STUDENT LIFE AT WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL • JULY 2012
Graduation
THE BEGINNING, NOT THE END
ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
HILTON COLLEGE
MICHAELHOUSE
A SOUTH AFRICAN STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE
Each year Woodberry joins forces with three South African all-male boarding schools — Michaelhouse, St. John’s College, and Hilton College — to give students the opportunity to experience another country and culture in a semester-long immersion program. Michaelhouse and Hilton are rural schools located in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, while St. John’s is an urban school located in the heart of Johannesburg. At their adopted schools, boys are immersed in the day-to-day life just as they would be back at Woodberry. Joining sports teams — like cricket, rugby, and water polo — attending classes, completing assignments, and taking advantage of weekend excursions create an unforgettable immersion experience. “My favorite part of my time in South Africa was the opportunity to take a weekend trip to a game preserve with a young teacher and five other students from Scotland and Australia. At school, I took African Economics and had an interesting history class that focused on the last century. It was exciting to hear another perspective on the United States that I hadn’t considered before. It was a fantastic experience, and I would go back again if possible.” — William Shelton ’13
The Forms
“I find comfort in knowing that, although we will leave Woodberry tomorrow, Woodberry will not leave us,” said Marshall Deal ’12, Woodberry’s senior prefect, in his graduation speech. “We will never lose the relationships we’ve built or the things we’ve learned here.” The lessons boys learn at Woodberry will serve them well as they begin life’s next chapter. Transitioning to college will be a breeze for the graduates because they have already lived away from home, done their own laundry, dragged themselves out of bed for 8:00 a.m. classes, shared a room, and handled a rigorous workload. Writing papers, understanding the importance of scheduling a consultation with a professor for extra help, and managing their time wisely will enable them to hit the ground running at their new schools. Though graduation is a bittersweet end to their Woodberry years, the boys are ready for every challenge that lies ahead!
FAST FACT
One of Woodberry’s oldest traditions is its use of the term “form,” rather than “ninth grade,” “tenth grade,” etc., to denote a grade. The school’s founder, J. Carter Walker, began this custom, which follows British terminology, in 1896. At Woodberry, we start at the third form (ninth grade) and go to the sixth form (twelfth grade). WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
TIGER TALES • JULY 2012 • 1
SENIOR SHAKE • COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER DR. WILLIAM HAZEL, JR. ’74 • AMICI NIGHT • BAC
Class of 2012 COLLEGE Overview 102 GRADUATES 345 ACCEPTANCE LETTERS RECEIVED 177 DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS APPLIED TO 500,000
TEACHER FEATURE
Matthew Keating Matthew Keating arrived at Woodberry in 2000 with his wife, Kimber. When he is not teaching math, he is coaching junior black basketball, JV baseball, and helping out with the yearbook. In his free time he loves to go bike riding and grill. He and Kimber have three daughters, Maddie, Ally, and Caroline. What do you most enjoy about coaching? I enjoy the opportunity to help players develop from their current skill level into ballplayers who can contribute and compete at the varsity level. It is exciting to take a handful of returning sophomores and combine them with new players every spring. The team gets stronger as players improve as individuals and teammates. What is your favorite thing to cook/grill? I grew up in rural Connecticut, where BBQ usually meant cooking hot dogs and frozen hamburgers on a propane grill. Over the last twelve years, I have grown to appreciate highquality BBQ from all over the country. I enjoy a Carolina pig pickin’, but I really love Kansas City burnt ends, which an advisee shared with me. My current favorite to prepare is Texas beef brisket. After six years of competing in Woodberry’s annual BBQ competition, the Texas team (which I advise) triumphed again with a juicy brisket and Rio Grande river rats (grilled jalapeños stuffed with seasoned cream cheese and shrimp, wrapped in bacon).
TOTAL MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS AWARDED BY COLLEGES 17 DIFFERENT STATES STUDENTS WILL STUDY IN NEXT YEAR 17 ATHLETES COMMITTED TO PLAYING THEIR SPORT IN COLLEGE 3612 MILES FROM WOODBERRY TO THE FARTHEST SCHOOL: CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, UK 37 MILES FROM WOODBERRY TO THE CLOSEST SCHOOL: UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA 40 COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES VISITED CAMPUS SCHOOLS WHERE THE MOST TIGERS WILL BE ATTENDING: 13 UVA; 8 UNC; 5 SEWANEE; 5 WILLIAM AND MARY SCHOOL OUR VALEDICTORIAN IS ATTENDING: harvard
History in 3-D History gets extremely detailed in Clint Alexander’s Military History class. Coach Alexander built a 4x18' model of the Battle of the Austerlitz, complete with more than 1000 figurines that he painted himself. Horses, houses, trees, and soldiers with the correct uniforms based on their rank — all carefully researched and painted to be historically accurate — bring the battle to life. Students gain a three-dimensional perspective on one of Napoleon’s greatest victories while placing themselves in the shoes of one of history’s most brilliant military strategists.
