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By Audrey Lutz

Ms. Switzer and her History of Nonviolence class made an outstanding art installation depicting a visual timeline of nonviolent movements in American history. The project is the culmination of many years of preparation, research, and development. 

After involving Ms. Story, an upper school art teacher, they decided to make a timeline following events through history. We were standing in front of the artwork when we spoke and she said,  “If I were to go back 20 years when I first started teaching about non-violence I would not have known half of what is up here.”

Each student made individual tiles that show non-violent activists and researched them to gain a better understanding of who they are and how they affected history. I was able to speak with Leah Cox about her involvement with this project. “I was a student in the class, so I helped with brainstorming and making the background,” she said. “If you look at the board, on the far right, there is a collage of non-violent organizations and above it there are doves. I made both of those.” 

Ms. Switzer said that the installation is a way “of visualizing all of the interconnected complexity of non-violence in American history.” Everything is connected one way or another, and this installment shows all of the historical branches. 

As we started the interview Ms. Switzer implied that “Non-violence isn’t just about creating peace and justice, it’s creating conditions where violence is less likely.” This art is meant to show that peace is possible and that people are willing to risk their lives to stand up and say, they want a better society. 

There are 14 different non-violent movements that are represented on the board, but the art piece starts with the Indigenous people in the United States. “What my students discovered is that from a very early point, Indigenous people in the United States had non-violent peacemaking kinds of cultural technologies, and a lot of the non-violence that evolved came from seeing the way the Indigenous people resolve conflict,” said Ms. Switzer. 

The Indigenous people are the true roots of America and the first people to teach non-violence. “Many people think that the Indigenous people were just bows and arrows, but they had such a complex life,” said Ms. Switzer. 

Next, we move on to the Quakers and Anabaptists. “The historic peace churches (the Quakers and Anabaptists) came to the United States to escape persecution.” The Quakers and Anabaptists lit the fire for the anti-slavery movement. “They believed that there is a god and somehow that god is present in all people, so then anytime you’re unjust or violent to another person, you’re being unjust and violent to god. So that sort of theological premise motivated them to confront slavery first.”

Everything is connected in history and this board is illustrating that. “So we have this early women’s movement that starts, and those same women became the leaders of the suffrage movement.” Ms. Switzer then shows me how the branches connect everything together. 

As we keep moving down the boards we are introduced to the pre-civil rights which of course leads us to the all mighty civil-rights movement. They tried to include as much as they could, but the board can only hold so much. The board includes the majority of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. 

Finally, we come to the final board with the Black Lives Matter movement “as the most recent manifestation,” with its focus on anti-racism. “We have anti-racism, kind of having these moments of surging and then receding and then surging over time, but always there.” 

People have always been fighting against racism in history. “A takeaway that one of my students realized is that since the 1600s, there have been people, white people standing against racism, all the way to the current time. And since 1730-1740 every year someone has been born in America who has fought against racism.”

At the end of the final board, there are many pieces of art. “We have this collage of doves and it sort of represents the future for hope and peace,” Ms. Switzer said. There is a collage of different activists, and then finally  a mirror “because we wanted people to get to the end of the installation and say, well what can I do to make a more peaceful future?” 

Under the mirror, it says “The Future of Nonviolence is You.”

This project was a semester-long idea, yet the idea mainly came to fruition right around thanksgiving. As Ms. Switzer usually has a much bigger class she doesn’t do big projects like this one. This year she only had 9 students in her History of Nonviolence class, so Ms. Switzer asked them if they wanted to do something more creative than they normally couldn’t do with a greater number of students. “We talked to Ms. Story and we started brainstorming options. My students wanted to work together so we developed this idea, which was much more complicated than we were expecting and I didn’t know if we were going to finish.”

They started making it right after fall break and only had until exams to finish. “Towards the end of the last 2 weeks of class, this project was all we did. The students came before school, after school, and during lunch. They spent so much time on this and it’s incredible.” Leah Cox, a student who worked on this project, said that “There were times when we would have to come during our free periods, and we would work together and collaborate throughout the whole process.”

