The
Gryphon Gazette
October 2012
News
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The Newspaper of St. George’s Independent School •
Registration Time
Gryphon
Top
Stories Opinion
• Presidential Candidates and the Environment
Sports
• Soccer For A Cure Features
• Your Choice 2012:
Where Do We Stand?
Student Life
• Dagny’s School Survival Guide
Your Choice 2012: Where Are We Now? Ian John ’13
It only happens every four
greatly exaggerated, for both years. It will always happen Republicans and Democrats the same year as the Summer have the same goal in mind, Olympics, and it will always though they go at it in very be on the forefront of every different ways. Barack Obama has had American’s mind. This event to lead this administration answers the important questhrough one of the most paintion of who will be the next ful periods this country has President of the United States ever faced. With — the Presidenthe economic tial election. downturn, the m I better Many of us housing market deny our politi- off than I was four collapse, the cal interest in years ago?” credit rating order to avoid being lowered conflict among and much more, our peers. However, we canpeople have come to ask not evade the very ingrown themselves, “Am I better off nature that makes us Amerithan I was four years ago?” It can and that makes us uniis a fair question, and many fied. people are answering “no.” The political division that
It is election time and St.
George’s is buzzing with activity. With the presidential debates on television and St. George’s preparing for our mock election, everyone in the community is getting excited for this 2012 election night. This year, students are becoming more politically engaged; a new club has been formed to discuss politics, and some students will be getting the opportunity to vote for the very first time in such a historic election! It is safe to say that St. George’s is more than ready for this year’s presidential election.
Volume XI, Issue II
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Lindsey Cayce ’14 A student fills out their voter registration card.
permeates our country is
Cont. on Page 6
GO SGGO! The Experience of the Outdoors Dagny Vaughn ’14
They like to say it began with “that day on the river.” It is June of 2009, and Mr. Rick Ferguson has had a great idea. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to take a few students on a rafting trip in Colorado? He decides to take action and does the only logical thing. He calls in Mr. Bill McClain and Ms. Kelly Majuri. Before you know it, a small group of eight students are off to Deer Hill Expeditions in Colorado for a rafting trip and cultural experience. According to Ms. Majuri, the idea was there from the moment they set
foot in the raft boats. Watching the excitement of the kids, she and Mr. McClain immediately saw the need at St. George’s Independent School for an outdoors program — so they began planning. By the end of the trip, a name had been decided on, potential logos were being drawn in the sand, and SGGO had been born. Now in its third successful year, SGGO has given many St. George’s students the opportunity to experience the great outdoors and embark on life-changing journeys. It is a program that has truly touched
the lives of numerous students and teachers alike, and is transforming the St. George’s experience. Ask anyone who has participated, and they will most likely plunge into outlandish stories of river-crossing in the Ozarks or bears in the Smokies; these are adventures incomprehensible to those not there. Word of the magnificent trips spread quickly. Since the first trip ever taken, there has only been a trip or two that have not been filled.
Cont. on Page 12
Presidential Candidates and the Environment Jason Crawford ’14
Although
environmental issues have understandably taken to the back seat to fixing the economic woes of our nation, one should still take into account the environmental views of each candidate as Election Day rapidly approaches. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has taken a very utilitarian approach to environmental stewardship. He believes that we should be thoughtful towards environmentalism, yet not
institute laws that, while beneficial to the environment, would harm the growth and job market of the American economy. He is especially focused on achieving energy independence, as shown by his recently released plan that is designed to help the United States achieve energy independence by the year 2020. This plan would decrease regulation on oil drilling, and as result, oil production in America would increase dramatically.
“Energy
independence by year 2020.”
Cont. on Page 3
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October
St. George’s Independent School
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Editorial
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Lattes and Civil Discourse:
Treating Yourself to a Fireside Chat Nathalie Vacheron ’13
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Dear St. George’s Community,
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What is there not to love about fall? The leaves change from dull green to golden amber, fiery scarlet, or burnt orange. Scarves and boots come out of hibernation to make fierce fashion statements, the faint smell of firewood begins to linger in the cold air, and one of the most popular elements of the autumn season returns after a long hiatus — the pumpkin spice latte. These are subtle, yet significant symbols of my favorite season. However, there is one not-sosubtle aspect of this particular autumn season that cannot be ignored … and that would be the Presidential election. This issue of the Gryphon Gazette is centered on the political going-ons across the nation and in the St. George’s community. As people begin to discuss important issues such as health care, the national deficit, and whether or not Ann Romney is really 63 years old, things can get a little heated. There is nothing actually wrong with this, because political discussions matter. The election of our next President will affect the lives of every American, so each vote truly counts. Naturally, if involved in a heated political discussion, you may be tempted to duke it out with another opinionated classmate, friend, sibling, or parent in a public scenario. Perhaps you have an inclination to spew your political beliefs via Twitter, Facebook, or simply by having a screaming match in front of half-amused, half-frightened bystanders. I have
witnessed all three types of conversations, so don’t be so quick to think it can’t or won’t happen. However, I have an alternative suggestion that may do you more good than you think, as well as healthily enhance a political exchange of ideas. As previously mentioned, it is currently the delightful season of fall. The temperatures outside are plummeting, and even those of us who somehow survive the Arctic temperatures inside of the school will get a little chilly. The combination of being unbearably cold, worrying about the future of our country, and even stressing out about approaching exams in November is a tense combination. Therefore, kill three birds with one stone and treat yourself to a tranquil sit next to a lighted fireplace. Better yet, be inspired by Mr. Taylor’s famous series of “fireside chats” and ask a friend to join you. Sip your choice of wintry beverage and calmly converse about whether or not you think Obama deserves another go as President. Pull out your smart phone or laptop and hit up your favorite news source for the latest on the election. Read this issue of the Gryphon Gazette and become more informed if you are not yet familiar with this year’s Presidential election. Reflect, relax, and breathe. Even if you’re not old enough to vote, your ideas and opinions still matter. You are not exempt from these “fireside chats.” First of all, you, too, need relax-
Political
discussions matter.
Need a
SHOUTOUT? If you need to advertise any clubs or make any announcements, please e-mail Samer at sistanbouli13@sgis.org!
Newspaper Staff
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Editor-in-Chief
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Nathalie Vacheron
Copy Editors
Regan Hewitt Virginia Whitsitt
Layout Editors
Samer Istanbouli Kayce Hyde
Photo Editors
Alexis Harshbarger Lindsey Cayce
Features Editors
Ian John Dagny Vaughn
Opinion Editor
Emily Dickey
Sports Editor
Jamie Roche
Student Life Editors
Meredith Gatlin Maggie Courtney
Entertainment Editor
Zoe Leake
Advisor
Margaret Robertson
ation. You need to take a moment or two out of your day to collect your thoughts and take a break from the fast pace of everyday life. You deserve that much. Second of all, you, too, need to be aware of what is going on around you on a national scale — and also ultimately on an international one. Believe it or not, you will be old enough to vote someday, and building a foundational core of beliefs and values will make it easier for you to efficiently formulate your political opinion and put it to use when the time comes. Even if you really don’t care about politics at all, I encourage you to at least keep your ears and eyes open; be aware that the changes that are inevitably going to come will affect you and your generation. I hope that after reading this, you are left with one of two things, or hopefully both. One, I hope you are left with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside as you contemplate what snuggly jacket you want to wear to take a trip to the nearest Starbucks (I recommend the pumpkin loaf if you’re feeling a little hungry, too). Two, I hope you are left with a renewed sense of self-respect and peace, as well as a renewed sense of respect for others and the political figures who will potentially lead our country. Thanks for reading, and I hope you treat yourself to a fireside chat sometime in the near future. You deserve it.
Keep your
eyes and ears open.
Sincerely, Nathalie Vacheron Editor-in-chief
October
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St. George’s Independent School
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Opinion
The opinions expressed in this section reflect the views of individual writers and are not necessarily those of the Gryphon Gazette or its staff.
