The Horace Mann Record

HORACE MANN SCHOOL | WEEKLY SINCE 1913 January 27, 2012 http://record.horacemann.org Volume 109, Issue 16

Capelluto Lecture Focuses on Tale of Survival

Amy Hood Staff Writer
A Holocaust survivor emphasized how luck and a few acts of kindness kept her alive as she recounted her experience in hiding and in labor camps at Tuesdays assembly. Gina Hochberg Lanceter was eleven in 1939 when the Second World War broke out. She lost all of her immediate family. Before being forced to leap for her own survival from the train carrying her parents to an extermination camp her father told her, you must jump; you must tell what happened to us; you must survive because this way we wont die in vain, she recalled. Immediately after losing her parents Lanceter had moments when she considered giving up but a voice told her to keep going, she said. There was always someone looking out for me. And my parents were with me all the time. Out of the 3,000 people in transport to the concentration camps, she and two other men were the only survivors. After escaping with a bullet in her side and significant head injuries, Lanceter walked for four days until she was no longer able to continue. A parish priest

At Tuesdays assembly, Gina Hochberg Lanceter uses a woodframe to represent the train car window she squeezed out of to escape transport to a concentration camp. provided aid, shelter, and a forged birth certificate. Among so many bad people, there were still people who were good and tried to help, she said. After shooting on the spot three other men who had avoided gas chambers, a notorious Nazi official decided to spare Lanceters life. She then was able to escape her labor camp and went into hiding. Lanceter has spoken close to 250 times around the country at churches, synagogues, and universities since 1991. Hitler didnt win completely. I hope Ive accomplished something, she said. America is the greatest country in the world, even with all its shortcomings, and its up to you young people to cherish this country

Carly Amon/Staff Photographer

and to take a stand, Lanceter said at the assembly. If you see someone bullied, speak up because silence brings holocaust and genocide. People should live in peace and I think my message conveys that. Lanceter was the speaker at the Alexander Capelluto Memorial Lecture. Its a critically important story in terms of giving real insight. People forget things like that are still happening today, Jaques Capelluto said. Events like the Holocaust are abstractions. Its one thing to learn how millions are killed, but its a whole other thing to learn what that means on a personal level. In addition, viewing speakers like Lanceter is crucial because fewer and fewer survivors are left, he said. Before the presentation, Karen Capelluto introduced the Capelluto Award, named in honor of Alexander Capelluto 04, which supports student projects to make a difference in their world. Only two weeks after hearing about Lanceters plan to speak, 4th grade teacher Sandy Rubenstein was looking through her late fathers papers and found a report Alex had written when he was her student about her fathers Holocaust memoir, Mark it with a Stone.

AP Psychology Hears Living Exemplar of Eye-Witness Testimony

Vivien Ikwuazom Staff Writer
AP Psychology students heard directly on Monday from a Holocaust survivor whose testimony they had studied in class. Roman Kent, who survived Polands Lodz ghetto and several concentration camps, spoke at the United Nations. Students had studied human behavior gone terribly wrong, the resiliency characteristic of Holocaust survivors, and how history is recorded for future generations to study and analyze, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said. A thousand Holocaust testimonies are available on an online application called IWitness, created by the USC Shoah Foundation Institute. Using IWitness, students watched sections of Kents testimony and completed some online activities pertaining to the video, Madison Gordon (12) said. In one exercise each student created his or her own word cloud using words that he or she thought of in response to the video testimonies. Each students world-cloud was then combined with the other students in the class, to establish one big word cloud. The activities are important because it shows students the value and power of testimony and how that can enhance a students understanding of history because it is the personal voice of someone who was actually there, Sandy Rubenstein, 4th grade teacher, said. IWitness offered a terrific opportunity for the class to learn how best to incorporate eye witness testimonials in the examination of a historical event. Just being exposed to the ethical guidelines on the handling of video taped testimonials was well worth the experience, Kelly said. Students acquired a better appreciation of how we react differently to video taped testimonials in comparison to being exposed to more traditional data sets or printed testimonials. Human perception is driven by a delicate, yet complex, mix of biological and psychological processes, Kelly said. Since the year 2000, the institute has been cataloging, indexing and developing search engines to allow us to use the archives, school trustee Robert Katz 65 and chair of the board of counselors at the Institute said. We wanted to make the survivor videos and interviews were accessible and utilized as educational tools and teaching products. The point of the foundation is to make high school students aware of the holocaust and to acknowledge how tragic it was and how things like this are possible in our world today, Gordon said. Students from Kellys class joined a total of 300 students from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania to attend the event at United Nations headquarters. Students learned more about the holocaust and the conditions Kent endured during that time period as well as his family and tolerance, Jessy Gartenstein (11) said. It was a very sad story, but it is a miracle he is alive. I definitely learned to appreciate things more.

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SWOOSH A free throw in the third quarter gave Captain Madison Gordon (12) her 1000th career point at Dalton last Friday. See Page 8 for details.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Opinions & Editorials

