The Pine Needle St. Christopher’s School ● Richmond, Virginia ● Volume C ● Issue 3
The Pine Needle is the magazine of St. Christopher’s School. It is written, edited and designed by students in grades nine through twelve.
Cover art by Baylor Fuller ’19 Fuller found inspiration for his cover art while daydreaming in class. “When I find myself deep into a class droning on in the morning, whether it be winter, spring or fall, it’s refreshing to peer out the window and get lost for a minute.”
Table of Contents 1 Alexander Petrie 3 Swimming 4 Track & Field 5 Senior/Faculty Game 6 Middle School Faculty Game 7 Polar Plunge 8 Reclassing
9 11 12 13 14 15 16
Winter One Acts Snapchat Blocked Katie Greer John Flood Phones in Class SAC Music The Oak Needle
The Pine Needle Staff Editors-in-Chief Neil Dwivedi ’17 Ricky Stockel ’17
Staff
Junior Editor
Contributors
Grant Mistr ’17 Thurston Moore ’18 William Rodriguez ’18 Will Bird ’18 Jack Franko ’18 Henry Barden ’19 Tabb Gardner ’19 Hunter Gardner ’19 Neal Dhar ’19 Baylor Fuller ’19 Connor Maloney ’20
Kinloch Nelson ’18
Henry Rodriguez ’18 James Gilmore ’19 Joe Brennan ’20 Henry Weatherford ’21
Faculty Advisor Mrs. Kathleen Thomas
Photo/Art Credits Grant Mistr ’17 Dylan Gibbs ’17 Baylor Fuller ’19
Masthead by Grant Mistr ’17
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The Pine Needle
End of an Era
Petrie reminisces on successful high school career By Jack Franko
Junior Staff Writer
The main question surrounding this year’s basketball team was simple: how good could Alexander Petrie ’17 be without the help of Nick Sherod ’16? Leading the metro area with 25.4 points per game, Petrie answered that question emphatically. The Lafayette College commit welcomed the challenge of becoming the proverbial go-to guy for a team that had won at least 20 games in each of its last two seasons. With Petrie at the helm, this year’s squad hit that mark once again, going 20-10 and reaching the VISAA state tournament. But perhaps Petrie’s most impressive achievement is that in his final game he passed the 2,000-point milestone, finishing with a fitting grand total of 2,017. “I knew I could get there if I had a good scoring season... It was an accomplishment that a lot of people don’t get to,” said Petrie. That total puts Petrie at second on the school’s all-time scoring list, behind only Sherod’s 2,815 points, which (depending on who you ask) is the most in Virginia Prep basketball history. But Petrie still remains humble about his rank among the best players in school history. “I don’t like to compare myself to other people. A number doesn’t make someone better than anyone else,” he said. “Legacy is a little tricky because everyone has different circumstances. In my circumstances, I like to think I did a good job.” Assistant Coach Stephen Lewis is a little more confident about where Petrie and Sherod stand. “I don’t want to disrespect anyone before them, but I believe we had the best two players in school
history at the same time,” said Lewis. The stats back up Coach Lewis’ claim. Led by Sherod and Petrie, the Saints won 81 games during the four past years, or 69.8% of games played. That figure includes 66 wins in the past three seasons alone. The duo also experienced chemistry off the court as Petrie grew closer to Sherod and his family. “People enter people’s lives for a reason,” said Petrie of the Sherods. “We’re basically family.” On the court, “you couldn’t cheat on Wone or the other would hurt you,” said Petrie’s father, Josh, of his son and Sherod, who were widely regarded as the most dynamic backcourt in the state for the better part of two seasons. But Petrie’s basketball career has certainly had some guts to go along with its glory. After a middle school injury, Petrie struggled so much when he returned that he considered quitting basketball. “It was almost to the point where I didn’t like basketball anymore,” he said. He also noted that his time off the court while injured helped him become a more well-rounded person. “At some point you have to separate basketball from everything else you do. Basketball can’t be everything. When you’re hurt it forces you to do that.” Through hard work, Petrie battled back and began to reap the rewards. “The hard work paying off is the best,” said Petrie. “When I realized putting time in helped I just wanted to put more time in.” To his own surprise, he made the varsity team his freshman year and finished the season as a bona fide starter. Throughout the next few years, he worked in tandem with Sherod and oth-
ers to build his game and grow into the scoring machine he is today. He also grew physically, sprouting six inches to his current height of 6 foot 3 inches. “As he got bigger as a person, his game got a lot bigger,” said Coach Lewis. “Since I’ve been here, no one has gotten better from freshman to senior year.” All of this culminated in a senior season that saw him step into the role of alpha on the team. “Being the go-to guy was definitely a good experience,” said Petrie, who hopes his role as leading scorer and facilitator will help him transition to the next level. His coaches also did all they could during his senior season to make sure Petrie was ready to play college basketball. “One of the things we try to do is continue to coach him and coach him hard because we want him prepared for success when he gets to college,” said Head Coach Hamill Jones ’00. Petrie hopes that he will see similar success to Sherod, who averaged 7.6 points per game in his freshman year at the University of Richmond, and Rodney Williams ’13, who scored over 1,000 points at both St. Christopher’s and Drexel University. “It speaks well [of STC] that a lot of the guys that have come through here have done so well in college.” Although Petrie admits that he wanted to get back to the state final four and win another Prep League title he understands that while “you set your goals high, you’re not supposed to reach all of them.” But he maintains that he has no regrets about his time here on the court. “I left it out there.” Photo from Richmond Times-Dispatch
