Volume XC
THE PINE NEEDLE St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, Virginia, December 2007
Inside
No. 3
St. Christopher’s reaches out for Christmas
Fall sports wrap-up pg. 2
by Patrick Delaney ’10
Hairy Abts pg. 3
Mr. Ron Smith recently signed copies of his latest book, “Moon Road: Poems 1986-2005,” at Book People, a local bookstore. Among those attending were alumni Evan Davis ’85, Brent Baldwin ’90 and Kevin McNeer ’90.
“Moon Road” draws rave reviews The dress code pg. 3
Raps & Taps interviews pg. 6 STUDENT COUNCIL UPDATE Student Council is planning several exciting events for winter and spring. In the near future, students can look forward to a winter spirit event, such as a halftime show or pep rally, as well as the second annual dodgeball tournament. The council is also planning to sell Dippin’ Dots and glassbottled Cheerwine at basketball games. A student auction will offer such items as the privilege to grow a beard and wear flip flops to school. New forums are also on the horizon. All students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to voice their opinions. Finally, the council has continued to plan for a spring concert featuring a big name band. Details are yet to come. Check in with your Student Council representative to find out more information and feel free to make suggestions or attend one of our weekly meetings. -- Robert Allen ’09
by Brendan Worst ’08
“He departs, in the footsteps of Mark Twain and Ezra Pound, for the lands of Mediterranean legend and myth, and responds with erudition, humor, and excitement.” Readers of poetry the world over, such as Professor Massimo Bacigalupo, are saying good things about “Moon Road,” the recently released collection of poems from St. Christopher’s Writer-in-Residence Ron Smith. This work comes as a pinnacle achievement for the longtime poet and teacher. Mr. Smith has invested an immeasurable amount of time in the book. It is a compilation
of poems he has written since 1986, but he said the poems draw influence from a much longer time period. “…I try to put everything I know, everything I have experienced, everything I have learned to feel into . . . everything I write,” he said. Renowned across the school community as a thinker of the deepest thoughts and a scholar in many arenas (not just English), Mr. Smith is faculty advisor to the Philosophy Club as well as a teacher of AP English and senior electives. He takes quiet pride in routinely instigating the most intense class discussions on campus. “I learned more with [Ron] Smith than I
ever did with anybody else,” said senior Stephen Davenport. So it comes as no surprise that his book has received rave reviews from some literary critics for its leaps into deep, traveling thought. Tom Wolfe, St. Christopher’s alumnus who wrote “The Right Stuff” and “I am Charlotte Simmons,” said about the new collection. “No other serious American poet, not even Frost, is as clear, clear to the point of pellucid, as Ron Smith-until all at once you realize he has lured you into some very deep water and you are drowning in emotions you never felt be-
See Smith on page 4>
Whitlock display dazzles West End by Brian Kusiak ’08 For all who traverse that seminal artery of Cougarville, River Road, the Christmas season evokes an image of a yard and house brightly illumined by lights, figures and Nativity scenes. This image is that of Mr. John Whitlock, class of 1975, and his wife Margaret’s home at 8720 River Road, across from the Episcopal Diocese’s retreat at Roslyn Hills. The bright scene is replete with all that one would expect from a Christmas light show—Rudolph leading the reindeer in pulling Santa’s sleigh, a nativity scene and white lights galore—but also with others one wouldn’t expect, like Santa Claus waterskiing. Mrs. Margaret Whitlock is in charge of the display that has now become a small West End tradition. “It started with icicles seven years ago, it grew from there,” she said. “It was 50,000 lights [last year], and
The season of giving is upon us. With Christmas rapidly approaching, St. Christopher’s has been busier than ever coordinating events and outreach to ensure that people inside and outside our community have a happy holiday. Students from junior kindergarten through twelfth grade have been putting their heads together in an attempt to come up with exciting and creative ways to help others. “This year we cast a wider net with regards to reaching out the entire community,” said Mrs. Melissa Hollerith, Upper School chaplain. The Lower School held its seventeenth annual supply drive to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. The young boys helped collect and deliver canned goods in an attempt to benefit out-of-town families with children currently receiving care in our local hospitals. Students in third, fourth and fifth grades helped to spread festive cheer by making more than 150 holiday cards for soldiers serving in Iraq while Extended Day students donated books. This year the Middle School is doing a variation on their traditional Angel Tree. In addition to helping with the adoption of a needy local Richmond family, the tree is also filled with “helping hands” that provide opportunities to give locally and internationally. “Opportunities range from giving goats and chickens to needy East African families to giving toiletry kits and basicneed clothes to homeless Richmond adults,” said Mr. Durk Steed, Middle School chaplain. St. Christopher’s Upper School, sharing the enthusiasm of the younger Saints, has been busy at work preparing for the holiday season. The ninth grade will work as a gift-wrapping booth located at Short Pump mall. Proceeds from their hard work will go towards the Juvenile Diabetes Fund. Both the sophomores and juniors will sort gifts at the Salvation Army. The senior class, not wanting to be outdone by underclass-
See Giving on page 2>
this year it’s a few more.” After every Christmas season, the Whitlocks buy new lights and figures once they go on sale, so each year the collection grows. The assembly is a mammoth undertaking. “I put them up the first several years with my
yard man,” Mrs. Whitlock said. “Now my brother-in-law does it. It takes us two weeks with two to three people working on it [all day].” After trying many different systems to supply the
See Lights on page 3>
2
The Pine Needle
