Vol. 3 Issue 1
September 2010
Tom Portsmouth’s Good News Four Gems Of Authentic Good News
Well, apparently, that’s it, people: the world as we know it is doomed, Western society is going downhill, there’s nothing to look forward to from now on. Our economy is down the toilet, every nation hates us, our iPods are making us deaf and just about everything apart from celery gives you cancer. When I open the newspapers, all I see headlines such as, “Barack Obama: still a disappointment”, “Sailors harpoon dolphins for black-market sushi”, “Little African children are still starving – pictures inside!”, “Rap makes teenagers shoot their grandmothers”, etc etc ad nauseam. If you were to pay attention to every single danger that apparently faces us in today’s big, bad, scary world, you would live in fear of having to work until you’re 80 in a firm owned by exploitative robots, becom-
ing blind and crippled as you toil from 8 ‘till midnight hunched over your computer screen, with only one break at lunchtime giving you just enough time to gobble a tuna-substitute sandwich (all the fish will be dead by then), before putting on the mask that protects you from the flesh-eating fumes in the atmosphere, and driving home in your little electric car that was made by 5-year olds from
Zimbabwe, only to arrive at your governmentapproved mandatory ecohouse where the electricity is rationed and you have to boil your own urine to make it into tea because there is not enough water for the 25 billion people that now exist, and sinking into your chair made out of the last tree from what was the Amazonian rainforest (an area that’s now been converted into Disneyland World),
switch on the television to watch a reality TV show about Pandy the panda, the last of its species, being filmed while slowly dying from starvation because its home jungle has been made into a parking lot for the SPTWG (Society for the Protection of Tiger Wood’s Girlfriends). I could go on, but you get my point and I think it was about time I finished that sentence. But fear not, little ones, Continued on page 5
Inside This Issue University Pgs. 2-5
Music Pgs. 6-7
Interview Pg. 10
PAC Seating? Pg. 11
University
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Choosing the Perfect College Adrienne CHISTOLINI
With the start of the school year comes a daunting time in the lives of high school seniors around the world – college applications. The options available to students are vast; according to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are over 2,500 four-year colleges in the United States alone where many ASP seniors are interested in applying. While there is an endless list of factors to be considered when formulating a list of colleges you want to apply to, there are always a few qualities that make all the difference while trying to find your ideal school, or simply to wheedle down a list of possibilities. Naturally, many seniors here consider the quality of academics strongly, but what other factors are they considering while selecting schools? Location is a dominating one, whether it be the want for an urban setting such as Boston or London as many ASP seniors desire, or just to be “close to home and family,” as in the case of Olivier Van Geel and Floor de Nooij who are both planning on attending university in Holland, their native country. Size is also a popular consideration for many students: “I want to go to a big school where you don’t know everyone. It makes it really easy to
make friends with all sorts of different people,” states Emily Bendix, interested in Boston University. Other students however, such as Danielle Iwata, look for smaller campuses as they prefer “knowing who people are.” Another strong consideration among seniors is undoubtedly the campus environment, “You’ll be living there for four years, so it’s really important to be comfortable” states Kara McClain. Ben Hoyle, looking into Williams, concurs, desiring a “collaborative instead of competitive” campus that is not at all cut-throat. However, this may be harder to determine compared to other factors, as many colleges stress how their students are not at all competitive and always support each other, when there are obviously very different degrees of competition. When imagining a new life in college, a big part of that picture is the student population. “An inter-cultural environment is really important…I’ve grown up going to school with international students” says Charlotte Van Duijl, interested in Boston College. Certainly, a running theme with the seniors is the want for a “diverse community” such as what we have here at ASP. Sietse Goffard hopes to attend a college where the students
are extremely “politically active and passionate” and Emma Willems, interested in Dartmouth, wants “happy people” on her campus especially since “depression spreads.” Among the various seniors asked, the final highly influential factor is the type of college they want to attend. Eli Rivkin wants a school “not too controlling, without a core curriculum” which allows more breadth and freedom of choice. On the other end of the spectrum, certain students are only looking into colleges who have a focus, such as Andrew HianCheong, who is interested in computer science, and Morgan Claverie, who wants to study sociology. Past ASP seniors from the class of 2010 also had some input; Alia Wilhelm, who now attends Northwestern University, placed her priority on “academics, location, and the percentage of international students” but finds that ultimately the number of international students at Northwestern has not had an impact on her experience so far. Meanwhile, Ashley Fils-Aime, currently a freshman at Franklin College in Switzerland, heavily considered size while applying, “especially coming from a small school and closeknit community like ASP.” But she placed the most
stress on the type of attention she received from the colleges she was applying to, “the decision maker for me was the level of personal attention I got from this college. It was little things, like calling on my home phone to see how I was doing with the admissions process, the admissions people in facebook groups, and nice actual e-mail replies rather than automated responses.” Evidently, our seniors consider many more factors besides academics when selecting a college, but ultimately, each senior judges a college based on his or her own criteria. As many people who have visited numerous colleges have noticed, sooner or later, they all begin to look the same, and things grow quite confusing. What it all comes down to is, “there are so many colleges on the scene,” exclaims Kathleen Allen, interested in Hamilton, “and it’s really about how you feel when you’re there…that’s the determining factor.” Indeed, perhaps the crucial consideration at the end of the day is to figure out whether or not you can really picture yourself attending, and thriving, in the places you’re considering. If the innate feeling isn’t there when you’re visiting or looking at a college, then it’s probably worth looking elsewhere.
