91̽��

Numerous 91̽�� students were recognized for their short stories and poetry this year. Senior Jessica Wang’s short story “Child from the Stars” will be published in Hyphen magazine. Founded in 2002, Hyphen is a nonprofit news and culture magazine that tells the stories of Asian America. Jessica began writing the story at the end of her junior year in her creative writing class. She continued working on it over the summer at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio.

Qualifying among the country’s most competitive math students, Lawrence Kim (IV) recently represented 91̽�� in the highly selective United States of America Junior Mathematics Olympiad (USAJMO).

Lawrence qualified for the USAJMO by scoring high in a series of math competitions. He then sat for the nine-hour USAJMO over a two-day period, where he competed against fewer than 250 other students from the United States and Canada. The test consisted of six questions, for which Lawrence had to present essay-style mathematical arguments, and required him to work in a testing room away from all electronics and outside influences.

Sharing research on topics ranging from the impact of transcendentalism on both the abolition and women’s rights movements to the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s, 13 student winners of the Bisbee Prize gathered for a discussion and celebration with history department faculty. The students were selected by their teachers for outstanding research on their United States History papers.

Over more than three decades as a sports journalist, the Boston Herald’s Danny Ventura has covered high school matches, college championships and history-making professional sports events, and athletes at every level have left lasting impressions on him, he told 91̽�� students.

“It’s not just about the big stars,” said Mr. Ventura, who was invited to speak at this year’s Athletics assembly. “There are just so many millions of stories in sports.”

Journalist, author and cultural critic Touré ’89 returned to campus as the Sally Bowles ’56 Keynote Speaker for Seminar Day 2018.

“As journalists, our integrity is under assault,” said Touré, who hosts the podcast The Touré Show. “Media people are deeply aware of the importance of trust; we are the cornerstones of democracy. Media people are obsessed with getting to the truth. These are people of high integrity and they take their duties seriously.”

Touré discussed his time at 91̽�� and his rising activism at Emory University, where he started a black student newspaper. He told stories about getting his start as an intern at Rolling Stone magazine, eventually becoming a writer for numerous publications covering a wide range of artists from Eminem to Kanye West, Zadie Smith to Jay-Z.

Last week, newly elected head monitors Asia Chung (II) and Michael George (II) took up the mantle as school leaders from outgoing head monitors Kailee Silver (I) and Greg Livingston (I). Asia, who is from Jamaica, lives in Robbins House. She is photographer for the yearbook, the Tavern and the filmmaking club. She also served on the Self-Governing Association (SGA) as a Class III rep. Mikey is a day student who lives in 91̽��. He also served on SGA as class rep his sophomore year.

Climate change affects more than ecosystems and air quality—it directly impacts communities of color and lower-income families more significantly than wealthier, white communities, climate activist Wilhemina Agbemakplido told 91̽�� students.

Worldwide, the people most affected by deforestation and marine pollution are those with little or no access to resources to supplement what they’ve lost, said Ms. Agbemakplido. Because they rely on the land, or on fishing, to live, the destruction of natural resources is forcing them away from their homes.

Jordan Hattar’s interest in international humanitarian causes formed in eighth grade. By the time he graduated from high school, he was ready to go to work, he told 91̽�� students.

But all of the aid missions and nonprofits he contacted responded the same way: You’re not ready. Come back after college. Mr. Hattar persisted, eventually connecting with Deng Jongkuch, one of the “Lost Boys” of South Sudan, who agreed to take him there to help build a medical clinic and distribute mosquito nets.