Spectator January 2013 by Philip Schwartz

S P E C TAT O R 1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045

VOLUME 91 NUMBER 4

Featured Stories NEWS

Q&A: A look at early admissions

page 2

NEWS

LFA weighs in on what actions President Obama should take next

page 3

FEATURES

Advisories battle it out to call themselves the best page 5 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Students vote for their favorite Grammy Nominees

page 13

SPORTS

New Salsa dancing PE proves popular page 17 THE ORANGE

New LFA Memes Last Page

JANUARY 25, 2013

LFA teams up with the American Heart Association for “Red Out” By Zunaira Arshad Editor-in-Chief For years, the American Heart Association has worked with citizens to fulfill its mission to “build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and strokes.” This year, Lake Forest Academy’s Director of Athletics, Darrin Madeley, has decided to help the AHA with its mission while teaching students more about the effects of heart attacks and other heart-related diseases. As a result the LFA Girls Varsity Basketball team will be staging a “Red Out” during its home game at Glore Gym on Jan. 28th. “It’s an organization that is very close to me and my family,” said Madeley. “My brother was born with four holes in his heart and my father has had upward of 10 to 12 heart attacks, including a quintuple bypass. This is important for people, especially kids, to understand how important a healthy lifestyle is for you and taking care of your heart. There is no doubt that out of the 430 kids here, quite a few are affected by this with somebody in their family.” Student leaders have begun to work with Madeley to plan the “Red Out” event.

Photo by Zunaira Arshad

Volunteers Meg Kennedy and Allie Cedergren sell Red Out t-shirts prior to game day.

The event plans include selling a batch of red t-shirts that are to be worn during the game to show support for the fight against heart disease and heart attack prevention. Plans for the half-time portion of the game include educating students on what to do if they are present while somebody is undergoing a heart attack. “Our aim is to educate the LFA community about heart disease. Students need to understand the implications of not

taking care of their health,” stated senior Alexandria Cedergren. “Our hope is that by staging this event, everyone at LFA will be more aware of the importance of maintaining health stability in our and our loved ones’ lives.” A committee of current upperclassmen has been meeting with a representative from the AHA to develop even more new ideas that will lead to a successful “Red Out.”

Sandy Hook School shooting 40th Anniversary causes students and faculty to of Title IX: re-evaluate school security plan Does LFA comply By Amy Krivoshik News Editor

“Tornados, fire, wind; those are all disasters that we have in our disaster plans,” said LFA’s Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Kerr, “but I don’t think you’re ever prepared for anything like a Sandy Hook.” On the second to last day of exams before winter break, December 14, 2012, while most LFA students sat taking their English and Language exams, 20-year old Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and fatally shot 26 people. According to ABC News, this marks the 31st major school shooting in the U.S. since Columbine in 1999. “The Connecticut shooting was tough for faculty, because how can you not think about it?” said Assistant Dean of Students Kate Jones. “You wonder, in your mind, what would I have done?” To Dean of Students Chris Tennyson, as well as faculty, students, and campus security guards, this was an unfortunate op-

portunity for the school to evaluate campus safety. “I’m going to be meeting with the Lake Forest Police,” Tennyson said. “They’ll probably come to campus and…see if they identify any potential vulnerabilities or areas of concern...You hope and pray that no incident ever happens on campus.” Kerr said that LFA upgraded campus security from a part-time job to a 24/7 priority on campus in response (in part) to the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. “We monitor the interior and exterior of the facilities. We do patrol rounds. We do vehicle or foot patrol rounds and we conduct vehicle patrol throughout the facility,” said Security Supervisor Norm Sydnor. “My officers, I’ll talk to them individually. We’ll do testing, you know, little drillsquestions that I give them just to make sure that they’re always aware of what’s going on.” While administrators and staff pondered security enhancements, what did students Continued on page 2

with the rules?

By The Spectator staff Members of the LFA community are accustomed to being trendsetters. Our school is at the forefront of educational technology, with our use of iPads, Smart Boards, pod chairs, etc. Philosophically we are among the leading schools in the U.S. when it comes to the topic of diversity in all its facets. But many people inside and outside of LFA don’t realize that the Caxys have also been national leaders in educational and sports opportunities for women – what is called Title IX. Ferry Hall, now a part of LFA, was offering girls sports at the turn of the 20th century. Many schools in the U.S. didn’t offer girls athletics until forced to by Title IX. This month, on our centerfold pages, The Spectator takes a look at Title IX, and how it has been implemented at LFA on the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the law. Continued on pages 10-11

THE SPECTATOR

News

World News Roundup

Early Admissions Q&A with Mr. Lewis

Compiled by Zunaira Arshad and John Luttig

By Carina Baker Managing Editor

Zaartan, Jordan serving as largest Syrian refugee camp

Senioritis: an infectious disease exclusively affecting members of the senior class. Symptoms include slacking off, falling grades, and refrains of “I don’t care, I’m already into college!” As second semester began, many LFA seniors were already accepted to college. Sixty nine percent of this year’s senior class applied early to college, and as of early January the College Counseling Office reported that 85 different institutions have accepted LFA seniors. There are five types of application “strategies,” according to Mr. Jack Lewis, Dean of College Counseling: early decision, early action, restricted early action, early decision two, and regular admissions. Early decision has a deadline in November, and students hear their decisions by mid-December. Early decision is binding; if students are accepted, they are contractually expected to attend. Early action has similar deadlines, but is not contractual. Restricted early action means you can’t apply early action anywhere else. Early decision two is the same as early decision, except with a January deadline and decisions released in February. With regular deadlines, decisions are released in March (or, in the case of rolling admissions, six weeks after submitting an application). The Spectator interviewed Mr. Lewis about the early application process. Excerpts from the interview are below. Q: What are the advantages to applying early? A: The strongest statement you can make is early decision, even stronger than early action (unless it’s restricted early action). It’s

Photo courtesy of Tribune Media Services

Syrian refugees search for survivors.

In Zaartari, Jordan now stands as one of the largest Syrian refugee camps in the Middle East. UNICEF set up makeshift classrooms, in which hundreds of girls have begun their studies. No one can predict when conflicts in Syria will end. UNICEF is doing most of the work of providing schools and healthcare in the camps. At this point there are more than 300,000 Syrian refugees dispersed throughout the Middle East. The numbers are growing and the underlying problem is that refugees miss living in Syria and are upset by their unknown future.

US decreases funding of Afghan National Security Forces

Photo courtesy of Tribune Media Services

ANSF members train for duty.

At the end of 2012, the US military decided to downsize the Afghan National Security Forces. They will scrap all 16 planes in a transport fleet of C-27 planes. Because of insufficient maintenance, most of the planes purchased for the ANSF have been grounded from the 600 million dollar project. The budget for the ANSF is being reduced from $11 billion to $4.1 billion by 2017. While the US contributes $2.3 billion per year, the Afghan government would provide only $500 million per year. The ANSF will also shrink from 352,000 troops to 228,500 troops. The US is also downsizing its own military personnel contributions over the next several years, reducing the number of troops from 100,000 in 2011 to 6,000 by the end of 2014.

JANUARY 25, 2013

a demonstration of pure interest- you’re saying “If I am admitted, I will go.” But if you’re not within the school’s requirements, it’s not going to get you in… The latest research showed that qualified kids who apply early admission have a 57% chance of getting in; regular have a 53% chance. And that gap is narrowing even more. I think it’s a very ethical commitment; you don’t do it for strategy, you do it because you love the school. I like early action; you can still be unsure… and exercise choice. Q: Is there any difference between this year’s class and last year’s class in respect to how many people applied early? A: Last year’s class, the numbers would be greater. [The number of] admits. With this year’s class, it’s very much in line with the school’s standard. This year’s class took a very good look at themselves and chose schools that are very appropriate for them, for their abilities... We saw less of “I know I’m not going to get in, but I’m going to apply.” It’s been more realistic this year, for the most part. Which means that when you look at acceptances, this class is doing well. Q: So, usually you get lots of kids in the early rounds choosing schools that are going to be very difficult for them to get into? A: Yes. They believe they should use early decision as a strategy to get a “name brand” school, rather than thinking “is this the right match?” That’s a bit harsh, but… Q: So what attitude do you think students should approach early admissions with? A: I think they need to approach early admissions with a solid understanding of themselves. I think they need to go into early decision almost like marriage- this

Photo by Meg Kennedy

Senior Maia Sklarov points to the college she will attend, after being accepted early, outside the college counseling office.

is something that’s binding, that’s contractual. And understanding that their interim grades don’t go on their transcript, that their first semester grades go on their transcript- and that if there’s a downswing, even if they’re accepted early, that [acceptance] can be withdrawn. Sometimes that’s forgotten. Often, by graduation, senioritis has taken its toll. Q: You get sent a letter, right? A: If you applied early, and things aren’t going well, you get a letter. If it’s the end of the year, you’ll get a letter saying you’ll be placed on academic probation or a phone call saying “sorry, we’re withdrawing your acceptance.” I hate those. Makes for a terrible summer. Q: How common is that? A: There’s one or two a year. Q: What exactly constitutes a “downswing”? A: You’re expected to continue the grades you were admitted on.

