BELFIELD BANTER THE
Winter Rewind
Vol. 5
The St. Anne’s-Belfield School Student Newspaper
In This Issue:
A PERSONAL NOTE ON UKRAINE ON COVID-19 AND “PANDEMIC BRAIN” THEY/THEM (INFORMATIVE) LOCAL BUSINESSES: IVP and FRY’S SPRING (Part 1) CONVERSATIONS WITH COLLEGE COUNSELING AN ODE TO LETTER WRITING SCREENSHOTS OF LIFE SAINTS BASKETBALL: LOCKER ROOM ACCESS INAUGURAL SHOWCASE FEBRUARY OPEN MIC NIGHT A CONVERSATION WITH IGOR MILILIC FACULTY FEATURES: MS. HERRERO AND MS. BENEDICT EDITOR’S NOTE
A PERSONAL NOTE ON UKRAINE by Jack Dozier — Though I have always known that Judaism is part of my family’s diverse religious heritage, it is only in the past few years that I have learned that part of my family hails from Ukraine. Due to decades of American assimilationist culture and societal change, my Ukrainian roots were buried. However, as I have become more curious about life experiences and family members’ journey to becoming Americans, I’ve dug up these roots and become more knowledgeable about my family’s Jewish identity. Though the number of our family members who identify as Jewish has dwindled as people have aged, married people of other faiths, and become concerned about the rising hate crimes against people who identify as Jewish, my Jewish ancestry has become a personally significant part of my ethnocultural identity. To truly acknowledge my Judaism means to acknowledge my Ukrainian ancestors. My
great-grandfather, Carl Saltzman, was the last of my ancestors to come from Ukraine. We never met, but I’ve learned about our identity from my grandparents, great-aunt, parents, and, of course, the internet. Family lore about Carl is impressive. He was handsome, charismatic, possibly a race car driver, and fell in love with and married a woman who was Syrian and Catholic, my great-grandmother. Together they raised three children, the older of whom were bar and bat mitzvahed in the early 1950s, the youngest of whom (my grandmother) lost her father at a young age, and as a consequence, lost her connection to Judaism. My 84 year-old great-aunt and I spend a lot of time talking about family history and genealogy. Recently, she inspired me to go on a deep Wikipedia dive looking into the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, and its expansive history. It was hard to believe my parents’ stories of growing up in the 1980s at the tail end of the Cold War and how every TV or movie villain was KGB. We laughed about how the music I listen to sounds like their music from the 1980s, so why not a new Cold War? But, it’s not funny. I spent a lot of time looking at my phone this past week. It’s hard to focus on school and everyday life when you know civilians sleeping in their apartments are under siege and people are sending their children away to keep them safe. I can’t imagine the fear people who have close people in Ukraine are experiencing. Our friends in the U.S. military are unsettled and hopeful that this conflict will not escalate. I’ve witnessed Instagram posts about taking our COVID masks off just in time to see people’s reactions to World War III. Simply put, they are just not funny. Two weeks after my Wikipedia dive, I would see posts highlighting clouds of bombs destroying Kyiv. Accompanied by the disturbing haze settling over the city were posts about advocacy from major news outlets and individual activism accounts. Later-on that day, I was overwhelmed by a sea of recirculated posts and, eventually, found myself reloading a stream of news outlets to stay updated. By the end of the day, I found accounts that varied from semi-famous dogs, a globally renowned drummist, and local politicians making surface-level posts about “the situation in Ukraine.” I have little to offer, except a reminder that the majority of us have ties to somewhere else. It’s easy to wat-
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-ch the Winter Olympics and take pride in Team USA, but are any of us thriving if young Russian athletes are being doped by their coaches and sent home to war? I am hopeful that, in the days and weeks to come, leaders will think about the ways in which human ties cross borders, religions, and time. If they don’t, we have more to lose than a few Olympic medals. Shalom chaverim, deep peace to all.
