Morgan Leaders Inga Wells ’12, Jonathan Deeter ’12, Eric Rauckhorst ’12, Emily Kalis ’12, and Krista Sandercock ’12, met

with David Nicksay ’70, producer of such films as Legally Blonde 2 and Surrogates, during their recent trip to Los Angeles.

by Peter Suwondo ’12

and Ai Miller ’12

This January, the Burton D. Morgan Foundation awarded Western Reserve Academy a two-year $116,000 grant for the purpose of promoting student leadership. The Hudson-based Morgan Foun-dation, established in 1967, seeks to encourage entrepreneurship in the greater Northeast Ohio region. WRA’s grant represents one of the largest awards in the foundation’s January allocation budget of over half of a million dollars. Other

recent beneficiaries include Purdue University, local chapters of the Red Cross, and business consor-tiums across the region. The Morgan Foundation’s grant will accompany a dramatic change in the structure and function of WRA’s student government. This shift, intended to give students a greater leadership role in the life of their school, will take effect this fall. At the heart of the new stu-dent government system will be a Morgan Leaders Council featuring members drawn from all walks of student life. The current Morgan Leaders selection system will be scrapped in favor of new processes

developed by students and fac-ulty in eight individual spheres of student leadership: the arts, ath-letics, clubs, publications, prefect system, Chief Ambassadors pro-gram, Honor Council, and existing Student Council. Under the new system, each of these groups will gain recognition as an independent “council” choosing one or two members to represent its interests at the central Morgan Leaders roundtable. Current Morgan Leader Inga Wells ’12 explains the new student government as a “restructuring… [of] the strong leadership roles many students embody already.”

Student government overhauled, revitalized with $116,000 grant from Morgan Foundation

The longest-running newspaper in historic Hudson, Ohio

Campus MusicmakersStudent musicians share their stories in exclusive interviews with the Record

PAGES 4-5 | CENTERFOLD

Chromebook InvasionDavies and Gerber test-drive Google’s latest gadget in the classroom

PAGE 2 | NEWS

WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY | FEBRUARY 2012 | VOL. XCVIII : NO. 4

Captain Morin speaks to students about mission aboard Atlantis pg 2

Shakespeare contest debuts at WRAby Abby Hermosilla ’14

The Knight Fine Arts Center audito-rium was bathed in a dim orange light, and the newly arranged set for the upcoming winter play had already been placed onstage. One by one, students climbed three short steps to greet a shining spotlight. Four judges were seated in the audience, pens and papers ready to analyze each nervous contend-er. And, once instructed to begin, the students took a deep breath and recited a beautifully constructed monologue, full of richness and emotion, written by none other than William Shakespeare. The National Shakespeare Monologue Competition, which is sponsored by the English-Speaking Union, or ESU, played out similarly in high schools across the country, in order to deter-mine which student speakers would represent their school in the national contest. In groups of four, more than forty WRA students performed in front of judges on the evening of Sunday, January 15. Out of this larger pool, ten students moved on to the school finals: Margue-rite Fall ’13, Julia Ferguson ’12, Trevor Levin ’15, Joanna Malson ’15, Michael Nichols ’15, Marc Rauckhorst ’12, Ra-chel Silver ’12, Jabril Smith ’14, Martin Wang ’15 and Zach Zockoll ’12. The final Shakespearean smackdown took place in the Chapel in front of the stu-dent body and one ESU representative. In the end, Julia Ferguson took home the top prize, with Michael Nichols earning the runner-up position. A majority of the students who par-ticipated in the contest were involved in Public Speaking and Drama courses. Faculty member Walter Klyce, who teaches Public Speaking, arranged the competition at WRA. When asked why he wanted his students to take part in the competition, he said, “I did it when I was a student, so that’s part of my interest in it, and why I wanted to bring it to our school. I had a great experi-ence competing, and I think it supports a lot of things that we’re trying to do here. [It] encourage[s] public speaking; it encourages acting; it encourages Shake-speare and performance.” When asked why she encouraged her Drama stu-dents to take part as well, Mrs. Ong re-sponded, “We work on Shakespeare for a while every year in drama. When Mr. Klyce said he wanted to do this contest, I thought it would be a great opportu-nity for my students. I do believe it is a positive thing.”

by Helena Ahn ’15

Students for Intercultural Un-derstanding, a club better known by its acronym SICU, hosted its annual Culture Night this year on February 12. Irma Thomas, the Chair of the Modern & Classical Languages Department and SICU’s faculty advisor, called the night a time for students to “celebrate the cultures at Western Reserve Academy and show appreciation to all.” Katie Chlysta ’15 said she was excited for this year’s event, calling the celebration an “exciting, educational, and unique event in which one can learn about another country first-hand—an opportu-nity many people outside WRA

might not have.” The Culture Night tradition originated 2003, when WRA’s Spanish Club began hosting a series of presentations designed to show-case the school’s great diversity. SICU, which was founded in the early 1990s, worked with the Span-ish Club to expand the initiative. Eventually, students from both clubs proposed that an evening be set aside each year to celebrate WRA’s diversity and allow in-ternational students to share the experience of their home countries. With the help of the Modern & Classical Languages Department—and the support of an ever-grow-ing student participation base—the Culture Night tradition quickly

took off. Attendance at Culture Night was has long been mandatory for freshmen, because it explained and highlighted the Ellen C. Long In-tercultural Study Abroad (ELISA) Program.

Culture Night returns, bigger and better

Funds to be used for student

leadership development

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Students line up to enjoy the diverse selec-

tion of food at last year’s Culture Night.