LFA reacts to Sandy Hook School shooting (continued from page 1) and faculty feel? “I think the fact that the security guards are based in the student center is not very

Photo by Meg Kennedy

Senior Tom Oliveri walks through the front door without using his ID.

effective,” said Senior Lauren Pugliese, “I think they need to be placed more central to the school…The front door is always open.” ESL chair Constance McCabe said 100% of her students said they felt safe at school. “But, also, 100% said they would like to see more lights on campus at night,” McCabe added, “They did remark that in China every school has a gate, and in Brazil every school has a gate as well. So it’s just a little surprising to them not to see a gate.” Kerr said that students earlier in the year had suggested that the school build a guard station and a gate on Academy drive. “Look at this campus,” Kerr responded, “If you see that there’s a gate, and you want to get on this campus, you park your car, you get out, and you walk around the gate…We aren’t covered, surrounded by

cyclone fencing and razor wire, nor do we want to be. This is not a prison to keep students in.” He said that adding an extreme amount of security at school could detract from the sense of community. “There’s a big trust that I’ve developed with the people on campus,” Jones added, “that my children have…the freedom to interact with all these different students. I feel that it’s such a trusting community that I wouldn’t want to lose that by becoming so concerned. It’s difficult to find the balance between appropriate security measures and maintaining out sense of community.” But there is a definite new awareness on campus about school security. A Sophomore Seminar project plans to focus on campus safety and awareness, according to Tennyson.

THE SPECTATOR

News

JANUARY 25, 2013

LFA decides what should be next on our country’s agenda

Hey President Obama! By Mary Kate Patton News Editor

As the country waits in anticipation for the this year’s State of the Union address to be given by President Barack Obama, The Spectator decided to reach out to the Lake Forest Academy to determine what should be the most important issue President Obama should focus on in 2013: budgetary issues, gun control, or help for Hurricane Sandy victims. The final result of the newspaper survey had less to do with immediate passions and more to do with long term solutions for the country. The recent Sandy Hook shooting raised the topic of gun control across the United States, leaving millions of Americans wanting a stricter approach to the sale and ownership of guns. Many Americans argued that the country’s budget problems should be Obama’s next step, while many believe that relief for the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy should be his first concern.

Meanwhile, the current national deficit is $901 billion, a number that 58.3% of the LFA student body wants to be the first thing Obama fixes in the upcoming year. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Congress has spent more money than it’s income since 1969. Regarding Hurricane Sandy, Congress has already agreed to put aside relief funds. The New York Times said that Congress put aside $12 billion to help provide funds for disaster relief. The Federal Emergency Management Office (FEMA) estimates, however, that the total damage could cost $30-$50 billion. “So the new fiscal cliff legislation means that income taxes on the top percentage of earners will go up to 37%, as will capital gains taxes among other things, but now he [President Obama] has to cut spending,” said Michael Phillips, a sophomore at LFA,

“We have to stop spending money we don’t have. Since Obama’s inauguration, federal debt has gone up $6 trillion dollars. When Obama first took office, he vowed to cut the deficit in half, yet he’s done the opposite.” The final results left Budget and Spending as LFA’s number one choice for Obama to focus on first. Second, with 35.1% of the vote, was Gun Control, and 6.6.% voted for Hurricane Sandy. But there were numerous comments shared on the survey as well. “Repairing Congress,” said an anonymous student commenting on the survey, “considering that no one is working together.” Many survey participants wished they could have checked all of the options on the survey because “multi-tasking is important.”

and upcoming events at Lake Forest Academy. Compiled by Bailey Ayers

Upcoming Chamber Concert

The Chamber concert is Wednesday, January 30th. The chamber concert features performances by students with musical talent in all grades at LFA. Several students will perform solos in their respective musical fields. There will be many types of instruments and genres showcased at the Chamber concert. The concert is in the Cressey Theater at 7 p.m.

Junior Madeleine Pattis performs a solo at a past concert, accomponied by music teacher Tim Plambeck.

Additional Winter Musical date added Carousel, LFA’s winter musical production, will have four performances this year. In past years, there have only

-Michael Phillips, LFA sophomore

According to the Small Arms Survey, the number of guns that United States citizens own is 270 million. After the December 14, 2012 massacre that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School, many citizens have pushed for the government to tighten the nation’s gun laws.

In this space, The Spectator provides further details on ongoing

Photo courtesy of LFA Flickr

“We have to stop spending money we don’t have.”

Campus News

Photo Courtesy of Bing Images

President Obama will discuss several topics, like budgtet and spending, in his upcoming State of the Union Address on February 12, 2013.

been three performances for the LFA winter musical. The showtimes are the following: Wednesday, February 20th, 7 p.m. Thursday, February 21st, 7 p.m. Friday, February 22nd, 7 p.m. Saturday, February 23rd, 2 p.m.

156th Charter Day in February Each February, Lake Forest Academy celebrates its birthday. The school was “born”, or chartered, in 1857. LFA students and faculty call this special day Charter Day. This year, LFA will celebrate its 156th birthday. In the past, there has been cake in Reid Hall to enjoy on the special day.

6.6% 58.3%

35.1%

Photo courtesy of LFA Flickr

Members of the LFA community decided that budget and spending should be President Obama’s first priority in the new year with the majority of the vote at 58.3%.

Graphic by Mary Kate Patton

Head of School John Strudwick blows out the candles of the LFA birthday cake at last year’s charter day.

THE SPECTATOR

News

JANUARY 25, 2012

Half full or half empty?

Circulation statistics cause sale of 8,000 Library books By Bailey Ayers Editor-in-Chief

Most students were shocked to find out that the LFA library is now half the size it used to be. Thousands of books have been removed from library shelves and sold to wholesalers. While many students and faculty are upset by the removal of books from the library shelves, the LFA librarians stand by their decision to sell books, some of which hadn’t been checked out in nearly 30 years. The removal has created open space in the library that may be used for other functions in the future. The librarians went through their circulation statistics and began to see a trend: the number of library checkouts has been steadily decreasing. The librarians involved in the project, Archivist and Research Librarian Rita MacAyeal and Media Instructor Ashley Kolovitz, decided that the best thing to do would be to reevaluate the collection. Once the reevaluation began, they realized many of the books were simply not needed and “out of date.” After all of the books in the program were evaluated, teachers were invited to keep any books slated

for removal that they felt they would use in the classroom. Around 8,000 books were then boxed up and given to a wholesaler who will donate some to public libraries and will sell the others over the Internet, with all profits going back to programs at the LFA library. There is a common misconception that the library got rid of its entire book collection. “We still have a print collection,” stated MacAyeal, who pointed out that the library still has over 7,000 books, 1,700 other items such as DVD’s and video games, and more than 500 eBooks. MacAyeal said that the school is simply “moving with the trend.” And the trend is technology, which goes along with LFA’s iPad program. “If [we] didn’t have the iPad program this would be hard,” she noted. “But with the iPad, [students] can carry part of the library with them.” More and more students are using online resources,

whether it is through the school or on their own, and the library wants to nurture using online resources. They wanted to make the library “much more contemporary and very up to date,” said MacAyeal. In libraries, the overall philosophy has shifted, not just at LFA but everywhere, away from a storage place a place where patrons can find resources -“information literacy with digital media as the underpinning,” explained MacAyeal. Libraries going forward will be less about how to get a book off the shelf and more about how to access quality information. LFA English instructor Nathaniel Small was brought into the process as an “expert” on the English section of books. “I thought it would be harder and more

Freshman Mathew Fallon uses his iPad to read while “sitting” on a stack of books recently removed from the library.

nostalgic than it turned out to be,” said Small. His job was to go through the texts and give opinions on the books that were up for discussion. He gave several examples of books that were no longer needed, such as a biography that hadn’t been checked out in so long that the book wasn’t in the modern catalogue and the last stamp in the book was from 1974. There was also a collection of Shakespeare books intended strictly for scholars, which no high school student would ever need. The scholarly collection of Shakespeare books is now in Small’s classroom where he can use it to make references for his classes. After the books were sold, those remaining were consolidated into one section of the library, leaving the other section completely bare. Right now the newly opened space in the library is “open for students,” according to Phil Schwartz, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, with the goal of “providing as much open space as necessary.” There are no set plans for the room at this time, but Schwartz shared the administration hopes to use the room in the future for small meetings (such as parent or class meetings), speaker series, and even small performances. In the mean time, they have contacted student leaders to see what is needed and furniture has been ordered.

Graphic by Carina Baker

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 25, 2012

Features

The Inaugural Spectator Advisory Awards By Justin Nakasu Feature Editor Amidst awards like the Grammys, the Oscars, and the Golden Globes, The Spectator has decided to host the Advisory Awards, except instead of gilded trophies, we offered an equally valuable prize of a box of doughnuts. Contrary to popular belief, the newspaper does not have an unlimited budget. Advisors could submit their advisories for consideration in the following categories:

Most Hipster Advisory: Schlipmann Advisory

“My advisory is so hipster, I’m surprised I even wrote this message. We’re so hipster, even my advisees don’t know everyone who is in the advisory. ... We’re so hipster, I’ll bet no one can name more than one member of my advisory. ... We’re so hipster, Matt Johnson decided to shave for Movember because he thought facial hair was coming back in style. ... We’re so hipster, we’ll probably take the donuts won in this competition and only eat half of them. There might be other advisories with hipster elements to them, but mine is the only true embodiment of what being a hipster is all about. We’re so hipster, we’re not even going to sign our names. Whatever.”

