A GROUP OF DEVON PREP STUDENTS GOES ON A MISSION TRIP TO ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY
PAGE 2
VOLUME II ISSUE I
The Devon Dialogue OCTOBER 2010
SUPPLIES AND BEGINS TO PLAN THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES
PAGE 3
THE DEVON DIALOGUE
NEW SCHOOL YEAR BRINGS NEW CHANGES Stephen Sloto ’11, Lead Correspondent and Zach Adams ’11 As students poured into Devon Prep on the first day of school, they discovered many changes in store for them. From the second they entered the school’s driveway, changes were apparent. The daunting iron gates were gone, the blue awning was down, and small stone walls rested near the entrance. Devon Prep was in the process of getting a major face life. Unfortunately, due to permit problems and untimely weather, the projects were not done in time for school, but were instead in full swing. A new, fancier main entrance is being built as part of a plan to bring the architecture of the high school building in line with that of Calasanctius Hall. The interior of the high school building is also having some work done. The entrance to the gym is now graced with the sports Wall of Fame honoring the greatest athletes in Devon’s history. In addition to physical changes, Devon has also undergone changes in the staff and the curriculum. Devon Prep is happy to welcome three new teachers to the esteemed faculty: physical education teacher Mr. Jewitt, English teacher Mr. Theuer, and science teacher Ms. Picard. In the curriculum, a few new classes have been added at the request of students. Freshmen now enjoy the choice of public speaking with Mr. Mullen. One of the freshmen was quoted saying that it is a serious college level course that they feel will benefit them greatly. The student seemed very excited to have this new class. Freshmen can now also elect to take art instead of computer science. They have been seen entering the art room with smiles on their faces. Elsewhere in the curriculum, seniors are currently taking the first Advanced Placement Environmental Science class ever offered at Devon. One of them, Stephen Sloto, said he was “…really enjoying the class,” and that it was “…an important and timely topic.” Finally, one other change has been added to Devon. Students now enjoy a Youth Mass every Friday. This helps the students in their spiritual growth immensely by singing, praying, and worshiping God together. These palpable changes around the school have already provided a great benefit for the student body, allowing them to reap the benefits of their first-class Devon Prep education.
NEW COUNCIL IN SESSION Eddie Finn ’11 Student Council has experienced multiple changes since the end of last school year. Firstly, there is a new executive board: Albert Emhof ’11, the President; Jeff Bevan ’11, the Vice President; and Alex Construction was in full swing as Devon Prep stuDiMarzio ’11, the Treasurer. In dents returned to school in September. addition, Ms. Medina and Ms. Bosma have both stepped down as Student Council moderators. In their place, Mrs. Iacobucci and Madame Mondon have taken on the moderation. One of the most recent developments of Student Council was the changing of the venue for the prom. Instead of the Union League, where the past few proms have taken place, this year’s prom will take place on the Spirit of Philadelphia, a ship on the Delaware River. President Albert Emhof, said, “Ryan Litchert ’11, the 12th grade president and head of the Prom Committee, thought of having the prom there, and once we visited it we knew that was where we wanted our prom to take place. EveryContinued on page 2
THE CHRISTIAN ACTION PROGRAM COLLECTS OVER 4,400 SCHOOL
1
BOMB SCARES, BUNNIES, AND THE WRIGHT BROTHERS ABOUND! Nate Stauffer ’12 In celebration of Woody Allen’s 75th birthday, Devon’s own director extraordinaire, Mr. Carl Gedeik, has chosen his classic play, Don’t Drink the Water as this year’s fall production. Set in a Communist country behind the Iron Curtain, this comedy centers around a group of Americans who come to Europe for vacation, only to be mistaken for spies. They seek refuge in the American Embassy, where a host of crazy characters lives and it leads to a disastrous and hysterical chain of events. Walter Hollander, a caterer from New
CHAOS ENSUES IN THIS YEAR’S FALL DRAMA
Jersey, played by Albert Emhof ’11 and Skip Kozak ’11, is dragged by his wife, Marion, played
by Amanda Limoges and Marissa Auriemma, to Europe for vacation along with their newly-engaged daughter, Susan, played by Kathryn Bisbee and Skylar Frederick. During their travels, Walter accidentally snaps a photo of secret nuclear weapons, only to be hunted down by the Communist police force. Subsequently, they are accused of being American spies. Thereafter, they run for the nearest safe haven, the American Embassy. When they get there, they are greeted by the klutzy, nerdy Axel Magee, played by Harry Crimi ’11 and Nate Stauffer ’12. He only makes the situation worse. When riots break out and foreign diplomats come to visit, a series of crazy, madcap events is set in motion. To top it all off, Axel and Susan fall madly in love. Do the Hollanders escape? Does Axel get the already-engaged girl? Do any of them make it out alive? And why is there a priest wearing a strait jacket? You’ll have to come see to find out. Don’t Drink the Water is Woody Allen’s most successful show and arguably his funniest, as well. Performances will run Friday, October 29th at 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 30th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and October 31st at 2 p.m. in the gym. Tickets will be sold at the door. Come support your friends and have a good laugh! Oh, and remember, don’t drink the water...