Fall sports wrap-up
Carrier places 13th in Richmond Marathon
Compiled by John Stillwell ’09
by Tyler Franz ’09
On Nov. 10, sixth grade Spanish teacher Chris Carrier participated in his first marathon ever. In a fantastic effort, Carrier, 23, ended up placing 13th overall and first in his age group (20-24). While Carrier had no previous marathon experience, his achievements in both high school and college provide evidence that his finish in the Richmond Marathon was no fluke. Carrier’s running career began in middle school where he still holds the school mile record of 5:10. In high school, he accumulated a school record 13 varsity letters, participating in track, crosscountry, swimming and soccer. Carrier went on to run track and cross country for Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. He won five conference championships in college and holds the school record for the 3000-meter steeplechase. Carrier described his training plan for the marathon as relatively simple. “As far as training goes, it was more simple than one would think,” he said. “I didn’t read any books or follow some professional plan. I sat down in June and mapped it out. I have a pretty extensive background and understanding of training so I just mapped out something that made sense for a 26.2 mile race.”. The training consisted of a combination of long distance runs and shorter runs at marathon pace. “The two keys were long runs and sustained tempo runs,” Carrier said. “Long runs are usually done one minute per mile slower than race pace and I built up to a 21-mile run two to three weeks before the race. At this point, I was running about 80-plus miles per week.” All the training paid off as Carrier posted a spectacular time of 2:40:21 in the marathon. “As you may have gathered, I plan on doing many more [marathons] in the future,” he said. “I have tentative plans to run one in Virginia Beach this spring or possibly the famous Boston Marathon in April.” Carrier also is interested in pursuing the Ironman Triathlon event, since he was also an accomplished swimmer in high school. Carrier’s successful finish in this year’s Richmond Marathon has encouraged him to continue running, as he is only 23 and has vast potential for future success. “Overall, I love running and will continue to compete (mainly marathons) until my body will not let me anymore,” he said.
December 2007
Varsity Soccer 12-7-1
High
Low
Winning the Eastern Mennonite tournament. Beating Cape Henry, Collegiate and Woodberry in a row.
Homecoming loss to Eastern Mennonite. Tie with STAB.
Outlook “The new and young guys stepped up and proved themselves. We worked and came together to have a successful season.”
-- Sandy Wall
Varsity Football 3-6
Beating STAB on Homecoming. Winning in overtime at Episcopal.
Losing to Collegiate.
“It was a lot of fun, even with our 3-6 record, I can only imagine what it would have been like with a winning record.”
Varsity Cross Country 8-2
Placing 2nd in the Prep League Meet and placing 3rd in the combined State meet.
Losing to Freeman.
-- Neil McGroarty
“This year’s team was comprised of a highly motivated group of guys who went out hard every race. By the end of the season, our dedication and persistence led us to successful showings at the Prep and State meets.” -- Benjamin Harrison
JV Soccer 8-2-3
Beating Trinity the second time after losing our first game; beating Collegiate twice.
Losing at Christchurch after crushing them 5-0.
“We had a pretty good season in terms of wins and losses, but I think we could have been a lot more successful if we had worked harder in practice and in the off season.”
-- Alec Vozenlik
JV Football 6-2
JV Cross Country
Scoring a touchdown to beat FUMA with two minutes left. Beating St. Stephen’s St. Agnes 8-6 to start the year.
Losing 6-0 to Woodberry in the rain. Losing to Collegiate 14-0.
A good performance at the JV Prep League meet.
The FUMA JV Invitational.
“We had a good record, but we ended the season poorly with two straight losses which put a bad ending on a good season.”
-- Warren Snead
“It was a really fun season. We lost all of our older runners, but next year JV will have a lot more experienced runners who will do very well.”
-- Jamie Ball
JVB Soccer
“The last day of practice.” --Parker Thompson
0-9
“Coach Chapman making us run.”
-- Parker Thompson
Saints and Collegiate set school record in canned food collection by Jason Pacious ’10 With sweat dripping off my back, I wrote a new number down to add to the hundreds of others. Ten yards away from us on each side, other students were counting further classes within the stifling field house. With three classes tied at 400, we took a quick break, but immediately carried on. “It was intense,” said Kyle Wittenauer ‘10. On Saturday, Nov. 3, the Saints took on the Cougars in a decisive football game. Although the Saints were not destined to come out on top, they were able to participate in another competition between the grades. In this grade level competition, the students brought
in bags containing any number of cans to the football game labeled with their class year. The cans then received a counting by students the following Monday. The grades then specified points to the Class Cup based on their ranking in number of cans. The cans were then dumped into giant boxes and shipped to the Central Virginia Food Bank in two large trucks. The totals of each class went as follows: ninth grade, 289, tenth, 689, eleventh, 464 and twelfth, 669. Collegiate and St. Catherine’s also contributed. Each girl at St. Catherine’s sponsored a football player and brought in the number of cans equivalent the number on his jersey. If you add up each player’s number on the football team, the total
is 1,331. The Middle School at St. Catherine’s also contributed by sponsoring a wear-anything day on Halloween and the cost, to contribute three cans, totaled another 750 cans. The local school record had been 3,300 pounds. With the help of Collegiate and St. Catherine’s, we were able to bring in close to 10, 274 pounds of food, tripling the number of pounds ever brought in by a school. This number also made us the number one giver for non-corporations this year-the closest competitor was a government agency at 6,594 pounds. Mrs. Hollerith said, “I was delighted… win or lose the football game, the city of Richmond won.”
