The Devon Dialogue
volume V, issue III| March 2014
Devon Preparatory School
proudly publishing for five decades
Basketball Wraps Up Season The Devon varsity basketball team finishes a stellar year. See Page 3
A Day in New York City
The Devon Eighth Grade makes its annual trip to New York City. See Page 6
Sochi Olympics’ Issues
Looking Back Fifty Years The Devon Dialogue sits down to interview Mr. Paul Sanborn ’64, history teacher and coach. See page 4.
The threat of terrorism in Sochi caused the Russian government to implement increased security measures. See Page 7
Standing Up by Sitting Down
ACT-V Stars
Sam Young ’15
CJ Nave ’15
On Su nday, Febr ua r y 23, 2014 members of t he P ro-L i fe C lub, accompa n ied by fac u lt y members a nd pa rent s, at tended t he Pen ns ylv a n ia ns for Hu ma n L i fe “Celebrate L i fe Ba nquet ” at t he Spr i ng f ield Cou nt r y C lub. Deacon C lay, Ma ster of Ceremon ies, st a r ted of f t he n ig ht w it h some hu mor. A f ter we had a n ice laug h, it w as t i me to get dow n to busi ness. T here were t wo g uest spea kers, J.D. Mu l la ne, a colu m n ist at Greater Ph i ladelph ia Med ia, a nd Jewels Green, a for mer abor t ion cl i n ic worker. M r. Mu l la ne st a r ted t a l k i ng about t he t r ut hs of bei ng P ro-L i fe. He sa id rel ig ion is not a fac tor i n t he cont rovers y of abor t ion, but mora l it y. M r. Mu l la ne is not P ro-L i fe bec ause of h is Cat hol ic Fa it h, but bec ause he k now s t hat abor t ion is a nefa r ious a nd d isg u st i ng ac t . A s a n advoc ate for P ro-L i fers ever y w here, M r. Mu l la ne is not a f ra id to lose h is job for spea k i ng out on h is bel iefs. He made it appa rent to us t hat, appa l l i ng ly, 1 out of 3 A mer ic a ns have been abor ted si nce Roe v. Wade cou r t dec ision i n 1973.
M rs. Green w as ra ised i n a fat herless, pro-abor t ion hou sehold. At t he age of 17, a f ter d roppi ng out of h ig h school due to d r ugs, she bec a me preg na nt . Ever y body told her to get a n abor t ion, but she d id not w a nt to bec au se she a l ready saw hersel f as a new mot her. M rs. Green stopped her u se of d r ugs a nd checked out a book f rom t he l ibra r y, Under 18 and P reg nant. She st a r ted to t u r n her l i fe a rou nd for her baby, but her relent less boy f r iend forced her to get a n abor t ion. T he ps ycholog ic a l a f ter mat h f rom t he procedu re nea rly k i l led her. Her g u i lt cont i nued to i nc rease, u nt i l she t r ied to com m it su ic ide. Luck i ly, she d id not succeed i n a ny of t he t h ree at tempt s. M rs. Green worked at a n abor t ion cl i n ic for f ive yea rs. She qu it bec au se of t he emot iona l d ist ress a nd t he repu lsive env i ron ment i n w h ich she worked. She had n ig ht ma res, not on ly f rom her abor t ion, but f rom t he abor t ions of ot her women. T he cl i n ic kept a n abor ted baby i n t he cl i n ic’s f r idge. No mat ter how clea n t he fac i l it ies a re, cl i n ic s a re d isg u st i ng places. Some of t hese cl i n ic s a nd stor ies a re appa l l i ng. Bei ng P ro-L i fe is not on ly a Cat hol ic bel ief; it is t he recog n it ion of l i fe st a r t i ng at concept ion. Ever yone assoc iates bei ng P ro-L i fe as bei ng Cat hol ic, but a ny body c a n be P roL i fe.
This w i n t e r, Devon P r e p ’s A c a d e m i c C h a l l e n g e Te a m w a s g iven t he oppor t u n it y to compete i n P B S 3 9’s S c h o l a s t i c S c r i m m a g e , a c ompet it ion of t h i r t y-t wo loc a l h ig h schools t hat dema nds rapid reca l l of fact ua l i n for mat ion. T he tea m of C J N a v e ’1 5 , K e v i n S h e n g ’1 4 , S e a n B e v a n ’1 4 , c a p t a i n A n d r e w B r i g h t ’1 4 , a n d a l t e r n a t e J o s h L i e b e r m a n ’1 5 w a s p i t t e d a g a i n s t W i l l i a m A l l e n Hig h School i n t he f i rst rou nd a nd d e f e a t e d t h e m 19 0 - 2 5 . I n t h e s e c o n d rou nd, t he tea m faced A l lentow n Cent ra l Cat hol ic Hig h School. T he m a t c h w a s c l o s e , b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y, t he tea m was not able to f i nd a v i c t o r y. H o w e v e r, i t w a s a g r e a t ex per ience overa l l, a nd t he tea m look s for wa rd to pa r t icipat i ng i n t h e c o m p e t i t i o n a g a i n n e x t y e a r. T he compet it ion a i rs on PBS a nd c a n b e f o u n d o n Yo uTu b e .
Above: The Devon Varsity ACT team prepares for its moment in the spotlight.
Mr. J.D. Mullane, a columnist at Greater Philadelphia Media, speaks to the audience.
Left: The Devon Varsity ACT team poses for a picture in front of Big Bird. From left to right: Moderator Mr. Roger Mecouch, Kevin Sheng ’14, Captain Andrew Bright ’14, Joshua Lieberman ’15, Captain Sean Bevan ’14, and CJ Nave ’15.
