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< Back Expansive about the Intensive September 16, 2022 at 10:00:00 PM Derrick Park '25 My past year at Mercersburg Academy was a year of adaptation. As an incoming freshman, it was a struggle for me to get used to the Mercersburg traditions and its communal atmosphere. As I assimilated to the school environment, I found the Intensive program to be enriching and supportive for all students, particularly new students who are looking for transitional experiences. Though it has only been two years since the Mercersburg Intensive was incorporated into the school schedule, the program has already contributed to the uniqueness of Mercersburg Academy. The two-week, immersive experience provides students with time to gradually transition into summer break. The program offers students with diverse choices of working spaces, so they can participate in subjects that they are truly interested in. All students are welcomed to join courses that they may have no prior experience or knowledge in. Thus, it is a great opportunity for people to explore a potential passion or extend their background knowledge on a chosen subject. Last spring, I joined the Chamber Music course to practice my instrumental abilities and prepare for future band classes. It is certainly beneficial that students can devote themselves to 2-week courses that not only relate to their extracurricular interests but ones that can prepare them for their next academic year and beyond. Perhaps the best part of the Mercersburg Intensive is that it replaces final exams at the end of the spring term. No one (including me) is eager to take final exams at the end of the school year because students’ minds are filled with vacation plans. Students slowly lose their focus in their academics as they wrap up the long and arduous school year. The Intensive program instead gives students a brief respite from their grade-oriented environment. It is important to expose students to learning environments that are not only constrained by grades and scores because the Intensives don’t report grades. Since the only evaluation is a pass or fail, they can work freely and efficiently without high pressures on reaching class expectations. Though there are discussions about whether the Mercersburg Intensive should be moved to a different time in the year, I am confident that the program is most successful remaining as it was last year. It has been so influential and memorable to me, and I am already looking forward to the Intensive program in the beginning of my sophomore year. As I talk about the Intensive courses and reminisce with my friends, I hope the program takes root as another Mercersburg tradition. Previous Next

Alyssa Lee ‘25 < Back Mika’s got moves Alyssa Lee ‘25 Feb 2, 2024 Mikahel “Mika” Martínez-Arocho ‘25, one of the most reliable and creative students on campus, is not only artistically talented but also a good example of self-expression and awareness. A member of Mercersburg’s Chorale, Octet, and Dance team, Martínez-Arocho conveys his identity using art, whether it’s through the lyrics of his music or the choreography of his dances. Emily Jiang ‘24 said, “Mika is always thinking, looking for new ways to look at things. He expresses himself through singing, dancing, arts, and writing, constantly pushing himself to try new things while balancing different aspects of his life. Mika is one of the first people I met at Mercersburg who I felt really saw me for me. He spoke to me on levels that made me feel like he wanted to understand me and learn from me. He taught me to be myself, and through that, I will be able to attract the right people into my life.” Like Jiang, Jay Colon ‘25 also appreciates Mika’s genuine and caring personality. After having met six years ago and forming a tight bond playing basketball together in Puerto Rico, the two are now roommates. Colon said, “Mika is always there to help you no matter the situation. He takes time away from his own needs to make sure you are in a better spot than he is most of the time. It’s always a pleasure to have someone who cares and impacts your life in such a positive manner.” Music teacher Jim Brinson said, “Having worked with Mika in Chorale, I am thankful for his dedication to singing. He seems to stay positive all the time.” “He always has something new to show me whether it be his artwork, a new dance, or lyrics he’s come up with,” said Josefina Hanley ‘24, “He’s a unique person who always has a sense of creativity.” Mika inspires students to be themselves and follow their passions. “Music helps me express, validate, and just create a space where I feel safe and motivated to just be and feel. With a somewhat surrounding culture of a restricted idea of masculinity, music provided me with comfort in knowing I was not alone in feeling the way I was, while also providing me with ways to express repressed emotions inside of my mind that would otherwise be labeled as ‘too sensitive,’” Martínez-Arocho also said. “Hip Hop helps boost my confidence, self-esteem, and body positivity. Singing acts as a stress/emotional release, especially with belting where sometimes as the emotion gets stronger so does the volume and strength of one’s voice.” By creating music, working on vocals, and dancing, Martínez-Arocho finds inspiration in the production of his art. “Music as a whole inspires me regardless of what form it takes. I can appreciate the beautiful mixture of solid vocals and touching lyrics to make a meaningful song, but I could also appreciate how the right scene music adds to the quality of the audience’s intake of the scene. Even though it’s hard work, I am easily motivated to spend my time and energy working on both singing and dancing,” he said, “Music just overall keeps me sane.” Previous Next

