Gordon Named Coach of the Year, A4 Smith Honored, One of Richmond’s Best, A7 Mrs. Staples Says Goodbye, A7
6th Seed Shockers, A3 College Bound Athletes, A5 Faculty Departures, A8 Senior Reflections, A10 College Decisions, A11
Golf Clinches Director’s Cup, State Title, A3
The Pine Needle
Volume XCII
Richmond, Virginia
May 2011
Number 6
Photo by Jabriel Hasan, Design by Jane Ludwig
St. ChristoCURES Team Raises 32k, Runs 10 By Alex Beale ’13 and Morgan McCown ’13
Seniors Aganbi, Villani, Constable and Strader with game faces on.
Junior Harrison Houlihan is Senior Jamie Ball’s biggest fan.
Early finishers gather to cheer on the rest of the team.
INSIDE: Photo Essays
Sophomore Abbott strikes a pose.
Out of 167 teams, the 2011 St. ChristoCURES was the top fundraiser in the city once again, raising more than $32,600 for the Monument Avenue 10k. On March 2, more than 40,000 Richmonders got together and ran 6.2 miles in the annual event, raising money to fight cancer. “It is really cool that St. Christopher’s had such a big role in this event,” said Dr. Kim Hudson, an Upper School resource teacher. “I wasn’t sure whether or not we would do as well as last year, but we far surpassed last year’s fundraising amount.” Last year, the St. ChristoCURES team raised more than $18,000, and was the top fundraising team by far. This year more than 100 team members far surpassed last year’s amount, as well as this year’s expectations. With $10,650 raised, sophomore Harrison McVey was the top fundraiser in the city. He sent out emails to friends and family asking for donations. “I liked seeing how many people donated, and how they donated to a good cause,” said McVey. As for next year, he plans to do just the same thing, and See 10K, Page A2
Remembrance, A6 Spirit Unleashed, A7
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News
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May 2011
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Sports
[ ] Golf Grabs Prep Title, May 2011
A3
Saints Snare Director’s Cup
Lax Crosses Cougars, SS/SA
Google Maps to Success Google Chairman Eric Schmidt walks with Headmaster Charley Stillwell and Director of Development Delores Smith around the site of the Luck Leadership Center.
10K Continued from A1
to try and raise even more money The idea of creating a team first came when the mother of sophomore Swain Molster approached Upper School Chaplain Melissa Hollerith about St. Christopher’s participating in the 10k last year. From there, Mrs. Hollerith asked Dr. Hudson if she wanted to become the team leader because her mother had spent time as a patient at the Massey Cancer Center. Ms. Asha Bandal, an Upper School Spanish teacher, then stepped up and joined Dr. Hudson in leading the team. “Dr. Hudson and Ms. Bandal really led the charge and were the real catalysts in organizing everything,” said Mrs. Hollerith. Starting earlier was a factor that enabled the St. ChristoCURES team to be so successful. Additionally, the support of parents allowed for the team’s success. “The parent volunteers played a huge role in organizing everything from packet pickup to food for the team to enjoy on the race day,” said Dr. Hudson. The St. Christopher’s community was successful
not only in raising money, but also in running the race. Mr. Chris Carrier, a Middle School coach and Spanish teacher, had the sixth best time in the men’s age 25-29 division, with a time of 34 minutes and 10 seconds. Among the students, senior James Busch had the best time with 35 minutes and 36 seconds. Busch placed fifth in the men’s ages 15-19 division. Senior Nick Richardson recorded a 39minute 39-second time placing 8th in the same division. Interestingly, the top three teams in the city had links to St. Christopher’s. The team, “10k for RK,” came in second in terms of fundraising. This team was led by Margaret Valentine, mother of senior Will Valentine. Next, in third place, was the “Bowling for Burns” team, which included multiple members of the Ackerly family. All in all, the St. ChristoCURES team has been and will continue to be a huge success. Thank you to Ms. Bandal and Dr. Hudson for making this all possible, and congratulations not only the St. ChristoCURES team but to all of the St. Christopher’s community for all its service and giving back.
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt Schmidt takes questions from a group of interested students. Shares Leadership Advice By Kurt Jensen Editor-In-Chief
On Friday, April 8, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt visited St. Christopher’s School as a part of the Building Leaders program. Nearly 2,000 students and teachers from across the Richmond area gathered in the Bolling Field House to hear him speak. Schmidt, uncle of alumnus Tyler Schmidt ’05, grew up in Blacksburg. His prolific career began in information technology, where he moved around until becoming chief technology officer of Sun Microsystems. He was then appointed the chief executive officer of Novell, garnering a reputation as an IT giant. In 2001, he was approached by a small start-up named Google. At first, he thought the position beneath him, but he agreed to meet with the passionate and intelligent founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. At their first meeting, the two Google pioneers shared a list with Schmidt
Junior Contributor
Ben Moore ’15 was honored recently as one of Style Weekly’s 16 Under 16. The annual awards are given to 16 Richmonders under 16 years old who are exceptional. Moore, who was nominated by Middle School Dean of Students Warren Hunter, was chosen out of approximately 75 candidates because of his “creativity and leadership,” according to Style manager Tonie Stevens. He demonstrated these in his creative writing, as
wisdom of the crowd. You have to be able to measure success and then incentivize it, he explained. But at the most basic level, leadership is about keeping people happy and excited to work. “You’ve got to figure out a way to get people to smile when they leave your office,” said Schmidt. “Make them smile, inspire them.” Schmidt also had plenty of good advice for students entering a new work environment. Who does Google hire? Individuals with passion and ambition—people who have a hunger. He also touched on technology’s role in the future. Since Google is now in the phone business, he was a huge proponent of constant connection—the new form of interaction and intellectual sharing. He even asked people to text while he was speaking. Stay connected, but not all the time. “Allow your mind to rest; think, reflect and enjoy yourself,” he said. “Remember the off button is there.”
The Pine Needle Staff Kurt Jensen Editor-in-Chief
Moore ’15 Honored By Zachary Wallace
of what they thought he did well and what they thought he needed to change. After thinking about it, Schmidt realized they were right about everything. The experience was humbling, and it marked the genesis of a revolutionary corporate structure. Schmidt agreed to become Google’s CEO, and from 2001 until recently, Schmidt guided Google to the pinnacle of global success in the IT industry. Google’s success was founded not on Schmidt himself, but on each individual employee, a style of group leadership centered on individual passion. But it takes a great deal of individual leadership to bring out the best in everyone around you. Schmidt drew heavily on this experience when sharing advice. “Leadership is about a passion, a feeling,” he said. “You can’t lead unless you believe in what you’re doing.” He touched on the necessity of an organizing principle, a corporate structure founded on harnessing the
editor in chief of the Middle School newspaper and as a volunteer counselor at vacation bible school. Moore is active in many charity organizations such as CARITAS and Peter Paul Development Center. He has also won an award for his creative writing. During an interview, Moore comes across as modest and was reluctant to talk about his personal accomplishments. However when we got onto the topic of why he spends a lot of time at Peter Paul he said; “I enjoy working directly with kids who need help.”
