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Diplomacy, Skill, and Lots of Hard Work: Success for Milton’s Model UN

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modelunstudentsTwenty-nine Milton students competed in the Boston Invitational Model United Nations Conference (BosMUN) at Boston University last weekend. The conference is a three-day simulation of the United Nations and draws high school delegates from around the world. Mark Heath—history faculty and club sponsor—is proud of all the students’ impressive work; 13 students received awards for the high quality of their research and debates.

Each student represented a specific country or political figure, and the debates centered on topics as contemporary and relevant as climate change, anti-terrorism tactics, Iran’s nuclear deal, and Syrian refugees; as well as historic simulations of such events as the Russo-Japanese War and Simon Bolivar’s Liberation of South America.

Rika Ichinose (I), one of the clubs co-heads, earned a first place award for Best Delegate. She represented Malaysia in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, where the topic focused on human trafficking.

“I am so proud of our club as a whole,” says Rika. “Especially the student board members, who put so much work into preparing the other students. Their leadership was essential to our success.”

modelunPrior to Model UN conferences, students conduct research from the perspective of their country or figure, to write their position on debate topics. Rika says during club meetings, each student board member is assigned three students who they help by reading their position papers and offering pointers on presentation skills.

Jaime Moore-Carrillo (III) was awarded Best Position Paper for his representation of Bartolome de Cabral in the Spanish Royal Court of 1492. Jaime, who is from Spain, says he was happy to get this topic because he got to explore a part of his country’s history. This was his first Best Position Paper award. “I was very excited. I enjoyed the conference overall, because it was a real intellectual exploration of ideas.”

Under the leadership of Mr. Heath, Rika, and the other club co-heads, Luis Viceira (I) and Carter Wilcox (I), the club’s membership has grown to over 60 active members. Rika’s focus has been encouraging more female students to join, as Model UN has traditionally had more boys participating. The club fosters a fun team atmosphere, and the students are looking forward to the next conference.

BosMUN Awards Recipients

Best Position Paper:

Jaime Moore-Carrillo (III) representing Bartolome de Cabral in the Spanish Royal Court.
Nathan Strauss (II) representing Manuel Carlos Piar in Simon Bolivar’s Liberation of South America.

Verbal Commendation:

Jacob Aronoff (I) representing Kodama Gentaro in the Russo-Japanese War.
Romain Speciel (III) representing Camille Desmoulins in the Convention Nationale.

Honorable Mention:

Serena Fernandopulle (IV) representing Nepal in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Jam Smith (I) representing Adam Smith in the US/Iran Nuclear Negotiations.
Luis Viceira (I) representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).
Katherine Wilcox (IV) representing Palau in the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Outstanding Delegate (2nd Place):

Gabby Fernandopulle (II) representing Chad in the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC).
Te Palandjian (II) representing Namibia in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

Best Delegate (1st Place):

Jake Griffin (III) representing Aleksandr Mikailovich Bezobrazov in the Russo-Japanese War.
Rika Ichinose (I) representing Malaysia in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL).
Carter Wilcox (I) representing Poland in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations.

 

 

Valentines Day Dinner with Wolcott

Upper School Discussion Panel

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The webcast begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.

Armond James Helps Honor Black History Month

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onyx_speakerArmond James—a 2014 congressional candidate for Pennsylvania—shared with students the lessons he’s learned in his life and work. Mr. James’s visit was sponsored by the student club Onyx, in honor of Black History Month.

“I hear a lot about creating safe spaces,” said Mr. James, “but out in the real world, you have to have tough skin. Not everyone is going to like you, but don’t let that dissuade you. Stay true to what you believe in.”

Born and raised in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, Mr. James grew up in what he describes as a hardworking, blue-collar household. He credits his parents for providing him a strong foundation, and teaching him about hard work, respect and the importance of education. Mr. James was the first in his family to attend college; he graduated from Temple University, where he discovered a passion for history and politics.

Mr. James, now a teacher in the Philadelphia public school system, talked to students about failure—particularly about losing to his Democrat opponent by a large margin in the congressional election. He also spoke about a life-changing trip to Iran in 2011, which “showed [him] how influential America is as a country, and how people perceive us.”

