Advocate Vol. 41 Issue 4 by omgeegee

December 2013

advocate the

Finding the balance: weighing the value of an Academy education

inside

pp. 12-15 Actress Sheridan Johnson describes her life in the theatre p. 5

Meet the tech crew, the masters behind it all p. 11

volume 41 • issue 4 • albuquerque academy • 6400 wyoming blvd. ne • albuquerque nm 87109

The Bombardiers return with their Jazz tunes. p. 16

2 news & features

Newsbriefs LINKS program to be phased in

AP Comp Gov takes part in INP face-to-face summit by Alex Dean The AP Comp Gov class traveled to Whittier, Calif. to participate in the face to face meeting of the International Negotiations Project on Nov. 15. The project is an opportunity for the students to delve into the inner workings of international negotiations. The students played the role of Chinese delegates and debated issues and proposals with delegations from other schools, each of which represented its own country. The class studied Chinese government in the weeks leading up to the trip to help them understand the country’s positions. The students communicated online with other delegates, and the face-to-face meeting represented the culmination of negotiations. “Our goal was to create as much support for the proposals as possible,” Morgan Findley ’14 said.

Model UN negotiates to solve problems at mock conferences by Sam Walinsky The Academy Model UN team recently attended two conferences where they acted as representatives of various countries. The team visited Stanford University Nov. 15-17 for a conference and attended a conference in Santa Fe Nov. 20-23. According to Rolf Lokke, history faculty member and sponsor of Model UN, “Model UN is [a group of] students learning to work together with others who might not share the same opinions in an effort to solve problems through negotiation and mutual effort.” At the conferences, members discuss world problems and how to solve them. The team will participate in conferences at UNM and Boston University in February and will potentially attend a conference at United World College in Las Vegas, NM in April.

Chorus to collaborate with New Mexico Philharmonic by Jessica Grubesic The Academy Upper School Chorus, the Bosque School Choir, the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John and the New Mexico Philharmonic will collaborate to perform in the Home for the Holidays concert on Dec. 21 at Popejoy Hall. There will also be appearances by the Manzano Day School choir and Kisma Jordan. The concert will be conducted by John Morris Russell, musical director of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, and will include both classical music and medleys of Christmas carols. The Upper School Chorus will prepare independently and will also attend two group rehearsals.

by Lucy Bartel The administration announced a specific plan for the gradual implementation of the student 1:1 laptop program in the 10/12 division on Dec. 4. Head of School Andrew Watson sent an email update to parents outlining the guidelines and requirements of the 1:1 system. Starting next year, students in 10th and 11th grades, classes of 2016 and 2017, will be required to own personal laptops and bring them to school. The phased approach will continue the following year with the inclusion of the classes of 2018 and 2019 to the program. The goal is to have full laptop accessibility for grades 9 through 12 within two years. The possibility of including 8th graders in the program is still under discussion. The project is a natural move that follows many other technological innovations the school has undertaken in the past few years, including the installation of interactive white boards and projectors as well as the 1:1 laptop initiative for faculty members. History faculty members Paul Pressley and Daniel Packer and Director of Technology Jim King have all been prominent leaders in the 1:1 program, working on the areas of student, faculty and educational technological support,

respectively. In terms of laptop requirements, the Academy will use a system coined “LINKS,” which stands for laptop, interconnected, no more than four years old, keyboard and software. The 1:1 program will require students to have a laptop, not a tablet, with adequate storage for documents and software installations; the website states that a 128 GB hard drive will be sufficient. Additionally, the device must have Internet connection capabilities, a microphone and a camera. The maximum laptop age of four years is set to ensure that every student has a working device up to and after graduation. The keyboard requirement excludes tablets but allows for the use of convertible laptops with a touchscreen. Furthermore, the computer must support software downloads, particularly those that involve programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The Academy lists three different ways of obtaining a laptop: purchasing one from a retailer, using one already personally owned or buying one through the Academy. The school will provide a low cost, reliable Windows-based PC laptop for purchase. It will cost around $600 and will be equipped with technical support, warranty and insurance. Fundraising efforts will support students on financial

aid, allowing their families to pay only the percentage of the cost proportional to their individual financial aid packages. The school will hold an information session on Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in room A110 in the East Campus Administration Building. Parents are also welcome to contact the school or consult the 1:1 email from Watson if they have any questions regarding the program.

GRAPHIC BY SIMIN LIU/THE ADVOCATE

Turnitin creates a level playing field Software discourages plagiarism, ensures originality by Stephanie Yang Since the beginning of this school year, Turnitin, the online plagiarism detector incorporated into Canvas, has been gradually assimilated into the grading curriculum. According to 10/12 Dean of Students David Kim, only minor paraphrasing and citation errors have been caught thus far. Even though it has only been a few months, Kim said that the administration sees Turnitin as an effective deterrent for plagiarism and a useful learning tool. Turnitin first compares a submitted paper to online sources and its database, which consists of student papers and over 110 million articles. It then calculates the percentage of matched phrases or words. Stephanie Good, science faculty member, notes that what is considered plagiarism is different in each academic subject, and most teachers consider a high match percentage not a definite sign of plagiarism, but instead an indicator that invites closer examination. For instance, a science paper would usually obtain a relatively high percentage in Turnitin. Fortunately for students, it is the teacher, not Turnitin, who gets the final say. Turnitin is mainly used in the 10/12 Division. Stuart Lipkowitz, English faculty member, requires students to turn in major papers through Canvas with Turnitin enabled as well as a hard copy. “In the past when I suspected plagiarism, I was suspecting it simply by my instincts. When it didn’t feel right to me, I would Google it, and I would usually find it, but sometimes not. I think Turnitin is a lot fairer,” Lipkowitz said. However, even with this benefit, hard copies still hold precedence over online submissions. Lipkowitz prefers hard copies because he believes he can see clearer when the paper is directly in front of him rather than on the computer screen. The physical act of marking a paper also makes editing and rewriting easier for teachers and students, according to Lipkowitz. Because Turnitin is used mainly for papers, it is not generally

the advocate • december 2013

applicable for science or math as it is with English and history. However, some biology classes have used Turnitin with their Creature of the Week assignments to prevent direct cutting and pasting. “I have had cases of plagiarism, but most of the time the students were not aware they were doing it. So it’s a good learning lesson for them,” Good said. “I’m caught in a middleground about Turnitin: it feels like I don’t trust my students, but there is a reason why we have it.” Good adds that it was this trust factor, as well as the fact that Turnitin uses student work in order to augment its database, that first sparked opposition to Turnitin from teachers and students. The 6/7 division has not implemented Turnitin and sees no need to. According to Chris Dineen, 6/7 Co-Division Head and faculty member, the type of writing that the students do does not necessitate the use of Turnitin, and the division would not utilize the program effectively. In the 8/9 division, the program has also had little impact. Diane Short, English faculty member, has used Turnitin only once in order to try it out. “There’s not as much opportunity in 8/9 to use Turnitin,” Short said. “I think it is really useful for certain applications like research, however the personal narratives and writing we do in 8/9 don’t need it. I give ‘what do you think’ prompts, which make plagiarism not an issue.” Although Turnitin is still not widely used throughout the all divisions, teachers are working to incorporate it into their classes. For example, the Senior Humanities faculty require students to submit all major papers through Turnitin. “Most students would not plagiarize if we had [Turnitin] or not. However, those who might be tempted if they get behind, knowing that this system is in place, will be less likely to resort to [plagiarism],” Kim said. “We haven’t had any wholesale paper plagiarisms like we’ve had in the past. Students know if they do that they will be caught for sure.” According to Kim, Turnitin is probably here to stay.

news & features 3

Disciplinary forum clears up Newsbriefs confusion in the 10/12 Division

Donations to annual December Drives help those in need

by Jenny Lee The 10/12 Division held a forum moderated by the 10/12 Student Senate concerning disciplinary policies in Simms Auditorium on Dec. 2. The purpose of the forum was to address any uncertainties that students might have concerning school policies and disciplinary protocol. “I thought it was nice to discuss the logic behind some of the handbook’s rules. Even though most of the basic reasons were pretty obvious, it was good to know why a certain rule is strongly enforced,” Andy Chen ‘15 said. “I wasn’t a fan of the timing though; I think in the future, this type of forum ought to take place earlier in the year.” Students of the division were given a chance to submit questions anonymously and these were posed by the student senate to 10/12 Division Head Sonia Roth and 10/12 Dean of Students David Kim. “This is the first time we have done something quite like this. It’s a bit of an experiment, but we are hopeful it will help open communication,” Kim said before the forum. “There is not one specific case that caused us to want to hold the forum, but… there is clearly some misinformation within the student body,” Kim said. The goal was not to address individual students or cases, but rather to explain the reasoning behind disciplinary action in order to clarify potential consequences to

students. “I thought it was very useful to find out the thought processes of the administration,” John Ramming-Chappell ‘15 said. When in discussion, names were never used for privacy reasons. Students were also able to ask questions in person during the session. The forum had no impact on actual policies; it was simply an opportunity for the division in order to educate students about disciplinary policies on a more in-depth level. Many topics were brought up during the forum. Issues discussed included formal topics, such as the technicalities of detention and the implementation of more disciplinary boards, including one that deals with minor issues as well as a judicial board that would provide assistance in handling situations that could lead to expulsion. Others had more to do with less significant school policies, including senior privileges and the possible ban on yoga pants, a topic that ignited a heated response from the student body. Questions were raised about how to prioritize some of the issues brought up by students. “It really depended on the question asked. Some were really useless, [they were] common knowledge. Some were really informative,” Jordan Cabarrus ’15 said. The forum assisted in clearing up misconceptions of school policies, and there are no plans for holding another one in the near future.

Art show exhibits student creativity

by Caleb Shaw

Every December, the Community Service Executive Board holds a food and clothing drive. This year, acceptable donations include non-perishable foods, backpacks, flash drives, bike helmets, winter coats and pillowcases, which will be collected in a truck near the arches at the top of the path. Several events took place on Dec. 9 as part of December Drives, including a bake sale at the bookstore and Smiles With Santa, an event where faculty members dress up in holiday costumes for photos and pose with students. Donations will go to The Storehouse, All Faiths Receiving Home, Dress a Girl Around the World and PB & J Family Services. The missions of these charities range from providing food and clothing to needy families to supporting at-risk children.

Car break-ins raise questions about campus security by Caroline Bay Six cars were broken into on campus on Nov. 22: five in the Simms Overflow Lot and one in the Library Parking Lot. According to Head of Security Mike Harris, all the break-ins occurred in the morning and were discovered by school security officer Clayton Hill. The Albuquerque Police Department is currently handling the investigation. Robbers took several valuables from the cars, including Blythe Johnston ‘15’s purse and wallet. “My wallet had $40, $50 worth of gift cards, my ID and my bank ATM card,” Johnston said. Harris advises students and faculty not to leave valuables in their cars. “Before you leave something, imagine what it’d be like without it. If you can’t be without it, don’t leave it in the car,” Harris said.

Thespian cabaret assists AIDS research organization by Ryan Puskar

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE BAY/THE ADVOCATE

TOP: Families view student drawings and photographs. LEFT: People talk and eat while enjoying student artwork. ABOVE: Three guests admire student paintings. The semi-annual student art shows allow students to showcase their work to the Academy community. Projects include pattern studies, still lifes, sculptures and more.

the advocate • december 2013

Thespian Troupe held a cabaret event on Dec. 2 to support Equity Fights AIDS. This year, the cabaret was masqueradethemed, and guests participated in activities such as mask-decorating while enjoying performances by members of all grades. There was no entrance fee, though there was a requested donation of $3. All proceeds from the event go to Equity Fights AIDS, an organization that gives grants to organizations that fight AIDS worldwide. “AIDS is a really horrendous epidemic,” Geordan Majewski ’14, organizer of the cabaret said. She hopes the fundraiser becomes an Academy tradition, providing a fun way to raise money and awareness for AIDS.

4 news & features

Dining hall staff serves up hard work by Eryn Ormesher

PHOTO BY ERYN ORMESHER/THE ADVOCATE

ABOVE: Jake Castellano bakes some chocolate chip cookies. Castellano works in the East Campus Dining Hall and is an Academy baseball fan.

Each day 11 employees in the East Campus Dining Hall and six employees in the West Campus Dining Hall come and work for seven hours, preparing everything from salad to munch pudding, running the ID scanners and washing more than 900 dishes. In addition to preparing lunches fourth, fifth and sixth periods, the East Campus Dining Hall staff members provide myriad breakfast foods and cater meetings and other events around campus. Preparing all of this food isn’t easy; it requires a lot of work from each of the staff members. Some notable food service employees include Roxy Braaten, Jake Castellano and Laura Gilbert. You may have noticed that Braaten and Castellano always have a friendly hello for you when you scan your ID. Castellano’s hello to the baseball players is especially enthusiastic since he is an avid fan of the Academy baseball team. Braaten is also in charge of on-campus catering. Gilbert, on the other hand, works in the kitchen and East Campus Dining Hall office. She arrives at work most mornings at 6:30 a.m. Her job consists of overseeing the positions and organization of the kitchen, which is no small task. When lunch time rolls around, Gilbert takes quick

notes on multiple clipboards containing recipes and notes on certain dishes in the back. Others clean the dishes, some serve in the dining area and replenish food that has run out, another employee cooks during lunch and one other bakes desert. Another dining hall job is to observe which items students and faculty eat and don’t eat so that they can take the unpopular items off the menu. Some of the items that they serve every day are required by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that the school participates in to receive federal funding. Each student then pays about $5.50 for lunch every day. Seventeen staff members are in charge of preparing fresh food options for 1109 students every day. From 6:30 to 4:00 or later someone is preparing fresh food for students and faculty in the kitchen. Working in the Dining Hall can be hard, but it has its perks. “I am quite blessed to have the opportunity to spend a part of my day interacting with the students, faculty and staff at lunch,” Braaten said. The staff members also enjoy talking to students and faculty and supporting athletes in sporting events. Kind and hardworking, the Dining Hall staff’s dedication makes sure that students and faculty can enjoy a nice lunch every day.

