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S P E C TAT O R Volume 87 Number 6
1500 West Kennedy Road Lake Forest, IL 60045
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April 9, 2010
Students Prepare to Compete in The Tradition Continues: LFA Third Annual Shakespearean Idol
By Eric Clamage News Editor
For the past three years, students at Lake Forest Academy have been participating in an event called Shakespearean Idol, a contest where students give a dramatic recitation of their favorite poems, dialogue from modern plays, and, of course, from Shakespeare. The competition was created by Mr. Jeff Bell, the head of the English Department, and began in individual English classes in early April. Bell believes this competition is a good way for students to “be more comfortable when speaking in public.” In addition, he noted, students are able demonstrate their understanding of literature and interpret it their own way. The rules for the competition are simple: students are supposed to pick a piece of literature, memorize it, and perform it in public for more than one minute but no more than three minutes. The first round of the competition begins in a student’s individual English classroom. One winner will be chosen from each class and he or she will move on to the semi-final round. From there, a group of judges will
pick the best 8-11 students who will move on to the final competition currently set to take place on April 23 during an all-school meeting in the Cressey Center. “Students should know the piece so well that it is second nature to them. When presenting, you should be worrying about how you say something, not what you say,” stated Bell. Last year’s champion, junior Rickey Larke offered the following advice to all students: “Pick something that you like, that way it is easier to memorize. As for being nervous, just relax and have fun.” For winning last year’s competition, Larke got two free tickets to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and dinner. The prize will be likely the same for this year. Two-time runner–up, Takia Broomfield, is looking forward to getting another chance to try to win the competition. “Winning would be like getting rewarded and recognized for doing something great and that feels so good,” she said.
Takia Broomfield performs a piece for Shakespearean Idol.
Photo by Ruth Keyso
Give Back to the Community!
Service Day is Just Around the Corner On April 15th By Taylor Jenkins News Editor Service Learning Day is a day that LFA sets aside each year to provide students an opportunity to help better their community. Last year students were seen volunteering in many different ways, including running bingo at a veterans’ hospital or helping sort and package meat to be delivered to homeless shelters. Service Learning Day is set to take place on April 15, 2009. Students will have the day off from classes and will be heading in groups across the North Shore to volunteer at various organizations. “The main purposes of the day are to use students’ personal skills to improve the community beyond LFA, to gain respect for others and become more active citizens, to understand problems in the community more deeply, and to work as a team and demonstrate abilities through helping others,” said project organizer Ms. Sarah Collins. This year students will have multiple options to choose from, including packaging food for meals at the Illinois Food Bank, spending time with the elderly at Winchester House, and cutting brush and invasive plants at Lake Bluff Open
Lands. A new option this year will allow students to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity and Gorton Community Center. Those volunteering at Habitat for Humanity will be working at one of their construction sites and must be at least 16
years of age. Next year Collins hopes to continue working with Habitat for Humanity if they can raise enough money. The school chose to monetarily sponsor the event this year. This day is important because of,
“the idea that each participant can make a difference in their communities, and they are able, by their small actions, to improve life for one other person. That is the most important life lesson that anyone can learn,” according to Collins.
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Bell Family plans to leave LFA before next school year See page 3
Frank Yin performs card trick for elderly woman last Service Day.
Hidden Talents at LFA
See pages 6 and 7
Photo by Ruth Keyso
Preview on Varsity Baseball Team
See page 11
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news 2
april 9, 2010
World News Roundup China Executed Thousands In 2009 Information from NYtimes.com
According to Amnesty International, China is said to have executed more people last year than the rest of the world combined. The exact number of people is said to be a “state secret” according to Amnesty, however there were, “thousands of Chinese executions in 2009.” Claudio Cordone, Amnesty’s interim secretary general said that, “Chinese authorities claim that fewer executions are taking place.”
Tokyo Sky Tree Now Looks Down on All of Japan
Information from CNN.com The Tokyo Sky Tree is now under construction and workers just reached 338 meters (1,108 feet). It is only halfway to its planned height, 634 meters (2,080 feet). On Monday, March 29th, the Sky Tree passed the Tokyo Tower, 333 meters (1,092 feet). This building opened up in 1958. The Sky Tree however will not be the tallest building in the world. The Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai still remains as the tallest building. The building is more than 800 meters (2,625 feet). The Sky Tree is expected to be completed in late 2011 and the grand opening is expected in the spring of 2012.
Orchestra practices for their upcoming trip to Memphis.
Orchestra Plans Trip to Graceland Sarah Jacobson Editor-In-Chief
Thursday, April 15th through Sunday, April 18th LFA students from the Orchestra class will be taking a school-sponsored trip to Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Schlipmann, the Orchestra instructor who will be joining the students on the trip, described the trip as “sort of a competition.” However, the students “aren’t competing and
Image Courtesy of Google Images
Problems in South Africa as the World Cup Approaches
Information from NYtimes.com In Nelspruit, South Africa, a new $137 million stadium will be built. However there will only be four games out of the sixty-four played here. The arena is under construction and should be ready by June which is when the World Cup will be played. The arena has 18 supporting pylons that go in to the sky. At night these pylons light up the sky. The arena is big enough to hold 46,000 people but the citizens living in the town question if the country has enough space to support all the new building. In this town, Nelspruit, most of the people still get water from dirty puddles and do not have electricity or toilets. In addition, economists said that Nelspruit is in local corruption and there may be uprisings during the World Cup. South Africa has spent over $6 billion on the events. The money has gone to building stadiums, roads, airports and other projects.
are rather playing for judging comments”. Students will also have the opportunity to work with college-level instructors, according to Schlipmann. On the trip, the students will be performing all together as an orchestra. Students will not be separated into groups based on instrument, like they were when they were instructed by members of Section Quartet. The students are also
“going to the American Civil Rights Museum, the Rock and Soul Museum, the Gibson Guitar factory and Sun Studios, are having dinner on a river boat, and are going to Graceland (home to Elvis)”, according to Schlipmann. Mr. Kyle Koncz, Mr. Alec Anderson and Ms. Kristine Von Ogden will also be joining Schlipmann and the Orchestra class as chaperones of the trip.
Senior Transition Day: A Day for LFA Seniors to Get Acquainted With College By Roma Mirutenko Managing Editor
The 2010 World Cup logo that will be hosted by South Africa.
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
For the first time at Lake Forest Academy, there will be a “Senior Transition Day.” During this day, graduating seniors will take part in presentations and discussions about what to expect in college. This year it will be Sunday, April 25th from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Attendance for this day is mandatory for all seniors and there will be make-up work assigned if missed. “Senior Transition Day is a day where we will be looking at topics concerning what seniors need to know before college
starts,” said LFA head counselor Ms. Kate Jones. These topics will include dorm life, positive choices, and how to manage your time. According to Jones, there will be some “everyday” topics covered like how to do your laundry or how to change a tire. This is a time, noted Jones, for seniors to talk about what they are afraid of as the prospect of living at college gets closer. “They (seniors) will hopefully gain some awareness of how their lives are going to be different when living at college,” said Jones. “Many of our students will have to be more prepared to handle things
by themselves; they just need to know that things will be different and how they have to adjust.” “I want to learn what it will be like to live on my own and be responsible for everything in my life without my parents help,” said senior Molly Rosenbaum. “I also need to learn more about how to manage my time.” According to Jones, seniors should come prepared with a question or two and an open mind to learn what about the ins and outs of their college life. If you have any questions feel free to contact Jones by email or in person.
