Signpost October 2019

SIGNPOST
Hutchison School Student News Magazine
October 2019
Volume 19, Issue 6
RIDDLE ME THIS:
How Mrs. Riddle is transforming our
farm, planet, and learning experience
page 5
Fearing the “feminist” pg 9 // Playing through the pain pg 19 // Sidekicks pg 21

LETTER
FROM THE
EDITORS
page 2
Q AND A
WITH EMMA
ROBINSON
page 3
The Signpost staff strives to practive ethical journalism and promote
integrity in its publications. We welcome submissions from faculty,
students, and alums, but we do not guaruntee publication of every article
and retain the right to edit contributions for clarity and length. Opinion
articles do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, faculty,
students, or administration. Signpost is made possible in part through
the generosity of the classmates and friends of Molly McConnell ‘59, who
support student journalism at Hutchison in her memory.
Please email all submissions to signpost@hutchisonschool.org.
RIDDLE
ME THIS
page 5
CRISIS
IN THE
AMAZON
page 7
FEARING THE
“FEMINIST”
page 9
VAPING
CRISIS FAST
FACTS
page 14
FALL BREAK
READS
page 15
LOOKS
FOR LESS
page 17
MOVING A
HOLIDAY
page 18
PLAYING
THEOUGH THE
PAIN
page 19
ROGERS
SCHOLARS
page 21
SIDEKICKS
page 23
STAFF 2019-2020
Abby Hays ‘20: Editor-in-Chief
Callie Oehlmer ‘20: Digital Content Editor
Ava Dickson ‘22: Columnist
Kennedy Bell ‘23: Staff Writer
Emma Couch ‘23: Staff Writer
Estelle Turner ‘23: Staff Writer
Lacy Williams: ‘23: Staff Writer
RADIO
REBEL
page 25
BEST OF
FIENDS
page 26

Readers, earlier this year, someone asked me about
what makes Signpost different than any other student
news source? What is its purpose, its mission? These
questions prompted me to reflect on my past 3 years in the class
and consider what I want for the newspaper this year as editor.
After pondering the topic for a little while, I decided to divide
my answer into two categories: design and content.
Design is a critical element to any publication, whether
that is a newspaper or novel. Making an issue aesthetically
pleasing will draw readers in and increase their chances of
returning to look at another issue in the future. This is why we
are rebranding as a news magazine rather than a newspaper; it
allows for much more freedom in photography and the layout,
and it sets our publication apart from others.
However, an even more imperative aspect of a publication is
the content. It needs to be consistent, well-written, and welledited.
A strong publication contains articles that are relevant
to its audience and challenges them with wider implications
beyond simply entertainment, although there is a time and
place for mind-numbing personality quizzes about to which
type of chicken nugget you are most similar. In light of these
ideas, the print version of Signpost this year will contain mostly
feature stories that point towards greater themes such as social
issues or other current events. We seek to inform and guide
readers so that they may decide for themselves what they
believe about the topic.
Additionally, one of the major goals of the Digital Media
class this year is to create an online presence to store digital
content such as videos from convocation, student films,
photography, and time-sensitive articles. Callie Oehmler, our
Digital Content Editor, is achieving this by building a Signpost
website. If you ever want to read the works of the Scholastic
award winners or watch our interview with Gloria Steinem,
there is now a home for all of this content. No longer will all
of the digital works of Hutchison students descend into a
mysterious black hole, never to resurface again. We will keep
you updated, but make sure to check out hutchisonsignpost.
com in the coming weeks!
Knowing all this, I returned to the original question: what
is the mission of our news magazine? Signpost strives to
practice ethical journalism, inform peers, and guide them
to think for themselves about current events, social issues,
and controversies through publication of articles about
feature stories that are relevant to the Hutchison community.
Throughout our school year, the Signpost staff and I plan to
fulfill this objective by writing strong articles that not only
inform our audience, but look beautiful to attract more readers.
Thank you for picking up this issue of our news magazine;
please keep reading, and do not forget to check out our online
content soon at hutchisonsignpost.com
LETTER
FROM THE
EDITOR
Abby Hays
Editor-in-Chief
2