NEWS AT DEVON PREP NEW COUNCIL IN SESSION
A SUMMER OF SERVICE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Justin Wickersham ’11
thing just lined up perfectly for prom on the Spirit.” Another priority on the Student Council’s agenda for the year is making Battle of the Bands more popular. The biggest thing being done to ensure the rise in popularity is to continue to allow bands from other schools to take part in the event. “Right now, I want to look into advertising it more and bringing in more talent from local schools, so that we can really pump up interest and attendance,” Albert said. Student Council also plans on continuing the recent tradition of tailgates to draw more attendance and support for our student athletes. Albert said, “We definitely want to have a few baseball tailgates, and at least ““EVERYTHING JUST one tailgate for lacrosse.” These are not all the things that LINED UP PERFECTLY Student Council has in store for Devon Prep this year. “There are a few events FOR PROM ON THE that we’re looking into adding, such as a ‘‘S SPIRIT.’” Student vs. Teacher Academic Challenge Team match, and a few minor changes around the school. But what we really want to focus on this year is improving what we already have,” Albert said.
The Appalachian Mountains bring to mind the images of beautiful hiking trails, great spots for camping, and fun outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. But, deep in the mountains of Appalachia, there are many secrets kept away from the average East Coast person. Severe poverty envelops some areas of the Appalachian Mountains. This past summer, a number of Devon Prep students, families, and teachers, along with the Our Lady of Assumption Youth Group, discovered these secrets of poverty and struggle in one of the poorest regions in the country when the youth group sponsored a mission trip during the first week of August. The participants went out to Prestonsburg, Kentucky in Martin County, one of the poorest counties in the nation. During the week in Kentucky, the group took on different jobs in order to help the struggling people who lived in the poor regions known as the “hollows.” They completed a multitude of projects which aimed at helping the poor and needy. One project was to build a ramp for a man struggling with cancer. Without the ramp, he could not leave his house. Other projects included the following: installing a drop ceiling and delivering textbooks at The Piarist School, working on the landscaping at St. Martha’s Church, waterproofing a handicap ramp for an elderly woman and giving canned goods to the people in the “hollows.” Overall, the trip was a rewarding and enjoyable experience for everybody who attended. The people of Prestonsburg and the people in the “hollows” who were helped were very thankful for the work that the group accomplished. The trip goes to show that a bit of love and service really goes a long way.
Devon Prep Student Body President Albert Emhof ’11 (left) and 12th Grade President Ryan Litchert ’11 (right)
CHECKMATE! Stephen Sloto ’11 Lead Correspondent Albert Emhof ’11, Ryan Litchert ’11 and Colin Feeney ’11 (left to right) flip burgers at the first Student Council sponsored tailgate on September 16, 2010.
Chess is a game that has been played for thousands of years by all sorts of people. At Devon Prep, chess is played after school every Wednesday in the Chess Club. “This year, the club’s membership has dramatically increased,” the Chess Club President, Steve Sloto ’11, said. “It’s good to see so many students playing chess together,” he continued. Kyle Engel ’11 explained the club’s appeal, “It is just a fun club where we can hang out and play chess.” “We have no strict rules or dress code, and we like to joke around as much as anybody else,” the Chess Club Captain, David Freiberg ’11, added. Nevertheless, the club also has a more serious aspect to it. During the winter, Devon’s star players compete in the Main Line Chess League. David Freiberg is working hard to try to get the team in first place. He is planning on keeping track of the best players and emailing them to make sure he knows who is available for the chess matches. Anyone who wants to help out is able to do so. Of course, the Chess Club accepts players from any skill level and any grade. Anyone interested can always wander into Mr. Lewis’ room, 102, after school on a Wednesday and join in the fun! 2
NEWS AT DEVON PREP CAP’S CALENDAR Matt Baldassano ’11 The Christian Action Program (CAP) is the student-run community service organization at Devon Prep. Many have heard the straight forward description of CAP either at the open house, on the website, or from somewhere else. Nevertheless, CAP is much more than that description. CAP is not just another club; it is the club to be in at Devon. Where else can you help people and fulfill all of your service requirements at the same time? It is the only place, and is way more fun than one would ever expect. When thinking of the community service requirements, many think of tedious, boring hours spent doing nothing of significance, but in CAP, that is not the train of thought. CAP members look forward to the fun-filled hours of helping others while enjoying it at the same time. It is not uncommon for CAP members to far exceed their hours without even realizing it for the pure reason that they are having so much fun. CAP starts the year strongly CAP STARTS THE YEAR with Up For a Cause on October STRONGLY WITH UP 15th. This is the largest CAP event of the year and probably the most FOR A CAUSE ON fun. For anyone who is not familOCTOBER 15TH. iar with the event, each participant raises $175 and then stays up all night in the gym to support a local charity. In addition, the night is packed with nonstop action and more food than anyone could possibly eat. The CAP leaders have all kinds of activities lined up including a three-on-three basketball tournament, handball tournament, grade vs. grade Dodge Ball-a perennial favorite, tug-of-war, a raffle with exciting prizes, and much more. After Up For a Cause, CAP will be moving right into the Harvest Tide Food Drive. All interested students should bring in as many cans as possible and the homeroom with the greatest donation receives a prize. Following Harvest Tide, CAP has the Christmas Giving Tree, Winter Clothing Drive, and the Saint Edmund’s Christmas Party. Through the Giving Tree, CAP collects gifts for poor people in Philadelphia. During the Clothing Drive, students donate gently used clothing to be given to underprivileged families. The highlight of the Christmas season for CAP is the Saint Edmund’s Christmas Party. At the event, CAP members have more fun than ever imagined with a great group of mentally challenged men from the area. Singing Christmas carols, eating food, playing games, and having a great time are just a few of the exciting aspects of the party. Last, but certainly not least, is Speak Up, a youth leadership conference that takes place in the second semester. Much of the day is spent talking about teen issues in small groups with topics such as drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, stress, and much more. What has been mentioned so far does not even do CAP justice. Words cannot begin to describe the fun to be had when you join CAP, not to mention all the service hours to be earned. But, it is really about kindness towards our fellow man. Whether it is a sick child, a homeless man without a coat, a family with no food for Thanksgiving, or even a fellow teen who is in over his or her head, the least that can be done is lend a helping hand, and that is exactly what you will do if you join the Christian Action Program here at Devon Prep.
