The Beaver Reader MENTE ET MANU

School Life................ p.2-3Opinion....................... p.4-5Arts & Living.............. p.6-7Fun................................. p.8

IN THIS ISSUE:

FAC UT GAUDEAM

Vol. III, No. 1 MARCH 2011 http://newspaper.bcdschool.org

You better be a believer! Si Hoc Legere Scis Nimium Eruditionis Habes

When I arrived at Mr. Hutton’s office for our interview, I was slightly nervous, to say the least. I have done the occasional interview before but not quite on this scale. Mr. Hutton opened the door and offered me a seat. We talked for a few minutes, and I asked if I could record the interview. I then proceeded to pull my phone out of my bag. He smiled and he asked what “app” I would use to do the recording and then showed me his iPhone, identical to mine. For a moment I thought of what my parents might say about this moment,

how they would surely say that no faculty member of their high school was anything like Mr. Hutton. I suddenly felt even luckier to be able to go to a school like Beaver.

Mr. Hutton has been the Head of Beaver Country Day since 1992. It is fair to say that he, of all people, can tell you exactly what is so great about Beaver, and how working here has impacted his life. I have been at Beaver for three years now but have never had the opportunity to talk in-depth with someone who knows so much about Beaver. This was my chance to learn about my school from the person who runs the show.

Mr. Hutton told me how most schools are not like

Bored With High School?Gabby Gutman ‘11

Taylor Hayes ‘12

Inside Beaver With Mr. Hutton

Beaver. He said, “School where you read a textbook, go to class, take a test, you learn how to solve a problem, learn how to write a five paragraph essay...and you stop there. It doesn’t work like that, and I really believe that...but most schools are still doing that and I think it’s a shame.” Mr. Hutton told me that some of the most important things we, the students, learn at Beaver are to go beyond the content of problem solving, to be able to think analytically, and to be good at synthesizing information. I asked about technology in the classroom, something Beaver introduced last year with the laptop program, and if technology can be a distraction for teenagers. Mr. Hutton

A Student’s Particpation in the Food ProjectSara Radin ‘11What did you do this past summer? Beaver student Olivia Dynan ‘12 participated in The Food Project. She was chosen out of five hundred applicants for the Summer Youth Program. The Food Project is a community that works with teen and adult volunteers to grow food to help sustain a local food system. The crops are grown on various farms across Massachusetts and sold at local farmers’ markets. The Food Project is also a research center for other local farmers.

The Summer Youth Program takes about 60 teens to one of their farms from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day to work, discuss social issues, and partake in workshops

revolving around the food system. Students are divided into crews. Olivia’s crew, Triple F (Fresh Fierce Farmers), undertook a separate project. They traveled to the Pine Street Inn every Wednesday to serve food to the homeless.

“This was an inspirational experience for me because I had never done anything like this before. It really opened my eyes to how lucky I am in my community, that everyone supports each other,” Olivia said. “Unfortunately, there are others in need and I realized I needed to help and, in some way, The Pine Street Inn gave me an opportunity to do so.”

Her experience inspired her to continue

working for The Food Project. This time, she applied for the academic year program called DIRT (Dynamic Independent Responsible Teenagers) composed of 15 teens. Every

Right around junior year, the ever-looming thoughts of college and stress around an upcoming test begin to consume the minds of students. While Beaver does an excellent job of breaking it up into manageable pieces, escaping the everyday norms are a great way to both enhance your typical high school experience and to explore new interests. Although not something everyone is interested in pursuing, there are many programs both in the Northeast and beyond that allow juniors, and even some sophomores, to go away for a semester. In the past four years, six daring Beaver students have left the confines of their home for a new one at three distinct and unique semester programs: The Mountain School of Milton Academy, CITYterm, and The Island School.

The Mountain School is a semester program located in central Vermont where each semester – fall and spring – 45 highly motivated high school students experience a truly transformative four months. The curriculum is like that of other juniors around the country. Students take five courses, but that is merely a slice of the experience. Throughout every school day there is a two hour block devoted to going on science hikes, learning to orient yourself with a compass, cutting down trees, or just

playing pickup basketball. The teachers are not just teachers, but also dorm parents and mentors. Because of them, each semester forms a close-knit family. Being something of a “city girl,” people may not pinpoint me as the type to give up everything and go live on a farm with 45 strangers for the spring semester of my junior year, but it was, without question, the best decision I have ever made.

Michelle Freeman, currently a senior, went to CITYterm in the fall of her junior year. When asked about it she said: “CITYterm is an experiential based learning program, lasting one semester and consisting of 30 adventurous juniors and seniors, as well as six faculty members. CITYterm uses New York City as its classroom and challenges each student to explore, wonder, wander, watch and learn on the streets of the city. Every other day, students are challenged to relate the work being done in the classroom to real life situations in New York City. Taking this risk was one of the best decisions of my life. It opened my mind to think in so many different ways, not to mention how relieving it was to get away from the ‘normal’ high school experience. I highly recommend taking the risk that I did because it will be beneficial for all your future endeavors.”

Noah Boskey, a member of the sophomore

“It all started in London two years ago,” said Isabelle English, creator of Isabelle’s Curly Cakes. At just 17, she has started her own cupcake shop, and a successful one at that.

With six different flavors to choose from, they are all rich in flavor and leave you feeling 100% satisfied.

Isabelle says her favorite thing about the shop is its design. She took a hands-on approach to every aspect of her shop. “It was a lot harder than I

The Girl Behind the Cakes

initially thought it was going to be,” Isabelle said. “There were many more steps that relied on the previous one to be able to make all this happen.” Isabelle did all this planning and work while simultaneously attending high-school and applying to college. Next year she will be

Kirsten T. Gute ‘11Brittany Volcy ‘11

Continued on page 5

weekend, she travels to the farms to work and lead volunteers. Just like the summer program, she serves at various hunger relief organizations. “At first I did not like to farm and

get my hands dirty, but I learned to love it and I met great friends along the way,” she said.

