Lamplighter 10/20/10
Country Fair Goes Green
LAMPLIGHTER
Jamie Ducharme If you ask any Derryfield student what comes to mind when they think “Country Fair,” you'll probably get answers involving classic booths like Rent-a-senior, the Dunk-tank, or the Carwash. While those things are all considered integral parts of what makes Country Fair great, Derryfield, through Conservation Club, is making an effort to include ecofriendliness in that answer. Student response as to the success of that goal, though, is mixed; many feel that a one-day, isolated event like country fair cannot have a
large impact on our environment. Conservation Club member Mariel McLeod admits that the green initiative “could have been advertised better” and that “there is always more we can do.” She still feels, however, that big improvements have been made, such as serving ecofriendly hamburgers and buns on recycled plates. Kaitlin Fink agrees and goes further to say that she feels that “days like [Country Fair] do make a difference in terms of attitude.” She believes if Conservation Club
positively influenced even one person's mindset towards going green, then they have done their job. According to Fink, Country Fair's objective in terms of eco-friendliness was not necessarily something tangible, and acknowledges that it probably “didn't offset the total amount of waste being sent to landfills every day.” Instead, their goal was to “introduce people to easy ways they can become more environmentally conscious, and to encourage them to start taking action at home, every day.”
Plagiarism Focus in the Classroom Maggie Cochrane With the new school year, a new phrase fills the halls of Derryfield which makes both teachers and students cringe for different reasons: Academic Dishonesty. Many teachers have taken to writing down their definition of “plagiarism” and spent a good chunk of class time going over it. The school even had an entire assembly devoted to it. Cheating, it seems, is a huge issue that must be addressed from all angles. Some students are thoroughly fed up with the repeated assailments of “do not plagiarize.” This is Derryfield, a private schoolsurely the issue is not important enough for half an hour in every class and an assembly about it. As it turns out, it could be: cheating is a serious problem that exists in many, if not most schools. “Intellectual property is protected under government
guidelines,” according to experiment-resources.com. This is why plagiarism is wrong; it’s not a student’s original work and the writing one steals is, technically, protected by the government. “Mr. Powell has pushed this issue to the forefront, and you’re probably sick of hearing about it,” says Mr. Cousineau, “but it’s one of these things full of gray areas and pitfalls, and he’s trying to make sure people realize this and don’t fall down those slippery slopes.” According to plagiarism.com, “A national survey published in Education Week found that 54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the internet….” One could argue that Derryfield is merely doing its part by attempting to lower these statistics. However, the fact that this is Derryfield should mean
something. By now, students feel that they get the message. Margaux Joselow says, “it’s good that they’re approaching it before it happens, but it’s a little too much. I almost feel like they don’t trust us.” An anonymous student states, “I think it’s a good thing to emphasize, but there is a point where it becomes overkill. By the end it’s just taking up class time.” Inside this issue: GSA Dance
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Presidential Address
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Really, Derryfield?
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Fall Fashion
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Bachelor and Bachelorette
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Chinema
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Kitty Cornered: Editorial
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Derryfield News GSA Dance is a Success Lindsay Pollock
On Friday, October 1st, the GayStraight Alliance sponsored this year's first Upper School dance. They sold 144 tickets at $5.00 a piece, making over $700.00; it was a great success. After last year's many debates between faculty and students about the school's dance policy, the “compromise” was successful, according to teachers. The issue
last year, according to teachers, was too much inappropriate dancing at Semi, and so they enforced a “no grinding” rule. Worse, after Semi, the School did not hold any more dances besides Prom, and these restrictions angered students. The compromise this year is that grinding is allowed, but Ms. Shutz offers some advice: “Don't dance
in a way that would make it awkward for teachers to look at students in the classroom. In other words, dance while pretending that either your grandmother or parents are watching.” This advice seemed to work at the recent dance, because teachers approved the dancing while students still had a good time.
