St. Luke’s School
377 North Wilton Road - New Canaan, CT - 06840
October, 2010
Dancing At Luke’s Caroline Hopkins Contributing Writer
Courtesy of Caroline Chadwick The semi-permanent CLABs are due to be torn down.
The Secret of School Spirit Naomi Dubissette Arts Editor
Each year, school spirit rises higher and higher as our community undergoes new additions and changes, making the school our home away from home. This year, the grand prize for change goes not to the refurbished science classrooms, nor the now-food welcoming student commons, nor does it go to the new headmaster’s House. The prize for change goes to the clabs, which are now in process of undergoing destruction. Built in 2006 as the birth child of Mr. Thieret’s architectural mind, the clabs were never intended to be permanent structures, but temporary science classrooms until the school was financially able to build a new science wing. In truth, Saint Luke’s has a temporary permit from the town of New Canaan that expires at the end of next year.
St. Luke’s latest project was a redesign of the science wing
In the words of Ms. Gabriele, “when the stock market and economy crashed, it was hard to fundraise building a new science wing. As we wait for the world, to recover, the fundraising climate will get better, and this will be our next project.” At Saint Luke’s, education is tailored to meet the needs of students. Thus, the clabs have served us well, not only providing space for a science class, but the foundation for three-dimensional learning. The nature of the clabs sustains not only meticulous physics experiments, but also any lab or research meeting AP standards. As many of us are familiar, Saint Luke’s classrooms have undergone overloading and chaotic scheduling because both middle school and upper school share rooms. But the possibility of a new a science wing is high and with the clabs gone, it will alleviate some of the parking madness our community has endured. Ms. Gabrielle also spills the secrets of the future including; “the art department in the main building, a dinning commons project with a fireplace, an accessible bathroom in the history wing, and an elevator in the main building.” In her words, “We are building global classrooms. The classroom is very different from what it used to be. We are looking at technology, the right tables, furniture, anything to facilitate collaboration, and thinking about what is next, and what is more conducive to how we teach.” If our founders were to see the school today, they would be proud of the great improvements, the enhanced experience of the students, and the projects that Saint Luke’s has undergone. The way we learn today, is different from the way students learned when Saint Luke’s was founded. This, in itself, is a great achievement. And as amazing as these changes are, the secret of our school spirit is not in the buildings or the beauty of our campus, but it is in the passion and heart of our community. Ms. Gabrielle, who has been here for 23 years, stated perfectly, “You can take St. Luke’s and put it in one room, and it would still be Saint Luke’s. It’s not the building, but the people, that makes the school.”
Up until a few weeks ago, I am embarrassed to admit I really had no idea about the St. Luke’s dance team. Sure, I knew that a few of my friends went to the multipurpose room to dance as their after school activity, but who knew they were actually good? The St. Luke’s student body (myself included) could not have been more impressed with the dance team’s awesome performance at this year’s homecoming pep rally. Jaws dropped all throughout the bleachers as our very own friends, classmates, and teachers spontaneously stormed down to the gym floor and proceeded to join in the dance team’s flawless performance of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”. As I watched the crowd of dancing teachers and students multiply before my very eyes, not one so much as missing a step of the dance sequence, I was quite literally shocked. How did everybody know about this? Who came up with this idea? And the most confusing of all: How on Earth do the teachers know how to dance? It wasn’t until later on that I discovered that this surprise multiplying dance
performance, or “flash mob” as I learned it was called, had actually been in the works for weeks. Hoping to start off the pep rally in an innovative way, rallying up SLS enthusiasm for the coming season, the dance team had the idea to create our very own flash mob, an idea that has recently been popping up throughout cities and colleges across the country. The concept involves a completely random accumulation of people joining into a synchronized dance and then dispersing once the song ends as if it were a normal occurrence. The dance team pulled it off nearly perfectly if I do say so myself. Lauren Pendo, an SLS junior and leading dancer on the team admits, “I was surprised how it stayed a secret seeing as we practiced every lunch for two weeks!” And that they did; once they came up with the idea, the dance team sent out emails informing a group of entirely unsuspected teachers and students of their plan, which proceeded to evolve from there. “It was awesome teaching all the teachers and select students the exact Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” choreography,” Says Caroline Chadwick, another leading junior on the dance team.
Continued on Page 2
Inside this issue...
The Social Network
Sufjan Stevens
St. Luke’s Crew
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October 2010
HILLTOP NEWS
“The Social Network”: A Mirror For Our Generation Ben Klein Contributing Writer
2010 has been a pretty horrific year for film so far. There have been some bright spots (Inception, Scott Pilgrim, Toy Story 3) but for the most part it’s been a mindless filler (Piranha 3D, The A-Team) and massive letdowns (Iron Man 2). However, 2010 finally has its crown jewel of cinema in David Fincher’s “The Social Network.” With this film Fincher has cemented himself in film lore and crafted a potential generation defining movie. The Social Network is a “Trojan War Horse” of a film. It’s disguised as a film about Facebook in order to reel the socialite teenyboppers into the theater, but once Fincher has the kids in their seats he presents them with a truly moving film that delves into loneliness, isolation, competition and the effects of a digital world. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg as the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Eisenberg is fantastic and spot on when it comes to playing the narcissistic know it all, a role he’s been slightly type cast into at this point. The film follows Zuckerberg through college and beyond as his website becomes more and more popular and eventually turns into a global phenomenon. At a young age Zuckerberg has to make decisions that would have any CEO of a fortune 500 company quaking in his boots. While this certainly is terrific subject matter, in lesser hands this movie could have been completely botched. However, instead of diving into monotonous details about codes and business strategies Sorkin instead focuses on Zuckerberg’s psyche and how this reflects on American youth today. This makes “The Social Network” not a film about Facebook, but rather a film about it’s effects, how one isolated emotionally immature kid can come to change the entire world by creating a site that welcomes this kind of behavior.