Drool about more than just sugar cookies by Haley So

The holiday season is the time for celebration, and each celebration is incomplete without a tradition or the assortment of foods with unique, yet perfectly matched flavors combined in each and every bite. Everyone knows about gingerbread and fruitcakes, but this winter, branch out and try something new, whether it’s a tradition from Poland or a new food. Perhaps now is the time to introduce your taste buds to a different palette of flavors or discover how the holidays are celebrated in the world. This time of year, holidays are celebrated globally, whether it’s Christmas, Chanukah, or perhaps even Festivus, a holiday inspired by “Seinfeld” and created for those that aren’t really religious but enjoy the holiday mood. Just as each holiday has different traditions and foods, each country celebrates differently and tailors the holiday to its liking. With its aromas of glazed pastries and buttery delights, bakery air gets a little sweeter during Chanukah as huge productions of sufganiyot are created. A sufganiyah is made first by sizzling a ball of dough in oil. Next, a filling, traditionally a thick jam, is injected into it. It is then topped off with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. The sweet originates in Germany and was first recorded in the 1400s in

one of the first cookbooks printed on Gutenberg’s printing press. Sufganiyot quickly reached Israel and earned a spot in their traditions. The deep-fried dessert is very popular during Chanukah, when sufganiyot are eaten to symbolize the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem when there was only enough for it to last one. Over 80 percent of Israelis eat at least one of these jelly donuts during the eight days of Chanukah. They are commonly filled with strawberry jam, but with the tens of millions sold in Israel alone in the weeks before and during the holiday, new flavors have begun to emerge to keep sales booming. Jelly donuts have spread worldwide, and now, flavors range from pistachio to dulce de leche, which is especially popular in Brazil and Spanish speaking countries. They have also been adopted by donut franchises that distribute all around the world. However or wherever they are eaten, these delectable jelly-filled donuts are sure to brighten up the holiday season. Another holiday delicacy is the oplatek, also known as a Christmas wafer. It is a treat mainly eaten in Central and Eastern European countries. The thin cookie, made of flour and water, is created in a similar process as a Christian communion wafer and is meant to be a reminder of the body of Jesus Christ. The tradition of the oplatek origi-

nates in Poland. Before the Christmas eve dinner, the eldest member of the family breaks off a piece of the wafer to “break the bread,” symbolizing the value of family, God and forgiveness. He or she then hands the piece to a family member with a blessing for the new year. The wafer is then passed on to the rest of the family members in a similar manner. Once the wafer is eaten, the Christmas dinner begins. The oplatek tradition has been adapted all around the world. Lithuanians also practice it, but the cookie is called kalėdaitis. With blessings and good wishes, each member of the family is given a wafer, and they take turns breaking off a piece of everyone else’s, trying to get a larger piece than is left in their hand. The pieces obtained are then used to read a fortune. Although the oplatek tradition is Christian, people who aren’t as religious also include wafers in their traditions. Sometimes they are drizzled in honey and eaten before holiday dinners in a casual manner, or eaten when the first star can be seen in the sky. The oplatek, a symbol of friendship and family, is a perfect way to begin the holiday season. Even if you don’t celebrate these holidays, you can at least enjoy nibbling these holiday treats. Introduce your tongue to new flavors this winter. Each holiday brings new delights, and each country and culture gives them a twist.

GRAPHIC BY SIMIN LIU/THE ADVOCATE

the advocate • december 2013

news & features 5

Starstruck: explore acting and directing Sheridan Johnson performs in the spotlight with boundless energy RECURRING FEATURE

by Caroline Bay

Albuquerque Academy’s Speechcoach, Sheridan Johnson, has a special talent: she can cry on command. This skill has proven itself rather valuable when she’s not a speech coach, but an actress. Johnson has been acting onstage for over 10 years PHOTO COUTESY OF and has been in multiple producSHERIDAN JOHNSON tions such as “Oleanna,” “Hedda Gabler” and “Venus in Fur.” Johnson first became interested in acting through her school’s Speech and Debate program. “I got really excited about storytelling.” She carried her passion over into college where she began acting, performing in a show every month. Now, she is a resident artistic associate for local theatre company, Aux Dog Theatre. Johnson has also performed in Santa Fe, Maine and London. According to Johnson, she enjoys acting because of the different points of view acting can convey. “Acting gets people to think differently about a situation where they maybe couldn’t see themselves before. I think the neatest part of theatre is that it allows us to identify with people whose circumstances are outside of our own.” However, because it is so emotionally intense, acting can also present its challenges to actors and actresses. “I think the energy and empathy are demanding in acting and [it] can be exhausting,” Johnson said. “But it can also be really fun!” One challenge Johnson doesn’t have to worry about, though, is stage fright. Johnson admits she can get nervous sometimes, but distinguishes nervousness from fear. “I get

really nervous when I have to give my own words. Like, when I have to present the opening spiel at the beginning of a play. If I’m acting, it’s a little different. And while it can be useful to be nervous before you go on, I’m not afraid of going on stage.” Johnson’s schedule is extremely full; she often rehearses four hours a night, five days a week, for four to five weeks in preparation for a show. Additionally, there is a “tech week,” which occurs the week before production, when all the finishing touches are set. Johnson recently finished her performances for the French farce, “Boeing, Boeing” after eight consecutive months of other rehearsals and shows. “I’m taking a break for December,” Johnson said. In addition to her acting, Johnson has directed four plays and devised a documentary theatre piece during this past summer. Her documentary theatre piece, “Holy Spirit or: Home.CanYouTakeItWithYou” examined Americans’ relationships with “home.” Johnson and her friend travelled the country collecting stories and experiences, which they produced into a theatre piece performed in Maine. It will be workshopped (performed without costumes, set or musical accompaniment) in Albuquerque in 2014. For aspiring actors and actresses, Johnson stresses the importance of reading. “The more you read and the more you experience in life, the better off you will be.” Johnson says that in her spare time she reads a lot, citing her favorite book as “Travels with Charlie” by John Steinbeck. Surprisingly, reading also prepares actors and actresses for their lines. “All acting is, is reading out loud,” Johnson said. Johnson also emphasizes the importance of an open mind for an actor. It’s crucial that actors are accommodating and good team members when working on a show. “The most important thing in theatre is the finished product and ev-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERIDAN JOHNSON

ABOVE: Sheridan Johnson acts onstage in “An Ideal Husband.” She performed this play in London. Johnson has been an actress for over 10 years and has also performed in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Maine.

ery person on the team is responsible for making it as positive of a product as possible. I think it’s really important to show up and listen to everyone around you.” After her break, Johnson will be performing in “Mr. Burns” in February and in “Gibraltar” in March. In the next few years, Johnson hopes to start her own theatre company. “I really believe in theatre education. But it’s amazing how much paperwork running a theatre company takes.” Successful actress, speech coach and possible future theatre company owner, Sheridan Johnson has truly embraced her passion for acting.

The big man on set: Bernstein finds the perfect shot as director RECURRING FEATURE

by Ezra Nash

Adam Bernstein was once a normal high school student without much money or a single connection in the film industry, yet he has grown PHOTO COURTESY OF to become one of the ADAM BERNSTEIN most renowned television directors/producers today. Bernstein has directed many television shows, including “Scrubs,” “Californication,” “Bored to Death” and Albuquerque’s favorite, “Breaking Bad.” As a high school student, Bernstein loved movies, but this passion didn’t drive his professional life until his sophomore year of college. It was then that Bernstein began acting, working as an unpaid intern in the film industry. Since he never went to film school, Bernstein began his career by making music videos and a few short films of his own such as “Do Unto Others” and “Santa and Marilyn, the True Story.” By 1984, Bernstein had climbed the professional ladder and began working as a producer and an editor for Nickelodeon. After a few year, Bernstein had the chance to collaborate with the best and achieve all that he could hope to achieve. Bernstein now produces and directs television dramas and comedies exclusively. According to Bernstein, the production

of an episode of a one-hour drama takes more time and energy than the production of a half hour-forty five-minute comedy episode. Bernstein’s work begins with filming. It generally takes five to seven days to film an episode of a drama, while the filming of an episode of a comedy show like “Scrubs” takes four to five days. “I enjoy directing comedies and dramas for different reasons. I like comedies because they are usually less time consuming, easier to film, and overall, very funny. Dramas, on the other hand, while they are more time consuming, are more immersive,” Bernstein said. Also, when filming a drama, Bernstein has more freedom to explore his “director’s medium.” Usually, Bernstein has two types of workdays: prepping days and shooting days. On a prep day, he scouts locations, casts episodes (decides which actors will act), gets permits and talks with the department heads to organizing the sets and costumes. On shooting days, Bernstein gets up half an hour early to set up for shooting two to sixteen shots, each of which will be filmed between ten and twenty times. Bernstein says, “My favorite part of his job is socializing with everyone on the set, that is if they are nice.” According to Bernstein directors must make sure that everyone, whether they are actors, technicians, or writers are doing his or her job. “Everyone on the set is there for a reason and they all serve a purpose,” Bernstein said. “As a director, you must constantly have a plan

on how to execute your plan,” Bernstein said. It is imperative that directors book locations on time, determine camera angles, figure out how to most effectively capture a scene, have a vision of how scenes will be blocked, deal with spontaneity, write up accurate feasibility reports, and most importantly, deal with complicated office politics in order to make sure everyone on set is content.

Bernstein is very much a self-made man. Though he originally started with no ties to the film industry, he was able to rise to the top due to his hard work, persistence, humility and discipline. Bernstein’s career has lasted over twenty-five years, and since the end of “Breaking Bad” he has been working on a TV version of “Fargo” in Calvary.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAM BERNSTEIN

ABOVE: Adam Bernstein searches for the best shot on set. Bernstein never went to film school, however, he has directed short films and TV shows, such as “Breaking Bad.” Right now, he is directing “Fargo.”

the advocate • december 2013

6 news & features

Craft your own gingerbread house article and photos by Clay Wynn For dough: 2 sticks of butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup molasses 5 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg

For icing: 3 egg whites 3 cups of powdered sugar

Decorations: Gum drops Candy canes Wheat cereal

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the molasses, butter and sugar in a saucepan and heat until melted. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly, preferably with an electric mixer. Knead well and then cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for one hour. 2. For the icing, separate the eggs into a large microwave-safe bowl and beat 1 cup of powdered sugar into it. Microwave the mixture for 40 seconds. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and beat the icing until it can hold peaks. Cover and refrigerate. 3. Cut out cardboard stencils using a template from http://pickyourownchristmastree.org/ gingerbread/GingerbreadHouseTemplates.pdf. 4. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and knead again. On a cookie tray, roll out the dough until it is one fourth of an inch thick. Place the stencils, leaving one inch between them. Cut out the pieces and strip away the excess from the sides only. Repeat until you have cut out all pieces. Bake them for 12-14 minutes. After you take the pieces out, put the stencil pieces back on their respective pieces and trim the excess. 5. Make an icing bag out of a Ziploc bag by filling it with icing and cutting a corner off. Attach the walls with icing and let them dry. Use icing to glue the roof and hold it for five minutes while it dries. Decorate the rest of the house.

TOP 10: Blunders of 2013

We all make mistakes, some are just (much) bigger than others.

10. North West. Kim Kardashian claimed that the name represents her highest point with Kanye West and said that it was not inspired by a compass. 9. Lululemon’s see-through yoga pants and the company’s response to the backlash. Apparently their marketing strategy involves calling customers fat to cover up company errors. 8. People were more outraged by Miley Cyrus’s VMA performance than by the chemical attacks in Syria. Perhaps it’s time to get our priorities straight. 7. Anthony Weiner ran for mayor of New York City and flipped off journalists when he only got five percent of the vote. Is the fact that five percent of New York-

ers voted for him a bigger issue? Maybe. Oh, there was also another sexting scandal. 6. Toronto mayor Rob Ford admitted to smoking crack. In his defense, politicians do stupid things even if they aren’t doing illegal drugs.

3. The NSA spied on everyone, from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to my technophobic grandfather. Nothing says land of the free like wiretapped communications and government-held transcripts of all our messages.

5. Ex-congressman Bob Filner ran for mayor of San Francisco and won. He was immediately sued for sexual harassment, so he resigned and pled guilty. Is anyone else losing faith in the mayoral legitimacy?

2. With all the might of the U.S. government, we still can’t create a functioning website. Whether you agree with the Affordable Care Act or not, its rollout has been a fiasco, complete with staggeringly low enrollment numbers and monumental technical difficulties.

4. Despite many years of educational reform in the U.S., American students’ scores on the PISA, an exam administered to students throughout the OECD, were once again mediocre. No child left behind?

