FEATURED ATHLETE: MR. MENGES p. 5
INSIDER’S LOOK: PUBLICATIONS p. 2
CLIMBERS LONDREY & BOZE
p. 4
THE PINE NEEDLE Volume XC • Richmond, Virginia
December 2008 • Number 3
Santa Claus is coming to the caf Christmas Feature By TYLER FRANZ ’09 Head Senior Editor
This Christmas season, don’t be surprised if you catch the old man in the red suit himself on the St. Christopher’s campus. Mr. Andre Basmajian has been bringing the Christmas spirit here since 2004 when he started filling in for the real guy in the North Pole. As we all know, Santa cannot make it to all the functions around the world, so we are lucky to have Mr. Basmajian fill in for him at St. Christopher’s. “When it was time to pass on to a new Santa, the offer was made to me and the school was looking for what I would describe as a jolly Santa,” said Mr. Basmajian. “I said, ‘That sounds like an exciting opportunity.’ ” Mr. Basmajian, father of alums Anthony ’96, Aaron, ’98, Alden, ’01 and Alan ’06, is excited once again to share his stories of the reindeer, the North Pole and his special sleigh bells with the younger Saints again this year at the annual staff/faculty dinner in the school cafeteria. He said that he enjoys the time with the children but his favorite part is the preparation for the job. Mr. Basmajian starts growing his hair and beard out as early as August and by December, he said, it looks truly authentic. “[By December], complete strangers will walk pass me in downtown Richmond look at me and say, ‘I know who you are and I’ve been very good this year,’ ” Mr. Basmajian said. Achieving an authentic Santa look is not always easy, however. Mr. Basjamjian noted that it is hard to replicate Santa’s weight. “It’s hard to fill the suit,” said Mr. Basmajian. “I started with pillows but there were times when I lost them.” While Mr. Basmajian loves his job and wouldn’t think of giving it up, he said that the gig can be difficult when dealing with children who are developing doubts that he is the real Santa. Nevertheless, he believes his job is important because it helps bring the Christmas spirit to everyone on campus. “The trick is to share the spirit of the season,” Mr. Basmajian said. “That is one of joy, giving, sharing and hopefulness, and when you have this, the spirit of Santa lives forever.” Mr. Basmajian feels honored to serve the big guy up North, and he said that Santa promises a great Christmas this year.
White shines in “The Nutcracker” By KURT JENSEN ’11 Sophomore Contributor
Ira White will be the first to tell you he did not enjoy fourth grade year at Mary Munford Elementary School. Beyond his personal differences with a certain teacher, however, White was introduced to the Richmond Ballet, and he has carried dancing close to him since. In fourth grade, White was introduced to the Richmond Ballet when a program involved his entire grade level at Mary Munford in a choreographed production about the Wright Brothers. Minds in Motion is a Richmond Ballet program that goes to different Richmond City schools in order to get students involved and active with dance. White was immediately recognized ahead of the throng of his peers. “[They] wanted me to audition for XL, a branch of Minds in Motion, and I got into that,” he said. “The next year, they wanted me to audition for XXL, which is like an A.P. course in school, and I did that for four years.”
His program with the Richmond Ballet presented incredible opportunities. “When I was in fifth grade, I was able to audition for the Nutcracker, because I was in XXL, and that effectively launched my ballet career,” he said. White, now a sophomore at St. Christopher’s has performed in the Richmond Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” six times, holding the spotlighted role of the Prince twice. White auditioned again this year and willplay multiple parts: a rat, the head of the dragon and the nutcracker in the flashback of Act II. White clearly shows a great affinity for dance as an art. Mrs. Varner, who saw one of White’s performances last year, said, “[he] looked incredibly said and comfortable on stage, and he showed a greater level of maturity than is expected of one his age.” Beyond performances, White believes that dancing has improved his life in innumerable ways. “It’s made me have to balance out everything, and it makes it very hard to find time to do this and that, but in a way that’s a good thing,” he said.
Academically, the time commitment can be difficult to manage, but White takes it in his poised, ballet-trained stride. He did mention, “It’s no worse than the time commitment my peers have with mandatory sports.” White participates in dance through the athletic contract program. “I practice 3 to 4 hours a week, year-round,” said White. Beyond academia, White has found dance to have a great impact on his life. “It’s a fun experience and there are girls—lots and lots of girls. Without a doubt it has affected my life outside of school. I actually have more than one or two friends now.” White left me with a few ideas he had about boys and how they choose their commitments. “I wish that people, boys in general, had more respect for the arts—not just dance but all arts, whether it’s singing, writing, drawing or whatever. Boys tend to get so caught up in the aspect of competition that they spend all of their time on sports, and that’s not all good, because you can learn a lot from art.”