Volume 109

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

TMI: Why Sometimes, Less Is More

My family makes a point to try to eat organic foods, so we purchase our eggs from a small farm in Connecticut that boasts of raising chickens free from cages. To increase our feeling Rebecca Shaw of supporting a small family-owned business, they slip into each egg carton a little pamphlet that they call Farm News, describing day-to-day occurrences on the family farm. For the most part, these updates contain news of the purchase of a new cow, or an announcement about winning first prize in a pie competition. Last week, as I idly flipped open a carton of eggs, the headline of the leaflet caught my eye: My Heart Attack, by Farmer George. Instead of the usual lighthearted rural fare, this gentleman decided to detail his trip to the emergency room, then send out that information to everyone who purchased his eggs. Although Im sorry Farmer George had to go through this, its not exactly what I had in mind when I went to make an omelet. It seems to me that American culture today is becoming increasingly obsessed with over-sharing. Perhaps it has something to do the way we conduct our social and recreational lives using technology. Between reality TV, Twitter, and Facebook, thousands of people make their livings based on the mundane details of others lives. We find ourselves emotionally invested in the proceedings of Kim Kardashians divorce, and spend hours scanning profile pictures of people weve never met in person. Websites such as YouTube let anyone upload videos of themselves performing, or even just talking into their webcam. Some of these people truly have a talent that perhaps otherwise would not have been recognized. But for every future pop star, there are five videos of a man sitting at home recapping the last episode of How I Met Your Mother. Whats particularly worrisome is that this clip will have over 500 views. Perhaps it can be a positive thing to live in a world where acknowledgement can be given to even the most minute news or accomplishments. On the other hand, when we so readily expose ourselves to the public, we also open ourselves up to judgment and criticism, and perhaps not without justification. We are meant to have private and public lives, lives in which we can choose what to share about ourselves and with whom. So much of what used to be private information, we now choose to share with the world, and we know much more about the people around us. So where do we draw the line? The concept of too much information grows increasingly hazy if theres a willing audience for our personal, mundane, or icky info. We have an inflated sense of not only our own wonderfulness, but also the interest others have in our lives. Come to think of it, this all reminds me of an existential crisis I had the other day while I was eating Special K. Ill post it to my LiveJournal later.

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.

Dont Denounce, Support Passion

passions is the same as mocking ones identity- they are both areas that reflect a much more sensitive side to the personality. Words hurt a lot more than physical actions. And when those words are coming from your friends, it hurts much more. I see people who are usually happy and bright look extremely downcast and hurt from their friends relentless mocking their new interests. When your interests are oppressed by the people you trust the most, you begin to question what it is youre really interested in, and in the end, might sacrifice your own passions to salvage what little relationship you originally had with your friend. A friend is someone with whom you trust yourself and your emotional safety. Yet, when your friends are the ones who are making fun of you, how can you feel safe at school? The students mentioned earlier put up with this dejection because the cruel words come from people they call friends. Yet if someone cant really understand you and accept you for who you are, including your passions, then they arent qualified to be your friend. This idea of betraying your friends interests can be seen a lot in extracurricular activities, especially the arts. A student who has suddenly found a passion for performing or visual art shouldnt be made fun of by his or her friends just because they do not share the same interest. Be it music, acting, dance, painting, or any other form, art gives a venue of expressing ones deepest thoughts and emotions, and a love for it shouldnt be taken away by others who find that same expression in different fields. Ridiculing someone for their interests because they are different from yours is just the same as ridiculing someone for having a different socio-economic background than yours- theyre both bigotry. People need to become more aware of their peers and the activities they get into. Many people dont even know that the Student Choreographed Dance Concert is this week, and those who do know might have already denounced it in their minds, dismissing it without even acknowledging the hard work their peers put into it. Instead of being inspired by the love of dance that might drive students to put on these concerts, they instead brush it off with a closed mind. If they would open up just once, maybe they would be able to see why it is so loved and maybe find a new interest in it for themselves. When expressing your personal interests, there is always the chance that people will try to limit you to set boundaries. If people are pressuring you to be confined to one thing, you cant have the opportunity to fully become the true person that you can be. Just because you enjoy dance shouldnt make you just artsy or not athletic. Dance, along with the other arts, takes incredible amounts of time and energy from the already busy life of the HM student. Art takes as much skill, stamina, and physical strength as a sport, magazine, or other extracurricular activity. Its emotionally investing and people often dont understand how great an effect this has on ones physical strength as well. On top of that people who are really good in the arts often really love it, and to denounce something so actively part of someones soul, even as a joke, is cruel and selfish. The same goes for all arts, in fact for everything that anyone could be interested in. If it is your friend that has a new interest that you never understood before, you encourage them to follow your denouncement, just for your own selfish want for them to be like you. Passions shouldnt be sacrificed for friends; friends should facilitate passion in others. We need to be better at encouraging friendship that supports life passions, as this is a fundamental component of a caring community like the one we have at Horace Mann.

Crowded.

How often do you have to wait more than 15 minutes to get a seat or a computer in the library? How about to find a parking spot around campus? To lift weights in the fitness center? In recent years, the schools student population has surpassed its infrastructure, leaving us feeling cramped and displaced. The seniors have the senior room in the library, but it is overflowing most periods. If students in other grades wish to work together, they must resort to either waiting for a group study room or working in a hallway. The librarians constantly need to remind us to quiet down and to utilize one of the spaces, but for the majority of time they are packed, resulting in warnings and ultimately, bans (Have you noticed the recent crackdown?). Many of our athletes want to improve and be the best they can be, not only to enhance themselves, but also their teams. However, students are not allowed into the fitness center when physical education classes are in session or when a coach isnt there to supervise the room during the day. After school, when the center is locked, we are unable to achieve our personal and team-wide goals. We are so fortunate to have these facilities available to us; we should be able to take advantage of them all. In the early 2000s, our school went through a major renovation. Multiple structures were enhanced and built, including Katz Library, Mullady Hall, and Gross Theatre in order to provide students additional space to learn and thrive. Now, ten years later, we are already asking for added space. The school is drawing up blueprints for a future a new student center and athletic building. The student body should be notified of the current plans and given the chance to provide input so that a Record board in ten years isnt writing this editorial again.