1. The partial government shutdown. When Congress is reduced to listening to Ted Cruz read “Goodnight Moon” on the floor instead of discussing potential default, we have a problem.

the advocate • december 2013

seventh grade 7

Balance holiday shopping Community shares winter with family time customs

by Erin Mantsch

This time of year, when you turn on the radio, it’s not rare to hear an animated and mildly aggressive commercial advertising holiday sales. The annual shopping frenzy after Thanksgiving seems to have diluted and undermined the spiritual aspects of the holidays. The consumerism associated with the holidays contradicts the traditional holiday sense of appreciation and gratefulness for the things we already possess. However, for some families, holiday shopping is as much a treasured tradition as carving the turkey and one that entails spending time together. According to Catie Lacey ’19, the true value of the holidays consists of giving back and spending time with family. Though churches, schools and other community organizations continue to donate to charities during the holidays, Black Friday shopping has become the top priority for a number of individuals and families. In fact, Black Friday has almost become a holiday in itself, albeit a consumer-oriented one. Furthermore, some individuals occupy so much of their time determined to retrieve the best deals on gifts for family members and friends that they neglect to spend time with loved ones. On the other hand, for some families, going holiday shopping is a valued tradition and an opportunity to spend time with each other and enjoy each other’s company. For families that have upheld the custom for decades, holiday shopping is a matter of honoring tra-

reporting and photos by Nikita Jaiswal and Ella Ransom

ANYA LIPKOWITZ ‘19

GRAPHIC BY KHUSHI SINGH/THE ADVOCATE

dition and a source of multigenerational bonding. According to a study conducted by Winthrop University, Black Friday shopping activities comprise a ritual that is shared by multiple generations of female family members and close friends. Holiday shopping is also advantageous in that family members can discreetly determine what presents other family members are coveting. Although from one perspective the holiday shopping mania seems to be wasteful and ludicrous, it can have a positive purpose as long as families utilize the experience to bond and spend time together.

Social media revolutionizes advertising and consumerism by Mauricio Ibarra-Towle with additional reporting by Simin Liu Social networking has transformed from a means of personal communication between young people to a tool that business leaders use to facilitate communication with customers and employees. Successful businesses are founded on strong personal connections because satisfied customers will refer products and businesses to their extended social circles. It is this networking effect that makes social media such a powerful tool. According to the Content Factory, a digital PR, social media and marketing firm, although creating a comprehensive strategy for social media marketing and outsourcing the work costs an average of $4,000-$7,000 per month, it is a cost effective way of expanding a business’s customer base and keeping the existing customers. While the prices may not make financial sense to some small businesses, social media marketing it is ultimately a worthwhile investment because of the scope of consumers it reaches. Traditionally, businesses have devoted the majority of their resources to converting new prospective buyers, while keeping those hard-earned customers was usually an afterthought. Until the recent advent of social media and email, there was little that businesses could do to retain existing customers other than impress them with great customer service and hope that they return (with their friends). Now, technology and social media allow businesses to influence consumers before and after a sale. Social media tools are a relatively low-cost and accessible way for businesses to reach out to their best asset, their existing customer base, to remind them to come back.

Word-of-mouth recommendations are now as simple as clicking like, share or tweet. However, the instantaneous nature of word-ofmouth through social media is a double-edged sword. Bad reviews spread rapidly and can potentially damage businesses’ reputations, especially those of small businesses, which tend to be more vulnerable to negative reviews. Furthermore, entrepreneurs and business leaders can communicate real-time messages to their customers and employees without the interference of speech writers and public relations ﬁrms. This allows their words to be far more authentic and personalized and empowers those who do the behind-the-scenes work of designing and manufacturing products by giving them a larger role in the advertising process. Direct communication has the eﬀect of restoring trust and credibility to businesses. Additionally, social media has revolutionized the manner in which businesses operate by allowing them to direct money otherwise spent on advertising to projects like building their own outlets and content. For example, IBM has used its diverted funds to launch thought leadership communities. Social media sites, including Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, have helped businesses grow and have transformed a formerly one-way broadcast of advertisements to a two-way interaction between businesses and customers. Social media networking has empowered business owners to communicate publicly and directly with customers, fostering trust, transparency and accountability.

the advocate • december 2013

What do you do for Hanukkah? We celebrate Hanukkah for eight nights and I spend each night with my family. We light eight candles on a menorah. The youngest in the family usually lights the ﬁrst candle and then we trade oﬀ each night. What foods do you eat? We eat latkes, which are like pancakes that are made of potatoes and fried in oil. The story behind them is that the menorah, long ago during the time of rededication, stayed lit for eight days straight with only a little bit of oil in it. Latkes are made with that oil and signify the miracle of the oil.

SYDNEY WRIGHT ‘19

What do you do for Christmas? My grandma and my uncle usually come to my house. We cook a whole meal and it’s really nice. We give each other some gifts and just enjoy being together. What foods do you make during Christmas? We’ll have chicken or turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and sometimes cake. Why does that sound like Thanksgiving food? We do a lot of Thanksgiving things for Christmas-it just works out that way.

CHRISTOPHER PEKNIK

6/7 Science faculty member What is Festivus? Festivus is for the rest of us who don’t celebrate religious holidays. It involves the “Airing of Grievances” in which you publicly share what bothers you. Usually a toilet seat miraculously appears at the last minute to burn and signiﬁes the airing of grievances. How else do you celebrate the holidays? My family also honors the solstice time of the year because it is a special natural occurrence. We spend some time outside and give each other presents (but not a crazy amount of presents). We don’t want to turn the holidays into a present-fest. We also hang out with friends and family.

SARAH WEBER ‘19

How do you spend your Christmas? On Christmas Eve my family always goes to a church service. Afterward we go to my grandmother’s house and eat some of her lentil stew. Is there any German holiday? In Germany you open gifts the night before Christmas. Since my grandmother is German, we open the gifts from her on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas morning we open our other gifts. Do you eat any special foods? We have German foods like homemade “logs” made with dough and raisins.

8news & features

GRAPHIC BY SAM ROBERTS BACA/THE ADVOCATE

Aid through education:

Students commit to serving with dedication by Lucy Bartel Bones and books, though seemingly unrelated, have a lot in common. They are the basis of two successful Commitment to Service projects and the passionate and dedicated work of the students involved. Zoe Goldblum ’14 and Lou Vermette ’15 have established noteworthy projects for the Commitment to Service requirements.

ZOE GOLDBLUM ‘14: ONE MILLION BONES

Over one million handmade clay and papier-mâché bones lined the National Mall as speakers and survivors of genocides like the Holocaust and that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo shared their experiences this past summer in the culmination of an effort to raise awareness for the victims of genocide. More than a thousand were the products of Goldblum’s efforts as the leader of the Albuquerque Academy chapter of the One Million Bones movement. One Million Bones began under the leadership of Naomi Natale as a grassroots nonprofit organization based in Albuquerque. “[The organization] combine[s] art with activism to represent the lives lost in modern-day genocides,” Goldblum said. “When you hear people talk about genocide, it is impossible to imagine.” She first got involved because of a CONNECT weekend project: a smaller, 50,000 bone installation on Central. “I really didn’t expect to have that emotional connection,” Goldblum said. “It was absolutely beautiful.” Since that initial experience, she has dedicated hundreds of hours to making bones; organizing Make! day projects; giving presentations to CONNECT and the 6/7 community service club and counting, packing and shipping the finished bones. Goldblum also contributed to the project by researching ways in which the program could expand. She interned at the Albuquerque headquarters of One Million Bones in the summer before her junior year, during which time she looked into schools across the country with ceramics programs that could get involved with the project. All of the behind-the-scenes work helped make the project more valuable. “I knew what had gone into the project to make it so global…the breadth and the depth of the project was enormous,” Goldblum said. She encountered some challenges financing her project but managed to overcome them. According to Goldblum,

funding was an initial obstacle, but resources were fairly easy to access through the Senate Seed fund, private sponsorship and her affiliation with the project leaders. Another problem she recognized was the difficulty in raising awareness of a subject few people want to think about. “If people didn’t want to see how serious of an issue it was, they weren’t going to,” Goldblum said. “It has always been hard to wrap your mind around it.” Despite these obstacles, Goldblum continues to be motivated and inspired by the project. “It was the most meaningful project that I ever could have chosen. It brought me closure on some of the moral issues I’ve grappled with my entire life,” Goldblum said. “It made me a much more aware person in terms of they ways that other people think and the way that genocide happens.” The project is nearing its conclusion, but Goldblum plans to continue raising awareness. “Just because my project is over doesn’t mean that I can stop fighting genocide. It is going to be a lifelong project,” she said. There is a PBS documentary planned, and a location is being found to store the clay bones. “The ultimate goal is to find somewhere where they can be laid to rest,” Goldblum said.

LOU VERMETTE ‘15: 365 BOOKS

“I think education is so important for people to ﬁght for themselves and whatever they need,” Vermette said. “It’s better if people who need support can eﬀectively communicate and work towards their goals.”Vermette has worked tirelessly to collect and ship books to an elementary school called Emangweni Primary School in Mandabeni, South Africa, to foster this spirit of education. His motivation was his recognition of the enormous need for school materials in Africa and his belief that education is of paramount importance. His initial inspiration came from writing and receiving letters through the Ugandan Peace Pals project in his sophomore year. Since then, he has been working closely with Kristen Clauss, a Peace Corps member stationed in South Africa. She has coordinated Vermette’s communication with the school. According to Vermette, he has focused on updating the project’s media and getting the word out through email. Additionally, he has expanded the required e-Portfolio to a full website, which he uses to raise awareness about his project. “The project feels so important not only to me, but [to] a lot of kids who need these books,” Vermette said. He

the advocate • december 2013

has already accomplished a great deal through his project through his website design skills and communication with the school. The next step for Vermette is to implement a formal book collection, because he has yet to collect any. According to Vermette, other students can help him most by donating early reading books, particularly gently used young reader or elementary school chapter books. “The best thing for the project has been talking to people about it, making them aware, and asking for help,” Vermette said. For more information, visit Vermette’s website at https://sites.google.com/a/aa.edu/commitment-to-service--verl150/

news & features 9

Explore the traditions of Kwanzaa by Samsara Durvasula The day after Christmas, people drag themselves out of a ham and biscochitoinduced coma and towards the mall to return unwanted paisley underwear gifts or buy discounted holiday decorations. There’s a felt stocking with a peeling Santa ornament in the corner! A ten cent dreidel! Two dollars back on those hideous boxers! Amid all the discounts, one can sometimes find treasure, like a kinara, a multi-colored candle holder that has become the international symbol of Kwanzaa, a pan-African heritage celebration. Every year, Kwanzaa takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. The holiday originates from the “black power” branch of the midtwentieth century civil rights movement as a way for many African Americans, who didn’t have an exact idea of their origins, to celebrate their African heritage. The first Kwanzaa took place in 1966. Founder Maulana Karenga, a professor of African studies at California State University, Long Beach, said,“[I wanted to] give blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.” Kwanzaa focuses on customs found in most tribes across Africa, such as harvest festivals, which add to its identity as an allAfrica festival. In fact, the word Kwanzaa is based on the Swahili saying, “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” An extra “a” was added to the end of the word Kwanza so that each day

of the week-long celebration had its own letter. The seven days of Kwanzaa promote the seven fundamental principles of every African culture: Unity among family and community; self-motivation; working towards solving the community’s problems; working to be economically self-reliant; ensuring the community is fulfilling its highest potential; taking creative steps for the community and honoring ancestors, teachers and parents. Kwanzaa, how-

GRAPHIC BY KAREN LUO/THE ADVOCATE

ever, is a secular holiday; many AfricanAmericans celebrate it with Christmas, incorporating their customs into other holiday celebrations. Observers of the holiday celebrate with many uniquely African customs. People decorate their homes with colorful fabrics and African fruits, and observers don traditional kaftans—floor-length, colorful pullover robes. Many families have rituals to honor their ancestors in Africa. There is often a ceremony every night, where fam-

ily members drink from a common cup, drum, sing and honor the pan-African colors (green, red and yellow or black). The red represents the blood that unites all Africans, the black represents their common skin color and the green represents the fertile lands throughout Africa. This ritual is followed by a lighting of the night’s kinara candle and finally, a feast. Numerous symbols, like corn, the kinara and colorful decorative mats are fundamental to these rituals. Friends and family exchange gifts on every night of celebration. In recent years, participation in Kwanzaa has diminished. As the holiday transitioned from the first to second generation, many lost the need to celebrate, feeling “Americanized” and without a need for a holiday to connect to remove ancestral lands. In addition, many potential Kwanzaa observers (87 percent, according to the “Christian Post”) are affiliated with a religion, thus obviating the need for a separate Kwanzaa. Still, leaders of the holiday strive to instill the values of Kwanzaa in African-Americans, even through fusing it with other beliefs. In recent years, Kwanzaa has extended to countries around the world, including Brazil, Canada and some African nations. So, this year, take a moment from the mad dash for discounted Christmas ornaments to respect and recognize the ideals of Kwanzaa. Harambee (let’s pull together)!