Mr. James, a Republican, plans to run for political office in the future, and he encouraged students to become involved in politics, especially at the local level.

“Be prepared when opportunities present themselves,” he said. “Be competitive in what you want to do, and spend time around people who push you into uncomfortable places, because you will learn from that.”

In the Final Stretch: Winter Dance Concert is This Weekend

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dance-final-stretchStudent choreographers and dancers are hard at work finessing their performances for Winter Dance Concert, one of the most popular performance events of the year. This year’s concert includes a mix of traditional dance, modern dance, hip-hop and ballet and features 70 dancers. A jazzy tap number features a remix version of Fred Astaire’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and a Bollywood-style Indian dance that fills the stage. The traditional jig shoes of Irish step face off against the percussive movements of step dancers, choreographed by Chelsea Dougherty (I) and Solace Mensah-Narh (II). A dance that explores gender, by Juliana Rogoff (I) and Janice Chen (I), will feature an original composition by Talia Rubenstein (I), a first for Dance Concert. Talia and Corey Hales (I) will perform the musical piece live during the dance.

Winter Dance Concert opens in King Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, and Friday, March 4, and curtains go up at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 5.

Puttin’ on the Ritz in the Dance Studio

Boys’ Hockey Advances to New England Championships

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boys-hockeyMilton’s boys’ hockey team beat #2 seeded Kimball Union Academy 3-1 on Saturday in the Elite Eight semi-finals to advance to the New England Prep Hockey Championship game against The Gunnery Highlanders on Sunday, March 6, at St. Anselm College. To advance to the semi-finals, the team beat Phillips Exeter 5-2 in the Elite Eight New England Quarterfinal Playoff game.

The boys’ hockey team capped off a remarkable season (19-5-2). Ranked in the top five of New England Prep Hockey all year, the team had an exciting home win against Noble and Greenough in their last game of the regular season (8-5). This win earned them a shared ISL championship title with Thayer Academy.

“The team is a really close group of guys, both on and off the ice,” says team captain Andrew Dumaresque (I). “Our depth of play is something we didn’t have last year. We have a lot of players who can score. And we have great goaltending by Ethan Domokos (II).”

girls-hockeyThe girls’ team lost their game quarterfinal game against Williston-North Hampton (1-3), but it was their first playoff appearance in 15 years reflecting the continued growth of the girls’ hockey program. The team skated a solid season (16-11-0). The girls had some big wins over top 10 teams and received a top 10 ranking a few weeks ago in the HNIB Prep Divison I Poll.

Coach Ryan Stone says there was “great leadership” from Kelli Quinn (I), Anna DiGravio (I), Anne Malloy (I) and Maria DiMartinis (II) as well as “an influx of talented young players, including five freshmen who all played significant roles.”

 

For Spring Break, Students Travel to Belize, the Czech Republic, and Mexico

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By Elizabeth Muse ’16

March break is here, and many students are heading out on School-sponsored trips. Fifteen students will travel to Belize for the annual service trip organized by the Community Service Board. At Ocean Academy, on the island of Caye Caulker, they will work on school improvement projects and tutor children.

belize“I’m so glad I got the opportunity to go last year. We worked with kids, helped with construction, and even met fellow students our own age. The trip was a lot of work, but it was also a ton of fun,” says Cameron DiGiovanni (I).

The work is done in conjunction with Peacework, a nonprofit organization. This is Milton’s eleventh year working with the organization. While Peacework coordinates the work done on the island, students raise money leading up to the trip, through t-shirt and raffle sales.

The Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Singers trip is the largest spring break trip, with 66 students participating. The group will travel to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The Orchestra will perform five concerts. One concert venue will be the Lobkowicz Palace, owned by a Milton Academy alumnus, who returned to the country in 2002 after the dissolution of the Communist government. This venue is where Ludwig van Beethoven first rehearsed his First Symphony; fittingly, the Chamber Orchestra will play that very piece in the same venue, almost two centuries later.