and displayed it in such a way that hits incredibly close to home for so many American youths. Zuckerbergs betrayals and backstabbing were played out on an incredibly large scale, however one can find many themes demonstrated in “The Social Network” by simply browsing through their friends walls on Facebook. The movie uses a brilliant metaphor in the beginning by showing Zuckerberg creating a site with his friends called “Face Mash”. The site is essentially two pictures of different girls on the Harvard campus and the user can choose which one they think is better looking. While the current Facebook certainly has more features than that, this is in essence what still makes Facebook viable. It creates a place where people can view their friends as objects rather than three dimensional human beings. Someone can simply browse through a person’s page and based on their pictures and interests gather that they know everything about them. “The Social Network” critiques this, and displays in grand fashion the many reasons to be scared and skeptical of the current technological takeover. This is easily the best film of 2010 so far and also one of the best of the last 10 years. Kudos to Fincher and Sorkin for casting this mirror on American culture and showing us so clearly what can and will go wrong in this technological age.
Dance Crew Continued
Through putting on such an impressive show at this year’s pep rally, the SLS dance team definitely put themselves on the map as a legitimate group. Interested as to the details of our school’s dance activity, I asked around, hoping to find out when we might be lucky enough to see the dance team perform again. The group consists of eight SLS girls ranging from eighth to eleventh grade, along with their instructor, Ms. Westerberg. The dance team is currently working to choreograph a few of their own original pieces, which we will be lucky enough to see come the end of November. This recital will also consist of a few solos and duets that cover a wide variety of dance styles. After experiencing their outstanding performance at the pep rally, I’m pretty sure I speak for the entire school when I say we’re looking forward to the show!
A Glimpse: Ms. Fernandez Nikki Bennett-Fite Staff Writer
Background: She graduated from Williams with a double major in history (concentrated in military history) and Spanish. She grew up in Arizona. What she teaches: Spanish III and Spanish IV Honors Interesting facts: “I have a birthmark on my eye that my soccer team thinks is a tattoo.” She actually does have two real tattoos though, a flower on her right forearm and three stars on her left wrist. “I own over 100 pairs of shoes, and I named my cat after my favorite World War II general.” She’s also moved 22 times in the last 10 years.
The Sentinel Staff Editor in Chief Theodor Trampe Co-Editor Jenna Decatur Sports Editor Henry Clayton Arts Editor Naomi Dubissette Staff Writers Maria Carlucci Sebastian Bates Nikki Bennett-Fite Contributing Writers Matt Muney Ben Klein Caroline Hopkins Nick O’Meara Ajit Akole Alex Robertson Steve Sollami Elina Berglund Contributing Photographers Caroline Chadwick Sam Fomon The Internet Faculty Advisor Mr. Flachsbart
Hobbies: She played lacrosse in college and she says, “I love going to art museums, I’ve made it my goal to go to every art museum in New York.” This is the reason that I believe that “The Social Network” will come to be regarded as a generation defining film. Eisenberg’s character is so incredibly spot on as a reflection of the American teenager and young adult. So many kids’ today are concerned more with their virtual life than reality. The value of physical, tangible things has gone out the window with the Internet. A phone call is replaced by a wall post and a date is replaced with an AIM conversation. My generation will grow up to be far more comfortable talking to each other through the Internet than in person. The scariest part about that is that we’re the first to do it. There was no generation before us that grew up with the Internet their whole lives and had Facebooks by the time they hit middle school. We are the guinea pigs and we may be pointed to in the future as the prime example of technological overexposure. “The Social Network” has captured this zeitgeist
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October 2010
Dear Abby DEAR ABBY, My best friend and I have recently had a falling out, she thinks I’m not supportive of her relationship but the thing is that I have a crush on boyfriend, what should I do? This is a sensitive situation. I’m sure you and your friend are very close and you do not want to jeopardized what you have with her. You have to decide what is more important; your friendship or your feelings for her boyfriend. You and your friend are clearly close, if you are willing to disrupt your relationship with her be sure her boyfriend as willing to leave his girlfriend too. If you are unsure, I advise you contemplate the consequences of losing a friend over a boy. Everyone at school hates my best friend, I don’t want them hating me too, what should I do? Students’ feelings and opinions change weekly, they can go from loving something to hating it within minutes. A good friend is much more concrete than that. If you like your friend that’s all that matters, ignore the way other students feel because they will change their minds in a little bit. Also, remember that no matter how close you are with your friend, you are not the same person; just because someone may dislike your friend does not mean they dislike you too. Stand up for your friend and try to let the bad feelings pass. If you stick by your friend when he/she needs you most, he/she’s bound to return the favor.
