October/November 2013 | VOL. C : No. 2

WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013 | VOL. C : NO. 2
The British Are Coming!
Fracking: Digging Deeper
Chess: The Musical
Caterham School students offer their
ECHO Module uncovers the facts about
A behind-the-scenes look at this year’s
first impressions of the USA
fracking
charging Cold War production
PAG E 2 | O P INIO N
PAG ES 5 & 6| I N S E RT
PAGE 9 | A r t s
The longest-running
newspaper in historic
Hudson, Ohio
Homecoming Weekend: Gatsby Style
WRA Teacher Contributes to Search For Cancer Cure
by Chunghwa Suh ’16
“All we’ve ever done is treat it, and not prevent it,”
Mr. Robert Aguilar, a biology teacher here at Western
Reserve Academy, explains the thinking behind the revolutionary research for a cancer vaccine. Aguilar is currently enrolled in the doctorate program at Cleveland
State University where he is in the final stages of his
Ph.D in regulatory biology with a concentration in molecular medicine. He is working towards developing a
vaccine for testicular cancer. This vaccine development
was a part of a project that started seven years ago, but
ultimately did not succeed. Recently, Aguilar brought
a new mindset. He used the same model of the original
project but focused on a different protein, known as
inhibin, which is widely expressed by tumors. Then, he
tricked the immune system into attacking the specific
cells that are unique to the cancerous tumors to shrink
them. Aguilar explains, “The advantage in using the
immune system is that it gains memory of which cells
to kill and keeps it for years and years to keep fighting.”
Like Aguilar, other researchers at the Cleveland Clinic
are working on vaccines, but for different cancers, such
as breast and ovarian cancer. The breast cancer vaccine,
started eleven years ago, is currently in clinical trials.
The vaccine prevented cancer in 100% of mice in the
model. These results were published in a respected
peer-review journal Nature Medicine. After the clinical
trials for the breast cancer vaccine, there will be clinical trials for the ovarian and testicular cancer vaccines.
The team has run into some difficulties along the
way with funding, having applied for a grant from the
Susan G. Komen Foundation, an organization known
for hosting Cleveland’s 3-Day, a sixty-mile course in
which participants walk for three days to raise money for community programs and to create awareness
about breast cancer. Aguilar’s team applied only to be
denied not once, but three times by the foundation.
Susan G. Komen? Against finding the cure to breast
cancer? Well, the answer is affirmative, in a sense. Without cancer around, the foundation would not exist.
No more money and no more need for fundraiser and
awareness events. The team was denied a fourth time
by our own Department of Defense. This only shows
what a huge industry has been built upon cancer and
its progressing treatment. Foundations and pharma
ceutical companies rely on victims for revenue. These
events led Aguilar’s team to rethink their marketing
The dance was organized by Student
Council with help from parent volunteers, and it was no easy task to create
such a memorable evening. Selena Walsh
’14, student body president, described
the meticulous planning that went into
the dance. “The whole idea of the Gatsby
theme started with Alex Fellows’ [’13]
mom during one of our meetings,” she
said. “We all thought that it would be
really cool, and there are so many ways
to work Gatsby.” As the movie emphasized glamour and opulence, the student
council tried to reflect these concepts
by adding numerous decorations, bites
of food, and of course, great music.
“We had high expectations for the DJs
because they had quite a reputation for
bringing the party, and they had promised to impress,” said Selena. The grand
total of students who went up on stage
was well over 20, and according to Brendan Kelley ’14, the music had, without
a doubt, brought the party to life. “The
best part of the night for me was when I
went up on that stage and got to see everyone dancing and having a good time,”
he said. “You could tell that the DJs were
doing a good job because everyone was
dancing like there was no tomorrow.”
Though the night eventually had to
come to an end, the students were left
with many good memories and were left
eagerly awaiting the next school dance.
Photo provided by wra.net
Sweat, sequins, and singing all came together on October 26th in the Ellsworth
dining hall. With Hudson DJs Andrew
Kern and Erik Laszlo Johnson supplying
the beat, Western Reserve Academy’s Gatsby Homecoming was a night to remember.
From the Gatsby-inspired picture booth
to the chocolate fountain, the dance was
a carefully designed formula for success.
by Morissa Clayman ’16
WRA students Alex Fellows '14, Maggie Olson '15, and Eric Chueh '14
worked at the Cleveland Clinic with the help of Aguilar's connections.
strategy. Now, instead of marketing it as a vaccine, they
will market it as a treatment to go along with chemotherapy and radiation. The plan is to gradually unveil the
treatment as a vaccine to the market. Aguilar explained,
“As far as we’ve come, the best treatment was either to
expose patients to radiation or toxins. The treatments
target any cell that divides quickly--hair cells, skin cells,
liver cells--all get killed with chemo. Our method is
very precise and only the cancer cells are attacked.”
Five WRA students worked on the cancer vaccines
this past summer during an internship with the experienced scientists. Alex Fellows ‘14 worked directly on
the breast cancer vaccine. Each student grew cancer and
bacteria cells and was very involved with the process in
one of the three vaccines. Maggie Olson ‘15 recalls
her experience, “I
still can’t believe
I got to do it-it’s groundbreaking.” The team’s
research has made
national
news:
it has appeared
in The Huffington Post and
ABC news. WRA
should be proud to
have someone like
Aguilar as a part
of our community.
Mr. Robert Aguilar, Cleveland Clinic researcher and WRA faculty member.
Costa Ricans Continue
Cultural Immersion
by Tricia Cunningham ’14
Students participate in 1920's inspired wardrobe in the theme of The Great Gatsby.
