Insurfaced Surfaces
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Shaka Smart Speaks
T H E
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Pine Needle
Volume XCIV
Richmond, Virginia
October 2012
Number 2
Block Study Halls? ‘NO, Thank You’ By Ben Jessee Senior Contributor
Vozenilek ’10 Punts Away at UVA By Andrew Gilmore Senior Contributor
Alec Vozenilek ’10, was 5’7”, 130 pounds his freshman year. Hamill Jones ’00, the JV basketball coach at the time, described him as “scrawny.” Jones ultimately picked Vozenilek during the final cut of tryouts, securing his spot as one of the last players on the bench. Mr. Jones quickly realized he had made the right decision. Jones said, “[Alec] quickly showed he was the hardest worker, a good shooter
and fiercely competitive.” Vozenilek, now a junior and the starting punter at the University of Virginia, has received national honors for his prowess. His impressive list of accomplishments include special teams player of the week, second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 47.5 yards per punt and an honorable mention for national punter of the week. Now 5’10”, 190 pounds., Vozenilek attributes his work ethic and time in the weight room as integral
parts to his success. He also describes his brother, Rob Vozenilek ’11, as his biggest catalyst. Rob, a three-sport athlete at St. Christopher’s, was a walk-on last year for UVA’s basketball team. “When you have a brother that you’re really close to, [who] loves sports and has similar goals as you, it’s easy to push each other and develop a work ethic to reach those goals,” said Vozenilek. He also
See Vozenilek, Page A3
INSIDE: STC vs. Collegiate at UofR? A6 Night Blooms Review, A2
The Mystery of the Monogram Club Findings of a Historical Investigation
By Nicholas Horsley Senior Editor
Honor Council, Student Council President, Editor of the Pine Needle, member of the Monogram Club... wait what? Over the past few weeks, some of our speakers, most notably Mr. Charlie Noell ’70 and Mr. Alan Stone ’70, have listed these accolades from their time here at St. Christopher’s. We can all identify with most of these, but what the heck is the Monogram Club? Was it some occult secret society that leads to wealth and success? Does it still exist? If not, how was it killed off? I decided that these questions should not go unanswered. I left no stone unturned in my quest to discover the hidden meaning behind this mysterious moniker. My first stop was the teachers, who were as clueless as everyone else in their knowledge
of the subject. Even Dr. Andy Smith said it was before his time. Finally, I looked to Mr. Jim Boyd ’54, resident mathematician and bear aficionado. Thankfully, he was able to provide me with some insight into the subject. According to Mr. Boyd, in its most distilled form, the Monogram Club was basically Honor Roll for athletics. Back in the day, Varsity letters were a lot harder to come by. They were an extra tier atop the already high pedestal of being a Varsity athlete. “There were not as many sports back then,” he said, “and there was no such thing as a ‘letterman jacket’. You would just go out and get a red or grey sweater, onto which they would sew a ‘C’. ” Furthermore, letters were given out by members of this club, and once someone
See Monogram, Page A7
“Block study hall.” The phrase has become synonymous with torture bordering on the cruel and unusual in the mind of the average St. Chris Student. But what makes the concept so unappealing? Is it the sheer principle of having something mandatory to do during a “free” period, or does it go deeper than that? In conjunction with what St. Christopher’s as an organization seeks to foster in each of us, I find the concept of a mandatory block study hall for all students fairly ironic. After all, we are a college preparatory school by nature, and in college there will be no handholding or time management forced upon us; we will be completely independent in how we go about our work. Because of this, I would argue that individual time management should be among the core skills that the school seeks to instill in us, and that by having less flexible due dates and free passes, students would learn through the trial and error of their own actions. In addition to being a college preparatory school, St. Christopher’s is head and shoulders above its competition because -- in our school’s own words -- it: “educates the whole boy.” This ideology encompasses one of our most valued traditions: the Honor System. But the Honor System is a two-way street; how can we as students swear to uphold it when the school itself cannot trust us with more than 45 minutes free at once? I find it hypocritical that we are constantly talked up as men of great integrity and responsibility, and yet we are not afforded the freedom that most public school students are allotted during their free time. As we analyze the rationale of a block study hall, it would be foolish to overlook how it works in practice. After all, even the most ideologically solid institutions can fall short of their original mission statement. Again, we run into a critical flaw in the system: the students who really need to be supervised
See Block Study Halls, Page A6
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The Pine Needle
Character Paradoxes Fuel Play
By Peyton McElroy Junior Editor
As the bus prepared to pull onto Patterson Ave., the driver turned around to us sitting up front and asked, “Does anybody have any idea where we are going?” I did not find this question very encouraging, but it did cause me to think about the event to come. I had very vague sense what we were going to see. I knew the play was about the Civil Rights Movement, and I expected something about racism, hatred and violence: all the usual players in this period of our nation’s history. Instead, I found the work far more complex and thought provoking than anything I had anticipated. Because our generation is so removed from the Civil Rights Era, I believe that in our studies of history we tend to over-simplify and generalize, putting the people who lived during that time in neat categories: progressives and racists. Margaret Baldwin, however,
presents characters who do not fit so easily into these groups. Buzz Stafford is the most old fashioned and racist of all the characters, buth he has moments of great kindness, which make him, arguably, the most humorous and likeable. Clayton, “the prodigal son,” is the great activist in the family, yet he seems overbearing and self-righteous. Ruth supports integration in her church and hospital, but she does not like her daughter, Lucy, playing with Raynelle, the daughter of the black housekeeper. By displaying these paradoxical characters, the playwright opens our eyes to a different and perhaps more complicated perspective of a momentous time in history. We sit front and center and experience realistic characters attempt to live a normal life under challenging circumstances. As a writer, Baldwin is trying to share with us this truth: a truth perhaps not written in black and white, but shades of gray.