DISCOVER DEVON
On Sunday, October 10th, Devon Prep will give a warm welcome to prospective students and their families at the annual Open House. The afternoon will include tours of the beautiful campus led by current Devon students, as well as the opportunity to learn about the many academic and extracurricular opportunities the school has to offer. 3
UPCOMING EVENTS AT DEVON PREP OCTOBER 13 – PSATS (NO CLASSES FOR SENIORS) OCTOBER 15 – MIDDLE SCHOOL SPIRIT DAY OCTOBER 15-16 – UP FOR A CAUSE OCTOBER 18-NOVEMBER 22 – HARVEST TIDE FOOD DRIVE OCTOBER 21 – SOCCER TAILGATE OCTOBER 22 – FALL MUSIC CONCERT OCTOBER 22 – NO CLASSES OCTOBER 29 – MIDDLE SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARTY OCTOBER 29-31 – DON’T DRINK THE WATER FALL DRAMA NOVEMBER 1 – ALL SAINTS’ DAY (NO CLASSES) NOVEMBER 1-7 – SENIOR FIELD TRIP NOVEMBER 2 – WINTER DRESS CODE BEGINS NOVEMBER 5 – 7TH GRADE PIZZA PARTY NOVEMBER 8-10 – REPORT CARDS DISTRIBUTED
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE
Ben Senss ss ’12, Matt Swatski ’12, Matt Kramer ’12 and Joe Geiger ’12 (left to right) prepare school supplies for delivery to St. Elizabeth’s Community Center in North Philadelphia. Joe Geiger ’12 The classrooms may have been empty, but that did not mean there was nothing going on at Devon. CAP members were hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year. In the spirit of CAP, they were not preparing for themselves, but rather for those who lack the means to do so. The generous members of the Devon Community graciously donated over 4400 school supplies. These supplies helped students throughout St. Elizabeth’s Community Center. All of the school supplies were distributed during a block party the Saturday after they were delivered. As a reward for their hard work and dedication, the CAP members were treated to Franzone’s Pizza, a mainstay after CAP functions.
NEWS AT DEVON PREP FROM FINANCE TO PHYS. ED: INTERVIEW WITH MR. JEWITT
DEVON WELCOMES MS. PICARD, NEW SCIENCE TEACHER
Joe Geiger ’12
Matt Baldassano ’11
Devon Prep welcomed several new faculty members this fall. One of those newcomers is Mr. Jewitt, the new physical education teacher. The Devon Dialogue had a chance to sit down with Mr. Jewitt and learn a little more about him.
Devon Preparatory School welcomes Ms. Picard from Sacred Heart as a new teacher in the Science Department this year. DP Dialogue: Where did you grow up? Ms. Picard: I grew up in North Branford, Connecticut. DP: Where did you go to high school? MP: I attended a private school in North Branford [called] Sacred Heart. DP: What was your favorite subject in school? MP: In high school, I loved Anatomy and Physiology, which is what I teach now. In college, I loved Latin. DP: What college did you attend? MP: I went to Saint Joseph’s University here in Philadelphia. DP: What was your major? MP: I majored in Latin and Biology. DP: How would you describe yourself? MP: …As a nerd! [laughs] DP: What is your favorite movie? MP: The Goonies. DP: What is your favorite TV show? MP: I actually have two: House and Project Runway. DP: What type of music do you listen to? MP: Mostly stuff on WMMR, but my favorite band is Green Day. DP: What is your favorite book? MP: Anything by Jodie Picoult; basically, the kind of stuff they use for Lifetime movies. DP: Who was the most influential person in your life? MP: My Latin professor in college DP: If you could have dinner with three people, living or deceased, who would they be? MP: Audrey Hepburn, Morgan Freeman, and Chelsea Handler (for some humor). DP: What was your dream job as a child? MP: To be a lawyer, since I loved to argue… and still do! DP: What is your impression of Devon so far? MP: It’s different. DP: Do you like it here at Devon so far? MP: Yes, definitely.