Grades and Comments Now Posted Online By Eric Clamage News Editor Starting this semester, grades and comments will now be accessible for LFA parents and students online. Parents and students will be able to access the grades on www.mybackpack. lfanet.org or through the LFA community web site, www.lfanet. org. To log in to the website each parent or student has his/ her own username and password. When the school sent out the most recent grades/comments, there was a sheet attached to
the package with the parent’s usernames and passwords. Students are required to use their LFA network username and password. On the website, there is also access to each student’s
Mrs. Kathleen Jenkins, a parent at LFA, likes the idea of having grades online. “I think it is great that the marks are posted online now. It also shows how the school is moving away from paper,” she stated.
schedule, academic history (since freshman year) and the LFA Facebook. According to the Dean of Academics, Mr. Philip Schwartz, daily or weekly changes in grades will not be reflected online. Schwartz also stated that, teachers will be updating the website only four times a year in October, December, March and June.
Ose Jackson, a junior at LFA also likes the new website; she noted that, “it is efficient to have grades online now because it is a quicker and easier way to access them.” Schwartz added that if anyone has any suggestions or comments, they should feel free to contact him.
news 3
april 9, 2010
By Taylor Jenkins News Editor
The Head of School Symposium on Gender Issues has maintained a fast and interesting pace this semester. A highlight for the symposium was the appearance of Dr. Michael Kimmel, renowned author and authority on gender issues. Another highlight for the symposium was sending a group of LFA students to Ghana to learn about gender issues abroad. Future events planned for the symposium include an appearance by Dr. Lise Eliot, author of Pink Brain Blue Brain. The LFA community responded enthusiastically to a presentation by Kimmel, the author of Guy Land: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men. Kimmel talked to the school about men ages 1626, who find themselves stuck in this place called “guy land”
and are baffled by the confusion that comes with manhood and responsibility. A group of students traveled to Ghana over Spring Break in order to see how gender issues affect other countries. During this trip they worked with many groups including the Kokrobitey Institute and UNICEF. Some of the highlights of the trip included getting to know members of the local village, dancing lessons and the opportunity to be on a UNICEF sponsored radio program for high school students. During this radio program students were given the opportunity to discuss gender issues facing young girls in Ghana. The next major symposium speaker will be Dr. Lise Elliot, neuroscientist and Columbia University graduate. Elliot’s book, Pink Brain Blue Brain, focuses on the differences between young boys and girls.
Image Courtesy of Google Images
Dr. Lise Elliot giving a speech about her book, Pink Brain Blue Brain, that focuses on young adults.
In it she discusses how the small differences between boy’s and girl’s brains are amplified by society around them rather than traits inherited at birth.
According to Ms. Ann Frkovich, the teacher in charge of this year’s symposium, [Dr. Elliot] is going to be speaking about “if our gender is hardwired into our brains.”
For more information on the Head of School Symposium visit the Head of School Symposium web site. A link is available on the main page of lfanet.org.
While at LFA Mrs. Bell has taught 9th, 10th and 11th grade, as well as the senior elective entitled “Love and Friendship in Literature and Philosophy.” She also taught in the ESL program. When asked which class has been her favorite to teach she said, “I love teaching 9th graders, which is why I have chosen to teach primarily 9th grade the last couple of years.” Mrs. Bell has been a very positive part of the LFA community and will be missed by students and faculty. The Bell’s are very excited for their new adventure at St. Andrew’s School and Mr. Bell said he never imagined himself living in the South. However, they are both very sad about leaving LFA. “I’m sad to leave LFA. Mr. Bell and I met here, had our wedding reception in the great hall and had both of our girls at Lake Forest Hospital,” Mrs. Bell said. “Our story started here.” Mr. and Mrs. Bell were legally married on August 5,
Bell. “I don’t think she realizes, however, that Aidan (Jones) is not moving with her. That will be hard for her.” The Bells told The Spectator that they are going to miss LFA very much. Mr. Bell said he will miss his students, colleagues, and volleyball team. When asked what she would miss the most, Mrs. Bell said, “My students and the friends I’ve made here. I’ll miss the kids in the dorm and editing the lit mag. I’ll miss everything. It’s going to be really hard to say goodbye. LFA has been a very happy place for me.” Both Mr. and Mrs. Bell have been advisors and will be very much missed by their advisees. “I’m very disappointed,” said junior Joanie Davis, a member of Mr. Bell’s advisory. “Couldn’t they have just waited one more year? I mean come on! And they never named one of their children after me like they promised.” The entire Bell family
2005; however, they held their religious ceremony in Winnetka and their reception in Reid Hall on November 12, 2005. They had their first child, Charlotte, on April 26, 2007, and their daughter Amelia on July 13, 2009. “Charlotte likes her new house and is hoping to talk us into getting a dog,” noted Mrs.
has been a very big part of the LFA community and it was obvious after they announced their leaving that everyone is very sad to see them go. On behalf of the entire LFA community we wish the Bell family well and want to thank them for all their hard work and everything that they have done for the school.
Bell Family Leaving LFA For Tennessee By Natalie Konstant Photo Editor It was recently announced that English teacher and Assistant Academic Dean Mr. Jeff Bell, English teacher Mrs. Kim Bell and their children will not be returning to Lake Forest Academy for the next school year. The entire Bell family will be moving to Sewanee, Tennessee, where Mr. Bell will be the new Dean of Academics at St. Andrews School, and Mrs. Bell will be a dorm parent for 12 boarding students there. This announcement came as a shock to their current students and is a very big loss for LFA. Mr. Bell has been
teaching at LFA for eight years and remembered how he originally came to the campus. “I got a phone call from a friend of a friend who told me about a job opening here,” he recalled. “The next day I drove up to LFA and dropped off my resume. Luckily, they offered me a job.” The current English Department Chairman, Mr. Bell has taught all of the core English classes (English 9,10, and 11) as well as AP English Literature, and senior electives like “Literature and Philosophy”, “Latin American Literature”, “The Quest for Self”, Paradise Lost”, “Religion in the Modern World”, “Islam, Christianity
& Judaism: a Complicated Conversation” and “Bioethics”. However, his favorite classes to teach are AP English and Bioethics. Current and former students, as well as faculty, speak very fondly of Mr. Bell not only as a teacher, but also as a person. Mrs. Bell has taught at LFA for six years. “I was completing an MFA in poetry at Boston University when my friend Jon Cushman--then the business manager at LFA--called me to tell me about an opening in the English department,” she recalled. She was also offered a job and eventually met her husband and started a family here.
Photo by Natalie Konstant
Mr. and Mrs. Bell recently announced that they will be leaving LFA for a school in Tennessee.
