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April 2015
Volume XCVIII
Number 3
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“Amadeus” Strikes a Chord By Henry Rodriguez Freshman Contributor
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If God himself challenged your life’s calling, would you fight Him? This question was tackled beautifully by the Ampersand production of Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus.” The show played Feb. 5, 6 and 7 and displayed a darker contrast to the lighter fall production, “Bye Bye Birdie.” Antonio Salieri (Alex Shedd) is an Italian composer leading a comfortable life as the court composer of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II (Christopher Gould) in Vienna. Salieri made a “deal” to honor God always in exchange for becoming a famous composer. He finds a match in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Nate Smith), a drunken buffoon who has musical genius, a gift Salieri dedicates his whole life to imitate. God-given excel-
Sli
trend is complex, controversial and sensitive. Some believe it leads to a higher risk of injuries, while others feel that it’s the best way to try to earn a scholarship. The numbers support the onesport athletes. A 2005 poll from the University of Arizona revealed that for athletes who specialized, 58 percent earned a college scholarship while only 12 percent of nonspecialists earned any scholarship. Still, critics argue that the chances of earning a scholarWhile athletes like Alexander Petrie ’17 (above) have excelled focusing on one ship are already sport, others like Fleet Wallace ’15 (below) have seen success in multiple sports. low. According to By Nick Sherod [myself] and it worked out.’ ” Gerry Gallo, a member of As the world of sports and the University of Dayton’s Junior Contributor School of Education and college recruiting becomes The summer before Mr. more competitive, specializa- Health Sciences, less than one percent of high school Andrew Lawrence’s junior tion in sports has become athletes will earn a college year, he decided that the more and more common. scholarship. Many wonder best way to achieve his goal The idea is that trainif the kids are losing part of becoming a Division One ing and focusing on only of their childhood experibaseball player was to drop one sport will enhance an ence by trying to receive an football and basketball to athlete’s chances to attain athletic scholarship that is focus solely on baseball. a college scholarship, someThat decision made him thing more and more coveted unattainable for most. Coach Lance Clelland one of the first players in as prices for colleges become said that the lifeblood of the recent trend towards increasingly expensive. specialization. For Mr. Focusing on one sport is a St. Christopher’s athletic program is the multiple Lawrence ’07, it payed off as relatively new phenomenon, sport athlete. Unfortunately, he earned a scholarship to and it has directly affected multiple sport athletes are Boston College. The history/ the St. Christopher’s athbecoming a smaller and English teacher/coach says letic program. Take a look smaller group, and track that choosing to specialize is at the teams 10 to 15 years coach Hiram Cuevas has a case-by-case decision, and ago, and you will rarely find that most everyone encourone-sport athletes. Look now his own opinion on why this is happening. “I think it’s a ages kids to try everything at the teams, especially in before considering it. basketball and baseball, and challenge here because we offer so many different types “I kind of regret it, but you can a number of guys of sports that I think we end when I feel that way, I’m who specialize. up diluting the talent base to like, ‘well, [I] set a goal for The specialization the point where some teams suffer.” Our strength and conditioning program has improved and with more people focusing on one sport, the number of participants continues to grow. Mr. Cuevas, along with many other coaches, often wonders what would happen if some students who participate in
Photo by Edward Millman
What’s So Special About Specialization?
lence and human mediocrity clash as Salieri works to undermine Mozart’s efforts to become the greatest composer in Vienna. The set was magnificent: the backdrop is a colorful and massive painting of Vienna’s skyline, which darkened and lightened accordingly as the scene shifted from an aged Salieri telling us his story to the main events of the play. There was a 10- to 15-minute intermission between Acts I and II, during which Ampersand workers sold expired candy for 25¢ apiece. The performance itself was excellent. The actors impressively remembered most all of their lines, an admirable feat especially for Salieri, Mozart and Mozart’s wife Constanze, who together spoke the majority of the play’s lines.