To learn more about The Food Project, visit: http://thefoodproject.org/

Continued on page 2

Continued on page 3

School LifeTHE BEAVER READER • MARCH 2011

page 2

ONLINE ONLY Amirah Mahdi ‘11Taylor Hayes ‘12

EDITORS

The Social Action LeadersGlobal Impact Challenge

Faculty Spotlight: Mr. Lassiter

At the Families of Color Dinner, the Beaver community welcomed a new math teacher to the Middle School. Some knew Clinton “Bronco” Lassiter through basketball, while others had just heard the name in the halls. A few weeks into the term, many middle school students came to love Mr. Lassiter. Eric LiBassi ’15, member of the Boys A Basketball Team says, “Coach has really helped us all improve, and he always pushes us to our full potential. With a different coach, I don’t know if we would be 5-0 right now.” Since middle-schoolers are familiar with Mr. Lassiter, now it’s time for the rest of the Beaver community to become acquainted with him. Where did you grow up and where did you attend school?I grew up in Boston, and I went to high school at the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in Boston. How did you find out about Beaver?I found out about Beaver through

Fig (Mr. Figueroa) and I coached the Boys JV Basketball team last

year and an opportunity for a math teacher came up, so I applied. What attracted you to Beaver?Beaver attracted me because of the community, faculty, facility, and the small classes. I taught in Boston Public and the classes were about 25 students, and that was too big. Which Boston Public Schools did you teach at?Tech Boston Academy and the McCormick Middle School.

How has settling into Beaver been?It’s been easier than I thought. The kids were nice in the middle school. Everything has been fine; especially having Fig (Mr. Figueroa) next door has been nice.

Name three things you like about Beaver.The food, the free food, small classes, and the Beaver community.

What do you enjoy about teaching math?I’ve always liked numbers, and I have always been a fan of money. I used to be an accountant but that was boring. I like teaching kids, which is more exciting. What or who inspired you to become a basketball coach?Mr. Figueroa. He was my basketball coach in high school at the John D. O’Bryant School. I’ve learned a lot from him, and he taught me how to be a man, just through basketball. When you’re not coaching middle school boys A team, what do you like to do for fun, aside from basketball?I started a basketball program for girls called Boston Showstoppers in 2007. When I’m not teaching I definitely like relaxing and taking time to enjoy my family and myself. If you weren’t teaching math and coaching, what would you be doing?I like to debate, but I don’t like to read. So I would like to be a lawyer or psychologist, excluding the reading part. Is there anything you’d like to tell the Beaver community?I just want to say thank you for opening your arms and accepting me, and I’m definitely happy to be here.

class, returned this past December from the Island School. When asked to describe it he said, “The Island School is a semester abroad program on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The campus strives to be as sustainable as possible by using the sun and wind to generate electricity, using the rain for water, and growing our own food. The school takes high school students away from the traditional and puts them in a learning environment that is completely new. The idea behind their curriculum is to utilize the surroundings and learn from every activity, rather than a textbook or lecture. For example, in Marine Ecology, we

don’t just learn about certain fish in a classroom setting, but instead we go scuba-diving

the experience taught me to look at society and everything I do in a new way, by questioning everything that happens. I have also developed leadership skills that I could extend in the Beaver community.”

From just three short snap shots, it is evident that these programs have allowed students to learn about themselves, their surroundings, and create lifelong memories, in just a single semester. Venturing away from the everyday norms of high school is not easy; rather, it is quite difficult. Finding the courage within you to be adventuresome brings many great rewards. If your daily routine is becoming dull, dive in and apply to one of the many programs around you.

Nuvu was an incredible experience. Never have I been in a learning environment in which I, the student, am the sole motivator in my education. After spending some time working on projects, I found myself realizing that I had the freedom to push them as far

as I am willing to take them. During my time at Nuvu, I have seen students using professional video and image editing software, converting a toy car to solar power, and most importantly, an educational system that promotes creativity above all else. If I were to choose one aspect of Nuvu that I have found to be most rewarding, it would have to be the “coaches,” as they are called, who teach each two-week studio. With these coaches I have found people who don’t usually interact with teenagers; people who will go back to working their full-time jobs after the two weeks they spend with us. The coaches were always teaching us about something they care deeply about and were excited to share. It is fascinating to be taught by extremely intelligent

and successful people who are still midway through their own careers and lives (the majority of the coaches are fairly young). During my first studio on nuclear fusion, my coach was Istvan. Istvan (pronounced: eeshzt-von) works on the fusion reactor at MIT. Istvan started the studio by posing questions that went from difficult: “What is science?” to borderline metaphysical: “Is it better to love or be loved?” As we discussed these questions with ever-increasing enthusiasm, he made a point of playing devil’s advocate as he switched up his opinions. Eventually we grew weary of his “mind-games” as we called them, which eventually drove many of us to shouting and fist-pounding outrage. Now, this article is not to say that Istvan did not teach us about nuclear fusion. He did...very well. I also don’t mean to say that he isn’t a difficult person; Istvan himself will freely admit he is argumentative. What I mean to convey about Istvan’s teaching style is that it’s unconventional. What I think makes Istvan a valuable teacher is his brutal honesty and the

genuine investment that he held in our learning, providing we too invested ourselves. After the nuclear fusion studio, Istvan came to nearly all of our bi-monthly presentations and always asked us difficult questions; he has even argued with some of us about our projects. On one memorable occasion, Istvan argued about a fellow student’s project with the student’s coach at that time.Heads turned as Istvan raised his voice in heated debate while gesticulating irately with a half-eaten cupcake in his hand. Istvan was only a part of a fantastic learning experience. He and the other coaches were key in making the experience as interesting as it turned out to be. Student-teacher relationships have always been a large part of Beaver for me, and I think that our teachers’ willingness to interact with students in a relaxed and truthful way has been an integral part of my classroom experience. What I believe made Nuvu a good fit for me is the program’s emphasis on these relationships in breeding original thought. I would greatly encourage any student who feels the same way about the importance of a healthy student-teacher relationship to give Nuvu a try.