“Coach Chapman said, ‘Unless you have a bone sticking out of your leg, you aren’t injuried.’ ”
-- Parker Thompson
Giving
Continued from page 1
men, escorted two grades of students from St. Andrew’s School to see “A Christmas Story” at Theatre IV. Some seniors also served as tutors for these students throughout first trimester. A number of advisory groups have also adopted families from the Peter Paul Development Center for Christmas, making it their fifth year to do so. In addition, the Upper School will donate money through their Missionary Society collection to benefit Richmond’s Christmas Mother, Mrs. Nancy Gottwald, and Supplied to Survive that supports soldiers overseas. Finally, the Science Club has inaugurated a “Guitar Hero” tournament to raise money for the Christmas mother. Overall, St. Christopher’s School has been, and will continue to be, hard at work reaching out towards both the local and international community in an attempt to make the holiday season memorable.
December 2007
The Pine Needle
Whitlock kids rock local gospel scene
The Whitlocks serenade crowds at Stony Point several years ago.
by Teddy Mitchell ’09
In recent years, the vibrant music scene at St. Christopher’s has been filled with acts ranging from the grinding heavy metal of J.T. Jester and The Reserve to the rhythmic rapping of senior Trey Ferguson. The latest addition: a talented family singing group, the Whitlocks. The group is composed of siblings Callie, Ellie and Eddie. Callie and Ellie both attend St. Catherine’s and Eddie is a seventh grader here. The trio began to sing together seriously six years ago after seeing a video of them taken by
a family friend. Since then, the Whitlocks have gone on to perform at such venues as the Watermelon Festival, the Irish Festival and the city Easter Parade. The Whitlocks are directed by family patriarch, John Whitlock, a member of several area bands in the 1980s who describes himself as “executive producer and head slave driver.” The Whitlock kids perform three genres of music: pop, Christmas and gospel. Pop sets include songs by Michael Jackson, Hannah Montana and the ever-popular “Buttercup.” Hillary Duff and Elvis make up the Christ-
mas compilation. Gospel tunes consist of contemporary, worship and patriotic church songs. “A lot of the songs look kind of juvenile and now we’re going back to update the choreography,” said Mr. Whitlock. To help with this task, he brought in help from SPARC (School of Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) to update the dance moves of his young charges. The trio is also beginning to produce their own musical arrangements with the help of Chris Adams, a songwriter from the Memphis Boys Choir of Woodlake Methodist Church. When not performing at places like the Innsbrook Illumination or Radio Disney, the Whitlocks often perform at area nursing homes. With commitments like these continuing throughout the year, the trio practices almost every night. Whether the young Whitlocks have a future in music remains to be seen. “They don’t understand what that means yet,” Mr. Whitlock said. “It would be fun, educational and stimulating, but that can’t be the purpose.” If a musical career doesn’t pan out for the Whitlock siblings, they have other options. All three are nationally ranked water skiers and Callie recently won her age group at the Richmond city junior tennis championship.
“Bluebird” soars for Ampersand
by Ryan Van Sumeren ’10 Imagine a state of panic: people running around, last touches being added to set and last minute adjustments being made. It is truly opening night for Ampersand’s “The Bluebird.” On Nov. 8, 9, and 10, Ampersand performed this Maurice Maeterlinck play in McVey Theatre. The plot revolves around siblings Tytyl and Mytyl searching on Christmas Eve for the bluebird of happiness, which is said to be uncatchable. These two particular children need the bluebird because they are coming from a poor family, unable to afford any Christmas presents. Eighth
grader Drew Schaffernoth and fifth grader Kristina Dickey played these two central roles. Along the way, they search for the elusive bird with characters like Light (Elizabeth Rumble ’09), the cat (Duncan Lyle ’09), the dog (Jabriel Hasan ’11), Water (Corinne Downs ’09), Fire (Max Parks ’11), Sugar (Ben Resnik ’11); and even Bread (John Peyton McGuire ’12). After searching through graveyards, forests and an evil witch’s castle, the children wake up on Christmas morning, unsuccessful in their mission. The play ends with an unusual twist, challenging the
audience to find the bluebird. Providing comic relief, Jabriel Hasan ’11 played an overprotective dog with great success. Kristen Luke ’10 brought a nurturing motherly presence as the fairy. Meredith Bailey ’09 and Brendan Worst ’08 gave memorable performances as the children’s grandmother and grandfather in one scene, as well as the children’s mother and father. The most intriguing aspect of this production was that children from Middle and Lower School were involved as well. This marks the first time that non-Upper School students played such an extensive role in an Ampersand productions. Lower School stars included Paul Padalino. Ampersand deserves great praise for making an already solid play an outstanding one.
Mr. Abts lengthens locks for others by Teddy Mitchell ’08 Micaiah Abts is well known across campus for his intense coaching style, relentless work ethic and sarcastic wit. Now, we can add flowing, brown locks to his list of notable characteristics. Last year Mr. Abts found out that one of his favorite baseball players, Nick Swisher, was growing his hair out to donate to Locks of Love, a program that provides wigs for people who lose their hair from chemotherapy or other health issues. He decided to follow suit with a similar program called Pantene Beautiful Lengths. “I figure as long as my follicles still work, I may as well do this,” he said. “I may never get another shot.” Mr. Abts last cut his hair in
March of 2006, and he plans to grow it to 10 or 11 inches before hacking it off. It currently measures eight inches from his scalp. I asked him if having such long hair has posed any hygienic problems. “Having it long can be a real pain sometimes,” he said. “In the summer it was really hot. It is really nice not to have a hair blanket on the back of your neck when it’s 105 degrees out. I’m hoping that evens itself out in the winter, as the extra insulation may keep me nice and toasty.” Finally, I asked Mr. Abts about favorite hair styles with his long locks. “I kind of like the ‘Last Samurai’ topknot; I think I could throw a heck of a mohawk together, and my mullet potential is astronomical. For the most part, though, I just try to keep it out of my face.”
