Community – Page 2 – AHS NEWSPAPER

How Much Pep Could a Pep Rally Rally, If A Pep Rally Could Rally Pep

December 13, 2024

By Jillian Slotnick
SPORTS EDITOR

Student Government and the Jungle organized the celebration, which consisted of pie-eating contests, tug-of-war, and team competitions. This year, students took a major role in planning, as opposed to last year’s rally, which was mainly coordinated by Interim Principal Betty Taylor. The rally was attended by the entire school and had participation from students, teachers, and even Principal Jimmy D’Andrea.

The pep rally is a tangible example of all the work student organizations, such as Student Government and the Jungle, do. Senior Salma Ali, a member of Student Government and one of the main pep rally organizers, said, “We want to get more people excited. A lot of people want to skip the last day or skip the pep rally, so we want to get people more excited, which is why we’re having the Jungle leaders as MCs. [Hopefully] they’ll get people hyped and push them to get involved and be a part of it for the next [few] years.”

Student participation is the heart of any successful pep rally, and at AHS, the energy students bring is unmatched. From chanting school cheers to yelling for their friends, the enthusiasm from the students sets the tone for the event. This year, a number of fall sports, from girl’s swimming and diving to golf, participated in the pep rally. The event planners hoped that competing in events like tug-of-war will serve as bonding experiences and demonstrate team unity.

Unlike in past pep rallies, there was no teacher dance or speech from football coach Ernest Perry. Additional activities are the balloon relay, band performances, and Jungle Leaders also acting as MCs. These changes will hopefully allow for greater student engagement.

STAFF PHOTO/ Jillian Slotnick
Students collide during relay game.

The planning and care put into the pep rally is obvious, and reflected by the palpable excitement shown by the students during the event. Connor Acheson, a captain of the football team, said, “I love [the pep rally]. I think we should have more [of them]. I think the team and everybody in the school get super excited, and it’s a lot of fun: super high energy. And it definitely helps before the big game.”

Perry expressed a similar opinion. “The school really likes it and the players seem to like it [as well],” he said. ”Everybody’s really into it. The energy is great, especially so close to the game. I think it really gets us into that mindset of the Thanksgiving [game] and needing to give it our all because it’s the last time we’ll step on that field this season.”

According to Ali, the annual pep rally does not only increase excitement for the Thanksgiving Day football game, but also elevates overall school pride. By bringing the whole community together, it forms a stronger bond between AHS students. Even administrators have noticed the positive change pep rallies and the presence of the Jungle has on school spirit.

Athletic Director Wayne Puglisi said, “I think that the Jungle has had some great turnouts for our home football games. They’re very supportive of other sports [as well,] which is great to see since that’s not been the case in the past. I feel like school spirit is slowly coming back [after COVID and our changing leadership]. Just the way that students act in the Jungle, how they cheer, and what they do for the different teams and different programs; it’s pretty cool.”

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The Empowering Role that Principals Play

November 13, 2024

We are all in different places in our educational careers. Some of us are just starting high school, while others are getting ready to move on to college. But as we walk different paths forward, we have one thing that unites us; one thing that makes us all smile in the mornings, a constant presence in our lives. In the crowded hallways of AHS, we all can stand on common ground: our love of our new principal, Jimmy D’Andrea.

We believe he is the key to raising school spirit and community at AHS. This year will be filled with a continuation of the joy that Jimmy has brought so far, and we can’t wait to see it. His enthusiasm is infectious, as we see him show up game after game and concert after concert, Every morning when we hear Jimmy’s bright voice over the loudspeaker, when he shows up time and again to sports events, concerts, and club meetings, his love for AHS is clear. He has demonstrated true care and commitment to the student body, even in his admittedly short term, and we love him for it.

Jimmy’s legacy at AHS has just begun, and we can’t wait to see him continue to build the school community.

Strength in Struggle: Teaching on the Path to a New Kidney

November 13, 2024

Isabella Yan

ARTS EDITOR

This past year has been a journey of perseverance and uncertainty for English teacher Elena Emory who has been battling chronic kidney disease and kidney failure since August 2023.