3
Q and A with Emma Robinson
by Kennedy Bell

Emma Robinson is joining the Hutchison comuntiy this year as a member of the senior class; she
is our foreign exhange student from England. As she gets to know all of us and experiences what
it is like to live in the United States, we are grateful to have the opportunity to hear from her about
life in the United Kingdom and how it compares to life in the U.S.A. Emma, we are so glad you are
here, and thank you for answering our questions!
Kennedy Bell: Where is your hometown?
Emma Robinson: I live in a town called
Northwich in the county of Cheshire. I live
about 30 minutes from Manchester and 20
minutes from Liverpool.
KB: What’s your favorite color?
ER: Green
KB: Do you have any siblings?
ER: Yes! I have one younger sister called Jess
who is 16, which means that she is in her final
year of British high school. I am definitely
missing her a lot!
KB: What’s your favorite movie?
ER: Too difficult to choose just one!
Happy mood movie: Love, Rosie
Serious mood movie: The Shawshank Redemption
Sad mood movie: The Pursuit of Happiness
KB: What’s your favorite food?
ER: My Gran’s homemade roasted potatoes
KB: Have you ever broken a bone or had
surgery?
ER: I underwent major spinal fusion surgery
when I was 14 years old which consisted of 2
metal rods, 16 screws and three broken ribs!
It took a while to recover and I had to learn to
walk again; however, I am now healed and can
partake in all sports and physical activity.
KB: Do you prefer Tennessee weather or
Britain’s weather?
ER: I am loving the sun here, but sometimes it
can be a little too hot for me. Overall, I would
say I prefer the weather here; however, there are
some days when I miss the rain!
KB: Favorite and least favorite subject in
school?
ER: Biology was definitely my favourite
alongside maths in my highschool at home. I
never really enjoyed computer science lessons.
KB: What do you want to major in in college?
ER: My degree will be in Anatomical Sciences
at the University of Manchester. In the UK, we
don’t have the option to minor in subjects, so
we have to just pick one specific subject area
from the day we apply!
KB: Do you find school in America or Britain
harder?
ER: This one is difficult for me to assess as I
can only truly compare science subjects as that
is what I studied at home. Although I think
that the content is more difficult in the British
system, I believe that the American system is
harder in the sense that you have to be a wellrounded
student.
In the UK, after finishing high school at
16, you chose 3 A Level subjects to study
for the next two years. This means that you
can chose the subjects you feel strongest in.
You then take the exams at the end of the
two years, meaning that there is no retaking
the exams. This makes the British system
more difficult as you could be achieving As
throughout the two years and then have a
bad day for the exam and get a C, which
is the only grade that counts. I like how
the American system takes homework,
participation and tests throughout the year
into consideration instead of one big exam
at the end of 2 years! Though, in some ways,
the American system is more difficult as
you can’t just be good in one subject area, it
has to be in everything, and you have to be
consistent throughout the year.
From attending college counselling
sessions, I think the American application
process is a lot harder than the British
process and sounds a lot more timeconsuming!
KB: What are some typical British slang
terms?
ER: Scran: food, snacks
Chav: usually a teenager wearing trakkies
(tracksuit bottoms/rugging joggers), a gold
chain, and a baseball cap who hangs outside
McDonald’s shouting (found in cities)
Chuffed: very happy or pleased
4

5
“Students should
always feel
welcome at the
farm — whether
it’s for little breaks
between classes
or for Y blocks...
It should be a
tool used to help
further students’
understanding”
Riddle me this
by Lacy Williams
Mary Riddle: the woman behind
the many farm renovations that
have been happening since the
summer, and the reason why Hutchison is
being more environmentally friendly. She is
constantly doing many tasks for the school,
both on and off campus, but she is not wellknown
among the student body. She is
much more than “the farm lady”, but what
exactly does she do? Who is Mrs. Riddle?
Mary Riddle is the farm coordinator here
at Hutchison. Although people tend to
believe that she initiated the farm program
at school, she only started working here four
years ago while the farm has existed much
longer. During those four years, she changed
the farm from “just a couple of raised
beds” to a learning space with solar panel
structures, robots to help root and uproot
plants, and various farming techniques. She
went about changing the farm for the better
by working with donors and architects and
making what she envisioned a reality.
She does more than just plant crops
all day. She teaches different science topics
using the farm for different experiments.
Mrs. Riddle is a teacher with one of
the biggest classrooms on campus. She
explained, “I taught Pre-Kindergarten
the scientific method using
carrots. I gave them seeds
and we used the scientific
method to see what
color carrots would
grow.” She will even
begin teaching
her own Honors
Environmental
Science Class next
year.

There may be a few students who
may not see farming as an ideal job,
but that was not true for Riddle. When
asked how she developed her passion
for farming and being out in nature, she
exclaimed, “It all started in high school
when I got to go to work on an actual
farm in Kansas.”
Even though she realizes that
everyone may not share her deep love
for farming, she hopes that everyone
shares a deep connection with the
planet. One of her main goals at the
school is to make students more focused
on the environment and how to fix
global issues such as climate change.
For example, she has currently teamed
up with a company called Indigo Ag
and design students from school to start
tackling climate change. She has also
installed energy gauges in the upper
school building with the hope that girls
recognize and reduce the amount of
energy they use. These projects may
seem a bit small now, but they will have
a lasting affect not only on campus, but
on the rest of the world.
Mary Riddle has had a positive effect
on students. Students who have worked
with her in the past have called her a
blast, and the students who she has
taught are always amazed by her
immense knowledge of the
Earth. She wishes more
people would view
both herself and the
farm as something
to embrace just
like any other
part of the
school. She left
a message for
students
photos by
Callie Oehmler
“One of her main goals
at our school is to make
students more focused
on the environment
and how to fix global
issues”
saying, “Students should always feel
welcome at the farm; whether it’s
for little breaks between classes or
for Y blocks, and teachers shouldn’t
feel forced to add the farm into their
curriculum. Instead, it should be a
tool used to help further students’
understanding.” Mrs. Riddle highly
encourages everyone to come out and
utilize the farm, so go introduce yourself
and learn a little more about the Earth.
6

