School Snow Days Make WRA History
Transcription
School Snow Days Make WRA History
WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | VOL. C : NO. 4 GSA Cabaret Dazzles Green Key WRA’s Most-Seen Films of 2013 WRA Hockey Dominates Season G ay-S t rai g ht Al l i an c e eve n t Simon Ong ’15 surveys the student body Team finishes strong with recent celeb ra t e s LGB TQ mu s i c i a n s to relive movie magic of the past year. Baron Cup Win PAGE 6 | ARTS PAGE 7 | ENT ER T A I N MEN T P AGE 2 | O PI N I O N by Jaret Skonieczny ’17 On Saturday, January 18th, six Western Reserve Academy students traveled to Crestwood High School in Mantua, Ohio to perform at the Ohio Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble Event. The six were Helena Ahn ’15, Jimmy Donaghy ’14, Maya Gallegos ’16, Joanna Malson ’15, Kat Schorling ’16, and Yuki Yamasaki ’16. The contest featured students from many other high schools in the surrounding areas. OMEA Solo and Ensemble is an event where students have an opportunity to perform in front of a judge and get valuable feedback on their musical capabilities. Each student plays in a small room with a judge and any spectators who wish to watch. There are two parts to the performance--playing scales and playing a prepared piece. After playing the requested scales, the student plays a piece while the judge follows along with the provided score. The judge writes comments about the student’s playing during the performance. The judge also assigns a numeric score to the performance on a scale of one to four, one being the highest score; four, the lowest. There are three classes that each student can play in: Class A is for advanced students, B for average players, and C for beginners. Yamasaki performed “The Roadside Fire” by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Yamasaki is an avid singer in the Academy Choir. When asked about his experience at the contest, Yuki said, “It was great time! I really enjoyed seeing my peers perform in a classical setting in contrast to the musical or open mic, which are much more casual and require a different set of skills.” He also gave some advice to those interested in participating in an OMEA contest: “I really encourage anyone who is serious in pursuing music to give this a shot; it gives you really good experience performing in front of people and receiving criticism.” Helena Ahn also competed in the OMEA contest in class A. She played Arthur Honegger’s “Danse de la Chevre,” a flute solo. Helena plays the flute in the WRA Symphonic Winds. Humorously, Ahn said, “It is always nice to perform in front of other people that do not know how well you play.” She added that experience as a whole had motivated her to practice more and sharpen her skills as a musician. School Snow Days Make WRA History Snow settles on campus; not a student in sight. by Mike Zeleznik ’16 Tuesday, January 7, 2014 marked a day to remember for the community of Western Reserve Academy, even though only a fraction of the student body celebrated on campus throughout the day. WRA cancelled classes on what was intended to be the first day back from Winter Break. The temperatures dipped below zero degrees air temperature and into double digits below with wind chill factored into the equation. However, the reason for the cancellation was travel, as many boarding students had their flights cancelled trying to return to campus. Jenny Xu ’15 was one such person who had a hard time getting back into Hudson. “We just checked in at an airport hotel and stayed over for a night and caught the flight the next day. I was lucky, some people stayed over for 2 days.” Duncan Ostrom ’17 was one of Photo by Andersson Six Student Performers Put on a Show at OMEA Competition The longest-running newspaper in historic Hudson, Ohio the lucky few who made it back to Hudson on Monday, though he says, “I was kind of sad that I was one of the only kids in my dorm and there was no one else here.” When asked what he did on his day off, he replied, “I mostly slept and watched Netflix.” The WRA community spent its snow day in many ways. While Ostrom was cruising Netflix, Charles Pendergast ’15 fixed his iPhone, and Rachel Morris ’16 was “really happy that [she] had one more day to sleep.” One constant, though, was the shock and awe of having an extra day off. Little did the community know that Mother Nature would strike again. On January 28th, also a Tuesday, with temperatures once again falling below zero and wind chills dipping towards thirty below, WRA cancelled classes a second time, though all boarding students remained on Continued on Page 2 Once Upon a Time at Sadies Changes Location by Morissa Clayman ’16 The Sadie Hawkins Dance, which was referred to as a “ball” to match this year’s fairy tale theme, brought with it the normal anticipation of role reversal, where the girls are responsible for asking their dates, but this year it also raised many questions. Many wondered why the dance scheduled was on a night that the whole boys basketball team was away at a game; the Dean’s office provided the Pioneer Woman’s Association with the date containing the least amount of conflicts, and it so happened that the boys basketball team had an away game. Others were curious why it was not held in the Ong Library, as had been originally announced. Nishka Raheja ’14 speculated that “people would just sit down and read books instead of dancing.” As probable as that sounds, the real reasons can be attributed to a fire code concern regarding the amount of people attending and the fact that the girls’ heels would scuff the hardwood floors in the library. Conse- quently, the dance was transferred to the Mac Lobby, where, among the castles and fairy-tale dresses, students attempted to dance all night to remixes, including a remix of “Milkshake”. Additionally, some of the basketball players made it back in time for the second half of the dance. Looking forward, the Pioneer Women’s Association would like all of us to get excited for their next event, the annual Bicknell Bonanza! Photos by Doe and Maseelal Opinion Reserve Record Snow Days (cont.) Continued from Page 1 campus. Seeing as how snow days/ cold days are few and far between at this institution, it is well worth looking back to the last time classes were cancelled at WRA. According to school archivist Thomas Vince, WRA had not cancelled classes due to weather prior to these two cases since 1977, when the State of Ohio cancelled all schools during a statewide effort to conserve natural gas, forcing the entire community to leave campus for the rest of the week. There have, in fact, been some close calls since then. In 1992, record-low temperatures led to a student protest to have classes cancelled. Then Co-Deans Brand Closen and Tim Trautman had to go dormto-dorm to tell everyone to get to class. One student in particular, who Closen believes