Paxton Diana ‘26 < Back Storm futbol scores new recruits Paxton Diana ‘26 Sep 20, 2024 This year, Mercersburg Academy’s soccer program is gearing up for an exciting fall season with the addition of a diverse group of talented recruits. These new players—from countries including the United States, Cana- da, and Brazil—bring vast skills and experiences to the field. Boys soccer head coach Skyler Clark said, “We hope to find motivated students who will thrive in a community that values versatility and a holistic approach to bettering themselves every day. We actively work with the admissions department to make sure the students are kind and caring individuals who will positively benefit Mercersburg in a variety of different ways.” Girls soccer head coach Kristen Pixler agreed, “We work closely with the admissions office, which provides us with a list of potential athletes based on their athletic inquiry forms and interview process.” Both coaches also attend regional showcases to scout for talent. The coaches put in hard work to contact the recruits and to introduce them to Mercersburg. Grace Himes ’28, from the United States, said, “Pixler had reached out and talked about the team and what it would be like at tryouts and how it would go. It sounded like a re- ally good culture to be a part of.” Pedro Abranches Pederneiras ’26, from Brazil, said, “I used to play for a boarding school agency in Brazil; [they] had kept in contact with Mercersburg. After Clark had contact- ed me and introduced me to [the] Academy, I was hands down for this program.” The recruits’ experience so far has been positive. Christian Garcia-Rivas ’27, from Canada, said, “The facilities that we have here are incredible. At my old school, we didn’t have anything close to the facilities we have here, which is a big change. I am very happy to be here.” One of the main features of the teams that struck the new student-athletes is the supportive and enthusiastic team spirit. “I feel as though the team’s culture helped me settle in faster than I ever thought I would. I feel as though this is not just a team but a family,” said Harper Tilker ’27. Addalyn Arnsparger ’27 added, “The culture is good here and there is a lot of team bonding which I am not too used to; we are all one big group, and we are all best friends: we do everything together.” Many of the recruits already have personal goals they want to accomplish by the end of the season. Felipe Romeu Pepe Santos ’27 stated: “I want to meet new friends and coaches and want to go as far as I can as a student-athlete”. Pederneiras said, “My goal is to be the best player that I can be for the team and to help my teammates because it’s not about myself; it is about my team; I don’t play alone.” As the season unfolds, camaraderie and team spirit con- tinue to grow with every game and practice. Each new recruit brings their individual goals and positive energy, adding to the coaches’ anticipation of a successful season. Beyond achieving success on the field, the teams are ready to strengthen their bond further, creating an even more co- hesive and supportive environment for all athletes. Previous Next

Gigi Devlin ‘24 < Back What do you put on your bagel? Gigi Devlin ‘24 Jan 27, 2023 Everything Everywhere All at Once is the best movie of 2022. The film, follows a middle-aged Chinese American as she is transported into the multiverse while having to deal with taxes and familial problems in her own universe. It easily crept its way into my top 10 movies of all time. Missing the film’s original theatrical run while at school, I lost track of it on my movie radar. When I returned home for summer break three months after its release, however, it was impossible for me to miss this movie. One of my closest friends had already seen it in theaters 5 times over the past months and raved about it constantly. When I found out it was playing at a local movie theater for one night only, I immediately bought my tickets and cleared my Saturday night plans. I’m so glad I did because Everything Everywhere All at Once was made to be watched on the big screen, packed with special effects and stunning visuals. The film is the most unique film I’ve ever seen. No other movie has made me cry over a scene of just two rocks or made taxes seem romantic. The powerful performances are everything. Michelle Yeoh delivers a strong and heartfelt performance, Stephanie Hsu made me laugh and then made me cry, Ke Huy Quan gets the return to acting he deserves, and seeing Jamie Lee Curtis as an evil IRS agent is hilarious. Story-wise, the film, like any multiversal movie, is everywhere, jumping from one plot line to the next: from a universe where humans all have hot dogs for fingers to a universe that has a plot similar to Ratatouille except with a raccoon. The film has basically every universe you can think of. It made me feel every emotion all at