-Christmas & New Year’s Edition-
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THE PINE NEEDLE
DECEMBER 2008
The Office Insider’s Look By HENLEY HOPKINSON ’11 Sophomore Contributor
It’s a busy afternoon, the online publishing program is malfunctioning, people are writing articles and amid the confusion Rennie Merhige is frantically trying to get Mrs. Thomas’s attention with his critically acclaimed “gentle Mexican” voice. This is an average day in the St. Christopher’s student publications office. Publications is the department that writes, organizes and edits Raps and Taps as well as The Pine Needle. Located on the second floor of Luck Hall, it is a two-room workspace situated next to Dr. Smith’s office. Our fearless leader is Mrs. Kathleen Thomas, the only person brave enough to take over the position of publications faculty advisor after Mr. Cary Mauck and Mr. John Green resigned from those positions four years ago. A former reporter, she has the necessary skills to advise the writers and editors. “She was able to get my best work out of me,” recalls ’08 alumnus Sam Priddy. However, one must be careful around her. If you aren’t already in publications, she will undoubtedly offer you numerous jobs to do to speed any and all of the tasks which we are constantly striving to finish. Opinions of Mrs. Thomas are all high, and her leadership is the only reason why The Pine Needle and Raps and Taps are ever published. A variety of people work in the publications office, and have been working there for varying amounts of time. Their tenures range from four years to two months. Veterans include seniors Christopher Alexander and Alex Strickland. Other familiar faces include Messrs. Kurt Jensen ’11, Thomas Andrews ’09, Rennie Merhige ’10, Tyler Franz ’09, John Stillwell ’09, Robert Allen ’09, Jabriel Hasan ’11 and many others. Recent graduates who were active there are Neil McGroarty, Robert Barry, Kevin Isaacs, Brian Kusiak, Teddy Mitchell, John Mark DiGrazia, Brendan Worst and Sam Priddy . Reasons for working there vary as well. “So I don’t have to go to SAC with Shad,” says senior Thomas Andrews. Andrews is one of a group of students who had a one-trimester athletic contract to work in publications. Merhige was inspired by Robert Barry last year and decided to work on the Raps and Taps. Many others took the journalism elective, and then became active members. Deadlines are a constant issue, as well as the aforementioned online yearbook publishing program, which despite its advertised ease of use fails at even the simplest tasks. Also, writing articles is a complex process which requires concentration and time. Every student in publications gives it his upmost effort, and there are some excellent results. But do not think that publications is a monotonous experience. A general spirit of camaraderie and friendship permeates every alcove of the office. “Working in publications is like being a member of an exclusive club, and every member is a good, often hilarious friend,” Jensen says. Not five minutes passes without a wave of laughter sweeping through the room. Merhige’s gentle Mexican impersonation is popular with everyone, and countless jokes and stories are exchanged. “We told jokes and funny stories; although I think Dr. Smith may have heard a little too much information sometimes, because his office is right next to ours,” recalls alumnus Neil McGroarty. Other memories include Robert Barry’s stories. Writers and editors also have a tendency to fall out of their chairs because of the intensity with which they go about their work. This occurrence never fails to get a laugh. As Mrs. Thomas puts it, “Most days are like being on a sitcom.”
The school nurses enjoy a shared birthday ride in Mr. McGuire’s vintage Model T earlier this year.
Cookie & Schnuckie soothe the sick By JOHN STILLWELL ’09 Head Senior Editor
St. Christopher’s has the pleasure of being cared for by two fantastic nurses. Mrs. Cookie Johnson and Mrs. Annette “Schnucki” McCabe not only share a passion for helping kids, but they have rhyming nicknames and share the same birthday. These two close friends work together to improve health throughout the St. Christopher’s community, but their day-to-day jobs are extremely different. Mrs. McCabe, whose nickname comes from her family in Germany, has been at St. Christopher’s for seven years and has the invaluable job of caring for Lower School boys. Her job is extremely active on a day-to-day basis. “I’m busier than Cookie,” said Mrs. McCabe. Mrs. McCabe deals with the usual cold or scrape on the knee, but many of the problems that she confronts are unique to the Lower School. Past dilemmas include drinking a cup of water that has a battery in it, throwing up on former teacher Ms. Nan after witnessing a peer’s bloody knee and numerous untimely accidents. “I have come to use a hair dryer effectively for all sorts of issues,” said Mrs. McCabe. “I even had to create a code brown sign as a warning for faculty after a major acci-
dent.” But not all cases are as funny. Last year Mrs. McCabe had to call the rescue squad three times. “You have to be quick on your feet,” said Mrs. McCabe. “You never know what’s going to come in the front door, what’s serious and what isn’t. You have to react.” Mrs. Johnson, who also got her nickname from family, has been at St. Christopher’s for 38 years under four different headmasters and handles all Middle and Upper School students. While her day-to-day job involves giving students their daily medications at lunch, she also has to deal with some more serious injuries. The most common injuries are bloody noses and concussions. But Mrs. Johnson does remember the time an upper schooler poked another student in the eye with a fork. Other than dealing with daily health issues around St. Christopher’s, Mrs. McCabe and Mrs. Johnson have also been making a difference out in the community. Mrs. McCabe has been an energy care healer since 2001. She uses light touch massage to help patients with all sorts of therapy, from headaches to cancer to infertility. “My grandmother was a healer back in Germany, and it was my calling,” said Mrs. McCabe. “The technique is like massaging your shadow. It’s a great way to release endor-
phins.” Mrs. McCabe has her own healing practice, has spoken publicly about her profession and been a major part of the energy care clinic at the Massey Cancer Center. Mrs. McCabe has performed the healing touch on Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Terry Dalton of the business office and her son Corey, a sophomore. “It seems to work,” said Corey Dalton. “My mom broke the radius in her arm. She went to see Schnucki and her recovery was faster than expected.” As for Corey’s experience with the treatment he said, “She moves her hands across your body, moving the energy to the spot where you’re injured.” Mrs. Johnson also has an interesting life outside of school. With three granddaughters, four dogs and a passion for knitting, Cookie is busy. But she still makes time for others. In 2002, she walked a half marathon in California to help raise money for fights against leukemia and lymphoma. Mrs. McCabe and Mrs. Johnson are not just great humanitarians, but also a pleasure to be around every day. “They are two of the most caring and exuberant nurses I have ever had the honor to serve with,” said Megan Limburg, Lower School chaplain. “They are both really loud, but that’s what makes them so fun.”