Features
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The Pine Needle
Saints Take State Swimming Crown By Will Bird
Junior Staff Writer
For the first time in 30 years, the St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s swimming teams both won states. “It was euphoric,” says Drake Wielar ’17, who after placing second as a freshman, sophomore and junior, was finally a state champion. The victory followed a Prep League Championship by both St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s, where they tied with Trinity Episcopal School. The decision of who got the trophy came down to an unconventional game of rock-paperscissors, which the Saints won. The unlikely part of this year’s success was the astounding youth and inexperience of the team. In previous years, the majority of the key contributors were experienced juniors and seniors with an occasional sophomore standout. “This year we had a much younger team that we had in the past,” says Wielar, a Davidson commit. The most talented of these underclassmen is sophomore Sean Hogan ’19, who won the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke, boasting a time of 49.44 breaking the school and league record. Hogan credits his much of his success
to graduate Charlie Swanson ’16. He remembers watching the University of Michigan swimmer being so far ahead of everybody in practice. “It was so cool to see him swim.” Swanson’s speed as a senior gave a young Hogan a visible goal to emulate. Similarly Coach Stuart Ferguson acknowledges this team’s “great senior leaders” as the foundation for its success. These include Wielar, Gareth Mancini, Townes West, Frost Wood, Robert Allen and Thomas Branch who
plans to swim at VMI. Ironically both Coach Ferguson and Assistant Coach Bucka Watson attended high school at rival Collegiate School where they combined to form a local powerhouse. Now, they continue their swimming success as coaches having one a prep and state championship early into their tenures. Wielar says, “They both know exactly what it’s like to go through what we’re going through. They know what it’s like to not only be a coach, but a swimmer. “ This unique connection between coach and swimmer proved rewarding in not only meets, but in practice and forming team dynamics. Coach Ferguson emphasizes the real work for swimming happens in practice. During the meets he tries to put his swimmers in the best mindset possible by giving them tangible things they can control, like specific techniques.
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Track Pulls Off Upset at States By Ricky Stockel
Co-Editor-In-Chief
The St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s indoor track teams both came out on top this year at the VISAA State Track Meet. The victory was the seventh state title in the past eight seasons for St. Catherine’s and only the second time St. Christopher’s has won in school history, the other time being in 2010. The victory, following a win at the Virginia Prep League meet, was a surprise to many, as St. Christopher’s had lost some of its best talent from last year’s senior class. Track stars Joey Cuevas ’16 and Brandon Thomas ’16, who runs for Virginia Tech, graduated last year. “I think everyone wasn’t expecting us to do as well as we did, but I think that might have helped us,” said captain Kannon Noble ’17. “We weren’t really worried about winning preps or states. We were worried about getting better as runners.” Noble shared his role as captain with two other seniors, Jackson Southworth ’17 and Whit Sprinkle ’17. Standout performances from the meet include pole vault, where Harrison Rice ’18, Allan Pedin ’17 and Rosser Williams ’17 placed first, second and fifth
respectively, and a 1st place finish in the 3200-meter run by sophomore Wyatt Campbell ’19. St. Christopher’s runners were concerned that standout Fork Union junior runner Julian Yescas would win the 3200 and take away their chances of winning. However, they also knew that he was running both the 1000-meter run and the 1600-meter run. Runners of the 1000 and 1600 were told to focus on wearing Yescas out and making him tired instead of just winning the race. “We were just trying to basically kill him,” Campbell said. The team’s plan worked to perfection, as Yescas ended up dropping out of the race, and Campbell came in first, clinching the victory for St. Christopher’s. Southworth said that he worked at keeping morale high at practices and meets throughout the season. “I focused on keeping vibes high on the team and making sure that everyone had a good attitude going into both practice and meets. We were not necessarily the most talented team in the world, so I felt it was important for the team to go into meets confident so that we could overcome in areas where we lacked power,” he said.
