Teacher’s Pets � Andy Bayliss, Emily Dolphin, Tess Murphy, & Olivia Mavromates

“Daughter” of Allison Garnsey, this Pit Bull Labrador mix is 53 pounds of mischief. When she is not chasing squirrels she can be spotted with her “brother” Frankie J. She enjoys devouring books (literally) and sleeping all the way under the covers. You can catch her on the ball $elds .

Emma Darwin Garnsey

Do not let Snicker Doodle Pardo’s one pound weight deceive you! Her hobbies include hiding in cereal boxes, running around the kitchen counter, and pretending to be tougher than the family dog. When she is not running around, she is eating her body weight. As Mrs. Pardo states “she can eat a WHOLE bagel!”

Snicker Doodle Pardo

Professor Humphrey and Dr. Zork

Dan Forrest’s cats are named after actor Humphrey Bogart (1899 – 1957) and the protagonist of the 1979 “text adven-ture” video game Zork. Although they get along well with Mr. Forrest’s wife and baby daughter, the brothers like to knock things o# shelves every opportunity they get. “!ey do it on purpose,” Mr. Forrest adds, “and they’re always fol-lowing me around – if I’m in the o%ce, they’re in the o%ce.”

Audie Hayman

At around 20 pounds, Audie Hayman is a miniature pincher named after Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII. If he is not constantly jumping up and down run-ning away from the "at iron, or burying his face in the couch cushions, Ms Hayman says you can $nd him “overdosing” on dark chocolate after “delicately” unwrapping the bars.

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Voice is published by and for the students of !ayer Academy and aims to re"ect the best student thinking and writing. Voice follows an inde-pendent editorial policy determined by the magazine’s sta#. Voice wel-comes submissions from all members of the community, reserving the right to select and edit for reasons of clarity, interest and space. Voice is supported by !ayer Academy and advertising sales. For rates and infor-mation, call 781-664-2254 or send an email to dlevinson@thayer.org.

Life

Lit

Arts

SportsAdvertising

Nick Windwer

Cover Design Emily Dolphin

Cover PhotosGri!n Mansi

Table of Contents PhotosGri!n Mansi

Table of Contents DesignJenna Menard & Sarah Russell

AdvisorsDan Levinson, Robert Kiley

Diane Haigh (design)

Stuff

VoiceThayer Academy’s Student Magazine

November 2014 Vol. 18, No. 1

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!e various o"ces that make up !ayer Academy are almost as unique as the teachers who occupy them. Here, we get the inside scoop on the partnerships (and resulting friendships).

#e Mad Scientists � Rachel Go!n

!is power science duo has been making strides in physics together in the infamous basement corner of Glover for six years, since Jamison Smith $rst arrived at !ayer. !eir quirks are key to keeping this relationship strong. “I admire his Zoolander-type good looks and respect his passions for Frisbee and trivia,” says Jamie Formato. “Your oddities are your strengths,” says Mr. Smith in response. !ey claim that the best thing about their o%cemate-ship is their mutual messiness, which helps them feed o# of each other’s mad sci-entist vibe. “I’d say our o%ce consists of about 25% me, 25% Mr. Formato and 50% science stu#,” says Mr. Smith. “If either of us were cleaner, we would feel some pressure not to be slobs,” adds Mr. Formato. He then rethinks that thought: “Should we be clean?” he asks. “Nah,” they reply at the same time.

!e scientists say that, what they refer to as “!e Goldstein Era,” forged a strong bond between them during the years they shared together. “What’s that phrase? Weathered the storm?” asks Mr. Formato with a chuckle. “He gave o# a sense of general despair,” adds Mr. Smith.

On a more serious note, these colleagues of the same subject enjoy the bene$ts of bouncing ideas o# each other for their science classes. !ey $nd solid suggestions from each other and even make new discoveries to-gether. Another calling for which they gain knowledgeable advice from each other: their own children. “I’m about two years behind Mr. Formato, so I get great gadget advice on childcare from the tech cycle,” says Mr. Smith.

Future plans for the o%ce? !ey seek to burrow a hole to the “bio pod” for espionage purposes. Oops, may have spoiled that secret. Biology teachers, beware of the mad scientists at work.

#e Bookish Buddies � Rebecca Brown

English teachers Jim King and Joe Pelletier have been packed in side by side in 217-M, the tiny o%ce wedged between the sophomore English classroom and the stairway, for around 15 years. Although Mr. King has had a few di#erent o%cemates in the past, the cur-rent duo has been together since Mr. Pelletier’s arrival at !ayer. “We’ve been going steady for 15 years,” jokes Mr. King, “I have his sweater.”

Although it isn’t the roomiest, the pair is happy with the of-$ce, and has developed ways to get around the lack of space. !e two have a strict division between each side, partly to contain Mr. King’s mess of folders and books, and partly because there’s simply not that much room to share. “He’s allowed on my side,” says Mr. King, “but he doesn’t often choose to go there.” Mr. King puts their situation nicely – ma-neuvering in their o%ce is “an intricate and delicate choreography.”