Crisis in the Amazon
by Mille Menke, Environmental Club President
7
Trees burn in the Vila Nova Samuel region of Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest.
photo courtesy of Eraldo Peres from AP Images

Deforestation is a
word many of us are
sadly all-too familiar
with. Caused by human
activities such as agricultural
expansion, livestock ranching,
logging, mining, and urban
development, deforestation
around the world has been
increasing at an alarming rate.
According to the World Bank,
the world lost 502,000 square
miles of forest between 1990
and 2016. Not only are we
destroying wildlife habitats and
disrupting nature, but we
also cutting down the oxygen
source that we need for survival
and to absorb the greenhouse
gases we produce.
If you have been paying
attention to the news recently,
you have probably heard
about the Amazon Rainforest.
About half the size of the
United States, the Amazon is
the largest rainforest in the
world, estimated to occupy
2.124 million square miles, and
about 60% of the forest is within
Brazil’s borders. Because of its
sheer size and unique habitats
for a thriving biodiversity, it
plays a crucial role in the global
climate system. The forest also
acts as a huge carbon sink,
storing an estimated 100 billion
tons of carbon. This means
that when the trees are burned,
they are releasing enormous
amounts of carbon dioxide into
our atmosphere.
Although the Amazon is an
incredibly valuable asset to
our environment on a global
scale, that has not stopped the
Brazilian government from
allowing trees to be slashed
and burned in order to clear
land for agricultural use and
cattle ranching. In fact, the cattle
sector of the Brazilian Amazon
has been responsible for about
80% of the deforestation in
the region, and about 14%
of the world’s total annual
deforestation rates. This makes
it the world’s single largest
cause of deforestation. Though
the deteriorating state of the
Amazon Rainforest has only
recently been covered on many
major news outlets due to the
increase of human-caused
fires this year — National
Geographic claims over
93,000 fires— this crisis of
deforestation has been ongoing
for decades.
“And once the
rainforest does
start moving
towards a
dieback scenario,
the situation
will be almost
irreversible.“
The leaders at a climate
meeting at the G7 Summit,
hosted in August by France’s
president Emmanuel Macron,
agreed to provide $20 million
of financial aid to Brazil’s
government in order to help
fight the recent outbreak of
fires; however, Brazil’s rightwing
president Jair Bolsonaro
angrily refused the offer, taking
offense to the proposal and
claiming that the leaders were
trying to save the Amazon
“as if we were a colony or no
man’s land.” Many have been
blaming Bolsonaro and his
anti-environmental rhetoric
for the sharp increase in
deforestation and slash and
burn farming practices in the
Amazon. According to Brian
Mier, a citizen of North São
Paulo, “President Bolsonaro has
gutted all federal environmental
protection agencies and the
bureau of indigenous affairs
and has given clear signals
out to the loggers, miners and
ranchers who provide raw
materials to northern markets
that he will not punish them
for environmental crimes, even
those committed in nature
reserves and on indigenous
reservations.” In addition,
according to the U.S. News,
“Just weeks ago, he fired the
head of the agency after a report
found an increase of 88% in
deforestation of the Amazon in
June compared to the previous
year.”
The most terrifying outcome
of this rainforest destruction is
the possibility of the Amazon
moving toward an eventual
“dieback scenario.” To explain,
the continued effects of climate
change on the health of the
trees will eventually cause
the rainforest to become too
dry and stop cycling rainfall
through its climate, which
will result in even more fires.
Eventually, widespread death
of plants will occur until the
Amazon becomes a sparse
savanna. This climate could
8

9
end up emitting more carbon dioxide, therefore
increasing the rate of global warming — the
opposite of its effect before. Of course, this is a
worst-case scenario, but many scientists claim
that the forest is closer to the tipping point than
we may think. And once the rainforest does start
moving toward a dieback scenario, the situation
will be almost irreversible.
What can we do as students to help minimize
the destruction of the Amazon? First, as
consumers, we can cut back on our consumption
of paper and wood products by printing doublesided
and also recycling paper whenever
possible. Reducing our consumption of meat,
especially beef, reduces demand for the U.S.
beef imports, therefore lessening the pressure
for countries to clear more forests for cattle.
Support and donate to certain organizations that
are currently working on projects to protect the
Amazon.
“Change starts
individually, and
changing our individual
habits of consumption is
the first step.”
One of these organizations is the World Wide
Fund for Nature. An environmental conservation
I
asked one of my friends recently if she
considered herself a feminist. She told me that
she agrees with everything that feminism stands
for, but she does not consider herself “a feminist.” This
confused me. I asked her why she wouldn’t identify as
being a feminist if she believed in all of the principles.
She replied with, “It’s not really my thing.”
I considered her response. The way she referred to
feminism made it sound like there was a certain kind
of lifestyle in being called a feminist, a certain kind
of reputation. For the most part, I assume that many
believe that this “reputation” goes hand in hand with
organization based in the United Kingdom, the
WWF has different teams working in the Amazon
to offer medical support, firefighter training, and
security to indigenous communities under threat.
The teams also monitor wildlife and operate
rescue and recovery care projects for many of the
animals in the Amazon.
“...the Amazon is an
incredibly valuable asset
to our environment on a
h
global scale”
Not only do they advocate for environmental
action in the Amazon Rainforest, but they
also have organizations based in 17 different
ecosystems. If you visit their website you can
learn all about the ways in which they’re helping
protect our environment all over the globe, and
you can also find out how to donate or even
adopt a wild, endangered animal. If you are
still looking for ways to protect the Amazon, do
some research! It seems easy to think that you,
one single person, cannot make a difference on
an issue as huge as climate change, but that just
is not the case. Change starts individually, and
changing our individual habits of consumption
is the first step to an international movement to
save our Earth.
Fearing the “feminist”
ByCallie Oehmler
hating men, frowning upon stay-at-home moms,
despising chivalry, complaining just to complain, and,
God forbid, taking your husband’s last name. I also
assume that many who believe this would not consider
feminism their “thing.” I wouldn’t blame them. I, too,
would not want feminism to be my “thing” if this were
the case, but thankfully for us women, it is not.
Let’s break this down, shall we? The Merriam-
Webster dictionary defines feminism as “the theory
of the political, economic, and social equality of the
sexes.” To put that in its most basic terms, it is simply
the belief that men and women should be equal in

