Issue III

SPORTS

CULTURE Profile: Hamish Stephenson’s (’14) rise in the UK music industry. Page 19

The line-up: A look at the 2011-2012 varsity boys basketball squad. Page 24 standard.asl.org

THE STANDARD

November-December 2011 | Volume XXXVII, Issue III

The American School in London | 1 Waverley Place | London NW8 0NP U.K.

Five students caught cheating

Eating disorders in the High School

THE MODELS PHOTOGRAPHED ARE NOT FEATURED IN THIS ARTICLE

FARES CHEHABI NEWS EDITOR

ANNA YOUNG

FEATURES EDITOR

Everything’s fi

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SOPHIA

JENNING

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IAN ROB

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PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

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For this article, The Standard interviewed various members of the High School student body in an attempt to shed light on the prevalence of eating disorders at ASL. The editorial decision was made to keep the names and grades of these students anonymous. Those students whose identities remain anonymous are represented by aliases that will be used throughout this report.

“I didn’t see any difference in my body.

That’s what’s really creepy, that you don’t notice anything.”

S

tanding at 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing a meager 70 pounds, 11-year-old April never thought she had a problem. Even as she watched her doctor take note of her underweight body, she could not see anything was wrong - she was just a girl who thought she could drop a few pounds. But what April did not realize was that her skinny would never be skinny enough. Whether looking in the mirror or standing on the scale, all she ever saw was a girl who

[

Five students across three AP European History classes were found to have cheated on a unit test on November 4.

A student from one of the classes reportedly kept note of the questions from a test on the Reformation before sending the information to students in the other two classes, which were scheduled to take the test the following day.

After McKinley was informed of the incident by his students, he told his classes that certain information had been compromised from the test, but had them take it regardless. The students from McKinley’s classes decided not to retake the test, instead electing to completely discount it.

High School Principal Paul Richards believes that the cheating arose from pressure as opposed to the desire to do something wrong. “[There is] pressure to produce a lot of work, a lot of achievement, so my experience is that students’ compasses aren’t morally off, it’s just they feel pressure to get things done and sometimes they cut corners,” he said.

The Standard is neither able to print the consequences of this cheating incident nor reveal the identities of the students involved; however, SFDB Co-President Joshua Haghani (’12) confirmed the cheating incident and said, “The SFDB takes cheating...very seriously.”

Following the incident, there has been much discussion amongst the administration over how to best deal with the problem of cheating and how to ensure that something of this nature does not happen again. “We’re committed to talking more about it and being clearer to expectations,” Richards said.

needed to lose more weight.

April suffered from anorexia for five months before realizing she was sick. And, six years later, she is still recovering from an illness she has fought time and time again as a student at ASL. April, however, is far from alone in her fight against anorexia. Of the 1.6 million people in the United Kingdom afflicted with some degree of disordered eating, a number of cases exist within the High School. With eight other girls coming forward to share their past and present struggles with eating, questions have been raised as to whether members of the community recognize eating disorders to be a problem at ASL.

EATING DISORDERS continued on page 11

CHEATING continued on page 2 (Please recycle after reading)

News

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE III NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

CHEATING from page 1 Richards has spoken about the incident to the senior and junior classes during class meetings – he is yet to meet with the freshman and sophomore classes – and teachers are further discussing the importance of academic integrity in their classes.

He has ended each grade-specific discussion with invitations to all students to discuss the issue with him, saying that he will be transparent with the information from his discussion with the senior class. “Our commitment is just to keep making this an important issue and not let it sit under the surface,” Richards said.

In his speech to the juniors, Richards said that the senior class was as fractured as he had ever seen over this issue. He went further still, saying that the issue had the potential to destroy the senior class. And speaking solely about his own classes, McKinley labeled the incident as “divisive.”

In the senior class meeting, Richards opened a discussion to start mending relations, and Social Studies teacher Sana Shafqat and McKinley have been doing likewise with the students in their affected classes.

McKinley felt particularly “disappointed” by the incident. “I didn’t think anybody would feel the need to [cheat]. They’re good history students,” he said. “It was a negative surprise.”

Shafqat was unavailable for comment on the incident.

Welch leaves ASL ANNA YOUNG

FEATURES EDITOR College Counselor and Grade 11 Dean Meridith Welch will be leaving ASL on December 16, for Wellesley, Massachussetts due to her husband’s job. Welch has worked at ASL for sevenand-a-half years, spending a year in the Middle School before moving to the High School to work as a college counselor and grade dean.

She intends to spend the rest of the year getting reacclimated to life in America and settling

“We certainly feel a pull to have our kids closer to their grandparents and cousins.”

Meridith Welch, Academic Advising

in with her family. Although her husband’s job is the primary reason for the move, she also has family in the New England area and would like her two children to be closer to them. “We certainly feel a pull to have our kids closer to their grandparents and cousins,” she said.

Welch’s move back to the US coincides with an important time for both juniors and seniors; the juniors are making the transition to working with college counselors, and the seniors are

finalizing college applications.

Although she will not be at school to directly work with the juniors, Welch will try to keep in close contact with the Academic Advising office to make sure that the transition is as smooth as possible. “I will be in touch if there is any information that [college counselors] need to find that is maybe not in the file that I might know personally about a student,” she said.

The seniors that have been working with Welch have been reassigned to the three other college counselors: Patty Strohm, Kristin Dreazen and John Reilly. Additionally, Welch will be in contact to support her students with their decision process. “I want to help and be helpful,” she said. “But at the same time, they will have someone here in the office for advice.”

Welch hopes to continue her college counseling work at another school in New England and is not planning on returning to college counseling at ASL. “I’ve loved my role here,” she said. “I feel challenged and rewarded, and I love it. No two days are the same.”

She wants to stay connected to ASL students and colleagues and hopes that continuing to work with her students for the rest of the academic year will help her do so. “I take what I do very seriously, and I want to do well by my students,” she said. “If there is any way I can help, I’d rather be contacted and help with it than not and have there be a void.”

FLASH

NEWS | briefs DAY OF SILENCE The Amnesty International club is planning a day of silence to help raise awareness for the release of Nurmemet Yasin, a Chinese author imprisoned for writing a short story critical of the Chinese government.

The day of silence will be taking place January 11 throughout the high school. Students were also invited to sign a release card for Nurmemet Yasin.

For more information, contact English teacher Miles Dunmore (miles_dunmore@ asl.org).

TEACHERS ON LEAVE The English department recently announced the temporary absence of two teachers. English Department Head Meghan Tally departed on December 14 on medical leave, and will return in February. Substitute teacher Emily Mullin will be covering for her.

English teacher Lindsey Fairweather departs on maternity leave in May of this academic year, and plans to return during the 2012-2013 school year. Her substitute is currently undetermined.

FIFA 12 TOURNAMENT The Kishkinda club will hold a FIFA 12 tournament the week before February break. Students must pay an entry fee to participate. The charity aims to raise money to buy goals and soccer boots for children in villages throughout India.

The winners of the tournament will be given a prize and the chance to play a final during a school assembly, although these rewards are subject to change. More details will be available at the beginning of the second semester.

LOCK-IN EVENT PLANNED Student Council members are introducing a new event: A lock-in, a popular American tradition in which students spend the night at school.

Student Council President Morganne Howell (’12) had this event at her past school and said it was a great success. “The goal is to offer a fun, bonding event besides the dances, which seem to be losing popularity,” she said. The date of the lock-in is yet to be set in stone, but it is most likely going to take place after Spirit Week.

CHOIR CHARITY

IT’S NOT EVEN 8:30 P.M.: Elie Shields (’12) launches a bunch of glitter into the air during Student Council’s Winter Formal on December 10. Over 200 people were in attendance. PHOTO BY MARIAJOSE NEBREDA

The High School Concert Choir and volunteers from the Chamber Orchesta performed to raise money for the Soup Kitchen organization on December 11 at the American Church in London. Performances also included a clarinet solo from Jessica Haghani (’14).

Students from the Choir were asked to sell two tickets each for the event, which raised money for the Soup Kitchen located next to the Church on Tottenham Court Road, W1.

The event managed to sell out, with over 250 people in attendance.

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

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Newsddd

Chodl and Smithies crack down on scooter theft TYLER ZSCHACH STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

Several High School students have opted to expedite their journeys to lunch by using scooters from Lower School students who neglected to lock their scooters to the bike rack on Loudoun Road. Students have taken the scooters and returned them by the end of lunch, but according to T@keNote, the school’s official newsletter, one scooter has disappeared. There’s also been an isolated incident of a student taking a scooter that did not belong to him home for the evening.

Lower School Assistant Principal John Smithies said that he is aware of this trend, and he has been made aware of two more scooters disappearing from the bike racks in recent weeks. “Without a doubt, borrowing someone else’s scooter is completely unacceptable,” he said. “At best it is selfish; at worst, it

is theft...I really can’t think of a circumstance where it would be okay to take someone else’s property without asking, even if there was the intention of returning it,” Smithies said. He has even had to recommend to parents that they bring a lock with their children’s scooters. “A pretty negative reflection is cast by a small number of people who are taking part in this activity,” he said.

The controversial decision by some students has left many administrators frustrated, and other students confused and angered by the accusations. “It’s a whole new level of immorality. It’s definitely not something I’d expect to see at this school to be honest,” Costa Gazidis (’15) said.

“I don’t understand how [high school students using the scooters] don’t break them because they are really small,” Dean of Students Joe Chodl said.

Memo Yucesan (’12) said he has occasion-

ally borrowed scooters to get to the popular lunch destination Bhan Thai, because of the distance between there and school. Yucesan also added that he borrows scooters up to four times a week. “I’m not stealing them, I always bring them back,” he said.

Can Ozturk (’14) uses his younger sister’s scooter to get to lunch faster and does not take scooters that do not belong to his family. “Kids have taken scooters, but I only use my sister’s, not anyone else’s,” he said. Ozturk is one of a number of students who uses a scooter that belongs to his family. “Other kids take random scooters, but it’s just to get to lunch faster.”

Chodl has alerted school security to the fact that students have been borrowing scooters.“The jig is up!” Chodl said. After a further, more recent investigation by The Standard, students that were seen with scooters leaving at lunch time were turned around at the gate by security guards.

PCA prepares events for Global Festival TYLER ZSCHACH STAFF WRITER

The annual ICC Global Festival is gathering momentum as the PCA committee hosts numerous cultural events in the run-up to the actual festival on March 25. The committee assigned to organizing the event, consisting of 18 parent leaders, has been promoting a series of educational events and meetings to provide the community with a more international experience.

Parents and students are all encouraged to participate in these events, including “Finding India in London: Visit to Sikh Temple,” where a group of parents visited the largest Sikh temple outside of India, and “Finding Canada in London: Canadian Painting” at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

While most of the scheduled events take place during school hours and are inaccessible to students, some take place during lunch hours or free periods.

On December 2, four High School student clubs presented to a group of parents about their clubs’ mission statements and goals for this year. The Seeds of Peace club, Kishkinda club, South Asia club and Mid-

dle East club attended the meeting. The club leaders spoke about the continuation of Middle East Night and South Asia Night, in addition to other ways to raise money for their respective organizations. The meeting also served as a way for parents of younger students to learn about student clubs in the High School. This event was one of several in the near future in attempt to drive up excitement for the actual festival.

The ICC Festival has “started the dialogue between all ASL communities and deepened everyone’s thought about what it really means to find the world in London,” Education Project Committee Co-Leader and ASL parent Veronique Ryan said.

Ryan also said that the events before the festival have tied in the existing Global Perspective projects in the classroom with the Global Festival event.

In the future, Ryan hopes to raise awareness of immigrant communities through London, document more classroom projects and organize more events through the winter.

ICC Global Festival: Sunday, March 25

Four High School clubs involved in the Middle East and South Asia presented to parents about their goals for the year. Club leaders spoke about their respective fundraising efforts, including the continuation of Middle East Night and South Asia Night.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DONNA PREDDY

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

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Newsddd

ASL and QK councils collaborate AP mocks Student Council members from ASL and QK meet to improve relations EVAN REILLY

LEAD NEWS EDITOR After meeting almost one month ago, the Student Council collaboration between ASL and QK is well underway. Student Council representatives from both schools attended the inaugural meeting on November 1, an important event in building an improved relationship between both schools.

The primary goal of this collaboration is “to foster the relationship between QK and ASL, which many people are not aware of,

“This attempt at strengthening the bonds between our two schools definitely has the potential to be successful.”

Tarek Masri (’13)

and to share ideas between the two student councils,” Student Council Representative Tarek Masri (’13) said.

Representatives from both the High School and Middle School Student Councils

at ASL welcomed 10 members from QK for their first meeting to discuss ongoing collaborative programs and to brainstorm future initiatives.

After an introduction from Grade 7 Aide Sean Ross, the group proceeded to lead a tour of the school and then broke into smaller groups to engage in extended conversations about ASL-QK relations.

At the end of the meeting, each delegation also elected members who will work on a smaller sub-committee focusing on identifying specific issues and areas for improvements.

“This attempt at strengthening the bonds between our two schools definitely has the potential to be successful,” Masri said.

Masri and MD Shelton Saint (’15) were both elected as representatives for the special committee that will begin meeting in late December.

Participants are currently planning an additional introductory meeting at QK. At their next meeting, however, the roles will be reversed, as QK will be hosting the meeting and leading students through a tour of their school facilities.

Masri admitted that the program is still in its “primary phases,” and he looks forward to addressing the issues that the group will identify in the near future.

removed as final exams MATT BENTLEY OPINIONS EDITOR

REFLECTION MORGANNE HOWELL

PRESIDENT OF STUDENT COUNCIL Initiating communication between ASL and QK has been on the Student Council agenda for a while. I had only brief encounters with QK students prior to this meeting.

It was a learning experience on both sides.

The girls I spoke with were outgoing and friendly. In conversation with their Student Government President and PR Representative, they told me that they were interested in working closely with ASL in the future, especially planning a joint event.

It would be great to see further interaction between the two neighboring schools. I brainstormed some ideas with the QK girls for events to get the two schools together, and we decided a sporting event would be engaging and bonding for students. Interaction is key to promoting a spirit of cooperation and trust between ASL and QK. Recognizing the many similarities between us requires face-to-face dialogue. Both student councils look forward to having more joint meetings and embarking on future collaborations.

