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S P E C TAT O R 1500 West Kennedy Road Lake Forest, IL 60045
Volume 89 Number 6
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April 13, 2011
Prom!!!
Prom location: Milwaukee Art Museum becoming recognized internationally as cutting edge architecture – and, quite frankly, a really cool place to hold a prom. “I was very excited when I discovered the building was available for our prom,” said Junior Class Advisor Mr. Bill Murphy. “We will basically have the whole building space for dancing and eating, and we have the use of the museum’s large outdoor patio, which overlooks Lake Michigan, for a quiet place for people to cool off and chat during the evening.”
The main dance will be held under the glass dome, a space that is almost as large as the main floor of the Cressey Theater. Tables will for eating dinner will be arranged in adjacent wings and students will also have access to the main museum exhibit spaces for strolling together. After much debate, prom committee decided on a theme that will take LFA back to the good old days: The Roaring 20’s. Students can expect nothing
By Eric Clamage Editor-in-Chief
from the daily lives of students. According to Dave Ayk-
the other tablets investigated. It has a duo-core pro-
roid, Director of Information Technology, his department
cessor and a 10-hour battery life.
has been evaluating the Kno, Archos 101 Android, iPad 2
front and rear cameras, garageband, iMovie, etc.
and the Motorola Xoom as portable tablets that students
could use. With the recent release of the iPad 2, Aykroid and
way of accessing all the content one values from me-
Carson are leaning toward that tablet as the tool for LFA.
dia to surfing the web to e-mailing. It even has video
capability for students to communicate to one another.”
By Erica Lewis and Ariana Bhatia Staff Writers
The mystery is finally solved! While LFA usually heads south to Chicago for its big formal dance, Prom 2011 will be held up north at the stunning, new Milwaukee Art Museum. The building has become world famous for its movable “wings” that offer shade to the structure throughout the day. The building’s design is
Story Continued on page 4.
Students likely to be using iPads in school soon According to multiple sources, the Deans
of Lake Forest Academy are considering a proposal for students and faculty to be using iPads in the classroom during the upcoming school year.
“We are exploring the iPad as a poten-
tial classroom tool starting next year,” stated Grier Carson, Director of Library Information Services.
The school has been very interested in the new
releases of digital tablets in order to eliminate text books
“Right now [the iPad] has thousands of
In addition it has
“It’s a life device,” Carson continued, “it’s a
apps that would supply many opportunities for stu-
At least half of the textbooks that LFA students cur-
dents in and out of the classroom,” noted Aykroid.
rently use are available on the iPad and very soon all of the
The iPad 2 is the most portable, durable tab-
books will be available. Through the iPad’s e-book applica-
let that is closest to a computer mobile device with-
tion, students are able to use sticky notes, annotate and take Story continued on page 3.
2 8-9 12
Service Day
See page 2
out the need of a mouse or keyboard, compared to
New LFA Clubs
See page 8
Shakespearean Idol See page 12
lfa spectator
news 2
april 13, 2011
World News Ra Weekend Outdoor activities Roundup Assembled by Mary Kate Hayes and Ariana Bhatia News Editors
Japan struck by two catastrophes
Information from BBC News An earthquake with an 8.9 magnitude hit Japan on March 11th. Following the destructive quake, a massive tsunami washed over the area northeast of Tokyo. Extreme damage occurred, such as fatalities and displacement of houses, cars, and ships. As a result of the natural disasters, a nuclear power plant’s cooling system failed, causing the pressure inside the boiling water to rise. This defect has forced thousands of people to evacuate Fukushima due to the possible threats of radioactivity. Radioactivity from this plant has been traced in the United States in Oregon; however, the levels are low. But, in Japan, the effects are apparent and devastating. The death toll has passed 10,000.
Photo Courtesy of Tribune Media Services Japanese scientists fight the radiation crisis.
US intervention in Libya crisis Information from BBC News The US attack on Libya “Operation Odyssey Dawn” stemmed from the conflict of rebels against Muammar Gaddafi. The use of civilians as human shields in areas like Misrata has complicated NATO airstrikes. Hiding weapons in populated areas as well as adverse weather has further diluted their efforts. NATO war planes flew 58 missions on Monday, April 4th, 14 of them striking Gaddafi targets. Fighting in the oil-rich town of al-Brega has started up again. All parts of the country have seen destruction to civilian lives as the brutal fighting endures.
celebrate Spring By Andrea Shen A&E Editor LFA’s annual Ra Weekend falls on Saturday, May 14, this year. The long-standing tradition, named after Ra, the Egyptian sun god, is a celebration of the coming of Spring. “It’s a great time for visiting families, faculty, and students on and off campus to come together and show the strength of the LFA community,” said Sophomore Class President Will Shoemaker. “It’s a chance to get the kids excited about the season, about finishing school, and about being part of the community,” agreed Class Advisor Dr. Kerry Cedergren.
Brazilian students murdered Information from CNN April 7 marked the tragic day of the massacre of 11 Brazilian students. Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, a 23 year old graduate from the school in Realango, was identified as the shooter who gained access to the school by claiming he was there to obtain transcripts. Rio's governor, Sergio Cabral, referred to the gunman as a "psychopath.” Municipal School Tasso da Silveira is located in northern Rio in a middle- and lower-middle-class area not familiar with this type of crime.
a whole new appreciation of how fun it can be,” says Class of 2012 advisor, Mr. William Murphy. “I hope particularly that nonboarding students will come and take advantage of what is usually one of the most fun weekends of the year.” Volunteers from the sophomore class will run the games, booths, and ticket sales. Tickets, available for purchase at Ra Weekend, will offer admission to the day’s activities, and can also be used to buy traditional carnival fare, such as popcorn, cotton candy, and Robeks smoothies. The event will be open to the whole community: students, faculty, faculty children, as well as other guests and visitors.
Yearbook to make various changes with new system By Mark Yingling Entropica Editor
“Totally Re-imagined,”
while it is also a heavily layered
year.
book consisting of “many, many
layers.”
est in what we’re doing here,”
One of the main reasons
“There is a lot of inter-
said Koenig. “Enrollment has in-
said Mr. Jason Koenig, the fac-
the yearbook is using this new
creased three fold.”
ulty advisor of the LFA yearbook
system because it “represents
staff, while describing the highly
the inclusive community that we
yearbook staff seem to be re-
anticipated 2010-2011 Caxy. Ac-
have here at LFA,” stated Koenig.
ally intrigued by the new trends
cording to Koenig, this year the
The yearbook staff believed that
that are being put in place in this
staff has departed from a tradi-
the yearbooks in the past separat-
year’s Caxy, which is reflected in
tional yearbook design where it
ed the community and divided it
the increasing number of students
is neatly organized into rows and
up, and they wanted to change be-
who want to take the class. Also,
columns, sports seasons, and se-
cause it did not fit the atmosphere
this year is different for students
mesters.
of the school. They wanted to
due to the fact that it is almost
Instead, said Koenig,
show the unity and community
an experimental year, and many
“The yearbook will be more art-
felt by the student body by rede-
can’t wait o see how it will be re-
based and it is very different from
signing the yearbook and “rein-
ceived by the LFA community.
what we used to do because it re-
vent it so it is much more mod-
flects the changes in modern me-
ern.” The cycle system seems to
the yearbook is slightly behind
dia.”
Photo Courtesy of Tribune Media Services Libyan soldiers stand guard on their post.
The event is run by the Sophomore class as a fundraiser for the following year, when they organize prom as juniors. The day will begin with the Freshman car wash in front of Atlass dorm in the morning, followed by the rest of Ra Weekend festivities behind Atlass and on the field hockey field throughout the day. The carnival-style event will feature the classic inflatable obstacle course, moon bounce, dunk tank, and pie throw, but the Sophomore class officers are also exploring other types of attractions. “We’re hoping to take it one step farther each year and really try to improve on last year’s Ra Weekend,” said Shoemaker. “As the person who ran Ra Weekend last year, I now have
The students on the
As of this print date,
be well received by the staff and
schedule because of the new sys-
One of the major shifts
the few students who have seen it,
tem which causes production to
from last year’s yearbook has
but some still worry that it won’t
be more intricate and therefore
been the adaptation of a com-
be well received by the traditional
take longer.
pletely new idea of organizing
yearbook lovers.
the yearbook by the cycle system.