all aspects of life. That is all. Seems pretty straightforward,
right? Well, you would be surprised by
how many people take this a different way.
Let’s forget about the word feminism for a
minute. Let’s forget about it completely, and let’s
just ask the question, do you believe that men and
women should have equal rights? In my opinion, I
believe that they should; however, because I am one
person of many in our high school community, I
wanted to hear your opinions as well.
In September, a survey was sent out to the
Hutchison upper school student body asking two
questions: do you believe that men and women
should be equal and do you consider yourself a
feminist.
“the theory of the
political, economic, and
social equality of the
sexes”
Of the 198 responses received, about 88% responded
yes to men and women being equal, however, only
about 45% said that they considered themselves
feminists. After doing more research on the topic,
I found out that this trend was not specific to
Hutchison. This is a worldwide phenomenon
An article from HuffingtonPost published in
2017 stated that, in a similar poll, about 82% of
Americans voted that men and women should
be equal whereas only about 20% voted that they
would call themselves feminists (“Poll: Few Identify
As Feminists, But Most Believe In Equality Of
Sexes”). From evidence given in both the survey
and worldwide statistics, the majority of us would
advocate for equal rights; however, immediately
when we throw the word “feminist” into the mix,
people’s opinions started to change. Why is this?
Why do we fear the word feminism?
Unfortunately, I believe the answer to this
question lies in the negative connotation so
closely associated with the word “feminism”
today. Nowadays, feminism is connected with
emotions or beliefs that completely derail it from
its original purpose which deters people from the
10

cause and makes them hesitant to participate in
matters of equality. However, too many people
today misunderstand or misinterpret the word
“feminism.” Fairly often, people will hear the
word “equal” in the definition and compute
it as “better,” but here’s the thing: feminism
has nothing to do with becoming the superior
gender or hating men for existing. The two are
not connected in any way. It is about knowing
that men are very capable of doing many jobs
and knowing and acknowledging that women
are equally as capable at doing those same jobs.
It is about seeking out the equal opportunities to
pursue those jobs. Some people might also take
its meaning as condescending towards women
who do not want the same jobs as men. That,
again, is not anywhere near what feminism
means. Feminism has nothing to do with hating
other women for not taking paying jobs or
working outside of the house.
“When we throw the word
‘feminism’ into the mix,
people’s opinions start to
change. Why is this?”
While some may feel that feminists are asking
women to “be better,” no actual feminists feel this
way. No one is asking women to be better. No
one thinks women aren’t doing enough. We are
simply asking for equal recognition in everything
that we are doing. Feminism is about ensuring
that women are able to reach their full potential
in whatever they choose to pursue and get paid
equally. It is about wanting to have the choice
to successfully work either inside or outside the
home, and choosing what is best for you. It is
about equality and fairness for all people.
Another issue in addressing this debate is that
fact that sometimes people are very educated on
the topic of feminism, yet they are still reluctant
to label themselves as such because they know
about the implications of the word. This makes
it even harder to help the cause because it feeds
into the idea that feminism is bad.
“about ensuring women
are able to reach their
full potential in whatever
they choose to pursue”
If enough people submit to not being a feminist
only because they are associated with these false
ideas, then where will that get us? When people
don’t consider themselves feminists because of
these reasons, then of course people are going to
assume that those reasons are true. I’d like you
to think about your political party for a minute.
I am almost positive that there are some people
you’d rather not be associated with who identify
as being in the same political party as you, yet
this does not discourage you from voting as
either a democrat, republican, or independent.
In my survey, I noticed that the majority of
students who did not consider themselves
feminists explained that it was because they did
not want to be connected to the more extreme
beliefs. My take on this is that it is just like any
other organization. There will be those who are
more extreme and there will be those who are
more neutral, but no one is chastising anyone for
having different opinions. At least, they should
not be. For those of you who would like to call
yourselves feminists but are afraid you do not fit
into the “typical mold” of a feminist, then here
me now: there is no “typical mold” of a feminist.
You may not agree with every opinion common
to feminism, but that does not make you any less
of a feminist than others.
“feminism is connected to
emotions or beliefs that
completely derail it from
its original purpose”
11

