September 2012 January 2013 Volume XXIX, Issue II
VOICE
the
Concert for Red Cross Arianna Lane Assistant Editor
Photo Credit to Taylor Carr-Howard
July 13th, 2012 marked the date of the highly anticipated RedRock KC benefit concert. Located at the Crossroads, the event began with a battle of the bands featuring high school artists from across the Kansas City area including Three Minutes Since, a band comprised of Ben Gallagher (‘13), David Marsh (‘13), Auggy Barhorst (‘13), and Andy Sundeen (‘13). After totaling votes cast through Facebook, Three Minutes Since was announced the winner. Following the competition were performances from two popular local bands, She’s a Keeper and The Lonely Biscuits. The exciting event concluded at midnight, and the RedRock KC team was relieved to say that the night ran very smoothly. However, RedRock KC was not just a concert, it was a charity event for the Red Cross. Last year, Max McCallister (‘13), Talia Hubble (‘13), and Adrienne Taylor, a senior at Blue Valley Southwest, wanted to get involved in a casuse that was important to them. They did some research and found out that the Red Cross was badly in need of a new emergency ... [Continued on Page 13]
The Official Newspaper of the Pembroke Hill School One Acts Performance on Page 5 Artist of the Issue................page 4 Meet the AFS Students........page 6 Chu On This........................page 7 Photo Poll...........................page 15
Envirothon Dominates The Pembroke Hill Envirothon team dominates at the international competition. Page 2 A Summer in Paris Gaurav Anand (‘12) takes on a summer internship in Paris, France. Page 12
2 Feature
e
ecom B s t n e Stud l l i H e k Pembro al Champions ion Internat
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I love the team and we all love our coach; we owe Mrs. Wright and everyone else who has helped us along the way so much. Eric Koch and Mikey Geduldig On Thursday, July 26th, something amazing happened for a few students at Pembroke Hill. After a week of competition, our Pembroke Hill Envirothon team - Jeffrey Rubel, Riley Sloan, Wanda Czerwinski, Hosain Ghassemi, and Ryan Hrinya, alternate Vincent Czerwinski, and their coach, SueAnn Wright - claimed the first place trophy and scholarship prize at the Envirothon International Tournament. This environmental science tournament, the 25th Envirothon competition sponsored by Canon, took place when many students were sunbathing on beaches or sleeping till noon:
July 22nd to July 26th. Instead of resting their brains, these six Pembroke students spent their week at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania completing various evaluations. The competition was focused around knowledge of aquatic ecology, soils and land use, forestry, wildlife, and storm water management. To demonstrate their knowledge, teams competed in hands-on field-testing and written tests, along with a twenty-minute oral presentation on their solution to a current storm water management issue provided by competition coordinators. Defeating fifty-four teams from forty-four states, nine Canadian provinces, and one territory, the Pembroke Hill team won first and received $25,000 in scholarships and various gifts of Canon
An Interview with Coach SueAnn Wright What
led
to
your
team’s
success?
I believe each member committed to each other that they would “own” their portion of the knowledge. These team members had tremendous respect for and trust in each other, which kept them focused and carried them through the stressful and challenging days of competition and sequestration. Our team knew on Day 4 of the competition, when everyone is exhausted from the stress of the previous day’s station testing and evening’s mandatory “fun night,” that they had to push through the fatigue and execute our Oral Presentation preparation plan. This team did just that. They knew that this day was perhaps the most important of the competition. They set the bar high for their presentation and then worked together during this intense day to put together a brilliant Oral Presentation and terrific visuals. The video of their Oral Presentation is posted on the Envirothon.org website.
What
were
your
favorite
moments?
Some of my very favorite moments of the week come when our team emerges from competition on Day 3 and from their long sequester on Day 4. They are so exhausted, but quickly become animated as they find me and fall over each other to give me reports on their day’s activities and anticipated results. I love the passion and satisfaction that our students have for performing at a high level. This year, our students won the Oral Presentation with an incredible score of 196.67 points out of a possible 200. When their score was announced, a very audible gasp went up from the entire crowd. Similarly, the announcement of our overall score of 576.40 points, almost 30 points more than the second place team, brought the entire audience instantly to their feet to give our students a standing ovation for their achievement. That moment was priceless for me, and I bet it will keep us all smiling whenever we think of it for the rest of our lives.