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Head of School Symposium: Gender Issues
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editorial & outlook 4
April 9, 2010
Inquiring Photographer “I don’t think people should just be able to carry guns because I don’t think it solves anything if everyone can”. –Rebecca Sommers
“It would make me a little bit nervous.” –Neeta Reddy
The Spectator asked students of the LFA community their thoughts on the Supreme Court considering changing the gun law to allow people in Chicago to carry guns at any time and we found…
“I don’t see that carrying a gun with you is going to make you any safer. You increase the danger by giving more people more guns and by one person not having a gun it would make it increasingly dangerous for that one person.” –Casper Clausen
“It does make me a little scared. But everybody has a right to carry a gun, based on the Second Amendment, so I really can’t do anything about it.” –Jack Schweighauser
“The right to bear arms is in the Constitution, but I am not sure it’s a good idea because it is so dangerous.” –Erika Stanford
“I think that if you demonstrate that you are capable of carrying a gun, and are responsible, you should be able to carry one.” –Will Hunter
“I really wouldn’t want a crazy person with a pistol.” –David Sebulsky
“People are crazy and I don’t trust people with guns.” –Brandon Eason
“I’d be more careful where I put my trust in people.” –Emily Kulas
“I’d be scared because I don’t want to get shot.” –Charlie O’Connor
“No, I don’t think that it is a good idea. I feel pretty safe and I go to safe places. If everyone suddenly had a gun, in those places, I would just feel uncomfortable.” –Katie Reid-Anderson
We discovered through the student survey that LFA has a much stricter opinion about guns than the Chicago Ccity law makers. Thirteen out of 14 students sur-
“No, I think some people would be more inclined to use it, if they have it, so that makes it more dangerous.” –Alexa Wilson
“Can there be an IQ test?” –Tom Gallagher
veyed were either apprehensive or against the modification to the current gun law.
April 9, 2010
By Natasha Patel Op-Ed Editor
Lake Forest Academy continues to prove its unity and dedication to others through the very end of the school year by holding its annual Service Day. Many schools have clubs and service groups, yet few set aside a full day of classes for all students to reach out with their hands and hearts to others who are less fortunate. Not only is it remarkable that Lake Forest Academy devotes one day every April to help those in need, it is even more notable and extraordinary that the students do so willingly and partake so actively in this day. Although it is mandatory, very few students complain and everyone is willing to lend
a helping hand to those less fortunate around us. When asked if Service Day felt forced or not, and if that was an issue, a junior at Lake Forest Academy responded: “The point of performing service, at least for me, is that someone’s life is improved as a result of my actions whether I am forced to do it or not; the important part is that the action is done regardless of the motivation.” This response illustrates that the community is dedicated to helping on Service Day, regardless of it being “forced service or not.” Another junior interviewed by The Spectator added that “it’s a great opportunity to do something good for the community,
and being able to work with friends from school makes it an even more enjoyable experience.” One hundred percent of the students at Lake Forest Academy serve their community in various ways on Service Day. What might be even more laudable, however, is that most of those LFA students are also involved throughout the year in service clubs and other programs in the school’s Interact group that aid those less fortunate on a regular basis
Kimmel Helped LFA Understand Gender Equality
By Rickey Larke Op-Ed Editor Last march, a short time after I had written some negative thoughts in The Spectator about the current Head of School Symposium, LFA welcomed Dr. Michael Kimmel, a professor at Stony Brook University, to our campus. He enlightened LFA to the cultural vortex known to him as “Guyland.” Kimmel’s insight into that social developmental stage for males between adolescence and adulthood not only taught, but also shocked and surprised members of our community. Though Kimmel’s teaching seemed liberal for our conservative campus, I felt that his visit to Lake Forest was well-needed because he did something that any speaker, student, or faculty member seemed incapable of doing
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S P E C TAT O R STAFF LIST
Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Features Sports Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Entropica Editor Photo Editors Staff Writers Faculty Adviser
Sarah Jacobson Andrew Kingsley Mariam Hussain Roma Mirutenko Eric Clamage Taylor Jenkins Lucy Emery Chris Boudreaux Georgiana Wagemann Rickey Larke Natasha Patel Dan Patterson Natalie Konstant Kathleen Kennedy Mary Kate Hayes Sophia Salsbery Anastasia Perry Ariana Bhatia Takia Broomfield Mark Yingling Erica Lewis Lucy Irungu William Murphy
PUBLICATION
Opinion:
by themselves. Kimmel showed our campus the importance of gender inequalities and how they affect teen males. Kimmel’s insight to the way men look at gender inequality, compared to woman, broke through and made a lot of sense especially, to a male on the verge of “Guyland.” He connected to a place all men have been at some point in their lives, whether they have passed it, currently going through it, or haven’t reached it quite yet. Kimmel’s description of the time in life when your manhood is intimidated daily was point-on and was especially interesting, not only because he tackled gender inequalities from a position of privilege, but also as an advocate for change. Though a very analytical argument, Kimmel still left me with questions about where does the teen male who is aware of
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the problem of gender inequality, and enlightened to change, fit into the Guyland experience. Kimmel’s lecture though good, was just a little short for me, short enough to leave some small holes in his argument but interesting enough to cause me to want to read his book “Guyland.” Our symposium this year needed Kimmel to bring clarity to the message of gender inequality to the minds of all of our community, regardless of gender. More speakers like Kimmel will be needed to arrest inequality and generate awareness, but Kimmel shined an amazing spotlight on our gender problems at this school and his presentation has started a trend of male participation in our symposium. Congratulations to everyone who organized Kimmel’s visit, who learned from his presentation, and who will be willing to change in the future
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 2007-2008 Spectator has been awarded two very presigious awards. The American Scholastic Press Association... 1st Place The Kempler Moraine Press Association... 1st Place
quote of the month “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is selfdoubt.” ~Sylvia Plath
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Editorial: Sincerity Seems to Surround Service Day
editorial & outlook 5
lfa spectator
special repor t 6 Mr. Anderson Sheds Light on an Interesting Tradition
Poi Story: By Mark Yingling Staff Writer Mr. Alec Anderson, one of the history teachers at Lake Forest Academy, stands out from the rest of the faculty due to his rare interest in
“Poi.” As many students now know, Poi is a performance art that originated in New Zealand in which the performer swings lighted objects with a flexible string around their body in circular patterns. Anderson has performed Poi many times during morning meetings and other all school gatherings in the past years, fascinating everyone who witnesses one of his appearances. Anderson first became
interested in Poi during college, while he was studying East Asian culture. After reading about it in multiple history books, he decided to teach himself. Over a long period time, he taught himself and became more skilled the more he practiced. “It is a great stress reliever and it has a martial arts theme behind it,” said Anderson. According to Anderson, he practices several times per week, when he has free time, and occasionally performs for his classes. Many students at Lake Forest Academy have asked Anderson to sponsor a Poi club. Anderson stated
that he would love to organize a Poi club, as long as there were enough students interested. “It’s easy to get the basics down,” said Anderson about the Poi learning process. “But to truly be
smooth, and know what you’re doing, it takes a long time to master.” Anderson not only enjoys performing Poi for others, but also likes doing it to relieve stress and “get a good cardio workout.” He also plans a surprise LFA performance in the future but he did not say when because he wanted it to be a secret.
April 9, 2010
LFA’s Most Int
The Journalism 1 class interviewed L
interesting people: Mr. Anderson, Mr Levine, and Hunter Johnstone. What unusual hobbies that range from car r well as interviewing these four peopl member with commitment that match these stories as much as we did.
Juggling Act: Cooper Balances Baby, LFA By Erica Lewis Staff Writer As if being a new mother wasn’t enough work, throw in being a field hockey coach and history teacher on top of it and you have a day in the life of Ms. Diane Cooper. Coaching on the weekends and returning to LFA in the spring, Cooper looks forward to the challenges of the months ahead.
Come springtime, Cooper’s biggest concern about coming back to teach is the amount of work she will have to accomplish every night while trying to spend time with her new son, Tyler. “My husband travels 2-3 nights a week and so when I get home it will be hard to take care of Tyler and finish up school work,” said Cooper. “I pretty much just want to spend all my time with him.”
Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Cooper Tyler Cooper, only a few months old, sleeping soundly. Since his arrival his mother has had to juggle LFA teaching and coaching duties along with taking care of her son.
With Cooper’s sister finishing school in the spring, she will be helping Cooper take care of Tyler on the nights when she needs it. Although it will be a challenge sometimes, Cooper misses teaching and her students… but most of all she misses the conversation. “When you are home alone with the baby, you don’t have anyone to talk to,” she admitted. With help from her husband Chris, who enjoys spending free time with Tyler, Cooper has been able to continue coaching field hockey on the weekends, she even runs an indoor field hockey tournament at LFA on Sundays, but it isn’t always easy. “He (Tyler)wakes up at 3 am and 5:30ish for feedings and I have to get up at 6:20 to get ready to coach, but the real challenge will be once the Fall season starts,” stated Cooper. “We have practice until 5:30 and we don’t get back from games until very late.” Being a first-time mom, Cooper did not know what to expect from her first night at home with Tyler, but it turned out to be ‘quite an adventure’. Tyler needed to
be fed every two hours, each time taking 45 minutes, so Cooper was unable to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time. “Even now the nights continue to be a challenge, with the amount of time Tyler needs to nurse, sleep and go to the bathroom”, Cooper said. “We kind of joke it is like GTL (gym, tan, laundry) on ‘Jersey Shore,’ except its NSB (nurse, sleep, bathroom) all day long,” she joked referring to the MTV reality show Jersey Shore A question typically asked during the fall field hockey season was, “How is Cooper able to coach while pregnant!?” Cooper admits that “I really didn’t think I was supposed to be playing with you guys at seven months pregnant”, but she wasn’t too nervous. The most challenging part of practices wasn’t playing, but bending over to pick up cones and balls, as well as tying shoes, which she recruited senior Maddy Derse to do. “I don’t think anyone prepares you for how much your life changes -- in a good way. Your universe is now centered on your baby and all your decisions are based upon him,” she concluded.
Sophmore Hunter Johnstone Sails to Victory By Ariana Bhatia Staff Writer He’s friendly, quiet and smart, but who would have guessed he’s an amazing sailor as well! With so many accolades already under his belt, Hunter Johnstone is on his way to sailing stardom. A sophomore here at LFA, Johnstone started sailing at just eight years of age and was ranked 8th at the national level while sailing optis (a division for sailors under 15 years of age). “My dad’s a big sailor so he got me into it… it just kinda took off from there. I liked it a lot,” said Johnstone. Currently Johnstone sails a club 420, a high school and college level boat. He’s the driver and has a one- man crew to assist. His one- man crew usually remains the same person through competitions, however he likes to mix it up during
practices. As a competitive sailor, he sails in five major competitions a year, some of which take him far from home—even as far as Britain and Belgium. However during the summers he likes to stay around home and sails mostly around the Midwest. To improve his skills, he practices five days a week in the summer and four in the fall and spring. Yet despite this hectic schedule, Johnstone insists he, “Enjoys it for the heck of it,” and loves sailing with his friends. When asked what he liked most about the sport Johnstone said, “I just like being on the water in general…the wind, the waves, everything.” His passion for sailing is evident when he talks about the sport and explains how it’s done: “It takes a lot of thinking and tactics, you have to be familiar with currents and wind patterns. Then theirs a
physical aspect to it; to keep the boat flat and balance it, you have to keep your foot under a strap, your knees on the rail, and the rest of your body’s outside the boat.” However, sailing is more than just a sport, it’s a part of the Johnstone family. Johnstone’s grandfather was the founder of the company J Boats, which was started in 1977. J Boats produces large sailboats that sell anywhere from $10,000 to $2,000,000. In addition, J Boats holds numerous events and regattas all over the world. Looking into the future, Johnstone insists that he has no desire to sail at the professional level. He has the talent for it, however that’s not what he’s aiming for. At this point in time, Johnstone said, “It’s a way for me to have fun and hopefully get into a better college.”
Photo Courtesy of Fastsailing.net Hunter Johnstone sailing in Lake Michigan.
special repor t 7
April 9, 2010
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teresting People
Lake Forest Academy’s most
rs. Cooper, Emily Kulas, David we found were four people with racing to rhythmic gymnastics. As le, we also interviewed a faculty hes no one else. We hope you enjoy
LFA Junior, Emily Kulas does a split during a leap in one of her performances.
Photo Courtesy of Kulas Family
One of LFA’s Own Goes for Gold By Takia Broomfield Staff Writer Emily Kulas, a junior at LFA, has been training in an unusual sport since she was six years old. For eleven years she has been dedicated to the sport of Rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymnastics is the Olympic sport in which individuals or teams of competitors (generally five) combine elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and the manipulation of apparatus such as ropes, hoops, balls, clubs, or ribbons. Because of its lack of visibility in non-Olympic years, most Americans don’t realize the amount of skill and physical exertion required for Rhythmic gymnastics, said Kulas. “People say you’re just twirling a ribbon but it means a lot to the gymnasts,
and twirling a ribbon for a minute and a half is not as easy as it looks,” stated Kulas, when discussing the stereotypes of the sport. How does someone become involved in a sport that has so little recognition among the average Ameican? According to Kulas, she got involved in the sport when her grandmother saw an advertisement for it in a magazine and called Kulas’ mom. It was decided that Kulas needed a hobby and needed to be more active, so she was enrolled in the sport. When asked whether she was a natural for her exotic sport, Kulas said that she was naturally flexible, and since her mom is a yoga instructor, she was pretty good at it. When other growing female athletes had athletic role models like
Mia Hamm or Serena Williams, Kulas admitted that there was an accomplished gymnast, named Brenen Stacker, at her gym whose talent she really admired. Kulas also told The Spectator that most of the girls in her gym were so good that she pushed herself to be just as talented at the sport as they were. Just like any other LFA athlete who is forced to balance schoolwork, school teams, and club sports, Kulas said that it has been very difficult at times. At LFA, she runs cross country and swims while juggling her club gymnastics. She says that it is challenging going to the gym and doing fall sports. Kulas has decided to take a break from her gymnastics and her parents have fully supported her. Although Kulas is currently not
training in the sport, due to her dedication to school and other LFA sports, she loves performing for the LFA community. Even though she gets nervous, she admits it is also a big adrenalin rush. She hopes to continue to share her gift with LFA. Like all other competitive sports, Rhythmic gymnastics takes an injury toll on its participants. “Yes, there are rug burns daily, knee issues, and back issues,” said Kulas, who has suffered from them all during her career.” When asked why she continued the sport, despite the injuries it caused, Kulas pointed to the challenge posed by her sport. “Striving to be as good as I can. That was always the challenge,” said Kulas.