“I consider myself a feminist
because I am a woman
who wants to be able to do
anything I want without
being judged because of my
gender.”
“I feel like there are
so many different
definitions of a
feminist, and I don’t
know what they
mean exactly.”
“...want
equality for
all!”
“I’d like to clarify:
feminism is not
putting men down.
Feminism does not
equal women above
men. Some radical
feminists have warped
views such as these,
but they are a small,
small pool of them.”
“I do not like the
connotation of
[feminist]... but
the dictionary
definition of the
word is good.”
YOUR RESPONSES:
Do you consider
yourself a
feminist?
“Everyone is
human”
“I would consider
myself a feminist
if the word wasn’t
taken by people who
think women are
better than men”
“I do not always agree
with the opinions on
various social issues
of the feminism
movement as a whole,
therefore removing
myself from the
common feminist”
“I believe that my views
align with that of 1st and
2nd wave[s] feminism;
however, I don’t think
that the umbrella views of
modern feminism represent
my views.”
“Women should
have the same
rights as men.”
12

Now I know some of you might be thinking:
I could honestly care less. I am a High School
student just trying to pass my classes and get
through the day. Whether I am a feminist or
not is not exactly at the forefront of my mind.
I understand that. We are all very young. We
are not expected to be at the frontlines of these
heated debates. We have not necessarily faced
discrimination in the workplace because of our
age, either. We go to a school where our motto is
“Anywhere she can imagine.” We are not exactly
limited in our resources and our opportunities;
however, whether you realize it or not, we face
adversity every day because we are women.
While you may not feel it at school, I am willing
to bet money that almost every Hutchison
student has had an encounter with a private
school boy in which they have been told that
they go to an “easy school” or that her school
is “a joke.” Why is that? Why do they believe
that they have the right to tell us that we go to
an easy school when we work just as hard and
just as much as they do? I am also willing to bet
that you’ve heard the nicknames and phrases
associated with any private all-girls schools. This
is absolutely unfair. It shows a complete lack of
respect for our intelligence and our hard work.
It places us in a position lower than themselves.
Why do we let this stand? Why do we allow men
to make us feel insecure about our own intellect?
Feminism fights to combat these opinions and
prove the equal worth and recognition of every
young woman receiving an education.
To me, feminism is about having a constant
support system of women who will build you
up instead of tear you down. It is about having
a safe space to voice your opinions in a world
where there are few. It is a place to feel accepted
and to accept others, regardless of gender.
For those you who did not immediately roll
your eyes and toss this article aside after reading
the title, I thank you. I know that some of you
may be tired of hearing about feminism. I know
that some of you may completely disagree with
everything I have said. I don’t mean to come
across as angry or agitated with anyone; I just
merely want to bring this issue to light. I realize
that this article is not going to single handedly
change how people perceive feminism, and I do
not expect it to. However you identify yourself,
whether it be a feminist or not a feminist, I am
not here to make you feel bad one way or the
other. I respect everyone’s right to their own
beliefs and their own opinions. I just want
everyone to be educated on the topic before they
make a decision. While I do not expect much to
change today, I feel like starting the conversation
now is necessary. What I would like to see one
day is for women to stop fearing feminism and
start becoming fearless feminists.
“To me, feminism is about having a
constant support system of women who
will build you up instead of tear you
down. It is about having a safe space to
voice your opinions in a world where there
are few. It is a place to feel accepted and
to accept others, regardless of gender.”
13

