The Pine Needle Volume XCI
February 2010
Richmond, Virginia
Number 3
Haiti, Horror and Hope
By Jabriel Hasan Junior Contributor
The van started to shake. It felt like they were being swallowed by the earth. They first thought it was a bomb. Mrs. Kim Gottwald has recurring visions of brown, white and red. “That was the people covered in white cement dust,” Mrs. Gottwald said. “When the buildings went down, everything went white. You felt so bad looking at the terror in their eyes. Their arms were in the air. They were running in all directions.” Mrs. Gottwald, mother of six including senior B Gottwald, went on the mission trip with two other Saints moms -- Mrs. Laura Wright, the trip organizer, and Mrs. Corell Halsey Moore, mother of alumni Brent and Philip as well as Christian ’14 and Thurston ’18. Mrs. Wright, who has been on multiple Haiti mission through her church, started a company called VolunTour Haiti to lead travel groups there to serve the people. Before leaving, Mrs. Gottwald felt wary; her little girl had cried about her leaving. All was quiet in the beginning. On Sunday Jan. 10, they embarked on the trip with their daughters. Upon arrival, two boys from St. Joseph’s Home for Boys greeted them with a warm welcome at the airport. On Monday, they taught art using very foreign supplies to the Haitian children -crayons. Later, they went to the Museum of Natural History. Everything was going according to plan. The poverty, however, was a different story entirely. Haiti is the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. Poverty is like an epidemic -- it is everywhere. The people sell mud cookies sprinkled with salt or sugar, and the children adore these treats, though they have no nutritional value, simply because they fill their stomachs, Mrs. Moore said. Child slaves are common in Haiti. In a country of 8 million to 9 million people, somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 are child slaves. “It’s a factor of extreme, extreme, extreme poverty,” said Mrs. Wright. “It’s a difficult question that many Haitian parents must ask: ‘Do I keep my child with me or, even though they might be abused, do I let the child go live where they’ll be better fed and maybe go to school?’ It’s a question that no parent should be faced with.” They described going to orphanages and holding crying babies screaming because they are so rarely held and sitting three of them in their laps at the same time. All the babies were crying, dancing their little legs “no bigger than a finger” around in their cribs. The women described monotonous meals of rice and beans that school children received. The older kids there sometimes do not get meals at all. Mrs. Halsey talked about driving to Good Shepherd School and seeing open ditches nearby running
Caroling at Mrs Hollerith’s p. 2
Check out Youtube:
“Saints in Haiti” for interview higlights
with sewage, but she also talked about the courageous spirit of the city. “It’s very vibrant in a strange way,” she said. “There is art everywhere all painted with beautiful, lively colors. On top of the roof where we were staying, you could look out over the city and see people doing laundry, people doing push-ups, people packed together on the hilltops.” This strange vibrancy was reflected in the dance at St. Joseph’s on Monday night. Their performance depicted how they had come from the streets, from feeling like they were nothing, to a life of substance and clarity at St. Joseph’s with the help of founder Father Michael. The spirit continued into Tuesday morning with a tour of the main Episcopal Cathedral in Port-au-Prince. Mrs. Gottwald showed pictures of the awe-inspiring church and the sweet-looking nuns who oversee it. The walls were draped in frescos, and the smiles on the nuns’ faces reminded not of the desperate poverty, but of “The Sound of Music.” The Richmonders were probably the last visitors there. The happy spirit would soon dissipate. The Earthquake The driver took a different route off the main road so that they wouldn’t get stuck
in rush hour. Traffic had stopped. “Life is normal,” Mrs. Wright said. “It’s bright sunshine. No forewarning at all… and life changes just like that.” The van started vibrating violently. Mrs. Wright said it felt like a giant was shaking the van. Everyone got quiet. “We all got really internal,” Mrs. Wright said. They prayed to themselves. No one screamed. No one was frantic. “It was too scary to be screaming,” Mrs. Moore said. “You were just paralyzed almost. Laura’s leg was shaking. Our first
thought was incredible fear for our own lives as well as horror at what was going on outside the van. I kept thinking I wish I could say to [my daughter] ‘everything is going to be fine.’ But I couldn’t say that. We just held hands.” And everything went white. “I’m in the van thinking I’m getting ready to die,” said Mrs. Gottwald. “I saw that woman. She went up in the air and then down. She was screaming, ‘Jesus,’ and then the building went down behind her -- and then all the other buildings were going down.” The next scenes were of complete chaos.
See Page 3
Haiti
Pine Needle Online p. 3
STC Response to Haiti p. 5
INSIDE
School Life
2
February 2010
Gathering at the Holleriths
By Drew Pangraze Senior Contributor
“Shocked. Completely shocked.” This was Mrs. Hollerith’s response upon opening the door to the entire upper school singing Christmas carols on her front lawn. “I couldn’t cry or laugh,” said Mrs. Hollerith. “The whole thing was surreal.” On the last day before Christmas break, the entire Upper School piled into school buses at 7:45 a.m. to drive to Mrs. Hollerith’s house. Upon arrival, the students and faculty crammed onto Mrs. Hollerith’s front lawn and rang the doorbell. Led by Mr. Johns, the Upper School sang to Mrs. Hollerith, dressed in a robe and slippers,
joyous Christmas carols. The idea originated during a meeting between Mr. Johns and Mr. Szymendera. “We wanted to show Mrs. Hollerith how much we appreciate her,” said Mr. Johns. “We eventually decided that it would be special if we brought chapel to her.” The event went like clockwork. “I don’t recall the school doing anything like this in the past 26 years,” said Mr. Johns. “But it went very smoothly and the kids sang spiritedly.” Mrs. Hollerith agreed. “If I was an American Idol judge, you all would have moved on to the next round,” she said.
