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Clare Rundall retires after 11 years The St. George’s School Newspaper
By Rohan Khara Clare Rundall, one of the school’s most adored teachers, after 35 years of teaching, has finally called it a day. Rundall made the decision back at the end of the 2010/2011 school year. “I really enjoy it still, but I get tired. Those long days of meetings before school, teaching all day long, more meetings at lunch, and things to do after school. I can still do it, but it makes me tired, and it’s time to go,” said Rundall. The English teacher added that she will miss her classes and contact with kids a lot, but she will not miss the meetings and the work. The job has gradually been getting more difficult for Rundall. She acknowledges that she will have to give it up eventually, and that her time has come. Rundall taught eight years at a school in Richmond called Hugh Boyd, which, at the time, ranged from grades 8-10. Then Rundall moved to Toronto, where she taught in three different schools there. She came back to Vancouver in 2001, where she started her 11-year spell at Saints. Rundall described one of the greatest moments in her St. George’s career is “a perfect evening, sitting around a campfire, at Blackberry Point in the Gulf
Islands, with the Grade 10 Seato-Sky kayaking group, watching the sun go down, and the kids taking turns reading Dr. Seuss’s poem, The Lorax, and talking about how Dr. Seuss used the children’s story to talk about very serious things.” Last week Rundall was also very proud when she recently got a facebook message from a boy named Eugene Lee, who Rundall got to know very well over his high school career. In the message, Lee said that Rundall had once told him that he could do anything. He has now finished his first year in medical school at the university of Manitoba. The retiring teacher also realized that her favourite moments were generally to do with connecting with the kids, although she also has had many great times in the classroom as well. One of Rundall’s main activities with Saints over the years has been teaching the LE kids, almost all of them being borders. Subsequently Rundall got involved with the boarding house. She goes every Monday night and tutors the kids. She also has been traditionally involved in preparing the borders for their Sea-to-Sky trips by taking them to Mountain Equipment
Co-op and grocery shopping. Rundall does many other activities with the boarders. Just this January, they went to Telus’ Science World to go an exhibition about teenagers. Rick Roberts also once convinced Rundall to do non-competitive Grade 9 field hockey. Rundall described the experience as “a bit of a disaster, but it worked out.” Rundall has also been tremendously happy doing yoga for the last few years. She said, “I am extremely pleased that the program has grown so much, when it started they had one yoga session in term two, and now there are two yoga sessions for terms one, two and three.” Rundall has always been involved with the year book, and also often helps out with Saint’s Players by finding props for the plays. The retiring teacher excitedly said that she has “lots of plans” for what she wants to do during retirement. She is especially looking forward to having her days open rather than following a rigid schedule. Rundall is also looking forward to travelling in the near future. She plans to spend some time in her country house on Hornby Is-
land. This winter the English teacher also plans to spend some time in Honululu, which is where she grew up. She is also hoping to go to Costa Rica next spring, and perhaps visit the Sea of Cortez next year. Rundall is especially looking forward to spending Labour
Day weekend relaxing, rather than preparing for the upcoming school year. Rundall concluded, “I am sure that I will remain connected with St. George’s.” She decided that she will definitely attend the graduation ceremonies in the next few years. We will all miss her precense.
Librarian writes second novel, The Falling Senior librarian, Ryan Morris, currently looks for a publisher and book agent to sell his book
By Roy Yang Current senior-school-librarian Ryan Morris looks forward to publishing his second novel in upcoming months. With the book still in the final editing process, Morris is searching for the right agent who can represent his book to suitable publishers. Titled, The Falling, the librarian’s upcoming book emphasizes human relationship and friendship. With the setting in New
York City, the book is centered on four close friends and the development of their friendships through the journeys in The Big Apple. “It’s very down-to-earth, and it contains good dialogue between characters,” said Morris. “It’s very Seinfeld-esque.” According to Morris, The Falling is an inspiration from his own life. “The characters represent different aspects of my personal-
ity and the places I’ve been emotionally,” said Morris. “But more so, it’s a lot about getting my feelings out on paper.” Though the story’s theme is inter-human relationships, The Falling really emphasizes the distinct neighborhoods of New York City. As a writer, he always had an ambition to write about The Big Apple. In the upcoming book, Morris will fulfill his wish to express his love for the city. “Personally as a writer, I’ve always had an obsession with the city of New York. There’s a certain feeling that I get. It feels like I’m somewhere important. You can do anything you want, have anything you want and just feel over the top but also realistic,” proclaimed Morris. “I’m really into the different neighborhoods, and so this book explores the different places of the city that I love. The characters are very ‘New- Yorky’ and the story itself has a strong New-York sense in it. The city almost acts as the narrator.” Though never published, Morrison in the past has experimented with screenplay writing for animation and short movies.