University
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Teacher Recommendations Adrienne CHISTOLINI
Scrolling through the common application, or any other college application for that matter, students often rejoice upon arriving at the section marked “Teacher Recommendations.” Finally, something that doesn’t require the students to write up their own personal essays or describe an extra - curricular activity. However, this is not a category on an application that does not require any thought on the student’s part as seniors now have to make an important decision; “who should I ask to write my teacher recommendations?” Most universities require at least two recommendations from teachers of “core classes,” such as Math, English, or Science, as well as any supplemental ones that the student wishes to submit. When asked how students should decide upon what teachers they should ask to write their recommendations, history teacher Mr. Semaan responded, “A determining factor is really how well you have done in that class.” Indeed, the main criteria many teachers stress is to make sure that you have performed well, even excelled, in the class whose teacher you are asking. “The relationship you have with that teacher is also extremely important,” continues Mr.
Semaan, “They need to understand you and your personal strengths...and make sure to look at the comments they’ve written on your past papers.” Looking over past comments on your papers is an ideal indication of how that teacher sees you academically. English teacher Mr. Kim echoes, “[When deciding which teacher(s) to write for you, you need to ask] someone you have a good relationship with, someone who knows your strengths.” He also stressed that it is significant that the teacher “knows the student outside of the classroom,” and, more importantly, that the “teacher shows interest in what the student does out-
side of class.” The final teacher interviewed, Mr. Green, concurred with the viewpoints of the others while also adding, “Make sure that the teacher is someone you know can write a good recommendation.” It is vital to ask a teacher who can speak eloquently about you, and really express the type of person that you are both inside and outside of class. In order to gain another perspective, assistant college guidance counselor Mrs. Lowe was also asked to provide some input. “Make sure to choose a teacher with whom you’ve had a course with, preferably from eleventh grade,” she declares. Certainly, eleventh grade teachers
are the most ideal to ask for recommendations as teachers from tenth grade have not taught the student for quite awhile and may not be acquainted with the current character of the student. Teachers that the student has as a senior will not be able to write a nearly as convincing or knowledgeable recommendation as another teacher who has known you for a far longer period of time. Moreover, if the student has been taught by a certain teacher over a number of years and not just in junior year, then that’s even better. Mrs. Lowe goes on to say that students should ensure that the “teacher can portray their strengths well...It does not necessarily have to be your favorite teacher, but just someone who has observed you meeting different challenges and pushing yourself; someone who can really bring life to your application in terms of you as a person.” Ultimately, while academics and the student’s performance in the class are of course crucial, it is vital that the teacher can really breathe life into a student’s application with the knowledge of them as an all-around person, not just as a student. These are certainly the teachers best fit to be writing seniors’ recommendation letters.