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Schedule Changes: Poll ResultsFind out what students think of the revised academic schedule

PAGE 6 | SPECIAL REPORT

2 Reserve Record February 2012News

by Peter Suwondo ’12

Capt. Lee Morin ’70 made a welcome return to Western Reserve Academy on January 27 as the 2011-2012 school year’s distinguished Marticke Speaker. Morin, a mission specialist aboard flight STS-110 of the space shuttle “Atlantis”, spoke to students about his experience becoming an astronaut and the educational journey he began at WRA. Morin offered thoughts on the challenges faced by astronauts and the future of the Ameri-can space program. He also encouraged students to take full advantage of the exciting educational opportunities offered to them at WRA. Morin’s 2002 mission aboard the “Atlantis” car-ried the central truss of the International Space Station into orbit. Morin was among the four astronauts tasked with installing the component atop the “Destiny” laboratory capsule. Working in pairs, the astronauts conducted a series of four spacewalks to accomplish the task. During the mission, Morin logged over fourteen hours of free-floating spacewalk time. In an interview, Morin stated that his experience at WRA provided a strong foundation for the education and career he pursued later in life. Not-ing students’ intense commitment to sports and extracurriculars, in addition to academics, Morin said that his schooling at WRA taught him effec-tive time management and discipline. When asked about his time as a student, Morin is quick to recount several memories. Recalling his first hours on campus in 1967, he speaks of his experience during registration day as parents departed and students began settling in to an un-familiar environment. Morin insists that he was very shy as a high school student. “I was in Wood

House, and I didn’t know anybody. [But] Geno was across the hall, and he made me feel right at home.” Director of College Counseling Eugene Thomas ’68, known familiarly as “Geno,” was a senior and prefect in Wood House at the time. Morin fondly remembers a time when Thomas, enforcing a 1960s school rule that no food be allowed in the dorms, attempted to confiscate a batch of brownies baked by Morin’s aunt. Morin commented that WRA also had a strong influence on his career interests. A machine-shop class he took as a student gave him his first appreciation for engineering—and a machinist spirit for the rest of his life. Morin also recalled that when he was a student, the school purchased its first teletype machine, a basic input-output device for early computers. Though the school could not purchase or house its own computer in those days, the machine allowed students to send instructions to a faraway computer that could be rented out on a time-sharing basis. “I was like Reserve’s first computer hacker,” Morin explains. Upon graduating from WRA, Morin attended the University of New Hampshire to study math and electrical science. He then went on to attain four more degrees—two doctorates and two mas-ters—from NYU and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After having joined the Navy, he spent two years serving aboard the USS Henry Jackson, an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, and before becoming an astronaut, Morin also trained with the Marine Corps and served as a flight surgeon in Operation Desert Shield. Morin is currently involved designing the Orion space-craft, NASA’s successor to the shuttle program.

Capt. Lee Morin ’70 returns to the Acadamyas distinguished Marticke speaker

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by Mitch Pollock ’14

While many students at Western Reserve Academy were busy shooting hoops or swimming laps these past winter months, the Robotics Club, consisting of Marc Rauckhorst ’12, Sam Pratt ’12, Blanchard Richardson ’12 and Michael Curtin ’14, were hard at work preparing a robot for competi-tion. The team put in a total of 300 to 400 man-hours building and programming their robot, and on January 13, their robot competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge Northeast Ohio regional qualifier. The competition featured robots from 25 differ-ent schools, all competing head-to-head to move on to the state finals in March. Commenting on the goal of the challenge, Rauckhorst said, “The point is to construct a robot within certain parameters that will compete with three other robots in an arena to complete certain tasks, which change from year to year.” This year, the team had to program their robot to pick up racquetballs, sort them and transport them to crates. The team experimented with several prototypes before settling on a final design, which harvested balls using a rotating arm. “The balls are brushed into a conveyor belt which leads to a dispensing mechanism,” said Richardson, explaining their robot’s final design. Physics teach-er Joel Preston, the team’s faculty advisor, points to the robot’s sophisticated navigation system. “The robot also gave the controllers information on where to go electronically,” said Preston. The team ended the day with a respectable eighth-place finish. Unfortunately, this was not enough to qualify them for the state finals. Preston, however, said that he and the team are “excited for the future,” and believes that given their time frame to complete the robot, they did “a great job.” The team began construction of the robot in Sep-tember, with Richardson as the main programmer and Pratt and Rauckhorst working as the hard-ware designers. Of Curtin’s role, Preston said, “He was the apprentice, going everywhere, learning as much as he could. He was a jack-of-all-trades.” In the coming weeks, the team will begin con-structing a robot for another competition, the Mini ION Urban Challenge, held in March. Recogniz-ing that most of the team will be graduating next year, Rauckhorst said that it is critical that they “organize and set up for next year.” The team hopes to make robotics an afternoon activity next year, with a physical component added several times a week. If the club’s showing at the FIRST Tech Challenge is any indication, the program appears to have a very promising future.

Robotics club takes on FIRST Tech Challenge

Cutler House, newlyrenovated and updatedby Darlene Seo ’13

With the start of the third marking period, renova-tions in Cutler House came to an official conclusion. Renovations were begun over the summer in re-sponse to the condition of the building’s bathrooms. “Cutler needed the bathrooms remodeled… in the worst way,” said Jeff Jacot, head of WRA’s main-tenance staff. Once that was taken care of, Jacot says, the school decided to remodel the building as a whole, replacing carpets and repainting much of the building. Although Cutler served as an upperclassman girls dorm prior to its renovation, several freshman girls have moved in to the building in order to free up space for follow-up renovations in Ellsworth Hall. Work is currently underway to improve the northern wing of Ellsworth’s third floor, which serves as the traditional dorm assignment of board-ing freshman girls. Roommates Joanna Malson ’15 and Anna Ballard ’15, two of the relocated girls, are happy about their new dorm, despite having had to

haul their luggage to Cutler during exam week. “We actually were the lucky ones; we got our own bathroom,” Malson says, mentioning that unlike the stall-type bathrooms in other dorms, their new bathroom includes a bathtub, making it feel like home. The free laundry machines right outside their door are another welcome change, she says, since the pair had to walk down three flights of stairs—and dig up some quarters—each time they wanted to do their laundry in Ellsworth. Separation from the rest of the boarding freshman girls, however, has not proved so easy for the pair. “That’s the hardest part,” says Ballard. “I really like Cutler, but I honestly think that I would rather live in Ellsworth all together [with my classmates] than in Cutler separated. I really liked being together.” Ballard adds that she did not mind the change so much after having time to adjust. Renovations on campus will continue throughout the school year in the vacated rooms in Ellsworth. Since Ellsworth will be occupied over the summer by students enrolled in WRA’s summer programs, President’s House, current residence of the Camp-bell family, is up next for remodeling beginning in June.

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Top: Michael Nichols ’15 performs during the first round of the Shakespeare monologue contest.

Bottom: Faculty judges watch students’ deliveries.