He also wrote a couple of short stories. However, his biggest achievement as a writer so far is his self-publication of his first, long novel, Molt. According to the librarian, his first novel was “not really [his] sort of story.” The book contained elements of sci-fi and suspense, but it did not hold personal elements that “[he] has experienced throughout [his] life.” For Morris, the challenge in writing his new book was balancing his personal life and free time. While working as a librarian at Saints, he also had to take fulltime courses at Langara College and so had to work on the book during his spare time. Whatever the challenge, the senior school librarian still enjoyed the process and work that went into The Falling. For him, just writing about the different parts of New York was exhilarating. “When I was writing, it was almost as if I were there. Each part of the city has its story, and that kept the momentum going for me.” With the goal of becoming a full-time writer in mind, Morris continues to write to express
his inner emotions—something he wasn’t able to do with other forms of art. “I used to [only] draw, but I’ve reached a point where I didn’t have the ability to draw what I wanted to get out. Writing was a release for that and it has been soothing to write ever since.” Aside from therapeutic reasons, Morris will continue to write and hopes that he will become a published author. He hopes to only write and sustain himself through the art. Unlike Molt which was self-published, The Falling will be his first attempt to establish himself as a writer. Amidst the current publication process, Morris already has an idea for a third novel. “I don’t like coming up with new ideas because I get fixated on that, and I don’t have time. But currently, I’m thinking of a sci-fi like novel, exploring parallel earths. I have no background knowledge in any of this, so I will have to do lots of research. The challenge, however, is writing something unique enough and new. But I think my idea is fairly original.”
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the the.echo The St. George’s School Newspaper
Saints part of the first world-oriented international politics conference By Kevin Lee CAIMUN (Canadian International Model United Nations), is the first world-oriented international politics conference for high school students in Canada. The conference took place from May 25 to 27, with 400 delegates attending, the largest inaugural conference attendance of any Model UN conference in Canada. Committees ranged from specialized agencies such as the North Korean Politburo, the United Nations Security Council, to general committees such as the World Trade Organization, to novel committees such as the International Press Corps and The Lord
of The Rings Committee The conference was hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre, with the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel and the Renaissance Marriott Harbourside Hotel providing lodgings for the delegates. The three-day schedule contained eight committee sessions, along with two-hour opening and closing ceremonies, with curfew at 11:30 each night. The conference was chaperoned by staff and head delegates from each school, and the security was provided by Convention Centre and hotel staff. Events and activities included a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Convention, a “Dress to
Impress” delegate social, and a UBC guided tour. The mission statement for the conference was to unite students from all continents of our globe, bring together the spirit of youth and culture, and foster a sense of qualified hope and learned consciousness. In a press release, the PR stated that, “CAIMUN gathers youth for an ineffable journey of learning, networking, and connecting. From bringing a unique approach to MUN to hosting various fun activities, we strive to give to delegates an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Howard Ko, the founder and first secretary general of CAIMUN,
had his inspiration from high school years dedicated to international relations. “I started Model UN in grade 9, and the experience of it since then has changed my life; it opened my eyes to reality and urged myself to be more critical thinking. In April of 2011, I had a notion, a whimsical idea of making the first international Model UN conference for high school students in Canadian history. I wanted to create a forum of free opinions from diverse cultures, a discussion between distinct perspectives and viewpoints that could provide youth a better, clearer understanding of the workings of our society. Most
importantly, by creating a space for fostering debates and finding resolutions, I wanted to give to fellow youth a sense of qualified and conscious hope, that if we work together towards collective betterment of our world, everything is possible.” To support this, CAIMUN offered a “sizeable” merit scholarship to a delegate from each committee, awarded by Senator Yonah Martin from the Canadian government. Three delegates of the conference who “have shown professionalism in every area possible and exceeded all merit limits” will also be bestowed an invitation to an International