Another change for this
structure how the students work,”
Using the cycle system is a com-
year’s yearbook was the number
Koenig said. “It involves a lot of
pletely new concept and students
of staff members working dili-
rethinking.”
will immediately notice that the
gently on the book. Towards the
Caxy is not segmented as it has
end of last year, the yearbook
are working hard and catching up
been in the past. It is more chron-
staff dwindled to four students,
quickly to meet the deadlines of
ologically based, said Koenig,
for various reasons. But it is a
the highly-anticipated yearbook.
so it is easier to read and follow,
completely different story this
“This year we had to re-
However, staff members
april 13, 2011
By Ariana Bhatia News Editor Now that Durand Hall has been successfully moved and construction begun on the new Ferry Hall, the Ferry Hall Construction Committee has been working hard to finalize its plans for what the completed building will be like, both inside and out. In the committee’s discussions one particular question came up: How “green” will Ferry Hall be? While the building will not be specifically LEED certified, it will contain many measures to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. Obtaining a LEED certification ensures that a building is environmental friendly in all aspects. Ferry Hall may not obtain this gold medal standard but is definitely aiming for silver. “It’s important to be environmentally conscience, but as stewards of the school we also have to do what is financially responsible,” said Assistant Head of School Bill Dolbee. ‘”You have to strike the right balance between being environmentally sensitive and being efficient with your dollars” The Ferry Hall Construction Committee consists of faculty members Mr. Andrew
Kerr, Mr. Bill Dolbee, Mrs. Maggie Tennyson, and Mrs. Suzy Vaughn. Also on the committee are board members Mr. Tom Duckworth, Mrs. Robin Zafirovski, and Mrs. Loretta Kaplan, a Ferry Hall alumna. The architect on the project, Mr. Peter Witmer works alongside builder Todd Altounian, an LFA alumnus. The committee has already made a series of environmentally friendly decisions about the new building. In the construction process, the bricks for the building are being transported from no more than 500 miles away— lessening the carbon footprint of shipping. The building will be centrally air conditioned and centrally heating using high efficiency boilers. While geo-thermal technology was considered, it was deemed not price competitive for the size of the building. “We have a tight budget and while we’re working to stay within the budget we are still focused on the best program—and the best program includes not only a nice common space and study rooms but also a building that fits aesthetically, architecturally, and operationally on campus,” said Kerr. “Low E” windows, or UV coated windows will keep
the rooms more temperature balanced and insulation is at the high end of building code,” continued Kerr. Additionally the building’s design is attempting to use as much natural light as possible. The fixtures being used are readily adaptable from CFL to LED lighting when that reaches the next level of technology in coming years. The automatic lighting system, already used in most classrooms, will be used in the dorm as well. “We’re dealing with some modern buildings and some quaint antique buildings...we’re trying to honor the old buildings but understand that, in some respects, they cost us significant amounts,” added Kerr. While wind power and solar energy were considered, there were no cost efficient options for se in ferry Hall at the time. The combination of too many cloudy days as well as packages that didn’t fit campus needs deterred moving to these sources of energy. This has caused some dissent among students. “I feel as if more planning should have gone into the production of this new building,” said senior Hailey Arnold, a member of the AP Environmen-
tal Sciences class. “Geothermal heating should have definitely been put in pre-construction; the funds should have been asked for by trustees and alumni.” “With the amount of time and resources the school is pouring into the establishment, adding insulation and UV coded windows is negligible,” added fellow class member, junior Sophia Smith. Junior Casey Coulter commented that he felt Ferry Hall could be made “10 million times more green.” Other students are pleased at the efforts already taken. “I think it’s great. The girls, and boys for that matter, forget to turn off their room lights, leave unnecessary things plugged in, and well...we’re just wasteful as a group,” said senior Lizett Meraz, who currently lives in Mac. “I am actually really pleased with these changes and am slightly upset it hasn’t happened sooner.” “Ferry Hall will improve the living conditions for female boarders while simultaneously reduce the harm to the environment! I’ll be happy to see both changes,” stated junior Rachel Riccio, who lives in Field.
LFA looking to expand to iPads for students continued from Page 1 notes as if they had the physical textbook in front of them. “One of LFA’s goals is to prepare students for college, and to teach 21st century technology to students is going to prepare them for the world,” explained Carson. According to Aykroid, the school is considering a twoyear commitment to using the iPad. “With the cycle of in-
Carson acknowledged the iPad has flaws, too. He noted that there are three main flaws with the device: it lacks the ability to type fast and efficiently, the audio/video/media editing is imperfect and the storage/retrieval on the tablet is limited. However students will most likely need Bluetooth keyboards to go with the iPad.
For the remainder of the semester a few teachers will be trying out the iPad 2 to see how it could benefit students and teachers in the classroom. “With the cycle of innovation, specifically with the iPad, we (LFA) do not want to stick with just the iPad in the years to come. If there is another device that is better than the iPad years from now,
dia editing is imperfect and the storage/retrieval on the tablet is limited. However students will most likely need Bluetooth keyboards to go with the iPad. The touch computer screens that were installed in the library this year was also a preview to the iPad/touch computing explained Carson. “I think it would be
novation, specifically with the iPad, we (LFA) do not want to stick with just the iPad in the years to come. If there is another device that is better than the iPad years from now, we (LFA) would want to switch to that tablet,” said Aykroid. “I think that if the teachers actually use them it has the potential to be useful, but it could end up being a waste of money,” commented junior Alex Pankhurst when asked about the idea for LFA students to use iPads.
The touch computer screens that were installed in the library this year was also a preview to the iPad/touch computing explained Carson. “I think it would be helpful to the students to access the internet and textbooks at your fingertips,” said freshman Mary Kate Patton. “Having something like an iPad program at our school could change the classroom environment and how students learn at this school,” stated Carson.
we (LFA) would want to switch to that tablet,” said Aykroid. “I think that if the teachers actually use them it has the potential to be useful, but it could end up being a waste of money,” commented junior Alex Pankhurst when asked about the idea for LFA students to use iPads. Carson acknowledged the iPad has flaws, too. He noted that there are three main flaws with the device: it lacks the ability to type fast and efficiently, the audio/video/me-
helpful to the students to access the internet and textbooks at your fingertips,” said freshman Mary Kate Patton. “Having something like an iPad program at our school could change the classroom environment and how students learn at this school,” stated Carson. For the remainder of the semester a few teachers will be trying out the iPad 2 to see how it could benefit students and teachers in the classroom.
Around Campus Assembled by Ariana Bhatia and Mary Kate Hayes News Editors April 6th- Choir Trip
Lake Forest Academy’s choir went to New York to attend 3 plays and perform a requiem at Ground Zero April 11th- All-School President Speeches
Junior candidates running for All-School President made speeches in front of students and teachers April 10th- Open House
Caxy Keys and the Admissions office hosted an Open House for prospective LFA families April 14th- Service Day
The LFA community volunteered at various charities in proximity to Lake Forest April 19th- LLORK Performance
LFA’s Laptop Orchestra will hold their second concert of the year featuring original pieces April 20th- Shakespearean Idol
Students performed a memorized piece of literature in order to win a contest similar to American Idol April 25th- Guitar Recital
Students in Mr. Schlipmann’s guitar class, as well as those in the Guitar Picker’s club will perform April 27th- Arts Concentration Concert
Members of the arts concentration group Vox will have their second concert of the year at 7 pm April 29th- Trustee Weekend
Trustee weekend will kick off on the 29th, ending with the Spring Gala on the 30th May 2nd- AP Exams Start
This year’s AP Exams begin with AP Chemistry, AP Enviromental Science, and AP Psychology May 5th- Chamber Music Concert
The seconds chamber Music concert of the year at 7 pm featuring Vox and choir members as well as Music Concentration students May 7th- Prom
Pre-Prom is scheduled to start at 4:30 pm followed by Prom at 7 pm
lfa spectator
LFA strives to make Ferry Hall go as green as possible
news 3
lfa spectator
news 4
april 13, 2011
Annual LFA Service Day helps aid nearby charities By Mary Kate Hayes News Editor
Lake Forest Academy’s annual Service Learning Day, held this week at various locations in Lake County, involved the entire community divided into various volunteer groups. This day is yearly devoted to helping nearby charities and increasing service awareness around the LFA campus. Many volunteer groups filled up quickly because of their popularity. Students who did not sign up through the website for a specific site found themselves assigned to random groups that needed volunteer workers. Reviews from both students and faculty participants indicated that the day’s activities were successful this year.
a nice break from classes and a good way to promote involvement in community service,” said senior Olivija Cepaite. “I like how students have so many options as to what they can do. It’s definitely a rewarding day, knowing you spent a few hours helping out and you can still have the rest of the day to yourself.” Director of Service Learning Sarah Collins was excited and hopeful for a successful Service Learning Day this year; she enjoys seeing the meshing of the different members of the school’s community on various projects. “I always hope we can get full faculty and staff support,” commented Collins. “It’s nice to have non-teaching faculty involved with the students, as well.”