Kindling Love of the Written Word By Kyle Wittenauer Senior Editor
What are you reading right now? No, not which periodical or which novel. On which device? The Barnes & Noble Nook, the Sony Reader or, perhaps, the Kindle? Launched by Amazon in November 2007, the Kindle is the first of its kind: an ingenious electronic reader that has been purchased by approximately 1.5 million bookworms. In addition Apple is scheduled to release a tablet version of its own electronic reader in March. Surprisingly, even one of St. Christopher’s most avid readers, Writer-in-Residence Ron Smith, has taken the plunge. He received his Kindle from his wife on Christmas Day and has thoroughly enjoyed it. “I was delighted,” Mr. Smith said. “It’s always fun to have a new toy to play with.” Smith claims to have mastered only a few of the many features offered by this hand-held reader. Its slim, sleek design makes it easy to hold. At 10.4 inches x 7.2 inches, the Kindle is slightly smaller than a standard sheet of paper and is less than a half-inch thick. The Kindle has note-taking, bookmarking and highlighting capabilities, can upload music and even read to you, if you choose. Though Smith is not yet proficient with all facets of his new toy, he has navigated around the new technology. “I take notes on my laptop [while reading my Kindle],” Smith said. “I just prop the thing up next to the screen and type away. Word searches are easy.” Anyone who has sat in (or even dared to venture near) Mr. Smith’s classroom knows how adamant he is about taking the time to thoroughly mark a text. He absolutely believes that reading literature “needs to be done slowly and with your brain at full power.” No doubt, Smith is not pleased with the potential limitations on marking texts the way he has trained himself and his students to do. Though electronic readers will certainly have some impact on the numbers of notations the reader may make, Smith
sees little other change in how the handy devices will alter the learning environment. “The world is full of tools,” Smith said. “Tools are neither good nor bad. It’s how you use them [that matters].” Advanced searches on the Kindle have enabled Smith to find specific phrases in Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” and in St. Augustine’s “City of God.” “As well as I have marked those [massive volumes], I still can’t find quickly a lot of what I need to go back to,” Smith noted. “On the Kindle I can.” A frequent traveler, Mr. Smith typically packs five to 12 books. Given that the Kindle DX (Amazon’s third version of the device) has a 4GB storage capacity, Smith can download plenty of books that will spare him the excess baggage fees it would cost to lug the numerous tomes that he usually packs. In fact, he can now bring along a comprehensive library on a compact device that weighs only 10 ounces. Its capacity and portability are his favorite things about this electronic reader. “I probably have 70 books on my Kindle already,” Smith said. “That includes three versions of the complete works of Shakespeare…and a lot of stuff dealing with the city of Rome. I’m writing poems about Rome these days. “I just downloaded Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Passages from the French and Italian Notebooks,’”
Smith said. “And I really need to download some Jane Austen.” The Kindle is perfect for the avid reader. In addition, Smith has found the very low cost of older or out of print editions to be attractive. Smith admits that he has yet to entirely overcome his resistance to the monochromatic electronic book. He much prefers to put his hands on the actual bound version. Still, he recommends the Kindle to other readers and finds that the very name of the device has interesting implications. Smith notes that the word ‘kindle’ is “trochaic which is the opposite of iambic. And the word suggests fire—in this case, the fire of knowledge.” Anyone who has been a student of Mr. Smith’s knows exactly what he means. The Kindle may very well be the impetus that will revolutionize the way the world reads books. With wireless access to over 340,000 volumes and more being added every day, it likely will not be long before everyone has one…much like Apple’s iPhone. Even Smith might be toting one of them along with his Kindle soon. “Mary Horne, [STC Upper School librarian,] has been showing me some things on her iPhone that make me want one,” Smith said. “It’s like magic.” Who says you can’t teach an old reader new tricks?
Christian Braden (left) and Ned Ukrop promote Ukrop’s chocolate pie, one of Ukrop’s Signature items.
Ukrop Family Sells the Farm
By Richard Hankins Freshman Contributor
In September, Ned Ukrop already knew the fate of Ukrop’s. “I was kind of surprised, but I knew it needed to happen,” he said, recalling his reaction when his dad told him about the pending sale of the family company. Ukrop ’13, grandson of former chairman Jim Ukrop and great-nephew of President Bobby Ukrop, said in a January interview that the family would give up ownership of the store in late January or early February, and then Ukrop’s will change to a different setup. Ukrop’s was founded by Ned Ukrop’s great grandfather, Joseph Ukrop, in 1937, and has since been passed to his son Bobby. At this time none of Ned’s immediate family works there. Ned’s dad, Scott, who graduated from St. Christopher’s in 1981, was vice-president of marketing until about eight years ago when he left to start Grace Street, a renovation company in Richmond. According to recent articles, due to rising competition from cheaper, less customer-oriented stores such as Food Lion Inc., Walmart Stores Inc. and newer,
high-end stores such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, Ukrop’s was pressured financially. “[Ukrop’s] is in the middle ground,” and that is a difficult place to be, Ned said. The grocery business has always been challenging. Everpresent low profit margins were intensified with the recession and increased competition in the market. Royal Ahold NV will buy the 25 Ukrop’s stores for $140 million. “It will be good in the long run,” Ned Ukrop said. His siblings, Mac Ukrop, ’16, and Polly Ukrop, ’11, attend St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s, respectively. Ned had no plans of working at the family company at more than an entry level job. Will Ukrop’s prepared and frozen foods disappear? No, according to a recent Richmond Times-Dispatch article; the manufacturer of those foods will package them for sale at the future stores. For now, the late January/ early February deadline will not mark an immediate change for Ukrop’s. Slowly, over the next couple of years, people should see more changes, such as the sale of alcohol, opening on Sundays and a new name.
