The Voice - April, 2013 by Pembroke Hill Voice

VOICE

the Envirothon’s New Leaf

April 2013 Volume XXIX, Issue VII

Megan She Staff Writer

Photo Credit to SueAnn Wright

The Envirothon team took first and second at their Regional competition in April. The Red team, consisting of Francesco DiMare ‘16, Saurabh Goel ‘16, Veronica Loskutova ‘16, Emily Beasley ‘15, and captain Logan Nichols ‘13 placed second at the competition. The Blue team, consisting of Ryan Hrinya ‘14, Vincent Czerwinski ‘14, Wanda Czerwinski ‘13, and co-captains Jeffrey Rubel ‘13 and Riley Sloan ‘13 placed first. Both teams will be advancing to the Missouri state competition at Kingdom City on May 2nd. Envirothon is an outdoor, environmental knowledge competition. Competitors take tests in five different categories: aquatic ecology, soils, forestry, wildlife, and current issues. The current issue topic changes annually: this year, it covers sustainable rangeland movement. In addition to taking these tests, students have to prepare an oral presentation about this year’s current issue. From the end of the Regional competition, the team only has two weeks to prepare their current issue presentation for state. Also, Sloan and Rubel, representing the 2013 North America Championship Envirothon team, were two of one hundred students selected to participate in the Third Annual Science Fair at the White House on April 22nd, hosted by

[Continued on Page 3]

The Official Newspaper of the Pembroke Hill School Inside the Issue

Athlete of the Issue: Natty Crenner

Club of the Issue: Model UN . . . . . Page 4 Science Olympiad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Artist: Caroline Brooks . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 From the Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14

Page 6

Political and Social Atmosphere A survey was sent out to the Upper School to determine the political and social views of the students. Pages 12 and 13. Senior Issue The Voice bids farewell to the Class of 2013. Starting on Page 15.

2 Feature

Middle School Teacher and Coach Leaving for R yals

Olive Honan Middle School Staff Writer At the end of this year, working full-time as a substiPembroke Hill will be losing tute. Then, he took one year yet another fantastic middle off and returned to teach school teacher. Jeff Diskin, English. He has coached the English teacher and baseball middle school girls’ field coach, will be leaving Kansas hockey, volleyball, and basCity to work for the Royals. ketball teams, and he is also Diskin says his new job will an Assistant Athletic Direcbe to help sixteen to twen- tor. After being the boys’ ty-two year old Latin Amer- baseball coach for so long, i c a n Diskin Diskin says his new job will be Mr. baseball says that players to help sixteen to twenty-two he hopes adjust year old Latin American the proto life in gram will A m e r - baseball players adjust to carry on ica. He just fine life in America. will be without helping them figure out how him. As for the open English to spend money, deal with position, Mrs. Toms and homesickness, learn about Mrs. Blankenship, two other American culture, and be- middle school English teachcome better citizens. He will ers, take on more classes. also be preparing them for When Mr. Diskin relayed what might happen if they the news of his new job to do not make it as a baseball the other members of the player. staff, Mr. Carolan, the midMr. Diskin started working dle school vice principal, part-time at Pembroke Hill said that everyone was both in 1996. In 1998, he started happy for him and sad to

Jeff Diskin, pictured left center around his players - Photo Credit to Olive Honan

hear that he will be leaving. “I’ve always known about Jeff’s passion for baseball,” says Carolan, “and I know he has a tremendous skill set for baseball and teaching.

I was not surprised that the opportunity presented itself to him.” He describes Mr. Diskin as both a friend and a colleague who is always positive, present, energetic,

and helpful. Diskin never fails to follow through, is always willing to learn new concepts, and cares deeply about being an outstanding teacher. n

Middle School Hiring New Counselor Isabella Barnes Middle School Staff Writer For eleven years, Pembroke Hill has only had one counselor for all of its students. This year, the Middle School has decided to change that. “We have talked about the position of a new counselor really [becoming] prevalent after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.” says Dr. Leonard. “Safety in our school is just as important as social health and emotional well-being,” added Mr. Carolan. In order to become a candidate to become a counselor of students in 6th through 8th grade, one must meet a few requirements. “Teaching experience, possibly with middle school students, would also be a great [attribute] for our candidate to have,” says Dr. Leonard. Over fifty people applied for the position as a counselor in the Middle School. After much deliberation, the list has been narrowed down to

two candidates. “I am incredibly excited [for this change],” says Mr. Carolan. “We will have an adult that will look out for our Middle School students and listen to them.” So what exactly will this new counselor help students with? “The new counselor will tackle ‘the little things’ before they become

Over 50 people applied for the position. ‘big things,’” says Dr. Leonard. “[He or she] will also oversee the advisory program, helping with the discussions in advisory.” “I am very excited about the new Middle School counselor,” says Ms. Lamb, the current counselor

of students in Pre-Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. “[This change] is something that will add to the Middle School’s needs and will be a good resource for the students, helping them deal with peers and anxiety regarding tests and other schoolwork. The new counselor will also be a good resource for teachers, helping with important presentations.” Presentation topics include bullying, dealing with friends and schoolwork. “[He or she] will need to be able to listen, be able to deal with emotions calmly,” says Ms. Lamb. “They should also be able to work with children in 6th through 8th grade, as they will be dealing with them and seeing them daily.” Hopefully the new counselor will be able to meet the challenges of becoming the 6th through 8th grade counselor of the Pembroke Hill School. n

Feature

Science Olympiad to Nationals Pembroke Hill Science Olympiad team takes second place at state competition

Emily Dema and Tammy Lee Staff Writers Science Olympiad has been consistently working hard since the beginning of the school year, and all their hard work is starting to pay off. On April 6, the Science Olympiad team traveled to Columbia, MO to compete in the Missouri State Science Olympiad contest. Out of the thirty-two teams competing, Pembroke placed an impressive second. Although the competition was a close one, Pembroke pulled ahead to secure a place in the national competition. Of the state competition, Jon Chu ‘14

said, “Overall, it was a fun competition as usual and even though it wasn’t easy, we were excited to make it to nationals.” On May 17 and 18, the team will travel to Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio to compete in the 2013 National Science Olympiad contest. They will be among 120 other Science Olympiad teams in the nation competing for the first place title. Our Science Olympiad team is a great representation of the hard work and dedication at Pembroke, and we wish them the best of luck at Nationals!n

The team poses on the steps of Jesse Hall at Missouri University. Photo Credit to Elaine Koch

Continued from Page 1:

Envirothon Team

... President Barack Obama. At the Science Fair, the President gave remarks to all the attendants and prominent science and political figures, such as Bill Nye and Kal Penn, were in attendance at the event, exploring the different exhibits. Rubel says: “The event was surreal. It was amazing getting to meet so many talented students and amazing leaders.” On most Sunday afternoons, the students meet up at SueAnn Wright’s “Science Basement” to study. Mrs. Wright is the founder of Pembroke’s Envirothon team and a PHS Middle School Science Olympiad coach. She has brought both teams to great success, and has helped them advance to the international level. Even though success

Top: Sloan and Rubel with Kal Penn. Bottom: Rubel, left, and Sloan, right, with Bill Nye the Science Guy and coach SueAnn Wright. Photo credit to SueAnn Wright and Melissa Rubel.

comes with backbreaking work, the team has its fun too. These long sessions are filled with notecards, PowerPoints, and lots of food. In order to prepare for the competition’s oral presentation compo-

nent, the teams spent ten or more hours in the Science Basement creating posters and scripts. The team owes much of its success to the dedication of their coach, SueAnn Wright. n

Life of

The Pembroke Math Team excels at state competition Paige Pepitone Staff Writer Pembroke Hill’s math team has been plotting to win points at their state tournament. The team, coached by math teacher Mr. Griffiths, has been practicing twice a week all year to prepare for the six competitions leading up to the State competition. Math team consists of twenty-six Pembroke Hill students, nineteen of whom qualified for the State competition, which was held on April 20 in Columbia, Missouri. Typically, fifty to seventy students, including the Pembroke Hill math team, compete at these competitions in four main events: the