Dr. Advisory Sheu Advisory

Ten Reasons Why we are the Nerdiest Advisory: 1. We play the Family Feud during Advisory 2. All freshmen in the advisory are qualified for APA or Calculus 3. Our Shadows have all been in Geometry or higher (their eighth graders) 4. During our advisory dinners we talked only about school 5. Aidan plays golf 6. Clayton is required to get straight As 7. Diana is in Precalc (she’s a freshman) 8. Judith is French Canadian and has an awesome accent

Most Athletic Advisory D. Madeley Advisory

“Josh Capser - Prep Hockey, lacrosse Hope Challenger - Tennis, Indoor Track, Soccer Riley Biel - Prep Hockey, Lacrosse Allison Hectman - Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse Mbasa Mayakana - Football, Injured or would have been basketball, Lacrosse Monterey Pepper - Ice Hockey, Lacrosse James Wick - Basketball, Baseball Currie Smith - Girls Swimming, Boys Swimming, Soccer Toks Onyekwuluje-Basketball

Most Charitable Advisory

Murphy/Kennedy Advisory “...One of our students was in charge of Harvest Hope. As an advisory, we also adopted a needy youngest and went Christmas shopping for him.”

Iron Chef Advisory

Tennyson/Keyso Advisory “We, the Tennyson/Keyso advisory, are nominating ourselves for the Iron Chef. We feel we deserve to be bestowed with such an honor because we are truly delicious. We also eat lots of delicious food. For example, banana ice box cake, brownies, a coca-cola cake, pop tarts, bagels, donuts, ice cream, cheese cream truffles, fruit kabobs to keep it healthy, popcorn, cupcakes, and the list goes on. “

Photos by Carina Baker, Lauren Clamage, and Meg Kennedy

THE SPECTATOR 6

Features

Save a life: of the Month Page by Meg Kennedy and Lauren Clamage Photo Editors Greyhounds Only is an organization that rescues retired greyhound racing dogs and places them for adoption with local families. The kennel fosters 51 dogs at a time. Several times throughout the school year, Lake Forest Academy students, accompanied by Director of Music Timothy Plambeck, travel to the Wisconsin shelter where they walk, bathe, and play with the greyhounds awaiting adoption. The shelter has become both busy and popular because of the demise of Lake Geneva Raceway, a dog racing track, which went out of business in 2006. When racing greyhounds stopped competing they were usually destroyed. Most of the dogs at the shelter came from this race track or were rescued from southern states where dog race tracks are still in business. “The owner [of the shelter] takes the dogs out by gender and lets them exercise for a couple of minutes each day,” noted Plambeck, a regular volunteer, “but they never get to run until Saturdays.”

Spectator Photo Editors, Lauren Clamage and Meg Kennedy captured the day when LFA students were playing with the greyhounds

JANUARY 25, 2013

Volunteering at Greyhounds Only The importance of helping these retired race dogs varies from owner, to volunteer, to the adopters. “These rescue organizations are totally important to greyhounds specifically because they are bred to be racing dogs,” explained Plambeck, “so they have had no other life until this point.” Plambeck explained that the shelter appreciates having the LFA group come to the shelter because the students spread awareness about the dogs awaiting adoption when they finish their work with the dogs. “I’ve always wanted to go to take care of the greyhounds,” Mercedes Nagel, senior who attended the kennel. “ I love spending time with animals and making them feel loved, especially these greyhounds who have lived their lives in cages.” In order to adopt a greyhound, the adopter must go through the following process: complete an application, have an interview, go through an educational seminar, visit the kennel, offer foster care to a greyhound, and then adopt. During the adoption process, the dogs are

“I’ve always wanted to go to take care of the greyhounds,” said Mercedes Nagel, a senior who visited the kennel. “ I love spending time with animals and making them feel loved, especially these greyhounds who have lived their lives in cages.” Visit youtube.com/user/LFASpectator to see a video of LFA students volunteering at Greyhounds Only!

tested to see how they will fit in a family environment. “I try to do it in a confined area but I do things that a family would do with dogs – like pull their ears and tails, and squeak a squeaky toy -- to see if they will play with it and how interested they are,” said Nancy Sells, the co-manager of Greyhounds Only. Walking the greyhounds is a wondetful Saturday service trip. As more students become interested in taking care of the dogs, Greyhounds Only continues to welcome LFA volunteers.

THE SPECTATOR

Features

JANUARY 25, 2013

Doctor Strudwick: a track star By James Paige Features Editor

When Dr. John Strudwick walks the halls of Lake Forest Academy, students and faculty recognize him as the Head of School and an former Economics instructor. Most do not know of Strudwick’s involvement, however, in the sport of track and field, or athletics (as it is known as in the United Kingdom), both as a versatile athlete and coach. “I was good in both the sprints and middle distance races; although I thought of myself as more of a sprinter. I ran cross country and played rugby as well,” said Strudwick. He was raised in an environment where track and field was extremely popular. England had been producing world-class athletes since Roger Ban-

nister became the first man to break the four-minute barrier in the mile race. By age 14, Strudwick was competing for Kent County in England. At that time, he ran 11.4 seconds in the 100 meter as well as a leg of the 4x100 meter relay team. An initial highlight in this early stage of his junior career was involvement in field events. “I wasn’t particularly amazing at the field events, but one day at an interscholastic meet, I competed and was able to hold my own in the triple jump and javelin throw,” said Strudwick who ended with a best of 43 feet in the triple jump. As a senior, he moved up from the 100-meter to the 400-meter. “I was five foot nine, one hundred forty-eight pounds and not growing. I felt that I kept running the same times

Caxy Trends Every month the Spectator will look at up and coming fashion trends that are taking over at LFA!

Scarves bring comfort to 2013 Winter Trending By Nancy Wang Features Editor Think your outfit is not stylish enough? Looking for an accessory to spice it up? A nice scarf can solve all

your problems. As winter 2013 kicked in for the LFA community, no one can seem to resist the warm, cozy, and stylish vibe that scarves bring. According to Millionlooks, an online fashion blog geared towards fashion fans of all ages,

in the 100, so I competed in the 400 because it’s an event that requires both speed and endurance,” said Strudwick. Strudwick found great success in the 400 which he would also run at the collegiate level. Highlights included a 51.2 seconds on a grass track to win the county title and, later, a career best of 49.8 seconds. At the English Junior Nationals, he had the opportunity to race against a young Steve Ovett; a middle distance runner who went on to win a gold medal in the 800-meters at the Moscow Olympics and set world records in the 1500 and mile. “He [Ovett] was another level above the other runners and me. In the 400 at nationals, he was five seconds ahead of me. He was another class of athlete,” said Strudwick Strudwick’s career in athletics continthe scarf trend started in 2012 on the runway as brands like Christian Dior and Tommy Hilfiger presented various types of scarves. Stores like Forever XXI and H&M, which already had a big accessory section, soon adopted this trend by displaying more outfits complimented with scarves. This year the trend continues to dominate the looks of not only the fashion world but also students at LFA. Since the end of fall, scarves have become the most popular accessory on LFA campus. Both boys and girls have

adopted the trending as a nice fashion compliment to the everyday dress code. Putting scarves on top of their shirts and ties, according to some LFA boys, can provide a more casual and relaxed

ued through graduate school. He then became the head coach at Andover; on top of this, he competed in various road races. At age 38, he ran an indoor mile time of 4:38 and a half marathon time of 1:13.5. Unfortunately, an Achilles tendon injury ended his competitive

Photo courtesy of LFA Vision

A portrait of Dr. Strudwick

look. “I got this as a gift for Christmas from a friend,” said senior Gregory Romanchek, who was wearing a scarf over a suit. “It looks nice, and it is a lot warmer than I expected it to be.” While being a nice compliment to the classic “tie, shirt, and belt” LFA boys dress code look, scarves have also become an essential item to a nice look for girls. “I like to wear scarves because they look good and feel comfortable,” said senior Jane Strudwick. “If I am going

to school and the shirt I am wearing is too low. I will wear a scarf to cover the collar, or I will also use it to add on to a plain outfit.” To some more passionate scarf-lovers, the item becomes something more than an accessory. According to senior Kemmer Cope, she often organizes her outfit around the scarf she is going to wear. “They make me feel classy and collegiate,” said Cope. “I organize outfits around scarves so I can wear them two to three times a week. One of my friends and I started wearing scarves on Tuesdays.” Whether they are knitted, snoods, or

Top Scarf Styles:

Loop scarves Ziggy scarves Floral scarves Online style guide: Scarves.com Thefashionspot.com

LFA students and faculty wearing scarves posed for The Spectator after morning meeting.

Photo by Lauren Clamage

THE SPECTATOR

Features

Nostalgic

JANUARY 25, 2013

Memories:

40 Years of Video Games

A look back: Timeline of Video Games By Carina Baker Managing Editor

Our generation has grown up watching entertainment technology grow alongside us - from tapes and walkmans to iPhones, from boxy TVs to huge HD flatscreens, and from black and white GameBoys to 3D handhelds with the processing power of a full-size computer. In late 1972, the first commercially successful video game, Pong, was released. In the forty years since then, the video game industry has developed past its creators’ wildest dreams.

1967: the first video game console, known as the Brown Box, is developed. 1972: the Magnavox Odyssey, the first commercial video game system, is released but is not a success. 1972: Atari is founded and Pong released. 1977: The cartridge-based Atari 2600 console popularizes home video games. 1978: Space Invaders is released. 1980: Pac-man is released. 1981: the first 3D game for home use, 3D Monster Maze, is released. 1985: the Nintendo Entertainment

System, with titles like Super Mario Bros. and the Legend of Zelda, is released. 1988: the Sega Genesis console, the first 16-bit system, is released. 1989: the Gameboy, the first major handheld console, is released. 1991: Sonic the Hedgehog is released. 1992: The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is released. 1995: the PlayStation is released. 1997: the Nintendo 64, the first major 64-bit system, is released. 1998: the first Pokemon games are released in the US on the Game Boy

Color. 1996: the Nintendo 64 is released. 2000: the PlayStation 2 is released. 2001: the Xbox is released. 2004: the Nintendo DS is released. 2005: Xbox 360 is released. 2006: the Nintendo Wii is released. 2011: the Nintendo 3Ds is released. 2012: The Nintento WiiU is released.