3
The most wonderful time of the year
The Saints Singers perform at Lessons and Carols. The service included choirs from all three school divisions.
by John Mark DiGrazia ’08 The three-week span between Thanksgiving and Christmas break is an awkward period of the school calendar, a time when many students find it hard to focus and slack off, thinking Christmas is only weeks away. In this way, many students view this period to be a restful time, as they ignore pressures from classes and determine to work harder later in the trimester to recover from a certain slump in their grades. However, for those students involved in Glee Club and Saints Singers, this is not at all the case. It’s the busiest time of year for choir students as Lessons and Carols and other concerts are demanding. For students in Saints Singers, this threeweek period entails numerous extra practices and a total of six concerts. Not to mention that students involved in Beaux Ties have two additional concerts at St. Catherine’s. Junior West Smithers and seniors Stephen Davenport, Sam Hays, Christian Harder, CJ Williams and I are involved in all three groups and have sung in all eight concerts. Seniors Logan Cochran and Brendan Worst are also in all three choirs, but they missed a few performances due to sickness. So how do these students carry on with such an enormous load added to an already tight schedule? “It’s been really hard because, with the exception of one or two Saturdays, I’ve had a concert or a major practice pretty much every day for the last two weeks,” said Glee Club Head Stephen Davenport. “But my teachers have been helpful in terms of allowing me make up work and complete assignments when I can.” One may inquire as to whether this concert load is simply too much. Davenport doesn’t think so. “The concerts make it all worthwhile,” he said. Senior Glee Club member Chas Skidmore added, “Having Lessons and Carols on my birthday was a treat for me, and the performance that Mr. Vick put together was amazing. There are few in-
Lights
Continued from page 1
Mr. Abts stands strong with his flowing tresses.
dividuals that I would have rather spent my birthday with than my buddies from Glee Club.” Skidmore’s comment alludes to one of the reasons that the Upper School choir groups have been so strong this year. This year’s Glee Club has 15 dedicated seniors who have been in choir for several years. “I think I speak for the entire Glee Club when I say it’s been so enjoyable that it will be one of the things we miss most when we go off to college,” Davenport said. The community has recognized the service and sacrifice of those students involved in choir often with gifts of food. After one performance, the women of St. Stephen’s Church gave out goody bags of cookies and candy. Following the Wednesday night performance of Lessons and Carols, the Glee Club and Saints Singers enjoyed a nice reception. After the Saints Singers sang for New Market Corp., they were provided a delicious feast for lunch. Mr. Vick also took the Saints Singers to Pizza Hut and gave Glee Club a pizza party after Lessons and Carols. However, food is not the only means of expression offered by members of the St. Christopher’s community. After chapel Dec. 12, Mr. Szymendera thanked all the choir students for their involvement in Lessons and Carols, especially the dedicated senior members. Other faculty members have also extended gratitude to student choir members for their efforts . “This is the first year since I have been here that everything has been perfect,” Upper School Spanish teacher Mrs. Varner later said about the service, remarking that no one was flat and all of the solos were well sung. Lastly, congratulations should go to Mr. Vick, Dr. Stephenson and all other choir directors for their efforts during this hectic time. “Mr. Vick has been awesome,” Davenport said. “I never really loved singing but I just kind of did it throughout Lower and Middle School, but in Upper School, I have learned to love singing, largely because of the efforts of Mr. Vick and Dr. Stephenson.”
lights with power, now the flood of kilowatts is supplied by multiple breakers added to the Whitlock’s electrical infrastructure. Some of the most notable pieces in the show are the waterskiing Santa Claus and the nativity scene. They have the waterskiing Santa Claus because all the kids like to waterski and Eddie ’13 and Ellie, in fifth grade at St. Catherine’s, both compete nationally in the water sport. The nativity scene is the staple of any Christian Christmas light display, and the Whitlock’s is no exception. The display has sometimes been the target of vandals. While the Whitlocks would not disclose the culprits, they did say that they now have security
who patrol the property at night. Four years ago, some late night prowlers stole onto the premises and snuck off with the baby Jesus. The Whitlock children made signs around the neighborhood requesting the return of the figure. The Richmond TimesDispatch also covered the story. Months later, an anonymous box came in the mail with the baby Jesus inside, Mrs. Whitlock said. Christmas season is a holiday many enjoy, and the lighted scene in the Whitlock’s yard brings joy to many in Richmond. The Santa, reindeer, nativity scenes and other lights are perennial favorites. Sam Priddy ’08 summed up the feelings of many when he said, “Christmas lights are wonderful. They’re like a present for the eyes every day.”