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University
Paying for College 101 Sietse GOFFARD
Like many seniors, I went college touring this summer along the warmweathered, wave-washed Northeastern coast of the United States. At most colleges, I was thoroughly impressed and convinced by what the admissions officers had to say. Their information sessions covered everything from Nobel Prize-winning faculty to campus facilities, from extracurricular life to admissions requirements. Everything, that is, except for one important detail: the cost of a college education. Just like a car salesman is reluctant to emphasize the price of a car, admissions officers are equally hesitant about advertising the cost of enrollment. Only when directly asked did they provide me with an actual figure. “Around $55,000 … in total, of course,” most replied, clearly with an anxious desire to move on to another subject. In other words, about twice the annual cost of ASP. That’s enough to buy a luxury Mercedes, 100 iPads, 3600 €15 schoolsold t-shirts, or, at the current rate of inflation, a full lunch in the ASP cafeteria!! Clearly, college tuition, room and board, books, and administrative fees are not cheap. How can anyone but children of millionaires be expected to pay that much
out of pocket, especially if a family has multiple children in college? Fortunately for both you and your parents, you have options. Options that won’t have you graduating from college swamped in debt. First, there are scholarships. Academic scholarships are awarded for high academic achievement in high school and impressive transcripts. These may cover anything from a few thousand dollars to the full cost of tuition and room and board. Athletic scholarships are also usually offered at most colleges for outstanding Varsity athletes in dozens of sports. Alternatively, certain scholarships can be awarded for strong leadership or exceptional extracurricular commitments. Finally, look for talent-based scholarships. Singing, painting, trampolining, and playing violin
are all talents and special qualities that might attract scholarships from colleges and/or private foundations. My point: even if you don’t think you would qualify for a scholarship, ask Mrs. Vincens and Mrs. Lowe what might be out there for you. It’s worth looking. You have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain. Second, remember that many American colleges offer generous amounts of financial aid, essentially ‘free money’. For those I visited this summer, students from households with a total annual income of less than $60,000 have no contribution whatsoever. From households of $60,000 to $180,000, students and their families only need to cover a small fraction of the cost of college. Even more wealthy families can receive generous financial aid if necessary. In other words, most
colleges are need based in their financial aid packages and commit to meeting 100% of your demonstrated need. Just remember to apply on time, fill out all the necessary forms, and discuss your situation if you are requesting financial aid. Note that these benefits, except at a select few prestigious universities, tend to be more generous for U.S. citizens. In fact, most American colleges are not need blind for international students, meaning that your need for financial assistance is taken into account in the admissions procedure. Yet, even if you are a non-U.S. citizen, do not let this deter you. Many international students are able to cover their college expenses without trouble. Third, you may want to research different types of government assistance. The most well-known are Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, and Stafford Loans. All three are distributed on the basis of financial need, but the last two must be repaid after graduating from college. Check these programs’ websites or ask our knowledgeable college counselors to find out if you would qualify for these types of assistance. Fourth, some students opt to take out private loans or loans from banks. However, these are generally ill-advised and should
University only be used as a last resort. In contrast to government loans, private/bank loans frequently need to be repaid throughout college, adding extra financial pressure and hardship on you during years that should be devoted to learning and enjoying your transition to adulthood. Moreover, they accumulate interest faster than other types
of loans, leaving you in greater debt after college. A final recommendable solution is to earn money while in college by working either during the academic year (part-time, of course, as working should never distract you from your college studies) or during the summer. It is a valuable experience that can significantly help alle-
Tom Portsmouth’s Good News
Continued from front
because in this article I will give you four news articles of refreshing optimism. They will make you smile, think about life, and hopefully enable you to enjoy it a little more. With a bit of luck, they will bring you some comfort and if not, they will at least distract you from your miserable fate for a few minutes. Blue M&Ms: A Cure For Injured Backs? (Metro. co.uk 27 July 2009) Apparently, the compound Brilliant Blue G found on blue M&Ms blocks a chemical that kills healthy spinal chords around the damaged area, which often cause more pain than the actual injury. Research on rats has shown that BBG not only reduces the size of the lesion but also improves the recovery of motor skill. Amazingly, this means that some scientists are apparently being paid to hit rats on the back with a massive hammer and then force
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viate the financial burden of college. Plus, this course of action can also provide you with early job experience and a head-start on your career advancement. So, before your parents panic and reconsider whether college is really worth it, research your many options. Talk to Mrs. Vincens and Mrs. Lowe about what methods could
best help you pay for college. Inquire as to whether the colleges of your choice offer academic, athletic, or other merit scholarships. Above all, don’t worry! Focus more on selecting a college not on the basis of whether you can afford it but on where you will feel most comfortable, thriving, and happy.
got-a-new-tv parties. We can now bake for every occasion: we could have first tooth cakes, starting school cakes, mid-life crisis cakes, even menopause cakes (can you make a cake without eggs?).