A Look at NuVu StudioJosseph Randles ‘12

Amirah Mahdi ‘11

Bored With HSContinued from page 1

and work hands-on with the fish and marine environments. Included in the semester are various exploration trips, which range from eight-day kayak to two-days down island. Overall,

“The idea behind their curriculum is

to utilize the surroundings and learn from every

activity, rather than a textbook or

lecture.”

To learn more about NuVu go to:

nuvustudio.org

Teacher number 1:-I once sang in a chorus that backed up Stevie Wonder-My favorite toy as a kid was Stretch Armstrong-My favorite and worst class was Spanish

Teacher number 2:-I was born in New Mexico-I once crashed into a police car-I am adopted

Bonus: What department do they teach in?

Visit us online to find out

Guess the Teachers

http://newspaper.bcdschool.org

http://newspaper.bcdschool.org

Evan Feldberg-Bannatyne, age 12, class of 2016, has brought the African Library Project Book drive to Beaver. He said that he brought it to the school because “Beaver is a really nice community that supports these things.” The African Library Project is an organization that sends books to African schools and helps build libraries. Africa has the highest percent of illiteracy and books would supposedly help lower this percent. The African Library Project has helped to create libraries in eight countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Evan said that he chose the African Library Project because, “It’s a pretty neat organization, they raised 612,000 books and 561 African Libraries.” His goal is to get 1,000 books and $500 by March 15th because that’s how much money and how many books are needed to build a library in Swaziland. So far they have collected a total of about $900 and about 500-600 books.

Evan contacted friends and is working with the Harry Potter Alliance on book drives. Three other schools that are hosting book drives are Bigelow, Milton Academy and Runkle. Evan has also talked to the Social Action Leaders about the book drive. The Social Action Club is also hosting a book drive for the More Than Words organization. Their goal is to give youth at risk a hands on learning opportunity to make a living in life (Visit mtwyouth.org to learn more). When donating books, you want to stay away from books about American History or Religion. Even though

English isn’t the first language in most African countries, books in English are helpful because in the eight countries where books are sent English is required for a high school diploma. The only problem is that the books might influence the culture, but Evan said that the books would “Introduce new ideas, such as firefighters...[The] only change would be that they know about Dora the Explorer, but overall the change would help them.” If you would like to donate books, there is a box at the top of the stairway next to the dining hall. To find out more about African Library Project visit: www.africanlibraryproject.org

Jherson Colon InterviewAmirah Mahdi ‘11

This past fall, the Beaver com-munity welcomed a new basket-ball player to the school. With the departure of nine seniors, many students were unsure how Jherson Colon would compliment the team. By the start of basketball season, there had been a lot of buzz about Jherson’s talent. Many people clamored to join the discussion. Jake Libassi ‘11 said, “I thought he was going to be dirty,” and Sophie Dietz ‘11 said, “I didn’t really know anything about Jherson when he first started at Beaver, he was kind of a mys-tery.” Plagued by an earlier knee

injury, Jherson only started to prepare two weeks before the start of the season. He sure had much to prove in those early weeks. However, after the first game of the season, the Beaver community was sure about one thing, Jherson would definitely be a star player this season. Not many people know who Jherson really is, so the Beaver Reader was all too happy to introduce our readers one of Beaver’s star basketball players.

When did you start playing basketball?I started playing when I was 10 years old.

Where did you grow up?I grew up in Dorchester.

What are your hobbies?I like hanging out with friends and family on the weekends.

What school did you attend before coming to Beaver?I went to Snowden International High School in Copley.

Has the transition from a public to a private school been challenging?Not so much academically, but it’s a different environment in terms of people, so I had to adjust.

attending New York University where there is already an Isabelle’s Curly Cakes stand. She will be able to continue her studies while also growing her cupcake empire.

The budding entrepreneur told us what her favorite part of owning her own business is, as well as her first impression of starting her own bakery.

“Free cupcakes,” she chuckled. “I get to work with my dad really closely; it kind of gives us this common ground and because of Curly Cakes it’s created this strong bond between us. Jumping into this project, I thought it was going to be quite simple but I quickly realized that building a business wouldn’t be all that

easy, especially when some things wouldn’t go as planned, but we had to be ready for that. It’s become a big process that has been stressful at times, but rewarding at the same time, and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity.”

S h e also touched on how the name Curly Cakes came about. “When I was in London, my father and I were throwing around some names like Isabelle’s Cup Cakes and Sweet Belles, but it was actually my mom who came up with

the name Curly Cakes because everyone in my family calls me curly girl or belle, so Curly Cakes really seemed to fit.”

Isabelle repeatedly mentioned how much of

The Girl Behind the Cakes

There is no doubt that the science wing has served the Beaver community well. Since its construction in the 50s, countless classes have been taught by various teachers throughout the years. However, there is no doubt that it has its faults: it is a veritable maze to visitors, the lab equipment is functional yet somewhat outdated, and the radiators squeal. Classes like physics are taught in the downstairs language area, and there is often a shortage of classrooms. In an interview, Mr. Hutton stated: “ [The science wing] was nice and in its time it was really cutting edge, but it is really inefficient in the way that when all the classrooms are in use we are only using 45% of the space within each classroom.” In light of these facts and a desire to change the way the subject is taught, the science wing’s restoration is already in the final phases of planning. Mr. Hutton explained

the reasoning behind the new classrooms from a curricular point of view: “We, the science department and the rest of us feel that scientific education need to change to accommodate new fields like biotechnology. We want to design classrooms that address some of these conversion sciences. We want the curriculum to be more inquiry based and we feel that a new classroom would accommodate that.” The three current science classrooms would be split into six and each classroom will have large windows. The walls will be coated with “Idea Paint”, a product that turns wall surfaces into whiteboards. There will also be a new greenhouse built within the courtyard. Also being renovated is the current physics classrooms, which will become an “inventor’s workshop” --a place for students to work on independent studies and projects with the help of the science department. If all goes according to plan, restorations will begin on the science wing this summer.

