Arts and Lifestyle — The St. Marker

Rachel Ding '26

As love was in the air at our school here in Southborough, smoke had just filled the air at our partner school in Los Angeles. From January 7th to February 3rd, 480 fires in LA destroyed 16,251 structures, including the Saint Mark's School in Altadena. The elementary school lost its "beautiful campus and church in the Eaton Fire" and has established an "Emergency Rebuild Saint Mark's Fund" to fund both the short-term relocation of its programs and the longer-term reconstruction of its campus.

In light of Valentine's Day, the Paws for a Cause club wanted to spread some love to those especially in need of it. Members gathered the night before to prepare an assortment of sweet treats—cookies, cupcakes, and muffins—to sell beside the Kisses and Carnations table. The money raised was sent to our partner school to support their rebuilding efforts and hopefully uplift their community spirit.

Paws for a Cause reminds us that love is not a feeling but a choice we can make through our daily actions. One of the most meaningful ways to enact love is through service—it takes barely anything out of your cup but can overfill someone else's. As a school, we had a taste of its sweetness during the Service Day on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The third-form packed hygiene kits for those experiencing shelter stays and "Welcome Home" kits for those transitioning from temporary housing and wrote "Messages of Hope" cards to be included in the kits, with the organization Heading Home. Meanwhile, fourth-formers packed Valentine's Day treat bags and wrote message cards for families served by the charitable service organization Project Just Because. Fifth-formers worked with a representative from Provisions Ministry to package hygiene kits for those who were homeless or in shelters. As the upperclassmen, sixth-formers came up with unique ways they want to serve the St. Mark's community during their remaining time here—from writing letters to incoming students and cleaning up the dining hall after today's lunch to brainstorming on projects related to Special Olympics and creating cards of hope, as well as how they want to leave their mark here.

If you are interested in helping beyond our community, be on the lookout for Dr. Kopp's emails! Not only did she oversee this bake sale, but has been bringing students to join her in other local service activities, which have included making bouquets for nursing home residents, packing duffel bags for foster kids, and volunteering at the Southborough Food Pantry.

Feifei Cao ‘27 and Lily Oh ‘27

Every year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) serves as a moment for reflection on community, service, and a day of relaxation for over 45% of the United States population. This year, St. Mark’s started a new tradition to celebrate MLK Day for service projects and sanitized discussions about equity. Students were divided into forms to discuss topics, such as empathy and compassion to learn about Martin Luther King’s values. Students also packed hygiene kits and Valentine’s Day treat bags for local organizations for kids. While we appreciate the school’s effort to spread MLK Day’s motto, what can we improve next year to preserve his legacy while honoring his radical vision?

While Dr. King’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement were seismic, MLK Day has now become a stand-in for this movement, condensing decades of struggle into a singular figure. This reflects the “Great Man theory” of history, an approach popularized in the 19th century, in which past events can be largely attributed to the impact of highly influential men, rather than a collective. In doing this, MLK Day risks creating a misleading image: everything was stagnant until Dr. King arrived to change the world.

This oversimplification distorts history immensely, glorifying Dr. King as a messianic savior, sidelining countless other activists and everyday people who fought for the foundations of progress in civil rights. Figures like Claudette Colvin, Ella Baker, and Bayard Rustin remain in the margins of mainstream media and discussion, despite their importance in the movement. By placing Dr. King on a pedestal, his legacy subsequently morphs into a meaningless symbol, rather than a continued fight for justice. Honoring Dr. King should mean amplifying the vast history of Black resistance and brilliance, not just quoting his most famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

The shift in perspective is also demonstrated in pop culture. In January, Cynthia Erivo received her second Oscar nomination for Best Actress. In February, Doechii became the third female Black artist to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys. These moments are not only for cultural entertainment but also milestones that continue the movements Dr. King and many others fought for. On February 9th, Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show occurred. As Lamar brought his political statements to the stage, he reflected on the remaining racism against African Americans in America. In his performance, the general view of the United States against the Black community is represented by Uncle Sam, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Uncle Sam shouts out to Kendrick that the show is “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” Lamar criticizes how African Americans are restrained from freedom through the subtle oppression of societal prejudices. He further demonstrates how hypocritical politics have become in the United States by recalling the unfulfilled contract of 40 acres and a mule. “40 Acres and a Mule” refers to a promise Union General William Tecumseh Sherman made in 1865 during the Civil War, where freed African American slaves would be given 40 acres of land and a mule to help them build their independent farms. However, after the war, President Andrew Johnson reversed William Tecumseh Sherman’s order and returned the majority of the promised land back to the former slave owners.

For next year, we believe that MLK Day can improve into a continued initiative for action and long-term commitments to equality and transformation. For St. Mark’s, this means going beyond surface-level acknowledgments and bringing sustained changes to the community. Rather than just honoring Dr. King, we should use his legacy to combat injustice and uplift marginalized voices of the forgotten activists and formerly enslaved. By this, we can prevent history from repeating itself.