Whittier Homecoming 2014

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iscellany

Wilmington Friends School's Community Newspaper

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ISIS Sweeps Across Iraq as U.S. Decides What to Do Many people have heard a lot about ISIS recently.

The U.S has already conducted more than three hundred airstrikes against ISIS, but many do not believe that airstrikes alone can take them down. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria but has also been referred to as ISIL, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. ISIS, one of the world’s most committed and radical terrorist organizations, shows many similarities to Al Qaeda.

ISIS split from Al Qaeda this past February because of philosophical disagreements.In 2014, ISIS has strengthened their forces in Iraq. Their goal still remains the same: to found a Sunni Islamic state and implement Sharia Law. Today, ISIS holds territory in Iraq and Syria.

The group is comprised of Sunni fighters who use the Sunni’s opposition to the Shia controlled government as a recruitment tool for their radical group. There are estimated to be around 15,000 or more soldiers.

ISIS has continued to grow bigger because they took advantage of the crisis in Syria. With the chaos in the area, ISIS has secured control of various areas. When fighting the Iraqi government, they have the ability to retreat to Syria and vice versa. Their idea is to press their opposition from Iraqi and Syrian territories so that they have nowhere else to go. ISIS has funded themselves by selling the oil from the lands they overrun. The American campaign in Iraq has tried to address these tactics.

Their increasing brutality and brazen tactics show signs that their plans could be even greater than gaining

territory in Iraq and Syria. Videos were released of ISIS members beheading American journalists. In the video a masked ISIS figure says, directly to Barack Obama, “Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.” Another picture surfaced on Twitter showing the ISIS flag outside of the white house with the caption, “[We] are here #America near our #target :) sooooooooooooon,” and another tweet

The U.S has continued to make efforts to get other countries involved in the campaign against ISIS. The most recent ISIS assault on the Syrian town of Kobani has sent more than 100,000 refugees into Turkey. Tuesday, September 23rd, the United States and five Arab allies launched an aerial campaign against ISIS fighters in Syria with the aim of rolling back and ultimately crushing the extremist group. The U.S also has plans of arming the Free Syrian Army and training them to fight against ISIS and pro President al-Assad forces. Saudi Arabia took part in at least two airsstrikes and has agreed to host the training of Syrian rebels. Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Albania, Estonia, and Hungary have all put in varying levels of support to help in the efforts in Iraq.

Russia has voiced support for the fight against ISIS, but did not mention joining the U.S coalition, since they have an alliance with President al-Assad. It is unclear at this time whether Russia will actively join the coalition.

ISIS presents the most imminent threat to peace in both Iraq and Syrian territories. The U.S has recognized this and has solicited assistance from other countries in the fight against ISIS. ISIS has resorted to brutal tactics in their treatment of foreign journalists. The U.S and its coalition has responded with aerial attacks against ISIS forces and will continue to do so in hopes of diminishing ISIS's power in the region. nbcnews.com

Caroline McGinnis '17 News Writer

ISIS spreads across Iraq said, “#AmessagefromISIStoUS We are in your state We are in your cities We are in your streets You are our goals anywhere.” Their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is now considered the world’s most dangerous jihadi, and has been referred to by some news outlets as ‘the new Osama Bin Laden.’

Ebola Epidemic Increases as the Virus Still Spreads For the better part of this past year, the Ebola virus has spread rapidly throughout West Africa, killing thousands.

After originating in Guinea in December 2013, the virus quickly reached Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. There has not been an Ebola outbreak this large since its discovery in 1976. The number of confirmed cases of the Ebola virus from December 2013 through September 2014 has exceeded the total reported cases in the virus’s history. However, experts believe the number of cases is more than the reported 5,762 due, in large part, to the inability of individual communities to report accurately.This recent outbreak puts Ebola on the radar because the disease literally sucks the life out of people.

While symptoms can become clear immediately upon being hit with the disease, some victims do not realize they have caught the disease until they have been dealing with the illness for three weeks. There have been cases where a person feels fine in the morning, only to be pronounced dead later that night. With all these deaths occurring overseas, one must wonder what Ebola actually entails.

Ebola, as previously stated, is a fatal disease currently experiencing an outbreak in Africa. The disease got its name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is believed that the first human cases of Ebola

came from contact with wild animals while preparing meat after killing an animal. However, the first cases of Ebola have been found in fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family. Since then, the disease has been transmitted through bodily fluids to animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, and porcupines. Once someone catches the disease, it transmits through body contact, body fluids, and contaminated surfaces including food and water. On average, symptoms are noticed between eight to ten days but can occur anywhere between two and twenty-one days with the disease. Symptoms include sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. These huffingtonpost.com

Miles Katzen '16 Quinn Kirkpatrick '16 News Writers

Ebola virus may be followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and internal and/ or external bleeding. Sadly, there is no cure for humans with Ebola yet, but scientists have found a vaccine that has saved eighteen monkeys with Ebola. A Harvard University poll taken prior to the reported cases in America revealed that twenty-five percent of Americans are worried about

catching the fatal disease.

Recently, there was a case of Ebola discovered in Houston, Texas. Yet, the CDC reassures Americans that the risk of a widespread Ebola outbreak is very low, and that they are working hard to make sure the virus does not infect any more people in the U.S. They say that they have a detailed plan to combat the virus.

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, one in Sudan and the other in Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization said the initial source of the Ebola virus was likely from human contact with wild animals through hunting, butchering, and preparing the meat. The Ebola virus is very hard to control once an outbreak has started.

This leaves a lot of time for someone to infect another person and not even know they have the disease. The virus can also affect people after an infected person has died. The person that is handling the burial has a very big chance of contracting Ebola if the burial is not handled with precaution.

Many communities in infected African countries are coming together to support each other during this outbreak in different ways. A church in Liberia, The Free Pentecostal Global Mission, uses singing and prayer in order to deal with the disease. The members of the church chant a chorus of “amen’s” and launch into a cacophony of individual prayers, symbolically casting the evil of Ebola to the ground with repeated downward thrusts of their hands.

The church now has two services instead of one, and also broadcasts over the radio.

EVD presents the biggest challenge to the World Health Organization (WHO) to date. Since the discovery of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in 1981, the U.S and other countries are working diligently to establish protocols to contain and treat patients who have been diagnosed with EVD.

Community

WFS Celebrity Look-A-likes Shannon Skibicki Editor-In-Chief

Hilary Duff and AFS student, Fredrikke Johansen ’16

Katrina Skibicki ’17

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Can you see the resemblance between WFS students and faculty with these celebs?

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success.” After SoDak Sports, Neuharth worked for the Miami Herald and progressed up the professional ladder, becoming CEO of the Gannet Company and founding USA I arrived in Washington, D.C. on June 21st with a Today in 1982. Many criticized USA Today, referring to mixture of fear and excitement. After a few weeks of it as the “McPaper” of newspapers for solely attempting summer relaxation, I transitioned to a week jam-packed to please people through its color print and terse writing with presentations, several Q&A’s, and late night visits to style. Despite the criticism, Neuharth worked relentlessly historic sites in D.C. Last but not least, I interacted with for USA Today to provide news that would inform and fifty other rising high school seniors as a part of the Al entertain readers in ways unlike the traditional papers of Neuharth, Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. Fifty- the time. one high school journalists, selected from each state and The Free Spirit class had the opportunity to listen D.C, attended the conference. to other speakers who faced criticism as journalists.

During this six-day conference, there was nonstop Print journalism is widely regarded as “dying,” as more discussions on the importance of journalism. The and more people get news coverage online, through cell speakers, ranging from social media specialists to popular phones, or on television. Sarah Ganim, CNN correspondent news broadcasters, shared thoughtful reflections on the and 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner, gave the Free Spirit class importance of this field and how they hope it will evolve. advice on how to address criticism. Ganim advised us not The Free Spirit class toured the Newseum, the Capitol, to get caught up in criticism of journalism as a profession NBC studios, and various other sites in D.C. Participants because criticism comes with every profession. She cited also had the opportunity to listen to an impressive and that there are “too many lawyers out there” or “you’ll diverse set of speakers, including Gwen Ifil, moderator of have 200,000 dollars debt in med school loans”. However, “Washington Week”and the 2004 and 2008 Presidential she did advise Free Spirits to develop skills on multiple Debates, and co-anchor of the “PBS NewsHour” and platforms in journalism. Ganim initially started out as Congressman John Lewis, a participant of the Freedom a reporter for a local paper as a college reporter, later Rides in 1961. worked radio shows, and started shooting video clips to This is the second year the conference has taken place build her portfolio. She told participants that anyone can without Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, who passed become a better writer with repetition, but with diversified away in April 2013. His legacy, however, had an enormous skill sets we can become a lot more marketable when impact on the program. Participants had the opportunity applying for jobs. The conference also addressed another to listen to his daughter, Jan Neuharth and grandchildren face of criticism: the quality of our news. In the midst of speak about his career and his character. Listening to his the ISIS Crisis and the Ferguson protests in Missouri, the family, we learned that Neuharth fully lived by the Free demand for accurate and objective news is higher than Spirit slogan that he titled: “Dream, dare, do.” Neuharth ever. So often our news sources become too polarized or had a difficult upbringing. He was raised in a single- politicized, making it challenging for readers to uncover parent household after his dad died from tuberculosis. the truth. The program’s emphasis on the First Amendment Neuharth’s first attempt at publishing a local paper, SoDak rights helped inform the Free Spirit class on the rights of Sports, was an immense failure. However, Neuharth held journalists and gave us insight into how professionals the ideal that “Little league failures lead to Big League constantly struggle to provide balanced news coverage.

With a lot of perspective on the criticism of journalism, majoring in journalism was one of the primary The concerns Free Spirits inquired about.

After viewing “Meet the Press” with David Gregory, we watched him moderate news coverage ranging from ISIS threats in the Middle East to 2014 Founded 1884 World Cup predictions. Amazed at both his talent and topics of discussion, I fully Volume CXXXI, Number I expected him to encourage us to study Homecoming, 2014 broadcast journalism in college during Editor-in-Chief the Q&A. Conversely, he told us not Shannon Skibicki ’15 to study journalism in college, but to Assistant Editor-in-Chief major in something of specific interest Jodi Lessner ’16 to us, such as international relations, and stay updated with technology News Editor Sports Editor developments in the field of journalism.