Sprinkle also said that much of the team’s success came from work in practice. “As a captain, my role in achieving success this year was just filling in gaps where needed and trying to be a role model in practice,” he said. Noble, Southworth, Sprinkle and many of the other members of the indoor track team are now pursuing similar success in the outdoor track season.
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The Pine Needle
Lecky Launches Legacy Lossless By Joe Brennan
Freshman Contributor
In late February, Head of School Mason Lecky chose to make an announcement, turning chapel into his own press conference. He began by mentioning that former Headmaster Charley Stillwell had one stain on his legacy: he lost against the seniors in his final senior-faculty basketball game. Mr. Lecky confidently expressed that this year, things would change, building up the suspense to one of the most anticipated games of the year. As “Goose” chants filled Scott Gymnasium, the seniors tried to beat Mr. Lecky and the faculty in this years annual basketball game. Last year’s game, which ended with a spectacular buzzer beater over the backboard from Benny Banks ’16, forced the faculty to try to avenge their loss. On the senior side, Darby Hatcher ’17 put up a game high 14 points. For the faculty, varsity basketball coaches Stephen
Lewis and Hamill Jones carried the team to help fend off the seniors, 39-35. Through the first half the student section was lifeless due to a lack of consistent shooting from the seniors. “This year the students didn’t hit as many shots to keep their momentum going. They would hit a shot or two and just start making mistakes,” said Coach Lewis, starting guard for the faculty. Hatcher seemed to be the only bright spot on the seniors roster this year. He was able to tear apart the faculty from the inside or outside. Going three for six from beyond the arc, he sparked the student section to life at moments. Hatcher described his mentality going into the game by saying, “I just like to shoot the ball. So when I was open I just shot.” The game was tightly contested throughout. With 1:17 left on the clock and down by 2, the seniors trusted Hatcher with the ball. Hatcher sliced his way through the faculty defenders and
finish at the basket with his left hand, tying the score at 35 apiece. However, Coach Lewis intervened. Lewis inbounded the ball and used his speed to go by three senior defenders and finish at the basket with contact, bringing the crowd to a hush and sealing a faculty victory. Mr. Lewis said,“I knew that they were pressing once Darby hit that basketball, so I just tried to see if I could get it up the court quickly, either to find someone else open or get an easy bucket.” Alexander Petrie ’17, coach of the seniors expressed frustration with the refereeing from Director of Admissions Cary Mauck and Math Department Head Richard Hudepohl. “The refereeing was definitely interesting, a lot of points given off due to some ticky tack fouls.” Petrie also had a few things to say after the game about his first coaching experience. “It was definitely interesting, because you don’t have as much control.”
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Faculty Triumphs in Middle School Matchup By Henry Weatherford
8th Grade Contributor
The stands of Scott Gym were packed with the Middle School as they waited for the basketball game to begin. The teachers practiced shooting while the Middle School basketball team sat on the bleachers opposite of most of the other students. As the game started, science teacher Mark Holloway was seen talking to the student team. There are many ideas about what he said to the eighth grade team, including, “This is supposed to be for fun,” “Play fair,” or even “If you beat us, you fail my class,” though there is no evidence for the latter. After the national anthem, the game started. The teachers started off strong, scoring point after point. After the first bell rang and new players touched their sneakers to the court, the students began
to catch up, though rather slowly. Each new bell brought the game closer and closer to the end and brought the eighth grade closer and closer to their defeat. Though the game was close, the teachers were the favorite to win, and faculty coach Nikkos Kovanes was nearly tearing his hair out every time a teacher would miss a shot or fail to outmaneuver a student. Suddenly, it happened. Math teacher Christie Wilson, the smallest teacher in Middle School, scored a point. English teacher Liz Boykin, a good friend to Mrs. Wilson, said in response to the math teacher’s amazing hoop, “I was impressed and happy for her and kind of
amazed that she shot the ball at all. She said she was ‘defense only’ in the game!” When the final bell rang, the teachers had won by more than 10 points, and the students left with a hurt ego.