, and
ON COVID-19 AND “PANDEMIC BRAIN” Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic by Brehanu Bugg
— There is not a shadow of a doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has rewired everyone’s brain. This global event has been traumatizing for everyone and has upended our lives without warning. Even worse, this virus has become polarized– contributing to thousands of unnecessary and avoidable deaths. This past week, the United States surpassed 800,000 deaths, making the toll greater than that of the Civil War: the bloodiest war of American history, which cost 946,000 lives. While the pandemic has had a plethora of effects, I’d like to focus on the mental implications. According to a national health survey collected by the Center for Disease Control, the average number of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression has increased drastically from 11% (in January, 2019) to 41.1% (January, 2021). This increase can be attributed to economic hardships, loss of social connections, death of a loved one, or any of the other, countless disruptions the pandemic provided. Alongside depression and anxiety, many people are experiencing what scientists have begun to call “pandemic brain.” According to Temple University, “if you’ve found yourself struggling to concentrate on a task, or having difficulty remembering a specific word or where you left your keys, you might be experiencing the mental fog known as ‘pandemic brain’– and you’re not alone.” I’m sure teachers and students alike can remember this feeling from online classes during March of 2020 and onwards– having great difficulty focusing or even just bringing yourself to start working. When the world is in such constant flux, it can be hard to find the motivation to finish a chemistry review packet.
I would argue that our collective mental health has continued to tank as a result of our continually re-appearing hope that the current wave of coronavirus is “over,” just to have another one takes its place. This happened with SARS-CoV-2 mutating into Delta, and, now, Omicron. The vaccinations that many have already received might be futile in fighting this newest mutation or any that follow it. If nothing we do seems to work, how can we maintain faith that the world will return to normal? What is normal anyway? So what now? We keep on moving on. Wear your mask, social-distance when applicable, and try your best not to stay inside all day. Find a routine or hobby to prevent this dreaded “pandemic brain.” If you need it, seek help from a therapist, or confide in a close friend or trusted adult. Get some daily exercise, socialize, even if it may seem complicated, and do your part to get us through this seemingly never-ending pandemic. All things, good or bad, must eventually come to an end.
THEY/THEM
They (pronoun, singular) by Anonymous — For years, many of us have used the cumbersome “he or she” in written and oral communication when the subject’s gender is unknown or simply irrelevant. The use of “they” as a singular pronoun has become more common in these cases. Oftentimes, “they” or “them” is used when the subject’s gender is non-binary or fluid. For example: “Someone left their umbrella at the office.” The singular “they” is clear, simple, inclusive, and respectful, but it has been opposed by certain grammar purists on the grounds that “they” is a plural pronoun. They, in fact, may say its use in the singular is a grammatical error that cannot be abided
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Those people are misinformed. No less an authoritative source than the Oxford English Dictionary traces the first known written use of the singular “they” back to the year 1375. (The editors of the Oxford English Dictionary published a great “Brief History of Singular They,” which one can find here). Today, all major English-language dictionaries have been updated to reflect that “they” is correctly used as a singular pronoun when the gender is unknown or irrelevant– a truth dating back hundreds of years– and when the subject’s gender identity is non-binary/fluid. So feel free to use the singular “they,” and, if someone corrects you, you can refer them to the dictionary.
with PK KAMATH, OWNER OF IVY PROVISIONS AND FRY’S SPRING STATION an interview by Ally Alvarez — AA: What was your inspiration for creating Ivy Provisions, and how did you come up with the name? PK: We purchased the property as an investment and, while we were looking for a food-related tenant, I decided to assemble a team to establish something food-related. The idea was to create a combination of gourmet sandwich shops, similar to what we had seen in our travels. As for the name, we usually try to use a locational identifier, Ivy, and then a unique descriptor as to the concept itself. Provisions described our operation, nobody in town had used it, and it had an upscale feel to fit the demographic. AA: How did you gain culinary experience? Did you attend culinary school, or did you learn in other ways? PK: My background is in commercial real estate, marketing, and team building. I am not a trained chef, so, as I often do when I don’t know much about something, I find someone who
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does and see if they would be a good partner. In this case, I partnered with a local chef who was looking to do something other than fine dining. AA: How do you create new menu items for IVP and Fry Springs, and where does your culinary inspiration come from? PK: We started with a list of sandwiches we thought would be popular, then, we made a list of sandwiches that were unique but would be well liked, and finally, to round out the menu, we created a bunch of sandwiches that we knew would claim a smaller base of people, but had a chance at being a cult favorite. These end up being featured items which rotate in and out as specials during different times of the year, and they each get a funny name, most with a pop-culture reference. AA: Aside from the food, what is the most important aspect of managing a restaurant in terms of customer service and experience? What type of experience do you strive to create for customers? PK: Our mission is very simple: we serve approachable food made with high quality ingredients in a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere. We believe consistency is key and good service can make a memorable meal all that much more memorable, turning a happy customer into a customer for life. AA: What is one tip you have to elevate at-home cooking? PK: The best tip I can give anyone that enjoys cooking at home is to use high quality ingredients. That doesn’t have to mean the most expensive– it may be as simple as going to City Market, signing up for a farm share, or even growing some of your own herbs or veggies. AA: What are your favorite menu items from IVP and Fry Springs and why? PK: Picking a favorite menu item would be like picking a favorite child! What I can tell you, though, is that The Gobbfather and the En Fuego are two of the most popular sandwiches at IVP, and the Funghitown and milkshakes are very popular at Fry’s.