Senior Editors
Wells Baylor, News Jack Borkey, Sports Jabriel Hasan, Features Ben Resnik, Online Sophomore Contributors
Senior Contributors Henry Ilnicky Stephen Wood
Junior Contributors Landon Kemp Page Kemp Jack McDowell Lee McElroy
Alex Beale Nicholas Horsley Morgan McCown Wesley Owens Hamilton Shaheen
Special Thanks
Baylis Brown Bob Dylan Jane Ludwig Ronald P. Quiver
Lower School Correspondent Jake Frances-Fischer
CONTACT US:
Phone: (804) 282 - 3185 ext. 4426 Email: jensenk11@stcva.org
Faculty Advisor
Mrs. Kathleen Thomas
By Lee McElroy Junior Contributor
As of Monday May 16, St. Christopher’s was second in line for the Director’s Cup, 1.5 points behind Woodberry Forest School. The final competition was the golf tournament, and this would decide the recipient of the Virginia Prep League award. After the two-day tournament, the Saints came in first place, beating Woodberry (the first time in 25 years on its campus) and Collegiate. The golf team won by 13 strokes, thanks to great performances by Adam Ball ’13 and Harrison Vance ’11. “Exciting things happened,” said Head Coach Jack Bolling. “It was our game to win, and we played with confidence.” Ball, Harrison and
Jordan Chalkley ’12 were All-Prep. The Director’s Cup is awarded each year to the Prep League team with the best overall athletic programs that achieve the highest level of success throughout all three athletic seasons. Program-wide health is needed to in addition to wins. In the past nine years, St. Christopher’s has taken home the Director’s Cup five times. The golf team felt extremely pressured to pull off a tournament victory. Every athletic team contributed to the Saints success this year. “I’m thankful and proud of all our coaches and athletes for a job well done,” says Athletic Director John Gordon. “Everyone should be proud because it’s a school-wide success.
DIRECTOR’S CUP HISTORY (1975-2011, 37 Titles) Woodberry Forest (22) - 1977-81, 83-86, 91-97 (93 shared with Norfolk), 99, 2000-02, 04, 10 St. Christopher’s (12) - 1975-76, 82, 87-90, 03, 05, 07-08, 11 Collegiate (3) - 1998, 2006, 2009 Norfolk Academy (1) - 1993 (shared with Woodberry)
Golf Takes States By Jack Borkey Editor-In-Chief
After securing St. Christopher’s a Director’s Cup, the Varsity Golf team got back to work at the VISAA State Championship held at Sleepy Hole Golf Course in Suffolk. The team outlasted strong teams from around the state, beating Collegiate School and Woodberry Forest School, who finished second and third, respectively. The team collectively shot a 308, beating the Cougars by four strokes and the Tigers by 10. Sophomore Adam Ball took first overall with a championship low 7-under 65 and was named Virginia State Golfer of the Year. Ball was continually the lowest scorer on the team in each match and was an easy
choice for the honor. Senior Captain Harrison Vance, who will compete for the Presbyterian College Blue Hose in the fall, shot an 8 over 80. He was pleased with his team’s perseverance throughout the season and its championship play. “It’s been a season of ups and downs and it all came together with Prep League and State Championship,” Vance said. “We are extremely excited to start a winning tradition in golf.” Other contributors included Juniors Clarke Asplundh, who shot a 9 over 81, and Jordan Chalkley, who shot a 10 over 82. With a small number of seniors leaving, most Saints golfers will return and have a good chance to repeat and continue the successes of late.
Falls in State Finals to Episcopal
By Jack Borkey Editor-In-Chief
An incredible run to the VISAA Championship ended with disappointment, as the St. Christopher’s Varsity Lacrosse team fell to Episcopal High School, 9-4. The Saints began the run with a 10-6 win over the third-seeded Collegiate Cougars and then a thrilling win in the last moments against second-seeded St. Stephen’s St. Agnes, 6-5. Against the Cougars, the Saints worked the ball around, using lengthy possessions to keep Collegiates’ high powered offense at bay. Sophomore goalie Robert Janis had a sensational game, registering 10 clutch saves. The Saints production came from the usual suspects as senior Rob Vozenilek and freshman John Burke each scored three goals, with juniors Blair Farinholt and Henry White adding two, respectively. Down 4-2 following the first quarter, the Saints locked down on defense. The team suffocated the Cougars and held them without a goal for the next two quarters. During Collegiate’s dry spell, the Saints found the back of the net six times, and found themselves up 8-4, going into the final quarter. In the fourth, Collegiate added two goals, before
Farinholt and Vozenilek sealed the game with two more goals, making it 10-6. “John Burke gave me a great feed and I just finished at the right time,” Farinholt said. “It was great to beat those guys after losing to them pretty badly earlier in the season.” With the win, the Saints traveled north to Alexandria to take on St. Stephen’s St. Agnes. With the game tied at 4-4, SSSA’s Stephen Miller got the ball past Janis to put his team up one with just under three minutes remaining. Though down late, St. Christopher’s didn’t falter, remaining poised and aggressive. Senior Percy Andrews dug hard and won the faceoff, then passed it to a streaking Thompson Brown, a senior defenseman, who then sent a bullet into the net, quickly evening the score at 5-5. With little time remaining, St. Christopher’s again took possession, keeping the ball away from the SSSA defense, while running the clock down. With just seconds remaining Burke set up Farinholt for a thrilling and decisive goal, giving St. Christopher’s a 6-5 upset victory and a berth in the VISAA championship game. Brown led the scoring for the Saints with his two goals, while Junior Ned Valentine, Farinholt, and Vozenilek
each added one apiece. Janis had another solid game with eight key saves. The Cinderella Saints’ run came to an end against Episcopal School. The Maroon was the Saints toughest test of the three games, being the first seed and possessing home-field advantage. The Saints ended the first quarter tied at 2; however the Episcopal offense began to pick up, ending the first half leading 5-3. Coming out of halftime, the Maroon took advantage of a sluggish Saint defense and ended the game on a 5-1 run, winning the game 9-4. Goals for the Saints came from Andrews, Vozenilek, White and Farinholt. Janis had six saves. Although the outcome was a loss, the Saints playoff run was a remarkable surprise and schools around Virginia took notice. The team will lose talented seniors to graduation, two of whom are going to play in college; Casey Bendall (Hampden-Sydney College) and Jack Foster (College of the Holy Cross). However the team has a strong and solid base for next season, with rising seniors Farinholt and White leading an explosive offense with rising junior Janis anchoring the defense.
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Sports
May 2011
Track Represents Junior Contributor
More than 1,000 high schools, 220 colleges, 100,000 spectators, and 15,000 participants including Olympians from around the world. This is the scene when the St. Christopher’s Outdoor Track team qualified three relay teams for the Penn Relays. The Penn Relays, first held in 1895, is the oldest and largest track and field competition in America. The event has always been held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, which has also been around since 1895 and was where the Philadelphia Eagles played their home games for 12 years during the late ’50s and ’60s. A group of St. Christopher’s athletes and coaches drove all the way to Philadelphia to compete. Head Coach Marshall Ware, accompanied by Assistant Coaches Gene Bruner and Emmett Carlson, took their 4x100m, 4x400m, and 4x800m relays teams. Out of those three teams, the 4x100m team was the most competitive with the field. They finished 194th out of 545 teams with a time of 44.69 seconds. The 4x400m team finished 300th out of 570 teams with a time
of 3:34.29 minutes. The 4x800m team, made up of seniors captains Ben Constable and Jamie Ball and juniors Aoky Sarhan and Eddie Whitlock, was anticipated to do the best out of the three St. Christopher’s teams. Coach Ware said he had “high hopes” for the 4x800 guys. They ended up 51st out of 71 teams, running a time of 8:09.85 minutes. Part of the problem for the 4x800 team was the large number of teams competing on the track at one time. Ben Constable said it was “difficult to maneuver” on the track with so many teams, but he was still pleased with his team because they “ran hard against ridiculous competion.” Although competing is a fun part of the trip, the experience of being at Penn Relays is what sticks with the athletes. Coach Ware said, “One thing about Penn Relays is that you learn how to run in a big meet.” One of the most exciting parts of their trip was staying an extra day to see the “USA vs. The World” races. Cameron Barlow said, “To be able to watch all those Olympians was just awesome.” This trip to Penn Relays will stay with the athletes for the rest of their lives.