Jacob Gagliano ’15 Martha O’Brien ’15 Like Gregory, many of the presenters did not stress majoring in journalism Entertainment Editor Features Editors in college as a make or break factor to Maddie Ireland ’16 Alex del Tufo ’16 our careers as journalists. Ron Nessen, Meera Kholi ’15 Chris Stanborough ’16 veteran journalist and press secretary of President Gerald Ford shared: “Everyone Freelance Columnists Copy Editor is a journalist if they have a cell phone Brian Zittlau ’15 Grace Gannon ’15 or key board.” Nessen emphasized how Photo Editor the growing technologically may cause Jessica Saunders ‘16 the decline of print journalists, but shared how the growing opportunities for more Staff people to become journalists makes “full Blair Atkins ’17 Katrina Skibicki ’17 Miles Katzen ’16 government censorship impossible in Katie Bodycot ’17 Evelyn Wakeley ’17 Jennifer Kielhorn ’17 today’s world.”

Andrew Conces ’16 Robert Baldwin ’18 Marley Morton ’18 Nessen was one of many presenters Allie Fulginiti ’17 Julia Delzingaro ’16 Natalie Szumel ’16 that addressed the rapidly evolving Sydney Gardner ’16 Charlotte Donoho ’16 Matt Tornek ’17 changes in the field of journalism due Merrit Gates ’16 Emilio Ergueta ’16 Lindsay Weber ’17 to technology.

Val Hoeppner, digital Sarah Gooderham ’17 Megan Flanagan ’17 Nolan Delaney ’16 journalist, teacher, and media strategist, Thomas Hilder ’17 Hareena Houston ’18 gave us multiple presentations on Digital Quinn Kirkpatrick ’16 Chloe Hudson ’16 Media.

Hoeppner shared that in 2014, Caroline McGinnis ’17 Alice Irwin ’18 60% of Americans have smart phones Sadie Proud ’17 Maya Johnson ’16 and 56% of Americans are multiplatform, Advisor using both mobile devices and desktops.

Daniel Scott Although there may be a decline

The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school in traditional print, I am confident year by the upper school journalism staff of Wilmington Friends School, that journalism is not a dying field. If 101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. To access the Whittier journalists take risks to provide news Miscellany online, go to www.wfswhittier.com. that is informative and accurate through creative, bold ways, more people will take interest in the world around them.

Shannon Skibicki Editor-in-Chief

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Al Neuharth Conference, Inspiring Young Journalists

The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

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Martha O’Brien ’15

Christopher McDonald as “Shooter McGavin” in “Happy Gilmore” and Head of Science Department, Mark Schmittle

Patrick Pearce ’15 and Will Ferrell

News

Ukraine Crisis with Russia Goes On Scottish Referendum Vote is in Marley Morton ‘18 Leah Johnson ‘18 News Writers

through the east of the country only under the control of their military. Later that week it was reported that about 90 of the Russian convoy trucks passed through Ukraine without permission and was branded as “direct invasion.”

The cease-fire that the President of Ukraine ordered led to an agreement which was signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia, the rebels, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

In more recent events in the week of September 14th, laws have granted temporary autonomy to Donetsk and Luhansk -- where rebels have been trying to break away from the Ukraine and possibly join Russia. On Wednesday, September 17th, the White House pledged $46 million in security assistance to the Ukraine. The assistance helps to support military and border guards. Also, the U.S sent seven million dollars to the international relief agencies that will be used for humanitarian needs. Petro O. Poroshenko asked the US Congress to give him military equipment to help stop what he saw as the Russian Invasion. He wanted more lethal aid instead of nonlethal aid. Negotiators agreed on September 20th on a cease-fire

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For the past few months, pro-Russian separatists have fought the Ukrainian army in the two Eastern regions of Ukraine. The rebellion started in Donetsk and Luhansk in April. Previously, Russia annexed Crimea, a peninsula in Ukraine. Izze Rios ‘18 commented upon hearing about the situation in Ukraine, “Russia gets a lot of power and that makes it unfair.” The Crimeans voted in a referendum to leave Ukraine and join Russia.

Ukrainian President, Petro O. Poroshenko, wants the rebels to surrender and for the Russians supporting them to leave the country. The Ukrainian president will not allow separation. However, the Rebels want the Ukrainian army to leave the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and give them independence from Ukraine. If that is granted, they will probably annex to Russia as well.

Over the past few months, Russia has ignored international law and made actions against Ukraine.

NATO member states feel threatened by Russia’s actions, but until Russia’s presence in Ukraine is labeled as aggression or an i n v a s i o n , N AT O and Europe will not interfere. Recently, Russia has proposed a ceasefire for both sides, and suggests that Donetsk and Luhansk remain part of Ukraine.

The conflict in Ukraine is nowhere near over. Just in the past couple months Ukraine’s Crimean Penninsula many events have occurred. President Obama has led a coalition of European nations that have buffer zone used to separate pro-Russian militants and imposed economic sanctions in Russia in an attempt to government troops and on a withdraw of heavy weapons stop the conflict. The United States alone has provided and foreign fighters.

70 million dollars in assistance to Ukraine. In August As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia 2014, a Russian convoy of 280 trucks containing 2,000 continues, the United States and its allies have taken steps tons of supplies and food made its journey to the Ukraine. to prevent the outbreak of war. Russian assistance to the The list of supplies included 400 tons of cereals, 12,000 rebels in the region has been labeled to many as an act of sleeping bags, 100 tons of sugar, 69 power generators, and aggression and has become an obstacle to achieving peace 54 tons of medical drugs and supplies. At the time, it was in the area. The U.S led sanctions against Russia have unclear if trucks would be allowed to cross the border, hurt the Russian economy but not deterred their continued but the Ukrainian government said they would be allowed interests in annexing the Crimean region.

Girls Count Legislation Sadie Proud ‘17 News Writer Until very recently, it did not occur to me that I should feel grateful for my birth certificate. I have attended school, watched my parents hold jobs, buy property, and vote in both state and national elections. What I took for granted, however, was that such privileges only exist because I have a legally recognized identity. Tragically, across the globe, one out of three children under the age of five are not registered at birth. Without a national identity, those children lack access to education, legal employment, and land ownership. They are not afforded coverage of laws protecting basic human rights such as life, liberty, and security of person. Invisible to local and international governments, they are uniquely susceptible to sex trafficking, child labor, and child marriage.

To address this crisis, legislation has recently been introduced in the United States Congress. On October 30, 2013, the Girls Count Act of 2013 was introduced to the House of Representatives, sponsored by Ohio Republican Steve Chabot. The Senate version was introduced on July 10, 2014, sponsored by Florida Republican Marco Rubio.

According to GirlUp, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, the Girls Count Act “encourages countries to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enact laws that ensure girls and boys of all ages are full participants in society. This includes promoting birth The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

certifications and some type of national identity card to ensure that all citizens, including girls, are counted.”

Specifically, the Bill will give Executive Branch agencies like the State Department the authority to 1) let developing countries know that this is a priority of the United States, 2) encourage them to create laws that ensure girls and boys of all ages are registered, 3) improve education and training for non-governmental organizations, and 4) support programs that improve technology to monitor births and deaths over time. In addition, the Bill grants the United States government the authority to provide financial assistance to developing nations to ensure that counting laws are implemented.

Early this June, I traveled to Washington, D.C. with other GirlUp delegates to garner support for the Girls Count Act. We met with Congressional and Senate staffers from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Vermont to request co-sponsorship of H.R. 3398 and S.2591, arguing that counting legislation is an essential tool in the fight to end child trafficking, child marriage, and child labor. Since then, the House version has grown to 51 co-sponsors and was reported by Committee on July 30, 2014. The Senate version has only four co-sponsors, including three Democrats and a Republican. Girl Up and other international advocacy groups are continuing their efforts to raise awareness of the crisis of registration and support for the Girls Count Act. The passage of this act will ensure human identity rights for both girls and boys.

Thomas Hilder ‘17 News Writer On the 18th of September the people of Scotland marched onto the streets, voting for their country’s future. The Scottish people voted on if they wanted to stay in the United Kingdom, or leave it and become an independent country. The historical referendum saw a large turnout rate of a staggering 84.6%, one of the largest in Scotland’s history. The final results showed that the majority of Scotland favored staying in the Union. What caused the results in the referendum and what does this mean for the future of Scotland and the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom consists of the separate countries of England, Whales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom was created on May 1st, 1707 after the two parliaments of Scotland and England signed the Acts of Union, combining the two countries and parliaments into one. It is one of the oldest and most successful political unions in the world. If the Scottish referendum had voted in favor of leaving, it would have broken the Union and created drastic changes. Some experts foretold that if the yes campaign had been successful it would have damaged and hurt the UK economy. Others foretold of the plummeting of the Pound, the currency the UK currently uses.

On September 7th, 2014 a poll showed the Yes vote ahead by 51 percent, the first time it had ever overtaken the no vote. This caused widespread panic for the Yes campaign. In an act of desperation the British prime minister, David Cameron and British parliament pledged to give the Scottish government more rights and powers, to sway the favor to the no campaign. Some new powers that the Scottish government might acquire include more control over job creation, new powers for investing in the social and economic fabric of Scotland, and new executive powers for health and safety.

After the results of the referendum the vote against independence won with a 55.3% lead. The vote in favor of independence was at 44.7%, very close behind. Some have speculated that this very close divide between the people of Scotland will divide the country. Some have even speculated that Scotland will see a second referendum in the coming years. Only time will tell what the results of the referendum will bring to Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole.

Wilmington Friends School seems to have a very strong beliefs over the issue of the results of the Scottish referendum. Dan Goodman ‘17 remarked, “it would be a shame to see them leave the U.K after all of that history.” Henry Gise ‘17 who seems to share Goodman’s opinion on the matter, said, “I’m glad that Scotland did not leave the U.K. I think it would have created a lot of complications.”