Reserve Record 3February 2012 News

Chromebooks crop up in classroomsby Becca Cartellone ’13

Google Chromebooks, released in June of last year, have recently made their way into classrooms at Western Reserve Academy. Their introduc-tion is part of a broader initiative to integrate technology and education. Chromebooks are browser-based personal computers which run on Google’s Chrome OS. Fast and light-weight, the computers allow students to remain connected with the Internet in the classroom. History department members Chris Davies and Matthew Gerber have introduced the Chromebooks into their history classes in an attempt to enhance students’ learning experi-ence. The Chromebooks are used daily in their classroom to research

topics in greater depth, to complete assignments and projects or simply to take notes. Gerber said of the new technology, “Chromebooks make sense for our situation at Reserve. We were looking to pilot a program that allowed students to access the web in class, required no additional mainte-nance or tech support and could lever-age our existing Google platform.” The Chromebooks are also much cheaper to purchase and maintain than traditional laptops or iPads. The Chromebooks have received positive feedback from students and faculty alike. Maddy Stoopack ’13, a student in Gerber’s U.S. History class, uses the computers to examine slide shows at her own speed and take notes using Google Docs. She says, “Since

students have different learning paces, I think the Chromebooks are a great idea. They benefit our learning experience by allowing us to follow along, take notes, and work together in the convenience of our classroom.” Dean of Faculty Kathryn Mueller recently observed students using the new technology. She said, “Students were actively involved in research, writing and communicating. The Chromebooks indeed seemed to be very effective and useful tools.” Gerber and Davies are using the Chromebooks as a part of a pilot pro-gram this year. Many aspects of the purchase will be evaluated before the school year ends to determine wheth-er the initial phase was successful, and if so, how best to move forward with

the program. If deemed successful, other teachers and students may also have the opportunity to work with Chromebooks in the near future.

Photo by Pavloff

Editors-in-Chief: Ai Miller, Peter SuwondoManaging Editor: Marc RauckhorstAssociate Editor: Dane EngelhartNews: Rebecca Cartellone, Mitch PollockCartoonist: Ji Hoo WooCenterfold: Megan Barsella Community, Arts and Entertainment: Tracy Tien, Dane EngelhartSports: Mehar Bains, Sam ClarkProduction & Design: Peter Suwondo, Ai MillerPhotographers: Abby Hermosilla, Peter Suwondo, Nathan Hulsey, Tatiana Pavloff, Lisie Andersson

Staff Writers: Helena Ahn, Abby Her-mosilla, Darlene Seo, Hannah McKenzie, Bianca Chan, Jake Hutner, Miles Van Blarcum, Tiffany Wang, Simon Ong, Max Rosenwasser, Varun Chalusani, Alex Shin, Andie DiBiase, Adam Tortelli, Annie Wyman

Faculty Advisor: Walter Klyce

The Reserve Record is the student-run, monthly newspaper of Western Reserve Academy and the voice of and for the student body. It aims to educate its staff, writers and photographers on journal-

istic style, format, ethics and excellence, while entertaining and informing the student body and providing its reader-ship a forum for community expression and discussion. The editors and staff have worked on every facet of this pub-lication.

The opinions expressed in the Reserve Record do not necessarily represent those of the administration, trustees or student body. The editors assume full responsibility for the contents of the publication and invite community responses.

Please address any concerns, comments or requests to:

The Reserve RecordWestern Reserve Academy

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wrarecord@gmail.com

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Morgan LeadersCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Wells comments, “I think the Morgan [Leaders] Council will make all groups more effective in their work, as peers from diverse disciplines will be heard and helped [by each other].” “What we’re trying to do is foster communication between students, fac-ulty, and the administration,” says As-sistant Head of School William Bugg. He hopes that the new system will “ensure that students have the tools that they need to be effective leaders.” Funding from the Morgan Founda-tion will be directed toward three primary areas: support of the Morgan Leaders Council itself, broader devel-opment of student leadership groups and organizations, and the creation of a “leadership institute” for underclass-men. The new grant will continue to fund the Morgan Leaders’ annual trip

to a major U.S. city—this year Los An-geles—in order to meet with entrepre-neurs and notable alumni. The new student government sys-tem—outlined to faculty on February 3 and announced to the student body a little over a week later—originated in a proposal created by senior class presidents Daniel Crowder ’12 and Marc Rauckhorst ’12 at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year. The pair called their idea the “flower petal” plan, after a simple drawing they used to illustrate their vision for student government reform. The petals of this figurative blossom represented inter-related components of student life and government at WRA — everything from clubs and student organizations to athletics and the prefect system. These petals ringed a central leader-ship hub representing all the varied interests of students in school admin-istrators’ decisions.

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Shakespeare contestCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Culture NightCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Crowder and Rauckhorst’s plan was quickly adopted by the five current Morgan Leaders, who met weekly throughout the year to expand and build upon the concept until it could be effectively implemented. The five Morgan Leaders were joined in their efforts by what became known as the “Ad Hoc Leadership Group,” or AHLG, an advisory panel composed of faculty members/administrators

Keely Boomhower, William Bugg, Matthew Gerber, Herb Haller, Marga-ret Karam, Kevin O’Brien, and Justin Zimmerman. Bugg advises students who have suggestions or ideas con-cerning the new system to talk to one of the Morgan Leaders or members of AHLG.

Inset: The Morgan Leaders Council will form the heart of the new student gov’t.

Many students, however, found the presentations to be enjoyable, and soon a majority of students were coming simply to experience other cultures and sample in the good food. Highlights of this year’s event included a pair of Indian dance performances, a fashion show dis-playing traditional clothing from students’ native locales and a Skype video call to Eilidh Jenness ’13, who is spending the school year study-

ing abroad in Rennes, France. “All of our peers come from such diverse backgrounds that it is always amazing to share their

cultures with them,” commented Inga Wells ’12 on the evening. “I’ve always enjoyed the food at the end of the performances, too.” Ning Kuo ’13 named the event as an “instigator for cultural interaction.” SICU faculty advisor Irma Thomas concluded, “It is a pity that [Culture Night] has to be only one night of the year. Why can’t it be every day?”

Ong continued, “The first time I worked on Shakespeare in order to perform it, it was very powerful. I felt transformed. I am sure other writers can and do have the same ef-fect, but there is something univer-sal and special about Shakespeare.” Ferguson will represent WRA at the ESU regional competition at the Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland on Sunday, February

26, where she will compete for a spot in the national tournament and all-expense-paid trip to New York City. At the national com-petition, contestants will be able to attend workshops and have the opportunity to be evaluated by a celebrity judge. Past judges at that competition include Alan Brown, Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hayes. The national winner will be awarded a trip to England for a five-week class at the Royal Acad-emy of the Dramatic Arts.

Students of Gerber’s Modern World his-tory class test out the Chromebooks.