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strength and conditioning tried their hand at another sport, which would give many teams more numbers and more depth. While the three-sport athlete is a dying breed, Fleet Wallace and Thomas Lynde, both three-sport stars, said that playing two other sports helped them in their main sport, lacrosse. “I think it helped me like lacrosse more,” Wallace said. “I think if I played lacrosse year round I might get bored of it.” People who play multiple sports also feel as though they are at a competitive advantage compared to those who only play one sport, and that may make up for where they may be behind skill wise. “Guys who play other sports are really ready when games come around because they’ve been playing in games all year,” Lynde said. “They’re ready to compete against other teams.” Mr. Clelland and Upper School Head Tony Szymendera both played multiple sports in high school, and said that specialization is a more recent trend and wasn’t around when they were playing. While both would love to see guys play different sports in high school, they also can see the potential benefits in athletes focusing on one. “It’s hard to argue with guys who want to specialize if they have
certain goals,” said Mr. Szymendera, “but I still love the three-sport guys.” While Coach Clelland shared Mr. Szymendera’s sentiments, he also thinks guys should try to play as many sports as possible due to the athletic and competitive advantages. “The more sports you play, the more competitive you are, and you get used to competing,” Coach Clelland said. “... I think there is something to playing with your buddies and your classmates against other schools every season of the year.” Coach Clelland uses the story of Darrius HeywardBey, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as an example of the benefits of multiple sports. HeywardBey was a receiver for Coach Clelland’s alma mater, McDonough High School in Maryland. When HeywardBey came to the high school, he was more known for his basketball abilities. He decided to pick up football and the rest is history. He went on to star at the University of Maryland and became the the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.“You never know what you’re good at until you try something else,” Coach Clelland said. For many top athletes, specialization is a challenging decision and they can always go back and play other sports if they feel like
they made the wrong decision. But for many elite level soccer players, the decision is often made for them. They are not allowed to play for their high school and usually don’t have enough time to play other sports due to their massive time commitment to training and playing games for their club teams, such as the Richmond Kickers. Drew Romig, a recent commit to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the backup goalkeeper for the Richmond Kickers pro team, is one of those elite players who cannot participate in high school sports. He played JV basketball his sophomore year but was unable to participate at full volume due to his commitment to soccer. While he enjoys playing soccer full time, he sometimes wishes he played high school sports. However, he believes his commitment to soccer paid off even though it was at the expense of high school sports. In his book “The Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell states that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a sport. Many athletes agree, and this leads to their decision to specialize. Head Varsity wrestling coach Ross Gitomer, who specialized in wrestling his tenth grade year, puts it more plainly saying that regardless of what you do the only way to be good at something is to outwork everyone else. “You can call it specialization, but you can specialize in two sports. It’s called commitment.”
Black is the New Red By Joe Goode Co-Editor-in-Chief
St. Christopher’s. Home of the red and grey. And black. The Varsity basketball team unveiled its black uniforms against Collegiate during the championship game of this year’s Rebel Invitational Tournament. Black trampled green and gold in the Saints’ 55-41 victory, which marked the team’s second straight Rebel Invitational championship. The black uniforms fired up an already buzzing crowd and set an exciting tone for the team, which finished its season at 22 wins and seven losses. Senior captain Fleet Wallace said that the new uniforms, “provide a nice alternative to our traditional uniforms. They draw a lot of enthusiasm from the players and the fans for a team
By William Maddock Co-Editor-in-Chief
Nico Correa’s first few days in the United States weren’t quite as easy as he’d imagined. The language barrier was the most challenging part. He said, “At first it was really hard to fit in with everyone. My English was really bad before this. All my life I thought I was bilingual but when I came here, I realized I’m not. Without the language, you don’t know anybody there.” He admits he questioned if he’d made the right decision to come here from his home in Colombia. Correa said, “At first I wondered why I came here, but then I began to have fun.” Starting with Varsity soccer two-a-days in August, Correa quickly became a part of the Saints community. An integral part of this year’s squad, Correa played forward getting plenty of minutes throughout the sea-
son. He made his presence felt throughout the team’s run to the State Championship with tenacious play during the VISAA tournament. “It was one of the soccer teams that I have had the most fun with,” he said. “The satisfaction of winning this year was great... Seeing all the people watching you and getting to play in that kind
of stadium--that’s really awesome. I love the group. We were more than a team. We were really close together. I feel like this team was really special.” Outside of athletics Correa took advantage of the exchange to pursue his interest in math and science with such classes as physics, chemistry and calculus. He cited his one free period as a positive feature of his schedule, saying, “I get to take naps, so that’s really awesome.” Correa said St. Christopher’s is fairly similar to St. Charles, his school in Colombia, but has smaller class sizes and better food. While in the states, Correa stayed with the Krey family. He said, “I love that family. Yesterday I was just chilling and then they got me 12 Krispy Kreme donuts. They give me so much love.”
that has already gotten some attention around Richmond.” The basketball team joins a number of other teams that have turned to alternative uniform colors. The baseball team showed off its black uniforms in 2012, and the football team has sported all-grey uniforms for the past two years. Wallace, who is also a football captain, said, “I think nontraditional uniforms help to distinguish certain sports from others by generating excitement around that sport.” There has certainly been a lot of excitement surrounding the basketball team, complete with Sherod, who this year became the alltime leading scorer in Saints basketball history, a host of returners like Wallace, younger players like Petrie, and, of course, some sharp new uniforms.
Students Show off Slippers By Ricky Stockel
Correa Says “¡Adios!”
April 2015
Sophomore Contributor
Typical St. Christopher’s student footwear includes all the common types of shoes: Nike sneakers, L.L. Bean Boots, Sperry boat shoes and– slippers? Funny as it might sound to some, a lot of students have been spotted around campus donning the rather informal and particularly comfortable footwear. This past winter, lots of upper schoolers have been schlepping around school in slippers. While there isn’t really a pinpoint date when this trend took off, it’s gained some major popularity. Jack O’Neil ’16, a slipper wearer, says that he first started wearing them to school during his winter exams during his sophomore year. His exams were almost over, and as he was preparing to leave his house, he
noticed his pair of L.L. Bean moccasin slippers by his front door. So, he decided to slip them on and wear them to school. He’s been wearing them to school ever since. O’Neil says that he’s noticed a lot of upper schoolers wearing slippers ever since he started, though he doesn’t want to take credit for the trend. He enjoys his slippers for their loose fit and comfortable feel. Fitz Fitzgerald ’15, another selfconfessed slipper wearer, says he was inspired by other slipper-sporters and decided to give the shoes a try. Fitzgerald, echoes O’Neil saying he likes wearing slippers mainly because of how comfortable they are. “It feels like I’m walking on clouds,” Fitzgerald says. The idea of wearing slippers to school might seem strange to some students and teachers, but one thing is for sure: the trend is here to stay.