was named Garrett, put up the biggest fight. “Mr. Trautman and I grabbed either end of his [blanket] and we dragged him downstairs [and] took him out on the patio!” At the end of the day, WRA honors its commitment to academic excellence, and a little winter weather will not change that. After all, Closen remembers of that blizzard of ’92, “even Garrett went to class.” January/February 2014 Levin Disappointed in Local Coffee Establishment Photo by Levin 2 by Trevor Levin ’15 At six o’clock on a rainy October morning, Peet’s Coffee & Tea opened its doors to a throng of several dozen cold, groggy customers, some of whom had been there for more than two hours. Peet’s had promised a $75 gift card for the first twenty-five customers. Victoria Hearin ‘15 and Mika Takahashi ‘15 claim to be the establishment’s first customers (though I, seventeenth in line, made the first contribution to the tip jar). As the morning progressed, scores of curious Reserve students dropped in to see how the coffee, food, and furnishings of Peet’s compared to those of Caribou, which had inhabited the building previously. The initial reception seemed positive, as locals welcomed the caffeine infusion after more than a month without Caribou. But as the months have dragged on, opinion--mine, at least--has gradually turned against Peet’s. The coffee itself at Peet’s far surpasses Caribou’s and Starbucks’s coffee. (I’m no coffee connoisseur, but such authorities as Alex Wheaton ‘14 and Mr. Peter- son have confirmed my belief.) Additionally, the shop retained most of Caribou’s staff, who are friendly as ever. So, why has Peet’s been such a disappointment? For those of you who weren’t here or don’t remember, Caribou’s interior was markedly different from the stark, flat, utilitarian decor of Peet’s that reminds Dr. Borrmann of a “train station.” In addition to boasting at least five more seats than the current arrangement, Caribou gave a greater sense of warmth--with its fireplace in the corner, its local art hanging on the walls, its softer lighting, and its daily trivia question, which offered ten-cent discounts for those who guessed correctly. Importantly, too, Caribou had tables of varying levels, which lent a bit of privacy. With the arrival of Peet’s, all that has been replaced with a minimalist flatness, sporting no hominess within its flat walls. On a more practical note, though, the food at Peet’s is simply not up to snuff. Berate the corporate evils and Orwellian sameness of Starbucks all you want, but its lemon pound cake and donuts are exquisite, in a spectacularly caloric way. Peet’s offers a smattering of muffins, croissants, and cookies, but, through several trials, I have discovered that none are very good--especially for the prices, which are significantly higher than Caribou’s were (though they remain competitive with Starbucks’s). If I’m going to shell out $1.95 for a chocolate chip cookie, I expect a hearty, satisfying, and hopefully large cookie, not the meager, thin Peet’s variety. Also, while Caribou sold sandwiches, Peet’s sells nothing substantive, only desserts. At Reserve, we haven’t much to complain about: Hudson, considering its size and safety, features a great deal of options for students. But it used to provide a place where students could hole up at a cozy table with a coffee and delicious food and study, socialize, or relax for hours. I mourn that loss. Basketball Player Speaks Out Drop The Act - Cartoons Are For Everyone by Camry Harris ’14 About Sadie’s Scheduling For a long time there were not many cartoons byJoey Mylott ’15 Recently, a major conflict emerged within the on-the-rise WRA basketball program. This dilemma left some members of the varsity team with a very difficult decision: either put the team on their back or place chivalry above all else. In other words, either go to the basketball game or go to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. As the number of players who were asked to the dance climbed, so did the nerves of our fine, young student-athletes. Recent injuries, which all coincidentally pertain to the various ligaments of the ankle—the deltoid ligament, anterior talofibular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament—also added to the tension and stress of the team. With the team’s best start to the season in years, 7-2, this decision is even harder. As one of the regular starters on the varsity team, when I was added to the list of those plagued with an ankle injuries, I too had to make a choice since I was not going to be able to play in that game. Although I wished I could have gone to the dance, I had an obligation to stay and support my team on the night of Sadie’s. I do believe that the scheduling of game, since it was an away game at 7:30 on a Saturday night, could have been better planned. However, it appears that in this plight between basketball and Sadies, I could not play in game, but must attend; therefore, I fouled out. Editors-in-Chief: Abby Hermosilla, Mitch Pollock Associate Editor: Alex Wheaton News: Rylee Nelsen, Kevin Yang Opinion: Hannah McKenzie Centerfold: Max Forsyth Community: Nate Lund Entertainment: Simon Ong Arts: Trevor Levin Sports: Charles Pearlman Crossword: Alex Wheaton Additional Formatting: Max Borrmann Photographers: Lisie Andersson, Max Borrmann, Joshua Estrada, Jenny Xu marketed to a specific teenage crowd; we had tons of shows for kids and a small amount of shows for adults (Such as Family Guy and South Park) - and we still do. This is what animation studios profit from! They found a specific demographic that was easy to appeal to with this medium, and they stuck to it, causing the meaning of “cartoon” to mutate from “animated media” to “entertainment for children.” This trend continued to perpetuate the stereotype. Then came along Avatar: The Last Airbender. This show developed a following way beyond its intended age group and opened up the pathway for studios to experiment with their ideas, after finally realizing that this art form is not necessarily marketable towards just one age group! I. Love. Cartoons. Cartoons are great. They are for everyone, they make you happy, and they are stories worth your time. Cartoons can have beautiful characters that are better written than some characters waltzing around in their tropes on CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. You just have to find the right ones and it’s not hard! Cartoons feature everything, and have much more potential than live action shows due to the fact that they can be reality, create reality, or ignore reality all together. For the action lovers, try Motorcity - a post-apocalyptic story of motorhead rebels in underground Detroit. For the fantasy “knights n’ dragons” lovers, try Jane and the Dragon - a more tame, traditional cartoon with a surprising focus on meaningful characters, instead of corny gimmicks. For the superhero