Academy players attend Magic Grand Prix by Julia Friedmann While terms such as “mana” and “planeswalker” are unintelligible to the average person, avid players of Magic: The Gathering use them almost daily. In addition to learning the terminology, Magic players gain access to a large community and mythical world. Magic players form a subculture composed of about 12 million players worldwide, connected with tournaments that provide opportunities for players to test their skills and win prizes. On November 22-24, Albuquerque hosted New Mexico’s first Grand Prix tournament. To play Magic, each player starts with 20 life points and 60 cards in his or her deck and strategically builds decks to win games. The building block of a Magic game is “mana,” or magical energy used to fuel spells. Generated by five different-colored “lands,” the unique colors of mana drive spells. Players use cards and mana to summon spells, creatures or “planeswalkers,” rare supercharged creatures that serve as allies throughout the game. Competitors lose the game when they lose all their life, run out of cards or receive ten “poison counters.” This is just the beginning, as the Magic game becomes ever more convoluted. “It’s not easy,” Kiernan Sanders-Reed ‘18 said. “You have to use strategy to meet the challenges posed by the game, and that’s what makes it so fun.” The three-day tournament at the Albuquerque Convention Center drew 859 players from all over the country to compete for over $30,000 in cash prizes and the chance to win an invitation to the Pro Tour tournament in Valencia, Spain. “It was a really cool experience,”

Will McCormick ’15 said. “I was able to play with pros from all over the world.” On the first day of the tournament, players vied for advantages in the main event of the tournament, such as byes and booster packs of cards. The second day featured the start of the main event, where players competed for nine rounds. Those with records of 7-2 or higher were able to move on to the second day of main-event competition, where players faced off in sudden death rounds until a winner was declared. “I went 5-3 for the main event and almost made it to Day Two,” McCormick said. The Grand Prix also included side events, mostly “drafts” where players contested in smaller games to win smaller prizes. “I won [a draft] and got six Booster Packs [of cards],” said Agustin Kintanar, Science Department faculty member and Magic Club sponsor. Along with competition, the Grand Prix also featured cosplay, which allows people to dress up as game characters “The tournament let people know that there’s a thriving group of Magic players here,” Sanders-Reed said. “It was a successful tournament and I look forward to more in the future.” One aspect that attracts players to the game is the community. “You meet cool people,” Kintanar said. “The Magic community is actually very tightly knit, and while the people are nerdy, they’re usually really smart and nice.” This camaraderie is evident in the open culture of Magic Club, filled with students from grades 6-12. On Mondays from 3:30 to 6:00, players meet in room 211 in the Science Building to practice their skills. “I started the club about two years ago,” Kintanar said. “I’ve always played [Magic], and found enough critical mass to form a club. I

theadvocate advocate• •september december 2013 the 2010

want to pass on my love of the game and help students improve theirs.” Playing Magic takes a lot of commitment. However, the appeal of the game is apparent in the community and the fun experience. “Magic is really fun and really addicting,” McCormick said. “There are so many different aspects, like building decks, collecting, trading, art, cosplay and community that makes Magic so fun.” The Academy Magic club meets Mondays at 3:30 in Kintanar’s classroom.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AGUSTIN KINTANAR

ABOVE: Josh Hoeg ‘15 and Will McCormick ‘15 compete in the Magic: The Gathering tournament that took place on Nov. 22. The tournament drew players from all over the country, from novice to professional. $30,000 in cash prizes were available to be won.

10 news & features

PUZZLE

Instructions: Each square has three letters. One of these letters is part of a word that runs across the row, one is part of a word that goes down the column, and one is part of a hidden message. Cross out the words going down and across to reveal the message! Hint: It’s holiday themed!

by Keith Herrmann

S C R

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N A B

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HIDDEN MESSAGE: ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHEMISTREE

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DOWN Column 1: SANTA Column 2: CHILL Column 3: CHEER Column 4: FROST Column 5: CAROL

L N T

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T E W

C H A R G C EH C RA H

SOLUTIONS:

A C A D E A M C A YA C

L Y E LION BEAR DRAM TEAS DEAR LION SALT 3. BEAR LION 6. DAME DRAM BEAR

SOLUTIONS to last issue’s puzzle

10. 7. TRADES 13. 16. 19.

ARMADA 10. AGREED TRADES METALS 13. AGREED DREAMY 16. METALS 19. DREAMY 1.

PECANS CRIPES LADDER 2 7. BRENDA 1. 10. PECANS SPACES 4. 13. CRIPES 7. 1.PIRATE BRENDA PECANS 16. 10. LEMURS 4.SPACES CRIPES 19. 13. PIRATE 7.SIRENS 4.

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HORN LYRE HORN LUTE LUTE BASS 3. BASS LYRE TUBA TUBA 6. HORN HARP HARP

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S A S 1. CANOLI 4. BREACH 7. ARMADA 10. TRADES 13.LADDER 1 AGREED 1. 16. CANOLI 4. 1.METALS BREACH CANOLI 19. 7. 4.DREAMY ARMADA BREACH

9. M LUTE 12. the advocate I BASS• december 2013 15. N TUBA 18. G HARP

Behind the scenes:

art & leisure 11

Tech crew lends their expertise to productions

by Abby Williams A bed. To the average audience member at one of the Academy’s theater productions, a bed is simply that: a bed. But to a member of the show’s technical team, it represents so much more. It is the result of weeks of planning, designing, problemsolving and constructing. The bed is one of the challenges the tech crew addressed for the fall student-directed plays. Because the main character in one of the plays spends the entire performance lying down, the tech team had to figure out how to make an inclined bedframe to allow the actor to deliver the lines correctly. “Almost every show, I try to find something that is going to be progressively different than something we’ve done,” Performing Arts department chair Richard Hogle said. “The technicians involved will do something that they sort of know how to do, but they don’t have the final answer already.” Props are only the tip of the technical iceberg. For every performance, the tech team is responsible for the lights, sounds, sets, costumes and any props needed to set the stage for the actors. The process begins even before the actors start rehearsals, when the directors meet with the designer, often Mr. Hogle, to make a plan. Then, the crew members get to work, constructing sets, finding costumes, preparing the sound and light cues and making sure everything is in place prior to the start of the performance. “During a show, you don’t want to have to do any work,” technical crew member Nick Spahn ’14 said. “During a show, it should be as easy as hitting the ‘go’ button.” The light and sound cues are pre-programmed before the start of the show, but the “run crew” stays on duty for the duration of the performance, wiring actors with microphones, helping execute quick

changes in costumes and switching the sets when necessary. The scale of this process varies, depending on what type of show it is and its timeframe. The fall play has the most complex set to build, while the dance concert requires more lighting and sound work. The musical is the most techintensive production of the year, involving large, easily changeable sets and dozens of unique costumes. “You don’t see a lot of what goes on behind the scenes, the mistakes… but you see what the end goal is,” Nick Spahn ’14 said. “What we put on is what we’re proud of.” Though often overlooked, tech plays a significant role in each production. “The biggest part of our job is just making sure it all goes together,” Ryan Dunn ’14 said. “It’s kind of a big problem if the actors are all there and there’s just a bunch of tape on the floor and you’re supposed to understand what’s going on.” Hogle also recognizes the work that often goes unappreciated. “An audience gets to sit and watch a show for 20 minutes to two hours, and that’s it. But everyone who’s been working on the show puts hundreds of hours into it,” he said. “So for everyone involved, it’s very much about the process and developing and learning along the way and succeeding at that.” For any interested students, tech offers a variety of different options. “I think if more people knew about tech, there would be more people in it, because it is just really fun and flexible, and I think it is kind of an unsung activity,” Sarah Blogg ’14 said. The tech team encourages anyone to come by after school whenever they’re available and join in. “Every time you go, you’re learning something new,” Dunn said. “Whether it’s how to use this tool, how to use that lightboard, how to press big buttons, whatever. There’s that really cool learning period that I haven’t seen in a lot of other clubs.”

PHOTOS BY CARRIE HICKS/ THE ADVOCATE

TOP: Nick Spahn ‘14 builds a set for the student directs. The Academy tech crew creates the sets, props and costumes for every production. BOTTOM LEFT: This is the bed that the tech crew had to construct for one of the student directs, “Sorry, Wrong Number.” It posed several challenges, including the fact that it had to be build on a incline. BOTTOM RIGHT: Emily Hopkins ‘14 and Steven Otero ‘14 review the director’s notes about stage management and costume design.

Rare book collection contains valuable historical insight and provides an important student resource article and photo by Laurel Howell

ABOVE: This is the title page of one of the oldest books in the Simms Library collection, a religious book published in Latin in 1654.

There is something magical about a book that withstands the passing of time and remains valuable and interesting to readers today. Albuquerque Academy’s Simms Library contains a collection of over 450 rare books. While some of the books originated in Europe, the majority of this collection focuses on the Southwestern United States. “We collected them because we thought Southwest history was something special we can focus on,” Head librarian Barbara Spivey said. The oldest book in the library’s collection is “Institutionum Chritianae religionis libri quatuor” by Johannis Calvini, published in 1654. It was donated to the library approximately 15 years ago. The old cover is made of warped, cracking leather that originally tied shut with frayed olive green ties. The religious book is written in Latin, and summarizes Christian theology while explaining how one should think and live as a Christian. Another book in the collection is small, locally themed

the 2013 theadvocate advocate• •december ferruary 2010

and lighthearted. “Songs of the Cowboys” can easily fit into the palm of your hand and, according to Spivey, cost about five cents when it was first published in 1908. The small pages are filled with traditional tunes sung by cowboys in the Wild West. The small red leather bound collection is housed inside a three paneled folder with marbling on the two outer sides. News Print Shop published it in Estancia, NM, and very few copies exist, which makes it more valuable to individuals. The books in this collection are available for student use. Students who wish to use one of the books for research must make special arrangements with a librarian beforehand. Before touching any of the rare books one must don a pair of white gloves to protect the delicate paper from the oils on human skin. The rare books are valuable additions to the library. Some items in the collection are valued at over 1000 dollars each. “[The books] need to be something we think will be unusual or valuable in the future, or are unusual and valuable now. We want to make sure they are protected now,” Spivey said

12 cover story

Beyond bricks and mortar: brea 3D textbooks supercede old regime 2D courses

by Eric Li Any revolution inspires a corresponding counterrevolution, as if social movements followed Newton’s third law of motion. The online education revolution is no exception. In the past few years, MIT has started offering online course materials through its Open Courseware project, and the number of users on Courseara and Khan Academy has grown at an increasing pace. However, other institutions have begun to use their physical buildings as a way of providing students with an educational experience that can never be achieved through the internet. The Academy has begun to follow not only the online revolution, but the physical counterrevolution as well. One notable organization leading the charge is Future Proofing Schools, an Australian Research Council dedicated to rethinking the idea of a school building as a passive learning environment. They have formulated mechanisms for students to interact with the school’s buildings to a greater degree, thereby allowing for increased critical thinking and understanding of applied knowledge. For example, Future Proofing Schools has recently proposed cut-away and transparent building elements that allow students to observe and understand exactly how their school buildings were constructed. These cutaways would allow students to see the framing, lining and insulation of a building— aspects of construction and applied knowledge that students would not be able to understand anywhere else. Future Proofing Schools also suggests schools install clear pipes to show water flow around the school and thermal cameras to monitor school performance and efficiency. Thornbury High School in Australia has implemented some of Future Proofing’s ideas in the construction of the school. Students at Thornbury have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of specific trends and

techniques in sustainable construction, like cross ventilation and eco-timber. Several classrooms were equipped with infrared cameras to monitor building performance, and students had the opportunity to visually see the effectiveness of various blinds. While existing 3D textbook schools have typically been “green” schools that have used their 3D textbook buildings to educate students about sustainable construction, the Academy offers a similar set of programs that allows for more interactive education that treats the school itself as a learning environment. Initiatives like Chargers in Action (CIA) were initially started as a way for students to help the grounds staff maintain a large campus and make it more sustainable. Despite its unpopular reputation with the student body, the program itself allows for a greater interaction between the students and the campus itself. CIA exposes students to practical, interactive skills that most students would

otherwise be unfamiliar with. Students benefit from learning what it is like to work with their hands and gain a better understanding of the type of work involved with maintaining any piece of property, whether it’s a 300 acre campus or just a backyard garden. The gardening program that is part of 7th grade WOW weeks accomplishes a similar objective, where students learn how to compost and take care of a nonindustrial garden. Campus establishments like this serve as interactive installations that allow students to learn a wider range of skills that are not achievable through conventional classroom education. Smaller installations sprinkled around campus also allow certain parts of the school to act as pages or chapters of a 3D textbook. The lobby of the science building is host to several small-scale demonstrations that allow students to understand different principles. Students can jump above the seismometer and then watch the graph register the effects of their landings. On the mesa of the campus, the Rocket Club installed a weather station that allows students to learn how to monitor meteorological phenomena, as well as how to maintain such a station. In the future, the Academy could do more to make aspects of the school more transparent—literally. These programs allow students to gain a fuller educational experience compared to classroom education by itself. Installation of exhibits or displays around campus could allow for students to view specifically how different appliances work or how buildings are constructed will allow for a deeper understanding of the basic principles that go into creating our environment.

GRAPHIC BY CALVARY FISHER/ THE ADVOCATE

the advocate • december 2013

cover story 13

aking ground in education Ex-Ed infuses students with leadership and fresh air by Jessica Grubesic For many Academy students, the most memorable experience of seventh grade is WOW, or week of wilderness. Four days without showers, beds or any of the comforts of home can seem daunting, but are ultimately a rewarding beginning to the Academy Experiential Education experience, which can span a student’s entire time at the school. “I think it’s important because it…allows us to get kids out of a normal school setting and puts them in a position where they have to make decisions,” Experiential Education faculty member Mike Hanselmann said. “It’s something that’s a little out of their element and probably good for them.” The Academy’s program is one of the most expansive in the state, and though its skill-based curriculum may be more basic than those taught in college level courses, the leadership qualities Experiential Education instills in students can rival those taught at the college level, according to Experiential Education department chair Jessie Barrie. The Academy is unique in its emphasis on Experiential Education, which is defined as “learning by doing with reflection,” according to Barrie. “I think the thing that sets us apart is the size of our program and the scope of our program,” she said. “We have seven people, including our intern, working in the Outdoor Education Department.” According to Barrie, other independent schools might have just one full time Experiential Education faculty member whose work is supplemented with the help of faculty members from other departments who lead trips. “There are not too many schools that have a… dedicated staff to a program like this,” Hanselmann said.

