GREYSTOCK MAGAZINE The Student Magazine of Church Farm School JEREMY SHIELDS `16 STEFANIE CLAYPOOLE Editor-in-Chief Faculty Advisor EDWARD KIM `16 Layout and Design
MICHAEL SEAMANS Photography
Copyright Š 2015 Church Farm School. All rights reserved. The works or opinions expressed in this periodical do not necessarily reflect the views of Church Farm School, its faculty, staff, or administration, and are the sole, creative works of their authors.
Editor’s Letter This issue reflects on the CFS community in terms of our personal sentiments, artistic expressions, poetic musings and everything in between.
In recent years it seems that the publication schedule for Greystock Magazine has become somewhat unpredictable. Every other issue or so seems to enter a developmental twilight zone: will we publish this month? Should we hold off until there are more submissions? Would it make more sense to publish at the beginning of next year instead? This first issue of the 2015-2016 academic year reflects the fruits of a magazine that is just about free of those growing pains. It’s only been a year since we switched to digital format and already we’re returning to our hardcopy roots; nonetheless, these aesthetic adjustments have served not only to inspire us creatively, but also to cement a fundamental work ethic and style that will continue to thrive long
after their progenitors are gone. Although its appearance or publication medium might vary, Greystock Magazine has reached a level of internal maturity that, from an editor’s perspective, cannot be undervalued. In equal measure, this issue reflects on the CFS community in terms of our personal sentiments, artistic expressions, poetic musings and everything in between—with a theme like Reflections, the creative possibilities were endless and the submissions uniquely intimate. As you read this introspective entry of our literary archive, we hope that you will consider all of the dedicated hours it took for us to hit our stride and appreciate not only the quality of the contributions, but also the workmanship— authorial and editorial—they reflect.
Jeremy Shields ‘16
Editor-in-Chief, Greystock Magazine
2
Contents One Hit Wonders 5 Devils and Angels 6 Q&A with Jeremy Shields 7 School vs. Gaming 9 Facade 10 One Theme, Two Views 11 Hydra 21
PHOTOGRAPH
3
Michael Seamans
4
One Hit Wonders
We are a generation of one hit wonders. POEM
Michael Sweat
You get one One shot One chance to Do you Miss it And you’ll never Have another Opportunity To rap fluently Speak truthfully So When in Africa Right? It’s no time to fight We’re told we’re bright And that’s all right But if we never Fly together Like birds of a feather Then for success The odds are not the best We are a generation
5
Of one hit wonders When we walk together Ground can break We only need one time To shine One good video One good speecha People rave When we say What they crave They go and tell Everyone whether we Are worth the quell Worth the time To invest See if we’re the best They have talent sharp as swords Famous last words I told you We’re One Hit Wonders
ILLUSTRATION “Devils and Angels” Mohammed Emun
6
Editor Spotlight
A Q&A with Jeremy Shields, Editor-in-Chief
INTERVIEWER
Mr. Robert Warfel
Why are you obsessed with winning Scrabble? JEREMY SHIELDS (JS): If there is one game that I’m good at, it’s Scrabble. It’s rare that I have something to excel in when it comes to competition, even in things I enjoy like video games or other board games. In those arenas, I enter with an attitude of “Wouldn’t it be great if I won?” In Scrabble, unless I’m in a non-competitive mood, the attitude is more along the lines of “Wouldn’t it sting if I lost?” MR. BOB WARFEL (BW):
BW: What do you love about reading? JS: When I read a book that I really invest
myself in, I do so for two reasons: one, the plot is clever enough to keep me guessing until the end, and two, I am expanding my exposure to the wide breadth of literary genres with every book I read. One of the most potent pieces of advice that I’ve ever heard for aspiring writers is that they should absorb a diverse array of writing styles, which allows them to develop a
7
unique writing style of their own. I believe that every time I read a new book or author, I am acquiring new skills and becoming a more informed writer. BW: Is “being smart” part of your own
self-identity? When I consider this question, I wonder what it would be like for me to enter an environment, let’s say college, where I am no longer uniquely knowledgeable in one subject or another—where in every field in which I pride myself today, I am matched or exceeded by my peers. Would I go through some kind of identity crisis if I fell lower in the ranks? The answer is no; I know I am “smart,” however you choose to define it, no matter how smart others may be as well. If it were a part of my self-identity, not the identity that others have associated with me, I believe I would feel somehow offended or disappointed if someone could do “me” better than me.
JS:
Jeremy Shields with fellow Honor Council member, Andrew Richards, and faculty advisor Ms. Rabi Young.
