Student Life at Woodberry Forest School • june 2015
Learning Past and Present History Department brings the past to life
Some might think it’s acceptable to put the past behind them, but Woodberry’s history teachers are constantly finding new ways to keep history fresh and exciting. For example, the department invited Holocaust survivor Esther Bauer to campus with the help of Jannis Stöter ’16, this year’s ASSIST scholar from Germany. Esther spoke directly to the hearts of the Woodberry community about her experiences as a Jewish prisoner in four Nazi Germany concentration camps with great optimism and even humor. Other history department offerings give students the chance to take an in-depth look at history. Third formers take a course called Stories and Histories, where they learn the great themes of history by reading stories from ancient times and later eras. And seniors can choose from a variety of electives that take them to Civil War battlefields, the Supreme Court, or the Virginia capitol to meet the Commonwealth’s governor. This year, new courses will include Trade, Technology, and Terror; a course on leadership taught by Headmaster Byron Hulsey ’86; and a course on the Middle East. These will be added to the already-popular Criminal Law; Military History; and the Sixties, which covers the 1760s, 1860s, and 1960s.
Serving Those Who Serve peer leadership council sends packages to troops
Even though they'd spent the year as mentors helping their groups of new boys adjust to life at Woodberry, the juniors and seniors on the Peer Leadership Council wanted to do even more. This spring, Ford Beazley ’16 challenged the groups and their leaders to reach out and help others by completing a worthwhile community service project. "We decided Operation Gratitude would be a great way to get everyone involved in a really good cause: helping deployed soldiers," Ford said. Boys bought items and wrote thank you notes to place in seven care packages filled with snacks, books, playing cards, and hygiene items. The charitable organization then ships the boxes to service members as a way to thank them for their service.
Bill Engel, Jannis Stöter ’16, and Esther Bauer
“The idea for the project came directly from the boys,” said Henry Heil, Woodberry’s assistant dean of students and the faculty organizer for the Peer Leadership Council. “I think that says a lot about our students.”
From the Headmaster “Here at Woodberry, we’re focused on preparing boys for their future. Great teachers and coaches have been the bedrock of this community since its founding, and that will never change. Our methods and approaches may evolve through time, but the passion and care we invest in the craft of teaching the boys under our care will never waver.” Byron Hulsey ’86 from "Great Teachers" on What Matters Most Read more: www.woodberry.org/headmastersblog Woodberry Forest School
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Weekend Activities XXXXXXX
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Teacher feature
Brian Stephenson When he arrived at Woodberry as a Kenan-Lewis intern after graduating from Yale University in 2009, Brian Stephenson had never experienced boarding school life. But the English teacher, head JV football coach, and short sprints coach for indoor and outdoor track immediately recognized how Woodberry could help boys become well-rounded young men. He and his wife, Melissa, live on campus and lead the school’s minority affinity group, the Caucus. How do you believe athletic programs help prepare boys for their future? I believe these activities teach our students a great deal about serving a cause greater than themselves, persevering and competing through tough times, and forging strong bonds with those who go through the fire with them. These traits are essential to get along in the workplace and thrive in life. What is your favorite book to teach in your English classes? Currently, my favorite book to teach is The Kite Runner because it appeals to our boys. We talk about friendship, betrayal, and redemption, and I see that the honor system is always at the forefront of their minds. What are some of the things you bring to the English department? As the lead teacher for the fourth-form English course, I am helping introduce more AfricanAmerican literature to the curriculum. The emphasis is not solely on the African-American experience, but how the history, struggles, and triumphs of that community are not isolated and can be seen in other races, cultures, and genders. What is your favorite part of your Woodberry day? I like to take off my "teacher's cap" and interact with the boys outside of the classroom — on dorm, at practice, and at dinner. I really get to know who the boys are, and they get to know me. The strength of these relationships is the foundation for making an impact on the lives of students at Woodberry. 2 • june 2015 • Tiger Tales
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1. Wild Game Cookout 2. Catch Me if You Can 3. Frisbee on the lawn 4. Vegetable gardening club
5. One-club golf 6. Formal 7. Robotics club 8. Canoeing on Robertson Lake
Meet Mourad new varsity tennis coach experiences succEss
Mourad Fahim’s first year as Woodberry’s head varsity tennis coach was a great one: He led the Tigers to the Virginia Prep League championship by one point over St. Christopher's and the state tournament semi-finals. Before arriving at the Forest, Coach Fahim had a distinguished playing career. Formerly a member of the Moroccan Junior National team, he played for Radford University’s Division I team and was voted the college’s MVP. He has been ranked #3 in the Over-30 men’s division, mid-Atlantic section. A software engineer by day, he’s frequently accompanied on campus by his wife and two young sons, both of whom are budding tennis players. What makes Woodberry Forest special? The facilities are world-class, and I was really delighted to find the players very disciplined, hard-working, and receptive to instruction. What is your coaching philosophy? I help the boys to recognize their strengths as players and use those strengths to capitalize on their opponents’ weaknesses. How do you prepare Woodberry boys for their future? A few players on the team could go on and play at the Division I level in college, but I want all of them to view tennis as a game they can play for a lifetime.