Dialogue News
2
Ambassadors in Training Rieve Bule ’15
In the first weekend of Januar y of the ceremony of the conference for their UN conference. In addition to these new year, Devon Prep’s Model United hard work and were rewarded. Joe Teti individuals, ever y member of the Devon Nations delegation got on a bus and took a ’15 and Nick DiMarco ’16 won an award delegation achieved a number of goals short road trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. for their outstanding representation and passed numerous resolutions w ithin The students joined another thousand of the countr y of North Korea. Andrew their particular committees. young diplomats at the Hershey Lodge Loper ’15 and Joshua Lieberman ’15 Model United Nations has always been where they spent the next few days were each given the honor of being a great way for students to get to meet representing the interests of real world alternates at CONA, the national Model other people from around the countr y. countries. Devon Prep was proud Each conference hopes to be the to be attending yet another one of stepping stone for our nation’s youth the Y MCA’s conferences and the to seek a future in foreign affairs. students each proceeded to make W hile the debates may sometimes the most of their time there. get heated, the committees have Each of the conference’s student always worked to promote global attendees spent most of the weekend peace. The students of Devon Prep in one of the various committees have always enjoyed this sort of where they worked w ith people from intellectual outlet and the thrill of all over the Northeast to understand competition. It is no wonder that global issues and create effective it is one of our most popular clubs. solutions to these problems through We can only hope that Model UN the promotion of international continues to grow in popularit y at cooperation. The Devon Prep our school and that the Devon Prep delegation was no exception. In delegation achieves even greater fact, a number of Devon’s students success at next year’s conference. were recognized at the ending Devon students prepare to represent their countries.
Alumni Anecdotes
Beating the Buzzer
Kevin Sheng ’14, Digital Editor
Soham Bharne ’15, Editor for News
Four recent g raduates of Devon returned over t heir w inter breaks to share t heir college ex periences w it h t he current Senior Class. Luka Zacharczuk ’13(St. Joseph’s Universit y), Ryan Shannon ’13 (Penn State Honors), A ntonio Muscarella ’13 (Universit y of Pennsylvania,) and John Kane ’13 (St. Francis Universit y) talked about life at t heir respect ive schools. They described numerous aspects of t heir academic and social lives, and t he lessons t hey learned in t he f irst semester of t heir freshman year. They spoke about a variet y of topics including dorm life, roommate issues, campus food, study ing habits, drugs and alcohol on campus, attending classes, socializing, and gett ing involved in act iv it ies, and
shared entertaining anecdotes ranging from tak ing classes on Japanese cartoons to mysteriously disappearing roommates. They also discussed t he ways in which Devon helped t hem to prepare for t heir college lives, bot h academically and socially (especially in t heir ex pectat ions of females), and t he ways in which t hey dealt w it h t he abrupt t ransit ion from high school to college, from dependence to autonomy, and bot h t he responsibilit y and freedom t hat accompany it. They were all engag ing and well-spoken, and t he lessons and ex periences t hey shared w it h t he current Senior Class w ill help t hem, beg inning t his Aug ust, to avoid similar blunders and to make t he most out of t heir freshman year.
Devon alumni share their college experiences with seniors.
Made up of sophomores, ju n iors, a nd sen iors, t he Devon Prep Academ ic Cha l lenge Tea m has honed its menta l dex ter it y si nce t he beg i n n i ng of t he school yea r. By pract ici ng t h ree days a week du r i ng t hei r lu nch per iod, t he members of t he ACT tea m memor i zed a va r iet y of facts a nd beca me a k nowledgeable force. T h roug hout t he reg u la r season, t he tea m competed i n fou r matches, t wo of t hem hosted by Devon, a nd put up a n i ntense, bu zzerbeat i ng f ig ht i n each. T he Va rsit y tea m f i n ished t he reg u la r season t ied for fou r teent h place out of t went y-fou r, wh i le t he Ju n ior Va rsit y ACT tea m placed si x t h i n t went y-fou r tea ms, qua l i f y i ng for t he playof fs. T he J V Tea m f i n ished its season w it h a close loss to Conestoga i n t he playof f match.
Michael Lawrence ’14, Captain Andrew Bright ’14, and Kevin Sheng ’14 ponder a question.
Dialogue Sports
3
Submerged in Snow Michael Lawrence ’14
Devon’s winter track coach, Mr. Dave more indoor meets this year than ever pinnacle of the season was in January Evans ’08, watched helplessly as over before. Coach Evans took full advantage when four runners travelled to New York forty inches of snow buried Villa Maria’s of the packed schedule by allowing all City to the historic Armory indoor track. track and arctic chills froze the roads of available members to compete. The Jack Roth ’14, James O’Shea ’14, Lucas Devon solid this season, putting Watson ’15, and Matt McDevitt the Wolf Pack behind the eight-ball. ’14 ran against tough competition Devon Track and Field’s workout from all over the mid-Atlantic regimen was compromised by in the distance medley relay. snow days and unsafe roads, but Although they did not place, they the team was able to pull through. succeeded in running one of the The field men stayed inside and quickest distance medley relays in lifted weights with Captain Mike Devon Track and Field in several Horbow y ’14 and Coach Lloyd Hill, years. occasionally braving the frigid Even though Devon’s Track and weather to practice shot-put. Using Field team was hindered by the extended core and plyometric weather, the team worked hard to workouts, the track men were able stay in shape and gain strength to complete many of their workouts to prepare for the spring season, indoors. which Coach Evans believes will From left to right: Matt McDevitt ’14, Jack Roth ’14, James Devon was able to compete in be one of the best in Devon history. O’Shea ’14, and Lucas Watson ’14 at the Armory indoor track.
Dunking on Destiny Andrew Shannon ’15
As shoes and balls are put away and weights are dropped, the Tide’s basketball season has come to a close. Coming two wins short of a district playoff berth, the future can’t be brighter for the program. Coach Jason Fisher’s first year as Devon Prep’s Head Coach came with its expected bumps and bruises, including being forced to sit Senior Chris Bauers after two separate gashes to the head, both warranting stitches. With the momentum they were building at the end of the season, the Tide seemed close to a playoff run which could have taken them anywhere. In regard to the team losing several of their games by single digits, Coach Jason Fisher said, “It’s a learned skill to win those close games. We’re just not there yet.” He expects next year’s team, led by returning varsity juniors, Andrew Shannon ’15, Jack Hegarty ’15, Andrew Walhiem ’15, and Sean O’Brien ’15, to remember the lessons from this year and to learn that “skill” which will bring the Tide closer to the district title. Seniors
Mike McKenna ’14, CJ Kolhbrenner ’14, and Matt McSurdy ’14 were named to the All Bicentennial team. Mike McKenna was also placed on the Second Team All Main Line. His thought on the newly improved program was, “Coach did a really great job with the
young guys and we [seniors] just tried to help pave the way for them. I expect them to have a very successful season next year and look forward to keeping in touch.” The Tide look forward to next year’s tip-off and hope to reclaim the District 1 Championship.