Homecoming game broadcast live on the Web By CHASE GUNTER ’11 Sophomore Contributor
In September the St. Christopher’s School Homecoming football game against Episcopal High School was broadcasted live on the school website. This is the first time in school history that an extracurricular event has had a live feed on the internet. Mr. Cappy Gilchrist, communications specialist, set up the stream to U-Stream TV, a website similar to YouTube that allows live feeds to be displayed. “Hiram [Cuevas] came up with the idea. I just set it up,” said Mr. Gilchrist. The live feed is surprisingly simple to set up. “You just need a Fire wire cable, a video camera and a laptop and it works,” said Mr. Gilchrist. The first live feed went smoothly; there were no serious problems at all, but a lot of testing was done to make sure it would function on game day. Mr. Gilchrist expects that the broadcast would open the door for future use. “This is the kind of thing that would work at concerts and maybe other sporting events,” said Mr. Gilchrist. “I’ve already had parents come up to me and ask me if I can do it for other events.” Even though the game did not turn out as well as most would have hoped, people still tuned in to the game online. More than 30 alumni, fans and parents watched the game through the website. This number might improve if the stream was better and there was not a lag in the video, which Mr. Gilchrist said could very well be fixed.
DECEMBER 2008
THE PINE NEEDLE
3
The Rothesays rock St.C music scene “If they sound as good as their lead singer looks, they Managing Editor must be rocking,” said John Stillwell ’09. There have been some challenges for the band as well. They usually manage to get The school-wide obsession along, but with all of the band with the student band Caged members involved in other acAngel has overshadowed an tivities, finding time to practice equally impressive predomiis a major issue. The members nately St. Christopher’s band also play sports, participate in called the Rothesays. Founded Student Council, sing in the in 2006, the soft rock group choir and balance other comhas survived and progressed mitments that conflict with from the infamous “Black band activities. “It takes a lot Hole” track to a very impresof hard work, late nights and sive band. determination but it’s all worth The founding members are it,” said Thompson. seniors Marc Rasmussen, JusAs for short-term goals, the tin Thompson and Harrison Rothesays agree that recordTucker. Senior Randolph Boying a CD is a top priority. The ers and VCU student Joss Salcosts, time and effort required lade were added shortly after. Rasmussen plays the guitar, The Rothesays: (L-R) Marc Rasmussen ’09, Harrison Tucker ’09, Joss Sallade (in back), Randolph Boyers ’09 and Justin Thompson ’09. to create a CD are daunting. “Recording is even more time synthesizer and vocals. Thompson is also a guitarist the Rothesays enjoy performing in live shows. and vocalist. Tucker is yet another guitarist, who A show requires the band to secure the deal, pre- consuming and definitely more expensive than specializes in vocals and the cowbell. Sallade is the pare every song and get all of their equipment on site practice, but we’ve made progress on it slowly,” said band’s drummer and Boyers is the bassist. and working, not to mention performing flawlessly in Tucker. All of the Rothesays plan to continue with music “We were looking for a creative outlet and re- front of an audience. Despite all of the time and effort in the future. At the very least, they will all continue alized that we all shared common tastes in music,” required, the Rothesays love to perform. said Thompson. For the members, there are several The all-time favorite moments for the band mem- to play instruments and play together during college different attractions of being in the band. Writing bers are predominantly their concerts. “I personally breaks. Most will study music in college, and Rasmusic is one thing that all of the Rothesays enjoy. really enjoyed our first show at Alley Katz. We played mussen even plans to pursue a career in the music “Doing something concrete like writing a song is really well, it was packed, and we got some pretty business. The best way to support the Rothesays is to atvery satisfying. When you’re done with it, it’s yours,” good pictures,” said Thompson. said Rasmussen. The band is well liked on campus. “I’ve never heard tend a performance or buy a CD once it is released. They also list meeting interesting people and re- them. Actually, I’ve heard ‘Black Hole.’ It has poten- Fans can look forward to a Christmas break show and many more performances to come this year. lieving stress by practicing as benefits. But above all, tial to go platinum,” said Bart Farinholt ’09. By ROBERT ALLEN ’09
Music Spotlight
The Big Tuhuna Mr. Tune cracks down
By SCOTT BOZE ’09 Senior Contributor
One bleak, rainy day in early September, Drew Pangraze was 30 seconds late for school. When he tried to rush in through the chapel door, Mr. Greg Tune grabbed him and said, “Take a lap.” Wearing a coat and tie for the soccer game that day, Pangraze took off running. Rounding the first corner, he stepped on a curb and twisted his ankle. He lay on the ground for a few minutes before walking back to chapel only to be greeted again by Mr. Tune who ordered another lap, leg lifts, then a set of pushups. Pangraze was left winded and soaking wet from his ordeal. Since then, he’s only been late once, compared to last year when he was late almost every other day. Pangraze’s story is similar to that of many other students who have been caught off guard by Mr. Tune’s startling new policy on tardiness. Lateness has not been the only issue that Mr. Tune has been working to improve since taking over as Upper School disciplinarian in fall 2007. Mr. Tune has also made changes regarding cell phone use, hours and skipping class. Last year Mr. Tune changed
the punishment for skipping class from one hour to five hours. This year the disciplinarian has changed the way he deals with slightly tardy students. Those, like Pangraze, who arrive after chapel but before first period can expect to find themselves running rather than serving an hour as in years past. Mr.Tune’s reasoning for the new punishment is simple: to cut down on the number of students on the hours list and eliminate annoying distractions in chapel that arise from tardy students. According to Mr. Tune, this new policy has been a great success in accomplishing these objectives. Mr. Abbott and Mr. Szymendera agree that Mr. Tune is a great fit for his new position. Mr. Abbott points out Mr. Tune’s use of humor and innovative consequences as examples of his different approach. Mr. Szymendera said Mr. Tune’s keen understanding of high school boys and their behavior is key in managing a difficult job. “[The job] entails constantly chasing down students to see what they have done or not done,” said Mr. Szymendera, Upper School head. “It can be a very negative job that wears you down. Mr. Tune never seems to let the student or the situation drag him down. That’s important when we’re
trying to get the best out of every guy here.” Since becoming disciplinarian, Mr. Tune has worked to earn students’ respect, while at the same time upholding the integrity of the system. On any given day, you can find a group of students hanging out in his office. Mr. Tune enjoys talking and joking with students. He’s open to discussion but usually holds firm in his decisions. In the meantime, he has not only been looking for new ways to discipline, but also for ways to improve student life.