Earlier this year the Program Committee made the decision to stop the use of a mock AP Exam as a final exam. “We are leaving it up to the teachers’ discretion towards [administering or not administering] mock AP exams,” High School Principal Paul Richards said. “[By using mocks as final exams] we are outliers in a group of schools like us,” Richards said.

The Program Committee, made up of all the department heads, Student Council President Morganne Howell (’12) and members of the administration, discussed the best way to handle these exams early this year. Richards said that a large reason for the change was the stress caused by the mocks. “It’s not the best practice to have a final directly before a high stress AP exam,” he said.

The Program Committee was also very careful not to disturb the system in their decision.

Richards believes that AP courses do not need to have a sit-down exam in June, but can instead use non-traditional finals. He is also committed

“We couldn’t change the AP schedule, so we had to change ours.”

Paul Richards, HS Principal

FROM THE ARCHIVES

December 8, 1989 More than 20 years ago, ASL’s relationship with QK was far from amicable. At an all-school forum, one ASL student even suggested nuking QK as a solution to the unrest between the neighboring schools, but his idea was quickly shut down.

The recent unveiling of the solar panel, built by both ASL and QK students, and the joint Student Council meeting suggest a stark contrast to relations today.

Looking to past issues to shed light on the present

to continuing the practice of exemptions for seniors.

The committee also believes that taking four weeks out of the year devoted entirely to mock exams and AP exams for the entire High School is not productive. “We couldn’t change the AP schedule, so we had to change ours,” Richards said.

Director of Academic Advising and College Counseling Patty Strohm believes the change to be a positive decision as it doesn’t “truncate the year.”

Instead, teachers now have the choice to distribute the mock exam, but they will also be required to create a final test for the end of the year, not necessarily a sit-down exam.

Many teachers, however, still plan to administer mock AP exams. AP Calculus BC teacher Joey Sinreich believes that it is practical to use a full-scale AP exam to prepare his students, but he does not “care one way or another” about its status as a final exam or otherwise.

AP Chemistry teacher Derek Fleming believes that it is “important to have the experience of real exam conditions,” but he doesn’t believe that this administrative decision will greatly affect his course.

AP Environmental Science and Physics teacher Karen Bonthrone was also in agreement with Fleming, but she said that students “become very stressed.” She plans to administer a mock AP exam to get her students used to the test setting.

Sinreich believes that this will also help to stop the “senioritis” that typically develops after AP exams. He wants to continue teaching new lessons and needs “a way to be able to put a second semester grade together,” he said.

Opinions

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE III NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

THE STANDARD

EDITORIAL

IAN ROBERTSON Editor-in-Chief PETER HUGHES Deputy Editor-in-Chief EVAN REILLY Lead News Editor FARES CHEHABI News Editor MATT BENTLEY Opinions Editor WILL ROSENTHAL Lead Features Editor ANNA YOUNG Features Editor AMRITA MIGLANI Features Editor EMMA CONWAY Culture Editor ALEX MORRIS Lead Sports Editor CLAYTON MARSH Sports Editor KATIE LEE Photo Editor and Illustrator SOPHIA JENNINGS Online Editor STAFF WRITERS Mafalda Albanell, Alec Ashley, Svena Bhasin, Alex Calvert, Camille Coric, Kasey Craig, Conor Finn, Carey Habiger, Henry Kremer, Alessandro Maglione, Shahid Mahdi, Andre Maman, Arthur Monnickendam, Will Muoio, Stefan Nealis, Mina Omar, John Raucci, Thomas Risinger, Ian Scoville, Benjamin Spar, Walker Thompson, Tyler Zschach SHANNON MILLER Adviser MISSION STATEMENT The Standard staff and adviser are dedicated to publishing an exemplary student newspaper and website according to the strictest standards of journalistic integrity in writing, editing, coverage and production. We are an open forum that strives to promote productive dialogue among the student body, and within the greater school community.

CONTENT The Standard covers news related but not limited to the school community. Issues-driven coverage that aims to explore ideas, themes, concepts, trends and recent developments beyond the campus that are relevant to members of the community are also included.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send submissions to the journalism lab, room O-329, or to the_standard@asl.org. These must adhere to the same set of ethical guidelines that all staff content is held to, and will only be published at the discretion of the editorial board and the advisor. The Standard retains the right to edit letters for length and AP/Standard style. All letters must be signed in order to be considered for publication.

CARTOON BY KATIE LEE

Sink or swim Why more needs to be done to fix the current school climate On November 17, the school held a School Climate Forum in which participants sought “to promote a positive school climate.” One month on, with a cheating scandal and having the news of widespread eating disorders coming to light, it is apparent that the work started by the well-intentioned forum is very much unfinished.

Recent events are products of an unhealthy environment that we are creating for ourselves. There is an underlying attitude that the standard is to be perfect: a well-rounded student with the perfect resumé and a skinny figure. We are developing a sink-or-swim environment and now we are seeing the types of things that kids are doing to stay afloat. A large portion of the student body is not dealing with these pressures in a positive manner, if at all. Something needs to change.

We are not saying that this troubling climate stems solely

from the administration; this is a complicated issue with many contributing environmental factors. We do, however, call upon the administration to help facilitate a productive dialogue that encourages change. We need to stop passing these off as universal high school problems and start focusing on how we can address them within our own community.

The dialogue that began with the School Climate Forum needs to be reopened and extended more to the students. The most productive and relieving day of last school year was the day of the gender equity forum. The problem was brought to the forefront, not left to fester. The lesson learnt from that day is that the only way to deal with an issue is to face it head on –accept that there is a problem and discuss how it can be dealt with. This approach needs to be applied to the stress environment.

The problem is present, it’s time we acknowledge it.

EDITORIALS These articles published with the “Editorial” written above it and presented in the same location issue-to-issue represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. This is unsigned.

COLUMNS Articles with a byline and a photo of the author in the Opinions section of the newspaper are opinions articles. They represent the view of the writer only, and not necessarily the staff of the newspaper or any other individual or group in the community.

ENGAGEMENT WITH READERSHIP The Standard encourages all readers to submit their thoughts through letters to the editor, guest columns and story ideas. Contact the appropriate section editor(s) for submissions.

ONLINE VIEWING The Standard can be viewed online at standard.asl.org and also in PDF format on the high school page of the ASL website, www.asl.org.

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THE STANDARD | November-Decemeber 2011

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Opinions

WALKER THOMPSON

walker_thompson@asl.org

“

I see them as pushing friends farther apart, not closer together, by placing two screens and an Internet connection between face-to-face interaction.

Trailing behind social media B ack when I lived in Connecticut, I always saw my cellular phone as a burden and a nuisance – an unfortunate necessity – and certainly not a blessing.

Whenever my parents used to reasonably require me to dig it up, simply because I would need it as a tool to communicate with them in the near future, I would stage a small protest. Every time I brushed the dust off the cool, metallic cover, which I usually hadn’t touched for at least six months, I continually reminded myself of its role as a tool for survival in the suburbs.

I’ve always unabashedly rejected the ongoing digital media revolution: I didn’t even purchase a new cell phone when I moved to England.

Over the course of my life, I’ve steered as far clear of all social media websites and apps as possible. I view them as distractions and potential sources of trouble, not as advantageous in any way.

I see them as pushing friends farther apart, not closer together, by placing two screens and an Internet connection between face-to-face interaction. In other

Progress Report TETRIS

DUBSTEP

SOCKS

CLASS MEETINGS

words, I believe that they throttle intimacy in an effort to cultivate it.

However, I’ve begun to feel ever-increasingly as though they might be a necessity, just like my cell phone back in Connecticut.

Earlier this year, I learnt that there was an AP US History study group on Facebook.

Among other things, Bret Silverglate (’13) showed me links to two AP US review pages, which I otherwise would not have discovered until I asked High School Social Studies Teacher Rebecca Mason for extra review material several weeks later.

The robotics team also uses Facebook almost exclusively as a mode of communication outside of our regular, now-triweekly gatherings. As a result, I am frequently not kept up-to-date on news and ideas that people have shared via the Facebook page in between meetings.

Furthermore, much of the team, even those who are on Facebook, were alienated by a secret online group of the team’s Captains, called the “Jedi Knights Council,” and some frustrated students raised an outcry about its exclusivity. I found this dynamic

to illustrate one of the omnipresent dangers of social media, its power to exclude even those people who are involved in it.

Moreover, as a stranger to Facebook, I felt a bit lost or left out as the debate unfolded around me during a couple Robotics team meetings; it was only after Ben Spar (’14) explained the situation to me weeks later that I came to fully understand it.

I find that students almost assume that people have Facebook accounts when directing student-run clubs and organizations, which can make my role as a member of them rather difficult at times.

Will I, therefore, sacrifice my values and accept the obvious practicality of tools like Facebook for survival in the modern world (or at least in High School)? My dilemma is one that many other youths with similar pretenses regarding social media have faced in the past decade or so. But I will not cave just yet. Instead, I’ll wait, let the world change around me and see where our society is in a few years before I senselessly plunge headfirst into modernity and surrender myself to the media craze.

PHOTOS 2, 4, 5 BY KATIE LEE. PHOTO 1, 6 BY MATT BENTLEY. PHOTO 3 ARSELECTRONICA/FLIKR

1

2

3

4

5

6

Opinions Editor Matt Bentley and Lead News Editor Evan Reilly give ASL its final progress report of 2011.

1.

TETRIS: (A+) Tetris deserves the title of greatest video game ever. Seriously, every important life lesson can be learned by playing Tetris: Don’t overshoot, success takes time, patience and just a little luck, and live with your mistakes. What more do you need?

Matt Bentley

2.

CLASS MEETINGS: (C-) I don’t think that there is any information shared in a class meeting that couldn’t be sent in an email I ignore. Matt Bentley

3.

DUBSTEP: (B+) I love that band. They’re almost as revolutionary and as talented as John Cage when he wrote “4’33””, although I must admit, I prefer listening to Cage’s work. Matt Bentley

4.

WET SOCKS: (F) Nothing spoils a day like walking around in socks after having stupidly walked through a puddle in your bathroom, or run outside before putting your shoes on because you’re late.

Matt Bentley

5.

LACK OF TISSUE BOXES IN CLASSROOMS: (INC) There are not enough tissues boxes around the school.

Simple problem. Simple solution. What are people like me who go to school when they are sick supposed to do? Evan Reilly

6.

TWITTER: (Go away) Honestly, I don’t care if you “have a lot of work... Blurg!” Just leave us all in peace.

Matt Bentley

THE STANDARD | November-Decemeber 2011

Page 7

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Opinionsddd

Facetime: Ambassador Nicola Clase In June 2011 ASL Parent Nicola Clase became the first Female Swedish Ambassador to the UK. Opinions Editor Matt Bentley sat down to discuss the role of an ambassador, diplomatic relationship between the UK and Sweden and Sweden’s key to success

I

was appointed, as I said, last spring. I joined the ministry in 1991, spent many years in the Swedish foreign service. As an ambassador, your main focus is to represent your country in the best way possible and to promote excellent bilateral relationship with the host country, i.e. the UK. We do a lot of joint projects with the British and we have, for example, we’ve done a lot of things on culture, politics, economics and a very wide variety of things we work together on.

We had a major [economic] crisis in the nineties where we had big problems and I think we learned our lesson after that crisis. I think one major change since, is that we have a budget ceiling, so we cannot have the kind of expenditure that would risk getting your economy into a bad state. Also we are very clear when it comes to banking operations in Sweden, they should be very careful about how they conduct their business so that we don’t have another banking crisis, the one in the nineties was quite devastating. Also, after the crisis we carried out a number of reforms: pensions, a number of issues, privatizations took place, reforms that may not have happened had we not had our crisis. When you’re looking at the Swedish economy today, its true that we’re doing quite well, we’re actually running to a surplus, but we are very dependant on what is happening in the Eurozone and if things don’t go well in the Eurozone it also

the two countries. When you look at the affects us. We have to be sort of humble.

[England and Sweden have] excellent rela- European issue, our outlooks are different, [but] we’re still in line on a lot of issues. But tions, our prime ministers are actually good friends. We have a constant flow of ministers I think you’d find a less euro-skeptic issue in Sweden, since the current government took between the two. It’s quite an active bilateral over in 2007, there’s been a trend of a more relationship. We probably have a visit from EU positive stance.

Sweden every We don’t have week. Our king exact numbers, and queen [have but we believe just] been here that there could for dinner, and be some 40,000so things keep 60,000 Swedes happening all living in London, the time. I think but its very hard right now, Swefor us to find an den is something exact number, but that London meit’s quite a sigdia takes a lot of nificant number of interest in, and passports. that’s not just I don’t think because of Steig [being the first Larsson, but female ambasit’s on a broader sador is] an issue. scale, politically The first evening I culturally, ecoarrived there was nomically, when a black tie dinner, they look at and out of some design, fashion, 400 people there, I music. I would noticed that there say that there were maybe 10 or 15 PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLA CLASE are no points of women. The funny tension between

thing was that people expected me to be a man, so I was sitting next to a woman, and we had a good laugh; she became a very good friend. Other than that, I think it’s more about [my] age, and people say ‘Aren’t you a bit too young to be the ambassador,’ and I say, ‘Well, I’m older than the British primeminister’.

I think [the most challenging aspect is] about trying to allocate your time, because there are so many engagements that you’re trying to be at, [and] then trying to make sure that you do the right things. I think the first year is very much a year where you figure out where you spend your time most effectively.

Also, considering that we have so many bilateral visits that I have to prepare for, and when they’re here, [I have to be] present. On the whole, its a very friendly country and the people are friendly and the Swedish “colony” here is very supportive.

I would definitely recommend [going into the foreign service] because I think we live in a world today where all efforts must be made to make our world a better place. We have many challenges and I think we need many good diplomats. I think it is very important to learn languages, and I would recommend today’s students to study Chinese. Of course, there are many other languages which are great to learn, but I think that is very important.

Coping with Christmas Two atheists reflect on their experience during the traditional ‘holiday’ season

C

ome the winter holidays each year, our society is forced into a period of uncomfortable self-reflection.

We ask ourselves: ‘Is our culture truly secular?’ ‘Do we – can we – accommoWALKER date each religious festival THOMPSON – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa – equally in our society?’ If not, can we somehow reform our culture to accommodate everyone’s traditions and religions?