Learning Day has had an extremely positive impact on previous students. Serving the community has opened student’s eyes to participating in other charities. Junior John Walton, for example, believes he has taken away a very important value from the event. “The more you give to your community, the more it gives back to you,” remarked Walton. For volunteers looking to interact with elders, Winchester House provided that opportunity. Similarly, members of choir went Lincolnshire to sing at Sedgebrook, a retirement community.
Photo by Ruth Keyso
Sophia Saulsberry volunteering at an retirement home during Service Day 2010.
LFA expanded into different nearby locations such as Independence Grove.
The tradition of Service
Volunteers hoping to spend the day outdoors were in luck. This year, many forest preserve opportunities presented that option to LFA. Due to positive feedback from Lake County’s Forest Preserve’s Tom Smith,
trip to the Greater Chicago Food Bank this year.
Because traveling to the neighborhood near Midway Airport has posed several logistical problems in the past, there was no
“Service Day is a really helpful experience,” said junior Ryan Arnett. “It lets people have a chance to give back to their community.”
By Erica Lewis
different countries sound some-
astasia is constantly traveling all
doba and Seville. Two weeks
teaches you the important of be-
Op-Ed Editor
what alike to the LFA experi-
over France with her Art History
ago, we spent a Wednesday
ing self-sufficient. Learning to
ence in the sense that they have
class, studying many churches
near Barcelona eating a spe-
navigate a city on your own is
Students study abroad
“I think service day is
This 2010-2011 school
a similar homework load each
and museums. She is looking
cial onion dish,” said Taylor
one lesson Taylor and Anastasia
year two Lake Forest Academy
night and they run on a block
forward to planning a trip to Lon-
about her traveling experience.
have become experts in. Taylor’s
students are spending their junior
schedule; however their every-
don over a long weekend. Taylor
Another aspect of the
typical day in Spain consists of
year studying abroad in Europe:
day lives abroad seem to be filled
also spends many of her long
school-year-aboard program that
working at her local café for two
Taylor Spratt is studying in Zara-
with much more excitement and
weekends adventuring in Spain
distinguishes it from life at LFA
to three hours after classes, and
goza, Spain, and Anastasia Perry
action than a day in Lake Forest.
traveling throughout Barcelona,
is the emphasis that is put on be-
then returning home for dinner
is studying in Rennes, France in
Madrid, and the cities of Granada.
ing an independent and responsi-
at 9 pm. Anastasia agrees with
the Bretagne Region. Both girls
the life of a school-year-aboard
“Within school we make
ble individual. Deciding to spend
the importance the program puts
are taking the majority of their
student is their opportunity to
many trips as well: as I am writ-
your junior year of high school
on the being independent, saying
classes in French or Spanish,
travel throughout the country
ing this (quote), I am in a hotel
away from all your friends and
that she feels like a “college stu-
with the exception of their math
they are living in, and both Tay-
in Andalucía spending the week
family in a country where you
dent sometimes” because she is
and English classes. Their ex-
lor and Anastasia are taking ad-
touring the cities of Granada (so
are only just being to speak the
able to “just show up for class and
periences living and studying in
vantage of this experience. An-
far my personal favorite), Cor-
national language immediately
then go out and explore the city”.
Continued from page 1.
tain for dessert and a photo
back,” said Junior Prom Com-
less than boas, top hats, and silent
booth near the dance floor as
mittee member, Corry Lane.
movie memorabilia throughout
some highlights of the evening.
the night. For the pre-Prom party,
location
Robinson, also on Prom Com-
Reid Hall will be transformed
may be new for LFA prom,
mittee, thinks it’ll be “different
into the ultimate 1920’s mansion.
many juniors know the location
from any other prom experi-
Pre prom is currently scheduled
well. Their freshman founda-
ence” and sure to be a fun night.
to start at 4:30 p.m. and buses
tion of the arts viewed mod-
will leave for the Museum at 6:00
ern art exhibit here in 2008.
around the corner, there is still
p.m. Prom will go until 11:00 p.m.
“I think the location is
much work to be done. Music
when students will return to LFA.
really cool and it’ll be a great
suggestions are still welcome and
place to hold prom. It was a stel-
Prom Committee will be open
hav-
lar place to go freshman year
to any other recommendations.
ing access to chocolate foun-
and I’m really excited to go
One feature unique to
Prom announcement
students
While at the museum, can
anticipate
While
this
Similarly, junior Grace
Although prom is just
Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Art Museum Dance floor that will be used for this years prom.
features 5
april 13, 2011
By Kathleen Kennedy Photo Editor David Huddle, an American poet and literature professor, visited Lake Forest Academy on last month. It was a return visit for Huddle, who has taught at several colleges, who also visited LFA in 2004, when his readings were very well received by the community. Since then he has written poetry about everything from war, to small-town life, to teenage crushes, and he has even written about penguins. In fact, English Department Chair Jon Freeman, a friend of Huddle, said “He writes about adolescent longing better than any writer I know.” In explaining his reasons for inviting Huddle to re-visit the LFA community Freeman stated, “he helps student’s see that poetry can immerge from anywhere and can be hilariously funny just as easily as it can be beautiful and profound.” Huddle, who performed at All-School meeting, was somewhat different from the previous visiting poet, Jamele Adams. But Freeman felt that both Huddle and Adams, while being very different, were able to achieve the same goal when it comes to
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
Assistant Dean of students Jon Freeman speaking with David Huddle before his All School Meeting performance.
young writers. “They have very different styles, but like Adams, Huddle showed us poetry’s immense possibility’s,” said Freeman. Senior Cody Watson has enjoyed the visiting poets this year at school.
“I think that poets, in general, each opened a new perspective [for students]… although we are quick to judge and disregard what is said, if we keep an open mind I feel like we learn a lot,” stated Watson. Having taught at the
University of Vermont, and in his current teaching position at Hollins College, Huddle has had the opportunity to teach writing skills and share his passion for poetry with many students. He has written six volumes of poetry, five short story collections, and three
novels. In the process of writing yet another novel, Huddle is continuing to share his work with the public. The fact that he has 1300 Facebook friends, probably more than any student at LFA, proves that he has a large fan base.
Attention LFA students: the Literary Magazine needs YOU! By Sophia Salsbery Photo Editor As the 2010-2011 school year comes to a close, annual student publications complete their production cycles and prepare to head for the printers. The LFA Literary Magazine is one of them. Best known as the Litmag, this year’s staff, which includes Rickey Larke, Hannah Jung, and Arwah Yaqub. They have made frequent announcements at school meetings hoping for more student content to be submitted for publication. Litmag even created the Metaphor-offs, which where a big hit this year during morning meetings, to attract attention to Litmag. Even with those efforts, student written material has been difficult to attract.
years when she was a student at LFA. She was also part of the Litmag group that changed the design layout, cover, and inside design to create a more professional look for the magazine. Asher has been excited to work with this year’s group of editors, giving them credit for taking such ownership of the project. “It has been a transition, but it is going a lot smoother than it could in any other group because we are smaller and tight knit,” commented Larke. Submissions have been coming in at a slow pace, however, and the Litmag staff hopes that the Sophomore Narratives and other English classes will bring in more creative work. Jung is extremely pas-
Motivating the student body to submit its work was not the only challenge this year for the staff of Litmag; they were also faced with the challenge of switching faculty advisors, from Mrs. Kim Bell to Ms. Emily Asher. One unexpected bonus was the experience that Asher brought to the magazine since she was the Litmag editor-in- chief for three
sionate about creative writing, and English in general, and comments that for her it is not about the submissions, but rather the enthusiasm the student body has for English. The staff has meetings regularly for Litmag where they plan a great deal for the upcoming publication and Jung comments that she wants the students to love the Litmag as much
Photo by Sophia Salsbery
The Literary Magazine has become increasingly popular and has published some of the best student work.
as she does. What the students may not recognize is how much the staff works; Jung wants the energy from those meetings to spill over into the student body. She hopes that since Robert Pinksy inspired so many submissions last year the same will happen
for David Huddle, a poet from Vermont who was here recently. Change seems to be a theme this year for the Litmag, with a new faculty advisor and new ways to motivate the student body; the changes do not stop there. This year written work may be submitted in a different
language: Spanish, French, Chinese, and Latin with translations offered in Chinese and Latin. This year’s Litmag seems to heading in a great direction, but to make it more amazing please submit to lfalitmag@gmail.com.