4 Reserve Record February 2012Centerfold February 2012 Reserve Record 5Centerfold

STUDENT MUSICIANSat w e s t e r n r e s e r ve a c a d e m y

ALYSSA MURRAY by Hannah McKenzie ’15 and Bianca Chan ’15

A senior at Western Reserve Academy this year, Alyssa Murray ’12 is focusing on her passion for guitar, drums, and singing in her time away from academics. Murray is a self-taught musician who writes her own music and practices around 10-15 hours a week. When asked what her aspect of creating music was, Murray remarked, “what I enjoy the most would probably be the lack of rules and restrictions. You are limited to the confines of the self, meaning you are as wildly creative and expressive as you want to be.” Last summer, Mur-ray started a new project with the help of her mentor, a producer and sound engineer, who guided her through the process of recording her own album. Excited to re-lease her album to the public, Murray is unsure whether she wants to release it as a CD or through the Internet. “At times it is extremely frus-trating,” she says on record-ing her album, “but the process itself can prove to be truly unlike anything else.” Murray is extremely excited at the prospect of recording again and will defi-nitely continue with her music in the future. She is look-ing forward to the dynamic music program at Wesleyan University, where she will be attending next fall.

ANN YUby Abby Hermosilla ’14

As the final note of her song echoed in the chapel during a Morning Meeting perfor-mance this fall, “the student body burst into cheers, and a standing ovation. But how did Ann Yu ’14 get involved in music? Accord-ing to Yu, her parents her greatest influence. “As a little kid, I woke up to [them] practic-ing, or their students playing. I attended almost all of my mother’s concerts. I listened to classical music every day in the car (and still do). That was the first step.” But her parents, she says, were not her only influ-ence: “all of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins played an instrument, with many becoming professional[s].” As Yu got older and started showing interest, she remarked, “my parents jumped at the op-

portunity and I started playing piano, then violin.” Yu says that her family has always played a large role in her music education: “They were always supporting me, helping me, and teaching me about musicianship. I have a lot to thank for my parents because I wouldn’t have gotten this far.” Other people Yu credits with her success include Midge Karam ’79, the Chair of the Fine & Perform-ing Arts Department, and her violin teacher David Updegraff, as well as family friends who have been influential in pushing Yu to pursue music as a career. Recently participating in several com-petitions, Yu competed in the Suburban Symphony Young Soloists Competition, where she won the opportunity to perform a concerto with the Suburban Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland’s premiere community orchestra. Yu was “really surprised and hap-py and honored to be able to win” because “the competition was really high and all the people were really good.” When asked about how exactly she manages to practice with such a hectic Reserve schedule, Yu

responded, “Sometimes, I bring my violin to school and I practice during free periods. Most times, I finish all my work at school, go home, and practice late at night.” Yu’s determination demonstrates the passion and dedication she has towards continuing her studies with violin in the future.

JOE SPRUNTby Dane Engelhart ’12

Joe Sprunt ’13 has been a violinist with the Academy Orchestra since 2010. But the violin, which he first picked up when five years old, is not his main focus as a musician. Sprunt recalls receiving his first electric guitar on June 2, 2005, at the age of eleven. “It was just a Squier Strat,” he says, “and a little solid-state amp.” Today, Sprunt owns seven guitars and tries to dedicate time each afternoon to the instru-ment. This past summer, Sprunt attended a week-long guitar workshop at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Attendees spent time each day working on technique, learning music theory and practicing in ensemble—experi-ences which Sprunt feels helped him to grow as a musician. A series of three auditions were held at the workshop as well. Participants competed for scholarships and the chance to enroll in an online course of their choosing at Berklee. In the final round, Sprunt delivered a rendition of Gary Moore’s “Still Got the Blues.” His performance persuaded the judges to select him as one of just eight competition winners from around 400 participating guitarists. With his scholarship, Sprunt chose to enroll in a twelve-week online course at Berklee called “Steve Vai Guitar Techniques.” The class was both designed and taught by three-time Grammy winner Steve Vai. For homework, Sprunt was required to submit his own record-ings using the techniques taught in class. Hav-ing excelled in this first course, Sprunt is now continuing his online musical studies as part of another twelve-week course, “Rock Guitar Soloing.”

ALBERT WANGby Hannah McKenzie ’15 and Bianca Chan ’15

Albert Wang is an incredible pianist who is entering his thirteenth year of play-ing the piano. When taken to piano lessons as a child, Albert enjoyed piano and said that he “became attached to the intellectually, spiritually, and physically stimulat-ing experience of music making.” Nowadays, he typically practices for two hours each day. Albert focuses on only piano, because he strongly believes there is some truth to be found the “quality over quantity” cliche. Albert has played in venues

such as Carnegie Hall, Western Reserve Academy’s Morning Meeting and other special events, and even on the radio with the help of his piano teacher, Sergei Babayan. He became a finalist for the

International Institution for Young Musicians Competition. Albert reflects on his piano playing by saying, “I enjoy the vast and sophisticated emotional spectrum of classical music and the ability to share the sheer beauty of music with everybody.” While he plans on pursuing other areas, such as science, Albert hopes to continue playing the piano in the future.

“I enjoy... the ability to share the sheer beauty of music with everybody.”

SIX STUDENTS SHARE THE STORY OF THEIR MUSIC

JONATHAN FARRby Sam Clark ’13

One year ago, a bored Jonathan Farr ‘12, inspired by the numerous dub-step songs that constantly chorus throughout campus, began making the popular music himself. He described his music as a “minimalistic sort of dubstep, focusing on the deep bass frequen-cies.” He also has started to create “hip-hop beats both with strong electronic roots and with a more modern sound.” Using Facebook as his platform, Farr publishes his music to his own group, called Jafurr. He creates the

hypnotic tones using a synthesizer. Although Farr confesses that he is not a trained musi-cian, he noticed that his familiarity with the music style still allows him to compose new songs and notice inconsistencies. “I couldn’t tell you what a major chord consists of, or recognize some scale played for me, [but] I could tell if it were played correctly.” His tones are created entirely from “messing around until I get a sound that I like, and I’ll build a song around that.” For now, Farr is “having fun learning the deeper structure of music, and seeing improvement after realiz-ing something new.”

