News for the Families and Friends of George Stevens Academy

MattersG S AFall 2009

Spotlight onMathematics

Also in this issue:

from John Greene, Headmaster

Student News

Office of Student Services

International Program

Student Activities

Alumni Profiles

ANnual Giving

Thefirstquarteroftheschoolyearhascomeandgone.Leaveshavechangedcoloranddriftedtotheground,accompaniedbythefirstsnowflakes.Theacademicyearhasgottenofftoanexcellentstart,andwehavewelcomedseveralnewstaffmembersandonenewteacherintothecommunity:Mark FordandMarge Longwoodarenewdormparentsfortheboys’andgirls’dormsrespectively.Caroline Richardsisteachingthesophomorehistorycur-

riculumandpsychology,andhasquicklyearnedareputationforbeingarigorousandenthusiasticteacher.Ms.RichardsrecentlyledafieldtriptoBostonforforty-ninestudents[see story on opposite page],aterrificexampleofconnectingclassroomlearningwithon-siteexperiences. TheOfficeofStudentServicessawsomemajorchangesoverthesummer.WhileBagsBrokawistakingaone-yearleaveofabsence,Martha Garfield’82hasassumedresponsibilitiesforcollegeandvocationalcounseling.Trudy BelltookonnewchallengesintheDevelopmentOffice,andVicki Doolittle,motherofjuniorNickDoolittle,isnowtheschoolRegistrar. Theopeningdaysofschoolwitnessedthelargestnumberofadd/dropre-questsinrecentmemory.Thesechangesinstudentcourserequestsaredifficulttoanticipate.Forexample,APEnvironmentalScienceisusuallyofferedeveryotheryear,butbecauseseventeenstudentswanteditthisyear,weadjustedschedulestomakethispossible.WeoffereightAPcoursesintenseparateclasssectionsforatotalAPenrollmentof153students.AsecondsurprisingdemandthisfallwasforLatin Fundamentals.Occasionallyofferedinthepast,springpre-enrollmentledustoexpectperhapsahalfdozenstudents.However,asurgeofinterestoverthesummerresultedinaLatinclassoftwenty-fivestudents.Theseofferings,alongwithseveralnewcourses—Advanced Fitness Training,Guitar Making,Public Policy,Book Arts,andHome Renovation—areremindersthatGSAtrieshardtoofferclassesthatstudentswanttotake. InkeepingwithGSA’smissiontoservetheneedsandinterestsofallourcommunity’sstudents,weworktopreserveflexibilityinofferingcoursesthatstudentswantandneedfortheirpost-secondaryambitions,whetheracademicorvocational.JohnGreene,Headmaster

from the HEADMASTER

Mission

GeorgeStevensAcademyisanindependenthighschoollocatedonthecoastofMaine.Groundedin its traditionsandcommitmenttothearea’ssmall towns,theAcademyisacaringeducationalcommunityinvestedinmeetingtheneedsofeachstudent.TheAcademyoffersachallenging,comprehensiveprogramofstudies that fosters intellectual inquiry and thepursuitofknowledge, inspirescreativity,developsself-reliance,andpreparesitsgraduatesforapurposefullife

inanever-changingworld.

Board of TrusteesChair - Rob Clapp ’73, Blue HillVice-Chair - Melissa Mattes, SedgwickTreasurer - Mikey Bannister, Blue HillClerk - Jim Henry, PenobscotEmil Andy, Blue HillMichael Astbury ’70, Blue HillStefan Brann ’83, OrlandDeborah Brewster, BrooklinLibby Elliott, Blue HillEckley Herrick ’59, Blue HillSue Loomis, CastineDeborah Ludlow ’79, BrooksvilleDan McGraw, SurryJim Modisette, PenobscotMarion Morris, Brooklin Marjorie Olivari, CastineBrian van Emmerick, SedgwickFrank Wanning, Blue Hill

AdministrationJohn Greene, HeadmasterJill Cohen, Assistant Head of SchoolLibby Rosemeier, Dean of StudentsMartha Garfield, College & Vocational CounselingRada Starkey, Director of DevelopmentLiffey Thorpe, Director of CommunicationsAbigail Greene, Director of Annual GivingSheryl Stearns, International Program DirectorFred Heilner, Business Manager

GSA Matters is a publication of the Communications Office.