Ana Siracusano
Have you ever felt like no one in the world understands you? Being teenagers, Ill say without a doubt that most of us teenagers have experienced this adolescent angst. Nothing goes your way no matter how hard you try, no one seems to understand you, you just want to slam your head against a wall in hope that maybe the increasing agony in your forehead will push your worries away - sound familiar? Many often categorize this as growing up, but there is a deeper layer to this angst that we often overlook: bullying. How, you may ask, is bullying related to teenage anxiety? Only by being a contributing factor to the atrophy of the psyche of young people and how we perceive ourselves, our ideas, and our dreams. Yes, I know bullying is an issue our school, our community, and modern pop culture has mulled over too many times, but that does not mean it is an issue that we can stop thinking about, especially if it is present at our school. Not the physical kind - Im talking about something on a more personal level. I know students who are demoralized by their friends in the middle of the hallway or during class. It never has to do with stereotypical topics like social background or brains vs. brawn. Instead it is always about the students interests or newfound passions. However, the type of bullying that can be the most hurtful are insults to your direct self; the part of you that distinguishes you from everyone else. This identity stems from your individual interests, your passions, and your dreams. Mocking ones

Corrections
The Record apologizes for the content in last weeks Trashketball spread. The team names had not been approved before they were published. The write-ups do not reflect the views of The Record Board or its journalistic ethics. The approved and official team names are as follows: Lion Pause, Ace Burgers, Team No-Show, Purple Unicorns, The Abusement Park, The Bad News Berensons, Mista Pookie, Global Gymnasium.

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News

Friday, January 27, 2012

Raab, Posner to Debate at the Tournament of Champions

Asher Baumrin Staff Writer
As a result of their success at last Fridays debate at Columbia University, two juniors will be on their way to Kentucky for the Tournament of Champions. Co-presidents of the Debate Team, Alex Posner (11) and Nathan Raab (11) reached semi-finals as they debated with teams from Regis, Collegiate, Bronx Science, and other schools at the Columbia University debate, arguing in for and against the following topic: the costs of a college education outweigh the benefits, Raab said. We talked a lot about debt, rising tuition costs, and increased earnings power, he said. But we also saw our fair share of international cases, where people argued that education in China was raising peasants from poverty. In order to qualify for TOC, a team, made up of two members, must receive two bids from TOC qualifying tournaments, such as the ones Posner and Raab participated in at Yale and Columbia, cofaculty advisor Debbie Seidell said. Debaters receive bids by reaching octo-finals, Raab said. In the case of Raab and Posner, they reached octo-finals at Yale, and semi-finals at Columbia. The Debate Team, which started competing two years ago follows a debate style called Public Forum. Each team is made up of two debaters who argue both sides of a given topic against an opposing team. The choice of who speaks first and what argumentpro or con will be made first is decided by a coin toss. This style of debate is different from what takes place in Model U.N. and Model Congress because it is focused on the ability to debate both sides of an issue Posner said. He calls it something like a game of mental chess in the way that the participants are constantly engaged both verbally and in terms of access to data and statistics during the debate. Theres no diplomacy or trying to get others to agree with you, Seidell said. Instead of coalition-building, its just debate. What I like about debate is that you argue both sides, Posner said. In the month that Ive debated a certain issue, my view of that issue changes. No matter how good you are with speaking, nothing trumps knowing the information. Past issues the team has grappled with include whether or not post September 11th security measures outweigh the injury on individual freedom and whether or not income

Nathan Raab (11) and Alex Posner (11) qualified for the Tournament of Champions after their recent success in last Fridays debate. disparities compromise democratic ideals, according to the National Forensic League. Its really rewarding, and I do think that even if you dont win every round, you come out much more knowledgeable and capable, Raab said. Quite a few of our debaters have told us that after debating for a month or two, they thought they were doing better on tests, or winning more arguments with their parents. The TOC is what everyones working towards, Posner said. Its a goal weve had all year. Raab and Posner, who sifted through thousands of pages of research according to Posner, debated whether or not the costs of a college education outweigh the benefit at last weeks debate, a topic chosen by the National Forensics League, who will also announce the topic of the TOC debates on March 1st. Raab and Posner met several times over winter break, Posner said. As a result we often really knew what we were talking about more than our opponents and that was a big help. Sifting through the profusion of information at the debates has been more efficient because the team went totally iPad. Posner

/ Staff Photographer

said. This gave the team a leg up and is definitely a resource we plan on taking advantage in the future. Despite the pairs success, everybody on the Debate Team still has a really good shot at qualifying for TOC, Posner said. In the coming month, there will be three debates, two of which are TOC qualifying, on the topic: should birthrights citizenship in America be abolished. Its a matter of hard work, putting in the research, time and effort, thinking creatively in terms of arguments and working hard towards the goal of qualifying for TOCs, Posner said.

AP Enviro Takes Museum of Natural History by Storm

Lucy Golub Staff Writer
Amid butterflies and through a hall of biodiversity, students of the AP Environmental Science class explored the Earth Science section of the Natural History Museum, this Tuesday. The Earth Science section of the Museum has information about geology and global climate change, but one of the main sections the group usually travels to, with everything theyre learning was closed, AP Environmental Science teacher Dora Barlaz said. But the students were able to see two different types of volcanic rocks, a model of an ocean floor, an ice core which shows the previous state of the atmosphere, from the bubbles, and other examples of the geology and biodiversity on our planet, Barlaz said. In the hall of biodiversity, the students walked around as Barlaz explained the main points of the exhibit, Owen Elliot (12) said. According to Zander Daniel (12),It was relatively informal. We didnt have to fill out questions while looking for things, it was more to enjoy and learn from the experience. With Environmental Science, being able to take the class in a more hands on way really enhances our way to see the world. Theres a clear link between experiencing

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something in an active way and what we do in the classroom, Daniel said. Regardless of the closing at the museum, the students were able to have a fulfilling field trip with the other exhibits the museum had to offer, Barlaz said. Studying the rocks, volcanoes, ice, animals and geology of the planet demonstrated how environmental science is not just about how we affect the environment; its about how the environment affect us, she said. From exploring a recreation of the Congo jungle to walking under the belly of a giant suspended whale, this field trip was a really neat to experience some of the things we are studying in class in a more interactive hands on way, Daniel said.