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What Did You Think? Saints React to Night Blooms
“The script provided a fair look at both sides of the Civil Rights Movement.” -Wesley Owens ’13
“At least it got us out of school.” -- Nat Rogers ’13
“The actors played their characters well. I thought it was believeable.” -- Albert Thompson ’14 “I thought the parts with the old man were hilarious.” -- Kameron Miller ’16
The Importance of Storytelling Margaret Baldwin Interacts with Students
By Edward Millman Freshman Contributor
extended family in Selma, Alabama.” Benny Bencks ’16, a student in Mr. Wilson’s C period class, asked Ms. Baldwin why she didn’t start the play in the the second act. Her response was that the first act was necessary to establish a sense of familiarity and bonding between the audience and characters. Ms. Baldwin asked the class to write down and share stories about life experiences that shaped who they are. Jay Hunter Dabney ’16 shared that, at age 4, his lego sheep was stomped on by a clown at his birthday party. Ms. Baldwin interpreted this moment as a loss of innocence; how small events can make a big impact on small people. (It was the start of his lifelong fear
of clowns.) She mentioned how it took awhile to make the second act feel “honest” and “real.” Because most of the first act is based off of actual family letters, writing it was a difficult task.“It didn’t feel honest,” said Ms. Baldwin. “I had pages of dialogue from the letters. I had to make it feel real”. At the end of the discussion with the class, Ms. Baldwin stressed the importance of storytelling. She told how storytelling is an undervalued art in modern society and is truly essential to who we are.
Storytelling is critical to playwright Margaret Baldwin. “To me, stories are what make us human,” she recently told Mr. Rusty’s Wilson’s Creativity Through the Arts class. “Stories are also what can help us make the bridge between ourselves and others.” Ms. Baldwin has recently been involved in the Saints community. Not only did she speak in both schools’ chapels in late September, but also, on Oct. 5, the entire Upper School of both St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s went to Theatre IV’s production of her play, “Night Blooms.” She and the actors answered student questions onstage after the play. Furthermore, she conducted a writing workshop with the C period Creativity Through the Arts class. Ms. Baldwin, a 1985 graduate of St. Catherine’s, talked about the autobiographical and community elements of her writing. “The family aspect comes from my early childhood memories of visiting my grandmother and Above left: Ms. Baldwin takes part in a Creativity Through the Arts class. Above right: Baldwin during her chapel talk.
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The Pine Needle
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As a continuation of the ImpactMaker Series begun last year during our Centennial celebration, we welcomed Mr. Gilmer Minor III ’59 as well as Mr. Charlie Knowles ’70 to our campus Oct. 11. The program invites alumni to come and share their stories to Middle School and Upper School students. From the founder of a soccer league for homeless men to a video game designer who created Ratchet and Clank, we have had the opportunity to hear from a wide array of former Saints.
Charlie Noell ’70
Gil Minor ’59 By Marshall Hollerith
By Alec Ball
Senior Contributor
Junior Contributor
From the athletic field to the board room, he has led by example. Mr. Minor, a Richmond native who worked for Owens & Minor all of his life, shared his odyssey from being a weak student who had to repeat a grade in school to becoming the chairman and chief executive of Owens & Minor, the nation’s leading distributor of medical and surgical supplies His was a story of perseverance, hard work and service. He wasn’t a strong student, but the effort he put into trying to be a good student instilled a work ethic that propelled him in his work life and still carries him today. The habits and lessons he learned at St. Christopher’s from discipline to honor to respect to sacrifice were all lessons that he carried to his life’s work at Owens & Minor. He was taught at St. Christopher’s to lead by example in the classroom and on the athletic field and that is what he brought to his business as well. When asked to name some of the most important things he had learned over his lifetime, Mr. Minor had a lengthy list to share, a list he still adds to and edits on a regular basis. At the top of his list were “his faith in God, the
After graduating from St. Christopher’s, Mr. Noell attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his B.A. in history. After working at Alex Brown & Sons and Pittsburgh National Bank, Mr. Noell attended Harvard Business School and graduated with his MBA in 1981.