RYAN HASSELLby Miles Van Blarcum ’14

Western Reserve Academy has many musicians; few, however, are similar to Ryan Hassell ’15. His music comes in the form of rap, which he began explor-ing about two years ago. At his home in Bermuda, he and ten other friends have a sponsored group which produces music at their local studio. Hassell listens and relates his music to Eminem, Drake, T.I and Biggie. Although he began to beatbox and make music four years ago, he has just begun to add lyrics to his music. Using metaphors in his raps, he believes that it makes the listener go back to think and understand what was just said. At home, Hassell’s group aims to be in the studio every weekend. Hassell types out ideas for lyrics and songs that come to him throughout the week, which he can later use when writing. Hassell’s group uses YouTube as a way to spread their mu-sic to their listeners. The adults in Hassell’s life encourage his passion; his mother tells him to avoid the negative parts of the music industry and to keep his raps clean. Hassell finds rapping to be a good way to express himself. As for the future, he hopes to continue his passion for music with his group and to possibly enter into the music industry — on top of pursuing his other passion: soccer.

“As a little kid, I woke up to [my parents] practicing, or their students playing... I listened to classical music every day... That was the first step.”

“You are [only] limited to the confines of the self... You are as wildly creative and expressive as you want to be.”

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RONAN KEANEby Peter Suwondo ’12

Ronan Keane ’12 is a major player on the WRA jazz scene. He performs with the Reserve Jazz Project, serenading audiences on the alto saxophone. A self-professed jazz lover, Keane notes that he was exposed to music at a very young age. “I had been play-ing piano since I was four [years old], but... I quit sophomore year so that I could focus on saxophone,” he explains. Keane states that at WRA, Director of Symphonic Winds Ed Wiles helped him improve not only his personal technique but also his appreciation for music. “[WRA] has given me the chance to hold a promi-

nent spot on a tightly knit jazz band made up of great people. Being on a jazz band has been a hugely positive experience in my high school career, and I’m thankful for all the great people I’ve met through the music department.” Keane is not yet sure how he will continue his musical pursuits when he graduates from WRA. “I hope to be involved in music throughout college and the rest of my life,” he states. “I don’t know if I will pursue a minor or maybe just be on an ensemble, but I know I will always be playing somewhere.” Keane says he finds inspiration in the music of other jazz artists. He lists Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane as some of his biggest influences.

● I’m incredibly excited about the new schedule.

3% 5

● I'm optimistic about the changes but will have to wait and see how it all works out.

31% 62

● I'm hesitant to be a part of this change. What's wrong with the current schedule?

31% 61

● I have serious concerns with the new schedule and do not support it.

22% 43

● I need more information to make up my mind.

6% 11

● I'm a senior, and I really don't care what happens.

8% 16

What option best describes your feelings about the new schedule?

None

Other

Lack of “traditional” Sat. classes

Honor/Pass/Fail grading

Saturday Academy class offerings

Later start time

0 25 50 75 100 125 150

None

Other

Need more info

Transcript/College-related

Honors/Pass/Fail grading

Athletic conflicts

New schedule is too confusing

AP classes begin earlier and end later

Lunch will be split into 2 periods

0 25 50 75 100 125 150

What aspects of the new schedule do you like the most?

What aspects of the new schedule are you most concerned with?

number of respondents

number of respondents

NEW SCHEDULE CHANGESAn exclusive report by THE RESERVE RECORD

Reserve Record PollHow do students feel about the announced changes to the WRA academic schedule?

quick facts

Survey Type EmailTotal Responses 198

Polling Period Jan 31 - Feb 3

opinions

Favorable 34%

Negative 53%

Other 13%

“I think much of the anger expressed by some of the upper grades comes from our allegiance of sorts to the school and the old ways. Nevertheless, although no one is ever a fan of change, this does not mean this change could not turn out for the better. In the coming years, we may realize that the essence of our school is not changing, but the administration is just fixing a couple scheduling problems.”

“The long lunches we have on Mondays, Wednesdays

and Fridays this year allow us to relax in between

classes — something we absolutely need if we don't

want to fall into complete insanity. The schedule

this year is perfectly fine and I don't

understand why it needs a revision.”

“Splitting lunches and drastically shortening them doesn't go over well with me; I'd rather have an hour and a half for lunch than a thirty minute sleep-in, hands

down. […] I'll be a lot less likely to have time to eat with my friends or

even see them during the day, since lunch is the one time of day I can see all of them if I don't have classes with them. And as a member of a cappella, I can't help but notice that there's no longer any ample time for us to practice.”

“[Long lunches] are used for down time and studying for upcoming classes. By eliminating that time, stu-dents will stay up later and get less sleep. �e sleep in does not help anyone because students will just stay up later…”

“...comically short lunches.”

What students had to say...

ÒOne of the Þrst things you hear when you walk into WRA as a freshman is tradi-tion. Changing the schedule is interfering with the way Reserve is built. Tradition explains many things around Reserve like dress code, events, seniority, morning meetings and the schedule. None of the students think the schedule is at all a prob-lemÉ. [WRA was] built in the 1800's and should be remembered that way Ñ not the Ônew modernÕ way.Ó

“I think the Saturday Acad-emy will be a great way for students to take a class in an area of interest.”

“35-minute lunch periods, 80-minute long ‘supertests’”

“Unnecessary split between ad-vanced and regular students; Re-serve will become two di�erent schools.”

“Love the new schedule :)”

3%

31%

31%

22%

6%

8%

142 respondents

or 72% of those surveyed

SAID THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED

ABOUT CHANGES TO LUNCH

Note: Respondents were free to select more than one item. Results are given as numbers instead of percentages.

nearly 1/2 of respondents

LIKED THE LATER START TIME

AND SELECTION OF S.A. CLASSES

6 Reserve Record February 2012

● I’m incredibly excited about the new schedule.

3% 5

● I'm optimistic about the changes but will have to wait and see how it all works out.

31% 62

● I'm hesitant to be a part of this change. What's wrong with the current schedule?

31% 61

● I have serious concerns with the new schedule and do not support it.

22% 43

● I need more information to make up my mind.

6% 11

● I'm a senior, and I really don't care what happens.

8% 16

What option best describes your feelings about the new schedule?

None

Other

Lack of “traditional” Sat. classes

Honor/Pass/Fail grading

Saturday Academy class offerings

Later start time

0 25 50 75 100 125 150

None

Other

Need more info

Transcript/College-related

Honors/Pass/Fail grading

Athletic conflicts

New schedule is too confusing

AP classes begin earlier and end later

Lunch will be split into 2 periods

0 25 50 75 100 125 150

What aspects of the new schedule do you like the most?