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Winter Season Draws to a Close Sherod Eclipses Scoring Record By Schuyler Purdy Sophomore Contributor
Five points into his junior season, Nick Sherod ’16 had already shattered the all-time basketball scoring record at St. Christopher’s. The junior elapsed 1,297 career points in the first game of the year against Steward School. With another year to go, Sherod’s point total is now 2,019. The record was previously held by Sherod’s former teammate Rodney Williams ’13. “When I first started, I was primarily a shooter. That’s the only thing I really did,” said Nick Sherod, a 6’5” 200-pound do-it-all guard. Since first making the Varsity basketball team his eighth grade year, Sherod has developed into a well-rounded player and the featured component in his Saints’ offensive attack. Sherod went from thinking that he would possibly be cut from the team in his eighth grade year to starting mid-way through the season. At this time, many people in the St. Christopher’s community realized what a force he could become.
Graduations of several key players over the last few years have forced Sherod to improve on other skills and expand his game. Ball handling, rebounding and defense are among several aspects of his game that he has worked hard to develop. Sherod’s versatility has warranted a lot of college interest. “I’m happy with the schools that are recruiting me,” said Sherod. He has earned scholarship offers from Rice University, University of Richmond, Virginia Tech and the College of William & Mary, among
others. Sherod said that he doesn’t usually feel pressure to perform, that in the end, it is just a game and meant to be enjoyed. As he humbly explained, Sherod declined to keep track of his stats, so he had no idea when he eclipsed the school scoring record. The junior said he did not want to freeze up and affect his team in a negative way. For the Saints to succeed as a team, Sherod says that all of the players, one through 15, have to bring their best in practice and on game day. This year, Sherod has led the Saints to a State playoff spot, and the team went 2-1 in the tournament with monumental wins coming against Flint Hill School and Bishop O’Connell. “We’ve done things that we haven’t done before at St. Chris,” said the junior. This team had the winningest record in the history of St. Christopher’s basketball, and, with Sherod at the helm, went farther in the state tournament than ever before.
Track Takes Third at State Meet By Schuyler Purdy and Rob Jessee Sophomore Contributors
St. Christopher’s Varsity track and field snared a third-place finish in both the highly competitive Prep League and VISAA state championship meets. “The Prep League was loaded with talent,” said Head Coach Marshall Ware. St. Christopher’s finished both events behind Woodberry Forest School and Fork Union Military Academy. Brandon Thomas ’16 shattered two school records in the 300m and 55m dashes with times of 34.68 and 6.51, respectively, but he said the highlight of the season was being the fourth leg for the 4 x 200m relay against Woodberry Forest. “I got the baton in second and caught up to their runner to pass him at the very end.” The
relay team, also made up of Thomas, Ross Abrash ’16, Cole Claiborne ’15 and Mac Ukrop ’16, beat Woodberry by .01 of a second. “Our best meet was the Prep League Meet,” said Coach Ware with the majority of athletes running their personal bests for the season. At that meet, one third of the Prep League indoor records were broken. Other indoor track season highlights included the 4 x 800m relay team of Sean Menges ’16, Joey Cuevas ’16,
Ben Moore ’15 and Johnny Constable ’15 smashing the VISAA state meet record by more than six seconds, running 8:11.19 and capturing All-State. Looking ahead to the spring season, the Saints will lose two crucial point scorers in Ross Abrash ’15 and Sean Menges ’16. Even with these losses, the Saints’ distance and sprinting teams look to finish strong in May.