As the artwork started to finish they brought in Ms. Story again to take a look. “Once Ms. Story saw the project coming together she said that we needed to get this in front of other audiences.” Then came talk of where this outstanding project could go. They are considering the  Hartfield Jackson airport, which has a section where they display student work; the Center for Civil and Human Rights; and even the history center of Atlanta. “Right now the chief of the marketing department – Janie Beck- is working on finding out if this could be a traveling exhibition.”

Ms. Switzer is so proud of this piece and it has only made her think of what she could do in the future. “I’ve been trying for years to know how to organize this incredibly complex history and the more I taught the more I realized that it’s not just the history of non-violence but the histories of non-violence, and I’ve always struggled to make sense of it all visually. And the fact that they were able to create a way of visualizing it is amazing, not only to me but to them and future students.”

This project was huge, not only for Lovett but for the future of Ms. Switzer’s class. This artwork alone holds so many important people, dates, and moments in history that are not talked about in the history books. 

The students had to work so incredibly hard to get this project completed and it brought them closer together. “I think that this bonded my class,” she said. “We would see one another so much during the day that our close proximity to each other almost forced us to get closer.”

This artwork will be displayed in the art gallery hall until the end of February. After that, no one is truly sure where it will end up but, hopefully, wherever it goes it will inspire people. “We’re trying to create a better world,” Leah said.

By Zoe Robinson

For many students, the weekend of March 22, 2026, was very grounding. I took time with friends to enjoy the weather, lounging on the grass at the park and baking cookies at home. Others were having earth-bound celebrations of their birth or the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

But that Sunday,  senior Leah Woolfson headed…up and up and up…to go skydiving with one of her best friends. “It was more of a her thing,” Leah said to me about her friend. “I just tagged along.”

The “her thing” in question was something that Leah and her friend, Ruby, had thought of back in middle school. “When we turned 18… one of the things we wanted to do was to go skydiving,” she told me. Skydiving was the first on Leah and Ruby’s bucket list of 18-year-old things they wanted to do, and they decided to start fulfilling them that weekend. 

I wondered how they even found a place to skydive around Atlanta, given that most of the area is city. They went to Skydive Monroe, a rural area about an hour out of central Atlanta near UGA, to check her item off the list.

Skydive Monroe, which is the only skydiving center located near the east of Atlanta, has been operating for nearly 20 years, and prides itself, according to their website, on being “Georgia’s finest drop zone.” According to Leah, it was definitely nice and created a pretty solid drop experience.

The process of getting prepped and suited up for the dive was surprisingly lax compared to my mental image of what it would take to jump from 14,000 feet. “So when you first get there, they give you all these forms, and you watch a video, and I really thought there was gonna be a lot more preparation of what to do,” Leah explained. “But we kind of just waited in this room, and they came and put us in these suits… and then they said, ‘We’re going up in the air!’

Once in the air, all she and Ruby really had to do was let the instructor guide them, which was easier than one might think, given that they were so high up. “It’s kind of like zip-lining,” she explained, “how it’s a little bit uncomfortable, but like, it’s fun because you’re still zip-lining.”

The 30-second initial descent was pretty tough, given how fast you’re going as you shoot straight down, but they still got to do some nice turns and flips before finally “chilling” as they descended in their parachutes for the next 2 minutes. Surprisingly, she told me that the parachuting was actually more fun than the drop, as she got a nice view (even though she admits it could’ve been better) and a relaxing descent. 

All in all, Leah would recommend the experience to anyone wanting to check off a bucket list item or just to have a fun outing with friends. “It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I’m glad I could do it,” she said. Not to mention, a great way to ring in 18!

By Malaya Madison

As Lovett students approach the last weeks of school, stress levels rise as they try to get grades up before semester report cards, organize summer plans, or cram for final unit tests. Lovett recognizes the struggles of students around this time with an annual “Wellness Week.”

This year it happened from April 13th through 18th.

The weekly activities are organized by the counselors and the Mental Health Liaisons to create a low-stress environment for students. 

I met Knox Amos ‘26, one of the presidents of the Mental Health Liaisons (MHL), who has been a liaison since 9th grade. 

He became a mental health liaison because of his ongoing struggles with his own mental health, but spiked moving to a new place and school. He felt his fears fade when he was welcomed into our community here at Lovett. 

