Commentary Thoughts on Sports Banquet Page 2
Features Holidays Around the Globe Page 3
Arts New Year’s Eve: Miss it! Page 4
Community 21 Days of Giving Page 6
Sports Lady Hoopsters clinch tourney Page 7
Wilbraham & Monson Academy
TLAS
A
Volume IV, Issue 3
By ISSA BEST ‘13 Staff Writer
The Global School ®
December 18, 2011
Veni, Vidi, Vici on TV
was initially broadcast on a local station WWLP-22. However, for the past five Who was president in 1788? years, “As The answer: George Washington. Schools This was just one of the questions Match featured on the Springfield MasWits” has sachusetts game show “As Schools been coMatch Wits.” The Wilbraham & produced by Monson Academy team was hand WGBY, the selected by advisor Mr. Kelly, and local public consisted of Nick Jalbert ’12, Cath- TV station, erine Liang ’12, Nora Harrington and West’13, and Jackson French Robitaille field State ’14. On November 20, the quartet campus. “We got there, we met the traveled to Westfield, MA for the other team, then we went into the taping of their first round competi- recording studio, and we had our tion. mics set up and did sound checks,” This year’s team, led by said Robitaille. “We then introveteran and captain Jalbert, beat a duced ourselves individually to the determined team from New Leadcamera and the woman who hosts ership, a charter school in Springthe show, Beth Ward, came in. She field. The program will air on said hi to everyone and asked us Saturday, January 28 at 7 pm. what we wanted to talk about when The program, which pits she did the live interviews.” teams from competing high schools The program starts out in a half-hour televised queswith a Challenge round. The two tion and answer contest, has been teams are asked questions from around since 1961. The program any of the six categories (Math &
Science, Popular Culture, History, Literature, and General Knowledge) for 10 points each. Ward, the moderator, asks questions from any of the categories and the contestants hit their buzzers (like in Jeopardy) to get a chance to answer the question. The team receives 10 points for each correct answer, but the other team gets a chance for the points if the first team answers incorrectly. The Challenge Round is followed by a Capitalization Round. In this round, a team picks a category and a point value from the board, just like in Jeopardy. To determine which side goes first, both teams are asked a qualifying
Wilbraham, MA 01095
question. The first team to answer correctly then receives a series of questions related to the first question for points. However, if the qualifying question is answered incorrectly, the other team gets the opportunity to answer and potentially get the points from any questions they can answer in the category. The program concludes with the Lightning Round, a 90-second round where teams are given a general subject and the first team to hit the buzzer gets a shot at the question. Correct answers are worth 5 points but incorrect answers are penalized 5 points. Jalbert said he was “especially pleased by our win, noting that it was the WMA’s highest score in the competition in three years. Since second round contestants are determined by the total points scored in a first round match (WMA scored 185), the Titans won’t learn if they made it into the next round until all of the first round contests are completed.
Academy Players’ Somber 9/11 Reflections
By NORA HARRINGTON ‘13 Art Editor
Vogt ‘15, Alexandra Stoll ‘15, Najma Shy ‘15, Madeleine Duke ‘15, Lyusi Abramian ‘15, Dani Wilbraham & Monson’s elle Pytko ‘14, Hunter Donovan Academy Players had a lot on ‘14, and Cari Manghan ‘13. Each their plate during the fall trimestold their character’s stories with ter. As a group, they compiled and the importance that they deserve. adapted first-hand accounts from While the monologues were delivthe September 11, 2001 terrorist ered in plain clothing and on a simattack into a theatrical ple black production where each box set, actor plays different the narcharacters with differratives ent stories of their exwere periences that day that quite intertwine. The play, elabocalled “9/11 Accounts rate and and Reflections”, was ranged performed in Fisk Thefrom ater Nov. 12 and 13. romantic The spotlight to tragic was shared by Nick to surJalbert ‘12, Rachel prisingly Ostrom ‘12, Nick Gillightfor ‘14, Issa Best ‘13, hearted. Melody Liu ‘12, Jacob Mr. Royal ‘13, Adam Dziura, Maciaszek ‘15, Ben who Ochola ‘15, Jonathan co-wrote
and directed the production, said his goal was “to focus on what we think about when we think about September 11th.” Often, he added, “the event is used as a way to rally people around political causes and people lose focus that what happened that day was that 3,000 people died.” He said he is “tired of all of the attempts to portray these deaths as a monolithic political statement.” It was a difficult process, one that should have probably taken two years, not two months. ’The main thing I remember about the time leading up to the play was that it was very hectic,’’ says Issa Best. The project was ambitious to begin with but the surprise Halloween blizzard and the lost week, created new challenges. As a result, a number of special effects planned for the production were dropped. The Academy Players used the book Tower Stories, a collection of first person accounts, as a starting point for the script. They spent the first month reading the
accounts out loud and deciding which ones to use. They came to the group decision to use New York obituaries in counterpoint to the Galway Kinnell poem “When the Towers Fell”, accounts from Tower Stories and Time Magazine’s 9/11 commemorative issue. They began with two central narratives from people in the towers when the jets hit supplemented by narratives of family, friends and neighbors. Mr. Dziura said they wanted to tell individual tales, bringing the audience closer to the people who lived and died that day, focusing on the human factor of that tragic event in a new way. He succeeded in doing this mainly due to the range of characters portrayed. If the goal was for the audience to find relatable traits in the characters then the goal was achieved. Considering the density and sincerity of the subject matter, the cast, which included many actors new to Academy Players, did a fantastic job delivering a powerful and memorable performance.
