featured – Page 3 – AHS NEWSPAPER

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!

Articles Arts Clubs Community Events Trending

‘Into the Woods’ Expands with New Characters

November 13, 2024

Janaesa Macasaet

STAFF WRITER

Andover High School’s fall musical, “Into the Woods,” incorporates new fairytale characters into the beloved 1986 Stephen Sondheim musical, adding more roles.

The new characters Hansel, Gretel, Goldilocks, Rumpelstiltskin, the Huntsman, and Tom Thumb each shed light on views never seen before. Director of Theater Arts Susan Choquette previously directed the musical 18 years ago, and has once again decided to add new characters to challenge the cast and include more people in the production.

While “Into the Woods” has many feature roles, there is no ensemble. Gabriel Cordio, a freshman playing Rumpelstiltskin, finds the new characters make the stage and songs sound fuller.

“On the stage, all the fairytale characters are going to be in their costumes, so it’s cool to see there’s Rumpelstiltskin, there’s Goldilocks… It helps fill out the play. [Because] “Into the Woods” is all the fairytales combined, adding more is going to look cooler,” said Cordio.

Many find the addition of new characters to be beneficial to give more people a chance to participate in the show. In addition to supporting upperclassmen who plan to pursue theater beyond high school, the production also provides underclassmen, especially freshmen like Cordio, valuable opportunities––even in smaller roles.

“It allows the Drama Guild to be more inclusive,” said Grace Armstrong, a sophomore playing Goldilocks. “I think they added the parts to show that you [could] still be in the production even if you don’t have a main role.”

The lack of ensemble in the original “Into the Woods” leaves out many possibilities––the incorporation of new characters explores these possibilities.

“I think it creates a larger world,” Choquette said. “To expand the world, especially when the giant starts to wreak havoc… the giant impacts more characters than are in our focus. There’s a whole kingdom out there that’s being affected.”

Armstrong echoed this opinion, pointing out that the added characters give the audiences different perspectives and reactions to the conflicts in the musical.

Nonetheless, the addition of new characters does not come without a lack of challenges. Without direct guidance from the original script, actors must research and explore the resources given to them by Choquette in order to depict their characters the right way.

“When you’re trying to portray a character that’s not in the actual play, you have to make sure you portray the character, but also not take away from the actual story,” said Cordio.

Some roles, on the other hand, have a different type of challenge altogether. Armstrong mentioned that as Goldilocks, she doesn’t have any lines, making it difficult to show different emotions. Some actors must rely on body language to portray their characters.

Despite these unique challenges, the fundamental work stays the same. All roles require research, whether the role is a fictional character or one that has always been part of the script, according to Choquette.

“I hope this experience has given actors in this show some practice doing that research, because the next play they do, they’re going to have to do the same thing,” said Choquette. “What they can’t find, they get to add. And that’s really the fun of being an actor.”

Still, when choosing new characters, Choquette made sure they contributed to the original musical’s theme. They go into unfamiliar territory, which creates conflict and drives the story.

“They go into the woods, wherever that is, in search of something…they get in trouble, and a lot of these characters share that,” said Choquette.

Articles Community Education Faculty Trending

“What do you think of the world?”

November 13, 2024

AHS History Department Tackles American Politics

Eva Liss

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

As the 2024 presidential election hovered in everyone’s minds, the Andover History Department continuously tackled difficult topics, hoping to improve students’ abilities to think critically about their world.

During election years, courses such as World History, US History, and Democracy & Media Literacy face a unique challenge to teach students thoughtfully and neutrally. To face this challenge, teachers like Mary Robb and Brendan Gibson use homegrown frameworks and supervised discussion to encourage students, especially voting-age seniors, to become involved and informed decision-makers. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also sets guidelines for what can and cannot be taught at the high school level.

A major aspect of political awareness within history classes is active engagement with the current political environment. Democracy & Media Literacy, a course unique to AHS, aims to instruct students in being critical thinkers and decision-makers. Students in the class have regular news reviews, in which they research a current event from multiple news sources across the political spectrum and analyze how the differences found affect outlook on the event.