This inspired him because he “wanted to help foster that for other people and just having that organization and being a part of that, I think, is so powerful.”

This powerful impact is also shown through the behind-the-scenes work. They spent months planning for Wellness Week, meeting with department heads and admin, responding to student feedback, and having multiple meetings 

Amos’s vision for Wellness Week was “to focus on increasing the mental and physical well-being of students over the course of the week.”

They concluded that the activities were too overwhelming last year and decided to keep it simpler this year, while still being fun and exciting. 

The planning committee did not hit its goals last year. So, their biggest challenge and biggest goal while planning was “focusing on how to make a big turnaround and how to make Wellness Week a big success,” Amos shared.

At a minimum, they wanted to raise awareness of mental health. “I’ve known a couple of people who have deeply struggled and who would have appreciated that in their school, just to be talking about it in a positive light,” Amos shared.

We surveyed students to find out how they responded to Wellness Week. 68 students responded. 

Of those students, 38% attended at least one wellness week activity.

So what are the sources of stress for students? 91% of students’ most common source of stress is school, 54% are worried about future plans, and 43% are stressed about their social lives.

The top three ways people release stress (in order) are by listening to music, spending time with friends, and exercising, which were tied.

Many students enjoy spending time outside. 

“I took a nature walk for like 20 minutes after school,” one student wrote. “It helped me calm down and rationalize my workload.” Another takes “long walks to sort out my thoughts.”

While hitting the dirt is a major stress reliever for many students, so is music. 

“Listening to moody music makes me feel good,” wrote one student. Another: “One time I listened to bunch of music and took a nap and it made me feel a lot less stress.” 

Some people have support to help manage their workload. One student wrote that they “have an executive functioning tutor, and they are like my therapist.”

Others lean into millennia-old mindfulness practices, like meditation and breathing methods they’ve learned in religion department chair Ms. Switzer’s classes. 

Still others take baths, read books, clean their rooms, and play video games.

While some students expressed frustration with the intensity of a Lovett schedule and the anxiety that can come from the amount of work and rigor, others appreciated the school’s intentions and the steps they’re taking in the right direction.  

Throughout the week, there were activities like Karaoke, Nintendo Switch, Zen Den, and a Campus Walk led by Mr. Nascimento, which left the Plaza at 1:45. 

There were three non-uniform days (NUD’s) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

On Monday, my friends and I went to Silent Disco three times during the day (that’s how much fun we had!) 

Ms. Scott, US Operations Manager, found a company to sell Lovett the headphones, so they continue to use that company each year. There were 3 stations you could choose from, run by the front office. Mrs. Gilmore had chill vibes, Ms. Lucas had Broadway, and Mr. Howell had workout grind. 

I have to admit, it was a little awkward to fully dance and sing obliviously when people walked by the glass windows of the Front Office, because they had no music in their ears.

That same day, during lunch, I attended the DIY Stress ball-making seminar with Mr. Greenberg, US Engineering Director, who was asked by Mrs. Mehta to supervise the DIY balls being made. He made the whole experience fun. 

It was mostly girls, and we were laughing and having a good time making stress balls out of balloons and flour. Alexandra Aide and Latham McKnight ‘28 had the bright idea to add water to the mixture, which created denser stress balls.

When I went to my next class after lunch, the stress balls had, ironically, caused a lot of stress. I popped mine before we started class. And my classmates Micah Ingram and Henry Thompson ‘29 stress balls popped shortly after.

Anyways, the activity was still a good way to relieve stress.  

The next day, students assembled a Less Stress Kit during lunch. Also, in the plaza, Day 1 of the Popdart tournament started. 

On Wednesday, there was ‘Play with Clay” during lunch. This was my first impression of Mr. Smith, US Fine Arts Teacher, and let’s just say it made me want to take ceramics.

When my friends and I walked in, he had calming soft rock playing and set up the room ready for visitors. I attempted to make a clay pot for the plants I bought at the Botany plant sale with a crash course in ceramics from Mr. Smith.

A week later, he’s allowing my friends and me to return and continue working on our pieces. Even though my plant from the Botany sale died, I will have a cute new pot that I made during wellness week. 