RECITAL HALL

CC Subdivides to Tackle Wider Spectrum of Issues

Andrew Schwartz Staff Writer
The Community Council met for the first time this week in four subcommittees, each designed to target specific school issues. The split into sub-committees will allow the CC to fully address a wider range of issues that could have been overlooked in a larger meeting, CC Chair Max Moran (12) said. The committees, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Extra-Curricular Activities, and Rules and Procedure will allow representatives to focus on issues that might not be significant enough to be discussed in front of the entire Community Council, but still affect some students, Chair of the Committee on Extra-Curricular Activities, Zander Daniel (12), said. His committee discussed making stricter requirements for a club to be recognized. . Representatives proposed that club officials write about their organizations goals at the beginning of the year, and write a summary of their accomplishments at the end of the academic year. This initiative is aimed at sifting the number of clubs into the ones that are legitimate and the ones that are not, Representative Charles Scherr (11) said. We want greater attendance for a smaller number of clubs. The academic affairs committee discussed the way teachers submit report cards. The new proposal asks teachers to include comments with all their grades, Moran said. The student life committee identified its goal as to make the life of the Horace Mann student a better place outside the classroom, chair Jessica Bernheim (12) said. We will explore a variety of issues that are not covered by the academic and extracurricular committees.

JOIN THE CANCER AWARENESS CLUB

AS DR. JENNIFER RATNER SPEAKS ABOUT PEDIATRIC LEUKEMIA

Friday, January 27, 2012

Features

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Steve Singer: From Sports to Shakespeare

Maddie Penn Staff Writer
During his career as a sports journalist, English Teacher Steve Singer covered the Final Four, interviewed sport legends, including Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Bradley, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax and Joe Namath, and covered the Cosmos, the best soccer team ever in the US, he said. His love for sports began when Singer was a child, growing up in the Bronx. It started with my favorite uncle, uncle Julius, who took me to my first Yankees game. I loved him and I associated sports with him. As a self-describe kid who loved to play he wanted to be close to sports. Once I started it was like a drug, he said. As an undergraduate at Columbia University, Singer wrote for the Spectator, and for a work-study job, he worked in the colleges sports publicity office. He became Associate Sports Editor for the paper his senior year. When I got out of school, I didnt know what I wanted to do, but I knew I loved writing, he said. From there, Singer became a copy boy at the New York Post. Just picture all these guys with Ivy League degrees running around like chickens without a head when some guy yelled out COPY! But this job did not last for too long; within a month and a half he was promoted to the sports desk. I had to make a name for myself, he said, and I would find out when Columbia had a game far enough away that the Post would not send a real reporter and so on my own money I would go and cover it, and then my stuff got in the paper, he said. After working at the Post, Singer got a job as Associate Editor at Sport Magazine, then a competitor to Sports Illustrated. This was the magazine every kid in the United States read religiously, he said. The best part of that job was having the press pass. I could go to every event, even when I was not covering it; I got to know all the writers in New York, all the athletes and see everything. His most memorable moments included being in the locker room after the game; its hard to beat that, Singer said. I loved going to games and learning about players and what kind of people they were. At first I was pinching myself, there is a tremendous rush in talking to players, some of whom even knew my name. By getting to witness everything behind the scenes, Singer was shocked to see the inaccuracies in other writers articles. Singer would stand around listening to other reporters getting behind-the-scenes information in the locker room, but would then read their stories and they were not the stories Id heard from the players. It was an eye opener for me. Some of them would even just make up stuff, which was rarer, but still. When I was a kid, the reporters were gods. I worshipped them more than the athletes themselves sometimes and a couple of the reporters just got stuff wrong, he said. I liked being in the environment, being on the inside, knowing things that others didnt know, being around other writers, being around the players and reading my name in the paper. Others were equally intrigued by Singers job. His best friend from Columbia, who worked at a prestigious law firm near Singers office, would often meet Singer for dinner, with some of his fellow lawyers. They started buying me dinner because I would tell them everything about New York teams. They would sit around asking me Whats going on with the Yankees? Whats going on with the Mets?

Carly Amon/ Staff Photographer

Though he loved his job as a sports journalist, Singer eventually pursued other interests. He decided to become a freelance journalist and wrote about other pressing issues including profiles of actors, stories on people with stories to tell and features on campus rebellions in various publications including Newsweek, TV Guide, and the Daily News. I would bombard people with ideas. To

be a freelance journalist, you have to be a systematic entrepreneur. Eventually, Singer ended up as the Director of College Counseling here for twenty-five years. If you can write about a player or a movie star, you can write about a kid going to college. It was not my intention to be a college counselor, but I can write! he said. And I knew I liked writing.

Susan Groppi: History Teacher by Day, Sci-Fi Editor by Night

Bettina Edelstein Staff Writer
History teacher Dr. Susan Groppi is an award-winning science fiction editor, who is as familiar with articles about Muppets, artificial intelligence, moto-cross racing dinosaurs, and vampires as with the Atlantic slave trade. I started reading science fiction when I was in high school, and Ive always really enjoyed it, Groppi said. The ideas are more out of the ordinary than other types of fiction. Sometimes it lets you do something unusual because you dont have to follow the same rules as society. Basically, things can be crazy. In 2010, she won a World Fantasy Award for her work on Strange Horizons, an online science fiction magazine, with about 10,000 regular readers. She has been an editor since 2000, and currently edits the fiction section. The magazine publishes many well-known science fiction authors, from John Scalzi to Justine Larbalestier. When she started 11 years ago, she had just finished graduate school, moved across the country. I liked working with the magazine because it was a way to meet new people. Now some of the people are my best friends. As the fiction editor, I really like reading the fiction and choosing what to publish. Strange Horizons has been nominated for a British Science Fiction award and twice for a Hugo award, the top award in science fiction. I got to go to a party at Neil Gaimans house. That was probably the coolest thing Ive gotten to do as a result of this, Groppi said. Gaiman is an English author, who has won numerous awards for his work and his most notable novels include American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. a language where you can only speak true things. Since Groppi started teaching here in 2008, the biggest challenge has been finding the time to keep doing it. Im actually kind of pulling away from a lot of the magazine work because I cant keep managing it with my commitments at school. She stepped down from her eight-year run as editor-in-chief last year. However, Groppi likes having another piece of my life thats separate from teaching. One way in which her two worlds have intersected was during last years Book Day. She was able to help run workshops and bring speakers in to discuss Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. A few of the people who came for Book Day last year were people I knew either from graduate school of from my work in science fiction, Groppi said. Genevieve Valentine, a science fiction and fantasy author and Liz Gorinsky, an editor at Tor Books, participated in workshops and in the closing assembly. Marshall Perrin, an astronomer, ran a Book Day workshop last year, and for a number of years, he also wrote a science column for Strange Horizons. History and fantasy/science fiction may seem like polar opposites, Groppi said, but she has found a clear balance between the two. Some of the best science fiction is, on some level, really about our world and our society. In a similar way, some of the most interesting historical analysis can help us understand the present as much as the past. So in some ways, fiction and history are doing the same thing, but from different directions.