Robb, who teaches multiple sections of Democracy & Media Literacy, said she believes the course is crucial to students’ development as active consumers of media, especially when it deals with political freedom. “One of the key skills our students sharpen [in this class] is their ability to recognize bias,” she said. “[They] then say ‘okay, now, what are the facts in this story?’ and [draw] their own conclusions.”

This is similar to strategies found in Gibson’s ninth- and tenth-grade World History classes, where students choose their own current events stories every 8-day cycle and prepare for class discussions on the topic.

Gibson’s World History sections deal with both chosen current events and more complicated or controversial topics, such as gun violence, abortion, or the vice presidential debates. Gibson said he has not observed much controversy between students, and he believes students are naturally respectful of each other’s opinions.

“I think students are still trying to learn about these issues by and large… If ever there is a contentious topic, I try to keep things as rooted in fact as possible,” Gibson said of the discussions he’s observed.

Anna Bacchi, a senior in Democracy & Media Literacy, expressed a similar opinion. “I think we’ve all been very good so far at not getting straight-up angry at each other and what we’re seeing,” she said. “We usually try to express our ideas as our own and are able to disagree without yelling.”

“We focus more on policy than personality,” Gibson said when interviewed prior to the election. “We [looked] at polling data from the seven main swing states [each cycle]… Polling is not a perfect science, but… it’s interesting to keep a [finger] on the pulse of these states which… largely [determined] the [election’s] outcome.”

Students in Democracy & Media Literacy also use the widespread media coverage of the presidential election. They explore political patterns found in the modern world through both research and class discussions.

Assignments consisted of watching the presidential and vice-presidential debates, as well as taking notes on documentaries about the candidates. The framework students were provided for note-taking, created by history teacher Kathryn Reusch, goes deeper than simply observations. In it, students are asked to record policies the candidates discussed and their behavior: evasion of questions, criticism or insults, and whether their words were fact-checked and proven false.

“I think [they have] really highlighted how separated our country is politically in comparison to previous generations,” Bacchi said on class discussions and analysis assignments. “I don’t think [they’ve] changed many of my political beliefs, but [they’ve] made me very conscious of how I talk about my opinions and ideas.”

Ultimately, history classes at AHS do not seek to convince students one way or the other. Instead, they are there to prepare students to engage thoughtfully with the world around them, especially as they grow up into a fraught political climate.

“[Students should] be healthy skeptics [and] consciously thinking about what they know,” said Robb. “The goal is for them to know as much as they can about candidates [and] ballot questions so… they can take all that information and [decide] what they need and want from their government.”

Ballot Question Challenges Necessity of the MCAS

November 13, 2024

Areeta Faiz

STAFF WRITER

Question 2 on the November 5 ballot sought to abolish the mandate that high school students must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in order to graduate.

The MCAS has been a hotly contested topic for years now, and both proponents and opponents of Question 2 presented a variety of factors to consider. Passage of the ballot question would not change the administration of the test but would lift the requirement and likely some of the pressure associated with it. The shift would take effect immediately for this year’s senior class.

ANDOVERVIEW went to press prior to Tuesday’s election results being finalized, so this article aims to capture how community members felt about the ballot question in the weeks leading up to this important vote.

Graduating isn’t the issue: according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, about 99% of students pass the exam. So, one of the most important changes to consider in Andover is the effect of the requirement on results.

Alan Hibino teaches a range of courses in the math department from Algebra I to Statistics. He noted the importance of reliable data to help serve students, align curriculum, and ensure material is adequately but not excessively reviewed each year.

“Whether it’s a requirement or not, that data is valuable to… math teachers to help us shape our program of studies here at the high school.” Hibino hoped that “students would continue to take the administration of the MCAS seriously.”

This, however, might not completely be the case.

“I try to do my best, but I know a lot of people don’t,” offered sophomore Mina Kacemi. “If you take away the requirement, I feel like nobody would care at all. I hear a lot of people say that they just don’t try during MAP testing because it doesn’t actually impact them. I think the same thing would happen for MCAS.”

The Massachusetts State Secretary of Education, Patrick Tutwiler, expressed a similar opinion. “High school students will not take it seriously going forward,” he said, “so it won’t be a useful assessment anymore.”