Vozenilek, from A1 believes that his time with coaches Shad Phospahala and Bob Blanton in the weight room helped build a solid foundation and gain respect from his college coaches. “The relationships built with Shad and Blanton definitely prepared me well,” he said. “They taught me to generate a good work ethic and lift the right way technique-wise.” Vozenilek doesn’t take playing for a Division I football program for granted, however. He said that his proudest accomplishment while playing for UVA is being given the chance to play at a high level, an opportunity that many people don’t get. “[Playing D-I football] means a lot to me, that was my goal.” Vozenilek has aspirations to play professionally in the National Football League. He said that he’s “definitely not there yet,” but if he keeps working hard, he’ll see what happens. If he decides not to play professionally, Vozenilek joked, “I might come work at St. Chris.”
love and support of his family, his word as a man of honor, and the realization that growth and success come when we celebrate the work of others.” As a former STC captain of football, basketball and baseball, and a former Missionary Society president, as well as a member of the Honor Council and Student Council, Mr. Minor has modeled a life of leadership and has made an impact on others all of his life; from the field to the board room, he has led by example. “Personally I embrace my failures as much as I do my successes,” he said. “They are the equal forces in my life and they help me understand what humility is. Out of all the characteristics and values that you learn growing up, the greatest of all, in my opinion, is humility, knowing that you are good, that you are great, but that you can always be a little bit better.”
In 1992, he cofounded JMI Equity, a private investment firm. The firm has taken off, and it now manages more than $2 billion in private investments, mainly dealing in the software industry. It may seem odd that such a business-minded person would invest the majority of his assets in such a technical business as software, but Mr. Noell displayed an eagerness to learn everything he could about his industry, “[I] try to understand some of the things I don’t know”. Mr. Noell talked about how his St. Christopher’s education has helped him in his life, especially citing integrity, which he said “is a key in the business world”. Mr. Noell spoke about how the honor system and his upbringing have majorly influenced his business practices. He particularly referenced math teacher Jim Boyd as one of his greatest role models during his time in school, crediting him for shaping him into the man he is today. “He chose to sacrifice his life and his dedication to us and to you,” he said.
Insurfaced Rocks Out at Fall Festival By Alec Ball Junior Contributor
As St. Christopher’s collectively wondered what ensemble would replace student band The Moores at Fall Festival this year, a small group quietly formed, and is ready to make quite a kerfuffle. Insurfaced, composed of sophomores Alex Shedd. Drake Dragone and senior Harrison Wells ’13, was formed six months ago as the school year began to wind down. With Shedd on rhythm guitar and vocals, Dragone on guitar, and Wells on bass, the group debuted at Fall Festival. “It was literally a dream come true for me to play Fall Festival. It was my first concert ever and it was amazing,” said Dragone. The band puts itself under the genre of punk rock, citing the popular, but now defunct band Fall Out Boy as one of their main influences. The group is beginning to record its debut album in an attic studio and is ready to begin performing
around the city. “We’re looking for places to play, anywhere really,” quipped Dragone. Insurfaced has a Facebook page and a Tumblr where they have posted one of its full original songs.
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The Pine Needle
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Shaka Smart Speaks; Fathers and Sons Bond
By Christian Halsey Junior Contributor
VCU had a steady lead most of the game, but with two seconds left, they were up by just two. George Mason’s shooting guard drove the ball just past mid-court and drained a last second three pointer to win. VCU Coach Shaka Smart felt sorry for himself but knew he couldn’t wallow. “If you do that too long it affects your ability to prepare for the next game,” he said. “It’s impossible to be in a state of very very high appreciation and feel sorry for yourself.” Appreciation, the No. 1 core value for Smart’s VCU basketball team, was the focus of his Oct. 9 talk to Middle and Lower School fathers/mentors and sons about the power of strong mentor relationships. He views appreciation as “the foundation of everything we do.” While it is necessary to appreciate what you are given, it is important to stay away from entitlement and rather earn things yourself, the coach said. Smart likened this ratio between appreciation and entitlement to an assist to turnover ratio in basketball. “Just like we want assists to be high and turnovers low, we want appreciation to be high and entitlement low,” he said. “Entitlement is something you feel you deserve because of the family you were born into.”