Hair Day (Daily Mail 6 September 2010) Good news for all the gingers: there exists a place in a magical far far away land where you will finally feel at home. For the enchanting city of Breda in Holland hosted the fifth annual “red-hair day”. 4,000 redheads from all around the world descended on the Dutch town in a spirit of light-hearted revelry, celebrating all the wonderful qualities that they had in common such as red hair and, erm, freckles. Actually, organising a whole event based around your hair colour seems a bit odd to me. You have to convince yourself that you share a world in common with 3,999 other strangers, when in fact all you have in common is the same hair. Imagine the small talk: “Hello, fellow ginger! You’re looking very fine and freckly today!” , “You look like you need some suncream – here, have some of my Factor 7000” or “Redheads aren’t represented in politics enough - Ron Weasley for President!!!”
feed them M&Ms… Odd, because I know loads of kids in my neighbourhood that do the same thing all the time! Anyhow, the bad news is that eating loads of Drink And Smoke More, M&Ms will not cure your Says Russian Official back problems – you’ve (Daily Telegraph 06 September 2010) got to inject the BBG into Good news for Rusyour bloodstream. Boo. sian alcoholics: Foreign Great New Idea: “Sex Minister Alexei Kudrin party” (MSNBC 26 Au- has recently urged citizens to drink and smoke more, gust 2010) Unfortunately, it’s not because it will help boost what you think. A couple tax revenues, resulting in living in Utah decided to more money for spending celebrate receiving the on social services. He denews of their baby’s gen- clared: “those who drink, der by hosting a party. This those who smoke are dosituation does naturally ing more to help the state”. not concern the chaste Brilliant: by that logic, and pure students of ASP, smoking becomes both a but hopefully it should af- pastime and a great investfect everyone in the sense ment. Yes, you can puff that this bizarre initiative away on cigarettes safe in opens the field for throw- the knowledge that when ing parties for no reason at you buy the death sticks, all. Maybe now, after that the money goes towards ridiculous idea, we can your health care… that find excuses for hosting you will of course need, to parties for every mundane treat your terminal cancer. occasion. We can now host puberty parties, paid-myrent parties, perhaps even Dutch City Hosts Red
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Arts & Entertainment
Cassette Culture Rebecca SLADE
Anyone remember when people used cassettes because they were the most advanced form of music technology around? Anyone? I know I don’t. I was born in 1994. By the time I was a conscious, thinking human being, the CD had already become the industry standard. But once upon a time, not all that long ago, cassettes were used for more than just being cutesy and retro. They were Serious Business. The cassette tape’s peak was in the seventies and eighties, alongside vinyl. Their decline was facilitated mostly by the CD, because it could hold so much more music, auto-skip to songs, and didn’t require you to flip it over halfway through. Now CDs are slowly being phased out in favor of mp3s, which has a lot of people reverting to a knee-jerk nostalgic reaction back to tangible, solid forms of music media. Admittedly, you don’t see too many people already longing for their CDs. Maybe in a couple decades, CDs will assume the same cultural status as records and cassettes-old-school alternatives when technology moves too fast. Right now, they are still standard, if a little outdated. However, records and cassettes are another story entirely. The cultural sentiments towards records and cas-
settes are diametrically opposed. Audiophiles (people who are into music quality as a hobby) have serious objective reasons why records are superior to digital sounds: a crate of vinyl will establish you as a Serious Music Person. But cassettes? Cassettes are well-known for having worse audio quality than either form. A shoebox of cassettes might make you a bit of a hipster, but there are no non-sentimental reasons why anyone would still be into cassettes today. So what is up with all these popular altbands releasing singles as both mp3s and... cassettes? The most likely answer is a nebulous mixture of ‘80s nostalgia (very in right now, even if you’re too young to remember it), Michael Cera movies, and the vengeful ghost of cassette culture. Back before the Internet, in those dust-speckled days of libraries with microfiches and card catalogs, Encyclopedia Bri-
tannica, and maybe the occasional typewriter, the rebellious youth, when looking for a venue of self-expression, wouldn’t decorate their MySpaces (remember MySpace, guys?? So 2005), or write angsty Facebook updates. They made zines-- little, usually half-page, photocopied magazines, easily made and simply distributed. They grabbed a stick of glue and some scissors and handwrote, typewrote, or word-processed whatever was on their mind. They photocopied, they stapled, they distributed among their friends. Zines. Another now-outdated and re-fetishized vestige of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Also very very in-vogue right now. Go check Etsy if you want. They’re everywhere. But along with zines, which usually had a punk flavor but could really be about anything, came their audio counterparts: cassettes. You cannot record a vinyl record at home, unless you have a record-
ing studio at hand. But a cassette? Even if you don’t have a recorder, you can make a mixtape from songs on the radio. If you have a double dock, you can record music off other cassettes. They’re easily mass-produced, and, once you buy the actual blank cassette, totally DIY. Soon a culture grew around trading cassettes as a way to make available music that could never make it big in the mainstream. Cassettes were to weird music what the internet is to weird music today. It might never get any radio play, the band might never be invited to play on Saturday Night Live, but you can still listen to and enjoy the music. Obviously, the internet is an infinitely more practical and simple method to distribute music of all kinds than cassette tapes ever were. But this spiritual affinity with our punky doit-yourself fore-parents, if you ask me, has been bringing forth this plethora of cassette nostalgia. Because, trust me, it’s there. Mixtape t-shirts, I Heart Analog stickers, the aforementioned cassette singles, band names like “Cassettes Won’t Listen” and “Cassette Kids”... If you’re not pining for records, you’re rewinding the tape and listening to the empty-cassette hiss before the music begins.