14

photo by Abby Hays
15

Fall break reads
By Carolyn Dellinger, Middle and Upper School Librarian
Everyone knows how to choose a good beach read – something light, maybe with a little
romance and a fast-paced plot. But how do you know what makes a good Fall Break read? Some of
you will be going down to Destin one last time before the warm weather ends, but others will be
going on college trips out west, camping with family in the mountains, or becoming reacquainted
with your favorite spot on the couch. Here are some book picks for just about any place you find
yourself this Fall Break:
1. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
Imagine John Hughes’ Breakfast Club (1985) meets murder mystery. Five teens from different social
spheres – you’ve got the usual “criminal,” “jock,” “princess,” and “brain” – are brought together in
a detention that leaves one of them dead. Told in alternating perspectives, the four witnesses team
together to find the killer and uncover some uncomfortable truths about each other and themselves
in the process.
2. Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman
It’s everyone’s guilty pleasure – you can’t help but tune in every week to watch all the tears,
backstabbing, and downright cringeworthy moments in “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”.
But have you ever wondered what is truly going on behind the scenes? Investigative journalist,
Amy Kaufman, reveals shocking practices – like producers manipulating interviews to create a new
story line to sequestering contestants in the mansion – in order to produce Stockholm syndrome
toward the bachelor or bachelorette. “Bachelor” fans and critics alike are sure to tear through this
eye-opening book.
2. Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
For fans of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone who are impatiently awaiting the muchanticipated
sequel, Beasts Made of Night will quench your thirst for Afrofantasy. Set in a world
where sins take the form of shadow beasts and ‘aki,’ or sin-eaters, consume the guilt of others, the
aki, Taj, is called upon to eat the sins of the king. But when the king’s sins threaten to overwhelm
Taj, he becomes embroiled in a revolution that will have him questioning a world in which sins are
exorcised rather than faced.
4. A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai
High-schooler Simran “Simi” Sangha comes from a long line of Indian matchmakers, but she never
thought she would get in on the family business. When she and her best friend Noah decide they
are tired of blending in, they create a dating app that matches people in their high school. A great
idea, right? It is, until she sets up a shy girl with the most popular boy in school and turns her
high school’s social order upside down. Check out this light-hearted book about following family
traditions, overcoming high school stereotypes, and swiping right!
5. Odd One Out by Nic Stone
This book is the love triangle to rule all love triangles! Coop has been in love with his best friend
Jupiter for as long as he can remember. There is just one problem: Jupiter is only attracted to girls.
When new-girl Rae comes to town, she realizes she is attracted to both Coop and Jupiter. Told in
three perspectives, Nic Stone (Dear Martin)’s new novel deals with all the heartbreak and confusion
of loving someone who does not, or cannot, love you back.
16

17

Celebrating Halloween is
a tradition dating back
centuries, and it is not
just for Americans. According
to knowledge.com, at least 30
other countries around the world
acknowledge the time in the
liturgical calendar year dedicated
to remembering the dead. They all
have different views, but the one
thing they all have in common is
that Halloween falls on the same
date on the calendar every year,
October 31st. But those celebrations
could become a little longer if one
commercial trade group gets its way.
The Halloween and Costume
Association is petitioning to add
National Trick or Treat Day to the
calendar on the last Saturday in
October. The group first created a
petition to completely change the
calendar date of Halloween, but they
have recently revised their request.
After gathering 120,000 signatures
and receiving hundreds of emails,
they decided to come up with a new
plan. Just like Starbucks extended
their “pumpkin spice season”, they
want to see Halloween celebrations
last a little longer. They want to add
a holiday to the calendar on the last
Saturday of October in addition to
Halloween, and they are calling it
National Trick or Treat Day.
The petition says that the majority
of people who are enthusiastic
about the change are parents who
are looking to give their children a
“safer, longer, stress-free celebration.”
Many of the reasons for the change
that were listed on the petition page
had to do with safety. “63 percent of
children don’t carry a flashlight while
they are trick or treating,” according
to the group. They also cite a
warning from Safe Kids Worldwide
that says “twice as many kids are
Moving a holiday
by Ava Dickson
killed on Halloween than any other
day of the year.” The added Saturday
would mean kids could trick or
treat all day long if they want, in
broad daylight. The extra day for
Halloween celebrations would put an
end to hurrying home from school or
work to have only about two hours of
daylight left for trick or treating.
Others are not nearly as
enthusiastic. On Twitter, ‘Van
Lighting’ sees a liberal conspiracy
behind the proposed changes to
Halloween, “Easier maybe but this
is more than what it seems. It’s
part of rewriting, erasing, cultural
flip of western culture. Anything
traditional will be either erased or
changed.” Some say that Halloween
is meant to be a day for children
to be able to stay up late. Others
argue the only acceptable date for
Halloween is on October 31st.
Another comment, this one from
Roomba (not the company) who
Tweets: “If you sign this petition or
support this nonsense, I will egg your
house.”
Americans spend a frightening
amount of money on Halloween.
According to CNN, “The National
Retail Federation estimates
consumers spent a record $9.1
billion on Halloween last year. But
other sponsors are jumping on
the bandwagon (or the hayride in
this case) as Snickers Tweeted, “A
Thursday Halloween? Not satisfying.
Halloween on the last Saturday of
October? Satisfying. If the Fed Govt
(sic) makes it official, we’ll offer 1
million free SNICKERS to America.
Join the petition!” Snickers even
shared the link to help boost the
signature count even though not
everyone is buying it. One person
identified as “Dragonkilz” worried
about the logistics of the whole
thing, “I’d love to know how they
came to the decision of 1M candy
bars though when there are 327.2M
people in America, 175M celebrate
Halloween, and how would people
get the free Snickers?” Retail chain
store, Party City is also supporting
the effort according to the website.
Party City carries a wide range of
themed party supplies, including
costume and party decorations.
Costume sales have grown over the
past 3 years, up 8.3% since 2016.
With 175,000,000 people shopping
for Halloween, that means that the
average consumer is spending $86.13
per person, according to USA Today.
Adding another holiday starts
with a signature, or in this case,
around 150,000. That is how many
people will have to sign the petition
if Americans want to see National
Trick or Treat Day added to the
calendar. At the time of publication,
the group had 148,065 signatures on
their petition and they are well on
the way to reaching their goal of over
150,000 signatures. National Trick
or Treat Day can’t automatically be
added to the calendar once petitions
are complete, but according to
Change.org, since it has more than
100,000 signatures, it can be sent to
the White House and if approved,
National Trick or Treat Day will be
on our official calendar. By the way,
Change.org also says that everyone
who signed the petition will get an
email from the White House to let
you know that the petition has been
reviewed and decided.
The Halloween and Costume
Association says, “National
Trick or Treat Day will be a day
where Americans can participate
in community parades, throw
neighborhood block parties and opt
for daytime Trick or Treating.”
18