DP Dialogue: Where did you go to high school? Mr. Jewitt: I went to Nether Providence High School, which is now Strath Haven High School. DP: What was your favorite sport growing up? JJ: Growing up I played soccer, baseball and ice hockey. But my favorite was soccer. Soccer was my best sport in high school; I started four years of Varsity soccer. I was captain and an all mid-Atlantic player my junior and senior years. DP: Did you have any favorite hobbies as a kid? JJ: Sports was my whole life, both playing and as a fan. DP: What is your favorite place to vacation? JJ: I would have to say the Jersey shore. I have been going there since I was a kid. DP: Where did you go to college? JJ: I went to Ursinus. There I majored in finance and played soccer. I was also inducted into the Ursinus College Athletic Hall of Fame for soccer. DP: When did you decide that you wanted to become a Physical Education teacher? JJ: After going to school at Ursinus, I went to graduate school and there I began to pursue a career in physical education. DP: What was your first teaching job? JJ: I began part time teaching at St. Aloysius in 1984. After a year there, I went and worked in finance before I began teaching at Shipley. I taught at Shipley until 2005. DP: Is there anything in particular that you enjoy about teaching? JJ: I really enjoy the interaction with kids. DP: What qualities would you say make a great teacher? JJ: The ability to relate to kids really makes a great teacher; it gives a few different perspectives which really help the students. DP: In addition to Varsity Soccer coach, will you be coaching any other teams? JJ: I will probably be coaching Middle School “B” Basketball as well as JV Baseball. DP: Is there a particular sports player that inspires you? Why? JJ: Growing up my favorite athlete was the Flyers player Bobby Clark because of his determination. Bobby Clark overcame diabetes against all odds and proved his true passion for the sport. DP: Is there a particular sports coach that inspires you? Why? JJ: As a kid, Dick Vermeil was really inspiring. He took the Eagles from the bottom of the NFL to the top of the league. He was a great motivator and competitor; he drove the team to heights that most people never thought they could achieve. Dick Vermeil was a total class act.
Mr. Jewitt, the new physical education teacher, joins the Devon Prep faculty this year.
NINTH GRADERS MAKE BONDS AND JOIN FORCES On September 14, 2010, the entire freshman class partook in Ninth Grade Adventure Day, a day of team building and group activities which were designed to create bonds throughout the ninth grade class. The day was led by a team of highly trained facilitators who facilitate the group through activities which encourage collaboration, cooperation and cohesiveness. The students walked away from the day highly energized and feeling like a more cohesive community. The activities were impossible to complete alone; instead, students had to work together to complete the challenges.
4
NEWS AT DEVON PREP Matt Baldassano ’11
PRO-LIFE PURPOSE
How many clubs are there, at any school, where the headmaster is your club moderator and you have the opportunity to save lives? This is what makes the Devon Prep Pro-Life Club (DPPLC) one of a kind. At the first meeting this year, the new officers were elected for the 20102011 school year. Matt Baldassano ’11 was elected President, Bill Adamiak ’11 was elected Vice President and Harry Crimi ’11 was elected Secretary of the club. The first event this year is the Pro-Life Chain, which occurs in early October. This event is truly an awe-inspiring demonstration to witness. The club was unable to attend last year due to scheduling conflicts with the open house, but this year the club’s leadership team is hoping to bring out a record number of students to participate in the Pro-Life Chain. Also in the works for this year will be multiple Pro-Life dinners and events with guest speakers, beginning with the Pro-Life Union dinner in Philadelphia. In previous years, there have been amazing speakers such as Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr. and a Pro-Life activist, and as well as many others. There will also be a local Pro-Life dinner in Springfield, Delaware County, as well as the Villanovans for Life dinner at Villanova University. Further, the largest events of the year cannot be forgotten, the Pro-Life March in Washington D.C. and the Baby-Drive collection leading up to the march. Last year, the Archdiocese was impressed by the amount of baby supplies that were collected by such a small school in the Baby-Drive. Hopefully, this year, the Pro-Life Club can encourage the collection of even more baby supplies. Another great event occurring this year will be the Silent Vigils (if Father Shea’s neon orange signs can be considered silent) at the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in West Chester. The club is looking to step it up and bring as many students as possible this year. If anyone is available on the first Saturday of the month, and is willing to withstand the sometimes cold, snowy, and windy weather, just let Father Shea or Mr. Lewis know you are interested in attending the vigil. The Pro-Life Club is bigger and better than ever, and ready to save some babies. Therefore, those who are interested should stop by Father Shea’s room on Tuesday afternoons right after school.