From the voices at Wilmington Friends School, it seems that there is a strong opinion against the independence movement and believe that Scotland is stronger united with Great Britain. This makes sense because while a Scottish separation would affect England, it would also affect the United States; England is one of America’s strongest allies, so if they were weakened in any way it would therefore weaken us as well.

The Scottish referendum was obviously a very interesting movement that captivated and even inspired the world. Not long after the results of the Scottish referendum, the Spanish province of Catalonia, pledged that they would try to have a referendum, much like Scotland. Catalonia has desired independence from the rest of Spain for some time now.

We will just have to wait and see what the future holds for the union of Scotland and the United Kingdom.

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Features

Service Committee Saves the Day

Garman Says Goodbye to School

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The Service Committee is a club that focuses on planning and advertising events, starting fundraisers, and volunteering as a group in various projects around the city. Richard Bernard, a phenomenal teacher and leader who retired after the 2010-11 school year, created the club in 2009. Behnaz Varamini, an Upper School Spanish teacher, now runs the Service Committee. She also works as the Upper School Service Program Coordinator and Senior Team Clerk.

Ms. Varamini had only good things to say about the students on the Service Committee. She spoke about how they all have bonded and noted how much they were helping the community. “The group has really come together by doing service,” said Ms. Varamini. The overall feeling towards the Service Committee is extremely supportive and approving.

Last year, the Service Committee organized MLK workshops for the Upper School. A variety of club leaders spoke to students about the service initiatives their club focuses on, and it was a great way to raise student awareness on types of service students could partake in.

Ms. Varamini explained the Service Committee’s values as mainly to serve the community and to help encourage others to start doing community service.

The goals of this committee focus on increasing awareness for service-related opportunities in the community. Some of the interesting activities the Service Committee has completed include planting trees, cleaning cemeteries, organizing fundraisers, and making signs for service events. For example, on Earth Day last year, they went to the Wilmington

Wilmington and Brandwyine Cemetary and Brandywine Cemetery to volunteer.

The committee has bonded as a result of doing service. One example of this is last year, when the committee left school for Earth Day, they brought snacks and enjoyed cleaning the cemetery. When Ms. Varamini first suggested the work, the group was hesitant and unsure as to what type of help they would provide. After some time, they realized that the work they supplied was both helpful and productive.

The service activity that stuck out the most to Ms. Varamini was the penny drive for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation because it offered a fun way to raise money for a good cause. Wilmington Friends raised over $600 and awarded the winning team with an Olive Garden lunch. Intense competition ensued, while at the same time the students helped a great cause. The Service Committee welcomes anyone who enjoys helping others. If students feel positive and happy serving others, enjoy interacting with different people, and want to get to know the Friends community better, they will truly enjoy Service Committee.

The Service Committee will continue to do great service for the school community and others. It truly represents the core values of Wilmington Friends School, focusing on helping those less fortunate. It is a committed group of individuals that will offer service-related help to a variety of causes. The group is easy to join (meets on seven) and always welcomes new students. The Service Committee allows students to make a change in others’ lives.

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Robert Baldwin ’18 Hareena Houston ’18 Features Writers

The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

he has learned a great deal. He says there are many great memories he will take away: “talking with students, attending athletic events and arts performances, opening Last school year, it was revealed that Head of School the new theater, and working with outstanding people.”

Bryan Garman would transition from his position at No one can forget his determination in managing the Wilmington Friends to serve as Head of School at Sidwell school’s reconstruction project after the devastating fire Friends in Washington, D.C. in the following winter. This in the spring of 2012. In return, there is no question that has brought about mixed feelings among the faculty and the Wilmington Friends community will miss Mr. Garman student body; many see his going as a great loss to our during these events in the future. community but are happy for him, as he expresses his After speaking with numerous students, it is clear that excitement to undertake a new challenge. he has had quite an influence on the student body. Joslyn Mr. Garman’s ties with the Sidwell Friends community Gardner ’16 is one of many that have enjoyed their time and the Georgetown area go way back before his time with Mr. Garman as their headmaster: “He has impacted working here at Wilmington Friends. He began his the school in a way that is hard to imagine someone ever teaching career at Sidwell over twenty years ago, and later being able to fill his shoes. [He] is a really special guy became the Upper School Principal, because he really makes an effort to and then Assistant Head of School. get to know everyone who is part of After nine years, Garman made this community.” This is definitely the switch to come to Wilmington a true statement; Ian Furman ’15 Friends, where he would serve as agrees: “Mr. Garman truly embodies the Head of School until this winter. the term Community in the Quaker Mr. Garman says that although S.P.I.C.E.S. Every time he walks he will certainly miss Wilmington, down the hall he can always be seen he looks forward to his return to saying hello to students, asking them Washington, D.C. : “I am grateful how the game went, or how a project for all of the support I received here. is coming along,” he says. Meryl I have worked with some terrific Gatti ’15 does as well, recalling people, have made lifelong friends, that “his positive energy always and have thoroughly enjoyed our radiates throughout the hallways.” students and families. At the same He will truly be missed when he is no time, I am looking forward to longer seen walking about Alapocas, returning to the Washington area.” according to Simone Veale ’17.

He claims that he most anticipates Cat Clark ’16 mentioned it will be taking on new challenges, as well strange without his greetings at the as reuniting with old friends and door in the morning. Nick Grandacolleagues. Sidwell has recently Mr. Garman starts working at Sidwell Stone ’15 speaks for everyone when after our First Semester started new, innovative programs, saying: “My fondest memories of Mr. such as Mandarin in the fourth grade, and summer-study Garman’s time at Friends are also the most frequent—the courses that take place internationally. Mr. Garman says hallway conversations he is never too busy for, and the that he is excited and ready to support the faculty in these greetings he always gives every student. Although Mr. growing programs.

Garman will be sorely missed following his departure, his Because Sidwell Friends is also a Quaker school, words of wisdom and involvement in our community will many connections exist between the two communities. remain with us all for years to come.” Without a doubt, Wilmington Friends, however, has a much smaller student Mr. Garman will continue to make a difference in every body than Sidwell Friends—about 730 students from community he is a part of, and the students at Sidwell pre-kindergarten to 12th grade in comparison to Sidwell’s Friends are lucky to have him coming their way.

1,100 students. “There are other differences, I suppose,” Everybody here at WFS shares excitement in seeing Mr. Garman considers, “that have to do with the size Mr. Garman take on a new experience, and wishing him and characteristics of the cities in which the schools are the best of luck in Washington, D.C. Before he goes, located. Both schools tend to attract a lot of international however, Mr. Garman leaves Wilmington Friends with families, and the importance of diversity to both schools a final wish: “I hope that [the community] continues to is something that I value a great deal.” thrive, to continue to embrace its Quaker mission, and to When asked to reflect on his time at WFS, Mr. Garman continue to serve students with a deep sense of caring. And was nothing but positive. He says that he has loved his I hope that it is a place where it will always be fun to learn.” time at Friends, calling it a “special community” where Thank you, Mr. Garman, for all you’ve done for WFS. Merritt Gates ’16 Features Writer

Succeeding in the College Process Julia Delzingaro ’16 Features Writer “Our college office is about the process not the product,” Kathleen Martin, College Guidance Counselor, quotes Head of School Brian Garman. The college process begins as soon as the students walk through the doors on their first day of Upper School at Friends. Kathleen says that the college office encourages students from the very beginning of high school to think about who they are and what is important to them. Kathleen also encourages the students to push themselves academically, (“shine. shine,shine”) to be the best that they can be throughout their high school careers. One question in particular that Kathleen tells students to ask themselves is “Who am I?” This allows students to already have some level of understanding of themselves when junior year rolls around and the college office begins meeting with the students and their parents.

During these meetings Kathleen asks questions like, “what do you want out of college?” and “what are your priorities?” Based on each individual student’s answers, Kathleen and Ms. Smith work to develop a college list.

From then on, students can investigate colleges by visiting their campuses. By the spring of junior year, the list will narrow as the students cross off options or keep colleges that they have liked. Also, to help the students research

colleges, the school has more than 150 colleges visit.

All juniors and seniors are welcome to attend any of the meetings to a college of their liking with a three-day notice to the teacher whose class they will miss during the meeting. During the summer before senior year, all students are encouraged to take part in an Application 101, a boot camp that helps students with college preparation.

By Halloween time of senior year, almost all college applications are submitted. On average, most students apply to six or seven colleges. Generally, at least three quarters of the Wilmington Friends’s senior class applies early action to at least one school. Whether or not a school is test-optional is an important variable to investigate in the college process, as many students look into it each year. Test-optional schools do not require students to send in their SAT or ACT test scores. Recently, more schools have transitioned to a test-optional approach. Being able to use the Common Application makes applying for several schools at the same time easier. The Common Application allows students to use one form, with the same questions, for each school that offers it. Final decision occurs in the beginning of May of the student’s senior year.

Kathleen says she loves the amazing range of colleges that students end up applying to. “Our kids range from a 2.0 GPA to a 4.6 GPA and 400 to 800 for each SAT section.

There are 2000 four year colleges in the U.S, alone, and everyone finds a college that is perfect for them.”

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Features

Paving the Road Ahead

A New Year and a New Theatre

Alex del Tufo

In preparation for the 2014-2015 school year, WFS finally finished the brand new theater, foyer, and Java Nook near the Athletic Wing. Head of School, Brian Garman and the administration now have new plans for a completely new language and global studies wing. The new construction plans include four language rooms and one history room between the library and the Jones House. The global studies wing will function as a Net Zero building, which means that it will generate more energy than it consumes. With another set of solar panels on the roof of the library, along with geothermal walls, and new light additions, sustainability will continue to be a large factor in our facilities. The geothermal walls will pull air from the ground for a more efficient and reliable heating and cooling system. The new lighting additions will consist of solar tubes, which collect light from the outside and bring it into the classroom, eliminating the need for electric lights.