Despite the narrow con$nes and Mr. King’s a%nity for hoard-ing, Mr. Pelletier says that the o%ce is “very much [his] home.” !e two agree that there are many bene$ts to sharing an o%ce with a

teacher in the same subject, like the ability to discuss and share teaching methods or lesson plans. “I have learned an in-credible amount from Mr. King,” says Mr. Pelletier, Mr. King’s junior. “Even since the opening days, when he gave me my $rst English II binder.” Mr. King agrees that they have formed a close friendship. “Usually, when I can’t $nd something, he can. You know, we’re like Siamese twins at this point. He thinks my thoughts, I think his thoughts.”

As for the future, the two English teachers don’t have plans to split up any time soon. Mr. Pelletier claims that it would take a roomy o%ce with a nearby bathroom to sway him into switching o%ces, whereas Mr. King is staying put. “I actually have no desire – zero desire – for a di#erent o%ce,” he says. “We’re in it for the long haul. I kind of like the idea of being here until I get dragged out at retirement time.” Mr. Pelletier agrees, “Till death do us part.”

#e Burke Enterprises � Imani George

“Everything they’re saying is a lie.” Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is the statement that kicked o# my interview with Francisco Vega-Torres, Ken Burke, and Jake Diamond-- three of the four teachers that make up o%ce 208M. After making his dramatic entrance, Mr. Vega turned the conversation towards what he refers to as an “issue, situation”-- the current exponential growth phase of ‘Burke Enterprises.’ “People need to know about this,” he says. Apparently Burke East, the half of the o%ce that Mr. Burke has taken over, is

expanding so rapidly that not only has Mr. Vega struggled to main-tain a boundary, but Emma Lee was actually ejected from the prop-erty. “She’s a refugee in Glover now,” Mr. Vega explains. Mr. Burke cautions, however, that before accepting Mr. Vega’s viewpoint on Burke East, one needs to consider the concept of “subjective reality.” Despite this slight speed bump in the o%ce dynamic, the three teachers explain that they do enjoy each other’s presence. On occasion they wander through the piles of books and other oddities stacked against the walls, $nding random items such as 70s photos of Mr. Diamond with a large mustache. !e o%ce is also home to two “pets,” Felipe and Lupe, which any students of Mr. Diamond are rather familiar with. And despite their disagreements on the bound-aries of Burke Enterprises, Mr. Burke and Mr. Vega have a rather close relationship. Mr. Burke served as Mr. Vega’s mentor teacher when he $rst got to !ayer, and he often refers to Mr. Vega as “Mentee.”

Furthermore, Mr. Diamond notes that Mr. Burke has a lot of jokes -- which Mr. Vega claims he nev-er understands. One of Mr. Burke’s famous jokes, known to every Burke alumni, is the inky-binky, a mini riddle that plays on words. Mr. Burke was even kind enough to leave an inky-binky for VOICE: a less clear Spanish teach-er uttered by someone with a heavy Boston accent. !e answer? A Vega-vague. “I still don’t get it,” Mr. Vega complains.

#e Algebraic Allies � Gri!n Mansi

Maryam Lombardi and Vincent Cimmino have been shar-ing 224 Glover for three years, and that arrangement won’t be ending anytime soon. “He’s not leaving,” joked Ms. Lombardi. “I’ll chain him to the desk.” Yet their o%ce relationship is a story that almost never was. Mr. Cimmino started working at !ayer the same year as Brendan McKiernan. !erefore, Ms. Lombardi could have been paired with either new recruit. After Mr. Cimmino used words like “beast” in class and students thought that he was related to Ms. Lom-bardi, the pair felt that their personalities would match well. In fact, in the $rst months that Mr. Cimmino worked at !ayer, students thought Mr. Cimmino was Ms. Lombardi’s son; Murph even thought that they were related. Weirder yet, Mr. Cimmino’s mom’s maiden name just happens to be Lombardi. Maybe their pairing was fate.

During the past three years 224G has had a few “pets.” Ms. Lombardi and Mr. Cimmino talk fondly of the pet mouse that lived in Mr. Cimmino’s desk and ate all of his food. !ey also reminisce about the day when they came into school and said mouse was dead on the "oor. Ms. Lombardi was forced to pick up the carcass since Mr. Cimmino would not.

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What Classic Literary Character Are You? � Setenay Mufti

We read a lot in high school, and some of us really identify with certain characters. Not sure if you do? Find out here!

1) Describe your style.

a. Silk, lace, corsets… a queen must dress to impress.b. Flapper skirts, bare shoulders, and bobbed hair.c. Preppy and expensive. And of course my hunting cap.d. Red t-shirt, and I’m good to go.

2) How’s your love life going?

a. Alright, but my signi$cant other’s been a real wuss lately.It’s getting on my nerves.b. *Dramatic sigh* It’s complicated.c. Well, calling girls on the phone can be di%cult for me…d. !e only thing I love more than my friends is honey!