DEVON’S HAUNTED HALLS
Nick van Schaijik ’12
Nearly everyone knows that the Piarist Fathers founded Devon Prep in 1956. However, beyond the occasional rumors of the ghost of Mrs. Lea, most do not know much about the history of “preDevon” from the days before the Piarists owned the campus. What is currently the campus of Devon Prep was originally the estate of a wealthy Philadelphia publisher named Charles Lea. The beautiful stone mansion, later named Calasanctius Hall after the founder of the Piarist Order, was built in 1913. It was part of a large estate known as Westthorpe Farm. Westthorpe also included a stable, a carriage house, and a workers’ cottage. After Mr. and Mrs. Lea died, the Piarist Fathers eventually bought the buildings. The mansion became the classroom building, the stable became the chapel, the carriage house became the chemistry lab, and the servants’ cottage became rooms for boarders. Devon Prep opened Devon Prep opened in 1956 with its first class of freshin 1956 with its first men. The tuition was $300.00. In class of freshmen. 1960, work began on constructing the high school building. In 1961, Devon’s second ever graduation ceremony was held in the current gym. The salutatorian of that class was a student we all now know as Reverend Richard Wyzykiewicz, Sch.P. ’61. Fr. Rich commented on the changes that he has seen since Devon’s inauguration in the fifties. One big change he noted was in the teachers; he remembers only two lay teachers during his first few years at Devon. The rest of the teachers were Piarist Fathers, most of whom had very thick accents. Fr. Rich was happy to relay the stories about the sightings of Mrs. Lea’s ghost. When he was a student, two priests claimed to have seen Mrs. Lea on the property. One saw her in the garden; the other saw her looking in through a window. They recognized her by the older era clothes she was wearing. Years later, a Devon mother saw her looking through a window. Fr. Rich commented on the ghost sightings by saying, “Well, they were not lying. Yes, I believe that they saw her. I think she was just curious and wanted to know who was in her house.” Whether or not the ghost of Mrs. Lea visited campus, Devon Prep certainly has a vast and interesting history.
RHYMES WITH LAWYER: INTERVIEW WITH MR. THEUER
Roshan Patel ’12 Mr. Lawrence Theuer has over 35 years of teaching experience and has previously taught at The Haverford School and Chestnut Hill Academy. He is one of the most recent additions to the ever-growing Devon Prep family. Currently, he teaches middle school and high school English. Recently, the Dialogue had the privilege of getting to interview him. DP Dialogue: What was it that first attracted you to Devon Prep? Mr. Theuer: Seeing all the AP and National Merit Scholars in the paper one time! DP: How do you like Devon so far? LT: I love it. The academic focus is remarkable and the spiritual element is refreshing. All the kids I have encountered have been tremendous. DP: What should your students expect from you? LT: They should expect rigor, high standards, intense attention to grammatical and linguistic detail, a sense of humor and humility. DP: Do you have any interesting hobbies? LT: I love to kayak and Jet Ski. In addition, I love to bike through Valley Forge Park. I am also a pretty good ping-pong player! DP: Who is your favorite author? LT: That is tough. It would have to be a three way tie between Steinbeck, Hemingway and Fitzgerald. DP: Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you. LT: I am a vegetarian. DP: Apart from English, what do you hope to contribute to Devon? LT: I hope to contribute a sense of community and spirituality to the school. I also hope to contribute collegial support and unwavering acceptance and support to my students. DP: And, finally… Clear it up once and for all: how do you pronounce your last name? LT: My last name is pronounced like Tom Sawyer with a lisp! Mr. Theuer, we welcome you to Devon Prep, and we wish you the best of luck throughout the coming school year! 5
ENTERTAINMENT PEOPLE’S LIGHT STAGES CUCKOO’S NEST Greg Bokar ’11 Editor-in-Chief Comedy and laughs envelop the stage of the People’s Light and Theatre as the Malvern theater company releases its newest staged play, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Based on the book by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the story of Randle McMurphy, who thinks that he has hit the jackpot by avoiding incarceration by getting himself admitted to a mental hospital instead of a farm working camp. The play is full of laughs and is definitely a worthy interpretation of the beloved book. After The play is full of convincing the laughs and is definitely authorities that he a worthy interpretation is mentally insane, McMurphy ends up of the beloved book. at a mental hospital. Upon arrival, McMurphy encounters numerous rather interesting individuals who keep the crowds rolling with laughter and stunned with intrigue. An inner struggle evolves between the head nurse, Nurse Ratched, and McMurphy as he stirs up controversy and moves the other hospital inmates into a revolt against the policies of the institution. When the doctor at the institution, Dr. Spivey, begins to fall for his antics, Ratched begins to raise concern and probe into the activities of McMurphy. The entire play connects humor with a well-developed plot. Without a doubt, anyone could find this hilarious and moving play entertaining and a valuable use of time. People’s Light and Theatre stages its interpretation of Cuckoo’s Nest on the year of the 35th anniversary of the film adaptation of the book. Director of Cuckoo’s Nest, Jackson Gay, said, “I love the challenge of working on a play that has such a presence in the minds of so many Americans. One thing that I have been thinking about a lot lately is the power of laughter. At the beginning of the play, the patients in the hospital are incapable of true laughter…It is only when McMurphy comes into their lives, with his huge booming genuine laughter, that they begin to rediscover the laughter inside of them and let it out.” One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest runs through October 16, 2010. Talkback performances, where audience members can ask the cast questions about the play, occur every Thursday night for the duration of the play’s run. Tickets range from $25 – $45. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 610.647.1900 x 134. Special thanks to People’s Light and Theatre for allowing The Devon Dialogue to be a member of their press viewing.