The library will see many additions and changes as well. A new design lab will take the place of Mr. Ergueta’s current room. The space will allow both the robotics team and art classes to use a new 3D printer, as well as other technologies. The 3D printer is a relatively new invention that the school is extremely lucky to have the chance to work with. Mr. Garman, also has plans for the design lab to be used for science, sheet metal work, and possible woodshop.

The addition of new rooms like these will expand the learning experiences and skills of students at WFS. The building plan also includes the creation of smaller rooms off the side of the library for the use of small groups and presentations. A staircase will be put up so students can use the mezzanine above the library

The construction process viewed from the Junior Lounge as a quiet, personal study space. The new wing will have security cameras, insulated walls and doors, along with other security precautions.

Mr. Garman, Head of School says, “Do you want to live in a fortress or a place that’s pleasant to be in? It’s better to create a welcoming and warm environment, and maintain a sense of community which is one of the most important things at Friends School.”

Many students express their excitement regarding the new facilities; Katie Zucca ’16 comments, “The theater looks great, and I love having the Java Nook available for students. I can not wait to be able to use the new Global Studies classrooms, and I am really looking forward to seeing how we can use the new library for studying and hanging out.” The administration currently plans for the renovations to be finished by the start of the 2015-2016 school year. The library itself will most likely be closed in the late spring of 2015 before school ends, and remain closed throughout summer. Even the class of 2015 shares excitement for the new facilities.

Senior Cassidy Martin ’15 comments, “I am excited to come back and see how much progress we have made and how much the better the school will look!”

The students and faculty have successfully adjusted from the fire in 2012. WFS has great confidence that the community will adjust to the new construction plans. The Wilmington Friends School student body is looking forward to what is in store for our campus in the future.

Chris Stanborough

Maya Johnson ’16 Features Writer

The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

become more adept at the possibilities of this new facility.

Most importantly, all should expect to see some major improvements in the way that concerts, musicals, and plays In the words of Margaret Anne Butterfield, the will come together upon our new and improved theater. creation of the new theater is ‘‘like we were riding a On October 17th, the commencement of the new bicycle before, and now we are driving a ferrari.” Every theater will occur, with a concert from all Middle and Friends student has heard the story; a fire broke out on a Upper School chorale students. Wilmington Friends normal school day in the spring of 2012.The rebuilding School has commissioned a piece from internationally process,has finally reached completion, and the new and known composer, Jim Papoulis, to be performed at the improved theater can now be used. Some of its new features commencement. Sara Gaines, middle school music include a higher seating capacity, a new balcony, greater teacher said, “We chose Jim Papoulis not only because handicap accessibility, greater wingspace, and better light he is internationally known, but because many of his and sound capabilities. compositions include lyrics A rg u a b l y t h e m o s t that are compatible with important addition to our Quaker testimonies the new space is the particularly community and bridge that connects the peace, which he helps to theater to the band room. spread through his music.”

This new feature enables The new piece is called performers to move ‘Music Can Change Me’ their equipment more and concerns the ability effectively, making these of music to strengthen movements much more a community and help efficient. These new others find peace within features will open up themselves. Part of the fee many new opportunities paid to Mr. Papoulis for to students interested Students rehearse for “Once Upon A Matress” in the new the piece will go to the theatre in the performing arts.

Foundation for Small Voices, “We’re still learning how a nonprofit organization that to drive this new ferrari; we’ve just barely gotten our ‘encourages the use of music as a means to build selflicense!” says Butterfield, although she already has some esteem, self-reliance, and sense of community.’ ideas planned.

The consensus of the Friends student body seems to be The interior of the house provides possibilities for that this theater is a huge improvement from the last one. creativity during concerts, such as small groups singing Despite what happened, the Friends school could come on the balcony or different levels of the room. There is together and make an improved facility in lieu of the old also the possibility of a more interactive performance, one, while strengthening our community along the way. with the flexibility of getting on and off stage. As time We are hoping to see many faces at the commencement goes on, the performing arts community at Friends will ceremony on October 17th.

Lindsay Weber ’17 Features Writer

Three New Teachers Join the Ranks Evelyn Wakeley ’17 and Sarah Gooderham ’17 Features Writers This year at Friends, three new teachers joined the faculty: Lauren Gutstein, who teaches English; Jason Rauscher, who teaches Biology and Environmental Science; and finally, Katherine Zipin, who teaches both chemistry and physics. In their first few weeks at Friends, they have faced challenges and have had exciting experiences, different from where they taught prior. They all express excitement to teach here, and they all deserve a warm welcome to Wilmington Friends.

All three teachers agreed that the best part has been meeting and getting to know everyone, students and faculty alike. “It’s been very exciting, and all my colleagues and students have been great,” said Zipin.

“I really liked service day and getting to know another advisory.” Gutstein added. All three teachers also agreed upon the biggest challenge: the rotating schedule. “There are always a hundred things going on at the same time, and it’s a little overwhelming. The hardest part has been balancing everything,” Gutstein said. “In addition to the schedule, all the meetings and special events like advisory are confusing,” Rauscher said. Even through all the confusion, Rauscher clearly expressed his happiness in teaching at Friends: “I have really enjoyed my first weeks at school.”

The teachers also described where they had worked or taught before coming to Friends. Gutstein and Rauscher have both taught in foreign countries. Gutstein returned back from teaching in Kazakhstan just before the school year started. She was there for three years teaching English to the students. Rauscher taught at the University of Puerto Rico, and he also worked in Colombia for three years as a science teacher. He has been back in the United States for a while, teaching at Swarthmore University. While her teaching experiences have not extended beyond the U.S., Zipin has taught physics at a boarding school called Brooks in Massachusetts; this will be her fourth year teaching. The Friends community is so glad to have these new teachers and hopes that they enjoy their experience at Friends, despite the challenging, busy schedule.

When asked about what attracted them to Friends,

Gutstein and Zipin spoke of their interests in being involved with a Quaker school. “I was interested in coming back to the Philadelphia area, and was drawn to this school in particular because of the Quaker aspect,” commented Zipin. Rauscher found out about the school after he moved back to America from Colombia. When he heard about a job opening at Friends, he jumped at the opportunity.

Gutstein found out about the job while she was still in Kazakhstan through a job fair, though she had known about it from before when she lived in the Philadelphia area. All three teachers lived in the area before moving to other parts of the world.

The new teachers also recognized the differences between Wilmington Friends School and other schools where they have taught. Gutstein’s recent work as an English teacher in Kazakhstan led her to notice several differences in culture: “Here at Friends, things are less formal. In Kazakhstan, when a teacher enters a classroom, all of the students stand up and say, ‘Hello Teacher.’”

She added that she was impressed with the library here at Friends. Rauscher expressed that the culture in America is greatly different than in Colombian culture. “Ever since I moved back to America, I have been teaching at a college.

However, teaching college students is very different than high school students.” Zipin is also new to the high school routine, having taught at a boarding school prior to coming to Friends. “Being at a day school is very different.” She felt that despite the fun involved with living at school, it was a lot of work and always busy.

The teachers also gave insight into what they saw in their teaching career for the future. “I just really hope to improve my teaching,” said Rauscher. Zipin continued, “At this point I’m not much of a long range planner; my main focus is on tomorrow.” Gutstein concludes, “I hope to be able to get to know everyone and be part of the community.”

Overall, the new teachers are having a great first few weeks. Hopefully, they are not too bogged down with work to take in the Friends school community around them. The student body wishes them the best of luck in their career here at the school and hopes that they get the rotating schedule down soon.

05

Sports A Quick Look at Quaker Fall Sports Checking in on Elena Veale at Haverford College The Whittier Miscellany

Homecoming 2014

Katie Bodycot ’17 Sports Writer

Megan Flanagan ’17 Sports Writer

http://www.haverfordathletics.com/sports/

Elena Veale dribbles the ball down the field for Haverford on September 13th, 2014.

06

Former Olympian joins XC coaching staff

5k at 15:08 and held the second fastest time in the mile.

Gottwald would always say, “a dream can become your reality if you have the willingness to get up and go forward.” Having the courage to push past these Quaker Cross Country has gained an exciting addition restrictions early on proved to be a key aspect in all that to the coaching staff this fall: Peter Gottwald, who works he has achieved. alongside Head Coach Paul Nemeth as Assistant Coach.

Gottwald’s father, Schuyler, was one of the main Nemeth had no doubt that Gottwald would be a positive influences that inspired him to achieve his lifelong goals. addition to the team: “Mark Burke (WFS Athletic Director) Once Gottwald showed his passion f o r r u n n i n g , received Peter’s resume in answer to a post in the N5cta Schuyler did everything to help and support his son. One website and Mark passed it along to me. I read it twice and night, while listening to a radio show in which callers spoke immediately felt that he would be a great choice for one about anything they wanted, Schuyler decided to call in of our assistant coaching positions. After the interview, and talk about his son. He asked about the opportunities in Mark and I agreed that Peter would be perfect.” collegiate athletics for legally blind runners. Vince Martin, In the past eight years, Gottwald has a blind Paralympic discus thrower, excelled in many track competitions. In heard him and took immediate interest 2004, he competed in the Paralympics in Gottwald. Shortly after, Vince in Athens, Greece. He placed fifth in Martin called Gottwald to introduce the 800m and eighth in the 1500m, him to the Paralympics and convince consequently launching his elite career. him of his own potential to become A few years later, at the 2007 Para Pan successful.

American Games, Gottwald won his Gottwald remains very first medals—silver in the 5000m and a humble despite his extraordinary bronze in the 1500m. accomplishments, and serves as a role The following year in 2008, he was model for other disabled athletes: “I selected for the U.S. Paralympics Track hope to inspire people and give them and Field team. This lead to the greatest hope—to tell them that you can do of his many accomplishments: winning great things if you have disabilities. the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics You can go to college. You can in the men’s 800m T13, a Paralympic graduate at the top of your class. You category reserved for athletes who only can make it work.” have five to ten percent normal vision. Gottwald took the early lead in From that first jog around the the 800 m final in Beijing Gottwald’s achievements in these events field, to his silver medal at the Beijing demonstrate his capability as both an Olympics, to his arrival at WFS, athlete and a coach.