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OPINION Don’t Fix What’s Not Broken Sebastian Bates Staff Writer I read with interest, Henry Clayton’s piece, “Breaking the Mold,” in the last edition of The Sentinel. While I agree that contemporary literature has merits too often ignored, it must be said that he blatantly disregarded classical and Romantic authors who did not fit his tidy “dead white male” viewpoint of historic literature. While, thank God, he avoided calling Twilight a masterpiece of the modern era, he also ignored the hardship and the minorities present in the famous works of the past. He entirely ignored the great author and thinker Socrates, for example, whose final speech (as recorded in Plato’s Apology) was made as he defended himself from his fellow citizens’ prejudice, just as Sappho, a contemporary, was a victim of discrimination because of her gender and because of the all-female nature of her school. A similarly forgotten author in the article was Miguel de Cervantes, the man who wrote the first modern-style novel, Don Quixote. El Príncipe de los Ingenios (the “Prince of Wits”), was a fugitive, a soldier, a jailbird, and a slave before becoming a world-renowned author.
Submit any questions for Abby to
stlukes.sentinel@gmail.com
“I love my freedom. I love my America.” ~Jessi Lane Adams Support a patriotic cause: http://on.fb.me/9OYYPr
Stephen Flachsbart Advisor
When I was in elementary school in the early 1960s, once a year they trotted out the metric system. We played with metric yardsticks (note the irony), and poured water into liter containers, making an awful mess. We learned about kilograms and decimeters, millimeters and centigrade (or was it Celsius?). We hated it. Every year we were told we better learn it because the big change was right around the corner. “It’s so much easier to calculate,” we were told, and so it is, I guess, but we still don’t like it, and nearly 50 years later we still don’t use it. Why not? My theory is that we Americans are just too darned poetic! To begin with, all those terms sound the same: meter, liter, decigram, decagram. The metric system is a phonetic yawn. Imagine the Who singing, “I can see for kilometers and kilometers.” It just doesn’t cut it. Or if we want to talk about a small person, isn’t it better to call him pintsized and not half-liter sized (let alone 50 deciliter-sized). And what respectable cowboy would ever walk around in a 38 liter hat? There’s something about a “yard” that is much more inviting than a meter. I see green grass and birds, not some dull laboratory. And a mile is a walk through the forest while a kilometer sounds like an like unpleasant device the doctors use on you. Or consider the affect of “It’s 100 degrees in the shade” as opposed to “It’s 52 degrees in the shade.” That’s not hot! That’s, well, who knows what it is!
I found out the other day that I didn’t get into my first choice college, and I’m having trouble handling the news, how do I cope? Getting rejected or being deferred can feel like the end of the world right now, the important thing is to remember that it isn’t. There are hundreds of colleges to choose from, you shouldn’t focus yourself entirely on one. Remember each school is unique and has a lot to offer you as an individual, finding another school to love should be easy. Keep an open mind and continue searching, another perfect school for you is out there somewhere. Don’t give up just yet; the application process is almost over!
Why America Hates Metric
How about, “we have seats at the 47 meter line?” Bully for you!
In a similar vein, Alexandre Dumas is widely considered one of the most successful authors in history. In the words of Jacques Chirac (former President of France), “with you, we were D’Artagnan, Monte Cristo, or Balsamo, riding along the roads of France, touring battlefields, visiting palaces and castles— with you, we dream.” Why then, was such an incredible Frenchman not buried in the traditional burial ground of French heroes, the Pantheon? Because of his skin color: Dumas, a world famous and enduring literary genius, was derided and criticized because he was a member of the oldest and most disparaged minority in the world: an immigrant and a mixed race “mulatto”. How then, with these compelling examples of those who suffered and were hated just as much as any minority or disadvantaged group today, can anyone say that the can all be so easily quantified as “dead white men” to be ignored? Are these authors and those like them any less able to talk to those still oppressed or overlooked by society today? Instead of spending money and time focusing on modern easy-to-read novels, then, maybe it would be better to expend more effort into studying these and other minority authors of the ancient world. It is these authors, after all, that our children- just as our parents and grandparents- will study, because it is these authors, and not any modern writers, who were able to truly capture the human condition.
Or what weighs more, 80 decagrams of feathers or 80 decagrams of lead? Lost in translation. Then we have convenience – it so happens that my foot is exactly a foot long; if we went metric, does this mean we’d go around calling our lower appendages “30 centimeters?” And my stride is a yard long – I’d need to be 6’8” for it to be a meter long. And everyone knows an inch is the size of the last finger joint, but a centimeter? Maybe the size of a freckle? But whose freckle – it’s a messy proposition. All I know is I need my glasses to see one! I suppose if we bought gas by the liter and not the gallon, the price would sound better – until we discovered that our gas tanks hold 45 of them. Which brings us to the crux of the matter. Imagine the cost of replacing every single road sign in the country, converting every sports field, changing all our recipes, re-sizing and recalibrating all our tools and building materials. What would a 2 x 4 be? A 7 by 14? Unacceptable! In fact I’d like to bring back fathoms, leagues, and fortnights. They sound much more exciting and romantic. So, we can pretend the metric system’s coming, but I’ll wager that even if I live to be 100, we’ll still have good old miles, gallons and pounds. Or maybe I’ll be wrong and they’ll bury me one meter and 8 decameters under!