By Anastasia Perry Staff Writer David Levine was racing around the second turn in the third lap. Cars whizzed past him, each driver trying to stay in control and focus. Suddenly, the car in front of him spun out of control just about six inches away from Levine’s front bumper. It then crashed and “t-boned” (piled up on top of) another car. This was the closest Levine ever got to a crash, but he still races and is fully aware that at any
Levine, who began his auto racing interest by driving competitive Go-Karts, hopes to carve out a career in racing someday. “I want something big, something professional, something that pays well,” described Levine, when asked where he hoped to go with his future racing career. At only six years old, Levine, along with a group of friends, often raced Go-Karts at a competitive track in Buffalo
has between 40-50 racers from across the country. The members of the series are only allowed to race against each other and are not allowed to have teams. They aren’t allowed to race in any other series, even though David hopes to one day. Once he started racing, he decided that he enjoyed cars more than go-karts and had his first race a year and a half ago. Just outside Miami, filled with adrenalin and fear, Levine got into his first race car, a Mazda MX5. For his first
was brought up, he said that he normally didn’t think about it because he didn’t want to. When he is told that there is a crash behind him, he only worries for a moment, thinking that that could have been him and then continues to focus on the race. Even though racing is dangerous, with high injury rates, Levine still feels compelled to race. “I just like doing it. I just want to keep going. I just like the competition,” Levine said simply.
moment he could lose his life. When most day students LFA students leave school in their cars, they drive home for an evening of family dinners, social networking, and homework. When David Levine drives home, he probably can’t help thinking about how tame the trip to Highland Park is compared to the times when he races cars in the Mazda Speed Challenge in Miami, Florida.
Grove, IL. He never expected that this fun hobby would lead to professional car-racing. The track managers, however, recognized Levine’s driving talent and suggested that he race in the Skip Barber Mazda Speed Challenge series. Although it was fun and safe, Levine knows now that Go-Kart racing was completely different from car-racing. Three years ago, at the age of 13, he joined the Skip Barber series, which
competition, he raced 15 laps against 15 cars, coming in 12th. Later that year Levine took sixth place in a race of 40 cars. The track managers in Buffalo Grove had been correct; Levine had a natural talent for racing. “At first, it was pretty scary. Now it’s easy,” said Levine, casually easing back into his chair, as if racing cars was normal for any 16-year-old boy. When the question of danger
He wants to continue it and hopefully go on to a professional career. Would Levine like to eventually race in NASCAR? Levine laughed and said that would be a dream and that NASCAR would be amazing. Levine hopes to become a professional racer like one of his friends, Justin Piscitell, who now is racing for the Playboy Cup Series, but who started out in the same Mazda series.
Go Baby Go: Levine’s Wheel to Win
lfa spectator
features 8 Destination: Red Mango: Evanston By Kathleen Kennedy Photo Editor
City Stats Distance from LFA: 21.25 miles Travel Time: 32 minutes Founded: 1857 Population: 74,360 The City of Evanston is located just north of Chicago. It is a university city and Northwestern offers numerous cultural activities. With part of the city lining Lake Michigan, and stores and restaurants lining its streets, Evanston offers endless opportunities for entertainment! When LFA students were asked about their favorite places in Evanston they said: Alexandra Morgan: “I really like to go to this café called Kaffeine. It has a pretty cool atmosphere.” Rebecca Somers: “I like going to Flat Top Grill. The food is amazing and you can eat a ton!” Scott Fuller: “I like to go to the Northwestern sporting events, and I like a restaurant called Bluestone.” Hailey Arnold: “There are a lot of fun things to do there, and it is closer than the city but has the same hustle and bustle feeling.. I love Urban Outfitters and the vintage shops.” Ben Smiley: “I like to go to Noodles and Company, Urban Outfitters, Kaffeine, or Red Mango, Flattop and That Little Mexican Café are awesome.
Image Courtesy of iPhone Maps
april 9, 2010
Save Money Tasty Treats to While Eat in Evanston Spending it Online By Kathleen Kennedy Photo Editor In the mood for ice cream, but not in the mood for innumerable calories and fat? There is a place in nearby Evanston that can solve this problem and satisfy your cravings. Red Mango, a new frozen yogurt shop, offers a delicious alternative to unhealthy ice cream. Red Mango is a great spot for hanging out and having a healthy “dessert.” Made only with 100% all-natural ingredients, Red Mango claims its yogurts are “irresistibly delicious and undeniably nutritious.” On a recent visit to the yogurt emporium, it appeared that its customers agreed with the claim. Its yogurt has all the benefits of regular yogurt – such as calcium, and protein – and it is fat-free as well as glutenfree. Also, this frozen yogurt is describes as being “pure,” being made with no artificial flavors, no preservatives, and no artificial colors. Another aspect of Red Mango, which makes it unique and worth a visit, is the variety of toppings customers can choose to liven up their yogurt. Rather
than having the generic toppings such as candy, cookie dough, or chocolate sauce, Red Mango’s toppings include tasteful, but lighter toppings such as seasonal fruit (including strawberries, mango, and pineapple), along with multiple cereals, yogurt chips, and dark chocolate for the chocolate lovers. Red Mango offers options other than frozen yogurt. The menu includes pro-biotic iced teas in three different flavors; Mysteaque (Vanilla black tea), Fanteasia (Wildberry hibiscus tea), and Lemonocity (lemonade green tea). Blended yogurt and fruits drinks, called “blenders,” are the other option on the menu. The shop itself is located in the middle of a buzzing area in Evanston, making it easily accessible after a day of shopping or the perfect place for dessert after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. It’s a small shop, very clean and welcoming. A few tables line the walls, giving customers the opportunity to sit down, hang out, and enjoy their personalized, but healthy treat.
By Natasha Patel Op-Ed Editor Every year many Americans celebrate the New Year on January 1st, but not everyone does so. For many, 2010 officially began through the lavish and extravagant celebrations starting the night of December 31st, leading into the infamous “ball drop” in New York City and then escalating to the partying in the early hours of January 1st. Yet for those of the Buddhist religion their New Year begins on April 28th. The Buddhist New Year is a holiday that may not be widely celebrated within our area and our Lake Forest Academy community, yet it is very prominent in the world today as it is the sixth most popular religion, attracting 376 million followers, meaning it is a holiday that should be understood. One aspect of the Buddhist New Year is that it is very unique and can be celebrated on various days depending on one’s location in the world. In Theravadin countries (Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos) the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the New Year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. As for example, Chinese, Kore-
ans and Vietnamese Buddhists celebrate in late January or early February, according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later. New Year’s celebrations in Tibet (and the customs) also differ from New Year’s celebrations elsewhere: “Tibetans prepare special New Year dishes and offer food to the monks on the New Year's Day. People illuminate their houses with colorful lights. Some Tibetans also participate in traditional stage fights, dances and burst crackers to scare off the evil spirits. (www. newyearfestival.com/buddhistnew-year.).” Although certain features of the celebration may differ depending upon geographic location, there are certain aspects that remain the same. For instance, it is a general expectation to have delicious food and wear vibrant and eye-catching clothing on the New Year and to light candles in the temples to pay respect to the gods. Some have even been known to set off fireworks in the streets to emphasize the excitement of the New Year. Gifts are usually exchanged as well. Even though we may not be familiar with these customs and ways of embracing change for the New Year, we still need to be aware and respect those who do ring in their New Year in this fashion.