Are video games a form of art? By Justin Nakasu Feature Editor With the 40th Anniversary of video games comes a hotly debated issue: Are video games a form of art? In recent years, respected voices in the fields of art and gaming have come out to say that gaming is not a form of art. The Spectator decided to ask some members of the LFA community to weigh in on this debate. “Although I can understand both sides… our world is evolving, technology is evolving and video games are a form of modern art,” said Math Instructor Ken Magarie. An avid gamer, Magarie conceded that video games are not a form of traditional art, such as paintings and statues, but he believes that good video games are on the same level as books or movies. “I believe that video games are a form of art,” stated junior Oh Joon

Phtoto courtesy of Google Images

Limbo, an indie game, is considered an example of video games as art by many critics.

Kwon, “because of the visuals and storytelling behind some of the older games like Super Mario Bros. and also some of the newer games like Bioshock.” Kwon is a regular Counter-Strike player, but doesn’t like being called a gamer because he doesn’t like being connected to the controversy that gaming is related to increased violence in teens and young adults. This idea that gaming is dangerous and a waste of

time is one of the major reasons why there is such resistance against gaming. Even gaming developers have spoken against it. English Instructor Bill Murphy admitted that he has been playing video games since the first days of Pong, almost four decades ago. According to Murphy, whether or not video games are art depends on the design team that made them.

“Just like some pictures or sculptures are true art and will be appreciated by a broad segment of the population that sees them, some video games are clearly more artistically designed than others. Some are merely thrown together,” said Murphy. Michael Samyn and Auriea Harve, creators of the indie gaming studio ‘Tale of Tales’, recently said at the 2010 Art History of Games conference that gaming is “not art” and is “a waste of time.” Limbo, a recently released indie game for the PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox Live Arcade has garnered attention for its unique art style and game play. Its dark and somber mood and minimalist story attributed to the fact that Limbo’s creator, Arnt Jensen, considers Limbo as a piece of art. Even though the National Endowment of Arts recently recognized video games as an official

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 25, 2013

Features

Retro gaming endures By Justin Nakasu Features Editor In the 40 years since it was first introduced to the masses, video gaming has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry with an international audience of millions of people. An inventor named Nolan Bushnell created the first major video game -- a simplistic game called Pong -- in his garage. Most of today’s gamers, however, believe that games like Super Mario Brothers, Contra, and The Legend of Zelda, helped define gaming as we know it today. Even in this day and age, where video game graphics are almost indistinguishable from real life, these classic video game titles live on in the hearts and minds of gamers of all ages. But what makes these iconic games so memorable? LFA Math Instructor Ken Magarie has played video games ever since his childhood and remains an avid gamer today. Last Year, Magarie helped host LFA’s first ever LAN party, which is essentially a gaming festival. The LAN party contained all sorts of games from classics such as Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Gamecube to Halo, a series on the Xbox 360. Magarie received an NES game console as a child. He described it as being “Christmas in July”. He also described how gaming brought him and his brother closer as kids because they had found something

The original Legend of Zelda was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

they could do together. Magarie also formed a closeness with some of his college friends because they would play video games together; it was something that they all loved doing. “I love the puzzle-solving aspect of it, “ said Magarie, when asked why he was attracted to gaming. “I’m a math guy. I’m all about solving problems and getting the answer, and I love games where they incorporate puzzles and challeng-

ing tasks because that feeling when you finally solve a puzzle or finish a game is so satisfying.” A smile lit up Magarie’s face as he thought of games he had played in the past. He distinctly remembered playing games such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the N64 and other games that focused on storytelling and plots. He even compared playing video games to reading a good book or watch-

Starfox 64 was first released for the Nintendo 64 and was one of the original titles released for the console.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

ing a movie. “Don’t get me wrong, you can absolutely waste time playing video games, “ said Magarie, “But if you are playing video games to solve a puzzle or reaching a goal, then I think that that is a valuable way to spend your time.” Magarie is not alone in thinking that gaming is valuable; senior Palmer Taylor agrees with him. Taylor loves old games and new games alike, and he is an avid collector of retro consoles such as the NES, and the N64. He also owns a custom-built gaming PC on which he plays contemporary games on a regular basis. Taylor said that playing as a retro gamer helps him appreciate the history of video games. “It gives you a little perspective,” Taylor explained. “Kind of like how people listen to old music to understand where new music is coming from.” Taylor also identified gaming as a valuable way to spend your time, like reading or watching a film. “There are games out there where literally you interact with the characters and find out more

Layout by Carina Baker

THE SPECTATOR

News

JANUARY 25, 2013

Equality in girls and boys sports: By Grace Coburn

that still remains the most contro-

many, but a segment of our coun-

eral funding for public schools

Editor in Chief

versial is gender equity in athletics. Before Title IX was passed, the

try’s population still believes that that isn’t true.

depends on their compliance with Title IX.

sports activities that girls would generally participate in at pub-

According to titleIX.info, “… schools are providing 1.3 million

Although Lake Forest Academy is a private school, The Spectator

lic schools were cheerleading and square dancing. Only one in 27

fewer chances for girls to play sports in high school as compared

staff wanted to see if LFA fulfills the requirements of Title IX and

girls partook in high school sports and they only received two percent

to boys, while more than half of the students at NCAA schools are

provides its female and male students with the same opportunities

of overall athletic budgets. Since Title IX was passed, the

women, they receive only 44% of the athletic participation opportu-

in not only sports but all elements of Title IX.

idea of gender equality in sports is something that is hoped for by

nities.” Now a major component of fed-

According to the web site titleIX. info, Title IX is a law that requires gender equality for boys and girls in any educational program that receives federal funding. This law, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary, was written in 1972 primarily to create gender equity in school sports, but also covered 10 key areas regarding employment and education. However, the topic By Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Op-Ed Editor Forty years after the adoption of Title IX, the law developed to help female students achieve equity with their male counterparts, some people find themselves celebrating the long way female sports have come. Others acknowledge the changes that have been made but continue to argue that female athletics still have an extensive journey ahead to reach true equality to male athletics. Although Title IX is most well known for its role in furthering female athletics, that was not its sole purpose. Title IX also pertained to allowing girls to educational fairness, it required schools to treat pregnant and parenting students fairly, and it also protected students from sexual harassment and bullying. Within the past four decades numerous Title IX lawsuits have been filed against both colleges and high schools in which complaints were made that females were not being granted with the same opportunities as males in both education and athletics. So has Lake Forest Academy fairly provided students with diverse educational and athletic opportunities? The Spectator examined LFA’s history and questioned people throughout the LFA community about that topic. Title IX works on a three-prong basis: affective accommodation of interests, equal financial assistance, and parity in other benefits and opportunities. The effective accommodations of interests breaks down further into three sub-parts, of which the school must comply with at least one: fe“Yes I do, because there are multiple opportunities for both girls and boys.” - James Wick

“I think they treat them equally, except for when it comes to recruiting. Girls don’t get recruited as much.” - Kyle Skinner

Photos courtesy of LFA Flickr

Sophomore Ellie Snyder and junior Tyler Madeley compete on LFA’s new lacrosse teams.

male participation should be proportional to female enrollment in the school, the school shows a recent history of expanding sport offerings for women, and the interests and abilities of female athletes have been fully and effectively accommodated. “LFA’s sport requirement naturally helps create equality between male and female athletics,” said Director of Athletics Darrin Madeley. “There are always ways to improve and we will continually look at ways to make athletics a more rewarding experience for the girls and boys at the school.” Because LFA requires all of its students to play team sports, a comparable amount of males and females participate in sports. When the Inquiring Photographer went around asking students if they believe male and female sports are receiving the same treatment, most students agreed that both

equal access to facilities and equipment, yet almost all students concurred that male sports recruit much more heavily than female sports. “Recruiting is changing [at LFA] or any other private school,” said Madeley, “It’s about helping people understand how LFA is a strong fit for student athletes and that we can provide a great environment for them. It’s my responsibility to help in any way I can, and then it’s up to the coach and Admissions to create a relationship with the family so they feel comfortable sending their daughter or son to LFA” For years LFA’s athletic department has been missing a female presence, but with the hiring of Assistant Athletic Director Becky Arrowood and Assistant Athletic Trainer Tayler Oswald Madeley hoped to create an environment in which female ath“I feel like even if they don’t have a sport for the girls that they have for the guys, they have another sport for the girls that the boys don’t have.” - Brandon Warnes

“They’re not equal when it comes to hockey.” - Lydia Brosnahan

“I think the gender opportunity is equal.” - Alex Kirshenbaum

“I think we all have the same access to facilities.” - Tom Oliveri

letes feel more comfortable. Madeley says his next goal is to get a female trainer up in the fitness room. “I don’t know if it’s because I have a daughter that makes it even more important,” said Madeley, “but it has definitely opened my eyes to the subject.” Ferry Hall and Lake Forest Academy have a long history of providing its students with equal opportunities. Decades ahead of its rival schools, Ferry Hall had sports for its female student body that ranged from tennis and basketball to field hockey and cheerleading. At the merger of the two schools, Lake Forest Academy carried on this tradition in, not only athletics but also Title IX’s other features. “If a student were to get pregnant, LFA would provide her with the appropriate counseling,” said Dean of Students Chris Tennyson. “LFA would not ask the student to withdraw, but our first concern would be with the student’s comfort.” “If the student wanted to take a year off to complete her pregnancy and to decide what her next step should be, we would unofficially hold her spot in the academy,” said Dean of Faculty and Curriculum Phil Schwartz. Overall, Lake Forest Academy’s primary concern is always the student. LFA’s administrators believe that the school has effectively executed Title IX and will continue this practice in hopes of making every student’s experience here one to remember.