Carly Amon/ Staff Photographer

Groppi also writes a personal blog. Currently blogging a few times a week, its very hard juggling teaching history, editing, and blogging. At the beginning of each year, she said, all the students get very excited about my blogI think they read it for a week and then find it pretty boring. For Groppi, the blog is mostly a way for

her to talk to friends, and she said, Its kind of fun that I sometimes hear from people on the blog who I havent talked to in a while. Recently on the blog, she has written a lot of book reviewsnot all science fiction related. Groppi just finished Embassy Town by China Miville, about people who are ambassadors to an alien race who speak

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Arts & Entertainment

Friday, January 27, 2012

Student-Choreographed Dance Concert: 30 Girls and a Guy

Sarah Heintz Staff Writer
There was no need for a coffee run to the library on Wednesday morning. Nicki Minajs Super Bass, flashing, neon pink spandex, and 33 enthusiastic dancers formed a flash mob promoting this weeks studentchoreographed dance performance. The show, 30 Girls and A Guy, opened yesterday after school with the Spirit Squads Heat Pour Down a hip-hop piece to Jennifer Lopez Papi and Do It Well. The energy set the tone for the rest of the concert, showcasing student-choreographing talents from tap, Bollywood, ballet, and modern. One highlight was Kiki Heintz choreographed duet to Rihannas California King which was performed by ShaKea Alston (12) and the concerts one guy Danny Brereton (10). The dance illustrated a love story between the two dancers that started, Chest to chest, nose to nose, palm to palm. The strength of the dance was the emotion that bled into the acting of the dancers, such as the rejection indicated by Alstons pushing Brereton away, or Breretons drawing Alston closer in an embrace. The incorporation of lifts made the execution all the more impressive, and the perpetual tension, the tug and pull, and synchronization demonstrated not only the dancers skills, but also Heintz lyrical coordination. Before the show, Heintz (11), CoPresident of the Dance Club, said she was curious to see what the audience, which is mostly people who dont dance at all, will think about the show. Because this time, its our creation were showing off. Heintz and fellow CoPresident Alston performed their self-choreographed Swans to Tchaikovskys Allegro Agitato from Swank Lake. Playing off the theme of the black swan and the white swan, the dance featured a solo section by each captain filled with pirouettes. Alexis-Brianna Felix (12) and Victoria McKaba (11)s sizzling Aint Seen Nothin Yet burlesque was follow up by Julia Mark (9) and Allie Siegel (9)s Express which utilized chairs as a prop in their dance. Mark and Siegel had never choreographed before, but it was really fun learning the process behind creating and teaching my own dance, Siegel said. Running the class isnt always easy though, Mark said she discovered. Every part of the process got frustrating at some point, which really made it a learning experience, but Im really happy with how our dance turned out in the end. The concert closed with the Dance Workshop 3s Speak No Evil, which featured three groups that played on the theme of gossip and rumors to Missy Elliotts Gossip Folks and Adeles Rumor Has It. They are such an enthusiastic and dedicated group of dancers. I really look forward to sitting back and enjoying the performance. Dance Club Faculty Advisor Alison Kolinski said. This is their performance. Performances will be held after school today at 3:30 and 7:30, and again on Saturday at 7:30.

Carly Amon/Staff Photographer

Dance Club members popped, tapped, and cartwheeled their way through the first of four student choreographed performances. The dancers broke out into three flash mobs throughout Wednesday in order to rally enthusiasm for the show.

Additional Reporting by Senior Editor Eden Sng

special to me is that each book has a story of humanity that is important and relevant to all of us. Each grade in the LD has been studying one of Colliers books in preparation for his visit. The fifth grade students are reading about an enslaved African American Dave the Potter, which was read at the holiday assembly. He often researches and tries to experience similar stories first hand, and for this book he was able to actually see and hold one of the few pots made by the a slave potter still in existence. Earlier this month, Collier spoke at an LD Faculty Meeting about his background and how it relates to his art. He explained that publishing his first book was especially important to him because he knew that his work didnt really exist until a child read the book and responded to it; the interaction between his work and the reader is what makes the book Zuroski said. He conveyed a humility, a passion, and a deep interest in creating art that connects people, she said. The faculty celebrated African American History Month by looking at Bryans work. He really connected with the faculty, Head of Lower Division Wendy Steinthal said.

fashion show fundraiser event

friday february 3, 2012 cohen dining commons 6:00-9:00 PM
delicious food! raffle prizes! student-made, student-modeled fashion show! ~proceeds from the evening will go 50/50 towards the printing of f.a.d. magazine and towards generation rwanda~
In his visit to the LD, illustrator Bryan Collier will teach the fourth grade about his book Dave the Potter.
hbg-international.com

Molly Wharton Staff Writer

Illustrator to Bring Art to LD

Childrens book illustrator and author Bryan Collier will be working with Lower Division students in February on poetry writing, collage making, and other projects, as well as presenting his own collages and watercolors in an Upper Division gallery. In the LD, Collier will have a mini-studio in the library where the students will be able to see how he

at-the-door tickets: $10 students | $15 adults reserved tickets (available from wednesday): $7

creates his art. He will be sharing his experience with art and engage in different projects with each grade, such as poetry with illustration for the 4th grade and collage with the kindergarteners. The exhibit in the UD gallery will be open to all, and Collier may be also hosting workshops for students there. Collier illustrates childrens books, many of which are about African American people, Director of Diversity Initiatives Patricia Zuroski said, but what is very

Friday, January 27, 2012

Middle Division

The horace Mann record

Recent Releases Reviewed

Maxwell Kagan (8) reviews two movies on his recently watched list.