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October 2010
ARTS
Sufjan’s Ambition
WW1 Revisited
TLC and Polygamy
Alex Robertson Contributing Writer
Sebastian Bates Staff Writer
Nikki Bennett-Fite Staff Writer
Sufjan Stevens is nothing if not ambitious: throughout his career, for better or worse, he’s seemingly made a point of draining himself of all creative power. A project to create an album for all 50 States (he got 2 into it before quitting), various audiovisual enterprises, and a five-disc set of Christmas set--no wonder the guy seemed completely drained by the beginning of this year, barely hinting at ever making music again. Then, suddenly, the 60-minute All Delighted People EP was dropped on us and we saw that, against all odds, he lost none of his creative energy--though, this time, there was no visible “gimmick” (for the skeptical) or “project” (for the rest of us) behind the thing. Now, only two months later, we have The Age of Adz, his first proper full-length release in five years, and, if nothing else, it shows us he’s not kidding around.
Musically, the album is unbelievably bombastic and over-the-top, with flourishes ranging from violin trills to glitch effects to the choir backup vocals that should be familiar to any regular listener of Stevens’ music. As per usual, this is both the record’s greatest strength and its greatest weakness--though the grandiloquence can lend the record moments of breathtaking beauty and musicality, it also occasionally lets the album get lost in its own convoluted song structures. This is perhaps why concise opener “Futile Devices” is so refreshing; a relatively “easy” listen on an album that soon proves to pride itself on being confusing. This isn’t to say the more grandiose tracks can’t be good, too: the title track, in particular, is a gorgeously strange piece of hodgepodge with, of all things, a threenote hook that is stretched and played with throughout the whole song, to great effect. As well, 25-minute(!) closer, “Impossible Soul”, in its striking and beautiful insanity (can you say Auto-Tune?), is something that simply needs to be heard.
However, occasionally, one can’t help but get the sense that, with a little refinement, with a glitch or drum break here or there removed, the album could be its best. Obviously, Stevens wasn’t exactly aiming for “refinement” here (in case you forgot or read over it: one song is 25 minutes long), but that’s beside the point: The Age of Adz is Sufjan Stevens “getting it all out”, purging himself after a period of creative drought, which is all fine and good--it just doesn’t necessarily lend itself to a masterpiece. Still, The Age of Adz is a refreshingly ambitious listen from an artist with endless potential, as well as one that will make you wonder how you got on all these years without him.
Behemoth stands as the second in Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan Trilogy, set in a steampunk-style alternate reality version of the First World War. In this entirely re-imagined timeline, the early discoveries of the famed Mr. Darwin go rather differently than in actuality, leading to the Allies (the “Darwinists”), come the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand armed, with zeppelinsized flying whales and killer bats, while the Central Powers (“Clankers”) prefer tank-sized war-machines. In the previous installment, Leviathan, we were introduced to the two main characters of the Europe-spanning narrative, Deryn (“Dylan”) Sharp and Prince Aleksander von Hohenberg. Deryn, a girl masquerading as a boy in order to join the Royal Air Navy, has risen to become a permanent midshipman aboard the great sky-whale Leviathan, while Prince Alek, morganatic and dispossessed son of the murdered archduke, has fled the Clanker territories with the Darwinists. In this chapter of their story, they travel aboard the Leviathan to Constantinople, aging capitol of the decaying Ottoman Empire in order to keep the Darwinist-sympathetic but clearly Clanker Ottoman Turks neutral in the conflict. Carrying precious cargo, the crew’s mission goes unexpectedly awry, forcing Alek and “Dylan” to ally themselves with the people and rebels in the underbelly of the great city, leading both teens to reassess their unstable situations in the world.
There are only a few taboo topics still left in modern society, and the channel TLC has made it their business to popularize and mainstream them all. The new reality show on TLC, Sister Wives, chronicles the life of a polygamous family living amongst modern society. It is perhaps the most taboo series the channel has ever had the audacity to air, even when compared to contemporary shows such as The Little Couple and Toddlers and Tiaras. Sister Wives made a splash with its season premiere, giving TLC its highest rating for a pilot episode ever. The appeal of the show stems from our curiosity of anything that is non-conventional. The chance to see into the lives of other people, especially people whose lifestyles we disapprove of or don’t understand, is too much to pass up. The show stars Kody Brown, his partners Christine, Meri, Janelle and Robin, and their 13 collective children. The show focuses on taking the viewers through their daily lives. From the safety of their living room, the average American family can now experience the trials and tribulations involved in plural marriage. The family deals with complex issues such as jealousy and in recent weeks, legal investigations. Polygamy is in fact a felony in Utah, and though it is rarely indicted, authorities have deemed it unavoidable in this case. The family faces loss of the welfare each wife collects, which is a large part of their livelihood, as well as loss of their children. In spite of this, TLC has decided not to take the show off the air.