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The Pine Needle
Juniors Freeze in the Atlantic By Jack Franko
Junior Staff Writer
Standing on the sand of Virginia Beach while a light snow fell upon my classmates and me, I questioned why on earth I agreed to plunge. Others around me questioned their decisions as well as we lined up and began the countdown to our jump into the frigid water. As our collective adrenaline skyrocketed we gazed upon what lay ahead of us: 50 yards of beach and the coldest water any of us had ever had the displeasure of encountering. “It was shocking. It took your breath away right when you touched it,” said Logan Hingst ’18, one of the 20 other students who plunged on that overcast February Friday with temperatures
hovering around 32 degrees. “When you actually hit the water––I would compare it to standing up when your legs are asleep,” said Upper School history teacher Scott Van Arsdale, who said that this was the coldest of the three plunges he has done over the past few years. “It’s that odd feeling of both pain and awkwardness.” Mr. Van Arsdale brought the idea of doing the plunge to our advisory after his wife began to take an interest in a group of special needs students at his former school, Monacan High School. Mrs. Van Arsdale, who is a teacher at Monacan, also plunged with our group. The money raised goes directly to the Special Olympics, which many of those
special needs students participate in. “We loved the idea because it combined a good cause with an exciting challenge.” “We all thought it was a great way to give back to our community and make a difference for those who don’t have the same opportunities that we have,” said Hingst. Each of us had to raise at least $100 and go down to Virginia Beach on Friday, Feb. 3 to take the plunge. Also, many of us plan on volunteering at the Special Olympics when it comes to the University of Richmond this June so that we can see the culmination of our fundraising efforts.
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Reclassing: A New Phenomenon By Will Bird
A
Junior Staff Writer
s a junior at St. Christopher’s, Thomas Hovis ’04 had two options to pursue his college football dream: walk on to a Division 1 team or reclassify with hopes of earning a scholarship the next year. While failing a grade and being forced to repeat was not a new idea in the school system, repeating a grade for athletic reasons was. At first Hovis “didn’t even really think that was an option.” After serious consideration, he made an investment which would pave the path for future student athletes. He would graduate a year later in 2004. The decision to reclass is usually made with both academics and sports in mind. It offers an opportunity for certain students athletes to mature emotionally and physically. Students who reclassify often benefit from another year of growth and maturity. This extra year also allows them take more challenging classes in hopes of improving their academic standing. Reclassing is becoming more popular nationwide, and at least a half dozen students at St. Christopher’s have joined the “relatively new phenomenon,” said college counselor Jim Jump.
Recent reclassing athletes include Luke Valentine ’19, Carter Davis ’18, Ameer Bennett ’17, Eric Thompson ’17, George Fisher ’17 and Tazle Sumpter ’16. Often, as in Eric and Ameer’s case, students transferring from a public school will reclass when transferring into St. Christopher’s. This decision is made for two main reasons. The first is that public schools don’t allow you to remain eligible for sports your senior year if you reclass. The only way to gain this extra year of eligibility for growth and academics is through transferring to a private school, such as St. Christopher’s. The second reason is that many public schools are a year behind St. Christopher’s in terms of academic rigor. Reclassing bridges the gap. Although reclassing is often beneficial, there are some drawbacks. When senior year finally arrives, and all of your classmates and the majority of your friends graduate without you, there can often be a feeling of regret. Injuries are always a possibility as well. Thomas Hovis was faced with this harsh reality when he blew out his shoulder during football season, and was sidelined for both football and lacrosse
Graphic by Grant Mistr ’17
season. This type of tough situation is a lot easier to cope with if you have friends and in lower grades along with a strong academic course load. Fortunately, Hovis had both of those things to lean on. At the time, the majority of people didn’t realize Hovis’ reclassification was also for academic and maturity reasons. “All anybody saw was that he is a fifth year senior running the football,” said Upper School Head Tony Szymendera. They couldn’t see the other reasons, underlying the situation. The extra year gave Hovis the opportunity to grow up and take the classes he was capable of taking all along. Hovis, being more prepared to enter a college setting, went on to have a successful career playing both football and lacrosse at Hampden-Sydney College. Although his dream of playing Division 1 football was dashed by the devastating injury, Hovis said he “wouldn’t change a thing.” “I think I ended up where I was supposed to end up,” he said.