Additionally, the Experiential Education program is tightly integrated into the school’s curriculum, as the 6th grade day hike and overnight, the 7th-grade WOW experience, the 8th grade retreat and the 9th-grade 4-day trip are all graduation requirements. “The mandatory curriculum… is beneficial because it forces the kids who wouldn’t otherwise do it to be introduced to something that they may never see,” Hanselmann said. Along with the required trips, the Academy offers unique outdoor education classes. Andres Lucero ’14, who has taken every Experiential Education course offered, said that while each one offered unique and memorable experiences, the most important takeaway was self-reliance. “[You learn] a lot of intrapersonal stuff like how to be selfsufficient and how to take care of yourself and how to balance taking care of your own needs...as well as balancing group tasks, which translates really well into almost anything,” Lucero said. The Academy values experiential education because it is so directly in line with our motto: “learning through doing.” Several other schools offer outdoor education taught in a decidedly different manner. Colorado Mountain College offers a two-year associates program and a certificate program in outdoor education, both of which are meant to prepare students for careers in many fields, from environmental law to sustainability. While this curriculum is similar to the Academy’s in its hands-on nature and many outdoor components, it can be highly specialized depending on what students plan to do in the future. For example, students may base their outdoor education in science, treating the

the advocate • december 2013

natural world as a lab. At the High Mountain Institute, also in Colorado, academics are very closely integrated with outdoor education. The for-credit semester-long program is exclusively available for high school juniors who want to take honors and AP level classes while living off the grid. The program focuses on sustainability and also offers five weeks of trips in the Colorado wilderness. Durham Academy, an independent school in North Carolina, has an outdoor education program for grades 5-12 that is mandatory and mirrors the Academy’s program for grades 6-9. Trips range from camping on the shore to visiting important cites in the Civil Rights movement across several states. Most curricula focus on teaching leadership through exposure to the outdoors. “Originally, when [Experiential Education] was started by [Head of School] Ashby Harper, it was started to not only teach environmental education and get students into the forest and into the mountains where they’re learning different things from the natural world, but it was also started as a way to balance out the really cerebral, academic, heady stuff with a connection to nature and a connection with peers,” Experiential Education faculty member Sarah Councell said. Experiential Education adds new perspectives to the lives of Academy students by allowing them to escape the monotony of daily life. Thanks to the dedicated faculty, the Academy’s experiential education program can be as wide-ranging as those offered by top environmental education schools while still teaching leadership skills that are applicable in myriad situations.

14 cover story

The building blocks of education Newly implemented APS teacher evaluations spark controversy By Meagen Twyeffort This year, public school teachers are affected by a new instructor evaluation method as dictated by the New Mexico Public Education Department. This complex system measures teacher success through methods heavily weighted toward student performance on standardized tests and classroom observations by the principal. As a highly controversial step to improve New Mexico’s struggling public education system, it raises questions about how teachers should be evaluated and the fairness of holding them accountable for student test scores. In comparison, teachers at the Academy are evaluated regularly by a faculty team, the students and a goaloriented self-assessment. According to Bellehaven Elementary School teacher Jan Phillips, 50 percent of the elementary school evaluation is based on class scores from the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) and student grades. Fifteen percent is based on two or three yearly interim assessments in math and ten percent of the evaluation is based on attendance. Teachers who are absent for more than nine days of the school year will fail this checkpoint. Another 25 percent is based on observations by the principal, fellow teachers and certified observers. These are unlike the Academy, where test scores and attendance are not a definitive reflection of the teacher, although overall AP exam success is looked at where applicable and excessive absence is not commendable. One quarter of the APS evaluation is based on the principal’s overall observations in four categories: Planning and Preparation, Creating an Environment for Learning, Teaching for Learning and Professionalism. Teachers are rated on a scale of 1-5 in all the categories, ranging from “Ineffective” to “Exemplary.” Teachers who receive a two

in any of the domains must automatically begin a schoollevel improvement plan. A score of one mandates a larger scale district improvement plan. Ineffective teachers will be mentored by more experienced, successful colleagues. Similarly, the Academy implements evaluation teams that consist of the teacher, Department Head and sometimes another instructor to observe the class. Experienced teachers who are new to the school are evaluated in years two and six and every five years thereafter, and teachers new to the profession have a year-long probationary period. The evaluation process is constant throughout the year, starting in August with a self-assessment based on rubrics and the creation of specific goals. The teaching rubric includes categories like Methodology, Repertoire, Use of Feedback, Communication and Social Justice. The curriculum is measured based on Coherence, Appropriateness, Fluidity, Content Mastery, Continuity and Authenticity. The faculty member submits a proposal that includes the goals, evaluation team and a timeline to achieve the goals; this proposition is accepted or altered as needed. The teacher will utilize methods like observing other classes, keeping a reflective journal, asking for student feedback (such as the annual online teacher evaluations) and having conversations with other faculty. In the spring, the department chair will hold a team meeting to review the self-reflection and the effectiveness of the process

with the instructor. Failure to consistently meet Academy standards will lead to a probationary evaluation process, and the inability to maintain professional standards demands immediate action, possibly including dismissal. The new APS interim assessments and the SBA are derived from the new Common Core Standards adopted by most public schools throughout the country and implemented during the 2011-2012 school year. According to Phillips, as a result, teachers are reshaping their curricula to meet these new standards, and Phillips finds it unfair to weigh student performance so heavily on such a recent implementation. Valley High School math teacher Peggy Foos agrees. “If my effectiveness as a teacher is going to be determined by the results of a standardized test, then provide me with a standardized curriculum. Tell me what to teach, when to teach it, and how to assess it,” Foos said. “This begins to look like an online course, and I’m not needed in the classroom.” Teachers cannot control the intelligence of their students or their home situations; as a result, teaching to the test will be inevitable and perhaps detract from well-rounded, innovative learning. Only time will tell whether or not the new APS evaluations will be effective, but there are reasonable doubts, especially with the heavy weighting of standardized tests. However, it is encouraging that New Mexico is making an effort to improve its public education.

Across the nation: teacher quality is the greatest indicator of student success

Albuquerque Academy: evaluates teachers in years 2, 6 and every 5 years thereafter

APS evaluation guidelines:

50% student grades and test scores 25% locally adopted and approved measures 25% observations

the advocate • december 2013

cover story

20,000 leagues across the sea: Finland, Japan and the U.S. differ in their teaching strategies by Ryen Ormesher Oftentimes, we can’t imagine a life different than our own. We think that students everywhere endure the drudgery of seven classes a day, after school activities and three to five hours of homework at night. This, however, is far from the case. Radically different education systems are employed around the world, with varying results. Imagine, for example, getting released from classes at noon every day as students are in Brazil, or having to wear “anti-cheating headwear” during a test, like the students in Thailand. The world is full of educational innovation; education is not limited to the classic high school stereotype of the U.S. One country in particular stands out when it comes to student achievement. Located in northern Europe, the small Nordic country of Finland has consistently ranked among the highest in the worldwide standardized PISA (Programme for Student Assessment) tests. Although their rankings dropped slightly this year, since 2000 Finnish students have achieved some of the highest scores in reading, math and science. Forty years ago, Finland embarked on a dramatic education reform, in an attempt to revive the national economy. During this transformation, public schools underwent dramatic revisions in structure, funding and curriculum. In addition to some of the highest achieving students, Finland has a 93 percent high school graduation rate, and 66 percent of students attend college after high school. Some might claim that the reason for Finland’s success is more government funding for schools. Although all of the schools in Finland, from elementary schools to universities, are publically funded and free for students, Finland actually spends 30 percent less per student than the U.S., according to Business Insider. The differences in Finnish education lie not in more funding, but in classroom structure and teaching styles. Through elementary school, there is minimal testing and

homework. Students generally have 75 minutes of recess every day (the average in the U.S. is 25 minutes). Actual grades are not given to students until high school, and then they are individualized grading systems done by each teacher. The same curriculum is used for all schools. Teachers from elementary to high schools are encouraged to give special attention to students lagging behind, and often do. Homework loads, even in high school, are generally much lower than the average homework loads of students in the U.S. On the other side of the globe, education couldn’t be more different. Like Finland, Japan also holds some of the highest PISA scores in the world; however, these result from a drastically different education system. After World War II, Japan passed new education requirements and implemented a new structure for students. Now, Japan estimates that around 96 percent of the youth population is enrolled in high school. While Finnish students thrive on less structure in classrooms and fewer hours studying, students in Japan adopt more of a “nose to the grindstone” mantra. Children start pre-school anywhere from age three to five. Once they reach high school, students in Japan generally spend six to seven hours a day at school five days a week, plus optional study hall hours after classes and on weekends. Much of the curriculum during high school is aimed at preparing students for the standardized test taken their senior year. This test plays the most important role in determining students’ future colleges and ultimately, careers. Unlike the SAT, it cannot be retaken. The teaching style in Japan also differs immensely from other countries. While in Finland, science classes are often capped at 16 students to promote hands-on labs and projects, classes in Japan generally hold around 30 to 35 students. Also, in Japan, much of the homework given is repetition centered on rote memorization. Albuquerque Academy, by comparison, represents a more typical U.S. high school. Although our curriculum

is generally considered more advanced than that of public schools, the structure with eight periods a day and three to five hours of homework a night is similar to other public high schools around the country. U.S. students received mid-rankings on the most recent PISA test, despite the fact that we are one of the biggest spenders on education per student. Although generally very different, Japan’s and Finland’s education systems have some similarities, many of which distinguish them from the American system. For one, the majority of schools in both countries are public schools, which are regarded as more rigorous than private schools. In comparison, in the U.S., private schools such as the Academy are considered more prestigious because of selectivity and availability of funds. What’s more, in both Japan and Finland, teaching is considered a more esteemed career. Teachers in Finland must earn a master’s degree before they can teach, and they are selected from the top 10 percent of college classes. Similarly, in Japan, teachers are selected from some of the top students within a class, according to the Center on International Education Benchmarking. In fact, one of the reforms in Japanese education after WWII was a decree stating that teachers would be paid 30 percent more than other civil servants. In the United States, high school teachers make relatively little money and are only required to hold a bachelors degree when they begin teaching. In comparison to both Finland and Japan, U.S. teachers are required to spend very little time observing experienced teachers in the classroom. Likewise, Finnish and Japanese teachers are encouraged to spend time on self-improvement. The U.S. also separates children based on achievement very early on --Finland and Japan wait until late high school and college. There is more than one way to address education; by adopting aspects from other countries’ education systems, we can improve our own. We should continue to look beyond our borders for inspiration when it comes to education.

Academy students analyze world education INTERVIEW AND PHOTO by Ryen Ormesher Additional photos courtesy of Michael Chavez and Sonja Shah

Parker Hibbett ‘14

What is the biggest difference between education in Japan and education at the Academy? The college process is actually really different from ours. They can only apply to one university, and have to take a big test to get in. High school grades don’t matter as much because it’s all on this big test, which is why the curriculum generally centers around preparing the students for it. Are most of the schools public or private? A lot of the schools are public. It’s sort of the opposite of here; the private schools are more outliers and the public schools are stronger. How are teaching styles different? It was kind of similar. A lot of lectures, and notes on the board like here. But there weren’t many discussions or anything. I think there was more respect for the teachers than in the U.S., and the teachers definitely expected more respect. What is different about the classroom environments? A similar structure, but the students stayed in one classroom, while the teachers moved from class to class. There were about four classes per grade, with 30 kids in every class. Also, the kids wore uniforms.

Michael Chavez ‘14

What is the biggest difference in education in China from education at the Academy? I’d say that the education in China is all based on rote memorization. There is only one classroom and the teachers rotate. The education isn’t based on what you think, it’s just telling you what to think. There’s no discussion, ever. Everything is based on this one standardized test they will take, and during the test they have to shut down the streets. And it literally determines your entire future. Are most of the schools public or private? All schools are basically public. The private schools are extremely inferior. But you actually have to pay fees to the public schools. However, there are other vocational schools subsidized by the government, for kids whose parents can’t pay. What is different about the classroom environments? There isn’t a lot of collaboration in the classrooms. All the students are also required to wear uniforms, and at some schools girls have to cut their hair short, and students aren’t allowed to date. If you are caught, you will be called into the office and receive counseling. But the reason for all the pressure on them is the one child policy. Because your parents and grandparents are dependent on you.

the advocate • december 2013

Sonja Shah ‘14

What is the biggest difference between education in UWC and education at the Academy? The biggest difference I’d say is subject choice and curriculum. The Academy covered a lot of subjects that were mandatory. Here [at United World College], I have more freedom in choosing my classes. Also, a lot of the education is based on a kind of liberal arts point of view, ideas and discussions and learning about different cultures. Is there anything AA could do differently, more like the schools in UWC? There is definitely less pressure to get good grades. Instead, there is more of a focus on creativity and maybe ideals. A lot of discussion goes on everyday during class. What is different about the classroom environments? The Academy really focused on preparing kids for college. UWC doesn’t do that as much. I mean, it prepares us but the students aren’t as worried about their grades or what college they are going to go to. At the Academy, it seemed like everyone was stressed all the time, even as sophomores. Also, a lot of the education happened outside of the classroom. Activities and talks about all sorts of issues happen after school and on weekends.