”
equipment. More important than any monetary reward, however, is the knowledge and skills gained by students competing in this tournament. According to Riley Sloan, “Envirothon is a great, hands-on way to learn not just about our planet, but about teamwork, problem solving, current environmental issues, and practical use and management of natural resources on the local level. I love the team and we all love our coach; we owe Mrs. Wright and everyone else who has helped us along the way so much.” Our Envirothon team has worked hard and come a long way, and in the end, all of their dedication and hard work in Mrs. Wright’s science basement paid off. n
3 Mr. Hill Begins Second Year as Upper School Principal Feature
Ellen Cagle Copy Editor Although it is only Mr. Mike Hill’s second year as Upper School Principal, he is already developing plans for the future, including a new health and safety initiative geared toward students and parents. During his first year, Mr. Hill’s main goal was to have the school make a smooth transition to a new principal. “I loved [Pembroke] the way it was, just the environment. I hope that hasn’t changed much,” said Mr. Hill of his first year. With the transition behind him, Mr. Hill is at work on new plans for the coming year, first and foremost a health and safety initiative. He wants to educate students and initiate important discussions with parents about drug and alcohol safety, self-esteem, healthy relationships and suicide-prevention, among other topics. “I want to make sure that students are ‘okay’ and have an advocate,” he said. Mr. Hill and Ms. Kathy Lamb, the student counselor, are working to tailor the topics by grade to best impact students of each age group. Although some of the plans are still in development, parts of the curriculum have already been set in motion. At the beginning of the school year, freshmen were given log-on information to enable them to complete an online program about alcohol and drugs. Completing the program by the end of the first quarter is mandatory for all freshmen. Last year, sophomores, who generally get their driver’s license during that year, got education about the effects of drinking and driving. Juniors will learn about healthy relationships, and college-bound seniors will learn about the dangers of binge-drinking.
Mr. Hill said that the curriculum might take time to fully implement. Along with new plans regarding health and safety, Mr. Hill has made an effort to be accessible to students. “My title puts a distance between myself and the students,” he said of challenges he faces. Mr. Hill, who was a drama teacher at Pembroke prior to taking on the new job, said that as principal, he regrets that he cannot have the same interaction with the entire student body that he did with the fifty or sixty students involved in the theater department. “It was so rewarding to watch the growth of a particular student. For example, a student who struggled with Shakespeare freshman year would be able to eventually master it and teach others by senior year.” Mr. Hill intends to try to extend that same kind of closeness to the entire student body of the Upper School.“I’m trying to keep the office close to students,” he said. He maintains that the ultimate function of a principal is to be a facilitator for students. He em-
Mr. Hill with his advisory. Photo credit to Ellen Cagle
phasizes that it is important to “take down unnecessary barriers that [students] might face and listen to them.”
“I loved [Pembroke] the way it was, just the environment. I hope that hasn’t changed much.” -Mr. Hill When asked who is more difficult to control between the students, teachers, and parents, he chuckled and insisted that it is not a control issue and that they are “all in it for the same reason.” Mr. Hill said that his plans for the future “make [him] excited” and emphasized that his job is “all about focusing on students and their journey.” n
4 Arts
Artist of the Issue:
Maddie Amend
Saurabh Goel Staff Writer Maddie Amend said that she has been interested in art all her life, and since her dad is a cartoonist, she has grown up with the influence of art. She is an award-winning artist in the class of 2013. Just last year, she won five Silver Key art awards and placed second in the Congressional Art Competition for her district. This past summer, Amend attended the Rhode Island School of Design, and although it is difficult for her to label one thing as her inspiration, she said that, “The people I met there and the experiences I had definitely have shaped a lot of the art I’ve done.” Amend enjoys drawing and sketching, particularly with ink, but as a senior this year, she is taking AP Studio Art 3D, silversmithing, and sculpture. Though she still has “no idea what [she] wants to do in the future,” she does plan on attending an art college. As for her take on art: “Art is a very personal thing. I don’t believe anyone when they say they’re just not good at it. It takes a lot of work. Most of the things I make I end up hating, and even when I do like something, that doesn’t mean everyone else will. If you’re interested, keep trying. Also, join Art Club because it’s going to be fun this year and we’ll make [awesome] t-shirts.” n
Photo Credits to Maddie Amend. (Above): Beard. (Below, left): Homage. (Below, middle): Rats. (Below, right): Gypsy
This Week in Theater:
Arts 5
Thespians Perform Student-Directed One Acts
Kate Berkley Managing Editor The beginning of the school year is always full of wonder and excitement: new students, more homework, new teachers, fall sports, and, of course, One-Acts! One-Acts is a production put on every year by the theater department featurimg student-directed one-act plays. This year’s production was performed on Monday, September 10 and featured four satirical plays that brilliantly showcased the talents of the Upper School thespians. For each act, the student-director chooses the play, selects the cast by audition, and creates the scenery and lighting for the show. One of this year’s student directors, Amelia Mohr ’13, said, “One-Acts are unique because it’s all student-directed; teachers are not really involved . . . . It’s just a great opportunity for students to bond over theater, and because the casts are generally very small, you become really close over the short period of time.” Mohr continued, “The best part about directing a One-Act is watching your actors complete your vision…you have this idea of what you want it to be like in your head, and then when it