The answer to the first question, especially here in England – a traditionally Christian country, mind you – is a resounding “no.”

Here, where Thanksgiving does not exist, Christmas steals the spotlight and holds onto it for a solid two months, beginning almost as soon as the Halloween craze passes over.

Christmas decorations go up at stores and houses across the country. Christmas-themed advertisements suddenly appear.

As an atheist who celebrates Christmas, I often find myself between a rock and a hard place around this time of year. At my former school, cynical students used to attack me for greedily exploiting the gift-giving spirit of the holiday and dishonouring its religious roots. It doesn’t help, either, that atheists are the least trusted group in America – a country built largely on faith that has repeatedly been shaken by evangelical religious revivals – and

are thus depicted in popular media as Grinchlike, Christmas-bashing tyrants.

So how do I, a stubborn atheist from a generally secular family, celebrate Christmas? I believe that the holiday is a strong family tradition that binds us together. It’s something to which even my Episcopalian grandparents, who have criticized my lack of religious education, are able to relate. And while I enjoy the greedy ritual of stripping the wrapping paper off of gifts on Christmas morning, I do not covet it nearly as much as I do the cosiness of Christmas Eve. Concretely, my nuclear family has established several time-honoured traditions over the years. We always put up a Christmas tree and hang lights on it. I’d argue that my approach to celebrating Christmas is closer to the original spirit of the Pagan festival of Saturnalia, which was related to the winter solstice more than anything else. Besides, the cynic in me would argue that Christmas is so commercialized that it has lost most ties to the Christian faith anyways.

Regardless of any justification for my way of celebrating Christmas, it is the warm, cheery spirit of Yuletide that really draws me to it. It is the only light in an otherwise dark, frosty season, and its very absence is arguably what lends so much gloom to the later months of the winter. It is a brief flash of light and colour, joy and celebration when I often need it most.

I

love Christmas. It’s great. But, I think that the holidays are really weird.

For a lot of people, religion is just a state-of-being, something inherited from their parents that they just MATT live with. Granted there are BENTLEY many people in the world who feel passionately about their religion, and are very committed to it. I remember as a child assuming that we were a religious family. We never prayed before we went to bed, but I always assumed that we were religious, just because my friends were all religious. I assumed we were Christian rather than anything else, and I’m not quite sure why. But I accepted that I was religious and moved on. I never contemplated the existence of an omnipotent power, and I never gave it much thought. Only when I turned 6 and asked my parents if I’d been baptized did I learn that we weren’t religious.

I also thought being religious was just that, a state of being. My parents assured me that I was not religious.

As a result, the holidays are fairly weird for me. My Jewish cousins celebrate Hanukkah, but then go on to have Christmas dinner with my grandparents. My atheistic nuclear family decorates a tree, hangs stockings and gives gift, but not in the name of Christ’s birth. Instead, we celebrate it as a time to be close with

family. The fact that an atheist like me refers to them as the winter holiday is strange as I do not celebrate the holiness in any specific day.

For atheists, my family buys into the ritual.

On Christmas Eve, we gather around a fire after a feast and sing songs about three kings following the north star to baby Jesus, songs about a herald angel singing or a song about a holy mother and child. Loudly, proudly and Christian-ly we sing. We do not attend any church services, but do take part in Christmas-y rituals.

For me, it’s not about the religious festival, but about the sense of community, the family and the love that we bring each other. There was a quote in an episode entitled “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” of the television show Community, which was: “‘[Christmas] is the crazy notion that the longest, coldest, darkest nights, can be the warmest and brightest.’

‘And when we believe that, something even crazier happens’ ‘It becomes true!’”

For me, this quote holds true. Our family gathers and creates a sense of warmth and love that makes the holidays special. Whether or not we choose to celebrate the miracle of the Maccabees’ lamp, the virgin birth of Christ, the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the Lord Ganesha or Saturnalia, the idea of the quote holds true. It’s a time to gather and to bring joy.

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THE STANDARD | November-Decemeber 2011

Opinions

Taliban life for a day: A view from both sides Students in the Modern World Literature: Middle East English class were separated into couples and lived by the Taliban’s laws for a day. Women were forbidden from making eye contact with men, unable to laugh, and were accompanied by men at all times Audrey Blinksop ( ’13): Taliban Day: The day I had dreaded since I signed up for the Middle Eastern Literature class at ASL. I did not want to participate in this activity. I told my teacher that I was worried about it, so she chose me to be the Taliban for the day. I would not be the girl behind the scarf, married to a man that she barely knew.

I was going to be the one who told the others what to do. I was excited to be the one with authority, someone who got to tell off other classmates for not looking down when speaking or for wearing nail polish. During the first prayer time, I went up the hallway to where the couples would split and take a moment to be away from each other and sit with same sex peers. Most of the girls were talking about how awkward it was for them to look down whilst speaking to other people. The men seemed a little more pleased about the whole situation.

A few of the guys told me that they felt like they had pets that had to be fed, taken to the restroom and taken for walks.

Chloe Sappern ( ’13): Continually readjusting my head scarf while trying to keep my eyes glued to the back of Patrick [Carmody’s (’13)] feet made it very difficult to manuever through the halls on Taliban Day. Hearing fragments of whispers regarding my unusual outfit made me feel like a vulnerable outcast. I desperately wanted to explain what was going on, but I felt bad holding Patrick up. When talking to my friends I had to continually try and stifle my laughter. I didn’t want Patrick to see and get upset.

By the end of second period there was a little tension between the two of us. I could tell that he found it annoying having to constantly wait for me. He was never rude; however, when he was around the other “male relatives,” he tried to assert more power than before and was more critical of me. I think under the Taliban, men are very judgemental of how others treated their wives.

At one point Aboudi [Al-Qattan (’12)], who was not even my escort, mentioned how my sleeves were rolled up and I glanced up to criticize him for having his shirt unbuttoned but then he faulted me for making eye contact with him. At that moment I realized that I wasn’t going to win this battle, or any battle for that matter.

Patrick Carmody ( ’13): I did take my role seriously and was frustrated when Chloe [Sappern (’13)] disobeyed the rules and I didn’t know what to do with her. She had nail polish and makeup on, and sometimes she rolled up her sleeves revealing her wrists! I decided that my empty threats and jokes about her following the laws weren’t enough, so I reported her to the local Talib, Audrey [Blinksop (’12)]. Her punishment in reality would be having her fingers cut off and probably a public whipping, which I would feel badly about.

Emma Conway ( ’12): I expected to behave in math class as I usually would, in a generally loud and outspoken manner. I had already removed my scarf by the time my teacher walked in; however, she gave me a puzzled look, demanded that I put the scarf back on and told that I was to obey “the rules” in her class, too. About a quarter of the way into class, one of my friends made a joke and I laughed out loud. Before I could even clasp my hand over my mouth, my class greeted me with hostility, and my teacher scolded me. I felt humiliated and ostracized, as my friends continued to joke and I was not permitted to participate.

Douglas Guyett ( ’12): Any transgression on the women’s part puts the men into a difficult situation, making disobedience from a woman dangerous for the men. I could see how being unable to control Emma [Conway (’12)] in a society similar to the one in A Thousand Splendid Suns would make me lose face. And from my own experience I found no reason to abuse my power purely for the pleasure of it.

Fernanda Nebreda ( ’12): Aboudi [Al-Qattan (’12)] and I avoided our friends and went directly to the prayer room. As we were walking down the long corridor towards the English department, I felt stares, questioned looks and whispers.

I kept my head down to avoid eye contact. I wanted to burst out and give an explanation; I felt like I owed it to the people whose eyes I was avoiding, but I refrained and kept my eyes down.

Aboudi Al-Qattan ( ’12): I actually felt disturbed by the amount of power I possessed. I held this omnipotence over Fernanda, and it made me feel as though I were restricting her from being herself. In my case, I did not like the feeling, as I know the real and outgoing version of Fernanda… it would be terrible if every girl in our school abided by the rules that were required by the Taliban.

Fernanda Nebreda (‘12) keeps her eyes low to avoid any eye contact, an action that would anger members of the Taliban.

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

KK Sohn ( ’13): When I found out about this experiment I thought to myself, is this for real? Could we really experience the restraints of Afghan women at ASL? The weekend before, I got kind of nervous, asking myself, “How would I look?

Was I going to offend anyone? Would people take me seriously?”

Tarek Masri ( ’13): I was not pleased with this newfound power over the opposite sex, but rather saw it as a burden. The constant attention and watching over reminded me of an owner’s relationship with his pet. This reinforced my inference that women in Taliban society are kept alive simply to reproduce.

Many Taliban men consider women as inferior species…

[As A Thousand Splendid Suns says]: “God has made us different, you women and us men. Our brains are different. You are not able to think like we can.

Western doctors and their science have proven this.”

Why we invited you to Jam with us A letter from the editorial board of Jambalaya in response to the recent responses from the community We apologize to Head Librarian Karen Fields, Middle School/High School Librarian Joan Dyer-Westcott and the other librarians for the insensitive remarks about having food in the library. We do believe the library and librarians should be treated with respect.

Furthermore, although we believe promoting casual get-togethers between the grades will encourage inclusive community, we do apologize for any discomfort we may have caused.

However, we don’t believe that our publicity has compromised the integrity of the publication. Three months ago, few students knew or cared about Jambalaya. It was an end-of-the year handout that too often went in the bin at Starbucks, or the bin on Finchley Road, or the bin in front of Tesco.

Today Jambalaya stands for an inclusive forum that strives to accurately represent the creative endeavours of our High School com-

munity. Our staff is representative of our diversely talented student body, including Student Council representatives, musicians, and even the captain of varsity rugby, Thomas Risinger (’14). The creative maturity demonstrated in the publication should garner respect from the wider High School community. Two days after the Jambalaya presentation assembly, we had 244 submissions from the student body; 25 percent of the entire High School has

submitted. This, compared to last year’s total of 45 submissions, is what we are most proud of: People have started to care.

Jambalaya is how we want to give back to the greater high school community, and to be honest, it’s working. We have another semester ahead of us and we will continue to embrace and encourage creativity and collaboration among the student body.

From the Jambalaya Staff

Features

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE III NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2011

Students apathetic to ‘Occupy’ protests Despite the Occupy Protests’ worldwide popularity, ASL students are uninterested

EMMA CONWAY CULTURE EDITOR

A

round the world, people come together to protest sometimes with signs and pickets, but other times simply united with a common cause. It is human nature to want to demonstrate against an unjust practice, with abundant examples of recent protests worldwide as evidence.

Occupy Wall Street began a protesting frenzy, as North Americans joined together to speak out against what they viewed to be an economic problem. They pro-

“I think it’s funny when people support a cause with such little effort.”

Omar Elmasry (‘14)

tested the “one percent” the one percent of the population that holds the majority of the country’s wealth.

With the slogan “We are the 99 percent,” objectors congregated throughout cities like New York and London to make their point about the disparity between the rich and the poor and the widening gap between social classes.

The Occupy movements originated in Wall Street, New York City and have spread to countries such as India, Bolivia and Egypt. Despite the widespread popularity of the movement, ASL students have remained indifferent to the cause.

PHOTO FROM WHEELZWHEELER/FLICKR. “I think [this movement] expresses the frustrations the American people feel, that we had the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, huge collateral damage all throughout the country,” President Barack Obama said in a press conference in early October. “And yet you’re still seeing some of the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on the abusive practices that got us into this in the first place.”

“Unfortunately, that’s just how

society works. It’s capitalism,” Gabriel Rocha (’12) said. “Communism is the best idea, in theory.

That will never work.”

Movements like Occupy Wall Street have spread to England, as Occupy St. Paul’s became a national event. Omar Elmasry (’14) witnessed some of the Occupy St. Paul’s protests, and saw many demonstrators pitch tents and then leave.

“I think it’s funny when people support a cause with such little effort,” he said.

Despite the global trend of rallying to get one’s voice heard, students are keeping surprisingly quiet.

Arjun Pundarika (’12) believes that students would need more incentive to form an organized protest. “If there’s a reward, people will join in,” he said.

Likewise, Sarah Dolan (’14) said, “Kids normally only think to protest the things that benefit them.”

However, others believe that it is not incentive that the ASL population is lacking, but rather

knowledge. “I think ASL students are less educated [about current events] than they should be,” Elmasry said.

Luke Canavan (’12) agrees with Pundarika,“Since ASL students have money, they are not as bothered as they should be,” he said.

So, what would it take ASL students to Protest or to “Occupy Top Orange” so to speak?

“Coffee or alcohol,” Canavan said. The Occupy St. Paul’s Protests have now moved to Trafalgar Square.

Turning to social media for news AMRITA MIGLANI FEATURES EDITOR

M

ost students are no longer flipping through newspapers or to find out what’s going on in the world. Instead, they log on to Facebook or Twitter to get their current events fix. More than two million tweets were posted about Steve Jobs just 13 hours after his death. Facebook saw 143,000 status updates from India alone.

The way people hear about news is rapidly changing. “I see things first on Facebook and then I check a website but it’s rare that I go to a news website to flick through the news,” Maria Blesie (’13) said.

Students are also finding that they are hearing about news on Facebook and Twitter that may not have typically interested them, but are enticed to find out more after a friend posts a status. “I saw something about the Penn State scandals

Students are now using social networking sites to read and talk about the news. on Facebook and then searched for it on the Internet,” Shannon Roney (’13) said.

Zack Nathan (’13) found himself in a similar situation when one of his Facebook friends posted a status about socialite Kim Kardash an’s divorce.

Students believe that people prefer finding out news on social networking sites rather than actual news websites are because of their

accessibility. Though Ariko Kurono (’13) watches the news on television every morning, she understands why many people first hear about news on the Internet. “It is easier for people to access news [on Facebook] especially because most people have it on their phones,” she said.

Tori Sasaki (’12) agrees, though she thinks that people do not like to be inconvenienced to search for news. “The word travels extremely

ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE LEE

quickly via social networks and people can easily share links to articles and videos. It is also easier because you don’t have to go looking for good news websites as the articles and videos just come up on your news feed,” she said.

News websites such as the Washington Post have taken note of the increasing popularity of news on Facebook. Social Reader, an app that was recently launched on Facebook,

allows users to read front page stories on Facebook. Users’ Facebook friends can then see what articles their friends have read. Though many security concerns have been raised regarding the app, it is still popular among ASL students.