CJ Kohlbrenner ’14, Matthew McSurdy ’14, and Michael McKenna ’14 were named to the All Bicentennial team.
The Pit Proves Persistent Devon Prep’s notorious soccer and basketball fans returned for the 2013-2014 season to support their teams this year and were as intimidating as ever. The Pit is something in which Devon students take great pride. Each year, the students create a loud and energetic crowd to cheer on the teams. As always, the Pit was led by the seniors, the Class of 2014, who made it a very successful year. Many seniors, including Sean Bevan ’14, Jason Sadek ’14, Brett Kelly ’14, Eric Toddy ’14 and several others, energized the Pit exceptionally this season and did an outstanding job of organizing the group by encouraging students to attend each game, whether or not it takes place at Devon. Devonites brought the Pit to every varsity basketball and soccer home game and, this year, on addition to the many away games, even several freshman basketball games had
Matt Freney ’15
many sophomores in attendance. The students bought custom designed t-shirts to be worn in the Pit, continuing a long-held Devon tradition. The Pit was well prepared for every game with an assortment of signs and chants. Though small in numbers, it was always able to achieve maximum rowdiness and create a very energetic atmosphere. The chants ranged from the classic “defense” chants, to “banana,” and of course the most common this year, “Sidor.” Some of the Pit’s other ways of making noise and distracting the opponents included loud singing and parodies of classic songs, the “whoosh” sound after a foul shot made for the Tide, and the classic “airball” chant after an opponent fails to hit the rim or backboard on a field goal attempt. The students also made it quite clear every time there was a call which they disapproved. Though very successful on the sidelines of the basketball court, the Pit
had a presence in another place. While the Pit was very successful at supporting its fellow Devon students at basketball games, it also had a strong presence at soccer games in the fall. The Pit showed up to each home varsity playoff soccer game this year and certainly had a high energy level. Braving the cold this year after tailgates, the Pit showed great support for its soccer team, erupting after every goal and intimidating the opponents by showing such great school spirit. Overall, the Pit, led by its seniors, had a very successful year. It made an impact on Devon sports teams both on the court and in the fields. The noise and energy of the Pit is a great tribute to Devon Prep and is a favorite tradition among its students. This year’s Pit was outstanding as always and was greatly appreciated by the student athletes.
4
Dialogue Profiles
The Devon Dialogue meets with Ms. Elizabeth Mendoza and Mr. Paul Sanborn ’64. Ms. Mendoza, the new computer science teacher and a graduate of Adelphi University in Long Island, New York, talks about programming, teaching, and her hobbies. Mr. Sanborn ’64 talks about his careers, changes in teaching over the past fifty years, his outlook on life, the Edward Snowden NSA leaks, the militaryindustrial complex, and much more. This year marks the fiftieth year that Mr. Sanborn ’64 has been an alumnus of Devon Prep.
The Way of the Wolf Pat Blumenthal ’15
Devon Dialogue (DD): You’ve been a solider, an intelligence of ficer, a teacher, an author, and arguably a historian. What career has af fected you the most in life?
Bio major but sw itched to Russian Studies. DD: Becoming an educator in the institutional sense, how did you end up back at Devon?
Mr. Sanborn (S): Well, the closest thing for me is the intelligence, because, you k now, that’s the real Paul Sanborn. The intelligence work for me is key.
S: Well, I didn’t take any education courses as an undergraduate, I took all content courses— Russian language, Russian literature, Russian philosophy— and DD: Has that af fected you for better or worse? when I came out, I was going to go into education because that was a job that had a lot of securit y and my w ife was S: It’s affected me for better I say, because it’s allowed me happy, so I went to a public institution. I had to take some to invent myself, reinvent myself, and bloom forth rather courses in graduate school to qualif y me as a teacher, so than be cut at the ground, you k now, like a law nmower. I I was teaching Russian studies at Springf ield-Delco, a was able to expand my horizons greatly. That’s what I am. full year course in 10th grade. In the 70s, I left and got I thought I was a doctor but I’m not. a masters in philosophy and took some administration courses and got a masters in educational leadership, K-12 DD: What years did you serve as a soldier in Vietnam? and I qualif ied as a super v isor, dean, and department S: Well, I enlisted 1965, Februar y 22nd, and I basically head, so I left Springf ield and went into administration have been in ever since, but not on active dut y. I was at Garnet Valley. At Garnet Valley, South-East Delco, and commissioned in ’68 and was there in ’72. Haverford, I was involved in purges. That’s how I ended up at Devon. There are about thirt y seven who graduated DD: What was your role in Vietnam? in my class, and most of them are still involved. The S: I wasn’t in Vietnam for a full tour, I was only in Vietnam for seniors now are f ift y years behind me almost to the same three and a half weeks. My main assignment was Russian. day. The connection we had in Vietnam was that there were DD: What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the past fift y Russian adv isors. years in terms of education and specifically Devon? DD: Being a soldier and intelligence of ficer has left you with good experiences and bad ones. If you could go back now, S: Computers have made a big difference in education. You would’ve loved those days coming in at Garnet Valley. They would you follow the same path—becoming a marine and had the computer in a closet and there was a dedicated intelligence of ficer? phone there. You had to phone St. Joseph’s Universit y and