Halloween as a Highschooler
Senior Moments
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Laila McClain ’26 gets her face painted by Alexis Harshbarger ’13 at the Fine Arts Tailgate. Photo: Andre Miller
Alexis Harshbarger ’13 Halloween is one of the great holidays that kids love to celebrate. As a young child, Halloween was one of the holidays I looked forward to the most. Halloween was the only time of year where it was acceptable to eat candy for dinner, wear capes and cat ears in public, and take candy from strangers. As a child, Halloween is the time where the world is flipped upside-down for a night full of trick-or-treating. Despite the wonderful adventures and fun activities that Halloween presents, the act of celebrating this insane holiday becomes difficult for high-school students; this is mainly because at some point the question “are you too old to go trick or treating?” arises. As one grows older, it becomes less and less acceptable to go from house to house asking for candy. So, what do high-school
kids do for Halloween? Usually the ideas of costume parties, the Haunted Corn Maze, haunted houses, and scary movie marathons are the best plans of celebration. Some lucky kids who have younger brothers and sisters can still go out with them and enjoy those last few moments of trickor-treating. Although the parties and movie marathons are great, recently Halloween has been on a weekday. This makes those ideas less feasible because teachers still assign homework and tests, and parents are less reluctant to let their children have late curfews because of school the next morning. Halloween tends to be a hard holiday for older teens to celebrate, but nevertheless, we try our best to have a great time on this one night where the typically unacceptable is acceptable. Scaring one another and getting
to dress up in crazy outfits are things that are hard for teens to give up participating in. It seems for most people, though, that despite the fact that they keep growing, their costumes remain the same tiny size. Although wearing these costumes while trick-or-treating is not necessarily an option, costume and Halloween parties are the best option for events to wear these lovely costumes to. Despite these challenges the teenagers face when it comes to celebrating Halloween, many are determined to enjoy Halloween to the fullest potential every single year. As Halloween approaches, I hear people making plans more and more each day. Even though Halloween is on a Wednesday this year, I know what it will be a great day celebrated by everyone with many scares, inventive costumes, and lots of candy.
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his term. One of his largest areas of focus is the development of clean and renewable energy, including solar power, wind power, and biofuels. In 2009, the administration passed the Clean Energy and Recovery Act, which gave $80 billion in funding toward the development of nonfossil fuel energy sources. Obama has stated that he hopes for the United States to be producing 80% of its electricity using clean energy. The President has stated that he acknowledges global warming and, unlike Romney, blames it on the increased carbon emissions by hu-
mans, and believes that the United States should work toward reducing its carbon footprint, and has funneled money into projects intending to do so. Each candidate offers vastly different views on environmental issues. While Governor Romney has a much more passive method of cutting regulation to forward his ideas, President Obama has taken a more active role in the process, directly funding alternative energy projects. No matter which candidate you chose this November, you should take their environmental stances into account before voting.
Presidential Candidates and the Environment
According to the plan, an increase in oil production would help reduce America’s reliance on Russia and the Middle East for oil. Romney’s platform in regards to global warming is an acceptance of its existence, but a lack of knowledge of whether or not humanity is responsible for it. He believes that the United States should roll back its spending on the reduction of carbon emissions, which his adversary strongly opposes. President Barack Obama has been a significant proponent of environmental reform over the course of
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From time to time, observations of Senior Moments w i l l be shared in the Gazette for the purpose of shedding some light on the unique nature of the senior class. They lead our school with a purposeful passion i n all their endeavors, and we are all the better for their steadfast and steely commitment to being the best leaders they can be. All of which begs the question – what makes them tick? What qualities does the Class of 2013 share that makes them shine in all areas of school life? •Is it the soothing, mindful practice of almost every girl in the senior class doing Kiyana’s hair? •Is it the ceaseless stream of observations of life at St. George’s that emanate from Patrick Clark? •Is it the fact that Chandler Head has lost her inner monologue, or the pithy tidbits of wisdom from Parker Fosset? •Is it Molly’s desire to demonstrate her love of vocal music through book abuse? •Perhaps such wisdom can be found in Hunt’s Ole Miss tweets. •Maybe it can be found in recitations of the Canterbury Tale in middle English. •Michael Pigors – yes, your new iPhone may lead to total consciousness. •Perhaps such wisdom can be found in Elijah’s questioning of traditional birth roles. Who knows! Please stay tuned to future Senior Moments for greater insight.
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October
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St. George’s Independent School •
Entertainment
“A Casual Vacancy”: Filling the Potter Void? Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming • • Regan Hewitt ’14 count of the events preceding issue. I would not recommend Theater Events Harry. Ron. Hermione. Hog- and following the death follows anyone under the age of fourwarts. Hufflepuff. Malfoy. Dumbledore. He-Who-MustNot-Be-Named. Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the year 1998, I’m almost positive you’ve heard of these terms. If you haven’t heard of them, put down this article and pick up one of J.K. Rowling’s numerous books about the young wizard Harry Potter. Rowling’s last Potter novel was released in 2007, meaning that Rowling has been literarily dormant (at least in terms of published work) for almost five years. Now, however, Rowling has published her first adult novel, “The Casual Vacancy,” under the same company as the Potter series. It was released on September 27th, and I dedicated my entire weekend to devouring the book. This book revolves around a small English town focused on local political elections after the death of a council member. This third-person ac-
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the stories of several characters, ranging from grandmothers to teenagers. The plot is interspersed with class warfare and the misconstrued notions of right versus wrong. The characters are far from likeable but garner sympathy due to their “pitiful” circumstances. The townspeople are eventually thrown into chaos at the notion that their ways of life are far from truly ideal. Take comfort in the fact that this synopsis does not ruin the ending, which is a plot twist I did not see coming. It was a sad book, with an interesting salt-of-the-earth view of poverty and wealth. It was also a very adult book, which sometimes can scare people away. Up to this point, Rowling has only written youth novels, although for argument’s sake, not children’s books. “The Casual Vacancy” deals with issues like domestic violence and abuse, drugs and alcohol, and the maintenance of a façade, which is a thematically difficult
teen read this book without explicit parental permission. However, for anyone over the age of fourteen, I would encourage them to give the book a chance. Personally, I enjoyed “The Casual Vacancy.” Perhaps I’m a bit biased toward Rowling, but I attempt to be as objective as possible. I think that Rowling made an exemplary stab at a more adult book. It was a good read — not too heavy, but not flippant and silly, either. The book can seem a bit tedious at first, but keep turning the pages, as it improves rapidly. I could not put it down toward the end. I do not think of it as a “modern classic,” which is the term I’ve coined for the Potter series, but I can picture myself rereading The Casual Vacancy. That is the true test of a good book — do I want to read it again? Rowling has definitely passed that test once more.