Gottwald has shown his passion for and dedication to the From an early age, Gottwald had to be cautious about sport. “What does Peter bring to the table? Determination, what he could participate in. He was born with congenital great work ethic, youthful enthusiasm, and the obvious nystagmus, which is an eye disease that causes rapid ability to overcome great odds,” said Coach Nemeth. involuntary eye movement, making nearly everything He has evidently already had a positive impact on the blurry to him. He made the best of his situation—playing team. “To me, Pete is a great teacher. I have been able to outside with his brothers and sisters, hiking, camping, learn a lot about running and even life as a whole. Pete and surfing, but he despised being sent off to the sidelines has also become more of a friend to me than a coach,” because he was legally blind. One day during his high said varsity boys captain, Steven Ly ‘15. school P.E. class, tired of standing around and watching Throughout his life, Gottwald has faced many his classmates, he decided to take a jog around the field. obstacles, but with determination and the many motivators This small act sparked his lifelong passion for running. in his life, he has effectively overcome them all.

Later that year, Gottwald joined his high school’s track and Wilmington Friends is fortunate to have such an cross country teams, taking his running to the next level. inspirational runner join the community, and we are Eventually, Gottwald set his high school record for the incredibly excited for his future here.

Alice Irwin ’18 Matt Byer ’18 Sports Writers

http://www.takethemagicstep.com/files/1_peter-gottwald-249x374.jpg

Elena Veale ‘14 has begun her first college season playing field hockey at Haverford College. While at Friends, Veale was a tri-varsity athlete all four years, as well as captain of the field hockey, basketball, and soccer teams her senior year. Haverford is a small Quaker liberal arts college thirty minutes away from Philadelphia, comprised of about 1,200 students. The Black Squirrels are a Division III school and also a member of the Centennial Conference, which recruits girls from all over the country to play field hockey.

Veale has continued her success at Haverford. She has started in all eight games for the Black Squirrels this season. Scoring four goals (as of October 5th) in total, Veale is second in goals this season (only one goal behind the first-place senior) and one of four freshmen that have started in all of the games, Highlights from Veale’s best game include the two goals she scored to lead her team to victory against Randolph-Macon College. She scored the first goal nine minutes into the game and the team’s third goal with only five minutes remaining.

Her sister, Simone Veale ‘17, said, “Even though the team is not doing very well, Elena is still playing really well, and she’s having a great time. That is what is important, so I am happy for her and proud of her.

Hopefully the rest of the season goes better for the team.”

Veale has had a great college athletic experience so far. She is extremely happy and does not regret making the commitment. She explains that she loves playing “because [she has] an immediate family that [she will be] friends with for the rest of [her] life.” The team gets along extremely well, especially after suffering through preseason together. All of the girls on the team are striving for the same goal: win and have fun while doing it.

Veale said, “Although college is hard academically, it is nice to be able to go out and play a sport that I love with a team I love.”

Although the Black Squirrels have a 4-4 record (as of October 5th), they have nine talented freshmen who will surely to bring the team to better rankings in the near future. Freshman goalie, Danielle Rette, sits on the bench because junior goalie, Lindsey Lopes, is older, but Rettes has been showing huge potential in recent practices.

The community continues to rally around the team despite their losing record. At least one parent of each player attends every game, and even Haverford students come out to show their support.

Veale expresses excitement for the rest of the season and to see the team reach their full potential. She also hopes that her success not only continues for the season, but throughout her college career.

Quaker Volleyball started off the season with their annual trip to Kutztown University for their preseason volleyball camp. The intense camp helped them to improve their skills and allowed them to bond with each other.

There were many memorable and funny moments at Kutztown this year according to varsity captain, Cassidy Martin ‘15, “Coach Bob told me, ‘Cassidy, did you even bring a hairbrush to camp this year?’” The team is hoping to win the DISC championship this year and so far they are off to a great start going 4-0 (as of October 5th) against conference teams. The Quaker volleyball games are always loud with the help of the Sons of Penn, fast paced, and full of powerful spikes. Go out and support them on their way to becoming conference champs!

Have you seen those crazy runners around campus lately? Cross country is a grueling mental sport so it is often hard for fellow students to understand why these runners willingly put themselves through such torture.

Now that the new Mellor Track and Field is opened the runners have a close and enjoyable place to practice.

Runner Katie Zucca ‘16 said, “Coach Paul is awesome.

He is flexible and understanding. I also like our two new assistant coaches, Erin O’Connor and Peter Gottwald.

They give us great advice and a new perspective on training for meets!” The new track and new coaches are obviously making a difference in the team as they have had eighteen top finishers in selected meets so far.

Before each of their games, the Quaker Field Hockey team sings the Alma Mater in a tight huddle. It might seem like an odd tradition to opposing teams but the united voice of, “Thine fame, thine strength, thine honor shall guide

them all their days” reminds the team of their history and focuses them before the start of the game. Varsity player Simone Veale ‘17 said, “It is always great to kick off the season with a win! I think we are going to do really well this season, and I know we are going to have a lot of fun doing it.” They are such a dynamic and skilled team this year with seven varsity seniors leading the way for the younger players.

Varsity defensive midfielder Patrick Haubert ‘16 had an amazing hat trick in the Soccer team’s first win of the season against A.I. High School. Haubert leads the team in goals and promises to continue. The team has a hard schedule this year with two strong conference teams, Sanford and Tower Hill. Senior captain, Drew Conner ‘15 has a fun tradition before the start of every game, “We usually huddle up and I lighten the mood with some pretty hilarious jokes.” Conner reminds the team that humor can be found in every situation, no matter how intense it might seem.

Quaker Football has started out the season 5-0 compared to last year where it was 1-4. The team is working together and accomplishing the goals they have set at beginning of the season. Also, this season they had a great win against Woodbridge high school. It was an amazing accomplishment for them as they had lost to them last year. Varsity Quarterback Justin Beneck ‘17, said, “Preseason was a great experience for us. We bonded as a team and learned to work together! We are all very excited for the season and what is has to bring!”

Homecoming this year will be a fight against the Tatnall Hornets for most fall sports teams. Volleyball however will be facing Sanford. As the season progresses and gets more difficult, we will need fans to come out in your blue and white and cheer on Quaker sports!

What It Means to Be Phillies In Need of a Quaker Athlete Young Talent Blair Atkins ’17 Sports Writer

Something beautiful happens during a cross country meet. At one point, the pain begins to numb your legs and you are left alone, with only your thoughts running just as fast as your feet over muddy trails and unforgiving hills.

Sometimes the pressure reaches an entirely new height, but despite your pleading brain, you continue on, determined not to give up. Every runner has experienced these sensations, including Quaker runner, Eleanor Napoli ‘16.

At the quad-meet at Sanford in late September, Napoli ran through the woods as she approached the last-place runner of the boys’ teams, who had started his race five minutes before her. “You got this! Keep going!” Napoli encouraged as she dashed past him.

“No...I can’t,” croaked the tired runner. Without a second thought, Napoli turned around and ran back to his side.

“I just could not let him suffer by himself! I have been in that same situation before, and I knew the only thing that could help him was positive company,” she later remarked.

So for the last mile, spectators were in for an unusual sight: a small male freshman and a smiling varsity female runner conversing and jogging together. In the last 100 meters, Napoli challenged her new friend to a sprint, ending in laughter and smiles.

That Monday, Napoli showed everyone what it means to be a true student-athlete at WFS. The Quaker values of peace, integrity, and community do not end when we step onto the field or onto a course. In the spirit of WFS, sometimes lending a hand means more than finishing on top.

Flashback three years ago to a brisk October eveningRyan Howard swung his last bat in the deciding game of the National League East Championship and collapsed to the ground. The powerhouse first baseman tore his achilles on the final play of the season. That very moment seems to mark not only the start of Howard’s long rehabilitation, but also the commencement of the Phillies downfall.

After five consecutive years of winning the NL East championship, which ended in 2012, the Phillies have progressively gone down one spot every year since.

This year, the Philadelphia Phillies lost 89 of 162 games, giving them a winning percentage of only .0451 and ranking them very last in the NL East. Before the season started, the Phillies hoped that the team of veterans would do well for one more year and possibly make it to the playoffs. After this year, it appears that they have to rebuild if they ever hope to have a season like they had in 2011.

“I think next year will likely be just as disappointing as this year was, but if they start to rebuild this offseason, they should be good in a few years,” said Will Bodycot ‘16, a hopeful Phillies fan.

Ryne Sandberg, current Phillies Manager, entered onto the scene in 2013 to replace longtime manager Charlie Manuel. Two other coaches arrived along with Sandberg in hopes of providing the team with a strong, veteran staff.

This year the Phillies brass came to the realization that the team was too old as it entered into the later stages of the season. Most of the starting players are between the ages of thirty and forty, and were key figures on the World Series Championship team of 2008. Familiar names from that year include pitcher Cole Hamels, infielder Chase Utley, first baseman Ryan Howard, and shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

All were still on the Phillies roster this year. Perhaps with the addition of younger players the team could see some much-needed improvement.

In an interview with The New York Times in 2011, Howard said, “I didn’t watch [the replay of the final pitch].

I don’t really care to see it because you can’t go back and change it. I’m focused on this year.” His words offer comfort to dedicated Phillies fans as they come to terms with another losing season. The Phillies are not giving up and neither should their fans!

Jennifer Sullivan

Martha O’Brien ’15 Sports Editor and Columnist

Eleanor Napoli races Sanford runner on September 22nd, 2014.

Sports

Sports by the

STATS Martha O’Brien ’15 Sports Editor

2

Maximum goals scored against the field hockey team per game this season.

18

The number of medals the cross country team has received in their season.

7

The football team is ranked third out of twenty-five teams in the Division II conference.

70

Number of kills each by Cassidy Martin ’15 and Alexandra Musi ’17 in the volleyball season.

50

Saves by varsity soccer goalie, John Blackwell ’18.

5

Season goals by varsity soccer player Patrick Haubert ’16.

NFL Leadership under scrutiny over recent scandals Matt Torneck ’16 Nolan Delaney ’16 Sports Writers The NFL has received a lot of media attention in the past few weeks, not all in regards to the start of the new season.