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Three saints crews proudly named national champions Ten months of adversity and fatigue would pay off in the course of three intense days as three of St. George’s crews proudly strode onto the podium to be crowned national champions at the 67th Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta held at the iconic Canadian Henley racecourse in St. Catherines, Ontario June 1 to 3. This year’s oarsmen will bring home a total of four medals, striking gold in the Senior Heavyweight 4+ and the 72kg 4+, the Jr. B Heavyweight 8+, and attaining silver in the Jr. B 72kg 4+. This year’s accomplishments ranked highly in the history of Saint’s rowing, coming second only to the 2009 crew, when the boys brought back four national titles.= The team set in motion its road to nationals on May 29, with the departure of 22 varsity crew members for Ontario accompanied by three coaches and a number of volunteer parents. Though the regatta officially launched on June 1, the team touched down three days beforehand so crews would have adequate time to recover from jetlag, adjust to their new surroundings, as well as commence final preparations for the upcoming three “heart-stopping” days of competitive racing. CSSRA has always represented the pinnacle of progress for Saint’s rowing program. As the final chance to compete this racing season, nationals would demonstrate the growth of each individual crewmate throughout this year. Nick Sauder, a member of the Jr. B 8+ and 4+ said, “This single regatta exemplified the accumulation of our efforts through every training session since September. All that we have forfeited, gained, and achieved was eminent here.” The school entered in seven events with five boats making finals. Saints ultimately finished
second in the men’s category, coming short to hometown rivals Vancouver College. However, the goal of winning the overall men’s division was never a priority as head coach Darryl De Leeuw indicated, “Our objective here is not to win or even medal. Of course it would be great, but those are only bonuses. All I ask is for every boy to cross the finish line of every race with no regrets, knowing that they gave everything they had.” Coach James Weber was tremendously captivated by the growth of the team. “Every athlete was relentless in his pursuit to compete at his very best throughout this regatta. It does not matter whether or not you made it to finals or medaled. It makes me smile to see the boys chase their goals with the utmost level of determination.” Principal Bud Patel and headmaster Dr. Tom Matthews made their way to the grand stands on Sunday to catch the finals. Sitting amongst a small but spirited fan base, a Saint’s community was established miles away from home. For the grade 10s, winning the 8+ was special as it marked their first national victory. Last year, the same boys finished second in the lightweight category. Since September, they set their principal objective to not just achieving a podium finish, but winning the event altogether. When questioned what he thought of his last race as a Jr. B rower, oarsman Leon Shen said, “My dream race is not one in which we are dominating and there is no other competition, but rather when we are down for at least half of the 2K course yet manage to successfully make an incredible comeback towards the end, ultimately winning the event having to fight for our lives to be first crossing the finish line.” That dream came true during
the finals of the 8+. “After the times of our competitors had been posted, we knew our main rivals would be Claremont Secondary and Vancouver College,” commented Till Tietz. “When Claremont broke out of the gates first, nobody was fazed. The coaches had prepared us for this outcome. Because our start sequence was not always the fastest, it was vital that we keep our heads in the boat for at least the first 500 meters.” As coxswain Kevin Chung explained, “I will not update the crew on our current standing until the first few hundred meters pass by. Things start to fall apart when we begin to worry about our position too early in the game.” At the 750-meter mark, it was clear which schools would have a chance to medal. VC and Brentwood College had been left in the dust, fighting desperately for third, while Saints and Claremont were ahead, with the Spartans leading by three seats. “When Kevin called for our first push, a twenty stroke power piece, you can just feel the entire boat fly,” remarked Reed Smith. “We managed to gain two seats by then and there was still one thousand meters left, plenty of space to make an epic comeback.” From that point, Saints walked through Claremont inch by inch until open water was achieved. “I