S: I wouldn’t have to follow the same path because, my then you had to k now programming languages—Fortran, understanding is, a guy like you, a Devon student, you Colbalt—and I was there on the ground f loor of that. guys w ill go to a place like Villanova and then you could go ROTC and you could basically go army, air force, DD: Your time in education, was this also while you were being a naval intelligence of ficer? whatever. S: Yes, I was a contractor meaning I wasn’t there full time, I was part time, so I would report in and I would take S: I wouldn’t change that. The problem is that my w ife didn’t assignments and work on them. want to travel and she didn’t want that life of being a nomad. There’s a lot to be said for that so I stunted my DD: When did you stop doing that? grow th, promotions, etc. It probably would have been S: About three years ago, I mean I can still drive dow n there better if I had gone to the Nav y right away rather than the and walk in. And I k now a lot of people. Obama’s nominee Marine Corps, because the nav y has much more in the for NSA, Vice Admiral Michael Rogers, is my ultimate way of intelligence. I went in because I was interested in boss at ONI. land warfare. DD: I remember you talking about PRISM before the Snowden DD: When you were doing intelligence as an of ficer, how did leaks, I mean it was a conspiracy theor y. What is your you get into teaching? opinion on the Snowden leaks? S: One of the main parts of intelligence is to be an educator. S: He took a series of oaths, he signed statements, and if your W hat you’re doing is to tr y ing to inform your clients—an word doesn’t mean any thing, societ y has problems. Now, admiral, a colonel, civ ilians—about what you k now and if he turned out to be a whistleblower, I think the path of what you think about certain situations so they can make a whistleblower is one of complete danger. It’s unrealistic better decisions. I was always a teacher. I took my f irst tour to think he could become a whistleblower, he could have guiding people around Valley Forge Park in 1963 for pay. been f ired, he could have been interrogated, and he felt, I I was a junior in high school. In second grade, I started guess that he had to make this public because he felt what a school for k ids in the neighborhood, k indergarten and the NSA was doing was w rong. The problem is that if he’s f irst grade. And that’s what you are, if you’re an off icer given an order, and we established this at the end of the or sergeant, you have to teach your men to be whatever Nuremburg Trials, Snowden is under that rock. He feels they are. Teaching is the essence of civ ilization. In other it’s w rong to do this intelligence collection and if he does words, I would not want to have my ow n practice if I were blow the whistle, they’ll sk in him alive. So he defected. a doctor. I would rather be at Jefferson medical college DD: I’d still call him a whistleblower even if he f led the U.S. helping other young people become good doctors. DD: But if you could go back now?
DD: Going into your educational background more, when did you originally graduate f rom Devon? What was your major at Villanova? How did you end up in intelligence? S: I graduated in ’64. I went into Villanova wanting to be a
S: The point there is he does have an obligation to return and submit charges. If he would have leaked that documentation, they would have given him a plea bargain. Tell us how you did it, help us f i x the problem,
DD: Are you s a y ing you woul d d o th at if you h a d alre a d y d e c i d e d t o l e ak , or if you we re in Sn owd en’s posit i on? S: I f I w ere i n Snowden’s pos it ion— I m ay h ave le a k e d, you ne ver k now w h at you a re goi ng to c ome ac ros s i n i ntel l igenc e. I don’t k now how m a ny doc u ment s he took , but w e s t i l l bel ie ve t here a re t hou s a nd s of doc u ment s a nd prog r a m s t h at t he NS A de velope d t h at he i s s t i l l i n pos s e s s ion of, a nd he i s le a k i ng t hem, s low l y. I f I w a s c onc er ne d about t he broad i mpl ic at ion s of t he NS A , a nd C y ber i ntel l igenc e, I w ou ld h ave t a k en a fe w non- e s s ent i a l prog r a m s, a nd demon s t r ate to t he pe ople t h at t h i s i s w h at t he y a re doi ng – l i s ten i ng i n on c a l l s, a nd ju s t one or t w o prog r a m s, a nd let it go. A nd s ay, “I’ve m ade my poi nt , I’m defe c t i ng , I’m le av i ng t he c ou nt r y I’m not goi ng to s t a nd up to t he v iol at ion of my oat h ...” DD: I re c all you c omp ar ing th e Fall of th e Rom an Empire t o th e pre s ent- d a y Unit e d St at e s . O bvi ou sl y, we d on’t h ave b arb ar i an s at th e bord e r h a c k ing d own fen c e s . S: We h ave Nor t h Kore a, w it h atom ic we apon s, a nd m i s s i le s. DD: Tr u e , but th e fall of th e Rom an Empire wa s p ar t i c ul arl y br ut al , in th e s en s e th at it d e st ro ye d urban c ivili z at i on for eight c ent ur i e s . W h e re d o you think th e big g e st fault in our s yst em li e s; h ow c oul d we prevent th e c ount r y f rom falling ap ar t? S: I t h i n k t he big ge s t t h i ng you h ave to c onc er n you r s el f w it h i s t he demo c r at ic pro c e s s a nd c apit a l i s m . A l l of t hos e t h i ng s, I bel ie ve, a re w hy Jef fer s on m ade t he c om ment , “ We ne e d a rebel l ion e ver y 20 ye a r s.” I n t he a ge of s plendor i n t he 19t h c ent u r y, w hen t he s e pe ople got monu ment a l l y r ic h, l abor i n t h i s c ou nt r y w a s u nor g a n i z e d, a nd t he y w ere ju s t oppre s s e d, i n my opi n ion . DD: Isn’t th at th e s am e to d a y, b e si d e s th e uni on s? S: T h at ’s t he poi nt . I n ot her w ord s, it ’s not over. O nc e t he l ab or u n ion s a re u n ion i z e d, w h ic h it took de c ade s to do, it i mprove d, but it ’s not g u a r a nte e d . It f a l l s apa r t . T he u n ion s t hem s el ve s be c ome c or r upt , it ’s a c om mon fe at u re of a l l m a n k i nd . Pe ople w a nt power, a nd pe ople w i l l do a ny t h i ng to get it .