Collierville Campus “The Reluctant Dragon” — October 25-27 “13” — February 7-9; High School Musical “The Foreigner” — May 2-4 Germantown Campus Biography — February 7; 2nd Grade Rain Forest Presentation — March 7; 3rd Grade “Circus Play” — March 7; Junior Kindergarten “Animal Play” — March 27; 1st Grade Spring Program — April 18; Pre-Kindergarten Mother’s Day Chapel — May 10; 5th Grade Mother’s Day Treat — May 10; Senior Kindergarten Germantown and Memphis Campus Lower School Talent Show — February 21 Memphis Musical — March 21; 2nd Grade Tennessee Play — May 16; 4th Grade Holiday Programs December 5 — Junior Kindergarten December 7 — Senior Kindergarten/1st Grade December 13 — 3rd & 5th Grade
Oh the Places You’ll Go: The Delta Fair
Blakely Glass ’13 The 2012 Delta Fair reached a whole new height … or low, for some people. The Delta Fair, which took place at the Agricenter in Germantown from August 31st to September 9th, was the most crowded I had ever seen it, and I have gone the past five years. I knew it was going to be a madhouse from the amount of time it took my friends and me just to turn into the Agricenter from Germantown Parkway. Cars were lined up waiting to pull in for hours. However, the overwhelming number of people could have been due to the fact that it
was the Saturday night before it closed. It was so packed that lines for the most popular rides lasted for an hour or more. This would be expected at major amusement parks, but certainly not at the Delta Fair. Even though it was tremendously crowded, we were not going to let it ruin our night. The first ride that all my friends darted to was the Fire Ball. I, not feeling up for the challenge, was the designated iPhone holder for the night. I watched my friends ride the Fire Ball, which lasted for approximately 45 seconds. They got off, and then said, “Let’s
do it again!” However, instead of waiting in a long line again, we began to walk around to look at everything the fair had to offer this year. One sight we saw was junior Tyler Lourens, who determinedly spent a total of $160 trying to win a basketball shooting game. I am sure that if he had not run out of money, he would have kept on trying. Another aspect of the Delta Fair is the food. People often associate the Delta Fair with fair food like funnel cakes, pronto pups, fried oreos, etc., and attend the Delta Fair for this reason. I do not
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find any of this food appealing. Just the smell of a funnel cake makes me sick to my stomach. I greatly admire the people that can eat fair food, and then successfully go on a fair ride without seeing their food again. Even though the fair was extremely crowded and I didn’t eat any fair food or ride any rides, I still had a blast. The Delta Fair really is all about the experience. There are so many interesting events and people — such as the smallest woman in the world — to see while you are there. That hour-long wait to park may be worth it … or maybe not.
“Gossamer”: Still Cut From the Same Cloth?
Zoe Leake ’14 “It all began to feel insane,” sings Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit, in their song “Cry Like a Ghost” from their new album “Gossamer.” The definition of gossamer as stated in the dictionary is something sheer and delicate. I feel that this is an exemplary title for this album, which gives you a sense of free-falling, delicate happiness. One of the reasons I think this album is done in a delicate style is because Passion Pit uses a lot of harmonizing, making the mu-
sic soft, yet powerful and entrancing. The artist is forcing the listener to enter into a specific mood. Another reason is because none of the music notes are particularly out of the overall sway of the song. All of the notes and lyrics are very much in the Passion Pit style we know and love; nothing jumps out as a new stylistic sound for the band. Despite its delicacy, the album is exciting, also like the typical Passion Pit style. Every song leaves you wanting more. I
think this album is a great addition to the work they have done, defining them more than ever as a funky band with a generally up-beat attitude and flavor. “While some people may say that ‘Gossamer’ is not as good as ‘Manners’ at first glance, ‘Gossamer’ showed Passion Pit’s evolution as a band,” said sophomore Coleman Young, an avowed Passion Pit listener. They “proved that they are more than just a catchy pop band. Overall, Passion Pit released a
very diverse and reflective album that will stay fresh through many listens.” My personal favorite song on the album is “Cry Like a Ghost,” followed closely by “Take A Walk,” and “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy.” People of all music interests can find a good quality about this album, I think, because it calls out to many audiences despite its consistency throughout. So, go give it a listen; I was very impressed.
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St. George’s Independent School •
Entertainment 5
Get on the Train: Train Concert Review Home Talent: Room 25
Meredith Gatlin’14
Me.” Once he began singThe amphitheater was ing that song, my friend filled with anticipation Casey Schneider, junior, while waiting for Train’s turned to me and said, first appearance on Sep- “Oh! So, he is famous!” tember 12th. This won- Honestly I do not think derful concert’s venue that many people in the was Memphis’s Mud Is- crowd recognized him land Amphitheater. This until he sang popular hit. American pop-rock band After singing this hit, is from San Francisco, Cal- he followed with, “Keep ifornia and was formed in Your Head Up.” I thought he did a really good job at 1994. the concert and Eighteen years latcan now sounded great live. In my er, Train is say my life is opinion, I think still going complete after he sounds like strong and Ben Rector, anperformseeing Train other American ing great live...” pop-rock artist. concerts. Mat Kearney Over the years, their music has followed and I was also changed, but I think the not familiar with his work. music has improved and I did recognize a few of has become more popular his songs such as, “Ships in the Night” and “Noththroughout America. The opening act for the ing Left to Lose.” He deficoncert was Andy Gram- nitely did an amazing job mer, and personally I had singing and was a crowdno idea who Andy Gram- pleaser. I think the openmer was. I did not recog- ing acts were a success. nize who he was until he The crowd was defisang his song “Fine By nitely pumped up and
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ready to go when Train opened with their most recent hit “50 Ways to Say Goodbye.” Patrick (“Pat”) Monahan, the lead singer of Train, has an amazing voice and sounds great live. Monahan was very interactive with the audience; he took a picture of the audience and tweeted it, threw t-shirts to the crowd, and pulled girls up from the audience to sing with him. I think the highlight of the night was when Train performed the song “Marry Me.” The girls went nuts hearing Monahan sing “Marry Me,” probably because they all wanted to say “yes!” and marry him. They also sang “Drive By,” “Calling All Angels,” “Meet Virginia,” “Save Me San Francisco,” and “If It’s Love.” The concert was memorable night, and I can now say my life is complete after seeing Train live!
Room 25 rocks the Abbey.
Virginia Whitsitt’14 Room 25, previously known as Blueshift, is a band which was started by St. George’s Independent School’s very own Robert Schutt and Adam Lochemes, both juniors. Together with MUS student Jefferson Douglas and White Station student John Gibbs, the four dashing men write and perform their own music in the greater Memphis area. Whether it be shows at the Abbey, the New Daisy, or benefit shows in Collierville and Germantown, Room 25 is constantly practicing and writing new songs to give their fans the best possible experience at their shows. Also acting as musicians in the worship band at Christ United Methodist Church, these boys have incredible chemistry seen on and off stage that is evident to anyone who takes the time to get to know them. On September 21, Room 25
held a show with local band When 4’s a Crowd, opening for YouTube sensation Ryan Beatty. Opening with a song off of their EP, “Graduation,” the fast-paced beat amped up the crowd. With the band thriving off of the energy that was surrounding them, the rest of the set pumped the fans up for the following artist. Room 25’s style and unique personality make their regular fan base beg for more, and call for regular attendance to their lively shows. Room 25’s fan page on Facebook allows people to download songs from their EP, and their variety of styles allow for a good time for all whom listen or attend shows. Room 25 continues to play local shows around Memphis, and we can look forward to seeing them perform throughout the remainder of the year!
The Perks of “Perks of Being a Wallflower”: A Letter
Alexis Harshbarger ’13 Dear Friend, Being someone who has read, and loved, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” and has been waiting for the movie to come out since last December, I can tell you with complete confidence that this is a must-see movie. Logan Lerman as the shy wallflower Charlie, Ezra Miller as the senior class-clown Patrick, and Emma Watson as the beautiful but damaged Sam, make up the trio of “misfit toys” that this movie revolves around. Each actor does a
fantastic job of turning into their character, especially Emma Watson’s American accent. The movie, like the novel, is filled with heavy subject matter like abuse, child molestation, fighting, alcohol and drug use, and sex; however, it is still given a PG13 rating. Despite all the negative topics, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” has a strong and positive message of the importance of friends and always being yourself. If you have read the novel, have no fear of the drastic plot changes or adaptations
that directors sometimes make when directing a movie based off a novel, because movie was directed by none other than Stephen Chbosky, the author himself. The movie follows the book almost word for word and takes many direct quotes from the book for actors’ lines. There are very few differences between the book and the movie. Although the much expected song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac was replaced by David Bowie’s “Heroes,” which gave the scene a whole new feeling, it was still beautiful and “infinite”
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feeling. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a beautiful and eloquently produced movie that captivates the melodrama and hardships that teenagers face. It shows the value of friendship and the need to always stay true to yourself. If you have yet to read the novel, I highly recommend still seeing the movie. And who knows, maybe it will inspire you to go and read the book as well. Love Always, Alexis
The Life of a St. George’s Broadcaster
Lindsey Cayce ’14
It all seems pretty simple: we open our computers, click on a link, and BAM! the opening kick-off of the Friday night football game appears. The pristine quality and amazing play-by-play commentary almost makes you think you are watching two top-ten teams battling it out on ESPN as Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit commentate. It isn’t until you realize you are watching a high school football team play that reality kicks in. This is all due to the hard work of the new Broadcast Journalism class at St. George’s.