Chamber Singers will also perform five concerts throughout Prague. Although the Orchestra and Chamber Singers performances are usually held separately, this year will be slightly different. Six Orchestra members will accompany the Chamber Singers for several of their songs, one of which music faculty member Mr. Whalen wrote as part of his proposal to his wife.

“Appealing to both musical and political historians, Prague is a fitting venue for Milton’s classical musicians,” says Jam Smith (I). “I’m delighted to be performing with such talented peers and grateful to Milton for arranging the trip.”

Grace Stanfield (I), head of the Chamber Singers, has traveled with the group before: “I went on the Ireland trip two years ago and wasn’t sure what to expect,” she says, “but it was an amazing and beautiful trip. I don’t know what to expect from Prague, but I know the tour will be a unique experience.”

Visit the concert tour blog for updates on the trip.

FInally, eight ambitious students will embark on the Outdoor Program (ODP) trip to Baja California, Mexico, where they will sea kayak from beach to beach. To maximize their time outdoors, they will camp on the beaches at night. When they’re not paddling they will be hiking, snorkeling, and exploring the beaches and hills. Previous spring break ODP trips have been to Joshua Tree National Park and Red Rock Canyon, and Bryce and Zion.

“I really enjoyed last year’s spring break trip,” says Malcolm McCann (II). “It was really something to look forward to. I’m so happy Milton offers such a cool trip each year, and I’m sure this year’s ODP trip will be incredible.”

A version of this story originally ran in the student newspaper, the Milton Measure.


Offices Closed on Monday, March 21, 2016

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Due to the winter storm forecast, Milton Academy offices will be closed on Monday, March 21. Only essential personnel need report to campus.

Campus Safety Officers complete School Resource Officer Training

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Congratulations to Campus Safety Officers Dan Ford and Marty Prendergast on their completion of the National Association of School Resources Officers’ Basic Training Program. The five day (40 hour) course was sponsored by the Worcester Police and Worcester School Department. The NASRO Basic School Resource Officer Course is designed for law enforcement officers and school safety professionals working in an educational environment. The course provides tools for officers to build positive relationships work both students and staff.

Dr. Lisa Miller Is This Year’s Speaker for Religious Understanding

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speaker-lisa-millerAlumna Dr. Lisa Miller ’84, author of the bestseller The Spiritual Child, spoke with students as this year’s Class of 1952 Endowed Speaker for Religious Understanding. Dr. Miller is a professor of psychology and education, and director of the Clinical Psychology Program at Columbia University Teachers College. Dr. Miller is also founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute—the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology.

Dr. Miller spoke about when she started in the field of psychology and the absence of research on the effects of spirituality and the mind at that time. Today, psychological and neurological research shows direct correlation between spirituality and mental health, particularly evidence that children and adolescents with any form of spiritual practice are happier and thriving.

“Everyone is born with some innate spirituality. The most important thing you can do as a teenage is to expand this and establish a spiritual core,” said Dr. Miller. “It will help protect you from the ‘holes’ in life. If you set it up now, you will live that way for the rest of your life.”

Dr. Miller said spirituality does not necessarily mean religion, and for those who don’t follow an organized religion, spirituality might be found in nature or in an activity such as yoga or music.

Dr. Miller graduated from Yale and earned her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. Her innovative research into the quantifiable effects of spirituality on health, resilience and thriving has been published in top research journals including the Journal of the American Medical Association. As a clinical psychologist, her work focuses on spiritual awareness and growth for individuals, families, groups and organizations. She has spoken about her work on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and the Today Show.

The Endowed Speaker for Religious Understanding is a gift from the Milton Academy Class of 1952, bringing renowned speakers to campus and providing a forum for discussing the diverse faiths practiced in our country and around the world.

Dr. Öngür On the Science Behind Mental Illness

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sciencespeakerDr. Dost Öngür, this year’s Science Assembly Speaker, talked with students about his research into the causes of schizophrenia. Chief of the Psychotic Disorders Division at McLean Hospital, Dr. Öngür addressed mental illness in general, as well as the associated stigmas.

“Mental illnesses are common. They are not a small thing we can ignore, but rather a significant public health issue, and people need help,” said Dr. Öngür. “The best way to deal with mental illness is head on—the way we approach any other medical condition.” Dr. Öngür cited worldwide statistics: 350 million people suffer from depression, and 48 million live with dementia.