Wrestling Captures 14th Straight Prep League Title By Jack Franko and Henry Rodriguez Freshmen Contributors
Varsity wrestling finished an up-and-down year on a high note at Prep Nationals, finishing 15th as a team, with John Fergusson ’15 getting All-American honors in eighth place in the 170 weight class and Joey Prata ’16 winning his second consecutive national championship (last year 106, this year 113). “There was one round during National Preps where we had four straight guys going up in a match to decide whether you’re going to get All-American or not,” Fergusson said. “We only won one of those matches so there’s definitely some disappointment with that, but at the same time that’s unprecedented in Saints wrestling.” The end of the season marked Mr. Ross Gitomer’s first year as head coach of the wrestling program. “It was a great first year as head coach and I am looking forward to more good days ahead,” he said. However, the year also came with several disappointing moments. The first of these came before the season even began when promising freshman Trey Ashby was sidelined for the season due to a knee injury. The second of these was when senior Taylor Rudnick suffered a crippling injury to his ankle (broken in five places) during
the McDonogh Invitational. What the team will most likely remember as the most exciting night of the year came on Jan. 30 in a dual against New Kent. The Saints were down 11 points going into the final two matches, needing pins in both to win the dual. Charlie Caravati ’15 wrestled the first match in 220. With less than 30 seconds to go, Caravati found himself losing significantly and in the bottom position. But he got a reversal and managed to get the pin with just one second left on the clock. Sophomore DT Badley needed to pin his opponent in the 285 weight class, and he came through for the Saints with less than 30 seconds left in the third period. “That was crazy. I’ve never seen anything like that. That was really awesome, especially on Senior Night,” said Fergusson. The young team will return nine out of 14 starters, but will lose captains Carrington Lanier ’15, Jacob Hale ’15 and Fergusson. “We have a young team with a lot talent returning,” Mr. Gitomer said. “I am always pleased with our guys because they work so hard, but they also know that there are different levels in wrestling. Therefore, if they want to jump levels they have to keep consistently working and strive for their goals.”
The Pine Needle Editors-in-Chief Joe Goode William Maddock
Junior Contributors
Senior Contributor
Jack Holdaway Nick Sherod Rohan Dhar
Walker Rise
Freshman Contributors Jack Franko Henry Rodriguez Kinloch Nelson Will Bird
Sophomore Contributors
Faculty Advisor
Schuyler Purdy Rob Jessee Ricky Stockel
Mrs. Kathleen Thomas
Photographer
Zaid Al-Moghrabi Masthead artwork by Stefan ScheerCook ’15
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Reviews
April 2015
In this issue’s installment of “Reviews by Rise,” Walker Rise ’15 reviews some of 2014’s most popular movies.
by Rise
“Birdman” “Birdman” was probably the most unique movie I saw all year. It tells the story of an actor made famous for playing a superhero in the ’90s who is now trying to prove to both himself and the world that he is a serious actor by putting on his own Broadway show. It is a dark comedy, but it is also entertaining thanks to Oscar-nominated performances by Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone. Keaton particularly shines in a role that seems eerily similar to his actual life as he was made famous by playing Batman in the early ’90s. The film also has some great commentary on the movie business itself, including the rivalry between the big budget blockbusters and the smaller art films, film critics and what is means to be a good actor. Above all else, the editing is the most unique part of this movie. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu filmed and edited the film to make it appear like one continuous shot, which is both an amazing technical feat as well as a way to make the movie flow better than any movie I’ve ever seen.
“Boyhood” “Boyhood” is an incredible film that will live on in the annals of film history because there has never been a movie like this before. Director Richard Linklater had the idea to make a movie about a boy growing up, which doesn’t sound that unique, but Linklater decided that he would film it with the same actors for 12 years. We watch Mason, played by Ellar Coltrane, grow up from ages 6 to 18. Never before has a film more perfectly captured what it is like to grow up. Many of the experiences I have had growing up are perfectly captured in this movie. We watch Mason go through all the struggles we have had to go through in life, such as making friends, getting good grades, dating and, of course, applying to college. Coltrane gives an incredible performance considering he was only 6 years old when filming started. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke give incredible Oscar-nominated performances as his separated mother and father. They are able to show all the struggles of raising children while having their own personal issues, even though they are not the movie’s focus. As a guy approaching the end of your own boyhood, you will feel so much nostalgia and joy as you watch and see many of your own experiences. No one had ever thought to do what Richard Linklater has accomplished, and his idea paid off because the movie is like no other movie ever made, and it will stick with you long after you have finished watching it.
To suggest a film for Walker to review, email him at risew15@stcva.org.
Students Seek Social Justice By Nick Sherod Junior Contributor
From the Washington Redskins helmet bearing an American Indian in headdress to the Eric Garner “I Can’t Breathe” shirts, the power of images continues to occupy center stage in our society. As a result, the Upper School organized this year’s Martin Luther King Day program around this contemporary idea. “We recognized the power of symbols and how prevalent they are in everyday life,” said Jim Quagliano ’15. “The majority of our school may not be personally injured by the subliminal messages these symbols are sending, but it is important to be respectful of people in other communities as well as our own.” For the first time, a small group of students was instrumental in planning and executing the MLK Day activities. This group, called Saints for Social Justice (SSJ), included Quagliano, Joseph Costello, Nick Sherod and Nate Smith. Led by faculty heads Emmett Carlson, Greg Vick and John Green, the group worked throughout the fall to organize and create the day’s events. Originally, SSJ was given a whole X block to execute the plan, but snow and weather intervened, resulting in a divided program be-
tween two morning sessions. Nonetheless, opening day went off without a hitch. Sherod and Quagliano led the MLK chapel, where they read a scripture passage that Dr. King used in some speeches and closed with a prayer. Then Mr. Carlson spoke about the newly formed SSJ group and its mission. The program concluded with an interactive piece led by Smith who asked students to take out their phones, look at images projected on the big screens and submit answers from options that best described their reactions. Pictures ranged from the Redskins logo to burning crosses to the Peter Blair and Starbucks stores near at the intersection of Libbie and Grove. This activity caused a lot of stir in chapel as students were challenged to think deeply about their preconceptions. After this activity, students broke up into advisory groups where they
read two articles about the Redskins logo with conflicting opinions. While the discussion time was short, many students carried the conversation outside advisories throughout the day. The next day students met again in advisory groups and discussed whether or not high schools should be allowed to wear the “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts during pre-game warm-ups. Again, discussions ensued. This year’s service received positive feedback according to Mr. Carlson, who was especially pleased with the overall level of student engagement. “What was exciting about it was that it seemed like the students as a whole really took the program seriously and maturely without complaining that they had to do it, which is always a constant struggle from the standpoint of planning activities that focus on controversial and delicate topics,” Mr. Carlson said.