Sarah Kotis (’13) prefers to read the news on websites such as the New York Times but she still finds the Social Reader appealing. “I think it’s a good idea because now you don’t have to search on different websites” she said “I also like to see what my friends are reading especially when many people are reading about a similar topic.”

Students have found that the best part of social media is the conversations it creates with peers. “I think people post statuses not just to inform others but also to find out what others think about it...most teenagers do not talk about the news in regular conversation,” Anya Mer (’13) said.

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Features

Advancing technology at ASL With iPads coming to Lower School classrooms, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Peter Hughes looks at how the technology in our education is changing

Lower School students are recieving an increasingly advanced technological education with iPads and and higher-level computer classes. PHOTOS BY BRIAN SCHMELZER

J

ust 16 months after Apple’s iPad was first shown to the public, the tablet was introduced into Lower School classrooms in September. “We’re not using KidPix anymore,” Lower School Technology Coordinator Peter Cassidy said with a smile on his face. “We’ve moved on to other things.”

Change isn’t something new for the Technology Department, it’s practically a part of the job description. But recent additions of iPads raises questions about just how the school is adapting to the changing technological world.

Viewing it as more than just a quality Christmas present, Cassidy

“Tech education is like shooting a moving target.”

Peter Cassidy, Lower School Technology Coordinator puter. Recognizing this change, the school added 10 iPads for the use in Lower School classrooms.

The trial has proved to be suc-

cessful thus far, but not without its fair share of problems. “The apps are great for the younger kids,” Cassidy said. He noted different drawing and math applications that are very user-friendly for the younger kids. When it comes to the older students, however, the use in the classroom has become a more difficult undertaking. “We don’t just want tech for tech’s sake, there needs to be an application at the end of all this,” Cassidy said. Students have recently taken part in a project where they created books using the keynote application.

With the faculty becoming more comfortable with the iPads, the

Tech Department has more ideas on the horizon. “We’re constantly changing and having to adapt. You always have to be looking forward,” Cassidy said. But predicting the future of technology is no easy feat.

Cassidy believes that they can only really prepare for three or four years in the future. “Tech education is like shooting at a moving target; we can’t really predict where we’re going to be six years from now.”

It’s not just the technology that is changing, the kids are becoming more fluent in technology. “The content that I was teaching to fourth graders 10 years ago is what I’m going over with the first graders now,”

Cassidy said.

The school has made several recent changes to stay on the cutting edge of educational technology. The recent venture to using online document sharing website Google Docs has made its way into classrooms throughout the Lower, Middle and High Schools. This experimentation is what the Tech Department is very much about. “We do everything responsibly and with a lot of thought, but at the end of the day you have to push the boat out and see what happens,” Cassidy said. “We believe in the iPad program at ASL, but we are being cautious about it. We bought 10 iPads not 80.”

The pressing PSAT question

CAREY HABIGER

STAFF WRITER

T

described the iPad as an “example of the shift to one-to-one devices.”

Smartphones, laptops, tablets, all geared for the individual, are taking the place of the single home-com-

he scent of freshly sharpened pencils and early morning coffee drifted throughout ASL on a wet Saturday in November as a crowd of sophomores and juniors nervously hurried up the stairs to their testing classrooms and waved goodbye to their friends.

PSAT scores were sent out in early December, and sophomores are now eager to see how they match up against their peers and juniors want to know whether they’ve made the cut for the National Merit scholarship; the cut off will be announced next fall. However, what the PSAT really means for your SAT results and your future is what gets students worried.

“People say the PSAT doesn’t matter, that it’s just practice, but it

shows how you’re going to do when you take the SAT,” Sarah Dunn (’14) said.

Like Dunn, many students are worried that their PSAT score won’t be much different to their SAT score.

However, Director of Academic Ad-

“People say the PSAT doesn’t matter, that it’s just practice, but it shows how you’re going to do when you take the SAT.” Sarah Dunn (’14)

vising and College Counselling Patricia Strohm disagrees, saying that SAT scores of ASL students “go up quite a bit” from their PSAT scores.

However, as a result of this mindset, sophomores have even admitted to studying for the PSAT, something that Strohm disagrees with. “Unless you’re trying for the National Merit award, it’s not a good idea,” she said.

This is a new occurrence, as sophomores have only just started taking the PSAT at ASL. The change isn’t all that unusual and one that teachers and students alike say was expected. “It aligns us with common practice back in the States,” said Grade 10 Dean Greg Gerken.

However, this does pose a few problems, such as studying unnecessarily and adding to needless stress for sophomores and juniors.

Strohm warns against this and discourages students becoming overworked before the test. Instead, she encourages students to spend more time participating in their classes.

“Students end up getting stress fa-

PSAT scores have become a source of distress among sophomores and juniors alike. PHOTO BY KATIE LEE tigue,” she said. “The best way to prepare is through in-class learning.”

Nevertheless, if you do admit to being an overachiever and are curious as to how your scores will match up against top U.S. colleges, for Harvard the average PSAT scores

for accepted students were between 210-238, 195-222 for Georgetown, and 186-214 for NYU. If your scores don’t match up, there’s no need to worry. “The PSAT is a way to find your strengths and weaknesses and improve upon them,” Strohm said.

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Page 11

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Featuresddd EATING DISORDERS from page 1

A

s an 11-year-old, April knew, like many others her age, that her body was changing.

How and why she became concerned with her weight was always a little less clear.

“Starting in [Middle School], I just started to pay more attention to my body,” she said.

“I decided that I needed to lose weight, and I don’t know where that came from.”

What first started as a few months of dieting and trying to eat more nutritiously, soon turned into a compulsive obsession with eating and exercising. In a downward spiral towards anorexia, April was taunted by an “urge” in her head that prevented her from eating. “I would just walk away from the situation [eating], and I had no feelings or anything,” she said.

Although her parents noticed that April was losing weight throughout the beginning of her sixth grade school year, they figured she was experiencing a typical growth spurt and would soon fill out. But April kept losing weight.

“I really didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “I didn’t think anything was wrong with me, and that’s what happens in an illness.”

Sooner or later, April’s parents realized that something wasn’t right with the way their daughter was developing. Between her self-described “weird” eating habits, obsession with exercise and continued weight loss, her parents decided to take April to a therapist in an attempt to find out what was going on. Throughout therapy, April remained in complete denial of what she was doing to herself and where she was headed.

“I didn’t want to talk to her [my therapist] about food or anything, and I said I didn’t have a problem,” she said. “And that wasn’t working because I kept losing weight.”

It wasn’t until April visited the family doctor and was immediately taken to a special treatment center that the 12-yearold came to understand something was wrong. “I was basically in traumatic mode,” she said. “I thought everything was going great in my life. All of a sudden I was hit by a bus.”

While undergoing treatment, April’s relationship with her family crumbled. Feelings of isolation, as if nobody understood what she was going through, resulted in explosive fights between April and her parents. “You can suddenly just, like,

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

“TWO FINGERS FOR DESSERT”: Seventeen-yearold Blair believes that many of her close friends, most of whom she thinks are bulimic, suffer from varying degrees of disordered eating. turn into a...completely different person,” she said. “There’s like a monster inside of you.”

Eventually, April managed to return to a healthy weight.

But throughout the years that followed, she never fully recovered from her first bout with anorexia. “I was always struggling,” she said. “People thought I was fine, and I seemed fine on the outside. But on the inside, it was all about confusion, questioning...I didn’t feel comfortable at all.”

Entering the High School, April continued struggling to find an equilibrium between a healthy and unhealthy weight.

Throughout her freshman year, she entered an endless cycle of losing and then gaining weight. As a sophomore, however, mounting social and academic pressures hit a new high. She felt a need to maintain her reputation, both as a promising athlete and a strong student, “because people thought I had everything.”

As her perception of life’s pressures continued to grow, she again turned to her body as a place to gain some sense of control. April became bulimic, throwing up her food after meals in a dangerous bid to lose weight. Even after her parents discovered what April was doing, she didn’t want to get better. “I was comfortable being in control of what I could eat,” April

I really didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t think anything was wrong with me, and that’s what happens in an illness.

said. “I hated that thought of losing control...I didn’t want to let go of dealing with stress and the pressure and my life.”

April’s pressure points were many. Although she has always been hard on herself, what she described as the competitive nature of school and a constant need to excel to the highest level did not help either. “A lot of people seem to not just be okay with where they are...you’re stuck where you are and people judge you,” she said. “I just think it was trying...to fit in with everyone.”

April doesn’t think that her problems with fitting in are exclusive to her situation. She believes that there was little opportunity to redefine herself in the High School’s social environment. “The first day of school, whoever you hang out with, you’re with them forever. And everyone’s opinions of you will be like that forever,” she said.

At school, April also found it difficult to keep up with teachers and an intense workload, never feeling “time to breathe,” whether in class or on holiday. “With this school, it’s just like, give me a break.”

Two summers ago, April continued to “binge and purge,” believing that doing so would “cleanse” her body and result in gradual weight loss. But like many who suffer from bulimia, this routine quickly got out of hand, and April became more restrictive of what she ate and more intense with her exercising. She adopted a mentality of: Everything’s fine, as long as I’m getting thinner. Although she may have felt fine, before she knew it, April was back at the doctor and 25 pounds lighter.

Years of struggling, a desire to change and a new treatment center, however, meant that this time April had had enough.

While ASL provided April with guidance and support through her struggles, she decided that she couldn’t handle anymore of school’s general pressures and sought more full-time help.

“School was a bad environment and a triggering environment for me, because it just reminded me that I had to keep up my appearance and keep up what I had going for me,” April said.

Over several weeks, April again gained back the weight she had been losing. She admitted to letting go of her fears and putting her trust in those she knew could help her, “something I hadn’t done forever.”

EATING DISORDERS continued on page 14

DISORDERED EATING

’’

“When you are surrounded by skinny people, you feel like you should look like that because everyone else does.”

Grade 9 girl

“I thought everything was going great in my life. All of a sudden I was hit by a bus.” April

“By throwing it up, nob person who has to kno

“There aren’t a lot of people who because so many of us need it. ” “People thought I was fine, and I seemed fine on the outside. But on the inside, it was all about confusion, questioning.” April “This school is very appearanceoriented.” Grade 10 girl

“I said I didn’t have a problem, and that wasn’t working because I kept losing weight.”

April

“I was comfor what I could e of losing contr go of dealing w pressure and m

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

22

body is going to notice. The only ow is you.” Blair

Percent of High School girls polled

by The Standard have suffered from some degree of disordered eating.

(160 girls polled)

“I kind of noticed it all spiraled. Once one person started, they let someone else know...Then someone else would start.” Blair

can say, ‘you need help,’ Blair, 17 years old

rtable being in control of eat. I hated that thought rol...I didn’t want to let with stress and the my life.” April

“I had struggled with body image and selfesteem before, but I’d never had something so “I was probably not eating more than one intense as when I came to this school.” Madison meal a day, ever.” Blair “ASL needs to deal with this. It is out of control.” Grade 12 girl

“It messes with your head.” Grade 11 girl

QUOTES FROM UN-NAMED GIRLS TAKEN FROM A SURVEY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CONDUCTED BY THE STANDARD.

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Features EATING DISORDERS from page 11

“I don’t want to call myself anorexic.”

“There are always the girls that everyone knows, and then there’s the rest of them.”

f 15-year-old Blair knew her parents were going to be home for dinner, she wouldn’t eat her lunch and she would never eat her breakfast. Three years later, Blair is still conscious of her weight and bordering on anorexic.

Blair partly attributes her obsession with body image and weight loss to a constant comparison she felt to one of her good friends in middle school. The friend was “beautiful...totally perfect,” she said. “I felt like her ugly counterpart, and I really didn’t like that.”

But the source of Blair’s problem is more complex than simple jealousy of someone she saw as “truly gorgeous.” Her older sister, who was an inspiration for dieting in the eighth grade, had managed to lose weight by cutting her calorie intake, and there is a history of disordered eating in Blair’s extended family.

The climate at school, which she calls “pro-dieting,” hasn’t helped Blair, either.

“Everyone at ASL feels that pressure to be that perfect all-American girl and that perfect Londoner at the same time,” she said. “I want to say it’s as bad at other schools, but I don’t know.”

It wasn’t until high school that Blair really started to take notice of her weight. “My sophomore year, it really hit its peak,” she said. “I was probably not eating more than one meal a day, ever.”

This year has been different. Since the beginning of the school year, Blair has discovered that a number of her close friends are bulimic and suffer from similar issues regarding their body images. “I kind of noticed it all spiraled,” she said. “Once one person started, they let someone else know...Then someone else would start.”

Blair believes that many of her close friends, most of whom she thinks are bulimic, suffer from disordered eating at various extremes.

“I think they don’t want anyone to know,” Blair said of her bulimic friends. “By throwing it up, nobody is going to notice.

The only person who has to know is you.”

Like April, Blair believes that the danger of bulimia is giving people a sense of control. “Once you start bulimia...you can’t just stop,” she said.

After finding out that her own friends were bulimic, Blair tried throwing up for herself. Her decision was largely the result of her belief that bulimia was a trend, something she and her friends could experience together.

“I was having a conversation with one of my friends, and she was saying how great it felt. And I had not eaten [for more than a day], and I was like, I’m going to go and try this,” she said. “So I went into the bathroom and I did.”

Since that first experience, however, Blair has not continued as a bulimic. She instead compulsively watches what and when she eats. Most days, she’ll eat little more than a pastry and some vegetables. Some days, she’ll eat even less.

But Blair is aware of the negative effects that this lifestyle and her approach to eating are having on her physical and mental health. “There are definitely times when I lose focus, but because my body has gotten used to it, I’m better at it,” Blair said. “I’ve kind of resorted to coffee for that focus, which isn’t healthy and I know that.”

Unlike April, Blair does not want to admit she has a problem. Although she knows that she could use the help, she doesn’t want to make it official. “I don’t want to say that I have an eating disorder,” she said. “I don’t want to call myself anorexic.”

The sad part about Blair’s situation, she thinks, is that her friends cannot help her. She believes friends can help to dissuade people from turning to disordered eating. But if all her friends are doing it, they are not in a place to help.

“I think it should be [my] friends’ responsibility, but we don’t really see it that way,” she said. “In my group of friends, there aren’t a lot of people who can say, ‘you need help,’ because so many of us need it.”