Editor, Layout & DesignLiffey ThorpeDirector of CommunicationsGeorge Stevens Academy23 Union StreetBlue Hill, Maine 04614(207) 374-2800l.thorpe@georgestevens.org

On the CoverMathematics teacher and department chair Paul Gilden with students.

Fall 2009 � Fall 2009 �

Beantown for a DayOnOctober17,socialstudiesteacherCaroline

Richardstookforty-nineGSAstudentstoBostonforadayofculturalexploration

andadventure.Thebusleftat5:30AM.Theweatherwasfine,thestudentswereexcited,

thechaperonesseemedunfazed.Thefirststop

wastheBostonMuseumofFineArtswhereWorld

HistoryandWestern Civilization studentstook

inartandartifactsfromancientEgypt,China,

GreeceandRome.Thenofftobravethecrowdsathistoric

QuincyMarketforgreatfoodandshopping.Concludingthe

day:atriptotheCharlesPlayhouseforaproductionbytheBlue Man Group.

t

Thisyear,GSA’sweeklyscheduleincludesan“activities”periodheldonB-dayafternoons.Activitiesrangefromsportstogamestoacademicclubsandteams.Academicsupportsessionsareavailable,too,formath,science,English,SpanishandISOS.

“Enrichment”activitiesofferedduringthefirstsemesterinclude:Global Challenge, Jazz Combo practice, Acoustic Guitar Jam Session, Soccer Ball Juggling, Movie Club, Ultimate Frisbee, Tennis, Model UN, Arts and Crafts Club, Spanish Club, Weight Room, PSAT/SAT Math Skills, Community Action Group, A Capella, Open Gym, Civil Rights Team, Outing Club, Student Council, Math Team, Lego’s Robotics, Mock Trial, National History Day, Knitting, Academic Decathlon, Chess Club, and National Art Honor Society.

ne w aCtIVItIeS PerIoD

Sarah Elliott ’10 learns to cast on in Sue Jellison’s Beginning Knitting activity.

MattersGSA�

To read more about Mathematics at GSA, visit the Web site at

georgestevensacademy.org/math

t Paul Gilden

Mathematics Matters at GSA

Thisfall,GSA’sMathdepartmentbegantheschoolyearwithexcitingnewequipment:mathclassroomsarenowoutfittedwithceiling-mountedprojectorsandsoftwaresimulatingtheTI-84graphingcalcula-torsthatupper-levelmathstudentsuse,projectingimagesofstudents’calculatorsontoascreenintheclassroom.Theprojectorsalsodisplayawiderangeofcomputerizedexercisesanddemonstrationskeyedtogeometrytextbooks,aswellasthecomputationalengineWolframAlphaandotherinternetresources.

ThistechnologyupgradewasmadepossiblebytheverygenerousgiftfromananonymousdonorwhowishedtohonorPaul Gildenandhismanyyearsofinspiringteaching.PaulhasbeenamemberofGSA’sfacultysince1996andcoversAlgebra I Honors,Algebra II,Advanced Math,AP Calculus (AB)andAP Calculus (BC).PaulalsoservesasadvisortoGSA’sChessTeam,and,everyspring,heheadsofftothemidwesttoscorenationalAPexams.

StudentsinFrank Bianco’sBusiness Mathclasslearnbydoing.Lastspringeighteenstudentscreatedaschoollunchbusiness,“TheB-DayGrill.”Thegrillservedathree-coursegrilledlunchtoGSAstudentsforjust$5.Behindthescenes,Business Mathstudentsmanagedeveryaspectofthebusiness:theydevel-opedanumbers-basedfor-profitbusinessmodel,plannedmenus,orderedfoodandpreparedmeals.Theylearnedtokeepthebooks,developstatisticalanalysesofcostsandsales,createprofit-lossstatementsusingQuickbookssoftware,andmakerecommendationsforimprovementsandcostefficiencies.ThisyeartheBusinessmathclassisofferingthe“A-DayBuffet.”Earlierthismonth,Mr.Bianco’sstudentspartneredwithThe Simmering Pot,acommunitysoupkitchensupportedbytheBlueHillCongregationalChurch,andpreparedandservedmealsforover120people.

Martha Horne,themostveteranmathteacheratGSA,cametotheschoolin1986.AswellasteachingHealth,Marthateachespre-AlgebraandAlgebra I.TheanonymousgifttotheMathematicsDepartment

hasenabledMarthaandRachaelLowetopilot“Aleks”intheirclasses,anonlinemathfunda-mentalssoftwareprogram.Usedtocomplementtheone-on-oneteachingintheseclasses,“Aleks”helpsstudentsworkindividuallytoreinforceandconsolidatebasicskills.