The biggest effect felt by students at AHS is anxiety caused by the exam. Many students have expressed that the MCAS is at least somewhat stressful, perhaps more than it’s worth.

“I’m kind of stressing about the math one already, in the back of my mind,” said Kacemi, who is set to take her math and language arts MCAS tests this spring.

“I am concerned about [high-stakes testing] in terms of the well-being of our students,” said Hibino.

Many supporters of Question 2 argue that the exams disproportionately affect students from low-income households, English Language Learners (ELLs), those with learning disabilities, and those who may otherwise struggle.

“It’s really difficult to do well in the MCAS due to the language barrier, even though this year I feel more confident,” said one ELL at the high school. He also suggests that doing one’s best does not have to be synonymous with pressure and that a singular test determining a student’s ability to graduate feels unreasonable.

Much of the debate, Hibino added, lies in whether the state truly needs a concrete measure of a student’s abilities. “Ultimately I think MCAS provides a basic standard; the basic ability to do fractions, for example, or to understand context for the English MCAS,” he said. “And I think a lot of these skills happen organically from the classes we take. So, the question is, do we really need a test to definitively prove that?”

“[Another] one of the things that we talk about in our faculty is the ‘vision of the graduate.’ What do we expect of a student that is graduating [from] Andover High? And so if not the MCAS… what [is] part of our vision?” said Hibino.

Tutwiler pointed out that the ballot did “not propose something as a replacement. All it [did was] deconstruct the current system…you’ll just have a local assessment and understanding of how students are doing,” he adds, “and I’m saying that’s not enough.”

Articles Clubs Community Trending

AHS Students Travel and Serve with Global Pathways

November 13, 2024

Anushka Dole

ONLINE EDITOR

AHS students are going to Japan over February vacation and Costa Rica over April vacation as part of the Global Pathways program.

The Global Pathways program is an AHS club and three-year experience that is open to students starting sophomore year. This year, the Japan trip is open to all AHS students, while the Costa Rica trip is specific to Global Pathways students.

Global Pathways is an immersive experience that allows students to explore international life and develop a global lens through which they can view the world. Over the course of three years, students embark upon at least one international travel experience, which can take place over a school trip or a trip with friends or family.

However, the Global Pathways trips are different from a typical venture of casual tourism. Daniel Brennan, a staff advisor of Global Pathways, elaborated on the distinction between the two. “There’s a difference between a traveler and a tourist. When we’re tourists, we’re…using a lot of resources and not necessarily adding much to the place that we’re traveling to,” Brennan said. He went on to clarify that the goal of a Global Pathways travel experience is to broaden student perspective through community engagement in international communities.

“What we’re looking for in the program is more of an immersive experience where we’re…interacting with community members…and doing things that aid that community, ” Brennan said.

During the Global Pathways 2019 Costa Rica trip, students worked on a community service project that aimed to bring drinkable water to regions that didn’t have access to it, and during the 2024 Thailand trip, students worked in elephant sanctuaries. During the upcoming Costa Rica trip, students will continue the initiative. The Japan trip doesn’t have community service built into the travel plan, so Global Pathways students may seek to fulfill their required “glocal” – globally minded local service – elsewhere.

Even for students who are unable to partake in the international trips, various global activities are offered by the program. Judy Elkotory, a senior and one of the leaders of the program, detailed the many activities that were designed for the program over the years:

“We helped plan [the winter fundraiser]…we planned to do a movie night with hot cocoa in the cafeteria…. [and] we also started painting the rock…because our theme last year was saving the ocean.”

Each year, Global Pathways adopts a new theme centered around one of the seventeen of the United Nations (UN) sustainable goals, and student leaders like Elkotory design activities related to the theme. Elkotory mentioned that the program has also collaborated with the exchange program that brought international students to AHS.

“[We attended] Korean exchange H-blocks…and we got to do Ddakji, like [the] squares [game]…from Squid Game…[and] we had Vietnamese students also come in and talk about their school life back in Vietnam and their food and culture,” she said.

Global Pathways continues to draw new sophomores each year who are eager to embark on their global journeys. Connor McGovern, a sophomore and new member of Global Pathways, spoke about his enthusiasm for gaining a global perspective by joining the program. “I thought it’d be really interesting to talk to people from other countries and get to travel to other countries and do service… . It shows you how many different places there are in the world and gives you… a sense of your options for the future,” McGovern said.