Organizers say that while the MLK Day program hit some bumps in the road, it served its purpose in relaying the power of images as well as sparking productive discussions among students and thereby provided a valuable foundation upon which to build as SSJ develops and moves forward. Writer Nick Sherod is a founding member of Saints for Social Justice.
Saints for Social Justice Mission Statement: “We strive to promote awareness and empathy in matters of diversity, tolerance, inclusion, equality, and social justice. We seek to keep a pulse on the ethos within the collective consciousness of the student body and community at large with regard to these same matters. We aim to serve as a resource for the community--to listen, facilitate discussion, and inform, and to help St. Christopher’s to live by Dr. King’s words, that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
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By Jack Holdaway Junior Contributor
During Christmas break, Swayne Martin ‘15 traveled to Gulf Shores, Ala, where he logged 60 hours in the sky. To put that into perspective, in the previous two years the senior had only clocked 65 hours of flight time on his private pilot’s license. In 12 days, Martin logged half his total flight experience, contributing towards his current tally of over 130 hours. It’s safe to say this expedition had an enormous effect on his ongoing career in aviation. “The coolest part of the trip was definitely the combination of different aircraft I had the opportunity to fly. From a seaplane to a jet, I built a ton of new experience,” said Martin. While in Alabama, Martin had the chance to fly a group of aircraft that expanded his overall aviation knowledge and experience. During his trip, Martin received three new pilot endorsements: one for high-performance airplanes, one for complex airplanes and one for tailwheel airplanes. He spent hours in the air above the Gulf of Mexico, following the coastline of Alabama and neighboring Florida. His com-
panions included Rod Kellogg and Haley Howard, two local professional pilots. Upon visiting Gulf Shores for a family reunion two years prior, Martin had the opportunity to meet Kellogg and expressed his interest in flying the Alabama skies. Kellogg and Martin took a short flight two summers ago, resulting in a friendship that’s lasted ever since. Martin’s goals in aviation extend far beyond the cockpit. During his year of flight training, the senior decided to create his own website, Private to Professional Pilot, to share the trials of earning his license. Presently, he serves as founding member and editor for Boldmethod, a renowned flight training magazine that averages more than 1 million visitors per month (or about 2 million pageviews per month). Martin believes his relationship with the online magazine could spell a more permanent involvement in his career following college. It’s no surprise that Martin plans to carry on his career as a pilot in college and attend the University of North Dakota, a school celebrated for its extensive aviation program. Of the roughly 15,000 students enrolled in Grand Forks’ University of North Dakota, 2,000 are students in the aeronautics programs. With one
Freshmen Hit the Slopes By Kinloch Nelson
of the largest fleets of aircraft among aviation programs nationwide, North Dakota averages an impressive 120,000 flight hours each year. With new opportunites on the horizon, Martin continues to reflect on his journey to becoming a teenage pilot. After completing a year of flight school, Martin was legally
A MOMENT IN TIME Freshman Contributor
Even at the regional level, people on the team have earned prizes such as expensive snowboarding gear, received media attention in local newspapers and gotten deals from companies to wear their gear in competition. There is some controversy surrounding the danger of snowboarding. “I guess [it is], but is football dangerous?” Whitmore said. “All the sports are dangerous.” Team members are required to wear proper safety equipment to compete, such as helmets, and anyone who does not comply cannot participate. “We all had a stage at some point where we tried out skiing, and it just wasn’t our thing. We’re all pretty die-hard snowboarders. We all love it so much,” said Whitmore. “I also do a lot of other board sports, like surfing. I just find it a lot more fun.” The obsession should continue. Whitmore said, “We love snowboarding, and always will.”
qualified to fly before he could drive himself to school. Up in the air, he looked down on roads he wasn’t even permitted to drive on. The senior’s journey from inspired kid to licensed aviator has presented him with possibilties that will last well past his time at St. Christopher’s.