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(PART 1) CONVERSATIONS WITH COLLEGE COUNSELING by Kay Tu and Anthony Cai EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a series of articles from our Digital Editors, Anthony Cai and Kay Tu, on the inner workings of the college admissions process and our college counseling office. This article serves as the first installment to this series and will continue throughout the next few issues of The Belfield Banter.
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stories. Once the eight weeks of recruitment end, decisions are made, and students either get in or they don’t. The relationships you form while traveling to high schools end, and I didn’t want them to. I decided that I wanted to interact more closely with students, which is a really wonderful aspect of working on the college counseling side of the process. In moving to the area of college counseling I was able to take my knowledge and love of higher education and use it in a context that allows for more student interaction. I got my first college counseling position at an international school in England, and it was the exact right fit for me. I love working with international students, which was something I loved doing at NYU.
Why did you choose college counseling as a profession? — SJ: I started working in college counseling, because I love working with students. The oneon-one relationships, the collaboration, being able to work with high school seniors, and to cheer them on as they work towards their dreams. It’s also wonderful to be there to support them when things don’t go according to plan and to cheer them on through the process and into their years in college. The longer I stayed in college admissions, the more responsibilities I took on, and the less I got to work directly with students. Working with students is so important to me, and, so, here I am!
AN ODE TO LETTER WRITING
Rubenoff: I became interested in being a college counselor by working in admissions, which is really the other side of the process. Being a college counselor wasn’t something I had been planning or anticipating. There’s no “college” major or class on becoming a college admissions officer. In fact, I didn’t really know that it was a job that you could do. But, people told me (growing up) that I would be well-suited to this type of role. I fell in love with higher education and working alongside students and being on the admissions side of things. My favorite time of the year as an admissions officer was the few months in the fall during recruitment, where I would get to travel to high schools, meet students face-to-face, tell them about my institution, and hear about who they are. I’ve always loved learning about people and hearing their
I felt frustrated by this, and so, on a whim, I grabbed my stationary and wrote a letter to a friend. Since then, I’ve rediscovered how much I love letter writing.
by Avarices Shh Ink — If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that keeping in touch with friends and loved ones is more important than ever. As we’ve sacrificed most travel and visiting to keep each other safe, we have also adapted our modes of communication: birthday parties became birthday Zoom calls, gift exchanges became Amazon shipments. Small talk in the hallways and the workplace became brief iMessage conversations. Although I’m incredibly grateful for all that technology has made possible, texting can become tiresome. There’s something about human engagement that isn’t quite captured in those little blue bubbles: what is won in efficiency is lost in personality and intimacy.