Kidney disease has long been a part of Emory’s life. The disease is genetic in her family, and for years she has endured its slow and inevitable progression. In October of this year, Emory matched with a living donor, a 73-year-old man.

“It’s a good kidney,” said Emory, “[I will] probably get 15 [or] maybe 20 years out of it.” The transplant can happen within the next two to six months.

Emory revealed the limited choices patients have during the kidney disease treatment process. “You don’t get options in this journey,” she said, adding, “[but] my surgeon gave me options.”

Emory has the option to take the kidney from the donor or have a Kidney Paired Donation (KPD). KPD matches incompatible donor-recipient pairs with other donor-recipient pairs to exchange kidneys. Through KPD, the kidney of her living donor can go to someone who is of a closer age or more compatible, while she can receive a younger kidney.

In the past year, Emory has had to balance her teaching life with the challenges of kidney disease. In the face of her medical journey, she has expressed an unwavering dedication to her students. “It’s a hard thing because you have the appearance of all is well, and it’s not,” Emory said.

Emory remains open to her students about her kidney disease. “I couldn’t keep it packed away,” she said, “they’re my kids… they get a sense of their teachers and something like this.” In sharing her experience with kidney disease with her students, Emory explained, “The kids will be on the journey to transplant…they’ll see the other side of it, [that’s] the beauty of that.”

Junior Aneesa Hazarika previously had Emory as a teacher and reflected on how Emory’s experience with kidney disease shaped her relationships with her students. “She would relate to us in an emotional aspect because she was dealing with a struggle of her own,” said Hazarika. “When it came to talking with her, it was a lot easier because she was understanding in that [emotional] aspect.”

Hazarika added that her story not only sheds light on the disease but also sheds light on what people––especially teachers––may be experiencing beyond what is seen at the surface level. “It’s not like they’re only surrounded by academics. They have their own personal life and personal struggles, and seeing that made me realize…they’re similar to us in more ways than one,” said Hazarika.

Emory shared that she has received enormous support from family and community members during her medical journey and has been incredibly thankful for the patience, love, and sacrifice she has received. “[People have been] reaching out,” she said, “[and] people do what they can.” However, the support that she has experienced from her students has been especially meaningful. “My kids have been the saving grace for me…they are everything,” she said. Hazarika pointed to the attentiveness, respect, and well-wishes of the students in her class upon learning of Emory’s story.

Despite the recent hopeful turn in her journey, the road towards securing a donor has been a challenge in itself. Around 17 people tested to be a living donor for Emory. Among these people was Emory’s husband, who completed numerous tests over three months intending to be a donor for Emory. However, on the final test, Emory and her husband received disheartening news: her husband was discovered to have Fibromuscular Dysplasia, a condition that involves the twisting of arteries including the ones that connect to the kidney, disqualifying him from being a donor. “As devastating as [the diagnosis] was, this was a ‘God-Moment,’ one of the many,” said Emory. “My husband and our family now have this information and can keep our eyes on it.”

Since finding out that she has matched with a donor, Emory shared that the biggest thing for her has been answering the question, “How do you pay this forward?” One thing is spreading the message that there are many people who are in need of a kidney. “It’s really important to think about…What can you do to help someone in need?” Emory said. She encourages people to learn about the importance of being an organ or blood donor. “Kindness takes many hands and many forms,” Emory explained, “everyone can do something to help someone else out and every gesture makes a huge difference.”

By sharing her story, Emory is a voice for many others experiencing kidney disease or other health challenges. “My journey is far from over, I have learned so much,” said Emory. With remarkable strength and courage, she takes on the role of an educator in an inspiring way. “The road to transplantation is never straight, can be lonely, and is not without ‘bumps,’” said Emory, “and that is indeed part of the journey.”

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To Stand or Not to Stand?

November 13, 2024

Staff, Students Debate Pledge of Allegiance requirements

Avery Slaughter and Christina Saad

STAFF WRITERS

At 8:15 A.M., Ralph Bledsoe proudly stood with his hand over his heart as he recited the Pledge of Allegiance in time with the voice over the loudspeakers. The students, standing in rows at their desks, quietly listened while blinking sleep out of their eyes. To an outside observer, it seemed like nobody thought twice about the daily announcement.