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Commentary
ATLAS Staff Editors-in-Chief Teresa Kennedy ‘12 Austin Little ‘12 Sara Tardiff ‘12 News Editor Eva Landers ‘12 Production Editor/Photographer Sarah Goolishian ‘13 Department Editors Nicholas Jalbert ‘12 (Editorial) Brandon McKenna ’12 (Sports) Nora Harrington ‘13 (Arts) Staff Writers Stephanie Reeves ‘12 Nicole Robitaille ‘12 Arnelle Williams ‘13 Mia Konstantakos ‘13 Issa Best ‘13 Kelsey Gomes ‘13 Molly Moran “13 Maria Waslick ‘13 Brian Kennedy ‘14 Production Steven Ragnauth ‘12 Faculty Advisor Timothy Harrington Additional Photography Matt T. Risley Risley Photography
Gill Danglies
Varsity Banquet Cuts Into Study Time Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Varsity Sports Banquet, held on November 15th, was a time to celebrate the athletic achievement of WMA’s fall athletic teams. Teams looked back on seasons that held varying degrees of success, and individual athletes were recognized for outstanding athletic achievement. While the Varsity Banquet is certainly a necessary part of the WMA athletic calendar, there are several issues that pop up every year. The two main issues are the length of the event, and the placement in the school calendar. The speeches at the Varsity Banquet, for the most part, are too long. No one wants a play-byplay recollection of every single game of the season. We simply want to hear a quick five-minute anecdote about the team’s growth or success, and then move on to the next team. The longest speech at this year’s banquet lasted for approximately 20 minutes, and while it was interesting to hear about the team’s trials and tribulations, by the end of the speech many of the students in attendance had lost interest. It is important for speech givers to know that, while mem-
bers of your team may enjoy reminiscing over the recently completed season, no one else wants to listen for 20 minutes about any one team. The other major problem with Varsity Banquet is the date on which it is held. The banquet historically falls conveniently in the last full week of the trimester, when teachers are assigning papers, threatening tests, and piling on the homework in order to get those final grades in. So how to solve the Varsity Banquet problems? First, let us focus on the speech length. How can one team be allowed to speak at length while others try to abide by an unofficial time limit? A ten-minute speech restriction seems appropriate, as this is the length that most teams stick to. However, time limits only work if they are enforced. Perhaps, if a small clock were to be put on the podium at Varsity Banquet, it would serve as a friendly reminder that the speeches are not supposed to be any longer than 10 minutes. From an athletic perspective, it makes sense to hold the banquet the week after sports end, because there are no practices going on and, in theory, everyone has more time. However, this is usually the time
when teachers realize the trimester is ending and pile on the work. The perfect time to hold Varsity Banquet is the week that classes begin for the second and third trimesters (obviously, the spring banquet needs to remain at the end of the year). The relocation would not greatly affect athletics. Although some teams would have to miss a day of practice, it would be on the first or second day back, which is very early in the season. Surely missing one day of practice is a fair trade-off for having a full night of studying towards the end of the previous trimester. An additional benefit to re-locating Varsity Banquet to after the break is the recognition of post-season awards. Currently, post-season awards are presented in front of students at school meetings. However, if banquet were to be moved to the beginning of the second and third trimesters, awards could be presented in front of the athlete’s friends and families, making them more meaningful. Varsity Banquet is one of the great culminating events of each athletic season. It is a wonderful occasion, but it is marred by several unfortunate issues. However, if these issues were fixed, Varsity Banquet would be an event that everyone would look forward to and enjoy in seasons to come.
the Latin word for “business” literally means “not free time”. For many of the Wilbraham & Monson community, this free time is wholly deserved and much needed. Advanced Placement classes, varsity sports, community obligations, and activities outside of school all take their toll on the active Wilbraham & Monson student. Thanksgiving break is –- for these overworked exemplars of the preparatory school life style -- a crucial time of rest and recuperation. Even to the less involved student, time away from campus is an excellent way to refocus for athletic and academic pursuits. But what of the students of non-oppidan origins, the boarding students who comprise nearly half our school’s population? The week-long Thanksgiving Break is tailored specifically to the needs of the long distance boarding student. A full week affords time to return home and see family. On one hand, this break may not coincide with any major
international holidays, but on the other, time with family is always a welcome gift to boarding students. With two days removed from the break, many boarding students have voiced complaints that they are less likely to see family on top of the lack of recuperation time needed by the whole of the student body. While the argument for restoration of the old Thanksgiving break may seem strong from the perspective of the harried student; however, from the perspective of the administrator or faculty member, there is an equally valid case for the shortened break. Wilbraham & Monson students enrolled in AP courses face the challenge of a smaller amount of meeting periods compared to public school students due to the nature of our unique schedule. Although classes are extended by only two days, this schedule change actually adds five days of productivity to the fall trimester. The Friday of the week
before thanksgiving is now a full day of classes, and the weekend is now open to homework assignments. Moreover, the addition of these two days to the schedule places the whole school community in an industrious, focused mind set the week before break. Where the week before Thanksgiving was once a lax lapse in productivity, a harried sigh at the end of a productive sprint of academic industry, it is now a final push of concentrated effort. That change alone is an immeasurable benefit to the school community. But. I would be lying if I said my initial reaction to the shortened break was positive; however, having experienced it, I can say that the shortening of the vacation did not ruin my Thanksgiving holiday. I was notably more productive and focused during the previous week, though in all honesty, I felt as if the final two days, of the trimester did not add much to the curriculum.