He instituted innovative and more flexible ways to serve hours, such as helping with Lower School sports on Saturdays and other jobs that can be served during free periods. Mr. Tune is also largely responsible for students now being allowed to use their cell phones while outside; however, the punishment for being caught using your cell phone inside has greatly increased. Although it has not yet been fully enforced, students caught using their phones in the building could lose them for as long
as two weeks. Like any job, being disciplinarian has its ups and downs. Mr. Tune’s least favorite part is dealing with parents and students who refuse to comply even when he makes it easy for them. His favorite part of the job is holding people accountable. “The humor of busting people is just kinda fun,” said Mr. Tune. “The thrill of the hunt when you know you caught someone and they know, too, but they still try to get away.”
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THE PINE NEEDLE
DECEMBER 2008
Boze ’11 climbs to the top By CHASE GUNTER ’11 Sophomore Contributor
Londrey ’09 represents USA By DREW PANGRAZE ’10 Junior Contributor
Imagine practicing two strenuous hours in Varsity soccer, taking a quick shower, rushing to 6 p.m. climbing practice, being pushed for three hours until you are physically exhausted, and still finishing all your homework before 11 p.m. Matt Londrey ’09 does this routine every Monday and Wednesday during the fall to prepare for the spring climbing season. In the spring, Londrey works out at Peak Climbing Gym five days a week for three hours a day. Daily workouts stress building physical strength and endurance in the fingers, forearms and upper arms. When not climbing walls, Londrey uses the hang board, a giant climbing hold, for hundreds of pull-ups and long dead hangs. One look at Londrey and you will recognize his enormous forearms and lean body with only 7 percent body fat. On a good day, Londrey can pump out 40 pull-ups in one try. “You have to push yourself to the limit physically if you want to improve in climbing,” said Londrey. Londrey’s journey began when he attended Passages Climbing Camp at 8 years old. He quickly fell in love with the sport and started competing locally in sixth grade. Standing 6 feet tall, Londrey is the ideal height for the sport. He credits his friends, coaches and parents for introducing him to the sport and helping him to be successful. All the hard work paid off last year when Londrey did exceptionally well in local and regional tournaments to give him an invite to Youth Divisionals. At Youth Divisionals, Londrey placed within the top six climbers to assure him a spot in nationals. The Youth Nationals in July brought Londrey to Sunnyvale, Calif. to compete with hundreds of other climbers
from around the country. Londrey, accompanied by fellow Saint, Austin Boze, placed fifth in nationals and was granted a place at North American Continental Games where he placed sixth earlier this month. Londrey wants people to know the rules and regulations of climbing so they might join the sport and stop asking him how fast he climbed the wall. The local tournaments are “Redpoint” competitions where the climber has three hours to successfully climb as many walls as possible. The climber must not fall in order to get points for that wall. The top five wall points are added together to calculate the climber’s final score so speed is not a factor. Londrey prefers the onsite competitions where each climber has the same three routes to climb. No Beta, climbing guidance, is offered to climbers who have one shot at each route. The higher up you go, the more points you are given. All three wall points are added together to calculate the climber’s final score. The regional, divisional and national tournaments are all on-site competitions. Londrey plans to keep climbing on his own in college, but hasn’t seriously considered turning pro. “Matt is a humble, caring person and one of the best climbers that I have seen,” said St. Christopher’s teacher Mrs. Peirce, a Peak Gym climber. “I would love to see him climb professionally, as in have a full sponsorship and basically get paid to climb.” Londrey’s hope is to attract more people to the sport. “Most people have heard of it and there are a lot more gyms open, but it is definitely not mainstream,” said Londrey. The internal drive needed to climb is Londrey’s favorite aspect of the sport. “It is you against the wall, and there will always be a harder wall to climb, but that’s why I love it,” said Londrey.
Sophomore Austin Boze began climbing at age 6 when he attended a friend’s birthday party at Peak Experiences. “I thought it was cool so I kept coming back,” said Boze. Now, climbing is his sport each trimester of the school year. This summer he competed for the sixth time at the National Championship for Climbing in California placing 23rd among 16-to-17-year-old males. Although he does not climb for St. Christopher’s, he still has a rigorous training schedule. “I train six days a week, two or three of those I’m climbing at Peak Experiences,” said Boze. “The other days I’m running or doing PT workouts.” PT workouts focus on endurance and agility with sprints, pushups and sit-ups.” Boze sometimes trains with fellow St. Christopher’s student Matthew Londrey and the two enjoy a friendly rivalry. However, Boze acknowledges that Londrey is better, but adds with a laugh that he is two years older. Every year Boze attends 10 to 12 regional or national championships. He feels that
he underachieved at this summer’s national tournament, calling it a “bad day.” No one would dispute his accomplishments, however. “I’ve won the national championship and have been on the United States climbing team twice,” said Boze. The national climbing team is composed of four people from every age and gender category. Although Boze climbs mostly for training, he sometimes travels out of the state to climb outdoors for recreation. But he enjoys practicing as well. “When I train, I have fun,” he said. “I try to push myself and get better.”
In fact, he prefers the indoor competitions over outdoor recreation. “There’s more pressure and there is a clutch aspect to climbing where every move matters,” Boze said. “It’s really exciting. There are a lot of people and you are surrounded by professional climbers you recognize.” Boze plans to continue training throughout high school and keep competing nationally, hoping to improve over last year’s finish and to improve. “Climbing is all about the individual and what the individual enjoys or gets out of the route rather than worrying about difficulty,” Boze said.