“Yes, I think we offer the same sports for girl and boys; I think it’s pretty equal.” - Alex Bournakis

“It seems like overall the boys get the locker rooms more than the girls.” - Maia Sklarov

THE SPECTATOR

News

JANUARY 25, 2013

: Does LFA comply with Title IX? LFA’s efficiency... Component 1: Effective Accommodation of Interests Three Prong Test: Must Comply With At Least One Component

a. Female participation in sports is proportional to female enrollment in the school: Yes.

51% of students are female, 51% of participating athletes are female b. School shows a history of expanding sport offerings for females: Yes. Lacrosse in 2012 c. The interests and abilities of female athletes have been fully and effectively accommodated

Component 2: Financial Assistance All financial assistance has to be strictly proportional.

N/A to LFA

LFA does not distribute athletic scholarships and financial aid is needbased.

(determined through regulary

administered surveys): No.

With only one gym and ice rink, Director of Athletics, Darrin Madeley, works to accommodate all teams and provide everyone with equal and fair time. The boys and girls basketball teams alternate between the early and late practive time slots, as do the hockey teams. Teams also sign up for days in the fitness room during which they have personal time with the trainers.

Component 3: Equivalence in Other Benefits And Opportunities Pertains to things such as uniforms, coaching quality, practice and game schedules, facility acces and quality, equipment quality and quantity.

YES.

A look at LFA’s Title IX balance By Grace Coburn

LFA offers a variety of sports during the fall, winter and spring season for both boys and girls, but the overall question when considering Title IX is if there’s equality between girls and boys at LFA. Here’s a look at the balance of girls’ and “I think they’re treated equally and they’re supported equally.” - Preston Stolberg

“The reality in the US is that girls sports aren’t going to get as much attention as boys sports. I think we do a pretty good job at LFA promoting all sports. We are as accepting as a school can be.” - Mr. Bowkett

boys sports at LFA. Girls Sports: 14 Cheerleading, Field Hockey*, Cross Country, Tennis*, Swimming*, Volleyball*, Basketball*, Hockey, Lacrosse, Softball, and Soccer*. Boys Sports: 15 Football*, Hockey*, Golf*, Soccer*, “LFA is extremely equal; girls and boys both get equal access to trainers, coaches, and administrators. It’s something you don’t see in a lot of other schools.” - Tayler Oswald

Cross Country, Basketball, Swimming, Wrestling, Baseball*, Lacrosse*, Tennis*, and Volleyball*. Coed Sports:3 Squash, Indoor Track, and Track. LFA does a good job of supplying about the same number of sports for girls and boys overall. However, it’s clear that

* Sports that offer a JV or alternate team.

“I think there are more events and pack the house events for boys’ sports.” - Eleanor Snyder

“I think that fans are present at both games equally.” - Lauren Stevenson

“I think there is equal opportunity for girls and boys to participate in sports here and that funding is relatively equal.” - Ally Dunne

boys sports at LFA have more JV teams than the girls sports. A possiblity of this statsitic is that not enough girls are trying out for sports. The next question that LFA has to ask themselves is: “What can we do to get more girls involved in athletics?”

“Boys’ sports recruit more actively.” - Andrew Purdom

“I don’t think they want the same opportunities. Guys want more of a future in athletics than girls at LFA and that is why they get more attention.” - Joel Doiny

THE SPECTATOR

Arts and Entertainment

•

Many popular artists and groups, such as the Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, the Who, Neil Young, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, the Greatful Dead, the Kinks, and Bob Marley have never won Grammy awards.

• With 79 nominations, Quincy Jones holds the record for the greatest number of nominations in the history of the Grammys.

• Michael Jackson is the Male Artist who won most Grammys (eight in one night) in the year 1983. The list was followed by Carlos Santana in the year 1999. • Husband and wife Jay Z and Beyoncé have 42 Grammy nominations apiece.

Originally known as the Gramaphone Awards, the Grammys were established in 1958 and have since been recognized as the most illustrious award in the music industry. More than 100 Grammys are distributed each year, most before a televised audience that includes many residents of the LFA campus. The award winners are determined by the members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), which is comprised of more than 20,000 musicians, engineers, producers, and other music-industry based professionals. NARAS has 12 chapters in the US -- Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Memphis, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Florida, Texas, the Northwest region and Washington, DC. Members cast their ballots for categories relating to their specific areas of expertise, though all vote for the “Big Four” award recipients: Album, Song, Recording, and Best New Artist of the Year. Nominees for each category are the five biggest vote getters following the initial voting round. See the surrounding bullet points for fun and interesting facts about the Grammy Awards!

JANUARY 25, 2013

• Christopher Cross is the only artist in history to have won every “Big Four” category in a single year.

•

LeAnn Rimes won the Best New Artist at the age of 14 in 1997 and became the youngest Artist to receive a Grammy.

Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

• Milli Vanilli were the only act to have a Grammy (for Best New Artist) taken away—it was revealed that they didn’t actually sing on their records. •

Sinéad O’Connor is the only artist to have refused a Grammy. She turned it down in order to protest the award, which she called “extreme commercialism.” •

Photo Courtesy of Arizona Hills

• An old tradition is that whoever wins “Best New Artist” has to buy all the other artists a round.

R&B Singer Brian McKnight holds the record for the most nominations (sixteen) without winning.

The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Compiled by Amelia Moses , Jenna Selati, and Bailey Ayers

Performances Rihanna and Taylor Swift -- who have each received three 2013 Grammy nominations -- are only two of the numerous accomplished artists set to perform at the 55th annual Grammy awards in honor of music’s biggest night. Other artists scheduled to take the stage at the Los Angeles Staples Center include Juanes, Grammy Campers and Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Alabama Shakes, Jackson Browne, Kenny Chesney, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris, Jim James, Elton John, the Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, and FUN. If the LFA community wants to watch these highly anticipated performances, fans should clear their calendars for Sunday, February 10, when the Grammy Awards air live at 7 p.m. on CBS.

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 25, 2013

Arts and Entertainment

Who are LFA’s Grammy Winners? The Spectator took a survey on who LFA students felt deserved these coveted and most popular Grammy Awards.

9.9% 12.9% 6.3%

35.7% 21.4%

23.2%

27.1% 2.9%

23.9% 15.5%

Album of the Year is awarded to a vocal or instrumental album that must contain at least 51% of newly recorded material.

21.1%

Record of the Year is awarded to a single or track of either vocal or instrumental song that is commercially released in 2012. It is said to be based on the overall quality of the song.

33.8% 9.4% 3.6%

38.1%

34.3% 15.7%

18.7%

17.9% 28.6%

Song of the Year is awarded to a single or track that must contain a melody and lyrics. The song must have achieved promenence during the year. It is considered a songwriters award, as the performance of the artist shouldn’t be a factor.

Best New Artist is awarded to any performing artist who releases a recording that first establishes the public identity of the artist.

Most Overplayed – Gotye and Fun.

Most Snubbed – Carly Rae Jepsen

Continuously played on the radio, both artists Gotye and Fun. tied for the most overplayed title. Both the artists had songs that claimed spots as one of the thirteen Billboard Hot 100 songs this year. Fun was #1 for a series of six weeks last spring with their top single “We Are Young,” an indie power anthem about moving on from mistakes and living life while you can. The song received most of its attention after the television show Glee covered the ballad. Afterwards, Fun.’s album Some Nights became a hit in the pop music industry this year. Gotye topped the charts with “Somebody That I Used to Know” featuring Kimbra, an indie rock song that was #1 for eight weeks. The song has sold over 10 million copies becoming one of the best selling digital singles of all time. Although both have been amazingly successful and top charters, it is agreed that even indie songs can become a little too mainstream and overplayed.

Canadian pop princess, Carly Rae Jepsen, sung the ballad of 2012 for many, but it came to our surprise that she did not get a nomination for Best New Artist. Considering her hit single ‘Call Me Maybe’ was one of the best-selling hits of 2012, selling 10 million copies in the year alone, this was a shock to many. It was predicted in Rolling Stone that the Best New Artists could possibly include Ocean, Hayes and Lumineers as possibilities all of which grabbed a spot on the coveted nomination list; Jepsen was left out of the group. Well, maybe that guy finally called her by now, because she was still nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

Photo courtesy of National Public Radio

Most Deserving – Frank Ocean R&B rookie, Frank Ocean, has lined up with a total of six Grammy nominations this year. Once a ghostwriter for many well-acclaimed artists like John Legend and Justin Bieber, Ocean debuted becoming a member of Odd Future, a popular alternative hip hop group, but also released his own album over Tumblr. He later debuted two of his most popular singles ‘Novacane’ and ‘Thinkin Bout You’ launching a solo career. According to the San Jose Mercury News, his album channel ORANGE had become “an industry-wide discussion” of the controversy earlier in the year when Ocean spoke about his sexual orientation being bisexual. Frank Ocean will be up for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Album, and Best Long Form Music Video [with Kanye West and Jay-Z]. To say the least, Frank Ocean has become an overnight sensation and is loved by many.

