School Life

Browning’s winter athletic season has just begun, as the varsity basketball team looks to find themselves in the NYCAL playoffs for another year.

The 2024-2025 school year welcomes a new chapter in the Browning community with the Athletic Department’s creation of an official Online Store and Athletics Instagram Account.

From studying in Britain and Germany to teaching physics at Browning, Dr. Viraf Mehta has had a lifelong passion for science which has informed his work not only as a teacher but as a distinguished scientist as well. The Grytte had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Mehta, the newest addition to the science department, to discuss his experience, his teaching philosophy, and vision for inspiring new scientists at Browning. 

The once comforting $1.00 pizza sign has been replaced by the daunting $1.50 slice revision; a testament to the deadly role of time on inflation. On a mission to get a cheap slice of pizza, I became thoroughly disappointed to find that dollar slices, once the normal price for a slice, are disappearing from New York city storefronts. All around the city pizza prices have steadily increased: now, at your average pizza restaurant, a slice of cheese pizza can cost anywhere from three to four dollars.

Grade inflation is ubiquitous in our nation today, highlighting whether high schools in the United States give out too many A’s. Simply put, letter grades do not hold the same weight that they did a few decades ago.

As the community embarks on a new year, the air is filled with anticipation and fresh beginnings. Many community members take this opportunity to reflect on the past and set goals for the future. This article aims to uncover the aspirations and dreams teachers and student alike have for 2024.

The stage was set, and on January 25th, 2024, the annual Hewitt Upper School musical and performing arts concert unfolded, bringing together the talents of The Browning School Chorus and Hewitt's choir program. Amidst the carefully rehearsed numbers, the Browning Gentlemen took center stage with renditions of “Bridge over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon and the soulful “A Thankful Heart” by Paul Williams. 

At a time when the distractions on smartphones for students have increased tremendously, schools have sought ways to limit this interruption in learning. To start the 2023-2024 school year, Browning has implemented the use of Yondr pouches as a potential solution. Yondr pouches allow students to keep their phones physically on them without having distractions. Students can unlock the phones using its magnet system that is set up in the lobby.

If you ask any high school junior or senior what’s on their mind, chances are college admissions are near the top. It’s hard to blame them––buzz about record-low acceptance rates, test-optional policies, restrictive early action versus early decision versus regular decisions applications, and the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision ending race-based admissions decisions feels constant. Fortunately, they are in good hands with Browning’s Director of College Guidance, Sandy Pelz, who spoke with the Grytte about a number of topics in the college admissions landscape. 

Over the first weekend of October, 100 individuals from across the country embarked on a voyage to Tyler Hill, Pennsylvania, evading storm clouds and a torrential downpour with smiles across their faces to reach the site of 2023’s Riley’s Way Youth Leadership Retreat. From Portland to Frisco, these leaders aged 14 to 18 participated in team-building activities, youth-led seminars, panel discussions, and leadership workshops, all in the efforts of connecting the Riley’s Way community and forging the next generation of leaders.

From his first exploration of pottery as a postgraduate student at a boarding school in New England to teaching six grades of students here at Browning, new art teacher Luke Kelly has been able to apply his passions for both the arts and education to help foster creativity in his pupils. The Grytte had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Kelly, the newest addition to the art department, to discuss who he is and examine his artistic influences, teaching methods, and vision for inspiring young artists at Browning.

The school has begun to implement a new system of notetaking called Cornell Notes (sometimes referred to as Two-Column Notes) in an effort to assist students in more effectively retaining information. “If you are actively taking Cornell notes when you're reading, I think you become a better reader because it gives your reading a purpose,” Grade 8-12 Learning Specialist Kristen Sheppard said. “You are literally being a detective as you read asking yourself: What are the main ideas? What are the details that back up those main ideas?”

Throughout the year the school community is invited to join for a day of service to help neighbors bridge the gap between donations of fresh produce and community fridges in our surrounding area.⁠ Read to learn more about how Browning delivers!

With a focus on sustainability and conservation through marine biology, Jack G. ’24 spent his time abroad studying marine life and researching ways to better preserve Cape Eleuthera’s aquatic environment, all while sticking to a rigorous schedule. 

With Covid-19 cases dropping, the Classes of 2023 and 2024 continued their annual college trip tradition and embarked on a three-day visit to various universities around the Northeast.

After the announcement that Browning is set to expand its facilities with a new building on 337 East 64th Street, preliminary plans have been proposed to maintain the tight-knit bond of its student body. Located at 337 East 64th Street, the new building will provide new space to allow the grade size to grow from 30 to 45 boys beginning in sixth grade. From students to faculty, this new building has been a cause of optimism for many around the building. 

After 13 years at the School, Student Body President Ethan F. ’23 has proven to be a true Browning gentleman and leader for the community.

The club system was recently revamped for the 2022-23 school year in order to allow students to join multiple clubs.

Washieu A. ’23 is following his curiosity in programming by conducting research at Weill Cornell to develop medical imaging tools.

From working at Beijing’s Number Four High School to creating the Chinese immersion program at Presidio Knolls School in California, Mingyan "Ophelia" Ma is bringing her talented skills in the world of humanities to Browning when she becomes our new Head of Middle School this summer.

Elected by the Upper School student body on May 13, 2022, Presidential Elect Ethan F. ’23 and Vice-Presidential Elect Rohan M. ’23 will be leading the school next year.

Through facilitating opportunities for students to contribute meaningfully to the world, making Browning a place where purpose is prioritized, Naledi Semela, the School’s Director of Equitable Practices and Social Impact (EPSI), in his first year has already made a mark on the community.

On May 13, 2022, a number of Browning Upper School students walked out of their classes to join students from across the city to protest the Supreme Court’s leaked draft that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

On April 24, the ninth grade class will be going to the Island School to collect data on the projects surrounding Marine Ecology that they developed in Biology class.