Grandparent’s and Special Person’s Day Cait Gillet
October 1st was Derryfield’s annual Grandparents and Special Friends day. Derryfield has hosted grandparents for one day every year almost since the school started in 1964. Many teachers love Grandparents Day, as do most students. Morgan Wolf says, “I enjoyed Grandparents Day, and so did my grandpa.” During physics classes that day, students
tested their mousetrap cars and many grandparents were intrigued by how different each car was from the next. Vincent Rappa brought his aunt and said that she enjoyed her time at Derryfield. Rachel Feins said that her grandmother particularly enjoyed the school song during the special assembly. Some students even brought both grandparents, but teachers were
well prepared for the extra number of people in the room. Some teachers directly integrated the grandparents and special guests into the class; others let the students show the grandparents what they were learning. Walking around that day, many students and their guests could be seen smiling or deep in conversation about a particular teacher or class.
More on the New Gateway Building Ms. Kathleen Rutty-Fey, the Associate Director of Admission, has brought more information to Lamplighter’s attention about the need for the new Gateway Building. The Art House was apparently in a stage of “physical deterioration.” Temporary fixes, such as large metal bolts in the front of the building’s foundation, were installed, but Rutty-Fey says, “for the past two years, we’ve been wondering if we would come in one morning to find our heavy filing cabinets crashed through the floor. It was that bad.” Besides the structural concerns, “the basement leaked, there was one bathroom for sixteen people, and handicapped access was nearly non-existent,” lists Rutty-Fey. She says, “the old building has certainly served us well, but was built in the 1800s with too many modifications to name, none of which seemed to make it strong enough to last very far into this century!” It certainly seems the Gateway Building is a necessary project.
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Human Interest Junior Class Talent Show Roz KennyBirch The Junior Class Talent Show this year was unanimously declared a success by the Derryfield student body this year. From the hilarious hosts, Breanna Northrup, Mat Mina, and Alex Michaud, to the outstanding singers, including Rachel Moss, Margo and Maddy Pierson, and Dan Schwartzberg, to the instrumental pieces by Peter Thompson and Mitch Huckaby, and “Chin and Friends,” the night was very fun. The hosts kept up a lively stream of comedy throughout the talent show, keeping the atmosphere jocular and the audience entertained. Breanna had a comical rendition of popular You Tube character Miranda, and Alex’s dance to the song “Only Girl in the World” caused the audience to erupt with laughter. Mat and
Alex also had an onstage argument that consisted of only phrases and titles from popular songs. The pressure is on for next year’s hosts. Competition was high for singers that performed in the talent show. Rachel Moss, Sarah Blaisdell, Dan Schwartzberg, and Margo and Maddy Pierson were among the competitors. Rachel Moss sang brilliantly, earning a first place finish that was well deserved. Dan Schwartzberg sang while playing the piano, and did not just do his own act, but sang for “Chin and Friends” to close the evening. Take a Bow sang by Sarah Blaisdell was also a hit with the audience- almost everyone clapped along to the beat of it. Margo and Maddy Pierson took second place for the middle school due to a rendition of “Hey,
Soul Sister,” which they rewrote part of so that it could relate to their relationship as sisters. Allison Lord sang “Hallelujah”, a song that the Derryfield concert choir is also practicing, and won third place. Singing was not the only talent students had, however. Instrumental pieces threatened to steal the show, with Peter Thompson and Mitch Huckaby combining on the keyboard and the drums, respectively. The duo ended up winning first place for the middle school. Another group of students, “Chin and friends”, played Hotel California while Dan Schwartzberg sang. The combination was magical, earning them a second place finish in the upper school.
Presidential Address Aseeb Niazi Last Tuesday the student council had our first meeting, and we elected Michael Larson as the Vice President and Emmie Lamp as the Secretary. We reviewed our agenda for the rest of the year, which includes reviewing the handbook and electronics policy. We also talked about starting the Umbrella Organization, which is a fancy name for having a meeting that includes all the clubs and activities in the school. Mr. Bouton worked with the Key Club and potentially there will be a Halloween dance this month. The Event of The Week is going great we are getting bigger numbers every week, keep it up. Also, the Moose and Cougar competition continues. Moose 10 Cougars 5 Cougars, step it up!!!
Really, Derryfield? Hunter Holbrook Banning skateboarding in the parking lot, even after school? Really, Derryfield? Changing our no-homework weekend to a “catch up weekend?” Really, Derryfield? Upping the homework load when seniors are doing their best to finish applications on time? Really, Derryfield? Intensifying study hall rules instead of letting the teachers run them on their own? Really, Derryfield? Dances in the McInich Room? Really, Derryfield? Not fixing up the forum for the Seniors? Really, Derryfield?