Arts & Entertainment The electricity was almost a visible force buzzing in the air over our heads in the moments before Crystal Castles appeared on stage. Clouds hung low over the gathering crowd and restless chatter circulated on all sides as people itched to stand up, but the band was not yet on stage. The energy continued to grow as people trickled into the crowd, the tension building towards the stage, imploring Crystal Castles to walk out. Every soul there had ditched big-name Arcade Fire in favor of this little, unheard-of duo from Canada. Veteran fans knew an epic concert was in store for them, but newcomers could only hope they had chosen the right band to share their final night of Rock en Seine with. Then they appeared, walking out as silhouettes in front of blinding strobes, pounding kick drums and mind-warping Gameboy glitches and synth lines as the entire world surged forward to jump up and down to the beat. Crystal Castles is Ethan Kath, producer and songwriter, and Alice Glass, punk vocalist and lyricist. Their story, by most accounts, begins with Ethan. He had been playing in punk rock bands, folk bands, and finally a metal band, but just as the latter was being signed to a major label he quit and began work on what would later become Crystal Castles. He allegedly met Alice some time later while read-
Crystal Castles James FARRELL
ing to the blind for community service hours, that he described in an interview as ‘a punishment.’ A punishment for what though, he never said. She apparently dubbed him Ethan ‘Catheter,’ after the most uncomfortable thing in the world, and his stage name (Ethan Kath) is adapted from this nickname. When they recorded their first song together, ‘Alice Practice’ (so titled because that’s just what it was: practice with Alice), what had begun as a onetime recording session blew up into the defining work of their careers. The record label Merok put it out on limited-edition 7’’ vinyl in June 2006 and it sold out immediately. Alice was at this point still playing with her noisepunk band Fetus Fatale, and wasn’t even aware the recording still existed. This was repeated in 2007 with the same results, and finally their first fulllength album was released on 12’’ vinyl in 2008. It made it to number 39 of the 50 Greatest Albums of the Decade by NME Magazine. Crystal Castles II, their second album, was released in May 2010, but,
due to leaks, had already made it to number 1 on international electronic music charts by April. Their music falls under the umbrella of ‘electronic music,’but this isn’t just another assembly-line techno band as this category might imply. Their sound consists of circuit-bending, bitcrushed synthesizers pulsing and bleeping over pumping, relatively live-sounding drumbeats. Songs like ‘Magic Spells’, from their debut album, explore the lighter shades of their sound, sampling Grand Master Flash, and producing an emotional resonance that casts the world in a whimsical light. Much of their music has this effect, showing the listener that he or she can do anything, but that in the end it’s not a big deal; it doesn’t really matter. When contrasted with songs like ‘Alice Practice’ it takes a trained ear or a diehard fan to realize that both tunes came from the same band. Songs like this dive into an ocean of despair and lift the listener through and out of fields of alienation. Where it takes him or her from there is com-
7 pletely up to the listener. With their second album, their sound is refined, but the entire spectrum of light and dark is still present. There is an abundance of catchier tunes, ‘Baptism’, for example, was a crowd favorite and recommended for any fan of electronic music. Listening to them is good, but nothing beats their live performance. There are few bands that put on such a high-energy show, or leave their fans so satisfied. Alice’s stage presence is all-encompassing and her antics (such as climbing the drum-set and stage diving) feed the crowds energy back to them tenfold, as any good band should. Music fans who are looking for an experience completely different from what they are used to listening to, who are looking to be plunged in a vibrant world of human emotion should consider trying Crystal Castles. Fans of experimental music will, without a doubt, enjoy them. The skies had opened up and the rain came down, drenching the crowd as they moved to the music. Alice was in the crowd, being pulled back by security, and pulled in by loving fans, singing all the time in distorted vocals through a microphone whose black wire snaked back to disappear somewhere in the lightshow on stage. When their show came to an end no one who witnessed it was disappointed.