Andre Aganbi -- Duke University
Mayhew ’12 Boards By Lee McElroy Junior Contributor
For Marshall Mayhew snowboarding isn’t all about competitions; it’s a lifestyle. He and other like-minded individuals load up what they need in a backpack and head to Snowshoe Mountain nearly every weekend in the winter. They take few breaks throughout the day, including a simple lunch of PB&Js. Mayhew put on his first set of skis at age 2, but by the time he was 8, he had begun to snowboard. Ever since he has honed in on snowboarding, but he will “break out some planks [skis] every now and then.” Each year he attends two or three freestyle competitions along the East Coast, but he prefers to shoot video of himself and his friends. Their group, known as the “Southern Shralpers”, spends time at the terrain park going off jumps and rails. Mayhew has never had any significant accidents (i.e. broken bones), but falling over is a frequent occurrence. “I’ve fallen a ton, every time I go out,” he says. “It’s the best part of not doing competition. It doesn’t matter, just get up and do it again.” Mayhew has two sponsors: his parents and HEAD. The Mayhew family enjoys
Sport: Long distance running
Why he chose Duke: “The high rate of achievement for graduates in the work force, the sociable community, the religious life.”
Why he chose W&L: “The small size and academic rigor as well as their history of performing well in cross country and distance track.”
Biggest challenge: “Facing competition bigger and stronger than myself.”
Biggest challenge: “Transitioning from the 5k to the 8k in cross country. The extra 3k makes the race significantly harder especially on a hilly or hot course.”
Goals: “Be a contributing member of the team.” Best experience: “Beating Collegiate November 2010.”
Thompson Brown -- University of Virginia snow sports as well, and have spent many hours providing transportation to and from Snowshoe. HEAD sponsors Mayhew giving him lots of free equipment including free boards, bindings, boots and bags. These sponsorships help Mayhew considerably. Not only does Mayhew compete and shoot video, he also volunteers many hours for Snowshoe. One day he may be working with the mountain crew building the terrain park, and the next he may be up in the shop repairing snowboards. He does this because of his love of snowboarding, but Snowshoe also gives Mayhew a complementary season pass. Daphne Mayhew, Marshall’s mom, is supportive. “Marshall has clearly developed a passion for snowboarding... passion will take you far in life and allow you to meet diverse people,” she says. According to Mrs.
Mayhew the most difficult part is watching her son go off jumps and rails because of the inherent danger. Mrs. Mayhew says Marshall has “learned to be resilient and learned to build lifelong relationships.” Over the years, snowboarding has been a major time commitment. Mayhew often misses school on Fridays or Mondays and has a lot of make-up homework. Luckily, all of his indoor soccer games fall on Thursdays. Finding a balance between school and snowboarding is a difficult thing, but Mayhew appears to have found an equilibrium. His most recent goal was an inverse off of a jump. His best trick now is a 720º. Snowboarding is indeed a lifestyle for Marshall Mayhew. He will continue to snowboard for years to come, enjoying every moment he has strapped in his bindings.
Editor-In-Chief
The Varsity Track team managed a solid showing at its VISAA State Championship meet, boasting two gold medals, one silver and three bronze, finishing fourth. The incredibly strong 3,200 relay team of Junior Aoky Sarhan, Senior Jamie Ball, Junior Eddie Whitlock and Senior Ben Constable predictably took the gold medal in their even, beating the next team by a wide margin of 20 seconds. Constable also took the silver medal in the individual 800 with a time of 1:56.61. Senior Andre Aganbi took the gold medal in shot put, throwing 52-8.5, and Sophomore Carsten DeWolff took
In his first year at St. Christopher’s, Athletic Director and Head Wrestling Coach John Gordon led a team that won a State Championship, an athletic program that won the Director’s Cup and earned a national honor from USA Wrestling Magazine. Mr. Gordon was named high school wrestling coach of the year. “It’s really flattering and humbling,” said Gordon in an interview. “There are so many talented and hardworking coaches in the state of Virginia, let alone at the national level.”
In the history of the award, Mr. Gordon is the only Virginian coach to receive it. Guiding the wrestling team to its tenth straight prep league and state titles wasn’t an easy feat—often there are growing pains when switching coaches in athletic programs, and the team wasn’t as strong as it had been in previous years. Coming into the State Championship tournament, the Saints weren’t favored to win. But strong senior leadership and excellent coaching paved the way to the title. With Mr. Gordon’s award, the Saints’ triumphant story has gotten national atten-
Willy Clarke -- Middlebury College
Why UVA? “I’ve always been a fan, and the coaches are great, and Charlottesville is a good time.”
Why Middlebury? “I chose it because of the ability to play squash and get a great education.”
Biggest challenge: “Staying focused, if I get redshirted.”
Biggest challenge next year: “Surviving the winter.”
Goals: “Be as physically prepared as possible and be ahead of my competition.”
Goals for college: “To graduate.”
Ben Constable -- College of William and Mary
Sport: Track
Why W & M?: “I chose William and Mary because it’s a good school. It’s close to home (but not too close). It has a good balance of talented athletics and a passion for sports and rigorous academics.”
Best experience: “Being part of a community of men who regularly play squash in Richmond.”
Jack Foster -- College of the Holy Cross Sport: Lacrosse, defense
Why Holy Cross?: “I love the atmosphere there. Also I wanted to play Division I.”
Biggest challenge: “Balancing the busy practice and meet schedule with tough academics.”
Biggest challenge: “Trying to get playing time because there are a lot of defensemen there already. I want to work hard towards the future to get playing time as a junior and senior.”
Goals: “To establish myself as a solid college runner and just continue to be competitive.”
Goals: “To start at least two games in the upcoming season.”
Best experience: “I think what stands out to me more than any races or records is the great teammates and coaches I have had.”
Best experience: “Beating STAB this year. The experience was pretty awesome.”
Ben Thompson -- Christopher Newport
Sport: Baseball, third base, pitcher
Sport: Football, defensive tackle
Why Haverford? “Great school, tight-knit community and team, great coaches.”
Why CNU? “I loved the campus.”
Goals: “Graduate with a strong GPA and be able to get a good job afterwards. I want to start at Haverford for four years and help them reach the top levels of Division III baseball.”
Gordon Named Coach of the Year Editor-In-Chief
Best experience: “Breaking 60 minutes in the 10-mile Manakin during cross country.”
Sport: Squash
Biggest challenge: “Competing at the college level because everyone is the best of their high school.”
By Kurt Jensen
Goals: “Achieve All-Conference status in W&L’s conference, ODAC.”
Sport: Football, defensive end
Best experience: “Beating Collegiate in overtime, 35-28.”
Track Takes 4th in State bronze in discus, throwing 128-10. The juniorheavy 400 relay team of Juniors Julius Moore, Cameron Barlow and Chip Wigginton and Senior Chase Gunter took third place with a time of 44.51. The 1,600 relay team of Senior Ben Constable, Senior Jamie Ball, Junior Aoky Sarhan and Junior Chip Wigginton also took the bronze with a time of 3:31.02. While several strong seniors will be graduating, including record setting Constable, the youthful track squad should reach further next year.
James Busch -- Washington & Lee University
Sport: Shot put and discus
Casey Fox -- Haverford College
By Kurt Jensen
A5
Sports
College-Bound Athletes
at Penn Relays
By Jack McDowell
May 2011
Biggest challenge: “Balancing school with football.” Goals: “A job that makes bank.” Best experience: “Beating Collegiate in overtime in the regular season.”
Best experiences: Successful seasons throughout his four years, his walkoff home run this ear, and playing in the State Championship games freshman and junior years.
Harrison Vance -- Presbyterian College
tion. Mr. Gordon is characteristically modest about the team’s success. “It’s really a total group effort,” he said. “If anything, what something like this does for the program, I hope, is to reinforce that message.”