lfa spectator
Poet David Huddle pays visit to LFA
lfa spectator
features 6
april 13, 2011
See the truth behind the label... Where do your clothes really come from? By Takia Broomfield A&E Editor
As you walk down the
halls of LFA, one brand of clothing seems to be highly favored among students, and that brand is Abercrombie & Fitch. Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as Hollister, a smaller branch of A & F, operate more than 1,000 stores across all four of its brands, located throughout the United States and other countries. Founded in 1892, Abercrombie and Fitch, like many other retailers, use cheap labor in order to keep their profits high and production costs low. In 1999, the U.S. Government and representatives of the Garment Workers’ Union began a 3-year-long class action lawsuit in which Abercrombie & Fitch (A & F) was one of several American retailers involved because of its sweatshops in Saipan that notoriously abuse child labor. Today, law enforcement sources
say that A & F continues to exploit children, as well as adults, in sweatshops. In November 2009, Ab-
ing fair labor standards and often are slow to respond or provide no response at all to any attempts by the International Labor Rights
100 workers and union members were fired and replaced with other poor job seekers. While A & F’s labor is
Fitch, most do not know or care to investigate where these items come from. The labor that goes into making these clothes isn’t
ercrombie & Fitch was added to the “Sweatshop Hall of Shame
Forum, workers, or others to improve working conditions.”
shifted from sweatshop to sweatshop in many countries, majority of its cotton comes from Uzbekistan. In Uzbekistan, there are 1.4 million who range between the ages of five and fourteen who work in the cotton fields. For one kilogram of cotton a child gets paid 3 cents which gets sold for a $1.15 on the global market. For 10 kilograms valued at $11.50 on the global market, they get paid 38 cents. Schools are even closed so children can do more harsh labor in the fields. If these kids do not meet the standards that their “masters” set for them they receive cruel and unusual punishment, and children who try to run away, face expulsion. While many people pay top dollar for clothing and other products sold by Abercrombie &
nearly paid for entirely, and the profit that these garments yield, are not distributed fairly. The LFA community was extremely shocked and appalled when they discovered the truth behind their favorite brand Abercrombie & Fitch. “I hate Abercrombie & Fitch. I think it’s really horrible that they have such unfair practices,” replied Sophomore Hannah Thuroff. Junior Haley Whilhelm said she discontued shopping there three years ago because she found out about how badly they treat employees in sweatshops. Prefect and senior Lamees Esmail said she felt horrible after finding out that A & F pays its sweatshop employees only 3 cents on every $1.15.
“For one kilogram of cotton a child gets paid 3 cents which gets sold for a $1.15 on the global market. For 10 kilograms valued at $11.50 on the global market, they get paid 38 cents.” 2010” by the worker advocacy group International Labor Rights Forum. The Sweatshop Hall of Shame 2010 emphasizes clothing and fabric manufacturers that use sweatshops in their international production. Hall of Shame inductees are responsible for “evad-
At the Alta Mode sweatshop in the Philippines, A & F employees attempted to form a workers union to address the harsh and inhumane conditions in their working environment and a production quota set beyond human capacity. In response, over
AP Tests: Are they really helpful? By Natasha Patel Op-Ed Editor Today more and more students find themselves taking Advanced Placement classes. In a recent article published on usnews.com, the web site for the magazine U.S. News and World Report, it was reported that there was a 45 percent increase in the number of AP Exams between 2004 and 2009. This has left many observers wondering why taking these classes has become such a popular trend. Students have always had the option of taking APs, yet now AP classes are overflowingm, a new phenomena prompting people to wonder about the dramatic increase in AP students. In that U.S. News article, writer Eddy Ramirez reported that some teachers are worried about the trend. “The majority of teachers of Advanced Placement courses are satisfied with the college-prep program,” wrote Ramirez, “but they worry that quality could erode as more and more students—including those who are less prepared or who seek only to boost their college credentials—are allowed to participate in classes, according a new survey.”
This AP Psychology exam , along with several others are being debated about their importance in college.
In addition, Ramirez also wrote that “… students ‘appear to be focused on AP for utilitarian or pragmatic reasons, not intellectual reasons,’ according to most teachers, who said that more students want their college applications to look better. As a result of these attitudes among students and school leaders, 56 percent of teachers surveyed felt that too many students overestimate their abilities and are in over their heads in AP courses.” More than 6 in 10 of the teachers interviewed said that putting some limits on who can enroll would improve the AP program.
Photo courtesy of onlineschools.org
In a recent interview with The Spectator, Assistant Academic Dean Kristine Von Ogden, who oversees all AP Testing at LFA, gave her opinions on growing student enrollment in AP classes, as well as the film (“A
views on the correlation between the pressures highlighted in the movie and higher AP enrollment, Von Ogden responded that everyone needs to consider their individual situation and figure out who is putting that pressure on
script.” Rob McNerney commented that he takes AP Economics because he is genuinely interested, AP Calculus because he feels pressured, and AP Environmental Science for his college
Race to Nowhere”) presented to LFA students before spring break, chronicling the increased pressures and stresses on today’s high school students. “I think that a lot of our students identified either directly with certain students in the film or at least with the situations,” remarked Von Ogden. When asked about her
them and why it is there. Von Ogden emphasized the importance of students examining why they are making the class choices they are and suggested that students ask themselves, “Is this good for me?” Christian Buerkle, a junior at LFA, said that he takes AP classes “mostly because colleges look at them in a high school tran-
transcript. Writer Ramirez concluded his article by stating that the differing views about AP classes reflect a more important conversation that needs to take place in education: how can schools best prepare students for college?
april 13, 2011
Chess Guru AJ Jayakumar brings attention to LFA’s Chess Club. By Zunaira Arshad Staff Writer
Junior Adarsh Jayakumar enrolled at LFA this year and immediately rejuvenated LFA’s Chess Club. A nationally-ranked chess player himself, Jayakumar is extremely passionate about the game and has taken pride in raising the level of play at his new school after previously attending Townview Magnet High School in Dallas, Texas. “The chess club is progressing very well,” said Jayakumar, who cannot compete with the club because of his national ranking, “and it’s great to see more people playing.” Jayakumar is serving as the club’s resident instructor teaching the group advanced tactics and combinations that they can use in competitions. New, enthusiastic members have joined the club’s ranks hoping to learn more about the game from Jayakumar. Jayakumar started playing chess when he was eight years old, but it was not until he was 10 that he actually began competing in tournaments. Initially, Jayakumar was attracted to the game when he joined the chess team at his elementary school. After his first team won recognition in the national tournament, Jayakumar’s interest grew and he decided he would always want to be affiliated with the game. “There’s beauty in its simplicity,” Jayakumar stated when asked what he loved about the game. Not only has Jayakumar won tournaments all around the United States, he as also won tournament in other countries. At these tournaments, Jayakumar has won everything from money to college scholarships. Though, he does not plan on playing chess competitively forever, Jayakumar stated that he will play for enjoyment throughout the rest of his life.
Young Republicans Club is becoming more popular By Leo Rudberg Staff Writer LFA seems to be a oneparty school this year, sort of. The Young Democrats Club no longer exists and the Young Libertarians Club has fewer members than one has fingers. But The LFA Young Republicans Club has a strong, active membership this year. The Spectator recently had an interview with some of the clubs members: club leader David Levine ’11, Tom Gallagher ’11, Mitchell Gregory ’12, and Aline Feijo ’12. The interview consisted of questions about the club’s thoughts on current events. One of the first issues discussed by the club members was what are biggest problems facing the United States today. The club members listed the American deficit and overspending, border security, and stabilizing the Middle East. Gallagher also added that the government needs to put more emphasis on education, but they shouldn’t just throw money at it. Overall, the Young Republicans’ main point was that the government should not “spend money you don’t have.” Another topic the Republicans discussed with The Spectator was the chance of bipartisanship in the current Congress. Today’s news is filled with the two major political parties insulting and blaming each other for everything. The interviewees
The Young Repbulicans has become more popular this year than in previous years.
said that bipartisanship is essential for the government to run. The club wanted it to be clear that Republicans do want reform, just smart reform. However, suddenly this discussion evolved into a discussion over “Obamacare” and American economics in general. Gregory said that, “socializing” heath care would be a bad move. Feijo added that U.S. is unlike European countries (Scandinavian states in particular) who have embraced a strong system of government-controlled health care. The group then stated to talk about economics in general. The Republicans are still steadfast in their beliefs about Reaganonmics, or the trickledown theory. The group made it clear that relaxed taxing on the
Photo by Sophia Salsbery
upper class is necessary because they employ the middle classe, thus allowing the money to “trickle-down.” Feijo said that “taxes on the rich lead to weaker industries.” Levine added with a chuckle, that “outsourcing doesn’t help very much.” When questioned about the environment, a less fractious issue, albeit an important one that often gets pushed aside, Gallagher said the main problem is “technology going to China.” Gregory said that the world, but particularly China, needs to find ways to handle pollution.