At the same time, in Jeffrey Kuchan’s first period class, the band director watched the flag in the corner of the band room as the present students milled about. Some stood; some recited the Pledge in a muted mutter; some sat silently. It didn’t matter to him so long as they showed respect for the morning ritual.

It’s an elementary part of every student and staff member’s day, but the Pledge of Allegiance enthusiastically echoes through the school every morning. Some people don’t think twice about it; some regard it with irritation; some consider it greatly important. After years of the same routine, though, some staff and students in the building have begun questioning whether standing for the Pledge is something students should be required to do.

Currently, there are no federal laws requiring public school students to stand or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Whether or not public schools must say it — and, furthermore, when the students must say it — is decided by the state, and it differs across the country. In Massachusetts, the Pledge must be said first thing in the morning or at the beginning of the school day. Private schools are not held to these standards and may decide by themselves whether or not they recite it.

Because public schools are government institutions, the legality around the Pledge is strict.

When he said the Pledge of Allegiance that morning, AHS Principal Jimmy D’Andrea, channeled his usual cheer, though it wasn’t a particularly notable part of his day. He was enthusiastic about the recitation just as he was every morning — inspiring a bit of joy at the beginning of the day could only be beneficial, after all. He didn’t mind whether or not people stood, nor had he ever, but he recognized the Pledge’s historical significance in the country. Despite the differing regulations across each school he’d worked in, it was a staple in all of them. He would say the Pledge with a smile each morning.

“Public schools were created many years ago for the public good by government agencies,” D’Andrea said, “and so as a result, most of these laws go back well over a hundred years. In this day and age, I don’t know if the same kind of laws would be created, but most [them] have been in the books for a very long period of time.”

While opinions on whether or not students should be required to stand are greatly conflicting, the general consensus seems to be that students should have a choice. Whether or not they should choose to do it out of respect is highly debated, though.

“I think it can’t be a requirement,” Bledsoe said, “but out of respect for the place you live, the people you live with, for the country you live in, out of respect, at least stand.”

Robert Michaud, a history teacher, agreed that you should have the choice but believed the decision was up to personal beliefs. “You’re going to be valued and respected here, as long as you’re not trampling on other people’s values that they have in this situation,” Michaud said.

Some people disagree entirely. Fred Hopkins, a history teacher, suggested that saying the Pledge could possibly promote violence in the country.

“Pledging allegiance is a very serious activity, and what the flag stands for and what it aspires to be are two different things,” Hopkins said, “so when you pledge allegiance, are you supporting all the violence that’s been done by this country and its military, or are you supporting a system of equality and justice, here and abroad, or are you supporting the ideals of freedom and liberty?”

For Kuchan, who taught in a school in Virginia where the Pledge of Allegiance is regarded as extremely important, the Pledge is something to be respected but not enforced. Many of his students in Virginia had veterans in the family or similar military backgrounds, and standing for the Pledge was a meaningful way to pay tribute to that.

“All I ask my students to do is make sure they are respectful during that time, so for those who choose to stand up and say it, they may; for those who choose to sit, they may, as long as they’re not being disruptive,” Kuchan said.

Senior Elina McKenna suggested that being in high school offers more freedom in saying the Pledge. When the Pledge was recited over the loudspeakers that morning, she didn’t pay it any mind. Most of the people in her class had a similar level of apathy regardless of whether they stood or remained seated. To her class, it seemed to be an inconsequential part of their day at best and a mild annoyance at worst. McKenna said that in elementary and middle school, standing and saying the Pledge felt required by the teachers. That pressure is now less intense at AHS, and as a result, people don’t feel it’s necessary to stand and recite it.

Wes Ong, a junior, agreed. “I haven’t heard anyone saying it in a long time. Sometimes the teacher will say it, but quietly,” Ong said.

So, should students be required to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance? There’s no clear answer, but most seem to agree it’s purely up to personal preference. The Pledge has been an omnipresent part of the school day since reconstruction after the Civil War and will likely be around for a long time, but having the personal freedom to choose to stand or not to stand is a great representation of our rights as citizens in the United States of America.

