Deep Dive: Non-ethnicity based affinity groups at St. Mark's

by Karry Kim ’25

What’s your first thought when you think of affinity groups at St. Mark’s? The ASEA and their performances in Umoja? The BLU and their dances? Perhaps Los Leones? Even though students at St. Mark’s typically associate affinity groups with ethnicity or race and their cultures, we should acknowledge the importance of affinity groups that celebrate identities connecting people beyond race or ethnicity. I was able to interview several leaders of non-ethnicity-based affinity groups at St. Mark’s. 

GSA, or the Gender Sexuality Alliance, is led by Ava Springsteel '24, Emma Lu ’24, and Brendan Kelly ’24. I interviewed Emma and Brendan about their roles as leaders of this group. The GSA provides a safe space for all queer students at St. Mark’s, whether they are out or not. While the GSA aspires to have safe and comfortable discussions on what it is like to be queer at St. Mark’s, the affinity group also provides a space where students with this shared identity can connect and provide support to each other. During meetings, Emma and Brendan always make sure to let everyone feel included in their community, as the term LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term that includes so many different identities, spanning all kinds of races and ethnicities. They have been having a pretty smooth year, having regular meetings and events. They are preparing for a joint meeting with CFG to discuss the controversies regarding Christianity and the different types of gender and sexuality. However, one thing they have struggled with regarding being a non-ethnicity affinity group is C&E day. Although C&E day stands for community and equity, many of the events are largely focused on the cultures of different ethnicities. This made it hard for the GSA leaders to plan appropriate performances or activities in the Umoja or the cultural fair. Therefore, the GSA did not perform or set up a table during C&E day. However, the leaders expressed regret in this decision. Emma explained that the GSA is looking forward to reciting a poem or verse about the LGBTQ+ community next year, contributing more to the equity part of community and equity day. 

The next non-ethnicity affinity group I interviewed was J-team, led by Rachel Goldberg ’25 and Eli Zahavi ’24. Although being Jewish is an ethnicity, J-team currently focuses more on the religious celebrations and holidays of Judaism, which is why I included the J-team in this category. Like the GSA, J-team is planning on hosting a Pathway pizza event with CFG, and a traditional Jewish food drive for the upcoming holiday, Purim, in March. Rachel explained that due to the lower number of Jewish students who actively celebrate Jewish traditions, the affinity group currently focuses more on introducing Jewish traditions and holidays to non-Jewish students, instead of hosting closed meetings for Jewish students.

Students in J-team meeting, enjoying apples and honey during Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah

The last non-ethnicity affinity group I interviewed was Openly Secular, led by Yejee Hwang ’25 and Jamie Li ’25. I was able to interview Yejee. Yejee explained that it is important to acknowledge that not believing in a religion is a choice too, and the Openly Secular group provides a space to discuss these choices. She explained that personally, coming from a completely secular background, it felt a little daunting to attend an Episcopal school, which comes with duties like attending chapel, which she had never done before coming to St. Mark’s. Yejee and Jamie aspire to create a fun space for students with similar backgrounds as them and further contribute to the religious diversity of St. Mark’s by recognizing that secularism is an individual’s choice, just like other religions. Openly Secular looks forward to having more regular and joint meetings with other religious groups, such as CFG or J-team. 

Just like the GSA, J-team, and Openly Secular, there are many other non-ethnicity-based affinity groups at St. Mark’s like Men are Not Born; They are Made, which provides a space to discuss what it means to be male at St. Mark’s, Christian Fellowship Group(CFG), celebrating Christianity, or Southborough Society, where female students discuss topics related to their female identities. These affinity groups play a crucial part in bringing our community together, bringing people of different ethnicities together through shared identities. 

Lunar New Year Celebration At St. Mark’s!

by Lori cui

On January 22nd, 2023, people all around the world celebrated one of the biggest holidays for Southeast and East Asians: the Lunar New Year. For St. Marker’s who are international or away from family during the period of time, ASEA (Association of South-East and East Asians) organized various activities for students to enjoy at school with a family-like atmosphere. 