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Fall Fashion Jamie Ducharme After trend upon trend focusing on all that is short, tight, and distressed, understated chic is finally making its return to the spotlight. This fall, fashion is all about practicality, femininity, and classic minimalism, a refreshing break from the “edgy” looks of seasons past. Fall’s must-haves include:
•A wear-with- anything jacket: A structured, perfectly tailored blazer is always a great way to add life to jeans, or to bring
summer dresses into fall, or go for a more deconstructed take. Loose, almost cardigan-like jackets in silk or satin are a perfect way to update an old classic.
•A structured dress: You can never go wrong with a simple, refined shape—such as a shift dress, or a short-sleeved mini— paired with opaque tights and a pair of flats. •A full skirt: In a departure from the slashed and torn styles of last year, go for a fuller, more romantic shape in a bright color or print. •Long silhouettes: Whether it be a longer skirt or a pair of well-tailored pants (other than jeans!), less can be more. •Lace: Lace is everywhere this season, and with good reason. It can dress up even the most simple of shapes and make it noticeable..
New Activity: Women’s Empowerment Meg Huckaby Women's Empowerment, a new club headed by Erica Raff and Ellie Lynch, is designed to put a focus on the issues that girls and women today face both globally and locally. They will be looking closely at the varied pressures that society puts on girls, and the challenges they are expected to overcome. The goal of this club is to help girls find and embrace their
“inner selves” so as to be able to truly thrive in the modern world. The group will be working with other women from around the world in order to gain a better understanding of the different roles women hold in their respective cultures. Plans for activities during meetings range from yoga sessions to guest speakers who care share their own experiences and
offer their advice. They will be working with two books; Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, and I am an Emotional Creature by Eve Ensler, both of which discuss in detail the themes that the club is centered around. This club seems like a great addition to our Friday activities period, so check it out!
Thanks to All of the Contributors! Editor-in-Chief: Kristen Ryan Managing Editor: Maggie Cochrane News Editor: Maggie Cochrane Human Interest Editor: Roz KennyBirch Sports Editor: Rachel McCoy Layout: Kristen Ryan Contributing Writers: Jamie Ducharme, Lindsay Pollock, Cait Gillet, Hunter Holbrook, Aseeb Niazi, Meg Huckaby, Hannah Kanik, Olivia Donahue, Zack Chin, Jessa Fogel, Ben Moll, Kate Jorgensen Want to join in on the fun? Contact Kristen Ryan at 11ryan@derryfield.org
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Bachelor and Bachelorette of the Week Hannah Kanik
And the Bachelor is… HUNTER MANSON Would you prefer the classic dinner and a movie or something less traditional? On a first date, I'll be a little mundane, but then second date, BAM I'll do something crazy Describe your ideal date. Well, I'd probably take the G6 to Cuba, wine and dine her, fly to Vegas to blow some cash, then take the Lambo into the desert to watch the sunrise over scotch. What is your all-time favorite movie? Star Wars What is your greatest accomplishment so far? Learning the tricks of passing high school while not doing homework... What are you looking forward to the most this school year? Senior spring. Oh, and Italy after we graduatethat's going to be a dope trip What is your favorite thing to do? Ummmm. Live my life. Do what I do. How can I pick one? What is most important to you in a relationship? Passion. If you don't have it, you have nothing. Describe your perfect girl. Smart, fun to talk to, well formed, anything but shy... loves adventures, preferably a dog person... knows kung fu... can fly fighter jets... is really rich and over 21.
And the Bachelorette is… MEG HUCKABY Would you prefer the classic dinner and a movie or something less traditional? I’d say something less traditional is always more interesting. Describe your ideal date. Anything fun and exciting that I can laugh a lot while doing. What is your all-time favorite movie? Anything that’s NOT a horror movie.... I can't sleep for weeks after watching those. What is your greatest accomplishment so far? Learning how to make the perfect chocolate cake (laughs). What are you looking forward to the most this school year? Surviving Chem and making new friends What is your favorite thing to do? Fun things with friends. Oh, and baking. What is most important to you in a relationship? Being able to be yourself around each other and always having lots of fun. Describe your perfect guy. Oh the usual… Funny, sweet, nice, smart, with some goofy thrown in there.