Photo courtesy of National Public Radio

THE SPECTATOR

Arts and Entertainment

r a n u a t t R s evie e R

J &

Brazilian steakhouses offer a unique dining experience to food lovers across the globe. Unlike most steakhouses, there is a single fee for all diners. Beginning with an extravagant salad bar, customers can choose as many items as they want, from cheeses to salads to cold cut meats and fish. Consumers can revisit the sal-

By Jenna Selati

JANUARY 25, 2013

ad bar as many times as they see fit, and are presented with a card that has a green side and a red side. If the customer is keen enough to save room for the main course,

they can turn their cards over to the green side. Upon flipping it, one or more gauchos come to the table with a cut of meat on a skewer, ranging from bacon-wrapped filet

A&E Editor Eating dinner at Fogo de Chao means spending a generous chunk of your night sitting at a poorly lit table and stuffing yourself with unhealthy food. That is both the beauty and horror of a Brazilian steakhouse -- customers pay a set price for literally all they can eat, and they better eat their money’s worth because this set price looks a lot like what most people pay for a night at Motel 6 (if we’re being specific, $52). In the case of Fogo de Chao, eating your money’s worth means consuming every edible item in the restaurant--including people--and the building itself. In other words, I wouldn’t recommend it. Diners are encouraged to begin their Brazilian adventure at the salad bar, a giant buffet table piled with hunger-inducing starts such as soggy red peppers, paperlike salami, a Whole Foods-sized bushel of cheese, and broccoli that they probably forgot to heat up. Employees are clearly trained to subtly pressure their customers

Photo Selati Photoby byJenna John Luttig

captionplate of “mouthwatering” options from the Fogo de Chao salad bar. Jenna’s

The Wrap

Pricing: $$$$$

($45-55 / person)

mignon to Parmesan chicken. This system allows diners to try dozens of types of meat without worrying about their wallets. That is not to say that Brazilian steakhouses are cheap. Because they offer a buffet-style salad bar and all-you-can-eat meat selection, these restaurants can cost upwards of $50 per person after drinks and tax.

Texas de Brazil

Fogo de Chao

into unknowingly spoiling their appetites on salad bar delicacies so as not to eat too much of the main courses which actually cost them money to provide. This is the whole trick of the set price. Knowing this, I made sure to save room for the meat that was being appetizingly paraded around the restaurant on sticks. After flipping our main course cards to the green side, which means ‘every single waiter in the building bring me meat, now’, our table was frequently (every four seconds) visited by different kinds of Brazilian rations. Chicken, steak, pork, and sausage -- you name it and it was more than likely wrapped in bacon and stuck on one of those meat rods. Judging by the amount of food on our plates, one would think that we sampled every main course three times. The meats were flavorful, but in my opinion were slightly overcooked (way too medium rare) and had a faint, metallic rod aftertaste. They still beat the salad bar. Of everything we sampled that evening, my favorite was the dark chocolate square I snagged from the hostess’ desk at the end of the meal.

Photo by Madeleine Rowell

John savors a tasty filet mignon wrapped in bacon while at Texas de Brazil.

By John Luttig Managing Editor

Not every LFA student is going on the Head of School Symposium trip to Brazil this spring. Luckily, Texas de Brazil brings exquisite Brazilian cuisine right to Chicago for those students who aren’t making the trip. The restaurant combines the rodizio style of eating native to Brazil with the Southern hospitality found in Texas. Costing $2 less than its competitor Fogo de Chao, Texas de Brazil offers an all-you-can-eat salad bar and meat selection that outshines its competition in almost every way. Unlike Fogo de Chao, Texas de Brazil offers two floors of dining service that overlook their “wine fairy.” The hostesses take turns being the wine fairy, attaching themselves to a harness and wires to perform acrobatic flips and swirls as they retrieve customers’ wine bottles from the cellar. While Fogo de Chao only offers approximately 30 items in the salad bar, Texas de Brazil offers nearly 60 items to choose from in the salad bar before the meats ar-

rive. My favorite item from the bar was a grape salad with a bitter dressing that complemented the sweetness of the grapes. Next to the salad bar, there was a selection of soups to choose from. I tried the lobster bisque, but it was slightly too sweet for my liking. What really make the Brazilian steakhouses worth the trip, though, are the meats. After turning the serving card to green, the gauchos at Texas de Brazil immediately swooped in with a variety of delectable choices. While the chicken was a tad dry, there were two meats that stood out as truly exceptional: the bacon-wrapped filet mignon and the picanha. The first selection is what I would describe as something that is far better than the sum of its parts. The picanha is a specialty cut from the cow’s sirloin that is one of Brazil’s most well kept secrets. Seasoned finely on the grill and cooked to order, the meats were nearly flawless. Though there was no room for desserts, the food was more than enough to quench the appetite of a hungry John Luttig.

The Wrap

Pricing: $$$$$

($45-55 / person)

Taste:

Service:

The Bottom Line: I’ll take the night at Motel 6.

The Bottom Line: TDB is a meat-lover’s dream.

THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 25, 2013

Opinion and Editorial

Caxy Rant: In the “crutch” By Michelle Whitehead Op-Ed Editor

When I went to the ER and they told me my foot was broken, I received a temporary cast and crutches to use until I could see a specialist. After learning how to use my crutches, I had one important question: “Um, what is the best way to walk up a marble staircase?” “I would recommend avoiding stairs until your foot heals,” the doctor told me, the look on his face indicating that I was asking a very stupid question. Well then, getting to English class should be a breeze… I thought to myself. Thankfully, I was only on crutches for a few days until I got a walking boot and was able to get around more easily. So instead of taking 15 minutes to get from Korhummel to Reid, it only took 10. Everywhere I went, I would hold up huge crowds of people as I attempted to limp my way up the stairs. I would have used the ramp leading to Upper Corbin except it

is so steep that I am afraid to walk on it even when I am completely uninjured. And even that doesn’t account for all the other stairs I have to climb daily. The lack of ramps at LFA is rivaled only by the lack of elevators. I have never appreciated having two healthy feet more than I have after attempting to walk up the Reid staircase on crutches. Yes, the new buildings all have elevators. But what about Reid and Corbin? Although there are a few routes that make it easier to get up to school buildings without using as many stairs, the use of them often requires intricate re-routing that not only takes twice the normal travel time but also typically still involves stairs. We need to have more ramps around school and elevators in Corbin and Reid. It is dangerous not to have a better, more efficient way for students on crutches to get around the school. If I have a hard time walking on crutches for a few days, I can only imagine what it would be like for a permanently handicapped student.

Other Preps versus LFA:

Illustration by Jane Xu

Ashville School and Oak Hill Academy hold classes on Saturdays.

By Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Op-Ed Editor All through my educational career, Lake Forest Academy has taken tremendous steps to

revolutionize its campus and is now focusing much of its attention on modifying the school schedule. Because of this, I started thinking more about our schedule. It made me wonder if

Photo by Hannah Thuroff

Junior Michelle Whitehead demonstrates how easy it is to fall down the Reid staircase on crutches.

This month, Hannah compares schedules at various other prep schools with LFA’s rules. Hannah will be spending this year looking at LFA’s rules and codes of conduct and comparing them with other prep boarding schools around the country to see if anything we do can be improved. there are any things we could change about our class schedule that would be more appealing to the student body. We are all familiar with LFA’s A through G day schedule, and although we all struggled with it for the first few weeks of our freshman year (which may have even resulted in some points), it is a schedule we all came to love and appreciate. Nevertheless, I started my search and two major differences I noticed between LFA and other prep schools were Saturday class and blocked scheduling. The Ashville School is a co-ed school located in Ashville, North Carolina. At Ashville, students attend class Monday through Saturday. Similarly, many other schools that exercise this sixday schedule, Ashville students have half days on Wednesdays but, unlike others, Ashville stu-

dents have class every Saturday. Schools such as Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia also have Saturday classes, but they’re only every other week. Oak Hill Academy students still have shortened Wednesdays, but only have Saturday classes every other week. Apart from Saturday classes, most boarding schools run on a similar daily class schedule of eight periods, each of which is approximately 45 minutes. The class schedule rotates through a five day cycle each week. A truly unique thing about LFA is the seven-day cycle. The daily breaks from 1:00-1:30 are also very uncommon; however, unlike LFA, most boarding schools have five minute passing periods, which is partly due to the fact that these schools have larger campuses that require

students to walk greater distances to get to their next class. While the need for passing periods is a controversial topic, LFA’s class schedule is not one that many people can complain about. By having class times that change daily, students stay alert in their classes and learn time management skills. Free periods provide students with the opportunity to get started on homework or meet with their teachers for extra help. The early releases on G days and late starts on D days give students something to look forward to. Although the ever-so-dreaded All School Meetings on B days aren’t exactly the highlight of any LFA student’s cycle, our school’s schedule is something teachers and students alike should not complain about.