Jumet, Thurston compete on horseback By Jason Pacious ’10 Junior Contributor
Ever wanted to play something other than the usual sports for required athletics? Actually, polo could be an option. Polo is a team sport played on horseback. Riders score goals by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled mallet. The traditional sport is played at a fast pace on a large grass field up to 300 yards in length, and each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts. A modern variant, called arena polo, is played indoors or more commonly outdoors on a smaller enclosed allweather surface. In arena polo there are only three players on each team, and instead of wood they use a small inflatable leather ball. Two students at St. Christopher’s, senior Willy Jumet and junior Todd Thurston, play
for the UVA (interscholastic) high school polo team. They compete against other high school teams mostly from the east coast such as Brandywine (Pennsylvania), Baltimore and Valley Forge Military Academy. Although they have a short fall season to get “legged up,” the real games for seeding in tournaments take place after the new year. In arena polo the three team positions are labeled 1, 2 and 3. The 1 player is primarily offensive. The 3 player is primarily defensive, and the 2 player is in general a utility player who plays both offensively and defensively. While Thurston usually plays 1, Jumet takes the role of 2. However, during the course of the match, the positions get mixed up and everyone has a fair share in offensive and defensive plays. Most fair games don’t go above 20 goals scored. This is Thurston’s fourth year playing polo at UVA, although he has been riding horses since he was 4 years old. He was introduced to polo by watching his sister and Strother Scott, now a member of the college men’s team. After seeing his first game he was hooked. Jumet began playing polo at age 8, so he is now in his tenth year. He began with horses by riding and jumping but found that slow and boring. A friend of his dad offered to teach him and his older brother how to play polo. Jumet, like Thurston, was immediately hooked.
On average the Interscholastic team practices twice a week at UVA, once on Thursday evenings and then on Sunday mornings. On off days Jumet and Thurston continue to ride and practice at their farms or go to the club to “stick and ball” (practice informally). They enjoy playing polo for a number of reasons including the intensity, speed and goalscoring. Of course, the intensity can lead to injury and even death. Both have seen some bad collisions in which both horse and rider have been severely hurt. In one game, Jumet’s coach was knocked out after being bucked off and for a time was not breathing. Thurston and Jumet both plan to play in college. Some of their primary choices include UVA, Cornell Univesity, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. Todd’s goal is to some day turn pro. Most polo ponies here in America are ex-racehorses that were too small or too slow to win, but the best polo ponies descend from the Argentine Crillo, a native horse to the Pampas that is ideal for polo in every way as a compact, fast, agile and obedient animal. It takes about five years to “make” a polo pony. The horses are ridden and saddled up around 3-to-4 years of age and then by the time they are 7-to-8 years old they are in the best shape of their lives. For Thurston and Jumet, polo is their passion in life.
DECEMBER 2008
THE PINE NEEDLE
5
Faculty Athletes Continued...
Mr. Menges: A team player on and off the ice By JOHN STILLWELL ’09 Head Senior Editor
Working together towards a common purpose was a significant life lesson Dave Menges learned throughout his hockey career. Mr. Menges brings the same team concept that made him a great hockey player at Hobart College to his work as head of the Lower School. “Athletes have goals for their teams in the same way that teachers and parents have goals for their students and children,” Mr. Menges said. Participating on teams is an important experience for every kid. Sports create a unique opportunity to learn life lessons. “Winning in a team sport is physically impossible to do alone,” Mr. Menges said. “This realization is significant because in the real world, success is driven by teamwork.” Participating on a team, whether it’s an athletic, musical, theatrical or intellectual group, creates an environment for kids to understand that effort and commitment lead to success. “There is a direct correlation between hard work, passion and success,” Mr. Menges said. Hockey not only helped mold Mr. Menges as a leader, but it was a major factor in where he is today. Growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Mr. Menges was an avid hockey player his entire childhood and learned the game from his father and brothers. “The winters in Cleveland Heights were cold enough for my father, brothers and me to build a skating rink in our backyard,” said Mr. Menges. “When I was young, we played pickup games almost every night during the winter. Also we often went to watch the now defunct NHL team, the Cleveland Barons.” At Cleveland Heights High School, Mr. Menges was captain his senior year and led his team to the State AAA Final Four two years in a row. Hockey was a popular sport at Cleveland Heights and often as many as 3,000 people attended the games. Mr. Menges spent the summer before his high school senior year playing for the Cleveland Junior Barons, a club team featuring the top players in northeast Ohio. His team played other similar club teams from other major cities, like the Pittsburgh Junior Penguins and the Detroit Junior Redwings. “Cleveland is not a hotbed for hockey, like Boston
or Minnesota, but there were some good players on the Junior Barons,” said Mr. Menges. “We were not a farm team for the NHL Barons or anything, but the team included a lot of the top high school players in my area.” The exposure playing competitive hockey in the Cleveland area helped Mr. Menges get attention from a bunch of college hockey coaches. Hockey was an important part of his youth, but his college decision was based on more than just the sport. “Hockey was an important part of my high school experience, and I always wanted to play college hockey” said Mr. Menges. “I was recruited by a handful of Division III colleges, and I eventually chose Hobart College in upstate New York. I wanted to attend a small liberal arts college, and I really liked the coach and players during my visit
to the school. Also I felt like I could play, and make a contribution to the team as a freshman.” Mr. Menges was one of two four-year letter winners on Hobart’s hockey team in his class. Mr. Menges played with an intensity and passion that allowed him to excel on the ice as a natural leader, said Mr. Bill Greer, former Hobart hockey coach. “There are some athletes who love to play but are never able to come up with the intensity needed to be effective,” Mr. Greer said. “Other players are so intense that they shoot themselves in the foot. David was the perfect balance of these two types of players. He was always the hardest working player on the ice, but he always had a smile off the ice.” Many of the relationships and lessons Mr. Menges learned playing college hockey greatly influenced the person he is today. The hard work, discipline and determination necessary to succeed in hockey are equally important in his job as head of the Lower School. His hockey experience had a uniquely positive impact on his life and working summer hockey camps with kids ultimately led him to discover his passion for teaching. Mr. Menges spends part of every summer working for Outward Bound, an adventure-based program geared to helping people grow and learn about themselves through working with others in a wilderness setting. He leads small groups into the woods and has the responsibility of not only his own well-being but ensuring the safety of the entire group. “Being a captain in hockey is extremely different than being a leader in Outward Bound,” Mr. Menges said. “Hockey captains can lead their teammates by example, but Outward Bound leaders have to make safety decisions with potentially huge consequences; consequences bigger than losing a game.” Whether leading a team onto the ice, leading a student group into the wilderness or leading the Lower School, Mr. Menges believes in a teamoriented strategy for success. “Something I’ve learned is that you have to work together to get things done,” Mr. Menges said.