School Life
February 2010
3
The Pine Needle Goes Online
By Ben Resnik
name (with money from my own wallet), and worked out an efficient schedule with both Max“Build an online edition of The well and myself working through Pine Needle.” the holiday season and late into That was the only instruction the night. that The Pine Needle faculty The project has not been advisor Kathleen Thomas gave without its hitches. Site construcme on the first day back from tion began with Maxwell literally Thanksgiving break. I had endangling from the edge of an rolled in a Journalism II, and was icy overpass and a glitch in the expecting to spend 45 minutes site has forced work all the way every other day writing stories, back to square one, but progress editing, or has remained perhaps giving steady. captions to The goal www.pineneedleonline.com of The Pine pictures for the yearbook. Needle Online Instead, I was given this simple is slightly different from that of directive, and basically left to my the hard-copy newspaper. While own devices. the print source will remain esIt’s been clear for a long time sentially unchanged, the online that The Pine Needle needs to editions will work to provide the take a step onto the technological stories that will become irrelplane. The Internet has proven evant between editions of printed that it’s here to stay, and, while edition. The Pine Needle covers a vast Furthermore, the online ediarray of news, the community tions will provide yet another has advanced to the point where way for students and alumni to there is simply too much inforparticipate in school life. The mation to contain in a bi-monthl- stories on the site will be connewspaper. siderably shorter, between 100 With this in mind, I set out to and 200 words, and more easily think up and build the best online accessible. This will encournews site I could create. Very age students who are interested quickly, I realized something: in journalism, but are perhaps I had absolutely no clue about intimidated by the print edition’s how to build an online news site, longer stories, and alumni who good or otherwise. Fortunately, might also want to contribute. I knew who to go to. I got Evan The mission statement of The Maxwell, ’10 on board by dragPine Needle Online reads, “To ging him into the publications bring The Pine Needle into the office and telling him to get to it. twenty-first century, and to exThankfully, Maxwell agreed, and pand community and local news set to work with a dedication and outside of the print edition” and work ethic without which, quite that is exactly what we intend to frankly, the site never would do. The site will constantly grow have gotten off the ground. and change, and we here at The Within a few weeks, we had Pine Needle office will keep you hammered out a basic look for up to date with the very latest the the site, purchased a domain Pine Needle Online has to offer. Junior Contributor
Check it out at
Haiti
Continued from Page 1
People were running and screaming. It was like living a horror movie. As the driver told them to hide in the van for fear it would be overtaken by panicked people, they watched the destruction. “You felt like voyeurs,” Mrs. Gottwald said. “We were safe in this van and looking out at the devastation.” People had to move bodies so that cars could move down the street. They worried about the gas running out, so they were constantly turning the van off and on. Survivors put rags over the people’s faces so that the dead could be spared some dignity. Blood was splattered everywhere. It was their decision not to take pictures. They felt that it would be immoral. It took them five hours to get roughly five miles to get to a safer place, the U.S. Embassy. The Aftermath “There’s a lot of survivors’ guilt, why were we allowed to whiz into this nice, clean embassy and then put on this Coast Guard flight and get out,” Mrs. Wright said. “God loves the Haitian woman with half a face lying in the embassy parking lot as much as he loves us. I’m really bothered by it.” Mrs. Gottwald and Mrs. Moore
also expressed this sentiment. They had made it this far without a scratch. The only thing wounded was their emotions. They stayed at the U.S. Embassy for two nights, feeding off meal packs and sleeping under tables. I asked them where they thought God’s place was in this experience. “We can’t figure it all out,” Mrs. Moore said. “But God is there.” Mrs. Wright is undeterred in her mission to continue helping and plans another to organize another trip, possibly in late spring. “I think that God is with every single person there,” Mrs. Wright said. “Maybe there’s a ray of hope that Haiti has gotten the attention of the world. Maybe they can rebuild it in a better way.” Mrs. Moore has faith in the resiliency of the Haitian people. “They’ll come back,” she said. “They have the will and the spirit to do it.” They believe that the message is universal. “You can hear all the horror stories.” Mrs. Gottwald said. “It’s so easy to say, ‘Oh, that’s so bad’ and then go on with your own life. It made me realize that our duty is to help people. When you’ve been given so much, you need to give. That’s the whole message no matter where you are.”
Hasan ’11 Creates Classic Couture By Kurt Jensen Junior Editor
A Tiffany glass lamp in the recently reopened galleries of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts inspired the extracurricular efforts of Junior Jabriel Hasan earlier this year. “Teen Stylin’,” a program conducted by the VMFA for “fashion-minded students...with a passion for clothing design,” featured student fashion design in a runway show including Hasan’s own design, “The Empress,” modeled by St. Catherine’s Emma Ruffin. The nomination process invited 26 student designers from more than 20 area schools to showcase their interest in design and their creative talents. Hasan, introduced and nominated to the program by Mr. Sanchez in the St. Catherine’s art department, represented St. Christopher’s. Different elements of design such as structure or embellishment were covered each week in teaching students how to make garments. As a social experience, the program represented a unique outlet for like-minded teens with creative interests. “I met a lot of great people and was inspired by their talent,” said Hasan. While the program was based around the competitive runway show, a supportive artistic community sprung up during the
process that counter-balanced the competitive aspect. “People were really, really supportive, but it was definitely a competition,” said Hasan. “They wanted to win, and you could see that in what they did.” The artistic challenge benefited from both the community and the competition, producing 26 surprisingly artistic and architectural designs. The dresses themselves, which often weren’t immediately recognizable as such, were all inspired by the VMFA art. “All the dresses were inspired by pieces, either modern art or decorative art,” said Hasan. “Mine was inspired by a Tiffany glass lamp from the turn of the century.” Turning a lamp into a dress is an artistic challenge within itself; knowing what to incorporate its elements and impression into is an entirely different medium. “I used the colors and the time period,” said Hasan. The time period inspired the length drapery and long train. Beyond the artistic challenge, the runway show added an element of pressure to proceedings that could almost represent a career in the fashion world. “It was intense,” said Hasan. “It was stressful, because I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted to showcase my talent.” This would lead to last minute modifications of his original design.
His own ideals of process would eventually conflict with the program. “I wasn’t as interested in making a statement as the rest of the contestants,” said Hasan. “I wanted something really classic that expressed who I was as a designer. They wanted something out there, and I gave something classic.” Much of his inspiration actually came from model Emma Ruffin. “I wanted [Emma] to be proud of what she was wearing,” he said. “It was definitely a job making the piece, but it wouldn’t have been anything without a model to sell it. Emma sold it.” Ruffin was equally complimentary. “Working with Jabriel was amazing. He should have won an award because his dress was the most realistic, high fashion, elegant design across the board. I can see him making a name in the design world.” In the end, he wasn’t recognized for an award, but he walked away from the program with pride in his ability. “I think I deserved to have gotten something,” he said. “What I did wasn’t exactly what they wanted, but it was me, and I was really proud of it.”