Photos by Doe
Every year, Western Reserve Academy hosts students
from Costa Rica from the St. Jude’s School in San Jose.
This year, four students visited for about ten days. The
students that visited this year were Jimena Chacon,
Dominick Howell, Maximiliano Morales, and Nadriely Nassimiento. They stayed in Ellsworth and Bicknell dorms with the other boarders at Reserve and attended the same meals. During the school day, the four
students shadowed Reserve students and attended all
of their classes. In the afternoons and during the weekends, the Costa Ricans did other things and visited different places: they shopped at nearby malls, walked to
Continued on Page 3
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Opinion
Reserve Record
Wake Up, Reserve! Sleep is Important
A Hungry Vegetarian Speaks Out
contain meat and still tasted great.
Mac and Cheese and Baked Potatoes are great examples of vegetarian
entrees. The pasta bar was open at
every dinner in case I wanted something other than that night’s entrée.
I usually never went hungry and
the food was wonderful. Sit down
meals usually also had some sort of
large vegetarian option as opposed
to just wild rice and steamed broccoli. Some examples include a black
bean burger which tasted phenomenal and also the vegetarian chili was
fantastic. Despite these complaints
and critiques, I have full confidence
that the dining hall really is capable
of making changes to the menu.
Photo by Forsyth
by Niraj Naik ’15
Recent changes at the dining hall
have left the menu more unfit for those
with dietary restrictions. I have been a
vegetarian my whole life and the vegetarian lifestyle is not too difficult to
maintain. Most fast food restaurants,
which deal with many more health
recalls than menu complaints, offer
great vegetarian options. Restaurants
like Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Panera
all have delicious meals that I enjoy
eating. I find myself wondering how it
is so difficult to find a good vegetarian
option. Flik Dining Services offers a
“vegetarian option” everyday, but it is
often either a garden burger or some
sort of tofu. I love both of those dishes as much as the next
man, but I find myself
wishing there was a better option. At sit down
meals, I am forced to eat
mashed potatoes, sliced
carrots, and a roll, leaving me quite hungry.
I did not encounter
this problem nearly as
much with last year’s
dining service. Many of
the meals did not even
October/November 2013
by Trevor Levin ’15
As Western Reserve Academy settles
into the patterns of a new year, many
students - myself included - find themselves facing a nightly choice between
finishing their homework and getting
a healthy amount of sleep. The latest (non-scientific) Viewpoints survey
suggests that juniors get an average of
only 6 to 7 hours of sleep, with other
classes faring only slightly better. The
National Sleep Foundation recommends eight-and-a-half to nine-anda-quarter hours for adolescents, but
with academic, athletic, and extracurricular commitments, many students
find that impossible. Therein lies the
problem: though students accomplish
much during their waking hours,
these demands cut deeply into their
sleep, and the school suffers for it.
Sleep deprivation for even one night
impairs both knowledge acquisition
and the ability to retrieve information, two crucial academic skills. In
class discussions, a prized aspect of
Reserve’s curriculum, students lack
the energy to fully participate, and
their brains can’t remember as much
material. In addition, the poorer
reaction time and reduced energy
levels accompanying insufficient
sleep affect athletic performance.
Sleep deprivation reduces T-cells,
suppressing immune system function. Recently, the school was ravaged
by a series of cold epidemics. These
colds, in addition to simply making
dozens of students miserable, disrupt
the functioning of the school, causing students to miss classes and practices. Lack of sleep even raises the
risk of depression and other mood
disorders. These risks, combined with
the stress inherent in boarding school
life, hurt the school’s mental health.
Of course, no easy solution exists.
Last year, the school moved the regular start time from 8:00 to 8:20;
while the student body welcomed
the change, perhaps a concerted effort to reduce the homework load
would more seriously address the issue. While the WRA community
prides itself on its rigor, the amount
of homework becomes counterproductive when students cannot learn
as well because they are drowsy, sick,
or depressed. A more alert, healthy,
energetic and participatory student
body would surely recoup any learning lost from doing less homework.
Photo by Doe
British Guests Embrace WRA
Two Caterham students share their thoughts about WRA culture.
by James Alexander, Upper Sixth
With my optimism for a smooth
journey having been demolished by
the customs queue in Chicago, my
immediate impressions of America
were not terribly complimentary.
However, after a good rest and buffet breakfast, energy was regained and
the group was ready to take on all
that WRA could have to offer. Luckily, we found that at WRA, unlike the
airport, everyone was sociable and affable towards us ‘outsiders,’ showing
off American hospitality at its finest.
Simply being flashed a smile or greeted with a ‘good morning’ on the walk
to class was a breath of fresh air from
the constant avoidance of eye contact
and tutting back in the UK. A large
part of my interest in this exchange
trip was the food. Being what I can
only describe as a ‘fast-food connoisseur’ of sorts, I made it my mission to
try anything I can lay my hands on
during my short stay – a mission that
has taken at least 3 years off my life
expectancy so far and given me a negative bank balance and an addiction to
Swenson’s burgers that will force me
to return to Ohio in the near future.
Being a science ‘nerd’, I felt
obliged to see what WRA had to
offer on the scientific side of academia. Both the facilities and teaching quality impressed me greatly;
I have never seen such enthusiasm
shared by teachers and students alike.
However, with Caterham having a total of 1100 students and WRA having
370, the biggest culture shock for me
was how everybody knew everybody
else, giving a family-like structure to
the school. This is something that
is incredibly rare to see in England,
and I’m very happy that I was able to
have a taste of it here. Not only was
I able to watch how the WRA family worked, but I actually felt included
as a part of it during the past week.