Students gathered in the Patterson-Sculley lobby on the 22nd with local parents and teachers to make delicious dumplings. 

Photo Credits: Suli Wang

Huge shoutout to all the parent volunteers who helped and students that showed up to create a family-like atmosphere in Patterson-Sculley!

The following Sunday, ASEA presented a Lunar New Year Celebration collection of performances, gift cards, and even a special FLiK dinner. Many students contributed performances, some singing Asian pop songs, and some instrumental performances as well. Some of the highlights were: Daniel Song’s ‘25 magic trick, Grace Lee and Andria Bao’s ‘23 Poi Performance, plus Ingrid Yeung’s ‘23 and Tiffany Ahn, ‘24 Insel Lee, ‘23 Hannah Cha, ‘25 and Chloe Kim ‘26 put up two spectacular dance performances. 

Daniel Song ‘25 performing a magic trick for Albert Wu ‘23

All students and faculty that attended were extremely pleased with the event outcome, and everyone had a great time together! A late Happy Lunar New Year to everyone!

Lion Dance: The Epitome of Diversity at St. Marks

By Ian Cho ‘26

The boisterous ‘clangs’ of the cymbals and the thunderous ‘booms’ of the drums filled the Class of ‘45 hall on January 17th, as the Hung Gar Kung Fu and Lion Dance Academy performed their signature lion dance. 

Each lion costume was meticulously controlled by two performers, with four performers in total depicting two lions. The two lions danced across the hall, attracting cheers and applause from all around. Their bold manes shook majestically in the air as they leaped forwards and swung their heads in accordance with the percussion. 

The lion dance, not only is fascinating to watch but also holds great cultural significance in many countries. In China, for example, lions often symbolize power, strength, and superiority. It is believed that the lion dance brings good fortune. Therefore, lion dances are often performed on special occasions, including the Lunar New Year celebration. 

I personally enjoyed both the entertainment and cultural aspect of the performance. It was a truly memorable experience. Similarly, many other students also had positive takeaways from this experience. 

Stephen Hodi, a current third former, thought “the lion dance performance was both fun and exciting to watch.”

Max Wang, another third former, shared that “[he] enjoyed the performance overall. As a multicultural person, [he] liked how it allowed [him] to stop, think, and reconnect with [his] culture through the dance”

The lion dance allowed many to feel at home, as a part of their culture was celebrated and represented. 

Depending on the country or region, there are slightly different variations of the lion dance and its costume. Some places use flamboyant colors, some places have white lion costumes, while other places have a more comic take on the costumes. 

As many of you might know, our school’s mascot is also a lion. But it is fascinating to see how the lions in the lion dance are portrayed so differently. The lions are of different colors, sizes, shapes, and symbols than the St. Mark’s mascot.

I believe the ‘lion’ is the epitome of the diversity at St. Mark’s. Like the different lions, we come from different cultures, we do not look the same, and we can have different backgrounds and understandings. However, St. Mark’s is an inclusive community where we all come together, regardless of race, religion, or gender.

For those who want to revisit the performance, here is a short clip of the dance!

Saying YESS to Community

BY RORY HUTCHINS ‘25

This past weekend I traveled to the Yess Conference with Emily Ling ‘26, Mimi Burnett ‘25, Wendy Wu ‘23, and our chaperones Ms. Doggett and Ms. Lohwater to engage in some provocative dialogue surrounding the controversial topic of climate change. We arrived at the Ashokan Center located in the woods of Ulster Park, New York. Getting out our sleeping bags from the trunk, the six of us were ready for the three-day conference. Our day started with an orientation and then hearing from climate activists around the world. On the second day, we began to split into breakout groups. For me, the most exciting presenter I went to talked about Tupperware. When you think about it, when we microwave our food in plastic containers or eat hot food with plastic utensils, the plastic normally seeps into our food which we then eat. Because plastic does not decompose in our bodies, the plastic we accidentally ingested will remain in our system forever. The long-term scientific effects of plastic in our bodies are unknown, but aside from that, I began to think. The coming day, my group mates and I were supposed to propose a climate action plan that we had come up with for our school. The six of us sat around the wooden dining hall table thinking. We were already a plastic water-bottle-free campus, we used reusable dining ware, was there something else we were missing? That’s when Ms. Lohwater spoke up and stated that at the last S4S meeting, six students showed up to the club block despite the roaster of students in S4S being over 100. 