African Library Project

The African Library ProjectAlexandra Bernard ‘14

Science Wing RenovationJoseph Randles ‘10

How do you like Beaver so far?Beaver is cool, especially once basket-ball season started.

Do you think the basketball season will be successful this year?Definitely, because we have great coaches, we’re a competitive team, and our offensive tempo runs teams off the court.

What’s your favorite part about playing basketball?I like making a no-look pass for a dunk, and it also keeps my mind off everything. It’s like my own little world.

If you weren’t a basketball player, what career would you like to pursue?I’m not sure yet, but for now I’m just taking it one step at a time.

What/who is your inspira-tion?My inspiration is Maino, a rapper who’s been through it all, but he’s liv-ing the good life now since he followed his dream. Music also gets me in the zone and makes me feel any way I want. I don’t know what I would do without it.

What’s your favorite food?Platanos con salami, which is plan-tains with salami on top.

an inspiration and support system her parents have been throughout this process. “Both my parents have had a huge role in helping me throughout this project,” she said. “They’ve

both been in the restaurant business and have been through each process I have had to go through and any problem I’ve had thus far they have seen before so they know how to guide me through it and help me.”

W e asked Isabelle where she sees herself in five years and her response was “Oh wow…

[F]ive years from now hopefully I’ve graduated” she giggled. “I hope to at least discover what I want to do with my life. Curly Cakes has helped me to decide where my interest lies, that being mostly the design aspect. I’ve lived in a small community my whole life and frankly I am really excited to break out and show the rest of the world what I’ve got.” She added, “I really can’t say where I will be in five years. I have a lot of interest in the arts like painting, drawing, and photography. Either way, I just want to share my creativity with the world and hope that they like it.”

If you have not been to Curly Cakes yet, we encourage you to stop by at 81 Charles Street, Boston MA.

continued from page 1

Visit online at:

www.izzycurlycakes.com

OpinionTHE BEAVER READER • MARCH 2011

ONLINE ONLYJoseph Randles ‘12Sophie Dietz ‘11

EDITORS

http://newspaper.bcdschool.org

Top Five Mashup Artists 2.0Where is the Judiciary Committee

Web 2.0. NuVu. No AP cours-es. Two terms per course. These are just a few commonplace associations with Beaver edu-cation. Yet, we at Beaver take these things for granted. What do these truly mean, and how are they impacting our educa-tion at Beaver and the rest of the education system? As many of you may have heard, there was a recent article on NPR dis-cussing Beaver and its AP pro-grams, or lack thereof. To many, this article has been read as a backhanded compliment; while I for one do not wish to fuel any fires, I do think that this article has done what any good article should do. Mainly, this article has people talking, thinking and learning about Beaver and its role in the future of education. As previously stated, we at Beaver take many won-derful differences for granted.

We expect small classes. We know that there are only two terms for every course. We don’t worry about AP classes. We take advantage of our re-sources and support. We inter-act with Web 2.0 technologies with our computers. We use programs such as NuVu not to escape from learning, but to better our learning. Yet, these things we take for granted are exactly what the current edu-cation model is lacking. Go to another school, and while you will see inklings of these advancements, they are not concrete. While not a slight to other schools, the -understand-able- fact is that these advance-ments take time, dedication, in-novation and a certain amount of money from the involved parties. This is to say though, that it is not impossible. I have had the fortune in recent weeks to talk to the administration, as well as our

beloved teachers, to hear their take on “The Beaver Model” of education. What I have heard has not only reaffirmed my position on Beaver, but has completely opened my eyes to

Beaver is not unlike other schools; it is unlike every other school. This difference runs from the top down. The administration is hardworking, thoughtful, and magnificently

David Herman ‘12

The Future of Education Pioneered by BCDSBeaver the place it is. While these words do not give it jus-tice, I do hope that you read-ers realize this, or soon get a chance to. This realization will only make you love Beaver that much more. With this in mind, take the time to go out and work the system. Use it, benefit from it, and have it benefit from you. We aren’t where we are by chance, and I urge you to re-alize that and help others. Go out, Carpe Diem, live long and prosper and all that jazz. Bea-ver is at the tip of the spear for future education. I hope that other schools learn and follow in the footsteps of the educa-tion pioneers of Beaver Coun-try Day School.

June 7 at the San Antonio air-port was turning out to be an-other average day. As a flight bound for Boston began to board, most were oblivious to the missing seat that belonged to Eric Balderas. Detained for using his Harvard I.D. as identi-fication, the 19 year-old student had more to worry about than his missed flight. Mis-identi-fication charges were quickly dropped for a far more menac-ing one: charges of illegal im-migration. His seat in court, of course, would not be missed. After Eric’s arrest, thousands of Harvard students, immigra-tion activists, and American cit-izens campaigned for his free-dom using hearings, Facebook, and street demonstrations to voice their support. After his two week trial, the United States granted “deferred action” to Eric Balderas, which stopped deportation due to the “merits of a case.” Though his reprieve may warm the hearts of many and his pursuit of can-cer research poses a valid rea-son to stay in the United States, I feel the true “merits” of this case do not lay in Eric’s life, but in the image of Harvard Uni-versity, the hyped media sup-port, and the parallel debate about the Dream Act which would grant the Eric’s of the