Fall 2009 �

Exponential GivingAfter retiring from Maine Maritime Academy where she had taught engineering technology and mathematics, Caroline Herrick began volunteering her time and

expertise tutoring GSA students. Since 2007, Caroline spends several hours two days each week in the Library

welcoming all comers for help with math. As students have gotten to know her, the demand for her help has increased. “The students are a joy to work with, and I

greatly value my time with them,” says Mrs. Herrick. Here she works with student John Ludlow ’10.

Martha Horne teaches Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1.

Frank Bianco uses one of the department’s new overhead projectors to analyze bulk food price comparisons in Business Math.

Rachael LowejoinedGSAin2005andteachesAP Statistics,Geometry,Geom-etry Honors, Lab Geometry and Algebra II.Sheusesthenewcomputerprojectoreverydayandthinksit’smadearealdifferenceinhelpingstudentsretainwhat

they’relearninganddevelopmathself-confidence.RachaelalsocoachestheMathTeam:Thisyear,fortystu-dents—13%oftheentireschool!—joinedtheteam,whichcompetesagainstschoolsinbothHancockandWash-ingtoncounties.Twenty-eightstudentswereabletoattendthefirstmeet,heldinDeerIsle:twofinishedwithper-fectscores,andtheteamplacedsecondoverall,just5pointsbehindWashingtonAcademy.Therearethreemeetsleftintheyear(atBucksport,athome,andatEllsworth)andRachaelisfeelingconfident:“We’vebeguntheyearevenstrongerthanlastyear,andIthinkwehaveanexcellentchanceofcomingoutontop.Wehavesometerrifictalentontheteam.”Staytuned.

t

p Rachael Lowe

p

� MattersGSA

from the Office of Student Services

If you have any questions,

please feel free to contact

Libby Rosemeier, Dean of

Students, at 374-2120.

We would be happy to

talk with you or set up an

appointment for a meeting

to discuss your child’s

needs.

Martha Garfield’82returnstoGSAforayearasDirectorofCollegeandVocationalCounseling,replacingBagsBrokawwhoisonleave.MarthahasworkedfortheUniversityofMaineasanAcademicAdvisortofirst-yearstudents,andasanadjunctinstructorintheEnglishDepartment.ShehasalsobeenanAcademicAdvisorwiththeMaineEducationalTalentSearch,providingcareer,academic,collegeadmission,andfinancialaidcounselingtohighschoolstudentsthroughindividualandgroupcounselingsessions.Marthareports:“Thecollege&vocationalcounselingteamhasbeenbusythisyear.Wehaveaclassofninetyseniors,andatleast85%to90%ofthemexpecttoapplytosomesortofpostsecondaryinstitution—afouryearcollegeoruniversity,acommunitycollege,oravocationaltrainingschool.AboutadozenstudentshavealreadyappliedforEarlyDecisionorEarlyAction.It’sagreatgroupofmotivatedseniors!”

Nov20 Noondismissal.FacultyInserviceNov21 InternationalNightatRecCenterNov25 11:30dismissalNov25-27 ThanksgivingBreakDec2SeniorParents’FinancialAidNightDec4ISIPproposalworksheetdueDec9 HolidayConcertsDec23 HolidayBreakbeginsJan4 ClassesresumeJan11-15 FirstsemesterexamsJan12 ParentAssociationmeetingJan15 2ndQuarter/1stSemesterendsJan18 MLKDay.NoschoolJan.22 FinalISIPproposaldueFeb1 Juniors’&JuniorParents’NightFeb5 SignedISIPcontractdueFeb13-21 FebruaryBreakFeb22-Mar5 IndependentStudyMar15 CompletedISIPnotebookdue

Important Dates

College & Vocational Counseling

Fall 2009 �

It Takes A Village....

Thankstothemanypeoplewhohavelentahandthisfalltohelpoutinthedorms:supervisingstudentactivities,providingtreatsandspecialfoodsforstudents,relievingdormparents,andmore.SpecialthankstoMary Pat Champeau, Jill Cohen, David Stearns, Rada Starkey, Liffey Thorpe, Libby Rosemeier, Mark Messer, Buzz Masters, Judy Mathewson and Laurie Stearns.