once, truly fulfilling its title. I couldn’t stop laughing at the interactions between hot dog-fingered Yeoh and Curtis, and then 20 minutes later I was crying at Hsu’s deeply emotional confession to her character’s mother. “I'm tired. I don't want to hurt anymore and for some reason when I'm with you, it just hurts the both of us.” Her character exclaims to her mother with whom she has been fighting throughout the film. Ultimately, it is a story about family relations: their highs and lows. The movie tugged at my heartstrings and even when rewatching it during ASU movie night, I still cried 3 times. Everything Everywhere All at Once is not afraid to be honest, something more movies today need to accomplish. The film proves that not all blockbuster movies full of fight scenes and visual effects are emotionless commercial nightmares. Unsurprisingly, it is the big winner in the race for Oscar nominations. Previous Next

This year, Sarah O’Leary ’16 returns to Mercersburg Academy as a member of the arts department, teaching ceramics, drawing, and digital photography... < Back Sarah O' Leary Sep 9, 2022 This year, Sarah O’Leary ’16 returns to Mercersburg Academy as a member of the arts department, teaching ceramics, drawing, and digital photography. O’Leary, originally from California, completed her post-graduate year at Mercersburg and was not only involved in the arts but swam for the Blue Storm. One of her favorite memories from her time at Mercersburg was swimming in a record-setting relay at the 2016 Eastern Swimming and Diving Championships, when the girls won the team championship. “ I was leading off, so I was standing by the block and I looked to the side, and the whole team was lined up, all chanting the same thing together and cheering for us,” said O’Leary. After graduating, O’Leary earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania. “I was able to pick and choose whatever drawing, painting, sculpture, or ceramics class I wanted. I sort of jumped around and took a lot of different classes in all subjects,” she said. After college, O’Leary briefly taught art in Houston. O’Leary has spent her life creating works of art. She shared, “I really have a passion for making things. The act of creating a drawing, creating a sculpture, or something on the wheel, it just fills me with joy.” She doesn’t quite have a favorite between ceramics and drawing; she finds something special in both medias. “I really love lines and holding a pencil. I love the way graphite looks on paper. But, at the same time, there's something really centering, calming, and beautiful about ceramics.” O'Leary cited Mercersburg’s welcoming, supportive, and overall positive environment as a significant reason in her decision to return. “Mercersburg was kind of my first educational experience where I felt like it wasn't about just getting a good grade and jumping through hoops. I felt like it was really about exploring who I was and forming relationships with faculty. I felt like I was really allowed to be me here, and that's not something I saw in many educational spaces,” she said. Returning to Mercersburg offers O’Leary a space to explore herself and her teaching style while connecting with her students in a way that is unique to the space. She said, “When I had the opportunity to come back and participate in something that I really believe education should be like, it seemed like a good opportunity.” O’Leary is most looking forward to the student art shows, but aspires to do an exclusive ceramics or digital photography exhibit. “I would really just like an opportunity to showcase the specific mediums in the Burgin [Center] because [it] is amazing. It's my favorite building on campus.” Previous Next

< Back Out of pocket September 27, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Cole Piraino '26 One of the most notable changes to school policy this year is the strict enforcement of no phones. No phones in class, no phones at lunch, and no phones in the halls. Generally, the school is minimizing phone usage among its students. Some other schools take phones away from morning until evening, but Mercersburg Academy prides itself on not doing that. However, the new policies require our phones to be placed in designated sleeves, achieving the same effect. How does separating students from their phones teach students proper habits? It doesn't. Don’t get me wrong — I am in full support of students not using their phones under the lunch table or in the back of a classroom. However, I feel that the school’s attempts to limit phones are hurting students in the long run. The new policies have been enforced to help us stop relying on the small pieces of technology we use for almost every moment of our lives. There is typically no place for phones during class, so I concur with the school’s intentions to limit phone usage during classes. However, my grievance against new policies is that it does not truly foster self-control among students. An instant of discipline and then a long period of feigned discipline is more dangerous than no discipline at all. The moment you put your phone in a numbered sleeve on the wall, all of the discipline it took you to put it there disappears. To me, when you put your phone in the sleeve, the urge to use it disappears, but is not dead. You still have just as much of an addiction to