Dr. Öngür explained that there is no test or imaging that can help diagnose a condition like schizophrenia. “We know it when we see it, but we don’t know how to measure it scientifically,” he says.

This challenge drew Dr. Öngür to delve more deeply into brain chemistry research. One focus is looking at mitochondrial DNA and the role it plays. Although imaging can’t diagnose schizophrenia, MRIs can be used to measure certain chemical aspects of brain function.

Dr. Öngür is an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the author of more than 80 articles on research into the neurobiology of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. In addition to his clinical work at McLean, he receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and others for his research: using brain-imaging techniques to study chemical abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He has won awards from Harvard Medical School for his teaching and mentoring of medical students and residents. He also serves as the associate editor of JAMA Psychiatry.

 

 

Milton Debaters On Top of Their Game

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debate_teamKeeping up with current events is a must for Milton’s Daneis League Debate Team members. The team is a “small but mighty group,” says faculty advisor Susan Marianelli. This year’s team—which includes 20 students—had great success in recent league tournaments.

The Daneis League is made up of independent schools from across New England. Students compete in parliamentary-style debate on Sundays throughout the year. About 30 teams compete in each division at each tournament; team members typically compete as pairs in either the novice or varsity division.

Romain Speciel (III) and Ben Pratt (IV)—both new to the team this year—competed as a pair this season. “Team practices helped us understand not only the structure and strategies of debate, but also the delicate techniques that can mean the difference between winning and losing,” says Romain.

In their first tournament at Andover, the pair took second place in the novice division, and Romain earned third as individual speaker.

“Our results motivated us further, and debate has since become a major part of our extracurricular activities,” says Ben. “It has taught us to work effectively with each other, to address issues without much time to prepare, and to think on our feet.”

Debate topics can range from whether voting should be mandatory to whether cosmetic surgery should be banned; topics also include more high school-centric issues: whether computer science should be a graduation requirement, or if a cap on private school tuition should exist.

Romain and Ben competed with Katherine Wilcox (IV) and Quincy Hughes (III) as a four-person novice team at the Choate tournament and earned second place. Jam Smith (I) and Juliet Pesner (I) competed as a two-person varsity team and earned third place. At the St. Sebastian’s tournament, Jonathan WuWong (III) and Yudaam Han (I) earned third place in the novice division. Jam was the overall Top Speaker for Milton.

What Happens When Centrists are Marginalized? Seminar Day 2016

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16-04_seminar-day“If you’re tempted to disengage from politics as a result of this surrealist campaign, don’t” students heard this morning from John Avlon ’91, editor in chief of The Daily Beast and a CNN political analyst. Ceding political debate to “hyper-partisans” is partly to blame for the highly polarized state of Congress and political campaigns right now, he explained. John Avlon launched Seminar Day 2016 as the Sally Bowles ’56 Keynote Speaker. John has long advocated for the power and importance of political centrism, a level of discourse that has before and can again generate real progress in the United States. He has written Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics as well as Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America. Earlier in his career John was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun, and a chief speechwriter for New York Mayor Rudolph Guliani. He won the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ award for best online column in 2012. Avlon has appeared on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart, “Real Time” with Bill Maher, PBS, and C-Span.

“Why should we be engaged?” John asked rhetorically, “because it’s our job as citizens to get engaged. We know that there are bullies in life, and the best response comes from responding with strength.” People need to stand firm against the politics of division; they need to oppose the “us vs. them” analysis of issues. “Both parties are polarized,” John noted, “therefore they won’t function, as they should, to cool our passions and help us govern together, as they have in the recent past (witness the Marshall Plan, the national highway system, and civil rights legislation).” Mutual respect has dissipated, and “now we have all the disadvantages of a parliamentary system and none of the advantages,” he says.