This class of fifteen senior boys works hard every day of the week and also give up a part of their weekend in order to broadcast the St. George’s football games. They do not stop there, however; the class plans on broadcasting girls’ soccer games, multiple girls’ and boys’ basketball games, and at least one softball, baseball game, and boys’ soccer game. The amount of behind-thescenes effort that goes into each of these games is truly amazing. Each game requires at least six people to work six specific jobs. For a successful broadcast, a
cameraman, a stat man, a Hudl (a website for statistics and videos used by the team) man, a playby-play announcer, and a color announcer have to work harmoniously alongside one another. The class has learned how to work with various video-editing softwares that gives them the ability to broadcast and also the opportunity to improve our athletic teams by allowing them to watch quality film and providing them stats from each game. It is safe to say that this class is unlike anything St. George’s has offered before.
“This class really adds to our curriculum because it provides some different opportunities for these guys for college and beyond,” said Coach Ben Todd, the Broadcast Journalism teacher. This class requires a different kind of work than most academic classes, which allows the broadcasting students to pursue different opportunities. Senior Henry Cowan said, “I have interest in a broadcast journalism major in college, and having a first-hand experience in high school really helps me learn what it’s all about.”
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Rumor Has It: New Building On Campus? •
Virginia Whittsit ’14 St. George’s Independent School started out as a small elementary school on Poplar Avenue in Germantown, Tennessee. As the years have passed, St. George’s has grown in age, size, and beauty. Whilst sitting down with St. George’s School President William Taylor I was given the opportunity to not only learn about the Collierville campus’s past, but also to see a bit into its future. It is no secret that there have been rumors of a Citizenship building, a performing arts center, and even the possibility St. George’s transitioning into a boarding school. However, Mr. Taylor gave me the honor of not only putting these rumors to rest, but also giving the St. George’s community some insight about what we can expect within the years to come. The Institute for Citizenship, young but influential, is based around educating students through regional, national, global, and environmental engagements. Due to the limited classroom space, rumor had it that the Citizenship Institute was going to have their own building on the Collierville campus for assemblies, speakers, and projects. However, tension arose when rumors suggested that a Citizenship building might take precedence over the Fine Arts building, which was proposed years prior to the institute’s existence. Let these rumors be put to rest. Mr. Taylor said that there was a plan for a building to be added to our campus when it was first constructed, yet with the renovation of the main building this summer and the addition of classrooms, it is not a necessary addition for the immediate future. The plans are for classroom space, not for an exclusive Citizenship building. “We created four additional classrooms. That alleviated some of our space needs. Now, we still do need some more space, because all that did was
St. George’s Independent School
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Features
Your Choice 2012: Where Are We Now? Continued from page 1
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to create a little breathing room. We have talked to architects about building another building,” Mr. Taylor said. “It would be the first phase of a building, some classrooms would go in there, and maybe some office space.” The theatre department is small, but filled with devoted actors and actresses who wish to do nothing but entertain. However, there is not a building completely devoted to the arts at this point in time. Mr. Taylor explained that in the late 1990s, there was a plan for an auditorium drawn with the original plans for the school. This auditorium, however, would only seat three hundred to four hundred students, and could not be used for all-school chapels, graduation, and would only be capable of being used for plays. “But then we decided to renovate the Germantown Campus, and that serves the plays very well. So, eventually we will build a larger performing arts space of one thousand, or eleven hundred to twelve hundred seats, but that’s probably not any time in the near future,” Mr. Taylor continued. “I would say the next building that would appear on campus would be the beginning of another building. It may end up being a smaller version of this building.” When explaining to Mr. Taylor that St. George’s was rumored to become a boarding school, he simply laughed and said, “The idea of St. George’s becoming a boarding school, I’ve heard that ever since I’ve been here…And there have never been any plans to make St. George’s a boarding school.” Seeking a possible explanation for the rumors, Mr. Taylor said, “Where that comes from is, I think, a lot of the kids like being here, and I think a lot of kids are here late into the day and into the evening. People sort of said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had dormitories?’ but that was never seriously considered.”
With deterring factors like already has drilling sites in more revenue for the govan increased unemployment more than 20 states. How ernment to pay off the debt. rate than when he took of- much more could we do? This seems reasonable, as fice, Obama’s reelection may Another solution to an Obama puts it as “everyone be much harder than he re- improved economy is the should pay their fair share.” alizes. The Republican side idea of better trade. Rom- However, the practicality has made sure that the public ney believes we should of it may be skewed. The tax knows this through ad cam- “curtail the unfair practices increase starts with housepaigns full of trade from holds making $250,000 or of slipperycountries like more — far from the milow much lion-dollar mark. Furtherslope and China.” more could we non-sequitur In addition more, increasing taxes on a r g u m e n t s do?” to that, Rom- the wealthy will actually about what ney believes give them less incentive to will happen if in capping keep their money in AmeriObama is reelected. There- federal spending at 20% ca. Rather, they would want fore, with each passing day and giving states more to invest their money in toward election night, both power to implement pub- other countries where the parties have made it harder lic programs. This is a bet- tax rate is lower. This, over time, will deand harder for people to dis- ter start than crease overtinguish fact from fiction. It what Obama’s uilding up all monetary was not until the debate on administration the economy has circulation in October 3rd that we saw a had to offer. defining line of what each Here, Obama been a struggle these the economy and in banks candidate stood for. has been criti- last four years.” (who were Building up the economy cized for not has been a struggle in the improving the economy. half the problem in the ecolast four years. Republican The stimulus plan that he nomic crisis). candidate Mitt Romney created, in many ways, In the past, raising taxes wants to attack this problem became a collateral mess. has shown to do nothing by building up the middle It only spiraled the econ- but decrease government class. His idea is that he can omy into a standstill, and revenue as seen in days of create more jobs with im- although he saved GM, Woodrow Wilson. So, now is proved pay. The first goal many other jobs were lost. no different. However, Romis to attack energy depen- In the debate, Obama ney’s idea of decreasing the dence. Much of Romney’s said he created about 5 middle-class tax rate while plan is first decreasing for- million new jobs. The fact maintaining the same tax eign energy dependency of the matter is, about 4.4 rate for wealthy Americans, and then increasing onshore million jobs were lost in and still decreasing deficit, energy consumption, thus the economic crisis and does not seem plausible eicreating new jobs. This is he only created 4.3 million ther. In this regard, the dea great start, but neverthe- jobs during his adminis- bate showed that neither less not entirely practical for tration, meaning there was candidate have strong pulls America. only a net gain of about on this issue. Obama’s administration 125,000 new jobs. In re- In many regards, the clear came out with a report ear- cent polls done by CNN, choice for the presidency is lier this year detailing the it can be clearly inferred still ambiguous. Both canproblems with the Repub- that Romney has an upper didates have not only left licans’ idea. For one, we as hand in who will build a us in the dark about certain issues, but have also left us Americans consume 20% of better economy. the world’s oil and energy, Taxes and decreasing the wondering if their ideas are of which only 2% is from our deficit have also played even worth considering. own backyard. a critical role in how our Nevertheless, one will beWhere is the other 18% economy should function. come president, and he will coming from? Energy de- Obama wants to raise the be the one who is the most pendence on OPEC and taxes on the upper class transparent, the most logiforeign countries is still, in from 36% to about 40%. cal, and the most realistic the foreseeable future, vi- This increase in tax to the about his plans for America. tal. Romney’s idea of more millionaires and billion- We’ll just have to wait and onshore drilling is not the aires of America is sup- see which candidate that is. best answer, since Obama posed to help bring in
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St. George’s Independent School
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Ian John ’13
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Features
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We asked two politically opinionated St. George’s students to discuss their views on the current issues facing our country; this is what they had to say. Q: How can we improve job creation in this country?