world a passage to citizenship. Before continuing further, I would just like to say I am not condoning illegal immigration or supporting deportation, but just exposing the flawed rea-sons for Eric’s stay and what this story truly reflects about the United States. Born in Mexico, Eric was brought to the United States when he was four and raised in San Antonio. The valedictorian of his high school class, High-land High, Eric was accepted to Harvard University with a full scholarship to study biol-ogy and one day wage the war on cancer. Eric seemed like the classic American kid, even go-ing to one of most prestigious universities in the country. Even with the knowledge of his ille-gal immigration, Eric Balderas still symbolized the American dream, representing that any-one can achieve in this country of equal opportunity. But what truly did Eric Balderas do to be granted deferred action? Yes, he was accepted into Harvard University, and yes it’s a tremendous accomplishment to receive a full scholarship. Yet, is that really more impor-tant than any other illegal immi-grant? Isn’t the courage to leave one’s country to better yourself, to forfeit your life for a greater future an accomplishment in it-

self ? Is the pursuit of work and a safe community not the main cause of illegal immigration? So why are they deported and not Balderas? Well, I have a pretty good idea and it has mostly to do with Harvard University and the media. Harvard, besides be-ing a top University, has consid-erable influence in the United States and holds sway in what-ever it supports; in this case, it was Eric. After Eric’s detention, Har-vard began a campaign for his release, throwing their entire support behind his case. Stated by Christine M. Heenan, Har-vard’s spokeswoman, “Eric Bal-deras has already demonstrated the discipline and work ethic required for rigorous university work, and has, like so many of our undergraduates, expressed an interest in making a differ-ence in the world.” To raise further support, Harvard stu-dents also created a Facebook page called “Keep Eric Home,” which has thousands of fans. Finally, with the Dream Act be-ing debated in Congress, it cre-ated the perfect mix for Eric’s release. So there it is: the American immigration system. The loud-er you are and the more promi-nent your support is, the easier you get off. And if you wonder

why the average immigrant is deported, its because they don’t have Harvard University, a Facebook page, and a fan base to support them. And here’s an-other thing to consider: what about the millions of people waiting for legal immigration? What’s fair about one kid be-ing illegally brought to America by his parents and given a free pass when more than a million Mexican citizens have been on the waiting list for years? What it comes down to is the United States’ true policy on immigration. The Federal Government has to take a non-biased approach; either remove all illegal aliens or pass a law for them all to stay. Allowing mer-its of the case, based on media support, is accepting corrup-tion and a disregard for equality. Though I support Eric, and be-lieve what he has done is an in-credible achievement, I still do not feel the reasons for his stay are fair. His case will continue to be an issue in the upcom-ing years as his deferred action grant will expire after college. The deferred action, however, can be renewed, giving him more time to work. In all, this really has nothing to do with Eric; all he wanted was a better future for himself. What it does concern is the United States and its im-

Ben Logan ‘12Harvard Student Deportation

migration policy. If the govern-ment spends more than a billion dollars on border control, that says something. Furthermore, the Government continues to kick illegal immigrants out; there are even T.V. shows, such as“Border Wars,” that chronicle this process. You catch illegal im-migrant Eric Balderas and let him stay because of media pro-test. Well, what does that say? I’ll tell you. It says something pretty hypocritical about the Federal Government. “Merits of a case” is the Government’s way of saying, “Yeah this guy should be deported, like every-one else, but we don’t need flak from the media so let’s turn this into a story about the American dream.” Well let me ask you some-thing. The Constitution states, “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of hap-piness.” Here’s my question: if that’s the American dream, then how come Eric Balderas is the only one allowed to stay? Why is it that the American dream only fits Harvard educated Eric and his Facebook support? I have a pretty good idea, but I’ll leave it to you, my readers, to answer it.

the fact that Beaver is one great place. Not that I didn’t believe this before, but when one takes a step back, and hears others’ opinions on Beaver, you can learn quite a lot.

onerous. The teachers are car-ing, dedicated, innovative, and invested in their job. The stu-dents are critical, creative, ana-lytical, sociable and eager to learn. These attributes make

Read more on npr.orgWhat’s New in High School?

Stress Reduction 101

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Sports: A Distraction or Stress Reliever?Emily Belowich ‘11Similar to academics, athletics require hard work, focus, and determination. Being an athlete in high school forces students to prioritize their studies, athlet-ics, other extra-curricular activi-ties and time spent with friends and family. The time manage-ment skills that students acquire through being on a time-inten-sive sports team are invaluable, and they are skills that carry on throughout school and other activities. Sports teach students how to incorporate workouts and practices into a schedule of classes and other activities. But there are many who view sports as a distraction, or rather a deterrent, because it stands in the way of of a student study-ing for the SAT’s or receiving a good grade on a test.

However, what many view as a distraction, I have per-sonally come to view as my sav-ior. For high school students like me, the school day causes a high level of stress-- homework and a lack of sleep are two con-tributing factors to this cause. The built-in time for sports throughout the day gives me a chance to breathe and release tension. Athletics have con-sumed an enormous amount of my time, but because of them, I have become more grounded, focused, and most importantly, happy. From an early age, we are taught many valuable les-sons through sports that share the same meaning in other as-pects of life. We learn how to gain confidence, trust others, be an unselfish leader, respect, and above all, how to be a good

teammate. These values are implemented by coaches and captains who show true com-mitment to their teams. The days of a high school student are stressful, tiring, and for

many, do not provide passion or motivation. Sports are an excellent way for students to show off their energy and ex-citement– whether the result is shown at the end of the game

or not. I know that I will con-tinue to carry the lessons that I have learned from sports with me in all of my future endeav-ors.

