Vol. CXXXII · July 10, 2026
On Wednesday, May 27, at 2:00 p.m., the four Varsity Soccer Captains—Siun Salmon ’27, Ethan Fine ’27, Nicholas Pittarelli ’27, and Isa Cavallini-Hsu ’27—hosted a 5v5 soccer tournament on Berlyson Turf Field. Fine hoped that, through the tournament, the captains could help “engage the campus community through soccer.” At the end of a long game stood not a tangible prize but, Fine said, “the bragging rights of the 2026 5v5 champion.”
Intellect. Humor. Care. Called the “most important teacher I’ve ever had,” Eve Goldenberg, known to students as Ms. Goldenberg, has been a powerful member of the English department for the past decade, permanently altering the way her students and colleagues think and learn. This June, the Milton community wishes her well as she moves to Washington, D.C.
While we students often think we are the only ones who “grow up” over the course of our years at Milton, many faculty grow up here too. Upper School Athletics Department Faculty Samuel Landau P ’16, ’18, ’23 has been a member of our community for the past 23 years. When he joined, his eldest child was entering kindergarten; today, three of his children are graduates of Milton. This June, Landau will depart from his roles as a faculty member, coach, and mentor at Milton; his hard work, discipline, and care will never be forgotten.
Last week, the Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative, which would dissolve all political-party primaries, passed the requirements to collect signatures to gain ballot access for the November 2026 election. The initiative would result in a single “jungle” primary—a primary in which all candidates run against each other at the same time, regardless of party affiliation—and only the top two finishers would advance to the general election. This change would impact state elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the state legislature, as well as elections for both houses of Congress. California, Washington, and Alaska have all adopted variants of this structure.
I lied to my great-grandmother. Over spring break, my family went to Austria to ski, and I didn’t tell my 99-year-old great-grandmother, who had lived through the Holocaust and watched Austria’s Jewish community fall from a once prominent place in society to deportation, followed by death in concentration camps. Of course, she could not ever envision going on holiday there. Despite my great-grandmother’s inability to visit this place, a circumstance which evokes painful memories, I, born more than eighty years after her, could move beyond this narrative. I could carry the context of the past and remember what had happened there while still enjoying the trip.
I love the Winter Olympics. It’s extraordinary to watch athletes compete in ways that feel superhuman—flying, twirling and landing jumps in ways I could never dream of attempting.
Every year, on November 11 at 11:11 am, the entire Milton community gathers outside the chapel to commemorate Veterans Day. The moment is profound; in shared silence, the community becomes one, united by reflection and tradition. Yet as I stood there this year, participating in one of Milton's most spiritual and grounding rituals, I realized something surprising: I could not recall the last time I had been inside the chapel.
On election night, while all eyes focused on the New York City mayoral race, my attention concentrated on Question 3 of the Somerville, MA ballot. Somerville, a town with a population of 80,000, lies just north of Boston. Although I don’t live there, the outcome of Question 3 had implications beyond Somerville, and I was scared.
In the 1960s, the students and faculty of Milton Academy staged a walkout in protest of the Vietnam War. In the past six weeks, major political events have unfolded beyond our campus: Conservative media personality Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, one day before the anniversary of 9/11. ABC took Liberal-leaning Comedian Jimmy Kimmel off the air for six days under pressure from the president of the Federal Communications Commission. Days before the second anniversary of October 7, President Trump proposed a 21-point plan for ceasefire in Gaza and the freeing of all hostages. Hamas then ceded their hostages in exchange for Israel’s detainees. The government shut down. The National Guard was deployed to Chicago. Yet, here at Milton Academy, I studied for a chemistry test, wrote a history paper, and took another Latin quiz, all in the peace of Centre Street. Besides a few articles in The Paper and The Measure, our response has been quiet. Why is that? Are we apathetic? Do we not have the skill to engage? Or are we simply afraid?
Phones have taken over. At lunch, people stare at their phones rather than socialize with their friends. You may have noticed cars nearly hitting students crossing Centre Street—if you weren’t looking down at your phone, that is. Students make plans and chat with friends online even when they are mere feet away. Let’s change our culture and take back Milton! I urge school administrators to make Milton a phone-free campus during the academic day.
Phones have taken over. At lunch, people stare at their phones rather than socialize with their friends. You may have noticed cars nearly hitting students crossing Centre Street—if you weren’t looking down at your phone, that is. Students make plans and chat with friends online even when they are mere feet away. Let’s change our culture and take back Milton! I urge school administrators to make Milton a phone-free campus during the academic day.