My Pencil is Smarter Than My Laptop

November 13, 2024

Technology in schools might be doing more harm than good

Tommy Kruecker-Green

OPINIONS EDITOR

Technology is everywhere we look. It is inescapable. At AHS, it has become a reflex to open one’s laptop at the start of every class. “Submit your homework on Schoology,” “check your grades online,” “use Google Slides for group projects”—you get the point. Technology in schools has become so deeply embedded that we hardly question it anymore. We should.

More often than not, I feel that technology is a distraction to learning. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as dependent on my devices as anyone else. And I think that there are good reasons to use our devices in an educational setting. But I can’t help but wonder if we’re losing something in the process.

Lindsey L’Ecuyer, a science teacher here at AHS, told me something that stuck with me: students are starting to feel disconnected from their work when it’s done on the computer. “I have more students say that when they do something online, it feels like it’s not real or like it doesn’t count,” L’Ecuyer reflected. When she first said that, I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. Upon further reflection, however, I realized that I know exactly the feeling. There’s something about typing that feels temporary, as though the newly acquired knowledge exists in a digital bubble that could disappear at any moment. Oh wait, that’s actually true—I close my browser, and boom, it’s gone. Schoology is down (isn’t it always?)—gone. It’s just not really there. When I handwrite notes, though, I feel a much stronger connection to the material. There’s a permanence and physicality to writing that makes it feel like the information is sinking in.

It’s not just about vague impressions and gut feelings that can’t really be qualified. There’s science to back it up. Multiple studies have shown that handwriting notes actually improves memory and understanding. One 2014 study, “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard,” found that, in their words, “students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand.” Why? Because handwriting is slower than typing. When you write by hand, you’re forced to process and summarize information as you go. With typing, you can easily fall into the trap of copying things down verbatim without actually thinking about them.

A lot of you may have already heard the argument that handwriting helps with memory retention. That’s one important point, but what I think may be more important is the effect that constant screen exposure is having on our attention spans—and our development. I see this play out every day in my own life and the lives of my classmates. We start with the intention of focusing on a lesson or finishing an assignment, but somehow, we end up down a rabbit hole of distractions—checking social media, clicking on New York Times alerts with the latest swing state polls or the most recent atrocity in the Middle East, watching YouTube videos of roller-skating hamsters, or even scrolling through online shops. Yes, I have seen students drooling over Air Jordans during class.

Screens are incredibly good at what they’re designed to do: capture our attention and keep it for as long as possible. A laptop that’s supposed to be a tool for learning can easily become a vehicle for procrastination. Even if I tell myself, “I’m just going to quickly check this one thing,” it’s never just that. Before I know it, 20 minutes have passed, and I’ve completely forgotten what I was working on. Moreover, according to Gloria Mark, a professor at UC-Irvine, it can take more than 20 minutes for the brain to get back into the focused mindset that it was in, prior to the email/social media/web browsing break. In a way, technology feels like it’s actively working against me, tempting me to veer off course. And as much as I hate to admit it, I know I’m not alone in this. I see my friends struggling with the same thing—starting off with good intentions but getting sidetracked by the endless allure of the internet.

This can be especially problematic for younger students. Imagine growing up in a classroom where the boundary between learning and entertainment is so thin it’s practically invisible. Kids who are just beginning to develop focus and study habits are being handed tools that can so easily pull them away from their work. It’s a slippery slope, and once you fall into the abyss of distraction, it can be incredibly hard to climb back out.

Consider this: Silicon Valley executives enroll their children in Waldorf schools where they bake pies, build shoe racks, and read books—anything to learn by doing and, importantly, to keep off the screens. These executives know how addictive and detrimental to learning and development screens can be. If Massachusetts public schools want to be progressive, they would do well to reconsider the role of technology in our classrooms.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

November 13, 2024

Open-toed shoes at AHS have got to go

Carissa Dessin

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

However, despite their popularity, this lackadaisical type of footwear feels out of place in a school environment. In a place of learning, it is quite jarring to see dozens of students’ feet on a daily basis. While flip-flops and other open-toed shoes may scream “summer vibes,” they’re a far cry from the sense of professionalism, focus, and safety that a school setting should aim to foster.