What aspects of the new schedule are you most concerned with?

number of respondents

number of respondents

NEW SCHEDULE CHANGESAn exclusive report by THE RESERVE RECORD

Reserve Record PollHow do students feel about the announced changes to the WRA academic schedule?

quick facts

Survey Type EmailTotal Responses 198

Polling Period Jan 31 - Feb 3

opinions

Favorable 34%

Negative 53%

Other 13%

“I think much of the anger expressed by some of the upper grades comes from our allegiance of sorts to the school and the old ways. Nevertheless, although no one is ever a fan of change, this does not mean this change could not turn out for the better. In the coming years, we may realize that the essence of our school is not changing, but the administration is just fixing a couple scheduling problems.”

“The long lunches we have on Mondays, Wednesdays

and Fridays this year allow us to relax in between

classes — something we absolutely need if we don't

want to fall into complete insanity. The schedule

this year is perfectly fine and I don't

understand why it needs a revision.”

“Splitting lunches and drastically shortening them doesn't go over well with me; I'd rather have an hour and a half for lunch than a thirty minute sleep-in, hands

down. […] I'll be a lot less likely to have time to eat with my friends or

even see them during the day, since lunch is the one time of day I can see all of them if I don't have classes with them. And as a member of a cappella, I can't help but notice that there's no longer any ample time for us to practice.”

“[Long lunches] are used for down time and studying for upcoming classes. By eliminating that time, stu-dents will stay up later and get less sleep. �e sleep in does not help anyone because students will just stay up later…”

“...comically short lunches.”

What students had to say...

ÒOne of the Þrst things you hear when you walk into WRA as a freshman is tradi-tion. Changing the schedule is interfering with the way Reserve is built. Tradition explains many things around Reserve like dress code, events, seniority, morning meetings and the schedule. None of the students think the schedule is at all a prob-lemÉ. [WRA was] built in the 1800's and should be remembered that way Ñ not the Ônew modernÕ way.Ó

“I think the Saturday Acad-emy will be a great way for students to take a class in an area of interest.”

“35-minute lunch periods, 80-minute long ‘supertests’”

“Unnecessary split between ad-vanced and regular students; Re-serve will become two di�erent schools.”

“Love the new schedule :)”

3%

31%

31%

22%

6%

8%

142 respondents

or 72% of those surveyed

SAID THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED

ABOUT CHANGES TO LUNCH

Note: Respondents were free to select more than one item. Results are given as numbers instead of percentages.

nearly 1/2 of respondents

LIKED THE LATER START TIME

AND SELECTION OF S.A. CLASSES

by Simon Ong ’15

In 1996 the first “Mission: Impos-sible” hit the screens, made more than 400 million dollars and received critical acclaim. Mission: Impossible II found even greater success in 2000, making more than 500 million dollars. The third installment had a slight financial drop but received the largest critical acclaim of the franchise. This December, the fourth movie, “Mis-sion: Impossible: Ghost Protocol”, was released and has since made over 500 million dollars worldwide. Directed by Pixar Studios veteran Brad Bird, the movie stars Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent who is suddenly plunged into a controversy which threatens to spark World War III. When the IMF is shut down,

Cruise and his partners (Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton) are forced to operate extra-legally in order to track down the individuals at the heart of the mystery. The fourth “Mission: Impossible” benefits from the visually unique scenes which Bird creates. Whether it’s Tom Cruise scaling the tall-est building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, or a high-speed chase through a sandstorm, M:I - GP doesn’t fail to deliver on eye-candy. Screenwriters André Nemec and Josh Appelbaum also succeed in crafting complex and interesting characters, with perhaps one exception: Jane Carter (Paula Patton), a main character in the film, plays no role other than to simply aid in the often convoluted schemes. Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) provides

the comic relief, and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) has a mysterious involvement in Hunt’s past; Carter, meanwhile, is not even established as one of Hunt’s love interests, making her eminently forgettable among the other, more memorable characters. Another problem with the film is its lack of a recognizable and truly dia-bolical villain—an element that made the third film so great. “Ghost Proto-

col” gets lost among multiple villains who are too easily defeated and don’t offer an emotional challenge to the protagonists. Regardless of its flaws, “Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol” is a prime example of effective action storytell-ing, making it a highlight of the year. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an action flick and, perhaps, even to those who don’t. WRA grade: 6/7

by Varun Chalasani ’14

“Temple Run” is an endless running game designed for iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPod Touch. It is scheduled for release on the Android market later this month. The game was first released in August of 2011 and is currently the most-downloaded and highest-grossing app on the iOS App Store. The game centers on a character that has just stolen an idol from what appears to be a ruined Mayan temple. Players guide the explorer as he at-

tempts to escape several gorilla-like animals pursuing him—presumed guardians of the raided temple. The game’s objective is to stay alive as long as possible by leaping over pits, sliding under overhangs and avoiding the many other obstacles and booby traps scattered along the character’s path. As the game progresses, these hazards ap-pear in greater number and frequency, creating intense tests of players’ reflexes. Hazards are randomized in order to provide a unique gameplay experience for every attempt.

“Temple Run” can remain addictive for extended periods of time while players seek to unlock collectibles and improve their score. The game is “unbeatable” in the sense that game-play ends only when the player dies. Many players, however, will find continued play enjoyable because the coins they collect in-game can be used to purchase upgrades, extra charac-ters and special abilities. Coins appear periodically throughout the game and are harvested by tilting the gaming device to either side—or sometimes by swiping on the screen. A minor problem with the game is that it occasionally lags if played on

older iOS devices, such as the first- and second-generation iPod Touches. On any newer iOS device, Temple Run should run flawlessly. The dip in frame rate on older systems is no-where near a big enough problem to ruin the great fun that Temple Run is, but the lag may result in a frustrating, premature end to many games. Outside of this one problem, Temple Run is flawless. It’s highly addictive, has plenty to unlock, offers exception-al replay value, and it just so happens to be free on the App Store. Temple Run receives a score of 9.5/10. WRA grade: 7/7

Reserve Record 7February 2012 Community, Arts and Entertainment

Movie Review: M:I IV - Ghost Protocol

across

1 A bad way to run5 “Chiquitita” group9 Bachelor dwellings13 Valentine’s Day theme14 See 36 Across15 Winter play setting16 Like birds17 Gets on in years18 Severely corpulent19 He makes 9 Down frown21 Invalid23 Treasure of the Sierra Madre, really24 Green ___25 Shorebird29 Valentine’s hue30 Festive celebration32 Affirmative33 Cupid’s projectile36 With 9 Across, he played Durdles in “Drood”37 Tax agency38 Reveal39 WRA alum and International Space Station visitor, Cpt. Lee ___40 Employ scissors41 Certain greetings42 Helping sort43 Wary