comes together, it’s just amazing to have a tangible thing that you can see.” Only One-Acts offers this unique opportunity for actors to work in an intimate environment with only a few other actors and the director. Matthew Nelson ‘15 said, “I love that the One-Acts have small crews and a small cast…usually in larger plays the teachers are directing and it’s very strict, though you still get to have fun. One-Acts is a much more relaxed environment.” Despite the relaxed environment, the actors, directors, and crew still dedicate a significant amount of time and effort into the production, practicing daily and dedicating time on the weekends. All of their hard work paid off; the show was a roaring success, with audience members raving about the student performances. Dr. Tostevin said, “I thought the show was very well done. I was very happy to see the students enjoying their work. . . . It was very clear that the students were enjoying what they were doing.” So bravo, thespians - we can’t wait to see the fall play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in October. n
6 Student Life
Pembroke Hill Welcomes Exchange Students Benedetta Simeoni
Benedicte Andersen Lauren Brands & Megan Faber Staff Writers Bennie Andersen is one of the two AFS students joining the Pembroke Hill student body this school year. Bennie is joining the junior class, and she has described her experience at Pembroke Hill as welcoming, and that the teachers are good. She says that she really likes her science class as well as others. Bennie has decided to play field hockey and is associated with the International Club. She is staying with the Gorny family in Mission Hills while attending Pembroke. Bennie left her home of Aarhus, Denmark, which is half the size of Kansas City. The suburb that she is from is very much like her temporary home with the Gorny family. She said that her
neighbor back home in Denmark told her about the eye-opening experience of traveling to America and being a part of the AFS community. She is very adventurous and needed a break from just going to school and her daily routine, so she decided she wanted to come to America to be a part of this amazing opportunity. Bennie says that she misses her little brother, Jens Christian, the most, but she has kept in touch with her family so far. Bennie explains her journey so far, saying, “It was challenging at first being the new kid, but it is really fun now.” Thank you for joining Pembroke Hill, Bennie! We hope your time in America is enjoyable and worthwhile. n
Emily Dema and Paige Pepitone Staff Writers Every year, option that she did not have Pembroke Hill hosts two AFS in Italy. She says that in Italy, students in the Upper School. her schedule was different This year, one of the students every day. In Italy, B studied is a native Italian, Benedetta Latin, Greek, religion, Italian, Simeoni ‘14. math, English, sciences, Benedetta, and physical education. who goes by B, is from At Pembroke, her favorite Rieti, a small city in the subjects are photography middle of Italy. B is staying and chorus because they with the Melville-Chester were not available for her to family, whose children are take in Italy. B is one of the Cormac ‘16 and Katharine only AFS students who has ‘16. B wanted to be a foreign ventured to try cheerleading, exchange student in order to, a sport that is not available in “open [her] mind, improve most of Europe. [her] knowledge, and grow The International as a person.” When asked Club will sponsor many what surprised her most events throughout the year about America, she marveled for the student body to about how much larger become acquainted with everything in America is the AFS students. B will compared to Italy. be a great addition to the Pembroke is much Pembroke Hill community larger than B’s previous and we all look forward to school and allows her to getting to know her better. choose her subjects, an Welcome to America, B! n
What is AFS? Pembroke Hill has sponsored the AFS program for many years, giving students from all around the world a chance to interact with American students and experience the opportunities that Pembroke Hill offers. Señora Martinovic, a Spanish teacher at Pembroke, is the sponsor of International Club, and says that the AFS program “provides numerous benefits to our students and community.” The AFS students’ different backgrounds and childhood experiences give the Pembroke Hill community insight to the different cultures around the world from a firsthand account.
Student Life
HU
Jon Chu
on this... Sometimes I hear people complaining about what’s for lunch, and I have to say, on certain days, I do too. But it’s important to remember that we are eating at a school cafeteria, and it could be a lot worse. I try to appreciate the fact that I can always make a sandwich, and if compelled to do so, turn that sandwich into a panini. And of course it never hurts to eat the ice cream. On some days, though, I walk into lunch and am greeted by one of my three favorite things that are served. Those are truly happy days. While I myself will eat practically anything, these are the foods of which I want to eat a lot, knowing my stomach will feel full and content when I’m done. So here is my list of the top three meals served at Pembroke and why I like them:
1. Taco Day: Tacos are great because they are simple, can be made in a variety of ways, and no matter how they are made, they are almost always good. The most basic foundation of the taco, a tortilla and meat, tastes just fine when eaten by itself. The nice thing is that it only gets better from there. You can add anything from cheese to beans to guacamole or change the meat from beef to chicken, whatever combination suits you. Usually when tacos are served, tortilla chips are made available, and who doesn’t love tortilla chips? A final reason I like tacos is that for some reason it’s easy to eat them really fast, which doesn’t really help with their taste but at the very least is convenient. Overall, the taco’s simplicity and versatility is what makes it the best. 2. Grilled Cheese Day: The grilled cheese sandwich is a classic meal that can be easily produced on a large scale. Hidden beneath its simplicity is a surprisingly unique taste that brings any eater fond memories of his or her childhood. Nobody can resist (except those who are lactose intolerant, gluten free, or just don’t like grilled cheese). Another attribute of grilled cheese is that any cafeteria that serves it is obligated to put out tomato soup. The soup adds to the flavor and moistens the dry bread. On a cold day, warm sandwiches and soup can also be just what you need to warm up. 3. Baked Potato Day: You can put a lot of different things on or in a baked potato, just like a taco. My personal favorite toppings are cheese and bacon bits. Actually, to be honest, my baked potato is probably about half potato half bacon. But like grilled cheese, baked potatoes have a soup sidekick—chili. Even the worst potato becomes okay to eat when drowned in chili. The only bad thing about baked potatoes is the skin, which is kind of hard to eat and also difficult to scrape the rest of the potato out of. But as they say, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And usually whatever is on the inside of a baked potato is pretty darn good. n