I shall be ever grateful to every single
student that has made this exchange
so special for me and I am certain
that our goodbyes shall not be final.
Editors-in-Chief: Abby Hermosilla, Mitch Pollock
Managing Editor: Nate Lund
News: Rylee Nelsen, Kevin Yang
Opinion: Hannah McKenzie
Centerfold and Insert: Max Forsyth
Community: Nate Lund
Entertainment: Simon Ong
Arts: Abby Hermosilla
Sports: Charles Pearlman
Crossword: Alex Wheaton
Comic: Timmy Lund
Photographers: Lisie Andersson, Max Borrmann, Max
Forsyth, Abby Hermosilla, Nishika Raheja
Writers: Helena Ahn, James Alexander, Arthur Aubergine, Emmie Claringbull, Morissa Clayman, Tricia Cun-
The Caterham Students and supervisors (from left): Mr. Godfrey, Jamie Largerberg, Josh Elliot,
George Smith, James Alexander, Sophie Belchambers, Angus Hayes, Raphael Hage, Mrs. Brown,
Emmie Claringbull, and Harry Elgar.
by Emmie Claringbull, Upper Sixth
Having never left Europe before,
coming to the USA was a big step for
me. All of my ideas were based on
what I saw in films and heard from
others. Upon arrival, it was clear how
friendly and open everyone was. The
level of hospitality was incredible and
the community of the school itself was
uplifting and welcoming. Classes were
more relaxed (compared to ours back
home) but still retained a solid atmosphere, and I was welcomed to try a
plethora of new subjects such as Chinese, Arabic and US History - despite
knowing nothing about any of them!
ningham, Michael Curtin, Noah Kontur, Trevor Levin,
Lily Liu, Niraj Naik, Charles Pendergast, Nishika Raheja,
Alec Rhodes, Chunghwa Suh, Liam Sullivan, Griffin Trau,
Kevin Yang
Faculty Advisor: Russell Morrison
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 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.
However that didn’t prevent any fun!
Another particularly enjoyable aspect
was the cultural experience of school in
America. We were lucky enough to have
coincided our trip with Homecoming,
which was a confusing concept at first.
However, the dance was an amusing
evening for all of us. Some other memorable experiences were witnessing a
bit of an American football game and
going to the Giant Family Party. I will
miss WRA greatly after meeting such an
amazing group of people - teachers and
students alike - and I hope our paths
will cross again at some point. Thanks
to everyone for welcoming us in!
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:
The Reserve Record
Western Reserve Academy
115 College Street
Hudson, OH 44236
[email protected]
3
Community
Reserve Record
October/November 2013
The Open Key:
WRA Students Travel To Pine Ridge Reservation
Ahn ’15
their problems before getting caught up in negativity.
Students Launch Weekly by Helena
This past summer, nine Western Reserve Academy The individuals we met in South Dakota were powerstudents
along with two faculty members, Mrs. Nata- ful, confident, loving, and optimistic in every aspect of
Live Music
Photo by Andersson
Costa Ricans cont.
Continued
from page
1
their lives, and since the trip I have pushed myself to
work toward building these characteristics in myself.
It was truly an experience of a lifetime.” Griffith adds.
When we think of poverty, we think of developing countries, like the island of Haiti, but the Pine Ridge Reservation is one of many places struggling in the United States.
After a week of hard work under the blazing South Dakota sun, the students expressed much elation to see the
finished work and how much of an impact their presence
made on the residents. “The service trip to the Pine Ridge
Reservation makes me realize that, although [an] individual’s strive for change can seem trivial, amazing things
can happen when people work together,” states Liu.
WRA students and faculty spent a week at the Pine Ridge
Reservation in South Dakota
Fall ECHOs Take On Interactive Approach
Noah Kontur ’17
Usually when a student hears the phrase ‘class on Saturday morning’, they cringe in disgust at the mere thought
of it. With the ECHO program, however, this is not the
case! ECHO modules are a great way for students to discover their interests and learn more about a specific subject, therefore echoing the core subjects of the everyday
classroom into more specific and hands-on studies. There
are many ECHO modules that students agree are worth
two and a half hours on a Saturday morning. Among these
modules are two particularly unique ones: Engineering
and Building for Change and an Intro to Archaeology.
In Engineering and Building for Change, taught
by Science Department Chair Ms. Wanda Boesch, students are encouraged to use both ingenuity and resourcefulness. From cardboard couches to storage towers, everything is built with limited materials: creativity is key. From
the last school year, a major concern with most ECHO
modules is the flux of assessments dousing the end of a
typical strenuous week. Yet, Boesch “[tries] to do mostly
in-class work and stay[s] away from tests and quizzes.”
This hands-on approach really helps to create a stress free
environment in which students feel more inclined to focus
on the material and feed their interests and passions. This
ECHO is great option for students who want to explore
their interests in engineering in a fun and exciting way.
In An Intro to Archaeology, taught by Dr. Lisabeth Robinson, students see how various kinds of information can be gathered from artifacts, ancient or modern. When asked about the attraction to archaeology as a
field of study, Robinson states, “artifacts are left without
bias: it gives us an honest record of how people lived.”
In order to truly understand the significance of artifacts,
the module is currently running a dig site in front of the
David Hudson House, the first recorded house of Summit County, where several artifacts (from stepping stones
to bottle glass) have already been recovered. In the archaeology field, especially, a hands on approach is very
helpful to the class. This module has really taken a unique
approach to understanding artifacts as students in the
ECHO say they benefit greatly from learning how to appreciate the meaning and value found in everyday objects.