Other collegiate athletes give perspective “Doing college athletics was a big part of my college years. It allowed me to acquire leadership skills and make priorities with juggling class, practice and meets. The positive friendships and life lessons, along with interaction with diverse people, were also some benefits of college athletics.”
“I think staying healthy and keeping a positive attitude were the most challenging components. A distance runner has to pour on the mileage, but the wear and tear can do damage to bones and joints. I would have a string of great workouts followed by a series of small ailments. If I weren’t careful, the small injuries became big injuries. I learned how to avoid injuries by stretching and doing calisthenics in between workouts. In addition, losing races and not hitting good times became frustrating. I figured every race should be a PR (personal best). I rarely missed working out with the team. I tried to do all the right things to excel, but I sometimes did not see the immediate results. My coach told me to stay positive, and not to seek immediate gratification. He was right. The most gratifying races came after a prolonged period of training and staying upbeat.”
Chris Carrier Allegheny College cross country (captain), indoor track (captain), outdoor track (captain)
Gene Bruner College of William & Mary cross country, track
Jack O’Donnell Guilford College lacrosse (captain), soccer
“I had an awesome experience. The challenge was coping with the fact that this would not last forever.”
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THE PINE NEEDLE
DECEMBER 2008
Saints serve others By JOHN STILLWELL ’09 Head Senior Editor
Learning to serve others is one of the fundamental aspects of every St. Christopher’s boys’ education. Each student is expected to fulfill 50 hours of community service while in the Upper School, and a large majority of students greatly surpass this mark. But this requirement is only the beginning for the number of seniors who participate in the numerous after-school activities throughout the community. Led by Rev. Hollerith, this group of 27 students, 24 of whom are seniors, serve throughout the community in programs such as the St. James Children Center, Meals on Wheels, St. Andrew’s School and the St. Christopher’s Extended Day program. Working three days a week after-school from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. as tutors and mentors, Mrs. Hollerith said these students have been great role models and made an impact in the community. “The program started about five years ago,” said Rev. Hollerith. “Originally a few guys participating in strength and conditioning who lifted every other day, did community service on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now the program has become more full-time as guys get their workouts done before school or during a free period, so they can be free in the afternoons to serve.” Now more than 10 percent of the student body
participates in community service after school. Rev. Hollerith believes that the school’s development of stronger partnerships throughout the community has led to the increased awareness and participation of students. “It started out as a small program, but this year it was really organized which made it an even more meaningful experience,” said senior Brown Farinholt, who has participated for three years and was a winner of the weekly Lexus of Richmond Pursuit of Excellence Leadership Award. The kids always enjoy when the St. Christopher’s guys come to play, but the opportunity to tutor and mentor these young kids has been equally meaningful to many of the St. Christopher’s student volunteers. “It’s definitely a worthwhile program,” said senior and Student Council President Carter Younts. “As a tutor, it was a special feeling when your buddy really understood what you were teaching.” Senior Carlton Logan has worked with students at the St. Christopher’s Lower School extended day, and enjoys getting the chance to work with young kids on campus. “I really enjoyed being with the kids and being someone they could look up to,” Logan said. The Varsity soccer team has also joined the trend by creating a partnership with St. Andrews School. For the past three years, the team has taken a day off from practice to work at St. Andrews. The players scrub floors, wash windows, pick up trash on the premises and in the neighborhood, weed and water the garden, and clean tables and chairs in the art room. “I tried to set up a varsity soccer community service project out of season and it was a disaster,” said Mr. Jay Wood, head varsity soccer coach and English Department Chair. “We decided to do something in season, and it’s been great for the team. Committing to something bigger than self is important in soccer and important in life. We come from a fortunate community, and if we can help those less fortunate, we should.”
Contract what?! By ZANE SEALS ’10 Junior Contributor
Toward the conclusion of St Christopher’s students’ daily athletic practices, many find themselves tired and wanting practice full of sprints and yelling coaches to end. Meanwhile Vivian Earl Dickinson III ’10 is flying a Cessna 172 private plane at a cruising altitude of 2,500 feet. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, Dickinson flies with Bryan Smith, a commercial pilot flight instructor at Chesterfield Municipal Airport. The plane he uses is 27 feet long with a wingspan of 36 feet. It can reach a cruising speed of 120 knots, or 140 mph.
Dickinson became interested in airplanes because his father is a pilot. On the days he flies, Dickinson practices maneuvers at 2,500 feet and he also practices stalls and emergency landings. Dickinson is working on becoming a private pilot. In order to do so, he must complete a cross country trip, making landings at three separate airports that are 60 miles apart. He cannot do a solo flight until he is completely finished with his training. “Flying airplanes is more of an interest for me and presents
me with more opportunities in the future,” says Dickinson. “It’s a totally different feeling than driving; you’re free in all three dimensions of motions: up, side-to-side and down.” Dickinson is putting all the hours of training into flying to achieve his goal. “I would like to go into the air force,” says Dickinson. But for now he must continue his hard training of 12 hours a week. Laughing Dickinson said, “Ya it’s all about the intense aerobatic maneuvers.”