Q: Which candidate will be better suited to fix the debt crisis? Seyi Adele ‘13: I think that Barack Obama is more suited to fix the debt crisis in this country than Mitt Romney. Although in his first administration it may have seemed that he “wasted” a handsome amount of money, the money was actually put in systems that needed to be improved, like infrastructure. I think it is important to remind people that in order to make money, you have to spend money. Looking at Mitt Romney’s record, I think that he has a better understanding of money. If you look at his time as governor of Massachusetts, he eliminated a three billion dollar deficit. However, it’s important that people realize that most of the money Romney used was money cut from education spending. I think President Obama understands the needs of the American people while still providing ways to cutting the deficit that don’t affect society in a negative manner.
Wil McMillian ‘13: The only way to lower the unemployment rate in this country is to expand the economy. Recently, the growth for the second quarter of this year decreased from 1.7% to 1.3%. Those numbers are abysmal and reflect the failed policies of the current administration. In order to expand the economy, the focus should be on the middle class and small businesses. The more money the middle class has in their pockets, the more money that will be spread around to thus expand the economy. In order for this to happen, taxes, especially the corporate tax that is the highest among industrialized nations, must be lowered in combination with a simplified tax code. No matter the tax rate, the government will take in 18% of GDP in revenue, also known as Hauser’s Law. Therefore, if the government must take in around 18% of the country’s GDP, in order for the government to take in more, the GDP must grow. The best short-term solution for this is a simplified tax code and lower tax rate. Seyi: Barack Obama presented a job bill last year that was shot down in a Republican congress. He has tried several ways to increase job creation and a lot of his bills have been rejected. So, it is not his fault that he has not been able to get as much done as he may have wanted. It has also been estimated that Barack Obama’s stimulus package created around 3-5 million jobs. But don’t get me wrong, because I still think there is more room for improvement in job creation.
Wil: Obama’s ability to spend excessively coupled with irresponsible borrowing should shed some light on what his second term will be like. Looking strictly at numbers, his policies did not work. The Stimulus Bill added nearly a trillion dollars to the already massive debt, while unemployment only increased. The only way to solve the deficit crisis is to dramatically cut spending and decrease the amount we borrow. This, however, begins with tackling the entitlement problem. Most of the borrowed money goes to entitlement programs, which by the way, takes up half of the overall American budget. This is obviously not the clear choice.
Q: Which candidate can fix our nation’s health care problems? What might be the solution?
Q: What are your thoughts on defense spending? Seyi: I think there should be a cap on how much money should be spent on defense spending; it seems to have no limit. I think there are other places where this money can go. I don’t think we are in a crisis mode to where all money needs to be directed at defense. Wil: There is always waste. I fully support the Pentagon in cutting unnecessary programs. However, cutting the military to the brink of retreat is not the way to solve defense spending, let alone the debt crisis. Fulfilling our obligations that we have made to our allies throughout the world must come first. That being said, I believe the President’s automatic cuts of one trillion dollars to the defense budget over the next decade are not the right move. The most troubling part is the way he did it. The bipartisan committee that was created to tackle spending cuts (which eventually failed) shows the failure of leadership in the White House. Other areas must be cut (i.e. entitlement programs) before massive cuts are implemented towards protecting the American people. Also, the buildup of militaries of China and Russia should keep America on its toes. I am not saying that there will be a conflict with these countries; however, their ability to work against in foreign relations will hurt us in the long run.
Nick May ’13
Wil: Let’s get one thing straight; healthcare costs are unacceptably too high. Now, I am aware that I am neither a doctor nor an economist, so my words may hold little weight on this topic. However, what I do know is that the free enterprise system is the number one poverty-healthcare lifter. It is also the best way to ensure that the best care is available while still maintaining lower costs. Giving healthcare companies the ability to compete across state lines is the best way of lowering the cost of premiums. A government overhaul is certainly not the solution, especially since the deficit is so large already. Seyi: In the past year, President Obama passed the Affordable Care Act. It gives all Americans access to affordable health care. This is something that was desperately needed. I think it’s wrong for insurance companies to drop clients with pre-existing conditions. I also think that the affordable care act is much better than Mitt Romney’s voucher program, since RomneyCare severely limits the amount of medical costs that insurance companies cover for Americans.
“RomneyRyan, because that is who Wil McMillian said to vote for.”
Catie Wilcheck ’14
“If I could vote, I’d vote for Mitt because he’s cuter.”
Marshall Humphrey ’14
Logan Young ’13
Grace Hunt ’15
Matthew Mullahey ’15
“Obama because he plays basketball, seems chill, and I feel like as a kid he would have been someone I would have chilled with.”
“I would vote for Romney because he is trying to help the country dig itself out of this hole that we have dug. ”
“Obama, because I feel like the US is slowly getting back on its feet and I do not want increased tensions with Iran.”
“Mitt Romney, because I don’t think Obama’s health care plan will benefit the United States.”
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October
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St. George’s Independent School
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Sports
Lady Gryphons Don Pink for a Cure
The Whickers cheer on their Lady Gryphons.
Emily Dickey ’14
On
September 27th, our favorite Lady Gryphon soccer players suited up, donning pink jerseys, headbands, and bows, to fight not only for a win, but also for an incredible cause. For four years now, the St. George’s Independent School soccer program, under Coach Tony Whicker, has hosted the Soccer for a Cure games to promote
breast cancer awareness. The team raises money for the organization in a number of ways—they held a bake sale before game day, sold “Soccer for a Cure” bracelets, and also held a raffle for a pink ball adorned with the whole team’s signatures. This year’s game was at home against a known rival, Houston High School, and with this rivalry came a booming crowd. Tom Morris, Upper School Director,
looks on this relatively new custom as something to be celebrated. He called the game “a great tradition that helps the girls connect their great efforts on the field to a really meaningful cause.” In past years, the proceeds of the game have gone to the family of John “Mad Dog” McCormack and his family. Then, in the spring of 2012, the boys’ soccer team donated their money to help Trey Erwin and his family.
The focal point of this year’s game was a family in the St. George’s community that has been struggling with the effects of breast cancer. In May of 2012, Coach Tony Whicker’s wife, Karmen, showed her first signs of precancerous cells. She officially became a breast cancer survivor this past July. When asked to comment on the game and everything the team does to help, she reflected by say-
Photo: Suzie Cowan
ing, “I appreciate the support of the St. George’s community, for Tony and I, through a trying and difficult time. They have really been amazing.” The Lady Gryphons fought until the very end, barely losing to Houston 1-0. When it was all said and done, the teams were fighting for much more than another win in the records book — they fought for a cure.
New Season for College Football and the NFL
Jamie Roche ’13
Both the college football season and the National
Football League season have been very exciting during their first couple of weeks. Starting off with the college season, there have been multiple upsets to some of the top football teams in the country. For example, in the second-week of the season, eighth-ranked Arkansas lost to University of Louisiana-Monroe at home, and thirteenth-ranked Wisconsin lost to Oregon State on the road. However, it looks as though Alabama is on the right path to defend their National Championship as they have started out 4-0, demolishing every team they have played. For the Heisman race, Geno Smith, the quarterback for West Virginia, seems to be the surprising Heisman
frontrunner with 1072 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and zero interceptions after three games of the season. Matt Barkley, the quarterback for the University of Southern California and the preseason frontrunner, is still in the hunt for the Heisman, but the early season loss to Stanford is going to negatively affect his chances. Overall, it will be exciting to watch how college football progresses through the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see which of the top 25 teams will be the next upset, and what will happen in the Heisman race. The NFL season has also had its fair share of upsets through the first few weeks of the season. The defending Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants, lost the opening game of the season to the Dallas Cowboys.