lovers, try Steven Universe - a lighthearted and extremely stylish show that doesn’t believe it has to be rude to be funny, and is even funnier because of it. For mystery and supernatural lovers, try Gravity Falls - a cartoon with an almost creepy overarching plot that, paired with the smooth, fun tone, makes an enjoyable watch. What’s similar about these vastly different shows, besides the fact that I would defend them with my life? None of them pander to a younger audience. They are simply the show they want to be. And with that, I leave this quote. “Critics who treat “adult” as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adults themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence.” —C. S. Lewis Writers: Harrison Ahn, Arthur Aubergine, Catherine Berry, Max Borrmann, Morissa Clayman, Tricia Cunningham, Alex Fellows, Max Forsyth, Kelsey Gordon, Camry Harris, Colin Horgan, Trevor Levin, Trevor Lin, Anna McMurchy, Joey Mylott, Niraj Naik, Rylee Nelsen, Ketty Nolan, Simon Ong, Charles Prendergast, Alec Rhodes, Connor Semple, Jaret Skonieczny, Griffin Trau, Kevin Yang, Mike Zeleznik Faculty Advisor: Russell Morrison the student body and providing its readership a forum for community expression and discussion. The editors and staff have worked on every facet of this publication. The Reserve Record is the student-run, monthly newspaper of Western Reserve Academy and the voice of and for the student body. It aims to educate its staff, writers and photographers on journalistic style, format, ethics and excellence, while entertaining and informing The Reserve Record Western Reserve Academy 115 College Street Hudson, OH 44236 The opinions expressed in the Reserve Record do not necessarily represent those of the administration, trustees or student body. The editors assume full responsibility for the contents of the publication and invite community responses. Please address any concerns, comments or requests to: [email protected] 3 Reserve Record Mammoth sighting on the front fields. by Arthur Aubergine BREAKING — After weeks of cold weather, it has finally been confirmed that a new Ice Age is upon us. “It turns out the climate is changing. Just not in the way we thought it would,” says renowned Swedish climatologist Dr. Is Kallt. “I hate to say it, but I think we’ve been looking at the charts upside down this entire time. I ensure you that the intern responsible for this will be spoken to immediately,” Dr. Kallt continued. Although this information is shocking, it is safe to say that the students of Western Reserve Academy were already well aware that something was amiss. “The weather really has been making it hard to get to school. I have to leave at least 45 minutes earlier than usual because the dogs that usually pull my sled aren’t accustomed to such cold temperatures and deep snow,” replied one day student when asked what he thought about the recent drop in temperature. Not only is getting to school a problem for many, but walking around campus has also proven difficult. Upon inquiry, one sophomore explained, “The walk from classes to lunch is pretty rough. The majority of the time you can’t see more than a few feet in front of you because of the almost constant white-out. I’m pretty sure I saw a wooly mammoth on my walk to lunch yesterday.” A team of Norwegian mammoth scientists led by Dr. Ullen Mammut confirmed the sightings. The team has been hard at work tracking the animals, although it has not proven too difficult to locate the furry behemoths that are currently making their home on campus. Students have been advised to stay clear of the mammoths due to the possibility of sabre tooth tigers which often trail close behind. It is still unclear where exactly these primordial beasts came from, or how long they will stay. At press time, reported Yeti sightings are still unconfirmed. Regardless, students are encouraged to travel in groups and not leave their dorms after nightfall. Janurary/February 2014 WRA Kicks off the Year of the Horse in Style by Trevor Lin ’15 Scores of WRA students gathered in Ellsworth Hall on the evening of February 2nd to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse. WRA’s Chinese Club assembled a lively program composed of performances that reflected both past and present Chinese culture. The WRA Choir kicked off the celebration with a rendition of the traditional folk song, “Flower Drum Song”. Trevor Levin ‘15 remarked of this performance, “We struggled a bit with the language, but I think a good time was had by all.” The Choir’s singing set the tone for a night of revelry as Mandarin students of all levels continued to bravely take the stage and perform songs in the difficult and often unfamiliar language. Students also played traditional Chinese melodies on pianos, oboes, and violins, demonstrating not only the cultural involvement of the WRA student body, but also the musical diversity. Creative dances and traditional musical instrument demonstrations allowed many students further insight into Chinese culture and how the Lunar Festival came to be. Andy Shu, WRA’s Mandarin teacher and organizer of the event, was particularly impressed by the demonstrators of Chinese Martial Arts, say- Photo byAndersson The Eggplant Reports: Wooly Mammoth Makes Reserve Campus Home Community ing “The martial arts was so great. I could feel the ground shake when the master sprung up.” These performances culminated in an authentic Chinese meal that featured many of the quintessential Chinese New Year dishes includings dumplings and noodles. Simon Ong ‘15 was impressed by the meal, saying, “There was a large variety of food that I had never tasted before. It was really good.” The evening concluded with a group of people giving students the opportunity to play some traditional Chinese instruments, including drums, cymbals, and gongs. The WRA Mandarin club is already excited to build on this year’s celebration with an even greater one next year. (Happy New Year)! Encore in Spring for Green Cup Challenge? Photo by Andersson by Max Borrmann ’16 The Green Cup Challenge recently came to a close on the 12th of February. After four weeks in our efforts to decrease Western Reserve Academy’s energy use, the results are in. Although we had hoped to do better, there is still a lot that can be learned. The competition on the outside is about the numbers, but that is not the only goal. The hope is that we as a community don’t only spend one month thinking about our individual energy use, but rather that we also use this month to consciously form energy-saving habits. Our energy usage did increase, but the extremely cold weather over the last month certainly of WRA will control a system that uses powplayed a large role. Many other schools across er: whether it be a business, a household, or a the nation competing in the challenge had school, we will have to make choices related