19
Emily Fonville ‘20 plays soccer and serves as athletic
council president despite health obstacles.

Playing through the pain
by Emma Couch
As many of you know, Hutchison
has a very successful athletic
department that contains 12 sports
teams. What many of you don’t know
are the challenges certain athletes
face on and off the field. These
challenges are not just hard workouts
and pain-staking practices, but
medical conditions that make playing
a sport even more difficult. Every
sport challenges an athlete mentally
and physically as they often push
participants to the breaking point.
There are many different medical
conditions that athletes have but three
of the more common conditions within
the Hutchison athletic community are
scoliosis, asthma, and diabetes.
Varsity soccer player Emily
Fonville’s ‘20 life was altered when
she woke up from a coma diagnosed
with Type 1 diabetes, which is an
autoimmune disease in which her
body destroyed her insulin-producing
beta cells that regulate blood sugar.
Fonville knows that having diabetes
means “it takes extra work,” but she
is determined to “not let diabetes get
in the way of competing on a team.”
A normal blood sugar level is 100-120,
and if it drops below that, you begin to
feel the effects. Fonville relies on John
Michael Leppert and Alex Price who
are the sports trainers at Hutchison.
Emily has learned to “be grateful for
the help others are willing to give.”
Scoliosis, which is a sideways
curvature of the spine, can only be
cured by a metal rod being inserted
into a person’s spine; this makes
playing volleyball particularly hard
for Emery Brown ‘23. She says the
hardest part about having scoliosis
is “the strain it causes on her entire
body.” Brown says having this
condition makes running especially
difficult because it affects her back so
much. She often fears that she is not
doing her physical therapy correctly,
which is why she often visits the
volleyball trainer, Alex Price. “Having
scoliosis has taught me the importance
of having a strong work ethic and to
never underestimate myself.”
Another common condition
within the Hutchison community
is asthma, which is a condition in
which a person’s airway swells
and begins to narrow. Many things
can trigger an asthma attack, but
one of the most common triggers is
exercise. Alexandra Howser ‘23 has
discovered that having asthma is often
a setback when it comes to volleyball.
She explained, “In volleyball I am
constantly moving, and I normally
have an attack if I am moving at
rapid pace, which is very scary for
me.” Having an illness that is so
unpredictable like asthma means that
there is a constant fear in the back
of Alexandra’s mind. Although she
struggles with this condition, she
knows that if she keeps a positive
mindset, she can overcome all the
challenges.
When you play a competitive
sport in which your objective is to win
and be your best, many outside factors
can damage that goal. Every day these
Hutchison athletes are faced with
difficult circumstances but continue
to try their best for self-improvement.
This shows how strong and powerful
these athletes are; Fonville, Brown,
and Howser show integrity and
perseverance everyday on the field
or the court, and they show that no
setback is too great or too difficult to
overcome.
20

What is rogers scholars?
by Caroline Couch
Many people pose
the question, what
is Rogers Scholars?
Rogers is what you make
of it.
To some, Rogers is the
excursion club of Hutchison
in which the administration
releases a gaggle of
upperclassmen upon the
greater Memphis area once
a month. To others, it is a
place where conversation
and debate come
together to forge greater
understanding about
issues of the Midsouth
Area. Rogers molds to
every student to create a
personalized individual
experience.
Rogers is greater than
merely an extra line on a
resume.
This year, our guiding
theme for Rogers Scholars
is “Memphis Through Time:
Understanding the issues
of our past to create the
solutions for our future.”
This theme is crafted to tour
the sites of great change and
development of our past in
Memphis, but also the parts
of our past that have led
photo courtesy of Makayla Boswell
to systematic injustice that
still plagues us today. These
points of the past will be
coincided with the places of
our future where we can see
the progressive Memphis
we know and love today
striving to change this
past. However, we can also
identify the gaps in where
we have failed to make
solutions.
Rogers strives to create
targeted problem solvers,
aware of the great complex
story that Memphis is.
Along with this, a new
requirement for Rogers
Scholars this year will be
for each group to create
a tangible project or
presentation surrounding
the site that we tour. This
would not only be for the
Rogers girls, but to share
with the greater Hutchison
community to share in the
knowledge that we have
gained.
Rogers is a place for
problem solving, a place
for engagement, and a
place for change. Look out
for updates in upcoming
publications!
21

Caroline Couch ‘20, Sarah Harris ‘20, Bella Snow ‘20, Maxine Engel ‘21 and
Eliza Kamara ‘21 explore the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa on a Rogers
Scholars field trip.
22