The sound of squeaking and plastic slapping on the floor echoes through the halls at any given hour during the spring, summer, and warmer autumnal months, indicating an unfortunate trend at AHS: flip-flops. When the weather heats up, so does the presence of open-toed shoes in every corner of the school, from the cafeteria to the classrooms, as students opt for comfort and ease over more traditional footwear.

One significant concern with flip-flops and sandals in schools is the lack of protection they provide. In the bustling halls, it’s not rare to get stepped on. Senior Kai Cruz has personally witnessed “people’s feet getting trampled in the hallway.” In high-traffic halls like the ones in AHS, shoes should be practical, and flip-flops are anything but.

This lack of practicality becomes even more glaring when students are in gym or science classes. In settings where physical activity or exposure to hazardous materials is part of the curriculum, wearing open-toed shoes is not only impractical but downright dangerous. Teachers require students to wear closed-toed shoes in labs for good reason—broken glass or spilled chemicals could cause serious injuries. Chemistry teacher Sarah Fisher said, “In the lab, it’s absolutely a safety issue. I’ve seen students hurt themselves pretty badly because they were wearing slippers.”

Gym teacher Meredith Emery has witnessed many injuries from students not wearing proper footwear, not only flip-flops but also slippers. She consistently emphasizes the importance of wearing sneakers in all of her Personal Fitness classes. “The first day of class two years ago in 2021, [a student] broke his toe because he was wearing Crocs,” she said. This is not an isolated incident, Emery stated; injuries like this are a recurring issue every year.

Then there’s the issue of hygiene. While the cleanliness of a person’s feet is not a strong concern, the mere thought of seeing other students’ feet day in and day out feels uncomfortable. Cruz summed it up perfectly when she said, “Most people hate feet, as they should, and keep them as private as possible. I personally think feet should always be hidden.” Open-toed shoes add a level of discomfort that goes beyond style, whether it’s the sight of exposed toes or the after-smell of sweaty sandals after hours of walking through school.

What makes the situation even more perplexing is that many students, who would never wear flip-flops or sandals in a professional context, see nothing wrong with wearing them to school. This type of thinking ignores the reality that school serves as a practice run for adulthood in many ways. Emery pointed out, “You wouldn’t go to your job in inappropriate clothing. And this is, to me, your job.”

Given that flip-flops are simple to put on, and ideal for warm weather, it’s no wonder students choose to wear them all the time. However, there is a price for that convenience. Schools are places where focus and safety should come first, and open-toed shoes just do not fit that bill. Whether it’s the distraction of frequent foot exposure, the safety dangers in labs and gym courses, or the lack of professionalism that flip-flops imply, these casual shoes are better suited for weekends and summer vacations—not for school.

In the end, it’s about respect. Respect for the learning environment, respect for peers who don’t want to see or smell your feet, and respect for the safety standards that schools are responsible for maintaining. So, next time you reach for those flip-flops, think twice. After all, some comforts are worth saving for when the final bell rings, and you’re heading anywhere but school.

New APs Coming to AHS

November 13, 2024

Harry Guo

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

There are simply not enough APs! It just feels like the amount of homework is just not enough for us students who are underworked and unoccupied with other activities. To remedy this issue, the College Board has announced a bunch of new APs. I’ll go through the ones that are coming to AHS this school year:

APULL: The class for students to enroll in during their senior year after taking APUSH (AP US History). The topic of this class is seduction, with the goal of helping students pull a girlfriend or boyfriend. However, designers are still struggling to get a higher average class grade than 0% in recent trials.

AP Brain Rot: In this introductory college-level skibidi studies course, students cultivate their understanding of brain rot from the founding of the Sigma to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like John Pork identity; doom scrolling, rizzing, and mewing; geography and the Grimace Shake environment; looksmaxxing and mogging; the role of Fanum Tax; brain rot from the screen to the ring to the pen to the king; brain rot and TikTok Rizz Party culture; and social structure of the Costco Guys.