Hasan ’11, Ruffin ’11, and Tiffany Lamp
Singing Crescendos with Mr. Brata By Miles Jackson Sophmore Contributor
This year the St. Christopher’s community welcomed Nick Brata, who replaced Dan Moriarty as director of the Middle School Choir. Mr. Brata was born and raised in Sarasota, Fla, and has always had a passion for music. As a kid he sang in the school choir, and continued to do so along with marching band in high school. In college Mr. Brata excelled, earning summa cum laude honors with a bachelor in music education and a master’s degree in
choral conducting from the University of South Florida. Before coming to St. Christopher’s he taught math, guitar, chorus, several music courses and worked as a golf instructor. Mr. Brata is pleased with his new occupation in Richmond. “Since I was hired, I have been fortunate to work with wonderful people,” he said. “Mr. Spears has been a tremendous help and supporter of our program. Mrs. Long has given me great advice and been a go-to person here at school. Mr. Vick is a great organist/pianist and that makes life easy for me when conducting the choirs.” He also
praised his students, who “are diligent, thoughtful, and inspiring. They work hard to perform the best they can and I appreciate that immensely.” Before Christmas break St. Christopher’s held its annual Lessons & Carols Service at St. Stephen’s Church. Mr. Brata led Lower, Middle, and Upper School choirs as chief director. “It was very moving and powerful,” he said. “The music and the message were amazing and I was impacted in a very positive way.” Out of school Mr. Brata is a big Tampa sports fan, and enjoys classical music as well as other genres. “I enjoy being here and I am always looking to gain new singers into the group,” he said. “We currently have 26 singers and I would love for that number to increase next year.”
School Life
4
February 2010
Ampersand Earnestly Battles the Snow “The Importance of Being Earnest” a Success
What Can You Do for Haiti? By Jabriel Hasan Junior Contributor
By Jamie Ruml Senior Contributor
We, the cast and crew of Ampersand’s winter production, Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” faced adversity when record amounts snow fell on Richmond during late January and early February. First, tech weekend, in which actors and tech crew typically hold a cue-to-cue run-through as well as the first dress rehearsals of the play, was hit by the first round of snow, forcing us to condense the weekend into one five-hour session on a snowed-out Monday afternoon. We proceeded to open the play Thursday night to a fairly sizable audience, considering that five minutes before being called to places we were informed that there would be no school the next day. Friday and Saturday night’s performances were postponed to the following Wednesday and Thursday, causing one of the biggest gaps between first and second nights
in director Maury Hancock’s memory. Then, the following Wednesday, school was closed again, forcing us to cancel that night’s performance. Finally, on Thursday night, we held our second, and closing, performance. The play depicts the exploits of two upper-crust Victorian men and their attempts to court women who insist they can only love a man by the name of Ernest. Punnery ensues. The play starred Harrison Houlihan ’12 as leading man Jack Worthing, Ben Resnik ’11 as the bumbling Algernon Moncrieff, Lee Blackmer ’12 as Gwendolen Fairfax, Kelsey Glander ’12 as Cecily Cardew, Madeleine Philips ’11 as the terrifying Lady Bracknell, Robert Johns and Emma Brodeur ’10 in terrific debut performances as Reverend Chausuble and Miss Prism, and Drew Schaffernoth ’12 and myself as servants Merriman and Lane. Mariah Young and Jabria Craft ’11 did a incredible job stage managing, as always. Nick Arancibia ’10 and Gaines Pearce ’12, respec-
tively handled lighting and sound design. The show featured one of Ampersand’s more intricate sets, designed and overseen by Nic Marlton ’10, as well as some of its more intricate usage of properties, tyrannically overseen by Caroline Yancey ’10. Fantastic costumes were designed by Ms. Rebecca and Ms. Annie Cairns. Mr. Todd SchallVess, who stepped in as technical director when Maury directed “Over the Tavern” last year, once again helped us out in that role. Many others Ampersand members and patrons worked tirelessly to put this show together, including a featured debut performance from Pine Needle Editor Jason Pacious ’10, who, in a voice-over, warned Ampersand patrons to silence their cell phones lest they incur the wrath of the J-Pac. Despite difficulties caused by the snow, our play was wellreceived, as audience members erupted into cries of “Jolly good show; jolly, jolly good!” following each performance.
Overtime Thriller in Scott Gym
By Landrum Tyson Sophomore Contributor
Driven by the guard play of Warren Hunter, the faculty basketball team defeated the seniors in the annual faculty-senior basketball game in an exciting overtime finish 40-37. This game featured a number of stars including freshman prodigy Cary Mauck and local star Hamill Jones. The hot hand of Warren Hunter kept the faculty team on top throughout the game sinking three out of four from three-point range and finishing with a game high 11 points and 13 fouls. An early three pointer from Mauck gave the faculty team a quick start. “Cary finally hit a three,” said sophomore Blair Farinholt. “I think he was on a five-year drought.” Early baskets by William Bannard, and hustle points for Mark Burlee kept the seniors close, and sharp shooting by George Corwin led the seniors in a charge back into the game. Corwin and Matthew Ferramosca both had a team-high 8 points. But the game wasn’t without controversy. “The officiating of Rich Hudepohl aided the faculty team to another win,” said sophomore Robert Kernodle. The key match-up in the game
featured the always dangerous Emmett Carlson and Bayn Stanchina, who each held each other to just one rebound. Meanwhile Burlee’s lockdown defense kept all-star history teacher Jones to just 9 points. Jones surprisingly had a quiet night as he was expected by many to score at will. “Mr. Jones was reliving his college basketball days by trying to dominate seniors,” said senior John McCann. Shooting woes were evident for the senior guards as Matthew Ferramosca, Zane Seals and Daniel O’Neill combined for a woeful three of 26 from behind the arc. However back-to-back three pointers with nine seconds
remaining, including a buzzer beater from Jack Scherger, tied the game and led to overtime. “Quite frankly, that was the moment that as a kid you practice in your driveway over and over again,” Scherger said. “This was just my opportunity to execute what I had been practicing for 18 years. It also helped that Mauck was the defender.” Again in overtime, it was the Warren Hunter show as his three pointer lifted the faculty to a 3 point win over the seniors. Other highlights of the game included Mark Burlee blocking Mr. Jones’s layup attempt, and storming the court after a tie.