7
Namaste India Club Maya Patel Managing Editor Pembroke Hill’s newest addition to the wide variety of clubs offered in the Upper School is India Club. Four senior girls launched the club at the beginning of the new school year after proposing the idea during fourth quarter last year. They got their idea while sitting in Spanish class discussing the different languages that interested them. The club president, Ashima Chadha, remembers, “When we all claimed to have an interest in studying Hindi, that is when we really
thought that even though the language isn’t offered here, having an India Club would still be an awesome way to spread a greater understanding of the country among Pembroke Hill students, while also helping Indian communities by using fundraisers to donate to charities in India.” The club officers have big plans for the year ahead and have already started the year with a couple of events. During the first week of school, the halls were decorated with signs about
India Club officers at Club Fair
Kansas City’s India Fest, inviting all students to enjoy the traditional dances, clothing, jewelry, henna tattoos, and of course, the delicious food. Ashima says, “As a way to introduce India Club to Pembroke Hill, we wanted to let everyone know about the event and invite them to come experience a little bit of Indian culture.” They also presented the new club to the teachers. Mrs. Jones, their sponsor, said India Club officers “surprised the faculty with some Indian sweets on Teacher Appreciation Day.” India Club plans to set up a website and organize Bollywood movie nights, Indian food sales, a potential mixer sponsored by the club, and various activities during Indian holidays throughout the year. Make sure to check out their meetings and events to immerse yourself in Indian culture! n
Photo Credit to Maya Patel
Library Lookout Emily Beasley Coming back to school, everything is in a rush, but make sure to stop by Kemper Library to see the Alumni Collection, featuring works of former Pembroke Hill students. Over the years, Kemper Library has collected books written by graduates and now has movies featuring former Pembroke Hill students. The first book added to the collection was The Arctic Safari by Daniel Sutton in 1932 and since then, the collection has expanded from books about Missouri’s history to coming-of-age series. Stop by to see some of the interesting additions Pembroke has made to the literary community, and if you have any questions concerning the Alumni Collection, feel free to ask the librarians: Ms. Erickson and Ms. Tullis. n
8 Sports
Audrey Newell Challenges School Record “We aspire to be like her.” Sophomores Sara Doane and Anne Marie Andrews
Riya Mehta Managing Editor Even if you aren’t a field hockey enthusiast, you’ve probably heard of Audrey Newell. Captain of the Pembroke Hill field hockey team, she is only five goals away from breaking the school’s record for the most career goals. Already having scored twenty-two goals in the past three years, Audrey is well on her way to making Pembroke Hill history. Audrey has been playing field hockey since seventh grade and has been on the varsity team at Pembroke for all four years of high school. With her dedicated resolve, she has routinely contributed to the team’s success, scoring many goals in every game. Audrey explains that since field hockey is a team sport, “everyone has to be on their game, there are no star players, and you have to trust your team and work together.” Even though there are no star players, her teammates see her as a leader and role model. Sophomores Sara Doane and Anne Marie Andrews “aspire to be like her.” Audrey helps the other
players on and off the field. Sarah Park (‘14) explained, “She’s nice to everyone and includes everyone. She’s really motivating and she knows how to have fun while helping people. She’s just so great.” Audrey’s favorite part of field hockey is the team bonding. Already having played one out-of-town tournament this year, Audrey looks forward to more. “The road trips are always a highlight. This year, on the way home from St. Louis, we made a ‘Call Me Maybe’ parody… It’s pretty good.” n
Audrey’s Accomplishments - 2011-2012 Season High Scorer, 11 goals - 2011-2012 Most Assits, 6 Assists - Currently Third Place in Career Statistics - Currently Sixth Place in Career Goals - Currently Fifth Place for Most Goals Scored During One Season Photo credits to Audrey Newell
Sports 9
Raymond Fang Assistant Editor
ARIA SABBAGH
If, for some reason, you find yourself looking for senior Aria Sabbagh, you probably need look no further than Emerald City Gymnastics. For three hours a day, six days a week, Aria will be there—practicing and refining his skills in floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar, or horizontal bar. Since he started taking gymnastics classes in third grade, Aria has risen to national prominence in the sport. He is not only a three time Academic All-American Award recipient, but also the Kansas state champion in the all-around and first in the
region on the high bar—a region that includes six states (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana). Aria has also qualified for the USAG Junior Olympic National Championships for five years straight, and (perhaps most impressively) is the reigning Junior AAU Olympic Games Champion in all-around. Aria admits that balancing all of the work he puts into gymnastics with Pembroke’s rigorous academics can be a challenge. He said, “I feel like balancing school and gymnastics is extremely difficult and becomes very overwhelming at times. Throughout the year, in order to attend gymnastics competitions held nationally, I am forced to miss many school days. However,
with the help of the very supportive teachers at Pembroke Hill, I am able to catch up and get back on track again when I return.” What of Aria’s future? When asked whether he would consider competing in college, Aria responded, “I plan to compete on a college gymnastics team when I graduate from high school. Going to the Olympics is not a priority in my life as I plan on attending medical school to become a neurosurgeon. I feel like if the time comes that I am at the Olympic level, however, it would be an honor to participate.” n Photo credit to Aria Sabbagh.