By AUSTIN LITTLE ‘12 Co-Editor-In-Chief
Thanksgiving Break?: More Done, Less Fun By NICK JALBERT ‘12 Editorial Editor A notable change this year is the subtraction of three days of Thanksgiving Break (four if one considers the first weekend off a part of the vacation). The Wilbraham & Monson community has met this change, as it meets all changes, with mixed emotions. In this year, a year of great change for us all, this upheaval of the normal vacation pattern has stirred up a good deal of frustration among the student body; however, there are solid practical reasons behind and a sound logical argument for this change. Productivity is the watchword of the proponents of the shortened break, leisure is the watchword for the opponents. The argument against the shortened break is a simple one, borne of the common sentiments of the typical high school student: leisure is preferable to work. This love of free time is by no means exclusive to the modern teenager:
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Features
Top Ten Worst Gifts Evah! By EVA LANDERS ‘12 News Editor
receive a Sephora beauty basket (for your pale complexion of course). It’s that time of year again: that 8) Department Store Gift Cardominous “Holiday Season” There has arrived and with it comes is no the equally dreaded shopping reason list. Thankfully Atlas is here to resort to help! Now, we may not be to the able to offer all of the answers gift card to your gift selecting queries, kiss of but we certainly can steer you death. away from those gifts that That will kill your recipient’s holi$25 day spirit. Look out WMA, Macy’s here come the 10 worst gifts card of all time… screams “I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO 10) Gym Membership- Unless GET YOU SO I GOT YOUR you are looking for a slap in the SOMETHING GENERIC”. If face, you should keep away from you are shopping for a teenager, a any gift that may insult your recipi- Forever 21 gift card is a good opent. If you give this gift and don’t tion. If it is an older person on your think you are implying the person shopping list who has stumped you are giving it to is fat, think you, who doesn’t love the Christagain! Just give up now and give mas Tree Shops? everyone on your list a Starbucks 7) Anything monogrammed- Last gift card. time I checked I haven’t forgotten 9) A gift that you secretly want my initials, and don’t need them to use- You may think that you are embroidered on my socks. Your being sneaky giving your sister that recipient probably hasn’t either. video game you have been dy6) Gifts you think are cute- Trust ing to own, but you aren’t fooling me, odds are they aren’t. I know anyone. Giving a gift like this will that I used to want to be a princess guarantee that next year you will when I was five, but that doesn’t
mean I want a Cinderella Barbie as a joke. These “cute” and “funny” gifts will most likely end up tucked away in the deepest corner of a closet or if your recipient is more abrupt, in the trash. 5) Any form of Chicken Soup for the Soul- Anyone receiving this gift is going to think you fear their mental stability. Giving this book is a sure way to make an enemy, and you probably don’t want to have a mentally unstable enemy. 4) Socks and/or Underwear- If you think this gift is funny, it is the most overused joke in the holiday world. No one will laugh, they will just resent your stupidity. 3) Hand Knitted Sweaters With Sayings- You can’t honestly think anyone would want a sweater with “Santa’s Little Helper” on it…
lies wait until Christmas morning. So my presents from my mom and dad and sister, don’t get opened till Christmas morning at my house. – Steven Ragnauth ‘12
The closest American celebration to the Italian Christmas is Thanksgiving. In Italy, each family has its own personal menu that they repeat each year. Usually on Christmas Eve, my family has a whole dinner based on fish. 3-4 appetizers, 2 main courses, the catch of the day served with potatoes, and typical winter desserts. On Christmas day we have tortellini drenched in broth, and to be honest, we enjoy the leftovers from the night before. Christmas brings family and close friends together. It is the only time of the year that my entire family gathers at my grandma’s house in the mountains and enjoys a couple of nights together. – Guilia Ricci ‘12
These last two don’ts are for all of you shoppers contemplating what to get that special someone. Pay attention, this could be what saves your relationships... 2)
get her clothes. It’s a double-edged sword. You could get her something ugly, or even worse something in the wrong size. One size too big, she feels fat. One size too small, she feels fat. If by chance you end up getting her something cute and in the right size, she may start to wonder how you figured it out, and if you may have enjoyed your trip to the mall a little too much… 1) Girls – Matching clothes. This growing epidemic not only disgusts passersby on the street, but could help send the message that you are 1) controlling or 2) a cat obsessed woman in the making. Unless you aspire to be a crazy controlling cat lady, put down that “I’m with her” shirt, and promise to never ever pick it up again. So there you have it— the 10 gifts to avoid this holiday season. Hopefully our tips will ensure you to be crowned “The Best Holiday Shopper of All Time.” You are most welcome; just don’t forget to give us some of the credit
Boys- Do not even attempt to
Our Favorite Winter Holiday Traditions
By TERESA KENNEDY ‘12 Co-Editor-In-Chief Well, Muslims have Eid, meaning day of happiness, twice a year: one following the month of Ramadan and another later in the year during which we have to sacrifice a living animal and share the meat with our loved ones and the poor. The fun part of this, however, is that during both of these days, everyone is allowed to “salaam” their elders, which entails touching their feet. The elders then are obliged to hand over some money. This isn’t much fun as you grow older, but when I was a little younger, I used to love Eid because of this. I used to run around and touch everyone’s feet to rake in all the money! – Tashfiq Mannan ‘12 Every Christmas Eve I go over to my aunt’s house for a party. We have lobster curry for dinner (I guess that’s our little way of putting a Guyanese swing on Christmas because we don’t celebrate it religiously) and then open all of our presents that we got each other. But the presents from within fami-
The countdown: This is my favorite holiday tradition because all my family and close friends are together. Every single one of us is waiting for the same thing. The end of the year and the beginning of a new one: full of opportunities, adventures, and learning. 10, 9, 8… I hold my mother’s hand. 7, 6, 5… I make a mental picture to imprint the moment in my memory. 4, 3, 2… I prepare myself to start new exploits with a big and happy smile on my face. Finally, 1… Happy New Year! The countdown is over and all I can hope for is for this smile to stay. – Julia Carrasquel-Marquez ‘12 My favorite holiday is Christmas.