April and Blair are not alone at ASL. Sixty-eight percent of girls polled believe there are pressures at ASL for a particular body image and 44 percent of boys agree. Meanwhile, 22 percent of girls have struggled with some degree of disordered eating, and five percent of boys have too. Sixty-three percent of girls do not believe the school provides enough support and education on the topic, while 48 percent of boys believe the same. A total of 311 students were polled.

Although the sources and pressures that lead girls all over the world to disordered eating are varied and unique, many of the girls interviewed cited insecurity by social exclusion in the High School as a root cause of their problems.

I

NEVER SKINNY ENOUGH: Sixty-eight percent of High School girls polled by The Standard believe there are pressures for a particular body image at ASL. Madison, a 16-year-old High School student who still struggles with an eating disorder, remembers the difficult social integration she faced entering ASL as a freshman. She remembers, for example, hearing her teammates complain about the number of new students in the High School. “As an international school, you’re supposed to be really welcoming,” Madison said.

“To see that wasn’t the case [at ASL] was a tough adjustment.”

Another girl who has suffered from issues with self confidence, 15-year-old Grace, believes that while the school does enough to help new students make the transition into ASL, students are less welcoming. “I think that there was a big effort with the School,” Grace said in reference to programs like Student Ambassadors and the new Foundations classes. “But with people it was at times hard.”

She went even further, saying that she doesn’t feel comfortable talking about her issues with individuals in the School. “I don’t really think there is any place or person I could talk to in this school about feeling that way,” Grace said.

Many of the girls interviewed also experienced disciplined dieting during their difficult social transitions into life in the High School and the greater ASL community. “I had struggled with body image and self-esteem before,” Madison said. “But I’d never had something so intense as when I came to this school.”

Cliques, exclusive social groups that tend to become more defined in high school, were also listed as pressure points by

I had not eaten, and I was like, I’m going to go and try this. So I went into the bathroom and I did.

girls struggling with eating. “The girls who are really pretty are accepted by the other grades, more than people who are not as gorgeous,” Madison said of how the social scene develops when students enter high school.

Madison’s opinion was echoed by other students who agreed that in each grade there is the exclusive clique that stands out.

“There are always the girls that everyone knows, and then there’s the rest of them,” 15-year-old Lily said.

The divide between under- and upperclassmen was also listed as a social pressure by the students interviewed. Even walking up the orange staircase can intimidate new students, particularly freshmen, Grace said. “Everyone just stands there watching,” she said. “And you feel like they’re watching you.”

The same sort of pressures exist in the gym. Joining a team as a new freshman, Madison suffered from her senior captain’s negative comments about her weight. Although she tried to ignore her, Madison admits the effects were unavoidable. “This lifestyle is the type where [eating disorders] thrive and it will affect you whether you choose to partake or not,” she said.

The effects upperclassmen have on underclassmen and their body image are not always as direct, though. Often the most powerful messages underclassmen receive from their older peers are in the hallways. Walking to class, Madison remembers hearing two senior girls discussing their dinner plans: “We’re going out for dinner, right?” one senior asked her friend.

“Yeah, two fingers for dessert,” the friend replied.

But upperclassmen are not the only sources of pressure felt by the girls interviewed. As a freshman, a friend’s mother remarked on how Madison’s athletic build compared to that of her petite peers. Other girls acknowledged this parental pressure, noting the judgemental stares they PHOTO BY KATIE LEE receive from moms around the building regarding their bodies. “They judge what you’re wearing, how you present yourself, even if you’ve gained weight,” 17-year-old May said.

Nurse and Health Advisor Tina Richards, however, thinks it’s too easy to blame the school environment for pressures that stimulate disordered eating. “You can’t say one thing causes it,” she said. “I think it’s very tricky to pin on any one thing.”

Richards went on to emphasize that people with disordered eating suffer from a general lack of control, one that is not especially high at ASL. “If they don’t have control, the manifestation for control is eating, for whatever reason,” she said.

High School Counselor Liane Thakur also believes that ASL is no different with regards to the spectrum or intensity of pressures for disordered eating. “I think we live in a society where there are a lot of pressures to be perfect,” she said. Both Richards and Thakur believe that the administration’s effort to improve “school climate” might address some of the concerns raised by disordered eating among High School students.

“We know these things are going on,” High School Principal Paul Richards said. “It is a really unhealthy, dark part of our culture.” Recognizing eating disorders as one of the most serious coping mechanisms for pressure, Richards believes his stressreduction programs to be initiated this spring will help foster a more supportive atmosphere for helping struggling students.

“I don’t want people going through what I went through.”

Having worked on changing her own life for the better, April believes it is time that members of the community recognize disordered eating as an issue in need of discussion and intervention. She believes a greater sense of community is needed to “get people loving each other, not against each other.”

She also believes there needs to be more awareness. “There are so many people who are struggling who we don’t even know of,” she said. Specifically, April encourages the school to introduce High School assemblies on stress management.

“People don’t realize what a big impact [eating disorders] have on them,” she said. “I don’t want people going through what I went through.”

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

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•••

Featuresddd

Welcome to your dream high street What if we could have it all? The students of ASL design their ideal high street SHAHID MAHDI STAFF WRITER

In a poll of 50 students, these were the most popular establishments.

T

COCHRANE STREET

ST JOHN’S WOOD HIGH STREET

ST. JOHN’S WOOD TERRACE WELLINGTON ROAD

he St. John’s Wood High Street, alongside the broader region of St. John’s Wood, has been the location of lunches and strolls for years now. However, students commonly find themselves venturing out of St. John’s Wood in order to alleviate their cravings for a particular delight. These can range from McDonald’s and Subway to the popularized fast-casual outlets (notably Chipotle and Nando’s, which both are a fair distance away from 1 Waverley Place).

What exactly are High School taste buds salivating for on the High Street? Loyal followers of stores that already exist are content with what’s already in place on the High Street, but others have a craving for restaurants and retailers that are commonplace in other high streets within London.

Dimitri Lazardis (’12) is an advocate for more diverse cuisines within the school’s immediate vicinity.

“I wouldn’t mind Indian, or Chinese perhaps...something more diverse,” he said, However, there are certain shops that students find to be handy. David Cress (’13) finds Tesco to be the most essential resource available in NW8. “Tesco’s presence is extremely convenient...whenever my friends and I need a quick snack it’s always there.” he said. Tamara Rasamny (’14) said that another must-have

feature of any neighbourhood is Starbucks. “It provides me with my daily coffee, which is much needed,” she said.

Students displayed a longing for chains of the casual dining category. The most popular requests were for Chipotle, South African chain Nando’s, Wagamama and the fast food chain McDonalds.

That being said, retail additions to the “dream High Street” wouldn’t simply include restaurants, but features that would save the average student from digging in his or her bag for an Oyster card.

These range from luxury watchmakers as suggested by Clement Gelly (’13), and Nicolo Baravalle (’14) said that “a bowling alley and

ice skating arena would be great.”

Mustafa Ahmed (’13), who resides in St. John’s Wood, would like an HMV. Ahmed said the addition would save him from “trapezing all the way down to Oxford Street” whenever he needs movies, games or music. A hunger for clothing stores that touch upon the “affordable, not overpriced” fashion

PHOTOS FROM OF CHIPOTLE. COM, PRET.COM, STARBUCKS.CO.UK, TESCO.COM, TORTILLA.CO.UK, WAGAMAMA. COM, GAILSBREAD. CO.UK, SUBWAY. CO.UK, ELSIA IN WONDERLAND/ FLICKR.COM

scene was expressed by Sophie Aversa (’13). “An American Apparel outlet in particular,” she said.

Though the student body, as Londoners, are lucky to have the above outlets in fairly close proximity, the introduction of more renowned stores on the High Street would be appreciated by all in the High School.

’Tis the season A look at how individuals across a variety of faiths celebrate the Christmas holiday BEN SPAR

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

“When I think of Christmas, I think of snow, trees, presents,and vaguely of Christianity,” Clayton Sasaki (’14) said. Although he considers himself Jewish, Sasaki’s father is Christian and his family celebrates Christmas.

Christmas is traditionally a religious holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ; in the past, it was only celebrated

by Christians. But in modern times, it is celebrated by people of many different faiths and cultures. “Even though I am Hindu, my family celebrates Christmas,” Abhishek Hinduja (’14) said. “We have a tree, presents, and a big dinner, just like everyone else.”

In both the United States and United Kingdom, Christmas is intertwined with winter culture. London becomes engulfed in Christmas during December.

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

STAFF WRITER

There are Christmas decorations all over the streets and inside the shops. Advertizements on television during the holiday season show many Christmas-themed products to buy for Christmas.

Hinduja believes that Christmas and winter are almost synonymous. “When I think of winter, I think of Christmas,” he said.

Christmas has many different meanings for different people,

ranging from secular to religious.

When Billy Kennedy (’13) thinks about what Christmas means, one thing in particular comes to mind. “Family is the main part of the holidays,” he said. “Christmas is about seeing your family, having a nice day together, going to church and having a big dinner.”

But there are also people who celebrate Christmas fully as a religious holiday. Kyle Boynton (’14)

is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and considers himself quite religious. “Christmas is thought of more as a moneymaking scheme by large companies,” Boynton said. “Christmas should be more about Jesus Christ and his life, and how he atoned for our sins.”

“We go carolling, there is a big Christmas presentation at the church with plays, songs

and discussions,” Boynton said.

“If Christmas is on a Sunday, we open up our presents the day before. It is much more about religion than about things such as presents.”

New problems have arisen with the secularization of Christmas. One of these is the issue of Christmas cards, and religious themed cards in general. Some people feel like it is intolerant to send cards with religious themes to those who are not members of that religion. Others feel that by sending a religious card, they are not forcing others to celebrate the holiday, but wishing them the spirit of the holiday.

“It is kind of okay to send Christmas cards. You are wishing the spirit of the holiday, but there are still religious undertones. I would say that it is just better to send out either holiday season cards or New Years cards,” Hinduja said.

Culture

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE III NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

Off the Richter Scale

Photo Editor Katie Lee explores “Panorama,” the new Gerhard Richter exhibit at the Tate Modern

GRAPHIC BY KATIE LEEE

O

n one side of the Thames 200 tents occupy St. Paul’s; on the other bank, another show is going on. The Tate Modern has dedicated its exhibit entitled “Panorama” to Gerhard Richter, a German visual artist who recently turned 80.

Walking through the exhibit room by room, it’s hard to believe that one man has created such a diverse body of work. The appropriately titled exhibit offers an expansive breadth of the artist’s significant works throughout 50 years, ranging from photo-realistic paintings to abstract color experimentation.

Richter models his portraits not from direct observation but from photographs. In “Gerhard Richter’s Portraits: Painting Appearances,” the artist is quoted saying, “the contact with the person is not a condition of portraying them; their appearance is all that is available, and therefore a photograph is sufficient.” His fine techniques allow the paintings to look like pictures. The smooth rendering of the surface, especially in the portraits, evokes a soothing sensation that cannot be achieved in plain photographs.

But the true beauty of Richter’s works lies beyond the simple representations of figures. His paintings allow the viewer to seek an underlying reality: The reality of nothing. We see the truth of this in his 1988 painting of his

daughter Betty. Featured in ASL’s 2010 English 10 reader Holding On, Richter’s signature painting draws the viewer in by having the child turn away from the public demanding her face. Although it’s clear she’s a girl – even specified

“But the true beauty of Richter’s works lies beyond the simple representation of the figures. His paintings allow the viewer to seek an underlying reality: the reality of nothing” as Betty – we don’t know anything beyond the given. We do not know what is behind her or her state of mind as she gazes into the darkness.

The same preoccupation with the vulnerability of knowledge is present in his “Grey Cloud” series. The scenes of the endless landscape seem familiar, but it’s deceiving because we don’t know them. All we perceive are the differing values. Nothing else.

The thread that weaves through the radical genres Rich-

ter chose to pursue is perhaps that nothing is certain. It’s obvious in his abstract paintings – where he spreads out different colors on massive canvases with a giant squeegee – that we aren’t pressured to figure out some intrinsic meaning. It’s all about being in the moment. On the other hand, when we’re given a familiar image of a person, we almost automatically use personal associations to figure out what it means. In reality, the basis of the painting might be a domestic family photo or an advertisement. Richter questions the human tendency to create meaning by playing with his selection of images that don’t truly bear significance.

“Panorama” comprises 14 rooms. It’s at least an hour walk through, but the exhibition is designed to keep the viewer interested. The nature of the artist’s diverse use of media as well as the set up establishes a good balance between his mellow and exotic paintings. Because Richter’s works are open to interpretation, the exhibit can be visited in different manners. An option is to look through and have fun by observing the colors and the techniques he used to create a certain feel. Another manner is to stand in front of a work and try to grasp what the piece does to you; think about what the piece is reminiscent of. I suggest the combination. It’s worth multiple visits. The exhibit ends on January 8th.

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

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Cultureddd

Silver screen success Since leaving ASL in 2008, Ben Konigsberg (’14) has pursued his acting career in New York.

News Editor Fares Chehabi talked to him about his experience so far.

First up, how’s your career going?

It’s going well. I took a little break trying to get back into school when I moved to New York from ASL. Last year, though, my drama teacher emailed me to audition for an Adam Sandler movie. I did two auditions and got a call-back, but I didn’t actually get the part. But this casting agent noticed me and she showed me off to some people, and I went to some other auditions, which eventually got me signed with an agency called Abrams Agency. The biggest thing that’s happened recently is that I was offered to do cold reads with Debra Messing from “Will and Grace” for this Broadway show in front of potential investors. I should find out how I did in the summer.

Just how competitive is the acting industry?

It’s difficult, especially in this city – there are so many kids doing this. Sometimes it’s not really about whether or not you’re a good actor, sometimes it’s really just about looking the part, like being the right height. I’ve grown a lot, so I guess that’s one of my problems. I mean, I look a little younger, so I guess I could play younger kids but sometimes my height can be a problem. It’s really a cut-throat business.

How did ASL help you in the early stages of your career?

They were very helpful when I had to miss school. From what

than that. It was 10-to-12 hour shoots every day. We must have taken 40 takes of this one scene.

My mom always asked me how I knew what I was doing, but like anything, you just get into the groove of it.

What’s it like working with established actors?