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The Pine Needle
Winter One Acts By Henry Rodriguez
Junior Contributor
Everybody knows the One Acts. Love them or hate them, the single-sequence performances provide not only a stylistic alternative to Ampersand’s regular fall and spring plays, but are also known to deal with an array of deeper themes— spiritual, moral, societal and even political. Planning and executing a perfect production requires a less traditional process. Generally, the One Acts include selections created by St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s students and faculty as well as professionally written plays. According to Ampersand lighting director J.D. Jump Jr.,
students who wish to submit their own work must fill out an application, though it “usually gets approved.” After that, directors must individually organize their One Act. They each have a personal vision and must work to see it through. “Everyone is off by themselves... and then everything gets thrown back together by Tech Week,” said Mr. Jump. Each play must be designed to work within the bounds of the Luck Leadership Center’s Playhouse Theatre. The theatre’s “Black Box” style, which includes a central set surrounded on three sides by shadowed
rows of audience chairs, differs greatly from McVey Theatre’s traditional proscenium stage. Ampersand prefers the smaller space for the One Acts because, as Mr. Jump Jr. specified, “being five feet away from your audience brings more nuance.” This year six plays were selected. One was created by a student, Ari Aganbi ’18, and one by St. Catherine’s laptop coordinator Jim Astrove. The 2017 Winter One Acts were Ampersand director of theater Maury Hancock’s 100th production.
purgatory by Ari Aganbi
The Lives of Great Waitresses
by Nina Shengold
They “have seen Jesus Christ in ice cold milk.” Four waitresses tell their stories with intense monologues that impart wisdom far beyond what their station might seem to permit. What I thought: Innuendos aside, this play was equal parts entertainment and insight.
How can a sinner escape purgatory? In this studentcreated production, six people wake up in limbo and meet two demonic officials who give them three tests to sort the truly good from the evil. They must find it within themselves to admit their flaws or face centuries in Limbo. What I thought: This was an entertaining, truly original production. A 500 year sentence for a little hypocrisy seems rather strong though.
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Presence of Presents
by Jim Astrove
Emotional Baggage
This play is a unique take on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” It takes place in modern times as Dylan receives visits from an old friend and three ghosts. However, it’s he who has a message for them, concealed within the mystery of magic eight balls.
by Lindsay Price
Most of us carry our problems around quietly. The characters in this dialogue-free production are equally silent, but instead express themselves through movement, lugging around large bags.
What I thought: Unfortunately, the original idea was sometimes hampered by the confusing plot.
What I thought: Catchy music and an important moral: sometimes resolving your problem can be as simple as opening up to someone else about it.
People In the Wind by William Inge
On the surface, this play has the appearance of a 1950s-era sitcom: five bus passengers and two waitresses are stuck in a diner during a snowstorm. Wacky hijinks ensue, right? Under the surface, however, this play is a deeper study in relationships, with a mix of comedy and drama. What I thought: Though some of the interactions seemed a little dated, this play had some of the best acting shown that night, especially from novice actor Spencer Cox ’18.
The Actor’s Nightmare by Christopher Durang
It’s the bad dream we’ve all had, only there’s no waking up. George (Tate Lifson ’19) wakes up in an unfamiliar place and is pushed onto the big stage into a mishmash of strange productions. Though some of us may imagine leaping perfectly into the role, George’s improvisation skills leave as much to be desired as imagined. What I thought: “The Actor’s Nightmare” contains the best comedic timing in all the One Acts. However, towards the end it started to drag on.
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The Pine Needle
Snapchat Blocked! Students stunned by Snap stoppage By Ricky Stockel
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Many students were dismayed this fall “A few people mentioned it, but honwhen they came to school only to disestly you can use your phone. Like you can cover that the popular Snapchat had been use your data,” she said. blocked on the web filter. In what will most Neil Dwivedi ’17 said, “Personally it likely go down as one of the most criticized doesn’t bother me that much. I just used decisions in school history, the technolmy data in the first place.” ogy department (also known as the Tech Other students were more critical. Squad) at St. Christopher’s decided that “It burns all my data. If I want to use access to Snapchat would be blocked by the Snapchat it makes me turn off WiFi,” said web filter. Will Bird ’18. Thurston Moore ’18 agreed. Upper School Technology Head Carey “It’s so annoying,” he said. Both students Pohanka said that the said that they have to “It burns all my data. If turn off WiFi access on decision was made not I want to use Snapchat it their phones to use the to discourage the use of the app, but because makes me turn off Wi-Fi.” app at school, and when Snapchat was taking up –Will Bird ’18 they get home they often too much bandwidth. forget to turn Wi-Fi acSnapchat was one of the top users of cess back on causing them to burn through bandwidth, and because the app falls under their data. the category of social media, the decision The move draws similarities to the was made to block it, she said. blocking of Netflix in 2014. Mrs. Pohanka Although many students have expressed said that the response then was much more dissatisfaction with the decision, Mrs. negative than the response she has gotten Pohanka said that she has not heard too over Snapchat. “I got more flack when they many complaints from students or parents blocked Netflix; everybody was complainas of yet. ing,” she said.