16 arts & leisure

The Academy Bombardiers bring back big band beats

GRAPHIC BY AVERILL NOLTE / THE ADVOCATE

by Maria Vigil The Bombardiers are back. This particular style of jazz band, which Albuquerque Academy presented in 2009, is back in rotation and broadcasted a radio show on Nov. 26 as part of the 17th Annual High Desert Jazz Festival. This talented group of musicians, the third group in the school’s history to be performing the Bombardiers, pays homage to the World War II era when big-band jazz became popular. After digging through old archives, John Truitt, former Performing Arts faculty member, came up with the idea for the Jazz Band Bombardiers. Truitt found a collection of pictures of the original Bombardiers, a group of soldiers stationed at the Kirtland Air Force Base during World War II that had formed a jazz band group. The pictures of the original group featured several notable characters, including a clarinetist who went by the stage name of Frankie Hilton. Hilton’s real name is Ray Kogovsek, and when Truitt found the old photos of him, he and Corbin contacted Kogovsek. “He had this routine where he would play the clarinet, and then someone backstage would toss him another clarinet,” Corbin said. “He’d play two clarinets at a time, and then someone would toss him another clarinet, and he’d play all three.” The original Bombardiers produced two radio shows a week, one called “Salvos from the Skies,” and another entitled “Letter from Home.” The goal of these shows was to give news from the warfront, to talk about local news and to provide listeners with excellent big band jazz. Both the original Bombardiers and the Academy group played big band music, a style associated with the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. It typically incorporates a laid-back swing rhythm that enfolds the more complex beats that occur within the music. “Big band music can be difficult because we don’t have a lot of members in our jazz band,” Reed Cunningham ’14, member of the Bombardiers, said. “There are [fewer] solos, bigger phrases, and the music is harder than other styles. But, it’s re-

ally amazing to look back on the history and to know that we’re doing this show similarly to how [the original Bombardiers] did it back then.” The original Bombardiers are an inspiration to the jazz band today, just as other popular big band musicians such as Glen Miller, Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman were to the rest of the world at the time. Hovey Corbin, Performing Arts faculty member and director of the jazz band, is excited to be directing the revived version of the Bombardiers again. “Our project is to do a radio show similar to what the original Bombardiers would have produced,” Corbin said. Academy’s Jazz Band Bombardiers collaborated with a new vocal music group on campus, Cool Breeze. This is an all-female group of vocalists whose primary style of music is close-harmony jazz, in which the chords of the music are usually under an octave apart, creating a dissonant effect. “Cool Breeze [took] on the role of the ‘Melody Maids’ in the radio show. This is the group of women singers who sang with the Bombardiers for the [original] radio show,” said Deborah Briggs, Performing Arts faculty member and director of Cool Breeze. Together, the groups performed “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “Chatanooga Choo Choo.” Like the jazz band, Cool Breeze performed a difficult style of music. “This style of music can be very difficult with all the dissonant and close harmonies,” Briggs said. “Much of the music is in four parts, and we have to practice different combinations of the parts so the girls can get used to the clashes that happen in many places. When all the parts are put together the jazz chords are beautiful, but sticking to the notes without being drawn to another part takes a lot of work.” The radio show was held in Simms Auditorium on Nov. 26 and was broadcast by 770 KKOB. The show included a live studio audience and also featured seventh graders who came up with their own original commercials. Corbin said that the band hopes to take their show to the Albuquerque Jazz Festival in February, and the group will perform during common times and on Jazz Heritage Night on April 22.

PHOTO BY LAUREL HOWELL/ THE ADVOCATE

ABOVE: Hovey Corbin and the Academy Jazz Band Bombardiers play classic big band music in a reproduction of the 1940’s radio show put on by the Kirtland Air Force Base during World War II. They performed on Nov. 26 and will do the show again for common times and Jazz Heritage Night in April.

the advocate • december 2013

GRAPHIC BY KAREN LUO / THE ADVOCATE

Found in translation TRAVEL COLUMN by Abi Hunter

As every Academy student knows, learning a second language is a simultaneously frustrating, irritating, satisfying and oftentimes off-putting ordeal. From uttering the first “je m’appelle” to reading political philosophy in French, my second language has been quite the undertaking, even in the United States. Learning French was enough to transport me not only to a different country, but also to a new mindset. Real-life French, however, differs vastly from the French I learned in a comfy classroom in McKinnon Hall. It is faster and more slurred than the clear articulation of the Academy’s three French teachers. We never listen to our accents in French class; we know that we all have thick American ones, but this doesn’t bother us. We only speak with each other and the teacher. Here though, an accent can attract unwanted attention from the French public: stares of fascination or pity. French class never taught me how to haggle with a shopkeeper or buy a SIM card for my phone. My friends and I have become regulars at a local Thai restaurant, where the host greets us in English and we reply in French. The room becomes a flurry of languages: French, Thai, English and sometimes even Spanish or Mandarin. We speak Franglish, tossing our orders back and forth and doing the algebra of the bill—inevitably, someone always forgets change and we have to pay with a twenty-euro note. The locals take advantage of this opportunity to speak English, reversing the roles. It is so different when a French person is practicing his or her English for us, because it is usually the other way around. The greatest challenge is the speed. All the vocabulary and grammar knowledge I have accumulated over the past two years is no use when I cannot distinguish one word from the next. After two months, however, my brain has started working faster; I would swear that the French have started speaking more slowly, and when I go back to podcasts I found unintelligible before I left, I can now make sense of them. The best feeling is when I realize that I’m speaking French without overthinking it or formulating thoughts in French that go straight to paper. I love listening and realizing that I understand every word being said. Here, that’s one of the best triumphs that there is.

arts & leisure

Cal Clatanoff mixes up the DJ music scene by Holly Liu The lights dim and the strobe lights pulse rhythmically as two DJs start to mix the beats. People crowd around the stage, dancing and cheering wildly and even engaging with interactive elements of the set. One of the DJs, Cal Clatanoff ’14, turns the tables with dynamic house music as he expresses his DJing passion. Clatanoff has always loved music. Although he was not very dedicated when he first began, he gradually devoted more time and hard work to DJing, particularly after he purchased turntables this summer. He has played multiple gigs so far, including the Rio Rancho High School Fall Ball and a show that he and his DJing partner put on in the middle of November as part of a series of DJ performances. They also held a show on Oct. 19 at a private house and had a very successful turnout. His DJ companion is Trevin Barnhill from Hope Christian School; their act is called TC². They practice a week before their gigs by making mixes of current songs. “[We’ll] just get our set list, and that’s just the music we’re going to play. We perform it all live so we have to practice mixing the music,” Clatanoff said. His favorite part of DJing is playing for a crowd of fans and friends. “Just getting to play music you love for people… Just getting paid to do something you love is really the best part about it,” Clatanoff said.

Clatanoff’s goals for the future are to continue to DJ and become more involved in the dance music world. “For goals down the road it’s just to start producing our own music…We’ve started to do that through the money we’ve made through DJing,” Clatanoff said. He plans to pursue DJing in college as well. “I’ve always been a baseball player, so I’ve started to put some of my focus more into music as opposed to baseball,” Clatanoff said. In an effort to fulfill this goal, he and his partner have already purchased producing software and started to create their own music, which can be found on soundcloud.com. One major challenge of DJing is getting the money to buy equipment. DJ equipment is not hard to find, although it is expensive, ranging from around $300-$2000. The turntables he purchased were around $300. Clatanoff hopes that he can acquire more complex equipment. He purchased $2000 speakers by selling different things. “We got the money by selling our clothes that we don’t want anymore,” Clatanoff said. “I’ve sold my Xbox and Playstation just to get money for those speakers we need to play… live shows.” He has also had a lot of support from friends and family for the funding. Possible upcoming gigs for TC2 include a New Year’s Eve party at a local venue, more school dances such as the Rio Rancho High School Winter Ball, the Trischool dance and senior week events at the Academy.

the advocate • december 2013

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL CLATANOFF

ABOVE: Cal Clatanoff ‘14 performs a Halloween-themed DJ show for the Rio Rancho High School Fall Ball. He is part of an act called TC2, and they have already performed in several other shows.

18 opinion

Favoring foreign aid:

Funding is vital to international relations by Simin Liu In October, the Obama administration announced it was withholding a significant portion of the $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt, most of it in military assistance, to pressure the current military regime to restore democracy as quickly as possible. The move was a reaction to last July’s coup against the administration of President Mohamed Morsi, which established a moderate military regime. However, the cutback in aid is likely to backfire and further erode our reputation as a dependable ally, provoke anti-American protest and precipitate the decline of U.S. influence in the Middle East. Additionally, the cutback may increase political instability and rising violence, which radical groups will likely exploit to gain footing. The U.S. administration should use caution in decisions involving foreign aid reduction, both in Egypt and elsewhere, and ensure that current aid is prioritized to the proper sectors so as to maximize its impact. Although many are calling for the United States to reduce foreign aid to save money in view of the federal deficit, it is not in our best interest to do so. Instead, we must assess where our resources should be allocated abroad to guard our interests and security. Foreign aid comprises only around one percent of our yearly expenditures and, as such, is a cost-effective way to promote our interests, extend our influence abroad and maintain good relations with other countries. Our allies rely on our aid to strengthen security and empower civil society, which in turn promotes peace and stability in regions that are critical to our national interests. For example, tangible benefits of assisting Egypt’s transitional government include a higher probability of peace between Israel and Egypt and priority access to the Suez Canal and the Egyptian airspace for the U.S. military. A partial aid cutoff also risks severing ties with Egypt’s military (currently in control of the government) which is dedicated to opposing Islamist terrorism in the region. Likewise, a possible drastic reduction of aid to Pakistan in 2014 is likely to cost us the allegiance of a country that plays a critical role in U.S. counter-terrorism efforts in the Middle East, regional development and stability and Afghan reconciliation attempts. Foreign aid reductions will only foster anti-American

sentiment and undermine efforts to sustain good relations. So far, the aid cuts in Egypt have been received with outrage and anxiety. According to Wael Eskandar, an Egyptian journalist and blogger, news of the aid reduction has only advanced the belief that “the U.S. strongly backs the Muslim Brotherhood and is pressuring Egypt on their behalf, [which only] entrenches the Muslim Brotherhood’s alienation in society and anti-American sentiments.” The cut in aid to Egypt’s transitional government contradicts the expressed interests of other U.S. allies, including Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, who have indicated support of the new regime. Cutting aid also sends the message that the United States is tentative about supporting nascent governments that are combating radical opponents and undermines our reputation as a reliable ally. The administration must carefully consider the ramifications of reducing aid to countries where potentially volatile situations may arise. The uncertainty of the future of international reform movements and transitional governments demands that the U.S. reevaluate foreign aid strategies. The administration must thoroughly assess the best way to allocate aid money and construct aid packages that are responsive to the priorities and necessities of individual countries. Furthermore, it is crucial to establish a balance between military, civil/social and economic aid. Directing a large amount of resources into the military inevitably ends up upsetting the balance of power. According to research conducted by the Belfer Center for Science and International affairs, disproportional U.S. foreign aid assistance to the Pakistani military has encouraged military corruption, discouraged democratization by giving the military a disincentive to submit to civilian control and increased military independence from the government. Without adequate support for functional civilian institutions, encouraging democratic participation and maintaining peace in foreign countries is an impractical endeavor. According to the United Nations University, money diverted toward budget support in Mozambique has come at the expense of aid to civil society. While the ample budget support has increased state competence, foreign aid has not provided adequate support for the non-state institutions, including the media and political parties, required for democracy to function. Funding for civilian institutions

will pave the way for the development of a more open and progressive political system. The United States should also funnel more resources towards economic development in foreign countries. The administration should encourage emerging governments to offer trade opportunities and a degree of debt forgiveness to entrepreneurs by making these adjustments a condition for continued aid. This would incentivize partnership between the private sector and democratic reformers and also foster leaders who will value continued involvement in the international community. Investing more in economic growth will allow governments to become prosperous and self-sufficient. Furthermore, the administration should move to establish country-led aid processes to build a foundation for more responsible governance and national independence. Part of the reason aid was reduced to Egypt was that programs funded to promote democracy and create jobs have been met with unsatisfactory results. According to a 2009 inspector general’s audit, the inadequate improvement is in part due to the “lack of support” from the Egyptian government. An inclusive foreign aid program would compel the governments to become more invested in change and increase accountability. Botswana, ranked in 1966 as one of the world’s least developed countries, is mainly independent of foreign aid today and is listed as a middle-income country. Its progress, according to the European Centre for Development Policy Management, can be attributed largely to the establishment of political and administrative ownership of externally funded programs. The administration should be careful with decisions to withdraw foreign aid that may potentially undermine our nation’s prosperity and security in the long run. To foster partnerships of mutual respect and accountability, the United States should commit to long-term foreign assistance of developing governments that are dedicated to good governance and the observance of human rights. The administration should also proceed to redistributing aid money to maintain a balance between the civil, military, judicial and economic sectors in countries, such as Egypt, where there is still ample opportunity to effect change. Continued support of foreign countries will be a valuable investment for the United States.

Top 10 countries that received aid from the U.S. in 2012* Aid in millions of dollars:

The last time the U.S. stopped aid to Pakistan was in 1965, during the Indian-Pakistani war.

2,000-4,000

Since 2002, the U.S has spent

1,000-2,000

100 billion

on Afghanistan, the greatest amount of money ever spent on one country’s reconstruction.

700-1,000 500-700

Israel will get

9.4 million dollars a day in 2014.