Coach Smart and all but two of his players were raised by a single parent. Smart said, “If you have two loving parents you need to stop and think how fortunate you are.” Continuing that idea, Smart said that having two parents isn’t necessary to be successful. He said, “Look at me. I had one, and it turned out fine for me. If one or both of your parents are not around, it’s not your fault. It can make you stronger if you look at it the right way.” Coach Smart stated the most important role that he and his staff play in the athletes’ lives is mentoring. He said, “One of the most important relationships is that between sons and fathers or stepfathers or male mentors.” He and his coaching staff act as male mentors who help their players better handle life stresses. Competitiveness, unselfishness and accountability are the other values Coach Smart said were a focus for his team. These three apply on the basketball court and in life. In his closing remarks, Smart expressed his intention to stay with VC. He said, “I love it here. I love our players. A lot of people expected me to leave after Final 4...[it] didn’t seem like the right thing. I cannot imagine leaving, no way.” While many of the Upper School students didn’t know Coach Smart was speaking at St. Christopher’s, a number were disappointed that
they were not invited to hear Smart’s talk. When Mr. Menges heard these disappointments, he was apologetic, but had good reasons why only Lower and Middle schoolers were invited. The event was planned as part of the Lower School Time Together Program, which aims to cultivate strong relationships between boys and their male mentors. Furthermore, there was a concern that there wpuld be a lack of sufficient seating in Scott Gym had all the school been included. “Another reason we wanted to limit the range of audience was because we felt Coach Smart’s message could be tailored specifically to the third through eighth grade boys,” said Menges.
6th Graders Sleep Little at Field House Lock-In By Henry Barden Middle School Contributor
The Sixth Grade Sleepover was a huge misnomer since a meager amount of sleep occurred. Our first order of business after leaving PE was to grab our bags and set up our area in the field house. Next we could choose to do the high ropes course, something many of us had never done before and wanted to experience. Then we went outside to shoot hoops and play around on the back fields prior to dinner. The main event we had all been waiting for was the showdown in Scott Gymnasium: dodgeball! One game at a time, students
destroyed the faculty 4-2 in a best of seven match. Directly after the win, we sixth graders sauntered over to the auditorium to watch “Home Alone 4.” Around 11:30 p.m., the movie ended, and we returned to advisory group rooms to sleep. Unfortunately, none of us fell asleep until about 1 a.m. because of constant chatter. To sum it up, even all of these activities did not put us to sleep whatsoever! As a bonding event, the sleepover was a huge success. Students bonded with old friends and maybe some new ones during high ropes courses and dinner.
Students bonded with faculty while pelting each other with dodgeballs. Students and faculty bonded with new students during the casual conversations sleeping bag to sleep-
ing bag. While this event is wonderful for bonding, I suggest that you plan for a nap the next day because you will be extraordinarily tired!
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A5
The Pine Needle
It’s hard to believe that the new infirmary with its crisp white walls was once the band storage room, a dark, cave-like presence in the middle of the Middle School where the windows were boarded and the brick wall was naked. During the summer, new walls and vinyl flooring were installed. Even pipes in the closet were replaced. The room went from the darkest on campus to the brightest, the walls white as can be. “It’s different,” said the Middle and Upper School Nurse, Mrs. Cookie Johnson, of her new space. “It’s much brighter and cleaner.” Johnson enjoys the new cabinetry, shelving units, and bulletin board. However, the one downside is the lack of outside view. From her old office in Luck Hall, she looked out at the Terraces. “I used to love watching the kids playing in the afternoon and the dogs running around, and even the squirrels,” she said Now though, she is visited more frequently, being easily accessible in the Middle School. “Now kids don’t have to walk across campus to pay me a visit,” she said. “I’m right here in the middle and it’s easy for the students to drop by whether to call home or grab a Band-aid or cough drop. “Now boys can come in just to say hello.” -- Alex Beale ’13
Trading Spaces
The Middle School Has New Teachers Too...
Andy Stratton ’06
Andy Stratton was always a bit of a daredevil growing up. When he took on two dares to jump from the second to first floor of the Gottwald Science Center his junior year, it didn’t go so well. The first jump went fine. The second time, he tried to hang down from the second floor and then drop. His plummet turned disastrous when he fell sideways, causing him to land on his wrist. Now an eighth grade math teacher and coach here, Mr. Stratton has learned from this experience. “He knows boys and understands their desire to take risks,” said Middle School Head Phil Spears. “The lesson learned here for Stratton and all boys is to think before you act.” Mr. Stratton said this incident taught him to “always say no to peer pressure.” The incident inspired a cartoon drawing that ran in an ’05 “Pine Needle.” (See below.)