From speaking Russian to learning tricks in calculus, from
developing video games to writing children’s stories, there
are dozens of ECHO classes that are available. The ECHO
program has really succeeded by giving students an opportunity to learn about their interests (or discover what exactly
interests them) and supports teachers as they take creative
approaches in and out of the classroom and truly redefine
the thirst for knowledge at Western Reserve Academy.
Photo by Triggs
Jiji Kang '17 performs at the second
Open Key event of the year.
lie Davies and Mr. Matthew Gerber, went on a “cultural pilgrimage”, as Lily Liu ’14 likes to call it. The
group traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation for six
nights and seven days to do community service. Pine
Ridge was established in 1889 in the southwest corner of South Dakota along the Nebraska border. It is
the eighth-largest reservation in the United States,
larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
The group from WRA spent most of their days helping around the community, from redoing the sides of
houses to building and delivering bunk beds. The conditions of the reservation helped WRA students and their
faculty chaperones uncover how fortunately they all live
in comparison. Abbey Griffith ’14 explained, “The trip
to Pine Ridge gave me a lot of time to reflect on the
community in which I live, the amount of financial help
that places near and far from my home town and school
need, and the number of simple things anyone can do
to make a big difference.” In addition, the group spoke
with many residents and heard several compelling stories about their lives on the reservation.The Pine Ridge
trip not only helped the residents of the reservation, but
gave the students time to reflect on their lives. “I realized
how well everyone on the reservation coped with the...
situations they were dealt. I hope everyone that has the
opportunity to enjoy the Pine Ridge service experience
learns to count their blessings and think twice about
Photo by Davies
by Trevor Levin ’15
TGIF, Western Reserve Academy’s weekly celebration on Friday evenings, has
heralded the weekend from the Green
Key for years. When Winston Wu ‘17
attended his first TGIF as a WRA student, he noticed something was missing. “I saw people hanging out and talking, but the stage was empty,” he said.
Legend has it, during freshman orientation, Wu approached Erik Gross ‘17 about
launching a regular open-mic series at
TGIF. By September 21st, the club Open
Key was up and running. With Gross hosting, students covered songs by Green Day,
Imagine Dragons, and other, primarily
recent artists, either accompanying themselves on guitar or using a karaoke track.
After much success, Open Key hosted a
second open mic night on October 12.
Owing to the club, campus has witnessed
much more student-created live music
than ever before, from talented performers like Jiji Kang ‘17, Yuki Yamasaki ‘16,
Nick Harris ‘17, and Trevor Lin ‘15. “It’s
really cool to see people getting up there
in an informal setting. Hopefully, it’ll prepare them for bigger events, like the Talent Show and the Ellsworth Jazz Fest,”
said Live Music Club president Amy
Squire ‘14. “[Open Key] is a great addition to the WRA live music program,”
added co-president Alec Wilson ‘16.
Though students are usually looking to simply blow off some steam at TGIF, the audience has been surprisingly attentive, and
the events have proceeded rather smoothly.
“Two thumbs up!” opined Cory Wepler ‘17,
reflecting a broad sentiment of approval.
Wu and Gross intend to keep Open Key
a regular event, perhaps bimonthly. Music
department chair Mr. Ed Wiles fully welcomes the idea. “I’m really happy with it.
It’s important that we create opportunities for all kinds of music performance,”
he said, following the second open mic.
“These informal events can make performers more experienced and comfortable.”
Students in Robinson's Archaeology ECHO Module dig
up the front yard of the David Hudson House.
Halloween Hits WRA
Some of the best costumes from the Halloween Parade.
downtown Hudson, went on the
school’s Niagara Falls trip, visited the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, took a trip to Cedar Point in
Sandusky, and did many other activities around Hudson and on campus
that kept them busy. Overall the four
students were able to improve their
English with the help of the Reserve
community and gained an authentic
experience of student life in the U.S.
(from left) Cristen Barnett '16 as a Despicable Me minion; Mr. and Mrs. Bonomo and Mr. Gilbert as candy; Jae Hwi Lee '17 as
Aladdin escorted by Kurt Haller '15; and the Mylotts (Joey '15, Patrick '15 and Danny '17) as the cast of Star Wars.
4
Centerfold
Reserve Record
October/November 2013
October/November 2013
Centerfold
Reserve Record
100 Reasons We Love Reserve
W
R
A compilation of what students and faculty value most at Western Reserve Academy. List and photos assembled by Max Forsyth ’15 and photos taken
by Lisie Andersson ’14, Max Borrmann ’16, Alan Doe, Fine and Performing Arts Chair, and Sasha Maseelall ’96.
Line judging volleyball games!
WRA mugs
Chipotle - Spring mornings Faculty kids - Jae Hwi Winning athletics - A
effort ratings - Echo field trips
- Colleagues & students Our sense of community - When people hold the
doors for others - Smiling
faces - Señor’s milkshakes - Funny morning meeting announcements -Two
scoops of batter when
making waffles - Geno -When
students say thank you
after every class - The
library and the library
staff - Singing the
alma mater Capture-the-Faculty Dave’s Cosmic Subs
Our well organ
ized recycling system
- Our newspaper Early morning
runs to Peet’s - Mr.