Together we realized that one of the bigger problems is not regarding the sustainability of St. Mark’s but rather, community engagement. We decided that some possible ways to garner greater student engagement could include printing the newspapers to have spares in the dining hall, changing the TV boards in hallways to showcase important events, and creating posters to get students and faculty involved. Going to this conference prompted us to realize that yes, sustainability is important, but to be sustainable, we first need to involve a greater selection of people. The Yess Conference participants hope to speak to the faculty and Board of Trustees about the topic in March and early April.

Conspiracies and Consequences

by Gina Yang ‘24

Dr. Susan Reverby, a historian and professor at Wellesley College, was a guest speaker for the 3rd annual Gray Colloquium, which was held on January 12. Dr. Reverby offered a unique opportunity for the St. Mark’s community to examine the complex historical narratives of various conspiracy theories and their repercussions on society. Dr. Reverby’s research into the unethical medical experiments conducted by the U.S. government brought new insights to this year’s Gray Colloquium whose theme for 2022-2023 is “Conspiracies and Consequences.” Dr. Reverby reminded students of the crucial role that history plays in shaping our understanding of the world and the importance of critically engaging with the information presented to us. 

Dr. Reverby began her lecture by examining one of the most infamous medical conspiracies in American history: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The study was conducted to observe the natural progression of untreated syphilis in African American men over the course of 40 years and involved denying subjects of the study access to available treatments, including penicillin. The study was not only unethical but also failed to yield any significant scientific findings while causing immeasurable harm to the study participants and their families. Dr. Reverby contextualized the study within the broader history of systemic racism and the ways in which medical professionals have exploited vulnerable populations for their own gain. 

Dr. Reverby’s research explored the complex societal factors that allowed the Tuskegee Syphilis Study to occur. Her work highlights the role of eugenics, a widely accepted pseudo-scientific theory at the time, in shaping public health policy and promoting racist attitudes towards African Americans. She also argues that the study was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of marginalized groups being exploited for medical experimentation, which still goes on to this day. 

Throughout her research, Dr. Reverby also highlights the efforts made by the study participants and their families to seek justice and expose the unethical nature of the study. She argues that the legacy of the study extends beyond its immediate consequences and continues to impact African American communities by diminishing their trust in the medical establishment. 

Dr. Reverby’s research of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study offers a powerful example of the consequences of medical conspiracies and the need for the historical reexamination of such events. In her book, “Tuskegee’s Truth: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study,” Dr. Reverby challenges the widely accepted narrative surrounding the study and sheds light on the ways in which it was not just a product of individual moral failings but also a reflection of the broader societal attitudes towards race and public health. 

Dr. Reverby then moved on to discuss her research into the “Guatemala Syphilis Study,” a similarly unethical medical experiment in which U.S. researchers infected Guatemalan prisoners, soldiers, and mental patients with syphilis without their knowledge or consent. Dr. Reverby’s discovery of the study’s existence in 2010 sparked international outrage and led to a formal apology from the U.S. government. 

Throughout her presentation, Dr. Reverby emphasized the importance of acknowledging the harm caused by these conspiracies and working to rectify the damage done. She emphasized that conspiracy theories are often used as a means of deflecting responsibility and obfuscating the truth. She stresses that it is crucial to approach historical events with a critical eye and a commitment to truth-seeking. 

The presentation was followed by a Q&A session, during which the audience had the opportunity to engage with Dr. Reverby. The audience was able to ask questions about her research and her perspectives on the broader implications of these historical events. The session highlighted the ways in which conspiracy theories can be both harmful and empowering, underscoring the importance of critically evaluating the information presented to us in the media. 