Although this injury soured the latter part of his ’05 baseball season, the rest of his baseball career was prosperous. The next year, Mr. Stratton was named captain of a talented St. Christopher’s baseball team. He graduated in 2006 and went to University of North Carolina at Wilmington to play baseball and then transferred to Virginia Tech where he graduated. Mr. Stratton started at St. Christopher’s in the Upper School. Since graduating from Tech, he has been coaching at Trinity Episcopal School. Along with teaching here, he is coaching many sports teams, which include 7th grade soccer, 9th grade soccer, 7th grade basketball and JV baseball, and even 6th grade PE. Mr. Stratton brings much to the table in his teaching. Mr. Spears, who knew Mr. Stratton while he was at St. Christopher’s, described him as “a hard-working, passionate guy with a great sense of humor. “He’s a very positive person in outlook and demeanor, and that energy is contagious.”
Alex Knight
Did you know that one of the teachers at St. Christopher's used to be in a punk band? Mr. Alex Knight keeps an electric guitar right by his desk and loves music. A man of many talents, Knight also likes to surf. He grew up in Richmond and often went down to Virginia Beach where he learned the sport. He still surfs and has gotten his two sons, Colin and Evan, who are in ninth grade and sixth grade at St. Christopher's, into it as well. The new sixth grade English teacher graduated from Trinity Episcopal School and Hampden-Sydney College. He started as pre-med
-- Christian Halsey ’14
thinking he wanted to be a doctor like his father, but then he realized he would much rather major in English. Mr. Knight moved to Georgia after college and taught at the co-ed Savannah Country Day School. Mr. Knight said that the middle school boys seem to “filter what they’re saying” in co-ed schools, while here at St. Christopher’s the boys feel “free to express themselves.” Mr. Knight says the reason that he chose English was it “didn’t seem like work.” He enjoys writing with his students, doing the assignments that he assigns them. He likes to see kids write well. Mr. Knight is a writer himself. He believes that as an English teacher, writing yourself is important because it shows the kids that you like to do what you teach. He is open with sharing his writing with students even when his works aren’t going to be published. He said, “I show my rejection letters to my kids [in class].” -- Christian Halsey ’14
Lee McLaughlin
A cartoon that ran in the May 2005 Pine Needle following Mr. Stratton’s jump and injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the baseball season his junior year.
After college, Mr. Lee McLaughlin spent a year in Jackson Hole, Wyo. His experiences and skills learned in the outdoors are expressed every day during his teaching. St. Christopher’s welcomes Mr. McLaughlin as a new Middle School science teacher this year. “Science is one of those subjects that is learned hands on,” he said. A graduate of the Episcopal High School, McLaughlin attended Washington and Lee University where he majored in biology. After college, Mr.
McLaughlin taught and coached at St. Stephen’s St. Agnes School for three years. After that, he earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia. During the year following his graduation from Washington and Lee, Mr. McLaughlin lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He spent most of his time there skiing, hunting, fishing and hiking. He said, “My experience in the outdoors has helped my teaching.” Mr. McLaughlin has been very impressed during his first few weeks at St. Christopher’s. “I love the whole philosophy of focusing on boys,” he said. “That approach is unique and effective.”
-- Joe Goode ’15
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The Pine Needle
Saints vs. Cougars at UofR?
By Andrew Gilmore Senior Contributor
St. Christopher’s and Collegiate School were both on board to have another high-profile football game in Robins Stadium at University of Richmond. It fell through amid a scheduling controversy with a University of Richmond home game against Old Dominion University. Or so the U of R Athletic Department says. St. Christopher’s and Collegiate both agreed to move the date forward or backward around the U of R vs. ODU game, but U of R still declined to hold the athletic contest between the two high schools. St. Christopher’s Athletic Director John Gordon said, “[St. Christopher’s] wanted to go back, Collegiate wanted to go back, but University of Richmond just didn’t want
to.” Mr. Gordon admitted that it’s disappointing due to the enormous success of last season’s contest. Both sides of Robins Stadium were filled with St. Christopher’s and Collegiate fans. The Saints came away with a 17-6 win. Mr. Gordon reminisces, “Everyone loved it. It was one of the greatest nights in athletics last season.” In retrospect, Mr. Gordon understands why U of R was reluctant to hold the game again this fall. “U of R probably gets an unbelievable number of requests. It’s hard to accommodate everyone.” Mr. Gordon and the Collegiate athletic department will continue to entertain this idea for next season. But as of right now, it’s still up in the air. Mr. Gordon disappointingly admits, “It’s not looking good right now, but we’ll keep looking into it.”