3) Real life superpower?

a. Don’t need any. I’m already an evil genius.b. I’m rich enough to be Batman, does that count?c. Complaining extensively, and getting unjustly punishedin school.d. !e power of positivity!

4) Describe your ideal home.

a. A castle, complete with a moat, dungeon, andexecution room for my enemies.b. A mansion, as big and lavish as possible.c. I don’t know. Maybe a cabin in Vermont… or China…anywhere that’s not New York or Hollywood. Goddamn phonies.d. A cozy den in the woods.

5) Favorite song?

a. Killer Queen- Queenb. Mo Money Mo Problems- !e Notorious B.I.Gc. Creep- Radioheadd. Honey- Mariah Carey

If you picked…

Mostly A’s: Lady Macbeth. You’re cold, calculating, and crazy ambitious. If only every-one else was on the same page. !e good news is your courage is screwed tightly to the stick-ing place- for now. !e bad news is that you have some trouble removing stains…

Mostly B’s: Daisy Buchanan. On the surface you have it all: piles of money, tons of parties, and men constantly in love with you. But it’s disillusioning, bor-ing, and suddenly there’s one too many men. At least having a baby isn’t slowing you down.

Mostly C’s: Holden Caul$eld. You’re bitter, socially inept, and had bad Senioritis by the time you started high school. Now you’re actually there, and it’s worse than ever. Your softer side, for your family and the occasion-al member of the opposite sex, is eclipsed by your acting like you hate everyone and everything. All you want is a place free from

phonies, a nice girl, and to know what happens to the ducks in the goddamn winter.

Mostly D’s: Winnie the Pooh. What you lack in quick wit and opposable thumbs you make up for in your sweet tooth and great group of friends- even if they think you’re a little dim. You’re kind and docile, despite being carnivorous by nature. Some people might $nd physical hardship and face overwhelm-

ing existential angst living in a hundred-acre forest, but not you. Winnie is your name, and honey is de$nitely your game.

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Reading Between the Staffs ��Kristen Mashikian

It can be an unnoticed noise in the background of a room or the sole reason to beam at a stage for hours, your passion or a simple social endeavor. It can cause both joy and anguish, smiles and tears. !e melodies bring past experiences and memories to mind; for example, the song you and your teammates blasted in the locker room before winning the championship game and the “Mozart Concerto in G” you played for college auditions bring back your adrenaline rushes.

People often forget that behind the sounds emanating from their stereos are hours of composition and pages of sheet music: music isn’t just sound, it is a language. !e black notes are universal symbols understood by people who speak Spanish or French or English, yet each musician has the freedom to cover the sta#s with her own personal annotations. !e crescendo scrib-bled into the margin screams “Get louder here!” and the accelerando demands speed, pushing her $ngers to their limits. Even the word staccato emphasizes the shortness with which each note should be played. Without each musicians’ graphite notes scrawled across the pages, it is just the same sheet music that millions of other musicians read and play.

Music can also be an escape or a path to success. After a long day of school and studying, friends and $ghts, musicians can retreat to their instruments and sheet music. !e laborious process that takes place in the practice rooms is strictly between the musician and herself. Too often an individual’s progress is dependent on others, but not with music. Determination alone can transform musicians and their level of playing.

However, music is a torturous pursuit and often causes musicians great agony. After playing the same three notes over and over, they still don’t sound perfect. But can music ever be perfect? Can writing ever be perfect? Can any art be perfect? Every time you play, someone -- a judge, a fellow musician or even you -- will be dissatis$ed; and someone reading this paper will always $nd "aws as well. As hard as you try, it’s always “More expression! More phrasing! Faster! No, not there!” Even the best of the best, the most famous artists in the world, have to continuously strive for impossible perfection. And that’s the irony: it is a futile e#ort. But the split second before the applause begins, as the faint vibrations of your $nal note ring through the hall, you feel an unbelievable sense of accomplishment; you are truly proud of yourself. And that feeling makes it all worth it.

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LitLitThree Times � Emilia Nordgren

Read an excerpt from last year’s sophomore short story contest winner.

Read the full story on Thayer's Voice page»

After fifteen minutes, I start to hear Mommy and Daddy’s voices down the hall. ! ey’re really hard to hear, though, so their door must be closed. “He’s gotten worse. ! e progress we’ve made in the past year is slowly slipping away.” I think it’s Mommy who says that. “He’s gotten worse, he’s gotten worse, he’s gotten worse,” I mutter to myself. I don’t know who the “he” is, but I know that whenever Mommy and Daddy talk at night with the door shut, I’m not supposed to hear it…

Mommy says Dr. Cohen is just a friend that I can talk to. Sitting in his waiting room, I try to be aware of other people, not just me. Dr. Cohen says it’s good for me to do that. !e teenager in the corner is lightly banging her head against the wall. !e boy across from me is biting his only $ngernail that isn’t covered by a band-aid. I look up at Mommy but she only glances at me. She doesn’t smile at me like she always does.