Though polygamous marriage is often associated with Mormonism, it is important to note that the main Mormon Church, The Church of the Latter-Day Saints outlawed polygamy in 1890. The faction that still practices it, the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints, broke off from the main church and formed an extremist faction. Their connection to the Mormon Church does not extend past name.
The book, like Westefield’s Uglies, can be read simply for its good (but not particularly excellent) prose, its engaging story, or its well-rounded characters, or instead as an introduction to the First World War or, indeed, Westerfield’s other work. This book, however, like Mockingjay, is not well suited to be read first- read Leviathan to understand the world and the characters. I would suggest it to anybody who likes to read historic or science fiction and doesn’t mind a cliché or non sequitour every once in a while.
Top of the Hilltop Movie: The Social Network Song: Stereo Love TV Show: Modern Family Sport: Field Hockey YouTube Video: Marcel the Shell Video Game: NBA 2K11 Event: Halloween Website: Twitter Celebrity: Zach Galifinakas Student Car: Mac’s Ole Bessy Word: Granola
October 2010
5
FEATURES
A Walk In the Commons with Abe Ramirez Nikki Bennett-Fite Contributing Writer
At this point almost everyone in the Upper School is at least remotely aware of a fad called jerkin’. For those of you who are out of the know, jerkin is a type of dance that originated in Southern California and includes minor foot movements and extreme bending of the knees. Here at SLS we are lucky enough to have own very own resident jerker by the name of Abe Ramirez. The junior is part of a jerking crew outside of school called TRJ^, which stands for Team Retro Jerkxz. The Sentinel staff was intrigued by this unique form of dance, and interviewed St. Luke’s very own AZ to find out more.
SS: You must have a pretty big Internet following for your videos to get that many hits, can you tell me about that? AZ: Well, we’ve got a You Tube channel with 200 subscribers, and occasionally 1000 messages a month. Sometimes I don’t even read them because there’s too many. SS: Wow, so any haters? AZ: Nah, no haters. SS: You also have a twitter, GirlsloveAZ, is that correct? AZ: Yea I have 371 followers, trying to get to 1000 by the end of the month. SS: Would you say girls really do love AZ? How many of your followers are girls?
Sentinel Staff: So Abe, why did you start jerkin? Abe RamireZ: I just like the dance. SS: Cool, who is in your crew? AZ: Bunch of outside of school kids you wouldn’t know them. SS: It’s ok just start naming them off. AZ: Justin, Javon, Jeffery, Jesse SS: So all their names start with J? AZ: Yea, pretty much. SS: That’s cool. AZ: Yea. SS: Abe, as I’m sure you are aware, any good crew has to have an organized practice schedule, can you tell me about yours? AZ: Whenever I don’t have too much homework, I go over to my neighbor’s house or something. SS: That’s good. How about crew battles, do you engage in any of those? AZ: Haha, yea occasionally, at parties and stuff sometimes people get beef.
SS: That’s pretty impressive, how do you go about getting sponsored? AZ: If your videos have a lot of hits and people know about you and stuff.
When he walks down the hall, you tremble in fear. He’s on the lookout for the dress code dissidents, and he’s ready to lay down the law. Perhaps he’s made you dig a ditch, peel some potatoes, or clean the cafeteria. The name is Rick Holyfield, and he is widely known as the supreme dress code authority here on the hilltop. However, Mr. Holyfield does a lot of other things too, and he sat down with The Sentinel to tell us more. Sentinel: So, Rick, walk us through a day in your life. 5:45AM: Wake up. 7AM: Lay out clothes for my two sons, Elijah and Caleb. I am teaching them to emulate my impeccable taste. 8AM: Diversity meeting with the Parent Association. I deem their “good morning” response sufficient on the third attempt.
SS: I’m hearing that you also have a lot of other talents as well, such as rapping, producing (with your record label, X Records etc.), and film-making. How is that going?
8:45AM: Check my list of frequent dress code violators. Seek students out and check for compliance. Administer punishment if necessary.
AZ: Well my friend and I are designing a clothing line. SS: How do you see jerking moving into the next decade? AZ: People may not still be doing it in the next ten years, but I’m sure that people will still know what it is. When asked how the SLS Dance Crew would measure up to TRJ^ , Abe simply shook his head and stuck his tongue out. Only time will tell if they will ever engage in a dance battle. Abe got tired of the interview after these questions so we weren’t able to confirm an appearance. Keep your eye pealed for AZ though, recent sightings have included the SLS PAC and cafeteria.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble... Sebastian Bates Staff Writer
With Halloween rapidly approaching, the Sentinel staff was curious about how many here at St. Luke’s still believe in the old Halloween superstitions. We ran a poll throughout the school to find out about St. Luke’s belief in the supernatural, and it surprise us how many still do. Over 40% of those asked, for example, confirmed that they believed in ghosts. Similarly, almost ¾ of the random group said that they believe in UFOs, aliens, and life on other planets. More than half said that they regularly knocked on wood for luck, and a few even said that they thought that saying Macbeth (the “Scottish play”) in a theatre was bad luck.
AZ: Yea, got to have the skinny jeans, and if you’re sponsored you usually wear the t-shirt of your company.