Wearealwayslookingforvolunteerstohelpwithourresidentiallifeprogram.Ifyouthinkyoumightbeinterested,pleasecontactSherylStearnsorAnderThébaud.

If we have inadvertently omitted your name, please forgive us! And let us know so that we can correct the oversight.

InternatIonalProgr a m

reCruIt Br azIl! reCruIt ruSS Ia!

InternationalProgramDirectorSheryl Stearns andResidentialLifeDirectorAnder ThébaudattendedtheICEF(InternationalConsultantsforEducationandFairs)LatinAmericaWorkshopinSãoPauloSeptember30ththroughOctober2nd.Overthecourseoftwodays,theymetwithmorethanfiftyeducationalconsultantsfromalloverLatinAmerica,includingArgentina,Brazil,Chile,Columbia,Ecuador,Paraguay,Uruguay,andVenezuela.TheseconsultantsassiststudentsandtheirfamiliesinfindingschoolsintheUSAandelsewhere.CommentsSherylStearns,“Ofcourse,thepurposeofourmeetingswastotellagentsaboutourwonderfulschoolandcommunity.Oneofourrecruitinggoalsistostrengthenthediversityofourinternationalstudentpopulation.”

Fromthe23rduntilthe25thofOctober,HeadmasterJohn GreeneandSheryl Stearns attendedtheAlpheRussiaWorkshopinSt.Petersburg,Russia.Theyhadindividualmeetingswithfiftyeducationalconsultants,andwereencouragedbythepositiveconversationstheyhadaboutGSA.SherylStearnsobserves,“RussianstudentsareincreasinglylookingawayfromattendingboardingschoolintheUK,andbecomingmoreinterestedinwhattheUnitedStateshastooffer.”

t InternationalstudentshaveexperiencedseveraltraditionalseasonalNewEnglandevents,includingtheBlueHillFair,theCommonGroundFair,and(left)applepressingatalocalorchard.Photo by GSA parent Meg Maiden.

q HippolyteLeGuay’10(France)inspectsHalloweendecorationsintheboys’dormiory.

MattersGSA�

faCult y ne wS

GSA Faculty Attend NEAS&C WorkshopJill Cohen,AssistantHeadofSchool,Rada Starkey,DirectorofDevelopment,andSheryl Stearns,DirectorofInternationalStudentProgram,joinedtwenty-fivefacultymembersandadministratorsfromotherschoolsforaNewEnglandAssociationofSchoolsandColleges(NEAS&C)evaluationworkshoponSeptember24thatStonehillCollegeinEaston,Massachusetts.Schoolaccreditationreliesonavol-untary,peerreviewprocess,engag-ingmorethan3,400educatorsintheregiononhundredsofreviewsinanyyear.Aself-studyprocessoftwelvetoeighteenmonthsisunder-takenbyschoolsinregularreviewcycles.

Katie Greene Art ShowTheHaystackMountainSchoolofCraftsexhibitedworksbyartistandGSAartteacherKatie GreeneSeptember27ththroughOctober22ndattheCenterforCommu-nityProgramsonDeerIsle.Shownbelow:Yellow Flower,KatieGreene,mixedmedia,2009.

Ca mP BeeCh ClIff 9th gr aDe orIentatIon

OnFriday,September11th,sev-enty-twoofGSA’snew9thgraders,alongwiththeiradvisors,attendedachallengecourseprogramatCampBeechCliffonMountDesertIsland.UndertheguidanceofCampBeechCliffcounselors,studentsworkedtogeth-erinadvisorygroupstosolveproblemsusingcreativityandteamworkonlowropescourses.Theweatherwaswonderfulandthekidswereawesome!ItwasaterrificwaytobuildclassunityforGSA’sclassof2013.

InternatIonal StuDent orIentatIon

Thanks to the support of so many, the International Program Orientation’s three day camping trip to Acadia for our new international students was a huge suc-

cess! Stepping up to serve as camping leaders were Heather Albert-Knopp, Erich Reed, John Allgood, and Dave Lee. Tents, sleeping bags, and other gear were loaned by Barbara Fleck, Dan Kane, Brian van Emmerick, Lola Bogyo, Tracy Lameyer, Haydee Foreman, Libby Rose-meier, David Stearns, Jim Fisher, Jim Modisette, Zoe Weil, Meg Maiden, Jill Cohen, Jill Knowles, Patti and Jim Hutchinson, Darlene Hatch, Nancy Colwell and Bags Brokaw. With their help, and the involvement of more than forty GSA “student

ambassadors,” Orientation 2009 was a tremendous success. Thank you all!