Each student’s journey in Global Pathways is a unique experience, and this is by design. Brennan highlighted that ultimately, students are the ones to define their own adventures in the program.

“We try hard to make it so that students can kind of make [the program] their own. We call it ‘walking their own global path’,” Brennan said.

Articles Community Education Trending

Mice appearing in classrooms?

November 13, 2024

Staff and students debate a hygienically concerning event

Kaveri Dole and Arshiaa Prem

STAFF WRITERS

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is an animated movie we all love, with various foods falling from the sky in a blissful buffet. Obviously, this is everyone’s dream, but how would you feel if the meatballs were a little less appetizing and a little more hairy?

Health teacher Betsey Desfosse’s freshman class was horrified when they saw dead mice on their floor, just inches from students. It was around 8:30 a.m. on an early October morning, and the students were still groggy and tired. Was it fake? Was it perhaps a meticulously placed practical joke? That is what prevented the class from “screaming bloody murder,” Desfosse said. That is, until ten minutes later when two students approached Desfosse asking about the creatures.

“I was a lunatic, I was screaming,” Desfosse said while recalling the incident. “I fell short in the bravery department that day.”

However, Desfosse was not the only teacher who encountered these pests. Science teacher Jennifer Rodier also had similar experiences. Rodier valiantly threw away not one, not two, but three dead mice, all from Desfosse’s classroom, earning the title of Mrs. Desfosse’s knight in shining armor after running into the room after hearing her screams. Finally, Desfosse exclaimed, “That’s it, I can’t do this anymore!” and ran out the door.

“I get there are mice in the building and it’s starting to get cold and we eat snacks all over the place,” Desfosse said. She was very logical after the fact, confirming, “This has never happened before but it’s not shocking.”

Her theory is that a mouse likely gave birth, producing more offspring. However, she recalled a similar incident from about fifteen years ago, when a mouse fell out of a hole in the ceiling tiles and landed in a student’s backpack.

Freshman Ishwa Dharan, who was present in the health class where the mice reappeared, reflected on the experience. It was a total shock to her, so much so that it didn’t seem real. In fact, at first, she thought it was fake. “I started laughing because I didn’t know what to do,” she recalled.

Her reaction highlighted another issue; students at Andover High School are unprepared for such situations and unaware of the health concerns associated with these pests. Without the proper knowledge of what to do in these situations, students are at risk of mishandling the animals in an attempt to kill or dispose of them, potentially contracting a disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out the dangers of physical contact with vermin, which can be a threat to our students. “Contact with rodent droppings, urine, and saliva can spread by breathing in air or eating food contaminated with rodent waste.” The CDC added that infestations of rodents through buildings are the main cause of disease spreading from rodents to people. In addition, many diseases carried in mice don’t show apparent symptoms, meaning there is no visual difference between an infected and a healthy mouse. These diseases range from bacterial, viral, and even parasitic and can be transmitted directly or indirectly.

So what can we do to reduce the spread of these diseases? Candice McVeigh, a health teacher at AHS, advised community members “to start being mindful of the food we bring into classrooms and how we clean up after ourselves.” However, in her opinion, the mice aren’t a real issue unless the problem worsens. “All buildings this size have mice,” she says. The real concern is not eradicating the rodents, but instead keeping them under control. This mirrors Desfosse’s thoughts as well: “I don’t know how in a building this size with this many people and so much food that you wouldn’t have mice.”

As for measures taken to combat this problem, Desfosse stated that rat traps have been set. However, they remained empty after a few weeks.

These rodents are indeed becoming pests for our students and staff. They bring hygienic concerns and, in general, cause chaos and disarray. Mice or meatballs, you wouldn’t want either in your classroom, would you?

Articles Community Education Faculty

Mrs. Breen Steps Up to New Ninth Grade Coordinator Job

November 13, 2024

MADDOX TO

STAFF WRITER

After 23 years of teaching in the Health Department at Andover High School, Holly Breen has recently taken up the role of 9th grade coordinator.

