Student Life at Woodberry Forest School • October 2014
Senior's Choice sixth formers delve into language and literature
Getting Fired up for The Game Woodberry-Episcopal Game caps the Fall Season
When a Woodberry boy mentions The Game, everyone knows that he’s talking about the annual match-up between Woodberry Forest and Episcopal High School, the oldest high school rivalry in the South. This year’s game will be played on Saturday, November 8th, on Woodberry’s home turf in front of thousands of fans decked out in orange and black. The fans include students, families, and alumni — even bus loads of girls from nearby schools! The Tigers are always more than ready for the Maroon. “Our boys are excited about the opportunity to be a part of the 114th game of this rivalry,” said Clinton Alexander, head football coach. “It is a special event between two great schools.” And the boys come to the field fired up from the most amazing pep rally ever — the bonfire! The night before The Game, the boys gather, costumed and bearing unlit torches. They stand in two lines as a flame is passed from torch to torch. With sixth formers (seniors) leading the way, each boy tosses his torch into a massive bonfire that lights up the night. The cheerleaders then lead the crowd in loud cheers. Speeches from Headmaster Byron Hulsey and Coach Alexander do their part to pump up the Tigers for victory — and prep everyone for one of the biggest days of the year.
By the time a Woodberry boy is ready to make his senior year schedule, he has lots of options. Since a student is usually only required to take three years of courses in a subject area, the sixth-form year means specializing in one area or branching out. And even though everyone needs four years of English, boys still get to choose from an array of interesting offerings to fulfill their requirement. This year, four English teachers designed courses to share their special expertise; a quick visit to those classes turns up some great discussions and insights. In one class, Uprising: Subversion and Survival in World Literature and Film, two of Dr. Karen Broaddus’s students prepared questions and led a discussion of the Indian novel The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. In Fact and Fiction, department chair Ted Blain, a published novelist and short-story writer, had students not only read and analyze the tone of a passage from Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes but also imitate the author’s style in their own writing. Other teachers have designed courses on Shakespeare and mythology. When teachers share the literature and styles they love, students can’t help but catch their enthusiasm. The real challenge for most seniors is picking from the menu of enticing choices.
From the Headmaster “Assembled here this afternoon are boys who will become your friends for life, boys who are likely to attend your son’s wedding and be there through the best and most challenging times that we’ll share together here at Woodberry and beyond.” Byron Hulsey ’86 in his welcome address to new boys and their families Read more: www.woodberry.org/headmastersblog
Ben Hale, WFS English teacher since 1992
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What's New in Tiger Mountain Biking? new sport at the forest
If you think mountain biking means taking a leisurely two-wheeled spin along back roads, think again. Woodberry’s new fall mountain biking team can show you just how much conditioning and technique are required to excel at this adventure sport. The team welcomes both novice and experienced riders: team captain Justin Mitchell ’16 placed seventh in a national-level race this summer, while others are just being introduced to it. Like any sport, mountain biking has a full schedule of contests and daily practices to prepare for the challenges they’ll face on the course. Riders build endurance out on the trail, practice technique with expert guidance from their coaches, and care for their bikes. Teacher feature
Todd Jarry
Woodberry’s brand new skills park — an area where riders work on their bike-handling skills — helps riders perfect the techniques they’ll need in a race. The skills park has a thirty-five-foot rock garden, two log
Dr. Todd Jarry came to Woodberry Forest in 2011 from a career in biotech and teaching college biology. Todd earned his BS from the University of New Hampshire and his PhD in microbiology and immunology from Dartmouth College. At the Forest, he teaches biology, microbiology, and anatomy and physiology and coaches wrestling, lacrosse, and mountain biking. When he learned about Woodberry, he knew he’d be well suited to the school’s environment with its emphasis on camaraderie and outdoor activity. What are some of your memorable moments in teaching the anatomy and physiology course? Each trimester, a “teachable moment” arises when I get to correct a student’s misunderstanding about the human form. I feel great when I’m able to do that, but sometimes it can be tough to keep a straight face. What are some of your personal interests that you like sharing with the boys? I hope my passion for mountain biking, alpine skiing, and fly fishing gets some of the students interested in trying out these non-traditional sports. I’m starting a fly-fishing club so I can teach others some of the skills I learned during a ten-day fly fishing guide course I took this summer. What do you find so special about fly fishing? Nothing makes me feel more alive than being outdoors, so I want to get boys outside fishing on small mountain streams where they can gain a true appreciation for wild places. I am happy whenever I help a student get past the initial learning phase to a level that lets him enjoy the sport. And after he leaves Woodberry, I hope he’ll catch a fish someday and remember that his obsession started at Woodberry.