Kari Knotts ‘29 said her favorite activity on Wednesday was working with clay because she was with her friends. “It was really fun, and I think I want to start doing pottery/ceramics as a hobby because it was so fun!” she said.

There was supposed to be a movie shown on Thursday, but it didn’t work, so it got moved to Friday. So on Friday, they ordered Papa John’s pizzas and showed Inside Out. 

On Friday, there was also a Virtual Reality beach day during lunch, showing a beachfront view to make students feel like they could relax, forget their stress, and imagine the sound of waves and imaginary sand between their toes.  

Along with this, there were therapy dogs. I caught Riley Tillman ‘27 as she was petting one. “I am so excited to relieve my stress with a fluffy dog,” she said. 

Wellness Week is all about taking care of our mental health as students, teachers, athletes, and everything else we are.

And clearly, the goal is to prioritize mental health every single week of the year. “I think no matter what, if you’re struggling or if you’re not struggling with mental health, it’s important to keep aware of it and to know about it because it’s a real thing that people around you are struggling with,” Amos said.

Ultimately, we can only tackle what’s right in front of us. As one student wrote on the survey, before a big test, they take some deep breaths and “accept that I know all I’m going to know, and I’m going to do my best.” 

By Micah Ingram

Every morning, the hallways of The Lovett School look less like a private high school and more like a training camp for infantry soldiers. Students can be seen hunching forward, straining against their North Face backpacks that seem to grow heavier with every passing period. 

While it might seem like a normal part of the typical teenage grind, the physical toll is more than just a little pain in the back or neck. 

According to the Cleveland Health Clinic, Health experts recommend that a backpack should weigh no more than 10-15% of a student’s total body weight. For example, a 100-pound student means a 15-pound limit. 

As students completely bypass their lockers to save time–so much so that they’ve been entirely removed from the alcoves– students are trading long-term spinal health for less stress getting to class on time. This raises the question: Is our current school setup, and our personal preferences, setting us up for a lifetime of back pain?

Intrigued (and slightly terrified) by these stats, I decided to conduct a little scientific research of my own. Now, there’s not much a 9th grader who hasn’t surpassed the science class of Honors Biology can do. But I hauled my backpack onto the bathroom scale, filling it with my normal books, computer, pencil pouch, and notebooks, just like a normal school day, and started weighing it, fully expecting a reasonable number. 

Instead, the digital display showed a weight that made me wonder if I had accidentally replaced my normal school books with hard bricks or a small, destructive anvil. 

Either the scale was glitching, or I have unknowingly been training for the deadlift olympics (jk). As the numbers climbed, I didn’t just see a weight, but I saw a future filled with a very close relationship with a random chiropractor named Dave.  

But here’s what really got me: I’m a freshman. My academic load has just begun. I haven’t even hit the final boss of AP textbooks, three-inch binders, and the mountain of extra work that defines the typical upperclassman experience. 

If my spine was already waving the white flag, not even months into high school, what does the future hold for me and my spine? 

To see if I was just a weak freshman or if this was a genuine school-wide epidemic, I decided to not only interview a few upperclassmen I happened to cross paths with, but also borrow a scale from Coach Maldonado to weigh some backpacks of students from all grades, to see if I could find some patterns. 

We weighed 20 bags. The overall average weight was 16.4 pounds. The grade with the highest average weight was the juniors, at 18.6 pounds. The lowest was the sophomores at 15.4. Some of the highest weights were in the whopping 23-25 pound range. Some of the lowest were in the 9-11 pound range.

I checked in with the statistics teacher, Mr. Battle, who noted that the overall standard deviation was 3.95, indicating a decent amount of distance between each bag and the average weight. But he pointed out that the number would likely come down as more bags were added to the data.

Though the numbers were impressive, I decided to take a step further and interview a few upperclassmen on their thoughts. I wanted to get an insight into how they feel and what their experience is like dealing with these anchors on our backs. 

I decided to work my way up the grade ladder, starting with a sophomore, Tatiana Ward.

When asked her to scale the burden, she didn’t hesitate: “It’s a 9 out of 10.” Tatiana explained that she’s constantly lugging around way more than she needs—mostly a mountain of folders and binders. 