trouble as well, due to the large amount of to the energy used by our system. We can energy needed to heat the buildings during build this system to be as efficient as possible, the polar vortex. One of the biggest lessons but at some stage, an act as small as turning that can be learned is that we cannot control off a light will make a noticeable difference. all the factors in a system, no matter how During the competition, there were other hard we try. We can flip every switch, pull factors that worked against us as well, such as by Harrison Ahn ’17 every plug, and change every light bulb, but the now permanent occupancy of Seymour As the colorful ambience of fall slips away and the cold at some point we don’t have control. House, which obtained one of the largest Ohio winter rolls in, a new superb selection of ECHO Sustainability Co-Coordinator Mr. Peterpower increases. The leaders of Earth InitiaModules became available, ranging from Intuitive Calculus son, organizer for the challenge, feels that one tive are meeting to discuss a second Green to Story of Jazz to Architecture. These modules strove to of the most important things that can be real- Cup Challenge for the Spring. Hopefully, the help students find new passions and deepen their interized from the competition is the importance weather will have less of an impact and every ests. A few people share their thoughts on their modules. of students’ prospective roles in systems. At member of our community will be as excited Digital Video Editing was a thrilling experience for the different points in the future, each graduate to participate. class. “It’s awesome!” says Harold Zhu ‘14. Students in this module learn about editing videos and using special effects. Mr. Gerber also filmed the Shakespeare Monologue Contest for students to practice editing. “Pretty This year, instead of having for a local hospital. Above all, by Niraj Naik ’16 awesome stuff,” as Zhu added, indeed. Another sterling many said that the day was On January 17, the WRA three service days, Neill demodule is France in World War II taught by Madame, in tradition of Go Make a Difcided to create two service days a great success. Ajay Dakapwhich students watch videos and research assigned topics. with many opportunities crepagari ‘16 remarked, “I’m glad ference Day (Go MAD) took They each make a PowerPoint reporting their findings and place. In past years, Midge ated by students. A new option I got to make a difference in present it to the rest of their class. In addition, they read other people’s lives. It made Karam ‘74 was responsible for that was added this year was a book about a fictional French family who lived during planning the Go MAD days the option to work at Goodwill me acutely aware of the differWorld War II. Erik Gross ‘17 expounds: “I enjoy the class. throughout the year. However, for a day. Students went to ences I can make in the world.” Madame makes the class interesting and enjoyable. It is seeing as she is gone on sabeight different Goodwills across Dakapagari, like many others, a great ECHO, in my opinion.” Introductory Robotics batical this year, the task fell to Northeast, Ohio and helped is very excited for the Spring with Mr. Preston provides students a chance to build and service day and Neill says she newly appointed faculty mem- out by sorting and organizing program robots by themselves to accomplish exciting tasks, ber and Senior Class Dean An- incoming donations of clothes. is “working with a very special such as maneuvering around poles and getting as close as nie Neill. Neill was very excited Additionally, the Knitting Club department here on campus, possible to an object without knocking it over from difabout the project explaining, got together to start a yearso that the students can have ferent distances. Ian Adams ‘17 agrees: “I think robotics is “It is a large logistical puzzle long project of making baby a week of awareness, fun, and fun.” The class looks forward to a project coming up called hats for pre-mature newborns great volunteer opportunities!” that I love to put together!” Sumo Robots. Wrapping Up Winter Echos Neill Takes On Community Service Days Reserve Record Centerfold February 2014 MIKA TAKAHASHI dance Reserve's Finest by Ketty Nolan ’15 She is a bright student, an enthusiastic cross country runner and an involved business club member. Consequently, Mika Takahashi’s ’15 natural talent for dance only reveals itself in small glimpses to the Western Reserve Academy community. As an incoming freshman, she thought she would have to sacrifice her love for dance to become a Pioneer, so she traded hours of pliés and jetés for grueling runs with the WRA cross country team. Though Takahashi loved being a part of the team, she missed the studio and the life she had lived since she was two. Sacrificing her time to study, she spent her evenings taking ballet classes and attending rehearsals for her company, the Ballet Theatre of Ohio, where she holds the title of a professional ballerina. She worked hard to earn the role of Dew Drop in this past winter’s in The Fine and Performing Arts An Exclusive Look at the worlds of seven student artists KEVIN YANG oboe and piano by Anna McMurchy ’15 It’s time to meet the mysterious man who delights us with his piano playing during many a morning meeting as we mumble the alma mater. Kevin Yang ’15 has played the piano ever since he was nine years old when his mom dragged him to his first lesson. Due to the kindness and expertise of his teacher, Yang soon grew to love making those ivory keys sing. In the fifth grade, he began playing the oboe. He could play the flute, but “a kid said I was a girl if I played the flute,” remarks Yang. After performing a successful audition for the Akron Youth Orchestra in the eighth grade, he earned a coveted spot among their ranks. “Freshman year, I was timid because there were all these really good musicians,” mentions Yang. Through loads of practice and dedication, Yang has reached and perhaps even surpassed their level, as the conductor now looks to him to lead the winds section. On January 30, 2014, the Western Reserve Academy community received a real treat when Yang played a piano piece that he had written himself. “Composing is a very complicated process because there’s all this theory and creativity that goes into it,” Yang explains. With encouragement from his piano teacher, he first began composing in the seventh grade. Yang notes, “You have to start from your heart and then add details with your mind.” He feels that his compositions really took off once he entered high school. WRA presented him with many new situations that he could draw from. He adds, “Once you experience intense emotions, it shows in your work.” In the spring, he hopes to have the whole WRA orchestra play one of his original pieces. This will be the first time a composition of his shall be