If we have inadvertently omitted your name, please forgive us! And let us know so that we can correct the oversight.

Fall 2009 9

natIonal merIt SChol ar S

& aP SChol ar S

TheCollegeBoardhasannouncedthatfourcurrentGSAstu-dentsandeight2009graduateshavebeennamed2009APScholars:ScholarsareMarjorie Freimuth’09,Acadia Jacob’09,John Ludlow’10,Emily Peake’09,Emily Pettigrew’09,Max Reiter’10,Hannah Van Der Eb’10,andT. K. Vu’10.NamedScholars with Distinction:Grace Bell’09,Roz Brokaw’09,andAllison Fleck’09.Jenny Powell’09wasnamedScholar with Honor.

Molly McEntee, Max Reiter, and Headmaster John Greene.

Molly McEntee’10andMax Reiter’10havebeennamedNationalMeritScholarshipSemifinalistsbasedontheirperfor-manceonthePrelimarySAT(PSAT).MollyandMaxjoinapoolof16,000otherU.S.studentswhowillcompeteforNMSscholarships.Anestimated1.3millionhighschooljuniorsandsophomorestakethetesteachyear.Twootherstudents,Gregory Fisher’10andMichael Senter-Zapata ’10,willreceiveLettersofCommendationfromNMSfortheiroutstandingperformanceonthetest.

Thirty-threejuniorsandseniorshavebeennamedtotheNationalHonorSociety,joiningeightcurrentmembersintheseniorclass.Theyare:Annie Ames’11,Abigail Bowden’11,Sarah Brown’10,Mindy Carter’11,Anna Clapp’11,Martin Conte ’11,Passage Crampton’11,Thomas Crowe’11,Ariel Dauk’11,Stephanie Davis’11,Adam Delong’10,Nicholas Doolittle’11,Elizabeth Doyen’11,Katherine Doyen’11,Samuel Eley’11,Sarah Elliott’10,Victoria Grindle’11,Grace Jackson ’10,Min-Young Jung’11,Emily Lowell’11,Molly McEntee’10,Coral O’Brian’11,Bjorn Peterson’11,Thanapat Phattharaboorapha ’11,Dustin Piskura’10,Max Reiter’10,Jennifer Snow’11,Elias Springer’10,Thomas Strehan ’10,Keira Tachibana ’11,Hannah Van der Eb’10,Sabrina Vivian’11andCarla Weed ’10.

natIonal honor SoCIe t y

p

10 MattersGSA

Noteworthy

Thisfall,parentsandstudentswereinvitedtoregisterforaccesstoGSA’sWeb-basedgradereportsoftware,PowerSchool.ArmedwithapasswordandUserID,parentsmaynowgeta“snapshot”ofhowtheirchildisdoingacademically.The“quicklookup”featurealsoprovidesarecordofabsencesfromschoolandalinktotheDailyBulletin.

GSA’sfirst-everMockTrialteamwonanextremelyclosematchagainstBrewerHighSchoolonMonday,November2nd.ThetrialswereheardbeforetheHonorableAndrewM.Mead,StateofMaineSupremeCourtJustice,andStevenMogul,ofGross,Minsky,&Mogul.SixteenstudentsjoinedGSA’steamthisyear,coachedbyAssistantHeadofSchool,JillCohen:Forest Barkdoll-Weil’12,Abby Bowden’11,Eric Burns ’10,Alice Carriveau’10,Ariel Dauk’11,Elizabeth Doyen’11,Katherine Doyen ’11,Vica Grindle’11,Peter Howell ’13,Courtney Koos’12,John Ludlow’10,Jessica MacCannell’11,Ian McMillan’10,Imogen Page’13,Bjorn Peterson’11andKara van Emmerick ’12.