AZ: Yea, by the store Cells in South Norwalk we get mad free stuff.
Matt Muney Contributing Writer
AZ: Haha, definitely more girls than guys on my twitter page.
SS: I bet you show them how it’s done. Am I correct in saying that the normal outfit for a jerker would be skinny jeans and a t-shirt? Is that what you wear to jerk?
SS: Are you sponsored?
A Day In the Life of Mr. Holyfield
Other people we polled revealed superstitions like lucky horseshoes, throwing salt over the shoulder, and refusing to wear checked clothing during public performances. The most interesting story, though, was a report by one student (he asked to remain anonymous) who said that his home was inhabited by a ghost. This ghost apparently moves things around, throws books and pictures to the floor, and interferes with equipment- it’s a poltergeist, in other words (think Peeves from Harry Potter). Is this possible? Is this likely? You be the judge.
9AM: Faculty meeting to discuss new techniques to subdue dissidents. Popular choices include forcing students to use the salad bar, removing parking permits, and water-boarding. 10AM: Identify students who have illegally parked on the tennis courts. Place boots on their cars, rendering them immobile. 11AM: Double period. Teach my senior elective, African American History. 12:30PM: Lunch. BSA Meeting. 1PM: Meeting with Yavenditti to discuss status of violators, and to report on my success in laying down the law. 2:45PM: Detention time. So far the Seniors are leading the charge with the most detentions, followed closely by the freshmen. One Senior who shall remain unnamed has about twice as many detentions as anyone else! 4:00PM: Head home so I can get started on dinner. 6:00PM: Spot one of my sons with his shirt untucked. Just because schools over doesn’t mean I stop laying down the law. 8:00PM: Settle in and watch American Idol. I might loosen my tie at this point, but, I don’t want to look sloppy. 10:00PM: Prepare for bed. I might start reading into book; however, my mind inevitably wanders as I fall asleep to thoughts of how I can best administer detention the following day.
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October 2010
FEATURES
Two Lukes at Luke’s
Jenna Decatur Co-Editor
Prior to this year, the WSLX radio station has always just been something I knew of, but never actually listened to (no offense). However, juniors Luke Costello and Luke Osherow have turned things around for the SLS radio station this fall. I found myself listening to their show one day after school and was pleasantly surprised. Not only is their show funny and entertaining, but my interview with the two Luke’s was also just as, if not more hilarious. Here’s a preview of my afternoon with the Luke’s:
Recently, many have turned away from the offer. We can’t mention names it will bring up some bad memories in the past…(They don’t care to explain) Do you ever get feedback from people outside of SLS? Yeah, we’ve had a couple people call which is nice interaction. We’re also live on the internet so who knows whose listening. How long do you think you’ll continue the show? Rest of my life. (They say simultaneously). I hope Peter Bush passes the station down to me. I want to inherit it. Anything else you want to add? Stay classy. Also our slogan is thanks for stopping by (we believe it sounds more homey than thanks for listening). They then proceed to fight over who thought of that genius slogan...
Middle School Teacher Spotlight Ajit Akole Contributing Writer
What is your show called? The Luke Squared Show. Why did you guys decide to do a radio show? I am kind of unathletic. The fall is not my best athletic season to say the least. How many listeners do you have? Well, daily we have 15,000, and annually we have 2.2 million (Yeah, ok…) What is the basis of your show/what do you talk about? Oh, great question. Well we mainly talk about sports, primarily football and NBA stuff. What kind of music do you play? When edited versions of current songs are available we play that but it’s rare. We also have Reggae Wednesday but that show has been struggling…the ratings are not that high. We’re controlled by Peter Bush, class of 1974. Therefore, we mostly play oldies…like 90’s music. But Peter Bush is our role model. He’s the face of WSLX. (Luke Costello then runs into their office and brings back a framed picture of Peter Bush, implying they worship it.) What kind of music would you really like to play? The triple R’s—rap, reggae, and R&B. Current songs would be nice. How often are you on air? Every Monday and Friday from 3-4. On the other days we do side chores. Was it a coincidence that you’re both named Luke or is that one of the reasons why you decided have a show in the first place? Coincidence…a freaky coincidence. Do you think it gets confusing for listeners when you’re calling each other Luke on air? Can’t say it does because of the voice differences. We’re kinda a big deal so we have our regulars too. We have diehard fans like Roger Dagestan. Do you have guest appearances?
New Jersey experienced a series of arsons every year on Mischief Night. On October 30th 1991 over 130 arsons were committed throughout the city under the veal of darkness. In Detroit, Michigan, Mischief Night stretches
Mrs. Jamie Nestor is one of the new teachers here at St. Luke’s. She teaches Latin to the Middle School and Upper School. Mrs. Nestor was born in the Bay State, Massachusetts, and lived there for most of her life. She also has one sister. Mrs. Nestor did her student teaching at Westford Academy, Massachusetts. In her last year of college, she taught Latin at Westford Academy. After she graduated, she began teaching at the Dexter-Southfield school, also in Massachusetts. Mrs. Nestor was not only a teacher, but was also a ballet dancer, and therefore moved to Florida in 2001 for a ballet job. After that, Mrs. Nestor moved to Massachusetts once again, but then decided to do go to graduate school at the Big Apple, New York City. After that, Mrs. Nestor moved to Connecticut in August of 2010. Here are a few interesting tidbits about her. Mrs. Nestor has a cat named Apollo. Mrs. Nestor loves running, and did a halfmarathon in September. Mrs. Nestor also likes to do spinning, or indoor cycling. Mrs. Nestor likes reading the news and different blogs about food, education, and computers. Mrs. Nestor likes to cook whenever she has time, and also likes to hang out with her friends and family. Mrs. Nestor is a great new teacher that will definitely become a member of the St. Luke’s community.