played on a grand scale, something the whole community will certainly look forward to experiencing. Photo by Andersson TIFFANY CHUNG cello by Kelsey Gordon ’14 When Tiffany Chung ’14 came to Western Reserve Academy her junior year, she was already an experienced cellist. Her passion for music began at a very young age after one of her cousins started to play. Now in her tenth year of performing, Chung claims that “the best thing about being in an orchestra is that you’re part of this big family.” During her time as a cellist, Chung has played in five orchestras in four countries, allowing her to work with people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Although she has moved a lot, Chung has held onto her love for the cello and has embraced the opportunity to play with many different people. When asked to describe her favorite music moment, Chung responded, “[It’s] playing the last note of any concert. You get that overwhelming sense of accomplishment, pride and relief, and you know you’re a part of something bigger.” During her time with the WRA orchestra, Chung has played in the pit for both the Les Miserables and Chess productions and is the proud leader of the cello section. Chung’s shining qualities include her ability to unite the section and uplift the spirits of those around her. Fellow cellist Erik Gross remarks, “[Tiffany] is helpful to the whole cello section. She teaches us new ways to go about a difficult section in a piece and is the backbone of the section. She also always has a funny story to tell.” The WRA Orchestra members will definitely miss Chung after she graduates this year, but they wish her the best in her future musical endeavors. Although Chung does not plan on majoring in music in college, she hopes to continue to participate in musical productions and believes that music will always have a presence in her life. Centerfold February 2014 Reserve Record production of The Nutcracker, one of three major roles in the show and her favorite so far. To her surprise, upon arriving at WRA, Takahashi eagerly expanded her dance horizons. “Mika came into the WRA Dance Program with strong ballet technique. The training in other dance styles at WRA has given Mika the opportunity to expand her repertoire. Due to her passion, hard work and determination, Mika’s dancing and personal style has matured and become more versatile,” proclaims Dance Program Director Emily Barth. WRA’s production in the spring of 2013, Dancing Broadway, featured a solo Takahashi choreographed, one that challenged her and pushed her creative instincts to new levels. She explained that creating the dance was challenging at first because it was a genre she was not accustomed to, but she found herself “connecting easily with the theme of changing, decisions 5 Photo by Andersson 4 and impulses and enjoyed the dance and the style.” Through persistence and hard work, she learned that compromise does not have to mean sacrifice. Takahashi has discovered a home here at WRA, but she has also found a way to preserve her passion for dance. CHLOE CUSIMANO 2D art by Riley Nelsen ’14 MICHAEL NICHOLS theatre Photo by Borrmann by Evan Morgan ’15 Captivating audiences during his three years at Western Reserve Academy, Michael Nichols ’14 graces our lawn’s wide sweep with breathtaking performances. Impressing in both musicals and plays, Nichols’ theatrical endeavours range from acting as a Russian chess-second to a Baptist Reverend during the 1930s, and he loves every second of it. “There’s nothing better than being on a stage with friends, making magic!” claims Nichols. His illustrious career stems from an Arabian origin: at only 10 years-old, he starred as William Shakespeare in a Saudi production of All the World’s a Stage. Thankfully, Nichols has taken his talents to WRA, where his love of acting continues to entertain faculty and students alike. Among the multitude Nichols impacts with his performance is Sam Ennis ‘15: “Nichols acts with a raw emotion unmatched at WRA; it is truly moving.” This raw emotion allowed Nichols to excel in a prominent role in WRA’s most recent musical, Chess, in which he played Molokov, a KGB agent posing as an advisor for a Russian chess player. Its a role Nichols deems his favorite and he remarks, “I really enjoyed playing Molokov, because he was such a complex character. He wasn’t good, he wasn’t evil, he was just a man with motives and a drive to seize ambitions.” Nichols was recently cast as the lead in the spring play, Noises Off. Perhaps Nichols’ most impressive quality as an actor is the ability to take criticism and advice, which he in turn uses to perfect his role. Crediting Mrs. Ong, director of WRA’s drama performances, Nichols believes she has been instrumental in his development and states, “Mrs. Ong has a knack for taking people’s talent and then moving it in the right direction. She brings [the talent] out.” Like Molokov, Nichols hopes to achieve his own goals, including a continued acting career. Wherever his collegiate studies take him, Nichols is bound to thrive as a thespian — his drive and devotion to the art makes that inevitable and irrefutable. Photo by Andersson DEMI QIAO 3D art Photo by Xu by Max Forsyth ’15 First introduced to 3D art her freshman year at Western Reserve Academy, Demi Qiao ’15 has come a long way in a short amount of time and has developed a mindset for 3D form and flow. Working mainly with wood and clay, Qiao focuses on shape in her art pieces. She explains, “When I decide which shape I want it to be, it has to be meaningful to me.” When asked about the difference between 2D and 3D art, Qiao noted that they provide different experiences: when drawing or painting, “you have to pre-compose” and know ahead of time what you want to create, but with 3D art, you start out LAUREN KOLAR creative writing by Kevin Yang ’15 “If writers stopped writing about what happened to them,” claims writer and critic Elaine Liner, “then there would be a lot of empty pages.” Luckily, creative writer Lauren Kolar ’14 has much to write about herself. “I’m not nearly intelligent enough to write about something not from my personal experience,” she humbly explains. Kolar debuted her writing career at a young age. In the beginning, her area of focus was like that of other young writers, conjuring up “stories about animals.” As she matured as a writer, she participated in Power of the Pen competitions, and her focus shifted from animal stories to self-reflection. This transition was facilitated by her enrollment in English teacher Mr. Gilbert’s For those who have observed the artwork of Chloe Cusimano ’14, one may notice something different about her pieces this year. This difference can be attributed to new influences in Cusimano’s life, including some of her classes at Western Reserve Academy. This year, she took the Rap ECHO module with English teacher Jill Evans, where