Joyful Noise
Joyful Noise, the new comedy starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, is a comedy about a church choir led by Vi Rose Hill (Latifah) with big dreams of winning the national Joyful Noise competition. Vi Rose Hill is a religious woman who wont let her daughter Olivia (Keke Palmer from Nickelodeon fame) date or do anything social, and controls her with an iron fist- at least until Randy (Jeremy Jordan) comes along. Palmer as the goody-two-shoes singer of the choir and Jordan as the bad boy who instantly falls in love with her, have a few chuckle-worthy scenes, but all the laughs are for Latifah and Parton (who plays Randys grandmother), and their rivalry. But dont be fooled by the happy-looking, family-friendly poster for Noise- this movie actually welcomes and largely consists of swearing and, believe me, there are many times where one cringes and thinks- Was that really necessary? And I must also point out the astonishing similarities it has to the popular TV show Glee- overlooking some of Parton and Latifahs comedy and some other small exceptions, one could just watch an episode of Glee and say theyve seen this movie. Noise does have some very intense and emotional scenes between Latifah and Palmer (which I did NOT expect). Overall, it is a very funny movie with some powerful scenes; but I would say make sure youve seen all the Oscar-worthy movies out now before you see this.
www.impawards.com

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud is centered around a young boy named Oskar (Thomas Horn), who loses his father, Thomas (Tom Hanks), in the 9/11 attacks. Oskar, whose father acted as both best friend and role model, becomes a troubled child after Thomas death. He struggles with some psychological issues, such as self-injury, and completely alienates his grieving mother, Linda (Sandra Bullock). Around a year or so after, Oskar gathers up the courage to go into his fathers closet. In it, he finds a key, which he is certain his father left for him. His quest? To find the lock that the key fits. Oskar proceeds to, behind his mothers back, search all five boroughs for the answer. He gets some help along the way from some new acquaintances: a woman recently divorced (Viola Davis), and a man without the ability to speak (Max Von Sydow). But the best performance by far is by newcomer Mr. Horn, whose performance will either have you in tears or stunned. During the movie we see flashbacks of, what Oskar calls, the Worst Day- an emotional phone call from his father, a news broadcast of the event, the burning buildings outside Oskars window. They fit into the storyline exactly when you would want them to, which is a feat in and of itself. This movie is one of, if not the, far best Ive seen this year- I would highly recommend it.

www.comingsoon.net

Mixed Swimming Relays to the Top

Chloe Tsang Staff Writer
Middle Division swimmers outpaced Fieldston in their meet yesterday. Although left unscored, the Sea Lions won almost all of the events. Before the meet, the swimmers had heard that Fieldston had a large team that was evenly matched with Horace Mann, Maxwell Spector (8) said. The team met Fieldston earlier in the season, but this was the first time that the two teams faced off against each other without any others participating, Daniel Rosenblatt (8) said. Though the Eagles had good swimmers, the Lions had more depth and so we were able to win all the relays, Rosenblatt said. One of the advantages of the team is that a few of the kids have the ability to swim any of the events, Coach Meredith Cullen said. The majority of the team is strongest in freestyle events and Individual Medleys, she said. The toughest stroke is probably butterfly for most people, Rosenblatt said, but Ive seen an improvement with every single one of the swimmers. During practices, the swimmers practice their strokework extensively, Cullen said. Its important that the kids develop their strokes properly and efficiently now, because that gets harder as you get older, she said. In addition, the team practices starting, diving far into the pool and doing flip turns. In this meet, we got a lot of head starts, Rosenblatt said. These really improved during practice and it really shows in our meets. The teams prior meets have been against Trinity, Fieldston, and Ardsley. The team was evenly matched against Trinity and Fieldston and had trouble against Ardsley., Spector said. The team will be having a rematch against Ardsley in its meet next Thursday.

UPCOMING SWIM MEETS

7TH & 8TH GRADE MIXED SWIMMING VS. ARDSELEY 2/02 - 4:00 - AWAY 7TH & 8TH GRADE MIXED SWIMMING VS. TRINTY 2/09 - 3:30 - HOME PRETTYMAN 7TH & 8TH GRADE MIXED SWIMMING VS. RIVERDALE 2/16 - 4:00 - AWAY

7th and 8th grade Mixed Swimming pulls ahead of Fieldston in yesterdays match.

Carly Amon/Staff Photographer

The horace Mann record

Lions Den

Friday, January 27, 2012

Gymnasts Set Bar High

Caroline Levy Contributing Writer
Coming off of a tough meet with a 3rd place loss to Chapin and The Lyce Francais School of New York (LFNY), the Varsity Girls Gymnastics team, was ready for success in Wednesdays quad meet against Chapin, Riverdale, and LFNY. Though the team as a whole fell to Chapin in the end, Captain Victoria McKaba (11) came in first place all around, scoring above 8.35 on each of her four routines. Injuries and missed practices limited the team of four to only two competitors, Maia Landesberg (10) and McKaba, representing the Lions. Landesberg also had success in this meet scoring 3rd place on Vault with a score of 7.85. The team really needs work, McKaba said, We need to come together to maximize our chance at winning the championship. The team must travel off campus on Mondays, and spends the rest of the week splitting the lower school gym with the Fencing team, so getting together as a group for a focused and solid amount of practice time can be difficult. McKaba has placed first allaround in all four of the teams meets. Jessica Heller (10) finds her main victories in beam and vault, whereas co-captain Samantha Zola (11) succeeds mainly in bars. The recent meets have taught the gymnasts what their weaknesses are, so work has begun focusing on perfecting their routines. That means to eliminate bobbles, clean up body position, and perform skills correctly, Surhoff said. The Lions are focusing all of their effort into preparing for their championship meet, which is coming up next month. We really need to shape up and start cleaning our routines, and that means everyone at practice every day and working hard, McKaba said.