By the time the final bell rings, her back is in survival mode. Like many of us, she’s abandoned her locker entirely, choosing the daily back pain over the inconvenience of a trip to the hallway. 

I then decided to ask junior Heran Tesfaye for her opinion on the matter, and she told me her backpack feels like a “10 out of 10” nearly every day, which is very concerning and can lead to severe back pain. 

She pointed out that almost everything in her backpack was necessary for school, and without it, she would be lacking for the day. She expressed how she has been having major back and shoulder pain, weighing her down between classes or when she is trying to hurry. She explained how she is “slowed down so much by my backpack” and that if she dropped it, her speed would increase a lot and she wouldn’t be as much out of breath. 

So why not use her locker? Well, she feels like the locker wastes more time because all her classes are spread out across the while highschool. 

I decided to check in with our local health experts and headed to the Lovett Health Center.  Interestingly, they pointed out how one of the solutions–more digital materials–can actually lead to their own problems. In an email from the Center, they wrote: ”This increases the amount of time spent in front of screens, which is proven to have negative effects on students’ overall wellbeing, headaches, sleep disturbances, neck/back pain, etc.”

And they think that we already have a perfectly viable solution, even if many students choose not to use it.  “I think textbook learning is important, and students have plenty of time in between classes to stop by their lockers to swap out textbooks if needed,” they said. 

If the current school setup continues, we aren’t just graduating with diplomas—we’re graduating with chronic back issues and a deep-seated resentment for the three-inch binder. It’s a “lose-lose” scenario where the price of being prepared for class is a constant, throbbing reminder on our shoulders.

Until something changes, whether it’s longer passing periods or a shift toward a more digital-friendly backpack or a nostalgic return to locker usage, we’ll keep hunching our way through the hallways like we’re on a permanent expedition. 

So, if you see a fellow student leaning forward at a 45-degree angle or gasping for air between the second and third floors, don’t worry. We aren’t in trouble, we’re just Lovett students doing our best to survive the daily heavyweight championship of high school.

By Megha Lakha

Every year, Lovett students have the opportunity to embark on several spring break trips. One of the new spring break additions allowed students to explore beautiful national parks, from the Grand Canyon to Zion.  The goal of the trip was to help students slow down, take it all in, and start to notice and appreciate the world around them in a deeper way,” according to Mr. Nascimento, who led the trip along with Ms. Armato.

Mr. Nas pointed out that the group “bonded quickly, making the experience extra amazing from start to finish.” Some of the bonding took place on the bus rides, which junior Heran Tesfaye said were kind of long. But the upside, she said, was that “you could see a lot of the different landscapes we drove by and it gave us opportunities to talk with one another on the bus.”

The trip attendees had a “special dynamic by the end of the week,” Mr. Nas said.  “It was one of those trips where the setting is unforgettable, but the shared experience is what really makes it special,” Heran said. She signed up originally with some of her close friends but became close with other group members, which was meaningful. Sophomore Finn Williams also appreciated getting to know “people that I never met before.” 

Ms. Armato was blown away by the landscape and scenery. “It’s just such a different place from where I’ve grown up on the East Coast,” she said. “It’s crazy to think that some people just live like that every day.”

The group caught an early flight to Nevada and then hiked in Zion National Park. The next day, they departed for Bryce Canyon National Park and learned about the area’s unique geology. “Our tour guide knew so much about different rocks, erosion, and what has happened over time for these interesting formations to emerge,” Ms. Armato said. “He helped us make sense of what we were looking at, which was really cool to understand.”

After the geology talk, the group departed for Kanab, where they could slide down the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Mr. Nas said this was one of his highlights, but “each location offered something different, whether it was the scale of the landscape, the physical challenge of a hike, or just the joy of being outside together.”

The final stop was the Grand Canyon. “We saved the best for last,” Ms. Armato said. “Pictures don’t do it enough justice,” I added the Grand Canyon to my travel bucket list after she described how breathtaking it was. “The views were amazing,” Finn Williams said.

After the Grand Canyon, they visited some smaller sites, including Pre-Columbian ruins. “We also got to talk to some indigenous tribes when we were there, which helped us understand the history and their ties to the area,” Ms. Armato said. 