Gregory replied that “global warming is still a debated topic.” “Although,” Gallagher added, “we should care for the environment, regardless of global warming.” Finally, The Spectator asked the club about its future and that of its party. Club members suggested Mike Huckabee or John McCain as possible candidates for the 2012 election. Gregory said that the party has, “a good shot at winning the 2012 presidency and more senate seats.” The club’s future seems
Feijo added that irresponsible industries responsible for the growing pollution should have the blame put on them. What about the fractious issue of global warming?
bright according to Levine, who pointed to a membership that has grown from 10 to 40 students.” Gregory joked that, “the fall of the Young Democrats Club reflects the government.”
Freshman get in touch with their creativity Rickey A. Larke Op-Ed Editor In most high schools around the country freshman year is used as a time for 13-and- 14 year-old students to get acclimated to the rigors of high school work, but here at LFA, freshman
ing the purpose the new type of assignments. The projects, which count for an essay grade or test grade for the freshman, are a chance for students to respond to some important element of the literary piece by using some creative form. The rules are simple:
heavyweights include: Monterey Pepper’s Photo of a young Oedipus after his graphic mutilation scene (which she used her little brother to help her create); or Tommy Clarke’s original piano piece, Greek translation, and diagram summarizing the plot of The Odyssey.
stated that he had previously tried some in other classes. Kelly attributed her assignment ideas to conversations she had with English Dept. Chair Jon Freeman and English teacher Bill Murphy. “I thought this type of assignment was the standard here,” added Kelly.
have been turning heads with their creative work assignments, especially in Mr. Nat Small and Ms. Lauren Kelly’s English 9 classes. “ It’s a different kind of learning; it’s a chance for students to show understanding of major ideas of the book while adding their own creative touch to it,” said Small when describ-
make something creative that describes a major theme in the book and write a one-page summary about it, the rest is up to the individual student’s effort. The projects allow students to go in various directions, including collages, one-act plays, and music to go accompany the literature. Some of the stand-out pieces produced by these young
“Many of the students just took off with the idea and came up with pieces that I would never imagine they would. Mr. Small’s class did a great job, too, so I think it might become a regular element in our classes,” stated Kelly. When asked how the idea to create such a unique set of assignments originated, Small
Whoever’s idea they were, the assignments that gave students so much freedom in how they learn deserve an A+. The projects show students are learning more and understanding the material better.
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Check Mate!
features 7
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features
Club Fare: By Sarah Clark Staff Writer
This year many new and interesting clubs were added to Lake Forest Academy’s already large collection of extra curriculars. Though they were only recently
formed, these clubs are adding fresh dimensions to the school community as they continue to grow in popularity. LFA students and faculty alike have taken the initiative to bring their own interests into the community through clubs. From guitar playing, to robot building,
April 13, 2011
New and interesting groups on campus this year these clubs are involving students in fun and unique activities. The creation of these groups has allowed members to participate in new experiences and come together to enjoy LFA’s great variety of organizations. With the addition of these great new groups, the variety of LFA clubs con-
tinues to grow, creating spaces where every student can be a part of something that truly interests them. The Spectator staff put together these pages to let students know about the new and exciting clubs that have been created at school and to encourage everyone to find a club to join!
Investment Club provides real world experience in finance By Hunter Johnstone Staff Writer
Photo by Jane Xu
(left to right) Members Zunaira Arshad, Kalina Gajda, and leaders Mimi Moses, Sachi Patel, and Mariel Rogozinski
Free the Children holds walk-a-thon on campus
LFA club raises funds for new elementary school in Bangladesh By Grace Coburn Staff Writer This year, the internationally known organization Free the Children has finally re-established a chapter in the LFA community. FTC empowers young people in the U.S to take action to improve the lives of children overseas. To help FTC this year, the LFA club will be staging a Walk-a-thon this later month. “Free the Children is an organization that was started by Marc and Craig Kielburger; they were interested in helping students across the world,” said senior Sachi Patel, one of the three club leaders . Patel was the one who brought the club back to LFA this year. “This year we’re working with the Head of School Symposium. We want to work to reach our goal of raising $5,000 to build a school in Bangladesh,” said Patel. Faculty sponsor, Adam Gerber, was present when FTC first became apart of LFA. “A couple of years ago, the head of FTC came to LFA, and, in that year, we had a trip to Kenya, Africa; then we started the club at LFA,” said
Gerber. To raise the money for the school, the club hopes to stage a huge walk-a-thon that will really make people interested in the fund-raising project. “We’re having a walk-a-thon where people can win a lot of fun prizes. Everyone is going to get into teams with maximum of seven people,” said sophomore co-leader Amelia Moses, “They can dress up, raise the most money, or be the most enthusiastic in order to win a prize,” said Moses. “We’re also hoping to have a t-shirt sale in conjunction with the walk-athon, and people will hopefully have a chance to tie-dye them as well!” said Moses. When taking on this huge project, the FTC club officers are looking for students willing to help make the event happen. “ For this event it’s really easy to get involved, all you have to do is simply participate in the walk-a-thon, or help run the event,” said Patel. “We usually meet C-days or F-days in Mr. Ryder’s room and we could always use some more help, especially with this event!”
Although only in its first year, Investment Club is already one of the largest clubs at LFA with more than 50 members. The club aims to help students “get experience with managing money”, according to senior Nathan Pabrai, the club’s founder and president. Members use an online stock simulator from Investopedia.com®. They are given 100,000 virtual dollars and are let loose in a virtual stock market. They can buy, sell, and short stocks that mirror those in the real NASDAQ and NYSE stock markets. Investopedia.com® then gives them the tools they need to monitor the markets and manage their investments. And because it is only a simulation, members can learn the ropes of the stock market risk-free. “At times you feel as though you’re really gaining and losing money,” said Tom Gallagher, vice president of the club, about the simulator. “It’s very realis-
tic and truly gets the adrenaline going.” Gallagher also explained that although members “invest, study the market, and learn from the experience” as individuals, the club itself allows for group collaboration. Members agree about the club’s usefulness. Graham Harwood, a senior and Investment Club member, said that it “provides an interesting forum for discussions and practice in a simulated, real-life situation.” As of March 31, 2011, the Investopedia.com® standings are as follows: Tom Gallagher in third with $138,315, Nadeem Bandealy in second with $143,484, and Nathan Pabrai in first with $164,850. Pabrai made it to the top of the standings by trading and investing in ARM Holdings, Apple, and Boeing, and shorting Blackberry and RIMM. “I thought it would be cool to get people interested in what I like to do and to share my passion for investing with others,” said Pabrai about founding the club. “So far it’s been very successful.”
Tom Gallagher checks the LFA Investment Club standings.
Photo by Hunter Johnstone
features
April 13, 2011
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The members of Guitar Picker’s club (from left to right) Scott Suiter, Leo Rudberg, Jack Schweighauser, Beatriz Chufani, Tracy Lu, and Sasha Breydburd
Photo by Sarah Clark
Guitar Picker’s Club gives LFA musical outlet By Mimi Moses Staff Writer When talking about a club at LFA that has both students and faculty as members, most people think about Coax. But the newly-formed Guitar Pickers Club also has both student and faculty members. All people who share a common interest in playing guitar are welcome. Mr. Adam Schlipmann, who teaches both the LFA Orchestra and the Guitar class, decided to organize the club when he realized how much interest there
was for a club like this among students and faculty members who have experience playing and teaching the guitar, and singing. A few of the members remarked that they didn’t have time to sit around and just play, so now they look forward to meeting every breaks on C and E Days. Coax leader Mr. Steve Ryder has joined the guitar pickers, and Schlipmann said he would encourage any other teachers to come out and play with the club as well. At its inception, the club members intended to play more Classical and
Folk genre guitar, recalled Schlipmann, but since then the group has decided to play more modern rock music as well. “Because we have grown up with different generations of music, it is interesting to learn about music from each other,” said Schlipman. “The one thing I originally intended the club to be, is that, over time, music has stopped becoming something you sit around with other people and share. Today it’s more, hit the buy button on iTunes.” The club members have agreed its great just to sit down with a bunch of
people who enjoy music as much as they do. Sharing music with each other is how they learn most effectively and artistically. Members such as Leo Rudberg, Jack Schweighauser and Scott Suiter are some students who are very experienced with guitar and do a great job helping others perfect their playing. However, there is also a group of people who are just now learning how to play simple chords. The Guitar Pickers Club encourages anyone who wants to learn or simply enjoy playing the guitar to join.