Yurie Heard: Tennis Superstar Heard is leading member of the varsity tennis team as a freshman Tammy Lee and Andrea Lu Staff Writers Freshman Yurie Heard has been playing tennis for five years, and although she is well known in the tennis world outside of school, she is just starting to earn recognition in the Pembroke Hill community. Outside of school, Yurie plays in the sixteen-year-olds’ division, even though
she is only fourteen. She is currently ranked first in the state of Missouri and sixteenth in her division in Missouri Valley, a tennis organization spanning the five-state region of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma. By these statistics alone, one can easily discern that Yurie is a very skilled tennis player and a valuable member of the varsity Pembroke Hill tennis team. Yurie
finds that “the team experience is just really cool overall. The varsity team is very accepting and the away trips are fun.” Her current, individual goal is to win state. However, Yurie is also looking forward to getting to know her upperclassmen teammates better and hanging out with the Pembroke Hill tennis team the rest of the season. n Right: Yurie smashing a forehand. Left: Yurie
discussing winning strategies with her coach. Photo credit to Yurie Heard.
10 Opinion political POLARIZATION
And in my completely unbiased opinion....
The World According to Riley Sloan
Missouri backed every winning presidential candidate but one from 1904 to 2004, and in 2008 McCain only won by 0.13%. It has been a centerof-the-line state for more than a century. Why is Obama, the favorite in the national election, so far behind Romney in Missouri this year? This could be partly because Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis, the major Democratic hubs of Missouri, experienced far less population growth than Republican strongholds in the state (St. Louis actually shrank.) Also, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling opened the floodgates to political fundraising, and Missouri tossed out its state campaign contribution limits in 2008. Republican candidates, who typically receive less donations but far much more cash, benefit from this much more than Democrats, who usually get much higher numbers of small grass-root donations. In other words, less people donate to GOP candidates but these donors give more money, and now there is no limit to how much they can give in Missouri elections. Close state elections in Missouri can now be more or less decided by a single check, making Missouri the ‘Show Me The Money State’. But this shift to the right is not just a Missouri phenomenon. In the Kansas Republican primaries this year (the only elections that matter in Kansas), the conservatives won by a landslide, earning Kansas its nickname of ‘Brownbackistan’ for its far
right governor Sam Brownback. Across the nation, today’s politics seem like a gridlock of extremes, with participants unwilling to compromise. Why do they seem that way? Because they are. Moderate Republicans are being trampled by conservatives and Tea Partiers. “Blue Dog” conservative Democrats have drawn their last breath. Great bipartisan compromisers in the Senate like Ted Kennedy are all but gone. There are 24 Blue Dog Democrats left. Five are not seeking reelection, and more than a half dozen others are running against tough challengers. A combination of redistricting by Republicans and America’s political polarization have left them running in more and more liberal or conservative districts, facing challenges by Republicans and more liberal Dems. Moderate Republicans are also facing a tough time. Of the more moderate half of the 55 Senate Republicans who served in the 109th Congress, at most 6 will return in 2013. The other 21 either retired or were ousted. On the other hand, 17 of the Senators in the conservative half of the Senate will be returning. And the Senate Republicans still are not as conservative as the House has become. Eighty percent of the freshman Republicans voted into the House in 2010 are more conservative compared to the district they represent than the sitting Republicans were; in other words, in 2010, we loaded Congress with Republicans more conservative than those already there, even though the new representatives came from less conservative districts. Only 48 percent of Republican voters self-identified as conservative in 2000. That number is now 67%. From 2008 to 2010, the percentage of liberal Republican voters stayed the same, while moderates went down and conservatives went up by 8%. This all suggests that America has become more and more conservative, at the expense of moderates. However, this is not really the case.