My favorite holiday tradition is the tradition of the Korean Thanksgiving. Before thanksgiving day, the entire family gets together and makes rice cake. Then we bake them and eat them on Thanksgiving day. My favorite part about this tradition is when we are eating the rice cake, we can identify who made each rice cake and laugh about it. – Ryan Chung ‘12 My favorite holiday tradition is Christmas. I love it because the whole family comes together and celebrates. We always eat good food and have a lot of fun. Then we get presents, which is another reason I enjoy this tradition so much. – Philipp Oetken ‘13 My aunt, uncle, grandma, and grandpa come to my house and we would play dreidel for hours together over coin shaped chocolates. Every year I look forward to this, even if it’s not during Hanukkah. We usually eat potato pancakes and roast beef on rye. It is soooo good! – Jacob Royal ‘13
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Arts
New Year’s Eve: Resolve to Wait for the DVD By MIA KONSTANTAKOS ‘13 Staff Writer Is it a good thing to have an overwhelming number of Alist celebrities in one movie? It is probably helpful to create a buzz around the opening of a film. But, in the case of New Years Eve, it’s just weird. It is clear the producers of this holiday-themed movie tried to appeal to a wide demographic spectrum. The film features more than five Oscar-nominated actors. Its starlit cast ranges from Lea Michelle, star of the popular teen TV series Glee, to Robert De Niro, heavyweight film veteran. Strangely, the cast boasts rocker Bon Jovi. It’s also clear that most of the actors were cast for their name, and not for typecasting reasons; the all-star cast tends to distract from the overall story line. But it is interesting to see all the big names working together in one film, nonetheless. It’s as if all the stars of Hollywood were extremely bored and decided to come together and hang out during a New York winter weekend. New Years Eve doesn’t differ much from Valentines Day,
which also had a massive A-list cast and the same director and screenwriter. In fact, if you’ve seen Valentines Day, you’ve also seen New Year’s Eve. Many of the ac-
the not-so-surprising location of Times Square, to see the not-sosurprising attraction of the glittering ball that drops over Manhattan at midnight. The plot is basi-
tors in New Year’s Eve, were also in Valentines Day. Both movies center around characters living in a large city (Los Angeles, New York City), whose lives all somehow connect. The obvious serendipity of this film will make you roll your eyes again and again. All of the stars are lured to
cally an amalgam of personal New Year’s stories of characters who are at different stages in life The stories begin to intertwine as young teen Hailey (Abigail Breslin) hopes to receive her first kiss directly beneath the luminous globe. Stan Harris (Robert De Niro) is a hospitalized and dying
Ask Atlas: Be Merry, or Else! BY NICOLE ROBITAILLE ‘12 Staff Writer Dear Atlas, My boyfriend is buying me a really expensive gift for Christmas, but I can’t think of anything to get for him. We’ve only been dating for two months and I’m not sure how long we’re going to last so I don’t want to make a huge investment. I’m worried that I will look like a bad girlfriend if he shows me up with an amazing gift. Boys are so hard to shop for! What can I give him without spending too much or seeming too stingy? Sincerely, Giving Impaired Dear Un-paired, If you are really that unsure of how long your relationship will last, I say it’s better to receive! But if you feel you have to, get him a present (even if he doesn’t deserve one). However, make sure you cap your soon-tobe-ex-boyfriend-spending budget at $20, even if he buys you something really nice (Especially if he buys you something nice!) But where can you buy
something worthwhile for a fin. Remember: boys are stupid (especially, soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend boys). Why not go to Dicks Sporting Goods for an on-sale sweatshirt, a stupid baseball cap with his stupid favorite team emblem on it or a new basketball (but without the air). And if you search the store and can’t come up with anything, a gift card can be a great last resort. After all, nothing says “true love” like plastic. If your guy isn’t into sports, the deals on DVD’s this year have been outrageous. And there are even better deals on cassettes so head over to Best Buy or Target (or Blockbuster if you can still find one) and pick up a few of his favorite old movies (emphasis on “old”). If you are creative, you can take him on a romantic Christmas themed date and spend your money on the dinner (but wait to see if he is man enough to pick up the check!). Best of luck, Atlas Dear Atlas, Every Christmas I go to my grandmother’s house for a holiday
party, but I can’t this year because my grandma moved to Florida. Now my parents are telling me Christmas is at my Aunt Gertrude’s house in New Hampshire. To put it mildly, I really, really, don’t like my aunt and cousins. My parents are going to ruin my Christmas! How can I survive spending what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of the year suffering with rude, smelly, family members who give lousy presents? Help me please! Struggling to Survive Dear Struggling, The most important thing about family parties is survival, and one way to do that is by being polite (i.e. risk avoidance). Even though your aunt and cousins may be rude, resist the urge to fight fire with fire! Otherwise, next Christmas could be awkward, and they might buy you even worse presents. Another basic survival tenet for all hostile environments is the buddy system. If you have a brother, sister, or other relative that you like, stick with them. Who said the buddy system doesn’t apply to
old man, who dreams of seeing the ball drop one more time before he kicks the bucket. Couple Tess (Jessica Biel) and Griffin (Seth Meyers) hope to win a $25,000 prize by delivering the New Year’s first baby. Because of the multiple story lines, you never quite fully connect with any of the characters. Just as Valentines Day wraps up with a tight bow in the last 15 minutes, New Years Eve predictably ends with all the characters somehow connecting. If you are looking for a predictable movie, with the typical mushy happy ending, look no further. A few of the characters’ story lines are unrealistic, but that makes the movie all the more fun. This is not a mustsee-in-theaters-pay-$11 type of movie, but more of the wait-till-itcomes-out-on-DVD kind of film that you can rent on some boring Friday night. Overall, the film is a satisfying watch, despite its predictability. And chances are your favorite A-list celebrity is in it!