Buddhists Ring in New Year
Designer fahsion can now be found online with huge savings. By Lucy Emery Features Editor Shoppers all around the world are searching for great deals on clothing. They are willing to with stand any weather condition and overcome any obstacle to get the best deal in the market. Recently, these heroic shopper’s lives became easier. They can now find these savings without having to put on their designer jeans, bought at half-price, and go out in the weather. They can sit in bed and find the best deals. Private sale websites offer designer products at cheap prices, but only for a limited amount of time. These websites bring the huge savings right to the shoppers. Some of the most popular sites include Rue La La, Gilt Groupe, and Hautelook, to name a few. These sites, on any given day, can offer you savings that are worth anybody’s time. The way it works is that members receive an email each day highlighting the available sales. Then the sales open, usually around 10:00 am. The catch is only a limited supply of items, so once they run out, they are totally gone. So eager shoppers are constantly waiting to pounce on the best sales. For most of the websites, memberships are free. Ms. Liz Mayer, who worked in the LFA External Relations office until recently, shared her experiences on these websites with The Spectator: “One time I got a pair of shoes that retailed for $600 for $40. I also know a friend who purchased her wedding dress from of one of these sites.” Mayer’s top three favorite sites include Rue La La, Beyond the Rack, and Red Tag Crazy. For teenagers there are certain items of clothing that are must haves, and getting them at 70% off adds to the allure. Physics teacher Ms. Erica Wood was unfamiliar with the concept of the websites. “If you MUST have these things, then these are sites to go to,” noted Wood. “But the fact of the matter is that it is
ridiculous to spend that amount of money on just clothes.” “ I think most of the products are a rip off from the start,” Wood continued, “ so the reductions are reasonable but still not a great deal.” Ms. Lisa Koivu, who works in the Admissions Office, has a blog that highlights her favorite websites. Her website is called fantabulouslyfrugal.com. Each day she posts deals that can be found online. “The idea behind the site is that I scour the Internet looking for the best shopping deals and then post about them on my site,” explained Koivu. “I decided to start the site because of my love of bargain shopping. One of the best places to find discounts, at this point, is an online sample sale site. I blog about sites like Gilt, Rue La La, Ideeli, and Beyond the Rack quite often because they are, hands down, the best way to get designer items at very discounted prices” Freshmen Meg Kennedy has an account with Rue La La. “I had a Rue La La account so I bought jean this year and Lauren (Clamage) said she loved them so I told her all about Rue La La,” remarked Kennedy. Shopper’s experiences like this one are bringing more people to the sites everyday. The sample sale idea came from the need for companies to sell their goods during the crumbling economy. With huge discounts, companies were able to make their products more accessible to everyday people. Many of these websites now offer vacations deals as well. You can find a beautiful hotel for a reduced price. On one day they had vacation spots from Napa Valley to Italy on line. All these hotel accommodations come on a first-come, first-served basis. So next time you are out shopping and the prices seem ridiculously high, take a step back and check some of these websites, you could find some deals online and end up looking like $1 million!
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april 9, 2010
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
A LFA student researching on Wikipedia. Wikipedia has recently lost a number of its editors.
By Andrew Kingsley Editor-in-Chief Wikipedia, a conventional online information source, has been accredited much success in the last couple of years. It ranked as the fifth most popular website worldwide with 325 million visitors. In a recent survey done by the Wall Street Journal, it was placed in the same rarified as internet icons Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Facebook. Despite this measurable success, Wikipedia faces a unique problem now; the company seems to be breaking up internally, losing volunteer editors at a geometric rate. According to BBC News, in the first three months of 2009, the English-language Wikipedia lost a net of 49,000
editors compared with a net loss of about 4,900 editors during the same time period in 2008. The number of web users grew 20% in the 12 months ending in September, but because of the website’s overwhelming popularity, editors say that it is becoming more and more difficult to review many of the articles placed on the site by users. The online volunteers, who edit information on the website to make sure that it is accurate, have been quitting in unprecedented numbers. The bottom line to the problem was Wikipedia’s inability to control the accuracy of its content, thus giving the website a stained reputation among users, particularly academics. Observers have debated the reasons for the sudden drop in volunteer editors’ participa-
tion. According to media reports, some seem to believe that many topics have already been written about and editors are having trouble finding things to write about that would interest the general public. A second possible reason is that editors are discouraged from writing and changing articles due to a set of complex new rules. The changes were intended to bring order to Wikipedia’s unruly atmosphere, improve the site’s reputation for accurate information, and to reduce infighting amongst contributors about write-ups concerning controversial subjects. “The more people you throw at a problem, the more difficulty you are going to have with coordinating those people. It’s too many cooks in the kitchen,” Aniket Kittur, a professor at
Carnegie Mellon University, told the Wall Street Journal. Some editors truly think that Wikipedia is done with three million articles written in English. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales says his top priority now is to improve the accuracy of articles. He’s pushing for a new feature that requires top editors to approve all edits, before they are displayed on the website. The main idea is to prevent vandalism that gives way to false information. Wales founded Wikipedia in 2001 as a side project after he became frustrated with creating an online encyclopedia that was hampered with the slow pace of copyediting. It was originally just an idea that allowed multiple people to edit the same document on a web page.
Executive director of the Wikipedia Foundation, Sue Gardner, says the encyclopedia isn’t finished, but the “easy work” is done. She hired an outreach team that holds seminars to train editors and attract new recruits to help out. She plans to seek ways to increase participation in markets such as India. The foundation also has a new design that makes editing easier. A survey in 2008 determined the average age of an editor is 26.8, and 87% of the contributing staff are men. “We need sufficient people to do the work that still needs to be done,” says Gardner. “But the purpose of the project is not participation.”
Tips that’ll do the Trick: Study Tips for AP Exams By Eric Clamage News Editor In a little more than one month, LFA students will be getting ready to take their AP exams. However, that doesn’t mean that students should let the stress of the impending exams worry them. Learning Resources Coordinator, Mrs. Mary Stewart Lewis, wants all students who are taking the exams to know: “Do not freak out! AP exams do not affect your class grade.” “If you prepared properly to take them,” said Lewis” then you should be stress free and feel good going in to the exam.” Lewis highly recommends that students review previous tests and quizzes from the class. In addition, previous AP exams are available online. By taking a practice test online, a student will be able to get a feel
for the test and that way there should be no surprises when the big day comes. Director of Counseling Mrs. Kate Jones noted that two weeks before the exams a student should make a calendar and plan what subject they are going to study every day. Jones noted that listening to the teachers is another good way to prepare for the exams. Teachers w ill give students tips for better studying habits. “The key to this whole process is self-discipline,” stated Jones. “If a student manages his/her time well, they will be prepared to take the test and, as a result, there will be little stress.” Lewis and Jones both agreed that the worst thing to is to cram the night before the test. “If students cram and stay up late studying for one day of exams, “ noted Jones, “it will affect them in the long run because they will
Image Courtesy of Google Images
A cartoon of a student letting the stress of exams get to her.
just get warn out.” Jones recommends setting up cycle meetings and going to review sessions that teacher holds. In addition, she noted, “A great method of studying is to make pocket-sized flashcards. They are easy to carry around
and a student can take them out whenever and start studying.” “Don’t freak out, if you study well you will be fine,” recommended senior Anthony Silvestri. Lewis and Jones noted that getting enough sleep and
eating in a healthy manner are other ways to succeed. Sleeping allows your body to rest and that way you will have enough energy to take the test. When the test day arrives, you should eat a healthy breakfast. It is recommended to avoid sugars and eat carbohydrates and protein. This way you will not crash during the test. “Deep breathing is a great stress reliever,” Jones explained. “Take three to five minutes in your seat to slow and deepen your breathing in order to calm physiological effects of testing.” This will help get the blood back in to your brain allowing you to concentrate and recall information better. Lewis has made a packet of test-taking tips for all classes to help students study. The packet is outside her door and is available to everyone.
lfa spectator
What Will Remain of Wikipedia?
lfa spectator
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april 9th, 2010
Controversial “Alice” Decision revealed By Georgiana Wagemann A&E Editor
While Tim Burton’s latest cinematic creation is currently topping the theater ticket sales, the highly anticipated release of the motion picture Alice in Wonderland was engulfed in early box office controversy. Released in theaters on March 5th, Disney had made plans to release the DVD only three short months after the movie was in theaters. Theater owners threatened not to run the film because of its planned early entry into the DVD market which theater operators thought would hurt their ticket sales. Disney made this controversial decision because they believed that many people would wait the little extra time so that they could buy the movie and share the magic of Alice in Wonderland with their families in their own homes. When the DVD
is released, the movie will also be On Demand with television networks as well. By shortening the movie’s
theatre time, Disney hoped to gain an extra profit from those waiting to spend their money in a wiser fashion.