THE SPECTATOR

Opinion and Editorial

Editorial

T h e L a k e A c a d e m y

Definitely no spirit fingers fan base and (most of the time) more competitive teams. Lake Forest Academy tries to endorse Pack the House activities to create spirit not only for individual teams but also for the House Cup Competition. Yet, the hope for packing the gym with a bunch of spirited Caxys hasn’t motivated enough students like it did in years past. In previous seasons, we saw cardboard cut outs of the beloved basketball coach, Mr. Vaughn, many colorful morph suits, and more face paint than you would believe. But now we have come to the point where we ask ourselves, what must we do to re-kindle this LFA pride? Something LFA students never lack is their effort during Spirit Weeks; most students actually get pumped up at the thought of it. It’s a chance to not wear dress code and have it be socially acceptable to wear a onesie to school. We would encourage the

school to kick it up a notch and do some more uniquely themed days rather than the same type each year and season. It has constantly been a fun way to gather as a student community and grab and grab a few amusing candids throughout the week as well. Another possible solution would be school pep rallies. At many other schools, pep rallies could vary from student assemblies with fun activities to school dances. These pep rallies might bring a certain focus to a specific game or tournament coming up and could build anticipation around the whole school. It would also be nice to see our Caxy Super Fans bring their A-game once in a while. We support all of our athletic teams and encourage those closeted fans that haven’t been to as many games as they could have to show their painted faces and Caxy pride soon.

STAFF LIST

Managing Editors News Editors Feature Editors Sports Editors Arts & Entertainment Editor Op-Ed Editors Orange Editor Photo Editors Staff Writer

Faculty Adviser

Zunaira Arshad Bailey Ayers Grace Coburn Amelia Moses Carina Baker John Luttig Amy Krivoshik Mary Kate Patton Justin Nakasu James Paige Nancy Wang Brian Ahern Margaux Boles Jenna Selati Hannah Vivienne Thuroff Michelle Whitehead Emily Shanley-Roberts Lauren Clamage Meg Kennedy Jane Xu Yakov Shapiro Amanda Bozorgi Sophie Hanson Ayo Ifatunji 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.

Personal Opinion Please, Hutch, may we have some more options? By John Luttig

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.

Managing Editor As a day student who has eaten breakfast in Hutch every school day for four years, one of the most frustrating parts of attending LFA is the underwhelming variety in the hot food options each morning. There are only three types of meat that are available for breakfast: bacon, sausage, and ham. Because most people, myself included, hate the rubbery ham that Hutch serves at breakfast, this leaves only two options for meat in the morning. Unfortunately, only one meat is served per day. On ham days, this leaves meatatarians like me meatless until lunch. I love bacon, but the Hutch bacon makes me feel a bit like Goldilocks. The bacon is either too crumbly, too undercooked, or just right. It is one of the first two choices more often than the third. There are also three types of potatoes, one of which is served each morning: hash browns, potato wedges, and tater tots. While the hash brown is my favorite breakfast item at LFA, a little

F o r e s t

S P E C TAT O R

Editors-in-Chief “We’ve got spirit, yes we do. We’ve got an opinion, how about you?” The Spectator staff has come to an agreement that there has been a lack of school spirit this year. Lake Forest Academy is in need of some super fans and athletic supporters. Just the other week, our own All-School President was bribing the community to come to his swim meet in exchange for a dinner “of a certain rowdy fan’s choice” and the chance to witness Charles Gallagher in an orange Speedo he had recently purchased. As entertaining as that might be, it’s unfortunate that these athletes have to go to certain lengths to grab the student body’s attention for support of their teams. School spirit comes easier to local high schools like Lake Forest High School or Adlai E. Stevenson High School primarily because they just have a larger

JANUARY 25, 2013

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. Photo by John Luttig

Junior Oh Joon Kwon unsuccessfully seeks nutrients in Hutch.

variety wouldn’t hurt the menu. Only on rare occasions do the Hutch options digress from one of these options (diced ham mixed into the eggs doesn’t count). In my four years at LFA, I have witnessed a handful of different types of meats and potatoes at breakfast. One was just last week. Hutch served skinny fries at breakfast. They were a refreshing departure from the monotony of hash browns, potato wedges, and tater tots. Of course, there was a catch: they ran out well before Hutch closed for the morning. This meant that

mathlete Oh Joon Kwon was unable to get the nutrition he needs to continue winning Math Team competitions for LFA. Another rarity at the hot breakfast bar is the option to get biscuits and gravy. While not comparable to the biscuits and gravy that are common in my Texan upbringing, they are one of the best breakfast options offered at LFA. It is too bad that it is served once every few months. The recipe for a better Hutch breakfast entails more variety and more of the tastier hot breakfast items.

AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kempler Moraine Press Association.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“I have to be accurate; I don’t have to be impartial.” -John Burns, New York Times

THE SPECTATOR

Sports

JANUARY 25, 2013

New Salsa dancing PE

attracts many in first year By Ayo Ifatunji Staff Writer

It is stated in the LFA Student Handbook that freshmen and sophomores are required to play at least one team sport per season or attend a Physical Education (P.E.) class. Juniors and Seniors are only required to participate for two seasons. Of the various P.E. classes students can choose from, the newest addition is a Salsa dancing class taught by ESL teacher Mrs. Michele Vaca. Formerly known as the Salsa Club, this winter P.E. incorporates meeting new friends, having fun, and getting fit into one class. “In Salsa you’re actually having fun, but doing exercise at the same time,” said junior Tina Wang. Vaca agreed as she too explained that besides having fun, Salsa dancing is good exercise as well. Vaca, who has been dancing for the last seven years, is teaching the class with help from her husband, Carlos. They teach basic steps before going into more complex dances, which makes it easy for anyone to join, even those with no experience. Vaca described Salsa as, “a social community that unites everyone together in

friendship and fun.” Vaca expects that now that Salsa is a P.E. option and requirement, more people will join and come more frequently than they did when it was a club that met during school-day breaks. Athletic Director Darrin Madeley also recognized Salsa as something that could be a popular option for students. “We have combined athletics with the arts and have a teacher for Salsa that the kids like,” said Madeley. “She has a great demeanor about her. Even if you’re not a good dancer you know she’s going to make it a welcoming environment.” The athletic department aim for this class is to promote physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle even if it isn’t centered around sports. “We would like to see every kid find something that they’re passionate about.” Madeley continued. Along with Salsa, popular dances such as the Meringue, Samba, and Bachata have been added to the curriculum. For the whole of the winter season the Salsa dancing class is scheduled to meet twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, from 3:30-4:15 in the dance room in Crown Fitness Center.

Photo by Jane Xu

ESL teacher Michele Vaca teaches Salsa class in the multipurpose room.

Girls Hockey fights through injuries By Grace Coburn

Editor-in-Chief

With a record of 4-13-, the girls varsity hockey team, coached by Gia Puch, con-

sists of players who are relatively new to the sport and have improved greatly. “The skating has definitely improved,” said senior captain Jane Strudwick. “I think

Sophmore Katy Shadek skates aggressively to the puck.

Photot by Lauren Clamage

positioning and movement has really improved and been really helpful in games.” Sharing the rink with both varsity boys hockey and prep hockey, the girls team usually has their practice start at 4:45 depending on their game schedule as well as the other teams’. The three hockey teams at LFA each have an hour and half slot of ice time with the prep team consistently receiving the first rink slot. The team also has games on Sunday unlike many teams at LFA, and away games starting as late as 8:00 p.m. Assistant captain, senior and defender Ally Dunne agrees with Puch when it comes to the importance of team chemistry. “Our team gets along really well,” said Dunne. “We do a lot of things for team bonding like our Secret Santa as well as team dinners.” Going into this season Puch had goals for the team for each player to develop their individual hockey skills and their passion for the game, along with learning “how to be a part of a team and something bigger than yourself.”

Dunne adds on to Puch’s goals by including playing more as a team “rather than having a few people score all the goals” and winning the Founders Cup. Puch deems the Latin game to be their best game yet this season. Although it ended in a loss, Latin is known as one of the top teams in the state. LFA was able to play hard and kept the game close. A challenge that the team has had to face this season is the injuries that have occurred on the team. Junior defender Miranda Dunne tore her ACL during a recent Chicago Young American’s game. In addition to Dunne, junior left wing Monterey Pepper has a pinched nerve in her back. When asked who she thinks is the team’s most valued player Puch believes that it’s impossible to give one name because it’s “truly a team effort to be successful.” Although there’s no MVP, the team’s leading scorer is freshman Michaela Crowly with 13 goals, freshman Lilly Reyes is leading the team in assists with three, junior Kami Weiner has a save percentage of 86 and sophomore Natalie Warnes has a save percentage of 89 as the team’s goalies.

THE SPECTATOR

Sports

JANUARY 25, 2013

Cross-town rivalry: Caxys vs. Scouts By Brian Ahern Sports Editor Lake Forest Academy versus Lake Forest High School is not just a basketball game, it is a community event. The first meeting between the two schools in 2009 came down to LFA missing three of four free throws in the final seconds and losing by one. It seems every game in the rivalry since then has been just as competitive. Though the largest margin of victory in the series is sixteen in an LFA victory in 2011, there has been a tie or a lead change in the final two minutes of most other games. “The games are always competitive. The crowds are always great and that just adds to the atmosphere,” said LFHS senior Sam Downy. Downy is part of this year’s very experienced and talented LFHS team. Downy himself will be playing basketball at Yale next year. Other top players for the Scouts will include four-

year varsity forward Carter Bass and standout sophomore Evan Boudreaux. This year appears to be the first year that the Caxys do not have a talent advantage with a top Division I college prospect. LFA has been dominant in recent years at the point guard position in particular. “That has been our big advantage in past years,” said LFA coach,Matt Vaughn. “Having that great point guard has been really rough for other teams to match up with.” The storied tradition of point guards includes David Smith and Kori Babineaux who both went on to play at Drake University, and Dylan Ennis who is currently playing at Villanova University. Though all three of those players thrived against LFHS, talent may not be as big of a factor in the cross-town rivalry, according to LFA senior Porter Veach. “It forces everyone to play at a higher level because you’re on the big stage,” he said.