Malcolm Thompson (12) attempts to pin his opponent in the teams most recent match.

Justin Gilston/Photography Editor

Wrestlers Persevere Through Setbacks

performance on Wednesday against Baruch and Collegiate, with wins of 70-3 and 57-12. The teams tradition has remained strong as they stand alone atop the Ivy League. One of the wrestling teams most important traditions comes at the end of practice when all the seniors line up in front of the Horace Mann mat in the wrestling room yelling Hit it! and each member of the team drops to the mat and shouts H-O-R-A-C until they get through the full Horace Mann. Derecktor (12) described it as The most intense part of athletics I have ever experienced. Malcolm Thompson (12) said that The team is always working on our technique because that is something that we can always improve and our biggest strength is our endurance and stamina and the ability to go late into matches and still come out with victories. Aaron Schein (9) said, We all lift during the week and then our two hour practices each day have a lot of live wrestling and drilling where everyone pushes each other very hard. Coach Quilty puts a lot of personal effort into each practice, which motivates us. Derecktor said, Coach Quilty is the best coach I have ever had and possibly the best example and mentor I have to live by. He is the most stoic person I know while at the same time having a secret sense of humor that few get to experience. He coaches by example, never raising his voice, and showing flawless technique. The team is setting their goals on winning another state championship, hopefully landing their eleventh win in twelve years. Over the same time period, they have the Ivy League Duel Meet and Tournament titles each year. Thompson said, We just need to stay focused and keep working hard in practice. We have to remember that success is not a goal but a byproduct of hard work. If we keep working hard we will have success. Even with the loss of Derecktor, the team still hopes to lock in the Duel Meet title with a victory in this upcoming Wednedsays duel meet against Riverdale. In addition, the team will compete in the all-city Mayors Cup Tournament, wrestling against Public, Catholic, and Private Schools. The team has taken 3rd the last two years.

Vishaan Nursey Staff Writer

The Wrestlings team season has been filled with a lot of fortunate events and huge victories; however, last weekend at the Edgemont tournament, an unfortunate defeat occurred. Captain Erik Derecktor (12) tore his meniscus to end his season, leaving the team with a gaping hole in their lineup. The team still preformed well overall at the tournament; Captain Justin Gilston (12) won his weight class, Matt Russo (11) took second in his, and Malcolm Thompson (12) & Zachary Dinan (11) placed third in their respective classes. The team came in third of the twenty-one teams at the event. The team rebounded with a strong

Boys Basketball Wins 2nd Straight

Michael Reiss Staff Writer
After a loss at Daltons homecoming last Friday, the Boys Basketball team was looking to rebound against Rudolph Steiner and Ivy League foe Hackley this week. We were discouraged by our performance against Dalton. We were very disappointed with our play because we know we could have done a lot better, point guard Ben Fox (10) said. The Tigers started off Fridays game quickly, taking a doubledigit lead after the 1st quarter and never really looked back. I dont think we were mentally ready for this game. We beat them in our first meeting, and I think we took them too lightly on Friday and that definitely contributed to our slow start, Andrew Bakst (10) said. Bakst, who has provided prolific scoring this year, led the way with 29 points against the Tigers. However, the Lions inconsistent play was too much to overcome, as they fell 6047 to the Tigers. The Lions rested up for an important three-game week and were hoping to come up with 3 big wins. The Lions started off the week crushing Rudolph Steiner 4015 behind a great all around team effort. After our tough loss to Dalton, it was nice to get back on track and I think it gave us some confidence moving forward, Fox said. Wednesday, The Lions took on a struggling Hackley team looking to win its second straight game. Even though Hackleys record indicates they are a weak team, we couldnt take them lightly and we knew we had to approach the game like we were playing a top team, Fox said. Horace Mann jumped out to a quick lead on the Hornets as the Lions moved the ball around well and got to the rim for high percentage shots. The Lions limited their turnovers and made a conscious effort to work the ball around for open shots. After our sloppy play against Dalton, we worked on keeping our turnovers down and that translated into success against Hackley. We made fewer mistakes and executed our plays much better, Bakst said. Bakst and fellow sophomore Thomas Schnepp (10) led the way against Hackley, as Bakst posted 15 points and 6 assists and Schnepp added 23 points. We have tendencies to overdribble or force passes down low, but we have been addressing that issue in practice and we have been playing smarter as of late. When we limit our turnovers and execute, we can be one of the best teams in the Ivy League and we are working everyday to get to the top, Bakst said. The Lions back-to-back wins have them sitting at 3-4 in the Ivy League. With seven more league games remaining, the Lions have many opportunities to make a run to the playoffs. The Lions have games against top Ivy League teams Collegiate and Fieldston. We played both Fieldston and Collegiate very well last time and we can definitely pull out a win this time. We just really need to focus and play a consistent and full 32 minute game, Fox said. Andrew Bakst (10) drives past a Hackley defender.
Kim Sarnoff/Photography Editor

January 27, 2012

LionsDen
The Horace Mann Record
line. She is a special player and a great asset to the team, Harmon said. In addition to her skills as a player, Gordon has been an inspiration to her teammates on and off the court. Shes a great competitor, a great leader, and she brings a lot of enthusiasm to every game, Harmon said. All of those qualities definitely rub off on her teammates. Maddy works harder than anyone I know and she sets a great example for me and everyone else on the team, Center Rachel Lander (11) said. amazing feeling. The game paused temporarily, as Gordons teammates, friends, and family congratulated her. Shes a really skilled player and she also gives it her best effort all the time, Head Coach R.J. Harmon said. Gordon has been on the Varsity squad since she was a freshman, and has been a dominant force on the court throughout her career. When I was a freshman, I thought reaching 1000 points was way out of reach, so to actually get there feels surreal, she said. Gordons success can be attributed to many different aspects of her game, including hard work and raw talent. She can defend, pass, score, and is nearly automatic from the foul line. Gordon is making over 80 percent of her free throws this year; the NBA league average this season is 74 percent. She creates a bunch of matchup problems for the other team and she is a weapon at the free throw