Target Round, where students must solve eight relatively challenging questions; the Sprint Round, composed of thirty easier multiple-choice questions designed to be solved quickly; the Team Round, involving groups of three to six students who work together to solve the problems; and finally the Relay Round, where three people form a relay team to answer a math problem in parts. These parts are then passed between the members and used to solve the overall question. "Overall, math team is a lot of fun,” says Mr. Griffiths. “We had a math team lock-in this

year, where we stayed overnight in the school before one of our competitions and played tons of games, ate lots of food, and watched a couple movies. I have really enjoyed working with everyone on math team." The students share Griffith’s enthusiasm. Eli Fromm '13, who has been a member of the team all four years of high school, enjoys solving math problems with others who share his passion for the subject. "The questions are a lot of fun for people who like math,” says Fromm, “I also like hanging out with the other mathletes and the coach!" n

4 Student Life HU

Jon Chu

april fool’s day...

on this... I was surprised when I didn’t see many April Fool’s Day pranks this year. Trying to think ahead, I reviewed some classic pranks a day earlier so that I could be alert and also be equipped in case I felt an urge to go on the offensive and trick somebody else. It was my goal to be bamboozled by no one. In a way I was happy that no pranks were pulled on me, but I was also somewhat disappointed not to see other people being tricked. I suppose the lack of pranks could have been because April 1st happened to be the Monday we returned from spring break; people may have simply been too tired to play jokes on their friends. But Google and YouTube pulled through, each finding a way to exploit the user’s trust of their legitimacy, and I’m sure many people found themselves sniffing their computer screens. I know I was deceived for a moment when I heard YouTube was really just an eight-year video contest. It’s probably a good thing that April Fool’s Day isn’t a national holiday; that could really get out of hand. But this day of shenanigans actually has a rich history spread across many cultures; in fact it may have its roots in a Persian holiday called Sizdah Bedar, which was celebrated 2500 years ago and is still celebrated today. Clearly, humans must play pranks on each other at least one day a year, so we ought to keep the tradition alive. n

World DoMUNation

Model United Nations Participates in its Annual Conference

Glenn Lane ‘14 and Adam Starr ‘14, representing the Philippines, express their opinions about small arms in the Model United Nations caucus. Photo Credit to Riya Mehta.

Maya Patel Managing Editor The hallways of the Upper School were quiter on April 10th as members of Model United Nations participated in their annual conference at JCCC. At the conference, students have the unique opportunity to act as delegates for various nations in a simulation of the real United Nations. Students choose their countries based on their interests, and co-president of the club, Kate Berkley ’14, adds, “We try to choose countries that have different governments and policies than the U.S., as Model UN offers a rare opportunity to think from the perspective of a citizen from

another country.” Along with choosing countries, students also choose between committees that discuss different issues. Depending upon their committee, students write position papers prior to the conference discussing issues within the country they are representing and how they would solve these problems. Through extensive research, students learn about the government and issues within their nation. Faculty sponsor, Dr. Niermann, describes Model UN as an “experience in international policy in which [students] develop consensus and diplomacy rather than trying to win a de-

bate.” At the conference, students representing different nations in the UN from about ten different schools in the metro area discuss different issues just as would be done in the actual UN. Model UN is an amazing experience for students to get a taste of international affairs and policy, and co-president Cynthia Wang ’14 describes the experience, saying, “You get to step into the shoes of a different country and think in a completely different frame of mind. It’s refreshing.” n

Student Life 5

Middle School Science Olympiad: “Dayton, Ohio, here we come!” Davis Brooks Middle School Staff Writer On Saturday, April 6, Pembroke Hill’s Middle School Science Olympiad team finished second at the Missouri State Competition. This grants them a spot at the national competition held in Dayton, Ohio this year. T h e state competition was held at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Thirty-two teams from all across the state came together clashing heads in 25 events covering the spectrum of all science topics. To advance to Nationals from State, a team has to place in the top two in their state. Pembroke Hill has traditionally done very well at State tournaments. This May, the team will travel to Wright State University in Ohio to

battle with the top teams from each state. Nathalie Kiersznowski, an eighth grader on the team, mentioned what she had to do to prepare for the State competition. Kiersznowski competes in events including Water Quality and Experimental Design. She noted that getting ready for the big State tournament had not been easy, but she knew she and her teammates would be ready after spending everyday at school for weeks until at least 5:30 pm working on their respective events. To train for an event like Water Quality, which tests the contestants’ knowledge of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of water, Kiersznowski spent hours memorizing definitions, absorbing as much material as she could, while training with her coach and partner.

The hard work is far from over.

Team poses proudly with trophy. Photo Credit to Sandy Longhofer.

Parker Elsberry, another eighth grade team member,

Above: Team and coaches prepare for the tournament at Missouri University

had a different experience while preparing for the tournament. He competes in multiple building events, such as Helicopters and Mousetrap Vehicle. These more handson events require the competitor to build an object within certain guidelines and complete a defined task. To achieve this goal, Elsberry and his partners had run their devices countless times to make them operate efficiently and deal with the temperamental results the machines occasionally put forth.

All the hours of practice paid off for the Middle School team when they heard “Pembroke Hill” called at the awards ceremony as a team advancing on to Nationals. The members of the team agree: To prepare for Nationals, they will need to ramp up what they have already done to prepare for State. Up to this point, the team hasbeen working to advance from one tournament to the next. After working tirelessly, the whole team agrees that it should not be for nothing, and the hard work is far from over. n

6 Sports

Natty Crenner

Michael Rubel Web Designer Senior Natty Crenner has been playing lacrosse long before the sport became popular at Pembroke Hill. Inspired by his father's college lacrosse career, Crenner began his lacrosse career as an early third grader. After joining the high school's team, Crenner quickly worked

his way up to becoming the only freshman varsity player at the time, an experience which would take him to that year's state quarterfinal game. Although most lacrosse forwards are the main goal-scorers, Crenner admits he "can't shoot," so he passes as many assists as possible. Don't see this as a weakness, though; last year he had

more assists than the rest of the team combined. After advancing to last year's state championship and narrowly missing a victory, Crenner believes this year's team has "all of the ingredients" to defeat rivals Shawnee Mission East and claim the title. And, with Crenner’s leadership as a team captain this year, the odds are surely in their favor. n

Right: Crenner advances past an opponent. Left: Crenner looks to pass to a teammate.

Lily Friedman Miriam Swartz Business Manager One of this month’s featured athletes is senior soccer superstar Lily Friedman. Friedman “can’t even remember” when she started playing soccer, but all these years later, she’s certainly glad she did. Friedman is currently serving as captain of the girls’ soccer team, and boasts an impressive list of accomplishments, including being a member of last year’s First Team All-State roster, that make her a perfect leader. But Friedman’s favorite part of soccer has little to do with awards and recognitions. “My favorite part of playing soccer

is getting out all of my frustration on the field. It's fun to just let loose and stop thinking about drama and stress.” Friedman has played varsity soccer all four years of high school, and vividly remembers scoring the winning goal against the St. Pius X Warriors to qualify for the state tournament her sophomore year. She explains that more than anything else, she will miss her “connection with all the girls on the team” next year. Friedman plans to attend the University of Texas, Austin, to major in nutrition. While she will not be suiting up as a varsity player there, she hopes to continue to play club soccer in her free time. n

Lily Friedman ‘13 avoids an opponent as she maneuvers the ball across the field.

C As spring is rolls around, tennis players in and around Kansas City have come out of hibernation. Long winters stuck in freezing bubbles are beginning to be replaced by warm, though occasionally rainy, spring days I caught up with senior tennis player Chandler McCray last week and managed to get a closer look into his involvement in tennis.

handler McCray

Voice: When did you start playing tennis?