“YOU DON’T GET TO 500 MILLION FRIENDS WITHOUT MAKING A FEW ENEMIES” Ryan Carson ’11 Associate Editor of Entertainment What if you were the genius behind a world-renowned social network site and your best friends sued you to gain profit and popularity? That is exactly what happened to Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of the famous social network, Facebook, in 2004. He was taken to court and was found guilty on many charges, including copyright infringement. This is the plot line for the new movie The Social Network. Jesse Eisenberg (of Zombieland Zombieland) plays Zuckerberg. The movie views the events through the eyes of Zuckerberg. Facebook began as an innocent web site where Harvard University students could find each other online to stay in touch. As the site’s popularity rose, it spread throughout the country, and began to be used by other students at different colleges. As most things do over time, it ended up in the hands of the government, who found many problems pertaining to individual rights and copyright laws. Not only was Zuckerberg found guilty of these crimes, his best friend claimed to be the creator and sued him, adding insult to injury. Ultimately Zuckerberg prevailed - he received recognition and compensation for the hard work and genius that had been displayed. The screenplay was adapted from Ben Mezrich’s The Accidental Billionaires (2009). Justin Timberlake also stars in the movie as Sean Parker, the president of Facebook. Another notable actress is Rashida Jones of The Office and Parks & Recreation, who plays Marilyn Delpy. The Social Network is directed by David Fincher of Fight Club. The movie opened in theaters on October 1, 2010.
SPAIN CLAIMS “CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD” TITLE
Christophe Rodelli ’11
The dog days of summer contained far more than procrastinating summer reading and avoiding summer assignments; one of the greatest events in the world took place this summer in South Africa. Yes, the 2010 World Cup. The championship games started on June 11th with thirty-two teams each representing their country. All the teams in attendance were competing for the greatest title in soccer, “The Champions.” Sixty-four matches were played, and a total of 3,178,856 people attended the games. Some teams fell while others rose to the top, but only one team claimed the title. In twenty-seven days of non-stop soccer, the countries competed against each other in order to proceed to subsequent rounds. For those who do not know how The World Cup works, it begins with thirty- two teams in eight group stages. Then the top two winners of each group stage move on to the round of sixteen. Sixteen teams then compete for eight places in the quarter-finals. From the quarter-finals four teams move on to the semi-finals where they compete for a place in the championship. On July 11th, it was down to Spain vs. the Netherlands competing for the Championship. After a long arduous fight, Spain won the match in overtime 1-0, with Andre Iniesta scoring the winning goal and Cesc Fabregas giving him the winning pass. Spain, for the first time in FIFA history, won the World Cup and became the eighteenth team to win the championship, putting them on the wall of fame.
6
DEVON PREP SPORTS PHILLIES PHEVER
MAKING GOALS
Dan Monaghan ’11
Ryan O’Shea ’12
In 2000, a mere ten years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers made it to the NBA Finals, led by Coach of the Year Larry Brown and MVP Allen Iverson. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies finished the year at 65-97, a level occupied today by bottom feeders such as the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fast forward 10 years: the Sixers are, to put it kindly, hard to watch, and the Phillies are leading the National League East and are ready to make another run deep into the playoffs. They have established this level of achievement as the standard by winning the National League East three years in a row and winning the National League Pennant two years in a row. They secured a World Series Championship in 2008 against an upstart Tampa Bay team. The Phillies have become the New York Yankees of the National League and have established themselves as a consistent contender. They have built their team around a base of three key players, all of whom were developed in the Phillies farm system: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins. Over the past couple of years, these three players, combined with Pedro Feliz from 2008 - 2009 and now Placido Polanco, have established themselves as the most talented infield in Major League Baseball, rivaled only by the New York Yankees. Jason Werth, Shane Victorino, and Carlos Ruiz have also been instrumental in the Phillies’ success, always coming through in the clutch with big hits. This season things have been a little different for the Phillies. Over the last few years fans have grown accustomed to the Phillies destroying the baseball, consistently getting extra base hits and putting up double digits in the run column, seemingly with ease. Their weakness had been in their starting pitching, which was usually just good enough to get by. This year, things have changed. During the offseason the Phillies made an exciting pickup, by acquiring arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Roy Halladay. Unfortunately, the acquisition of Halladay came at the loss of Cliff Lee, who had become somewhat of a folk hero in Philadelphia due to his fantastic performance in the 2009 playoffs. While there was a great deal of excitement over the signing of Halladay, it was bittersweet due to the loss of the beloved Lee. Another great signing came in the form of Placido Polanco. Polanco originally spent four seasons with the Phillies from 20022005, hitting for a .300 batting average over that span. Polanco is the type of hitter that the Phillies desperately needed. A recent weakness of the Phillies has been their over-aggressiveness at the plate, leading to a myriad of strike outs. Placido Polanco is a contact hitter who rarely strikes out. He has struck out only 437 times in 1583 career games. To put that into perspective, Ryan Howard has already struck out 1016 times in only 859 career games. Polanco has helped the Phillies to 1276 hits this year, fifth best in the National League. As usual, the Phillies’ defense has been stellar. Their fielding percentage is at .986, fourth in the National League. Their pitching has been outstanding, boosted by the acquisition of Roy Oswalt at the trade deadline. While this move did not totally eliminate the disgust of many Phillies fans over the loss of Cliff Lee, it certainly deadened the blow. Since the acquisition of Oswalt, Cole Hamels seems to have rediscovered his level of play from the World Series in 2008. Oswalt, Hamels, and Halladay have established themselves as the most dominant trio of starting pitchers in the league. As a team, the Phillies’ pitching staff has given up the sixth fewest runs in the National League. They are tied for first in number of shutouts thrown, eighteen, and they are first in the National League in complete games with an amazing thirteen. That is six ahead of the next closest team, the New York Mets, who have seven. All in all, Phillies fans should be excited about their chances for a 2010 parade down Broad Street. The team is peaking at the right time, led by the power surges of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. With home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Phillies will be a tough opponent for any team in the National League, and when the World Series rolls around, the New York Yankees will be very afraid of this team when they realize the Phillies are on an entirely different level than last year. And if it is the Tampa Bay Rays that the Phillies face, history has already shown the outcome.