The world has rushed to Haiti’s aid. Now it’s our turn. On Jan. 12, 2010, a massive earthquake, landing at 7.0 on the Richter scale, began in Haiti. An estimated 200,000 people have died. More than 250,000 people are injured, and as rescue workers continued to dig for escaping life, thousands lay in the debris. “I think when I first heard, it was just a sad feeling about how bad it was going to be,” said the Rev. Durk Steed, Middle School chaplain. “The building codes are so different from ours. Things just collapse…” St. Christopher’s has stepped in to help raising more than $5,000 in relief money through donations and special programs. Haiti is a nation that has long needed global support. The country has an overwhelmingly poor majority. Approximately 80% of Haitians live in poverty. Most Haitians have no access to clean drinking water, electricity or social services. It is the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. “We don’t really understand the level of poverty,” said the Rev. Melissa Hollerith, Upper School chaplain. “Their poverty is far more reaching than what we know here. Some of this is just very incomprehensible. It seems especially cruel, that of all of the nations of the world, it would be Haiti.” On the day of the catastrophe, the Middle School immediately called a special prayer service. It was the only other assembly of that nature other than on 9/11. At the end of the day, Rev. Steed spoke to the Middle School Missionary Society and asked students to make a small sacrifice to push back a Wear Anything Days for a 24-hour fundraiser for Haiti that had no exact monetary goal. The students willingly gave up previous plans. Some Middle School students brought in more than $50. Some carried zip lock bags containing the contents of their dumped piggy banks, and others donated Christmas money. Totals donations for the Middle School alone exceeded $1,700. “[The student response] has been encouraging,” said Rev. Steed. “It’s been inspiring.” The Lower School has also raised money in the quadruple digits. They collected $3,700 for the relief fund, not counting late donations, beating out the Middle School and Upper School. The Lower School chapel theme during the season of Epiphany was “How can God’s light shine through me?” Led by Dr. Limburg, discussions have
focused on how prayers and donations are one way to let God’s light shine through us. The Upper School reaction was similar to the Middle School’s. Chapel prayers focused on Haiti in the days following the disaster, and Missionary Society collections during those days set a record. On average, the Missionary Society collects about $250. The Upper School raised $650 to go to the Red Cross for Haitian Relief. “For all of us who are watching it unfold, our hearts are moved and our overwhelming desire is to give out of our surplus to those in great need,” Rev. Hollerith wrote in a letter to parents. Funding is the immediate, necessary relief. Money raised from studentfaculty basketball game admission also went to Haiti relief as will a portion of the sales from an Upper School Missionary Society “Saints in Service” Tshirt that’s selling for $15 in the bookstore. The clever design by senior Nic Marlton includes the catchy phrase “We don’t monkey around with service.” Monetary relief is no longer a major part of the school’s efforts. However, our support is necessary, and it must continue. Haiti will need long-term commitments. The next steps for the Middle School begin with a call to the American Red Cross. Their first question will be: “What can we do next?” The Middle School Missionary Society is also considering a shoe collection drive. Junior Andre Aganbi has also proposed this idea for the Upper School under the name “Soles for Souls.” And of course many have questioned God’s place in the midst of all the devastation. “I’m sure there’s a lot of soul searching,” Mrs. Hollerith said. “A lot of people who have witnessed this are at a loss of words. Day to day this is something that’s hard to fathom. It’s important that we not become numb to it. “We have to be God’s hands and feet in the world,” she said. “We must continue to pray that the right people will be in the right places at the right time to serve the greatest needs.” St. Christopher’s hands are open and arms are extended. Mr. Steed put this in perspective. “How embarrassed would you be if you were a church school and you didn’t do anything? We’re Christians, we must respond. To God be the glory how quickly our response was and how committed we are to see what we can do.”
School Life
February 2010
5
Wittenauer Wins Again By Wells Baylor Junior Contributor
Saints Christen Robotics Club
By Jack Jessee Senior Editor
All the preparations were complete. The engineers, builders and drivers were all poised, ready to test the merit of their builds in a competition of programming skill, dexterity and wit. The alarm indicating the start of the game sounded, and the robots sprang to life. One however, did not. The dumptruck shaped robot emblazoned with photos of Sesame Street’s Snuffleupagus remained motionless as the competition began. Unfortunately, this robot was controlled by the St. Christopher’s team. As it turns out, they had simply forgotten to turn the bot on. The aforementioned quagmire was one of several that led to a 21st out of 28th place finish in the Saints’ inaugural robotics competition.
The brainchild of senior Nick Arancibia, the robotics club was formed at the beginning of this school year. Although Arancibia was the only member of the club with any background in robotics, other students quickly stepped up to fill important roles in the robot’s construction and programming. The construction was onerous. The team began with only a kit and a set of loose guidelines. The team settled on the dump truck style build after a failed attempt at a more mechanically complex shooter-style bot. The club competes in the FTC level of robotics, a step up from the Lego-style league but below the gigantic bots of the FRC competitions. The competition’s goal is to collect wiffle balls and throw or place them into a circle in the center of the ring. Each bot has a different method of executing this simple goal, and
the great variety of strategies makes the competition exciting to watch. According to Mr. McGuire, the clubs’ faculty sponsor, the team is more than just a fun diversion. Inn his mind, constructing a robot that is able to complete a complex task has significant educational value and should be an important part of the school as a whole. Despite the problems in the first competition, the club has high hopes for the future. They plan to compete again and hope to correct several problems that plagued their first effort. Senior James Blanton, club chief programmer and engineer, called the contest “an enjoyable, friendly competition.” The club has garnered the support of the student body as a whole, and enthusiasm for the team is sure to build.