BW: What does your life at CFS look like in your head? JS: I don’t like to look at anything in a humdrum way;
rather than opt for “nothing special” when someone asks me how my day was, I try to look at every event from an exciting angle. By going through my day this way, there have been times when I’ve likened my life at CFS to a sitcom: whether it’s in my cottage or during the school day, there always seems to be something going on at CFS, and if I can imagine it in a positive light, I can find a way to laugh about it.
“There have been times when I’ve likened my life at CFS to a sitcom.” JEREMY SHIELDS
8
ABOVE “Facade” Mohammed Emun LEFT “School vs. Gaming” Austin Johnson
10
FEATURE
A collection of perspectives on our daily lives WORDS Mohammed Emun, Wendy Roberts, Jeremy Shields, Stefanie Claypoole, Andrew Richards, Robert Warfel, Hamzah Qureshi, Zachary Roberts
Same as It Never Was WORDS
Dr. Wendy Roberts
Then: To do things as they’ve always been done Without finding meaning in it seemed dumb To recite empty pledges made me feel hollow If my ancestors knew what I did, would they still follow? Then again: When in Rome, do as the Romans do What is culture if not tradition? It’s true Culture is everything interesting about us from games to music to the food we eat Tradition is comfort and connection across the world and centuries Then again again: I want to set traditions to help my kids feel connected
11
But I know as they grow, my traditions will be rejected Rather than keep them for me, I hope through reflection my traditions are put on the shelf Perhaps setting our own traditions is a tradition in itself.
Tradition Does Not Equal Faith WORDS
Mohammed Emun
Tradition and religion go hand in hand. They’re supposed to bring peace across the land. But they don’t, they bring deadly wars. Everyone’s fighting as if God’s keeping score. I on the other hand don’t always believe. Parents forcing religion and tradition, to make me conceive. Can’t speak up, cause the fam won’t
PHOTOGRAPHS Stephen Zarycranski
accept me. So I got to put on an act as if I agree. If I don’t believe, why do I eat the Halal meat? ‘Cause I love my family so now I’m beat. Stay with the fam or stand alone? Go to the mosque and atone?! For what? Something I don’t agree with. Something that I think is only a myth? But…ya got to do what ya got to do. Boy, all the stress, if you only knew. Then again, there are those actual days. Where tradition and religion is what I praise. It can really be beautiful if you look at its heart. Because that, my friends, is the important part.
12
ONE TOPIC, TWO VIEWS
To Bee or Not to Bee A Judge’s Perspective WORDS
Stefanie Claypoole
There was perhaps no one on campus more excited than I was when Mr. Bob Warfel announced the school’s first Spelling Bee. When you are young, praise for your intellectual, athletic or emotional gifts is often doled out extravagantly. I mean, I give my son high fives for achievements as minute as putting his smelly socks in the laundry basket. Once you hit your late 20s or 30s, however, it is more common to be reminded of your missteps than your triumphs. Spelling is something that, for one reason or another, has always been an innate gift for me. I was going to kill this competition, I thought, and be lavished with praise that hadn’t met my ears in a long, long time. Imagine my sadness
13
when Mr. Warfel suggested I would be better as a judge than a speller. You know what? He was right. On many levels. 1. I don’t enjoy being in front of large audiences. Possible panic attack averted. 2. Good grammar and spelling is part of my job description. Imagine if I’d botched the competition in front of the entire school? 3. I would not have been able to experience the elation of rooting FOR our students, as I would have been too busy trying to take them down. Number 3 is really the critical factor here. To say I was impressed with the students and adults who participated—Saaif Ahmed, Donald Albritton, Uche Egonu, Branden Hughes-Vaughan, Akolam ards, Jeremy Shields, Dawrin Silfa, Eddie
Teah and Judah Wilson plus Mr. Aaron Schnittman and Mr. Zach Roberts—would be a huge understatement. These young men tackled words that continue to trip me up at the ripe old age of 40 and I’ve likely read thousands more books than them (except maybe Jeremy; he is giving me a run for my money in the reading department). The finals were intense. Exciting. And I don’t think this was the case just for the logophiles in attendance (including my fellow judges Ms. Stephanie Heerschap, Ms. Rabi Young and Ms. Dianne Hughes). I could see the audience reacting with sincere enthusiasm, too. When it came down to the final two competitors—Jeremy and Andrew—both knew they were winners, even if Andrew ultimately took the top prize. They’d made it through more than 30 tough rounds over two days, spelling words they had studied—concessionaire, furlough, schizophrenia, ophthalmology—and words they had not—bureaucrat, cantankerous, chrysanthemum. I am thankful to Mr. Warfel for organizing an event that engaged our students to practice spelling. I continue to worry in the age of spellcheck and texting and social media that spelling and grammar are becoming a lost, or underappreciated, art. The Spelling Bee proved to me that people DO still care, and that for me, participating as a judge was a much better prize than winning a trophy would ever have been.