Marking this presidential campaign as “weird, deeply off center, not without precedent, but a live fire moment,” John described the polarization and populism that we are witnessing.  He argued that the emergence of strong populism was easy to predict, especially in the wake of the 2008 depression, when the rising tide afterward did not lift all boats. Many factors colluded to serve up our current “symmetrical polarization,” a reality in both parties, but more activist and ideological among Republicans, especially Tea Party Republicans. The total ineffectiveness of Congress and the rigged system of redistricting, where politicians choose the people as opposed to the opposite, are major factors.  When satisfying the core of your constituency will keep you in office for a lifetime, what is your incentive to reach across the aisle? The rise of partisan media, which has allowed journalists to come to the table “armed with their own facts,” has fed the divide as well.

A Republican himself, John recalled the “Northeast Republican tradition of fiscally responsible, socially inclusive politicians.”  He pointed to the election of Ed Brooke, a Republican elected in 1966 from Massachusetts and the first African American senator. He defeated former governor Democrat Endicott Peabody in a landslide, and served two terms. Today, the center right in American politics has been forced out of the picture and “being responsible is a net negative” in today’s campaigns.

“When you’re on the fence between apathy and engagement go toward engagement,” John urged students. Debate with a sense of perspective. We will have real work to do after this election.  You vote with your eyeballs and your wallet, every day.  You have impact and you have an obligation; a leadership opportunity is being handed to you. …At the core, commit to your independence.”

Sally Bowles ’56 Keynote Speaker, John’s keynote speech fulfills the wishes of Sally’s family and friends that speakers come to campus who reflect the intellectual curiosity and rigor that marked Sally’s pursuits, as a student and a professional. Sally was focused on big, bold ideas affecting millions of people. She was on the team that developed the Peace Corps; she helped decentralize New York City public schools; she was the director of Medicaid and ran Connecticut’s welfare programs. Over time, and thanks to this Fund, students will listen to a wide range of perspectives on issues critical to the health of society in the United States and around the world.

Fourteen other experts and activists followed the keynote address, covering a wide range of publicly debated domestic and international issues.  Among many topics, students could choose to learn about the law and politics of women’s health today; the direction of workplace automation; the economic impacts of digital transformation; how terrorists recruit and how governments can stop them; or whether the giant banks should be broken up.  Many Milton Academy graduates and several parents were among the guest speakers, stimulating great questions and discussions.

Called the Keyes Seminar Day, this lively event has been one of Milton’s most important traditions since 1977. It is named in honor of its founder, former faculty member Peter Keyes, a legendary promoter of student interest in political process as well as public and governmental affairs and service. In the Milton spirit of developing students’ confidence and competence to live by our motto, “Dare to be true,” Seminar Day brings to campus individuals who have made compelling choices. They are scholars, business people, scientists, educators, writers, political leaders and artists making a difference in the world.

Milton Seniors Are “On Project”

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senior-projects“Going on project,” is a familiar Milton term; it refers to Class I students beginning their long-awaited “Senior Project” at the start of May. Senior Projects are a Milton tradition dating back to the 1960s, and they’ve evolved over the decades. The projects that seniors undertake today fit within four categories: scholarly or academic; community service; internships; and the arts. The procedural hoops to set up a project begin during early winter when students who are interested submit their ideas and plans. They must recruit a member of the faculty or staff as a project advisor, and a committee of faculty decides whether the project meets certain criteria and can be approved, or needs amendment. The faculty committee looks at the size of the group, how the students plan to divide the work, how many hours each week they’re likely to spend on their plan, and why they’re interested in this particular project.

Students in the Class of 2016 chose topics that range from immigration to the environment, from stem cell research and business start-ups through working on presidential campaigns. Students will paint, garden, sew, prepare concerts and recitals, shadow doctors, write and direct plays, learn instruments and languages, and volunteer at a range of sites. Some students complete one full project and others split their time between two half projects. Lauren Stikeleather is planning to write an environmental story for children. Drew Leffler will track international affairs and write a Middle East policy blog. Isabella Miller has prepared and trained to work with the Samaritans answering their hotline. Underclassmen look forward as enthusiastically as seniors do to the final days before graduation, when students present their project to the faculty and the full school. Sharing in this celebration of completed, highly personal work is a favorite Milton Academy tradition.