your phone; you're just not able to sum up the courage to get up and use it. Now, what does discipline truly look like? Imagine the phone was not in a sleeve but rather in your pocket. You feel it buzzing on your leg, but now the choice is actually yours. You want to take your phone out and check what you missed, but now you won’t. It’s not that you can’t, because many students would go on their phone in class if given this option, but you have the choice to and will eventually learn not to because of intrinsic discipline. That is where a habit breaks and where an addiction weakens, where routine transforms and cravings wane. Therefore, instead of conjuring the illusion of discipline by removing the need for students to battle against the allure of devices, the school should leave that responsibility in our hands to spur authentic growth. Previous Next

< Back We regret to inform you... May 10, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Audrey Hua '26 After a competitive selection process… My heart skipped a beat as I clicked on the email from Coleman Weibley. The plain 12-point Helvetica font would not only determine my schedule for junior year but dictate my mood for the entire weekend. I heard shrieks of glee and doors slamming in the hallway. My friend rushed up to me, clutching her good news in her hand: “Did you get it?” Recently, a flurry of leadership decisions landed in students’ email inboxes. The results of the 2024–25 year leadership positions decisions were finally announced. Peer group, prefect, mentor, CRC, help centers... all applicants went through multiple stages of essay writing, interviewing, and in some cases, serving mock duty. This year’s process, like any other year’s, was slow, stress-inducing, and secretive. When the results came out, a mixture of envy, sense of grievance, and letdown accompanied scenes of celebration. At the back of every rejected mind was the voice that cried: Why not me? Seeing this juxtaposition of reactions made me wonder why we find rejection so debilitating. In a society heavily reliant on competition, our definition of success has shifted from personal goals to public approbation. The dopamine hit we get from receiving letters of acceptance, from accolades to a shiny Ivy badge, is not the true form of happiness we used to value. Why has our definition of success become contingent on what society deems difficult to achieve? Do our personal interests no longer measure up against the lure of external validation? From all my friends who received rejection emails, two unanimous concerns were expressed: first, not having a leadership position for college applications, and second, the disappointment of seeing their closest friends get leadership positions when they didn’t. I was again struck by how backward our mindsets had become. If we were driven by a personal desire to be a good leader rather than fill a spot on our activities list or earn bragging rights, the reasons for distress might have been different. I am not invalidating these feelings (I’ve felt them a little too similarly myself) but instead encouraging us to reconsider the definition of success. I think that applying with true intentions is the way to go. Your “Why” gives meaning to an application and explores what success truly means to you. Knowing your “Why” also prevents imposter syndrome, or what I’ve dubbed “Thunder Syndrome,” apropos to the Mercersburg community. Thunder’s real identity hides behind blue feathers and a quirky personality. Similarly, we are tempted to present ourselves as someone whom teachers and peers find likable. This Thunder Syndrome comes on especially strong during application processes. The desire to simply acquire a position, instead of wanting to embody the values of the position itself, leads to an unconscious effort to depart from your honest self. In past years, I’ve found myself falling prey to this syndrome many times – it was the repetition and constant reminder of my “Why” that helped me maintain my authenticity. The realization that you’ve remained real throughout the process is, in my opinion, much more valuable than the position itself. In the slightly paraphrased words of my best friend, “If being authentic leads to rejection, then it wasn’t meant for you.” Of course, it’s hard to feel these things in the present. Telling myself I’ve been bona fide does not do much to lessen the pain from an email that starts with “We regret to inform you…” In the end, knowing your intention is just one way to redefine success in an increasingly achievement-based world. It’s the start of setting personal goals and long-lasting fulfillment. But I’m getting ahead of myself; this is an opinion article, not a psychology book on self-help. Here’s my final verdict: during times of fluctuating highs and lows, know how to handle rejection healthily. You’re still you whether you get that position or not. If you did – congratulations! Stay humble, be sensitive to others, and remember your “Why.” And if you didn’t, that’s okay too. Abraham Lincoln probably didn’t get prefect either. Previous Next