AP Algebra II: In an effort to make more money—I mean, to enrich the skill sets of high school students—the College Board will introduce AP Algebra II, the prerequisite for the newly formed AP Precalculus course.

AP Personal Fitness: Focuses on the art of pretending to work out when the teacher walks by.

AP Computer $$$cience: I did NOT fumble on the keyboard. This course might look like a long-lost cousin of AP Computer Science A or AP Computer Science Principles, but it’s a completely different beast. I’m talking about a class designed for those future computer scientists who’ve got nothing but dollar signs in their eyes. The course kicks off with a unit composed of how to find a job in an oversaturated job market, with the last unit teaching students about how to handle a midlife crisis. What’s a computer science career without a dash of existential reflection?

AP Lunch: Lettuce not get carried away here, this class won’t be as easy as pie… the steaks in this class are very high. Let’s get to the meat of the situation: if you don’t get at least seconds during lunch or don’t have the money in your account to, you’re going to end up in a pickle. This AP isn’t for everyone, it’s going to cost a lot of cheddar. Eggscuse me with how corny I was milking all these puns just now; there is good news, despite how fishy this course may seem. If you get a 4 or 5, you walnut have to take lunch in college.

AP Calculus ABC: If you’re the kind of student who tackles AP Calculus BC with the grace of a baby giraffe on roller skates, and then makes an exit to AP Calculus AB, where you can’t help but yawn at the pace of the lessons, then AP Calculus ABC is perfect for you.
AP Pig Latin: In this in-depth course studying the ancient language of Igpay Atinlay, students will tackle the language’s rich vocabulary and complex grammar while covering various classic titles, such as Evernay Onnagay Ivegay Ouyay Upyay by Ickray Astleyyay.

New Weekly Phone Calls Keep Families Involved

November 13, 2024

Luka Oatman

STAFF WRITER

Principal Jimmy D’Andrea has introduced a new method of communicating with AHS families this year: a newsletter delivered via phone call.

In previous years, AHS updates were only conveyed to families through email. While this method worked for some parents, others who may not have had time to thoroughly read the letter had to rely on their students to learn about school news. However, with a new principal comes new traditions, as the school has seen during D’Andrea’s time at AHS.

These Sunday-night phone calls go live every week around 7 P.M. They include around two minutes of information about events and changes around the school.

“I try to think from the perspective of, ‘What are the key things that parents and guardians need to know related to the school as a whole?’” said D’Andrea when asked about how he decides what to tell families about each week. “They’re things that students may mention to their parents, but it’s also helpful for the parents to have access to this weekly news so that they can support their student.”

Students and parents around AHS have expressed appreciation for the new form of news, feeling that it helps make it easier for families to stay connected and involved with the school.

“Every Sunday night, when the phone rings, my parents are quick to answer the phone. They’re very excited to hear the principal’s message,” said Henry Kane, a senior. “I think it’s really helpful for families to stay informed and be prepared for the week ahead.”

D’Andrea hopes that parents and students alike will benefit greatly from these quick and easy broadcasts, learning about school events from parent-teacher conferences to homecoming dances and getting more involved than ever before.

Athletes Navigate Unique Challenges in College Sports Recruitment

November 13, 2024

Brandon Nguyen

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andover High School’s athletes face a vastly different college application process than their peers, navigating the complex world of sports recruitment that involves early outreach, performance assessments, and competitive pressure.

The recruitment process starts early, often around sophomore or junior year, and can be overwhelming, according to Kerry Cashman, the assistant athletic director at Andover High School. “The heaviest amount of recruitment is happening in sophomore and junior years,” Cashman explained. “It really depends on the sport and skill level, and some sports can start as early as middle school.”

The process itself can be daunting, as senior swimmer Amelia Barron described. “It was a little weird at first because no one really tells you [what to do]… so I just started emailing random coaches,” she said. Athletes are often left to initiate contact with potential schools on their own, attending recruitment camps or sending game footage when campus visits aren’t feasible. Barron will be headed to Pomona College next fall to compete on its swim team.