SPR
What are your summer plans? Kimber and I take our three daughters to see our families in Arkansas and Connecticut. I will also attend an AP computer science conference at Fordham University in New York City. In addition to geometry, I teach a course in Java programming and am eager to provide a solid foundation for my students to pursue computer science in the future. 2 • JULY 2012 • TIGER TALES
WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
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NIGHT • BACCALAUREATE • FAMILY CELEBRATIONS • GRADUATION • DIPLOMAS • GRADUATES!
planting a community garden in Orange
Giving Back
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Service is part of the school’s mission and a vital element in a Woodberry education. Whether staying close to campus or trekking across the planet, Woodberry boys design community service projects of at least sixty hours to help their hometown, the Orange community, or even people halfway around the world. Whether mentoring kids at the Boys and Girls Club, working in a food pantry, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, teaching in South Africa or Central America, attending a mission trip, or tackling an Eagle Scout project, every Woodberry boy chooses meaningful ways to give back.
teaching in Africa
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IT’S JUST WHAT WE DO!
helping out at the Special Olympics
The Directors’ Cup
EXCELLENCE, DIVERSITY, PARTICIPATION
This year marks the twenty-third time Woodberry has won the Directors’ Cup, awarded annually to the Virginia Prep League school whose athletic teams have compiled the best records over the course of the year. Woodberry has earned the cup, first presented in 1977, more than twice as often as any other Prep League school — proving the Tigers, whether on the golf course, playing fields, or in the pool, are true competitors!
SPRING 2012 TEAMS STUDY TIP
Lazy-hazy-crazy days of Summer Reading!
Keep your mind active this summer by finding a few books to read. Everyone at Woodberry (including teachers!) will be reading Strength in What Remains by Tracey Kidder during the break. Want more recommendations? Go to the library page on the Woodberry website, where you will find the complete summer reading list! WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
STUDENT SNAPSHOT
Marshall Deal Marshall came to Woodberry from Hickory, North Carolina. A campus leader, he made his mark as senior prefect, captain of the varsity basketball team, and an admissions ambassador. At graduation, he won the Archer Christian Medal for his distinguished character, leadership, and athletic achievement. What made you decide to go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and what are you most looking forward to in your college career? I chose Carolina because it is close to home, and also because of the wide variety of majors that the school offers. I’m planning to pursue a major in either business or sports administration. Like most Woodberry guys, the thing I am looking forward to most about college is the freedom that I will have. What was your favorite part about being senior prefect? The best part of my entire prefect experience was the trip we took to Colorado last summer. We all had a lot of fun and the trip gave us the chance to get to know each other even better. As for my favorite thing about being senior prefect, being elected and knowing that my peers had confidence in me were tremendous honors. What are you going to miss most about Woodberry? Without a doubt, I will miss the people at Woodberry more than anything else. My classmates, teachers, and coaches have made my time here truly special. Where is your favorite place on campus? Dick Gym. Basketball was a huge part of my Woodberry experience, and I spent countless hours in Dick Gym, which is by far the best gym in the Prep League. TIGER TALES • JULY 2012 • 3
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
Here’s Your latest copy of Tiger Tales!
ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST Tour campus and interview (plan to spend the night!) Submit your application Take the SSATs (and TOEFL if international) Submit teacher recommendations and transcripts before February 1st (Instructions, directions, and more information can be found at www.woodberry.org/admissions)
SUMMER & FALL EVENTS
Sports Camp 2012
CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT GOES ON AT WOODBERRY DURING THE SUMMER? CHECK OUT THE SUMMER BLOGS ON OUR WEBSITE!
WWW.WOODBERRY.ORG WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/WOODBERRYFORESTSCHOOLADMISSIONS WOODBERRY < throwback
Jun 8–10 | Father-Son Weekend Jun 2–27 | CASA trip to Nicaragua Jun 10–Jul 13 | Woodberry in Spain Jun 13–Jul 4 | Woodberry in Scotland Jun 17–Jul 7 | Sports Camp Jul 1–22 | Woodberry at Oxford Jul 15–18 | Basketball Camp Jul 15–19 | Squash Camp Jul 19–22 | Lacrosse Camp Sept 11 | First day of classes Nov 10 | The Game vs. EHS (H)
CONTACT 888-798-9371
WFS.ADMISSIONS@WOODBERRY.ORG
GRADUATION, ST. ANDREW’S CHAPEL, 1962
Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, 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, 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.