Students & mentors bond at St. Andrews By RYAN VAN SUMEREN ’10 Junior Contributor
Pandemonium. That is the only word that can describe St. Andrew’s school every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30-5:30 pm. During that time a few St. Christopher’s upperclassmen head to St. Andrew’s School downtown and help young boys and girls finish their daily homework even though the kids continue to deny they ever have any. This task may be extremely exhausting, but the tutors also find this work rewarding. “The change in the children’s attitude towards learning truly inspires me,” said Matt Ferramosca ’10. Still the kids sometimes try to ignore their tutors and decide to throw pencils and other hurtful objects. However, when they finally get to work, it is easy to see that they are grateful to have a helping hand. Some kids are so happy to have a tutor they pretend to need help with things they’ve known for years. All the hard work finally pays off when I see the happy faces of the kids when they realize they’ve finished all of their homework and get to spend some fun time with their tutors during their wellearned recess. The kids (and tutors for that matter) can get pretty competitive sometimes, but everybody leaves the playground with a smile. Recess or play time to the younger kids sometimes leaves kids looking forward to the next time they can play with their tutors but they know once recess is over it’s time for more homework. Sometimes, this work leaves the tutors looking like they just left the hardest practice of their entire lives, but they know that the work they’re doing will benefit them in all aspects of life. The program also benefits the kids because it teaches a stronger work ethic and academic skills that will last a lifetime. And though there have been many near-hospitalizing experiences due to the constant threat of flying pencils, the kids and the tutors walk away happier and healthier every day.
China trip postponed By STEPHEN WOOD ’11 Sophomore Contributor
Last year, Marc Keilburger’s speech at the leadership symposium left many members of the St. Christopher’s community ready to help in the fight against poverty. The school planned to take a number of students and a few faculty members on a trip to build a school in an impoverished Chinese community via Keilburger’s Free the Children organization. Unfortunately, the trip will not happen. Rather, that exact trip will not happen this year. The trip, organized by Dr. Smith, was originally supposed to take 15 Upper School students to a town in rural China where they would spend three weeks building a school for the children of that community. Although students did show interest, not enough students committed by the Oct. 15 deadline. Dr. Smith said that while several students were interested, many parents had concerns about travel costs given the current economic
conditions. In addition, parents were concerned about the travel distance and time spent in a nation under a communist regime, he said. The school is still working on organizing mission trips. Dr. Smith is exploring the possibility of sending students on other Free the Children trips that may not be coordinated by St. Christopher’s. There will still be options available this summer for students who really want to help out. Trips to China may still be available, but they would be more focused on leadership as opposed to construction of schools. Students would still be helping a Chinese community, just not in the same way. In addition, the school is looking for more long-term options for mission trips. “If at all possible we should have mission trips that benefit the global community,” Dr. Smith said. There is an effort underway to organize a Free the Children trip to China for summer 2010, and there will hopefully be more options in the future.
DECEMBER 2008
THE PINE NEEDLE
7
Josh Sundquist brings inspirational message
Josh Sundquist plays his own rendition of “Free-Fallin’”on his travel guitar.
By TAYLOR JENKINS ’09 Senior Contributor
Was it the best chapel talk at St. Chris in a long time? Ask any number of Upper School students and many will agree that Josh Sundquist was the best speaker we’ve had in a while. He did what most speakers have a very difficult time doing. He actually managed to get the undivided attention of most of the Upper School at 8 a.m. and his intriguing opening story can likely be attrib-
uted to this amazing feat. Sundquist began his talk recounting a story of mischief with his buddies. He described how they wandered through an empty cow pasture, searching for an unsuspecting victim… to tip over. Finally, they find their “cow.” The one problem, however, was that this cow had horns, big horns, and unfortunately was not unsuspecting. Josh and his friends were faced with the dilemma of fight or flight. Josh was quick to decide on the latter. It was at this moment in the story that students likely tuned
in. While telling the story, Sundquist didn’t just describe his flight of fear; he demonstrated it across Scott Gym. The whole room was stunned with the speed and athleticism of this man. Now you may wonder why a man running across a gym would stun a group of teenage boys, so I will take this time to inform you of Sundquist one small impediment. He is missing a leg. At age 9, Josh was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that attacked the bones in his left leg. He was faced with a 50
percent chance of survival. Not taking any chances, Sundquist began chemotherapy immediately. However, after a year with no positive results, the doctors decided to remove his leg. His dreams of becoming an outstanding soccer player were crushed. Despite this major setback, Sundquist found another sport to pursue. He began to ski. And after many tumbles, Sundquist found himself walking into the Stadio Olympico in Torino, Italy, about to compete in the 2006 Winter Paralympics. He described this walk as being the most memorable and most meaningful walk of his entire life. He realized that he likely would never have been there if he hadn’t walked his second most memorable walk: the walk from the waiting room to the operation room before his amputation. The message Sundquist wanted to leave us with is that life may be tough, but it is also beautiful and we must look past our obstacles and know that most of the time those barriers will bring us some of our most beautiful moments. Please visit Sundquist website at www.1mt1mt.com for more information and inspiration.