Although more conservatives are voting than in previous years, the ideological makeup of all Americans has not changed. 37 percent of Americans identify themselves as moderate and 36 percent as conservative, a ratio that has remained more or less the same since 2000. So if there are just as many moderate Americans, why are more Americans voting conservative? According to a Pew Research Poll, in 2010 only about half of Moderate/Liberal Republicans were ‘likely voters’. Same with all Democrats. The most likely voters left of the center were self-described ‘very liberal’, and still only 56% were likely to vote. Conservative and very conservative voters, on the other hand, were 71% and 79% likely voters respectively. In other words, Republicans in Congress are getting more and more conservative because farright voters vote more, giving themselves a disproportionate say in who is elected. The Republican Party is still relatively unpopular, with only 40 percent of Americans having a favorable view of the GOP. So these conservative congressmen must remain steadfast to the loud conservative minority who elected them, because, well… no one else will. This is why they refuse to compromise, turning down the great deals they are still often offered by the left, such as the Debt Ceiling compromise. Yes, the Democratic Party has become more ex treme as well, with the percent of Liberals in the party going up 7% since 2000 and the moderates going down 4%. But the majority of Democrats are still moderates, whereas more than twice as many Republicans are now conservative than are moderate. And that is the problem. As long as right-wing lawmakers must cater to the Tea Party to stay in office, the Republican Party will not compromise, and our government will stay gridlocked. So moderate Republicans: take back your party. We’re all waiting for you. n
Opinion
vs. Michael Rubel Web Designer On August 24th of this year, a U.S. jury ruled in favor of Apple in the technology company’s patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung. For the past year and a half, both Apple and Samsung have claimed the other company violated its own patents, ranging from the shapes of devices to general software style. Apple’s requests to ban some Samsung products will probably take effect by this winter here in the U.S. However, Apple shouldn’t have the right to take Samsung devices off the shelves just because of tiny similarities. The seven patents Apple has accused Samsung of infringing on range from the slide-tounlock method to unlock
a device and the actual “rounded rectangle” shape of the iPad, minute details that are not worth a billion dollar lawsuit. Anne McKnight, Director of Marketing at Samsung Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s America and mother of Caroline McKnight (’14), said in a statement, “There has yet to be a company that has won the hearts and minds of consumers and achieved continuous growth, when its primary means to competition has been the outright abuse of patent law.” In this case, one could argue on Apple’s side by saying there is no way to draw a line between what is considered patent infringement and what is just plain abuse of patent law.
B’s Cucina italian recipes from benedetta PASTA ALLA CARBONARA Ingredients: Pasta 350g (1 1/2 cups) Guanciale (Pork cheek) 150g (2/3 cups) Eggs 4 Parmigiano Pepper Salt Start to cook pasta. At the same time in a bowl add eggs, pepper, salt and parmigiano. Cook pork cheek and wait for the pasta. After straining pasta, dress with egg mixture and pork cheek.
In a poll taken within the Pembroke community, 57% of students said they thought that Samsung should have won the case, while 36% believed Apple was right in their argument against Samsung. Apple has even filed another similar case against some of Samsung’s more trendy devices like the Galaxy S III, a phone popular amongst Pembroke students. Whether or not you agree with the verdict here in the States, this new case will give Samsung another chance to be proven right (or further wrong) in one of the most controversial patent cases in recent history that not only takes effect on the technology world, but on many of the devices that we use at school and in our daily lives. n
11
12 Off Campus
A Summer in Paris
Lizzie Whitney Staff Writer Last summer, Gaurav Anand (’12) worked for five weeks in Paris as an intern at ICB Europe, a company that teaches language and serves as a linguistic consultant. Eric Wrobley (’85), the founder and general manager of ICB Europe, began this internship in 2008 in honor of Madame Anne Miller, who worked as a French teacher at Pembroke Hill until she retired in 2008. The ICB Europe Internship is available to all graduating Pembroke Hill seniors currently enrolled in a French class, who will have completed French IV, AP French, or French Conversation by the end of the year, and who will be 18 by the time of the internship. For more information, see Madame Huycke. Gaurav enjoyed working and living totally immersed in French culture. Though he performed a variety of office jobs, such as organizing computer databases or editing invoices, one of his favorite tasks while working for ICB Europe was taking French-speaking clients out for lunch. This more relaxed, social setting gave him the opportunity to improve his French and their English skills away from the classroom. Gaurav spent much his time on weekends and after work trying to visit as many places as possible to experience Parisian culture. He sampled the famed French cuisine and saw the great landmarks; in addition to trademarks like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, Gaurav was there to see the last stage of the Tour de France bike race and the festivities on Bastille Day. He said he en-
joyed being able to see Paris at his own pace. Overall, Gaurav says “it was an amazing experience in which I was immersed in an entirely new culture while at the same time having the opportunity to experience a new city at my own leisure.” Everyone he met, from his host family, the Claudons, to his boss, Mr. Wrobley, to other Parisians, were kind and welcoming, which he says made the experience even better. n Photo credit to Gaurav Anand.