SaVe my Pol ar Bear

Happy Revolution,amusicgroupmadeupofstudentsLucy Jakub’13,Imogen Page’13,Max Hur-vitt’13&Lorna Stephens’13,creat-edandpublishedanoriginalmusicvideo

andaWebsitelastsummertitled“SaveMyPolarBear,”aimedatraisingconsciousnessaboutclimatechangeandthegrowingthreattopolarbears.Youcanwatchthevideoatwww.youtube.com/watch?v=CmF7jnwJoJg andvisittheWebsiteatsavemypolarbear.info.

moCk trIal VIC tory

Noah Sawyer’10hasbeenappointedtotheBlueHillLibraryCommunityPlanningCommittee.TheCommitteehasbeencreatedtoseekinputfromthepublicoftheirvisionforthepeninsulaintenyears.ThegoalistohelptheLibraryBoardsetprioritiesforthelibraryasaregionalentitywithamorefocusedbudgetintheyearstocome,accordingtolibrarydirectorRichBoulet.Thecommittee,facilitatedbyTomMorris,isusingPlanning for ResultsbySandraNelson,anAmericanLibraryAssociation-publishedcurriculumthathelpspubliclibrariesenvision,evaluateandrespondtocommunityneeds.

noah Saw yer on l IBr ary CommIt tee

TheNationalHispanicRecognitionProgram(NHRP)hasnamedGSAseniorMichael Senter-Zapata a2009NationalHispanicScholar.AlthoughtheNHRPdoesnotprovideafinancial

reward,beingnamedisanimportantacademicrecognition.TheprogramsendsalistofallrecognizedstudentstosubscribingcollegesanduniversitiesthatareparticularlyinterestedinacademicallyoutstandingseniorsofHispanic/Latinoheritage.Qualificationforrecognitionisbasedoncriticalreading,mathematics,andwritingskillscoresonthePSAT/NMSQTandastronggradepointaverage.

mIChael Senter-zaPata reCognIzeD By nhrP

PowerSChool Parent Portal

Fall 2009 11

GolfCoach: Dwayne Carter

Thegolfteamseasonachieveda4-4-1record,andtheywentontocompeteinClassCstatematcheswheretheyplacedseventhoverall.Storme Macomber’11qualifiedfortheindividualStateClassCchampionship;despitethefrostyweatherheplaced15th.ThiswasthefirsttimeineightyearsthatGSA’sgolfteamgottothestates.Allmembersoftheteamcontributedtothescoringineverymatch,andattheendoftheregularseasontheybeattheundefeatedEllsworthteam.

Cross CountryCoach: Tim Farrar

Thegirls’teamwasSeaCoastchampionforthethirdyearinarow.Lakota Bowen’12finished14thoutof76regionalmeetrunners,takinghertotheindividualstatemeetwhereshedidverywell:sheranapersonalbestinthe5krace,andearned34thplaceoverall.Inboys’cross-countryGavin Rodgers’13wasatoprunnerandmadethetop30runnersinthePVCconferencemeetearlierintheseason.

Boys’ Varsity SoccerCoach: Dan Kane; Assistant Coach: Bill Gray

Theboys’teamhadenoughseasonwinstoearnthemaplaceinthepreliminaryplayoffgame.Theyheld#1Oronotoascore-lessgameuntillosinginovertime.Theboysendedtheseason6-8-1.Pierre Dillon ’10wasselectedasa1stTeamPVCAll-StarandNick Kane’11wasselectedasa2ndTeamPVCAll-Star.

Girls’ Varsity SoccerCoach: Steve Bemiss; Assistant Coach: Stephen Bemis; Assistant Coach: Kayte Lacasse

Thegirls’teamfinishedtheseasonin5thplace.TheybeatHoulton3-0inthequar-ter-finalmatch,butlostto#1rankedOronointhesemi-finalmatch2-1inover-time.Theseasonendedat9-6-2.Stevie Theoharidis’10wasselectedasa1stTeamPVCAll-StarandLydia Clapp’10wasselectedasa2ndteamPVCAll-Star.

Fall Sports Wrap-Up

gSa Ja zz Ba nD Perfor meD at t he Blue hIl l faIr naV y nort he a S t ro Ck Ba nD of ne w P ort, rI

MattersGSA12

In our BaCkyarD

InOctober, Edgar Allen Beem,southernMainecolumnist,artcritic,andcontributingwriterforDown East MagazineandYankee Magazine,wasaguestspeakerinMichael Kazmierczak’s electiveEnglishcourse,MaineWriters.Inadditiontoreadingfromhisrecentlypublishedbook,Backyard Maine: Local Essays by Edgar Allen Beem(TilburyHouse,2009),Beemtalkedaboutbecomingawriter,sharedstoriesfromhisprofessionallife,andencouragedstudentstoempowerthemselvesasindividualsbylearningtouselanguageeffectively.