44 Benz ender45 Pvt.’s struggle after the war46 Spacecraft detachment47 Mythical loch dweller49 Kitten’s cry50 Mineral spring53 Hallmark product55 Custard filled pastries57 Interior designer’s focus60 It comes after theta62 Shear63 Vacant64 Physics particle65 It may be broken66 Part of a deadly septet67 Cupid’s Greek counterpart68 SportsCenter network

down

1 San Antonio site to be remembered2 Type of tooth3 Egg-shaped4 Lotion brand5 Knocked down a notch6 A frightening golf term?7 Inhabitant of 42 Down8 Organization, for short9 Friend of Albert in the most recent WRA dramatic production10 Exist

11 Avow or able opener12 180 degrees from NNW15 Allergy sufferer’s woe20 Alter22 Muckraking Sinclair26 Contending27 Uncanny28 Grating, as a voice29 Propel a canoe30 Given the axe31 Turkish official33 Pallid34 European river35 A special someone’s special delivery36 Grasses39 Bishop topper40 Melancholy42 Honey collector’s structure43 Monk’s hood46 Walnut’s cousins48 ___ Schultz ‘1349 Ditto (2 wds.)50 Some store missiles51 Groom oneself52 Colorado resort54 Tenpence56 Need an aspirin57 Pen. neighbor58 Flightless bird59 HQs61 Your and my

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32

33 34 35 36 37

38 39 40

41 42 43

44 45 46

47 48 49 50 51 52

53 54 55 56

57 58 59 60 61 62

63 64 65

66 67 68

www.CrosswordWeaver.com

ACROSS

1 A bad way to run 5 "Chiquitita" group 9 Bachelor dwellings

13 Valentine's Day theme 14 See 36 Across 15 Winter play setting 16 Like birds 17 Gets on in years 18 Severely corpulent 19 He makes 9 Down frown 21 Invalid 23 Treasure of the Sierra Madre,

really 24 Green ___ 25 Shorebird 29 Valentine's hue 30 Festive celebration 32 Affirmative 33 Cupid's projectile 36 With 9 Across, he played

Durdles in "Drood" 37 Tax agency 38 Reveal 39 WRA alum and International

Space Station visitor, Cpt. Lee ___

40 Employ scissors 41 Certain greetings 42 Helping sort 43 Wary 44 Benz ender

45 Pvt.'s struggle after the war 46 Spacecraft detachment 47 Mythical loch dweller 49 Kitten's cry 50 Mineral spring 53 Hallmark product 55 Custard filled pastries 57 Interior designer's focus 60 It comes after theta 62 Shear 63 Vacant 64 Physics particle 65 It may be broken 66 Part of a deadly septet 67 Cupid's Greek counterpart 68 SportsCenter network

DOWN

1 San Antonio site to be remembered

2 Type of tooth 3 Egg-shaped 4 Lotion brand 5 Knocked down a notch 6 A frightening golf term? 7 Inhabitant of 42 Down 8 Organization, for short 9 Friend of Albert in the most

recent WRA dramatic production

10 Exist 11 Avow or able opener

12 180 degrees from NNW 15 Allergy sufferer's woe 20 Alter 22 Muckraking Sinclair 26 Contending 27 Uncanny 28 Grating, as a voice 29 Propel a conoe 30 Given the axe 31 Turkish official 33 Pallid 34 European river 35 A special someone's special

delivery 36 Grasses 39 Bishop topper 40 Melancholy 42 Honey collector's structure 43 Monk's hood 46 Walnut's cousins 48 ___ Schultz '13 49 Ditto (2 wds.) 50 Some store missiles 51 Groom oneself 52 Colorado resort 54 Tenpence 56 Need an aspirin 57 Pen. neighbor 58 Flightless bird 59 HQs 61 Your and my

crossword puzzle by dane engelhart

by Max Rosenwasser ’13

It would be a huge mistake to say that the dining hall at Western Reserve Academy is just a cafeteria. Every day, multiple times per day, stu-dents gather to eat and socialize with their peers. Essentially, it provides the necessary components of both physi-cal and social health. But, how much do people really know about what goes on behind the silver counter from which they grab their food? How often do they slap the hand that feeds them (literally) with unfair critiques? Three times a day, the dining hall staff—which consists of only sixteen employees—is responsible for feeding over 400 individuals. Since the annual

budget is, necessarily, restricted, meals must be planned carefully, taking into account those that are less attended (such as Sunday brunch and breakfasts throughout the week), and which foods have the possibility to be reused. Another important factor is season. Val Ritzert, the Director of Food Services, said she “always [tries] to use seasonal foods and consider special holidays and events.” One of her mot-tos is “Local, local, local.” Buying from nearby farms and suppliers diminishes costs, reduces the harmful environ-mental effects of shipping and assists members of the local community. Despite their hard work and best intentions, Mrs. Ritzert reported that

the dining hall staff often receive negative commentary on their efforts. These complaints often focus spe-cifically on the dining hall desserts, which have been a topic of conversa-tion among both students and faculty. A few years ago, desserts were served at every meal. Nowadays, these tasty treats appear mostly at sit-down meals and are far less frequently at buffet-style meals. According to Ritzert, the dining hall’s concern for student health acted as the largest factor for this conscious change. “Dessert should be something special, something earned, not a way of life,” explained Ritzert. The practice of sit-down meals also continues to frustrate some WRA students. Some day students actively avoid them, and prefects have even

reported unwelcome pushback from boarders during check-in. Despite some student judgment of the tradi-tion as old-fashioned and unuseful, others view it as an important com-munity bonding time—a tradition that makes WRA special. Ritzert said that the dining hall staff agree with this judgement and enjoy sit down meals, in part because these meals are also much easier to prepare. Over the past several years, students have helped bring about improve-ments in food variety and options. Throughout Ritzert’s seventeen years at WRA, she has seen suggestion boxes, surveys and committees for the purpose of change. “I am always open to new ideas and more communica-tion with students,” she emphasized. “It’s their dining hall.”

