Tze Chun ’98 Will Be 2017 Graduation Speaker
An acclaimed artist and filmmaker, Tze Chun began making movies as a Milton student. He went on to major in film studies at Columbia University. Tze’s debut feature film, Children of Invention, premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and went on to be one of the most-awarded and best-reviewed films of the year. It won 17 film festival awards, including eight Grand Jury or Best Narrative Feature prizes. Children of Invention was based on Tze’s short film Windowbreaker, which was selected for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and for which Tze was named one of Filmmaker Magazine‘s “25 New Faces of Independent Film.”
Seniors Are “On Project,” But What Does That Mean?
Last week, Class I students began their long-awaited “Senior Project”—a Milton tradition dating back to the 1960s. Senior Projects have evolved over the decades, but the premise remains the same: For one month, students can choose to swap class time for a full-time commitment to a personal passion and a project of their own design. The projects that seniors undertake today fit within four categories: scholarly or academic; community engagement; internship; and the arts.
One Republican Outlines His Change of Heart on Climate Change
A revenue-neutral reduction in carbon emissions is within reach for the United States, former U.S. Representative Bob Inglis told students recently. He says that achieving it, however, will require politicians who deny mankind’s effects on the climate to change their tune.
“There are people who say that humans aren’t responsible for changes in the climate, but that is contradicted by the research and opinions of 97 percent of climate scientists,” Mr. Inglis said. “Frankly, we’d better hope that climate change is human-caused. If it’s human-caused, we can do something about it. If it’s not, we’re hosed.”
Milton Presents Yellow Face in Wigg Hall
A cast of eight actors, many of whom play multiple characters, takes the stage in Wigg Hall for this spring’s 1212 Play, Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang.
The semi-autobiographical play tackles issues of race and assimilation and was written as a reaction to the real life casting of a white actor to play an Asian role in the hit musical Miss Saigon in 1990. In Yellow Face, Mr. Hwang’s character, played by Jonathan WuWong (II), accidentally casts a white actor, played by Ty Mohn (III) for an Asian role. He then proceeds to try to cover up his error in comedic fashion, although the humor explores complicated issues that are relevant today.
Students Present DYO Projects at Annual Science Symposium
The Pritzker Science Center opened its doors to the public on Friday, April 28, as students in advanced courses presented their projects in biology, physics, chemistry and environmental science in the annual Science Symposium.
“It’s a really great opportunity for the students to show how their years of study have come together in these culminating projects,” says science department chair Julie Seplaki. “It’s a chance for them to articulate their process and results. And it’s a lot of fun.”
Students Hold Independent School Sustainability Conference at Milton
The student-run Independent School Sustainability Coalition (ISSC) held its first one-day conference at Milton to discuss sustainability issues and exchange ideas and initiatives. The coalition was the idea of Ariane DesRosiers (III), who was inspired by the online literary publication The Tavern, a collaborative effort among independent school students. Pierce Wilson (III), Patrick Huang (II) Max Hui (II) and Jennifer Chen (III) also played roles in forming the ISSC, which is made up of 21 schools from all over New England. Seven schools attended the conference.
Robotics Team Competes in First National Championship
For the first time, the Robotics Team competed in a national championship, traveling to Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the CREATE U.S. Open of Robotics, one of the largest robotics tournaments in the world. Chris Hales, a math and computer programming faculty member, accompanied six students from the team and said it was a great experience. Milton’s team came in 70th out of 250.
Senior team co-heads Anne Bailey and Isabel Basow said one of the biggest surprises was the team spirit and enthusiasm displayed by all the attendees. “I expected it to be very serious. You work on your robot, compete and just get it done,” says Isabel.
“But everyone was really into it,” says Anne. “They decorated their areas, hung state flags. There were “spirit bots,” robots that were just for fun and would high-five you or throw candy as you walk by.”
Storytelling is the Key to Understanding Our Past
To better understand humanity and where we are today, young people should seek out the stories of older relatives and loved ones, Holocaust survivor Doris Edwards told students.
“If you have an older person in your family, ask them to share their life with you,” Ms. Edwards said in an assembly sponsored by the Jewish Student Union. “Once they are gone, those stories disappear.”
Matt Trammell ’09 Combines Love of Music and Writing, For The New Yorker
When you find something you love, you’ll never be bored, Matt Trammell, Milton Class of 2009 told students during their Craft of Non-fiction class. Matt is a music writer and the nightlife editor for The New Yorker. His work includes following both rising and well-known artists through New York City’s concert scene; reviewing new albums; connecting good music to the culture that it reflects; and sharing that perspective with the world.
“Being jaded is a choice,” he told students. “If you’re truly interested in something, then you will always find a way to stay interested in it. The older you get, the more you tend to hold on to the music of your past. You think music is not as good as it used to be. But music you like is being created all the time, and you’ll find it if you’re invested in finding it.”
Tackling Food Waste and a Culture Shift, Two Students Lead the Way
Patrick Huang (II) of Wolcott House, and Daniel Xiao (II), who lives in Forbes House, noticed a problem that irked them: When their friends and dorm mates took food back to their rooms from the dining hall, the food waste was discarded into regular trash cans, for lack of a more sustainable alternative. The two boys wanted to do something about it. This spring they are leading a pilot composting project in both Wolcott and Forbes houses. They’ve launched this program in the same year that Milton’s dining services implemented a composting system in the dining halls, as part of the School’s broader sustainability initiatives.
“We started thinking about how we could harvest what was being thrown away in the dorms and give it back to the Earth,” says Daniel. “Patrick and I started working with chemistry teacher Mr. Moore and looking at costs and logistics.”
The boys researched composting companies and decided on Bootstrap Compost, a residential and commercial “food scrap pickup service” operating in Greater Boston. Mr. Moore met with the two students regularly to discuss their plans and to work on a presentation to School administrators. “Daniel’s and Patrick’s commitment was excellent. They showed patience, grit and diplomacy throughout the process,” says Mr. Moore.
Facilities Services and Milton’s Business Office approved their plan, and the two began a trial run of the initiative in February. They placed one Bootstrap composting bucket on each floor of the dorm to collect vegetables, fruits, grains, and the dining hall’s compostable paper plates and utensils. Each week, Patrick and Daniel move the buckets to a designated pick-up location for collection by Bootstrap. A long-term goal is to receive composted soil back from Bootstrap for the School’s gardens.