PHOTOGRAPH CFS File Photo
“They’d made it through more than 30 tough rounds over two days, spelling words they had studied— concessionaire, furlough, schizophrenia, ophthalmology—and words they had not—bureaucrat, cantankerous, chrysanthemum.” STEFANIE CLAYPOOLE
A Student’s Perspective WORDS
Andrew Richards
When I heard that Mr. Bob Warfel was hosting the inaugural CFS Spelling Bee, my first thought was: “Hey, this looks interesting, why don’t I try it out?” But I was initially hesitant to sign up for two reasons: one, I had this exaggerated, preconceived notion that spelling bees are just hellish
14
ONE TOPIC, TWO VIEWS
“I was surprised to be one of the remaining participants moving on to the finals. That’s when I realized I wanted to win this competition.” ANDREW RICHARDS
15
TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE
competitions in which the participants are forced to study long, complex words and recite them letter-by-letter under intense pressure from the judge and the audience. Two, I quickly discovered that there were some pretty tough, sincere student (and teacher!) competitors. Despite my trivial concerns, I decided to do it for the sake of a new experience. As soon as Mr. Warfel emailed the list of words, I immediately knew that this would be a challenging competition. A few of the words were familiar, like “unanswerable” or “nurture.” However, the list had its fair share of intricate words that I had never heard of, such as “baccalaureate,” “schizophrenia,” “nomenclature” and “tonsillectomy.” In the time between the announcement of the spelling bee and the
preliminary rounds, I decided to be efficient and utilize my free time to study the words. For example, if I finished my work early, I would take a quick peek at the list and memorize at least 10 words if I could. In the preliminaries, I remember feeling quite nervous and saying to myself, “I don’t care if I win, I just want to get to the finals.” After what seemed like hours of spelling, I was surprised to be one of the remaining participants moving on to the finals. That’s when I realized I wanted to win this competition. In the final round, the remaining contestants received additional advanced words, which were even more perplexing than the originals. Still, my strategy remained the same: use my free time to study and study hard. Wednesday. Eighth Period. Perspiration poured in streams down my face. Butterflies were dancing in my stomach. The crowd seemed overwhelming. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. It wasn’t that intense. Still, my heart was pounding. It was my turn first and Mr. Warfel gave the word: “acidulous.” “Acidulous—A-C-I-D-U-L-O-U-S.” Ms. Claypoole said it was correct and the crowd applauded. My heart erupted with joy. As the time passed, each challenger left the stage one by one.
Eventually two competitors were left: Jeremy Shields and me. The real challenge was about to begin. At this point, Mr. Warfel had run out of words and started giving us words that were not on the list. I don’t think either of us was completely prepared for the words that were to come. One of my words was “chrysanthemum,” which was the only word I passed. Looking back now, I probably could have spelled it correctly, but I think I was too nervous to do so. My winning word was “deciduous.” Don’t ask me how I managed to spell it. As vague as it sounds, I just kind of took an educated guess. Anyway, the remaining audience applauded for us and then we shook hands. Honestly, I have to congratulate all of my peers and the entire faculty that had participated for their effort. I laud them for being courageous to stand on the stage of Alumni Hall and perform well. The same goes for those who didn’t make it past the preliminaries. I especially congratulate Jeremy Shields, who was the toughest challenger out there. To be quite frank, if it weren’t for the fact that Mr. Warfel had used words apart from the list, I think the competition would still be going on. In the end, I still find it funny how I originally planned to participate in the spelling bee casually, and then actually ended up winning the whole competition. It was a grand experience (and I am extremely grateful toward Mr. Warfel and the judges for it) and one I will remember for the rest of my life.