We Didn’t Start the Fire By Will Bird
Freshman Contributor
While most students are bouncing balls on an average weekend, three ninth graders are “shredding the gnar” at Wintergreen on the Wintergreen Free Ride team. During the winter, Freshmen Santi Castro-Albano, Jack Whitmore and JP Shannon make the trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains each weekend to participate in Wintergreen Resort’s regional snowboarding team. “Opposed to being on a basketball team or something like that, we’re putting ourselves out there competing,” Whitmore said. Through the athletic department’s contract program, all three have pursued their dream of competing at the national level. They are lifetime snowboarders, and they spend as much time as they possibly can on the slopes. The team competes in three different kinds of events: jumps, rails and racing. The Slope Style is based on executing tricks and smooth landings after going off a large snow jump. The Rail Jam includes performing stunts on rails, boxes, stairs and pipes. The Double Cross involves racing through tight turns between red and blue stakes. During this event, which is different from the racing event in skiing, the riders dodge obstacles at high speeds to finish the course.
Martin in the cockpit of a jet over Gulf Shores, Ala.
“Flames started igniting the ceiling tiles. Once those caught on fire it started to spread pretty rapidly throughout the Middle School,” said Dr. Andy Smith, former Middle School history teacher who now teaches Upper School history. At the time when the legendary fire took place Dr. Smith taught in the eighth grade. Back then, students hung their jackets in giant closets inside the classroom. The quilted jackets with patches on them that were in-style at the time made perfect fire-starters. Once the fire started in the winter of ’76 or ’77 for an unknown reason it was catalyzed by the flammable jackets and wooden closet and spread quickly. But the fire didn’t truly spread until it reached the ceiling tiles. “Once those caught on fire the fire started to spread pretty rapidly throughout the Middle School,” said Dr. Smith. The fire started in what is currently Mr. Clifford Dickinson’s room. The teacher who taught in that room when the fire sparked was Liston Rudd. Mr. Rudd taught seventh grade English in that class, but fortunately it was vacant when the room went up in flames. Once the fire alarms went off the students did a good job of moving quickly and purposefully to the
practice fields behind the Middle School. “Because we did enough fire drill practice in those days when the bells rang the teachers were really good of saying, ‘okay let’s go,’” said Dr. Smith. When the fire alarm went off, it wasn’t obvious there was an actual fire. Dr. Smith said, “I think most people thought it was a drill, but they still did what they were supposed to do.” Because of the cooperation everyone made it out of the buildings safely. After they made it out of the raging blaze, it was hard to keep all of the students on the field and away from the building. It was especially dangerous because the windows of the school were beginning to explode as the heat got more and more intense. The air around the school quickly filled with thick smoke. As Dr. Smith said, “It was billowing.” The fire trucks came quickly and put the fire out before it could spread any more, but the damage was already done. The rooms at the end of the Middle School couldn’t be used for another three to four months and everything in them was destroyed. The aftermath of the destructive fire isn’t necessarily clear, but one thing is certain. Those big closets were removed from all the rooms shortly after.
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April 2015
Saints Explore the Great Outdoors
Anderson, Craig Explore on Wheels By Schuyler Purdy Sophomore Contributor
Eddie Anderson and Josh Craig, two St. Christopher’s sophomore mountain bikers, enjoy spending their weekends on the trails. Riding has become a true passion for the two boys. “It’s risk versus reward when it comes to riding,” said Craig, who repeatedly credits his love for the outdoors to his experience with biking. Both admitted that riding is not the same when you’re on a stationary bike. “When you’re biking in a gym, it’s just for the workout,” said Anderson. Richmond has recently been doing a lot to strengthen and endorse the mountain biking culture. The city won grants to build many new trails, and 30 new miles will soon be added to the metro area. The Richmond Regional Ride Center will be complete in the fall of 2015, and this will truly put Richmond on the map as one of the top mountain biking destinations in the United States. Richmond will be one of 12 cities deemed as “ride centers” in the world. The growth of the biking culture here has created a trickling effect all the way to students here at St. Christopher’s. Anderson and Craig both started riding at very young ages, and since then, both have become top riders for their age group in the area. They have even both done enough to warrant a sponsorship from Ridekore, a company that offers beginner to advanced mountain bike skills clinics. When they are out of season, the boys ride whenever they have the chance. Both do their best to venture out to various trails throughout the state.
In season, the St. Christopher’s mountain bike team practices daily, as they often travel after school to local trails as well as ride hills to stay in shape. Races take place all over the state of Virginia. “[Biking] got me to respect the outdoors. It’s important to have places where you can get away and recharge the batteries,” said Coach Craig Foster, who has been with the program since its origin in the fall of 2014. Mr. Foster still does his best to stay active, riding trails about three times per week. Despite public opinion, mountain biking is usually not dangerous because you are to “ride to your own ability,” said Craig, who was recently seriously injured while racing at a Harrisonburg ski resort, which had been converted to a bike park. He overshot the landing of a jump and swerved out of control, crashing into a large rock face. Craig subsequent injuries included two broken bones in his face, one break in his wrist and a cracked his patella. “It was an interesting experience because I had never had an injury like that before.” The recovery has taken about four months, and he is now finishing up the long recuperation process. Amazingly, this setback has not discouraged him. He is already in the process of training for the upcoming fall season and has been able to get outside and enjoy riding the great trails that the state has to offer. From the experience of a serious crash, to the pure joy of competing in races, both Anderson and Craig made it apparent that when it comes to riding, it’s all about the good times.
