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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.

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!

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‘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.

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“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.”

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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.