love for helping others while serving as Middle School head. He began searching for ways to get sixth- through eighth-graders out of their comfort zones that usually didn’t stretch much farther than the West End of Richmond. He sought to press upon them the variety of ways to help others outside of their own immediate line of sight, and to appreciate the importance of their own friends and family. “What will give these guys a better idea of their own community?” asked Dr. Smith. He found the answer while on a school-sponsored trip to New Orleans not long after the city was rocked by Hurricane Katrina. “I found a great deal of personal fulfillment in going to work for others,” Dr. Smith said. “I don’t know why, I just know that I do.” From there he organized a church-backed return to the city, this time with a number of St. Christopher’s upperclassmen in tow. With the success of that venture, Dr. Smith has teamed up with Buck Blanchard, father of junior Mac Blanchard and head of the Episcopalian
Diocese of Richmond, with the hope of sending another group of students to an even further-flung corner of the globe. The two decided on Tanzania, Dr. Smith said, because the diocese had performed similar humanitarian efforts there in the past and because “the culture is so different from our own.” Though his plans may be intimidating for some members of the St. Christopher’s community, Dr. Smith encourages students to start small. “One family at a time, one home at a time,” Dr. Smith said, stressing the importance of such programs as Saturday Academy and helping students at St. Andrew’s School in Oregon Hill. “There’s no difference in the value of the work. The only difference is the location.” Though “where” isn’t much of a concern for Dr. Smith, he is very interested in the question of “when.” He intends to put together as many more of these groups as possible during his career at St. Christopher’s, and plans to make humanitarian relief his focus when he retires. For now, though, his thoughts on time are limited to the journey at hand. “It’s going to be a long plane ride,” he said.
Dr. Smith Goes to Tanzania
By Ben Resnik Junior Contributor
For history teacher Andy Smith this summer’s trip to Tanzania is “a natural progression.” Dr. Smith, an active humanitarian, is leading a school-sponsored mission trip overseas. Tanzania, located on the east coast of Africa, is one of the poorest nations in the world. Accompanying him will be seniors Si Wofford and George Corwin, juniors Chase Gunter, Patrick English, Ben Thompson, Jamie Ball, Foster Haynes and William Young and sophomore Zachary Wallace. The group will learn rudimentary Swahili and be given a basic understanding of the Tanzanian culture before the journey. Once in Africa, though the specific list of projects “remains to be seen,” Dr. Smith expects that the group will be doing everything from digging wells to building school desks for the residents of the town in which the group will stay. This is by no means Dr. Smith’s first far-flung humanitarian journey. He discovered his
Kyle Wittenauer transforms poetry into music. His recitations have won him the school title in the Poetry Out Loud competition three years in a row. Wittenauer makes the competition sound like something describes the intense competition as “fun to do”, but the truth is that he spends hours trying to “figure out what the poem is trying to say and figure out how the lines are supposed to be read.” Writer-in-Residence Ron Smith and Ampersand director Rusty Wilson are crucial to Wittenauer’s learning process in reciting poetry. They help him discover the meaning behind the words so Wittenauer can reflect the poem’s power and subtle nuances in his recitation. After some time spent vetting poems, Wittenauer decided to stick with “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell for the school competition and picked “La Figlia Che Piange” by T. S. Eliot for his second poem in the regional competition. For this year’s Poetry Out Loud competition, an elite group of published poets came to judge. Wittenauer’s rendition of “To His Coy Mistress” earned him first place. The judges were also
pleased with Henley Hopkinson’s unique recitation of “Onions,” by William Matthews and Elliot Warren’s recitation of “If—” by Rudyard Kipling. Mr. Smith said, “These judges knew nothing in advance about STC’s Poetry Out Loud reciters. They left the campus very impressed with the contestants and very pleased about the state of poetry at STC.” This is Wittenauer’s first time competing in the regional finals before he goes to States. At first States was nerve racking, Wittenauer said, but eventually he got used to the pressure. Although Wittenauer has yet to win States, he nonetheless excelled. Through Poetry Out Loud, Wittenauer has gleamed a more intense admiration for poetry. He loves Poetry Out Loud, from start to finish. He said “Mr. Smith helped me appreciate poetry more, and I’m grateful for that.”
Betcha Didn’t Know!
By Mac Robertson Sophomore Contributor
French teacher Karen Wray, has a talent many of her students are unaware of -- her ability to lip sync. Mrs. Wray shared that in college she and four of her friends entered a lip syncing contest to raise money for a spring break trip to Key West. The contest included 15 – 18 groups of two
to five people. Mrs. Wray’s group won the contest with their performance of “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls. The cash prize was $3,000 . With this money, Mrs. Wray and her friends had “lots of fun” down in Key West . So next time you see Mrs. Wray walking down the hall, ask about her special musical talent. Wonder what she’s doing this spring break?
Sports
6
February 2010
Sports Interviews
Pine Needle writer Wells Baylor interviewed a selection of the schools top winter athletes, asking about their seasons and some of their personal rituals before and after a game.
Rob Vozenilek
Alec Vozenilek
Basketball How has your season gone so far? Favorite food before/ after a game
Basketball
Hiter Harris
Rennie Merhige
Indoor Track
Wrestling
Up and down. We lost some close games.
Played all right so far, but we could definitely make a run at the Prep League
Better than expected.
Pretty well, could be better
Ukrop’s pizza, Subway/ 5 Guys
Chicken tenders from Ukrops/ Qdoba
Pasta/more pasta
Pasta/everything
What song do you play to get pumped
Nothing.
“Till I Collapse” by Eminem
“New Noise” by The Refused
What’s your motto?
Leave it all on the floor.
Whatever it takes
Intensity is controlled insanity
What’s your biggest accomplishment?
Starting every game.
Going to play a college sport
Winning States last year
Signing to VMI
How do predict the rest of your season will go?
Prep League champs.