The Great Migration: a Radical IdeaJulia Cohen ‘11Lani Mann ‘11

On Wednesday, February 17, the students at Beaver Country Day School had the opportu-nity to hear from writer Kim McLarin. McLarin was invited to Beaver to discuss the topic of the Great Migration and how it affected her. The Great Migration was the movement of African Americans from the South to the North. She in-formed the Beaver community about the differences between the Black population living up North and the population liv-ing down South, and how they are not so different from each other. Most Northerners be-lieve that the North is the only place to receive an education, but McLarin was here to tell us that this judgment is not always correct. She told us that an equal percentage, if not more, of black teenagers living in the South graduate from high school than those living in the North. She then discussed the difference of net worth be-tween Black women in the North versus the South. The Beaver community was shocked to hear that the average net worth for Black women living in the South is only five dol-lars. McLarin also told us about some of her story and how she adjusted to moving to the North. When McLarin was go-ing into high school, she moved to New Hampshire and attend-ed Exeter High School. Her

experience was far from what she had envisioned it to be. Unfortunately, it was different in a negative way. Her dream of becoming a doctor was blurred by the guidance that the school provided and her years up North were the first time she had ever been called a ra-cial slur. McLarin made it clear that her years in the South were more easy-going than her time in the North.

Although she shocked students with some statistics, McLarin’s views seemed to be predominately influenced by her own experiences which she went into minor, yet emo-tional detail about. It was ben-eficial for the Beaver Country Day School community to hear McLarin’s views and personal stories.

said he understood this and it is a “delicate balance,” but school is a good place to learn how to manage this balance. Hutton said, “Technology is a reality, and students should learn how to use it.” When asked if he worries about students being distracted by Facebook and if Beaver would ever consider blocking the website from the network he said, “Well, here is the bigger issue. I don’t understand why people think Facebook is evil... It’s about talking about how we should use the technology and how we shouldn’t use the technology.”Mr. Hutton and I

He then explained that when Beaver was founded there was a large progressive school movement sweeping the country. However, in the 60s and 70s the idea of progressive schooling became a little fuzzy. Since then, many “progressive” schools have not changed or adjusted their curriculum at all. At Beaver, things are always changing (most recently with the addition of Web 2.0 technology and NuVu) so to put it in the same category of the other schools could be misleading. “What strikes me most about them [self identified progressive schools] is that they aren’t very progressive. They are still hanging onto methods of teaching and methods of operating the schools that go back to the 70s. They are very resistant to new initiatives, to change, to new ways of thinking about teaching and learning. For me that’s what’s discouraging. For me the label has become kind of redundant. We are much more than a progressive school...but we certainly aren’t a conventional school.”

To wrap up our interview I asked Mr. Hutton what he believes is the most unique and special part of the Beaver community. Once again, I received many answers. Mr. Hutton tells me he thinks that Beaver is “full of opportunities” and is “constantly changing and evolving.” Unlike other schools, Beaver teaches its students to learn and be interested in the world around instead of just teaching students to be “good at school.” Some schools lose track of what’s important, but Beaver is always focused on the students. All of these things and more are what makes Beaver special and unique, but for Mr. Hutton, they are the reasons he comes to work every day.

Hutton Interviewcontinued from page 1

agreed that it takes responsible students to learn how to use the technology in the right way during class but it is a very beneficial skill to learn in high school.

Beaver throughout the years has often been described as a ‘progressive school’, but why is there a sudden shift? This past year, word had gone around that Beaver would no longer be described as progressive. No one that I talked to understood why this happened, so I asked Mr. Hutton. He immediately responded that he would like to “get away from the labels.”

“[Most self-identified

progressive schools] are still hanging on to methods of teaching and methods of

operating that go back to the 70s.”

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THE BEAVER READER • MARCH 2011

ONLINE ONLYArts & LivingKirsten Gute ‘11Sara Radin ‘12

EDITOR

Richard Avedon ExhibitVisiting Artist: Dobbins

http://newspaper.bcdschool.org

Music: a way to interact with people of all ages. I have grown up listening to many different genres of music. My mom and sister like country music and my dad likes the Oldies and Mix 98.5. In the car we would listen to The Dixie Chicks’ cds. My family would sing along and it became the way that we connected. As the years went on, I started realizing my music likes and dislikes and it was no surprise that I fell in love with country music. In “Mainstream Media,” this genre is constantly scoffed at. The generalizations of country music is that it is all about “some tractor” or “a lost friendship.” Are some country songs about these things? Yes. For example, “My Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldene. How-ever, like other genres, there is a wide spectrum of music that falls under “country”. Unfortunately, coun-try music can easily be turned into pop. Artists like Lady An-tebellum and Rascal Flatts have been known to do this. These artists are outstanding perform-ers and song writers. However

you can hear them on Kiss 108, rather than 102.5. When I talk to people about country music,

I expect them to talk about art-ists like Eric Church, Brad Pais-ley, Keith Urban, and Darius

Sarah Goldberg ‘13

Country Music

I have always loved sweets, and could exist on desserts alone. I love watching a bowl of butter and sugar come together into a singular form. Sugar and flour are merely particles but when I combine those ingredients with others, I create edible works of art. These art forms are more like science models. The mea-surements and exactness that baking takes could be the same amount of precision it takes to build a rocket. All right, maybe not a rocket, but you get the point. It is relaxing, soothing, and the outcome, no matter what, will forever be a crowd-pleaser. I have always just fol-lowed recipes and directions and I usually don’t run into any problems. People always say that baking is a science, and it is very clear why. If you don’t follow the recipe to the precise measurement, or if you do not follow the baking directions, your good morning muffins may just end up tasting like a spoon-ful of flour. When baking, it is very

rare that you will find a recipe that will allow you to mix and match ingredients. This is be-cause it takes bakers weeks--sometimes months--to come up with the perfect recipe. Once a baking recipe is per-fected, there is no changing it.