family gatherings? After all, blood is thicker than water (whatever that means). Danger avoidance is another important tenet of survival strategy. Grab some eggnog, cheese and crackers, and find a quiet corner of the house to avoid being smothered by smelly, over affectionate aunts. If somebody starts to break out the old home videos you can quickly escape. When it’s time for dinner, stake out your seat first and make sure you sit with somebody you get along with -- that way you aren’t stuck sitting at the foot of the table with chain-smoking Aunt Gertrude. To avoid tearful goodbyes and awkward hugging, go to the bathroom once your family is ready to leave and stay there until you hear your family walk out the door. Then, wait about thirty seconds and walk out with a confused look on your face, repeating to anyone in earshot “Oh, I hope they didn’t leave without me.” Finally, turn towards the party and shout “Goodbye everyone, Merry Christmas!” and rush out the door in a hurry. Glad to be of help, Atlas
Arts
Brumalia -- Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Pyre By SARA TARDIFF ‘12 Co-Editor-In-Chief South London singersongwriter Patrick Wolf tries to bring a little personality, as usual, to the dingy British pop scene with his December 2011 EP release of Brumalia. Whether he succeeds or goes completely mental in the process is uncertain. Brumalia starts off on a really bizarre note with “Bitten”, which Wolf claims is all about his addiction to love, sex, and drugs. Whatever that means. There are a lot of awkwardly demonic whispers and moans found in the opening and his voice hits its usually level of creepiness, so Brumalia is about right on track with his five other albums thus far. Wolf insists that the sole reason he created his new EP was to release the song “Together”. It is based on the really original concept of two lovers who reunite during the darkness of winter. Sounds like a sad love ballad, right? Of course, Wolf took it and essentially made it into an 80’s song. Think throbbing synths and an annoy-
ingly foot-tapping beat. Literally out of nowhere, Brumalia transforms from a thematically confused mixed tape into a full-fledged Christmas album. Obviously, as one can tell from the title, this EP was meant to have some type of Winter theme (Brumalia was the name of an ancient Roman winter solstice celebration held on December 25 that typically involved drink and merriment). However, getting Christmas songs involved in all of this was a bit drastic. Apparently this “drug addiction” Wolf likes to sing about isn’t a metaphor for anything… like his track “Time of Year”. All of a sudden we’re faced with portrayals of Christmas trees and gingerbread men and apparently insanity, because since when is this album supposed to be festive? You can’t suddenly throw around lyrics about “frankincense and myrrh” and expect no one to be confused, Mr. Wolf. As if “Time of Year” wasn’t horrible enough, the next track is notably entitled “Jerusalem”. It’s an adaptation of a William Blake
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cially those topics actually relate to their lives, which is much how Patrick Wolf wrote “Nemoralia” on the vibe of the nights during the London riots this past August. He blends actual recordings of the riots breaking out with bits of war-related samples from news features, which is a surprisingly unique concept. He gives his own personal account of the obstructions and destruction land (“green and pleasant land”) with post-industrial England (“dark that shocked both England and the world. Satanic mills”) and looks forward So, with Brumalia anticito the Second Coming. Wolf’s pate hearing about sex, drugs, the allusion is cool, but that’s about holidays, more sex, more drugs, the only thing Wolf has done right William Blake, and rioting. It must with this album. The whole song be exhausting to be Patrick Wolf. has an extremely dark, religious Although his ideas may be all over feel to it, which surprisingly acthe place, at least the emotions and centuates his haunting vocals. experiences sung about in each track I do appreciate artists who are real. choose unusual song topics, espepoem that contrasts pastoral Eng-
Holiday Reading for the Holidays By NICK GILFOR ‘14 Staff Writer There are countless children’s books describing the rich holiday traditions enjoyed around the world at this time of year. The following books, all about the winter holidays, are perfect for children who enjoy reading. Of course, people of all ages are welcome to pore through these books, as their universal messages and beautiful details make them timeless and meaningful. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel is a fantastic story dealing with a small village in Ostropol, Ukraine. The story centers on Hershel, a respected figure in the community, who attempts to drive away a series of goblins that try to stop the town from celebrating Hanukkah. For every night of Hanukkah, a new goblin comes to scare Hershel out of the abandoned synagogue he lives in and to blow out his menorah candles.