16
ONE TOPIC, TWO VIEWS
What Garrett Means to Me The Cottage Parent’s View WORDS
Zachary Roberts
For the visitor of Garrett Cottage, one sees the well-placed artwork, the glittering banners hanging in the back stairwell, the thick, luxurious carpets in the hallway and living room and the foreboding statue of Otis, the owl, keeping watch from the front stairwell’s windowsill. Certainly, Garrett’s warm lamplight, sweet-smelling room fresheners and all the plant-life spread throughout the rooms lend a quality of good taste and class as well, but each of these things mentioned above could be found in a nice hotel or retreat center— and Garrett is, without a doubt, more than a hotel. For, at its very foundation, and in each of its functions, Garrett is home. When I first arrived at Church Farm School, this wasn’t the case. We would have been generous to call Garrett a “dormitory,” and that is in the loosest sense of the word. Its appearance was bleak, and the residents thereof treated it as such. Garrett was a “mind-your-ownbusiness” kind of place, and I doubt any one of its residents would have called Garrett a “home away from home.” It was consistently filthy. What few pictures or wall hangings there were, had been strewn across the walls in no particular order, and the kitchen really needed a “take-your-lifeinto-your-own-hands-by-entering” sign on the door. Nonetheless, I requested to be
17
head cottage parent there at the end of my first year. I had worked between Woodside and Garrett for that 2011-2012 school year, and I knew all of the skeletons in Garrett’s closets—though I looked forward to the challenge of making it a home—for both my students and myself. Fast-forward nearly four years. When my students are away for an extended vacation and the quiet sets in, the deafening silence reminds me that Garrett’s life comes not from its furnishings but from its residents. When Duane and Zeeshan help plant flowers out front, they breathe life into Garrett. When Mr. Fulmer plays Jeopardy with everyone and Ms. Young brings hot cinnamon rolls, they breathe life into the cottage, too. When James and Myles sneak out at one A.M. to shower, or when Tristan dresses up like Mrs. Claus, each one is breathing life into Garrett. When Aaron sings—be it Motown, Broadway show tunes or hip-hop—he breathes life into Garrett. Likewise, when Mr. Marshall and Zikang sit down, late at night, to enjoy a cup of Chinese tea, they breathe life into our cottage. And, when Muzhi emerges from his room to take part in a “Garrett Game,” when John, hoping for “kills,” lifts the lid on a boiling pot to see what’s cooking or when Jeremy “gets hype,” they each breathe life into Garrett. When Kris’s high-pitched squeal of a laugh bounces down the halls or Edward snaps a rubber glove onto his hand to perform sur-
surgery on the bathroom chore, they breathe life into Garrett as well. And, when Abednego and Ben are the first to volunteer for an activity, their willingness breathes life into Garrett. When Jimmy struts down the hall in his camouflage bathrobe, or Geno dons his animal-face hat—complete with ears on top, they breathe life into Garrett. Likewise, when Hamzah comes into my living room to talk about God, he breathes life into Garrett. And, when Branden’s rendition of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” booms through the halls, as it has since he was a freshman in Garrett, he breathes life into our cottage.
“Garrett is my home, and its residents are my family.” ZACHARY ROBERTS
Cottage chemistry changes over time, as is necessary because of the change in students. But for this fleeting season of life, the answer to what this cottage means to me is simple: Garrett is my home, and its residents are my family. I believe, someday, my students will look within a special part of their hearts and realize they were never quite so uniquely happy as they were in this little cottage dormitory named Garrett. I know it’s true for me.
18
ONE TOPIC, TWO VIEWS
WHAT GARRETT MEANS TO ME
The Student’s View WORDS
Hamzah Qureshi
Garrett is my anchor. This cottage has been my home for two years now and, from the very beginning, has been a place where I can truly be myself. Whether it’s after failing a biology exam, losing horribly against our rival school in a tennis match or even returning on a Sunday after a stressful weekend at home, walking into the cottage makes me feel at peace. The environment in Garrett is one that allows
19
me to shake off whatever troubling problems exist outside and simply enjoy the company of peers and mentors in a safe, trusting and friendly atmosphere. There are several factors that, after developing over the years, have caused Garrett to be what it is today. Our fierce competitiveness in Christmas decoration contests, room inspections and highest grade point averages unite us as a team in our successes, and even more so in our failures. Furthermore, due to the harmony
found among Garretteers, we are able to do fun and interactive activities in the cottage like the Garrett Games, which involve a hands-on competition between teams on critical thinking and teamwork; the Garrett Report, which gives students the opportunity learn more in depth about influential CFS members and alumni in a talk show environment; and the Garrett Discussion Series, which allows students to converse about various controversial topics without fear of judgment or ridicule. There is much more to Garrett than just these activities. The cottage is most of all a place for each and every one of its members to grow. Every year, Church Farm School students find themselves living in Garrett for the first time, and every year, all of those students bring something unique to the cottage. Though we all have our strong suits, we also lack in many ways, which means there is plenty of room
to grow. If one of our guys is struggling in a class, we all push him to do better because each individual’s performance affects the entire cottage. We all have to do well to succeed, so anyone struggling in academics has that motivation to do better. Some students may be very soft spoken and not involved in the community, so the Garrett Games engage them to try new things, communicate with their peers and share their opinions, thus pushing them to grow. Garrett starts off every year as just another cottage, but it quickly evolves into something more meaningful. It has by now become a second family for me where I can depend on and be comfortable with every member of the cottage. Garrett cottage allows us to enjoy the benefits of a trusting, hardworking and loving community in which everyone truly appreciates his Garrett family.
END
20
ILLUSTRATION “Hydra” Myles Ashitey
21