If you add extra milk the mix-ture could become too soupy, or if you add too much butter, your beautiful chocolate cake

could turn into a thick mess. Baking powder and baking soda are the two chemi-cals that I come across most of the time in my baking experi-ences. Baking powder is a dry chemical raising agent. It is used to increase the volume and light-

en the texture of baked goods. Baking powder is the source of the air bubbles that are found in cakes, muffins, and scones.

Baking: A Soothing ScienceWhen bak-

ing powder is mixed in with the wet ingredient, it causes the bubbles to expand which leav-ens the mixture. Baking pow-der is made up of baking soda, acid salts, and an inert starch, such as cornstarch or potato

starch. The baking soda, known as sodium bicarbon-ate, has a slightly salty taste and

is where the carbon dioxide comes from. When mixed with other variables, it reacts with other components to release carbon dioxide, which helps the mixture rise. Acidity is needed to stimulate this reaction. That is why many baking recipes call for such things as phosphates, cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cocoa, vin-egar, and more. The release of carbon dioxide begins at tem-peratures above 80ºC or 176ºF. The inert starch has many functions in the baking powder. It is mostly used to ab-sorb moisture, but it also keeps the acidic components from reacting too soon. It also adds bulkiness to the powder, which allows for a more accurate mea-surement. Baking truly is the combination of art and science. The delicious product is always beautifully crafted when the recipe is followed, and the pro-cess is always a science experi-ment. I am slowly learning that baking is not just about sweets and treats but about discovering the endless possibilities of what baking has to offer.

Pheobe Allen ‘11

Rucker. Instead, I hear names like Taylor Swift, notorious for “going pop.” Other than

her new album Speak Now, her songs “Tim McGraw,” “Tear Drops on My Guitar,” and “Our Song” are some of the only actual country songs she’s ever sung. Country music is eas-ily misinterpreted. As someone who fol-lows Country music religiously, I have to say that the music has stories behind it. Listen to one song over and over again and I promise you it will have a new meaning each time you hear it. “Stay” by Sugarland, “Not Ready to Make Nice” by Dixie Chicks, and “Leave the Pieces” by The Wreckers are songs that I listen to constant-ly. While these three songs are slow, country music can make you feel an array of emotions. Country music is nonetheless underestimated and underrated. As a suggestion, try something new, listen to a different song, and remember that real coun-try music is different then Kiss 108’s definition of country mu-sic.

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Close your eyes. Now. Imag-ine yourself in a boat no lon-ger than you are tall, not much wider than your hips are wide. Now. Imagine a roaring set of whitewater; complete with holes, waves, rocks, strainers, and eddies. Oh, don’t forget the occasional waterfall. Dangerous obstacles, to say the least. What are you doing you ask? Why? Well, you are strapped into a whitewater kayak shooting some big water. As for why; you are doing it for fun of course! What you just experienced was whitewater kayaking at its finest. In a nutshell, whitewa-ter kayaking is basic kayaking on steroids. The unabridged version would be as follows: Whitewater kayaking is a sport in which the participant paddles a kayak on moving water, spe-cifically a river or creek. These rivers and creeks are then evalu-ated –similar to ski slopes– on their difficulty and danger. This system ranges from the Lazy River swift, called C1, to the Ni-agara Falls C6.

Extreme Sports: Whitewater KayakingDavid Herman ‘12

Under the general ban-ner of whitewater kayaking falls 3-5 more subcategories and styles. The three prominent ones today are as follows. River running is the category most often affiliated with whitewater

kayaking. In river running, the kayaker shoots whitewater go-ing downstream, moving from point a to point b. Often times, river running is mixed with playboating with awesome re-sults. Instead of trying to move

downstream, in playboating, kayakers often stay at one point in the river –usually a wave or hole– and attempt to pull off acrobat-like tricks. These tricks can range anywhere from surf-ing and spinning to cartwheels

and full aerial flips. Lastly, comes creeking. Creeking is very similar to river running in that the point is to move down stream. What defines creeking is the difficulty of the rapid, with narrower channels, higher gradient, ledges, falls, and slides. Whitewater kayaking is truly extreme, and the gear reflects that. Essentials include the boat, a sprayskirt, a helmet, a PFD, and a paddle. Recom-mended gear includes a rope throwbag, a knife, and a safety whistle. Yet, even with this gear, it’s important to get proper training and skills. In fact, I my-self am learning how to white-water kayak this spring. Until then, keep watching for more extreme sports.

OBEYBen Logan ‘12

It’s safe to say the average man will know the neon profile of Barack Obama. Formerly a backdrop for “change,” and

a signature of our President’s campaign, this iconic image has been put on almost everything from custom T-shirts to Facebook applications. But where did that picture come from? Who was the artist behind this? And most importantly, why did that simple portrait spark such manifestation of “Obama-ization?” The realm of psychology.More distinctly, the study of phenomenology, is where we find those answers. Stated best by Heidegger, phenomenology is, “The process of letting things manifest themselves.” A trait mastered by Shepard Fairey, our Obama artist. Educating the public on empiricism once unnoticed, Shepard uplifted street art from its underground

roots, and established himself as an internationally known artist. His undefined creations and rag-tag beginnings became the cataylst of urban art, provoking us, his audience, to do nothing more, but obey. During his teenage years Shepard began creating skate stickers and band logos to represent the punk culture he associated with. Moving deeper, during higschool, he meddled with homemade prints and paper stencils not as art, but to further embellish his skateboard ties. It was in college, at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1988, that Shepard began to see stickers as more than just representation, but propaganda of an individual’s beliefs. It was that understanding that

led him to creat the infamous “Andre the Giant” sticker in 1989. A lucky mishap while teaching his friend to make stencils, Andre the Giant demonstrated perfectly the idea of phenomenology. Beginning locally in Providence, Rhode Island, the crude portfolio of Andre the 7’4” 720 pound giant soon took on a life of its own, becoming well known across New England. I had the great fortune of working for Shepard Fairey throughout the past year. Recently re-doing his mural at Tufts University without him, I realized that everyone passing by would see it as Shepard’s work, even though it was done by a local highschool boy. While an artists name often

embellishes the piece at hand, in Shepard’s case it is through art that his name has been found. It doesnt matter who put up the sticker, or pasted the mural, but that it’s done by the hands of high school kids, fellow artists, or Shepard himself, all united under one cause. “Obey” seems like an aggressive connotation, forcing someone or something to accept. But I think it means the opposite. Obey is the will to contend, joining us together in pursuit of a greater purpose. It reaches out, inviting any of us to accept it. To obey.