The atmosphere of an LFA vs. LFHS basketball game is electric. The passionate, sometimes racy chants and signs by both sides add to the spectacle. Even big promotional events are attracted to the cross town game. For example, last year two fans took a three-quarter court shot for a chance to win a car. The all-time series is tied at 2-2 and it is sure to be another thrilling game this year. The game will take place at Lake Forest College this year, on February 16th at 2 p.m. The highly anticipated matchup is also the last game of the 2013 season for the Caxys. The 2013 version of the boy’s basketball team is off to a below average start of 6-7. However, they have improved of late, winning five of their last six games. Even more impressive, the average margin of victory in those five wins was over sixteen points a game. Excitement surrounding the team is sure to be peaked come February sixteenth.

By Yakov Shapiro Staff Writer As the Lake Forest Academy hockey season resumes after students return from winter vaca-

tion, most school-wide attention has been focused towards LFA’s flagship Prep Hockey team. However, LFA’s Varsity hockey team has been powering through

what appears to be, at the halfway mark, a successful season as well. Boasting what assistant coach Robert Klein described as a “great squad filled with young

Photo courtesy of Flickr LFA alumnus Faith Ekakitie (‘12) takes a shot in the paint against former LFHS player Crieghton Titus (‘12).

LFA varsity hockey team strives for ice perfection

Sophmore Luke Corsiglia goes for the puck.

Photo by Meg Kennedy

talent, leadership, and good goaltending,” and boasting a 13-4 record, the young Caxys hope to push ahead of local Illinois High School Hockey League contenders Maine Township high school and Buffalo Grove high school and secure a league championship for the school. Getting to the top of the league standings has proven to be a troublesome matter for the Varsity Caxys who have been plagued by injuries for most of the season. “We’ve been getting banged up and it’s been tough,” conceded Klein. Recent injuries have kept team captain sophomore Mario Senese out of games, as well as freshman Charles Kuchman (broken shoulder) and sophomore Alex Bournakis (broken collarbone), according to Klein. While the relatively small 17-man team has left the Caxys vulnerable to injuries, the boys have made up for it with resourceful team efforts and

individual talent. “Our goal-keeper Brandon Warnes has been outstanding all season and our other captain, AJ Hood, has been doing great on the rink,” commented Klein. Despite the strong results from the first half of the hockey season, some of the Caxy boys are not satisfied with their record. “We’re usually 16-0 in 16 games, so it’s safe to say we’re not having a great season,” said Hood with a slight chuckle. But while perfection may not be attainable for the Varsity boys, an IHSHL title certainly is as the LFA boys trail only 18 points behind league leaders Maine Township, a team that has played 10 more games than the Caxys so far. The Varsity team plans to square off against New Trier later this month, as well as play big matches against Lake Zurich and Carmel Catholic before January is over.

THE SPECTATOR

Sports

JANUARY 25, 2013

Julia Gillette vs. Margaux Boles Nationally-ranked squash player battles sports editor By Margaux Boles Sports Editor Internationally known sports journalist George Plimpton made his reputation by writing books about being an amateur athlete and trying to play football for the Detroit Lions, hockey for the Boston Bruins, and pitching in a Major League Baseball exhibition game. Plimpton lived the sports fantasies of many Americans and then captured the events in words. On Thursday January 10, 2013 I had a Plimpton-like experience by playing a nationally-ranked squash player, LFA freshman Julia Gillette, in a full match. I had never played squash before and before coming to LFA three years ago I had never even heard of the sport. It was safe to say I was a nervous to play the top-ranked player on the LFA girls’ varsity squash team. However, when I got to the Lake Forest Rec Center, where the team practices everyday after school, I was warmly greeted by the whole team and introduced to their head coach Serena Carbonell. Caroline Duckworth, a junior, acted as the ref and kept score for the match, announcing the embarrassing score after each point. Gillette and I entered the court and warmed up, which actually consisted of

her teaching me the basic rules of serving, where to hit the ball, and where not to hit the ball. Once I felt comfortable with this – as comfortable as one can be having never played before -- we started the match. In squash, a game is won when the first person gets 11 points, however one must win by a margin of two points, and to win the match one has to win 3 games. In the first game, Gillette served first and won the first eight points. Then I won a point and celebrated immensely, which included me screaming and jumping up and down. Then it was my turn to serve and I won the following point after that, too! I was so excited that I had even scored at all and winning two points was beyond my expectations for the match. The score of the first game was now 2-9. I lost the next two points and Gillette won the first game of the match. After every match the players leave the court and take a break for water and to talk to their teammates. Gillette and I then went back on the court and I lost the second and third games 11-0, losing the match. I was very proud of my efforts. I had no expectations going into it but squash was a lot more tiring than I would have expected because in order to get the ball, players are required to sprint all over the court. It is

Photo by Meg Kennedy

Julia Gillette and Margaux Boles pose for a picture after their match.

definitely safe to say that I have a new respect for squash players. Besides being a little sore the next day and getting creamed by Gillette I would definitely play again! “I was expecting Margaux to not pick it up as quickly as she did, but she was actually able to move around the court pretty well and hit the ball hard,” said Duckworth. “Those are two very important skills to have when you are a beginning to play squash.” Gillette started playing when she was 12 years old. After playing three years she was

ranked 37th in her age division nationally in 2012. Because the 2013 year just started the stats have not come out for the new year. Gillette enjoys playing because it is very relaxing and plays year-round practicing usually three times a week. “Julia has a really unique playing style. She is fluid through all her shots and her movement. Her quickness allows her to reach even the toughest shots in a rally,” said Duckworth. “She is also a very quick thinker on the court where she is able to change up her shot selection to throw off her opponent at anytime.” “Julia is a really strong player,” commented Tommy Chandler. “She takes time and has good preparation before each shot and is always precise.” Other players on the team include: freshman Nubia Beasley-Bartee, Ford Johnstone, Seongsik Kim, Colin Moody; sophomores Sajjad Sainsi and Andrew Strudwick; juniors Tommy Chandler, Caroline Duckworth, Anne MacLeod, Sophie Shoemaker, and Woody Travers; and seniors Brian Challenger, Arlo Clarke, and James Padley. The squash team will be competing in nationals for the second year in a row at Yale University on February 8-10. On January 11-12 the LFA squash team hosted four teams to a home meet at Lake Forest Rec Center. These teams included Mary-Institute Country Day School from St. Louis, which brought a varsity boys and girls team as well as a junior varsity boys team, Metro Squash, Lifetime Fitness Center, and Lake Forest High School. MaryInstitute Country Day School’s number one is a girl who is committed to Stanford University next year and the number one girl from Lifetime Fitness Center is going to Williams college. The LFA squash team beat Lake Forest High School during this tournament 7-0.

Margaux Boles, junior, tries to rally with freshman Julia Gillete.

Photo by Meg Kennedy

The

range

Orange you glad you didn’t say banana? Freshly squeezed, WITH PULP

An Open Letter to Notre Dame Football

Photo courtesy of irish.nbcsports.com

The Notre Dame football team rallies before a game.

By Emily Shanley-Roberts The Orange Editor Dear Fighting Irish, I love you, but we have to talk. You need to get yourself together. I know the loss to Alabama might

be in most people’s rear view mirrors, but it should still be in your headlights. I know it’s still in mine. After an impressive undefeated season, you failed to perform when it really mattered, at the climax of a truly beautiful

#LFAproblems Each month, the Orange publishes a collection of “LFA Problems” in Twitter format. Submissions are welcome at eshanley-roberts@students.lfanet.org.

run to the top. Your first mistake was how you went into the game. Alabama came ready to win. They exist to win. They are the dynasty. You came ready to play. You were the dynasty. As the great visionary George Watsky once said, “the difference is in the differences.” Trying your best is not how you win championships. Doing better than everyone else’s best wins. Trying isn’t going to beat the best running line in the country. As you saw, they’re virtually unbeatable. I mean it in the kindest way possible when I say they won, fair and square. Your second mistake was defensively. Once that first touchdown was let in, Alabama

LFA Memes

Each month, The Orange produces a series of memes with senior Palmer Taylor.

was on a roll. Your morale went down and theirs went up. Notre Dame defense has been great this season, but this game, it didn’t work. We can just blame this on Charlie Weis, though. He didn’t see defense as a priority, as shown by your roster and records. It’s not your fault; you’re still rebuilding. I really have nothing against the Irish. I’m a huge fan, as is my family. But post-game, a trip to Hades couldn’t have thawed my heart to you. It hurt. It was depressing. There was so much hope, but then it was all gone. The dream died. However, with Brian Kelly’s coaching and the strong players that will continue at Notre Dame, there is hope for

next year. The future can be ours. What really matters is moving on. Going forward. “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” as Ricky Bobby said. Right now, you’re not first. So let’s work on fixing this. It’s time to get back to your roots -- to the essence of Notre Dame football -- winning. In closing, I must ask: Have you ever wondered if there is more to life, other than being a really really ridiculously good ND football player? Well, there’s not. And to all possible fantastic recruits, your place is at Notre Dame. It’s the only truly national team left. With love, The Orange

Photo Courtesy of Daniela Hristev

Photo Courtesy of coolspotters.com

Caxy Match

The Spectator staff agreed that junior Daniela Hristev and celebrity Khloe Kardashian bear a striking resemblance.

Caxy Cartoon: Return to School

Grumpy Cat memes courtesy of John Luttig and Hannah Thuroff

By Jane Xu