Robotics Club takes part in regional competition By Matt Stevens Staff Writer The LFA Robotics Club, a new activity at the school this semester, is a great outlet for the technically inclined. It is currently made up of about ten students and two faculty members who build robots for competition. They have spent the past couple of months building their entry for the First Robotics Competition in Milwaukee, where they were the highest ranked rookie team. The club was started by Alex Pankhurst, who had done robotics before in middle school and took summer courses in it at the University of Pennsylvania. He approached Mr. Phil Schwartz, who teaches the Computer Science class at LFA, to be the faculty sponsor. “I thought it would be an amazing opportunity for students to apply knowledge in a totally different way,” said Schwartz. Schwartz got together the funding and asked Mr. Keith Cameron, a member of the school’s Information Technology Department, to help the class’ efforts. Since the start of January they have been building their robot, the product of more than 100 hours of work. It is remote controlled and is designed to place
inflatable rings onto beams suspended in the air. According to Cameron, the group started with six boxes of parts, and within six weeks they managed to turn what was inside into a working robot. They had to learn how to use and combine all of the components, all within tight competition regulations. They worked almost every day for two hours, and over Winter Weekend worked nearly nine hours a day to finish it. Finally, said Cameron, after a lot of hard work and a steep learning curve, they finally had a working robot. The club requires a wide variety of talents, so it is a good fit for many different types of people. Robotics combines skills in engineering, electronics, computer program- Mr. Schwartz ming, woodworking, and general craftsmanship, among others. “It is a good program for anyone considering a future in something like robotics,” said Alex Pankhurst, the club’s founder. The club, with just ten members, competes with two partner teams against other teams that often number from 30 to 100, so additions to the club would certainly help. According to Pankhurst, if the idea of building a robot interests you and you are willing to put in the time, the LFA Robotics Club is definitely something worth considering joining.
“I thought it would be an amazing opportunity for students to apply knowledge in a totally different way.”
Andy Lee and Alex Pankhurst work on the robot’s arm.
Photo by Carina Baker
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editorial & outlook 10
Caxy Rant
april 13, 2011
Give respect back to Mac By Sophia Salsbery Photo Editor Everyone knows Atlass, Warner, and Field dormitories, but I would bet that most of the LFA day students don’t even know that there is a fourth dorm -- Macintosh Cottage. Yes, cottage; not a dorm, but a cottage. It houses 10 girls and we all pay the same amount to attend Lake Forest Academy, yet we are consistently the butt of many student jokes. First, I would like to clarify that this is not a rant about Mac on the physical side; we have new carpet, central air conditioning, a new paint job, a student patio (yes, other dorms, we have a private patio with a grill), and repainted and repaired faculty apartments that differ from those more uniform faculty apartments in
other dorms. I might go so far as to say that Mac has the best bathrooms on campus and yet people still make fun of where I live. These comments not only stem from students, but also from teachers. What message does it send to the girls living in Mac? It saddens me to mention instances in which Mac was left out of the community; we failed to make it into the 2008 yearbook as well as The Spectator’s story on cooks in the dorms in 2009. Not only are we forgotten in stories, but we are also the forgotten dorm when natural events occur. During the recent snow day Mac residents watched as the plows came to the rescue of Field, but as
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
Senior Sophia Salsbery expresses her frustration with the lack of awareness of Mac Cottage.
the day ended we were still waiting for our route to school to be cleared. The next morning’s walk to school was difficult, and as I walked across at least three feet of snow all I could think about was the hole in the fence that I was sure Sarah Hong was going to fall into. Luckily, she made it through the icy walkway until
it was cleared a few days later. As the preparation for the new Ferry Hall dorm gets underway I can’t help but think of what is in store for Mac. We often get harassment from students, boarding female students, who love to put Mac down given the chance; I worry that with a new girls dorm it may become two against one.
But watch out Field, you may become the next old girls dorm. So it might be a good idea for people to stop bothering us over in Mac cottage and start appreciating what we have to offer: great bathrooms and family atmosphere.
Opinion
How students can help the environment
By Taylor Jenkins Editor-in-Chief Debate over environmental issues, particularly global warming, has become a hot button topic recently as experts attempt to addresses the mounting issue. Support for the cause has started to grow as evidence of the increasing problem has become undeniable. As access to cars and technology grows, so does the output of pollutants into the atmosphere necessary to power these things. Eighty percent of the world’s en-
ergy is produced by a combination of coal, oil and gas which all release harmful by-products into the air we breathe and the ozone layer every day. A frightening statistic to support this fact is that experts estimate two million people worldwide die prematurely every year due to pollution. This is compared too much lower numbers in previous years. LFA as an institution does a very good job of supporting a green lifestyle after making many important changes in recent years. Some of these include changing many of the
There are many easy, reasonable steps that we as students can take to help reduce our impact on the frightening global environment. Recycling would be one of the easiest ways for LFA students to reduce their environmental impact. Currently, recycling statistics are absurdly low. In 2008 the United States alone buried or burned 166 million tons of recyclable resources and only recycled or composed one third of these materials. These numbers are astonishing, especially when you consider how simple a recycling program is. As students at LFA we
school lights to more energy efficient models, having lights that automatically turn off when no one is present, and making compost and recycling bins readily available for community use. While the school does a good job, it has become clear to me that we as a student body do not do enough to help LFA become a more sustainable community.
can do our part to help correct this trend. Recycling bins are scattered around campus, so be sure to use them correctly. This means putting the paper and plastic in correct bins. If done, this would majorly decrease the LFA community’s impact on the environment Another easy method student could utilize would be carpooling; such a program would
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
Sophomore Hilary Werner practices recycling regularly
be an easy and efficient way to greatly reduce the CO2 emissions from transportation. It would also give you an opportunity to spend some time with your friends. Better driving techniques could also reduce emissions. These include slowing down and going the speed limit and accelerating more slowly. Driving just 10 miles slower can reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent. And no, you won’t burn more
gas because it takes a tiny bit longer to get to your destination. Finally, I would recommend educating yourself on the topic. By reading up on the facts you can make your own informed decisions on how you would like to reduce your impact.
editorial & outlook 11
april 13, 2011
Editorial
S P E C TAT O R
Let’s break apart from break Walk the halls at 1:00 p.m. on certain days in the class cycle and you can literally find every student walking around the school with a look of confusion on his or her face. How are we supposed to fill the next 30 minutes? We have already taken that dreaded Statistics test, used a free period to finish the English reading, and even made time for the Science homework we skipped; so what, honestly, are we meant to do now? Even the most overzealous student, who willingly over-subscribes to club memberships at LFA, cannot possibly expect to fill the time of every
break. Clubs meet occasionally during breaks, but a majority of club meetings happen during the two-hour time slot after G-day. So why do we have to fill another 30 minutes of time when we all would rather just get on with the day and end it? During years past, break used to be in the morning, which allowed people the time to prepare for the rest of the school day; but now we have finished the majority of the day and don’t need the break. By the time 1:00 rolls around, every student is trying to work up the strength to finish the day, and the last thing we need is to sit around aimlessly for 30
F o r e s t
minutes. The staff of The Spectator proposes that we do away with afternoon break all together. Allow us to either end the day at 2:30 p.m. or sleep in an extra 30 minutes in the morning. Every student is so busy at LFA that the extra 30 minutes, whether it be at the start or end of the day, could be put to better use. Teachers constantly complain about how worn-out students look first period, so give us an extra 30 minutes and perhaps we will be a little bit more lively and bubbly in class. Let’s break apart from the tradition of break.
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STAFF LIST
Editors-in-Chief News Editors Managing Editor Feature Editor Sports Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Entropica Editor Photo Editors Staff Writers
Eric Clamage Lucy Emery Taylor Jenkins Ariana Bhatia Mary Kate Hayes Georgiana Wagemann Lucy Irungu Chris Boudreaux Takia Broomfield Andrea Shen Rickey Larke Natasha Patel Erica Lewis Mark Yingling Kathleen Kennedy Sophia Salsbery Matt Stevens Grace Coburn Carina Baker Phil Pray Zunaira Arshad Jane Xu Sarah Clark Mimi Moses
Faculty Adviser
William Murphy
PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Lake Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.
EDITORIALS Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.