*data compiled from budget materials from the State Department

the advocate • december 2013

opinion 19

E-books advance learning Traditional textbooks give education benefits and save resources by Abbie Reeves E-books are the portal to a new era of education – a slick, fast-paced and environmentally sound future. As schools transition to high-tech systems of learning, they should make the switch to ebooks in order to conserve resources and seamlessly integrate technology into traditional curricula. Schools should switch to e-books partly because of the reduced cost on an individual level. Textbook companies often charge exorbitant prices for hard copies of their publications, but e-books are almost always less expensive. Top publishers like McGraw Hill and Pearson are currently selling books through Apple’s iBooks store for as little as $10 or $15. In fact, many classic books with expired copyrights (“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, for one) are available for free through volunteer-run sites like Project Gutenberg and Google Play. Students could also save money by using their phones, tablets or computers as e-readers. Lowering costs by switching to e-books is a step toward educational equality for all economic brackets. School, especially private school, is already a financial stretch for many students, and some families simply can’t afford to pay upwards of $200 for a shiny textbook that they may never open again after finishing the class. Companies frequently publish new editions of books, so buying or selling used sometimes isn’t an option. Affordable e-books are a better option for many students and families. E-books are cheap because they don’t require physical materials to produce. They don’t contribute to deforestation and, unlike regular books, don’t need to be transported by gas-guzzling planes or trucks to reach their shipping destinations. In an age where schools need to be increasingly conscious of their impacts on the environment, switching to e-books is an easy way to be green. According to Cleantech, an environmental research group, a typical textbook generates around 22 pounds of carbon emissions during production. If a school of 1,000 students eliminates paper textbooks and the average student uses four textbooks, the school can save around ten tons of paper and 45 tons of carbon emissions annually. Even though producing an e-reader or computer generates some carbon emissions (100-300 pounds), this amount is greatly offset by the many

books saved by using electronic copies. Another advantage of paperless textbooks is that they take up little space only as much space as the laptop, tablet or phone being used as an e-reader. An ABC News study linked heavy backpacks to back pain and poor posture in kids and teens, who often carry bags weighing more than 15 percent of their own body mass. E-books could help lighten students’ loads and prevent these problems since they eliminate heavy textbooks. From an educational standpoint, ebooks are a gateway to innovative uses for technology in the classroom. As software becomes more advanced, e-books will contain interactive material and links to valuable learning resources, making reading assignments more engaging and helpful for students. For example, an electronic textbook about art history might include paintings with the option to zoom in and view small details, or a physics textbook might display animations alongside the text to help students grasp difficult concepts. Eventually, students would even be able to annotate their English e-books. These kinds of advancements could help bridge the gap between at-home reading and in-class lecture, allotting more class time for active application of knowledge. The choice between e-books and traditional textbooks is clear: E-books provide great educational benefits while saving money and resources. Making the switch to e-books is a vital step in the advancement of any school.

by Eliza Ennis E-books are currently impractical for educational use. Between the costs, the existing unavailability of many books in electronic format and other practical difficulties they present, e-books confine learning rather than aid it. The common conception that e-books are more economical than conventional books is generally wrong, especially when it comes to e-books used at school. While purchasing e-books as an individual may be less expensive, when it comes to mass use by a large student body, this is not the case. Because many traditional textbooks are purchased in bulk by schools, and then either loaned or sold in student bookstores, these are often cheaper than their e-format counterparts, according to a study by Ebrary. E-books also can be neither sold back at the end of the school year nor shared. Many e-books can only be downloaded on one computer and expire after the school year. This means that individuals who can’t afford to buy their own textbooks are unable to take one on a loan from the school, and that it is not possible for students to refer back to texts once the year is over. Furthermore, it would be difficult to lend students e-books through the library because of the cost. Some companies prohibit libraries from cataloging their ebooks or charge exorbitant costs to lend their e-books. Libraries around the country are paying $85 for each e-book version of “77 Shadow Street”, in comparison to the $10 paperback and individual e-book consumer price.

Graphic by Tabitha Vaughan/ the Advocate

the advocate • december 2013

The negative economic impact of choosing an e-reader extends further than personal pocketbooks. The paper industry provides over 370,000 U.S. jobs. The publishing and printing industries combined employ over 830,000 U.S. citizens. In contrast, most E-readers are assembled in foreign countries. Moreover, some ebooks don’t pay authors royalties, which reduces the incentive for new works to be published. In addition to the higher cost, e-books, despite the recent increase in demand, are frequently unavailable. This becomes a problem for English classes and leisure reading alike. Without consistent availability of every textbook and novel required for school, students will be forced to switch between media constantly, and will not have one streamlined method for finding the books they need. Even for the schoolbooks that are available in electronic format, it is difficult to annotate and compare texts side-by-side. Annotation is a useful tool when analyzing and studying a text and is a requirement of many classes. For hard copy books, the only necessary implement for annotation is a pen or pencil. However, for e-books, not only is it more difficult to click into and create the annotations in the first place, it is harder to refer back to earlier notes. Some e-books require you to click into each annotation to read it, which makes finding the correct annotation a hassle. Similarly frustrating, many e-books’ annotations show up on the screen blocking portions of the original text. Hand-written annotations are more useful and never have to load. Many school assignments also require comparisons between several texts. For conventional books, students can really hold the books side by side to compare passages, character descriptions and themes. E-formats make book comparison a daunting task. With a screen smaller than many book pages to begin with, fitting two books on the screen legibly is nearly impossible. Without this integral tool to understand shared themes, students lose an important part of their education. Traditional hard copy books are more readily available, more convenient for scholarly work and often cheaper in the long run than e-books. Defining the future of an educational system based on the short-term boom of e-reader technology would be a mistake.

20 opinion

Dead on our feet:

Iran and U.S. reach interim Workloads hurt student performance deal by Eliza Ennis

by Kobie Boslough

In the past month and a half, leaders of two powerful, stubborn countries have met in Geneva to discuss a solution to a long-term bitter dislike of one another. Iran and its negotiating leaders Hassan Rouhani and Javad Zarif are looking for a solution that will lift the seven-year embargo that the U.S. and other allied countries have placed on Iran’s car manufacturing, precious metal business and oil industry and help Iran retain its nuclear program. The U.S. and its delegates seek to eliminate the possibility of an Iranian nuclear attack and gain a formidable ally in the middle of a chaotic region. At the root of the settlement lies the dispute over the intended use of the nuclear program in Iran. The U.S. and many NATO allies doubt that Iran’s nuclear program is “exclusively peaceful in nature,” as Zarif said, instead seeing the uranium enrichment as a possible move to gain a volatile nuclear weapon. Because of Iran’s historical dislike for the U.S., and its direct threats against Israel, our ally, Iran’s attainment of a nuclear weapon would be a danger for national and international security. As the current discussions in Geneva end, Iran and the U.S. have come to an interim decision: Iran will lower its enrichment of uranium to five percent, it will convert its already highly enriched uranium into harmless oxide and it will allow international organizations to inspect its nuclear facilities. In return, the U.S. will ease sanctions, which should boost Iran’s economy. This interim solution, which expires in six months, is a good step in the right direction. However, the U.S. must be sure to follow up with three engagements to ensure international progress towards a peaceful resolution. First, President Barack Obama must make sure that Iran adheres to the agreement. Inspections of the nuclear facilities be thorough, and President Obama must also be sure that routine check-ups on the programs continue into the future. Likewise, if the inspections yield any suspicious results, we must act immediately. Because the treaty does not limit Iran’s nuclear research, any indication of noncompliance should be taken seriously. Second, the U.S. must protect our current alliances above all possible new ones. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels extremely threatened by Iran’s threats. Distrustful of the quiet discussions between the two powerful nations, he vows to take military action, with or without the support of the U.S., if threatened more. The U.S. cannot afford to strain Israel’s valuable alliance because of our interests in the regions and must respect Israel’s wishes. Most importantly, however, the U.S. must prepare for renewed negotiations next spring. The current resolution eases tensions on both sides for only six months. We must take advantage of this time, and not leave a long-term plan until the last minute. We must focus on working with Iran and our allies to find a long-term solution that prevents Iran’s attainment of a nuclear weapon, encourages economic relations between both countries and protects our current allies. In order to create an effective plan, U.S. leaders must remember that they have a powerful tool. Even with the goal of a harmonious solution that benefits both countries, we must keep the power of the sanctions in our back pocket and not be afraid to use it to steer negotiations in the right direction.

At times, it seems as though the Academy is populated with zombies. Red, sleep-deprived eyes peer out from half-closed eyelids in the halls, and students shuffle from class to class, appearing almost half-dead. This universal exhaustion is typical of most high-schoolers in the morning, but many students at the Academy seem to be even groggier than the average teenager due to the inordinate amount of homework they are faced with every night. The National Education Association advises teachers to give approximately 10 minutes of homework per grade level each night. Following this rule, a student in his or her senior year of high school should only be receiving about two hours of homework per day. However, for many students at the Academy, this is not the case. In 2007, Metlife published a study that stated that a mere six percent of U.S. students work on their nightly homework for three or more hours. Because homework makes up a significant portion of final grades in most classes, it must be completed in order to maintain a high average. The amount and difficulty of nightly homework appears to be proportional to the rigor of the class. At the Academy, where almost all classes are faster-paced than similar courses at public schools, the homework load is often daunting. “I think overall [there is] too much…. certainly not all teachers give too much [but] as a whole, I see many students doing much more than is beneficial,” 10/12 Dean David Kim said. Homework is only beneficial when assigned in reasonable amounts with a specific intent. “I think it’s important when it is intelligently assigned so that students come to class with the background they need… [however] we should always be cognizant of the pressures students have,” 10/12 Division Head Sonia Roth said. “Learning is better in small chunks.” In 2006, researcher Harris Cooper determined that students benefit from homework only when teachers assign between 1.5 to 2.5 hours of it. When students work on assignments for over 2.5 hours, their homework load begins to have a negative effect on their personal well-being, family life, and performance. Students also suffer when teachers assign busywork that is repetitive or unrelated to the curriculum. According to Concordia University, unrelated work wastes time and repetitive assignments can have an inverse effect on students; rather than helping them learn, it actually causes them distress and hatred towards the subject. To combat excessive homework in an individual class, teachers must be aware that students are also burdened by homework from many other classes. “All teachers need to [understand] that they’re not the only [teacher],” Roth said. In the 10/12 Division, teachers are limited to assigning a maximum of 45 minutes of homework per day, though there is a loophole in this policy. According to Roth, many teachers base the assignments they give on the amount of time it takes them to complete it. This is unfair to the class because teachers are often able to complete an assignment much more quickly than any student could. To reduce nightly homework load, teachers should be required to give assign-

the advocate • december 2013

ments based on the time it takes their students to finish it. Reducing the stress of excessive homework and encouraging students to develop effective study habits requires an agreement between teachers and students. Regarding this, Roth said, “If students use their free time well and their teachers have stuck to the 45-minute rule, I think it’s doable. My attitude about homework is work smart… be efficient with your homework.” If students are able to study effectively and teachers lighten the workload, students will find more opportunities to participate in extracurricular programs, enter writing or art contests and engage in community events that would otherwise be unavailable due to lack of time and energy caused by excessive homework.

GRAPHIC BY KOBIE BOSLOUGH/THE ADVOCATE

opinion

by Calvary Fisher

•

That awkward moment when half of 10/12 went home early and didn’t show up to common time.

•

When people ask what Sherlock is. BBC? Ever heard of it?

•

When your parents try to give you practical gifts. Nothing says holiday spirit like new windshield wipers!

• Phone batteries dying at 20%. Defies all logic. • •

Dragging your thin shoes through the puddle outside the senior commons. The dreaded second day back from winter break. Oh, hello onslaught of tests, papers and projects. It’s been a while.

School must change attitude regarding academic honesty editorial Cheating ranges from copying and pasting from a website to a paper, to jotting down the problems from a friend’s math homework right before class. Many Academy students brush off the latter type; it’s just a problem or two on the homework—it doesn’t really matter. However, such laxity, common in the minutes before the homework is due, simply sets up a culture that accepts cheating, where consequences are unfair to students and teachers alike. At the beginning of each school year, the deans of the divisions make an announcement about the consequences of cheating, and each department hands out academic integrity sheets to students. The problem is, most students disregard the faculty’s beginning-of-the-year warning and flimsy sheets of paper because they believe they won’t be caught cheating and because such warnings are infrequent. Despite recent developments, like Turnitin, which discourages cheating through monitoring plagiarism, cheating remains a problem. Turnitin cannot catch “smaller,” “less important” cheating assignments such as math homework or reading quizzes. As a result, the opportunity for a culture that accepts cheating remains open. One way to make the school culture less accepting of cheating is for teachers to remind students more frequently that cheating is unfair to their peers. The warnings, however, should not focus exclusively on the punishments for cheating but rather on the

immorality of it. Teachers are best for this job since they are facilitators of student development. For example, teachers could make an announcement each time they hand out tests. This way, students who are tempted to cheat are prompted to reconsider their possible actions. These warnings will be more potent in actively discouraging students from cheating if they are started in 6th grade and continue through to 12th grade. Students must also be part of the change. Academy students must accept and uphold an attitude that treats cheating with contempt. Students must realize that the unfairness of cheating helps no one in the long run and that they must take action to counteract the current lenient cheating attitude. Battling cheating does not have to be based solely on reporting cheaters. Although it can be hard to say no to a friend, students can help by simply telling a peer not to copy their homework or to look at their own paper. Cheating remains an issue that has yet to be taken care of properly. Students are too lenient in confronting perpetrators, and teachers should routinely remind students of the wrongness of cheating. The attitude condoning cheating at the school must be fixed so that students are less inclined to cheat. For the sake of fairness amongst students, the school community must begin to take steps in addressing cheating not just at an individual level, but at a cultural level as well.

the advocate • december 2013

the shine line

efinelinethefinelinethefinelinethefineline thefinelinethefinelinethefinelinethefineline thefinelinethefinelinethefinelinethe thefinelinethefinelinethefinethefinelinethefinelinethefinelineFINELine

Editorial Cartoon

the whine line

•

Having multicolored essays because your pens keep running out of ink.