Courtesy of Google Images
The new “Alice In Wonderland Movie” not only stirs up the box office, but also gives Disney a controversial decision to make.
After all, why spend $10 seeing a movie one time when you could spend $20 buying the same movie for unlimited viewings? With Disney’s decision, the theaters feared that they wouldn’t receive enough profit from their showings of the film. Because of the highly-anticipated nature of this film, pushing back the DVD release date would increase the theaters’ profits to the maximum. However, when the DVD release date was announced as sooner, there was no way for the theaters to reach their highest aims at profits. Some movie experts felt, however, that many moviegoers will be paying for the movie twice -- once in theaters, and once on DVD/ On Demand. Also, many diehard fans, impulse viewers, and families looking to share the magical wonder will be sure to rush into the theaters -- not thinking
twice about the DVD. With gross revenues in the theaters already reaching the hundreds of millions, all hope is not lost for the theaters. There still remains heavy protest, as theaters have complained about this new action. One disgruntled United Kingdom theater group disagreed with Disney’s actions, saying, “There is no compromise being offered. It’s very frustrating. Why fix something [a movie system] that isn’t broken?” Disney executives have also defended their decision to release the DVD so quickly, reasoning that it is wise to do this and avoid the World Cup 2011 beginning in June. Whatever their reason, Disney’s decision will surely gain more money for The Mouse but has it damaged the valuable age-old relationship between the studio and the theaters that show its movies?
The Duckworth’s Head-to-head Caxy Playlists Elizabeth Duckworth
1. I Get a Kick Out of You-Frank Sinatra 2. Half of My Heart-John Mayer 3. Gravity-John Mayer 4. Break Your Heart-Taio Cruz 5. Walking On a Dream (Remix)-Wiz Khalifa 6. Mary’s Song-Taylor Swift 7. Superstar-Taylor Swift 8. Tie Me Down-New Boyz 9. I Will Follow You Into the Dark-Death Cab for Cutie 10. Smile Like You Mean It-The Killers 11. I’m So Paid-Akon (feat. Lil Wayne) 12. To Be Alone With You-Sufjan Stevens 13. Honey and the Moon-Joseph Arthur 14. Bedrock-Young Money 15. Electric Feel-MGMT
William and Elizabeth Duckworth submitted their playlists to be compared in this month’s edition of The Spectator. Both playlists have a diverse collection of the latest music (such as Akon and Jay Z), and they also include some golden oldies (for example, Frank Sinatra). So how do these siblings’ playlists match up? Take a look at the Caxy Ipod and check it out. Both Elizabeth and William are fans of John Mayer, as the include songs off of his latest album, Battle Studies. “Half of my Heart” is a pop love song, featuring the vocal styles of Taylor Swift. “Free Fallin’” is Mayer’s interpretation of a classic, and easilly one of his most famous songs although it isn’t new. “Young Forever” by Jay Z incorporates new rap lyrics with the 1980’s hit song “Forever Young” by Alphaville. Recently, it has been featured near the top of the most downloaded songs list. The Spectator is looking for other submissions to the playlist section. If you feel that your playlist is better than the rest, please submit it to Mr. Murphy at wmurphy@ lfanet.org.
William Duckworth
1. Nothing On You – B.o.B 2. Heartbreak Warfare – John Mayer 3. Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz 4. Down – Jay Sean 5. Soundtrack 2 My Life – Kid Cudi 6. Take Me Back – Tinchy Stryder 7. Halfway Gone - Lifehouse 8. Young Forever – Jay Z 9. Free Fallin’ – John Mayer 10. Breakeven – The Script 11. In My Head – Jason Derulo 12. All The Right Moves – One Republic 13. Fireflies – Owl City 14. Freedom - Akon 15. Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Buble
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Returns 9 Players from Last Year’s Squad By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor The LFA Boys’ Varsity Baseball team appears set to have a successful season. Looking to improve from their 8-11 record last year, the team has gained some new players and worked hard to be ready for the coming season. The team returns nine players from last year’s squad including Dan Sambor, Eric Clamage, Keenan Johnson, Aaron Beck, Josh Brass, Keegan McDonald, Charlie O’Connor, and Joey Dolbee. The team has eight seniors, three of whom are new to the team. “Our team is different from last year,” said returning junior Keenan Johnson. “We’re more athletic this year and will probably steal more bases.” This new-found athleticism may be due to the addition of new players. According to Coach Dave Wick, “new-to-the-school players to watch are sophomore [Reggie] White, and senior [Tommy] Christoph.” In addition to the new players, three standouts from JV last year -- Nick Ustaski, Graham
Wick, and Julian Rutkowski – are hoping to have a large role on this year’s varsity. Both Wick and Ustaski will join Clamage, Dolbee, O’Connor, Johnson, White, and McDonald in the pitching rotation for this year. The team will play 20 games this year, including 4 double-headers and the Harvard Invitational tournament. The first home game was April 6th against Holy Trinity High School. The schedule is tougher than last years’. “We will assume that no team will be easy to beat going into a game,” said Coach Wick. “We are going to play every game like we’re up against the Yankees in the World Series.” That being said, the team is also excited to play some games in particular. “I’m definitely excited to play North Shore again this year,” stated Johnson. “We had a couple of good games with them last year.” Coach Wick echoed this sentiment by saying, “We are looking forward to the Harvard Tournament, and we are always eager to crush our former ISL opponents.”
Biking Introduced as New P.E Option: Already in Strong Demand By Mary Kate Hayes Staff Writer LFA Athletic Director Mr. Kevin Versen is always on the lookout for additional options for the list of the school’s physical education offerings. A new Cycling class, led by Mrs. Connie McCabe and Mr. Paul Dunlop, will be part of the school’s physical education program this spring. Demand for the new class has been strong and enrollment quickly reached
the director of the LFA ESL Program, bikes everyday and thought students, would like the sport as a P.E. option. “I, personally, bike a lot more than running due to aging knees,” said McCabe, who has been a competitive triathlete. “It’s a good-life long sport with less impact.” McCabe said a large number of the faculty bikes together. Depending on the level of cyclists, popular biking spots include: the Academy Woods
its maximum of fifteen members who were lucky enough to participate in the first program of its kind at Lake Forest Academy. According to McCabe, the class meets and rides three times a week, instead of the usual schedule of two, because the spring season is shorter than the fall and winter seasons. McCabe, who is
side roads and campus roads, for the beginners; and for the stronger level bikers, the park next to Lake Forest Academy contains a challenging and safe route. The P.E. begins after Spring Break and there is a positive outlook for a challenging and fun spring season.