missing or damaged belongings may be indicative. While I feel no harmful, intentional bullying is widespread at St. Christopher’s, I would like to talk about incidental bullying, such as harmful use of language. Phrases such as “that’s so gay” or “what are you, retarded?” are two common phrases you might hear walking around any campus. However, whilst you may be unaware of it, these phrases are regarded as offensive slurs by the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender community, mentally handicapped individuals and others. I have always thought of St. Christopher’s as a tolerant space, where people can go to learn without fear of being slurred or bullied. As I look back on my 12 years at this school, my perception has shifted.To make our community as welcoming and inclusive as possible, I would like to issue a challenge to this community as a whole: Watch your language. Traversing campus, I often hear slurs that while not
October 2012
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Wates ’07 Returns to STC By Sam Griffin
ing out any way he can at the school where he started. In 2006, his junior year, he For the next two months, batted .480 with 35 hits, St. Christopher’s will again eight homeruns, 25 RBIs, be home to a potential, 23 runs, 10 stolen bases and potentially 11 walks. In his great, Ma- “I’m in AA right final high school jor League now, hopefully AAA season, he batted Baseball with 29 hits, next year, but either .372 player. seven home runs, Austin way I’m a phone call 21 RBIs, 30 runs, Wates ’07, 15 stolen bases away from the big a young and 10 walks. star in the leagues.” Baseball Houston Coach Tony Astros organization, is going Szymendera said, “When his to help out around campus. quiet personality is comHe will mentor many bined with his talent, you students around St. Chris. can miss how hard Austin “I’ll just be a fly on the wall, works. What was always hopefully helping with adviimpressive with Austin was sory,” said Wates. how hard he worked at the Wates came for three mental side of the game.” days during September to The past six months have visit and say hello to teachbeen a long but enjoyable ers. On that Friday, he sat season for Wates. He has through Mrs. Hollerith’s battled a couple of injuries, class, one of his favorite’s. played on some different He looks forward to helpteams and proven to be a Sophomore Contributor
For National Bullying Prevention Month As October rolled around, my Tumblr reminded me of something that is on the back of every educator’s mind this month. October, in case you didn’t know, is National Bullying Prevention Month. I am a firm believer in a school of thought that teaches that the first step to raising awareness and spearheading beneficial initiatives is, in fact, education. One out of every six children reports some form of harassment or bullying throughout his or her time in school. One out of every 10 children reports engaging in repeated or severe acts of bullying. Now that you know the numbers behind what schools are facing on a daily basis, you might want to reconsider the effects of bullying on students. While children may seem unaffected or even aloof to bullying, signs such as loss of interest in hobbies or extracurricular activities, reluctance to go to school, frequent nightmares or insomnia, and in some cases,
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intentionally directed at any one person, still alienate. Therefore, whenever you are out and about on campus and you hear somebody say something offensive or ignorant, call him or her out. If we all work as a unit and police ourselves, we can create a warm, inclusive environment. As an openly gay student at this school, I must comment that sometimes it gets hard to walk around in what is sometimes perceived as a homophobic environment. Some students, who may still be in the closet, are acutely aware of the words that are spoken around them. Each student’s skills and attributes should be celebrated, and the environment we are in now quashes a lot of learning experiences that can be valuable to us as a community. I urge the entire community to wholeheartedly take on this challenge, as it provides a better place for every student, present and future.
-- Alec Ball ’14
great talent for whomever he has played. Wates started the season on the Corpus Christi Hooks, an AA team in the Astros organization, but after quad and groin injuries switched to the GCL Astros for three days. On the Christi Hooks, Wates finished the season in the top 10 on his team in almost all stats. As a result, he is a top prospect. “I’m in AA right now, hopefully AAA next year, but either way I’m a phone call away from the big leagues,” he said. Wates has already experienced a little bit of the national spotlight due to his outstanding catch in left field earlier this year. He was on Sportscenter’s Top 10 plays on ESPN, was bombarded with texts and phone calls, and even got several TV interviews just for the catch.
Block Study Halls
Continued from A1
while they work often find ways to slack off during study hall, such as playing games in the back, doodling or otherwise wasting their time, where as the other students have proven that they can manage their own time adequately and thus need no supervision altogether. I rarely get much done in study halls; I prefer to work in my own time and to use my free periods to de-stress and help me keep my mind fresh for class. Yet, I believe that my own academic record, as well as those of my peers who have effective time management systems, stand for themselves. The purpose of this article is not to dismantle the concept of a study hall altogether, or to belittle all the hard work Mr. Johns and the proctors have put into the system. Study halls are great for those students who like a quiet environment to work throughout the day, and I believe it to be an effective punishment for those
students who have mismanaged their own time. Rather, I think the notion of a mandatory study hall for all students is something we should reconsider; I would propose a reasonable GPA requirement (about a 3.4) to gain the privilege to waive the block study hall requirement. I believe that this would accomplish three tasks: firstly, to provide incentive to students to work harder and get their grades up; secondly, as an incentive to retain one’s grades above a certain mark; and finally, to reward those students who have properly managed their time, as well as affording them the trust and respect that they have rightly earned. I believe that this mark is attainable by any student at St. Christopher’s who applies himself, and that incentive is among the greatest of motivators which could really serve some students at the school very well.