V: What is your current position on the team?

Chandler: I started playing tennis when I was four at the Kansas City Country Club, but at that point I did not take it very seriously. When I was eleven, the coaches at the club told me that if I wanted to achieve a higher level than I already had then I would have to go to a more serious program. I then moved to Overland Park Racquet Club which eventually formed into KCUT (Kansas City United Tennis).

C: It is still early in the season and I have already played some number 1 and some number 2, so whether March Zheng â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;14 or I will play number 1 come the end of the season still has yet to be determined.

V: What kind of role does tennis play for you outside of school? C: Tennis consumes much more of my time outside of school. During the school season, rather than playing two and a half hours Monday through Thursday, I only play an hour and a half Monday through Friday. During the summer, that time lengthens for me again when KCUT practice switches to the hours of noon to four. V: How long have you been playing on the school team? C: I have played on the school team every year since I have been at Pembroke, so this is my fourth year on the team.

Sports 7

V: What do you enjoy most about tennis team? C: My favorite thing about the school tennis team is that it is the only time of the year that I am part of a team for tennis. When I play USTA sponsored events outside of school, I am used to traveling alone and staying with just a parent. It is a cool change when you add the team dynamic to a sport that usually doesn't have it. V: As a senior, what are you most looking forward to this season? C: This season, I'm most looking forward to the state scene again. Although we've won it the last four years, with the loss of last year's seniors it will by far be the hardest to take it again this year, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Cindy Wang Assistant Editor

8 Arts Cormac Chester Staff Writer

Artist of the Issue:

Caroline Brooks

Another fantastic senior artist, Caroline Brooks ‘13, will be leaving us soon. Like many other students, Brooks’ creativity has left a mark on Pembroke Hill’s art department. Her favorite mediums are photography and digital art, in which her little sister, Catherine, is not only a guiding light for her photography but also the subject many of her works. Brooks explains, “… creating the shoots with my sister were always fun. The carefree and relaxed attitude between Catherine and me made it easier to create new and different ideas.” These photos were not only original, but “almost every shoot resulted in a different and better image than I had planned. ” While photography is Brooks‘ main art form, she also enjoys painting. “When I visit museums I go straight to the contemporary and modern art section to view the paintings, mixed media, and installation pieces.” She elaborates, stating that each piece of art has its own deeper meaning and personal touch. To Brooks, the personal part of a piece is what makes

it most enjoyable. Some of her favorite artists include painters like James Tissot, with his depiction of modern life, and photographers like Irving Penn, with his work at Vogue. As a senior, Brooks has chosen to study art in college. She applied to both USC (University of Southern California) and SMU (Southern Methodist University) and plans to earn a bachelor‘s degree in fine arts. Her emphasis will be on photography and digital art, as many of her best pieces are photographs. Brooks also hopes to pursue a profession in advertising because she wants to work on the more creative aspects of the job. But before she heads off to college, Brooks will be working in a children‘s art studio during the summer. According to her, “[working in a children‘s art studio] hardly seems like a job because I love working with art and children.” In any case, Brooks will surely be rewarded with her hard work in photography as she moves on from Pembroke. n

Arts 9

Recipe of the Issue Artist of the Issue: Veronica Reardon Oh Henry Bars Ingredients:

6 cups uncooked oatmeal 1 cups melted butter 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 3/4 cups white corn syrup 1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips or butterscotch chips 3/4 cups chunky peanut butter Instructions:

Above: Reardon poses with her teacher, Judy Koster. Below: Reardon performs at the final concert for the Kansas City String Quartet Program. Photo credits to Veronica Reardon.

Laura Hibschman Staff Writer Veronica Reardon ‘13 is an extraordinary violinist. When she was only four years old, her parents asked her if she wanted to play violin. She said yes even without knowing how much she would grow to love it. Looking back, she is very glad she made that decision. Five years ago, Reardon joined the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. In addition, she plays in the Dolce Strings, a group of string musicians from her studio. Reardon has also participated in the Kansas City String Quartet Program and has attended Suzuki camp. This past year, Reardon added to her repertoire by playing violin in the production of A Christmas Carol at the Kansas City Repertory Theater. Since her sophomore year, Reardon has competed in the MSHSAA District Solo Competition, receiving the highest possible rating each year. These superior scores have advanced her to the State Solo Competition, where she earned top scores her sophomore and junior years. In March, her score at the District Competition qualified her to, once again, compete at State in late April. Along with playing violin, Reardon also plays viola, and she says that she would love

to learn how to play bass guitar and piano. While at first she did not appreciate the violin, she has come to realize that “playing music is really wonderful!” When reflecting upon the matter, Reardon said, “Every piece of music can be played in a million different ways. It’s the musician’s job to make it her own. You have to find a way to love every piece of music you play, which actually isn’t difficult at all.” Overall, Reardon says that playing music is an amazing ability to have, and it has had a great impact on her life. She plans to make playing violin a lifelong passion, and along with playing in ensembles, she will probably minor in violin or another musical field in college. Until then, Reardon will continue to play violin here in Kansas City for competition and for fun. n

“You have to find a way to love every piece of music you play, which actually isn’t difficult at all.”

1. Mix the oatmeal, butter, sugar, vanilla and syrup together. 2. Spread on a lightly greased 11x17-inch cookie sheet. 3. Bake the bars for 15 minutes at 375. 4. Let them cool. 5. Melt the chips and peanut butter together in the top of a double boiler. 6. Spread the melted mixture on the cooled, cut bars. 7. Enjoy!

Recipe from Sandy Longhofer

10 Off Campus The Wonderful World of Zebedee’s

Arianna Lane and Aden Macmillan Assistant Editor and Copy Editor As we wandered down 39th street during our monthly KC Crawl adventure, we had just about lost hope in discovering the perfect hidden treasure when an eccentrically decorated, old, red building grabbed our attention. Immediately enthralled by its eye-catching exterior, we decided that we had to check it out, even though weren’t quite sure what was inside. As we curiously entered Zebedee’s, we were welcomed by Led Zeppelin's ageless melodies and stacks upon stacks of records, CDs, and tapes. Soul, funk, folk, gospel, country, jazz, pop, punk, metal, hip-hop, dub-step; every music genre imaginable was sorted in crates that filled the main room from corner to corner. We were dazzled by the walls, which were a collage of album posters, psychedelic art, and other eclectic decorations. We had found our new KC Crawl obsession. Owners Dave, Steve, and Myles opened Zebedee’s at 1208 39th street in KC, MO six years ago. The three men have owned various music stores for ages, but starting a store together was something new. When asked why they’ve been in the business so long, Myles responded,

“Because we love it. We love everything about it. To me, music is the ultimate hammer of the Gods.” Though they carry a very diverse selection in order to suit their multifarious customers, Zebedee’s is best known for their jazz and alternative music, along with their great prices. Only a fraction of Zebedee’s music is bought from distributors; most is vintage and comes from all over the country, because bands travelling through Kansas City love to stop by the unique little store to trade a part of their collection. Not only do visiting musicians come to Zebedee’s for music, but they also drop off posters and fun knickknacks such as action figures and dream-catchers, all of which are kept for decoration for the store. Zebedee’s is particularly proud of one holiday in which they participate: National Independent Record Store Day, held on April 20 this year. On this day, record labels distribute extremely limited editions of albums to independently owned record stores, some of which are albums that were never before released to the public. Over four hundred musicians and bands participated in this day, with artists ranging from the smallest of indie bands to household names like Paul McCartney. This year’s special attraction was a Jimmi Hendrix vinyl that only has 900 copies worldwide. Pink

Floyd, Elliot Smith, Jimmy Eat World, and Iron and Wine are also some major names on the musician line-up for this year. People look forward to Independent Record Store Day all year and will line up outside Zebedee’s for blocks, trying to squeeze their way in to find a treasure that they may never be able to get their hands on again. Among the mountainous stacks of thousands of records, you can find any type of music you could possibly dream of, making Zebedee’s a haven for everyone who has ears.n Until next time,

Aden and Ari

Opinion 11

Toto, I Don’t Think We’re in Kansas Anymore . . .

