Although the Pats defense looked good against the Broncos by allowing only 10 points, it is impossible to tell if that was due to defensive improvement or the inept passing game of Tim Tebow. A constant for the Ravens offense has been the stellar play of running back Ray Rice, who will need a big game for the Ravens to have a chance. The Ravens and Patriots are both experienced veteran teams, but this year the Patriots are just too strong on offense for the Ravens to stop. There is too much that has to go right for the Ravens to win, so it looks like there should be a Super Bowl rematch of the Patriots and Giants. Prediction: Patriots 35--Ravens 24

thecultureconcept.com

Thomas Foster (12) described the influence of classical architecture throughout time using buildings such as the Florence Cathedral (above) and Villa Rotunda (right) during his independent study presentation. The Villa Rotunda is more clearly identifiable as classical through its columns and pediments, both components taken from Greek and Roman architectural traditions.

openbuildings.com

Last weekend, the city erupted in joy with the Giants upset over the top-seed in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers. This Sunday, the red-hot New York Giants storm into Candlestick Park looking to light up their 5th straight opponent. The only thing between the Giants and a trip to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl is a hard-nosed San Francisco 49ers team, who are coming off an epic victory over the Saints. While Jim Harbaughs squad beat Big Blue in Week 10, both teams are dramatically improved heading into this NFC clash. The Giants are averaging over 30 points per game in their last 4, and Eli Manning has this offense firing on all cylinders. Wide Receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz have made a tremendous impact, as their big play ability has been an integral part the Giants formula for success. To keep defenses off balance, Big Blues running attack, which carried them to a Super Bowl title in 2008, has been on the upswing in the playoffs after a mediocre regular season. The Giants running back tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will need to make solid gains on 1st and 2nd downs to give Eli manageable third down situations. However, the 49ers defense hopes to bring the Giants offense to a screeching halt. The Niners D boasts the leagues best run

In this showdown between the AFCs elite, the Patriots and Ravens are coming off totally opposite victories. While the New England Patriots cruised to a 45-10 beatdown over Tim Tebows Denver Broncos, the Ravens staved off a feisty Texans team 20-13. These two teams are incredibly different as the Patriots are led by Tom Brady and a high scoring offense, whereas the Ravens are led by a stingy, playoff-ready defense. The Pats offense has been nearly unstoppable this season, averaging more than 400 total offensive yards per game. Brady utilizes two big, athletic tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who have been destroying defenses all season. Gronkowski has been a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses, scoring 17 touchdowns, decimating the previous record for scores by a Tight End in a single season. If Gronk can continue his tear against on Sunday, it will be a long for the Ravens defense. The Ravens have been among the NFLs best defenses for the past decade, but covering all of the Pats weapons is a huge challenge. To make the task even more difficult for the Ravens, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick has started using Hernandez out of the backfield, making coverage for the opposing defense almost impossible. The

Contributions by Andrew Arnaboldi (11), Michael Reiss (11), & Andrew Schwartz (11)

January 20, 2012

LionsDen
The Horace Mann Record

Volume 109, Issue 15

Squash Remains Confident for Season

Chloe Tsang Staff Writer
The Boys Varsity Squash team is preparing for its final six matches of the season. Currently, the team is tied for first place in the Ivy League. For the second year, head coach Jon Eshoo has brought in two different squash professionals to help coach the teams for several sessions, he said. In order to compete with other schools who, for the most part, have professional squash players coaching them, weve also brought in professionals to consult and help us with drills and court strategy, he said. Eshoo said that, like any sport, squash players should practice during the offseason and carry their training into the season with them. One of the other reasons we brought in professionals was for that reason, he said, so that we can add something new and challenging to our practice regimen. Working with the coaches has helped the team learn from its problems and has been truly quite helpful for everyone, Pierson Broadwater (10) said. One of the teams advantages this year is its number of players, Eshoo said. Our strength is the fact that we can put out seven quality players as opposed to having a top-heavy one or two good players. One of the teams weaknesses, however, is inexperience at the bottom of the lineup, he added. Many of the team members came into the season injured, Marcus Plenty (10) said. Weve got a lot of talent on the team, but we need to work on putting it to better use more effectively, Pierson Broadwater (10) I think that, personally, our team needs to work on better court awareness, Broadwater said. Weve got a lot of talent on the team, but we need to work on putting it to better use more effectively, he said. As the season unfolds, the players have become more consistent and have improved their game with more court time and matches, Eshoo said. During practices, the team has been working on strategies and technical skills, CoCaptain Harrison Finkelstein (12) said. The players also work on all facets of the game, especially match play and repetition, Eshoo said. The time they spend on court is very important, he said. The more court time, the more theyll improve. The team hopes to compete with some of the better teams in the country near our area, Eshoo said. Their record is 3-5 and will be having a rematch against Saint Anns next Thursday.

Max Futterman (10) grapples with his Rye Country Day opponent in yesterdays dual meet.

Courtesy of Rick Gilston

Wrestling Grabs Hold of Ivy League

losing only to Brewster, Horace Greeley, and Eagle Academy in competitive battles. Our losses were tough ones, but we learned a lot from each match and have taken that with us throughout the season, Quilty said. On Wednesday the Lions pinned their way through the Trinity lineup and won by a commanding score of 75-3. This match was a confidence builder as we start to face many more private schools, Russo said. On Thursday, the team continued their dominance against the Rye Country Day School, winning 73-6. Captain Justin Gilston (12) said, It was a strong showing against a top private school team. Everyone on the team won their match, and the only points we gave up were due to forfeit. Russo said, We have a lot of depth on the team and a lot of really talented and dedicated wrestlers, which has helped us win throughout the year. The Lions have controlled their opponents in almost every weight class, from 96 pounds to 220. The Lions have also received great performances from underclassmen who have continued to assert themselves as members of the team. The freshmen have been amazing for us so far, Russo said. The returning players have also stepped up their performance this year to make up for the loss of several key seniors. Captains Erik Derecktor (12) and Gilston have been absolutely dominant against their opponents this season, and have a chance to compete in the national tournament if they win the New York State tournament later in the year. We practice more and harder than every Ivy League school and I think that really prepares us for each match, Russo said. As a result of their hard work, the Lions are better conditioned and have better technique than their opponents, compensating for their lack of size. We have been working on controlling the top position in practice and really making sure we dont repeat mistakes. If we see a different move during a match or if we do something wrong, we will make sure to go over it during practice, Quilty said. Quilty loads the first half of the season with matches against tough New York Public schools. The public schools are harder competition for us which prepares us really well for easier Ivy League opponents, Russo said. Then we have more matches under our belt by the time the Ivy League schedule starts, Russo said. The Lions will compete in a 22team Edgemont tournament on Saturday against some of the top competition in the tri-state area.

Michael Reiss Staff Writer

The Varsity Wrestling Team has dominated its early competition, defeating. top Ivy League teams including Hackley, Poly Prep, and Dalton, as well as some New York public school powerhouses. Last year, the Lions won the Ivy League and were the Private School New York State Champions. We knew that it would be hard to repeat last years success, but so far we have been doing everything right and we feel we can definitely do something special this year, third year varsity player Matthew Russo (11) said. We have beaten arguably the three strongest teams in the Ivy League, so now moving further, we have total control of our destiny, Head Coach Gregg Quilty said. The Lions are 14-3 this year,

Horace Mann @ Dalton

Girls Basketball: 5:45 PM Boys Basketball: 7:30 PM

Maddy Gordon shoots for 1000 points as the team looks to improve to 9-1.

The Boys go for a season sweep of Dalton and hope to rise in the league standings.