Although it used to be a skill that I brought out only for three weeks at sleep away camp, or the occasional thank-you, letter writing has become an enjoyable means of keeping in touch with friends. It takes practice, and, if you’re a perfectionist like me, often multiple scrapped attempts. Writing is a conscientious form of expression that requires patience, careful consideration, and planning. But the effort is part of what I cherish about it– picking out the perfect stationery and writing out a friend’s name and address conveys so much more care than picking up your phone and a quick text message. The myriad of details and decisions that go into writing a letter are endearing to me. I love carefully considering the appropriate greeting to use (A formal “dear”, or a more casual “hello”? Perhaps just the addressee’s name?) and adding to my handwriting. I love drawing in the margins and asking the recipient questions, even if I don’t expect a response. Using the smoothly flowing ink of my ball page 4
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point pen to shift the topic of the handwritten note from talking about my school year, to a book I’ve read, to the results of my brother’s soccer tournament is like a mini quest to solve some personalized puzzle. The prompt of writing to someone else– an engaged reader– often enables larger-scale reflection about one’s experiences or emotions. As opposed to a journal entry, you’re composing a narrative that is meant to be understood by a specific audience. When explaining something to others through letters, I often find myself making better sense of the given event than I would’ve, if I were just talking to them, or thinking about it on my own. As I fold up the card that I’ve embellished and slide it into a matching envelope, I smile at the idea of someone reading it. As I pour the wax seal onto the paper, I create a time capsule of the exact moment in which I wrote the enclosed note– a moment for someone else to keep. It leaves me with a sense of calm and satisfaction. Now that many of us are fortunate enough to be able to return to school, travel, and in-person-visit with friends, we’ve been able to retire our quarantine hobbies in favor of ones that feel more normal. Yet, letter writing has stuck with me. In a world that’s changing so much, there’s something reassuring, to me, about putting a stamp on an envelope and dropping it in the mailbox. And so, dear reader, if you’re ever feeling pensive, or just want to let a friend know you care, write a letter. And, regardless of whether or not you do that, thank you for reading this one. Sincerely, Avarices Shh Ink
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DON’T HAVE TIME TO WRITE A LETTER?
How about some kind words in a
You can always submit shoutouts through email, Instagram direct message, or through the submission box on the Banter Bulletin Board
SCREENSHOTS OF LIFE by Anthony Cai — Recently, my phone has been telling me that it’s running out of memory. I opened settings and found that my photo album alone was taking up more than 10GB of space. I am not one to take many photos of everyday life. However, since the pandemic, I have spent far more time online, and my phone’s storage has been gradually taken up by screenshots. Looking through, one thing that’s common among the screenshots is that they are quite trivial and haphazard—some are lucky moments in the games, some screenshots of some of my favorite movies, others records of funny conversations with friends, and a sparse few saves of important information. In “Screenshots Tell the Real Stories About Who We Are,” Clio Chang interprets screenshots as “little fossils preserved in amber,” in this world where time flies by. Indeed, the screenshot button we press so randomly saves much more than just ordinary pictures, rather a collection of multiple feelings and uses. When the shutdown happened in 2020, these screenshots captured my personal experience of several months of online life. They are like a time machine that can take me back to any precise moment, allowing me to keep dwelling in memories– thinking and reflecting, looking for something new in the cracks of the old time. From this, I decided, unlike Chang who disposed of her screenshots in an act of semi-ritual, to treasure these memory-hogging images. I keep them, instead, close to myself as pearls tied on the string may be, allowing them to link together both my real and online lives.
Accompanying Art vy Izzy Sanok
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A BANTER WORD SEARCH WORD BANK: SAINTS ATTENDANCE COFFEE CAMPUS GRISHAM HALL WINTER SAINT BERNARD DRESS CODE ADVISORY VIRGINIA EDITING ONLINE SCHOOL OUTDOORS NEWSPAPER HOMEWORK CANVAS ZOOM VALENTINE’S DAY UPPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY PING PONG GREENWAY RISE IVY ROAD FOODS OF ALL NATIONS LIFE SKILLS SQUASH BASKETBALL SWIMMING
SAINTS BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYS IN LOCKER ROOM ACCESS INAUGURAL SHOWCASE by Rose Ryan-Byrne — On January 15th, The STAB boys basketball team played in the Locker Room Access inaugural showcase. Locker Room Access is a website co-founded by Justin Anderson and Ty Jerome (both of whom are former UVA basketball players) with the intent of creating an environment where both basketball alums and brand-new fans could support Charlottesville basketball teams.