Riya Mehta and Cynthia Wang Managing Editors

Dear Cynthia,

Dear Riya,

Take it back. Just take it back.

Life sucks, and do you want to know why? It’s snowing in Kansas City. It’s snowing over spring break. SPRING BREAK. We are in the middle of March and there are several inches of snow on the ground. Spring break is supposed to be about having fun outdoors and being in the sun at the park, but no, Mother Nature decided to deny us that privilege. And why, I must ask, do we deserve this miserable weather? What have we done to warrant such harsh retribution? You know, I actually used to really enjoy snow. We had so many snow days because of it, but now I really hate it. I’m tired of seeing all of this flat, snow-covered land. The gray mush that accumulates on the sides of streets is gross, and I’m getting sick of staying in my house all day because I am snowed in. I have run out of TV shows to watch on Netflix, and hot chocolate no longer tastes as good as it did. This situation is particularly miserable because it is spring break. Oh wait. You’re in California. You don’t understand the anguish I feel. You’re in the land that is sunny year-round. You’re probably even near a beach. Life is so unfair.

First of all, I may be in California, but the weather certainly isn’t perfect here either. This morning, when I looked out of my hotel window, I saw a gloomy sky brimming with clouds. When I walked outside, I was cold in my jacket and jeans. So yes, I may be near a beach, but unfortunately the water is so freezing that all I can do is sit and shiver here on the sand as I read your overdramatic plea. So maybe there’s no snow on the ground here, but I would much prefer the snow to this in-between-winter-and-summer-but-not-spring weather. In fact, if I were back home with you, I would be having a great time. So what if we get a few more weeks of winter? I LIKE winter. The snow is beautiful. And there are plenty of fun winter activities. You could go sledding, build a snowman, pull out some Christmas music, drink some hot chocolate (because, no matter what you say, hot chocolate never gets old). Just stick it out a few more weeks because I’m sure that when you’re sweating in the July heat, you’ll be wishing for the cold weather. Then I’ll have to hear you complain again.

Your depressed friend,

Wishing you a very merry Spring Break,

Cynthia

Riya

P.S. You better buy me a cool souvenir.

P.S. I got you snow boots.

Charles Li Contributor

The Plight of the Honeybees

It’s springtime, and you’re glad that winter is finally over. The sun is shining, the air is refreshingly cool, the birds are calling to each other, and the flowers are in full bloom. Everything seems normal. Or does it? If you take a closer look at the flowers, you may notice that there is a shortage of bees. You are overjoyed at first; after all, who wants to get stung by an overgrown fly? Then, the seriousness of the situation dawns upon you. Honeybees are actually very useful because they help mankind by pollinating crops. When the bees go away, harvests shrink and food prices soar.

What was the cause of this calamity? Nobody has any sure answers. In recent years, a mysterious sickness has been steadily killing off honeybees across the country. This year, the bee population has taken an even bigger hit. Commercial beekeepers report that forty to fifty percent of their hives have already been wiped out. Researchers and beekeepers alike believe that a powerful new class of pesticides called neonicotinoids is responsible for this “colony collapse disorder.” Before colony collapse disorder first started to appear in 2005, beekeepers were only losing five to ten percent of their bees. Now with almost half of their population decimated, the remaining hives struggle to pollinate many of the nation’s fruits and vegetables.

Although neonicotinoids and other pesticides have not yet been proven to be the cause of colony collapse disorder, the fact of the matter remains the same. Bee populations are declining, which will negatively impact the food industry. So the next time you see a honeybee on your soda or buzzing over your head, don’t squash it. It’s more than meets the eye. ■

What Does Pembroke Think?

Pembroke Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Political and Social Atmosphere Survey Receives Intriguing Responses The Voice recently sent out various questions targeting Pembroke Hill studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; social and political views. As freshman are finishing their first year in the high school and seniors are preparing to embark on their college careers, April seems like the perfect time to reflect on the atmosphere in our school. Controversial questions concerning friendship, happiness, morality, and religion garnered different responses but have given us a comprehensive understanding of the feelings within the school community as a whole.

Political Views

Social Atmosphere

What Does Pembroke Think?

Political Views

Social Atmosphere

14 From the Archives

Dare to be True: Medlock Speaks

Tom Medlock Faculty contibutor

Reprinted from April 2000 I was enormously ambitious in high school, did well academically, cared and stressed about grades, and had lofty goals. College was much the same, though about half way through certain things began to matter more to me than flat out “success.” Fortunately, these “things” began to grab my attention more and more. By the time I graduated from college I was in an interesting position. The momentum of my ambitions had propelled me to a good medical school, but these “things” continued to “distract” me from the “success” which

stood at my doorstep. Only two months into medical school, these “things” finally took control of my life, leading me to abandon all the “success” I had worked toward for so m a n y years. I still remember telling my parents I had quit: “Well, good bye and good luck,” my mom said as she hung up the phone. It was the happiest day of my life. Now, when I was in high school it

was precisely the prestige of being a doctor that drew me the most. After all, doctors were viewed as quacks up until a little more t h a n 1 0 0 years ago in t h i s country. My pursuit of high grades had little to do with love of learning, following the promptings of my innermost self, and a lot to do with “all the usual surroundings of social life which are vain and futile.” In ret-

Too much emphasis at Pembroke Hill is placed on getting good grades so you can get into a good school

rospect, a lot of the work I did and most of the stress I felt were a waste of time. Finally I stopped playing the game. Was I taking a risk? Huge. Would you be taking a risk if you did the same? Yes. But let me ask you this, when you look at adults, do most of them seem happy to you? Too much emphasis at Pembroke Hill is placed on getting good grades so you can get into a good school, so you can be a “success.” What is your definition of success? What type of success do you want to feel, not 1 year, not 2, not 5, but 20 years from now? Still want to be playing the game? n

Goodbye United We Stand Lemonade Stands Divided We Fa

Kate Berry Managing Editor

I’m not on track, but I sure feel like it. My life is fixed permanently on a fast-forward button and full of hurdles…When one hurdle is cleared, the next one is right there, and the next, and the next, and the next. Where did the relaxation go? Where did being a teenager go? These days, we seem to believe that in order to stay ahead, we must stay constantly productive and efficient. Not a minute can go to waste…Being busy is a part of life. We are plagued by busyness. Yesterday, after driving down my street around 5 p.m., I saw kids playing outside across the street. They are still in elementary school and don’t have a care in the

Liz Baker Editor-in-Chief

Reprinted from April 1996 On rare occasions I am overcome by a feeling of closeness to every other student in the upper school. The fleeting moments of unity between other PHS kids and me will be remembered after graduation as my favorite part of high school. In my own utopian world, our school would make these flashes of spirit and unity a daily occurrence. PHS has the potential to be a place of fellowship and affability. We can be an academic pow-

erhouse and still celebrate the strengths of one another outside the classroom. When we learn to appreciate and befriend one another on a regular basis, we can start living “the best days of our lives”—high school. Unfortunately, moments like these are few and far between. It takes a special circumstance to bring together the students of PHS. It seems like everyone is so caught up in his or her “own thing” that we forget about other students’ successes. Because of this, we are all missing out on some great experi-

ences and friendships. Pembroke Hill is a school of considerable academic prowess, fabulous athletic talent, and countless other strengths. The combination of all these traits under one roof is what makes PHS such an amazing institution. We should take pride in our school and one another. Rise up, fellow Pembroke Hillians—accept the challenge and celebrate everything our school has to offer. n

Reprinted from April 2000

world. I began to think back on those times, the times when I would build forts with the neighbors, explore new places on bikes, and profit from lemonade stands. When and why did those times pass us by? High school, according to elders, is the best time of one’s life. But, with all the things we’re involved in, it sometimes feels like hell. When is it possible to enjoy ourselves? We’re still kids. You’ve got to enjoy life while it’s there. Forget about your homework. Go over and play basketball with the neighborhood kids, show them your patented freethrow, enjoy yourself. Keep the child within you alive. You’ll see that’s what life is all about…riding bikes, building forts, and lemonade stands. n

Why these articles? A word from the Voice staff. Here at the Voice, we encourage you to grasp life by the throat and live it to pieces. Mentally relinquish that which disrupts your peace of mind. Only you can free yourself, because only you have the control. Create your own definition of success, and work to fulfill that personal vision. Ask yourself each day: Am I happy?