4
The Pine Needle
New teachers join the Lower School
by Richard Hamrick ’15
Here at St. Christopher’s we have not one, not two but four new teachers in the Lower School. Do you think that you know all of them? If not, here are their brief biographies and some things you might be interested in knowing. Ms. Mary Tryer, a music teacher, was born in Kingsville, Texas. She went to the Epiphany Episcopal Day School. In the fifth grade, her favorite subject was science and her favorite book, “The Book of Three.” She graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in music and received a master’s at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Before coming here, she taught at the Browne Academy in Alexandria but wanted to get back to a classroom setting. Her favorite thing about St. Christopher’s is the welcoming, friendly atmosphere. In her spare time, she plays golf, knits, cooks, reads and enjoys bird watching. She also plays the harp and gives piano and harp lessons. Just recently, Ms. Tryer played the harp accompaniment to a song sung by the Lower, Middle, and Upper School choirs in Lessons and Carols. Mr. Cabell Jones, a fifth grade teacher, hails from good old Richmond. He went to The Steward School. His favorite subject there in fifth grade was history or social studies. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College, where he got a bachelor’s degree in history. He is now working on a masters degree in history at Virginia Commonwealth University. Before coming here, he was a substitute and taught at Steward. “I love the community atmosphere,” he said about St. Christopher’s. “Everyone is a part of something.” In his free time, Mr. Jones enjoys fishing or anything water related.
Mr. Jim Morgan, a second grade teacher, also grew up in Richmond. He went to Grange Hall Elementary, Brooklyn Middle and Monacan Upper School. In fifth grade, his favorite subject was math and his favorite book was the “The Silver Chair” by C.S. Lewis. He graduated from the University of Richmond and formerly taught at Linwood Holton Elementary. Mr. Morgan likes St. Christopher’s. “It challenges me to be the best teacher I can be,” he said. He was attracted to the job because of the opportunity to get in the classroom “with boys who are engaged and enthusiastic about learning.” In his spare time, Mr. Morgan enjoys theater and reading. He also loves to play video games and says that his favorite is “Ratchet and Clank.” His favorite quote is William Shakespeare’s famous line from “Hamlet,” “To thine own self be true.” Mrs. Elizabeth Schnell, Lower School science teacher, grew up in Norfolk and went to the Larchmont Elementary School, Blair Middle School and Maury High School. Her favorite fifth grade subject was language arts and her favorite books were the Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis and “The Bridge to Terabithia.” She went to boarding school at St. Mary’s in Raleigh and graduated from Randolph Macon Women’s College, today known as Randolph College. She formerly worked at various schools in Norfolk, the Science Museum of Virginia, and at a zoo. Mrs. Schnell’s favorite thing about St. Christopher’s is the welcoming atmosphere of students and teachers. Her hobbies include reading, skiing and going to any beach.
Smith
also about how beautiful appearances can be misleading. Themes and motifs aside, the buzz about the book is growing intense. One English teacher went so far as to say that the book will solidify Smith’s status as a powerhouse in contemporary Southern literature. Mr. Smith recently had a book signing at Book People, a local book store, and gave a reading at school Dec. 14. Members of the local literary community, as well as members of the writing world abroad, are talking about the voice and presence of Smith’s w r i t i n g . Meanwhile, Mr. Smith stays evasive about the future of his writing. “I hope this book will make all my future writing easier. Or, if not easier…then better and more interesting, and more universal… What is important is that the work speak to the open-minded reader, the open-hearted reader.”
Continued from page 1
fore…. Don’t come near ‘Moon Road’ without a life jacket.” The praise for this new book doesn’t stop there. Pulitzer Prize winner Claudia Emerson called it, “a welcome, beautiful collection.” Even amidst this decidedly positive reaction, Mr. Smith remains humble. Simply getting the book published with the Louisiana State University press is, he said, worth celebrating. “It’s always hard to get a book published by a good publisher--and LSU is one of the very best,” he said. “I have heard some poets say it is the best for poetry.” When asked about obstacles to publication, he said there were simply too many even to mention. The collection delves into themes of travelling on both literal and figurative levels, as well as intellectual, emotional and physical levels, Mr. Smith said. About the title poem, a golden road leading to a glorious moon turns out to be, in that poem, a road into a darkness, a cave. So, the book is
December 2007
Former Saint monitors campaign financing by Kyle Wittenauer ’10 Ever wonder which candidates your neighbors support? Go to OpenSecrets.org and type in their names. Voila! Now you know now you can decide if serious discussions are in order to win them over to your political viewpoints. OpenSecrets.org is the award winning website for the Center for Responsive Politics where Mr. Massie Ritsch ’94 is communications director. The center is the nation’s premier research group in tracking fundraising in U.S. politics and analyzing how the funds affect elections and public policy. As communications director, Mr. Ritsch oversees all media materials and interfaces with the media and others who utilize the center’s research and non-partisan analysis data. Mr. Ritsch, a Princeton University graduate, joined the organization in 2006 after stints as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and communications strategist for a Los Angeles public affairs firm. Mr. Ritsch gave a speech to students in chapel Nov. 12 after Mrs. Melissa Hollerith, Upper School chaplain spottted her former student on Comedy Network’s “The Colbert Report” and tracked him down. On the show he tried to educate the comedic masses on campaign contribution guidelines. “All the money in our elections is coming from people like you and me,” he told Stephen Colbert and added that it’s coming from a tiny percentage (probably around 3 percent) of Americans and there are limits on how much they can contribute.” In an effort to enlighten Colbert on how corporations get around such limitations, Ritsch said that they form political action committees which he compared to mutual funds for politics in which people invest and corporations decide how they are best spent to affect policy. The day after his appearance, Mr. Ritsch said that the Center’s website visits tripled but three days later,
Mr. Massie Ritsch here after chapel with Mr. Joe Knox, former language teacher, Mr. Jump and Mr. Szymendera.