The Pine Needle
A7
[ ] Students Discuss Presidential Issues October 2012
On Welfare
By Wesley Owens ’13 With the upcoming election just weeks away, the American people are presented with a choice between two radically different paths for economic recovery. As citizens on both sides choose whom to support, welfare reform has become an important issue in the campaign. The mainstream media is quick to vilify Republicans over their position regarding welfare. So far, President Obama and the left have made serious efforts to paint Mitt Romney and his supporters as individuals who are unsympathetic to the needs of the poor and disadvantaged. They have buried the truth about welfare in a cloud of rhetoric and class warfare, insisting that they alone advocate for the interests of lower-income Americans. This statement is simply untrue. While liberals attempt to back their claim with government handouts, conservative policies hold the key to lifting individuals out of poverty and into the middle class. The Republican Party does not desire an end to welfare, or even a decrease in benefits. What they desire is a strengthening of the safety net through welfare reform. The problem with the former system is that people were not given the right incentives. When citizens received checks from the federal government, they often chose to stay on welfare rather than search for work, because the checks that they receive are unrestricted. Although ineffective in eliminating poverty, creating a class of people dependent on the government has proven to be an effective way for the Democratic Party to hold on to its lower-income voters. Consequently, few liberal politicians have taken steps to reform the system. Ronald Reagan once stated that “we should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.” For this reason, in 1996, Congress, led by a Republican majority, passed the first welfare reform legislation known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, a bill that Democrat President Clinton vetoed twice before finally signing into law before standing for reelection. PRWORA instituted Tempo-
rary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which inserted time limits and work requirements into the government’s largest cash assistance program. The result was unprecedented success. Between 1996 and 2007, the number of cash assistance recipients was reduced from over 12 million to just under 3.9 million while simultaneously lowering the poverty rate from 11 percent to 9.8 percent. Recently, the successful reforms of the 1990s have been significantly watered down. President Obama has increased welfare spending, included language in the stimulus package that rewards states for expanding welfare roles regardless of the success rate, and began granting the states waivers to welfare reform that will enable them to “redefine” the work requirement out of existence. So, what is the alternative? To begin, the next president must adopt a policy that encourages states to achieve higher goals for work participation by improving existing job preparation programs, implementing additional job search strategies for new welfare recipients and enacting stronger sanctions on able-bodied recipients who are unwilling to work. Increases in the government’s investment in education and jobs programs along with work and community service requirements can guarantee that welfare recipients who do receive financial aid do not become reliant on government, but rather are empowered to remain in the work force and contribute to society. Secondly, the burden of helping people in need should not rest solely on the government bureaucracy. We must have a president who will encourage volunteerism and bolster charitable organizations. During the last four years, President Obama and his administration have taken steps to force religious charities out of the equation by imposing requirements for government funding that run counter to their religious beliefs. Instead, we must remove government barriers that prevent faithbased charities from applying for grants on equal footing with secular organizations. Local charities consistently prove to be the most effective vehicles for helping the disadvantaged, and they should not
Monogram, from A1
gained a Varsity letter, they became a member of the club. All this may be interesting to those of us who enjoy history and reading from dusty tomes, but it really doesn’t explain why the club does not exist today. People are getting more Varsity letters now than they ever have been thanks to more sports and better training programs. This question slightly miffed Mr. Boyd, who said that the club had kind of just faded into the background over the years. Not satisfied with this answer, I decided to finish this once and for all. After some digging around to find the exact year that it ceased to show up in the Raps and Taps, I
gave Mr. George McVey, who had been headmaster at the time, as well as a member of this illustrious and illusive club, a call. “It was not an administrative decision,” he said, “I was a Varsity letter winner, and I cannot remember the club ever serving a purpose. It just faded into oblivion between the 1972-73 and 73-74 school years.” So why do people keep bringing the club up if it was not that big of a deal? Just like the proverbial number of licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop, this seems to be one of those rhetorical questions to which the world will never know the answer.
be denied access to subsidies. Welfare must be established as a safety net for hard-working individuals who are down on their luck or disabled as opposed to a handout that creates a constituency of disenchanted government dependents who choose to be unproductive. With an approach to services and assistance that incentivizes productivity, the government can meet the basic needs of individuals without worsening their situations over the long-term.
On Social Security By Carter Rise ’13 As the 2012 election draws ever closer, it is important for our generation to fully understand an issue that could impact us more than any other: Social Security. For every American, the Social Security program, which accounts for more of the federal budget than any other expenditure, should be seen as one of the government’s most important interactions with its citizens. This is especially true for America’s youth today, as the effects of Social Security could be an extremely costly burden. Social Security at its base is somewhat simple. An income tax is required of American workers, and the money acquired goes into a trust fund. The taxes collected are here turned into benefits for retired individuals. In theory, as FDR saw it, the fund should never run out as the current working generation funds those who are retired, and will in turn be funded by the generation that follows. What has obviously not been taken into account here is the possibility for different generation sizes and longer life expectancies. The members of the Baby Boom generation are fast approaching retirement age and are living longer lives than the generation before them. As a result the gap between the amount of benefits going to retirees and the amount being taken in through the income tax will increase.