Thank-younotesfromstudentsincludedthefollowingcomments:“Ireallylikedthewayyoulistenedtoouropinionswhilestillkeepingyourown;”“Ifoundmyselfwantingtoreadmoreofthestuffyouwrite;”“AssoonasIgothome,Iwastellingmymomaboutthevisit.”

Beemenjoyedhisvisitasmuchasthestudentsdid,commendingthemas“bright,attentive,andresponsive.”

student Workers!Construction

Ahead!InJanuary,GSAstudentswillbebuildingcustom-designed

shedsandgardenstructures.Thecostofeachbuildingcoversmaterialsandtransportation.A$100depositisrequired.Spaceislimitedandthesestructuresarebuiltona“firstcome,firstbuilt”basis.Formoreinformationortoorderyourshed,contactTim

Farrar,Instructor,at374-2808orstopbythewoodshopduringtheschoolday.

p Edgar Allen Beem speaking with Michael Kazmierczak and student Rebecca Coffin ’11.

Mike Kazmierczak,chairoftheEnglishDepartment,teachesaJournalismelectivecourse—andpracticeswhatheteaches.InAugustheappearedasaguestcolumnistintheWeekly Packet,sharingadelightfulandfunnypersonalessayonthe summer that wasn’t,“MaineDoesn’tLoveMeAnymore.”

Ifyoumissedit,youcanreaditontheGSAWebsiteatwww.georgestevensacademy.org/kazmierczak-essay.

eDgar allen Beem

Fall 2009 1�

OnOctober16th,Steve OrlofskyaccompaniedfifteenGSAstudentstotheUniversityofMaineatAugustatoauditionforaplaceintheAll-StateJazzFestival.FiveofthefifteenwereacceptedtotheFestival,whichwillbeheldonJanuary7th,8thand9thatBangorHighSchool.GSAwillberepresentedineachofthefourfestivalensembles:

(Left to right):Eric Burns’10,tenorsaxophone,willplayintheHonorsJazzBand.Emmett Scott,’11,piano,willplayintheHonorsJazzBand.Sam Eley’11,drums,willplayintherhythmsectionoftheJazzChoir.Annie Ames’11,trumpet,willplayintheJazzBand(2ndyear).Max Hurvitt’13,trumpet,willplayintheJazzCombo.

all-State Jazz auDItIonS

OnOctober27thAlden Colby,industrialtech-nologyteacher,tookfivestudentstoTheBoatSchoolinEastport,andtoWashingtonCountyCommunityCollegeinCalais.Thestudentsweregivenanextensivewalk-throughofthefacilities,sawademonstrationoffiberglassvacuumform-ing,touredthecampuslabsforgasanddieselengines,houseconstruction,plumbing,electri-caltraining,nursing,andwereintroducedtoWCCC’snewoutdoorenvironmentalprogram.Thestudentsgottovisitcampusapartmentsandweregiveninformationaboutgrantsandscholar-shipsavailablenextyear.

(LtoR):Josh Jones’10,Michael Bryant’10,Dustin Douglass’10,Jake Smith’10,andKevin Eaton’10.

Industrial Technology

Up Close

1� MattersGSA

alumnI ProfIleS

JoSh ell Iot t ’08Josh Elliott ’08 is a sophomore at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, where he is a Games and Simulations Arts and Sciences (GSAS) major with a concentration in cognitive science. A talented math student, Josh is discovering diverse opportunities that involve mathematical skill sets.

What types of projects do you work on as a GSAS major?Iamcurrentlyworkingonseveralindependentsoftwaredesignprojects.Wheneveryoudoanyworkincomputerscienceyouareconstantlyworkingtooptimizeyourcodetomakeitasefficientaspossible.Forexample,lastse-mesterIdesignedaprogramthatwasusedtosimulateabank.Theprogramhadtocreate,organize,andmanageseveralhundredthousandaccounts.Therewouldthenbeastreamoftransactions,includingcreatinganddeletingnewaccounts.Thecodeneededtohandleeachoftheserequestsasefficientlyaspossibleinordertocompleteallofthetransactionsinacertainamountoftime.OtherprojectsthathaveinvolvedhighamountsofoptimizationproblemsincludeaNetflixsimulationsimilartothebankprogrambutwithhigherlevelsearchalgorithms,andasimplenumbersorterthatusedalargevarietyofsearchalgorithmstosortoveramillionnumbersinjustseconds.