The smell of burgers, hot dogs, and freshly mowed grass can only mean one thing at Devon Prep — it is tailgate season. Devon students and Pit members alike gathered after school on Thursday, September 16th to cheer on the Varsity soccer team in its home-opener against Delco Christian. Though this enthusiasm was business as usual for the typically exuberant Devonites, the Varsity soccer team has faced a number of changes this season. This summer, long-time Head Coach Bob Heavey left his position as Varsity Soccer Coach. For his worthy successor, Mr. Jeff Jewitt, the former Head Varsity Coach at Shipley, this year marks his fourth year of coaching Devon Prep soccer. Mr. Jewitt spent two years as Assistant Varsity Coach and one as coach of the Freshman Team at Devon Prep. The Assistant Coach, Mr. David Walz, returns for his third year of coaching soccer at Devon. After losing the majority of last year’s lineup to graduation, the team has undergone a major restructuring. Captains Vince Quintilliani ’11, Rich Glikes ’11, and Andrew Fletcher ’11 now lead a fresh squad of veteran seniors and juniors from last season’s stellar JV team. Underdogs in an extremely competitive league, the Varsity team opened the season winless in each of its first six matches. However, neither the coaches nor the players have lost hope. “We can be as good as we want to be. Our performance this year is entirely up to how we play,” remarked Coach Jewitt during practice. Every player is committed to playing hard, working as a team, and leaving absolutely everything on the field. Wherever this season takes us, it will help to shape Devon soccer for years to come. Roll Tide. You can support Devon soccer by cheering them on at any tailgate or home game. Schedules are posted in the gym lobby and online, at DevonPrep.com.
Mac Lockard ’12
ON THE HUNT
Cross-country is off to a running start this year. The team received a record amount of new runners and has already embarked on a winning season. The Wolf Pack started the year off with the Gettysburg invitational. The Invitational was much smaller than in years past, but still had over forty teams. Unaffected by the poor turnout, the Devon cross-country team competed quite well. The top varsity runner in the invitational, Tom Seykora ’13, finished forty-third overall. In other recent events, the team defeated both Girard College and Morrisville in fifty to fifteen blowouts. These strong results leave the cross-country team with a winning record of two to one. The Wolf Pack is already on the hunt and smelling the blood of the teams yet to be defeated.