Michael Zhang '26 < Back Loves, wins, and loving wins Michael Zhang '26 Oct 13, 2023 Last Friday, Mercersburg Academy’s girls tennis team defeated Garrison Forest School 8-1. Hisano Enomoto ’25, Ava Shanefelter ’26, and Bella Tai ’25 swept their matches as the team improved to 5-4 on the season. The team welcomed several former JV players who diligently worked to earn their spots alongside varsity players. Coach Mike Sweeney said, “We lost our number two, three, five, six, and even our nine, and ten [of the ladder]. So it’s a different group, but I still think these guys are competing really well.” Manager Ben Cho ’24 spoke about the new dynamic: “I’m glad that players such as Ava Marathe [’26], Anezka Pospisilova [’26], and Bella Tai [’25] improved a lot last year and are able to play on varsity.” The team also introduced several new players like Shanefelter and Amy Wang ’27. Marathe said, “I like Ava [Shanefelter]; she’s a really good player. It’s good to have new players like her because they can bring their experience of where they were before to Mercersburg.” Sweeney said, “Amy Wang has made really good progress. Her serve was so much better than a few weeks ago. She’s a good player. Hopefully, she’ll inch her way up into the top six in the future.” Girls JV tennis defeated Grier School 7-1. The team is now 3-4 on the season. Jeff Cohen returned as coach after a hiatus of several years. Ruby Shang ’24 said, “He is really responsible for all of us. We also bond through Cohen; we all think he is a great addition [to the team]. Cho added, “Cohen played a big role because last year, [the team] was more separate, and the JV coach wasn’t quite fluent at coaching last year. It’s good to have a more experienced coach this year.” Looking ahead, the team is in high spirits. Cohen stated, “My goal is for kids to have fun, and learn some skills.” Lisa Wei ’26 echoed the team’s hunger for victory: “Since we have a lot of new players, our main goal for this season is to win some matches, and to stay positive.” The teams haven't gotten to where they are without challenges: the transition from last year hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Emily Tan ’24 talked about the new team dynamic: “This year, we have a lot of different players on varsity. I feel like we are like a brand-new team. We have to play more with each other, especially as double partners.” Enomoto elaborated, “In the past years, we have always had players with more experience, who were more serious about playing the game. But now, rather than trying to win hard, we’re trying to have fun.” However, the team is standing firm as they adapt to the new team dynamic. The team has bonded tightly and is currently working with the mindset to improve. Arpi Karapetyan ’24 said, “The team spirit is really high. All the girls are really excited to play tennis and [to be] on the team.” Tan added, “We still have a lot of good players. And I love how we always support each other. Even though tennis is an individual sport, we still cheer for each other.” Previous Next

Rhiannon Myhre ’25 < Back Behind the scenes (and fields) Rhiannon Myhre ’25 Oct 20, 2023 Sports. A genre of entertainment that people of all ages enjoy. An outlet to express yourself or just enjoy some really good corn dogs and popcorn. Busy students may not be able to stay up to date on sports contests of their friends. And because most student-athletes are boarders, their far-flung families may not be able to witness and celebrate special moments in their kids’ sports careers. Luckily, it's not just the big leagues that are equipped with sports media. Mercersburg Academy offers an internship program each term so students can immerse themselves in the world of sports media and learn about the business. This fall, athletic directors Lauren Jacobs and Paul Sipes entrusted Norah Copenhaver ’24, Abi Bam ’24, Zoe Shykind ’24, and Ashlyn Campbell ’24 with this coveted role. What does the internship involve? Copenhaver said, “In general, we work with you, the athletic department as assistants, managing social media, helping out with sports events, and I take photos.” Though this may sound like a rather simple PGA, media assistants have many responsibilities that have to be completed with minimal error. Sipes said, “They need to be able to take good action photos, understand how to use Production Truck software, Max-Preps, Wix-websites, HUDL, and Boxcast streaming and game recordings.” Campbell shared her perspective. “While it might be considered an ‘easy’ PGA to some people, a lot of work goes into it that some people might not realize. All of the rosters, schedules, and posts on Instagram are mainly made by media assistants. While we’re more of a behind-the-scenes PGA, it takes a lot of effort and work to do what we do, and I think that’s something that not many people realize.” Despite the tight schedule, media assistants enjoy the role and contribution they make to the athletic program. Campbell said, “Taking pictures is so much fun; while it’s not my main job, I enjoy it and always try to do my best when asked.” Media assistants are working to achieve a common goal. Sipes said, “I am sure they are just looking forward to having completed the season and being able to share all of the pictures they took!” Though it isn’t easy to navigate all that sports media entails, from running the Mercersburg athletics Instagram page to literally running in an attempt to cover every game, these assistants take it in stride. Previous Next