Colbert’s campaign tanked. Mr. Ritsch said that donations pay for advertising, staff and travel underscoring the point that the candidate who raises more money has a far better chance of being elected. The candidate who is elected in turn makes policies that dictate industrial and public standards. Mr. Ritsch made the connection to the everyday world citing the oil industry and energy policy as example. as well as health care, the defense industry and student loan organizations. The question is, what role should money play in the campaign process? The Center for Political Responsiveness does not take a position on taking money in or out of politics. This presidential race will be a $1 billion race, a record amount, Mr. Ritsch said. At the same time he said that Americans will spend more than $1 billion dollars eating at restaurants today alone. By comparison, is $1 billion for the presidential race excessive or not? Fundraising also takes time away from the legislative process. “Eric Cantor’s (Richmond’s congressman) PAC charges people…often lobbyists…to meet him at Starbucks… for a few minutes in the morning,” Mr. Ritsch said. It makes him wonder whether one day we will pay members of Congress to walk their dogs or pick up their dry cleaning. “Every moment of
their day has been programmed to raise money,” he said. With 94 percent of Congress and 86 percent of the Senate being re-elected, it is difficult for an underdog to win. There is a current perception of corruption. One idea for changing the system is free advertising. Ritsch has another idea. Washington could really use an honor code, he said, where elected officials for every vote would pledge that they have neither given any special favors that do not serve the interest of his or her constituents nor received any campaign contributions or other perks that influence his or her decisions and that they are not aware of any breach of the honor code by colleagues in similar positions of public trust. He admits that the Congressional Ethics Committee does not like to meet regularly because it becomes bipartisan, and both parties seem to be concerned of their own potential breeches. How can the St. Christopher’s student get involved? Mr. Ritsch concluded his talk with several suggestions: register to vote, volunteer for a campaign, give money, become educated on the issues and how they connect to money and contact your elected representatives. Later that morning, Mr. Ritsch met with the Political Awareness Club, St. Christopher’s own “PAC,” and discussed possible options for reform in the campaign process.
Students lead Lower School
Lower School SCA and Literary Society leaders pose in front of a Christmas tree.
by Connor Lifson ’15 “[SCA] gives students a say in what the school does,” says Jack Bassett (President of the Jacksons). SCA is an almost all student-run organization that helps the Lower School to be better in many ways. Lower School leader Julian Mills runs the student council meetings and the Literary Society Meetings. Vice President Mikey Zeevi presides over recycling and is available to take over the meeting if the leader is not there. Secretary Walker Rise writes the minutes for each meeting. He also is in charge of the SCA bulletin board outside the computer lab. Treasurer Johnny Constable is in charge of counting the money we get from projects that SCA does.
Meanwhile, the Literary Society officers run the meetings where classes recite poems for points. Each class is divided up into Jacksons and Lees and recites poems for points. Each team has a president, vice- president and secretary. The two presidents (Jack Bassett-Jacksons and Wilson Bedell-Lees) carry banners down the aisle and call down the Kindergarten, first and second grade classes to recite poems. The two vice-presidents (Connor Lifson-Jacksons and Logan Ende-Lees) occasionally carry the banners and call the third, fourth and fifth grade classes down to recite poems. The two secretaries (William Maddock-Jacksons and Cole Claiborne) read minutes from the past meeting.
“[SCA is a] pretty cool experience, overall,” said Jack Nolan, fifth grade representative. “I like getting other students’ opinions.” Representatives are elected by their peers. The SCA has a fall representative and a spring representative who go to meetings and the recycling program on Friday mornings. “I love working with all the different students.,” said Mrs. Wilson, fifth grade teacher who helps run the meetings. “[SCA] gives students more responsibility and it is a place for their voice to be heard.” “It’s good to know that my classmates trust me,” saidWilliam Boyd, fifth grade representative. Students agree that SCA is a way to gain confidence and help the Lower School be a better place.
December 2007
Editorial Page
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Dress code: Outmoded institution or timeless tradition? Dress up
by Christopher Alexander ’09 Ever since the school’s founding in 1911, St. Christopher’s has maintained a dress code among all students and faculty. The establishment of the dress code is not to discourage diversity or to prevent self expression but rather to promote a clean and professional learning environment. A fairly loose dress code, like ours, allows for plenty of self expression yet prevents any distraction that may come from inappropriate or garish clothing. Although this may be more prevalent in girls schools, the expectation to look your best or wear unique clothing is often a distraction. School is certainly not a fashion show; it is a place to work and learn. No one should have to worry about what he wears to school each day. It should be a simple and carefree decision. The St. Christopher’s dress code is designed so that all students, regardless of socioeconomic class and culture, have easy access to appropriate clothes. Students may chose to buy a $15 dollar collared shirt at a discount store that looks almost identical to a $75 dollar designer shirt or vice versa. No student should feel uncomfortable in any way wearing khaki pants and a col-
by John Stillwell ’09
Dress down
by Jabriel Hasan ’11 lared button down or polo shirt. Within the guidelines of the code, students are able to freely express themselves. For example, my style is preppy whereas Matthew Londrey wears more contemporary clothes. This freedom allows for a different yet clean look among the student body. After classes and on the weekends, students are free to wear anything they want with friends and family. School, however, is not a social gathering, and the dress code helps to reinforce the fact that we are at a learning institution. We must not focus on trivial matters such as personal apparel when we are at school to learn. As a college preparatory school, St. Christopher’s has an obligation to prepare its students for life beyond secondary school including professional careers where a proper appearance is necessary.