The recruitment process also requires resilience, as athletes often face rejection from coaches. “Some schools just didn’t write back, or they’d write back and say no,” said Barron. “But honestly, just don’t get discouraged because there is a place for you somewhere.”

Senior and lacrosse goalie Addison Glavin, who will be headed to Colby-Sawyer College, also emphasized the pressure of maintaining communication with coaches. “Reaching out to coaches is really difficult… you just think, ‘They’re going to hate me, they’re going to hate me.’”

But both Glavin and Barron agreed that if they had any advice for students going through the sports recruitment process in the future, it would be to have confidence and reach out to colleges as much as possible. As senior Jed Gallaudet put it, “The worst [colleges] can say is no.”

For some athletes, the sports recruitment process can reduce stress around traditional application requirements but adds new forms of pressure, both during and after recruitment. “Once you commit, there’s a little more pressure,” said Gallaudet, who will be part of the cross country and track and field programs at Colby College in the fall. “Now everybody knows you have the skill to compete at the next level.”

Gallaudet also reflected on the pressure of the recruitment process: “[The process] was time-consuming, and it can also put pressure on races that maybe can take away from some of the fun that the sport brings. It sometimes feels like coaches see you as a number.”

Cashman, who was also on the other side of the recruitment process as a college basketball coach at UMass Lowell, emphasized that coaches look for much more than athletic stats: “How did they handle mistakes that they made or their teammates might have made? What was their demeanor on the bench? How did they interact with their coaches? Those were hugely important,” Cashman explained. “I don’t think high school students necessarily know that… they think it’s about how many points they score or how fast their times are. They want kids who are high-quality, high-caliber, and just really good kids.”

For students like senior and field hockey player Lucy Baker, the school for you might not be the one you first expect. Baker, who is committed to Kenyon College, shared, “I thought the recruitment process was already over when Kenyon reached out. It was exciting, but also a little overwhelming to add another option to my list.” Originally looking for schools on the East Coast, Baker decided on Kenyon after visiting their campus in Ohio. “Their academic programs felt like a good fit for me as someone interested in the liberal arts programs they had.”

While each student-athlete’s journey varies, the thread of persistence, early preparation, and adaptability runs through them all. According to Barron, “It’s about finding the place where you fit, both with the team and in the classroom.” All students interviewed emphasized finding the college that speaks to you. As Baker said, “While the process is daunting, what people should really focus on is finding a community of like-minded people at a school and a place they can be happy at.”

Club Spotlight: Ink Magazine

November 13, 2024

Avery Slaughter

STAFF WRITER

ANDOVERVIEW sat down with Ink Magazine co-Editor-in-Chief Keira D’Angelo to discuss the literary club’s purpose and impact within AHS.

When and where is it?

Thursdays after school, Room 222.

What does a typical club meeting look like?

It depends what we’re working on. The past couple of weeks, it’s been us trying to figure out how we’re going to get this year up and going. We have a lot of ideas for different themes we could do for our magazine. Last week, we were working on how to publicize, so we were talking about flyers and social media and stuff like that. But it’s all still up in the air as of right now. This Thursday, we’re gonna solidify some stuff [and] make it more intentional.

How will students who attend benefit from this club?

We’re a literary magazine, so we do a lot of art stuff. We’ll pick a theme, and then you can submit anything from photographs to short stories. A lot of people submit poems, and a lot of people submit drawings. You’ll benefit from learning what it’s like to be in a published magazine. You’ll also learn how to be creative within a theme. I think that’s a lot of what holds people back from submitting. They feel like the theme isn’t what they fit in to, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways and I’m sure whatever you’ve created will be totally fine.

How does the club impact and contribute to the Andover High community?

I think it offers a creative outlet for a lot of people, because a lot of clubs here are very STEM-based. It’s all very, “this is what’s gonna look good on college apps or resumes,” and I think it’s really important to have a place where you can go to just have fun at the end of the day. I think a lot people can benefit from just letting their STEM side take a break and letting their creative side take over a bit.

Ink is currently looking for submissions to the magazine (which has no theme at this time). Please email your pieces to ahs.ink.magazine@gmail.com!