The Big Problem: Obesity in the United States Cormac Chester Staff Writer Obesity in America and around the world is a serious issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 35% of adults and 17% of children in America are obese; that means that around 17% of Pembroke Hill students could be obese. But those are just some facts and figures. Obesity increases the chance of getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and much more. The leading cause of preventable death in the world also happens to be obesity, but through diet and exercise, obesity can be stopped. In Bogota, Colombia, the government blocks 70 miles (113 km) of roads from cars on holidays and Sundays so that citizens can get exercise via walking or riding a bike. Currently, Pembroke
17% of Pembroke students could be obese. Hill makes freshman students work out in the weight room or cardio room twice a week. However, livestrong.com says that at least 15 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise per day can keep you healthy. Pembroke’s two workouts a week do little in comparison. However, these workouts are only limited to freshmen, and thus spawn a problem of only freshman being forced to do
any sort of exercise. As such, obesity is still likely to occur among students other than freshman (not that it can’t among freshman), so obesity is clearly a potential problem that needs to be fixed. Luckily there is a solution, which is to make students participate in one sport per school year in order to get the needed exercise, or at least a portion of needed exercise. Pembroke Hill sports practice every day of the school week, usually till 5 or 5:30. These sports, therefore, can provide adequate amounts of exercise for students, and students will also fulfill their sport credit requirements. As a result of this change, obesity can be solved at least in the microcosm of Pembroke Hill, and students can look forward to a lower chance of disease in their later lives.n
Off Campus 13
Students Volunteer in Chinese Village Cynthia Wang Managing Editor In June 2012, a group of Pembroke Hill students traveled to China to volunteer for a week in the small, impoverished village of Yanzibian in the Shanxi province. During their stay, they taught English, music, and art classes at the local elementary school, which was recently rebuilt due to a catastrophic earthquake. This earthquake devastated the region in 2008 and killed nearly 68,000 people, and even today, many families are still struggling to recover. Because of the severity of the disaster, many people over the past couple of years have traveled to the Shanxi province to help out however they can. A recently graduated senior, Andy Yu (‘12), used to lead trips every summer to volunteer, and this year, sophomore Cindy Wang (‘15) decided to take matters in her own hands as well. She organized a group of students (Tammy Lee (‘15), Eric Koch (‘15), Eric Zhou (‘16), and Katrina Zhou (‘18)), and together, with some parents, they traveled to Yanzibian Elementary School. “It was a rough trip,” Cindy admitted, “We first had to get to Xi’an, then took a 6
Above: Cindy Wang (‘15) and Tammy Lee (‘15) teach an elementary school class English nursery rhymes.
hour long, really bumpy bus ride to get to the village...but the community service part was so fun! Since the village was poor and the nearest major city was miles away, it was clear that Yanzibian needed all the help it could get. By the end of the week, I
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“Concert for Red Cross” vehicle. “We decided that a benefit concert would be fun for high school students and a great way to raise money,” says Max McCallister. Max, Talia, and Adrienne composed a small team of highschoolers to help launch the event, and then began preparation. The RedRock KC team met every other week for five months before the night of the
event and at least once a week during the summer. Morgan Peterson (’14), a member of the team, says she was surprised at how many different components there were to planning the event: “Of course we had to put up fliers, contact sponsors, and sell tickets, but there were multiple things we had to do that you forget about, like figuring out the lighting
for the stage.” Kathleen O’Keefe (’14), also involved with RedRock, comments that “It was hard work, but definitely worth it.” Through ticket sales and donations from sponsors, RedRock KC was able to exceed their $27,000 goal. As Max McCallister said, “It all starts with an idea, and in order to make it happen you have to keep your goal in sight.” n
wish I could have stayed longer.” Besides helping out with the community, the Pembroke students also learned a lot about the way people live in rural Chinese areas. Eric Koch said, ”A lot of people there had never seen a white person in real life before,
and the kids think that America’s streets are paved in gold.” “Everyone was so excited for our arrival,” Tammy Lee remarked, “It was a great experience. The kids were really sweet and willing to learn a lot!” n
Looking for great Homecoming flowers? Stop by Needham Floral today for creative corsages and beautiful boutonnieres! Call (816) 523-5517, or visit 400 E Gregory in KCMO!
14 Feature
New English Teachers
Mrs. Kim Banion
Mr. Joel Causey Cindy Wang Staff Writer
Miriam Swartz Business Manager Last year, the Pembroke Hill English department lost two great teachers: Dr. Salinger and Dr. Ostarch. The Voice is proud to report, however, that Pembroke has found a more than suitable replacement. One of whom is Mrs. (soon to be Dr.) Kim Banion joins the PHS English department, teaching freshman and senior English classes. She is already loving her new position and fitting right into the Pembroke Hill community. Mrs. Banion received her master’s degree from the University of Missouri, and is currently a few months away from earning her PhD in literature studies from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. In fact, Mrs. Banion is writing her dissertation while teaching this year. She has taught classes at UNL in women’s literature, poetry, and composition for the past three and a half years, but is “very excited to be getting back to a teaching-centered environment” at Pembroke this year. She loves that Pembroke is a place where “teaching and learning are main focuses, [rather than] scholarship and publication,” and
she is especially excited to be teaching a novel called House-keeping, by Marilyn Robinson, second semester, as it is one of her favorite books. As far as teaching at Pembroke specifically, she loves the tight-knit community. “Students really know each other here. In other teaching environments, the school can be too large for meaningful relationships between teachers and students (or students and students) … I’m happy to see students challenging each other and holding each other to high standards here,” she explained. n
New Upper School English teacher Joel Causey joins the Pembroke Hill community this fall. Mr. Causey comes from Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. He has also previously taught English and coached baseball at Fort Worth Country Day in Texas and the Canterbury School in Florida. He has earned a master’s degree from Texas Christian University in English studiesAmerican literature and a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in arts and sciences. The 20122013 school year will be Mr. Causey’s thirteenth year teaching English. According to Mr. Causey, “I didn’t have any good English teachers in high school,” motivating him to become an English teacher. His goal for his students is “to figure out how to ask why and why they should ask why.” So far, Mr. Causey has described his time at Pembroke Hill as “awesome.” When not in the classroom, Mr. Causey can be caught reading a collection of essays titled Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace or watching baseball. His two favorite sports teams are the Chicago Cubs and the Dallas Cowboys. n
Mrs. Banion and Mr. Causey teaching English 9 and English 12, respectively. Photo credit to the Photography Club (Caroline Brooks).