Well, like I said, I was recently with Debra Messing doing cold reads for a Broadway show.

She’s really nice. And I was with this big Broadway star, Danny Burstein, too. I don’t think many people have heard of him, but he’s a big deal. Tom Berenger, from Jonathan Toomey was nice but not really personable. It’s really cool meeting them but they’re really just normal people.

Ben Konigsberg is acting both on screen and on the stage PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN

KONIGSBERG

I remember, I missed a lot of school in fourth grade–I must have missed close to a month doing [The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey]. I definitely fell behind a little bit, but they helped me catch up. My fourth grade teachers were incredible.

They encouraged me when I told them the news, and when I went into auditions, they were very helpful and embracing.

What inspired you to get into acting? Any idols?

I used to watch a lot of old movies when I was younger, around when I was six or seven and had just moved to London, and I loved Danny Kaye. He’s this

comedian that’s very, very funny.

So, I asked my mom, who was an executive producer at Walt Disney, if I could get into the business because I really liked the idea of acting. I later went to my audition for Jonathan Toomey and got the part.

It sounds like your mother has had a big impact on your career...

She knows what she’s doing. She knows how to pick the right auditions, and she’s not a stage mom–she wasn’t like ‘you have to act’. She completely understands that if I didn’t want to do this, then I wouldn’t be doing this.

Are you looking at acting as a long-term career?

I don’t know. At the moment, it’s a very serious hobby. I haven’t really thought that much into the future. I did a film program last summer in Paris, and I really loved working behind the camera too, so I’m undecided as to what I want to do later on. Acting will always have a place in my heart, though.

What was it like filming The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey?

It was a lot of work. I think in Britain there’s a legal maximum of hours you can spend a day shooting, and I think I did more

Do you prefer acting on stage or in front of a camera?

I probably prefer working in front of a camera. It’s more subtle, and I get really self-conscious when I have to do ‘over-the-top’ and ‘big’ on stage – I feel uncomfortable. So, I like subtlety. That’s probably my biggest problem – I think sometimes I am too subtle, and maybe that’s a problem when I audition for Broadway roles.

Having started so young, do you fear the possibility of burning out?

Oh yeah, definitely. That happens to a lot of child actors. I think it’s a possibility, but I just try to stay in the moment and take every day as it comes.

Pulitzer prize-winning poet visits English classes THOMAS RISINGER STAFF WRITER

F

or an ASL classroom to have a guest is not uncommon. Visitors are usually fairly distinguished in their field, and tend to be writers. For English Teacher Lindsey Fairweather’s Craft of Writing class, and English Teacher Megan McGilchrist’s Poetry Class this was only partially true. The guest in their classrooms this fall was a writer who is extraordinarily renowned: Award-winning poet, Princeton Professor, The New Yorker editor for poetry, and current ASL parent Paul Muldoon.

Muldoon helped to workshop some of the students’ pieces during his time with the classes. “It’s so important that teenagers meet writers and realize that they’re

“I believe in what used to be called inspiration.”

Paul Muldoon, poet

just ordinary people who like a break on their groceries, same as the next guy,” Muldoon said.

In the classes that Muldoon worked with he was well received. “My sense of the class

was that the students were really engaged, if a little star-struck,” McGilchrist said.

Fairweather’s view of the visit coincided with McGilchrist’s. “I doubt they’ll ever forget it,” she said.

Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Muldoon is a native to the British Isles. He attended University at Queen’s University in Belfast, where he met friend and fellow poet Seamus Heaney.

Muldoon said that he began writing poetry as a teenager, though adding that he was encouraged by Heaney as well as others during his time in Belfast.

“It’s always a relief to realize that

other people have caught the same bug as oneself,” Muldoon said.

When it comes to his poetry, Muldoon has the belief that he cannot take responsibility for the poems: “One can merely acknowledge that one may have helped [the poem] get into the world by being as open as possible to what it might become.”

He elaborated with. “I believe in what used to be called inspiration.”

Not just an ordinary poet, Muldoon has won numerous awards for his work such as a Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 2003 for his piece “Moy Sand and Gravel”.

This work was also shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize. He is currently the poetry editor for The New Yorker, and is also the Howard G.B. Clark ’21 Professor at Princeton University.

Muldoon is currently on a sabbatical from Princeton University. He described his sabbatical as “writing, reading, going to theatre, catching up with friends and generally having a good time.” In the Spring, however, he will be travelling around the world during which time he hopes to read and write even more. “In short, I’m having my retirement while I’m still up for it!” Muldoon said.

Page 18

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

•••

Culture

FARES CHEHABI

fares_chehabi@asl.org

Exploring the ethics behind streaming music online

Let the ends justify the means: Streaming music online GRAPHIC BY LAURA BURSTON

I

“

I want to say that streaming music online is okay, but only if used for judgemental purposes

’ve never been more stuck in the middle. About a week before it was officially in stores, Drake’s much-anticipated album Take Care leaked online. Having been a Drake fan since the seventh grade, I really didn’t know what to do. I wanted to listen to all of the album’s songs for the first time when they were released on November 15, to fully experience the record the way it was meant to be heard. But I gave into temptation and streamed the album online before its official release.

Although one missed sale wasn’t going to drive Drake into homelessness, I still felt guilty. So, wanting to support one of my favorite artists and have an official

copy, I later bought the album on iTunes.

Although, like many other musicians, Drake can afford to live in spacious homes and enjoy a lavish nightlife, I knew that he deserved it–he was a hard worker at heart.

For starters, all of the songs on Take Care except one (a song that he’s not even featured on) are credited to his writing. And, from the many interviews I’ve read, he was clear in his message: I’m not here to create pointless music.

Money and women, similarly to most rappers, feature prominently in his music but in a more meaningful way, such as in his romantic confessional “Marvin’s Room”, and I have a lot of respect

for that. I just had to support him.

But it hasn’t always been the same case for me with other musicians. Shortly after Take Care leaked, Drake tweeted, “Listen, enjoy it, buy it if you like it... and take care until next time,” and I fully support that mentality.

For example, when Royce Da 5’9”’s album Success Is Certain leaked, I streamed it online, and I just didn’t enjoy the record. I never bought the album afterward.

On the contrary, I also streamed J Cole’s album Cole World: The Sideline Story online, and I was initially unconvinced when I first heard the album in its entirety, but the songs eventually grew on me so much that I ended

up buying the album afterward on iTunes. Although both rappers could make similarly strong claims for deserving sales, the difference was that I eventually enjoyed J Cole’s album, so he warranted one more sale to his name unlike Royce Da 5’9”, whose album I didn’t enjoy listening to.

In a bid to make the world a fairer place, I want to say that streaming music online is okay, but only if used for judgmental purposes - if you like, buy it, and if you don’t like it, then don’t buy it. It’s that simple. After all, these musicians need the money - if there was no money to be made in the music industry, then the consequences would be dire.

Mylo Xyloto and Coldplay’s success ANNA YOUNG FEATURES EDITOR

M

ylo Xyloto, the title of Coldplay’s new album, is Balinese for “this love of mine,” a translation that completely embodies reactions to the album.

The mellow but intense tunes draw listeners in, transporting them to different universes and leaving them feeling like they were were wandering in a desert, finally stumbling upon a lush oasis. Coldplay incorporates many dimensions into this album, using tunes that range from soft to empowering to just plain happy.

The subtly strong melody of “Charlie Brown” starts softly but then hits listeners, invoking images of a Thanksgiving weekend spent curled up in front of a fire with a cup of tea watching TV. Maybe it’s the song name, but somehow the only TV program that fits with the song is the fallfriendly “Charlie Brown and the

Great Pumpkin.” It leaves listeners feeling as happy as if they had spent the night waiting for the Great Pumpkin himself.

“Princess of China,” dramatic and mysterious, perfectly combines pop culture (who hasn’t heard the psychedelic Rihanna songs bursting through iPod headphones and car radios?) with a darker, Oriental side. The two disparate voices – Rihanna’s strong one and Chris Martin’s softer intonations – come together as one and tell a story: One of long lost love in ancient China, perhaps?

A song that never fails to put some pep into a listener’s step, “Hurts Like Heaven” takes no time jumping into the beat. Though the lyrics aren’t necessarily the most uplifting, the infectious tune certainly doesn’t leave the song lacking for anything: Don’t want to be sad? Ignore the lyrics and just dance along to the beat. It takes no time for this song to turn a listener’s frown upside-down.

“Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”

- the direct opposite of “Hurts Like Heaven” - is a ballad whose subtly angsty tune and lyrics pays homage to Coldplay’s versatility. The bittersweet lyrics and mournful tune leave listeners feeling significantly subdued, but at the same time like hope is not all lost.

Of course, “Paradise” truly is a paradise for the ears. The repetition of “para-para-paradise” never fails to get stuck in a listener’s mind and stay there for days, a quick pick-me-up or calm-medown that is on hand whenever necessary. Even if one does not particularly enjoy the song, the music video’s cheekily humorous use of elephant costumes can easily create a giggle to punctuate a long day.

The diversity of Mylo Xyloto is really its overarching achievement. Within it, Coldplay has managed to create a breadth of music that applies to anybody on any day. The tunes that so quickly intoxicate and obsess a listener are almost drinkable, hitting the spot for one and all.

PHOTO FROM FLICKR. COM/JONATHAN MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Coldplay’s newest album, Mylo Xyloto, is already topping charts.

PHOTO FROM FLICKR.COM/GOOEY_LEWY

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Page 19

Cultureddd MUSIC

Business & pleasure How Hamish Stephenson (’14) is climbing the ranks in the UK Music industry.

PETER HUGHES, DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

O Above: Stephenson at a photoshoot.

Right: One of M2 Music’s signed artists, Kelz. M2 Music are currently campaigning to get Kelz nominated for the MTV “Best of 2012” award. Artists such as Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber and Ke$ha have previously been nominated for this award.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAMISH STEPHENSON.

N THE RED CARPET AT THE PREMIERE OF CHANNEL 4’S NEW PROGRAM “Top Boy,” Hamish Stephenson (’14) mingled with some of the UK’s biggest names, not just as an admirer, but as an associate. Accompanied by a few of his colleagues from the music label M2 Music, it was business cards, not autographs, that were being exchanged. “If you would have told me six months ago what I’d be doing right now, I just would have said ‘no way,’” Stephenson said.

It has been a long journey for the kid who started out with just a video camera and an advertisement on Gumtree.

At the beginning of the six- is very much what the up-andmonth journey, Stephenson coming music label is all about. checked out a camera from the The team which comprises Media Services department af- of just six members conducts all ter being inspired by his Digital of its business in-house, meanVideo Editing class. One of his ing that the company does not friends from outside of school outsource any of its services. told him about an amateur rapper Scouting, filming, editing, prowho was a student down the road motion, graphic design, website at Quintin Kynaston school. “He management, and advertizing all wasn’t very good to be honest,” is conducted by the small group Stephenson said. of people. “I have to wear a lot of It didn’t matter, as long as it hats,” Stephenson said. “It’s defiwas music. “It’s always been a pas- nitely a challenge.” Stephenson sion of mine, but I’ve never been a has moved in to more areas of the talented musician. This has been company than just dealing with a great way to stay involved,” Ste- music videos. His laundry list of phenson said. things to do is too long to docuThis passion is what lead him ment; from writing content for to pursue music beyond shooting the website to organizing launch the “crappy freestyles” over at QK. parties, he has his hands full.

Stephenson posted an advertisement on the website Gumtree. com stating that he could provide filming services for music companies. To his amazement, he got a prompt response from a company called M2 Music. It would be the first interaction of a long and healthy business relationship.

Hamish Stephenson (’14) Stephenson helped the company shoot a music video; he remained in contact with the comBalancing this commitment pany for several weeks, helping along with his schoolwork has out on similar projects. “Eventu- been a challenge, Stephenson adally I grew into the team and be- mits. “Getting enough sleep has came apart of the label,” Stephen- been a big challenge, and keeping son said. up with schoolwork is never easy,” The company M2 Music was he said. Outside of school has started by a young entrepreneur been all M2 Music, as he has “pretMichael Solemi in 2010. The fo- ty much given up a social life.” cus, as of now, is on R&B and hip Stephenson described his past hop music. The label, which is Saturday in which he woke up at based in East London, currently 7 a.m. to travel to a video shoot in has three artists signed with plans Crystal Palace. The shoot finally of doubling that number in the wrapped up at 8:30 p.m. and afternear future. That kind of growth wards Stephenson returned to his

“I’ve pretty much had to give up my social life.”

house and did homework.

His colleagues, unlike Stephenson, aren’t too concerned with quizzes or essays; some of his co-workers have been out of school as long as he has been in it. When Stephenson joined the company, he was just 15 years old.

The people he works with are 20, 26 and even 34 years old. “I just have to behave myself,” Stephenson said. “But really it’s a firm and cohesive team. We get along well.”

As of now, Stephenson and the rest of the M2 Music crew are working to get the company to a point where it can make money.

Before that can happen though, projects are in the works to promote the label and the artists. The group is working on promoting one of their artists, Kelz, whose EP is due to be released in February. Also, in their attempts to expand, M2 Music will be holding online auditions in the near future. Hopefuls will send in YouTube clips of them performing to the website. “It works for us on multiple levels: We get to see a lot of talented artists and we push the label on the Internet,” Stephenson said.

The future of M2 Music might even involve a few more students from ASL. Artist Kelz has worked closely with singer Vince Kidd, whom Jack Douglas (’14) has already written music for. Kelz also may appear on Nicollo Baravalle’s (’14) upcoming EP. Stephenson has no plans of leaving M2 Music. “The amount that I’ve learned over the past few months has been amazing,” Stephenson said. “I want to keep going.”

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Sports

TRUE FAN

with Pakistan cricket fan Sana Shafqat

or not, is a clean game.

What effect does match-fixing have on cricket as a sport?

It disheartens fans around the world and taints the majority of players who are upstanding and good...I see it not very differently from school in a sense. If some students take part in something not bonafide, it ruins the experience for everyone. I think that especially for Pakistan and India, they are the two largest nations in the cricketing world population and interest wise, so they really need to look at it structurally.

Why do you like cricket so much?

I grew up in Pakistan where cricket is almost like a religion, and there is so much excitement around the game. I think it’s the best game because it has a lot of variables and outcomes. Its complicated to understand, but when you do, it’s like a whole new world opens up for you.