Peer Leaders Smooth the Way a leadership program for old boys helping new boys
Woodberry's Peer Leadership Council is a group of experienced students committed to helping new boys learn the ropes and feel at home at the Forest. These peer leaders gather their groups for pizza and informal discussions. “We returned to school three days early for training,” said Roy Toston ’16, one of the mentors selected last spring to lead new boys on their journey to becoming old boys. The peer leaders have lunch each week with Henry Heil, Woodberry’s director of residential life, to prepare topics and activities for the Thursday evening meetings. Rob Prater ’16 describes his group as “a little family.” He’s been helping the boys he mentors with lots of hints and advice about time management and goal setting. “I think the Peer Leadership Council is a great addition to Woodberry,” Rob said, “because of the comradeship each group builds.”
Tell us something about you that might surprise people. I have a freezer full of bugs.
2 • October 2014 • Tiger Tales
Woodberry Forest School
drops, and some “skinnies,” narrow logs or boards suspended above the ground for learning balance. With many more elements still in the planning stage, the skills park will eventually grow to nine times the size it is now. “The area allows us to focus on specific elements of technical riding in a controlled atmosphere,” says mountain biking Head Coach Nolan LaVoie. “The boys will be prepared when they get out on the trail.” Also new this year is an 8.1-kilometer course that runs along Robertson Lake, follows the Rapidan River, and then doubles back toward the main campus. The course takes full advantages of the natural terrain of the school’s 1,200 acres. Part of the fall’s practice time was spent trimming branches and prepping pathways so Woodberry could host a Virginia High School Cycling League race. This fall, Woodberry’s mountain bikers enjoyed the feeling of having their first-ever home-field advantage!
student snapshot
Ross Winston ’15 Senior Ross Winston came to Woodberry because it offered high-tech opportunities in a rural setting. The Eagle Scout is a computer guru who also loves hunting, rock climbing, and paintball. This summer, he was awarded Woodberry’s Noland Fellowship to spend five weeks setting up a computer lab using recycled computers at Church of Christ School in Winneba, Ghana.
New Tigers Earn Their Stripes Tie-cutting tradition ends new-boy status
When a boy first arrives at Woodberry, he brings a black tie that identifies him to one and all as a new boy. And he can't wait for the day he can replace it with the classic black-and-orange tie of Tigers everywhere. “There comes a moment in every Woodberry boy's life when he is no longer a new boy. He becomes a Woodberry boy,” said Chaplain David Smith before introducing the cheerleaders to begin the tie cutting ceremony. According to tradition, the newest Tigers lost their black ties during a Parents' Weekend ceremony. The cheerleaders gathered the new boys on the steps of Dick Gym before a crowd of faculty, parents, and friends. They asked — and the new boys answered — a variety of questions about Woodberry, such as “What is HT Minor's jersey number?” They even invited the new boys to sing a bar or two of a popular song. Once the cheerleaders deemed the new boys ready, they took scissors to those old black ties. With that simple action, they welcomed another group of new boys into the fold as full-fledged Tigers.
How did you get the idea for your Noland project? I noticed that Woodberry had a lot of underutilized technology equipment, and I was curious about how it could be repurposed and made meaningful to people who don’t have similar access to technology. Did your project turn out to be meaningful? Yes, I have heard from people at the school that the lab I installed is fully operational. The students are learning typing and MS Office skills and will get an Internet connection soon. They’ve told me they’re immensely appreciative. You have a lot of tech expertise for a person your age. How did you get your start in computers? When I was ten, I had an old computer from my dad’s office. When it died, I opened it up and called the tech support number. I just kept calling and asking questions until I understood everything I saw inside the computer. By the time I was eleven, I’d started a business buying old computers on Craigslist and then repairing and selling them. What are your aspirations for the future? I might return to Ghana next summer. I’ve gotten interested in setting up “microlabs” in medical clinics. I’d put in just a few computers connected via satellite to the Internet so medical workers could get the most current information in a crisis like the Ebola epidemic. What activities have you enjoyed since returning to campus? I’ve enjoyed hunting geese on Robertson Lake and dove hunting out in the fields. Also, I’ve been leading third formers out on the ropes course, practicing football, and running paintball tournaments.
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Presorted First Class U.S. Postage PAID Orange, VA Permit No. 97
Woodberry Forest School Office of Admissions 898 Woodberry Forest Road Woodberry Forest, VA 22989-9989
October 2014 Tiger Tales
Come see us!
FIRST ROUND ADMISSIONS DEADLINE: JANUARY 15 We could be coming to your hometown! Check www.woodberry.org/Page/Admissions/Events-Near-You to see a list of upcoming admissions receptions.
upcoming ssat dates
What step are you on?
Tour campus and interview
More information can be found at www.woodberry.org/admissions
October 18 November 15 December 13 January 10 Take the SSATs (and TOEFL if international)
Spend the night (optional)
Submit the application (with recommendations and transcripts) before Jan 15
WWW.WOODBERRY.ORG | wfs.admissions@ woodberry.org | 888-798-9371 www.facebook.com/woodberryforestschool | www.instagram.com/woodberryforestschool | www.twitter.com/WoodberryForest
Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. This school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.