This could have a major impact in the future as the Giants try to defend their title. Some other teams have had unexpected beginnings to the season, such as the Arizona Cardinals, who are started out 3-0 after playing some of the harder teams in the league. The New Orleans Saints starting out 0-3 after the problematic offseason, involving their head coach, Sean Payton, getting suspended. This NFL season looks as though it will be exciting throughout because every NFL team looks very competitive, but also equal in skill. Through the first three weeks of the season, two teams have not won a game, but three teams are still undefeated. In the end, it looks as though this fall is going to be very exciting for football fans since both the NFL and college seasons are looking to be electrifying.
October
St. George’s Independent School
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Gryphon Football: A Shot at State?
Virginia Whitsitt ‘14
J. Morgan Harter ’13
Six weeks ago, there appeared to be a lot of unanswered questions about the Gryphon football team. After finishing last season with a 8-2 record, a state championship, and senior losses such as Alex Bran, Brandon Hill, Drew Bishop, and, most notably, Omar Williams, it appeared as if this team would have a tough time living up to last year’s expectations. However, I can’t stress this enough; it only appeared that way, until you dig a little deeper. On defense, there are eight returning starters, including the team’s leading tackler, senior Alec Feinstone. Last season, Feinstone set the school record for most tackles in a single game (12) against SBEC. Obviously, there was no question that we would miss the guys we lost. Williams, who ran for over 1000 yards and thirteen touchdowns in the postseason alone, left big shoes to fill. However, if you look at the first three games from last season when Williams was ineligible, there is one player in the stat book that stood out — senior Chandler Loy. Against Franklin Road Academy, Evangelical Christian School, and Jackson Christian School last season, Loy ran for 109, 124, and 98 yards respectively. Basi-
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cally, he had three 100-yard games against three contending teams. I think that takes care of those doubts just as quickly as they came up. After a nail-biting 25-20 win over FRA in week one, in which the St. George’s offense only had 92 rushing yards, the Gryphons came out in week two on a mission to avenge last year’s road loss to ECS, and it could not have been any more thrilling. St. George’s only touchdown came on a jet sweep pass from senior Matt Thomson to junior Dean Brown. Loy rolled for 116 yards on the ground, including a play where he ran over ECS Junior Safety Bryson Beaver, and there was also a clutch punt in the last two minutes of the game by senior Henry Cowan inside the Gryphons’ own 5-yard line. After winning this game 10-6, the Gryphons just haven’t looked back. Since the ECS Game, the Gryphons have been unstoppable behind an unbelievable front seven on defense that is only giving up about six points per game this season. Loy has been on an absolute tear as well, running for over 900 yards and eleven touchdowns along with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. The Gryphons’ 7-0 start is better than last year’s at this time, when the team was 6-1 with a loss to ECS. Their next loss, week nine against USJ, was their only other loss of the year. Can the Gryphons repeat their run at a state title? Or will they be tripped up in one of the games in the next few weeks? If you can’t support your Gryphons in person, you can watch the game online with the Gryphon Broadcasting Network at www.tssaanetwork.com/sgis with commentary by seniors J. Morgan Harter and Grant Optican. Coverage starts at 6:30 with the Gryphon Pre-Game Show.
St. George’s athletics: always competi-
tive, always strong. However, with the absence of the overwhelming athletic abilities of the graduated Class of 2012, what can we, die-hard Gryphon supporters, expect to see from our winter athletic programs? Varsity basketball should be interesting; although we have a smaller program than we have had in the past, we will rely on the players we do have. Junior basketball player Jack Matula says, “I think the basketball team is going to surprise everyone this year, even though there was a large loss from the senior class, we are stepping up and working hard this year.” Other than Matula, we can expect a lot of size from senior J. Morgan Harter and sophomore Justin Wertner. Wertner will be a player to watch this season. As a freshman, he earned a decent amount of playing time, and he has developed his shot in the off-season. Junior Colin Kraus will also be a great asset to the team with his ability as a ball-handler. We can look forward
Sports
High Hopes for Gryphon Golf Lindsey Cayce ‘14 & Emily Dickey ’14
Over the past few years, the St. George’s Independent School’s golf program has flourished. Ever since Hunter Kraus (’10) took the state by storm with his three consecutive individual state championships, St. George’s has consistently been one of the top teams in the state. As Kraus began his senior year, a new legend began to arise. Grant Hirschman, junior, was only an eighth grader when he began his quest to keep our program on top. After a year under the experienced leadership of Kraus, Hirschman kicked off his first year of high school golf by leading the team to a state championship with his individual state title. The team consisted of then seniors Davis McCord and Davis McAlister, junior Max Barousse, and freshmen Grant Hirschman, Josh Warlick, and Colin Kraus. The streak continued the following year; however, the unfortunate weather led to a disappointing ending. The team last year consisted of former seniors Max Barousse and Brandon Williford, and sophomores Grant Hirschman, Colin Kraus, Walt Kearney, and Josh Warlick. Hirschman was the individual runner-up and Colin Kraus finished fourth. With this somewhat disappointing season, the team was able to rally this year and make it to the
Winter Sports Preview
Virginia Whittsitt & Andrew Grissom ’14
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to a successful basketball season from our Gryphons. The only concern we still have is the following: who will be our rebounding asset? On the other side of the basketball spectrum, our Lady Gryphons are going to be a lot of fun to watch this season. With senior Mary Henley Green under the basket, and the return of sophomore Olivia Roberts, we can expect to see good things from our ladies’ basketball team. Another strong asset we can expect to see this season is senior Brooke Wertner. With a great shot from the three-point line, it gets hard to stop her when she’s on her game. “This year should be a great year for girls’ basketball. Not just athletically, but more importantly our team chemistry that we have formed,” Wertner said. “Even though we lost four seniors this past season, we are very excited about the great upcoming younger classmen moving up to varsity this year.” Shelby Sims, a junior, is another player to keep an eye on due to her consistent
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state finals yet again. Junior Colin Kraus reflected on this year, “Throughout the season, we had high expectations for the state championship. After regionals, we felt like we were playing pretty well; we had placed first, beating ECS, who we had lost to last year during regionals and state. During state, the weather ended up playing a huge role in our team’s performance. It just so happened that the ECS players played a bit better than we did. Next year, however, our expectations are high, because we will be returning our top five players. Our most challenging opponents, ECS and Knoxville Webb, will be graduating four and three seniors. This makes us the favorites to win state, and sets our hopes high.” Josh Warlick, also a junior, agreed that the team “had a great season, but didn’t quite finish it off how we wanted to. The whole team is excited to redeem ourselves next year.” Although the team finished second again, Hirschman was able to come back from a disappointing second place last year to win the individual state title yet again. Hirschman admitted that, “It was great to win another individual state championship, but I was very disappointed that we didn’t win as a team. We will have a very experienced team next year that will be able to compete for the title.”
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improvement over the years. We can look forward to all that she will have to offer on the court this season. The varsity Gryphon wrestling team, according to English teacher and wrestling coach Mr. Wilson Taylor, should come out very strong, and as always, make us proud. Losing only one senior, we can expect leadership from current seniors Collin Brown, Jack Babb, and Brendan Horton. Making a name for themselves as a strong program in Memphis, we can look forward to seeing some great wins from our Gryphon wrestlers. As for our Gryphon swimmers, our girls’ team should come out with a successful season with the senior and junior leadership that have brought about a steady performance through their high school career. However, with the loss of so many male Gryphon swimmers last year, we can expect a building season for the men’s team. All the winter sports teams are looking forward to a great season and hope to see plenty of support from the student body.
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October
St. George’s Independent School
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Student Life
Innovative Book Club Fosters Love of Reading
Lower School book club members show off their copies of “The One and Only Ivan.”