How would you describe the atmosphere during a cricket match?

It depends on the kind of a match and where it’s being played.

In a test match it depends on what day you are at and what possible outcome there is, and if it’s a oneday or a T-20 part it’s just a lot of fun. The atmosphere at Lord’s [Cricket Ground] is very staid because you can’t bring many banners, but at The Oval it’s different and in Southeast Asia it’s almost like a party atmosphere.

What’s your favorite type of game: Test-matches, one-day or T-20, and why?

I would say a one-day. I appreciate that a T-20 seems quite long for people who aren’t cricket connoisseurs because it’s four hours long, but I think a one-day is a good format. It’s eight hours long which takes all-day, but the teams have enough time to make up for any wobbles and early mistakes.

What is your best memory of cricket?

My best memory of cricket is Pakistan winning the T-20 World Cup in Lord’s. I had amazing seats right at the front and it was a very

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

Growing up in Pakistan, social studies teacher Sana Shafqat was surrounded by the game of cricket like it was a religion. After the Pakistani match fixing scandal, Sana Shafqat shared her thoughts with Lead Sports Editor Alex Morris about match fixing, her childhood cricket memories and the future of Pakistani cricket sunny day in June. There were all these amazing songs being played at the end and it was just a sea of green and it was pretty cool. My other good memory is seeing a game in Multan, Pakistan, when I was quite young, I was about 10.

That was the first time I actually understood what it meant to win by wickets or by runs because before that I used to think a certain amount of runs equalled a wicket.

It’s a good memory because something clicked and I got it.

How do you feel about the recent trial and verdict of the three Pakistani cricketers?

I think it is very unfortunate that they both did spot-fixing and I think it’s equally sad what the verdicts were, especially for one particular player [Mohammad Amir] because in many ways he has become the scapegoat for many nefarious activities of others. I do think that it is something that needs to be looked at for the greater cricket world. I don’t believe that it’s a problem just affecting Pakistan, I think it affects many teams. It’s almost possibly indemning but almost certainly a lot of teams in South Asia are affected primarily because betting is outlawed in that area, es-

pecially in Pakistan and India, so a lot of money is riding on this and the institutions around it need to be strengthened so players don’t have incentives to do it.

I think also part of this has to be that Indian Premier League (IPL) should begin to include Pakistani cricketers who are [currently] the only players not allowed because of political reasons. That creates temptation that shouldn’t be there for players to gain financially. As a spectator, I’m very disheartened because I want to see a fair and square game and I want to know that any game I’m watching, whether it includes Pakistan

How do you see Pakistan’s future in cricket?

I see a good future. I am positive, it’s not good that it’s happened, but good that it’s come to light so Pakistan can address it. There is an amazing amount of talent and a lot of great passion for the sport in the country.

People read, eat and sleep it. It’s a great positive unifying force for so many people that should certainly bring good things. It’s also a great source of egalitarianism, where people of all classes in a society, where there are so many levels, speak the same language regardless of where you’re from in the country. That should be cherished and celebrated. I also see a bright future for Pakistani women’s cricket which is not talked about a lot, but I think it’s fabulous especially in a society, like all societies, where women’s sport hasn’t been given a lot of attention and sponsorship, that they are doing really well. I see those as real positive things to build on.

Pakistani Match Fixing Scandal Timeline August 15

August 25

August 26

August 29

PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/ K.R.JOHNSON1 PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/PROC. GROUP

News of the World reporter Mazhar Majeed meets Mazher Mahmood at The Hilton (London) for the first time, posed as a businessman.

PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/ IMAGESOFMONEY

Majeed secretly films himself giving Mahmood £140,000 for arranging of bowling of no balls during their tour against England.

PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/ TGIGREENY

Pakistan players Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif bowl no balls during the fourth test at Lords at planned points in the match.

The News of the World runs an exclusive story about the alleged Pakistani match fixing, reported by Majeed.

February 5

PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/ ZEESHANSWEETU PHOTO FROM FLIKR.COM/ ZEESHANSWEETU

The International Cricket Committee (ICC) bans Salmon Butt for 10 years, Asif for seven years and Amir for five years.

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Page 21

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The Sports Roundtable

Sportsddd

Amid recent allegations of racism, a potential implementation of goal-line technology, and Manchester City’s domination, Sports Editor Clayton Marsh sat down with some of the High School’s biggest football fans to discuss the Premier League year so far.

PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

Racism In Football

PHOTO FROM FLIKR/ CATALANBOLAPHOTOGALLERY

Goal Line Technology

PHOTO FROM FLIKR/THESEODUKE

Manchester City’s Domination

PHOTO FROM FLIKR/GILYO

Best Summer Signing

PHOTO FROM FLIKR/ TOPCORNERTEKKERS

James Malin (‘15)

Nils Elwing (‘13)

Admininistrative Assistant Akay Mustafa

Lars Skattum (‘12)

Alex Morris (‘12)

Racism is absolutely a problem right now, but FIFA can’t do much about it when their president doesn’t really know what it is and thinks a handshake makes it all better. It’s hypocritical to wear the “Kick It Out” t-shirts when players like Luis Suarez and John Terry have made comments like they have.

There is a lot of dishonesty in the game at the moment. For example, Patrice Evra already had a history of claiming racism towards him, so you can never be sure about the validity of his claims. FIFA must develop a proper protocol in proving one’s guilt or innocence, as well as proper punishments.

I think it’s important not to overreact about the situation, as it’s not nearly as bad as it was 20 years ago. A lot of people commenting on racism have never really suffered from it and we need people who have been affected by racism to be influential in dealing with the problem in key areas of the game.

Luis Suarez also has a history with incidents like Patrice Evra, so it’s very hard to tell what has actually been said. I agree its a big problem when Sepp Blatter, the head of FIFA, doesn’t think there is a problem when there clearly is. I think it all stems from Blatter being a bit of an idiot.

I don’t think there is one simple solution to solve the current racism problem. The Luis Suarez incident shows there are a lot of cultural differences. There’s not one way you can target an issue that seems to manifest itself in so many different ways. Players found guilty should face bans.

A lot of decisions by the referee are clearly wrong. For example, Lampard’s disallowed goal in the World Cup. You can obviously see during the replay that the referee got it wrong, so adding replay is necessary to make the correct calls.

The referees need more help, and every weekend at least one of the Premiership’s matches will have a referee’s decision as the center of attention. It’s so simple and putting a camera on the goal line would make a huge difference.

I’m all for goal line technology, I just think how it’s implemented will be key. If it’s something quick where it takes 10 seconds to make a decision, then great. The question arises as to when play needs to be interrupted for a decision to be made.

I don’t think there is a downside to implementing it. The referees definitely could use the help, and in this season in particular there have been a lot of difficulties with the referees, so adding goal line technology would only be a benefit.

I think it’s long overdue, and we are going to wait even longer for it. It’s a thing where a lot of people say “Yes, we should have it,” but never really get on it or don’t have any concrete ideas. It threatens the flow of play but it could definitely help referees.

What they’re doing is reflective of the defensive abilities of the Premiership. In the Champions League, they scored two goals against Napoli, but in the Premiership they’re scoring five or six goals some games. It shows the defenses in the Premiership are not as great as they once were.

Of course City has assembled a fantastic squad and at at times are unplayable, but they lack a real winning mentality and a little bit of grit and grind. City’s mindset is what is holding them back, as there are too many egos and personal agendas within their squad.

The Italian coaching mindset of turn up, train, go home has been instilled at City. The majority of the other clubs have a bond on and off the field, and the question still needs to be answered whether or not City players are willing to put their bodies on the line for each other and the result.

I think if David Silva stops playing well, they will be in serious trouble because he is the main driving force in their attack. The same goes for Vincent Kompany on the defensive side of their team. If he goes on a bad run of form they could look very shaky.

I think City’s strategy of buying players was to defend by constantly attacking and obviously it’s been working very well for them. However, while they might have a great strike force, Roberto Macini should be concerned about the shakiness in his defense, albeit with a great keeper.

Ashley Young to Manchester United. He has been injured the past couple of weeks but he had a great start to the season. Even though Arsenal was shocking that day, he was awesome in the 8-2 game and instrumental in their win.

Demba Ba coming to Newcastle as a free transfer from West Ham. He has completely transformed their attack, and has the pace and strength to be a complete striker in the league. Emmanuel Adebayor has also made a huge impact at Tottenham.

Yohan Cabaye has been phenomanal for Newcastle. They spent about £8 million on him, and in today’s market that’s not that much. Cabaye has really changed the way they play. He keeps the ball well and is capable of finding amazing through balls.

I think Demba Ba to Newcastle. They got him for free and he has given them that attacking edge they needed to challenge the top clubs. I also think Ashley Young has come right into the Manchester United side and made an instant impact.

Scott Parker to Tottenham. I thought he was overrated and didn’t see why he deserved all the accolades he was getting.

However, he cuts up plays really well and always gives 110 percent. He’s already been given the armband which shows his leadership skills.

Page 22

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THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Sports

From the sidelines

PHOTO FROM FLICKR/A.AFFLECK

From elation to heartbreak, these ASL coaches have been there before.

LEAD SPORTS EDITOR ALEX MORRIS PHOTOS BY KATIE LEE

Gerken admits that his father was the biggest influence on his decision to become a coach. It was his father who also pushed him to go to a coaching course that helped him become a better coach and player.

Gerken has mixed feelings on whether former athletes make the best coaches. “It definitely helps because you have insight and foundation, but if you have the desire then it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “The best coaches realize that it’s…the relationships you build in a team.”

Gerken feels that team dynamic is the most important aspect of coaching. While wins and losses are an inevitable part of the game,

ning a medal at Nationals during his last year at school. This led him eventually to row for Oxford University in his second year there, where he went undefeated in his eight.

Clark feels that his experience has helped him find his forte in coaching. “I had been neglected despite working really hard, so I try to pay as much attention to all my rowers no matter what their level. My goal is to make them feel like they’re going somewhere,” he said. Clark was forced to give up rowing because a

series of smaller back problems that developed into a more serious injury. However, he has found coaching to be deeply satisfying. “Coaching to me is being constantly able to challenge people to extend their own boundaries physically, psychologically and emotionally and presenting them with difficult but achievable goals.”

For Clark, coaching is much more than just the results on the river. Drawing on his experience as a former rower, he stresses the important life lessons you can learn from playing a sport, especially at the high school level, something he gets joys out of everyday. “You can’t change the world playing a sport, but the things you learn help you to become a person who can change the world.”

CHRIS CLARK When Media Coordinator andGirls Crew Coach Chris Clark went down to the river, he often didn’t have a coach to help him and his doubles partner. Coming from a huge rugby-oriented school, Clark and his best friend were the only two rowers at the school. “16 years ago, that was kind of the way it was,” Clark said.

However, the friends were lucky enough to train on the same river as the Cambridge University crew team, and the coach took an interest in the two young rowers, often leaving his team to come help them.

Despite the lack of a regular coach, with hard work Clark was able to surprise many at his school by win-

Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach and sixth grade teacher Jessica Katz used to spend all of her vacations during high school in the gym practicing lay-ups and free throws, listening to her coach trying to push her team. It was the intensity and commitment that all-state player Katz put into her varsity basketball team since her freshman year that implanted the love of the game that has stayed with her, especially coaching now.

After becoming incredibly close with her high school teammates, Katz stresses the importance of being a team rather than just a group of individuals. “While on the court it’s all about basketball, there’s a lot more to it than just the game.”

The sense of team spirit and togetherness doesn’t just stop with the players for Katz. Coaches have a big role to play as well. Realizing it’s the moments that you share as a team that you remember. When he stood in front of 11 crying boys after being knocked out of the state championship, Gerken felt he could relate with them. “They weren’t crying because they lost the game but because they had something special as a team and didn’t want to lose that. I know how it feels.”

There are also times when Gerken has problems relating to his players especially when it comes to focus and drive. While he is still a very competitive person, he is very careful that he doesn’t push his athletes too far. “I don’t want to put my desires on other players because they’re my own, people have different reasons why they play.”

Gerken still very much sees his future in coaching. “I always want to play, that’s still the big kid in me and I would say to students to enjoy the time you got. On the flip side, there is nothing I would rather do than teach and coach.”

GREG GERKEN There were times when varsity Girls Soccer Coach and Grade 10 dean Greg Gerken wished he wasn’t on that field doing sprints or on the bus going to yet another competition eight hours away. Looking back, Gerken wished he had enjoyed his experience as a soccer player. “I wish I had truly enjoyed it, I would give almost anything to be back on the pitch.” However, the former United Soccer League (USL) player isn’t completely left out of the action on the pitch.

Gerken began coaching during his senior year of high school and hasn’t looked back. He credits the leadership roles he was given with helping him realize he wanted to be a coach. As a three year captain of Westchester University’s soccer team, his relationship with his coach taught him a lot about what to do and what not to do. However,

JESSICA KATZ

that at the high school level not all athletes have the same attitude has made Katz more able to identify roles for each individual player on her teams. “I hope that knowing that we didn’t all respond to my coach in the same way has helped me realize that you have to treat different players different[ly].”

Katz knows from personal experience that you can always push yourself harder than you think you can, so she always trys to push her players to their limits as well. However, Katz believes being a former athlete, even a great one, doesn’t necessarily make you a great coach, especially as a teacher. “I’ve seen coaches that were such all-stars that

they didn’t know how to teach the skills they had…I think there is a combination of being a teacher and a former athlete that really helps me as a coach.”

For a while, being a former basketball player was actually a struggle for Katz. After making the transition from playing JV basketball in college to coaching soon after she graduated, she still felt attached to the playing aspect of the game.

“My first few years coaching were really hard for me. I would watch and I would feel like I could just go out there and help.” However, after adjustment, this isn’t a problem for Katz now.

Looking on from the bench, the girls basketball coach is trying to enjoy every minute she gets with her team. “It’s high school where you learn how to be an athlete…and you have a really great opportunity as a high school coach to make a difference and to help people realize their potential.”

MICHAEL JOHNSTON Instead of relaxing at home or playing with friends after school, as a teenager Varsity Boys’ Soccer, Track and Field coach Michael Johnston would make an hour -and-a-half journey to Edinburgh three times a week to play in a more competitive soccer league. From an early age, Johnston knew that soccer was his future. “I was fortunate in that I wanted as a kid to go professional, so my coaches pushed me as much as they could,” he said.