David Wesley -- University of Virginia
Sport: Golf
Sport: Wrestling
Why Presbyterian? “Everyone was really nice and made a point to come up to me. The coach is really cool and he has the potential to take my game to the next level and help me turn professional after college.”
Why UVA? “Close to home and best choice to reach my academic and athletic goals.”
Biggest challenge: “Adjusting to the fact that I’m not going to be the best in the area, and everyone is at the same skill level.” Goals: “Trying to get the Big South Freshman of the Year.” Best experience: “Finishing second, individually, at Prep League last year. I shot a 71 and a 73 and was in the last group on the second day.”
Biggest challenge: “Being able to manage my time with wrestling and academics.” Goals: “Either make the starting lineup or have a winning record.” Best experience: “Winning States senior year, our tenth consecutive time.”
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Arts
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May 2011
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[ ] Photo Essay: Spirit Unleashed May 2011
Hopkinson ’11 Wins Regionals of Poetry Out Loud
By Wesley Owens Sophomore Contributor
For some, poetry is an expression; for others, an art; but for the select few, it becomes an explosion of music and rhythm that can only be fully realized when spoken aloud. This year, one such man, St. Christopher’s senior and two-year veteran Henley Hopkinson enjoyed unprecedented success in the 2011 annual Poetry Out Loud competition. Hopkinson wowed the judges, winning the regional competition with his brilliantly crafted renditions of “Onions” by William Matthews and “Israfel” by Edgar Allan Poe. From there he advanced to the state tournament where he recited “Onions” along with a poem by Robert Creeley entitled “Self Portrait.” “His rendition of Poe’s “Israfel” was a masterpiece of interpretation,” said English teacher Ron Smith. “Henley managed to turn a
rather hypnotically musical poem into a drama of shifting tones and performative utterance.” The year’s competition was cut short by extreme deadlines, but, undeterred, Hopkinson met the challenge with considerable style and finesse. An exemplary speaker, he engaged the audience with hilarious turns in “Self Portrait” and caused widespread laughter with surprising moments in “Onions.” “Some of us thought (though not the judges) that he should have been first or second in the entire state,” said Mr. Smith. Although each recitation lasted only a few short minutes, hours of preparation were necessary to perfect each individual performance. “You just have to say it over and over again,” said Hopkinson. “The goal is to get the rhythm down so well that it comes organically.” Practice was indeed necessary as the competition was fierce and the judges
evaluated each recitation based on an official grade rubric with points for accuracy of memorization, posture and tone. Overall the experience has been beneficial to Henley as both a reader and a speaker. “The most valuable thing it has taught me is how to appreciate the motion of the poem,” he said. “By reciting the poem, you get the feeling of how poetry moves from one point to another.” After graduation, the torch will be passed to a new generation of poetry enthusiasts with a talent for speaking and a passion for literature. Mr. Smith was
On April Fools’ Day, the Saints unleashed their spirit and prepared the St. ChristoCURES team to run in the Monument Ave 10k the next day. There was pasta, music, games, and much more to get the runners and fans of St. Christopher’s pumped up for the race and the Spring season. With these photos, I tried to capture the essence of the gathering.
especially impressed with this year’s runner-up for the STC title, Keaton Hillman. “Hillman’s presentation of Kenneth Rexroth’s ‘Discrimination’ was powerful,” he
Life
A7
By Nicholas Horsley ’13
said. “He was very good this year and will be tough to beat—but I expect a hardfought school competition beginning in the fall.”
Photo Essay: Remembrance By Jabriel Hasan ’11 By Zachary Wallace Junior Contributor
Mrs. Staples Says Goodbye By Alex Beale Sophomore Contributor
She is the woman with the candy jar. She is the kind and humble person you see in the hallway. She is Mrs. Evelyn Staples, assistant to headmaster Mr. Stillwell. She is retiring. “It has been a privilege and lots of fun to work at St. Christopher’s,” said Mrs. Staples, who has been here for 27 years. She first came in 1984 and served as the Middle School Secretary under Dr. Andy Smith and later worked in the admissions office. Then she was the secretary to the interim headmaster before Mr. Stillwell. After that she became the administrative assistant to the headmaster and for the past 11 years, administrative assistant to the board of governors. Mrs. Staples has two sons, Mark and Brian, and an 8-month-old baby grandson. “I am looking forward to spending time with him.” said Mrs. Staples. She is the loving mother of a miniature Schnauzer named Pepper and always drives to Montana to visit Mark’s family so that her dog can travel with her. Mrs. Staples loves to travel and is looking forward to visiting national parks on her trips. She also is considering taking a class at Virginia Commonwealth University. “I haven’t decided, but I might take a language, maybe Chinese, to try something new,” she said. Mrs. Hensby, who works
Q&A with Mr. Smith
Mr. Ron Smith was recently recognized by Style Weekly as one of Richmond’s best poets. “Ron Smith is one of the all-time great writing teachers at St. Christopher’s School, a writer’s writer with a keen intelligence and a former college athlete’s innate understanding of physicality and the flesh,” the May article said. Mr. Smith seemed most flattered to be placed in the category of David Wojahn, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor. “He has long been one of my poet heroes,” Mr. Smith said. “He’s one of America’s very best poets.” Mr. Smith was, overall, pleased with the review. “Appreciative readers are what keep you going,” he said. “You make poems because you love poems—but, in terms of intensely focused time invested, it’s hard work and, believe me, you need all the encouragement you can get. The following email exchange with Mr. Smith is a Q&A session about his poetry: In your opinion what is the most interesting or best poem you have written?
in the adjacent office, along with Mr. Stillwell and everyone else, thinks very highly of Mrs. Staples. “She is the nicest and most giving person you’ll ever meet,” she said, “I am going to miss her.” While sad that she is leaving, Mr. Stillwell is especially grateful for her services. “[Mrs. Staples] is possibly the most caring, generous, thoughtful, loyal, and dedicated individual that I have ever encountered… She has guided me and supported me in so many ways,” he said, “I have been incredibly fortunate to have worked closely with her for the past 13 years.” Mrs. Staples has enjoyed working in the various school divisions in her career here. “It has been interesting to see what makes each age group unique and special,” said Mrs. Staples, “I know first-hand from my own son how well the school prepares boys for whatever they do in the future. The teachers, administrators, and staff are all so impressive. “I know this school will continue to be great.”
I am pleased with my sequences “To Ithaka” and “Via Appia.” They allowed me to do things I had never been able to do in verse before. They have scope and characters, a host of images and details, tricky tonal shifts, formal experiments. They’re full of variety of all kinds. History, philosophy, religion, psychology. And I remember fondly the poems that just came out of the blue—meaning that they came to me as visions, rather than as experience, cases of pure invention instead of depiction. “Autumn Drab” is one of those. It dropped into my imagination from God knows where. It was a lot of fun to write. Some of my new poems set in Rome have been very hard to write but exhilarating to work on. Trying to figure out where the poem wants to go, that’s the most exciting thing. What sparked your interest in poetry? As long as I can remember I have loved losing myself in a book and playing with words. The Golden Book of Pinocchio was one of my first loves—really all of the Golden Books. In high school Byron’s “The Prisoner of Chillon” took me to Switzerland—and into a dungeon. I’ve always loved escaping into somebody else’s life, somebody else’s head. What is your favorite subject to write about? Anything I’ve never written about before. Or something I’ve never seen a poem about. When I wrote my poem “Iron,” I’d never seen or heard of a poem about weightlifting. I wanted to produce the first one on Earth. Same with my poem about the Vietnam War
Memorial in D.C. The memorial had a powerful and complex effect on me when I finally saw it in person. I wanted to be the first poet to publish a poem about it. Maybe I was, too. That was a kind of race. I knew instinctively that there would be many poems inspired by that black wall. I wanted my poem to be the first—and, if possible, the best. If I write a love poem, a war poem, a nature poem—whatever—I want it to be not only well-written but different from all the others I have read. I want to write as well as Yeats but I can’t be Yeats. I want to learn from other poets, do what they do well. Be similar in good ways, but surprising artistically. I want to surprise myself as well as my Ideal Reader. Do you tend to write poems with specific settings (like Richmond)? “I’ve written very few poems set in Richmond, that you could tell were set in Richmond. It’s odd. You have to be both familiar with and unfamiliar with a setting to create art about it. You have to find it both comprehensible and baffling, ordinary and mysterious. If it’s too much of one or the other, the poem won’t work or won’t be any good. I write a lot about the Savannah, Georgia, of my childhood -- which I know well because I was there, but which is exotic to me, too, because it’s long ago and 500 miles away. I write a lot about Italy. But it took me nine years of notebooks—hundreds and hundreds of pages—before I could get a single poem that was any good. Israel is a special case. I spent a week there and got four or five poems I liked. There was something about the combination of immediate reality and visionary history that clicked right away. Maybe I’ll have to leave Richmond to write about it. I hope not.”