Essentially, the output will soon outweigh the input. However, the baby boom generation rightfully expects that the taxes they’ve paid for retirement benefits to benefit them now that they have reached that point, and will expect later generations to continue to fund this. Because of flaws in the Social Security program, it is entirely possible that over the next several decades, the income tax that goes to Social Security benefits will increase rapidly and our generation will see very little of the money we put in. One suggested solution to this problem is privatizing the program which will give each person control over what happens to their income taxes that are going to Social Security. Workers will have the option to invest their fund, which means their money is far more likely to be there come retirement. It is on the issue of the options our generation will have with our Social Security fund that the two parties differ. Mitt Romney and the Republican side believe in a plan that will allow younger workers to have the freedom to control some of their payroll taxes in order to increase the amount in benefits they will receive once they reach retirement age. Current and near retirees would not be affected by this, and their retirement benefits would proceed as expected. As a result, future generations will have a chance to see the money they’ve worked hard for all their lives after they finish working. In contrast, the Democrats plan would do far less to help future generations of workers. Their plan does not give future generations the option to privative their payroll taxes at all, and as a result the program will continue down its current path, which sticks us with the bill. I encourage everyone, especially those of us who have the ability to vote to take this, and all other issues, into account when forming their political opinion. Look at the facts and the party platforms and form your own set of beliefs.
Editor’s Note: We encourage students to come forward and publicly express a personal opinion, and we welcome any editorial pieces for subsequent issues.
Hieroglyphic Contests Short Short Stories 100-500 words in length 1st Prize- $30 Runner Up- $15 Runner Up - $15
Photography Fall Theme 1st Prize- $20 Runner Up- $10 Runner Up- $10
Submit to hieroglyphicstc@gmail.com Poems and Photography Judged by Ron Smith and Hieroglyphic Editors Winners will be posted in a subsequent Pine Needle
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The Back Page
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October 2012
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The Bird Is The Word
#stuffteacherssay
@BurnamWOOD-- these kids think RMA is hard... just wait for RMAL #ToilandTrouble @ScienceHURTs --got some patazzium and wardar. gonna be a cray night! #YOLO @EWinklerC --my algebra 2 class couldn’t grasp the Mandelbrot set...smh @REJII -- A piece of my soul is missing now that the computer lab is a classroom... you can’t kick kids out for learning :’( #Babycomeback @Babbott -- I feel so fresh in my new office #swag @ElderJump -- Cahlidge! @Millerrrrr-- ask me about my monotonous voice #itsoundslikepoetry @Hawdog- up chillin with R Wils last weekend. nbd @BigTuhuna-- havent seen Towell yet this year...hour. #iwillfindyou
#stuffstudentssay @randomfrosh-- this lounge thing is soo cool. im glad im in there with 50 of my friends at any given time @WesleyPaulOwens-- reminder to every1 that poetry, philosophical inferential communications, and the community management for enhancing the philathronpic and... @WesleyPaulOwens--(Continued from last tweet) ethical principles of fourth graders will meet tomorrow at 6:11 @theH.M.S.Minetree-- hey guys it’s harry... @Yorganchaz-- dont get why all the girls go to the football games all the time. i got baseball tourneys every weekend and i never see anyone there @(doesnt really matter) tbh...mrs. wray’s a bro @FullForceGAYLE--i just see pure fury in mr gitomer’s eyes everytime i talk to him @thewisefool-- all saints service and x-term #movinup
#stuffnobodysays Carlson thinks im smart Szymendera smiled at me yesterday Going to St. Catherines isnt a hassle at all Jeez freshman year is sooo difficult Shad is so nice Good thing they blocked all the game websites this year. they were too distracting Having locks built in to the junior lockers is so convenient Tune seems to have cooled off this year
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Let us know what you think. Letters to the editor are welcome. Contact bealea13@stcva.org
The Pine Needle Staff Middle School Contributor Henry Barden
Editor-In-Chief
Freshman Contributor Edward Millman
Assistant Editors Peyton McElroy, Nicholas Horsley
Sophomore Contributors Joe Goode Sam Griffin
Faculty Advisor Mrs. Kathleen Thomas
Alex Beale
Photography courtesy of Nicholas Horsley ’13, parent Jesse Peters and STC Marketing
Junior Contributors Henry Fauls Alec Ball Christian Halsey Senior Contributors Andrew Gilmore Ben Jessee Marshall Hollerith Carter Rise Wesley Owens