she learned that “many African American rappers have Muslim roots, and their music is often accompanied by graffiti art.” Cusimano adds, “The synthesis between my Arabic class and rap ECHO has inspired me to explore the different styles of street art.” For her work during art sport this year, Cusimano has labeled her pieces with the name “Coyfish.” These pieces feature Arabic writing, Muslim women and symbols of war and peace such as guns shooting flowers. In the future, Cusimano is interested in “working with wheat paste, which is essentially the process of gluing designs to walls instead of spray painting them. A popular artist who uses this method is Banksy, who has been in the news recently with a ball of clay or blocks of wood and it is easy to change, improve, or destroy what you started. Some of Qiao’s past completed art pieces include a clay squirrel with a mug attached on top of the tail and a “wooden human creature” with moving body parts and “a really weird shaped heart.” Although she enjoys sculpting, Qiao mentions, “Sometimes I struggle in the middle of the project and my eyes get tired looking at the same piece.” To “release and relax”, she moves to the potter’s wheel, but afterwards, makes her piece unique by pressing into the pot with her hands and fingers or adding very ornate handles. One can easily identicreative writing class this year. “If I didn’t take it, I wouldn’t be writing still,” says Kolar, “I needed that push to keep writing.” It’s a good thing she’s taking this course, too, because Kolar’s best story was an assignment for creative writing class: “It sort of marked a turning point in my writing style. A much needed turn. I finally learned to start paring down and realized that ‘less is more’ really does work. In terms of the story itself, a lot of it is pulled from personal experience, the whole ‘write what you know’ thing, except there’s a certain level of exaggeration. For the sake of space, two words to sum it up: family drama.” Kolar hopes to continue writing in the future. She plans to pursue a career in film, so writing a play, screenplay and musical are all likely to be in her future. From animal stories to full-fledged films, Kolar has the potential to show how far a little creativity and writing skills can go. Photo by Borrmann for similar work.” Regardless of her major next year, Cusimano plans on continuing working on her artwork during her college career. fy Qiao’s pots just by the subtle details added. She takes into account the texture of the piece, uses geometric combinations and even creates imperfections in order to add to the personality of the artwork. Qiao commented once, “I do different experiments to find what works and what doesn’t.” Looking ahead, Qiao would like to study fashion design and she feels that her time spent with 3D art will help her in her endeavours. In order to expand upon her passion for visual art, this summer, Qiao will attend a class at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, England to focus on transferring her ideas into form and structure. Photo by Andersson Arts January/February 2014 Annual GSA Cabaret Entertains Community, Celebrates LGBTQ Musicians Photo by Doe by Connor Semple ’15 While the icy winter weather bites at anyone who hazards a journey down College Street, students and teachers alike have braved the blizzards on a journey to the stage of the Knight Fine Arts Center. For months, a talented cast has worked painstakingly to polish Western Reserve Academy’s highly anticipated winter play, To Kill a Mockingbird, and on January 31st and February 1st and 2nd, the result of their hard work was finally unveiled on stage. Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional smalltown setting of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Focused on the life of a mild-mannered lawyer named Atticus Finch, played by senior Alex Wheaton, the story gives the audience a look at the status of race relations and social inequalities of the time period. When a local African American named Tom Robinson, played by Isaiah Swoope ’16, is accused of rape, Finch is called upon to represent him in court. Despite the dissent of the townspeople, Finch fights for justice against false testimony and fabricated charges during the tense scenes that follow. When asked about the racial themes of the play, Swoope admitted that “the first time we went through the script… I was shocked at what I saw. I couldn’t believe we were really allowing students to get on stage and throw the ‘N word’ around like that.” However, the sophomore later acknowledged that the difficult topics present in the production do provide a valuable social commentary. “I hope that seeing how blacks were treated in that time period brings this community closer, in understanding how lucky we are to be immersed in such a diverse situation every day. I hope that people also become aware, and more understanding, of the cultural differences of not just the black students on campus, but of everyone.” Atticus Finch (Alex Wheaton '14) speaks before the jury. Photo by Doe 3 Photos by Andersson and Estrada Cast Killed It in Recent Production of Mockingbird Reserve Record by Charles Prendergast ’15 Three days before the event, it looked like the 2014 WRA cabaret was on the road to disappointment. For the cabaret, students are asked to choose a song by an LGBT artist and perform it alone or with an accompaniment. This year, the plain lack of content seemed to point towards the GSA-sponsored show pulling off a “better than expected” at best. However, a quick teaser from Trevors Lin and Levin at the morning meeting the day before, followed by enthusiastic applause, turned these expectations on their head. At around the same time, a flurry of new performers signed up, filling out the formerly sparse set list. This breathed new life into the show. “I think it was… the talent involved,” Simon Ong ‘15 mused when asked what inspired him to sing. Of course, with so many performers signing up with little time to practice, the question of quality arose. Here is where Trevor Levin ’15 and Jimmy Donaghy, a post-grad, stepped in. They were the backbone of the show, involved in seven and five acts respectively, including all of the last- minute acts. Trevor Levin described the acts with less time to practice as “tremendously pleasant surprises”, and indeed, the average spectator was unlikely to pick out the acts chosen that day from those chosen weeks before. The show started with the full version of the song teased during Friday’s morning meeting, “Good Riddance”, originally sung by the bisexual Billy Joe Armstrong, the frontman of Green Day. David Bowie and Elton John, both bisexual as well, and the gay Freddie Mercury were also represented that night. Other artists represented included; Missy Higgins, bisexual; Adam Lambert, gay; and Mika, who has said that he