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Life
May 2011
Faculty Departures
Who is Dillon Siff? By Kurt Jensen Editor-In-Chief
In the corner of Senior Dillon Siff’s room is a pile of gloves. Misfits. Lost souls. It’s an immense collection. “I just couldn’t help but notice—there’s gloves everywhere,” said Siff. Maybe at some point, he’ll make art from them—a giant hand of gloves, he proposed. But in the meantime, he’ll stop his bike, his car, even on the highway to pick up a stray glove needing a home. In the bright lights of McVey Theatre, Siff assembles scaffolding in minutes. The jerky sway of the stories are a natural motion under his feet as he pulls planks of wood up above his head. He’s a leader in the shop. It’s a quiet type of leadership—a natural affection for the work. Building something tangible with purpose. “He’s not so much a leader as he is a mover and a shaker,” said J.P. McGuire ’12. Siff worked a construction job during the summer, and he’s looking forward
to going to Warren Wilson College where the students work with their hands on the earthy, sustainable campus. He wants to study English or philosophy. “I like thinking about the relationship between everything,” he said. Now, spring having erratically rambled into Richmond, Siff looks forward to the warm breeze in his hair while he bikes. Since seventh grade, he has biked everywhere. He loves the ride. “I don’t know street names by bike,” he said. “I just know what they are—know the feel of them.” Maybe he does feel the road—it explains how he managed to land on his feet after hitting a car at full speed. “My back crumpled the windshield. I did a full flip and landed on my feet,” he said. “The police were just impressed. Siff was miraculously unharmed. His prized bike wasn’t so lucky. “That was a beautiful bike,” he said.
Mr. Jones By Landon Kemp Junior Contributor
Lower School teacher Cabell Jones will return to his alma mater, the Steward School, to teach fourth grade next year. He wasn’t looking to leave; Steward, where he taught before, came looking for him. Mr. Jones has been associated with private schools for most of his life. In addition to Steward, he attended Collegiate School, ChristChurch School and graduated from Hampden-Sydney College. Mr. Jones admits that his view of St. Christopher’s students was wrong when he was in high school. The sense of community here, the helping attitude, and the “one-on-one connection with each boy” has given him a different perspective. He takes pride in working late and coming in early in the mornings to prepare for class and enjoys working with students after hours. He has also enjoyed the freedom in his interactions with students because they
never dwell on their mistakes. He is also appreciative that, St. Christopher’s always supported him with continuing education. The words in which he addresses students are chosen carefully. When he calls them boys they know that their behaving inappropriately. However when he addresses them as gentlemen, they know that he is happy with them and he feels proud that they are responding positively to his teaching. “I speak, act, teach from the gut and emphasize honesty and empathy,” he said. “I would describe myself as a very odd teacher.” Mr. Jones is remembered for sometimes walking on desks. He lives in Rockville on 16 acres with two yellow labs and is an avid outdoorsman. He made a strong commitment to exercise during his 4.5-year tenure here and lost 65 pounds. He plans to hike the 476-mile Colorado Trail solo this summer and to pursue a master’s in counseling while teaching at Steward.
Mrs. Wilhelm & Ms. LaGow Mrs. Amy Wilhelm, Extended Day teacher, has resigned to become an adjunct professor of dance at the College of William and Mary. “She is very creative,” said Mrs. Topham, another extended day teacher. “She loves creative movement and is known for her dancing.”
She will still teach a few dance classes a week here at St. Christopher’s. “It’s helpful that she is still going to be around because she is always positive and always able to reign in the kids.” said Ms. LaGow, who is also leaving.
Ms. Caroline LaGow, Extended Day teacher, will pursue her master’s degree at the University of Richmond. During this transition, she will also teach in
Louisa County and move to Charlottesville. “I am sad to leave, but I will have more than enough to do in the coming year,” she said.
-- Nicholas Horsley ’12
-- Nicholas Horsley ’12
May 2011
Eberheim ’13 Qualifies for World Robotics Competition
By Hamilton Shaheen
By Jake Frances-Fischer ’18
Sophomore Contributor
Lower School Correspondent
Rich Eberheim, a sophomore, spends most of his free time at school working in the Gottwald Science Center taking care of the fish. After school Eberheim shifts into a robotics mastermind. Eberheim has been competing in local competitions for years. Because the school had no robotics team during his Lower and Middle School years, Eberheim formed his own and has stuck with it. He is the leader of a fourman team that consists of his sister Julia, a sixth grader at St. Catherine’s, Swapnil Pande a student at Moody Middle School, and Ellis Hubbard who is homeschooled. His mother is the coach. Eberheim first became
Beloved teacher Mrs. Adele Topham is retiring after working here 23 years in Extended Day and five years substituting for the Middle School. “Her enduring legacy is knowing so many families that have been a part of St. Christopher’s,” said Mrs. Wilhelm, another Extended Day teacher. “She has been a vital part of Extended Day.” All of us are sad to see her go. “I will miss everything about her,” said Mrs. O’Brien. “I will miss her humor and the advice that she gave me, from cooking to children.” Mrs. Topham is remembered for spending countless hours making a ginger bread house from scratch every Christmas, throwing a huge Halloween party, during which she dresses up as a witch, helping the Junior Kindergarten paint elaborate bird houses for Mother’s Day, and cooking something every By Page Kemp Junior Contributor
By Nicholas Horsley Sophomore Contributor
Senior Editor, Sports
After six years at St. Christopher’s, Sean Nagle will leave his position as Upper School Spanish teacher. Mr. Nagle, born in New York, said that he wants to stay in Richmond area. [I want to] explore my options, teaching and non-teaching,” Nagle said. “Live the dream, man.” Before moving to Richmond in 2005, Mr. Nagle received his B.A. in English Literature
week from scratch (no slice and bake for her). She is also a part of the Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten studying pirates. She learned about pirates when she took a course while living in the Outer Banks. The kids make telescopes, eye patches and hats, during their study. She plans to travel and garden and to play with her five grandchildren. She will miss St. Christopher’s dearly. “I like the sense of family and the support we give one another. I also enjoy being with young children, their enthusiasm, and their curiosity.”
zone,” said Mr. Rider. “It felt like it was the right time to go back to school.” He doesn’t know what he will do with his MBA yet, but he would like to return to teaching and coaching if the opportunity is right. Mr. Rider greatly enjoyed his time here, and he believes that the most meaningful part of the experience was establishing relationships with students and faculty. “I feel lucky to have had the experience and I will miss all of the people in the St. Chris community.”