And, did they succeed! LRA invited four prominent high school basketball teams to play at Charlottesville High School’s gymnasium, with multiple D1 scouts in attendance. The first game was a match-up between Catholic High School and Blue Ridge School. It was a close game, with Blue Ridge eventually edging Catholic out for the 60-55 win. The second game pitted STAB against Norfolk Collegiate School, with Norfolk being coached by former UVA basketball player, Junior Burrows. STAB got out to a hot start. Norfolk shot well from the outside (hitting nine three-pointers compared to STAB’s five,) but the Saints dominated from the inside. STAB led by 26 points before halftime and ended up winning the game by 19 points. Reece Hagy and Carter Lang lead the team by scoring 16 and 15 points, respectively, with Austin Williford contributing nine. After the game I gained some inside insight on how the team felt, when Carter Lang said “I thought Reece Hagy on our team had a standout game.” Lang also shed his view on the showcase, “I think it’s nice because it can bring the community together and maybe spark more interest to watch and/ or play basketball.” With STAB performing so well, and LRA considering the showcase to be a success, we can hope to see more events like this in the future.
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Open Mic Night 2/4: LUNAR NEW YEAR, A TSOUND TSUNAMI, AND HATS by Izzy Sanok
— Walking into Grisham on a dreary February night, I was relieved to see an Open Mic lineup filled with student talent. The glow of red lanterns and the vibrations of amps brought pure joy to the crowd. The vibe of a student Open Mic Night on a frigid winter evening warmed the hearts of the St. Anne’s-Belfield Upper School. Khai Davis kicked off the night by serenading the crowd with a newly-popularized hit, “As The World Caves In” by Sarah Cothran. Keeping with the theme of serenades, Sonia Kamath soon performed a wonderful rendition of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” with vocals and piano. Followed by Sonia was another open mic regular, Kat Kahler, who performed an ingenious original, “Parasocialism.” Breaking the stream of vocals, Skylar brought a goofy atmosphere to Grisham Hall’s stage with comedy. Their reading of the crowd and relatability quickly enveloped the building in laughter. A fan favorite of this evening occurred soon after, when a musical trio, Andrew Dahl, Jake Kapp and Edward Beisswanger, performed an eloquent cover of “I am California” by John Craigie leaving everyone captivated by the sheer musical expertise of our peers. Later in the evening came many student groups, including the infamous Tsound Tsunami (TK Baker, Asher Greenewalt, Connor Green, Zach Kapp, and Gabriel Zakaib.) Being a group of pure artists, I expected an amazing performance. I was not to be disappointed in the least. Tsound Tsunami exceeded the expectations of the entire crowd and had the grasp of all ears inside Grisham. Finishing the night was a new and upcoming band Skyline Drive, who chose a timeless theme of HATS on Friday. Eloise Granville, Kat Kahler, Andrew Dahl, Hudson Toll, and Edward Beisswanger, finally showed off their musical expertise by playing “Kyoto” by Phoebe Bridgers. Kyoto, an absolute hit and current top runner in my “Winter ‘21-‘22” playlist, took the crowd by “Tstorm” and brou-
ATTEND MAMMA MIA, FRI 25, SAT 26, SUN 27 -ght me pure joy. If you missed this open mic, there is no need to fret! There are many more Open Mic Nights in the coming weeks of spring. Open Mic Nights are a wonderful way to both enjoy all forms of entertainment and connect with the St. Anne’s-Belfield community.