I t h i n k I a m a f a i rl y re a s on able per s on, I a m not i n l i fe to a m a s s g re at w e a lt h . T he end re s u lt i s you a re goi ng to d ie a ny w ay, a nd you c a n’t t a k e it w it h you . I s it re a l l y w or t h it for me? No. But for s ome pe ople, t he y l i ve it , t he y bre at he it , t he y e at it . T he y ’l l do w h ate ver it t a k e s. You ne e d t he ba l a nc e, a nd t here i s no s t at u s quo. It i s c on s t a nt l y c h a ng i ng. You ne e d a ba l a nc e a nd you h ave to k e ep w ork i ng on t he ba l a nc e. We
ne e d to w ork on a ba l a nc e b et w e en t he ne w s me d i a, 5 t he gover n ment , t he pe ople, t he w ork er s, t he ow ner s, a nd t he m a n a ger s. DD: W h en you s a y a b al an c e b et we en th e m e di a an d th e bu sin e s s e s , d o you m e an limit ing th e powe r an d si z e of th em? S: E x pa nd i ng or l i m it i ng t hem— depend i ng upon w h at t he s it u at ion i s. T hos e a re t he pr i nc iple s b y w h ic h I l i ve, a nd I w ou ld hope ot her pe ople a l s o l i ve b y. DD: W h at woul d you d e f in e a s th e m e aning of life , th en? S: T here a re s o m a ny men a nd w omen over t he ye a r s w ho h ave e x pre s s e d t he me a n i ng of l i fe. I t h i n k it ’s fol low i ng t he golden r u le a nd et h ic s, a nd de velopi ng you r c ode of honor — a re spon s ibi l it y t h at I don’t t h i n k you c a n g i ve aw a y. I f s omeb o d y w r ite s a b o ok on t he c ode of honor, a nd you de c ide t h at it f it s you, you s t i l l h ave to t a k e re spon s ibi l it y to f it it i nto you r bel ief s a nd you r b eh av ior. Mo der at ion; t he golden r u le, a s C h r i s t s a id, “L ove one a not her ;” Ga nd h i a nd M L K s a id to t r y pe ac ef u l r at her t h a n v iolent d i s s ent ; t hos e a re t he t h i ng s t h at g i ve me a c o de to l i ve b y. DD: W h at woul d you d e f in e su c c e s s a s? S: Suc c e s s, to me, i s f i nd i ng s omet h i ng t h at you love to do a nd t hen bei ng able to do it . W h at you love to do i s a t r ue a nd aut hent ic e x pre s s ion of you r c h a r ac ter, per s on a l it y, a nd abi l it y. DD: W ith our c ur rent t e c hn ol og y, wh at revamp s are n e c e s s ar y for e du c at i on? S: Rome s toppe d prog re s s i ng a nd b e c a me s at i s f ie d w it h “ W h at i s,” t he s t at u s quo, for v a r iou s re a s on s, a nd t he y were not i n nov at i ve. W hen w e a re not i n nov at i ve, we don’t re spond to t he ne w c h a l lenge s t h at l i fe t h row s at u s. We’re goi ng to h ave to do s omet h i ng about t he c h a ng i ng c l i m ate, w het her it ’s g loba l w a r m i ng , pol lut ion, or ju s t t he nor m a l s w i ng. We’re los i ng c le a n w ater, g l ac ier s a re d i s appe a r i ng , a nd we ne e d to re spond to t he s e ne w c h a nge s, i nc lud i ng autom at ion . I f w e don’t re spond, w e’re do ome d . We h ave to re spond a nd te ac h k id s to re spond to c h a l lenge s. E ver yd a y, w e h ave to t a k e hold of ou r s it u at ion a nd s e e i f t here a re w a y s to i mprove it . You don’t k now how d i f f ic u lt t h at i s u nt i l you t r y it . I f w e a re re s i s t a nt to c h a nge, w e a re do ome d, not b e c au s e c h a nge i s g re at , but w het her w e l i k e it or not , t here w i l l be c h a nge. S omet i me s f a s t , s omet i me s s low, a nd i n v a r iou s f ield s — rel ig ion h a s c h a nge d . T he C at hol ic C hu rc h h a s c h a nge d, t he P rote s t a nt C hu rc h h a s c h a nge d, a nd t here a re more at hei s t s to d a y. We h ave to de a l w it h a l l of t he s e c h a nge s.
Computers, Cakes, and Cubes Jon Liu ’14, Associate Editor of Entertainment & Bob Watters ’14
D evon Di al og u e (DD): W h at p ar t of Comput e r S c i en c e d o you lik e? M s. Mendoz a (M M): I l i k e prog r a m m i ng—ac t u a l l y w r it i ng t he c o de. I a m w r it i ng s ome ba s ic apps for t he A nd roid pl at for m u s i ng Jav a .
Ne w York doi ng prog r a m m i ng. I u s e d PH P, My SQL , a nd s ome C old F u s ion to c o de t he bac k- end s t u f f on a s er ver. DD: W h at d o you d o in your f re e t im e?
DD: Di d you m ajor in Comp. S c i . in c oll e g e?
M M: I enjoy ba k i ng a nd pl a y i ng w it h my k id s. I m a k e t he big c a k e s you s e e on T.V.
M M: I m ajore d i n C omp. S c i . at Adelph i Un i ver s it y.
DD: D o you s e e yours elf t e a c hing t en ye ars f rom n ow?
DD: W h at m a d e you want to l e ar n about c omput e rs?
M M: I enjoy it s o f a r. I hope to c ont i nue doi ng it .
M M: I’ve h ad c omputer s i n my l i fe s i nc e I w a s t h re e DD: W h at i s your favor it e c omput e r l ang u ag e? D o you ye a r s old . My f i r s t c omputer w a s a P C Ju n ior. My d ad k n ow any oth e r l ang u ag e s? w a s ver y goo d w it h c omputer s. He t aug ht me BA SIC M M: PH P. It i s t he f i r s t l a ng u a ge I le a r ne d t h at I l i k e d . I w hen I w a s ten . T he f i r s t t h i ng he told me w a s not to a l s o k now P y t hon a nd V i s u a l Ba s ic. m a k e a n i n f i n ite lo op. I n h ig h s c hool, I c re ate d a fe w w ebs ite s u s i ng H T M L . DD: W h at h a s your t ran sit i on b e en lik e? DD: W h at di d you d o st raight out of c oll e g e? M M: I w ork e d at a w eb de velopment f i r m on L ong I s l a nd,
M M: It ’s be en a l it t le abr upt . I h ave 1 4 4 d i f ferent s t udent s a nd f i ve g r ade s to te ac h .