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Speaker Schools Students on Cyber Safety By William Rodriguez
Junior Staff Writer
The entire Upper School erupted in a frantic, nervous buzz during chapel on Wednesday, March 22 upon seeing a demonstration from Internet safety consultant Katie Greer showing a method to covertly screenshot someone’s Snapchat photo without notifying them. Greer, a former intelligence analyst for the Massachusetts State Police, began her chapel speech by telling students that her mission today was “not about internet safety, more about using our devices carefully.” She explained that with social media and internet freedom, what kids do online can make or break future opportunities in life, particularly for high schoolers. Greer started by explaining the methods shady people and companies can use to steal personal info or spy over the internet. Using “geo tagging” unscrupulous stalkers can run pictures through a machine that tells them where a picture was both taken and posted. “Privacy settings are not a guarantee of privacy,” she said. Her advice was to still use privacy features whenever possible, because it’s far easier to trust your friends with
personal photos and videos than to throw them out to the whole world where anybody can save what you post and keep it forever. However, Greer stressed that the easiest way to keep private content out of the hands of millions is to never jeopardize yourself at all and behave responsibly on social media. One of the timely examples Greer used to illustrate the need for discretion online was the recent Princeton University men’s Swim and Diving team scandal, where an innocuous group chat turned into a way to rate the bodies and looks of the women’s swim team. Somehow, the chat was leaked to the public and the team’s whole season was canceled once school officials found out. Another, more personal instance demonstrating the need for personal responsibility online occured when a coach for an unnamed Division I college athletics program asked Greer to research the members of his team online before she talked to them. She only Google searched the team members’ names, and reams of incriminating screenshotted Snaps, Instagram posts and Twitter comments appeared. Greer confronted the team the next
day about her findings. While they all appeared very respectful and professional in person, her simple internet search had revealed that almost everyone on the team had expulsion-worthy offenses: extreme racism and homophobia, abuse and criminal activity. The students reacted with disbelief, and one approached her and accused her of “CIA-ing” his phone. Greer explained that all the information was freely available over the Internet, and there was nothing she could do about it. She warned the audience that potential employers will research the social media presence of those applying for jobs, and that offenses like these athletes made could have serious effects such as the loss of sponsorships or job opportunities later in life. However, Greer ended her presentation on a high note. “Doing good things with your social media can have a positive effect on your life,” she said. Her example was of Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt, who earned a sponsorship from Reebok when they saw him post videos of visiting sick kids in the hospital instead of pictures of drinking or partying.
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Phones in Class? By Neal Dhar
Freshman Staff Writer
It was a typical day in Honors Geometry. The students in the row closest to Mr. Jon Waite’s desk in the back of the room were working on a challenging problem from the previous night’s homework. In the front row, far from the teacher’s prying eyes, Walker Wallace ’20 was playing “Madden Mobile” on his iPhone. He was close to “sniping an auction” when time ran out. The players’ prices were raised. Releasing a noise not dissimilar from that of a lion’s roar, Wallace displayed his discontent by slamming his fist onto his desk. Mr. Waite, oblivious to Walker’s antics until the sudden outburst, peered curiously in the direction of the front row. All talking ceased. Mr. Waite strolled over to Wallace’s desk and squinted over his shoulder to see a phone cradled against his stomach but positioned below his chest. Snatching the object from Wallace’s hands and hobbling back to his desk, Mr. Waite plopped himself down and joked about having a chance to configure Wallace’s team’s lineup during a free period. This is not an isolated incident. Even though many students may say they never use their phones during class, if one wanted to fact check that claim, one could simply sit in any random period,
wait until the teacher is enveloped in their own thoughts or preparations for the next subject and witness the bright screens pop up around the room. No teacher goes without noticing a certain student wielding that familiar rectangle. “I think just about in every class there are people that are trying to check their texts during class,” said Mr. Waite. But in the case of Walker Wallace, sending messages wasn’t the problem. According to Head of the Upper School Tony Szymendera, the problematic difference between phones and earlier “distractions” that were present in the ’80s and ’90s lies in the “addictive possibilities with gaming.” Sending text messages and listening to music provide a natural distraction that has been present in previous generations. One can imagine the days when notes were written about “that kid” or after-school plans. So the temptation to communicate with others is not a new dilemma in the classroom. Nor is music. Music was expressed well before earbuds and Spotify, through concerts and music recitals. The rules regarding the use of phones began as a ban on use inside all campus buildings. Beforehand, even if you needed to make an important call, you had to go outside. Students are now allowed to
use their phones inside of all buildings, even for gaming, social media and music between classes. Many of the younger generation of teachers inadvertently attempt to remind students of their privilege to have phones in the room with them such as English teacher Chris Whalen, who puts phones that are used during a lesson in a box, or science teacher Bucka Watson, who takes a half-point off the next test. Obviously, the faculty at St. Christopher’s don’t champion having phones in the classroom simply to satisfy our entertainment wants. Both Upper School History Chair Andy Smith and Upper School Instructional Technologist Carey Pohanka believe that phones can be used as a substitution for computers. Whether a student needs a calculating application, translation program or history-fact generator, a cellular device is just as helpful and more efficient than a laptop because of its portability. Though phones are more convenient for students, they are still not necessary within the classroom. But even the fact that they are not needed isn’t the critical issue. Phones can distract us or benefit us, but we are the ones who dictate how our community is affected. “To me they’re not good or evil, they’re just an instrument, and you choose to use them one way or another,” said Mr. Szymendera.