I sit on the bench with my back straight up against the wall, feet "at on the ground pointing straight ahead, and my hands in $sts at my sides. I want to lay down with my feet on the seat, but Mommy yelled at me for being dis-respectful last time I did that. I start to bite my nails because the boy across from me seems to like it. But once I start, Mommy tells me to stop.

“It’s a disgusting habit,” she whispers, still not turning her eyes toward me.

“Why is biting your nails disgusting?” I ask in my normal, inside voice which Mommy says is still too loud. Mommy doesn’t answer me. “It’s a disgusting habit, it’s a disgusting habit, it’s a disgusting habit,” I repeat to myself. Always three times. !e boy looks at me, looks at his nails, and slowly brings his hand down to rest in his lap.

Today in social studies we have to color in a map with a partner. Daniel and I always choose each other for partners, so I automatically turn to him and get my Crayons out. But when I look up he’s sitting on the other side of the table with Leo.

******

“What are you doing over there, Daniel? We have to color in the map.”“I want to be partners with Leo today,” he tells me.“But we’re always partners, you can’t change that now,” I say, my inside-voice slowly becoming more like my

outside one. I see Mrs. Pollock walking over out of the corner of my eye.“Is everything alright?” she asks the three of us.“No it’s not. Daniel is always my partner and now Leo took him. Leo needs to $nd another partner and apol-

ogize,” I throw out of my mouth. “Another partner and apologize. Another partner and apologize. Another partner and apologize.”

Mrs. Pollock tells me that he doesn’t need to apolo-gize and that I just need to $nd a new partner. But I can’t $nd a new partner. Daniel is always my partner. So when she goes back to her desk, I go over and sit next to Daniel. I try to hand him my Crayons because Mommy always tells me you make friends by shar-ing, but he won’t turn to face me. It’s obviously Leo’s fault. Daniel knows that he’s always partners with me. He wouldn’t do this to me. Leo would. Leo thinks he’s cool because he wears fancy sunglasses to school, but he’s not cool. He’s just mean. So I go up to him and push him out of his chair because it’s not fair what he’s done to me. It’s not nice at all and he needs to apologize.

“Daniel is always my partner, Leo!” I yell at him. “You need to apologize because you’ve done something wrong!”

He doesn’t have any time to respond because suddenly my arm is in Mrs. Pollock’s grip and she’s taking me to the principal’s o%ce.

“Patrick, you need to stop over-reacting! !is is the fourth time this week you’ve done something like this!”“I wasn’t over-reacting! It’s Leo who should be going to the principal's o%ce! To the principal’s o%ce. To

the principal’s o%ce. To the principal’s o%ce.”In Mr. Green’s o%ce, Mrs. Pollock tells him the story. She’s the type of person who uses a lot of hand gestures.

I don’t get the point of them. !ey’re unnecessary because any capable person should be able to talk by using their words, not their hands. All I can do while they talk is stare at Mr. Green’s plump red $ngers and his amazingly tiny feet for such a big person. Daddy is smaller than him and Daddy has bigger feet. By the time the story’s done, Mommy’s walked in. I don’t want Mommy to be here. She’s going to punish me. But I don’t know what I’ve done wrong!

Read the full story on Thayer's Voice page»

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Fog

Fog never really settles, It hangsLike a pig’s carcass on a farmer’s tree,Stuck sobs,Silence right after the scream-

A sentence in a stuffy courtroom.

Fog hangs bloated, thickThe River Styx engorged and fullWith the breath of sighsAnd sickly words unsaid.

Fog hangs on the wind of wisps and the weight of water: Water the sustenance.The taste or af!rmationOf blood smeared on a cut,Of a sharp tongue,Of the lingering tendrilsOf a scream.

~ Setenay Mufti

Alter Eggo

Sweet Dreams interrupts sweet dreams.

The melody softly nudges me awake;

My delicately pressing pause on the perfect

song

To embrace the early morning,

Makes my dream reality.

Reality becomes nightmare.

The ceaseless song jolts me awake;

My violently slapping the annoying box

That won’t stop the ear-splitting sound,

Interrupts my sour dreams.

The warm maple syrup,

Blanketing the golden waffle,

Cuts like butter;

Melting in my mouth.

The cool, sugary soup

Overpowering the soggy, cardboard waffle

Torn seconds before from the plastic

The freezer-burned Eggo box.

~Lauren Knight

Book or Movie?

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!e book versus movie debate has raged on ever since the invention of film. We noticed that in the past few years, many greats books have been transformed into movies. We decided to keep the debate alive by giving our opinions on recent book to movie adaptations.

!e Fault in Our Stars � Louise Nessralla Identi$ed as the new obsession for teenage girls, the Fault in Our Stars is a book that most young people are willing to read. In simple terms, the book is about Hazel Grace, a girl with Stage IV cancer in her lungs, who meets Augustus Waters, who also has cancer, who becomes the love of her life. Yes, the typical cheesy boy-meets-girl love story.