considers himself labelless. After Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day”, the show closed with a rousing sing of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, featuring all those who sang or played in the show; any audience members who wanted to sing along; and Simon Ong, who knocked it out of the park with a blistering air guitar solo. Despite a lack of interest early on and a number of acts with little time to practice, talented and hard-working musicians made this year’s cabaret extremely successful. Ong Continues to Next Round of Shakespeare Monologue Competition by Catherine Berry ’15 Students and teachers alike were removed from their phones and flashcards to experience the talent and bravery of ten students, from all grade levels, in this year’s EnglishSpeaking Union National Shakespeare Competition. Between sports announcements and weekend activities, sonnets and shakespearean texts were spoken and acted with ease. The monologues ranged from the emotionally driven to the completely cynical, with a promiscuous monologue (from our youngest contestant) mixed in. Actors and actresses steadied their shaky hands and solidified their jittery nerves long enough to perform in front of the entire student body during a morning meeting in January. Starting with thirtyone adventurous souls, only ten were chosen to continue to the final round. A panel consisting of Mr. Yankay, Mrs. McKenzie, and Mrs. Rothman chose one thespian to continue on to the national competition in Cleveland on February 22nd, 2014. Michael Nichols ’14 performed a very menacing monologue from King Richard III. With his crooked back and eerie voice it was hard not to find yourself trembling, even from the ninth row of the chapel. Nichols‘ frightening performance granted him runner up behind Simon Ong ’15. Ong’s playful and heroic monologue from The Tempest, including the pantomiming of a giant fish, swam its way into the hearts of the judges and left the Chapel roaring. Ong said, “It was really fun being able to just get in front of everyone and act ridiculous.” The ridiculousness paid off. One WRA student stated, “It’s nice to have a morning meeting that isn’t just the same old thing. It’s very impressive to see your friends get up and do that kind of stuff.” These impressive performances have the Reserve community waiting anxiously for next years contest. Comic by Timmy Lund ’16 Entertainment January/February 2014 Music Review: Mac Demarco’s 2 by Alec Rhodes ’14 Unlike what the album title suggests, 2 by Mac Demarco should be number one on your to-listen-to playlist to cure the winter blues. The refreshing blend of traditional jam band guitarbass-drum concocts with original riffs to create a fresh new sound. Despite this new take on blue wave, Demarco’s newest release offers relatable lyrical references and quality music that music connoisseurs are sure to appreciate. Hailing from Canada, Demarco first appeared on the indie music scene as a self producing artist under the alias Makeout Videotape. After a move Demarco's album cover art for 2. to Montreal and a hiatus from the music business to work on a road crew and participate in medical experiments for money while records weren’t selling, Demarco started releasing material under his own name, the first being an EP called Rock and Roll Nightclub which featured a far more experimental feel than his latest album. The happy medium of originality and familiarity in 2 has been well received by listeners, even earning a “Best New Music” rating by Pitchfork Media. The twenty three year old’s second release since 2012 contains conclusive tracks like “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” and “Ode to Viceroy” that claim ownership to the groovy riffs present throughout the album. With songs about the doldrums of teenage suburban life, narcotic references, and love songs alike, Mac Demarco surely puts his best musical foot forward yet with 2. Coming up on March thirty-first, Demarco will be in Cleveland playing a show at the Beachland Ballroom. If you’re looking for a good show over spring break, this concert is certainly a must-see! Crossword Puzzle Western Reserve Academy’s Top Ten Most-Seen Movies 1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (61.3%) 2. The Great Gatsby (47.2%) 3. Iron Man 3 (42.9%) 4. Despicable Me 2 (40.9%) 5. Monsters University (33.5%) 5. We’re the Millers (33.5%) 7. Now You See Me (33%) 8. Identity Thief (32.7%) 9. Man of Steel (32.1%) 10. World War Z (27.4%) *Survey was conducted by Simon Ong ’15 and results were based on 208 responses 61 Halloween mo. 62 Garlic section 63 Put on ice 64 Scriptural “your” 65 Inch forward 66 Emulates Pac-Man by Alexander Wheaton ’14 ACROSS 1 First Family member 5 Necklace fastener 10 Wilbur’s wallow 13 Of the arctic or antarctic 15 Brand of tile game 16 Election day abbr. 17 Ghostbuster’s goo 18 Hammered block 19 Nightmarish street 20 Tolkein creature 21 Chill factor 23 Rental agreement 25 Weather vane topper 26 Olaf, for one 28 One way to be washed 31 Pizza portion Reserve Record 32 Like a wasteland 33 Head support 34 Tail action 37 Gravy vessel 38 Battery terminal 40 00000100 41 Apropos 42 Needing hints 43 Monophobe’s fear 44 Like many a winter day 45 Like Seymour windows 46 Gut response 49 “Cheers” character 51 Blast of wind 52 High card 55 Possessive pronoun 56 “Dark Knight” director 59 This is the fourth DOWN 1 Cathedral crook 2 Raggedy, for one 3 First letter of the Arabic alphabet 4 Language of the Maya 5 Model T starter 6 Crow’s nest cry 7 Hovercraft, for short 8 Olympic sport 9 Anne Frank’s Peter 10 Locomotive impetus 11 Oklahoma city 12 Republic on the Red Sea 14 Edit considerably 22 Winter driving hazard 24 Ram’s mate 25 Cold weather wear 26 Husky’s burden 27 Santa’s list header 28 “Dancing Queen” quartet 29 Pen provisions 30 Missile target 31 Wintery forecast 34 Canine comment 35 Polly, to Tom Sawyer 36 Like Gandalf 38 Heidi’s heights 39 Yup’s opposite 40 Bomber pilot’s woe 42 Sound of Simon and Garfunkel 43 Object of 13 across 44 Sister, of sorts 45 Windows architecture 46 Ignoramus 47 Frederick Fellowes portrayer 48 Pale and unhealthy looking 49 Sandboarding sites 51 Was philanthropic 52 Home of the Himalayas 53 Believer’s group 54 Snaky fish 57 Gathering Dust 58 Fire fuel 60 Miss identification? 