Woodberry Forest School
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student snapshot
Brady Logan ’15 7
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Special Olympics Athletes enjoy the forest
If you think Woodberry tradition means only black and orange ties, bonfires, and The Game against Episcopal, you might want to learn about a spring event that goes back forty or so years. Since the 1970s, Woodberry has hosted an annual Special Olympics contest that brings athletes and their families to the Forest for a day of competition and good fun. This April, Woodberry’s sophomores got up early on a Sunday morning to host a sports festival for Virginia Special Olympics. Despite challenging weather, over a hundred athletes and their families, friends, caregivers, and coaches enjoyed an excellent day competing in swimming and track and field. The competition was staffed entirely by Woodberry's fourth formers. The boys grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, parked cars, timed races, cheered for the athletes, and got to know them and their families. As it does every year, the school got lots of compliments about its facilities and its willingness to share them, but the most meaningful comments were those praising the boys and faculty who interacted with the athletes. Those comments prove that Woodberry boys continue to embrace one of the school's richest traditions — service to others.
Brady Logan, a senior from Wallingford, Pennsylvania, is a threeseason varsity athlete. In the fall, he was an All-State and All-Prep offensive guard and captain on the football team. And in the winter and spring, he threw the shot put for the track and field teams. In early May, Brady broke the school record with a throw of 58’ 9” — and then broke it (and a Virginia Prep League record) again the next week with a throw of 60’ 8 ½”. Brady was named the top field athlete in the Prep League championship meet. More than an outstanding athlete, Brady is also on the Walker Scholar list, the school’s top honor roll. That winning combination led the school to award him with the Service Memorial Medal at graduation as the member of his class most proficient in athletics and scholarship combined. How did you choose Woodberry Forest? My family and I visited three different schools and I chose Woodberry out of the three. Woodberry has some of the best facilities an athlete could want; they’re better than some of the colleges I visited. Who is your favorite teacher? Your favorite coach? My favorite teacher is Dr. David Smith, Woodberry’s chaplain, because he gives a lot of real-world advice based on years of experience. I’ve taken two classes with him: Introduction to the Bible and Survey of World Religions. My favorite coach is Coach Curtis Phillips; I owe him a great deal for my success in track. How has Woodberry changed you? My work ethic has gotten a lot better. The work here isn’t easy, but the teachers are flexible, so long as you communicate with them, and I am well prepared for college. I’ve become a better athlete, too, and I’m very grateful for the work my coaches have done to help me. What are your future plans? I am going to Davidson College, where I will be part of the track team. I plan to study physics and computer science.
Woodberry Forest School
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Woodberry Forest School Office of Admissions 898 Woodberry Forest Road Woodberry Forest, VA 22989-9989
Presorted First Class U.S. Postage PAID Orange, VA Permit No. 97
June 2015 Tiger Tales
How to apply to woodberry Tour campus and interview Spend the night (optional) Take the SSATs (and TOEFL if international) Submit the application with recommendations and transcripts before January 15
it's not too late to sign up for woodberry forest summer camps!
Visit www.woodberry.org/summer or call 540-672-6044 to register. football camp July 8–11 • Ages 12–16 basketball camp July 12–15 • Ages 9–16 squash camp July 12–17 • Ages 10–16 lacrosse camp July 16–19 • Ages 10–16
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.