Dr. Sharp
Dr. Sharp: biology instructor, long-lost Chemistry teacher, Zen karate master, father of two. These are just a few of the things that Dr. Edward Sharp will be remembered for when he leaves this year to go teach at the Carlisle School in Martinsville. “I guess that it sometimes in your career there are good times to move on to other challenges,” he said. “I believe that change is a good thing, it’s very easy at a place like this [STC] not to change.” He has been a dedicated teacher here for 15 years inspiring many young ninth graders as well as his junior and senior AP students. As many freshman can remember, the major project of the year is his leaf project where student gather and press leaves into a book. “We will miss him and his leaf project,” said Mrs. Hurt, a fellow science teacher. “I love seeing boys run around collecting leaves, because then I know it is fall.” Seeing students do well are memories that he treasures. For example, last week an AP biology student who struggled through the year got an “A-” on the final exam. “I’ll remember the look on their face for a long time,” he said. “That is one of the best memories I’ve ever had in this school.” At Carlisle he will become the science By Jack Borkey
Mrs. Topham
Mr. Rider
Many hearts will be broken in the St. Catherine’s community next year as Mr. Rider departs to Tulane Business School. He was known as an allaround stud, coaching the lacrosse team, teaching history in the Upper School, and being the highlight of a St. Catherine’s student’s day. The former Cougar came here after graduating from Washington and Lee University, where he was a lacrosse team star. Why make the move? “New Orleans is a great place and I wanted to leave my comfort
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Life
department chair . “I hope to help what is already a good school become even better,” he said. In addition to serving as science department chair, he will also teach five sections of science -- two IB, two biology and one chemistry. In his wake at St. Christopher’s he leaves the daunting task of finding a new biology teacher as dedicated and experienced as himself. “I think that the wonderful thing about his tenure here is that he has not just duplicated the biology course, but has complemented my teaching as well the curriculum. My field is ecology and zoology. His is genetics. Our teaching styles are different but in the end the kids get the same education.” said Mr. McGuire, “Over the years he has been an invaluable resource for me and I am excited for his new adventure at Carlisle.” His children Martison (age 5) and Daniel (age 7) will attend kindergarten and first grade there. Unfortunately, St. Christopher’s will not only lose a respected and longstanding teacher, but the school will also lose its resident Karate master, with no rising black belt to fill his shoes. He said that he will miss his colleagues and AP biology students the most, and we will miss the mustachioed karate master by night, sweater-vested-bow-tied biology teacher by day.
Mr. Nagle from Fordham University in New York City. Following college, Mr. Nagle volunteered in the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan and Bolivia. He credits his time in Bolivia to learning the Spanish language. Though excited about new opportunities, Mr. Nagle has reservations about leaving. “I’m going to miss my colleagues,” Nagle said, “they’ve become friends, not just coworkers.”
interested in robots during a summer camp at St. Christopher’s. Then, at age 8 , he purchased his first Lego robot and his passion just took off. He spends every day from 3:30 p.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. in his garage working. “Most kids my age hang out with friends on the weekend nights,” he said. “I hang out with my robot.” Eberheim’s team competed in Charlottesville in the February state competition and managed to get to the final round to qualify them for Worlds. A robotics competition is complex. At F.I.R.S.T (For Inspiration and Recognition for Science and Technology), the league in which Eberheim competes, the contest goes something like this: First when you arrive you
[
May 2011
Eberheim, second from the left, works with his team.
are matched with an ally or team you will compete with because “You’re not just learning from yourself or the team but everybody,” he said; once pared your ally and you undergo a series of chores and other games to test your design and pro-
gramming skills; next you present your notebook to the judge to show that your robot is your own idea and not something off the Internet or something you had built; and finally, at the end of the day, comes the awards. Awards are not only first
and second place but are often for things like sportsmanship or inspiration. To prepare for a competition Eberheim and his team spend hours in his garage building, modifying and testing their robot. Eberheim is so dedicated that he has built a regulation 12’ by 12’ competition mat in his garage to simulate actual competition. This summer Eberheim may help Mrs. Hurt and is teaching a robotics course in Roanoke to Virginia First, the local governing body. Eberheim plans to continue his robotics into college and even possibly after that. “Some people say laughing is good for your health. If that’s true I will never die,” Eberheim said, meaning he will be doing robotics for a long time to come.
Opinion/Editorial
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]
Pine Needle Must Print Next Year By Kurt Jensen Editor-In-Chief
Period Lost in Shuffle By Wells Baylor Senior Editor, News
This year has been a year of transition, and X period has been lost in the shuffle. Most X period blocks are filled with sessions that many seniors do not consider relevant. X period could easily be used in better ways.. Next year, X period focus may shift to more cohort work. But this is not best way to utilize the time. Teachers who lead cohorts should not be forced to come up with extra work each week. One of the great things about X-term is that it’s short. In a week, a Gettysburg trip can be taken and enjoyed. If students had to hear about Gettysburg for weeks and weeks leading up to the trip, they would be sick of it before they arrived. Many seniors do not have any free periods and need a break from the hectic week. X period should be that time. It should not be a privilege. After three years, seniors deserve at least one free period a week. However, X period should still be set aside for special events and guest speakers. X period was designed to allow flexibility in the schedule. Now, X period has become as fixed as any other block, with every free moment allowed by the period being taken up by a prescheduled event. The freshmen and sopho-
mores’ X period should focus on advisory meetings for half the period. Juniors should meet for half a period to go over colleges. The other half of the period should be free. Seniors should have the period completely free. This entire year, I have managed to have X period completely free only twice. Both times were incredibly productive. All the teachers have this time free, making this period the perfect time to meet with teachers who have full schedules. Although not every student will spend their time wisely, by senior year, it should up to their discretion to choose how their time is spent. As it is, X period is being wasted, with each period being taking up by what amounts to a floating lesson that is either ignored or forgotten by the student body. The effort being put into these presentations is appreciated, and the time teachers have put into them is valued. However the time could be used better. Using half of X period as a college, peer or teacher advisory period and a free period for the seniors will have a greater positive impact on the students. X period can prove to be valued time that students look forward to and get a lot out of. The time needs to be tailored to the grade and should provide a balance between relaxation and advice.
Print newspapers around the nation are being hit by the same financial woes. From our own Richmond Times-Dispatch to independent collegiate newspapers, lowered advertising revenues are forcing managers to cut print production and try their best to draw readers to their websites. It seems to be a universal problem, one that has everyone convinced that multimedia is the future of journalism. Even The Pine Needle’s own Ben Resnik wrote in the school’s official publication Under the Pines that the paper would be solely accessible online next year. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. The print edition of The Pine Needle cannot be allowed to die. Here, we’re confronted with an academic issue. If multimedia is truly the future of journalism, our teaching shouldn’t be mired in unrealistic tradition. We should go online and explore the frontiers of new media. Printing online will be cheaper and faster. Plus, a commercial testament to the way the school teaches to the future. We’re cutting edge. We’re thrifty. Wouldn’t everyone be in favor of it? Well, not everyone. In a March 2010 article in The Virginian-Pilot, hold-out journalism teacher Kerry Kisa at Cape Henry Collegiate argued the benefits of print publication in an academic setting. “Students spend weeks brainstorming article ideas, interviewing sources and writing several drafts to prepare for production day. The entire process is great hands-on experience for her students,” said Kisa, explaining that things are often hectic for her young journalists. That’s one reason Kisa isn’t pressed to create an online news site to complement the print edition. She said their nearly 10-page issue that’s released eight
The first ever Pine Needle, published in 1916 on a sheet of notebook paper.
times per academic year gives students a challenge, Jaedda Armstrong wrote in the article. Print publication involves deadlines, a motivating factor for hard work and a staple of real-world experience and professionalism. A print Pine Needle is tangible hard work that students can put on their resumes—not a collection of superficial stories written in 20 minutes. If we were to publish solely online, would we be cutting edge or just cutting corners? There are other reasons to maintain regular print publication. Some of the strongest print papers running are collegiate papers, publications with a direct audience, a monopoly on subject matter and physical presence in the schools. Not to mention a prime demo-
graphic for local advertisers. And if the paper wasn’t there to pick up, a pleasant distraction from constant studying or something to read in down-time, would students seek out the work of their classmates? If the slight to moderate success of our online platform is any indication, I’d think not. It’s my guess that most readers of this article agree. You want to feel the paper in your hands and read it on the page. You like skimming the layouts to see pictures and find the articles you’re interested in. Or, you couldn’t be bothered to check the website every day. Whatever the case, The Pine Needle needs to continue being picked up in stacks in the front hall. For the tangible. Dare I say for tradition?