Have on opinion? Send it in. 11ryan@derryfield.org
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Horoscopes Olivia Donahue Aries: You need to make sure that your free-thinking ways aren't dampened by anyone else's skepticism. You should be filled with great energy, so now is the time to push ahead with seemingly crackpot schemes. Taurus: Your money problems aren't as bad as you fear -- but you still need to take them seriously! It's a good week for you to step up and make sure that you're on a firm footing. Friends can help. Gemini: You and your good friends should be getting along famously right now. Make the most of this social energy by cementing deeper relationships with them. Cancer: Help a friend in need this week and you should get right back on track -- all it takes is a little service to get you in the right head space. In the meantime, you've earned some good karma! Leo: Your love life is an endless joy -- even if you're not seeing anyone. Your good energy puts you in the right frame of mind and certainly makes you more attractive. Virgo: You're caught between two powerful instincts -- progress and security. You're better off slowing down and taking care of any little details that require quick attention. The big picture can wait! Libra: You are feeling some social energy welling up inside you that should make communication extra-sweet for now. It's a really good time to express feelings that have been somewhat elusive. Scorpio: Watch your wallet this week! It's just way too easy for you to spend yourself silly without realizing what you're doing -- or whether you really need just one more pair of shoes, or pants or sunglasses. Sagittarius: You and your friends are getting even closer -- largely thanks to your own great energy. You sometimes run out on your own, but right now you need to be surrounded by your people. Capricorn: You are feeling even more productive and efficient than usual -- and that is saying quite a lot! See if you can put yourself in the right situation to do the most good. This can't last forever! Aquarius: You need to go big this week, in one way or another. See if you can get your friends to open new doors to you, or maybe find someone interesting who could make a good friend. Pisces: You and your righteous energy are making real waves -- so see if you can get the right people riled up alongside you. Together, you may be able to make a real difference in the world!
Chinema Zack Chin
Ben Knows What Goes Down in The Town I’m not sure why everyone hates Ben Affleck. As I surf the net and see the comic book dorks blogging about how much Daredevil sucked and how Affleck was indeed ‘blind’ in understanding his character’s role, I cannot help but wonder why no one talks about his haunting performance in Hollywoodland. Now I have another reason to cock my head, for Ben Affleck’s starring in and directing of The Town demonstrated a deep understanding of greed, corruption, and Charlestown. I went to see the movie with my mother, and I was sure to take the time to watch her in order to understand the reaction and assessment of realism from someone that was from Charlestown. The characters, the bars, and the accents, from what she told me, all reflected an excellent and haunting realism. “I knew Jem,” she said, making reference to the greediest of the bank robbers in Affleck’s crew, “He was just like half the guys I grew up with”. At first, I was shocked at how well portrayed the characters were, for Affleck was a Cambridge boy and was not a real ‘townie.’ As soon as Blake Lively made her first appearance, I knew that most if not all of the cast did some form of method acting in order to appear to be a ‘townie.’ The script was well written, shots were well constructed, and the acting, indeed, was excellent. Despite its lack of a true, DVD purchasing wow factor, The Town could be a force to reckon with during Oscar season, for movies like this one that show the daily life in a dangerous neighborhood often win over the hearts of the Academy. It is not a “must” see, but a “should” see. So while I take a couple weeks to explain the genius of The Social Network, get on Facebook, find some friends, and go see The Town. Cinematography: 3/4 Script: 3/4 Entertainment: 4/4 Bottom Line: 10/12
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Derryfield Sports Independent Spotlight: Charlotte Weisberg Jessa Fogel To begin, could you give us some background information about your independent sport? You are an equestrian, correct? Yes. I do eventing, which is a riding competition made up of three parts: dressage, which is mainly flatwork and different movements with your horse; stadium, where you have to jump all the obstacles of a course in a certain amount of time; and cross country, a timed event where you jump a course in the field or woods. How would you say doing all that affects your schedule? Is it difficult getting to the barn every day? It’s a little difficult, but my schedule doesn’t really interfere with riding because I’ve had to give up a lot of other things to make time for it. I can’t have anything taking priority over my riding because I have to fit it in with school. Have you had any difficulty balancing academics with riding? Sometimes it’s tough because it’s such a big time commitment since I’m at the barn every day. I try to make homework a priority, but I get home really late. If Derryfield offered an equestrian team, would you join it? I would probably join because I like being on a team for a sport. There is no real “team” at my barn; I mostly go for the facilities it offers. So I still work my house there and everything, but I would compete for DS. Most barns have a “show season,” when is show season for you? Does it conflict with your participation in a Derryfield team sport? Shows usually start at the end of April and continue through October. The only other sport I play for Derryfield is lacrosse, and that’s hard sometimes because I still have to ride every day and show on the weekends, so I’m really busy. I used to play more sports for DS in middle school, but once I got to high school and started owning a horse, I had to quit two sports: field hockey and alpine skiing. I’d play three sports a year for DS if I could, though. Would you prefer to participate in an independent sport or a team sport? I prefer team sports because I really like working with other people and being part of a team, but riding is the sport I love most. I have to ride as an independent sport if I want to do it at all because of the time commitment, but I’m willing to sacrifice being on a team to participate in a sport I’m more interested in.