As an avid reader, I usually prefer the book to the movie. I $nd that books provide more detail, insight, and suspense. However, this is a rare time where I surprisingly enjoyed the movie more than the book. !e main attraction? Ansel Elgort--also known as Augustus Waters. Move over Edward Cullen, you have been replaced by yet another fresh-faced teen heartthrob. I will admit that I found Elgort’s performance to be funny, charming, and, at times, vulnerable. Shailene Woodley, who plays Hazel Grace, did a good job as a sarcastic and jaded teenager and I liked how the director cast Isaac (Augustus’ blind sidekick) in a more prominent role than he was depicted in the book. !e actor’s portrayal brought the characters to life. I envisioned them in a way that I found to be a bit "at in the book. Overall, this is a decent book, however, nothing too earth shattering. I hate to say it, but this time the movie wins.

!e Giver � Jenna Menard !e Giver has been my favorite book since I $rst read it in third grade, which is why I was a bit weary of it being made into a movie. I thought that it would come across as yet another dys-topian book to movie like !e Hunger Games or Divergent, and that the details I found so special about the book would not translate onto the screen. I was very skeptical as I entered the theater, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the movie even though there were slight plot changes. Unlike the book where careers are given to the children at the age of 12, Jonas and his friends Fiona and Asher discover their career assign-ments at age 18. I thought this made the $lm more believable, especially with the addition of Fiona as Jonas’ love interest. In the movie there is also more impressive technology, Fiona and the Chief Elder have more prominent roles, and the ending is less ambiguous and more action-$lled. I still enjoyed the movie adaptation despite the changes, though I think nothing can compare to sitting down and reading !e Giver as it was originally intended. As I predicted, the book wins this time but not by as wide of a margin that I thought.

!e Lorax � Lilly King !e $rst time my Dad read me Dr. Seuss’ !e Lorax I was six. Although completely oblivi-

ous to the story’s motif, I listened intently as the adorably "u#y yet Napoleonic-complex possessing Lorax stood up to the Once-ler. Ted, a young boy who is curious about what has happened to the Tru#ula Trees, listens as the Once-ler recounts his economically successful yet environmentally exploitative logging business, in which he sel$shly cut down all the Tru#ula trees and subsequently caused mass deforestation and the homelessness of the former animal inhabitants. !e Once-ler con$des in Ted his deepest-darkest secret: he has the last Tru#ula tree seed and the fate of the species now lies in Ted’s hands. Deep right? In the movie, the plot thickens. Ted’s hometown, !needVille, an enclosed, arti$cial city complete with plastic trees and bottled air, suppresses any natural prod-ucts, speci$cally the tree seed in Ted’s possession. What follows is a PG version of the oppressive mayor spying on Ted, voice by Zac Efron, and the Lorax, voice by Danny DeVito, as they attempt to plant the last tree, and make the female love interest, voice by Taylor Swift, whose wish is, con-veniently, to see a real Tru#ula tree, fall in love with Ted. !e movie has once again won due to its e#orts, and ultimately its success, of expanding the story’s initial target audience and making !e Lorax a family movie with something for everyone.

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LitThe Writing on the Wall � Noah Larson

“#e greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rulesbut by people following the rules.

It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages.”- Banksy, Wall and Piece

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I have always been inspired by Banksy. He is one of many “street artists” who has gone against the grain to transform art into something that cannot be contained in a frame. !e relationship between art in a museum and street art can be compared to the relationship between animals in a zoo and wild animals. People come to a museum with a purpose: to

look at paintings and attempt to “take something” from them. A deeper meaning is often sought after. All great artists want to make the viewer think, even if there is no thinking to do at all. Sometimes it is just pleasing to the eye, but in every case, a reaction is triggered.

The fact that street art is illegal has always been confusing to me, and frankly, a bit ir-

ritating. Although gra%ti is illegal in terms of property damage, it would also be correct to say

that it is illegal because it is an easy way to distribute ideas and images in a widespread fashion.

!is type of power might seem insigni$cant to some; they see some crazy guy walking down

the streets in a hoodie, spray paint can in hand, climbing up $re escapes and tediously inching

his way on the side of billboard walkways. !ey assume the artist is doing it for a thrill, just to

break the law or blatantly deface property. !e truth is, street artists are merely trying to do what

every artist wants to do: create a reaction for anyone who views their art. !e di#erence is peo-

ple aren’t going to a museum to look at the art, it appears in their everyday life. !ey don’t pay

particular attention to it as they wouldn’t to any other advertisement on a wall, but it becomes

visually enclosed in their brain. In this way, gra%ti works as any other kind of advertisement.

It is propaganda, and propaganda enters the mind of the viewer without them even knowing.