•

Sherlock comes back. I am bloody excited.

•

Stealing the best white elephant gift. Grab the gingerbread house kit and say goodbye to the inflatable fruitcake.

• After Christmas sales. Because you always need more stuff. •

Rain boots with fun patterns. Polka dots totally brighten up dreary weather.

•

That High School Musical dance number you have in your head when you finally turn in your last final.

advocate

the

december 2013 • volume 41 • issue 4

the Advocate is printed with soy-based ink on 60 percent recycled paper

editors: Editor-in-Chief.......................................................................................................Eric Li ‘14 Cover Story Editor.......................................................................................Eliza Ennis ‘15 Assistant...........................................................................................................Judy Choi ‘16 Opinion Editor................................................................................... Ryen Ormesher ‘14 Assistant.........................................................................................Samsara Durvasula ‘16 Co-News & Features Editors........................................................Jessica Grubesic ‘14 ..............................................................Caroline Bay ‘15 Assistant...............................................................................................Kobie Boslough ’16 Arts & Leisure Editor.................................................................................Lucy Bartel ‘14 Assistant...........................................................................................................Jenny Lee ‘17 Co-Sports Editors..................................................................................Abbie Reeves ‘15 ................................................................................Abby Williams ‘15 Graphics Editor.....................................................................................Calvary Fisher ‘14 Photo Editor..........................................................................................Laurel Howell ‘15 Assistant...................................................................................Christopher Brock ‘15 Copy Editor.....................................................................................Meagen Twyeffort ‘14 7th Grade Coordinator................................................................................Simin Liu ‘15 Co- Business Managers.................................................................................Julia Lu ‘14 .........................................................................Anjik Ghosh ‘14 Assistant.......................................................................................................Carrie Hicks ‘16 Faculty Advisor....................................................................................Melanie Peterson Assistants..............................................................................................................Kevin Hall .......................................................................................................Danny Packer

staff: 2014: Keresa Howard, Jaimie Lin, Sam Roberts-Baca, Maria Vigil, Clay Wynn, Aimie Ye 2015: Rachel Breinholt, Julia Friedmann, Keith Herrmann, Karen Luo, Averill Nolte, Stephanie Yang 2016: Jack Apodaca, Tanek Ballachanda, Bryce Gordon, Maya Howard, Holly Liu, Ezra Nash, Ryan Puskar, Haley So, Alec Squires, Hisham Temmar, Tabitha Vaughan, Christina Vergara-Ossenberg, Serena Wang 2017: Madi Alderete, Rachel Araiza, Trinity Aragon, Flannery Cowan, Morgan Donohue, Cameren Kristensen, Raffaele Moore, Eryn Ormesher, Avery Sanford, Keira Seidenberg, Caleb Shaw, Celeste Villasenor 2018: Swann Baca, Izzy Collins, Michelle Desjarlais, Lillie Guo, Serena Laurence, Caroline Pineda, Magadalena Ramos-Mullane, Yasmine Temmar 2019: Hannah Cheves, Aerlin Decker, Claire Hibbett, Mauricio Ibarra, Nikita Jaiswal, Anthony Knouse, Erin Mantsch, Celeste Martinez, Andrew Pick-Roth, Gabriella Roe, Khushi Singh, Toby Utterback, Sarah Weber

policies: The Advocate is a public forum for student expression. Opinions are those of staff members and contributing editors who assume responsibility for articles presented herein. Editorials represent the majority view of The Advocate’s editorial board. Letters to the editor should be emailed to lixe140@aa.edu. The Advocate does not guarantee publication and will edit letters for libelous content and length. Anonymous letters to the editor cannot be published. Advertising inquiries should be directed to the Business Managers, Julia Lu, at luxj140@aa.edu, or Anjik Ghosh, at ghoa140@aa.edu.

22 sports

Varsity basketball: nothing but net by Judy Choi A blink of an eye. That’s how long it takes the basketball to leave the hands of a shooting guard, arc towards the basket and dive through the net, scoring two points for the team. As the fall athletes clean out their lockers, the basketball players are invading the locker rooms and gymnasiums across campus to master their passes, shots and maneuvers. This year the boys varsity basketball team is led by captain Joel Sachs ‘14 and coach Roy Morgan ‘84. Last season, they placed third at the district championships, were seeded fifth in the state tournament and placed second at state. Previous accomplishments have increased the desire of the players to win state this year. “Last year, we thought, ‘we’ll go out there and win as many games as we can.’ This year, we’re expecting to win state… the attitude is different,” Sachs said. The team has already demonstrated their ability by beating Sandia, one of the top 5A teams in the state. One of the challenges that the team faces is a lack of experienced players. “We lost really good seniors [from] last year,” Morgan said. “Our seniors have an impact on the tone of the team, the attitude of the team, and their character. By losing those guys, we have to replace leadership roles with new [seniors].” The boys varsity basketball team identified Pius, Del Norte and Moriarty as major competitors in district games. “We can’t discount [them], because all of them are good,” Sachs said. According to Sachs, Roswell is the Academy’s big rival at state championships. Collaboration is an essential catalyst for the team’s success. According to other players, the team’s major strength is the teamwork between Bryan Jaramillo ‘14 and Chris Martin ‘14. “We have Chris at the five [center]; he’s our postman,” Sachs said. “We have Bryan at the one [point guard]. They just have a chemistry; they know where each other will be at the court.” Coach Taryn Bachis and co-captains Madeleine Stockton ‘14 and Raquel Moya ‘14 will head the girls varsity basketball team this year. Last season, the team’s major accomplishment was winning the

Native American Tournament, an annual invitational held at the Santa Ana Star Center.

“It’s a mental game; if you’re not there mentally, things are going to go wrong.” Raquel Moya ‘14

“Our goals this year are to do as well as we can in district and to play hard against the big 5A schools, to at least put up a good ﬁght,” Stockton said. Similarly to the boys team, the girls varsity team will have to overcome the lack of senior players and learn to play with the rookies. “Since we have such a new team this year, I hope that we can bond more this season and play as a team,” guard Jordan Cabarrus ‘15 said. The team’s main opponents at district are Del Norte and Moriarty. “We would love to win district this year and to get further in state as well,” Cabarrus said. The players explained what the sport means to them. “I come from a family of basketball players, so once I got into it, it was a bonding, mutual sport for all of [my family]. I also love my team and my teammates,” Cabarrus said. “For me,“ Moya said, “basketball is something that I can play and forget about anything else that goes on. It’s a mental game; if you’re not there mentally, things are going to go wrong.” According to Moya, there is a strong sense of camaraderie that develops between Academy players. “[Basketball has] brought me closer to people that I wasn’t friends with before. It’s [also] given me a good foundation on things going forward, even after high school sports are over,” she said. The girls always perform pre-game rituals before competing. “In the locker room, we count up from one to ten, and we say ‘win’ between each number. [We do that] to get excited for the game, to raise team spirit, to ﬁnd out why we’re playing and what we’re playing for,” Moya said.

Meet the basketball team with player Q&As

reporting by Edwin Geisel-Zamora

JERED DOMINGUEZ-TRUJILLO ‘14

Position: Point guard Nickname: JDT When he started playing: Four years old Favorite thing about basketball: “Shooting around and hanging out with the guys, playing the sport I love.” Favorite player: LeBron James. Favorite team: The Miami Heat Favorite superpower: Flying

CARLOS CDEBACA '15

Position: Point guard or shooting guard Nickname: Flash When he started playing: When he started walking Favorite thing about basketball: "Getting the pass from Bryan and shooting that open three in the corner." Favorite player: Michael Jordan Favorite team: The Phoenix Suns Animal he would be for a day: A bald eagle because of America

TÉA SALAZAR '16

Position: Forward Nickname: The Taster Favorite thing about basketball: “When you either get a really good foul or you get a breakaway.” Favorite player: Derrick Rose Favorite team: The Chicago Bulls Animal she would be for a day: “A cheetah, because they can run really fast and I’m not used to that.” Favorite color: White

the advocate • december 2013

PHOTO BY CHRIS BROCK/THE ADVOCATE

RAQUEL MOYA '14

Position: Forward Nickname: Rock When she started playing: Age seven Favorite thing about basketball: “It’s a game where you can forget about everything else that’s going on, you have to forget about everything else because it’s very mental.” Favorite player: Dwayne Wade Favorite team: Duke University Favorite class: Humanities

sports 23

SPORTS LEGENDS

Faculty and staff share favorite athletic moments

“Defeating Pius for the state volleyball championships in 1998 at Moriarty. We were led by Melanie Benavidez ’99 and Mary Margaret Moore ’99.” -Donna Wrenn, math faculty member “Probably watching Micaela Esquivel ’02 score five goals at the state [soccer] finals against Los Alamos in 2001. We won 6-3. That was pretty cool.” -Don Smith, 8/9 Division Head, Associate Head of School “Believe it or not, last year when the boys [basketball team] lost to Pius in the gym… We were so gracious and wonderful… Our guys fought so hard… We were what Academy needs to be.” -Sonia Roth, 10/12 Division Head “The 2009 baseball team winning the state championships at Isotopes Park… I coached a lot of the kids on that team.” -David Kim, 10/12 Dean of Students “1996 state track, final of the 1600 meter run. Matt Twiest, who graduated 1996, set the all-time New Mexico high school record – 4:11.20. Nobody has ever been faster.” -Alan Vraspir, math faculty member

the advocate • december 2013

24 sports

Upcoming sports events

Josh Hoeg finds passion for diving

December 28 Swim and Dive Reunion Meet Natatorium 9:00 a.m.

Wet and chilly isn’t usually a rewarding way to spend several hours, but for Josh Hoeg ’15, qualifying for the 2013 State Diving Competition made it worthwhile. Up until half a season prior to the State meet, Hoeg had lived his life without ever having to don a speedo and plunge into unpleasantly cold water. Little did he know that Beth Olsen, the Academy diving coach, had plans to change that. During the 2012-13 diving season, Olsen discovered that Hoeg had been a gymnast, tumbling on mats and climbing various pieces of equipment at his parents’ gym, Fundamentals Gymnastics, since the age of three. “Gymnasts have lots of core strength and body awareness, which makes [gymnastics] a great segue into diving,” Olsen said. Olsen got Hoeg’s number from his mother, Elsie Hoeg, and gave him a call. And then texted him. And texted him again. When he finally agreed to come to practice, he showed up for about five minutes. “He walked in and then he left,”

January 2 Boys varsity basketball vs. Los Alamos East Campus Gym 3:00 p.m. January 2 Girls varsity basketball Native American Tournament East Campus Gym 6:00 p.m. January 9 Boys varsity basketball vs. Los Lunas East Campus Gym 7:00 p.m.

by Rachel Breinholt

Olsen said. “He kept coming up with excuses to not come to practice.” His reasons for not wanting to dive were plentiful. “I didn’t want to wear a speedo, I didn’t want to swim, I was lazy and it was a winter sport. I’d rather just be a bear and hibernate,” Hoeg said. Despite his initial reluctance, he knew by the second practice that diving was something he wanted to do. Hoeg’s parents approved. “We were excited Josh had found another sport to enjoy,” Elsie Hoeg said. Olsen said that Hoeg‘s dives lacked consistency in the beginning, a problem he quickly overcame with his determination to succeed. “It made sense for him to be on the boards. He was almost moving faster than he should . . . it was a very steep learning curve,” Olsen said. Hoeg now finds diving very enjoyable. Even though he classifies himself as mediocre at best and was nervous about going to State last year, he did well and found the other divers really nice and supportive. He is now varsity captain, and his goal for this season is to make it to State again and place in the top 16. Olsen thinks

this is a very realistic goal and is excited to watch Hoeg progress. This year the Academy team will focus on building strength and endurance, while maintaining a positive and inclusive team atmosphere. “Team is such a critical piece of the environment. We all feel the pain when someone goes down and we all celebrate when someone succeeds,” Olsen said. Olsen hopes to see other athletic boys join Hoeg on the diving team. Wrestlers use amazing amounts of strength and ballerinas point their toes. Divers do both. The only gender difference is that boys will typically do dives with a higher degree of difficulty. “It’s a cross between elegance and sheer power,” Olsen said. Olsen feels that Hoeg has both the grace and power necessary to be a great diver. She thinks he is an excellent leader and sets a great example for the team. “He doesn’t do anything halfway . . . he’s an extraordinary athlete and person,” Olsen said.

January 11 Varsity wrestling Academy Invitational Tournament East Campus Gym 8:00 a.m. January 13 Varsity wrestling Academy Invitational Tournament East Campus Gym 3:00 p.m. January 14 Girls varsity basketball vs. Rio Rancho East Campus Gym 7:00 p.m. January 17-18 Academy Diving Invitational Natatorium 4:00 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. Janaury 22 Swimming and diving quad meet Natatorium 4:15 p.m. February 1 Tom Casey Memorial Challenge Swimming and diving Natatorium 10:30 a.m. (diving) 1:00 p.m. (swimming) February 11 Boys varsity basketball vs. St. Pius East Campus Gym 7:00 p.m. PHOTOS BY ABBIE REEVES/THE ADVOCATE

the advocate • december 2013