The fun in reading the book comes from seeing the different ways that Hershel outwits the goblins. Adapted from a Hanukkah story about how the Assyrians forbade Jews from proper worship, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins uses dark and detailed drawings combined with a dramatic and fantastical story to create an enjoyable and satisfying read for people of all ages and cultures. It’s also a great way to teach young ones about the meaning of Hanukkah. How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss is a classic story not only about Christmas, but also about the power of friendship, family, and love. Using bright colors with iconic “Seussical” shapes and creatures, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! tells the tale of Whoville, a happy town about to celebrate Christmas. The Grinch, a bitter green creature with a heart three sizes too small, hates Christmas. When he sees the Whos preparing for their festivities, he takes away
their presents and decorations with the aim of ruining Christmas for them. However, the Whos are unperturbed and continue to celebrate by gathering together and singing. When the Grinch looks down on Whoville from his lair his heart grows three sizes and he learns to love. This story teaches kids that Christmas is more about family and friends than presents. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has a more mature perspective than the other holiday books, but it certainly contains many of the same lessons about giving that make the holiday season so special. The story tells of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser who hates Christmas. Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who attempt to show him the error of his ways and how to love his fellow man, or in other words, teach him the true meaning of Christmas. Dickens’ combination of simple language and beautiful descriptions makes
for a great read, and he manages to pull at the heart strings in a way most children’s books cannot. The book is popular enough to have spawned the slang term ”Scrooge”, and many television shows have a Christmas episode that pays homage to the story. Published in 1843, the book has stood the test of time. The Gifts of Kwanzaa by Synthia Saint James details the story of a girl celebrating Kwanzaa with her family. Her parents teach her about each part of the celebration. Although it is not as well known as the other books, it explains the reasons behind each holiday activity as well as the meaning of the symbols and Swahili words used in the celebration. Because Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday, begun in 1966, many people are unaware of its particulars. Therefore, The Gifts of Kwanzaa is a helpful book for anybody who wishes to teach their children the traditions of Kwanzaa.
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Features
WMA’s 21 Days of Giving By ARNELLE WILLIAMS ‘13 Staff Writer Each year as the winter holidays approach, the WMA community promotes a season of giving to those in need, both locally and globally. Ms. Norman has worked hard to get everyone on campus involved in the 21 Days of Giving by setting up boxes in each dorm as well as in the Campus Center. Each box is a collection site for donation items such as canned goods, clothing, school supplies, and much more. The season of giving begins at the start of the Thanksgiving vacation and continues until the start of winter break. Since each day is dedicated to a specific project or collection, students and faculty members are able to plan ahead and decide what they want to contribute. These charity events help students and faculty alike to be
By STEPHANIE REEVES ‘12 Staff Writer
grateful for what they have, and allows us to share with others during the holiday season.. Contributions can be as large as buying presents and staging a bake sale, or as small as writing “thank you” cards and donating time at a soup kitchen. The dates for this year’s charitable donations is listed below. Nov. 18 - So Cool accessories proceeds go to buying cows for the Xavante Nov. 21 - Thank-you cards Nov. 22 - Non-perishable items Mayflower Marathon at the Basketball Hall of Fame for Open Pantry Nov. 28 - Paper Crane Project Day 1 (will continue until Dec. 16) Nov. 29 - Hotel toiletry collection
- donations go to Friends of the Homeless Nov. 30 - Cookie baking with Ms. Norman - cookies donated to a local soup kitchen Dec. 1 - Bake sale to benefit Wilbraham organization “Trees Bring Hope” Dec. 2 - Extreme Makeover Home Edition - WMA Premiere 8 PM (Carl Joseph Walker Hoover Foundation) Dec. 3 - WMA Zumbathon 7 PM $5 donation, proceeds go to Monson tornado relief Dec. 4 - Soup kitchen visit - local soup kitchens Dec. 5 - Shoe drive - collected items donated to Friends of the Homeless Dec. 6 - Coat drive - One Warm Coat Dec. 7 - School supplies - Chicopee 1st grade classroom Dec. 8 - Bake sale for Wilbraham organization “Trees Bring Hope” Dec. 9 - 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament - $10 team entry fee - 50/50 split with winning team and Xavante medical supplies Dec. 10 - Relay For Life preview event - details to follow Dec. 11 - Soup kitchen visit - local
Holiday Recipes
quires the melting of 6 tablespoons of butter with 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spread over the top, and If you have a sweet tooth voila, you are done! and are looking for something to Decorated Butter Cooksatisfy your cravings this holiday ies are fun for the entire family season, here are two fabulous reci- because not only are they delipes sure cious, they can also act as a to do the decoration for the Christmas trick: tree! Crème The recipe calls for ½ de cup softened butter, 1 cup Menthe granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 Brownteaspoon pure vanilla exies, and tract, 2 tablespoons Decoheavy cream, 2 ½ rated cups flour, ¼ teaspoon Butter baking powder, and ¼ Cookies. teaspoon salt. Mix the ingre The first treat has three dients together. With floured layers. The bottom layer calls for 1 hands, arrange the dough cup sugar and ½ cup butter (cream into a huge ball. Cover with together); after mixing together, plastic or foil, and let it chill add 4 beaten eggs, 1 cup flour, 1/2 for several hours. After waitteaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ing for about an hour, roll the and one 16 oz. can of Hershey’s dough out onto a floured surface so syrup. Bake at 350 degrees for that it is approximately 1/8 inches thirty minutes in a sprayed 13 x 9 thick. pan. The second layer (made once Cut the cookies into your the brownies are cool but not cold) desired shapes (think Santa Claus, asks for 2 cups of confectionery Rudolf, Christmas trees… You sugar, 1/2 cup of soft butter, and 3 can get creative here!) and place Tablespoons of Crème de Menthe. them onto an ungreased baking Spread this evenly over the brown- sheet. With a chopstick, make a ies. The third and last layer rehole in each of the cookies so that
it will be able to hang on the tree. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the cookies 6-8 minutes. Let them cool, and then decorate with frosting and sprinkles. When they’re all done, weave a ribbon through each of them so that they will be able to hang on the Christmas tree. When you’re hungry and craving a snack, they’ll be right there on the tree, waiting for you. If you want something else on your Christmas Tree, make popcorn balls! You’ll need: popcorn balls for each person, mini candy canes, colored sugar, frosting, and mini M&Ms. First, get a popcorn ball and poke a small hole far enough to make a loop. Cover the entire ball with frosting, and then place the ball gently into sugar. For the sugar dots and lines, decorate as you wish. Remember that frosting can also be used as glue for other types of candy! Enjoy!