Junior Eric Clamage is the catcher for this years varsity baseball team
Photo Courtesy of Ruth Keyso
LFA Track Eager to Begin Season By Chris Boudreaux Sports Editor The first competition of this spring for LFA’s boys’ and girls’ track teams was scheduled this week against Wauconda
Przybyla. The captains for the girls’ team are Annie MacCarthy, Kallan Benjamin, and Lina Kennedy. The boys’ team has an impressive 11 seniors, while the girls’ team is still relatively young with the captains being
on the team’s schedule includes much larger schools than LFA. Dozois said that the team is particularly excited to compete in the end of the season meet in Beloit. “Along with Beloit,
High School. It is clear that the members of both teams have been working hard in preparation for this first test of their skills. The team this year will be competing in all the running events from 100 meters to 3200 meters, along with a variety of jumping and throwing events. The boys are lead by captains Rickey Larke, Connor Berto, Tommy Anderson, and Matt
the only seniors. According to Coach Christian Dozois the team looks impressive this year. “Our strongest evens will be the boys’ throwers and distance running events,” said Dozois, “as well as the girls’ jumps and distance events.” The track team also has a very demanding schedule this year. Each of the invitationals
we [the team] are looking forward to the girls invitational at Wauconda, and the boys look to defending their championship at the Shoreland Relays,” said Dozois. The season is coming fast and with 4 out of 8 meets at home, be prepared to enjoy a lot of competitive track competitions.
Senior Andy Przybyla competes in a long distance event
Photo Courtesy of Ruth Keyso
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Varsity Baseball Set for Exciting Season:
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Prom Shopping Guide By Roma Mirutenko Managing Editor
All you ladies listen up! It’s time to buy your prom dress. Prom is coming up on May 1st and you definitely don’t want to wear the same dress someone else is. To make your prom dress shopping easier I have set up a guide to follow. This guide is not just a “what to look for in your PPD (Perfect Prom Dress) guide” but also how to shop for your PPD. For one thing, get ready for prom season. This is not a mandatory thing, but most girls want to get the perfect prom body. I really don’t know what that is, but just try and look your best and feel your best. But if you want, you can go the extra mile and run down Academy Drive or do some extra crunches or push-ups before you go to bed. This will put your body in perfect condition for long dance sessions and toned arms for fist pumping. When shopping for your PPD bring along someone you trust or someone that will tell you straight up if it looks good… or not. Don’t bring someone that will tell you that you look good in everything because girls, as we all know, you can’t pull off everything. When trying on your dresses make sure that you bring your heels (if you want). Try on a bunch of styles and sizes too. Who cares if the dress looks bad on the hanger, it might look great on you. To paraphrase an old saying: Don’t judge a dress by the hanger. Also, don’t get frustrated. If it doesn’t fit just right and you don’t think you can get it altered then just put it in the discard pile. If you don’t find the PPD go to another place. You always want to find a good place to get your dress. Any dress can look great you just need to accessorize well. If you are a boarder you can be limited with your dress shopping, or go out of the box by shopping online, or make your own. If you’re a day student the dress world is your oyster. A great place to rent a dress is this one place online called Rent the Runway (www.renttherunway.com) You can rent the perfect dress you can’t find in the store and the send it back. If you don’t want to buy or rent one, you can always go ask mom for a cool vintage dress. Accessories can also be a hard thing to find. I know that most of us just can’t go into mom’s jewelry drawers and take all the shiny jewels out and walk out of the house. Look around at some vintage shops or try a new spin on doing classic prom styles. Take a risk, get a bit edgy but don’t over use the eyeliner to get that edge. Shoes are also important. The faculty won’t let you come bare foot. Wear something you are comfortable in. Don’t waste a great night on blisters and cuts. If you do decide to wear heels, bring a pair of ballet flats or flip-flops because as other students will tell you, you want to have your heels for pictures but you may want to dance in other shoes. The teachers are pretty hard on bare feet, they sometimes make rounds. Just be comfortable. Finally, remember: It’s not about what you wear that counts, it’s how you wear it.
Top 5: April Fool’s By Dan Patterson Entropica Editor April Fool’s Day holds so many memories for many of us, both good and bad. Every year April roles around, and with it a day made for laughing at people put in embarrassing/ terrifying situations. Yes I know ingenious right? Actually… wrong, if you are like me and so many others, who hold a slightly skewed perspective. I was fortunate enough to be born the second son in my family, thus giving me the pleasure of an older brother. Older brothers teach you many things (through direct application, I might add) about how to embarrass, bully, harass, and offend others with ease. I, and those like me, live this “holiday” in a very different fashion… a constant state of horror. April Fool’s day was created by some evil older brother somewhere who wanted the legal right to do unforgettable evils to his younger siblings, all in the name of fun. “John, why is your little brother soaked in tar!?” asks a concerned mother. “Don’t worry mom. It’s fine. It’s April Fool’s Day,” the older brother responded, and thus the holiday was born. You can’t name other holidays born in this fashion: when was the last time you and a bunch of friends got together and celebrated Name Your Car Day or Virus Appreciation Day (excluding Dr. Smith). But April Fool’s Day is all about humiliating scenes in public,
Quote of the Month:
such as school or church, which were detrimental to a young boy’s confidence growing up; yet one must never forget the equal power of an embarrassing private moment as well. I’d name a few but they were private. No one seems exempt from the onslaught of this tradition. A fun day at work could quickly turn into a disaster as you sit down or open a drawer. An exciting day at school could turn horribly wrong when you realize you’re not wearing pants. For too long the victims of April Fool’s Day hoaxes have gone unheard, without justice or sympathy. Here is a list of some of the best of those hoaxes: 5. Alabama Changes the Value of Pi 1998: In an issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason, the newsletter claimed that the Alabama legislature had voted to change the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the “Biblical value” of 3.0. Soon the Alabama state legislature was receiving hundreds of calls of protest. 4. PhDs Exempt From China’s One-Child Policy
“dangerous western tradition.” 3. The Case of the Interfering Brassieres 1982: The British newspaper, Daily Mail, reported that a local manufacturer had sold 10,000 “rogue bras” that were causing interference with local television and radio broadcasts. Apparently the copper wire used in the manufacture, when coming in contact with nylon and heat, produced powerful static electricity. The chief engineer of British Telecom, immediately ordered all his female laboratory employees to disclose what type of bra they were wearing. 2. Releasing The Prisoners 2000: The Romanian Opinia newspaper wrote that prisoners were being released from the Baia Mare prison in Romania. Sixty people made the long trek to the prison and waited outside the gates for their loved ones, who they haven’t seen in years to be released. Later Opinia released an apology… April Fool’s! 1. The New Whopper 1998: Burger King published an ad in USA Today advertising
1993: The China Youth Daily, an official state newspaper of China, announced that the government had decided to make Ph.D. holders exempt from the stateimposed one-child limit. The joke was released as news by Hong Kong’s New Evening News and by Agence France-Presse, an international news agency. The Chinese government later condemned the holiday as a
their new Left-Handed Whopper. The burger was the exact same as the original, except that all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of all lefthanded customers. Not only did Burger King receive thousands of people wanting to buy the new product, they received others requesting the right-handed version as well.
Photo by Kathleen Kennedy
Image Courtesy of WireImage
Caxy Match
“I am not a vegetarian because I love animals, I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.” - Whitney Brown
Riddles of the Month: If the Vice President of the United States should die, who would be President? A clerk in a butcher’s shop is five foot ten. What does he weigh? Answers: 1. The current president.
2. Meat
lfa spectator
April 9, 2010
Senior Robert Cole Moore looks like rapper Paul Wall.