knew the race was ours by the last 750 meters,” remarked Chung. “When I called the final sprint at 300 meters, it was game over for the other crew.” Standing on the podium, Jeffrey Hou exclaimed, “There is no better way to end my Jr. B career than winning the gold with my teammates. We have worked so hard for the past two years to achieve this. I cannot think of another place I would rather be right now!” After finishing first overall in the heats, a very prominent member of the Canadian rowing community made a visit to the Jr. B crewmates. John Armitage, who is the current head coach of the rowing program at Queen’s University, stopped by the St. George’s tent to congratulate the boys and also distribute recruitment pamphlets, a sign that college crews have their eyes peeled on the future Saint’s oarsmen. Rowing coordinator Shannon Van Baalen believes this year’s grade 10s have shown the highest level of chemistry within any crew she has ever coached. “These guys have something special with one another. They form a brotherhood that shares a common goal, in which every member is committed to achieve. Their success derives from their will to sacrifice personal gain in order to
put the team above themselves.” In the seniors division, competition was particularly tight as many Eastern crews have a tendency to focus on smaller boats. In regards to not competing in the main event, the Sr. Heavyweight 8+, team captain Cameron Howie stated flatly, “We would have no chance of winning. There would be no point, as the crew would be fighting for a bronze.” Instead, the grade 12s cut their losses and shifted their focus. Matthew Segal chided, “I am overjoyed to be able to take home two gold medals! There is no better way than to end my high school rowing career than standing on the podium, smiling while holding a big trophy with my fellow alumni. I will miss all of this very much.” Each grade 12 rower will go on to row for his respective college crews next year. Segal and Howie will be rowing the pair for the Canadian U-23 Team at the 2012 Rowing World Champions in Bulgaria this summer. As the seniors graduate, their legacy will be passed on to a new generation of rowers. “This is the beginning of something great,” said Hafiz Dhanani, “Next year’s seniors show a lot of potential. I have no doubt we will once again hold the Calder-Cleland Trophy in our hands very, very soon.”
The St. George’s School Newspaper
Continued from page 2 MUN conference with all the fees covered by CAIMUN. The conference also coordinates an advancement program to “help students in Canada enhance their understanding of the United Nations and their knowledge in world affairs.” The advancement team can offer a variety of services, including pamphlets, manuals and instruction booklets regarding rules and scenarios in the United Nations and in-depth analysis of international issues and also assist in starting MUN clubs at school without such an organization. Ko says, “CAIMUN is about innovation. If there isn’t a difference in its mission, its conduct, its style, then there wouldn’t be much of a purpose in creating another conference.” Vancouver has been host to a number of MUNs in the past year, including ConnectMUN, BCMUN, VMUN by St. George’s, VYMUN by West Point Grey Academy, CAHSMUN, TreeMUN, FHMUN, and various other conferences. Ko continues by listing several factors that show how CAIMUN is unique. Factors such as global involvement, fast-paced and high debate committee, dubbed “intimate committees”, small-sized general assemblies, unique settings for specialized agencies that foster and encourage exciting opportunities for unprecedented debate, and the introduction of moderated debates were incorporated into the conference. In a moderated debate, a four
versus four debate encourages delegates to explore conflicts of interests and “involve themselves in a sprint of back-and-forth criticisms which ultimately make debates more fun and informative.” The Lord of The Rings (LOTRC) Committee, was treated as a very serious committee. Ko says, “LOTRC is for delegates with minds beyond reality. In terms of seriousness, with the exception of some ‘your resolution shall not pass’ and abductions by Easterlings, it was entertainingly serious. It was a merry combination of high-class fun and high-level debates about the future of The Ring, and who gets to rule the vast lands of the Middle-Earth.” Another participating delegate remarks that she was “awestruck and impressed by the thorough-
ness and the learnedness of the LOTRC committee. The amount of knowledge that each person had about Tolkien’s world was astounding. Amazing idea!”While Ko says that staff cooperation and cohesion was “absolutely amazing”, several delegates have said otherwise. Yichu Dai, a delegate from Mulgrave, remarked that logistics could have been improved, citing a placard printing issue at the conference. Another delegate complained about the looseness of several staff members, who “instead of controlling the fun in the conference room, shed their professionalism and participated in making a committee session worthless.” Kevin Lin, a graduating Georgian, was appointed as part of the secretariat of the conference. He