Nature means different things to different people. The outdoors have been a big part of my life since I was young. From soccer games when I could barely walk to climbing trips to the New River Gorge to family trips to national parks, I have been in and around nature for much of my life growing up. Nature is important to me and to many others in the STC community. ‘We at the Pine Needle challenge you to think about what nature means to you. Here’s what it means to some faculty and students. -- William Maddock ’15
Bruner Lives Life to the Fullest By Henry Rodriguez Freshman Contributor
A grievous injury during high school football season changed Eugene Bruner’s attitude towards the outdoors forever. Mr. Bruner played football in high school. He described himself as an overweight guy who was always sick, fought with asthma and “had a permanent excuse note.” One day during practice, he broke both of his thumbs on another player’s helmet, taking him out for the season. Mr. Bruner’s coach suggested he run cross-country to get and stay in shape while recovering. He remembers not understanding the sport. “I thought the cross-country guys started in D.C. and ended up in L.A.”. After a while, though, he began to enjoy the sport and kept at it. “I had no idea that most people didn’t run 10 miles in the morning and 15 in the afternoon,” he said. Mr. Bruner remembers a distinct change in his lifestyle after taking up running. He lost weight and made new friends. “When I was outdoors, I felt like I was doing something with my life.” During this time, his parents left town for a few weeks, and he went to a party with some new friends after running. He struck up a conversation with a girl who later became his wife. He visited and fell in love with the College of William & Mary, his future alma mater. Later in life, his running obsession morphed into kayaking. “I try to do 1,000 miles of paddling [every summer], which is about, you know, 10 miles a day.” He recommends Pony Pasture, Chimborazo Park and Robious Landing as excellent and beautiful places to kayak and explore. “You don’t even think it’s Richmond
anymore,” he said. Mr. Bruner has learned a lot from his experiences outdoors. “I can smell a thunderstorm coming, sudden wind changes in the air I can see coming... I used to not pay attention to that stuff, and now I do.” However, he also has experienced his share of misfortunes outside. Mr. Bruner remembers one year on Super Bowl Sunday venturing out to kayak before the game. “It was one of those days when it wasn’t too windy and the air just felt... really weird.” He did his paddling for the day (four miles on the James River) and while returning noticed his kayak was sinking. “There was so much moisture in the air...”, he recollects excitedly, “that every time any water hit the deck of the kayak, it would freeze immediately. And after about half an hour I was discovering that this little glaze of water was becoming a quarter to a half inch of ice. And I was sinking!” Drawbacks like these haven’t stopped him, though. One of his friends calls his passions “the escape from Alcatraz skillset”: running, paddling and climbing, which Bruner later took up and now participates in by driving the climbing team to Peak Experiences, among other things. Mr. Bruner has almost no regrets (except for “not taking a break every once in a while”), observing that “My entire life, I always felt as if I were trapped by my limitations... because of being sick, because of asthma, because of being overweight... I always felt trapped. And then I felt that, very much like that Symposium speaker we just had: embrace your shake. Embrace your limitations. But now, being outdoors... I’m not faking it, I’m in the water, I’m thinking good thoughts. The world seems like a place that is absolutely unbeatable.”
April 2015
The Pine Needle
Randolph Learns from Nature By Rob Jessee Sophomore Contributor
English teacher Key Randolph loves how nature refreshes him and how it brings people of all types of jobs and backgrounds together for one common interest. Mr. Randolph is passionate about a variety of outdoor activities such as fishing, whitewater kayaking and skiing. He said that nature is a “way to recharge and regroup.” At a young age he lived on the West Coast, and he and his brother went snow skiing often. His interests then moved to whitewater kayaking and fishing when he moved east. Because of his interest in fishing, he created the Fly Fishing X-Term. His goals for the X-Term are to bring the boys to the outdoors through fly fishing and to further their interest in the outdoors and outdoor activities. During the X-Term, the boys go
on a three-day two-night fly-fishing expedition. He hopes the experience will give the boys motivation to help protect the outdoors. This Chesapeake Bay Foundation member wants the members of his cohort to gain interest in nature. His favorite part of the X-Term is when everyone sits around the fire at night. He loves the aspect of bonding and meeting new people. From Mr. Randolph’s outdoor activities, he has met all types of people with various jobs and backgrounds. Learning through mistakes is a critical part of Mr. Randolph’s experiences. -- in figuring out how to conquer rapids in kayaks and locating the best spots to find fish. Mr. Randolph constantly asks himself “What can I do better next time?”