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A CONVERSATION WITH IGOR MILILIC an interview with Rose Ryan-Byrne — RRB: Hi, I’m Rose Ryan-Byrne. I am a student at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, and I have a few questions for you. IM: Perfect, Perfect. RRB: Tony Bennett has stated a few times that, for international players, there is always an adjustment period to the American style of play. How do you feel you’ve adjusted? IM: I’m still in the process. I mean, American Basketball is very different from European basketball. I still have to adjust a lot, but it’s going well. I think that I’m getting better every week. RRB: The students and the fans love you. Has that always been the case for you? Or is this new? IM: I don’t know where the love is coming from– maybe I’m funny looking, or my name is funny– but every time I step onto the court, everybody goes wild. I find it crazy, but I love it. RRB: You and Isaiah Wilkins played together at Ratiopharm. Did having him here make your transition to UVA a little more comfortable? IM: He’s a great guy, and he’s helped me a lot. He’s [helped] motivate me and make me do my best every day. RRB: It must be great to have a familiar face… it must be pretty nerve-wracking. Do you have a pumpup playlist that you listen to? Or maybe a ritual that you do before games? IM: Mhmm. I’ve a little playlist, some PopSmoke and Travis Scott probably. But I don’t really have any rituals. RRB: I read that when you were in high school you had a major growth spurt, which is something I’d kill for. How was that transition from very tall guy to incredibly tall guy on the court? IM: One Summer, after a terrible season of mine, I grew like five inches. I came back to Germany as a huge guy, everybody was so surprised. I dominated. I think that was the sum mer that I got my footwork down. I worked on
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pretty much every part of my game. I got better at every part of my game. RRB: You move incredibly smoothly for someone your height. Did you play another sport growing up or was it just natural? IM: I’ve never played another sport. I started playing basketball because my dad played. We always practiced together– he gave me all of his knowledge and footwork. I think that’s the reason I can move. RRB: At UVA, Coach Tony Bennett is known for focusing on the team aspect of everything. Is that new for you or is that something that you had always tried to work on? IM: I’m a team player. I’m always trying to do everything for the team to win. That’s nothing new to me; in Europe it’s definitely a team sport, Even more than here, I would say. RRB: And how about team dynamics? How do you fit in? Is it different than you expected? IM: I’d seen plenty of videos on how UVA plays and I liked it, and I still think that it’s a great system. My team is awesome. I love all of my teammates, we’re really good friends, and we don’t have any people who we don’t like or who separate from each other. I really love it. RRB: So… UVA– you received multiple offers from different colleges. What made you pick UVA? IM: It’s a great school first of all. UVA is one of the top schools in the country and– a bonus– Coach Tony Bennett is here now, he’s top three or top five in NCAA coaches. What else? There was a spot in the team that was perfect for me as a freshman to play. Those were the three factors that made me choose UVA over other schools. RRB: As a student, how are you adjusting to UVA as a school? IM: It’s hard. I’m not used to doing so much homework, to be honest. In Germany, we had school but I never did my homework. But now, I’m doing my best to be better. RRB: Do you feel more pressure to do well academically as a basketball player? IM: I don’t really feel pressure academically. I’m trying my best, trying to do everything I can, get the best grades I can, and that’s basically it: do everything I can to get the best grades I can. I don’t really think about myself as a basketball player. I’m just trying to do everything I can, in the best way I can. RRB: That’s great. Those are all my questions. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. IM: Thanks for having me page 8
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FACULTY FEATURES by Jack Dozier
MS. MERCEDES HERRERO
— JD: Are you new to the Charlottesville area? MH: My family moved to Charlottesville in 1979 from Pittsburgh, when my father accepted a chairmanship in the Spanish Department at UVA. I went to CHS and UVA, then left for something like 30 years! I lived in D.C., New Haven, Chicago, and NYC during that time, mostly in NYC. For various reasons, I moved back to Cville in 2016, and I’m glad I did. I love the pace and beauty of Cville. It’s exactly where I want to be at this stage in my life. JD: What made you interested in working in the education sector? MH: Teaching is a marvelous way to learn. You have to examine what it is that you know, how to best present it, admit what you don’t know, and hopefully transmit some of the passion you feel for the subject to those you teach. It’s a way of passing a cultural baton. You can also bring so many different strands of your life experience to the material at hand. I hadn’t really taught this age group much before, and I’m really enjoying it. The liminal space between childhood and adulthood is fascinating to witness. There’s so much youthful wisdom involved. The students will dress in Santa pajamas and expound on their goals and dreams with great eloquence simultaneously. MH: What is your favorite pastime outside of school? SK: I don’t have time for pastimes at the MH, but it used to be reading fiction, writing poetry, and watching foreign language films. My pastime at the moment is drinking coffee. JD: Before you came to St. Anne’s-Belfield, you performed on Broadway and on various television shows– an incredibly impressive feat! Do you have any advice for those interested in the entertainment industry? MH: Wow. That’s a doozy. Where does one begin? Hang in there. Your passionate intensity and youthful drive will steamroll you through many obstacles– but there WILL be many ob stacles. It’s an absurdly competitive field. You probably won’t have the career that your hero did (for me it was Meryl Streep, and believe me I
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didn’t!) BUT, you will find your niche, your band of theatre brothers and sisters. This will more than sustain you. There is nothing more exciting than putting great language into a three dimensional form and telling stories that move people. And I got to do that for a very long time. So, go for it! As a famous rodeo rider once said, “Get on that bull, and give it all the try you got.”