Mischief Night Nikki Bennett-Fite Staff Writer
As you may or may not be aware, the night before Halloween, the 30th of October, is known in various regions of the country as the one night a year when teens can wreak havoc on their towns. Many kids wait all year to pull pranks such as egging houses and “ding-dong ditching” in an organized and socially acceptable way. It’s the one, the only, Mischief Night. The tradition of Mischief Night (known by many different names including Mizzy or Cabbage Night, in Liverpool, England) is recognized and “celebrated” in different parts of the United States, England and Canada. The tradition began sometime in the nineteenth century in England and appears to simply have been an excuse for British youth to cause trouble! Police highly discourage participation in Mischief Night because even though most of the pranks are harmless, sometimes hooligans get a little carried away. In fact during the 1990’s the city of Camden in
the local police force so thin that they have to enlist citizen volunteers to patrol the streets. When I asked some SLS teachers if they had any Mischief Night stories to share from when they were younger I got some pretty intriguing answers. “No”, says Mr. Lebris. “I didn’t really care and/ or pay attention.” adds Mr. Murphy. With all that said, whatever you decide to do next Saturday night, October 30th… keep in mind the original carefree spirit of the holiday and don’t cause too much trouble, but more importantly, whatever you do, don’t get caught!
Top 10:
Rejected Halloween Costumes
10. Plumber 9. A Tooth 8. Ronald McDonald 7. A Pair of Glasses 6. A Person with 7 Broken Legs 5. Math Teacher 4. Mark Davis 3. Car Air-Freshener 2. Astrophysicist 1. Andrew Wagle
October 2010
7
JUST FOR FUN Halloween Crossword Puzzle Random Kid of the Month
What is your name? Bobby Quackenbush What’s your favorite color? Periwinkle. What are your hobbies? Arranging books on shelves in alphabetical order and then throwing them all on the ground so I can start over! Are you good at anything? I’m good at my hobby. Anything else you want to add? Stay cool. Read often.
Crossword Answer Key
Fun Facts
Wacky Laws: CT Edition
Maria Carlucci Maria Carlucci Staff Writer Staff Writer -French fries did not originate in France.. they -You can be stopped by the police for biking over 65 miles per hour. are American! -The chicken is the closest living relative to the T Rex
-You aren’t allowed to cross a street while walking on your hands. (Hartford, CT)
-A “jiffy” is an actual unit of time
-It is unlawful to walk backwards after sunset. (Devon, CT)
-Vikings never actually wore horned helmets
-It’s illegal to sell silly string. (Southington, -As a child, Hitler wanted to be a priest... CT) -Tug of war was an olympic sport in 1920 -There are around 100 million bubbles in a bottle -It is illegal for fire trucks to exceed 25mph, even when going to a fire. (New Britain, CT) of champagne -Television was invented before sliced bread
-It is illegal for a husband to kiss his wife on Sunday.(Hartford, CT)
-The average tree can produce enough wood for -Any dogs with tattoos must be reported to the 170,000 pencils police. -The names of the ghosts from Pacman are Blinky, Inky, Pinky and Clyde -In order for a pickle to officially be considered a pickle, it must bounce.
ACROSS: ɟǝɔıun ˙61 uosuǝʌǝʇs ˙51 uǝǝʍollɐɥ ˙41 ɹǝɥsn ˙31 ʎǝllǝɥs ˙11 uɹǝʇuɐl ˙01 ɹǝʞoʇs ˙6 ısoıƃnl ˙5 uıǝʇsuǝʞuɐɹɟ ˙3
DOWN: ƃuıslǝɥ ˙21 ɥɔʇıʍ ˙9 ʎɹoɥʇɐq ˙8 uǝʌɐɹ ˙7 ʞɔıɹʇ ˙4 ʎɯɯnɯ ǝɥʇ ˙2
8
October 2010
SPORTS
The Fall Classic Shift for Crew Steve Sollami Contributing Writer
It’s that time of the year. October. You know what that means. Not football, but baseball. Most people think fall sports revolve around the beginning of football season, but no. I think fall, I think World Series and playoff baseball. There are a small handful of people who share this way of thinking with me. There’s nothing better this time of year than the World Series. After more than 162 games and a long summer of heat and hard work day after day, this is it. This best of seven series defines the way fans and players will view their team’s season. For one team and one city or state, it means fall glory. For another, it means defeat and a long cold winter ahead. Sure there is football, but that’s only one or two days of the week to look forward to and it makes Monday-Friday just that much more brutal. There is no other event in sports like the World Series. For one week of the year, night after night, the two best teams in baseball go head to head for that shot at fall glory. During this week, there are moments cities will never forget, and moments they wish they could forget. Boston fans will
never forget the sorrow felt in Game 7 of the ALCS in 2003 when Aaron F. Boone of the Yankees crushed that knuckleball from Tim Wakefield over the left-field wall for a walk-off homerun. But they also won’t forget how this sorrow turned into joy the following season when the Sox got their shot at redemption against those same Yankees and came back from being down 3-0 in the series to complete the greatest upset and playoff series in sports history. What’s more, the upset occurred in New York on the same field that the Sox had walked off of the year before with nothing to show for it. New York fans will remember both of these moments vividly as well, but for many different reasons than Boston fans. There are also cities that wish they had moments like these to remember. I don’t think there is a single living person today who could say they remember the 1908 World Series when the Chicago Cubs won their last World Series title. But what makes sports so great is that these die-hard Chicago fans don’t give up. However, regardless of whether your team wins or loses in the fall or doesn’t even get the chance to experience fall baseball, there is still a sense of sadness in the baseball world that the season has come to an end. But for one team, one city, the winter might seem a little less cold. Be sure to tune into the World Series and witness history in the making.