Looking back on 2008... Ten things to remember from 2008: 1. Saints win second-consecutive Directors’ Cup. 2. The legendary Wayne Boese retires and is replaced by up-and-coming prospect Ned Rider. 3. The New York Giants upset the New England Patriots 1714 in the Super Bowl. 4. Daniel Farmer keeps his Super Bowl. 5. Gas prices hit record highs and the economy, along with gasoline, tanks. 6. “The Dark Night” caps off a summer filled with great movies. 7. Szymendera’s Phillies upset Channing Poole’s Rays in the World Series. It is Philadelphia’s first championship since 1980. 8. Barack Obama wins the 2008 election. 9. Lil Wayne becomes extremely popular as most music fans are caught up in the “Weezy/Birdman Jr./Young Money/Weezy F. Baby/Young Carter” craze. 10. Britney Spears makes an unanticipated comeback. Compiled by Tyler Franz ’09
Thoughts on the election “I was also proud of them when I saw them talk on CBS about their favorite books. Neither man was afraid to admit he admired real literature, that it moved and instructed him. McCain cited a Hemingway novel; Obama cited THE BIBLE, a Toni Morrison novel and Shakespeare’s tragedies, especially ‘HAMLET’ and ‘LEAR.’ Both men were fairly eloquent and completely convincing in their enthusiasm for genuine literature.” --Mr. Smith “…I’m glad so many people came out to vote, and I’m happy that so many young people are getting involved in politics.” --Dr. C “I’m really interested in watching the world’s reaction because that’ s something we don’t usually do. There is wide range of opinions [from Kenya to Venezuela and even the declaration of] victory from [some of] the radical Islamists. Regardless of who won the election, a tough job lies ahead of him.” --Dr. Smith
compiled by Kyle Wittenauer ’10
“What’s the Republican party going to do with Palin now?” --Mr. Towell
“I’m very disappointed in how young America voted.” --Kurt Fleming ’10
“O-bummer!” --Jason Pacious ’10
“I’m not exactly happy with [the outcome] since I’m more of a McCain person.” --Jacob Huesman ’11 “Wow, America!” --Edward Custer ’10 “America has spoken.” --John Asare ’10 “It’s a time in our country when people want change, and I think Obama will bring about that change and unify the nation.” --Edward Rives ’09
“I’m not happy with the way things turned out and wish they could be turned around, but I guess we’ll have to make the best of it.” --Sam Cottrell ’12 “All I want to say to all the McCain fans out there is don’t fret. Just lay low and relax for two or three years, and we’ll all be able to say, ‘Hey! I told you so.”’ --Ted Gottwald ’10
“I think America was uniformed when it voted, and we are going to have to pay the consequences.” --Scott Register ’09 “I fear for the Republic!“ --Alex Gannon ’10 “CHANGE!” --Jack Borkey ’11 “I think a lot of people voted without really knowing the issues.“ --Tommy Parrish ’12
Meet Mr. Johnson By WELLS BAYLOR ’11 Sophomore Contributor
Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Jonathan Johnson wakes each morning to a quick cup of coffee and a long drive to college. Each day at 8:30 a.m. sharp, his rigorous schedule begins. Earning excellent grades, Mr. Johnson studies hard at the Sydney Louis School of Business, a division of Virginia Union University. By half past noon, he is at St. Christopher’s washing the uniforms, searching for missing towels and accounting for all the equipment, a truly “busy eight hours.” After a tiring 12 hours of work, Mr. Johnson takes a walk, planning out his next day and making important decisions about his business, Brave Entertainment. Catering to the everyday athlete, his business, Brave Entertainment, sets up sports tournaments and sometimes even video game events. A former college football player at West Virginia University and Virginia Union, Mr. Johnson has a passion for sports and wants to offer fun and exciting competitions to other sport fanatics and active athletes. Recently, Brave Entertainment organized an alumni basketball game. Mr. Johnson is earning a degree in business from Virginia Union. After graduation, a position as a manager in Chesapeake Smart Homes awaits him. The company markets a remote where the lights, television and computer can be turned on from the car, with only a simple click of a button. Mr. Johnson’s discipline and work ethic in business and academics stems from his dedication as an athlete. Even after tearing his ACL in college, Mr. Johnson eagerly worked through his rehabilitation to rejoin the team. Having known Mr. Johnson’s unbelievable work ethic from being on an AAU basketball team together, Mr. Hamill Jones, a world history teacher, recommended the equipment manager job to Mr. Johnson. Only after tearing his ACL a second time did Mr. Johnson decide to take a break from sports and focus on school. After he finishes his work as the equipment manager, Mr. Johnson hopes to work as a coach here at St. Christopher’s. As an athlete, his personal philosophy is to “listen to the coach.” Mr. Johnson is a disciplined individual who creates opportunities through hard work and intense dedication. His work as an equipment manager has already been and will continue to be greatly appreciated.
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THE PINE NEEDLE
DECEMBER 2008
The Back Page As Christmas break is upon us, we took a look at what some faculty and students will do during the holidays.
Mrs. Bredrup: Camps out in the senior lot to make sure no one jacks her parking spot. Student Council: Does absolutely nothing per usual. Mr. Jones: Goes on ANOTHER blind date. Jackson Freeman: Continues his quest to find Joe, Charlie & Luke. Kurt Fleming: Elfs it up at Regency Mall. Mr. Towell: Attempts to steal Christmas. Thomas Andrews: Bakes cookies with his mom. Stuart Mahoney: Visits even more colleges with his parents even though he is already going to Colgate. Alec Vozenilek: Spends Christmas Eve in the weight room. Spends Christmas morning at Shad’s house. Malcolm Magovern: Blogs about politics on the Washington Redskins blog extremeskins.com. Mr. Carlson: Dominates Karaoke night with his Vanilla Ice impression.
THE PINE NEEDLE STAFF Head Senior Editors:
Christopher Alexander - Tyler Franz - John Stillwell
Managing Editor: Robert Allen
Senior Contributors: Scott Boze Taylor Jenkins Alex Strickland
Junior Contributors: Drew Pangraze Jason Pacious Zane Seals Ryan Van Sumeren Kyle Wittenauer
Sophomore Contributors: Chase Gunter Kurt Jensen Stephen Wood Wells Baylor
Business Manager: Henley Hopkinson ’11
Advisor:
Mrs. Kathleen Thomas