Campbell Reaches New Heights By Rohan Dhar Junior Contributor
Junior Luke Campbell’s relationship with nature has shaped him as an outdoorsman and a student. His parents introduced him to the open air at a young age, when the family ventured down the James River most Sundays to walk their dogs. Later, Campbell began competitive indoor climbing, which eventually lead to his love of outdoor climbing and hiking. Campbell’s outdoor hobbies culminated in his participation in Passages adventure camp six years ago, in which he continues to be involved. Passages teaches their campers necessary outdoor skills that they will carry with them for their life. Activities include outdoor climbing and kayaking, all supervised by experienced counselors. Campbell’s involvement in Passages gradually changed from that of a camper to a
full fledged counselor. He plans on continuing his work for Passages for as long as he possibly can due to his newfound love for children and his interest in a career in education. So far, Campbell’s relationship with nature has minimally affected his work as an artist. He focuses mainly on portraits and is currently enrolled in advanced art at St. Catherine’s. While Campbell has been interested in art for the majority of his life and has been passionate about nature for as long as he can remember, he still has not been able to represent nature in his artwork. In his words, “I find it difficult to capture the full-scale of nature in artwork.” Even though he has yet to incorporate nature in his artwork, Campbell plans on improving his artistic vision in regard to nature. His experience as a climber and a Passages counselor will likely aid him in his quest to eventually represent nature in his artwork.
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Ferguson Finds Peace in Outdoors By Jack Franko Freshman Contributor
When asked to do an interview, Mr. Stuart Ferguson, as he does at the end of all emails, responded with this quote from David McCullough: “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” Mr. Ferguson found the outdoors to be very helpful as a stress release at Auburn University, where he was a fivetime AllAmerican and qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in swimming. “I always liked the outdoors, but it really grew as I got more and more stressed in college,” said Mr. Ferguson. “It’s where I could relax and kind of sort through my thoughts was outside.” Mr. Ferguson’s love for the outdoors blossomed on a trip after college that showed him some of the most beautiful places this country can offer. It began with the Flying Pig Adventure Company in Montana where Ferguson and his soon-to-befiancée worked as raft guides on the Yellowstone River. Mr. Ferguson then ventured to Park City, Utah and worked as a snowblower at Deer Valley Ski Resort, where he worked from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. making snow for the resort. “I had the whole resort to myself and
I had a snowmobile, so we’d get into all kinds of trouble.” He got engaged, moved back to Richmond and landed a job here as co-head swim coach and ninth grade history teacher. Mr. Ferguson is now involved in the Waterman program. “It’s a great alternative to the traditional athletics,” he said. “You can learn all the same values that traditional athletics teach you, but you get to be outside.” Despite his love for extreme outdoor activities, Mr. Ferguson claims he’s not an adrenaline junkie. Even through potentially dangerous encounters with grizzly bears and moose, he doesn’t like being seen as a master of the outdoors, but said that these experiences allow him to be “constantly reminded of how small you are.” All in all, Mr. Ferguson has found that the outdoors are the best place for him to relax and gather his thoughts. He feels the outdoors has made him a better person, and his fiancée, Ms. Melanie Price, agrees, saying, “It’s made him so much happier.” Ms. Price also believes that it has been a major factor in their relationship. “It’s one of the defining factors in our relationship, which is why we decided to get married outside.” The two will wed in an outdoor wedding in June on Lake Martin in Eclectic, Ala. About his relationship, Mr. Ferguson said, “I always liked to see how good I could be, but for some things I’ve kind of learned that it’s so hard that I couldn’t do it alone.”
Wigginton Finds Time to Fish By William Maddock Co-Editor-In-Chief
One day in April, Hunter Wigginton ’15 was out fishing with Harvard Smith ’15 when he caught what he described as “a huuuuuuge bass.” “It was like everything I had been living for was just fulfilled,” Wigginton said. “I felt like I had accomplished something but I just thought, ‘What next? I guess I’ll just keep fishing.’” Wigginton tries to be outside as much as possible, especially in the warmer months. He said it’s harder to get out during the winter because of wrestling practice and the early sunset. Whether it’s hunting, camping or fishing (his favorite activity), Wigginton just enjoys being outdoors. “You kind of forget about everything else,” he said, “Something about
fishing especially lets you really kind of let loose and spend some time unwinding. It’s a good way to end the day and helps relieve some stress.” He fishes in the James and various ponds in the area, going out almost every afternoon in the spring. His hunting expeditions often lead him to the Wicomico River in Maryland, where he also does some fishing. Wigginton has no single memory of his first encounter with nature, but rather says it’s been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. He said, “Some of my earliest memories are on a little jon boat on a river. It’s sort of a family thing. It’s where we bond. We spend a lot of time as a family on the water. As a kid I did it with my parents, and now that I’m more independent I still feel myself wanting to go back.”
“The act of fishing is relaxing, fun, at times feels almost artistic…”
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The Back Page We all know that snow days are really for putting off your homework, driving to meet friends after grumbling all morning that it was “too dangerous” to drive to school and complaining on social media. Some members of the STC community were actually productive during our days off. Let’s see how they passed the time...
I Think Therefore
Mrs. Varner photoshopped a tucked shirt into Riley’s climbing pictures.
I Jam
Mr. Tune threw snowballs at passing cars.
Mr. Carlson worked on his new mixtape, “I Think Therefore I Jam.” Look for it to hit the shelves this spring.
Mrs. Hurt set fire to student labs for warmth.
Merrick Furman went for a little ride with his pet moose. Oh, Canada!
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Coleman Cox worked on his imitations over hot chocolate