Many would agree with me in stating that the dress code needs change. The high school dress code is harsher than the Middle School’s, but the infractions that occur against it are the same: untucked shirts, messy shoes, forest camo jackets, the baggiest of the baggy khakis, and the unnoticed, frayed hemlines. Yes, even the last four mentioned are against the dress code. As the handbook indicates, the dress code is designed to promote a neat and clean appearance. Though this may be true, most St. Chris boys very well know that the appearance of many is often not neat and sometimes not clean. Simply put, our dress code works to an extent. The consistency of a pattern, the length of one’s hair, the amount of jewelry one wears, or the fabric of a pair of pants are only distracting if they are made to be. To me, a hot pink Polo shirt is a distraction, but jeans are not. Our dress code seems to be stuck 40 years back, when it would have basically been the standard for what most people wore and what was considered appropriate for school, but as clothing styles have drastically changed, and it seems that jeans and T-shirts are almost all that is sold, the dress code has not stretched. It is sometimes hard to shop
for clothes that are in dress code and suit different preferences, and there are days when coming to school in dress code appropriate attire is uncomfortable, like Fridays for instance. Of course, there is a private school appearance that must be maintained, but wear anything days aren’t that wild. If the dress code read something like this it would be easier and cheaper to follow: Jeans are permitted but must be worn with a tucked-in collared shirt, and Tshirts are permitted, but must be worn with regular pants. Because it would be more lenient, there probably would be fewer infractions and a more dramatic difference between the appearances of the students. After all, the school wants diversity. A change in the dress code would allow differences to flourish, and I believe that people would be more accepting of differences once they are allowed to become common. Maybe Student Council should hold a forum about changing the dress code. If real diversity is what St.Christopher’s wants, then loosening the dress code is a step that the school should take.
A new postseason for Division 1A
The Bowl Championship Series (BCS), is system utilized by NCAA Division 1-A college football to rank its teams, creates a format for postseason play and the National Championship Game. Created in 1998, the BCS’s goal was to continue college football’s storied bowl system while allowing a championship game to be played between the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams. The bowls not only allow colleges to play in the national spotlight, but the economic benefits from the bowl games are significant in funding the conferences. Every year the major bowls generate more that $100 million for the major BCS conferences, and give $8 million to the other five associated conferences. While the BCS seems to be an effective system including all teams and allowing for a fair formula to determine the national champion, the system at times is flawed. The BCS uses a combination of a computer program and national polls to create its ranking, yet when teams have similar records but never directly compete, decisions concerning rankings and bowl selections can become controversial. For example, in 2004, the BCS rankings left Auburn out of the National Championship game despite an undefeated record. Also in 1998, Tulane was snubbed a bid to any of the major bowl games despite their undefeated regular season. Despite winning the national championship game in 2003, LSU had to share the championship with USC because of BCS rankings.
This year’s season has been a perfect example of how chaotic the system can become. With Hawaii remaining as the only undefeated team, all of the perennial powerhouse programs have suffered at least one loss. While Hawaii has a perfect record, it has been left out of the National Championship Game, but LSU and Ohio State, who are seemingly superior teams in comparison to Hawaii, both have suffered losses. The BCS is unfairly biased. The only effective way to end these controversies would be to create a playoff system at the end of the season, to crown the true champion. A 16-team playoff would be an ideal way to give all top teams a legitimate shot at the championship. Similar to college basketball’s March Madness, this playoff system would draw national attention, allow mid-major football programs to achieve success similar to George Mason’s 2006 Final Four run and end all bickering concerning the BCS. Some critics of the playoff system argue that the system
would end the importance of every regular season game, but in reality, the conference championship games, already in place, weaken the importance of the regular season games because by winning the conference championship a team is automatically admitted into a BCS Bowl. Many university presidents worry that a playoff system would extend the season to interfere with exams, but if the teams stopped playing weak opponents during the first few weeks of the season, schedules would not be any longer. Also if the big-time programs stopped playing weak teams at the beginning of the season, there would be more opportunity for major programs to face high-quality non-conference opponents and end the issues concerning strength of schedule. The rankings would become more valid. Because a loss in September is less significant in a team’s ranking than a loss in November, the BCS ranking is unrealistic. In a playoff system all teams have an equal chance, no matter which
part of the season they slip up. Those traditionalists who complain that a playoff system would end the storied bowl system should realize that the bowls could be implemented into the playoff system, having bowls host different rounds, thus keeping tradition and allowing the conferences to continue to receive financial support from the bowls. People who believe that without the BCS system, Utah in 2004 and Boise State in 2007 would never have been able to compete in a high-profile bowl in the national spotlight like the Fiesta Bowl are mistaken. In reality the BCS hurts smaller programs because even though they are included in bowls, the BCS would never consider them for a National Title bid. Other smaller bowls could also continue for the teams that are not in the 16-team pool, pleasing athletic directors nationwide who desire the national attention for their programs. While a bowl system in college football is a long shot, it is a system necessary to take college football excitement to the next level. Being utilized by all other levels of football through high school, smaller level colleges and the NFL, the playoff system’s efficiency is proven, and conference and university presidents must realize its benefit. I will always be a fan of college football, no matter what format it uses, but the playoff system would make college football an even more exciting sport. * * * * * Don’t agree with John’s ideas on the College Football postseason and BCS system? Write to the Pine Needle with your own postseason plan, and it might make it into the next edition.