More than just a dining hall

App Review: Temple Run

CARTOON

“For God’s sake, just pick one!”

by Ji Hoo Woo ’13

by Alex Shin ’13

This season for the Western Reserve Academy hock-ey team has unusually successful. After last year’s less than ideal season, with 0-12 record, the team has improved not only in skills and technique, but also in effort and team spirit. There are a number of new players on the roster, while only one player gradu-ated last year. Furthermore, Kyle Closen ’03, once a formidable WRA hockey player, took the position as an assistant coach. The team has acknowledged that it owes its momentum to the hard work of the coaches and the players, as well as its increased size. Considering the challenges they have faced in past years, the team had a remarkable season, finishing second in their new league with a record of 8-2. Next year, however, will prove the challenging season for the Pioneers. Approximately half of the players will be graduating, including leading scorers Michael Gulasey ’12 (captain), Nathan Wirtz ’12 (assistant

captain) and the defensemen Tochi Mbanugo ’12, Andrew Foster ’12, Alex Spring ’12, Eamonn O’Shea ’12 and Brian Buehler ’12 (assistant captain). Perhaps the greatest loss to the team comes in the form of the Pioneers’ senior goaltender, Alex Fausnight ’12. Hav-ing begun the position during his sophomore year, he has undoubtedly made a major contribution with numerous saves in his three-year career. Coach Brand Closen said, “It will be a big hole to fill in next year for Alex. I hope that Max steps up and gradually fills in this gap.” Max Fausnight ‘13, who began to partici-pate in ice hockey program as a game film recorder, started to practice with the team as a goaltender and decided to follow the path of his brother, filling in for him following an injury that sidelined the older Fausnight late in the season. The Pioneers’ powerful offense, including Robert Markwell ’14 and Austin Rand ’15, are expected to support the team towards another successful season, carrying through the im-provements made on the ice this year.

8 Reserve Record February 2012Sports

Reserve RecordWestern Reserve Academy115 College StreetHudson, OH 44236

Non-profit org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 6

Hudson, Ohio 44236

America’s HolidaySPORTS COLUMN

by Adam Tortelli ’13

Editors’ Note: Due to the sensitive nature of certain

articles in this issue, the Reserve Record was not able

to publish this preview column before the Super Bowl

was played. However, the editorial staff feel that

Tortelli’s analysis and ultimately correct prediction

is too accurate to not publish.

On Sunday February 5th, over 100 million people are expected to tune in to watch the New England Patriots square off against the “Cinderella” New York Giants in Superbowl XLVI. Sound familiar? These two teams met in Superbowl XLII under similar circumstances. The Patriots are once again coming as the No. 1 AFC team fueled by an explosive offense that consists of: a Hall of Fame quarterback (Tom Brady), an impenetrable offensive line, and a roster filled with average running backs and scrappy receivers who couldn’t start even for the Browns if it wasn’t for their special QB. The Giants on the other hand, possess the same underdog story they had four years ago. The “G-men” barely made it into the playoffs off of a hot play towards the end of the season and have repeatedly upset opposing teams- Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers (the two top seeds of the NFC.). Once again, Eli Manning is trying to prove to the world that he is remotely as skilled as his big brother and future Hall of Famer Peyton. “Big Blue” is following the cliche “It’s not how you start, it’s about how you fin-ish”- winning many of their games late in the fourth quarter this season. Neither team will be able to support the im-mortalized sports phrase “defense wins champi-onships”, as both are among the bottom half of the league in that discipline. Therefore, expect this game to have you at the edge of your seat with lots and lots of scoring. It’s hard to dif-ferentiate who looked more dominant in their respected conference’s championship game, because either could have easily gone the other way; San Francisco gave up the ball on an em-barrassing fumbled punt return and Baltimore failed on the opportunity to tie the game with seconds remaining on a missed field goal. If this championship game is anything like last time, we should be in for another classic - with ques-tionable calls and clutch heroics of desperation. While New York does not have as explosive an offense, they can claim a better defense and I believe that is going to be the difference in the game. The Giants have somehow found a way to win with their backs against the wall the past few months, and I don’t see why their luck should run out now. Prediction: The Lombardi Trophy comes back to the big apple as the Gi-ants hold off the Patriots, 27-21.

Hockey team skates to successful season

Photo cou

rtesy Warn

er

Hockey team members work together to control the puck during their game against Wooster.

by Andie DiBiase ’13

In only her second year of the sport, Annie Carter ’14 has made quite the impact on the relatively new diving program at Western Reserve Academy. Last year, her outstanding performance throughout the season earned her a trip to Easterns, the swimming and diving championship in which WRA participates every year, where she placed 13th overall. At the 2010-2011 winter athletic award ceremony, she re-ceived the team’s MVP Award, marking an incredibly successful freshman season for Annie. She returned this winter right where she had left off, making it to Easterns in the first meet of the season, her scores only improving since. Callie Crowder ’13, team cap-tain, has “never seen Annie come to practice without a smile on her face. She works hard, and, because of that, she has become a great diver whom I am always impressed with.” Annie’s hard work is definitely

paying off, as shown by her personal record, a 194.25, which she set at the second meet of the season against Aurora and CVCA. Teammate Dori Fenyvesi ’13 says that she admires “her courage, strength and power,” adding, “I love watching what [Annie] does.” Indeed, at the board, she executes gracefully some complicated dives, garnering the attention and impressed remarks of most onlookers and positive feedback from the judges. Annie, with two more seasons still ahead, remains a valuable asset to WRA Diving team.

Spotlight: Annie Carter ’14

Photo b

y Andersson

Athlete Spotlight Annie Carter ’14 performs a dive.

by Annie Wyman ’13

The varsity girls basketball team pulled out three wins during its 2011-2012 season. Coaches Jill Evans and Emily Thews stated that, despite some losses, the season went well, considering that the team graduated such a large number

Season overview: Varsity girls basketball

of varsity players last year, leaving only eight girls. Trying to fill starting spots proved to be less of a chal-lenge than expected, as many players stepped up their intensity and maturity on the court. With only one senior, Captain Allison Forhan ’12, and three fresh-men, the team had a unique dynamic. This was the first team Evans coached at WRA under the reconfig-ured sports requirement, which now allows freshmen and sophomores to participate in non-interscholastic athletics. While she admitted that this change may

have led fewer girls to join the team, Evans optimis-tically noted, “Every girl on the team plays for one reason: they love basketball.” She said that the girls sum themselves up as working hard yet still not taking themselves too seriously. Team member Jillian Sutter ’13 stated, “The Memorial Gym is always full of high-energy girls making the season enjoyable. It’s the most fun I have ever had playing.” The team concluded the season on a strong note with a series of fierce contests against Hawken, Lutheran East, and Madison.