Is this a power that should be given to a man with a spray paint can? So-

ciety says no, and the police most de$nitely say no. In my opinion, street artists are just

like any other artist. However, they are willing to take risks to create their artwork. !ey

make no money, hide their identities, and risk getting in trouble with the law, all to pub-

licize a message. Street art will always be illegal, but I believe that it deserves more ap-

preciation than it receives. To some they are vandals, but to others they are artists.

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Life in Action

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Awkward � Sasa Jovanovic

Atop third "oor main and 5 minutes past when the bell had last rung, two students arrive at opposite ends of the hallway. Both, with labored breath after they victoriously succeeded in climbing the endless "ights of stairs, look down at the "oor, contained in their own thoughts. As they lift their heads from individual contemplations, their eyes lock. !e earlier march slows to a walk; her eyes $dget and he shoves his hands in his pockets. Her mouth opens as if to say something, but decides against it. His arm becomes crooked as if to wave, but doesn’t. With rigid posture their eyes return to bore into the carpet. Upon arrival at the same door, they both lunge for the handle to $nd a release from the tense air only to quickly retract their claims. !e boy stands stoic as the girl, exasperated, reaches out and opens the door. “Now where have you two been?” comes from inside the room.

Angel of Death � Nina Antone

I take her in from across the room. Her $gure is slightly obscured by the darkness that surrounds her. Her auburn hair re"ects the sun beautifully when it gets to see daylight. Two perfect pools of crystal blue make up her eyes; they are so clear I swear that I can see my own re"ection in them as I walk toward her now. She stares up at me from the cold, hard cement ground as I stare back, like we’re the only two people in the entire world, in this damp, musky room. I kneel down in front of her so that my face is level with hers. I notice prominent beads of sweat drip from her forehead as her chin trembles. !e sound of scraping metal $lls my ears, but then I glance down to realize that it is only the sound of her slightly pathetic struggle against the chains that tie her down. A single tear falls down her cheek and a gentle whimper comes up from her throat. “Shhhh,” I say to her. I lean over to her face, and into the shell of her ear I whisper, “It will all be over soon.”

1:25 � Julia Shapiro

She "ips through the pages of the thick packet and stops to stare at the third set of problems. !e girl quickly mouths the words of the question to herself. All was silent, except for the steady rhythm of $ngernails tap-ping a keyboard in a nearby o%ce. Sitting at the desk, the girl $dgets. She straightens her slouching spine against the back of the chair and puts her pencil down. Cracking her knuckles, she then whispers the question aloud again. !e sharp snap of her joints adds a bit of percussion to the soft music of typing in the other room. Her eyes shift from her paper to the end of empty hallway. Leaning forward, she glances into the o%ce to see the teacher absorbed in a computer screen. !e girl sighs and slowly reaches into the pocket of her jacket. An iPhone slips into her palm. “Five more minutes!” the teacher calls from the o%ce. !e girl imme-diately perks up and gasps. Without looking at her phone, she removes her hand from the pocket and snatches her pencil. She grunts under her breath.

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The Best of the WorstMs. Hayman’s AP Language and Comp class created the best worst metaphors

Lit

Every day without him felt like 24 hours.

Her dreams crumbled like goat cheese on a cheap salad.

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The girl looked at her ex-boyfriend exactly how a girl would look at her ex-boyfriend.

My door slammed shut, just like the cabinet did when I found out we were out of Doritos.

Her makeup ran sloppily down her face like two drunk guys performing a sobriety test on the

side of a highway.

It all came at once until he couldn’t stop laughing; it was like when you actually laugh at

something you said “lol” to.

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from above.

Arizona’s tattoo of two outlined hearts was as perfectly rounded as the butt cheeks on

Michelangelo’s angels in the Sistine Chapel.

An overload of stress caused her to shut down, much like Steve Harvey on Family Feud

whenever a contestant guesses something sexual.

6KH�ZDVQ·W�D�VWHUHRW\SLFDO�JHQLXV��VKH�ZDV�WKH�NLQG�RI�VPDUW�ZKR�FRXOG�HŊRUWOHVVO\�FRPH�XS�ZLWK�the idea for the next Doritos Super Bowl commercial.

When Mary learned that her healthcare wouldn’t pay for her medical bills, she lay distraught

on the operating table hoping that her limb amputation surgery wouldn’t cost her an arm

and a leg.

Contributions by Isaac Butler, Ally Charleston, Jess Dyroff, Liza Huschle,

Colette Maalouf, Maren Mellen, Emilia Nordgren, and Julia Shapiro

Arts$UWLVW�3URÀOHV�LQ�0XVLF�DQG�'DQFH

Kristen Mashikian ��Chris RibaudoHingham native Kristen Mashikian is no stranger to the arts program here at !ayer. Along with being a star athlete