Class of 2013 The Annual Senior Issue

VOICE

the

Class of 2013 Internal Supplement to the April Issue of the Voice Inside the Issue Riley Sloanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Hurrah . . . . . . Page 16

Month in Review p. 23

Capstone Photo Poll . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Editors-in-Chief Resign . . . . . . . . Page 22

Page 2

Feature: Student Soldiers Learn more about the two PHS Seniors who are graduating with intention of joining the military. Pages 21. To Whom it May Concern... Excerpts from graduating Seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; college essays. Page 20.

16 Riley Sloan THE FINAL INSTALLMENT oF

And in my completely unbiased opinion....

The World According to Riley Sloan

On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was shot and killed. He had just won the California primary and was on his way to becoming the Democratic presidential candidate. Although opposed by the Democratic party leadership, big business, unions, and the president, RFK fought with the full force of popular support by the masses. He campaigned for racial and economic justice, non-aggression in foreign policy, decentralization of power, and social improvement. He believed that America’s youth would lead the way toward a better future. What happened to that kind of politician? Bobby Kennedy stood for social justice and the public good. Today’s politicians quibble over the deficit and sequestration. Our government needs to be fiscally responsible, but the long term well-being of Americans is more important. Why do we worry so much about public debt? The vast majority of America’s debt is held by Americans. The only issue with debt is that it could potentially raise inflation and our interest rates. But there are no current signs of inflation, and interest rates are at historic lows. Inflation goes up with employment, so if we want Americans to go back to work, we need to accept that inflation will occur. And we do want Americans to go back to work. Americans who work have more money to buy stuff, increasing demand. When demand goes up, businesses hire more people to make more stuff, causing more people to buy stuff, and GDP goes up so the standard of living goes up. But how do we get Americans back to work? Conservatives say cut taxes. While in theory this can help people have more money to buy stuff, much of the money people keep from tax cuts is saved, not spent. In fact, the higher the income, the more money is saved instead of spent, so cutting taxes for the rich helps the economy less. The fact is that austerity, trickle down, laissez faire, whatever you want to call it, doesn’t work. Look at Europe: its deficits are growing because European countries cut public spending. This pulled demand out of their economies, raising unemployment and lowering tax revenues. When Bobby ran for president, the richest 1 percent of Americans paid a top marginal rate of 78 percent and an effective rate of 54 percent. Today, they pay a top marginal rate of 39 percent and an effective rate of 23 percent. And what is the result? The richest one percent went from earning less than a tenth of America’s income to a fifth of it. The richest 400 Americans have more money than the bot-

tom 150,000,000. The real median wage keeps decreasing and one in five American children live in poverty. Are tax cuts worth such social injustice? When the government spends money, it is paying businesses for goods and services. It is providing the poor with money which they must spend because they cannot afford to save anything. It is pumping cash directly into the economy. This money creates jobs, which create buyers, which

create more jobs. Business owners don’t hire when they get a tax cut; corporations are sitting on plenty of cash. Businesses hire when there is more demand, and there is more demand when there is more spending. Missouri and Kansas have been in a tax-cut war to lure businesses across State Line, but there has been minimal net change in employment, and both states are running out of money for education. Federal and state funding for education, welfare, unemployment, and infrastructure continues to be slashed. Government spending funds our schools and infrastructure, so why stop investing in America’s future and American youth just to balance a budget in the short term? Even if we stopped cutting taxes and kept cutting spending, is a balanced budget worth sacrificing America’s future? Spending improves the economy, balancing the budget in the long term as employment soars and tax revenues go up. But the real solution is a socially-conscious youth. RFK said: [It] is young people who must take the lead... many of the world's greatest movements have

flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant Reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and the thirty-two-year-old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. These men and women moved the world, and so can we all. Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation… It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man or woman stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. We are the youth of which RFK spoke. Most of us will not go into politics, but we all live in this world together. Youth need to learn about the issues facing us, and learn that whether it is through running for office or voting or helping a stranger out or volunteering, everything we do will drive humanity forward. As Bobby Kennedy said: “Through no virtues and accomplishments of our own, we have been fortunate enough to be born in the United States under the most comfortable conditions. We, therefore, have a responsibility to others who are less well off.” This is not idle idealism. Government is not about deficits or tax cuts for the wealthy. It is about love. It is about social justice. Government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. All of them.n

Seniors 17

Photo Poll

Senior Capstones Kansas City Kid

“

By Parker Sterneck

“

I investigate Truman, Pendergast, and the Political Machine and how it helped Truman become President in my capstone.

Space Elevator: Getting to Space on a Thread By Logan Nichols

“

In my capstone, I investigate the concept of the space elevator and the ramifications it can have for humanity’s exploration and expansion into space.

By: Caroline Thomas

Storytelling Devices: Modern Dance and Hip Hop By Natalie Ortega Wells “Dance is the Hidden Language of the Soul” -Martha Graham

“

Happy With Change: My Attempt at not losing My Marbles during High School and the College Process

“

America’s current social and economic climate means that these marginalized people have been overlooked by the governement as well as their community, often being put into prison and being denied affordable healthcare. However the movement for reform care and increase availability is gaining momentum. America is now on the cusp of change.

In my capstone, I investigate storytelling devices in Modern Dance. My capstone also includes an experimental portion involving the storytelling of Pride and Prejudice through modern dance.

“

Get Mad, Get Even

By Daryl Rosenblum In this capstone, Daryl investigates the mistreatement of individuals with mental illness:

18 Seniors

The Class of 2013 in 13 Words

The Class of 2013 is too intelligent to be anything less than great.

We are a dedicated group—dedicated to our craft, friends, studies, and spiritlessness.

Simone Schmid

Ritika Abhyankar

Thirteen words is several hundred too few to define such a wonderful class.

It’s either rolling eyes or hunched-over horror: You’re serious about this grammar thing? Mr. Causey

Ted Gallagher

I cannot describe our class in thirteen words; I suppose we defy description. Amelia Mohr

Truly some of the best performers of the teapot song of all time! Mr. Hennessy

Great class of Peer Tutors who genrously gave back to the PHS community! Anonymous

The smartest and least spirited class to roam the halls of Pembroke Hill. Jeffrey Rubel

Just generally better people than many of the other classes, past and future. Eli Fromm

Seniors 19

Senior Memories “Fleas only jump north” Another favorite is whenever somebody uses the word lifestyle in Loeb essay, and he or she receives the comment “educated people don’t use this word.” Amelia Mohr

Its a horrible thing to hear, but listen to your parents..... they’ve been alive longer, seen more of the world, and know so many embarressing things you think are a secret from them . Also, they’ve wiped your naked rear end.