Stars like Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson have fallen into the national spotlight for their domestic abuse crimes.

Rice has recently been released from the Baltimore Ravens after being charged with domestic abuse, and Peterson currently has a spot on the exempt list after being charged with child abuse and neglect.

The players’ actions have not raised as much controversy as the League Commissioner Roger Goodell’s actions (or lack thereof) have raised. Goodell and other NFL executives have been under a great deal of scrutiny from the public eye for their responses to these cases.

Friends student and longtime football fan, Justin Beneck ‘17, had strong opinions concerning Goodell’s actions: “He needs to understand that having a policy is not always the answer. Each case and scenario is different, and he needs to treat it that way.”

Relying on policies will not always work, as shown in the Ray Rice case. Before this, the go-to policy centered on either giving them a small suspension or sending them directly to counseling. Jail was completely out of the question.

These new cases have turned into something much bigger than the players themselves. They have exposed the league’s narrow self-interest. “Twenty NFL players have been arrested for domestic violence in the past four years The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

alone. Not one did prison time. To say that the NFL’s moral compass has lost its bearings would be an understatement, and it is time that someone is held responsible” wrote Wiley Lauerman, a contributor to the Daily News. Big changes must occur, and all must start with those who run the league.

Whether NFL players like it or not, stardom and the national spotlight follow them when they commit to playing professional sports. These men serve as role models for today’s youth. They are under as much scrutiny as any actor, singer, celebrity, or politician. Their public image must be preserved in order to maintain good relationships with their team, fans, and the league. No parents want their children to look up to someone who consistently makes the headlines for such scandals.

These cases have demonstrated the need for the league to establish harsher penalties for players who step out of line. In order to preserve the image of the NFL, and keep these great players on the field, Roger Goodell cannot toy around with minor suspensions for major crimes. Every time a player gets caught in an abuse case, the reputation of the league plummets. Stricter punishments and less tolerance would substantially reduce the crime rate in the NFL. If the league did not have such high levels of self-interest and just did the right thing, there would be no controversy on this topic.

People understand that the league will always have issues, but the way the league handles them counts the most. Goodell’s job should not focus on trying to cover up all the wrong the players have done. Instead, he needs to work to put an emphasis on building character and making these players legitimate role models once again.

Conor Friedersdorf, writer for The Atlantic, shared some knowledge that many did not previously have: “I fear that vilifying the league has the effect of misleading the public into a belief that it is out of step with general norms on this issue. Domestic violence is less common among NFL players than the general population.” Domestic violence is not just a problem that can be solved once and for all. Perhaps public attention should focus more on ways to prevent such horrible crimes instead of searching for more NFL players to blame.

Domestic abuse it not the only reason the NFL has been making headlines. They also recently adopted a controversial new drug policy.

The two most prominent changes to the drug policy are looser marijuana regulations and mandatory testing for HGH (human growth hormone). Not only have punishments significantly lessened for first-time offenders, the punishable amount of marijuana in blood has increased from 15 ng/ml to 35 ng/m. Players can no longer have their blood drawn on game-day for marijuana or HGH, in fear of decreased performance in tested athletes, as a precautionary measure.

“This is an historic moment for our players and our league...We have collectively bargained drug policies that will keep the game clean and safe, but also provide our players with an unprecedented level of fairness and transparency,” said Eric Winston, Head of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

These are important times for the NFL, undergoing many changes while drawing overwhelming media attention. Every loyal football fan is sure to keep a close eye on the action.

07

Entertainment

Chloe Hudson ’16 Entertainment Writer

www.hitfix.com

Ariana Grande, a 21-year-old with a powerful voice, debuted her first album, “Yours Truly”, at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. With her sudden rise to fame, going from unheard of to everywhere, adults scratched their heads. Who is she, and where did she come from? “She definitely came out of the blue with her singing talent,” said Eleanor Napoli ‘16. What the older generation does not know is that teenagers across the globe have known about her for the past few years.

In 2010, she first appeared on the Nickelodeon show Victorious, playing airhead,Cat Valentine, who attended a performing arts high school. With her red velvet hair, producers soon recognized Grande as the fan favorite; viewers tuned in to see her play her small yet quirky role every episode. In February of 2013, just three years after the airing of Victorious, rumors of a spin-off series ran rampant. “I do not understand why she is getting so much attention,” said Jakob Katzen ‘16. But others must have, because this show would star Ariana Grande as Cat Valentine, throwing Victoria Justice out of the limelight.

Sam and Cat, a new television favorite, featured not only Ariana Grande, but Jennette McCurdy from iCarly. In June of the same year, the show came into the homes of fans of both casts. Many people saw the best friend leads as a dynamic duo and the strangest match thought possible; and yet, it worked.

However, what viewers were not aware of was what was going on behind the scenes. Ariana Grande and co-star Jennette McCurdy were rumored to be at odds, and soon enough competition sparked between the two, as each posted her own photos online with different crowds. Grande’s number of fans and followers soon skyrocketed when the red-haired actress stopping dying her hair red and picked up a microphone.

When the hype over Victorious started to fizzle down, Ariana Grande released her first single, “Put Your Hearts Up,” in May 2012. This catchy song and its dance-along music video placed the singer straight into the ‘cutesy’ category. Although the singer claims it was not very ‘her’ and regrets filming the entire thing, it stayed in the minds of those who heard her name. But she soon grew wise to the pop world, and collaborated with numerous well-known artists who had already made a name for themselves and spanned across many different genres. These collaborations were with artists such as Mac Miller, with her song, ‘The Way,’ and The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes in ‘Almost is Never Enough.”

With the end of Sam and Cat in summer 2014, Grande closed the deal with her album, My Everything. After the release of this album, which was so different from her previous sound, people older than the age of sixteen began to take notice.

“She’s turned into this diva,” said Charlotte Donoho

Grande poses at the Teen Choice Awards ‘16.

Since early September when the album began to climb the infamous music charts, Grande has performed on stage from the MTV Awards to Jimmy Fallon, and it certainly is not the last to be seen of her. She already has multiple performances booked to add to her list. This September she announced her 2015 tour, and the seemingly unbeatable artist plans to dominate not only the music charts with her two No.1 albums, but the secondary ticket market starting next February with her long-awaited tour. Ariana is most definitely going Grande.

The Whittier Miscellany Awards 2014

Are Uggs Becoming ‘Ugg’ly?

Abby Kleman ’18 Maggie Martelli-Raben ’18 Entertainment Writers Over the years, the brand of shoes, “UGGs,” has become an incredibly popular fashion trend for young girls and even adult women. In fact, many students at Wilmington Friends wear these comfortable shoes. The Australia-based company started in 1978 and worked its way to California, eventually expanding to the rest of the United States. Now, in 2014, magazines such as Vogue and O have featured the comfort-based shoe with a thick exterior of sheepskin. They have even expanded and now offer men’s footwear as well. UGG sales began rapidly increasing in 2003 and 2004, and the company has experienced an increase in sales every year since. In 2009, UGG sales grossed nearly 712 million dollars. In the past couple of years, sales have included many repeat customers. The company has managed to come out with different styles, colors, and patterns almost every year.

These include tall, medium, and short heights. Colors vary from pastels to tan, chestnut, and chocolate, to even neon colors. Styles include bows, buttons, sequins, knitted, and more. Not everyone enjoys the styles though, and some controversy exists surrounding the boots. Upper School math teacher Amy Bailey said, “I just think they are ugly!”

Recently, many people have discussed how animals are killed for the fur in the shoes. UGG shoes include both sheepskin and sheep fur. In recent years, various celebrities and animal right activists, including Pamela Anderson, have organized and arranged boycotts of the brand. Videos now circle the internet, showing the ways in which the sheep are killed to remove their skin. Animal rights organizations like PETA instead encourage people to purchase boots made from synthetic material. The Princeton Animal Welfare Society has focused its attention on raising awareness to the danger in supporting UGGs. Many people have mixed feelings about the style and

comfort level of UGGs. Izzy Martelli-Raben ‘15 says, “UGGs are my go-to winter shoe because they always keep my feet warm.” People feel this way because of the fleece interior. Although many teenage girls enjoy the comfort of the shoes, some people do not enjoy the shape of them. UGGs do not have any laces or straps, and they are sculpted into a rounded shape at the toe.

In addition, some people find the flat bottom shape to be painful. Louisa Spinner ‘18 says, “They do not have support, and I have a big arch to my foot, so sometimes it hurts my Achilles tendon.” The Center for Podiatric Care and Sports Medicine has started making custom orthotics especially for UGGs in order to protect people’s arches.

The Center has also expressed concern about feet sweating throughout the day and fungi building due to the moisture, so they continue working to prevent that too.

Controversy also surrounds the steep price of UGGs. Celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton, and Blake Lively have all been spotted sporting the trend, making it that much more desirable. Quarterback, Tom Brady, has also become a major sponsor. The classic tall UGG used to be priced at $140, but has jumped to $195. The classic short UGG, formerly priced at $120, recently increased to $155. Hana Arai ‘15 says, “Personally I love UGGs, but they are expensive, like $155 for a pair of shoes? I could literally tape fake fur into my sneakers for $5.”

Companies such as BEARCLAW and Adi designs have created shoes that resemble UGGs almost exactly, but for a lower price. From a distance it is definitely hard to spot real UGGs from fake UGGs. The coveted UGGs logo can often serve as the only indicator.

Clearly much dispute exists surrounding the brand of shoes, UGGs. Controversy has circled the business for quite some time. Regardless, when winter arrives countless numbers of people will sport the popular shoe. Ultimately, whether you love UGGs or absolutely can’t stand them, they seem to be a fashion statement that won’t disappear anytime soon.