SUBMISSIONS The Spectator welcomes submissions from the community. If you would like to write an article, please see Mr. Murphy (please note: if space is limited, priority goes to journalism students). We also welcome short stories and poetry for our “Featured Writers” column, and we are always interested in publishing student artwork and photographs. Please send all submissions to Mr. Murphy via e-mail at wmurphy@lfanet. org, or hand them to him directly.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@lfanet.org.
AWARDS The LFA Spectator has been awarded several very prestigious journalism awards in recent years. 2008 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place 2008 The Kempler Moraine Press Association... 1st Place 2009 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place 2009 The Kemper Moraine Press Association... 1st Place 2010 The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place
quote of the month
“Journalism is, in fact, history on the run.” -Thomas Griffith
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T h e L a k e A c a d e m y
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ar ts & enter tainment 12
april 13, 2011
New and former competitors try to win annual Shakespearean Idol title By Lucy Irungu Features Editor
Photo by Ms. Ruth Keyso
Junior Yangwon Yoon performs in last year’s Shakespearean Idol.
To be or not to be? That is the question that the LFA English Department is asking in search of this year’s Shakespearean Idol contest winner. The Idol competition requires every freshman, sophomore, and junior to memorize and perform a significant speech or poem. In the past three years LFA has heard some of the best poetry and monologues from students from all grade levels. From “spoken word” poetry, by up-and-coming poets, to funny film monologues, to Shakespearean soliloquies, LFA students are not afraid to try it all. However, before that brave handful of students chosen to compete in the final round of the competition grace the Cressey Stage, they must compete within their individual English classes first. Those winners compete in a semifinal round before being selected to perform on the big stage.
One-woman plays:
One student who knows this process better than any else is LFA senior and reigning Shakespearean champion, Takia Broomfield. “The hardest thing about being on stage in front of the whole school, and most importantly, the judges, is that the judges have a really indifferent look on their faces, so you can’t really tell if they enjoy your piece or not,” commented Broomfield. Much like the grading rubric used by English teachers during the class competition phase of Shakespearean Idol, the judges use the same criteria, judging each performance on vocal quality, emotion, timing, eye contact with audience, bodily movement, and articulation. Although she managed to win Shakespearean Idol, Broomfield hardly practiced her piece for the competition. “I practiced about four days before the competition,” said Broomfield. “And almost two days before I had to perform
I thought of changing my poem.” Broomfield added a word of advice to an aspiring Shakespearean Idol winner, saying that “the audience must be able to feel the emotion you are evoking, or else they will not relate to it.” The idea of Shakespearean Idol was started in 2006 by former English Department Chair Jeffery Bell, to expose students to the world of poetry. Current English teacher and former LFA student, Ms. Emily Asher believes that it is a great addition to the English curriculum. “Shakespearean Idol is great because students are forced to memorize what they are saying and really think about the meaning behind the words.” explained Asher. “As English teachers, we try to teach our students the beauty of language. Shakespearean Idol definitely adds and interesting dimension to literature.”
A new genre of theater arrives on campus By Takia Broomfield A & E Editor The ladies in LFA’s Theatre Concentration Program have begun performances of onewoman plays. The plays were chosen and rehearsals began before spring break. The actresses will play multiple characters, sometimes more than 10 people. They must be precise and switch voices, tones, and body language frequently throughout the performances. It is a really difficult job to do because they must demonstrate to the audience a change of character, but they are physically the same person. The debut play starred senior Emily Kulas. The play was such an interesting performance to see because all of the prior theatrical shows starring Kulas had multiple actors and actresses playing one character each. The play titled “Chicks” is about a kindergarten teacher talking to her class. It shows the progression of her attitude towards her own life. “It was really fun. Somewhat stressful and I was nervous,
but I really enjoyed interacting with the audience,” replied Kulas when asked what she thought about the process of putting on a one-woman play. Senior Jenna Madeley will also be performing a onewoman play titled “The K of D” later this month. It’s a new show by Laura Schellhardt in which she portrays 14 to 15 different characters all with different voices and movements. The play is a mystery surrounding the death of Jamie McGraw. It’s also an urban legend as well. “It’s really fun but at the same time it has some deep moments. It’s not really recommended for younger children because of some of the more serious topics,” responded Madeley when asked about her upcoming performance in the play. The plays will be finished this month and are something new and fresh for the LFA community to see. Although some of the plays are for more mature audiences, everyone should try to attend at least one. They are too exciting to miss.
Photo by Sophia Salsbery
Kindergarten teacher Ms. Phallon is played by senior Emily Kulas in her one-woman play, “Chicks.”
ar ts & enter tainment 13
april 13, 2011
By Georgiana Wagemann Managing Editor
Image courtesy of www.inquisitr.com
“What’s popular today is beat driven songs you can dance to--the aesthetic music of yesterday is more mature.” - Senior David Lin
With more than 65 million hits in its first month on Youtube, this video has had an overwhelmingly response from viewers worldwide. Rolling Stone called this song an “unintentional parody of modern day pop.” “Friday” by teen Rebecca Black chronicles the daily life of a teenager anxiously anticipating the weekend. Black sings (almost chants) over a undeniably catchy beat, again and agin repeating that, yes, it is Friday. She sings, “Fun, fun, think about fun/ You know what it is/ I got this, you got this/ Now you know it” followed by, “Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday/ Today is Friday, Friday/ We so excited/ We gonna have a ball.” How can a song with such simplistic lyrics generate such a huge response? Doesn’t anyone miss the days when lyrics were actually well thought out and not just thrown
over a catchy beat? Well, the LFA community has something to say. Senior Jack Schweighauser, a member of Coax, draws inspiration from old school rock artists. Says Schweighauser, “I definitely prefer the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Steely Dan, or the Rolling Stones.” As a guitarist, Schweighauser can relate to the raw talent and authenticity of these artists. About the music of today, he comments, “It is too generic and predictable.” Playing the guitar, piano, and violin to name a few, junior A.J. Jayakumar agrees with Schweighauser’s view on modern day music. “It is really repetitive, the lyrics and melody are redundant. All of the songs seem to be about getting drunk.” Jayakumar draws inspiration from bands like Rush, Led Zepplin, and the Rolling Stones. Additionally, Jayakumar acclaims alternative rock band The Artic Monkeys, believing that they are an accurate
representation of a band that is current and noteworthy. Music veteran and LFA senior David Lin comments that the pop music of today is, “less sophisticated” than that of previous generations. Adds Lin, “What’s popular today is beat driven songs you can dance tothe aesthetic music of yesterday is more mature.” Lin draws much of his inspiration from the Beatles. However, Lin also commends some of todays alternative rock bands, including The Fray and Snow Patrol. So although some students are more partial to the music of yesterday, many find solace in the pop melodies of today. With stars like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Ke$ha blowing up the charts, it is clear that the commercialized autotuned ear pleasing music is here to stay. And thank you, Rebecca Black, for reminding us all that Thursday indeed comes before Friday. Image courtesy of www.musicwallpapers.net
Image courtesy of www.mp3lyrics.org
Image courtesy of www.musically.com
Image courtesy of blog.incipeindustries.com
Image courtesy of www.ninetyandnine.com
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Thank god it’s not “Friday”
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spor ts 14
Softball looks to seniors for leadership this season
april 13th, 2011
By Jane Xu Staff writer The LFA Softball team began its new spring season this month. Head Coach Darrin Madeley, who started working with the team last year, said his goal this year is for the team to “enjoy, have fun and get better without pressure”. More than 20 girls attended the first team meeting, which was more than expected, and Madeley had to decide whether or not to have cuts for this year’s team. There was a rumor circulating around campus that the softball team had never cut people before. “That rumor is not true,” said Madeley. “We’ve cut people every year except last year,” said Madeley, confronting the rumor. “We want to keep a certain number of players because only nine athletes are playing at a time.” Madeley finally decided that he will use as many as 20 girls during the season, so no cuts were needed for this year’s team.
Returning Senior Lizett Meraz warms up playing catch during practice.
Photot Courtesy of Sophia Salsbery
Softball, is a game where the ball can move very quickly. According to Madeley, “it’s not safe” to have someone unfamiliar with the softball on the field so the team will spend much of its early practice time “throwing,
catching and hitting” so that players become more comfortable with the movement of the ball. Madeley is popular among his returning players, some of whom described him as an “experienced”, “hilarious”, “passionate”, and “entertaining” coach who “chills a lot”. “For the first few weeks, we are just going to get their arms loose,” said Mr. William Dolbee, who is the assistant coach this year. Dolbee has also been working with the girls on their baserunning. There are six seniors on the team, and the captains had not been selected before this story was written. The results will also come out later this season, through votes from the team. “I hope we are going to have a really good time and have fun,” said Jenna Madeley, who is one of the seniors on the team, expressing her expectation of this new season. “We will definitely play better since we have a solid team this year with returning players,” said senior player Lizett Meraz, the team’s shortstop. “It will be our winning season, and we will be better than football.”