Leave it on the field
by Kevin Isaacs ’08
This fall, three other students and I had an opportunity to coach the Middle School football teams, the first ever StudentAthlete Coaches. Chas Skidmore and Richard Luck helped Coach Golladay with the eighth grade, while John “ Wi l k y ” Wilkinson and I helped coach the seventh grade. Every seventh period we could spare was spent on the practice field, refining the technique of our younger counterparts. For the seventh graders, Coach Wilky handled the linemen, and I worked with the defense and running backs. The vast majority of these boys hadn’t played football before, and I could see them struggling trying to translate what they had seen on Sundays to their own brand of football. The first weeks were painful for Coach O’Ferrell and me, having to explain the rules of each drill again to each group every day. Some boys were contact-shy, some just didn’t know how to get their bodies into athletic positions. “Having you guys there helped a lot because we could talk to you as friends and it wasn’t just like some coach telling us to run over there,” seventh grader Marshall Hollerith said. By the end of the season, everyone was a football player. No seventh grader seems to understand what is said to him in a group, but if you get students one-on-one, what you say sinks in and they apply it immediately. Wilky diagnoses his coaching success into a matter of relating to the kids. “We can help them understand a specific technique better because we haven’t been away from the field as long as their other coaches.” This is one of the more crucial aspects in coaching at all levels because, for example, if no one teaches you to stiff arm, you won’t learn how until it’s done to you. The other coaches tell them where to run and who to block, but we concentrated on showing them what to do once they got there. “I feel like by the end of the season I became their friend as well as their coach,” Wilky said. There was an identifiable transformation that took place throughout the season. In the beginning they seemed a little scared of us, but by the last week, when they weren’t making fun of me, they were likely trying to fight me. Through all of that though, I think I was able to teach them a couple good things. The seventh graders were able to teach me how fun coaching can be, especially when you see Paul Farramosca’s little brother juke somebody out. Most of the seventh graders believe the program was a success. “We learned a lot of stuff from you guys no one else would have told us,” said seventh grader Churchill Young. Coaching the kids helps them get ahead of the curve and could have a lasting effect on the players and the athletic program here. My hope is that the Student-Athlete Coaching program will continue in the future and broaden to include more sports.
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The Pine Needle
December 2007
The Back Page
We the editors of The Pine Needle love being editors. That’s why we’re always introducing ourselves as such. “Hi I’m Brian Kusiak, editor of The Pine Needle, the St. Christopher’s newspaper since 1915... Yeah, that’s a long time... Yes that’s right, I did get a 1550 on the SATs...” That’s pretty much how all of our conversations go. We’re just that proud of our paper. But while this may be the best publication on campus, it isn’t the only one. There happens to be some other book, called Raps & Taps, and it has senior editors too. We decided to give them some press by putting them in our paper. Enjoy the holiday interview.
Raps & Taps Senior Editor Neil McGroarty What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? The night before Christmas I get really nervous with excitement waiting for my presents. That’s the true meaning of Advent: anticipation. What are you buying your girlfriend for Christmas? The problem is that I had to buy so many presents for so many young girls that it’s tough to decide who gets what. There’s the dinner for two at Flemings, there’s the arch card from Micky D’s, and of course, the UVA lacrosse hat. What do you want for Christmas? A Fathead of Lance Armstrong crossing the finish line at the seventh Tour de France. Do you think Lance was born a champ? NO! He had to work for his seven titles. One of my favorite Lance quotes comes to mind. “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” Neil, you are revered as a true “lady’s man.” Any relationship advice for your fans? Please don’t put that. Don’t put that! That’s not gonna help me out. Neil what motivates you to work so hard in all aspects in your life? Lance Armstrong. What are your feelings on Christmas lights? I think they’re dangerous! It’s like a rose, but you know, it’s got thorns. I live out in Cougarville and every night my life is threatened by roadside light extravaganzas on my way home. I’m keeping my eyes on the road and people are swerving and stopping all over the place. After my recent rereading of “The Odyssey,” I would compare them to Homer’s sirens because while they may be beautiful, they kill.
Raps & Taps Senior Editor Sam Priddy
Raps & Taps Senior Editor Robert “The Bod” Barry
What are you buying your girlfriend for Christmas? The problem is I don’t have a girlfriend, but if I did have a girlfriend, I’d get her a gift card. But not a gift card to somewhere, a gift card for fun lovin’.
What are your plans for the holidays? To spread the Christmas spirit by being giving to everyone. What’s your New Year’s resolution? To find a soul mate. For longer than a week.
What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? I just love Christmas lights, there’s just no way around it. Like I said in Brian’s amazing article, they’re just wonderful.
Any Christmas traditions? I enjoy baking cookies with Neil.
What do you want for Christmas? I want a Neil McGroarty Fathead. He’s just a true inspiration, he just works so hard in all aspects of life—especially on the athletic fields. The thing about Neil’s Fathead is that it shows him always in action, which you’re never really guaranteed during the real sport.
Merry Christmas , Chief! Thanks for keeping our campus beautiful with you smile. From Zac and Peter The Pine Needle Senior Editors John Mark DiGrazia Brian Kusiak Teddy Mitchell Brendan Worst Senior Contributor Kevin Isaacs
Junior Contributors Christopher Alexander Robert Allen Tyler Franz John Stillwell Sophomore Contributors Patrick Delaney Jason Pacious Ryan Van Sumeren Kyle Wittenauer
Freshman Contributor Jabriel Hasan Lower School Contributors (Class of 2015) Richard Hamrick Connor Lifson Faculty Advisor Mrs. Kathleen Thomas