Movie Throwbacks Set Festive Tone

film released in 1995, stars Christina Ricci. In the movie, a young girl, Kat, and her father move into an old house because someone hired her father to get rid of the ghosts

The best way to celebrate the fall involves living there. Although the four ghosts initially startle curling up on the couch with some hot tea or apple Kat, she quickly befriends Casper and helps him gain cider while eating a pumpkin-spiced treat and watching his home back from the malevolent owners. favorite childhood Halloween movies. Those who Another way to get into the holiday season involves do not go trick-or-treating anymore can still enjoy watching some of the episodes of ABC Family’s Halloween. The school week is stressful, so every television show “Pretty Little Liars”. Fiona Saunders ’18 student deserves to unwind by watching favorite says, “I always liked watching the “Pretty Little Liars” childhood movies and embracing the spirit of autumn.

Halloween episode because it would freak me out and One way to revisit childhood favorite films involves be really creepy. Also, I would be like the last one awake switching over to the Disney Channel. Disney has its own in my house watching it, so the lights would be turned Halloween originals, like the “Halloweentown”series. off, and [I would just sit] on the couch all huddled up Kate Mraz ’16 says, “My favorite Halloween throwback watching it.” movie will always be “Halloweentown”. I always lived For those who prefer to watch classic horror films, for the night that Disney AMC has a Halloween Channel aired it during “Fear Fest” which will the “Halloween” special.” play from October 17th “ Tw i t c h e s ” , a n o t h e r until October 31st. Some Disney Channel original, of the classics include starring Tia and Tamera “Friday the 13th”, Mowry. The twins are best “Scream”, “A Nightmare known for their popular, on Elm Street”, and many 90’s TV show, “Sister, more.

Sister.” In “Twitches”, Another way to get the Mowry sisters play ready for Halloween two girls who find out involves watching that they are twin witches. movies based on books.

The girls then need to use The fall is a great time their newfound power and to read, but those who Hocus Pocus’s three famous witches, the Sanderson fight against an evil spirit prefer watching movies Sisters, strike a pose called, “the Darkness.” The rather than reading books Disney Channel also plays movies like “Hocus Pocus” are in luck. Some Halloween movies based on books and “The Little Vampire” during the Halloween season. include Frankenstein, The Shining, The Exorcist, and, Those who spend more time watching ABC Family of course, the Harry Potter series. can watch its Halloween Countdown, “13 Nights of For those who no longer like to go out and trick-orHalloween”. This year, ABC Family will start playing treat anymore, what better way to celebrate fall than to Halloween movies on Sunday, October 19th. The stay home and watch favorite childhood movies. If you marathon will begin with “Casper” and will include are a “Saw” fan or you want to watch Disney Channel many childhood favorites, such as “The Addams Family”, originals, there is no doubt that watching a Halloween “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Beetlejuice”, “The throwback will get you in the mood for fall. Grab a bag Haunted Mansion”, and many others. Eli Akerfeldt ’16 of popcorn and some candy, invite your friends over, put says, “My favorite movie to watch around Halloween is on your favorite Halloween movie, turn out the lights “Casper” because it makes me feel nostalgic.” “Casper”, a and have a great time.

Charlotte Donoho ’16 Entertainment Writer

www.college-social.com

Ariana Going Grande

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Entertainment

October Delivers Frightening Fun

Fall Foods Return

www.laaloosh.com

As summer has come to a close, it seems fall is in the air, and everyone has started getting into the spirit of the season. Homecoming is here, and the fall festivities have lightened the mood in the midst of a busy school year. Although fall has just begun, we cannot help but think of all of the traditional fall foods, from the candy on Halloween, to the feast on Thanksgiving. Everyone must taste these fall classics in order to have the best fall yet.

The apple has remained a common autumn favorite for all ages. More specifically, apple pie is a favorite among many this time of year. It is sold at many, if not all local orchards and grocery stores so that everyone can enjoy it throughout this season.

Brianna Lloyd ‘17 said, “I eat apple pie all year round, but it really is better in the fall. It gets you in the season’s spirit.” Many people also enjoy other delectable apple treats such as apple cider, apple fritters, and of course, candy apples. People often visit farms or orchards where they pick their own apples in order to incorporate them in recipes or even to just eat them plain.

Many people in the WFS community describe squash as a favorite fall classic. Jenks Whittenburg, the upper school computer teacher, shared, “My favorite fall food would have to be butternut squash with cinnamon.” Although squash may seem like a plain food, many possibilities exist to spice it up as Jenks does. Ryan Fischer ‘18 also expressed the same interest, saying, “Squash is the best fall food there is.” Squash is not only good by itself but can also be added to many other recipes. Adding things such as brown sugar, nutmeg, or ginger to butternut squash makes for a palatable and tasty snack that everyone can make easily at home. It is a delectable, yet healthy, and a great bite-size option!

Lastly, foods with pumpkin seem to be popular this season. Christina Aleman ‘17 said, “My favorite fall food is pumpkin pie, and I really like pumpkin spice coffee too!” Meryl Gatti ‘15 agreed with that statement saying, “Pumpkin pie really gets me excited for fall.” We see pumpkins around Halloween and Thanksgiving, but it seems as though they have become more popular on people’s plates than on their front porch. Dunkin Donuts now offers variations of pumpkin coffee and pumpkin-flavored munchkins and donuts. Dunkin Donuts is not the only popular store selling pumpkin-flavored sweets. Stores such as Starbucks and even WFS’s very own Java Nook are following along with this new trend.

Make this fall season even more special with amazing food that will set a good tone for the rest of this year. With spirit week and homecoming here and Halloween shortly after, everyone will be in the fall spirit in no time. Autumn can be busy with fall sports, the musical, and other activities, but it is also a beautiful season that should be enjoyed. What better way to savor the season than to enjoy it with savory foods? Have a flavorful fall season!

The Whittier Miscellany Awards 2014

www.alchemybaking.blogspot.com

Allie Fulginiti ’17 Entertainment Writer

A delicious piece of pumpkin pie

Nancy Drew.

For those who do not find fun in being scared, Delaware offers other options as well. Sadly, the World Despite the scarcity of activities in Delaware, October Championship Punkin Chunkin has been cancelled this is quite an exciting month. With festivals, haunted house year but will be relocated to Dover starting in 2015. At tours, and hayrides almost every weekend, people rarely this special event, air cannons shoot pumpkins manually experience boredom. Different events this fall will be up to a mile away. Teams have already signed up to hurl held as far away as Rehoboth and also as close as right pumpkins across the Dover International Speedway. All around the corner at Hagley. Starting on the last weekend proceeds go directly to various charity organizations such in September, the Halloween festivities commenced and as Childhelp, Autism Delaware, and Meals on Wheels. the countdown began.

Eli Akerfeldt-Howard ‘16 commented on the fun event For those who like a little frightening fun, Frightland saying, “I have never been to Punkin Chunkin before, has been open since the last weekend of September. Many but it sounds really cool, and I want to go one year.” For people view Frightland as a popular Halloween destination a less hands-on experience, pop over to Hagley for a nice due to its wide variety of activities, like going on hayrides and relaxing hayride where groups are guided along the and seeing people dressed as scary monsters. When Brandywine. asked about Frightland, an anonymous source responded Delaware also provides a number of Halloween positively saying, “Frightland is my favorite place to go festivals every weekend in October for the enjoyment of for Halloween. I go every year with my family and friends. In early October, the best friends.” Similar to Frightland, Harvest Moon Festival takes place in New Castle County offers ghost tours Greenville, which the Delaware Nature Society hosted. Along with live animals of Rockwood Mansion. During the tour of the mansion, experts will guide for kids, there were also pumpkins and groups around, potentially with the a farmers market for older guests. help of a medium or psychic. The tour Later in October, the Fifer Fall Fest is offered in different “levels of scary”; will be a huge Halloween celebration the least frightening level includes a equipped with a Corn Maze, pumpkin short tour around the mansion with painting, farm volleyball, and pumpkin paranormal activity tools. The scariest bowling. Other festivals in and around Pumpkin bowling in action level offers a 3AM stay in Rockwood Wilmington will be held at Coverdale mansion, exploring all areas (inside and outside) of the Farm and Ramsey’s Farm on different dates throughout mansion. Looking for something super scary? While October. So, look out of for upcoming dates. a little out of the way, make sure to visit the East State As Halloween sits just around the corner, many people Penitentiary in Philadelphia for some serious supernatural express their excitement and anticipation of the spooky contact. For less of a terrifying experience, Delaware’s holiday. Make sure to get started carving pumpkins, Operating Railroad Museum offers a Murder Mystery visiting haunted houses, and my personal favorite, scaring Train Ride. On this short and family-friendly train ride, your friends! The school year can often be hectic, so let the participants will help in solving a murder inspired by loose with some Halloween fun!

Natalie Szumel ’16 Entertainment Writer

Reality TV: Love it or Lose it?

Katrina Skibicki ’17 Entertainment Writer Is spending an entire day glued to your sofa, watching your favorite reality show, a guilty pleasure to be ashamed of? Reality television is constantly criticized for scripted drama and frivolousness. Viewers suspect the ridiculous behavior of reality stars, derived from their desperate desire for fame. Yet some viewers are satisfied with the entertainment it provides and embrace the opportunity to relate to reality television’s icons. Margaret Sullivan ‘17, passionately argues that the brain-frying effects of reality television are not worth the meager pleasure it offers. She inquires, “Why waste your time watching other people’s lives instead of living your own? That being said, I take no shame in sitting down for a nice episode of Wipeout, or a classic game show that offers the opportunity to showcase athleticism or an amazing skill.” Depending on the viewer, reality television receives either praise for its ingenious means of entertainment or criticism for its futility and the embarrassment it brings to our society.

Students of Wilmington Friends credit certain reality shows for demonstrating a greater purpose, more depth, and a likeable cast. For example, Owen Sheppard ‘17 appreciates “Impractical Jokers” for its timeless humor and the cast’s remarkable improvisation. “Its a great show because all the events that occur in the show are real, and it consistently brings comedy and joy to my day,” explains Owen. Other shows that continue to excite Wilmington Friends students include “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”. The appearance of sophomore Allie Fulginiti’s ‘17 cousin, Josh Murray, on this year’s season of “The Bachelorette” sparked a significantly higher level of interest in the show. Allie, along with her sister, chose to nominate former professional baseball player, Murray, who received the final rose and proposed to Andi Dorfman on the show’s season finale on July 28th, 2014.