Big Solutions Need Big Teamwork, Says Greentown Labs CEO

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Emily-Reichert-Lorax-Assembly“You can make a difference. You may not know what that is today, but keep your ears open as you’re learning, as you’re growing, to how you can make an impact,” Dr. Emily Reichert told students Wednesday morning. Dr. Reichert is CEO of Greentown Labs, a clean technology startup incubator. She encouraged students to think about the environmental problems facing the world today—climate change, energy deficiencies, water scarcity, deforestation, waste management—and the actions they can take to solve them. Dr. Reichert was on campus as this year’s Lorax Speaker for the Earth Day assembly.

At Greentown Labs, it’s “all about teams” and working together. When someone with a great idea forms a coalition of partners, mentors and investors, they have a much stronger foundation than if they were to go it alone.

Greentown Labs was seeded at M.I.T. by four entrepreneurs looking to solve environmental problems with products they could bring to market. The incubator has grown to approximately 40 businesses occupying 33,000 square feet of prototyping and office space in Somerville, Massachusetts, where they keep costs low by sharing resources and professional services. An open space with few walls and free-flowing ideas facilitates productivity, Dr. Reichert says. Regular dinners among the startups’ CEOs help them work through business obstacles they may not have encountered before. “You need that kind of community and exchange to figure these things out.” Bringing everyone to the table, as with a robust classroom discussion, encourages important growth and idea generation.

Businesses that have “graduated” from Greentown Labs have created innovative and practical environmental solutions, such as the first fully-functional airborne wind turbine and an unmanned “robot boat” that records ocean data and analytics. Dr. Reichert encouraged students with ideas for green technology and environmental solutions to talk about their plans early and often. Identifying partners and mentors will help them solidify their plans, grow their networks, and increase their access to resources. Answering a student’s question after her presentation, Dr. Reichert explained that a person’s academic focus doesn’t have to be science or technology for them to get involved in clean tech projects. People with business and entrepreneurial goals help usher important ideas from concept through development. After all, “there are big problems out there to be solved.”

Named for the Dr. Seuss character that “speaks for the trees,” Lorax is a student group established in 1987 that raises awareness of the environment and our responsibility as stewards.

Milton Gets Wicked Sketchy This Weekend

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wicked-sketchyIt’s turning into an annual spring tradition as the 1212 play brings another taste of Saturday Night Live comedy to campus. Wicked Sketchy is an original production made up of sketches, written and performed by students. For this third production, Wicked Sketchy veterans Mack Makishima (I), Alex Gistis (I) and Melody Tan (I) took on lead writing and directorial roles in this collaborative project. The 12-student cast pitched ideas to each other and wrote draft skits in small groups, eventually choosing the final ones, which each student had a hand in editing. Director and performing arts faculty member Peter Parisi says sketch topics range from pirates to family relationships, Greek mythology to dating, and the production includes two musical numbers.

The tradition of Milton’s 1212 Plays began over 30 years ago in room 1212 of Warren Hall. The performances evolved from play readings to fully staged productions under the direction of late faculty member Nina Seidenman. When Warren Hall was renovated, and room 1212 became an English classroom, the productions relocated to Wigg Hall. The space may have changed, but the philosophy is the same: intimate productions with small casts, minimal technical demands, and challenging material for both actors and audience.

Performances of Wicked Sketchy begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, May 5 and 6, and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

Conor French ’99 Will Be 2016 Graduation Speaker

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conor-frenchA corporate attorney turned social entrepreneur, Conor French ’99 is the CEO of Indego Africa—a nonprofit enterprise that partners with cooperatives of nearly 500 female artisans in Rwanda and Ghana. Indego Africa tries to break cycles of poverty by providing women with the tools and support to flourish as independent businesswomen and drive development in their communities.

Indego Africa supports its artisan partners by exporting, marketing, and selling their products—clothing, jewelry, accessories, home décor—online and to retailers like J.Crew and Nicole Miller. Indego Africa pools profits from sales, donations and grant support to fund training in business management, entrepreneurship, technology and literacy for its artisan partners.

Conor began his career practicing law at Latham & Watkins, where he represented public and private companies, investment banks, private equity firms, and investors. He served as pro bono counsel to Ashoka, in which he structured partnerships that supported the organization’s global network of social entrepreneurs. This work with Ashoka sparked in Conor a shift toward social impact entrepreneurship.