We’ll have a strong finish and definitely be a threat at Preps
We can definitely win States.
Hopefully well
“Some of Us” by Jurassic Five MDK
Futsal Wins Valentine Classic
By Patrick Delaney Senior Editor
The day before Valentine’s Day St. Christopher’s futsal celebrated the love of their sport by winning the Valentine Classic State Tournament at Collegiate School. The team finished undefeated this season with a record of 14-0-4 under the guidance of Coaches Mauricio Pava and Craig Foster. On Feb. 13 the futsal team
entered the semifinals after defeating Collegiate and Trinity schools and tying Steward and FUMA the day in the first set of games. The team went on to beat Benedictine High School 4-0 with some awesome goals by Tom Maas and Jason Pacious and stellar defending by George Corwin and Thomas Johnson. In the finals the St. Chris team played a Richmond Kickers Club team who had beaten FUMA in the semifinals. The team was not
deterred, however, and defeated the Kickers 3-1 in a very exciting game. Seniors Jason Pacious, George Corwin, Thomas Johnson and Tom Maas made the AllTournament Team, and Corwin was named tournament MVP. The team now holds back-toback tournament wins (defeating Collegiate 2-0 in the finals last year) and is determined to defend their title. Congrats to the entire St. Christopher’s futsal team.
The (Indoor) Beautiful Game By Stephen Wood Junior Contributor
Bogese ’10 Freestyles to Yale
By Drew Pangraze ’10 and Jack Jessee ’10
For highly recruited swimmer Mikey Bogese, Yale is the perfect fit. “I really like the laidback and friendly team at Yale,” said Bogese. “In addition, Yale will give me a strong academic degree that will help me after college.” Bogese’s prolific swimming career began at the tender age of 4, when he began swimming in a summer league. His affinity for the sport was immediately evident, and he began training year-round in kindergarten. He has since achieved great success in the sport at every level. A five-year Varsity standout, Bogese holds several individual
and relay records both at the school and in the region. He is currently the No. 1 in the 1000 yard freestyle, the 1650 yard freestyle, and is No. 2 in the 500 yard freestyle. Bogese was recently named to the 2009 U.S.A Swimming Scholastic All-America Swimming Team for his fast times and excellent grades. The recognition is the result of a lot of hard work, even though Bogese will tell you it was tons of fun. Bogese’s grueling, 300-lap workouts begin at 4:30 a.m. for NOVA, his year-round swim team. After school, Bogese will either lift weights or swim for another two hours. On Saturdays, he gets to sleep in until 5
a.m. before beginning NOVA swim practice. He has also given up numerous vacations in order to train, including multiple spring breaks. West Cuthbert, a friend from NOVA, will join Bogese at Yale. Bogese wants to improve his times in his three main events, the 1000 yard freestyle, the 1650 yard freestyle and the 400 yard individual medley, while at Yale. Although he is undecided about his future major, Mikey predicts he will study English or film. For this year, Bogese’s goals include keeping his grades up and placing at Spring Juniors. At the collegiate level, he hopes to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Though he is unsure of whether or not he will continue on to the next level after college, he is certain swimming will remain a part of his life.
During the last few years futsal at St. Christopher’s has changed from a laid-back alternative to SAC to a competitive varsity sport. This sudden rise in popularity has led some students to ask the question: What, exactly, is futsal? Jake Holleran, a member of our futsal team, has the answer. “It’s a glorious game that combines skill, fun and creativity,” he said. Futsal is the official five-aside indoor soccer game recognized by FIFA. This sport has begun to take the world by storm, as more players, coaches, clubs and soccer associations have begun to discover the positive qualities futsal has on the world of soccer. At first glance, futsal appears to be merely indoor soccer, but those who play it understand that there are a few important differences. Other than the obvious fact that it is played indoors, futsal also differs from soccer in the size of its playing field. The smaller size of the futsal field
and goals changes the game entirely. “Everyone plays offense, everyone plays defense,” Holleran said. Futsal players have to be able to play a surprising variety of positions. The game’s chaotic and fast-paced nature means that skills like agility, passing, and footwork become even more important. Players develop quicker reflexes, faster thinking and pinpoint passing. Many players, like those on the St. Chris team, use futsal as a way to hone these skills and stay in shape between soccer seasons. Futsal has only been at St. Christopher’s for a few years. The program has blossomed under the direction of Head Coach Craig Foster and Coach Mauricio Pava into a successful varsity sport. As interest soars, the coaches have gone from having a small number of players to having trouble keeping the size of the team down. Last year, the Saints won the Valentine Classic, a tournament that has essentially become the sport’s state championship in Virginia. “We’re a really well-balanced team,” said Holleran.
Op/Ed
February 2010
7
The Decade: We Made It By Jason Pacious Editor-in-Chief
So we have finally arrived into a new decade. While we embrace this new decade and the promises it may hold, it is always beneficial to reflect on the past. We must strive, however, not to allow it to repeat itself. This past ten years have definitely not been something to celebrate. Many things that people had confidence in fell apart, and 2000 to 2009, from start to finish, was in some form of chaos. First, our democracy was shaken in a presidential election whose winner was determined not by the popular vote but by the states with more electoral
votes. Then the security of our nation fell apart with the disaster of 9/11. Terrorists brought new grievances to us with the crumbling of the twin towers, the great hole in our Pentagon and the smoke rising up out of a Pennsylvania field. Consequences include the loss of 3,000 and the start of a war we are still fighting. Hurricane Katrina hit with a force, leaving a trail of destruction and ruin in its wake. Many turned their heads and pointed fingers, not wanting to deal with the problem. Our economy was suddenly broken, as jobs and wealth began
What does Black History Month Mean To Me? By Jabriel Hasan Junior Contributor
Black History Month is a time to look back, to look around and to look forward. As Americans, we honor the past of a people who started at ground zero in this country, emerging on the banks of the James in chains, living first indentured, then slaved, then segregated and finally free. In this month, we acknowledge the history itself, which had for hundreds of years been demeaned, and the achievements of its people. It is at this time that we pay our respects to those once lost and now found. We celebrate them. We look around at the present and the black achievers and notables of our time, remembering that history is made every day. We gaze forward and press on-
ward, imagining what could and what will become of the vast, unending future, letting this history act as a guide for what can be accomplished. The past allows us to appreciate the present and create a tomorrow. Black history does not stand alone; it is a part of American history, and as a black person and as an American, I take this month to salute the downtrodden, the uplifted, the hopefuls, the dreamers, the believers, the leaders and the achievers of my race. I acknowledge that they are all a part of my rich history, and I remember that I did not get this far alone. I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. So really, black history isn’t just the facts. It is a testament to how far black people have come in our diaspora and a once a year reminder of the shoes that I, and we, must fill.