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Student Life
Music For Life Abby BELANI
Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine yourself as an 8-year-old child in Africa. Imagine spending your childhood amidst rampant poverty, hunger, and diseases like AIDS. Imagine having no opportunity to get an education. Imagine living this life while missing one or both parents. Now, imagine being able to find the strength to pour all that suffering, anger, and misery into song. The African Children’s Choir is an organization in conjunction with the Music for Life institute that gives 7- to 11-year old children a chance to take a break from their daily lives. Music for Life sponsors camps in Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana, Sudan, Nigeria, and Kenya where the children participate in activities like games, crafts, and music. The Music for Life institute also sponsors schools that give children access to an education, providing uniforms, supplies, and meals as needed. Hundreds of children attend these camps across Africa, but only fifty can travel as part of the Children’s Choir, so Choir Teams spend a few days visiting their homes and choosing the neediest children whose lives are sustainable for travel. The 50 children who are chosen then spend five months training at the Choir Train-
ing Academy in Kampala, Uganda where they learn songs and dances, attend Sunday School, and play. In this loving and caring environment, the children form bonds and their suppressed personalities begin to emerge. After traveling with the Choir, the children’s interaction with the organization does not end. The African Children’s Choir continues giving the children unique care and education, building off the foundation of their international exposure. Wellequipped schools such as the Music for Life Primary School in Kampala pro-
vide a quality education, leadership training, and spiritual ministry. Small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and an extensive extra-curricular program help the children develop further, as proven by the high examination results achieved by the Choir kids. The connection between the Choir and the children does not end as their education does, however. Many Choir children come back and work as chaperones for future groups. The experience of traveling abroad not only fosters a lifelong connection between the child and the organization, but also gives
many African children an escape from the hardships of their daily lives. The American School of Paris is both proud and lucky to be hosting this amazing group of children from October 6th to 8th. On Thursday and Friday, the African Children’s Choir will be hosting workshops for ASP students from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, and on Friday night they will be giving a concert for the ASP community. We urge you to take a moment to listen to these childrens’ stories and to let them inspire you to make a difference.
Student Life
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Summer Lovin’ Lily RIVKIN
No matter where one is in the world, no matter what school one goes to, there always is a summer vacation. Summer is the freedom to do what ever you want: whether that is to sleep, read, watch entire seasons of TV, eat junk food, go out every night, tan on the beach, travel to exotic locations, and much more. But some get so adjusted to being in an international school they forget that ASP summers are far different than many of those who live in the United States. Almost everyone at ASP spends their summer either going home or visiting exotic places. No matter what, our vacations are never common. “Its funny because I spend my vacations at ASP visiting my home town instead of going to another country,” says Alex Viehbacher (2013), “Most people in the world go on vacation to get away from home, I go home to North Carolina for vacation!” This is very true for most international families that sometimes we forget that it’s uncommon to go home on our family vacations. Some people in the United States have never even moved out of the towns they were born in therefore if they do travel during a break, it is definitely to some place new. “I spent my summer in two different African camps. One was in the
Masai Mara, Africa and the other in Laikipidia ,” shares Chase Guthrie (2013) “I even had the opportunity to witness the great migration and immerse myself in the African culture.” Chase spent her summer in one of the most exotic and interesting parts of the world, Many Americans and citizens of other nations can only dream of going to places like Africa when for many of us it is common. Due to our great location in the center of Europe, many of us travel all over the world when on break. We see sites that more than half the world will never see, we see cultures that many only read stories about. Only a small portion of non-international children have seen the deep valleys and vast deserts of Africa. “I spent my summer in Spain where I took an in-
tensive Spanish course for 3 weeks and learned enough Spanish to take Spanish 2 at ASP this year,” explains Ana Simen (2013) “When we weren’t in the classroom me and my friends would all go to dinner and go out at night.” Speaking a foreign language is extremely common for those who live internationally while at ASP many of our peers are even trilingual, but in the United States multilingualism is much more rare. In the States, many study Spanish but very few can travel to Spain and learn to speak parts of the language while being immersed in Spanish culture. There are around 80 students in the sophomore grade at the American School of Paris and as you can see by reading these 3 interviews all of their summers were spent doing
activities many Americans would find rare. Whether it be overlooking the wide planes of central Africa, seeing old friends and family who we miss dearly, or learning yet another language, our summers are exotic and unusual at ASP. We have become so engrossed in the international school system, we forget how lucky we are to be able to travel to interesting places and to live life in a foreign country! International students have the ability to travel much more than the average American, giving them a sense of culture that many only dream of possessing. So whether or not you went to the hills of Africa or the beaches of Spain, just know that however you spent your summer was most definitely intriguing.