“Well, let’s just say Dr. Tostevin thinks Yuan Shikai is a better name than Sun Yat-Sen. He’s wrong.” “One final question for Mr. Griffiths: Do I need to simplify this?” “¿Profa, podemos tener una fiesta en el aire libre con juegos hoy?” Envirothon, Voice, Science Basement, ʺAnything for Number Theory,ʺ Awesome Aquifers with Bill, Water Quality (Devon and Nathalie), Bison and Passenger Pigeon (Dr. Niermann knows what I mean)

MK (Mary Katherine Andrews), Riley’s poop jokes, Hosain’s hair, Jeffrey’s anxiety, Daryl Rosenblum’s calling Snow Falling on Cedars’ Ishmael a ʺhuge toolʺ in class, Harold Edwards’ ridiculously polite demeanor, Ritika <3, Lindley Round’s pre-essay nerves, Luke McCarthy’s sarcasm (You’re mah boy, Luke!!!!!!), Cross Country (Aaahhh!) state

Jeffrey Rubel

Mr. Hennessy

CHIEF. Mrs. Maxson

Jan Term trips! Cross Country Districts and State! Choir Trips, especially Carnegie Hall!

“Fleas only jump north” (Tostevin’s 9th grade class), Earth Day ’10, Music Man ’10, sea anemones, Voice paste-ups, hop-scotch across the quad, BC Calc Hibachi final, band concerts, Apples to Apples at math competitions, Jones/Loeb junior year, to just name a few.

Eli Fromm

I will miss my AP Spanish class! I have had such a blast teaching you all this year. Carry on with those Spanish studies in college and keep in touch!

In Tostevin’s freshman year Ritika Abhyankar class, one day - before he arrived to class - we all agreed to do a “Chinese fire-drill.” We sat down in Sra. Martinovic our usual seats. Then, when he walked Ms. Rosenfield into the room somebody shouted, ʺChinese fire drill!ʺ and we all ran around the room and I’ll miss Rubel’s myriad questions, Sahchanged seats. Tostevin sat there for a minute, gal’s excuses, and Marsh’s intentions. I’ll pensively staring at us as we laughed at our miss Lesley’s “if-then” statements, Mendelwit. Then he calmly said, ʺAre we ready to sohn’s silver-linings, and Tivol saying: “I guess I begin?ʺ and commenced his lecture as I loved moments on the can see your point.” I’ll miss Doane’s thoroughness, though nothing had happened. track team where we would Fang’s brilliance, and Goel’s willingness to convert the all cry, hug, and laugh togethbanal into the metaphysically interesting. I’ll miss Morgan’s Amelia Mohr er. Prom 2012 was one of the best kindness, Kaur’s willingness to work, and McCarthy’s laconic dances I have ever attended. Cheering summations. I might miss Mr. Anderson’s odd perspectives, but for the boys soccer 2011 and boys lacrosse only because they were usually balanced-out by Hesse’s insights 2012 at the stadium was SO INTENSE and SO and Ben Gallagher’s honesty. I’ll miss the sincerity of Hooley, the quite MUCH FUN!!! It is great to encourage your fellow manners of McNearney, and the straight-forward-shootings of Ted Galclassmates. Getting 2nd at state for girls track lagher. I’ll miss Barhorst’s enthusiasm, Carter’s perseverance, and Color Wars Junior and field is unforgettable. I also loved math Schmid’s earnest answers. I’ll miss the creative explanations for exyear. Everyone stormed team winning the championship for the actly why Misters Slaughter and Edwards were perpetually late, out of the dodgeball game Midwest Region. and the microscopic asides penned by Miss Andrews. I’ll miss and into the commons. ApparGray-Gribble’s “Okays,” Siegel’s sincerity, and Price’s ently I didn’t hear the, ʺdestroy Simone Schmid growing confidence. I’ll miss Grooms’ willingness to everything except the solo cup arch!ʺ work, Kizer’s kind heart, Turner’s determination, So, of course, I took that arch to and Miss Robertson’s raised hand: “I have just the ground. I had to hide in the one more question.” library for a week. Lock the door behind door. Dr. Clothier

Elizabeth Starr

Mr. Causey

20 Seniors IMPORTANT POSSESSIONS

The brown, box-toed cowboy boots were raised on a shelf in Dodge City’s western supply store. The soles made their first footprints, a milestone moment, at the county fair. Then, they migrated east to Kansas City. The pair navigated the halls of a new high school, overwhelmed by a hundred pairs of Converses and designer flats. A few months later, they realized seventy more kids than middle school still meant you knew more about your teachers and classmates than you really wanted to know. Homecoming dates, break-ups, and bad grades spread like the news of your picnic’s location among an ant colony. The boots jumped between social groups, sticking one foot into the cross country or soccer clique and another into the Science Olympiad team’s realm. They watched soccer games from a duffel behind the bench, became temporary cicada residences during cross country meets, and rested on the backs of creaky upholstered chairs during movie theatre dates. The boots debated in favor of Hammurabi’s Code, wrote a term paper about Dr. Spock’s permissiveness, and decorated mounds of notebook paper with cartoons during history class. After ceramics, they gave socks clay dust makeovers for months. In drawing, a precarious pile of chairs became the shoes’ sole subject for weeks. The right boot claimed to be an artist while the left was set on science and math, but the right conceded to take AP chemistry instead of AP studio art. Like their ventures into both the creative and the scientific, they were both conformists and rebels. At the 2012 Sheridan Wyo Rodeo, they blended in among the sea of plaid shirts, cowboy hats, and boots. Their square toe boxes proudly followed the American flag’s movement across the stadium. At National Science Olympiad competitions in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida, they stood out in an army of tennis shoes and ballet flats presenting models, writing labs, and taking tests. During school vacations, the boots discussed the Harry Potter books with a shoe shiner in Mumbai, Spanish vocabulary with Guarani students in Paraguay, and the summer’s pitiful hay yield with a rancher in Wyoming. They comforted sore feet after a sixteen-mile hike in Glacier National Park, walked the ridge of Custer’s last stand, and endured nine hours at the Gettysburg battlefield. Though the boots have had lowlights like mucking horse stalls, they treasure highlights like exploring a trail in the Rocky Mountains for the first time, even if it means getting lost for a few hours. Proud to be made in the USA, they will be proud to add a little western flair to a college or university across this great country and ecstatic to again escape the confines of my closet.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL Traditionally,

the men ate first, but Maria put my plate at the head of the table. As my faced turned red, she explained, “They need to get used to women, but I have to watch everyone.” When I wanted to organize a meeting to discuss gender equality in Paraguay, the majority of the girls’ mothers refused to let them participate. Maria just shook her head and said, “You need a new plan.” We called the re-designed activity El Club de Las Chicas, and friendship bracelets were to be the main attraction with some serious discussion on the side. Alice Paul would have been proud; Maria was a true feminist.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

She handed me a piece of paper that read, “Pretend you are foreigner seeking citizenship in the United States of America. You and the other fourteen people in this room are vying to be one of the six who become citizens. You must convince your group to accept your application.”… As our debate continued I compromised my morals more and more. My feelings of remorse and sympathy were repressed. I felt so in control when I realized my strategy was working; I would become a citizen. But, something did not feel right. I was arguing the complete opposite of everything I stood for: opportunity, freedom, and education for all. When the hour came to an end, I was a citizen along with five other people. But, as I looked around and saw my friends stare tearfully back at me, I knew I had made a mistake. Immediately, I felt regret. Winning a prize or succeeding in a goal is not worth it if you slander or disregard people in the process. Friends deserve love. Honor is my closest ally. In the immigration game, hubris was my nemesis. Now, wisdom is my victory.

SECRET HOBBIES

In the earliest days of our relationship, I would stay up late at night listening to recitation after recitation of Mali’s poems until I had them memorized all the way down to the specific intonation he uses with certain words. Even though “On Girl’s Lending Pens” and “What Teachers Make” became part of my vocabulary—no more evasive to my memory than words learned for quizzes in English class—they were definitely not part of my diction; my fascination stayed out of sight, only showing its face in the wee hours of the morning when there was nobody around.