Ally Synder & Riley Choi ’28 < Back Light it up! Ally Synder & Riley Choi ’28 Oct 31, 2025 When Mercersburg Academy students returned from summer vacation this year, they found a landmark addition to campus—lights on Regents Field. For the first time in school history, student-athletes can compete at night, bringing the community together and heightening school spirit. The lighted turf field finally became a reality last summer, but the project had been in motion for over a year. “The level of participation in the Annual Fund from our parents and alumni over the last couple of years certainly provided the resources for this project,” said Chief Advancement Officer John Richardson. “It was the collective generosity of those who support Mercersburg through the Annual Fund and the idea of creating a better student experience that helped make this project come to fruition.” Starting construction in the summer created challenges. Athletic Director Lauren Jacobs explained: “We have a really big summer program here, and because they use our facilities and spaces, that created the biggest conflict.” Each summer, Mercersburg Academy hosts a variety of camps, including several athletic programs. “Honestly, trying to rearrange for any of the teams was hard. If there were a soccer camp or a lacrosse camp here, they would [usually] use the turf,” Jacobs continued. As a result, many teams practiced on the grass fields while construction on the lights moved forward. The impact has been immediate for Blue Storm athletes. “Under-the-lights matches have been one of the best experiences I've had so far,” said boys varsity soccer player Trace Russell ’28. “It's a very surreal feeling, and I love the extra bit of pressure and intensity it adds to the games. It gives me the urgency of needing to perform as if I'm under a constant spotlight.” This updated facility has already created a collection of “best memories” for players and spectators. For boys varsity soccer goalie Will Choi ’26, it occurred against Spring Mills High School. “My save within the last ten seconds of the first half was my best moment of this season,” he recalled. “Every time I did something, I could hear the fans' support. The cheer and the positive vibe was getting to me.” Simon Brennan ‘26 agreed, “ During our under-the-lights game against Spring Mills, when we scored, you could hear the crowd cheering for you – it was special.” Lilly Killinger, captain of the girls varsity soccer team, reflected on her team’s white-out game. “It was really cool to see how many people showed up, especially since people don’t usually show up to girls soccer,” she said. Teammate Skye Neme-O'Connell ’29 actually identified her favorite memory as a fan: “When the girls varsity soccer team watched the boys varsity game. Everyone showed so much school spirit, and many spectators had come to watch.” The most significant impact, expressed by athletes and fans alike, is the increased sense of community. “One of the things I think Mercersburg has had room to improve on was supporting each other's athletic events, because so many games and meets have overlapped, hence harming the attendance,” said Choi. “Turf games under the lights are when I can feel the whole community rally behind our team, and it absolutely brings the community together strongly.” Quentin McDowell, Head of School, agreed, stating, “Athletic competitions can provide a rallying point for a school community, but we often schedule competitions for our teams at the same time. Having lights gives us the ability to play after dark, which can invite larger crowds.” The turf lights have illuminated many spectacular moments for students, but there are a few drawbacks. Michaela Singer, head coach of the field hockey team, explained, “A field hockey ball can be difficult to track in the light when lifted into the air. Additionally, night games later in the season are often cold, making it painful to complete a drive on the ball.” These difficulties make games more challenging, but students and coaches still view the lights as a great addition. Skyler Clark, head coach of boys varsity soccer, joked, “I mean, I wouldn’t want a faculty house right next to the turf flights. But no, I think, all in all, it adds a lot to the community.” Beyond just organized sports, the lights are reshaping student life, too. With the turf now open for recreational use on weekend nights, students have a new space to gather, play, and socialize. “Having access to the turf has been very fun,” said Russell. “My friends and I will sometimes go and play football and do other activities on the field, which have made some great times.” Neme-O'Connell mentioned that she has “used the extended boundaries a couple of times, and they provide a little more freedom, which is really nice.” This new freedom offers a simpler, unstructured way for students to decompress and connect outside of dorms or academic buildings. For a school always looking to boost school spirit, the lights are a powerful and visible step. Seren Gibbs ’28, a member of the field hockey team, noted, “I love going up there and watching people play soccer, or playing with my friends.” As Michelle Zhang ’28 agreed. “It gives students an opportunity to have a really good experience, whether you're playing or watching, and it's just cool overall to be able to hang out with friends." Previous Next