to quickly disappear and all surplus was lost. Newspapers have fallen apart with the uprising of blogging and Tweets and other less trustworthy sources of news. Just when we thought our situation could not get any worse and we were about to push in to a new decade, our nation was hit with the H1N1 virus. Although even St. Christopher’s has been hit in this past decade by surprises and changes, the school has persevered. With construction of the Athletic Center, Bolling Field House and plans for a college-worthy student center, St. Christopher’s has continued to improve its education and campus. We continue
to advance with changes such as the new block system and semesters as well as the now established Chamberlayne Reds and Grays. America has definitely not experienced the greatest last 10 years. And yet, we are still standing. We have not fallen apart like many nations before us. This says something about the determination and resilience of the American people. Even this era of hardship will pass away. So we must slam the back door on this turbulent decade and welcome the new decade through the front.
Spring Sports Preview
Baseball The baseball team had an exciting run to the semifinals of the state tournament last year. The senior heavy team will look to get there again and hopefully finish on top. Who to watch: Will Kurt Fleming and Seth Wagner make heroic returns from injuries suffered before the season? College Commits: Campbell Henkel (VMI) Kurt Fleming (Army) Track The Spring Track team will look to improve as well as carry momentum following the indoor season. Who to watch: White lightning Hiter Harris College Commits: Hiter Harris (Wake Forest)
Lacrosse The lacrosse team has trimmed its fat and is looking forward to improving from a less than stellar 2009 season. Sophomore Captain Blair Farinholt will break ankles and burn net while he shreds flow. Who to watch: Defensive wizard Casey Bendal will certainly take opposing players’ candy while on the field. Also, are the rumors of Mark Burlee coming out for the Lacrosse team true?! College Commits: Hunter Johnson (Bama Club lax) Sailing ….is sailing Who to watch: It’s not like anyone will attend.
THE PINE NEEDLE STAFF Editor in Chief: Jason Pacious
Senior Editors:
Patrick Delaney Jack Jessee Kyle Wittenauer
Junior Editor: Kurt Jensen
Senior Contributors: Rennie Merhige Drew Pangraze Jamie Ruml
Junior Contributors: Wells Baylor Jabriel Hasan Ben Resnik Stephen Wood Tucker Thompson
Faculty Advisor:
Mrs. Kathleen Thomas
Sophomore Contributors: Cameron Barlow Harrison Houlihan Miles Jackson Landrum Tyson Mac Robertson
Freshman Contributor, Video Editor: Richard Hankins
Publications Consultant: Mr. Greg Weatherford
The Back Page After the influx of new members on Match.com hoping to find a potential date for Valentine’s Day, we stumbled upon the profiles of a few familiar faces--some may be a little more desperate than others.
Pending Match requests: Asha Bandal
SR8LACED BALLER I am a mature 28 year-old who loves history and awkward moments--I think they are romantic. 28 year-old male Richmond, VA, USA Seeking women 18-21 Within 3,000 miles Status: Have kids: Want kids: Ethnicity: Body type: Height: Smoke: Drink: Likes: Dislikes:
Single for now, but you better hurry No Only if they play basketball White / Caucasian Cut and athletic 6’5’’ (I can dunk.) Only foolish seniors who think they can guard me in the Student-Faculty game. Krzyzewski, WWII, tall girls, DBQs UNC, airballs, quiet fans, P.A.C.
ALERT: 3 new match requests
Synchroswim chica120 Spunky Vikings fan and synchronized swimmer. Catch me if you can. 28 year-old female Richmond, VA, USA Seeking men 22-30 Within 50 miles Status: Have kids: Want kids: Ethnicity: Body type: Height: Smoke: Drink: Likes: Dislikes:
Pending Match requests: Asha Bandal
Single and ready to mingle No When the time is right White / Indian Let’s just say I wish I could get all my high school students to stop asking for my number. 5’5’’ Nunca Sangria Lacrosse players, history teachers, flow French, students hitting on me, goatees
E-Love3.14159265 As if my picture isn’t enough...Wise beyond my years, I am a Princeton graduate who enjoys the Patriots and Special Relativity. Mid-twenties male Richmond, VA, USA Seeking women 40-45 Within 581. 37 miles (that should get me some matches in Boston)
Status: Have kids: Want kids: Ethnicity: Body type: Height: Smoke: Drink: Likes: Dislikes:
Single and looking for true love One (If I count my TI-83) I am 70% inclined to have offspring White / Caucasian / Yankee As is the case with sine curves, it fluctuates. 6’3’’ Cigars only Something light The Boston Three-Party, New England, Princeton, astrophysics--- and Massachusetts Yankee fans, regular physicists
Pending Match requests: Asha Bandal
SuperGill 804 Just look at those chiseled features. How could anyone resist? 18 year-old male Richmond, VA, USA Seeking women 25ish Within the bubble.
Status: Have kids: Want kids: Ethnicity: Body type: Height: Smoke: Drink: Likes: Dislikes:
An excerpt from Mr. Carlson’s Notebook
Single and dying for companionship. I hope not Heck no White / Athlete Have you seen Michelangelo’s sculpture of David? Pretty tall Yes, my sculptured features are smokin’ Only water and G-rade. Gotta keep this bod immaculate. Wrestling singlets, bench pressing and bicep curls, encyclopedias, fountain pens, typewriters Quitters, flabby abs, Cougars, cut blocks