Leann Beard ’14
Contrary to popular belief, time did not stand still after we left the Germantown campus of St. George’s; as a matter of fact, a short visit to the lower school will leave you amazed at the change that has taken place in what feels like just a few years. The rooms have been renovated and the teachers shuffled around, but what hasn’t changed is this campus’s dedication to fostering a love of learning in students through unique opportunities, such as meeting the author of this month’s book in Book Club. “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate follows the exciting and very true story of Ivan, a gorilla who enjoys painting and is kept in a circus-themed strip mall. Applegate stumbled upon this story one day, and wrote a firstperson narrative of what Ivan’s life might have been like, focusing on his relationships with the
other animals and the people of the mall. Hailed as a Newberry contender and praised for its excellence, the younger students could only have benefited from reading such a wonderful book. However, the library staff took it a step further than just picking a good book. Ms. Jennifer Winstead, the librarian at the Germantown campus, described how she was actually able to contact Applegate and ask her to talk to the kids via webcam. “I contacted her via email and told her about our book club,” Winstead explained. “She was excited to do it.” If you are wondering how the students liked it, rest assured, they loved it. They quizzed Applegate on every aspect of the book, excitedly asking about this character or that character, questioning what this meant, or asking if this was really true. Applegate patiently answered all of their questions as they lined up, one after another, to
Leann Beard ‘14
talk into the webcam. Some questions were funny, some were insightful, but all of them showed a level of thinking and analysis that would make Ms. Jennifer Vasil, English teacher at the Collierville Campus, proud. When asked to describe the experience, Madeleine Wilson of the third grade could only exclaim, “Awesome!” Instilling a love of learning, and specifically reading, is one of the greatest gifts St. George’s can give us. It’s a wide world out there, and St. George’s is so open to exposing us to that world with the technology and opportunities we have, which are rare and amazing. A big thanks goes out to the teachers at the Germantown campus who helped acquire the books for the kids, the students who took the time to read and discuss the book, and of course, Katherine Applegate for her willingness to give the kids her valuable time.
Groundshaking News in the Lower School
21 to Reelfoot Lake, located in Tiptonville, Ten- Missouri, and expressed how much he wished nessee. he’d known about earthquakes when he felt The fourth graders listened to a seismologist those tremors. from University of Memphis’s earthquake cenThe students also spurred mini volcanic ter for the first half of the day. The seismologist eruptions by mixing together water and vintold them all about Reelfoot Lake’s formation egar in volcanoes they’d made out of colorful from an earthquake in 1811 and shared some clay. The students loved watching the foampersonal experiences as well. Fourth grader ing substance that erupted from the volcanoes Kennedy Hopkins was fascinated that the seis- when the reaction was catalyzed, though sevmologist had experienced not one earthquake, eral admitted how scared they would be if they but two. were actually caught in the After the seismologist’s of a lava-filled volcano. ny time you put a path presentation, the students “Dirt Day” was ended up then proceeded to have an child in front of a pile being a great interactive and afternoon full of “handsof dirt, they’re happy.” educational prep day for the on” experiments in the field trip to Reelfoot Lake—a parking lot. Though speaktrip that has always received ers have always come to talk to the fourth rave reviews. When asked his favorite thing graders about the earthquake that formed he’d learned that day, fourth grader Carter Reelfoot Lake, the interactive earthquake simu- Shaw commented, “I learned about fault lines lation was a new addition to “Dirt Day.” They of earthquakes of the world and about how the were able to cause mini earthquakes by piling lava and the magma came from the mantle.” Ms. mounds of dirt on boards and then shaking Catherine Greenslade, a fourth grade teacher at the boards with some help from their teachers. the Germantown campus, deemed the day to After that, they were then able to observe the be an overall success as well. “They’re loving rifts in the dirt that the “earthquakes” caused. it,” said Greenslade, “Anytime you put a child Fourth grader Khalil Moore had actually expe- in front of a pile of dirt, they’re happy.” rienced an earthquake first-hand in St. Louis,
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Jamie Roche ‘13
Nathalie Vacheron ’13
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t was a warm day in early September when fourth graders from the Germantown and Memphis campuses excitedly crowded around rows of miniature clay volcanoes and mounds of dirt. This may have seemed a little odd to the average onlooker, but this was actually a very significant day for the students. This was the day many of them had been earnestly looking forward to—“Dirt Day”, a day of learning and activities relating to earthquakes and volcanoes. It was planned in preparation for the students’ overnight field trip on September 20-
October
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St. George’s Independent School
Student Life
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Spirit Week: A Battle for the Banner
Molly Courtney ‘15
Spirit week and homecoming this year were much different than the previous years. This year, spirit week had sub-themes within an overarching theme. The general theme was “The Wild West,” and each day pertained to this. This is different than previous years because in the past, the spirit days were random instead of a consistent theme. I like what the Student Senate did with it this year because it was fun to see everyone get creative incorporating “The Wild West” into each day. Our themes were Western Town Day on Monday, Chuckwagon Stew Day (Tacky Day) on Tuesday, Patriotic Day on Wednesday, Rodeo Day on Thurs-
day, and Friday was the day everyone sported their class shirts. All the class shirts were good this year. I liked the freshmen’s jersey shirt, the sophomores’ translation of Helen Keller in braille, the juniors’ oh-so-original “work hard, play hard” motto, and the seniors’ black shirts that included the “BE13VE” logo. This year, unlike previous years, I saw more people dress up and get into the themes. I drove to school in anticipation to the hilarious outfits I would see. On Monday, Western Town Day, the juniors were supposed to dress like they were in a jailhouse. Junior Rollin Rosatti’s inmate jumper and doorag was top-notch. On Tuesday, which was Tacky Day, I could not help but notice
Campus Connections: Moving Together
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the impeccable style of the Heard siblings. James, a senior, wore a sleeveless turtleneck and Kathryn, a junior, wore a ‘90s purple, and very tacky, I might add, sweat suit. Junior Emily Dickey had been anxiously awaiting Patriotic Day all week. She sported a big American flag bow in her hair and was decked out in red, white, and blue. On Rodeo Day, senior J. Morgan Harter rode a bull to school, junior Adam Lochemes put his spur boots to use, and senior Emma Sisson arrived to school after her shift as a rodeo clown. Every day resulted in successful outfits, and I think I would have to dub senior Alexis Harshbarger as “Spirit Week Queen.” I
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never knew a woman could have so many square-dancing skirts! The Homecoming dance this year was different than last year’s in regards to the DJ, location, and crowd. The DJ that the Student Senate hired this year was DJ BOOGALOO. He and his assistant, DJ E.T., were much better than the DJ last year. He played better songs and created a livelier atmosphere. Since the dance was the night after the homecoming game, and it was off campus at Germantown Performing Arts Center, there was a bigger crowd in attendance, and the event in general was more hyped-up. This year’s experience of homecoming and spirit week was notably better and different than last year’s.
This One’s for the Underclassmen
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Maggie Courtney ‘14 As the Prefect of Connections, senior Libby Heflin tries to connect all three St. George’s Independent School campuses in order to unite and implement St. George’s service and ethics into the surrounding community. As the Prefect of Connections, it is important to make sure that relationships are established between the students at each campus. Alongside St. George’s School President Mr. William Taylor, Heflin will be coming up with events throughout the year in which students from all three campuses can participate; she has hopes to further build relationships among the students. Recently, Heflin contacted the chaplains of the Germantown and Memphis campuses so that all of the Prefects could host a chapel, one at each campus, in order for the students to get to know their Prefects. The Prefects have also helped out with carpool and will continue to volunteer where help is needed throughout the course of the school year. Heflin stated that one of the biggest responsibilities of being the Prefect of Connections is to help the fifth graders at each campus feel comfortable coming over to the Collierville campus because it is a very big transition for these students; it is imperative that they feel confident about crossing over to this campus. As the Prefect of Connections during her last year at St. George’s, Heflin hopes to, “make this school feel like a whole instead of three different campuses.”