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Flood Makes Comeback From Leg Injury By James Gilmore Sophomore Contributor
Sports give people the will to keep on going, the drive to be the best and the mental toughness for the present and the future. John Flood ‘19 exemplifies all three. “He is pretty stingy,” said St. Christopher’s Varsity Wrestling Coach Ross Gitomer. “He likes competition. He likes trying to score points and he always gives himself a shot to win.” Flood is a two-sport varsity athlete in soccer and wrestling. As a freshman, Flood had a tough go of it in both of his seasons, with wrestling presenting the biggest challenge. In soccer, the team lost to Paul IV Catholic High School in the state quarterfinals that year, and just a few weeks later Flood broke his leg in half during wrestling practice. “My left leg got stuck in between the legs of the guy I was wrestling,” he said. “I landed on my foot on the right side at a 45-degree angle and it just snapped.” He was sidelined for the
rest of the 2016 wrestling season. As a result, Flood missed all the tournaments and competitions that year. After that, in the off-season before soccer, he had some time to recover mentally and physically. Flood made a great contribution to the 2016 varsity soccer team with his technical skills and leadership by example. Head Varsity Soccer Coach Jay Wood said, “John has played for us the most in the defensive central midfield spot. You need to be money with just handling the ball and making pinpoint passes. I just think he is really tough. He had a header at Cape Henry and he knocked the heck out of the ball. It shows you his toughness and aggressiveness even after breaking a bone.” Flood’s transition back into soccer went well. “The first couple times going back on the field I felt a little bit of ache, but I got back into it really easy,” he said. In 2016 the soccer team became state champions for the second time in three years. Flood was an integral part of that
and more importantly, he learned to trust his leg. Flood’s sophomore season was his first wrestling experience at the Varsity level since he missed all the 2016 tournaments and competitions. “Wrestling was a little scary going back into, but I got used to it,” said Flood. The sophomore’s weight class for the 2017 season varied from 138 to 145, a step up from what he would have wrestled as a freshman. Coach Gitomer said, “The injury propelled him to the next level from a maturity standpoint.” Some of Coach Gitomer’s goals for Flood were to improve everyday, be a sponge and learn a lot and battle hard every practice. Flood won several matches in national tournaments and helped the team place fifth at National Preps and win its sixteenth straight Prep League tournament. Flood’s coaches say that he looks to be a great varsity athlete in the future with his overwhelming physical and mental toughness.
15
The Pine Needle
Strength Without Song By Kinloch Nelson
Junior Editor
The weight room is a loud place. Anyone who has spent any time in strength and conditioning has heard the clanging of weights and the yelling of straining athletes trying to beat their personal best. That’s why it was so noticeable when another major source of weight room noise disappeared. For years, loud music helped get lifters pumped up, but now, the music is gone. Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Bob Blanton said that the main reasons for the change were the type of music, safety concerns, the noise level and potential distraction. “A decision was made about the type of music,” Blanton said. “A lot of times, we were unaware of the explicit language.” In the past, Coach Blanton and Coach Shad Pospahala asked students to give them a playlist, pro-
vided that the songs were censored, but many uncensored songs slipped by. “We were much more focused on coaching and not on the music,” Blanton said. But even coaching proved difficult with the music playing. “If we have someone who is cleaning or squatting the wrong way, it’s difficult to get their attention with loud music,” Blanton said. He also mentioned that the weight room’s acoustics are not ideal, because the sound bounces all over the room, creating an environment where it’s hard to hear. Eventually the coaches decided that the music was no longer worth it. “It was definitely an inside decision between the two of them,” said Athletic Director Ren O’Ferrall. Coach Pospahala agreed with Blanton’s concerns. “Too many battles,” he said. “It’s great that it gets the guys hyped up, but if they can’t hear, it becomes a distraction. We want them focused on what’s going on in here.”