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Op/Ed
Senior Reflections Letter to My Freshman Self
When My Final Song is Sung
By Stephen Wood
By Jabriel Hasan
Senior Contributor
Senior Editor, Features
Dear Freshman Stephen, Hi. Nice bowl cut. I’m you four years from now, and I wanted to personally welcome you to the St. Chris Upper School family. I have a few helpful tidbits I thought I’d share. It has to be quick though, because I have to study for this-oh, wait, it’s the last month of senior year. I could spend all day writing this. First of all, it’s great that you’re playing football. You’ll make some great friends over the course of the season, sitting on the bench. Seriously, Rob Vozenilek will soon be able to throw a pass so fast that not only will you fail to catch it, your hands will be burned slightly as it flies through them, so in the interest of your safety I’d advise you to just start running cross-country now. Yes, I know Nystrom is the most intimidating person at the school (trust me, you won’t last two weeks in his Spanish Honors class), but as long as you aren’t too good or too bad at running, he won’t notice you. And be nice to that Busch kid; he looks like a scrub now, but believe it or not, he’s going to run in college. Alright, so you’ve come to grips with the fact that you will never be a celebrated athlete. Time for another rude awakening. How many classes do you have with girls? Two? Wow, sometimes you Facebook them to ask what the homework is? Well aren’t you a regular Don Juan! (You’ll get that joke once you’ve taken Mrs. Woodaman’s class, if you do the reading. If.) I don’t want to be rude, so I’ll try to put this mildly: women will not like you. My advice is to just throw in the towel now and stop spending your long lunches (by the way, don’t get used to long lunch) on the green at St. Catherine’s, making jokes about the cafeteria food to a group of disinterested girls who will not give you the time of day until you get a driver’s license. On that note, remember not to grin stupidly when they take your license photo, because you’ll want to show it to everyone sophomore year. Of course, it isn’t all hopeless. Anything could happen. You know that Sarah Gumenick girl? Yeah, she ends up with Henry Ilnicky. Dead serious. Here are a few other tips: Learn to love Qdoba. Just do. Don’t start an announcement off with “Uh.” I can’t stress that enough. Remember to omit needless words. Don’t get on Mr. Green’s bad side. To put it in terms you understand, he’s the Professor Snape of St. Chris. Sorry; I don’t know how to get on Mr. Green’s good side. Last thing: appreciate this place while you’re here because, believe it or not, there will be a time when you’re not a St. Chris kid. There will be a time when you will be mocked for wearing a Polo button-down with madras shorts and boat shoes, when you won’t be kept awake in class by the screams of a furious Mr. Towell, when your Spanish teacher won’t give you candy to console you for a bad quiz grade, and when you won’t be able to forget your backpack at school and find it right where you left it, untouched, three days later. When that day comes, you’ll realize how much you’re going to miss the friends you made while sitting on the bench, the Qdoba meals you really shouldn’t have eaten, and even the threatening looks you get from certain members of the English department. So enjoy them. I hope you found this informative. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to college. Sincerely, You, Four Years from Now
It is difficult to imagine what I’d be if it weren’t for this long, strange journey. I remember when I entered the Middle School on a rainy day in ’04. I started out a bit shy in comparison to today, but I approached the maze of my career here in a state of expectation and hope. Looking back, I realize that I became everything that I ever wanted to be, assumed every position for which I craved, but none of it really gave me all of the happiness that I expected. At one time, I naively thought of the world/the public as a parent: If you give your all to it, it will love you. But it’s just not so. I realized with experience that expectations are disappointing and innately faulty and unreliable. Expectation is probably the last mark of innocence. When I came to St, Christopher’s, I imagine I was almost like a different person. Jimi Hendrix was Greek to me; I was indifferent to politics, not nearly as attentive to detail, and actually a gentle person. What changed me may have been learning about the Door of No Return in Mr. Miller’s World Geography class. It was in discovering the buried history that I learned to appreciate my beginnings—not as a child, but as a product of the African Diaspora. And of course, heavy doses of Jimi, Janis and Dylan enlightened me as well. All of those influences channeled a social conscience within me. I compare this to when a small child finally awakens to pain and realizes that it hurts. It is at that moment, whenever the cherub falls off of a swing or accidentally cuts themselves, that they open their eyes, so to speak, to danger. I protested everything, and I do mean everything, that I thought was wrong. I didn’t want to hear racial jokes and stereotypes anymore. I believed that we should care about the genocide in Darfur, about worldwide poverty, about the rights of all people to respect regardless of whether or not they’re gay, a woman, or a part of a nation that can’t benefit the United States in any way. As I have grown, I feel that I’ve learned to temper my temperament. “Pick your battles” is one of the greatest lessons to learn. As my aunt would say, sometimes you have to almost bite your tongue off in order to keep yourself from saying all that you actually feel. However, I haven’t lied to anyone. Through my work as an actor and costume designer in Ampersand, on the Hieroglyphic, in M.A.D.E. as both the secretary and the Head, my extensive participation in the Publications office, and my volunteer efforts, I’ve learned to kill expectation. Don’t expect kindness, appreciation, or understanding. Nevertheless, aim for it incessantly. Relish in success as much or little
as it comes, but know that there will be just as much or more bad. If you’re doing your job as the Head or a leader of anything, you know it’s a difficult one and that you’ll be the lone ranger in various pursuits. I guess my time here has been a gradual loss of innocence. After putting my attentions at times in the imperfections of others, I’ve seen my own. If you ever want to scare yourself, just take a good look in the mirror. Nevertheless, I feel that I’ve done all that I could do at this particular place. I became everything that I wanted to become. I’ve had the pleasure of being cradled by an amazing faculty. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of teachers. I thank Mr. McGuire for further cultivating in me a desire to actively appreciate nature, but most of all, to cherish, as my late grandmother did, the simple things. I value the love for art that Mrs. Bredrup fostered in me. I value Mr. Boyd simply for his greatness. I will truly miss the comfort of Dr. Hudson and Mrs. Varner who have been like an aunt and a second mother to me, respectively, loving me sometimes in spite of myself. By the way, that’s what real love is. Where and who would I be without Mrs. Thomas and her family. They constantly remind me that pure good still exists in this world of turbulence and cloaked intentions. I see God in them, and I owe much to these spirits. I have also been embraced by fun, loving friends and acquaintances. Moments spent with friends have been some of the best in my life. But above all, this great place has taught me that you must look within and not be afraid of the possibilities that you see, because we are all good for something; to, as Nietzsche wrote, “face life as you find it, defiantly and unafraid.” It has taught me to reach ever yonder into the foreground. I can run a 10k, but I can also write a paper. Whatever you are, own it. If I were to die tomorrow, I’d rather not be remembered most for what I “accomplished,” because an accomplishment is essentially a thing. Things, though important, are definitely not most important. Brilliance or accomplishment is not dependent on one’s career, clothes, house, or car. That’s what you keep. It’s really about what you give, and you give yourself. I hope that I made somebody think. I hope that I made somebody laugh and laughed as much as I could. I hope that somebody was influenced by any good thing that I did. I hope that I loved as much as could, that I made a difference, and that my being on this planet made any kind of a difference to something or somebody.