She remarked on being struck by the fact that indigenous tribes continue to exist. “I think sometimes we talk about them as if it’s something that happened in the past, but they persist and are preserving their culture,” Ms. Armato said. The group definitely had a deep appreciation for the area’s cultures. 

Mr. Nascimento explained that the idea for the trip came to him during his American Studies class last year when they studied Ralph Waldo Emerson and the concept of the “transparent eyeball.” Since I was his student last year, I was well-versed in this concept of becoming one with nature.

“I wanted to create an experience where students could step outside of their usual environment and engage with that idea in a real, tangible way,” Mr. Nas said. “The American Southwest felt like the perfect place for that because it’s a part of the country that many students don’t get the chance to see, and it offers such powerful, expansive landscapes that really invite reflection.”

The trip seemed like a great experience overall. For Ms. Armato, the only thing that could have made it better was to make it longer. “I don’t think you can exhaust what you do out there,” she said.

However, Mr. Nas said if he were to do the trip differently, he “would build in a bit more intentional preparation beforehand.” He said that he would “maybe have a few conversations with students about the places we’re visiting, the cultural history of the area, and even ask them what they’re curious about or hoping to learn.”

That aside, he thinks “every student found something meaningful in the experience, and many walked away with a broader perspective on what life looks like in another part of the country and maybe even a new appreciation for slowing down and being present.” He said, “Each stop brought something new, and I appreciated how it gave me the chance to connect with different students in different ways throughout the week.” 

Overall, the trip seemed like a success, where students were able to immerse themselves in nature, bond with one another, and make their eyeballs as transparent as possible. 

“I think everyone should experience a trip like this at least once,” Finn said.

By Parvi Anand

Yes, Dr. Kimber Sable’s presentation to our anatomy class ended with the distribution of a variety of skincare products, including free Aquaphor and La Roche-Posay sunscreen, but the lessons about skin health we took away from this board-certified dermatologist and Mohs micrographic surgeon were far more important.   

Dr. Sable trained at Middlebury College, Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, the University of Wisconsin, and Emory University. Dr. Sable is also the wife of English teacher Mr. Nascimento, which made her visit especially meaningful for the Lovett community and provided us a look into the world of dermatology.

She began by explaining what dermatologists do. Dermatology focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions of the skin, hair, nails, and mucosal membranes. On a daily basis, Dr. Sable treats patients with acne, rashes, and other skin conditions and performs skin cancer screenings. She described the wide range of procedures dermatologists perform, including skin biopsies, cryosurgery, chemical peels, laser therapy, injections, and surgical excisions. 

Dr. Sable then introduced her specialty, Mohs micrographic surgery, a highly precise technique for treating skin cancer. “We remove skin layer by layer and examine each one under a microscope,” she said. “The goal is to ensure all the cancer is gone while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.” 

She explained that after removing a layer of skin, the tissue is mapped, frozen, stained, and examined under a microscope to check for any remaining cancer cells. This process is repeated until the cancer is fully removed. Once complete, the surgeon reconstructs the area using techniques like skin flaps or grafts.

She emphasized the importance of this precision, especially in sensitive areas of the body. For example, certain parts of the face and neck contain critical nerves. Damage to the temple area can affect movement in the forehead, the corner of the mouth can impact a person’s smile, and nerves along the neck can affect shoulder movement. Mohs surgery helps avoid these risks by removing only what is necessary.

Dr. Sable also walked us through the long path to becoming a dermatologist. This includes earning a bachelor’s degree with a pre-med focus, and then completing four years of medical school, a one-year internship in general medicine, and a three-year dermatology residency. For those who want to specialize further, as she did, an additional one to two-year fellowship in Mohs surgery is required.

After class, when I asked her what drew her to dermatology, Dr. Sable shared that her interest developed quickly. After spending a year doing clinical trials in dermatology at Northwestern, she “knew within the first week” that it was the right field for her. She was drawn to its visual nature and the sense of immediate results. However, it was not until her residency that she realized she wanted to pursue Mohs surgery, which would allow her to combine her interest in dermatology with her love for surgery and reconstruction.