Many reality shows on television today have made efforts towards reinventing the show to attract a larger audience, have the opposite effect. With a loss of over two million fans since 2009, the Kardashian’s desperate efforts to keep their show fresh and thriving have evidently fallen short. Perhaps the ninth season debut of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” disappointed its viewers

because America is no longer as invested in their constant theatricals and family battles. Christina Aleman ‘17 avid “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” fan, defends the show’s reputation, but not because she admires the Kardashians. Aleman ‘17 explains, “As ridiculous as the Kardashians sound on the show, they are always dead serious. That is what makes it so entertaining, and people have a lot of fun mocking them.” While loyal Kardashian fans still remain, Christina among them, the smaller fanbase will not have the strength to kick the once popular E! show back into high gear.

The Kardashians are not the only ones suffering from a gradual lack of interest. “America’s Next Top Model”, created and hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks, began in 2003 and started its twenty-first cycle in August. Banks’s demands for new judges and different competition themes, such as “British Invasion” and “College Edition,” and Cycle 20’s inclusion of both male and female contestants, repelled “Top Model” fans who crave the show’s traditional style and familiar fashion icons. The plummet in “American Idol’s” ratings might suggest that it is time for Seacrest and his crew to throw in the towel as well. Idol fans do not believe that a new set of judges could ever recreate the level of success that the show had in its earliest years, with notoriously blunt A&R executive, Simon Cowell, choreography and dancing sensation, Paula Abdul, and Grammy-Award winning producer, Randy Jackson, all absent from the new judges panel. Jakob Katzen ’16 admits to a loss of enthusiasm for the show due to the updated judging panel in 2011.

Jacob explains, “Once Simon Cowell left American Idol, the show went downhill. The only reason I watched the show was because of the judges.”

Despite a substantial decline in demand for more reality television, networks such as E! and MTV do not predispose any desire to throw in the towel just yet.

A fourth season awaits MTV’s “Catfish”, “American Idol” will kick off yet again in January of 2015, and the Kardashians insist on a minimum of one more season.

Many other shows will join them in the struggle to survive in the entertainment industry. The success of these shows will be dependent upon the ratings that they achieve.

Which shows’ efforts to revive the reality television genre will succeed?

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Homecoming 2014 Schedule wilmingtonfriends.org

Friday, October 17

Go Quakers Go! Banner in the Lower School 11:30am - 50th Reunion and 1748 Society Luncheon - Dupont Country Club 1:30pm - MS/US Pep Rally - West Gym 5:30pm - Volleyball Game - West Gym 6:00pm - All-Alumni/True Blue Donor Reception - MS/US Library 8:00pm - Theatre Opening Performance Dedication - Theatre

Saturday, October 18 8:00am -2:30pm- Homecoming Service Project Collection 8:30am - Smith McMillan 5K Run/Walk US Parking Lot 10:00am - 15+ Meeting for Worship MS/US Meeting Room

Larry Khun Photography

10:30am - Field Hockey Game

Senior Meryl Gatti dribbles past St. Andrews defender on 9/11/14 11:00am -Melomanie Performance of Ultra Violet - Theatre 11:30am-1:30pm - Homecoming Lunch Homecoming Tent 12:00pm - Self-guided tour of MS/US Campus 12:00pm-2:00pm - Kids Corner and Lower School Service Bake Sale 12:00pm - Boys Soccer Game 2:30pm - Football Game - Tattersall Field 8:00pm - Upper School Homecoming Dance - West Gym

The Whittier Miscellany Homecoming 2014

Community The Governor’s School for Excellence This summer, from July 13-18, I attended Delaware’s Governor’s School for Excellence at the University of Delaware. Paid for by the office of the Governor of Delaware, the Governor’s School for Excellence is a “oneweek summer residential program that brings together academically and artistically talented Delaware high school students who have completed their sophomore year.”

The Governor’s School consists of four different programs: the art program (10 kids), the drama program (10 kids), the music program (about 30 kids), and the academic program, which was what I was in (about 70 kids). Acceptance into the visual and performing art categories were through auditions, and for academics, students were first nominated by their school, and then had to submit an application to the physical program.

My family has quite a history with the program, my dad being a part of it the year it began, my mom the second, and my sister during the 30th anniversary. This year was the Governor’s School’s 35th anniversary, and I was the fourth person in my family to attend.

As a member of the academic program, I participated in a myriad of fascinating activities and classes that consisted of discussions, lectures, debates, and films revolving around a specific theme. All of the classes were designed to be something that would be interesting to a group of incoming juniors, as well as something that we would not have usually been exposed to prior to that week.

Classes and seminars that I attended included economics, marketing, a stock market simulation, Shakespeare interpretations, a class on how there is no such thing as free speech, international decision making, politics and elections, and a Chinese culture seminar.

We even actively participated in a ROTC led leadership and team work class where we learned how to call in emergency medical reinforcements, and create a harness that would help us attach ourselves to a rope so we could climb across tress over a theoretical river. The

governor, Jack Markell, came to speak to us in the middle of our class on politics to talk about his new transportation and infrastructure initiative that he was going to discuss with President Obama at the Charcoal Pit two hours later.

One of the days we had a choice of going on one of three field trips; the places ranging from a biomedical engineering trip, to a marine science field trip in Lewes, to a trip on health and exercise science. I participated in the health and exercise science trip, where we learned about exercise physiology, metabolism, and the biomechanics of sports. We got to sit in the BodPod, a $50,000 body fat measurer, and test the potential energy in our legs with a weight induced exercise bike.

When we were not involved in classes, we were taking part in the bonding activities that were set up so that all of the kids could meet each other. Since we lived at the University of Delaware for a week, we were split up into quads with around ten people. These groups became teams for the “Gov School Olympics”, “Quad Follies” (skits), and an impromptu “Odyssey of the Mind” competition that culminated with the winning quad receiving Wawa gift cards, (sadly my quad came in second to last).

What made the Governor’s School so unique was the fact that every school in Delaware was represented with an equally bright Delaware student. Although we think that Delaware is tiny, I began to see Delaware as both big and small, and started to see Delaware’s size as a positive attribute.

I made friends from the north and the south, and learned with fascination that people from the southern half of Delaware see themselves as “southerners”, while most of us from the north saw ourselves as “northerners.”

Delaware’s small size allowed us to meet Governor Markell, and be taught by some of the top professors that the University of Delaware has to offer.

The Governor’s School of Delaware was an incredible experience, inside the classroom with the engaging classes, and outside with all of the new people that I met and remain in touch with today. I cannot recommend the experience enough. I highly encourage all sophomores to look into and apply for this opportunity for next summer!

Brian Zittlau ’15 Freelance Columnist We live in an age where news sources are more polarized, incorrect, and politicized than ever. On one hand there’s Fox News with their line-up of Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck; and on the other hand there’s MSNBC with the left-leaning Reverend Al Sharpton. Somewhere in the middle there’s CNN, whose reputation is now embarrassingly low due to multiple false stories they’ve published over the past year. Any channel you tune in to or any news website you click on has their own agenda--and this has come to an apex with the Ferguson riots of August, 2014. It’s time to sort out the facts of the matter and come to a fair conclusion about the riots and their implications.

First let’s lay out the basic story. The two main actors are Michael Brown, an 18 year old 6’4’’, 290 lbs., black teen from Ferguson, MO, and Darren Wilson, a 28 year old white police officer for the city of Ferguson. Brown had just graduated high school and was planning on attending Vatterott College, a technical school, in order to become a heating and cooling engineer; he hoped to start his own business in that industry. Wilson had no disciplinary history as an officer and was said to be an “average officer” who allegedly did not get into trouble, according to a published interview from an anonymous co-worker of his.

The shooting took place on August 9th, at noon.

Michael Brown and his friend, Dorian Johnson, a black male, were walking on a road when Officer Wilson drove up in a police cruiser and ordered the men to move to the sidewalk and to stay off the road. This provoked a confrontation between the officer and the men that turned into a possible charge of 2nd degree murder for Officer Wilson.

This is also where the story becomes cloudy. The Ferguson Police Department claims that as Officer Wilson tried to exit his cruiser, Brown pushed the officer back in and that Brown reached for Wilson’s firearm during a violent struggle. However, Dorian Johnson asserts that the officer yelled profanities at him and Brown and then throttled Brown’s neck through the police cruiser window.

Johnson also claims Brown never reached for the officer’s firearm during the struggle.

At one point during the confrontation, Wilson’s gun went off, for one reason or another. This caused Brown and Johnson to flee. Wilson took off after them, fired six shots into the backs of the men, and killed Michael Brown There’s no definitive account of the situation; all of the accounts are based on first-hand witnesses such as Officer Wilson, Dorian Johnson, and some locals who observed part of the struggle. There was no dashboard camera on the police cruiser, and Officer Wilson was not wearing a body-camera.

The grand jury investigation of the murder will produce a more accurate picture as it gets deeper into the events, but as of now there is no clear picture. The case is all centered around hearsay.

Michael Brown was not an angel--this may be shocking to some due to most major news sources’ portrayals of him. Brown was involved in a robbery in which he stole cigars from a convenience store, but Officer Wilson had no knowledge of the robbery at the time of the confrontation. Does stealing cigars warrant being killed?

Of course not, but it is relevant at least in the sense that it characterizes Brown as a troublemaker to a certain extent.

The Ferguson community reacted to this event by protesting; their main goal is to have Officer Wilson indicted on charges of murder. This goal is flawed because an indictment depends solely on the unbiased grand jury’s investigation, which only relies on official evidence and will be published in November at the earliest.

In my opinion, it would be a tremendous service to the nation if the protestors demanded legislation that would prevent another Michael Brown-style killing from happening again and leave the indictment decision to the Grand Jury. They should pursue legislation that requires police officers to wear body cameras in order to make sure that police brutality is recorded as evidence. They should also pursue legislation that limits the amount of military equipment sold to police departments in order to decrease their power over communities. Ultimately, they should seek a goal that can be achieved.

Jodi Lessner ’16 Assistant Editor-in-Chief

What Did the Ferguson Riots Hope to Achieve?

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