Elina Berglund Contributing Writer
The St. Luke’s Crew Team is probably the least talked about sport on the hilltop. Due to its small size, practices in South Norwalk, and regattas held in far away places, the rowing team tends to go unnoticed by most students on campus. Nevertheless, since its funding in XXXX, the team has had a history of dedicated and victorious rowers – many of whom have gone on to prestigious collegiate teams. Sharing its South Norwalk boathouse with New Canaan High School, the two teams have developed a close relationship with one another over the years.
Soccer Future Nick O’Meara Contributing Writer
This year’s Boys Varsity Soccer team has been completely misrepresented by the numbers. As of Thursday, October 21st, the team holds a meager 4 and 8 record. Given the team’s talent and will power, this is disheartening to say the least. The team has ten confident seniors, a handful of young stars in the 9th and 10th grade, and some of the best physical strength and aggression in the league. Yet, for whatever reason, the boys just can’t quite put it all together. The truth is, this is one of the most talent-filled and exciting teams in the FAA. This year’s squad, at a glance, appears to have everything it needs for success. Kevin Young has some of the most impressive ball-handling skills in the league. Mike Clark has the strike of a pro. And Sean Kelly can run straight through anyone who crosses his path, on offense and on defense. The team also has a plethora of young talent, seen most clearly in freshmen Nils Berglund’s sensual left foot and sophomore Robert Morris’ 185-pound body. Yet the boys are still fighting to keep their heads above water, and stay in contention for the league tournament. While facing some tough losses to King, GFA, and Masters, the team’s true ability can be seen after last week’s blowout win at Harvey, as the Storm was unstoppable, scoring 7 goals and allowing their opponents none. This just may be that little spark that this team so desperately needs to ignite a hot-streak.
Also, it’s housed in the same location as the Maritime Rowing Club, an advanced team for competitive rowers from across Connecticut. With a reputation for victory, and superior funding and coaching, this team has always recruited the most successful SLS rowers. In recent years, the volume of students rowing for this team increased greatly, to the point where more students were rowing for MRC than for SLS. As a result, after much consideration, it was decided that SLS would officially join forces with New Canaan. As of this fall, the St. Luke’s Crew team is, at least nominally, nonexistent. For the most part, however, things have carried on exactly like before – with the exception of a newfound lack of transportation to the boathouse and new unisuits. Any student seeking to row is more than welcome to join the NCHS/MRC team. While there is no longer a SLS teacher coaching, Nate Kelly (SLS class of 2006) coaches the Advanced Girl’s team, and would love to see his high school represented!
Upcoming Varsity Games Tuesday, October 26th
Field Hockey vs. Sacred Heart @ Home – 4:00PM
Wednesday, October 27th
Cross Country @ Hopkins – 4:00PM Girls Soccer vs. Hamden Hall @ Home – 4:00PM
Thursday, October 29th
Volleyball vs. Hamden Hall @ Home – 4:00
Saturday, October 30th
Football vs. Hackley @ Home – 2:00PM
Monday, November 1st
Field Hockey vs. Hamden Hall @ Home - 3:30PM Boys Soccer vs. Christian Heritage @ Home - 4:00PM Volleyball @ King - 4:00PM
Tuesday, November 2nd
Field Hockey vs. Holy Child @ Home - 4:00PM
Wednesday, November 3rd
Girls Soccer vs. Sacred Heart @ Home - 3:30PM Volleyball @ Sacred Heart - 4:00PM Cross Counry @ Waveny Park - 4:00PM
I asked team captain Kevin Young what some of the team’s struggles were and what they could do to win. He stated, “When we play as a team and take advantage of our chances, we’re unbeatable.” This was evident in last week’s win as Kevin had 3 goals and 2 assists. Whether it is Jake Hamill making a miraculous save, Sean Kelly kicking a “crisp” through-ball, or Mike Clark breaking away from defenders, this year’s Boys Varsity soccer team has the makings of a championship competitor. They need our support now more than ever, as they play Rye, Cheshire, and Christian Heritage in the upcoming weeks. Lets go Storm!