A major part of her talk focused on skin cancer, one of the most common but often misunderstood diseases. She explained the three main types. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common and is usually slow-growing, often linked to long-term sun exposure or intense sunburns. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common and has a higher risk of spreading through the body. Melanoma, although less common, is the most dangerous and can spread quickly to other organs if not caught early. Dr. Sable noted that melanoma is increasingly seen in younger patients, making awareness especially important for students.

To diagnose skin cancer, dermatologists often perform biopsies. Dr. Sable explained that this can include shave biopsies, punch biopsies, or excisional biopsies, depending on the suspected type and depth of the lesion. Treatment options vary but often include surgical methods such as excision, electrodessication and curettage, or Mohs surgery. Other treatments may include topical chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or systemic chemotherapy, depending on the severity of the case.

In addition to medical knowledge, Dr. Sable addressed common misconceptions and everyday habits that can increase risk. When asked about behaviors students might not realize are harmful, she pointed to tanning beds. Many people believe they are safe, but in reality, they significantly increase the risk of skin cancer. She noted that while spray tans have become more popular as an alternative, they still involve chemicals, though they are safer than UV radiation exposure.

She also discussed a major misconception about who is at risk. “A lot of people with darker skin think they can’t get sunburned or develop skin cancer,” she said, emphasizing that skin cancer can affect people of all skin tones.

Finally, when asked for one essential habit all students should include in their skin care routines, her answer was simple: “Sunscreen is the number one thing.” She stressed that it not only helps prevent skin cancer but also protects against early aging, dark spots, and wrinkles. She explained that there are two main types of sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens are lightweight and absorb into the skin more easily, while mineral sunscreens, which contain ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, are often better for sensitive skin. She advised students to apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside and to reapply every two hours for proper protection.

So keep that in mind the next time you head out for sports practice, go for a walk around the park, or even just step out for a bit of fresh air on a sunny day.

By Tanisha Naik

For many students, the end of the year marks a wind-down. But in Dr. Lamar’s neuroscience classroom, it’s the beginning of a “Genius Hour.” Inspired by Google’s famous policy of allowing employees to spend 20% of their time on passion projects, Genius Hour gives students the freedom to investigate the mysteries of the brain that standard textbooks might only skim.

She decided to incorporate this into her class because she “wanted people to dig into something they liked, that they were passionate about, and they wanted to explore more and anything they were curious about,” she said. 

It also allows students to learn things they may not have time for in class, given the many subjects, topics, and subtopics in neuro. 

I also happen to be in this neuroscience class. My Genius Hour question is: how does caffeine consumption interfere with REM sleep cycles and dreaming patterns? I am an avid caffeine drinker; whether it is Celsius or coffee, I am always drinking it. 

I have noticed that caffeine always affects my sleep cycle, and I wanted to explore how it affects my dreams. In my project, I have been conducting a study in which I don’t drink caffeine for each week and observe the effects. 

I wanted to check in with some students from her neuroscience class about their projects. 

Senior Bailey Clark is using this opportunity to peel back the layers of a frequently misunderstood condition: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which was formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder.

The spark for the project came two summers ago after she watched a docuseries on the subject. “I was really interested in it because there’s not a lot of research on it,” Bailey explained. The interest isn’t just academic; it’s close to home. With a mother working as a therapist, she grew up with a diagnosis book within arm’s reach, fueled by a lifelong curiosity about how the mind categorizes complex trauma.

The goal of the project is to bridge the gap between old stigmas and new science. By digging into the history of the diagnosis and exploring why the clinical name was changed, Bailey hopes to uncover new findings that challenge outdated perceptions.

The final product won’t be a typical term paper. Instead, the student is producing a documentary to visually demonstrate how the disorder works and what causes it to manifest. “I want to add research that can prove people wrong,” she said. 

For Dr. Lamar, this first-year neuroscience project is about more than just grades; it’s about autonomy. Having previously managed physics projects such as Rube Goldberg machines, she is excited to see students apply the same “ground-up” design approach to complex biological topics.

As the seniors prepare for their “last hurrah,” this project serves as a reminder that the most profound learning happens when students are given the keys to follow their own curiosity.

“My goal is just for them to come away from it learning something a little bit deeper and pushing themselves,” she shared. “I want them to walk away saying, ‘Hey, the brain is kind of cool. I might want to learn more about this later in life.’”