on the track team and an honors student, Kristen is also a key member of the orchestral ensemble. Kristen maintains a balance of her sports, school, and musical activities well, and spends a good deal of her time contributing to the music program as one of the most advanced "utists in the ensemble. Kristen reluctantly began playing the "ute in 6th grade because she was required to play an instrument in the mandatory ‘concert band’. Little did she know how gifted she would become. “At $rst I played like everyone else. !en my teacher and I started to realize I was good. !en I started taking lessons, and practicing more, and enjoy-ing it,” says Kristen. Kristen explained that she likes music because “you can do it yourself. It’s not like a sports team with other people, or like school with people teaching you. You can practice and play on your own, by yourself.” As a musician myself, I know that most musicians have someone who has inspired them to take another step in the process of learning an instrument. Kristen feels that this person was initially her "ute teacher, but when she became more advanced her inspiration came from a "utist named James Galway. In her free time Kristen enjoys listening and playing to classical music while also try-ing to translate the melody to her "ute by ear. One of Kristen’s favor-ite aspects of the !ayer music program is how the members of the group can choose their own music and play what they enjoy. Kristen explained that in the future she plans on enrolling in a dual 5-year pro-gram o#ered through the New England Conservatory and Harvard. “!is gives me the option of continuing to play and pursue music, but will also allow me to study a major other than music,” says Kris-ten. Art Department Head Je# Browne says, “Kristen is one of the $nest muscians I’ve ever taught at !ayer. Her level of pro-$ciency on Flute has advanced at a phenomenal speed, and her contribution to !ayer’s music program is outstanding.”

Dancing for Dudes ��Sean O’Connor A new program in the 2013-14 school year, the men’s dance program, dubbed “Dancing for Dudes”, is on the rise at the

Academy. Ryan Finneran, captain of the dance team, recounts the moment when he and his fellow architecture students decided to form the class, “Well, all the boys just kind of looked at each other one day and said, ‘Dance.’” Without any prior dance experience, Pam Sheiber really took the boys and their program under her wing. She enjoys the time spent with them, although the class only meets once per week. “!ey really are serious about this,” she told me. !e dance group is not only focused on having fun, but also on choreographing an entertaining act to be performed at the concerts. A central point for the boys is the use of their athleticism in the dances, including running, jumping, sliding, and even "ipping. Memorable moments from “Dancing for Dudes”, who are often on stage in their blank masks, include a robot dance during the winter of last year (featuring a fractured nose from a "ip-gone-wrong), as well as a white suited dance to $nish o# the school year. !e program picked up several new dancers after their performances last year, and the guys are always adamant in their e#orts to recruit new members. Overall, the men’s dance team can be characterized with only one line from member Nick Windwer: “We just love to battle.”

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SportsThe Glory Days ��Tom Kotopolous

Once the senior athletes have graduated, what will happen to the fall sports teams? Well, we may have no need to worry, the class of 2018 is showing that the next four years of !ayer Academy fall sports have the potential to be successful.

!e $eld hockey team is $lled with upperclassmen, but two very talented freshmen have made the cut. Julia Cochran and Stephanie Lyons have both been playing under coach Alison Soule. “I see a ton of potential from the both of them,” Ms. Soule said. One of the team’s captains, Mollie White, said about the youngest team members that they’re “not only outstanding $eld hockey players, but athletes in general.” Julia is a player Mollie described as “a very strong defensive player.” Julia feels that she has $t in well with the team and said, “the team is great, we get along well as a group and have fun together. !ey are very inclusive in every team event we do. It’s a lot of fun.”

Boys soccer has added four freshmen to their team this year. Eoin O’Sullivan, Patrick Shiel, Conor Sage, and Sean Kennedy are this year’s youngest team members. Coach David Leahy said that it took a lot of hard work to make the $nal cut for the team. “All four of these players had to stand out in some way in tryouts to make the varsity team. !ey have added an excellent work ethic to each and every practice and game they play in.” Colin Oliphant, one of the team captains, agrees, “they are all great contributors with positive attitudes and they always put in hard work during games and practices.” !e freshmen see a bright future for the soccer team as well. Patrick Shiel said, “We’ll miss the seniors next year, but I think we’ll continue to become a better team, even without them.”

Girls soccer constantly has new talent rising from the underclassmen. Genevieve Connelly, Tessa Schneider, Niamh Gri%n, and Jacqueline Gilpin have made their impact on the varsity soccer team. One of the team’s captains, Ivy Arlia, said about the four, “they all work super hard at practice and have grown throughout the season. With so many injuries they have stepped up their game to play at a high varsity level.” Coach Skip Schneider spoke of them highly, “they all bring something very di#erent to the team.” Mr. Schneider feels the girls stood out because they adjusted quickly to playing at the varsity level, which has a faster and tougher pace. Jacqueline Gilpin said, “I think the players will really have to step up next year without the seniors, but I think we’ll be able to be successful.” With the e#ort coming from these girls, the future of the team looks bright.