Shu’s ping pong team! Team feeds When Mrs. Manoli
signs my weekend sign-out
sheet - First in
Max Forsyth’s face during
Twelfth Night
line for drinks at
TGIF - Receiving the weekend activities
email - Move-out
day - The new fhockey coach Mr. Warner’s
handshakes - Relish - Dining hall hot chocolate -The diving team’s
Halloween at WRA and
the parade.
hot tub - Preseason - Wilson
reading room - Mr. Ong’s awesome lessons - “Seniors, you
are dismissed” - Coffeehouse
during exam week - ¡La
clase de Señor! - The Atheneum - Ultimate
Frisbee on the lawn Green Keys - The Reserve Record vs. Hardscrabble Rivalry
- BUFO & Viewpoints
rivalry - Midnight check-in on Saturdays - Mr. Morrison’s tea in Arabic class -
Mr. Morris’s hand motions during passionate lectures - The 3D
Art Room Mrs. Hedgspeth singing in the afternoon from her apartment The Dads Club -
The Pioneer Women Brick Row
The Lawns Wide Sweep
- Spirit Week at Reserve The hockey pond -
The Ong Library
fireplace - Long vacation breaks - Casual
dress sit-down dinners - The new milk dispensers - Generic
cereal brands - “This I believe” speeches - Full open
mailbox - Finishing the last exam of exam week Walking out of an English class through the
window - Making coffee
for Mr. Closen - Hayden
used to be a cheese
warehouse - The
WRA Hawks
homework load - Acting
with compassion Academic honesty - Bow-ties Señor wearing shorts in the
winter - Dining hall food Communal jelly - Wearing
nike socks with boat shoes - Track
practice in the rain with Señor - Patio Foursquare - PB and
Listening to Ann Yu play
J’s all day everyday - FLIK - Mr. Armbruster’s 3D art demonstrations - Small class sizes
the violin.
- Señor: The Man and Legend - Pioneer Pete
Hudson squirrels and chipmunks.
Above, the Reserve Record Staff attempts to recreate a photograph
taken of the 1925-1926 Reserve Record Staff hard at work. In the
original photo, the four boys are typing articles, arranging text and literally pasting pictures to a rough draft of the record staff. Top from
the left sit News Editor Allan Ayers ’26, Editor in Chief F. Carder
“Toots” Welles ’27, Sports Editor Paul Perkins ’27 and Features Editor John “Jack” Perkins ’28. Bottom from left sit Centerfold Editor Max Forsyth ’15, special guest Carlos Lizarraga ’14, Sports Editor Charles Pearlman ’14 and Co-Editor in Chief Mitch Pollock ’14.
Faculty pets!
Orchestra with Mr. Wiles
Morning Meeting
Adirondack chairs
A
Autumn in Hudson
The WRAP.
Finishing the cup rack at meals!
7
Entertainment
October/November 2013
Reserve Record
8
Music Review: Volcano Choir's Repave
The Eggplant*: Senior Class
Attempts to Negotiate Day Off
by Arthur Aubergine
Class of “He Doesn’t Even Go Here”
HUDSON—At a recent Morning Meeting in the Chapel, students and faculty members alike sensed that something strange
was happening on the breezy autumn morning. The first halfdozen rows of pews were taped off and a large poster hung from
the front screen reading “Salute your Seniors”. The sign fit well
with the senior class’s decision to dress in military garb that morning, but no one had a clue as to what the seniors had in store.
They were largely unwilling to divulge information regarding the
situation. It wasn’t until halfway through the regular list of announcements, that a string of events led to one of the most unforgettable all school gatherings in recent memory. “All of a sudden
I heard a low rumble coming from the stairwell, and the building
began to shake. For a while I was scared for my life,” says a witness to the event. Another student remarked when interviewed:
“I was just studying my flashcards like I do every Morning Meeting, when all of a sudden the sound of boots and savage battle
cries came from somewhere close by and scared me senseless. I
was ready to fight for my life.” During the chaos dozens of innocent freshmen, chosen at random, were taken from their seats to
an undisclosed area as the rest of the student body looked on in
silence. “There were just too many of them, there was nothing we
could do to help the freshmen,” a student said when asked about
the event. When one freshman was asked to comment, he merely
stared off into the distance and mumbled nonsense, clearly traumatized by the morning’s events. Not only were freshman taken
away, but also the head of school and various other teachers. The
climax of the ordeal came when the seniors brought the Dean
of Student Life, Justin Zimmerman, in front of those remaining
in the chapel and attempted to negotiate a day off. The negotiating did not go very far, and the student body was dismissed
to return to classes. At press time the results of the negotiation
were still unclear and three freshmen were yet to be found.
*The Eggplant is a mock news article, based on The Onion, in which certain issues
at Western Reserve Academy and other relatable topics are inflated and contorted. Its sole purpose is to entertain the reader and it is not meant to be offensive.
by Alec Rhodes ’14
Most attentive indie music fans will most
likely recall the entire month of August 2013
as a painful time of high anticipation and
overwhelming excitement for the release of
Volcano Choir’s new album, Repave. Largely overshadowed by Justin Vernon’s Bon Iver
work, Volcano Choir has very much stayed
under the radar since its formation in 2005.
The sudden interest in the group is the result of rumors that Vernon may be finished
with his Bon Iver work. This leaves Justin
Vernon fans no choice but to finally show
some interest in Volcano Choir’s music.
The band also consists of Wisconsinites Jon Mueller, Chris Rosenau, Matthew
Skemp, Daniel Spack, and Thomas Wincek.
Indie rock, indie folk, experimental, and
ambient are all genres that can describe Volcano Choir’s unique mix of style. The group
is currently signed with Jagjaguwar, a indierock record label in Bloomington, Indiana.