MS. RANDIE BENEDICT
— JD: Are you new to the Charlottesville area? RB: I’ve never lived here before, but my dad is originally from Charlottesville. A lot of his relatives went to St. Anne’s-Belfield. My aunt was in the class of 1947. My grandmother was in the class of 1918, and my great aunt was in the class of 1915. My great-aunt actually taught here, as well. I do have these long-term connections to the school. I spent time here [in Charlottesville,] because this was where my dad was from. I’ve spent time in Charlottesville my entire life. Both of my brothers are double Hoos, and I have a bunch of nephews who have gone to school [at UVA,] as well. New, in terms of making it our residence, but not new at the same time. That has really been a nice thing. I’ve always known of the school and heard tales of it from my dad’s family. The opportunity to come work here was really exciting. JD: What drew you to work in independent schools? RB: The first independent school I worked in was quite a while ago. I worked at Cincinnati Country Day School. That was after working four years in admissions at Georgetown University. When I was at Cincinnati Country Day School, I was a coach, I was an advisor, I was a teacher, I was a college counselor, and I worked in admissions all in three years. You know how some people in our school check that big box of ‘all of the above?’ That was my box then. I really love the contact with the students. I went back to DC and to Georgetown, but I didn’t end up staying there in the end, Jack. [I left,] even though it was a fabulous place to be because I really missed the student contact. So, this is my fifth independent school. I’ve been an advisor in all, and this is the first year that I have not been an upper school advisor. I totally miss it. My office is on the other campus, you know, it’s really not set up for me to do that. I love being in independent schools. This is where I’ve spent most of my life. JD: What was your favorite subject when you were in high school? RB: My favorite subject was math, and, specifically, geometry. I’m a person who really likes puzzles. I like to see how things go together. Geometry, for me,
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made a whole lot of sense. I could see how the equation went with the shapes, and I really enjoyed that. That’s something that I have enjoyed the opportunity to teach. That was a favorite time.
EDITOR’S NOTE
JD: What is your favorite pastime outside school? RB: I’m a big gardener. I come from a family of gardeners. My mom is a horticulturist, and I’ve never seen her kill a plant. She can make anything live. I really enjoy gardening. We are lucky enough to live in a school [owned] house. I’ve already planted my perennial beds. I have roses that bloom within a couple of weeks of being here. That, for me, is a real joy. I love being outside. It just gives me a reason to go outside, be in the earth, and make things grow.
It’s hard to believe that we have already finsihed the third quarter. It seems like just yesterday that we were opening the school year and writing about our gratitude to be back on campus– how did time fly by so quickly?
by The Belfield Banter Editorial Board — Wonderful readers,
It was such a wonderful first semester. We welcomed students, both new and old, back to our campuses. We’ve returned to the classroom, the playing field, the laboratory, and the stage. We’ve made new friends, grown closer to familiar ones, and learned so much.
The Belfield Banter had an incredible first semester, with staff and guest writers alike contributing their voices to explore a plethora of topics, from small businesses to TV shows, from sports to de-stressing techniques. We are so grateful to each and every community member that has contributed writing, art, opinions, and feedback; we are ecstatic for all that the next will bring. We can’t wait to see what our school community will accomplish next, and we’d like to wish each and every one of you a joyful and safe rest of the school year.
2021-22 BANTER STAFF Jack Dozier* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Editor in Chief Emma Finley-Gillis*- - - - - - - - - - - - Managing Editor Hannah Laufer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Columns Editor Ally Alvarez - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Features Editor Qiming Fu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Creative Director Kay Tu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Digital Editor Anthony Cai - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Digital Editor Izzy Sanok- - - - - - - - - - - -Assistant Managing Editor Sonia Kamath- - - - - - - Director of Student Outreach Rose Ryan-Byrne - - - - - - - - - - - - Community Editor Bjorn Isaacson, Wearable Arts Runway Show March 19th
*Asterisk denotes members of the Editorial Board Page 10