A frequent speaker and writer on issues related to economic development, social innovation, global partnerships, women’s empowerment, and non-profit management, Conor has been recognized by Diplomatic Courier as one of the most influential foreign policy leaders under 33; by Yoxi as a Social Innovation Rockstar; and by Ellevate Network as a Guy Who Rocks.

Conor earned a bachelor’s degree in history and English from Georgetown University and his law degree at New York University. He is a founding member of the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise and a Truman National Security Project fellow. He also serves as general counsel for Funding Circle USA—a global marketplace for small business loans—where he is responsible for U.S. legal and regulatory affairs. He serves on the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Attorney Professionalism and is qualified to practice law in California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts and New York.

Sophomores Get “Trapped” In Mind-Bending Game

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16-05_trapology2Starting with a series of Instagram videos featuring a grim industrial kitchen and some seemingly random letters, Class III students embarked on a mission to solve a complex puzzle Wednesday morning. From that point, they solved equations and a riddle, and unlocked a code with instructions for completion, ultimately ending with some prizes from Trapology Boston, whose co-founder, Nicole Chan, visited Class III as the math department’s invited speaker. As the different pieces of the puzzle fell into place, small groups of students raced down the bleachers in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center to receive their next hint from Ms. Chan and her colleague, Karen Eng.

Solving such complex problems requires a great understanding of logic, some creativity, analytical skills, creativity, teamwork and common sense, said Ms. Chan, the game master behind Trapology’s escape rooms. At its Boston location, participants are locked in a room and given one hour to uncover the clues that will lead to their release. The puzzles increase in difficulty as the deadline approaches.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” Ms. Chan explained. “The element of surprise is something that our players really respond to, so we have a lot of fun with that.”

Only about 10 to 15 percent of participants complete the puzzle within the hour, and Trapology’s current escape record is 36 minutes—held by a group of high school students.

“Younger people generally seem most adept at recognizing the meaningful clues and avoiding the ‘red herrings’ that are intentionally placed to distract players, while older players tend to overanalyze the items in the room,” Ms. Chan said after the event.

Math informs the design and solution of many of the clues, although the arithmetic itself does not advance beyond some basic multiplication. When a puzzle has a mathematical foundation, it is able to include those who may otherwise be excluded by language or cultural limits.

“Math is the universal language,” Ms. Chan said. “It is one of the basic building blocks that people from all over the world can use to work together.”

 

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Matt Tabor (II) Throws Perfect Game Against Lawrence

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by Julia Lebovitz ‘17

matt_taborAn exciting season is underway for the boys’ varsity baseball team, with many close games. The most exciting accomplishment of the season occurred on April 30 against Lawrence Academy when Matt Tabor (II) pitched a perfect game, one of the most challenging and impressive achievements in sports. A perfect game is defined as a game in which no runner reaches first base.

“Pitching a perfect game is a once in a lifetime experience,” says Sam Murray (II).

In fact, Matt is the first pitcher Mr. Petherick has coached who threw a perfect game. Matt said that he did not have high expectations going into the game because Lawrence was undefeated. Instead, he “was focused on being the best I could be and going out to get a ‘W’.”

Matt says it was not until the fourth inning when he realized the possibility of pitching a perfect game. However, he stayed focused on winning the game, rather than fixating on throwing a perfect game.

“It was honestly such a surreal experience, and I couldn’t have done it without the support and play of the guys behind me. Isaac Fossas (II) and Gavin Baker Greene (I) made huge plays that saved the perfect game,” says Matt.

Sam Hitt (I) says that Matt had “many great outings this year and has been vital to the team’s winning record.” Sam also described Matt as one of the best pitchers in the ISL. Matt’s ability to throw 85 miles per hour pitches has helped the team in countless ways so far this season. According to Matt, who committed to play Division 1 baseball at Elon, the rest of the baseball team’s season looks very promising. The game against Lawrence will definitely be remembered as a career highlight for not only Matt, but also the entire baseball team.

A version of this article was originally published in the Milton Measure.

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