In regards to the band’s current music, this
particular album somewhat lacks the same
introspective influences of Vernon’s earlier style, featured in the bands first album,
Unmap (2009). The aptly named Repave
creates an epically climatic feel that gives
listeners a new sense of alertness, absent in
other Vernon collaborations. In simpler
terms: finally, music made by Justin Vernon that won’t put you to sleep! Bon Iver fans will enjoy the familiar sounds
of Vernon’s comforting falsetto and ever
present autotune in “Comrade” but will
love the pleasantly surprising hard rock elements featured in “Byegone”. Other songs
to note, “Alaskans” and “Almanac”, incorpo-
Repave, the new Volcano Choir album
rate shifts from characteristic Bon Iver-esque
cozy acoustics to powerful modern drops
with plenty of electric guitar and drums. This
shift in style may cause some grief to Bon
Iver fans, but from a purely musical standpoint, Volcano Choir pulls it off effortlessly.
The relatively decipherable lyrics and definite sounds of Repave leave listeners with
no unanswered questions. The “power balladry” helps fans somewhat relate to Vernon’s
songwriting for what may be the first time.
This aspect of the album is sure to help increase Volcano Choir’s selective audience.
Repave has already graced late night television through a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live early in September. After hitting the
east coast, Volcano Choir will play in their native Wisconsin and Minnesota area through
the end of October. Later this fall, the band
will embark on their first European tour and
then hit the west coast of the US in January.
Crossword Puzzle
40 Clasp
41 Picnic visitor
42 Foot bottoms
43 Turkey preparation
44 Pro
45 Campus courtyard
46 Aspire
47 Mad Hatter accessory
49 Clock time, in Colorado
50 Stan. unit of volume
53 Hoarse
55 Can be utilized
57 Shield of Greek mythology
60 Transmission gear
62 Cut of beef
63 Break or destroy
64 Cashews, for example
65 Pizarro’s enemy
66 Juice solids
67 Across (alternate spelling)
68 Experience in a tactile way
ACROSS
1 King’s address
5 Lively
9 Software in “testing”
13 Horse’s gait
14 Opera solo
15 Hot embers
16 Prego’s competition
17 Weaver’s device
18 Display case
19 Autumn starter
21
23
24
25
29
30
32
33
36
37
38
39
To go with the wind
Thanksgiving staple
Whichever
Sit-down dinner job
Revenue increaser
Chill
Small child
Sporty car brand
Transport in arms
Vietnam massacre, “My__”
Unit of hay
Assembly of witches
DOWN
1 Amoxicillin target
2 Late Mesopotamian
3 Cheek application
4 Decorative needle case
5 Sitting rooms
6 Stand-in voter
7 Cristo Redentor location
8 Thanksgiving dish
9 Greek legislative body
10 Ingest
11 What a Dr. gives
12 Fire remains
15 Cold, as the weather
20 Nothing to a Spaniard
22
26
27
28
29
30
31
33
Squirrel’s dinner
Titan with a heavy load
Cook with dry heat
Open grassy area
Is for two
Went spelunking
Vein contents
Toward the rear of the
ship
34 Boat of the Native Amercans
35 Sound starter
36 Fries accompaniment
39 Overthrow of government
40 Holiday meat
42 Pumpkin’s cousin
43 Orthodontst’s concern
46 Evaluate for taxation
48 Like autumn air
49 Slang for a high level math
course
50 Differenct cut of beef
51 Pie serving
52 Type of colony in “Papillon”
54 Long for
56 First letter of the Arabic
alphabet
57 Cleopatra’s bane
58 Flightless bird
59 Square dance partner
61 Shoveled
Have a crossword clue to share?
Want to write a review? Notice an
error? Email the Reserve Record at:
[email protected]
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on Twitter @wrarecord
Arts
October/November 2013
Artist Spotlight: Camry Harris
9
A Visit to the Moos Gallery
prevent art from becoming cluttered.
Harris’s biggest influences are an artist who goes by “Nargyle” online, the
anime Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, “this really cool haunted castle
book [Harris] would read when [she]
was little,” and film directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
When she is feeling uninspired, she
often draws her own characters, as
she knows their appearances by heart.
Her advice to other artists is to be
able to take and use critique. Once,
when she followed a simple tip from
another artist, the way she drew faces
changed completely, and for the better.
Harris also dabbles in other kinds
of art, such as photography, sewing, costume design, and, recently,
stop-motion animation. You can find
her art at spryhaunch.tumblr.com.
Photo by Andersson
by Charles Prendergast ’15
The first forays into art for Camry Harris ’14 were Crayola marker drawings of
girls during latchkey which she would
trade with her friends, but she really
started to consider herself an artist during sixth grade. Since then, she’s moved
mainly to watercolors and art markers, but sometimes uses a tablet, acrylic
paints, and pencils as well. She has also
developed a distinctive style, which she
describes as “cartoony” and “minimalist,”
often including movement and “bold
shapes”. Harris considers minimalism
to be very important, saying it “makes
things clear and beautiful,” and can
Reserve Record
by Kevin Yang ’15
Some visual artists specialize in
one medium for their art, whether
that be watercolor, sculpture, quilting or oil pastel. Others, such as
Michelangelo, prove to be adept
across the board. Out of these multitalented artists, a few exhibit originality by combining these different
mediums into a new, hybrid form.
Katie Schutte is one of those few.
In her Moos Gallery exhibit entitled “Coalescence: revisited,” she
displays her unique amalgamations
of metalwork, jewelry, and crochet.