soup kitchens Dec. 12 - Hair donations for Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths - donate 8 inches of your hair for cancer patients Dec. 13 - Book drive - focusing on children’s books, but will take all kinds - King’s Academy Summer Enrichment Program for English Language Learners Dec. 14 - Clothing drive - clean out your closets - donations go to area organizations Dec. 15 - Giving Tree - bring presents for local area children in need Dec. 16 - Coin collection final tally for December - donate money all around campus for Xavante medical supplies with a goal of raising $200 The participation of WMA students, faculty, and staff in this giving season shows the caring nature of our community. Each day, visitors to the Campus Center were greeted by the sight of boxes outside of Ms. Norman’s office filled with gifts and donations. Overall, the 21 days of giving have been a huge success, and Ms. Norman is very pleased with the results.
Make your voice heard! Write a letter to the editors and you could be published in our next issue!
Austin Little Teresa Kennedy Sara Tardiff alittle@wma.us tkennedy@wma.us stardiff@wma.us
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Community
Talent Show
Lady Titan Hoopsters Swish SBS Tourney By MOLLY MORAN ‘13 Staff Writer The Wilbraham & Monson Academy varsity girls basketball team is off to an outstanding start, winning its first six games of the 2011-2012 season. The Lady Titans put an exclamation on their fast start by capturing the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Holiday Classic tournament just before the winter holidays on Dec. 16 and 17. After cruising to three easy victories over Miss Hall’s (39-12), Cheshire (51-30) and Westover (34-14), the Titans faced off with Millbrook in the first round of the SBS tourney. After getting past Millbrook and ???, the Titans had to beat a tough King School in the final. The two teams battled to a tie at the end of regulation, but the Titans pulled it out in the end with a 1 point overtime victory. Michaela Fortin ‘12, who hit two three-pointers in the championship game, was named MVP of the tournament and guard Carly Cronin ‘13 was also named to the All-tournament team. This year’s girls varsity team is a relatively young team with only two seniors as well as
a new head coach, Jessica Hambley. But the team Coach Hambley inherits includes a number of returning players, including point guard Cronin, forward Fortin, forward
Meghan Pehoviak ‘14, and senior Nika Hickson ‘12. Although moving from one coach to another in a matter of two seasons is difficult, coach believes that the returning players have adapted well to the new coaching style.”My seniors Nika Hickson and Michaela Fortin have been completely receptive to trying to understand my book of basketball which is difficult when there is a change in coaching,” Coach Hambley noted. About Cronin, Coach Hambley said she “is a phenom-
enal athlete and puts herself, and essentially her team, in the position to win.” But the team is very young compared to years past. Coach is extremely excited about having four freshman and two sophomores on her team along with a core group of juniors and upper-classmen. Coach Hambley is especially enthused with Meghan Pehoviak. “Meg Pehoviak seems to be a natural basketball player and is currently honing her basketball skills.” The balance of youth with experience and the depth of the current team puts Hambley in a good spot for this season and creates a great foundation to build on in the years to come. Hambley graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Col-
chester, VT where she majored in Psychology. While in college, coach Hambley started coaching at basketball camps. Hambley’s first job as a high school coach was at Chicopee Comprehensive where she was the girls JV coach for two years and then promoted to varsity coach for another two years. Hambley said she jumped at the chance to coach at WMA where there is an opportunity to transform the girls basketball program. “I took the job at WMA because I’m always looking for a challenge. I felt that if I had more flexibility to create my own opportunities, I could create a true basketball program at WMA. I know it will take hard work, but I am up for the challenge.” Hambley hopes that her excitement at WMA will rub off on the team. If her players have this excitement as well, she believes they will prosper this season. Many of the returning players say the team is an entirely different team from past years; it is more focused, more driven, and more comfortable with each other on and off the court. Coach believes that if the team stays this strong throughout the season they will be unstoppable.
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Sports
Titans Recognized for Fall Achievements
By BRIAN KENNEDY ‘15 Staff Writer
This fall, a number of Wilbraham and Monson Academy athletes gained league, state, and regional recognition for their fall athletic achievements. From Girls Varsity Soccer, Julia Beech ’13 was named to the 2011 Massachusetts All State Soccer team. Playing in the back row, Beech was a great anchor on the Titans defense that gave up an average of 1.4 goals per game. This great goal stopping ability, coupled with the team’s offense, which averaged 3.1 goals per game, made the Girls Varsity soccer team a formidable opponent. Only a junior, Beech will be returning to WMA next year, hopefully lifting the team to even greater heights. Beech plans on playing soccer in college. Beech was also invited to play in the WNEPSSA all-star game along with the striker tandem of Carly Cronin ‘13 and Christina Wakefield ‘14. From the varisty field hockey team, Richelle Davis ‘12 and Julia Bell ‘12 were invited to play in the divisional all-star game.