Charli Mclntuff '23 < Back Racing into the recordbooks Charli Mclntuff '23 Feb 3, 2023 Music in the 1990s featured CDs and cassette tapes, double tape decks, the Sony walkman, MTV, and the notorious, illegal use of Napster. Personal playlisting consisted of making “mix tapes” by hitting the record and play buttons on your stereo simultaneously and a tedious amount of rewinding and fast-forwarding to get the song you want to play at an exact moment. But it was worth it. The result - something to bring to parties to take them over. A big part of the 1990s music scene was the intensive home-recording projects, all because the 90s was the last golden age of music. The 90s welcomed and fostered numerous creative genres, from contemporary R&B, pop, girl-power, technotronic, and hip-hop. The era nurtured those genres to mature forms still recognizable today. But indisputably, the most influential moment of the 90s was the rise of alternative rock. The MTV ‘90s youth culture said f*** you to mainstream, ’80s rock n’ roll and welcomed the alternative. Previously, the term alternative rock was reserved for niche college radio channels that featured bands who were unfit for mainstream audiences and relied on independent record labels for representation. Thus the birth of a new genre: Alternative Rock - the voice of a generation. It was everything, a whole cacophony of preexisting genres. The music featured the ethos of punk rock, the apathy of new wave, and revolutionary lyrics reminiscent of 60s protest songs. The sound was eclectic, energetic, and expressive, representing a new, independent spirit, a teen spirit. Pawn shop guitar-driven music matched by lyrics about current social concerns, all led to a raw FINISH. Three-piece outfits that fans could see in a garage began playing on MTV. Alt-rock rejected the commercialization that past mainstream music had fallen into, and bands took pride in not selling out. Though its “underground” status was an attractive aspect of alt-rock, it quickly emerged from obscurity to become the most influential genre of the 90s. It’s a big task to rank the best 90s alternative albums of all time. These are my personal favorites, ordered by their uniqueness within the alt genre. I see these albums to be a full embodiment of the independent factor of alt-rock. Agree or disagree, it doesn't really matter. Just go listen to some new music. Previous Next

Karin Sugiyama '27 < Back JD Eicher inspires artists Karin Sugiyama '27 Apr 19, 2024 Renowned singer, songwriter, producer, and novelist, JD Eicher captivated his audience with a passionate performance at the Simon Student Center on Friday, April 14. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Eicher began his musical career by performing in coffee shops and on campus during his college years at Westminster College in Pennsylvania. Reflecting on his journey, Eicher said “It was definitely harder then than it was now. I mean, I am used to the rhythm of it but at the time I had to deal with stage fright, and repertoire and having to have the right amount of songs and all those things. But I think just my desire to do it and my love for songwriting kind of overpowered the challenges to get rolling. I just wanted to do so badly that I kept going at it.” Eicher continued, “The biggest struggle, honestly is just keeping it going because for the very reason that your successes when they come, you have these small, little baby winds along the way that kind of keep it going. But most of the time, in my case, I drive for hours and hours to gigs and a very large percentage of the gigs aren’t going to be great shows, but you have to do them and cut your teeth and pay your dues and all that. I think the hardest part, the ongoing struggle, is just to keep going and not lose the joy in all that.” Eicher’s deep connection to and love of music were evident as he spoke: “I fell in love with music in general, just emotionally how it can kind of be an escape and for me, writing songs help me figure my own situations out. It is a good way to sort through whatever I am going through, and then I love the other side when you get to perform that song and hopefully somebody else connects with what you are saying. It’s kind of a magic in that.” On the day of the performance, many students gathered to listen to his remarkable voice. Among them, Coco Zhai ‘24 was mesmerized by his artistry. “It’s really amazing and his voice is really, really amazing. I just really appreciate how the school is getting all the really amazing local artists to come. And I think overall it is really chill; the vibe is really chill. Everybody enjoys it and it's an amazing place for people to hang out.” As a fellow artist, Zhai was appreciative of his talents: “His voice has a soothing factor to it and the way he sings is just very emotional, especially with acoustic guitar. So like whenever I see an artist I feel like it inspires me to be a better artist as well.” During the performance, Eicher played numerous songs, including originals and covers such as “Yellow” by Coldplay and “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. He also responded to several song requests from the audience, further enhancing the inviting ambiance of the event. Eicher’s performance left a lasting impression, showcasing his talent and passion for music while inspiring fellow artists to continue pursuing their creative pathways. Previous Next