says, “The conference turned out to be a success.” He added, “Delegates have returned with very positive reviews.” Lin’s job was to manage name cards, placards, rulebooks, marketing packages, banners, and poster designs and printing. This was his first conference as a secretariat. The rest of the secretariat consisted of experienced high school “MUNers” as well as university students. The President of Vancouver’s Student Council, Leah Bae, was Chief of Staff in the secretariat for the conference. The delegate social came as a surprise to several delegates, who were expecting a mediocre/ uneventful evening on par with other conference socials. However, the evening included the Under-Secretary General of Committees “popping” as well
as a staff performance of SNSD’s “Gee”, along with “top DJs of Vancouver spinning tunes.” The conference also included and interactive online forum, where topics for each committee was posted for post-conference debate. Facebook groups were made containing albums and videos of the conference, allowing delegates to connect via a “diplomatic medium”.Ko is already planning for next year’s conference, just recently releasing CAIMUN 2013 Secretary General and Secretariat application forms on the sixth of June. He “expects the pool of applicants to be very strong.”Ko is positive about the future of CAIMUN, and resolves to stand by the conference motto: Ex visu ad verum (From vision to reality).
Golf program at Saints looks bright
By Rohan Khara The golf program at St. Georges has seen many changes over the past few years. Paul Proznick, the head of golf at Saints for the past four years, is dedicated to increasing the skill level and prominence of the golf program. The number of players participating in the golf program has decreased from the 30s, to the low 20s. Proznick sees this as an opportunity to build better relationships with the golfers. The program has done numerous things to improve the skill level for players on the team. Proznick said, “I think that the biggest thing that we’ve done is incorporated a regular training session every week at Shaughnessy.” Shaughnessy golf club is one of the top-ranked courses in Canada and was home to the PGA Canadian Open last summer.“We have also strongly encouraged out-of-school golf (for the team members),” said Proznick. Focus on putting has been another key theme for the golf team this year. Proznick views putting as one of the most important parts of golf. He said, “It is one area of the game that is often undervalued.” The players are now required to track the number of putts they take each round.The Saint’s Open is another event recently added to the program for golfers to look forward to. It is a two-day tournament, which has been challenging players for two years. Proznick sees the event as being the most prestigious tournament of all. The Saint’s Open is a tournament available to all players from grades six to 12. Kevin Li, a grade 10, won the trophy this year after coming from behind by seven strokes and shooting a magnificent 1-under par on the final day. There were also some outstanding performances by younger students in the Saint’s Open. Eugene Kao, a grade six student, finished seventh overall, and his younger brother, although only playing one round, had the third best score in the B-Flight. Proznick is confident that there is plenty of young talent for golf in St. George’s, that the program will not suffer the loss of older, departing players. This year, for example, enough new players have come in and players have stepped up to fill in the shoes of the first Saint’s Open winner Nicholas Russell. Also, Perry Xin in grade seven is another player who shows potential for the golf team as he is participating in Callaway Junior Worlds. The other major tournaments on the golf calendar are ISA championships, the Lower Mainland’s, which did not happen this season, the Shawnigan Lake Open, and the Victoria and Delta Police tournaments.Proznick’s general expectations for the golf team this year have been “to go into each tournament and win it.” He added, “One exception is the Shawnigan Lake Open simply because of the caliber of the teams there.” He expects a top-4 finish at the Shawnigan Lake Open and sees it as a “good measuring stick for the team.”Saints have played almost 25 matches this past season with generally five players going to each match. The “Showdown”, a one-on-one battle with Vancouver College has also become a large part of the golf season. The teams go through a match using the Ryder Cup format in which players attempt to win points for their team.