!e boys cross country team, led by coach Joe Pelletier, is usually on a hunt for harriers through the $rst few weeks of the season. We all know the announcements: “Boys cross country is looking harriers. Come out and run today!” Did you notice the lack of that announcement this year? !at is because the team had $ve new freshmen join the team: Drew Kelner, Eli Dow, Nick Dawson, John High, and Hunter Gu. Mr. Pelletier said John High is “very good” and a “clear front runner.” !e praise for John doesn’t end there. Captain Ryan Finneran said, “as a freshmen it’s hard to take a leadership role and he already has.” John High agrees that the team gets along well, which helps them be successful. “I feel that I $t in great with the rest of the team. Our chemistry is very high, and we’re always making jokes and laughing.”

Football has certainly had a tough year due to injuries, but that may be good for freshmen playing for the team this year. Max Storch, Drew Callahan, and Cole Roland have made names for themselves on the varsity team. Coach Je# Toussaint has had

to be careful with his players, with numbers dwindling so low. Mr. Toussaint isn’t worried about these three young players, though. “!ese three kids can all handle themselves.” Mike Pulsifer, a team captain, agrees that the team is working well with the young players. “!ey work well with us. !ey’re really competitive and work hard.” Freshman Drew Callahan said, “I only see our team getting better, even though we’re losing great seniors.”

A team that’s never low on numbers is girls cross country. Je# Browne’s freshmen stars are Katherine Stanwood, Cassie Kearney, Annie Huycke, and Kendall McConnaughey. Katherine and Cassie have been top runners for the !ayer team. Mr. Browne said that these four freshmen have a “natural physical leadership out in front of the pack.” Sydney Packard, a team captain said, “our race strategy is packs and they’re a really good pack together. No matter how hard the workout Mr. Browne throws at them, they preform to the best of their

ability.” Cassie Kearney believes the whole team helps each other. “We push each other through tough workouts, learn from each other, and have good times. We always get the work done without any complaining or giving up.”

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What’s Next For TA Sports? ��Sarah Russell

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Many teachers have participated in sports throughout their lives. Here are three, among many, teacher profiles, which recount their own athletic experiences and why they love their respective sports.

Je" BrowneDuring high school, Je# Browne juggled academics, athletics, and his own band. As the lead leg on the 4x100, and a sprinter in the 100m, 200m, and 110m high hurdles, Mr. Browne was a key contributor to his high school track team. Mr. Browne continued to make his mark as a track star throughout college, especially as a high hurdler. Although Mr. Browne was considered a short hurdler by college standards, people understand that form and style are just as important, if not more important, than height. His biggest in"uence was his high school coach, who gave him a book about Rod Milburn, Olympic Gold Medalist in the high hurdles in the 1972 games. “I admired Milburn’s style and form,” Browne commented, “I tried to emulate it and teach myself.” When his high school track team was going for the state championship, Browne recalls listen-ing to his pump up songs, “Dream On” by Aerosmith and “Lucky Man” by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Browne can be considered one well-rounded track superstar, and he sees parts of himself in everyone on the track team.

Kristan GatelyGetting into Harvard is impressive by itself. But swimming at a collegiate level, while balancing academics, is a whole other story. In high school, Kristan Gately was sprinter in the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle. She had the oppor-tunity to explore more strokes during high school like the backstroke, but as she transitioned into college, she recalls becoming more specialized, especially in the 100m breast-stroke. !roughout her time as a swimmer, Ms. Gately swam with top class athletes, some of whom ventured on to become Olympic Gold Medalists, like Jenny !ompson. Ms. Gately loved her team, especially when they would listen to their cheesy pump up song, “Vogue” by Madon-na. Although she doesn’t swim a lot today, she loves to bring her 3 kids to their local YMCA to teach them how to swim. When asked which student closely resembles her, Ms. Gately joked, “Although he’s not quite the same type of swimmer as I was, because he swims distance, I enjoy talking to Sam Rice about the sport.”

Jake Diamond“Sports are just one of my many interests,” says Jake Diamond. A well-rounded athlete, Mr. Diamond has played soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis throughout his life. In college, Mr. Diamond was the captain of the soccer team at SUNY Binghamton, a Division 1 school. He led his team, which was once ranked #9 in the country, to 3 NCAA tournament appearances. Soccer became Mr. Diamond’s main focus, and as a result he decided to give up other sports as he grew up. He jokes that after an ankle injury his junior year in high school, he continued the rest of his basketball career “in the streets.”Today, one can $nd him after school during the fall and winter playing pickup basketball in Memorial with students. Mr. Diamond also keeps active by participating in a senior soccer league on Sunday mornings. For the last 35 years, Mr. Diamond and his close friends have had “a good honest sweat with people they love.” Mr. Diamond also enjoys tennis and golf during the summer. Whenever Mr. Diamond plays soc-cer or basketball, or coaches students, he always “tries to make the people around him better.” !is motto sprung from watching Michael Jordan play, who in Mr. Diamond’s opinion, did just that. Mr. Diamond has been active in athletics, on and o# campus, for quite some time now and he hopes that he resembles Harold Hatch, late Upper School Math teacher, Cross Country, and Track and Field Coach. Diamond viewed Mr. Hatch, whom he looked up to as a young teacher, as the “zen master of exercise.”

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