Julia Fein Interview

Beaver is known for its incredible arts department. What everyone doesn’t know is how people use their talents off Beaver’s campus. Freshman Julia Fein is using her passion for the arts in a whole new way: narration. Julia is in the process of narrating “Crow Call”, a book by Lois Lowry that has been adapted into a movie. I got to sit down with Julia and understand exactly what she’s doing, how she got into narrating, who inspires her, and much more.

What exactly is the job you got?So they made Lois Lowry’s picture book “Crow Call” into a video, and I’m the narrator of the book.

How did you hear about the audition?Family friends told me about the company, and then I got in touch with the company and they told me about the audition.

What was the audition process like?I got the book, and I made notes in the book to help me with pronunciations, and I went in and read a couple pages for them. There were a couple other people

auditioning for the part, but I never saw them. I only read it once, but after I read it once, they had to send it to Lois Lowry to get approval. Once she gave her approval, they let me know I got the part.

Have you gone on auditions like this before? If so, have you gotten one?I’ve only done background noises for voiceovers, like saying “trick or treat” for a group of kids, but that would only be five minutes.

How did you realize you were so passionate about narrating?I didn’t really realize it until I narrated “Crow Call”, but I really

liked it the whole.Which art form is your favorite?I love theatre- mostly musical theatre. It involves everything I like- singing, acting, and dancing.

How young were you when started to realize you had a future in narrating/how did this start?This only started September of last year which was when I started getting into narrating and voiceovers, but I started taking acting classes when I was 7.

Who or what is your inspiration?I guess just any actress who tries

really hard. My family and friends are also very encouraging about everything I do.

Who or what has been the biggest influence on you so far?My parents because they really got me into everything. They started it all.

What advice do you have for someone who is a budding artist like you?Keep trying; don’t get frustrated if you don’t get a part. Everybody gets rejected, but there will be the part that is right for you.

Carli Jaff ‘12

Want to see videos of extreme kayakers in action?

http://bit.ly/dQ035Rhttp://bit.ly/f2cCu2

Visit Fairey online:

obeygiant.com

For Your HealthTHE BEAVER READER • MARCH 2011

page 8

Gabriella GutmanEditor in Chief

More TriviaMystery Teacher Answer

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street,

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.--- . ... ... / -.. .- -. / .- -. -.. / - --- .--. .... / .-- . .-. . / .... . .-. . / .- -. -.. / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / --- -. . / -.. .- -.-- / .-. ..- .-.. . / - .... . / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. / -.--.- --- .-. / .- - / .-.. . .- ... - / -... -.-. -.. ... -.--.-

Beaver Teacher CROSSWORD

All answers are teachers’ names at BCDS.How well do you know your teachers?

ACROSS3 His project caps them all6 Yoga extraordinaire7 A squash player; not part of the commonwealth9 The next Gossip Girl star12 “Let’s lax, gentlemen”13 Wayne Turner’s wingman15 This bird has been rel-egated to the middle school16 Where’d he go?17 Has a famous toy named after him18 “It will all work out in the end”

DOWN1 Chief Excitement Officer2 A boggy last name3 Roommate with a celebrity4 Tours avoid his room5 First day of school? Rocking the white suit8 Newton’s best friend10 Disciplinarian11 Morado con negro14 hcuoGor? test19 Professional knitter and tech guru

Where is This?

Here is a zoomed in picture of something on the Beaver cam-pus. Can you tell where it is? Visit us online for the answer.

EditorsGabby GutmanSebastian SmithEmily Belowich

Carli JaffJoe RandlesSophie Dietz

Kirsten T. GuteSara Radin

Taylor HayesAmirah MahdiDavid HermanZeke Sattloff

WritersClass of 2011

Neddy Beckwith, Kirsten T. Gute, Ally Sass, Lani Mann, Julia Cohen, Brit-tany Volcy, Sophie Dietz,

Amirah Mahdi, Emily Belowich, Emily Meltzer,

Phoebe Allen

Class of 2012David Herman, Joseph

Randles, Sara Radin, Tay-lor Hayes, Carli Jaff, Zeke

Satloff, Ben Logan

Class of 2013Brian Rubenstein, Alex Woo-Rainer, Maggie

Cherneff, Jenna Kaplan, Lauren Lapuck, Margeaux

Nanfeldt, Elias Duncan, Sarah Goldberg,

Dom Smith

Class of 2014Alexandra Bernard

Faculty AdvisersJenna WolfRobin Neal

STAFF

MYSTERY TEACHERHere are the clues for a Beaver Faculty. Can you figure out who it is?

College: Boston University Children: 0 Color: Midnight Blue Lived in: NY, Philly, Texas, Germant Pet: No Favorite Book:To Kill A MockingbirdFavorite Artist: MonetFavorite Sports Team: Philly Eagles

Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park Starbucks: YES. Like to swim: NOPool or Ocean: neither Favorite Drinks: Diet Coke and Margaritas

Go online to find out who is the mystery teacher!