“Uniting two traditionally unrelated
areas of artistry is the main catalyst behind my work,” says Schutte.
This catalyst of inspiration results
in crocheted necklaces, diamond
rings encased in nests of metal, wire
brooches, and enameled steel panels. Much of the jewelry on display
Photo by Andersson
One of Harris's watercolor pieces.
resembles sea creatures, but “instead
of replicating existing organisms, I
make my own species,” says Schutte.
So at this exhibit, do not expect to
find your traditional fish; rather,
discover the new organisms which
she creates: Nautiloidea and Zoantharia, Echinoida and Dendrogyra.
In addition to these crafted creatures,
I also was intrigued by the crocheted
necklaces on display. One does not
usually associate crochet with glamour, but as Schutte notes, “these pieces can connote high social status and
access to material wealth even when
made from materials and processes
that would be banal on their own.”
In other words, Schutte takes the
most common of materials and turns
them into top notch works of art.
“Coalescence: revisited” will remain
in the Moos Gallery until November
17, so stop by if you have the chance.
Chess Takes Center Stage on Campus
by Lily Liu ’14
Silver rain curtains overlooking from above, a sixteen feet by sixteen feet
chessboard setting in center stage below: WRA 2013 fall musical production Chess was ready to impress the audience with an entertaining surprise.
Written by Richard Nelson, the story unravels in the context of the political
struggle between the United States and Soviet Russia during the Cold War:
Hungarian-born American Florence Vassy (Miranda Fetterman ‘14), an assistant to American chess player Frederick “Freddie” Trumper (Davis Johnson ‘14)
whose arrogance eventually provokes her decision of quitting the U.S. delegation, unexpectedly falls in love with Freddie’s Russian opponent Anatoly Sergievsky (Yuki Yamasaki ‘16) and thus commences a search for her true self.
With music composed by former members of the Swedish rock quartet ABBA,
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and lyrics written by Tim Rice, who is
known for his involvement in Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, the scores in
Chess never failed to amaze. “Chess is very edgy and versatile,” having been
in the pit for the past three years, Ann Yu ‘14 joined the ensemble this year
and remarked, “because it has rap, rock and roll, the ‘standard musical stuff’
and operatic qualities.” “Audience should really look forward to some awesome
chorus numbers,” Simon Ong ‘15, who added to the musical a comedic touch
playing Freddie’s marketing agent Walter Anderson, commented. “Members of
the chorus work[ed] really hard and they have done a magnificent job.” “We
also had some extremely gifted singers as leads” chorus member Danny Mylott
‘17 added, “and our orchestra sounded great.” Joanna Malson ‘15, who played
Comic by Timmy Lund ’15
Anatoly’s estranged wife Svetlana Sergievsky, appreciates the dynamics of the
cast. “We had a dream team cast and a dream team crew,” she said with delight.
For some cast members, Chess marked their stage debut at WRA. For
some others, nevertheless, it was a grand finale: if you could not make
it to the performances last weekend, you have missed the last chance
ever to see seniors Fetterman ‘14, Johnson ’14, Michael Nichols ‘14,
and Emma Presley ‘14 performing on the same stage in a WRA musical.
The lights dimmed and the curtain fell, Chess ended in the audience’s warm
applause as the cast bowed one last time. Nevertheless, the melodies can still be
heard around campus
in various forms including humming and
whistling. No matter
it was for the amazing
voices on stage, the intriguing story line, or
the crazy dance moves
the casts presented
during “One Night in
Bangkok,” Chess has
definitely left great
memories for many.
Photos by Doe
Florence (Miranda Fetterman '14) dazzles the
stage on Friday night.
Walter (Simon Ong '15) and Freddie (David Johnson '14) celebrate victory in Chess: the Musical.
Freddie (Davis Johnson '14) and Anatoly (Yuki Yamasaki '16) battle in a deathly
game of chess.
10
Sports
Reserve Record
October/November 2013
but it is his leadership that sets him apart Cleveland Browns
Athlete Spotlight: David Ma nomenal,
from other athletes. His attitude towards the game
“Play”: Three-Season Sports Requirement Can Help
by Griffin Trau ’14
It cannot be denied: we live in
an age of specialization. In sports,
for better or worse, the “jack of all
trades” is slowly being phased out
by the single-sport athlete. Once
deep with multi-sport athletes, the
NCAA now features only a handful of players who compete in more
than one season. Why? The competition is better—athletes are bigger,
faster, stronger, and more focused
than ever. A collegiate varsity sport
is often a full-time job for an athlete
and a win-or-lose-your-job proposition for a head coach. Unfortunately, this model seems to be trickling down to the high school level.
At Reserve, students technically
adhere to a three-season athletic requirement so that they might receive
state-mandated physical education
credit, but fewer kids actually play
three sports each year. In fact, a great
many students would probably advocate for the requirement’s abolition
if given the choice. Those in favor of
removal or restructuring might fall
into three groups: those who do not
care for sports at all; those who enjoy sports, but wish to compete in
less than three seasons; and those
who wish to pursue higher level
competition through specialization.
While passionate pursuit of extracurricular opportunity in music,
art, and/or community service is
certainly commendable, I am not
certain that such activity necessar-
Varsity Girls Tennis: 14-2
Varsity Volleyball: 14-6
Varsity Girls Cross Country:
1-0 (and Tournaments)
Varsity Girls Soccer: 9-5-3
Varsity Boys Soccer: 11-6-1
Varsity Golf: 12-4
Varsity Football: 2-7
Varsity Field Hockey: 10-6-1
Varsity Boys Cross Country:
All Invitationals
competition for admission and roster spots increases each year at the
nation’s top colleges, it is becoming
increasingly necessary to demonstrate the versatility required of a
“next-level” athlete. Although field/
court/rink/pool sense, strength,
and body control are crucial in
all sports, the skill set that would
seem unique to one sport often
proves to be of great help in others.