What does your class schedule look like?IamcurrentlytakingcoursesinInteractive Narrative,General Psychology,Introduction to Communication Theory,andBiology.IhavealsotakenGame Mechanics,Game Design,History and Culture of Games,Computer Science I,Computer Science II,Calculus,Discrete Structures,andPhysics.

What stands out about your GSA math experience?IthinkoneofmymostmemorableexperienceswassittinginMr.Gilden’salgebraclassmy8thgradeyear,beingreallyexcitedthattheclasswentatsuchafastpaceandthefactthatheenjoyedteachingitasmuchashedid.IalsorememberjunioryearinMr.Long’sclass,withallofthediscussionsabouttheoreticalmathematicssuchasfractionaldimensions,aswellasstrangeadvancedmaththingsthatwerejustreallyinteresting.

What are your post-RPI plans?AfterRPI,Ihopetoworkforagamedesignstudio.Myeventualgoalistostartmyownsmallcompanyoffivetosixpeopleworkingonsmallinnovativeindividualprojectsaswellashiringouttolargercompanies.

Do you have any advice for those current GSA students interested in similar fields?Juststartdoingit.Forexample,ifyouwanttomakegames,juststartwheneveryoucan.Ifyouwanttostartworkingoncomputergames,trytolearnalanguagelikeC++orPython.Ifyoucan’t,that’sfine—takesomepaper,somedice,whateveryoucanfind,andjustmakethings.Mybestprojectsuptothispointhaveinvolvednothingmorethanapencil,paper,andagoodimagination.

Fall 2009 1�

Alexandra Pfister ’06 is a senior at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Alex’s studies incorporate creative thinking and problem solving and emphasize the fact that a solid mathematics background will serve you well in numerous related fields.

What are you studying at Bowdoin?I’maBiologymajorandaDanceminor.CurrentlyIamtakingabiologyclassthatfocusesonRNA,andaphys-icsclass.Iamalsoworkingontwoindependentprojects:myseniorhonorsprojectandanindependentstudychore-ographyproject.Myhonors

projectisaresearchprojectinneurobiology.Undertheguidanceofmyprofessor,Iamstudyinganaspectofneuronalregenerationincrickets.InmyindependentstudyindanceIamco-choreographingadancebasedonbiology.DuringmytimeatBowdoin,Ihavetakenacouplemathclasses,includingMultivariate Calculus,Biomath(modelingbiologicalsystems),andCalculus-based Physics,andIwaswellpreparedforthesecoursesbythemathteachersatGSA.WhatismostimportantaboutthemathbackgroundthatIreceivedfromGSAwasthatmymathteacherstaughtmehowtothinkaboutandanalyzeaproblem.Thefieldofbiologyrevolvesaroundsolvingpuzzles:experimenting,interpretingtheresults,andthencreativelypiecingtheresultstogethertocometoanunderstandingofasystem.Ihaveonlybeensuccessfulinmybiologystudiesbecauseofmyabilitytosolveaproblem.Where do you think you will be heading after graduation?

I’mstilldecidingwhetherIwanttoapplytomedicalschoolortoaPh.D.programinbiology.IamgoingtotakeayearortwooffafterIgraduatefromBowdointofigureoutwhethermyinterestslieatalabbenchorinahospital.IamalsohopingtotraveltoJapanandTrinidadtostudydrummingafterIgraduate.

Do you have some memorable GSA math experiences?MymostmemorableexperienceatGSAisthetimethatIspentinmathclasseswithMr.GildenandMr.McKeon.Mr.Gildenalwayscameupwithterriblemathpunstokeepusamusedinclass,andMr.McKeonfrequentlyillustratedhislectureswithsar-donicyetsomehowrelevantcartoons.What would be your advice for current GSA students?WorkhardatGSA.Themorepassionateyoubecomeaboutasubject,themorefunitistodoyourhomework.Gotoclassexcitedtolearnandbecomeactivelyinvolvedintheschoolbothinandoutsideofclass.Inhighschoolyouarejustbeginningtodiscoveryourinterests.Letyourteachersinspireyou.IfyouleaveGSAwiththeabilitytoclearlyexpressyourselfverballyandinwritingandareabletosolveaproblem,youcanbesuccessfulinanythingyoulike.

alex PfIS ter ’06

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