Freshmen. They’re the first to ask and be asked to homecoming, they throw themselves in activities, and not many have quite found their niche. But they’re here, they’re excited, and we welcome them. In the past, The Voice staff has welcomed the incoming freshmen with tips and survival guides, but this year we wanted to see what the freshmen think. So for the first photo poll of the year, we asked the freshmen:
What are you most excited about?
e c i o V e
Voices 15
Th
Homecoming! Getting girls.
-Elodi Bodamer and Emily Ervin
-Wyatt Turner
More freedom.
Being more independent.
-Katerra Faubion
-Maddie Tolsdorf
Sports. -Evan Peterson
Freedom. -James Parkarson
Dances and football. -Griffin Culp, George Story, and Parker Beaham
Making new friends. -Sarah Chamberlain
16 Voices
Letter from the Editors
Welcome to the 2012-2013 school with a more entertaining, exciting twist. Us Voicyear! We hope you had a great summer. As al- ers have fun putting together the newspaper, and ways, it went by too fast. In the May issue, we we want our readers to enjoy it as much as we do. told you about our Voice Revolution and now In addition to our print edition, we want to update you with our progress so far. are also trying to embrace the Internet. We have We would first like to inform you that set up a Facebook page (The Pembroke Hill one of the Voice’s faculty sponsors, Ms. Rosenfield, Voice) and a Twitter Feed (@PHSVoice). Like us more commonly known as Rosie, has left Pem- and follow us! We hope that these two mechabroke Hill to move out to Colorado. Though she nisms allow us to fill in the gaps between the isis in the mountains and we are in the plains, we sues and share with you the news that you don’t will always remember her. Her heart lives within see printed in each edition of the Voice. the pages of this paper. We publish this issue with One of our proud Voice sayings is: The a rose for Rosie, found at the bottom of this page. Voice is your newspaper. We hold this saying near Greta Shum, former ediand dear to our hearts. We are the tor-in-chief of the Voice, shares her one and only voice of the Pemthoughts on Ms. Rosenfield: “You Hill community. We strive We want the Voice to broke were and will forever remain the one to make the newspaper an “open who opened my eyes to the fact that be a roundtable dis- forum.” What does this mean? It English literature is not just a story cussion for the PHS means anybody within the PHS that lies dead on white pages. ... I alcan write for the Voice. community. The Voice community ways felt comfortable telling you evYou can write a full-length article, ery frivolous worry I had—whether is YOUR newspaper. a blurb, a letter to the editors, or I was seeking wisdom or friendeven just send in a cool photo from ship. Your handwriting flashing me a school event. Email us at voice@ back to comments on my papers, whether you pembrokehill.org. We want to share your thoughts, knew it or not, you pushed us to always do our and your thoughts may even be published in our best—go the extra mile because that’s what we next issue! (Also, if you write a letter to the editors, knew you would do. And then we’d let out a bel- we will respond to it in our next edition.) Then low of success when we’d reached the summit.” we don’t need to write these letters to you that As Rosie departs us, we are excited to discuss general Voice policies and methods. We welcome Mr. Causey to the Voice staff. You can want the Voice to be a roundtable discussion for the learn more about him in his new teacher article in- PHS community. The Voice is YOUR newspaper. side of this issue. He joins Dr. Clothier, who will If you have any questions, combe our head sponsor for the upcoming school year. ments or concerns, feel free to email us at Also, we would like to briefly discuss our any time. We love to hear from our readers. approach to the print newspaper. As you can see, our cover looks different, almost like a magazine. We are working on blurring that fine line between Yours truly, magazine and newspaper this year. We hope to give Ritika and Jeffrey you all the information a newspaper provides but
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theVOICE
Official Newspaper of the Pembroke Hill School
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. The Voice is YOUR newspaper. Please read responsibly.
whispers
news blurbs about pembroke sam frazen’s grandmother...will be portraying Mags, a tribute from district 4, in the upcoming hunger games movie. ashley tsue...is a nationally and internationally ranked fencer who competes with future olympians! girls’ tennis...got first place at the notre dame de sion jv tournament. talia hubble...is currently in the running to become miss teen kansas! ron mcgee...is a director at the coterie theater and is temporarily filling in for mrs. cain while she is on maternity leave. boys swim team...has ten members this season, which means that the number of members has doubled over the past three years. melissa annecchini...is the national american miss missouri second runner up in the actress category!
Editors in Chief Ritika Abhyankar and Jeffrey Rubel Head of Deisgn Wanda Czerwinski Business Manager Miriam Swartz Photo Editor Kathleen O’Keefe Web Designers Sid Goel and Michael Rubel Copy Editors Ellen Cagle Aden MacMillan Ben Shadid
Managing Editors Kate Berkley Taylor Carr-Howard Sarah Koch Anna Levitt Riya Mehta Maya Patel Riley Sloan Cynthia Wang Assistant Editors Raymond Fang Arianna Lane Neha Sahgal