6
Dialogue Editorials
Taking a Bite out of the Big Apple Tommy Brower ‘18
On December 9, t he eight h grade went on its annual music trip to New York Cit y. The day started out much t he same as ot her days; we arrived at school at t he normal time and waited for homeroom to start. A f ter homeroom, we were loaded onto t he bus and set off for New York. A f ter a couple of hours, we arrived in New York Cit y. This day was no exception to t he general busy ness of t he cit y. The cit y was bust ling w it h people and t he streets were f illed w it h cars. The time at which we arrived was close to lunch time and so we went to McDonalds as our f irst stop. There, we had lunch and refreshed ourselves for t he day ahead. Subsequent to t he lunch at McDonalds, we ran to t he Lincoln Center. The freezing rain stung as t hough it was a swarm of angr y bees. Once inside, we were quite glad to be out of t he cold and rain and split up into t wo groups based on homeroom to tour t he area. First, we set off across t he street to Aver y Fisher Hall, t he home of t he New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Once inside, our tour g uide told us about t he histor y of t he building and t he Lincoln Center. Inside t he t heater, we luck ily were able to watch t he orchestra practicing for several minutes. The orchestra was phenomenal and produced a rich, mellif luous sound t hat f illed t he hall. A f ter listening to t he orchest ra pract ice, we lef t t he building and walked to t he Metropolitan Opera House. Inside, t he walls were adorned w it h rich red velvet and t he ceilings had elaborate cr ystal chandeliers which transported us back to an earlier age. We learned about t he histor y of t he building and about some of t he operas t hat are performed. Our tour g uide led us into a small room at t he back of t he t heater from which we could see t he stage. On t he stage, technicians were practicing t he transitions bet ween t he different backgrounds in t he opera. Nex t, we came dow n to a hall covered in pictures. Our tour g uide explained t hat t hese pictures were of actors and actresses t hat performed in t he operas held in t he building. Nex t, we came to t he A lice Tully Hall in t he Julliard School and Starr Theater, t he home of t he chamber music group. The interior is covered in gent ly-sloping and cur v ing panels
of rich A frican Moabi wood panels, forming gill-like acoust ic baff les along t he side walls to help bounce sound. The acoust ics in t he t heater are amazing; one t iny sound can be magnif ied tenfold. This marked t he end of our tour of Lincoln Center, so we t hanked t he tour g uide and lef t. We met w it h t he ot her homeroom and sped off to Radio Cit y Music Hall. A f ter a rat her conf using and chaot ic wait in line, we were ushered into t he building. A few moments af ter we entered t he t heater, t he musical started and we took our seats. The play started w it h a scene of reindeer dancing, and t hen it changed to t he Nutcracker Suite. Nex t, it int roduced a mom and a daughter who had disagreements about what t he daughter should get for Christ mas. Follow ing t his was a scene where t he mom and daughter were play ing a v ideo game specially created by t he t wo of t hem. Last, t he most impact f ul part of t he musical was a recreat ion of t he manger scene. The w ise men had elaborate costumes of woven silks decorated w it h int ricate embroideries. The angle also had a wonderf ul costume t hat resembled a Victorian gow n in white. In my opinion, t his was a great musical. Follow ing t he show, we stopped by
Devon students watched a show at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall.
Rockefeller Center where we watched people ice-skat ing on t he rink. We looked at t he giant Christ mas t ree, so large t hat it looked as if it belonged in t he home of a t itan. A f ter wards, we had dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner and were entertained by t he waiters and wait resses who sang various songs. They were all quite talented at singing and it is not hard to imagine t hem on Broadway. A f ter dinner, we walked across Times Square to t he Hershey and Mars stores. There, we rushed about t he t wo stores, excited by t he ex tensive amount of candy. The
stores were burst ing w it h all sorts of candy from a bott le f ull of M&M’s to a bag of Hershey chocolates. The charm of t he stores worked its way upon us creat ing a general hubbub of excitement.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
Follow ing t he rush at t he candy stores, we headed for St. Pat rick’s Cat hedral. A major restorat ion project was occurring inside and much of t he cat hedral was obst ructed by scaffolding. That which was not covered by scaffolding was st ill quite stunning and grand. The soaring ceilings and int ricate car v ings were not ent irely covered, so t he grandeur of t he cat hedral was not ent irely obst ructed. We toured t he altars in t he back of t he cat hedral which were st ill able to be v iewed. The altars were quite beaut if ul and depicted int ricate car v ings of which t here are few parallels. The altar of St. John Bapt ist de la Salle was part icularly eye-catching w it h its depict ion of St. John in beaut if ul white stone. A f ter a short t ime, we lef t t he cat hedral and went to our last dest inat ion. We arrived at t he Apple and F. A. O. Schwartz stores. We were given close to fort y-f ive minutes in t hese t wo stores. People rushed about bet ween t he t wo stores and ran dow n t he stairs of t he Apple store and t he escalators in F. A. O. Schwartz. Soon, we were all back on t he bus, and, af ter a couple of hours, we arrived back at Devon around 9:00 p. m. Wit hin a few minutes, t he bus was unpacked and we were all in our parents’ cars heading home. A ll of us were hoping t hat we would not have school t he nex t day. In ret rospect, my favorite part of t he t rip was t he musical. It was entertaining as it combined t he classic t radit ions of Christ mas, a modern t w ist on Christ mas, and t he real reason behind Christ mas.