Student Life
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An Interview With Mark Ulfers Hayley HOWARD
HayleyHoward: Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background before coming to ASP as Head of School? Mark Ulfers: I’m a product of the Midwest; I grew up in Iowa, and took my training obviously in my city high school, then went off to Iowa State University. I also trained at UCLA and the University of Colorado. I’m a biologist – that was my initial training. I’m also trained in literacy – early literacy for elementary school. HH: When did you know that you wanted to go into education? MU: I really am glad that you asked that question. Because, you know, I am convinced that we have to figure out what we’re passionate about, what captures our energy and enthusiasm, and also what we’re good at. And so I have to say, I made the decision to be a teacher very early on. I’m really proud to first say that although I’m a head of school and have been for many years, I like to think first that my number one role is as a teacher (and it may not be teaching students all the time, maybe its teaching faculty or parents, but still a teacher) and that revelation came early, particularly when I was working at a boy’s camp in Northern Wisconsin. I was there for about 14 summers, and
I enjoyed working with young people. I got up every morning ready to go, and really have maintained a great deal of enthusiasm for what I do over the years. I think that’s also part of the reason why I wanted to move my office here at ASP, because I really felt isolated over there, and I don’t want that. I want us to know each other; I want us to work closely with one another. HH: What do you find particularly interesting about education? MU: I actually think that what makes it interesting is, frankly, how complex it is. Alright – how different every student is, how challenging it is to differentiate instruction. And this is where the American system is so powerful in my view, because it begs the question always: how do we tailor what we do every day in our classrooms to meet the needs of our students, rather than jamming the many needs of our students into a single approach or single syllabus? And I find that remarkably complex, very challenging, provoking, and intellectually stimulating. So, I know that’s my answer. It’s very clear to me. The great challenge that we have is meeting as many needs as we can. And there is delight in seeing that happens. It brings you back another day.
HH: What is your favorite thing about ASP so far? MU: Easily, easily stated… It is the level of welcome that I have experienced. And you know, you can tell, when you walk into a school – and I’ve always been able to do this – within about 15 seconds, you can tell what kind of school it is. Will somebody flash you a million dollar smile? Will somebody come up and ask you if they can help? Will somebody take you if you’re lost to some location? You know, I noticed it on my first day out on bus duty. It was so cool that you could ask a student how they’re doing, and they would answer – and then do you know what the best part was? Then they’d say, well how are you doing? So it was a two way conversation right away, and I really liked that. HH: What are some of your ideas for ASP that will directly involve the students? MU: Great question. We are going to engage in strategic planning at this school. We need to develop a long term blueprint for moving this school to the next level, specific to being a 21st century place for learning. And we can all agree, I’m sure, that any great school will be pushing to do just that. We’re going to do it together. I want students involved in the planning group. It’s go-
ing to be a group of 20 or 30 people, and there must be a percentage of the student body with the group. HH: If you could give the seniors one piece of advice regarding the college process, what would it be? MU: I know exactly what I would say. The avowed mandate of a school like ours is to assure that every one of our graduates has a sufficient choice of colleges and universities. If I was a senior, I would be looking to the college or university that I think is best going to tap my enthusiasm, my energy, and my interest. What you think you might want to do today may change, and be available to that. Your end game ultimately is finding what you want to do in your life, where you can make the most difference, not only in your eyes, but clearly in the eyes of society, and do so in such a way that you remain energetic and greet each day with enthusiasm about what you’re doing professionally. I worry that sometimes we follow what somebody else tells us to do, when in point of fact; we have to be the author of our own future.