Derryfield Varsity Field Hockey Ben Moll
As of Friday, October 15th, Derryfield Varsity Field Hockey is ranked Number One with a 14-0 season. Coach Lenny McCaigue complimented every player on the team, especially noting the team’s leading scorers and captains, Ann DiPastina and Tayla Satkwich, with 7 goals each. He also compliments the fullback pairing Berklee Valliancourt and Atlee Coler that is a solid wall on defense. The co-captains, along with Carolyn Kegel, make up the team’s stellar offense as well as defense in the midfield. When asked why she loves playing field hockey with Derryfield, Captain Ann DiPastina says, “I love to see our team click...we have continued to learn and improve as a team.” She also believes the team has “an excellent chance of going very far in the postseason.” Ann praised her fellow senior teammates, Tayla Satkwich, Jamie Ducharme, and Nicole Chenelle who combine to be a huge part of the team both offensively and defensively. Overall, this team has dominated the season and is expected to be very successful in the post season.
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Editorials Kitty Cornered: A Bit of the Luddite in Me Kate Jorgensen Nowadays it seems as though every time I turn my back something new has been installed at Derryfield. The CougarTron for instance, or the new computers in the library, or the Eno boards in every room or even just the new face of Derryfield - the website. I will admit that the aforementioned items are exceedingly nice and do make our school look better. In fact the new website is downright useful - I can access all of my assignments and look at my homework schedule any time I want. Which means, of course, that I no longer have any excuse. But I cannot help but think that this new technology comes with a price. Now I have to look at the website to make sure I’m not missing some assignment that my teachers didn’t mention in class or forgot to mention but expect that I did anyway. The new computers in the library have taken the place of the work tables that I used to sit at and wrestle with my ponderous text books - leaving little precious work space to be used by students who don’t have to use a computer. The Eno Boards have sprung to use (admittedly with some difficulty) by most of the faculty – leaving white boards to be a thing of the past. In fact - it now seems virtually impossible to escape from technology on campus. In the Forum, at least one person is using their laptop or playing music. In the quiet rooms too - the click-clack of laptop keys is readily audible. The gym frequently has music blaring from its speakers. In reality however it is not just Derryfield where this situation exists - it is our modern life and our society. Technology immerses our lives - perhaps even insidiously. We cannot do without our cell phones, our lap tops, our MP3 players, or our e-mail. The list is perhaps endless – and somehow, terrifying. I fully appreciate how easy it is to tune out the world with your own personal concert of Billy Joel or to browse for hours on the Internet and seemingly achieve nothing. I understand, I really do. Technology is everywhere. And I'm not saying that it is necessarily bad – just that we take it to extremes. If I want to be quiet, and away from any technology at all, well, the cafeteria isn't bad, neither are the benches in the connector. But it is hard to get away from technology at Derryfield – it requires effort and thought. And sometimes we don't think that thought, or use our will power. We have turned to communicating only by text message or Facebook, reading only on the Internet – sometimes it seems even our newspaper is the thing of the past. I may be entirely mistaken but it used to seem like a part of Derryfield, whether its students or faculty occasionally, appreciated getting away from the hum and thrum of technology. Or maybe the din wasn't quite so loud. Whatever it is, I want that lack of technology back at least for a little while – so I guess I'll have to find myself a garret to hole up in. Ah, silence, precious silence!