LIFE STORIES If I hadn’t lis-

tened closely, I could have mistaken the sound of my mother crying in the night as the hoot of a desperate, forlorn owl. My ceiling fan was quietly whirring, whispering that I should ignore her cries, and by extension, the problems entangled in my parents’ twenty-four years of marriage. Chastising the ceiling fan, I swung out of bed and shuffled to the living room couch where my mother lay sobbing bitterly. Placing her head in my lap, I smoothed her hair as she had done for me when I was a child. I had learned from her the intricacies of sympathy; it was fitting that I should so often comfort her. I listened as she weepingly told me of my father’s return from his business trip; she had expected some basic acknowledgement of her difficulties in his absence, and some small reaffirmation of love. Apparently, she had received nothing. While she had been speaking, my father had wearily emerged from the basement to stand behind us and listen to her criticism. He tiredly told her to go to bed, reassuring her that he would not be sharing it with her. My mother stiffened. Sensing an argument that my presence would not improve, I got up and returned to my bedroom, listening as my mother yelled at my passive father, who had simply walked away. I could see both sides. Having been pulled in opposite directions by these emotionally immature forces for nearly a decade, I had repeatedly seen the truth: my parents’ marriage was a bumpy routine smoothed by their mutual love for their four children. I had served as my mother’s midnight confidante for a long time, enduring moody spells exacerbated by loneliness and feelings of frustration and inadequacy. The first memorable episode of sobbing occurred when I was ten, and my father had purchased two flavors of ice cream. As a child blithely unaware of the underlying problems symbolized by those frozen cartons, I had sobbed with her. Unable to satisfactorily comfort her with words, my only option was to show sympathy through my tears. As I grew older, though, I came to understand that these fights were just an inextricable part of my parents’ complicated relationship. When they spoke of divorce, I didn’t cry like most children; I soberly wondered if it would be best for my parents and siblings. It is a fine line to walk, between a silent, defeated father and a demanding mother, both equally loving. Mediating my parents’ relationship has given me an acute awareness of the pain inherent in grasping for a lost love. While it is difficult to be thankful for these circumstances, I know that their relationship, and my role therein, has given me a fuller understanding of love, compassion, sympathy, and friendship. Lying in my bed, I heard the jingle of my mother’s keys and the slam of the door. My clock read 2:06 A.M. A nighttime flight of a lonely, beloved owl.

Seniors 21

Student Soldiers PHS Seniors Graduate with Intention of Joining the Military

Kate Berkley and Andrea Lu Managing Editor and Staff Writer “The military won’t try to recruit you; you have to be motivated to [enlist],” says senior Ted Gallagher. Gallagher, who will be attending West Point Military Academy in the fall, is one of two Pembroke seniors graduating with the intent of joining the military. “There are many factors that make West Point appealing to anyone,” says Gallagher. “You get paid to get a top-notch education, travel the world and blow things up; you also have a guaranteed job after graduating.” But there are also factors that make West Point appealing specifically to him: “The opportunity to defend my family, friends, and nation is the primary reason I applied.” Sarah Koch ‘13 is also graduating from Pembroke with plans to join the military. Koch, however, rather than attending a military academy, will be joining ROTC. ROTC, or the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, offers financial benefits and leadership training to college students while still allowing them to have a normal college experience. “Not only will I grow academically [through ROTC], but I will also improve as a citizen and leader” says Koch, who will begin ROTC next fall at the University of Virginia. “In the military, I will be able to serve my country and have an exciting career, [and] the job opportunities are also very diverse: scientific research, intelligence, translation, logistics, etc.” In joining ROTC and accepting a four-year scholarship from the program, Koch is committing to eight years of service after college, which can be served in either active-duty or the reserves. Students interested in the Academies or ROTC must pass physical examinations and show good leadership qualities in addition to having high grades and test scores. Furthermore, if applying to any of the Academies, one must receive a congres-

PHS Alum Lieutenant Vincent Dasta ‘00 joined the Navy after going through school with NROTC. Dasta deployed in support of Operation Active Endeavor in 2006 to combat piracy off the coast of Africa. Photo credit to Vincent Dasta.

sional nomination from a senator, ation. Dasta has led combat patrols in congressman, or the vice president. Africa, Iraq, and the Mediterranean However, in spite of these demands, and earned numerous awards inthe military still appeals to many stu- cluding the Navy and Marine Corps dents, as it offers Commendation great diversity Medal and the “As cheesy as it sounds, Navy Achievein job opportunities for the freedom with responsibil- ment Medal. “As future. As Pemcheesy as it ity is probably the most sounds, freebroke alum Lieutenant Vinwith reimportant lesson that I dom cent Dasta says, sponsibility is “At the time of have carried with me.” probably the [high school] most importgraduation I ant lesson that wasn’t sure what I wanted to do; all I I have carried with me,” says Dasta, knew is that I didn’t want to work in a who credits much of his ability in the cubicle!” Dasta, who graduated from military to PHS: “I understand what Pembroke Hill in 2000, joined the freedom with responsibility means; Navy ROTC at Iowa State and earned it is present in everything I do as an commission as an officer after gradu- officer.”

Both Gallagher and Koch strongly encourage everyone to look into joining the military, stressing the idea that there are many different ways in which you can serve: “Approximately ten people are working behind the scenes to support each man on the front line. This statistic means the military needs all sorts of people, not just the stereotypical soldier,” says Koch. Gallagher adds that in spite of its physical and mental challenges, the Academies are “nothing a Pembroke Hill graduate can’t handle.” n

If you have any questions about ROTC or the Academies, please contact Sarah or Ted.

22 Letters of Resignation

Editors to Resign

Rubel and Abhyankar resign as editors-in-chief of the newspaper. They say: “It is time for us to move on to new sights and for the paper to gain new leadership.” Below are their letters of resignation, explaining why they have chosen to move on. Dear. Dr. Matthew Clothier and Mr. Joel Causey: I am writing this letter to resign as an Editor-in-Chief of the Voice. The past year has been great, with a few obstacles along the way. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and my time on the Voice is no exception to this truth. The design of the paper is a crucial component to increasing readership. As shallow as it may seem, most of us (myself included) are attracted to pretty designs or a picture of their friends on the front cover. But how many actually pay attention to what’s inside the paper? Besides glancing through photo polls, trying to spot their classmates, I wonder how many read the paper for its content. Yes, aesthetically appealing cover reels in readers, but there’s much more beneath the surface. Our staff takes time to write thoughtful articles, which sometimes goes underappreciated. No matter what everyone does with the newspaper once it is distributed to the student body—material for paper mache art projects, a towel to clean up spilled coffee, or actually reading it— a lot of thought and effort goes into creating the Voice. Although I have made clear that content is extremely important to the Voice, we face a major dilemma: how can we make an article exciting? Annual school events, such as the Barbeque or Homecoming, are undoubtedly important subjects to cover. However, since these articles appear every year in the Voice, the subject becomes redundant and, unfortunately, boring. There needs to be a unique perspective—a new outlook—to keep things interesting. This is where all of our readers come in. There’s no better way to accurately reflect our student body than have students write about their views. We tried to encourage new writers to join, yet there was little response. I commend those who were keen to voice their opinions and write about what matters to them. It is articles like these that bring a wider scope and a greater diversity to the newspaper. After all, how could we be “The Official Newspaper of Pembroke Hill” if we only covered a portion of the student body? To get more readers, incite enthusiasm and a general love for Pembroke Hill, we need student, parent, and faculty input. As I leave the Voice this upcoming month, I’d like to leave you with these last words: I love the Voice staff. Everyone’s enthusiasm and love for our paper made my time all the more enjoyable. I will certainly miss everyone and everything next year. To say that I will miss Riya’s obsession with The Sound of Music, Maya’s exquisite jewelry, Cynthia’s impeccable taste in music, Kate’s stories about Swiss Semester, Dr. Clothier’s leadership, Paige’s and Lizzie’s awesome baking skills, Riley’s long articles, Asher’s enthusiasm, and Taylor’s love for the color mint is just a fraction of a fraction of the seemingly endless list of what I will miss the most. Thank you for all the fond memories, and I wish all of you the best of luck next year. Sincerely,