Sochi Security
7
Joshua Lieberman ’15
The gem of Russia’s foreign image unfolded before our eyes in a spectacle of histor y, sports, and coordination. The Winter Olympics were first slotted to be held in Sochi by the International Olympic Committee years ago, but the amount of effort and resources, both financial and logistical, that went into the long planning, execution, and perfection of the Winter Olympics in one of Russia’s most renow ned resort cities in the Caucasus is huge. Sochi dazzled many w ith its world-class ceremonies and facilities and proved to be one of the Winter Olympic’s greatest events. However, this Winter Olympics was not the idyllic presentation it sought to be. The Russian Federation’s central government made it k now n that its intentions in the Olympics were far from docile and entertaining. Many accused President V ladimir Putin’s government of politically charging the event and using it more as a political and economic device rather than a display of the world’s solidarit y in sports. The price tag alone deviated from traditional Olympic displays. The Sochi Winter Olympics cost the Russian government approx imately fift y billion dollars, t wo billion dollars of which went to securit y measures alone, and the price tag only rose as the length of the Olympics expanded. This staggering price tag is a symbol of the problems inherent in the Russian Caucasus that had threatened the viabilit y of an internationally safe Olympics in Sochi. The Caucasus has long been an area of constant turmoil due to its geographic position as well as its demographic composition. Dozens of culture groups still inhabit the modern Caucasus today and continue to pose a serious threat to securit y in numerous cities in Russia and beyond, including Sochi. The Dagestani and Chechen groups of the northern Caucasus in Russia have fought constantly throughout histor y against the imperialistic Russian regimes that have dominated the area for centuries. A Muslim minorit y in a Christian Orthodox countr y has caused these groups to be neglected. As such this has caused a great degree of sectional tension in Southern Russia. This then threatened the securit y of the Sochi Olympics and raised concerns as to Russia’s credibilit y of being a stable and modern nation. International air travel heightened securit y on f lights entering and leaving
the Russian Federation as precautionar y measures. A f light was diverted to Istanbul from Moscow due to an alleged threat of a passenger to redirect the plane to Sochi. Russian officials pressed on w ith plans to continue the Winter Olympics. Thank fully no dangers threatened Sochi and the mood was rather peaceful in the Caucasus of Russia, but not w ithout a great cost. Billions of dollars used for securit y forces and equipment along w ith horrid programs of “street cleansing” by exterminating stray dogs made the price of securit y seem unreasonably high. Nonetheless, events went as planned, and the athletes continued to amaze spectators and the world, despite the billions of dollars, numerous lives, and years of coordination and controversy that shroud the event and the Russian government.
Sochi security forces employed bomb-sniffing dogs as an extra precaution.
Forecast: Smaugy James Lucas ’15
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien, is the second movie in The Hobbit film trilog y. Although the movie deviates from the plot of Tolkien’s novel, it is an entertaining, action-oriented film which is on par with the previous Lord of the Rings. The preceding movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, left off with the company escaping from the Goblin Caves under the Misty Mountains. The sequel starts with a f lashback to Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf the Grey planning their mission in the inn called The Prancing Pony. This is a reference to Lord of the Rings, as this is the same inn where Frodo meets Aragorn. The film then returns to the present as the company makes its way to the home of Beorn, a man with the ability to turn into a bear. Following this, the thirteen dwarves and Bilbo begin journeying through Mirkwood Forest, without Gandalf, as he leaves the company soon after entering the woods. After getting lost, they are beset by giant spiders, which capture the dwarves, forcing Bilbo to rescue them. Up to and including this event, the film stays fairly
true to the plot of the book, but at this point, Peter Jackson, the director of the movie, begins to thoroughly express his creativity. First, due to his popular following gained from Lord of the Rings and other films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Orlando Bloom is brought back to resume his role as Legolas, despite the fact that Legolas never appeared in The Hobbit. Next, in order to add the romantic drama that Holly wood believes fans crave, a love triangle was created among Legolas, the dwarf Fili, and Tauriel, a character which never
appeared in any of Tolkien’s books. For the remainder of the film, the movie makers let their creativity f low, with a barrel riding fight, a poisoned arrow, and a cliché scene in which Tauriel saves Fili from his poisoned wound. Finally, Holly wood tops it off with a fabricated confrontation between the dwarves and Smaug, featuring a giant moltengold dwarf statue and a fight between Gandalf and Sauron. All in all, this film was a decent action-adventure movie, though it may prove to be a disappointment to avid Tolkien readers for its dissimilarity to the plot of the book. This film was as good as the previous episode in the trilog y, which gives us hope that the sequel will be even better. For the next Hobbit movie, Holly wood will probably draw out the Battle of the Five Armies and expand upon their invented plot points introduced in The Desolation of Smaug. Regardless, I believe that the trilog y is worth seeing, as Peter Jackson’s inventions are well incorporated into the original plot, and the quality of the CGI and action scenes make up for any Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The discrepancies in the story that readers Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. of The Hobbit might notice.
Post-American Afghanistan
A Light of Hope in a Time of Crisis
Jack Misko ’14, Associate Editor for Editorials & Marco DiLeonardo ’14
Andrew Bright ‘14, Editor-in-Chief
In 2001, the United States and its NATO allies entered Afghanistan for the purpose of defeating extremist insurgents and stabilizing the region. The Obama administration is ready to execute a full withdrawal of troops when the NATO combat mission ends on December 31, 2014. Political leaders in Washington recognize that Americans have lost interest in supporting Afghanistan and are weary of funding further military action there. But are we willing to live with the consequences of ceding our power seat? The departure of American soldiers and military influence will not only have a profound impact on Afghanistan and the Central Asia region, but will also disrupt an already tenuous balance of power among several nations. The new Afghan government has been in place since 2004, and the Taliban has been largely driven into Pakistan. Without American troops keeping them at bay, the Taliban and other insurgent groups will become more aggressive, as already proven by terrorist activities where NATO forces are thin. The past decade has revealed two truths: a negotiated peace settlement with the Taliban is unlikely, and the United States recognizes that the Afghan government remains