Richelle scored two goals! In addition, four players from the Titan football team earned post-season honors. Craig Martin ’12 of East Sandwich, MA was named All New England Class B and All Colonial league 1st Team for Football. Martin came to WMA as a tight end and outside linebacker, but also played defensive end and Risley Photography offensive tackle due to injuries to other members of the team. On defense, Martin was one of the best tacklers on the team, leading in sacks and tackles. In addition to tackles, Martin also had two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. He is looking at Tufts, Trinity, Stonehill, Bryant, and Sacred Heart schools to continue his football career in college. Desmond Gray ’12 of Ledyard, CT was also named to the All Colonial League 1st team. Gray played defensive tackle and offensive guard.
He was one of the leading tacklers on the team, which is rare for an interior defensive lineman. He also led the team in forced fumbles. Many of Gray’s tackles came right at the line of scrimmage, or fairly close to it, making him one of the reasons the Titans were tough to run against this year between the tackles. Due to injuries to other members of the team, Gray also played several games at offensive guard and did a great job run and pass blocking. Gray is looking at Central Connecticut, Southern Connecticut, and Bryant for college football. Michael Mendes ’12 of Wareham, MA was named All Colonial League 2nd team. His main impact on the team came from his skills as a wide receiver, but he also contributed to the team as a “wildcat Risley Photography formation” quarterback (where the quarterback is more of a running back). As a receiver, Mendes led the team in receptions and was one of the top scorers on
the team. Mendes’ best game was in a close loss to rival Williston. He had seven receptions for a total of 127 yards, including one 40 yard touchdown reception. Mendes also had a great impact on defense as a cornerback. He was always matched up with the opposing team’s best receiver. He was also a kick and punt returner. Mendes is looking at Harvard, Holy Cross, Bates, Bowdoin, Tufts, and Washington & Lee for either football, baseball, or basketball. Sam Hart ’12 of Amherst, MA was named to the All Colonial League 2nd Team. Hart played offensive tackle, defensive end, and defensive tackle. On special teams, he was the long snapper for punts and field goals. On defense, Hart made significant improvements playing defensive line, and was a solid run stopper and pass rusher, recording several sacks. On offense, Hart played left tackle which is one of the most important positions on the offensive line, as this is the “blind side” for a right-handed quarterback. As a run blocker, Hart did a great job opening holes up for the running game. Hart is looking at Bates, Trinity, Colgate, Colby, Tufts, Hobart, St. Lawrence, New Hampshire, and Maine for college football.
a dorm parent in Rich Hall and teaches two sections of English 11 in the upper school as well as sixth grade Humanities in the middle school. As a former studentathlete at WMA where he played varsity soccer and track, Coach McGrath is well aware of the demanding nature of this athletic commitment. At WMA, he competed in the 100, 200, 400, 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay, as well as triple jump and long jump. “My year as a post-graduate at WMA was life changing,” Coach McGrath said. “On the threshold of high school and college, I made the decision to take an extra year to develop as a student and as an athlete. I ended up committing to Brown University early decision.” While at Brown, Coach McGrath said he still maintained many of the connection he had made during his PG year, especially Mr. Cook. He noted that “Coach Cook and Mr. Nicholson both wanted to see me return to the academy as a coach, and I re-
ally pushed to become part of the faculty as well.” This year’s Winter Track team is led by captains Garth Miller ‘12, Trey Kelly ‘12, and Alyssa Natario ‘13. The thirty athletes, ranging from freshmen to seniors, participate in field events, shot-put, hurdles, javelin, and running events. They noted that under Coach McGrath, the program has changed a little bit already. “Having done winter track for the past three years,” Kelly said, “he has found the program much more challenging on a physical and mental level this year. The programs in the past were intense in regard to running, In contrast, Coach McGrath’s new advancements include conditioning, weight room activity, and long stretches to prevent injury and encourage muscle growth has made the program even stronger,” While some participate in Winter Track as a varsity sport, others treat it more like an activity, Natario explains. “Winter track usually consists of a team run, such as the triangle for a warm
up. We stretch as a team and then split up into three groups; fielders, sprinters, and distance runners. We practice our events to prepare for our meets and end the practice with a core workout,” she noted. Coach McGrath said he wants to strengthen his athletes with a “combination of distance running, Olympic-style training on the track, polymeric exercises, strength training, dynamic stretching and core workouts.” He notes that “strength and flexibility is key to any athletic event, and knowing how to stretch effectively will allow athletes to be more flexible, thus enhancing their resistance to injury. We lift for pure strength, and, always perform core workouts to strengthen the most crucial part of the athletic body.” Natario said she expected to run frequently. Despite the difficulty of running in the cold, she said Coach McGrath’s positive attitude and encouragement make matters easier. She comments: “as a team we push through the circumstances to become the best runners we can possibly be”.
Winter Track: Baby, It’s Cold Outside!
By KELSEY GOMES ‘13 Staff Writer The challenges of Winter track include hills, triangles, sprints, stairs, and always the cold. Lengthy weekend meetings promote endurance, strength and determination. This year, the team has a series of five meets -- all of them multi-school invitationals -- before the New England Open Championships at Harvard University on Feb. 19. After resurrecting the winter track program in 2004, Mr. Ekness stepped down this year and he is replaced by new head coach Sean McGrath. Coach McGrath is a Wilbraham & Monson Academy alumnus, class of 2007. He joined the WMA faculty this year after graduating last spring from Brown University, where Coach McGrath majored in English and played four years of soccer. In addition, to coaching Winter Track, Coach McGrath was the assistant varsity soccer coach this past fall. He is