7
INVADING THE SHADOWS Greg Bokar ’11 Editor-in-Chief In the lifetime of any current high school student, there has not been a moment in history more defining, more tragic, or more powerful than the attacks on the United States nine years ago. Every American has seen the chilling images of United Airlines Flight 127 slamming into the South Tower of the World Trade Center complex, filmed as television cameras rolled live in response to the first attack on the North Tower. No American will ever be able to dispel these images from his or her brain. As former First Lady Laura Bush so eloquently put it on September 11, 2010, “Nine years ago, we saw the worst of our enemies, and the best of our nation,” in reference to the flight brought down by passengers in Shanksville, PA. The heart-wrenching images will forever affect the way Americans go about their daily lives. In the wake of the attack on the United States, Americans should be grievingly looking upon the 2,997 patriots who tragically lost their lives in the name of radical Islam. Instead, the shadows of the Twin Towers are being invaded by a new domestic threat. On September 11, 2010 every major news outlet’s websites commemorated the September 11th attacks in some form. These websites displayed headlines saying, “Protests, politics creep in on Sept. 11 anniversary memorials” (MSNBC), “Islamic Center demonstrators gather on 9/11” (CBS NEWS), and “Somber 9/11 remembrances With political fervor two blocks away” (FOX NEWS) are just three of the headlines that engulfed the space that should have been limited to nothing but a remembrance to those who were lost on that unforgettable day. Two blocks from Ground Zero, supporters looks to erect a new ground for Islamic worship. Proponents of the so-called Ground Zero Mosque argue that there is no reason that the mosque should be excluded from the area surrounding Ground Zero because they had nothing to do with attacks on 9/11. Despite the validity of this claim, is it really respectful or necessary for a mosque to be in such close proximity to an area that still is bare where the largest towers in the country once stood? Politics have now meddled their way into a day that was once free of politics. September 11, 2001 was probably the most apolitical day in the history of our country. And in many ways it still is. Laura Bush and Michelle Obama stood together on stage in Shanksville, PA, speaking to a crowd of over a thousand. This was the first time they were together since President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. September 11th forced Americans to realize that regardless of which political party one associates with, we are all Americans, and we are Americans before we are Democrats or Republicans. These facts are undeniable. So if we truly do strive to allow this one event, if nothing else, to be the one thing that draws us together as a country, how can we allow controversy to build a permanent house of worship just down the street from Ground Zero in Manhattan? It is not fair for Muslims, who want to build a thirteen-story mosque, to expect those families who lost loved ones to accept that their new neighbors are people connected to those who killed their family members. This is not a matter of religious discrimination; it is a matter of respect. The mosque is constitutional, no one is denying that, but this is a matter of principle. Building a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero erects controversy in a place that should bring unity. President Barack Obama spoke at the Pentagon this year on September 11th and said, “They may seek to spark conflict between different faiths, but as Americans, we are not - and never will be - at war with Islam.” This is a controversy that is being spoken of. Why on Earth is President Obama bringing up religious tolerance on a day when he should be doing nothing but commemorating his fellow Americans who are no longer with us? President Obama stood at the Pentagon, the site of another attack, and spoke of toleration for the religion. Is it acceptable to shun Islam? No, but this is not the venue to bring in politics to a place where there should be none. It is evident that President Obama is trying to beat around the bush saying that there is no reason that the mosque cannot be built. He said, “We’ve got millions of Muslim Americans, our fellow citizens, in this country…when we start acting as if their religion is somehow offensive, what are we saying to them?” In response, the question becomes why can the mosque not be built at a distance greater than two blocks away? Why does the mosque need to be in close proximity to the World Trade Center memorial? Simply stated, no one is asking Muslim-Americans to go away, but why can’t they respect those families whose lives were lost? Not every Muslim supports the building of the mosque here. If building proponents were truly the patriotic Americans that they claim to be, they would open their eyes and realize why this case is such a controversy and respect the sensitivity of the issue. 8
DANGEROUS DEFICIT Mac Lockard ’12 The United States must do something about our government’s growing debt, but it is risky to raise taxes in the current recession. The country cannot increase the taxes of the working class and middle class due to the current economic climate. The group which has been least affected by the current recession are those who make more than a quarter million dollars annually. If the government does not renew the tax cuts for this miniscule percent of Americans, it could greatly aid in the reduction of the monumental debt this country is facing. A theory has been put forward that, if we take away more money from high earners, it would hurt the economy. This is based on the idea that, if unrestricted, the rich would invest the money, providing a stimulus. Yes, it is true that it would provide a stimulus, but it would not have a large enough impact. In order for a stimulus to be considered successful, it must provide a good return. Extending the Bush tax cuts for those who make $250,000 a year would not provide as good of a return as extending it for the middle class. This is because the wealthy tend to spend a smaller percentage of their income than the middle or working classes. This means that every dollar the government does not take from the wealthy does less work in helping with economic recovery, as compared to every dollar the government does not take from the lower classes. Under the Bush tax cuts, the U.S. national debt has more than doubled. According to some prominent economists, a higher debt means it costs more money to make an investment. That means that if we ignore the debt and just concentrate on investing money, the debt would increase, nullifying the effect of the new money in the economy. The income of the wealthy would go to better use in reducing the national debt and would also help in the recovery of the economy. If the conservatives were serious about ending the recession and eliminating national debt, they would support the increased taxes on the wealthy. The argument put forth against this is that, if the government raises taxes on only the affluent, then it would hurt businesses and cause a rise in unemployment. There are a few problems with this. The local economy would not be hurt by President Obama’s new tax policy. An overwhelming majority of small businesses makes less than the cut-off for the taxes. Local jobs would not be lost. Also, the taxes would only be raised back to the Clinton era amount. Under the Clinton administration, the U.S. experienced much economic success. In fact, despite the higher taxes, the unemployment rate under President Clinton shrunk to 4.2 percent. That is less than half of the unemployment rate in 2009 of 9.3 percent under the Bush tax rates. During these difficult times the country must very carefully balance the U.S. debt against the recovering economy. If the country concentrates its efforts on just one problem, then it will be impossible to solve the other. The best way to do this is to let the Bush tax cuts expire on the 2% of Americans who make more than $250,000 per year.
Executive Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief: Greg Bokar ’11 Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Kelly ’11 Photography Editor: Doug McParland ’11 Associate Editor of News: Stephen Sloto ’11 Associate Editor of Entertainment: Ryan Carson ’11 Associate Editor of Opinions and Interviews: Nate Stauffer ’12 Faculty Moderator: Mr. Larry Theuer Assistant Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Liz Eshleman