For 23 years before her new role, Breen taught 11th and 12th graders, taking a one-year break during her time as a health teacher to focus on taking care of her children. Breen has also been the senior class advisor since last year, and she said she’s “always really actively involved in the student body and other activities outside of teaching at school.”

The 9th grade coordinator job was created last year, offering a position that Breen read and thought fit her perfectly. “Working with a variety of stakeholders like parents and students and teachers and community members [sounded amazing]… I absolutely love that part of my job,” she said.

Joanna Ganci was hired as 9th grade coordinator last year. So in the time being, Breen decided to get her administration degree so that when the opportunity became available again, she would be ready to apply for it.

Due in part to perfect timing, Ganci changed roles this year to become an assistant principal, leaving Breen—now qualified with an administration degree—ready to take the job.

Breen is now participating in administrative meetings to get properly integrated and comfortable in her new job position.

“It’s hard right now because I’m really doing both jobs,” Breen said. “Although Mr. D’Andrea has been awesome about trying to not let me get too overwhelmed because [one of] my main priorities right now are my classes.”

“Mrs. Breen is an awesome addition to the office and our staff administration,” Principal Jimmy D’Andrea said. “She’s been working very hard for the past couple of weeks to complete her set training for [the] qualifications of becoming the new 9th-grade administrator and we’re very lucky to have her.”

Even though Breen has shared the happy parts of taking up a job that she loves, she expressed that it’s still hard to let go of her longstanding history of education in the health department.

Breen said, “I will not be teaching any longer, which is bittersweet for me because I really love teaching. I just felt like it was time to broaden my outreach to the school and take on a different role in that way—to meet kids in a different way.”

Articles Clubs Community Education

AHS Students Showcase School Community Involvement

November 13, 2024

Shreya Soni

STAFF WRITER

Though often confused as the same thing, the Student Government Association (SGA) and class boards are two different leadership bodies that tackle different issues in AHS.

There are a multitude of opportunities at AHS to get involved in the community as a leader, two of which are SGA and class boards. SGA is responsible for solving problems involving the school as a whole and prevalent town issues, while class boards aim to solve problems involving their respective grades. If you are a student interested in tackling the issues concerning the entire student body, SGA is the perfect place to showcase this passion.

“One of the responsibilities of the student government is to participate in 10 community events,” said senior Daniel Shin, the SGA president. These events include attending a School Committee meeting to gain more knowledge about problems that the student body and faculty have faced, and the annual holiday fun drive, which provides gifts for low-income students at AHS during the holiday season. A notable event that SGA is responsible for organizing is the pep rally, which Shin mentions has benefitted the student body by fostering school spirit and a sense of community.

As a four-year member of the SGA, Shin has seen the positive impact that it has had on school rules and his peers, emphasizing the pivotal role that SGA plays in vocalizing student opinions. “We’re the only club that revises school policies and has direct communication with administration,” he said, “[and we have] helped to get feedback on policies and formulate them”. One of these policies that SGA has been instrumental in modifying is the bullying policy, which can be viewed online in the student handbook.

However, if you’re a student wishing to take on a less ambitious goal and provide an impact specific to your grade, joining a class board is a great option.

“Some of the responsibilities of the boards are to be consistent with attending meetings and to be prepared to share ideas,” said Akshara Vijay, a sophomore and member of the Sophomore Board. A member of the Freshman Board last year, Vijay decided to join the board once again so that she could work with other motivated students to solve the pressing issues in her grade and plan out events for them.

“Last year, the freshman board planned out the freshman dance,” Vijay mentioned. “And this year, we are going to do fundraisers to raise money for events like field trips, such as a field trip to Boston or Six Flags.” Another initiative that the board has been interested in pursuing is finding volunteer opportunities for students, such as working at the snack shack at football games and setting up a donation booth during lunch time to promote community events.

As a result of the dedication and perseverance of the class boards, Vijay has noticed that her grade has become “more inclusive and united,” with many individuals fostering friendships with other students that they hadn’t interacted with before.

Because the deadline to apply for these committees has passed for this year, students can support them by attending their respective events. Additionally, interested students can find out more information by asking the faculty advisors or student members and applying next year in September.

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.”