Both coaches emphasized that their main concern was the type of music, and that the music could return under the right circumstances. According to Blanton, “It’s not a done deal. We’re trying to figure things out.”
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The Oak Needle St. Christopher’s Finest News Source
Lecky Retires After Selling Confiscated Students’ Headphones
Pohanka Blocks SIS, No One Does Homework
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Shady Board of Governors Exposed By Tabb Gardner Sophomore Staff Writer
The sharply dressed board members of St. Christopher’s are seen constantly around campus, always scurrying into dimly lit conference rooms to attend to secretive “business.” The true happenings of their meetings are never known. Senior Grant Mistr, who frequently studies close to their conference room, has claimed to hear chanting coming from
Tune Makes Off With Millions; Massive Scheme Collapses By William Rodriguez Junior Staff Writer
STC Disciplinarian Greg Tune was taken into custody Thursday following revelations that he spent much of the school’s $70 million budget on expensive trinkets, rare collectibles and piles of antique gold coins. “We don’t know how this happened,” said Secretary Beth Wood as Mr. Tune was marched out of the Luck Leadership Center by police after enacting one of the largest heists since Bernie Madoff’s infamous Ponzi scheme. “He didn’t even have a key to the vault!” School officials have since confirmed that Mr. Tune somehow snuck into the LLC basement vault every night, stealing a little and a little more until eventually millions in gold bars had disappeared. Unnamed school officials with direct access to
their meeting den. The Board of Governors is a powerful council of advisors, and such a secretive style of operation is a tad unsettling. The ban of headphones might be the start of their encroaching grasp of control. Nobody knows what kind of agenda they have in store for the future and the recent technology crackdown seem to be furthering the school to fit their sinister goal. Even from a faculty member’s point of view, not much is known of the school’s endowment confirmed that the money had disappeared so slowly, they didn’t even notice until the vault was almost completely empty. Instead, Mr. Tune’s downfall was precipitated entirely by students. A sophomore who frequently spent time in the disciplinarian office told The Pine Needle that over a period of months, ill-acquired loot began to pile up in Mr. Tune’s den. “It started with stacks of cash, but then he started hanging up fancy paintings and leaned what looked like a gold sarcophagus against the wall in the corner,” he said. Eventually Mr. Tune’s conspicuous display of wealth did him in, as detention-serving troublemakers hanging around his office began to have doubts that a disciplinarian and coach’s salary paid for a diamondstudded Fabergé egg, which Tune used as a paperweight. They turned the school lawman in to the real lawmen, despite repeated attempts at bribery from the now
2017 X-Term Ties Record for Least Deaths Page 7
Number of Leaked Photos Skyrockets After Katie Greer Reveals Snapchat Trick See Gossip Column
their sessions. With such a powerful and mysterious aura surrounding them, most teachers try to keep their distance. Some think they are some sort of alternative “religious” group and others think they are just a normal group of leaders for the school. The complete truth may never be known. gold-toothed Mr. Tune. In the aftermath of this betrayal of school trust, Head of School Mason Lecky was near-speechless. “I guess we never suspected the guy we hired to help uphold the Honor Code would become one of its most severe violators,” he stuttered in a speech prepared just hours after Mr. Tune was hauled away and his heinous crimes uncovered. The only question that remains is how the now near-penniless school will manage without its endowment. “Expect reductions to the 3D printing program and fewer chapel talks,” Lecky said.
Model U.N. Leadership MIA Page 193
Movie Analysis Club Leadership MIA Page 2001: A Space Odyssey
eSports Club Leadership MIA Page MLG
The Weekly Inquiry Join veteran journalist Will Bird on a humorous expedition into the heart of STC culture as he interviews students on the latest school topics and controversies.
Watch The Weekly Inquiry and more on Youtube at The Pine Online, the next step in St. Christopher’s publications.
Music in SAC p. 15 Senior Faculty p. 5 Snapchat Blocked p. 11 Winter One Acts p. 9