Dagny Vaughn ‘14
Freshman and sophomore years are, for many of us, blissful memories of a past life when sleep was still a reality, parents were our chauffeurs, and homecoming was the biggest deal of the year. For some of us, however, they are present nightmares. As a current junior, I look back at my freshman self and can’t help but cringe and wonder just what in the world I was thinking. Picturing moments too damaging to my self-pride to reveal in this article, I wish I could channel fifteen-year-old me and whisper a few words of advice. Alas, since this is not possible, I wish to share with the current freshmen and sophomores my limited wisdom as an upperclassman. My biggest regret of freshman year is converting Mr. Adcock’s class into a “decorate your planner party”, complete with a big tub full of markers. I didn’t realize it then, but I have a passion for English that wants nothing more than to re-read “The Catcher in the Rye,” and actually listen to it discussed in class. If only I had appreciated Holden Caulfield then as much as I do now, I would not have given in to freshman slackerness. Colleges only look at junior year, so it won’t do any harm to sleep your way through ninth
grade, right? Wrong. It may be true that junior year is more closely examined by college admissions, but slacking off in the beginning can seriously affect your performance in higherlevel classes. So don’t be like me and think you can daydream your way through geometry; you’ll regret it as soon as you hear the word “trig” in Pre-Cal. Take all of the notes in AP World History, even when it’s one A.M. and sleep seems more important than the Mongols. Your mom’s right, it’ll all pay off in the end. As most everyone will agree, social life can be even more stressful than academics. Girls can be mean, boys can be mean; people can just be unpleasant in general. It’s something that will only change if you, one day, decide to live under a rock, or move to a remote island in the Pacific. I’ve found, however, that life in isolation isn’t quite necessary when dealing with those tough-to-get-along-with classmates; sometimes it’s just a matter of getting to know them better. Understanding another
person’s point of view can do wonders, more so than sub-Tweets. It doesn’t mean that you always have to agree with the others in your grade, it simply means you respect their opinions. Trust me, you’ll learn the most from the people you disagree with. After all, you’ve only got four years with the people in your grade. Learn to love them and appreciate all their quirks and differences. It may not seem fathomable as an underclassman, but I promise that as time goes on you’ll realize that you’re actually going to miss all the people you’ve dealt with for so long. It’s true. High school goes by fast. As I embark on the ever-anticipated college search process, I can’t help but acknowledge the nagging dread of saying goodbye. College sounds exciting, but maybe I don’t really want all this to end. So, my best advice to you, dear underclassmen, is to enjoy it while it lasts. Whether you pay attention in class or get along with your grade, get everything you can out of these four years. Learn for the sake of learning, get involved in clubs, dance your heart out and embarrass yourself at homecoming, because believe it or not…you’ll miss it all one day.
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October
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St. George’s Independent School
Ching’s Wings: The New Popular Thing
Kiyana Kavoussi ’13
St.
George’s Independent School has embarked on something completely new this year. The leadership of President Samer Istanbouli and Vice President Brendan Horton, both seniors, has brought some fresh new ideas to the student senate table. The main event this year has been our partnership with Ching’s, a locally famous hot wings restaurant in Memphis. Horton contacted the restaurant about a relationship with St. George’s and the trend began. They have only had a few runs so far, but they have been very successful, resulting in a mass of students ordering Ching’s Hot Wings to have on Fridays for lunch. On the first Friday, Elliot Williams, who is a former St. George’s student and now plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, came down to help and see what the commotion was about. All the profits are going toward student senate funds. I got the chance to sit down with Horton to discuss this breakthrough and ask him a few questions.
Q. What gave you the idea to partner with Ching’s Hot Wing’s? A. Well, I came into the year wanting it to be literally the best year ever, and I knew fundraising was important for the senate to make it happen. Ching’s is like the epitome of a St. George’s student’s favorite meal, so I knew it would be a hit if it all worked out.
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Student Life
The Norm, the New, and the Renovated Meredith Gatlin ‘14 ed by the club’s president, One great way to get involved in the St. George’s Independent School community is to be a part of the school’s clubs and service opportunities. There are many wonderful clubs at St. George’s, and we had the chance to get a preview of all these clubs at the St. George’s Club Fair. While there are varieties of clubs, ranging from politics to service, it is evident that St. George’s has worked to create something for everyone. One of the new clubs is the American Politics Club. Junior Emily Dickey is the president, and senior Wil McMillian is the vice president. Dickey started this club hoping to promote political awareness, accuracy, and activism. Her goals for this year are to keep her members informed and up to date on our country’s politics. Another new club is the Star Wars Club, which was found-
sophomore Caroline Cannon. Her goal for the club is to raise money to build an Ewok village in the St. George’s woods. There are also many other new clubs that St. George’s is excited about and that you should check into. Some all-time favorite clubs of St. George’s are Ali’s Way and the Make-A-Wish Club. Make-A-Wish is run by copresidents Virginia Whitsitt and Robert Schutt, juniors. They have made some new changes to the club, like selling Canale’s biscuits instead of Chik-Fil-A chicken biscuits and Jerry’s snow cones. The change from Chik-FilA to Canale’s was made because they were not making enough profit from the biscuits to comfortably submit the check for the wish granting. Make-A-Wish only gained one dollar for every three-dollar biscuit that they sold. Canale’s allows two of three dollars from the biscuits go to the wish granting.
“Recycle,
Recycle, Recycle!“
Some other returning clubs to check out this year are Showers of Love, History Club, Latin Club, and the Fencing Club. Another club that has been around for a long time is the Recycling Club. It was established in 2006, and biology teacher Mr. William McClain has always been there to help make sure the club stays on track. This year’s president is junior Zoe Leake. Her goal for this year is to make everyone at St. George’s recycle at school, and at home, without thinking twice. Leake often shouts, “Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!” throughout the hallways. Her hard work and dedication to make the club known and have recycling become more prevalent in the St. George’s community is admirable. This year’s clubs and service opportunities are extracurricular activities that St. George’s takes pride in. It is a fantastic way for students to be involved inside and outside of the school.
Q. What is the money going toward? A. It’s all 100% going towards anything and everything senate related. It gives us a bigger budget so we can spend more money on awesome things, like Homecoming (DJ Boogaloo and it’s off campus at GPAC).
Q. How successful were you with the first run? A. Pretty darn successful. We had like 91 orders and it’s only getting bigger.
Q. Is there anything you want the student body to know about your experience setting this up?
SGGO Experiences the Outdoors •
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One of the most amazA. We’re doing it for the students. I want everyone to ing aspects of the SGGO have the best year ever, and I promise it’s going to hap- program for Ms. Majuri is the willingness of stupen. dents to trust the leadof the trips. Many Q. Is there anything you want the student ers have never hiked miles body to know about Ching’s Hot Wings? of mountain terrain with 30 pounds on their A. It’s delicious. backs only to spend the night in a slightly damp Q. What is your favorite flavor of sauce tent, so it is not surprising that to some, the idea when you order Ching’s Hot Wings? sounds downright crazy. However, nearly every A. Honey hot, hands down. person with that “I could never do that” mindset has returned with a love for the outdoors they never knew they had. In fact, many don’t want to come home at all.
Ms. Majuri also enjoys the sense of family that develops amongst all who attend these trips, something that all participants can attest to. “It’s amazing how a freshman and a senior, who don’t know each other at all, will be best friends by the end. We’re all best friends,” she said. Every trip, whether backpacking or sledding, requires everybody to work as a team, relying on each other for food, water, supplies – basic survival, really. Different SGGO trips are designed to meet interests in all types of outdoors experiences. If you’re one for backpacking and beautiful
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mountain views, there’s the fall break Smokies trip and the Ozarks trip in January. If river rafting is more your style, then the Colorado rafting trip is offered. The very popular Maine dog sledding trip is available for those looking for a once-in-alifetime experience, and the Ghost River Float is available as a one or two day trip. All St. George’s students are encouraged to attend at least one SGGO trip before they graduate. Whether you’re the outdoors-y type or not, it’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable, lifechanging experience!