Student Life
Students Rage Over Assigned Seats in PAC Paul LE STER
There was a feeling of dread in the air as ASP students trooped into PAC on that fated morning of Wednesday, September 8th. In lieu of the raucous morning banter, cries of confusion and anguish filled the auditorium as hundreds of students scrambled around looking for their assigned seats. Even ASP superstar Sietse Goffard, excited as he was to be at school, rolled his wheelie bag with a little less zeal, seeming a little less upbeat than usual. One particular student simply gazed upon chaos with dazed eyes, and uttered: “this is madness”. It had all seemed too good to be true. When students entered PAC on the first day on school and sunk into the brand new, comfy, ergonomic seats alongside their friends, for just a second they thought they were living the ASP dream. What more can
one ask for in the morning but comfort and stimulating discussion? The Facebook scene Tuesday night B.A.S (before assigned seats) was particularly interesting. Many students updated their status comments to a simple “D16”, or “B5”. Comments swiftly ensued such as “dude I’m G17!” or “haha u r sitting next to (insert name here)!lol/rofl” . Widespread disapproval reached such a point that a petition was drafted condemning this draconian administrative decision. “For me, it is all a matter of principle. The fact that we are no longer allowed the basic freedom of choice is, I feel, just as important as the fact that many students don’t even have a seat in PAC. What’s next: assigned seating in the buses? Uniforms? ” exclaims petition writer, aforementioned
Dear Readers,
As the editors and writers change every year, so does the newspaper. New ideas and experiences collaborate to develop our vision of what a student newspaper should be. We are modernizing our paper with changing times, expanding our horizons and exploring new topics and issues. Do
Welcome to a new year with Aspire. As memories of summer fade and classes gather momentum, we bring you the collective endeavors of our writers in the aim of quenching the student body’s passionate thirst for knowledge, news, and culture.
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Sietse Goffard. “The petition is not intended to be viewed as a sort of protest or uprising, but rather as a free expression of the student body’s opinions.” The general disapproval of this new policy stems from the fact that one cannot be near one’s friends during the almost-daily morning assemblies, or more specifically, cannot choose to be near one’s friends. Also, some students prefer to be in front with all the action, while others prefer to be hidden in a quieter corner. Senior Andrew Hian Cheong feels that “It’s a pain for people like me who need to make announcements and are assigned a seat in the middle. It’s just taking away our freedom.” However many students have mixed feelings about this. “I don’t mind it. Even
though I’m not near my friends for like 20 minutes, I still have the rest of the day to see them, so PAC really doesn’t matter,” states senior Jonathan Dunlap. “It’s a good way to get to know people that you are only acquainted with that aren’t in your circle of friends,” says a sophomore female student who prefers to remain anonymous. As I write this article, a petition stands on one of glass panes of the student lounge, with the promising message “if half the student body signs this, Mr. Hubbard said that he would take a look at [the petition]”. Hopefully, the voice of the student body will be heard.
not hesitate to write to us with any contributions. We hope to provide an outlet for the daily hecticness of your school life, to educate you of the world outside of the heavily guarded walls of ASP (and the world within them), and to inspire you to Aspire to greater things. We have brought together
a dream team of hyper talented writers, combining a mixture of student opinions, experiences, and backgrounds to create articles that captivate students of all interest. We wish you a pleasant read, a few moments of inspiration, and major lolz. Your Editors, Hayley and Paul
The
Staff
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Tom Portsmouth
Adrienne Chistolini
Hayley Howard
James Farrell
Paul Le Ster
Rebecca Slade
Sietse Goffard
Ben Hoyle
Lily Rivkin
Sources Page 1: (Bannana) http://www.freakingnews.com/images/app_images/ banana.jpg Page 3: (Campus) http://upload. wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ ec/Dartmouth_College_campus_2007-10-20_09.JPG Page 4: (Stress) http://www.globalshift.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ student_debt_1.jpg
Page 6: (Casette) http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs40/f/2009/040/3/7/old_skool_cassette_by_EDIllo.jpg Page 7: (Crystal Castles) http:// sickoftheradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/crystal_castles3.jpg Page 8: (Choir) http://www.miami. muohio.edu/news/media/413.jpg Page 9: (Beach Scene) http://hdw. eweb4.com/out/15078.
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