After training as a goalkeeper with clubs in the Scottish Premier League and even representing his country at the U-17 and U-18 level, he was let go by Dunfermline Athletic and was pushed by his parents to continue with his education through university.

Despite not making it to the very top, Johnston has not wasted his talent or knowledge of the game.

The varsity boys’ coach tries to use his experience to understand the situation his players are in.

Not only does he use his playing experience to help his style of coaching, but he has also learned from the coaches he has worked under, especially the typical “bad coach.” “The coach that is boss… the coach that makes all your decisions, those are the coaches that you of course learn from being in that circumstance because you realize what your kids are listening to every day,” he said.

While Johnston acknowledges that his former playing days help him as coach, he believes it isn’t necessary to have played at the top to be a great coach. “You have to have been an athlete during your life to reach the top in coaching.

You have to have known what it was like to have really pushed yourself to be able to push others.”

Being able to push players is an important element to the way Johnston coaches his team, as he knows from experience where hard work can take you. “If you’re willing to sacrifice and feel pain and literally all you can think about is your teammates and how your team is going to succeed, then you’re going to succeed,” he said.

Johnston pushes his team physically by joining in activities like the beep test and even has parents run with the team. “For a kid to see a coach do it and go through all that sacrifice, I think it pushes kids harder.”

However, for Johnston soccer isn’t all about the physical push and what goes on on the field. A former member of many close-knit teams, he feels that the victories taste sweeter the closer a team is. “If you can’t get emotional with people you’re about to trust and sacrifice that much for, what can you get emotional about?”

For now, Johnston is relishing being able to still be a part of a team atmosphere he came to love so much during his career. After taking his first break from coaching in 10 years last year after the birth of his daughter, Johnston admits he feels lost without coaching.

“Seeing the potential in someone… that they have that drive to succeed, and you’ve been there yourself and you know what doors it’s opened, I think it’s awesome.”

THE STANDARD | November-December 2011

Page 23

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Sportsddd

Coach feedback

Coaches need evaluation from their teams for growth and improvement

Mustafa had little time to prepare his team before they played the TurkishCypriot national team. PHOTO BY KATIE LEE

Victory in Nicosia Mustafa coaches underdogs to success CONOR FINN STAFF WRITER

On a temperate Cyprus morning in mid-November, Administrative Assistant and Attendance Officer Akay Mustafa walked to a café for a customary breakfast with his grandfather and was surprised to see photographs of himself and his soccer team splashed throughout the national newspapers.

On November 13, Mustafa travelled to Nicosia, Cyprus’s capital city with a squad of 16 soccer players representing the London Turkish Football Federation (LTFF) to coach them in their match against the Turkish Cypriot national football team. The LTFF is a football organization for primarily Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot boys and men living in London. “[The goal of the program is to] increase exposure of London-based ethnically Turkish players and to give players a chance to earn a living through football,” Mustafa said.

Mustafa, who is of TurkishCypriot descent, was selected in August to coach the league’s representative team. In the follow-

ing three months, Mustafa and his fellow coaches selected the best players from the league to play the match in Cyprus and then prepared the team of 16 for the match. The age of the players on the team ranges from 18 to 32. The team is allowed to no more than four non-Turkish or non-Turkish-Cypriot players.

The Turkish-Cypriot national team is not recognized as a team

by FIFA so every year they play one match for the Republic Cup. “[The unofficial Turkish Cypriot team] usually play against another country that is also not recognized by FIFA, ” Mustafa said. “I think they wanted to play us to guarantee the win, because we would be turning up with players who were not at the same level as them.”

The game was played at Gonyeli SK Sports Ground and was televised

by Bayrak Radio Television Corporation. The story was covered by several major newspapers in Turkish Cyprus including KIBRIS. The first half of the game was full of scoring chances for both teams, but the score at the half remained 0-0. At the beginning of the second half, the LTFF team conceded

two goals and found themselves with very little chance of taking anything from the game. “[After the two goals were scored,] I changed things around again and decided to attack,” Mustafa said. This change in strategy worked to great effect as the LTFF scratched away at their opponent’s lead with a goal from their captain. Their second goal came from a corner with 15 minutes left, which was followed by a dramatic winner in the final three minutes of the game from another corner. The LTFF stunned the Turkish Cypriot team. “We were the underdogs and we shocked them,” he said.

For several players, the match in Cyprus created opportunities for their future in soccer. Two players from the LTFF have been scouted and are likely to be offered contracts by two professional clubs in Turkey while four of the younger players on the team are being approached

by Cypriot clubs. The team’s right back, Ugur Aydemir, is likely to sign with the Turkish club Karabukspor who are now in ninth place in Turkey’s top professional division. “It was as successful as that trip could have been,” Mustafa said.

EVAN REILLY

evan_reilly@asl.org

A lot of the language about the need for course feedback and teacher evaluations in the high school should extend to our athletics program at ASL. It’s a logical transition in my mind: the courses are the sports, the teachers are the coaches and the classroom is the field, the gym, the volleyball court, or the football pitch. High School Principal Richards touched on the topic at sports awards when he said that our coaches should strive to represent the philosophy of the school in athletic competition.

Evaluations of coaches should be available at the end of each

“Feedback from student athletes is esssential in maintaining healthy realtionships between coaches and athletes.” season, hopefully starting with sports teams this winter. Feedback from student athletes is essential in maintaining healthy relationships between coaches and athletes.

More than a coach ALEX MORRIS alexandra_morris@asl.org

Coaches need to make an effort to bring teams together instead of splitting them apart.

“

Coaches should build us up, not bring us down.

I think it’s fair to say that I don’t complain much. I just put my head down and get the job done. I’ve always been told my quiet determination makes me a very “coachable” athlete, but this has always slightly puzzled me. In my three sports, I’ve had 11 different coaches during my high school career, and each one has been very different. While I always try to play my own game, it’s undeniable that the specific coach influences both how a team plays as well as the individual.

Despite being a “coachable” athlete, I know that I respond better to certain coaching styles as opposed to others. I take competition very seriously, but I also feel that being comfortable and close-knit in a team is imperative for success. When a coach breaks the fabric of a team, there is a serious problem.

Athletes need to be pushed, but there is a difference between constructive criticism and yelling just for the sake of yelling. I know I’m more likely to take on information from a coach when he or she is telling it to me in a calm and collected manner. I’m also less likely to make errors if I know that the coach is with me rather than against me.

Coaches can make divisions between team members. When there are distinct barriers between starters and benched players, athletes begin to treat each other differently.

Each athlete and coach should see each teammate equally. This increases the level of competition for spots, which raises the quality and intensity of the team’s game.

Luckily I never have really been a part of a team where things have become so unbear-

Feedback is always important, not only for professional growth in the schoool. Coaches should seek input from their players in order to improve their styles and communication skills. All coaches should be open to change.

This assessment could be used as a developmental tool by the Athletic Office, helping to identify program strengths as well as areas for improvement. The creation of an evaluation procedure, which allows for specialized input from coaches, needs to be part of the conversation for this winter season. I am sure that there are several areas of agreement about effective and positive coaching, which should make the process relatively easy to implement.

There is also the concern that an individual player may feel intimidated by approaching his or her coach. I believe that having a questionnaire will provide an outlet for students to voice their concerns and enable some degree of anonymity and confidentiality.

The proposed questionnaire for the athletes could include ratings for different categories including practices, games and personal characterisitcs, as well as overall questions for additional responses to get a fuller picture of a coach.

Athletic Director Sandy Lloyd has made it very clear that her office welcomes any form of informal feedback. Although I understand the need to observe the progress that is made with course and teacher evaluations, I would like to see something formally implemented for this winter season.

able that it begins to show in results. As a team player I feel it’s my duty to give my all for both my teammates and my coaches, and when that desire is gone, it’s not a team anymore, but simply a group of individuals playing just for the sake to get it done.

Victory is so much sweeter when you feel like a family. The feeling of pure joy I experienced in the group hug after winning the gold at the basketball ISST is something I’ll never forget. These are the memories I always want to remember, not the time when a coach insulted me or made me lose the desire to play. I know many of the coaches I’ve been lucky enough to play under only made me love the sport even more, inspiration I’ll always keep with me. Coaches should build us up, not bring us down.

Sports

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVII ISSUE III NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

The line-up: Varsity boys basketball WINTER SEASON PREVIEW

The Upcoming Season

HEAD COACH

ASSISTANT COACH

JOE CHODL

CLAYTON MARSH

TERRY GLADIS

SPORTS EDITOR

Basketball is the only sport ASL offers that consistently fills the stands. With seven returning players, including five seniors and three players who have been on the team since their sophomore year, this could be the best chance ASL has to win the boys basketball ISST for quite sometime. This will be Joe Chodl’s 12th year as head coach, and during his tenure he has led ASL to three secondplace finishes and three third-place finishes. Joining Chodl on staff as assistant coach this year will be former girls varsity basketball coach Terry Gladis. Having students from ASL play college basketball is normally uncommon, but this year’s team has three players who are looking to play NCAA basketball: Aboudi Al-Qattan (’12), Luke Gilbert (’12) and Bennett Grigull (’13). With an ideal blend of experience, size and speed, as well as two coaches who have combined to coach more than 20 years of ASL basketball, this could be the year varsity boys basketball accomplishes something they haven’t done in 19 years: Win gold.

Chodl is a defensive-minded, strict coach who will return for his 12th year as head coach of boys varsity basketball. During his 11-year reign, he has led ASL to top-three finishes six times, but never managed to bring home a gold. Chodl fully anticipates the Eagles to return from ISSTs in Brussels with gold medals around their necks.

He believes only one thing can stand in their way of achieving this: Themselves.

Gladis has worked with varsity girls in the past and this will be his first year coaching varsity boys basketball. Described as “intense” and “disciplined” by his players, Gladis helped the girls win the ISST last year as assistant coach. Gladis comes in with knowledge of the personnel, insight into their gameplan and respect from the players. Chodl believes that Gladis’s coaching skills could potentially earn the team five or six more wins on his own.

PHOTOS BY KATIE LEE AND COURTESY OF KATE COLLINS

ABOUDI AL-QATTAN

LUKE GILBERT

ETHAN PHILLIPS

(’12)

(’12)

(’12)

(CAPTAIN)

YEARS ON VARSITY: 4 NBA COMPARISON: DERON WILLIAMS

Al-Qattan is one of seven returning players and was co-captain last year. Captain again this year, Al-Qattan is a vocal communicator on the team and a supportive teammate. He is a constant scoring threat due to his quickness and ball-handling skills. He is vital to the team both offensively and defensively and is a lock in the starting lineup.

YEARS ON VARSITY: 3 NBA COMPARISON: RAJON RONDO

He is a lock down defender and is normally matched up with the opposing team’s best perimeter player. Due to a concussion last year, Gilbert’s season was cut short and having him back for the whole year will be a major bonus.

His experience, work ethic and leadership skills stick out to Chodl, making him a lock for the starting five.

YEARS ON VARSITY: 3 NBA COMPARISON: TYSON CHANDLER

After missing more than half of the last year’s season due to illness, Phillips will come onto the team as one of ASL’s most dominant big men offensively. He is one of ASL’s best best defenders, can block shots and is a phenomenal rebounder. Chodl also believes Phillips has bulked up over the past season, developing into a serious threat down low.

BENNETT GRIGULL

PATRICK COLLINS

(’12)

(’13)

(’14)

YEARS ON VARSITY: 2 NBA COMPARISON: LAMARCUS ALLDRIDGE

YEARS ON VARSITY: 2 NBA COMPARISON: STEPHEN CURRY

STEFAN NEALIS

Standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall, Nealis is the tallest player on the team and will give the Eagles a presence down low. He is someone the team will rely on for post defense and rebounding. He can also play on the perimeter and shoot from the outside. Chodl also describes Nealis as having the footwork of a guard but the size of an interior player. He will split time down low with Collins and Phillips.

JAKE DOORIS (’13) YEARS ON VARSITY: 1 NBA COMPARISON: JAMEER NELSON

This will be Grigull’s second year on the team. He evolved into a starter towards the back end of last season and is ASL’s best threepoint threat. His combination of size and speed causes problems for the opposition’s defense. Chodl believes Grigull will play with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder because he wants to be seen as more of a complete player rather than just a three-point threat.

After filling in at times for varsity last year, Dooris comes up from being the captain of JV last year and will fill in for the team’s guards when needed. He has a strong jump-shot and finishes well, in addition to being one of the better ball-handlers on the team. Chodl believes having depth at the guard position is crucial because having a guard like Dooris on the team gives them the luxury of allowing players like Qattan and Gilbert to rest without the team dropping to a lower level.

YEARS ON VARSITY: 2 NBA COMPARISON: KEVIN LOVE

ASL has begun the season without him due to a wrist injury, but Chodl highly anticipates his return. Chodl thinks Collins comes into the season bigger, stronger and faster. Chodl believes that Collins will be more comfortable this year to just go out, play and let the game come to him. He is a very physical player who can guard taller players and will help ASL play the kind of lock-down defense they aspire to.

CAMERON POTT (’15) YEARS ON VARSITY: 1 NBA COMPARISON: SHANE BATTIER

ARKIN AGARWAL (’12) YEARS ON VARSITY: 2 NBA COMPARISON: JAMAL CRAWFORD

Agarwal is a guard who is confident enough to shoot the three or drive to the rim.

He is a good open-floor player who posseses good vision and finishes well. This year, he will be included in some post play in addition to his perimeter game. Chodl believes he is a versatile defender who is able to guard both big men and perimeter players.

JOHN RAUCCI (’13) YEARS ON VARSITY: 1 NBA COMPARISON: KIRK HINRICH

Raucci will play guard for the Eagles but will pull away lots of rebounds for his size and is a very strong perimeter defender. He is very good positionally and a smart player who always knows where he is supposed to be. What Chodl asks Raucci to do, he does. Chodl looks for Raucci to contribute right away and will most likely see time as an impact guard off the bench.

The sole freshman on the team this year, Pott will probably feature off the bench for varsity. His hard work, determination and size all give him tremendous potential for the future. Chodl loves that Pott always goes to the basket looking for contact and is never afraid to get physical. He has a developing jump shot and will see lots of time at the free throw line. He has the size, speed and strength to be a key varsity player for years to come.