Volume 109, Issue 16

Maddy Gordon Reaches Milestone

Andrew Arnaboldi Staff Writer
During the third quarter of the Girls Basketballs blowout victory against Dalton on Friday, Maddy Gordon (12) had 998 career points and was looking to join the prestigious 1000-point club. On a set play designed to open a lane for Gordon, the star point guard drove to the hoop and drew a foul, giving her a chance to earn two points at the charity stripe. As she stepped to the line, Gordon was just focusing on making the first free throw. After the first shot fell, Gordon just needed to sink the next free throw to reach the milestone. Sure enough, she nailed the free throw and became the fifth girl in school history to score 1000 points in her high school career. When I hit the second free throw, I was so happy and relieved, Gordon said. It was just an

Gordon will be honored before her next game, Monday afternoon at 4:30 pm in Prettyman Gym, by being presented with the game ball from the Dalton game in which she dropped her 1000th point.

Maddy Gordon (12) dribbles up the court against Dalton en route to becoming the fifth highest Girls Basketball all-time scorer.

Courtesy of R.J. Harmon

Fencers Joust for Championship Position

Alex Fine Staff Writer
After engaging in one of its most successful seasons with a crushing victory against Ivy League rival Hackley in every event, both the Boys and Girls fencing teams prepare for championships under captains Seth Arar (12) and Elizabeth Stam (12) respectively. Starting a week from Saturday, the Independent School Fencing League championship bouts consist of two separate tournaments where fencers compete on the individual and team levels. These final matches are scored apart from the rest of the season, and do not effect a teams overall ranking for the season. Unlike other sports leagues, the ISFL distinguishes between the individual and the team. Fencers are randomly placed into pools of at most seven people and are then seated in Direct Elimination rounds depending on how we do against the members of our pool. Diana Li (11) said. In direct elimination, the best fencers are plotted against beginner fencers in the league. Team matches will then follow with schools compete against one another in the hopes of attaining the best cumulative score from the season. At the end of championships, medals are awarded to the fencer and school with the best record in both the tournaments and the regular season. However, since separate awards given are given to both genders and to each of the three styles of fencing, they actually end up giving out loads of them, Arar said. Going into the winter season with neither returning coaches nor several experienced swordspersons, many returning fencers were doubtful of the schools ability to support a fencing team this year. Over the past few years, the fencing team has never kept a coach for more than a winter or two, Troy Sipprelle (11) said. With the help of Coaches Benjamin Bratton, Brendan Meyers, Luther Clement, Zaddick Longenbach, and the Head of Athletics, Robert Annunziata, the athletic department was able to reformat the teams entire training regiment. Traditionally weve been a mediocre team and were pretty unorganized, Olivia Rodriguez (11) said, But with the new coaches this year, weve adopted a strategy of quality over quantity with our hits, and it has paid off. With the next week dedicated entirely to training, Arar is convinced that the team would place highly in ISFL Teams. For Boys Foil, were aiming for second place, with only The Masters School standing in front of us, he said. Boys Foil has gone 7-1, with their only loss to Masters. Boys Saber and Epee have been successful as well, going 4-0 and 5-2 respectively. Our coaches were instrumental in getting us to come together as a team and improve our blade work, Eng said. Epee coach, Ben Bratton, is an A ranked fencer in the nation for epee who is currently competing for USA in Italy. Were looking forward to finishing the season successfully since it seems that Hackley is the only team standing in our way to winning gold in team championships next Saturday. Li said.

Girls Basketball Rolls Over Dalton

Robert Hefter Staff Writer
All eyes were on Captain Maddy Gordon (12) as she approached the milestone of scoring her 1,000th point for the Horace Mann basketball team. The team knew it was a showcase game and gave it their all to rally for a team win. But as Coach Harmon stated, We put the team win first, and the 1000th point second. Ignoring the personal achievement reached by the teams star player, the team has put together an outstanding season with a 9-2 record overall. In practice the day before, Coach Harmon stressed that the Dalton game was like any other game and that the team would need to pull together for a big win. The team wanted to beat Dalton as their first priority. They also were honored to be a part of Maddys great achievement. The team arrived at Dalton with confidence after their previous victory over the Tigers in December. The team did not want to think it would be another easy win, especially on Daltons home court. Rachel Lander, the junior starting center, commented, We thought it was going to be a challenge, but we had beaten them before. As soon as the game started, the team knew that the Dalton team had improved since the first meeting. The five starters were Gordon, and four Juniors: Sara Land (11), Rachel Lander (11), Conasia Watts (11), and Kate Puglia (11). All of the starters were confident that they could repeat their success as they entered the gym in front of the largest crowd they had seen this season--the atmosphere was electric as the Dalton gym was filled with a packed house. The Lions surged to an early lead despite the fact that Maddy Gordon was called with two early fouls. Coach Harmon said, If I had left her in the game, she could have fouled again, and would be out for a much longer time. The rest of the team united in her absence and pulled away. Guard Sara Land stepped up at the point guard position and lifted the team from the deteriorating lead. The Tigers just could not overcome the will and skill of the Lions in the 47-34 loss. On Wednesday, the girls suffered their second defeat of the season against a talented Hackley team, leaving them in third place in the league at the halfway point in the season. Now, beginning to play each team a second time, they will attempt to put themselves in a good position for States.

Students encourage Maddy Gordon to score greater than 1000 points in last Fridays game against Dalton.

Courtesy of Lily Sands