7 8 Sports Reserve Record Athlete Spotlight: Lisie Andersson ’14 Team USA at the Sochi Games by Colin Horgan ’15 With a record-setting 230 American athletes travelling to the 2014 Winter Olympics, the U.S. is looking to take Sochi by storm. But not all of these athletes are foreign to us: three Ohioans, all of whom live within an hour of campus, will be representing the United States. These three incredible women are hockey players Kelli Stack and Brianne McLaughlin of Brooklyn Heights and Sheffield Village, respectively, and speedskater Kelly Gunther, from Lorain. In addition to these three local stars are 106 returning Olympians, including ten three-time Olympic medalists and twenty-three other two-time champions. Among these stellar performers are such legends as Shani Davis and Shaun White, each of whom have won the gold medal in the same event at two consecutive Games, the first American men to do so. When asked about the medal count expectations for the U.S. in the upcoming Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) would not give a specific answer; however, the chief of sports performance believes that America could come out on top, declaring, “Team USA is in a really good place and can do well. The athletes have been successful in all sorts of different environments, and I think that bodes well in terms of the outcome.” All that can be known for sure, though, is that these Sochi Olympics will be a close race to the finish. Strong Team Effort Leads Hockey Team to Victory Photo by Doe by Alex Fellows ’14 As this year’s only female swimming captain, Lisie Andersson ’14 is no stranger to the water. Learning to swim as she learned to walk, Andersson began competitively swimming at three years old on various club teams. For the past six years, she has devoted all her attention to the sport, swimming yearround. Though many find swimming a daunting physical exercise, it is this reason Andersson loves it. Both the mental and physical challenges swimming provides keeps her tethered to the sport, as well as not knowing what she would do with herself if “[she] didn’t permanently smell like chlorine”. Andersson has been a major asset to Western Reserve’s swim team for the past four years. Swimming varsity since freshmen year, she has attended the Easterns Championships at La Photo by Doe Salle University every year, a highly competitive meet at the end of the season. Throughout the years, Andersson’s favorite has been the 500 yard freestyle--the longest event in our high school meets--with a personal record of 5:21. She has also grown to enjoy the 200 yard individual medley and the 100 yard breaststroke. All this work culminated in Andersson becoming captain her senior year. As the season comes to a close, she notes that being captain has “been challenging but fun”, and let her “grow much closer to [her] teammates throughout the season”. Katie Weinzierl ‘18 praises Andersson for helping the team bond, making the “effort to make the team bonding part of swimming really come through” and has been “so outgoing and supportive which helped the girls become even closer”. With the season at an end, Andersson has made plans to swim at Akron University this summer to prepare for her joining of New York University’s swim team, where she will be attending college. January/February 2014 by Tricia Cunningham ’14 Western Reserve Academy’s varsity hockey team has ended the season with an outstanding 16-6 record. Early in the season, the team qualified for and won two league championship tournaments without suffering a single loss. After an exciting series of wins, Coach Brand Closen said, “This is one of the closest teams I have ever had the opportunity to work with at WRA. I believe the close relationships between the players has been a major factor in our success this season. If the boys stick together, I have no doubt we will continue having a solid season.” Goalie Christian Ciraco ’15 said, “What makes this team so special is that we are all out here because we love the game. Everyone is just out here to have fun. I think our success has just been a side effect of our attitude.” The team’s love for hockey is what continued to push them towards their achievement of winning the Baron Cup. Co-captains Robbie Markwell ’14 and Alec Rhodes ’14 agree that one of their favorite parts of the season has been sharing their success with the school during morning meeting: each trophy or individual victory is something that they enjoy sharing with the entire student body, and everyone in the community enjoys when one of WRA’s athletic teams has a successful season. The team celebrated their senior night on January 25th at home with a close 3-4 loss to Avon High School. Despite the loss, the seniors are very happy with the progress the team has made during their careers. The hockey program has gone through a complete transformation over the past 4 years. During the 2010-2011 school year, the team played the entire season without winning a single game. This year, with a month left to play, WRA hockey has already had the most wins in a season since 2007-2008. As the winter sports season comes to a close, the hockey team is full of celebration over their hard work paying off by the second winning of the Baron Cup in the past twenty years. Photos by Doe Published images of the Sochi Olympics's Opening Ceremony. Saftey at Sochi: Countries United By Athletics by Griffin Trau ’14 The Olympic Games present the preeminent stage for the planet’s finest athletes. The speed, strength, and skills showcased by the Games’ participants inspire awe in billions around the globe. Sadly, this spectacular series of competitive events, founded on the premise of fair and peaceful amateur athletic competition, seems to be mired in deceit, political strife, and threats of violence. The venue introduced the world to Abebe Bikila, who won gold in the marathon shoeless at Rome in 1960, and the spirited U.S. men’s hockey team, which overcame immeasurable odds to win gold over a Soviet squad that was arguably the world’s most talented. It has, however, also seen tragedy rooted in political and ideological conflict: at Munich in 1972, with the murders of eleven members of Israel’s athletic delegation, and again in 1996 at Atlanta, with the Centennial Park bombing. Another opportunity for the world’s nations to unite in the spirit of competition lies around the corner in Sochi, and the international community is more concerned than ever. Threatened boycotts due to Russia’s controversial domestic policy pale in comparison to the threat of terrorism from Chechen radicals and other jihadists. Sochi’s proximity to Chechnya has been a source of concern for some time, and the bloody conflict between Russia and Chechnya has the deepest of roots. Despite Russia’s costly and drastic efforts to secure the Winter Games, many remain concerned for the safety of athletes and fans. In response to the heightened precautions, Zak Burgan ‘15 believes, “The Games will be safe enough.” Roommate Mat Haemer ‘15 adds, “It is unfortunate that athletes will have to hide their colors outside of the Olympic venue. What are the Olympics without some nationalism?” While unfortunate realities have cast a shadow on the Sochi Games, great hopes remain for a peaceful, memorable, and spectacular XXII Winter Olympiad. looooooooooooooooooooong hockey caption about the players in each photoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oo yay