Opinion From Stanley Cup to 8th seed, why the Blackhawks can and will make a difference in the playoffs. This point value is insignificant in a Western Conference where the difference between 10th place and 4h place is only 6 points. This was an unbelievable drop-off for a team that made the playoffs with 22 points to spare last year. There is how-
By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor The Chicago Blackhawks, a team coming off a Stanley Cup Trophy, are now fighting to retain a playoff spot. With only six games remaining in the regular season, the Blackhawks are only three points above the Calgary Flames according to NHL.com.
of winning the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks traded away many key members of their championship team because their contracts would have exceeded the $44 million salary cap. The key players lost in this manner included fan favorites Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel,
NHL Western Conference has a difference of only 6 points between 4thand 10th place ever, a reason for the lack of success and it pertains to the NHL salary cap. Within a month
Kris Versteeg, and Andrew Ladd. Despite an incredibly shaky start to the year and be-
ing mostly out of playoff contention for the season, the Blackhawks are starting to play their best hockey right now. Although recently losing 3-0 to the Boston Bruins, the Blackhawks are coming off an 8- game winning streak and are getting fantastic production from their stars. Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith are playing fantastic hockey and the rise of rookie goalie Corey Crawford has put the Blackhawks in a rising position come playoff time. The real question is will the Blackhawks make the playoffs? Personally, I think they have a very good shot at making the playoffs and even making an impact in the first round. The
reasoning behind this is that despite losing a lot of players, the Blackhawks are still one of the most talented teams in the NHL. They are playing their best hockey of the season and are a team that had the experience of winning the Stanley cup last season. If the Blackhawks do make the playoffs, it is likely that they will play the Vancouver Canucks, a series that has become a major rivalry in recent years. This series will be hard fought but I believe that Chicago will win. The combination of past experience, the rivalry, and being a probable 8th seed will motivate the Blackhawks enough to carry them into the second round.
spor ts 11
april 13th, 2011
By Leo Rudberg Staff Writer There is reason to be excited about this year’s LFA boys tennis. Coach Andrew Poska said that he is, “excited by the veterans,” especially by the three senior varsity captains: David Lin, Rob McNerney, and Mark Yingling. Poska also said that he was excited about the talented varsity newcomers junior AJ Jayakumar and freshman Andy Xia. In addition, new Head Coach Dennis Dobrin is excited to be working with the talented LFA squad. “I’m enjoying getting to know the guys and seeing them compete against each other during preseason practice sessions,” stated Dobrin. “But I’m most excited about seeing the guys battle against other
teams. We have great potential” Dobrin said that, for now, McNerney and Yingling are the definite No. 1 doubles team. He said that Mike Hong, Jayakumar, and Xia will most likely be playing singles. Poska said that returning veterans will really help the team. They include juniors Christian Buerkle, Mike Hong, David Rowe, and William Duckworth. The sophomore vets are Brian Ahern and Teddy Baldwin. In his interview, Poska put a lot of emphasis on the three captains: Lin, McNerney, and Yingling. “Our senior captains are the anchors of our team,” said Dobrin. “They are showing great leadership, and are really setting the tempo in our practices.” McNerney and Yingling both said that the team seemed stronger and better overall than last year. For big games, Yingling said
that, “the Lake Forest High School game is always the biggest highlight of the year.” Out of all the players interviewed, all showed excitement for newcomers Jayakumar and Xia. Dobrin said that Jayakumar, “never misses a shot. He’s going to cause serious headaches for his competition.” On Xia, Dobrin said that even though he is a freshman, he doesn’t play like one. Dobrin continued to compliment the player, saying that Xia has a “monster forehand... He has huge potential.” Anticipating a great season, Dobrin said, “as long as we give our total effort each and every match, win or lose, it’s going to be a successful season. We’ve got great guys on this team and I’m looking forward to seeing them battle the opposition.”
Junior Christian Buerkle awaits a shot during practice.
Photo By Sophia Salsbery
Track hopes to break many school records with help from experienced athletes By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor
Photo Courtesy of Kathleen Kennedy
Senior Graham Harwood and Junior Spencer Friske run long distance.
Both the boys and girls track teams opened their seasons last week at the Wauconda Invitational. This competition marked the end of more than three long weeks of training for the start of the 2011 outdoor schedule. Although the spring season is still in its beginning stages, many members of the track team have been training since December as part of the newly created Winter track season. Head coach Chris Dozois believes that this is a good thing for the team and hopes that “it will pay off with lots of experience.” The team this year has a total of 19 seniors and has added many new talented individuals. According to Dozois, there are quite a few athletes to look out for this season. “We are lucky to have Olivija Cepaite, Sophia Smith, Bev-
erly Onyekwuluje, Jess Kaminsky, and Lexi DeYoung, on the girls team, and hope for great efforts from Rickey Larke, Spencer Friske, Austin Pejovich, Quai Chandler, Taylor Click, and Matt Goad on the boys side,” said Dozois Leading up to the Wauconda meet it was clear that excitement was building among team members. “Everyone was generally excited for the season to start”, said junior Quai Chandler. “We have talented runners with the potential to break records, including Taylor Click in the 800, Matt Goad in the 200, and Sophia Smith in the long distance races”. The season ahead looks to be filled with excitement with the historically challenging Lemont Invitational and the exciting Clinton Invite still ahead. “The Lemont Invitational has the best competition of our regular invites” said Dozois. Even more exciting than the
schedule this season is the talent on which the team is built. According to Dozois, the team’s strongest areas are going to be sprints and long distance, but it appears that the team is balanced in many other events. “This is probably the most talented team I’ve seen in my four years at LFA”, said senior captain Beverly Onyekwuluje. “I am very excited to see how we progress through the season.” Beverly’s sentiment was echoed by the other senior captain Graham Harwood. “I’m really excited about the prospects for this season, the newcomers are very talented and I expect to do well in our invites this year,” said Harwood. The track season is starting soon and there is good reason to be excited. The team is extraordinarily talented and looks to break numerous records this season.
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Tennis looks for successful season with new head coach
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Where’s Wagemann?
Here’s “Where’s Wagemann” again and this time she is in the school parking lot. Try to find her but be careful, she’s sneaky/creepy.
Top 10: Worst ways to celebrate earth day By Mark Yingling Entropica Editor
Earth Day is coming up pretty soon and I just thought I
would give you a heads up so you can get your Hummer out of the garage and drive it to school for a couple of days while its still socially acceptable. Now, we all know how crazy people get around this day. All of a sudden about half of the people you know become “Al Gores” and speak of “Inconvenient Truths” all day. Also, everyone makes it seem as if they have been committed to saving the Earth all year even though you know they are huge hypocrites and look disappointed when you tell them you left the water on while you brushed your teeth this morning (which seems to always come up in conversations of course). However, I still approve of the day because I appreciate what it stands for - but I have come up with a couple of suggestions of what not to do on this day in order to prevent you from ruining it for others. 10. Make a bunch of signs promoting not to waste paper and to recycle plastics. Why? Because it’s wasteful. 9. Forget that the day is about recycling and then thinking it’s about bragging about how Earth is better than other planets. Most of all, do not wear a shirt that says, “Earth is Number One!” 8. Brag if you have a hybrid car. That means you hippies. 7. Climb up a tree so someone won’t cut it down. 6. Go through someone’s trash and comment on how wasteful they are. This is because it’s not only annoying but you don’t want to end up with a mystery liquid or smell on your hands.
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
5. Yell “save the polar bears!” all day. Why do you want to save the polar bears? Would they save us? No, they would eat us. 4. Use the pick up line, “Hey, your eyes are as blue as the ocean was
“I Spy”
before the BP oil spill.” 3. Wear your alligator shoes. 2. If you have an idea, make sure it’s an incandescent light bulb.
To continue the theme of trying to find people/ things around school, we have taken a picture of this object that is located somewhere within the school. This will test your knowledge of how well you really know your school. Where/what is it?
1. Throw this paper out.
Caxy Match
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy Photo by Sophia Salsbery
between Corbin and Reid Hall.
Answer: This is the painting, by Zach Volland, which is hanging in the square
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entropica
April 13, 2011
Photo courtesy of moviekids.com
This edition’s look-alike is a comparison between an LFA student and a famous actor. The sophomore, Brandon Warnes, and actor, Patrick Renna, who plays the porter in “The Sandlot.”