The Gray Colloquium on Dr. Susan Reverby was a thought-provoking and informative event that challenged the St. Mark’s community to consider the complex historical narratives behind conspiracy theories and the impact they have on society. Dr. Reverby’s work is a powerful reminder of the consequences of turning a blind eye to unethical behavior and the necessity of reckoning with the past to create a more just and equitable future. By shedding light on the historical roots of medical conspiracies and their lasting impact, Dr. Reverby urges us to confront uncomfortable truths and take action to prevent similar abuses of power from occurring in the future. 

This year’s Gray Colloquium was successful thanks to the efforts of the hard-working staff and Ms. Sarah McCann, who worked as a Gray Colloquium Coordinator. The next presentation in the Gray Colloquium will take place on Thursday, February 23rd, in the Putnam Family Arts Center’s Class of 1945 hall. The visiting speaker will be Sarah Eagle Heart, a social justice storyteller, entrepreneur, and philanthropic leader. 

You can read more about the upcoming Gray Colloquium speakers here:https://www.stmarksschool.org/academics/signature-programming/gray-colloquium/gray-colloquium-details

St. Mark’s gets in the Holiday Season

By Jonathan Hernandez

As the calendar year ends, St. Mark’s has begun to celebrate the Holiday season with various traditions and activities. With songs, performances, and weekend activities, spirits are lifted all throughout the campus. 

On Friday, December 2nd, St. Mark’s held its annual Holiday Song Fest. Students choreographed various dances and presented Holiday songs such as Jingle Bell Rock, All I Want For Christmas is You, and Feliz Navidad. Students performed in festive holiday attire and astounded the audience with stylish dance skills. After the Song Fest, students and faculty proceeded to the Sixth-Form Quad. There, the community counted down together for the tree to be lit up. The tree was dazzling and lit up the quad beautifully. The lighting of the tree signaled the beginning of the Holiday Season at St. Mark’s. 

The following weekend, St. Mark’s held a variety of holiday-themed weekend activities. Students could experience a variety of activities such as watching classic holiday movies, constructing gingerbread houses, and decorating festive cookies. Some students even helped write holiday letters for hospitalized children. Even more, students played games such as Spin the Dreidel and Winter Bingo. There were plenty of activities to help get students in the holiday spirit. 

The spread of merriment is perfect for the upcoming St. Mark’s traditions. Students and Faculty will attend Lessons and Carols on December 6th and 8th. The annual celebration includes nine lessons from scripture and many Christmas hymns. There would be wonderful performances displayed by the St. Mark’s Choir and Orchestra. This is a wonderful opportunity for St. Markers and St. Mark’s Families to enjoy the holiday festivities together. 

Even more, on Friday, December 9th, students can decorate holiday ornaments at Choate house. The tradition is a great community-building activity and a festive way to celebrate the winter holidays.

Groton Night!

By Lori Cui ‘25

Groton Night set up in MFAC gym

St. Mark’s School and Groton School have one of the longest-standing athletic rivalries in the country, lasting for over 135 years. On the night of November 11th, 2022, both schools had pep rallies to heighten school spirits. The next day, both schools faced off in all fall sports: Field Hockey, Football, Soccer, and Cross Country. The rivalry between the schools emphasizes the participation of all students and teams, from Varsity to Thirds. 

Bonfire on Lawrence field

Groton night started off with Varsity team videos and respective team cheers. Following the high adrenaline and cheering, the monitors also released special videos following a storyline of stealing the coat from Groton. They also performed a dance and finally revealed the stolen coat! This year’s Groton Night also featured a St. Mark’s tradition, a bonfire at the end of Lawrence field. With safety precautions in mind, students exited from the MFAC door near the day student parking lot and ran over to Lawrence field. It was a rainy night, but everyone ran with enthusiasm to the awaiting fire. The seniors then carried out the paper mache zebra made earlier, as a symbol of Groton’s mascot animal. After the burning of the zebra, various seniors gave motivating speeches and cheers for the last final hype. Groton night will always be a memorable night for all students at St. Mark’s, regardless of form or team. 