Behind the scenes of Sidekicks, The Musical
by Abby Hays
23
Around three years ago, former head of
Upper school Dr. Barry Gilmore and
his daughters Katy ‘20 and Zoe’ 22
Gilmore, sat down to begin writing what would
become one of the most meaningful productions
ever to land the Hutchison stage: Sidekicks, The
Musical. According to Katy Gilmore, her dad
“finally suggested one night while parked in a
Fresh Market parking lot that [they should] put
[their] skills to the test and write [their] own
play.” Following that first catalyst, the family
wrote the first lines on scrap paper at Mosa Asian
Bistro, agreeing that “two of [them] must always
be present, so no writing happened alone.”
“will not only carry on
his memory, but will
reach several people’s
lives and touch many
hearts, just as he did
during his lifetime “
Sidekicks, The Musical is uplifting and
encouraging; according to Katy, “it follows a
group of teenagers with different histories aiming
to be sidekicks coming together to save the
heroes of their world,” the musical encourages
viewers to reevaluate the defining characteristics
of something super. The play promotes the ideas
that small can be super and being who you are is
how you “learn how to soar.”
However, the musical is especially
important given recent events. Unfortunately,
Dr. Gilmore was diagnosed with incurable liver
cancer during February of 2019 and passed away
in his sleep on August 15th, 2019. During the
precious time before his passing, Katy explains
that her father “fostered the creation of the
project and pushed [them] especially hard to
finish it once he found out he was sick because
he knew this would outlive him and connect Zoe
and [her] to him after he’s gone.”
“a tale of second chances,
reinvention, friendship
and love “
Over the summer, the family worked with many
people in the Hutchison community to finish
the musical and record the songs so that the
cast could learn the music. This musical will
immortalize Dr. Gilmore, and his memory will
live on through the production.
Currently, all the cast and crew members
are hard at work, blocking out scenes and
rehearsing for the productions in mid November.
Among the cast are many students from various
schools around Memphis including Hutchison,
Ridgeway, and Lausanne; even our technology
director, Mr. Marques Brown, plays a superhero.
According to the director of the show, Mrs.
Anne Marie Caskey, Sidekicks, The Musical is a
“tale of second chances, reinvention, friendship
and love.” She describes the production best by
saying, “With a compelling story, clever lyrics
filled with literary references, a moving score and
characters fully developed, this new musical is
unforgettable.”
Zoe Gilmore explained, “Even after we
perform Sidekicks at Hutchison, there is still
a future for the musical. My dad has created
something that will not only carry on his
memory, but will reach several people’s lives
and touch many hearts, just as he did during his
lifetime.”
You can watch the performance of
Sidekicks, The Musical and support all the hard
work of both the Gilmore family and cast and
crew in the Wiener Theater from November 15th-
18th. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday, and Monday, and it begins at 2:00 p.m.
on Sunday.

Lillie Hollabaugh ‘22, Whit Ford, and Emma Day ‘21 run through scenes at rehearsal.
photo by Abby Hays
24

The senior class has had
an anonymous meme
lord on their hands
since August 19th, 2019. She
posts on Instagram under the
pseudonym of Radio Rebel, a
reference to the iconic Disney
Channel original movie, Radio
Rebel, featuring Debby Ryan
as a shy teenage girl who runs
an anonymous radio show
to inspire her peers to break
the status quo and raise their
voices. From the second week
of the school year, Rebel has
created clean, light-hearted
memes about the experiences
of the Hutchison student to lift
the spirits of the class of 2020
and palliate senioritis through
laughter and a positive class
culture. Via direct message on
Instagram, Rebel told me that
she “... was inspired by memes
[her] friends showed [her] about
their schools,” and “thinks it’s
fun to talk about inside jokes
that the whole senior class can
Radio Rebel exclusive
by Abby Hays
understand and laugh about.”
Additionally, if you ever
need extra motivation to
attend convocation, in a meme
posted August 19th, Radio
Rebel promised to reveal
herself at the end of her senior
speech; however, seniors Callie
Oehmler and Claire Schneider
have spearheaded the gradewide
investigation to find Rebel,
unwilling to wait an unspecified
amount of time until her speech.
“...Radio Rebel
promised to reveal
herself at te ed of her
senior speech.”
The day following Rebel’s first
post, Oehmler and Schneider
created a display board in the
senior commons best described
as an organized version of
a famous scene from the TV
show, It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia; the board features
any facts or clues we have about
her secret identity coupled
with “evidence” supporting
current suspects. In the words
of Rebel, trying to figure out her
true identity “seems to bring
everyone together.”
When the seniors erupt
into laughter and cheering
at a reference to this Disney
movie during a convocation
this year, rather than possibly
experiencing a mix of confusion
and alarm, you can join in on
the fun. And if you uncover
any clues or a new suspect, do
not hesitate to email signpost@
hutchisonschool.org or find a
senior. Until then, enjoy this
meme courtesy of Radio Rebel
herself, and a list of the top
suspects – the data come from
a survey sent out to the class of
2020 on August 22nd, 2019.
25

Man’s Best Fiend: Chapter One
by Madison Morris
Check out signposthutchison.com
in the coming weeks for the rest of
chapter one.
26