vulnerable to be overthrown. Without significant military investment, Afghanistan is at risk for becoming a power base for extremists. Since there is no longer any popular support for America to make that commitment; it will be up to those who have the most at stake to defend the republic. Defending the republic involves risk. Post-American Afghanistan being able to protect itself from the interference and selfinterest of neighboring countries is at risk. India already has vested interests in Afghanistan, funding many infrastructure improvements, holding mineral rights, and providing aid. But Afghanistan shares its largest border with Pakistan, a perennial enemy of India. Pakistan may interpret India’s aid and trade in Afghanistan as a power-grab. There could be flashpoints, with Pakistan exerting influence in Indian Kashmir and India taking an interest in Pakistan’s impoverished region, Baluchistan, for its natural gas resources. Worse still, Pakistan could endorse Taliban control of Afghanistan, if only to keep India at bay. The situation could escalate to a nuclear threat because both India and Pakistan have nuclear capabilities. The United States must leverage its diplomatic skill, rather than its military presence, to show Pakistan it is better served aligning its interests with the Afghan government rather than compelling it to cooperate with Pakistan’s self-interested political motivations. The United States recognizes the impact of an unstable Afghanistan on its neighbors and the economic interests held in Central Asia by Russia and China. Upheaval in Afghanistan will affect border activity in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and provoke violence and the influx of refugees to areas ill-equipped to handle such activity. Furthermore, the movement of extremists from a crumbling Afghanistan to the border countries could cause these countries to sink into anarchy. Russia will be sensitive to destabilization in the region and, given the outcome in Chechnya, it clearly recognizes extremist Islamic activities as a threat to its interests. Russia may be forced to intervene. China’s interests in the region are also significant, including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, as well as energy concerns in the Xinjiang province. Like Russia, China would be severely impacted by volatility in Afghanistan. The resource-rich Xinjiang province borders Afghanistan, and China has struggled to control the AlQaeda-affiliated Muslim Uyghurs who have clashed repeatedly with local police. Furthermore, China has economic ties to Afghanistan and has previously relied on NATO forces to provide security and assume the inherent risk. With their departure, China will be forced to safeguard its assets, including expatriates, and shore up domestic Afghani forces. Both Russia and China have much to lose from instability in Afghanistan. Taken by itself, landlocked and poor, Afghanistan is not an important power. However, the course of history has made it a linchpin of stability in the region today and its vulnerability causes an economic and diplomatic quagmire to many world powers. The departure of the American military creates a vacuum that could be filled by ally or enemy, possibly with disastrous international consequences. American economic interests in Central Asia pale in comparison to those of India, China, and Russia, and nations who need to be vested in Afghanistan’s stability. Furthermore, Afghan leadership must recognize its role in securing its own future. Americans are war-weary and, based on our current domestic issues, view efforts at nationbuilding as better served at home rather than abroad. America should focus its energies on diplomacy, intelligence, and homeland security. Occupying countries is rarely a sound, long-term solution. I think the United States should use every diplomatic means to secure and stable Afghanistan. It is in our interest to do so.
On Ja nua r y 20, 1961, P resident Joh n F. Ken nedy gave a rg uably t he most fa mou s i naug u ra l add ress of t he Twent iet h Cent u r y w h ich ha s become best ident i f ied by it s most fa mou s l i ne: “A sk not w hat you r cou nt r y c a n do for you — ask w hat you c a n do for you r cou nt r y.” T h is add ress issued a new era of hope i n a t i me of much fea r. L ess t ha n t wo yea rs later, on Oc tober 14, 1962, t he world qu ivered on t he edge of t her monuclea r dest r uc t ion a s t he Un ited St ates a nd t he Sov iet Un ion negot iated over t he placement of Sov iet ICBMs on t he isla nd of Cuba. T h is c r isis, w h ich later c a me to be k now n a s t he Cuba n M issi le Cr isis, w a s a pivot a l moment i n t he Cold President John F. Kennedy signs Wa r a nd t he closest Proclamation 3504 authorizing the c iv i l i z at ion c a me blockade of Cuba on October 23, 1962. to a n n i h i lat ion. I n t he Un ited St ates, P resident Ken nedy, echoi ng t he hope embod ied i n h is i naug u ra l add ress, rea ssu red t he A mer ic a n people a nd at tempted to resolve t he d ispute t h roug h d iplomac y rat her t ha n m i l it a r y ac t ion. H istor ia ns may debate w het her it w a s t he ac t ions of P resident Ken nedy or Sov iet Fi rst Sec ret a r y Ni k it a K h r u shchev t hat ended t he con f l ic t, but d iplomac y u lt i mately t r iu mphed over dest r uc t ion. T he bel ief by bot h leaders t hat t hat i nc ident d id not w a r ra nt t he l ives of a l l people is echoed i n P resident Ken nedy ’s speech. P resident Ken nedy ’s i naug u ra l add ress ended w it h t hese words: “W it h a good consc ience ou r on ly su re rew a rd, w it h h istor y t he f i na l judge of ou r deeds, let u s go for t h to lead t he la nd we love, a sk i ng H is blessi ng a nd H is help, but k now i ng t hat here on ea r t h G od’s work mu st t r u ly be ou r ow n.” I feel t hat t h is f i na l l i ne is much more i mpor t a nt a nd mea n i ng f u l t ha n t he l i ne w h ich ha s become s y nony mou s w it h t he speech. We, a s c it i z ens of t h is world, have t he f i na l responsibi l it y for it s i n habit a nt s. T h roug h col laborat ion a nd f ree i nqu i r y, we c a n pierce t he da rk ness of ig nora nce a nd fea r a nd ensu re t hat no one is lef t to su f fer. It is wel l w it h i n ou r power to dest roy ou rselves a nd t h is pla net, but it is a lso w it h i n ou r power to c reate eng i neer i ng ma r vels, to g reat ly adv a nce ou r u nderst a nd i ng of t h is world, a nd to prov ide a mea n i ng f u l l i fe for ever yone on t h is pla net . Hu ma ns a re c apable of beaut i f u l d rea m s a nd hor r ible n ig ht ma res. We, a s t he nex t generat ion w ho mu st lead t h is cou nt r y a nd t h is world, have a choice: to hoa rd tech nolog y, hea lt hc a re, a nd wea lt h a mong t he pr iv i leged or to u sher i n a new epoch of i nter nat iona l cooperat ion a nd prosper it y.
8
Editorial Board
© 2014 Devon Prep
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Bright ’14 Deputy Editors-in-Chief: Patrick Shields ’14 & James Stanish ’14 Photography Editor: Michael Lawrence ’14 Digital Editor: Kevin Sheng ’14 Faculty Moderator: Mr. Lawrence Theuer Associate Editor for Entertainment: Jefferson Toro ’14 Associate Editors for News: Michael Horbowy ’14 & Soham Bharne ’15 Associate Editor for Editorials: Jackson Misko ’14 Associate Editor for Sports: Sean Bevan ’14 All photos, unless otherwise noted, taken by newspaper staff or Ms. Rose Lombardo, for Devon Preparatory School. Special thanks to Fr. Shea for his tireless assistance and guidance.