Prudence and laziness aside, what
has become of the notion that a
Western Reserve student-athlete
has an obligation to represent his or
her school and classmates? If every
athlete contributed everything he
or she had to offer, Western Reserve
would certainly experience greater
success in many of its athletic endeavors. Though AAU basketball,
club soccer and lacrosse, or out-ofseason training might be modern
day examples of “necessary evils”
that help high school athletes climb
into college sports, I hope that all
will pause and evaluate Western
Reserve Academy’s path to success
over its 187 year history. The extracurricular requirement gives this
special community far more than a
checkmark on a transcript. We eat,
sleep, work, and play together—
that is what makes boarding school
special. Shouldn’t it be a goal for all
of us to do what we can to fulfill
our potential and leave this place
a bit richer than when we arrived?
by Michael Curtin ’14
On November 3, 2013, the Cleveland
Browns defeated the Baltimore Ravens in
an 18-24 victory at the Cleveland Brown’s
stadium. This was a big win for the Browns
because it improved their record to 4-5,
making them second in the AFC North.
The significance of this victory is found in
the fact that the Browns have not beat the
Ravens since 2007. In the past twenty-nine
games, the Browns have only won seven of
them. In addition, the history between the
Browns and the Ravens is one of the most
notable ones in all of the NFL. In 1996 the
owner of the Browns, Art Modell, moved the
team from Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore,
Maryland. Modell moved the team for selfish reasons, and legal actions against Modell followed. After extensive talks between
the NFL, the Browns and officials of the
two cities, Cleveland accepted a legal settlement that would keep the Browns’ legacy in
Cleveland. On February 9, 1996, the NFL
announced that the Browns would be ‘deactivated’ for three years, and that a new
stadium would be built for a new Browns
team, as either an expansion team or a team
moved from another city, that would begin
play in 1999. Modell would in turn then be
granted a new franchise, for Baltimore, retaining the current contracts of players and
personnel, and thus the Ravens were born.
The recent win on the Browns behalf
not only provided fans with uplifted spirits after a 11-game losing streak against
Baltimore, but also infused hope as the
Browns enter the second half of the season. The game demonstrated the Browns’s
gritty defense and timely offense, leaving the Ravens absolutely befuddled.
Photos by Doe
Fall Finale:
Varsity Records
ily substitutes for the experience
associated with team membership.
That said, I have often watched
with frustration as many of my athletically talented schoolmates have
dodged the three-season athletic
requirement (without other contribution to the WRA community).
As members of a college preparatory school community, should students not be required to use their
time in meaningful ways? Although
I understand that additional free
time might be nice to alleviate the
academic rigor of this fine school, is
there not an imperative to strive for
a level of excellence that comes from
spirited participation in athletics?
Today’s intercollegiate landscape,
most certainly at the NCAA Division I level, has become the exclusive
territory of the single-sport competitor, though many current college
stars played multiple seasons as secondary school students. While college coaches continuously say, “We
want multi-sport athletes,” what
they really mean is, “We want wellrounded players who competed and
proved themselves in multiple sports
in high school, but who will compete in only one sport at this level.”
For that Western Reserve athlete
who chooses to specialize in hopes
of increasing his or her chances for
athletic recruitment, I would suggest
that the benefits of a rich and diverse
athletic experience at the secondary
level far outweigh the liabilities. As
Break Baltimore Ravens
Photo provided through Google.com
an his leadership responsibilities are as follows: “I’ve
learned that an attitude in any situation helps and can
change drastically from better to worse. In any situation you can also take and learn from someone else.”
Ma will miss the times spent with his teammates
getting pumped in the locker room to the sounds of
electronic music and chants for Dear Ol’ Reserve, but
will continue his soccer career in college. Finally, when
asked his culminating
thoughts on his experience with WRA’s soccer
team, he says, “The team
chemistry as well as the
motivation to win games
increases every year. For
the people who didn’t
necessarily take it as seriously have changed
their attitude and now
strive for success and
hard work. I’m just glad
I could be apart of this
Photo by Doe
amazing
experience.”
Photo by Hermosilla
by Liam Sullivan ’16 and Nishika Raheja ’14
Encouraged by his father at age eight, David Ma
now reigns as one of boys varsity soccer’s three captains. This is Ma’s fourth year on the varsity team.
Along with being a four year letterman and a captain, Ma also received the MVP award for soccer his
sophomore year. It is pretty safe to say that David is
an outstanding soccer player, and his teammates would
also agree: “David was a huge contribution to our undefeated season last year,” says teammate Nate Lund
’14. “You can see the difference “Dma” makes when
he is on the field,” adds Jack Mckenzie ’14. Placed in
a position of leadership, Ma says he has “learned to
lead by example as well as vocally.” Even though the
soccer team did not have the season they were hoping
for after last year’s undefeated season, Ma and his great
leadership pulled the team through their tough season.
In addition, Ma looks forward to his fellow teammates’ performances. Reflecting on this past season, he
notes, “When Alex Campana scored his goal against
Hawken or when Jonathan crossed the sick cross and
Campana scored on a volley, those were the highlights
of my season.” David’s skills on the pitch are phe-