Dear Dr. Matthew Clothier and Mr. Joel Causey: I am writing to inform you of my resignation from my position as editor-in-chief of the Pembroke Hill Voice. My last day of work on the Voice staff will be on April 31, 2013. For the past four years, I have been a member of the Voice staff as a staff writer, an assistant editor, a senior editor and editor-in-chief. I am most indebted to Rosie (Ms. Rosenfield), our dear Colorado-girl-at-heart faculty sponsor who left Pembroke Hill last year. Rosie showed me the potential of what I be as a student, a journalist, and a person. It’s her cheering I hear when I reach mile two of the 5K race or that last, exhausting hour of paste-ups when just the editors-in-chief sit in the computer lab. I don’t think I can give her enough praise within this short letter. It is no understatement to say Rosie changed my life. I also owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. Clothier who joined us this year on this journey. Dr. Clothier has been the most supportive and helpful faculty sponsor, allowing us to run those somewhat controversial articles on the old Sex, Drugs and Alcohol Survey while helping us keep our Voice budget balanced. There is no person I would rather have as faculty sponsor during my tenure as editor-in-chief than Dr. Clothier; what a ride it has been for us. The saying “you are your own harshest critic” applies to the way I look upon the paper. When I flip through those pages at my desk, I see poorly designed pages filled with boring articles about boring topics. I don’t see any inherent change in the Voice since I first joined as editor-in-chief. To me, the paper is no better than it was. Many people have told me otherwise, but I am still convinced our paper is subpar. Ritika and I set out to reinvent the paper--create a Voice Revolution--and change the way our school newspaper functions. Our paper sits, in my mind, exactly where it was four years ago. For that reason-the lack of improvement--I am sending in this letter of resignation. While I have not completed my dream as editor, I am hoping the editors to follow me will be able to fulfill what we failed to do this year. The Voice holds great potential. I want students and faculty alike to openly engage with the paper, sharing their opinions and their views. My charge goes out to those reading this letter: Don’t sit there and read the paper; be the paper! You have the power to make a difference in the Voice and, thus, in the school community. Share your views! If there is anything you want to say, the Voice is the place for you to say it. I am fortunate to have gotten to work on the Voice for as long as I have. It has been an amazing experience, and I will truly miss the staff. The paper is an amazing institution at Pembroke Hill, and I am eternally grateful to all those who have worked as faculty sponsors and staff members for this publication. Every aspect of this school and this paper are ingrained within me, and I cannot express enough gratitude to all those who made everything possible; to even list all of those teachers, coaches, and students who have profoundly changed me would take more room than I have on this page. I wish you and the new staff the best of luck. Sincerely,

Ritika Abhyankar

Jeffrey Rubel

Month in Review 23

MARCH & APRIL 6.

Captions: 1. Emily Lenza (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;13) dances at Prom. 2. Ben Gallagher sings at Prom. 3.Eighth graders celebrate Middle School Fun Day 4. Teachers and students alike have fun in the photobooth at Prom. 5. Middle Schoolers celebrate Foreign Language Week. 6. Natty Crenner and Kendra Sterneck (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;13) are crowned Prom King and Queen.

24 Voices

Letter From the Editors

Dear Readers: There are many ways we could go out in style. We could simply print the word “Rosebud” right here like Citizen Kane. But, we want to use this last letter as reflection upon our time as editors of the Voice. We set out, last May, to start a Voice revolution. Yes, the paper is better than it was. We won’t deny this Truth. But, imagine our Revolution as a marathon; we’ve made it twenty miles, but we are still 6.1 miles away from the finish line. In one issue, you cannot run another 6.1 miles. So, we have decided to use our April issue, and this letter, as a time to reflect. The Voice has undergone dramatic restructuring. We have given our positions more meaning and our editors more power. We tried to get more interesting stories for our readers where we move beyond the simple facts of the school play or the homecoming football game. We hope we have looked at the school as a whole, fluid entity with students, teachers and alumni all playing integral roles in what makes Pembroke Hill our school.

We hope the visual changes in our paper are evident to you as a reader. We have tried to incorporate more graphics into our articles and, in one final push in this issue, include an increased number of “charticles” or articles without text (such as our various survey spreads for the Senior Section of this issue). We know our paper is

This issue is our last issue as editors-in-chief. It is time for us, as students, to move on, to a larger world, beyond Pembroke Hill and the Voice. We have sent in our resignations, and our successors are preparing for the year ahead. The entire back portion of this April issue is designated as our annual “Senior Issue,” dedicated to reflections on and by the graduating class, the Class of 2013. We both joined the Voice in our freshman year, as the only two freshmen on the Voice that year. We have given so much to this paper, and while we are sad to be leaving it, we are happy to be appointing Maya Patel and Kate Berkley as the 2013-2014 Editors-in-Chief; we believe they will keep our vision alive and continue the Voice Revolution. To all our fans, thank you for staying with us. Your opinions and readings of our paper have meant a lot to us. We hope you stay with the Voice; it’s your newspaper, and it’s the official newspaper of your Pembroke Hill School. Read on. With tears in our eyes, yours in a love of Pembroke Hill and the Voice, Ritika and Jeffrey

“To all our loyal fans, thank you for staying with us.”

The Pembroke Hill School 5121 State Line Road Kansas City, MO 64112

far from perfect—we have no chance at winning any journalism award—but we are a step closer to perfection than we were last year. First, we owe a big thanks to our entire staff who have helped us along the ride as we reformatted the Voice, launched a website, and tried for more interesting articles. The people, though, who fail to receive any credit for their are our faculty sponsors: Dr. Clothier and Mr. Causey. They have supported our journey and improvement throughout the year. Without them, we could have no paper. Our April issue, in general, is a time of reflection.

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid PERMIT NO. 3976 Kansas City, MO

theVOICE

Official Newspaper of the Pembroke Hill School

whispers

news blurbs about pembroke the middle and upper school science olympiad teams... will both advance to nationals in ohio after both placing second at state rachel kennelly... played guitar and sang in a concert with other teens in front of 2000 people at the b’nai b’rith youth organization international convention in dc the envirothon team... is off to state after a first place win at the regional competition zoe aber, abby dercher, and cj romious... received art awards for their ceramic creations spencer thut... is a freelance pianist who plays gigs at venues such as waldo pizza the robotics team... made it to the final round of the seeded alliance elimination rounds of the robotics regional arianna lane... received the robert woods memorial scholarship to attend the harvard summer program math team... advanced to the midwestern regional competition in mid-may

The Voice is published monthly by the students of the Pembroke Hill School during the academic year to inform the Pembroke Hill Community about pertaining events and news. The paper is an open forum, distributed to the students, faculty, parents, alumni, and other members of the Pembroke Hill community. All decisions concerning grammar, layout, content, and photography are made solely by the editors themselves. All comments, concerns, and complaints should be forwarded directly to the Editors in Chief. As an open forum, The Voice encourages its readers to submit Letters to the Editors. The editors reserve the right to not publish letters. The Voice also accepts advertising and like articles. The editors reserve the right to not publish advertisements. Like us on Facebook at The Pembroke Hill Voice and follow us on Twitter at PHSVoice. Find us online at phsvoice.com. The Voice is YOUR newspaper. Please read responsibly.

Editors-in-Chief Ritika Abhyankar and Jeffrey Rubel Head of Design Wanda Czerwinski Business Manager Miriam Swartz Photo Editor Kathleen O’Keefe Web Designers Michael Rubel Copy Editors Ellen Cagle Aden MacMillan Ben Shadid

Faculty Sponsors Matt Clothier (head) Joel Causey Managing Editors Kate Berkley Taylor Carr-Howard Sarah Koch Riya Mehta Maya Patel Riley Sloan Cynthia Wang Assistant Editors Raymond Fang Arianna Lane Cindy Wang