Letters to the Editors Most students have undoubtedly noticed The Pine Needle’s new look and feel, but how many have taken the time to consider the man behind these changes? In his final edition of the paper, it is only fitting that we step back and applaud Kurt Jensen ’11, editor-in-chief. When Jensen took over the paper at the end of last spring, he had a few goals in mind. His primary intent was to give the paper a greater sense of professionalism. By publishing the paper more often, with a target of one edition per month, The Pine Needle could become more a more relevant part of student life at St. Christopher’s. “I wanted people to have more of a relationship with the paper,” he said. Another objective was to change the look. Previously printed in black and white on heavystock broad sheets of white paper, he chose the switch to four- color newsprint for the authentic feel of a real newspaper. Besides the visual appeal of the paper, a major focus has been photography. Jensen believes a great story begins with a great picture. Mrs. Thomas, the faculty advisor for the Pine Needle, has been incredibly impressed with not only Kurt’s natural ability, but also his self motivation and determination to leave his mark.
Remembering back to the first meeting Jensen led as editor last spring, Mrs. Thomas recalls with a hint of nostalgia in her eye the quiet, yet firm and confident way Jensen asserted his leadership with other reporters and editors. “I knew that he had gifts, but I had never seen him assume that leadership position.” She is quick to reference the time and work Jensen put into researching layout and design to model the Pine Needle after some of the most popular trends in newspapers where they are designed to be more like magazines. “There are just not a lot of students who would do that,” she says. It is clear that Jensen has completely overhauled the look and feel of The Pine Needle. The student publication has definitely gained credibility and status among the students and faculty this year. Jensen hopes next year’s editors and staff can use to momentum to carry The Pine Needle through another strong year. “They really need to get in the trench work with designing the paper. You’ve got to just play around with the design and have fun with it but make it nice.” Henry Illnicky ’11
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May 2011
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I would like to praise as publicly as possible the members of the current senior class with whom I have worked over the past two years. I have taught about 1/3 of the class, and it’s clear to me that the Class of 2011 has more good writers and more serious readers—in short, more good English students—than any senior class I’ve worked with in a long, long time. I’m sure that next year I won’t be the only teacher to miss these literate, thoughtful, generally hard-working young men. My Junior AP students in 2009-10 and my senior elective students in 2010-11 have undeniably raised the bar. They have improved STC in numerous ways, but I am especially grateful for their effort and enthusiasm in their English classes. Sincerely, Ron Smith 23 May 2011
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College Decisions .
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Robert Lawrence Aidan Harland University of Virginia | Jabriel Malik Hasan Marymount University Foster Harrison Haynes Virginia Tech | Brody Weston Hingst Wofford College John Edward Holleran, Jr. University of Virginia | Thomas Henley Hopkinson University of Virginia Henry Manning Ilnicky University of Virginia | Kurt Michael Jensen University of Virginia Ian-Alexander McClellan Kilpatrick University of Virginia Jabari Hakeem Knight Vanderbilt University | Nathaniel Rudesill Krey Hampden-Sydney College William James Lyons IV Sewanee | Duncan Alexander Macleod III University of South Carolina Patrick Newton Martin University of Virginia | Jay DuRoss McChesney University of Vermont David Nelson Mills, Jr. Sewanee | Joseph Farrar Pace III University of Virginia Maxwell Carver Parks University of Maryland | Alexander Leonard Polazzo James Madison University Edward Richard Quinn Wofford College | Benjamin Zachary Resnik Brown University Nicholas David Richardson Washington and Lee University | Clement Jay Robbins V Columbia University Felix Hendel Hayes Schapiro College of William and Mary | Jason Louis Scherer Virginia Tech John Dillon Roberts Siff Warren Wilson College | Charles Elwood Stanchina University of Alabama Paul Robinson Strader University of Virginia | Samuel Burton Tarr III Auburn University Benjamin Jerome Thompson Christopher Newport University William Taylor Tucker Thompson Washington and Lee University William Izard Valentine Hampden-Sydney College | John Harrison Vance Presbyterian College Anthony John Villani III Virginia Military Institute | William Robert Vozenilek University of Virginia William Elliott Warren Southern Methodist University | David Martin Wesley University of Virginia Ira Lunetter White Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Kevin Rhodes Whitehead University of Virginia | John Dickinson Williams III University of Alabama Robert Connor Wood University of Virginia | Robert Mason Wood University of South Carolina Stephen Bryce Wood, Jr. Princeton University | Thomas Ward Wood, Jr. North Carolina State University Atticus Brett Woodruff Elon University | William Butler Young Radford University
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Dear Editors,
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William Hutton Adcock University of Virginia | Andre Esé Aganbi Duke University Percy Ransome Andrews Wofford College | Stephen Scott Anonick, Jr. James Madison University James Churchill Ball, Jr. Undecided | Corydon Wells Baylor University of Virginia Connor Maxwell Beck Undecided | John Case Bendall Hampden-Sydney College John Mahaffey Blanchard University of Colorado at Boulder John Franklin Borkey North Carolina State University | Blair Austin Boze University of Colorado at Boulder Thompson Willcox Brown University of Virginia | Joseph Allan Burris University of Maryland James Francis Busch Washington and Lee University | William Turkington Clarke III Middlebury College Scott Paul Cogswell Virginia Tech | Benjamin Donald Constable College of William and Mary Corey Amonette Dalton High Point University | William Andrew DiStanislao Hampden-Sydney College Peter Nicholls Dorsey University of Virginia|Christopher Jack Dunlevy University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Patrick Hawley English Hamilton College | Franklin Roosevelt Jim Ewing IV University of Virginia Harold John Foster College of the Holy Cross | Casey Tyler Fox Haverford College William Chase Gunter University of Virginia | Clark William Halladay, Jr. University of Virginia
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“Undecided” denotes students waiting on a wait-list decision or taking a year off.
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A12
The Back Page
[ The Pine Needle ] May 2011
C R O S S W O R D Across: Down: 1. 4. 6. 8. 9. 10. 12.
Taking over Russell Wilson’s spot in the fall. Went to Princeton (Faculty) Went wild in England Location of Willy Clarke’s College Could really “Use Somebody” Jason Scherer’s catch phrase President of Student Council
2. Ping 3. Offical checker of the Senior Class 5. Sophomore in every single issue of the Pine Needle 7. Unofficial member of the Class of 2011 (Faculty) 11. The Grunter 13. Jay McChesney’s middle name
Faculty Awards Ronald P. Quiver ‘40 Memorial Prize Anthony Szymendera, Upper School Head D’Angelo Darrell Dipper ‘62 Award for Excellence in Chapel Announcements REJII, Calculus/Computer Science Russell Wilson Award for Outstanding Loyalty and Flow Ned Rider, History Nicholas D. Richardson Award Virginia Stone, Assistant Librarian Anthony Johnny Villani III Prize for Excellence in Tardiness John Burke, History/English Jay Wood, English John Candy ‘84 Memorial Prize Evelyn Staples, Secretery Alina Chihocki, Physics Andrew Peters Prize for Outstanding Maturity Greg Tune, Disciplinarian SCHOOL PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPANISH Anthony Szymendera, Upper School Head
SCHOOL PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE Melissa Hollerith, Chaplain James Jump Prize for Excellence in Public Speaking James Jump, College Guidance Felix H. H. Schapiro ‘11 Memorial Prize for Whimsy Mary Horne, Librarian Jabriel M. Hasan Award for General Garishness Jay Wood, English Paul R. Strader Award for Chillin’ and Jammin’ Sherman Horner, English Jason L. Scherer Award for Excellence in Karate Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros, Biology Stephen Bryce Wood Jr. Award for Going to Princeton Emmett Carlson, Math John Dillon R. Siff ‘11 Memorial Prize John Green, English