Paper mache zebra in the dining hall

Holiday Songfest and Tree Lighting

By Karry Kim ‘25

On Friday evening, December 2nd, St. Mark’s hosted the annual Holiday Songfest and Tree Lighting celebration. Holiday Songfest is a significant tradition that adds to St. Mark’s school spirit. The whole school comes together and competes by dorm, singing and dancing to various Christmas songs. Each dorm’s performance is (strictly) judged by three judges selected from faculty, and the winning dorm is announced at the end of the celebration. The winning team is granted a dorm pizza party.

This year, Songfest was held in the Center. Sawyer started off this event with a festive carol and choreography, and the Center was soon filled with laughter and voices of the audience singing along. Other dorms followed along with their carols and choreographies, which they have come together to practice for the past week. The event ended with the performance of Gaccon. After a quick moment of discussion for the winners, this year’s winners were announced: Thayer and Scully 2, breaking the long held legacy of Pine Oak’s wins. Congratulations to Thayer and Scully 2! 

After the Holiday Songfest, the Tree Lighting Celebration was held in the 6th form quad. After the lighting of the Christmas tree, all St. Markers enjoyed taking pictures with friends in front of the tree while enjoying hot chocolate and cookies that were served in the small dining hall. The tree was clearly a great photo spot, as everyone’s Instagram posts the next day were filled with pictures taken with friends in front of its bright, colorful lights. 

The Holiday Songfest and Tree Lighting Celebration was a perfect way to bring a holiday spirit to St. Mark’s.

Lessons and Carols

By Jasmine Liu ‘25

While the upcoming week may just seem like the long, work-filled week before the notorious assessment week, it is also the week when the biggest Chapel service of the St. Mark’s school year will take place: Lessons and Carols.

Every year before winter break, St. Mark’s celebrates Lessons and Carols during Evening Chapel which includes choral singing, orchestral performances, and lessons of scripture from christian tradition. This is a popular celebration among Episcopal (religious) schools – a tradition that began in England in the 19th century when carols were not traditionally sung in church. Typically, St. Mark’s has traditionally held two services, with one open to the public. However, this year, due to the desire to hold the service in Belmont Chapel instead of the Class of ‘45 Hall like last year, Lessons and Carols will take place over two days of the academic week: on Tuesday, December 6th and on Thursday, December 8th. Unfortunately, the chapel will be too small to fit the school as well as the school orchestra and choir, the groups who will be performing and in the front of the chapel during the event. Students will be split into the two Chapel services based on their after school sport/activity. 

On each evening of the Lessons and Carols, students will first be having a buffet dinner at 5:30 p.m. right before the service. Students will be seated by sports teams or activities. For those who are not attending the service that day, they will be having their buffet dinner at 6:15 pm while Lessons and Carols is happening. During the Evening Chapel, the school, alongside the choir, will be singing hymns and carols such as Personent Hodie, Silent Night, and Little O’ Town of Bethlehem, with the orchestra playing in the background. Additionally, there will be nine lessons of scriptures, one presented after each hymn. The service is predicted to last for around one hour from 6:15 to 7:15 pm. After the service, VIth Formers will have coffee and dessert in the faculty room while orchestra and choir have their dinner in Taft.

With the Lessons and Carols being held in Belmont Chapel, there are many circulating opinions among the student body. While some St. Mark’s veterans who went to Lessons & Carols last year enjoy the service and view it as their favorite Chapel event at St. Mark’s, others think of it as nothing special. “Not gonna lie, last year’s L&C was sort of dull. Dinner wasn’t that special either,” one IVth former commented. “However, I think it’ll be better this year since it’s gonna be at Belmont Chapel (and the orchestra gets catered dinner from Chipotle).” Yet, another student remarked that they “enjoy singing the hymns during L&C”. New students who’ve never experienced such an event before also have a variety of opinions. “I don’t exactly know what to expect, but I hope the food will be good,” one St. Marker remarked. Another stated “as long as the chapel’s warm, then I’ll be fine.” Some are also eager to experience the new, Christmas-y chapel service.

Nevertheless, Lessons and Carols is a memorable part of St. Mark’s school year for many since it differs from the typical sleepy chapel in the morning. Hopefully this year’s Lessons and Carols will incite the holiday spirit, relax us before the assessment week ahead, and be remembered as a wonderful part of a St. Mark’s students’ experience.